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Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Organic Motion's OpenStage motion capture system grabs 200FPS, no backdrop required (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/10/organic-motions-openstage-motion-capture-system-grabs-200fps-n/

At just under $40,000 for an eight camera setup, we're hardly in hobbyist territory here, but Organic Motion's new OpenStage 2.0 motion capture system could certainly make do in the average basement. Unlike a few competing solutions shown here at SIGGRAPH, this one actually has no backdrop mandate, and better still, doesn't require you to latch a single sensor onto your subject. The magic lies within the cameras hung above -- kits are sold that contain between eight and 24 cameras, and even the latter can be handled with a single workstation. Multi-person tracking ain't no thang, and while you aren't capturing HD footage here, the high-speed VGA capability enables up to 200 frames per second to be logged. Not surprisingly, the company's aiming this squarely at the animation and medical realms, and should start shipping bundles as early as next month. Looking to take down Pixar? You'll need a lot more than 40 large, but perhaps the video after the break will give you a bit of inspiration.

Gallery: Organic Motion's OpenStage motion capture system grabs 200FPS at SIGGRAPH

Continue reading Organic Motion's OpenStage motion capture system grabs 200FPS, no backdrop required (video)

Organic Motion's OpenStage motion capture system grabs 200FPS, no backdrop required (video) origin ally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 10 Aug 2011 10:37:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Visualized: 3D3 Solutions scans our face in two seconds flat

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/10/visualized-3d3-solutions-scans-our-face-in-two-seconds-flat/

See that bloke? That's Darren Murph. Well, a digital representation of the human version, anyway. That image was captured in two painless seconds at the hands of 3D3 Solutions, which was on-hand here at SIGGRAPH to demonstrate its newest FlexScan setups. The rig that snapped our face rings up at around $10,000, and relies on a Canon DSLR (strictly for capturing textures), a projector and a secondary camera. As you've likely picked up on, this is hardly designed for average DIYers, but these solutions are also far more detailed and flexible than using Microsoft's Kinect. We're told that the company recently started to support Nikon cameras as well, and for those who'd prefer to use their existing cameras / PJs, a hobbyist-centric software package will allow you to do just that. The only problem? Figuring out where the $2,700 (for software) is going to come from. Head on past the break for a demonstration vid, or peruse the gallery below if you're feeling extra creepy.

Gallery: 3D3 Solutions scans our face in two seconds flat at SIGGRAPH

Continue reading Visualized: 3D3 Solutions scans our face in two seconds flat

Visualized: 3D3 Solutions scans our face in two seconds flat originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 10 Aug 2011 13:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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CHART OF THE DAY: Apple Closes The Day As The Most Valuable Company In The World For The First Time Ever (AAPL, XOM)

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/chart-of-the-day-apple-exxon-mobil-market-cap-2011-8

Apple has closed the day as the most valuable public company in the world knocking off Exxon Mobil.

It's an incredible feat considering Apple was a broken company 15 years ago. In the world of technology, which evolves so rapidly, only a handful of companies have been able to reverse course and find new life.

Apple's rise to the top happened rather suddenly. Just a year ago it passed Microsoft to become the biggest company in tech. At the start of the year it was still $75 billion behind Exxon. Today it's $6 billion ahead.

But, a market crash coupled with Apple's astounding earnings performance have vaulted it to the top of the heap.

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Perceptive Pixel shows world's largest projected capacitive display at SIGGRAPH, we go hands-on (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/09/perceptive-pixel-shows-worlds-largest-projected-capacitive-disp/

Perceptive Pixel wasn't kidding around when it launched the planet's biggest projected capacitive display here at SIGGRAPH -- all 82 inches of it were here on display, and naturally, we stopped by to give it a look. While 82-inch panels aren't anything new, this one's particularly special. You see, the company actually procures the panels from Samsung, and then it rips the guts out while bonding its own network of sensors directly to it; most large-screen touch devices simply pop a touch layer on top of whatever TV shows up in the labs, but this integrated approach takes sensitivity to a whole 'nother level. For those unfamiliar with the term 'projected capacitive,' we're surmising that it's actually far less foreign than you think -- it's a technology used in a handful of smartphones, from Samsung's Moment to Apple's iPhone. 3M was also showing off a PC tech preview back at CES, and after using it here on the show floor, there's no question that it's the future for larger-screen devices. To quote CEO Jeff Han: "once consumers get a taste of this on the mobile front, they start demanding it elsewhere."

Gallery: Perceptive Pixel shows world's largest projected capacitive display at SIGGRAPH

Continue reading Perceptive Pixel shows world's largest projected capacitive display at SIGGRAPH, we go hands-on (video)

P! erceptiv e Pixel shows world's largest projected capacitive display at SIGGRAPH, we go hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Aug 2011 20:06:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Scosche myTrek sends workout vitals to your iPhone, starts shipping now for $130 (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/09/scosche-mytrek-sends-workout-vitals-to-your-iphone-starts-shipp/

With a variety of portable power accessories, most Scosche products are designed to keep gadgets up and running, not to get our own blood flowing. The company's new Bluetooth myTrek pulse monitor pairs with an iPhone or iPod touch to motivate you to keep going and going, however, pumping "inspiring" audio alerts through your headphones during a workout, while also tracking pulse, distance, speed, pace, and calories burned. The arm-strap uses a pair of LEDs, along with a photo sensor and accelerometer to capture vitals as it rests strapped to your forearm, providing five hours of continuous feedback before needing its own boost using the included USB cable. You'll need to have your iOS device within 33 feet of the device to record your workout, so the myTrek may be better suited for trips to the gym than, say, a run through the park in the rain. It's also rather pricey, at $130, but if you're already dropping a grand or two for your gym membership each year, a gadget that lets you elegantly track your progress may be within reach.

Continue reading Scosche myTrek sends workout vitals to your iPhone, starts shipping now for $130 (video)

Scosche myTrek sends workout vitals to your iPhone, starts shipping now for $130 (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Aug 2011 21:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Vudu starts streaming movies to the iPad, chooses the web app route

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/10/vudu-starts-streaming-movies-to-the-ipad-chooses-the-web-app-ro/

Now that Vudu has started streaming movies to PCs over the web, we're not surprised that starting today, it's moving to the iPad as well but what is surprising is the decision to stream over the web and forego a dedicated app. This approach lets the Wal-mart-owned (and fully integrated) video delivery company avoid the restrictions of Apple's app store and any additional fees, but unfortunately still means that like the PC, it's restricted to standard definition resolution and due to licensing issues is missing any flicks from Disney. The company plans to keep expanding onto other platforms like Android soon (if you must, the site does work on the iPhone right now but the UI isn't optimized for it yet) but it appears accessibility is replacing high quality HDX streaming as the service's most notable trait, for better or worse.

Continue reading Vudu starts streaming movies to the iPad, chooses the web app route

Vudu starts streaming movies to the iPad, chooses the web app route originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 10 Aug 2011 02:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SATA-IO outs new SATA Express and Embedded SSD standards, acronyms abound

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/10/sata-io-outs-new-sata-express-and-embedded-ssd-standards-acrony/

It's a big day for SATA-IO, as the organization has just announced not one, but two new SATA standards. The first of these, the SATA Express specification, gets the latter half of its name from the 'e' in PCIe, as it will allow current SATA standards to piggyback on the PCIe interface, boosting speeds to 8Gbps and 16Gbps, up from the current 6Gbps. SATA Express is expected to make its official debut later this year. SATA µSSD, on the other hand, is currently ready to go, and already implemented in SanDisk's iSSD embedded drive. It ditches the module connector from the old interface, allowing OEMs to stack single-chip drives right on the motherboard. A plethora of SATA-related press releases awaits you after the break -- if you're into that sort of thing.

Continue reading SATA-IO outs new SATA Express and Embedded SSD standards, acronyms abound

SATA-IO outs new SATA Express and Embedded SSD standards, acronyms abound originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 10 Aug 2011 03:24:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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T-Mobile myTouch 4G designer Donn Koh unveils the process, how he brings the heat

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/10/t-mobile-mytouch-4g-designer-donn-koh-unveils-the-process-how-h/

Have you ever wanted a look inside the mind of a mobile handset designer? Of course you do, and so do we, for that matter. Donn Koh, lead designer of smartphones like Sprint's Evo 4G and T-Mobile's myTouch 4G, has in-depth breakdowns of the design process on his personal website for our perusal. Going into detail about how the team managed to raise the bar while still including all the required elements, Koh also speaks about the goals for creating a dock for the myTouch 4G that would allow the phone itself to be the main attraction. Check out the source for the full rundown, and peep another sweet design shot after the break -- especially if you enjoy well-designed, well thought out tech.

Continue reading T-Mobile myTouch 4G designer Donn Koh unveils the process, how he brings the heat

T-Mobile myTouch 4G designer Donn Koh unveils the process, how he brings the heat originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 10 Aug 2011 04:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Amazon releases web-based Kindle Cloud Reader app, optimized for iPads

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/10/amazon-releases-web-based-kindle-cloud-reader-app-optimized-for/

Amazon may have changed its Kindle iOS app to comply with Apple's revised in-app subscription policy, but the retailer has now come out with its own, web-based alternative, known as the Kindle Cloud Reader. Compatible with both Chrome and Safari, the new app is essentially a browser version of the Kindle eBook reader, providing PC, Mac and Chromebook users with access to their digitized libraries. The tool also offers local storage, allowing for offline reading, though Amazon's device limit still applies, so if your library's already strewn across multiple gadgets, the app's reading functionality may be limited. The company unveiled the Cloud Reader today with relatively little fanfare or explanation, but its site highlights the service's main attractions, including its iPad optimization. Interestingly enough, the reader still isn't compatible with iPhones (or, as Android Community discovered, any Honeycomb tablets), though we imagine it's only a matter of time before Amazon's cloud coverage expands even further.

Amazon releases web-based Kindle Cloud Reader app, optimized for iPads originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 10 Aug 2011 05:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SandForce demos 24nm flash from Toshiba, cheaper SSDs on the horizon

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/10/sandforce-demos-24nm-flash-from-toshiba-cheaper-ssds-on-the-hor/

Toshiba and SandForce

SandForce, the company behind the companies that make some of the best SSDs on the market, is at it again -- this time demoing 24nm NAND flash from Toshiba at the Flash Memory Summit in Santa Clara, CA. An SF-2000 processor was matched with the new shrunk-down storage, a 6Gb/sec SATA connection, and jammed inside a 2.5-inch enclosure to deliver 500MB/sec read and write speeds. It's not the fastest we've seen, but the big news here isn't the data rates -- it's the potential for cheaper SSDs. The smaller manufacturing process means Toshiba will be able to squeeze more storage out of the same wafer of silicon and, hopefully, shrink those still somewhat bloated prices. Check out the full PR after the break.

Continue reading SandForce demos 24nm flash from Toshiba, cheaper SSDs on the horizon

SandForce demos 24nm flash from Toshiba, cheaper SSDs on the horizon originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 10 Aug 2011 06:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Runco announces LightStyle LS-1 DLP projector, shines 1080p on your wall for $4,000

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/10/runco-announces-lightstyle-ls-1-dlp-projector-shines-1080p-on-y/

Runco is known for some seriously high-end projectors and this is its first foray beneath the $4,000 mark in order to reach a "previously untapped" market. The company is wrong if it thinks we don't already have DLP options well below that price point, but still, lowering its entry level is no bad thing -- especially when the LS-1 delivers a 10,000:1 contrast ratio, a sophisticated calibration system with day and night memory settings, and the option to upgrade to Runco's CineGlide anamorphic lens for the perfect 2.35:1 experience. Expect to see this thing dangling from joists from August 16th. Further details in the PR after the break.

Continue reading Runco announces LightStyle LS-1 DLP projector, shines 1080p on your wall for $4,000

Runco announces LightStyle LS-1 DLP projector, shines 1080p on your wall for $4,000 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 10 Aug 2011 08:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung Galaxy R officially announced for Europe and Asia, nobody surprised

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/10/samsung-galaxy-r-officially-announced-for-europe-and-asia-nobod/

That Samsung Galaxy R we've heard about? Yep, it's real. Not that it's much of a surprise to us, considering we've seen leaked press renders and even a four-minute video about the device, but Samsung and NVIDIA have finally banded together to give the "mystery phone" its official blessing. Here's the skinny: the Galaxy R will house a 1GHz Tegra 2 CPU, a 4.2-inch WVGA (800 x 480) Super Clear LCD, dual 5MP / 2MP cameras in the rear and front (respectively), and Gingerbread with Samsung's TouchWiz UI. The phone's already available in Sweden as the Galaxy Z, but it's finally on its way to parts of Europe and Asia (including China). No word on if or when we can plan on seeing the R in North America, but it's likely that its launch would be quickly obscured by its older brother, the Galaxy S II, if it made an appearance. A full press release and demo video can be found after the break for your enjoyment.

Continue reading Samsung Galaxy R officially announced for Europe and Asia, nobody surprised

Samsung Galaxy R officially announced for Europe and Asia, nobody surprised originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 10 Aug 2011 09:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tuesday, August 09, 2011

NVIDIA, Fusion-io and HP drive a dozen 1080p streams on four displays at SIGGRAPH (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/09/nvidia-fusion-io-and-hp-drive-a-dozen-1080p-streams-on-four-dis/

A dozen uncompressed 1080p video feeds, simultaneously running off a single workstation. Yep, you're looking at it. NVIDIA's showcase piece here at SIGGRAPH was undoubtedly this wall -- a monster that trumps even Intel's CES wall in terms of underlying horsepower. A relatively stock HP Z800 workstation was loaded with the NVIDIA QuadroPlex 7000 Visual Computing System (that's four GPUs, for those counting) in order to push four HD panels. A pair of Fusion-io's ioDrive Duos were pushing a total of three gigabytes per second, enabling all 12 of the feeds to cycle through with nary a hint of lag. We're still a few years out from this being affordable enough for the common Earthling, but who says you need to wait that long to get a taste? Vid's after the break, hombre.

Gallery: NVIDIA, Fusion-io and HP drive a dozen 1080p streams on four displays

Continue reading NVIDIA, Fusion-io and HP drive a dozen 1080p streams on four displays at SIGGRAPH (video)

NVIDIA, Fusion-io and HP drive a dozen 1080p streams on four displays at SIGGRAPH (video) originally appeared on Engadget on ! Tue, 09 Aug 2011 17:50:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Microsoft's KinectFusion research project offers real-time 3D reconstruction, wild AR possibilities

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/09/microsofts-kinectfusion-research-project-offers-real-time-3d-re/

It's a little shocking to think about the impact that Microsoft's Kinect camera has had on the gaming industry at large, let alone the 3D modeling industry. Here at SIGGRAPH 2011, we attended a KinectFusion research talk hosted by Microsoft, where a fascinating new look at real-time 3D reconstruction was detailed. To better appreciate what's happening here, we'd actually encourage you to hop back and have a gander at our hands-on with PrimeSense's raw motion sensing hardware from GDC 2010 -- for those who've forgotten, that very hardware was finally outed as the guts behind what consumers simply know as "Kinect." The breakthrough wasn't in how it allowed gamers to control common software titles sans a joystick -- the breakthrough was the price. The Kinect took 3D sensing to the mainstream, and moreover, allowed researchers to pick up a commodity product and go absolutely nuts. Turns out, that's precisely what a smattering of highly intelligent blokes in the UK have done, and they've built a new method for reconstructing 3D scenes (read: real-life) in real-time by using a simple Xbox 360 peripheral.

The actual technobabble ran deep -- not shocking given the academic nature of the conference -- but the demos shown were nothing short of jaw-dropping. There's no question that this methodology could be used to spark the next generation of gaming interaction and augmented reality, taking a user's surroundings and making it a live part of the experience. Moreover, game design could be significantly impacted, with live scenes able to be acted out and stored in real-time rather than having to build something frame by frame within an application. According to the presenter, the tech that's been created here can "extract surface geometry in real-time," right down to the millimeter level. Of course, the Kinect's camera and abilities are relatively limited when it comes to resolution; you won't be building 1080p scenes with a $150 camera, but as CPUs and GPUs become more powerful, there's nothing stopping this from scaling with the future. Have a peek at the links below if you're interested in diving deeper -- don't be shocked if you can't find the exit, though.

Gallery: Microsoft's KinectFusion research project at SIGGRAPH 2011

Microsoft's KinectFusion research project offers real-time 3D reconstruction, wild AR possibilities originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Aug 2011 14:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Plug-in Prius pulling into American driveways in February or March of 2012

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/09/plug-in-prius-pulling-into-american-driveways-in-february-or-mar/

Plug-in Prius

Good new PHV fans, the plug-in Prius you've been promised should start pulling into American driveways in February or March of 2012 -- at least according to a startup date chart at Donlen. The fleet management firm claims initial orders will be taken on November 10th of this year, with the vehicle scheduled to into production in January. An Autoblog tipster also claims to have some rather vague details about trim and color options, as well as its estimated MSRP, which should be below $30,000. Now we've just got to figure out how many extension cords it'll take to reach from our apartment window to the street below.

Plug-in Prius pulling into American driveways in February or March of 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Aug 2011 15:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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