Panasonic and Sumitomo see eye to eye in this OLED game, big screens due in 2010

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/08/panasonic-and-sumitomo-see-eye-to-eye-in-this-oled-game-big-scr/

Ready with the proper retort to all those rumors, false starts and misquotations, the Nikkei is reporting that Panasonic and Sumitomo are zeroed in and have the tunnel vision to deliver the 40-inch plus OLED HDTVs we've been waiting for within fiscal 2010. Once organic electroluminescent product is flooding the streets, the plan is apparently to cut the power requirements of the bright, slim displays to less than a third of current LCDs by 2015, right around the time Samsung thinks this tech will be ready for the mainstream, anyone else care to make a prediction? (Registration req'd on read link)

[Via Reuters & OLED-Info]

Filed under: HDTV, Home Entertainment

Panasonic and Sumitomo see eye to eye in this OLED game, big screens due in 2010 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 08 May 2009 04:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Samsung's Alias 2 dynamic E-Ink keypad in action

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/08/video-samsung-alias-2-dynamic-e-ink-keypad-in-action/

JenJen, a forum jockey over at HowardForums, was lucky enough to coax a Verizon sales rep into selling her Samsung's new Alias 2 a few days early. Fortunately she did as any of us would and posted a video of her fresh out of box experience to YouTube. While this featurephone isn't much of a looker, it's nice to finally see the dynamically changing E Ink keypad in action. Check it after the break.

[Thanks, Mike M.]

Continue reading Video: Samsung's Alias 2 dynamic E-Ink keypad in action

Filed under: Cellphones

Video: Samsung's Alias 2 dynamic E-Ink keypad in action originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 08 May 2009 04:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bargain hunters make Vizio LCDs most popular in US -- for now

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/08/bargain-hunters-make-vizio-lcds-most-popular-in-us-for-now/

In these difficult times people are looking to buy what's cheap, a state of mind that Vizio's iSuppli's latest press release isn't ashamed to apply, lauding the company's status as the current most popular brand of LCD television in these United States. It owned a 21.6 percent chunk of the US LCD TV market in the first quarter, up from 13.8 in the quarter before and beat out Samsung to be king of the liquid crystal hill -- largely thanks to prices that were, on average, between $150 and $400 lower than the competition. Kudos to the brand and we hope that it enjoys this moment, because with imports of new sets banned out on bond it must be tough paying an extra $2.50 on each one coming through Customs. Full press release after the break.

Update: To be clear: this is actually a press release issued by iSupply talking about Vizio, not by Vizio.

Continue reading Bargain hunters make Vizio LCDs most popular in US -- for now

Filed under: Displays, HDTV

Bargain hunters make Vizio LCDs most popular in US -- for now originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 08 May 2009 07:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung announces 70 Series HD monitors and TV

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/08/samsung-announces-70-series-hd-monitors-and-tv/

We've seen plenty of Samsung LED HDTVs get pricing and availability in the last week or so, but that doesn't mean the party stops there. If you're in the market for a display for your PC, both the P2370 (23-inch) and P2070 (20-inch) sport a 50,000:1 contrast ratio and 2ms video response time. While the latter is definitely the runt of the litter, at 1600 x 900 screen res, the former rocks full HD (1920 x 1080) resolution. And if that weren't enough, the P2370HD adds an HDTV tuner, integrated speakers with SRS TruSurround, and both HDMI and component inputs to its hi-def cousin for something as at home in the rec room as it is in the office. Did we fire up your imagination? Thought so. No price or date yet, but we do have some tasty PR for you after the break.

Continue reading Samsung announces 70 Series HD monitors and TV

Filed under: Displays

Samsung announces 70 Series HD monitors and TV originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 08 May 2009 10:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Elgato Video Capture allows Macs to record analog video

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/08/elgato-video-capture-allows-macs-to-record-analog-video/

Sure, the MPAA won't be happy that you're not just videotaping your TV, but the Mac users out there still looking for some real-time SD recording action might want to check out Elgato's Video Capture box. Nothing too fancy here, just RCA / S-Video / SCART input and some software to trim clips and export to H.264 and MPEG-4, but it could be just the ticket if you've got a stack of VHS tapes or something. Out in Europe now for €100 ($134), we'll let you know when it comes Stateside.

[Via Electronista]

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Elgato Video Capture allows Macs to record analog video originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 08 May 2009 11:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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T-Mobile G1 revision revealed?

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/08/t-mobile-g1-revision-revealed/

If this looks vaguely familiar, that's because it likely is -- we suspect this image out of Boy Genius Report is a newer (or older) render of the "G1 v2" called out on the recently-leaked Android roadmap out of T-Mobile. It'd make sense -- by October, when this is allegedly hitting retail for $150-ish, the G1 will be getting long in the tooth. What's more, this sucker's clearly running Android, and it's a whole hell of a lot better-looking. More on this as it develops, of course, but in the meantime, that myTouch is looking just a bit less appealing, isn't it?

Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds

T-Mobile G1 revision revealed? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 08 May 2009 13:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ASUS Eee PC 1008HA Seashell unboxed, deemed the slimmest, sexiest model yet

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/08/asus-eee-pc-1008ha-seashell-unboxed-deemed-the-slimmest-sexies/

We've seen a lot of ASUS' Eee PC 1008HA Seashell in recent days, and now the thin little fella's been unboxed for all to admire. If the details have already slipped your mind, recall that the Seashell boasts a 1.6GHz processor, a 160GB hard disk, and GMA graphics. The glossy, tapered edges of the 10-incher are looking pretty fine if you ask us, furthering our opinion that the 1008HA is a stylish piece of work. The newest addition to the Eee PC family will be available as of May 15th in the UK for £379 (about $565). One more shot after the break, and hit the read link for the whole, glorious set.

Continue reading ASUS Eee PC 1008HA Seashell unboxed, deemed the slimmest, sexiest model yet

Filed under: Laptops

ASUS Eee PC 1008HA Seashell unboxed, deemed the slimmest, sexiest model yet originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 08 May 2009 14:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NASA's new virtual tours of the Space Station and new Mars Rover exactly approximate the sensation of not being in space

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/08/nasas-new-virtual-tours-of-the-space-station-and-new-mars-rover/

NASA's grabbed Microsoft's fancy Photosynth software once again to build virtual tours of the International Space Station and a full-scale model of NASA's Mars Science Laboratory rover. The interface lets you dive through endless, 3D-oriented photographs of the station's modules, both inside and out, and gives a really good impression of the size and complexity of the lab-on-wheels NASA is prepping for a 2011 mission to Mars. It's not like being there, but it's a good way to kill a lazy Saturday morning.

[Via PhysOrg]

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets, Robots

NASA's new virtual tours of the Space Station and new Mars Rover exactly approximate the sensation of not being in space originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 08 May 2009 21:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Xerox's ColorQube Promises Cheap Color Printing With Solid Ink [Printers]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/DVeD4NmZ3iw/xeroxs-colorqube-promises-cheap-color-printing-with-solid-ink

Xerox's new ColorQube printer promises to revolutionize the pricey color-printing game using a waxy ink that can reduce the cost per page by as much as 62%.

Like traditional multi-function printers, the ColorQube can print, copy, scan and fax—it can also be networked by several dozen people in an office. However, it's the crayon-esque ink that's the real star of the show. The ink is melted and sprayed onto a spinning drum which deposits the ink onto the page.

The goal here is to try to break the price barrier and get more customers to use color," said Ursula Burns, Xerox's president. "We're trying to replace a lot of black-and-white machines." Ms. Burns said that only 15% of the 2.25 trillion pages printed in offices world-wide last year were in color.

Sounds great, but the machine costs $20,000 ( Oooh...that's how they get you. Bastards). Still, serious office laser printers are not cheap to begin with—and this technology could mean big cost savings over time. [WSJ via BBG]

Samsung Alias 2 and Motorola Rival a445 appear in the wild

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/07/samsung-alias-2-and-motorola-rival-a445-appear-in-the-wild/

Got enough electronic ink yet this week? Hope not, cause here's the Samsung Alias 2 in the wild, complete with that segmented E Ink keypad. Apparently mode changes happen smoothly and quickly, so our usability fears now just boil down to feel -- those buttons do not look fun to press. We'll see when it launches on May 11.

Oh, and teenyboppers on the V might want to check out the blurry pic of the Motorola Rival a445 / Rush 2 after the break -- it's not going to blow your mind, but we hear you're into the colorful QWERTY slider scene these days. You scamps.

Continue reading Samsung Alias 2 and Motorola Rival a445 appear in the wild

Filed under: Cellphones

Samsung Alias 2 and Motorola Rival a445 appear in the wild originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 May 2009 13:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Casio's 1,000 fps Exilim EX-FC100 unboxing

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/07/casios-1-000-fps-exilim-ex-fc100-unboxing/

Sometimes 30 frames per second is enough to catch your summer moments. Sometimes, though, you need to re-live things in super slow-mo, and for those times Casio's EX-FC100 should have you covered with its 1,000 fps capture mode. We've got one in-house for testing and we'll be posting up full impressions soon (along with some gratuitous footage of random high-speed hijinx), but for now check out some time-lapse photography of how this one escaped from its cardboard confines.

Gallery: Casio EX-FC100 Unboxing

Filed under: Digital Cameras

Casio's 1,000 fps Exilim EX-FC100 unboxing originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 May 2009 15:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BBC reveals stunning sample footage shot with TyphoonHD4 camera

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/07/bbc-reveals-stunning-sample-footage-shot-with-typhoonhd4-camera/

The BBC has already proven itself to be quite the source for some impressive HD images, but the network's Natural History Unit looks to have really outdone themselves for their forthcoming South Pacific documentary, which makes use of a modified, $100,000 TyphoonHD4 camera. Of course, those exact modifications appear to be a closely-kept secret, but it has apparently been outfitted with a special underwater housing designed by German high-speed camera expert Rudi Diesel, and the camera itself is able to shoot in high definition at 20 times the speed of a normal HD camera, which results in some pretty amazing super slow motion footage. You can get a taste of that after the break but, trust us, you'll want to head up the read link below to really get a sense of what this thing is capable of.

[Via SlashGear]

Continue reading BBC reveals stunning sample footage shot with TyphoonHD4 camera

Filed under: Digital Cameras, HDTV

BBC reveals stunning sample footage shot with TyphoonHD4 camera originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 May 2009 16:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ricoh CX1 Review: A Photographer's Compact Point and Shoot [Cameras]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com:80/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/B8nmc4vGVg4/ricoh-cx1-review-a-photographers-compact-point-and-shoot

Where most other camera companies are going for 720p video in their nicer point-and-shoots, Ricoh added more photo-centric features to the CX1: in-camera HDR, high-speed sequential shooting and razor-sharp macro. We've tested, and we like.

Granted, we also like shooting HD video with every possible thing we own, but it's nice to see some fairly unique photography-focused features pop up here and there, like in-camera high dynamic range shooting for more balanced exposure in unevenly lit scenes, to remind us that we can use our cameras to take photos too; that's exactly what Ricoh is going for, and even better, it's all packed into a nice minimalistic camera body that feels solid and light at the same time and has great style. I like the black one even better than the silver, but the black review unit we received had a faulty lens cover.

Specs:
• 1/2.3" CMOS Sensor, 9.29MP
• 28-200mm, f/3.3-f/5.2 optical zoom lens (7.1x)
• 1cm macro focusing distance
• 7fps continuous shooting, with 60fps and 120fps 1-second burst shooting modes
• "Dynamic Range Double Shot" mode for in-camera HDR, 12ev stops of coverage
• VGA movie mode
• ISO up to 1600

In-Camera High Dynamic Range
The major selling point of the CX1 is its ability to take two exposures of an unevenly lit scene and combine them into a single shot that more accurately captures what your human eye sees. We did a guide to doing the exact same thing with Photoshop, but the CX1 joins just a few othe! r camera s that do it automatically. And it works.

Granted, you can get much more dramatic results (and way more exposure lee-way) by dumping 7 RAW files into Photoshop, and it won't work perfectly in every situation (night shots don't show much effect), but it's a very cool feature to play around with. And keep in mind, this is HDR of the actually useful, exposure-enhancing variety—no clown vomit colors here.

Here's an example shot of Matt hard at work making Gizmodo blog sausage:

As you can see, the shot in HDR mode captures detail from out the window above Matt's head without greatly darkening the rest of the scene, like his face. HDR mode takes an additional second or so to capture and drops your shutter speed down a stop or two, but other than that, it's indistinguishable from regular shooting. Very nicely done.

Image Quality/Sensitiviy
Overall I found it to be very good—nice colors with a bit of the video-y color palette many other point-and-shoots have but nothing extreme. ISO sensitivity is not bad: ISO 800 is useable, but you'll want to stick to ISO 400 or below to keep the noise in check:

One thing that's awesome is the CX1's macro-mode, as is the case on lots of newer point-and-shoots. It focuses down to one centimeter, has a movable focus point (many macro modes get caught hunting if what you want in focus isn't right in the middle of the frame) and is razor sharp. Check out this clementine peel:

Shooting With the CX1
It's a pretty nice! experie nce, due in large part to the wide range of custom functions available. A "Function" button, one of four on the camera's back, can be assigned one of nine jobs, from locking exposure to bracketing to setting the macro focus point.

And in addition, four quick-access function buttons that pop up when you hit the main "OK" button can also be custom-defined to whatever you want for immediate access to exposure compensation, white balance, ISO, image size—10 possible options. Super-handy.

The 60fps and 120fps burst modes (limited to VGA resolution) are usable, but they're not as smoothly implemented as other parts of the camera. It's really hard to know exactly when recording starts, and the output is a practically useless .MPO file, which you have to open in Ricoh's software, split the MPO out into 120 JPEGs, then, if you want a movie, link them back together in something like Quicktime. That's what I did here; the results are nice (although limited to one second), but it's a pain in the ass since even VLC can't open these MPO files.

Conclusion
In-camera HDR is not a gimmick here—it's both usable and useful. Which is awesome. At $370, the CX1 is in the same price ballpark as most higher-end compacts, so your choice is basically HD video or the CX1's unique photo features. The CX1 implements the latter very nicely, in a classically sleek, compact metal body. It's not a huge surprise that tons of Japanese pros carry a Ricoh P+S in their pocket to supplement their DSLRs.

In-camera HDR works well and is handy

Super-sharp macro mode

Deeply customizable interface

Great-looking body

Decent ISO sensitivity

High-speed burst kind of sucks

No HD video capture

No RAW shooting or manual exposure controls

[Ricoh]

I'm Excited About These New "Not Like Your" Intel Ads []

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com:80/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/R7VEbeyF6EA/im-excited-about-these-new-not-like-your-intel-ads

Intel's lifestyle ads have been around forever, in fact, inspiring Apple's own marketing direction in the 80s. But everyone does this now, and so, they're changing things up after all these years.

The campaign has two major slogans: "our rock stars are not like your rock stars", or variations on the "not like your" theme and "sponsoring the future". The first is interesting, and played out like so:

It's true. What and who is important inside the geek world is not important to the mainstream, always. The portrayal of the geek as a hero does a few things, I imagine. It shows mainstream folks the fantasy of what exactly the geek world worships, in a context they can understand—that of the celebrity—even if they don't understand why its such a big deal. To the geeks, the video is clearly ridiculous, and the slogan lets the viewer know that the company is self aware of that fact. At the same time, the fantasy is brought to life that geeks are rock stars, in their own context, but here they get to taste the pop context, too.

The other slogan, "Sponsors of Tomorrow", is pushed nicely in this "our big ideas are not like your big ideas" video:

There's something about this video, humorous, and friendly, yet pointing out the oddity of the geek world, that reminds me of JJ Abrams' new Star Trek.

The videos, unfortunately do not feature the actual inventors. They said it was to avoid internal politics and fights over who would star, but I really just think geeks don't test that well on camera. Except Woz.

The campaign is Intel's most expensive, and they plan to run it three years, in so many variations, comparing the geek world to the real world equivalent! s, notin g their differences, but ultimately drawing parallels. It also is the first not to talk about Intel's products directly, preferring to let go of the idea that people can understand the technology inside as meaningful, moving towards general brand promotion. It's clever, and entertaining and I like these ads a lot, so far.

ASUS' Eee PC 1002HAE: a faster 1002HA dressed in Eluminum

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/07/asus-eee-pc-1002hae-a-faster-1002ha-dressed-in-eliminum/

When you think Eee PC, or netbooks in general, the usual image that comes to mind is thick slab of white plastic. That's certainly true of the Eee PC 1002HA. However, drop the letter "E" into the model number and you've got ASUS' new Eee PC 1002HAE dressed in a swank aluminum skin and 1.6GHz N280 processor within. While the rest of the specs remain unchanged -- 802.11b/g/n, 1GB of memory and 160GB disk, 1.3 megapixel webcam, memory card slot, 3.8-hour Li-Polymer battery, and 10-inch 1,024 x 600 pixel LED backlit display -- the new shell drops the weight from 1.45kg to 1.2kg for a savings of about half a pound. At the moment, this model is either Japanese-only or at least a Japanese-first (unusual for ASUS) with a May 16th launch for the tax inclusive price of ¥49,800 (about $506).

Gallery: ASUS' Eee PC 1002HAE: a faster 1002HA dressed in Eliminum

[Via Engadget Japanese]

Filed under: Laptops

ASUS' Eee PC 1002HAE: a faster 1002HA dressed in Eluminum originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 May 2009 02:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Shinoda's giant curved plasma weighs less than your father's first laptop

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/07/shinodas-giant-curved-plasma-weighs-less-than-your-fathers-fir/

We've been keeping an eye on Shinoda Plasma's curved PTA (plasma tube array) technology since 2007. What started as a single 43-inch prototype grew to 125-inches in 2008. Now, Shinoda is showing off a 145-inch diagonal prototype consisting of six PTA panels stitched together in a 2-meter x 3-meter matrix. The 960 x 720 pixel resolution might not impress you until you consider the weight: just 7.2-kg (15.8-pounds) thanks to the slim PTA panels measuring just 1-mm thick. Impressive compared to 108-inch LCDs that weigh in at 196-kg (430-pounds) and the original Osborne 1 "laptop" that weighed 24.5-pounds. With any luck, these giant displays will be commercialized for signage so we can all simulate crushing motions with two hands.

Filed under: Displays

Shinoda's giant curved plasma weighs less than your father's first laptop originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 May 2009 03:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dell's $299 Mini 10v netbook spotted, SSD options added

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/07/dells-299-mini-10v-netbook-spotted-ssd-options-added/

Looks like the first iteration of the Mini 10 evolution is getting ready for retail. The Mini 10v (aka, "Bear" or model 1011) has just made it's first appearance in Dell's May catalog with "mid-May" anticipated availability. The 10v swaps out the Z-series Atom for the netbook standard N270 while remaining true to its 120GB disk, 1GB memory, XP, and 1.3 megapixel webcam origins. The big news here is price: the Mini 10v costs $100 less than the base Mini 10. Also spotted on Dell's retail site are new 32GB or 64GB SSD options for the current Mini 10 for an extra $75 or $125, respectively. Sorry kids, no Android option yet (which might not be a bad thing). SSD screengrab after the break.

[Thanks, Willy N.]

Update: The Mini 10 can now be ordered with Ubuntu, hooray!

Read -- Mini 10v [see last page, Warning: PDF]
Read -- SSD [click Hard Drive view]

Continue reading Dell's $299 Mini 10v netbook spotted, SSD options added

Filed under: Laptops

Dell's $299 Mini 10v netbook spotted, SSD options added originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 May 2009! 06:22:0 0 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ASUS Eee Box 206 reviewed; has HDMI but can't handle high-def

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/07/asus-eee-box-206-reviewed-has-hdmi-but-cant-handle-high-def/

Despite earlier claims to the contrary, it looks like the new ASUS Eee Box, the B206, isn't quite the high-def powerhouse it was intended to be. According to Register Hardware's review, the poor little thing had a real hard time playing even 720p video, only managing to render every frame when video was played back in DirectX Video Acceleration-capable players. That rules out many popular choices like QuickTime and VLC, and you can forget about 1080p entirely. Benchmark scores were low, as you'd expect given the standard 1.6GHz Atom N270 internals and 1GB of memory, leaving it best suited for casual web surfing and SD video playback -- and making it seem like not much of an upgrade over its predecessor.

Filed under: Desktops, Media PCs

ASUS Eee Box 206 reviewed; has HDMI but can't handle high-def originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 May 2009 08:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Verizon debuts MiFi 2200 portable EV-DO router

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/06/verizon-debuts-mifi-2200-portable-ev-do-router/

It was hardly a secret 'round these parts, but Verizon Wireless is finally ready to confess to that MiFi 2200 Intelligent Mobile Hotspot we've heard so much about. Like the Novatel unit it's based on, the device harbors 802.11b/g and EV-DO Rev. A radios, and can share a 3G Verizon connection with up to five different WiFi devices simultaneously. Battery life is pegged at four hours of active use, and 40 hours of standby on a single charge. Data plans include a $40 monthly subscription for 250MB and 10 cents per MB overages, or $60 for 5GB and half the overages price. If you want to forgo the subscription and pay full-price for the MiFi, you can pick up a 24 hour "DayPass" for $15 -- any way you slice it, you'll be paying good money for the privilege of using the thing. The MiFi 2200 itself hits stores May 17th, and will run you $100 after a $50 rebate.

Filed under: Wireless, Networking

Verizon debuts MiFi 2200 portable EV-DO router originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 06 May 2009 18:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mvix Nubbin Is the World's Smallest Wireless-N Adapter...And It's Cheap [Wi-Fi]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/YoBspwi5KZE/mvix-nubbin-is-the-worlds-smallest-wireless+n-adapterand-its-cheap

The Mvix Nubbin protrudes less than 2cm from your computer as it adds 802.1n Wi-Fi to your computer, making it the world's smallest Wireless-N adapter. It's also competitively priced at $40.

Compatible with PCs and Macs, the Mvix Nubbin can be used on 802.1b/g/n networks despite its stature of just 3/4 of an inch. I'm ever so skeptical about the Nubbin's ability to ferret a weak signal compared to its larger brethren, but I'll give the little guy the benefit of the doubt while adding that it ships tomorrow from retailers around the web. [Mvix]

LG's WirelessHD LH80 LCD TVs released in Korea

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/06/lgs-wirelesshd-lh80-lcd-tvs-released-in-korea/

With its 2009 LED-backlit LH90 LCDs already announced, LG has decided its LH80 line should be next up, its first of many -- following Panasonic's lead -- packing a Wireless HD media box to stream any HDMI, USB, or OTA content to the TV. Available in Korea is just this 55-inch model for about 5.1 million South Korean won ($4,008) but you can check out our CES '09 Wireless HD demo for a better look at the box and display while we wait for its LH85 branded U.S. cousin to make an appearance later on this year.

Filed under: Displays, HDTV, Home Entertainment

LG's WirelessHD LH80 LCD TVs released in Korea originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 06 May 2009 13:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Virgin Media testing DOCSIS 3.0 to new limits with 200Mbps, 3D and 1080p

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/06/virgin-media-testing-docsis-3-0-to-new-limits-with-200mbps-3d-a/

Forget 101Mbps Internet service or even the 160Mbps available in on J:COM in Japan, Virgin Media is about to put a lucky few of its slick new modems to real work, testing 200Mbps internet, "full HD" broadband content (we take that to mean 1080p) and 3D. All delivered via DOCSIS 3.0, the downside is that at least for the next six months this pilot project will be extended only to about 100 "lead adopters" around Ashford, Kent for testing. We've heard all we need to get packed for a move, how about you?

[Via Hexus]

Filed under: HDTV, Networking

Virgin Media testing DOCSIS 3.0 to new limits with 200Mbps, 3D and 1080p originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 06 May 2009 14:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Just How Big is the Enterprise's Viewscreen? [Space]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/hwdBi5F8nzU/just-how-big-is-the-enterprises-viewscreen

I woke up at 3AM last night with my mind racing. The extremely important question that woke me up? How big is the Enterprise's viewscreen? So I decided to do the math.

First off, it depends on which Enterprise you're talking about. The original Enterprise of the '60s, which I've been watching Season 1 of on Blu-ray (quite a good restoration, btw), had what seemed like a tiny ass screen when compared to the IMAX-like experience of the new movie Enterprise. But it's not actually that small.

Using the combined knowledge of the Star Fleet Technical Manual and some screenshots of the episodes, I was able to determine that the screen is a 136-inch display with a 1.73:1 aspect ratio. That's actually smaller than the retina-searing 150-inch Panasonic plasma that we played with before. Yes, Adam Frucci and various captains of industry that have way too much money have viewed things in their own home on a larger display than a captain of a STARSHIP.

But Picard isn't going to be showed up by 21st century technology. His glorious Enterprise D has a 212-inch screen with a 1.92:1 aspect ratio, which is big enough for Riker to jam chairs through while Picard's off in a fantasy land with Whoopi Goldberg. Nice job, Riker.

Not only is this screen gigantic, it supposedly displays stuff in three-dimensions, shifting views or something so Jean-Lu! c can pu t a face to Troi's feelings of "he's hiding something". The Star Trek Wiki explains thusly:

While it is a subtle effect, the viewscreen seen throughout Star Trek: The Next Generation clearly displayed 3-D images. This effect was created in some scenes by providing multiple angles on the viewer, with the image on screen displayed at a corresponding angle, rather than a flat, single angle shot.

But what about the newest technology? What have we learned from years of actual consumer electronics development that the tech-consultants on the movie set could incorporate into the latest iteration of the Enterprise? "Bigger is better."

The display on new-Kirk's ship looks massive, but only because it's so wide. If you're measuring the screen diagonally in display-talk, it's around 326-inches, which is larger in absolute terms than even Picard's screen. It also has a 3.25:1 display ratio, making it wider than most film ratios. But if you're talking pure width, it measures about 26 feet across. Quite impressive.

If they ever do remake TNG, I suspect that the viewscreen will wrap entirely around the side of the bridge all the way to the back where neo-Worf and neo-Geordi will be able to see what's going on behind the Enterprise. It's easier to turn your head to see a display than to tell someone to press a button to change the view.

So yes, this is our dream for when we go into space. Not only will we be able to be in space, we'll have really, really big screens to watch stuff on.

ZyXEL's DMA-2500 streams in 1080p content from your network

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/06/zyxels-dma-2500-streams-in-1080p-content-from-your-network/

The world needs another set-top-box like it needs another Kim Jong-Il, but we'll do our best to stifle the sighs and present to you the ZyXEL DMA-2500. This well-specced box streams in material up to 1080p from any networked storage device, is DLNA 1.5 certified and supports more formats than it would be healthy for us to list. The outfit also claims that it'll handle material laced in DRM, but the vagueness of it all has us skeptical. At any rate, users can also indulge in internet TV and online radio, and there's an S-Video, composite and HDMI port to get it onto your television. Finally, the unit even includes a USB port which can presumably be used for adding local storage or a USB WiFi adapter. It's filtering out now across the pond for the somewhat hard-to-swallow price of €223 ($296).

[Via HDTVInfo]

Filed under: HDTV, Home Entertainment

ZyXEL's DMA-2500 streams in 1080p content from your network originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 06 May 2009 09:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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