Topps 3D Live Brings Augmented Reality to Baseball Cards [Augmented Reality]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/C4fH33txmzA/topps-3d-live-brings-augmented-reality-to-baseball-cards

After recently buying the venerable trading cards company, Disney is making a seriously cool bid to keep card collecting alive, debuting 3D, augmented reality baseball cards complete with tiny players, stats and games.

This kind of augmented reality tech has been seen before, most recently in a German Mini advert that placed a Mini Cabrio on a magazine, via a webcam. These cards (video here) take the concept a little bit further, with custom 3D models suited to each player and even a few little pitching, batting and catching games. The cards will be available in different editions in packs of either five or ten, for $1.00 or $2.00, respectively.

A rep for Upper Deck fired back, cryptically promising competing cards that "come alive and contain video." What this means, I have no idea, but at any rate it looks like baseball cards don't plan on dying quietly. Video at the source. [NYT]

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Sigma's Flagship SD15 DSLR Feels Like a Rock (in a Good Way) [Tomorrow's Cameras]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/PcaxeHSkzPQ/sigmas-flagship-sd15-dslr-feels-like-a-rock-in-a-good-way

Sigma's upcoming 14-megapixel SD15 DSLR promises to improve on its SD14 predecessor with an improved True II image processor. On display at PMA, the camera feels damn near indestructable when you hold it in your hand.

This camera is clearly for those more professionally minded, and isn't smaller or lighter than some of its competitors. The dual dials up top seem a bit excessive considering there are still plenty of buttons on the back, but all in all, it feels good in your hand. And knowing the Foveon X3 sensor it's powered by, the images will more or less be decent as well.

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MSI Winki eyes-on: it's an instant-on OS, but for desktops

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/04/msi-winki-hands-on-its-an-instant-on-os-but-for-desktops/

MSI did a laudatory job this morning baffling us with its Winki release, but we managed to find an exceptionally kind, English-speaking representative at its CeBIT booth today who broke it down for us. In short, Winki is MSI's new instant-on operating system. It's Linux-based, and looks a heck of a lot more elaborate than the HyperSpace instant-on OS that we toyed with in January. The kicker is that at least for now, this thing is only for desktops, as it's actually built into a small module (shown above) that plugs directly into an MSI motherboard. At first, only select mainboards will come bundled with Winki, but it just might roll out across MSI's entire mobo line. The dame we spoke with wouldn't divulge any details on whether this OS would ever come to its wide-ranging laptop line, but we suspect it will in due time. Winki provides easy access to IM services, Skype and the internet, which is a shortcut to Doom away from being all the true gamer needs in life, anyway.

Gallery: MSI Winki hands-on: it's an instant-on OS, but for desktops

Filed under: Desktops

MSI Winki eyes-on: it's an instant-on OS, but for desktops originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 04 Mar 2009 13:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MSI Wind U123 netbook hands-on

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/04/msi-wind-u123-netbook-hands-on/

While MSI's X-Slim line no doubt garnered the most attention at its massive CeBIT booth, we found a few other gems that our camera just couldn't ignore. Take the Wind U123 for instance -- which was camped out with a Intel N280 processor, the incredibly aged GMA 950 graphics set, the old 945GSE chipset (as opposed to the GN40, which we were carelessly hoping for) and a SIM card slot for 3G WWAN. It didn't look all that different from U120, but then again, we never expected it to. Dive in below to see for yourself.

Gallery: MSI Wind U123 netbook hands-on

Filed under: Laptops

MSI Wind U123 netbook hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 04 Mar 2009 15:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kindle 2 hacked for tethered web browsing, but not the way you think

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/04/kindle-2-hacked-for-tethered-web-browsing-but-not-the-way-you-t/

Looking to hook your laptop up to your Kindle 2 and do a bit of free-riding on its built-in 3G modem? Then this is not the hack for you. If, on the other hand, you've been pining to browse the web on your Kindle and eschew the convenience of wireless connectivity, then you're in luck! Apparently, the Kindle 2 has a few surprises in its debug mode that the original Kindle didn't have, one of which is a USB networking facility that will let you bypass the usual 3G option and instead take advantage of the internet connection on a connected computer. Not the most practical option, to be sure, but it also probably won't cause Amazon to start breathing down your neck (as the other, as yet not possible option, likely would). Hit up the link below for the complete how-to.

[Via SlashGear]

Filed under: Handhelds

Kindle 2 hacked for tethered web browsing, but not the way you think originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 04 Mar 2009 15:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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