Dr. Augustine Fou's Online Scrapbook

Monday, July 02, 2012

Google's Patrick Brady tells us how the Nexus 7 went from 'start to finish in four months'

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/07/02/how-the-nexus-7-came-to-be/

Google's Patrick Brady tells us how the Nexus 7 went from 'start to finish in four months'

At this past year's CES, we were inundated by tablet after tablet after, well, tablet. Some were big, some were small, and some were just right. A few, though, kind of faded into the wallpaper and didn't return. Such was a little prototype NVIDIA brought by for us to play with, a 7-inch tablet from ASUS with Tegra 3 power and an amazing price tag -- just $250. We got our hands on it briefly (as seen in the video below) and it was impressive, but it was never to be seen again.

One month later, Google's Director of Android Partner Engineering Patrick Brady joined Matias Duarte in Taipei to meet with ASUS and to launch the project that would become Google's first Nexus tablet, the 7-inch, Tegra 3-powered Nexus 7 that is shipping soon for an even more amazing $199. Coincidence? Join us for a discussion with Patrick about how Google's mighty little tablet came to be.

Continue reading Google's Patrick Brady tells us how the Nexus 7 went from 'start to finish in four months'

Google's Patrick Brady tells us how the Nexus 7 went from 'start to finish in four months' originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 02 Jul 2012 15:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Microsoft announces $39.99 Windows 8 Pro upgrade offer for most Windows users

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/07/02/microsoft-announces-39-99-windows-8-pro-upgrade-offer-for-most/

Microsoft announces $3999 Windows 8 Pro upgrade offer for most Windows users

Microsoft has already detailed the Windows 8 upgrade route for those buying a new computer, and it's now finally confirmed what everyone else will be paying when they upgrade their existing PC. Those running Windows XP, Windows Vista, or Windows 7 will able to download a Windows 8 Pro upgrade for just $39.99. That's a far cry from the company's earlier upgrade prices, which as recently as Windows 7 ran $50 and $99 for Home Premium and Pro upgrades, respectively. You will have to pay a bit more if you want packaged DVD version of the upgrade, though, with it running $69.99 at retail -- it also sounds like both of those prices will be going up when the promotion ends on January 31st of next year. Not surprisingly, the upgrade process will vary depending on the OS you're currently using. Those making the jump all the way from Windows XP will only able to bring their personal files with them, while those on Vista will be able to bring their personal files and Windows settings, but no applications. And, if you're wondering about Media Center, it will be available as a free option once the upgrade is finished.

Microsoft announces $39.99 Windows 8 Pro upgrade offer for most Windows users originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 02 Jul 2012 15:07:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Micron scoops up Elpida Memory, 50-percent production boost for $2.5 billion

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/07/02/micron-buys-elpida-memory/

There's no question that Micron has shifted its focus away from PCs in favor of producing components, shipping everything from SSDs to CMOS sensors in recent years, but the semiconductor manufacturer just took a $2.5 billion step even closer to bridging its gap between other companies in the same market, including Samsung, the chip producer's top competitor. Under the deal, Elpida Memory, which is headquartered in Tokyo, will fall within the Idaho-based conglomerate's growing umbrella, netting Micron a 50-percent boost in production capability. That increase did come at great expense, however -- the transaction included $750 million in cash and $1.75 billion in future installments (1,750 easy payments of one million dollars?), which are set to continue through 2019. The acquisition was also paired with a 24-percent stake in Rexchip Electronics for an additional $334 million, which will complement Elpida's investment, yielding a total 89-percent stake for Micron. While the amount does seem quite significant, investors appear to be on board, with Micron's stock ($MU) currently up more than 4 percent since this morning. Both deals will reportedly close within the next year.

Micron scoops up Elpida Memory, 50-percent production boost for $2.5 billion originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 02 Jul 2012 19:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jelly Bean Checks Youâre Actually Alive Before Unlocking Your Phone [Android]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5922799/jelly-bean-checks-youre-actually-alive-before-unlocking-your-phone

Jelly Bean Checks Youâre Actually Alive Before Unlocking Your Phone Google's clever little Face Unlock security feature, which lets you use your phone's camera to pull your Android mobile out of standby mode by having it recognise its master, has been updated, with the Jelly Bean version of the tool allowing users to blink at it to prove they're not a photograph.

This is designed to stop the sort of internet outrage pieces we saw surrounding the launch of Google's Android 4.0 software alongside the Galaxy Nexus last year, when it was discovered that Android's new Face Unlock could be tricked by using a photo of the registered owner, so was about as secure as writing your secrets on a pub toilet wall in marker pen.

So in Android 4.1 it ought to be a little tougher to fool thanks to the optional blink detection setting, unless you print out a life-sized photo of the owner, cut out holes for the eyes and blink through the holes. Which is probably a bit too much fuss for the chance to read someone else's mundane SMS messages. [XDA via TechCrunch via Gizmodo UK]

Image by Android Central

Our newest offspring Gizmodo UK is gobbling up the news in a different timezone, so check them out if you need another Giz fix.

First DSLR 4K video from prototype Canon EOS-1D C reportedly emerges

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/07/01/first-dslr-4k-video-from-prototype-canon-eos-1d-c/

If you've been wondering what kind of eye candy Canon's EOS-1D C is capable of, you might be in luck. The crew over at EOSHD have apparently snagged some 4K sample footage from an early prototype of the unreleased, professional-grade DSLR. The clip looks slick to us, albeit lacking in the scenery department. Even so, EOSHD comments that while a "massive step up for image quality compared to all previous DSLRs" the video footage isn't as sharp as stills from the 1D X (the 1D C's less-endowed sibling) and "not near what true 4K should look like." (Of course, anyone looking for true 4K is advised to step up to Sony's $70k F65 CineAlta, so we guess you get what you pay for). You can check out the minute-long clip, unfortunately scaled to a Vimeo-friendly 1,920 x 1,080, after the break. If your discerning eye demands the raw footage, however, why not grab the few seconds available at the source link and let us know your thoughts? That's what the comments are for, after all.

Continue reading First DSLR 4K video from prototype Canon EOS-1D C reportedly emerges

First DSLR 4K video from protot! ype Cano n EOS-1D C reportedly emerges originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 01 Jul 2012 22:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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