Dr. Augustine Fou's Online Scrapbook

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

drag2share: The Most Wicked Optical Illusion I've Seen So Far [Wtf]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5839481/the-most-wicked-optical-illusion-ive-seen-so-far

This is sick. Sick because the spiral effect is making me sick and sick because it reminds me how flawed/awesome/trippy our color perception is. Believe it or not, the green and the blue in this spiral is the same color.

I couldn't believe it either, but I just measured the value in Photoshop: Red 0, Green 255, Blue 150 on both. Crazy. How could this be possible?

The reason why we are perceiving one color as different colors is because of the other colors surrounding the stripes. Each eye has six to seven million cones, which are concentrated in a central yellow spot known as the macula (I recently got mine lasered to fix some leaking blood vessels). These cones measure color in different wavelengths, overlapping in some of them. Our brain then compares those signals in an antagonistic manner, measuring differences in wavelengths between them. When some colors are combined, the brain can't process the info from the cones correctly and we simply get confused. [gsu and Techi]

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drag2share: Americans Spend 53 Billion Minutes A Month on Facebook, Wait, What? [Facebook]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5839561/americans-spend-53-billion-minutes-a-month-on-facebook-wait-what

Americans spend more time on Facebook than any other US website. And cumulatively, it's not a small amount of time, it's a lot of time. Nielsen estimates that Americans spent 53 billion minutes on Facebook during the month of May.

These 53 billion minutes are equal to 100,000 years or 36.8 million days. Before your mind blows up, this number represents the usage of 150 million Facebook users. Breaking it down, each user is spending about 350 minutes per month on the social network or about 10 minutes per day. Looking at it that way, 53 billion doesn't look so bad, does it? [Nielsen via SF Gate]

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drag2share: Photo Academy App Teaches You How to Be a Better Photographer [IPhone Apps]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5839557/photo-academy-app-teaches-you-how-to-be-a-better-photographer

You could have a fancy DSLR, an expensive lens, a sturdy tripod, an extra battery pack, heck even a gnarly camera bag but if you don't know how to take pictures, you don't know how to take pictures. Photo Academy is an app that teaches you how to take better snappies.

It's like a tutorial app, or a how-to-in-an-app, that covers the basics like how to hold your camera and what tweaking ISO and exposure do to more complex instructions like professional photographer tips and editing ideas. There's literally hundreds of different tips for various situations along with ideal camera settings to maximize your pictures—basically, if you're an amateur photographer, you're bound to learn something.

You can even add your photos to "track your progress" though it's sorta unnecessary given that the app's goal is for you to take pictures with your DSLR and not your iPhone cam. $1 [iTunes]

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drag2share: Fusion Garage hacks $200 off of Grid 10 tablet, aims to play the undercutting game

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/12/fusion-garage-hacks-200-off-of-grid-10-tablet-aims-to-play-the/

Looks like we're all indebted to HP in one way or another. Since the TouchPad fire sale began, we've seen a noticeable southward shift in tablet pricing -- it's as if iPad rivals finally figured out that battling on price was just about the only way to make a dent in Apple's enviable market share. Now, we're seeing Fusion Garage wipe a full $200 from its Grid 10 tablet... before the thing even ships. If you'll recall, the outfit was aiming for a September 15th release date here in the States, with initial pricing for its 16GB model set for $499 (WiFi-only) / $599 (WiFi + 3G). Out of the blue, those pre-order rates have plummeted to $299 / $399 this morning, giving prospective Grid OS adopters entirely more motivation to buy in. It seems that Amazon hasn't received the memo quite yet, so those hoping to get in the low-cost line should scurry down to the source link. Naturally, we'll be bringing you a full-on review as soon as we procure one, and we're guessing that just became a lot more relevant to your interests.

Update: A Fusion Garage spokesperson told Engadget that the company had planned to launch with the lower price all along, but negotiations with an ODM made it impossible to announce the price earlier. The company also added that the Grid 10 will experience a slight shipping delay, being pushed back to October 1st due to a "new criteria in [the] Adobe Flash Player (FP) 10.3 approval process."

Update 2: Looks like UKers can also get in on the fun! Those prices are listed at £259 (WiFi-only) / £359 (WiFi + 3G).

[Thanks, Jeff]

Fusion Garage hacks $200 off of Grid 10 tablet, aims to play the undercutting game originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 12 Sep 2011 10:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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drag2share: 3M makes Mary Lou Jepsen's dreams come true, showers Pixel Qi with cash

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/12/3m-makes-mary-lou-jepsens-dreams-come-true-showers-pixel-qi-wi/

Chances are you've heard plenty about Pixel Qi's super-efficient, transreflective displays. The odds are equally as high that you've never touched one before, either. Well, 3M aims to change all of that and make good on founder Mary Lou Jepsen's continued promises to get those screens out into the consumer wild. Infusing the LCD company with an undisclosed amount of cash, 3M's New Ventures investment arm is betting the combo of its Optical Systems Division's LCD film technology expertise and funding will not only ramp up production of the sunlight-readable color screens, but also innovate uses for it across "...consumer markets as well as digital signage and touch applications." It's a nice shot of confidence for the display maker's much-touted, albeit scarce tech, and could be the financial boost necessary to take Jepsen from underdog to industry heavyweight. We'll keep a close eye out for how this develops. In the meantime, you can jump past the break to read the hyperbolic PR for yourself.

Continue reading 3M makes Mary Lou Jepsen's dreams come true, showers Pixel Qi with cash

3M makes Mary Lou Jepsen's dreams come true, showers Pixel Qi with cash originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 12 Sep 2011 11:16:00 EDT. Please see our t erms for use of feeds.

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drag2share: Intel reveals January 2012 Gingerbread arrival for the Atom E6xx (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/12/intel-reveals-january-2012-gingerbread-arrival-for-the-atom-e6xx/

Intel wants a piece of the smartphone market -- bad. The company has made no bones about its attempts to break into that booming space. Despite big talk, however, it hasn't really given smartphone manufacturers something they can work with. A new promotional video for its pint-sized Atom E6xx series, however, reveals that chipmaker may be taking a step in the right direction, highlighting a January 2012 date for bringing Android 2.3 to the processor. Keep in mind, of course, that this isn't a smartphone chip that we're talking about here -- the primary applications as outlined by Intel are retail, fitness equipment, digital signage and in-vehicle systems. Still, perhaps it marks a next step in the company's push toward your mobile devices, or moreover, a shift for Android into more non-mobile things.

Continue reading Intel reveals January 2012 Gingerbread arrival for the Atom E6xx (video)

Intel reveals January 2012 Gingerbread arrival for the Atom E6xx (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 12 Sep 2011 14:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Netbook News, Carrypad | | Email this | Comments

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drag2share: Microsoft's Mouse Without Borders: the KVM that killed the KVM (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/12/microsofts-mouse-without-borders-the-kvm-that-killed-the-kvm/

Until now, running multiple computers with one keyboard and mouse has tended to require KVMs or wormholes, but Microsoft developer Truong Do has a better idea. Working at Microsoft's Garage -- Redmond's after-hours pet project program -- he built Mouse Without Borders: software that lets you control computers on the same wireless network with one set of inputs as if it was one machine with a multiple display. Up to four systems can be tied together and the software also provides for seamless drag-and-drop file transfer. Microsoft is releasing it free of charge at the source link, plus you can see Truong Do talking up his creation after the break.

Continue reading Microsoft's Mouse Without Borders: the KVM that killed the KVM (video)

Microsoft's Mouse Without Borders: the KVM that killed the KVM (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 12 Sep 2011 14:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Geek.com | source

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Microsoft TechNet, Mouse Without Borders (Download) | Email this | Comments

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drag2share: Samsung pushes Galaxy Tab 10.1 through FCC with T-Mobile AWS bands

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/12/samsung-pushes-galaxy-tab-10-1-through-fcc-with-t-mobile-aws-ban/

Sure, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 is great when using Verizon's LTE network, but what if you're looking for something in more of a GSM, magenta-colored flavor? You might be in luck, if a new tablet pushed through the FCC makes its way to store shelves. The device, identified only as the Samsung SGH-T859, comes complete with 1700MHz AWS for T-Mobile as well as 850 / 1900 GSM / EDGE / WCDMA / HSPA, and has the same dimensions as the WiFi-only version we saw in May. We can't say with a surety that it'll use the Galaxy Tab branding, but we think it's unlikely this would be anything else. And of course there's no guarantee it'll become a subsidized device on T-Mobile, but we know there's more than a handful of diehards that'd be willing to fork out a couple extra Benjamins for the privilege of using this beauty on their own carrier. So if your day is now a little bit brighter because of the news, feel free to check out the device in the gallery below.

Gallery: Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 with T-Mobile AWS

Continue reading Samsung pushes Galaxy Tab 10.1 through FCC with T-Mobile AWS bands

Samsung pushes Galaxy Tab 10.1 through FCC with T-Mobile AWS bands originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 12 Sep 2011 15:09:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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drag2share: Ford electric E-Bike Concept packs a Galaxy S II on the bars, motor in the wheel

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/12/ford-electric-e-bike-concept-packs-a-galaxy-s-ii-on-the-bars-mo/

Ford E-Bike Concept

Ford already wowed us with the Evos concept, but the slinkiest hybrid we've seen so far here in Frankfurt has not four wheels but two. It's a concept bicycle from Ford called -- wait for it -- the E-Bike Concept. It packs an electric motor built into the front wheel that can power it up to a maximum speed of 25 km/h, driven by a 9.2Ah battery. Or you can power it the conventional way by pedalling, torque conveyed to the rear wheel over a carbon belt. (Oily chains are so last century.)

Perhaps even more interesting is what rests up on the handlebars. No, that's no iDevice -- refreshingly it's a Galaxy S II. Through some custom software, riders will be able to change suspension modes and of course monitor battery charge, not to mention get a little assistance from Google Navigation and maybe pump out some Pandora too. The word "Concept" in the title here and the spindly frame design should give you a clue about when this thing will see production -- probably never. But, we'll be back with an update if that ever changes.

Gallery: Ford E-Bike Concept

Ford electric E-Bike Concept packs a Galaxy S II on the bars, motor in the wheel originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 12 Sep 2011 15:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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drag2share: Asus Eee Pad Slider up for pre-order at Amazon, starting at $480

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/12/asus-eee-pad-slider-up-for-pre-order-at-amazon-starting-at-480/

Still no official launch date for Asus's funny-looking 10.1-inch hybrid, but we've already seen evidence of a September release and now there's a whole drum-roll of pre-order pages up at Amazon. You're looking at $580 for the 32GB model in white or mocha, or $100 less if you settle for the 16GB variant and cram the rest of your digital possessions onto microSD or -- yes indeedy -- some USB 2.0 external storage. Needless to say, all shades come with the same Tegra 2 processor, Honeycomb 3.2, 1GB of RAM, Mini HDMI out, a 5MP rear camera and 1.2MP front-facer. At this point, all these sliders need to do is turn up.

Update: Looks like Amazon pulled those pages and spoiled our fun.

[Thanks, Peter]

Asus Eee Pad Slider up for pre-order at Amazon, starting at $480 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 12 Sep 2011 15:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Amazon (1), (2), (3), (4) | Email this | Comments

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drag2share: Angelbird's PCIe-based SSD: it's real, it's shipping, it's 800MB/s

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/12/angelbirds-pcie-based-ssd-its-real-its-shipping-its-800mb/

Remember that 1GB/s PCIe SSD system from Angelbird we covered a year ago? Well, the company just let us know it's finally available. The performance claims are more modest than we saw in the beta phase, but we're not distraught: the new benchmark is 800MB/s reads and 750MB/s writes, achieved with a $3000 setup including four 240GB SSD modules mounted on a Wings PCI-e card with a 32GB SSD built-in. Need to hold something back for groceries? You can't reduce the number of SSDs without slowing everything down, but four 60GB drives on the cheapest Wings Lite PCIe card ought to satisfy most thrill seekers for just under a grand. We hope Smart Modular is paying attention.

Continue reading Angelbird's PCIe-based SSD: it's real, it's shipping, it's 800MB/s

Angelbird's PCIe-based SSD: it's real, it's shipping, it's 800MB/s originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 12 Sep 2011 16:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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drag2share: ASUS Eee PC X101 now available for pre-order at CDW and Amazon

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/12/asus-eee-pc-x101-now-available-for-pre-order-at-cdw-and-amazon/

We've been waiting for ASUS to launch its Eee PC X101 for the better part of a year, and it looks like the wait is almost over. The slim, MeeGo-running netbook has popped up on two online retailers' sites with price tags just above the company's promised $199 positioning. Despite earlier rumors of a July launch, the ultraportable has managed to slip through the cracks of summer, and most likely will debut this fall -- although, no official release has been mentioned. If you're eager to get your pre-order on for this single-core 1.33GHz Atom N435 netbook, you can snag it at Amazon for $227, or CDW for a more attractive $210. Those holding out hope for its pricier, Windows 7 brother -- the X101H -- will just have to sit this one out.

[Thanks, Andrew]

ASUS Eee PC X101 now available for pre-order at CDW and Amazon originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 12 Sep 2011 16:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Liliputing | source

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CDW, Amazon | Email this | Comments

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drag2share: Wacom Cintiq 24HD images break cover, we start practicing our stick figures

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/12/wacom-cintiq-24hd-images-break-cover-we-start-practicing-our-st/

We've been all giddy since the Cintiq 24HD waltzed through the FCC last month... and now, we have even more reason to be excited. Although unconfirmed, signs continue to point to a 24-inch HD display (1920 x 1200 supported) -- upon which Wacom has implemented a stand that appears to allow the user to customize their viewing angle based on the task at hand. According to CG Everything, the peripheral is said to boast 2048 levels of pressure sensors with a 60-degree tilt sensor, 92 percent Adobe RGB color saturation, 190 nits of brightness, 550:1 contrast ratio and a 13ms response time. We're still waiting on Wacom to corroborate all of this, but those who'd rather throw caution to the wind can indulge below.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Gallery: Wacom Cintiq 24HD first look

Wacom Cintiq 24HD images break cover, we start practicing our stick figures originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 12 Sep 2011 17:38:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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CG Everything | Email this | Comments

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drag2share: IBM's Watson set to tackle health insurance, takes 'Diagnosis for $1,000'

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/12/ibms-watson-set-to-tackle-health-insurance-takes-diagnosis-fo/

After tackling your tech support woes, the famed Watson is moving on to mop up the health insurance industry. That's right, the IBM showstopper we all know and love for trouncing trivia kings on Jeopardy has been hired by one of the largest health insurance company's in the US. WellPoint Inc. will make use of the system's breakneck speed and healthcare database alongside patient records -- allowing the supercomputer to guide treatment options and prescribe medicines. Once implemented, data will be combined from three sources in a matter of seconds: a patient's chart / records from a doctor, the insurance company's patient history and the medical knowledge that Watson already possesses. A pilot program will roll out next year to a number of cancer facilities, academic medical centers and oncology practices. No word yet on when The Watson School of Medicine will start accepting applications.

IBM's Watson set to tackle health insurance, takes 'Diagnosis for $1,000' originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 12 Sep 2011 17:24:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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drag2share: Pentax crams 18x optical zoom into Optio RZ18 point-and-shoot camera

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/12/pentax-crams-18x-optical-zoom-into-optio-rz18-point-and-shoot-ca/

Guess what, amateur shooters? The superzoom just got shrunk. Pentax has just outed a new compact that touts a downright impressive 18x optical zoomer (25-450mm equivalent), with the snooping lens married to a 16 megapixel sensor, a smattering of shake reduction technologies and a 3-inch HVGA LCD 'round back. Moreover, you'll find a nine-point autofocus system, face detection algorithms, an SDXC card slot and an HD video mode capable of snagging 720p clips at 30 frames per second. It's all set to ship next month in black, white and orange for $299.95 here in the States, with the full presser embedded just after the break.

Gallery: Pentax Optio RZ18 point-and-shoot camera press shots

Continue reading Pentax crams 18x optical zoom into Optio RZ18 point-and-shoot camera

Pentax crams 18x optical zoom into Optio RZ18 point-and-shoot camera originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 12 Sep 2011 18:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Optio RZ18 Fact Sheet [PDF] | Emai l this | Comments

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