Dr. Augustine Fou's Online Scrapbook

Monday, April 27, 2009

Samsung Omnia Pro with landscape QWERTY coming this summer?

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/26/samsung-omnia-pro-with-landscape-qwerty-coming-this-summer/

This is totally unsubstantiated, but also totally plausible -- likely, even -- so we wanted to pass along a hot rumor out of Italian site hdblog.it claiming that there'll be a QWERTY-equipped Omnia Pro hitting the market in the coming months, and they've even crafted a mockup looking like the offspring of an F700 and an original Omnia to illustrate their point. Specifically, the rumor suggests that the Omnia Pro will run Windows Mobile 6.1 upgradeable to 6.5 -- which might explain Sammy's decision to back off the OmniaHD branding for the Symbian-powered i8950 -- along with a 5 megapixel cam and sweet 3.5-inch WVGA AMOLED display. Considering that the old Omnia is widely considered to be one of the company's better (and more successful) smartphones in recent memory, it certainly stands to reason that they'd want to carry on the legacy -- and slapping on a sliding landscape keyboard seems like a no-brainer way to do it. To top things off, gossip has this sucker launching this summer for something in the range of €500 ($662), which throws it face-first into this summer's superphone smackdown alongside the N97, the GSM Pre, and whatever Apple has up its sleeves. Fun time to be alive, isn't it?

[Via Slashphone]

Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds

Samsung Omnia Pro with landscape QWERTY coming this summer? originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 26 Apr 2009 21:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GE microholographic storage promises cheap 500GB discs, Blu-ray and DVD compatibility

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/27/ge-microholographic-storage-promises-cheap-500gb-discs-blu-ray/

Ah, holographic storage -- you've held so much promise for cheap optical media since you were first imagined in research papers published in the early 60s. Later today, GE will be trying to keep the dream alive when it announces a new technique that promises to take holographic storage mainstream. GE's breakthrough in microholographics -- which, as the name implies, uses smaller, less complex holograms to achieve three-dimensional digital storage -- paves the way for players that can store about 500GB of data on standard-sized optical discs while still being able to read DVD and Blu-ray media. Better yet, researchers claim a price of about 10 cents per gigabyte compared to the nearly $1 per gigabyte paid when Blu-ray was introduced. The bad news? We're talking 2011 or 2012 by the time microholographics devices and media are introduced and even then it'll only be commercialized for use by film studios and medical institutions. In other words, you'll likely be streaming high-def films to your OLED TV long before you have a microholographic player in the living room.

Filed under: Storage

GE microholographic storage promises cheap 500GB discs, Blu-ray and DVD compatibility originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 27 Apr 2009 02:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Inventors develop transistor to change color of any surface, your face notwithstanding

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/27/inventors-develop-transistor-to-change-color-of-any-surface-you/

Color shifting has been a pipe dream for about as long as alchemists have claimed their studies to be legitimate, but now a brilliant team from the New University of Lisbon can finally say a breakthrough has been found. Essentially, these inventors have conjured up a transistor that changes the color of practically any surface (paper, glass, plastics, ceramics and metals, just to name a few). For what it's worth, this same team already has quite a bit of display cred, as it has developed technology currently used within Samsung panels. With the help of a few good men and woman at the University of Texas at Austin, the team was able to register for a patent right here in the US, and with any luck, they'll be giving OLEDs and e-paper a run for their money before we can snap our fingers twice and run around the block. Check a video (narrated in Portuguese) after the break.

[Thanks, Nelson]

Continue reading Inventors develop transistor to change color of any surface, your face notwithstanding

Filed under: Displays

Inventors develop transistor to change color of any surface, your face notwithstanding originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 27 Apr 2009 04:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung I7500 with OLED touchscreen powered by Android, dreams

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/27/samsung-i7500-oled-handset-powered-by-android-dreams/

Anticipated for months, Samsung's first Android phone is finally a (paper) reality after being flushed through the rumor mill just hours ago. Launching "in major European countries from June," the 11.9-mm slim quad-band GSM, tri-band 7.2Mbps HSDPA (900/1700/2100MHz) candybar packs a 3.2-inch, 320 x 480 pixel AMOLED touchscreen, WiFi, GPS, 5 megapixel camera with Power LED, 1,500mAh battery, 8GB of storage (plus MicroSD expansion for up to 32GB more), and a standard 3.5mm heasdset jack. Step aside HTC, you had your chance, let's all welcome Samsung to the Android party. Another picture and full press release after the break.

P.S. Although no US announcements have been made, that 1700MHz HSPA frequency could make T-Mobile USA customers very happy.

Continue reading Samsung I7500 with OLED touchscreen powered by Android, dreams

Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds

Samsung I7500 with OLED touchscreen powered by Android, dreams originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 27 Apr 2009 05:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Friday, April 24, 2009

Samsung 9000 Series LCD Rumored to Have Wireless Media Box, LEDs [Televisions]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/dZA3ECmFmgE/samsung-9000-series-lcd-rumored-to-have-wireless-media-box-leds

A few details on the still unannounced 9000 Series LCDs from Samsung have leaked, and according to FlatPanelsHD, they'll come with a wireless media port box, in addition to having LED backlighting.

The 9000 series will come in 46 and 55-inch sizes, and will come equipped with MPEG4 compliant DVB-T and DVB-C tuners. The external media box is similar to the Sony ZX1, where it takes all your video inputs and wirelessly transmits them to your TV, reducing the size of the panel itself. As for the LED backlighting, local dimming is superior to edge lighting because you get better contrast, and therefore deeper blacks, from the picture. (LED backlit Samsung LCDs have had this for awhile.)

Other features the 9000 series is rumored to have DLNA compatibility, USB port and on-screen widgets via the Medi@2.0 platform. FlatPanelsHD expects the 9000 series to be available in summer/fall 2009. [FlatPanelsHD] (Samsung B8000 Series LCD pictured above)

HTC Touch Pro2 gets thoroughly handled overseas

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/24/htc-touch-pro2-gets-thoroughly-tinkered-with-overseas/

While we still don't have an official release date for HTC's Touch Pro2 here in the states, the folks at Russian site Mobile-Review have managed to get some extensive hands-on time with the unit. Props go to the quality of the voice calls and especially the QWERTY keyboard, noted via the machine translation as one of the most user-friendly in modern mobile devices. The same is not said here, however, for the plastic casing and steep pricing. They also don't really touch on TouchFlo 3D 2.0.XX -- that's apparently coming later in another article -- but hit up the read link for a plethora of pictures and a video of the updated UI in action.

[Via WMPoweruser]

Continue reading HTC Touch Pro2 gets thoroughly handled overseas

Filed under: Cellphones

HTC Touch Pro2 gets thoroughly handled overseas originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 24 Apr 2009 01:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Thursday, April 23, 2009

Get Some Ubuntu 9.04 Jaunty Jackalope Right Now [Ubuntu]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/j4jt359pJ6Y/get-some-ubuntu-904-jaunty-jackalope-right-now

The final version of Ubuntu 9.04 Jaunty Jackalope is here, meaning you can: Install it on your PS3 to play ROMs or say "Jaunty Jackalope" a lot or get blown (away). [Ubuntu via /.]

Pre-Order the Sharp Mebius NJ70A Netbook With LCD Multitouch Trackpad [NetBooks]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/klxMQ50Pn0g/pre+order-the-sharp-mebius-nj70a-netbook-with-lcd-multitouch-trackpad

The Sharp Mebius NJ70A Netbook definitely turns some heads with its touchscreen LCD trackpad. Interested parties can now pre-order the Mebius for $999 for a June 5th ship date. [Dynamism via Crunchgear]

ASUS EeeBox PC B208 with discrete graphics, HDMI-out in June?

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/23/asus-eeebox-pc-b208-with-discrete-graphics-hdmi-out-in-june/

If we're to believe a pre-sales agent's response to a query about the availability of the EeeBox PC B208, then ASUS' little HD nettop with dual-core Atom 330 processor, ATI Radeon HD 4530 graphics, and HDMI-out should pop for retail in June -- for the UK anyway. A box that looks to be the ideal low-cost ($500ish), quiet (26dB), home theater PC riding your in-house 802.11n WiFi or gigabit Ethernet network. With Acer's Ion-powered AspireRevo hitting the UK in May, ASUS had better hope for a June launch at the latest.

[Thanks, Thomas C.]

ASUS EeeBox PC B208 with discrete graphics, HDMI-out in June? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 23 Apr 2009 08:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New silicon film ferroelectric may pave the way for instant-on computers (or maybe not)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/23/new-silicon-film-ferroelectric-may-pave-way-for-instant-on-compu/

While the gang at Toshiba are still trying to bring FeRAM to the masses, a team of researchers at Cornell University have devised a new ferroelectric material composed of silicon and strontium titanate that they say can be used (someday!) to build "instant on" transistors. And you know what that means -- instant on computers for students, and instant on death rays for future robot armies. To coax the generally mild-mannered strontium titanate into acting "ferro-electrified" (not an actual scientific term), researchers grew it onto a silicon substrate using a process known as epitaxy. The material literally squeezed itself within the spaces of the silicon molecules, which gave it ferroelectric properties. As you may have guessed, this research was partially funded by the Office of Naval Research -- so the "death ray" remark may not be so off base, after all. We'll keep an eye out.

[Via Daily Tech]

Filed under: Storage, Science

New silicon film ferroelectric may pave the way for instant-on computers (or maybe not) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 23 Apr 2009 10:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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OLPC graduate Pixel Qi announces 3Qi three-in-one screen will debut next month

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/23/olpc-graduate-pixel-qi-announces-3qi-three-in-one-screen-will-de/

After spinning off from the OLPC project last year with that fancy dual-mode display technology in its pocket, Pixel Qi has been pretty much talk. Now there's more talk, but at least it comes with a timeline: next month. That's when Pixel Qi founder Mary Lou Jepsen believes the much-anticipated 10-inch 3Qi display should hit the scene, combining a low-power black and white mode, e-paper mode and high-resolution color LCD mode into one glorious, sunlight-readable (and hopefully outlandishly cheap) screen. They'll just be shipping samples initially, but should have the screen producing in volume sometime this summer. Mary Lou also has some big words on the future of displays, claiming that they're working on screens that act like a chip on the motherboard, saving power and improving visuals -- we're not sure what that entails, but it sounds pretty neat. She also says that "screens shouldn't be TVs," and that touch and multitouch are key. It doesn't sound like any of that is in the 3Qi, but hopefully it's all going to be ready to go for the Nick Neg crew by the time OLPC XO-2 (pictured) rolls around.

Filed under: Displays, Laptops

OLPC graduate Pixel Qi announces 3Qi three-in-one screen will debut next month originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 23 Apr 2009 10:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Eizo's FlexScan EV2023W / EV2303W LCD monitors turn off when humans are away

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/23/eizos-flexscan-ev2023w-ev2303w-lcd-monitors-turn-off-when-hum/

Not that we haven't seen LCD monitors get less demanding when it comes to energy, but we've yet to see a company take eco-friendliness this far. Professional LCD maker Eizo has just announced a new pair of panels (the 20-inch FlexScan EV2023W-H and the 23-inch EV2303W-T) that boast a "human presence sensor." As the phrase implies, these displays are designed to shift to power saving mode when it realizes that its master has vacated the area, and when they return, it automatically flips back on in order to keep from being bashed by one of many USB-connected peripherals. Unfortunately, it seems the human detection timer can't be changed from 40 seconds, and no, there are no current plans to implement a robot presence sensor once the Apocalypse is realized.

[Via FarEastGizmos]

Filed under: Displays

Eizo's FlexScan EV2023W / EV2303W LCD monitors turn off when humans are away originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 23 Apr 2009 14:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Philips shows off Lumiblade OLED lighting concepts

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/23/philips-shows-off-lumiblade-oled-lighting-concepts/

As promised, Philips has now taken the wraps off its first few Lumiblade OLED lighting concepts which, judging from Philips' boasting, could well change your life and ours. Now on display at the Euroluce International Lighting Fair in Milan, the concepts are divided into consumer and professional groups, the former of which includes ceiling-mounted products like the one pictured above, as well as some slightly more straightforward desk lamps like the one pictured after the break. What's more, each lighting device also boasts at least some degree of interactivity, including the ability to recognize hand gestures or, in the case of the professional lighting fixtures, react to passers-by. Interestingly, however, none of the products are actually full-on OLED lamps, with each also supplemented by some LUXEON Power LEDs to provide some more usable lighting.

Continue reading Philips shows off Lumiblade OLED lighting concepts

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets, Household

Philips shows off Lumiblade OLED lighting concepts originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 23 Apr 2009 15:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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AMD Phenom II X4 955 and 945 benchmarked to high heaven

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/23/amd-phenom-ii-x4-955-and-945-benchmarked-to-high-heaven/

Just when you though you'd had your fill of insanely detailed benchmarks of processors you may or may not have ever heard of, AMD's new Phenom II X4 955 and 945 hit the scene to get those overclockers all in a tizzy. The top of the line is the 955 "Black Edition" at 3.2GHz, while the 945 plays with a petty 3GHz. And the verdict? They're clearly AMD's fastest so far, but that might not be fast enough. AMD offers great value, but only really matches Intel's Core 2 offerings on performance -- Core i7 is still out in front. There is the fact that Phenom II offers a nice upgrade path for certain people who already do the AMD thing and are looking to upgrade, along with "enthusiasts" who are "enthused" by easy-access overclocking, but overall it looks like AMD is still playing catch-up with Intel.

Read - HotHardware
Read - Neoseeker
Read - PC Perspective
Read - Tech Report
Read - TechSpot
Read - EXTREME Overclocking

Filed under: Desktops

AMD Phenom II X4 955 and 945 benchmarked to high heaven originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 23 Apr 2009 16:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gantter Does Project Management in Your Browser [Project Management]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/9BVEmQYI77U/gantter-does-project-management-in-your-browser

Web-based project management tool Gantter has an interface that looks remarkably similar to Microsoft Project—and even lets you import and export your Project files.

Using the application is fairly simple—just start adding tasks and resources just like you would on the desktop version of Microsoft Project. Once you've finished, you can download the project as an XML file, which can then be imported back into Project. You can import projects, open saved files, and use the wide array of keyboard shortcuts all from a web-based interface that works anywhere and requires no account to use—making this worth a look for anybody dealing with project plans and TPS reports.

Gantter is free to use, available in your web browser. For more, read about project management in a nutshell, check out free hosted project management with Clocking IT, or replace Microsoft Project with the open-source OpenProj. Thanks, Climbup!

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