Dr. Augustine Fou's Online Scrapbook

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Sony DSLR Camera Image Sensor Better Than Canon's? [King Of The Hill]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/CM4TAzwZhZk/sony-dslr-camera-image-sensor-better-than-canons

DxO Labs does something quite tricky: Quantifies the quality of an image sensor's performance, so you can look at a neat number grade for a quick gauge. Surprisingly, a Sony DSLR bests equivalent Canon models.

In their test—which uses the camera's raw output as the basis for measuring sensor performance, evaluating color, dynamic range and low-light shooting—Sony's $1100 A700 outscored Canon's 40D and 50D by a few points, with a 66.3, falling just behind Nikon's D300 and the Pentax K10D. Interestingly, the top scoring sensor of that size is in the Nikon D90, which has a whopping 72.6, 10 points ahead of the Canon 50D's 62.9.

Okay, Sony's Alpha cameras' solid sensor performance actually isn't that surprising, since Sony has a ton of experience making sensors—the Nikon D300 we lurrrrb and that does pretty well in DxO Labs' tests, for instance, packs a Sony sensor. DxO Labs' comparison tool, which has pretty much every major DSLR in its database, is actually pretty neat, if you believe their scores, anyway. [DxO Labs via CNET]

The Coolest Lens You'll See Today Tilts, Shifts and Bulges [Cameras]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/I-V1jvVtjRw/the-coolest-lens-youll-see-today-tilts-shifts-and-bulges

Canon's new tilt-shift lens—the glass you need to make amazing photos like this without Photosorcery—is an ultra-wide 17mm piece of kit. Also ultra-wide is its price: $2500. But just look at it. [Dvice]

Someone Says This Is Samsung's New AMOLED Touchscreen Phone [Rumor]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/53m0kOliE04/someone-says-this-is-samsungs-new-amoled-touchscreen-phone

PhoneDog says a tipster sent them this image of the Samsung a877—a non-smartphone—with a 3.2-inch AMOLED touchscreen, slideout, QWERTY keyboard and a dash of attractiveness.

The tipster claims the phone will have a 3G, GPS, Bluetooth, 3-megapixel cam (w/geotagging), and will use Sammy's TouchWiz UI. And apparently it will be here by the end of the March. For a dumbphone, I like what I see so far. [PhoneDog via Engadget]

Sanyo goes wireless with new line of projectors

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/10/sanyo-goes-wireless-with-new-line-of-projectors/

Still haven't found a wireless projector that meets your needs? Then you may want to consider one of Sanyo's new LP-XU355 or LP-XU305 models, which each pack a standard XGA resolution and a new "Simple Wireless Setting" that lets you use an included USB drive to easily network with any computer. Otherwise, you can expect to get 3,000 or 3,500 ANSI lumens of brightness, a single 7W speaker in each, a wireless remote, and a full range of inputs, including a single HDCP-compliant DVI port. If you don't mind being tethered, you can also opt for Sanyo's new non-wireless LP-XU350, LP-XU300, LP-XU301, or LP-WXU300 models, which are each more or less similar to their WiFi counterparts, with the exception of the LP-WXU300, which ups the resolution to 1280 x 800. No word on a release 'round here just yet, but those in Japan can apparently look for the first of the lot (including the two wireless models) to roll out in May, with the remainder trickling out over the course of June and July.

[Via Akihabara News]

Filed under: Displays

Sanyo goes wireless with new line of projectors originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Mar 2009 13:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Acer Aspire One mod adds eSATA port, an element of danger

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/10/acer-aspire-one-mod-adds-esata-port-an-element-of-danger/

The blogster known as tnkgrl has just rounded out a delightful series of step-by-step Acer Aspire One hacks covering the gamut from RAM upgrades to installing internal Bluetooth, a 1.8-inch HDD, and HSDPA 3G. For the final part of the series she's salvaged an eSATA socket and placed it just above the venerable netbook's second SD card slot -- and she's provided enough photographic evidence that if this were a crime, she'd go away for a very long time. Of course, this sort of anti-social warranty-voiding business ain't for the timid, but if you're feeling rather Legend Of Billie Jean, here's your opportunity to go wild.

[Via Liliputing]

Filed under: Laptops

Acer Aspire One mod adds eSATA port, an element of danger originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Mar 2009 14:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Intel admits that GN40 chipset is no match for Blu-ray

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/10/intel-admits-that-gn40-chipset-is-no-match-for-blu-ray/

We know, we're just being greedy at this point, but hey -- did you honestly expect anything less? We knew Intel's new Atom N280 processor, when paired with the equally fresh GN40 chipset, could deliver silky smooth 720p video playback. What we didn't know, however, was how well it could handle 1080p material. According to Fudzilla, an Intel product manager has stated that the GN40 is "designed to do 1080p HD playback for typical broadband internet content," but that it wasn't engineered to "enable full Blu-ray capability where the bitrates and demands of multi-layer content are significantly higher than that of internet HD content." The optimist within us is hoping that the GN40's successor will take the next logical step and handle BD films, but we wouldn't dare suggest you get your own hopes up that high if you're not good with handling disappointment.

[Image courtesy of TechArena]

Filed under: HDTV, Home Entertainment, Laptops

Intel admits that GN40 chipset is no match for Blu-ray originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Mar 2009 15:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung A877 with AMOLED touchscreen coming to AT&T this month?

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/10/samsung-a877-with-amoled-touchscreen-coming-to-atandt-this-month/

Are we looking at the best thing this side of a smartphone to grace AT&T? Quite possibly, and jilted Quickfire owners who miss the form factor should probably be taking note. Rumor has it that we're looking at the Samsung A877 here, delivering some 3.2 inches of AMOLED glory at WQVGA resolution, a 3 megapixel cam with geotagging support, TouchWiz (naturally), GPS, HSDPA, and a landscape slide-out full QWERTY keyboard. Even better, PhoneDog's tipster says it'll be hitting just a couple weeks away on March 29, so we don't have terribly long to wait. The Eternity just got a whole lot less interesting, eh?

Filed under: Cellphones

Samsung A877 with AMOLED touchscreen coming to AT&T this month? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Mar 2009 16:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MSI announces the VX600 15.4-inch notebook

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/10/msi-announces-the-vx600-15-4-inch-notebook/

MSI has been one busy outfit as of late -- between the company's new Wind Boxes, netbooks, and everything else, it's been quite a year. That said, allow us to submit for your approval the VX600. This guy sports a 15.4-inch (1280 x 800) display, an Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 512MB ATI Mobility Radeon HD3410 graphics, up to 4GB memory, up to 320GB storage, and 6 and 9-cell battery options. In addition to all that, the company's brought their ECO Engine Power Management System to the party, which allows the device to switch among the five different power saving modes (including Gaming, Movie, Presentation, Office, and Turbo Battery) for optimized battery usage. No price or availability yet, but you'll know as soon as we do. For reals.

[Via Mobile Tech News]

Filed under: Laptops

MSI announces the VX600 15.4-inch notebook originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Mar 2009 17:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A-DATA's SATAII SSD 300 Plus promises quicker reads, writes

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/10/a-datas-sataii-ssd-300-plus-promises-quicker-reads-writes/

It's hard to say just how legitimate these claims are at the moment, but A-DATA seems pretty jazzed about its newest SSD. While not nearly as capacious as the outfit's recently unveiled 512GB XPG SSD, the next-generation SATAII SSD 300 Plus supposedly increases performance of read speeds by up to 40 percent while boosting write speeds by around 60 percent when compared to a "regular SSD." According to A-DATA, this here drive utilizes a special mobile SDRAM module to hit a sustained read rate of 250MB/sec and write rate of 160MB/sec, and all this high-flying performance comes to you in 32, 64, 128 and 256GB flavors. Pricing, however, remains a thick, convoluted mystery.

Filed under: Storage

A-DATA's SATAII SSD 300 Plus promises quicker reads, writes originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Mar 2009 17:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nokia introducing 5030, 5330, and 5730 XpressMusics at tomorrow's event?

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/10/nokia-introducing-5030-5330-and-5730-xpressmusics-at-tomorrow/

We know that the shindig Nokia's putting on tomorrow has something to do with music, so it's certainly within the realm of possibility that we'd see some new XpressMusic handsets there, and indeed, All About Phones seems to have scooped the goods. It looks like we'll be treated to no fewer than three models -- all Xpress-branded, naturally -- starting on the low end with the 5030 candybar. This one eschews XpressMusic for the less audiophile-sounding "XpressRadio" name, pimping its in-built FM radio support and a large, squarish speaker around back at a crazy low price of €40 ($51) unsubsidized. Moving one rung up the range is the 5330 XpressMusic slider, packing a 3.5mm jack, some sort of special light effects for the ravers in the audience, and 24 hours of listening time; it'll be available in the third quarter for €160 ($204). Finally, we have the rumored 5730 (pictured) -- the only of the three to run S60 and lay claim to a genuine smartphone title. This one follows in the E75's footsteps by packing both a numeric and a landscape QWERTY slide, WiFi, a 3.2 megapixel cam, HSDPA, and GPS, but the most interesting new feature here might be the "Xpress Home Screen" which exposes your loaded media right from the phone's -- you guessed it -- home screen. This one should hit in the second quarter for €280 ($357) and will be offered in a Comes With Music version in some countries. How's about killing off DRM while you're at it, Nokia?

Fi! led unde r: Cellphones, Handhelds, Portable Audio

Nokia introducing 5030, 5330, and 5730 XpressMusics at tomorrow's event? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Mar 2009 19:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gigabyte's M1028 netbook / tablet hits the FCC

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/10/gigabytes-m1028-netbook-tablet-hits-the-fcc/

It's not an official confirmation, but it looks like the chances of at least some of Gigabyte's new netbooks showing up 'round these parts just got a bit better, as the M1028 has now hit the FCC and been put through its necessary paces. Now sporting the "CafeBook" moniker, the netbook appears to be mostly identical to the T1028 Touch Note model that made its debut at CeBIT which, as you can glimpse above, takes things a bit farther than the norm by opting for a convertible tablet form. Somewhat curiously, however, the manual now indicates that the system packs an 8.9-inch touchscreen (as opposed to the 10-inch we heard before), but all the other specs remain the same, including Intel's new and slightly improved N280 Atom processor, up to 2GB of RAM, a max 250GB hard drive, your choice of a four-cell or six-cell batteries, and optional 3G and WiMAX, to name a few features. Hit up the link below for the complete breakdown, including a peek at the system's innards.

[Via Liliputing]

Filed under: Laptops, Tablet PCs

Gigabyte's M1028 netbook / tablet hits the FCC originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Mar 2009 20:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SmartMoney Finds Using Fewer Ads Can Boost Click-Through

Source: http://adage.com/digital/article?article_id=134941

NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- In one case study, a publisher has managed to buck the trend of declining click-through rates with a potential solution: creating scarcity.

Dow Jones Newswire Chimes In On Apple Netbook Rumors, Claims 10" Screen [Rumor]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/zAdJxmJupNU/dow-jones-newswire-chimes-in-on-apple-netbook-rumors-claims-10-screen

Just in case yesterday's Commercial Times report didn't get your speculative juices flowing, the repectable-sounding Dow Jones Newswire is basically restating it, with their own sources and a little extra detail.

The story is more or less the same: Apple is allegedly planning a touchscreen netbook for release as early as H2 of this year. As chum, this new report throws out a display size figure of "between 9.7-inches and 10-inches," again pointing to Wintek as the display supplier and Quanta as the device manufacturer. Actually, the most interesting part of this report is what remained unsaid, at least by the parties involved:

Jill Tan, a spokeswoman for Apple in Asia, declined to comment Tuesday. Wintek spokeswoman Susie Lee and Quanta Computer investor relations officer Carol Hsu declined to comment.

Obviously this isn't proof of anything, but it is a rich—and uniformly held—silence.

Aside from lending the original rumor a bit more credibility, the new report doesn't do anything to address the most pressing questions: what form-factor, and how much? I don't suspect we'll get answers to these questions until the existence of the "it" is a bit more certain, which, judging by the claimed shipping target, could be a while. [DJW via CNET Asia]

Wolfram Alpha Search Engine Will Answer All Your Questions, Take Us to Infinity and Beyond [Future]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/gjNj1kwbMkI/wolfram-alpha-search-engine-will-answer-all-your-questions-take-us-to-infinity-and-beyond

Get ready, because the world as we know it is going to change in May 2009, when Wolfram Alpha—a computational search engine that belongs in the Enterprise's computer—appears, giving you precise answers to everything.

That's what this thing is going to give us: A natural way to plug into the vast pool of information of the internet and ask questions like Kirk will do in Star Trek. At least according to Stephen Wolfram—who changed the world of mathematical research with his Mathematica software and, as genius go, he's up there with the best—and other scientists who have tried it. The new engine will be able to truly interpret your questions and give you a real, precise answer.

It won't use a database of preset questions, but it will have the ability to actually understand what you are asking. So if you ask "How many protons are in a lasagna for six people?", the system will be able to recognize, interpret, and answer the question.

We can only hope that nobody asks "what's the origin of the universe?" or we will all explode to hell. [Wolfram via Daily Mail]

Reasonably-Sized OLED TVs Stalled By Our Crappy Economy [OLED TVs]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/lOxxE2p6FRQ/reasonably+sized-oled-tvs-stalled-by-our-crappy-economy

When consumer budgets are tight, companies tend to back off the horrendously-priced luxury goods. But according to the OLED Association, it's not poor consumers that are holding up new, bigger OLED sets—it's poor manufacturers.

Ars interviewed Barry Young, Managing Director of the OLED Association, and managed to get a pretty good read on where the OLED industry is, and more importantly, where it's headed. The nebulous long term projections about OLED dominance still stand, but the short term prospects are, in a word, shitty. Here's why:

Some major manufacturers have gotten to be pretty good at building the small OLED TVs we're used to seeing (Samsung is about to introduce a midrange, 14.1-inch pipsqueak), and prices for these mini-sets should start dropping soon enough. Unfortunately, these small OLED screen are the largest panels anyone is capable of mass-producing right now.

Sparing you the mind-numbing technical details (those here), manufacturers are being faced with two equally unattractive (read: expensive) options for building TV-sized OLED TVs, like the one Samsung showed off last year: either devise an entirely new manufacturing process, which would require the invention of new techniques and machines for f! abricati on, or pursue a different type of OLED panel. Both options would circumvent the current size restrictions, but both options are extremely expensive.

In the current climate, companies like Samsung can't be certain that such risky investments will pay off fast enough, and for the time being, investment capital is scarce. Answering a question about Samsung's plan for a 32" OLED set, Young could only say this: "How soon Samsung will do their next generation will be affected by the downturn." In other words, sorry 2009. And 2010. [Ars via OLED-Display]

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