Dr. Augustine Fou's Online Scrapbook

Thursday, July 01, 2010

Starbucks begins offering free two-click WiFi access in US and Canada

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/starbucks-begins-offering-free-one-click-wifi-access-in-us-and-c/

Mmm... nothing like the smell of a warm caramel macchiato in the morning being masked by the smell of fresh greenbacks being burned, right? All jesting aside, we're pretty stoked about the world's most recognized coffee joint turning off the paywall surrounding its in-house WiFi hotspots, and in case you missed the original announcement, we're here to remind you that the free-for-all begins today. As of this very moment, the next US / Canadian corporately-ran Starbucks that you enter should be offering free ~~one~~ two-click WiFi, meaning that no password is required and no time limits will be set. Of course, this also means that you'll never see an open chair in any Starbucks ever again, but hey -- that's why sidewalks were created, right?

Update: Ha, as our good friend Dave Zatz points out, it's actually two-clicks, not one: 1) agree to terms and services, 2) connect. But let's not let the facts ruin a snappy press release.

Continue reading Starbucks begins offering free two-click WiFi access in US and Canada

Starbucks begins offering free two-click WiFi access in US and Canada originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 01 Jul 2010 07:10:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Intel Classmate PC becomes Toshiba CM1 in Japan

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/intel-classmate-pc-becomes-toshiba-cm1-in-japan/

Toshiba and Intel have announced that they're partnering up to deliver the latter's convertible Classmate PC to Japanese youths -- just in time for the new school year. Sporting a 1.66GHz Atom N450 and an overhauled design, this latest iteration of the educational use netbook will start filtering through Nipponese school corridors this August. It packs 160GB of storage room and 2GB of RAM under a nice 1,366 x 768 10.1-inch touchscreen. The latter flips around to facilitate pen input with an included stylus, while the whole package is protected by a well rubberized and ruggedized case. Now if only it had some multitouch and one of those crazy 15-hour batteries, we might have considered going back to school and using it to finish our floristry studies. Full PR after the break.

Continue reading Intel Classmate PC becomes Toshiba CM1 in Japan

Intel Classmate PC becomes Toshiba CM1 in Japan originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 01 Jul 2010 08:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Did Nokia just confirm a MeeGo tablet?

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/did-nokia-just-confirm-a-meego-tablet/

We've heard the rumors, hell, we've even seen Intel reference designs (pictured) running the MeeGo OS. But now we seem to have confirmation that a proper MeeGo tablet built by Nokia is on the way. Anssi Vanjoki, Nokia's newly crowned chief of Mobile Solutions, said the following in an interview captured by the Wall Street Journal:

Due to the spread of cloud computing and new advances in electronics and network technology, mobile devices will increasingly move beyond smartphones to include other computer-like gadgets such as tablets, and the MeeGo platform will be an important asset for Nokia.

Remember, Nokia already makes a netbook and the smartphone qualifier would seem to remove any speculation that Anssi is referring to its Internet Tablet class of Maemo devices. So maybe, just maybe that rumored 7- or 9-inch Nokia tablet is real. Did we say maybe?

Did Nokia just confirm a MeeGo tablet? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 01 Jul 2010 09:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iPhone 4 gets a $1 alternative to pricey Bumpers

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/iphone-4-gets-a-1-alternative-to-pricey-bumpers/

If you ask us, Apple should be giving away free bumpers, lollipops, and anything else it can think of to keep its otherwise loyal followers from revolting. But the Great Bitten One isn't doing any one of those things, and most of us are stuck either having to pony up $30 for the official salvation from self-inflicted signal harm or looking out to the grey markets. Entering this morose situation with a bit of ingenuity is Oliver Nelson, who alerts us to the fact that rubber wristbands of the sort your favorite cyclist wears are apparently an almost perfect fit when stretched around the 4's antennae. He advises that a 1.125-inch long by 0.125-inch wide incision (into the unstretched band) is necessary to keep the 30-pin port and speakers open, but otherwise it seems like a pretty effortless and dirt cheap way to avoid all this drama.

iPhone 4 gets a $1 alternative to pricey Bumpers originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 01 Jul 2010 10:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Acer Aspire One 521 and 721 review

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/acer-aspire-one-521-and-721-review/

On the surface Acer's 10.1-inch Aspire One 521 and 11.6-inch Aspire One 721 appear to be fairly run-of-the-mill netbooks -- or ultraportables for those that are morally opposed to calling a laptop with a 11.6-inch display a netbook. They're rather small machines, measure just about an inch thick, and ring up at under $430. But there's a lot more than meets the eye with this Aspire One duo - instead of Intel Atom or ULV processors, both are powered by a new AMD 1.7GHz Athlon II Neo K125 processor and promise 1080p playback thanks to ATI Radeon HD 4225 graphics. We've certainly been pumped about these two systems since their French debut, but fear of AMD's usually poor battery life and scorching temperatures have been holding us back from all-out excitement. Do we have nothing to fear but fear itself? We've spent the last few days with these two systems, and will reveal all in our full review after the break.

Gallery: Acer Aspire One 521 and 721 review

Continue reading Acer Aspire One 521 and 721 review

Acer Aspire One 521 and 721 review originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 01 Jul 2010 11:20:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Symbian-Guru shuts down, says Nokia is 'losing hard'

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/symbian-guru-shuts-down-says-nokia-is-losing-hard/

Well, we can't sugar-coat this one -- when a major Nokia / Symbian site like Symbian-Guru decides to close up shop "thanks to Nokia's consistently piss-poor hardware choices and Symbian's lack of ability to even remotely compete in terms of features," there's not much else to say. It sounds like shutting things down was at once both incredibly easy and incredibly hard for site heads Ricky Cadden and Rita El Khoury, who've both penned long letters about their decision -- you can tell both of them remain incredibly passionate about Nokia and Symbian, but that they've been disappointed by mediocre handsets like the N97 one time too many. Better hope Nokia can take that MeeGo for handsets pre-alpha we saw yesterday and whip it into something good, we suppose. You should really hit the source link and read the entire post on Symbian-Guru, but we've collected some choice quotes after the break.

Continue reading Symbian-Guru shuts down, says Nokia is 'losing hard'

Symbian-Guru shuts down, says Nokia is 'losing hard' originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 01 Jul 2010 12:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Verizon sends letter, $25 gift card to patient Droid Incredible buyers

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/verizon-sends-letter-25-gift-card-to-patient-droid-incredible/

Still haven't received your HTC Droid Incredible due to that AMOLED shortage? Then it looks like you'll soon be hearing from Verizon, if you haven't already. Android Central reports that the carrier has begun sending letters to all customers still waiting for their phones that apologizes for delay, and informs them that they'll soon also be receiving a $25 Verizon gift card as a little thank you for their patience. As for when you'll actually receive the phone itself, however, Verizon is only saying that if your order date was June 28th or prior, you "may experience an additional delay of up to 7 business days."

[Thanks, Jacob]

Verizon sends letter, $25 gift card to patient Droid Incredible buyers originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 01 Jul 2010 14:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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DirecTV's new n3D channel is the first to bring home all 3D, all the time

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/directvs-new-n3d-channel-is-the-first-to-bring-home-all-3d-all/

DirecTV and Panasonic flipped the switch on the nation's first 24 hour 3D network this morning, sending n3D out on channel 103 to all properly equipped viewers. Of course, if you've got your 3DTV, your H21 or higher satellite receiver and some 3D specs, what will you be watching? Besides events like the upcoming NASCAR race from Daytona, an exclusive 3D feed of the MLB All-Star Game and (locally available) broadcasts of a Yankees/Mariners series, July's schedule is packed with demo content like Guitar Center Sessions with Peter Gabriel and Jane's Addiction and Dinosaurs: Giants of Patagonia. Beyond that there's a few IMAX flicks on the new DirecTV Cinema in 3D channel, and World Cup games from ESPN 3D through video on demand, check Zap2it for a full schedule but don't be shocked to see a lot of repeats, for now.

Continue reading DirecTV's new n3D channel is the first to bring home all 3D, all the time

DirecTV's new n3D channel is the first to bring home all 3D, all the time originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 01 Jul 2010 15:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for! use of feeds.

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Seeeduino Film is just the thing for all your flexible Arduino needs

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/seeeduino-film-is-just-the-thing-for-all-your-flexible-arduino-n/

The Arduino microcontroller: fuel for so many delightfully geeky projects. Your wacky instruments and DIY 'less lethal' weapons will be getting a lot 'looser' soon, thanks to Seeed Studio and it's Arduino compatible flexible printed circuit (FPC) board. Unlike most circuit boards, the insulating material in an FPC is -- wait for it -- flexible (hence the name). Featuring a fully functional Atmega 168 / 328 breakout, USB-Serial interface, a built-in charger circuit, and more, the Seeeduino Film only exists in prototype form at the moment. That said, the company said that it is making several units available "for community inspiration." Hop on over to the source link to get in on the ground floor.

Continue reading Seeeduino Film is just the thing for all your flexible Arduino needs

Seeeduino Film is just the thing for all your flexible Arduino needs originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 01 Jul 2010 15:24:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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E Ink explains the new Pearl display used in the updated Kindle DX

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/e-ink-explains-the-new-pearl-display-used-in-the-updated-kindle/

Amazon has already boasted that the display in its updated Kindle DX has a 50% improved contrast, but E Ink has now thankfully come out and provided a few more details on the new display technology used. Dubbed Pearl, the new display builds upon E Ink's previous Vizplex displays, and not only promises enhanced readability and text that "pops from the page," but the lowest power consumption of any display used in e-readers today (something also claimed about E Ink's previous displays). Of course, the display technology isn't limited to just the Kindle DX -- E Ink currently has five different Pearl displays ranging from 5-inch to 9.7-inch, all of which boast 16 levels of gray, and resolutions ranging from 800 x 600 to 1,200 x 825 (and 200 to 150 DPI).

Continue reading E Ink explains the new Pearl display used in the updated Kindle DX

E Ink explains the new Pearl display used in the updated Kindle DX originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 01 Jul 2010 16:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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OnStar users now sending Google Maps directions to their cars, definitely living in the future

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/onstar-users-now-sending-google-maps-directions-to-their-cars-d/

July is upon us -- do you know what that means? For starters, it's Canada Day, but secondly, today marks the first day that turn-by-turn capable GM vehicles as old as 2006 can search for destinations using Google Maps and have those destinations beamed directly to their vehicles. The OnStar eNav feature is now fully Google-fied, and we're desperately hoping that other factory navigation systems take notice of the awesomeness and begin to do likewise in the not-so-distant future. Till then, have a peek at the GM demonstration vid just past the break, and feel free to let us know how it works for you in comments below.

Continue reading OnStar users now sending Google Maps directions to their cars, definitely living in the future

OnStar users now sending Google Maps directions to their cars, definitely living in the future originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 01 Jul 2010 17:50:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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