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Monday, January 07, 2013

Nikon unveils J3 and S1, takes 73-point AF and 15 fps stills to entry mirrorless cameras

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/01/07/nikon-unveils-j3-and-s1-with-73-point-af-and-15fps-stills/

Nikon clearly wants to make amends for its unspectacular J2 launch late last summer: it's launching not one but two 1 series models that provide a stronger incentive to go Nikon among lower-end mirrorless cameras. The 14.2-megapixel J3 and 10.1-megapixel S1 mostly receive hand-me-down features from the semi-pro V2, although that's not necessarily a bad thing. The leftovers give them uncommonly accurate 73-point autofocusing and an upgraded Expeed 3A processor that can handle 15FPS burst photography with continuous focus -- three times the frame rate of the J2 in the same conditions. Apart from their resolution, the main separators between the J3 and S1 are the J3's inclusion of a simple panorama mode and a slightly wider ISO range for the S1, which starts at ISO 100 versus the J3's 160.

Both new bodies ship in February, when the S1 will lower the 1 system's entry price to $500 with an 11-27.5mm lens, and the J3 will have a suitably in-between price of $600 with 10-30mm optics. The shooters will soon be joined by new lenses and accessories, as well. A 6.7-13mm (18-35mm equivalent), f/3.5-5.6 wide-angle lens and a 10-100mm (27-270mm equivalent) f/4-5.6 telephoto zoom don't have definitive release dates, but should respectively cost $500 and $550. Scuba divers who want a J3 or S1 for their excursions will also get a WP-N2 underwater case in February, albeit at a $750 price that's more expensive than the cameras themselves.

Continue reading Nikon unveils J3 and S1, takes 73-point AF and 15 fps stills to entry mirrorless cameras

Filed under: Cameras, Nikon

Source: Nikon

First Hands-On with a Tegra 4 Tablet

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5973840/first-hands+on-with-a-tegra-4-tablet

Vizio's got a nice surprise at CES this year: one of the only tablets with a Tegra 4 processor inside you can find anywhere in the world, outside of some death vault at Nvidia headquarters. We used it.

The 10.1-inch slate—just a prototype for now—boasts an eye-pleasing 2560 x 1600 resolution, and was terrifically light given the horsepower inside. Unfortunately, there wasn't really much to do to stress all of that horsepower. The tablet was pretty naked, without any games, Internet connectivity, or very much in the way of processor-gulping apps to fire up. But all the apps I could find on the thing—Flipboard, the camera, Chrome—all exploded into view instantly. This thing will open apps very, very quickly. HDR camera snaps were, as promised, instantaneous, 1080p video playback was as smooth as it'd be on any full PC or laptop, and speeding through hi-res photos (the only stress test I could muster) didn't lag even slightly.

Without a big budget game to run on this thing, it's too early to be impressed, but the faint signs of awesomeness we can spot in the Tegra 4 in its infancy are exciting. The. Thing. Is. Fast.

Vizio Tablet PC hands-on (update: now with video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/01/07/vizio-tablet-pc-hands-on/

Vizio's not exactly a stranger to tablets -- it came out with an Android product back in 2011 -- but it's only just debuting its first Windows 8 slate, the Tablet PC. (How's that for an appropriate name?) Like so many other Win 8 tablets it has an 11.6-inch screen, but the similarities mostly end there. On the inside, it packs a dual-core, 1GHz AMD Z60 chip, making it one of the few tablets in this class that doesn't run an Atom processor. At the same time, the screen squeezes in 1,920 x 1,080 pixels -- an unusual resolution for a lower-powered product like this. Other known specs: 2GB of RAM, 64GB of flash storage, a 2-megapixel front camera and micro-HDMI / micro-USB ports. So far, we don't know how much this will cost, or even when it will be available, so it's going to be a little tough to compare this to other offerings in the marketplace. For now, though, we've managed to steal a few minutes of hands-on time here at CES. Meet us past the break for some first thoughts on the design, the performance and that crisp 1080p screen. And stay tuned for video -- we've got that coming too.

Gallery: Vizio Tablet PC hands-on

Update: As promised, our video tour of the tablet can be found after the break.

Continue reading Vizio Tablet PC hands-on (update: now with video)

Filed under: Tablets

Fujifilm X100s digital split image display demoed (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/01/07/fujifilm-x100s-digital-split-image-display-demoed-video/

Just as Fujifilm is getting under way with its CES 2013 press conference, the folks over at FujiRumors found some footage of Fujifilm's new digital split image display from the newly announced X100s. Earlier this week, the company announced this new way of manual focusing on the X100s, in which the user overlays two images to attain proper focus. This feature seems to hit a high note for range finder camera users as it brings a certain familiarity for focusing work flow. Note that the display in the video is the rear LCD of the camera and not the prized hybrid viewfinder. Overall the movement looks smooth and usable, but we'll confirm when we get our hands on the new X100s.

check out the video after the break.

Continue reading Fujifilm X100s digital split image display demoed (video)

Filed under: Cameras

Via: via FujiRumors

Voxx combining broadcast TV with Roku in Q4 2013, working with RCA and Terk

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/01/07/voxx-roku-streaming-stick-broadcast-tv/

Roku may have lots of streaming content as is, but that doesn't always compare with what's on broadcast television. Voxx Accessories (formerly Audiovox) sees this problem too, but rather than just pointing it out idly (like us!), the accessory maker claims it has a fix. That solution includes an integrated digital antenna, creating a solution that pulls in broadcast TV (read: "over-the-air local HD broadcasts"), plus the features of Roku's Streaming Stick. We won't see the fruition of those efforts until late 2013, and when it does arrive, it'll come in collaboration with RCA and Terk (as seen in the first two product images above). The only bad thing we can find about this mashup of old school OTA and the latest in IPTV? That it's not here yet.

Continue reading Voxx combining broadcast TV with Roku in Q4 2013, working with RCA and Terk

Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD

Polaroid confirms iM1836 mirrorless with Android, adds three more cameras

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/01/07/polaroid-makes-its-android-based-im1836-mirrorless-camera-official/

Polaroid left little doubt that it was launching its Android-based, interchangeable lens camera at CES, and sure enough, it's here: meet the iM1836. It mates an 18.1-megapixel, 1080p video-capable mirrorless body with Android (which we now know to be Android 4.1) to quickly share imagery with social networks over WiFi, or directly to other devices through Bluetooth. Its 3.5-inch display won't put the Galaxy Camera's 4.8-inch panel to shame, but Polaroid is no doubt counting on the ability to swap optics (which includes Micro Four Thirds lenses, through an optional adapter) and a pop-up flash to clinch a sale. The iM1836 should arrive in the first quarter at a $399 price, with a 10-30mm lens included -- uncommonly cheap for a camera that could potentially outshoot its Nikon and Samsung opponents.

That's not the only camera in the Polaroid brand's 2013 lineup, however. Non-Android parallels to the iM1836 are coming with both WiFi ( iM1232W, $349) and without (iM1030, $299) for cost-conscious photographers; those who don't mind a fixed-in-place lens can get the iS2433, a $199 bridge camera with a 24x (25-600mm equivalent) lens, a 16-megapixel backlit Sony CMOS sensor and a 3-inch LCD. One camcorder, the iD975, is joining the fray with 1080p video, 16-megapixel stills, a 3-inch touchscreen and a video-in-video mode that! shows t he person recording video along with the main footage. Polaroid hasn't provided launch dates for its more conventional shooters.

Gallery: Polaroid iM1836, IM1030, iM1232W and iD975

Filed under: Cameras

Source: Polaroid

Spotted: Vizio's new touchscreen laptops and all-in-ones (hands-on)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/01/07/vizio-thin-and-light-touch-all-in-one-touch-hands-on/

If you loved Vizio's 2012 lineup of PCs, you're going to just love what it has in store for 2013. The company is refreshing nearly its entire line, and while these new models usher in upgraded components, they have the same industrial design as the original lot. Perhaps the biggest change is that all of Vizio's new PCs going forward will come with touchscreens, so that the Thin + Light is now the Thin + Light Touch, and the All-in-One is now the All-in-One Touch. (Fair enough!) As you can imagine, that makes the laptops in particular slightly thicker and heavier than they had been, but only slightly. Truly, you'd be hard-pressed to tell the difference. We were, anyway.

Additionally, Vizio has updated the trackpad drivers, though the touchpad we tested still felt a bit finicky. Just as important, the company's also re-tooled the keyboard so that the buttons offer a springier feel. They keys have the same flat, close-together design they always had, so don't be put off if you see these on the shelf at Best Buy. Even in our quick-hands-on, we immediately noticed our typing felt more accurate, more controlled than it had been with the last-gen models. Finally, Vizio says it's doubled the battery capacity, which is great news because the first-gen laptop we tested couldn't even crack four hours. This seems like a lofty ,claim given that touchscreens are known to hamper battery life anyway, but we're vowing to keep our expectati! ons low and hope for the best. All told, these tweaks address most user complaints, though the SD slot is sadly still MIA.

Under the hood, these machines will all have quad-core processors, with most models giving you a choice between an Intel Core i7 CPU and AMD's high-end A10 chip. Most of them (read: the 15-inch Thin + Light and the 24- and 27-inch all-in-ones) will have 1080p screens, though the smaller 14-inch Thin + Light will rock a lower-res 1,600 x 900 panel. No word just yet on pricing, but we're told these will go on sale in mid-February. Until then, the performance, sharp touchscreens, bigger battery and re-engineered keyboard look very promising indeed. Only when we test a final unit, though, can we tell whether Vizio finally figured out how to make a quality computer.

Continue reading Spotted: Vizio's new touchscreen laptops and all-in-ones (hands-on)

Filed under: Desktops, Laptops

Fujfilm announces pricing and availability for X100s and X20 (update: hands-on!)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/01/07/fujfilm-x100s-x20-pricing/

Fujfilm announces pricing and availability for X100S and X20

At Fujifilm's press conference today, the company announced that both the X100s and X20 will hit stores at the end of March, with the X100s running you $1,300 and the X20 shipping for less than half, at roughly 600 bucks. A new 55-200mm lens will ship in April, with more options planned for later this year. We had a chance to check out both models, and while the X20 appears to be a perfectly capable shooter, the X100s is definitely the premium variant here. The camera has a very solid feel and quite an elegant retro design, as you might expect based on its predecessor. The digital split image display is mighty nifty as well, as we first saw just this afternoon. Flip through our gallery below for a closer look at both cameras, then jump past the break for a hands-on demo of the X100s from Fujifilm.

Gallery: FujiFilm X100S and X20 hands-on

Continue reading Fujfilm announces pricing and availability for X100s and X20 (update: hands-on!)

Filed under: Cameras

Vizio's XVT Ultra HDTVs to bring 4K and glasses-free 3D to the masses, we go eyes-on

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/01/07/vizios-xvt-ultra-hdtv-hands-on/

Vizio officially announced its 2013 HDTV lineup this morning and now we've gotten to see the new sets in person. At the top of the list are the company's XVT Ultra models at 55-, 65- and 70-inches, which will bring 4K video to living rooms on an unknown date later this year. The company had the 70-inch set on hand showing some native 4K footage, and as you'd expect, it looked good. Viewing angles approach 180 degrees, and the new design's 10mm bezel is barely noticeable. Speaking of which, the industrial design on the XVT line is understated and premium, with an anodized silver metal band surrounding the edge of the set and minimal branding.

In addition to the 70-inch set, Vizio also had a prototype 55-inch 3D XVT model that was most impressive. Its viewing angles were just as good as the 70-inch set, but the highlight is its glasses-free 3D. Vizio's implementation of the technology takes full advantage of the 4K resolution to provide a high quality 3D picture, and its software maintains a focused picture from all angles. Of course, there are sweet spots for viewing the full 3D depth affect, but outside of those zones, 2D picture quality was maintained. Unfortunately, Vizio hasn't committed to a 2013 release date for glasses-free 3D, but the rest of the lineup, set to debut later this year, will still have the firm's glasses-dependent passive 3D technology. Interested? There's plenty of pics of the new sets in our gallery below.

Gallery: Vizio TVs at CES 2013

Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD

Tweak Your DSLR to Capture Images Your Eyes Canât See

Source: http://lifehacker.com/5972988/tweak-your-dslr-to-capture-images-your-eyes-cant-see

The sensor in your DSLR is much more powerful than you may know, and capable of capturing photos on wavelengths that your eyes can't see. With a little work and some easily-available parts, you can tweak your camera to take beautiful, cinematic landscapes that include both visible light and near-infrared wavelengths.

ExtremeTech's David Cardinal explains how he hacked his Nikon D7000 to take shots not just in the visible spectrum that we all see, but to capture near-infared light as well (or both, depending on how he chose to take the photo.) As for why bother? He explains it this way:

The so-called "near infrared" spectrum - from about 700 nanometers (the longest wavelength red we can see with our eyes) to around 1000 nm (the longest wavelength to which our camera sensors are typically sensitive) - is chock full of interesting visuals. Dreary gray skies turn into cinema-worthy masterpieces, drab foliage pops and separates itself from surrounding rocks and buildings, and everyday objects can take on an otherworldly quality.

You can see an example of this in the image above, and more at the link below. Cardinal explains that you can actually have the work done for you by a professional for between $200 to $450, but if you're willing to do it yourself, you can buy the appropriate filters for around $1-200. He also warns that you shouldn't go the DIY route just to save money—you have to really be into the project. After all, the process does risk damaging your camera, as you have to take the housing apart, remove the original filter from the sensor, and clean everything up nicely for good, clear photos.

Even so, if you're a photography buff looking for a great project, or you upgraded your DSLR and you're looking for something cool to do with an old or secondhand model, this project might be for you. The photos really are worth the effort. Hit the link below for a full walkthrough.

How to Turn Your DSLR into a Full Spectrum Super Camera | ExtremeTech

Swype Now Crowd-Sources Your Autocorrections

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5973700/swype-now-crowd+sources-your-autocorrections

Swype Now Crowd-Sources Your Autocorrections Swype, the sliding keyboard that dramatically speeds up typing on Android, just got a little more clever. As well as offering a more fluid typing experience, it now crowd-sources your autocorrections—which should (hopefully) make for fewer embarrassing mistakes.

The new feature, called Living Language, essentially crowd-sources its dictionaries. Opt-in, and you join a population which is having its typing habits analyzed. That should mean, for instance, that your phone automatically recognizes words which are trending globally but wouldn't otherwise appear in your local dictionary—think YOLO, or one of the hundreds of other new terms that spring up every week.

There's also an extra auotcorrect trick up Swype's sleeve. The latest edition will also flag up words that it thinks you may've typed by accident: not spelling mistakes, but words that it thinks you might want to change. (Go on, use your imagination.) The feature is supposed to learn as you type—but it remains to be seen whether it spells the end for Damn You Autocorrect. [Swype via Verge]

This 3D Printer Churns Out 3-Color Objects as Big as a Basketball

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5973708/this-3d-printer-churns-out-3+color-objects-as-big-as-a-basketball

We all know size matters. As, seemingly, does 3D Systems, because its latest desktop 3D printer is a whopper, with a build platform that can handle designs of up to 1,030 cubic inches. Yes, that is big enough to recreate a basketball.

The CubeX—which 3D Systems modestly refers to as "the ultimate desktop 3D printer"—offers up a resolution of 125 microns, and yet can print objects as large as 10.8 x 10.45 x 9.5 inches. And unlike a lot of desktop 3D printers, it does it in three colors, too, using either PLA or ABS plastics.

Designs can be printed direct from a computer, or even by simply plugging a USB stick with the design into the device. Child's play. The downside? It'll set you back a cool $2,500. [3D Systems via Engadget]

New DLP Pico Chip Brings Brightened, Doubled Resolution to Tiny Projectors

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5973718/new-dlp-pico-chip-brings-brightened-doubled-resolution-to-tiny-projectors

New DLP Pico Chip Brings Brightened, Doubled Resolution to Tiny Projectors Over the past few years, pico projectors stuffed into smartphones and tablets have seemed like novel concepts with little real world application—yet. But the little projectors may finally evolve from novel to practical, especially with DLP's latest pico chip architecture breakthrough.

The new pixel architecture packs a 30% brightness increase and doubled resolution into a platform no bigger than the current generation. And all this comes with a 50% energy efficiency increase, to boot.

The platform is still sampling to manufacturers, so don't expect to see any products before "the end of the year." With all the potential these chips hold, though, it's worth the wait. [Press Release]

LG Adds NFC to Its TVs and Appliances So It Can All Work Together

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5973732/lg-adds-nfc-to-its-appliances-and-tvs-so-they-can-all-work-together-updating

If you're an LG fan, your house is about to get a whole lot smarter with a host of intelligent appliances.

The company is focusing on developing not just smart devices but cultivating an entire smart home ecosystem. LG calls the plan "One Touch Connectivity," and the idea is that it lets your phone and LG's various NFC-enabled appliances—including televisions, laundry, ovens, refrigerators, even a smart robotic floor sweeper—work together. Much of this lineup can be controlled via voice or touch commands from a smartphone. So you'll be able to see if you do, in fact, need milk while at the grocery store, start the roast in your oven before you get home from work, or check the progress of your robotic vacuum from anywhere there's an internet connection.

Sharp Has a 4K TV Ready for This Summer

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5973793/sharp-has-a-4k-tv-ready-for-this-summer

Not to be left out of the spec party, Sharp just announced that it's joining the 4K pleasure cruise this summer, with a 60-inch set.

It has a 240Hz panel, active 3D, and built-in Wi-Fi. 4K packs four time the pixels of a standard 1080p TV into the same amount of space for a picture that'll make you crap yourself. That is if you can afford it. No details are available on price yet, but if other comparable sets are any indication, Sharp's 4K TV will probably cost enough for you to take out a second mortgage on your house.

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