Xbox SmartGlass: did Microsoft just render the Wii U controller obsolete?

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/06/04/xbox-smartglass-editorial-microsoft-competing-wii-u-controller/

One surefire way to make sure your company gets out in front of the E3 buzz? Launch a pre-pre-E3 press conference, of course. Nintendo was already set up to kick off the show on Tuesday, getting the party started according to tradition with an early morning press conference ahead of show floor opening. As it has in the past, the gaming giant was scheduled to be the third of the big three, unveiling its wares a day after Sony and Microsoft had their moments to shine. For 2012, the company made an unorthodox play, opting for a small broadcast event the Sunday afternoon ahead of the show, with Nintendo president Satoru Iwata standing alone in an unassuming wood-paneled room, giving yet another sneak peak into the world of the Wii U.

Popular opinion has positioned E3 2012 as a make-or-break proposition for the company. Nintendo's had an unprecedentedly rough year, with a continually eroding sense of excitement around its aging Wii console and a lukewarm reception greeting the 3DS. And with mobile competition nabbing pretty sizable chunks from the company's casual offerings, Nintendo needs to remind people what the console can bring that handsets can't. In earnest, Iwata offered up a smattering of ad! ditional details on the Wii U, with a finalized layout for the system's tablet-esque controller, the introduction of Miiverse social functionality and the promise of a bit of mobile device compatibility.

Continue reading Xbox SmartGlass: did Microsoft just render the Wii U controller obsolete?

Xbox SmartGlass: did Microsoft just render the Wii U controller obsolete? originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 04 Jun 2012 19:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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This Ionizing Range Hood Ditches Vents to Trap Cooking Smells [Kitchen]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5915482/this-ionizing-range-hood-ditches-vents-to-trap-cooking-smells

Like a vacuum hanging over your stove, a range hood prevents cooking smells from filling your home, and stops vaporized grease from coating your cabinets. The hoods usually need to be vented, which can complicate installations. But the self-contained Greenhood can be suspended above a stove, vent-free.

Created by Italian kitchen designer Snaidero, working with appliance maker Falmec, the Greenhood uses ionizing technology, like an air freshener. It eliminates smells and other harmful particulates in the air, like tobacco smoke, mold, and even viruses and bacteria.

But eliminating the ventilation doesn't mean you can just hang it anywhere. The weight of the purification hardware and lighting requires precise rigging, and the Greenhood's power requirements probably mean reconfiguring the electrical service. Pricing info has yet to be revealed, but it's a safe assumption this would gobble up a good portion of your next kitchen reno budget.

[Snaidero via Gizmag]

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Stilla: Easily Build Beautiful, 3D Pictures Using the iPhone's Gyroscope [App Of The Day]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5915631/stilla-easily-build-beautiful-3d-pictures

Out of all the photo apps currently populating the app store, a few stand out from the pack as more unique, more beautiful, and more simple to use. But Stilla, a camera app which utilized the iPhone's gyroscope, is one that does.

What does it do?

It directs you to take multiple snapshots of the same subject from different angles, and using the recorded positional data from the gyroscope, stitches them together to make one cool 3D image.

Why do we like it?

It blends several images in one, connected by a crystal-like effect. On top of that, it has a really nice-looking interface and with clear directions that make it super easy to make dynamic, sharable pictures. And when you're done, you can push them to Facebook, Twitter, or email. [swissmiss]

Stilla

Download this app for:

• iPhone, $1.99

The Best:

Easy to use

The Worst:

Have to make an account

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Apple lords over tab market in Q1 2012, Samsung bumps Kindle in scuffle for scraps

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/06/04/apple-tab-market-in-q1-2012-samsung-bumps-kindle/

If it's the end of a financial quarter, there must be another chronicle of the iPad swelling Apple's money pile and its tablet competitors trying in vain to chip off more for themselves. And with 11.8 million shipped by Cupertino out of 18.2 million slates total, that's pretty much the case -- with a minor shuffle of those "other guys" the only other tidbit. To wit, Amazon's Kindle petered into third spot only a quarter after trumpeting its ascension to number two, and Samsung displaced it as distant runner-up with sales of 1.1 million tabs. The most wide-eyed in the Korean maker's camp might point to Apple being topped in the rate of 3G / 4G tablets sold, but with eight times the sales of WiFi models, we doubt Apple's number-crunchers are losing any sleep over it. Per usual, the full report can be seen in the source link.

Apple lords over tab market in Q1 2012, Samsung bumps Kindle in scuffle for scraps originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 04 Jun 2012 15:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple reportedly readying numerous Retina display MacBooks and multiple accessories for WWDC

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/06/04/apple-wwdc-macbook-air-macbook-pro-rumors-retina-display/

New MacBook Pros are practically a given for WWDC (or, let's just say tears will be shed if they elude us), but now, 9to5Mac is stepping up the expectations in a major way. The outlet is now reporting that we could see two different versions of a revised 15-incher, not to mention Retina display-equipped editions of the 11-inch and 13-inch MacBook Air. Less certain (but certainly believable) is an iMac refresh, which would again get served with a Retina display, and a fourth major Mac update is apt to see the practically forgotten Mac Pro or the Mac mini updated with bolstered internals.

For those following Apple, you'd know that updating so many products at one event isn't a typical move for the company, but Tim Cook's been doing things slightly differently of late -- and honestly, there's no better way to enforce the importance of Retina than to blow it out across the portfolios. Finally, a whole host of new accessories are said to be on tap, with "refreshed keyboards, mice, trackpads and AirPorts" on the list. Hit the source link for the down and dirty, and go ahead and wipe your calendar for June 9th; we'll be liveblogging every last announcement direct from Moscone.

Apple reportedly readying numerous Retina display MacBooks and multiple accessories for WWDC originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 0! 4 Jun 20 12 18:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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