Chrome OS version 20 hits stable release channel, brings Google Drive and Aura UI for Cr-48s along

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/07/11/chrome-os-version-20-drive-docs-aura/

If you're a Chrome OS user who doesn't live on the bleeding edge, it's finally time to experience the latest version 20, which most notably adds support for its Drive cloud storage. Also mentioned as included in the upgrade is offline support of Google Docs, Pepper Flash upgrade, access to the new Aura UI on Cr-48 systems and other tweaks. Tighter integration with Drive and Docs may address a few of the issues noted in our review of v19, Chromebook and Chromebox owners can check it out as it arrives on their machines over the next several days and let us know if that's the case.

Filed under: Desktops, Laptops

Chrome OS version 20 hits stable release channel, brings Google Drive and Aura UI for Cr-48s along originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 11 Jul 2012 21:24:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kobo updates Touch eReader software and Desktop app, heads to Italy this fall

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/07/11/kobo-updates-touch-ereader-software-and-desktop-app/

Kobo's clearly been focused on important stuff like being bought by Rakuten and launching in Japan as of late, but the e-reader manufacturer's got a few bits to announce this week. At the top of the list is a software upgrade for its neglected Touch eReader, which brings a new wish list feature, so you can set aside titles for future purchase. A newly redesigned home screen promises to streamline things a bit and the Bookshelf feature has gotten a bit more customizable, letting you organize selections by genre, author and interest. The Kobo Desktop app, meanwhile, has gotten some tweaks to its profile quiz, to better help the company recommend books to suit your taste.

The company also announced that it'll be bringing the Touch eReader to Italy, courtesy of the Mondadori Group. At launch, 30,000 titles will be available in Italian. Italian e-reading enthusiasts will be able to snap up the Nook / Kindle competitor for €99 in the fall.

Kobo updates Touch eReader software and Desktop app, heads to Italy this fall originally appear! ed on Engadget on Wed, 11 Jul 2012 21:53:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BMW brings iDrive Touch, 3D maps to ConnectedDrive, LTE integration coming soon

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/07/11/bmw-connecteddrive-with-idrive-touch-3d-maps/

Hot on the heels of the news it'll be the first auto company to sport Nuance's Dragon Drive! on some of its fancy rides, BMW's now announced a handful of improvements and additions to its elegant ConnectedDrive infotainment system. For starters, the German outfit's bringing an all-new feature dubbed iDrive Touch (available in China this month, elsewhere at some point next year), giving drivers the ability to use a multitouch pad for easier overall navigating throughout the console, do some numbers / text inputting and use pinch-to-zoom capabilities while using the maps application. Speaking of which, BMW is also introducing "3D City Models," this will essentially give folks behind the wheel a "realistic depiction" of streets and buildings around their location area -- however, it's worth mentioning these tidbits will only be useful in "select locations." What's more, BMW's said the new enhancements are getting a speed boost thanks to LTE integration, but that'll have to wait until November of this year. If you're interested in learning more, feel free to give the PR below a quick read.

Continue reading BMW brings iDrive Touch, 3D maps to ConnectedDrive, LTE integration coming soon

< p>Filed under: Transportation, Software

BMW brings iDrive Touch, 3D maps to ConnectedDrive, LTE integration coming soon originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 11 Jul 2012 23:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toshiba's new 2.5-inch AL13SE hard drives: up to 900GB of 10,500RPM storage

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/07/12/toshiba-2-5-inch-900gb-al13se-10500rpm-hard-drive/

A 2.5-inch drive spinning at speeds up to 10,000RPM? Sure, we've seen it before, but only with enough room for 600GB worth of data. Toshiba, however, has trumped its forebears by upping the capacity to 900GB with its new 2.5-inch HDD, dubbed the AL13SE. 300GB, 450GB and 600GB flavors are offered as well, and all of them spin at up to 10,500RPM and promise a 32% increase in sustained transfer rates over previous-gen drives. Additionally, the AL13SE sends and receives data via a 6Gbps SAS 2.0 connection to make life easier on IT guys than those SATA drives most of us use. Unfortunately, Tosh isn't telling how much the new drives will cost, nor when they'll be available for purchase, but you can dig into all the drive details you can handle in the PR after the break and at the source link below.

Continue reading Toshiba's new 2.5-inch AL13SE hard drives: up to 900GB of 10,500RPM storage

Filed under: Storage

Toshiba's new 2.5-inch AL13SE hard drives: up to 900GB of 10,500RPM storage originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 12 Jul 2012 00:24:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony unveils first medical-grade OLED monitor, surgery gets rendered in all-too-vivid color

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/07/12/sony-unveils-first-medical-grade-oled-monitor/

OLED screens are virtually everywhere, and they're steadily getting bigger, but it was tough to find any in hospitals until now. While Sony's 25-inch PVM-2551MD might not have the most glamorous name, it's the first and only OLED monitor with FDA approval for use in surgery. No, it's not just to give the doctor something more pleasing (or disgusting) to look at while she's removing a gallstone -- the organic display can be a genuine help for surgery through the higher contrast, virtually non-existent blur and more faithful color reproduction versus the LCDs it's meant to replace. Us patients likely won't see the now-shipping 2551MD for much longer than it takes to go unconscious, so it might be hard to appreciate; if it helps surgeons finish operations faster and with fewer mistakes, however, we could all reap the rewards.

Continue reading Sony unveils first medical-grade OLED monitor, surgery gets rendered in all-too-vivid color

Filed under: Displays, Science

Sony unveils first medical-grade OLED monitor, surgery gets rendered in all-too-vivid color originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 12 Jul 2012 02:25:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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