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Thursday, May 19, 2011

NVIDIA driver page outs 3D Vision support for Dell XPS 15z, surprises no one

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/18/nvidia-driver-page-outs-3d-vision-support-for-dell-xps-15z-surp/

Michael Dell may aim to tease, but NVIDIA is just giving it away: a recent driver update lists Dell's upcoming XPS 15z laptop as one of several snagging 3D Vision 3DTV Play, scoring prospective buyers 3D gaming via NVIDIA-supported 3DTVs. Little surprise here, considering the 15z's predecessor rocked a GeForce GT 540M (also 3DTV Play supported), which we'll note, falls under this driver update. Although we're still short on official hardware specs, we won't be shocked if the 15z has the graphical chops to handle Duke Nukem Forever, Portal 2, or any of the other 3D Vision games whose profiles were added in the update. Now, the real question: would the Dell dude approve?

[Thanks, Tigrux]

NVIDIA driver page outs 3D Vision support for Dell XPS 15z, surprises no one originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 May 2011 22:51:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dell Streak Pro Honeycomb tablet pictured, likely to be with us in June

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/19/dell-streak-pro-honeycomb-tablet-pictured-likely-to-be-with-us/

Android Honeycomb OS, 10-inch screen size with 1280 x 800 resolution, and NVIDIA's Tegra 2 (T20) chip on the inside. If those specs sound familiar, it's because most manufacturers already have a tablet just like Dell's upcoming Streak Pro. This slate from Round Rock got us a little hot under the collar recently, when it appeared it would ship with the T25 Tegra 2 silicon -- which runs at 1.2GHz and offers 3D support -- but nope, it's same old, same old from Michael and company. Still, the Streak Pro will apparently come will a brushed aluminum back, 16GB, 32GB, or 64GB storage options, dual mics, dual cameras (2 megapixel on the front, 5 megapixel 'round back), and a choice of four colors: blue, pink, black, and red. If that's not enough customization for you, Dell's also adding its Stage UI atop Android, while support for AT&T's LTE network is also said to be under consideration. You can see some of the new tablet's accessories at the source link below, which also advises us to expect the Streak to go Pro in June, as previously anticipated.

Dell Streak Pro Honeycomb tablet pictured, likely to be with us in June originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 19 May 2011 03:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sharp shows off the world's first Super Hi-Vision LCD with 16x more detail than 1080p

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/19/sharp-shows-off-the-worlds-first-super-hi-vision-lcd-with-16x-m/

While Japan's NHK has been working on the successor to HDTV, Super Hi-Vision, for years, there haven't been any direct-view HDTVs capable of showing its full 7,680 x 4,320 pixel resolution until this prototype unveiled today by Sharp. Its 103 pixels per inch may be just a fraction of those found in some of the pocket displays we've seen at SID this week, but that's still far more than the 36ppi of a 60-inch 1080p HDTV. If estimates are correct, we'll still be waiting until around 2020 for that 33MP video and 22.2 channel sound to actually be broadcast, although there's a possibility of some demonstrations happening during the 2012 Olympics. Skip past the break for the available specs and a video demonstration, or just head over to the NHK's Science & Technology Research Laboratories in Tokyo between the 26th and 29th of this month.

Continue reading Sharp shows off the world's first Super Hi-Vision LCD with 16x more detail than 1080p

Sharp shows off the world's first Super Hi-Vision LCD with 16x more detail than 1080p originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 19 May 2011 05:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hacked Kinect duo teams up with HD projector to make 360 Snowglobe display (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/19/hacked-kinect-duo-teams-up-with-hd-projector-to-make-360-snowglo/

Flatscreen displays? Decidedly old hat; students from Queens University have a better idea: snowglobes. Hacking together a 3D HD projector, two Kinect sensors, and a hemispherical mirror mounted inside of an acrylic sphere, "Project Snowglobe" has created a pseudo holographic display -- presenting a 360-degree view of a digital object. The all-angles display is compelling, but it's strictly a single-user affair; the object isn't actually projected in 3D -- it instead follows the movements of a lone Earthling, rotating and shifting position, in sync with the viewer. The display standard of the future? Maybe not, but pretty darn cool, all the same. Hit up the video after the break to check it out.

Continue reading Hacked Kinect duo teams up with HD projector to make 360 Snowglobe display (video)

Hacked Kinect duo teams up with HD projector to make 360 Snowglobe display (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 19 May 2011 07:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Galaxy S II and Galaxy S screens compared at the subpixel level (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/19/galaxy-s-ii-and-galaxy-s-screens-compared-at-the-subpixel-level/

One Galaxy S II review not enough for you? Hey, we understand, a dual-core phone deserves at least two goes through the Engadget test chambers. Today marks the publication of our Engadget Spanish analysis, which, among other things, compares the GSII against its forebear, the Galaxy S, at the subpixel level. Yes, we've got video capturing the improvement Samsung has made in its new Real-Stripe (RGB) pixel arrangement on the Galaxy S II's Super AMOLED Plus display over the older, less awesome PenTile RGBG layout of the Plus-deprived Super AMOLED panel. You can see it after the break or dive into the source link for a more comprehensive comparison. Non-Spanish speakers will want to jump to the 1:40 mark in the vid for all the microscopic action.

Gallery: Samsung Galaxy S II versus Galaxy S... fight!

Continue reading Galaxy S II and Galaxy S screens compared at the subpixel level (video)

Galaxy S II and Galaxy S screens compared at the subpixel level (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 19 May 2011 10:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fujitsu to launch 7-inch Android tablet later this year, might be priced lower than $400

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/19/fujitsu-to-launch-7-inch-android-tablet-later-this-year-might-b/

Fresh off the Japanese launch of its LifeBook TH40/D Windows 7 tablet, it appears that Fujitsu is gearing up to release a new seven-inch Android slate. According to DigiTimes, Fujitsu's forthcoming slab is scheduled to hit the market during the third quarter of this year and will run on Android 3.1 Honeycomb. It's unclear whether or not the device will sport the same stylus support and sliding keyboard that its Windows 7 counterpart features, but Fujitsu is reportedly planning on selling the tablet for anywhere between about $350 and $700, which effectively ranges from "bargain" to "blimey." We're certainly hoping that the final price falls on the low end of that spectrum, but we'll have to wait and see if our dreams become a reality.

Fujitsu to launch 7-inch Android tablet later this year, might be priced lower than $400 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 19 May 2011 12:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Retail As We Know It Must Change; Enter Experiential Retail - http://bit.ly/jaEJvJ

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

WordPress Makes Blogging from Your iPhone Snazzy [In Brief]

Source: http://lifehacker.com/5803332/wordpress-makes-blogging-from-your-iphone-snazzy

iOS: The new iPhone app for blogging platform WordPress just updated with serious improvements and some fun new features: Quick Photo makes snapping and publishing an image a quick, two-step process (tap the Quick Photo button and then Publish), a Stats page displays your blog's pageviews and other metrics over days, weeks, and months, and new localization features supports 10 different language. Finally, there's the always exciting stability improvements. Grab it while it's hot from iTunes. [iTunes App Store via WordPress Blog]

MiLi slims down and shuts up with Pico Projector 2

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/18/mili-slims-down-and-shuts-up-with-pico-projector-2/

MiLi's earlier attempts at pocket projectors not pico enough for your tastes? The company has shaved off a few precious millimeters, putting the straightforwardly named Pico Projector 2 at somewhere around the thickness of two iPhone 4s -- all said, the thing seems to look a lot like its predecessor to us, in spite of its "massively reduced bulk." The company has also dropped the fan -- rendering it effectively silent -- and has given the thing better battery life, at around two and a half hours of 10-lumen mini video projection on a charge, according to distributor, BeamBox. The bantam iPhone magic lantern is set to start shipping in the UK on May 25th for £280 ($452), with a US version coming in the next few weeks, because everyone loves a sequel, right?

Gallery: MiLi Pico Projector 2

MiLi slims down and shuts up with Pico Projector 2 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 May 2011 11:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google confirms Android security issue, server-side fix rolling out today

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/18/google-confirms-android-security-issue-server-side-fix-rolling/

No Android security flaw is good news for Google, but the recently discovered ClientLogin issue that left the OS vulnerable to impersonation attacks is surely at least a bit more welcome than some of the alternatives. That's because the flaw can be fixed at the server-side level (rather than on millions of Android phones), and Google has now confirmed that a fix is rolling out today, although it may take a few more days for it to cover all users (there's no action required on your part). The company's not quite out of the woods just yet, though -- while we've confirmed with Google that the fix addresses the issues with Calendar and Contacts, the problem with Picasa remains, and there's still no indication of a fix for it. Incidentally, Google had already fixed the Calendar and Contacts issues on the phone-side with Android 2.3.4 (although that still left 99 percent of phones vulnerable), but it too is still stuck with the Picasa vulnerability.

Google confirms Android security issue, server-side fix rolling out today originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 May 2011 13:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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OmniVision's new 5 megapixel CMOS sensor shoots 1080p video, is built for 'slimmer' devices

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/18/omnivisions-new-5-megapixel-cmos-sensor-shoots-1080p-video-is/

Apple might be poised to ditch OmniVision for its next round of iPhone / iPod Touch cameras, but that hasn't stopped the company from trotting out a fresh crop of sensors. Weeks after unveiling a beastly 12 megapixel number, it's announced the OV5690, a 5 megapixel chip, and the first to use the company's second-generation OmniBSI-2 pixel architecture. In addition to shooting 5 megapixel stills, it records 1080p video at 30 frames per second and 720p movies at 60fps. And, most notably, OmniVision cut the sensor's height by 20 percent in the hopes that it'll find a home in "slimmer" smartphones and tablets. So far, it's unclear what devices will incorporate it -- the company says key vendors are sampling the sensor at the moment, with mass production expected to begin in the second half of this year. Full PR after the break.

Continue reading OmniVision's new 5 megapixel CMOS sensor shoots 1080p video, is built for 'slimmer' devices

OmniVision's new 5 megapixel CMOS sensor shoots 1080p video, is built for 'slimmer' devices originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 May 2011 15:07:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of ! feeds.

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HTC touts early Flyer sales, promises NFC-equipped phone within a year

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/18/htc-touts-early-flyer-sales-promises-nfc-equipped-phone-within/

It's still not dishing much in the way of specifics, but it looks like HTC is at least cautiously optimistic about the success of its Flyer tablet -- or, as the company's top exec in Europe, Florian Seiche, put it at a recent Reuters summit: "it's early days but we feel very good about it." Seiche also unsurprisingly talked up tablets in general, and said that he thought schools would "probably" shift from textbooks to tablets in "five years' time," adding that "we can't even guess the potential" in terms of the broader impact on society. Naturally, he also suggested that HTC plans to tap into that growing market with a whole range of new tablets beyond the Flyer. In terms of smartphones, Seiche said that HTC will be rolling out its first NFC-equipped phone within the next twelve months, and he reaffirmed the company's commitment to Windows Phone 7, which he expects will see a boost from Nokia (which he says will in turn benefit HTC).

HTC touts early Flyer sales, promises NFC-equipped phone within a year originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 May 2011 15:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung's 22-inch Transparent BLU LCD TV shipping next week, eyes-on at SID 2011 (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/18/samsungs-22-inch-transparent-blu-lcd-tv-shipping-next-week-eye/

We weren't actually allowed to get our hands on Samsung's 22-inch Transparent BLU LCD TV -- the showcase was accompanied by a "Do not touch" label -- but we were able to get our first in-the-flesh look at the see-through display at SID this week. According to Sammy's rep, the monitors, which can operate without or without a backlight, will start shipping to manufacturers as soon as this week, but consumers will have to wait until Q3 to get their hands on one. While our hands remained mostly at our sides during our little meeting, we did sneak them behind the display to see just how transparent these things are. Sure enough, we could see our phalanges wiggling quite clearly through the ghostly panel. When the backlight was flipped on, the screen became a touch more opaque, but didn't fully obstruct the view of the potted plants lurking in the background. For now, the screens are focused on the commercial market -- specifically advertising -- but we wouldn't mind adding one of these things to our living room. Hop on past the break for a little video love.

Gallery: Samsung's 22-inch Transparent BLU LCD eyes-on at SID 2011

Continue reading Samsung's 22-inch Transparent BLU LCD TV shipping next week, eyes-on at SID 2011 (video)

Samsung's 22-inch Transparent BLU LCD TV shipping next week, eyes-on at SID 2011 (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 May 2011 16:53:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung entices with elecrowetting displays at SID 2011: coming to consumers later this year?

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/18/samsung-entices-with-elecrowetting-displays-at-sid-2011-coming/

Liquavista has teased us with the potential of its electrowetting displays for years, but we hadn't gotten to peep its panels post-acquisition until now, at SID 2011. In addition to the several screens we'd seen before, there was a new monochrome model that operates at low frequencies (down to sub-hertz levels) to cut down on current consumption. We also laid eyes on its chromatic displays, but in comparison to Mirasol's tech, electrowetting has a ways to go to match the image quality of IMOD. However, Sammy said that its reflective screens can be constructed with minimal mods to existing LCD manufacturing plants, while making Mirasol requires fresh fab facilities. Such a factory isn't exactly cheap, and Mirasol's large-scale production plant won't be around until 2012. So Samsung might snatch the market if it gets there first, and the rep we spoke with said the company hopes to have products shipping this year. While we wait for their hopes and dreams to come to fruition, view the vid after the break.

Gallery: Samsung's color and low frequency electrowetting displays at SID 2011

Continue reading Samsung entices with elecrowetting displays at SID 2011: coming to consumers later this year?

Samsung entices with elecrowetting displays at SID 2011: coming to con! sumers l ater this year? originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 May 2011 17:09:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LG Display's 4.3-inch bistable display concept eyes-on (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/18/lg-displays-4-3-inch-bistable-display-concept-eyes-on-video/

With all the giant screens throwing around flashy 3D graphics at SID, the smaller offerings like this LG 4.3-inch transparent bistable LCD display can be easy to overlook. Lucky for you, our hawk-eyes combined with a love for tiny gadgets landed us -- and our video camera -- right in front of this bantam wonder. Sure, bistable displays (which can retain an image when powered down) are nothing new, but this 4.3-incher was just too eye-catching to pass up -- even if it was just running a simple stick-man animation. We're not sure where LG's going with this little screen -- it is just a concept, after all -- but we can already hear advertisers and automotive designers licking their lips in anticipation. For more transparent display goodness, check out the video after the break.

Gallery: LG's 4.3-inch bistable display concept eyes-on at SID 2011

Continue reading LG Display's 4.3-inch bistable display concept eyes-on (video)

LG Display's 4.3-inch bistable display concept eyes-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 May 2011 17:26:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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