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Monday, February 15, 2010

OmniVision brings RAW shooting to mobiles with new 5 megapixel sensor

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/15/omnivision-brings-raw-shooting-to-mobiles-with-new-5-megapixel-s/

It seems that the megapixel race in the mobile arena has slowed (temporarily, at least), but it's not like innovation has completely ground to a halt. OmniVision, which made waves around a month ago with its 14.6 megapixel CMOS sensor, has just announced what may be the most significant introduction in the cameraphone space... ever. The 1/4-inch, 5 megapixel RAW sensor is said to offer up best-in-class low light sensitivity (680-mV/lux-sec), and it can also capture 720p video at 60 frames per second or 1080p at 30 frames per second. The real kicker, however, is its ability to shoot in RAW, which would give cameraphone shooters a much greater range of editing options when it came time to tweak before hitting Flickr. We're told that the chip is sampling now and should hit mass production this July, and we'd be lying if we said we weren't falling over ourselves to get ahold of a RAW-capable smartphone.

OmniVision brings RAW shooting to mobiles with new 5 megapixel sensor originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 15 Feb 2010 12:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Acer Aspire One 532G first to feature NVIDIA Ion 2 switchable graphics

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/15/acer-aspire-one-532g-first-to-feature-nvidia-ion-2-switchable-gr/

Well here's one we didn't expect to come out of MWC. Acer decided to throw some netbook news into its Liquid E press conference with the 10.1-inch Aspire One 532G -- the first netbook with NVIDIA's Ion 2. Not withstanding the addition of the HDMI port and HD display, the Pine Trail netbook has the same chassis as the previously reviewed 532h, but inside it's a whole different story -- its 1.66GHz Intel Atom N450 processor, GMA 3150 GPU graphics, 2GB of RAM and 320GB hard drive will be joined by a discrete NVIDIA GPU. As confirmed by the press release below, it will use NVIDIA's new Optimus automatic switching technology, though it appears Acer is holding out for NVIDIA to officially launch the platform at CeBit to reveal details of the GPU -- but a GeForce G310 seems likely from the rumors. The high-def capable netbook should be available in March, but we'll be listening for a price and more news on this one. In the meantime, hit the break for a relaxing hands-on video and the full PR.

Continue reading Acer Aspire One 532G first to feature NVIDIA Ion 2 switchable graphics

Acer Aspire One 532G first to feature NVIDIA Ion 2 switchable graphics origin! ally app eared on Engadget on Mon, 15 Feb 2010 15:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SanDisk's 64GB iNAND embedded flash adds memory girth to handhelds

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/15/sandisks-64gb-inand-embedded-flash-adds-memory-girth-to-handhel/

Isn't it amazing how flash memory has grown over the years? Not too dissimilar from your ego, right? Just two years ago SanDisk was only offering 16GB modules in the high end of its iNAND embedded flash range, and today the same company presented a new MLC NAND chip with four times the capacity. The trick in this 64GB 32nm silicon gem is the same-old X3 flash technology (along with undisclosed, but evidently significant, "innovations in flash management"), which allows each cell to store three bits. Go on, OEMs -- just shove one of these chips into our next phone and we'll promise to leave you alone until next February. Wait, did we say "promise?" Try... we meant try.

Continue reading SanDisk's 64GB iNAND embedded flash adds memory girth to handhelds

SanDisk's 64GB iNAND embedded flash adds memory girth to handhelds originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 15 Feb 2010 18:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Make Images 3D sans Goofy Glasses [Photography]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/9b1GBvSbB9U/make-images-3d-sans-goofy-glasses

3D pictures are interesting, but they rely on glasses that alter the way your left and right eye perceive images. This cool 3D image-creation technique doesn't require glasses but still produces a 3D illusion.

Click on the above image to see the animation effect.

Instead of taking two images and combining them into one with each image highlighted in red and blue—or cyan and magenta, or any other color used for anaglyph images—the two images are animated and "wiggle" back and forth, which creates the illusion of depth.

All you need to make an wiggle-stereoscopic image is two pictures taken from one location roughly four inches apart or so to mimic the positioning of the human eyes. You can combine the images in one of two ways. The most traditional way would be to make an animated GIF—check out previously reviewed GifNinja—although at the link below they show you how to use Javascript and two JPEG images to do it.

Have your own experience creating stereoscopic or other 3D images? Let's hear about it in the comments.

Wiggle Stereoscopy [via Geek Are Sexy]

Samsung Shows The Future Of Its Camera Phones With New Sensor Technology [Samsung]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/KnhSKlJ2RIg/samsung-shows-the-future-of-its-camera-phones-with-new-sensor-technology

Samsung's headline act may've been the new Wave handset yesterday, but here at Gizmodo we're equally interested in the guts of these portable talky-phones. Take their two new CMOS sensors for phones, which show the future for Samsung's new camphones.

The S5K4E2 is a 5.0-megapixel sensor that measures just 1/4 of an inch and has an extended depth of field which will make for sharp photos (supposedly). It'll also shoot video at 14fps "at full resolution" and uses noise removal technology for clearer, less-noisy pics.

The second sensor, the S5K5CA, is 1/5th of an inch and is only 3.0-megapixels, with the main aim here being able to squeeze into extra small and slim phones. It'll shoot video in 720p and features a new JPEG rotation feature, which Samsung claims will save time when rotating images, eliminating lag.

Both camera sensors will be seen in phones in just a month or two, though I'm guessing the latter sensor has been used in the Wave, judging by the specs. [Business Wire]

Adobe AIR for Smartphones Wants to Be One Platform to Rule Them All [Smartphones]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/mwKLrU8XyQo/adobe-air-for-smartphones-wants-to-be-one-platform-to-rule-them-all

Adobe's launching AIR, its cross-platform runtime, for smartphones. Why's that a big deal? It theoretically means developers can write an app once, and it'll work on tons of OSes—at least any that support AIR. Oh, and the iPhone.

Android's the first to get AIR, but WebOS, BlackBerrry and Windows Mobile are slated to get it too. And remember Adobe's initiative to push Flash apps onto the App Store for the iPhone? Apps developed for that will work just fine in AIR on other phones, letting Adobe have their iPhone cake and eat it too.

I saw an early build of it running on a Droid and Nexus One, where we messed with a couple of apps, like one streaming live video from a computer, and it's pretty impressive stuff, with multitouch and close-to-native performance in some instances. If AIR succeeds the way Adobe hopes, it'll be what Java once promised to be, a way to write once for tons of platforms. That's a not-insignificant-sized "if" though. [Adobe]

ASUS' Eee PC T101MT Has A Multitouch Tablet Display and New Pine Trail Chip [NetBooks]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/nL2x5eTu0ng/asus-eee-pc-t101mt-has-a-multitouch-tablet-display-and-new-pine-trail-chip

Eee PCs may not be as ubiquitous now as they were a year or two ago, but this T101MT model has popped up in France with its swiveling multitouch display and Windows 7 OS, looking mighty fiiiiine.

That display is a 10.1-inch LED backlit resistive multitouch with 1024 x 600 resolution. Inside is an Intel Atom N450 processor—better known as one of the new Pine Trail chips—and either 1GB or 2GB of DDRR2 RAM. Storage is listed as 160GB or 320GB (both with 500GB of ASUS WebStorage), depending on if you splurge for Windows 7 Starter or Windows 7 Home Premium.

The webcam is 0.3-megapixels, and a built-in mic is included along with three USB ports, one LAN and two audio jacks. A MMC/SD card reader polishes it off, with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.

Battery life is a purported 6.5 hours, which isn't that bad but we've seen better from other manufacturers. It'll go on sale in April—at least in Europe—with the price not yet known. It's a definite step-up from the early days of Eee PCs, so if you're in need of a dinky little portable machine, this one sounds like a player. [Blogeee via EeePC.it]

Acer's Aspire One 532G Is First Netbook With NVIDIA's Ion 2 Graphics [NetBooks]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/NBAc5NrGRBU/acers-aspire-one-532g-is-first-netbook-with-nvidias-ion-2-graphics

Acer's keen on racking up lots of firsts for its netbook arm, with this Aspire One 532G having the claim of being the world's first to use NVIDIA's Ion 2 graphics technology for 1080p playback.

The 10.1-inch LED-backlit screen will playback videos at 1080p with 7.1-channel audio output. It'll also be suitable for 3D gaming, Acer claims, though why you'd want to do that on a little netbook is beyond me. A 10-hour battery life, Wi-Fi and the choice of embedded 3G all figure, along with an Intel N450 Pine Trail chip and HDMI video output. On sale in just a month or two, it'll be available in several colors—blue, red, and silver.

Acer Aspire One 532G: first netbook with dedicated graphics for true
Hi-Def video enjoyment

Playback 1080p on external screen for viewing Hi-Def content with friends and family

The new Acer Aspire One 532G sets the netbook trend in the digital world where Hi-Def viewing online is growing dramatically. Acer presents the world's first netbook with dedicated next-generation NVIDIA® ION™ graphics acceleration enabling users to enjoy Hi-Def content online as well as playback at 720p; alternatively, connect through HDMI output to a secondary Hi-Def TV/LCD monitor for sharing Hi-Def content with friends at a larger 1080p resolution.

With up to 10 hours* of battery life, integrated Wi-Fi®, 10.1" Hi-Def LED backlit display and optional 3G, the Aspire One 532G matches outstanding performance with an ultra-compact design, offering all the power you need. Netbook users can now enjoy flawless Hi-Def web content streaming and multiple Internet applications with ease.

Flawless web Hi-Def acceleration† and Hi-Def entertainment
Go beyond simple Internet browsing to experience full high-definition video on sites like YouTube HD, Hulu and Facebook, Aspire One 532G with dedicated graphics accelerates web Hi-Def content streaming effortlessly. Enjoy smooth and flawless 3D computing, mainstream PC gaming, boost the performance of editing and converting videos, face-tagging photos and Hi-Def video playback up to 1080p via HDMI-output to HDTV; and effectively perform everyday Internet browsing, emailing, chats, photo viewing, document editing and such on the Aspire One 532G. All of these are achieved with the new Intel Atom™ N450 platform and next-generation NVIDIA® ION™ GPU with dedicated 512MB memory.

Smart power and Hi-Def performance
The Aspire One 532G makes no compromise on great performance and battery life; it mobilizes online Hi-Def computing, at the same time lowers power consumption for longer-lasting battery. NVIDIA® Optimus™ Technology intelligently, automatically, and seamlessly transitions between the powerful NVIDIA® ION™ GPU, and battery-saving integrated graphics – depending on the needs of the application – delivering great battery life and great performance when you need it.

Care-free mobile companion
Making light work of Internet multi-tasking, the Aspire One 532G needs only a single charge for up to 10 hours* of cable-free power, enabling users to stay connected and get the most on-the-go. The innovative AC adapter is travel friendly, lighter than typical adapters, saves 1/3 charging time and comes with interchangeable AC converters. No matter where you are, you can always have the right plug.

Measuring only 1" thin and about 1 kg in weight, the Aspire One 532G is available in three contemporary colors – Sapphire Blue, Ruby Red and Pearl Silver. Its compact form, fluid Hi-Def cinema and flawless Hi-Def flash video quality along with great battery life, truly realizes barrier-free communication.

This highly efficient netbook is Energy Star® v5.0 qualified and compliant with RoHS and WEEE EU directives, regulating the use and disposal of hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment. It also features LED backlight, making it mercury free.

The Aspire One 532G will start shipping at the end of Q1 2010.

nHD DLP Pico: Pico Projectos Shrink to Phone-Worthy Sizes [Guts]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/ZmFHXasTRmg/nhd-dlp-pico-pico-projectos-shrink-to-phone+worthy-sizes

If you've seen one of those tiny pico projectors, chances are, Texas Instruments' DLP tech is inside. And their latest version, the mHD DLP Pico, may be the first to squeeze into a cellphone that's humiliating to use.

The new, low power chipset drives an optical module that's 20% thinner and 50% smaller than TI's last pico projector, which was notably 20% thinner than its predecessor.

Resolution has taken a hit in this smaller form factor, dropping from DVD quality to 640x360. But the system claims a 1000:1 contrast ratio (that's LCD monitor territory) and a wider color gamut thanks to RGB LEDs. Of course, brightness will probably still be the chief issue.

TI's latest pico hardware is planned for production starting in Q2 of this year, and I wouldn't be surprised if it popped up in some handset at MWC this week. [SlashGear]

New Samsung chips bring HD image sensors to slimmer, smarter mobiles

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/14/new-samsung-chips-bring-hd-image-sensors-to-slimmer-smarter-mob/

In case you haven't noticed, Mobile World Congress is upon us, and you can bet that Samsung is here in a big way. The outfit is kicking things off with a couple of low-key releases: the S5K4E2 and S5K5CA CMOS image sensors. The former is a 5 megapixel chip that utilizes Samsung's own Enhanced Energy Steering technology and can capture video at up to 15 frames per second. We're told that it's also pretty darn good at reducing noise, and better still, it can slip into some of the slimmest and smallest handsets this world has ever seen. Moving on, there's the S5K5CA SoC imager, a 3 megapixel chip that combines both the image signal processor (ISP) with the CMOS image sensor. As the story goes, this one's some 25 percent smaller than prior 3 megapixel chips and the 720p video capture capabilities aren't too shabby, either. Both slabs are expected to hit mass production later this year, so go ahead and get ready to break the bad news to your existing cameraphone now. It's better this way, we promise.

New Samsung chips bring HD image sensors to slimmer, smarter mobiles originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 14 Feb 2010 19:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Adobe confirms no Flash in Windows Mobile 7 (updated)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/14/adobe-confirms-no-flash-in-windows-mobile-7/

Look, it's pretty clear that Windows Mobile 7 will be revealed by Microsoft at Mobile World Congress. We've been feeding on a veritable feast of WinMo7 rumors for several months now all pointing to Steve Ballmer's keynote scheduled for 3PM Barcelona time (9AM in New York). Now Adobe has issued a statement apparently confirming what we've already heard: Windows Mobile 7 will not support Flash. Unfortunately, the actual quote carried by Phone Scoop doesn't mention Windows Phone 7:

"Microsoft and Adobe are working closely together. While the newest version of Windows Phone won't support Flash at initial availability, both companies are working to include a browser plug-in for the full Flash player in future versions of Windows Phone. More details will be shared at Microsoft MIX next month."

Of course, the "newest version of Windows Phone" is technically 6.5.3 -- a WinMo update recently announced (but hasn't shipped) and presumably still works with Flash 10.1 beta (but isn't guaranteed). And since we can't find the Adobe statement on any of its usual press channels, we can't say for sure this quote is related to Windows Mobile 7. Still, we don't doubt the accuracy of Phone Scoop so don't get your hopes up for Flash in the initial builds of ~~Windows Mobile 7~~ Windows Phone 7 Series devices.

Update: Sorry kids, we have independent confirmation: Windows Phone 7 will not support Flash at initial launch.

Adobe confirms no Flash in Windows Mobile 7 (updated) originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 14 Feb 2010 20:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lego Cubestormer robot solves Rubik's Cube in sub-12 second whirlwind (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/15/lego-cubestormer-robot-solves-rubiks-cube-in-sub-12-second-whir/

Robots born with the sole purpose of solving the Rubik's Cube are nothing new, but we're pretty sure we haven't seen one crack the code in under a dozen seconds before. The Cubestormer, which is built from a myriad Lego Mindstorm kits, recently took hold of the famous block and lined up every color without breaking a sweat. Oh, and did we mention that it took less than 12 seconds? It's worth noting again, either way. Hop on past the break and mash play to have your mind blown, not to mention your own intelligence insulted.

Continue reading Lego Cubestormer robot solves Rubik's Cube in sub-12 second whirlwind (video)

Lego Cubestormer robot solves Rubik's Cube in sub-12 second whirlwind (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 15 Feb 2010 00:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iPhone 3GS pitted against Nexus One in 3D frame rate test (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/15/iphone-3gs-pitted-against-nexus-one-in-3d-frame-rate-test-video/

We'd already seen first hand what kind of GPU improvements Apple made with the iPhone 3GS (in comparison to the iPhone 3G, anyway), but if you've ever wondered how Cupertino's latest stacked up against Google's Nexus One in the graphical department, your answer is just a click away. The technical gurus over at Distinctive Developments set out to determine which handset was capable of pushing more frames per second when really taxed, and through a series of pinpoint tests, they discovered that the Nexus One (in general) lagged behind. The reason? Reportedly, Google's phone isn't using Neon floating-point optimization, but if it did, the scores you'll see just past the break could be quite different. Hey Mountain View, you getting all this?

Continue reading iPhone 3GS pitted against Nexus One in 3D frame rate test (video)

iPhone 3GS pitted against Nexus One in 3D frame rate test (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 15 Feb 2010 02:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SlingPlayer Mobile v1.2 enables 3G streaming on the iPhone, now ready for download

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/15/slingplayer-mobile-v1-2-enables-3g-streaming-on-the-iphone-now/

We knew this was coming, and sure enough, Sling hasn't kept us waiting for long. Our beloved readers have inundated our tip jar with the news that the 3G-enabled flavor of SlingPlayer Mobile is now live on the App Store, and from what we're hearing works very well. The placeshifting app will set you back just under $30, but will allow you to finally take your cable, satellite or PVR content on the move with you. We say finally, 3G streaming has been available on other phones for a while now, but good to see AT&T and company see sense and enable the goodness for the iPhone. Get downloading and commenting -- how does it compare to sliced bread?

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

SlingPlayer Mobile v1.2 enables 3G streaming on the iPhone, now ready for download originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 15 Feb 2010 03:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung Beam (Halo) Android projector phone hands-on

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/15/samsung-beam-halo-hands-on/

Well here it is, Samsung's pico projector phone live and in the flesh here at Mobile World Congress. And surprise surprise it's running Android 2.1 with a TouchWiz 3.0 skin just as we heard. The only difference is the name: Halo is the codename, the official product name announced today is Beam. As a smartphone with integrated pico projector it's very impressive. However, as you can see from the pictures and video (it's coming), the 6 lumen brightness struggles even under the semi-controlled lighting demonstration set up here on the show floor in Barcelona. Samsung tells us that the TouchWiz implementation is nearly identical to what you'll find on Bada with "very small" differences. Unfortunately, the people we spoke with on the show floor weren't able to articulate exactly what those were. To us, having only used the two devices for a short period of time, they do look identical. Beam features a nice pass through trick that allows it to project the image seen by the 5 megapixel camera through the TI pico. Not sure how we'd use that in real life but it's a neat trick nonetheless. Now click into the gallery and prepare to be amazed at just how thin a smartphone with integrated projector can be while we wait for the summer launch.

Update: Video is now after the break.

Gallery: Samsung Beam hands-on

Continue reading Samsung Beam (Halo) Android projector phone hands-on

Samsung Beam (Halo) Android projector phone hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 15 Feb 2010 04:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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