Another scourge on consumers' time/attention: VivaKi's ASq Video Ads ("most effective" compared to other hated forms?) http://bit.ly/bEAwWF

Tall Walker

Sharp trots out AQUOS Quattron 3D HDTVs, complete with Blu-ray recorders

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/10/01/sharp-trots-out-aquos-quattron-3d-hdtvs-complete-with-blu-ray-r/

You should know by the inclusion of a Blu-ray recorder that these guys are reserved for the Japanese market, but what's stopping you and yours from drooling over 'em? The 52-inch LC-52LB3 and 46-inch LC-46LB3 are the latest members of the AQUOS Quattron 3D family, and aside from packing 1080p panels and integrated TV tuners, you'll also get a slot-loading Blu-ray drive that plays back BD films and can toast material on BDXL media. Not too shabby, eh? They'll be on sale halfway across the world this November, but pricing remains a mystery -- we're guessing it's one of those 'if you have to ask...' type scenarios.

Sharp trots out AQUOS Quattron 3D HDTVs, complete with Blu-ray recorders originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 01 Oct 2010 10:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Logitech to unveil its Google TV lineup October 6th

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/10/01/logitech-to-unveil-its-google-tv-lineup-october-6th/

Sorry, Sony. Logitech's looking to beat you to the Google TV punch by hosting is own event on October 6th, just six days before yours. (Then again, Sony's contribution also made a cameo earlier this week at a Best Buy event, but we digress.) The event's invite is vague on the "line of products" (note: plural) it'll be showing, but we'd venture a guess that Revue has already RSVPd and been promised some stage time. With any luck, the Lonely TV will MC the proceedings -- hey, we can dream.

Logitech to unveil its Google TV lineup October 6th originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 01 Oct 2010 11:38:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Tango iPhone App: My New Favorite Way To Make Video Calls Over 3G [Video]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5652644/the-tango-iphone-app-my-new-favorite-way-to-make-video-calls-over-3g

Up until now, whenever I wanted to make funny faces at my boss but didn't have the Wi-Fi connection necessary for Facetime, I used the Fring app over 3G. Now I've got a new favorite app for those times: Tango.

Just like with Fring, both users will need to have the app installed on their devices and add the other person to their phonebooks. The similarities between the apps don't end there either: There are both iOS and Android versions available of the Tango app as well, so there can be plenty of cross-platform chatting if necessary.

The differences kick in with the (un-scientifically proven) idea that the Tango app provides better video calls over 3G. We unfortunately couldn't show you a side-by-side comparison of the quality as the Fring app kept crashing on Jason and me, but trust us here—we're practically professional video chat app testers at this point.

While the Tango app is the best we've seen for video chats over 3G so far, it still can't really compete with Apple's FaceTime app when it comes to Wi-Fi calls. But of course you can't exactly use FaceTime to call someone using an Android device.

All in all, I've fallen in love with Tango and will be using it for any 3G-based video chats from now on. [iTunes]

The New Google Chrome Beta Has Google Instant Baked In and Tab Expose [Google Chrome]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5652966/the-new-google-chrome-beta-has-google-instant-baked-in-and-tab-expose

If you're not on the Google beta channel, here's another couple of reasons to make the switch: The latest version has Google Instant search baked in for Windows users, and in the Mac version, an Expose-like tab management feature (swipe with three fingers, and all your tabs arrange themselves accordingly, like Expose). To enable them, go to about:Labs. [Cnet]

Latest smartphone displays pitted in no-holds-barred deathmatch

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/30/latest-smartphone-displays-pitted-in-no-holds-barred-deathmatch/

If you're a numbers geek, you're trying to be scientific about your next smartphone purchase, or you just like pretty colors, you might appreciate DisplayMate's latest report rounding up examples of all (well, most) of the latest and greatest display technologies out there: IPS LCD, Super AMOLED, AMOLED, and TFT, represented by the iPhone 4 and Droid, the Galaxy S, the Nexus One, and the iPhone 3GS, respectively. Noticeably missing is SLCD, the technology HTC has been using to make up for lost ground on its AMOLED shortage from component supplier Samsung, but we've got a hunch DisplayMate's hard at work at adding that into the mix.

Anyhow, considering the sheer number of variables the firm takes into consideration -- everything from color depth, to brightness, to reflectance, to color gamut -- there's no clear-cut winner, but the Droid and iPhone 4 are obviously a cut above the rest with generally higher scores and better performance across the board. The Galaxy S' Super AMOLED turns in a decent performance, too, but takes a little hit for its 16-bit color depth and blown-out colors. Of course, if you consider any of these -- even the crappy TFT on the 3GS -- to a phone from five years ago, it still looks like science fiction... so you really can't go wrong, can you?

Latest smartphone displays pitted in no-holds-barred deathmatch originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Sep 2010 23:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nokia N8 vs. iPhone 4: camera showdown

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/30/nokia-n8-vs-iphone-4-camera-showdown/

What's the first thing you should do when you get the N8? Considering it packs the biggest image sensor embedded in a phone yet, Carl Zeiss optics, and an eight-digit pixel count, it seemed obvious to us that the answer was to take it on a picture- and video-taking stroll around London. On our way out we saw our iPhone 4 looking all sad and lonely, so we went ahead and brought it along as well. Below you shall find one gallery of pure, unadulterated N8 sample shots, another interspersed with the iPhone's results for comparison's sake, and a final one with side-by-side 100 percent crops from each image taker. Once you've digested all of those, we suggest hopping past the break and tucking into some tasty video comparisons for dessert.

Naturally, all the images are entirely unretouched (but for our masterly watermarking) and the iPhone 4's HDR hocus pocus has been left off. We've also provided a zip file containing all the full-res imagery shot with the N8 in a link below.

A quick note is also merited about the N8's resolution. The sensor's display ratio is 4:3, which means that full 12 megapixel shots are only available in those dimensions. The camera software, however, defaults to shooting 9 megapixel snaps at the increasingly popular 16:9 ratio -- this is done simply by cropping away the "excess" bars at the top and bottom of the image, meaning that the 9 megapixel images are giving us identical performance as the 12 megapixel ones, they're just chopped down (from 4000 x 3000 to 4000 x 2248) for the sake of convenience. Now, on with the show!

Gallery: Nokia N8 sample photos

Gallery: Nokia N8 vs. iPhone 4: cameraphone fight!

Gallery: Nokia N8 vs. iPhone 4: full resolution crops

Continue reading Nokia N8 vs. iPhone 4: camera showdown

Nokia N8 vs. iPhone 4: camera showdown originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Sep 2010 23:57:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Panasonic teases a 13.2MP 'Lumix phone' for October 5 unveiling

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/10/01/panasonic-teases-a-13-2mp-lumix-phone-for-october-5-unveiling/

Looks like we'll soon have another heavyweight to throw into the renewed cameraphone wars, as Panasonic has put up a teaser site for its first Lumix-branded phone. Lumix is of course Panasonic's camera label, which counts among its luminary membership the likes of the GF1 and the newly refreshed LX5. The new phone shooter promises to beat both in terms of pure resolution with its 13.2 megapixel CMOS sensor, which is accompanied by a 3.3-inch LCD atop a 146-gram body. Much like Nokia's N8 and its protruding sensor compartment, this Lumix handset will have to make room for its expanded imaging equipment, which is why it'll offer a comparatively chubby 17.7mm thickness, to go along with a 116mm height and 52mm width. We'll know more next week when CEATEC 2010 gets rolling over in Tokyo.

[Thanks, Anton]

P.S. -- It's also noteworthy that Panasonic's press release indicates a folding mechanism for this handset, which, given current trends in Japan, makes it most likely to be a clamshell device. It's also got some DLNA voodoo inside and is coming out by the end of this fiscal year (April 2011).

Panasonic teases a 13.2MP 'Lumix phone' for October 5 unveiling originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 01 Oct 2010 05:38:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wireless USB reaches revision 1.1, makes for smarter and more efficient toys

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/10/01/wireless-usb-reaches-revision-1-1-makes-for-smarter-and-more-ef/

Wireless USB 1.1 is here, whether you like it or not, and we're betting you're going to like it if manufacturers make it work. The USB-IF's new spec, finalized this week, is still capped at the same 480Mbps of its wired cousin USB 2.0, but it reportedly brings with it reduced power consumption and near-field communication for proximity-based pairing. And if the idea of, say, touching your smartphone and a wireless Pixel Qi panel together to automatically connect the twain doesn't make you jump for joy, we're not really sure what would. Perhaps you're still waiting for the one-gigabit-per-second Intel's Jeff Ravencraft promised three years ago this month? Download the full spec at our more coverage link to see what's what.

Continue reading Wireless USB reaches revision 1.1, makes for smarter and more efficient toys

Wireless USB reaches revision 1.1, makes for smarter and more efficient toys originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 01 Oct 2010 06:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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3 Secret Apple TV Features Steve Jobs Hasnât Told You About [Video]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5652029/3-secret-apple-tv-features-steve-jobs-hasnt-told-you-about

The new Apple TV could be Steve Jobs' best sleight-of-hand trick yet.

During his modest introduction of the device, Jobs called the Apple TV "one more hobby." But a closer look at the code and the hardware powering the Apple TV reveals that there's a lot more going on under the hood than the CEO shared.

Interestingly, Jobs didn't mention that Apple TV runs iOS, the same operating system running on its flagship product, the iPhone, and some other big hits - the iPod Touch and iPad. And there's more, too: The Apple TV's software may already be jailbroken, and some hidden software should eventually allow you to share the Apple TV's media with other iOS devices.

These secret ingredients could be the recipe Apple needs to shake up the television industry. For years, Apple executives have labeled the set-top box a "hobby" product because of its mild success compared to blockbuster sellers like the iPhone and iPod. Now that Apple TV has been revamped into a streaming rental service with an arsenal of stealth features, maybe Apple has a chance to change the TV business - if not today, perhaps later.

"The most important hint of Apple's real ambitions in the living room come from AirPlay, which puts iPhones and iPads in the driver's seat and makes the TV just an output device for the Apple ecosystem," said James McQuivey, a Forrester analyst, in a recent e-mail statement. "Expect Apple to gradually push more and more in that direction, but as of this moment in 2010, Apple has not yet made a significant play for control of the TV."

Here, we round up the juicy tidbits we've heard about Apple's mysterious new set-top box.

iOS and third-party app support

There's more than enough evidence proving that the Apple TV runs iOS. Dispelling any doubts, Apple recently posted a build of iOS 4.1 specifically for the Apple TV.

This piece of information about iOS is important because of a new feature called AirPlay, which streams media from your iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch to the Apple TV. When Jobs demonstrated AirPlay, he only showed the feature working with an iPad's built-in video player, photo app and music library. Now that we know Apple TV runs iOS, it's likely that third-party apps such as MLB at Bat or ABC Player will be able stream media to the set-top box, too.

DaringFireball blogger John Gruber confirmed that an AirPlay button is showing up in the MLB at Bat app, and he adds that apps using the built-in media controller will be able to integrate AirPlay.

Long story short, you'll be able to wirelessly stream media from some third-party apps straight to your Apple TV with an AirPlay button. AirPlay is shaping up to be Apple's secret weapon to reshape home entertainment.

In addition to AirPlay, the fact that Apple TV is running iOS means that - in principle, at least - it may someday be able to run applications from the iTunes App Store. For now, that capability is not included in Apple TV, but the underlying operating system certainly supports it, so Apple might open a TV App Store in a future software update.

Jailbreaking hacks

Third-party app support will probably be limited for the Apple TV, but that's where the jailbreakers come in. In the same way that we're able to override restrictions on the iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch with a jailbreak, we should be able to run unauthorized apps on the Apple TV - something Jobs would never advertise, of course.

In fact, hackers already have a head start, because a tool called Shatter, which was used to jailbreak the newest iPod Touch, already works with the Apple TV, according to the iPhone Dev Team. That means we should be expecting hackers to code some unauthorized apps soon to unlock additional capabilities such as video conferencing via your Apple TV.

On top of that, existing hacks for the old Apple TV should work, too. Dev Team member Will Strafach explained that "the new AppleTV OS seems to be a mashup of the old AppleTV OS and iOS," meaning "frappliances," plug-ins that add functionality to the old Apple TV, should work as well.

'Lowtide' app

The Unofficial Apple Weblog's Erica Sadun, a popular iOS programmer, took a close look at the Apple TV's software and discovered that it runs an application called Lowtide - the software containing the set-top box's media interface.

Sadun dug deeper and found lines of code that suggest that Lowtide might eventually be extended to other iOS devices. In other words, you should be able to share media from the Apple TV to your iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad, whereas originally we thought we'd only be able to do the converse with AirPlay. This functionality would be comparable to a Slingbox or an EyeTV.

Lowtide isn't readily available for Apple's iOS mobile devices yet, but iOS developer Dustin Howett has already managed to load Lowtide on an iPod touch running iOS 4.1, demonstrated in the video above. He recommended against doing it yourself, though, unless you're ready to reformat your iPhone on a regular basis just to turn it back into a phone.

Photo: Jon Snyder/Wired.com

Wired.com has been expanding the hive mind with technology, science and geek culture news since 1995.

Apple TV restores in iTunes via micro-USB, UI hacked onto iPod touch (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/30/apple-tv-restores-in-itunes-via-micro-usb-ui-hacked-onto-ipod-t/

It sure didn't take long for the dev community to hack into Apple TV's iOS build. One of the first payouts is a port of Apple TV's "lowtide" 10-foot user interface to an iPod touch as briefly demonstrated in the first video after the break. While not very useful on such a small display, that could change when ported to the iPad's bigger 10-inch display. In fact, that might be Apple's plan according to our friend Erica Sadun who's been busily spelunking the Apple TV's disk image. She posits that the iPad could launch the lowtide UI when responding to AirPlay requests in a future iOS build.

Another minor victory was achieved by TUAW reader Arix who spliced the Apple TV's AirPlay daemon onto a jailbroken iPhone 3GS thus allowing it to receive AirPlay streams (second video). But the best news of all, perhaps, is the ability to restore the Apple TV in iTunes by connecting its micro-USB port to your computer. That means that existing PC- and Mac-based jailbreak tools can be updated to work over the connection. In fact, TinyUmbrella has already been updated to backup the Apple TV's SHSH blobs in order to preserve your ability to downgrade in the future. With 8GB of storage and 256MB of RAM to play with, we suspect this little media puck will become quite the developer playground, with or without Apple's consent.

Continue reading Apple TV restores in iTunes via micro-USB, UI hacked onto iPod touch (video)

Apple TV restores in iTunes via micro-USB, UI hacked onto iPod touch (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Sep 2010 07:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GoPro releases its budget-friendlier $179 HD Hero 960, teases 3D case for moneybags

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/30/gopro-releases-its-budget-friendlier-179-hd-hero-960-teases-3d/

It's been almost two months since GoPro announced it'd be releasing a cheaper helmet cam, the HD Hero 960, positioning it beneath the $299 and 1080p HD Hero we enjoyed last year and give those doing professional stunts on amateur budgets a chance to capture their glory. Now here it is, yours for the taking today -- if you don't mind a resolution capped at 1280 x 960 and a deleted "Hero Bus" expansion port, meaning no external displays or batteries. That port is what you'll need to use the company's next accessory, a dual camera mount shown off at Interbike (and pictured below) pairing two of the HD Heros to film in 3D. You'll need to manually stitch the resulting footage together, but there is at least a sync cable included so that the two start and stop at the same time -- something sadly lacking on the Tachyon XC 3D. That mount is set to retail for $99, but the requirement for dual $299 cameras will price this out of most budgets. However, the $179 MSRP on the HD Hero 960 makes it a compelling alternative to Contour's $220 720p ContourHD.

[Thanks, Jonathan]

Continue reading GoPro releases its budget-friendlier $179 HD Hero 960, teases 3D case for moneybags

GoPro releases its budget-friendlier $179 HD Hero 960, teases 3D case for moneybags originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Sep 2010 11:05:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Exclusive: Samsung Continuum for Verizon has double the displays, double the fun

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/30/exclusive-samsung-continuum-for-verizon-has-double-the-displays/

The Fascinate's ride at the top of Sammy's Android lineup for Big Red might be a short one -- a very short one. Feast your eyes on this monster, said to be the rumored SCH-i400 Continuum, whose biggest claim to fame would be the addition of a secondary OLED display below the main. What might you use it for? Well, it's called the "Ticker," and it'll show notifications and RSS updates (and judging from that picture, weather conditions, too). Naturally, one of the selling points is that you can access basic phone functionality and information without having to fiddle with the normal UI or turn on that big, power-sapping primary display; in fact, the Ticker will automatically turn on when you grasp the bottom of the phone. The Continuum's also got a microSD slot on the side (accessible without a battery pull) and a dedicated camera button, and judging from one of the shots we've got, it might be Galaxy S-branded. Follow the break for a couple more shots!

Continue reading Exclusive: Samsung Continuum for Verizon has double the displays, double the fun

Exclusive: Samsung Continuum for Verizon has double the displays, double the fun originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Sep 2010 11:43:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NVIDIA reaches settlement in class action suit affecting Apple, Dell, HP laptops

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/30/nvidia-reaches-settlement-in-class-action-suit-affecting-apple/

Some folks may have long forgotten about the issue by now, but anyone that was hit by those defective NVIDIA GPUs a couple of years back will likely want to take notice -- the company has finally reached a settlement in the class action lawsuit spurred on by the issue, and anyone with an affected Apple, Dell or HP laptop is eligible for some form of compensation. In the case of Apple and Dell laptops, that includes a replacement of the GPU or MCP, while users of an affected HP laptop will actually get a full replacement laptop "similar in kind and value." Anyone that has already paid to have their laptop repaired due to the GPU issue is also entitled to a full reimbursement provided they have the necessary documentation for the repairs. Even if you are covered, however, you'll still have to wait a bit longer to actually get any compensation -- a final hearing is scheduled for December 20th, and claims will only begin sometime after that. In the meantime, be sure to hit up the source link below for the complete details, including a list of all the models affected.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

NVIDIA reaches settlement in class action suit affecting Apple, Dell, HP laptops originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Sep 2010 12:55:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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CSL's $500 Spice Mi700 DroidPad runs Froyo, looks awfully familiar

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/30/csls-500-spice-mi700-droidpad-runs-froyo-looks-awfully-famili/

Seen this fellow before? Look closer. Seeing any similarities? For all intents and purposes, CSL's new Spice Mi700 DroidPad is just a rebadged Viewpad 7 / Camangi FM600, and given that CSL was also responsible for manufacturing the JooJoo, we'd say these guys know a thing or two about building a tablet. The device ships with Qualcomm's 600MHz MSM722, stock Android 2.2 (Froyo), the same nasty widgets that ship on FM600, a total lack of Flash support and no access to paid apps via the App Market. There's also a 3 megapixel camera on the rear, a VGA webcam on the front, WVGA capacitive touchpanel (7-inch), inbuilt WiFi / WWAN / Bluetooth, a microSD card slot and a 3.5mm headphone jack. It's said to be available starting this month for $500, but early reviews aren't exactly giving it two thumbs up -- crank 'er down to $250 and we suspect those views will shift.

CSL's $500 Spice Mi700 DroidPad runs Froyo, looks awfully familiar originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Sep 2010 14:07:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple TV vs Roku HD... fight!

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/30/apple-tv-vs-roku-hd-fight/

Two tiny black 720p boxes, two interesting choices. The $59 Roku HD will put Netflix, Amazon Video on Demand and Roku's 75 other content channels on your TV quickly and easily, while the $99 Apple TV offers up iTunes rentals, Netflix, and eventually AirPlay streaming from your iPad or iPhone. (You could step up to the Roku XDS with 1080p support for $99, but we don't think the extra money will be really worth it until the USB playback channel is released and / or there's more useful 1080p content available.) It's a tough decision, so check out our Apple TV review or our Roku XDS review and just try to make up your mind. Then again, you could grab 'em both and still not break the bank.

Gallery: Apple TV vs Roku HD... fight!

Apple TV vs Roku HD... fight! originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Sep 2010 14:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Looks Like the iPhone 3GS is Capable of Shooting HDR Photos [Apple]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5651845/looks-like-the-iphone-3gs-is-capable-of-shooting-hdr-photos

Now that HDR photos (and video!) is the cool kids' latest documenting tool since Hipstamatic, iPhone 3GS owners have been feeling decidedly unhip without the app. It's almost enough for them to resort to film cameras again!

9to5Mac discovered that the SDK suggests that the 3GS actually has the power to shoot HDR photos, as evidenced by the "non-Retina display" icon above. Older models of iPhone are limited by hardware and are unable to take photos using this effect, so there's a good chance that Apple might fire up the high dynamic range switch at some point—if they feel generous. [9to5Mac]

Apple TV review (2010)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/29/apple-tv-review-2010/

You've been waiting, and it's finally here: the Apple TV review. Months before Steve Jobs announced the new set top box at Apple's annual fall event, we had been reporting on news that the company would strike out again into the TV market, offering a small, low-cost box that had more in common with the iPhone than the iMac. When those rumors came to fruition, we were presented with the completely revamped Apple TV -- a tiny black puck of a device priced at a staggering $99, and centered around a handful of completely new ideas (for the folks in Cupertino at least) about getting content onto your TV screen. The first is a new rental system which allows you to nab brand new TV shows at $0.99 a rental, and HD movies for $4.99 a go (or $3.99 for older titles). And that includes new releases the same day DVDs hit shelves (or Netflix distribution centers). Speaking of Netflix, the new Apple TV also features the rental service's "Watch Instantly" as a wholly integrated component of its offerings, alongside a new function the company calls AirPlay which will allow you to "push" video and audio content from your iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch with the tap of a button. On top of that, the new ATV streamlines sharing from your home computers or laptops, making getting content you own onto your TV dead simple. So, has Apple finally solved the "second box" problem, or are they still struggling to turn this hobby into a real business? Follow along after the break for those answers (and more) in our full review of the Apple TV!

Gallery: Apple TV review (2010)

Continue reading Apple TV review (2010)

Apple TV review (2010) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Sep 2010 12:55:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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