Dr. Augustine Fou's Online Scrapbook

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

ASUS G73JH-X1 gaming laptop hits the US

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/10/asus-g73jh-x1-gaming-laptop-hits-the-us/

ASUS introduced its G73JH-X1 gaming laptop right at the start of CES this year, but it unfortunately didn't have much to say about pricing or availability at the time. That's now changed in a big way, however, as the laptop is available right now (at Newegg, at least) for the not-so-crazy price of $1,449.99. That will get you a 17.3-inch 1920 x 1080 display, a Core i7 720QM processor, 8GB of RAM, a 500GB hard drive, ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5870 graphics, and a DVD burner, among other more standard fare -- all in a suitably angular, eight-pound package, of course.

ASUS G73JH-X1 gaming laptop hits the US originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 10 Feb 2010 01:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dell 27-inch UltraSharp U2711 IPS monitor with WQHD resolution now on sale

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/10/dell-27-inch-ultrasharp-u2711-ips-monitor-with-wqhd-resolution-n/

If you're the type who spends hours each day at the computer (and let's face it, you are) then one of the most important pieces of gear in your internet arsenal is your monitor -- or monitors as the case may be. Starting today, Dell's UltraSharp U2711 27-inch display is now on sale in the Americas and Asia (and "soon' in Europe). While the $1,099 US price tag might appear steep at first; remember, you're looking at a professional quality WQHD 2,560 x 1,440 pixel IPS panel with 12-bit internal color processing and 1.07 billion color palette. And that pair of DVI-D inputs accompanied by DisplayPort, VGA, composite, component, and HDMI 1.3 jack means that this beast is meant for much more than just sourcing spreadsheets and pie charts. 4x USB slots and an integrated 8-in-1 card reader rounds out what's destined to become an all-purpose hub at the center of your digital life. If you ask us, Dell's got another winner here based on our impressive hands-on experience and rave, early reviews -- don't let its frumpy looks hold you back, ok?

Dell 27-inch UltraSharp U2711 IPS monitor with WQHD resolution now on sale originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 10 Feb 2010 02:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Droid gets a USB hack allowing it to control printers and cameras, humans put on alert

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/10/droid-gets-a-usb-hack-allowing-it-to-control-printers-and-camera/

Time to resurrect that old Droid Does chant, folks. Already headed for Android 2.1 from official sources, the Droid is gettings some extra software capabilities courtesy of a few benevolent UK hackers as well. Chris Paget has revealed a mod for Motorola's flagship that turns it from a USB peripheral into a USB host, thereby letting it communicate with and control USB devices that speak the Linux language. That includes printers, webcams, and the vast majority of other things you typically jack into your computer. Mind you, this is one hack that'll require you to get your hands dirty, as you'll need to splice a few cables together and reboot your phone to switch between modes, but that's how real modders do it anyway, right?

Droid gets a USB hack allowing it to control printers and cameras, humans put on alert originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 10 Feb 2010 04:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Solar flares set to wreak havoc on GPS signals

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/10/solar-flares-set-to-wreak-havoc-with-gps-signals/

The sun's activity isn't usually a hot topic around these parts, but when it threatens to derail satellite navigation services around the world, it must surely take center stage. UK researchers have corroborated Cornell's 2006 warning that our solar system's main life-giver is about to wake up and head toward a new solar maximum -- a period of elevated surface activity and radiation. It is precisely that radiation, which can be perceived in the form of solar flares, that worries people with respect to GPS signaling, as its effects on the Earth's ionosphere are likely to cause delays in data transmission from satellites to receivers and thereby result in triangulation errors. Still, it's more likely to be "troublesome than dangerous," but inaccuracies of around 10 meters and signal blackouts that could last for hours are being forecast in the absence of any intervening steps being taken. So yes, you now have another reason not to trust your GPS too much.

[Thanks, Mike]

Solar flares set to wreak havoc on GPS signals originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 10 Feb 2010 06:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tuesday, February 09, 2010

Sketchpad Is a No-Flash-Required HTML5 Painting App [Webapps]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/L-8IAm7_OLk/sketchpad-is-a-no+flash+required-html5-painting-app

Chrome/Firefox/Safari/Opera: Want proof that HTML5 is the way of the future? Try Sketchpad, a surprisingly robust online painting app that doesn't require Flash, Shockwave, or any other plug-in—just a modern browser and your fingers.

Run by a team that dubs themselves Colorjack, this "Sketchpad" demo shows off the capabilities of modern JavaScript and HTML5 support. You can paint any color in any shade or opacity, take on patterns and "Spirographs," and use all the tools you're likely familiar with from Microsoft's older versions of that old Paint standby.

Sketchpad also offers a handful of control windows you can move around and keep open. If the app supported drag-and-drop file imports, as Firefox 3.6 does, this would be a truly robust, and almost desktop-replacing, webapp.

When you're done with your efforts, hit the save icon and your image pops up in a new tab, ready to be saved. Sketchpad is free to use, and works on any browser that supports HTML5—including, it's been suggested, in some mobile devices, though we had very little luck actually painting with an iPod touch and Android device.

Sketchpad [Colorjack via DZone]

Displax multitouch film actually developed by Visual Planet, frowny faces all around

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/09/displax-multitouch-film-actually-developed-by-visual-planet-fro/

Ready for another dustup in multitouch land? Turns out that cool Displax multitouch film we saw a few days ago is actually called ViP Interactive Foil, and was developed in 2004 by a company called Visual Planet -- Displax was just showing it off to promote their new touch controller, but didn't tell anyone about the source of the film when that's where all the interest was. Naturally that's got Visual Planet in a bit of a tizzy, especially since it's developing a touch controller of its own for release down the line; the two companies have been partners in the past but there's no agreement now. Displax says it's looking at several suppliers for the film as it rolls towards that promised July ship date -- we'll see if any of this gets sorted out by then.

Displax multitouch film actually developed by Visual Planet, frowny faces all around originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Feb 2010 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google's Street View snowmobile takes your voyeurism to the Olympic slopes

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/09/googles-street-view-snowmobile-takes-your-voyeurism-to-the-olym/

There's something deliciously futuristic about the fact that Microsoft and Google are patrolling our roads, documenting their every nook and cranny with large multidirectional cameras strapped to SUVs. But what about the unpaved wilderness? Well, Google's after that too now, with its new Street View snowmobile it's unveiled just in time for the Winter Olympics in Vancouver. Sure, it's a bit of a gimmick, but also it's surprisingly thrilling to chase down the various slopes in use for the Olympics, and Google Earth even has most everything mapped out in 3D for your aerial viewing pleasure. Check out a video of the snowmobile in action after the break, or hit up that source link to "hit the slopes." If something gets in your way, turn.

Continue reading Google's Street View snowmobile takes your voyeurism to the Olympic slopes

Google's Street View snowmobile takes your voyeurism to the Olympic slopes originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Feb 2010 13:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google Buzz takes mobile location services to the next level

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/09/google-buzz-takes-mobile-location-services-to-the-next-level/

Google just announced that it's bringing some serious location-based integration to its services, all centered around the new Buzz social networking tool built into Gmail. Google's going to do location better than the usual latitude / longitude coordinates -- it's able to snap those to actual place names and then take context-aware actions depending on where you are. The new location services is integrated into the main mobile Google.com search page and the new buzz.google.com page for the iPhone and Android, and into maps for Android, S60, and Windows Mobile. Buzz is rolling out starting today, and it should hit everyone within "the next few days."

Continue reading Google Buzz takes mobile location services to the next level

Google Buzz takes mobile location services to the next level originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Feb 2010 13:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Immutable Law 5: Own a word in the prospect's mind - what's Apple? great design, ease-of-use, music, or computers? - http://bit.ly/aRfkiY

LG Mini GD880 Phone Has 16:9 Ratio And Looks Hot To Trot [Phones]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/9_b6JsWhlHQ/lg-mini-gd880-phone-has-169-ratio-and-looks-hot-to-trot

This LG Mini GD880 is so good-looking it makes my brain hurt at the injustice of it (presumably) running LG's S-Class OS, and not Android. Still, there's some nice spec to back up this slim 16:9 phone.

Just like the Chocolate phone before it, the display has a 16:9 aspect ratio, in this case at 3.2-inches. LG hasn't released many details about the internals just yet, but we do know it has a 5.0-megapixel camera with face detection, Wi-Fi, and HSDPA 7.2Mbps connectivity.

The lack of buttons, metal finishings and square corners make it look like it'll be part of their more "premium" range of handsets, so expect to pay a pretty penny if you want it PAYG, otherwise it'll most likely go for the usual month contract fees when it goes on sale in March in Europe—with worldwide availability expected shortly. I'm going to harass LG for confirmation of the OS, but with Mobile World Congress starting this weekend, I'm sure we'll find out a whole load more then. [LG]

Notion Ink's Adam Tablet Will Have Flash, Output At 1080p and Have Battery Life 2x Longer Than iPad [Tablets]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/Bt5oi_4zbKk/notion-inks-adam-tablet-will-have-flash-output-at-1080p-and-have-battery-life-2x-longer-than-ipad

Flash, a longer battery life, outputting video at 1080p, a $1m app competition—these are just some of the ways Notion Ink is hoping its Android-powered Adam tablet will be able to win customers over.

The tablet has gone through several different guises since renders were unveiled in December. From the slick silver-edged device, to the roll-topped plastic prototype at CES, the latest renders suggest the final design will be more in keeping with that cheaper-looking prototype, although much slimmer. They're reportedly considering launching two different models, with the key difference being how thin they are—either 12.9mm or 11.6mm, which suggests different displays being used.

Pitting it against the iPad, CEO Rohan Shravan told SlashGear that due to the Nvidia chip and Pixel Qi screen, the Adam will have a battery life at least two times longer. Plus, it'll be able to output 1080p video whereas Apple's tablet can only manage up to 576p, AND they're exploring the use of Flash, which will apparently be shown off next week.

Recognizing that despite offering more spec than the iPad they still have a battle on their hands, they're encouraging development for the Adam with a $1m bounty being put up for creating apps. They haven't officially announced the competition yet, but as soon as we hear we'll let you know how you can put your creative genius to work. [SlashGear]

Atlona AT-HDVieW Scaler Transforms VGA With Audio to Handy HDMI [Peripherals]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/WWToeTtwLPc/atlona-at+hdview-scaler-transforms-vga-with-audio-to-handy-hdmi

Say you've got an aging laptop that would be perfect for playing WoW or Star Trek Online on your television...if only it had HDMI out—that's where the Atlona AT-HDVieW comes into play.

Running off mere USB power, the Atlona AT-HDVieW takes VGA and 3.5mm audio, combines the signal and outputs it all at 1080P through HDMI. Plus, the scaler/converter communicates with your TV, ensuring the proper output resolution in case 1080P isn't just right.

The Atlona AT-HDVieW will be available later this month for $120. In the meantime, those Klingons will need pay for what they've done on a 13-inch screen. [Atlona via SlashGear]

Seagate Savvio 10K.4 Drive Puts 600GB Into 2.5-Inch Form [Seagate]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/rH3FCOEZ45g/seagate-savvio-10k4-drive-puts-600gb-into-25+inch-form

The Seagate Savvio 10K.4 is an enterprise storage HDD, which means you're likely not going to just go out and buy one. But it's notable for just how much information it can fit into one tiny disk drive.

Its 600GB capacity is twice what's currently available on the market, and Seagate's asserting that it's 25% more reliable than any other drive, with an annualized failure rate of just .44%. And while it'd be nice to have one of my very own, at least I know that it's about to make some IT manager out there very happy.

SEAGATE® SHIPS WORLD'S HIGHEST-CAPACITY, MOST RELIABLE

SMALL FORM FACTOR ENTERPRISE DRIVE: THE SAVVIOÒ 10K.4 HARD DRIVE

Enterprise storage systems can now move to 600GB capacity, 2 million hour MTBF solution

SCOTTS VALLEY, Calif. - February 9, 2010 - Seagate (NASDAQ: STX) today announced worldwide shipments of its Savvio® 10K.4 hard disk drive (HDD), the world's highest-capacity and most reliable 2.5-inch enterprise-class drive. Built for the demands of enterprise servers and to enable new levels of data density in external storage arrays, Savvio 10K.4 doubles the capacity of its nearest competitor to 600GB. It is also the first HDD to achieve an unprecedented 2 million hours Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF) reliability rating.

As the industry's only fourth generation, field-proven, 2.5-inch HDD designed for the enterprise,
Savvio 10K.4 also features Protection Information for enhanced protection of data-in-flight, a self-encrypting drive (SED) option for the ultimate protection of sensitive data-at-rest and PowerChoice™, which allows the Savvio 10K.4 hard drive to deliver improved power savings during idle.

"Our customers face challenging storage needs requiring the most efficient use of space and power while maintaining the highest performance possible," said Howard Shoobe, senior manager, Dell Storage Product Management. "The new 2.5-inch 10K-rpm 600GB capacity point allows a doubling of capacity within the same rack space of current 3.5-inch 15K 600GB drives while increasing overall system-level performance and decreasing power usage."

The combined features of Savvio 10K.4 deliver greater overall value and can reduce the total cost of ownership to IT organizations and administrators eager to optimize their data center's power and performance efficiency. Leveraging the enterprise 2.5-inch small form factor as its platform, Savvio 10K.4 serves as a powerful storage building block when compared to 3.5-inch based systems.

"A transition to 2.5-inch enterprise-class HDDs by server and storage system OEMs is building momentum," said John Rydning, IDC's research director for hard disk drives. "There continues to be nearly insatiable demand for digital content accessed via numerous applications and devices, content that is increasingly delivered from storage systems equipped with high capacity enterprise-class HDDs such as Seagate's Savvio® 10K.4."

Trexa Electric Car Platform Will Cost Upwards Of $15,999 [Cars]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/Rmdq_5EHX8k/trexa-electric-car-platform-will-cost-upwards-of-15999

No longer do you need to fantasize about buying a Tesla, now that Trexa has released pricing details of its "scalable lithium-drive platform," (aka the base for building your own electric car).

$15,999 is a fair price to pay for the starting block of your new car, when other electric cars can set you back more than $100,000 (for a Tesla, anyway—Nissan's Leaf costs around $30,000.) Still, who hasn't dreamed of building their very own car? And as it's electric, you'll be saving the planet, and your wallet.

The starting price is for the base model, which has a top speed of 100mph, an acceleration of 0-60mph in 8 seconds, charge time of four hours and a 105 mile range. [Trexa]

Nvidia Optimus Switches Seamlessly Between Amped Up and Power-Sipping Graphics [Nvidia]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/lQVv_6MYe5Q/nvidia-optimus-switches-seamlessly-between-amped-up-and-power+sipping-graphics

We've seen a ton of Core i5 notebooks recently, all loaded with Intel's impotent integrated graphics, which are part of the chip. Now, Nvidia's Optimus enables PCs to switch automatically between Intel's crappy integrated graphics and Nvidia's beefier graphics cards.

Optimus is a new technology that allows Intel's integrated GPU to coexist with a discrete Nvidia GPU in a new way, seamlessly alternating between the two depending on the task at hand. It works with GeForce 200M series, GeForce 300M series, next-gen GeForce M, and next-gen Ion GPUs, as well as Intel's Core 2 Duo, Core i3/i5/i7, and Atom N450 processors.

At the most basic level, Optimus is similar to the switchable graphics that Nvidia pioneered a few years ago. But switchable graphics as currently conceived are a pain in the neck: You have to switch manually, there's generally a 5-10 second delay, your screen flickers, you have to shut down certain applications. Optimus still includes a manual option, but otherwise automatically decides what can run on integrated graphics (regular web browsing) and what needs an extra boost (games, Flash video, etc), making the switch for you behind the scenes. It makes the change so quickly by letting the Nvidia GPU handle the processing duties while still employing Intel's IGP as a display controller, as in the diagram above.

One drawback is that Optimus relies on the software to tell it which graphics to employ. That'll be done through an Nvidia verification process and accessed through automatic online updates, but there may be instances where your PC doesn't recognize a software and won't know whether to use the IGP or the Nvidia GPU. You can still switch manually in those cases, but it's an unfortunate extra step.

Performance hasn't been confirmed yet by a third party, but Nvidia posits that Optimus is up to an 8x improvement across apps and games than Intel's integrated solution. And because it only kicks in when needed, there's purportedly not much of a battery drain, depending on how often you use intensive graphics.

Nvidia says there will be more than 50 notebooks packing Optimus by this summer, although today it's launching only on a few Asus notebooks like the UL50Vf, an ultraportable which houses both a Core2Duo SU7300 and a GeForce G210M.

What we don't know—but what we strongly suspect—is if Optimus is the solution Apple has been waiting for before refreshing its Macbook line. The hiccup: currently, Nvidia says that Optimus is only compatible with Windows 7. But with the Macworld just around the corner, we may be seeing Optimus Macbook Pros sooner than later. [Nvidia]

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