drag2share: Intel's Ultrabook portal jabs at limited functionality of tablets

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/02/intels-ultrabook-portal-jabs-at-limited-functionality-of-tablet/

Love 'em or hate 'em, there's no question that tablets aren't capable of handling the same rigors (with the same efficiency levels) as a full-on laptop, and Intel's using that very point to promote the Ultrabook category as a whole. Given that we're just days away from seeing what's apt to be a flood of these things at CES, Intel's new Ultrabook portal (and linked "Ultra Excited For Ultrabooks" preview paper) is priming the masses for what to expect. In the note, Intel Technical Marketing Engineer Shirley Chen notes the following:

"Tablets have introduced some great features that support some of these use cases with longer battery life and touch capabilities in order to provide a more enriched experience. However the screens are still small, local storage is generally miniscule and restrictive, and tablets lack performance compared to that of a traditional PC. At the other end of the portable scale there are laptops, which for many are just too big, and place power and performance above user experience, which both hardware and software play a part in. Ultrabook systems marry thin and light with the best in performance, responsiveness, security and battery life - filling the gap between desktop/laptop and tablet. We are reinventing the PC again. An Ultrabook device is ultra-responsive and ultra-sleek."

Nothing here is truly groundbreaking, per se, but it's the first time that we've seen such a giant company take a meaningful swing at a product sector that has caught fire for myriad reasons. 2012 is shaping up to be the year of the inexpensive tablet, but if Intel has its druthers, you'll be shaking off the hype and picking up a full-fledged computing tool instead. Have a look at the rest in the PDF sourced below.

Intel's Ultrabook portal jabs at limited functionality of tablets originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 02 Jan 2012 13:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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drag2share: NASA's GRAIL spacecrafts enter Moon's orbit, set to map its gravitational field in March

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/02/nasa-grail-spacecrafts-enter-moons-orbit-set-to-map-its-gravit/

Way back in September, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory sent a duo of Lockheed Martin-produced spacecraft toward one of its favorite test subjects, the Moon, as a part of its GRAIL mission -- Gravity Recovery And Interior Laboratory. Now, nearly four months later, the administration has announced that the GRAIL-A and -B twin crafts have planted themselves within our Moon's orbit. According to NASA, they're currently in "a near-polar, elliptical orbit with an orbital period of approximately 11.5 hours," and it plans to execute more "burn maneuvers" in the coming weeks to shorten that time frame to less than two. By March, the research crafts will be positioned in a "near-polar, near-circular orbit" 34 miles above its surface, at which point they'll begin surveying its gravitational pull, by using radio signals to determine the distance between both units.

With this information, NASA hopes to better understand how gravity works, both above and below the Moon's surface, by detailing the findings in a high-resolution map. NASA also says that scientists can utilize it to get further insight into how our planets formed. Notably, both spacecraft feature a MoonKAM (Moon Knowledge Acquired by Middle school students), that will allow students request pictures of specific areas the lunar surface for later study. Best of all, using NASA's "Eyes on the Solar System" web app, you'll be able to follow the paths of both spaceships in detail. You'll find full details about the GRAIL mission at the source links below.

NASA's GRAIL spacecrafts enter Moon's orbit, set to map its gravitational field in March originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 02 Jan 2012 14:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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drag2share: ASUS Transformer Prime sees v8.8.3.33 OTA update, GPS and performance improved

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/02/asus-transformer-prime-v8-8-3-33-update-gps-performance/

For as much grief as ASUS is getting for its Transformer Prime, we're actually kind of surprised it's throwing the masses any bones at all. 'Course, one might say that having a riled-up customer base is better than having no customer base at all. Regardless of all that, a relatively small v8.8.3.33 update is purportedly hitting select Prime tablets today, with the over-the-air update bringing improved focus on the camera, bolstered touchscreen performance and enhanced GPS speed. Unfortunately, that last one seems to be nothing more than the automatic enabling of WiFi to "download satellite location information," but hey -- that's one less step for you, right?. As with all updates, we'd caution against installing this one if you're already working with some homegrown firmware, but everyone else should be welcoming the new bits and bytes with open arms.

ASUS Transformer Prime sees v8.8.3.33 OTA update, GPS and performance improved originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 02 Jan 2012 15:08:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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drag2share: MAME gets Chrome Native Client port, is awesome case study

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/02/mame-gets-chrome-native-client-port-is-awesome-case-study/

We've already seen MAME burn brightly (and briefly) on iPads across the world and now it's been delicately ported across to Chrome's Native Client. Admittedly, the graphics may not stand up against recent gaming wares seen on Google's new platform, but it's still able to cope with the likes of Pac-Man. Managing to turnaround the whole project in a mere four days, Google engineer Robert Muth branded the brief exercise as "relatively challenging" and has noted down all the deep and meaningfuls in a full case study, available at the source below. For anyone unwilling to dip their toes into Native Client waters, however, there's still plenty of power pellets to be downed online.

MAME gets Chrome Native Client port, is awesome case study originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 02 Jan 2012 17:25:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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drag2share: RIM puts BlackBerry Playbook on massive sale; Android Market shoehorned onto rooted units

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/02/blackberry-playbook-fire-sale-android-market-access-hack/

Research in Motion may not have found itself in a coveted spot as 2011 ended, but if it's learned anything from HP, there's a surefire way to rid itself of remaining BlackBerry PlayBook inventory: sell 'em for a loss. After the unloved slate went on sale in its native land, Americans can now save up to $400 on a PlayBook through February 4th. RIM's official webstore is offering the 16GB, 32GB and 64GB model for $299, leaving us to wonder who would ever choose the smaller two if all three remain in stock. In related news, those who take the company up on the offer can now gain access to the Android Market with a few choice moves. The fine folks over at CrackBerry have detailed the process, which requires a rooted PlayBook, WinSCP, the latest version of Cyanogen Google apps and a fair amount of patience. Naturally, not all Android apps will actually work on the device, but it's a lovely hack for a sure-to-be-sluggish week in your workshop. Hit the links below to learn more.

RIM puts BlackBerry Playbook on massive sale; Android Market shoehorned onto rooted units originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 02 Jan 2012 18:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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