Dr. Augustine Fou's Online Scrapbook

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

HTC's Raphael and Diamond: coming to Sprint and looking good

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/275895252/

No one really knows whether HTC's May 6 gathering will usher in the age of Android (our guess is still "no"), but let's look a little beyond that, shall we? We've just laid eyes on a handful of documents detailing HTC's efforts to ready the Diamond and Raphael models -- already known to be valid HTC codenames -- for Sprint later this year, and things are definitely looking up in the post-Touch world. The Diamond turns out to be the successor to that very device, lacking a physical keyboard and relying almost exclusively on a large, glossy touchscreen for user input; the Raphael meanwhile (pictured) features a full QWERTY deal and is destined to replace the Mogul. The paperwork's pretty blurry, but it appears that both Windows Mobile devices will feature WiFi, 3 megapixel cameras, and -- get this -- VGA displays. Goodness! The Raphael is currently lined up to be the first out of the gate, hitting the streets in September if everything goes well, with the Diamond following on in November. Surprised that these devices are CDMA-based and Sprint bound? Us too, we admit -- but we'd be shocked if there weren't GSM twins of both of these hotties getting cooked in the lab at the same time.

[Thanks, anonymous tipster]

Gallery: HTC's Raphael and Diamond: coming to Sprint and looking good

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Apple buys P.A. Semi chip designer, Intel says wha?

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/275923081/

Filed under: Cellphones, Misc. Gadgets, Handhelds, Portable Audio, Portable Video

Apple loves 'em some Intel right? Sure, it was the Intel power-per-watt roadmap which Jobs cited as the reason to ditch IBM's PowerPC platform. Analysts have since been tripping over themselves with speculation about future generation iPhones and iPod touches going Intel -- especially since the arrival of Atom. So what will analysts make of Apple's $278 million in cash purchase of the 150 person P.A. Semi microprocessor design company? The company was founded by Dan Dobberpuhl, lead designer of DEC's doomed Alpha and StrongArm processors, and responsible for the introduction of a 2GHz, 64-bit dual-core microprocessor which in February 2007 was said to be 300% more efficient than comparable chips running at 5 to 13 watts. Forbes speculates that Apple will wrap its ARMs around the company's boutique processor in a bid for exclusivity -- a move meant to differentiate itself from competition based on Intel and other off-the-shelf processors. Interestingly, after a long courtship with P.A. Semi, the acquisition discussions only began in the last few weeks. Say what you want about Jobs, but he's nothing if no! t a man who knows what he wants and makes damn sure he gets it.

Update: Oh shazam! We just remembered that P.A. Semi and Apple had been this close to a deal just prior (as in minutes) to the announced Intel switch in 2006. Interesting, very interesting. Why now Apple?

Read -- P.A. Semi PWRficient processor announcement
Read -- Forbes

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Century's SATA adapter supports 3 CF cards: cheap SSDs for all

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/276008865/

Filed under: Storage

While we patiently wait 18 to 24 months for the CFast CompactFlash cards to arrive, there's always this: the DIY Century Compact Flash to SATA adatper. We've seen these adapters before of course, but this is the first we recall supporting 3x cards. That's a quickie 96GB SSD for about $450 (plus $192.57 for the adapter plus shipping) given current on-line prices. Not bad when you consider the $1,000+ price tag for a smaller 64GB SSD. Better yet, performance should be rock solid based on earlier reviews. In stock with RAID 0 / 5 support starting May 1st.

[Via Akihabara News]

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Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Samsung expects affordable medium to large OLED displays in 2009 / 2010

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/275280476/

Filed under: Displays

Remember Samsung's 14- and 31-inch OLED panels on display at CES? With any luck, we'll see them hitting assembly lines sometime in the next two years. Woo-Jong Lee, VP Marketing at Samsung SDI says that medium and large size displays like monitors, laptops, and TVs will get the OLED treatment in 2009 and 2010. Nothing we haven't heard before. Still, given the group's recent distractions it's good to hear it again. Samsung is expected to achieve a production capacity of 3 million OLED panels in 2009 (double the current capacity) before hitting 6 million or so in 2010. That type of output should allow Samsung to start pushing down costs in '09 thanks to economies of scale -- good news for consumers. They'd better hurry though; we're this close to dropping $2,500 for Sony's 11-inch XEL-1. Silly, we know, but you'd understand if you've ever seen the display.

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Monday, April 21, 2008

Spectec microSD WiFi card: loose in May, lose in July

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/274672119/

Filed under: Wireless

Announced way back in 2006, we've yet to see the production launch of Spectec's microSD card with built-in 802.11b/g WiFi. Although late, it's still a boon for those of us running WiFi-less HTC Touch Duals, for example. Unfortunately, without any mentioned storage in the specs, you'll be doing a lot of microSD card swapping (and losing) when it ships in May for sampling and then to consumers in July.

[Via PhoneNews]

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Western Digital launches world's fastest SATA disk: the 300GB VelociRaptor

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/274672118/

Filed under: Desktops, Gaming, Storage

Overclockers and gamers, prepare to meet your next hard drive: the 300GB VelociRaptor from Western Digital. Said to be 35% faster than previous WD Raptors, the 10,000 RPM drive features a 3Gbps SATA interface, 16MB cache, and impressive 1.4 million hour MTBF thanks in part to the IcePack Mounting Frame. The IcePack heat sink not only keeps the drive spinning extra cool, it also bumps the 2.5-inch HDD to a required 3.5-inch drive bay. Available exclusively on Alienware's ALX gaming desktop this month and then up for grabs for everybody starting mid-May for $300. Benchmark roundup comin' atcha shortly.

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Video Tour of Google Earth 4.3 - Wow!!

Source: http://www.labnol.org/software/tutorials/google-earth-43-features-video-tour/2986/

This is a video tour of new features introduced in Google Earth 4.3. They will make you say wow! especially the lighting effects and the panorama street views.

Also check out gearthblog.com for a more detailed review of Google Earth 4.3. The download is available here.

Video Tour of Google Earth 4.3 - Wow!! - Digital Inspiration | FAQ | RSS

BB FlashBack: Screen Recording Software with Advanced Screencast Editing Functions

Source: http://www.labnol.org/software/download/bb-flashback-screen-recording-software-review-screencast-video-editor/3018/

screencast video editor BB FlashBack 2.0 is an easy-to-use screen recording software that lets you make movies of your Windows desktop very quickly. It is also very light and uses its own video capture driver so your system performance won’t be affected during the screen recording phase.

*BB FlashBack would cost $225 per copy but some of you may have the software for free as we couple of licensed copies to giveaway.

While the basic screen recording features in BB FlashBack are pretty much the same as available in other competing titles (like Camtasia Studio), the software really shines on three counts:

screencast-options 1. When you start recording the screen, you get an option to automatically change the screen resolution, set the desktop wallpaper as blank and/or hide all the desktop icons. These little things are such a time-saver and also help reduce the overall size of your desktop video.

2. The developers have applied some good thinking while writing the screencast video editor in BB FlashBack. It’s a linear timeline based editor where every screen is represented by a frame. You can figure out the exact location of the mouse cursor plus the state of your keyboard by looking at any of frames in the timeline.

screencast-timeline-editor

Now comes the most interesting part - you can re-record just the movements of the cursor without having to record the full movie again. Plus you can adjust the position of the mouse cursor like send it behind a text box or hide momentarily. Can’t think of any other screecasting software that offers this level of control.

3. You can export desktop videos recorded with BB FlashBack to the regular Flash or AVI/WMV formats plus there’s a option for PowerPoint Presentations.

powerpoint-video

The screencast is exported as a Flash movie that is is automatically embedded into the first slide of a PowerPoint file so you don’t have to do the extra work.

Giveaway: BlueBarry Software has offered five licensed copies of BB FlashBack 2.0 for our readers. In case you like to grab a license, please leave a comment and also mention why you need this software. Here’s a link to download BB FlashBack.

BB FlashBack: Screen Recording Software with Advanced Screencast Editing Functions - Digital Inspiration | FAQ | RSS

Poorly Paid Web Video Dude: I'm Happy YouTube Gives Me Anything

Source: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/typepad/alleyinsider/silicon_alley_insider/~3/273115440/producer_web_video_economics_not_youtube_s_fault

Yuri Baranovsky, creator of the Web series "Break A Leg," caused a stir recently when he revealed in a Gawker post that his show, which had generated 2 million views on YouTube (GOOG), netted him a princely sum of $1,600. But Yuri wants you to know he doesn't think YouTube is a villian here -- in fact, compared to the rest of the Web video world, YouTube is a saint. Says Baranovsky:

This has nothing to do with YouTube. It has to do with the current Internet model. If anything, YouTube is the only company that has at all helped us pay off some of our costs, as I say in the article -- YouTube is the only game in town.

Good thing the only game in town deigns to pay people for the work it sells advertising against. The bottom line is there are a handful of people can make money on the Web with crude sketches, one-man "Ask A Ninja"-type shows and the like. But Web economics simply don't support a TV-style productions, with a full cast, scripts, etc -- like the ones Yuri makes.

Earlier: Google Is Saved! YouTube Money Machine Mints $1 CPMs
Being A YouTube Star Doesn't Pay (Obviously)

3G iPhone Details: "Radically Different," May Have Keyboard

Source: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/typepad/alleyinsider/silicon_alley_insider/~3/273662709/3g_iphone_details_radically_different_from_current_one

What's the latest on the 3G iPhone? Still on track for June launch, and...may have a keyboard!

The Times of London reports:

Times Online understands that Apple has placed an order with its Asian suppliers to produce 200,000 of the new 3G iPhones by the end of May, rising to 2 million - 500,000 per week - in June.

With a four week lead time between production and placement, that would leave Mr Jobs free to launch the device during an annual developers conference at which he usually speaks.

Industry sources told Times Online that the device will have a "radically different" appearance to the current device, which has a 4.5 inch screen and slick, aluminium backing. Among the possibilities are flip version, which would enable the screen to be larger, and a sliding model with a regular qwerty keyboard - as opposed to a touchscreen one.

"I think ultimately you going to see multiple versions," one Asia-based analyst, said. "One for customers who want it principally as a music and video device, which will be similar to the existing model, one for people who want to communicate - with the keyboard, and one for people who want it as a substitute for their laptop - that will let them browse the internet on a larger screen."

The new phone may also usher in a change in the way Apple strikes distrtibution deals.... Apple will eventually break with its policy of favouring one network to be the exclusive distributor of the iPhone in a given territory - possibly as early as next year.

If the new iPhone has a keyboard, it might look exactly like Research in Motion's iPhone-killer.

Sunday, April 20, 2008

Giant Chandelier Harnesses The Sun's Power For Electricity and Color-Changing Abilities [Lighting]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/273078919/giant-chandelier-harnesses-the-suns-power-for-electricity-and-color+changing-abilities

This chandelier design by Christoph Klemmt is truly the superhero of lighting fixtures. Besides the obvious aesthetic qualities, the segments that make up the structure itself gradually change from clear to brightly colored when struck by direct sunlight. It also gathers the power from the sun's rays and uses it to illuminate the LEDs scattered along the surface. The piece is currently on exhibit at the Milan furniture fair 2008, so I highly doubt that it will be available to place in your garden anytime soon. And even if it was, you probably couldn't afford it. Additional pic after the break.