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Tuesday, August 27, 2013

ParaShoot wearable camera lets you shoot stealthily, monitor on a smartphone

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/08/27/parashoot-wearable-camera/

GoPros are great, but if you'd rather film discretely without your subjects going into "dude" mode, there's now the ParaShoot wearable camera on Kickstarter. The idea is to sport the 1.3 ounce device like an amulet or on a belt during your day-to-day activities, so you can shoot 720p, 30fps video whenever a moment strikes. While slight, it still packs features like a 100 degree field of view, built-in imagine stabilization, a microSD slot, USB port, 700mAh battery, automatic recording and WiFi. Finally, unlike other wearable cameras, you won't be shooting blind thanks the included WP8, iOS and Android app that lets you monitor video and control the ParaShoot. The company's already doubled its modest $30,000 goal with over a month to go, but if you'd like roll the Kickstarter dice and pre-order, you can still grab one at the source for $149. Delivery's expected by December this year.

Filed under: Cameras, Wearables

Source: Kickstarter

Dell intros new Latitude business laptops, including a flagship Ultrabook (hands-on)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/08/26/dell-latitude-7000-5000-3000/

Dell intros new Latitude business laptops, including a flagship Ultrabook (hands-on)

Fun fact: the XPS 13 Ultrabook we liked so much also happens to be one of Dell's best-selling products. It's been so successful, in fact, that even large corporations have been thinking of issuing it to their employees (you know, instead of all those other black boxes). Of course, they can't really do that -- the XPS 13 wasn't built with businesses' security needs in mind -- but all their begging and pleading did get Dell thinking. Why not make something similar that's secure enough to pass muster with the IT guys?%Gallery-slideshow73368%

Filed under: Laptops, Dell

Sony's DSLR-like Alpha A3000 mirrorless camera ships next month for $399 (hands-on video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/08/27/sony-alpha-a3000/

Sony's managed to duplicate mid-range DSLR functionality in its NEX series of mirrorless cameras, but while experienced photographers recognize the value of such a device, amateurs looking to step up from a point-and-shoot often opt for a full-size DSLR. The reason, according to Sony reps, is that these users simply assume that a larger camera with a familiar design offers better image quality and performance. So, to suit these misinformed customers, Sony's created a mirrorless camera that looks like a DSLR, but offers the feature set -- and price tag -- of an entry-level compact ILC. The company's first attempt at winning over this broad demographic is the Alpha A3000. Internally, it's very similar to the NEX-3N, featuring a 20.1-megapixel APS-C sensor and E-mount lens compatibility. There's a mode dial, Multi Interface Shoe, pop-up flash and an eye-level electronic viewfinder. It also ships with a black version of Sony's standard 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 kit lens, all for the low, low price of $399.

We spent a few minutes with the A3000, and while this model wouldn't be the best fit for photographers who understand the appeal of mirrorless cameras, it will likely appeal to the users Sony's aiming at here. It's a nice camera for sure, and a great value at $399 with a lens. While small and light for a DSLR, it feels bulky for a mirrorless camera, but that's kind of the point. It's a reasonable choice for shooting sports, with a 3.5 fps consecutive shooting mode, and it can snap 1080/24p video clips (with autofocus). There's a 0.5-inch color viewfinder that's adequate but not particularly fantastic, a 230k-dot 3-inch fixed LCD and Sony's typical NEX user interface for adjusting capture and WiFi settings. Finally, the company's also launching three new E-mount lenses, including a very nice 16-70mm f/4 fixed-aperture optic that's expected later this month for $999, a black version of last year's 50mm f/1.8 that'll ship this month for $299, and a power-zoom 18-105mm f/4 lens that's due in December for $599. The A3000, for is part, should hit stores beginning next week, but you can take a quick look right now in our hands-on video after the break.%Gallery-slideshow73502%

Filed under: Cameras, Sony

Sony unveils 16.1MP NEX-5T with NFC and WiFi, available this September

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/08/27/Sony-nex-5t-nfc/

We assure you, the camera pictured above is not the NEX-5R. Announced today alongside three new E-mount lenses and the A3000, it's actually Sony's new NEX-5T. This shooter's unique feature is the addition of NFC for tap-to-device transfers of videos and photos -- a nice complement to the WiFi connectivity. Aside from that, it's pretty similar to its predecessor. Internally, you'll find the same 16.1-megapixel APS-C sensor with a maximum ISO sensitivity of 25,600 and hybrid phase-/contrast-detect autofocus for still images. The outside houses the familiar 921k-dot 3-inch touchscreen (with 180 degrees of rotation), a rear-set navigation dial and a function button (both programmable) adjacent to the shutter button. Photographers and videographers alike should be pleased with 1080/60p video capture and continuously focused 10-frames-per-second burst shooting. This NEX can also handle Sony's various Play Memories Camera Apps for extended versatility.

The NEX-5T is set to launch this September in white, black and silver for $700 with a 16-50mm pancake powered-zoom lens, and $550 for just the body. For now, grab a better glimpse by checking out the embedded galleries. Full press release after the break. %Gallery-slideshow73547% %Gallery-slideshow73512%

Filed under: Cameras, Sony

Source: Sony

Insert Coin: Zcapture offers 360-degree photos of objects in 15 minutes (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/08/27/insert-coin-zcapture-360-degree-photos/

In Insert Coin, we look at an exciting new tech project that requires funding before it can hit production. If you'd like to pitch a project, please send us a tip with "Insert Coin" as the subject line.

Sure, crafting flawless 360-degree photos of objects can be a slog, but Jared Bouck's taken to Kickstarter betting that his solution can whip up such pictures and make them web-embeddable in as little as 15 minutes. Dubbed Zcapture, the hardware packs a rotating platform for items and cooperates with custom software to edit and produce the images without additional post-processing. As it stands, the gear works with cameras that boast external shutter controls (specifically Canon and Nikon models at the start), but stretch goals may bring support for other shooters, including IR header compatibility for point-and-shoots. With an Arduino at its core, and coupled with a circuit board packing additional ports and headers, the box is designed with modding in mind. In addition to snapping photos, Zcapture can even be used as a rotating base for 3D scanning.

If you're wondering just what the system is capable of, just take a look at Bouck's work at Rotate 360 Studios, where he's made product shots for the likes of Foster Grant, Reebok, Xi3 and others. A USB-powered mini Zcapture along with the software is priced at $150 (or just $100 for the program), while other kits range from $300 to $690 for a fully-loaded version paired with soft box lighting. If the project meets its $46,000 funding goal, the contraption is expected to ship in December. With a little over $4,000 pledged so far, we hope -- if not for our review photos, for our eBay listings -- that it hits its goal before the two-month deadline.

Filed under: Cameras, Peripherals, Software

Source: Kickstarter, Zcapture

Samsung Galaxy Note III camera rumored to pack 4K video capture, high-quality audio playback

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/08/27/samsung-galaxy-note-iii-rumor-4k-video-recording/

What are you going to add to a smartphone series that's already gone big-screen, already has a stylus and already offers up a decent battery life? According to the Korea Economic Daily, Samsung believes adding a heavy-duty camera upgrade to 4K should do the trick. The news site's source (identified as an "industry official" rather than a Samsung employee), says the Galaxy Note III, which is likely to make its debut at IFA 2013, will be able to record video in Ultra High Definition. It's a significant pixel boost from the 1080p video capture available to last year's Galaxy Note II.

The company is likely hoping that offering up an opportunity to record in 4K will mean those smartphone owners are then more likely to upgrade their TV sets (to a Ultra HD Samsung model, naturally) to make the most of their crisp video content. Alongside a new camera, the same source reckons that audio quality will be bumped up to 24-bit, like LG's G2 and a step above the 16-bit audio tech in Samsung's existing Galaxy phones. No word on the previous notion of three differently-sized models and as the source material has gone through the Google Translate grinder, things aren't as clear as we'd have hoped. However, the Korea Economic Daily has past form when it comes to Samsung news. Next week, we're sure to hear all the finer details and we're taking bets on which company will be the first to claim "world's first".

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Samsung

Via: SAM Mobile

Source: Korea Economic Daily (Korean)

Enblink turns any Google TV device into a home automation control center

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/08/27/enblink-dongle-google-tv-home-automation/

Meet Enblink: a dongle that plugs into any Google TV device and turns it into a home automation control hub. Enblink works with any Z-Wave enabled gadget, from door locks and lamps to security sensors and video cameras. The dongle itself will serve as a Z-Wave radio (once it's passed through the Z-Wave certification process) when plugged into your GTV device of choice. From there, its software runs atop GTV's Android underpinnings and leverages the device's CPU to control the locks and lights in your abode. A companion app for Android turns your phone into a remote control and monitor for appliances hooked into the Enblink system, plus there's an iOS app currently in development. Input from mobile devices goes through Amazon Web Services, which relays commands to the dongle to execute your bidding from afar.

It's up for pre-order right now for $85, with the price rising to $99 when it officially goes on sale sometime in the next month or two. Of course, if you're streaming video to your mobile device, there's an ongoing fee (of undetermined cost) for the privilege once you've used up your free allotment of 30 seconds of streaming per day. Regardless, by leveraging existing GTV hardware and AWS to do the lifting on the backend, Enblink is a fraction of the cost of many purpose-built home automation base stations. So if you're a home automation geek that counts yourself among those very few with a Google TV and a slew of Z-Wave toasters, locks and light bulbs, your ship has, at long last, come in.

Filed under: Household, HD

Source: Enblink

Repix brings its photo editing prowess to Android, supports Samsung's S Pen and Air View (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/08/27/repix-android/

After gaining considerable success on the iOS side of the smartphone divide, Repix has finally launched its creative photo editor over on the land of the little green droid. Like the iOS original, the Android version lets you liven up your humdrum camera phone images with a variety of effects that range from filters and frames to a set of thirty brushes that let you augment specific areas of the photo instead of the whole thing. For those with a Galaxy Note device (be it the original Note, the Note II, the Note 8.0 or the Note 10.1), you'll be glad to know Repix works well with the S Pen's pressure sensitivity. If you have a GS4, the app has built-in support for the handset's Air View technology, so you can discern the size of the brush just by hovering your finger above the display. But regardless of which Android phone you have, you can download it for free from the Google Play Store star! ting tod ay to begin putting those Instagram filters to shame.

Filed under: Cellphones, Software, Mobile

Source: Repix, Google Play Store

Monday, August 26, 2013

Moto X for Verizon officially available online August 29th, at stores in the coming weeks

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/08/26/moto-x-verizon/

If you've been eyeing a Motorola device on Verizon without the Droid branding, the Moto X is ultimately your best (and only) choice -- but when exactly will it be available to the masses? According to Verizon's official Twitter account, this Thursday, August 29th will be the day you can grab it online for $200 on-contract. As for stores, the company isn't willing to give a specific date just yet, so all we've been told is that we can expect it in the coming weeks. Still, this will come as good news for Big Red fans who have been patiently awaiting their turn, even if it means early adopters have to settle for a black or white option.

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile, Google, Verizon

Source: Droid-life

Intel's 3D camera technology detects emotions and eyes, gives Kinect some competition

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/08/26/intel-3d-camera-technology-detects-your-emotions-and-eyes/

We know that Intel sees 3D cameras as the future of computing, and the company's Anil Nanduri just provided a few hints of what that future may involve. He tells Network World that the depth-sensing technology can recognize emotions, such as happy smiles. It can also track your gaze; a camera can detect when readers are stumped by unfamiliar words in a book, for example. The technology's shape detection is accurate enough that it can even scan objects for 3D printing. We won't get a true sample of the technology's potential until Creative ships its Senz3D camera before the end of the current quarter. Nonetheless, it's already evident that Microsoft's next-generation Kinect for Windows will have some real competition on its hands.

Filed under: Intel

Via: GigaOM

Source: Network World

MAP OF THE DAY: Here's Where America's Craft Breweries Are

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/map-of-the-day-heres-where-americas-craft-breweries-are-2013-8

From IBISWorld, a map showing the percentage of craft brewery establishments belonging to each state.

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New Nexus 7 arrives in Japan this week, SIM-unlocked 32GB LTE model coming this September

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/08/25/new-nexus-7-arrives-in-japan-this-week-sim-unlocked-32gb-lte-mo/

Google often takes its time bringing its Nexus variety of tablets and smartphones across the Pacific, but it's getting faster. Today, it announced that the refreshed Nexus 7 (with a new 1,900 x 1,200 resolution screen and 5MP camera) will land in Japan on Wednesday 28th August. The 16GB model is priced up at 27,800 yen, while double the storage will cost 33,800 yen.

For Japanese readers hoping for that LTE model, there's news on that front too. It'll arrive SIM-unlocked in the middle of September, the 32GB LTE model will cost just shy of 40,000 yen, notably off-contract -- Google says it'll work on all three of Japan's major carriers (DoCoMo, Softbank and KDDI's au). Barring the original 7-inch tablet, Nexus models have typically been in short supply in Japan; the Nexus 4 is yet to visit the Land of the Rising Sun.

Filed under: Tablets, ASUS, Google

Sunday, August 25, 2013

Surprise: NSA Agents Use All-Seeing Power to Spy on Their Crushes

Source: http://gizmodo.com/surprise-nsa-agents-use-all-seeing-power-to-spy-on-the-1193464964

Surprise: NSA Agents Use All-Seeing Power to Spy on Their Crushes

It's only reasonable to assume that men or women with near unbounded power to spy on the public would eventually use that power to peek at people they are sexually interested in. Well, now you don't have to assume it, because the NSA is admitting it.

Bing intros robust product results for snappier impulse shopping

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/08/24/bring-robust-product-search/

If you can't even remember when you've last used Bing, you'll find a deluge of new features next time you visit. The latest among these perks is a more elaborate result page for product searches, making the engine a potentially dark and dangerous place for chronic spenders. When you look up a product term such as "DSLR cameras" or "smartphones," you'll now see a list of the most popular models in that category. That's not the deepest end of the rabbit hole, however, as searching for a particular model rewards you with a summary of its specs, links to reviews and a list of alternative items. Microsoft will also equip the page's ads with product images in case none of the things in those lists wins you -- or your credit card -- over. Unfortunately, you'll need to rein in the call of your inner shopaholic for now -- the update's not yet available for everyone, but outgoing CEO Ballmer and Co. will roll it out in the coming months.

Filed under: Internet, Microsoft

Via: The Next Web

Source: Bing

LG's 55-inch curved OLED TV hits Germany for 8,999 euros this week

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/08/25/lg-55-inch-curved-oled-tv-germany/

Following its availability at several Best Buy locations across the US, LG's 55-inch curved OLED TV is finally making its way to Europe. The company today announced that it'll arrive in Germany this week for 8,999 euros (roughly $12,000), with wider availability and pricing set to be announced in Q4. LG notes that it stands as the first to offer this type of kit in both the US and the EU, though, we're sure Samsung won't lag too far behind as usual. Full press release after the break.

Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD

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