Friday, January 23, 2009

Video: iFrame tablet PC in action

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/23/video-iframe-tablet-pc-in-action/

Oliver Seres has developed a tablet PC prototype that he's calling the iFrame (groan) -- which is somewhat similar to that CrunchPad we've been following -- and runs on a custom install of Ubuntu. It's built from an Amtek T10L UMPC, and looks like it's pretty snappy, with a really slick interface. We don't know a ton about the specs of the custom device, but the Amtek boasts an Intel Atom N270 processor, up to 2GB of RAM, a rechargeable lithium-ion battery, an 80GB hard drive, and a 10.2-inch 1,024 x 600 resolution display, plus a 1.3-megapixel camera, dual speakers, and WiFi. There's no word on cost of the prototype, nor if and when it'll head into production. Check the sweet video of Oliver demoing after the break.

[Via 01Blog]

Continue reading Video: iFrame tablet PC in action

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Video: iFrame tablet PC in action originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 23 Jan 2009 12:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Researchers tout new 60GHz RF chip for high-speed wireless transfers

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/23/researchers-tout-new-60ghz-rf-chip-for-high-speed-wireless-trans/


It's not the only group toying around in the 60GHz frequency range, but a team of researchers from Georgia Tech's Georgia Electronic Design Center seem to be a bit further along than most, and they say that their new 60GHz RF chip could pave the way into a whole host of new, speedier wireless devices. Apparently, the chip is the first 60GHz embedded chip designed for multi-gigabit wireless use, and the researchers have already pushed it to some pretty impressive lengths, reaching speeds of 15Gbps at a distance of 1 meter, 10Gbps at 2 meters, and 5Gbps at 5 meters, while also maintaining the lowest "energy per bit" to date. What's more, while it's been flying a bit under the radar, the industry group Ecma International has already announced a new standard for chips capable of sending RF signals in the 60GHz range, which is apparently expected to be published as an ISO standard later this year.

[Via Electronista]

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Researchers tout new 60GHz RF chip for high-speed wireless transfers originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 23 Jan 2009 12:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aptera rolls out first pre-production vehicle, promises shipments in October

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/23/aptera-rolls-out-first-pre-production-vehicle-promises-shipment/


Although the swoopy Aptera electric went up for pre-orders back in October of 2007, we haven't really seen much of the futuristic car outside of the odd Star Trek cameo. Hopefully that's about to change, though -- the company just rolled out the first pre-production example its flagship model, the 2e. The three-wheeled car gets the equivalent of 200mpg, and the company claims the lithium-ion battery pack will last for 100 miles on a single charge. Aptera isn't giving out final pricing information apart from "between $25,000 and $45,000" but it says over 4,000 potential customers have already signed up for a planned California-only October release. We'll see how it goes -- and we'd bet the folks at the Automotive X-Prize are keeping a sharp eye as well.

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Aptera rolls out first pre-production vehicle, promises shipments in October originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 23 Jan 2009 17:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A Beautiful Sunset, Painted in Fluorescent Bacteria [Science]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/ljEZUDWhjc8/a-beautiful-sunset-painted-in-fluorescent-bacteria

This beach is awash in bacteria colonies that express eight different colors through fluorescent protein modification. And yes, that canvas is a petri dish. [Andrew Hires via MAKE]



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Android Cupcake OS Update Screenshots Show Virtual Keyboard, New Applications [Android]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/X-MdnVQWOGA/android-cupcake-os-update-screenshots-show-virtual-keyboard-new-applications

While Google's Android "Cupcake" updates may not be available just yet, detailed screenshots of the platform update show new applications in addition to the highly-anticipated virtual keyboard.

Developer Arron La was able to test the most recent batch of Cupcake and make his own observations about the changes. According to him, there will be a new Notes and Global Time application, along with various other fixes. Since February is almost here, I wouldn't be surprised to find most of these coming to the G1 soon.

1. New Local Setting Page - Gives you option to pick different locales and pick different text inputs.
2. New Option to view running and third party applications - An option to view running and third party applications from the normal application list. Does not provide a way to terminate them.
3. New windows opening/closing animation effect - a new popping effect when windows are opened/closed.
4. New default notepad - a very simple and ugly default notepad.
5. New Global Time application - not sure if it will be provided by T-Mobile but it's just a rotating Earth and I couldn't get it to do anything else.
6. New Spare Parts Application - Once again not sure if the official version will have this, but it provides a number of extra settings such as setting windows animation and transition animation speed, font size, end button behavior and etc. It also has a "display rotation" option which supposedly should allow auto-rotate base on orientation across the entire os, but it is not currently working.
7. New Virtual Keyboard (as seen on video -ed.)- The virtual keyboard will pop up on every edit box. I didn't feel any haptic feedback but I am thinking that it's just not there on the example ke! yboard. Because the phone does not auto-rotate (an option exists but it doesn't work), it's very hard to type on it. The sample keyboard also does not provide auto-corrections.
8. Slightly better looking buttons with more shadow.


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Star Wars Tilt-Shift Photos Convert Fanboys Into Their Beloved Action Figures [Star Wars]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/wDTYKe7OTRw/star-wars-tilt+shift-photos-convert-fanboys-into-their-beloved-action-figures

I find these Star Wars images fascinating. They are not special because of the technique: We have featured amazing tilt-shift photography before. What makes these special is the combination of technique and subject matter.

I just find it funny that these could actually be made with real action figures, as if someone broke into one of the biggest Star Wars figures collection in the galaxy and ran away with a thousand Imperial stormtroopers to make these shots.

[Star Wars Blog]



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Giant Laser Cloud Takes Over Helsinki's Sky [Art]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/LP1w6xxUipk/giant-laser-cloud-takes-over-helsinkis-sky

They are here. With their lasers. And their clouds. And their secret tunnels that go 413 feet into the ground to extract energy. No, not the aliens. I mean the hippies with their art installations.

It's the Ga Green Cloud, in Helsinki, Finland. Designed by artists Helen Evans and Heiki Hansen, it paints a green laser cloud over the smoke plume of the Salmisaari power plant's chimney. The structure raises 508 feet and its tunnels dig 413 feet deep into the Earth's crust to feed coal directly into the plant's furnaces. According to them: ""No other space, network, grid, community could better represent a city and it's activity as a whole." Translation from Finnish: "Oh boy, this kicks ass." [The Contaminated]



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Japanese Media Vehicle is Virtual Reality in a Capsule [Vr]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/XVyzNxuWMlg/japanese-media-vehicle-is-virtual-reality-in-a-capsule

This "media vehicle," recently shown at an IT exhibition in Tokyo, looks like something out of Ghost in the Shell and is the coolest thing I've seen all day.

Riders enter the vehicle by popping open the top and entering what looks like a futuristic cockpit. A large spherical display covers the upper body while a bottom area allows your legs to move freely on a special track.

The machine, which is a prototype, can only handle a weight of up to 60kg (132 pounds). According to the reporter, being inside felt like living in a large video game. Uh, where can I sign up to try this thing out? [Robot Impress]



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1,474 Megapixel Inauguration Panorama is a Treasure Trove of Candid Captures [Photography]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/VHC0Tn2l0Eo/1474-megapixel-inauguration-panorama-is-a-treasure-trove-of-candid-captures

We've all seen the iconic imagery of the day again and again: the nervous smile as the oath went haywire, the rapt crowds, Aretha's hat. But what about everything else? It's all in here.

Containing over 2GB of photo data and comprised of over 220 images shot from a Canon G10 Bridge camera on a Gigapan robotic camera mount, David Bergman's incredibly detailed panorama is filled with pieces of information that you previously weren't able or bothered to see. Some are just obviously cool—nearly being able to read the sheet music on performers stands, seeing the comically varied expressions in the VIP area behind the President as he speaks—but others are more subtly awesome.

Take Yo-Yo Ma snapping a picture on his iPhone, the unreal number of personal digital cameras or the endless, imposing banks of photography equipment surrounding the event from every conceivable angle. Sorry CNN, this is cooler than Photosynth. Tell us what you find in the comments. Full screen view here. [David Bergman via Cult of Mac]


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New Storm OS 4.7.0.90 leaked, includes QWERTY keyboard in portrait mode

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/22/new-storm-os-4-7-0-90-includes-keyboard-in-portrait-mode/


As you know, a new beta OS for the Storm has made its way into the wild. Although we haven't had a chance to give OS 4.7.0.90 the what-for ourselves, those of you who have certainly have a lot to say. The big news for both 9500 and 9530 users is that there is now a QWERTY keyboard in portrait mode -- no more flipping the phone around just for an ill-advised late night tweet! Besides that, users have noted an increase in overall stability (unless you're trying to listen to music -- more on that in a moment) and some visual enhancements (including the older-look application folder and fonts that are slightly larger). Additionally, when the device is locked, the screen doesn't light up every time you bump it -- good for battery life. And as one user noted, the charging issue "which plagued OS version 88" has been resolved. Unfortunately, there has also been plenty of chatter about buggy multimedia players -- at least on the Storm 9500. Users have complained about music and video playback crashing the phone, fast forward not working, and an overall video performance decrease. Brave Blackberry fans can hit the read link to browse the forums and maybe even download the new OS for themselves. More images after the break.

Continue reading New Storm OS 4.7.0.90 leaked, includes QWERTY keyboard in portrait mode

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New Storm OS 4.7.0.90 leaked, includes QWERTY keyboard in portrait mode originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 22 Jan 2009 11:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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15.2 megapixel Sony Alpha A800 DSLR rumored

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/22/15-2-megapixel-sony-alpha-a800-dslr-rumored/


At this point, it's remarkably tough to say how legitimate these claims are, and while we'd wholeheartedly recommend digesting these details with a dose of NaCl, we'd be shortchanging you to not pass 'em on. According to a curious post over at Photofan.jp, Sony is readying an Alpha A800 DSLR (mockup pictured) with a 15.2 megapixel sensor, an ISO range of 200 to 12,800, a new high-speed sync flash, 23 total AF sensors, a fresh metering / AF sensor tracking system and inbuilt WiFi. We're told that the camera will be officially unveiled at PMA 2009 alongside a trio of new lenses -- thankfully, March (and our answer) is less than two months out.

[Via Photography Bay]

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15.2 megapixel Sony Alpha A800 DSLR rumored originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 22 Jan 2009 12:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Miu has big plans for the new HDPC, if only they had big money to make them come true

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/22/miu-has-big-plans-for-the-new-hdpc-if-only-they-had-big-money-t/


The economy is putting the hurt on everybody these days -- and while it's no less true for Miu, the company is working feverishly to release their everything-at-once handheld, despite some serious setbacks in the funding department. Ready to go into production at the drop of a hat (and a $500,000 check), there are currently two versions of the device in development -- the basic Atom-powered netbook / PMP / e-book reader will stay at the $500 price point, while the $900 version is a dual-boot Windows XP / CE device that includes a GPS and a mobile phone. As far as we can tell the thing is still a fist-full of ugly, but we hope these crazy kids make it, and we wish them the very best. We really do.

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Miu has big plans for the new HDPC, if only they had big money to make them come true originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 22 Jan 2009 12:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Forget chocolates, Samsung offers pink NC10 for Valentine gifting

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/22/forget-chocolates-samsung-offers-pink-nc10-for-valentine-giftin/

If a pink MSI Wind isn't the way to your significant other's heart, Samsung has an alternative for you in the form of a rose-colored NC10. The similarly-spec'd 10.2-inch netbook sports a 1.6GHz Atom processor, 1GB RAM, 160GB HDD, and Windows XP Home. Additionally, it's got a suspiciously-long 7-hour battery life and anti-germ keyboard. UK retailer dabs has it listed for £316 ($434) with VAT and a February 9 release date. Let's just hope she doesn't lament the color choice come March.

[Via Portable Monkey]

Read - Overclockers product page
Read - Dabs product page

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Forget chocolates, Samsung offers pink NC10 for Valentine gifting originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 22 Jan 2009 14:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ontario Securities Commission seeks $100 million fine against RIM's co-CEOs

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/22/ontario-securities-commission-seeks-100-million-fine-against-ri/

Uh oh. Remember that RIM backdating controversy from 2007? The Ontario Securities Commission sure does, and according to ReportonBusiness, it's seeking a record $100 million Canadian (that's about $79 million US) fine against co-CEOs Jim Balsillie and Mike Lazaridis. If approved, that'll be the largest penalty ever to be paid by individuals to the OSC, with Balsillie expected to pay the bulk of the penalty. As usual, none of the parties involved are commenting on the case, but we reckon this won't be the last we hear about it.

[Via Mobile Syrup]

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Ontario Securities Commission seeks $100 million fine against RIM's co-CEOs originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 22 Jan 2009 16:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Windows 7 put up against Vista and XP in hardcore multicore benchmarks, XP wins

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/22/windows-7-put-up-against-vista-and-xp-in-hardcore-multicore-benc/


Now that the Windows 7 beta is out, the benchmarks are coming fast and furious, and while 7's been previously found to best XP and Vista during "real-world" tasks, it looks like XP is still the outright speed champ on current hardware. That's at least the word according to InfoWorld, which pitted all three systems against each other in a suite of tests designed to suss out how each performed on modern multicore systems, and while we won't pretend to grok all the data, there's nothing complicated about the final results, which showed that "any illusions about Windows 7 somehow being leaner or more efficient than Vista can now be thrown out the window." Sure, there was some speedup -- 7 was 60 percent faster than Vista during the dual-core workflow tests -- but overall, 7's just slower on dual- and quad-core hardware than XP. However, there's a silver lining here: InfoWorld says the slowdown is in large part due to the extra code Vista and 7 use to manage multicore processors, and as the number of cores increase, the corresponding performance gains are much bigger than with XP since they can be used more efficiently. Of course, by the time we're all sitting pretty with 48-core Larrabee machines this all might be just a distant memory, so for right now we're just going to get back to installing the Windows 7 beta on anything we can find and reveling in the glory of perceived speedups.

Read - Analysis I (against Vista alone)
Read - Analysis II (against Vista and XP! )

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Windows 7 put up against Vista and XP in hardcore multicore benchmarks, XP wins originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 22 Jan 2009 18:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple patents adaptive volume controls based on environment, not quality of your music

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/22/apple-patents-adaptive-volume-controls-based-on-environment-not/


Ever walk through a crowd with your headphones on, only to find your music drowned out by the uproar? A recent Apple patent proposes dynamic volume adjustment based on your local surroundings. According to the filing, a sound sensor would be used to detect ambient noise and adapt accordingly. It says user volume controls are accounted for, so passing by a construction site likely won't cause your jams to be pumped up to an ear-shattering 11. Although it sounds more likely than some of the company's other patents, don't get your hopes up for seeing this any time soon. Hit up the read link for more details.

[Via Electronista]

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Apple patents adaptive volume controls based on environment, not quality of your music originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 22 Jan 2009 21:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Meizu M8 prepped for full-scale launch, IP battle with Apple

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/23/meizu-m8-prepped-for-full-scale-launch-ip-battle-with-apple/


Meizu's been on a tear since our last M8 update. Sitting atop a new 0.9.0.1 firmware release complete with working copy and paste, Outlook calendar synchronization, and a "full backup system," the M8 is now supported by a published SDK and licensed to ride the Chinese airwaves for what looks to be a March, mainland China release. With all the passion it could muster, Meizu posted the following announcement to its English website:
Let's bear witness together, to the great moment of MEIZU formally entering the big stage of mobile phone industry!
Currently, the M8 handset with its iPhone roots (but a WinCE core) is only available to an abiding Chinese press and die-hard Meizu fanatics -- a population said to rival the intensity of Apple's own sheeple elite. Having watched the M8 make the transition from art to part over the last few years, we're mighty stoked at the prospective launch to say the least. And while Meizu has clearly trumped Apple's spec sheet (not user experience) in terms of software (copy paste, background task management, video recording, and plenty more) and hardware (720 x 480 pixel display and beefier silicon), we'll bet there's still enough "inspiration" to get Tim Cook and Apple's legal counsel whipped up into a frenzy of Intellectual Property defense. Latest video after the break.

Read -- Mobile license approval
Read -- SDK release
Read -- firmware 0.9 release

Continue reading Video: Meizu M8 prepped for full-scale launch, IP battle with Apple

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Video: Meizu M8 prepped for full-scale launch, IP battle with Apple originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 23 Jan 2009 03:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rumor: 10-inch Acer Aspire One to replace 8.9-incher

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/23/rumor-10-inch-acer-aspire-one-to-replace-8-9-incher/


We're hearing some murmurings today that Acer's planning on replacing its current, 8.9-inch Aspire One with the previously seen 10.1-inch Aspire One (the 103), phasing out the former. The new model will pack a 1.6GHz Intel Atom CPU, and 1GB of RAM, optional 3G, SDHC card slot, and 3 USB ports -- relatively standard fare, to be sure -- though it's going to come in a few sexy colors we sure do like the looks of Sure, Digitimes (the source of this rumor) isn't necessarily the most reliable paper we read in the morning with our coffee, but this particular tidbit doesn't strike us as terribly far-fetched. We'll have to (reportedly) wait until sometime in the second quarter to find out for sure, though. In the meantime: calm down.

Update: This worst-kept secret is now official, with Acer confirming plans to release its rumored 10-incher, but not saying just when or for how much. The confirmed specs are exactly what we expected -- go figure.

[Via Electronista]

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Rumor: 10-inch Acer Aspire One to replace 8.9-incher originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 23 Jan 2009 05:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nokia ships half a million 5800 XpressMusic handsets in 30 days

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/23/nokia-ships-half-a-million-5800-xpressmusic-handsets-in-30-days/


If this were coming from any other mouth, we'd definitely second guess it. As it stands, though, it's hard to dispute the words of Nokia's CEO when it comes to matters involving Nokia. Mr. Olli Pekka Kallasvuo stated rather proudly during the firm's Q4 results call that it had shipped just over 500,000 5800 XpressMusic mobiles (better known as the Tube) in just 30 days. That figure becomes even more impressive when you realize that shipments only occurred in select markets, though it should be noted that "units shipped" and "units sold to end users" could indeed be very different things. Still, half a million in just a month ain't too shabby in today's economy, so here's the kudos you're clearly due, Nokia.

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Nokia ships half a million 5800 XpressMusic handsets in 30 days originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 23 Jan 2009 08:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Thursday, January 22, 2009

Second Bulb, Insects Beware!

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/yankodesign/~3/mSLXT6XPr40/

If you still have incandescent bulbs, then I will now beat you with a silly stick. Fortunately for you here’s one more way to get use out of those archaic bulbs. The Bulb Hugger is a thermally charged light that wraps around any incandescent. Whenever your incandescent turns off or if the power goes out, the secondary light automatically turns on for up to 5 hours. If you’ve got these bulbs outdoors, an upper ring containing insect repellent vaporizes from heat, keeping bugs away.

Designer: Arpan Maiti

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LogMeIn App Allows Remote Access of Your PC or Mac via the iPhone or iPod Touch [IPhone]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/s9sqNQ52btE/logmein-app-allows-remote-access-of-your-pc-or-mac-via-the-iphone-or-ipod-touch

LogMeIn has taken their awesome remote access desktop app and ported it to the iPhone and iPod Touch—allowing one click control of your PC or Mac from anywhere.

The guys at TUAW gave the LogMeIn Ignition app a thorough test and discovered that it was stable and worked exceedingly well on Wi-Fi and 3G. You can even use EDGE in a pinch. And it was a lot easier to configure than other free or low priced VNC solutions. However, there is one very big downside. The $30 price tag makes it one of the more expensive apps in the store—a small price to pay for support pros that could make use of the anytime, anywhere access, but probably a bit pricey for the casual user. [LogMeIn and TUAW]



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Win 7 Tip: Gadgets Are Integrated Directly onto the Desktop, But Are Slightly Buggy [Windows 7]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/PFMbkoz2jrI/win-7-tip-gadgets-are-integrated-directly-onto-the-desktop-but-are-slightly-buggy

Windows 7 has eliminated the Windows Sidebar and instead has placed gadgets (widgets) directly onto the desktop. They've also gotten rid of the Notes gadget and replaced it with a program called Sticky Notes. Updated.


Getting rid of Windows Sidebar has actually made using the gadgets less cumbersome than it was to use in Vista. Previously in Vista, the Show Desktop function would minimize the Sidebar program, so you wouldn't be able to see your gadgets. In addition, memory dumps and program crashes in Sidebar prevented you from using your gadgets completely.

Accessing the gadgets in Window 7 may seem like a mystery at first, until you right-click the desktop. In the drop-down menu, you should see "Gadgets," or as an alternative, you can access them in the Control Panel. In the beta, eight default gadgets come installed: Calendar, Clock, CPU Meter, Currency, Feed Headlines, Media Center, Picture Puzzle, Slide Show, Stocks and Weather. There hasn't been any major overhaul to the gadgets that come preloaded with Windows 7 themselves—they are just as customizable and function exactly the same as if they were in Vista. Not surprisingly, I had no trouble installing any gadget made for Vista from Microsoft's collection online.


Notes gadget is not installed by default—I was surprised to find it missing, but instead I found a program called Sticky Notes that is apparently intended to replace it. Accessible from the Start Menu under Accessories, the Sticky Notes will actually resize to its contents unlike the Vista gadget. It's an overall improvement, but the notes lack! the abi lity to customize your font and the ability to change the opacity. But it does bring Windows 7 up to OS X's Stickies in desktop-level sticky note functionality.

Even though the Windows 7 beta seems stable for the most part, there are a few quirks here and there and gadgets are no exception. The gadgets seem to be incompatible with certain User Account Control (UAC) settings. I didn't notice it until I turned my UAC settings completely off to do something and my gadgets disappeared. I turned them back on (and voila!) my gadgets came back. Seeing how UAC settings now seem to be directly involved with Administrator status (more to come on this), it's annoying to constantly reboot if you want your gadgets. Hopefully, Microsoft will fix this bug in the final release.

Update: Commenter Gank pointed out a solution to the gadget/UAC bug here (thanks Gank!). Also, Sticky Notes is apparently not a new feature, but a carryover from previous editions of Windows. That doesn't change the fact that the Notes gadget is still gone. Also, if you have a computer with any type of pen input, you can "ink" straight onto the notes as well (thanks Anthony!).

View our other Windows 7 tips and our continuing coverage here.



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How Illegal Satellite Combated the Censorship of Obama's Speech in China [China]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/woyF8MqcrDI/how-illegal-satellite-combated-the-censorship-of-obamas-speech-in-china

While Americans had millions of ways to watch Obama's inauguration speech, here in China, I'm giving thanks for my one: gray-market Filipino satellite. Without it, I would've missed anything past where Obama muttered "communists."

Right now, satellite television is still technically illegal in China, thanks to a 1993 regulation that said only hotels, media outlets and apartment buildings that are specifically for foreigners are allowed to use satellite dishes. Because of that, there's no China-branded satellite company and most TVs come with just the smattering of local regional Chinese channels and, of course, the CCTV.

There's a way around it though. A gray market has popped up in most cities to provide satellite cable services – including cable boxes and regularly updated encryption cards – for anyone willing to pay. Roughly $300 a year will get you channels like BBC World and CNN, HBO and (my personal favorite) the Discovery Channel.

The cards catch satellite signals from the Philippines, which are usually good at not crapping out and give you the added bonus of occasionally glimpsing a crazy mirror world of good ol' American pop culture. Did you know the Philippines had a Project Runway of their own called... Project Runway Philippines?

But I digress. Illegal Filipino satellite equipment saved me from what local Chinese had to watch: The CCTV's live (up until a certain moment) broadcast of the President's inauguration address.

Oh crap! Did he just say "fascism and communism"?! CUT CUT CUT. Um... so, person translating the broadcast... uh... what kind of problems do you think Obama will be facing with regards to the U.S. economy?

The rest of the address was only broadcast later in government-approved snippets.

I suppose I should also take time to be thankful that I speak English, sin! ce trans lations of his speech also had offending parts edited out.



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Early Windows Mobile 6.5 Leak Hints at New Interface, Zune Integration [Windows Mobile]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/mllBPERKmEI/early-windows-mobile-65-leak-hints-at-new-interface-zune-integration

One of the obsessives at the XDA Developer forum has an early build of the OS for the old HTC Blue Angel handset. There's not a whole lot to see yet, but here's what matters:

These observations are taken from a video, viewable here.

  • There is a new interface! Sort of! The typical 6.1 home screen is still present at times, but there appears to be an alternate, Zune-like menu too. It's glitchy for the time being, but it looks like a step in the right direction, and like it runs significantly more smoothly than many of the third-party interface layers out there (Yeah, I'm talking about you, TouchFlo 3d). There are also a few new element skins—namely a new dialer, finally. The keyboard doesn't get shown off, but I'd assume that'll be changed too.
  • Zune integration is here, in a way. The aforementioned new menu doesn't just look and feel like the clean Zune UI we're all so used to, it contains icons for media playback at the bottom, including music and photos. Both had image previews in their entries, and there were specific music functions built into the first layer of menus. In other words, the default user interface for Windows Mobile will be usable as a media player.
  • Intertial scrolling is everywhere now. This might seem minor, but the psychological impact of smooth interface movements is huge. Grids of icons can now be thrown around, as can the contact list and web browser (though we saw this in the Mobile IE6 emulator).

  • There are a few other new, minor features seen in the video, but it's unclear which of them belong to Microsoft, which to HTC and which to random third parties (this is XDA, after all). And as I said before, this is probably ! a very e arly build and not totally representative of the final product. However, if these few improvements are anything to go by, the user experience will be markedly improved for users of WinMo 6.5, especially on touchscreen handsets. [WMPoweruser via Phonemag via SlashPhone]



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DVR Remote Is Another, Better Way to Control TiVo With Your iPhone [Software]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/FLnHdXQ-d2M/dvr-remote-is-another-better-way-to-control-tivo-with-your-iphone

Not long after we saw the App Store's first TiVo remote for the iPhone, we see its second, DVR Remote.

DVR Remote uses Wi-Fi to connect to TiVos on your network with a one-button command. I've tried out the $3 program, and even though it's $2 more than its competitor (which has recently been renamed RemoteT), it also feels far more polished with nicer graphics, instantaneous TiVo syncing and handy-looking Now Playing list that I couldn't spot in my build.

The iPhone isn't quite our ultimate universal remote, but with enough specific apps it could certainly get us a bit closer to the dream. [DVR Remote (iTunes Link)]



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Obama sported bulletproof suit for inaugural proceedings?

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/21/obama-sported-bulletproof-suit-for-inaugural-proceedings/


Apparently, the Photosynth glitching and iPhone-like GPS blip on CNN weren't the only high tech actions in play at President Obama's inauguration yesterday. According to one of our favorite daily reads, Officer.com, the Prez was wearing "bullet-resistant clothing," which experts (and sci-fi fanatics) are taking to mean a bullet-proof suit. The folks over at Slate speculate that he might have been adorned in an outfit manufactured by MIguel Caballero, a Colombian company that specializes in bullet-resistant gear like leather jackets, windbreakers, and yes... ruffled tuxedo shirts. We'd like to imagine that stuffed into the pocket of that handsome outfit he was sporting was a Kevlar handkerchief -- but listen up Obama: Sasha and Malia are not going to be down with that bulletproof backpack.

Update: VBS.tv went down to Colombia and actually tested out Caballero's wares -- check out a video after the break.

[Via Wired]

Continue reading Obama sported bulletproof suit for inaugural proceedings?

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Obama sported bulletproof suit for inaugural proceedings? originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Jan 2009 10:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dell Adamo to hit the streets in the second half of 2009?

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/21/dell-adamo-to-hit-the-streets-in-the-second-half-of-2009/

If the "reliable source" that spoke to Digitimes is, well, reliable, it looks like Foxconn has landed the Dell Adamo gig. According to the article, the sleek and stylish device is in sample production as we speak, but won't enter volume production until the second half of 2009 -- to the tune of about 400,000 units. Of course, this flies in the face of Dell's statement at the CES unveil, where a company spokesperson said that the thing would be out in the first half of this year -- and that's not the only contradiction here, as Foxconn's Edmund Ding has stated that "he has no idea what the hell anybody is talking about." (OK, so we paraphrased that last bit).

[Via Electronista]

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Dell Adamo to hit the streets in the second half of 2009? originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Jan 2009 11:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Corsair joins SSD party with 2.5-inch 128GB drive

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/21/corsair-joins-ssd-party-with-2-5-inch-128gb-drive/

Corsair is entering the solid-state market with a 2.5-inch 128GB SSD. The MLC NAND-based drive boasts rather moderate 90MB/sec read and 70MB/sec write speeds. At £326 / $449, it's priced on par with OCZ's offerings, but you're still paying a hefty premium to say goodbye to hard disks. No word yet on availability. The company promises more SSDs are in the pipeline.

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Corsair joins SSD party with 2.5-inch 128GB drive originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Jan 2009 12:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple records another record quarter -- $1.61B profit

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/21/apple-records-another-record-quarter-1-61b-profit/

Apple just announced its quarterly results, and it looks the brutal economy isn't bruising the fruit at all -- the company posted a record $1.61B profit on $10.17B in revenue. Adjusted to reflect the subscription accounting Apple uses for the iPhone and Apple TV, that's $2.3B of income on $11.8B of revenue. Sales were all strong -- Macs were up nine percent to 2.5M sold, iPods up three percent to 22.7M sold, and iPhones were up 88 percent to 4.3M sold. If you're keeping track, that means Apple's now sold well over 10M iPhone 3Gs on top of beating its goal of 10M total iPhones in 2008, which is pretty tremendous. Acting CEO Tim Cook and CFO Peter Oppenheimer are taking questions from analysts now, we'll let you know if anything interesting happens -- as you'd expect, the first question was "How's Steve?" and it got basically a non-answer.

2:18PM - After rattling off Apple's core goals and beliefs, Tim Cook said that "regardless of who is in what job, those values are so embedded in this company that Apple will do extremely well." Neither him or Peter would speak to succession plans or comment on Steve's health.

Continue reading Apple records another record quarter -- $1.61B profit

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Apple records another record quarter -- $1.61B profit originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Jan 2009 17:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Intel readying 320GB SSDs?

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/21/intel-readying-320gb-ssds/

Hot on the heels of the news that Intel's shutting down a big old manufacturing facility in the Philippines, we get a little unrelated ray of sunshine out of the company. We're hearing they'll apparently debut some new, 320GB solid states this fall, about doubling the capacity of its current models. None of this has been confirmed by Intel, of course, but the reports are that the company is telling PC manufacturers to expect them. That's all we've got on it for now but we'll let you know when something more concrete appears, okay?

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Intel readying 320GB SSDs? originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Jan 2009 19:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Huawei bringing Android smartphone to next month's MWC

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/21/huawei-bringing-android-smartphone-to-next-months-mwc/

We already knew Huawei's gearing up to enter the Android smartphone market -- at least in Australia -- and now the company has confirmed plans to show its first device at February's Mobile World Congress. Unfortunately we don't know much else at the moment, but we expect to shed some more light on this next month. Additionally, the company says it'll be showing the world's smallest modem, the world's first commercial HSPA+ Stick, and a new digital photo display, among other surprises. We're hoping those known unknowns turn out to be more Android phones, but something tells us they wouldn't be so coy with that.

[Via Phonescoop]

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Huawei bringing Android smartphone to next month's MWC originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Jan 2009 23:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Specs for HP's Mini 1100 pop up, ExpressCard/54 slot is a go

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/22/specs-for-hps-mini-1100-pop-up-expresscard-54-slot-is-a-go/


Looks like HP's web monkeys are filling in the product pages for those unannounced Mini 1100s we spotted earlier -- spec pages for the 1133CL, 1135NR, 1140NR and 1141NR have been posted, and those rumors of an ExpressCard/54 slot are apparently true. It sounds like the 1141NR is the Vivienne Tam edition -- it comes with a "Vivienne Tam sleeve" -- but apart from that and Bluetooth in the 1135NR and 1140NR, they've all got the same 10.1-inch 1024 x 576 display, 1.6GHz Atom N270, 1GB RAM, 60GB drive, and three-cell battery. No idea why HP's got so many different confusing model numbers for what seems like the exact same product, but we're guessing we'll find out more soon -- hopefully there's a bit more sense behind this silliness than with the Eee alphabet soup.

[Thanks, Ricardo]

Read - 1133CL
Read - 1135NR
Read - 1140NR
Read - 1141NR

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Specs for HP's Mini 1100 pop up, ExpressCard/54 slot is a go originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 22 Jan 2009 00:29:00 EST. Please see our te rms for use of feeds.

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Adapt MPJ-101 pico projector: tiny, cute, available

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/22/adapt-mpj-101-pico-projector-tiny-cute-available/


Go ahead, you can admit it: you're really, really into picos -- the best of us are. Adapt's update to its pocket projector, the MPJ-101 -- which is nearly identical to the previous model -- shouldn't fill us with joy, but it does. This little (125 x 55 x 23 mm) monster's got 1GB of built in memory, an SD slot, and two .5 watt speakers. It projects up to 10 lumens of brightness at a resolution of 640×480 from around 6 to 50 feet. All this excitement doesn't come cheap, though -- expect to shell out about a thousand bucks for this teeny bundle of joy. Oh boy.

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Adapt MPJ-101 pico projector: tiny, cute, available originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 22 Jan 2009 06:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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boxee mulls production of its own set-top-box

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/22/boxee-mulls-production-of-its-own-set-top-box/


boxee took full advantage of its space at CES this year, and according to a recent post on its blog, it fielded quite a few inquiries from other companies about crafting a boxee-branded set-top-box. Currently, the only way to get boxee running is to install it on your TV-connected PC or inelegantly onto an Apple TV. A number of companies approached boxee asking for its thoughts on embedding the application into "existing or future products," so the cats at boxee are coming right out and soliciting your opinion on the matter. boxee does caution that getting it baked into a device would take "a long time," but it certainly seems like that ball is rolling. So, what say you? Would you snap one up? Or would you balk at the notion of adding yet another STB underneath your television?

[Thanks, cros13]

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boxee mulls production of its own set-top-box originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 22 Jan 2009 08:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Sanyo's collection of new "dual cameras" handled, critiqued

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/22/video-sanyos-collection-of-new-dual-cameras-handled-critiqu/

Video: Sanyo's collection of
Sanyo announced a plethora of "dual camera" models (camcorders with still capture aspirations) just yesterday, and Geek.com's Chris Gampat was lucky enough to get a little hands on time with the lot, choosing three favorites: the VPC-FH1, VPC-HD2000, and VPC-WH1. The first two are similar in terms of specs, both capturing 1080p video at 60fps and 8 megapixel stills at 12fps through a 10x optical zoom. They differ only in form factor, the VPC-FH1 offering a traditional style and the VPC-HD2000 coming with a pistol grip. Then there's the more daring VPCP-WH1, waterproof down to 10 feet and coming in a "look at me, sailor" yellow, but only shooting 720p video at 30fps and 2 megapixel stills. However, its 30x optical zoom is perfect for spotting Piping Plovers, and the 3.5 hour battery life means this thing can probably survive longer underwater than you. Videos of these three are below, and surely one them fits your lifestyle, so make a little room this spring, won't you?

Read - Hands-on: Sanyo VPC-FH1 and VPC-HD2000
Read - Hands-on: Sanyo VPC-WH1 waterproof camcorder

Continue reading Video: Sanyo's collection of new "dual cameras" handled, critiqued

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Video: Sanyo's collection of new "dual cameras" handled, critiqued originally a! ppeared on Engadget on Thu, 22 Jan 2009 08:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HTC debuts new Touch Cruise phone with 'Footprints' geotagging

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/22/htc-debuts-new-touch-cruise-phone-with-footprints-geotagging/


HTC's got an all-new version of its GPS-centric Touch Cruise handset, with a thinner, slicker design and a new HTC Footprints app for integrating that location data with photos and notes. Of course, the phone doubles as a traditional in-car navigation system, cradle included, with GPS and a-GPS, but there's plenty else to love here, including quad band GSM, WiFi, Bluetooth 2.0+EDR, a microSD slot and a 3.2 megapixel camera. The 2.8-inch QVGA screen betrays this phone's consumer-bent, but the truly notable functionality here is actually in the software: HTC Footprints takes geotagging a step further, allowing to to take notes and audio clips and embed them in a "postcard" of sorts, all still tied to that GPS location data -- the cards are even auto-named by their location. Footprints also works outdoors and indoors, which isn't quite explained, but we're guessing it just remembers where you were when you lost a signal. There's a world-friendly WCDMA / HSPA 900 / 2100MHz version, of course, but us North Americans will be getting the 850 / 1900MHz flavor as a unlocked handset for $500 to $600 in Q2. Check out the read links below for the full PR and some early hands-ons, and there's video after the break.

[Via Phone Scoop; thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Read - HTC PR
Read - Touch Cruise hands-on (in Russian)
Read - Touch Cruise hands-on (in English)

Continue reading HTC debuts new Touch Cruise phone with 'Footprints' geotagging

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HTC debuts new Touch Cruise phone with 'Footprints' geotagging originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 22 Jan 2009 09:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wednesday, January 21, 2009

ikea hotels



  1. Positive Fanatics - The Unofficial IKEA Web Journal

    IKEA Hotels coming? March 21st, 2006. Goto comments Leave a comment. Dft. " Golden Tulip Hospitality Group and Inter IKEA Systems Holding B.V. initiate the ...
    www.positivefanatics.com/2006/03/ikea_hotel.html - 41k - Cached - Similar pages - 

  2. Ikea opens instore hostel in Norway | Travel | guardian.co.uk

    Jul 13, 2007 ... Mr Ullebust said that, as far as he knew, this was Ikea's first foray into thehotel business. Every night, the 30 lucky few will be able to ...
    www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2007/jul/13/travelnews.norway - 85k - Cached - Similar pages - 

  3. London: B&B Belgravia - Traveler Reviews - Ikea hotel - TripAdvisor

    B&B Belgravia: Ikea hotel - See 120 traveler reviews, 35 candid photos, and great deals for B&B Belgravia, London, England, at TripAdvisor.
    www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g186338-d253921-r3638728-B_B_Belgravia-London_England.html - 88k - Cached - Similar pages - 

  4. COMPANY NEWS; Ikea Joins Venture To Build Hotels - New York Times

     - 3:49pm
    Allegiance Capital N.A., headed by the hotel developer Jonathan Myette, and the Swedish furniture retailer Ikea A.B. are beginning a joint venture to build ...
    query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CEEDD163BF934A15752C1A966958260 - 39k -Cached - Similar pages - 

  5. Dr. Augustine Fou's Online Scrapbook: Experiential Marketing ...

     - 3:48pm
    IKEA hotels. Given the commoditized status and lack of differentiation of ... In summary, both the hotel and IKEA achieve "experiential marketing" which ...
    www.augustinefou.com/2007/08/experiential-marketing-ikea-hotels.html - 146k -Cached - Similar pages - 

  6. Pittsburgh Shopping Hotel & Pittsburgh IKEA Hotel in Pittsburgh, PA

    Discover the ultimate Pittsburgh shopping hotel positioned as the top Pittsburgh IKEA hotelin Pittsburgh, PA.



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