Dr. Augustine Fou's Online Scrapbook

Friday, April 24, 2009

HTC Touch Pro2 gets thoroughly handled overseas

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/24/htc-touch-pro2-gets-thoroughly-tinkered-with-overseas/

While we still don't have an official release date for HTC's Touch Pro2 here in the states, the folks at Russian site Mobile-Review have managed to get some extensive hands-on time with the unit. Props go to the quality of the voice calls and especially the QWERTY keyboard, noted via the machine translation as one of the most user-friendly in modern mobile devices. The same is not said here, however, for the plastic casing and steep pricing. They also don't really touch on TouchFlo 3D 2.0.XX -- that's apparently coming later in another article -- but hit up the read link for a plethora of pictures and a video of the updated UI in action.

[Via WMPoweruser]

Continue reading HTC Touch Pro2 gets thoroughly handled overseas

Filed under: Cellphones

HTC Touch Pro2 gets thoroughly handled overseas originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 24 Apr 2009 01:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Thursday, April 23, 2009

Get Some Ubuntu 9.04 Jaunty Jackalope Right Now [Ubuntu]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/j4jt359pJ6Y/get-some-ubuntu-904-jaunty-jackalope-right-now

The final version of Ubuntu 9.04 Jaunty Jackalope is here, meaning you can: Install it on your PS3 to play ROMs or say "Jaunty Jackalope" a lot or get blown (away). [Ubuntu via /.]

Pre-Order the Sharp Mebius NJ70A Netbook With LCD Multitouch Trackpad [NetBooks]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/klxMQ50Pn0g/pre+order-the-sharp-mebius-nj70a-netbook-with-lcd-multitouch-trackpad

The Sharp Mebius NJ70A Netbook definitely turns some heads with its touchscreen LCD trackpad. Interested parties can now pre-order the Mebius for $999 for a June 5th ship date. [Dynamism via Crunchgear]

ASUS EeeBox PC B208 with discrete graphics, HDMI-out in June?

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/23/asus-eeebox-pc-b208-with-discrete-graphics-hdmi-out-in-june/

If we're to believe a pre-sales agent's response to a query about the availability of the EeeBox PC B208, then ASUS' little HD nettop with dual-core Atom 330 processor, ATI Radeon HD 4530 graphics, and HDMI-out should pop for retail in June -- for the UK anyway. A box that looks to be the ideal low-cost ($500ish), quiet (26dB), home theater PC riding your in-house 802.11n WiFi or gigabit Ethernet network. With Acer's Ion-powered AspireRevo hitting the UK in May, ASUS had better hope for a June launch at the latest.

[Thanks, Thomas C.]

ASUS EeeBox PC B208 with discrete graphics, HDMI-out in June? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 23 Apr 2009 08:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New silicon film ferroelectric may pave the way for instant-on computers (or maybe not)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/23/new-silicon-film-ferroelectric-may-pave-way-for-instant-on-compu/

While the gang at Toshiba are still trying to bring FeRAM to the masses, a team of researchers at Cornell University have devised a new ferroelectric material composed of silicon and strontium titanate that they say can be used (someday!) to build "instant on" transistors. And you know what that means -- instant on computers for students, and instant on death rays for future robot armies. To coax the generally mild-mannered strontium titanate into acting "ferro-electrified" (not an actual scientific term), researchers grew it onto a silicon substrate using a process known as epitaxy. The material literally squeezed itself within the spaces of the silicon molecules, which gave it ferroelectric properties. As you may have guessed, this research was partially funded by the Office of Naval Research -- so the "death ray" remark may not be so off base, after all. We'll keep an eye out.

[Via Daily Tech]

Filed under: Storage, Science

New silicon film ferroelectric may pave the way for instant-on computers (or maybe not) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 23 Apr 2009 10:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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OLPC graduate Pixel Qi announces 3Qi three-in-one screen will debut next month

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/23/olpc-graduate-pixel-qi-announces-3qi-three-in-one-screen-will-de/

After spinning off from the OLPC project last year with that fancy dual-mode display technology in its pocket, Pixel Qi has been pretty much talk. Now there's more talk, but at least it comes with a timeline: next month. That's when Pixel Qi founder Mary Lou Jepsen believes the much-anticipated 10-inch 3Qi display should hit the scene, combining a low-power black and white mode, e-paper mode and high-resolution color LCD mode into one glorious, sunlight-readable (and hopefully outlandishly cheap) screen. They'll just be shipping samples initially, but should have the screen producing in volume sometime this summer. Mary Lou also has some big words on the future of displays, claiming that they're working on screens that act like a chip on the motherboard, saving power and improving visuals -- we're not sure what that entails, but it sounds pretty neat. She also says that "screens shouldn't be TVs," and that touch and multitouch are key. It doesn't sound like any of that is in the 3Qi, but hopefully it's all going to be ready to go for the Nick Neg crew by the time OLPC XO-2 (pictured) rolls around.

Filed under: Displays, Laptops

OLPC graduate Pixel Qi announces 3Qi three-in-one screen will debut next month originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 23 Apr 2009 10:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Eizo's FlexScan EV2023W / EV2303W LCD monitors turn off when humans are away

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/23/eizos-flexscan-ev2023w-ev2303w-lcd-monitors-turn-off-when-hum/

Not that we haven't seen LCD monitors get less demanding when it comes to energy, but we've yet to see a company take eco-friendliness this far. Professional LCD maker Eizo has just announced a new pair of panels (the 20-inch FlexScan EV2023W-H and the 23-inch EV2303W-T) that boast a "human presence sensor." As the phrase implies, these displays are designed to shift to power saving mode when it realizes that its master has vacated the area, and when they return, it automatically flips back on in order to keep from being bashed by one of many USB-connected peripherals. Unfortunately, it seems the human detection timer can't be changed from 40 seconds, and no, there are no current plans to implement a robot presence sensor once the Apocalypse is realized.

[Via FarEastGizmos]

Filed under: Displays

Eizo's FlexScan EV2023W / EV2303W LCD monitors turn off when humans are away originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 23 Apr 2009 14:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Philips shows off Lumiblade OLED lighting concepts

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/23/philips-shows-off-lumiblade-oled-lighting-concepts/

As promised, Philips has now taken the wraps off its first few Lumiblade OLED lighting concepts which, judging from Philips' boasting, could well change your life and ours. Now on display at the Euroluce International Lighting Fair in Milan, the concepts are divided into consumer and professional groups, the former of which includes ceiling-mounted products like the one pictured above, as well as some slightly more straightforward desk lamps like the one pictured after the break. What's more, each lighting device also boasts at least some degree of interactivity, including the ability to recognize hand gestures or, in the case of the professional lighting fixtures, react to passers-by. Interestingly, however, none of the products are actually full-on OLED lamps, with each also supplemented by some LUXEON Power LEDs to provide some more usable lighting.

Continue reading Philips shows off Lumiblade OLED lighting concepts

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets, Household

Philips shows off Lumiblade OLED lighting concepts originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 23 Apr 2009 15:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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AMD Phenom II X4 955 and 945 benchmarked to high heaven

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/23/amd-phenom-ii-x4-955-and-945-benchmarked-to-high-heaven/

Just when you though you'd had your fill of insanely detailed benchmarks of processors you may or may not have ever heard of, AMD's new Phenom II X4 955 and 945 hit the scene to get those overclockers all in a tizzy. The top of the line is the 955 "Black Edition" at 3.2GHz, while the 945 plays with a petty 3GHz. And the verdict? They're clearly AMD's fastest so far, but that might not be fast enough. AMD offers great value, but only really matches Intel's Core 2 offerings on performance -- Core i7 is still out in front. There is the fact that Phenom II offers a nice upgrade path for certain people who already do the AMD thing and are looking to upgrade, along with "enthusiasts" who are "enthused" by easy-access overclocking, but overall it looks like AMD is still playing catch-up with Intel.

Read - HotHardware
Read - Neoseeker
Read - PC Perspective
Read - Tech Report
Read - TechSpot
Read - EXTREME Overclocking

Filed under: Desktops

AMD Phenom II X4 955 and 945 benchmarked to high heaven originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 23 Apr 2009 16:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gantter Does Project Management in Your Browser [Project Management]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/9BVEmQYI77U/gantter-does-project-management-in-your-browser

Web-based project management tool Gantter has an interface that looks remarkably similar to Microsoft Project—and even lets you import and export your Project files.

Using the application is fairly simple—just start adding tasks and resources just like you would on the desktop version of Microsoft Project. Once you've finished, you can download the project as an XML file, which can then be imported back into Project. You can import projects, open saved files, and use the wide array of keyboard shortcuts all from a web-based interface that works anywhere and requires no account to use—making this worth a look for anybody dealing with project plans and TPS reports.

Gantter is free to use, available in your web browser. For more, read about project management in a nutshell, check out free hosted project management with Clocking IT, or replace Microsoft Project with the open-source OpenProj. Thanks, Climbup!

The Accidental Typography of Google Maps [Google Maps]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/nnqlZBIkYg4/the-accidental-typography-of-google-maps

Google Maps is many things: It's a rabble-rouser; a penis repository; a rare physics phenomenon; not to mention a library of deer carnage and terrifying Americana. Now, with this guy's help, it's also a type foundry.

Mr Dashwood spent months gathering all the letters of the alphabet, accumulating a collection that ranges from passable to perfect. These letters were spotted in Victoria, Australia, but the concept would work anywhere—if its citizens have the time and dedication to find it, then any country, state or city can have its own regional Google Maps font. [RhettDashwood via TodayandTomorrow]

Nokia 6216 Classic packs NFC for contactless payments

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/23/nokia-6216-classic-packs-nfc-for-contactless-payments/

It's 2009 and we're still waiting for the Near Field Communication revolution. However, due to tough economic times and a lack of consumer devices, planned commercial NFC rollouts will likely be pushed into 2010. Still, we can add one more device to the NFC tally -- the Nokia 6216 Classic. The 6216 is Nokia's first handset with an embedded NFC chipset that communicates with NFC applications stored on the SIM. That little trick keeps the carriers happy while allowing consumers to keep their credit card info and contact-less ticketing and payment applications on the SIM for easy mobility between NFC devices. A good thing too, since this middling 3G candy bar with camera, FM radio, and microSD slot will be of limited appeal to most.

Read -- Nokia 6216 Classic
Read -- Economy, standards stand in the way of NFC

Filed under: Handhelds

Nokia 6216 Classic packs NFC for contactless payments originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 23 Apr 2009 04:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Toshiba Mini NB200 Netbook Includes Fat, 9-Cell Battery [NetBooks]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/OF9PD_d6bb0/toshiba-mini-nb200-netbook-includes-fat-9+cell-battery

While most netbooks are settling for 3 and 6-cell batteries, the Toshiba Mini NB200 will be bundled with a 9-cell battery for a promised 9 hours of run time.

Just announced for the UK, the Mini NB200 is completely typical aside from its battery, with an Atom N270 or N280 processor, 160GB hard drive and unspecified (but probably 1GB) of RAM.

Yet in spite of its fatty power source, the NB200 still weighs under 2.5lbs—which is either an extreme feat of engineering or the result of an overzealous press release. We'll hope for the former.

The NB200 will be out in the UK in May, starting in the mid-$400s. [T3 via Ubergizmo]

ASUS gets official with business-minded P30A laptop

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/22/asus-gets-official-with-business-minded-p30a-laptop/

We already knew that ASUS's P30 laptop (or P30A, as it's now apparently known) would come equipped with Intel's latest and greatest anti-theft technology, but ASUS has only just now gotten fully official with the laptop itself, and dished out all the rest of the specs that at least some folks have no doubt been waiting for. This being a full-on ultraportable, you won't exactly get a ton of power, but you can expect a snazzy LED-backlit 13.3-inch display (1366x768 resolution), along with a low-voltage 1.4GHz Core 2 Duo processor, up to 4GB of RAM, your choice of 250GB or 320GB hard drives (in either 5,400 or 7,200 rpm variations), a DVD drive, HDMI out, a 4-cell battery, and even some built-in 3G -- all in a package that weighs in at just over three pounds. Still no official word on a price, but it looks like you should be able to pick one up any day now -- or you could just wait for a similarly thin-and-light and slightly more stylish Acer Timeline, your choice.

[Via Electronista]

Filed under: Laptops

ASUS gets official with business-minded P30A laptop originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 22 Apr 2009 18:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Western Digital finally releases the 1TB My DVR Expander, TiVo owners rejoice

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/22/western-digital-finally-releases-the-1tb-my-dvr-expander-tivo-o/

Finally! We've been waiting for Western Digital to put out the 1TB My DVR Expander for so long we almost thought that Amazon listing a couple weeks ago was a mistake. The external eSATA drive allows any number of HD DVRs to record an extra 120 hours of HD content, but the real noise is that it's certified to work with the TiVo HD and TiVo XL, which have locked-down eSATA ports that prevent you from using just any drive. (The original Series3 doesn't have this restriction.) Stupid, we know, but at $199 list and $167 at Amazon, the markup on this thing doesn't seem overly ridiculous, so we won't complain too loudly. Just ship 'em already, okay?

Filed under: Storage

Western Digital finally releases the 1TB My DVR Expander, TiVo owners rejoice originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 22 Apr 2009 12:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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