Dr. Augustine Fou's Online Scrapbook

Wednesday, April 06, 2011

Apple granted patent for a 'reduced size multi-pin connector,' namedrops USB 3.0 and DisplayPort

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/06/apple-granted-patent-for-a-reduced-size-multi-pin-connector-n/

Apple has just collected the US Patent Office's approval to add another to its vast hoard of patents. This one, numero 7,918,689 in the USPTO annals, describes a multi-pin male plug connector and a corresponding female receptacle, with the innovation being a reduction in size thanks to a single row of contacts. You can think of it as Apple's next generation of 30-pin connectors, or rather the next generation as the company envisioned it back in late 2008, the date of filing for this document. Back then, while the age of the click wheel was still upon us, Apple wanted to transfer USB 3.0 and DisplayPort signals over its newfangled plug, aspirations that were codified in claim 11 of its patent. We may now be a solid 30 or so months removed from that doc hitting the Patent Office's inbox, but the desire to have advanced data transfer tech integrated straight into the company's proprietary connectors is unlikely to have withered. Would it be a stretch to expect Apple's now working on a similar solution for the Thunderbolt interconnect -- whose plug looks identical to the one used for DisplayPort -- that is presently gracing its MacBook Pro line?

Gallery: Apple patent: Reduced Size Multi-pin Male Plug Connector

Apple granted patent for a 'reduced size multi-pin connector,' namedrops USB 3.0 and DisplayPort originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 06 Apr 2011 03:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MacRumors, Patently Apple | source

source

USPTO | Email this | Comments

Isis NFC payment system gets its first market in Salt Lake City, Utah, launches in 2012

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/06/isis-nfc-payment-system-gets-its-first-market-in-salt-lake-city/

Like 3D on high-end HDTVs, NFC-based payment systems seem set to invade our mobile lives whether we like them or not. Isis, a collaborative venture between AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon and a bunch of banking big timers, has today announced the first market for its rollout of a contactless payment scheme, and it's none other than Salt Lake City, Utah. That'll surely raise eyebrows in locales that may consider themselves more tech-savvy, but we reckon starting off with a city of a smaller scale might be good for getting this "mobile wallet" system off the ground. And then there's the added benefit of Isis snagging a deal to enable compatibility with the entire Utah Transit Authority footprint. If all plans are executed properly, that should mean that by summer 2012 the good people of SLC will be able to NFC their way around town with just their smartphone in hand, while also swiping it through checkouts like some form of highly advanced techno-humans.

Continue reading Isis NFC payment system gets its first market in Salt Lake City, Utah, launches in 2012

Isis NFC payment system gets its first market in Salt Lake City, Utah, launches in 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 06 Apr 2011 04:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | | Email this | Comments

Tuesday, April 05, 2011

Cisco Linksys E4200 is the "Only 3x3 Router Available in the Market Today" [Routers]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/#!5788992/cisco-linksys-e4200-is-the-only-3x3-router-available-in-the-market-today

Four new Linksys wireless-N routers have come out of Cisco's flaps today, with the E4200 being the star player in the E-series range. It's not just a router, though—this one also works as a media server with a dedicated channel for streaming videos and other media on the same network.

It has simultaneous dual-band technology, with speeds up to 300Mbps, and four ethernet ports and a USB port as well. On sale today, it's $180. [Cisco via ZDNet]

This USB Cartridge Could Turn Your Analog Camera Digital [Desired]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/#!5788882/this-usb-cartridge-could-turn-your-analog-camera-digital

Photographers who want to go digital but can't bring themselves to get rid of their analog cameras have something to lust for. RE35 understands your plight and has come up with a digital cartridge than fits into any 35mm camera.

The RE-35 cartridge has a pull-out sensor, instead of film, that records your images in the cartridge's built-in memory. The cartridge connects to your PC or Mac via USB so you can transfer images and charge the cartridge.

It's supposed to ship in the fall in 4, 8 and 12-megapixel sizes. Let's just hope this isn't some elaborate leftover April Fool's joke. [RE35 via PopSci]

Toshiba's P770 and P775 3D Satellite laptops do 120Hz on the go

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/04/toshibas-p770-and-p775-3d-satellite-laptops-do-120hz-on-the-go/

Toshiba's P770 and P775 3D Satellite laptops do 120Hz on the go

Toshiba's 3D monocle may have been a joke, but what you're looking at above is not. It's one of the latest additions to its 3D Satellite lineup, now growing to include the P770 and P775 3D. Both include massive 18.4-inch displays that clock in at 120Hz, enabling use of NVIDIA active-shutter glasses -- which you'll have to find a spot for in your laptop bag. Dual webcams in the bezel let you add a little depth to your video calls, while the HDMI output can manage depth-enabled content too. There's a re-writeable Blu-ray drive and what's sure to be a massive price tag to match, though that part has yet to be confirmed by Toshiba. We don't have a release date just yet either.

Toshiba's P770 and P775 3D Satellite laptops do 120Hz on the go originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 04 Apr 2011 15:18:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | source

source

Notebook Italia | Email this | Comments

AT&T and Verizon join National Clear Fleet Program, thumb their noses at petrol

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/04/atandt-and-verizon-join-national-clear-fleet-program-thumb-their/

Thought the Prez was just kidding about those alternative fuel initiatives? Think again. Just hours after stating that the US government fleet would be 100 percent alternative fuel, hybrid, or electric vehicles by 2015, Obama has announced the National Clean Fleets Partnership, an initiative of the Department's Clean Cities program. It's a rather unique public-private partnership, and it'll be assisting large companies to "reduce diesel and gasoline use in their fleets by incorporating electric vehicles, alternative fuels, and fuel-saving measures into their operations." A handful of Charter members have made themselves known, with AT&T, Verizon, FedEx, Pepsi-Co and UPS all committed to deploying over 20,000 advanced technology vehicles in the years to come -- an effort that should save over seven million gallons of fuel per year. Ma Bell in particular will be replacing over 15,000 rides with 7,000 hybrids and 8,000 compressed natural gas vehicles during the next decade, while Verizon looks to use a raft of cars (er, vans) that rely on biodiesel and ethanol. Whether or not such a program leads to the installation of more EV charging stations remains to be seen, but if it's good enough for Brown, surely it'll be good enough for your future Tesla. Vid's after the break, kiddos.

Continue reading AT&T and Verizon join National Clear Fleet Program, thumb their noses at petrol

AT&T and Verizon join National Clear Fleet Program, thumb their noses at petrol originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 04 Apr 2011 15:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | source

source

DOE Blog | Email this | Comments

Sprint says its NFC-based payment service will launch this year, beat other carriers to the cash register

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/04/sprint-says-its-nfc-based-payment-service-will-launch-this-year-beat-ot/

AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon may have all lined up to support the so-called Isis mobile payment system for cellphones, but Sprint has decided to go it alone for various reasons, and it's now saying it plans to beat the others to market. As Bloomberg reports, Sprint is already working with payment networks and handset makers on its own NFC-based system, and it says it plans to roll out the service sometime this year, while Isis has previously stated that it only expects to be ready in 2012. While details are otherwise still fairly light, Sprint says that customers will be able to have purchases billed to their regular credit card statements rather than their phone bill, and that it will rely on alternatives to taking a percentage each transaction for itself as Isis plans to do. Of course, while this is Sprint's latest move in the space, it's far from its first -- in fact, it's been running NFC trials as far back as 2007.

[Thanks, Carl]

Sprint says its NFC-based payment service will launch this year, beat other carriers to the cash register originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 04 Apr 2011 18:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | source

source

Bloomberg | Email this | Comments

Nicholas Callaway shifts paper-based empire to app, prays the publishing gods approve

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/04/nicholas-callaway-shifts-paper-based-empire-to-app-prays-the-pu/

If you've found yourself even mildly obsessed with style, art or design over the past score, there's a better-than-average chance you've got a Nicholas Callaway book on your coffee table. And it'll soon be a collector's item. The publishing monolith made his fortunes in the pages of ye old paper-based books, but it seems that he'll be paying off future mortgages with something else entirely. In a recent sit-down with Reuters, Callaway confessed to "betting the ranch" on apps, quietly stroking the capacitive touchpanel on his iPad and gazing fondly into the middle distance. For him, this is a "once in a century" revolution, where an entire industry hits a fork and is forced to continue on with an entirely new medium. Of course, Callaway is far from the only one making this shift -- we've seen legendary newspapers make similar moves, and as e-book stores continue to grow in prominence, it's a given that paperbacks will eventually give way to whatever's next. Hit the source link for the longest, most in-depth dive you'd ever dream of taking into this here topic.

Nicholas Callaway shifts paper-based empire to app, prays the publishing gods approve originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 04 Apr 2011 19:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | source

source

Reuters | Email this | Comments

Lensbaby tempts the serious crowd with Composer Pro lens peripheral

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/04/lensbaby-tempts-the-serious-crowd-with-composer-pro-lens-periphe/

We've been big fans of Lensbaby for quite some time, but up until now, its wares weren't exactly ideal for the professional crowd. It seems that the company's angling to change that with its latest release, the duly-named Composer Pro. For all intents and purposes, this is a fresh take on the existing Composer, with an upgraded swivel ball / focus mechanism that delivers smoother focus and tilt control to those who need it to make ends meet. In case you're wondering, the Pro is compatible with the Lensbaby Optic Swap System, and it'll ship with either the Double Glass Optic ($300 for the bundle) or the new Sweet 35 Optic ($400) installed. Head on past the break for the full breakdown of specifications, and look for this one to ship momentarily from your fav-o-rite e-tailer.

Continue reading Lensbaby tempts the serious crowd with Composer Pro lens peripheral

Lensbaby tempts the serious crowd with Composer Pro lens peripheral originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 04 Apr 2011 20:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | source

source

Lensbaby | Email this | Comments

Nikon D5100 and ME-1 external mic coming April 21st, we go hands-on (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/05/nikon-d5100-and-me-1-external-mic-coming-april-21st-we-go-hands/

Okay, so Nikon kind of spoiled the surprise with this one, but we can now enlighten you with the full details of its upcoming midrange (or "advanced beginner" as Nikon calls it) DSLR refresh. The D5100 takes the spot of the venerable D5000, but follows the previous generation's recipe for success pretty closely. The D5000 was a stripped-down D90 in a simpler, smaller package that came with an articulating LCD, and the D5100 just so happens to feature the same mighty 16.2 megapixel sensor as the D7000 (Nikon's current high-end consumer DSLR) augmented with a flipout screen. Having the D7000's internals helps the new shooter churn out 1080p video at 24fps, 25fps, or 30fps, depending on your preference for up to a maximum of 20 minutes. The D5000 is only capable of five-minute bursts of 720/24p video and isn't able to continually autofocus, which the D5100 can. The D5100 also betters its predecessor in terms of physical fitness, coming in at a healthy 10 percent lighter and smaller, while a good number of the physical controls have been repositioned in order to allow for a new horizontal opening mechanism. That'll be a well appreciated tweak for tripod users. The new screen's also 17 percent thinner, we're told, and steps up to a 3-inch diagonal with a 920k-dot resolution. Solid stuff. After the break you'll find a full spec sheet along with some video action with the D5100. Pricing for this camera is set at $800 / €777 / £670 for the body only or $900 / €904 / £780 for the body plus an 18-55mm VR kit lens. The ME-1 external mic introduced alongside it -- did we not mention the D5100 has an external mic ! input -- will cost $180 / €139 / £120 and both are expected in stores on April 21st.

Gallery: Nikon D5100 DSLR and ME-1 external mic hands-on

Gallery: Nikon D5100 DSLR and ME-1 external mic

Gallery: Nikon D5100 vs Nikon D5000

Continue reading Nikon D5100 and ME-1 external mic coming April 21st, we go hands-on (video)

Nikon D5100 and ME-1 external mic coming April 21st, we go hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 05 Apr 2011 00:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | | Email th! is&n bsp;| Comments

Nokia T7-00 surfaces again, looks like N8 redux

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/05/nokia-t7-00-surfaces-again-looks-like-n8-redux/

This isn't our first encounter with the Nokia T7-00, but this time around we're getting a whole bunch more info thanks to some detailed pics leaked by PCPop. In a nutshell, the T7-00 appears to be a downgraded version of Nokia's N8 imaging flagship for the Chinese market. The phone is identical to the N8 in appearance, except for the missing camera pod in the back. Gone is the phenomenal 12 megapixel autofocus Zeiss shooter with xenon flash -- instead, you'll find an 8 megapixel camera (likely EDoF, like its E7 and C7 cousins) with dual-LED flash mounted flush with the body. In addition, the micro-USB connector finds a new home behind the plastic door that normally conceals the mini-HDMI port on the N8. Under the hood, the existing pentaband 3G radio gives way to China's proprietary TD-SCDMA standard, and the ARM 11 processor gets a 20MHz speed bump to 700MHz. Considering the vast numbers of mobile subscribers in China, the T7-00 is sure to help Nokia reach its goal of selling 150 million Symbian devices in the next few years. Follow the source link below for the complete set of pictures.

Nokia T7-00 surfaces again, looks like N8 redux originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 05 Apr 2011 01:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

IntoMobile, Engadget Spanish | source

source

PCPop | Email this | Comments

AMD ships 32nm quad-core Llano APU, expects systems 'later this quarter'

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/05/amd-ships-32nm-quad-core-llano-apu-expects-systems-later-this/

Whoa, Nelly! AMD, a company that has struggled to nail its ship dates in years past, has just pulled the ultimate 180. If you'll recall, we heard last month that its quad-core Llano APU was on track for a Q3 2011 release, but now, we've word straight from the equine's mouth that the action will be going down far sooner. In fact, AMD's Singapore plant just celebrated the first shipment of the company's 32nm Llano A-series APUs, complete with discrete-level graphics and a promise to change the way we think about netbook / nettop / ultraportable performance. Of course, just because these chips are headed out to OEM partners doesn't mean that they'll be gracing the pages of your favorite PC maker tomorrow; Chief Financial Officer and Interim CEO Thomas Seifert notes that AMD is looking forward to seeing Llano-based machines during this quarter, but given that Q2 just got going, we may be waiting awhile still. Nothing like a little Zacate to tide you over in the meantime, right?

Continue reading AMD ships 32nm quad-core Llano APU, expects systems 'later this quarter'

AMD ships 32nm quad-core Llano APU, expects systems 'later this quarter' originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 05 Apr 2011 02:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Hot Hardware | source

source

AMD | Email this | Comments

Radeon HD 6790 sneaks in at under $150, leaves reviewers wanting more for the money

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/05/radeon-hd-6790-sneaks-in-at-under-150-leaves-reviewers-wanting/

As sure as snow in winter or sun in summer, AMD has yet another refresh to its graphics card portfolio this spring. The Radeon HD 6790 is only a couple of misplaced digits away from the far more illustrious HD 6970, but you should be able to tell the two apart by another, altogether more significant spec: the new mid-tier card retails at $149. Predictably, its performance offers no threat to AMD's single-GPU flagship, but the 6790's 840MHz graphics and shader clock speeds plus 1GB of GDDR5 running at an effective 4.2GHz data rate don't seem like anything to sniff at either. Reviewers agreed that it's AMD's slightly delayed answer to NVIDIA's GTX 460, and with the latter card exiting retail availability to make room for the (oddly enough) less powerful GTX 550 Ti, AMD's new solution looks set to be the better choice at the shared $149 price point. Alas, being limited to 800 Stream processors and 16 ROPs does expose the HD 6790 to being cannibalized by AMD's own Radeon HD 6850 (which can be had for sub-$150 if you're tolerant of rebates) and that turns out to be exactly what happens. A solid card, then, but one that would require an even lower price dip to make economic sense. Benchmarks await below.

Read - Tech Report
Read - AnandTech
Read - Tom's Hardware
Read - PC Perspective

Radeon HD 6790 sneaks in at under $150, leaves reviewers wanting more for the money originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 05 Apr 2011 02:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | | Email this | Comments

Thinkflood intros RedEye Pro networked home automation controller

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/05/thinkflood-intros-redeye-pro-networked-home-automation-controlle/

Talk about slamming down on the left of the wheel. Quite frankly, we haven't seen a veering this drastic since ZeeVee decided to shelve its consumer plans in favor of more professionally oriented wares, but we're willing to give Thinkflood the benefit of the doubt here. The same folks made famous for their IR-beaming iPhone remote dongle have just come forward with something completely out of the ordinary -- the RedEye Pro. The company claims that this newfangled A/V accessory works exactly like the original, attaching to one's home network in order to control a gaggle of devices. Everything from your iPhone to your PC can be dictated, and with eight dual-purpose 3.5mm infrared emitter / contact closure sensor ports, all but the hugest of mansions should be taken care of. We're guessing that the install is only for the brave (and the jobless, given the time away from work that you'll need), but it certainly sounds like an appealing option for those who've grown tired of getting up to activate their HVAC unit. Oh, and if you're curious about the original RedEye, you'll be pleased to know that Thinkflood just shot out the gen2 today; it'll retail at $199 and offering a newly added IR-out port for those who keep their components in a cabinet or rack. Details galore in the source links below.

Continue reading Thinkflood intros RedEye Pro networked home automation controller

Thinkflood intros RedEye Pro networked home automation control! ler originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 05 Apr 2011 06:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | source

source

Thinkflood (1), (2) | Email this | Comments

GoPro ships $200 3D Hero expansion kit, acquires CineForm in its spare time

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/05/gopro-ships-200-3d-hero-expansion-kit-acquires-cineform-in-its/

Remember that 3D Hero expansion kit we ogled back at CES? How would you forget is likely the superior question. At any rate, GoPro has just announced the general availability of that very module, with $99.99 getting you a waterproof 3D expansion kit for the insanely popular HD Hero camera. For those who've forgotten, the kit allows a pair of 1080p lenses to form a single 1080p 3D camera, and it's waterproof to 180 feet, too. In related news, it seems as if GoPro has also taken this opportunity to snap up CineForm, and it's wasting no time in putting the outfit's compression and workﬂow technology to good use. Customers can surf over to to GoPro's website in order to suck down a gratis copy of CinaForm Studio, which makes it easier on 3D shooters to create, watch and share their three-dee imagery. The app also converts 2D material into 3D H.264 files, and for the price mentioned here, it ain't a half bad inclusion. PR's after the break, if you're so inclined to visit.

Continue reading GoPro ships $200 3D Hero expansion kit, acquires CineForm in its spare time

GoPro ships $200 3D Hero expansion kit, acquires CineForm in its spare time originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 05 Apr 2011 06:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink ! | source

source

GoPro | Email this | Comments

Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)