Dr. Augustine Fou's Online Scrapbook

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

First Canon EOS-1D MKIV footage on display, 5D MKII will join the fun with new 24 / 25 fps firmware next year

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/first-canon-eos-1d-mkiv-footage-on-display-5d-mkii-will-join-th/

Double good news on the Canon front. First off we've got sample footage shot with a brand new Canon EOS-1D Mark IV, which does a good job of showing what the camera can handle under low lighting conditions, as well as serving as a poignant morality tale for skaters, who should never get in cars with strangers. But perhaps even more exciting is word that Canon is developing its own firmware update for the 5D Mark II that will take it into the indie filmmaker-friendly territory of 24 fps and 25 fps -- something that's always been assumed doable since the camera already shoots at 30. Details are scarce, and the firmware won't hit until the "first half of 2010," but if anything it should up the resale value on that 5D of yours while you claw against your credit limit for an EOS-1D Mark IV.

Read - First Canon EOS-1D MKIV movie from Vincent Laforet
Read - Canon EOS 5D Mark II to get 24 and 25fps in a firmware update!

Filed under: Digital Cameras

First Canon EOS-1D MKIV footage on display, 5D MKII will join the fun with new 24 / 25 fps firmware next year originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 14:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dell SX2210T adds touchscreen functionality to 1080p panel (Update: multitouch!)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/dell-sx2210t-adds-touchscreen-functionality-to-1080p-panel/

You asked, questioned and implored -- why, with all these underpowered touchscreen all-in-ones prowling our lands, can we not get a decent standalone touchscreen monitor? Well, somebody somewhere listened, and somebody else, presumably elsewhere, leaked. Presenting the entirely unofficial, but all the same real, Dell SX2210T: a 1920 x 1080 21.5-inch panel that has HDMI and DVI inputs alongside an integrated 2 megapixel webcam and microphone for your Skyping convenience. If its 1,000:1 contrast ratio and 2ms grey-to-grey response time sound familiar, it's because the non-touch sensitive SX2210 has been available for a while already. From the support documentation we're looking at, you'll need to hook up an extra USB connection for the touch interface, which doesnt appear to be multitouch, but we can always hope for a miraculous firmware update down the line, right?

Update: More info has surfaced on this monitor and the firmware we'd hoped for turns out to be named Windows 7. Multitouch panning and zooming is now a confirmed feature, but only if you're using Microsoft's latest and greatest.

[Thanks, Bruce and dennispg]

Filed under: Displays

Dell SX2210T adds touchscreen functionality to 1080p panel (Update: multitouch!) originally appeared on ! Engadget on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 15:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Barnes & Noble Nook's first close-up (now with video!)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/barnes-and-noble-nooks-first-close-up/

There she blows, we'll be getting hands-on and try to scrap together some impressions of the Nook if they let us touch it once this Q&A is done. The device is a bit thicker than some, and certainly looks minimal up front. The LCD is nice, but not overly bright, and that's about all we spotted before it was snatched away. Check out the gallery for a few more fleeting shots and a look at a non-functioning prototype for a better idea of the unit's shape.

Gallery: Barnes & Noble nook's first close-up

Update: We got a closer look at the device, though they still haven't let us touch it. The LCD seems very "passive," and has a shallow viewing angle -- obviously to gather more ambient light and save on battery. The interface appears relatively intuitive, but we're a little confused and doubtful about the highlighting features -- it brings up a software d-pad on screen, and seemed a little unwieldy, though we'll only find out for ourselves when they actually let us get our grubby paws on the thing.

Update 2: We've got some video! It's so very exciting, and can be found after the break.

Gallery: Barnes & Noble Nook in-depth

Continue reading Barnes & Noble Nook's first close-up (now with video!)

Filed under: Handhelds

Barnes & Noble Nook's first close-up (now with video!) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Physicists calculate the end of Moore's Law, clearly don't believe in Moore's Law

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/physicists-calculate-the-end-of-moores-law-clearly-dont-belie/

If you're looking for pundits with an end date for Moore's Law, you don't have to look far. You also don't have to look far to find a gaggle of loonies who just knew the world was ending in Y2K, so make of that what you will. The latest duo looking to call the demise of the processor mantra that has held true for two score comes from Boston University, with physicists Lev Levitin and Tommaso Toffoli asserting that a quantum limit would be achieved in around 75 to 80 years. Scott Aaronson, an attention-getter at MIT, expects that very same limit to be hit in just 20 years. Of course, there's plenty of technobabble to explain the what's and how's behind all this, but considering that the brainiacs of the world can't even agree with Gordon Moore's own doomsday date, we're choosing to plug our ears and keep on believin' for now. Bonus video after the break.

[Via Slashdot]

Continue reading Physicists calculate the end of Moore's Law, clearly don't believe in Moore's Law

Filed under: Desktops, Laptops, Science

Physicists calculate the end of Moore's Law, clearly don't believe in Moore's Law originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Netflix, Best Buy deal brings Watch Instantly streaming to even cheaper Blu-ray players

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/netflix-best-buy-deal-brings-watch-instantly-streaming-to-even/

Though they've been floating around retail channels for a few weeks, Best Buy and Netflix have finally made official a partnership bringing streaming to the latest Insignia Blu-ray players. The NS-BRDVD3 runs $179, while the NS-WBRDVD edition tosses in WiFi for $20 more, while they won't stream out of the box, a firmware update just made available should add all the . These two keep the (we'll be nice and call it plain) styling of earlier models, and likely live up to the family reputation of "basic Blu-ray playback at a bargain" reported on the second generation of players. Of course, the BD-P1600 offers more features and a nicer reputation at about the same price, but Reward Zone members may want to think twice, with AVS Forum posters mentioning the NS-BRDVD3 can be had for just $99.99 through the 24th. Decisions, decisions.

Read - Best Buy and Netflix Announce Partnership to Instantly Stream Movies Over the Internet Via Latest Models of Insignia Blu-ray Disc Players
Read - Save $50 On Select INSIGNIA(R) Connected Blu-ray Disc[TM] Players with Netflix [Via AVS Forum]

Filed under: HDTV, Home Entertainment

Netflix, Best Buy deal brings Watch Instantly streaming to even cheaper Blu-ray players originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 21:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Monday, October 19, 2009

Make Your Own Shake Shack Burgers [Recipes]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/xn46jT23X7Y/make-your-own-shake-shack-burgers

The cheeseburgers from New York City's Shake Shack are so beloved by burger aficionados that even 12-hour Manhattan visits demand a wait in the Shack's imposing line. One burger lover researched and reverse-engineered the burger's basics for making at home.

Photo by J. Kenji Lopez-Alt.

Serious Eats guest writer J. Kenji Lopez-Alt is an obvious fan of the Shack's signature creation. He took the time to actually examine his burger before devouring it, then ask foodie friends and even a Shake Shack manager about the components he was unsure of. He demonstrates the "smash and scrape technique" in a stove-stop skillet, and gets scientific about what kind of beef mixture goes into a Shack patty:

According to Adam's sources, the meat is a 50:25:25 blend of sirloin, chuck, and brisket. On the other hand, according to Ozersky, the mixture is actually mostly brisket, with chuck and short rib mixed in.

I did a side-by-side comparison of the two purported blends next to a Shack Burger, and found that Adam's mix is closer in flavor, offering the right level of tenderness from the sirloin, rich beef flavor from the chuck, and slight sour/metallic notes from the brisket.

If the higher potential for E. Coli contamination and single-source quality concerns aren't enough for you to take up grinding your own meat for hamburgers, this opportunity might just! tip the scales.

Visit Serious Eats for the full debriefing on ingredients, bun sources, griddle instructions, and sauce recipe, and share your own Shack remembrances—or competitors for burgers worthy of imitation (In-N-Out, anyone?)—in the comments.

The Burger Lab: The Fake Shack [Serious Eats]

Firefox Now Auto-Blocks Microsoft .NET Extensions [Security]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/O3z7LdiXQ3Q/firefox-now-auto+blocks-microsoft-net-extensions

Firefox users on Windows probably have the .NET Framework Assistant extension installed, even if they didn't try to install it. ~~Now~~ Mozilla is was blocking it for security reasons, but has let it back in (Update below).

Microsoft discovered a vulnerability in Internet Explorer and .NET-connected browsers that allowed a site with malicious code to, well, "own" your browser and install some other terrible stuff.

Microsoft issued a high-priority security patch for Windows systems and through Internet Explorer's update mechanism, but for Firefox users who haven't applied the patch, Mozilla has added the Microsoft .Net Framework Assistant and Windows Presentation Foundation extensions to its blocklist, noting that users should see the extensions disabled upon their next log-in.

Update: Mozilla security chief Mike Shaver writes in a blog post that Mozilla has removed .NET Framework Assistant from its blocklist, as the extension was determined not to be a vulnerability to the "browse once and own" code exploit. Shaver writes that a more thorough explanation, and tips on how to prevent and customize auto-blocking, will follow.

If you still see those extensions enabled on your Windows system, Mozilla's security chief has written about the special means of removing them, as they often can't be disabled by default. Better still, if you see extensions in your Firefox Add-Ons menu that you can't quite remember installing, or question what purpose they serve, take this as a lesson in why uninstalling them might be a good idea.

.NET Framework Assistant Blocked to Disarm Security Vulnerability [Mozilla Security Blog via Yahoo News]

LastPass Adds Auto-Fill Password Management to Google Chrome [Downloads]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/TLd1pd_3vT0/lastpass-adds-auto+fill-password-management-to-google-chrome

Google Chrome (on Windows): Password saving and management webapp LastPass offers a single space to drop your web site passwords and quickly use them on any browser—now including Chrome, through an extension available to development channel users.

LastPass works on Chrome similarly to how it does on Firefox and Internet Explorer, and it's a bit more convenient and functional than its bookmarklet form filler. The concept remains the same: you only have to remember your LastPass login, and LastPass remembers all your other passwords and, if you want, credit card and form data, too. Before you ask, here's how LastPass justifies its safety and encryption.

The extension and its features worked as promised on a development channel version of Google Chrome on Windows. Testing it out on a daily build of extension-supporting Chromium on Ubuntu, however, led to consistent crashes, and I'd expect the same out of Mac OS X builds, at least until those platforms mature or LastPass gets around to addressing them.

LastPass' Chrome extension is a free download, works wherever Chrome does, and requires a LastPass account to use.

LastPass - Downloads [via MakeUseOf]

Turn Your PC into a Home Surveillance System [Security]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/uSevCRaXto4/turn-your-pc-into-a-home-surveillance-system

We've highlighted gobs of tools for turning your computer into a security camera, but if you're interested in building out a serious, multi-camera home surveillance system complete with wireless cameras, weblog MakeUseOf details how to do so.

The author uses an app called Active Webcam that's packed with features, and while it's not a free application, the trial version adds a small nag window to the corner of your webcam streams that the author thinks is completely tolerable for the price. Here's what you'll get when you're done:

I'm going to describe how you can set up a system of security webcams that will alert you to even the slightest intrusion into the space the camera is monitoring. We're going to create a remote surveillance system that could monitor your home, your camp, your apartment — or all of the above, all at the same time. In essence you can create a giant personal surveillance network without limitations.

If you've gone down the DIY route for putting together a home surveillance system using your PC, let's hear how you did it in the comments.

How To Build A WiFi Home Surveillance System With Your PC [MakeUseOf]

WSJ Confirms Barnes & Noble "Nook" Reader Price at $259 [Ebooks]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/RFbykqatkJk/wsj-confirms-barnes--noble-nook-reader-price-at-259

According to the WSJ, the Barnes & Noble reader will be announced tomorrow at $259. The descriptions match our exclusive photos exactly. They found the device through a premature ad shown on the NYTimes website! Who scooped who here?

Features of the Nook include a wireless connection to download books from the retailer's online e-bookstore and an e-paper display from E-Ink Corp. that is separate from the color controls.

The only discrepancy we've found with our original story is that B&N was not priced lower than the Kindle, as our sources said it might be. It's tied at $259. But given the lending feature and color screen, a price match may be more than enough to compete with.

They also reveal the name as "Nook". It's kind of a dumb name. [WSJ via Engadget]

Electrolux Brings Us One Step Closer To a Fireplace In a Can [Design]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/nZCVNHd1D4E/electrolux-brings-us-one-step-closer-to-a-fireplace-in-a-can

We like to put everything else in a can, so why not fire? That must be what designer Camillo Vanacore was thinking when he dreamed up this portable, capsule fireplace.

The concept involves some sort of magical ceramic from outer space that starts out opaque, but becomes transparent when exposed to the heat of a flame. The fireplace also seems like it would be small enough to fit in one hand. I wouldn't expect to go to the grocery store anytime soon to pick up a six-pack of fire—but it is an interesting design at least. [Six Different Ways via Apartment Therapy via DVICE]

Lenovo IdeaPad S12 gets ION powerup on October 22 in Japan

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/19/lenovo-ideapad-s12-gets-ion-powerup-on-october-22-in-japan/

At this point, we're not really sure which date has been discussed more in the history of humanity -- the Mayan doomsday prediction or Microsoft's October 22, 2009 launch of Windows 7. Lenovo's S12 was originally supposed to be the first ION-sporting netbook on the scene, but the Chinese company opted to hold back the NVIDIA infusion till Windows 7 showed up, and has been shipping a version of the 12-inch IdeaPad with only standard netbook specs so far. Well, come this Thursday it's out with the old and in with the HD video-decoding new in Japan, where the ION-powered S12 will be unleashed with 2GB RAM, 250GB HDD, a 1280 x 800 glossy display, multicard reader and a HDMI port for company. Priced somewhere near ¥68,800 (about $757), the new machines (available only in white) are likely to dip below $600 when they make their inevitable journey Stateside.

[Via Netbooked]

Filed under: Laptops

Lenovo IdeaPad S12 gets ION powerup on October 22 in Japan originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 19 Oct 2009 04:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Verizon prepping HP Mini 311, Mini 110 for launch

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/19/verizon-prepping-hp-mini-311-mini-110-for-launch/

Wait, hold up -- before you sprint down to your Verizon store (sprint... Verizon... never mind) to pick up that catchily-named Gateway LT2016u that just launched, you might want to mull over the next batch of netbooks primed to hit the carrier's outlets in the coming days. Subsidized netbooks still haven't proven themselves as viable products -- at least, so long as they're not subsidized down to $0 -- but Verizon's ready to keep on trying with the launch of a global 3G-equipped HP Mini 311 on October 22. Sickeningly, they want a full $249.99 on contract after $100 mail-in rebate -- but in exchange, you'll be getting ION, Windows 7, 1366 x 768 resolution on a 11.6-inch display, and a 1.6GHz Atom N270. Moving on, the carrier's current Mini 1151 will ride off into the sunset and be replaced by a Windows XP-equipped Mini 110 featuring a 160GB hard drive and 1GB of RAM; it'll launch once 1151 stock is depleted for $199.99 after rebate with a new two-year deal. Follow the break for details and specs on the 110 (spoiler: it's like pretty much every other 110, but with more voodoo subsidy math).

Continue reading Verizon prepping HP Mini 311, Mini 110 for launch

Filed under: Laptops, Wireless

Verizon prepping HP Mini 311, Mini 110 for launch origina! lly appe ared on Engadget on Mon, 19 Oct 2009 05:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Casio Exilim CA003 and CA004 uncloaked in KDDI au's winter lineup

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/19/casio-exilim-ca003-and-ca004-uncloaked-in-kddi-aus-winter-lineu/

KDDI au's unleashing its winter lineup, and among them sits Casio's latest cameras phone, the 12.17 megapixel Exilim CA003 and 8 megapixel CA004. The higher-tier former boasts a 28mm wide angle lens with 3x optical zoom and autofocus, and a 3.3-inch WVGA OLED screen. It'll also shoot a quick burst of 20 pics per second when you need to capture the exact moment and aren't exactly sure when that is. Other amenities include microSDHC card slot, GPS, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, FM radio, and a handful of color options. Not wanting all that horsepower? The CA004 has smaller resolution shots, support up to 2GB microSD, and a 3.1-inch WVGA OLED screen, but is otherwise touting the same features. Akihabara News has some hands-on shots of the beaut you might wanna check out, unless you're the type who gets violently jealous by phones that aren't hitting American soil.

[Via Engadget Japan]

Read - KDDI au lineup
Read - CA003 / CA004 hands-on

Filed under: Cellphones, Digital Cameras

Casio Exilim CA003 and CA004 uncloaked in KDDI au's winter lineup originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 19 Oct 2009 06:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Onkyo's tiny ION-based P3 nettop has an even tinier removable DVD-ROM

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/19/onkyos-tiny-ion-based-p3-nettop-has-an-even-tinier-removable-dv/

Onkyo's tiny ION-based P3 nettop has an even tinier removable DVD-ROM

If you're concerned about the future obsolescence of your miniscule Atom-based nettop, chances are its choice of optical storage is not what's bothering you. But, if that's what keeps you up at nights, Onkyo's P3 is your Ambien. Its ION platform sports the usual 1.6GHz Atom 230 proc, 2GB of memory, and 160GB hard drive. The DVD-ROM is a separate module that clips into a groove on the side and, while details are slim, that doesn't look like a standard form-factor to us, so if a Blu-ray upgrade or the like ever surfaces don't expect it to be cheap. The P3 itself (pictured again below with an LCD friend) isn't exactly a bargain to start, with an estimated MSRP of ¥69,800 (about $770) when it ships in March of next year. That's the price you pay for modular design.

[Via PC Watch]

Continue reading Onkyo's tiny ION-based P3 nettop has an even tinier removable DVD-ROM

Filed under: Desktops

Onkyo's tiny ION-based P3 nettop has an even tinier removable DVD-ROM originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 19 Oct 2009 08:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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