drag2share: New Capacitive Touchscreens Recognize Your Gloved Fingers [Displays]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5853276/new-capacitive-touchscreens-recognize-your-gloved-fingers

It's old news by now, but capacitive touchscreens are a pain to use in the Winter because they can't detect your fingertaps through a pair of gloves. But SMK has improved the design of their 6.5-inch panels so that devices like car navigation systems can still be operated if you're driving with gloves on.

Instead of redesigning the displays from the ground up, the company added a new chip that improves detection sensitivity, while incorporating a new sensor panel that's better suited to filtering out noises and unwanted inputs as a result. When used with a bare finger, the new technology also facilitates the addition of a protective panel over the display up to 1.5mm thick, making them better suited for use in public kiosks. And because most users will only need to operate a touchscreen with gloves on when it's cold out, the panels will operate to temperatures as cold as minus thirty degrees celsius. Available up to eight inches in size, the new capacitive display technology will be first demonstrated at the Flat Panel Display show in Yokohama, Japan this week, with volume production starting soon thereafter. [TechOn! via Ubergizmo]

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drag2share: New Samsung Galaxy Note ad: freedom's just a stylus away (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/25/new-samsung-galaxy-note-ad-freedoms-just-a-stylus-away-video/

Ever wanted to soar majestically through the clouds? Good news, freedom from your earthly ties is a 5.3-inch display and S Pen away. All that and more in the Galaxy Note ad after the break -- though as we can attest, the whole creating beautiful landscapes thing isn't quite as easy as Samsung's simulated images make it out to be. No one ever said freedom was simple.

Continue reading New Samsung Galaxy Note ad: freedom's just a stylus away (video)

New Samsung Galaxy Note ad: freedom's just a stylus away (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 25 Oct 2011 15:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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drag2share: Freescale joins ARM A5 and M4 cores at the hip for performance and power savings

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/25/freescale-joins-arm-a5-and-m4-cores-at-the-hip-for-performance-a/

You may have noticed a trend recently -- pairing slightly less powerful cores that sip power, with more robust ones that can chug through demanding applications. NVIDIA's Tegra 3 will be packing an underclocked fifth core, while ARM's big.LITTLE initiative matches a highly efficient 28nm A7 with the beefy A15. Now Freescale is planning to use the same trick, but you won't find its asymmetrical CPUs in your next tablet or smartphone. Its platform, which marries a Cortex M4 to a Cortex A5, isn't meant to compete with the latest Snapdragon. These chips will find homes in factories and in-dash infotainment systems which have increasingly sophisticated UIs, but don't need to push thousands of polygons. Software development tools will land before this quarter is out and the first batch of silicon will be announced in Q1 of 2012. Looks like the era of "dual-core" meaning two identical cores has officially come to an end.

Continue reading Freescale joins ARM A5 and M4 cores at the hip for performance and power savings

Freescale joins ARM A5 and M4 cores at the hip for performance and power savings originally ! appeared on Engadget on Tue, 25 Oct 2011 17:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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drag2share: Use Quotation Marks Instead of + to Require a Search Term in Your Google Results [Google School]

Source: http://lifehacker.com/5852461/use-quotation-marks-instead-of-%252B-to-require-a-search-term-in-your-google-results

Late last week Google changed the way one of their most useful (but lesser known) search operators works: The + (plus) operator. What's that mean for you? Next time you want to make sure any single word or phrase appears in your search results, wrap it in quotation marks. Here's a bit more detail:

When you enter a search into Google, the search engine doesn't just search for all the web pages containing your search terms; instead, it returns what it thinks is the best match based on hundreds of factors, and the resulting page may not even contain one or more of your search terms. To explicitly specify that you want the results to include a word, you used to be able to add the + (plus) operator to the front of a term (e.g., +hackintosh +lifehacker would ensure both terms were in all results). Now, rather than adding the + operator, you need to wrap the word or words in quotation marks (e.g., "hackintosh" "lifehacker"). (Most likely this change has something to do with Google+ and it's +mentioning convention.)

It may seem like a trivial operator, but if you've recently done a search for two obscure keywords, you've probably noticed that often, Google returns results that only contain one of the words—particularly if there aren't a lot of pages that actually do contain both words. You're a smart searcher, though, so when you entered both terms, you actually wanted the results to contain those words. In the past, you'd add the + operator to all words you wanted explicitly included in results. Now it's the double-quote.

You likely already knew that quoting a phrase would return results with that exact phrase, but it's also now the go-to for must-include single-word terms, as well.

via Google Operating System

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You can contact Adam Pash, the author of this post, on Twitter, Google+, and Facebook.

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drag2share: Remember Netbooks? No One Else Does, Either [Factoid]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5853089/remember-netbooks-no-one-else-does-either

We'd already said that netbooks are dead, but it was maybe more accurate then to say that they were dying. Now, not only have netbook shipments precipitously declined, they're getting positively banged out by tablets. As they should.

There's no point to rehashing why netbooks don't provide a good enough consumer experience to justify their brief popularity. And even as they've improved dramatically—you can watch video on them now!—it's still very hard to find a compelling argument as to why you'd prefer one over a tablet. According to ABI Research:

Media tablet shipments surpassed netbook shipments this quarter, reaching 13.6 million units, compared to just 7.3 million netbooks. Netbooks had previously led the way with 8.4 million shipments in 1Q11, compared to just 6.4 million media tablets.

So say your goodbyes while you can, you lovers of netbooks. Unless you're too busy playing with your iPad. [BGR]

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drag2share: Lenovo announces multitouch-friendly C325 all-in-one desktop

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/24/lenovo-announces-multitouch-friendly-c325-all-in-one-desktop/

There's no shortage of multitouch-friendly all-in-one desktops to choose from these days, but you can now add one more to the list: Lenovo's new C325. This one packs a 20-inch 1600 x 900 display (also available sans multitouch in the basic configuration), along with a dual-core AMD E450 processor, integrated Radeon HD 6320 graphics, up to 8GB of RAM, a maximum 1TB hard drive, and a built-in DVD burner (no Blu-ray option, unfortunately), among other standard fare. It's also available in your choice of black or white, with prices starting at $699. Check out the gallery below for a closer look.

Gallery: Lenovo C325 all-in-one

Continue reading Lenovo announces multitouch-friendly C325 all-in-one desktop

Lenovo announces multitouch-friendly C325 all-in-one desktop originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 24 Oct 20! 11 19:11 :00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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drag2share: Westone's 4 R-Series quad-driver IEMs pack Acoustic Symmetry, cost $500

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/24/westones-4-r-series-quad-driver-iems-pack-acoustic-symmetry-co/

Remember those impressive Westone 4 in-ear monitors that came out late last year, priced at a whopping $450? Well, the company's ready to best itself again -- and have audiophiles open their wallets a bit wider -- with its new 4 R-Series. This latest set is relatively similar to the 4, still packing Westone's EPIC cable (now detachable) and four balanced armature drivers, but will set you back an extra fifty bucks in the name of Acoustic Symmetry. Westone claims the 'phones achieve an "extremely tight tolerance of +/- 2dB between earpieces," meaning your sound should be extra consistent from both buds. The 4 R-Series buds are expected to arrive before the year's out, so in the meantime we'll just direct you to the PR past the break.

Continue reading Westone's 4 R-Series quad-driver IEMs pack Acoustic Symmetry, cost $500

Westone's 4 R-Series quad-driver IEMs pack Acoustic Symmetry, cost $500 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 24 Oct 2011 20:18:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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drag2share: ViewSonic rolls out $200 ViewPad 7e Android tablet

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/24/viewsonic-rolls-out-200-viewpad-7e-android-tablet/

We've already seen it available for pre-order at Amazon and spent a bit of time with it ourselves last month, but ViewSonic's only just now officially getting its ViewPad 7e Android tablet out the door. It'll be available by the end of the month if it hasn't hit retailers already and, as expected, it will set you back an even $200. That unfortunately only buys you Android 2.3 (with an SPB shell on top) and not Honeycomb, but the specs are otherwise somewhat decent for the price, including a 1GHz ARM A8 processor, dual cameras, a "RiteTouch" 7-inch capacitive display, 4GB of storage with a microSD card slot for expansion, and HDMI output. As is often the case with low-end tablets, however, one key omission is official support for the Android Market, but you do at least get access to Amazon's Appstore, as well as plenty of pre-loaded apps including Twitter, Kindle, and TuneIn Radio.

Continue reading ViewSonic rolls out $200 ViewPad 7e Android tablet

ViewSonic rolls out $200 ViewPad 7e Android tablet originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 24 Oct 2011 21:50:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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drag2share: T-Mobile Springboard and Galaxy Tab 10.1 finally get official launch dates

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/25/t-mobile-springboard-and-galaxy-tab-10-1-finally-get-official-la/

Clutching at its chest and panting as it nears the finish line, T-Mobile has finally announced the release date for the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 on its not-quite-4G network. You can write November 2nd in your diaries as you struggle to remember which century it was that you decided to wait for the as yet unpriced magenta version of the tablet. T-Mobile's Springboard will be arriving five days later, on November 7th. The Huawei Mediapad-with-shiner-shoes packs a 1.2GHz dual-core CPU, 5 megapixels in the rear, 1.3 up front and has a crunchy Honeycomb center. Inexplicably, the company still won't 'fess up about pricing for this guy either, so we'll just repeat what we've heard a hundred times before -- it'll be under $200 on contract.

[Thanks, Cliff]

T-Mobile Springboard and Galaxy Tab 10.1 finally get official launch dates originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 25 Oct 2011 09:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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drag2share: Svelte Dell XPS 14z Ultrathin Laptop Comes To America [Laptops]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5852608/svelte-dell-xps-14z-ultrathin-laptop-comes-to-america/gallery/1

Dell calls its new XPS 14z the thinnest "fully featured" laptop on the planet. It's super slim at 23 mm, has a great display, is a zippy performer and weighs less than five pounds. And now, it's America's own.

The XPS-14z had already made news in China, but Dell is now shipping it here in the U.S. too. So let's get this "fully featured" thing out of the way first. Dell uses the term to mean the thinnest laptop with an optical drive and discrete graphics (a processing unit that's dedicated just to graphics). That's a marketing push. Dell should have dropped that language, because it just invites comparisons. It is much thicker than any number of laptops that lack an optical drive. However taken on its own, this a damn thin, damn fast little build with a great display.

Depending on how you spec it out, the XPS 14z comes with either a Core i5 or Core i7 processor, 7200 RPM SATA HDD in 500 or 750 GB options, or a 256 GB SSD if you don't dig platters. It's got a slot loading DVD +/-RW, optional NVIDIA GeForce GT 520M graphics card, and a seriously nice-looking 14" 720p (1366 x 768) display that seems like it just floats above the keyboard. The anodized aluminum body and island keyboard both feel quality. It has more ports than an island in the sea (Mini Display, HDMI 1.4, USB 3, USB 2, Ethernet, media card, microphone, headphone) and will play nice with your 3DTV. With a solid state drive, it weighs 4.12 pounds, the HDD version clocks in at 4.36 pounds.

It's at that magical price point where fast-selling faeries dwell, starting at $999 for the Core i5 version with integrated Intel HD 3000 graphics. It runs up to $1599 fully loaded with a Core i7 and discrete NVIDIA GeForce GT 520M. [Dell]

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drag2share: Turn Any Pair of Glasses into a Heads Up Display [Sports]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5852709/turn-any-pair-of-glasses-into-a-heads-up-display

Putting vital performance stats where they're always visible, the Sportiiiis adds a simple heads up display to almost any pair of glasses so an athlete doesn't have to glance down at a wrist monitor or smartphone to know if they're keeping pace.

The HUD easily straps to the arm of a pair of glasses, positioning a thin boom just below the wearer's right eye. And instead of using a complicated, cluttered stats display that's projected onto the lens, or even directly into the eye, the Sportiiiis has a simple set of seven colored LEDs that light up and flash to indicate an athlete's performance. The HUD wirelessly connects to existing performance monitors such as pedometers or heart rate chest straps using the ANT+ protocol, and the user can configure exactly how the LEDs light up in response to their current level of activity.

For example, the green LED in the middle could illuminate once they've reached their optimal heart rate, while the surrounding yellow LEDs would make it easy to tell when they're above or below their target. It could even be configured to serve as a simple speedometer while biking, or flash faster or slower based on the intensity of their current workout. The Sportiiiis also provides an audible cue of your current heart rate with a simple tap, while double tapping will easily switch between paired sensors currently in use. It will be available sometime in November for just $199, and come with more i's than any product name should ever need. [Sportiiiis via Gizmag]

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drag2share: How Much the iPhone Camera Has Improved [IPhone]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5852832/how-much-the-iphone-camera-has-improved/gallery/1

When the first iPhone came out, the camera was an afterthought, only tossed in to feature match its competitors. Fast forward four years and it's an entirely different story, Apple has made it a point of emphasis and the camera in the iPhone 4S sh-sh-sh-shines.

But how much has it really improved? Lisa Bettany took the same picture with every iPhones (that's right, original, 3G, 3GS, 4, and 4S) to see the differences and PetaPixel stitched 'em together to show you how each new generation improved upon the previous model (aside from the original and 3G, that is). And it's a HUUUGE difference. Like seeing the world for the very first time again different. The 3GS was the first big jump in camera quality but then it just went up from there with the lovely 4 and the king of the hill, stupidly detailed 4S.

Maybe you needed a point and shoot cam back when the first iPhones came out but if you have a 4S now, you're just lugging around a needless brick. Check out Camera+ to see more comparison photos with the Canon s95 and 5D Mark II. [Camera+ via PetaPixel]

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drag2share: Amazon's new e-book format brings HTML5 support to your Kindle library

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/24/amazons-new-e-book-format-brings-html5-support-to-your-kindle-l/

"Great looking books." That's what Amazon is promising to deliver with Kindle Format 8 (KF8) -- a new, HTML5-based file format for Kindle books. According to the company, KF8 will allow publishers to produce picture books, comics and graphic novels with greater ease, thanks to the platform's rich formatting capabilities and design elements. In fact, this format brings more than 150 new formatting tools to the table, including fixed layouts, nested tables, sidebars and Scalable Vector Graphics, among others. It should be noted, however, that audio and video are not included on the list of supported HTML tags and CSS elements. At first, content creators will only be able to use KF8 for the Kindle Fire tablet, though Amazon says it'll gradually expand to its entire lineup of devices and apps "in the coming months." No word yet on when KF8 will become available as an update to Amazon's Kindle Publisher Tools suite, but you can find more details at the source link, below.

Amazon's new e-book format brings HTML5 support to your Kindle library originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 24 Oct 2011 08:38:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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drag2share: Dell XPS 14z review

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/24/dell-xps-14z-review/

As far as product launches go, Dell didn't exactly rip the Band-Aid off the XPS 14z. After teasing it back in September, the company let all the specs out of the bag, but stopped short of naming a price and ship date for the United States. Well, now we know: this 14-incher will be available in the US and Canada November 1, and will start at $1,000 -- a price that puts it in direct competition with the likes of the HP Envy 14 and Sony VAIO SA series.

Like these other laptops, the 14z commands a premium over cheaper models, with beefier specs and a (supposedly) more luxurious design. With Core i5 and i7 processor options, discrete graphics, USB 3.0 and an optional solid-state drive, it offers a lot of the same specs as its peers, though it manages to stand out in a couple key ways. One, it sports an LG Shuriken display, which crams a 14-inch screen into a chassis normally reserved for 13-inch systems (translation: its bezels are super narrow). And with a starting weight of 4.36 pounds, it's lighter than a lot of the other laptops you're probably considering. But are these bullet points enough to make it a smart buy? Read on to find out.

Gallery: Dell XPS 14z

Gallery: Dell XPS 14z review

Continue reading Dell XPS 14z review

Dell XPS 14z review originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 24 Oct 2011 09:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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drag2share: Samsung Transform Ultra does the QWERTY slide for Sprint

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/24/samsung-transform-ultra-does-the-qwerty-slide-for-sprint/

What big, wireless brother wants, big, wireless brother gets. With its pay-as-you-go subsidiary already packing this particular piece of mobile kit, 'twas only a matter of time before Sprint got its hands on the Transform Ultra. Officially announced for the third place carrier today, Sammy's Droid Charge with a QWERTY twist packs the usual array of mid-range specs. The 3.5-incher runs Android 2.3 atop a single-core 1GHz processor, with a VGA front facing / 3 megapixel rear camera, 512MB RAM, 2GB of storage and 1500mAh battery in tow. It's no next gen, 4G beastie, but sometimes you just need a workhorse to get things done. Pricing and availability have yet to be released, although we're sure that bit of crucial info's right around the corner. Official presser awaits you after the break.

Continue reading Samsung Transform Ultra does the QWERTY slide for Sprint

Samsung Transform Ultra does the QWERTY slide for Sprint originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 24 Oct 2011 11:20:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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