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Monday, January 07, 2013

Sony Handycam TD30V delivers premium feel, 3D shooting for less than a grand (hands-on)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/01/07/sonys-handycam-td30v-hands-on/

Not quite ready to hop aboard the projector train? Sony's betting that 3D might be your game. The Handycam TD30V is the company's $999 answer to 2012's $1,499 TD20V, delivering a nearly identical feature set for a heck of a lot less cash. There's absolutely no reason to toss last year's model up on eBay in favor of adopting this slight modification -- instead of adding features, Sony trimmed a couple tools, if only to appease recent 20V adopters. There's a 20.4-megapixel Exmor R sensor, a 17/10x zoom lens (12x in 3D mode) with a 29.8mm wide-angle position in 2D or 33.4mm when capturing footage in three dimensions. The 1.229m-dot 3.5-inch 3D LCD remains, as does the 5.1-channel mic, microphone jack, Optical SteadyShot, AI shoe, GPS and HDMI port, though the company opted to drop the 64 gigs of internal memory (none is available here), along with the manual dial. In exchange, 2013's flavor picks up an all-black finish, that definitely delivers a premium feel over its predecessor.

During our brief hands-on with the TD30V, we were pleased with the look and feel of the camera -- we wouldn't have cried foul had Sony priced this closer to $1,500, but at $999, it's just that much more appealing. We didn't have an opportunity to review footage on a 3D set, but the camcorder's LCD does a fair job of displaying depth in 3D mode, enabling you to judge the end result without a realtime footage feed to an external display. The camera is lighter in han! d than w e expected, based on its size and appearance, and although the 30V was comfortable to use, you're not going to want to walk around with it dangling around your neck. If you were planning to pick up last year's entrant, it'd be worthwhile to wait -- the TD30V is expected to ship next month for just shy of a grand, and you can examine this very capable Handycam right now in the gallery just below.

Gallery: Sony Handycam TD30V hands-on

Filed under: Cameras, Sony

Sony Xperia Z announced: HDR video capture, 5-inch 1080p Reality Display, water-resistant

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/01/07/sony-xperia-z-announced-ces-2013/

Sony's flagship smartphones may not have set the world on fire so far, but the company is making another concerted push in 2013, launching two top-end phones with near-identical internal specs. The Xperia Z is the main player here, with refined mirrored panelling across the sides and back and a machined power button being the only physical undulation from the 5-inch oblong. Sony's put in its latest tech from across the family, being the first device to house its Exmor RS sensor capable of HDR video, and a 1080p 5-inch TFT Reality Display (that's 443 dpi), packing the upgraded Bravia Mobile Engine 2 to augment colors and contrast on videos and stills. From its imaging arm, Sony's cleaned down its on-screen camera interface and is now more inline with its standalone point-and-shoots and NEX range.

Work has also been done on improving the algorithms behind its automatic settings -- now dubbed "auto i+" -- while the phone-maker has caught up to the competition with a 9-megapixel burst mode at 10 fps and the ability to capture stills during video. It's even upgraded the front-facing camera to a 2-megapixel Exmor R sensor, while the rear-facing 13-megapixel primary shooter will be able to capture HDR video -- offering up a new solution to dim filming conditions. Software additions to Jelly Bean Android, alongside those Sony entertainment services, include a battery stamina mode that will monitor and switch off apps when the screen is off, while you'll also be ! able to add necessary apps to Sony's white list. The phone will be LTE-capable, with a potent Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro processor and (perhaps surprisingly, given how the phone looks) IP55 and IP57 certified water-resistance. It'll also be the first phone to communicate through NFC with Sony's family of new HDTVs, something we'll be hearing plenty more about later this week.

The phone has barely appeared on stage here at CES but Sony has promised a global launch this quarter -- and we've already managed to snag some playtime with the device -- you can find our full impressions here.

Gallery: Sony Xperia Z announced

Continue reading Sony Xperia Z announced: HDR video capture, 5-inch 1080p Reality Display, water-resistant

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Sony

Sony Xperia Z: hands-on with the new flagship at CES 2013 (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/01/07/sony-xperia-z-hands-on-ces-2013/

Sony has had over a year now to dust away any residual Ericsson branding and with a reinvigorated direction towards mobile, it's welcoming the CES crowds of Las Vegas with two new smartphones -- the Xperia Z and the Xperia ZL. Both are running Android Jelly Bean, have 5-inch 1080p screens laced with Sony's new Bravia Mobile 2 technology, quad-core 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 Pro and new 13-megapixel Exmor RS camera sensors, capable of recording HDR video.

Has Sony finally crafted a flagship able to go toe-to-toe with the competition? Well, the Xperia Z exudes class -- and it's light. With about the same thickness as the iPhone, the phone is similar with all straight surfaces, barring some slightly rounded corners. Sony's calling the design language "omnibalance" and you can expect to see similar design licks in its other products in the near future. Picking it up, it feels better and more premium than any phone we've seen from Sony before and, oddly, it's even waterproof. Comparing the Xperia Z against the Xperia ZL, the oblong, broad Xperia Z felt almost too big in our hands; the ZL felt much more at home. Sony's barely unveiled them on stage at its press event, but we got the chance to play with both devices earlier today, (just about) wrapping our fingers around both the Xperia Z and the slightly smaller Xperi! a ZL. So what did we think? Hop on after the break for our hands-on video and full impressions.

Gallery: Sony Xperia Z hands-on at CES 2013

Continue reading Sony Xperia Z: hands-on with the new flagship at CES 2013 (video)

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Sony

Sony announces the world's first 4K OLED TV at CES: 3,840 x 2,160 resolution, no price or release in sight

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/01/07/sony-world-first-oled-4k-hdtv-launch-ces-2013/

4K TVs look amazing. OLED TVs look amazing. You can imagine, therefore, how good a 4K OLED TV will look. Sony has just wowed the audience here at CES 2013 with the news that it's produced the world's first Ultra High Definition television that uses Organic LEDs. Given how many companies have launched 4K sets here -- Westinghouse, Hisense, Toshiba and LG, just to name a few -- it's not unusual to hear that Sony has one-upped the crowd by adding a pinch of OLED to the mix.

The 56-inch set boasts a native 3,840 x 2,160 OLED panel, and a prototype will be on display here at CES 2013 in Las Vegas. Sony's pimping its own "oxide semiconductor TFTs" and "Super Top Emission" technologies, but isn't saying much else. There's zero mention of contrast ratio, refresh ratio, thickness, power draw, or any other specifications. Not exactly a shocker, but disheartening nonetheless. We'll be prying for more -- including any plans for a commercial release -- as the show rolls on.

Gallery: Sony 56-inch 4K OLED TV

Daniel Cooper contributed to this article.

Continue reading Sony announces the world's first 4K OLED TV at CES: 3,840 x 2,160 resolution, no price or release in sight

Filed under: Displays, Home Entertainment, HD, Sony

Source: Sony, Ray Hartjen (Twitter)

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]

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