Friday, August 05, 2011

Gmail's Preview Pane brings 'tablet-like' layout to your browser, but kills Multiple Inboxes

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/05/gmails-preview-pane-brings-tablet-like-layout-to-your-desktop/

Google's still doing a fine job of ignoring Gcal's inability to routinely provide alerts and notifications to select users (nah, we're not bitter), but at least the Gmail team seems to be firing on all cylinders. Just this week, the outfit revealed its newest Labs feature -- Preview Pane. As you've probably gleaned from the title, it provides a "tablet-like" layout that's actually similar to standalone mail clients from yesteryear, and for those with more vertical space than horizontal, there's even an option to split the divider in that manner. In practice, we found it drop-dead simple to use, and it's largely an improvement over the stock Gmail layout. The only issue? It nukes Multiple Inboxes, so those accustomed to scrolling down and easily clicking into their Starred emails (for example) will likely be reverting back with dreams dashed. See if it's in your Settings pane and give it a go -- who knows, it might be love.

Gmail's Preview Pane brings 'tablet-like' layout to your browser, but kills Multiple Inboxes originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 05 Aug 2011 11:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceOfficial Gmail Blog  | Email th! is&n bsp;| Comments

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Samsung Hercules snapped in the wild, powering its way to Telus soon?

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/05/samsung-hercules-snapped-in-the-wild-powering-its-way-to-telus/

Would demigods feel honored that smartphones are getting named after them? The Samsung Hercules, from what we can tell, seems to fit its given title appropriately; he was, after all, famous for his behemoth strength. Sadly, we've known more about him than his technological counterpart, though that may be soon changing. MobileSyrup found someone clutching onto the still-unannounced device at a VIP event and snapped a quick pic for the world to see. While they didn't get any hands-on time, they indicated that it was running on Telus, it appeared to have a 4.5-inch display (as rumored), and is a design mashup of the Galaxy S II, Nexus S, and the Infuse 4G. This still leaves us with nothing but spec rumors -- which include a 1.2GHz dual-core CPU, Super AMOLED Plus display, 16GB of flash storage, 42Mbps HSPA+, and an eight megapixel camera -- but it's nice to have a face to go with the famous name. For somebody who likes to go the distance, its superphone namesake sure seems awfully close.

Samsung Hercules snapped in the wild, powering its way to Telus soon? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 05 Aug 2011 13:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceMobileSyrup  | Email this | Comments

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RED EPIC scores a Canon EOS mount, Laforet gets some extraordinary footage (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/05/red-epic-scores-a-canon-eos-mount-vincent-laforet-gets-some-awe/


We've seen some mind-blowing footage from RED's EPIC, as one might expect from a $39,500 camera with a 5K sensor and up to 120 fps video capture (at 4K). But video shooter and all-around photo wiz Vincent Laforet got to take an exclusive early look at the company's new Canon EOS mount, which pairs the EPIC-M with Canon's enormous collection of top-quality glass, including the 600mm f/4 L lens Laforet used for his shoot at Mono Lake in California. That lens, used with a 2x Canon teleconverter and the RED's multiplication factor, yields a 35mm-equivalent focal length of 3400mm, which as you'll see in the video below, enabled some pretty incredible video captures. RED has yet to officially announce availability for the Canon EOS mount, but has shared that it will cost $2,000 (pennies compared to the EPIC's $58,000 kit price), and will be constructed of titanium -- tasked with the critical responsibility of reducing movement during those extended-lens shoots. Jump past the break for Laforet's sample video, or check out his blog post at the source link for the full rundown.

Continue reading RED EPIC scores a Canon EOS mount, Laforet gets some extraordinary footage (video)

RED EPIC scores a Canon EOS mount, Laforet gets some extraordinary footage (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 05 Aug 2011 15:43:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Gizmodo  |  sourceVincent Laforet (Blog), Vimeo  | Email this | Comments

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Ricoh GXR Leica M-mount module gets a September ship date, lets you swap lenses with one sensor

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/05/ricoh-gxr-leica-m-mount-module-gets-a-september-ship-date-lets/

Sure, you've seen cameras with interchangeable lenses -- you might even own one or two -- but a cam that lets you swap out the sensor with the lens? Now that's pretty unique. Ricoh's GXR has been around since 2009 and does exactly that, with four lens / sensor combos, including two zooms and a pair of fixed lenses. Now, the company has confirmed that its new Leica M-mount module will ship on September 9th, letting you use your existing Leica lenses with the GXR. The module includes a 12.3 megapixel APS-C sensor and has a 27.8mm Leica M bayonet mount, with support for RAW image capture and 720p video. It also has an "open" price, which means it's still anyone's guess as to how much you'll be shelling over. But if you own a collection of Leica glass and are interested in experimenting with such a unique sensor-swapping camera system, you're probably somewhat open to open pricing.

Ricoh GXR Leica M-mount module gets a September ship date, lets you swap lenses with one sensor originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 05 Aug 2011 16:18:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Photo Rumors  |  sourceRicoh Japan (translated)  | Email this | Comments

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DollyCam app lets you stabilize iPhone 4 videos, we go hands-on (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/05/dollycam-app-lets-you-stabilize-iphone-4-videos-we-go-hands-on/


Apple's iPhone 4 can serve as a great little camcorder when you're in a bind, but it's never been our go-to cam for video shoots. Not only is its small sensor not best suited for high-quality HD shooting, but the smartphone form factor can be awkward to hold, resulting in shakier than normal footage. A new app called DollyCam, which also supports iPad 2, helps soften the blow of the latter, letting you successfully stabilize videos -- with a few drawbacks.

We took our iPhone 4 out to test a watermarked free version of the app in New York City, shooting a scene first with the phone's native app, and then with DollyCam. It won't replace a hardware solution like the Steadicam Smoothee, but it's significantly cheaper and more convenient. The only major issues we noticed were related to softened sound capture of all things (pay close attention in the video past the break), and the fact that the app can't process in real-time, so a minute-long video clip will need about five minutes to process. The app does crop your footage slightly, as can be expected. You'll also need to remain in the app as it's processing, though you can also stabilize videos later, after completing your shoot. Overall, it's an acceptable solution, especially considering the $2.99 price tag. Jump past the break to see original and stabilized clips, and browse through the gallery below for a quick look at the interface.
[Thanks, Jon]

Continue reading DollyCam app lets you stabilize iPhone 4 videos, we go hands-on (video)

DollyCam app lets you stabilize iPhone 4 videos, we go hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 05 Aug 2011 16:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceiTunes  | Email this | Comments

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