YouTube launches Leanback, mobile site gets HTML5 revamp (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/07/youtube-launches-leanback-mobile-site-gets-html5-revamp-video/

Looks like YouTube's having quite the day. The site has officially rolled out Leanback, its television-friendly interface first espied during Google TV's big unveiling. The interface works via keyboard arrow keys -- sorry, no option to use the mouse -- letting you scroll through your feeds / recommendations, categories, playback options, and search bar. Videos encompass the entire browser menu and will crank up the HD when available. So far, we're seeing snappy response with navigation, and some utter embarrassment at the (unfortunately accurate) suggestions YouTube is throwing our way.

Meanwhile on the handheld front, YouTube's also pushed live a new mobile site. New touted features include a more touch-friendly UI, further incorporation of the main site's elements such as favorites and ratings, and a generally speedier existence. YouTube also promises to work at bringing update parity across its desktop and portable kin, "unlike native apps which are not updated as frequently" (come on, tell us how you really feel, guys). Since the TV season is in a bit of a lull anyway, might as well grab your iPhone, Android device, HTPC remote, laptop, or whatever other screen you have and play catchup with your viral videos. Promotional footage after the break.

Continue reading YouTube launches Leanback, mobile site gets HTML5 revamp (video)

YouTube launches Leanback, mobile site gets HTML5 revamp (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 07 Jul 2010 20:14:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink All Things D  |  YouTube Leanback, Mobile  | Email this | Comments

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Cathay Pacific bringing 50Mbps WiFi, live TV and in-flight calling to fleet

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/07/cathay-pacific-bringing-50mbps-wifi-live-tv-and-in-flight-calli/

Mmm... we like where this is headed. While legacy airlines in America are struggling to outfit their fleets with in-flight WiFi alone, Hong Kong's Cathay Pacific Airways is showing 'em how it's done. The airline has just inked a memorandum of understanding with Panasonic Avionics for the "provision of full broadband connectivity on all Cathay Pacific and Dragonair passenger aircraft." Yeah, you read that correctly -- by early 2012, Cathay will make 50Mbps internet service, in-flight GSM cellphone service (voice, SMS and data) as well as live and pay-per-view television available to every last passenger. The finer details are still being hammered out, and we aren't told whether every single bird in its fleet will be online from Day 1, but we're still as giddy as ever for this to become a reality. Here's hoping this pushes those other airlines into getting with the program, and at the very least, it ought to give you plenty of reason to take that Asian vacation you've been putting off.

Continue reading Cathay Pacific bringing 50Mbps WiFi, live TV and in-flight calling to fleet

Cathay Pacific bringing 50Mbps WiFi, live TV and in-flight calling to fleet originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 07 Jul 2010 20:46:00 EDT. Please see our term! s for us e of feeds.

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Facebook Dominates Third-Party Logins For All But News

Source: http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/facebook_dominates_third-party_logins_for_all_but.php

More and more, we're logging in to websites using our credentials from sites like Facebook, Twitter, Google or Yahoo. But who's leading in the battle of the third-party login? What login do we chose when it comes to entertainment sites like MTV? How about news sites like Reuters?

According to Gigya, a provider of tools for social sharing and third-party logins, Faceboook leads the pack in all realms but one - news sites.

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Looking at logins across all sites, Facebook is the clear leader. When we looked at similar statistics from Gigya last January, Facebook led by a factor of nearly 2-to-1 over Twitter and Myspace. Since then, Gigya has added a number of logins and now Facebook leads by nearly 3-to-1, with 46% of all social network logins. The closest competitor across all sites is Google with 17%. Twitter follows behind Google with 14%, barely leading Yahoo's 13%.

The numbers switch around when we start breaking them down into different categories. Facebook becomes even more dominant, with 52%, when we look at entertainment websites, with Twitter and Myspace jumping into second and third place. For B2B websites, the distribution is a bit more even overall, with Facebook taking 37% of the pie, and Google, Yahoo and Twitter all coming in with around 18%.

The one sphere that really sticks out, however, is the login we chose when it comes to the news. Of all the logins to news sites tracked by Gigya, 45% are completed using our Twitter credentials, with only 25% using Facebook and 16% using Google. The numbers seem to solidify our vision of Twitter as a network best used to quickly share links and "newsy" bits of information.

For the full results of Gigya's look at what logins we're using where, take a look at the full infographic on its website.

Images courtesy of Gigya.

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You Can Get Great Images from a Not-So-Great Camera [Photography]

Source: http://lifehacker.com/5581273/you-can-get-great-images-from-a-very-cheap-camera

It's not a new idea, but it bears repeating: setup and skill are usually a lot more important than how expensive your camera is. A photo shoot using only an iPhone 3GS camera puts the lie to camera stat obsessions.

Lee Morris of the Fstoppers blog took the image up top, and many similarly striking shots, using only an iPhone 3GS. Well, only in the sense that he was using studio lights, a backdrop, a professional model, and his experience as a photographer. Still, as you can see from the raw and slightly edited Flickr set, blaming your camera for not capturing what you want can only get you so far. It hits on the same point as the "Best Camera" community: your time is best spent learning how light, angle, and other factors affect your photos, rather than wondering if other shooters are trucking with more megapixels than you.

For a full 10 minutes of iPhone 3GS shooting, check out Morris' video of his shoot:

What's the best set of photos you've taken with a seemingly crappy cam? How have you compensated for older equipment to grab great shots? Spread the links and wisdom around in the comments.

The iPhone Fashion Shoot By Lee Morris [f stoppers via Strobist]

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Android 2.2 Dusts iOS4 In JavaScript Performance [Smartphones]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5581281/android-22-dusts-ios4-in-javascript-performance

Testing stock browsers found within Android 2.2 (Nexus One) and iOS4 (iPhone 4), ars technica discovered that there's no comparison in JavaScript performance. But DoodleJump plays a bit smoother on my iPhone, which is 99% of what really matters. [arstechnica]

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Sharp's LR388G9 LCD controller suggests more products with dual screens

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/07/sharps-lr388g9-lcd-controller-suggests-more-products-with-dual/

While we'll let competitors tell us whether the chip's "an industry first," Sharp's certainly serious about devices with twin screens -- this new LR388G9 controller chip pumps pixels simultaneously to each of two 1,024 x 480 LCDs. Sure, that resolution may sound pathetic compared to your Cinema Display, but this silicon's intended for the likes of e-readers and phones, where a single image that size is desirable and a pair would be most welcome. Never mind that the chip can send 1080p content at 24fps to an external display, too. Of course, what we really want to see is a nice autostereoscopic smartphone fitted with Sharp's 3D HD camera module. Pretty please?

Sharp's LR388G9 LCD controller suggests more products with dual screens originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 07 Jul 2010 06:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Borders' Kobo-powered eBook Store now live with 1.5 million titles, Android and BlackBerry apps (update)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/07/borders-kobo-powered-ebook-store-now-live-with-1-5-million-titl/

Exactly how many eBook stores do we need? Depends. If you own a dedicated e-reader then one is all you get. Own a tablet or smartphone and the world of eBook stores is pretty much yours for the taking through competing apps. Borders looks to be taking a hybrid approach by offering up the $150 Kobo, $120 Aluratek Libre (available July 20th), $170 Sony Touch, and $150 Sony Pocket eReaders and today's launch of a self-branded eBook store powered by Kobo's catalog of more than 1.5 million titles -- "thousands" of which are free and available in a variety of formats including ePub (primarily) and PDF. Borders also has desktop PC and Mac apps ready for download in addition to a few apps listed as "coming soon" for both Android and BlackBerry devices -- these join the apps already released for Apple's iOS. It just went live so why not hit the source and have a browse.

P.S. Funny enough, there's not a single mention of Spring Design's Alex on Borders' new site. Funny sad, not ha ha.

Update: The Android and BlackBerry apps are now live.

Continue reading Borders' Kobo-powered eBook Store now live with 1.5 million titles, Android and BlackBerry apps (update)

Borders' Kobo-powered eBook Store now live with 1.5 million titles, Android and BlackBerry apps (update) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 07 Jul 2010 07:03:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink CrunchGear  |  Borders  | Email this | Comments

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Aava Moorestown phone running MeeGo hits the wilds

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/07/aava-moorestown-phone-running-meego-hits-the-wilds/

If you don't understand the significance of what you're looking at then you're probably not paying attention. First off, that Aava slab of WoW slaying smartphone is underpinned by Intel's Moorestown processor. Yes, Intel, not ARM, as Chipzilla gets serious about taking its silicon mobile. Second, that's the freshly minted MeeGo OS for handsets that just made its first alpha appearance last week. And it just happens to be the OS that Nokia, the world's largest handset manufacturer, will be building its future generation of super smartphones upon. We'll give you a second to take it all in.

Fortunately for us, the device is in the hands of Steve "Chippy" Paine over at Carrypad / UMPC Portal. As such, this is just the first of many revelations to come. Hit the man up on Twitter if you want to follow his adventure first hand.

Aava Moorestown phone running MeeGo hits the wilds originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 07 Jul 2010 07:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink @Chippy (Twitter)  |  Carrypad  | Email this | Comments

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Samsung pushes out BX2350 and BX2335 1080p monitors

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/07/samsung-pushes-out-bx2350-and-bx2335-1080p-monitors/

We've always been fairly fond of Samsung's Touch of Color design scheme, so we're glad to see it's still firmly in place on the company's new "eco-friendly" LED displays. The outfit's debuting its 50 and 30 series panels today, with the BX2350 and BX2335 both offering a 2ms response time, 1080p resolution, 16:9 aspect ratio and a rather unique new feature called Magic Return. Put simply, this allows users working with two monitors to have their desktop automatically moved to a powered-on screen if one screen happens to shut down -- Sammy doesn't mention if both monitors have to be in this new series, but we suspect those details (along with price and availability dates) will seep out soon.

Continue reading Samsung pushes out BX2350 and BX2335 1080p monitors

Samsung pushes out BX2350 and BX2335 1080p monitors originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 07 Jul 2010 07:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hacker creates Lego Mindstorms NXT-606 drum kit, just because he can (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/07/hacker-creates-lego-mindstorms-nxt-606-drum-kit-just-because-he/

If you've taken your Lego Mindstorms NXT kit to the Nerd Cup, created a 3D scanner to digitize your Precious Moments collection, and trained it to solve a Rubik's Cube, you might think you've run out of things to do. Perhaps this was the problem that Peter Cocteau faced -- or maybe he just wanted to make the most bombastic NXT project yet. He created an 8-bit sample drum machine with 24 sounds controlled entirely by two Lego rotation sensors. He did have to make a few augmentations to get the audio output working (and to add in that bitching DJ-style light to make it more club friendly). He's kindly provided all the source that you'll need to get your little blocks bumpin', but if you want yours to be just like his you'll need to do your own soldering.

Continue reading Hacker creates Lego Mindstorms NXT-606 drum kit, just because he can (video)

Hacker creates Lego Mindstorms NXT-606 drum kit, just because he can (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 07 Jul 2010 09:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Make  |  nxtasy.org  | Email this | Comments

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IR-beaming RedEye mini iPad / iPhone remote dongle gets real, its own video demo

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/07/ir-beaming-redeye-mini-ipad-iphone-remote-dongle-gets-real-it/

Oh, sure -- ThinkFlood promised us back in early March that a RedEye mini would be landing this summer, but at the time, all we had were a few luscious renders. Today, the company has finally revealed the first actual shots of the forthcoming device, along with a video showing it in action. While diminutive, it's certainly not as compact and discrete as IR-enabled cases, but if you've already committed to an iPod touch / iPhone / iPad case (or just prefer rocking your device sans clothing), this here dongle is likely the next best thing. In case you're wondering, this little guy will transform your iDevice into a universal remote, enabling it to talk to any home entertainment component that listens to IR (read: that's just about all of 'em). We're still stuck waiting a few more months for this $49 product to hit shelves, but for now, feel free to hop past the break and peek a brief demonstration.

Continue reading IR-beaming RedEye mini iPad / iPhone remote dongle gets real, its own video demo

IR-beaming RedEye mini iPad / iPhone remote dongle gets real, its own video demo originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 07 Jul 2010 10:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  ThinkFlood, MoreControl  | Email this | Comments

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Facebook, displaying 176 billion ad impressions in Q1'10 is irrelevant if the clickthrus are a rounding error to ZERO - http://bit.ly/bnipK9

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Use a Pseudonym to Better Control Your Searchable Online Identity [Online Identity]

Source: http://lifehacker.com/5580262/use-a-pseudonym-for-easy-just-google-me-business-cards

You can establish and monitor your real name's Google presence, but you won't get complete control, especially when others with your name try the same tactic. Using a pseudonym/alias/author's name in conjunction with pages you control can be much more effective.

Mister Jalopy, a true DIY enthusiast, writer, and all-around device enthusiast, takes his nom de plume to the extreme, preferring not to give his real name, even in interviews. You wouldn't have to do the same to get the same benefit he does from the "Mister Jalopy" tag, though—just use a unique alias in conjunction with sites and profiles you have the most say in:

If you Google my nom de bullshit, Mister Jalopy, all the top hits are for web pages that I control. And my e-mail address is right on the front page of all of them. For detractors, fans and spam scraping robots alike, I am super easy to find.

Mister Jalopy utilizes all the methods Jason detailed in his online identity how-to, just with his alter ego instead of his real name. It's worth considering, especially if you're one of the world's Robert Smiths or Nancy Jones.

Mister Jalopy's Business Card [Dinosaurs and Robots via BoingBoing]

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Use Read-Only Media to Protect Against Kiosk-Propagated Viruses [Security]

Source: http://lifehacker.com/5580329/use-read+only-media-to-protect-against-kiosk-propagated-viruses

Public kiosks, such as those used for photo printing, are exposed to thousands of USB drives and other media every month. Many of them are poorly secured and are using your media as a virus-propagation tool. Protect yourself with these simple steps.

Photo by clix.

Security blog Risky.biz reader Morgan wrote in to highlight how an unsecure photo kiosk at Big W—a Woolworth subsidiary—infected one of his flash drives with a virus.

Photo kiosks in Big W stores are allegedly infecting customers with USB-borne viruses.

The Windows-based Fuji photo kiosks located in the company's stores apparently don't run antivirus software, so lovely little bits of malicious software like Trojan.Poison-36 are winding up on customers' USB keys, according to Risky Business listener and blogger Morgan Storey.

On its own, an isolated incident of a photo kiosk infecting a USB device might not be newsworthy. But what makes this item stick out is Big W's reply to Morgan after he notified the company of the issue:

You can visit the full article at the link below to see a screenshot of the entire email but the most notable quote in the their response should give you pause.

Please note that we are currently testing anti-virus software on our Fuji photo kiosks in a number of stores, and if it is successful, we plan on rolling it out to all stores in the future.

It could be debated whether or not the virus Morgan's flash drive picked up came from that particular photo kiosk but the people in charge of the kiosk acknowledge that the kiosks have no virus protection. All it would take for each kiosk to become a virus propagating machine then—with access to thousands of USB drives, memory sticks, and SD cards a month!—is exposure to one infected flash drive.

What can you do to protect yourself against infection from a dirty public kiosk? To play it extremely safe, burn your photos to read-only media such as a writable CD or DVD. Alternately you can keep a handful of small flash drives around for the task and when you've used the last of your throw-away pile you can boot your computer with a Live CD—check out our Hive Five on the topic—and format them all.

If you've had an experience with a third-party virus infection or have a tip for keeping viruses from public computers and kiosks away from your home network, let's hear about it in the comments.

Big W Infecting Photo Printing Customers? [Risky.Biz]

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New ultra-battery is the most powerful non-nuclear energy storage ever [Mad Chemistry]

Source: http://io9.com/5580592/new-ultra+battery-is-the-most-powerful-non+nuclear-energy-storage-ever

What do you get when you combine some xenon, some fluoride, and pressures similar to those found at the center of the Earth? You get an ultra-battery, capable of storing more condensed energy than any other battery ever built.

The material used to make the "battery" is xenon difluoride (XeF₂), a white crystal primarily used to etch silicon conductors. The crystal was placed in a diamond anvil cell, a tiny device that measures only two inches by three inches. The cell uses two tiny diamond anvils (as you might expect, considering its name) to produce incredibly high pressures in tiny, contained spaces.

Normally, the molecules in xenon difluoride stay relatively far apart. The squeezing process the crystals underwent in the diamond anvil cell forced the molecules closer and closer together. At first, the squeezing caused the crystal to become a two-dimensional semiconductor, but then something even more remarkable happened. When the pressure reached a million atmospheres, similar to the pressure found halfway to the center of the Earth, the molecules formed 3D metallic "network structures", which forced all the mechanical energy of the compression process to be stored as chemical energy within the molecular bonds. At a million atmospheres, that's a whole lot of stored energy.

Heading up this research is Washington State chemistry professor Choong-Shik Yoo, who says this "is the most condensed form of energy storage outside of nuclear energy." The possible applications of the material pretty much all include the word "super": superconductors, super-oxidizing materials that can destroy chemical and biological agents, not to mention new fuels and, most obviously, an energy storage device.

[Nature Chemistry]

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