Dr. Augustine Fou's Online Scrapbook

Thursday, October 24, 2013

AMD's flagship Radeon R9 290X graphics card now available for $549

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/10/24/amd-radeon-r9-290x-available/

AMD's range-topping Radeon R9 290X has been (officially) shrouded in mystery since its unveiling last month, but the company is at last revealing full details and releasing the graphics card to stores. As you'd expect given its $549 price, the flagship is a big leap in performance over the $299 R9 280X: it carries 2,816 stream processors, a wider 512-bit memory bus and a larger 4GB of video RAM. The board can muster 5.6TFLOPs of general computing power, AMD says, and is built with 4K graphics in mind. More importantly, it's also delivering a lot of bang for the buck. Early reviews at sites like AnandTech and Tom's Hardware show the R9 290X outperforming the more expensive GeForce GTX 780; as long as you can tolerate the noisier cooling, it may be a good fit for your gaming PC.

Filed under: Desktops, Gaming, Peripherals, AMD

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Source: AMD

This Pumpkin Tap Turns Your Halloween Gourd Into an Edible Keg

Source: http://gizmodo.com/this-pumpkin-tap-turns-your-halloween-gourd-into-an-edi-1450804051

This Pumpkin Tap Turns Your Halloween Gourd Into an Edible Keg

Make Martha Boowart proud—while giving your Monster Mash an added seasonal flair—by converting that pre-op Jack-o-Lantern into something far more useful than a carriage: a Keg. The Pumpkin Tap will turn any pumpkin or squash—even watermelon—into an impromptu beverage server.

Simply open the top of the gourd, scoop out the seeds, and shove the shank in at the pumpkin's base. Then just screw the tap mechanism onto the shank and refill the cavity with your preferred beverage. I suggest three liters of Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte, but any number of other witches brews will work. The Pumpkin Tap retails for $32. [Kegworks]

This Pumpkin Tap Turns Your Halloween Gourd Into an Edible Keg

Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Fujifilm XQ1 Hands-On: A Canon Clone With Better Guts

Source: http://gizmodo.com/fujifilm-xq1-hands-on-a-canon-clone-with-better-guts-1451069096

Fujifilm XQ1 Hands-On: A Canon Clone With Better Guts

Maybe it's no surprise that when Fujifilm's first advanced pocket camera fell flat, they turned to proven designs for the basis of it's second try. I just played with Fuji's new XQ1, and I could believe It wasn't a Canon S120. But just because it's familiar on the outside, doesn't mean it's got the same stuff inside.

A Handheld Gaming Console You Can Build and Program Yourself

Source: http://gizmodo.com/a-handheld-gaming-console-you-can-build-and-program-you-1449365483

A Handheld Gaming Console You Can Build and Program Yourself

It's about as far from a Nintendo 3DS or PS Vita as you can get when it comes to the latest in handheld gaming consoles, but the DIY Gamer Kit from Technology Will Save Us comes with one features those devices don't: The satisfaction that you built it yourself. And not only do you have to assemble, wire, and solder the DIY Gamer Kit yourself, you'll also need to program your own games too. Sound like fun?

Article: Bromium Raises $40M For Security Technology That Traps Malware And Limits Attacks | TechCrunch

Bromium has raised $40 million for its micro virtual machine (micro-vm) technology that traps malware and analyzes it for IT administrators to examine once an attack takes place. The oversubscribed Series C funding round was led by new investor Meritech Capital Partners, with participation from e...

http://techcrunch.com /2013/10/23/bromium -raises-40m-for-security-technology-that-traps-malware-and-limits-attacks/

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A Headphone Jack Laser Pointer That No One Will Be Able To Spot

Source: http://gizmodo.com/a-headphone-jack-laser-pointer-that-no-one-will-be-able-1450204782

A Headphone Jack Laser Pointer That No One Will Be Able To Spot

Don't let anyone tell you otherwise; highlighting a character's crotch on-screen at the movies is hi-larious, and always will be. But getting caught with a laser pointer in your hand and tossed out of the theater isn't. So thankfully red lasers have been around for decades, and have been miniaturized to the point where they can hide inside your smartphone's headphone jack.

Add Your Own Wireless Capability To Your DSLR, And Save On Said DSLR

Source: http://gizmodo.com/add-your-own-wireless-capability-to-your-dslr-and-save-1450197939

Camera makers have been extremely stubborn about adding Wifi to their DSLR's, but you add your own wireless capability to your photo rig with the Toshiba Flash Air 8GB SD Memory Card. It's about as elegant as a third-party solution to a first-party problem gets, and it's cheap. I always keep one in my memory card arsenal for when the need arises. $26. [eBay]

Step Aside, Street Lamps: These Ordinary Paths Glow On Their Own

Source: http://gizmodo.com/step-aside-street-lamps-these-ordinary-streets-glow-o-1449711937

Step Aside, Street Lamps: These Ordinary Paths Glow On Their Own

Charging off-grid street lamps with solar power is a positive step towards reducing energy consumption. But what if our sun-baked public walkways also glowed in the dark?

Google to give parents more control with supervised user accounts in Chrome

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/10/22/chrome-beta-supervised-user/

Those unwilling to spend big bucks on a laptop for their kids might consider a low-cost Chromebook as an option, but could be a bit hesitant due to the OS's lack of parental controls. That could all change however, thanks to a new feature the Chrome team is rolling out this week to its beta channel. Simply add your child as a "supervised user" on Chrome, and you can see his or her browsing history and decide whether to allow or block certain sites. He or she can also request permission to view a blocked site if necessary. Interested parties can go ahead and try this out now by downloading the beta version of Chrome on Windows, Mac and Linux, though obviously this feature would be more useful for a machine with Chrome as its sole browser. Thankfully, that should be the case once this feature passes the beta phase.

Filed under: Internet, Software, Google

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Source: Chrome Blog

4K 12-inch tablets are going to be a thing and Japan Display can prove it

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/10/23/japan-display-4k-tablet-lcd/

If the iPad mini's new Retina Display didn't quite hit the spot, maybe 4K tablet displays from Japan Display will. Panasonic's already managed to slather its hulking 20-inch tablet in the same resolution, which was a feat in itself. But let's consider something a little more handheld friendly -- something that's not going to smash through our glass coffee table. The unified forces behind Japan Display (including Sony, Toshiba, Hitachi) have announced that they've squeezed 4K resolution (3,840 x 2,160) into a 12.1-inch TFT module, creating a screen with a retina-piercing 365 pixels per inch. Revealed to display obsessives at the FPD International 2013 exhibition in Japan this week, the press release adds that the new screen module remains power-efficient and suitably thin too -- possibly the perfect business complement to the company's incoming White Magic 1080p smartphone screens. All the full technical details can be found at the source link below -- remember bring your Japanese dictionary.

Filed under: Displays, Tablets, HD, Sony

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Source: J Display (Japanese)

LG's G Flex curved phone makes a surprise debut in Argentina

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/10/23/lg-g-flex-curved-argentina/

We got our first clear look at LG's curved G Flex smartphone in press shots just a few days ago, and now the device itself has popped up. The Verge points out tech journalist Frederico Ini of Telefe Noticias, a news program based in Argentina, has apparently obtained a prototype and brought it in to the studio for some hands-on pics and video. Curved from the bottom to the top (like the Galaxy Nexus) instead of side to side like Samsung's Galaxy Round, it also features rear mounted buttons just like LG's current flagship the G2. We've heard that the G Flex will feature a 6-inch OLED display when it's announced next month, although other details remain unknown.

[Image credit: Frederico Ini]

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, LG

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Via: The Verge

Source: Telefe Noticias

Samsung acquires 7.4 percent of Gorilla Glass maker Corning, signs long-term supply deal

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/10/23/samsung-acquires-7-4-percent-of-gorilla-glass-maker-corning/

In a move that could raise eyebrows in the LCD business, Corning has taken full control of Samsung Corning Precision Materials Co. Ltd., a joint venture 43 percent owned by Samsung. In exchange, the Korean company will get $1.9 billion worth of preferred shares in Corning, which if converted, would give it a 7.4 percent stake. The pair have also agreed to a deal that will see Samsung Display supplied by Corning through 2023. That company's Gorilla Glass is used in most high-end smartphones and tablets, including those made by Samsung, Apple, HTC and Motorola. Since the Korean giant already supplies most of its competitors with LCD displays and other components, we can imagine some of them casting a wary eye on such a deal.

Filed under: Displays, Samsung

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Via: Reuters

Source: Corning

Galaxy Gear compatibility comes to the Samsung Galaxy S4, S3, Note 2 and more

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/10/23/galaxy-gear-compatibility-gs4-gs3-note2/

If you wanted live out your Inspector Gadget fantasies, but lacked the Galaxy Note 3 needed to take full advantage of the possibilities, we've got good news. Samsung's bringing compatibility for its Galaxy Gear to the previously-mentioned Galaxy S4 as well as the Galaxy S III and Galaxy Note II through an Android 4.3 update. While those are the big ones, the wearable will soon hook up to a whole swathe of Samsung devices (Galaxy S4 Mini, S4 Active, Mega 5.8, Mega 6.3, and Galaxy S4 Zoom) in an update arriving at the end of October. Naturally, the typical proviso for different release dates in different countries remains, but those flagship devices mentioned earlier will get the earliest access -- and will also be able to make and answer calls with the Gear, like a real inspector. %Gallery-slideshow99617%

Filed under: Cellphones, Wearables, Mobile, Samsung

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Samsung Galaxy S 4 with Snapdragon 800 and faster LTE treks to Europe

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/10/23/samsung-galaxy-s-4-lte-a-europe/

Remember how there was an LTE-A-equipped Samsung Galaxy S 4 with a juicy Snapdragon 800 CPU for South Korea and a lesser Exynos 5 or Snapdragon 600 version for everywhere else? Well, it looks like the more desirable former variant is about to migrate to Europe, judging by a GT-I9506 product page on Samsung's German site. That CPU would put the six month-old handset on par with Samsung's new Galaxy Note 3 flagship, along with the latest models from Nokia, LG and oth! ers. At the moment there's no European countries that actually support the 150Mbps LTE-A speeds, though Sweden has been testing it. Still, if you need feel the need to future-proof all your gadget buys, don't be surprised to see the model in stores around Europe soon.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile

Comments

Via: Phone Arena

Source: Samsung Germany (translated)

HTC's One Max ratted out by the FCC again on its way to Sprint

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/10/23/htcs-one-max-ratted-out-by-the-fcc-again-on-its-way-to-sprint/

Now that we know HTC's One Max is likely to be living large at AT&T, another variant for Sprint looks to have also been unmasked by the FCC. An OP3P700 version of the 6-inch, 1080p device has just passed the US regulator with Sprint's LTE bands 25, 26 and 41, a likely sign that it's bound for Big Yellow. We're still not sure how much it'll cost on contract or sans SIM, but we did see it priced in the UK at a hefty £600 ($952) with no carrier strings attached. If you're now looking to take advantage of Sprint's new upgrade program for the behemoth handset though, you'd better check out our One Max review, first.

Dr. Augustine Fou's Online Scrapbook

Thursday, October 24, 2013

AMD's flagship Radeon R9 290X graphics card now available for $549

This Pumpkin Tap Turns Your Halloween Gourd Into an Edible Keg

Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Fujifilm XQ1 Hands-On: A Canon Clone With Better Guts

A Handheld Gaming Console You Can Build and Program Yourself

Article: Bromium Raises $40M For Security Technology That Traps Malware And Limits Attacks | TechCrunch

A Headphone Jack Laser Pointer That No One Will Be Able To Spot

Add Your Own Wireless Capability To Your DSLR, And Save On Said DSLR

Step Aside, Street Lamps: These Ordinary Paths Glow On Their Own

Google to give parents more control with supervised user accounts in Chrome

4K 12-inch tablets are going to be a thing and Japan Display can prove it

LG's G Flex curved phone makes a surprise debut in Argentina

Samsung acquires 7.4 percent of Gorilla Glass maker Corning, signs long-term supply deal

Galaxy Gear compatibility comes to the Samsung Galaxy S4, S3, Note 2 and more

Samsung Galaxy S 4 with Snapdragon 800 and faster LTE treks to Europe

HTC's One Max ratted out by the FCC again on its way to Sprint

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