Sunday, November 04, 2012

Late 2012 iPad carries new PowerVR SGX 554MP4 graphics, muscles ahead in video speed

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/11/02/ipad-4th-generation-found-carrying-new-powervr-sgx-554mp4-gpu/

iPad 4thgeneration found carrying new PowerVR SGX 554MP4 graphics, muscles ahead of all comers

It's well established that the A6X chip in the fourth-generation iPad is about twice as fast as its predecessor in pure number crunching, but how about those reportedly doubled graphics amid some increasingly fierce competition? Thanks to some help from Kishonti, AnandTech has learned that Apple may still have an ace up its sleeve. The new tablet carries a new, quad-core PowerVR SGX554MP4 with twice the raw potential as the already quick 543MP4 graphics in the A5X. While that doesn't always lead to a literal doubling of 3D performance, it unambiguously puts the new new iPad on top in GLBenchmark, with even the imminent Nexus 10's new Mali-T604 video left in the middle of a large pack. We're somewhat surprised when the Samsung-made Nexus is using a brand new chip architecture that many had thought would represent a fundamental leap in speed. Visuals aren't the only factors in buying tablets, so take the results with the appropriate grains of salt; if gaming or sheer responsiveness matters most, however, there's now a clear frontrunner.

Filed under: , , ,

Late 2012 iPad carries new PowerVR SGX 554MP4 graphics, muscles ahead in video speed originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 02 Nov 2012 15:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceAnandTech  | Email this | Comments

Read More...

Barnes & Noble cut the price of Nook Tablet, Nook Color once more, really wants to be on your Christmas list

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/11/03/barnes-and-noble-cut-the-price-of-nook-tablet-nook-color-again/

Barnes & Noble cut the price of Nook Tablet, Nook Color once more, really wants to be in your Christmas list

Barnes & Noble recently took the wraps of two new tablets, updating its range (along with everyone else it seems) in preparation for next year. That doesn't mean it's washed its hands with the OG Nook tablet and Nook Color -- in fact, both just got another price cut. Starting tomorrow, you'll be able to pick up the original 8GB tablet for $159, the 16GB version for $179 and the Nook Color for $139. With two price cuts in three months, anyone would think it was trying to get rid of stock. This still puts last year's lower capacity model shoulder to shoulder with Amazon's 2012 Kindle Fire (with ad subsidies), but with Christmas just around the corner, we're not complaining about more choice for less dollars.

Continue reading Barnes & Noble cut the price of Nook Tablet, Nook Color once more, really wants to be on your Christmas list

Filed under:

Barnes & Noble cut the price of Nook Tablet, Nook Color once more, really wants to be on your Christmas list originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 03 Nov 2012 14:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

Read More...

Simple.TV review: a set-top box that streams broadcast TV to mobile devices

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/11/03/simple-tv-review/

SimpleTV review

Anyone who follows the home entertainment space closely probably agrees that TV is broken: archaic user interfaces, pricey bundles, six remotes that each do one thing, all limited to the confines of your home. Of course, realizing it's broken and knowing how to fix it are two different things. One attempt at a fix is Simple.TV. This $149 box (plus $59 a year for service) bridges the gap between the various devices you already own and the world of broadcast television. It allows you to access the plethora of content available via unencrypted digital cable, or for free via an antenna, on just about any device you own -- tablet, smartphone, PC or even a TV. Sounds pretty great, huh? But does it deliver? And can it replace your cable box and the high-priced service that goes with it? Just click on through, and you'll find out.

Continue reading Simple.TV review: a set-top box that streams broadcast TV to mobile devices

Filed under: ,

Simple.TV review: a set-top box that streams broadcast TV to mobile devices originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 03 Nov 2012 11:38:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

Read More...

A*STAR unveils 5mm-thick hybrid hard drive, touts affordability and improved energy efficiency

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/11/03/astar-5mm-hybrid-hard-drive-adrive/

A*STAR unveils 5mm-thick hybrid hard drive, touts affordability and improved energy efficiency

Move over, Western Digital. A*STAR's Data Storage Institute (DSI) has developed its own 5mm-thick hybrid hard drive, and it's packing a 1TB HDD and a 32GB SSD within its 2.5-inch confines. Aptly dubbed A-Drive, the firm's razor-thin hardware relies on a new proprietary motor and 30 additional design patents to lower power consumption and achieve its diminutive form factor. The outfit envisions the drive being put to work in tablets, where it could stretch battery life by up to 30 percent, and in ultrabooks or business-centric storage solutions. To top things off, A*STAR says its hybrid drive will be cheaper than SSDs currently used in ultrabooks, and Yahoo! News reports the device could ring up at roughly $73. Can't wait to have the hardware in a machine of your own? Hold your horses, vaquero. According to DSI Executive Director Pantelis Alexopoulos, it might take six to eight months to kick off production after they strike a deal with a manufacturing partner, which hasn't happened quite yet.

[Image Credit: Yahoo! photo/ Deborah Choo]

Continue reading A*STAR unveils 5mm-thick hybrid hard drive, touts affordability and improved energy efficiency

Filed under:

A*STAR unveils 5mm-thick hybrid hard drive, touts affordability and improved energy efficiency originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 03 Nov 2012 15:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Yahoo! News  |  sourceA*DATA  | Email this | Comments

Read More...

Friday, November 02, 2012

WSJ: Microsoft testing homegrown handset designs with suppliers, may not see mass production

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/11/02/wsj-microsoft-testing-homegrown-handset-designs-with-suppliers/

WSJ: Microsoft testing homegrown handset designs with suppliers, may not see mass production

Until very recently, Microsoft wasn't known for making hardware. Sure, it put out the occasional Zune, but most of the tech running Redmond's desktop and mobile operating systems traditionally comes from its partners -- the Surface being the exception, of course. According to the Wall Street Journal, Microsoft might consider making that exception a rule: some of the firm's part suppliers say that the company is experimenting with a smartphone design of its very own. Folks familiar with the matter say the device in question is between four and five inches, putting it in a sweet-spot that's larger than the iPhone 5, but not quite as daunting as a Samsung Galaxy Note II. Don't get too excited, however, sources aren't sure the if the device will go into mass production, and Microsoft is expectantly tight-lipped about the rumor. Still, we wouldn't scoff at a smartphone with a build quality to match the Surface -- though it might rub some of Redmond's hardware partners the wrong way.

Filed under: , ,

WSJ: Microsoft testing homegrown handset designs with suppliers, may not see mass production originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 02 Nov 2012 01:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceWall Street Journal  | Email this | Comments

Read More...