Saturday, May 23, 2009

Take Great Panoramic Pictures with Any Camera [Panoramic]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/dj0UBuTJrNc/take-great-panoramic-pictures-with-any-camera

Panoramic software has come a long way toward making panoramic images child's work. Great software or not, there's no substitution for good source material. Take better panoramic pictures with these tips.Photo by Diego_3336.

Taking an awesome panoramic photograph isn't as daunting a task as it once was, but there are still basic guidelines to follow for optimum results. One of the crucial elements to a natural-looking panorama is even exposure. If the exposure is different in each frame, your panoramic will end up with with a bizarre-looking skyline and an unnatural mixture of highlights and shadows. If your point-and-shoot has a panoramic mode, use it. On your DSLR, pick an average setting for the scene and set your exposure manually to that setting.

Exposure isn't everything, though. Equally important is overlapping your images:

Overlapping is one of the important areas in creating a panoramic image. Just one slip with not enough overlap can ruin an attempt at the grandest of wide angle shots. No one wants to see pictures of the Grand Canyon with a bar of white down the middle because of the failure to overlap properly. I overlap by 30% each time. Sometimes more. Most people say 15% works just fine. Experiment with your particular camera to find the sweet spot of overlap.

For more excellent tips on creating beautiful panoramic photos, make sure to check out the link below. If you're particularly pleased with your creation, previously mentioned viewAT is a service dedicated to sharing panoramic photos. Have a tried and true tip of your own for awesome panoramic photos? Share it in the comments below.



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Data.gov Provides Government Data Sets For Your Nerdy Curiosities [Government]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/aqxWsdKsJAo/datagov-provides-government-data-sets-for-your-nerdy-curiosities

The newest website from the Obama administration is Data.gov: a public resource for "high value, machine readable datasets generated by the Executive Branch of the Federal Government."

The site provides both raw data as well as widgets for getting updated information on various topics such as H1N1 flu or the FBI. But if you're really interested in having a data set of the locations and characteristics of the world's copper smelters or past East Pacific storm tracks, this is your new one stop shop. They're even taking requests if the data you're looking for isn't here.

This probably isn't useful to too many people, but if it's useful to you, you know how cool it is. [Data.gov via The Daily What]



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PureDepth ramps up production of "Multi-Layer" 3D displays

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/22/puredepth-ramps-up-production-of-multi-layer-3d-displays/


PureDepth has been talking up its "Multi-Layer" 3D display technology for quite some time now, but it looks like the displays should finally be rolling out en masse, with the company announcing that volume production of its new 12.1-inch displays was slated to begin this week, which follows those first few 20.1-inch displays that wound up in slot machines. For those not up to speed, the displays themselves make use of two LCD screens placed a few inches a part, which lets them display three dimensional images without the need for special glasses and, according to the company, without the headaches often associated with 3D setups. It also looks PureDepth is getting increasingly confident in the technology and its future, and it's now even gone so far as to establish a Japanese arm of the company that it hopes will help it garner a bigger foothold in the country.

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PureDepth ramps up production of "Multi-Layer" 3D displays originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 22 May 2009 21:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Friday, May 22, 2009

Hitachi's Mobile Hi-Vision Cam Wooo cellphone does 720p video recording

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/22/hitachis-mobile-hi-vision-cam-wooo-cellphone-does-720p-video-re/

While it won't be the first handset to capture 720p video (hello, OmniaHD!), Hitachi's Mobile Hi-Vision Cam Woo is still apt to garner quite a bit of attention. As the leaked images hosted down below show, this clever flip phone packs 1,280 x 720 video recording, a 5 megapixel sensor, HDMI interface and a microSDHC slot for good measure. A generous tipster has informed us that said phone is slated to launch this coming Monday on KDDI, though we fully expect that envious North Americans won't ever get to toy with one on their home turf. For shame.

[Thanks, Anonymous]

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Hitachi's Mobile ! Hi-Visio n Cam Wooo cellphone does 720p video recording originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 22 May 2009 06:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Thursday, May 21, 2009

Philips SPC1330NC webcam reviewed: high quality but not exactly high speed

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/21/philips-spc1330nc-webcam-reviewed-high-quality-but-not-exactly/

Philips SPC1330NC webcam reviewed: high quality but not exactly high speed
If you're still Skyping in VGA you need to get with the times, brotherman. Two megapixel webcams are where its at, and according to the review at Register Hardware, the £70 ($110) Philips SPC1330NC delivers. It'll interpolate up to eight megapixel stills if you want to play pretend, its f2.0 aperture gives it great low-light performance, and a stereo mic puts it ahead of the competition, like Microsoft's mono-tastic LifeCam Show. Overall the chromed cam earns high marks, only disappointing by not delivering its advertised 90fps max speed until the resolution is dropped to decidedly sub-VGA resolutions. But, unless you plan on kung-fu chatting, chances are you can get by with less.

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Philips SPC1330NC webcam reviewed: high quality but not exactly high speed originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 May 2009 18:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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12TB DVDs Could Be On The Way [Storage]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/FvHrtUFpiOo/12tb-dvds-could-be-on-the-way

A storage density of 51MB per square centimeter? Whatever, standard DVDs. Australian scientists developed a new multilayer optical storage medium that can house data at 1.1TB/cm3.

Unlike existing DVD technology, the key to this data storage technique is the fact that multiple pieces of data can be stored in exactly the same location—up to ten layers deep. Each layer is filled with gold nanorods that are conditioned to respond only to particular types of light. When the storage medium is illuminated by a laser of a specific color and polarization, only the right nanorods are activated and read.

Though this is a giant step towards more effective data storage, scientists have yet to demonstrate this technique on a rotating disc. In addition, they predict that it will be a write once, read forever medium. [Ars Technica]



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Intel's Next-Gen Atom Puts CPU and GPU on One Fun-Lovin' Chip [Atom]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/63hhmRYdNbQ/intels-next+gen-atom-puts-cpu-and-gpu-on-one-fun+lovin-chip

Along with its neato Moblin 2.0 netbook OS, Intel's also laid in more detail out what the next generation of Atom looks like—Pineview integrates the CPU, GPU and memory controller onto one chip, making the platform cheaper and less power-hungry overall.

As Ars' Jon Stokes points out, this is new territory for Intel that "arguably pushes Atom into SoC territory." It has some implications for Nvidia's Ion platform. Not only are Intel's graphics built into the Atom CPU, but Nvidia's probably going to have major problems from a price standpoint, since Intel can drop the cost of the Atom platform (which it sells for $25) down even further. Unbundling the Atom CPU—like to pair it with Nvidia's 9400m for the Ion platform—costs $45.

Never a dull moment in netbook land. [Ars]



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QNAP rolls out 2.5-inch, Atom-based SS-439 Pro Turbo NAS

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/20/qnap-rolls-out-2-5-inch-atom-based-ss-439-pro-turbo-nas/


QNAP's already stuffed an Atom processor into a few of its NAS devices, but it looks like the company is still only just getting started, and it's now rolled out yet another model in the form of the SS-439 Pro Turbo NAS. Like the similarly designated TS-439, this one will accommodate four SATA drives of your choice, although the SS-439 opts for 2.5-inch drives to keep the NAS even more compact. Otherwise, you can expect to get 1GB of DDRII memory in addition to that Atom N270 processor, along with support for RAID 0/1/5/6/5+hot spare configurations, three USB ports, two eSATA ports, and all the usual security measures you'd expect from a small business / SOHO-minded NAS. No word on pricing just yet, but it looks like this one should be rolling out to retailers right away.

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QNAP rolls out 2.5-inch, Atom-based SS-439 Pro Turbo NAS originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 20 May 2009 15:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Microsoft is desperate for gamers to adopt Windows SideShow

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/20/microsoft-is-desperate-for-gamers-to-adopt-windows-sideshow/


Microsoft really, really wants to convince you that in the high stakes world of multiple displays, SideShow is the only way to go. To that end, the company has put together a little white paper meant to sell us on the idea of using their product to for extra screen real estate as you flail about Azeroth (or whatever it is that you do in your free time). And it's not like we need to be sold on the concept -- we love our Mimo as much as the next guy or gal -- but as wary as companies have been of this technology, we're guessing that it'll take more than some fancy Photoshoppin' to get hardware vendors on board. But who knows? Hit the read link to discover all of Microsoft's thoughts on the subject.

[Via SlashGear]

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Microsoft is desperate for gamers to adopt Windows SideShow originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 20 May 2009 16:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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First Philips Lumiblade OLED lights arrive

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/20/first-philips-lumiblade-oled-lights-arrive/


Philips has always pushed OLED lighting concepts, and it looks like the company's Lumiblade products will be the first to start shipping. The folks at OLED-Info got to play with some pre-production samples, and while they're definitely cool and impossibly slim, there are some notable drawbacks: the rectangular panel has some unfortunate "speckles," and overall they're just not very bright on their own, so you'll need quite a few for an actual lamp. Still, we've no doubt OLED lighting will soon be everywhere, so hit read link for a quick glimpse of the future.

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First Philips Lumiblade OLED lights arrive originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 20 May 2009 17:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Virgin America lights up entire fleet with in-flight WiFi

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/20/virgin-america-lights-up-entire-fleet-with-in-flight-wifi/


Hold up AirTran -- not so fast with those wild claims of in-flight WiFi superiority. If you'll recall, the aforesaid airline proclaimed that it would soon be the first to have its entire fleet doused with Gogo, but it looks like Virgin America has swept in to claim that title. We should point out just how unfair the challenge is, though: VA has 28 planes as of today, whereas AirTran has 136. At any rate, we're still thrilled to see airlines duking it out in order to get more WiFi to more fliers, and we fully anticipate that every new aircraft added to Virgin America's fleet will be lit from day one. Now, if only they'd allow Skype functionality for more than just an Oprah demonstration, we'd really be playing with fire.

[Via Gadling]

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Virgin America lights up entire fleet with in-flight WiFi originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 20 May 2009 17:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Multicard-lovin' dual SATA HDD dock keeps the dream alive

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/20/multicard-lovin-dual-sata-hdd-dock-keeps-the-dream-alive/


It's funny, really. Years back, we figured this SATA HDD dock was a one-off device that would get swept under the rug as quickly as it reached prominence. And yet, here we are in May of 2009 looking at the latest iteration of a product that won't ever stop reinventing itself. Brando's Dual SATA HDD Multi-Function Dock with One Touch Backup (yeah, seriously) doubles up on elder models by holding two 2.5- or 3.5-inch hard drives, and it also accepts a litany of flash cards. Lastly, this adds an eSATA connector to the traditional USB 2.0 socket for a bit more flexibility, but we still can't justify the $89 price if you already own a predecessor (or three).

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Multicard-lovin' dual SATA HDD dock keeps the dream alive originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 20 May 2009 20:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Acer launches easyStore Home Server: 1TB expandable storage for $400

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/21/acer-launches-easystore-home-server-1tb-expandable-storage-for/

Acer's entering the home server market, and its first entry's gonna be the easyStore AH340-UA230N with built-in Windows Home Server. It's juiced up with Intel Atom 230 processor and 2GB DDR2 RAM, and in addition to 1TB of storage, you've got three 3.5-inch hot swappable bays for a possible total of 7TB of storage. Throw in some DLNA 1.5 certification and a $400 price tag, and you've got yourself pretty decent competitor to HP's MediaSmart lineup. According to the presser, it should be available sometime around now-ish. Mosey on after the break for a look at the its innards.

Continue reading Acer launches easyStore Home Server: 1TB expandable storage for $400

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Acer launches easyStore Home Server: 1TB expandable storage for $400 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 May 2009 01:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony's 400-disc BDP-CX7000ES Blu-ray Mega Changer reportedly coming soon

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/21/sonys-400-disc-bdp-cx7000es-blu-ray-mega-changer-reportedly-com/


There's no doubt that Sony has a 400-disc Blu-ray Mega Changer on the cooker -- heck, we saw the thing last year at CEDIA -- but up until now, there's been no indication of its nearness to market. According to a vague Swiss product page and a report from Sony Insider, however, the launch date is indeed drawing near. If hunches prove legitimate, the BDP-CX7000ES will allow 400 of your favorite BD flicks to sit within a single console, and we've every reason to believe that this one will support BD-Live and actually load films with some amount of haste. You know, very much unlike the 200-disc HES-V1000 that's already out there. As of now, it's looking like the unit will run right around $2,300, placing it squarely in rarefied air and ostensibly out of reach for the vast majority of home theater junkies.

[Via Sony Insider]

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Sony's 400-disc BDP-CX7000ES Blu-ray Mega Changer reportedly coming soon originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 May 2009 04:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aussie whiz-kids can cram 1.6TB on a DVD-sized disc, go Outback tonight

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/21/aussie-whiz-kids-can-cram-1-6tb-on-a-dvd-sized-disc-go-outback/

Don't take it personally, Blu-ray -- we still love you and all, but there's just something dreamy about baking 1.6TB of information onto a blank piece of optical media we can actually afford. According to a new report, a crew of researchers at Swinburne University of Technology in Australia have exploited the properties of a certain gold nano-rod that will theoretically enable them to shove 300 DVDs worth of data onto a single disc. Calling the method "five-dimensional optical recording," the technique "employs nanometer-scale particles of gold as a recording medium," and according to developers, it's primed for commercialization. Essentially, these gurus have figured out how to add a spectral and polarization dimension, giving them the ability to record information "in a range of different color wavelengths on the same physical disc." As for the chances this actually makes it out of the laboratory and into the lives of real humans? Slim, Jim.

[Thanks, Sam]

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Aussie whiz-kids can cram 1.6TB on a DVD-sized disc, go Outback tonight originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 May 2009 06:06:00 EST.! Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nokia's N86 8MP cruises through the FCC's database

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/21/nokias-n86-8mp-cruises-through-fccs-database/


When Nokia unveiled its N86 back in February, we Yanks were given no hope whatsoever that a US release was in the cards. We're doing our best to stifle our excitement, but it sure looks like a stateside launch is a lot closer now that said handset has made its way through the dark and murky halls of the FCC. Seen here in a lovely, washed-out shade of black, the 8 megapixel, OLED-equipped dual-slider seems no different than the one we toyed with in Barcelona, save for the whole US-friendly aspect, of course. C'mon Nokia, come clean with the price and ship date, won'tcha?

[Thanks, eleminop

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Nokia's N86 8MP cruises through the FCC's database originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 May 2009 06:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Panasonic's Class 10 SDHC cards make the wait for SDXC easier

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/21/panasonics-class-10-sdhc-cards-make-the-wait-for-sdxc-easier/


A full 15 months after Panasonic dropped jaws with its 32GB Class 6 SDHC card, the company is hitting us up with another world's first. Announced today over in Europe, the outfit has revealed a new line of SDHC memory cards that boast a Class 10 speed rating. Said spec was recently given the green light as part of the SD Card Specification v3.0, and as you could likely surmise, the increase in transfer rates should enable the cards to better handle all that HD video your DSLR seems to be capturing these days. Still, the boost is relatively minimal (particularly compared to the forthcoming SDXC format), with Class 10 promising maximum speeds of 22MB/sec and Class 6 cards already offering top-end rates of 20MB/sec. Mum's the word on price, but Panny expects these to ship next month in the UK before heading to other markets sometime later.

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Panasonic's Class 10 SDHC cards make the wait for SDXC easier originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 May 2009 07:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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FLOW is like the Ikea bookshelf of Android phones

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/21/flow-is-like-the-ikea-bookshelf-of-android-phones/

"You know, I could build a better phone than this." We've probably all uttered something to that effect in our past in a fit of frustrated rage -- some more than others -- but are you ready to put your money where your mouth is? If so, you can now part with some cash and cobble together a bunch of modules to create a do-it-yourself Android phone called FLOW -- just be aware that it's probably not going to solve your troubles. At nearly $500 for the bare minimum hardware, you're not saving any money over a phone expertly manufactured by an Asian OEM, and no offense, sport, but something tells us the OEM's craftsmanship is in a different league. Putting away the practical concerns for a moment, the project seems like it'd be a blast -- so the only trick is finding someone willing to use a phone that looks like this clunky and geeky day in and day out. G1 owners, care to step forward?

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FLOW is like the Ikea bookshelf of Android phones originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 May 2009 08:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LG's 50PS70 and 60PS70 plasmas get 160GB Time Machine functionality

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/21/lgs-50ps70-and-60ps70-plasmas-get-160gb-time-machine-functional/


The jury's still out on whether inbuilt DVRs are good for HDTVs, but LG's obviously hot to trot on the whole idea. Nearly a year after first introducing sets with an integrated Time Machine, the outfit is hitting back with two new big-screen plasmas that each posses a 160GB internal hard drive. The X Canvas 50PS70 (50-inch) and 60PS70 (60-inch) panels also boast 600Hz dejudder technology and can record overflow onto external drives connected via USB 2.0. Additional details (price, screen resolution, availability, etc.) are scant, but we'll be sure to keep an ear to the ground.

[Via Akihabara News]

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LG's 50PS70 and 60PS70 plasmas get 160GB Time Machine functionality originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 May 2009 08:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sharp's MIDtastic RD-PM10 electronic dictionary

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/21/sharps-midtastic-rd-pm10-electronic-dictionary/


Sure, it's no Zaurus, but Sharp's new RD-PM10 certainly is a looker. It packs a 4.3-inch WQVGA screen, QWERTY keyboard and 8GB of storage into a pretty delightful form factor, and while it's only designed for light e-dictionary and media playback duties, with Windows CE 5.0 as the backbone, we could imagine it doing a whole lot more with a bit of extra oomph under the hood. There's a microSD slot for expansion, pretty great codec support, and a 360,000 KRW (about $288 US) list price.

[Via SlashGear]

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Sharp's MIDtastic RD-PM10 electronic dictionary originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 May 2009 10:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Absurd Liquid-Cooled Desk Computer Is a Tribute to Mod Excess [Mods]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/k4ysbhZP2yo/absurd-liquid+cooled-desk-computer-is-a-tribute-to-mod-excess

One year ago, some Popular Mechanics editors set out with the broad goal of building the most ridiculously extravagant PC mod they could. This is what they came up with.

PopMech's quad-core beast is loaded with just the kind of pricey hardware you'd expect from such a flamboyant mod—4 GB of Kingston HyperX DDR3 RAM, a GeForce GTX 280 graphics card, two 300GB, 10,000RPM VelociRaptor HDDs, and an Antex kilowatt power supply—all centered around an 3.0-GHz Intel Core 2 Quad processor. It's the case, though, that's the star of the show.

The main structure of the desk is made up of two massive panels of acrylic, bolted to a custom-built aluminum frame. A glycol liquid cooling system snakes through the whole of the machine, stopping off to suck heat away from both the main processor and the graphics card. Built into the top is a custom-built Synaptics touchpad—a mostly useless but nonetheless cool design flourish.

PopMech has included a short how-to with their story, but it's less of an instructional guide than a point-by-point summary of why you can't build one of these yourself. [PopMech]



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Dragonfly Skyscraper Farm Will Give Pigs the Best Views of Manhattan [Architecture]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/o1FJO8Tg8XE/dragonfly-skyscraper-farm-will-give-pigs-the-best-views-of-manhattan

First they launched the Swine Flu attack at a global scale, and now they are opening their headquarters in New York. This is the Dragonfly Vertical Farm, a skyscraper designed for animals and agricultural production.

Sitting on the southern part of Roosevelt Island—on the East River—the building is based on the shape of a dragonfly's wings. It extends 132 floors 600 meters up in the air, totalling 360,000 square meters.

The Dragonfly Vertical Farm is designed to produce fruits, vegetables, grains, meat, and dairy. It will also include public spaces, so people can visit the animals as they get ready to first take over Manhattan, and then take over Berlin. It will probably also result in the most expensive milk and bacon in the planet, which is probably why it is never going to be built.


Yes, the end is near. [Design Boom]



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Video: Tele Atlas' photorealistic city models to aid navigation, terrorism

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/20/video-tele-atlas-photorealistic-city-models-to-aid-navigation/

Navigation devices are everywhere and just keep getting better and better thanks to the 3D maps provided by the likes of Tele Atlas (owned by TomTom) and NAVTEQ (owned by Nokia). Now Tele Atlas is announcing its photorealistic "Advanced City Models" destined for in-car and portable navigation systems and mobile devices. In June, Tele Atlas will release 40 maps based on BLOM arial imagery for cities across Europe -- hundreds more cities, including those in North America and Asia, will be available in 2010. Remember, Google already has laid ink to paper to give it rights to Tele Atlas maps for use in Google's mobile, desktop, and on-line offerings. And with Tele Atlas maps loaded on PSPs and navigators from Pioneer, Mio, and of course TomTom, just think of this as a hint of what's to come.

Continue reading Video: Tele Atlas' photorealistic city models to aid navigation, terrorism

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Video: Tele Atlas' photorealistic city models to aid navigation, terrorism originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 20 May 2009 06:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google announces first PowerMeter partners, we beg for more

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/20/google-announces-first-powermeter-partners-we-beg-for-more/

At last, we have the first partners in Google's quest to make your personal power consumption visible on your home computer. As the thinking goes, if you can't measure it, you can't improve it. So Google wants to give consumers near real-time visibility to their consumption and usage patterns via Google's PowerMeter software and utility-supplied "smart meters." The hope here, is that those aware of their energy consumption habits will change them to save money, and in turn, the planet. The initial list of partner utilities represent millions of homes spread across cities and country-sides in the US, Canada, and India:
  • San Diego Gas & Electric(R) (California)
  • TXU Energy (Texas) JEA (Florida)
  • Reliance Energy (India)
  • Wisconsin Public Service Corporation (Wisconsin)
  • White River Valley Electric Cooperative (Missouri)
  • Toronto Hydro-Electric System Limited (Canada)
  • Glasgow EPB (Kentucky)
Google has also partnered with Itron to embed its PowerMeter software into Itron smart meters. While we applaud the effort, seeing energy consumption for the entire house, only, is far too macro (though a good first step). What we're waiting for is the marriage of this with home automation and monitoring solutions based on Z-Wave and ZigbBee, for example, so we can gain visibility and control down to the device level. Imagine a single software view that lets you drill all the way down to see how much energy your computer, lights, or home theater projector is consuming and then shut 'em down when not in use or to avoid vampire drain. Hey Nokia, you're working on a Home Control Center... you reading this? Google's looking for partners.

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Google announces first PowerMeter partners, we beg for more originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 20 May 2009 03:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tuesday, May 19, 2009

E&S' 8K Laser Projectors Also Display 3D Content in HD [Projectors]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/Pk3XwK_VNnA/es-8k-laser-projectors-also-display-3d-content-in-hd

Fresh off of JVC's 8K projectors announcement, Evans & Sutherland's newest laser projector, the ESLP 8K, not only displays a resolution of 8K in 2D, but also projects visuals in 3D as well.

Different from other lamp-drive projectors, the ESLP 8K laser projector displays quality that is apparently sixteen times 1080p HD resolution, with a 200% wider color spectrum, smoother playback and a miniscule environmental footprint. This laser projector is also the first one to display 3D content in 4K x 4K resolution, using only a single projector.

For those interested in checking out these high definition projectors for themselves, the ESLP 8K will be demonstrated at InfoComm this year, and will also be available on the market sometime during the second half of 2009. [E&S]



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LG world's thinnest LCD is only 0.23 inches thick

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/19/lg-worlds-thinnest-lcd-is-only-0-23-inches-thick-/


Looks like we've got a new record holder for world's thinnest LCD, as LG pegs its new 42- and 47-inch models at only 5.9mm thick. Apparently lacking an iPhone for the accepted measurement of thinness, this model was reduced to holding up a coin for an example of LG's edge LED lit prowess. Though you may prefer local dimming LEDs, DisplayBlog is hopeful we'll see a combo of the two lighting schemes bringing thinness and high picture quality next year. Meanwhile, compare these to JVC's magnetically mounted former champ, measuring a now-widebody 7mm thick, but at only 5kg, still holding a weight edge over these two at 6.1 and 7.3kg, respectively. LG promises 120Hz refresh technology and 80% of the NTSC color gamut, up from 72% on standard models, on these, but we'll wait for them to go from the demo stand to the store shelf before revisiting the question of whether thinner and more energy efficient is actually better.

[Via DisplayBlog]

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LG world's thinnest LCD is only 0.23 inches thick originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 19 May 2009 01:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sharp's solar 936SH and 934SH with "memory LCD" headline latest SoftBank lineup

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/19/sharps-solar-936sh-and-934sh-with-memory-lcd-headline-latest/


As you might expect, Japanese carrier SoftBank's summer 2009 lineup contains the usual science-fiction array of ridiculously well-equipped handsets -- plus 3G photo frames and a Lenovo IdeaPad S10 with embedded WWAN -- but the real news here might be a pair of lovelies from Sharp. The mirumo 934SH (pictured left) features a 3-inch external display that can display time, date, weather, news, and other information without consuming any power between changes; sounds like E-Ink, though Sharp describes it simply as a "memory LCD." You've also got an 8 megapixel camera, a waterproof shell, and a UV sensor that can help you determine just how quickly you need to slather on the SPF 30. Next up is the Solar Hybrid 936SH, a phone suspiciously similar in concept to the device Sharp is working on for SoftBank competitor KDDI au. Clearly the big draw here is the big solar array up front that'll give you one minute of call time or two hours of standby per 10 minutes of charging, but you've still got IPX7 water resistance, an 8 megapixel camera, and a full wide VGA display at your disposal. Look for the 934SH in June and the 936SH in August -- if you happen to be in Japan, anyhow.

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Sharp's solar 936SH and 934SH with "memory LCD" headline latest SoftBank lineup originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 19 May 2009 02:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sharp AQUOS SHOT 933SH offers 10 megapixels on a silver cellular platter

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/19/sharp-aquos-shot-933sh-offers-10-megapixels-on-a-silver-cellular/


Is it a phone? Is it a camera? Does it really matter anymore? If neither the mirumo 934SH nor the Solar Hybrid 936SH are quite to your liking, feast your eyes on this other wonder from Sharp that's hitting SoftBank Mobile in Japan this summer, the AQUOS SHOT 933SH. The headlining feature on this sucker would be the massive optics combined with a 10 megapixel low-noise CCD sensor, which is made infinitely easier to use as an actual camera thanks to a rotating touchscreen display -- just flip it around, snap it facing outwards, and voilà, your old point-and-shoot is on notice. Otherwise, you've got a 3.3-inch WVGA display (perfect for viewing one-seg television) and global roaming capability, so don't be surprised if we try to smuggle one of these stateside when it launches in late May, alright?

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Sharp AQUOS SHOT 933SH offers 10 megapixels on a silver cellular platter originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 19 May 2009 04:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Atheros AR6002 makes NEC's N-06A dual-mode handset a WiFi access point

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/19/atheros-ar6002-makes-necs-n-06a-dual-mode-handset-a-wifi-access/


We've seen oodles of dual-mode handsets, but none quite like this. Rather than boasting two radios, two keyboards or two faces, NEC's N-06A -- which is gearing up to debut on NTT DoCoMo over in Japan -- actually has two purposes. Aside from making calls on the carrier's FOMA network, the phone can actually double as a wireless access point when AP Mode is enabled. The handset packs a cutting-edge Atheros AR6002 module, which enables handsets to operate in infrastructure mode, the primary wireless connectivity framework employed in access points, routers, laptops and other WLAN devices. In other words, your netbook (and seven other WiFi-enabled devices) can hop online via your handset, and it's far easier than the wacky tethering methods we deal with today. Other specs include an 8.1 megapixel camera, HSDPA / WLAN models and a miraculous 3.2-inch touchscreen with an 854 x 480 resolution. There's no mention of a price or ship date for the handset, but more than that, we're thirsty for details on when this chipset will be featured in a handset that's headed to US soil. Check the full release after the break.

Continue reading Atheros AR6002 makes NEC's N-06A dual-mode handset a WiFi access point

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Atheros AR6002 makes NEC's N-06A dual-mode handset a WiFi access point originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 19 May 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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TransferJet completes close-proximity specs, now wants members, respect

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/19/transferjet-completes-close-proximity-specifics-now-wants-membe/

TransferJet completes close-proximity specifications, wants members, respect
Wahey! It's been awhile since we've heard from you, TransferJet, the high-speed but low-range wireless would-be standard that promises 560Mbps over a near-adjacent range of just 3cm. Sony kicked off the initiative, but now has about 15 others playing along who have all managed to put aside their differences to finalize the specs on both the physical and connection layers. All they need now is hardware, and so starting today they're graciously asking for more members to join their consortium -- not that they would have turned you away yesterday. Still no sign of when actual devices using this technology will hit retail, but where there's a spec there's always a prototype.

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TransferJet completes close-proximity specs, now wants members, respect originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 19 May 2009 08:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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OCZ's Z-Drive priced at Amazon: $1,561 and way up

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/19/oczs-z-drive-priced-at-amazon-1-561-and-way-up/


The kind folks at OCZ Technology's CeBIT booth told us that they expected the forthcoming Z-Drive to be priced between $1,500 and $2,000, and unfortunately for consumers, they were obviously just talking about the starting tag. Today, the much-hyped PCI-Express SSD card -- which strings a few blocks of flash memory together on a wicked fast PCI-E pipeline -- has been listed at Amazon, and the asking prices are downright eye-popping. The drive is slated to ship in 250GB, 500GB and 1TB flavors, with Amazon demanding $1,561.30, $2,450.50 and $3,368.99 for each in order of mention. We know read rates up to 500MB/sec and write rates of up to 470MB/sec are appealing and all, but damn.

[Thanks, Gary]

Read - 250GB Z-Drive listing
Read - 500GB Z-Drive listing
Read - 1TB Z-Drive listing

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OCZ's Z-Drive priced at Amazon: $1,561 and way up originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 19 May 2009 09:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sanyo's 802.11n-enabled PLC-WXU700 gets official for the US

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/19/sanyos-802-11n-enabled-plc-wxu700-gets-official-for-the-us/


Sanyo already announced its PLC-WXU700 for Japan last week (or LP-WX700, as it's known there) but the company has now finally gotten official about its availability over here, and cleared up a bit of confusion in the process. In case you missed it, this one is apparently the world's first projector to pack built-in 802.11n WiFi, which should come in particularly handy with the projector's video streaming functionality. Otherwise, you can expect to get the standard WGXA resolution, along with a decent 3,800 lumens, a 500:1 contrast ratio, all the basic inputs, a USB port, and a plain old LAN port in case you get stuck in a conference room without WiFi. The key detail that's been up in the air, however, is the price, which it turns out is neither $642 or $6,445 but an expectedly disappointing $2,995. Look for it to be available sometime next month.

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Sanyo's 802.11n-enabled PLC-WXU700 gets official for the US originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 19 May 2009 12:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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DigiFi and Kleer debut Digital Opera S2, S5 wireless earbuds

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/19/digifi-and-kleer-debut-digital-opera-s2-s5-wireless-earbuds/


We haven't heard much from the Kleer / DigiFi combo since they finally brought their first Opera wireless earbuds to the US at the beginning of the year, but they're now back with not one but two new sets of 'phones, including the follow-up Digital Opera S2 and the Made for iPod Digital Opera S5. As you might suspect, both models are mostly identical, and pack the same 32 foot range and ten hours of playtime as before, along with the usual promise of uncompressed, CD quality audio. The S5 model, however, adds an iPod-compatible transmitter and some control buttons right on the headphones themselves, while the S2 opts for a basic 3.5mm-based transmitter to accomodate your non-Apple gadgets. No word on pricing just yet, but both should be available on June 20th.

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DigiFi and Kleer debut Digital Opera S2, S5 wireless earbuds originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 19 May 2009 14:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Monday, May 18, 2009

NEC Japan announces its SuperSpeed USB 3.0 controller

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/18/nec-japan-announces-its-superspeed-usb-3-0-controller/


Have you got that USB 3.0 cable on your hope chest, just killing time until your SuperSpeed dreams become a reality? Well, that day is almost at hand: NEC has just announced details for the first USB 3.0 controller. The µPD720200 chip is backwards compatible with USB 1.1 and USB 2.0, with the company making samples available this June at $15 a pop (including Windows drivers). Look forward to seeing peripherals hit the streets soon after. Until then? Like the rest of us, you'll just have to keep on keepin' on.

[Via Everything USB]

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NEC Japan announces its SuperSpeed USB 3.0 controller originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 18 May 2009 14:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EeeRotate Orients Your Laptop Screen for Easy Reading [Downloads]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/erSCXYVKmAg/eeerotate-orients-your-laptop-screen-for-easy-reading

Windows only: With the proliferation of lightweight and wide-screen notebooks, it was only a matter of time before someone realized that they make decent e-book readers when they're sideways. EeeRotate makes swapping orientation easy.

Photo by TeleRead.

Once installed, the tiny application rotates your screen and trackpad input using keyboard shortcuts. CTRL+ALT+RIGHT rotates your screen and touchpad input 90 degrees clockwise, CTRL+ALT+UP returns it to normal. Interestingly, in our tests EeeRotate would rotate the touchpad input, but not the input from the USB mouse plugged into the laptop. The navigation wasn't difficult using either one of them, and you'd likely not have an external mouse plugged in if you were using it as an e-book reader, but it's worth noting. Next time you find yourself reading lengthy documents on your wide screen laptop or netbook, EeeRotate can help you take advantage of your expansive screen space. EeeRotate is freeware, Windows only.



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Rendeznew Locates a Midway Point for Multiple Travelers [Travel]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/whlIZZjZV-4/rendeznew-locates-a-midway-point-for-multiple-travelers

You and some friends need to meet up. Free webapp Rendeznew eliminates the ten-minute arguments about fair driving distances and provides a list of equi-distant meeting spots.

Unlike previously reviewed MeetInBetweenUs and Mezzoman, which only allow for two addresses, Rendeznew allows you to enter up to four addresses in order to find a middle ground between all of the locations.

For the screenshot above, we put together a hypothetical Lifehacker Editors' Road Trip, which would—fingers crossed!—end with us arriving at a turkey ranch in Kansas. You can drill down through local listings to find various spots like coffee shops, bars, museums, restaurants and more. If the midway point ends up being, well, not exactly an inspiring destination—ours was 40 miles north of Wichita— you can simply drag the big green arrow to a new location. Each search has a unique link you can share with your friends, and every suggested midway point has a set of directions for each of the four addresses. Rendeznew is a Google Maps mashup with search results provided by Google and Yelp.



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How Do You Get Your News? [Ask The Readers]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/kDoAx-6gW5A/how-do-you-get-your-news

With the multitude of competing mediums these days, it's easy to pick and choose your information inputs. Newspapers, television, RSS, Twitter—how do you mix and pick your news sources?

Thomas Baekdal details the patterns of communication over the last hundred years and the shifts that have occurred. If your great-grandparents wanted to stay current on the news, for instance, they had to make a conscious effort to be places where people were talking about it. Now you can have it streamed, beamed, and delivered.

Where do you fall on the chart pictured above? Newspaper reader? Avid talk radio listener? All internet news, all the time? Tell us how you get your news, and where you think you'll be getting it in years to come, in the comments.



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