Dr. Augustine Fou's Online Scrapbook

Monday, May 25, 2009

Lenovo's ION-based S12 makes netbooks exciting again (update: less than $600)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/25/lenovos-ion-based-s12-makes-netbooks-exciting-again/

We don't have a lot of information at the moment, but CNET is reporting that Lenovo is getting ready to launch the world's first ION-based netbook. While CNET doesn't give it a model number, the filename used on the image reads "LenovoS12netbook" and is said to pack discrete graphics and NVIDIA's Ion ~~processor~~ chipset.Technically, the 12-inch laptop is too big for netbook classifaction and too chubby to be a CULV thin-and-light. Then again, those are classifactions of Intel's making which doesn't mean a whole lot to the boys from NVIDIA.

Update: PC Perspective has additional detail about the S12: 1.6GHz Atom N270 processor, full-size keyboard, and what looks like an HDMI-out when it lands in July or August for less than $600.

Update 2: Interesting. Netbooknews.de has a proven record with insider-netbook news and claims that the S12 will eventually include a Via Nano processor option.

[Via PCPer]

Filed under: Laptops

Lenovo's ION-based S12 makes netbooks exciting again (update: less than $600) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 25 May 2009 01:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nokia's N810 successor coming later this year with 3G and Maemo 5?

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/25/nokias-n810-successor-coming-later-this-year-with-3g-and-maemo/

MobileCrunch claims to have pictures (which it can't publish for security reasons, unfortunately) and complete specs for Nokia's next-gen internet tablet -- and although we don't have any corroborating evidence to back up the story, everything they've got makes perfect sense. We've known for the better part of a year now that Nokia has been planning an OMAP3-based N810 replacement with 3G that would run Maemo 5, and that's exactly what this new device seems to be with a 3.5-inch wide VGA display, WiFi, full HSPA, 32GB of onboard storage expandable to 48GB (presumably via microSD), and -- get this -- a 5 megapixel AF camera with dual LED flash. GSM voice and VoIP are both in the cards, making this the closest thing yet to a Maemo-powered phone -- and in a sick, twisted way, the 5 megapixel camera plus sliding keyboard almost put it in direct competition with the upcoming N97. Indeed, carriers are taking direct interest in this thing, with T-Mobile apparently interested both in Europe and the States; it seems we could expect a European release as soon as July, with T-Mobile USA nabbing it in an AWS 3G flavor closer to fall. Makes an eventual divorce from S60 all that much more plausible for Nokia, doesn't it?

Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds

Nokia's N810 successor coming later this year with 3G and Maemo 5? originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 25 May 2009 03:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BenQ GP1 LED pocket projector reviewed: loved, possibly lurved

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/25/benq-gp1-led-pocket-projector-reviewed-loved-possibly-lurved/

The universal acclaim for BenQ's GP1 LED projector is deafening. Naturally, some trade-offs were made in brightness, contrast, and resolution in order to squeeze things down to a palm-sized 5.4 x 4.7 x 2.1-inch footprint. But at just 1.4-pounds, it won't cause your bicep, atrophied by pantywaist netbooks, too much strain. Thanks to a LED light source with a 20,000 hour lifespan, this $499 DLP projector manages to spread 100 lumens across 858 x 600 pixels with a 2,000:1 contrast -- specs that give solid results when projecting a 40-inch image in a bright, shades-drawn room on up to 80-inches in near-black environments. Better yet, pop in a USB stick loaded with images (JPEG, GIF, BMP, TIFF) or videos (MPEG4, MJPEG, xvid, 3ivX) and the projector will automatically launch a media playback menu -- no laptop required. The lack of zoom, an ailment common in all these tiny projectors, will limit placement and a measured 38dB (from a distance of 30cm) operational hum will be distracting to home theater buffs or cubical monkeys forced into the sleepy corporate dens of PowerPoint. But all-in-all, BenQ's come up with a winner, and truth doesn't make a noise.

Read -- TrustedReviews
Read -- TrustedReviews (video)
Read -- SlashGear
Read -- iLounge

Filed under: Displays

BenQ GP1 LED pocket projector reviewed: loved, possibly lurved originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 25 May 2009 05:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sunday, May 24, 2009

BlackBerry Onyx: Closest to BlackBerry Perfection Yet? [BlackBerry Onyx]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/B7e-rezVApE/blackberry-onyx-closest-to-blackberry-perfection-yet

Here's why you should be excited about the BlackBerry Onyx: It's the first BlackBerry with 3G, Wi-Fi, a 3MP camera, the Bold's awesome keyboard and giant battery in a package the size of the tiny Curve. CrackBerry's actually got one, and they love all over it: [CrackBerry]

Travel Bag-buggy

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/yankodesign/~3/9LftVfBNrMU/

I'm a veteran when it comes to traveling with kids and I know the nightmarish times I went through every time I ventured out. Cranky, jet lagged babies + luggage management is horrid combo. Try pushing a buggy and pulling your trolley bag at the same time! Dreadful! Good folks at Castiglione Morelli have an ingenious idea with their Samsonite Convertible Trolley Stroller Bag. A specialized compartment holds in a folded fabric, which when pulled out, stretches over the pull-out metallic frame; thus resulting in a child seat. Very Convenient.

Designer: Castiglione Morelli Design

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Pocket Projector Turns Mobile Into Remote

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/yankodesign/~3/WzNm5lKkcOo/

Nokia Pulse Projector is a project aimed at expanding the mobile communication experience and finding new ways to interact. It's a device that has been designed to expand and strengthen mobile applications while working in conjunction with mobile phones. It combines a LED-projector and a NXT-speaker with Dolby sound processing in to a solid multimedia device. Using the accompanying Pulse software and Bluetooth, one can convert a mobile phone into an interactive remote that controls this unique multimedia player.

The Nokia Pulse relies on DLP Technology for high quality imagery when using the projector. Native resolution of 1280×768 and 1500:1 contrast ratio pimps out crisp image quality, with picture sizes ranging from 15 inches diagonally all the way up to 60 inches at 7.87 feet. It even sports LED light technology with 1000 lumens of brightness plus 16.7 million colors.

Designer: Miika Mahonen

Use Your Water Twice

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/yankodesign/~3/Zu1yXgyEW3c/

It goes in the sink, then it goes in the toilet. What’s that? It’s your water bill! You’ve got to conserve in any way you can. Here’s a lovely simple system that makes use of the fact that toilet water never needs to be as clean as it usually is. The “Eco Bath” concept uses 50% reused water and 50% new water for a toilet system half-ways to nature friendly.

You simply must read this little poem written about this toilet system by it’s designer, Jang Woo-seok:

Express the flow of water.
General water, the blue pipes.
Green pipes, water reuse

Fresh, yes?

Jang gets the idea for the Eco Bath from the naturally flowing waterways all around us. Naturally moving, naturally cleaning. Tagged “Green”, naturally.

Designer: Jang Woo-seok

bathroom, green, green bathroom, greenery, jang wooseok, recycle, reduce, reuse, toilet, woo

BenQ's $499 Joybee GP1 pocket projector up for pre-order

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/23/benqs-499-joybee-gp1-pocket-projector-up-for-pre-order/

We had the pleasure of checking out BenQ's Joybee GP1 pocket projector back in March at CeBIT, and now the bantam beamer is just about ready to ship here in the States. Starting now (like, right now), interested consumers can plop down $499 in order to secure a place in line, ensuring that you'll be one of the first on the block to take possession of the planet's first LED-based PJ with a USB reader. Specs wise, you'll find a DLP projection system kicking out an 858 x 600 resolution, 100 ANSI lumens, a 2,000:1 contrast ratio, a built-in 2-watt speaker and VGA / component / composite inputs. Five bills sounds a little steep for what it is, but hey, it's a 1.4 pound projector -- did you really expect it to be economical?

Filed under: Displays

BenQ's $499 Joybee GP1 pocket projector up for pre-order originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 23 May 2009 19:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Saturday, May 23, 2009

Take Great Panoramic Pictures with Any Camera [Panoramic]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/dj0UBuTJrNc/take-great-panoramic-pictures-with-any-camera

Panoramic software has come a long way toward making panoramic images child's work. Great software or not, there's no substitution for good source material. Take better panoramic pictures with these tips.Photo by Diego_3336.

Taking an awesome panoramic photograph isn't as daunting a task as it once was, but there are still basic guidelines to follow for optimum results. One of the crucial elements to a natural-looking panorama is even exposure. If the exposure is different in each frame, your panoramic will end up with with a bizarre-looking skyline and an unnatural mixture of highlights and shadows. If your point-and-shoot has a panoramic mode, use it. On your DSLR, pick an average setting for the scene and set your exposure manually to that setting.

Exposure isn't everything, though. Equally important is overlapping your images:

Overlapping is one of the important areas in creating a panoramic image. Just one slip with not enough overlap can ruin an attempt at the grandest of wide angle shots. No one wants to see pictures of the Grand Canyon with a bar of white down the middle because of the failure to overlap properly. I overlap by 30% each time. Sometimes more. Most people say 15% works just fine. Experiment with your particular camera to find the sweet spot of overlap.

For more excellent tips on creating beautiful panoramic photos, make sure to check out the link below. If you're particularly pleased with your creation, previously mentioned viewAT is a service dedicated to sharing panoramic photos. Have a tried and true tip of your own for awesome panoramic photos? Share it in the comments below.

8 Guidelines To Taking Panoramic Photos With Any Camera [Digital Photography School]

Data.gov Provides Government Data Sets For Your Nerdy Curiosities [Government]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/aqxWsdKsJAo/datagov-provides-government-data-sets-for-your-nerdy-curiosities

The newest website from the Obama administration is Data.gov: a public resource for "high value, machine readable datasets generated by the Executive Branch of the Federal Government."

The site provides both raw data as well as widgets for getting updated information on various topics such as H1N1 flu or the FBI. But if you're really interested in having a data set of the locations and characteristics of the world's copper smelters or past East Pacific storm tracks, this is your new one stop shop. They're even taking requests if the data you're looking for isn't here.

This probably isn't useful to too many people, but if it's useful to you, you know how cool it is. [Data.gov via The Daily What]

PureDepth ramps up production of "Multi-Layer" 3D displays

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/22/puredepth-ramps-up-production-of-multi-layer-3d-displays/

PureDepth has been talking up its "Multi-Layer" 3D display technology for quite some time now, but it looks like the displays should finally be rolling out en masse, with the company announcing that volume production of its new 12.1-inch displays was slated to begin this week, which follows those first few 20.1-inch displays that wound up in slot machines. For those not up to speed, the displays themselves make use of two LCD screens placed a few inches a part, which lets them display three dimensional images without the need for special glasses and, according to the company, without the headaches often associated with 3D setups. It also looks PureDepth is getting increasingly confident in the technology and its future, and it's now even gone so far as to establish a Japanese arm of the company that it hopes will help it garner a bigger foothold in the country.

Filed under: Displays

PureDepth ramps up production of "Multi-Layer" 3D displays originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 22 May 2009 21:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Friday, May 22, 2009

Hitachi's Mobile Hi-Vision Cam Wooo cellphone does 720p video recording

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/22/hitachis-mobile-hi-vision-cam-wooo-cellphone-does-720p-video-re/

While it won't be the first handset to capture 720p video (hello, OmniaHD!), Hitachi's Mobile Hi-Vision Cam Woo is still apt to garner quite a bit of attention. As the leaked images hosted down below show, this clever flip phone packs 1,280 x 720 video recording, a 5 megapixel sensor, HDMI interface and a microSDHC slot for good measure. A generous tipster has informed us that said phone is slated to launch this coming Monday on KDDI, though we fully expect that envious North Americans won't ever get to toy with one on their home turf. For shame.

[Thanks, Anonymous]

Gallery: Hitachi's Mobile Hi-Vision Cam Wooo cellphone does 720p video recording

Filed under: Cellphones

Hitachi's Mobile ! Hi-Visio n Cam Wooo cellphone does 720p video recording originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 22 May 2009 06:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Thursday, May 21, 2009

Philips SPC1330NC webcam reviewed: high quality but not exactly high speed

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/21/philips-spc1330nc-webcam-reviewed-high-quality-but-not-exactly/

Philips SPC1330NC webcam reviewed: high quality but not exactly high speed

If you're still Skyping in VGA you need to get with the times, brotherman. Two megapixel webcams are where its at, and according to the review at Register Hardware, the £70 ($110) Philips SPC1330NC delivers. It'll interpolate up to eight megapixel stills if you want to play pretend, its f2.0 aperture gives it great low-light performance, and a stereo mic puts it ahead of the competition, like Microsoft's mono-tastic LifeCam Show. Overall the chromed cam earns high marks, only disappointing by not delivering its advertised 90fps max speed until the resolution is dropped to decidedly sub-VGA resolutions. But, unless you plan on kung-fu chatting, chances are you can get by with less.

Filed under: Digital Cameras

Philips SPC1330NC webcam reviewed: high quality but not exactly high speed originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 May 2009 18:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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12TB DVDs Could Be On The Way [Storage]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/FvHrtUFpiOo/12tb-dvds-could-be-on-the-way

A storage density of 51MB per square centimeter? Whatever, standard DVDs. Australian scientists developed a new multilayer optical storage medium that can house data at 1.1TB/cm3.

Unlike existing DVD technology, the key to this data storage technique is the fact that multiple pieces of data can be stored in exactly the same location—up to ten layers deep. Each layer is filled with gold nanorods that are conditioned to respond only to particular types of light. When the storage medium is illuminated by a laser of a specific color and polarization, only the right nanorods are activated and read.

Though this is a giant step towards more effective data storage, scientists have yet to demonstrate this technique on a rotating disc. In addition, they predict that it will be a write once, read forever medium. [Ars Technica]

Intel's Next-Gen Atom Puts CPU and GPU on One Fun-Lovin' Chip [Atom]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/63hhmRYdNbQ/intels-next+gen-atom-puts-cpu-and-gpu-on-one-fun+lovin-chip

Along with its neato Moblin 2.0 netbook OS, Intel's also laid in more detail out what the next generation of Atom looks like—Pineview integrates the CPU, GPU and memory controller onto one chip, making the platform cheaper and less power-hungry overall.

As Ars' Jon Stokes points out, this is new territory for Intel that "arguably pushes Atom into SoC territory." It has some implications for Nvidia's Ion platform. Not only are Intel's graphics built into the Atom CPU, but Nvidia's probably going to have major problems from a price standpoint, since Intel can drop the cost of the Atom platform (which it sells for $25) down even further. Unbundling the Atom CPU—like to pair it with Nvidia's 9400m for the Ion platform—costs $45.

Never a dull moment in netbook land. [Ars]

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