Couple Builds Robot To Follow Them Around The HouseThis Is What It Looks Like/When iPhone 4s CryAmazon Taking Pre-Orders On Dual-Screen Toshiba LibrettoReview: Fusion of Ideas? Carbon Fiber Stealth Armor case for iPhone 4Video: Cute Robot Selling Ice Cream
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Netflix now available for the iPhone and iPod touch
My complaints about Netflix on the Ipad:- Too slow - basically just a web site interface with a spinning graphic that appears after every action, and takes too long to complete.- Lots of stuff not available - half the stuff I want to watch is not available via the Ipad - you need to get a physical DVD sent in order to watch it.- Streaming is glitchy and sometimes unwatchable. It usually happens near the end of a show or movie you're watching, when all the sudden the show refuses to continue, and apparently the stream goes dead. You can pause/unpause a thousand times and it won't restart the stream no matter what. This totally destroys the experience and ruins the show/movie. Since streaming is the #1 most important thing the Netflix app does, don't you think they would work to make it near-perfect?!- Many "normal" things missing, like an inability to rate shows/movies. You can see ratings, but you can't create them.I'm disappointed by these faults, because they are fairly major, and I really, really wanted to like using Netflix on the Ipad.
SONIC AUTOMOTIVE SKYWORKS SOLUTIONS SILICON LABORATORIES SI INTERNATIONAL
iPhone 4's biz features tantalize 1/3 of Americans (and 8 other stats in chart form)
We already knew that at least 600,000 of you want an iPhone 4. What we didn?t know was: why?
So we (Sybase) commissioned well-known research firm, Zogby International, to do a broad survey of 2,000 American adults to find out. How broad? So much that 15% of respondents either didn?t own a mobile phone, or weren?t sure if they did.
Nearly one in eight adult Americans own an iPhone. Remember, this is all Americans, not just a snapshot of this quarter?s smartphone shipments, nor a look only at the smartphone installed base. Bonus fun stat: 16.4% of Hispanics surveyed owned an iPhone, higher than blacks (13.8%), Asians (13%) and whites (10.5%).
It?s unclear why so many iPhone users are unsure whether their iPhones were company-supplied. Could it be because so many of them bought the iPhone themselves but, like me, have their bills paid by their company? Bonus fun stat: NASCAR fans are more likely to own an iPhone than non-fans (12.2% versus 11.6%). App ideas, anyone?
Now here?s a meaty one: how much do you rely on your mobile for work? It?s higher for iPhone users (56% use at least once a day) versus users of other phones (42%). Bonus fun stat: 65+ year-old iPhone users were twice as likely to use it for work compared to 18-29 year old iPhone users (64% versus 33%). My question is: is the population of elderly iPhone users very skewed, or are there tons of people past retirement still working?
Checking work e-mail was overwhelmingly the most popular use for the iPhone. But web browsing for work, using third-party biz apps and connecting to the company?s network, were also far more popular on the iPhone than on other brand phones. Bonus fun stat: black iPhone owners were the most likely to use downloaded biz apps (45%, versus 29% for Asians and 19% for whites).
What features do iPhone users want for work purposes? Multi-tasking, ability to wipe sensitive data, and ability for employers to automatically install and update programs, make up the top 3. Sorting and spellchecking e-mails were less desired, while videoconferencing came in last. All of these features, by the way, arrive in the new iOS 4. Bonus fun stat: the most religiously devout thought multi-tasking was the most important feature, while non-religious people thought e-mail sorting was the most important.
More than half of respondents say these new features make the iPhone 4 immediately more attractive for work purposes. Bonus fun stat: Wal-Mart shoppers cared more about the iPhone?s business features more than those who shunned Wal-Mart.
While few respondents considered videoconferencing a killer app, more than a quarter said face-to-face communication would be a good thing, while 15% said it would be good for sharing diagrams and slides. This, as a reminder, is coming courtesy of iOS 4?s FaceTime app paired with the iPhone 4?s new front-facing camera. Contrary to the dystopia imagined by novelist David Foster Wallace, only 12% of respondents said the videoconferencing app would make them feel pressured to talk on camera rather than phone. Bonus fun stat: only 3% of Hispanics felt stress or pressure to use the videoconference feature (versus 28% of whites).
Knowing the iPhone 4?s enhanced productivity and security features, how many American workers would ask their companies for an upgrade? More than half. Bonus fun stat: military veterans are less likely to ask their employer for an iPhone.
What if the worker has to pony up the cash for the iPhone 4 upgrade him/herself? Well, 35% still say they would do the upgrade. So down, but maybe not as much as you would expect. Bonus fun fact: those making between $35-$50,000 a year are very likely to buy an iPhone for themselves (15.5%), versus 11.7% of those making $100,000+ a year.
What business features are most important to you? Did they or will they get you to buy an iPhone 4?
So we (Sybase) commissioned well-known research firm, Zogby International, to do a broad survey of 2,000 American adults to find out. How broad? So much that 15% of respondents either didn?t own a mobile phone, or weren?t sure if they did.
Nearly one in eight adult Americans own an iPhone. Remember, this is all Americans, not just a snapshot of this quarter?s smartphone shipments, nor a look only at the smartphone installed base. Bonus fun stat: 16.4% of Hispanics surveyed owned an iPhone, higher than blacks (13.8%), Asians (13%) and whites (10.5%).
It?s unclear why so many iPhone users are unsure whether their iPhones were company-supplied. Could it be because so many of them bought the iPhone themselves but, like me, have their bills paid by their company? Bonus fun stat: NASCAR fans are more likely to own an iPhone than non-fans (12.2% versus 11.6%). App ideas, anyone?
Now here?s a meaty one: how much do you rely on your mobile for work? It?s higher for iPhone users (56% use at least once a day) versus users of other phones (42%). Bonus fun stat: 65+ year-old iPhone users were twice as likely to use it for work compared to 18-29 year old iPhone users (64% versus 33%). My question is: is the population of elderly iPhone users very skewed, or are there tons of people past retirement still working?
Checking work e-mail was overwhelmingly the most popular use for the iPhone. But web browsing for work, using third-party biz apps and connecting to the company?s network, were also far more popular on the iPhone than on other brand phones. Bonus fun stat: black iPhone owners were the most likely to use downloaded biz apps (45%, versus 29% for Asians and 19% for whites).
What features do iPhone users want for work purposes? Multi-tasking, ability to wipe sensitive data, and ability for employers to automatically install and update programs, make up the top 3. Sorting and spellchecking e-mails were less desired, while videoconferencing came in last. All of these features, by the way, arrive in the new iOS 4. Bonus fun stat: the most religiously devout thought multi-tasking was the most important feature, while non-religious people thought e-mail sorting was the most important.
More than half of respondents say these new features make the iPhone 4 immediately more attractive for work purposes. Bonus fun stat: Wal-Mart shoppers cared more about the iPhone?s business features more than those who shunned Wal-Mart.
While few respondents considered videoconferencing a killer app, more than a quarter said face-to-face communication would be a good thing, while 15% said it would be good for sharing diagrams and slides. This, as a reminder, is coming courtesy of iOS 4?s FaceTime app paired with the iPhone 4?s new front-facing camera. Contrary to the dystopia imagined by novelist David Foster Wallace, only 12% of respondents said the videoconferencing app would make them feel pressured to talk on camera rather than phone. Bonus fun stat: only 3% of Hispanics felt stress or pressure to use the videoconference feature (versus 28% of whites).
Knowing the iPhone 4?s enhanced productivity and security features, how many American workers would ask their companies for an upgrade? More than half. Bonus fun stat: military veterans are less likely to ask their employer for an iPhone.
What if the worker has to pony up the cash for the iPhone 4 upgrade him/herself? Well, 35% still say they would do the upgrade. So down, but maybe not as much as you would expect. Bonus fun fact: those making between $35-$50,000 a year are very likely to buy an iPhone for themselves (15.5%), versus 11.7% of those making $100,000+ a year.
What business features are most important to you? Did they or will they get you to buy an iPhone 4?
GeekDad Visits the Mystic Aquarium
Let me start by saying that I find beluga whales to be creepy. Fish shouldn?t have necks ? even if they are mammals. Belugas swim by and turn their head to look at you as they pass. Even though I found them creepy, I still found them incredibly interesting.
The Mystic Aquarium offers New England?s only beluga whales. Right when you walk in, you get an up-close encounter with the belugas through a series of underwater windows. Their striking white forms stand out sharply in the cool, blue water.
They earned the nickname ?Sea Canary? because they are so vocal, making high-pitched squeaks, squeals, clucks and whistles. They seem as interested in watching us as we are in watching them.
I realize that many of you will not be able to make the trek to Connecticut to see Kela, Naku and Juno.� You can check out the Vancouver Aquarium?s Beluga Cam for a remote view.
For those of you who can make it to Mystic, there is plenty to see beside the belugas. I was very impressed by Kodiak, one of the their Steller sea lions. He weighs in at 1,700 pounds and easily dwarfs every other sea lion I have seen. The geeklets were even more impressed when we got to witness sea lion poo.
Mystic has a few hands-on exhibits. You can pat a shark, ray, crab, or starfish. The kids were excited by the opportunity. None of the animals seemed as excited about the petting.
I?m used to Boston?s New England Aquarium, which is a great destination for a rainy day. Lots of the Mystic Aquarium is outdoors. We enjoyed a hot, sunny day exploring their exhibits. There are plenty of great indoor exhibits to see on a bad weather day.
The other feature of the Mystic Aquarium is the Institute for Exploration run by Dr. Robert Ballard. The Challenge of the Deep exhibition shares some of Ballard?s most recent discoveries, deep sea exploration, and his discovery of the wreckage of the R.M.S. Titanic. This was a bit over the head of my six-year old.
In the end, the kids had fun and we had fun. I learned some things and the kids learned some new things. That makes it a worthwhile GeekDad visit.
Photo by Doug Cornelius.
Angry Birds, The Upcoming PSP Game That Might Be a Movie
From iPhone to PlayStation Portable to the big screen, Angry Birds...well wait a second, just what the heck is Angry Birds?
I'd never heard of it until publisher Chillingo's press release hit my mailbox yesterday morning, and then I only gave it half a glance. The only angry birds I'm familiar with like to dive bomb my skull from perches on power lines as I'm jogging by. They chitter and menace, launch into the air, then hover behind me, cleverly interposed between my body and the sun.
But no, these Angry Birds look more like someone's geometry doodles, all different shapes and sizes, daubed in different primary colors, but united by at least one imperative: They're mad as hell, and you know how the rest goes.
If you're one of the 6.5 million (yep, 6.5 million) who've downloaded the game from Apple's iPhone/iPad store, you already know about these apoplectic avians and their crusade against packs of egg-purloining green pigs.
The game works like this: You launch pudgy feathered birds from giant catapults at squads of green pigs hunkered in destructible structures that look like houses, castles, trains, and more. Each bird has unique special abilities, such as splitting into three just before impact, or kicking in thrusters mid-arc to do more damage. Everything's linked by basic object physics, providing the impetus for the gameplay--where to strike for maximum effect.
And this fall it's slated to hit the PlayStation Store as a PlayStation 'mini', basically a smaller-sized, less expensive downloadable PSP or PSP Go game. The 'mini' version will actually be the 'maxi' version, including four worlds with over 120 levels, a new world (called "the big set up"), an unlockable golden egg world, and a new "big brother bird capable of massive destruction."
"Angry Birds' addictive gameplay, amusing antics and phenomenal record-breaking popularity will bring an unparalleled experience as a minis title," said Chillingo head of publishing Johnny Coghlan in a press statement. "The game's mass consumer appeal will surely entertain fans of all ages for hours."
Hours? How about days? Weeks? Years even? Because according to Variety, Chillingo's founders have been "making the rounds of the studios and tenpercenteries over the last several weeks weighing which ancillary offers to move forward with first." Meaning: TV shows, movies, toys, comics, and who knows what else.
In any event, a friendly word of advice: If you ever encounter an angry bird while out for a run, never ever fling a handful of gravel at it.
Follow us on Twitter (@game_on)
I'd never heard of it until publisher Chillingo's press release hit my mailbox yesterday morning, and then I only gave it half a glance. The only angry birds I'm familiar with like to dive bomb my skull from perches on power lines as I'm jogging by. They chitter and menace, launch into the air, then hover behind me, cleverly interposed between my body and the sun.
But no, these Angry Birds look more like someone's geometry doodles, all different shapes and sizes, daubed in different primary colors, but united by at least one imperative: They're mad as hell, and you know how the rest goes.
If you're one of the 6.5 million (yep, 6.5 million) who've downloaded the game from Apple's iPhone/iPad store, you already know about these apoplectic avians and their crusade against packs of egg-purloining green pigs.
The game works like this: You launch pudgy feathered birds from giant catapults at squads of green pigs hunkered in destructible structures that look like houses, castles, trains, and more. Each bird has unique special abilities, such as splitting into three just before impact, or kicking in thrusters mid-arc to do more damage. Everything's linked by basic object physics, providing the impetus for the gameplay--where to strike for maximum effect.
And this fall it's slated to hit the PlayStation Store as a PlayStation 'mini', basically a smaller-sized, less expensive downloadable PSP or PSP Go game. The 'mini' version will actually be the 'maxi' version, including four worlds with over 120 levels, a new world (called "the big set up"), an unlockable golden egg world, and a new "big brother bird capable of massive destruction."
"Angry Birds' addictive gameplay, amusing antics and phenomenal record-breaking popularity will bring an unparalleled experience as a minis title," said Chillingo head of publishing Johnny Coghlan in a press statement. "The game's mass consumer appeal will surely entertain fans of all ages for hours."
Hours? How about days? Weeks? Years even? Because according to Variety, Chillingo's founders have been "making the rounds of the studios and tenpercenteries over the last several weeks weighing which ancillary offers to move forward with first." Meaning: TV shows, movies, toys, comics, and who knows what else.
In any event, a friendly word of advice: If you ever encounter an angry bird while out for a run, never ever fling a handful of gravel at it.
Follow us on Twitter (@game_on)
LM ERICSSON LOGITECH INTERNATIONAL MEMC ELECTRONIC MATERIALS MICROSOFT
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Mod: Apple Magic Trackpad Connected Via USB
One modder has taken Apple's recently released Magic Trackpad and made it wired.
The modification, from MacRumors forum user Mark Bog, takes the Magic Trackpad---which is only available in a Bluetooth model--and tweaks it to run through an attached USB cable, doing away with the need for wasteful disposable batteries.
Mark applied a fairly simple mod, using a wooden dowel, a couple of screws and a spare USB cable. The wooden dowel was shaped to fit the space previously taken by two AA batteries, a screw was then attached to each end of the dowel, with the spare USB cable connected to complete the set-up.
One MacRumors forum member raised a concerned about power regulation. This battery-free mod, connected via USB, will take 5 volts or power from the connected computer. whereas the original two-battery setup would only provide the trackpad with 3 volts. The mod creator says this has not been a problem so far. Update: To clarify, it appears as though the USB mod only provides power over USB. As far as we can tell, you'll still need to pair the Magic Trackpad via Bluetooth to actually use it. Thanks to those who pointed this out.
If you want to give the mod a try, then you may want to get to grips with the device's innards first.
[Via Hack-A-Day]
Follow
Chris Brandrick
and
GeekTech
on Twitter.
The modification, from MacRumors forum user Mark Bog, takes the Magic Trackpad---which is only available in a Bluetooth model--and tweaks it to run through an attached USB cable, doing away with the need for wasteful disposable batteries.
Mark applied a fairly simple mod, using a wooden dowel, a couple of screws and a spare USB cable. The wooden dowel was shaped to fit the space previously taken by two AA batteries, a screw was then attached to each end of the dowel, with the spare USB cable connected to complete the set-up.
One MacRumors forum member raised a concerned about power regulation. This battery-free mod, connected via USB, will take 5 volts or power from the connected computer. whereas the original two-battery setup would only provide the trackpad with 3 volts. The mod creator says this has not been a problem so far. Update: To clarify, it appears as though the USB mod only provides power over USB. As far as we can tell, you'll still need to pair the Magic Trackpad via Bluetooth to actually use it. Thanks to those who pointed this out.
If you want to give the mod a try, then you may want to get to grips with the device's innards first.
[Via Hack-A-Day]
Follow
Chris Brandrick
and
GeekTech
on Twitter.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Lab Leftovers: Speed-Testing an 11-Year-Old PC
Here in the PCWorld Labs we're constantly receiving new products for testing. While we do our best to return every review unit to its rightful owner, we inevitably end every year with an oddball assortment of leftover tech gathering dust in our warehouse. These leftovers are carefully catalogued and cached (read: piled in a closet), only to be unearthed every few years for fun and profit during an impulsive spat of spring cleaning.
Most of this stuff gets recycled, but occasionally we like to boot up a particularly amusing ancient relic to reformat, reminisce, and remind ourselves that dedicated tech enthusiasts can find uses for a beloved hunk of junk long after most consumers would have thrown it in the dump.
The PC That Time Forgot!
-My Favorite PC- Model No. 9/99
It's hard to determine exactly when or where this bad boy came from; our best experts have been able to backdate the unit to January of 1999, when it may have been delivered as part of a budget machine roundup for the April 1999 issue of PCWorld.
After carefully wiping away the dust and grime of time to expose a set of vintage MFPC serial numbers, we did what any sane optimization-obsessed tester would do: we set this one-of-a-kind "My Favorite PC" up for a few rounds of hardcore performance testing.
This is where the adventure begins. First we had to install the latest version of our WorldBench 6 testing software, which meant replacing the default Windows 98 with a fresh install of Windows 7 Starter Edition. Reformatting proved to be just the first step down this retro rabbit hole; to get Windows 7 operational, we had to toss out the factory-installed 32MB of 133 SDRAM and slot in a pair of 256MB SDRAM sticks we dug out of an old supply closet.
The old 512MB hard drive was junked in favor of a (comparatively) massive new 160GB hard drive capable of bearing a bare-bones Win7 install and a copy of our benchmarking software. Finally, with the end in sight we hooked up the 100-watt power supply and booted into Windows with a BIOS update and a prayer.
High-performance testing in progress!
Once we got WorldBench 6 up and running, the machine failed 7 of the 10 consumer app tests right from the start. Without a full-sized motherboard, we couldn't even install a 3D graphics card (no PCI or AGP slots), and were forced to rely on an integrated graphics chipset installed during the Clinton administration as the machine limped through our Adobe Photoshop and video encoding tests. Here's a quick link to a screencap of our results:
For reference, the average budget desktop scores around the 100-point mark in WorldBench 6. My Favorite PC scored a 5, and even earning that 5 was a grueling process as the 400MHz processor spent days chugging through Firefox and Microsoft Office tests that normally take 6-8 hours on a post-Y2K budget PC. For comparison purposes, here's the same test results from the recently-reviewed Viewsonic VPC 190, a budget all-in-one PC marketed to call centers and local libraries:
So what have we learned from our upgrade experiment?
Stay out of the PCWorld Labs warehouse at all costs.
Windows 7 runs exceptionally well on an old machine, an impressive feat given the system hog that was Vista.
With a little love, even a decade-old PC can be useful as a dedicated Internet machine for a small business or tech-phobic family member.
Follow GeekTech on Twitter or Facebook, or subscribe to our
RSS feed.
Most of this stuff gets recycled, but occasionally we like to boot up a particularly amusing ancient relic to reformat, reminisce, and remind ourselves that dedicated tech enthusiasts can find uses for a beloved hunk of junk long after most consumers would have thrown it in the dump.
The PC That Time Forgot!
-My Favorite PC- Model No. 9/99
It's hard to determine exactly when or where this bad boy came from; our best experts have been able to backdate the unit to January of 1999, when it may have been delivered as part of a budget machine roundup for the April 1999 issue of PCWorld.
After carefully wiping away the dust and grime of time to expose a set of vintage MFPC serial numbers, we did what any sane optimization-obsessed tester would do: we set this one-of-a-kind "My Favorite PC" up for a few rounds of hardcore performance testing.
This is where the adventure begins. First we had to install the latest version of our WorldBench 6 testing software, which meant replacing the default Windows 98 with a fresh install of Windows 7 Starter Edition. Reformatting proved to be just the first step down this retro rabbit hole; to get Windows 7 operational, we had to toss out the factory-installed 32MB of 133 SDRAM and slot in a pair of 256MB SDRAM sticks we dug out of an old supply closet.
The old 512MB hard drive was junked in favor of a (comparatively) massive new 160GB hard drive capable of bearing a bare-bones Win7 install and a copy of our benchmarking software. Finally, with the end in sight we hooked up the 100-watt power supply and booted into Windows with a BIOS update and a prayer.
High-performance testing in progress!
Once we got WorldBench 6 up and running, the machine failed 7 of the 10 consumer app tests right from the start. Without a full-sized motherboard, we couldn't even install a 3D graphics card (no PCI or AGP slots), and were forced to rely on an integrated graphics chipset installed during the Clinton administration as the machine limped through our Adobe Photoshop and video encoding tests. Here's a quick link to a screencap of our results:
For reference, the average budget desktop scores around the 100-point mark in WorldBench 6. My Favorite PC scored a 5, and even earning that 5 was a grueling process as the 400MHz processor spent days chugging through Firefox and Microsoft Office tests that normally take 6-8 hours on a post-Y2K budget PC. For comparison purposes, here's the same test results from the recently-reviewed Viewsonic VPC 190, a budget all-in-one PC marketed to call centers and local libraries:
So what have we learned from our upgrade experiment?
Stay out of the PCWorld Labs warehouse at all costs.
Windows 7 runs exceptionally well on an old machine, an impressive feat given the system hog that was Vista.
With a little love, even a decade-old PC can be useful as a dedicated Internet machine for a small business or tech-phobic family member.
Follow GeekTech on Twitter or Facebook, or subscribe to our
RSS feed.
iPhone app: Coastal Super-Combat
The innocent people of tiny island are under siege. Now they rely on you and your expert marksmanship to drive off enemy forces. Upgrade your weapons, fortify your defenses, and keep the people of tiny island safe!
Name: Coastal Super-Combat | Download from: App Store | Price: 1$
Read Comments / Comment this post
Paul Allen sues Apple, Google, Facebook, puppy dogs, all things good and decent (not Microsoft)
Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen has dropped the patent suit hammer on Apple, Google, Facebook, AOL, eBay, Netflix, Office Depot, OfficeMax, Staples, Yahoo, and YouTube, accusing them of violating his lab?s innovations in internet commerce. According to the Wall Street Journal:
For Mr. Allen, the lawsuit marks new terrain. He is aggressively going after companies, including many of Silicon Valley?s biggest names, that he thinks are violating technology that was developed at his Interval Research Corp., a Palo Alto, Calif., lab and technology incubator he financed with about $100 million during the Internet bubble.
Here are the patents in question:
Patent #507 ?Browser for Use in Navigating a Body of Information, With Particular Application to Browsing Information Represented By Audiovisual Data.?
Patent #657 ?Attention Manager for Occupying the Peripheral Attention of a Person in the Vicinity of a Display Device.?
Patent #314 ?Attention Manager for Occupying the Peripheral Attention of a Person in the Vicinity of a Display Device.?
Patent #682 ?Alerting Users to Items of Current Interest.?
Google has responded with:
?This lawsuit against some of America?s most innovative companies reflects an unfortunate trend of people trying to compete in the courtroom instead of the marketplace. Innovation ? not litigation ? is the way to bring to market the kinds of products and services that benefit millions of people around the world.?
And Facebook says:
We believe this suit is completely without merit and we will fight it vigorously
What do you think, pure patent trolling or does Paul Allen deserve compensation?
[Wall Street Journal, TechCrunch]
Acer Aspire One 721: Ultraportable or Netbook?
If you've lusted after Acer's TimelineX 1830T ultraportable but don't have $700, you can get much the same experience from the company's $430 (as of 8/25/2010) Aspire One 721 netbook. The two units are outwardly identical, but the 721 substitutes a far cheaper AMD Athlon II Neo CPU for the 1830T's Intel Core i5. The WorldBench 6 performance numbers show a 21-point performance gap, but the subjective experience isn't as dissimilar as that difference might lead you to believe.
The Aspire One 721 has a crisp, 1366-by-768, 11.6-inch color display, which is big enough to comfortably watch videos on without having to be unduly close to the screen. The 721 is also outfitted with 2GB of DDR3 memory and, as a companion to the Neo CPU, with an ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4225 integrated GPU. The only (minor) gotcha with the 721 is the hard drive. The 250GB drive that shipped with our 721-3574 test unit is an ATA version. Not many ATA SSDs--a favorite netbook/small laptop performance-boosting upgrade--are out there, so hot-rodders beware.
As for the Aspire One 721's performance: A WorldBench 6 score of 52 takes it out of the usual lousy netbook range, but bestows only laptop mediocrity. Subjectively, the unit feels fine except when loading larger apps, and then it feels laggy. Thanks to the HD 4225, the 721's gaming rates are actually a frame or two faster than the TimelineX 1830T's; however, that's a pyrrhic victory--19 frames per second in Unreal Tournament 3 is still unplayable. Video, on the other hand, is as smooth in nearly all cases as on the 1830T--entirely watchable. A slight stutter during quick background pans in a high-rate, 1080 video was the only (and barely) noticeable difference.
Input ergonomics are not the forte of the Aspire One 721--it's good only for light to moderate typing. The biggest issue is not the size or feel of the keyboard, which are fine, but its placement. Slightly recessed into the deck, you'll occasionally hit the edge of said deck when reaching with your thumb for the spacebar. Also, the relatively sharp front lip of the deck will cut into your palms during long typing sessions.
A lack of front deck space also cramps the size and usage of the flush-mounted touchpad. It requires more strokes than normal to move the cursor up and down the screen. It's not often that Acer opts for style over substance, but the company did so in the 721's case.
Weighing in at just over three pounds, the Aspire One 721 isn't the lightest notebook of its size we've seen, and one reason for that is a six-cell, 4400-mAh battery that maintained power to the CPU for nearly 4.5 hours. That's 2 hours shy of the TimelineX 1830T with its six-cell 5800-mAh battery, but still pretty decent.
The Aspire One 721 has no room for an optical drive, but the port lineup is certainly adequate: three USB 2.0 ones, one HDMI, one VGA, a single gigabit LAN port, and a 5-in-1 memory card reader. N-Wireless is on board, but the Aspire One 721 lacks the TimelineX 1830T's Bluetooth. The model comes preloaded with Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit and some useful apps such as Cyberlink's PowerDVD 9 for playing DVDs. Obviously, you'll need a separate USB DVD drive or play the movies from disk.
The Aspire One 721 is a reasonably cheap ultraportable, albeit one with only passable performance. Thinking of the unit as a high-end netbook puts it in a much better light. We don't like the input ergonomics, but they're a lot less annoying in a $400 computer than in a $700 one.
The Aspire One 721 has a crisp, 1366-by-768, 11.6-inch color display, which is big enough to comfortably watch videos on without having to be unduly close to the screen. The 721 is also outfitted with 2GB of DDR3 memory and, as a companion to the Neo CPU, with an ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4225 integrated GPU. The only (minor) gotcha with the 721 is the hard drive. The 250GB drive that shipped with our 721-3574 test unit is an ATA version. Not many ATA SSDs--a favorite netbook/small laptop performance-boosting upgrade--are out there, so hot-rodders beware.
As for the Aspire One 721's performance: A WorldBench 6 score of 52 takes it out of the usual lousy netbook range, but bestows only laptop mediocrity. Subjectively, the unit feels fine except when loading larger apps, and then it feels laggy. Thanks to the HD 4225, the 721's gaming rates are actually a frame or two faster than the TimelineX 1830T's; however, that's a pyrrhic victory--19 frames per second in Unreal Tournament 3 is still unplayable. Video, on the other hand, is as smooth in nearly all cases as on the 1830T--entirely watchable. A slight stutter during quick background pans in a high-rate, 1080 video was the only (and barely) noticeable difference.
Input ergonomics are not the forte of the Aspire One 721--it's good only for light to moderate typing. The biggest issue is not the size or feel of the keyboard, which are fine, but its placement. Slightly recessed into the deck, you'll occasionally hit the edge of said deck when reaching with your thumb for the spacebar. Also, the relatively sharp front lip of the deck will cut into your palms during long typing sessions.
A lack of front deck space also cramps the size and usage of the flush-mounted touchpad. It requires more strokes than normal to move the cursor up and down the screen. It's not often that Acer opts for style over substance, but the company did so in the 721's case.
Weighing in at just over three pounds, the Aspire One 721 isn't the lightest notebook of its size we've seen, and one reason for that is a six-cell, 4400-mAh battery that maintained power to the CPU for nearly 4.5 hours. That's 2 hours shy of the TimelineX 1830T with its six-cell 5800-mAh battery, but still pretty decent.
The Aspire One 721 has no room for an optical drive, but the port lineup is certainly adequate: three USB 2.0 ones, one HDMI, one VGA, a single gigabit LAN port, and a 5-in-1 memory card reader. N-Wireless is on board, but the Aspire One 721 lacks the TimelineX 1830T's Bluetooth. The model comes preloaded with Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit and some useful apps such as Cyberlink's PowerDVD 9 for playing DVDs. Obviously, you'll need a separate USB DVD drive or play the movies from disk.
The Aspire One 721 is a reasonably cheap ultraportable, albeit one with only passable performance. Thinking of the unit as a high-end netbook puts it in a much better light. We don't like the input ergonomics, but they're a lot less annoying in a $400 computer than in a $700 one.
iPhone app: Blue Defense ? Second Wave (Preview Build)
Heres a quick look at the upcoming game ?Blue Defense: Second Wave? for the iPhone and iPod Touch.
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Friday, August 27, 2010
iPhone app: Coastal Super-Combat
The innocent people of tiny island are under siege. Now they rely on you and your expert marksmanship to drive off enemy forces. Upgrade your weapons, fortify your defenses, and keep the people of tiny island safe!
Name: Coastal Super-Combat | Download from: App Store | Price: 1$
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CrunchGear Week in Review: Nappy Snazzer Edition
SnazzyNapper: Use It While Driving To Clear Out the Gene Pool!Bottle Collects Morning Dew, Elf TearsReadySteady Is An Easy Way To Stabilize Your PocketcamTapi, So You Don?t Have To Drink From The Faucet Like A Cat?I Want To Make This Toy?Fanboyism: When Expression Meets Desperation
The Fate of the iPod Classic: A Modest Proposal
Earlier today, Jared wondered what the chances are that Apple will retire the iPod Classic at the music event it's holding next week and replace it with 128GB iPod Touch. Jared explains why it's unlikely that Apple will be able to introduce a 128GB Touch next week. That would presumably argue for the continuing viability of the Classic, which packs a 160GB hard drive.
But wait. I try to avoid making Apple predictions, but the company could make an end-run around the limitations of flash storage. Here's how.
What makes the iPod Classic the iPod Classic? Three things, really:
A ton of capacity-enough gigs for nearly anyone to tote nearly all of his or her music collection, and/or copious amounts of video;
The iconic iPod click wheel interface and corresponding onscreen menu system;
The inability to run iOS apps;
The lack of any way to communicate with the outside world except via USB connection.
Massive storage is unquestionably a pro, not a con. The classic iPod interface is a good thing, but it, like the original 1984 Macintosh design which went away in 1995, is a good thing from another era. It won't be with us forever, and that's okay.
Inability to run apps? Definitely a con. And these days, not having a direct wireless connection to the Internet is also a con.
Apple could very easily respond to all this next week with one simple move: It could retire the iPod Classic as we know it and introduce an iPod Touch that packs all the goodness of the current Touch, cameras on the front and back, FaceTime capability, and...a 160GB (or larger) hard drive. Hard disks are way cheaper per gigabyte than flash memory, so it should be possible to sell a disk-based Touch at a price that makes sense. Folks who want humongous amount of storage would get it-plus the other features that define the iPod Touch, the iPhone, and the iPad.
The only real downside: this Touch would have to be a tad thicker than flash-based models. Apple products almost never get portlier, but seems to me that the tradeoff would be well worth it. And it would buy Apple time until it can release an affordable 128GB flash-based iPod Touch.
If a disk-based Touch is imminent, it'll probably look very similar to the other next-generation Touches. But it's more fun to mock one up that retains a hint of the Classic's styling:
iPod Touch
We need a name for this thing-I propose iPod Megatouch. But knowing Apple, it's more likely that it would simply call it the iPod Touch. That's assuming that it would make it, period-and like I say, I'm not predicting that. Unless it happens next week, in which case you heard it here first...
But wait. I try to avoid making Apple predictions, but the company could make an end-run around the limitations of flash storage. Here's how.
What makes the iPod Classic the iPod Classic? Three things, really:
A ton of capacity-enough gigs for nearly anyone to tote nearly all of his or her music collection, and/or copious amounts of video;
The iconic iPod click wheel interface and corresponding onscreen menu system;
The inability to run iOS apps;
The lack of any way to communicate with the outside world except via USB connection.
Massive storage is unquestionably a pro, not a con. The classic iPod interface is a good thing, but it, like the original 1984 Macintosh design which went away in 1995, is a good thing from another era. It won't be with us forever, and that's okay.
Inability to run apps? Definitely a con. And these days, not having a direct wireless connection to the Internet is also a con.
Apple could very easily respond to all this next week with one simple move: It could retire the iPod Classic as we know it and introduce an iPod Touch that packs all the goodness of the current Touch, cameras on the front and back, FaceTime capability, and...a 160GB (or larger) hard drive. Hard disks are way cheaper per gigabyte than flash memory, so it should be possible to sell a disk-based Touch at a price that makes sense. Folks who want humongous amount of storage would get it-plus the other features that define the iPod Touch, the iPhone, and the iPad.
The only real downside: this Touch would have to be a tad thicker than flash-based models. Apple products almost never get portlier, but seems to me that the tradeoff would be well worth it. And it would buy Apple time until it can release an affordable 128GB flash-based iPod Touch.
If a disk-based Touch is imminent, it'll probably look very similar to the other next-generation Touches. But it's more fun to mock one up that retains a hint of the Classic's styling:
iPod Touch
We need a name for this thing-I propose iPod Megatouch. But knowing Apple, it's more likely that it would simply call it the iPod Touch. That's assuming that it would make it, period-and like I say, I'm not predicting that. Unless it happens next week, in which case you heard it here first...
Apple holding special event September 1, 2010
Apple has just started sending out invitations for a special event ? it?s annual special music event typically involving iTunes and iPads ? on September 1, 2010.
A new iPod touch 4 (with FaceTime and Retina Display?) is a given, as is iOS 4.1 ? perhaps with some new, previously unseen features? ? and maybe new versions of Apple TV/iTV (for $99 running iOS and TV rentals?), iTunes (with some cloud streaming services?), and iLife (with an HTML5 content creation app?)? What about iOS 4.x for iPad and news on white iPhones?!
What does the Apple-fied guitar above say to you? Start the predictions below!
[Engadget]
Canon Creates 120-Megapixel Camera Sensor
In what?s a sure sign that the megapixel race in cameras is out of control, Canon has announced that it has developed a 120-megapixel image sensor.
That?s 13,280 x 9,184 pixels packed into a rectangle about 29 millimeters x 20 millimeters?or 1.4 inches x 0.7 inches . It?s the highest level of resolution in a sensor of its size, says Canon.
Most cameras today used either a CCD (charge-coupled device) sensor or a CMOS (complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor) sensor. Canon?s latest innovation is for a CMOS sensor.
The 120-megapixel sensor is about 7.5 times larger and offers a 2.4-fold improvement in resolution over Canon?s highest comparable commercial sensor. Canon?s highest-resolution commercial CMOS sensor is currently the EOS-1Ds Mark III and EOS 5D Mark II digital SLR cameras. That sensor incorporates approximately 21.1 million pixels.
Cramming more pixels into a sensor is not necessarily indicative of the quality of the photos. Many consumers think more megapixels in a camera means better photos. But sometimes packing more light-sensitive pixels on a tiny sensor can result in greater noise in the photos. Cameras also require strong processing capabilities to take all the data from the sensors and translate into a beautiful picture.
With most CMOS sensors, camera makers use parallel processing to read data at high pixel counts. But that has to be balanced against problems such as signal delays and deviations in timing, all of which can affect image quality.
Canon has modified the method to control the readout circuit timing to get about 9.5 frames per second. This can support continuous shooting of ultra-high-resolution images, says Canon.
The newly developed CMOS sensor also includes full HD video (1,920 x 1,080 pixels) output capability.
For now, the 120-megapixel sensor is a proof-of-concept. It?s an engineering flight of fancy but it shows camera makers are trying to find ways to pack in greater capability into increasingly smaller sensors.
See Also:
Fuji Introduces Compact 3-D Camera for Consumers
Camera Software Lets You See Into the Past
Why the iPhone 4 Camera Is So Promising
Quantum Technology Promises Wedding Photos From Phone Cameras
Do Mirrorless Cameras Spell the Death of DSLRs?
Photo: CMOS sensor/Canon
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Friendly app ? Better Facebook experience on the iPad
This is a review of the Friendly app for the Apple iPad. Enjoy!
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Video: New iPod Touch 4th generation
Heres a look at the font on the new iPod Touch 4th generation. Looks like it will have a front facing camera after all. Check it out!?
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CrunchGear Week in Review: In A New Light Edition
Here are some stories from last week on CrunchGear:
Bag WeekThese Concept OLED Lights Are BrilliantKindle And iPad Displays Go Under The MicroscopeReview: Leica M9Just a Dr. Marten Limited Edition USB DriveJust A Turtle Mouse, That?s All
Bag WeekThese Concept OLED Lights Are BrilliantKindle And iPad Displays Go Under The MicroscopeReview: Leica M9Just a Dr. Marten Limited Edition USB DriveJust A Turtle Mouse, That?s All
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Lab Leftovers: Speed-Testing an 11-Year-Old PC
Here in the PCWorld Labs we're constantly receiving new products for testing. While we do our best to return every review unit to its rightful owner, we inevitably end every year with an oddball assortment of leftover tech gathering dust in our warehouse. These leftovers are carefully catalogued and cached (read: piled in a closet), only to be unearthed every few years for fun and profit during an impulsive spat of spring cleaning.
Most of this stuff gets recycled, but occasionally we like to boot up a particularly amusing ancient relic to reformat, reminisce, and remind ourselves that dedicated tech enthusiasts can find uses for a beloved hunk of junk long after most consumers would have thrown it in the dump.
The PC That Time Forgot!
-My Favorite PC- Model No. 9/99
It's hard to determine exactly when or where this bad boy came from; our best experts have been able to backdate the unit to January of 1999, when it may have been delivered as part of a budget machine roundup for the April 1999 issue of PCWorld.
After carefully wiping away the dust and grime of time to expose a set of vintage MFPC serial numbers, we did what any sane optimization-obsessed tester would do: we set this one-of-a-kind "My Favorite PC" up for a few rounds of hardcore performance testing.
This is where the adventure begins. First we had to install the latest version of our WorldBench 6 testing software, which meant replacing the default Windows 98 with a fresh install of Windows 7 Starter Edition. Reformatting proved to be just the first step down this retro rabbit hole; to get Windows 7 operational, we had to toss out the factory-installed 32MB of 133 SDRAM and slot in a pair of 256MB SDRAM sticks we dug out of an old supply closet.
The old 512MB hard drive was junked in favor of a (comparatively) massive new 160GB hard drive capable of bearing a bare-bones Win7 install and a copy of our benchmarking software. Finally, with the end in sight we hooked up the 100-watt power supply and booted into Windows with a BIOS update and a prayer.
High-performance testing in progress!
Once we got WorldBench 6 up and running, the machine failed 7 of the 10 consumer app tests right from the start. Without a full-sized motherboard, we couldn't even install a 3D graphics card (no PCI or AGP slots), and were forced to rely on an integrated graphics chipset installed during the Clinton administration as the machine limped through our Adobe Photoshop and video encoding tests. Here's a quick link to a screencap of our results:
For reference, the average budget desktop scores around the 100-point mark in WorldBench 6. My Favorite PC scored a 5, and even earning that 5 was a grueling process as the 400MHz processor spent days chugging through Firefox and Microsoft Office tests that normally take 6-8 hours on a post-Y2K budget PC. For comparison purposes, here's the same test results from the recently-reviewed Viewsonic VPC 190, a budget all-in-one PC marketed to call centers and local libraries:
So what have we learned from our upgrade experiment?
Stay out of the PCWorld Labs warehouse at all costs.
Windows 7 runs exceptionally well on an old machine, an impressive feat given the system hog that was Vista.
With a little love, even a decade-old PC can be useful as a dedicated Internet machine for a small business or tech-phobic family member.
Follow GeekTech on Twitter or Facebook, or subscribe to our
RSS feed.
Most of this stuff gets recycled, but occasionally we like to boot up a particularly amusing ancient relic to reformat, reminisce, and remind ourselves that dedicated tech enthusiasts can find uses for a beloved hunk of junk long after most consumers would have thrown it in the dump.
The PC That Time Forgot!
-My Favorite PC- Model No. 9/99
It's hard to determine exactly when or where this bad boy came from; our best experts have been able to backdate the unit to January of 1999, when it may have been delivered as part of a budget machine roundup for the April 1999 issue of PCWorld.
After carefully wiping away the dust and grime of time to expose a set of vintage MFPC serial numbers, we did what any sane optimization-obsessed tester would do: we set this one-of-a-kind "My Favorite PC" up for a few rounds of hardcore performance testing.
This is where the adventure begins. First we had to install the latest version of our WorldBench 6 testing software, which meant replacing the default Windows 98 with a fresh install of Windows 7 Starter Edition. Reformatting proved to be just the first step down this retro rabbit hole; to get Windows 7 operational, we had to toss out the factory-installed 32MB of 133 SDRAM and slot in a pair of 256MB SDRAM sticks we dug out of an old supply closet.
The old 512MB hard drive was junked in favor of a (comparatively) massive new 160GB hard drive capable of bearing a bare-bones Win7 install and a copy of our benchmarking software. Finally, with the end in sight we hooked up the 100-watt power supply and booted into Windows with a BIOS update and a prayer.
High-performance testing in progress!
Once we got WorldBench 6 up and running, the machine failed 7 of the 10 consumer app tests right from the start. Without a full-sized motherboard, we couldn't even install a 3D graphics card (no PCI or AGP slots), and were forced to rely on an integrated graphics chipset installed during the Clinton administration as the machine limped through our Adobe Photoshop and video encoding tests. Here's a quick link to a screencap of our results:
For reference, the average budget desktop scores around the 100-point mark in WorldBench 6. My Favorite PC scored a 5, and even earning that 5 was a grueling process as the 400MHz processor spent days chugging through Firefox and Microsoft Office tests that normally take 6-8 hours on a post-Y2K budget PC. For comparison purposes, here's the same test results from the recently-reviewed Viewsonic VPC 190, a budget all-in-one PC marketed to call centers and local libraries:
So what have we learned from our upgrade experiment?
Stay out of the PCWorld Labs warehouse at all costs.
Windows 7 runs exceptionally well on an old machine, an impressive feat given the system hog that was Vista.
With a little love, even a decade-old PC can be useful as a dedicated Internet machine for a small business or tech-phobic family member.
Follow GeekTech on Twitter or Facebook, or subscribe to our
RSS feed.
How to Build Your Own PC, Part 3
WiFi Finder
Locate wireless services by a specific address, city, state, country, airport, or zip code.
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Apple Patent Filing Shows Touch-Enabled iMac, MacBook
Apple appears to be extending its touch offering from mobile devices to desktop-bound hardware, based on a patent application showing a touch-enabled iMac.
The European patent was filed July 9, and shows a computer that can switch between mouse and touch-based input via an adjustable stand. Listed as inventor was Paul Costa, who is the hardware engineering manager at Apple. Uncovered by the Patently Apple blog, the filing shows an iMac-like computer, with an adjustable stand, which can keep the computer in an upright position, of tilt it horizontally, so you can use it more like an iPad. (Click on the thumbail image below for a close-up look at the patent drawing.)
What's particularly interesting about the filing is a mention regarding the interfaces when the iMac Touch is used a regular computer or as touch-enabled device. The computer would work like a current iMac (with Mac OSX), and when swiveled down on its stand it would function more like a giant iPad. This could be implement through an additional "skin," like FrontRow is used via an Apple Remote, but touch-optimized.
The transition from standard to touch mode is made either via sensors in the computer, or by using the tilting stand. The idea behind this is that some applications are better suited for touchscreens (games, drawing, media consumption), while other are best used with a mouse and keyboard (spreadsheets, word processing).
The patent covers both desktop and notebook devices, and fuels previous reports and rumors about Apple preparing touch-enabled OSX hardware. The interface used when in touch mode could also explain earlier rumors of iOS apps coming to Mac OSX.
The area of the patent covering notebook devices, like MacBooks, shows a laptop with a touch-enabled swiveling screen, which can lie flat against the keyboard facing upward. This idea is not new by any chance, as so-called "convertible" laptops have been on the market for several years now.
Would you buy a touch-enabled Mac computer? What would be the killer feature for you? Sound off in the comments.
The European patent was filed July 9, and shows a computer that can switch between mouse and touch-based input via an adjustable stand. Listed as inventor was Paul Costa, who is the hardware engineering manager at Apple. Uncovered by the Patently Apple blog, the filing shows an iMac-like computer, with an adjustable stand, which can keep the computer in an upright position, of tilt it horizontally, so you can use it more like an iPad. (Click on the thumbail image below for a close-up look at the patent drawing.)
What's particularly interesting about the filing is a mention regarding the interfaces when the iMac Touch is used a regular computer or as touch-enabled device. The computer would work like a current iMac (with Mac OSX), and when swiveled down on its stand it would function more like a giant iPad. This could be implement through an additional "skin," like FrontRow is used via an Apple Remote, but touch-optimized.
The transition from standard to touch mode is made either via sensors in the computer, or by using the tilting stand. The idea behind this is that some applications are better suited for touchscreens (games, drawing, media consumption), while other are best used with a mouse and keyboard (spreadsheets, word processing).
The patent covers both desktop and notebook devices, and fuels previous reports and rumors about Apple preparing touch-enabled OSX hardware. The interface used when in touch mode could also explain earlier rumors of iOS apps coming to Mac OSX.
The area of the patent covering notebook devices, like MacBooks, shows a laptop with a touch-enabled swiveling screen, which can lie flat against the keyboard facing upward. This idea is not new by any chance, as so-called "convertible" laptops have been on the market for several years now.
Would you buy a touch-enabled Mac computer? What would be the killer feature for you? Sound off in the comments.
Intel Releases Faster Dual-core Atom Netbook Processor
Intel on Monday released a dual-core Atom N550 processor, which the company says will bring improved application and graphics performance to netbooks while retaining long battery life.
The Atom N550 processor is a big upgrade from previous processors in an Atom lineup that primarily consisted of single-core chips. The processor will operate at a speed of 1.5GHz, and include 1MB of cache.
The chip will be more responsive than single-core Atom processors, which go into most netbooks today, Intel said. Users will be able to run applications faster and play back 720p video in netbooks that are as thin and light as existing models. Netbooks with the new chip will offer similar battery life as its single-core predecessors, the company said.
New netbooks will be offered by companies including Acer, Asus, Lenovo, Samsung, and Toshiba starting on Monday, the chip maker said. Details about the netbooks, including price and availability, were not be immediately available.
Netbooks are low-cost PCs characterized by small screens and small keyboards, and were designed primarily to surf the Internet and run basic applications like word processors. Though popular, netbooks have been heavily criticized for underperformance and poor graphics, due partly to the limited processing power of Atom chips.
The dual-core processor is an incremental improvement to previous Atoms, said Dean McCarron, principal analyst at Mercury Research. Intel had to move quickly to improve Atom performance as computing demands are consistently increasing.
"As the technology progresses ... you'll even see dual-core processors showing up in [mobile] handsets," McCarron said.
Netbook performance could catch up with that of laptops as a result, but may also temporarily create confusion among buyers, McCarron said. Intel has to improve the performance of its laptop chips to effectively separate the categories, he said, adding that that will ultimately happen.
Intel's Celeron processor will perhaps take the biggest hit from any confusion, McCarron said. Celeron chips are at the bottom of Intel's lineup of mainstream laptop processors, and are typically found in low-end laptops with screens up to 15.6 inches.
Intel also had to bump up Atom's performance to stay ahead of rival Advanced Micro Devices, which will soon start shipping processors for netbooks and ultramobile PCs, McCarron said.
AMD will ship a low-power chip code-named Ontario, which combines a CPU and graphics processor in one chip, starting in the fourth quarter. An AMD spokesman said that computers with the new chips are expected to hit shelves early next year.
The Atom N550 will be made using a 45-nanometer manufacturing process and support DDR3 memory.
This won't be the first dual-core Atom processor. Intel earlier released the Atom 330 which reached a few laptops. The chip was based on a desktop processor design.
The Atom N550 processor is a big upgrade from previous processors in an Atom lineup that primarily consisted of single-core chips. The processor will operate at a speed of 1.5GHz, and include 1MB of cache.
The chip will be more responsive than single-core Atom processors, which go into most netbooks today, Intel said. Users will be able to run applications faster and play back 720p video in netbooks that are as thin and light as existing models. Netbooks with the new chip will offer similar battery life as its single-core predecessors, the company said.
New netbooks will be offered by companies including Acer, Asus, Lenovo, Samsung, and Toshiba starting on Monday, the chip maker said. Details about the netbooks, including price and availability, were not be immediately available.
Netbooks are low-cost PCs characterized by small screens and small keyboards, and were designed primarily to surf the Internet and run basic applications like word processors. Though popular, netbooks have been heavily criticized for underperformance and poor graphics, due partly to the limited processing power of Atom chips.
The dual-core processor is an incremental improvement to previous Atoms, said Dean McCarron, principal analyst at Mercury Research. Intel had to move quickly to improve Atom performance as computing demands are consistently increasing.
"As the technology progresses ... you'll even see dual-core processors showing up in [mobile] handsets," McCarron said.
Netbook performance could catch up with that of laptops as a result, but may also temporarily create confusion among buyers, McCarron said. Intel has to improve the performance of its laptop chips to effectively separate the categories, he said, adding that that will ultimately happen.
Intel's Celeron processor will perhaps take the biggest hit from any confusion, McCarron said. Celeron chips are at the bottom of Intel's lineup of mainstream laptop processors, and are typically found in low-end laptops with screens up to 15.6 inches.
Intel also had to bump up Atom's performance to stay ahead of rival Advanced Micro Devices, which will soon start shipping processors for netbooks and ultramobile PCs, McCarron said.
AMD will ship a low-power chip code-named Ontario, which combines a CPU and graphics processor in one chip, starting in the fourth quarter. An AMD spokesman said that computers with the new chips are expected to hit shelves early next year.
The Atom N550 will be made using a 45-nanometer manufacturing process and support DDR3 memory.
This won't be the first dual-core Atom processor. Intel earlier released the Atom 330 which reached a few laptops. The chip was based on a desktop processor design.
iPhone 4 Vs. Blackberry Torch
In this smartphone smackdown, the folks at technobuffalo compares two AT&T exclusives, the Apple iPhone 4 and the RIM Blackberry Torch. 10 categories they chosen, including:
1. Call Quality
2. Reception
3. Browser
4. E-mail
5. UI & Navigation
6: Text Input
7. Speed
8. Screen
9. Apps
10. Battery Life
[Via]
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Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Daily Crunch: Plein Air Edition
Roku Hits 50 Media Streaming Channels With The Addition Of VimeoPogoPlug drops the cable, and the priceSharp Unveils Portable Air Purifier ?Plasmacluster?Net Neutrality Is Neutral: AT&T Says Wireless Internet Access Is Different Than Wired Internet Access. Yes, We Know, But That?s Not The Point At All.uDraw GameTablet Is A Wiicom Tablet
Microsoft Launches PC vs. Mac Website
Remember Apple's "Get A Mac" ads? They featured Justin Long as a Mac, and John Hodgman as a PC. Throughout a variety of 30-second spots, Mac demonstrated his superiority over fussy, buggy, increasingly frustrated PC:
During the late and unlamented Windows Vista era, those ads forced Microsoft on the defensive; not until the economic recession compelled PC buyers to give serious thought to cheaper devices (allowing Microsoft to score points with a series of ads emphasizing PCs' ostensible cost-effectiveness), and Windows 7 negated many of the arguments about buggy Microsoft operating systems, did Redmond seem to find its public footing again. The last few "Get A Mac" ads, one of which tried to launch a broadside at Windows 7, were also the series' weakest:
Now Microsoft's reviving that old rivalry somewhat, with its PC vs. Mac Website. Some of the information presented here is accurate: Windows PCs really do have more gaming options than Macs, and there are some security advantages.
In other areas, however, Microsoft's arguments are more subjective. "While some may say Macs are easy, the reality is that they can come with a learning curve," insists one section. "PCs running Windows 7 look and work more like the computers you're familiar with, so you can get up and running quickly."
There are obvious differences between the respective user interfaces of Mac OS X and Windows 7, but anyone who uses one can learn the other fairly quickly. Does it take time? Sure. But I've also known technologically inept individuals who, having spent their working lives on Windows machines, were able to make the leap to Mac versatility in an afternoon. I use both operating systems, often side by side, for hours a day; the differences aren't even close to insurmountably vast.
That aside, Microsoft shoots itself in the foot when it comes to the Website's Compatibility section. "Apple's productivity suite file formats won't open in Microsoft Office on PCs," this part claims. "This can be a real hassle for Mac users sharing work documents with PC users."
I suppose that was true a decade ago. And maybe iWork has some compatibility issues, despite Apple's insistence to the contrary, but I also don't know a single Mac user who relies on it; everyone in that category uses either Office for Mac or Google Docs. By suggesting that documents created on a Mac are incompatible with a PC, Microsoft seems to be implicitly denigrating its own work in creating Apple software--but given how the company stands to profit more if someone purchases a Windows 7-equipped PC, as opposed to a Mac running Office, I'm sure that position was regarded as the lesser of two corporate evils.
In its public-facing communications, Microsoft likes to emphasize how consumers have a choice. For its part, Apple has a Webpage where it touts the benefits of Macs over PCs. Either way, I'm happy to see the discourse between the two companies has elevated itself above a kindergarten level.
During the late and unlamented Windows Vista era, those ads forced Microsoft on the defensive; not until the economic recession compelled PC buyers to give serious thought to cheaper devices (allowing Microsoft to score points with a series of ads emphasizing PCs' ostensible cost-effectiveness), and Windows 7 negated many of the arguments about buggy Microsoft operating systems, did Redmond seem to find its public footing again. The last few "Get A Mac" ads, one of which tried to launch a broadside at Windows 7, were also the series' weakest:
Now Microsoft's reviving that old rivalry somewhat, with its PC vs. Mac Website. Some of the information presented here is accurate: Windows PCs really do have more gaming options than Macs, and there are some security advantages.
In other areas, however, Microsoft's arguments are more subjective. "While some may say Macs are easy, the reality is that they can come with a learning curve," insists one section. "PCs running Windows 7 look and work more like the computers you're familiar with, so you can get up and running quickly."
There are obvious differences between the respective user interfaces of Mac OS X and Windows 7, but anyone who uses one can learn the other fairly quickly. Does it take time? Sure. But I've also known technologically inept individuals who, having spent their working lives on Windows machines, were able to make the leap to Mac versatility in an afternoon. I use both operating systems, often side by side, for hours a day; the differences aren't even close to insurmountably vast.
That aside, Microsoft shoots itself in the foot when it comes to the Website's Compatibility section. "Apple's productivity suite file formats won't open in Microsoft Office on PCs," this part claims. "This can be a real hassle for Mac users sharing work documents with PC users."
I suppose that was true a decade ago. And maybe iWork has some compatibility issues, despite Apple's insistence to the contrary, but I also don't know a single Mac user who relies on it; everyone in that category uses either Office for Mac or Google Docs. By suggesting that documents created on a Mac are incompatible with a PC, Microsoft seems to be implicitly denigrating its own work in creating Apple software--but given how the company stands to profit more if someone purchases a Windows 7-equipped PC, as opposed to a Mac running Office, I'm sure that position was regarded as the lesser of two corporate evils.
In its public-facing communications, Microsoft likes to emphasize how consumers have a choice. For its part, Apple has a Webpage where it touts the benefits of Macs over PCs. Either way, I'm happy to see the discourse between the two companies has elevated itself above a kindergarten level.
New iPhone Security Patent App: User Protection or 1984 iSpy?
Your next iPhone might listen to your heartbeat or scan your face to identify its rightful owner ? and it could react with anti-theft measures if it ended up in the wrong hands, according to a patent application recently filed by Apple.
Filed in February and made public this month, the patent application describes an invention that uses several methods to detect ?unauthorized? usage of a device, such as voice and facial recognition or a heart rate monitor. Possible anti-theft measures include restricting access to some applications,�gathering location data about the unauthorized user or shutting down the device remotely.
One method the patent describes for detecting a stolen iPhone is checking whether it?s been hacked (aka ?jailbroken?) or its SIM card has been yanked out ? things a clever thief would do to override the iPhone?s security.
The up-close-and-personal security patent has some concerned journalists screaming ?1984,? interpreting the patent application as a draconian move by Apple to spy on users and punish customers who hack their iPhones.
?The system described in the patent [would] allow Apple to effectively kill jailbroken devices under the guise of protecting customers from theft, since it may not be able to determine whether a device has been stolen or if it is being willingly jailbroken by users,? writes Mashable?s Lauren Indvik.
?Ignoring the possibility that a false positive in Apple?s proposed theft protection might activate the spy cam while the user is in the bath, or in the middle of some other intimate moment, this technology seems Orwellian for another reason: It gives Steve Jobs and Co. the means to retaliate when iPhones aren?t being used in ways Cupertino doesn?t expressly permit,? The Register wrote over the weekend.
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Sony Offers Clutch of Fast Prime Lenses
Following the fashion towards fast prime glass, Sony has announced a trio of new Alpha lenses: a 24mm ?2, 35mm ?1.8 and an 85mm ?2.8. All of these (apart from the $1,250 24mm) are bargains, showing just how much simpler is a fixed focal-length design than a zoom.
The 24mm is pricier for a reason. It is a Carl Zeiss Distagon T* (or Tessar) objective, for both full-frame and crop-frame cameras (where it will act as a 35mm, more or less). The 35mm is designed to work on the smaller APS-C sensor cameras, and will vignette if used on a full-framer, and the 85mm will work on both sizes.
All these lenses will fit on the new mirrorless NEX cameras with an adapter, but you?ll need to focus manually. The lenses can be had for $1,250 (24mm) $250 (85mm) and $200 (35mm), and will be on sale in September (October for the 35mm).
Sony US announces 24mm F2, 35mm F1.8 and 85mm F2.8 lenses [DP Review]
See Also:
Sony?s Transparent-Mirror Cameras Repackage 1965 Canon Tech
Sony's NEX Mirrorless Cameras Are the Smallest in the World ?
Follow us for real-time tech news: Charlie Sorrel and Gadget Lab on Twitter.
Vote Pac-Man 2012! Hack Puts Pac-Man on Voting Machine
Photo: University of Michigan
Remember all the controversy over electronic voting machines? Well, prepare to be paranoid once again. Researchers from the University of Michigan and Princeton University managed to hack a touchscreen direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machine called the Sequoia AVC Edge to run Pac-Man, reminding me why I didn't trust electronic voting machines in the first place.
The researchers hacked the supposedly "secure" voting machine by reformatting the memory card in the machine to boot in DOS instead of the default embedded operating system. Apparently the entire process of reformatting and writing config.sys files took only three afternoons. Not only that, but the security seals that are suppose to keep people from tampering with the machine can apparently be left completely intact after a fun afternoon of hacking. Doesn't that make you feel confident about your next election? (Next thing you know the deceased will be voting -- oh wait, that's happened before. Never mind.)
This isn't the first time voting machine security has been called in to question, and it probably won't be the last. Some states, such as Virginia, have already banned DREs; hopefully other states will begin to follow suit. If not, I'm putting Pac-Man on my ballot in 2012!
[University of Michigan via Switched and Engadget]
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Remember all the controversy over electronic voting machines? Well, prepare to be paranoid once again. Researchers from the University of Michigan and Princeton University managed to hack a touchscreen direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machine called the Sequoia AVC Edge to run Pac-Man, reminding me why I didn't trust electronic voting machines in the first place.
The researchers hacked the supposedly "secure" voting machine by reformatting the memory card in the machine to boot in DOS instead of the default embedded operating system. Apparently the entire process of reformatting and writing config.sys files took only three afternoons. Not only that, but the security seals that are suppose to keep people from tampering with the machine can apparently be left completely intact after a fun afternoon of hacking. Doesn't that make you feel confident about your next election? (Next thing you know the deceased will be voting -- oh wait, that's happened before. Never mind.)
This isn't the first time voting machine security has been called in to question, and it probably won't be the last. Some states, such as Virginia, have already banned DREs; hopefully other states will begin to follow suit. If not, I'm putting Pac-Man on my ballot in 2012!
[University of Michigan via Switched and Engadget]
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Monday, August 23, 2010
Daily Crunch: The Hills Have Butterflies Edition
Cyber-Cute Overload: Quadrocopter Drone Has Its Own Little HomePrototype Electric Motor Works With Any BicycleYou May Soon Be Wearing Chemical Detectors Modeled After Butterfly WingsThe Pentax K-x Is Now Available In Four New Tasty ColorsVideo: The Second Worms Reloaded Trailer
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Just When Will Droid X Users Get Froyo? [Updated]
Just when will Android 2.2 arrive for the Droid X? A recent forum post from a Droid X user claims it's coming sooner than previously thought.
Both the Droid 2 and the original Droid have already received the Android 2.2 update, also known as Froyo. Droid 2 users have been able to enjoy Froyo goodness straight out of the box, and the upgrade for Droid 1 owners arrived earlier this month.
This leaves the Droid X as the only Droid device Froyo-less. TMotorola has gone on record, via a forum post, as stating that the upgrade has been delayed until early September, one forum member over on MyDroidWorld has claimed otherwise.
Forum member P3Droid
posted screenshots of a Droid X's System Information page that show the device running Android 2.2. P3Droid also said that the upgrade was less than 24 hours away, but that timeframe is quickly running out.
Translation: Nobody knows when Froyo will actually hit the Droid X. Some rumors mention late summer, others mention this week, whereas some back up the September date.
For those with a Droid X what Froyo feature are you most looking forward to for when it does finally arrive?
Update: That didn't take long! Froyo has leaked out and is now available for the Droid X. The update will work for both rooted and non-rooted Droid X devices. You can find the full details and instructions on how to get Froyo--before it officially lands--over at My Droid World.
[via MyDroidWorld]
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Both the Droid 2 and the original Droid have already received the Android 2.2 update, also known as Froyo. Droid 2 users have been able to enjoy Froyo goodness straight out of the box, and the upgrade for Droid 1 owners arrived earlier this month.
This leaves the Droid X as the only Droid device Froyo-less. TMotorola has gone on record, via a forum post, as stating that the upgrade has been delayed until early September, one forum member over on MyDroidWorld has claimed otherwise.
Forum member P3Droid
posted screenshots of a Droid X's System Information page that show the device running Android 2.2. P3Droid also said that the upgrade was less than 24 hours away, but that timeframe is quickly running out.
Translation: Nobody knows when Froyo will actually hit the Droid X. Some rumors mention late summer, others mention this week, whereas some back up the September date.
For those with a Droid X what Froyo feature are you most looking forward to for when it does finally arrive?
Update: That didn't take long! Froyo has leaked out and is now available for the Droid X. The update will work for both rooted and non-rooted Droid X devices. You can find the full details and instructions on how to get Froyo--before it officially lands--over at My Droid World.
[via MyDroidWorld]
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Virgin Mobile Offers Unlimited 3G for $40
Virgin Mobile has just upended the entire US mobile internet market. While other carriers continue to limit data and charge per Gigabyte, Virgin has just revealed a new unlimited plan for $40-per-month.
Revealed on Virgin?s Facebook page, the new ?Broadband2Go? plans will be condensed down to just two options from the current four: $10 for 100MB (lasts ten days) and $40 for unlimited use for a month. the new tariffs should be available tomorrow, August 24th.
Virgin already has a few unlimited options available on its ?Beyond Talk? plans, but these also include voice and SMS and are aimed more at cellphone users. The new unlimited plans are geared towards users of USB 3G dongles and MiFis.
The biggest problem will be the fact that Virgin uses the Sprint network, and therefore CDMA and not GSM. This rules out the iPad, although at these prices you might find it a good idea to pair a Wi-Fi-only iPad with a MiFi.
Still, hold onto this snippet for if and when a Verizon iPad becomes available, whence you shall be able to swap to Virgin if you live in a Sprint coverage area.
Broadband2Go plans [Virgin/Facebook]
Daily Crunch: Robot Vanity Edition
Couple Builds Robot To Follow Them Around The HouseThis Is What It Looks Like/When iPhone 4s CryAmazon Taking Pre-Orders On Dual-Screen Toshiba LibrettoReview: Fusion of Ideas? Carbon Fiber Stealth Armor case for iPhone 4Video: Cute Robot Selling Ice Cream
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Intel's McAfee Acquisition a Mobile Play
Intel's acquisition of security company McAfee could help the chip maker make a splash in the handheld and embedded markets, in which the company has struggled to establish a presence, according to analysts.Intel on Thursday announced plans to acquire McAfee for US$7.68 billion, saying this will help the chip maker blend advanced hardware and software security to protect devices from internal and external threats. Hardware and software changes will improve both Intel and McAfee products, and lead to improved security for products ranging from servers to mobile devices, Intel said."The bottom line is this will better protect Internet users and their devices," said Intel CEO Paul Otellini, during a conference call to discuss the acquisition.The "first fruits" of the strategic partnership will be released in the early part of 2011, said Renee James, senior vice president of Intel's Software and Services Group, during the call. But some analysts were baffled by the acquisition as there was little connection between the companies, and raised questions on how Intel would implement McAfee's software. Intel is primarily a chip maker and does not sell PCs or mobile phones directly to customers, while McAfee is known for its malware products. However, other analysts thought the acquisition made sense as security enablement is becoming essential. As more devices connect to the Internet, improvements in hardware and software are necessary both on devices and in the cloud for data protection. Intel dominates the PC and server microprocessor market, but has big aspirations in the handheld and embedded market, and wants to put its chips in devices ranging from smartphones to TVs and set-top boxes. The company's strategy has been to use software to augment those platforms, and the McAfee acquisition could allow it to offer a comprehensive combination of secure hardware and software, which could help it sell more chips, analysts said."As [Intel] starts getting into other markets like the digital home, handsets... that's where some of this intellectual property-- whether hardware or software -- comes into play," said Jim McGregor, chief technology strategist at In-Stat.Intel especially wants to make a mark in the high-volume smartphone space, which is currently dominated by Arm, McGregor said. Implementing some of McAfee's software stack in smartphone hardware could add value in Intel's offerings, giving it an edge over competitors."When they control the software, they can optimize the hardware to benefit from it," McGregor said.Intel's mobile and embedded strategy revolves around the low-power Atom processor, for which the company offers the Linux-based Meego OS. Intel has to enable protection for Atom-based devices to expand its chip market, said Jack Gold, principal analyst at J. Gold Associates."While many look at Intel as a PC company, that is too narrow a focus for the future and Windows is only an important but decreasing share of Intel's market long term," Gold said.Intel's move to acquire McAfee is primarily a cloud play, said Rich Mogull, an analyst with the Securosis research firm, via instant message."For cloud in particular, and a bit of mobile, this stuff needs to be embedded in the hardware," he said.But like some analysts, Mogull said that Intel may have overpaid for McAfee."I don't think the value is there -- on the cloud front they will always have to give competition access to the hardware. In mobile, the platform is controlled more by the software/phone providers."Intel already offers security features through its vPro platform for enterprise PCs, and technology to protect PCs from getting stolen. But questions remain on how Intel will implement McAfee's features in its hardware. Intel could start off by designing its hardware to work better with McAfee software, said Nathan Brookwood, principal analyst at Insight 64. It takes time for chip designers to program, develop and implement changes inside silicon, so hardware-level implementations could take three to four years.Some features could include security implementations at the BIOS or instruction-set levels, Brookwood said. It may be easier to implement features like pattern-matching at the hardware level. On the other hard, it would be hard to directly embed algorithms like signatures that help detect virus code, as they need to be frequently updated.But Intel now has the mechanism to implement security features in its chips, Brookwood said. The first step was to bring the companies under the same roof so they could start planning the changes."A little nudge now could result in big changes in four or five years," Brookwood said.Intel owned an antivirus business, but sold it to Symantec in 1998. McAfee already offers security software for deployment in embedded and mobile devices, and recently announced plans to acquire security companies focused on the mobile market. In July, McAfee announced that it had agreed to acquire security company TenCube, a mobile security company. In June, the company acquired Trust Digital, a provider of enterprise mobility management and security software. (Robert McMillan in San Francisco contributed to this article.)
Microsoft's Adaptive Keyboard Puts a Screen Behind Your Keyboard
Microsoft's Adaptive Keyboard resembles Art Lebedev Design's famous (and famously expensive) Optimus keyboard, which has a miniature OLED screen on each key. But unlike the Optimus keyboard, Microsoft's design uses a keyboard with transparent keycaps overlaid on a single LCD screen, providing the same effect: a keyboard that can show any layout you want, with the added bonus of a touchscreen section above the hard keys. Video after the jump!
Microsoft's approach seems much more cost effective, and actually maybe even more flexible than Lebedev's design, especially given the strip of touch panel exposed at the top. It's not clear if the whole thing is a touchscreen (which could explain how the keyboard portion works).
The demo video shows it in action, with the keys adapting to the context of the program it's being used with and changing when modifier keys are pressed. The top section is also shown as with useful controls (rather than just an extension of the main screen) on it, in this case a preview of the PowerPoint presentation being created.
All in all, it seems like a neat concept. Unfortunately, for the moment, it will remain that way?the only people getting their hands on it any time soon will be participants in the UIST Student Innovation Contest.
This seems like a cool piece of tech--but like Lebedev's Optimus, is this kind of improvement necessary or overkill? The arguments against devices like this go both ways: on the one hand, what's wrong with a standard keyboard once you memorize the hotkeys? And on the other, why bother with a keyboard at all when you can use a touchscreen that can change the layout to anything you can imagine, not just reskinning existing keys?
According to its blog, Microsoft's goal is to combine the flexibility of a touchscreen with the ergonomics of a hard keyboard in a desktop setting, which sounds like a lofty but worthwhile goal.
What do you think? Worthwhile goal, or dead-end technology? Would you use an Adaptive Keyboard if it was affordable? Sound off in the comments!
[Microsoft Hardware Blog via Gizmodo Australia]
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Microsoft's approach seems much more cost effective, and actually maybe even more flexible than Lebedev's design, especially given the strip of touch panel exposed at the top. It's not clear if the whole thing is a touchscreen (which could explain how the keyboard portion works).
The demo video shows it in action, with the keys adapting to the context of the program it's being used with and changing when modifier keys are pressed. The top section is also shown as with useful controls (rather than just an extension of the main screen) on it, in this case a preview of the PowerPoint presentation being created.
All in all, it seems like a neat concept. Unfortunately, for the moment, it will remain that way?the only people getting their hands on it any time soon will be participants in the UIST Student Innovation Contest.
This seems like a cool piece of tech--but like Lebedev's Optimus, is this kind of improvement necessary or overkill? The arguments against devices like this go both ways: on the one hand, what's wrong with a standard keyboard once you memorize the hotkeys? And on the other, why bother with a keyboard at all when you can use a touchscreen that can change the layout to anything you can imagine, not just reskinning existing keys?
According to its blog, Microsoft's goal is to combine the flexibility of a touchscreen with the ergonomics of a hard keyboard in a desktop setting, which sounds like a lofty but worthwhile goal.
What do you think? Worthwhile goal, or dead-end technology? Would you use an Adaptive Keyboard if it was affordable? Sound off in the comments!
[Microsoft Hardware Blog via Gizmodo Australia]
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Shuttle Launches Three Versions of its New Super-Slim PC
Verizon Bringing Live TV to the iPad
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Chrome 6 Beta May Hint at Mythical Chrome OS Tablet
The latest beta of Chrome 6 is out, and its menus have been optimized for touch--complete with buttons for copying, pasting, as well as zooming in on a page. Could this be a taste of what the rumored Chrome OS tablet will be like? Maybe.
Rumors abound about the likely Google Chrome OS tablet to hit stores in November. Various sources seem to think that it?ll sport a 1280-by-720 multitouch display, a 22GB solid state drive, and 2GB of memory, as well as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 3G, GPS, and a Webcam. But beyond the physical specs, we want to know what this hypothetical tablet will be like to use, so let?s start with looking at what its browser will be like.
A multitouch-optimized menu in Chrome 6 beta.Google Chrome now also supports ?location sharing?, meaning that your browser can detect where you are, using HTML5's geolocation feature. WeatherNear.Me, for example, uses your position information (served from either your IP address or GPS location) to show you the weather where you are right now.
HTML5 geolocation doesn?t depend on how your browser gets position information, meaning websites like Yelp and Twitter could use this feature on their websites to show you nearby restaurants and tweets without a separate app for the iPhone or Android OS.
Want your browser preferences from your work machine on your tablet? The Chrome 6 Beta will also sync your bookmarks, themes, and autofill data across your various devices using this browser by way of your Google Account.
Chrome also supports developer-created notifications for extensions, which are the little transparent popup windows similar to ones from Growl. While some folks find these notifications a bit obnoxious, it can be nice to have more than a few pixels? worth of notification when you?ve received a new message in Gmail, a new chat, or that a download has completed. (There?s also a Chrome extension to get notifications to play nice with Growl.)
With multitouch support, geolocation, preference syncing, and notifications, it looks like Google is trying to create a browser tailor-made for the tablet computing experience. Is this a sign that Google will be taking over the tablet market for browsers, or that a Chrome OS-running tablet will be more than a rumor? Will its HTML5 tools for notifications and geolocation make individual apps obsolete? Sound off in the comments!
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Rumors abound about the likely Google Chrome OS tablet to hit stores in November. Various sources seem to think that it?ll sport a 1280-by-720 multitouch display, a 22GB solid state drive, and 2GB of memory, as well as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 3G, GPS, and a Webcam. But beyond the physical specs, we want to know what this hypothetical tablet will be like to use, so let?s start with looking at what its browser will be like.
A multitouch-optimized menu in Chrome 6 beta.Google Chrome now also supports ?location sharing?, meaning that your browser can detect where you are, using HTML5's geolocation feature. WeatherNear.Me, for example, uses your position information (served from either your IP address or GPS location) to show you the weather where you are right now.
HTML5 geolocation doesn?t depend on how your browser gets position information, meaning websites like Yelp and Twitter could use this feature on their websites to show you nearby restaurants and tweets without a separate app for the iPhone or Android OS.
Want your browser preferences from your work machine on your tablet? The Chrome 6 Beta will also sync your bookmarks, themes, and autofill data across your various devices using this browser by way of your Google Account.
Chrome also supports developer-created notifications for extensions, which are the little transparent popup windows similar to ones from Growl. While some folks find these notifications a bit obnoxious, it can be nice to have more than a few pixels? worth of notification when you?ve received a new message in Gmail, a new chat, or that a download has completed. (There?s also a Chrome extension to get notifications to play nice with Growl.)
With multitouch support, geolocation, preference syncing, and notifications, it looks like Google is trying to create a browser tailor-made for the tablet computing experience. Is this a sign that Google will be taking over the tablet market for browsers, or that a Chrome OS-running tablet will be more than a rumor? Will its HTML5 tools for notifications and geolocation make individual apps obsolete? Sound off in the comments!
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Review: Vevo app for iPhone
Heres a review of the new Vevo application for the iPhone and iPod Touch (US Only). With this app you can view thousands of music videos by your favorite artist in great quality.
[Via]
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Droid 2 gets reviewed ? the competition
Phil Nickinson from Android Central has done a full review of the Verizon Motorola Droid 2, the second coming of the first Android phone to really rocket into the mainstream. With a big screen, ample app marketplace, full hardware keyboard, and Android 2.2 Froyo, it seems to improve upon the original in every way, even if it now faces stiffer competition from its own sibling on its own network, the Droid X. How does it net out?
If you?re coming from another platform, you can?t go wrong with the Droid 2. And the same goes if you?re comiing from another carrier. If you?re already on Verizon? It?s a bit of a tougher choice. The Incredible is another solid phone and has the HTC Sense customizations on the same size screen. The Droid X has a larger screen and the same customizations as on the Droid 2. (Anecdotally: We watched on launch day as the second person in our Verizon store ? we were the first ? traded in a Droid X for a Droid 2.)
It will be interesting to see what, if anything, changes in that equation if rumors of a Verizon iPhone 4 pan out this January
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Microsoft's Arc Touch Mouse Lurking Around Web
With all the recent excitement over touch screens, it's sometimes easy to overlook that the mouse remains essentially unchanged from Ye Olden Days of the Reagan era. Sure, they've gotten more ergonomically inclined, with new inputs such as scroll wheels and third buttons; but a time-traveler from the 1980s would have no trouble recognizing and using one.The mouse's current evolution, it seems, centers on making it more touch-centric than ever. Look at Apple's Magic Mouse, with a multitouch surface that allows for scrolls, swipes and zooms. Then there's Microsoft's Arc Touch Mouse, images of which recently appeared on a German shopping Website. Microsoft's not making anything official, but if the rumors prove true, the mouse includes some features that would give Sonny Crockett a severe case of future shock: touch-scrolling, a 2.4GHz nano transceiver and the ability to flatten its regular arched shape for easier transport.The mouse's page on that German Website has already been taken down, but Engadget managed to snatch some screenshots ahead of the deletion. Slashgear's also posted a supposed marketing image, which has the Arc Touch Mouse looking like a black plastic inchworm.Rumors peg the mouse's price at $69.95, and its release date sometime during the fall (soon, in any case). Personally, aside from the coolness factor, I don't see the point of a mouse that can alternatively curve or flatten--I know some people would rather use a mouse with their laptops, and carry one along on trips; but I didn't figure enough of them out there to justify that sort of engineering decision. In any case, it's a differentiator.Given how that silver strip bifurcates the top of the mouse into two black "tabs," I'm guessing this is a two-button mouse in the tradition of previous Microsoft offerings. Does a finger-swipe on that strip activate the touch scrolling? I'm thinking maybe; it's certainly positioned in the same place as a traditional scroll wheel. I'm curious about whether this follows in the steps of the Magic Mouse, with a multitouch surface, or if we're dealing with old-fashioned mechanical buttons.Either way, Microsoft will likely make an announcement soon. For your viewing pleasure, here's one of the snatched box shots that's been drifting around the Interwebs:
MCAFEE MENTOR GRAPHICS MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY MICRON TECHNOLOGY
Chrome 6 Beta May Hint at Mythical Chrome OS Tablet
The latest beta of Chrome 6 is out, and its menus have been optimized for touch--complete with buttons for copying, pasting, as well as zooming in on a page. Could this be a taste of what the rumored Chrome OS tablet will be like? Maybe.
Rumors abound about the likely Google Chrome OS tablet to hit stores in November. Various sources seem to think that it?ll sport a 1280-by-720 multitouch display, a 22GB solid state drive, and 2GB of memory, as well as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 3G, GPS, and a Webcam. But beyond the physical specs, we want to know what this hypothetical tablet will be like to use, so let?s start with looking at what its browser will be like.
A multitouch-optimized menu in Chrome 6 beta.Google Chrome now also supports ?location sharing?, meaning that your browser can detect where you are, using HTML5's geolocation feature. WeatherNear.Me, for example, uses your position information (served from either your IP address or GPS location) to show you the weather where you are right now.
HTML5 geolocation doesn?t depend on how your browser gets position information, meaning websites like Yelp and Twitter could use this feature on their websites to show you nearby restaurants and tweets without a separate app for the iPhone or Android OS.
Want your browser preferences from your work machine on your tablet? The Chrome 6 Beta will also sync your bookmarks, themes, and autofill data across your various devices using this browser by way of your Google Account.
Chrome also supports developer-created notifications for extensions, which are the little transparent popup windows similar to ones from Growl. While some folks find these notifications a bit obnoxious, it can be nice to have more than a few pixels? worth of notification when you?ve received a new message in Gmail, a new chat, or that a download has completed. (There?s also a Chrome extension to get notifications to play nice with Growl.)
With multitouch support, geolocation, preference syncing, and notifications, it looks like Google is trying to create a browser tailor-made for the tablet computing experience. Is this a sign that Google will be taking over the tablet market for browsers, or that a Chrome OS-running tablet will be more than a rumor? Will its HTML5 tools for notifications and geolocation make individual apps obsolete? Sound off in the comments!
Like this? You may also enjoy...
Vimeo Launches HTML5 Embedding; Supports iPhones, iPads, and Beyond
Here Comes IE 9: Beta Launches September 15
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Follow
Alessondra Springmann
and
GeekTech
on Twitter.
Rumors abound about the likely Google Chrome OS tablet to hit stores in November. Various sources seem to think that it?ll sport a 1280-by-720 multitouch display, a 22GB solid state drive, and 2GB of memory, as well as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 3G, GPS, and a Webcam. But beyond the physical specs, we want to know what this hypothetical tablet will be like to use, so let?s start with looking at what its browser will be like.
A multitouch-optimized menu in Chrome 6 beta.Google Chrome now also supports ?location sharing?, meaning that your browser can detect where you are, using HTML5's geolocation feature. WeatherNear.Me, for example, uses your position information (served from either your IP address or GPS location) to show you the weather where you are right now.
HTML5 geolocation doesn?t depend on how your browser gets position information, meaning websites like Yelp and Twitter could use this feature on their websites to show you nearby restaurants and tweets without a separate app for the iPhone or Android OS.
Want your browser preferences from your work machine on your tablet? The Chrome 6 Beta will also sync your bookmarks, themes, and autofill data across your various devices using this browser by way of your Google Account.
Chrome also supports developer-created notifications for extensions, which are the little transparent popup windows similar to ones from Growl. While some folks find these notifications a bit obnoxious, it can be nice to have more than a few pixels? worth of notification when you?ve received a new message in Gmail, a new chat, or that a download has completed. (There?s also a Chrome extension to get notifications to play nice with Growl.)
With multitouch support, geolocation, preference syncing, and notifications, it looks like Google is trying to create a browser tailor-made for the tablet computing experience. Is this a sign that Google will be taking over the tablet market for browsers, or that a Chrome OS-running tablet will be more than a rumor? Will its HTML5 tools for notifications and geolocation make individual apps obsolete? Sound off in the comments!
Like this? You may also enjoy...
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and
GeekTech
on Twitter.
World Tech Update: Facebook's Places, New iPad Rumors, and More
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Microsoft Exploring Prototype Mobile Device, Report Says
August 9, 2010 5:11 PM
This is interesting: Microsoft's developing some sort of new mobile OS, according to Mary-Jo Foley, who's apparently spent months digging for details of a project code-named Menlo. A just-published Microsoft research paper (PDF) describes Menlo as "a prototype mobile device with a capacitive touch screen (4.1 [inch] diagonal, 800 x 480) running Microsoft Windows Embedded CE 6.0 R2 which incorporates a Bosch BMA150 3-axis accelerometer and Bosch BMP085 digital pressure sensor (barometer)."Foley's Aug. 8 blog post includes an image, taken from the paper, of a smartphonelike device. Additionally, a number of the project's researchers seem focused on sensors, particularly within the context of geolocation (an application layered atop Menlo, "Greenfield," apparently enables users to retrace their path). Even with that information, though, it's hard to glean the project's ultimate aim: Microsoft already has Windows Phone 7 prepped for the mobile arena, and it's unlikely the company will pursue another homegrown phone project after taking a multimillion-dollar bath on the whole Kin debacle.As Foley hints, this might have something to do with Microsoft and ARM's recent architecture licensing agreement, which could see Microsoft using ARM's technology offerings to build tablets or smartphones. Or maybe Microsoft's just pursuing yet another research avenue, with no definitive goal in mind. If it's the former, we'll probably find out relatively soon--Microsoft is prepping for a major play (some would say "make or break") in the smartphone and tablet arena over the next several quarters.
This is interesting: Microsoft's developing some sort of new mobile OS, according to Mary-Jo Foley, who's apparently spent months digging for details of a project code-named Menlo. A just-published Microsoft research paper (PDF) describes Menlo as "a prototype mobile device with a capacitive touch screen (4.1 [inch] diagonal, 800 x 480) running Microsoft Windows Embedded CE 6.0 R2 which incorporates a Bosch BMA150 3-axis accelerometer and Bosch BMP085 digital pressure sensor (barometer)."Foley's Aug. 8 blog post includes an image, taken from the paper, of a smartphonelike device. Additionally, a number of the project's researchers seem focused on sensors, particularly within the context of geolocation (an application layered atop Menlo, "Greenfield," apparently enables users to retrace their path). Even with that information, though, it's hard to glean the project's ultimate aim: Microsoft already has Windows Phone 7 prepped for the mobile arena, and it's unlikely the company will pursue another homegrown phone project after taking a multimillion-dollar bath on the whole Kin debacle.As Foley hints, this might have something to do with Microsoft and ARM's recent architecture licensing agreement, which could see Microsoft using ARM's technology offerings to build tablets or smartphones. Or maybe Microsoft's just pursuing yet another research avenue, with no definitive goal in mind. If it's the former, we'll probably find out relatively soon--Microsoft is prepping for a major play (some would say "make or break") in the smartphone and tablet arena over the next several quarters.
Friday, August 20, 2010
Motorola's Droid 2 Needs a Better User Interface and Camera
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Little Black Book: An Open and Shut Case for iPhone 4
Remember when we actually used to carry a little black book? It may not have actually been black, but a little pocket notebook was essential if you wanted to remember a phone number, address or any of the snippets that today make their way into our cellphones. But what if you could combine the aesthetic of a leather-look book with the power of your phone? With the Little Black Book for the iPhone 4, you can.
The pocketable Moleskine-alike looks like a miniature version of several faux-book iPad cases and is in fact the little brother of the The Case, and iPad cover from Minneapolis-based Pad & Quill. The book comprises a wooden frame (birch) and a cardboard cover swathed in simulated leather. A bookmark-ribbon also sits in the case, but lies underneath the iPhone 4. One tug and the iPhone is popped free of the retaining corners and can be removed.
Yes, I made my own iPod Touch case from a real Moleskine notebook, but it hasn?t fared so well. If I wasn?t the kind of guy who goes commando with any gadget small enough to slide straight into a pocket, I?d probably consider this $40 case over trying to make another one myself.
The Little Black Book [Pad & Quill]
See Also:
The Case: Another Beautiful Moleskine-Like iPad Case
Moleskine-Shaped, Bamboo iPad Case
Moleskine
Follow us for real-time tech news: Charlie Sorrel and Gadget Lab on Twitter.
The pocketable Moleskine-alike looks like a miniature version of several faux-book iPad cases and is in fact the little brother of the The Case, and iPad cover from Minneapolis-based Pad & Quill. The book comprises a wooden frame (birch) and a cardboard cover swathed in simulated leather. A bookmark-ribbon also sits in the case, but lies underneath the iPhone 4. One tug and the iPhone is popped free of the retaining corners and can be removed.
Yes, I made my own iPod Touch case from a real Moleskine notebook, but it hasn?t fared so well. If I wasn?t the kind of guy who goes commando with any gadget small enough to slide straight into a pocket, I?d probably consider this $40 case over trying to make another one myself.
The Little Black Book [Pad & Quill]
See Also:
The Case: Another Beautiful Moleskine-Like iPad Case
Moleskine-Shaped, Bamboo iPad Case
Moleskine
Follow us for real-time tech news: Charlie Sorrel and Gadget Lab on Twitter.
Apple?s latest iPad ad is? magically delicious!
Apple?s latest iPad ad kicks up the apps and the verbiage, taking us through a delicious, current, learning, playful, literary, artful, friendly, productive, scientific, and ? you guessed it! ? magical journey. (Absent Peter Coyote this time.)
So while iPhone has left apps and headed back to feature-based (i.e. FaceTime-based) advertising, Apple is moving iPad firmly into the app space. Interesting.
iBooks is just one of the apps highlighted. Can you name them all?
Video after the break!
iPad Chair by Elite Home Theater Seating now available
Do you sometimes struggle trying to find the perfect iPad position when on the couch or sitting in your favorite chair? Elite Home Theater Seating has a solution for you ? the iPad Chair!
With the Luxa2 H4 iPad holder firmly securing the remarkable device in its tight grasp with its 6 rubber pins, you can now wield the power of the iPad in total relaxation with both hands free. The holder slides into the existing cupholder of the Elite HTS chair, and can then swivel and pivot 360 degrees. In addition, the iPad can be rotated vertically or horizontally, and can even be positioned flat like a table. Like malleable modeling clay, a dynamic mechanical joint hinge holds any position, and delivers all the pivoting action.
On the surface, it seems the iPad chair is nothing more than a normal fancy chair with a special attachment for the cup holder that holds the iPad. This is not the case. The chair itself is designed to provide optimum comfort while using the iPad, specifically in the head rest, back, and arm rests. The only thing that would make this chair better, would be an extendable attachment so that the ipad could be positioned in front of the user for more comfortable typing. The current design is awesome for everything else.
Starting at $2495.00 per chair for the Standard Package, I won?t be rushing to pick one up, but it?s fun to dream, right? What about you? Are considering adding this piece of furniture to your entertainment room at home? If so, please invite me over for dinner!
Check out the video after the break!
[Elite Home Theater Seating, thanks Tracy for sending this in!]
MCAFEE MENTOR GRAPHICS MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY MICRON TECHNOLOGY
Canon S90 Adds 720p Video to Old Favorite
Not to be outdone by today?s announcements from Nikon, Canon also has a few new cameras out, and one of them is an update to a Wired.com favorite, the S90. The new model is called the S95, and is little more than an incremental upgrade to its low-light-shooting predecessor.
Thankfully, the S95 has kept all that was good about the S90. It has the same large-ish sensor, the same sharp, 3-inch (and 461,000-dot) LCD screen, the same ?2.0-4.9 28-105mm (equivalent) lens and the same control-wheel surrounding that lens.
The biggest new feature is 720p high-def video, up from the rather poor 640 x 480 resolution of old. That video is recorded at 24-fps in H.264 MOV format. It also gains ?Hybrid IS?, an image stabilization system that works in more directions, and you can now pop in a high-capacity SDXC memory-card.
Apart from a few stylistic tweaks, that?s about it. If you, like many Wired staffers, already bought the S90 then you have no reason to upgrade. It?ll still take great shots, and still uses the big sensor found in the high-end G11. If you are in the market for a pocketable $400 compact, you should check this one out.
S95 press release [Canon]
See Also:
Canon S90
Custom Grip Makes Canon S90 Almost Perfect
Wish List: Canon PowerShot S90 ? Video ? Wired
Canon's Svelte S90 Will Make Camera Geeks Swoon
Follow us for real-time tech news: Charlie Sorrel and Gadget Lab on Twitter.
Thankfully, the S95 has kept all that was good about the S90. It has the same large-ish sensor, the same sharp, 3-inch (and 461,000-dot) LCD screen, the same ?2.0-4.9 28-105mm (equivalent) lens and the same control-wheel surrounding that lens.
The biggest new feature is 720p high-def video, up from the rather poor 640 x 480 resolution of old. That video is recorded at 24-fps in H.264 MOV format. It also gains ?Hybrid IS?, an image stabilization system that works in more directions, and you can now pop in a high-capacity SDXC memory-card.
Apart from a few stylistic tweaks, that?s about it. If you, like many Wired staffers, already bought the S90 then you have no reason to upgrade. It?ll still take great shots, and still uses the big sensor found in the high-end G11. If you are in the market for a pocketable $400 compact, you should check this one out.
S95 press release [Canon]
See Also:
Canon S90
Custom Grip Makes Canon S90 Almost Perfect
Wish List: Canon PowerShot S90 ? Video ? Wired
Canon's Svelte S90 Will Make Camera Geeks Swoon
Follow us for real-time tech news: Charlie Sorrel and Gadget Lab on Twitter.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Review: iPhone 4 Barely There Case-Mate
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Microsoft Exploring Prototype Mobile Device, Report Says
August 9, 2010 5:11 PM
This is interesting: Microsoft's developing some sort of new mobile OS, according to Mary-Jo Foley, who's apparently spent months digging for details of a project code-named Menlo. A just-published Microsoft research paper (PDF) describes Menlo as "a prototype mobile device with a capacitive touch screen (4.1 [inch] diagonal, 800 x 480) running Microsoft Windows Embedded CE 6.0 R2 which incorporates a Bosch BMA150 3-axis accelerometer and Bosch BMP085 digital pressure sensor (barometer)."Foley's Aug. 8 blog post includes an image, taken from the paper, of a smartphonelike device. Additionally, a number of the project's researchers seem focused on sensors, particularly within the context of geolocation (an application layered atop Menlo, "Greenfield," apparently enables users to retrace their path). Even with that information, though, it's hard to glean the project's ultimate aim: Microsoft already has Windows Phone 7 prepped for the mobile arena, and it's unlikely the company will pursue another homegrown phone project after taking a multimillion-dollar bath on the whole Kin debacle.As Foley hints, this might have something to do with Microsoft and ARM's recent architecture licensing agreement, which could see Microsoft using ARM's technology offerings to build tablets or smartphones. Or maybe Microsoft's just pursuing yet another research avenue, with no definitive goal in mind. If it's the former, we'll probably find out relatively soon--Microsoft is prepping for a major play (some would say "make or break") in the smartphone and tablet arena over the next several quarters.
This is interesting: Microsoft's developing some sort of new mobile OS, according to Mary-Jo Foley, who's apparently spent months digging for details of a project code-named Menlo. A just-published Microsoft research paper (PDF) describes Menlo as "a prototype mobile device with a capacitive touch screen (4.1 [inch] diagonal, 800 x 480) running Microsoft Windows Embedded CE 6.0 R2 which incorporates a Bosch BMA150 3-axis accelerometer and Bosch BMP085 digital pressure sensor (barometer)."Foley's Aug. 8 blog post includes an image, taken from the paper, of a smartphonelike device. Additionally, a number of the project's researchers seem focused on sensors, particularly within the context of geolocation (an application layered atop Menlo, "Greenfield," apparently enables users to retrace their path). Even with that information, though, it's hard to glean the project's ultimate aim: Microsoft already has Windows Phone 7 prepped for the mobile arena, and it's unlikely the company will pursue another homegrown phone project after taking a multimillion-dollar bath on the whole Kin debacle.As Foley hints, this might have something to do with Microsoft and ARM's recent architecture licensing agreement, which could see Microsoft using ARM's technology offerings to build tablets or smartphones. Or maybe Microsoft's just pursuing yet another research avenue, with no definitive goal in mind. If it's the former, we'll probably find out relatively soon--Microsoft is prepping for a major play (some would say "make or break") in the smartphone and tablet arena over the next several quarters.
HBO coming to iPad
Great news for HBO fans! In an interview with Mossberg, HBO Co-President Eric Kessler said that HBO subscribers will be seeing HBO Go on their iPad?s soon.
In six months, HBO Go will be available to the channel?s paying subscribers at no additional cost through all major cable systems, on Apple Inc.?s iPad, on mobile devices and elsewhere.
In addition to this great news, Kessler also delivered the disappointing report that HBO and Netflix will likely not be making a deal, so don?t expect to see HBO shows on Netflix for iPad anytime soon.
If you?re an HBO subscriber, how excited are you to have access with your iPad? If you?re not a subscriber, will this additional feature entice you to sign up?
[Bloomberg via Engadget]
Loopy Art-Trike Bends the Mind
This trike would fit right into a remake of The Shining, only instead of being ridden by the bowl-haired Danny Torrance, it would be piloted by a stretched, nightmarish cross between a creepy child and a psychedelic, broken-backed dachshund. The movie would, of course, be directed by Terry Gilliam.
The tricycle is in fact a sculpture by Dallas, Texas-based artist Sergio Garcia, and would likely be no less useful than a normal bike in that big, car-friendly state. The 50-inch-high piece is titled ?Its not always easy to tell whats real and whats fabricated? and could probably be ridden if you sat backwards and didn?t mind people staring, pointing and murmuring ?Red rum, red rum? over and over.
I wonder if Garcia would be interested in a commission. I snapped the frame of my bike at last weekend?s Bike Bolo World Championship in Berlin. I imagine fixing it up with a vertical version of Garcia?s looping tube, arranged around me like a big, skinny steel forcefield stopping any other player for getting near the ball.
Trike Sculpture [Sergio Garcia via the Giz]
The tricycle is in fact a sculpture by Dallas, Texas-based artist Sergio Garcia, and would likely be no less useful than a normal bike in that big, car-friendly state. The 50-inch-high piece is titled ?Its not always easy to tell whats real and whats fabricated? and could probably be ridden if you sat backwards and didn?t mind people staring, pointing and murmuring ?Red rum, red rum? over and over.
I wonder if Garcia would be interested in a commission. I snapped the frame of my bike at last weekend?s Bike Bolo World Championship in Berlin. I imagine fixing it up with a vertical version of Garcia?s looping tube, arranged around me like a big, skinny steel forcefield stopping any other player for getting near the ball.
Trike Sculpture [Sergio Garcia via the Giz]
Daily Crunch: Car Train Edition
Tokyo Hotel Offers Model Trains To the Tragically LonelyThe Chinese Bus That Allows Traffic To Pass UnderneathGoogle Books Determines That There Are 129,864,880 Books In The World (For Now)Lemur Driving Monitors Spy On Your Kids, Help You Drive Eco-FriendlyContest: Like Us. Please Like Us
INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES INVENTEC IOMEGA JDA SOFTWARE GROUP
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Daily Crunch: The Hills Have Butterflies Edition
Cyber-Cute Overload: Quadrocopter Drone Has Its Own Little HomePrototype Electric Motor Works With Any BicycleYou May Soon Be Wearing Chemical Detectors Modeled After Butterfly WingsThe Pentax K-x Is Now Available In Four New Tasty ColorsVideo: The Second Worms Reloaded Trailer
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