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Friday, September 25, 2009

ASUS and Sager issue first Core i7 mobile-based laptops

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/25/asus-and-sager-issue-first-core-i7-mobile-based-laptops/

Not sure if you got the memo, but Intel introduced a few new processors this week at IDF. In fact, they were chips designed to work in laptops! While Dell and Alienware were quick to issue new rigs based around the mobile iteration of the Core i7, a few others are slowly trickling out. ASUS has just introduced its M60J, a 16-incher that can be outfitted with a 1.6GHz Core i7 720QM or 1.73GHz Core i7 820QM. Other specs include a 1GB NVIDIA GeForce GT240M GPU, up to 4GB of DDR3 RAM, upwards of 1TB of HDD space, an optional Blu-ray drive and a lackluster 1,366 x 768 resolution. Sager's also jumping in on the action by pushing out a 15.6-inch NP8690 that offers the same shiny CPUs, a 1GB GeForce GTX 280M GPU, up to 8GB of DDR3 memory, a 500GB HDD and a 1080p display. As for pricing? Mum's the word on the former, though the 7.6-pound Sager gets going at just under $1,800.

Read - ASUS M60J
Read - Sager NP8690

Continue reading ASUS and Sager issue first Core i7 mobile-based laptops

Filed under: Laptops

ASUS and Sager issue first Core i7 mobile-based laptops originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 Sep 2009 01:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of fee! ds.< /p>

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NVIDIA: Chrome OS on Tegra is money, not that anyone ever doubted it

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/25/nvidia-chrome-os-on-tegra-is-money-not-that-anyone-ever-doubte/

Kevin C. Tofel certainly knows his way around ultra-portable devices like MIDs, UMPCs, and netbooks. And during a product briefing with NVIDIA, the managing editor behind jkOnTheRun received confirmation from NVIDIA that it's working to deliver Google's Chome OS on the Tegra smartbook platform, eventually. Anyone surprised? Tegra is ARM-based and Google has been perfectly clear that its Chrome OS is targeting ARM and x86 systems ranging in size from netbooks to full-size desktops. But hey, it's Tegra and Google's unproven OS together at last... what could go wrong? Until that day it'll be Windows CE or Android (and maybe a Linux distro or two) when the first Tegra-based Smartbooks begin shipping from carriers, well, right about now.

Filed under: Laptops

NVIDIA: Chrome OS on Tegra is money, not that anyone ever doubted it originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 Sep 2009 07:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Thursday, September 24, 2009

Nocs is a Google Docs-Powered Notepad Clone [Downloads]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/u0ZAvFvS1FE/nocs-is-a-google-docs+powered-notepad-clone

Windows only: Notepad clone Nocs looks and feels just like the regular Windows utility, but instead of editing local files, it can save and edit text notes directly to your Google Docs account.

Once you've downloaded, installed the utility, and entered your Google account information, you'll be able to create text notes and save them directly to Google Docs. The notes can be encrypted by flipping a switch in the preferences, and you can switch from one account to another easily.

The only real problem is that the notes are stored on the Google Docs side in a single spreadsheet, and not in human-readable format—but if you are looking for a way to quickly store and retrieve notes that can be accessed from any computer (with Nocs installed), this might be worth a look. Nocs is free and open source, available for Windows only.

Nocs [Google Code via BlogsDNA]

FoodScanner iPhone App Knows Exactly How Disgusting Your Diet Is [IPhone Apps]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/GW7PgtEIh8U/foodscanner-iphone-app-knows-exactly-how-disgusting-your-diet-is

Keeping a food journal on the iPhone is nothing new; nor is it easy enough, on account of all the typing required, for most people to keep up with. But what if you could just scan your food?

That's the concept behind FoodScanner, which adds barcode scanning to the iPhone food-minding app concept, by way of Occipital's scanning engine. And it works! Either maintained on its own or synced with the associated DailyBurn website, FoodScanner is as simple as can be: Just scan a food item's barcode with your iPhone's camera, press a button to indicate how many servings you've had, and you'll (almost) immediately see an official-style nutritional panel, the contents of which are stored in your personal food database so you can feel fat numerically, if not physically.

The app relies on a preexisting database of about 200,000 foods and associated nutritional values, and the developers hope to see a bunch more once people start using the app—linking an unrecognized barcode to a food item only takes users a few seconds. The only thing missing here, really, is the ability to scan non-coded items, like fruit and veg—something which we know is at least plausible, since Amazon's been doing it with their shopping apps for a while now. FoodScanner still requires you to type these items in manually.

The FoodScanner app debuts for three dollars,! and the online DailyBurn service is free. And hey, even if you're not dieting, there's a certain appeal to seeing your terrible, terrible diet quantified. [FoodScanner]

Now Available [Now Available]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/MnL_wRT8HrE/now-available

The Fonera 2.0n router is out today. The n means, of course, that it is updated with an 802.11n radio. But you knew that already.

• The Fonera 2.0n is now shipping to U.S. soil. Obviously, the big update here is the inclusion of 802.11n, but Fonera didn't stop there. There's NAS support, BitTorrent support, and even 3G support for some mobile Wi-Fi action. The Fonera golden rule still applies: share your Wi-Fi and others will share unto you. By that I mean when you set up a public access point, you get free access to other open Fonera networks. If you define social networking as actually sharing your network, then the Fonera 2.0n is probably worth a look. Available now for $99. [Press Release]

Qualcomm's FLO TV device caught in the wild with a cup of joe

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/24/qualcomms-flo-tv-device-caught-in-the-wild-with-a-cup-of-joe/

Qualcomm's FLO TV device caught in the wild with a cup of joe

If you're on AT&T or Verizon you may have watched an episode of something or another wirelessly via FLO TV, and while the service has hardly taken the nation by storm, it's probably the closest thing to DMB we Americans are going to get for awhile. Qualcomm was rumored to be working on a dedicated device for the service also called the FLO TV, a television-tuning gizmo with a capacitive touchscreen, and now here it is, captured sitting precariously close to the edge of the table, looking set to tumble onto what's surely a greasy, dingy floor below. The device also doubles as a PMP, and while only 4GB of storage means it won't be a particularly good one, with any luck there's a microSD slot in there somewhere. It's all very hush-hush at this point so we don't have any idea about pricing or availability, but perhaps the loose lips at the FCC will give us an answer to that second question soon.

Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video, Wireless

Qualcomm's FLO TV device caught in the wild with a cup of joe originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 Sep 2009 07:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Emo Labs' invisible speakers visibly demonstrated

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/24/video-emo-labs-invisible-speakers-visibly-demonstrated/

Emo Labs is out on a crusade to unify audio and video into one cohesive, delectable whole. If you'll recall, the company's Edge Motion invisible speaker tech relies on implanting a clear membrane atop display panels, which is then vibrated by piezoelectric actuators to generate stereo audio. We've grabbed a couple of vids of it in action to whet your appetite, and while there's still no word on when, plans are afoot to embed the technology into LCDs, laptops, mobiles and even handheld gaming devices. Dance past the break to hear, and maybe even see, for yourself.

[Via eCoustics]

Continue reading Video: Emo Labs' invisible speakers visibly demonstrated

Filed under: Home Entertainment, Laptops

Video: Emo Labs' invisible speakers visibly demonstrated originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 Sep 2009 10:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HP's Ion-infused Mini 311 netbook now on sale, starts at $400

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/24/hps-ion-infused-mini-311-netbook-now-on-sale-starts-at-400/

We had originally assumed that Lenovo's IdeaPad S12 would be the first netbook to ship with NVIDIA's Ion platform, but since that rig was delayed until Windows 7 could make its retail debut, HP decided to swoop in and claim the honors. You heard right -- the recently introduced Mini 311 has just become the first netbook in the universe with NVIDIA's Ion to actually ship to end users, and it's up for order right now starting at $399.99. 'Course, you'll be asked to pay extra for a white chassis ($20), Atom N280 ($25), Bluetooth ($25), 802.11n ($25) and integrated WWAN ($125), but at least that 1,366 x 768 resolution display comes standard.

[Thanks, Steve]

Filed under: Laptops

HP's Ion-infused Mini 311 netbook now on sale, starts at $400 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 Sep 2009 12:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Intel announces Atom CE4100 for insanely powerful cable boxes and Blu-ray players

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/24/intel-announces-atom-ce4100-for-insanely-powerful-cable-boxes-an/

Intel's CE3100 media chip has been behind some of the cooler demos they've done here at IDF, and it's just gotten a big brother, the Atom CE4100. As you'd expect, the big change is the replacement of the CE3100's Pentium M core with an Atom core, but this thing is actually kind of a monster -- it can decode two 1080p video streams with various high-end audio codecs, it adds MPEG-4 support and 3D graphics capability, and it can even capture uncompressed 1080p video. Of course, it's up to manufacturers and cable companies to actually put all this power to use, but Intel's promised us some hardware demos from partners -- stay tuned.

Continue reading Intel announces Atom CE4100 for insanely powerful cable boxes and Blu-ray players

Filed under: Home Entertainment

Intel announces Atom CE4100 for insanely powerful cable boxes and Blu-ray players originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 Sep 2009 12:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MIT researchers tout progress with retinal implant - yes, it comes with a visor

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/24/mit-researchers-tout-progress-with-retinal-implant-yes-it-com/

As impressive as that tooth-eye implant was, we're guessing most folks had something more like this in mind when they considered the future of sight restoration. While it's still a bit early in development, and has yet to actually be implanted in anyone, this new retinal implant certainly seems to have the researchers at MIT excited, who say that tests with blind patients could begin within the next three years. The basic idea behind it was apparently inspired by the cochlear implants that have proven successful in restoring people's hearing, although in this case the implant works by electrically stimulating damaged nerve cells that would ordinarily send visual signals from the retina to the brain. According to the researchers, however, the system would only work on folks that have lost their sight due due retinitis pigmentosa or age-related macular degeneration, and it wouldn't restore complete sight, but could let them see enough to find their way through a room or walk down a sidewalk (which is certainly no small feat). They'll also have to wear a special set of glasses (or visor, if you prefer), which will not only wirelessly send images to the implant, but keep it powered wirelessly through a set of coils.

[Via The Register]

Filed under: Wearables, Science

MIT researchers tout progress with ! retinal implant - yes, it comes with a visor originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 Sep 2009 13:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iriver Story e-reader hits pre-order status in Korea, gets priced

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/24/iriver-story-e-reader-hits-pre-order-status-in-korea-gets-price/

We've been keeping our eyes peeled for any news of iriver's Story e-reader -- and it looks like it's on the verge of appearing in reality -- at least in Korea. The company is now taking pre-orders for the 6-inch, QWERTY keyboarded device, which runs 358,000 KRW ( around $290). The reader will come packaged with a 2GB SD card, the book-impersonating folding case we've spied it wearing in the past, and two free book downloads. While we've heard that the reader will eventually get global, we've still yet to heard pricing or release dates for the US of A. Until then, we'll just have to keep curled up on the sofa with our sad, dog-eared, public library copy of The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao.

Filed under: Handhelds

iriver Story e-reader hits pre-order status in Korea, gets priced originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 Sep 2009 14:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Intel's Light Peak running an HD display while transferring files... on a hackintosh

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/24/video-intels-light-peak-running-an-hd-display-while-transferri/

Intel just did a pretty impressive demo of its new Light Peak optical device interconnect, driving a greater-than-HD display while saturating an SSD RAID all over one cable, but we couldn't help but notice the monster Frankenstein test rig on stage was running OS X -- looks like someone's violating their EULA! Video after the break.

Continue reading Video: Intel's Light Peak running an HD display while transferring files... on a hackintosh

Filed under: Peripherals

Video: Intel's Light Peak running an HD display while transferring files... on a hackintosh originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 Sep 2009 14:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Updated iMac lineup rumored for near-term release

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/24/updated-imac-lineup-rumored-for-near-term-release/

Do you know how old the current iMac is? Half a year. Or two years, if we're talking form factors. In terms of major Apple design overhauls, six months isn't a very long time, but considering that the all-important holiday shopping season is about to kick off, it follows logic to think that Apple would update its most consumer-facing Mac lineup in preparation. AppleInsider seems to have a pretty good read on a purported refresh, noting that a thinner chassis (predictable, but appreciated) and all-around lower prices are on tap. We're told that the enclosures could closely mimic the firm's new Cinema Displays in terms of industrial design, and while details on actual specification changes are next to nil, we are told that a few amenities "not previously available" would become so. Who's down for throwing out wild suppositions? (And no, Blu-ray doesn't count.)

Filed under: Desktops

Updated iMac lineup rumored for near-term release originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 Sep 2009 15:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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$4,000 Alienware Aurora ALX benchmarked: domination this world has never seen

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/24/4-000-alienware-aurora-alx-benchmarked-domination-this-world-h/

Alienware's Aurora ALX, which was just unveiled this week alongside ATI's blisteringly fast Radeon HD 5870 GPU, gets going at $2,299. If that doesn't bother you, the late-October estimated ship date might. Somehow, the benchmarking fiends over at HotHardware were able to grab hold of one of these rigs, and the results are fairly stunning (if not expected). Granted, their test configuration was a fully loaded $4,074 model, complete with a 3.33GHz Core i7 Extreme Edition 975 CPU, twin ATI Radeon HD 5870's in a CrossFire configuration and 6GB of DDR3 memory. Oh, and blue lights. Lots of blue lights. Put simply, the one-two CPU / GPU punch produced results that led to domination that made pretty much anything else out there look weak. Don't believe us? Hit that link for the bar-charted proof.

Filed under: Desktops

$4,000 Alienware Aurora ALX benchmarked: domination this world has never seen originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 Sep 2009 16:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fonera 2.0n web applications router now available in the US

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/24/fonera-2-0n-web-applications-router-now-available-in-the-us/

It can get a bit confusing at times amid all the announcements about announcements, but the folks at FON have now finally confirmed that their Fonera 2.0n "web applications" router is indeed available in the US, and for the bargain price of just $99. As its name suggests, in addition to functioning just fine as a regular 802.11n router, this one will also let you manage a whole host of web applications like Twitter, Facebook or Flickr even when your computer is turned off -- finally giving you the ability to, for instance, tweet when an upload or download has completed (a surefire way to hang onto those followers you've amassed). Still not up to speed on all this Fonera business? Don't worry, there's a helpful video after the break.

[Via Wi-Fi Planet]

Continue reading Fonera 2.0n web applications router now available in the US

Filed under: Wireless, Networking

Fonera 2.0n web applications router now available in the US originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 Sep 2009 16:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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