Asus Building Eee Pad to Counter Apple Tablet? [Rumor]
Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/aS9ctCMtJ-0/asus-building-eee-pad-to-counter-apple-tablet
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Philips E-Skins Could Have Your Gadgets Changing Colors Like a Chameleon [Gadgets]
Electronic paper (e-paper) looks like conventional paper and the bright wash of color it generates uses the ambient light for rendition, just like conventional paint, so no backlight is needed. Which means that the vividness of the color is maintained, even in bright outdoor conditions. Philips' technology allows different colors of ink to be built into one layer with each color controlled separately. This means the layer can be transparent, the same color as any one of the inks or even a mixture of multiple colors. Moreover, the saturation of each individual color can be controlled accurately – so any shade can be produced. Recently, Philips successfully realized a simplified, yet advanced version of its e-paper technology: e-skin. Since it is less complicated and less expensive to realize, it enables new applications. And because e-skin makes use of the ambient light, it is an inherently energy-efficient system, making it particularly suitable for application in portable devices as well.
While portable devices might be the focus in the short-term, this sort of technology could also be used for larger equipment and even wallpaper in your home. In other words, it might not be long before we can change the color and the entire ambiance of a room with the push of a button. [Philips ! via Pocket-Lint]
AAXA P2 pico projector gets tested and lauded
Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/aaxa-p2-pico-projector-gets-tested-and-lauded/
The first batch of pico projectors weren't exactly world-beaters; the resolution was low, lumens were lacking and MSRPs were startlingly high. Such is life on the cutting edge. But AAXA's P2 is riding the second wave, boasting a higher-than-average 800 x 600 resolution, 33 lumens of brightness, 1GB of onboard storage, a microSDHC expansion slot, VGA / AV inputs, a built-in speaker and an integrated media player to boot. Our good pals over at Gadling just got their paws around one, and they seemed duly satisfied with the performance. Unlike many first-generation units, this one managed to throw up a respectable image even in dimly lit rooms, and while the 40-inch image was understandably the best, it did manage to toss up a 100-inch visual when pressed. Hit the source link for the full writeup, and if you're planning on buying in now, it's available for a sale price of $319.AAXA P2 pico projector gets tested and lauded originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 10 Dec 2009 12:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Interead COOL-ER 3G e-reader announced, adds wireless to the mix
Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/09/interead-cool-er-3g-e-reader-announced-adds-wireless-to-the-mix/
We are already fans of the COOL-ER e-reader: if anything, its playful look and decent price point has brought a smile to our embittered faces. But still, the lack of WiFi and a Whispernet equivalent is something of a buzzkill -- who wants to rely on a USB cable or SD card in this day and age? Good news, digital book fans: Interead has big changes in store for next year, including the aforementioned WiFi and deals with AT&T for bandwidth and NewspaperDirect for access to over 1,300 newspapers and magazines. Not bad, eh? If all goes according to plan, we can expect to see the COOL-ER 3G sometime in mid-2010. Hopefully, they can set the MSRP low enough to keep consumers' interest. PR after the break.
Continue reading Interead COOL-ER 3G e-reader announced, adds wireless to the mix
Interead COOL-ER 3G e-reader announced, adds wireless to the mix originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 09 Dec 2009 15:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | | Email this | CommentsAcer Aspire Timeline 1820PT now made to order in UK, estimated for January 25 launch
Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/acer-aspire-timeline-1820pt-now-made-to-order-in-uk-estimated-f/
[Thanks, Andy]
Acer Aspire Timeline 1820PT now made to order in UK, estimated for January 25 launch originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 10 Dec 2009 03:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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ASUS Eee Pad coming soon?
Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/asus-eee-pad-coming-soon/
ASUS Eee Pad coming soon? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 10 Dec 2009 06:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Wednesday, December 09, 2009
Giant Mysterious Spiral Takes Over the Skies of Norway [Science]
Could it all be a hoax? Maybe it's a massive joke, but all kinds of Norwegian news sites are reporting on it. According to NKR—Norway's national TV channel—it could be related to a rocket fired from a Russian submarine in the White Sea. The Russians are denying any part on it at this at the moment. Nick Banbury, a witness located at Harstad, described how it all happened:
We are used to seeing lots of auroras here in Arctic Norway, but on my way to work this morning I saw something completely unexpected. Between 7:50 and 8:00 a.m. local time, there was a strange light in the sky. It consisted initially of a green beam of light similar in colour to the aurora with a mysterious rotating spiral at one end. This spiral then got bigger and bigger until it turned into a huge halo in the sky with the green beam extending down to the earth.
As hard as it is to believe, you can't dispute the fact that the strange spiral was witnessed and recorded by thousands of people from hundreds of miles away, which means that the phenomenon occurred at a very high altitude. Even Phil Plait from Bad Astronomy agrees that this is real, and says that it was probably a rocket out of control.
So barring any epic group joke, expect your new alien overlords to arrive at any time now. We can only hope they ! are all peace-loving voluptuous blondes with blue eyes. [Altaposten, VG, NRK via SpaceWeather via Universe Today—thanks Gonzalo Oxenford]
If you know Norwegian and have any information, contact me on AIM or by mail.
How Huge Is the Internet on an Average Day? [Data]
Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/W4LF5lm5brs/how-huge-is-the-internet-on-an-average-day
The Best Windows Laptops, From $400 to $1500 [Laptops]
Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/-nVmxRrCIuI/the-best-windows-laptops-from-400-to-1500
Sub $400
Acer Aspire 1410
Starting Price: $399
This 3.2-pound ultraportable is such a sweet deal it makes us question whether netbooks are long for this world. Acer stuffed a dual-core Celeron processor (about double the performance of Atom), 2GB of RAM and Windows 7 Premium inside a 11.6-inch system with a full-size keyboard—all for just $399. Plus, you get 6.5 hours of battery life. Sure, the 160GB hard drive is a bit skimpy, but the 1410 is a real PC you can take anywhere. [Review]
Sub $700
Gateway NV
Starting Price: $599.99
The NV proves that you can get a good-looking budget laptop that performs. In addition to four color choices (blue, brown, read, and black), this 15.6-inch notebook sports a fashionable metal hinge and glowing LED controls. Under the hood the NV satisfies with the combination of an Intel Core 2 Duo CPU, 4GB of RAM, and a 320GB hard drive. Our only nitpick is the narrow touchpad button. [Review]
ASUS UL30A< br>
Starting Price: $649.99
If we had to pick a notebook of the year, the UL30A would be it. Why? Because this 13 incher is light enough to take anywhere yet offers enough pep to be your primary machine. This 4-pound ultraportable lasted nearly 10 hours on a charge in our tests (continuous surfing over Wi-Fi), and its ultra-low voltage Core 2 Duo processor can easily handle Windows 7. Bonus: 500GB of storage is nice for the $650 price. [Review]
Sub $1000
Dell Studio 14z
Starting Price: $749.99
Think of it as the poor man's MacBook—with better specs and sound. Dell's 14-inch thin and light notebook weighs in at just 4.4 pounds and features Nvidia 9400 graphics for extra multimedia punch. But unlike the entry level $999 Mac, the Dell offers 70GB more hard drive space, superior speakers, and a backlit keyboard for $160 less. The only trade-offs are the lack of a DVD drive and the need for an adapter for plugging in memory cards. [Review]
Sub $1500
Toshiba Qosmio X505
Starting Price : $1399
Ideal for multimedia mavens and good enough for gamers, the 18.4-inch Qosmio X505 brings serious muscle in the $1,499 configuration, including a blazing Core i7 CPU and Nvidia ! GTS 250M graphics (with 1 GB of dedicated video memory). We also dig the classy glossy black design with metallic red accents, integrated Blu-ray drive, and booming Harman Kardon speakers. If you want to step up from the 1680 x 945 display to a full HD screen, splurge for the $1,899 model, which also sports 6GB of RAM and an SSD. [Review]
ThinkPad T400s
Starting Price: $1599 ($1359.15 after coupon)
If BMWs are the ultimate driving machines, ThinkPads are the ultimate business machines, and this is the flagship vehicle. The T400s measures just 0.8 inches thick and weighs 3.9 pounds, and it's decked out in supersturdy magnesium (for the bottom and deck) and carbon fiber (for the lid). More important, this 14-incher blows away the competition in terms of ergonomic comfort and performance—when you spring for the 2.53-GHz processor and 128GB solid state drive. [Review]
To see all of LAPTOP's top picks of the year, click here.
Acer's Ferrari One netbook now available -- might not help you get a date
Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/09/acers-ferrari-one-netbook-now-available-might-not-help-you-g/
You're probably already fairly familiar with Acer's foray into speedy netbooks with the the Ferrari One -- the 11.6-incher we found to be slightly underwhelming when we got our hands on it back in September. Still, the famous branding and the red hot lid is sure to be a draw for some, and other than that, this laptop boasts an 1.2GHz AMD Athlon 64 X2 CPU, an AMD M780G chipset, ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3200 graphics, plus WiFi, Bluetooth, optional WWAN and a 6-cell battery. It'll run you about $600 to grab one up and it's available now. Full press release is after the break.
Continue reading Acer's Ferrari One netbook now available -- might not help you get a date
Acer's Ferrari One netbook now available -- might not help you get a date originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 09 Dec 2009 12:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | | Email this | CommentsMSI rolls out Wind Top AE2020 all-in-one in the UK
Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/09/msi-rolls-out-wind-top-ae2020-all-in-one-in-the-uk/
MSI rolls out Wind Top AE2020 all-in-one in the UK originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 09 Dec 2009 12:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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ASRock ION 330HT-BD nettop goes on sale for $589
Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/09/asrock-ion-330ht-bd-nettop-goes-on-sale-for-589/
If you're scouting a nettop that'll hit your doorstep prior to those Christmas bells ringing, you'll want to look elsewhere. That said, those with plenty of time to spare may want to consider ASRock's ION 330HT-BD, particularly if you just can't seem to stop renting Blu-ray Discs from Netflix. The box has just landed on Amazon with a $588.99 price tag and an admittedly frightening "usually ships within 1 to 4 months" warning, and if you're no fan of BD (liar!), the standard 330HT is in the same boat for $458.99.ASRock ION 330HT-BD nettop goes on sale for $589 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 09 Dec 2009 10:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Manual Android 2.0.1 Droid update detailed for the impatient
Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/09/manual-android-2-0-1-update-detailed-for-the-impatient/
Still haven't gotten that Android 2.0.1 OTA update on your Droid? You're not alone (most people are still waiting for 2.0 on their Android handset, you self-centered power user, you), but luckily there's a simple solution. Basically you just have to manually download the update file, copy it to an SD card and restart your Droid while tapping out a simple succession of hardware keys. You can check out the "detailed" and "badass" versions of the instructions at the two respective source links below.Manual Android 2.0.1 Droid update detailed for the impatient originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 09 Dec 2009 12:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Dell Vostro V13 Hands On: Bruce Wayne's Laptop [Notebooks]
Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/CaKJrXOJB6M/dell-vostro-v13-hands-on-bruce-waynes-laptop
Well, part of the somehow is that the default $450 configuration uses a Celeron processor and comes with Ubuntu. You don't play in Windows land 'til you hit $600, and don't reach ULV Core 2 Duo brains—which ain't exactly heavy duty—until you drop $650.
The V13 is a collision of high end—the design, angled and thin, heavily echoing the original Adamo's silhouette, and build quality, as sturdy as any non-unibody laptop we've tried to bend—and low rent—the keyboard is straight off Dell's budget Inspiron line and well, I already told you what's inside (there's other spec sparseness as well, like 2GB RAM, VGA out and 2 USB ports, one of which is a combo eSATA number). The 13.3-inch, LED-backlit, anti-glare display is nice enough though, at a resolution of 1366x768. The 6-cell sealed battery is rated for 4 hours and 42 minutes, according to Dell, but expect less actually using it, obviously.
Still, at $650, let alone $450—netbook level—you expect some compromise, and if it wasn't at the expense of the design and materials, it had to cut somewhere. (Conversely, you can buy raging monsters from Asus, filled with blistering silicon, but it's powering machines that are ugly, bloated plastic.) Un! -comprom ise is expensive, but the V13 straddles the line fairly skillfully, erring on the side that most don't, and that's something that's commendable. If the Adamo was Batman's laptop, this more human and vulnerable rendition for suits is Bruce Wayne's.
[Dell]
Aluratek's $179 LCD-Based Libre eBook Reader Goes Cheap [Ebooks]
The reader has 24 hours of continuous use (not too shabby for an LCD, even if it is monochrome), and supports MP3 and photos. It's 5 inches big, reads ePub and PDF as well as TXT, Mobi, PRC and RTF formats. Those of you who like downloading books from "non-official" sources know that they usually come in one of those formats. But the Libre comes with 100 "free" books, which are most likely public domain books you could get for free.
We'll see how it stacks up to e-ink type readers when we test it, but on paper, this seems like a pretty decent (cheap) alternative. Especially because it promises a faster page-turn refresh rate than e-ink. It comes in black and white. [Aluratek]
Aluratek, Inc., a leading creator of sophisticated yet user-friendly computer peripherals and consumer electronic devices, announces Libre – the new eBook Reader with exclusive LCD technology. Libre provides the most affordable product in the category, featuring superior battery life with up to 24 hours of continuous use, auto-off and page advance features, MP3 and photo support.
Utilizing the latest monochrome reflective light LCD display technology, the Libre eBook Reader PRO provides a crisp black and white 5-inch screen with the same appearance and readability of printed paper. There is no backlighting, so reading on the Libre is as soft on the eyes as reading a book, while also preserving battery power.
The Libre supports A! dobe's D igital Edition software allowing Digital Rights Management (DRM) support for ePUB and PDF formats. This allows users to purchase new book releases from a variety of eBook content providers including eBooks.com, one of Aluratek's content partners.
With an MSRP of $179, the Libre is a cost-effective solution for anyone looking to experience the next generation of digital technology related to books. The Libre connects to any Mac or PC with an Internet connection for easy access to the newest book releases as well as timeless classics. It also comes loaded with 100 free eBooks on the included 2GB SD card.
"Unlike e-Ink displays which require multiple flashes for each page advance, I believe the reflective LCD technology the Libre offers will be a welcome change compared to other eBooks currently on the market" said John Wolikow, VP Sales and Marketing for Aluratek. "The ability to store thousands of your favorite books in the Libre is not only convenient but it's also good for the environment by saving trees."
Libre comes with a 2GB SD card, and supports SD and SDHC cards up to 32GB. The audio player feature lets users also listen to their favorite MP3s, and the picture viewer supports BMP, JPG, GIF and animated GIF. Versatile for any user, Libre offers five font size options and also supports Adobe DRM, ePUB, PDF, FB2, TXT, Mobi, PRC and RTF formats.
Other key features of the Libre include: table of contents, bookmark list and page, content search, jump to page, zoom, auto page turn, background music, multiple language formats, auto power off and a help menu.
The Libre eBook Reader PRO is available in either black or white with an MSRP of $179. For more information about the Libre eBook Reader PRO, or any of Aluratek's other innovative products, please visit www.aluratek.com.
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