Dr. Augustine Fou's Online Scrapbook

Monday, September 17, 2012

Hands-on with Kingston's DataTraveler Workspace at IDF (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/09/17/hands-on-with-kingstons-datatraveler-workspace-at-idf-video/

What's this? Just another USB 3.0 thumbdrive at IDF 2012? Not quite. You're looking at Kingston's DataTraveler Workspace, a storage device that incorporates bona fide SSD technology not usually found in thumbdrives -- like a bunch of ultra speedy flash memory and a SandForce controller that supports TRIM and S.M.A.R.T commands. As such, it shares more in common with Kingston's line of SSDs. It's not really designed for data storage -- instead, it's meant to be used as a certified Windows To Go fixed drive, "a fully manageable corporate Windows 8 workspace on a specially configured, bootable USB drive".

The idea is that corporate IT can deploy these thumbdrives to employees who can then run a secure, managed instance of Windows on a variety of PCs with a bootable USB 2.0 (or faster) port. Another interesting feature of Windows To Go is that Kingston's DT Workspace thumbdrives can be removed for up to 1 minute without crashing Windows -- the OS simply alerts the user to "keep the USB drive plugged in" and continues where it left off. Pricing remains a mystery, but the device will be available for business customers in 32, 64 and 128GB capacities when Windows 8 launches. Until then, you're invited to peek at the gallery below and to watch our hands-on video past the break.

Gallery: Kingston DataTraveler Workspa! ce hands -on

Continue reading Hands-on with Kingston's DataTraveler Workspace at IDF (video)

Filed under: Misc, Storage

Hands-on with Kingston's DataTraveler Workspace at IDF (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 17 Sep 2012 06:07:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Future Panasonic G camera's 72Mbps movie-making prowess teased through speedy drama (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/09/16/future-panasonic-g-cameras-72mbps-movie-making-prowess-teased/

If Panasonic didn't have attention from movie producers before, it just might as of this week. Joining the quickly developing tradition of camera makers producing elaborate short movies as technology demos, the company has let cinematographer Philip Bloom wield (and tease) a "brand new G camera" to record Genesis, a fast-paced mini-drama showing a man's race to meet his love before it's too late. While Bloom can't talk much about the hardware in question until the 17th, he's allowed to confirm that the upcoming Micro Four Thirds body relies on a "superb" 72Mbps All-I codec for video -- letting it capture a sprint through the streets without the compression artifacts of the AVCHD format used by most mirrorless cameras. Panasonic's upcoming shooter also touts "much improved" results in the dark, Bloom says. It all sounds very tempting, especially if it turns out that Panasonic's inadvertent leaks are for the same camera we see in action here. The full movie is available after the break, and Bloom has the behind-the-scenes details at the source link.

Continue reading Future Panasonic G camera's 72Mbps movie-making prowess teased through speedy drama (video)

Filed under: Cameras

Future Panasonic G camera's 72Mbps movie-making prowess teased through speedy drama (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 16 Sep 2012 23:24:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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T-Mobile Samsung Galaxy Note II firmware update appears, points to Jelly Bean and HSPA+

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/09/17/t-mobile-samsung-galaxy-note-ii-firmware/

Samsung's new full-fat smartphone has hinted at appearances on both Verizon and AT&T, and now an update spotted at SAM Mobile suggests that -- just under two months since the original appeared -- there will be a Magenta-branded version of the Galaxy Note II... too. Going under the SGH-T889 model number, firmware from September 15th is now available to try -- if you have a phone that's not yet out on any official channels. The site's sources have said that the device runs closer to a global iteration, lacking any true LTE capabilities, but it's more than happy to substitute that for HSPA+ support. If you're part of Samsung's secretive cabal of handset testers you can seek out the new build at the source below.

T-Mobile Samsung Galaxy Note II firmware update appears, points to Jelly Bean and HSPA+ originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 17 Sep 2012 03:14:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Canon adds the G15, S110 and SX50 HS to its PowerShot lineup

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/09/17/canon-powershot-g15-s110-sx50-hs/

Canon already outed a pair of superzoom cameras prior to Photokina 2012, but it turns out the company wasn't done adding to its PowerShot family. First, we have the PowerShot G15, which has a 28 - 140mm wide angle f/1.8 - f/2.8 lens, 12.1 megapixel sensor and Canon's DIGIC 5 image processor. Its sensor has a max 12,800 ISO, shoots RAW stills and records 1080p video, and you can view your subjects using the optical viewfinder or the 3-inch, 922,000 dot LCD on the back. It replaces the G12 in Canon's lineup when it goes on sale for $500 this October.

The PowerShot S110 replaces the S100, and like that camera, it's got a 12.1-megapixel sensor, max 12,800 ISO and an f/2.0 lens. Unlike its predecessor, however, its got a 3-inch, 461,000 dot capacitive touchscreen on the back and ditched GPS in favor of WiFi. That wireless capability lets the S110 pull GPS data for geotagging from Android or iOS devices using Canon's CameraWindow app and share photos and videos on the web. It does RAW shooting, has a 10fps burst mode and records 1080p 24fps video as well. It'll come in both black and white versions that run $450 when it goes on sale next month.

Lastly, there's the PowerShot SX50 HS superzoom camera. It packs a 24-1200mm, f/3.4 - f/6.5 lens and optical image stabilization to ensure clear shots even when using the camera's full 50x zoom capability. Like the SX40 HS is replaces, it has a hotshoe and a 12.1-megapixel sensor. It has a max 6,400 ISO and like its new PowerShot mates, it has a 10fps burst mode, shoots RAW photos and 1080p video. The SX50 HS can be had in October for $480.

Gallery: Canon PowerShot G15, S110 and SX50 HS press shots

Continue reading Canon adds the G15, S110 and SX50 HS to its PowerShot lineup

Filed under: Cameras

Canon adds the G15, S110 and SX50 HS to its PowerShot lineup originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, ! 17 Sep 2 012 04:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Olympus E-PL5 and E-PM2: Micro Four Thirds cameras with OM-D-like focusing, performance boosts (hands-on)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/09/17/olympus-e-pl5-e-pm2-hands-on/

We've been very impressed with Olympus' first OM-D camera, the EM-5. That model's 5-axis image stabilization and super-fast autofocus won us over, while the retro design appeased nostalgics as well. Now, it's time for that speedy shooting to make its way to the company's other Micro Four Thirds models -- the E-PL5 and E-PM2. Both models, announced today, offer nearly identical specifications, with notable differences on the form-factor front. The E-PL5 is the premium model of this bunch, coming in at $700 with a 12-42mm f/3.5-5.6 lens or $650 for the body only, while the E-PM2 will run you 100 bucks less for both configurations. Both cameras include 16.1-megapixel Live MOS sensors, top ISO of 25,600, 3-inch 460k-dot touch-enabled LCDs, 1080i video and an 8fps continuous shooting mode. The EM-5's five-axis stabilization is absent here, though a three-axis version should suffice in low light. Each model also includes an external flash and a rebate offer for a free Toshiba FlashAir 802.11b/g/n card, which enables connectivity with the OI Share apps for Android and iOS.

We had a chance to check both cameras out just before Photokina, and were quite pleased with the design, along with that OM-D-like focusing performance, which really is as speedy as Olympus claims. The camera focused instantaneously with almost all of the lenses we tried, though it was! a bit s luggish, understandably, when paired with the 60mm f/2.8 macro. The displays were equally sharp, though the PL5 packs a nifty articulating version, which can tilt up, down or face forward for self-portraits. We also enjoyed shooting with the super-slim 15mm f/8 body cap lens, which features a tiny front element with a slide-over cover -- while it's limited on the aperture front and includes fixed focus, it's arguably more useful than a traditional cap (Olympus hasn't confirmed pricing for that optic, though it'll likely come in below the $100 mark). That aforementioned dust-and-splash-proof macro will retail for $500 in early October, while a new 12mm f/2 lens will ship during the same time for $1,100. The "Mini" E-PM2 will be available in silver, black, white and red, while the E-PL5 will ship in silver, black and white -- both versions will be available in October. You can take a closer look at each of the offerings in the gallery below, then jump past the break for the full rundown from Olympus.

Gallery: Olympus E-PL5 and E-PM2 hands-on