Tuesday, October 05, 2010

The 3D Sound System With 62 Channels is the Death Star of Audio [Audio]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5655812/the-3d-sound-system-with-62-channels-is-the-death-star-of-audio

The 3D Sound System With 62 Channels is the Death Star of AudioThis isn't a Death Star model to go with your AT-AT. What's lurking behind it is a clue. Have you got it? It's a sound system, only with a twist—it has 62 channels for 3D sound.

It's from the Japanese National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT), a research firm which is responsible for looking after Japan's frequencies and time standards, and also tests marine radar and maritime safety systems. Amongst doing all those important deeds, they've obviously found the time to jump upon the 3D wagon, with this sound system that is the first of its kind in the world today.

With 62 channels, the sound is meant to be a full replica of the original audio, so you genuinely feel that the singer is right there in the room with you. In 3D. It's being shown off at CEATEC this week, and while it's unlikely to go on sale (especially outside of Japan) it's fascinating to see what technology is capable of. Don't stop at 62 next time, NICT. [NICT via Akihabara News]

The 3D Sound System With 62 Channels is the Death Star of Audio

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Virgin Mobile rolls out Android-based Samsung Intercept: $249 prepaid

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/10/04/virgin-mobile-rolls-out-android-based-samsung-intercept-249-pr/

Not much of a surprise here, but Virgin Mobile has just officially announced that it's now offering the Samsung Intercept -- the carrier's first Android handset. Running a reasonable $249 prepaid -- and exclusive to Target for the next few weeks -- the phone boasts a 3.2-inch capacitive touchscreen, a sliding QWERTY keypad, a 3.2-megapixel camera, and all the basic Android amenities you'd expect (it's shipping with Android 2.1). Of course, that $249 is quite a bit higher than the $99 it demands on-contract on Sprint, but Virgin promises you'll save 25 percent or more in the long-run if you pair the phone with one of its prepaid plans, which run between $25 and $60 per month. Hit up the gallery below for a couple of bigger images, and head on past the break for the full press release.

Continue reading Virgin Mob! ile roll s out Android-based Samsung Intercept: $249 prepaid

Virgin Mobile rolls out Android-based Samsung Intercept: $249 prepaid originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 04 Oct 2010 16:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Marvell shows OLPC some serious love with a $5.6 million grant for XO-3 tablet

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/10/04/marvell-shows-olpc-serious-love-with-a-5-6-million-grant-to-dev/

Marvell and One Laptop Per Child's close partnership has been no secret, but according to Xconomy, Marvell's about to put a whole lot more green into the XO. The semiconductor company is forking over $5.6 million to fund the creation of the next gen XO-3 tablet, and according to OLPC founder and former Engadget Show guest Nicholas Negroponte, it's still slated for a 2012 release. Obviously, the tablet will be based on Marvell's SoC -- though, there's no telling which version of Armada will be up for grabs by then. Additionally, Marvell and OLPC will be showing another tablet at CES, but this one is apparently for children of the developed world and won't carry OLPC's brand. Our guess is that it'll be something closer to the Android-running Moby than to the plastic, bendable, Pixel Qi-equipped XO-3. It's all sounding rather confusing to us, but hey, at least the kids won't have a shortage of tablets to choose from.

Marvell shows OLPC some serious love with a $5.6 million grant for XO-3 tablet originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 04 Oct 2010 19:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ASUS O!Play HD2 finally launching this week

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/10/04/asus-o-play-hd2-finally-launching-this-week/

It was back in March that we last heard about / saw ASUS's O!Play HD2, so it's totally understandable that you've completely forgotten about the sleek-looking multimedia server. But don't you worry, it's back now and ready to make sure you never forget that it is the "world's first USB 3.0 multimedia center." Launching this week in the UK for £109 and in the US on October 25 for $129.99, the O!Play HD2 is a lot like the previous O!Play Air HD with its streaming capabilities and 1080p support, but it's been updated with a USB 3.0 port for speedy HD movie transfers, a slot for a 3.5-inch hard drive, and an iPhone remote control. With support of tons of video / audio formats it'll probably be a solid alternative to the streaming-only boxes, but we'll wait on the reviews to make a call on that one. Hit that read more button for a full rundown of the specs and a flowery press release.

Continue reading ASUS O!Play HD2 finally launching this week

ASUS O!Play HD2 finally launching this week originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 04 Oct 2010 21:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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AMIMON crams 1080p streaming into its WHDI Stick, your laptop might have a new BFF

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/10/05/amimon-crams-1080p-wireless-streaming-into-its-whdi-stick-has-t/

We can't say there's been a shortage of WHDI-enabled laptop-to-TV streaming solutions in the last few months -- ASUS has its WiCast, HP its Wireless TV and BriteView its HDelight -- but we've got one major complaint about them all: the large size of the transmitter. As you've probably heard us whine about before, each of those products requires a fairly chunky box be attached to the laptop itself via both HDMI and USB. But it's looking like it won't be that way for too long -- AMIMON, the company behind that WHDI technology, has engineered the WHDI Stick. The picture above is a clear sign of its prototype status, but the company's created the 3.2 x 1.2 x .61-inch device to really let the world, or at least manufacturers, know that it's shrunk down the package, but hasn't messed with the features -- it can still stream uncompressed 1080p/60Hz HD from a laptop to an HDTV with minimal (less than one millisecond) latency. We're planning to check it out in action at CEATEC this week, but AMIMON doesn't expect products based on the prototype to hit the market until the end of Q1 2011. Hit the break for the press release and the gallery below for some more pictures of the Stick.

Gallery: WHDI Stick

Continue reading AMIMON crams 1080p streaming into its WHDI Stick, your laptop might have a new BFF

AMIMON crams 1080p streaming into its WHDI Stick, your laptop might have a new BFF originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 05 Oct 2010 00:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fujitsu dual-touchscreen concept phone hands-on

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/10/05/fujitsu-dual-touchscreen-concept-phone-hands-on/

Back at Mobile World Congress in February, the mobile UI gurus at TAT showed off their interpretation of a dual-screen phone interface using TI's powerhouse OMAP4 testbed. Seemed a little pie-in-the-sky at the time, but frankly, the concept device being shown off by Fujtisu at CEATEC this week -- created with TAT's involvement, it turns out -- seems virtually ready for production. Or the hardware did, anyway; the software was spartan by comparison, obviously designed to call out a few key use cases where having two giant, glorious 960 x 480 displays right next to each other might come in handy. We were shown browser and email list scrolling across both displays -- boring, if not obvious -- but what really piqued our interest was a cool photo sharing feature whereby you fling photos you want to share from a gallery on the bottom display to a list of contacts on the top one -- very TAT, if we do say so ourselves. Both displays can be rotated between portrait and landscape, creating either a nicely-sized clamshell or a gigantic flip, not an uncommon shape among Japanese phones. Indeed, given the form factor, the entirely-Japanese interface, and Fujitsu's history, we're sure this was designed entirely with the Japanese domestic market in mind -- and we wouldn't be at all surprised to see it show up in a retail capacity there within a year or so. Follow the break for video.

Continue reading Fujitsu dual-touchscreen concept phone hands-on

Fujitsu dual-touchscreen concept phone hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 05 Oct 2010 00:52:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Data Robotics debuts 8-bay DroboPro FS with automatic offsite backup option

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/10/05/data-robotics-debuts-8-bay-drobopro-fs-with-automatic-offsite-ba/

It was inevitable, really. First comes the business-oriented DroboPro, then comes the network-savvy Drobo FS. Mash the two together, and out pops the DroboPro FS. Design wise, it's the same 3U form factor that DroboPro users will recognize, but internally, Data Robotics has bumped the CPU speed from 800MHz in the Drobo FS to 1GHz here. There are eight total bays within, and a pair of gigabit Ethernet jacks around back; by default, the second port is used to connect to a different subnet (possibly for offsite file replication), while users can opt for a protection mode during setup if they'd rather it act as a fail-safe (in case the primary port kicks the bucket). More important than all of that, though, is the new Drobo Sync feature, which will be exclusive to the DroboPro FS for at least the time being. During setup, users simply input the IP address of another DroboPro FS; once that's plugged in, they can schedule automatic offsite backups as often as each hour or as infrequently as once per day.

Here's the thing: this automatic offsite sync only works with a pair of DroboPro FS devices, so you'll need to pick up two from the start and have 'em shipped to different addresses if you're interested in taking advantage. The good news, however, is that an intelligent syncing system specifically scans for minute file changes, so if you only change two cells in a 105MB Excel chart, only a few chunks of data will have to fly over your network rather than resending and overwriting the entire 105MB file. As for pricing? Given that these are meant for small biz, it's up there -- the empty base unit goes for $1,999, while at 8TB model (2TB x 4) lists for $2,699 and a 16TB behemoth (2TB x 8) sells for $3,299. The company also has plans to sell a two-device bundle (8TB units) for $6,399, aiming this at folks who want an offsite solution from the get-go. The box itself is available today from CDW, B&H and a few other e-tailers, and even if you're not feeling spendy, you can hit that More Coverage link for a chance to win yourself a gratis Drobo FS. It's a win-win, we tell ya.

Continue reading Data Robotics debuts 8-bay DroboPro FS with automatic offsite backup option

Data Robotics debuts 8-bay DroboPro FS with automatic offsite backup option originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 05 Oct 2010 01:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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TDK's see-through and curved OLED display eyes-on (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/10/05/tdks-see-through-and-curved-oled-display-eyes-on/

Remember the Sony Ericsson Xperia Pureness? At a list price of $1,000, it'd be hard to forget -- but with a monochrome see-through display, the whole transparency thing was little more than a novelty on a phone that served little practical purpose. TDK might have the solution with its new transparent QVGA OLEDs, available now to manufacturers in monochrome and in a lovely color variant by the end of the year. At two inches, they offer 200ppi pixel density and are more secure than you might think: the light only shines in one direction, so you actually can't see any data from the back even though you can still see through the display. At a glance, the display's didn't seem as vibrant as the best AMOLEDs on the market, but then again, these are passive matrix -- and you can really tell in our videos after the break where the refresh scans stand out. Guess that's the price you pay for transparency, right? We've also got some video of the 3.5-inch flexible OLED screens TDK's got on hand; they're not transparent, but considering the long, narrow resolution, we can't help but think they'd make for amazing wristwatches (or high-tech glowstick replacements at raves).

Continue reading TDK's see-through and curved OLED display eyes-on (video)

TDK's see-through and curved OLED display eyes-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 05 Oct 2010 02:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hitachi intros Travelstar 5K750 and 7K750 mobile hard drives: 750GB at 9.5mm

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/10/05/hitachi-intros-travelstar-5k750-and-7k750-mobile-hard-drives-75/

It's a common story, really. Your puny 120GB mobile hard drive has been overflowing for months, and you've been waiting for what feels like an eternity for an affordable, capacious SSD. It's about time to give up the fantasy and get real, and thankfully Hitachi GST is making said pill a touch easier to swallow. The company's new Travelstar 5K750 (5400RPM; 8MB buffer) and 7K750 (7200RPM; 16MB buffer) have been announced this morning, and they're the company's first to feature Advanced Format. In other news, they're also the industry's largest drives in a standard-height form factor, cramming up to 750GB (375GB per platter) into a conventional 9.5mm shell that'll slip into just about any laptop made in the last decade. Yeah, WD managed to stuff 1TB into a laptop drive earlier in the year, but you'll need a machine that's beefy enough to handle a 12mm height drive in order to take advantage. At any rate, the drives will also be available in 500GB and 640GB sizes for those who can't handle three-quarters of a terabyte, and while the 5K750 family is already shipping in volume with a starting tag of $129.99, the speedier 7K750 crew won't be out until Q1 2011.

Continue reading Hitachi intros Travelstar 5K750 and 7K750 mobile hard drives: 750GB at 9.5mm

Hitachi intros Travelstar 5K750 and 7K750 mobile hard drives: 750GB at 9.5mm originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 05 Oct 2010 03:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for! use of feeds.

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Skype app arrives in Android Market, WiFi-only in the US

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/10/05/skype-app-arrives-in-android-market-still-wifi-only/

Finally, at long last, after so much waiting, Skype has made its debut as a full-fledged Android app. There are no Verizon-related limitations anymore, but Android Police reports that calling through the app is only available via WiFi, you can't use your mobile's data connection -- not yet, anyway. Another note they make is that Skype is using quite a few processing cycles to do its job, so much so that it introduced crackling on a call carried out with the EVO. You'll need to have Android 2.1 installed to run this thing, but if you do, why aren't you downloading it already? Let us know how your own 'droid fares in the comments below.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

P.S. -- Skype's press release and video after the break have confirmed that 3G Skype calls will be available to all outside the US. Wow. Also, Skype's acknowledged there are some incompatibilities with Samsung Galaxy S phones and is working to iron those out.

Continue reading Skype app arrives in Android Market, WiFi-only in the US

Skype app arrives in Android Market, WiFi-only in the US originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 05 Oct 2010 05:08:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Qualcomm launches augmented reality SDK in beta form, ready to rock your Android devices

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/10/05/qualcomm-launches-augmented-reality-sdk-in-beta-form-ready-to-r/

By now you would've come across at least a handful of inspiring augmented reality apps (with a few exceptions, perhaps), and if you fancy having a go at coding one yourself, Qualcomm may be able to assist. Today, the giant chip maker is pushing out a beta release of its Android AR SDK, which has produced interesting demos like the digital photo frame concept showcased in London last month, as well as the Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots game pictured above. In fact, Mattel's so confident with the latter app that it's planning on commercializing it, so who knows -- you could be the next Peter Molyneux of the AR scene, or at least a winner of up to $125,000 from Qualcomm's AR Developer Challenge. More details in the press release after the break.

Continue reading Qualcomm launches augmented reality SDK in beta form, ready to rock your Android devices

Qualcomm launches augmented reality SDK in beta form, ready to rock your Android devices originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 05 Oct 2010 06:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gateway intros gorgeous 23-inch FHD2303L monitor, two new FHX LCDs

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/10/05/gateway-intros-gorgeous-23-inch-fhd2303l-monitor-two-new-fhx-lc/

Whoa, Gateway! Go on and get down with your bad self. The gem pictured above goes by FHD2303L, and it's easily one of the sexiest LCD monitors that we've seen in recent memory. The company engineered the 23-incher with a transparent frame and an asymmetrical stand, and much like the glossy-bezel'd FHX2152L (21.5-inch) and FHX2402L (24-inch), it also packs a 12,000,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio, 1920 x 1080 native resolution and a 16:9 aspect ratio. The FHD model boasts a five millisecond response time, while both of the FHX panels check in with a two millisecond response time; the whole crew offers 250 nits of brightness, VGA / DVI outputs and reasonable price tags. How reasonable? Try $249.99, $189.99 and $249.99 in order of mention.

Continue reading Gateway intros gorgeous 23-inch FHD2303L monitor, two new FHX LCDs

Gateway intros gorgeous 23-inch FHD2303L monitor, two new FHX LCDs originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 05 Oct 2010 08:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Monday, October 04, 2010

Internet Dominates Young Adult Media Time

Source: http://feeds.marketingcharts.com/~r/marketingcharts/~3/2qsG8w-u2Io/

American young adults spend more time online than consuming other forms of media, according to [pdf] a new study from Edison Research. Web Time Doubles Radio Time "Radio's Future II: The 2010 American Youth Study" indicates that during an average day, Americans age 12-24 spend two hours and 52 minutes on the internet, making the web the [...]<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/marketingcharts/~4/2qsG8w-u2Io" height="1" width="1"/>

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How to Go Completely Wireless in Your Home [Video]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/xt0HLQ4YWQY/how-to-go-completely-wireless-in-your-home

Whether for aesthetic or practical reasons, most people don't like running wires around their entire home to, say, get online or hook up a home theater. These tips and tricks can help you go wireless in nearly any room in the house. More »


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Sharp's New Japanese Android Phone Has a Retina Display Equivalent [Android]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5655197/sharps-new-japanese-android-phone-has-a-retina-display-equivalent

Sharp's New Japanese Android Phone Has a Retina Display EquivalentSharp's new IS03 Android handset has a 960 x 640, 3.5" screen, putting it toe to toe with the iPhone 4's super crisp Retina Display. Oh, and then there's the 9.6MP camera and the TV tuner.

The IS03 employs an Advanced Super View display in lieu of IPS for keeping things visible from all angles, and its 9.6MP camera has autofocus and image stabilization. The 1seg TV tuner and Osaifu-Keitai contactless payment system are just the icing on the cake. It'll be available on Japan's KDDI au network soon, but hopefully the rest of the world will be able to feast their retinas on the display sometime in the future. [Engadget]

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