Dr. Augustine Fou's Online Scrapbook

Sunday, October 07, 2012

3D-Printed Optics Could Light Up the Gadgets of the Future [Video]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5949572/3d+printed-optics-could-light-up-the-gadgets-of-the-future

3D-printing is awesome, but it has its limits. For the time being, we mostly get static plastic figures, and while resolution is getting better all the time, we're far from a real replicator future. A new development is bringing us one step closer, however: printable optics.

A paper recently published by Disney Research—the folks who brought you the plant-computer interface—describes how certain techniques could lead to 3D-printed objects that respond to touch and manipulation with a lights. The simplest technique basically involves bottom-lighting a figure, and using specially printed "Light Pipes" to direct the light to the surface where you want a display.

The resolution leaves a bit to be desired, but hey, this is a new technology. It'll only get better as time goes on. If you want to read more about the tech, you can find the entire research paper here. Suffice it to say, the sooner this stuff catches on, the better. [Disney Research via Core 77]

3D-Printed Optics Could Light Up the Gadgets of the Future

Seeing is believing, Disney crafts 3D printed optics (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/10/05/seeing-is-believing-disney-crafts-3d-printed-optics-video/

A group of engineers from Disney Research have crafted a new method to create interactive objects using 3D printers. Referred to as "printed optics," the lure of this technology is the ability to transform inert 3D models into interactive subjects by embedding 3D printed light piping into an object with minimal electronic components. Illuminated by LEDs and mobile projectors, this new breakthrough in optics has the potential to replace LCD and LED screens to display information on smaller interactive devices. If you find yourself scratching your head trying to visualize such a mojo in action, then check out the video after the break. It will enlighten you.

Continue reading Seeing is believing, Disney crafts 3D printed optics (video)

Filed under: Misc, Peripherals, Alt

Seeing is believing, Disney crafts 3D printed optics (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 05 Oct 2012 21:57:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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McAfee shows how major Android scamware ticks, prevents us from learning first-hand

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/10/06/mcafee-shows-how-major-android-scamware-ticks/

Most Android malware lives in the margins, away from Google Play and the more reliable app shops. It's nonetheless a good idea to be on the lookout for rogue code, and McAfee has stepped in with thorough explanations of how one of the most common scamware strains, Android.FakeInstaller, works its sinister ways. The bait is typically a search-optimized fake app market or website; the apps themselves not only present a legitimate-looking front but include dynamic code to stymie any reverse engineering. Woe be to anyone who's tricked long enough to finish the installation, as the malware often sends text messages to expensive premium phone numbers or links target devices to botnets. The safeguard? McAfee would like you to sign up for its antivirus suite, but you can also keep a good head on your shoulders -- stick to trustworthy shops and look for dodgy behavior before anything reaches your device.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Google

McAfee shows how major Android scamware ticks, prevents us from learning first-hand originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 06 Oct 2012 06:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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AMD Trinity APU overclocked at 7.3 GHz, kept cool with liquid nitrogen

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/10/06/amd-trinity-apu-overclocked-7-3-ghz/

AMD's Trinity APUs have only been in the wild for a few days, but some have already taken on the challenge of pushing the new desktop silicon to its limits. By giving the A10-5800K model 1.956 volts, disabling two of its cores and cooling it with liquid nitrogen, overclockers were able to push the chip to 7.3GHz. Air-cooling and 1.616 volts squeezed out 5.1GHz without sacrificing any cores. If you're a mere mortal who's fresh out of liquid nitrogen (or never had any to begin with), you should be able to comfortably bump CPU performance by roughly 10 percent and GPU speeds by 15 to 17 percent. For the full specs on this particular overclock, hit the source links below.

Filed under: Desktops

AMD Trinity APU overclocked at 7.3 GHz, kept cool with liquid nitrogen originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 06 Oct 2012 09:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

TG Daily, PC Games Hardware (Tranlsated) | source

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Huawei Ascend P1 LTE hands-on

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/10/06/huawei-ascend-p1-lte-hands-on/

We've had the unexpected early opportunity to try what should be a production-grade Huawei Ascend P1 LTE -- early enough that the phone has yet to formally ship to its initial carrier. While we've seen hints of the 4G model towards the start of the year, what's landing in our hands is at least different than devices like the original Ascend P1, P1 S and P1 XL; months of extra engineering time, the LTE chipset and that bigger 2,000mAh battery have clearly had an effect. But by how much? Read on past the break for a quick tour of the refreshed design.

Gallery: Huawei Ascend P1 LTE hands-on

Continue reading Huawei Ascend P1 LTE hands-on

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile

Huawei Ascend P1 LTE hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 06 Oct 2012 11:08:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nano-SIMs reportedly popping up at T-Mobile stores, ready to welcome your iPhone 5

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/10/06/nano-sim-available-t-mobile-iphone-5/

The iPhone 5 may not be ready for sale unlocked officially just yet, but that doesn't mean T-Mobile isn't ready to be your service provider. As evidenced by the photo above, the folks at TmoNews and YouTuber BigRicksChannel have confirmed that the service provider is now selling iPhone 5-compatible Nano-SIMs. Of course, these'll work just fine with the Verizon-variant of the the 4-inch device, as it's technically unlocked out of the box. Need proof beyond a photo? Catch the video after the break to see it connecting to T-Mobile's network for yourself.

Continue reading Nano-SIMs reportedly popping up at T-Mobile stores, ready to welcome your iPhone 5

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Apple, T-Mobile

Nano-SIMs reportedly popping up at T-Mobile stores, ready to welcome your iPhone 5 originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 06 Oct 2012 18:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Friday, October 05, 2012

HTC One X+ Hands-On: Really Good Is Getting Better [Android]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5949152/htc-one-x%252B-hands+on-really-good-is-getting-better

We really liked the HTC One X, and from our brief encounter with the One X+ tonight, we're going to like it even more. On the outside, it looks essentially the same—same gorgeous screen, same solid build—but its insides are nicely ramped up.

This will be the first phone hitting the States with Nvidia's 1.7GHz quad-core Tegra 3 (yes, this new version can now work with LTE). The U.S. version of the One X used a dual-core Snapdragon S4. We can't wait to crunch the numbers and see which really is faster. The X+ boosts the battery from 1800mAh to 2100mAh, yet AT&T claims that it will get 50 percent more battery life on average. We were those gains were largely due to the Tegra 3's power-saving fifth core. That would be huge, as battery life is one of the worst things about the One X.

This was also our first look at what HTC's Sense+ UI looks like when it's on top of Jelly Bean (Android 4.1). Good news: at first glance it's even less offensive than Sense was on top of Ice Cream Sandwich. Everything was as smooth and quick as you would hope—Google Now popped up instantly. Where other manufacturers are adding more and more flourishes, HTC has actually scaled back even further, removing a lot of animations which leaves a quicker-feeling experience. HTC also revamped the already good camera app to make it even more intuitive.

We only had a few minutes with the X+, but it left us extremely eager to give it a full test. When we do, you'll be the first to know. It will be arriving on AT&T in the weeks to come.

This White Plastic Bowl Turns Your Smartphone Into a Photography Studio [Photography]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5949256/white-plastic-bowl-turns-your-smartphone-into-a-photography-studio

Having trouble selling your knick knacks and sundries online? Maybe you just need better photos on your eBay listing. But instead of hiring a professional photographer, the Nimbus Cloud Dome promises pro-looking shots using just your smartphone.

In a professional studio you'd rely on a set of diffused lights and a curved white sweep to create the infinite white background effect. But the $149 Cloud Dome works with any lights, even ample ambient lighting, because the translucent white plastic serves to soften and evenly diffuse what's available. It also works with any smartphone thanks to an elastic strap system that holds it in place no matter its shape, and an included base lets you backlight your subject. Just keep in mind that you're limited to photographing smaller objects, and due to the lack of manual controls on most cameraphones you'll probably still need to do some post-processing in Photoshop afterwards. [Cloud Dome via DPReview]

3M, Roku team up for Streaming Projector to ship this November for $299

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/10/05/3m-roku-team-up-for-streaming-projector/

3M's partnered up with Roku to provide a "big-screen" cinema experience from the comfort of your home. Announced today at a joint event, the Streaming Projector is a 4.3 x 4.2 x 2.0 inch palm-sized device that can project images in WVGA resolution up to 120-inches across walls or any other smooth surface of your choosing with a brightness of 60 lumens. The 1lb pod-like gadget has a battery life rated at just under three hours -- a little more than the running time of most blockbuster movies -- and also features a 3.5mm headphone jack for audio out, in addition to an inbuilt speaker. Of course, you need media to pair with it and that's where Roku's included streaming stick comes in handy, delivering an array of commercial content over dual-band WiFi. It's set to ship sometime this November for $299 as an Amazon exclusive.

Gallery: 3M Streaming Projector

Filed under: Household, HD

3M, Roku team up for Streaming Projector to ship this November for $299 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 05 Oct 2012 10:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Print your own headphones on a MakerBot Replicator and beat Dre at his own game

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/10/05/print-your-own-headphones-on-a-makerbot-replicator-and-beat-dre/

As 3D printers become more and more accessible to a consumer audience, one question lingers above the rest: why? Granted, they're incredibly cool, but what, if any, are the practical implication of such a technology? For the most part, the great ambassadors of 3D printing have largely been printable toys -- cool, but not particularly useful. The question, as posed by John Mabry reads as follows,

What if printed prototypes could become actual products? Meaning, once off the print bed an object could be assembled without any tools and be made functional by readily attainable components.

An attempt at the answer comes in the form of the 13:30 printable headphones, which can by created on a MakerBot Replicator and coupled with some off-the-shelf components, making for a pair of slick-looking, functional headphones that, at the very least, will help you stand out from the rest of the Beats By Dre enthusiasts on a crowded subway train.

Filed under: Home Entertainment, Alt

Print your own headphones on a MakerBot Replicator and beat Dre at his own game originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 05 Oct 2012 11:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for us! e of fee ds.

Teague Labs | source

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MythTV updated to 0.26, hints at 'more exciting' 0.27 coming next year

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/10/04/mythtv-updated-to-0-26-hints-at-more-exciting-0-27-coming-nex/

After releasing one long-awaited update back in April, venerable media PC platform MythTV has quickly pushed out another update to version 0.26. The changelog isn't particularly long this time around, though it does claim HTTP Live Streaming playback and recording, some clock tweaks and the requisite performance improvements. With that wrapped, the team has already shifted its focus to the next version, 0.27, which it says should be a more exciting release. It's scheduled for release in April of next year so we'll mark our calendars -- in pencil, not pen.

Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD

MythTV updated to 0.26, hints at 'more exciting' 0.27 coming next year originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Oct 2012 21:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Alcatel-Lucent flies Parrot AR.Drone 2.0 over 3,280 feet using LTE: reach out and buzz someone (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/10/04/alcatel-lucent-flies-parrot-ar-drone-2-over-3280-feet-on-lte/

The Parrot AR.Drone 2.0 is many good things, but "long-ranged" isn't what comes to mind with a 165-foot maximum distance between pilot and quadrocopter. Not to be daunted, Alcatel-Lucent has conducted a test with an ad hoc LTE network, a USB modem and a smartphone to see just how far the remote-controlled aircraft could go on 4G. In practice, quite far: thanks in part to the inherently wide coverage of the 800MHz band in France, the team flew the AR.Drone more than 3,280 feet (one kilometer), all while streaming 720p video of the farmland below. Besides giving us ideas for a North by Northwest remake, the flight emphasized the possibilities that come when we have access to a long-distance wireless link with high bandwidth, such as monitoring crops or some very literal field journalism. The challenge will be convincing Alcatel-Lucent to share its trick and let us pester our not-so-next-door neighbors.

[Thanks, Vincent]

Continue reading Alcatel-Lucent flies Parrot AR.Drone 2.0 over 3,280 feet using LTE: reach out and buzz someone (video)

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless

Alcatel-Lucent flies Parrot AR.Drone 2.0 over 3,280 feet using LTE: reach out and buzz someone (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Oct 2012 22:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Researchers create algorithms that help lithium-ion batteries charge two times faster

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/10/04/uc-san-deigo-lithium-ion-batteries-charging-algorithms/

Researchers at the University of California San Diego have devised new algorithms that can cut lithium-ion battery charge times in half, help cells run more efficiently and potentially cut production costs by 25 percent. Rather than tracking battery behavior and health with the traditional technique of monitoring current and voltage, the team's mathematical models estimate where lithium ions are within cells for more precise data. With the added insight, the team can more accurately gauge battery longevity and control charging efficiency. The group was awarded $460,000 from the Department of Energy's ARPA-E research arm to further develop the algorithm and accompanying tech with automotive firm Bosch and battery manufacturer Cobasys, which both received the remainder of a $9.6 million grant. Wondering if the solution will ever find its way out of the lab? According to co-lead researcher Scott Moura, it'll see practical use: "This technology is going into products that people will actually use."

Continue reading Researchers create algorithms that help lithium-ion batteries charge two times faster

Fi led under: Alt

Researchers create algorithms that help lithium-ion batteries charge two times faster originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Oct 2012 23:07:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

EurekAlert! | source

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Fraunhofer develops extra-small 1Gbps infrared transceiver, recalls our PDA glory days

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/10/05/fraunhofer-develops-extra-small-1gbps-infrared-transceiver/

Our 1997-era selves would die with envy right about now. Fraunhofer has developed a new generation of infrared transceiver that can transfer data at 1Gbps, or well above anything that our vintage PDAs could manage. While the speed is nothing new by itself -- we saw such rates in 2010 Penn State experiments -- it's the size that makes the difference. The laser diode and processing are efficient enough to fit into a small module whose transceiver is as large as a "child's fingernail." In theory, the advancement makes infrared once more viable for mobile device syncing, with room to grow: even the current technology can scale to 3Gbps, lead researcher Frank Deicke says, and it might jump to 10Gbps with enough work. Along with the usual refinements, most of the challenge in getting production hardware rests in persuading the Infrared Data Association to adopt Deicke's work as a standard. If that ever comes to pass, we may just break out our PalmPilot's infrared adapter to try it for old time's sake.

Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds, Mobile

Fraunhofer develops extra-small 1Gbps infrared transceiver,! recalls our PDA glory days originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 05 Oct 2012 01:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Thursday, October 04, 2012

HTC One X+ for AT&T hands-on: Tegra 3, LTE and Jelly Bean together at last (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/10/04/htc-one-x-for-atandt-hands-on-tegra-3-lte-and-jelly-bean-togeth/

What do you do if you've been selling what's arguably the best superphone on the US market and the competition is heating up? Make it better, of course, and that's exactly what HTC's done with the One X+ for AT&T. This is the same improved handset we recently played with in the UK, but unlike AT&T's One X -- which dropped the global model's quad-core Tegra 3 with 32GB of storage in favor of a dual-core Snapdragon S4 with only 16GB of flash for the sake of LTE -- AT&T's One X+ gives you the best of both worlds: NVIDIA's 1.7GHz quad-core Tegra 3 AP37 SoC combined with Qualcomm's MDM9215m GSM/EDGE/UMTS/HSPA+/LTE radio plus 32 or 64GB of built-in storage.

Gone are the white and grey hues -- you can have your One X+ any color you want as long as it's flat black. Whereas the UK version of HTC's new flagship incorporates red accents around the camera and in the Beats logo, the US model is completely black. The rest of the specs match the global version -- you'll find the same gorgeous 4.7-inch 720p Super LCD 2 display with Gorilla Glass 2, same impressive eight megapixel f/2.0 autofocus BSI rear camera with flash, same 1GB of DDR2 RAM, along with the updated 2100mAh sealed battery and 1.6MP BSI front-facing shooter capable of 720p video. J! elly Bea n and Sense 4+ are on the menu as well, with snappier-than-ever performance.

Put AT&T's One X and One X+ side-by-side, and other than the color difference you'd be hard-pressed to tell them apart. The carrier's logo is slightly different, but that's about it -- even the docking pins in the back line up perfectly. Other improvements common with the global model include Amplified Sound for clearer sound from the speaker, Sightseeing mode which lets the power button launch the camera and Auto Portrait mode which helps you take better self-portraits. There's still no word on pricing or availability but we invite you to feast your eyes on the gallery below and hit the break for our hands-on video.

Gallery: HTC One X+ for AT&T hands-on

Continue reading HTC One X+ for AT&T hands-on: Tegra 3, LTE and Jelly Bean together at last (video)

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, HTC, AT&T

HTC One X+ for AT&T hands-on: Tegra 3, LTE and Jelly Bean together at last (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Oct 2012 17:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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