Dr. Augustine Fou's Online Scrapbook

Friday, March 05, 2010

Microring transmissions are sure to resonate with people who hate wires

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/05/microring-transmissions-are-sure-to-resonate-with-people-who-hat/

You've probably seen sketches like the one above promising you complete cable independence since what, 1996? We're not about to tell you this is the one technology that finally delivers on that utopian dream, but it's surely one of the zanier attempts at it. By converting "ultra fast laser pulses" into radio frequency waves, the researchers claim they've overcome a significant hurdle to making wireless communications ubiquitous -- signal interference. The rapid (each laser burst lasts a mere 100 femtoseconds), pulsing nature of their approach purportedly makes their signal extremely robust, while intended operation at around 60GHz means their microring transmitters (diagram after the break) will be able to operate within spectrum space that does not require a license -- neither from the FCC nor internationally. Applications for the microrings would include things like HDTV broadcasts and piping data into vehicles, although we won't be seeing anything happening on the commercial front for at least another five years. Typical. If you just can't wait that long, a few Japanese companies you may have heard of are preparing their own 60GHz wireless devices for the second half of this year.

Continue reading Microring transmissions are sure to resonate with people who hate wires

Microring transmissions are sure to resonate with people who hate wires originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 05 Mar 2010 07:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

PhysOrg | source

source

Purdue University | Email this | Comments

Please euthanize this big boy already! Buh-bye - http://bit.ly/9mH22a

@acfou Another 8 Immutable Laws can be thrown out the window - http://bit.ly/95byeB

Thursday, March 04, 2010

Ookong Tracks Amazon Prices and Issues Deal Alerts [Downloads]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/mfYNTY-mE-s/ookong-tracks-amazon-prices-and-issues-deal-alerts

Ookong Tracks Amazon Prices and Issues Deal Alerts Firefox: Sure it's fun to hunt for deals online, but it's even better to be alerted when an item you want is at its lowest price. Ookong is an Amazon.com price comparison tool you can use to track price histories.

You can use Ookong as a stand-alone web site, but it's not as convenient as using the Firefox extension. Once you install the Firefox extension every item on Amazon will have a "Follow" button, as seen in the screenshot above. When browsing you can click the follow button to add the item—as we did with the game Dominion—and it's added to your watch list. You can click on the item in your watch list to see the price history, seen below:

Ookong Tracks Amazon Prices and Issues Deal Alerts

You can tweak the Ookong options to specify when you want price drop alerts. You can specify a dollar amount, a percentage, and how many times you'll be alerted to the price drop before Ookong stops notifying you. If you frequently shop at Amazon, Ookong is invaluable for keeping an eye on prices. If you keep a wish list at Amazon the first thing you should do after installing Ookong is to go and "follow" all your wish list items to keep an eye on falling prices.

Ookong can be used as a stand-alone web-based tool or integrated into Firefox. Have a tool for finding the best price online, Amazon-related or otherwise? Let's hear about it in the comments.

Ookong [Mozilla Add-ons via MakeUseOf]

ASUS' Three 3D Monitors Range In 23 to 27-Inch Options and Will Likely Be Dirt Cheap [3dTv]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/tUHWjIMK1eo/asus-three-3d-monitors-range-in-23-to-27+inch-options-and-will-likely-be-dirt-cheap

ASUS' Three 3D Monitors Range In 23 to 27-Inch Options and Will Likely Be Dirt Cheap ASUS has a habit of pricing its products very fairly, and while 3D technology is still in its infancy, I can't imagine them charging too much for their three monitors shown off this week at CeBIT.

All three of the monitors will use NVIDIA's GeForce 3D Vision glasses, with the first monitor launching being the 23-inch MG236, which has dual-link DVI connectivity so all that 3D video is played at full 1080p resolution. A 23.6-inch PG246 and 27-inch PG276 will also go on sale, but much later in the year apparently. ASUS hasn't been forthcoming with the prices on these three monitors, but as I said before, expect them to be loooow. [TechInStyle]

RT-N56U Router From The Starship Enterprise Lands...Err, From ASUS, I Mean [Routers]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/MVkU5Soe40s/rt+n56u-router-from-the-starship-enterprise-landserr-from-asus-i-mean

RT-N56U Router From The Starship Enterprise Lands...Err, From ASUS, I Mean I just don't know what to think about this router. I've been staring at it for minutes now, wondering how in 802.11n's name it was created in ASUS' laboratory.

ASUS hasn't been too forthcoming with details on the RT-N56U, which was announced at CeBIT this week, and until we hear back from them we'll just have to entertain you with these small slivers of detail: it has dual band support with the 5GHz band being used, is compatible with both printers and scanners, and is very fast apparently—with 300,000 concurrent sessions available.

Time to go back to boggling over that inconceivably thin frame. [ASUS]

Android 2.1 looking fast, furious on Motorola Droid

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/04/android-2-1-looking-fast-furious-on-motorola-droid/

Alright, Droid owners, decent multitouch performance isn't the only thing you've got to brag about. As you likely know by now, 2.1's in the works for you -- and from the latest video we're seeing of an official test build running in the wild, we're cautiously optimistic that it's going to be a fantastic little update. As we'd reported some time back, the Nexus One's revamped app launcher is missing, but multitouch appears to work like butter in both the browser and revamped Gallery app and the new news and weather widgets have made the cut as well. Most notable, though, might simply be the fact that everything flies -- home screen switches, opening of the app drawer, zooming, it's all mega-fast. Granted, anyone with an Android device knows that the speed of the device depends on the number of apps you've got running, the moon phase, and the direction of the wind, but it's an encouraging sign nonetheless. Now if only Moto would stop fumbling the launch, we'd be good to go; in the meantime, though, check some video of the update after the break.

Continue reading Android 2.1 looking fast, furious on Motorola Droid

Android 2.1 looking fast, furious on Motorola Droid originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Mar 2010 00:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

PhoneArena | source

source

droid-life | Email this | Comments

Lenovo's IdeaPad Y460 now on sale, and not a moment too soon

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/04/lenovos-ideapad-y460-now-on-sale-and-not-a-moment-too-soon/

Lenovo may have introduced four billion new laptops at CES this year, but that's not keeping us from tracking the ship date of every last one. With Intel's mobile Core i5 still tough to find in shipping machines -- particularly ones that could substitute as your work rig -- we couldn't be happier to see the IdeaPad Y460 up for order at the outfit's webstore. The base unit gets going at $999 and includes a 2.13GHz Core i3-330M CPU, Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit), 4GB of DDR3 memory, a 14-inch LED-backlit display (1,366 x 768), a 320GB hard drive, 6-cell battery and a dual-layer DVD writer. The $1,199 model, though, is clearly where it's at, with a 2.4GHz Core i5-520M, ATI's Mobility Radeon HD 5650 (1GB) GPU and a 500GB HDD to make things interesting. Both units should ship within a fortnight, so the only question left to answer is why you're still dilly-dallying around.

[Thanks, OberCFS]

Lenovo's IdeaPad Y460 now on sale, and not a moment too soon originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Mar 2010 04:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | source

source

Lenovo | Email this | Comments

Wednesday, March 03, 2010

AMD's new AMD 890GX HD chipset announced, reviewed, lauded

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/03/amds-new-amd-890gx-hd-chipset-announced-reviewed-lauded/

AMD has officially announced the successor to its 790GX chipset, and the kids at Hot Hardware have not only put it through its paces but have been kind enough to let us in on their results. Apparently the two 890GX they tested should at least perform "on par" with previous AMD platforms, although the integrated Radeon HD 4290 graphics (performing at a none-too-shabby 700MHz, according to the company) were found to be "superior to any other AMD IGP," even surpassing the performance of Intel's HD Graphics solution in a number of tests. If that ain't enough for you, the Radeon HD 4290 natively supports DirectX 10.1 -- but not DirectX 11. That's what we call "tough love." But that ain't the whole sordid tale, not by a longshot: check out the plethora of links below if you dare, or simply peep the PR after the break.

Continue reading AMD's new AMD 890GX HD chipset announced, reviewed, lauded

AMD's new AMD 890GX HD chipset announced, reviewed, lauded originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Mar 2010 13:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Extreme Tech! | Email this | Comments

Murdoch confirms WSJ coming to iPad, device kept 'under padlock and key'

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/03/murdoch-confirms-wsj-coming-to-ipad-device-kept-under-padlock/

It only came at the tail end of an announcement of a new New York metro section for The Wall Street Journal, but Rupert Murdoch has finally confirmed that the paper will indeed be heading to the iPad. The really interesting bit, however, is that not only is the company now being allowed to work on an iPad, but that Murdoch says it's kept "under padlock and key," and that "the key is turned by Apple every night" -- a bit of hyperbole, maybe, but then again, maybe not. In other newspapers-going-digital news, Murdoch also said that the WSJ would be heading to half a dozen or more other devices within a year, although he didn't name any specific devices.

Murdoch confirms WSJ coming to iPad, device kept 'under padlock and key' originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Mar 2010 14:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

TUAW |

source

Wall Street Journal | Email this | Comments

Dell slips out OptiPlex 980 desktop, FX100 Zero Client

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/03/dell-slips-out-optiplex-980-desktop-fx100-zero-client/

Dell may be branching out with exciting new products like the Mini 5, but it still has to keep its base of business users well stocked with nondescript desktops, and it now has a new pair for them in the form of the OptiPlex 980 and FX100 Zero Client. The latter of those is a barebones remote desktop that was previously only offered when bought with Dell's Precision R5400 rack workstation, but it's now available on its own and boasts some added support for VMware View 4.0 with PCoIP for a bit more flexibility. The OptiPlex 980, on the other hand, is a traditional desktop, and is available with Core i5 or i7 processors, optional SSD drives, an optional Dell EcoKit that promises to cut noise by 50%, and your choice of three different chassis options (minitower, desktop or small form factor). Look for it to be available in the "coming weeks," with prices starting at $807.

Dell slips out OptiPlex 980 desktop, FX100 Zero Client originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Mar 2010 15:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

SlashGear ;| source

source

MarketWatch | Email this | Comments

Acer rights its wrongs with K11 pico projector

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/03/acer-rights-its-wrongs-with-k11-pico-projector/

Why hello there, Acer. Not only does this K11 DLP pico projector look sexier than its predecessor, but it's also been given some nice internal enhancements. Starting with display performance: the K11's resolution remains about the same at 858 x 600, but it's twice as bright at 200 lumens (while maintaining the same 20,000-hour lamp life) and has twice as much contrast ratio at 2,000:1. As for connectivity this machine now packs an HDMI socket (along with the usual VGA and composite AV ports) as well as an SDHC card reader and a USB port for opening music, video and picture files. Even with all these extra goodies, the K11's only managed to gain 0.13 pounds (reaching 1.34 pounds) while sporting a smaller body. All we need now is a price, launch date, a few friends and a destination for our road trip. Oh, and some content.

Continue reading Acer rights its wrongs with K11 pico projector

Acer rights its wrongs with K11 pico projector originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Mar 2010 16:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | | Email this | Comments

Latest round of LG, Panasonic and Samsung Blu-ray players begin retail invasion

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/03/latest-round-of-lg-panasonic-and-samsung-blu-ray-players-begin/

We've already seen Sony's newest Blu-ray players turn up at retail, and it looks like they've now been joined by LG, Panasonic and Samsung's latest offerings. Those include the BD590, BD570 and BD550 from LG, the DMP-BD85 and DMP-BD65 from Panasonic, and a lone BD-C6500 from Samsung, although that's just the first of more to come from the company. No surprises with the prices or specs, but you can check out a slew of in-the-wild shots at the link below, or head down to your local Best Buy (or other retailer) to see if you're able to spot any of them first-hand yourself.

Latest round of LG, Panasonic and Samsung Blu-ray players begin retail invasion originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Mar 2010 16:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

SlashGear | source

source

Zatz Not Funny | Email this | Comments

Zotac's ZBOX HD-ID11 has NVIDIA Ion 2 and Atom D510 to thank for excellent media playback (updated)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/03/zotacs-zbox-hd-id11-has-nvidia-ion-2-and-atom-d510-to-thank-for/

Like gaming? Move right along to the iBuyPower booth, please. Want an unobtrusive PC that will feed your Hulu and YouTube HD streaming addiction? Say hello to the ZBOX HD-ID11. It's basically a desktop version of the same Ion 2 setups you saw announced on the mobile front yesterday, and as such should provide flawless Flash 10.1 playback while occupying an extremely lean footprint on your desktop. Zotac has matched MSI's Wind Box DE220 with its inclusion of a dual-core 1.66GHz Atom D510 CPU, though it obviously differs with its NVIDIA Ion 2 graphics subsystem that includes 512MB of dedicated DDR3 memory. HDMI 1.3a and standard VESA wall-mounting are expected extras, with six USB ports, integrated 802.11n WiFi, dual-link DVI, and a 6-in-1 media card reader covering the rest of your bases. Check out some 1080p playback on a similarly specced system right here while you wait for pricing and availability to be revealed.

Update: We've heard directly from Zotac on the matter of pricing and we're told that the American MSRP will be $209.99 for the barebones edition, which will require you to add your own hard drive, memory and OS.

Zotac's ZBOX HD-ID11 has NVIDIA Ion 2 and Atom D510 to thank for excellent media playback (updated) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Mar 2010 09:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Hot Hardware | source

source

Zotac | Email this | Comments

Coby $85 smartbook feels like a hundred bucks (hands-on)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/03/coby-85-smartbook-feels-like-a-hundred-bucks-hands-on/

Funny how our tune on smartbooks totally changes when one's got an $85 price tag. We happened upon Coby's booth at CeBIT this morning and of all the fairly cheap feeling laptops the company had on display it was its 7-inch NBPC722 smartbook that cozied right up to us. Okay, so it isn't as thin or attractive as the $499 Lenovo's Skylight, but again let us remind you that it costs about as much as a couple of new printer ink cartridges. Inside the little guy packs a 624MHz Marvell PXA303 processor, 2GB of flash storage and runs Windows CE which all should be good enough for some light Web browsing and e-mail writing. There was actually a YouTube shortcut on the desktop, but the NBPC722 wasn't connected to try it out. Apparently this inexpensive laptop should be making its way stateside this spring, but until the flowers start blooming you've got the video below.

Gallery: Coby NBPC722 smartbook

Continue reading Coby $85 smartbook feels like a hundred bucks (hands-on)

Coby $85 smartbook feels like a hundred bucks (hands-on) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Mar 2010 09:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | | Email this | Comments

Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)