Dr. Augustine Fou's Online Scrapbook

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Genesi i.MX 53 netbooks, nettops to take Freescale machines deeper into the bargain basement

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/23/genesi-i-mx-53-netbooks-nettops-to-take-freescale-machines-deep/

Back in March, Genesi announced its plans to target emerging markets by dropping the price of its Efika MX Smartbook and Smarttop machines. Those devices packed i.MX 51 CPUs, and post-cut price tags of $199 and $129, respectively. Now the San Antonio-based outfit is hinting at any even bigger price break for the developing world with the introduction of its i.MX 53 netbook PCB. According to a Genesi rep at the Freescale Technology Forum, the board, which is significantly smaller than its predecessor, is "as cheap as we can possibly make it," and will likely power even more cost efficient Genesi computers in the near future. No word on just how low Genesi is willing to go, but it's shooting for an i.MX 53 debut sometime this summer. If cheap is your thing, check out the PCB in all its glory after the break.

Continue reading Genesi i.MX 53 netbooks, nettops to take Freescale machines deeper into the bargain basement

Genesi i.MX 53 netbooks, nettops to take Freescale machines deeper into the bargain basement originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 23 Jun 2011 05:57:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | source

ARMDevices.net | Email this | Comments

Samsung Series 3 hands-on

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/23/hands-on-with-the-samsung-series-3/

We were strolling around the Metropolitan Pavilion, enjoying the sights and sounds of Digital Experience, when, lo and behold, we spotted a pair of unfamiliar laptops gracing the thick black tablecloth at the Samsung booth. What you see above is just one member, the 12.1-inch model to be specific, of the as yet unannounced Series 3 line. These budget friendly lappies are anything but cheap looking or feeling. The entire lineup has followed in the footsteps of the Series 9, opting for soft brushed finishes that are, at the very least, metal-esque. Gone are the shiny plastics that made your notebook look like evidence at a crime scene. At the bottom end is a 15.6-inch model sporting a dual-core AMD A4 CPU and (oddly) a glossy display.

If you want to wipe the reflective sheen from that screen, jump up a notch to the $599 Core i3-sporting version. The 15.6 models reach all the way up to a quad-core Core i7 CPU for $819 and all the Intel varieties pack WiDi (as do the 12.5-inchers). The other sizes (11.6, 12.1, 13.3, and 14 inches) all sport the same premium finishes, solid keyboards, and pleasant touchpads, while being expected to be easy on the wallet. There are still some details to be worked out, and not all specs or prices are finalized but, while we wait for the official PR to roll in, check out our hands-on with the 12.1-inch and 15.6-inch models below.

Gallery: Samsung Series 3

Samsung Series 3 hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 23 Jun 2011 08:25:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | | Email this | Comments

Verbalizer: the open-source wireless microphone of your Arduino-loving dreams

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/23/the-verbalizer-is-the-open-source-wireless-microphone-of-your-ar/

Google's Voice Search for desktop is nifty and all, but what it's really been lacking is a worthy way to trigger it into action. The Verbalizer is an open-source dev board made specifically to be used with the search giant's new tools from up to ten meters away. This microphone-shaped piece of circuitry was made with Arduino compatibility in mind, which means that voice search is just the beginning. The company (who happens to be the same folks behind the brilliant Instaprint) will be distributing schematics and source code through its website, and promises to give away a "limited run" of kits for free in a drawing starting today. Head on over to the source link if you feel like testing your luck, but not before checking after the break for one more shot of these mini masterpieces on display as well as the nitty gritty PR.

Continue reading Verbalizer: the open-source wireless microphone of your Arduino-loving dreams

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Verbalizer: the open-source wireless microphone of your Arduino-loving dreams originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 23 Jun 2011 10:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink |&nb! sp; source

Breakfast NY | Email this | Comments

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

My Shoe Heaven Is in This Store [Design]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5814456/a-shoe-heaven-exists-and-its-at-this-store/gallery/

Am I alive? That's what I thought when I saw pictures of this Sneakerology store in Sydney, Australia. See I have an inordinate amount of love for sneakers and shoes, and this store layout—which is very museum-like—is perfect

The shoes are organized in a shelving system that alternates shoes and a white box light (that doubles as a label) in a 200mm x 600mm box. Each level is offset by half a unit and repeats itself to create sneaker nirvana. There's also an interactive kiosk where customers can learn about the history of the shoe.

To you it may look like a snazzy Foot Locker. To me, it really is shoe heaven. I need to take my sabbatical in Sydney. [Sneakerology via Dezeen]

My Shoe Heaven Is in This Store

Vizio, your favorite low-cost TV leader introduces... a light bulb (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/22/vizio-your-favorite-low-cost-tv-leader-introduces-a-light-bu/

It's a busy week for Vizio. The budget TV manufacturer flaunted its flashy new tablet in front of our cameras yesterday, and had us hopping across town this afternoon for a chance to go hands-on with its latest entrant into a mysterious brand-new product category (for Vizio, at least). Reps were mum on details, so we had no choice but to return to the CEA LineShows in NYC to see what was up. We walked around the booth, looking for signs of that Vizio Android phone we saw at CES, only to find co-founder Ken Lowe cradling the new goods: a line of light bulbs. We laughed. Then asked to see the real product that Vizio insisted would be worth the trip. Nope, that was it: a LED light bulb -- four of them, in fact, arranged in height-order on a chrome bathroom vanity fixture. Lowe then proceeded to introduce his product as he has any other, so we hit record. They're bright, round, and standards-compliant, and will be coming to a screw-in fixture near you in Q3. How much? "A Vizio price."

Gallery: Vizio LED Light Bulb Hands-On