Thursday, July 15, 2010

Atheros and Wilocity embrace 'tri-band' wireless wares, 60GHz wireless PCIe

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/14/atheros-and-wilocity-embrace-tri-band-wireless-wares-60ghz-wi/

The amount of dual-band products (you know, those that support both 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands) is slowly growing, but already a pair of companies are thinking about the next big thing: tri-band. Atheros and Wilocity have both been eying that 60GHz stuff that the WiGig Alliance is pushing around these days, and now they're announcing a collaboration to "build tri-band wireless solutions that combine the ubiquity and coverage of WiFi with the multi-gigabit performance of the Wireless Gigabit Alliance's 60GHz technology." The new gear would enable all sorts of backwards compatibility, and while there aren't too many details being shared just yet on exactly what kind of kit is in the pipeline, we do know of one particular tidbit. That tidbit, of course, is wireless PCI Express, or wPCIe. Developed by Wilocity, this black magic would essentially enable PCIe devices to be docked outside of the desktop and have their signals beamed to a receiver card within the desktop. Think external graphics, storage arrays, etc., all sans cabling. It's being reported that wPCIe can push data at up to 5Gbps, and if all goes to plan, the spec should scale easily to 7Gbps. Be sure to give the links below a visit for a deeper dive, and get ready to give that SFF machine you've often overlooked... well, another look.

Continue reading Atheros and Wilocity embrace 'tri-band' wireless wares, 60GHz wireless PCIe

Atheros and Wilocity embrace 'tri-band' wireless wares, 60GHz wireless PCIe originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Jul 2010 23:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Viewsonic's NexTV VMP75 media streamer now shipping

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/15/viewsonics-nextv-vmp75-media-streamer-now-shipping/

Viewsonic wasn't being too specific with a launch date when it announced its NexTV VMP75 media streamer last month, but it looks like that little detail's now been cleared up -- the device is shipping now from both Amazon and Newegg. According to Review Horizon, however, the official release date is July 19th, although it seems possible you could receive it before then if you've already pre-ordered the device or get your order in soon. As for the device itself, it's still listed at $129.99, and will give you the usual Netflix streaming, and support for playback of content from either your home network or an attached drive.

Viewsonic's NexTV VMP75 media streamer now shipping originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 15 Jul 2010 00:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NetTalk reveals the Duo, we await MagicJack's response

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/15/nettalk-reveals-the-duo-we-await-magicjacks-response/

If you've never heard of the NetTalk TK6000, you're certainly not alone -- suffice it to say it's an as-seen-on-TV product that converts a standard ethernet internet connection into a VoIP telephone cord. And to be clear, the new NetTalk Duo doesn't seem to offer anything different than its predecessor, only a shiny bullet case, but that just makes it the perfect salvo across incumbent MagicTalk's bow. We can hardly wait to see how the latest chapter in the infinite long distance call saga will play out. However, on the off-chance you've been looking to Fire Your Phone Company(R), don't wait, act now -- peep the press release after the break for your ten percent discount.

Continue reading NetTalk reveals the Duo, we await MagicJack's response

NetTalk reveals the Duo, we await MagicJack's response originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 15 Jul 2010 03:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HP Android tablet coming later than you think, or not at all

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/15/hp-android-tablet-coming-later-than-you-think-or-not-at-all/

Although nothing official has come from HP on this front, we got some pretty solid word back in April that the American giant was mulling an Android tablet. As it turns out, what with the WebOS acquisition that followed and HP's dogged commitment to Windows 7, that Googly project has apparently slipped out of the limelight in HP HQ. Word from All Things Digital is that there'll be nothing forthcoming this year (as was tentatively expected) and if an HP Android tablet is to materialize, it'll have to come in 2011. The company seems to be in the midst of reallocating resources to its higher priority projects, and who knows, should that rumored Hurricane tablet blow us all away, Android might never gets its chance to shine at all.

HP Android tablet coming later than you think, or not at all originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 15 Jul 2010 06:51:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceAll Things Digital  | Email this | Comments

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Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Intel's Sandy Bridge CPUs to tape out ahead of schedule, could be with us this year

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/14/intels-sandy-bridge-cpus-to-tape-out-ahead-of-schedule-could-b/

Right now, Intel has every right to lay contentedly atop the laurels of its biggest quarterly profit ever, but that's not what the company is doing at all. Instead of protracting the life of its current-gen processors unduly, Intel is planning to accelerate the roadmap for its next generation of multicore parts, codenamed Sandy Bridge. The difference between the Nehalem-based stuff we have today and the upcoming chip is that the Sandy Bridge architecture takes everything down to 32nm -- including the graphics processor and memory controller which are built at 45nm at present -- while keeping everything inside the same enclosure. Enthusiastic feedback from customers who were given tasters of the Sandy stuff has been to blame for this haste on Intel's part, and we're told that with additional investment in 32nm infrastructure, the chip giant plans to make deliveries late this year. That in turn could potentially result in some eager vendor pushing a Sandy Bridge laptop or desktop out before 2010 is through -- which would be all kinds of nice.

Intel's Sandy Bridge CPUs to tape out ahead of schedule, could be with us this year originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Jul 2010 08:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Canon VIXIA HF M32 adds SDXC compatibility, has 64GB of its own flash anyway

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/14/canon-vixia-hf-m32-adds-sdxc-compatibility-has-64gb-of-its-own/

Talk about a bad time to introduce your latest camcorder. Hot on the heels of Sony's category-redefining NEX-VG10, Canon is coming out with a humble refresher of its VIXIA line of consumer shooters (known as Legria in Europe). It's as incremental as upgrades get, with the HF M32 doubling its predecessor's 32GB of internal storage and adding in SDXC memory card compatibility. Canon's Relay Recording feature will allow you to transition from one storage cell to another without interrupting your video, but it's something the M31 already offers. The rest of the specs are also familiar: a HD CMOS sensor capable of 3 megapixel stills, a 15x optical zoom lens with both optical and powered image stabilization, a 2.7-inch touchscreen LCD with Touch and Track functionality, and the same DIGIC DV III processor that's been knocking about since last year. Still, you've gotta be pretty good to last that long in this industry, so maybe it's worth giving this camera a look if you have $1,000 to spend and can wait for a September delivery.

Continue reading Canon VIXIA HF M32 adds SDXC compatibility, has 64GB of its own flash anyway

Canon VIXIA HF M32 adds SDXC compatibility, has 64GB of its own flash anyway originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Jul 2010 02:18:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Swiftkey beta brings new keyboard, world class predictive text to Android

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/14/swiftkey-beta-brings-new-keyboard-world-class-predictive-text-t/

The software and language engineers at Swiftkey have been toiling on this app for the past two years, and at long last, it's being made available for precisely nothing to anxious Android users. Hot on the heels of Swype's own beta, the Swiftkey beta is now available to download directly from the App Market, and once installed (along with language packs of your choice), it can be used in place of your stock Android soft keyboard. We've never been the biggest fan of Google's factory keys, and while we still feel that Swiftkey's letters are a tad on the skinny side, it's definitely an improvement. But that's not where the magic's at -- this software has an uncanny ability to guess what your next word will be, and it actually looks at your prior SMS list (if allowed) in order to "learn" how you converse. In our early tests, we're pretty darn impressed, and yes, it's definitely worth the $0.00 price tag. Get your download on right now, or hop past the break for a video demonstration if you still need convincing.

[Thanks, Martino]

Continue reading Swiftkey beta brings new keyboard, world class predictive text to Android

Swiftkey beta brings new keyboard, world class predictive text to Android originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Jul 2010 03:43:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceSwiftkey, Download Page  | Email this | Comments

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DoCoMo's glasses-free 3D LCD panel could make the 3DS look decidedly first-gen

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/14/docomos-glasses-free-3d-lcd-panel-could-make-the-3ds-look-decid/

DoCoMo's glasses-free 3D LCD panel could make the 3DS look decidedly first-gen
At E3 this past summer, we got our first taste of the Nintendo 3DS, and early impressions were good: compelling 3D effect sans glasses from its Sharp-sourced parallax barrier LCD. But, as soon as we moved the thing it became clear that the viewing angle on the effect is woefully slim. This is a problem DoCoMo is said to have at least reduced with its glasses-free LCD, relying on eight lenticular lenses to offer a 30 degree viewing angle -- on the horizontal plane. Vertically you still have to be perfectly aligned, but the company hopes to remove that restriction before products based on this tech are released in the next year or two. It's a bit early, but we're already having flashbacks to young LCD manufacturers battling to deliver the widest viewing angles while maintaining full contrast. Hopefully that means in the not-too-distant future everyone will have 180-degree 3D LCDs -- and they'll all be dirt cheap, too.

DoCoMo's glasses-free 3D LCD panel could make the 3DS look decidedly first-gen originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Jul 2010 08:08:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceAkihabara News  | Email this | Comments

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Scan Your Old Negatives DIY Style, Using a DSLR and Toilet Paper Rolls [DIY]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5586338/scan-your-old-negatives-diy-style-using-a-dslr-and-toilet-paper-rolls

Scan Your Old Negatives DIY Style, Using a DSLR and Toilet Paper RollsWe didn't always have digital cameras, and those negatives still laying at the bottom of some dusty drawer are proof. Now you can easily and affordably digitize those memories.

Heavy duty Nikon scanners can run you upwards of $1,000. Photographer Claus Thiim created his own scanner by attaching two toilet paper rolls to a polarize filter (with the glass removed) to the front of a DSLR camera. A plastic 35mm slide-mount was attached to the end and opened on the sides, so film can slide right through.

Voila! Capture each frame and you're done with the film. Bonus: You can use this method for traditional B&W film and forget about the dark room, for you more artsy types. [DIY Photography via Wired]

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Publishing eBooks: Kindle, iPad, Nook, Kobo? [Publishing]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5586204/publishing-ebooks-kindle-ipad-nook-kobo

Publishing eBooks: Kindle, iPad, Nook, Kobo?There are many mediums for ebook publishing today. But how does a publisher or author choose which one to use? Or does he or she even have to choose at all?

Now that the iPad has captured 22% of the eBook market in it's first 60 days, authors are clamoring to get their books into the iBookstore. What most are finding out is that publishing on the iPad is no simple task. Where Amazon has had 3 years to make publishing eBooks on Kindle a snap, Apple is just now clunking up to speed. The publishing process on iPad is almost not worth it, until you weigh in the fact that the iBookstore is now available on over 3 million iPads and all iPhones with the new iOS4-that's a potential audience of over 40 million people. That's right, it's not just eBooks on the iPad anymore, it's seamless distribution through the iPhone, too. Add to this a major push by Barnes and Noble and Borders to build their own eBookstore platforms and your eBooks could reach over 100 million readers.

A Little eBook History

Back in 1999 Nuvomedia built one of the first eBook readers. It was called the Rocket eBook and they thought they were turning a new page in publishing history. Unfortunately, they were 10 years too early. The connection between buying and reading books was too clunky. It wasn't until Amazon tied Kindle to a cellular network and made it possible to browse and purchase eBooks with one click, that the revolution began. Once readers could make compulsive book purchases, Kindle sales took off.

Then Amazon made another amazing move, they built a Kindle iPhone App. This was critical because it turned every single iPhone into a Kindle. This was a major turning point in the development of eBooks-the bookstore was more important than the device. Now Kindle apps are available on iPad, Android, Blackberry, Mac and PC.

Modern Day eBookstores

Today Apple, Barnes and Noble, Borders and even newcomers like Kobo are creating their own eBookstores and mobile eReading Apps. Initially these bookstores were tied to devices like the iPad, Kindle, Nook and the Kobo, but the device is less important than who sells the book. And as each company creates its own platform for selling books we need to find easier, faster ways to publish them-and to make them available in all the different stores.

Publishing eBooks

When Kindle and the iBookstore first opened they focused primarily on big publishing companies with top sellers. Then they slowly made it possible for self-publishers to get their content into the store. Today you have to jump through some hoops to get your books listed, but it's possible. The biggest problem is getting your content into the right format so it can flow nicely on all the different eReaders. Amazon created their own format and Apple went with the industry standard ePUB format. Unfortunately, most authors don't have a clue what an ePUB is or how to turn their beautiful PDF into one. Enter the publishing service providers.

Though it gets more complicated for authors to publish and manage their own books, services like FastPencil.com are making it easier. By using a service, authors can focus on their content and leave the formatting, publishing and distribution to FastPencil. Unlike Lulu.com or CreateSpace.com, FastPencil is the only online publishing system that provides authors with a free online book editor, free formatting and design templates and totally integrated publishing and distribution for all platforms-including print-on-demand and eBooks.

As a result, it's much easier to publish your eBook on all the different devices-iPad, Kindle, Nook, Kobo-and reach your readers when they are ready to buy. You don't have to worry about ePUB formats, design or distribution. You can do what you were meant to do: Write.

Suggestions for eBook Publishing

Having helped thousands of authors get over the hurdles on their way to publishing, I've come up with three suggestions that can save you a lot of trouble and help you decide where and how to sell more books.

1. Self-publishing is for workaholics-use a service. Before you dive into Self-publishing make sure you are ready to start your own business. Self-publishing is essentially acting as your own publisher which means you have to register ISBN's, collect sales taxes and manage a business. There's a better way to do it using online service providers like FastPencil.com who will manage everything for you, collect taxes and pay huge royalties.

2. Don't limit yourself-publish multiple formats in every channel. When you want to sell copies of your book why limit yourself to just the Kindle or just paperback? Readers in the future will not walk into
bookstores, browse around and buy books. They will hear about a book from a friend, look it up on a mobile device, download a copy and start reading within 15 minutes. You want to be there when they come
looking.

3. Link directly to your book-readers want instant gratification. Take advantage of every new marketing and sales tools available to get your book in front of your readers. Get direct links to your book on Kindle
and iPad and put them on your web site or blog. Learn from the Rocket eBook experience and make it fast and easy to order your book.

Kindle, iPad, Nook, Kobo?

Kindle is by far the leader in eBook sales today, but Apple is gaining marketshare fast. The iBookstore is really hard to get into, but if you use a service like FastPencil it's a snap. Barnes and Noble is setting up their own publishers system this summer for the Nook, and Borders has partnered up with Kobo to do the same thing. The ideal situation would be to release your book into all the different bookstores and also provide direct links for your readers from your web site or blog.

Today it's easier than ever to write, publish and sell your book. Couple that with the extensive reach of these new eBookstores and authors have an opportunity like no other time in history. Don't get caught up on the whether to stick with Kindle or iPad... do both!

Michael Ashley (a.k.a. "Mash"), is the author of iPad Publishing Guide: Write, Publish and Sell Your Book on the Apple iPad with FastPencil. Now available on: Kindle, iPad, and FastPencil.com.

Mash is Founder & Chief Technology Officer at FastPencil, Inc. which helps authors connect, write, publish and distribute books with just a few clicks. He is a successful entrepreneur with over 12 years experience in web applications and Internet publishing. Mash is responsible for innovation and product strategy at FastPencil. In this role, Mash has transformed the company from an online writing tool, to the only end-to-end social self-publishing platform with multi-channel, multi-format distribution. In his free time you can find him stand-up paddle surfing in his hometown, Santa Cruz.

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Verizon catalog reveals Motorola Droid 2, new dumbphones

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/verizon-catalog-reveals-motorola-droid-2-new-dumbphones/

We knew the original Droid's replacement was coming, but we were never able to nail down the market name with confidence -- until now, it seems. The Droid 2 makes a prominent appearance in an official catalog of Verizon devices leaked to BGR, talking up its 5 megapixel cam, 8GB of onboard storage, and 1GHz processor, positioning it just ever so slightly below the mighty Droid X. Also finding their way into the catalog are the recently-launched Pantech Jest, the self-branded Verizon Salute, and the Intensity II and Gusto both from Samsung, all dumbphones that just add more evidence to the theory that all the good names for mobile devices have already been taken. No date's given for the Droid 2, but we imagine it can't be long now that they're openly talking about it, right?

Verizon catalog reveals Motorola Droid 2, new dumbphones originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 13 Jul 2010 18:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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FaceTime video call works beautifully on airplane's in-flight WiFi (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/13/facetime-video-call-works-beautifully-on-airplanes-in-flight-wi/

Yeah, seriously. While Aircell's Gogo in-flight WiFi service has been blocking VoIP calling services (Skype being the most obvious example) from day one, it's apparently not throwing the same brick wall in the face of Apple's new standard. Our good pals over at TUAW managed to record a (relatively) solid two minute FaceTime conversation with an iPhone 4 owner, and only after you realize that said owner is a few thousand feet above the Earth's surface does this all become a lot more interesting. We know for a fact that certain iPhone 4 owners have had difficulty with FaceTime conversations when using highly firewalled access points (like those found in hotels and corporate offices), but it seems as if seat 16A is cleared for transmission. For now, anyway. Head on past the break to peek the FaceTime ad that Apple forgot to make.

Continue reading FaceTime video call works beautifully on airplane's in-flight WiFi (video)

FaceTime video call works beautifully on airplane's in-flight WiFi (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 13 Jul 2010 22:05:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Bounce Snaps Web Site Screenshots and Shares Simple Notes [Screen Captures]

Source: http://lifehacker.com/5585130/bounce-snaps-web-site-screenshots-and-shares-simple-notes

Bounce Snaps Web Site Screenshots and Shares Simple NotesBounce offers free and dead-simple web site capture and annotation for hassle-free sharing of site-related notes.

Visit Bounce, plug in a URL, and Bounce snaps a screenshot of the web site you pointed it at. Once the capture is loaded you can draw boxes around elements of the site you want to annotate and immediately add text. When you share the URL for your capture others can check out your notes by mousing over the focus boxes you've created.

Bounce is a free service and requires no registration. Have a simple tool for sharing annotated screenshots? Let's hear about it in the comments.

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Panasonic Just Wants To Be Your Everything [Panasonic]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5585296/panasonic-just-wants-to-be-your-everything

Panasonic Just Wants To Be Your EverythingIn an era when companies are getting focused, trimmer, leaner, Panasonic has unapologetically taken the stance that more is more. Thousands of products? Try a million. This is old school everythingism, and I kind of love it.

There are plenty of arguments against being a company that makes 152-inch televisions and facial steamers and everything in between: just ask Sony. But so what if Panasonic makes four types of nosehair trimmers? As long as they're making them well.

As the New York Times reports, Panasonic's financial performance has taken a hit recently, but the company has remained undeterred:

"It's true our business spans a wide area," Fumio Ohtsubo, the president, said in a recent interview at the Tokyo offices of Panasonic, which is based in Osaka. "But it's not as difficult as you might think." In fact, the new drive by Panasonic to sell to its wares in poorer countries like India and Indonesia has yielded early successes. So has its push into 3-D technology, billed as the next revolution in home entertainment in rich countries like the United States and Japan.

There may come a day when companies like Panasonic will have to sell off some of the business units that weigh them down—like GE did over the last several decades. But until then, keep on keeping on, Panasonic. Bigger might not always be better, but it's certainly more fun. [NY Times]

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HP's McKinney hints that a flexible display Palm device could happen

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/12/hps-mckinney-hints-that-a-flexible-display-palm-device-could-ha/

Speaking at MobileBeat in San Francisco today, HP's Phil McKinney chatted up the company's flexible display tech, which uses rugged Mylar-infused sheets similar to those found in solar panels and can display video while still being bistable the same way E Ink is -- in other words, it'll hold an image without power. Thankfully, this seems to be more than a pipe dream sitting in a lab somewhere, because McKinney went on to say that "these are the kinds of display technologies that will change what we think of in form factors, both in products from Palm with flexible displays, and with HP." In other words, it's entirely within the realm of reason to imagine a bendy webOS device that gingerly sips battery juice -- or stops sipping it altogether -- while you're reading the morning news. We wouldn't expect it any time soon, of course, but it's encouraging to hear a conservative industry behemoth like HP start to talk like this. In the meantime, can we just get a new Pre, guys?

HP's McKinney hints that a flexible display Palm device could happen originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 12 Jul 2010 13:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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