Dr. Augustine Fou's Online Scrapbook

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Fujitsu gifts LifeBook T5010 convertible tablet with multitouch LCD

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/16/fujitsu-gifts-lifebook-t5010-convertible-table-with-multitouch-l/

It's definitely not the first LifeBook to boast a multitouch panel, but given just how popular the original T5010 proved to be, we're pleasantly pleased to see the outfit bless that very convertible tablet with a touchscreen. The new dual digitizer option gives the 13.3-inch machine a whole new purpose in life, as it now supports two-finger touch (for rotating, pinching, zooming, groping, etc.) within Windows 7. Oddly enough, Fujitsu's choosing to ship this with Vista until October 22nd rolls around, so we'd advise you to hold tight for another month and change if at all possible. Everything else about the rig remains mostly the same, though the $1,759 (active digitizer) / $1,859 (dual digitizer) starting tags are actually lower than the MSRP given to the first T5010 in early 2008.

Gallery: Fujitsu gifts LifeBook T5010 convertible tablet with multitouch LCD

Filed under: Laptops

Fujitsu gifts LifeBook T5010 convertible tablet with multitouch LCD originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Sep 2009 10:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New iPod touch gets a speed test, zips right on by

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/16/new-ipod-touch-gets-a-speed-test-zips-right-on-by/

The new generation of the iPod touch, we've been told, is roughly 50 percent faster than the previous iteration. Well, the fine folks over at the iPhone Blog have done a bit of information collecting on just that topic -- to see if Apple's latest is actually that much faster. Both Macworld and TUAW did testing which showed a reduction in boot times from 31 to 19 seconds, web page loading (using the New York Times) went from 34 to 15 seconds, while app launching saw time reductions across the board. So -- in essence -- yes, the newest iPod touch is about 50 percent faster than the previous model in terms of performance. Hit the read link to hear even more tantalizing details.

Filed under: Handhelds, Portable Audio, Portable Video

New iPod touch gets a speed test, zips right on by originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Sep 2009 11:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Super Talent's 2TB RAIDDrive shipping next month to the rich and silly

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/16/super-talents-2tb-raiddrive-shipping-next-month-to-the-rich-and/

Remember that 2TB PCIe RAIDDrive we peeked earlier this year? Yeah, that was no April Fool's joke. Super Talent's answer to OCZ Technology's Z-Drive is on track to ship next month, shortly after it makes a quick stop by IDF next week. The device slots into one's PCIe bus and utilizes a RAID architecture specifically tailored to work with NAND flash memory. In fact, the outfit has actually boosted the transfer speeds from the 1.3GBps estimate to a 1.4GBps promise. The aluminum enclosure houses four discrete SATA SSDs, with the RAIDDrive GS being the model that tops out at 2TB. For those able to deal with "just" 1TB, there's the RAIDDrive ES and RAIDDrive WS, both of which are detailed further in the read link. No exact pricing has been nailed down yet for the flagship unit, but considering that the 1TB RAIDDrive GS is pegged at $4,999 for OEMs, we'll let your imagination do the rest.

Filed under: Storage

Super Talent's 2TB RAIDDrive shipping next month to the rich and silly originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Sep 2009 12:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Haiku Alpha 1 available now: BeOS lovers of the world rejoice

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/16/haiku-alpha-1-available-now-beos-lovers-of-the-world-rejoice/

A mere eight years in the making, the Haiku Project has announced the release of Haiku R1/Alpha 1, the first official development release of the low footprint open source OS formerly known as OpenBeOS. Since it's an alpha release, you'll be expected to do your part identifying bugs and reporting glitches and the like -- but here's hoping that they at least got Firefox to run in relative stability this time 'round. We know you're too damned giddy at the prospect of installing this thing on your netbook for any more of our prattle, so why don't you just hit the read link and get started, then?

[Thanks, Hawkje]

Continue reading Haiku Alpha 1 available now: BeOS lovers of the world rejoice

Filed under: Desktops, Laptops

Haiku Alpha 1 available now: BeOS lovers of the world rejoice originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Sep 2009 13:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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E-Wolf e1 electric race car could create new class of racing jockeys

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/16/e-wolf-e1-electric-race-car-could-create-new-class-of-racing-joc/

There's certainly no shortage of hurdles to cross in building a competitive, all-electric race car, with the weight of the vehicle (and requisite battery pack) being particularly high up on the list. While the folks behind this new E-Wolf e1 vehicle have indeed managed to get the weight down to an impressive 500 kilograms (or just over 1,100 pounds), they've also taken another somewhat unique step to ensure the performance is just right: limit the weight of the driver to 150 pounds. That, combined with a 110kW, quadripolar, liquid-cooled, AC induction motor, apparently allows the car to hit 0 to 100 km/h in less than five seconds, achieve a top speed of 230 km/h, and last a full 300 kilometers on a charge. Of course, it also costs €150,000 (or over $220,000), but it is apparently street-legal, and definitely won't be mistaken for a Tesla Roadster.

[Via Autoblog Green]

Filed under: Transportation

E-Wolf e1 electric race car could create new class of racing jockeys originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Sep 2009 14:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HTC Leo caught on video demonstrating its multitouch display

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/16/htc-leo-caught-on-video-demonstrating-its-multitouch-display/

There's been plenty of rumor and speculation regarding the HTC Leo as of late, all serving to pique our interest. If talk of a Snapdragon CPU and an updated TouchFlow 3D UI are not, in fact, greatly exaggerated, it looks like we might have a killer phone on our hands here. And now, to fill in the picture a bit, the kids at PocketPT have hepped us to a demonstration of the device's multitouch capabilities. Exciting, no? Make sure you check out the video below, which shows the Leo flipping through photo albums and zooming in / out of stills and video the with style and ease befitting a 1GHz processor. You'll be glad you did.

[Via WMPoweruser.com]

Continue reading HTC Leo caught on video demonstrating its multitouch display

Filed under: Cellphones

HTC Leo caught on video demonstrating its multitouch display originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Sep 2009 15:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Panasonic's new EVERLED light bulbs to light up your life for 19 years

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/16/panasonics-newest-everled-lightbulbs-to-light-up-your-life-for/

Long-lasting light bulb technology is nothing new -- people have been trying to up the lifespan these bad boys for some time. Long-lived light bulbs are generally uber-expensive, too, but we like to keep our eyes on such things. Panasonic's just unveiled the EVERLED, a line of bulbs set to be launched in Japan at the end of October. Lighter and more efficient than other LEDs on the market, these babies use 85 lumens per watt for a 40W bulb. Though the bulbs are not going to be cheap -- about $40 -- the company claims they'll have a lifespan of 19 years, bringing the overall costs down considerably. Still, we'd have to see them last that long to believe it.

[Via Inhabitat]

Filed under: Household

Panasonic's new EVERLED light bulbs to light up your life for 19 years originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Sep 2009 15:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wacom Bamboo multitouch tablet is real, we've got pics to prove it

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/16/wacom-bamboo-multitouch-tablet-is-real-weve-got-pics-to-prove/

Windows 7 is almost here, and we get the feeling that the multitouch revolution (at least in the consumer realm) won't be too far behind. Lenovo just dished out a pair of new touch-friendly laptops, Fujitsu spruced up its LifeBook T5010 with a multitouch panel and now Wacom is kicking out a finger-friendly Bamboo tablet. Just in case you figured that yesterday's sneak peek was nothing more than an imaginative Photoshop, we've got another round of closeups today to prove otherwise. Tipster Jesus claims that he's been using the $69 device on his Snow Leopard-equipped Mac for a tick, and he's had no issues getting things working. There's also mention of a full interactive tutorial that helps you setup customer application-specific gestures, which frankly, sounds like oodles of fun.

[Thanks, Jesus]

Gallery: Wacom Bamboo multitouch tablet is real, we've got pics to prove it

Filed under: Displays, Peripherals

Wacom Bamboo multitouch tablet is real, we've got pics to prove it originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Sep 2009 16:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Giant Light Canons Can Decorate Entire Mountains From One Kilometer Away [Lighting]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/6kE78p6UBTo/giant-light-canons-can-decorate-entire-mountains-from-one-kilometer-away

This is Machu Picchu, the famous Inca site in Los Andes. And that giant symbol covering the mountain—called Huayna Picchu—is not Sauron resurrected, but a light drawing projected from one kilometer away using PAE light canons.

In fact, the canons are so powerful that the image can be seen during the day, even from that distance.

The photographs of the project—put in place by Studio Orta in 1995—are now being shown in the Uninhabitable? Art of Extreme Environments exhibit in Paris. [Studio Orta via BldgBlog]

Enterprise-Grade SSD Promises Read Speeds of 500 MB/s [Storage]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/vct0EWCpwS4/enterprise+grade-ssd-promises-read-speeds-of-500-mbs

Relatively-new startup Pliant Technology claims their 3.5-inch enterprise SSD can read at speeds up to 500 megabytes per seconds and write 320 megabytes per second. Basically, you could copy the contents of a 2 terabyte drive in around an hour.

According to Computer World, the three-year-old company claims that the drive can be used non-stop for five years without slowdown. Apparently the mojo behind the Lightning EFD LS (and the slightly slower, 2.5-inch EFD LB) is that it uses a proprietary ASIC design that relies on a SCSI data transfer interface, as opposed to the more common Fibre Channel interface. As a result they're currently able to achieve speeds of 6 gigabits per second (vs. the 4 Gb/s that Fibre Channel provides).

While it is available now for companies to purchase, it seems that the product has yet to be tested independently, so the accuracy of those speed claims are uncertain. [Pliant via Computer World via Slashdot]

AMD Athlon II X4 620: Four Cores for $99 [Amd]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/GLHa7X0K8KM/amd-athlon-ii-x4-620-four-cores-for-99

AMD's new Athlon II X4 chips are like a Phenom II minus the L3 cache. But they're super-cheap: $99 (2.6GHz-620), and $122 (2.8Ghz-630). Also looks like they hold their own against the $150 Core 2 Quad 8200: [Maximum PC]

Video: Sony NW-A840 packs OLED, noise cancellation, and 64GB of flash heat, still thinnest Walkman ever

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/16/video-l-sony-nw-a840-packs-oled-noise-cancellation-and-64gb-of/

Sony's keeping the pressure on the dedicated portable media player market with the launch of its latest OLED Walkman. The NW-A840 series is the thinnest Walkman ever at 7.2mm and comes packing a 2.8-inch OLED display and up to 64GB of flash storage. The players also feature Sony's digital noise cancellation, premium MDR-EX300SL earbuds right in the box, and the ability to pump 720x480 pixel video out to your TV. Sony rates the battery at 29-hours of continuous music or 9-hours of video. The A-series ships in three models -- 16GB NW-A845 (¥24,000/$263), N32GB W-A846 (¥30,000/$329), and 64GB NW-A847 (¥40,000/$439) -- starting October 31st. Also available in black for those who detest downtown hipster-brown. Video preview after the break.

[Via Sony Insider]

Continue reading Video: Sony NW-A840 packs OLED, noise cancellation, and 64GB of flash heat, still thinnest Walkman ever

Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video

Video: Sony NW-A840 packs OLED, noise cancellation, and 64GB of flash heat, still thinnest Walkman ever originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Sep 2009 01:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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AgfaPhoto trots out "size zero" line of ultrathin digiframes

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/16/agfaphoto-trots-out-size-zero-line-of-ultrathin-digiframes/

We'd argue that we've reached the saturation point when it comes to new digital photo frames, but AgfaPhoto would clearly beg to differ. The outfit famous for cranking out ho hum devices that are easily overshadowed has just introduced seven new ultraslim options, all of which are hoping to see a release prior to the mad rush that is the holiday shopping season. Said to be the "size zero" of digiframes, these measure just 1.3 centimeters thick while shipping in a range of sizes from 7- to 10-inches. As expected, you'll find 1GB of internal storage alongside a multicard reader, and when not flicking through a slideshow of last year's Valentine's bash at the corporate headquarters, it can also play back risque videos from the afterparty. Don't expect these to ship stateside anytime soon, but those across the pond can reportedly snap 'em up for between £49.99 ($83) to £129.99 ($216) later this year.

Filed under: Displays

AgfaPhoto trots out "size zero" line of ultrathin digiframes originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Sep 2009 05:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Packard Bell debuts dot m/u 'netbook with the performance of a notebook'

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/16/packard-bell-debuts-dot-m-u-netbook-with-the-performance-of-a-n/

Packard Bell sure has been keeping itself busy lately with some new laptops, desktops, and even the odd display, but it looks like it's not quite ready to stop this train just yet, and it's now also introduced its new dot m/u "netbook." According to Packard Bell, that is the "first netbook with the performance of a notebook," which could also mean that it's simply not a netbook at all depending on your point of view. Either way, the device is small and light (just over three pounds with an 11.6-inch screen), and a definite step up from your average Atom-based netbook in terms of performance, with it packing an unspecified Intel ULV processor, up to 4GB of RAM, a max 500GB hard drive, a multitouch trackpad, a 5-in1 memory card reader, and Windows 7 Home Premium for an OS. Of course, its £399 price tag (or about $650) is also an upgrade over your usual netbook, and you'll naturally have to wait for Windows 7 to ship before it does.

Filed under: Laptops

Packard Bell debuts dot m/u 'netbook with the performance of a notebook' originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Sep 2009 06:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Google Fast Flip Gives a Print Look and Feel to Google News [Google]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/cgzV8KZES2s/google-fast-flip-gives-a-print-look-and-feel-to-google-news

Google Labs released a new experimental news tool today called Google Fast Flip—"a new reading experience that combines the best elements of print and online articles."

(Click the image above for a closer look.)

In theory, I guess that may sound like a good idea. In practice—well, it comes off like a ridiculous step backwards. Here's the problem Google says they're trying to solve:

One problem with reading news online today is that browsing can be really slow. A media-rich page loads dozens of files and can take as much as 10 seconds to load over broadband, which can be frustrating. What we need instead is a way to flip through articles really fast without unnatural delays, just as we can in print. The flow should feel seamless and let you rapidly flip forward to the content you like, without the constant wait for things to load. Imagine taking 10 seconds to turn the page of a print magazine!

The problem is, Fast Flip is made up of images—you know, the unsearchable stuff that slows down page load speeds—as opposed to text—the stuff that loads in no time. I actually waited a couple of seconds for images to load several times while trying it out (others are commenting on how fast it is, so maybe it's just me), and when they did load, I occasionally ended up looking at images like this:

I may be judging it too harshly for an experimental new tool, but frankly, ! I don't see the point for users. Fast Flip does come in a mobile version friendly to Android and iPhone users for finger-swiping through news, which seems at least a little more useful.

If you give it a try, let's hear what you thought—like it or lump it—in the comments.

Read news fast with Google Fast Flip [Official Google Blog]

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