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Tuesday, February 01, 2011

Clover SunBook offers 'first sunlight ready netbook,' questionable graphic design

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/31/clover-sunbook-offers-first-sunlight-ready-netbook-questionab/

When we first made contact with Clover System's SunBook, it was but a glimmer in Pixel Qi's transflective eye, but today, the little guy is ready to step out on its own. Like Notion Ink's Adam, the "the first sunlight-ready netbook" packs dual lighting displays, allowing you to shut off LCD backlights while under direct sunlight and cut your power consumption in half. You can also leave both functions on for easy indoor-outdoor transitions. It's sporting a 1.66GHz Intel Atom N450 CPU, 1GB of DDR2 RAM, a 10.1-inch display, 1024 x 600 screen resolution, USB 3.0 as well as WiFi and Ethernet capabilities. So basically, it's a perfectly acceptable netbook (on paper, at least) and it's packing a promising display, but we have to admit Clover's marketing for SunBook leaves something to be desired. In fact, if we hadn't seen this thing at CES we'd advise you to proceed with caution. Being that it's got the Pixel Qi seal of approval, however, we'll leave the decision up to you. You can purchase the sunlight-ready netbook for $795 via Clover's website, handily linked below in the source.

Clover SunBook offers 'first sunlight ready netbook,' questionable graphic design originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 31 Jan 2011 23:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Monday, January 31, 2011

Intel briefly shows off Medfield-based smartphone

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/31/intel-briefly-shows-off-medfield-based-smartphone/

Intel promised way back in 2009 that we'd be seeing Medfield-based smartphones in 2011, and it looks like those have now gotten one step closer to reality. While there's unfortunately few details to be had, that's apparently a Medfield-based smartphone of some sort in the hand of Intel's Anand Chandrasekher above, who apparently showed off the phone (possibly a prototype) ever so briefly at the company's sales and marketing conference last week. Could it be a sign of things to come at MWC next month? Maybe, maybe not, but we'll be there to find out.

Intel briefly shows off Medfield-based smartphone originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 31 Jan 2011 11:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SlashGear | source

Maemo.org | Email this | ! ;Comments

Scientists stumble upon bomb-sniffing laser with a boomerang effect

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/31/scientists-stumble-upon-bomb-sniffing-laser-with-a-boomerang-eff/

You might think of a laser as light forced into a single, directed beam, but scientists have recently discovered that if you fire a laser in one direction, the air itself can fire another right back. Using a 226nm UV pump laser, researchers at Princeton University managed to excite oxygen atoms to the point that they emit infrared light along the same channel as the original beam, except this time pointed back where it came from. Since the return beam's chemistry depends on the particles in the air to generate the return beam, the "backward laser" could potentially carry the signature of those particles back to the source and help identify them there. That seems to be the entire goal, in fact -- the project, funded by an Office of Naval Research program on "Sciences Addressing Asymmetric Explosive Threats," hopes that such a laser can ID bombs from a distance by hunting for trace chemicals in the air. Sounds like the perfect addition to our terahertz specs, and one step closer to the tricorder of our dreams.

Scientists stumble upon bomb-sniffing laser with a boomerang effect originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 31 Jan 2011 07:08:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PhysOrg! | source

Princeton University (EurekAlert) | Email this | Comments

Leak: Motorola Atrix 4G's Dock Will Cost Just $60? [Cellphones]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5747567/leak-motorola-atrix-4gs-dock-will-cost-just-60

It looks like our product-of-CES will cost $200 all-in, if leaked retailers' prices are correct. We'd heard last week that the phone itself will cost $150, and now the dock looks like it could be just $60.

This isn't just any old dock, capable of charging your smartphone. It actually connects the Atrix phone to a laptop or computer, running Motorola's apps right there on the other screen. The dock itself has three USB ports for connecting keyboards, mice or external hard drives, plus there's also a microHDMI port.

Intriguingly, the retailer which leaked the dock's price, Fommy.com, has also got a pre-order page up for a more basic dock, for $50.

Supposedly the Atrix 4G will go on sale in February (with the 11th having been bandied about before), so we don't have too long to wait before all these rumored prices are confirmed. [Fommy via WirelessGoodness via Androidandme]

NewerTech adapter turns eSATA into USB 3.0, makes legacy external HDDs feel young again

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/31/newertech-adapter-turns-esata-into-usb-3-0-makes-legacy-externa/

There's a powder-blue USB 3.0 port on the side of your shiny new computer, whispering your name, but you simply can't afford to replace your perfectly good eSATA external hard drive for the sake of compatibility. You could simply resist the urge entirely, but if you have the need for speed, there's a USB 3.0 to eSATA adapter with your name on it, and it just might come in a NewerTech case. Sure, Addonics, Siig and Bytecc sell similar, but as Everything USB points out, NewerTech did the legwork here, benchmarking the cable to be sure it could handle 206.4MB / sec writes and 247MB / sec reads. That's enough to handle most solid state drives, and you should be completely covered when it comes to anything with spinning magnetic plates. You'll find it for $30 this week at the likes of OWC.

Continue reading NewerTech adapter turns eSATA into USB 3.0, makes legacy external HDDs feel young again

NewerTech adapter turns eSATA into USB 3.0, makes legacy external HDDs feel young again originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 31 Jan 2011 01:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Everything USB | source