Dr. Augustine Fou's Online Scrapbook

Thursday, May 31, 2012

Intel to show third-gen Ultrabooks at Computex, makes USB 3.0 or Thunderbolt a necessity

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/31/intel-to-show-third-gen-ultrabooks-requires-usb-3-or-thunderbolt/

When Intel first unveiled its grand plans for Ultrabooks at last year's Computex, many of the fireworks were consciously reserved for Ivy Bridge-based variants in 2012 -- well, they're here. This year's show in Taipei will show off the third generation of the skinny, MacBook Air-inspired platform, and Intel is toughening up the design requirements in the process. The thickness requirements are the same as last year, at 18mm for systems with screens under 14 inches and 21mm for bigger machines, but high-speed ports are now mandatory to get that coveted "Ultrabook" label and the full marketing weight of Intel's $300 million Ultrabook Fund: if a PC doesn't have either USB 3.0 or Thunderbolt, it's out of the running. Intel also wants security built-in, rather than optional, as well as guarantees that a system is quick and responsive when it's fully awake. Not that this would be terribly hard with the low-voltage Ivy Bridge processors launching at the same time, mind you.

Just to reinforce the importance of it all, Intel is noting that the flood of Ultrabooks is about to pick up in a big way as the category hits the mainstream. We were promised 75 Ivy Bridge Ultrabooks this year in a presentation back at CES; that number's now up to 110, 30 of which will be Windows 8-friendly touchscreen models and another 10 opting for the convertible tablet route. At least some of those lightweight portables should pop up at Computex next week, and you can be sure we'll be investigating as many of them as we can to see just how well Intel's partners have advanced the game.

Intel to show third-gen Ultrabooks at Computex, makes USB 3.0 or Thunderbolt a necessity originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 31 May 2012 00:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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OmniVision's 12.7-megapixel OV12830 can shoot 24 fps photo bursts from your smartphone

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/31/omnivisions-12-7-megapixel-ov12830-can-shoot-24-fps-photo-burst/

OmniVision has been on a bit of a tear introducing new mobile camera sensors this week, and its newest could well have the biggest impact on smartphones in the next year. The OV12830's 12.7 megapixels don't make it as dense as the 16-megapixel sensors we've seen, but it makes up for that with some mighty fast still photography. As long as the attached phone can handle it, the CMOS sensor can snap full-resolution photos at 24 frames per second, or the kind of relentless shooting speed that would make One X and Galaxy S III fans happy. The same briskness musters 1080p video at 60 fps, even with stabilization thrown in. Production won't start until the fall and likely rules out a flood of 12.7-megapixel phones and tablets until 2013, but the OV12830's dead-on match for the size of current 8-megapixel sensors gives it a good shot at becoming ubiquitous -- and guarantees that phones won't need a giant hump on the back for a higher resolution.

Continue reading OmniVision's 12.7-m! egapixel OV12830 can shoot 24 fps photo bursts from your smartphone

OmniVision's 12.7-megapixel OV12830 can shoot 24 fps photo bursts from your smartphone originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 31 May 2012 01:51:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gigabyte makes 975g X11 official, claims 'world's lightest' 11.6-inch notebook (update: hands-on video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/31/gigabyte-makes-975g-x11-official-claims-worlds-lightest-11-6/

Well hello there again, Gigabyte X11. Hot on the heels of yesterday's leak, Gigabyte's just made its 11.6-inch X11 laptop (or is that an Ultrabook?) official. At 975g (2.15 pounds) it claims the title of "lightest notebook on earth" -- and weighs even less on Mars. Design-wise, you're looking at a 16.5mm (0.65 inches) to 3mm (0.19 inches) thin Macbook Air-like body made of real carbon fiber (!) with an aluminum hinge. Under the hood you'll find unspecified third generation Intel Core processors (read Ivy Bridge), 4GB of DDR3 RAM, Mobile Intel HM77 Express chipset with Intel HD Graphics 4000, a 128GB SSD, WiFi b/g/n and Bluetooth 4.0.

Ports include power, USB 2.0 and mini DisplayPort on the left side plus microSD, combo audio and USB 3.0 on the right. While the specs also mention gigabit Ethernet, there's no sign of it anywhere in the press shots. The display is a 1366x768-pixel LED-backlit affair dotted with a 1.3 megapixel webcam. A chiclet keyboard, buttonless trackpad and 4730mAh 7.4V Li-ion polymer battery (likely sealed) complete the package. There's no word on availability, but prices will range from $999 to $1299 with Windows 7 Home Premium and Professional in tow. Expect more information when we get our hands on this sexy beast at Computex next week.

Update: Our colleagues over at Engadget Chinese just got to spend some time with this svelte black slab. Take a look at the gallery below and hit the break for the hands-on video.

Gallery: Gigabyte X11 hands-on

Gallery: Gigabyte X11 press shots

In addition, Gigabyte's announcing two 14-inch laptops -- the U2442 and U2440 -- which feature third generation Intel Core processors and NVIDIA GeForce graphics. Unfortunately, we're still busy drooling all over the X11 gallery, so we'll direct you to the full PR after the break for the complete details.

Andy Yang contributed to this report.

Continue reading Gigabyte makes 975g X11 official, claims 'world's lightest' 11.6-inch notebook (update: hands-on video)

Gigabyte makes 975g X11 official, claims 'world's lightest' 11.6-inch notebook (update: hands-on video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 31 May 2012 03:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bio-chemical circuits may make you a man of a machine

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/31/bio-chemical-circuits-may-make-you-a-man-of-a-machine/

You'd be more than forgiven for not knowing who Klas Tybrandt is. The doctoral student at Linköping University is hardly a household name, but his latest creation may garner him some serious attention. The Swedish scientist has combined special transistors he developed into an integrated circuit capable of transmitting positive and negative ions as well as biomolecules. The advantage here is that, instead of simply controlling electronics, the circuits carry chemicals which can have a variety of functions, such as acetylcholine which the human body uses to transmit signals between cells. Implantable circuits that traffic in neurotransmitters instead of electrical voltages could be a key step in taking making our cyborg dreams a reality. We're already counting down the days till we're more machine than man.

Bio-chemical circuits may make you a man of a machine originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 31 May 2012 06:26:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Orange San Diego: Intel's Medfield phone gets benchmarked

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/31/orange-san-diego-benchmarks/

While we've been pleasantly surprised by some favorable browser scores, we couldn't help sneaking another peek at the phone's (second) launch -- this time right in the center of London. We took the Orange ~~Santa Clara~~ San Diego for a spin on our latest benchmarks. See how Intel's new mobile processor fares against much pricier competition right after the break.

Continue reading Orange San Diego: Intel's Medfield phone gets benchmarked

Orange San Diego: Intel's Medfield phone gets benchmarked originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 31 May 2012 06:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Huawei hotspot supports 110Mbps downstream on Softbank's 4G network

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/30/softbank-hotspot-supports-110mbps/

Huawei's 102HW Ultra WiFi 4G router might not be bathing in the same irradiated limelight as Sharp's Pantone 5, but it's said to support the fastest mobile data service in Japan. Announced at SoftBank's summer product rollout, the 102HW sports download speeds of up to 110 Mbps down and 10 Mbps up on AXGP (Advanced eXtended Global Platform) 4G, though it'll fall back to 3G when necessary. Up to ten users can simultaneous surf the web via 802.11b/g/n WiFi at 300 Mbps and share files through a built in microSDXC card slot. The box can also switch to and from SoftBank WiFi hotspots on the fly if cellular connections alone won't cut it. Live in Japan? You'll have to wait until September to land a hotspot of your own.

Huawei hotspot supports 110Mbps downstream on Softbank's 4G network originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 30 May 2012 05:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Engadget Japanese | source

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Offline Editing Coming to Google Docs In June [In Brief]

Source: http://lifehacker.com/5914054/offline-editing-coming-to-google-docs-in-june

Offline Editing Coming to Google Docs In June As part of today's announcement that a new Chromebook and Chromebox are on the way, Ars Technica is also reporting that offline editing is finally coming to Google Docs in June. We don't have a lot of details right now, only that it will sync any changes you make as soon as you get an internet connection, and it will only work in Chrome (at least to begin with). We'll have a full rundown of the addition when it finally gets released, but for now, keep your eyes peeled for updates over the next few weeks. [Ars Technica]

Mozilla Thimble Teaches You How to Code with a Side-By-Side HTML Editor [Learn To Code]

Source: http://lifehacker.com/5914119/mozilla-thimble-teaches-you-how-to-code-with-a-side+by+side-html-editor

Mozilla Thimble Teaches You How to Code with a Side-By-Side HTML Editor We recently told you about Mozilla's new Webmaker projects that teach you how to code, and the first one is ready for a test drive right now. Thimble is an easy to use, in-browser HTML editor that shows you the finished product right alongside your code, so you can learn as you go.

Thimble won't teach you HTML directly—you'd still want to have something like W3Schools or Code Academy on hand—but it's a tool that makes learning a lot easier. Instead of having to type your code in a text editor and load the resulting file up in a browser, you can see all your changes in real time as you make them. That also makes correcting mistakes a lot easier, since you'll know exactly what caused a problem as soon as you type it. You can even publish your finished web pages right from Thimble's app for all your friends to see. It's still in the testing phases right now, but you can use the testing version by clicking the link below.

Mozilla Thimble | via Webmonkey

Dell begins test deployment of ARM-based Copper servers

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/29/dell-test-deployment-arm-servers/

Back in February, Dell revealed its intentions to enter the ARM server field. Today, the company announced that it is shipping ARM-based Copper servers to a limited number of customers. Copper is lower power than x86 servers, and Dell thinks this makes it a good fit for energy-intensive platforms such as Hadoop. In that same vein, the company views Copper as a cost-effective option that can be used for light workloads and for testing performance. In addition to deploying its new servers to select clients, Dell will be looking to the open source community for help in further developing its ARM system (the platform currently runs Linux). No word on when Copper will move beyond the testing phase.

Dell begins test deployment of ARM-based Copper servers originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 29 May 2012 15:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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TechEye | source

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Alcatel outs 4.5-inch, 720p OT986 smartphone with Ice Cream Sandwich in China

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/29/alcatel-ot986-tcl-s900-ics-smartphone/

Alcatel is relatively a newcomer to the world of smartphone manufacturing, but the company's latest handset is certainly bound to turn some heads. Dubbed "OT986," this 4.5-inch device packs a hefty amount of all-around power (unlike that Venture), starting with its 1280 x 720 HD, IPS display, which is paired nicely alongside a dual-core 1.5GHz CPU (TI OMAP 4460), one gig of RAM and 8GB of internal storage -- and, there's also a lower-end model sporting a 1.2GHz processor and a mere 4GB of built-in storage. Furthermore, Alcatel's new Ice Cream Sandwich slab is said to hit the Chinese market under the TCL S900 moniker for 1,999 yuan (about $314), but deets are still cloudy on whether it'll be stuffed with the same juicy specs as the aforementioned OT986. While we wait to hear which other countries the device will make its way into, though, you can hit the source link below to gander at some extra eye candy.

Continue reading Alcatel outs 4.5-inch, 720p OT986 smartphone with Ice Cream Sandwich in China

Alcatel outs 4.5-inch, 720p OT986 smartphone with Ice Cream Sandwich in China originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 29 May 2012 16:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Unwired View | source

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OmniVision's OV2722 sensor promises 1080p tablet video chats, probably more than you wanted to see

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/29/omnivision-ov2722-sensor-promises-1080p-tablet-video-chats/

We're seeing rear cameras on smartphones and tablets get better all the time; what about at the front? OmniVision might have that side tackled through the OV2722, a 1080p-native CMOS camera sensor. It won't allow for magnum opuses of photography like the company's own 16-megapixel behemoth, but it's just big enough and thin enough (at 3mm deep) to give a serious upgrade to the 720p-or-lower front cameras that prevail today, including webcams on Ultrabooks. The new sensor is both thinner and better in low light than an earlier iteration, so we'll hopefully see fewer instances of blurrycam self-portraits and video calls. The OV2722 is in mass production now for unnamed clients, although we're worried that the resolution jump will show us a little too much detail in that chat with Aunt Mildred.

Continue reading OmniVision's OV2722 sensor promises 1080p tablet video chats, probably more than you wanted to see

OmniVision's OV2722 sensor promises 1080p tablet video chats, probably more than you wanted to see originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 29 May 2012 17:52:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Verizon, Google get ready to post Galaxy Nexus' Android 4.0.4 update, really really this time

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/29/verizon-google-get-ready-to-post-galaxy-nexus-android-4-0-4/

After a horrible tease at the start of the month, Google and Verizon finally appear ready to roll out the Android 4.0.4 update for the LTE Galaxy Nexus. Verizon has just posted the install guide for its elusive IMM76K upgrade, a telltale sign that the update could push out (in this case, from Google) within the next few days. The fixes are largely those that hit the HSPA+ version in March, although that means important Calendar interface tweaks as well as email and device fixes. More than anything, it should close one of the most inexplicably long chapters for minor OS updates in recent memory: Verizon's Galaxy Nexus owners are the last to get 4.0.4, having run on 4.0.2 since December and having exhibited even more patience than Sprint buyers.

Verizon, Google get ready to post Galaxy Nexus' Android 4.0.4 update, really really this time originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 29 May 2012 19:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Droid Life | source

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LG's Android 4.0 upgrades for Optimus LTE, LTE Tag, Vu start in June

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/29/lg-android-4-0-upgrades-for-optimus-lte-vu-start-in-june/

LG has been leaving its smartphone owners on pins and needles for their promised Android 4.0 upgrades. It's now starting to take action: if we go by poorly machine-translated Korean, the Optimus LTE, Optimus LTE Tag and Optimus Vu will all get Google's latest starting June 4th. Everyone gets the new UI 3.0 layer, but those who've leapt on the Optimus Vu's phablet frame will get "additional features" that we understand will take advantage of the extra-wide dimensions for side-by-side note-taking. LG's remarks still leave some gaps in the Ice Cream Sandwich story, such as when Nitro HD owners get the new software. Even so, we're glad to see that owners of LG's crème de la crème in at least some corners of the Earth can enjoy Chrome and other Android 4.0 perks in the very near future.

LG's Android 4.0 upgrades for Optimus LTE, LTE Tag, Vu start in June originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 29 May 2012 23:25:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Insert Coin: ZIP-Shooter lets you dolly around or track straight (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/30/insert-coin-zip-shooter-camera-dolly/

In Insert Coin, we look at an exciting new tech project that requires funding before it can hit production. If you'd like to pitch a project, please send us a tip with "Insert Coin" as the subject line.

If you're tired of shaky-vision in your films but don't have Spielbergian budgets, the ZIP-Shooter might be your secret weapon. By manipulating the wheels, you can track your DSLR, iPhone or other video cam in a straight line or around a bend, and use it as a tabletop, low or even worm-vision underslung dolly. With a 20-pound max weight limit, it'll handle most DSLR and lens combos, and you could even squeak on a light Red Scarlet package, while still collapsing it into a camera bag after usage. ZIP-Shooter is underway with $1,203 so far and a goal of $25,000 -- to see if you'd like to pledge $350 to get one, truck past the break and check the video.

Continue reading Insert Coin: ZIP-Shooter lets you dolly around or track straight (video)

Insert Coin: ZIP-Shooter lets you dolly around or track straight (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 30 May 2012 02:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ASUS MeMO 370T 7-inch tablet clears the FCC, leaves no trace of Ice Cream or Jelly behind

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/30/asus-memo-370t-tablet-fcc/

The 7-inch ASUS Eee Pad MeMO ME370T we saw in early prototype form during CES just passed through the FCC. It's still only showing WiFi radios with no trace of a cellular connection, although if it's going to be the $249 standard bearer NVIDIA and ASUS were so excited about, that's to be expected. A juicier rumor that has surfaced in the intervening period however, suggests this device will actually be released as a Google Nexus 7-inch tablet (or just sold from a Google store), and could even feature the next version of Android, codenamed Jelly Bean. It could also sell for as low as $149, although the cheaper reworked version might swap out the Tegra processor for one from Qualcomm. We didn't spot anything in the filings to back that up, but you can paw through the PDFs yourself at the link below, or just get an idea of what it looks like in non-line drawn form with our gallery of pics from CES 2012.

Gallery: Asus Eee Pad MeMO 370T

ASUS MeMO 370T 7-inch tablet clears the FCC, leaves no trace of Ice Cream or Jelly behind originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 30 May 2012 02:28:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dr. Augustine Fou's Online Scrapbook

Thursday, May 31, 2012

Intel to show third-gen Ultrabooks at Computex, makes USB 3.0 or Thunderbolt a necessity

OmniVision's 12.7-megapixel OV12830 can shoot 24 fps photo bursts from your smartphone

Gigabyte makes 975g X11 official, claims 'world's lightest' 11.6-inch notebook (update: hands-on video)

Bio-chemical circuits may make you a man of a machine

Orange San Diego: Intel's Medfield phone gets benchmarked

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Huawei hotspot supports 110Mbps downstream on Softbank's 4G network

Offline Editing Coming to Google Docs In June [In Brief]

Mozilla Thimble Teaches You How to Code with a Side-By-Side HTML Editor [Learn To Code]

Dell begins test deployment of ARM-based Copper servers

Alcatel outs 4.5-inch, 720p OT986 smartphone with Ice Cream Sandwich in China

OmniVision's OV2722 sensor promises 1080p tablet video chats, probably more than you wanted to see

Verizon, Google get ready to post Galaxy Nexus' Android 4.0.4 update, really really this time

LG's Android 4.0 upgrades for Optimus LTE, LTE Tag, Vu start in June

Insert Coin: ZIP-Shooter lets you dolly around or track straight (video)

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ASUS MeMO 370T 7-inch tablet clears the FCC, leaves no trace of Ice Cream or Jelly behind

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