Nielsen to use watermarks to enhance local channel rating accuracy

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/07/22/nielsen-to-use-watermarks-to-enhance-local-channel-rating-accura/

While we're watching our favorite shows in HD, it's easy to forget that they live and die by ratings, and those ratings aren't always collected with the latest technology. In an effort to improve the sample size and accuracy of ratings for local TV channels, Nielsen is starting to roll out a hybrid technology consisting of watermarks and return data from supporting pay-TV provider's set-top boxes, like DirecTV and Charter. The first three markets to get the upgrade are St. Louis, Dallas and Charlotte, with 17 yet to be announced markets to follow in 2013, and finally, the remaining 190 about two years after that. The system will work in parallel with the older Local People Meters and Diaries for three to six months and will lay the groundwork to collect ratings for online, tablets and other platforms. All the inside industry details and more are in the release after the break.

Continue reading Nielsen to use watermarks to enhance local channel rating accuracy

Nielsen to use watermarks to enhance local channel rating accuracy originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 22 Jul 2012 13:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Insert Coin: Radian lets you use your camera, iPhone and Android device for time lapse projects (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/07/22/insert-coin-radian-camera-iphone-android-time-lapse-photography/

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.

We've seen our fair share of time lapse tools at Insert Coin, ranging from last year's Triggertrap to the more recent Timelapse+ and Genie rig. Now we're throwing in another Kickstarter project into the mix, a motion time-lapse gadget called the Radian. Shaped like an oversized hockey puck, the Radian works with any camera that has a trigger-release input and can be used with or without a tripod. The device can be programmed through either an Android or iPhone app and lets you disconnect your smartphone once you've got your settings dialed in. Otherwise, you can use the Radian to take time-lapse photography with your iPhone or Android smartphone as well. A pledge of $150 gets you the standard Radian, while ponying up extra moolah nabs you a charcoal-colored variant as well as other goodies. If successful, delivery is slated for January. For more details, check out the video and source link after the ! break.

Continue reading Insert Coin: Radian lets you use your camera, iPhone and Android device for time lapse projects (video)

Filed under: Cellphones, Digital Cameras

Insert Coin: Radian lets you use your camera, iPhone and Android device for time lapse projects (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 22 Jul 2012 16:16:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ASUS loads P8Z77V with USB attached SCSI, beats Windows 8 to the punch

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/07/22/asus-loads-p8z77v-with-usb-attached-scsi/

There's no doubt about it, USB 3.0 is wicked fast when pitted against its predecessors -- but the ancient bulk-only transport protocol it uses is showing its age. Some newer external drives hope sidestep the old protocol by supporting a new one: UASP, or, USB attached SCSI. As its name implies, the modern protocol leverages the SCSI command set to reduce latency, enable queue functions and improve performance for compatible drives. Windows 8 will ship with UASP drivers baked in, but the protocol is already available in the form of third-party controllers and drivers. Speaking of which, Hot Hardware found the functionality on ASUS' P8Z77V motherboard, and gave it a rundown. The conclusion? "Turbo and UASP modes will never hurt performance, and you've got early access to a capability that's already been wrapped into future versions of Windows. That's a win, all the way around." We're hard pressed to disagree. Check out the outfit's tests in full at the source link below.

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

ASUS loads P8Z77V with USB attached SCSI, beats Windows 8 to the punch originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 22 Jul 2012 19:51:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Canon unveils EOS M mirrorless: 18 MP APS-C, EF compatibility, $800 in October with 22mm lens

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/07/23/canon-eos-m-mirrorless-camera/

Rumors of a Canon mirrorless camera have circled the web since long before Nikon's foray into the compact ILC space. And while that manufacturer's model fell far short of some expectations, it appears that Canon's iteration may in fact have been worth the not-so-insignificant wait. Unlike the Nikon 1 Series, Canon's new EOS M isn't a drastic departure from the company's existing mid-range DSLR lineup. In fact, under the hood it's quite similar to the Rebel T4i, with an 18-megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor, DIGIC 5 processor, 3-inch 1.04MP smudge-resistant touchscreen and the T4i's new hybrid autofocus system, which pairs both contrast and phase-difference AF for speedier, more accurate performance. Externally, however, the EOS M looks more like a cross between the PowerShot G1 X and S100, tipping the scale at 14.2 ounces with the included EF-M 22mm f/2 STM kit lens, compared to 27.4 ounces for the T4i, and 19 for the G1 X. It's physically smaller than the G1 X as well, and only slightly larger than the p! ocketabl e S100. The camera offers a sensitivity range in line with the competition, ranging from 100 to 25,600 (extended) in still mode and 12,800 (extended) when shooting video -- captured in 1920 x 1080 format at 24, 25 or 30 progressive frames per second. There's also a continuous shooting mode at 4.3 frames per second with fixed focus and exposure.

The EOS M's control layout should be more familiar to Canon point-and-shoot owners than DSLR users -- as one component of the size compromise, dedicated buttons are replaced with touchscreen options and a bit of menu diving. There's also no electronic viewfinder, though a full-size hot shoe is included with full support for Canon's lineup of Speedlite flashes, including the new $150 90EX strobe and ST-E3-RT Transmitter, and the GP-E2 GPS Receiver. Though the camera lacks certain direct controls, it still supports full manual shooting, even in video mode. There's also a built-in stereo mic with manual level adjustment. In addition to that 22mm kit optic, Canon is offering an EF-M 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM lens for $300, or you can add the $200 EF-EOS M mount adapter to enable use with existing lenses. The $800 EOS M kit is set to ship in October, and will be available in retail stores in black, though Canon's online store will also stock a white model (which will be paired with the same black lens). You can peek at both configurations, along with the new lenses and accessories in the gallery below. Then shoot past the break for the full PR from Canon.

Gallery: Canon EOS M mirrorless camera

Michael Gorman contributed to this report.

Continue reading Canon unveils EOS M mirrorless: 18 MP APS-C, EF compatibility, $800 in October with 22mm lens

Filed under: Digital Cameras

Canon unveils EOS M mirrorless: 18 MP APS-C, EF compatibility, $800 in October with 22mm lens originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 23 Jul 2012 00:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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All-Season Jacket Turns Inside-Out To Keep You Warm Or Cool [Clothing]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5927946/all+season-jacket-turns-inside+out-to-keep-you-warm-or-cool

An Austrian company has developed a new kind of triple-layer fabric that allows this jacket to keep the wearer either warm or cool depending on how they wear it—making it the perfect accessory for globe-hopping adventurers who prefer to travel light.

The Polychromelab fabric is stretchable, breathable, and waterproof—and while one side features a black outer layer that absorbs sunlight and heat, the other is bright and reflective, radiating it all away. So when worn with the black layer on the outside, the jacket will not only suck up the sun's rays to keep you warm, it will also reflect your own body heat back onto you on the inside. And when worn with the bright silver layer on the outside, the jacket will in turn reflect light and heat, and allow your body to breathe and cool down if you're sweating.

The first jackets made from this new uber-material won't be out until September, but the company has apparently been testing the fabric for several years now, so it will hopefully deliver on its claims. But since it's also being quiet on pricing details, you can probably safely assume they're not going to come cheap.

[Polychromelab via Gizmag]

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Wi-Fi Media lets your Nexus 7 play movies on any screen via HTC's Media Link HD (hands-on video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/07/21/wi-fi-media-lets-your-nexus-7-play-movies-on-any-screen-via-htc/

We're rather big fans of the Nexus 7 here at Engadget HQ -- it's just hard not to like a $200 tablet with a Tegra 3 SoC and 7-inch glass-bonded IPS display running pure Jelly Bean. Of the few missing features, there's one we're bemoaning more than the lack of rear camera, and that's the absence of any kind of HDMI or MHL video output. So far, watching movies with the Nexus 7's been relegated to using a Nexus Q and streaming content from Google Play or YouTube.

Enter Wi-Fi Media, an app available for free on Google Play that lets most Android devices like the Nexus 7 play movies, music and stills on any screen via any Cavium PureVu-compatible streamer, such as HTC's $90 Media Link HD. We tested Wi-Fi Media with our Nexus 7 and Media Link HD and found it to work pretty much as advertised except for some caveats. First the app doesn't mirror your screen -- you're limited to playing content stored on the tablet or on the network via DLNA, which means no YouTube, Netflix or games. Second, the app doesn't handle some co! mmon fil e types -- like AVI, for example.

While it supports watching movies, listening to music and looking at pictures, keep in mind that Wi-Fi Media is not a particularly polished app. In addition to playing local and remote DLNA content, you're able to login to Facebook and Picasa and stream images directly from these accounts, but that's pretty much it in terms of functionality. There's also no way to configure the Media Link HD, so you'll need a sanctioned HTC handset to setup the multimedia streamer before using it with a Nexus 7. Want to know more? Peek at our screenshot gallery below and hit the break for our hands-on video.

Gallery: Wi-Fi Media hands-on

Update: Since there's some confusion in the comments, we'd like to clarify that the Media Link HD is not a DLNA device. It normally only works with select HTC phones like the One X, One S and EVO 4G LTE. WiFi-Media's primary purpose is to connect with a Media Link HD -- the app also just happens to support DLNA.

[Thanks, Matt]

Continue reading Wi-Fi Media lets your Nexus 7 play movies on any screen via HTC's Media Link HD (hands-on video)

Filed under: Cellphones, Home Entertainment, Tablet PCs, Software

Wi-Fi Media lets your Nexus 7 play movies on any screen via HTC's Media Link HD (hands-on video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 21 Jul 2012 19:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Beats increases its share ownership to 75%, lets HTC keep majority stake, 'commercial exclusivity in mobile'

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/07/21/beats-htc-realign-business-agreement/

Although HTC and Beats are just shy of the one-year anniversary of their 300 million dollar partnership, it looks like the two are again growing apart. In a letter to shareholders today, it's been announced that the original owners of Beats plan to buy back 25 percent of its own shares, for a total ownership stake of 75 percent. That said, HTC will still retain nearly 25 percent of the remaining shares for itself, ensuring that it remains the largest external shareholder. As the release puts it, this new setup "provides Beats with more flexibility for global expansion while maintaining HTC's major stake and commercial exclusivity in mobile." All in all, it seems like this is more about shifting priorities given recent news like Beats' MOG acquisition, but it wouldn't make eventual breakup all that unsurprising given the partnership's mixed results. For now, you can hit up the press release for all the details.

Continue reading Beats increases its share ownership to 75%, lets HTC keep majority stake, 'commercial exclusivity in mobile'

Beats increases its share ownership to 75%, lets HTC keep majority stake, 'commercial exclusivity in mobile' originally appeared on Engadget on Sat,! 21 Jul 2012 17:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Akamai Deck Shows Mobile's No.1 Problem: 12 Seconds To Load An Ad

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/this-akamai-deck-shows-mobile-advertisings-no1-problem-speed-2012-7

The data is clear: mobile is going to be big.

But it may not be fast.

According to data collected by Akamai Technologies, which specializes in web speed acceleration for advertisers, slow load times on mobile devices could be mobile advertising's biggest obstacle.

The time it takes for a mobile site to load is reminiscent of web sites in the late 1990s—and that's a big problem.

Everyone knows mobile is growing.

But growth can be really fast. It took Draw Something nine days to gather the same number of users that AOL took nine years to get.

Within the next two years half of all commerce-related visits will be mobile.

See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Please follow Advertising on Twitter and Facebook.

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Firefox 15 beta boasts support for Opus audio format, reduces add-on memory leaks

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/07/21/firefox-15-beta-boasts-support-for-opus-audio-format-reduces-ad/

Can't bear to part with your favorite browser extensions, but can't stand to see them devour your system memory? Maybe you should check out Firefox 15. According to Mozilla's Hacks blog, the browser's latest beta should patch up the majority of memory leaks gushing from Firefox add-ons. Also new, is the beta's support for Opus, a free audio format partially supported by Mozilla. The firm hopes competing browsers will pick up the format as well, calling it "as good or better than basically all existing lossy codecs." The blog makes quite a case for the format, citing tests and bitrate information, going as far as giving instructions on embedding Opus players in web pages. Check out the codec of tomorrow for yourself at the source links below.

Filed under: Internet, Software

Firefox 15 beta boasts support for Opus audio format, reduces add-on memory leaks originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 21 Jul 2012 08:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Scientists Invent Wonder Material That May Kill Tumors and Cure Diseases [Science]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5927066/scientists-invent-wonder-material-to-kill-tumors-and-cure-diseases

Scientists have invented artificial pores as small as the ones in your cells—something unimaginable until now. These sub-nanometer synthetic pores are so tiny that they can distinguish between ions of different substances, just like a real cell.

It's an amazing engineering feat. Once they tune them to detect different substances, researchers claim that this seemingly miraculous matter would be able to do truly incredible things, from "purifying water to kill tumors and diseases by regulating the substances inside of cells."

The scientists used the Advanced Photon Source at Argonne National Laboratory to create the pores, gluing donut-shaped molecules—called rigid macrocycles—on top of each other using hydrogen bonding. According to one of the senior authors of the study, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Ameritas University's chemistry professor Xiao Cheng Zeng—"this nanotube can be viewed as a stack of many, many rings. The rings come together through a process called self-assembly, and it's very precise. It's the first synthetic nanotube that has a very uniform diameter." They are about 8.8 angstroms thick, just one tenth of a nanometer.

They are now capable of passing potassium ions and water, but not other ions, like sodium and lithium ions. Basically, this means that you could pass salt water through a fabric made of this wonder material and make it drinkable—instantly.

Lead researcher Dr. Bing Gong—a chemistry professor at University of Buffalo—says that "the idea for this research originated from the biological world, from our hope to mimic biological structures, and we were thrilled by the result. We have created the first quantitatively confirmed synthetic water channel. Few synthetic pores are so highly selective."

Gong says that they now have to experiment with the pores' structure to find out how the materials are transported through the pores and tune it to select which substances they want to filter and which ones they want to let through.

If they are successful, this material has an incredible potential to change almost everything. [University of Buffalo via Futurity]

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LG outs IPS7 Series monitors: 23 or 27-inch IPS, minimal bezel, MHL mobile link, 8-bit 1080P

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/07/20/lg-ips7-series-monitors-23-27-inch/

LG has announced a new series of IPS monitors, the 23- and 27-inch IPS7 series, with a mishmash of specs aimed at mobile, HD and professional users. Foregoing WQHD resolution in favor of plain jane 1920 x 1080, the panels feature a so-called Cinema Screen design with a 1.2mm (.025-inch) bezel, half-inch depth, a mobile high-definition (MHL) link, fast response times and color calibration software for professionals. If it's trying to to tap the pro market, the monitors lack some features like dual-link 2560 x 1440 resolution and 10-bit, 1.07 billion color graphics like the Dell U2711 or HP ZR2740w, for instance -- but then they could turn out to be considerably cheaper than those rivals. We'll just have to wait to find out the pricing.

Continue reading LG outs IPS7 Series monitors: 23 or 27-inch IPS, minimal bezel, MHL mobile link, 8-bit 1080P

Filed under: Displays

LG outs IPS7 Series monitors: 23 or 27-inch IPS, minimal bezel, MHL mobile link, 8-bit 1080P originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Jul 2012 08:08:00 ! EDT. Pl ease see our terms for use of feeds.

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ASUS spills jelly beans on why Nexus 7 has no rear camera, cites added cost

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/07/20/asus-explains-why-nexus-7-has-no-rear-camera-cites-cost/

Google's Nexus 7 tablet may be receiving OnLive Universal Controller support soon. What the Jelly Bean-flavored device won't be getting, however, is a rear-facing camera. Now ASUS is offering an explanation for the omission -- and no, it isn't to prevent users from looking like a doofus when snapping photos in public. ASUS apparently faced two options for a rear-facing camera: go cheap or go for quality. The company says it decided against sticking a lower-end camera at the back of the device because it would compromise the user experience. Adding a high-quality rear camera, on the other hand, would increase costs too much, so that proposition was nixed as well. The good news is that apps such as Instagram are finding ways to make things work with just the Nexus 7's front-facing camera. In the meantime, here's a little ditty from Google that just might help put a smile on your face.

Filed under: Tablet PCs

ASUS spills jelly beans on why Nexus 7 has no rear camer! a, cites added cost originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Jul 2012 09:03:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ikea beefs up 2013 catalog with companion AR app, doesn't translate Swedish furniture names (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/07/20/ikea-beefs-up-2013-catalog-with-companion-ar-app-doesnt-transl/

While many might reckon the days of paper-based catalogs passed with the advent of the web, Ikea's clinging onto its tome for yet another year, but will dust its latest issue with augmented reality. It looks like its 2013 catalog app will arrive with some new camera-centric features on both phones and tablets -- the brief preview video shows a pair of devices that look decidedly iPhone and iPad-esque. The app uses image recognition software from Metaio (avoiding the jarring monotones of QR codes) to identify specific pages and throw in some lightweight extra content, from cutaway views of furniture to "inspirational" video shorts. The agency behind the app has much loftier ideas for the future, including streaming live cooking shows or concerts into Ikea's imaginary rooms. Take a preview tour after the break, but sorry, no meatballs (or hotdogs) at the end.

Continue reading Ikea beefs up 2013 catalog with companion AR app, doesn't translate Swedish furniture names (video)

Filed under: Cellphones, Tablet PCs, Software

Ikea beefs up 2013 catalog with companion AR app, doesn't translate Swedish furniture names (video) originally appeared on Engadget on! Fri, 20 Jul 2012 10:24:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dell M4700, 6700 documents leak, ruins the surprise for laptop fans

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/07/20/dell-m4700-m6700-document-leak/

If you've had an eye on a new Business-focused Dell laptop but wanted to see the inside of one before purchasing, now you can. The company has (prematurely) outed documents for its rumored M4700 and M6700 portables well before they've been officially announced. The owners manual for the latter includes detailed teardown information that shows you how to disassemble the unit -- much like what we saw for the XPS 13. It's almost as if Dell knows we're watching, the naughty tease.

[Thanks, Duy]

Filed under: Laptops

Dell M4700, 6700 documents leak, ruins the surprise for laptop fans originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Jul 2012 10:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Qantas to hand out free iPads to all passengers on Boeing 767s, save fuel and our sanity (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/07/20/qantas-to-hand-out-free-ipads-to-all-passengers-on-boeing-767s/

Qantas just upped the ante for its Australian nemeses Jetstar and Virgin in the airline tablet wars. Following an earlier trial, the transporter plans to hand out free iPads to all of its passengers -- not just the high-flyers in business-class, like with Jetstar's iPads or Virgin's Galaxy Tabs -- on every Boeing 767 aircraft in the fleet. The rollout, which starts in the last quarter of the year, will let those bored in the back seats watch an equally free 200 hours' worth of QStreaming audio and video. Don't confuse the gesture with a sudden bout of altruism on Qantas' part, however. The pound-and-a-half weight of a current iPad sheds the tremendous amount of weight that would normally be needed for a conventional in-flight entertainment system built into the headrest, which on a typical 375-seat 767 could see the iPads pay for themselves within years, if not sooner. The option will give many Aussies something to look forward to for their domestic summer vacations. In the meantime, hop past the break for a Qantas video explaining how QStreaming worked during the original trial run.

Continue reading Qantas to hand out free iPads to all passengers on Boeing 767s, save fuel and our sanity (video)

Filed under: Tablet PCs, Transportation

Qantas to hand out free iPads to all passengers on Boeing 767s, save fuel and our sanity (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Jul 2012 15:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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