Dr. Augustine Fou's Online Scrapbook

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Bug Labs' BUGswarm and Verizon BUGbundle hands-on

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/11/bug-labs-bugswarm-and-verizon-bugbundle-hands-on/

Remember Bug Labs, the guys building open-source hardware modules that make it easy (and relatively inexpensive) to prototype new gadgets of your own creation? The last time we visited with these guys at the spring CTIA show last year, the company's upgraded BUGbase 2.0 was still in mockup form -- and carrier deals were little more than a gleam in CEO Peter Semmelhack's eye. Nearly a year has passed since then, and Bug's ecosystem has grown considerably to encompass a bunch of third-party modules, prototyped products, and carrier-specific packs for Sprint, AT&T, and Verizon that let your meticulously hacked-together hardware communicate over the network of your choice.

Of course, this all necessitated a follow-up meeting, which we were delighted to have at CES a couple days ago. Read on!

Gallery: Bug Labs' BUGswarm and Verizon BUGbundle hands-on

Continue reading Bug Labs' BUGswarm and Verizon BUGbundle hands-on

Bug Labs' BUGswarm and Verizon BUGbundle hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 11 Jan 2011 18:24:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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'Arduino The Documentary' now available for your streaming pleasure

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/11/arduino-the-documentary-now-available-online-for-streaming-down/

Over the years we've seen loads of Arduino hacks and mods -- a DIY kit that lets plants tweet, a robotic iPhone, and even touchscreen GBA SP. All of these impressive, heartwarming and otherwise inspiring projects were made possible by the Arduino platform. Just in case you're unfamiliar with what Arduino actually is, let us remind you that it's an open source project geared toward students and other humans who wish to delve into the wild, wacky world of do-it-yourself electronics hardware and software coding. We'd encourage you to check out the documentary in full -- you know, to get the skinny on the company's inception and watch as the Arduino folks talk about their movement and its future -- but we doubt you need our elbowing. Check out all 28 minutes of footage after the break.

Continue reading 'Arduino The Documentary' now available for your streaming pleasure

'Arduino The Documentary' now available for your streaming pleasure originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 11 Jan 2011 19:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Augen demos new family of caffeine-inspired tablets, teases dual-booting Android and Ubuntu slate

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/11/augen-improves-gentouch-78-teases-lenovo-u1-hybrid-competitor/

It's baaack! Yep, that up there is Augen's next version of its Gentouch 78 (you know, the Kmart tablet) -- henceforth known as the Gentouch Latte. But Augen isn't stopping there, it has a few more tablet treats coming, and we got a chance to check 'em out in Vegas. Hit the break for the lowdown on the company's four new tablets and don't forget to stop on by the gallery below to peruse the hands-on shots.

Gallery: Augen Latte, Latte Grande, Espresso, Dolce, Doppio

Continue reading Augen demos new family of caffeine-inspired tablets, teases dual-booting Android and Ubuntu slate

Augen demos new family of caffeine-inspired tablets, teases dual-booting Android and Ubuntu slate originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 11 Jan 2011 21:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Notion Ink Adam delayed pending FCC certification

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/11/notion-ink-adam-delayed-pending-fcc-certification/

Just when it seemed the Notion Ink Adam had escaped the pit of dubious pre-orders and moved onto the glowing preview stage, here comes another hurdle to trip up its 10-inch PixelQi screen. Android Police reports that US buyers have received email notifications that their orders are ready to ship out, except for that little matter of FCC approval. We've yet to see the Adam pass the FCC -- perhaps because it hasn't done so quite yet -- and the tablet will need to have its paperwork in order and be properly labeled before it can be imported into the US. Notion Ink insists that all the red tape will be taken care of "within this week," and that some international orders have already shipped out. We're hoping that's the case -- we'd hate to think of all those poor slates sitting in boxes, instead of getting some sun.

Notion Ink Adam delayed pending FCC certification originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 11 Jan 2011 20:53:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung Vibrant 4G appears in leaked docs, touts 21Mbps HSPA+, front-facing camera

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/12/samsung-vibrant-4g-appears-in-leaked-docs-touts-21mbps-hspa-ca/

Samsung did say it's ready to supply all US carriers with 4G phones, not just Verizon, and we may already be looking at one of those devices before us. Billed as a T-Mobile exclusive, the Vibrant 4G looks to be a gentle refresh of the current Vibrant handset, with the notable upgrades being the inclusion of 21Mbps-capable HSPA+ connectivity -- to speed your mobile broadband up into T-Mobile's definition of 4G speeds -- and a front-facing camera paired to Qik video chat software. The onboard version of Android is 2.2 and internal specs seem to generally match the earlier-released namesake. Speaking of the original Vibrant, these leaked docs also show it's sold over one million units in its time in the US and is the nation's best-selling Galaxy S variant. Great, now can someone please leak it to Samsung that Android 2.3 is already out?

[Thanks, Brian]

Samsung Vibrant 4G appears in leaked docs, touts 21Mbps HSPA+, front-facing camera originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 12 Jan 2011 04:26:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Intuit now offering GoPayment service without fees through February, also throws in a free card reader

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/12/intuit-now-offering-gopayment-service-without-fees-through-febru/

Perhaps just to show that it is not hip to be a Square, Intuit has rolled out a serious incentive for businesses to jump on the GoPayment bandwagon. Since we last saw the mobile payment service, the company has decided to offer customers a free card reader (while supplies last) and no monthly service fees in an effort to expand its user base. Primarily aimed at those processing low sales volume, the deal includes $0.15 per-transaction fee. That's half the $0.30 fee for high-volume users, who still get the complimentary reader for signing up, but have to pay $12.95 monthly for the privilege. The offer is exclusively available to new customers, and the gratis reader only works with some phones (far fewer than the number of phones that work with the app itself), but hey, free is free. Let's just hope Intuit's system doesn't suffer from the security problems of its rival.

Continue reading Intuit now offering GoPayment service without fees through February, also throws in a free card reader

Intuit now offering GoPayment service without fees through February, also throws in a free card reader originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 12 Jan 2011 05:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Verizon iPhone first hands-on! (update: video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/11/verizon-iphone-first-hands-on/

We just got a look at the Verizon version of the iPhone 4. Guess what? It's just like an iPhone 4! There's no custom pre-loaded Verizon software (like VCAST or some such bloatware), just that mobile hotspot tweak in the settings menu. There's also no Verizon branding on the phone, though that's hardly a surprise given Apple's hatred of all logos that aren't its own. The only real physical difference we can find are those tweaked CDMA-compatible antennas running around the edge -- four in all, placed symmetrically and bumping down the volume / mute buttons. Interestingly, the phone is running iOS version 4.2.5, so perhaps that mobile hotspot functionality will make its way over to other iPhones when they sync up on iOS updates. We did try a speed test, clearing the cache and loading various sites simultaneously on the Verizon phone and our AT&T device, and while there were variations in the load times, there were too many external factors to really make a judgment call just yet.

Gallery: Verizon iPhone 4 detailed comparison shots

Gallery: Verizon iPhone 4 full hands-on

Continue reading Verizon iPhone first hands-on! (update: video)

Verizon iPhone first hands-on! (update: video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 11 Jan 2011 12:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Velocity Micro Cruz Watch hands-on preview

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/11/velocity-micro-cruz-watch-hands-on-preview/

We've always liked the idea of having a Bluetooth watch streaming feeds from our phones, because deep down inside, we all want to act like special agents in the public. Sadly, there aren't many of these wearables to choose from in the present market. In fact, with the inPulse smartwatch for BlackBerry seemingly stuck in limbo, what we have left is the Europe-only Sony Ericsson LiveView for Android, and maybe something nice from Fossil as well if its concept design gets picked up. To seize this opportunity, Velocity Micro is now working on its own connected Android watch -- currently known as the Cruz Watch -- that's destined for the sub-$200 market in mid-Q2 2011.

Here's what we learned about this cool-looking prototype during our exclusive hands-on at CES: in many ways, it's conceptually identical to the LiveView -- it's a watch, it's a Facebook feeds reader, it's a multimedia remote control (for Android's music app and Android-powered TVs), and it can show you incoming caller IDs. While the Cruz Watch may be a bit of a lightweight when it comes to apps, its hardware certainly bests SE's offering in several ways: for starters, it has a full touchscreen that takes swipe and tap gesture inputs (instead of using navigation touch controls on the bezel), and it sports a 1.8-inch LCD instead of a 1.3-inch OLED display. There are also a few software features that we dig, especially with the interchangeable clock face: two analog, two digital; and the incoming call notifier pulls the caller's profile photo from your contact list, which is something that the LiveView can't do. We're told that since this watch is powered by Android 2.0 (and possibly something different on retail units), Velocity Micro might be able to implement app installation in the near future, so we shall see. Video walkthrough after the break.

Gallery: Velocity Micro Cruz Watch hands-on preview

Continue reading Velocity Micro Cruz Watch hands-on preview

Velocity Micro Cruz Watch hands-on preview originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 11 Jan 2011 13:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Feature-length film, The Trashmaster, made entirely in Grand Theft Auto IV

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/11/feature-length-film-the-trashmaster-made-entirely-in-grand-the/

If you're familiar with The Sims-style gaming, where actual life, art, and the game can easily blur, this little story may not come as a huge surprise to you. Grand Theft Auto IV player / enthusiast Mathieu Weschler spent two years making The Trashmaster, a feature-length 'film' made entirely in the game, about a garbage man who has another gig on the side. Now, we'll freely admit that we did not watch the entire thing (yet), but from what we have seen, it actually looks fairly engaging! The film is embedded after the break.

Continue reading Feature-length film, The Trashmaster, made entirely in Grand Theft Auto IV

Feature-length film, The Trashmaster, made entirely in Grand Theft Auto IV originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 11 Jan 2011 09:56:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Minimalist 3D Camera is All Smiles

Source: http://www.yankodesign.com/2011/01/11/minimalist-3d-camera-is-all-smiles/

If I came away with one one conclusion from this year’s CES, it’s 3D. For years companies have been talking about it but it seems 2011 is when it all comes to fruition and leading the initial wave are 3D cameras. The STEREOO concept gave us deja vu but this form factor and effervescent aesthetic is exactly what’ll get the general public excited about 3D. I love the minimalism and the humor of seeing a camera smiling back at you. The large display is capable of displaying 3D images and doubles as a touch interface. I want one now.

Designer: Designer: Michal Bonikowski from MINDSAILORS

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Searchmetrics Raises A $6.75 Million C-round To Expand Globally

Source: http://techcrunch.com/2011/01/11/searchmetrics-raises-a-6-75-million-c-round-to-expand-globally/

Searchmetrics, a Berlin-based company which works out where you should be spending your budget on SEO and analytics, has secured a growth / C-stage funding round of $6.75 million, led by Paris-based growth capital fund Iris Capital and current investors Holtzbrinck Digital and Neuhaus Partners in Germany.

Searchmetrics was founded in late 2007 and financed by Holtzbrinck Digital in a Seed round financing. In January 2010 Neuhaus Partners joined in a B-round.
The latest round brings the company's total funds raised to approximately $11 million. The funds will be used for its continued international expansion.