Dr. Augustine Fou's Online Scrapbook: 6/12/11

Saturday, June 18, 2011

Real Racing 2 HD wireless, dual-screen gaming with iOS 5 on iPad 2 hands-on (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/17/real-racing-2-hd-wireless-dual-screen-gaming-with-ios-5-on-ipad/

It's just one week after Nintendo unveiled dual-screen gaming on the Wii U at E3, but Apple's iOS 5 beta is already bringing a very similar experience to the living room -- many months before Nintendo's latest console is expected to ship. We installed iOS 5 on an iPad 2 and Apple TV, and took the latest version of Real Racing 2 HD for a test-drive, which enables dual-screen gameplay over AirPlay without the need for Apple's $39 AV adapter. Other games, like Angry Birds, simply mirror the iPad's display (and aspect ratio) on your HDTV, but Real Racing streams 16:9 HD video.

For this game (and we imagine many more to come), you use the iPad as the controller -- both while navigating through menus and in race mode -- while the game appears only on your TV (though the tablet does display some vitals, and a map of the track). There's noticeable lag between the iPad and Apple TV when using AirPlay, which may be an issue for games where timing is important, such as Rock Band, but didn't seem to set us back while playing Firemint's racing game. Overall, AirPlay offered a seamless gaming experience without a single hiccup -- surprising, considering iOS 5 just hit beta last week. It's difficult to do this hands-on justice without a video demo, so jump past the break for an exclusive look at wireless, dual-screen gaming on the iPad and Apple TV.

Continue reading Real Racing 2 HD wireless, dual-screen gaming with iOS 5 on iPad 2 hands-on (video)

Real Racing 2 HD wireless, dual-screen gaming with iOS 5 on iPad 2 hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 17 Jun 2011 11:57:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Alleged shot of Sony Ericsson Xperia Duo surfaces

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/17/alleged-shot-of-sony-ericsson-xperia-duo-surfaces/

There's not really much more than the image above to go on with this one, but what you're looking at is purported to be the as-yet-unannounced Xperia Duo, which may or may not be Sony Ericsson's first dual-core phone. As you can see, it bears some resemblance to the Xperia Arc, with what appears to be a large, edge-to-edge display and a UI that's apparently been tweaked a bit from what we've seen previously on SE phones, including a different weather widget and media player controls under the dock. Of course, it is still just a single image, so we'd recommend taking it with the usual grain of salt for the time being.

[Thanks, Daniel N]

Alleged shot of Sony Ericsson Xperia Duo surfaces originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 17 Jun 2011 15:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LG Revolution review

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/17/lg-revolution-review/

The army of high-speed broadband phones is actively seeking new recruits to join its rapidly-growing force, and the LG Revolution is the latest to graduate from boot camp. We've witnessed the emergence of three Verizon LTE handsets in as many months, beginning with the HTC Thunderbolt and the Samsung Droid Charge a few weeks later. As if this wasn't enough choice to tempt your tastebuds already, the LG Revolution -- the entertaining climax to the classic 4G trilogy -- was born one full moon after that. With three options, all so close to each other in dimension and features, it's natural to compare all of 'em and make the call on which one is the best of the bunch. Is LG's first crack at Verizon's LTE network truly a game-changer, as its name suggests? Or does this Revolution fail to even get its feet off the ground? Read on after the break to find out.

Gallery: LG Revolution Overview

Continue reading LG Revolution review

LG Revolution review originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 17 Jun 2011 16:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Netflix's day: Sony pulls movies, new bandwidth options, no more DVD API access and a lawsuit

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/17/netflixs-day-sony-pulls-movies-new-bandwidth-options-no-more/

In an apparent ode to Rebecca Black, Ice Cube and any number of body switch movies, Netflix has had an incredibly active Friday, so sit back while we get you up to speed. Sony Pictures movies from Starz Play are no longer available (on any device, not just the Xbox 360 this time) due to a "temporary contract issue" according to the official blog. According to NewTeeVee, the problem is an "IP distribution cap" that was reached due to Netflix's explosive growth, but with no word on when the movies will be back, you'll be missing The Other Guys. Up next was the National Association of the Deaf, which has filed a lawsuit in Springfield, MA against Netflix, claiming that its failure to provide closed captions on all streaming content puts it in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Netflix last claimed 30 percent of titles were subbed with plans to reach 80 percent by the end of the year, but the press release (and captioned YouTube video) make the case that as a leader in streaming video, it should do better.

Netflix also quietly gave US subscribers access to the same bandwidth management options provided to Canadians a few months ago. The new Manage Video Quality settings (shown above) can be found in the Your Account section, and if you're trying to stay under bandwidth caps or just keep seeing buffering, they should help you out at the cost of a few pixels. As if that wasn't enough, the Netflix Tech Blog squeezed in news that it was ending access to "DVD-related features" for apps using its Open API later this year. The move is apparently preparation for expanded international streaming, so if you're trying to manage discs through a third party things may change soon.

Netflix's day: Sony pulls movies, new bandwidth options, no more DVD API access and a lawsuit originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 17 Jun 2011 23:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hacking Netflix, (2) | source

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Friday, June 17, 2011

Griffin's DJ Cable Makes iPad DJing Significantly Easier [Music]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5812649/griffins-dj-cable-makes-ipad-djing-significantly-better

DJing on an iPad is an interesting, if gimmicky, concept. But unless you're just using an iPad as a MIDI controller, simultaneously outputting sound while cueing up the next track isn't possible. Except now it is.

The Griffin DJ Cable is simple. It splits the audio signal of your iPad (or iPhone, or iPod touch) in two. One signal carrying the master out goes to your speakers, while the other goes to your headphones with the cueing track in tow. The only bummer is that to pull off the feat, the DJ Cable takes converts each signal to mono and spits them out through the L and R channels of the iPad's audio output. Still, it will make mixing on the virtual 1s and 2s easier. What it won't do, however, is magically turn you into a competent DJ. That's on you.

Griffin Technology Partners with algoriddim to Unveil DJ Cable for iPad, iPhone and iPod touch
Available at Apple stores worldwide, the DJ Cable combined with algoriddim's djay app enables Split Output mode for pre-cueing, giving DJs full audio control on-the-go

Nashville, Tenn. and Munich, Germany – June 16, 2011 – Griffin Technology Inc., makers of innovations for everyday life, and algoriddim, makers of the line of djay products for Mac and iOS devices, are excited to announce DJ Cable for iOS devices is now available. Designed specifically to work with algoriddim's for djay for iPad, winner of a 2011 Apple Design Award, and djay for iPhone and iPod touch, the DJ Cable allows users to have the ultimate mobile DJ experience in the palm of their hands.

Users can take full advantage of the Split Output mode, which cues upcoming songs through headphones, independently of the live mix that is sent through the speakers. This is the perfect solution for DJs on-the-go using headphones to preview and prepare the next song to ensure the audience can groove seamlessly to the playlist. The DJ Cable offers a unique experience for beginners and professionals alike turning any social event into the ultimate dance party.

"We are delighted to team up with algoriddim to bring DJs a portable solution for their art," said Mark Rowan,

President of Griffin Technology. "With DJ Cable, DJs can now easily spin music using their favorite iOS device with advanced functionality of pre-cuing the next song."

"djay has fundamentally changed the DJ landscape, and with the introduction of DJ Cable, professional song stylists now have the ability to go completely mobile without sacrificing audio functionality or quality," said Karim Morsy, CEO of algoriddim.

Using djay, users can mix songs directly from the iTunes library on a hyper-realistic, dual-turntable interface. Perform live, record mixes on-the-go or enable Automix mode to let djay mix a favorite playlist automatically. With unprecedented ease-of-use and innovative multi-touch mixing features, djay takes DJing to the next level.

Compatible with iPad , iPhone and iPod touch, the DJ Cable is available for $19.99 at The Apple Store or at www.griffintechnology.com. To purchase algoriddim's djay app, please visit the App Store at http://itunes.com/appstore.

Nanogenerators Could Power a Bluetooth Headset With Your Pulse [Science]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5812865/nanogenerators-could-power-a-bluetooth-headset-with-your-pulse

Scientists have developed the first self-powered nanogenerators that scavenge energy from their surroundings. They could someday replace conventional batteries in small electronics.

Even the slightest movement or vibration, such as a light breeze or the thump of your pulse, can provide enough energy for these nanogenerators. The energy is stored in a capacitor and used to power sensors or even a small wireless radio like those found in Bluetooth headsets. Signals from these wireless radios can be detected up to 30 feet away.

These technology could be used in tiny spy cameras, small wearable electronics or even medical implants. [Science Daily via Inhabitat]

What Does a 268MP Image Sensor Look Like? [Cameras]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5812877/what-does-268mp-image-sensor-look-like

Space photography requires a camera—a really big camera. One with 32 CCD sensors that snaps pictures at a mind-bending 268-megapixel resolution. Go ahead, you can call it the OmegaCam.

You may want to take this one home with you, but you can't. It weighs a whopping 1700lbs and produces about 30TBs of data per year. It's also the camera portion of the VLT Survey Telescope (VST), which is the world's largest telescope designed to operate in visible light. It resides in the northern Chile and is part of the European Southern Observatory. [ESO via PetaPixel and PhotoRadar]

Galaxy S II coming to SaskTel next month, we embark on northward migration

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/17/galaxy-s-ii-coming-to-sasktel-next-month-we-embark-on-northward/

The Samsung Galaxy S II has yet to make its US debut, but it looks like our neighbors to the north will be getting it as early as next month. Yesterday, Canada's SaskTel announced via Twitter that it would launch the phone "within the next month," making it the first North American carrier to confirm the S II. Earlier this month, it looked as if Verizon would be the first to bring the device to the New World, but our hopes were crushed when the carrier debunked rumors of a July launch. It remains to be seen whether Sasktel's announcement will pave the way for a wider North American release, but we'll let you know as soon as we hear more.

Galaxy S II coming to SaskTel next month, we embark on northward migration originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 17 Jun 2011 07:06:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HP ships $50 WiFi Mobile Mouse, gives your Bluetooth radio a break

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/17/hp-ships-50-wifi-mobile-mouse-gives-your-bluetooth-radio-a-bre/

If you've been waiting oh-so-patiently for HP's $49.99 WiFi Mobile Mouse to ship, take heart -- the aforesaid critter is now ready to free up one more valuable USB port at your workstation. As mentioned before, this ain't your mum's wireless mouse, as it makes use of WiFi technology (you know, instead of the tried-and-true Bluetooth) similar to that found in Logitech's Unifying Receiver. In other words, this bad boy doesn't require anything other than itself to connect. HP promises up to nine months of battery life, offers five programmable buttons, a four-way tilt scroll wheel and adjustable sensitivity. Just think -- you can finally choose to keep those remaining Four Loko cans chilled without resorting to an inbuilt trackpad. Reason enough to pull the trigger, yeah?

Gallery: HP WiFi Mobile Mouse

Continue reading HP ships $50 WiFi Mobile Mouse, gives your Bluetooth radio a break

HP ships $50 WiFi Mobile Mouse, gives your Bluetooth radio a break originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 17 Jun 2011 09:25:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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CrowdStar Targets Female Gamers With First Mobile-Only Title, Top Girl

Source: http://techcrunch.com/2011/06/16/crowdstar-targets-female-gamers-with-first-mobile-only-title-top-girl/

Fresh off a $23 million round of funding, Social gaming company CrowdStar is launching its first mobile-only social game, Top Girl. As you can see from the headline, the free game, which is launching for iOS, targets female gamers interested in shopping and fashion.

While CrowdStar offers another female-focused game on Facebook, It Girl, the two games have no connection. Top Girl is a mobile role-playing game that allows players to create a fashionable avatar and then climb up the fashion social ladder, collecting money by doing modeling jobs, buying new outfits, and going to clubs.

The core gameplay is around the modeling job, where as you work more,you earn coins and cash and are able to buy better clothes. The game also has a dating feature, allowing users to flirt with a virtual boyfriend.

The game actually doesn’t require Facebook integration and is utilizing OpenFeint’s (a fellow YouWeb company) plug and play social gaming platform more iOS. And Top Girl isn’t totally devoid of social features. For example, players will see a leaderboard of fellow players who have accumulated the most clothes.

As CrowdStar CEO Peter Relan has told us previously, he believes interactions on mobile social games will be different from social gaming on Facebook, necessitating the need to create new titles. We saw this trend with Zynga’s newest CityVille game ‘Hometown’, which was announced yesterday.

Relan says we can expect more mobile titles from CrowdStar in the coming year, with three mobile games already in development. And the company will expand these titles to Android as well as iOS.

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CrowdStar

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Screenr Business: Add Screencasting To Your Site With A Few Clicks (And Preserve Your Sanity)

Source: http://techcrunch.com/2011/06/16/screenr-business-add-screencasting-to-your-site-with-a-few-clicks-and-preserve-your-sanity/

“Do you see the ‘File’ option at the top? No, higher, at the very top of the screen. Click that. What do you mean it went away? What went away? What did you press? No, stop clicking for a second. I AM BEING PATIENT… sigh”

Ah, the pleasures of describing a computer problem over the phone, doubtless experienced by many of the people reading this post. And while most of us have only had to deal with tech support questions to help our friends, family, and dorm-mates, there are plenty of businesses that face the same challenges every day — and for them, money is on the line. And now Screenr, a company that offers a web-based screen recorder that lets you make screencasts directly from your browser without requiring additional downloads, has an answer.

This week Screenr is launching Screenr Business, a service that makes it very easy for any site to integrate the company’s browser-based screencast technology. In other words, they’ll make it super easy for your customers to file support tickets by video.

Say you have a standard support site for your product, which includes basic help information and a submission form where customers submit descriptions of their problems — descriptions that often aren’t very specific or may be difficult to understand. Using Screenr, you could now embed a button at the top of your support site that invites users to quickly capture a screencast of their issue, which they can then immediately send to your company’s support staff. Pretty cool.

That’s not the only use-case, either: CEO Adam Schwartz says that they’re seeing companies use the tool for internal software development (QA people don’t have to manually write out how to reproduce a problem, they can just take a video). The service is also often used in companies for internal collaboration, allowing coworkers to share a product demo without requiring a meeting.

In addition to the aforementioned widgets that can be easily embedded, Screenr also offers an API that allows for deeper integration (Stocktwits is one company that’s already using this).

As for pricing, Screenr Business is free for 15 days, then charges on a monthly basis with plans starting at $19/month (more expensive plans include more options, like analytics, custom branding, and API access).

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Googleâs Related Searches Now Harness Google Squared (And Theyâre Pretty Nifty)

Source: http://techcrunch.com/2011/06/16/googles-related-searches-now-harness-google-squared-and-theyre-pretty-nifty/

Google has just announced a new feature for its core search engine that sounds like it will be very helpful: a new kind of related search result that’s based around lists. Starting today, when you run a general query like, say, “Greek philosophers”, Google will actually present a list of top Greek philosophers instead of queries that are simply similar to that one.

Okay, so it isn’t the kind of announcement that’s going to make you scream from the rooftops, but it’s a subtle and important difference. Previously, for the query “american authors” you would have gotten suggested searches including “famous american authors” and “american literature”. Now you’ll also get a list of some of the top American authors themselves: Edgar Allan Poe, Mark Twain, Ernest Hemingway, and a half-dozen others.

Google’s post says that the feature also works for a variety of other query types, like movies (you’ll get a list of actors). I just ran a query for “Jelly bean flavors” (which was not one of the examples) and got a list that includes Green Apple, Coconut, and Blueberry. Neat.

Google’s post notes that this is actually based in part on Google Squared, the feature it launched in Labs two years ago that presents search results as structured data. At the time Squared seemed overly ambitious (the structured results didn’t seem very reliable), but obviously it’s come a long way.