Dr. Augustine Fou's Online Scrapbook

Monday, January 14, 2013

ClamCase Pro makes your iPad look like a thick MacBook Air

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/01/14/clamcase-pro-makes-your-ipad-look-like-a-thick-macbook-air/

When we reviewed the original ClamCase, we found a few flaws that kept it from being a homerun: a cramped keyboard, a mediocre plastic build and a cumbersome power switch. It was decent, but it could have been better. The peripheral's makers seemed to agree -- the ClamCase Pro addresses every single one of our original complaints. Although the Pro is still a double-jointed iPad Bluetooth Keyboard at heart, it now features a more widly spaced chicklet keyboard, aluminium and polycarbonate construction and automatic wake / sleep functions, to keep its battery life in check. Drop in your tablet, and the whole package looks a lot like something that might come straight from Cupertino. Groundbreaking? No, but it's always nice to see follow up product directly answer its predecessor's flaws. The ClamCase Pro is compatible with the iPad 2 and up, too -- so you won't have to worry about buying different versions for multiple generations. The asking price sits at $170 -- but the company will toss you a $20 discount if you "like" them on Zuckerberg's social network.

Filed under: Peripherals, Tablets

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Source: ClamCase

Eliminate Touchscreen Lag From the Surface With This Tiny Hack

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5975689/eliminate-touchscreen-lag-from-the-surface-with-this-tiny-hack

Eliminate Touchscreen Lag From the Surface With This Tiny Hack Now that hackers have sunk their teeth well and truly into the Microsoft Surface RT, loads of things are being probed, including lag. Apparently, with a tiny registry edit, you can speed up the Surface RT no end and eliminate touch lag. Here's how.

Simply put, for some reason Microsoft's built in some lag or latency into the touch experience of the Surface RT, and you can nuke it with two simple registry edits.

As with all things registry and Windows, back up your shit first, OK? Then bust out the Registry Editor (hit the start screen and type "regedit"), find the key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\TouchPredict ion

Change "latency" from 8 to 2, and "sample time" from 8 to 2. Voila, your Surface should be faster. If all that was a bit much for you (why the hell are you messing with the registry, then?) you can download the required changes to inject into the registry automatically with a double click.

If you're a heavy user, you might notice some battery life decrease after the change, as the device is polling the screen a lot more, but considering the Surface RT has pretty decent battery life to start with, it's probably not an issue. Check out the full details of the hack over at the XDA forums. [XDA via TechRadar]

Our newest offspring Gizmodo UK is gobbling up the news in a different timezone, so check them out if you need another Giz fix.

Sunday, January 13, 2013

DIY Altoids Make âCuriously Strongâ Mints in Unique Flavor Combinations

Source: http://lifehacker.com/5975442/diy-altoids-make-curiously-strong-mints-in-unique-flavor-combinations

DIY Altoids Make âCuriously Strongâ Mints in Unique Flavor Combinations If you don't just buy Altoids for the tin you may want to consider making your own to experiment with flavors we'll probably never see in a mass produced product. If you already have flavoring or essentials oils and food coloring on hand the only specialty ingredient you need is gum paste, which is found in the cake decorating section of hobby shops or you can purchase it online for less than ten bucks.

Household DIY weblog One Good Thing By Jillee shares a simple recipe for curiously strong mints. Remove a piece of gum paste the size of an egg and knead it with your hand for a minute or two until it becomes pliable and then add any flavoring and/or food coloring you'd like (see the source link below for combinations and ideas) such as wild orange, raspberry, or pineapple. Continue kneading until the additions have been worked into the gum paste and then roll out the paste on a work surface covered in powdered sugar. You'll want it to be around one-eighth of an inch thick. To cut out the mints use a drinking straw to cut out little circles, toss the mints with a bit more powdered sugar to keep them from sticking together, and let them dry for 48 hours before putting them into a tin or other container.

I don't know about you but I'm now thinking about all kinds of crazy mint flavoring ideas such as root beer, wasabi, and mango.

Make Your Own "Curiously Strong Mints" | One Good Thing By Jillee

Mini-Aquaponics Setup Made from Ikea Parts

Source: http://lifehacker.com/5975473/mini+aquaponics-setup-made-from-ikea-parts

If you've ever wanted to try Aquaponics, growing fish, plants, and bacteria in a nearly-closed loop ecological system, you can get your feet wet by building a basic system using Ikea Antonius frame and wire baskets, two plastic bins, PVC pipe, and a submersible water pump.

You'll also need to create a bell siphon, which you can build from PVC components in the full instructions list from aquaponics store Japan Aquaponics's weblog. The structure of the system comes from assembling the Ikea frame as per the instructions and using the wire baskets to hold a 25-liter liter bin for the grow tray and the bottom 50-liter bin to house the fish. You'll then create a bell siphon from PVC parts or buy one from Amazon for $45, and assemble the plumping from PVC pipes. You can then add water to the tank and test out the operation of the system. If all is go you then add a growing medium such as perlite, lava rock, or river stones to the growbed and add fish and plant seeds.

For further instructions on making the system and on aquaponics in general check out the source link below. This seems like a great starter kit if you're interested in the subject and it's much more productive than most pet aquariums.

Indoor Aquaponics System Plans | Japan Aquaponics via Instructables

Samsung's 85-inch Ultra HD TV up for pre-order in Korea, priced at just $38k

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/01/13/samsung-s9-uhdtv-pre-order-korea/

At CES last week Samsung set a new benchmark in size with its 85-inch S9 that edged past the Ultra HD competition by one inch, and now it's setting a new high mark for price as well, at least in Korea. While we still don't have any US pricing or release details, the first 77 models encased in that "Timeless Gallery" frame are going up for pre-order, priced at 40,000,000 won ($37,877 US). Other than the obligatory 214cm of 4K goodness, it has built-in 2.2 channels speakers, quad-core CPU and Precision Black Pro LCD panel. We've heard that sales of Sony and LG's models have been surprisingly brisk despite their high prices so you may want to run, not walk to your local Korean high-end electronics retailer to get one first. Of course, if you wait, you can always snag the 95- or 110-inch model that are promised to ship later this year, albeit at similar prices. While you're deciding, check out our hands-on pictures and video to get an idea of what awaits.

Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD, Samsung

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Source: Samsung Tomorrow (Flickr), Korean Newswire

Flipboard refresh supports Android 4.2's Daydream mode

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/01/13/flipboard-refresh-supports-android-4-2-daydream-mode/

Flipboard readers on Android have a little more reason to celebrate beyond just the recent addition of tablet support. A quick update this weekend lets the curated news reader hook into Android 4.2's Daydream mode: news covers can become part of a screensaver that automatically updates with the freshest stories while on WiFi. It's a simple tweak, but it may help Android users catch stories they would miss while their mobile devices sit idle. Hit the source link if you're not already on Flipboard's latest page.

Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Software, Mobile

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Via: Android Police

Source: Google Play

Saturday, January 12, 2013

TourWrist puts a twist on the photo sphere (hands-on video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/01/12/tourwrist-puts-a-twist-on-the-photo-sphere-hands-on-video/

You've heard of Instagram, right? Are you familiar with Microsoft's Photosynth and Google's Photo Sphere on Nexus phones and tablets? How about Apple's brilliant continuous-scan panorama mode on iOS devices? Well mash all this up and you get TourWrist, an app / social network for sharing photo spheres. The app started life as a social network for virtual tourism and gained one million users since launching in 2010. Here in Las Vegas, the company just launched the latest version of TourWrist with a focus on capturing photos spheres. Unlike Microsoft's and Google's approach, which stitches 360-degree images from discrete pictures, the app uses continuous-scan like Apple's panorama mode. The resulting photo spheres are truly impressive and look significantly better than the competition, especially when captured in tricky lighting conditions. All 360-degree images can be shared with other TourWrist users, Instagram-style, and with other social networks by linking to an HTML5-compatible viewer. Take a look at our gallery below and peek after the break for our hands-on video and sample photo sphere captured on site.

Gallery: TourWrist hands-on

Continue reading TourWrist puts a twist on the photo sphere (hands-on video)

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Apple, Microsoft, Google

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Here's What Will Happen If We Don't Raise The Debt Ceiling

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/what-will-happen-if-we-dont-raise-debt-ceiling-2013-1

debt ceiling x date

The United States has already hit its debt ceiling--the legal limit of the amount of money it is allowed to borrow, as established by Congress.

Right now, the U.S. Treasury is resorting to "extraordinary measures" to keep paying the country's bills.

Sometime between February 15th and March 1st, the Bipartisan Policy Center projects, the Treasury's ability to use these "extraordinary measures" will end.

At that point, we will hit the "X-date."

On that date, if the debt ceiling has not been raised, the United States will begin to default on payments that it is legally obligated to make, payments that Congress has already promised that we will make.

The Treasury may have some ability to choose which payments to default on, and when to default on them, but the bottom line will be the same: The Treasury will only be able to pay about 60% of the bills that are owed.

In relatively short order, therefore, the United States will stiff about 40% of the people and companies it owes money to.

Importantly, this default is different from the "government shutdowns" that have happened from time to time (in the 1990s, for example). In those cases, Congress had yet to authorize government spending. This time, the spending has been authorized: Congress has already promised to pay these bills. This time, in other words, we will be choosing not to pay people and companies we have already promised to pay.

This has never happened before in the history of the United States.

That some representatives in our government say they are justified in making this happen now is reckless and scary. And the support that this vocal ! minority is getting suggests that some ordinary Americans don't understand what will happen if we don't raise the debt ceiling.

So, it is time for everyone to understand.

Below are some slides from a presentation prepared by Steve Bell, Loren Adler, Shai Akabas and Brian Collins of the Bipartisan Policy Center.

This game of chicken that one of our political parties is playing is no joke. To not raise the debt ceiling is to say that it is totally okay to stiff people and companies we owe money to--and, more importantly, to actually stiff them. This is astoundingly reckless and irresponsible behavior (not to mention illegal). And it will have a devastating impact on our country and economy.

The Bipartisan Policy Center looked at what will actually happen if Congress doesn't raise the debt ceiling...

Before we get to that, though, some background. We have already hit the debt ceiling. The Treasury is now using "extraordinary measures" to pay our bills.

Here are some of these "extraordinary measures," along with the cash they're freeing up.

See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Please follow Business Insider on Twitter and Facebook.

Friday, January 11, 2013

I Watched LG's Incredible 3D Video Wall Too Long, and Now I Can't Enjoy Real LIfe

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5975286/i-watched-lgs-incredible-3d-video-wall-too-long-and-now-i-cant-enjoy-real-life

Over the last few days, I've spent hours churning out posts in front of the "world's largest 3D video wall" at the back of LG's CES booth. Every neuron in my body is exhausted. I may never feel emotion again.

At CES, writers who don't have access to fancy trailers need to find a cozy spot to sit and write after scouring the show floor for new gadgets. I found my spot by the LG wall showing off the company's 3D Cinema technology almost immediately after the show floor opened—it beckoned me with the sound of a booming symphony.

The thing is massive—the takes up an entire floor-to-ceiling wall of LG's booth at CES. Maybe a story tall. I don't know, I'm bad at estimating but it was tall and wide. The screen is made up of an endless number of panels, each of which could be a big screen TV in your house. The wall itself, could be the broadside of a suburban mansion.

I put on the 3D glasses LG provided, and I was blown away at how the objects exploded off the screen. For days, I watched thousands of people stare at the screen in disbelief as they'd reach out to grab the objects that seemed to float in front of their faces.

But whereas everyone else walked away, I just stayed there. And now, the drab colors and non-epic sound sound of real life bore me. I just incepted a cooler world into my brain. I will never be free. Thanks a lot, CES.

Samsung's 55-inch OLED 3D HDTV eyes-on: one set, multiple views

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/01/11/samsungs-55-inch-oled-3d-hdtv-eyes-on-one-set-multiple-views/

Look closely at the image above. See that clear portion depicting a food fight? That's coming through the right lens of dedicated eyewear made specifically for Samsung's 55-inch OLED Multi-View HDTV. The sleek, silver-trimmed 1080p set, recently unveiled at CES 2013, utilizes a quad-core processor and 240Hz refresh rate to send specific "firing patterns" to a user's eyewear that's then filtered out by swapping the input control (A /B) located above the left ear. The actual 3D effect varies from an artificial seeming emphasis on layers of depth, to the more traditional, and quite impressive, "in your face" immersive experience. Multiple input configurations are also possible, allowing users in the same room to watch either two separate 3D images, one 3D plus two 2D images or four 2D images simultaneously. So, basically, you can keep playing your PS3 while a loved one watches Homeland.

The 55-inch set also comes equipped with an inbuilt webcam that's tucked just behind the top front panel and supports Samsung's Smart Hub. Pricing hasn't been made known at this time, but you should see the Multi-View set hit retail sometime mid-July 2013.

Gallery: Samsung 55-inch OLED 3D HDTV eyes-on

Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD, Samsung

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Gorgeous, Bizarre Wooden Speakers Livestream the Sounds of a Japanese Forest

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5975181/gorgeous-bizarre-wooden-speakers-livestream-the-sounds-of-a-japanese-forest

JVC Kenwood has released a set of bewildering wireless wooden speakers in Japan. Looking more like just a speaker frame, the pair vibrate to produce sounds, which unfortunately means their bass performance is non-existent.

It's form over function to the extreme, but JVC Kenwood is ok with that. Because the speakers, priced at $3,400 for the larger twelve-inch model and $700 for the smaller five-inch model, were actually only designed to play one thing: the noise of a forest.

The company will be offering an accompanying monthly subscription service in Japan that streams sounds captured by two forest-based microphones. One is set up on Honshu, in the Japanese Alps near Takayama. The other is near Morotsuka, on the mountainous southernmost island of Kyushu, known for its volcanoes and hot springs.

This like a ridiculously expensive version of one of those white noise machines—minus the "whale song" and "ocean waves" options. Would you pay a premium to know you're listening live to an honest-to-God forest? [The Asahi Shimbun via MoCo Loco]

Lenovo IdeaTab A2107 arrives on AT&T for $200 without contract

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/01/11/lenovo-ideatab-a2107/

The Lenovo IdeaTab A2107, which was announced at IFA this past fall, has now officially been adopted by AT&T as its newest member of the carrier's tablet lineup. You can grab the 7-inch slate for $200 without worrying about a two-year commitment (if you're okay with a contract, you can grab it for $100). The tablet houses a MTK dual-core Cortex A9 processor, runs Android 4.0 and utilizes a 1,024 x 600 display. Additional specs include WiFi 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0 and FM radio. For more info, head to the press release below.

Continue reading Lenovo IdeaTab A2107 arrives on AT&T for $200 without contract

Filed under: Tablets, AT&T

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Source: AT&T

Turn Your iPad Into a DJ Station With Two Turntables and Some Suction Cups

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5975135/turn-your-ipad-into-a-dj-station-with-two-turntables-and-some-suction-cups

iPad docks featuring a set of compact turntables for DJs who like to travel light are nothing new. But ION Audio has come up with a small collection of suction-cuppable accessories that turn the iPad itself into a pair of decks and a mixer on the cheap.

Serious turntablists will probably want to stay well clear of the company's new Scratch 2 Go kit, which uses capacitive-compatible wheels, cross faders, and dials to interact with various DJ apps. But that's also why ION Audio will sell it for only around $40, starting in May. You're never going to see it in use in a real club, but for those who want to try their hand at DJing, it's a cheap way to get started. [Ion Audio via Cnet]

Asus Claims the Title of World's Smallest Wi-Fi Router

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5975159/asus-claims-the-title-of-worlds-smallest-wi+fi-router

Amongst all of its Windows 8 PCs and tablet announcements at CES, Asus also quietly revealed what it's boasting as the world's smallest Wi-Fi router. And with a form factor only slightly larger than a well-equipped flash drive, the WL-330NUL Pocket Router is the perfect accessory for minimalist road warriors.

Weighing in at just 25 grams, the 802.11b/g/n router includes an ethernet port on one end for sharing a wired connection, and a USB cable on the other for stealing power from a computer. It can also be plugged into an outlet if you want to spare your laptop's battery. For ultra-thin notebooks lacking an ethernet port, the WL-330NUL doubles as a USB ethernet adapter too. As for pricing and availability, that's still to be announced.

[Asus via Fareastgizmos]

Verizon says nearly half of data use on its network relies on LTE

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/01/11/verizon-says-nearly-half-of-data-use-on-its-network-relies-on-lt/

Verizon was the second US carrier to launch an LTE network, giving it ample opportunity to extend its 4G reach in more than two years. And according to network engineering VP Mike Haberman, it has -- he tells FierceWireless that nearly 50 percent of the carrier's data traffic goes through the LTE network, a big jump even over October's 35 percent. It's not hard to understand why when Big Red adds other numbers to the equation. When its LTE coverage potentially addresses 273.5 million Americans, and 85 percent of its subscription customers are picking up LTE devices like the Droid DNA, it's almost inevitable that many will leave 3G in the dust. Not that Verizon will do exactly the same, just yet -- its CDMA and EV-DO networks will hang on until the end of the decade.

Dr. Augustine Fou's Online Scrapbook

Monday, January 14, 2013

ClamCase Pro makes your iPad look like a thick MacBook Air

Eliminate Touchscreen Lag From the Surface With This Tiny Hack

Sunday, January 13, 2013

DIY Altoids Make âCuriously Strongâ Mints in Unique Flavor Combinations

Mini-Aquaponics Setup Made from Ikea Parts

Samsung's 85-inch Ultra HD TV up for pre-order in Korea, priced at just $38k

Flipboard refresh supports Android 4.2's Daydream mode

Saturday, January 12, 2013

TourWrist puts a twist on the photo sphere (hands-on video)

Here's What Will Happen If We Don't Raise The Debt Ceiling

The Bipartisan Policy Center looked at what will actually happen if Congress doesn't raise the debt ceiling...

Before we get to that, though, some background. We have already hit the debt ceiling. The Treasury is now using "extraordinary measures" to pay our bills.

Here are some of these "extraordinary measures," along with the cash they're freeing up.

Friday, January 11, 2013

I Watched LG's Incredible 3D Video Wall Too Long, and Now I Can't Enjoy Real LIfe

Samsung's 55-inch OLED 3D HDTV eyes-on: one set, multiple views

Gorgeous, Bizarre Wooden Speakers Livestream the Sounds of a Japanese Forest

Lenovo IdeaTab A2107 arrives on AT&T for $200 without contract

Turn Your iPad Into a DJ Station With Two Turntables and Some Suction Cups

Asus Claims the Title of World's Smallest Wi-Fi Router

Verizon says nearly half of data use on its network relies on LTE

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Monday, January 14, 2013

Sunday, January 13, 2013

Saturday, January 12, 2013

The Bipartisan Policy Center looked at what will actually happen if Congress doesn't raise the debt ceiling...

Before we get to that, though, some background. We have already hit the debt ceiling. The Treasury is now using "extraordinary measures" to pay our bills.

Here are some of these "extraordinary measures," along with the cash they're freeing up.

Friday, January 11, 2013

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