Study Suggests Eyeballs Like Bing, but Google's Familiar [Search Engines]

A usability research firm, the Catalyst Group, performed one of those amazingly geeky (and neat) eyeball tracking studies on 12 people conducting searches. The results, combined with a survey, suggest that while Bing won out in layout, design, and filtering, and drew more eyes to the top, i.e. sponsored, results, Google familiarity and relevance kept it a favorite of three-fourths of users. [via TechCrunch]

Palm Pre's Mojo SDK Leaked: Bring on the Apps [Palm]

Palm's Mojo devkit has leaked to the web ahead of schedule—they had announced it would arrive in late summer, and instead developers are treated to the SDK right now.

Mojo is of the utmost importance to Palm: Without a huge and vibrant developer scene churning out tons of apps, the Pre might not excel as a platform enough to challenge the iPhone. The SDK that leaked is a beta, and some are warning potential developers to treat this version as a guide rather than a final release. Now the fun really begins—it's time to see what the Pre (and Pre community) can do. [PreInsiders, Thanks Pat!]

TouchFLO 3D 2.5 Tricks Us Into Getting Excited About Windows Mobile, Again [Skinning]

We've got some screenshots of the new version of HTC's TouchFLO 3D, which should be debuting on the Firestone. HTC's gone ever deeper into WinMo's UI, including every settings screen. Basically, you'll hardly know which OS you're using.

TouchFLO 3D 2.5 also allows for more customization than before, including three user-defined buttons on the home screen. Hopefully we'll be seeing it in action sometime in August. Check out the video below to see it in motion, though be warned: Them fellas aren't speaking English. [PocketNow

Microsoft Might Sell Windows 7 On Flash Drives, Spare Netbook Owners Needless Pain [Windows 7]

CNET has a source saying Microsoft is considering selling Windows 7 on flash drives, making installation on netbooks—a declared target for the OS—much simpler. In case you were wondering, Microsoft, this would be greatly appreciated. [CNET]

Anti-Abuse Bus Stop Ad Only Batters Women When Nobody's Looking [Advertising]

Amnesty International has installed a new anti-domestic-abuse ad fixture in Hamburg, Germany which is equal parts clever and shocking: when you look at the photo, it's a smiling couple; when you look away, it's a dude punchin' a lady.

The billboard works by scanning its proximity with an eye-tracking camera, which triggers an image switch on the display panel when it senses someone looking at it. The change only occurs after a brief delay, so that observers understand what's going on, and get the message.

It's a fantastically effective concept, and a brilliant use of technology. Kind of sad, then, that it's probably award bait, and doomed to be a lone installation, according to Copyranter. [Copyranter via Dvice]

Zune HD to Cost Between $249 and $280 in September? [Unconfirmed]

Neowin talked to an alleged "software engineer" on the Zune team who revealed that the 16GB Zune HD—though its price is not finalized—should run somewhere between $249 and $280 this September (a date that was rumored previously.)

The interview is filled with lots of other interesting rumors, however, including that Microsoft is considering not only 16/32GB models but a 64GB Zune HD as well. (There was no speculation as to the price of such a mega model). If the Zune is your bag, be sure to read the full interview over at Neowin. [Neowin]

MiLi Pro Turns Your iPhone Into a Projector [IPhone]

The MiLi Pro is a LCOS, LED-driven projector for the iPhone and iPod Touch. Simply pop your iPhone into it and it can put a screen up on your wall.

It's got a 640x480 resolution, so it probably won't look all that good at 70 inches, which is why they recommend 40 tops. Also, at 10 lumens, you'll be lucky to get 30 inches in a dark room.

The whole thing is rechargeable and has VGA and RCA inputs as well as a dock connector. Look for it to drop in September. [PhoneSuit]

Edelweiss PC is Absolutely Stunning [PCs]

Holy crap, is this an awesome looking computer. The Edelweiss, created by Pius Giger in Switzerland, is one of the coolest custom rigs I've ever seen.

I don't have any details as to the components in this thing, but really, who cares? This is more of a piece of art than anything you'd sully by playing Solitaire on. [MDPC via TechEBlog]

Schematic's Cannes touchwall identifies users via RFID, almost escapes gimmick status

We love us a good multitouch wall experience, sizing up and rotating irrelevant bits of media like the Tom Cruise wannabes we are, but this new multitouch wall unveiled by Schematic at the Cannes Lions advertising festival almost brings the tech into the realm of relevance. The main innovation is the identification of specific users through the swipe of an RFID badge, allowing multiple users to operate the display simultaneously with personalized data and "social" functionality. Schematic's dream really is a Minority Report-style world of advertising, but until that chilling future is fully realized, we suppose we can handle a few gimmicky multitouch walls and half-developed socializing functionality in the near term. Hit up the read link for video.

Filed under: Displays

Schematic's Cannes touchwall identifies users via RFID, almost escapes gimmick status originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 26 Jun 2009 08:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Philips debuts PowerSensor-equipped Brilliance monitor

Energy-saving monitors are hardly anything new, but Philips has taken things a bit farther than most with its new 22-inch Brilliance LCD, which packs a built-in infrared "PowerSensor" that can detect when someone's sitting in front of it. If it finds that it's been left by its lonesome, it'll dial down the brightness and cut power consumption by 50% -- all of which operates independently from the PC, so there's no compatibility issues to worry about. As a monitor, however, things are a bit less exciting, with it boasting a 1,680 x 1,050 resolution, a 1,000:1 contrast ratio, a 5ms response time, and the usual VGA and DVI inputs. No word on a release 'round here just yet, but it looks like folks in the UK will be able to pick this one up next month for £170, or about $280.

[Via Pocket-lint]

Filed under: Displays

Philips debuts PowerSensor-equipped Brilliance monitor originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 26 Jun 2009 15:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google City Tours Builds Itineraries for Multi-Day Trips [Travel]

Not one to be outdone by Microsoft's Bing travel site or the myriad other net travel guides, Google today rolls out City Tours for planning and navigating itineraries.

Currently a Google Labs project, City Tours helps "identify points of interest and plan multi-day trips to most major-cities." To build your tour, just enter the destination city, and City Tours automatically maps out a three-day plan with around 10 activity suggestions per day. The site also suggests how long to spend at each place and clocks the walking distance between destinations. You can then manually add and remove sights, and change the date and length of your visit (up to a maximum of five days).

Given its Labs status, City Tours is still very much a work-in-progress. For example, though the site is decent at finding locations for large cities like London, it has a more difficult time doing the same for smaller cities. Also, estimated walking times aren't always accurate, which doesn't help if, say, you're trying to figure out whether to keep walking, pace yourself by grabbing a cab, or might actually need a rental car.

Check out the below link to test out City Tours for yourself, then let us know what else you'd like to see it (or any travel site) help you with.

Google City Tours [via Google Labs]

Apogee ONE Brings Near-Studio-Quality Recording to the Mac [Audio]

Here's a nice one for Mac-using amateur musicians: Apogee's ONE is a multifunctional handheld device that features a built-in mic, preamp, and dedicated input/output. It works over USB and is designed for Garage Band, Final Cut, and the like.

It's a single input, stereo output device, offering 24-bit audio between 44.1 and 48KHz sample rates in a package around the same size (though thicker) than an iPhone. Apogee's putting emphasis on the built-in mic (they even offer a stand so you can treat the whole thing like a handheld mic), though it's got one input for instruments or your own mic. That input is coupled with a preamp, customizable using the ONE's controls.

The ONE is designed to work with Apple's range of audio software, including iTunes, Garage Band, Logic, and Final Cut, though we don't imagine it would have trouble working with non-Apple software as well. It remains to be seen whether the built-in mic is everything Apogee claims; on such a small device, we're skeptical but remain hopeful. It'll be available sometime in "late July" at a pretty reasonable $250. [Apogee]

Sony T90 point-and-shoot gets reviewed, liked

In an already overpopulated compact camera market, the Cyber-shot T90 solicits attention with a 16:9 touch-screen LCD and a sliding lens shield. The lads over at PC Mag grabbed one of these Sony shooters for an in-depth prodding and poking session to determine whether the external appeal of the camera is backed up by solid technology under the hood. Praise was meted out for image sharpness and 720p video recording, though battery life was found disappointing. For their full impressions, test results and an exhaustive spec sheet, hit the read link.

Filed under: Digital Cameras

Sony T90 point-and-shoot gets reviewed, liked originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 26 Jun 2009 07:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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