Friday, September 07, 2012

JVC's $349 ADIXXION camcorder is shipping now, packs LCD, WiFi and live Ustreaming (hands-on)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/09/07/jvcs-349-adixxion-camcorder-is-shipping-now-packs-lcd-wifi-a/

JVC's $349 ADIXXION camcorder is shipping now, packs LCD, WiFi and live Ustreaming handson

After its mid-summer reveal, JVC's entry into the booming action sports camera market is now shipping and we got to spend some time with the questionably-named GC-A1 ADIXXION at the company's CEDIA booth. To compete with offerings from GoPro, Sony and our most recent favorite, the Contour+2, the GC-A1 brings its "Quad Proof" housing that makes it waterproof (to 5M) and shockproof (for falls of up to 2M), dustproof and freeze-proof, as well as built-in WiFi, integrated microphone, image stabilization and a 1.5-inch LCD on the side. It can use WiFi to make a video link with nearby Android or iOS devices as well as PCs so the wearer can check where the camera is pointing, and even stream video directly to Ustream via a hotspot, no PC necessary. For the $349 asking price a goggle mount, flexible mount, two lens protection covers, USB cable and a single battery are included. We didn't have a motocross track or snowmobile handy on the show floor, but in-hand it felt every bit the ruggedized, compact device that its advertised to be and the LCD was decently viewable. Check out a few more pics of it in our gallery below and some sample footage in the video embedded after the break.

Continue reading JVC's $349 ADIXXION camcorder is shipping now, packs LCD, WiFi and live Ustreaming (hands-on)

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JVC's $349 ADIXXION camcorder is shipping now, packs LCD, WiFi and live Ustreaming (hands-on) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 07 Sep 2012 17:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HTC's waterproof, WiMAX-capable J handset now available in Hong Kong and Taiwan

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/09/07/htc-j-waterproof-hong-kong-taiwan/

HTC's waterproof J handset now available in Hong Kong and Taiwan

Not to be outdone by Motorola and Nokia, HTC's quietly trying to steal some of the competition's thunder by unexpectedly outing a not-for-sale, fashion-driven variant of the One X and now with the announcement that its 4.3-inch waterproof J handset will be heading to a couple more Asian markets. Of course, let's not forget the Taiwanese outfit also has something else to show us at an upcoming special event in NYC. But, regardless of what we'll "see next," the J's actually here -- well, in Japan -- and with eyes set on Hong Kong and Taiwan next, making this the first time that Sense 4-loaded device is headed outside the Land of the Rising Sun.

Just a quick recap: the HTC J comes with a 1.5GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 MSM8660A, 1GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage, qHD PenTile OLED display, eight-megapixel camera and 1,810mAh battery. As for connectivity, you get quad-band GSM, WCDMA 2,100MHz, CDMA2000 800MHz and WiMAX 2.5-2.7GHz (for Japan and Taiwan only) radios, making it a fairly nice all-rounder albeit with limited regional compatibility for each of the faster connections. Oh, and about that waterproofing business: KDDI doesn't actually list it as a waterproof device, but HTC informed us that while the J meets global standards for waterproofing, it is not marketed as such in Japan due to particular criteria required by said carrier. We shall add more info here if HTC has more to say about this.

At any rate, Hong Kong folks will be able to pick up this waterproof device for HK$4,498 (about $580) unsubsidized, whereas Taiwan will have to wait until the press event next Tuesday for tariff details on Taiwan Mobile. For now, we got you a video of the J going for a swim after the break. You know, just for kicks.

Richard Lai contributed to this report.

Continue reading HTC's waterproof, WiMAX-capable J handset now available in Hong Kong and Taiwan

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HTC's waterproof, WiMAX-capable J handset now available in Hong Kong and Taiwan originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 07 Sep 2012 11:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EchoStar HDX-410 set-top box runs native ICS, supports terrestrial broadcasts (hands-on video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/09/07/echostar-hdx-410-ics-set-top-box-hands-on/

EchoStar HDX410 settop box runs native Android 40, supports terrestrial broadcasts handson video

You may be familiar with EchoStar's satellite-based (Dish Network) and Sling Media (Slingbox) products, but the company also manufactures set-top boxes for third-party providers, as well as free-to-air services in the UK. It's this last grouping that'll be able to take advantage of the Android-based device we saw today, assuming it does in fact make its way to market. The HDX-410 runs native Ice Cream Sandwich, and is available in two versions -- one supports IP content and local storage exclusively, while a second can also accept terrestrial Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB) programming, letting you play back live TV shows in addition to content from a local server, pulled from the web or stored on attached media or an inserted microSD card. It connects to the web using Ethernet or WiFi, and includes USB ports on both the front and the rear, Bluetooth, HDMI out, digital audio out and a standard-definition connection. It's also paired with a QWERTY keyboard-equipped remote manufactured by Philips with gyroscopic or directional-pad curser control, along with pinch/zoom gesture capability.

We had a chance to check out the ICS box at EchoStar's IBC booth today, where the device was running Android 4.0.4 and an early version of the company's hybrid app, which groups "favorited" content alongside terrestrial channels, letting you use the standard channel up/down button to navigate through stored TV shows, IP content or live programming quite seamlessly, as i! f all of the media was playing from the same source. It's clearly not yet ready for primetime, but the interface was sleek and speedy -- the set-top box performed very well overall. EchoStar reps were unable to confirm whether or not the HDX-410 would be coming to market at all, but they did add that the solution may be made available to third-parties in the future. Click past the break to take a closer look in our hands-on video.

Continue reading EchoStar HDX-410 set-top box runs native ICS, supports terrestrial broadcasts (hands-on video)

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EchoStar HDX-410 set-top box runs native ICS, supports terrestrial broadcasts (hands-on video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 07 Sep 2012 12:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony Stitch merges footage from two 4K F65 cameras to create zoomable panoramic with HD output (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/09/07/sony-stitch-4k-hands-on/

Sony Stitch merges footage from two 4K F65 cameras to create zoomable panoramic with HD output handson video

Well, that's a mouthful of a headline. Going a bit more in-depth, a new professional solution from Sony allows broadcasters to capture side-by-side 4K video at, say, a sporting event, then use a standard camera zoom device to select small portions of each feed for 720p or 1080i output. On the receiving end, you'll see a live image that looks indistinguishable from something you'd capture with a moving camera, with a few extra benefits to boot. Sony demonstrated the system using feeds from an F65 4K camera earlier this year at NAB, but was only able to present a simulation at that point, with pre-recorded output cropped from larger-format footage.

Now, as we saw today at IBC in Amsterdam, the technique works in realtime, so an adjustable smaller portion of the video is pumped out seamlessly and instantaneously. The 4K video can also be recorded at full resolution simultaneously, letting you change the framing long after an event takes place. Sony only had the demo configured to pull live video from the left portion of the feed, but eventually the entire capture will be enabled, giving producers access to an entire football field, as you'll see in the hands-on video after the break. We wouldn't expect this solution to replace human camera operators anytime soon, but it's certainly a viable method for adding angles and placing a bit more control in the hands of production teams, even after the fact.

Continue reading Sony Stitch merges footage from two 4K F65 cameras to create zoomable panoramic with HD output (video)

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Sony Stitch merges footage from two 4K F65 cameras to create zoomable panoramic with HD output (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 07 Sep 2012 10:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SwiftPreview Automatically Previews Links When You Hover Over Them [Chrome Extensions]

Source: http://lifehacker.com/5940943/swiftpreview-automatically-previews-links-when-you-hover-over-them

SwiftPreview Automatically Previews Links When You Hover Over ThemChrome: If you want to quickly glance at a link within a news article but don't want to click on it, SwiftPreview is a simple way to do it. When you hover over a link, SwiftPreview shows a graphic preview of the page linked, and the extension is fully customizable so you can keep it from being annoying.

Right after you install SwiftPreview you're offered up a set of options to customize it. You can change the preview size, scaling, and block domains. You can also change its behavior so it only shows previews when you hold the shift key instead of every time you hover over a link. SwiftPreview is handy for avid news hounds that might want to get the rundown of a linked page without actually opening it up.

SwiftPreview | Chrome Web Store

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