Dr. Augustine Fou's Online Scrapbook

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Samsung's LN65B650 LCD takes a 65-inch bite out of CEDIA, no LEDs harmed

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/10/samsungs-ln65b650-lcd-takes-a-65-inch-bite-out-of-cedia/

Samsung LN65B650 LCD TV

Plasma TV's have been retreating from LCDs to the safety of sizes larger than 50-inches, but emboldened LCDs are striking into that territory as well. Embarking on recon from CEDIA is Samsung's LN65B650, a 65-inch behemoth sporting a 4ms response time, 120-Hz Auto Motion Plus frame interpolation, Medi@2.0 connectivity, and Samsung's Touch of Color treatment in grey. All the latest wizardry, you say? Not quite -- it's CCFL backlit; but even without LEDs -- the LN65B650 is probably too big for edge-lighting to cover, and would take roughly a gazillion LEDs to backlight directly -- the real plasma killer here might be the little check mark in the "Energy Star qualified" box. The $6,000 price (and we'd guess ultimate picture quality, too) means that biggie-sized plasmas are safe for now, but we know how prices and performance go with time. Full details on this beast after the break.

Continue reading Samsung's LN65B650 LCD takes a 65-inch bite out of CEDIA, no LEDs harmed

Filed under: HDTV

Samsung's LN65B650 LCD takes a 65-inch bite out of CEDIA, no LEDs harmed originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 10 Sep 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Asus UL Series Laptops: Thin and Light, Focus on Battery Life [Laptops]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/o27ur4JOnew/asus-ul-series-laptops-thin-and-light-focus-on-battery-life

The new range looks kinda suave, and Asus claims some models get up to 12 hours of battery life. How? They all use Intel's latest ultra-low voltage processors, and let you switch between dedicated and integrated graphics.

I'm generally not a fan of Asus keyboards, so I'm interested to see how the new chiclet style keys feel in use. Likewise for the flush multi-touch mousepad that let you perform Macbook-style gestures (like pinching).

Here's a quick look at how the series breaks down:

• 12-1.-inch screen: UL20A
• 13.3-inch screen: UL30A
• 14-inch screen: UL80V, UL80Ag
• 15.6-inch screen: UL50A, UL50Ag, UL50Vg

The UL series supports Windows 7, and should be available around the time of its arrival on October 22. No word yet on pricing. In the meantime, you can check out full specs at: [Asus]

Sony XBR10 Flagship LCD HDTV Has Sidelit LED, Wireless HDMI and Media Streaming [HDTVs]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/YsoCrRXSpg0/sony-xbr10-flagship-lcd-hdtv-has-sidelit-led-wireless-hdmi-and-media-streaming

Sony's new XBR10—known overseas as as the ZX5--is their new flagship. It heralds the return of LEDs that the XBR9 skipped, but is sidelit. That means it's skinny, but doesn't do localized background dimming. *Tears!*

It does, however, stream 1080p from a wireless source. That and the clear plastic block design—appearing as if the panel is suspended in a thin block of Lucite, like a visible LCD version of Han Solo—mean it's guaranteed to look oh so purdy hanging on a wall and from the side. What remains to be seen is how good the XBR10 looks compared to the XBR8. (The obscenely over-engineered set from two generations ago looked better to reviewers than the XBR9.)

The set has a few more things going for it, too. Like DLNA media streaming, Youtube, Amazon on Demand and "later in the fall, Netflix". (There are also other services, but I have no doubt they'll be of lesser value than the ones I mentioned.) It plays 24p content and has 240Hz tech, which interpolates 3 frames for every one (a tech that no one can see.) And it'll have the cross media interface.

The thing about the XBR8 was that it was expensive; the picture quality alone could not justify the $3000-$4000 cost. So, how does a wireless set like this one get away with costing $4500 and $5000 for 46 and 52-inch flavors?

SONY ADDS SUPER SLIM EDGE-LIT LED MODELS TO BRAVIA HDTV LINE
New XBR10 LCDs Feature 1080p Wireless High Definition Leaving the Cables Behind

ATLANTA (CEDIA Boo! th # 140 9), Sept. 9, 2009 – Sony today introduced a new line of ultra-thin BRAVIA™ LCD HDTVs featuring an advanced edge-lit LED backlight and exceptional contrast ratio of over 1,000,000:1.

The XBR10-series models also deliver full 1080p wireless transmission of high definition signals from a separate media box to a receiver embedded in the TV, allowing source components to be placed out of sight.

"BRAVIA is on the cutting edge of television technology and the XBR10 series pushes the limits of industry-leading, innovative features," said Jeff Goldstein, vice president of the television business for Sony Electronics. "Not only will this TV look striking when hanging on a wall, the wireless feature clears the clutter of components and messy tangles of unsightly wires, allowing you to hide components away across the room."

The XBR10 models also feature an Ethernet connection allowing them to directly access Sony BRAVIA Internet Video content using an existing broadband network. The platform offers one of the largest selections of free and premium movies, TV shows, sports, music and more from an array of partners like, Amazon Video on Demand, YouTube®, Slacker Internet Radio, and, later this fall, Netflix.

Bravia Internet Widgets, powered by the Yahoo! Widget Engine, also expand and personalize the TV experience by adding on-screen applications that provide such information as weather reports, stock information, financial news, Twitter, and additional content.

The full HD 1920 x 1080 progressive (1080p) models also feature Sony's Motionflow™ 240Hz technology, which delivers exceptionally crisp and detailed images with natural motion. The Motionflow algorithm goes beyond traditional 120Hz technology by quadrupling the frame rate of conventional LCD TVs and interpolating three new frames.

The models are Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA®) compliant, enabling easy access to digital photos, music, and video stored on a PC or other DLNA server using the XMB® interfac! e and th e TV's remote control. They also offer a USB input for displaying digital photos or playing digital video and music files from a USB storage device.

Other notable features include:
BRAVIA Engine™ 3
24p True Cinema™
xross media bar™ (XMB)with enhanced 3D favorites Menu
Internet powered TV Guide Onscreen

BRAVIA Sync™
4 HDMI inputs
RS232C
Single PC, component, composite and component/composite selectable inputs

After Repair Mission, Hubble Delivers New Stunning Desktop Backgrounds Once Again [Space]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/OvwvxuuuYHE/after-repair-mission-hubble-delivers-new-stunning-desktop-backgrounds-once-again

These are the first deep space photos sent by the Hubble after the long and risky May repair mission. Eat your heart out, Snow Leopard. This is my favorite, but there are more:

The image on the top is NGC 6302, a dying star 3,800 light years from us. The stellar butterfly is formed by the material ejected from the star, two gas hells roaring at 36,000 degrees Fahrenheit, and traveling at 600,000 miles an hour. Not a good place to spend your next vacation, but one heck of a view.

It was taken by the new Wide Field Camera 3, which was installed during the mission. This camera has replaced the WFPC2, adding a second channel in the near-infrarred range. It covers the visible spectrum, part of the near-ultraviolet, and portion of the near-infrared, complementing the infrared channel, which goes from 800 to 1700 nanometers. According to NASA,

With these two channels, WFC3 will achieve excellent panchromatic (full - spectrum) imaging. Stellar objects are not just in the visible spectrum, but also exist in the blue (near-UV) and red (near-IR) extremes. WFC3 was designed to study light in these regions of the spectrum better than Hubble's current capabilities.

In other words: Expect even more kick ass photos from now on. [NASA]

AMDâs Next-Gen Ultrathin Notebook Platform Promises 1080p Video and Decent Battery Life [Notebooks]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/95MOOK4XhvQ/amds-next+gen-ultrathin-notebook-platform-promises-1080p-video-and-decent-battery-life

We have already told you there are gonna be more rail thin Windows 7 notebooks than you can count—most packing new Intel ULV chips—but AMD's promising 1080p video playback capabilities and solid battery life.

AMD decided about a year ago it wasn't doing netbooks (since it already lost) and was going to focus on cheap-and-light notebooks with 12 to 13 inch displays (the HP Pavillion dv2 was one example). Sound familiar? It's just what Intel is doing now with its ULV (ultra low-voltage) chips.

The next generation of these chips (which includes the 1.6GHz Turion X2 Neo processor, even though AMD doesn't want us to say processor names anymore) supposedly boosts graphics (1080p video!) and battery life—an extra hour over AMD's last-gen Ultrathin Notebook chips. (Which we'll be believe when we see, since this is really where Intel's Atom and ULV chips have spanked AMD's. Not to mention, Intel's new ULV chips promise almost 6 hours without bulky extended batteries.)

Not surprisingly, AMD's boasting on performance, with up to 77 percent better gaming performance than Intel's set. They even have a nice chart on how confident they are that they can wreck Intel ULV:

I won't be surprised to see key notebook manufacturers using both Intel and AMD platforms in the same product lines, but for now, AMD says both Acer and ASUS will start shipping notebooks with the new chips and 20 more models will have them come Windows 7 timeframe—so like, October. [AMD]

iPod nano 5G with camera first hands-on!

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/ipod-nano-5g-with-camera-first-hands-on/

We came and we saw... but there's not much to say. It's exactly the same save for that new coating, bigger screen (which does help), and tiny little camera around back. Video quality looked decent, but you really can't tell on the small screen. If you've ever held a nano -- this is the same experience. Want to really know what it's like? Hit the gallery!

Update: Quick walkthrough video is now after the break!

Gallery: iPod nano with camera hands-on

Gallery: iPod nano with camera software hands-on

Continue reading iPod nano 5G with camera first hands-on!

Filed under: Digital Cameras, Portable Audio, Portable Video

iPod nano 5G with camera first hands-on! originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 09 Sep 2009 14:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VUDU equips LG's BD390 Blu-ray player with movie streaming abilities

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/vudu-equips-lgs-bd390-blu-ray-player-with-movie-streaming-abili/

LG's WiFi-enabled, DivX-friendly BD390 Blu-ray player has been shipping here in the States since May, but not until now have you really had a reason to pick one up. Here at CEDIA, VUDU is taking one step further away from its standalone movie set-top-box by announcing that the aforementioned deck will become the first of its kind to tap into VUDU's growing library of on-demand film rentals. Of course, adding VUDU to this player was a natural move given the built-in Ethernet port, though users will have to wait until the end of this month to suck down the free update. In case you're wondering, the VUDU interface on LG's player will be the same as the one found on the company's own hardware (not to mention a few LG HDTVs), and the $399 price point will remain the same even after the new functionality is added.

Continue reading VUDU equips LG's BD390 Blu-ray player with movie streaming abilities

Filed under: Home Entertainment

VUDU equips LG's BD390 Blu-ray player with movie streaming abilities originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 09 Sep 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nokia putting foot down on Maemo, won't allow carrier customizations

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/nokia-putting-foot-down-on-maemo-wont-allow-carrier-customizat/

Google and Apple have both managed to wrest a great deal of control over the mobile user experience from carriers over the past couple of years -- cheers to that, by the way -- and now Nokia's decided it wants a piece of that action with the introduction of Maemo 5 and the N900, which it says will be free of the branding that Symbian products frequently get subjected to. It makes total sense that Nokia would be looking to come play in that rarified air that Android, iPhone OS, and webOS are all playing in -- a place where ARPUs are high, UIs are slick and modern, and the apps (and data) flow like water -- but since the majority of customers for these types of devices rely on subsidies to justify the purchase, they'll still need carrier buy-in to pull this off effectively. At least Palm and the gang have all proven that there's precedent for it, and it's definitely a noble fight to wage -- no one wants a bright magenta interface, right?

[Via Phone Scoop]

Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds

Nokia putting foot down on Maemo, won't allow carrier customizations originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 09 Sep 2009 16:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony brings projectors for everyone with VPL-VW85 & VPL-HW15

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/sony-brings-projectors-for-everyone-with-vpl-vw85-and-vpl-hw15/

Along with the rest of its CEDIA 2009 announcements, Sony will be showing off new projectors. Up first is the VPL-VW85 (pictured above) which one ups the exiting VPL-VW70 and VPL-VW80 models by combining the company's 120Hz Motionflow frame insertion tech, 120,000:1 contrast ratio, 800 ANSI lumens, RS-232C and an anamorphic zoom lens in an $8,000 package. If that's too rich for your blood, the VPL-HW15 (picture after the break) offers a spec bump over the VPL-HW10 with 60,000:1 contrast ratio and a lower initial MSRP at just $2,800 when both of these launch in October.

Continue reading Sony brings projectors for everyone with VPL-VW85 & VPL-HW15

Sony brings projectors for everyone with VPL-VW85 & VPL-HW15 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 09 Sep 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony goes in a cheaper direction with wireless XBR10 BRAVIA LCDs

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/sony-goes-in-a-cheaper-direction-with-wireless-xbr10-bravia-lcds/

Proudly rocking the XBR10 nameplate, this is the latest Sony BRAVIA (peep the video from its Japanese launch), though the potential to be greatest is up for debate. These 52- and 42-inch models skip over the company's well received (but expensive) Triluminos LED technology for cheaper edge lit LEDs like Samsung. Sony is taking advantage of the tech's slim frames to include wireless HD streaming -- you'll be plugging set-top boxes, game consoles and other video sources into a separate media box, plugging in anything other than AC would ruin the style. Still, it's hard to see many people deciding that wireless HD, Internet powered TV Guide, BRAVIA Engine 3 processing, Motionflow 240Hz, video streaming from Amazon, YouTube and Netflix and Sony's version of Yahoo! Widgets is enough to overcome a serious case of sticker shock. The KDL-52XBR10 and KDL-46XBR10 arrive in October with $5,000 and $4,500 MSRPs, respectively; over a thousand bucks north of comparable, wireless-less Samsung models featuring the same backlighting tech. That Sony brand and experience worth the difference to you?

Continue reading Sony goes in a cheaper direction with wireless XBR10 BRAVIA LCDs

Sony goes in a cheaper direction with wireless XBR10 B! RAVIA LC Ds originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 09 Sep 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mitsubishi rolls out 1080p HC3800 projector for $1,395

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/mitsubishi-rolls-out-1080p-hc3800-projector-for-1-395/

It's not always easy for a projector to stand out from the pack these days, but it looks like Mitsubishi has turned to one of the most tried and true tricks in the book for its new HC3800 model: offer a ton of features for a great price. That starts, naturally, with a full 1080p resolution, and things stay more than respectable all along down the line with 1,300 lumens of brightness, a 4,000:1 contrast ratio, a promised 5,000 hour lamp life (in conservation mode) and, get this, full support for anamorphic lenses in case you're really looking to top off your home theater. Best of all, the projector is set to run just $1,395, and should be available sometime in the third quarter of this year.

[Via About Projectors]

Filed under: Displays, HDTV

Mitsubishi rolls out 1080p HC3800 projector for $1,395 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 09 Sep 2009 18:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Eyes-on: Sony's XBR10 LCD and its wireless video streaming box

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/eyes-on-sonys-xbr10-lcd-and-its-wireless-video-streaming-box/

We know, it's easy to be distracted by the sexy, slim BRAVIA LCD HDTV in front of you, but refocus your eyes for a moment on that unassuming box to the lower right. Given a distinct lack of (read: none) media inputs on the screen itself, that little devices is where all your HDMI, coax and other video sources will be going. With it's $5,000 pricetag the ability to hide DVR's, game consoles and whatever else well away from the television itself is a major selling point so feel free to peruse these pictures (no iPhone comparisons, we promise) and get familiar before this set hits shelves in October.

Filed under: HDTV, Home Entertainment

Eyes-on: Sony's XBR10 LCD and its wireless video streaming box originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 09 Sep 2009 19:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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WD ships 2.5-inch 640GB standard 9.5mm-height laptop drive

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/wd-ships-2-5-inch-640gb-standard-9-5mm-height-laptop-drive/

Monkey see, monkey do -- ain't that right? Whatever the case, we're stoked to see one more player in the 2.5-inch 640GB game, with Seagate, Samsung and Toshiba recently introducing versions of their own. Western Digital's iteration -- the Scorpio Blue 640 -- sports a luscious standard 9.5mm-height package, which should fit just fine within pretty much any laptop out there. WD also claims that this HDD consumes some 30 percent less power than the previous generation Scorpio Blue, though the 5400RPM spindle speed certainly won't impress the performance junkies in the crowd. Look for it to slide into your next portable for $149.

[Via HotHardware]

Filed under: Storage

WD ships 2.5-inch 640GB standard 9.5mm-height laptop drive originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 09 Sep 2009 20:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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To proceed another five miles, TXT 'DESIGN FLAW' to your Reva electric car

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/to-proceed-another-five-miles-txt-design-flaw-to-your-reva-el/

To proceed another five miles, TXT 'DESIGN FLAW' to your Reva electric car

Not long ago a motorcycle with a fuel gauge was basically unheard of and even "low fuel" idiot lights were rare. Riders used advanced (and generally inaccurate) mathematics to calculate remaining mileage and, when the engine inevitably sputtered, switched over to a reserve tank that would let them nervously motor along a few more miles. Reva, an Indian company set to start shipping electric cars next year, plans to resurrect that most irritating sequence of events in their two-door NXR -- albeit with a modern spin. Now, instead of reaching down and turning a dial to get to that precious extra juice, drivers will need to call or text Reva HQ. Some overworked customer service agent will then remotely activate the "reserve battery," which surely doesn't even exist, to give a bit of extra range. We pity the fool who runs out of charge somewhere outside of cell range, but not quite as much as the designer who pitched this terrible idea.

Filed under: Transportation

To proceed another five miles, TXT 'DESIGN FLAW' to your Reva electric car originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 09 Sep 2009 21:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple releases video podcast of Rock and Roll event, we've got you covered with the highlights

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/apple-releases-video-podcast-of-rock-and-roll-event-weve-got-y/

Need to catch up on today's Apple news? Well, you can either fire up iTunes and download Apple's video podcast of the event, or you can skip the endless game demos and marketing chit-chat and just peruse the links below. The executive summary? iTunes 9's new app management, Home Sharing, and iTunes LP features are really nice, but it's almost impossible to understand why Apple added a camera to the iPod nano and not the iPod touch, no matter what Steve says. Oh -- and don't forget the Palm Pixi!

The event
Live from Apple's 'It's only rock and roll' event
Video: Steve Jobs returns to the Apple stage

iPods
iPod touch 3rd gen hands-on and video
iPod nano 5G with camera first hands-on!
Apple announces cheaper, more colorful iPod shuffle, new Special Edition
Apple updates iPod touch line, drops prices, adds top-end 64GB model
Apple adds video camera, larger screen to new 5G iPod nano
iPod classic bumped to 160GB, price stays the same at $249
iPhone OS 3.1 is official, available today
iPhone / iPod touch OS 3.1.1 is live!
iPod shuffle 2g is no more

iTunes
iTunes 9 bringing iTunes LP functionality, 'beautiful new look'
iTunes 9 breaks Pre media sync... what did you expect?
Video: iTunes 9 Home Sharing and iPhone app management

Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video

Apple releases video podcast of Rock and Roll event, we've got you covered with the highlights originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 09 Sep 2009 23:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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