Dr. Augustine Fou's Online Scrapbook

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Nano-Sized Semiconductor Dots Could Fix Your Terrible Vision [Nanotech]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/yotZwOH8QIQ/nano+sized-semiconductor-dots-could-fix-your-terrible-vision

New Scientist reports that researchers at the University of Colorado came up with this crazy idea that if they inject semiconductor nanoparticles in your retinas, photons will make them glow, thus improving your vision.

These quantum dots, as they're referred to, would theoretically fluoresce when hit by light packets, and serve as a light amplifier for retinal images. The patent says early tests on rats have been successful, as they showed improved vision over the control group. The upside is that this solution requires no power source, and can target specific areas of the retina, making it more of a reality than bionic eyes or begging for an eye cam. [Patent via New Scientist via Oh Gizmo!]

Eyeglasses With Fluid-Filled Sac for World's Poor Are Instantly Adjustable [Glasses]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/y_x0iRn5RcU/eyeglasses-with-fluid+filled-sac-for-worlds-poor-are-instantly-adjustable

British Inventor Josh Silver has developer a pair of eyeglasses that are instantly adjustable. They've got a liquid-filled sac in the middle—add more fluid to make the glasses stronger, deflate to weaken them.

The no-optician-required glasses rely on the principle that the fatter a lens is, the more powerful it comes, so by pumping in or sucking out fluid, the glasses can be instantly tailored to the right strength. They're so simple to adjust that practically anyone can do it. So far the only complaint with the glasses is that they're kind of ginormous—which kind of goes with having specs that operate on the coke-bottle glasses principle and have a fluid-filled membrane sitting in the middle of the lens.

Silver is planning a trial in India that will distribute over 1 million of the glasses, which he hopes to have strapped to the heads over a billion of the world's poorest people—at a cost of $1 per pair—by the poetic date of 2020. Luckily for him, giant glasses are ironically cool again, so he could probably launch a Get 1, Give 10 style program funded entirely by hipsters . [Guardian via MAKE]

Boxee Media Center Open to Everyone on Jan. 8 [Boxee]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/mhpt4xU_-wA/boxee-media-center-open-to-everyone-on-jan-8

Boxee, which is our favorite way to unleash the true power of Apple TV is going from invite-only to totally open on Jan. 8, as it chugs along from alpha to beta. [boxee via Engadget]

SlingPlayer For Windows Mobile Comes to Loads More Phones [SlingPlayer Mobile]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/nBw6yEp9Pr4/slingplayer-for-windows-mobile-comes-to-loads-more-phones

The aging SlingPlayer for Windows Mobile has been updated, and almost exclusively for compatibility. The app will now run on most modern phones, including (finally) 640x480, 800x480, 400x240 and 320x320 handsets.

The official list of supported phones now includes the following:

Sprint Treo 800w
Sony Ericsson X1
Palm Treo Pro
Sprint HTC Touch Diamond
Sprint HTC Touch Pro
Verizon HTC Touch Pro
Verizon Samsung Saga
Verizon Samsung Omnia
AT&T LG Incite
AT&T HTC Fuze
AT&T Samsung Epix
HP iPAQ 910
AT&T Pantech Duo
Sprint Samsung ACE
Verizon XV6900

That said, almost any phone running a compatible resolution should be fine (Touch HD, anyone?). [Sling]

Viliv's Atom-powered S5 MID gets detailed and pictured

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/23/vilivs-atom-powered-s5-mid-gets-detailed-pictured/

Viliv got us salivating when it introduced the S5 MID and S7 UMPC back at IDF, and now we've got a few tasty updates on both. Starting with the former, we've learned via an interview with parent company Yukyung that the S5 MID will come packing a 1.33GHz Intel Atom CPU, 1GB of RAM, a 1.8-inch hard drive (1.3-inch when paired with a WiBro module in South Korea), a 4.8-inch 800 x 480 resolution touchscreen, integrated GPS / DMB and a primary battery good for up to six hours of use. The OS will be a home cooked system that's fairly attractive, though the outfit has made clear that WinXP versions will be available in the future. Speaking of the future, the currently unpriced S5 is expected to ship in South Korea this coming January or February, while the S7 is still on track for release sometime after that.

[Via Slashgear]

Filed under: Handhelds

Viliv's Atom-powered S5 MID gets detailed and pictured originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Dec 2008 10:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HP Firebird 803 tower with VoodooDNA leaked!

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/23/hp-firebird-803-tower-with-voodoodna-leaked/

We always loved us that Voodoo-designed HP Blackbird 002, but it was certainly a behemoth. Now it looks like the duo are going for a more realistic size -- and hopefully pricepoint -- with the all-new HP Firebird PC 803 that just fell in our lap, a gaming tower which flips the disc drive and most other components on their sides to save on space. The resulting kit seems to have more in common with gaming consoles than desktop PCs in terms of design, with very little configurability or expansion available, but the leaked specs are still quite palatable to the modern PC gamer:

NVIDIA nForce 760i SLI chipset
Core 2 Quad Q9550 2.83GHz processor
4GB of RAM
Dual NVIDIA GeForce 9800S cards
Two 320GB SATA drives
Blu-ray
5-in-1 card reader
6 USB, 1 FireWire, 2 eSATA, 1 S/PDIF and 1 DVI dual-link
Bluetooth
802.11n WiFi

To save on space (and heat), the Firebird actually uses an external power supply, but we suppose the included wireless keyboard and mouse should help to make up for that clutter. As you've probably gleaned from the specs, those small form factor 9800S cards aren't going to be putting away the frame rates quite like the cutting edge cards from NVIDIA and AMD, and the seeming lack of expandability makes the (theoretical) up-front cost savings seem a bit less exciting, but for a certain type of gamer the Firebird could be a welcome respite from monstrous, unrealistic and just-as-quickly-outmoded performance towers.

P.S.: Rahul's dubious rant about the boutique gaming industry -- which Voodoo still serves -- makes a lot more sense in this light. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Gallery: HP Firebird 803 tower with VoodooDNA leaked!

Filed under: Desktops, Gaming

HP Firebird 803 tower with VoodooDNA leaked! originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Dec 2008 11:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dell's XPS 730x H2C Core i7 gaming PC benchmarked and tested exhaustively

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/23/dells-xps-730x-h2c-core-i7-gaming-pc-benchmarked-and-tested-exh/

If you thought the original XPS 730 H2C was boss, get a load of this. The incredibly diligent benchmarkers over at HotHardware have taken the Core i7-powered XPS 730x H2C under their wings for a fortnight of testing, and they've got a baker's dozen worth of review pages to display their findings. We can't even begin to cover the array of graphs, bar charts and triple-digit FPS numbers here, but we can tell you that critics were duly impressed with how well the Core i7 performance compared to older Core 2-based offerings. Gaming performance was predictably "fantastic," and even the single GeForce GTX 280 that it was packin' held its own under pressure. All in all, this fanciful machine was deemed "a worthy update to what [reviewers] thought was the best XPS 700 series system to date," and if you've got the coin, you'll probably be incredibly pleased with what it delivers. Dive deep (and we mean deep) in the read link below.

Filed under: Desktops

Dell's XPS 730x H2C Core i7 gaming PC benchmarked and tested exhaustively originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Dec 2008 13:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Verismo officially launches $99 VuNow PoD with YouTube support

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/23/verismo-officially-launches-99-vunow-pod-with-youtube-support/

Just in time to snag some of that cash you're sure to have showing up right about now via greeting cards from around the world, Verismo Networks is officially launching its diminutive VuNow PoD. We've seen the device evolve quite a bit since June, but with a smorgasbord of competitors already grabbing market share left and right, we're left to wonder if this one won't be sitting on the outside looking in. The internet TV streamer hooks directly to one's TV and internet connection in order to deliver web content (YouTube, of note) to the tele. While specifics are conveniently omitted, we're told that users will have access to "a broad choice of online video content -- from movies, global Live TV channels, to user-generated content and viral videos." It's available now for $99, but can you stand yet another set-top-box beneath your flat-panel?

Filed under: Home Entertainment

Verismo officially launches $99 VuNow PoD with YouTube support originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Dec 2008 14:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use ! of feeds .

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Researchers achieve new efficiency record of blue OLEDs

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/23/researchers-achieve-new-efficiency-record-of-blue-oleds/

Ever since Sony's XEL-1 hit the market, pundits have pointed to the (comparatively) short-lived blue OLED material as its biggest hamstring. Researchers have been toiling around the clock in order to bring the blue lifepsan in line with its green and red siblings, and now it seems like a team of Gators are that much closer to the promise land. Reportedly, a gaggle of whiz-kids from the University of Florida have "achieved a new record in efficiency of blue organic light-emitting diodes, and because blue is essential to white light, the advance helps overcome a hurdle to lighting that is much more efficient than compact fluorescents." Franky So (pictured) and his diligent crew were able to reach a peak blue OLED efficiency of 50 lumens per watt, which is halfway to his goal of at least 100 lumens per watt. Hurry it up, folks -- CES is just around the corner.

[Via Physorg]

Filed under: Displays, HDTV

Researchers achieve new efficiency record of blue OLEDs originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Dec 2008 15:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iZ3D bringing 26-inch prototype 3D LCD to CES 2009

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/23/iz3d-bringing-26-inch-prototype-3d-lcd-to-ces-2009/

In case you haven't noticed, iZ3D is riding the suddenly swelled wave of 3D enthusiasm all the way to the bank (and Vegas). Even though its existing 22-inch 3D LCD has been around since mid-2007, the firm has recently hacked down the price and pushed it into retail outlets in order to drum up interest. At CES, it's bringing even more firepower in the form of a 26-inch prototype (pictured) that should do everything the current 22-incher does, just 4-inches better. Additionally, it'll have on display the Immersion Series, which places a trio of the iZ3D monitors together in order to better simulate flights and races. In case that's not enough, we're also told to expect a 22-inch widescreen 3D LCD that's console-friendly, meaning that the only thing standing between you and 3D Xbox 360 enjoyment is a wonky set of glasses and compatible software. We'll see how it all looks in around a fortnight.

Filed under: Displays, Home Entertainment

iZ3D bringing 26-inch prototype 3D LCD to CES 2009 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Dec 2008 16:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pogo Sketch stylus turns your touchpad into a tablet

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/23/pogo-sketch-stylus-turns-your-touchpad-into-a-tablet/

We never really knew anyone intrigued by Pogo's iPhone stylus, but the company's newest writin' stick puts that capacitive touch-compatible tech to a way more interesting use -- turning touchpads into large digitizer tablets. That'd be particularly useful for new MacBook owners who're rocking those gigantor buttonless trackpads, but we'll have to see this $15 accessory in action before we say Wacom's got anything to worry about.

Filed under: Peripherals

Pogo Sketch stylus turns your touchpad into a tablet originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Dec 2008 19:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nine-year old girl is youngest person to become Microsoft Certified Professional

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/23/nine-year-old-girl-is-youngest-person-to-become-microsoft-certif/

A nine year-old girl in India named M. Lavinashree has passed the Microsoft Certified Professional Exam, becoming the youngest person to ever pull it off (smashing the record previously held by a 10 year-old Pakistani girl). The youngster has a long history of making records in her short life -- including reciting all 1,300 couplets of a 2,000 year-old Tamil epic at the age of three -- and now she's now cramming for the Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer Exam. We'll be honest, this really takes the zing out of our biggest accomplishment at the age of nine: figuring out where in the world Carmen Sandiego was. Hit the read link for a video.

[Thanks, Penny]

Continue reading Nine-year old girl is youngest person to become Microsoft Certified Professional

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Nine-year old girl is youngest person to become Microsoft Certified Professional originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Dec 2008 20:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Genius bringing WiFi boombox, night vision IP camera concepts to CES 2009

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/24/genius-bringing-wifi-boombox-night-vision-ip-camera-concepts-to/

You may be inclined to just associate Genius with corporate-level mice, ho hum speakers and the occasional pen tablet, but the outfit is looking to expand its horizons at CES next month. It'll be bringing along a pair of concepts that are evidently leaning towards release in the mysterious future, the first of which is a 2.4 GHz Wireless Stereo Speaker System. The three-piece package presumably contains two satellites and a subwoofer, with the knobs and ports maintaining a low profile. The wireless range reaches up to 100-feet and the inbuilt 3.5-millimeter auxiliary jack ensures that practically any source will work. Moving on, we've got the IP Cam 350TR, which is constructed with "the most advanced night vision technology to secure any home or office efficiently." The integrated light sensor automatically fires up six infrared LEDs when in a dark / dim environment, and there's also a microphone tucked away to capture live audio. Pricing for both is listed as TBA, which isn't shocking given the "concept" status; full release is after the jump.

Continue reading Genius bringing WiFi boombox, night vision IP camera concepts to CES 2009

Filed under: Digital Cameras, Home Entertainment

Genius bringing WiFi boombox, night vision IP camera concepts to CES 2009 originally appeared on Enga dget on Wed, 24 Dec 2008 00:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hydrogen-powered Honda FCX Clarity, giant ASIMO to lead Rose Parade

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/24/hydrogen-powered-honda-fcx-clarity-giant-asimo-to-lead-rose-par/

For the first time ever (yes, ever!), this year's Rose Parade in Pasadena, California will be headed up by a hydrogen-powered vehicle. Honda's fuel cell-equipped FCX Clarity will lead the 120th parade, and the pace car will be followed by the Super Cub motorcycle -- the first model sold in the United States. As fancy as these two are, it's the ASIMO that'll undoubtedly steal the show, and yes, we're talking about the 49-foot iteration we spotted a few days back. Catch Honda's trio riding high on January 1 at 8:00AM PST; after that, it's time to place your bets between USC and Penn State.

Filed under: Robots, Transportation

Hydrogen-powered Honda FCX Clarity, giant ASIMO to lead Rose Parade originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 24 Dec 2008 02:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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appears to be a slow news day -- 'USA Today' Launches iPhone App -- http://ping.fm/P5X6g

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