Dr. Augustine Fou's Online Scrapbook

Wednesday, June 04, 2008

Starbucks Free Wi-Fi Officially Launched [Starbucks]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/303816703/starbucks-free-wi+fi-officially-launched

Just like we told you yesterday, the Starbucks free Wi-Fi program with AT&T is officially a go today. If you go to sign up for a Starbucks card, you get the option of with or without Wi-Fi. As long as you use the prepaid card once a month, you get two hours of free Wi-Fi a day. Welcome to 2008, Starbucks. [Harbucks]

Futuristic Info Goggles Look Amazing, Would Probably Give You a Headache [The Goggles, They Do Something]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/303903154/futuristic-info-goggles-look-amazing-would-probably-give-you-a-headache

These concept virtual goggles don't take into account any, you know, technology that actually exists, but I don't really care. Maybe it's the curves, maybe it's the slick-looking display or maybe it's the beautiful woman wearing them, but they look damn cool to me. They're certainly cooler than any other glasses display that I've ever seen. Let's make these a reality, engineers, shall we? Click the photo for a bigger, more detailed version. [Blutsbrueder Design via PSFK]

Kensington starts shipping DisplayLink Dual Monitor Adapter

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/303891549/

Filed under: Peripherals

Kensington has been touting its DisplayLink Dual Monitor Adapter since before it even had a product to show off, but the company's now apparently finally gotten its act together and pushed the device out the door. Like similar devices, this one will let you add a second monitor with nothing more than a USB connection, or up to six monitors if you want to string a bunch of the adapters together. You still won't get more than a 1440 x 900 or 1280x 1024 resolution, however, but thanks to those recently released drivers, you will now be able to use it with Macs in addition to XP or Vista-based PCs. Unfortunately, as is often the case, the price has taken a bit of a jump since the company's initial estimates, with it now running $120 instead of the even $100 we were first promised.

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Dell Studio line details leak out

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/303911059/

Filed under: Desktops, Laptops

It looks like that mysterious listing on Dell's support site for a "Studio 1535" laptop is evidence of a larger branding push soon to come -- we just got a tip that says Dell's planning on creating an entire Studio line as "a midpoint between performance XPS systems and entry-level Inspiron systems." The first machines out of the gate will apparently be those rumored 1535 and 1735 laptops we caught a glimpse of last month (the 1435 appears to have been canned), but we're being told that eventually there'll be Studio desktops as well, and that the 1535 will get an AMD-based 1536 twin. All still rumors for now, but they dovetail nicely with the recent merger of the XPS and Alienware teams and Dell's hints at "new directions" for XPS -- and based on the obviously-related design language of the XPS m1530 and Studio 1535, we'd even go so far as to guess that the Studio line is destined to replace the XPS line, not simply supplement it. We'll see when we see -- any other theories out there?

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Foxconn shows off pint-sized PD-S2900 DLP projector

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/303979351/

Filed under: Displays

It's not quite shooting for the world's smallest title, but Foxconn's new PD-S2900 DLP projector will certainly turn quite a few heads nonetheless, with it boasting a form factor of just 4 x 3.6 x 1.4 inches and a weight just under a pound. That'll still give you an SVGA resolution though, along with a whopping 55 lumens of brightness and an apparently decently-sized image from a few feet away. No word on a price just yet, but you can look for this one to hit Taiwan sometime in the third quarter of this year.

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NVIDIA shows off Tegra on video

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/304008447/

Filed under: Cellphones, Gaming, Handhelds, HDTV, Laptops

Yesterday we told you about NVIDIA's new mobile platform, Tegra, and today, we've got some videos from the company showing off the system, and giving you a good impression of just how much less juice this architecture uses compared to the competition. Check the videos after the break demonstrating the systems' lean energy needs, HDMI output capabilities, blazing fast gaming, and that fancy UI we keep telling you about.

Continue reading NVIDIA shows off Tegra on video

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Intel debuts Z-P230 PATA SSD drive for netbooks and "nettops"

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/304032507/

Filed under: Storage

Hot on the heels of SanDisk, Intel has now trotted out some SSD drives of its own that it says are specifically designed for "value mobile and desktop systems such as netbooks and nettops." Available in 4GB and 8GB varieties to start with (a 16GB model will be following in Q4), the drives are one-fourth the size of a standard 1.8-inch hard drive and boast all the low-power requirements you'd expect, which Intel says should translate to a hefty boost in battery life. There's no word as to how much the drives might add or subtract from the price of those aforementioned netbooks or "nettops" though, but it seems like we should be finding that out soon enough if Intel has its way.

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Pure Digital introduces Flip Mino video sharing camcorder

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/304195781/

Filed under: Digital Cameras

It's been quite awhile since Pure Digital's YouTube-lovin' Flip Video Ultra came around, but folks looking for its rightful successor can finally stop peering around every bend in vain. Announced today, the Flip Mino checks in at just 4- x 2- x 0.6-inches and weighs 3.3-ounces -- a full 40% smaller than the previously mentioned Ultra. You'll also find 2GB of internal storage for holding an hour of footage, along with a sealed rechargeable Li-ion, 1.5-inch anti-glare screen, touch-sensitive buttons and a TV output to boot. As predicted, this pocket-friendly camcorder comes ready to upload to some of the most popular video sharing sites on the web, and users in the US can procure their own (in black or white) on June 5th for $179.99.

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The HTC Touch Pro

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/304298062/

Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds

Call it Raphael no longer! HTC has officially thrown the cover off its Touch Pro today -- the QWERTY slider sibling of the recently-unveiled Touch Diamond -- which should cover the bases for those who loved the Diamond's keen looks but decided they'd go our of their gourds without a full set of physical keys at their disposal. Under that glossy black shell lies WiFi, HSPA with a solid 7.2Mbps on the downstream, Bluetooth, 2.8-inch VGA display, Windows Mobile 6.1 featuring HTC's TouchFLO 3D interface, a 3.2 megapixel camera, a half gig of ROM, and 288MB of RAM. It's not going to win any "world's thinnest" records with an 18.05mm waistline, but those five rows of textual healing don't come without a price. The first batch of devices will be Europe-bound in "late summer" with 900 / 2100MHz 3G alongside the quadband GSM and EDGE; North and Latin American versions are promised for later in the year.

Gallery: The HTC Touch Pro