Dr. Augustine Fou's Online Scrapbook

Friday, March 05, 2010

Microsoft's Courier 'digital journal': exclusive pictures and details

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/05/microsofts-courier-digital-journal-exclusive-pictures-and-de/

We've been dying to know more about Microsoft's Courier tablet / e-book device ever since we first caught wind of it last September, and while our entreaties to Mr. Ballmer went unanswered, we just learned some very interesting information from an extremely trusted source. We're told Courier will function as a "digital journal," and it's designed to be seriously portable: it's under an inch thick, weighs a little over a pound, and isn't much bigger than a 5x7 photo when closed. That's a lot smaller than we expected -- this new picture really puts it into perspective -- and the internals apparently reflect that emphasis on mobility: rather than Windows 7, we're told the Courier is built on Tegra 2 and runs on the same OS as the Zune HD, Pink, and Windows Mobile 7 Series, which we're taking to mean Windows CE 6.

As we've heard, the interface appears to be pen-based and centered around drawing and writing, with built-in handwriting recognition and a corresponding web site that allows access to everything entered into the device in a blog-like format complete with comments. We're also hearing that there will be a built-in camera, and there's a headphone jack for media playback. Most interestingly, it looks like the Courier will also serve as Microsoft's e-book device, with a dedicated ecosystem centered around reading. It all sounds spectacular, but all we have for a launch date is "Q3 / Q4", and we have no idea how much it's going to cost, so we're trying to maintain a healthy skepticism until any of this gets official -- call us any time, Microsoft. One more pic showing the interface after the break.

Update: We've added a gallery of user interface shots -- some of which we've seen and some of which are new.

Gallery: Courier user interface

Continue reading Microsoft's Courier 'digital journal': exclusive pictures and details

Microsoft's Courier 'digital journal': exclusive pictures and details originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 05 Mar 2010 10:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Run XP Mode in VirtualBox Instead of Virtual PC [Virtualization]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/v_sYsGTADIw/run-xp-mode-in-virtualbox-instead-of-virtual-pc

Run XP Mode in VirtualBox Instead of Virtual PC Windows 7 only: If you've been itching to use the new XP Mode feature in Windows 7, but you aren't too keen on using Virtual PC or just prefer VirtualBox, here's how to use XP Mode in VirtualBox.

We've already covered how to set up and use XP Mode in Windows 7, how to use it on a machine without hardware virtualization, and then how to create your own XP Mode for any version of Windows with the freeware VMWare Player software, but if VirtualBox is your virtualization platform of choice, writer Matthew from How-To Geek (my home away from Lifehacker) has you covered with a guide to setting up XP Mode under Windows 7 using VirtualBox instead of Virtual PC.

The basic principle is pretty simple, requiring you to just install XP Mode from Microsoft without the additional Virtual PC component, creating a copy of the XP Mode virtual hard drive, and then using it as an existing hard drive in a new VirtualBox VM. Because you can only legally install XP Mode for Windows 7 Professional or Ultimate PCs, if you're using a different version you should probably create your own XP Mode that works anywhere.

Update: Several readers have pointed out that XP Mode doesn't properly activate when used under VirtualBox, so the author is researching whether there is a workaround. Until then, be sure to check out how to create your own XP Mode that works anywhere.

How To Run XP Mode in VirtualBox on Windows 7 [How-To Geek]

Explore Google Search Suggestions Word-By-Word [Google]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/98CQbfS4NDo/explore-google-search-suggestions-word+by+word

You can learn a lot about the psyches of internet users through Google's search suggestions, as we've seen. But What Do You Suggest? lets you explore these suggestions in a much more in-depth way.

The site allows you to start with any word you want, opening up visual trees showing what words people usually type next. The lines connecting the words show how common each word combo is, allowing you to follow the popularity to the most common search phrases or going to some of the weirder ones. And at the end, of course, you get the results those people searching for these things end up with.

It's a fascinating little time-suck, if you're interested in just how people use Google and how everyone is just a little bit crazy. [What Do You Suggest? via Infosthetics via Brian Stelter]

Phantom Camera. 1000 Frames Per Second. Scary People. Dogs. [Digital Camcorder]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/nVmyRU787ks/phantom-camera-1000-frames-per-second-scary-people-dogs

Seriously, nothing shows better the power of the 1000fps Phantom camera than a scary masked man cracking a watermelon open with a baseball bat. But it freaks me out. Now I need some dogs catching treats.

These Phantoms are amazing. What would you film if you had one of them? [Barzart]

enTourage eDGe Dualbook Reviewed: Half eReader, Half Netbook Not Quite There Yet [Tablets]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/956nVl2cuBI/entourage-edge-dualbook-reviewed-half-ereader-half-netbook-not-quite-there-yet

enTourage eDGe Dualbook Reviewed: Half eReader, Half Netbook Not Quite There Yet The innovative, if slightly bonkers, enTourage eDGe has been reviewed by Laptop, and as I suspected they had a few issues with the design. They found the half ereader, half netbook too heavy, with the number of options overwhelming.

Part of the lure to a dualbook like the eDGe is that it's got so many features—but it sounds like enTourage has been too generous here, with Laptop pointing out that "it's overkill for consumers mainly interested in surfing the Web, or simply reading eBooks."

There are only 200,000 titles in enTourage's ebook store, with only around half of them being best-sellers. It does have access to over 1 million of the Google Books, but there are no newspapers or magazines available just yet either.

Ultimately, Laptop seemed pleased with the dualbook, awarding it three out of five stars, but slight issues with the resistive touchscreen, fast-draining battery, and limited app store options made them conclude it's probably best to wait until the next version—or at least until enTourage has a more polished offering. [Laptop]

Android Game Vacuum Pays Out In Cold, Hard Cash [Android]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/kvu5yLgUh6E/android-game-vacuum-pays-out-in-cold-hard-cash

Android Game Vacuum Pays Out In Cold, Hard Cash Ask any gambler, and they'll say there's no point in playing unless there's money to be made. Winning points—it's fun, but child's play. Vacuum is billing itself as being the first Android game to offer cash prizes.

It was a finalist in the Android Developer Challenge, finishing in the top 20 for arcade and action games, but under a different name. It's essentially a racing game in a never-ending tunnel (sounds like most of my bad dreams, if I'm honest), but if you do well, there's a chance you can win some actual money from the developers.

They haven't said exactly how much will be on the table, but the first competition will start on April the 1st (maybe it's all a big April Fool's joke?), with the app hitting the Market on March 20th so you've got a few days of practice up your sleeve. [Door-6 via AndroidandMe]

ASUS O! Play HD2 spotted, spec'd, explained

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/04/asus-o-play-hd2-spotted-specd-explained/

While we weren't able to see the "wealth of cloud infotainment" touted in the official release, we did get a chance on the CeBIT show floor to see up close and personal ASUS' new O!Play HD2 media server. The design's a beaut and it's actually quite small in form factor. As for precisely what's running under its hood, the local ASUS rep was pretty mum -- what we do know is that it's HDMI 1.3 compliant and also boasts Composite / Component / Optical outputs and USB 2.0 / eSATA inputs, card readers for CF, SD, and Memory Stick, and that coveted USB 3.0 PC link. We'll try to dig deeper on a return trip, but in the meantime, check out our images and video below!

Gallery: ASUS O! Play HD2 hands-on

Continue reading ASUS O! Play HD2 spotted, spec'd, explained

ASUS O! Play HD2 spotted, spec'd, explained originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Mar 2010 10:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mio's Tegra-powered Moov V780 puts maps, 720p video, and the interwebs on dashboards

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/04/mios-tegra-powered-moov-v780-puts-maps-720p-video-and-the-int/

We're not suggesting playing a 720p vid while at the wheel, but Mio's Moov V780 -- or "premium PND," as they call it -- sure is a jack of all trades. We spent sometime playing around with the 7-inch tablet at the company's CeBIT press conference and came away surprisingly impressed with the entire experience. It's tapered edges and smooth plastic back remind us a lot of the Dell Mini 5, though Mio's gone with a NVIDIA Tegra chip (we were told Tegra 2, but our friends at jkkmobile sneaked a peak at the device's console and discovered it was apparnetly rocking the progenitor Tegra chip, at least on the show floor) and created a nice 3D user interface on top of Windows CE. Though it doesn't support multitouch, the capacitive screen made flicking through the coverflow-like interface a breeze and the virtual keyboard was a pleasure -- those who wish to use the device to fire off e-mails can always pick up the carrying case pictured above. So yes, overall we definitely like the Moov V780 and its Internet tablet/PND capabilities... but not enough to pay the 599 euros the company expects to sell it for. Perhaps the video below will convince you, but for now we'll be waiting for this one to drop in price when it starts shipping this summer.

Gallery: Mio Moov V780 hands-on

Continue reading Mio's Tegra-powered Moov V780 puts maps, 720p video, and the interwebs on dashboards

Mio's Tegra-powered Moov V780 puts maps, 720p video, and the interwebs on dashboards originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Mar 2010 10:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 leaks out with Fermi on board

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/04/nvidia-geforce-gtx-480-leaks-out-with-fermi-on-board/

Well well, what's this? After months of whispers and small leaks, it seems the Fermi-powered NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 is starting to leak out into the wild before it launches on the 26th. Obviously the pictures don't tell us much about performance, but we can tell you that you'll need a serious power supply to juice this thing up -- and a serious fan to cool it down. We'll see how the GTX 480 and little brother 470 stack up against ATI's latest when they finally arrive, but for now hit the read link for a few more shots.

NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 leaks out with Fermi on board originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Mar 2010 11:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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InFocus rolls out three new large, thin displays for business, education

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/04/infocus-rolls-out-three-new-large-thin-displays-for-business-e/

Don't count on these being available at your local mega-electronics retailer, but InFocus' new series of large, thin displays aimed at business and education users may just have you wishing they were. Available in 42, 55, and 65-inch varieties, the slim, professional-grade displays all pack a full 1080p resolution, a generous supply of inputs (including HDMI, VGA and RS232 for Crestron and AMX integration), a split screen feature to accommodate two separate video sources, and some anti-burn-in technology that will let you leave a pie chart up on the screen all day without any worries (if that's your thing). Of course, professional-grade also come with professional-grade prices, and these are no exception, with them running $1,399, $2,599, and $7,499 -- although InFocus insists they are aimed at the "budget-conscious professional."

InFocus rolls out three new large, thin displays for business, education originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Mar 2010 16:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ASUS Eee PC 1015PE, 1015P and 1001PQ hands-on

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/04/asus-eee-pc-1015pe-1015p-and-1001pq-hands-on/

Oh, you thought we were done with ASUS' new Eee PC models at CeBIT. That's cute. In addition to launching the aluminum 1018P and 1016P, ASUS has also quietly released the 1015PE and 1015P (or Diary series as it says on the units), which look to be joining the Seashell line with some minor design tweaks. The 1016PE's faux dark wood lid has a more professional look, and its shape reminds us somewhat of HP's Mini 5102. On the other hand, the 1015P has a white, softer-looking matte lid and an updated touchpad with integrated mouse buttons. Inside it appears they will be available with Intel's Pine Trail Atom N450 and N470 processors, and apparently the forthcoming N455 and N475 CPUs. Last but not least, ASUS also seemed to whip out the race car-inspired, kid-intended 1001PQ that has the same specs as the 1005PE we reviewed awhile back. We don't know about you, but we'd actually dig that design for ourselves. Until the next Tales from ASUS' Eee PC booth update, we leave you with the hands-on pictures below.

Gallery: ASUS Eee PC 1015PE hands-on

Gallery: ASUS Eee PC 1015P hands-on

Gallery: ASUS Eee PC 1001PQ hands-on

ASUS Eee PC 1015PE, 1015P and 1001PQ hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Mar 2010 16:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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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