Monday, July 27, 2009

Apple, record labels working to spur album sales with interactive goodies, tablet due this September?

Apple, record labels working to spur album sales with interactive goodies, tablet due this September?

Let's face it, folks -- the CD insert is no longer "the new hotness." And besides, those wacky PDFs included with iTunes album purchases never did much more than take up valuable hard drive space anyway, right?. In an effort to get consumers to stop buying single tracks and start buying ~~more filler~~ entire albums, Apple has reportedly joined forces with EMI, Sony Music, Warner Music and Universal Music Group in a project that's being codenamed "Cocktail." Financial Times is reporting that said initiative is considering adding "interactive booklets, sleeve notes and other interactive features with music downloads," with one executive familiar with the situation saying that "it's not just a bunch of PDFs; there's real engagement with the ancillary stuff." Of course, all of this should still be taken with a pinch of salt for now, as even the music companies mentioned above refused to comment. And given the tremendous indifference consumers have shown with that other interactive tech that's being pushed so hard right now, we're not even sure it'll have the desired effect.

In related news, another sect of folks "briefed on the project" have stated that these new content deals could be launched alongside a new, full-featured "tablet-sized computer in time for the Christmas shopping season, in what the entertainment industry hopes will be a new revolution." Adding fuel to the already raging fire, the report asserts that the "touch-sensitive device... will have a screen that may be up to ten inches diagonally," and while it will "connect to the internet like the iPod touch, it'll probably [do so] without! phone c apabilities." You do know that Apple has been good for a music / iPod-related event right around September the past few years, right?

[Via AppleInsider]

Filed under: Portable Audio, Software

Apple, record labels working to spur album sales with interactive goodies, tablet due this September? originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 27 Jul 2009 01:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BIOS password snag subdues Intel's 34nm X25-M G2 launch party

BIOS password snag subdues Intel's 34nm X25-M G2 launch party

Man, Intel can't win for losin'. After it was forced to issue a firmware update to remedy an off-the-wall slowdown issue that affected a few of its original X25-M SSDs, the outfit is already having to push out a patch to solve a minor quirk with its newfangled 34nm X25-M G2 drives. According to Puget System's William George, his company -- along with NewEgg and a number of other respected vendors -- was forced to yank the new drive from its website shortly after it became available. Turns out, there is a defect in the initial shipment that could cause data corruption if "a password is set on the drive in the system BIOS, and then changed or disabled later."

We're told that a firmware fix should be out within a fortnight, and while most companies are allowing folks to hold off and wait for factory-patched drives, those who don't foresee themselves placing such a password on their SSD can go ahead and enjoy the spoils of 34nm flash goodness while waiting for Intel's engineers to do their thang. Oh, and if you're thinking about buying in now, you should probably know that Intel has halted shipments until the fix is complete. Ready to deal with a shortage, are you?

[Image courtesy of HotHardware, thanks Joseph]

Filed under: Storage

BIOS password snag subdues Intel's 34nm X25-M G2 launch party originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 27 Jul 2009 02:49:00 EST. Plea! se see o ur terms for use of feeds.

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WD ships industry's first 2.5-inch 1TB hard drive

WD ships industry's first 2.5-inch 1TB hard drive

After being snubbed by Hitachi in the race to push out the industry's first 1TB desktop hard drive, Western Digital made darn sure it was first to ship a 2TB version. Now, the company is raising its fists in celebration once more with the introduction of the sector's first 2.5-inch 1TB mobile hard drive. 'Course, this isn't the first 1TB drive of any kind in this size, as that honor goes to none other than pureSilicon and its ultra-spacious 1TB SSD. Still, we recall thinking that a drive of this capacity wouldn't hit until 2010 at best, so we're steadfastly elated to hear that the Scorpio Blue 1TB (and Scorpio Blue 750GB) are shipping now to retailers. Of course, we can't help but gripe that both of these boast unorthodox 12.5mm form factors, which dwarfs the standard 9.5mm-height slot found in most laptops, but hey, progress is progress -- right? With that in mind, it's easy to see why both of these are being marketed hard in the external HDD market, with each unit slated to ship within a My Passport SE for $189.99 (750GB) or $249.99 (1TB). The full release is after the break.

Continue reading WD ships industry's first 2.5-inch 1TB hard drive

Filed under: Storage

WD ships industry's first 2.5-inch 1TB hard drive originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 27 Jul 2009 04:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ricoh GR Digital III continues 28mm-equivalent, high-priced lineage

Ricoh GR Digital III continues 28mm-equivalent, high-priced lineage

Having given its GR Digital II camera more than a year on the market, Ricoh has seen fit to now upgrade that model by latching on another digit and what it claims to be the "greatest ever GR image quality." It wouldn't be much of a step forward if that wasn't the case, but let's see what else the Japanese company hopes to tempt us with. The wide-angle 28 mm/F1.9 GR Lens is all new, while the high-sensitivity 10-megapixel CCD and the GR Engine III image processor are likely evolutionary steps from the previous generation. Collectively, they promise improvements in all the areas you'd expect: faster focus, less noise and better low light images. There's also a 3-inch 920,000-dot VGA display, video recording at 640 x 480 / 30 fps, SDHC expandability and a complete lack of optical zoom. The veracity of Ricoh's claims can be tested from mid-August in the UK in exchange for £530 ($870), while the full press release and specs are already available at the read link below.

Continue reading Ricoh GR Digital III continues 28mm-equivalent, high-priced lineage

Filed under: Digital Cameras

Ricoh GR Digital III continues 28mm-equivalent, high-priced lineage originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 27 Jul 2009 06:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung announces world's fastest Cortex A8 core, iPhone 3GS frowns a little

Samsung announces world's fastest Cortex A8 core, iPhone 3GS frowns a little

Some of the most advanced mobile devices on the market today are built around cores based on ARM's Cortex A8 architecture, including a couple you may be familiar with: the Palm Pre and the iPhone 3GS. The 3GS, for example, runs a Samsung S5PC100 system-on-chip clipping along at a healthy 600MHz, enough to make it noticeably snappier than the 3G it replaces -- but time marches relentlessly forward, as always, and that S5PC100 is suddenly starting to look a little long in the tooth with today's news. Sammy has partnered up with silicon design firm Intrinsity to develop what it's billing as the world's fastest Cortex A8 core, a 1GHz unit codenamed "Hummingbird" that's based on 45nm manufacturing techniques and can deliver peak performance at a single volt with power consumption characteristics favorable for mobile use. Translation: this thing should be nipping at the heels of Snapdragon once Samsung finishes up work turning this core into a system-on-chip that can be sourced by manufacturers, and it should do so without causing batteries to beg for mercy. Unfortunately, there's no word just yet on exactly when we'll see phones running this setup in the market, so Pre, 3GS, you're safe for now -- but the clock's ticking.

Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds

Samsung announces world's fastest Cortex A8 core, iPhone 3GS frowns a little originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 27 Jul 2009 07:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: life-altering 3D projection gets splashed on German building

Video: life-altering 3D projection gets splashed on German building

It's not often that we take time to highlight the creativity and innovation involved in an artistic projection, but this one excited a few too many nerve endings to pass up. The latest in a long line of fantastical wall splashings comes to us courtesy of Urbanscreen, who has designed a downright mesmerizing 3D projection to "dissolve and break through the strict architecture of O.M. Ungers' Galerie der Gegenwart. The project is entitled "How it would be, if a house was dreaming," and it's without a doubt one of the most amazing spectacles you'll see in the next six to ten minutes. Hop on past the break to have your skepticism put to rest, your world view changed forever and your hope in humanity temporarily restored.

[Via freshome, thanks Hale]

Continue reading Video: life-altering 3D projection gets splashed on German building

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Video: life-altering 3D projection gets splashed on German building originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 27 Jul 2009 09:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Acer's Aspire Timeline 1810T gets a price, release window

Acer's Aspire Timeline 1810T gets a price, release window

If you're in Europe and you love Acer laptops, today is your lucky day. The company has gotten totally official with its Aspire Timeline 1810T notebook, at least according to ComputerBase in Germany. If you'll recall, the laptop boasts an 11.6-inch, 1366 x 768 display, a 1.4GHz ULV CPU, can support up to 4GB of RAM, and sports a GMA 4500MHD graphics chipset. The base model includes a 250GB hard drive, and all the systems come with an HDMI out, Bluetooth 2.1, a 3G option, and are preloaded with Vista -- just in case you were worried. For the low-ish starting price of €499 (or about $708) you can take one of these puppies back to your flat soon (they're on preorder now and should be available in two or three weeks). Hit the read link for all the nasty details... if you dare.

[Via Engadget Spanish]

Filed under: Laptops

Acer's Aspire Timeline 1810T gets a price, release window originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 27 Jul 2009 10:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Panasonic's new LUMIX consumer lineup: the high-powered FZ35, fashionable FP8 and thin-lensed ZR1

Panasonic's new LUMIX consumer lineup: the high-powered FZ35, fashionable FP8 and thin-lensed ZR1

Panasonic is going at it from all angles today, with three new 12.1 megapixel LUMIX cameras with surprisingly distinct aims:

LUMIX FZ35 (pictured) - The requisite "superzoom" of every lineup, the FZ35 doesn't disappoint on features, but the $400 pricepoint certainly pushes the limits of "consumer" camera. Features include 18x zoom and HD video recording, including a Creative Movie Mode with shutter speed and aperture settings for video. It also expands on typical facial recognition functionality with a "Baby mode" for... finding babies.
LUMIX FP8 - While it can handle HD video, the FP8 is more about looks. Still, the 12.1 megapixel sensor and 4.6x zoom aren't bad for the form factor -- though the $300 pricetag isn't nothing.
LUMIX ZR1 - Featuring the "world's first 0.3mm thin aspherical lens," the ZR1 manages a full 8x optical zoom while keeping its girlish figure when extended. There's also room for a 12.1 megapixel sensor. The cam goes for $280.

All the cameras pack optical image stabilization and facial recognition, and the ZR1 and FZ35 have a "High Dynamic Mode" which presumably emulates HDR photography to some extent. All three will be out in September. Full PR is after the break.

Gallery: Panasonic's new LUMIX consumer lineup: the high-powered FZ35, fashionable FP8 and thin-lensed ZR1

Continue reading Panasonic's new LUMIX consumer lineup: the high-powered FZ35, ! fashiona ble FP8 and thin-lensed ZR1

Filed under: Digital Cameras

Panasonic's new LUMIX consumer lineup: the high-powered FZ35, fashionable FP8 and thin-lensed ZR1 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 27 Jul 2009 11:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nissan shows off latest electric car prototype with battery monitoring system, iPhone app

Nissan shows off latest electric car prototype with battery monitoring system, iPhone app

Nissan's started showing off its latest prototype electric car, based on the Versa. This one will house a 108 horsepower / 206 pound-feet electric motor to drive the front wheels, and a 24 kWh, lithium ion battery pack will be fitted under the floor for storing electricity, with an expected range of 100 miles. To top things of nerd-style, the newest prototype will have a navigation system which will show the current life of the battery, and the mile range its current amount of juice will support, and will boast the ability to download info about nearby charging station locations. And need we say, "there's an app for that?" That's right, Nissan also has a working prototype of an iPhone app making the rounds in Japan which would allow users to communicate with their car remotely and find out the state of the battery's charge. Can this get any cooler?

Read - Nissan shows off new Versa-based electric vehicle protoype
Read - Nissan dials iPhone for car remote control

Filed under: Transportation

Nissan shows off latest electric car prototype with battery monitoring system, iPhone app originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 27 Jul 2009 11:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung jumps into e-book reader game with the SNE-50K

Samsung jumps into e-book reader game with the SNE-50K

Samsung's announced it's jumping into the best game in town -- the paperless book trade -- with its SNE-50K e-book reader. With 512MB of onboard storage, a five-inch touchscreen and stylus, and a complete lack of wireless or internet capabilities, it's not the most advanced reader we've ever seen, but it's slim and light, at nine millimeters thick and weighing about 6.5 ounces. In South Korea, where the reader will be launched first, Samsung has partnered with Kyobo Bookstore, one of the largest booksellers in the country. There's no word on launches outside of South Korea at this time, but Samsung does plan on showing a prototypes for other countries at a trade show in January (most likely CES).

Filed under: Handhelds

Samsung jumps into e-book reader game with the SNE-50K originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 27 Jul 2009 11:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Averatec debuts thin-and-light N3400 laptop

Averatec debuts thin-and-light N3400 laptop

Averatec's already rolled out not one but two all-in-one desktops this month, but it looks like it's also found the time to churn out this fairly impressive looking thin-and-light laptop, which takes a few cues from the nettbook side of things and few from some pricier pastures. Weighing in at less than four pounds, the N3400 laptop packs the usual 13.3-inch screen, along with a slightly underwhelming Pentium Dual Core T3400 processor, plus 3GB of RAM, a 250GB hard drive, and integrated Intel GMA X4500HD graphics -- not to mention a bundled external DVD burner. As you might expect, this one also packs a price tag right between netbooks and some higher-end ultraportables, with it setting you back $799. Hit up the gallery below for a closer look.

Gallery: Averatec debuts thin-and-light N3400 laptop

Filed under: Laptops

Averatec debuts thin-and-light N3400 laptop originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 27 Jul 2009 13:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Brando HD Media Player Docking Station does multi-format 1080p

Brando HD Media Player Docking Station does multi-format 1080p

It seems that Brando can't go a month without bringing out yet another slightly-improved domicile for your orphaned SATA HDDs. Following in the footsteps of the very recent Multimedia Dock, the latest unit adds H.264 decoding to the already present DivX, Xvid and MPEG-4, while output graduates to full 1080p. Featuring HDMI and a plethora of supported media formats, the humble docking station has certainly grown up, but is it enough to compete with standalone media players? Input flexibility would suggest so -- the new device accepts 2.5-inch and 3.5-inch hard drives, alongside USB flash memory, SD, MMC, and MS cards -- but alas, Brando loses the plot at the final hurdle, asking for an astronomical $199. With prettier alternatives available at half the price, this is unlikely to sell like hotcakes, but Brando's breakneck refresh cycle give us the feeling it won't be long before we see that perfect do-it-all dock.

Filed under: Peripherals, Storage

Brando HD Media Player Docking Station does multi-format 1080p originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 27 Jul 2009 15:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sunday, July 26, 2009

Tip: Recover your password via text message

Tip: Recover your password via text message

Posted by Cristelle Blackford, Online Operations Strategist

Even the best of us forget our passwords from time to time. In fact, recovering passwords is one of the top reasons people visit the Gmail Help Center. To help with these situations, we recently added the ability to recover your password via text message.

To turn this on for your account, just sign in, select 'Change Password Recovery Options,' enter your cell phone number and click 'Save.'

Next time you forget your password, enter your username on the password-assistance page, and Google will text you a recovery code. No need to check another email account or even leave the page.

In general, it's a good idea to add as many password recovery options to your Google Account as possible, like a secondary email address and security question. And don't forget to keep them up-to-date.

New in Labs: The super-trustworthy, anti-phishing key

New in Labs: The super-trustworthy, anti-phishing key

Posted by Brad Taylor, Gmail Spam Czar

We're always looking for new ways to protect Gmail inboxes from spam and phishing. Last year, we started taking extra steps to protect you from fake eBay and PayPal emails, requiring that any email claiming to come from one of eBay's or PayPal's domains actually comes from them. We do that by looking at the "From" header, and when it says "ebay.com" for example, it means it really did come from ebay.com. Anything else is rejected; it won't even appear in your spam folder because Gmail won't accept it.

Now, unless you are a regular reader of this blog with a photographic memory, you may not be aware of this extra protection. So, we thought we'd add a little something to remind you. Turn on "Authentication icon for verified senders" from the Labs tab under Settings, and you'll see a key icon next to verified emails that are super-trustworthy.

"Super-trustworthy" is a technical term I just invented that means: (1) the sender, usually a financial institution, is a target of phishers, (2) all of the sender's email is authenticated with DKIM, and (3) Gmail rejects any fake messages that claim to come from this sender, but actually don't.

It's a bit of work for sender! s to mak e their email super-trustworthy, which is why this feature is limited to just eBay and PayPal right now. We hope to add more senders in the future, and when we do, you'll know because you'll see the super-trustworthy key icon magically appear by those senders too. Give it a whirl and let us know what you think.

Unsubscribing made easy

Unsubscribing made easy

Posted by Brad Taylor, Gmail Spam Czar

We believe you should only get the mail you want to get. Some of you already use the "Report Spam" button on all kinds of unwanted email, and for that we're very thankful: the more spam you mark, the better our system gets at weeding out junk mail.

Unsubscribing from mailing lists and newsletters you subscribed to a while back but no longer want to receive should be just as easy. Searching through individual messages for little unsubscribe links is too big a pain —you should be able to unsubscribe with a single click.

So we just launched something that makes this all work better, both for Gmail users and big email senders. Now, when you report spam on a legitimate newsletter or mailing list, we'll help you unsubscribe. After clicking report spam, you'll see a little dialog like this:

Clicking "Unsubscribe" will automatically send a request back to the sender so they'll stop emailing you.

This only works for some senders right now. We're actively encouraging senders to support auto-unsubscribe — we think 100% should. We won't provide the unsubscribe option on messages from spammers: we can't trust that they'll actually unsubscribe you, and they might even send you more spam. So you'll only see the unsubscribe option for senders that we're pretty sure are not spammers and will actually honor your unsubscr! ibe requ est. We're being pretty conservative about which senders to trust in the beginning; over time, we hope to offer the ability to unsubscribe from more email.

For those of you senders who are interested in this feature, the most basic requirements are including a standard "List-Unsubscribe" header in your email with a "mailto" URL and, of course, honoring requests from users wishing to unsubscribe. You'll also need to follow good sending practices, which in a nutshell means not sending unwanted email (see our bulk sending guidelines for more information).

With an easy way to unsubscribe, everybody wins. Your spam folder is smaller, and senders don't waste time sending you email that you no longer want.

Update (1:50pm): If you want to unsubscribe without reporting the message as spam, click "show details" in the top-right corner of the message, then click "Unsubscribe from this sender."

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