Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Samsung gets official with LED-backlit 9 Series LCD HDTVs

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/343572516/

Filed under: , ,


Can't say we're surprised to see 'em, but Sammy has done its due diligence by pumping out the official verbiage for the 9 Series LCD HDTVs that were leaked late last week. These second-generation LED-backlit sets feature 1080p Ultra Clear panels, Auto Motion Plus 120Hz technology, 1,000,000:1 dynamic contrast ratios, the familiar Touch of Color design and a smattering of networking technologies like InfoLink (RSS access) and WiseLink Pro. Additionally, both the 46-inch LN46A950 (pictured) and 55-inch LN55A950 feature 4-millisecond response times, down-firing speakers with a built-in subbie, an integrated NTSC / ATSC / ClearQAM tuner, four HDMI-CEC ports, a PC input, Ethernet socket and a pair of component jacks. Look for each to land next month for $3,199.99 and $4,199.99, respectively.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Read More...

Microsoft Research thinks telescopic pixels will rival LCDs

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/343658715/

Filed under:


The boys and girls at Microsoft Research are getting set to publish a report detailing a competing (and in their perspective, superior) technology to replace the LCD monitors we've grown to know and love heart with reservations. By using pixels that boast "a pair of mirrors to block or transmit light," displays could theoretically be created which are "faster, brighter, and more power efficient than liquid crystal displays." Dubbed telescopic pixels, the devices would be able to turn off and on in under 1.5-milliseconds, which is quick enough to put "red, green, and blue light-emitting diodes behind each pixel." Furthermore, these pixels are way brighter than those used in LCDs, which means users would see less power draw and be able to view the screen more easily in direct sunlight. Sounds solid from here, but could you not humor us with a release time frame or something?

[Via TG Daily]
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Read More...

Aigo's Atom-based MID gets a price, release date

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/343847452/

Filed under:


Aigo hasn't been keeping many secrets about its Atom-based MID, but it has been slightly less than forthcoming with any official word of a price or release date. The company now looks to have finally gotten its act together, however, with it announcing that the handheld, now officially dubbed the MID P8860, will be going on sale in Hong Kong on August 8th for $5,228 HKD (or about $670 -- a full $100 less than the last price we heard). That'll get you an 800MHz Atom Z500 processor, along with 512MB of RAM, a 4GB SSD, built-in WiFi, Bluetooth and, perhaps most notably, GPS. We even hear you can run XP on it.

[Thanks, Joe]
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Read More...

Ripple rolls out Atom-based Mini Chocolate desktop

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/343870991/

Filed under:


Atom-based desktops still aren't nearly as plentiful as Atom-based netbooks, but that equation looks to be slowly changing, with Korea's Ripple only the latest to join the fray with its new "Mini Chocolate" desktop. This one packs the usual 1.6GHz Atom processor into its Mini-ITX form factor, along with support for up to 2GB of RAM, four USB ports, two SATA sockets, and a single IDE socket, plus room for a slot-loading optical drive, which you'll have to supply yourself (along with most of the other components). As you can see above, you can also get it in your choice of three colors, with each setting you back 209,000 Korean won, or just about $200.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Read More...

Texas Memory breaks records, budgets with blisteringly fast RamSan-440 storage device

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/343941833/

Filed under:


Texas Memory has been around longer than most of you readers have been alive (or so we're told by our resident omniscient overlord), but it's been quite awhile since it was talked about freely in the same breath as WD, Fujitsu, Samsung, et al. Now, however, the company is making the rounds once more thanks to its "record setting" RamSan-440, which provides between 256GB and 512GB of RAM-based SSD storage, 600,000 IOPS, 4,500MB/sec random sustained external throughput and latency under 15-microseconds. The entire rig arrives in a 90-pound 4U rack-mount enclosure and claims to be "the first SSD to use RAIDed NAND flash memory modules for data backup." Chances are, you were already bracing to hear a pretty ludicrous figure when it comes to pricing, but $150,000 for the 256GB edition and $275,000 for the 512GB iteration? Please -- we'll take a Lightning GT, thanks.

[Via DailyTech]
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Read More...

Firefly Turns Firefox into a Local File Manager

Source: http://lifehacker.com/398531/firefly-turns-firefox-into-a-local-file-manager


All platforms with Firefox: Even though Firefox 3 has decent file and FTP browsing built-in, the Firefly extension aims to turn the 'fox into a robust file manager. Browse your local drives and folders in Firefox using Firefly, which offers tabs, can split your screen to view several folders, preview images, open, rename, copy, and delete files, and display a hierarchical folder tree in the sidebar. Not sure Firefly is quite as polished as it could be, but if you're dying for a Windows Explorer alternative and Xplorer 2 and others like it aren't cutting it, Firefly is an option. See this Firefly tutorial for more of what it can do. Firefly is a free download which works (almost) wherever Firefox does—the developer says definitely Windows and Linux, but less testing's been done on the Mac.

Read More...

Get Your Computer Online Using Your iPhone's Data Connection [Jailbreak]

Source: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/342488788/get-your-computer-online-using-your-iphones-data-connection

iphonetether.png The best way to put your newly jailbroken iPhone 2.0 to good use is to turn it into a cellphone modem for your laptop. When tapping out an email or pinching and swiping on the iPhone's web browser just doesn't get the job done—and you want to use the full keyboard and screen on your laptop in a Wi-Fi-less place—you can get your computer online using the iPhone's data connection. We've covered how to "tether" your iPhone before, but now that the iPhone 3G connection is speedier and the jailbreak process updated, here's a refresher course.

Helpful reader jewdass offered step by step instructions on how to get this done; here they are with annotations and links added.

1. Jailbreak your iPhone 3G (or first gen iPhone running the 2.0 software). Install OpenSSH via Cydia. (OpenSSH gives you command line access to your device; Here's its full user guide.)


2. Create an ad-hoc network on your computer. On Macs, just click on the Wi-Fi icon in the menubar and select "Create Network." On Windows, set up internet connection sharing.


3. Join the iPhone to this network via Wi-Fi as usual.


4. On the iPhone, under Settings->Wi-Fi, select the network you have joined to view connection details. Write down its IP address.


5. From the Mac's Terminal, run the following command:!
ssh -ND 9999 root@IPHONE_IPADDR
but replace IPHONE_IPADDR with the IP you wrote down in step 4. Login. The default root password is alpine; you should really login normally over SSH and change this.

Windows users: the free SSH client Putty will allow you to accomplish this same step. Don't install Cygwin+OpenSSH as some suggest, that's massive overkill.


6. Configure your browser to use a SOCKS5 proxy server at localhost:9999. Here's more on setting up a SOCKS proxy in Firefox; Adam did it on his Mac in Safari.


7. Surf. I've successfully done web browsing and IRC, anything that supports SOCKS4/5 should work. Haven't yet had success with my Citrix client :(

For the curious: The iPhone is joining your Wi-Fi network, but with no internet access on this network it falls back to using 3G for outgoing packets. ssh -ND creates a local proxy server that relays packets from the loopback address on your pc to the iPhone, which dutifully proxies them out the cellular connection.

Browsing is surprisingly fast, 3G really shows its potential here. It's zippier than doing it directly on the iphone, which I put down to rendering delay.

A more ideal solution of course would be to get the iPhone showing up as a regular access point. I see no reason why this wouldn't be possible, and will be doing some research myself, mostly observing what Unix processes handle this on desktop OS X, and see if they can be compiled from source for the iPhone. In the meantime, the steps to accomplish this are not bad and will definitely serve in a pinch.

Of course, using your AT&T plan in this way almost definitely breaks the terms of service, and it's not a good option for your primary! connect ion, but for a quick online task on the go, it's perfect. This means no more paying for wireless access at the hotel, airport, coffee shop, or war-driving for a Wi-Fi signal just to work online with a full keyboard on your laptop. Thanks, jewdass!


Read More...

The Best Tech Tools and Fitness Plans to Get in Shape [Fitness]

Source: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/342764719/the-best-tech-tools-and-fitness-plans-to-get-in-shape


If there's one thing geeks and non-geeks alike all share, it's an aversion to exercise. No matter how much you'd like to slim your waistline and lose the belly, it's difficult to find a workout routine that not only works, but one that fits your needs and is easy to stick to. Over the years we've covered several fitness plans along with free and cheap technology to help you get in shape and stick to a training plan, and I've used many of these tools to help run two marathons. Read on for a look at the most simple yet effective plans we've covered—along with the best tech tools to help you get and stay in shape. Photo by luiginter.

This isn't a "How to lose 200 pounds in a year" article, but it could be. Despite the proliferation of diet plans and expensive exercise equipment, the key to fitness is and always will be healthy eating, portion control, and a solid exercise routine. (But, a solid exercise routine need not be hard or expensive.) Here are some of the tips and tools we've covered at Lifehacker over the years, many of which I use regularly.


From Couch to 5k to Marathon

If you've never done much running or exercise, getting started can be a bear. The key is baby steps, and the Couch to 5k running plan gets you ready to run your first 5k (that's three miles) in just six weeks. (Original post)


chicago-marathon.pngIf you 're beyond the 5k, I'd recommend giving a marathon a try at least once (or, if that seems a touch ambitious, a half marathon). Twenty-six miles may seem insane, but if you can run a 5k, you can probably do a marathon. Running expert and writer Hal Higdon's free marathon training guides are a perfect place to get started, and when the marathon actually comes around, check out how I hacked the Chicago marathon. Photo by Chicago Producers.


Zero to One Hundred Push-Ups in Six Weeks

push-up.pngWhether you like doing them or not, the push-up belongs in your fitness routine. Unfortunately the push-up has always been a difficult nut to crack, not least of which because of the embarrassment of hardly being able to finish a small set. Much like the Couch to 5k running plan, web site One Hundred Push Ups provides workout routines designed to take you from zero to one hundred push-ups in six weeks. The push-up works your whole body, which means whether you take the 100 push-up route or not, it's worth integrating into your workout routine. (Original post)


Work Your Entire Body with a Sledgehammer


Probably the most embarrassing part of my workout routine (at least when I'm explaining it) involves shovelgloving, a daily, full-body workout that requires just 14 minutes and a sledgehammer wrapped in a sweatshirt. The brainchild of a guy who just wanted an ex! ercise r outine he could do from the comfort of his bedroom, shovelgloving is a surprisingly effective exercise routine for working your entire body. Shovelglove exercises are also fun to do, incorporating old-timey routines like the butter-churn, wood-chop, and (naturally) shovel. (Original post)


Map Your Workout

Whether you're running, biking, hiking, or skipping, mapping your workout is an excellent way to track what you've done, workouts you've enjoyed, and even calories you've burned.



My go-to tool for this purpose has always been MapMyRun, a site with a huge set of features for setting up a training plan, mapping your runs, calculating the calories you've burned, and more. The site's massive feature set has made it a little more intimidating for first-time users, but if all you want to do is quickly map out a run, just jump straight to the route creation tool. (Original post)


trailrunner.pngIf you're not keen on the web-based route, the Mac-only TrailRunner is an incredible desktop application that tackles many of the same features with a quick and very attractive interface. TrailRunner even integrates with Nike+ iPod, Google Earth, and your GPS (though MapMyRun does GPS, too).


Pick the Right Running Shoes

running-shoes.pngI f you've decided to take a serious stab at running, the only significant, unavoidable expense is shoes. Sure you could just stick with your aging pair of gym shoes, but running is hard on your body, and a good pair of running shoes can go a long way toward preventing injury and keeping you comfortable while you run, which also means you're more likely to stick with your workout. With that in mind, it's important to know how to pick the right running shoe for your feet. (Original post) Photo by jordanfischer.


Pump Up the Jams

workout-music.pngWhether it's an iPod, Walkman, or even radio, take full advantage of the distracting and motivating power of music when you're working out. Fill up your MP3 player with a playlist full of great workout music. They shouldn't all be over-the-top motivators like Gonna Fly Now or Born to Run—those are really just for the times you need them. Try different songs and pick out what kind of music works best for you, and reserve your motivators for the times you really need an extra boost. If you take the Nike+ iPod route, you can actually set a song as your big motivator that you can instantly skip to when you need it. If you don't have Nike+, the same idea applies: Make it easily accessible so you can get that instant pick-me-up when you need it. If you're looking for suggestions, check out our readers' favorite workout music. If you've taken to ! burning more calories with interval running, set up your very own interval running playlist in iTunes. Photo by Geff Rossi.


Nike+ iPod

nike+-ipod.pngI've been using the Nike+ iPod since January and am loving it. It's easy to use when you're already running with your iPod anyway, and it makes tracking and graphing my progress over time dead simple. All of that extra information—like that I've run about 320 miles so far this year—is surprisingly motivational. At only $30 for a Nike+ iPod sport kit, it's not terribly expensive (provided you've already got a supported iPod), and you don't actually have to buy Nike shoes to use it. I dug a hole in the insoles of my running shoes and stuck the Nike+ dongle inside, but if you don't want to mutilate your shoes the Nike+ iPod shoe mod may be just the ticket.


Track Your Fitness on Your Computer


traineo.pngOur very own Kevin has covered several ways to track your fitness progress with free tools. My favorite, which he mentions in his feature, is web site Traineo. Traineo is there to help you stick with your plan and motivate you to achieve your exercise and fitness goals. (Original post)




There are gobs of tools available designed t! o tackle a lot of the same goals mentioned above, so if you've got a favorite that I didn't point out, let's hear more about it in the comments. For a couple of fitness remainders we've covered in the past, you may also want to take a look at how to get in shape with the Wii Sports weight loss program and how to get six pack abs.


Adam Pash is a senior editor for Lifehacker who may—counterintuitively—be overweight if not for technology. His special feature Hack Attack appears every Tuesday on Lifehacker. Subscribe to the Hack Attack RSS feed to get new installments in your newsreader.


Read More...

Sony HQ Shows Off 3D Fish Footage on 200-inch Mystery Display [Sony]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/342621726/sony-hq-shows-off-3d-fish-footage-on-200+inch-mystery-display

Apparently, the new attraction at Sony's Tokyo headquarters is a gigantic 200-inch display showing HD underwater footage in 3D. The footage was shot by divers in the Okanawa aquarium with a couple of high-end Sony cameras, but what we're really interested in is that display. What is it?

There's not much info that we can find online, but it's almost definitely not some new 200-inch TV. That sort of thing would have been wheeled out at CES to show Panasonic what's up. Perhaps it's a custom job with two panels stitched together? A projection? Maybe it's just a really fancy aquarium that's gussied up to look like a display? I'm not sure, but from the photos it looks very big and very nice. Anyone have the goods? Inquiring minds want to know. [New Launches]


Read More...

Google Maps Adds Walking Directions, Bad Neighborhood Caution [Google Maps]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/343012179/google-maps-adds-walking-directions-bad-neighborhood-caution

If you drive a car in certain cities, you're dumb. There, I said it. But that's how Google Maps assumed everybody locomoted to their destination, until now. Yep! Google Maps finally has an option for step-by-step walking directions. Accounting for the speed difference between your kicks and four-wheeled gas-guzzlers, it estimates covering a mile will take about 19 minutes. And it says to use caution in dicey areas (I guess you'll be routed around them as it's updated?). Hopefully this gets added to the iPhone's maps in the next update, dodging cars on the BQE is exhausting. [Google Maps via Search Engine Roundtable via Lifehacker]


Read More...