Intel's NUC mini-PC internals exposed, available for around $300 in early December

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/11/10/intel-nuc-exposed-priced/

Intel's Next Unit of Computing (NUC) is just about ready for store shelves, and Anandtech managed to get their hands on the DC3217BY model to provide us an early inside look at the mini-PC. Clearly aimed at enthusiasts, the motherboard and 4 x 4-inch chassis are all you get out of the box; you'll have to get the memory, the mini PCIe cards and even the power cord separately. Luckily installation looks quite easy -- only four screws hold the chassis and motherboard together. The bottom mini PCIe slot accommodates half height cards (for WiFi, presumably) and you can go ahead and put an mSATA drive or full height card at the top.

As we saw in our IDF hands-on, the NUC holds a Core i3 CPU, HD 4000 graphics, two SoDIMM sockets, mSATA and mini-PCIe interfaces, one to two HDMI and three USB 2.0 connectors. The DC3217BY eschews Gigabit Ethernet (which is available on the DC3217IYE) in favor of a Thunderbolt port. While we initially thought the NUC would go for somewhere around $400, it turns out it'll cost $300 to $320 and will be available from Amazon and Eggdrop in early December. If you're considering getting one for yourself, we recommend taking a peek at the source to get a more intimate look.

Filed under: Desktops, Misc, Intel

Intel's NUC mini-PC internals exposed, available for around $300 in early December originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 10 Nov 2012 04:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hisense T770 takes thin-bezel 3D TVs to the masses from $800

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/11/10/hisense-t770-takes-thin-bezel-3d-tvs-to-the-masses-from-800/

We've seen a few TVs with thin bezels in our time -- some affordable, some not so much -- but they usually sell at prices that have many of us turning to less than elegant screens. If Hisense has its way, the lines between higher style and lower budget will blur with the unveiling of its T770 series. The 42- and 52-inch sets in the range both have extra-narrow 7mm bezels yet cost an entirely reasonable $800 and $1,200 respectively, according to a spokesperson. For the cash outlay, the two TVs share the common foundation of a 1080p LCD with edge LED lighting, active shutter 3D and 120Hz refresh rates. They likewise share a quartet of HDMI ports, WiFi and the seemingly obligatory local media support through DLNA sharing and USB. Although Hisense might not lure some viewers away from bigger or simply more elaborate screens once the T770 is in stores sometime in the undefined near future, it may have given us a friendly reminder that interesting design and sane prices don't have to be mutually exclusive.

Continue reading Hisense T770 takes thin-bezel 3D TVs to the masses from $800

Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD

Hisense T770 takes thin-bezel 3D TVs to the masses from $800 originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 10 Nov 2012 06:16:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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More Proof That Treating Employees Like Humans And Not Machines Is Good For Business

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/why-you-should-treat-employees-well-2012-11

How much effort and feeling employees put into their job  is one of the most important things for a company. When everybody's engaged and works hard rather than just punching a clock, companies succeed.

A new study from found that companies that use new style, "sustainable" engagement practices have operating margins of 27.4 percent compared to 14.3 percent for those that use old school methods that focus on the company's goals, and 9.9 percent for companies that ignore engagement. 

That's a huge difference in efficiency and productivity. 

Here are three of the things that the most engaging companies focused on:

Healthy work environments

Stress is a great motivator, but it has a dark side in a high pressure economy. Organizations that that have leadership that shows a sincere interest in employee well being, actively manage and ask about work loads, hire enough people to get the job done instead of working a few to the bone, are open and clear about goals and expectations, provide flexible schedules, and actively intervene when they see high stress levels were the most successful. 

There's a literal component to this too, companies that focus on providing a physically comfortable environment that supports things like a good diet and exercise see a boost as well. 

A high standard for leaders 

Companies need to evaluate managers on how they interact with their employees as well as on financial performance. The most engaging managers designed tasks for workers unique skill sets, followed through on! their w ords and commitments, are respectful, and spend a great deal of time coaching and improving employees.

Focus on image and company goals 

Employees pay attention to the external image of the company. They're more engaged when the company is publicly respected, shows honesty and integrity, and acts in a way that's consistent with the core values workers are taught. Also important is having leadership that puts effort into making employees aware of how they specifically factor into the companies image and goals. 

Here's the breakdown of how these new management practices impact performance: 

Read the full study here

NOW READ: Four Ways To Keep Employees From Losing Motivation

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Netduino Plus 2 offers four times the speed, full round of futureproofing (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/11/08/netduino-plus-2-offers-four-times-the-speed/

The original Netduino Plus was a welcome alternative for Arduino developers that had its limits -- even networking was almost a step too far. Secret Labs doesn't want any of us to bump our heads on the ceiling with its just-launched Netduino Plus 2. The networkable, .NET-friendly developer board runs a four times faster 168MHz processor with double the RAM (over 100KB) and six times as much code space (384KB) as its two-year-old ancestor. Having so much headroom lets the team build common OneWire and Time Server code into the firmware; Secret Labs reckons that there's enough space that the Plus 2 can easily grow over time. The ports are just as ready for the future with four serial ports, software control of any add-on shields (including Rev C Arduino shields) and a new header that lets programmers debug both managed and truly native code at once. If the upgrade is sufficiently tempting, project builders just need to spend $60 today to enjoy some newfound freedom.

Continue reading Netduino Plus 2 offers four times the speed, full round of futureproofing (video)

Filed under: Misc

Netduino Plus 2 offers four times the speed, full round of futureproofing (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 08 Nov 2012 20:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hitachi intros UltraVision LED TVs with Roku-ready HDMI, freshens Value TVs and sound bars for the fall

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/11/09/hitachi-intros-ultravision-led-tvs-with-roku-friendly-hdmi/

Although Hitachi was one of the first in line to promise support for Roku Streaming Sticks through MHL, it didn't have much more to say without the TVs to back up the claim. The second half of the puzzle is complete now that the company's fall TV revision is underway. Snag its new UltraVision UltraThin S606 TV in its one of its 42-, 46- or 55-inch sizes and you can discreetly (if optionally) hide the equivalent of a full Roku box in one of the HDMI inputs. The S606 sits strictly in the mid-range, however. Its 120Hz, edge-LED LCD design is superceded by the W806, which comes only in 48- and 55-inch sizes while carrying 3D, IPTV support and WiFi. Those who can get by on 60Hz refresh rates can opt for the Value line, where the H306 and S406 offer 720p in 29- and 32-inch dimensions; a third H316 line brings 1080p to those same sizes while adding a 39-inch panel. Hitachi hasn't said whether stores are stocking the TVs today, but it sees pricing ranging from $329 in the smaller Value sets to $1,399 for the largest W806 variant.

The TV builder's audio mix isn't being ignored with the refresh. Launching in tandem with the TVs, the HSB32B26 and HSB40B16 sound bars are designed to respectively match up with 32- and 40-inch TVs while delivering 3D sound processing and Apt-X Bluetooth audio. At $149 and $199, the sound bars are close enough in cost that we may onl! y need a measuring tape to settle any purchasing dilemmas once the hardware is in stores.

Continue reading Hitachi intros UltraVision LED TVs with Roku-ready HDMI, freshens Value TVs and sound bars for the fall

Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD

Hitachi intros UltraVision LED TVs with Roku-ready HDMI, freshens Value TVs and sound bars for the fall originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 09 Nov 2012 00:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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