Dr. Augustine Fou's Online Scrapbook

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Freelock Self-Locking Cycle Concept [Concepts]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/lB-dyEVXAt4/freelock-self+locking-cycle-concept

If you're tired of carrying a lock around with you every where you ride, the Freelock is a self-locking bicycle whose seat also functions as a built in lock, which is apparently as secure as an old bicycle with a typical chain lock.

The handlebars and body of the bike can rotate around to accommodate different angles of the poles and racks the lock latches onto. Sounds like it would be a quite handy concept, but I'm sure the idea of lugging around a chain lock won't be so bad once you realize your tires have gone missing... again. [Yanko]

Would You Pay for In-Flight Wi-Fi? [Qotd]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/KE_BbBz-ZlY/would-you-pay-for-in+flight-wi+fi

Runway Girl Mary Kirby has been covering inflight Wi-Fi for quite a while. She notices that while Wi-Fi is going free in cafes, parks, and hotels, the airlines want you to pay.

There's obviously a cost in maintaining and expanding the air Wi-Fi network, but who should pay for it, the airlines or you? 50-50? Would you pay extra in a ticket to get Wi-Fi access? Maybe it should be free for longer flights?

Your answer in the comments. [Runway Girl]

Defense Department developing portable hacking device for soldiers

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/26/defense-department-developing-portable-hacking-device-for-soldie/

It's not exactly news that the Department of Defense is looking at ways to make hacking a more practical weapon, but it looks to really be stepping up its game with its latest project, which promises to make complicated attacks as simple as a few button presses. That would apparently be possible thanks to a slightly mysterious device that'd be small enough to carry around in a backpack, but powerful enough to do everything from breaking into a wireless network to hacking into SCADA (or Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) systems (used at power plants, nuclear facilities, and the like). While complete details are obviously a bit light, the system would apparently be able to, for instance, map out the nodes in a wireless network, cause them to disconnect, and watch them come back online to identify weak spots. It would then present the "hacker" with various attack attributes that could simply be adjusted using sliders on a touchscreen. No word if the soldiers will also be rewarded with Achievements.

[Via Softpedia]

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets, Networking

Defense Department developing portable hacking device for soldiers originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 26 May 2009 14:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Canonical giving Ubuntu the gift of Android apps

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/26/canonical-giving-ubuntu-the-gift-of-android-apps/

Well, here's a wild new spin on the Android for netbooks debate: Canonical, commercial sponsor of Ubuntu, is creating an Android execution environment that would allow Android apps to run on Ubuntu and other desktop-style Linux distros, which seems like the best of both worlds for netbooks in most cases. Canonical already has a working prototype of the execution environment, and plans on making the necessary changes to the kernel in its next version of Ubuntu to give Android all the juice it needs at the core level and will open source the project soon. Things are still early, and there's a lot of work to do before this is going to really make the highly specialized Java-based Android apps actually usable on regular Linux -- they're currently working on granting Android access to the Ubuntu file system, for instance -- but we love where this is headed.

[Thanks, Michael Y.; Image courtesy of Scott James Remnant]

Filed under: Desktops, Handhelds, Laptops

Canonical giving Ubuntu the gift of Android apps originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 26 May 2009 15:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sharp slings out industry's thinnest solar modules for cellphones

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/26/sharp-slings-out-industrys-thinnest-solar-modules-for-cellphone/

Timely, no? Just a month after Sharp aided in producing the planet's first waterproof solar cellphone, the aforementioned outfit has just announced the industry's thinnest solar module for handsets. Checking in at just 0.8 millimeters thick, the LR0GC02 shouldn't take up too much space on your ~~daughter's~~ great-granddaughter's smartphone, and while Sharp isn't handing over too many details just yet, we figure it'll pretty much do what it says. You know -- charge the handset it's integrated into whenever sunlight is available. As for when we'll see these in cellphones everywhere? Take a wild guess, tree-hugger.

[Via Akihabara News]

Filed under: Cellphones, Displays

Sharp slings out industry's thinnest solar modules for cellphones originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 26 May 2009 10:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nokia next-gen "Rover" tablet unveiled?

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/25/nokia-next-gen-rover-tablet-unveiled/

After the spec rundown this morning of the long-rumored Maemo 5 tablet from Nokia, we've now got ourselves a potential name and image to pair with the wonderful promise of 3G and OMAP3. According to this shot obtained by Cellpassion, the next-generation Internet Tablet device is taking quite a bit of an N-series turn, with that 3.5-inch WVGA screen (instead of the 4-inch display on the N810), three-row QWERTY keyboard and other refinements making this look to be much more a smartphone than a tablet -- which is presumably exactly what Nokia is going for. Naturally, we can't vouch for the source, and there are enough oddities to the image -- which seems to be gleaned from a presentation slide of some sort -- to voice caution, but if this is truly the marriage of Maemo with handset we've always dreamed of, it's going to be a little difficult to rein in our enthusiasm.

Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds

Nokia next-gen "Rover" tablet unveiled? originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 25 May 2009 18:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Acer Aspire Timeline found in the wild, chilling in Canada and up for pre-order in UK

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/25/acer-aspire-timeline-found-in-the-wild-chilling-in-canada/

Acer's been largely mum about its new Aspire Timeline laptop since its initial unveiling back in early April, but now it looks like the company's getting ready to roll out the portable to the customer base at large, if these spy shots from a from a Canadian-based Future Shop store are any indication. The list of specs is a bit hard to read, but from what we gather, the 14-inch Aspire 4810TZ-4129 is packing a 1.3GHz Intel Pentium SU2700, 4GB RAM, 320GB HDD, a DVD drive, WiFi, WAN, a touted 8 hour battery life, and Windows Vista Home Premium. No indication on the price or official street date, however, but if they're being sent to retail, we can't imagine we'll be waiting too much longer. Feast your own eyes on the specs sheet in the image after the break.

Update: Reader Oleg has written in to let us know it's also up for pre-order at UK retail site PC World -- 14-inch for £550 and 15.6-inch for £600.

[Thanks, waterboy99troop]

Continue reading Acer Aspire Timeline found in the wild, chilling in Canada and up for pre-order in UK

Filed under: Laptops

Acer Aspire Timeline found in the wild, chilling in Canada and up for pre-order in UK originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 25 May 2009 18:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Intel said to slip Core i5 platform to September, competition needed

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/26/intel-slips-core-i5-platform-to-september-competition-needed/

Want a good example of why Intel -- or we, the consumer -- needs a strong competitor? DigiTimes' has it from sources at motherboard makers that Intel will delay its mainstream desktop Core i5 platform (including Lynnfield procs and 5-series chipsets) from July to early September. A rumor with merit given DigiTimes' proven sources within motherboard makers like ASUS, Gigabyte, and MSI. The reason for the delay is to allow vendors to deplete 4-series inventories that have piled-up during the economic slow-down. Of course, if AMD or... well, AMD could muster the silicon to compete with Intel at the same price point then such a delay would not be possible. How much you say? DigiTimes has the Core i5 processors priced at 2.93GHz ($562), 2.8GHz ($284) and 2.66GHz ($196) when purchased in bulk.

[Via PC Perspective]

Filed under: Desktops

Intel said to slip Core i5 platform to September, competition needed originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 26 May 2009 04:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Monday, May 25, 2009

Lenovo's $449 IdeaPad S12 now official: first netbook with NVIDIA's Ion chipset

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/25/lenovos-449-ideapad-s12-first-netbook-with-nvidias-ion-chips/

We've seen NVIDIA's Ion placed within a nettop, a motherboard, and now (at long last), a laptop. Yep, the machine you're inevitably peering at above (Lenovo's S12) is both the company's first 12.1-inch netbook and the planet's first netbook with Ion baked in, and it's likely just a snippet of the kind of material we can expect to see at Computex. Frankly, this is one of the first netbooks in ages that has managed to get our blood moving, with a 100-percent full-size keyboard, the promise of 1080p video playback, a sub-3 pound weight and a starting tag of just $449. Other specs include a WXGA (1,280 x 800) resolution LED-backlit panel, Intel's 1.6GHz Atom CPU (the one big "ugh"), 1GB of DDR2 memory, 160/250/320GB HDD options, an optional 6-cell battery, Ethernet jack, WiFi, Bluetooth, three USB 2.0 sockets, an ExpressCard slot, a 4-in-1 card reader and VGA / HDMI outputs. Thankfully you'll find Windows XP running the show, and you'll be able to grab your own starting next month. Full release is after the break.

Gallery: Lenovo's $449 IdeaPad S12: first netbook with NVIDIA's Ion chipset

Continue reading Lenovo's $449 IdeaPad S12 now official: first netbook with NVIDIA's Ion chipset

Filed under: Laptops

Lenovo's $449 IdeaPad S12 now official: first netbook with NVIDIA's Ion chipset originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 25 May 2009 06:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lenovo gets budget-friendly with IdeaPad U350, G550 and IdeaCentre C300

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/25/lenovo-gets-budget-friendly-with-ideapad-u350-g550-and-ideacent/

The IdeaPad S12 isn't the only new kit flowing from RTP today, as Lenovo is also choosing to celebrate Memorial Day with two new lappies and an all-in-one desktop. Starting things off is the IdeaPad U350 (shown above), a thin-and-light machine that packs a 13.3-inch LED-backlit display (1,366 x 768), an HDMI output, an ambient light sensor and your choice of Intel's 1.4GHz Core 2 Solo SU3500, the 1.3GHz SU2700 or 1.2GHz Celeron 723. There's also room for a 500GB hard drive, up to 8GB of DDR3 RAM, a GMA 4500M / 4500 MHD graphics set, 1.3 megapixel camera, multi-touch trackpad, twin 1.5-watt speakers, Vista Home Basic / Premium and an optional 8-cell battery good for up to 10 hours of use.

Next up is the business-like G550, which sports a 15.6-inch display, a non-nonsense enclosure, WiFi, Bluetooth, DVD burner and a numeric keypad for crunching those end of quarter numbers. You'll also get upwards of 4GB of DDR3 RAM, up to 320GB of hard drive space, a Core 2 Duo processor, GMA X4500 or GeForce G105M graphics, HDMI output and up to five hours of battery life with the included 6-cell Li-ion.

Wrapping things up is the IdeaCentre C300 all-in-one, which aims squarely at the low-end with a lackluster Atom 230 processor, integrated Intel graphics and a preposterously low price tag. The machine features a 20-inch LCD, up to 2GB of DDR2 memory, a 160GB to 640GB HDD, Ethernet, WiFi, 1.3 megapixel camera, FireWire, six USB 2.0 sockets, a 6-in-1 multicard reader and a starting price tag of just $449. Not a terrible choice for the devout web surfer in your family, we must say. The full release and specifications list awaits you just past the break.

Gallery: Lenovo gets budget-friendly with IdeaPad U350, G5! 50 and I deaCentre C300

Lenovo G550 Laptop

Lenovo G550 Laptop

Lenovo IdeaCentre C300

Lenovo IdeaCentre C300

Lenovo IdeaCentre C300

Continue reading Lenovo gets budget-friendly with IdeaPad U350, G550 and IdeaCentre C300

Filed under: Desktops, Laptops

Lenovo gets budget-friendly with IdeaPad U350! , G550 a nd IdeaCentre C300 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 25 May 2009 06:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hitachi's 720p Mobile Hi-Vision Cam Wooo gets hands-on treatment

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/25/hitachis-720p-mobile-hi-vision-cam-wooo-gets-hands-on-treatment/

It may be a Japan exclusive for now, but Hitachi's Mobile Hi-Vision Cam Wooo has folks drooling from sea to shining sea. The cats over at Akihabara News were able to take a glimpse while KDDI unveiled its summer lineup, and they seemed to be quite impressed with the video quality and ease of use. Check the read link for a video of the flip phone in action, but remember, don't get too attached unless you call Japan home.

Filed under: Cellphones

Hitachi's 720p Mobile Hi-Vision Cam Wooo gets hands-on treatment originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 25 May 2009 08:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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AT&T prepping Option and Sierra Wireless modems for HSPA+ launch

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/25/atandt-prepping-option-and-sierra-wireless-modems-for-hspa-launch/

We know that HSPA+ (also known as HSPA Evolution, depending on who you ask and which side of the bed they got up on that morning) is in the mix for AT&T ahead of LTE, and in order to make that launch a successful one, good data cards are a must. It looks like two of the cards coming out of the gate later this year will be the Option 393 -- an unassuming USB modem with a retractable plug and integrated microSD reader -- and the Sierra "Triple Lindy," a dual form factor ExpressCard in the same vein as the AirCard 402. The 393 will top out at 14.4Mbps down and 5.76Mbps up, while the Triple Lindy really burns rubber with 21.1Mbps down and 11.5Mbps up. Of course, all those speeds are purely theoretical -- but if we can even average 10 to 15 percent of that in real life, we're in good shape.

Filed under: Wireless

AT&T prepping Option and Sierra Wireless modems for HSPA+ launch originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 25 May 2009 15:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lenovo's Ion-powered IdeaPad S12 shows HD prowess on video

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/25/lenovos-ion-powered-ideapad-s12-shows-hd-prowess-on-video/

Lenovo did itself a solid by beating the likes of Acer and ASUS with its Ion-infused IdeaPad S12, and now we're beginning to see a few more details on what performance will be like. We still wish the machine had something a bit more powerful than a 1.6GHz Intel Atom N270, but despite the fact that it's hobbling along on an aged CPU, the machine seems to handle 3D gaming and 1080p content with poise. The crew over at Notebooks managed to spend a little quiet time with a pre-production version of the S12, and it even managed to host up a few videos while the machine was kicking out content that would make the typical netbook buckle. Feel free to hit the read link to have a look yourself, and be sure to mind the three American SKUs. Here's a preview: the Ion-powered version (read: the one you want) will run $499.99 and include 1GB of RAM, a 6-cell battery and a 160GB hard drive.

[Via GottaBeMobile]

Continue reading Lenovo's Ion-powered IdeaPad S12 shows HD prowess on video

Filed under: Laptops

Lenovo's Ion-powered IdeaPad S12 shows HD prowess on video originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 25 May 2009 10:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sunday scoops: Android on AT&T, Palm Eos details, BlackBerry Magnum, and more

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/25/sunday-scoops-android-on-atandt-palm-eos-details-blackberry-mag/

Usually, Sundays don't get too crazy at Engadget -- after all, even super-nerds need to rest. That wasn't the case yesterday, however, as we found ourselves knee-deep in a handful of seriously sweet smartphone leaks. Most of the news centered around AT&T's upcoming devices (you know, like its first Android phones, brand new BlackBerry offerings, and... the Palm Eos), but we also saw a few new angles on the Pre. Do yourself a favor and hit all the links below -- you won't be sorry.

AT&T leaks

HTC Lancaster is a QWERTY slider with Android for AT&T
Palm Eos on track for AT&T release second half of 2009
HP triumphantly returns to AT&T with iPAQ K3 "Obsidian"
Blackberry Magnum, Onyx, Pearl 3G, and Gemini to harmonize on AT&T
HTC's Warhawk and Fortress are AT&T's Touch Diamond2 and Pro2
Nokia Grouper, Mako, Snapper, and Thresher rolling deep on AT&T

Pre leaks

Sprint's Pre business launch guide leaked in its entirety
Plethora of Palm Pre interface videos emerge from leaked emulator

Filed under: Cellphones

Sunday scoops: Android on AT&T, Palm Eos details, BlackBerry Magnum, and more originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 25 May 2009 11:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Shuttle goes low-end with VIA-powered ES series nettops

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/25/shuttle-goes-low-end-with-via-powered-es-series-nettops/

Shuttle's small form factor PCs aren't generally the lowest-end options around, but the company looks to be getting down to the basics with its new ES (or Embedded Slim) series nettops, which are apparently set to make their official debut at Computex next week. That of course means that complete details are still a bit light at the moment, but word is the nettops will pack your choice of VIA L or U series processors, the former of which clock in at 1.6GHz or 1.8GHz with some not so great power consumption, while the latter drops down to 1GHz and 1.3GHz with a TDP rating of just 5W or 8W, which also eliminates the need for a fan. No word on a price just yet, unfortunately, but Shuttle should be clearing that up, along with the rest of the specs, soon enough.

[Via Electronista]

Filed under: Desktops

Shuttle goes low-end with VIA-powered ES series nettops originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 25 May 2009 15:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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