Dr. Augustine Fou's Online Scrapbook

Monday, May 18, 2009

Microsoft's Virtual WiFi will make Windows 7 wireless adapters do a double-take

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/18/microsofts-virtual-wifi-will-make-windows-7-wireless-adapters-d/

Microsoft's Virtual WiFi will make Windows 7 wireless adapters do a double-take

It's been a long, long time since Microsoft Research first released its findings on Virtual WiFi, or VWiFi, technology that would allow a single wireless network adapter to act like two, two, two NICs in one. Now that innovation is finally ready for the big show: inclusion in Windows 7 -- or at least some flavors of it. The tech lets one piece of WiFi hardware be represented in Windows as two separate adapters, meaning you can connect to two hotspots simultaneously if you like, or turn your virtual device into an access point that others can connect to. Apparently this functionality is indeed included in the latest release candidate, but as there are no drivers currently supporting this feature it's not enabled. Expect the driver situation to change very soon, and expect hotel fee-based wireless internet access companies to start crying foul not long after.

Filed under: Wireless

Microsoft's Virtual WiFi will make Windows 7 wireless adapters do a double-take originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 18 May 2009 08:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Android build for upcoming HTC Hero has revamped interface, social networking?

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/18/android-build-for-upcoming-htc-hero-has-revamped-interface-inhe/

This one's a bit of a mystery, but it's certainly a tantalizing one: Haykuro of xdadevelopers fame has posted video of what purports to be the Android build off of HTC's upcoming Hero device. What's special about it is a reworked interface, which shows a lot of polish from icons to built-in apps to general interface elements... and maybe just a bit of TouchFLO flair. There are also new features like a login / logout menu for "social networks" in the settings menu. While the device lists the firmware as 1.5, there's a small possibility that some of this new look and feel could be headed for Android 2.0 "Donut," or perhaps HTC just feels like it needs to diverge from the pack a bit now that other manufacturers are starting to drop their own Android handsets. Check out the incredibly epic video after the break.

[Via Android Central]

Continue reading Android build for upcoming HTC Hero has revamped interface, social networking?

Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds

Android build for upcoming HTC Hero has revamped interface, social networking? originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 18 May 2009 09:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Prototype OCZ Z-Drive PCI-Express SSD splayed, scoped out

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/18/prototype-ocz-z-drive-pci-express-ssd-splayed-scoped-out/

Mmm, PCI-Express-based SSD storage. Be honest, is there anything more delicious? The camera-wielding cats over at Hot Hardware managed to climb behind the scenes at OCZ Technology and snap a bevy of shots of the outfit's highly anticipated Z-Drive in prototype form, and while the device doesn't look all that different than the press shots we peeked last month, there seems to be some ways yet to go before this bad boy's available for purchase. At any rate, the innards look about as you'd expect 'em to, with loads of green PCB littered about with oodles of ultra-speedy flash storage. The drive pictured above is actually a 512GB version with a single 4-pin molex power connector and an X4 PCI-e slot, and it benched at upwards of 500MB/sec during read tests and 400MB/sec on write tests. Check the read link for a closer look -- just don't forget to prep the drool rag before heading over.

Filed under: Storage

Prototype OCZ Z-Drive PCI-Express SSD splayed, scoped out originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 18 May 2009 08:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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RT @amklaassen: Twitter accounted for 15% of a day's revenue for local pizza shop http://tinyurl.com/rdz7kj - #twitterROI

Acer's Aspire One D250, 751h now on sale in North America

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/18/acers-aspire-one-d250-751h-now-on-sale-in-north-america/

Acer's 11.6-inch, WXGA Aspire 751h-1192 and 10.6-inch, WSVGA D250-1042 are nothing new around these parts, but now the company's officially priced the units and put up the "on sale" sign. Looks like both models are sporting the corner-placed VGA port as well as the usual netbook specs like a 160GB HDD, up to 2GB RAM, a three or six cell battery, 802.11b/g, GMA 950 integrated graphics, webcam, and Windows XP Service Pack 3. Both have a 1.6GHz Intel Atom N270, but the 751h can swap it out for a 1.22GHz Atom Z520 instead. The larger screen portable's also got a mult-gesture trackpad and a slightly heavier body -- 2.75 pounds vs. 2.44. Starting prices are $298 and $380 for the D250 / 751h, respectively, with your choice of Diamond Black, Ruby Red, Sapphire Blue or Seashell White for colors. Full press release after the break.

Gallery: Acer's Aspire One D250, 751h now on sale in North America

Continue reading Acer's Aspire One D250, 751h now on sale in North America

Filed under: Laptops

Acer's Aspire One D250, 751h now on sale in North America originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 18 May 2009 04:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sunday, May 17, 2009

Wolfram Alpha Fail Is Appropriately Nerdy [Fail]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/30QoOJlJ3Vg/wolfram-alpha-fail-is-appropriately-nerdy

Wolfram Alpha, the dorktastic computational search engine, got off to a bit of a rocky start when it launched last night. At least its first fail message had the foresight to include a HAL reference.

As it's an alpha, we're not too bothered that it's run into some overload problems. Hey, at least people are using it, right? But be warned, Wolfie: A pithy error message can only charm us for so long. [via Twitter]

LG enV Touch (Voyager 2) Will Contain Many Ubiquitous Cellphone Features [Cellphones]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/BAEzawId04w/lg-env-touch-voyager-2-will-contain-many-ubiquitous-cellphone-features

We got a quick, blurry look at LG's upcoming enV Touch (aka Voyager 2) in April, and now we have the specs for this ho-hum handset:

- dual WVGA touchscreen displays
- full-QWERTY keypad
- stereo speakers
- Bluetooth
- microSDHC support
- 3.2 megapixel camera with auto-focus, flash and Schneider-Kreuznach lens

Don't get excited about release dates, because there aren't any in the stack of user manual images whence these vanilla specs came. [Phonearena BGR]

Casio EX-FS10 reviewed, slides 1000 fps capture into the back pocket of your mom jeans

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/16/casio-ex-fs10-reviewed-slides-1000-fps-capture-into-the-back-po/

Casio's really blown out the feature list on the EX-FS10, and now PhotographyBLOG has taken the compact fashioncam through its paces. Sadly, like many modern compacts, straight up image quality is a bit scarce here, with obvious noise at ISO 200 and up, no optical image stabilization, and not even the silly 12 megapixel extravagance of its counterparts to blame it on -- the EX-FS10 shoots 9 megapixel stills. The HD and slow-motion video recording is also severely hampered by a lack of zoom during shooting, bad sound, and the oversized AVI format. Still, the camera is incredibly well built, very slim, and it can pull off some really wild feats -- 720p might be growing increasingly common, but 1000 fps slow motion, burst mode for stills and pre-record shutter lag adjustment make the FS10 quite unique in its category. It's obviously a tradeoff, but at least there's some good news: while the camera was supposedly slated to retail at around $450, it's hovering pretty close to $300 at the moment.

Filed under: Digital Cameras

Casio EX-FS10 reviewed, slides 1000 fps capture into the back pocket of your mom jeans originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 16 May 2009 18:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Intel presentation promises Medfield-based smartphones by 2011

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/17/intel-presentation-promises-medfield-based-smartphones-by-2011/

We've been hearing about Intel's Medfield processor for some time now, but much of the talk so far has been about it being an Atom-replacement for netbooks and MIDs. A seemingly recent Intel presentation obtained by the folks at UMPC Portal is now shedding a bit more light on the matter, however, and it's looking like smartphones could actually be at the heart of Intel's long-term plans. As you can see above, and in the complete presentation at the link below, Intel sees its base of devices getting larger and larger as its processors get smaller and more power-efficient, and it looks like "mainstream smartphones" could become a reality as soon as 2011. That's due largely to the 32nm manufacturing process used for the smaller Medfield processor, which also makes uses a smaller board size that leaves more room for keypads, batteries and whatnot. Of course, we are still talking about Intel predicting the state of devices two years out, so who knows how things will shake out in the interim.

Filed under: Cellphones

Intel presentation promises Medfield-based smartphones by 2011 originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 17 May 2009 19:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Saturday, May 16, 2009

TiltShift Makes Your Photos Look Like Miniatures [Photography]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/hI4CG99bxKU/tiltshift-makes-your-photos-look-like-miniatures

Web site and Adobe AIR application TiltShift gives your photos a tilt-shift photography effect that normally requires expensive special lenses or Photoshop chops.

We've actually featured a similar service once before, but TiltShift is a much better tool, offering more advanced features and more control. As Jason pointed out last time we talked about tilt-shift photography: "Tilt-shift lenses start at $1200'ish and only rise in cost from there. Most people won't be running out to buy a lens that expensive for a little hobbyist fun." So true. Moreover, tilt-shift photography isn't exclusively used for the miniature effect; you can transform photographs of any kind with TiltShift and get amazing results.

TiltShift works either on its web page (where it's Flash-based), or you can download TiltShift for free as an Adobe AIR application (meaning it'll run on Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux).

TiltShift [via RefreshingApps]

The Full-Screen Firefox Cloud Desktop [Featured Desktop]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/Wuh-JsPpqPg/the-full+screen-firefox-cloud-desktop

Reader cain novocain took the experimental Firefox Desktop extension and made it his real desktop, an interesting idea for those that spend all their time in the cloud.

The desktop, explained in his own words:

Using Lifehacker featured Firefox extension Desktop as my REAL desktop at the moment. It really made me think again about the Cloud operating system we've heard so much about. A peaceful middle ground would be great. Its wonderful! The second thumbnail from the bottom right is the CTA Bus Tracker that allows me to track mass transit in Chicago, specificly, my bus, just by hitting the refresh button.

I also altered the Pidgin.exe and .dll files to use the eclipse_2 PNG Chat icon instead of the ugly Pidgin available icon for the taskbar (Done with IcoFX)

Also using Start Killer, StandaloneStack, Powermenu (for light transparency) and Dropbox.

The result might not be for everybody, but it's an interesting idea and a great way to bridge the gap between a desktop machine and all your web-based applications. Great job, cain novocain!

Want to see your desktop featured here? Once you've created your ow! n beauti fully tweaked (and hopefully productive) desktop, post it over in the Lifehacker Desktop Show and Tell Flickr Group complete with a description of the programs and tweaks you used (and preferably links as well!), and we just might feature it here.

Full-Screen Firefox Desktop [Flickr]

Voyij Finds Best Deals for Travelers with an Open Calendar [Travel]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/gix5FUiSSlc/voyij-finds-best-deals-for-travelers-with-an-open-calendar

Sometimes your vacations are elaborate, months-long planned excursions. Other times, you just want to get out of Dodge as cheap and quick as possible. Voyij can help with the latter.

Tell Yoyij where you want to leave from and give it a rough time frame to work with. You can also search destinations and departure dates in a truly wide-open style if you're adventurous, or narrow it with parameters like "next weekend" or "June". Once Voyij has the basics, it searches for the best prices for airfare, hotel accommodations, and vacation package deals and brings them back. From there, you can refine the deal search and your whimsical mini-vacation with various filters, as seen in the screenshot above.

If you need more control than Voyij offers, make sure to check out the Hive Five on best travel search engines. Would you use an open-ended search (and a bit of luck) to plan your next vacation? Sound off in the comments below with your desires for adventure or horror at the lack of structured planning.

Amazing Collaborative YouTube Music Project Lets You Control Every Instrument [Music]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/5lwp602Pz8Q/amazing-collaborative-youtube-music-project-lets-you-control-every-instrument

It's difficult to do the In Bb 2.0 project justice in words. Essentially, it's a bunch of YouTube videos that you play at the same time. Let me explain, then go play with it.

The site is a grid of various YouTube videos, each a couple of minutes in length, each showing a musician playing a simple Bb major texture. You can play them in any order using as many as you like, starting some as others stop or having them all go at once. It's remarkable. Seriously, don't take my word for it, go check it out now. You won't be disappointed.

Want to participate? Just make a video of your own going by the guidelines on the site and send it in to be included. This can only get more interesting as more videos are added. [In Bb 2.0 via Anthony King]

Albatron storms back with 10.2-inch ultrathin netbook

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/15/albatron-storms-back-with-10-2-inch-ultrathin-netbook/

Nice timing, Albatron. With the whole world feeling that the time is right to enter the quaint and mysterious realm of "thin and light" netbooks, this just proves that you're totally vibing with money-hungry suits the world over. Truth be told, there's not much we know about the admittedly striking laptop above. It's got a 10.2-inch panel, weighs around 2.2 pounds and packs at least an audio input and output. We're promised that more images and even a video are on the horizon, so hold tight, vaquero.

[Via Slashgear]

Update: Hands-on videos are up! Check it after the break.

Continue reading Albatron storms back with 10.2-inch ultrathin netbook

Filed under: Laptops

Albatron storms back with 10.2-inch ultrathin netbook originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 15 May 2009 11:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nokia and Intel collaborating on new Linux-based phone OS called oFono

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/15/nokia-and-intel-collaborating-on-new-linux-based-phone-os-called/

Between Android and the myriad of LiMo builds out there, we're not sure the world needs another open-source phone operating system, but Nokia and Intel seem to think differently: the two behemoths have joined up to develop oFono, a Linux-based mobile OS for GSM handsets. We don't know many details, but he project seems to be pulling people from both Intel's Moblin initiative and Nokia's Maemo project, and job postings from a "major handset company" searching for a GUI designer in either Dallas or San Jose have appeared, so it sounds like something big is in the works. We'll see.

Read - oFono web site
Read - PhoneDog post about the job listing

Filed under: Cellphones

Nokia and Intel collaborating on new Linux-based phone OS called oFono originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 15 May 2009 13:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fit-PC 2 nettop stays slim, gets an Atom upgrade

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/15/fit-pc-2-nettop-stays-slim-gets-an-atom-upgrade/

The original Fit-PC slim may have been able to proclaim itself the "world's smallest," but with an 500MHz AMD Geode processor and no more than 512MB of RAM, it had a bit of difficulty with the "PC" side of the equation. Fit-PC looks to have gone some way towards improving that with its new Fit-PC 2, however, which matches the current nettop ranks by adding your choice of an Atom Z530 or Z510 processor. Otherwise, you can expect the usual 1GB of RAM, your choice of 2.5-inch SATA hard drive, built-in WiFi, a generous six USB ports, HDMI out, XP or Ubuntu for an OS, and support for full 1,920 x 1,080 resolution. From the looks of it, this one is just starting to roll out now, and will set you back between $245 and $400 depending on the configuration. Still looking for more? Then head on past the break for a quick hands-on video.

Continue reading Fit-PC 2 nettop stays slim, gets an Atom upgrade

Filed under: Desktops

Fit-PC 2 nettop stays slim, gets an Atom upgrade originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 15 May 2009 14:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fujitsu's supercomputer-ready Venus CPU said to be "world's fastest"

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/15/fujitsus-supercomputer-ready-venus-cpu-said-to-be-worlds-fast/

Due to the intrinsic limitations of machine translation, it's hard to say exactly what makes Fujitsu's latest supercomputer the "world's fastest," but we'll hesitantly believe for the time being. We're told that the SPARC64 VIIIfx (codename Venus) can churn through 128 billion calculations per second, which supposedly bests the current champ -- a chip from Intel -- by 2.5 times. An AP report on the matter states that Fujitsu shrunk the size of each central circuit, which in turn doubled the number of circuits per chip. 'Course, this beast won't be ready for supercomputer work for several years yet, giving the chip maker's biggest rivals plenty of time to sabotage its moment in the limelight.

[Via Physorg]

Filed under: Desktops

Fujitsu's supercomputer-ready Venus CPU said to be "world's fastest" originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 15 May 2009 16:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung's MEMS shutter could massively improve high megapixel cameraphones

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/15/samsungs-mems-shutter-could-massively-improve-high-megapixel-ca/

We won't go so far as to say that SE and LG are waiting for this here technology to go commercial -- after all, we're still years (at best) away from that -- but considering that the ninth iteration of your favorite smartphone is likely destined to boast a 453 megapixel camera, we're thrilled to see someone working to make those captures worth looking at. Over in Japan, Sammy is teasing a new MEMS shutter that measures just 2.2 millimeters in diameter and would essentially allow cameraphones to grab blur-free images even with ultra-high megapixel sensors. Feel free to dive into the read link if you're into technobabble; otherwise, just be sure to pay attention in around a decade when this stuff actually has a bearing on your life.

Filed under: Cellphones, Digital Cameras

Samsung's MEMS shutter could massively improve high megapixel cameraphones originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 15 May 2009 19:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Thursday, May 14, 2009

Intel shows Larrabee die shot in Germany, speculators go berserk

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/14/intel-shows-larrabee-die-shot-in-germany-speculators-go-berserk/

It's been right around a century since Intel has provided any sort of hard evidence that Larrabee (a next-gen hybrid CPU / GPU) was more than a figment of anyone's imagination, but thanks to a die shot throw up Will Ferrell-style at the Visual Computing Institute of the Saarland University, we'd say the speculation is definitely back on. Intel's Chief Technology Officer, Justin Rattner, was responsible for the demo, but when PC Perspective pinged the company to inquire further, it suggested that the image we see above may not necessarily be indicative of the final shipping product, but that Larrabee was "healthy and in [its] labs right now." Sweet, so how's about a date in which that statement changes to "in shipping machines right now?" Hmm?

[Via PC Perspective]

Filed under: Desktops, Gaming, Laptops

Intel shows Larrabee die shot in Germany, speculators go berserk originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 14 May 2009 15:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iUnika Gyy netbook weighs 1.5 pounds, will cost $176

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/14/iunika-gyy-netbook-weighs-1-5-pounds-will-cost-176/

Hey, remember the $199 Impulse TNX-9500, the "world's cheapest laptop?" Yeah, it was just the beginning. Say hello to the iUnika Gyy, which manages to shave its price down to €130 ($176) by using a slower 400MHz MIPS processor and ditching that costly XP license for Linux. Yeah, it'll run like a dog. On the other hand, just like the Impulse there's something delightfully appealing about a el-cheapo laptop that weigh just 1.5 pounds, and if the company manages to produce its promised €160 ($220) solar-powered version, we could totally find ourselves picking one up on a whim. We'll see -- it's due in July. One more pic after the break.

[Via Engadget Spanish; images courtesy of hoyTecnología]

Continue reading iUnika Gyy netbook weighs 1.5 pounds, will cost $176

Filed under: Laptops

iUnika Gyy netbook weighs 1.5 pounds, will cost $176 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 14 May 2009 15:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ASUS Eee PC 1008HA 'Seashell' review roundup

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/14/asus-eee-pc-1008ha-seashell-review-roundup/

For those near and dear to ASUS' Eee PC netbook line, the 1008HA 'Seashell' is definitely a breath of fresh air. It doesn't look like an Eee, it doesn't feel like an Eee and it doesn't boast a replaceable battery like an Eee; needless to say, only two of those three facts were lauded by reviewers across the web. Much like Apple's MacBook Air, the battery in this here machine is not user-serviceable, and while tests proved that it could last well over three hours with "normal" use, ASUS has yet to make clear what plans it has for offering replacements. In any case, most everything else about the machine was found to be on par or above, with performance being satisfactory for basic tasks and the keyboard / trackpad being exceptionally yummy. Still, it feels as if ASUS is charging a bit much for a familiar lineup of internals, but those willing to pay for style should definitely take a closer look.

Read - Trusted Reviews ("a very refined and classy netbook")
Read - T3 ("a good all-round package")
Read - CNET UK ("great styling and a relatively light chassis")
Read - Bit-Tech ("definitely worth considering, but looks come at a cost")
Read - WhatLaptop ("a compelling proposition")
Read - PCPro ("If you don't mind paying a premium for fine design, then the Seashell is a tantalizing prospect")

Filed under: Laptops

ASUS Eee PC 1008HA 'Seashell' review roundup originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 14 May 2009 10:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Task.fm Turns Natural Language Commands into Future Reminders [Task Management]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/sTQclCaJZmM/taskfm-turns-natural-language-commands-into-future-reminders

Task.fm is a simple web application that turns your natural language commands into email and SMS reminders.

Task.fm takes commands like "meet with Jim tomorrow" or "Replace fish tank filter in 21 days," and converts those commands into future reminders. The reminders will be emailed or sent to you via SMS. The email reminders are free but the SMS reminders require credits with the service—100 messages cost $8. The fee structure isn't outrageous, but we're in agreement that nothing sounds as good as free.

The language engine does have some shortcomings, as well. It doesn't parse commands like "every other" or "next Monday," which makes it less convenient for creating repeating reminders. Regardless of those language hiccups, Task.fm accepted the majority of our test reminders without a problem. If you have a favored service for generating email or SMS-based reminders, sound off in the comments below.

Task.fm [via Download Squad]

Cheap DIY Wi-Fi Tethering Dongle for Your DSLR [DIY]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/Nj4qBdqKnhM/cheap-diy-wi+fi-tethering-dongle-for-your-dslr

For those who can't afford an $800 wireless transmitter for your camera but need one to quickly transmit photos from your DSLR to your computer, here's a DIY wireless tethering solution that costs under $40.

Using a wireless USB tether—specifically, a Cables Unlimited Wireless Adapter Kit—Peter Tsai, a professor in photography, created an easy and cheap tethering module that supposedly seamlessly worked with his Nikon DSLR. Apparently, it also could transfer photos over Wi-Fi from his camera to his computer even quicker than an official $800 WT-4a transmitter. Although it took slightly longer for the dongle to sync with his computer, once connected, it was reportedly able to transfer photos shot in RAW in eight seconds and JPEG photos in four. Tsai also said you could use Nikon's Camera Control 2 software on your computer to remotely control your camera.

However, Tsai pointed out that this particular hack only works with PCs, and that the particular wireless adapter kit needed a bulky AC power brick for it to work. Although he was able to solder a 4-AAA powerpack to the kit, he says he is still looking to fix the problem, and hopefully create an encasing for his homemade adapter to keep it contained and make it into a camera handgrip. [PeteTek via Wired]

Giz Explains: GPGPU Computing, and Why It'll Melt Your Face Off [Giz Explains]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/QcfmVfYBayQ/giz-explains-gpgpu-computing-and-why-itll-melt-your-face-off

No, I didn't stutter: GPGPU—general-purpose computing on graphics processor units—is what's going to bring hot screaming gaming GPUs to the mainstream, with Windows 7 and Snow Leopard. Finally, everbody's face melts! Here's how.

What a Difference a Letter Makes
GPU sounds—and looks—a lot like CPU, but they're pretty different, and not just 'cause dedicated GPUs like the Radeon HD 4870 here can be massive. GPU stands for graphics processing unit, while CPU stands for central processing unit. Spelled out, you can already see the big differences between the two, but it takes some experts from Nvidia and AMD/ATI to get to the heart of what makes them so distinct.

Traditionally, a GPU does basically one thing, speed up the processing of image data that you end up seeing on your screen. As AMD Stream Computing Director Patricia Harrell told me, they're essentially chains of special purpose hardware designed to accelerate each stage of the geometry pipeline, the process of matching image data or a computer model to the pixels on your screen.

GPUs have a pretty long history—you could go all the way back to the Commodore Amiga, if you wanted to—but we're going to stick to the fairly present. That is, the last 10 years, when Nvidia's Sanford Russell says GPUs starting adding cores to distribute the workload across multiple cores. See, graphics calculations—the calculations needed to figure out what pixel! s to dis play your screen as you snipe someone's head off in Team Fortress 2—are particularly suited to being handled in parallel.

An example Nvidia's Russell gave to think about the difference between a traditional CPU and a GPU is this: If you were looking for a word in a book, and handed the task to a CPU, it would start at page 1 and read it all the way to the end, because it's a "serial" processor. It would be fast, but would take time because it has to go in order. A GPU, which is a "parallel" processor, "would tear [the book] into a thousand pieces" and read it all at the same time. Even if each individual word is read more slowly, the book may be read in its entirety quicker, because words are read simultaneously.

All those cores in a GPU—800 stream processors in ATI's Radeon 4870—make it really good at performing the same calculation over and over on a whole bunch of data. (Hence a common GPU spec is flops, or floating point operations per second, measured in current hardware in terms of gigaflops and teraflops.) The general-purpose CPU is better at some stuff though, as AMD's Harrell said: general programming, accessing memory randomly, executing steps in order, everyday stuff. It's true, though, that CPUs are sprouting cores, looking more and more like GPUs in some respects, as retiring Intel Chairman Craig Barrett told me.

Explosions Are Cool, But Where's the General Part?
Okay, so the thing about parallel processing—using tons of cores to break stuff up and crunch i! t all at once—is that applications have to be programmed to take advantage of it. It's not easy, which is why Intel at this point hires more software engineers than hardware ones. So even if the hardware's there, you still need the software to get there, and it's a whole different kind of programming.

Which brings us to OpenCL (Open Computing Language) and, to a lesser extent, CUDA. They're frameworks that make it way easier to use graphics cards for kinds of computing that aren't related to making zombie guts fly in Left 4 Dead. OpenCL is the "open standard for parallel programming of heterogeneous systems" standardized by the Khronos Group—AMD, Apple, IBM, Intel, Nvidia, Samsung and a bunch of others are involved, so it's pretty much an industry-wide thing. In semi-English, it's a cross-platform standard for parallel programming across different kinds of hardware—using both CPU and GPU—that anyone can use for free. CUDA is Nvidia's own architecture for parallel programming on its graphics cards.

OpenCL is a big part of Snow Leopard. Windows 7 will use some graphics card acceleration too (though we're really looking forward to DirectX 11). So graphics card acceleration is going to be a big part of future OSes.

So Uh, What's It Going to Do for Me?
Parallel processing is pretty great for scientists. But what about ! those re gular people? Does it make their stuff go faster. Not everything, and to start, it's not going too far from graphics, since that's still the easiest to parallelize. But converting, decoding and creating videos—stuff you're probably using now more than you did a couple years ago—will improve dramatically soon. Say bye-bye 20-minute renders. Ditto for image editing; there'll be less waiting for effects to propagate with giant images (Photoshop CS4 already uses GPU acceleration). In gaming, beyond straight-up graphical improvements, physics engines can get more complicated and realistic.

If you're just Twittering or checking email, no, GPGPU computing is not going to melt your stone-cold face. But anyone with anything cool on their computer is going to feel the melt eventually.

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Plasma market getting smaller and higher-end, but it's still alive

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/13/plasma-market-getting-smaller-and-higher-end-but-its-still-her/

Pioneer's decision to axe the Kuro earlier this year set off a wave of gloomy predictions about the future of plasma, but we've never really bought into it -- and it sounds like the product planners at LG, Samsung, and Panasonic haven't either. HD Guru asked reps from each company for their thoughts on the state of the plasma market, and the responses were pretty similar across the board: plasma remains the connoisseur's choice overall, and it still makes up just about half of 50-inch and bigger sales. Of course, that means that plasma's niche is shrinking and moving higher-end while LCDs more or less take over the rest of HDTV market, but until something like OLED develops into a true competitor we think plasma's around for a while. Check out the full company responses at the read link.

Filed under: HDTV

Plasma market getting smaller and higher-end, but it's still alive originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 13 May 2009 14:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MSI X-Slim X340 gets reviewed, loved on - despite the 'flexy' keyboard

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/13/msi-x-slim-x340-gets-reviewed-loved-on-despite-the-flexy-ke/

We've had our eyes on MSI's answer to the MacBook Air (yeah, we said it!) for a while now -- and that includes a shady, late night hands-on photo session live from the Neville Island Motel and a horrifying back-alley vivisection, to boot. Now it looks like the crazy kids at Laptop are dead set on having their say on the X340 13.4-inch ultra-portable -- and why not? The more the merrier! According to the reviewer, what this character lacks in processing power, it more than makes up for in price, weight, and battery life -- at 2.9 pounds the device is certainly lighter than the Air, and its over three hours on a single charge are none too shabby. Even the 1.4GHz Core 2 Solo processor (coupled here with 2GB memory and running Windows Vista) is characterized as "snappy." Sadly, the keyboard is said to be flimsy and graphic performance pretty weak -- but still, at $899 (price as reviewed) this is sure to be right up some of your proverbial alleys. Interested? Hit that read link for all the gory details.

Filed under: Laptops

MSI X-Slim X340 gets reviewed, loved on - despite the 'flexy' keyboard originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 13 May 2009 16:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Verizon MiFi 2200 review

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/13/verizon-mifi-2200-review/

We've been following Novatel's MiFi with bated breath since its December announcement, and the totally pocketable 3G / WiFi router has finally graced a US carrier. Though it'll ultimately come in a variety of physical designs, bands, and radio technologies for different carriers and parts of the world, the MiFi 2200 for Verizon naturally packs CDMA with EV-DO Rev. A, which means uplink speeds should be reasonably speedy to go along with your 1Mbps-plus downloads. Obviously, the concept of a credit card-shaped object connecting up to five WiFi-enabled devices to high-speed internet from wherever the road takes you is an incredibly intoxicating one -- but does the MiFi 2200 deliver? Get the whole story over on Engadget Mobile!

Filed under: Wireless

Verizon MiFi 2200 review originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 13 May 2009 12:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Zotac Ion-based IONITX-A SFF motherboard review roundup

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/13/zotac-ion-based-ionitx-a-sff-motherboard-review-roundup/

Jonesing for a new small form factor PC, are you? Not so keen on selecting a pre-fabricated unit? If you definitely fit the bill here, it's worth taking a gander at Zotac's recently released IONITX-A motherboard. As the first of its breed to actually ship, a whole lot is riding on its solder points, and according to reviews found 'round the web, it's done a satisfactory job of living up to expectations. The test bench-abusin' kids over at Hot Hardware found that Zotac's board (and the included dual-core Atom 330 CPU) performed "as expected," notching results that were "significantly better than any of the single core Atom 230-based systems." The unique DC power input was also lauded, and the silent nature made this a perfect candidate for a low-power, highly-capable carputer building block. All in all, this here mobo won't transform your life, but it's certainly a welcome extra in the all-too-stale DIY SFF market. Check the links below for all the bar charts you can handle.

Read - Hot Hardware ("most appealing of the Ion-based products")
Read - PC Perspective ("an impressive motherboard for its size")
Read - The Tech Report ("as good as the Ion platform gets")
Read - Tom's Hardware ("it's most promising destination is in the HTPC space")

Filed under: Desktops, Media PCs, Peripherals

Zotac Ion-based IONITX-A SFF motherboard review roundup originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 13 May 2009 08:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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12-inch MSI U200 thin-and-light appears a day early?

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/13/12-inch-msi-u200-thin-and-light-appears-a-day-early/

Well, well, look what we've got; a new CULV-based thin-and-light laptop from MSI. The image comes by way of Engadget Chinese whose trusted source lays out the following specs: a 12-inch, 1366 x 768 pixel LED-backlit display, with GMA 4500M integrated graphics, 802.11b/g/n WiFi, 2GB of DDR2 memory, and 250GB disk all wrapped up in a bigger-than-a-netbook but not-quite-a-laptop chassis weighing just 1.4-kgs (3-pounds) with paltry 3-cell battery. We expect pricing to be announced tomorrow but we'll bet dollars to doughnuts that it'll be about $700.

Filed under: Laptops

12-inch MSI U200 thin-and-light appears a day early? originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 13 May 2009 09:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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AMD busts out world's first air-cooled 1GHz GPU

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/13/amd-busts-out-worlds-first-air-cooled-1ghz-gpu/

The last time a GPU milestone this significant was passed, it was June of 2007, and we remember it well. We were kicked back, soaking in the rays from Wall Street and firmly believing that nothing could ever go awry -- anywhere, to anyone -- due to a certain graphics card receiving 1GB of onboard RAM. Fast forward a few dozen months, and now we've got AMD dishing out the planet's first factory-clocked card to hit the 1GHz mark. Granted, overclockers have been running their cards well above that point for awhile now, but hey, at least this bugger comes with a warranty. The device doing the honors is the ATI Radeon HD 4890, and it's doing it with air cooling alone and just a wee bit of factory overclocking. Take a bow, AMD -- today's turning out to be quite a good one for you.

Filed under: Gaming, Peripherals

AMD busts out world's first air-cooled 1GHz GPU originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 13 May 2009 11:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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JVC Introduces Their First 8K Projector [Projectors]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/bnopiuKaKVI/jvc-introduces-their-first-8k-projector

JVC latest projectors—one at 8K (8,192x4,320pixels) and the other at 4K (3,840x2,160pixels)—come with 10,000 lumens of brightness and produce a 5500:1 contrast ratio.

JVC has also created a prototype of their new 4K handheld camcorders, which shoot in 4240p and was made to be more of a broadcasting camera. Although release dates and prices are yet to be announced, they are rumored to cost under $200k, which is not that surprising considering that this cutting-edge technology is aimed more at professionals. [Akihabara New via CrunchGear]

Samsung Ships First 32GB moviNAND Chips (Translation: More Storage In Your Pocket, Sooner) [Memory]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/alwCfLemF8A/samsung-ships-first-32gb-movinand-chips-translation-more-storage-in-your-pocket-sooner

They're not the first major manufacturer to ship 32-gigabit NAND chips, nor are they the first to sell 32-gigabyte embedded cards. But they are the biggest, which means this step could have huge, fantastic consequences.

Papa Samsung does have a legitimate FIRST!! claim here, in that these moviNAND cards are the only ones to date to use 32Gb chips built on 30nm-class technology. This is only really exciting to the kind of people who go to work in a clean room and regularly wear anti-static bracelets, not consumers

The aspect of this announcement that actually means something to consumers is this: Samsung makes more NAND memory than any other single company, so when they ship a 32GB card intended for mobile devices, you can expect to actually see it mobile devices. And since many products (like the iPod Touch) carry two or more chips, that means 64GB portable devices will soon enter the mainstream. [Aving]

Sony develops "world's smallest" HD camera module

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/12/sony-develops-worlds-smallest-hd-camera-module/

The tiny HD hits keep coming today -- first we saw eASIC's $5 integrated H.264 codec chip, and now Sony's crowing about the new MCB1172 HD camera module it claims is the "world's smallest." There's some pretty impressive tech packed into that tiny package: you're looking at an 8.3 megapixel sensor that can shoot 720p/30 video with image stabilization, face detection, high-ISO mode, and 120fps slow motion. Not bad for a piece smaller than a quarter -- hopefully we'll see this thing pop up all over soon.

Filed under: Digital Cameras

Sony develops "world's smallest" HD camera module originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 12 May 2009 14:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Android-based Alpha 680 netbook spotted in the wild

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/12/android-based-alpha-680-netbook-spotted-in-the-wild/

Still think an Android-based netbook is in your future? If the abysmal performance on video hasn't turned you off yet, maybe the fire-engine red paint job coupled with 90s-era carbon fiber accents will. What you see above is the first legitimate in the wild shot of Skytone's Alpha 680, and at a glance, we're marginally excited about the sizable trackpad and roomy keyboard. Oh, and the swiveling screen is a plus, too. Check the read link for a few more looks.

[Thanks, Neerhaj]

Filed under: Laptops

Android-based Alpha 680 netbook spotted in the wild originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 12 May 2009 16:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dell Mini 10 TV tuner option coming this summer, Mini 10v goes hands-on

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/12/dell-mini-10-tv-tuner-option-coming-this-summer-mini-10v-goes-h/

While Dell originally mentioned a TV tuner option back when it launched the Mini 10 in January, it's still working on bringing the feature to market. The latest news is that the configuration will tack roughly $50 onto the price, includes an external antenna (which is only required in low-signal situations), and should be available "this summer." The couple of channels we saw in action seemed plenty good on the quality front, but nothing groundbreaking. Meanwhile, we also got a look at the new Mini 10v, which swaps HDMI for VGA, lacks the flush "glass" styling of the Mini 10 display, and bounces over to the Atom N270 processor. The version we were looking at included a 6-cell battery (a $30 add-on), which added a considerable amount of lift at the back -- it might be ergonomic, but it sure isn't pretty. Unfortunately the TV option won't be available for the 10v, so if you were holding out... maybe you should be spending more time with your family.

Gallery: Mini 10v goes hands-on

Filed under: Home Entertainment, Laptops

Dell Mini 10 TV tuner option coming this summer, Mini 10v goes hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 12 May 2009 17:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Acer's DX900 and X960 WinMo smartphones now available

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/12/acers-dx900-and-x960-winmo-smartphones-now-available/

They're no F1, but Acer's rolling out a whole slew of Windows Mobile- and Android-powered smartphones this year -- and another gruesome twosome of the bunch is now hitting store shelves around the world. First up we've got the WinMo 6.1-based DX900, which really isn't much of a looker but packs the powerful punch of twin SIMs underneath its homely shell. Most dual-SIM devices top out at EDGE, but the DX900 takes it to the next level with triband HSDPA on top of quadband EDGE; you've also got a 2.8-inch VGA display, WiFi, 3 megapixel AF camera, and GPS, so if you're a two-line kind of individual, look for this one now around Europe and Asia. Next, the X960 ups the ante with HSUPA and 7.2Mbps maximum on the downlink, a revised 3D user interface, and a 3.2 megapixel cam -- it too should be populating Europe and Asia as we speak. Neither unit is going to be blowing minds, granted, but if it's any consolation, we're sure there are a few good hacked 6.5 and Android ROMs waiting for 'em.

[Via Engadget Spanish]

Read - DX900
Read - X960

Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds

Acer's DX900 and X960 WinMo smartphones now available originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 12 May 2009 22:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tuesday, May 12, 2009

New in Labs: Google Search right in Gmail

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/OfficialGmailBlog/~3/GNjNRGcZOfs/new-in-labs-google-search-right-in.html

Posted by Adam de Boor, Software Engineer

I used to have a problem. People would ask me questions, over chat or email, and I'd have to leave Gmail to search Google for an answer. Then I'd have to select the answer, copy it, go back to Gmail and paste the answer into the chat window or my reply. Sometimes I'd get distracted and forget to go back to Gmail, and I'd have to go through it all again when I remembered what I'd been doing.

With the new Google Search experiment in Gmail Labs, my problem is solved. When you turn this feature on from the Labs tab under Settings, you'll see a new search box on the left side of your inbox, like this:

Type your search in, and a window (like a chat window, but a bit bigger) appears at the bottom of your screen with the first few search results.

You can click on a search result and it'll open up in another window (or another tab) so you can make sure it's what you're looking for. Once you're sure it's a result you need, moving your mouse over the result back in Gmail reveals a pull-down menu that lets you do stuff with the search result.

What's in the menu depends on what! you're doing in Gmail:

If you're reading a message, you can start a reply to the message with the search result as the first thing in your reply.
If you're writing a message, you can paste the result, or just the URL into your message.
If you're chatting with someone, you can send the result via chat.
You can also always compose a new message to send the search result.

If you have keyboard shortcuts turned on, typing g and then / will take you to the search box when you're not composing, and Ctrl + g will do it when you're composing (that's ⌘ + g for Mac users).

Like all things in Gmail Labs, we're going to be tinkering with it, so let us know what you think.

Oh, and one other thing: with all the stuff we've been adding to Gmail Labs lately, the left side of your account might be getting crowded. A lot of the people who've been playing with this new feature have found it useful to turn on "Navbar drag and drop" in Labs so they can move the web search box up to the top where it's easy to get to.

Intel reveals notebook and netbook plans for the rest of the year

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/12/intel-reveals-notebook-and-netbook-plans-for-the-rest-of-the-yea/

Intel reveals notebook and netbook plans for the rest of the year

The netbook formula hasn't evolved much since its inception, still offering largely the same configuration and performance as it ever has. That likely won't change until the end of the summer, with Intel announcing that it's even thinking about retiring the newer Atom N280 processor and GN40 chipset entirely, leaving the older and more common N270 with its 945GSE as the main choice until September, when the new Pineview Atom chips might finally hit production. The company is also creating a whitebox N270-based 8.9-inch netbook that it's shopping around to resellers, again not doing any favors to fans of variety. Moving up to skinny 12- to 13-inch notebooks, Intel is still pushing its CULV architecture, and has its dual-core Calpella platform poised for inclusion in anything with a targeted MSRP of $1,200 and above -- and a release date sometime after the third quarter. That's a few months too late to catch the needy college freshman crowd, Intel.

Filed under: Laptops

Intel reveals notebook and netbook plans for the rest of the year originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 12 May 2009 07:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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