Wednesday, September 29, 2010

The Early Apple TV Reviews Are In [Roundup]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5650371/apple-tv-review-roundup

The Early Apple TV Reviews Are InThe first reviews of the new Apple TV are starting to appear and we're rounding them up for you. Here's a look at the early impressions:

Fox News' Clayton Morris had plenty of good things to say about the Apple TV's features, but he also had a big concern:

The new Apple TV is small — hockey-puck small. That's impressive, but we all know size doesn't matter, whereas speed does. I was pleasantly surprised at how quickly it connected to the iTunes library on my desktop computer. The Apple TV does this noticeably faster than its ancestor using a 'home sharing' option, which connects with any iTunes account in your household — Mac or PC.

The biggest new thing about the Apple TV is the feature my mom will like the most: If you're a Netflix subscriber you can watch movies instantly on it. Every web-enabled TV component can do that these days, including game consoles like the Xbox 360 and Sony PS3 and dedicated boxes from Roku and Boxee, so it's an expected feature. But on the new Apple TV it's fast, easy to set up, and easier for consumers like my mom to appreciate.

[...]

The new Apple TV is very promising, but it won't amount to hill of beans if Apple markets it the same way they did the last one — basically not at all. Apple can jokingly call it a 'hobby,' but if the company wants it to be a successful hobby they need to educate consumers the same way they did with the iPad.

PC Mag's Tim Gideon had both praises and hesitations when it came to the gadget's features, but he went as far as to name it PC Mag's new Editors' Choice media hub anyway:

Pros:
Compact design. Intuitive user interface. Streams video, music, and photos from your computer, iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch. 99-cent TV-show rentals. Streams Netflix Watch Instantly content, YouTube, and content from iOS devices to Apple TV.

Cons:
No hard drive. Can't purchase content-streaming only. Can't rent a show on Apple TV and watch it on other devices or your computer. Limited rental content available. Connects via HDMI-not compatible with older televisions without purchasing adapter. Doesn't ship with an HDMI cable.

Bottom Line:
A lower price, a more compact design, and the ability to stream content from iOS devices and rent 99-cent TV shows makes Apple's latest Apple TV set-top box an excellent option for iTunes and Netflix users.

Those are the earliest reviews to hit the web. We'll update as more become available.

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Stop Underestimating Your Printer [Printers]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5650665/stop-underestimating-your-printer

Stop Underestimating Your PrinterThe only time I recall using my printer in the last few months was when I tried out printing from my iPad. Why am I not taking full advantage of the long list of things I can do with it?

The New York Times has an article remarking on all the things we forget—or don't realize—our printers can do and it caught our attention. From printing on fabric to creating papercraft models to designing decals—there's a lot we can do with those dust collecting gadgets.

The article is certainly worth a read and provides a great deal of project ideas, but I'll be honest: I'll probably continue to use my printer as little more than a place to set down the mail for quite some time. [NY Times]

Image by photographer2222/ShutterStock

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Apple TV jailbreak confirmed, done via same exploit as other iOS 4.1 devices

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/28/apple-tv-jailbreak-confirmed-done-via-same-exploit-as-other-ios/

The Shatter exploit that was discovered for iOS 4.1 devices has, predictably enough, been found to function on the latest Apple TV as well. Though a jailbreak fit for distribution is still brewing for all of Apple's iOS wares, this will be welcome news to folks interested in trying to add a little extra functionality to Apple's hockey puck of a media streamer. Then again, even the best of apps might not make up for it being a 720p media device in a 1080p world.

[Thanks, Jawad]

Apple TV jailbreak confirmed, done via same exploit as other iOS 4.1 devices originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 28 Sep 2010 05:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Motorola's wraparound S10-HD Bluetooth headphones: for the Usain Bolt in all of us

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/28/motorolas-wraparound-s10-hd-bluetooth-headphones-for-the-usain/

Clearly, introducing one Bluetooth headset in a single day just isn't enough for Motorola. In addition to the Oasis, the outfit has also let loose the new S10-HD, a wraparound set that is marketed as Bluetooth headphones rather than a BT headset (though it's fully capable of acting as either / both). As expected, these guys are designed to withstand all sorts of sweat beads, enabling fitness junkies to keep on rockin' in the free world regardless of how steamy the conditions may be. We're also told that the speakers are recessed in their housing with a new ear cushion interface and hydrophobic acoustic mesh (fancy!), and silicon seals are in place around all of the electrical components. Should you receive a call while streaming tunes, it'll gently pause the music until your call is done, and afterwards it'll resume automatically. The S9-HD's proper successor will be landing in Best Buy locations starting October 24th for $79.99.

Continue reading Motorola's wraparound S10-HD Bluetooth headphones: for the Usain Bolt in all of us

Motorola's wraparound S10-HD Bluetooth headphones: for the Usain Bolt in all of us originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 28 Sep 2010 06:03:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kindle for the Web overhauls Amazon's online book previews, adds sharing and embedding features

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/28/kindle-for-the-web-overhauls-amazons-online-book-previews-adds/

It's been forever and a day since Amazon first offered its users access to the opening few pages of a book on its web store, but now that feature is being codified under the Kindle umbrella as a new Kindle for the Web service. It'll allow external sites to embed book samples right into their content stream, while users get a new Share button for spreading the good word about Chuck Palahniuk's visionary writing across their social networks. Font sizes, line spacing, and even background color are adjustable too. Hit up the source link to try it out for yourself.

Continue reading Kindle for the Web overhauls Amazon's online book previews, adds sharing and embedding features

Kindle for the Web overhauls Amazon's online book previews, adds sharing and embedding features originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 28 Sep 2010 08:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Panasonic Toughbook S9 claims to be the world's lightest 12.1-inch laptop with a DVD drive, we believe it

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/28/panasonic-toughbook-s9-claims-to-be-the-worlds-lightest-12-1-in/

Panasonic's Toughbook line hasn't only been impressing in extreme durability lately, but also in extreme weight-loss. Joining the 3.2-pound Tougbook C1, is the newest 12.1-inch Toughbook S9, which weighs just three pounds. And yes, Panny's claiming it's the lightest 12-incher with an optical drive, and our quick research seems to prove that claim right. Even more impressive is the power that's packed into the featherweight chassis -- it's got a Core i5-520M processor, 2GB of RAM, and a shock-mounted 320GB hard drive. Thought that Panasonic gave up the durability for that weightage? You'd be wrong -- the magnesium alloy case can still withstand a 2.5-foot operating drop, meets all the Mil Spec 810-G drop procedures, has a spill-resistant keyboard, and can take more than 220 pounds of pressure on its lid and base. It does sound great for when someone drops it off the airport security belt, but that's until you hear about the physical beating it'll take on your bank account -- it'll retail for $2,499. Yeah, we wish we had better news to end on, but perhaps the press release and pictures below will turn that frown upside down.

Continue reading Panasonic Toughbook S9 claims to be the world's lightest 12.1-inch laptop with a DVD drive, we believe it

Panasonic Toughbook S9 claims to be the world's lightest 12.1-inch laptop with a DVD drive, we believe it originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 28 Sep 2010 09:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fujitsu K supercomputer will do 10 petaflops in 2012, eat Crays for breakfast

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/28/fujitsu-k-supercomputer-will-do-10-petaflops-in-2012-eat-crays/

10's a nice round number, isn't it? Round, yes, but also wildly impressive when you put the word "petaflops" behind it as Fujitsu has done with its upcoming K supercomputer, which will be able to crunch through 10 quadrillion operations every second. Compare that to the current champ of processing farms, Cray's Jaguar, which can handle only (only!) 1.75 petaflops of workload and you'll know that we're talking about a seminal leap in performance. Japan's Riken Research Institute is the fortunate addressee on the crates of ultrafast SPARC64 VIIIfx processors that Fujitsu is now shipping out and the current plan is to have everything up and running by 2012. In total, there'll be 80,000 CPUs, each possessing 8 cores running at 2.2GHz, which will be housed within 800 racks. So yes, there'll be a machine somewhere on the Japanese isle with 640,000 processing cores at its disposal. Feeling safe?

Fujitsu K supercomputer will do 10 petaflops in 2012, eat Crays for breakfast originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 28 Sep 2010 10:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony, Warner and Disney mulling $30 at-home viewing option, we laugh and wait for the $100 option

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/28/sony-warner-and-disney-mulling-30-at-home-viewing-option-we-l/

Ah, "premium" video-on-demand. Media controllers have been fighting the inevitable forever, but now it seems they're finally coming around to the future -- letting users watch silver screen gems (or duds, for what it's worth) in their home shortly after release in the theater. Before you bust out the golf claps for these dudes and dudettes, you should know that they're planning to ding you for around $30 for the privilege, so it's only remotely of interest if you happen to have a family of eight. According to a new Bloomberg report, Sony Pictures, Warner Bros., and Walt Disney Co. are all in talks with major cable systems to "offer films for as much as $30 per showing soon after they run in theaters." Disney's also thinking of streaming its content to the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, with Warner expected to begin testing an offering later this year that lets consumers watch new(ish) release material for "$20 to $30 per viewing." Of course, we guess it can't hurt to throw the option out there and see exactly who is desperate enough, but we're guessing this won't exactly be the demise of the cinema. Or Redbox.

Sony, Warner and Disney mulling $30 at-home viewing option, we laugh and wait for the $100 option originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 28 Sep 2010 11:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toshiba takes Canvio portable hard drive line to SuperSpeed heights

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/28/toshiba-takes-canvio-portable-hard-drive-line-to-superspeed-heig/

How does one make a Canvio hard drive better, you ask? By adding USB 3.0 support, of course! Toshiba has just unveiled the latest rendition of its stylish pocket drive, the Canvio 3.0. As with practically every other HDD on the market, this one is also making the SuperSpeed leap in order to provide transfer rates around ten times higher than those of prior generation units. Naturally, it'll play nice with your USB 2.0 machine (albeit at USB 2.0 speeds), and will ship in capacities of 500GB, 750GB and 1TB. For the Windows users in attendance, Tosh is tossing in NTI BackupNow EZ software for free, and if you're tired of the standard black motif, you'll be thrilled to know that it'll ship in high gloss black with red, green, blue, white, or silver graphical accents. Check 'em right about now in North America for $119.99, $129.99 and $179.99 in order of mention.

Continue reading Toshiba takes Canvio portable hard drive line to SuperSpeed heights

Toshiba takes Canvio portable hard drive line to SuperSpeed heights originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 28 Sep 2010 11:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BlackBerry PlayBook vs. iPad vs. Galaxy Tab vs. Streak: the tale of the tape

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/28/blackberry-playbook-vs-ipad-vs-galaxy-tab-vs-streak-the-tale/

What a day -- yesterday, that is. Research in Motion finally announced its long-awaited BlackBerry tablet, the 7-inch PlayBook (thankfully not named the BlackPad). While there's still quite a few missing details, and nary an unit in site for us to try first-hand, we've still got a sampling of specs for this little guy to go tête-à-tête on the quantitative field of proverbial battle, at least as it can be seen so far (that early 2011 release date is still a ways off). Looks very promising so far, lined up against Apple's iPad, Samsung's Galaxy Tab, and the Dell Streak, but our known unknowns -- i.e. price, app support, and overall feel of using the QNX-built operating system -- are what will really make or break the slate. Until that time, enjoy our number-crunching below:



BlackBerry
PlayBook


Apple
iPad


Samsung
Galaxy Tab


Dell
Streak
Screen size 7 inches 9.7 inches 7 inches 5 inches
Resolution 1024 x 600 1024 x 768 1024 x 600 800 x 480
Pixel density (approx.) 170 133 170 187
Platform BB Tablet OS iOS 3.2.2 (4.2 in November) Android 2.2 Android 1.6 (2.1 / 2.2 in future)
Adobe Flash support 10.1 Not Supported 10.1 Not supported
Processor 1GHz dual-core Cortex A9 1GHz Apple A4 (ARMv7) 1GHz Cortex A8 1GHz Snapdragon
Graphics Unknown PowerVR SGX 535 PowerVR SGX 540 Adreno 200
RAM 1GB 256MB 512MB 512MB
Internal Storage 16GB / 32GB (unconfirmed) 16GB / 32GB / 64GB 16GB / 32GB 512MB
Expansion Unknown None microSD microSD
Connectivity 802.11 a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR 802.11 a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 3.0 802.11 b/g, Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR
Cellular data 3G and 4G promised for future 3G optional (AT&T) 3G (all carriers) 3G (AT&T)
GPS None 3G models only Yes Yes
Camera 3MP front,
5MP rear
None

1.3MP front,
3MP rear

VGA front,
5MP rear
Weight 0.9 lbs 1.5 - 1.6 lbs

0.84 lbs

0.49 lbs

BlackBerry PlayBook vs. iPad vs. Galaxy Tab vs. Streak: the tale of the tape originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 28 Sep 2010 12:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Xerox to sell on-demand Espresso Book Machines to retailers who sell books to people (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/28/xerox-to-sell-on-demand-espresso-book-machines-to-retailers-who/

Xerox now selling on-demand Espresso Book Machines to retailers who sell books to people (video)
When we got our first glimpse of the Espresso Book Machine from On Demand Books we were of course thoroughly charmed by the Rube Goldberg nature of the thing, but were left feeling unconvinced of the practicality of it -- would people really pay money for custom-printed physical copies of classic books they can download for free? Is it really a viable choice for self-publishing? We may be skeptics, but Xerox is a believer, putting its reseller weight behind the machine (which uses not one but two of the company's printers internally), selling, leasing, and servicing the things through its retail connections. This means Espressos could start showing up more frequently at bookstores and perhaps even coffee shops early next year. Until then, watch the magic happen after the break.

Continue reading Xerox to sell on-demand Espresso Book Machines to retailers who sell books to people (video)

Xerox to sell on-demand Espresso Book Machines to retailers who sell books to people (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 28 Sep 2010 13:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bose VideoWave fits surround sound into TV, custom UI aims to simplify set-top box clutter (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/28/bose-videowave-fits-surround-sound-into-tv-custom-ui-aims-to-si/

Keep it simple, stupid. That seems to be Bose's driving philosophy in its just-announced VideoWave entertainment system, and it's all about integration. There's no separate sound system to speak of: everything is built into the 46-inch 1080p LCD display. There are 16 speakers in all, including six woofers in a magnesium enclosure -- yeah, that's heavy; the total weight of this sucker is just under 100 pounds, according to PR. The surround sound is calibrated automatically via Bose's own Adaptiq, and its PhaseGuide sound radiator technology shoots high frequency audio waves to bounce off adjacent walls to recreate the effect of surround sound (i.e. a surround sound bar). The bare minimum of wires runs out of the TV, connecting to the separate console set-top box. There are three HDMI and two component ports on the back, and on the front are composite, HDMI, and USB ports (one apiece). There's an IR emitter in front for controlling other consoles, and while Bose claims you won't need IR blasters if the STBs aren't hidden away, they're bundled just in case.

The second pillar of VideoWave is a radio-frequency ClickPad remote control, and it's as basic as it gets -- power, input, channel selection, volume, and mute. Bose claims that this remote will run all the connected boxes, with the console detecting what they are and automatically adding to the input list. Now, here's where it gets interesting: running your finger along the surface activates a border of options around your screen (the video source is shrunken) and you can select options that are custom-tailored to the source (DVR, cable boxes -- there's even a custom iPod interface with a proprietary dock). Like we said, the company believes it's got a handle on the set-top box scene and has custom-tailored border interfaces for pretty much everything out there, which can be upgraded via firmware (hence the USB input on the console). In person, the software and control is pretty slick and snappy.

And now for the price and release date. It's actually just around the corner, October 14th, and sold exclusively through Bose stores. The upfront cost is mighty steep at $5,349, and that includes a mandatory personal delivery and installation. Then again, if you have much money to spend, is a 46-inch screen really large enough? And what of any number of other TVs with integrated sound bars? (Mitsubishi's similar Unisen series, for example, starts at $1,699.) Too early to say, but it's Bose, and that name alone packs a premium. Video after the break.

Continue reading Bose VideoWave fits surround sound into TV, custom UI aims to simplify set-top box clutter (video)

Bose VideoWave fits surround sound into TV, custom UI aims to simplify set-top box clutter (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 28 Sep 2010 14:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Roku adding Hulu Plus channel this fall

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/28/roku-adds-hulu-plus-channel/

Oh boy, here we go: Hulu Plus is coming to Roku's lineup of players, which now starts at $59 and goes up to $99 for the Roku XDS we just reviewed highly. That certainly makes the Roku / Apple TV comparison far more interesting -- ten 99-cent Apple TV rentals or the $10 Hulu Plus monthly subscription fee? -- and depending on what you watch, it could make cutting your cable subscription a no-brainer. We don't know about resolution or bitrate yet, but we're working to find out -- and we're definitely looking to get some hands-on time before the channel goes live this fall, so stay tuned. PR after the break.

Continue reading Roku adding Hulu Plus channel this fall

Roku adding Hulu Plus channel this fall originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 28 Sep 2010 14:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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T-Mobile G2 preview

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/28/t-mobile-g2-preview/

Well, well, well... would you look at what we found lounging around Best Buy's NYC holiday event! Yes, indeed, it's the T-Mobile G2 (the US version of the HTC Desire Z if you happen to think it looks familiar). After months of leaks and blurry shots we finally got to check out T-Mobile and HTC's G1 replacement, and it's got everything we've been waiting for -- a 3.7-inch display, Android 2.2, 4GB of internal memory, an 800MHz Snapdragon processor and a 5 megapixel cam with a flash. Oh, what's it like to use? That answer, dear friends, is after the break along with a hands-on video.

Continue reading T-Mobile G2 preview

T-Mobile G2 preview originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 28 Sep 2010 16:16:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Operation Cyber Storm III underway, makes digital certificates cool again

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/28/operation-cyber-storm-iii-underway-makes-digital-certificates-c/

Fans of cyberwarfare (which we are, if only because we like to imagine that it looks like Battlezone) take note: following hot on the heels previous Cyber Storm I and II and Cyber ShockWave wargames, the Department of Homeland Security is sponsoring a little something called Cyber Storm III. Starting yesterday, the three-day exercise simulates more than 1,500 different types of attack, with a special emphasis on identities, trust relationships, and digital certificates. As Brett Lambo, director of Homeland Security's Cyber Exercise Program, told AFP, "we're kind of using the Internet to attack itself. At a certain point the operation of the Internet is reliant on trust -- knowing where you're going is where you're supposed to be." The exercise will test the National Cyber Incident Response Plan as well as the new National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center. But you can breathe easily: the operation is focusing on defense, not offense (for now).

Operation Cyber Storm III underway, makes digital certificates cool again originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 28 Sep 2010 17:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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