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Friday, March 05, 2010

Switched On: Why it's time for an iTunes TV subscription

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/04/switched-on-why-its-time-for-an-itunes-tv-subscription/

Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology.

In the 10 billionth song that Apple sold through iTunes, Johnny Cash's "Guess Things Happen That Way", a man other than Steve Jobs famous for black attire bemoans the happenstance of his romantic misfortune. But nothing could be further from the story of iTunes, in which Apple's meticulously crafted ownership of the end-user experience led to a dominant position in music sales. Now, on the dawn of releasing a new device that could be to television shows what the iPod was to music, Apple has an opportunity to create as commanding a lead in TV distribution -- if it is willing to again capitulate to consumers' media consumption habits.

Apple has enjoyed great success with iTunes in part because it adopted the purchase-to-own model that had been so successful with CDs and records before them. However, Apple didn't simply mirror that model. By allowing consumers to purchase the vast majority of songs as singles, it provided better perceived value, Such an option was also a natural fit for the iPod, where playlists made it trivial to create the digital equivalent of "mix tapes." The iPod's capacity for thousands of songs was also no match for most albums that typically had a dozen or so songs.

Continue reading Switched On: Why it's time for an iTunes TV subscription

Switched On: Why it's time for an iTunes TV subscription originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Mar 2010 23:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Panasonic leaks own G2 and G10 Micro Four Thirds cams in macro fashion

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/05/panasonic-leaks-own-g2-and-g10-micro-four-thirds-cams-in-macro-f/

Whoopsadaisies. Seems Panasonic "accidentally" posted specs and images of its upcoming G2 and G10 Micro Four Thirds cameras to its web site just long enough to be snagged by a few different photog sites. While there's no denying that the incident occurred (the pics are certainly legit), there's some speculation at 43rumors that the specifications are still "work in progress" and should be considered only partially correct. Nevertheless, let's go with what we've got keeping in mind that some of this might change. Both cams are said to feature a 12.1 megapixel sensor, touchscreen with touch shutter and touch MF Assist, and ISO 100 to 6,200 sensitivity. The G2 differs with its one-touch AVCHD Lite movie mode (1,280 x 720, 60p) and 3-inch articulating display with live view. The G10 then, offers a "double live view" (LCD and live view finder) glimpse at the action while recording 1,280 x 720p motion JPEG videos at 30fps. However, the leaked spec sheet inconsistently mentions an AVCHD Lite recording format for the G10 as well... so who knows. Panasonic is expected to make an announcement on March 7th; surely you can wait you a few days?

Gallery: Panasonic leaks own G2 and G10 Micro Four Thirds cams in macro fashion

Panasonic leaks own G2 and G10 Micro Four Thirds cams in macro fashion originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 05 Mar 2010 03:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nokia's limited edition Oakley N97 mini is a match made in Dog heaven

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/05/nokias-limited-edition-oakley-n97-mini-a-match-made-in-dog-hea/

Nothing says, "I don't play sports but I want you to think that I do" quite like wearing a pair of Oakley shades. And no smartphone has had a tougher time earning respect than the mini version of Nokia's N97 debacle. To its credit, the N97 mini has become a very successful device for Nokia despite its namesake with not one, but two special edition runs already under its belt. Now we've got three with this limited edition model handed out to Oakley-sponsored Winter Olympians. Other than a laser-etched back, the Noakleyia mashup also comes packed with exclusive Oakley team content. Just 200 were produced so if you see it on eBay, you'd better be fast with the snipe. Gratuitous N97 mini video of Shaun White after the break because over-saturated is not in your vocabulary.

Continue reading Nokia's limited edition Oakley N97 mini is a match made in Dog heaven

Nokia's limited edition Oakley N97 mini is a match made in Dog heaven originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 05 Mar 2010 06:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Microring transmissions are sure to resonate with people who hate wires

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/05/microring-transmissions-are-sure-to-resonate-with-people-who-hat/

You've probably seen sketches like the one above promising you complete cable independence since what, 1996? We're not about to tell you this is the one technology that finally delivers on that utopian dream, but it's surely one of the zanier attempts at it. By converting "ultra fast laser pulses" into radio frequency waves, the researchers claim they've overcome a significant hurdle to making wireless communications ubiquitous -- signal interference. The rapid (each laser burst lasts a mere 100 femtoseconds), pulsing nature of their approach purportedly makes their signal extremely robust, while intended operation at around 60GHz means their microring transmitters (diagram after the break) will be able to operate within spectrum space that does not require a license -- neither from the FCC nor internationally. Applications for the microrings would include things like HDTV broadcasts and piping data into vehicles, although we won't be seeing anything happening on the commercial front for at least another five years. Typical. If you just can't wait that long, a few Japanese companies you may have heard of are preparing their own 60GHz wireless devices for the second half of this year.

Continue reading Microring transmissions are sure to resonate with people who hate wires

Microring transmissions are sure to resonate with people who hate wires originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 05 Mar 2010 07:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Please euthanize this big boy already! Buh-bye - http://bit.ly/9mH22a

@acfou Another 8 Immutable Laws can be thrown out the window - http://bit.ly/95byeB

Thursday, March 04, 2010

Ookong Tracks Amazon Prices and Issues Deal Alerts [Downloads]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/mfYNTY-mE-s/ookong-tracks-amazon-prices-and-issues-deal-alerts

Ookong Tracks Amazon Prices and Issues Deal Alerts Firefox: Sure it's fun to hunt for deals online, but it's even better to be alerted when an item you want is at its lowest price. Ookong is an Amazon.com price comparison tool you can use to track price histories.

You can use Ookong as a stand-alone web site, but it's not as convenient as using the Firefox extension. Once you install the Firefox extension every item on Amazon will have a "Follow" button, as seen in the screenshot above. When browsing you can click the follow button to add the item—as we did with the game Dominion—and it's added to your watch list. You can click on the item in your watch list to see the price history, seen below:

Ookong Tracks Amazon Prices and Issues Deal Alerts

You can tweak the Ookong options to specify when you want price drop alerts. You can specify a dollar amount, a percentage, and how many times you'll be alerted to the price drop before Ookong stops notifying you. If you frequently shop at Amazon, Ookong is invaluable for keeping an eye on prices. If you keep a wish list at Amazon the first thing you should do after installing Ookong is to go and "follow" all your wish list items to keep an eye on falling prices.

Ookong can be used as a stand-alone web-based tool or integrated into Firefox. Have a tool for finding the best price online, Amazon-related or otherwise? Let's hear about it in the comments.

Ookong [Mozilla Add-ons via MakeUseOf]

ASUS' Three 3D Monitors Range In 23 to 27-Inch Options and Will Likely Be Dirt Cheap [3dTv]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/tUHWjIMK1eo/asus-three-3d-monitors-range-in-23-to-27+inch-options-and-will-likely-be-dirt-cheap

ASUS' Three 3D Monitors Range In 23 to 27-Inch Options and Will Likely Be Dirt Cheap ASUS has a habit of pricing its products very fairly, and while 3D technology is still in its infancy, I can't imagine them charging too much for their three monitors shown off this week at CeBIT.

All three of the monitors will use NVIDIA's GeForce 3D Vision glasses, with the first monitor launching being the 23-inch MG236, which has dual-link DVI connectivity so all that 3D video is played at full 1080p resolution. A 23.6-inch PG246 and 27-inch PG276 will also go on sale, but much later in the year apparently. ASUS hasn't been forthcoming with the prices on these three monitors, but as I said before, expect them to be loooow. [TechInStyle]

RT-N56U Router From The Starship Enterprise Lands...Err, From ASUS, I Mean [Routers]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/MVkU5Soe40s/rt+n56u-router-from-the-starship-enterprise-landserr-from-asus-i-mean

RT-N56U Router From The Starship Enterprise Lands...Err, From ASUS, I Mean I just don't know what to think about this router. I've been staring at it for minutes now, wondering how in 802.11n's name it was created in ASUS' laboratory.

ASUS hasn't been too forthcoming with details on the RT-N56U, which was announced at CeBIT this week, and until we hear back from them we'll just have to entertain you with these small slivers of detail: it has dual band support with the 5GHz band being used, is compatible with both printers and scanners, and is very fast apparently—with 300,000 concurrent sessions available.

Time to go back to boggling over that inconceivably thin frame. [ASUS]

Android 2.1 looking fast, furious on Motorola Droid

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/04/android-2-1-looking-fast-furious-on-motorola-droid/

Alright, Droid owners, decent multitouch performance isn't the only thing you've got to brag about. As you likely know by now, 2.1's in the works for you -- and from the latest video we're seeing of an official test build running in the wild, we're cautiously optimistic that it's going to be a fantastic little update. As we'd reported some time back, the Nexus One's revamped app launcher is missing, but multitouch appears to work like butter in both the browser and revamped Gallery app and the new news and weather widgets have made the cut as well. Most notable, though, might simply be the fact that everything flies -- home screen switches, opening of the app drawer, zooming, it's all mega-fast. Granted, anyone with an Android device knows that the speed of the device depends on the number of apps you've got running, the moon phase, and the direction of the wind, but it's an encouraging sign nonetheless. Now if only Moto would stop fumbling the launch, we'd be good to go; in the meantime, though, check some video of the update after the break.

Continue reading Android 2.1 looking fast, furious on Motorola Droid

Android 2.1 looking fast, furious on Motorola Droid originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Mar 2010 00:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lenovo's IdeaPad Y460 now on sale, and not a moment too soon

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/04/lenovos-ideapad-y460-now-on-sale-and-not-a-moment-too-soon/

Lenovo may have introduced four billion new laptops at CES this year, but that's not keeping us from tracking the ship date of every last one. With Intel's mobile Core i5 still tough to find in shipping machines -- particularly ones that could substitute as your work rig -- we couldn't be happier to see the IdeaPad Y460 up for order at the outfit's webstore. The base unit gets going at $999 and includes a 2.13GHz Core i3-330M CPU, Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit), 4GB of DDR3 memory, a 14-inch LED-backlit display (1,366 x 768), a 320GB hard drive, 6-cell battery and a dual-layer DVD writer. The $1,199 model, though, is clearly where it's at, with a 2.4GHz Core i5-520M, ATI's Mobility Radeon HD 5650 (1GB) GPU and a 500GB HDD to make things interesting. Both units should ship within a fortnight, so the only question left to answer is why you're still dilly-dallying around.

[Thanks, OberCFS]

Lenovo's IdeaPad Y460 now on sale, and not a moment too soon originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Mar 2010 04:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wednesday, March 03, 2010

AMD's new AMD 890GX HD chipset announced, reviewed, lauded

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/03/amds-new-amd-890gx-hd-chipset-announced-reviewed-lauded/

AMD has officially announced the successor to its 790GX chipset, and the kids at Hot Hardware have not only put it through its paces but have been kind enough to let us in on their results. Apparently the two 890GX they tested should at least perform "on par" with previous AMD platforms, although the integrated Radeon HD 4290 graphics (performing at a none-too-shabby 700MHz, according to the company) were found to be "superior to any other AMD IGP," even surpassing the performance of Intel's HD Graphics solution in a number of tests. If that ain't enough for you, the Radeon HD 4290 natively supports DirectX 10.1 -- but not DirectX 11. That's what we call "tough love." But that ain't the whole sordid tale, not by a longshot: check out the plethora of links below if you dare, or simply peep the PR after the break.

Continue reading AMD's new AMD 890GX HD chipset announced, reviewed, lauded

AMD's new AMD 890GX HD chipset announced, reviewed, lauded originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Mar 2010 13:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Murdoch confirms WSJ coming to iPad, device kept 'under padlock and key'

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/03/murdoch-confirms-wsj-coming-to-ipad-device-kept-under-padlock/

It only came at the tail end of an announcement of a new New York metro section for The Wall Street Journal, but Rupert Murdoch has finally confirmed that the paper will indeed be heading to the iPad. The really interesting bit, however, is that not only is the company now being allowed to work on an iPad, but that Murdoch says it's kept "under padlock and key," and that "the key is turned by Apple every night" -- a bit of hyperbole, maybe, but then again, maybe not. In other newspapers-going-digital news, Murdoch also said that the WSJ would be heading to half a dozen or more other devices within a year, although he didn't name any specific devices.

Murdoch confirms WSJ coming to iPad, device kept 'under padlock and key' originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Mar 2010 14:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dell slips out OptiPlex 980 desktop, FX100 Zero Client

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/03/dell-slips-out-optiplex-980-desktop-fx100-zero-client/

Dell may be branching out with exciting new products like the Mini 5, but it still has to keep its base of business users well stocked with nondescript desktops, and it now has a new pair for them in the form of the OptiPlex 980 and FX100 Zero Client. The latter of those is a barebones remote desktop that was previously only offered when bought with Dell's Precision R5400 rack workstation, but it's now available on its own and boasts some added support for VMware View 4.0 with PCoIP for a bit more flexibility. The OptiPlex 980, on the other hand, is a traditional desktop, and is available with Core i5 or i7 processors, optional SSD drives, an optional Dell EcoKit that promises to cut noise by 50%, and your choice of three different chassis options (minitower, desktop or small form factor). Look for it to be available in the "coming weeks," with prices starting at $807.

Dell slips out OptiPlex 980 desktop, FX100 Zero Client originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Mar 2010 15:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Acer rights its wrongs with K11 pico projector

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/03/acer-rights-its-wrongs-with-k11-pico-projector/

Why hello there, Acer. Not only does this K11 DLP pico projector look sexier than its predecessor, but it's also been given some nice internal enhancements. Starting with display performance: the K11's resolution remains about the same at 858 x 600, but it's twice as bright at 200 lumens (while maintaining the same 20,000-hour lamp life) and has twice as much contrast ratio at 2,000:1. As for connectivity this machine now packs an HDMI socket (along with the usual VGA and composite AV ports) as well as an SDHC card reader and a USB port for opening music, video and picture files. Even with all these extra goodies, the K11's only managed to gain 0.13 pounds (reaching 1.34 pounds) while sporting a smaller body. All we need now is a price, launch date, a few friends and a destination for our road trip. Oh, and some content.

Continue reading Acer rights its wrongs with K11 pico projector

Acer rights its wrongs with K11 pico projector originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Mar 2010 16:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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