Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Apple's new MacBook unboxing and hands-on!

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/apples-new-macbook-unboxing-and-hands-on/

We just took delivery of Apple's new MacBook -- it's an interesting revision to the MacBook formula, built using the same unibody techniques as the Aluminum Pros but with white plastic. That means it feels much more solid than the previous plastic MacBooks: there's zero flex when you pick it up by a corner, and the keyboard is nicely rigid. There's a price for that heft, though -- the battery is now sealed in, although we're guessing it won't be too hard to replace if you remove the soft-touch rubber bottom panel. Unlike the Pros, the screen is still set in by a plastic bezel instead of edge-to-edge glass, which means it's a little less glossy overall -- but make no mistake, it can still serve as a mirror in a pinch. Ports are looking pretty dismal -- there's no FireWire, no SD card slot, no dedicated line-in. Instead you get just two USB 2.0 ports, Ethernet, Mini DisplayPort, and a combo headphone / line-in jack. That's pretty weak in a thousand-dollar machine. We're going to spend some more time playing with this thing before we dish out a proper review, though -- anything you want to know?

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Apple's new MacBook unboxing and hands-on! originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 12:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Posted by Augustine at 9:55 PM

New iMac and Magic Mouse unboxing and quick hands-on

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/new-imac-and-magic-mouse-unboxing-and-quick-hands-on/

They're in the house! The brand new ultra-wide all-aluminum iMac has been unboxed inside the hallowed halls of the Engadget HQ, and inside was a real scarcity of wires, a keyboard (which now requires one less battery but otherwise looks exactly the same), and of course that brand new multitouch Magic Mouse. It feels much thinner than its predecessor, and the whole front of the unit provides a satisfying, unified click. The runners on the bottom make the mouse seem almost more appropriate for sledding than mousing, but it glides around just fine on a solid surface. Pics galore in the gallery below.

When we flicked the mouse on it was easy enough to spot it over Bluetooth on our regular Mac, but it only worked with tracking and single click -- none of this capacitive nonsense without a software update, naturally. On the iMac's first boot it was able to pick up the mouse and keyboard without a problem, even letting us use the capacitive scrolling to work through the setup wizard. We quickly spotted our first usability problem: coming from a trackpad heavy workflow, our fingers were expecting a capacitive tap-to-click action, instead of having to physically click the mouse. It's not a huge problem, but there's no 1:1 usability model between an Apple trackpad and this mouse. Scrolling is single finger, with a two finger left or right swipe doing back / forward in a browser or the finder. Right clicking requires a lifting of the left click finger, just like the Mighty Mouse, though all-in-all it feels much less frustrating to use than the Mighty Mouse, which almost seems to rage against the click at times. Like we said before: no pinch to zoom, but given the shape and texture of the surface, we're not sure we could pull it off even if the software allowed fo! r it.

Gallery: New iMac and Magic Mouse unboxing and quick hands-on

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New iMac and Magic Mouse unboxing and quick hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 12:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Posted by Augustine at 9:55 PM

Barnes & Noble Nook e-reader leaks a bit early: $259, pre-orders are live (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/barnes-and-noble-officially-launches-nook-e-reader-259-pre-orde/

Looks like all those whispers were true -- the "Android-based" nook is alive and well, and it's calling itself the planet's "most advanced e-book reader." Measuring 7.7- x 4.9- x 0.5-inches and weighing 11.2 ounces, the device includes a top e-ink display from Vizplex and a color touchscreen (3.5-inches) below, which supports one-touch control and swipe-to-browse books with full-color covers. The rechargeable battery takes 3.5 hours to go from zero to full if using a wall outlet, and B&N claims that it'll last for up to ten days if you flick the wireless to "off." Speaking of which, inbuilt WiFi (802.11b/g) and AT&T 3G is included, not to mention 2GB of internal storage, a microSD expansion slot, MP3 player, built-in mono speaker, 3.5 millimeter headphone jack, a micro USB port and support for EPUB, PDF and MP3. The nook also supports bookmarking, making notes, and highlighting passages, and the 'LendMe' feature allows users to lend books for up to a fortnight at a time to other e-readers, cellphones or computers.

B&N also tells us that you can pick up where you left off (with markings and highlights in tact) on your iPhone or BlackBerry using its free eReader software, which just so happens to be the same app that allows sharing to iPhone, iPod touch, BlackBerry, PC or Mac. As expected, the company will also let you sample ebooks before you buy, and you'll enjoy free WiFi each and every time you sashay into a Barnes & Noble retail location. It's available to pre-order as we speak for $259, with initial shipments expected to happen at the end of November. Introductory video is after ! the brea k, along with a few highlights about accessories and features.

Update: Aw snap, B&N just yanked everything related to nook from its website. Thankfully for you, everything you'd ever need to know is right here.

Update 2: Looks like it's back! Though, the landing page itself still seems down. Hurray for backdoors!

Update 3: Be sure to check out our live reveal coverage and our hands-on images / video!


Continue reading Barnes & Noble Nook e-reader leaks a bit early: $259, pre-orders are live (video)

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Barnes & Noble Nook e-reader leaks a bit early: $259, pre-orders are live (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 13:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Posted by Augustine at 9:55 PM

Motorola 'Calgary' to bring BLUR to Verizon, Droid not looking worried

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/motorola-calgary-to-bring-blur-to-verizon-droid-not-looking-w/

The Droid's shaping up to be a beast of an Android phone -- well played, Verizon -- but Motorola's banking much of its future on its MOTOBLUR platform, which the Droid curiously lacks (though Android 2.0 adds at least some of BLUR's functionality back in). Don't worry, though -- Verizon hasn't forgotten about BLUR altogether, and the rumored Calgary is looking to arrive as the carrier's next Android phone from Moto featuring BLUR in all its social network-aggregating glory. It's clearly positioned as a lower-end device than the Droid, stepping down to a 3 megapixel cam but still managing nifty features like an optical pad, 3.5mm jack, and naturally, a full QWERTY keyboard. Considering Rubin's ties to Danger, you could think of this as the ill-fated Sidekick Slide all grow'd up. Word has it this might hit before the end of the year, so we'll see just how much breathing room Verizon and Moto feel like giving the Droid before coming back for Round 2, eh?

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Motorola 'Calgary' to bring BLUR to Verizon, Droid not looking worried originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 14:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Posted by Augustine at 9:55 PM

First Canon EOS-1D MKIV footage on display, 5D MKII will join the fun with new 24 / 25 fps firmware next year

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/first-canon-eos-1d-mkiv-footage-on-display-5d-mkii-will-join-th/

Double good news on the Canon front. First off we've got sample footage shot with a brand new Canon EOS-1D Mark IV, which does a good job of showing what the camera can handle under low lighting conditions, as well as serving as a poignant morality tale for skaters, who should never get in cars with strangers. But perhaps even more exciting is word that Canon is developing its own firmware update for the 5D Mark II that will take it into the indie filmmaker-friendly territory of 24 fps and 25 fps -- something that's always been assumed doable since the camera already shoots at 30. Details are scarce, and the firmware won't hit until the "first half of 2010," but if anything it should up the resale value on that 5D of yours while you claw against your credit limit for an EOS-1D Mark IV.

Read - First Canon EOS-1D MKIV movie from Vincent Laforet
Read - Canon EOS 5D Mark II to get 24 and 25fps in a firmware update!

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First Canon EOS-1D MKIV footage on display, 5D MKII will join the fun with new 24 / 25 fps firmware next year originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 14:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Posted by Augustine at 9:54 PM

Dell SX2210T adds touchscreen functionality to 1080p panel (Update: multitouch!)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/dell-sx2210t-adds-touchscreen-functionality-to-1080p-panel/

You asked, questioned and implored -- why, with all these underpowered touchscreen all-in-ones prowling our lands, can we not get a decent standalone touchscreen monitor? Well, somebody somewhere listened, and somebody else, presumably elsewhere, leaked. Presenting the entirely unofficial, but all the same real, Dell SX2210T: a 1920 x 1080 21.5-inch panel that has HDMI and DVI inputs alongside an integrated 2 megapixel webcam and microphone for your Skyping convenience. If its 1,000:1 contrast ratio and 2ms grey-to-grey response time sound familiar, it's because the non-touch sensitive SX2210 has been available for a while already. From the support documentation we're looking at, you'll need to hook up an extra USB connection for the touch interface, which doesnt appear to be multitouch, but we can always hope for a miraculous firmware update down the line, right?

Update: More info has surfaced on this monitor and the firmware we'd hoped for turns out to be named Windows 7. Multitouch panning and zooming is now a confirmed feature, but only if you're using Microsoft's latest and greatest.

[Thanks, Bruce and dennispg]

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Dell SX2210T adds touchscreen functionality to 1080p panel (Update: multitouch!) originally appeared on ! Engadget on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 15:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Posted by Augustine at 9:54 PM

Barnes & Noble Nook's first close-up (now with video!)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/barnes-and-noble-nooks-first-close-up/

There she blows, we'll be getting hands-on and try to scrap together some impressions of the Nook if they let us touch it once this Q&A is done. The device is a bit thicker than some, and certainly looks minimal up front. The LCD is nice, but not overly bright, and that's about all we spotted before it was snatched away. Check out the gallery for a few more fleeting shots and a look at a non-functioning prototype for a better idea of the unit's shape.

Update: We got a closer look at the device, though they still haven't let us touch it. The LCD seems very "passive," and has a shallow viewing angle -- obviously to gather more ambient light and save on battery. The interface appears relatively intuitive, but we're a little confused and doubtful about the highlighting features -- it brings up a software d-pad on screen, and seemed a little unwieldy, though we'll only find out for ourselves when they actually let us get our grubby paws on the thing.

Update 2: We've got some video! It's so very exciting, and can be found after the break.

Continue reading Barnes & Noble Nook's first close-up (now with video!)

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Barnes & Noble Nook's first close-up (now with video!) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Posted by Augustine at 9:54 PM

Physicists calculate the end of Moore's Law, clearly don't believe in Moore's Law

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/physicists-calculate-the-end-of-moores-law-clearly-dont-belie/


If you're looking for pundits with an end date for Moore's Law, you don't have to look far. You also don't have to look far to find a gaggle of loonies who just knew the world was ending in Y2K, so make of that what you will. The latest duo looking to call the demise of the processor mantra that has held true for two score comes from Boston University, with physicists Lev Levitin and Tommaso Toffoli asserting that a quantum limit would be achieved in around 75 to 80 years. Scott Aaronson, an attention-getter at MIT, expects that very same limit to be hit in just 20 years. Of course, there's plenty of technobabble to explain the what's and how's behind all this, but considering that the brainiacs of the world can't even agree with Gordon Moore's own doomsday date, we're choosing to plug our ears and keep on believin' for now. Bonus video after the break.

[Via Slashdot]

Continue reading Physicists calculate the end of Moore's Law, clearly don't believe in Moore's Law

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Physicists calculate the end of Moore's Law, clearly don't believe in Moore's Law originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Posted by Augustine at 9:53 PM

Netflix, Best Buy deal brings Watch Instantly streaming to even cheaper Blu-ray players

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/netflix-best-buy-deal-brings-watch-instantly-streaming-to-even/


Though they've been floating around retail channels for a few weeks, Best Buy and Netflix have finally made official a partnership bringing streaming to the latest Insignia Blu-ray players. The NS-BRDVD3 runs $179, while the NS-WBRDVD edition tosses in WiFi for $20 more, while they won't stream out of the box, a firmware update just made available should add all the . These two keep the (we'll be nice and call it plain) styling of earlier models, and likely live up to the family reputation of "basic Blu-ray playback at a bargain" reported on the second generation of players. Of course, the BD-P1600 offers more features and a nicer reputation at about the same price, but Reward Zone members may want to think twice, with AVS Forum posters mentioning the NS-BRDVD3 can be had for just $99.99 through the 24th. Decisions, decisions.

Read - Best Buy and Netflix Announce Partnership to Instantly Stream Movies Over the Internet Via Latest Models of Insignia Blu-ray Disc Players
Read - Save $50 On Select INSIGNIA(R) Connected Blu-ray Disc[TM] Players with Netflix [Via AVS Forum]

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Netflix, Best Buy deal brings Watch Instantly streaming to even cheaper Blu-ray players originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 21:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Posted by Augustine at 9:53 PM

Monday, October 19, 2009

Make Your Own Shake Shack Burgers [Recipes]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/xn46jT23X7Y/make-your-own-shake-shack-burgers

The cheeseburgers from New York City's Shake Shack are so beloved by burger aficionados that even 12-hour Manhattan visits demand a wait in the Shack's imposing line. One burger lover researched and reverse-engineered the burger's basics for making at home.

Photo by J. Kenji Lopez-Alt.

Serious Eats guest writer J. Kenji Lopez-Alt is an obvious fan of the Shack's signature creation. He took the time to actually examine his burger before devouring it, then ask foodie friends and even a Shake Shack manager about the components he was unsure of. He demonstrates the "smash and scrape technique" in a stove-stop skillet, and gets scientific about what kind of beef mixture goes into a Shack patty:

According to Adam's sources, the meat is a 50:25:25 blend of sirloin, chuck, and brisket. On the other hand, according to Ozersky, the mixture is actually mostly brisket, with chuck and short rib mixed in.

I did a side-by-side comparison of the two purported blends next to a Shack Burger, and found that Adam's mix is closer in flavor, offering the right level of tenderness from the sirloin, rich beef flavor from the chuck, and slight sour/metallic notes from the brisket.

If the higher potential for E. Coli contamination and single-source quality concerns aren't enough for you to take up grinding your own meat for hamburgers, this opportunity might just! tip the scales.

Visit Serious Eats for the full debriefing on ingredients, bun sources, griddle instructions, and sauce recipe, and share your own Shack remembrances—or competitors for burgers worthy of imitation (In-N-Out, anyone?)—in the comments.



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Posted by Augustine at 11:18 PM

Firefox Now Auto-Blocks Microsoft .NET Extensions [Security]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/O3z7LdiXQ3Q/firefox-now-auto+blocks-microsoft-net-extensions

Firefox users on Windows probably have the .NET Framework Assistant extension installed, even if they didn't try to install it. Now Mozilla is was blocking it for security reasons, but has let it back in (Update below).

Microsoft discovered a vulnerability in Internet Explorer and .NET-connected browsers that allowed a site with malicious code to, well, "own" your browser and install some other terrible stuff.

Microsoft issued a high-priority security patch for Windows systems and through Internet Explorer's update mechanism, but for Firefox users who haven't applied the patch, Mozilla has added the Microsoft .Net Framework Assistant and Windows Presentation Foundation extensions to its blocklist, noting that users should see the extensions disabled upon their next log-in.

Update: Mozilla security chief Mike Shaver writes in a blog post that Mozilla has removed .NET Framework Assistant from its blocklist, as the extension was determined not to be a vulnerability to the "browse once and own" code exploit. Shaver writes that a more thorough explanation, and tips on how to prevent and customize auto-blocking, will follow.

If you still see those extensions enabled on your Windows system, Mozilla's security chief has written about the special means of removing them, as they often can't be disabled by default. Better still, if you see extensions in your Firefox Add-Ons menu that you can't quite remember installing, or question what purpose they serve, take this as a lesson in why uninstalling them might be a good idea.

.NET Framework Assistant Blocked to Disarm Security Vulnerability [Mozilla Security Blog via Yahoo News]


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Posted by Augustine at 11:17 PM

LastPass Adds Auto-Fill Password Management to Google Chrome [Downloads]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/TLd1pd_3vT0/lastpass-adds-auto+fill-password-management-to-google-chrome

Google Chrome (on Windows): Password saving and management webapp LastPass offers a single space to drop your web site passwords and quickly use them on any browser—now including Chrome, through an extension available to development channel users.

LastPass works on Chrome similarly to how it does on Firefox and Internet Explorer, and it's a bit more convenient and functional than its bookmarklet form filler. The concept remains the same: you only have to remember your LastPass login, and LastPass remembers all your other passwords and, if you want, credit card and form data, too. Before you ask, here's how LastPass justifies its safety and encryption.

The extension and its features worked as promised on a development channel version of Google Chrome on Windows. Testing it out on a daily build of extension-supporting Chromium on Ubuntu, however, led to consistent crashes, and I'd expect the same out of Mac OS X builds, at least until those platforms mature or LastPass gets around to addressing them.

LastPass' Chrome extension is a free download, works wherever Chrome does, and requires a LastPass account to use.



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Posted by Augustine at 11:16 PM

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