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Monday, July 16, 2012

These $150 Earbuds Are Probably the Only MartinLogan Speakers You Can Afford [Audio]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5926371/these-150-ear-buds-are-probably-the-only-martinlogan-speakers-you-can-afford/gallery/1

MartinLogan makes expensive speakers. They're the kinds only the most anal-retentive audiophile would consider buying. The company's Motion Vision Soundbar costs $1500, and forget about the top-end CLX speakers. Twenty-five grand? No, thank you. At $150, the new Mikros 70 in-ear monitors aren't a bargain, either—but if they sound good enough, your average joe might actually consider them.

On specs alone, the Mikros 70 headphones might look like others on the market: They're aluminum with 6.6mm drivers, so they should deliver a nice mix of tones. The Mikros 70 are in-ear buds, so the little gel tips seal sound into your ear canal, making the low-end sound better and blocking outside ambient noise. The headphones are definitely designed to be used with a phone, as they come with an inline remote and microphone. The headphones have a sensitivity of 98dB (@ 1kHz), which is high enough that the output from a phone is plenty to drive the headphones.

So if these headphones are better than the rest, it's because of superior engineering that doesn't show on specs alone. MartinLogan is a company with quite a pedigree, so hopes are high. They may or may not be worth the money, but one thing's for sure: They're freaking gorgeous. [MartinLogan]

These $150 Earbuds Are Probably the Only MartinLogan Speakers You Can Afford

Do You Get Your News From YouTube? [Video]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5926430/do-you-get-your-news-from-youtube

YouTube has always been championed as an alternative platform for news and TV, but sometimes it seems more like like a playground for cat fanatics. But the Pew Research Center says that people getting their news from YouTube is a trend on the rise. And they're not the only ones noticing, as more than half of the most viewed clips that fall under news are from professional outlets.

How do you primarily get your news these days? Is it still via print, radio and TV? Is it from blogs and podcasts? Or have you hopped on the YouTube bandwagon? [Pew via PC Mag]

How the iPhone 4S' Camera Sensor Compares with a Point and Shoot and Full Frame DSLR [Cameras]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5926484/how-the-iphone-4s-camera-sensor-compares-with-a-point-and-shoot-and-full-frame-dslr

How the iPhone 4S' Camera Sensor Compares with a Point and Shoot and Full Frame DSLR If you were ever curious to find out what the size of your phones and cameras' sensor, the guys behind CameraSize have made SensorSize. It shows what your camera is really packing underneath those materials and whips 'em out to compare it with other devices too.

Above shows the hilarious sensor comparison of the Canon 5D Mark III, Canon S100 and iPhone 4S. The iPhone 4S packs a lot of punch for such a small hitter but it obviously isn't even in the same realm as the 5D Mark III. Same for the highly usable Canon S100 too. Can you imagine what a giganto sensor would look like on a phone?

How the iPhone 4S' Camera Sensor Compares with a Point and Shoot and Full Frame DSLR Good idea! Here's the ridiculous Nokia 41-megapixel PureView 808 "smartphone" next to (from left to right) the iPhone 4S, iPhone 4, HTC One X, Galaxy S III and iPhone 3GS. As you can see, from the iPhone 4S to the Galaxy S III, the sensor size is all the same. Which makes the Nokia 808 PureView comically large for a freaking phone. If you got it, flaunt it, I guess. Make your own comparisons with phones or point and shoots or DSLRs or mirrorless cameras and more at Camera Image Sensor. [Camera Image Sensor via PetaPixel]

Zoom Q2HD Handy Video Recorder lets you stream and record on the move, we go hands-on

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/07/16/zoom-q2hd-handy-video-recorder-lets-you-stream-and-record-on-the/

Zoom is known for making audio recorders, but its latest product, the Q2HD, brings video to the recording party -- HD video, no less. Sure, there are many ways to shoot and share our lives these days, and it's a wonder that services like Ustream aren't just full of videos of people unboxing cameras, checking in and uploading pictures to Pinterest (while also watching Ustream). Zoom, however, evidently believes that though the method might evolve, the medium largely remains the same -- voice and video. As such, the Q2HD Handy Video Recorder (to give it its full name) promises to play, capture and stream, all in "HD audio and video." Paraphrasing of the box aside, we got our hands on one and took it for a spin. Want to know how it fared? Let's reset the levels, then head past the break for the mixdown.

Gallery: Zoom Q2 HD hands-on

Zoom Q2 HD hands-on

Continue reading Zoom Q2HD Handy Video Recorder lets you stream and record on the move, we go hands-on

Filed under: Digital Cameras, Misc. Gadgets

Zoom Q2HD Handy Video Recorder lets you stream and record on the move, we go hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 Jul 2012 08:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NVIDIA scores $12.4 million contract from the DOE to help FastForward exascale computing

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/07/16/nvidia-scores-12-4-million-contract-from-the-doe-to-help-fastfo/

Sick and tired of waiting around for some exascale computing? So's the Department of Energy. The agency has offered up a $12.4 million contract to NVIDIA as part of its FastForward program, an attempt help speed up exascale development. The chipmaker will be using the two-year contract to help develop architecture for an exascale computer that operates at a "reasonable power level," in order to "advance the frontiers of science." Possible implications for exascale computing include the study of climate change, development of efficient engines, the search for disease cures, according to NVIDIA -- not to mention "reasons of national security and economic competitiveness."

Filed under: Science

NVIDIA scores $12.4 million contract from the DOE to help FastForward exascale computing originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 Jul 2012 13:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sprint bundles Lenovo IdeaPad U310 and a mobile hotspot: $850 plus a monthly bill (update: $799)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/07/16/sprint-bundles-lenovo-ideapad-u310/

Looking to snag a mobile hotspot with your pending Ultrabook purchase? If so, Sprint is looking to be the first US carrier to oblige with a package deal. The wireless provider will bundle the Lenovo IdeaPad U310 with a 3G / 4G mobile hotspot for ~~$849~~ $799 -- plus a monthly bill of either $34.99 for 3GB of data or $49.99 for 6GB of the added connectivity. If that wasn't enough to get you to pull the trigger, the outfit has also thrown in three months of service for free once you commit to two years of Sprint's mobile broadband. You'll be strapped with the Core i5 CPU version of the Ultrabook, but you'll be able to decide between either a MiFi or an Overdrive Pro for the hotspot option. Itchin' to take the plunge? Hit that second source link below to sign up and part with your funds.

Update: Although the Sprint website reads $849, we've been told by the company that the price will show up as $799 once the bundle has been added to your cart and that the product page should be updated soon.

Filed under: Laptops, Wireless

Sprint bundles Lenovo IdeaPad U310 and a mobile ho! tspot: $ 850 plus a monthly bill (update: $799) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 Jul 2012 14:56:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Raspberry Pi production ramped up to 4,000 per day, 5MP camera module on its way (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/07/16/raspberry-pi-production-ramped-up-to-4-000-per-day-5mp-camera-m/

If you'd been frustrated thanks to all the Raspberries having been picked, and had even considered the bitter taste of other fruit, there's hope for you yet. The tiny computer's maker has just announced that production is now at 4,000 units per day, and the previous restriction of one purchase per person has been lifted. Good news. In addition to this is the announcement of a new camera board in the works. The 5-megapixel module (as expected, dropping a few notches from the 14MP prototype) is expected to cost around $20-$25, and be available in around three months. So now you can have your fill of the sweet little berries and look forward to your next upgrade too. Now you just need to think of a suitably sweet application for it.

Continue reading Raspberry Pi production! ramped up to 4,000 per day, 5MP camera module on its way (video)

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Raspberry Pi production ramped up to 4,000 per day, 5MP camera module on its way (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 Jul 2012 17:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NCSU creates stretchable conductors from silver nanowires, lets gadgets go the extra inch

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/07/16/ncsu-creates-stretchable-conductors-from-silver-nanowires-lets/

As often as we've seen flexible electronics, there haven't been many examples that could stretch -- a definite problem for wearables as well as any gadget that could afford to take a pull or squeeze. North Carolina State University's Yong Zhu and Feng Xu may have covered this gap through a form of silver nanowire conductor that keeps the energy flowing, even if the wire is stretched as much as 50 percent beyond its original length. By coating the nanowires with a polymer that traps the silver when solid, the researchers create an elastic material that can crumple and let the nanowire take the strain without interruption. Although the stretchy conductor's nature as a research project could put any practical use years into the future, Zhu notes that it can take loads of abuse, making it a perfect fit for rugged mobile devices. It should also allow for robots with a gentler touch and a more natural look... although we'll admit we're skittish about the creepy androids likely to follow.

Filed under: Robots, Wearables, Science

NCSU creates stretchable conductors from silver nanowires, lets gadgets go the extra inch originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 Jul 2012 17:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ViewSonic outs 27-inch VX2703mh-LED monitor with 1080p, SRS Premium Sound

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/07/16/viewsonic-27-inch-VX2703mh-LED-monitor/

Some would say monitors aren't anywhere nearly as exciting as something like, say, a shiny new Galaxy S III or Google's novel slate, the popularly priced Nexus 7 -- but, you know, sometimes you just need to get some actual work done. And for those of you who are crazy about relatively large monitors, ViewSonic's unveiled its 27-inch VX2703mh-LED offering. Priced at $299, the ClearMotiv II display boasts a decent 1920 x 1080 resolution with a 10,000,000:1 MEGA Dynamic Contrast Ratio, built-in SRS Premium Sound speakers, as well as DVI, VGA and HDMI ports. Equally important, the outfit's touting the screen's eco-friendly features, with a mercury-free LED backlighting, an ECO-Mode setting and, naturally, a power-saving feature to help keep that monthly electricity bill to a minimum. The VX2703mh-LED is expected to hit North American shelves later this month; in the meantime, you can check the gallery after the break to gaze at it from mostly every angle.

Gallery: ViewSonic VX2703mh-LED 27-inch monitor press shots

Continue reading ViewSonic outs 27-inch VX2703mh-LED monitor with 1080p, SRS Premium Sound

Filed under: Displays

ViewSonic outs 27-inch VX2703mh-LED monitor with 1080p, SRS Premium Sound originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 Jul 2012 19:28:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Your LinkedIn Homepage Is About To Go Through A Major Change (LNKD)

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/new-linkedin-homepage-2012-7

LinkedIn is rolling out a major refresh to its homepage starting today, the company announced on its blog.

The new look removes a lot of the clutter from your home screen, focusing on the network updates and news that you'll likely care about the most.

Instead of a flood of updates from all of your contacts, LinkedIn will determine the ones that matter the most to you. Articles from LinkedIn Today, the company's news aggregation product, will be displayed more prominently too.

Here's a mockup of the LinkedIn's redesign:

linkedin homepage redesign

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This Infographic Shows How Confused Voters Are About Taxes

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/obama-romney-tax-taxes-plan-buffett-rule-fiscal-cliff-2012-7

In an election year with a battle brewing on taxes, Americans are really confused about which candidate to trust. That's according to a new poll from The Hill, which includes some interesting findings on the subjects of wealth and taxes in the U.S.

On taxes, more likely voters trust Republicans than Democrats (43 percent to 36 percent) and presumptive GOP nominee Mitt Romney than President Barack Obama (46 percent to 42 percent).

But along the same lines, more voters (47 to 41 percent) prefer Obama's tax plan, which would extend tax cuts on families earning less than $250,000 per year. This fits with their general definition of wealth, which most voters say comes at the $250,000 level.

Take a look at The Hill's infographic:

The Hill taxes poll

See the full results of The Hill's poll here >

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Refresh Roundup: week of July 9th, 2012

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/07/15/refresh-roundup-week-of-july-9th-2012/

Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging for an update. From time to time, these mobile devices are blessed with maintenance refreshes, bug fixes, custom ROMs and anything in between, and so many of them are floating around that it's easy for a sizable chunk to get lost in the mix. To make sure they don't escape without notice, we've gathered every possible update, hack, and other miscellaneous tomfoolery we could find during the last week and crammed them into one convenient roundup. If you find something available for your device, please give us a shout at tips at engadget dawt com and let us know. Enjoy!

Continue reading Refresh Roundup: week of July 9th, 2012

Filed under: Cellphones, Tablet PCs, Software

Refresh Roundup: week of July 9th, 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 15 Jul 2012 21:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kontron preps first Tegra 3-based Mini-ITX board, homebrew gets an ARMful

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/07/15/kontron-preps-first-tegra-3-based-mini-itx-board/

Believe it or not, there's a potentially cheaper (and more customizable) way to get NVIDIA's quad-core Tegra 3 into your life than to spring for a Nexus 7. Kontron is readying a rare Mini-ITX motherboard, the KTT30, that combines the ARM-based chip with expandable RAM and a trio of mini PCI Express slots for expansion like a micro SATA drive or a 3G modem. The external ports are more the kind you'd find on a do-it-yourself x86 PC, too: full-size HDMI, USB and even Ethernet make a show at the back. The only hurdles are an unusually throttled back 900MHz processor speed and, quite simply, the lack of release details. Kontron hasn't promised more than a release "coming soon" -- with much more complete Tegra 3 devices now hitting the $199 mark, though, we can't see the KTT30 putting much strain on any budding hobbyist's wallet.

Filed under: Desktops

Kontron preps first Tegra 3-based Mini-ITX board, homebrew gets an ARMful originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 15 Jul 2012 23:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink < img class="img_label" src="http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.engadget.com/media/post_label_VIA.gif" alt="" />FanlessTech, Blogeee (translated) | source

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Galaxy S III Developer Edition for Verizon appears on Samsung's website

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/07/16/galaxy-s-iii-developer-edition-for-verizon-appears-on-samsungs/

Fans of unlocked bootloaders rejoice! It looks like the landing page for the Galaxy S III Developer Edition for Verizon is now live on Samsung's website. As you'll recall, Verizon is the only US carrier to sell the handset with a locked bootloader -- something that's not sitting well with us, developers, custom ROM aficionados and other tech enthusiasts (you know who you are). Thankfully, Samsung recently announced it would offer a special version of the handset with an unlocked bootloader on its website for $599. While there's still no info on availability, you'll at least be able to purchase the 32GB model in blue at some point soon. No word on the 16GB or white options, or whether the $599 pricetag applies to this blue 32GB version. We'll keep you posted when we find out more -- in the meantime, follow the source link below for the details.

Filed under: Cellphones

Galaxy S III Developer Edition for Verizon appears on Samsung's website originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 Jul 2012 01:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Outstanding Technology brings visible light communication to phones and tablets via dongle and LEDs

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/07/16/outstanding-technology-visible-light-communication/

Data transmission via visible light is no longer a technological novelty, but it has yet to make its way into consumer's hands. Japanese firm Outstanding Technology is aiming to change that with its Commulight location system, which relies on a pair of receivers to get smartphones and tablets downloading info using photons instead of radio waves. One dongle is of the USB variety, but since most mobile gadgets lack such a socket, there's another that plugs into any device's 3.5mm jack. Each employs a sensor that grabs relevant location-based info from an overhead data-transmitting LED light. According to its maker, Commulight's destined for use as a way to give museum goers exhibit info, to transmit coupons, and even provide precision indoor location services more accurate than GPS or WiFi. Want to know more? Check out the video of tech in action after the break.

Continue reading Outstanding Technology brings visible light communication to phones and tablets via dongle and LEDs

Filed under: Cellphones, Peripherals, Tablet PCs

Outstanding Technology brings visible light communication to phones and tablets via dongle and LEDs originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 Jul 2012 03:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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