New iPad has power-sipping Bluetooth 4.0

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/09/new-ipad-has-power-sipping-bluetooth-4-0/

There are already 2,048 x 1,536 reasons to covet the latest iPad, but here's one more: it's the first tablet to incorporate the latest Bluetooth 4.0 "Smart" standard. Like the iPhone 4S, Apple's new slate is ready to pair with other Smart devices that drain far less power than previous modules. Want to complement your purchase with a wireless keyboard whose batteries will last for years? Or to plaster your body with tiny low-power sensors so you can, erm, monitor yourself on your iPad? Oh yes, Bluetooth 4.0 can make that happen.

Continue reading New iPad has power-sipping Bluetooth 4.0

New iPad has power-sipping Bluetooth 4.0 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 09 Mar 2012 11:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Panasonic details US availability for 25 of its 2012 HDTVs

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/09/panasonic-details-us-availability-for-25-of-its-2012-hdtvs/

Too busy multitasking to make any important decisions? You might want to bookmark this post, then, because Panasonic just spat out a wallop of a press release outlining US availability (but not pricing) details for 25 of its 2012 HDTVs. Starting with those Infinite Black Ultra plasmas we saw at CES, the 65-inch VT50 is coming later this month, but you'll have to wait until April for the 50-inch GT50. If you can settle for a set with an Infinite Black Pro panel, though, the ST50 series is available now in 50- and 55-inch sizes, with the 60- and 65-inchers coming this month and in April, respectively. Moving down the 3D Plasma totem pole, the UT50 series will start tricking out this month in 42- and 50-inch flavors, with 55- and 60-inch counterparts following in April and May. The most affordable of the models listed, the 50-inch XT50 series, will go on sale before the month's end.

Had your heart set on an LED number? If you recall, Panasonic announced a boatload of those at CES, and this press release doesn't even mention all of them, but so far we know the E5 series (32 and 37 inches), the E50 series (42, 47 and 55 inches), the lower-end X5 series (32 inches) and the 47-inch TC-L47DT50 (part of the high-end DT50 series) will all be available this month. Want the best and the biggest? Panasonic is shipping its 3D-capable, 55-inch DT50- and WT50-series sets in May. Rounding out the list, there's Panasonic's first polarized 3D TVs, which will be available later this month in 47- and 55-inch flavors, with a 42-incher following in Apr! il.

Got it? Good. You sure? In case you need a moment to digest all those dates and model numbers, tap the source link below to find detailed specs, along with confirmed pricing -- something you won't see anywhere in that extensive press release.

Continue reading Panasonic details US availability for 25 of its 2012 HDTVs

Panasonic details US availability for 25 of its 2012 HDTVs originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 09 Mar 2012 13:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Vocre 2.0 for iOS brings live translation to video calls

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/09/vocre-2-live-video-translation-for-ios/

Let's say you've just landed on home soil and happened to meet a charming partner during your stay abroad -- yet your unrequited love is separated by a nasty language barrier. Sure, it didn't seem to matter in the moment, but now that you've moved onto -- you know -- communication, you could use a bit of an assist. Thankfully, the folks at MyLanguage seem to have a worthwhile solution with the new Vocre 2.0 app for iOS. The software allows two individuals to engage in video chats in their native tongues, and the app removes the language barrier by providing translations (both text and spoken) on-the-fly. While Vocre 2.0 is currently in private beta, it'll debut as a free, ad-supported application. Further, users may take advantage of paid, premium services that include on-demand human translation. You can follow a similar story of two young lovers in a video after the break. Think it'll work out for 'em?

Continue reading Vocre 2.0 for iOS brings live translation to video calls

Vocre 2.0 for iOS brings live translation to video calls originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 09 Mar 2012 13:08:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MythTV turns 0.25, is actually ten in human years

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/09/mythtv-turns-0-25-is-actually-ten-in-human-years/

Perhaps it's to help it keep that start-up vibe but, for whatever reason, on the eve of its tenth birthday MythTV is about to release version 0.25. That's right, it's the two bit anniversary of one of our favorite open source HTPC programs. So, what's new in this edition? A lot. In fact, for full details you'll have to hit up the changelog at the source. But, we can guarantee that the new MythTV Services API will open up a whole new frontier to devs. If you're looking for more, well, don't worry -- the creators have also added support for IPv6, AirPlay, HTTP Live Streaming, and DirectX acceleration. For more details and to download the beta for yourself, hit up the source link.

Update: One more major feature added to 0.25 is the support for CableCARD tuners. That capability was added to 0.24 through patches, but this next version supports it out of the proverbial box.

MythTV turns 0.25, is actually ten in human years originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 09 Mar 2012 16:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tether for iPhone returns as an HTML5-powered subscription service (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/09/tether-for-iphone-html5-webapp/

We're still not sure how iTether temporarily snuck into the App Store the first time around, but the developers behind that software have returned with a new version that skirts Apple's guidelines entirely. While Tether.com has standard apps available for BlackBerry and Android users, the new approach on iOS relies on creating an ad-hoc network from a PC, and then visiting the appropriate webpage on the iPhone. Log in to the website, and the company's "patent-pending" software does the job of tying the two connections together wirelessly through the magic of HTML5, no jailbreaking or other hackery needed. The cost for the service is $30 a year, although it's currently available for the first year at $15 -- no free trials, and of course what happens to your data plan is between you and your carrier. Check out the video above for a demonstration or hit the company's website for more details.

Tether for iPhone returns as an HTML5-powered subscription service (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 09 Mar 2012 18:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Forth Dimension's second Replicating Reality concept stuffs Half-Life 2 into a virtual reality headset (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/09/forth-dimensions-second-replicating-reality-concept-stuffs-half/

GDC might be winding down, but we'd be remiss if we didn't catch up with Forth Dimension Displays, the Kopin subsidiary responsible for all those little microdisplays inside your camcorders and, we're told, specialized military gear. While neither of those are terribly exciting to consumers, the outfit's latest concept is. Similar to last year's E3 demo, the company's new rig is built to highlight the kinds of use cases it would like OEMs to build using its microdisplays. The above jury-rigged setup above consists of a helmet rocking two of the company's SXGA (1280 x 1024) microdisplays which are in turn connected to back-mounted drivers which are then attached to your run-of-the-mill gaming PC. But unlike previous endeavors, when head-tracking happened in the helmet, this year we've got a plastic gun stuffed with an air mouse which controls onscreen movement. It's admittedly hacked together and certainly not flawless -- the cursor tended to bob upwards in our time with it -- yet very immersive and an amazing way to frag combine soldiers in the trenches of Half Life 2. But don't take our ! word for it, ogle at the gallery below, or watch a video of it in all its glory after the break.

Gallery: Forth Dimension's Replicating Reality Half-Life 2 concept

Continue reading Forth Dimension's second Replicating Reality concept stuffs Half-Life 2 into a virtual reality headset (video)

Forth Dimension's second Replicating Reality concept stuffs Half-Life 2 into a virtual reality headset (video) originally appeared on Engadget o! n Fri, 0 9 Mar 2012 20:09:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Thunderbolt is everywhere, now let's make it faster with PCI-Express 3.0

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/09/thunderbolt-could-get-faster-with-pci-express-3/

Things are different on Planet Intel. Over there, Thunderbolt drives and peripherals are as cheap and abundant as artificial intelligences in a Culture novel, so the population's attention has already turned to what comes next. Some are prepared to wait for a promised 50Gbps optical interconnect by 2015, but an impatient few are trying to make Thunderbolt exploit the new PCI-Express 3.0 standard for more immediate thrills. PCWorld claims the latest form of PCI-Express found in Sandy Bridge E, Ivy Bridge and Xeon E5 chipsets could make 10Gbps Thunderbolt run "significantly faster", thanks to a 60 percent speed boost over PCIe 2.0. Maybe they're right, but back on this planet we're still 33 percent of the way through transferring The Best of Leo Sayer to our USB 2.0-equipped Xperia S.

Thunderbolt is everywhere, now let's make it faster with PCI-Express 3.0 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 09 Mar 2012 06:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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FujiFilm's $1,700 X100 Black Edition now shipping, limited to 10K units worldwide

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/09/fujifilms-1-700-x100-black-edition-now-shipping-limited-to-10/

We somehow missed this retro-styled gem at back at CES, but no matter -- Fujifilm's X100 Black Premium Edition is now shipping and available for purchase. This is exactly the same 12.3-megapixel camera that's been pleasing photographers for nearly a year, albeit in a darker, single-tone finish that's limited to a run of 10,000 units worldwide. Priced at $1,700, the black X100 is 500 more bones than the standard-issue variant and features the same 23mm fixed lens, but it comes with a lens hood, leather case, clear lens filter and an adapter ring; all of which are all painted to match. We'd say this blacked-out shooter gives the NEX-7 a run for its money in the dapper looks department, but you can decide for yourself at the source link below. Full press release past the break.

Continue reading FujiFilm's $1,700 X100 Black Edition now shipping, limited to 10K units worldwide

FujiFilm's $1,700 X100 Black Edition now shipping, limited to 10K units worldwide originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 09 Mar 2012 08:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Orange's Santa Clara Medfield phone gets benchmarked, well, the browser does

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/09/oranges-santa-clara-medfield-phone-gets-benchmarked/

Wondering how those Medfield handsets stack up to their ARM-powered competition? Well, we can't promise a full suite of benchmarks just yet, but we do have a peek at a pair of browser-centric tests. The German Caschys Blog managed to get a hold of Orange's upcoming Santa Clara device at CeBit and ran Qualcomm's Vellamo and Rightware's BrowserMark on the Atom handset. In both metrics the Z2460 more than holds its own, scoring an 89,180 on the web-based BrowserMark -- putting it just ahead of the iPhone 4S which clocks in at 87,801, but well behind the Galaxy Nexus' 98,272. Things look just as promising on the slightly more hardware-intensive Vellamo where it trounced the latest Nexus and was hot on the heels of the Xiaomi Mi-One Plus and Transformer Prime. Of course, neither of these tests really tax the CPU or measure 3D graphics performance. We're not even sure what the clock speed on chip inside the handset is. We were originally led to believe 1.6GHz, though, Caschy is reporting the model he manhandled was running at just 1.4GHz. Then, there's perhaps the biggest question of all -- battery life. For that, we'll just have to wait and see.

Orange's Santa Clara Medfield phone gets benchmarked, well, the browser does originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 09 Mar 2012 09:51:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Download Any MP3 from SoundCloud with This Bookmarklet [Music]

Source: http://lifehacker.com/5891635/download-any-mp3-from-soundcloud-with-this-bookmarklet

Music-hosting service SoundCloud makes it easy to share your voice, music, or any other audio with a few clicks. It's great, but sometimes you're desperate to actually download and save a track from SoundCloud. This handy bookmarklet, courtesy of github user pheuter, adds a Download MP3 link to any track on SoundCloud.

To install the bookmarklet, first drag and drop the link below to your browser's bookmark toolbar:

SoundCloud Download

Right-click the bookmark and select Edit (Chrome) or Properties (Firefox). Copy and paste the text below into the URL field (Chrome) or Location field (Firefox):

 javascript:(function(b){var a=b.createElement("a");a.innerText="Download MP3";a.href="http://media.soundcloud.com/stream/"+b.querySelector("#main-content-inner img[class=waveform]").src.match(/\.com\/(.+)\_/)[1];a.download=b.querySelector("em").innerText+".mp3";b.querySelector(".primary").appendChild(a);a.style.marginLeft="10px";a.style.color="red";a.style.fontWeight=700})(document); 

Click Save and your SoundCloud bookmarklet is ready to roll. Next time you'd like to download any piece of audio from SoundCloud but downloading isn't enabled, just click your handy bookmarklet and a red Download MP3 link will magically appear in the player. Don't abuse it, and everyone wins.

Bookmarklet that generates download link for a Soundcloud upload | github

(Apologies for the extra bookmarklet installation steps beyond just dragging and dropping—our publishing platform mungs up the code in bookmarklet links.)

Whoever Wrote the Duqu Trojan's Framework Wrote It in an Unknown Programming Language [Hacking]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5891789/whoever-wrote-the-duqu-framework-wrote-it-with-an-unknown-programming-language

The Duqu Trojan is one nasty piece of code, rivaled in sophistication only by its relative, the Stuxnet Worm. A new analysis of the Trojan, however, has revealed just how advanced it really is.

Russian security firm Kaspersky Lab performed the analysis and discovered that portions of the the suspiciously-named Payload DLL file were written in an unknown programming language. What's more, these sections, dubbed the Duqu Framework, were responsible for operating the program's Command and Control functions that allow it to receive further instructions once it's infiltrated a system.

The rest of the program is written and compiled in C++, but not the Duqu Framework. It "is definitely object-oriented," wrote Igor Soumenkov but certainly not anything the analysts had ever seen before.

This discovery only further fuels speculation that both Duqu and Stuxnet are the results of a very advanced, very well-funded organization's or, more likely, nation's efforts. As Alexander Gostev, chief security expert at Kaspersky Lab, speculated,

With the extremely high level of customization and exclusivity that the programming language was created with, it is also possible that it was made not only to prevent external parties from understanding the cyber-espionage operation and the interactions with the C&Cs, but also to keep it separate from other internal Duqu teams who were responsible for writing the additional parts of the malicious program.

Duqu first surfaced last September after the Stuxnet attacks against Iranian nuclear development facilities. Duqu too appeared to target state interests in Iran as well as multiple industrial control systems. [Secure List via CBR]

Verizon-bound LG Lucid reveals itself in leaked press shots

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/08/verizon-bound-lg-lucid-reveals-itself-in-leaked-press-shots/

Aside from the Optimus Vu, last week's MWC didn't reveal all that many LTE-capable handsets from LG. Fortunately, the Life's Good crowd still have plans for Verizon -- and this is one of them. According to Pocketnow, this is the LG Lucid and it wants to nestle itself squarely in the middle ground of Verizon's smartphone catalogue. Alongside those 4G chops, the phone purportedly wields a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, 800×480 resolution NOVA display and an 8-megapixel camera capable of 1080p video capture. It also appears to run an LG-laced version of Gingerbread -- presumably something the company will attempt to elbow aside with vague promises of ICS when it all goes official.

Verizon-bound LG Lucid reveals itself in leaked press shots originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 08 Mar 2012 11:37:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple ups the resolution on iTunes U and iBooks 2 for new iPad

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/08/apple-ups-the-resolution-on-itunes-u-and-ibooks-2-for-new-ipad/

Apple certainly had a lot of bases to cover at yesterday's new iPad unveiling, so some minor details were bound to slip through the cracks. While app suites like iLife and iWork got to bask in the Yerba Buena spotlight touting enhanced resolutions for that Retina Display, the company's decidedly less high-profile education software was also treated a face-lift -- just without the fanfare. According to a report on CNET, prospective owners of Cupertino's latest tablet will get to download an upgraded version of iBooks 2 and iTunes U that take advantage of the new 2048 x 1536 9.7-inch screen. Aside from the visual tweaks, only iBooks 2 has been imbued with extra features, adding a touch-to-highlight function and a refined page search that unites both print and ebook layouts. You'll be able to check out the 264ppi panache for yourself when those slates ship out next week.

Apple ups the resolution on iTunes U and iBooks 2 for new iPad originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 08 Mar 2012 12:16:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Angry Birds Space gameplay gets revealed -- briefly (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/08/angry-birds-space-gameplay-video/

We've already gleaned that the extra-terrestrial edition of Angry Birds will involve some sort of gameplay departure from the add-on style of previous versions, but gameplay-wise there's been less information. Fortunately, makers Rovio has now leaked out a very brief taster in its lastest video. You'll have to skip to the three-minute marker, but you'll get a glimpse at some anti-gravity avians, bubbles, explosions and atmosphere re-entries. Take a look for yourself after the break.

[Thanks Ville]

Continue reading Angry Birds Space gameplay gets revealed -- briefly (video)

Angry Birds Space gameplay gets revealed -- briefly (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 08 Mar 2012 11:55:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HTC One X gets rooted before retail debut

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/08/htc-one-x-gets-rooted-before-retail-debut/

You didn't think the modders that form the very underpinnings of Android's base would let a little unicorn like the One X slide by unscathed, did ya? That polycarbonate überphone hasn't even made it out of the official launch gate and yet, thanks to MoDaCo, it's already been rooted. Sidestepping the usual dense how-to's typically associated with achieving root on non-Nexus devices, our eager beaver hacker's compiled Superboot: a one-step, no fuss boot image that automates the process for you sans the need for adb commands. The hack is said to work with retail versions of the handset and should play friendly with Mac, Windows and Linux operating systems, though it will require S-OFF or an unlocked bootloader courtesy of HTCdev. So if you were tantalized by the possibilities of this quad-core phone, but not quite convinced you could handle another skinned UX, this might help to ease your quandary.

HTC One X gets rooted before retail debut originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 08 Mar 2012 12:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Verizon will support Mobile Hotspot on the new iPad, AT&T still working on it

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/08/mobile-hotspot-new-ipad/

It's no secret that the new iPad will offer the ability to share a data connection with other devices through a mobile hotspot, but the feature doesn't do any good if your wireless network doesn't offer it. Representatives from Verizon and AT&T sent tweets this morning that raised more questions than they answered, leaving us concerned that both companies had decided not to allow the hotspot capability at all. After reaching out to the carriers, however, we're able to shed some light on the subject: Verizon killed the rumor, telling us it has "every intention of supporting Mobile Hotspot on the new iPad," while AT&T stated that it is "working with Apple to enable this feature in the future, but we currently do not offer it."

In other words, Verizon has everything settled and ready to go when the first iPad shipments arrive next week, while AT&T and Apple are supposedly still at the negotiation table. Are the two companies trying to hash out some kind of revenue sharing deal as we sit idly by, yearning for the coveted option to magically appear? Whatever the reason, AT&T's answer isn't a full-out no -- but it's not a yes, either.

Update: In regards to pricing, Verizon also stated: "All of our tablet data plans include Mobile Hotspot so customers do not have to pay an additional fee for the service on tablets."

Verizon will support Mobile Hotspot on the new iPad, AT&T still working on it originally appeared on Engad get on Thu, 08 Mar 2012 13:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung Galaxy S II (GT-I9100) to get ICS on March 10th (update: recalled)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/08/samsung-galaxy-s-ii-ics/

Two days. That's the amount of time remaining for you, dear Samsung Galaxy S II owner, before the long-awaited upgrade to Android 4.0 -- the dessert known as Ice Cream Sandwich -- becomes readily available for your device through Kies. Naturally, this is going to be adorned with Sammy's TouchWiz UI, and it's only going to be ready on the GT-I9100 (global version) for now. According to the notes, we can expect to see Face Unlock, Android Beam and data usage included, and multitasking and some apps will be improved. We're sure this is just the tip of the feature iceberg, however. Curiously, the site specifies that because of "ICS OS feature," Flash and Bluetooth 3.0 HS won't be supported.

The update will come to individual carriers and their own GSII variants eventually, after a hefty amount of testing on their end, but at least this -- combined with HTC's rollout of Sense 3.6 to the Nordic countries today -- means the ICS ball is officially rolling for custom skins. Let's just hope it's going down a steep hill. If you happen to be packing a GT-I9100, be sure to check the links below for the full set of instructions, and let us know what you find.

[Thanks, Argel and Roger]

Update: Samsung's just tweeted that March 10th date is (sadly) wrong. It added that once the upgrade schedule is concrete, it'll confirm through its dedicated Twitter account.

Samsung Galaxy S II (GT-I9100) to get ICS on March 10th (update: recalled) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 08 Mar 2012 17:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Super Talent teases whip-fast RAIDDrive UpStream PCIe SSD

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/08/super-talent-raiddrive-upstream/

Super Talent's developed a PCI Express flash storage system that's far faster than your current SSD yet promises to be cheaper than the company's current PCIe offerings. The RAIDDrive UpStream uses a Sandforce controller to push around 1GBps of data at twice the speed of a SATA unit. Available to buy in 220GB, 460GB and 960GB editions, it sandwiches in four RAID drives to competitor OCZ's two, and is promised to be an "upsetter" by marketing director Peter Carcione. The company's hoping to get the devices into boxes and onto shelves by the end of April, for a price that's yet to be decided. Just remember, powerful SSDs are like having a butler: desirable, yes, but also a little pricey if your surname isn't Abramovitch or Buffett.

Super Talent teases whip-fast RAIDDrive UpStream PCIe SSD originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 08 Mar 2012 20:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Vizio welcomes YouTube as part of its Internet Apps arsenal

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/08/vizio-tvs-add-youtube-internet-app/

Not long after bringing some Redmond vid-calling to your living room, Vizio's introducing another app that may just enhance your couch entertainment. Via its Twitter account, the outfit announced YouTube will now be a part of its Internet App portfolio. Though, it's worth mentioning the Tweet didn't specify if it'll support all internet-ready TV models. The Tube (as the cool kids are calling it) is joining the likes of Hulu Plus and Blockbuster On Demand as part of Vizio's entertainment offerings. We know you can't wait to make yourself cry watching Kony 2012, so be on the lookout for the Google-owned video service to hit your smart TV shortly.

Vizio welcomes YouTube as part of its Internet Apps arsenal originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 08 Mar 2012 21:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toshiba builds scanner that can identify fruit without a barcode, yup (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/08/toshiba-fruit-scanner/

During our hurried supermarket sweeps, we're aiming for the Granny Smith, yet somehow always come away with French Jonagold. That's why we're in awe of this new supermarket scanner from Toshiba-Tech that can identify individual species of fruit and veg from sight. Rather than a cashier keying in a produce code, a camera with optical pattern recognition technology filters out "visual noise" before identifying the genus of your apple by shape, surface pattern and coloration. It's also able to scan labels and coupons, but so far the database only contains a handful of items. It'll take over a year (when each thing has been harvested and scanned) to build a database necessary to make it commercially useful. Still, if you can't bear to wait those precious seconds as your server finds the right code for lettuce, head on past the break to watch your future in action.

Continue reading Toshiba builds scanner that can identify fruit without a barcode, yup (video)

Toshiba builds scanner that can identify fruit without a barcode, yup (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 08 Mar 2012 22:05:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NVIDIA joins Linux Foundation, doesn't mention driver development

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/08/nvidia-linux-foundation/

It's a big day for open source fans now that NVIDIA, the last member of the "big three" chip makers with AMD and Intel, has signed on with the Linux foundation. The company has previously kept the system at arms length, with users relying on reverse-engineering to get things working nicely with Linus' baby. It's joining Fluenco, Lineo and Mocana, three companies who also became signatories to the foundation at the same time. Whilst there's no commitment to provide drivers for its chipsets, at least there's a glimmer of hope that the company will contribute -- especially given the growing popularity of its mobile platforms.

Continue reading NVIDIA joins Linux Foundation, doesn't mention driver development

NVIDIA joins Linux Foundation, doesn't mention driver development originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 08 Mar 2012 09:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lytro camera review

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/08/lytro-camera-review/

Lytro camera hands-on (video)

Lytro open to partnering with smartphone makers, executive suggests

Lytro's light field camera captures 'unprecedented' images, lets you choose focus later

Don't let that cute design fool you. Lytro, the world's first commercial light field camera, is the culmination of nearly twenty years of research -- a project that once occupied an entire wall facade, and has since been miniaturized into something that fits in the palm of your hand. An impressive feat, sure, but not as arresting as the end result: the ability to refocus pictures, even after you've taken them.

To achieve such magical endeavors the Lytro camera uses heaps of custom software (armed with a custom .lfp file format) coupled with some serious silicon to measure not just color or the intensity of light, but its direction, too. The latter is achieved with an eleven "megaray" sensor, which is bolted to an f/2.0 8x optical zoom lens, all encased within that sleek body. Seeking to save us from unfocused mishaps, the technological tour de force also un! locks so me considerable creative potential. So, is the $399 shooter going to revolutionize photography as we know it? Or does the Lytro's first foray into consumer electronics fall prey to the shortcomings of 1.0 product? By know you should know the drill: rendezvous with us past the break to find out.

Continue reading Lytro camera review

Lytro camera review originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 08 Mar 2012 10:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pause for Later Saves Your Location in Web Videos So You Can Resume Where You Left Off [Video]

Source: http://lifehacker.com/5891235/pause-for-later-saves-your-location-in-web-videos-so-you-can-resume-where-you-left-off

Sneaking in an episode of 30 Rock on Hulu in the middle of the day at work is great, but when your boss walks in and you have to quickly close the browser window you end up losing your place in the video. Pause for Later is webapp that stores the exact location of the video so you can resume watching it later.

Pause for Later supports video on YouTube, Hulu, and Vimeo. Once you download the Chrome extension you can click the pause button in the toolbar and the video's location is stored on the webapp. When you want to watch the video, head over to Pause for Later and you can resume playing the video right where you left off.

Pause for Later | via Addictive Tips

Chrome Finally Breached in Google's $1 Million Hackathon [Security]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5891508/chrome-finally-breached-in-googles-1-million-hackathon

Google recently offered up prizes totaling $1 million for those capable of exploiting its browser Chrome. Now, at Google's own competition called Pwnium, a student has walked away with one of the top prizes, earning $60,000 by hacking a PC running Chrome.

Chrome has featured in Pwn2Own—a security competition run by HP—for the last four years, but while the likes of Safari and Internet Explorer have crumbled, Google's browser has remained resolute.

Now, at Google's breakaway event Pwnium, Sergey Glazunov, a Russian university student, successfully hacked a PC running Google's Chrome browser to claim a $60,000 prize. ZDNet reports that he used a previously undiscovered exploit specific to chrome to bypass its "sandbox"—a restriction designed to stop hackers accessing the rest of a user's computer even if they do compromise the browser. Google security team member Justin Schuh has confirmed the hack on Twitter.

Simultaneously, at HP's Pwn2Own event, a security firm also hacked Chrome in five minutes. While all this means that Google can no longer tout Chrome's record of withstanding hacks, it does mean that the browser will get better. As part of the prize-giving system, all hackers have to disclose full details of their hack—so Google are definitely set to learn something. [ZDNet; Image: Pedro Miguel Sousa / Shutterstock]

IBMâs Holey Optochip Pumps 1 Trillion Bits per Second [Guts]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5891515/ibms-holey-optochip-pumps-1-trillion-bits-per-second

IBM Researchers have built an optical chip that can transfer more data per second than pretty much anything else on the planet.

They call this transceiver the Holey Optochip - holey because they've taken a chip wafer and fired 48 holes in it so that laser light can be blasted in and out of the chip, moving data at one trillion bits per second. That's eight times faster than the fastest comparable optical components on the market today, and about 10,000 times faster than the 100 Mb/second Ethernet that's still common on corporate networks.

It doesn't use much power either - just under five watts. That's a big issue in today's data centers and supercomputer installations.

IBM doesn't plan to turn the Holey Optochip into a product, but they would like it if someone in the transceiver business licensed their technology to build super-fast networking technology for high-performance computers.

The chip is built out of commodity components - the chip's hole-riddled design is the breakthrough here, not any individual component - so this is something that could happen within the next few years, says Clint Schow a group manager at IBM Research. "This is basically just a higher bandwidth version of those links today that are used in high-performance computers," he says. "The trick is we package it very well so we can deliver on the bandwidth and power simultaneously."

Networking bottlenecks are becoming a real problem as computer-makers cram more and more powerful processors into massive supercomputing system. It's becoming tricky to get all these chips talking to one-another in an efficient way, so they're not spending too much of their time just waiting for an answer from some other part of the machine. As supercomputers become used for more and more types of programming, predicting how the network will be used becomes even harder.

Seeing these problems ahead, Schow and his team set off to find a way to get to this one trillion bits per second (a terabit) networking about five years ago. "The network's becoming the real problem that's limiting everything," Schow says.

IBM researchers will discuss the Holey Optochip Thursday at the Optical Fiber Communication Conference in Los Angeles.

Image: IBM

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