Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Western Digital brings wafer thin 5mm hard drives to IDF, we go hands-on (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/09/12/western-digital-brings-wafer-thin-5mm-hard-drives-to-idf-we-go/

Western Digital brings wafer thin 5mm hard drives to IDF, we go hands-on video

We're a jaded bunch here at Engadget sometimes, and with most of us using SSD-based systems these days it's hard to get too excited about good old spinny disks. Still we're also suckers for impressive technology, so our interest was piqued when Western Digital announced its 5mm thin 2.5-inch hard drives the other day. Luckily, the company saw fit to bring samples of its skinny new WD Black hybrid drive and WD Blue HDD to IDF 2012 and let us handle both briefly. The verdict? These are impossibly thin -- perfect for all those nice Ultrabooks we're expecting to see hit the market in the next few months. Details on performance, availability and pricing are scarce since these drives are intended for OEMs. Take a look at our gallery below, which includes thickness comparisons with WD's upcoming 1TB 7mm thin HDD and a standard-sized loyalty card -- then peek past the break for our hands-on video.

Update: yes, the loyalty card was demagnetized in the making of this video, and you now owe us all coffee.

Continue reading Western Digital brings wafer thin 5mm hard drives to IDF, we go hands-on (video)

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Western Digital brings wafer thin 5mm hard drives to IDF, we go hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 12 Sep 2012 20:18:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lenovo-made Vodafone Smart Tab II passes FCC testing, naturally

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/09/12/vodafone-smart-tab-ii-at-the-fcc/

Lenovo-made Vodafone Smart Tab II passes FCC testing, naturally

Vodafone's 7-inch Smart Tab II made a surprise appearance at IFA last month with its 10-inch sibling also in tow, and now it's stopped off at the FCC to pick up its Visa for future trips to the US. The official documents for the chunky, carrier-branded slate aren't giving much away, except that it's got the expected mix of 3G, WiFi and Bluetooth. Most of the specs remain a mystery, but the FCC ID (O57A2107VDF3G) indicates it's Lenovo's IdeaTab A2107 in disguise, meaning it should have a 1GHz dual-core CPU running behind a 1,024 x 600 display. At IFA, the price tag on the 7-inch model was 190 Euros (approximately $245), but with only 4GB storage and no LTE, we expect some heavy, competitive subsidies from Voda when it lands.

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Lenovo-made Vodafone Smart Tab II passes FCC testing, naturally originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 12 Sep 2012 10:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nuance and Intel team on Dragon Assistant Beta for Ultrabooks, Dell XPS 13 to lead the charge

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/09/12/nuance-and-intel-team-on-dragon-assistant-beta-for-ultrabooks/

Dell XPS 13 review lead

Intel at CES promised a partnership with Nuance to give Ultrabooks a taste of ready-made voice recognition, and we're finally seeing the results at IDF in San Francisco through the launch of Nuance's Dragon Assistant Beta. As the name implies, this isn't just a voice dictation engine like that in Naturally Speaking: chatty users can delegate common tasks like playing music, reading social network updates and searching the web. The beta isn't immediately available as of this writing, but it should go live soon and will be a core part of of Ultrabook software bundles in the near future, starting with the Dell XPS 13 this fall. We're wondering why Intel is focusing its Dragon Assistant efforts solely on thin-and-lights -- the company still makes money from portlier PCs, after all -- but we won't mind as much given the simultaneous launch of a Perceptual Computing SDK 2013 Beta, which lets developers work Dragon recognition into their own apps. More details await after the break.

Continue reading Nuance and Intel team on Dragon Assistant Beta for Ultrabooks, Dell XPS 13 to lead the charge

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Nuance and Intel team on Dragon Assistant Beta for Ultrabooks, Dell XPS 13 to lead the charge originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 12 Sep 2012 07:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Here's How To Stop Facebook From Tracking You

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/heres-how-to-stop-facebook-from-tracking-you-2012-9

A stop sign

Most people don't realize that Facebook can continue to monitor their internet activity, even if they are no longer logged into the site.

Using "Facebook Connect," and other social pulg-ins, Facebook is able to set up a cookie on any site that has a "Like" or "share" button, giving Facebook access to a startling amount of user information. Technically, the purpose of these plug-ins is to authenticate users, but it still has the ability to collect personal information such as the IP address of your computer, browsing data, outside login information, phone numbers, etc.

The cookie, known as the "datr" cookie, has been a controversial topic for the past year. Using this cookie, among other things, Facebook knows what you have read on a web page even if you did not click the "like" button. As the Wall Street Journal reported, "for this to work, a person only needs to have logged into Facebook or Twitter once in the past month. The sites will continue to collect browsing data, even if the person closes their browser or turns off their computers."

To help users control how and when their information is tracked and distributed, companies such as Abine and Ghostery have developed tools that allow users to block Facebook social plug-ins, cookies, and other trackers.

W! e identi fied five practical options for consideration, including an option for web site publishers that will help help protect their customers from trackers while keeping their websites running smoothly.

Do Not Track Plus — A browser add-on that will identify and block trackers.

As Business Insider previously reported, Abine's DNT+ tool is a FREE add-on that monitors, tracks, and allows users to block any trackers and requests that may be following their internet activity. It is compatible with MAC or PC for Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Internet Explorer. It is currently able to block more than 600 trackers, and automatically updates to catch new trackers.



Ghostery — similar to DNT+ but this add-on is also available for Opera.

Similar to DNT+, Ghostery is a browser add-on, owned by Evidon, that protects consumer privacy while online. By giving the consumer visibility into who is tracking their online activity and allowing them to block all or specific trackers, it empowers users with the ability to stop third parties from collecting their personal information without permission. It currently has more than 16 million monthly users and pulls data from over 26 million web domains via an opt-in service of 7 million users.

Ghostery is free to download, free to use, and does not contain any adware or spyware. It is available for all major browsers: Firefox, Safari, Chrome, Opera and Internet ! Explorer .



Disconnect and Collusion for Chrome — A robust tool that will identify and block trackers, but is only available for Chrome.

Chrome Disconnect Website

Similar to DNT+ and Ghostery, Chrome Disconnect allows you to stop third parties and search engines from tracking your web activity. Specifically, this tool focuses on allowing users to disconnect from sites such as Facebook, Digg, Google, Twitter, and Yahoo without risking the performance of the sites. The tool blocks identifiable cookies while allowing you stay logged into various sites.

Collusion for Chrome

This site allows users to then see which third parties are tracking them by graphing the spread of the data from sites to tracks, exposing them, and giving users the ability to block the trackers.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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Sony NEX-6: Inexpensive, Compact, Slick HandlingâThe Perfect DSLR Compromise? [Cameras]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5942459/a-viewfinder-and-low-price-could-make-the-sony-nex+6-the-perfect-compact-compromise

Sony NEX-6: Inexpensive, Compact, Slick Handling—The Perfect DSLR Compromise?Sony's been grinding on compact, interchangeable-lens cameras: It's got three different lines (NEX 3, 5, 7) going at different price points, and they're all spectacular. The Sony NEX 6 is the latest for everyone who loves using the high-end NEX-7 but hates the price.

What you're looking at here is the same image quality and Wi-Fi as Sony's recently announced NEX 5R, plus the built-in digital viewfinder and buttons and dials operation borrowed from the Sony NEX-7. The NEX-6 will be bundled with Sony's 16-50mm power zoom lens for $1000. The body alone will cost you $850—not a bad deal considering the new very slim lens will ship in January for $350.

Like the Sony NEX-5R, the NEX-6's killer new feature is a souped up new "Fast Hybrid AF" system that uses both contrast and phase detection to zero in on the subject you want in focus super fast. It also has the same DSLR-quality imaging: a 16.1-megapixel, APS-C sensor plus the rare ability to shoot HD video at up to 1920 x 1080 at 60 fps.

Since the NEX-6 is equipped with the Wi-Fi powers of the NEX-5R, you'll be able to transfer photos and video wirelessly to your smartphone, tablet or computer. You'll also be able to use the Wi-Fi to install new PlayMemories Camera Apps, which are basically filters and special effects you can download and install on camera.

The NEX-6 doesn't have a touchscreen—the NEX-5R does—and instead hopes you'll be interested in the DSLR-like mode dial on the top of the camera. That, along with the digital viewfinder, makes the NEX-6 all about capturing the "real" camera feel—down to the textured rubber grip.

This NEX-6 alone isn't a revolution—it's the combination of features that might be appealing to people. The built-in viewfinder make it better for serious shooters who don't want to use an LCD to line up their shots. Indeed, this camera is for DSLR-folk who prefer body controls and a viewfinder to the NEX-5R's three-inch touchscreen. Will it succeed in enrapturing that segment of the compact-camera buying market? We'll find out in November.

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