Dr. Augustine Fou's Online Scrapbook

Monday, June 06, 2011

T-Mobile might launch Samsung Exhibit 4G and Gravity Smart June 22nd?

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/06/t-mobile-might-launch-samsung-exhibit-4g-and-gravity-smart-june/

Millions of schoolchildren may be getting ready for three months of lazy summer days, but T-Mob's just starting to get its hustle on. Samsung's Gingerbread-equipped Exhibit 4G and Froyo-laden Gravity Smart have been officially confirmed for sometime in the month of June, but all is quiet about the exact date. If this leaked screenshot above comes to fruition, though, it means we'll be seeing these two phones hit the shelves on June 22. The Exhibit 4G will tempt us with access to T-Mobile's 21 Mbps HSPA+ network, while the Gravity Smart looks to be a splendid entry-level QWERTY slider. The pricing for either phone is still anybody's guess, but at least the possibilities have been narrowed to $100 or less -- a good idea, since it wouldn't take any sales away from the Sensation 4G if it were any higher.

T-Mobile might launch Samsung Exhibit 4G and Gravity Smart June 22nd? originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 06 Jun 2011 09:14:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | source

TmoNews | Email this | Comments

Sunday, June 05, 2011

Five Best Web Sites for Image Hosting and Photo Sharing [Hive Five]

Source: http://lifehacker.com/5808625/five-best-web-sites-for-image-hosting-and-photo-sharing

When you want a service that will organize your uploaded photos, tag them with the date and location, and then share them out to friends, you have plenty of web services to choose from. Many offer editing tools, and others have huge communities. Here's a look at five of the most popular web sites for robust image hosting.

On Thursday, we asked you which web sites you prefer to manage your photo collections, organize them into galleries, and share them with friends. You weighed in with your suggestions, and we collected the top five. Now we're back to highlight the ones you suggested.

SmugMug

Five Best Web Sites for Image Hosting and Photo Sharing A number of you noted that SmugMug was the ideal photo hosting service for pros – people who really care about their shots. It might have something to do with the unlimited storage for paid users, live customer support, and the elegant and attractive themes and galleries that SmugMug offers. Additionally, SmugMug allows you to quickly share your photos with friends on Facebook and Twitter, mobile apps for iOS and Android, and support for direct uploads from multiple image editing apps.

Picasa

Five Best Web Sites for Image Hosting and Photo Sharing Google's Picasa started off as a small service, but with age and features it grew into a photo hosting and image sharing powerhouse that's free for everyone to use, gives you editing features and gallery management tools, and both a desktop app to keep track of your photos locally and a web app to help you build galleries to share with the web. Picasa integrates with your Google account for sharing, and while it doesn't have mobile apps, you will see your Picasa Web Albums photos on your Android phone.

Photobucket

Five Best Web Sites for Image Hosting and Photo Sharing Photobucket does an amazing job of walking the line between social network and photo hosting service. Photobucket's pride is in its users and the way they can connect to one another, share photos with each other or with the world via Twitter, Facebook, or even on their own sites by embedding their photos directly. Photobucket also has mobile apps for iOS and Android, and now the previously mentioned Snapbucket mobile app that makes snapping photos on your phone a bit more fun.

Facebook

Five Best Web Sites for Image Hosting and Photo Sharing Close to 700 million users couldn't be wrong, could they? Uploading your photos directly to Facebook is easy, and since its photo hosting and gallery management tools are easy to use, they're a great way to get your images in front of the people you want to see them. Plus, you can tag your friends and let them know you uploaded a photo of them, for good or ill. Facebook has mobile apps for virtually every platform, and all of them allow you to post photos. There are no image editing tools, but what it lacks in pro features it makes up for as a social network.

Flickr

Five Best Web Sites for Image Hosting and Photo Sharing Mention image sharing on the web and Flickr will probably be the first site to jump to mind. With a pro account, you can upload as many photos you want and organize them into as many galleries and collections as you choose. It's cheap and almost every photo sharing app supports Flickr uploads. Flickr's competition may have it beat on themes and customizations or mobile apps (Flickr only has official mobile apps for iPhone and Windows Phone 7,) but what it loses it makes up for with an open API and huge community of developers, professional photographers, and photo enthusiasts of all experience levels.

You're seen your favorites, now it's time to vote for the all-out winner.

What's the Best Web Site for Image Hosting and Photo Sharing?customer surveys

This week's honorable mention goes to Windows Live Skydrive, which a few of you mentioned gives users a lot of space for free photo and video sharing. It also connects directly with Microsoft Office and Windows Live Photo Gallery for editing and management, and even with Windows Live Movie Maker for video production and uploads.

Did we miss your favorite? Have something to say about the contenders? Leave your thoughts in the comments. Photo by Andrew Magill.

You can follow Alan Henry, the author of this post, on Twitter.

Img.ly Is a Free, Well-Supported TwitPic Alternative [Photos]

Source: http://lifehacker.com/5808620/imgly-is-a-free-well+supported-twitpic-alternative

Earlier this month, TwitPic changed its terms of service. The changes allow them to use and sell your images without giving credit or paying royalties to you. If that doesn't sit well with you, Img.ly is an alternative service with similar features where you own the images you upload.

The changes that TwitPic made to its terms of service angered a number of its most avid users, and we mentioned it when we looked at the five best services for quick image sharing. Regardless of whether or not you use Twitter heavily, the service was a great way to quickly upload and share images. Thankfully there are plenty of alternatives, and img.ly has seen its membership grow in recent weeks as a result. The service has support in the official Twitter clients for Mac and iOS, Twitterific, Tweetbot, and DestroyTwitter, one of our favorite Twitter clients.

Img.ly gives you a way to post your images, get a short link, and share it with friends. You can keep track of how many people have viewed the image, embed it on another site, and others can log in and comment on it. It's not the only alternative out there, but if you're looking for an image host that lets you retain ownership of your images and hasn't been swarmed with new users, it's worth a look.

Img.ly

You can follow Alan Henry, the author of this post, on Twitter.

Scientist cooks up adjustable strength metals

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/04/scientist-cooks-up-adjustable-strength-metals/

As you may know, crafting a katana is a delicate process that involves carefully constructing a razor-sharp high-carbon edge around a soft shock-absorbent core. One day though, smiths and forging fires could be replaced by electrode-wielding mad-scientists, with the technology to selectively harden and soften metal at will. At least that's what we envisioned when we read about Jörg Weißmüller's breakthrough research in the field of nanomaterials. The German scientist discovered that by placing precious metals in acid he could create tiny ducts through corrosion. Once those channels are flooded with a conductive liquid, electrical currents can be used to harden the material and, if you change your mind about the brittle results, the effect can easily be reversed to make it soft again. The tech could eventually lead to self-healing vehicle armor or scratch-resistant cellphones -- but, really, we just want to zap our way to a high-quality samurai sword.

Scientist cooks up adjustable strength metals originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 04 Jun 2011 01:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | source

Physorg | Email this | Comments

Compal's 'Ultra Mobile' Ultrabook eyes-on

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/04/compals-ultra-mobile-ultrabook-eyes-on/

Intel's already teased Compal's "Ultra Mobile" Ultrabook from afar, but when this Ivy Bridge laptop popped up on the show floor after the Computex keynote, we decided to give it a closer look. While this prototype isn't quite in the same league as ASUS' gorgeous UX21, do bear in mind that we're still looking at a relatively slim package for a 14- to 15-inch Core i7 rig. Also visible around the machine are a couple of USB 3.0 ports, an HDMI-out port, a LAN socket, and an SD card reader. Until we hear more about this Ultra Mobile, enjoy our eyes-on photos below.

Gallery: Compal's 'Ultra Mobile' Ultrabook eyes-on

Compal's 'Ultra Mobile' Ultrabook eyes-on originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 04 Jun 2011 07:05:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | | Email this | Comments

YouTube embraces Creative Commons licensing, turns your cutesy kitty into mashup fodder

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/04/youtube-embraces-creative-commons-licensing-turns-your-cutesy-k/

Sourcing material from the mecca of viral video has always been a bit iffy -- who knows which rabid Beyonce fan will bite back when you slice and dice their Single Ladies tribute video. However, YouTube's recent addition of the Creative Commons licensing option just made it a whole lot easier to make mashups without stepping on anyone's stiletto-sporting toes. Users are now given the option to choose between YouTube's standard license or the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license, which, when selected, automatically adds the video to a library of similarly appointed videos, now available for your cutting and captioning pleasure. An attribution is placed beneath any video sourcing material from the Creative Commons library. Among the more professional outfits adding their videos to the CC pool are Al Jazeera and C-SPAN -- who's ready to see Mittens the Kitten and Sarah Palin battle it out over tax cuts? You can now access the Creative Commons library through the YouTube video editor.

YouTube embraces Creative Commons licensing, turns your cutesy kitty into mashup fodder originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 04 Jun 2011 08:10:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink

GigaOM |

YouTube | Email this | Comments

Insert Coin: Eyez 720p video-recording glasses (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/04/insert-coin-eyez-720p-video-recording-glasses-video/

In Insert Coin, we look at an exciting new tech project that requires funding before it can hit production. If you'd like to pitch a project, please send us a tip with "Insert Coin" as the subject line.

We first heard about the Eyez video recording glasses concept back in March, when those familiar black frames packed a 1080p camera, 16GB of flash memory, WiFi, and dual exawatt-class lasers (ok, we made that last part up). Named for the product's "utopic vision," ZionEyez now has a prototype with a more grounded spec list, including a 720p camera and 8GB of memory, along with micro-USB and Bluetooth connectivity for livecasting to Qik or LiveStream -- The Truman Show style. Afraid you won't be able to pull off those high-tint lenses at night or in that top-secret (indoor) business meeting? You can swap out the removable sunglass lenses for clear versions, or throw in your prescription in daylight (tinted) or indoor flavors, since many optical stores stock appropriately sized lenses. Availability for these $199 HD Ray-Ban clones is currently slated for fall (assuming ZionEyez hits its funding target), but you can pre-order your pair for $150 on Zion's Kickstarter page.

Continue reading Insert Coin: Eyez 720p video-recording glasses (video)

Filed under: Wearables

Insert Coin: Eyez 720p video-recording glasses (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 04 Jun 2011 12:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink

Kickstarter | source

ZionEyez | Email this | Comments

Red HTC Inspire 4G now available exclusively at Radio Shack

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/05/red-htc-inspire-4g-now-available-exclusively-at-radio-shack/

We'd already had some indication that AT&T would soon let Radio Shack offer an exclusive red version of the HTC Inspire 4G, and that's now been made official (and available). As you can see above, you can snag the phone for $29.99 on a two-year AT&T contract (or $550 off-contract), which will buy you a 4.3-inch WVGA display, a 1GHz Snapdragon processor, an 8 megapixel camera with an LED flash, and Android 2.2 with Sense -- there's still no word on a Gingerbread upgrade for this one. Of course, Radio Shack will also sell you a black one for the same price, but we're pretty sure the red one's faster.

[Thanks, James]

Red HTC Inspire 4G now available exclusively at Radio Shack originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 05 Jun 2011 10:09:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | source

Radio Shack | Email this | Comments

Droid X2 review

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/05/droid-x2-review/

Would a Droid X by any other name smell as sweet? When we reviewed that phone last year we found it to be a solid performer in a solid chassis. In short: a very good phone. Now it's back with a new name, or a revised one at least, the Motorola Droid X2 offering the same basic design as its predecessor but packing a lot more heat on the inside -- a dual-core dose of Tegra 2, to be specific. Will it tickle your olfactory sensors just like the first X?

Gallery: Motorola Droid X2

Continue reading Droid X2 review

Droid X2 review originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 05 Jun 2011 12:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | | Email this | Comments

Gigabyte Z68XP-UD3-iSSD motherboard eyes-on

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/05/gigabyte-z68xp-ud3-issd-motherboard-eyes-on/

We're not normally all that stoked with motherboards, but Gigabyte's awkwardly named Z68XP-UD3-iSSD just about got our attention at Computex. The highlight here is the Intel 20GB SLC SSD latched onto the board's mSATA slot, which is right next to the LGA1155 CPU socket and the four DDR3 RAM slots (together supporting up to 32GB). Alas, Gigabyte says it won't be offering upgrade options for the SSD, though there are certainly alternatives out there in the wild if you dare to venture. But if none of this interests you, then there's always our multi-screen Angry Birds hands-on video after the break.

Gallery: Gigabyte Z68XP-UD3-iSSD motherboard eyes-on

Continue reading Gigabyte Z68XP-UD3-iSSD motherboard eyes-on

Gigabyte Z68XP-UD3-iSSD motherboard eyes-on originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 05 Jun 2011 13:03:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | | Email this | Comments

Motorola Droid 3 leaks out in tutorial vids, confirms 8MP camera and 1080p recordings (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/05/motorola-droid-3-leaks-out-in-tutorial-vids-confirms-8mp-camera/

Verizon and Motorola have kept a tighter lid on the Droid 3 than many recent smartphones we've seen, but a nice big leak just sprang from the bottom of the pot -- startup gadget blog PhonePads obtained three tutorial videos of the five-row QWERTY slider strutting its stuff. While there's no discussion of any dual-core silicon, there is indeed an 8 megapixel camera on board, which is apparently capable of 1080p HD video recordings. Other changes include what seem to be a pair of volume keys on the right edge (instead of the usual rocker), the apparent lack of a dedicated camera button, and both micro-USB and mini-HDMI on the left edge in the Droid X2 configuration. You'll apparently still get your Swype virtual keyboard, but it's hard to say what version of Android the handset will include -- Verizon clearly states "Software Shown Not Final" on every single video. Find more footage after the break.

Continue reading Motorola Droid 3 leaks out in tutorial vids, confirms 8MP camera and 1080p recordings (video)

Motorola Droid 3 leaks out in tutorial vids, confirms 8MP camera and 1080p recordings (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 05 Jun 2011 13:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | source

PhonePads | Email this | Comments

Champtron's 65-incher can recognize two-finger touch, make for a decently spacious second screen (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/05/champtrons-65-incher-can-recognize-two-finger-touch-make-for-a/

If you can never have enough screen real estate while working, you might want to give Champtron's 65-inch behemoth a look. It's a 1080p Sharp panel imbued with the ability to recognize two touch inputs at a time -- which can be fingers or "any" other sort of stylus -- which should prove pretty damn useful when you're trying to Photoshop a little extra sheen atop Steve Ballmer's glorious dome. As an added bonus, the dimensions of this screen make the Windows 7 UI extremely finger-friendly. Hell, it borders on being fist-friendly when exploded to a 65-inch size. See video of this champ after the break.

Gallery: Champtron's 65-inch multitouch display at Computex 2011

Continue reading Champtron's 65-incher can recognize two-finger touch, make for a decently spacious second screen (video)

Champtron's 65-incher can recognize two-finger touch, make for a decently spacious second screen (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 05 Jun 2011 15:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | | Email this | Comments

MasterImage touts 4.3-, 7- and 10-inch glasses-free 3D displays, interest from 'first tier' device makers

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/05/masterimage-touts-4-3-7-and-10-inch-glasses-free-3d-displays/

MasterImage and its parallax barrier 3D technology have been around for a while. Though nothing major -- excepting the Hitachi H001 in Japan -- has ever come of this company's efforts, it's back at Computex this year with a trio of reference display, showing off glasses-free 3D at 4.3-inch, 7-inch and 10-inch form factors. Resolution on both the 7- and 4.3-inch panels is 800 x 480 at the moment, but there's a 1280 x 800 7-incher in the works that could be ready for production by the end of this year. The parallax barrier allowing for the autostereoscopic effect to happen adds only 1mm to the screen's thickness, though it does halve vertical resolution -- meaning an 800 x 480 screen will only show a 400 x 480 image when flipped to 3D mode. MasterImage builds the LCDs and controllers in these 3D imagers and is currently in discussions with what we're told are "first tier" manufacturers of both smartphones and tablets. You can see the 7-inch display on video after the break -- we found it able to match the 3D effect produced by displays requiring glasses, which is a good thing in relative terms, but as you see above, the two frames can and do get split up if you're not perfectly positioned to soak up the third dimension.

Gallery: MasterImage 7-inch glasses-free 3D display eyes-on at Computex 2011