Add Safari Reader-Like Powers to Firefox and Chrome [Add-ons]

Source: http://lifehacker.com/5568752/add-safari-reader+like-powers-to-firefox-and-chrome

The Safari 5 feature that's caught the web's attention is the Reader button, which strips down articles and blog posts into an ad-free, highly readable format. Two add-ons for Firefox and Chrome do a good job of recreating that convenience.

If you missed our round-up of what's new in Safari 5, the short explanation of Reader is that, while many bookmarklets have come along to offer a simplified, less-cluttered reading experience, Safari is the first major browser to go ahead and offer that kind of feature by default, as an address bar button. If you're a fan of bookmarklets, and your bookmarks aren't too cluttered to lose them in, we recommend the tools from arc90's Readability, the Instapaper Text bookmarklet, and the Readable app for highly customized formatting.

But maybe you want your Firefox or Chrome rig to offer that kind of button-click functionality. You're in luck. First off, here's the Top 10 feature we'll try our reading tools out on—click the image for a larger view:

Now here are two add-ons for Firefox and Chrome, and a look at how they do at getting all minimalist with the text and pics. Click any of the images below, too, for a larger view

Readability (Firefox)

Baris Derin rolled the Readability bookmarklet into a full-fledged add-on for Firefox, but also added in a pretty neat auto-scrolling feature for the true lean-back-and-read experience. Readability tends to keep more of the text and formatting in and around the page, but strips out all the marketing and navigation material. It places an "R" button in the lower-right status area of Firefox, which isn't the most convenient spot for our use, but some may prefer having it hidden away until needed. Notice the transparent icons, too, that provide printing, email, and refresh functions for live-updating posts.

iReader (Chrome)

Mhd Hejazi's iReader is directly inspired by Safari's Reader function, offering the same kind of pop-out white box that darkens the rest of the page, a button right in the address bar, and very, very minimal decoration—as you can see, it pared down our Top 10 feature quite a bit. There are also keyboard shortcuts for Windows and Mac to activate iReader, and options to change the background opacity, font and formatting, and add a "Send with Gmail" link to your articles. Neat stuff.

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Both add-ons are free downloads. Know of another reading/simplifying extension that gets the job done? Tell us about it in the comments. Thanks to emmikkelsen for the inspiration!

Readability [Add-ons for Firefox]
iReader [Google Chrome extension gallery]

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EyeTV iPad App Streams Live TV Over Wi-Fi and 3G [Apps]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5568836/eyetv-ipad-app-streams-live-tv-over-wi+fi-and-3g

Elgato's EyeTV app has let you stream live or recorded television to the iPhone for a while now, but today the service has finally been optimized for the iPad.

EyeTV 1.1—a universal app, meaning it's made for both iPhone and iPad—is free if you're an existing EyeTV user, and costs $5 otherwise. You'll also need a Mac running EyeTV software and configured with a compatible TV tuner, and apparently you'll need a Core 2 Duo processor if you want to stream live television.

It still may not be a big screen, but watching TV on the iPad certainly makes more sense than on the iPhone. Although I'd recommend streaming over Wi-Fi if at all possible. [EyeTV]

Elgato Updated EyeTV App Now Support Streaming to iPad
San Francisco, Calif. - June 21, 2010 – Elgato announces the immediate availability of version 1.1
of their popular EyeTV app for iPhone which brings live TV streaming over Wi-Fi or 3G
connections to the iPad. In updating the EyeTV app to support the iPad, Elgato optimized the app to
take advantage of the iPad's much larger, high resolution screen and its superb video playback
capabilities. The result is beautiful full-screen playback - on the patio or on-the-go. EyeTV 1.1 is a
"Universal App" which works on both iPhones and iPads, and is a free update for existing owners.
Turn an iPad into the ultimate portable television The EyeTV app running on the iPad or iPhone
works in tandem with the user's Macintosh at home to stream high quality live or recorded TV
anywhere. In addition, the app gives full access to EyeTV's program guide for finding something to
watch and the ability to remotely schedule upcoming shows for recording.
Setting up EyeTV for iPhone/iPad is easy: On a local Wi-Fi network no configuration is needed.
When connecting from elsewhere, Elgato's' free "My EyeTV" locator service can automatically find
the path to the Mac back at home.
Requirements
EyeTV for iPhone is a universal app and requires a Mac computer running EyeTV 3.4 and
configured with a compatible TV tuner device. Streaming live TV requires an Intel Core 2 Duo
processor. For sending the live signal over a 3G connection, Elgato recommends the Elgato
Turbo.264 HD which enables "adaptive streaming" for the best picture possible under varying
network speeds.
Availability
EyeTV for iPhone 1.1 is available from the App Store at a price of $4.99. The update is free for
existing EyeTV for iPhone customers. EyeTV 3.4 is available as a free update for EyeTV 3 users.
Elgato EyeTV tuners are available at the Elgato Online Store (www.elgato.com), at Apple retail
stores and from local Mac resellers.

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RockPlayerBase Plays DivX, AVI, and Other Videos You Want on Android [Downloads]

Source: http://lifehacker.com/5568839/rockplayerbase-plays-divx-avi-and-other-videos-you-want-on-android

Android: By default, Android phones can only handle a small number of video types, and leaves your ripped and downloaded files in the dust. RockPlayerBase, on the other hand, nimbly plays DivX, AVI, XviD, MKV, and other file types.

The bad news is that RockPlayerBase isn't available in the Android Market just yet, but is widely available in beta form if you poke around on Google—the via link below, Android Community, and others have posted media hosting links. It's a very minimal application—it launches with a file browser, then jumps into a player when you've picked your file, with simple play controls and timeline scrubbing. You'll see the frames-per-second count in the upper-right corner, but you can kill it by clicking the DivX button once or twice.

RockPlayerBase is, at the moment, a free download for Android phones running 2.1 and above only. Be sure to grab it before your next flight.

[via OMG Android]

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Largest Sheet Of Graphene Produced, Can Be Used For Flexible Touchscreens [Graphene]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5568889/largest-sheet-of-graphene-produced-can-be-used-for-flexible-touchscreens

Graphene, the ridiculously thin, strong, electrically conductive, and flexible miracle material, might be coming to your touchscreens. And when it does, "you could theoretically roll up your iPhone and stick it behind your ear like a pencil."

Graphene has had scientists in a tizzy for years but the biggest problem was the process of making it. Scientists would literally have to shave off atom-thin flakes and chemically dissolve chunks of graphite in order to create the miracle material. Imagine trying to make something with pencil shavings, yeah, not so easy. At most, scientist could only deliver "flecks of graphene".

But thanks to recent breakthroughs, researchers at Samsung and Sungkyunkwan University in Korea have produced a continuous layer of pure graphene the size of a television using a roll-to-roll process to spool graphene on top of a polyester sheet:

A sheet of copper foil is wrapped around a cylinder and placed in a specially designed furnace. Carbon atoms carried on a heated stream of hydrogen and methane meet the copper sheet and settle on it in a single uniform layer. The copper foil exits the furnace pressed between hot rollers, and the graphene is transferred onto a polyester base. Silver electrodes are then printed onto the sheet.

Being able to build graphene at such size would make it much more appealing for mass production and have graphene eventually trickle into your touchscreens and flat panel displays.

A flexible touchscreen using graphene to make the screen's transparent electrodes has already been developed and already outclasses the current material, indium tin oxide. Where indium tin oxide is expensive and brittle, graphene is cheaper, stronger, faster and flexible. Maybe when this miracle material comes to fruition, we'll finally accept calling devices magical. [Technology Review]

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WiFi-only Nook surfaces in Barnes and Noble database, costs $149?

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/20/wifi-only-nook-surfaces-in-barnes-and-noble-database-costs-149/

We knew it was coming, but not how soon, and we'd only guessed at a price. Today a tipster sent over this screenshot, however, clearly showing a Nook WiFi on Wednesday for $149. While internal databases aren't the most reliable source for release dates even assuming the screenshot is legit, we'll know for sure in just days. The question now is how Kobo stacks up.

Update: Google's dropping some $149 - $199 hints about the new Nooks in its sponsored ads as well. See a sample after the break. [Thanks, Joseph]

Continue reading WiFi-only Nook surfaces in Barnes and Noble database, costs $149?

WiFi-only Nook surfaces in Barnes and Noble database, costs $149? originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 20 Jun 2010 21:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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