OK Go's Amazing New Video Is 2,430 Pieces of Toast Long [Video]

I can't imagine the pressure of being in OK Go, having to constantly churn out jaw-dropping videos. Fortunately, I don't have to. I get to just sit back and enjoy the stunning results, like this stop-motion story told with toast.

The look of this video for "Last Leaf" is so pared down, so simple, but my god the animation must have been complex. And shot entirely on a Micro Four Thirds camera—the Samsung NX100. It may not be as boisterous as a Rube Goldberg warehouse or as amusing as hordes trained dogs. But it's beautiful. And delicious. [Twitter]

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The Magic Fiddle iPad App Will Have You Making Sweet Music In Minutes [Video]

Smule, the maker of the popular Magic Piano iPad app, has just shared its new Magic Fiddle app with us. It's cleverly designed, produces lovely sounds, and will only briefly frustrate the hell out of those with non-existant musical talent.

Despite being initially frustrating for a beginner, the app will actually leave you fiddling a mellow tune in little time. Magic Fiddle guides you through the proper way to hold your iPad—yes, you're supposed to rest your chin on it—and then gradually walks you through some simple songs. Once you're confident in your fiddling skills, you can compete against folks around the world and work your way up the Magic Fiddle leaderboards.

The app's gonna cost you three bucks and is available in the iTunes store now. [iTunes]

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Amplify the iPhone 4's Volume Without Power: the Griffin AirCurve Play [IPhone Accessories]

One of the simplest gadgets ever is also one of my favorites. I'm talking about Griffin's original AirCurve, the acoustically-shaped amplifier that docks and increases the iPod/iPhone's volume. It's now been updated for iPhone 4s, increasing music 10dB louder.

Working specifically with iPhone 4s, it no longer sits the iPhone in the docked position, instead just resting it neatly inside (with a rubber area underneath to protect it). There's also now a metal kickstand for holding it either vertically or horizontally, and luckily the price hasn't changed either—it's $20. [Griffin via GearLog via OhGizmo]

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Lenovo slips out 12.5-inch IdeaPad U260 ultraportable, hopes you'll notice

Well, what have we here? In the sea of me-too ultraportables, it looks as if Lenovo is doing its darnedest to mix things up with a somewhat unorthodox screen size. The leaked IdeaPad U260 hasn't been confirmed by the mother company, but word on the street has it rocking a 12.5-inch display, 0.71-inch thickness and a total weight of just 3.04 pounds. Naturally, it's living life sans an optical drive, and we're told that it'll ship with an Ultra Low Voltage Core i3 or Core i5 CPU. There's no ExpressCard slot, but you will spot a four-cell battery, Bluetooth 2.1, VGA / HDMI outputs, WiFi, 4GB of memory, a 320GB hard drive and a couple of semi-vivacious color options (Mocha Brown and Clementine Orange). Mum's the word on a price, but you can catch one more glimpse of the heretofore unannounced rig just after the break.

Update: Ah, ha! Looks as if Lenovo has confirmed this one after all in a new PDF of its IdeaPad lineup. Still awaiting a product portal for purchasing, though. Thanks, Curtis!

Continue reading Lenovo slips out 12.5-inch IdeaPad U260 ultraportable, hopes you'll notice

Lenovo slips out 12.5-inch IdeaPad U260 ultraportable, hopes you'll notice originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Nov 2010 07:57:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple buys Wi-Gear, getting into the stereo Bluetooth headset game?

Apple hasn't always exactly been on the forefront when it comes to Bluetooth support, over the years creating quite an opportunity for third-party companies to make A2DP adapters for iPods and the like. One of those companies was Wi-Gear, which also made a stereo headset called the iMuffs and invited you to "Cut the cord and truly be free!" Sadly the use of such a device does not free you from the various responsibilities of modern day-to-day life, but an apparent acquisition appears to have helped the company's founders shed some of theirs. According to 9to5Mac, Apple has purchased Wi-Gear and brought the company's tech, and at least one of its co-founders, in-house. Michael Kim lists himself as an "iOS Bluetooth Engineer" at Apple now, while Wi-Gear itself has ceased operations according to its site. What's coming next remains to be seen, but if an Apple-branded stereo Bluetooth headset isn't the fruit of this partnership we'll eat our old A2DP dongles.

Apple buys Wi-Gear, getting into the stereo Bluetooth headset game? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Nov 2010 08:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580 reviewed: 'what the GTX 480 should have been'

You saw the key specs slip out a little ahead of time, now it's the moment we've all been waiting for: the GeForce GTX 580 has been thoroughly benchmarked to see if its claim to being "the world's fastest DirectX 11 GPU" stands up to scrutiny. In short, yes it does. The unanimous conclusion reached among the reviewers was that the 580 cranks up the performance markedly relative to the GTX 480 -- with some citing gains between 10 and 20 percent and others finding up to 30 percent improvements -- while power draw, heat emissions, and noise were lowered across the board. ATI's AMD's Radeon HD 5870 wasn't completely crushed by the newcomer, but it was consistently behind NVIDIA's latest pixel pusher. Priced at $499, the GTX 580 is actually praised for offering good value, though its TDP of 244W might still require you to upgrade a few parts inside your rig to accommodate it, while current online prices are closer to $550. Anyhow, the pretty comparative bar charts await at the links below.

Read - HardOCP
Read - Tech Report
Read - Legit Reviews
Read - Bit-tech
Read - PC Perspective
Read - Hot Hardware

NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580 reviewed: 'what the GTX 480 should have been' originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Nov 2010 09:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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'Beautiful Modeler' app turns iPad into multitouch 3D sculpting device

Sure, it might not make for as good of an R&B album title as Nilay Patel's "Beautiful Handcuffs," but Interactive Fabrication's "Beautiful Modeler" iPad app is probably a bit more useful (though not as useful with the ladies). The concept is to use the iPad's multitouch screen as an input for multi-finger 3D modeling on a computer, while the tablet's tilt sense lets you navigate around the object. Sure, it's not as slick or precise as, say, the Axsotic 3D mouse, but it also looks a whole lot more "tangible." Unfortunately, the app is currently unavailable on the App Store, and we have no idea if it's ever headed for a computer near you -- Interactive Fabrication is all about the high concept stuff, leaving the execution to individuals -- but there's some freely available GPL-licensed source code if you want to take a crack at compiling and making a real product out of this. Check out a video of the sculpting in action after the break.

[Thanks, Danil]

Continue reading 'Beautiful Modeler' app turns iPad into multitouch 3D sculpting device

'Beautiful Modeler' app turns iPad into multitouch 3D sculpting device originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Nov 2010 13:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Razer Sixense controller becomes virtual camera for your next machinima epic (video)

Fan of machinima? Then you're used to static shots in which a character walks into the scene, says his line, makes a silly joke, and then walks off again. Panning and smooth, flowing shots are not the forte of films created in a virtual world, but the repurposing of some Razer Sixense controllers could let the director really get into the scene thanks to researchers at Abertay University. They borrowed an idea from Avatar, in which James Cameron commissioned cameras with motion-tracking viewfinders so that he could see the virtual world through which the actors were moving. The team at Abertay uses Sixense controllers similarly to control a virtual camera, which would let gamers find dramatic, sweeping angles for their replays. Or, you know, just get a super closeup of that post-melee victory dance.

Continue reading Razer Sixense controller becomes virtual camera for your next machinima epic (video)

Razer Sixense controller becomes virtual camera for your next machinima epic (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Nov 2010 18:05:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rough edges cut deep: Android still facing years-old unlock screen bug, Gmail 2.3 attachment woes have Google stumped

So, that new 2.3 version of Gmail that launched in September? Yeah, we'd steer clear if you haven't nabbed it yet. Google's currently trying to track down a bug that's leaving many users (including our own hapless Chris Ziegler) unable to download any attachments. Interestingly, or disconcertingly if you're of the pessimistic sort, Google actually has a "Gmail attachment issues investigation" page set up to allow highly technical users to submit debug reports of the problem. Sure, we're all for crowd sourcing, but we also wouldn't mind a big sturdy "hey guys, we've got this" on an issue of this magnitude. The worst part? You can't revert to the old version of Gmail if you've got the latest OTA update on your fancy new T-Mobile G2.

Interestingly, while we were discussing this issue, ensconced in the Engadget HQ jacuzzi, adult beverages in hand, we got a tip from some poor soul detailing a bug that's been in Android since the G1 days. Basically, if you fail at the pattern unlock too many times, the phone will ask you to enter your Google account info to unlock your phone. Sounds like a smart security feature, but unfortunately it doesn't work. The insanely detailed thread on Google's Android bug tracker reads like a history of the Android platform and the futility of man rolled into one, with various workarounds being discovered for different phones, and many desperate users resorting to wiping their phones and starting over. Sure it's minimal in the grand scheme of things, and plenty of platforms have outstanding bugs years after release, but we figured a little *bump* couldn't do anyone any harm. This one's for you, Dylan R.

Rough edges cut deep: Android still facing years-old unlock screen bug, Gmail 2.3 attachment woes have Google stumped originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Nov 2010 20:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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TAT's Dimension S3D is a user interface for stereoscopic TVs (video)

You can't quite see it without 3D glasses, of course, but this clock is actually sticking out of the screen -- one of several illustrious illusions in this latest concept interface from the dreamers at TAT, spotted at Open Mobile Summit 2010. Give that watch face a spin, and you'll find a working countdown timer on the back, or browse through icon-based music, weather and Twitter interfaces, a media browser and a Rubik's Cube that spins in 3D space. The firm's calling the setup Dimension S3D, though like most TAT concepts, it's not for sale in its present form -- the company hopes to license the underlying framework to TV manufacturers who want to build menus in 3D, and hopefully attract content providers to build 3D apps as well. TAT wasn't naming names, but said that two "major" TV manufacturers had already expressed interest in possibly signing up. See what it looks like (in just two dimensions, of course) on video after the break.

Continue reading TAT's Dimension S3D is a user interface for stereoscopic TVs (video)

TAT's Dimension S3D is a user interface for stereoscopic TVs (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Nov 2010 23:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LaCie speeds up Philippe Starck mobile hard drive with USB 3.0

We've always been fans of LaCie's Starck Mobile Drives, designed by the inimitable Phillip Starck, and now they're getting a little speed boost, courtesy of USB 3.0. The 500GB drive is still housed in the same "liquid metal trapped in a box" enclosure as the previous editions, and it comes bundled with 10GB of online storage at Wuala Online for $109 in the US and £89 in the UK. Looks like it's out of stock just at the moment, but we'd imagine it'll arrive soon. Shot of the back and PR after the break.

Continue reading LaCie speeds up Philippe Starck mobile hard drive with USB 3.0

LaCie speeds up Philippe Starck mobile hard drive with USB 3.0 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 10 Nov 2010 00:37:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BlackBerry PlayBook to cost 'under' $500

RIM co-CEO Jim Balsillie finally gave us a crucial bit of information about the BlackBerry Playbook this morning: price, or at least a threshold. According to a Korean interview, Balsillie said that RIM's 7-inch tablet will be "very competitively priced" with Bloomberg quoting the man saying that it will be "under" $500 when it hits North America in the first quarter of 2011, expanding globally in Q2. A price that should at least match the 9.7-inch WiFi-only iPad (16GB) and undercut the 7-inch 3G Galaxy Tab which goes on sale on Verizon tomorrow for $599.99. Thing is, by the time Q1 rolls around we're going to be looking at many, many more viable tablet alternatives including a likely Apple refresh.

BlackBerry PlayBook to cost 'under' $500 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 10 Nov 2010 01:57:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung 7-inch Super AMOLED panel showcased on 'next gen' Galaxy Tab

We were promised a 7-inch Super AMOLED display at FPD 2010 and Samsung has duly delivered. What's less predictable about this yummy new hardware's debut, however, is the fact that it was built right into a Galaxy Tab. Yes, our postulations that Samsung intends to spruce up its "pocket-friendly" slate with a 1200 x 600 resolution and an extra lick of hyper-advanced screen technology seem to have been spot on, as OLED-Display reports the device on show was indeed the company's "next generation" Tab. We only wish there was more than just that one image -- we'll be hounding the internet for more, rest assured!

Update: Samsung's official note on the matter lists a WSVGA resolution (i.e. 1024 x 600 as on the current Tab) and some amateur geometry applied to the image does indeed show the prototype screen above has a smaller ratio than the requisite 2:1 for a 1200 x 600 pixel display. Ah well, we still want one. Also, check out Netbook News below for more images.

Continue reading Samsung 7-inch Super AMOLED panel showcased on 'next gen' Galaxy Tab

Samsung 7-inch Super AMOLED panel showcased on 'next gen' Galaxy Tab originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 10 Nov 2010 02:52:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink OLED-Display, SlashGear  |  Samsung ! [transla ted]  | Email this | Comments

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10.1-inch Galaxy Tab teased with prototype panel?

Does that look like a 10.1-inch Galaxy Tab to you? Sure does to us though Tech-on! is calling it an "electronic book reader" prototype from Samsung. Thing is, when was the last time you made a 3G video call using a dedicated ebook reader? The 10.1-inch panel is a 1.8-mm thick LCD prototype on display right now at the FPD International trade show in Japan. It features a 1,024 x 600 pixel panel resolution, 250nits brightness, 1,000:1 contrast, and covers 50 percent of the NTSC color gamut. Oh, and it's said to be unbreakable. And while this particular slim panel won't be ready for commercialization for another two or three years, there's nothing stopping Samsung from bunging a production-ready LCD into the 10-inch Galaxy Tab promised for 2011. Check the new LCD in profile after the break.

Continue reading 10.1-inch Galaxy Tab teased with prototype panel?

10.1-inch Galaxy Tab teased with prototype panel? originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 10 Nov 2010 03:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dell Venue Pro has a microSD card slot, you'll just need to void your warranty to use it

Remember the good chap that brought us pictorial evidence of the Venue Pro in Microsoft stores on Monday? Well, he was fortunate enough to snag one of those precious devices for himself and today he's back on the path of spreading enlightenment by revealing that Dell's 4.1-inch WP7 slider comes with a microSD card slot. Storage expandability is something of a running joke backstory for Windows Phone 7, with HTC hiding its expansion slots deeply within the 7 Mozart and HD7 and Samsung's more readily accessible one on the Focus also throwing up issues. The Venue Pro's approach is closer to Samsung's, insofar as you don't have to tear down the phone to stick a new microSD card inside it, but it does expect you to bust through a warranty sticker to get at the port. So it's there and can be used, but the risk will be all yours if you do.

[Thanks, dawookie]

Dell Venue Pro has a microSD card slot, you'll just need to void your warranty to use it originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 10 Nov 2010 04:51:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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