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Thursday, March 21, 2013

Visualized: Microsoft's homegrown 120-inch 4K television

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/21/visualized-microsofts-homegrown-120-inch-4k-television/

Samsung's $40k work of art has nothing on Redmond's non-existent TV division: Microsoft has built a 120-inch 4K display. Don't start pinching pennies, though -- this TV was created strictly for demo purposes, and won't be coming coming to stores any time soon. Check out Pocket-lint for all the details.

Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD, Microsoft

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Source: Pocket-lint

Google Art Project adds nearly 2,000 works, from street art to prized photos

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/21/google-art-project-adds-nearly-2000-works/

The Google Art Project could be considered a safeguard for culture when it's preserving work that's not just difficult to see, but may disappear at the drop of a hat. Witness Google's latest addition of 30 partners, and almost 2,000 pieces of art, as proof. The collection includes 100-plus examples of high-profile graffiti and street art from Sao Paulo, some of which aren't guaranteed to survive unscathed; there's also 300-plus photos from Spain's Fundacion MAPFRE and a famous Hungarian poem whose original copy is usually too fragile to show. Although the digital expansion won't replace booking a flight to visit the artwork first-hand, it may prevent some urban masterpieces from fading into obscurity.

Filed under: Internet, Google

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Via: Google Official Blog

Source: Google Art Project (1), (2), (3)

Thuraya's SatSleeve docks your iPhone onto its satellite network, charges it too (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/21/thuraya-satellite-iphone-satsleeve/

Despite the Gorilla glass, we're not sure if it's a great idea to bring that iPhone to K2. Still, if you can fire it up, you can now make satellite calls from Apple's iPhone 4 and 4s handsets thanks to Thuraya's SatSleeve. Always-on globetrotter types can slip one of those models into a cradle, dial their pals from virtually anywhere via the company's own satellite network and even place emergency calls without the handset. The device also includes a built-in battery pack to stretch call times by charging your phone -- though given satellite rates, you may get charged more than you think. Thuraya said that an iPhone 5 version's also in the works, but if you're okay with Cupertino's prior models, hit the break for more.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile

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HP Labs builds a glasses-free, portable 3D display with wide viewing angles (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/20/hp-labs-builds-a-glasses-free-portable-3d-lcd-with-wide-viewing/

Typical attempts at a glasses-free 3D display have trouble with viewing angles; we're all too familiar with having to sit in a sweet spot to get the effect. HP Labs might have just solved this last problem with a prototype 3D LCD that would better accommodate the real world. The display's backlight has nanopatterned grooves that send blue, green and red in multiple directions, letting the LCD show only the light that would be seen from a given viewpoint. Those positions are set in stone, but they're both abundant (200 for photos, 64 for video) and can spread across a wide 180-degree viewing arc. At a thickness of as little as half a millimeter, a production LCD could easily be thin enough for a mobile device, too. The catch isn't so much the screen as the content. Producers need an image for every possible viewpoint, which could create a fair share of logistical problems: even though footage wouldn't necessarily require 200 cameras, it could limit fully immersive 3D to computer-generated visuals or else consume a massive amount of bandwidth. If those are the biggest barriers, though, we're still that much closer to the holographic smartphone we've always wanted.

Filed under: Cellphones, Displays, Science, HP

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Via: MIT Technology Review

Source: Nature

Canon unveils EOS T5i and Rebel SL1, the world's smallest DSLR (hands-on)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/21/canon-eos-rebel-sl1-t5i/

If you haven't already come to grips with the fact that Canon won't be releasing a mirrorless camera with DSLR-like performance, you might as well cut your losses now. Instead of replacing the sluggish EOS M with a compelling shooter, the company has decided to focus on shrinking its DSLR. The result, the EOS Rebel SL1, is the world's smallest Digital SLR. SL stands for "super lightweight," which seems appropriate, given that it tips the scale at just over 14 ounces, yet the camera still accommodates EOS lenses, such as the new EF-S 18-55mm IS STM optic that ships in the box. There's an 18-megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor, DIGIC 5 image processor, a 1.04M-dot fixed touchscreen, a new hybrid autofocus and standard 9-point AF. It offers sensitivity ranging from ISO 100-25,600, can capture 1080p video at 30 or 24 fps, and it includes a built-in mono mic, along with a stereo mic input jack on the side. Jump past the break for our hands-on.

Gallery: Canon EOS Rebel SL1 and T5i hands-on