Dr. Augustine Fou's Online Scrapbook

Tuesday, June 02, 2009

WowWee Cinemin Swivel gets UK launch, pricing info

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/06/01/wowwee-cinemin-swivel-gets-uk-launch-pricing-info/

We first spotted WowWee's Cinemin Swivel pico projector back at CES, when it was announced along with the Stick and Station models. If you forgot, the little DLP guy boasts 480 x 360 resolution, an adjustable 90-degree hinge (so that you can easily project onto the ceiling), and a three-hour battery life. It's just gotten some official release and pricing information for the UK, anyway, where it's going to make its first appearance this September. The Cinemin Swivel will retail for £349 (about $571). There's no word on release or pricing for the Stick or Station yet, but we'll keep you posted. Until then, check out the gallery of shots we got back at CES.

Gallery: WowWee Cinemin Swivel, Stick, and Station pico PJs hands-on

Filed under: Displays

WowWee Cinemin Swivel gets UK launch, pricing info originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 01 Jun 2009 18:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NVIDIA Ion-based machines start appearing at Computex

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/06/01/nvidia-ion-based-machines-start-appearing-at-computex/

We more or less knew that Computex would be a coming-out party for NVIDIA's Ion platform, and it looks like the company can't wait to get started: it juiced up an otherwise boring server press event by also displaying a small selection of Ion machines. Out to play were the now-familiar Acer Aspire Revo and the just-announced Lenovo IdeaPad S12, but MSI's new Wind Box D200 and a handful of other nettops and netbooks from various other Asian ODMs were also present, including a hot-looking nettop from ECS called the Morph. We're expecting to hear more official information about all these soon enough, but hit the read link for the full set of pics from Engadget Chinese in the meantime.

Filed under: Desktops, Laptops

NVIDIA Ion-based machines start appearing at Computex originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 01 Jun 2009 20:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NVIDIA strikes gold with Ion: 21 new products at Computex

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/06/01/nvidia-strikes-gold-with-ion-21-new-products-at-computex/

We had a hunch that Computex would be a massive show for NVIDIA, and while we already caught a glimpse of what the GPU manufacturer had in store, we had no idea it'd come out with guns this big a-blazin'. Showing absolutely no mercy for those other integrated graphics sets of the world, NV's today unveiled 21 new Ion-based products in Taiwan, with all but a handful being completely unheard of. Of course, there's the AspireRevo, Ion 330 and IdeaPad S12, but outside of that select few, everything else is all new. Asus is introducing its C2N7A-I motherboard and all-in-one Eee Top ET2002, Colorful is busting out its iHTPC, ECS is pushing out a new desktop and MSI is showcasing its Windtop AE201. And that's just to name a few. Hop on past the break for the full spill, and don't stray too far -- we'll be out and about grabbing hands-on time with as many of these as we can track down.

Gallery: NVIDIA strikes gold with Ion: 21 new products at Computex

Continue reading NVIDIA strikes gold with Ion: 21 new products at Computex

Filed under: Desktops, Laptops

NVIDIA strikes gold with Ion: 21 new products at Computex originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 01 Jun 2009 23:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Intel debuts three new Core 2 Duo procs, new SU2700 ULV chip and GS40 Express Chipset

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/06/02/intel-debuts-three-new-core-2-duo-procs-new-su2700-ulv-chip-and/

It doesn't take an Intel-salaried futurist to see that extended battery life and thin form factors are kind of a big deal going forward, while price and performance aren't getting swept away either -- it's been basically the ongoing state of the laptop industry since time began (as Intel has so helpfully illustrated for us). What is new is that form factors and bang-for-buck is truly getting wild of late, and Intel's latest crop of chips should help keep moving things along. In the high end, Intel's Core 2 Duo processor is breaking 3GHz with the 3.06GHz T9900 in the high end, alongside the new P9700 and P8800 chips. Meanwhile, the Pentium SU2700 is a 1.3GHz ULV chip for stuffing in everybody's next low-cost thin and light, while Intel is also introducing the GS40 Express Chipset as a scaled-down, lower power alternative to the GS45, likely for similar aims. No word on price points or availability just yet.

Gallery: Intel debuts three new Core 2 Duo procs, new SU2700 ULV chip and GS40 Express Chipset

Filed under: Laptops

Intel debuts three new Core 2 Duo procs, new SU2700 ULV chip and GS40 Express Chipset originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Jun 2009 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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OCZ intros 17-inch DIY laptop, Ion-based HTPC / Neutrino netbook

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/06/02/ocz-intros-17-inch-diy-laptop-ion-based-htpc-neutrino-netbook/

Just as it did with the Z-Drive at CeBIT, OCZ Technology has delivered a few surprises across the way at Computex. Kicking things off the 17-inch DIY gaming laptop, which takes a note from the DIY-styled Neutrino, but gets a much bigger form factor. It's one of the few laptops that actually arrive sans a CPU, hard drive and RAM, but it'll support Core 2 Duo / Core 2 Extreme chips, as many as two 2.5-inch hard drives and plenty of DDR3 memory. Other specs include a 17-inch WXGA panel, NVIDIA's Hybrid GeForce 9600GTS graphics, an optional Blu-ray drive, ExpressCard slot and a full accompaniment of connectors. The 7.9 pound machine ships with an 8-cell battery, though there's no word yet on pricing or availability.

Moving on, we've got the Ion-based HTPC, which is outfitted with a 1.6GHz Atom 230 CPU, Vista Ultimate (64-bit), 4GB of DDR2-667 RAM, an OCZ 120GB SSD, Blu-ray drive, gigabit Ethernet, WiFi, HDMI output and a multicard reader. Finally, there's an all-new Neutrino, which is being introduced just weeks after the original shipped here in the US. This new character packs a little more color and a lot more oomph, with NVIDIA's nForce Ion graphics, a 1.6GHz Atom 230 CPU, 10.1-inch display (1,024 x 600), room for 2GB of DDR2 RAM (ships with none), a 2.5-inch HDD / SSD slot (ships with none), WiFi, a 1.3 megapixel webcam, Ethernet, HDMI, two USB 2.0 sockets and audio in / out jacks. As with the 17-incher, there's no word yet on pricing or availability, but we're hoping to hear more on those tidbits soon.

Gallery: OCZ intros 17-inch DIY laptop, Ion-based HTPC / Neutrino netbook

Filed under: Laptops

OCZ intros 17-inch DIY laptop, Ion-based HTPC / Neutrino netbook originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Jun 2009 00:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Adobe, NVIDIA and Broadcom bringing GPU acceleration to Flash at long last

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/06/02/adobe-nvidia-and-broadcom-bringing-gpu-acceleration-to-flash-at/

As part of the Open Screen Project, which should be getting Adobe Flash onto many new platforms, Adobe, NVIDIA and Broadcom are all hard at work getting GPU acceleration to do what it ought for Flash Player, with improvements in store for everything from Tegra MIDs to Broadcom Crystal HD netbooks (like HP's new Mini 110XP, pictured) to tablets and beyond. Of note is H.264 playback acceleration, which should at last make Hulu and YouTube bearable on netbooks and nettops -- a major shortcoming in the otherwise enticing form factors. Unfortunately, the most precise timeline we have on all this is from Broadcom, who says its Flash Player support will be available in the first half of 2010. We're also going to be bugging Adobe and Intel about when this functionality might hit mainstream Intel integrated chipsets as well, though at least Broadcom's Crystal HD accelerator can be added to some existing netbooks such as a PCI Express mini-card or ExpressCard 34 add-on. Perhaps we sound ungrateful, but this sort of acceleration for Flash -- the internet's most popular multimedia delivery method -- is long overdue, and we're not overly impressed with the idea of waiting until mid-2010 for it to happen.

Read - Adobe and NVIDIA
Read - Adobe and Broadcom

Filed under: Handhelds, Laptops, Tablet PCs

Adobe, NVIDIA and Broadcom bringing GPU acceleration to Flash at long last originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Jun 2009 01:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nokia N97 hitting 75 countries in June (updated)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/06/02/nokia-n97-hitting-75-countries-in-june/

If you had any doubt about the reach of Nokia, the world's leading mobile handset maker, then check this: Nokia just announced the simultaneous June launch of its flagship N97 in more than 75 countries. We already had hints of this for the US and Western Europe but it's good to have it official. And with N97 chatter on the uptick recently, we're expecting to see this 3.5-inch QWERTY touchscreen slider running S60 5th sooner rather than later.

Update: Available June 19th for £500 sim-free in the UK or June 26th if you want it bundled with a contract. Anyone else seeing local launch dates?

Filed under: Cellphones

Nokia N97 hitting 75 countries in June (updated) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Jun 2009 02:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Tegra-based Mobinnova Ã©lan running Windows CE rocks our world

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/06/02/video-tegra-based-mobinnova-elan-running-windows-ce-on-tegra-ro/

To quote our Engadget Chinese editor, Andy Yang, "Tegra really rocks!" Our team in Taipei grabbed a video of the 8.9-inch Mobinova Elan in action and came away seriously impressed. NVIDIA is really pushing the HD playback and gaming capabilities of this Tegra-based ~~netbook~~ ~~smartbook~~ machine. In fact, we saw it running a 1080p trailer as smooth as silk. Now we know what you're thinking, Windows CE... ugh. Remember, CE (and Android for that matter) runs on the ARM-based Tegra whereas XP, Vista, and Windows 7 won't. Besides, NVIDIA was showing a custom UI with an OS X-like application launcher along the bottom. No word on price yet or availability but we'll update you when we've got more. Video after the break.

Continue reading Video: Tegra-based Mobinnova élan running Windows CE rocks our world

Filed under: Laptops

Video: Tegra-based Mobinnova élan running Windows CE rocks our world originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Jun 2009 03:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Monday, June 01, 2009

http://ping.fm/LcdOh - does the Bing logo look TOO familiar to anyone else?

microsoft bing seems to work, but … - http://ping.fm/j83GP

DuPont crafts ultra longevous OLED materials, which likely won't be affordable

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/31/dupont-crafts-ultra-longevous-oled-materials-which-likely-wont/

DuPont's been dabbling in OLED advancement for years now, and while the world waits for the introduction of market-ready big-screen OLED HDTVs, engineers at the miracle-working company are toiling away to make sure those very sets last quite some time. For anyone following the OLED TV scene, you'll know that luminance longevity has been a nagging issue, but if new developments pan out, stamina will be the least of our worries. In fact, the firm has crafted a green light-emitting material that can purportedly push onward for over a hundred years... continuously. Furthermore, the same scientists have engineered a new blue light-emitting material with a luminance half-life of 38,000 hours along with a red light-emitting material with a life of 62,000 hours. Unfortunately for the laypeople out there, we can't imagine this stuff being even marginally affordable -- but hey, it's great news for the sybarites!

Filed under: Displays

DuPont crafts ultra longevous OLED materials, which likely won't be affordable originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 31 May 2009 07:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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IDT to swap solar cells into LCDs, but not for energy reasons

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/31/idt-to-swap-solar-cells-into-lcds-but-not-for-energy-reasons/

Solar-powered LCDs? Oh, yeah -- we've got those. Sadly, that's not at all what Integrated Digital Technologies is aiming to improve upon next week at Computex, though we still find its approach to trimming LCD weight and manufacturing costs an interesting one. If we're digesting this correctly, we're hearing that the outfit plans to create interactive displays (or iScreens) that have embedded solar cells in the TFT array rather than extra film or glass with photo sensors. The result? A cost savings of up to 30 percent in manufacturing, not to mention a rather significant decrease in weight. Without any images to go by, it's still a wee bit tough to really wrap our heads around this new take, but hopefully we'll see more next week in Taiwan.

[Via TG Daily]

Filed under: Displays

IDT to swap solar cells into LCDs, but not for energy reasons originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 31 May 2009 09:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Olidata Conte ultraportable finally shows itself, looks mighty good

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/31/olidata-conte-ultraportable-finally-shows-itself-looks-mighty-g/

My, my Olidata -- why on Earth have you been depriving our wandering eyes from this beauty for so long? After being originally introduced at CES, we've heard precisely nothing since... until now, obviously. At long last, the striking Conte ultraportable has found its way outside of the lab over in Italy, sporting an ultrathin frame, chiclet-style keyboard, a bezel that's a bit too wide for our tastes, an HDMI output and a price tag starting at just €799 ($1,129). From what we can gather, a few versions of the machine will be available, one of which sports an SU2700 CPU, 13.3-inch LED-backlit display, a 120GB hard drive, 3GB of RAM, Bluetooth, WiFi and a multi-touch trackpad. Another variant is slated to include a Core Solo SU3500 CPU and a 120GB HDD, while yet another gets a Core 2 Duo SL9400 and a 128GB SSD. Peek the read link for a few more looks, including one of the most bizarre advertisements we've ever seen for a mere laptop.

[Thanks, Andrea]

Filed under: Laptops

Olidata Conte ultraportable finally shows itself, looks mighty good originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 31 May 2009 11:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Microsoft showing off Windows 7-powered Viliv S5 MID at Computex

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/31/microsoft-showing-off-windows-7-powered-viliv-s5-mid-at-computex/

Being that Release Candidate 1 just hit the tubes, we weren't really expecting a big Windows 7 presence at Computex this year. Much to our surprise, Viliv has announced that it will be showcasing the first official Win7-powered MID at the Taiwan-based show later this week. The heralded S5 will be the lucky device, with a duo of WiMAX-equipped cousins (X70 EX and S7) hanging around to demonstrate live video streaming. Needless to say, we'll be doing everything we can to drop by and see how things are going.

[Via CNET]

Filed under: Handhelds

Microsoft showing off Windows 7-powered Viliv S5 MID at Computex originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 31 May 2009 15:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ultra-powerful laser could make incandescent light bulbs more efficient

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/31/ultra-powerful-laser-could-make-incandescent-light-bulbs-more-ef/

Look, LED light bulbs are fanciful, great for Ma Earth and a fine addition to any home, barber shop or underground fight club. But let's be honest -- even the guy that bikes through blizzards to get to work and wears garb that he grew in his basement isn't apt to shell out $120 a pop to have what's likely the most efficient light bulb American dollars can buy. Enter Chunlei Guo from the University of Rochester, who has helped discover a process which could morph a traditional incandescent light bulb into a beacon of burning light without using nearly as much energy as before. In fact, his usage of the femtosecond laser pulse -- which creates a "unique array of nano- and micro-scale structures on the surface of a regular tungsten filament" -- could enable a bulb to increase output efficiency in order to emit 100-watts worth of light while sucking down less than 60-watts of power. Per usual, there's no telling when this new hotness is likely to hit the commercial realm, but one's thing for sure: we bet GE's paying attention.

[Via Physorg]

Filed under: Household

Ultra-powerful laser could make incandescent light bulbs more efficient originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 31 May 2009 16:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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