Apple's Fourth Manhattan Store Almost Ready [Apple]
Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/PxVRkgdbheA/apples-fourth-manhattan-store-almost-ready
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
LG's 15-inch Transparent AMOLED Display Concept [Oled]
Akihabara News' video below also shows LG's 47-inch LED backlit TV concept, and a mulit-touch notebook display. No real information is given, but it looks like they're all AMOLED-based. [Akihabara News]
Samsung's Hybrid Desktop Notebook Concept: 14-inch AMOLED Screen, 2.7mm Thin [Oled]
We don't know much more at this point, but it's just one of many concepts Samsung has on show at the FPD exhibition in Japan. Follow the link to check them out, including a netbook with 7-inch AMOLED screen. [Akihabara News]
Samsung's 30-inch AMOLED TV: 3D Without the Dizziness (Still Needs Silly Glasses) [Oled]
No word on when it'll become a real product, but it's bound to be pricey. A reminder, too, that of all the 3D TV systems we've tested so far, Panasonic's active shutter-glasses and 103-inch 3D Plasma concept produced less flickering than 3D systems from Sony and JVC. Oh, and here's what Panasonic's final glasses design looks like. Yep, until we see 3D TVs that don't need glasses, we're all gonna look like dorks. At least it'll be in the comfort of our own lounge rooms. [Samsung Korea]
New AU Optronics TV Panels: 14-inch OLED and Ultra Wide TVs, Plus 3D Without Glasses [HDTVs]
No word on when (or if) a TV maker will pick it up. AUO is also showing a new high-def 3D panel that that can scale from 8- to 65-inches in size. It's got a 2D/3D switch, and has a higher resolution and greater viewable angle compared to previous 3D TVs that don't need glasses. Finally, they've also got a new 58-inch Ultra Wide TV panel with a resolution of 2560 x 1080. It's 2.35:1 ratio is designed to present 2.35:1 films without black bars.
A sign of things to come? I'm really not sure about viability of all three, but we'll see I guess. [AUO via OLED-Display.net]
Garmin/TomTom stock vertical drop on Droid launch w/ Google Navigation - http://bit.ly/4aImBD - another industry bites the dust
Google and the Deadly Power of Data [Comment]
Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/IFi1YXMshfg/google-and-the-deadly-power-of-data
TomTom owns Tele Atlas, who drives the roads of the world in order to make maps, and until recently was a major map provider for Google. Nokia owns the only major competitor, Navteq, who has also provided maps for Google. Look at Google Maps now, though, and you'll see that the entire US bears just one single copyright: Google's.
Street View wasn't just a neat way to get imagery to accompany the data already found in Google Maps. As it happens, it was a way to drive the same roads that were already in Google Maps, tracing them with Google's own road teams, and—through efficiency and brute force—do away with those costly map licenses. Google has mapped the US, and will surely map the rest of the world soon enough.
This is just a timely example of Google's monstrous growth, and the destruction it causes. Any business that trades in data or packages it for public consumption may one day face the same issues. It's not just whether or not to compete with the behemoth, but even whether or not to go into business with it. In either case, there is a chance of being destroyed.
Garmin might have a long-standing relationship with Navteq, but they don't own any maps. How can they compete with ! a free G oogle app when they still have to pay? (Worse, Garmin is still stuck in the hardware business, where profits are extra thin.) TomTom owns the maps, but charges $100 for their own app because they also make money licensing maps to car makers, competing GPS makers and web services—like Google. Before, Google was a fat revenue source for TomTom; now Google is a sprightly competitor.
If a unique supply of data was the only thing keeping TomTom and others on the Google chuck wagon, who will be next to fall off?
I was always afraid of spiders growing up, not because of the eight legs or the umpteen eyes, but because of the way they kill their prey. They get them in a nice convenient position, then they use their venom to hollow out their victim's insides, until they're just dead-eyed shells. To be killed in such a manner is my worst nightmare; perhaps I should ask TomTom how it feels.
I am a fan of Google products, and a daily user of them. This is not an attack of Google's business practices, but an explanation of the sort of destructive innovation that has made them so huge so fast. (It's also a warning to consider carefully any entities that gets this strong, especially if you plan on going into business with one.) Though predecessors like Microsoft experienced similar explosive growth, and grew a similar sudden global dependence, we've never seen the likes of Google. The GPS business isn't the only one that will be consumed by its mighty maw before it's had its run.
We've already seen the devaluation of the office apps that make Microsoft rich; we've already seen how Google's experiences with Apple and others helped it create telecommunications platforms (both mobile with Android and completely virtual with Google Voice) that threaten its former partners' existence; we've already seen how Google converts photos, videos, news wire stories and other former commodities into fr! eebies b y smashing the false notion of scarcity that "service" providers had literally banked on.
So who is next? What other hallowed brands will go the way of Garmin and TomTom? Corbis and Getty? Reuters and AP? Warner and Disney?
This is a tale already told, bound to be told again, but the fundamentals are worth studying—even if we use Google Docs spreadsheets to do it. I have never spoken with a spider, but I am certain they're not evil, despite what fantasy lore tells us. They're just doing what comes naturally, and doing a hell of a job.
A Visual Guide to Android 2.0: So Much Nicer [Android 2.0]
Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/AYLYcqPJHNQ/a-visual-guide-to-android-20-so-much-nicer
Don't Adjust Your TV Set [Image Cache]
Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/fcdDIq09cpA/dont-adjust-your-tv-set
Zoom in the image above to see the panorama in full detail
As you can see in the gallery, the circles were placed in segments over different houses around the town. They only become visible from certain vantage points, which should be quite a dizzying experience as you go by. The whole thing is an art installation by Felice Varini, called "Cercle et suite d'éclats." Oh really? Well, cherchez la Vache to you, laeedee. [Varini via Today and Tomorrow via Core77]
HTC Droid Eris Might Be the Cheapest Android Phone at $99 [Unconfirmed]
Though it's been speculated that the Droid Eris will run Android 1.6 and sport a hard-to-get-excited-about 528MHz Qualcomm CPU, it would be the cheapest Android phone yet in the US. Verizon didn't mention it at all today, so we might be a touch skeptical of it making that rumored Nov. 6 launch date, but we'll see. [gdgt via Twitter]
Google Music Search Turns Your Results Pages Into Personal Radios [Google]
Basically, as you can see in the picture, you will see play buttons alongside different songs when you get search results. If you press play, a popup from MySpace (iLike) or Lala appears, letting you play the full song and giving you buttons to buy it or get more info. You will also have the chance to check out the band on other services/sites, including Pandora, iMeem and Rhapsody. (As you might imagine, there's no mention of iTunes in all of this.)
In essence, Google isn't playing the music at all. It's up to MySpace and Lala to manage the rights of the full-song playback business, and to serve up the content. For more info, check out the YouTube video or Google blog. They say they'll be rolling it out to US Google users over the next day, so be on the lookout. [Google]
VIZIO brings the LED party to 19- and 23-inch models
Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/28/vizio-brings-the-led-party-to-19-and-23-inch-models/
Continue reading VIZIO brings the LED party to 19- and 23-inch models
VIZIO brings the LED party to 19- and 23-inch models originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 08:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Com mentsJVC joins the sub-$200 Blu-ray player game with ultrathin XV-BP11
Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/28/jvc-joins-the-sub-200-blu-ray-player-game-with-ultrathin-xv-bp1/
Update: Ouch -- this thing is only Profile 1.1. Dud. [Thanks, Aaron!]
Continue reading JVC joins the sub-$200 Blu-ray player game with ultrathin XV-BP11
Filed under: Home Entertainment
JVC joins the sub-$200 Blu-ray player game with ultrathin XV-BP11 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 08:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsMSI's Wind Top AE2220 all-in-one PC brings 21.6-inch multitouch panel, Win7
Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/28/msis-wind-top-ae2220-all-in-one-pc-brings-21-6-inch-multitouch/
[Via Engadget Korea]
Read - MSI's announcement
Read - Amazon pre-order page
Filed under: Desktops
MSI's Wind Top AE2220 all-in-one PC brings 21.6-inch multitouch panel, Win7 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 09:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsMotorola DROID official on Verizon: $199 on contract, coming November 6th (video)
Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/28/motorola-droid-official-on-verizon-199-on-contract-coming-nov/
Update: Check on our in-depth hands-on coverage on the DROID, Google Maps Navigation and the accessory dock!
Continue reading Motorola DROID official on Verizon: $199 on contract, coming November 6th (video)
Filed under: Cellphones
Motorola DROID official on Verizon: $199 on contract, coming November 6th (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 10:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsAlbatron's 42 inches of optical touch monitor get examined on video
Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/28/albatrons-42-inches-of-optical-touch-monitor-get-examined-on-vi/
Continue reading Albatron's 42 inches of optical touch monitor get examined on video
Filed under: Displays
Al batron's 42 inches of optical touch monitor get examined on video originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 12:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsLenovo teases new ThinkCentre all-in-one desktop
Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/28/lenovo-teases-new-thinkcentre-all-in-one-desktop/
Lenovo isn't offering any more than this picture of its new ThinkCentre all-in-one desktop just yet, but it's already clear that it's not messing around with this one. How can we be so sure? It has a map of the world on it, and maps mean business. It also doesn't look like we have to wait too long to get the full story on it, as Lenovo is promising to make things official at the EDUCAUSE 09 conference early next month.
[Thanks, Tim]
[Thanks, Tim]
Filed under: Desktops
Lenovo teases new ThinkCentre all-in-one desktop originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 13:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsGhostwire augmented reality game coming to your creepy motel room, DSi in 2010
Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/28/ghostwire-augmented-reality-game-coming-to-your-creepy-motel-r/
Majesco's just announced an augmented reality game for the DSi, Ghostwire: Link to the Paranormal. While the Ghostwire title had been previously unveiled, Majesco has apparently just signed on to publish it. The game makes use of the DSi's camera and microphone so the player can hunt for ghosts in their surrounding, actual environment. Once the ghosts are detected, the player will have to track down objects to bribe them into peacefulness. Ghostwire is expected sometime in 2010, but until then, we'll just keep walking with our own ghosts.
Filed under: Gaming
Ghostwire augmented reality game coming to your creepy motel room, DSi in 2010 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 13:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
