Dr. Augustine Fou's Online Scrapbook

Friday, August 28, 2009

IBM Files Patent For Tweeting TV Remote [Ibm]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/bnjL7GwFr6M/ibm-files-patent-for-tweeting-tv-remote

Good lord, this is all we need. A TV remote that allows users to easily ramble on about the shows they watch via their blog or twitter account. For better or worse, IBM appears to be working on this technology.

A viewer selects a media program to view by use of a remote controller with networking capability.

Upon the viewer wishing to send a blog posting to a blog, the viewer determines whether a tag to be included in the blog posting is to be a pre-existing tag or a custom tag, wherein the blog posting comprises program information about the media program useful to identify the media program. If the tag is to be a pre-existing tag, the viewer selects the pre-existing tag from a plurality of pre-existing tags using the remote controller and if the tag is to be a custom tag, the viewer generates the custom tag using the remote controller.

If a protocol provided by the remote controller to send the blog posting to the blog allows a snapshot of the media program to be included in the blog posting, the remote controller takes the snapshot of the media program and includes it in the blog posting.

So, the device would let you blog or tweet and communicate with your followers about what you are watching via a networked remote control. Again, it's only a patent at this point, but is this remote something you could see yourself using? [Patent via TechCrunch]

Alinea's Chef Grant Achatz Preps Dinner LIVE on Giz: Tonight 9:45PM ET/6:45PM PT [Taste Test]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/Nm9hPGRWaTM/alineas-chef-grant-achatz-preps-dinner-live-on-giz-tonight-945pm-et645pm-pt

Want to see the inside of a four-star kitchen at primetime? Come back tonight to watch Alinea's Chef Grant Achatz prepping dinner, live on camera 9:45P ET/6:45PM PT. Hit the Taste Test link for the video. [Taste Test: Alinea Files]

Coby's netbooks seemingly real, taking pre-orders

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/27/cobys-netbooks-seemingly-real-taking-pre-orders/

Sure -- we haven't seen or heard anything about Coby's netbook line since way back in January at CES, but that didn't stop them from showing up for pre-order, did it? Color us a little surprised, but here they are. Two models have appeared on Amazon for pre-order. The 12.1-inch Coby NMPC1220XPBLK apparently boasts a 1024 x 800 resolution, a 1.6GHz Intel Atom N270 CPU, 1GB of RAM, and a 160GB hard drive, while the NBPC1022XPBLK is a 10.1-incher with identical specs. The first runs $423, while the 10.1-inch model is $318. So tell us: will you be ordering one?

[Via Liliputing]

Filed under: Laptops

Coby's netbooks seemingly real, taking pre-orders originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 27 Aug 2009 18:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

WPA networks cracked in just under a minute, researchers claim

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/27/wpa-networks-cracked-in-just-under-a-minute-researchers-claim/

To think it was just a few months ago that we thought taking 15 minutes to crack WPA encryption was a feat. Researchers from Kobe University in Japan are claiming they can best that by a wide margin by cracking any WPA-protected connection using the TKIP algorithm within just one minute flat. The details will be revealed at a tech conference on September 25th. Feeling paranoid? Bump up your encryption to the still-secure AES algorithm or WPA2... and if you're just wanting to live life on the edge, consider downgrading to WEP -- it's as good as open at this point anyway.

Filed under: Wireless

WPA networks cracked in just under a minute, researchers claim originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 27 Aug 2009 21:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Iomega introduces StorCenter ix4-200d NAS

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/28/iomega-introduces-storcenter-ix4-200d-nas/

Iomega just expanded its StorCenter NAS line with the new-four bay StorCenter ix4-200d. Just like the smaller ix2, the ix4 can handle pretty much whatever you throw at it: filesharing over a laundry list of protocols, streaming to iTunes, an Xbox 360, handling your Time Machine backups -- it can even take video directly off Axis-brand IP surveillance cameras. On the hardware side, you're looking at dual Gigabit Ethernet ports, three USB ports for printer sharing and additional storage, and a "QuikTransfer" button that'll let yo copy files directly from a flash drive to the NAS without a computer. The downside? You'll have to pay for all that power: the 2TB version costs $700, and the top-of-the-line 8TB model will set you back a whopping $1,900. Yes, you can just get a dedicated server for that kind of money, but then you wouldn't be able to say you were rolling with NAS, now would you?

[Via Yahoo]

Filed under: Storage

Iomega introduces StorCenter ix4-200d NAS originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 28 Aug 2009 03:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Commen ts

SendStation's latest PocketDock is slightly larger than a penny, has much better audio quality than a dime

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/28/sendstations-latest-pocketdock-is-slightly-larger-than-a-penny/

SendStation's latest PocketDock is slightly larger than a penny, has much better audio quality than a dime

SendStation has impressed us before with its PocketDock line, back in 2007 releasing a tiny nub to suck audio, video, and even get a USB out from an iPod. The company's latest, the PocketDock Line Out Mini USB, is far smaller -- no bigger than Apple's own charging plug -- yet sports a Mini-USB port for charging and a non-powered 3.5mm line out that enables better quality tunes from your pod when connected to an amplified device. The kit even includes a set of tiny stereo RCA jacks that would like nothing better than to mount the front of your receiver. This latest PocketDock is available right now for $29.95 on the other end of that read link, and we're told they'll be showing up in Apple Stores, too.

[Via SlashGear]

Continue reading SendStation's latest PocketDock is slightly larger than a penny, has much better audio quality than a dime

Filed under: Home Entertainment, Portable Audio

SendStation's latest PocketDock is slightly larger than a penny, has much better audio quality than a dime originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 28 Aug 2009 07:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Hercules Dualpix HD720p webcam for Internet trolls on the go

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/28/hercules-dualpix-hd720p-webcam-for-internet-trolls-on-the-go/

You've been posting your angry rants on the YouTubes for a while now, and quite frankly your act is getting old. You know what you need, right? A spec bump. How about replacing that built-in pinhole netbook webcam with this spicy number from Hercules? The Dualpix HD720p is (you guessed it) an HD-capable USB 2.0 webcam that supports up to 16:9 (1280 x 720) 30 fps and includes: autofocus, a "high quality" integrated mic, and software for XP / Vista / Windows 7. Not too shabby for something at the $59.99 price point. And after you get this guy rocking, maybe people will start to take your anti-fluoridation crusade a little more seriously. Because we're sure that the only thing that's getting you mocked on the social networking sites is the quality of your videos -- and not the inherent lunacy of your message. One more pic after the break.

[Via SlashGear]

Continue reading Hercules Dualpix HD720p webcam for Internet trolls on the go

Filed under: Desktops, Laptops

Hercules Dualpix HD720p webcam for Internet trolls on the go originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 28 Aug 2009 09:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

3M debuts MPro 120 pocket projector and awesome ad simultaneously

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/28/3m-debuts-mpro-120-pocket-projector-and-awesome-ad-simultaneousl/

As you may already be aware, we're part of an elite minority who are generally smitten with pocket projectors. Sure, they haven't found their niche of "usefulness" with the wider world, but that doesn't stop them from being cool to us. 3M's just debuted a new one -- the MPro 120 -- a follow-up to the MPro 110. The MPro 120 projects 12 lumens of brightness (with VGA resolution), a 4:3 aspect ratio, and up to 4 hours of battery life. The MPro is currently pre-ordering for a September 10th delivery in the UK, for £260 (about $423). No word on availability in the US, but we are extremely fond of the projector's rather insane ad, which is after the break.

[Via Engadget Spanish]

Continue reading 3M debuts MPro 120 pocket projector and awesome ad simultaneously

Filed under: Displays

3M debuts MPro 120 pocket projector and awesome ad simultaneously originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 28 Aug 2009 10:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Creative Zii EGG orders shipped, hands-on videos posted

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/28/creative-zii-egg-orders-shipped-hands-on-videos-posted/

It looks like somebody's Zii EGG orders have shipped, and we got the video to prove it. A staff member named DaHarder over at the DAP Review forums has just received one of the lusted-after devices, and luckily for us he's given it the ol' hands-on treatment and posted the evidence for our perusal. "The screen," he says, compares "very favorably" with the S Series Walkman, with colors described as bright and vibrant, even if the blacks leave something to be desired. And how about sound? He rates it as being "the best sounding Creative player" he's heard yet, "and that's without any EQ/Z-Fi etc." Not too shabby for a development model, eh? But that ain't all -- peep the videos after the break, and then hit the read link to jump in on the conversation your own self.

[Via DAP Review]

Continue reading Creative Zii EGG orders shipped, hands-on videos posted

Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video

Creative Zii EGG orders shipped, hands-on videos posted originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 28 Aug 2009 14:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

1080p Android demo'd, set-top boxes prepare for a new master

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/28/1080p-android-demod-set-top-boxes-prepare-for-a-new-master/

It is done. MIPS Technologies has demonstrated its enhanced implementation of Android running in 1080p via extended libraries to support hardware graphics acceleration and decoding on Sigma Designs hardware, a portent of set-top boxes yet to come. Of course, without any video or pictures or video of the blessed event (ISB Corp's previous OMAP based effort is pictured above) it's hard to tell why Android coming to TV is such a great idea, if its cousin widgets are any indication, there's a chance of being high on pre-release hype but low on desirability once it reaches the market. Still, the Open Embedded Software Foundation pledges to continue on shoehorning Android into devices beyond the mobile handset, but if it's shut down by a band of torch wielding villagers demanding the monster be put down, don't say we didn't warn you.

[Via SlashGear & LinuxforDevices]

Filed under: Home Entertainment

1080p Android demo'd, set-top boxes prepare for a new master originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 28 Aug 2009 16:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Thursday, August 27, 2009

This is what it looks like when 99% of the waste is cut out of the advertising industry (pic) - http://bit.ly/mBPbz

Why ask 20 people for their opinion when you can get insights from hundreds continuously? - Metrics Metrics Everywhere - http://bit.ly/fNWaL

The 3M MPro120: It's About Time Pico Projectors Grew Up [Pico Projectors]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/7lSrIaTDsEU/the-3m-mpro120-its-about-time-pico-projectors-grew-up

3M pitching the MPro120 mini-projector as a "second generation" piece of hardware. For them, that means it's the first with the new MM200 projection engine. For everyone else, it could mean the first truly decent pico projector.

The last 3M pico experiment, the MPro110, was a mixed bag: Passable image quality was tainted by poor build quality and low battery life, and the overall experience, while promising, just wasn't quite there yet.

The MPro120 is a replacement for the MPro110, and on top of the verifiably awesome image quality from its liquid crystal on silicon imager, it multiplies battery life by a factor of six to four hours, pushes the life of its 12 lumen lamp to 20,000 hours, and adds stereo speakers, while hanging onto the prior product's 640x480 resolution and $350 price tag. Another difference: Assuming 3M's tightened up their hardware quality, people might actually buy one this time around. The MPro120 is due to land on September 1st. [3M]

COMING SOON TO A POCKET NEAR YOU: THE MPRO120

3M's New Handheld Projector Set for September Launch

ST. PAUL, MINN. (August 26, 2009) – This fall, Hollywood's biggest blockbusters are coming to a pocket near you! Less than a year after launching the MPro110 - the handheld digital projector that won the "Grand Award" in the gadget category of the Popular Science 2008 Best of What's New Awards – 3M announced today the S! eptember debut of the MPro120, the newest member of the MPro family. The MPro120 provides improved functionality, increased portability and an expanded feature set.

The MPro120 is the first projector to incorporate 3M's MM200 projection engine, the next generation of the MPro family. As announced at the 2009 Consumer Electronics Show, the MM200 engine uses an advanced liquid crystal on silicon (LCOS) electronic imager and boasts enhanced image quality with a full color gamut. The MPro120 provides users with a robust battery life of two to four hours (depending on brightness setting) - enough to watch a full-length film – and, in full brightness mode, achieves a brightness of 12 lumens. Featuring an integrated flip stand, tripod, stereo speakers and a variety of input cables, the MPro120 is ready to use "out-of-the-box" with a wide range of today's most popular video output gadgets. And, as with its predecessor - the MPro110 - the MPro120 will be the ideal projection solution for laptops and netbooks. Available optional accessories include an adapter cable for Apple® products, component video cable and car charger.

"Following the success of the MPro110, the MPro120 will further reinforce 3M's leadership position in the development and implementation of advanced projection technologies," said Mark Colin, general manager, 3M Projection Systems Department. "The functionality of the MPro120 represents technical achievements that were manageable only by the long-term commitment to research and development that is 3M's hallmark."

The MPro120 will be on-sale September 1 with an estimated price of $349. Optional accessories are sold separately.

ASUS Puts Voice Recognition in 20-Inch Touchscreen EeeTop ET2002, Now Car Ready [All-in-ones]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/6Wv5a2JcVIs/asus-puts-voice-recognition-in-20+inch-touchscreen-eeetop-et2002-now-car-ready

ASUS likes to throw crap against the wall to see what sticks and in this case they put voice recognition into its newest EeeTop. The software is accurate, but I'm not seeing the need for it in a 20-inch PC.

I do have to say the voice recognition seems to be on the ball from the video; it is actually impressive when Sascha, the German chap in the vid, butchers the pronunciation of "Kanye West" (around 3:46 in video) and the computer lady still understands it and plays a song.

But why do you need this voice functionality baked into an all-in-one with such a big screen where you are bound to have your hands somewhat free to control the touchscreen? Though I guess, it could be useful for when in a kitchen before cooking up a MacGyver Chef creation. [Netbook News]

Loch Ness Monster Discovered On Google Earth, Expert Security Guard Declares [Google Earth]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/ZC0NErYG4DI/loch-ness-monster-discovered-on-google-earth-expert-security-guard-declares

God bless The Sun—the most reliable, serious, and solid newspaper in the entire Commonwealth—because they have just discovered the Loch Ness monster using Google Earth. Or at least, that's what it appears to be in the photo.

According to the lighthouse of journalism and one of its experts—reader and security guard Jason Cooke, 25, of Nottingham—this is it. The real monster. Jason's scientific description leaves no room for doubt:

I couldn't believe it. It's just like the descriptions of Nessie.

But if that white thing is the Loch Ness monster, what are the blue thingies next to it? The top one seems like a giant snake. The lower one... I think the lower one may be a Loch Ness monster's monster poop. And the snake is pissed off because it hates floaters, so it's running away. For shame! [The Sun]

Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)