Dr. Augustine Fou's Online Scrapbook

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Dell unveils Nehalem-based Precision T3500, T5500, and T7500 workstations, EqualLogic PS6000S solid state storage arrays

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/24/dell-unveils-nehalem-based-precision-t3500-t5500-and-t7500-wor/

Well, what do we have here? An industry source has sent along information and images for a trio of new Dell Precision workstations using Intel's Nehalem architecture. The T3500 (starts at $999) sports up to 24GB DDR3 ECC memory. Just above that, we've got the T5500 (starts at $1,620) with up to 72GB of memory and dual socket Intel Xeon. Meanwhile, granddaddy T7500 (pictured; starts at $1,800) boasts 192GB of three-channel DDR3 ECC memory up to 1066 or 1333MHz, dual native Gen 2 PCIe graphics slots and supports NVIDIA SLI technology. All models feature an E-SATA port, up to 1.5TB SATA HDD, dual / quad monitor support, DisplayPort connectors, and for those trying to keep some assemblance of eco friendliness, these are all Energy Star 5.0 compliant. We also caught wind of new EqualLogic PS6000 and SSD-equipped PS6000S storage arrays, which start at around $17,000 and $25,000, respectively. Interests piqued? Hit up the gallery below for some pics. Update: Dell releases the official presser for the PS6000S.

Gallery: Dell Nehalem-based Precision T3500, T5500, and T7500 workstations, EqualLogic PS6000S solid state storage arrays

Filed under: Desktops, Storage

Dell unveils Nehalem-based Precision T3500, T5500, and T7500 workstations, EqualLogic PS6000S solid state storage arrays originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 24 Mar 2009 23:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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T-Mobile webConnect available today, carrier's first 3G modem

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/25/t-mobile-webconnect-available-today-carriers-first-3g-modem/

"T-Mobile USA" and "3G modem" aren't two things you frequently heard uttered in the same sentence -- but now that the number four carrier's got a budding HSPA network that's all dressed up with no place to go, it's time to start rolling out some serious hardware (G1 aside) to take advantage. On that note, T-Mobile's finally getting serious about laptop data, launching its rumored webConnect USB stick today with an integrated microSDHC slot, HSDPA 1900 / 2100 / AWS for compatibility in the US and abroad, and triband EDGE for those times -- and there will be many at first -- when you're out of 3G coverage. The webConnect launches today for $49.99 on a two-year contract after rebate or $249.99 contract-free.

Filed under: Wireless

T-Mobile webConnect available today, carrier's first 3G modem originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 25 Mar 2009 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: OnLive gaming demonstrated live, network latency discussed

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/25/video-onlive-streaming-game-demonstrated/

After yesterday's announcement, we've all wanted a first-hand look at OnLive's gaming performance. Can Steve Perlman, the creator of QuickTime and WebTV, really "change the landscape of the Games industry" using OnLive's new interactive video compression algorithm? Latency through the algorithm is just 1-ms instead of the 0.5- to 0.75-second lag inherent in conventional compression algorithms used in corporate video conferencing solutions, for example. While OnLive's backend servers do the heavy crunching, pretty much any PC or Mac has the power to decompress the video at what's perceived to be real-time. As Steve puts it, "video is trivial for us now." The demo starts at about 10 minutes into the video and looks damn impressive running on a Dell Studio 15 (16 minutes in) -- yes, it runs Crysis. Controlled yes, but very, very promising. See for yourself in the video after the break.

P.S. Don't forget to sign up for the Beta starting this summer.

Update: During the Q&A, the very real concern of network latency was raised (35:20 into the video). Perlman said that OnLive will work with a data center that is about 1,000 miles away from DSL or cable connections (probably 1,500 miles away with fiber). OnLive data centers already exist on the left and right coasts in the US with a 3rd coming on-line in the mid-west. When streamed to gamers in Australia "just for fun," OnLive found that "you can kind of play the game, but you see the lag."

Continue reading Video: OnLive gaming demonstrated live, network latency discussed

Filed under: Gaming

Video: OnLive gaming demonstrated live, network latency discussed originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 25 Mar 2009 05:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fallon Launches 'Life-streaming' Tool: Skimmer @bmorrissey - http://ping.fm/ooKXm

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

the greater efficiency of "digital" advertising means the overall advertising "pie" will shrink (less waste) - http://ping.fm/qA4WF

for every dollar taken out of traditional advertising, 50 cents or less will be put back into "digital" - the overall advertising "pie" will shrink - http://ping.fm/qA4WF

Monday, March 23, 2009

What the iPhone Has Needed All Along is Coming: Sparkle, A 3D Virtual World [IPhone Apps]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/dHbyjLNAbic/what-the-iphone-has-needed-all-along-is-coming-sparkle-a-3d-virtual-world

A company called Genkii is hoping to rope a chunk of the 40-million worldwide web-connected phones and iTouches into a new 3D avatar-based virtual world, Sparkle. Too bad virtual worlds died around 4 years ago.

Genkii appear to have had Sparkle in the works for quite some time, but they must have spat out whatever drink they were drinking at the time when Apple announced their inter-app micro-commerce structure for iPhone 3.0, which is perfectly tailored to Second Life's "pay 65 cents, increase penis length by 200%" mini economy.

Currently, Genkii has a $5 IM app in the App Store that ties into your Second Life IM account. They hope to expand their actual standalone virtual world later this year, preserving the ability to tie into pre-existing worlds like Second Life and Playstation Home.

If there is anyone out there who can't wait to get a mini avatar on their iPhone, buy it clothes and an apartment, and seek out other mini avatars to IM with, forgive my skepticism. But I think Sparkle has missed the boat by about a half decade. We'll see what happens. [TechCrunch]

ASUS CEO: Fold / Unfold laptop will cost between $1,000 and $1,500

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/21/asus-ceo-fold-unfold-laptop-will-cost-between-1-000-and-1-5/

We had already heard that ASUS' Fold / Unfold laptop concept -- which we originally spotted at CES in January -- would be shipping later this year, but that little fact just got a lot more official. In an interview with TechRadar, ASUS CEO Jerry Shen confessed that this very machine would be shipping in the September to October time frame, and that the end-user price would be "somewhere between $1,000 and $1,500." Just make sure we're not stuck with integrated graphics and we'll be pleased as punch, okay Jerry?

[Via Notebook Choice]

Filed under: Laptops

ASUS CEO: Fold / Unfold laptop will cost between $1,000 and $1,500 originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 21 Mar 2009 18:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Scientists purportedly improve blue OLED efficiency by 25%

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/23/scientists-purportedly-improve-blue-oled-efficiency-by-25/

The holy grail of OLED is upon us. With scientists around the world working to improve efficiency of the short-lived blue OLED in order to better align with lifespans of the green and red counterparts, a team from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory has reportedly taken a huge leap in solving the whole thing. These gurus have conjured up new host materials for a blue phosphorescent OLED that's at least 25 percent more efficient than existing blue OLEDs, but regrettably, details beyond that are few and far between. Word on the street has it that PNNL scientists are expected to gather and discuss the findings before heading to a meeting of the American Chemical Society later this spring, and we'll be crossing our fingers that whatever they've found is both a) cheap and b) easily implementable.

[Via OLED-Display]

Filed under: Displays, HDTV

Scientists purportedly improve blue OLED efficiency by 25% originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 23 Mar 2009 03:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung's NC310 netbook with claimed 11-hour battery

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/23/samsungs-nc310-netbook-with-claimed-11-hour-battery/

Oh look, a "new" netbook. New on the outside anyway. Within, Samsung's NC310 offers the typical 1GB of memory, 10.1-inch LCD, 160GB disk, 5-hour battery, 802.11b/g WiFi, 1.3-megapixel camera, HSDPA data, and WiBRO (mobile WiMAX) too if you live in SoKo. A claimed 11-hour enhanced battery is certainly intriguing and perhaps Sammy's got a surprise or two in store with the unannounced processor, graphics, and price when the NC310 goes global "pretty soon," according to Akihabara News. Available in teal and mauve because country kitchens motifs never go out of style.

Filed under: Laptops

Samsung's NC310 netbook with claimed 11-hour battery originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 23 Mar 2009 05:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung's NC10 successor, the N110, announced and reviewed

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/23/samsungs-nc10-successor-the-n110-announced-and-reviewed/

Samsung's NC10 successor, the N110, announced and reviewed

There's nothing like a little surprise to get the week off on the right foot, so thanks to Samsung for getting us rolling by sneaking a successor to its venerable NC10 netbook straight into the willing hands of Laptop Magazine, where it was stealthily given the full review treatment. From what we can tell this new N110 is mainly a style refresh, offering the same keyboard 1.6GHz Atom N270 processor, memory, and storage of the NC10, as well as the bigger battery and more usable touchpad the company added to the recent special edition -- now clad in a sophisticated, red-rimmed, matte exterior. With battery life topping eight hours in real-world usage, and a price of $469, this one picks up where its predecessor left off and seems like a good choice for those who want a little more style with their netbooking -- or who are too impatient to wait for the NC20.

Filed under: Laptops

Samsung's NC10 successor, the N110, announced and reviewed originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 23 Mar 2009 07:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Saturday, March 21, 2009

Stealth's latest fanless mini PC: the Core 2 Duo-powered LPC-625F

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/21/stealths-latest-fanless-mini-pc-the-core-2-duo-powered-lpc-625/

Not that we're far removed from Stealth's last fanless mini PC, but hey, there's no harm in having options, right? The company's latest, dubbed the LPC-625F, is a 7.9- x 7.9- x 2.4-inch machine that somehow houses a 2.26GHz Core 2 Duo processor, up to 4GB of RAM, your choice of 2.5-inch HDD or SSD, integrated Intel graphics, gigabit Ethernet and a surprisingly plentiful array of ports including HDMI, four USB 2.0, RS-232 and DVI. The stock configuration sits at $1,595, but it doesn't take too many tweaks to cross the two large mark.

Gallery: Stealth's latest fanless mini PC: the Core 2 Duo-powered LPC-625F

Filed under: Desktops

Stealth's latest fanless mini PC: the Core 2 Duo-powered LPC-625F originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 21 Mar 2009 16:53:00 EST. Please see o! ur terms for use of feeds.

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MSI rolls out R4600 HDMI GPU series for HTPC builders

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/21/msi-rolls-out-r4600-hdmi-gpu-series-for-htpc-builders/

We won't say the homegrown HTPC is making a comeback or anything, but shortly after Lian-Li laid out a new pair of cases, in flies MSI with a new duo of media PC-centric video cards. The R4600 series is comprised of the R4650 and R4670 (ATI), both of which are available in 512MB of 1GB flavors. Aside from boasting an all-too-useful HDMI port, these cards also support 7.1-channel audio output for use with internal Blu-ray drives, and the design is such that they won't infringe on any other nearby PCIe cards. Per usual, MSI left us hanging with respect to pricing and availability, but we're going out on a limb and expecting these to be totally reasonable.

Filed under: Media PCs, Peripherals

MSI rolls out R4600 HDMI GPU series for HTPC builders originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 21 Mar 2009 09:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Slender Asus Eee 1008HA Priced at Â£359 [NetBooks]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/0NFtYN55M2M/slender-asus-eee-1008ha-priced-at-359

We don't have North American pricing for the thin and light Asus Eee 1008HA, but we do know it's European price of £359 (or about $500). So...would you? [Electricpig via Slashgear]

Apple Leaks Announcement of 17-inch iMac at $899 [IMac]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/lBWpM01ZUWw/apple-leaks-announcement-of-17+inch-imac-at-899

Apple's own education site seems to have leaked news of a "new" 17-inch iMac, coming in at $899. Apple's official store still only has 20s and 24s. [Setteb.it via Apple Lounge]

Dell Adamo hands-on and video unboxing

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/20/dell-adamo-hands-on-and-video-unboxing/

While we had a look at an early version of the Adamo at CES, we've finally gotten a chance to unwrap one from its ultra-sexy packaging and take it for a little spin. In hand, the laptop is thinner and lighter than most of this size, though it isn't quite as svelte as the Air. Its real competitor, however, appears to be the X301. We'll be doing a full review in the near future, but for now, enjoy the gallery below, and check out our video unboxing after the break.

Gallery: Dell Adamo video hands-on

Continue reading Dell Adamo hands-on and video unboxing

Filed under: Laptops

Del! l Adamo hands-on and video unboxing originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Mar 2009 17:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HABEY's second 1080p-boasting, N270-powered mini HTPC brings along video proof

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/21/habeys-second-1080p-boasting-n270-powered-mini-htpc-brings-alo/

Following up on its impressive debut earlier this month, HABEY's unveiled the BIS-6540HD mini HTPC that, like its 6550 counterpart, is capable of running an impressive 1080p signal with a 1.6GHz Intel Atom N270 processor -- special thanks go to its HD hardware decoder for that feat. The fanless unit also features up to 2GB of DDR2 RAM, eight USB ports, a built-in CF socket, two SATA II ports with SSD support, DVI and VGA outputs, ethernet, and options for wireless and HD TV tuner. No word on pricing or availability, but it looks like it's being marketed as an OEM product and we suspect it'll cost more than a pretty penny. Check out the video after the break to see it rocking Planet Earth on Blu-ray.

Continue reading HABEY's second 1080p-boasting, N270-powered mini HTPC brings along video proof

Filed under: Media PCs

HABEY's second 1080p-boasting, N270-powered mini HTPC brings along video proof originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 21 Mar 2009 06:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Friday, March 20, 2009

Sony Ericsson Sales Drop By Almost Half in One Quarter [Financiapocalypse]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/Kv9IWvjeGrM/sony-ericsson-sales-drop-by-almost-half-in-one-quarter

Sony Ericsson, the world's 4th biggest handset maker, has reported a titanic sales decrease of almost 50% in just a few months. This is a bad thing, you see.

Reuters slapped a scary headline on this story, but it couldn't really be described as sensational. As much a terrifying portent of electronics companies' coming year as it is an indicator of the company's especially sorry state, this announcement is particularly gruesome when you consider that, unlike Palm, they don't even have an escape plan in place, or even a substantive smartphone line—one of the few areas that is expected to grow over the coming months. [Reuters]

Intel's Leaked Z550 Atom Processor For Netbooks/MIDs Reaches 2GHz [Processors]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/P-E0H5MHBGg/intels-leaked-z550-atom-processor-for-netbooksmids-reaches-2ghz

Leaks suggest that Intel will be dropping a new single-core Z-series Atom proc that will be the first of the family to reach 2GHz.

Granted, the Z series is the slightly lower-powered single-core chips intended for MIDs, but it's not ridiculous to assume these could find their way into a low-cost netbook or two. The new chips use the same 2.4W as the previous 1.86GHz version, allowing them to be used in the exact same thermal conditions.

Also leaked was an ultra-low-power 1.2GHz Atom, the Z515, that uses only 1.4W of power at full-speed, and just 0.65W when scaled back to 800MHz. This means it could almost be used in a cellphone. [HKEPC (translated) via Electronista]

Cell Stickies: How People With No Friends Get Text Messages [IPhone]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/VtRnj1_ky50/cell-stickies-how-people-with-no-friends-get-text-messages

I can only imagine these acetate stickers (a mere concept, sadly) of the iPhone's friendly SMS overlay being used to prank someone. But what a prank it would be. [Fiona Carswell via OhGizmo]

iTunes HD Movies Won't Play on Older Non-HDCP Monitors [ITunes]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/PVJ_yN-UrUU/itunes-hd-movies-wont-play-on-older-non+hdcp-monitors

If you dropped $20 on an HD movie from iTunes since they came out yesterday, but have a newer Mac and an older external display, you might not be able to watch it.

That's because iTunes HD movies require that you have an HDCP-compliant external display. High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection is designed to prevent video from being copied as it moves across digital video interfaces. So, as iLounge points out, if you're using a Cinema Display older than Apple's 24-inch LED model (or any older DVI or VGA monitor, basically), you're screwed if you have it hooked up to a newer, HDCP-loving Mac. You just get a black box where the video should be.

It's not the first time HDCP has caused iTunes-related pain. When Apple first started rolling HDCP, they even applied the protections to standard definition content, so a whole bunch of people found out they couldn't play new movies they bought, so Apple wound up pulling back on SD, and everyone forgot about it until yesterday, when you could finally buy HD movies.

One solution iLounge proffers is to transfer the file to one of your older iTunes authorized computers, since Apple doesn't pull the HDCP mojo on them. The other is to play the movie in standard def mode—then it'll play on your monitor, but in crappy standard def.! All tog ether now: HDCP sucks. [iLounge]

BlackBerry Niagara 9630 Gets Groped: "Best BlackBerry Keyboard. Ever. Best Screen. Ever." [Blackberry Niagara 9630]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/OiM-CnEVRa0/blackberry-niagara-9630-gets-groped-best-blackberry-keyboard-ever-best-screen-ever

Boy Genius is the first to hands-on Verizon's incoming BlackBerry Niagara 9630. The initial impressions? The word "best" gets tossed around a lot. It might just be the BlackBerry Verizon customers have been waiting for:

• Best BlackBerry keyboard. Ever.
• Best BlackBerry speakers. Ever.
• Best screen. Ever. (It looks more like glass than crappy plastic)
• Best size/feel. Ever.

Coming from someone who loves BlackBerrys so much he commissioned a customized BlackBerry Bold, them's some hot and heavy words. I am pretty excited about that keyboard myself, since the Bold's is my favorite QWERTY keyboard ever, and the Niagara has the same one, minus the fat ass. [Boy Genius Report]

Nokia E71x arriving at AT&T stores, due out next Tuesday

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/20/nokia-e71x-arriving-at-atandt-stores-due-out-next-tuesday/

Looks like the Nokia E71x is finally about to make its long-awaited entrance on AT&T -- Boy Genius says handsets are starting to show up at stores nationwide. If all goes according to plan, this slice of subsidized style will set you back $199 on contract when it launches on March 24 -- a price that sort of makes us wish we'd sprung for that one-day-only $289 unlocked unit on Amazon. Come on, AT&T, at least hit us with that super hot white version, will you?

Filed under: Cellphones

Nokia E71x arriving at AT&T stores, due out next Tuesday originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Mar 2009 11:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Intel's Z5xx series of Atom processors hits 2GHz

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/20/intels-z5xx-series-of-atom-processors-hits-2-0ghz/

Intel's Z5xx series of Atom processors hits 2.0GHz

Intel just got finished telling us how great its Atom Z5xx series of chips were, in flavors ranging from 1.1 to 1.86GHz, and how they only needed a miserly 2.2 watts or less of power. They weren't good enough, apparently, as there are two new members now joining the ranks. First is the Z550, featuring a clock speed of 2GHz while still using less than 2.4 watts. Also new is the more frugal Z515, with a dynamic clock speed ranging between 800MHz and 1.33GHz to suit you whether you're playing Solitare or watching Survivor re-runs. These chips too seem destined for mobile phones and MIDs, but we wouldn't be surprised if Sony releases a (slightly) speedier VAIO P packing a Z550 -- and then refuses to import it to the States.

[Via Pocketables]

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets, Laptops

Intel's Z5xx series of Atom processors hits 2GHz originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Mar 2009 07:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NVIDIA's Adobe-lovin' Quadro CX Pro GPU gets reviewed

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/20/nvidias-adobe-lovin-quadro-cx-pro-gpu-gets-reviewed/

NVIDIA's $2,000 Quadro CX Pro GPU actually does more than just improve one's Creative Suite 4 experience, but for whatever reason, the aforementioned firm has decided to market the card's mastery of Adobe over all else. The hardcore benchmarkers over at HotHardware decided to pop this in and give it a critical look, and while they definitely appreciated the speed gains in Premiere Pro and its performance overall, they never could quite swallow that admittedly huge MSRP. In fact, they reckoned that NVIDIA would've been better off offering this up with a slower clock speed and a smaller sticker, particularly when you consider that CS4 isn't really engineered to fully take advantage of all this horsepower. Reviewers did note that something like this may be entirely more beneficial once CS5 or CS6 emerges, but for now, the card's just a bit ahead of its time (and priced accordingly). Hit the read link for the full spill -- trust us, it's worth the read if you're teetering on dropping two large.

Filed under: Peripherals

NVIDIA's Adobe-lovin' Quadro CX Pro GPU gets reviewed originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Mar 2009 08:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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OPPO BDP-83 universal Blu-ray player hands-on

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/20/oppo-bdp-83-universal-blu-ray-player-hands-on/

Here she is -- the world's very first universal Blu-ray player. Oh sure, we may have heard of Denon's absurdly expensive DVD-A1UD first, but that bad boy just got delayed for a second time over in Japan. OPPO, on the other hand, has managed to push out a few hundred of these BDP-83 decks to brave beta testers across America, and we were fortunate enough to score one. The player came boxed in what was far and away the most elaborate packaging we'd seen for a BD player -- particularly one that's priced at just $499 for the beta users (an MSRP for production units has yet to be finalized).

All the goods you want are here, including Blu-ray Profile 2.0 support, internal decoding of Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio formats, SACD playback and the promise of DVD-Audio compatibility in the future. Upon unboxing the unit, we were pleased with the rigid chassis and felt the design was simple yet classy. The remote seemed accommodating enough, and the port selection 'round back was admirable. We're planning to fire it up this weekend to see just how far along this beta firmware is, but 'til then, hit the gallery below to have a look at what's sure to become a favorite amongst well informed home theater aficionados.

Filed under: Home Entertainment

OPPO BDP-83 universal Blu-ray player hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Mar 2009 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Teens take pictures of space with balloon, Nikon Coolpix camera

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/20/teens-take-pictures-of-space-with-balloon-nikon-coolpix-camera/

The closest most of us 'round here will ever get to outer space is blogging about the Lunar X Prize, so our inner astronauts get rather giddy any time an amateur makes it to the cusp of the gravity well. The above photos were taken by the Meteotek team, a teacher and his four students from the IES La Bisbal school in Catalonia, Spain. The group designed and launched a balloon kitted out with a Nikon Coolpix and custom built electronics, intending to get some shots at 30,000 feet. Well exceeding their expectations, the $80 digicam (held aloft by a $60 latex balloon) reached over 100,000 feet, at which point it lost inflation and fell to the earth. As the balloon rose, the team was able to map its progress using Google Earth via the craft's on-board radio receiver. After it fell back to earth, the group "travelled 10km to find the sensors and photographic card," said one of the students, "which was still emitting its signal, even though it had been exposed to the most extreme conditions."

[Via Switched]

Filed under: Science

Teens take pictures of space with balloon, Nikon Coolpix camera originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Mar 2009 12:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mercury In-Line Skates Let You Glide On a Shock-Absorbed Cushion Of Air [Skating]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/9KzNkQjlisc/mercury-in+line-skates-let-you-glide-on-a-shock+absorbed-cushion-of-air

Designed for ~~Ronald McDonald~~ optimum comfort, these Mercury in-line skates feature a shock system to minimize vibration, a removable calf plate and an air cushioned interior for an optimum fit.

The result would be less wear-and-tear on the joints, better ankle support and a ride so smooth that it is almost like true ice skating. I haven't attempted in-line skating since the mid 90's, but I would be willing to strap into some of these if they ever went into production (with a different color scheme of course). [Pouyan Mokhtarani via Tuvie via DVICE]

Gmail Lets You Take Back Sent Messages, Gets Built-in YouTube, Flickr and Yelp Previews [Gmail]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/X3tuOLNpg90/gmail-lets-you-take-back-sent-messages-gets-built+in-youtube-flickr-and-yelp-previews

Everyday, Gmail makes desktop mail clients feel a little more dated. The latest Labs features now preview stuff from YouTube (no more Rickrolling??), Flickr, Picasa and Yelp, and you can undo sending regrettable email.

Undo send, sadly, only has a five-second window to take it back (you can boost it to 10), so you better have excellent reflexes. Previews work a lot like the image preview you're used to. Here's the YouTube preview in action: [Gmail Blog, Cnet]

Lasers Become Weapons Grade For the First Time Ever [Lasers]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/pbOz2r9vQ0Y/lasers-become-weapons-grade-for-the-first-time-ever

Northrop Grumman just made a laser that measures 105 kilowatts, just north of the 100 kilowatt bar that defense researchers have called the weapons grade cutoff. Pew pew indeed.

Wired's Danger Room says that this won't be like Star Wars' blasters or Star Trek's phasers, but it can shoot "mortars and rockets" in war zones now. Two problems left to solve before we can start using lasers full time: how to dissipate heat and how to get them small enough to be practical. [Wired - Photo courtesy Northrop Grumman]

Rumored Toyota Hybrid Sportscar is Prius-based [Cars]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/ddgZ4mINWMo/rumored-toyota-hybrid-sportscar-is-prius+based

The thing that's always kept me from wanting a hybrid car is that they aren't all that fast. And the ones that are fast cost too much money. That might change with Toyota's MR2 Hybrid.

The rumored MR2 Hybrid is said to be built around the Prius design, but would go 0-60 in under 7 seconds and come equipped with paddle shifters. Jalopnik thinks that the engine would be similar to the FT-HS's 3.5-liter, V6 Hybrized innards from a few of years ago. The price? Supposedly it's would only be around $24,000. I think I'm starting to get hot flashes. [Auto Express via Jalopnik]

These Carbon Nanotube Muscles Are 30 Times Stronger Than Human Muscles [Man Vs Machine]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/5oL-zlmCyHk/these-carbon-nanotube-muscles-are-30-times-stronger-than-human-muscles

These next gen carbon nanotube muscles have "diamond-like" stiffness side to side, but are as flexible as rubber when moved perpendicularly. When voltage is applied to the structures, they contract with a pulling force 30 times the force per unit of human muscles.

They're also quicker. A human's muscle fibers can contract 10% per second, but these can contract 40,000 percent.

I had no idea synthetic muscles materials have come so far. A few years ago, when I was covering JPL's robotic arm wrestling challenge for Wired, the materials had a fraction of the potential of organic muscles. [Wired]

Xandros' instant-on Presto Linux distro now available for download-o

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/19/xandros-instant-on-presto-linux-distro-now-available-for-downlo/

It looks like those itching to try out Xandros' instant-on Presto Linux distribution needn't linger in drawn out boot processes any longer, as the beta version of the OS is now finally available for download from all the usual sources. Unlike some other instant-on OS environments, Presto is designed to sit alongside Windows rather than replace it entirely, with it giving you the option of selecting Windows or Presto each time you boot your computer. If you select the latter, you should be up and running in just "seconds," and have access to all of the apps you likely use 90% of the time. Just don't expect a free ride if you find yourself getting attached to the OS, as the final version is set to demand (an entirely reasonable) $20 when it launches on April 13th.

Filed under: Desktops, Laptops

Xandros' instant-on Presto Linux distro now available for download-o originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 19 Mar 2009 14:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Microsoft: 'Second Light is not the next version of Surface'

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/19/microsoft-second-light-is-not-the-next-version-of-surface/

It's official, kids: Responding to numerous reports in the media as of late, Microsoft would like to squash the rumor that Second Light is the next generation Surface. The blog entry doesn't shed too much light on SL, other than stating that it's an "awesome" research project, one that "showcases the possibilities of the surface computing platform." Surface is due to come out sometime in 2011 (unless, of course, you buy the yacht -- in which case you need only wait until this June). If you just can't get enough of Second Light, we've stashed a video for you after the break.

[Via About Projectors]

Continue reading Microsoft: 'Second Light is not the next version of Surface'

Filed under: Displays

Microsoft: 'Second Light is not the next version of Surface' originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 19 Mar 2009 15:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LG teams with Kodak for future OLED devices

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/19/lg-teams-with-kodak-for-future-oled-devices/

Details are still sparse, but Wired has it that LG Electronics has just inked a deal with OLED mainstay Kodak in order to use the latter's technology in all sorts of future devices. For those unaware, Kodak's actually been dabbling in OLED for ages now, though it rarely offers up dedicated products in order to take credit. Reportedly, LG could bake Kodak's OLED magic into devices such as mobile phones, televisions and digital photo frames, though we suspect LG has a few other out-of-the-box widgets planned as well. As much as we love the idea of an OLED watch phone, what we're really clamoring for is a big screen Scarlet with an OLED panel. Let's make it happen, alright folks?

[Via OLED-Display]

Filed under: Displays, HDTV, Home Entertainment

LG teams with Kodak for future OLED devices originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 19 Mar 2009 15:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple adds HD video purchases to the iTunes Store

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/19/apple-adds-hd-video-purchases-to-the-itunes-store/

Apple's flood of announcements this month continues apace today with the addition of high-def movie purchases to the iTunes Store. Although HD TV shows were previously available to buy, HD movies were rental-only until now. HD flicks will cost you $19.99, and we're guessing they're the same H.264 compressed 720p quality as usual, so videophiles will probably want to stick to Blu-ray. Purchases will come with both an HD file and an iPod / iPhone-ready SD file, which is a nice touch, and Apple's also promising that HD rentals will now be on the store within 30 days of retail release -- better, but not perfect. It's all going live today with exclusive pre-orders of Quantum of Solace and Twilight, but honestly, we're still wondering when Apple will implement subscription video and really take it to Netflix.

Filed under: Home Entertainment

Apple adds HD video purchases to the iTunes Store originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 19 Mar 2009 17:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Elgato ships 1080p-friendly Turbo.264 HD video conversion dongle

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/19/elgato-ships-1080p-friendly-turbo-264-hd-video-conversion-dongle/

Remember that brilliant Turbo.264 video conversion dongle that shipped like, two whole years ago? Yeah, it's successor has just hit the streets, and it's as ready as ever for 1080p content. The predictably titled Elgato Turbo.264 HD plugs directly into one's Mac and converts files up to 1080p (from camcorders, digital cameras, etc.) into files that are perfectly formatted for iPods, PSPs or other media players. The bundled software also lets users preview and trim video clips before converting, and it saves folks the time and hassle of importing into iMovie, learning commands, rendering and exporting. Reportedly, a video that would take an hour to convert to an iPod-friendly file takes just 15 minutes with this here dongle, and if that's worth $149.95 to you, you're one click away from brightening your own day.

[Via Electricpig]

Filed under: Peripherals, Portable Video

Elgato ships 1080p-friendly Turbo.264 HD video conversion dongle originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 19 Mar 2009 18:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple to partner with LG on OLED-equipped iPhone, netbook?

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/19/apple-to-partner-with-lg-on-oled-equipped-iphone-netbook/

A new rumor from SmartHouse is making the rounds today, with alleged sources claiming LG has partnered with Apple to make OLED displays for a new iPhone and iPod touch, a Taiwan-manufactured netbook that's reportedly already in working prototype stage, and a device with a wafer-thin screen that would link wirelessly to a content-providing box similar to Apple TV. Sure, some of that makes sense, but let's add a good bit of context here. This article in question was written by SmartHouse veteran David Richards, who in the past has brought us such winners as PlayStation 4 launching in 2008, a Xbox 360 equipped with HD DVD, and our favorite, Apple producing its own soap opera series exclusively for the iPod. We're not saying the Apple-LG partnership is entirely out of the realm of possibility, but this guy doesn't exactly have the best track record. Furthermore, this doesn't jibe with two separate reports from Dow Jones Newswire and Commercial Times / DigiTimes that Quanta is providing the screens for an upcoming Apple netbook launching in Q3. Lastly, with today's announcement that LG is licensing Kodak's OLED technology for future devices, we get the feeling the company isn't the best suited to meet Cupertino's demands. Seems like this week's barrage of Apple news has gotten to people's heads, honestly -- keep a sharp eye!

[Thanks, everyone; image courtesy of Frunny]

Read - Re! port on Apple / LG OLED partnership
Read - Articles from David Richards

Filed under: Cellphones, Laptops, Portable Audio, Portable Video

Apple to partner with LG on OLED-equipped iPhone, netbook? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 19 Mar 2009 19:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New SMM exploit targets Intel CPU caching vulnerability

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/19/new-smm-exploit-targets-intel-cpu-caching-vulnerability/

This one delves pretty deep into head-scratching territory, but it looks like the folks at Invisible Things Lab have discovered an exploit that could open the door to some potentially serious attacks on certain Intel CPUs paired with some popular motherboards. Of course, the exploit that they've actually released is completely harmless, but it demonstrates that the CPU cache can be "poisoned" to let folks read and write into the otherwise protected SMRAM memory. As NetworkWorld notes, that could lead to some more nefarious folks developing a SMM rootkit, which would be all the more perilous considering that the user of the infected computer would have no way of detecting the attack. For its part, Intel is apparently well aware of the problem, and it has already fixed the vulnerability on some newer boards like the DQ45, but others still in widespread use (like the DQ35 pictured above) have seemingly been left hanging waiting for a fix of some sort.

[Via Network World, thanks Andrew]

Filed under: Desktops

New SMM exploit targets Intel CPU caching vulnerability originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 19 Mar 2009 20:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ASUS W90 gaming laptop gets put through its paces, 'raises the bar'

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/19/asus-w90-gaming-laptop-gets-put-through-its-paces-raises-the-b/

Suffice it to say that Computer Shopper was really really into that ASUS W90Vp-X1 gaming notebook that popped up on Newegg recently. This nearly 12 pound behemoth, the reviewer exclaims, not only sets "new 3D-graphics and productivity-speed records," but its 18.4-inch (1,920 x 1,080) LCD is "gorgeous," sporting "incredible color quality and wide viewing angles." Also singled out for praise was the Turbo Gear app that lets you overclock the machine by as much as 17 percent (for speeds up to 3.28GHz) and a "robust" 4.1 speaker sound system. Of course, any machine will have a few quibbles, although in this case they seem to be relatively minor: no Blu-ray (though it's supposed to become available at some point in the future) and a 2 megapixel webcam with "grainy" image quality (although "it's more than adequate for Skyping and chatting"). But that ain't all -- hit the read link for all the lurid details, including the hair-raising results of the Company of Heroes DirectX 9 test (spoiler: the word "blistering" was used).

Filed under: Laptops

ASUS W90 gaming laptop gets put through its paces, 'raises the bar' originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 19 Mar 2009 20:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toshiba's auxiliary speaker cancels noise from main speaker

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/19/toshibas-auxiliary-speaker-cancels-noise-from-main-speaker/

Er, something like that. Reportedly, Toshiba has conjured up some sort of newfangled technology that's able to more accurately reproduce sound by using a noise canceling auxiliary speaker. Specifically, the tech utilizes "sound from an auxiliary speaker to eliminate noise generated from the main speaker," and in case your wild guess wasn't good enough, it relies on "opposite-phase sound waves generated from the auxiliary speaker attached to the main speaker" to make it all happen. We know, our head is spinning just as fast as yours here, and it's all the more difficult to comprehend without an actual product to demonstrate. That said, Tosh is planning to conduct research and development in order to implement this into its own products, so hopefully we'll be seeing something a touch more tangible real soon.

Filed under: Home Entertainment

Toshiba's auxiliary speaker cancels noise from main speaker originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 19 Mar 2009 21:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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