|  |  |  | | | | | Engadget | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | This has gotta be uncomfortable for the iPad. Now, Windows 8 tablet developers -- or anyone, for that matter -- can test their apps and play with the Microsoft's Metro interface from within the confines of Apple's ubiquitous tablet. The functionality is made possible by Splashtop, which is known for its remote desktop apps that are currently available for Android and iOS. It seems that a good amount of effort went into this application, known as the Win8 Metro Testbed, which offers the same swipe capabilities that will be available on a native system. This includes the ability to swipe from the left to switch apps, swipe from the right to reveal the Charms menu, and pull down from the top to close an application. Splashtop's Win8 Metro Testbed is currently available for a promotional $24.99 in the iTunes App Store, whereafter it will sell for $49.99. You'll find the full PR and a quick video tour of the app's functionality after the break.
Continue reading Splashtop brings Windows 8 Metro Testbed to Apple's iPad (video) Splashtop brings Windows 8 Metro Testbed to Apple's iPad (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 13 Apr 2012 02:07:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink |  iTunes | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Rumors fluttering about Valve's entry into the hardware market just got a little less salty. According to the outfit's own jobs page, it's prepping to offer consumers "whole new gaming experiences." A call for an experienced electronics engineer says it all, "For years Valve has been all about writing software that provides great gameplay experiences. Now we're developing hardware to enhance those experiences." The ideal candidate ought to have a hefty load of prototyping experience, a knack for working with embedded systems and microcontrollers, a proficiency in thermal management, high speed serial interfaces, ARM / x86 system design, and more. We're not about to hazard a guess at what this adds up to, but Valve promises it's more compelling than "me-too mice and gamepads." Hit the source link below to apply, get hired, and let us know what's up.
[Thanks, Alexis]Valve job posting reveals plans for homegrown hardware, promises it won't suck originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 13 Apr 2012 00:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink  Jeri Ellsworth (Twitter) | Valve | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Dyson engineers certainly know a thing or two about creating innovative vacuums and fans Air Multipliers, but did you know they've also dabbled in the world of high-speed racing? Such is apparently now the case, as these folks were tasked with building go-kart drag racers out of spare parts, resulting in a variety of wheeled wonders viaing for the fastest run on a makeshift strip in the office. Of course, there was a catch -- all of the dragsters had to use the motor from Dyson's DC-16 handheld vacuum in a battle for maximum torque. We won't spoil the outcomes for you, so scroll down to catch a video mashup of all the hijinks in the video below. Continue reading Dyson's engineers head off to the races, create dragsters using spare parts, DC-16 motors (video) Dyson's engineers head off to the races, create dragsters using spare parts, DC-16 motors (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 13 Apr 2012 00:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  Back in September of 2010 Google started experimenting with a new Chrome feature called False Start, which cut the latency of SSL handshakes by up to 30 percent. While the delay in forging a secure connection never seemed like a major concern for most, the pause (which could be several hundred milliseconds long) before a browser starts pulling in actual content was too much to swallow for Mountain View engineers. The tweak to SLL was a somewhat technical one that involved packaging data and instructions normally separated out -- reducing the number of round trips between a host and a client before content was pulled in. Unfortunately, False Start has proven incompatible with a number of sites, in particular those that rely on dedicated encryption hardware called SSL Terminators. Chrome used a blacklist to track unfriendly sites, but maintaining that repository proved more difficult than anticipated and became quite unwieldy. Despite reportedly working with over 99 percent of websites Adam Langley, a Google security researcher, has decided that False Start should be retired with version 20 of the company's browser. The change will likely go unnoticed by most users, but it's always a shame to see efforts to make the web as SPDY as possible fail. Google puts False Start SSL experiment down, nobody notices originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 12 Apr 2012 22:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink Ars Technica | Imperial Violet | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  Wouldn't it be nice if we were free to surf the web free from fear of having our traffic monitored and emails scraped by the NSA? Well, if Nicholas Merrill has his way, we won't have to rely on anonymous browsers or proxy servers -- we'll have a new ISP built from the ground up to protect customer privacy. A non-profit, the Calyx Institute, will run the ISP that'll employ end-to-end encryption on web traffic, plus encrypted emails to prevent anyone other than the user, including the ISP itself, from seeing people's internet activity. Because of this structure, Calyx, quite literally, won't be able to comply with governmental requests to obtain customer traffic data under the Patriot or Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Acts. The best part is, such online privacy may cost as little as $20 a month, and Merrill has hopes to provide a similarly secure VoIP service at some point as well. Of course, the venture will only be possible if Merrill can raise the $2 million needed to get it going -- which is why he's pitching the idea to venture capitalists in Silicon Valley and the general public through crowd-sourced funding site IndieGogo. Want to help out? Hit the the source below to make a donation. Calyx Institute to create ISP that keeps customer traffic private, away from prying governmental eyes originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 12 Apr 2012 21:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink CNET | IndieGogo, Calyx Institute | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | See that SSD up there? For a moment, you might've thought it'd make the next great addition to your desktop rig -- and yeah, extra storage without any wires is a really cool idea -- but don't fool yourselves, because the Intel SSD 910 family of PCI-Express storage devices were built with enterprise in mind. Based on the company's 25nm MLC NAND flash technology, these devices will emphasize both speed and reliability, and will hit the market in both 400GB and 800GB configurations. Intel's own reports suggest the 800GB model will be the quicker of the two, which is said to offer sequential performance of 2,000MB/s read and 1,000MB/s write. Both the 400GB ($1,929) and 800GB ($3,859) models will be available mid-year. We've included the PR after the break, but those who'd like to get a bit more in-depth should hit up the links below. Continue reading Intel announces PCI-Express 910 SSD lineup for enterprise customers Intel announces PCI-Express 910 SSD lineup for enterprise customers originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 12 Apr 2012 19:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Okay, we have some excellent and some disappointing Skyrim tidbits to share. The good news being that bestseller The Elder Scrolls V is finally adding ( real) support for Microsoft's Kinect, but unfortunately, it's coming exclusively to the Xbox console (sorry PC folks). That said, developer Bethesda says the update -- which is arriving later this month -- will bring more than 200 voice commands to the title, allowing things like Dragon Shouts, Follower Commands and Hotkey Equipping. In addition to busting out your best moves, you'll also be able to control menus within the game, as well as save and load your Skryim progress. While the full list of commands is set to be unveiled "in the coming weeks," there's a sneak preview waiting on you right now just past the break. Continue reading Skyrim gets Kinect integration on Xbox, over 200 voice commands in tow (video) Skyrim gets Kinect integration on Xbox, over 200 voice commands in tow (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 12 Apr 2012 19:03:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink Joystiq | Bethesda Blog | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  We all know that most networks are, well, just not "quantumy" enough. Good news, then, that German boffins at the Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics have created the first "universal quantum network." We've been hearing about plain old quantum computing since the first qubit was sent, but now we have to get our tiny minds around the idea of a quantum internet too. Data was sent using single rubidium atoms in reflective optical cavities and single photons emitted over optical fiber. Given that data was only successfully transmitted 0.2% of the time, and the network spanned just 21 meters, a complex LAN with multiple nodes is a way off just yet, but the proof of concept is there. If that concept is the early '90s internet that is. Scientists create the first universal quantum network, are scared to restart the router originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 12 Apr 2012 18:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink Extreme Tech | Scientific American | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  You know what we've always wondered? Why don't Boeing just hurry up and release a phone? Joking aside, this is really happening. The news comes via National Defense Magazine which reports that the airplane manufacturer is developing an Android handset which will have strong security credentials. Currently dubbed "the Boeing phone" we hope the firm puts more thought into its aircraft than its project code names. Before you start folding out your green, however, be warned that despite running Google's popular OS, and being a cellular device, the price-point is still likely to be more jumbo jet than paper plane, with a Boeing exec pointing out that competitor offerings typically float around the $15-20,000 mark. He does goes on to point out that it won't cost as much as this, but will still likely be out of our reach back here in coach. No word on any sort of specification at the minute, but if you fancy yourself as a high-flyer (or more likely, you work in defense) keep an eye out for this landing later on this year. Now, what if Samsung made a plane..? Boeing to launch super secure Android phone, hopes it takes off originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 12 Apr 2012 17:43:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink TechCrunch | National Defense Magazine | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | You know what we've always wondered? Why doesn't Boeing just hurry up and release a phone? Joking aside, this is really happening. The news comes via National Defense Magazine which reports that the airplane manufacturer is developing an Android handset which will have strong security credentials. Currently dubbed "the Boeing phone" we hope the firm puts more thought into its aircraft than its project codenames. Before you start folding out your green, however, be warned that despite running Google's popular OS, and being a cellular device, the price point is still likely to be more jumbo jet than paper plane, with a Boeing exec pointing out that competitor offerings typically float around the $15-20,000 mark. He goes on to point out that it won't cost as much as this, but will still likely be out of our reach back here in coach. No word on any sort of specification at the minute, but if you fancy yourself as a high-flyer (or more likely, you work in defense) keep an eye out for this landing later on this year. Now, what if Samsung made a plane..? Boeing to launch super secure Android phone, hopes it takes off originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 12 Apr 2012 17:43:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink TechCrunch | National Defense Magazine | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Looks like Huluers in the Land of the Rising Sun may have something to cheer about, as the entertainment service announced earlier it's lowering its monthly fees. Hulu claims the reason behind the dropped prices comes from having "listened to user feedback and assessed current market situations" -- or perhaps from taking note of the million-plus customers it gained with a similar strategy in the US. With the new charge, Japanese folks will only have to shell out 980 yen (around $12) per month, a hefty reduction considering the previous fee of 1480 yen. Naturally, before the current clientele throws a temper tantrum, Hulu's promising a 500 yen refund to make up for the recent shift in prices. You can learn the rest of the deets on the Hulu blog, which is linked down below. Hulu reducing monthly subscription prices in Japan by 33 percent originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 12 Apr 2012 17:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink GigaOM | Hulu Blog (Japan) | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | It promised earlier this week that a fix was coming, and Apple has now delivered a Java security update that is says removes "the most common variants of the Flashback malware." That update also reconfigures the Java web plug-in to disable the automatic execution of Java applets by default (in Lion, at least -- those still on Snow Leopard are advised to do that themselves), although folks can re-enable that functionality if they choose. As usual, OS X users can download the update through the Software Update application. Apple releases fix for Flashback malware originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 12 Apr 2012 17:08:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink The Loop | Apple | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  What's American's number one problem in the bedroom? Honestly, whatever you first guessed is probably the right answer. For the sake of this conversation, however, let's just assume that it's light, as Barnes & Noble suggests. People are keeping their partners awake at all hours by leaving the light on as they finish the final gripping pages of that Stieg Larsson novel. There's got to be a better way! Something like, say, the Nook Simple Touch with GlowLight (make sure to put little sparkly illustrations over the last word when you read it aloud, by the way). As you'd imagine, it can see in the dark. -- or, rather, you can see it in the dark, so you won't have to get kicked out of bed for reading The Hunger Games anymore. The clunkily named Nook Simple Touch with GlowLight is up for pre-order now at $139 a pop. Plunk down your information today, and it should be on its way to you in early May -- just in time for Mother's Day and with a bit of time to spare for 'ole pops. So, how does the reader stack up to its predecessor? Click on through to the other side to find out. Continue reading Nook Simple Touch with GlowLight hands-on Nook Simple Touch with GlowLight hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 12 Apr 2012 16:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Google just announced its earnings for Q1 of 2012 and the company did not disappoint. It raked in $10.65 billion, a full 24 percent higher than last year for the same time period. GAAP net income for the quarter was $2.89 billion, more than twice that of Q1 of 2011, which brings its total war chest to $49.3 billion in cash on hand. Perhaps the biggest news for investors, though, is the 2-for-1 stock split, which is a perfect accompaniment for the skyrocketing price.
Developing...Continue reading Google reports $10.65 billion in revenue for Q1 2012, splits stock Google reports $10.65 billion in revenue for Q1 2012, splits stock originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 12 Apr 2012 16:06:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Google 1, 2 | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Crawling the job posting boards over at Canonical turns up a pretty interesting position, one for a Business Development Manager (Ubuntu Phone OS). Now, we're not quite ready to jump to any conclusions here, but the wording of the listing is quite intriguing. The group is looking for a "business development lead to engage and develop strong relationships with industry partners in the run up to the launch of Ubuntu as a smartphone operating system," with the goal of "establish[ing] a commercial ecosystem around Ubuntu as a smartphone OS." Does this mean that Ubuntu is preparing to take on Android and iOS in the battle for smartphone supremacy (or, more likely, take on Windows Phone in a competition of also rans)? Honestly, we're not sure. The wording is quite vague, and it could simply be the company is referring to Ubuntu for Android. We've contacted Canonical for comment and we'll update if we get any clarification.
[Thanks, Mo]Canonical prepping to launch Ubuntu as smartphone OS? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 12 Apr 2012 15:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink PhoneRPT | Canonical | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Titan. It's a ballistic missile and one of Saturn's moons. The word also plays a huge role in Greek mythology and in normal use refers to something of enormous power and influence. So it's understandable, then, why HTC seems to prefer it as a name for its phones. So much so, in fact, that the release of the LTE-enabled Titan II on AT&T actually marks not the second, but fourth iteration of the name: if you recall, the company once released two Windows Mobile devices called the TyTn.
We had mixed feelings as we watched the latest Titan get introduced at AT&T's Developer Summit in January. On the one hand, we were intrigued by the idea of a smartphone with a monstrous 16-megapixel camera, as well as LTE -- something the world previously hadn't seen on a Windows Phone device. But the announcement also took place a mere two months after its predecessor launched on AT&T's network, which gave us the sinking feeling Ma Bell's new strategy was to crank out a plethora of refreshed phones boasting only a couple of new features (see: the Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket). So what of this sequel we have before us? Will it come out victorious like Remember the Titans or a disaster like Titanic? Is it worth it to new customers to shun the free Nokia Lumia 900 and shell out $200 for this guy instead? Follow us down the page and we'll fill you in.
Continue reading HTC Titan II review HTC Titan II review originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 12 Apr 2012 15:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | So, it's not quite a fake Kinect, but to say there's a little bit of crossover in the DNA would be a bit of an understatement, wouldn't you say? Dubbed the iGame Move, it claims to be a "32-bit camera video game console," with 23 games baked right into the cycloptic device. If that weren't enough, you can enjoy those body-controlled titles in full 640 x 480 "high-resolution" graphics, which based on the screen shots look surprisingly good. Best of all it can run on four AA batteries, making it truly portable. Your move Microsoft. Keepin' it almost fake Kinect console has 23 games, no shame originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 12 Apr 2012 15:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | It always pleases us when interesting Kickstarter projects do well. Especially ones that fly as well as this. Just two hours after launching, the Pebble watch from Allerta landed $100,000 in pledges. Two. Hours. When you consider the phone-friendly e-paper timepiece was being offered at $115 a pop, that's a lot of individual supporters, and therefore pre-orders to fulfill. Of course, we like to think we played a small part in this story, but the credit ultimately has to lie with the product developers themselves, who clearly captured people's imaginations. And then some. At time of writing, the tally's run to well over $1 million with 36 days still to go. Pebble smartwatch raises $100,000 in two hours, retires on a beach originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 12 Apr 2012 14:50:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink Phone Arena | Kickstarter | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Just as promised when we first met the carrier's Viper 4G, Sprint's placing the device up for pre-order today. Notably, rumors of an eventual April 22nd release date can now rest comfortably, with The Now Network saying it'll do its best to get the Gingerbread handset on all early-adopting hands before Sunday. For being one of Sprint's initial LTE slabs, the Viper bears a flexible $99 price tag -- of course, that's with a two-year deal, a $50 mail-in rebate and an understanding that the carrier's LTE waves aren't even live yet. If you're not due an upgrade just yet, though, then you'll have to part ways with around $400. Sound good? Head over to the source below to give it a last gander before you decide to add it to your cart. Sprint LG Viper 4G up for pre-order now, coming on April 22nd originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 12 Apr 2012 14:05:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink Unwired View | Sprint | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Smart thermostats might not be the cut-throat world of litigation like, say, mobile phones, but that doesn't mean the odd feather doesn't get ruffled from time to time. Nest CEO, Tony Fadell, is understandably protective of his company's product, so when competitor Honeywell laid a stack of patent infringement claims at his door, unsurprisingly he was none too pleased. How displeased? Well, enough for him to drop this clanger: "Honeywell is worse than a patent troll." Then going on to quantify with "They're trying to strangle us, and we're not going to allow that to happen." We think that makes his feelings on the matter pretty clear. Well, when you've been SVP of Apple's iPod division, it's easy to see how patience with such things might wear thin. CE-Oh no he didn't!: Tony Fadell calls Honeywell out on patent claims originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 12 Apr 2012 13:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | The Verge | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Ready for yet another option in world of cloud storage services? LogMeIn today announced it's ready to get in on the remote storage action with its own offering, built atop its Gravity Data Service, dubbed Cubby. Currently in beta, Cubby allots you 5GB of storage in the cloud, while allowing you to turn your Mac, PC and any folders into "virtual cubbies." You'll be able to sync selected data between your choice of devices and even share access (read-only if needed) to specific cubbies for collaborative efforts -- and although the service is free, there's no limit on how much data you can move between your machines. Better yet, iDevices and Androids are also supported via LogMeIn's free Cubby apps. If you've been looking for another option aside from the likes of Pogoplug and Dropbox, you can request an invite to the service by hitting up the source link below. If you'd like more details in the meantime, check out the press release after the break. Continue reading LogMeIn branches out from its remote desktop roots, intros Cubby cloud sharing service LogMeIn branches out from its remote desktop roots, intros Cubby cloud sharing service originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 12 Apr 2012 11:57:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | LogMeIn Cubby | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | OCZ received stacks of praise following its brave switch to in-house Indilinx-branded controllers, which have delivered solid performance in both the Octane and Vertex 4 SSDs. However, the company has now confirmed to AnandTech that its Indilinx Everest 1 and 2 controllers are actually still based on Marvell products, with a little overclocking on the side, and it hasn't yet implemented its own hardware. That would explain why the latest SSDs are so closely on a par with other Marvell-powered drives, like the Crucial's m4 and Intel's 520. But if it sounds like the brightest kid in the class just admitted to copying some other student's homework, then we should probably all chill out: after all, OCZ never made any precise claims about Everest's provenance in the first place. Besides, one of the most important aspects of a solid state drive is its firmware and OCZ insists that's totally home-cooked. The news here is that we still haven't seen what OCZ is fully capable of following its Indilinx acquisition. OCZ says its Indilinx controller is actually built by Marvell, but has custom firmware originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 12 Apr 2012 10:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | AnandTech | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | It was way back in September that the leaves fell and revealed Intel's plans for the Cactus Ridge revision of Thunderbolt chips. Now, VR-Zone claims it's received confirmation that the second generation controllers are finally shipping. As already announced, there are two versions: the quad-channel dual DisplayPort DSL3510 edition, and the double channeled Eagle Ridge replacement model DSL3310. It would be careless to speculate about which OEMs might adopt, and in what models, but with Apple already flying the Thunderbolt flag, that's at least one name you can scratch off the list. Cactus Ridge Thunderbolt controllers now shipping? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 12 Apr 2012 10:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | VR-Zone | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | New York's Second Circuit Court of Appeals has decided that computer code cannot be stolen after acquitting former Goldman Sachs programmer Sergey Aleynikov. He'd been charged with property theft and economic espionage which carried an eight year prison sentence, but left court a free man after serving just a year of his term. The case hinged upon the definition of both property and economic espionage, and the court found that code, being an intangible, couldn't be property that's capable of being stolen within the definition of the statute -- affirming a state of affairs that's been in place since the British case of Oxford v Moss from 1979. Just as a warning: the Judges advised Congress to amend the relevant legislation in order to prevent thefts of this nature in the future, so we'd hold back on any big data-heists you've got planned. US Court: Code isn't property, therefore it can't be stolen originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 12 Apr 2012 09:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink Digg | Wired, Decision (PDF) | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  What's the most useful smartwatch of them all? If you guessed Sony's, you've got reason to smile: we just got word that it's finally available here in the US of A. As expected, the SmartWatch costs $150, while those colorful (read: not black) wrist bands are priced at $20 a pop. To recap, the watch pairs with Android phones over Bluetooth, using a free app available in Google Play (if you happen to own a Sony handset, you should find that application pre-installed). Like any smartwatch worth its salt, this one lets you read emails, texts and social updates on the device. Meanwhile, the list of mini apps is approaching 60, as of this writing, and already includes biggies like Facebook and Google Maps. After getting hands-on not once but twice, we can say the rubber strap is comfortable and the 1.3-inch OLED display responsive, though the apps are a mixed bag in terms of usefulness. Tap-to-like on Facebook? Genius. A remote for your phone's camera? Unabashed gimmickry, if you ask us. Using the watch to call someone in your contacts list? You'll need a Bluetooth headset for that feature to be truly handy. Other favorites of ours include the ability to find your lost phone (even if it's set to quiet mode), as well as stream photos and other media from your phone. You can even respond to incoming text messages with a preset reply (e.g., "I'm busy. What's up?"), though good luck using that canned response a second time when your friend gets back to you 10 seconds later. In any case, is all that worth the $150? That's a conversation you best have with your wallet -- in read-only format, naturally. Continue reading PSA: Sony SmartWatch now available in the US for $150 PSA: Sony SmartWatch now available in the US for $150 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 12 Apr 2012 09:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Sony | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | In a departure from its last introduction as dramatic as the C300's Hollywood launch itself, Canon has quietly announced two additional cameras to sit alongside the company's former lone flagship. You may have caught a glimpse of the EOS-1D C at the C300 launch, but what six months ago was a mere mock-up has actually become a reality, likely to ship sometime this year. More out of left field, however, is the C500 -- a higher-end version of the C300 that adds several shooting modes, dual 3G-SDI ports and a larger, permanent grip. Both cameras can capture 4K video, but in substantially different ways.
The $15,000 1D C, which has the same chassis and still shooting features of its less-abled cousin, the EOS-1D X, pipes 4096 x 2160 8-bit 4:2:2 video to a CF card at 24 fps. Unlike the X, however, the C swaps a headphone jack for the X's PC socket, that's usually used for hooking up strobes. The higher-end C500 requires a dedicated external recorder, but offers two full-RAW output options: 4096 x 2960, that will be better suited for motion picture capture, and 3840 x 2160 for 4K TV. Both of these modes offer 10-bit 4:4:4 at 60 frames-per-second. There's also a half-RAW option, at 4096 x 1080 or 3840 x 1080 resolutions, also 10-bit 4:4:4, but at 120 fps. The C500 also includes dual CF slots, but that recording option is only available for 1080p (which can be captured to CF concurrently). Both cameras support Canon Log Gamma, empowering colorists to correct color in post production with more versatility by capturing additional information and a higher dynamic range.
Jump past the break to continue...Continue reading Canon unveils EOS-1D C and C500 4K Cinema cameras, two new lenses ahead of NAB Canon unveils EOS-1D C and C500 4K Cinema cameras, two new lenses ahead of NAB originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 12 Apr 2012 09:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | In a departure from its last introduction as dramatic as the C300's Hollywood launch itself, Canon has quietly announced two additional cameras to sit alongside the company's former lone flagship. You may have caught a glimpse of the EOS-1D C at the C300 launch, but what six months ago was a mere mock-up has actually become a reality, likely to ship sometime this year. More out of left field, however, is the C500 -- a higher-end version of the C300 that adds several shooting modes, dual 3G-SDI ports and a larger, permanent grip. Both cameras can capture 4K video, but in substantially different ways.  The $15,000 1D C, which has the same chassis and still shooting features of its less-abled cousin, the EOS-1D X, pipes 4096 x 2160 8-bit 4:2:2 video to a CF card at 24 fps. Unlike the X, however, the C swaps a headphone jack for the X's PC socket, that's usually used for hooking up strobes. The higher-end C500 requires a dedicated external recorder, but offers two full-RAW output options: 4096 x 2960, that will be better suited for motion picture capture, and 3840 x 2160 for 4K TV. Both of these modes offer 10-bit 4:4:4 at 60 frames-per-second. There's also a half-RAW option, at 4096 x 1080 or 3840 x 1080 resolutions, also 10-bit 4:4:4, but at 120 fps. The C500 also includes dual CF slots, but that recording option is only available for 1080p (which can be captured to CF concurrently). Both cameras support Canon Log Gamma, empowering colorists to correct color in post production with more versatility by capturing additional information and a higher dynamic range.
Jump past the break to continue...Continue reading Canon unveils EOS-1D C and C500 4K Cinema cameras, two new lenses ahead of NAB Canon unveils EOS-1D C and C500 4K Cinema cameras, two new lenses ahead of NAB originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 12 Apr 2012 09:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | If the Ring Mouse caught your attention a while back, you're in luck. The Genius Ring Air Mouse has tiptoed through the FCC with a dapper new façade and sporting both air cursor and scroll modes. In addition to the left and right clickers we've seen before, this model adds a drag control for moving objects with ease and a back button for web surfing. As you might expect, the device is charged via USB connection and a LED indicator will keep you up to speed on the battery's status. We can't recommend you offer this as a gift to your significant other, though, at least not for any special occasion. Genius Ring Air Mouse scrolls through the FCC, added buttons in tow originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 12 Apr 2012 07:57:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | FCC | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | If Apple and the Big Five thought they only had to contend with a federal e-book lawsuit in the US, they'd better think again. Australia's Competition and Consumer Commission is inviting local businesses to raise formal concerns as it weighs up launching its own judicial broadside against the alleged cartel. The Commission refused to comment publicly on its plans beyond saying that it was "aware of the latest developments" and would listen to local resellers who had concerns about the Australian market. While Simon & Schuster, Hachette and HarperCollins made back-room deals with the DoJ yesterday, they'd still be involved (at least initially) with the second front of this conflict. Meanwhile, the threat remains of the European Union joining in: turning it from a spot of local trouble into a global courtroom battle for the future of e-book pricing. Australia pondering joining e-book lawsuit bandwagon originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 12 Apr 2012 06:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink The Next Web | Financial Review | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Ask any gardener, once you let ivy grow, it gets everywhere. Even though Intel just planted a fresh family of Sandy Bridge-based server CPUs, reports of a new line of Xeon E3 chips sporting the firm's next generation architecture are sprouting up. The new Ivy Bridge server chips use the firm's 3D Tri-Gate transistors to improve performance without using more power. For micro servers looking for an even smaller power footprint, Intel is introducing an Atom-based system on a chip, dubbed Centerton. These new 64-bit chips will feature two Atom processor cores and consume only six watts of electricity. Intel hasn't said yet just where these new processors are going to end up, but mentioned that it had a few customers on board. Intel plans to roll out Ivy Bridge based Xeon E3s, low-power Atom chips for micro servers originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 12 Apr 2012 05:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | CNET, Wall Street Journal, PCWorld | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | One year, four months and 30 days after its last major release, MythTV has -- after a short delay -- released v0.25 to the world. We've already discussed many of its new features including DirectX acceleration, out of the box support for CableCARD tuners, AirPlay and HTTP Live Streaming, but there are others, like HDMI-CEC control, 3D support, improved audio and more. Hit the source link to get your dose of open sourced media center action, we'll check in in another ten years for version 0.5. MythTV 0.25 is finally available with a bundle of new features originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 12 Apr 2012 04:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | MythTV | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  | |  | |  |
