Dr. Augustine Fou's Online Scrapbook

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Official: ASUS 8.9-inch Eee PC will include touchscreen, possibly GPS

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/258145250/

Filed under: Laptops

Here we have it, confirmation that the second generation Eee PC will in fact feature an 8.9-inch (resistive) touchscreen display. Kevin Lin, ASUS VP of Sales, says that the $500 (starting price) Eee PC will begin shipping in May or June in 8GB to 12GB options with "possible GPS support." That's the same time ASUS plans to begin shipping its $200 Eee Dekstop, aka the E-DT. Look, we're happy with your success with the Eee brand ASUS, but when are we getting our $200 Eee PC?

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Super 3G hits 250Mbps downlink in NTT DoCoMo field test

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/258303946/

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless

Just think -- this time next year, we'll all look back at this milestone and wonder how on Earth we thought it was impressive. For now, however, we wouldn't blame you for high-fiving everyone around, as NTT DoCoMo has stretched the boundaries again with a recent Super 3G field test. Reportedly, the outfit was able to record "a downlink transmission rate of 250Mbps over a high-speed wireless network in an outdoor test of an experimental Super 3G system," and while it's not quite the 300Mbps we'd heard about before, you won't find us kvetching. If all goes to plan, the firm is hoping to "complete development of the technologies required for the eventual launch of a Super 3G network" by 2009, but who knows how long we Americans will have to wait to indulge after that.

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Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Silicon Out, Graphene In? [Gadgets]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/257345138/silicon-out-graphene-in

Physicists at the University of Maryland have demonstrated that graphene, a single-atom-thick sheet of graphite, has a greater ability to conduct electricity than any other known material at room temperature. In fact, electrons can travel up to 100 times faster in graphine than silicon, making it a likely candidate to replace it as a semiconductor material in devices like computer chips and sensors.

Graphene also has a resistivity (opposition to the flow of electric current) of 1.0 microOhm-cm—which is 35% less than copper. That figure would also make graphene the lowest resistivity material at room temperature. However, impurities in graphine make it less effective than copper at transferring electrons (at least for the moment). Still, with some refinement, the future looks promising for graphene as our next "miracle material." [University of Maryland via Slashdot]

Lightning Review: Olympus E-420, the World's Smallest, Lightest, Cheapest DSLR [Digital Cameras]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/257357921/lightning-review-olympus-e+420-the-worlds-smallest-lightest-cheapest-dslr

The Gadget: Olympus E-420, billed as the world's smallest and lightest DSLR

The Price: $500 for the body, $600 if you want the 14mm to 42mm starter lens too

The Verdict:

There's a lot packed into this little package. People who don't know much about photography but are dying to learn will love certain features, such as the "Perfect Shot" preview, which shows you four white balance alternatives at the same time, so you can pick the most realistic option; it does the same live previewing for exposure settings too. Olympus added face detection to the camera this time around, a popular point-and-shoot option making its way into the DSLRs. People who are afraid of too much data might shirk at all the live shooting options, but the alternative on some DSLRs, including the otherwise awesome new Nikon D60, is no live preview at all. The E-420 has a hell of a lot of tech packed into its relatively small package.

Live Preview options:I say "relatively small" because saying "world's smallest DSLR" is like saying "world's lightest heavyweight." Truth is, this camera runs the risk of being confused as a point-and-shoot, in both good and bad ways. Fortunately, many pictures turn out great. High ISO shots, up to 1600, look fantastic, without any noticeable noise. In the stillest settings, I could take the same shots with a Nikon D60 that I could with the E-420:But in the end, the E-420 is not going to cut the mustard when facing off against the other DSLRs, although they do tend to list for $200 more. Its biggest weaknesses are focus speed and low-light shooting. In the standard Sensor AF mode, the lens has to back up and focus in every time; the Nikon D60, faster to begin with, doesn't work as hard refocusing on the same object a second time. In decent medium indoor light, the automatic shutter settings are just too slow. On top of that, there's no optical image stabilizer or vibration reduction, so you end up with a lot of frustrating shots like this one:Or this one:Then again, I was able to take some pretty nice pictures too, like this one:In the end, the E-420 may be the smallest, the lightest, the cheapest and even the highest-tech, but it's not the fastest, and in this competition, speed matters one hell of a lot. [Olympus America]

Kahva Coffee Maker Design Is Classy, Glassy [Coffee Pot]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/257641941/kahva-coffee-maker-design-is-classy-glassy

Lina Fischer's coffee maker design is scrumptious and works rather like an espresso maker would, but is better looking (although less iconic than those little moka pots caffeine heads go bubbly over). It comes with its own induction-powered table station, but what really sets the Kahva apart from other coffee makers is what happens to the Joe when it's brewed.

As the water heats, the rising air pressure makes it flow upwards from the glass water chamber into the metal brewing unit. Once the coffee is ready, take it off the heat and the coffee will return through a filter into the Kahva's glass bottom via a vacuum that has been created by the cooling of the coffee maker. To pour, simply turn the grip and let the coffee flow. [Yanko]