Sharp LE830 series HDTVs now shipping: edge-lit LED, WiFi, no 3D

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/24/sharp-le820-series-hdtvs-now-shipping-edge-lit-led-wifi-no-3d/

Add another to your list of new HDTVs to keep an eye out for, as Sharp has announced its new LE830 series LCDs are shipping this month from its 10th generation plant. This lineup doesn't include any slick 3D features or the size of its 70-inch behemoth from CES, but they are embued with Quattron quad pixel tech, 120Hz refresh rates, edge LED lighting and built in WiFi. The jury's still out about whether the extra yellow pixel is a positive influence, but included wireless internet access is unfortunately still not a given for all new HDTVs and it will come in handy if you plan to use the included Netflix, Vudu and CinemaNow movie streaming apps. The line ranges in size from 40- to 60-inches, and the MSRPs are between $1,299 and $2,799. Check after the break for the rest of the details and price breakdown, plus a video of their CES presentation.

Continue reading Sharp LE830 series HDTVs now shipping: edge-lit LED, WiFi, no 3D

Sharp LE830 series HDTVs now shipping: edge-lit LED, WiFi, no 3D originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 Mar 2011 04:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Microsoft application creates 3D model using a cellphone, blows our minds

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/24/microsoft-application-creates-3d-model-using-a-cellphone-blows/

Using your smartphone to take regular, or heck, even 3D images, is so last-gen -- thanks to Microsoft's Interactive Visual Media Group, we shall soon be able to use its new app to generate virtual 3D models. For example, if you want to capture that Ferrari on your neighbor's driveway, you'll need to circumambulate it while shooting around 40 photos. The final product, which is compiled using some beefed up PhotoSynth magic as each shot is uploaded to the cloud, is a beautifully crafted 3D model that can be panned around surprisingly smoothly. Hit the source link to feast your eyes on Redmond's new trick.

Microsoft application creates 3D model using a cellphone, blows our minds originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 Mar 2011 08:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NVIDIA's dual-GPU GeForce GTX 590 emerges, can't slay the Radeon HD 6990 titan

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/24/nvidias-dual-gpu-geforce-gtx-590-emerges-cant-slay-the-radeon/

1,024 total CUDA cores, 94 ROPs, and 3GB of GDDR5 RAM on board. Yup, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 590 is indeed a pair of GTX 580 chips spliced together, however power constraints have meant that each of those chips is running at a tamer pace that their single-card variant. The core clock speed is down to 607MHz, shaders are only doing 1.2GHz, and the memory clocks in at 3.4GHz. Still, there's a ton of grunt under that oversized shroud and reviewers have put it to the test against AMD's incumbent single-card performance leader, the Radeon HD 6990. Just like the GTX 590, it sports a pair of AMD's finest GPUs and costs a wallet-eviscerating $699. Alas, after much benchmarking, testing, and staring at extremely beautiful graphics, the conclusion was that AMD retains its title. But only just. And, as Tech Report points out, the GTX 590 has a remarkably quiet cooler for a heavy duty pixel pusher of its kind. Dive into the reviews below to learn more, or check the new card out on video after the break.

Read - AnandTech
Read - HardOCP
Read - Tech Report
Read - PC Perspective
Read - Guru 3D
Read - X-bit labs
Read - techPowerUp!
Read - TechSpot

Continue reading NVIDIA's dual-GPU GeForce GTX 590 emerges, can't slay the Radeon HD 6990 titan

NVIDIA's dual-GPU GeForce GTX 590 emerges, can't slay the Radeon HD 6990 titan originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 Mar 2011 09:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Getupp Helps You Stick to Your Goals by Notifying Your Friends If You Fail [Webapp]

Source: http://lifehacker.com/#!5783788/getupp-helps-you-stick-to-your-goals-by-making-your-friends-confirm-your-actions

Getupp is a neat webapp that helps you set your goals and share them publicly so you're held accountable to the world. To make sure keep your commitments, Getupp can notify your Facebook friends if you break a commitment so you can be sure everyone will find out that you're a slacker.

Making a commitment is very easy. Getupp uses Facebook to authenticate you, as it's a Facebook-based app, and from there you just choose your category, enter in what you're going to do, when you need to do it, how flexible that due date is, and how public you want your commitment to be. You don't have to alert everybody of your success or failure each time, but it is an option to help keep you accountable. If public humiliation is a big motivator for you—and it is a popular and successful method lately—Getupp is a free and easy option.

UPDATE: You can also grab the free iPhone app. It uses location-based services to keep track of where you are so it'll know when you're headed to the gym, for example, to meet your commitment to run (or not).

Getupp

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You can follow Adam Dachis, the author of this post, on Twitter and Facebook.  If you'd like to contact him, Twitter is the most effective means of doing so.

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Chrome 11 Arrives in Beta with Speech Input and New Icon [Updates]

Source: http://lifehacker.com/#!5784771/chrome-11-arrives-in-beta-with-speech-input-and-new-icon

Windows/Mac/Linux: Chrome 11 has made its way to the Beta release of Chrome, bringing with it an HTML5-powered speech input ability (which you can test out here), GPU-powered 3D CSS rendering, and, most immediately noticeable, the new, flatter Chrome icon. Chrome 11 is due to hit the Stable release relatively soon, given how quickly it moved into Beta. [Chrome Releases Blog via TechCrunch]

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