Dr. Augustine Fou's Online Scrapbook

Saturday, February 13, 2010

Samsung's 3D HDTVs arrive February 26, starting at just under $2,000

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/12/samsungs-3d-hdtvs-arrive-february-26-starting-at-just-under-2/

Following the company's 2010 Blu-ray player lineup, the first of this year's 3D HDTVs from Samsung are available for preorder at a few internet retailers. The edge-lit LED and 1.1-inch thin C7000 series hits in 40- 46- and 55-inch sizes, with plenty of other features to go along with their 3D and 2D-to-3D conversion abilities. There's access to Samsung Apps & Internet@TV, Skype, AllShare DLNA media streaming, and tweaks that promise to automatically adjust picture and sound for any content source, from a thumb drive to a Blu-ray player. Best pleasant surprise? Price. The UN46B7000 model we reviewed last year started with a $2,999 MSRP (currently down to $1,929 on Amazon), while this year's UN46C7000 (shipping April 16) has a preorder price of $2,599. The 40- and 55-inch versions are similarly priced, at $1,999 and $3,299, respectively, though those necessary 3D glasses are left out of the package as an optional and as yet unpriced accessory that will likely eagerly claim any remaining room in your budget.

Gallery: Samsung LED 7000 series HDTV

[Thanks, Jason]

Samsung's 3D HDTVs arrive February 26, starting at just under $2,000 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 12 Feb 2010 18:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google exhibits Liquid Galaxy installation at TED, we toss back a Dramamine

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/12/google-exhibits-liquid-galaxy-installation-at-ted-we-toss-back/

You know you've wondered what Google Earth would look like across a curved, eight-display installation, and now your most stupendous dreams are a reality thanks to Liquid Galaxy. That's the moniker that's been given to Jason Holt's 20 percent project, which he's just now getting to showcase to the world at the TED conference in San Francisco. Reportedly, eight Linux machines are tied to the process, and he's able to fly through the digital skies via voice commands and sheer mental strength. Or maybe it's just voice commands. Head past the break for a cockpit view, but be sure to close one eye if you're prone to motion sickness.

[Thanks, Camron]

Continue reading Google exhibits Liquid Galaxy installation at TED, we toss back a Dramamine

Google exhibits Liquid Galaxy installation at TED, we toss back a Dramamine originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 12 Feb 2010 21:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Microsoft's PB10ZU (turtle) and PB20ZU Project Pink phones outed by FCC?

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/13/microsofts-pb10zu-aka-turtle-and-pb20zu-project-pink-phones/

Oops. Those two pics looks similar, eh? And if we're not mistaken, Microsoft's Pink phone is rumored to be made by Sharp. This wirerame for model PB10ZU just hit the FCC looking every bit the "Turtle" device that was leaked last year. Of course, seeing Sharp behind Pink is only natural since it was one of Danger's manufacturers of choice for the Sidekick -- a team wholly ingested by Microsoft a few years ago. Looking through the FCC docs we see that it's a slider with dual-band CDMA, EVDO Rev. A, Bluetooth, and WiFi. We also see reference to a second model, the PB20ZU (aka, "pure"?), although that model is lacking any detail whatsoever. The tastiest of FCC docs are being withheld by request until March 29th -- right in line with a rumored spring launch. Hopefully Microsoft will have more to say about Project Pink and Windows 7 devices here in Barcelona so stay tuned.

[Thanks, Jeremy F.]

Microsoft's PB10ZU (turtle) and PB20ZU Project Pink phones outed by FCC? originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 13 Feb 2010 07:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Neowin, Wireless Goodness | source

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Camangi Webstation drops to $275, still a tough sell

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/13/camangi-webstation-drops-to-275-still-a-tough-sell/

Is it all the unfavorable reviews or the loads of Android tablets on the way that's pushed Camangi to lower the price on its 7-inch Android running-Webstation? We may never know, but the good news is that the original $399 price has been slashed to $275. The $125 price drop isn't too shabby, but we're thinking they'd have better luck selling this one if there were less complaints about its sluggish performance and buggy resistive touchscreen. Perhaps we're just being too stingy with our money -- will you be going shopping this weekend?

Camangi Webstation drops to $275, still a tough sell originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 13 Feb 2010 06:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Besttabletreview.com | source

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Friday, February 12, 2010

Fake Cyber Terrorist Attack Will Get Real Government Response Next Week [Security]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/Ub_BkeWRyMc/fake-cyber-terrorist-attack-will-get-real-government-response-next-week

Next week, for the first time, the public will be able to see how our government might respond to a full-fledged act of cyber terrorism, in a simulation that will include top intelligence and security officials.

On February 16, the Bipartisan Policy Center-hosted event, dubbed Cyber ShockWave, will assemble many top officials in the "White House situation room"—recreated by set designers in a conference room at the Mandarin Hotel—to respond to a multifacted cyber attack of which they will have no previous knowledge.

The attack, designed by security experts and embellished by professional scriptwriters (really), will unfold dynamically throughout the course of the simulation. The participants, including former Director of National Intelligence John Negroponter and former Homeland Security Advisor Fran Townsend among others, will have to figure out a course of action on the fly.

The fun part: we'll get to see how they do. Though the government has held similar simulations in the past, this will be the first time the process will be open to the public. CNN camera crews will be on location, shooting video that will run in the days following.

I'm curious to see how this group of people who are, of course, quite intelligent, but also, you know, quite old, respond to a fully-realized cyber attack. Hopefully they'll be able to sort out their firewalls from their Firefoxes. [The Atlantic via Computer World UK]

Sony VAIO Z Series (VPCZ114GX/S) review

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/11/sony-vaio-z-series-vpcz114gx-s-review/

If you had any doubt that Sony marches to the beat of its own drum, the 13-inch VAIO Z Series is all the evidence you need. While other laptop manufacturers are unleashing dozens of CULV ultraportables in the $800 to $1,000 range, the $2,009 Z Series is a three-pound, inch-thick machine with the specs of a workstation: a speedy Intel Core i5 processor, dual SSDs, 4GB of RAM, NVIDIA GeForce GT 330M discrete graphics and an optional Blu-ray drive. It sounds and looks glorious, but can the Z manage more than three hours of battery life or handle some gaming without turning into a space heater? Or does it totally blow the caps off the budget ULV laptops on the market and make it worth the $1K premium? We've been using the oh-so-pricey and attractive laptop for the last few days, so hit the break for our full review.

Gallery: Sony VAIO Z Series review

Continue reading Sony VAIO Z Series (VPCZ114GX/S) review

Sony VAIO Z Series (VPCZ114GX/S) review originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 11 Feb 2010 11:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lenovo's AMD-based G455 and G555 make thrifty Stateside debut

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/11/lenovos-amd-based-g455-and-g555-make-thrifty-stateside-debut/

China may have gotten its hands on the G455A model a touch earlier, but Lenovo hasn't kept its US-based loyalists waiting too long, as today it's announcing the forthcoming availability of a pair of new additions to its G series. Sadly, the Chinese vendor hasn't furnished us with spec sheets as yet, though we can be safe in assuming the G455 and G555 will differ primarily in their screen sizes (14 versus 15 inches), and with 16:9 screen ratios advertised, they're also likely to share the 1366 x 768 resolution of the Chinese G455A. Athlon II and dual-core Turion II processor options will be available for both, with ATI Radeon HD Mobility graphics also noted, though the DirectX 10 reference means they'll be from the older 4xxx series. Still, these machines are clearly intended for the value segment -- with both becoming available in March for $449 -- and look likely to be Lenovo's answer to those looking for the basic functionality of a netbook married to a more generously proportioned screen.

Lenovo's AMD-based G455 and G555 make thrifty Stateside debut originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 11 Feb 2010 12:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Intel to be part of Nokia's MWC press conference -- a new Booklet, or something more?

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/11/intel-to-be-part-of-nokias-mwc-press-conference-a-new-bookle/

Well, this is interesting -- Intel just sent us an invitation to Nokia's press event at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona next week. We're told that the two companies will update us on the "latest developments" from their relatively new relationship, before Nokia launches into its solo presser directly afterwards. That could mean pretty much anything from a ho-hum Atom N450 refresh of the Booklet 3G to a fire-breathing Moorestown Maemo 5 phone, so we're obviously extremely curious to see what goes down -- our money is on the more conservative side of things, since we're thinking Intel just wants to have a presence at MWC, but we do love to be surprised.

Intel to be part of Nokia's MWC press conference -- a new Booklet, or something more? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 11 Feb 2010 13:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Is this the Nokia N98, or the twisted brainchild of a Sidekick fanatic?

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/11/is-this-the-nokia-n98-or-the-twisted-brainchild-of-a-sidekick-f/

There's no shortage of reasons why we should throw this render in the trash. First is the simple fact that it's a render at all, and we all know how extraordinarily talented the world's artistically-inclined phone fanboys and girls are. Second, we're hearing that this is known as the N98, which runs counter to other rumors (and retail evidence in the X3 and X6) that Nokia is moving to a one-letter, one-digit naming convention across its smartphone range. Third, this looks like a straight-up cross between a Sidekick 2008 and a Sidekick LX 2009 (save the tilt-up display, of course). All that said, we can't help but feel that a device exactly like this makes sense for Nokia's high-end, multimedia-savvy Symbian range -- a proper successor to the N97 that might clear up some complaints like the off-center spacebar.

Anyhow, rumor has it the so-called N98 features a 4-inch touchscreen (likely capacitive, considering the precedent set by the X6) with 32GB of internal storage and a launch date in time for holiday 2010 at around €450 ($617) -- and we're even seeing an HDMI logo silkscreened on the side, too. This actually mixes pretty closely with another recent rumor that says we can expect an N8 model this Summer with a 3.5-inch capacitive display, 12 megapixel sensor, and Symbian^3, so an alternate possibility is that we're actually looking at that N8 here. Either way, if any of it is real, it could see a debut anywhere between MWC next week and Nokia World later in the year -- but admittedly, our fake-o-meter's reading pretty high on this one until we see an announcement. Nokia fans: is this what you're looking for in a next-gen device?

Is this the Nokia N98, or the twisted brainchild of a Sidekick fanatic? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 11 Feb 2010 13:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dell Mini 5: we have it (update: new pics and video!)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/11/dell-mini-5-we-have-it/

That's right! After all those quick and dirty appearances, we've finally got our own Dell Mini 5 (aka "Streak" or "M01M") prototype for a more in-depth look. Got a question about this mysterious beast? Drop us a line here and we'll try to answer all your queries in our forthcoming impressions post.

Update: We've just added a bunch of new pics!

Update 2: And now we have a quick video after the break. You're welcome.

Gallery: Dell Mini 5 in-depth hands-on

Gallery: Dell Mini 5 in-depth hands-on -- part ii

Continue reading Dell Mini 5: we have it (update: new pics and video!)

Dell Mini 5: we have it (update: new pics and video!) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 11 Feb 2010 13:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lenovo announces all-in-one, multitouch-enabled C315 desktop

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/11/lenovo-announces-all-in-one-multitouch-enabled-c315-desktop/

More of a desktop person than a laptop person? Then Lenovo's got you covered too, as it's also just announced its new C315 all-in-one PC to go along with its latest pair of laptops. This one actually looks to be the same all-in-one we saw at CES last month as the C310, and packs a 20-inch multitouch display, along with an unspecified AMD Athlon dual-core processor, 4GB of RAM, ATI Mobility Radeon graphics (of some sort), and of course plenty of pre-loaded apps to take advantage of that big multitouch screen -- oh, and it's brown. Best of all, like the similarly budget-minded laptops announced today, this one won't break the bank, with it boasting a starting price of just $649 -- look for it this April.

Lenovo announces all-in-one, multitouch-enabled C315 desktop originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 11 Feb 2010 15:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Digital Storm Black Ops gaming rig is exactly what you expect

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/11/digital-storm-black-ops-gaming-rig-is-exactly-what-you-expect/

Sure, there might not be too many surprises with a completely customizable gaming rig called "Black Ops" from high-end manufacturer Digital Storm, but that doesn't make it any less impressive. This latest rig naturally adds the latest Core i7 processors as options, along with ATI 5970 graphics, and Digital Storm's own Sub-Zero Liquid Cooling System, which promises to handle your overclocked processors and graphics cards with ease. You'll also get your choice of four different, equally intimidating-looking chassis, and a fairly generous three-year warranty (even on overclocked machines). Prices obviously vary quite a bit depending on the configuration, but the standard "Extreme" rig will set you back $3,102.

Digital Storm Black Ops gaming rig is exactly what you expect originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 11 Feb 2010 17:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Acer's 3D, home automation-ready S5200 projector now available

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/11/acers-3d-home-automation-ready-s5200-projector-now-available/

Acer first slipped out word about this one last week, but it looks like its new S5200 projector is now actually available, and it packs a few more unique features than your average projector. That includes a 120Hz refresh rate and full support for 3D when paired with a compatible graphics card (and some 3D glasses, of course), along with built-in support for Creston's home automation system, which will let you operate it from afar and engage in other shenanigans. On the downside, the projector only manages a standard XGA resolution (among other decidedly average specs), so it shouldn't come as too much of surprise that Acer is pitching it more at classroom use than as one of the first real 3D options for your home theater. Then again, the £650 (or just over $1,000) price tag is certainly home theater-friendly, so go nuts if you feel like it.

Acer's 3D, home automation-ready S5200 projector now available originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 11 Feb 2010 17:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pocket-lint | source

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Level 10 gaming chassis gains Asetek liquid cooling solution

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/11/level-10-gaming-chassis-gains-asetek-liquid-cooling-solution/

We're guessing that most Level 10 owners spend more time dusting off their chassis than actually using it for "computing purposes," but those that have been pinching their pennies in order to snag one now have yet another reason to do so. Asetek, which knows a thing or two about system cooling, has teamed up with iBuyPower in order to deliver the first and only liquid cooling option for what's quite possibly the planet's most astounding PC enclosure. The pain? Not a dime, as the option is now standard equipment on systems that include the case. Huzzah!

Gallery: Level 10 gaming chassis gains Asetek liquid cooling solution