Thursday, February 11, 2010

Google Buzz #gbuzz is not a social network; it's a feature (that fits between #gmail and #gchat) - http://bit.ly/b0cE1W

The $500 16GB, Wi-Fi only iPad costs Apple less than half that to build, according to a recent component breakdown from iSuppli. And for the 64GB 3G iPad, Apple clears nearly $500 in profit. Here's how it breaks down:

Apple iPad Estimated Bill-of-Materials and Manufacturing Cost Analysis:
This will no doubt be updated once iSuppli and others are able to do a teardown of an actual device, but those estimated profit margins are pretty stunning, particularly on the higher-end models. iSuppli also points out that the 32GB versions of the iPad only cost $30 more to make than their 16GB counterparts, yet retail for $100 more—a good indication that that's where they expect the sweet spot to be in the market.

Goes a long way to explaining why Apple's so willing to be flexible on the price, no?[iSuppli]

This 27-Inch Dell U2711 Monitor Looks Eerily Familiar... [Monitors]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/5x2E2s7kk2c/this-27+inch-dell-u2711-monitor-looks-eerily-familiar

Dell's U2711, on sale for $1,100 today, seems like the monitor dreams are made of, with 2560x1440 resolution, 100 percent representation of the sRGB color space, 6ms response and a window-friendly matte finish. There's just one, tiny catch. UPDATE

This Dell monitor is believed to use the same LG-sourced panel that's been plaguing iMacs. You know, the yellow one.

To make matters worse, some have already complained that these LG-sourced monitors are already causing problems in the Dell monitor line.

The potential issues haven't prevented Dell from securing a CNET Editor's Choice on the U2711, so maybe they're just fine. But I would strongly recommend you take a look at the return policy before ordering. Full specs at: [Dell via Electronista]

UPDATE: Excellent point from a reader—the 27-inch iMac uses the same LG basic LM270WQ1 IPS panel but the Dell uses a conventional CCFL backlight as opposed to the iMac's LEDs. Especially since the LED matrix positioning has been suspected of causing yellow iMacs, the idea that this Dell display would be just fine makes some level of sense.

Shooting Challenge: A Wonky Sense of Scale [Photography]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/corKx13uZXk/shooting-challenge-a-wonky-sense-of-scale

For this week's Shooting Challenge, we're playing with the human mind. How do you know something in a picture is really that large or small? Or put differently, why the hell did no one tell me I was a giant??

The Challenge

Trick our sense of scale using forced perspective. In other words, I ask that no one goes the tilt-shift or macro route. We're not creating miniatures through lens distortion as much as we're abusing the basic laws of perspective for our adolescent giggles.

The Method

We're all familiar with crushing friends' heads with our fingers, but for a bit more on the techniques behind forced perspective, Environmental Graffiti's tutorial is loaded with examples and tips. But the best advice? The simpler the landscape, the more fake-able the effect.

The Rules

1. Submissions need to be your own.
2. Photos need to be taken the week of the contest. (No portfolio linking or it spoils the "challenge" part.)
3. Explain, briefly, the equipment, settings and technique used to snag the shot.
4. Email submissions to contests@gizmodo.com.
5. Include 800px wide image AND 2560x1600 sized in email. (The 800px image is the one judged, so feel free to crop/alter the image for wallpaper-sized dimensions.)

Send your best entries by Sunday, February 14th at 6PM Eastern to contests@gizmodo.com with "Forced Perspective" in the subject line. Save your files as JPGs or GIFs, and use a FirstnameLastname.jpg (800px) and FirstnameLastnameWALLPAPER.jpg (2560px) naming conventions. Include your shooting summary (camera, lens, ISO, etc) in the body of the email.

I can't wait to see what you come up with! (Just don't squish my head again, it's surprisingly painful.) [Image source]

Toshiba Adds A Touchscreen Display To The U500-1EX Laptop [Laptops]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/V9WR48JIymQ/toshiba-adds-a-touchscreen-display-to-the-u500+1ex-laptop

These aren't the first touchscreen laptops Toshiba's dished out, but the U500-1EX is the latest, and has some nice specs (4GB of DDR3 RAM, 320GB HDD) for its low price.

At 13.3-inches, the Windows 7 machine has a neat-sounding LifeSpace app from Toshiba, which allows for thumbnail shortcuts on a bulletin board, and a faster way of searching for files with ReelTime.

Internally, it's running on an Intel Core i3-330 processor, 4GB of DDR3 RAM and has the option to upgrade the HDD to 320GB. Bluetooth, two USB ports, HD webcam and mic, the display is a TFT WXGA TruBrite with 1,280 x 800 pixels and altogether, it weighs 2.15kg.

Nothing but UK pricing has been confirmed, but if it's £649 there, a direct conversion would have it at $1,014, but I doubt it'll be that much in the States. [Toshiba release]

UPDATE: It appears to be on sale for $999 at MicroCenter, thanks to Bryan for the tip.

Toshiba HDR5010 marries Freeview HD to a PVR in time for the World Cup

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/10/toshiba-hdr5010-marries-freeview-hd-to-a-pvr-in-time-for-the-wor/

When Humax introduced the UK's first Freeview HD set-top box last week, quite a few of you were understandably disappointed that it didn't come with PVR functionality. Well, you can now strike that off your list of worries, as Toshiba has just gone official with its own Freeview+ HD PVR box that packs a healthy 500GB of internal storage alongside two HDMI inputs and one output, a duo of USB ports and Ethernet connectivity. Equipped with dual tuners, it'll allow you to record a pair of simultaneous broadcasts, while the internal hard drive -- good for storing 120 hours of video -- should be augmentable with external variants. Toshiba makes sure to include DivX and MP3 playback support in the HDR5010, so it should also make for a decent media streamer when it makes its admittedly distant debut in June for £349 ($545).

Toshiba HDR5010 marries Freeview HD to a PVR in time for the World Cup originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 10 Feb 2010 14:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Motorola debuts docking station for USBw 200 WiMAX dongle

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/10/motorola-debuts-docking-station-for-usbw-200-wimax-dongle/

Already feeling the limitations of your Motorola USBw 200 WiMAX dongle? Then you might be just the ever-demanding sort that Moto is after with its new docking station for the WiMAX adapter. While it might look a tad out of place at a coffee shop, the dock should improve performance quite a bit when you're at home or at the office, with it promising to fully double the 3db gain that the WiMAX adapter provides on its own, and effectively give you the same performance as a standalone desktop WiMAX unit. No word on pricing just yet, but Motorola says this one should be available sometime in the second quarter of this year.

Motorola debuts docking station for USBw 200 WiMAX dongle originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 10 Feb 2010 14:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Motorola | Email this | Comments

Microsoft employee raves about 'Windows.next' in a blog post, blog post quickly disappears

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/10/microsoft-employee-raves-about-windows-next-in-a-blog-post-bl/

A conspiracy! Perhaps. Recently a loose-lipped Microsoft employee blogged up on MSDN some scattered thoughts on what he's informally calling Windows.next (as opposed to the Windows 8 us know-nothings might assume it might be dubbed). He called the new version "completly [sic] different from what folks usually expect of Windows," and that it draws on user feedback to create something that will "change the way people think about PCs and the way they use them." In interesting contrast to recent words by Dick Brass, the anonymous blogger seems particularly stoked about Steven Sinofsky, the president of the Windows and Windows Live devisions, and his ability to "actually bring together dozens and dozens of teams across Microsoft to come up with a vision for Windows.next." Meanwhile, John Mangelaars, a regional VP at the company, went on record saying "Windows 8 will be mind-blowing." But while John's comment will live on in public record, the MSDN blogger's post is gone without a trace from Microsoft's site. Of course, it's lived on in Google cache for the rest of the internet to enjoy. We're not unfamiliar to Microsoft beating its own drum, but even if it's completely expected to hear these sort of ravings leak out from the Windows crew, we're still happy to hear it.

Microsoft employee raves about 'Windows.next' in a blog post, blog post quickly disappears originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 10 Feb 2010 18:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Register | source

Microsoft Kitchen | Email this | Comments

Kingston rolls out second-gen SSDNow V Series drives

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/10/kingston-rolls-out-second-gen-ssdnow-v-series-drives/

Kingston's already proven itself to be pretty proud of its SSDNow V Series drives, but it's still found some room for improvement, with it now rolling out its second generation batch of drives in the line. Available in your choice of 30GB, 64GB and 128GB capacities, the new drives promise some improved performance (with PCMark HDD 2005 scores of between 18,900 and 20,117), and join the company's V+ drives in adding support for Windows 7 TRIM functionality, which should help maintain the speed of the drives over their lifespan. As before, you'll also be able to choose between either standalone unit or a bundled kit for desktops or laptops, with prices ranging from $109.99 to $377.

Kingston rolls out second-gen SSDNow V Series drives originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 10 Feb 2010 18:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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No-name Mini USB pico projector now the cheapest you can buy

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/10/no-name-mini-usb-pico-projector-now-the-cheapest-you-can-buy/

It was fun while it lasted, but Sanwa's once $119 pico projector is now selling for no less than $179, which means that it's no longer able to hold the prestigious title of "world's cheapest pico projector." As far as we can tell, that honor now belongs to this impressively boxy model known only as the "Mini USB 2.0 LED Projector w/Tripod," which is now available at various online retailers for $159.99. Specs are as basic as can be, of course -- but, hey, it comes with a tripod.

No-name Mini USB pico projector now the cheapest you can buy originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 10 Feb 2010 22:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PicoProjector-Info | source

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Garmin-Asus nuvifone M10 offers Windows Mobile 6.5.3 with an obsession for navigation

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/11/garmin-asus-nuvifone-m10-offers-windows-mobile-6-5-3-with-an-obs/

Garmin-Asus phones, they're like buses aren't they -- you wait for ages to get one, then two come along at the same time. Seeking to sate as many mobile OS appetites as possible, the partner company has quickly followed up its A50 Android handset with this here M10, sporting Microsoft's latest Windows Mobile build. As only the second WinMo 6.5.3 device around, the M10 is as up to date as you can get on the software front, though earlier word of a slightly dated 600MHz Qualcomm MSM 7227 CPU will douse some enthusiasm on the hardware side. Then again, Garmin-Asus do furnish you with 512MB of both RAM and ROM and a decent 4GB of integrated storage, so it's not like this is going to be a slouch or anything, and the 3.5-inch WVGA touchscreen should also do a nice job of displaying the built-in turn-by-turn navigation. Location awareness is said to be ingrained in everything the phone does, with navigation functions attached to the calendar, web browser, messaging and email clients. Launch is slated for the first half of 2010, and you can quite naturally expect us to get all up close and personal with this handset at MWC next week.

Garmin-Asus nuvifone M10 offers Windows Mobile 6.5.3 with an obsession for navigation originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 11 Feb 2010 04:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Business Wire | Email this | Comments

Keio University and Toshiba ready tiny 1TB SSDs for 2012

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/11/keio-university-and-toshiba-ready-tiny-1tb-ssds-for-2012/

Japan's Keio University claims to have developed, in conjunction with Toshiba, the technology to shrink the size of SSDs by a spectacular 90 percent while also cutting energy consumption by 70 percent. If that's not enough mind-boggling numbers for you, the final product of this partnership is expected to yield 1TB drives with 2Gbps throughput. The details of this are still somewhat unclear, but we're told researchers stacked 128 NAND flash chips atop one another, with the breakthrough being in the way they communicate -- using short-range magnetic signals --- which results in less wiring complexity and reduced production costs. We'll take some convincing to believe they can really put these to practical use by 2012 as promised, but if they do make it to any sort of commercial launch, you can bet we'll be queuing up through the night to get one. Note: Nikkei source link requires a paid subscription to access.

Keio University and Toshiba ready tiny 1TB SSDs for 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 11 Feb 2010 07:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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CrunchGear | source

Nikkei | Email this | Comments

Nokia N8-00: first Symbian^3 handset with 12 megapixel camera, 720p video, and HDMI leaked in summer roadmap?

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/11/nokia-n8-00-first-symbian-3-handset-with-12-megapixel-camera-7/

Nokia's already tipped its hand for the year Twenty Ten by publicly stating its intent to deliver a sleeker, more attractive, and faster Symbian UI; fewer nags; and at least one Maemo handset before the year is done. What we've been missing though, are the details. While we still don't have the complete story, it is beginning to take shape according to alleged leaks received by Tom's Guide. First up is a new naming convention, something already telegraphed by Nokia's Xseries launch and Cseries trademark. According to the French language site, Nokia will end the use of monikers like XpressMusic or Classic as it simplifies around the following five ranges:

C: voice-centric handsets.
X: targeting youth, entertainment.
E: business focused.
N: high-end.
S: limited editions.

Tom's Guide claims to be privy to 14 new models, a few of which it spilled the beans on today. Click through for the gossip.

Continue reading Nokia N8-00: first Symbian^3 handset with 12 megapixel camera, 720p video, and HDMI leaked in summer roadmap?

Nokia N8-00: first Symbian^3 handset with 12 megapixel camera, 720p video, and HDMI leaked in summer roadmap? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 11 Feb 2010 08:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nokia Blog | source

Tom's Guide | Email this | Comments

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

How to tell who has Google Buzz … and follow them - http://bit.ly/aY9PgM

Sony's $200 BDP-S470 is company's first 3D-ready Blu-ray player

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/10/sonys-200-bdp-s470-is-companys-first-3d-ready-blu-ray-player/

And the flood gates are now officially open. Just hours after Panasonic introduced its newest 3D Blu-ray recorders and players, along comes Sony to brag about its first 3D-ready standalone deck. The BDP-S470, which is slated to ship later this month for $200, arrives with the ability to handle BD, DVD, CD and even SACD, with a 3D Blu-ray upgrade (via firmware update) planned for this summer. You'll also find BD-Live support, BRAVIA Internet Video, a USB socket for playing back media stored elsewhere, 1080p DVD upscaling and TrueHD / DTS-HD Master Audio decoding. If you were planning to snag a BDP-S570 BD player or one of the BDV-E770W / BDV-E570 Blu-ray Disc home theater systems, you'll be elated to know that those systems will also get a gratis 3D update in just a few months, with exact pricing and release details tucked down there in the source. Time to pick up a pair of 3D Gunnar Optiks, don'tcha think?

Sony's $200 BDP-S470 is company's first 3D-ready Blu-ray player originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 10 Feb 2010 09:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Thursday, February 11, 2010

The iPad Costs Apple As Little As $229.35 to Build [Apple]

This 27-Inch Dell U2711 Monitor Looks Eerily Familiar... [Monitors]

Shooting Challenge: A Wonky Sense of Scale [Photography]

The Challenge

The Method

The Rules

Toshiba Adds A Touchscreen Display To The U500-1EX Laptop [Laptops]

Toshiba HDR5010 marries Freeview HD to a PVR in time for the World Cup

Motorola debuts docking station for USBw 200 WiMAX dongle

Microsoft employee raves about 'Windows.next' in a blog post, blog post quickly disappears

Kingston rolls out second-gen SSDNow V Series drives

No-name Mini USB pico projector now the cheapest you can buy

Garmin-Asus nuvifone M10 offers Windows Mobile 6.5.3 with an obsession for navigation

Keio University and Toshiba ready tiny 1TB SSDs for 2012

Nokia N8-00: first Symbian^3 handset with 12 megapixel camera, 720p video, and HDMI leaked in summer roadmap?

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Sony's $200 BDP-S470 is company's first 3D-ready Blu-ray player

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Thursday, February 11, 2010

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