Friday, August 16, 2013

ASUS VivoBook X102BA leaks with 10.1-inch screen and Win 8, reportedly launching next month

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/08/16/asus-vivobook-x102ba-leaked/

ASUS VivoBook X102BA leaks with 101inch screen and Win 8, reportedly launching next month

Families are all about growing -- an honest case of "the more, the merrier," if you will. Now, according to our friends over at SweClockers, ASUS is getting ready to make its own Vivo family a little larger by introducing the VivoBook X102BA. This leaked Windows 8 PC reportedly packs some pretty run-of-the-mill specs, including a 1.0GHz, dual-core AMD A4-1200 CPU (with Radeon HD 8180 for graphics), 2GB of RAM and a 320GB hard drive. What's also of interest here is that ASUS is said to be bundling it with Microsoft Office Home & Student 2013, which would certainly be a useful tool to interested parties. Per the report, the ASUS VivoBook X102BA will launch sometime in September for around 330 euros, or about 440 bucks if you're this side of the pond.

[Thanks, Jacob]

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Source: SweClockers

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Benchmarks hint at Snapdragon-based Kindle Fire HD with 2,560 x 1,600 display

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/08/16/benchmarks-hint-at-snapdragon-based-kindle-fire-hd-with-2-560-x/

Benchmarks hint at Snapdragon-based Kindle Fire HD with 2,560 x 1,600 display

While benchmark leaks can be wobbly info-stones to tread upon, the arrival of some purported Kindle Fire HD scores could be the first steps toward a timely refresh. The results in question refer to a "Amazon KFAPWA" device with a reported Adreno 330 GPU, which by implication would likely mean a Snapdragon 800 SoC. The field that really leaps out, however, is that 2,560 x 1,600 resolution. If true, it could mean the 8.9-inch version is getting a bump from the previous iteration's 1,920 x 1,200 display. This certainly chimes with earlier reports, and, if nothing else, would certainly make that new browser UI all the more pretty to look at.

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Via: Android Community

Source: GFXBench

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Ubuntu Edge raises record-breaking $10 million, enters Guinness Book of Almost

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/08/16/ubuntu-edge-raises-10-million-dollars/

$10,311,220. It isn't sufficient to greenlight Canonical's innovative hybrid smartphone, but it is just enough to beat the sum raised by the Pebble smartwatch and thereby steal the crowdfunding record. Well, sort of, at least. It depends on whether the amount pledged is all that matters, regardless of whether the project actually comes to fruition -- as happened with both the Pebble on Kickstarter and Indiegogo's previous record holder, the Scanadu Scout. More importantly though, Ubuntu Edge may have reached the point where it'll have a second chance even if it doesn't achieve the required backing of $32 million: Canonical founder Mark Shuttleworth told the BBC that some manufacturers have noticed all the hubbub and have come "out of the woodwork" to discuss taking the Android / Ubuntu concept forward, such that August 21st may not prove to be a terminal deadline.

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Source: Ubuntu Edge (Indiegogo)

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Thursday, August 15, 2013

Your Smartphone Can Now Be Your Eye Doctor

Source: http://gizmodo.com/your-smartphone-can-now-be-your-eye-doctor-1149714982

Your Smartphone Can Now Be Your Eye Doctor

It was only a matter of time before smartphones made the transition from communication device to full blown Star Trek tricorder. And with the development of Peek (an acronym for Portable Eye Examination Kit), that transition is nearly complete.

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Acer's new LED monitors: 27- and 29-inch flavors, up to WQHD resolutions

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/08/15/acer-led-monitors/

Acer's new LED monitors 27 and 29inch flavors, up to WQHD resolutions

As much as we lust after 4K monitors, we need all that cash for, you know, boring stuff like rent and food. For now, we'll make do with screens that are a little lighter on the wallet, and today Acer has announced three new LED offerings for Joes and pros alike. First up is the T272HUL 27-inch multitouch monitor aimed at consumers, with a WQHD panel (2,560 x 1,440 resolution), 5ms response time and various inputs including old-school VGA. Arriving in late August, the T272HUL is expected to retail at around $999. Another 27-inch model, the B276HUL, drops touch support but sports the same WQHD res, a 6ms response time and a DisplayPort input among several others.

Intended more for pros, the 29-inch B296CL rocks a widescreen 2,560 x 1080 resolution, 8ms response time and the same connectivity credentials as the B276HUL. Both non-touch models are on sale now for around $599. In case you were wondering, all three displays have 178-degree viewing angles both horizontally and vertically -- because if you're not looking almost entirely at bezel, you're doing it wrong. PR after the break.

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Via: Electronista

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CHART OF THE DAY: When Will People Actually Use Android Tablets? (GOOG, AAPL)

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/chart-of-the-day-when-will-people-actually-use-android-tablets-2013-8

Apple CEO Tim Cook likes to make fun of Android tablets.

He says that despite all the Android-based tablets that are flooding the market, services that measure web-usage show no one is really using Android tablets. 

On the company's most recent earnings call, Cook said the latest data shows the iPad has 84% of web browser usage in North America. 

He added, "I don't know what [Android tablets] are being used for because that’s a pretty, the basic function is web browser."

In the past he's said"I don't know what these other tablets are doing. They must be in warehouses, or on store shelves, or maybe in somebody's bottom drawer!"

It's a funny line, and it's an interesting point. Android reportedly has 63% of the tablet market, but only 16% of the web traffic. What gives? And will it last? 

Sameer Singh took a look at the state of web usage for Android around the world. He used Statcounter, which tracks 3 million websites. He found that the iPad is dominating Android around the world. 

He wanted to see if Android tablets are just off to a slow start. He compared web traffic share on Android tablets 18 months after the iPad launched to web traffic on Android smartphones 18 months after the iPhone launched.

With the exception of Asia, Android tablets are lagging behind Android smartphones in terms of share. We don't know what this means for the future, but it looks like Android isn't getting a massive traffic spike in tablets like it did with smartphones. 


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Philips wins award for as yet unannounced 65-inch 4K TV

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/08/15/philips-uhd-ifa-2013/

Philips wins award for asyet unannounced 65inch 4K TV

How do we know that Philips will unveil a 65-inch 4K television at IFA on September 5th? Because that same, unannounced device has just won the European Ultra HD TV of 2013-14 award. The self-congratulatory press release mentions that the Ambilight XL-packing hardware will be offered at a "significantly lower" price point than current UHD sets, which generally retail for upwards of $7,000 for this sort of screen size. There's no word on how much cheaper this new unit will be, but we're hoping that Philips has updated its (slightly clunky) smart TV interface to complement the eye-watering resolution.

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Via: Pocket-lint

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These 3D-Printed Titanium Watches Will Probably Outlive You

Source: http://gizmodo.com/these-3d-printed-titanium-watches-will-probably-outlive-1137075801

These 3D-Printed Titanium Watches Will Probably Outlive You

Titanium is one of those rare wonder materials that sounds like it could only exist in the movies as a fanciful plot device. It's real, though, and stronger and lighter than steel, which makes it a little tricky to work with. That is, unless you grind it into a powder and recombobulate it into any shape you want with a 3D laser printer—like the folks at rvnDSGN did for this lovely collection of titanium wristpieces.

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Flipboard iOS app update introduces animated GIF support

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/08/14/flipboard-ios-app-update-gif-support/

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Flipboard users with Android devices have been able to enjoy the mindless fun of animated GIFs for some time now, but their iOS counterparts have only been able to look on in envy. Casual hyperbole aside, Flipboard's latest iOS update -- available today -- brings GIF support to the app along with a slew of GIF-friendly magazines for your perusing pleasure. Now, GIF aficionados (is there such a thing?) can enjoy titles like Just GIF It, GIF Pop and GIF Me a Break. The update also includes top stories in the tech, news, business and sports sections as well as the obligatory bug fixes. You can get your paws on the update by clicking on the iTunes link below.

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Source: Flipboard, iTunes

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Tinkercad lets you export 3D designs into Minecraft

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/08/14/tinkercad-minecraft/

Tinkercad lets you export 3D designs into Minecraft

Tinkercad, that Autodesk-owned, user-friendly 3D modeler is offering up a new feature today that may well prove a compelling proposition for Minecraft users. Fans of the block building, monster-fleeing indie title can now use the service to export 3D creations into the game, by way of MCEdit. The whole process looks pretty straight forward to us, but just in case, we've embedded a video after the break that'll give you a soundtracked version of what we just told you.

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Intel teases MXC: a 1.6Tbps optical interconnect for servers

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/08/14/intel-teases-mxc/

Intel teases MXC a 16Tbps, optical interconnect for servers

While we think of optical connections as cutting edge, they're positively decrepit in server rooms; current fiber interconnect technology got its start in the 1980s. Intel may soon drag servers into the modern era with its just-teased MXC format, however. The standard (not pictured here) will combine both silicon photonics and a new form of Corning fiber to link servers at 1.6Tbps -- more than quick enough to eliminate many data bottlenecks. The connectors themselves are smaller, too. Intel won't say more about MXC until the Intel Developer Forum next month in San Francisco, but we already suspect that supercomputer operators will be happy with all that extra bandwidth.

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Via: PCWorld

Source: Intel

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Kinect app that turns any surface into a touchscreen now available, starts at $149

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/08/15/kinect-ubi-software-touchscreen/

DNP Microsoft touchscreen now out

With several companies developing technologies that can turn any surface into a touchscreen, it should be widely available soon. Those who want to try it out before it's cool, however, should look towards Ubi Interactive's software that combines the talents of Microsoft's Kinect for Windows sensor and a projector. So long as the software's installed on a Windows 8 computer, the sensor tracks and detects movements users make on the projected image. Interactions are the same as any tablet or smartphone, including launching icons by tapping on them and expanding areas with pinch-to-zoom. Merely a concept in 2012, the software is now available on Ubi's website with prices ranging from $149 to $1,499, depending on the display size and the type of customer support. Sounds like even an Average Joe can nab one, assuming they already have a projector and one of Microsoft's $250 motion / voice detectors.

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Via: CNET

Source: Kinect for Windows, Ubi Interactive

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Researchers develop energy saving smart window that filters out heat and / or light

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/08/15/smart-window-nanocrystals/

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In the heat of summer, either you shut the windows and crank up the AC, or pull down the blinds and stumble around in the gloom. At least, that was the case. A team at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory has developed a new smart window that lets people choose what they want to let into their home, filtering out visible light, near-infra-red light, or both. Using a thin layer of nanocrystals that change state when electricity is passed through, will enable people to save on home energy bills by keeping the bulk of the Sun's heat out of the home without sacrificing the natural light. Now all we have to do is hook this up with one of Samsung's touchscreen windows and we'll never have to leave home again.

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Via: PhysOrg

Source: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

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Audi teases 700HP hybrid Quattro Sport e-Tron Concept, A8 Matrix LED lighting

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/08/15/audi-quattro-sport-etron-hybrid-a8-matrix-led/

DNP Audi unveils Quattro Sport Etron 700HP hybrid concept sketches, new A8 headlight

We're still a few weeks out from this year's Frankfurt Motor Show, but that hasn't stopped Audi from showing off concept sketches of its hybrid supercar, the Quattro Sport E-Tron. According to Autoblog, the car will debut at the show sporting a twin-turbo V8 is similar to what's found in the company's RS6, but it has an electric motor bolted on to help it hit 700HP and a 200MPH-plus top speed. Being that it's a hybrid, you can operate solely on battery power, but for only 21.7 miles at a time -- so, if you're looking for something with a little more range, we have a few practical suggestions.

Now for news on a model we might be able to actually afford, the A8. Prior to the 2015 model's unveiling, Audi is teasing a few features ahead of time. The A8's exterior lighting got a massive upgrade with the Matrix LED headlamp system, which can auto-dim or shut the highbeams down entirely thanks to a camera that senses other vehicles. Audi didn't neglect the tail lights, either. The turn signals on the luxury sedan now sports 24 LEDs that illuminate sequentially in the direction of the turn, from the inside out. For more info, you'll have to dive into the press release below or check out the model's coming out party on August 21st, right here.

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Via: Autoblog (1), (2)

Source: Fortitude

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Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Haptix wants to turn every surface into a multi-touch controller

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/08/14/haptix/

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Motion-based PC interfaces are all the rage, thanks to Microsoft's Kinect and the folks at Leap Motion. San Francisco-based Haptix is sure it's got a better solution than the rest, but it needs a healthy $100,000 to get there. The company's got a Kickstarter page going for its self-titled peripheral that can be clipped to a device or placed on a table to offer up both a 3D sensing layer in the air and a multi-touch layer on a flat surface. The dual layers give you more ways to interact with your device, and a chance to rest your palm on the table, when the whole reaching out thing proves too tiring. In the Kickstarter pitch video below, you'll also see a Haptix picking up brushstrokes, which could certainly have some cool implications for artists.

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Source: Kickstarter

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