Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Intel Reader reads books to the lazy and infirm (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/10/intel-reader-reads-books-to-the-lazy-and-infirm-video/

While we're busying ourselves with arguing about how to replace the perfectly usable book gadget, Intel is right to point out that plenty of people, for whatever reason, can't read at all. Presenting its Reader as a necessity rather than luxury, Intel has shown off its vision for how visually impaired and dyslexic people can obtain access to the written word. Combining a text-scanning camera with a text-to-speech engine (powered by an Atom inside) is certainly no bad idea, but as the video beyond the break will show you, Intel's execution isn't exactly stellar. The arrhythmic, robotic reading from Alice In Wonderland left us shaken, but what floored us was the $1,499 asking price. Yes, it's a customized niche device, but we reckon we could build something similar for a third of the price. Full PR and video after the break.

Continue reading Intel Reader reads books to the lazy and infirm (video)

Filed under: Digital Cameras, Handhelds

Intel Reader reads books to the lazy and infirm (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 09:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Esquire's Augmented Reality issue goes on sale, and we have video to prove it

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/10/esquires-augmented-reality-issue-goes-on-sale-and-we-have-vide/

The Augmented Reality issue of Esquire has hit the newsstands, and our fears have come true: when this magazine comes in contact with your webcam, Robert Downey Jr. is unleashed! Aside from dangerous levels of the Academy Award-winning actor, however, the video (after the break) really highlights how silly the whole affair is: While AR has been implemented to great effect for a number of different applications, delivering video content that could just as easily been delivered without waving a magazine in front of your computer definitely crosses the line into gimmick territory. Still, the magazine's design team did pull all the stops -- so if you're curious to see what you'd get for your hard-earned dollar, check out that video walkthrough after the break.

Continue reading Esquire's Augmented Reality issue goes on sale, and we have video to prove it

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Esquire's Augmented Reality issue goes on sale, and we have video to prove it originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 13:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NVIDIA tablet mystery solved: an ODM Tegra prototype

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/10/nvidia-tablet-mystery-solved-an-odm-tegra-prototype/

NVIDIA just hit us with more info on that mysterious tablet Jen-Hsun Huang was pictured with yesterday, and the truth is just as we'd assumed: it's a Tegra prototype from an ODM called ICD that's being "actively" shopped to carriers around the world. Sorry, folks, no Apple involvement here -- although we're sure Jen-Hsun would enthusiastically embrace that possibility.

As far as the ICD tablet goes, we're waiting for official confirmation on specs, but we got a credible tip this morning suggesting that it's currently running Windows CE with a resistive touchscreen, and that both Android and capacitive upgrades are in the cards, as well as multiple screen sizes. We're also told that the goal is a March 2010 launch and that T-Mobile might be involved, but we wouldn't take any of that to the bank until we hear for real -- stay tuned.

Filed under: Handhelds, Tablet PCs

NVIDIA tablet mystery solved: an ODM Tegra prototype originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 13:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Matrox pushes eight displays with a single-slot PCIe x16 GPU

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/10/matrox-pushes-eight-displays-with-a-single-slot-pcie-x16-gpu/

Matrox has been distancing itself from the consumer market for awhile now, but even we couldn't resist this one. Hailed as the planet's first single-slot octal graphics card, the M9188 supports up to eight DisplayPort or single-link DVI outputs, and if you're up for getting really crazy, you can hook up a pair to drive 16 displays from a single workstation. The card itself packs 2GB of memory and supports resolutions as high as 2,560 x 1,600 (per output), which should be just enough to create the Google Earth visualization system you've always dreamed of. In related news, the outfit also introduced the far weaker 1GB M9128, which can drive a grand total of two displays for $259. Oh, and as for pricing on the octal guy? Try $1,995 when it ships later this quarter.

Filed under: Peripherals

Matrox pushes eight displays with a single-slot PCIe x16 GPU originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 15:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Matrox pushes eight displays with a single-slot PCIe x16 GPU

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/10/matrox-pushes-eight-displays-with-a-single-slot-pcie-x16-gpu/

Matrox has been distancing itself from the consumer market for awhile now, but even we couldn't resist this one. Hailed as the planet's first single-slot octal graphics card, the M9188 supports up to eight DisplayPort or single-link DVI outputs, and if you're up for getting really crazy, you can hook up a pair to drive 16 displays from a single workstation. The card itself packs 2GB of memory and supports resolutions as high as 2,560 x 1,600 (per output), which should be just enough to create the Google Earth visualization system you've always dreamed of. In related news, the outfit also introduced the far weaker 1GB M9128, which can drive a grand total of two displays for $259. Oh, and as for pricing on the octal guy? Try $1,995 when it ships later this quarter.

Filed under: Peripherals

Matrox pushes eight displays with a single-slot PCIe x16 GPU originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 15:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Viewsonic offically launches VPD400 MovieBook media player

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/10/viewsonic-offically-launches-vpd400-moviebook-media-player/

Viewsonic was showing this one off way back in July alongside a slew of other gear, but it's just now gotten fully official with its VPD400 MovieBook media player, which is apparently available right away for $129.99. That will get you a 4.3-inch 800 x 480 display, 8GB of internal memory, a micro SD card slot for more, an AV out port for some bigger screen viewing (not HDMI, it seems), and a promised 12 hours of battery life for audio and six for video -- not to mention your choice of black, pink or white color options. Not too shabby, just don't go expecting anything fancy like WiFI or a touchscreen.

Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video

Viewsonic offically launches VPD400 MovieBook media player originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 17:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Saygus VPhone to bring video calls and a bit of chub to Android and Verizon

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/10/saygus-vphone-to-bring-video-calls-and-a-bit-of-chub-to-android/

If you know that your personal happiness lies somewhere in the Verizon / Android abyss but neither the Droid nor the Droid Eris are hitting the spot, you might consider trying something completely out of left field. How "left field" are we talking here? Well, for starters, odds are good that you've never heard of a company called Saygus, and its shiny new QWERTY slider, the VPhone, won't be offered directly from Verizon -- it's a product of the carrier's Open Development initiative. Sure enough, that handset we spied a few days back is real, and the specs are all panning out: 624MHz PXA310 XScale core, 512MB of Flash on board coupled with 256MB of RAM, 3.5-inch capacitive WVGA touchscreen, WiFi, a 5 megapixel autofocus camera, front-facing VGA camera and -- of course -- EV-DO Rev. A support. The current incarnation is running Android 1.6, but it should be running 2.0 by the time of its launch next year, along with getting some Google-certification to let it run the Google apps. Saygus' real thrust here is apparently two-way video calling (good thing they picked Verizon, huh?), though they aren't showing it off just yet. Otherwise it's pretty much stock Android, and when asked if they swiped something from HTC Sense UI, Saygus said those buttons and the extra home screens are actually a standard part of Android's open source repository. The hardware itself is rather chubby, but it leaves room for an oversized QWERTY keyboard that could very well solve your Droid woes. No word on price or a firm release date.

Gallery: Saygus VPhone hands-on

Saygus VPhone to bring video calls and a bit of chub to Android and Verizon originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 18:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sunday, November 08, 2009

Dell Mini 9 Accelerometer Hack Creates One Affordable Little Windows Tablet [Hacks]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/T_UnYhn_9dA/dell-mini-9-accelerometer-hack-creates-one-affordable-little-windows-tablet

The hacktastic Dell Mini 9 goes well with all sorts of aftermarket add-ons and OS's, including this latest addition:

An accelerometer tied to a touchscreen. Why not, right? Seems like a logical progression after we saw this tiny tot of a netbook hacked to serve as a stylus-driven tablet.

It's no Courier, certainly, but as far as cheap, functional touchscreen tablets go, it's not half bad. [Gadget Mix]

Rumor: Mirrorless Ricoh Camera, Interchangeable Lenses Coming November 10 [Cameras]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/xiMaMXf-URw/rumor-mirrorless-ricoh-camera-interchangeable-lenses-coming-november-10

From the aptly named Photo Rumors blog comes word today that Ricoh is all but ready to reveal a premium, mirror-less camera on or about November 10.

Multiple sources hint that the camera will be a number of things, including "premium," "compact" and that it will feature at least two interchangeable lenses at launch, possibly in December.

More details, discovered and translated by Photo Rumors, include:

* APS-C sensor
* Mirror Loose house with live-view
* Not so much larger than the GR-D cameras
* The same operation / control that the GR-D
* Electronic viewfinder accessory shoe for optional

More to come, as Phone Rumors appears to be updating their posts with some regularity today. [Photo Rumors]

Palm Pre price keeps sinking on Bell, down to $100

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/07/palm-pre-price-keeps-sinking-on-bell-down-to-100/

Just weeks after Palm's Pre sunk to CAD $149.95 on Bell, the outfit's first-ever webOS phone has now stooped to just CAD $99.95. That still requires a 3-year contract, of course, but man -- a single bill for a smartphone like the Pre? Anyone tossing out guesses on how long it takes Sprint to follow suit (and embarrass the Pixi)?

[Thanks, David]

Filed under: Cellphones

Palm Pre price keeps sinking on Bell, down to $100 originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 07 Nov 2009 19:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Creative's ZEN X-Fi2 touchscreen PMP now on sale

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/08/creatives-zen-x-fi2-touchscreen-pmp-now-on-sale/

Candidly speaking, we can't honestly envision too many of you fine folks running out and purchasing one of Creative's new ZEN X-Fi2 portable media players given the availability of such robust alternatives. That said, we'd be remiss of our duties if we didn't point out that the PMP which shocked us at IFA is now on sale directly from Creative. $129.99 buys you an 8GB model, while $179.99 nets you 16GB and $229.99 provides 32GB. We know -- that 3-inch LCD and integrated FM tuner look good from afar, but remember kids, it's all about the UI.

[Thanks, Tyler]

Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video

Creative's ZEN X-Fi2 touchscreen PMP now on sale originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 08 Nov 2009 03:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Saturday, November 07, 2009

Building a NAS? Skip the Performance Drives [Nas]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/kmd9yrY5Wk8/building-a-nas-skip-the-performance-drives

A while ago I was considering putting low-powered 5400 RPM drives into a NAS. I was worried about performance, but Tom's Hardware shows us that drive speed isn't the bottleneck, and how slower drives can even beat faster ones.

The main bottleneck in any NAS is the RAID engine. Since many NAS units don't include a dedicated controller, oftentimes the speed of the drive just doesn't matter. If you're using a blazing-fast hardware RAID card in your own custom built setup, then drive speed might make a difference. But for most consumer units, the controller is the bottleneck.

With that in mind, you can go with slower 5400 RPM drives that reduce power consumption, generate less heat, and will likely cost less up front too. Even if you have a dedicated RAID card that could let a 7200 RPM drive do it's thing at full speed, I'd consider the benefits of low-power drives to outweigh the marginal speed increase you might see.

This chart shows the difference between Samsung 7200 and 5400 RPM drives in various RAID configurations:

Not much, right? So think twice before you drop more than necessary on 7200 RPM drives for your backup unit. Check out the link for the full test rundown. [Tom's Hardware]

Best Buy stocking Nokia's Booklet 3G on November 15th

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/07/best-buy-stocking-nokias-booklet-3g-on-november-15th/

We knew good and well that Nokia's Booklet 3G was coming to Best Buy sometime "during the holidays," and now we've got something a bit more precise to share. Starting now, Reward Zone members can waltz into their local store and place a pre-order, while public availability is pegged for November 15th. As we'd heard, the 2.76-pound, Atom-powered netbook will be sold for $299.99 with a 2-year AT&T data contract or $599.99 straight-up. Oh, and if you're looking to get your order in early, we'd recommend printing out that image above just so you don't baffle anyone with your otherworldly request.

Filed under: Laptops

Best Buy stocking Nokia's Booklet 3G on November 15th originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 07 Nov 2009 14:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Inspiron Zino HD now configurable, available to order on Dell's website

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/07/inspiron-zino-hd-now-configurable-available-to-order-on-dells/

Dell may be focusing the bulk of its attention on the white-hot Adamo XPS, but it looks as if its attempting to slide the Zino HD into the wild without anyone noticing. If you'll recall, we snagged a little hands-on time with the box back in August, and now we've reason to believe that an official reveal is just moments away. The Zino HD is now listed on Dell's main "Desktops" portal (a screen cap is after the break), though the accompanying link leads to nowhere. However, one vigilant tipster managed to find a backdoor URL that allows you to configure and order your own Inspiron 400 (its "other name," just so you know) right now. We're seeing the machine available in a slew of colors ($10 to $30 options over black), a 1.5GHz AMD Athlon 3250e or 1.8GHz Athlon 6850e CPU, Windows 7 Home Premium, 4GB of DDR2 RAM, a 500GB (7200RPM) hard drive, 8x DVD burner, a 512MB ATI Radeon HD 4330 GPU, bundled keyboard / mouse and a 20-inch ST2010 LCD thrown in for good measure. The total package described above looks to start at around $807 with a November 27th ship date, though we suspect cheaper models will be available once things get ironed out.

[Thanks, Chuck and Douglas]

Read - Dell's desktop page
Read - Zino HD order page

Continue reading Inspiron Zino HD now configurable, available to order on Dell's website

Filed under: Desktops

Inspiron Zino HD now configurable, available to order on Dell's website originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 07 Nov 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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chocolate cookies in 90 seconds (Martha Stewart) - using Waffle Iron

Chocolate Waffle Cookies

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Chocolate Waffle Cookies

Ingredients

Makes about 4 dozen

3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
18 tablespoons (2 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder, plus 2 tablespoons for icing
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar, plus more for dusting
1 1/2 tablespoons milk
Vegetable oil cooking spray

Directions

Melt chocolate with 1 cup butter (2 sticks) in a saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Let cool slightly.
Put eggs, vanilla, and granulated sugar in bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until pale, 4 to 5 minutes. Mix in chocolate mixture, salt, cinnamon, 1/2 cup cocoa powder, and the flour.
Heat a waffle iron until hot. Lightly coat grids with cooking spray. Spoon about 1 tablespoon batter onto center of each waffle-iron square to make 1 1/2-inch rounds. Close cover; cook until set, about 1 1/2 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack, bottom sides up. Let cool completely. Repeat with remaining batter, coating grids with cooking spray after each batch.
Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Add confectioners' sugar and remaining 2 tablespoons cocoa powder; stir until smooth. Stir in milk.
Gently dip 1 surface of each cookie in icing so that just the waffle lines (not gaps) are coated. Repeat with remaining cookies and icing. Transfer to wire racks; let stand until set, about 10 minutes. Dust iced surfaces of cookies with confectioner's sugar. Cookies can be stored in single layers in airtight containers at room temperature up to 2 days.

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