Friday, December 26, 2008

Apple Patent Shows Nifty Keyboard Gestures for the iPhone [IPhone]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/7WA1PzquNPY/apple-patent-shows-nifty-keyboard-gestures-for-the-iphone

While many non-imminent Apple patents can edge into the realm of wishful thinking, this one is pretty doable: useful little gestures for the iPhone, which are received over the phone's onscreen keyboard.

According to the patent application, simple input commands like delete and space would be controlled with simple back and forward-swipe motions. While remapping something that is already readily available through a screen key is of minor value, this technique could also be used to introduce completely new functions, and augment the iPhone's somewhat gimped text manipulation.

To this end, the patent describes customizable functions, which could lead to multitouch gestures that trigger the deletion of entire words, switching of keyboards, or quick input of specific characters. While many users would never take to a gesture system like this, it wouldn't get in anyone's way and could be silently slotted into the next firmware update without much effort or controversy, providing a nice little feature-add for iPhone and iPod Touch users. [MacRumors]



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Financiapocalypse Kneecaps Christmas Gadget Sales [The Economy]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/ujyHpFs_3-o/financiapocalypse-kneecaps-christmas-gadget-sales

Analysts knew it would be bad, but not this bad. Retail sales this year are down 5.5% in November and 8% in December overall, but electronics specifically fell by an astounding 27%.

Consumer electronics are always hit harder than average in tight times, but massive drop confirms what my various visits at barely-busy big box retailers led me to suspect. But what else can we find in this data? And is it really as bad as it looks?

First of all, the category that fell by 27% is titled "Electronics/Appliances", so it's possible that things are OK in Gadgetland, and pure carnage in Whirlpoolville. But probably not. Second, the data shows a inverse correlation between a drop in sales and utility. This isn't to say that gadgets are superfluous luxury items—you won't hear that here—but rather that the other categories like, you know, shoes, contain products that probably take priority over USB humping dogs and Monster cables.

Oh well. Expect to hear plenty more about these numbers when Q4 earnings reports start trickling out, like tears of disappointment onto so many plimsolls. [WSJ]



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MSI Wind desktop now available in Japan, slightly less barebones than before

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/25/msi-wind-desktop-now-available-in-japan-slightly-less-barebones/

Remember that thrifty MSI Wind Desktop that came out here in August? A slightly meatier version -- which looks like the one that was supposed to be out in September -- is now available in Japan. The CD100-JP Nettop still lacks a hard drive, RAM and operating system, but it's now equipped with a slot-loading drive and a snazzy white finish in addition to that 1.6GHz Intel Atom 330 and 11.8 x 9.5 x 2.6-inch case. It's currently selling for 26,000 yen, or about $290. Still no word on a US release -- last we heard it wasn't gonna happen, but we can't keep wishing.

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MSI Wind desktop now available in Japan, slightly less barebones than before originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 25 Dec 2008 15:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Intel put the kibosh on anti-Ion hubbub, welcomes standalone Atom sales

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/25/intel-put-the-kibosh-on-anti-ion-hubbub-welcomes-standalone-ato/

A nasty rumor had been making the rounds about Intel, something along the lines of it wouldn't sell its Atom CPUs to netbook vendors without its 945 chipset in tow. If true, the move would essentially act to block graphical entrants such as NVIDIA from making a move into the netbook GPU space. An unnamed Intel spokesman chimed in on the whispers today by outrightly denying the claims, telling InternetNews that "there is nothing preventing vendors from using [NVIDIA's] Ion platform; [Intel] sells Atom as a standalone processor, or as a package with chipset." 'Course, it's not like Intel hasn't pulled similar tricks before, and to say that the chip maker's relationship with NVIDIA has been dysphoric is understating things dramatically. Still, it sounds as if the company's in the clear here, but we're still waiting to see a wicked Atom + Ion combo in a shipping product before we believe the hatchet is entirely buried.

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Intel put the kibosh on anti-Ion hubbub, welcomes standalone Atom sales originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 25 Dec 2008 19:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Thursday, December 25, 2008

Online Polls: Find the best Web Polling Software for your needs

Source: http://www.labnol.org/internet/best-web-polling-software/6207/

Most Web Polling software are free, intuitive and require no technical knowledge but the only problem is that there are just too many polling services available and picking the one that best fits your requirement may not be that easy. The following guide therefore highlights the unique features of all the popular web polling software around and this should help you make the right choice quickly.

toluna1. Toluna - Toluna is an online polling software that also lets you add videos and pictures to poll answers to make them look more descriptive. The service is integrated with Plaxo so it should be easy to invite existing contacts to take your poll.

When you create a new poll inside Toluna, it will automatically suggest a list of existing polls that could be related to the poll you have in mind. This is a big time saver for general interest polls like "Which is your favorite email?" because you can just copy an existing poll rather than doing everything from scratch.

micropoll2. Micropoll - This web poll service doesn’t require registration and you can create a quick poll by simply typing all the possible choices in a text box separated by new lines. Micropoll provides a variety of colored themes and you can embed polls in websites either as JavaScript or a Flash movie. You get to see poll responses on a world map and the paid version also supports SMS polls.

google-docs3. Google Docs - You create a new form in Google Docs and include either "Multiple Choice" or "Choose from a list" type of questions to compose a poll.

This is very practical for large polls / surveys as all the data is directly captured inside a spreadsheet and that makes for easy analysis. However the poll embedding options in Google Docs aren’t very convenient and users can’t see the results after voting.

polldaddy4. PollDaddy is the most popular online polling software that was recently acquired by Automattic, the same company that also develops WordPress blogging software.

PollDaddy also lets you insert pictures and YouTube clips in your polls though there’s no integrated search as in Toluna. You can choose a styles from the available skins or create something unique via CSS. Polls can be embedded in web pages either as JavaScript or Flash widgets. You can subscribe to poll results via RSS feeds or export them as XML / CSV for analysis in programs like Microsoft Excel.

strawpoll5. StrawPoll - This is an interesting service that lets you run live polls on Twitter. You post a question one your Twitter page directly via StrawPoll and your Twitter friends / followers can vote by simply replying to your Tweet.

StrawPoll allows only two choices per question (like Do you like Coffee? Yes or No) but still great for getting feedback from the Twitter community as it very convenient. (also see: Twitter Guide)

poll-everywhere6. Poll Everywhere - The drawback with either of the poll services discussed above is that they all require web access for people to participate and are therefore not very useful in situations where you want the offline audience to vote (like a conference room without Internet).

A good alternative to web polls are SMS Polls where people can vote though text messaging on mobile phones just like polls conducted on TV or radio. The Poll Everywhere service is now available in almost every country and the basic plan is free though it only allows 30 votes per poll.

notifu7. Notifu - Another unique service that lets you conduct polls via Email or IM. You create a poll on the Notifu website, type in the possible responses and then invite contacts who can vote through email, Google Talk, Yahoo Messenger and all other popular IM clients.

Other than email or IM, your friends / colleagues can also vote via SMS messages though that is a charged option.

vizu8. Vizu Polls - If you are looking to expand the reach of your web polls beyond the limited audience of your blog or website, Vizu Web Polls are an option worth looking at.

With Vizu you can create a regular poll and embed it on your own site - it will also show the voter locations on a Google Map. Next is the Vizu ad network where you can have that poll published on external websites for a fee.

imageWhich polling software is right for me?

All the services discussed above offer some unique options. For instance, Notifu allows polling via email while Micropoll lets you create polls even without asking for your email address. So here’s my take:

If you are doing a poll with a small group of friends some of who may be on email or IM, go with Notifu.

If you are a doing a presentation in a conference room and need opinions of participants over a certain topic, try Poll Everywhere as not everywhere may be carrying a web enable smartphone.

If you need polls for embedding in web pages, stick with Poll Daddy. The free version of PollDaddy offers unlimited polls and unlimited number of votes though you’ll have to upgrade to the Pro version for detailed visitor analysis like the ability the see voter location and also to prevent fraudulent multiple votes from the same IP address.

If you are creating a general poll from scratch but need ideas for possible responses / answers, give Toluna a shot.  And finally, if you to need to run your poll on external websites, your only choice is Vizu.

Related: Useful Blog Add-on and Widgets

Online Polls: Find the best Web Polling Software for your needs - Digital Inspiration

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Sony Vaio Pocket: The Fancy Mystery Netbook Leaked [Vaio]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/8o6bAGvihII/sony-vaio-pocket-the-fancy-mystery-netbook-leaked

Sony Style has leaked some specs of the netbook—what I have heard is its flagship announce at the show—ahead of its CES 2009 coming out of the closet party. It's name is Pocket.

The soon to be officially smallest notebook in Sony's line will have an unspecified 1.33Ghz processor, which is probably an Atom. More interestingly is the razor sharp 1600x768 pixel screen on an 8-inch LED backlit screen. (Which is almost too many pixels per square inch, despite Sony's apparent desire for the Pocket to be the most expensive and fancy netbook ever.) It'll also have the option of either a 60GB HDD or, strangely, a 128GB SSD module. I believe this is the first notebook I've seen that can be configured in SSD sizes larger than what's available in traditional drives. Battery and pricing are filled in as "X' and "NaN", still yet to be determined. It'll come in red, silver-painted plastic (bleh) and black.

Teasers and bits of Sony's netbook, long rumored and often denied, have been coming in recent weeks, but this is the first leak from their official website. Also, the name is the same as the already forgotten 2004 Vaio Pocket.

The photo is probably a placeholder so we still have more to learn before its coming out party. [Sony Style via Sony Insider, thanks Chris, damn you Sony Style for making me! post on Christmas.]



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Lenovo W700ds struts its stuff on film

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/25/lenovo-w700ds-struts-its-stuff-on-film/


We'll freely admit that Lenovo's ThinkPad W700ds is, shall we say... intriguing. So sure, we're a little envious that GottaBeMobile's gotten their hands on one, but they've kindly shared what they know with the rest of the world. The model they've got boasts a 2.53GHz Intel Core 2 Extreme CPU, 4 GB of RAM, and NVIDIA Quadro FX3700M graphics. As for those displays, the primary is a 17-inch WUXGA with a 1920 x 1200, and the secondary panel is a 10.6-inch WXGA with a 768 x 1200 resolution. It all looks mighty interesting to us, but you're going to want to check the video after the break to see for yourself.

Continue reading Lenovo W700ds struts its stuff on film

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Lenovo W700ds struts its stuff on film originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 25 Dec 2008 08:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Intel Wants Netbooks to Keep Sucking [Intel]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/-_pvra4nmVE/intel-wants-netbooks-to-keep-sucking

Digitimes reports Intel's pissed that Nvidia's trying to muscle into the totally Intel-dominated netbook niche with their new Ion platform that combines the Atom processor with Nvidia's GeForce 9400m which makes netbooks fully HD capable.

So, Intel is reiterating to PC makers that the Atom processor only comes bundled with their own chipsets and is refusing to validate Nvidia's chipset for Atom-based netbooks. Which is obviously a problem for Nvidia, since half of Ion is Intel's Atom. That said, after Nvidia punted Intel's chipset out of the new MacBooks, we're not all that surprised Intel's putting up a more hardcore defense here—after all, we're talking a whole new ecosystem Intel wants to have all to itself.

Heart-shaped waffles picture (even though they're a little burnt) because, uh, heart-shaped waffles sound delicious right about now. [Digitimes, Image: adrian_s/Flickr]



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Toyota to unveil its all-electric concept, not exactly forthcoming with details

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/24/toyota-to-unveil-its-all-electric-concept-not-exactly-forthcomi/


Among the small clutch of green autos on view at the Detroit auto show early next year, Toyota will be debuting an as-yet-unnamed all electric car concept. This is meant to demonstrate the company's commitment to electric, a move which only makes sense, seeing as the whole "peak oil" thing is pretty much destined to make the gas guzzler obsolete. Still, the car arrives without much fanfare or details -- all we really know is that it's all electric and that it's smaller than a Prius. This comes after the Japanese automaker's push into electric fuel cell development and their stated intention to have an EV on the market alongside the next gen Prius hybrid in 2010. Of course, we all thought we'd have flying cars by 2010, but the industry's inability to produce a robust all-electric motor has certainly put the kibosh on that once great dream.

Update: When we initially posted this item, we ran it with a pic of Toyota's iQ (a perfectly reasonable move in lieu of the fact that Toyota has yet to release a picture of the car). After Engadget Spanish turned us on to a more suitable image, we moved the iQ car after the break.

[Via Wired]

Continue reading Toyota to unveil its all-electric concept, not exactly forthcoming with details

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Toyota to unveil its all-electric concept, not exactly forthcoming with details originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 24 Dec 2008 09:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Laptops outship desktops for the first time worldwide

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/24/laptops-outship-desktops-for-the-first-time-worldwide/

Laptops have been out-shipping desktops in the US for years upon years (upon years), but it wasn't until now that such a scenario was true worldwide. According to iSuppli, global notebook computer shipments exceeded those of desktops for the first time ever in Q3 of this year, a "watershed event" according to it. More specifically, notebook PC shipments surged around 40% to 38.6 million units, while desktop shipments slipped 1.3% to 38.5 million. We'd say this is a marvelous day and a sign of what's to come, but haven't we all known that desktops were being reserved for hardcore gaming, computational science and games of chess for years now?

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Laptops outship desktops for the first time worldwide originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 24 Dec 2008 09:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HKC's Pearl rips a RIM name, an HTC design, and a pair of OSes

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/24/hkcs-pearl-rips-a-rim-name-an-htc-design-and-a-pair-of-oses/


Goodness, we can already tell that China is going to be a frigging goldmine of weird and wild Android hardware for a long, long time to come. First we had the QiGi i6, which boasted compatibility both with Android and WinMo -- and it's looking like this might be a surprisingly common feature for some of these Chinese devices now that we have another doing the same thing. The HKC Pearl looks suspiciously like a first-gen HTC Touch -- and nothing like its namesake, may we add -- working with a 2.8-inch QVGA display, 256MB of ROM, 128MB of RAM, WiFi, and a 2-megapixel cam to back up its Google- and Microsoft-provided loads. As with the QiGi, the odds of seeing this one outside Asia are slim at best, but hey, at least our colleagues at Engadget Chinese have scored a hands-on to satisfy our collective curiosities.

Read - HKC Pearl announcement
Read - Android mode hands-on
Read - WinMo mode hands-on

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HKC's Pearl rips a RIM name, an HTC design, and a pair of OSes originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 24 Dec 2008 10:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ultraportable ultrasound machine paves the way for wacky ultrasound pranks

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/24/ultraportable-ultrasound-machine-paves-the-way-for-wacky-ultraso/

It might look more like a Radio Shack project kit than a serious piece of medical equipment, but George K. Lewis -- a third year biomedical engineering PhD student -- has developed a pocket-sized ultrasound device that can be manufactured for about $100. Typically, a biomedical ultrasound unit can weigh 30 pounds and cost upwards of $20,000. The developer has high hopes for the device -- not only will an ultraportable ultrasound bring the technology to places where it might have been impractical before (such as combat units in the field and remote populations), hopefully the inexpensive contraption will spur innovative new uses for the device. So, what's stranger -- scoping your unborn child with a homebrew ultrasound, or using an incubator that once lived as a Toyota 4Runner? That's a tough call...

[Via Inventor Spot]

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Ultraportable ultrasound machine paves the way for wacky ultrasound pranks originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 24 Dec 2008 12:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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FSC Amilo Sa 3650 laptop and GraphicBooster tested, deemed flawed but synergistic

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/24/fsc-amilo-sa-3650-laptop-and-graphicbooster-tested-deemed-flawe/

Having already seen it run Crysis, we've been itching to know if Fujitsu Siemens' AMILO Sa 3650 laptop and GraphicBooster had any other tricks up their sleeves. The Notebookcheck crew ran the dynamic duo through some tests and found it to be an impressive pairing, although the laptop itself takes a few jabs for shoddy case design, stiff touchpad keys and an underperforming AMD processor. By its lonesome, the integrated ATI Radeon HD 3200 GPU is better than the usual Intel GMA fare, but the GraphicBooster and an external monitor puts this machine nearly on par with a decent desktop rig. Without that external monitor, however, the GraphicBooster only provides marginal improvements to the laptop's performance, due to limitations in the bandwidth connecting the add-on to the port. The second display is connected directly to the booster via DVI-I or HDMI. An asking price of 1300 Euros (US $1,810) seems a bit steep to us, but they say it's worth the premium, calling it an "unprecedented fusion of performance and mobility." Hit up the read link for a full analysis.

[Thanks, Jamil]

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FSC Amilo Sa 3650 laptop and GraphicBooster tested, deemed flawed but synergistic originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 24 Dec 2008 12:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gigabyte's M528 MID gets unboxed, photographed lots

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/24/gigabytes-m528-mid-finally-gets-unboxed/


We've already had the pleasure of checking out the Aigo Patriot in its natural habitat, and now we're finally being treated to the same with its Gigabyte-branded counterpart. The Atom-based MID has been unboxed all official-like over at UMPC Fever, and the photographer didn't even shy away from snapping a few with the lid off. Have a look yourself in the read link below, but don't get too attached -- so far as we can tell, it'll cost you a pretty penny to get it imported from a foreign land.

[Via SlashGear]

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Gigabyte's M528 MID gets unboxed, photographed lots originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 24 Dec 2008 17:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A Danish Super Car?

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/yankodesign/~3/_9CE0wszEpI/

Oh snap! It’s a Danish super car. Somehow those words don’t go together in my head. When I think super car, I think Japan, America, Italy, Germany, maybe even France and England - but Denmark? It’s true, the Zenvo ST1 is a real Danish supercar with excessive power; a V8 1,104 pony galloping engine to be exact. The turbocharged 7.0 liter 6 speed manual tranny pushes the Zenvo ST1 from 0-60 in just 3 seconds. For safety and legal reasons, the car is electronically limited to 232 mph.

A car that fast needs major brakes to stop it and this baby uses a set of ventilates 380 mm disc brakes and 6 piston calipers up front, 355 mm discs gripped by 6 piston calipers at the rear. Made entirely of a steel frame wrapped in a carbon fiber body, the styling is striking and contemporary. Personally I think it’s a little contrived (angry blowfish?) but a head turner for sure and pretty much unlike any other recognizable super car on the road.

The interior is a different story. It’s pure luxury - strange for a super car. The alcantara leather trimmed interior hosts a bevy of high-tech niceties like dual zone climate control, full set of airbags, cruise control (at 232 mph no less), keyless entry, racing seats, and a G-force meter for all you gear heads.

How much is it gonna cost? I’m not sure but only 15 will be made so you can bet your bottom dollar only 3% 2% 1% .001% of the world’s population can afford it.

Designer: Zenvo

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