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Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Build a XBMC Media Center with a $35 Raspberry Pi [Xbmc]

Source: http://lifehacker.com/5929913/build-a-xbmc-media-center-with-a-35-raspberry-pi

Build a XBMC Media Center with a $35 Raspberry Pi At Lifehacker we're big fans of the XBMC video player and home entertainment hub. Combine the awesomeness of XBMC with a Raspberry Pi, the $35 low-power computer board with a built-in SD card reader, USB ports, ethernet port, and HDMI output and we have the makings of a powerful-but-cheap home media solution.

Credit goes to The How-To Geek for putting it all together. Older PCs are typically used for XBMC rigs but they often come with a lot of fan noise. Another popular option is to purchase an Apple TV, jailbreak it, and install XBMC but in that case you still need to purchase a $99 Apple TV.

Combined with the Raspbmc media center distribution for XBMC on the Raspberry Pi you likely have most of, if not all the items you need to use with a $35 Raspberry Pi board to make a service home media center:

HDMI cable
SD card
Micro-USB charger
USB keyboard or media center remote
Raspberry Pi board case (purchased or DIY)
Raspbmc Installer

Except for the Raspberry Pi board case, I have all of this on hand. My Xbox 360 remote control works out of the box with this setup. The only tricky part is that since the Raspberry Pi is in such demand right now you'll have to wait 4-5 weeks to get the $35 board delivered. If you're in a hurry you can pay a few more bucks and get it now from eBay. Once you get the system setup you can use almost all of the standard XBMC tweaks and tricks.

The only downside is that due to licensing restrictions you can't play MPEG-2 videos on a Raspberry Pi, so if most of your video library is in that format this setup probably won't work for you.

For full details on how to setup your Raspberry Pi-based XMBC media system check out the source link at The How-To Geek below.

Build a $35 Media Center with Raspbmc and Raspberry Pi | The How-To Geek

Gmail Video Chat Is Getting Upgraded to Hangouts [Video]

Source: http://lifehacker.com/5930135/gmail-video-chat-is-getting-upgraded-to-hangouts

Google+ Hangouts is one of the best free group video chat apps we've ever seen, and now the collaborative, multi-person video calling is coming to all Gmail users.

In addition to chatting with up to 9 people at once, with Hangouts you can collaborate on Google documents, share your screen, and watch YouTube videos together. It's a full-featured web conferencing solution—now directly accessed in Gmail (it'll replace the previous video chat and is rolling out today and over the next few weeks).

One of the best features is you can reach others from Hangouts now whether they're using Gmail or are on Google+ in their browser or mobile phone.

Video chat face-to-face-to-face with Hangouts in Gmail | Official Gmail Blog

X-RHex Lite robot grows a tail, always lands on its feet (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/07/30/x-rhex-lite-robot-grows-a-tail/

By far the greatest challenge for robots with legs is staying upright when the going gets rough. A team at the University of Pennsylvania's Kod*lab has a hunch that we don't need extra smarts to make that happen -- just an extra appendage. The upgraded X-RHex Lite (XRL) carries a tail that will swing in the right direction to keep the robot upright if it's caught out by a fall, much like a cat. That's impressive for a nearly 18-pound robot (the previous Tailbot was 0.4 pounds), but we're pretty sure no feline has six springy legs; the XRL can crash to the ground and still get back up like it ain't no thing, which gives it a fudge factor others don't have. We don't know if the hexapod critter will lead to more than further experiments. If there are fewer stuck rovers on future exploration missions, though, we'll know who to thank.

Continue reading X-RHex Lite robot grows a tail, always lands on its feet (video)

Filed under: Robots, Science

X-RHex Lite robot grows a tail, always lands on its feet (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 30 Jul 2012 22:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung Galaxy S Duos details make the rounds, bring Galaxy S III vibe to the dual-SIM world

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/07/31/samsung-galaxy-s-duos-details-make-the-rounds/

Fans of Samsung's Duos phones wanting 2012 updates have had to make do with last year's looks so far. From what's surfacing through multiple Indian sites, though, Samsung must want to spread some of the Galaxy S III's modern, nature-influenced style to the Duos' twin-SIM audience. The Galaxy S Duos S7562 won't make its bigger sibling jealous with a 4-inch WVGA display, a 1GHz Snapdragon MSM7227A chip or 512MB of RAM, but they're not the point. As always, the highlight is that pair of SIM slots for carrying both home and work phone lines -- or simply mixing and matching prepaid plans. The rest of the hardware falls in line with what's likely to be a much less expensive smartphone, including a 5-megapixel back camera, a VGA front camera and 4GB of storage. Buyers will be glad to know that Android 4.0 should still be coming along for the ride in addition to that stone-inspired look. We've asked Samsung for more official details; there's talk of an Indian launch before the end of the summer, which (if true) could give the crowds in Bangalore and Mumbai more to look forward to in the fall than just cooler temperatures.

Filed under: Cellphones

Samsung Galaxy S Duos details make the rounds, bring Galaxy S III vibe to the dual-SIM world orig inally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 Jul 2012 00:05:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Monday, July 30, 2012

This Is as Close to Pocketable as High Speed Video Cameras Get [Cameras]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5930244/this-is-as-close-to-pocketable-as-high-speed-video-cameras-get

This Is as Close to Pocketable as High Speed Video Cameras Get Everything in life is cooler and more epic in slow motion. So Fastec's new TS3 compact high-speed camera is easier to carry than traditional slo-mo gear allowing you to capture and study spontaneous moments—frame-by-frame. Remember, the best high-speed camera is the one you've got with you.

At nine inches in length and weighing almost five pounds you're probably not going to be carrying the TS3 in your pocket all day long. But for remote shoots or extreme adventures where carrying larger and heavier gear is problematic, this is the perfect solution. At its full resolution of a non-16:9 1280 x 1024 the camera is able to capture 500 frames every second. But at lower resolutions it's supposedly capable of running as fast as 20,000 fps.

The camera is compatible with C-mount or Nikon F-mount lenses, but keep in mind that while its size makes it easier to travel with, in many situations you'll probably need additional lighting gear to compensate for the fast shutter speeds. Because the TS3 tops out at an ISO of just 1,600 when shooting in color. As for storage options, a built-in SSD drive up to 256GB in size is optional, but professional-grade video I/O connectors let you send the signal to another recording device when more capacity is needed. But is an epic YouTube channel worth its $14,000 to $25,000 price tag depending on how you configure it? Most definitely. [Fastec]

This Is as Close to Pocketable as High Speed Video Cameras Get

Harman Kardon CL Review: These Headphones Can Handle All Your Listening Needs [Lightning Review]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5930259/harman-kardon-cl-review-these-headphones-can-handle-all-your-listening-needs

It's not remotely easy to create a pair of headphones that combine awesome audio quality, portability, style, and a favorable price tag. Could Harman Kardon's new CL headphones be the rare pair that does it all?

What Is It?

Lightweight, well-made, on-ear headphones.

Who's It For?

You know those people who really like music? It's for them.

Design

A steel band connects the matte black foam and pleather on-ear cups, and a leather inner band sits on top of your head. Plenty of cushion.

Using It

Designed to be used on the go, the Harman Kardon CLs are sensitive enough to deliver plenty of detail, clarity and bass from a smartphone, tablet or computer. But they also respond well to more power. When plugged into Audioengine's D1 DAC and headphone amp, 320 kbps tracks instantly sounded cleaner. Bass tightened, resolution improved, and highs sparkled. The low end frequencies were a bit too boomy, and the mids could be a bit more present, but nothing sounded bad. All in all, audio coming from the CLs is stellar.

The Best Part

Versatility. Use them at home or on the go. Use them with expensive gear or mass-market electronics. Shove 'em in a bag. Put them on display. There are few other headphones that work in as many situations.

Tragic Flaw

To detach the cans from the headband, you turn the ear pieces outwards and remove them. If they get twisted too far in a bag, the earpieces come loose on their own. It's annoying to have to readjust the headphones, and you question how durable the wiring could be.

This Is Weird...

The CLs were actually louder when connected to an iPhone 4S than to a MacBook Pro.

Test Notes

Tested with an iPhone 4S, MacBook Pro, and Audioengine D1 DAC/Headphone Amp using 320kbps MP3s and no EQ.
Compared against the Aiaiai TMA-1 and the Bowers and Wilkins P5 headphones.
Listened to songs spanning hip-hop, jazz, rock, pop, electronic and R&B genres.
These may not bleed the same level of quality as the Bowers and Wilkins P5s, but the CLs hardly sound cheap.

Should You Buy It?

Definitely. Are there better sounding headphones out there? Of course, but they're all likely bigger and bulkier, more expensive, or open-air.

When you compare them to other lightweight, closed-back $200 pairs of cans, there aren't many that can top the CLs. The P5s may have superior construction and better imaging, and the TMA-1s may feel more durable, but neither combines price, design, portability and sound quality in quite the same way the CLs do.

Real people aren't concerned with the extreme nuances of audio. But they're sure that $20 pair isn't quite cutting it. For them, these Harman Kardons are a very good pair of headphones.

Harman Kardon Cl Specs

• Design: Closed back, supra aural.
• Drivers: 40mm neodymium, dynamic
• Frequency Responce: 16Hz-20,000Hz
• Sensitivity: 119db
• Price: $200
• Gizrank: 4.0 stars

Put a Wang in Your Ear Hole [Audio]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5930255/put-a-wang-in-your-ear-hole

Do you remember five years ago, when you could spot an iPod/iPhone owner from a mile away by their standard issue white Apple earbuds? There's much more headphone diversity these days, but buds are still immensely popular and Apple sells bunches of them. Fanny Wang wants to stick it to Apple hard with Wang Buds.

Unlike in-ear headphones that actually go inside your ear canal, Wang Buds rest just outside. From the point of view of sound quality and ergonomics, in-ear monitors are better headphones, but some people find them uncomfortable, and hey, some people just like buds. For $80, Fanny Wang gives you a colorful alternative to Apple's stock offering. They've got soft-gel silicon tips that are comfortable and should stay put better than most other buds. If this is your style, Wang Buds are probably worth a shot because Apple buds are garbage. [Fanny Wang]

AT&T's Eco-rating makes in-store debut alongside Pantech Renue

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/07/30/atandts-eco-rating-makes-in-store-debut-alongside-pantech-renue/

In February, at Mobile World Congress, AT&T announced a new program that would rate its various devices on their environmental-friendliness. Now that system is finally getting its in-store debut alongside the impressively green Pantech Renue. The Eco-ratings, which grade devices based on their use of recycled materials and toxic metals such as mercury and lead will give those more concerned with protecting the Earth than having the latest and greatest tech an easy way to determine the device that's right for them. Pantech for its part hopes the Renue, with its 67-percent recycled components and Energy Star-compliant charger will draw at least a few interested parties who wander in to AT&Ts shops. The rugged messaging device doesn't rock Jelly Bean, or any other smartphone OS for that matter, but it does have a slide out QWERTY keyboard for SMS addicts. Check out the video and PR after the break for more details.

Continue reading AT&T's Eco-rating makes in-store debut alongside Pantech Renue

AT&T's Eco-rating makes in-store debut alongside Pantech Renue originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 30 Jul 2012 18:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Facebook improves photo viewing with larger images, takes cues from Google+

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/07/30/facebook-improves-photo-viewing/

Facebook has offered photo sharing in one form another since shortly after the site's launch, but while certain features have been added over the years, such as tagging and downloads, image formatting has remained mostly unchanged. Until today. Facebook has announced that it will roll out a new tool for thumbing through galleries across the site, presenting photos in a new square format with the option to "highlight" certain shots to increase their footprint on the page. Google+ users may recognize the format, which bears some resemblance to the tool on that site. We haven't seen the feature go live on Facebook just yet, but eager social networkers can preview it today at the source link below.

Filed under: Internet

Facebook improves photo viewing with larger images, takes cues from Google+ originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 30 Jul 2012 14:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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US Census Bureau posts its first API, allows smartphone apps for the stat-obsessed

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/07/30/us-census-bureau-posts-its-first-api/

As much as the US Census Bureau has worked to embrace the digital space, its sea of data has been largely locked away from developers not keen on doing much of the heavy lifting. As of late last week, however, there's now a public app programming interface (API) for quickly putting all of that knowledge to work. Both mobile and web apps can hook into either the complete 2010 census or the 2006-2010 American Community Survey, bringing in basic demographics as well as more complicated subjects such as commuting habits and education. The Bureau sees the API leading to not just a more informed public, but to smarter government as well -- imagine a state government that knows the income levels by county through a custom smartphone app. Budding statistics hounds can request a key for API use right away, but if you'd rather just see what public access will mean in practice, you can check out an app gallery at the second source link below.

Filed under: Cellphones, Internet, Software

US Census Bureau posts its first API, allows smartphone apps for the stat-obsessed originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 30 Jul 2012 15:18:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Verge | source

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Visualized: the iDevice influence on Apple's bottom line

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/07/29/visualized-the-idevice-influence-on-apples-bottom-line/

Apple's Q3 earnings last week rang loud and clear: iDevices are paying Cupertino's bills. The customary numerics laid down the bare facts, citing an 84 percent increase in iPad sales since 2011 and a similar 28 percent jump for the iPhone. Of course, well-organized tables of sales data aren't for everyone, but who doesn't love a good chart? Stuart Carlton took it upon himself to graph the percentages of Apple's revenue that each of its product categories fill out, producing the above criss-cross of colored statistics. The graph compares Apple's Q3 sales data going back several years, and a second chart (after the break) compares the iPhone, iPad and iPod's share of the revenue directly with the rest of Apple's fare. Read on to take in the data for yourself, or hit the source link below for Carlton's own commentary.

Continue reading Visualized: the iDevice influence on Apple's bottom line

Visualized: the iDevice influence on Apple's bottom line originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 29 Jul 2012 19:44:00 EDT. Please see! our terms for use of feeds.

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Sharp Aquos SH-10D makes pit stop at FCC, earns stamp of approval

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/07/30/sharp-aquos-sh-10d-earns-FCC-approval/

NTT DoCoMo announced a roster of phones this past May, and among them was Sharp's Aquos SH-10D. After spending some quality time with the FCC, the handset now has paperwork that could allow it to travel stateside. Along with a quartet of oddly angled corners, the phone packs a GSM and HSPA+ / WCDMA radio, 4.5-inch screen, 1.5GHz dual-core processor, 12.1 MP rear-facing camera and a 0.32 MP frontward-facing cam for those awkward, Facebook-bound self-portraits. Hit the link below if you'd like to rifle through the FCC results yourself.

Filed under: Cellphones

Sharp Aquos SH-10D makes pit stop at FCC, earns stamp of approval originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 30 Jul 2012 01:10:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sunday, July 29, 2012

The Largest Mirror In the World Is So Big That You Can See It From Space [Image Cache]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5929711/the-largest-mirror-in-the-world-is-also-one-of-the-most-beautiful-places-on-earth

This is the Salar de Uyuni, the largest salt flatland in the world at 4,086 square miles (10,582 kilometers). Every year, this amazing wonderland in southwest Bolivia covers with a thin layer of water. When that happens, it turns into the largest mirror on the planet, as these photos recently taken by Takaki Watanabe show.

The resulting landscape is absolutely surreal, out of a Salvador Dalí painting. I want to go there—¡pronto!

The salar is formed by several preshistoric lakes, which started to transform 30,000 to 42,000 years ago. Covered by several feet of salt, the Salar de Uyuni stays dry most of the year except a few days, when it rains and turns into this wonder.

And while it looks like it must be hell on Earth, it's not hot at all: its temperatures range from a low 55 degrees Fahrenheit (13º C) to 70º F (21º F).

But the most surreal part is the fact that is a major breeding ground for pink flamingos. Can you imagine a flock of thousands of flamingos flying over this perfect mirror? I want to see that one day.

[Dadi350 (In Japanese) via Traveler]

Pantech Star Q for Verizon surfaces, offers QWERTY, LTE and Snapdragon S4

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/07/27/pantech-star-q-for-verizon-surfaces-offers-qwerty-lte-and-snap/

This one still isn't completely official just yet, but Android and Me has managed to obtain some pictures and fairly complete details for the Pantech Star Q headed for Verizon -- a device that was first spotted in FCC filings back in April. As you can see, it's a QWERTY slider, and it's said to pack Android 4.0.4, a 1.5 GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor, front and rear-facing cameras (just 3-megapixels 'round back, though), LTE connectivity, and a 4-inch WVGA display. About the only key details missing are a price and release date, but Android and Me surmises it'll run $99 on-contract with a launch any time now -- both of which seem like safe guesses.

Filed under: Cellphones

Pantech Star Q for Verizon surfaces, offers QWERTY, LTE and Snapdragon S4 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 Jul 2012 11:57:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GM testing pedestrian detection system powered by WiFi Direct (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/07/27/gm-testing-pedestrian-detection-system-powered-by-wifi-direct-v/

Car makers have been peddling wireless pedestrian avoidance systems almost as long as there have been automobiles. (We believe one of the earliest was called the "side view mirror.") GM's new experiment though, differs from other implementations by skipping out on the 3G, cameras and radar -- instead going for a model built around WiFi Direct. The peer-to-peer 802.11 standard hasn't exactly set the world on fire, but the WiFi Alliance is diligently tweaking the platform and apparently GM thinks its a perfect match for connecting cars, cyclists and pedestrians to each other. Unlike 3G-based systems, there's little lag between locating and identifying bikes or people crossing the street since the signal doesn't have to be bounced off a satellite. It also has a leg up on radar detection since WiFi can be a two way pipeline -- alerting someone out for a stroll of an oncoming vehicle. Of course, it will be some time before anything like this actually makes it into! a produ ction vehicle. But, in the meantime, you can check out the PR and video after the break.

Continue reading GM testing pedestrian detection system powered by WiFi Direct (video)

Filed under: Transportation, Wireless

GM testing pedestrian detection system powered by WiFi Direct (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 Jul 2012 15:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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