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Tuesday, April 10, 2012

LG Optimus 4X HD holds its own against HTC One X in initial benchmarks

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/10/lg-optimus-4x-gets-benchmarks/

LG Optimus 4X HD gets initial benchmarks, holds its own against One X

When we first laid our hands on LG's Optimus 4X at Mobile World Congress, we were left with mixed impressions, which was due in part to its pre-release software. While the phone tore through web pages and pinch-to-zoom actions with 1080p video, it struggled to keep pace with LG's own custom UI -- an unfortunate echo of our experience with the Optimus 2X. Now, LG's latest superphone has been put through the rigors of a few popular benchmark tests, which confirm there's plenty of quad-core, Tegra 3 potential inside this beast. While the Optimus 4X HD was easily surpassed by the One X in Quadrant tests, it actually bested HTC's premiere handset in the similar AnTuTu benchmark. Keep in mind, these aren't final scores, as we'll perform our own tests with a retail unit, but if you'd like to see how everything unfolded, just hop the break.

Continue reading LG Optimus 4X HD holds its own against HTC One X in initial benchmarks

LG Optimus 4X HD holds its own against HTC One X in initial benchmarks originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Apr 2012 03:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Monday, April 09, 2012

Flameless Smoker Ups Your Grill Game Without Fire [Daily Desired]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5900324/flameless-smoker-ups-your-grill-game-without-fire

Flameless Smoker Ups Your Grill Game Without Fire Smoked meat is delicious, but most people don't have the room in their homes, let alone their budgets, to buy a hefty smoker. But if you're jonesin' for that delicious flavor, Hammacher Shlemmer has your number, and you don't even have to slave away all afternoon building a fire or getting the grill to the perfect temperature.

The Flameless Grill Smoker ($39) can sit right on top of either a gas stove or hot coals. Its eight s-shaped vents let enough oxygen in to make smoke, but not enough to ignite flames, cooking your meat low and slow, infusing just the right flavor.

Made from 20-gauge 304 steel, it has a convenient 13-inch handle so you can easily remove it from the stove, and it can hold 8 oz of wood chips. At this point your mind should be wandering to thoughts of succulent cedar plank salmon. [Hammacher Schlemmer via 7Gadgets]

Mass Effect moaners kinda get their own way as people power strikes again

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/09/mass-effect-activism-kinda-wins/

SPOILERS. Who can't name a beloved TV series that didn't end the way you wanted? BSG? Lost? Sapphire and Steel? Blake's Seven? Quantum Leap? The Sopranos? All of which ended either with tear-inducing bum-notes or confusing conclusions that caused furious head scratching. Despite that, the traditional reaction is to say "Well, I didn't enjoy that, but I respect the writer's artistic decision." Not so for gamers who felt short-changed by the intentionally devastating conclusion to Mass Effect 3. Fans of the game poured their outrage online, developer BioWare saying that the feedback it had received was "incredibly painful." A fan campaign that raised $80,000 in under a fortnight for Child's Play was enough to make the team behind the title concede defeat against the geo-political disruptor that is the internet with a cause. The company is now devoting all of its efforts to producing an "extended cut" DLC for the summer, but fans expecting a fourth ending where they can watch Commander Shepard on a sun-lounger, margarita in hand had better start complaining now -- the new content will only offer more depth and an extended epilogue to those tragic scenes you've already witnessed. SPOILERS END

Continue reading Mass Effect moaners! kinda g et their own way as people power strikes again

Mass Effect moaners kinda get their own way as people power strikes again originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 09 Apr 2012 08:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Acer's C120 pico projector goes on sale, ready to be powered by your PC

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/09/acers-c120-pico-projector-goes-on-sale-ready-to-be-powered-by/

Unless you had a particularly keen eye for tiny projectors, you may well have missed the announcement of Acer's C120, back at CES. The palm-sized pico projector has now hit the market, weighing in at an ultraportable 6.34 ounces. The peripheral features a USB connection, which can be used to power the device when it's plugged into a PC. The C120's also got a quick-starting LED lamp, which can display presentations in WVGA or WXGA. Business people, teachers and lovers of tiny projectors alike can pick this guy up now for $259. Not sold? Watch a projection-worthy video presentation from CES, after the break.

Continue reading Acer's C120 pico projector goes on sale, ready to be powered by your PC

Acer's C120 pico projector goes on sale, ready to be powered by your PC originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 09 Apr 2012 10:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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An early look at Ivy Bridge motherboards: or, the side order without the main

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/09/an-early-look-at-ivy-bridge-motherboards/

An early look at Ivy Bridge motherboards: or, the side order without the main

Ssshh. Ivy Bridge is officially still a mystery, remember? Nevertheless, through some quirk of chronology, the accompanying Z77 chipset for motherboards has already been announced. If there's a reason for this early entrance, it's probably because Z77 is backwards compatible with Sandy Bridge, which means that the latest crop of motherboards from Asus, Gigabyte, Intel and MSI can be considered fully-fledged products in their own right. Well, kind of, anyway. In reality, some of the key selling points of Z77 won't get activated until you clamp on Ivy Bridge silicon -- including PCIe 3.0 support (hitherto only found on X79 big-momma-boards), so the real testing can't begin in earnest until the new kid arrives. With that caveat out of the way, read on for a quick review round-up.

Continue reading An early look at Ivy Bridge motherboards: or, the side order without the main

An early look at Ivy Bridge motherboards: or, the side order without the main originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 09 Apr 2012 13:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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15-inch Samsung Series 9 review (2012)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/09/15-inch-samsung-series-9-review-2012/

Samsung Series 9 (NP900X3A) laptop review

Samsung unveils redesigned Series 9 laptops with 13- and 15-inch displays, starting at $1,399

Spotted: the elusive 15-inch Samsung Series 9

Before there were Ultrabooks, there was the Samsung Series 9. When it arrived on the scene last year, measuring .64 inches thick, weighing 2.8 pounds and packing a blazing SSD, it seemed to offer Windows users the closest thing to a no-compromise experience -- provided, of course, they were willing to pony up the requisite $1,649. As it turns out, the Series 9 was great -- memorable, even -- but not without flaws. It lacked an SD slot, the trackpad was jumpy and the display resolution topped out at a humdrum 1366 x 768.

A year later, Samsung is back with a second-generation laptop that promises to correct all of these shortcomings, and ushers in an even thinner, even lighter design. Make that two laptops: Sammy's selling a 15-inch Ultrabook, too. And truly, there's nothing quite like it: nothing quite this thin, with this large a screen. (Consider for a moment that it measures just .08 ! inches t hicker than the new 13-inch Series 9, which is already thinner than most other Ultrabooks on the market.) As always, though, luxury doesn't come cheap. The 15-inch Series 9 will cost $1,500 when it ships at the end of this month (the 13-inch version is available for an also-pricey $1,400, though we haven't gotten to take that model for a spin yet.) Ultimately, then, are the Series 9's elegant aluminum design and 1600 x 900 matte display enough to justify the premium you'll pay over other Ultrabooks? And does the 15-inch version offer long enough battery life to match its larger size? Let's find out.

Gallery: 15-inch Samsung Series 9 review (2012)

Continue reading 15-inch Samsung Series 9 review (2012)

15-inch Samsung Series 9 review (2012) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 09 Apr 2012 14:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rumored LG D1L targets high-end with dual-core Snapdragon and LTE

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/09/rumored-lg-d1l-targets-high-end-with-dual-core-snapdragon-and-lt/

Rumored LG D1L targets high-end

If a spiritual and titular successor to LG's Optimus 2X has you a little hesitant, then maybe its rumored relative the D1L might make you feel more comfortable. The spec sheet makes it clear that this machine is a high-end affair, though it trades in the 4X HD's quad-core Tegra 3 for a 1.5GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 and an LTE radio. Otherwise it sounds quite a bit like that other LG flagship announced at MWC, including a 4.7-inch 720p display and Ice Cream Sandwich. Of course, there's no guarantee such a phone will ever see the light of day, none the less here in the US. Lets just hope if and when the D1L lands, it does so with fewer bugs than the much maligned G2X.

Rumored LG D1L targets high-end with dual-core Snapdragon and LTE originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 09 Apr 2012 15:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Ubergizmo | source

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Google's Android emulator gets updated with GPU support, better CPU performance

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/09/googles-android-emulator-gets-updated-with-gpu-support-better/

Google brought some improvements to its Android emulator when it updated the SDK last month, but it's now back with an even bigger update that's sure to please developers. The latest version finally adds built-in GPU support, which Google says will help the emulator better keep pace with current smartphones that rely so heavily on GPUs themselves. Along with that, Google is also promising better performance across the board (including improved CPU performance), as well as emulation of more hardware features, including the ability to tap into the sensors and multitouch input of a tethered Android device (Bluetooth and NFC support are apparently next in line). Head on past the break for a quick video showing off some of the improvements, and hit the source link below for the full rundown on all the updates.

Continue reading Google's Android emulator gets updated with GPU support, better CPU performance

Google's Android emulator gets updated with GPU support, better CPU performance originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 09 Apr 2012 17:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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10 Gigantic Mega-Cap Stocks That Yield Way More Than Treasuries

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/10-gigantic-mega-cap-stocks-that-yield-way-more-than-treasuries-2012-4

Bank of America's Stephen Suttmeier is out with a list of companies that combine two of their favorite themes: Global mega-caps and high yields.

They note that mega caps generally, are set for a long period of dominance reversing a long underperformance trend.

mega cap

As for the high yielders, they are:

BMW (Market Cap $55.5 5 billion, Dividend Yield 3.45%)
ConocoPhillips (Market Cap $97.1 billion, Dividend Yield 3.46%)
Du Pont (Market Cap $49.3 billion Dividend Yield 3.10%)
GlaxoSmithKline (Market Cap $112.8 billion, Dividend Yield 5.50%)
Imperial Tobacco (Market Cap $39.6 billion, Dividend Yield 4.24%)
Nestle (Market Cap $202 billion, Dividend Yield 3.46%)
Procter & Gamble (Market Cap: $184.9 billion, Dividend Yield 3.13%)
Ricket Benckiser (Market Cap $40.6 billion, Dividend Yield 3.95%)
Toronto Dominion (Market Cap $75.7 billion, Dividend Yield 3.47%)
Vodafone Group (Market Cap $134.9 billion, Dividend Yield 5.88%)

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Saturday, April 07, 2012

Intel 313 SSDs bring improved caching to ultrabooks, desktops, life in general

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/06/intel-313-cache-ssd/

Intel 313 cache SSD

Just like Intel's older 311 batch of small cache SSDs, the new 313 series is designed to sit alongside a traditional spinning HDD in order provide a tasty blend of speed and capacity. These newer drives are still SATA II, so there's no 6Gbps action here, but they use superior 25nm SLC flash, offer faster speeds for the same price (starting at $120 for 20GB) and are explicitly approved for use in the coming wave of Ultrabooks -- so don't be surprised if that's where you meet 'em next.

Intel 313 SSDs bring improved caching to ultrabooks, desktops, life in general originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 06 Apr 2012 07:55:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Amped Wireless High Power R10000G Router and Smart Repeater hands-on

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/06/amped-wireless-high-power-r10000g-router-and-smart-repeater-hand/

Until now, Amped Wireless has been best known for its industrial networking gear, capable of maintaining a signal up to 1.5 miles away from the base station. Now, though, the outfit's also selling some equipment for folks with a more modest setup: the R10000G Home Router and SR10000 Smart Repeater, which promise to coat 10,000 square feet of your abode / office in robust, high-quality WiFi. Of course, we just had to test these claims out for ourselves, and see if these units really were formidable enough to leave our own router crying in the corner. We devised three simple experiments to see how they hold up in the real world -- head on past the break to find out how they fared.

Gallery: Amped Wireless R10000G Router and Smart Repeater hands-on

Amped Wireless R10000G Router Unboxing

Continue reading Amped Wireless High Power R10000G Router and Smart Repeater hands-on

Amped Wireless High Power R10000G Router and Smart Repeater hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 06 Apr 2012 11:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google offers Floor Plan Marker app to businesses so they can improve indoor mapping

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/06/google-floor-plan-marker-app-indoor-mapping/

Google offers Floor Plan Marker app to businesses so they can improve indoor mapping

Are folks still getting lost in the faux marble expanse of your airport or shopping mall, even after you've uploaded the floor plan to Google Maps? Then maybe it's time you went the extra mile and improved indoor mapping using the official Floor Plan Marker app. It instructs you to walk around the "entire surface" of your place of interest, while gathering position data from GPS, public WiFi signals and cell towers. Once added to Google's database, this extra info will allow the familiar blue dot to function on your customers' Android phones even when your actually-concrete building gets in the way of their satellite signal. The app's already available at Google Play, so go ahead -- make the schlep now so that others don't have to.

Google offers Floor Plan Marker app to businesses so they can improve indoor mapping originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 06 Apr 2012 12:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toray unveils new self-repairing film for devices, fixes scratches in under 10 seconds

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/06/toray-unveils-new-self-repairing-film-for-devices-fixes-scratch/

Toray's advanced film department has finished its new self-cure coating and is set to start using it as a decorative layer on a series of as-yet unannounced notebooks. Fortunately, the company is already chasing down more pervasive uses on smartphones and touch-panels. The science involves a wet coating method that adds a special recovering layer to PET film. Alongside that ~~mutant~~ healing factor, the layer responsible also throws in some elastic and cushioning properties. During Toray's demonstration (what, no video?) scratches made with a metal brush apparently repaired themselves, resulting in the rehabilitated glossy surface you see above. According to the Japanese manufacturer, the ability to heal improves at lower temperatures, but room temperature is apparently enough to make scratches disappear in 10 seconds or less -- more than fast enough to differentiate Toray's offering from existing solutions. The film can repair itself around 20,000 times in succession, although if pierced beyond the layer, it's -- unsurprisingly -- unable to recover any damage done. The screen is also softer than the typical protective surfaces found to devices. Maybe Toray and Gorilla Glass should get together. GorillToray?

Toray unveils new self-repairing film for devices, fixes scratches in under 10 seconds originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 06 Apr 2012 13:51:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Friday, April 06, 2012

ASUS placates Transformer Prime owners with free GPS Extension Kit add-on

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/05/Asus-to-offer-free-Transformer-Prime-GPS-Dongle/

ASUS took a few OTA stabs at fixing the Transformer Prime's satellite blindness, sure, but now the outfit is taking a more direct approach at fixing its GPS reception woes: hardware. New Prime owners registering their slab on ASUS' member site are now being greeted with an application for a GPS Extension Kit, a free dongle that "may help improve signal reception and optimize the user experience." According to a series of emails posted by an XDA forums user, the kit is due to ship in mid-April, and will "be a flush fit on the bottom of the unit if held in landscape, matching the color of your Prime Chassis." ASUS says the dongle will be available to all customers who picked up the tablet, and carefully notes that the accessory does not "replace, alter or amend any existing warranties." Fair enough. Now, what if we want to type while we find our way around the world?

Gallery: Transformer Prime GPS Extension Kit Application

ASUS placates Transformer Prime owners with free GPS Extension Kit add-on originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 05 Apr 2012 21:16:00 ED! T. Plea se see our terms for use of feeds.

Land of Droid | source

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Thursday, April 05, 2012

Flickr adopting Aviary for photo edits, waves goodbye to Picnik

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/05/flickr-adopting-aviary-photo-editor/

Flickr adopting Aviary for photo edits, waves goodbye to Picnik

With Google set to close the Picnik shop on April 19th, it was obvious that Flickr had to go out and seek a fresh replacement. Today, the Yahoo-owned service is announcing Aviary (a Jeff Bezos-backed startup) as the new photo editing tool on its site. Along with promising to be simpler and speedier than its soon-to-be deceased predecessor, Aviary brings expected features like cropping, rotating, sharpening, red-eye reduction and cosmetic whitening, just to mention a few. Of note, Aviary is written in HTML5, opening the doors to become useful on a handful of slates and handsets. Flickr is set to commence the rollout later today, though it may take a few days until you can check out the changes.

Flickr adopting Aviary for photo edits, waves goodbye to Picnik originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 05 Apr 2012 10:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Electronista | source

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