Wednesday, August 04, 2010

Apple Allows iTunes Streaming to iPhone With iDisk [ITunes]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5604272/apple-allows-itunes-streaming-to-iphone-with-idisk

Apple Allows iTunes Streaming to iPhone With iDiskWell this was unexpected: Apple has quietly enabled its devices to stream music to iPhones, iPads, and iPod Touches from online storage through iDisk. It's the very next-best thing to putting iTunes in the cloud. UPDATED:

The new feature was unearthed by Michael Robertson, who also provided the screen shots above showing clearly that iDisk allows both background music streaming and public file sharing among multiple devices at simultaneously. Matt declared iDisk "halfway there" in his lightning review—this seems like as good a second half as any. You've apparently been able to do this with iDisk for a little while, but this is the first time you get backgrounding support.

It's not totally effortless and there are a few limitiations: you need to drag your music files one by one [or whole folders] to iDisk, there's no playlist support, and you're limited to 20GB of storage. That's still a whole lot of songs, but some users may not be able to fit their entire music library. The app itself is free, but you'll need a MobileMe subscription ($100/year) to use it. There's also the tricky question of legality—music companies aren't generally in favor of streaming music without a license, something that may be holding up iTunes Live.

But that's Apple's problem, not yours. The only thing you need to worry about for now is which tracks are hitting your iDisk first, and where you want to play them from.

UPDATE: Sam's been testing this out, and it works like a charm over Wi-Fi and 3G alike, with "decent" audio quality. [Michael Robertson]

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Samsung's PL90 Budget Camera Forgoes Cables With Inbuilt USB Connector [Cameras]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5604302/samsungs-pl90-budget-camera-forgoes-cables-with-inbuilt-usb-connector

Samsung's PL90 Budget Camera Forgoes Cables With Inbuilt USB ConnectorCameras with inbuilt USB connectors are becoming increasingly more common, as manufacturers wake up and realize what the eff they were thinking. The PL90 is one of those fine contraptions, and with a pretty low price, too.

Samsung's cameras aren't up to the standards of Panasonic's or Canon's, but at $150 it's a nice entry-cam. It's got a 12.2MP image sensor, with 4x optical zoom and a 2.7" LCD screen.

Capable of shooting video at 640 x 480 resolution and 15fps, it's got the usual face detection and red-eye fix, along with Objective tracking AF.

On sale in September, it'll cost £130 in the UK, and $150 in the US.

Image Credit: SlashGear

London, UK – August 4, 2010 - Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., a global leader in digital media and digital convergence technologies, today announced the 12.2 mega-pixel PL90 digital camera featuring a built-in USB connector enabling consumers to capture images and connect to a computer on the move without the need for additional wires or cords.

The PL90's integrated USB connector allows content to be shared with friends and family quickly and easily, with the camera's plug and play capabilities, including the Auto-install intelli-studio software, and instant access to any computer via the USB. In addition, users will never have to worry about running out of power with the PL90, as the USB connector also allows consumers to charge the battery without a separate power cord.

"We want consumers to enjoy the entire photographic experience through the PL90, with the ability to capture, connect, and share pictures instantly and even charge on the move," said Steve Mitchell, General Manager, Samsung Digital Imaging. "In this fast-paced world, we understand that our customers need to have these capabilities at their fingertips, and the PL90 puts this power in their hands. The PL90 is further evidence of the continued innovation behind Samsung cameras."

Smart Features

The PL90 features Samsung's new Smart Auto (Still&Movie) technology which enables consumers to capture the perfect picture in virtually any conditions. The intelligent Smart Auto function automatically adjusts the camera's mode to instantly match the shooting environment. Whether the shot is being taken during the day or at night, in portrait or landscape, simply activating the capture button will ensure a beautiful and perfectly tailored image.

The innovative PL90 also features Samsung's Perfect Portrait System which includes several modes to help users take better photos. With the Self Portrait function, users can step out from the behind the camera and know they will be in focus because the camera tracks the subject's face and alerts the user with an audible noise when the subject is in frame. The Face Detection feature automatically detects and recognizes up to twelve different faces simultaneously, ensuring that the faces will be in clear focus, even when the subjects are part of a group photograph. The innovative Beauty Shot function allows users to adjust brightness and face tone, while also reducing flaws on all faces in a photo. The PL90 also incorporates Smile and Blink Detection features which automatically snaps a photo when the subjects are smiling and intelligently detects if the subject's eyes were closed in the shot.

In addition, the PL90 features the intelligent and advanced Smart Album feature. Smart Album enables users to quickly locate pictures without trawling through every individual photograph by automatically managing content on the camera so users can search for images based on the date, time or even colour.

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Sharp to launch glasses-free 3D smartphone with 3D camera globally this year

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/04/sharp-to-launch-glasses-free-3d-smartphone-with-3d-camera-this-y/

Can't say we didn't see this coming. After wooing us with a number of glasses-free 3D displays -- including the one that gives Nintendo 3DS its magic -- and 3D HD cameras for mobile devices, the company has finally laid down the gauntlet. It's promising to release a smartphone with such an autostereoscopic screen and 3D camera, just like we always wanted, before New Year's Day 2011. It certainly wouldn't be the first 3D phone in the market -- Hitachi touted one early last year for Japanese carrier KDDI, and NTT docomo has had a prototype 3D display -- but a Sharp spokeswoman said that this 3D smartphone would be going international. The more the merrier, we say. Now, how about some more details and a pretty picture or two, eh Sharp?

Sharp to launch glasses-free 3D smartphone with 3D camera globally this year originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 04 Aug 2010 01:03:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iPhone 4 unlock available now (update: video!)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/04/iphone-4-unlock-is-now-available/

It's the moment that many of you have been waiting for: the Dev-Team's ultrasn0w carrier unlock for iPhone 4 is out. You'll find version 1.0-1 of ultrasn0w in Cydia on jailbroken devices. If not, just add the repo666.ultrasn0w.com repository. It works for iPhone 4 baseband 01.59 and 3G/3GS basebands 04.26.08, 05.11.07, 05.12.01 and 05.13.04. If none of this makes sense then you've got no reason unlocking your device in the first place, buddy.

Update: No-nonsense video embedded after the break showing how to jailbreak and unlock. Easy peasy. [Thanks, Adam]

Continue reading iPhone 4 unlock available now (update: video!)

iPhone 4 unlock available now (update: video!) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 04 Aug 2010 02:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Clearwire's 4G iSpot brings wireless broadband to Apple devices... and anything else with a WiFi pulse

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/04/clearwires-4g-ispot-brings-wireless-broadband-to-apple-devices/

Check it out, Clearwire has decided to do up an Apple-centric version of its Spot 4G hotspot, so it's quite naturally fashioned it in the shape of a Magic Mouse and stuck an i prefix to the front of the device. Really, there's nothing new or Apple-exclusive that we can see here -- up to eight devices can hook up to this portable 4G emitter via WiFi and the only authentication required is a password. So yes, like a lot of products before it, the iSpot has done the ignoble thing of associating itself with iPhones, iPads and iPod touches just because those devices are considered the cool kids of the digital playground today. Then again, Clearwire might decide to be difficult and refuse to sell you one of those excellent-sounding $25 (pre-tax) a month 4G broadband packages that go with the iSpot if you don't have an i-something else in tow. If you're fancying this curvy little accessory for your mobile gear, it costs $99, but can be had for $29 on sale from Clear today, ahead of an August 10 launch at major retailers.

Continue reading Clearwire's 4G iSpot brings wireless broadband to Apple devices... and anything else with a WiFi pulse

Clearwire's 4G iSpot brings wireless broadband to Apple devices... and anything else with a WiFi pulse originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 04 Aug 2010 03:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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