Myriad Social TV brings social networking to your cable box (hands-on video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/23/myriad-social-tv-hands-on/

The marriage of social networking and television is nothing new, but Myriad recently launched Social TV, a white label solution which allows TV service providers to roll out their own custom social networking platform on your cable box. It complements services like Twitter, Facebook and Google+ by offering a more contextual way for viewers to interact with their friends while watching TV. Social TV provides an integrated HTML5 experience that's consistent across both television and companion devices (phones and tablets). Viewers can chose between receiving alerts on their TVs, mobile devices or both and can create show- or series-specific virtual communities that automatically expire when the program ends. The system is even mindful of time zones and time-shifts messages to prevent spoilers. More after the break.

Gallery: Myriad Social TV hands-on

Filed under: Home Entertainment, Tablets, HD

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NVIDIA details how its Jetson development kit creates smart, seeing cars

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/23/nvidia-details-how-its-new-jetson-development-kit-creates-smart-cars/

Developing a high-end in-car infotainment system can present challenges that don't exist in other platforms -- you're juggling core car systems, a myriad of sensors and media playback in a testbed on wheels. NVIDIA has just explained how it's uniting those elements with its new, lengthily-titled Jetson Automotive Development Platform. While it looks like a single-DIN car stereo laid bare, the configurable kit incorporates a Tegra processor (for usual infotainment functions), multiple car-friendly interfaces and a Kepler-based graphics chipset that can power car detection, lane departure and other computer vision systems by using CUDA or OpenCV code. The net effect should be a much simpler development process: automakers can consolidate some of their test hardware in one Jetson unit that they can upgrade or swap out if newer technology comes along. NVIDIA isn't naming the handful of designers and suppliers that are already building car electronics using Jetson, although history offers a few possible candidates.

Filed under: GPS, Home Entertainment, Transportation, NVIDIA

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Source: NVIDIA (1), (2)

Article: Panasonic 2013 Smart TVs wield Nuance Dragon TV for voice control, text-to-speech

Panasonic and Nuance have been close partners on TV voice recognition in the past; we now know that they're getting a bit cozier for Panasonic's 2013 Smart TVs. The company's newer LCDs and plasmas with voice recognition use Nuance's Dragon TV for voice-only control of basics like volume as well ...

http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/23/panasonics-2013-smart-tvs-lean-on-nuance-dragon-tv-for-voice/

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AMD intros Radeon HD 7790 graphics card for $149, promises cooler and quieter 1080p gaming

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/22/amd-radeon-hd-7790/

We were half expecting AMD's next graphics card to be some sort of supercomputing colossus, given all the buzz around NVIDIA's GTX Titan. As it turns out, though, we're looking at something more subtle and just slightly more affordable: the new Radeon HD 7790. It slots into a cosy niche between the 7770 and the 7850, targeting gamers who want a good helping of 28nm silicon and potential for CrossFire expansion but who don't want to stretch beyond $149. Efficiency tweaks allow the 7790 to offer almost 50 percent more processing power than the 7770 while only demanding a smidgen of extra wattage (85 W instead of 80 W), which bodes well for cooling and decibels. Relative to the 7850, which can now be had for under $200, you'd be getting a card with half the power consumption, half the memory (1GB GDDR5), half the memory bandwidth (128-bit) and around 30 percent less processing power.

Compare it to the closest rival from NVIDIA, the GTX 650 Ti, which currently fetches upwards of $140, and AMD claims the Radeon HD 7790 offers an average 20 percent advantage in frame rates at 1080p -- enough that you shouldn't need to worry about games like Tomb Raider or Hitman: Absolution at that resolution. Check out the slide deck for further details and official frame-rate charts, and expect to see the card reach retailers starting April 2nd.

Galler y: AMD Radeon HD 7790 slide deck

Filed under: Desktops, Gaming, AMD

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A Solar-Powered Hand-Cranked Digital Camera Laughs At Your Limited Battery Life

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5991746/a-solar+powered-hand+cranked-digital-camera-laughs-at-your-limited-battery-life

What this $200, three-magapixel digital camera lacks in features, functionality, and image quality; it more than makes up for in battery life. Because in theory, as long as you've got sunlight or at least one arm, you can keep it powered indefinitely.

As its namesake implies, what really sets the Sun & Cloud digital camera apart from its competition is the inclusion of a solar panel on top, and a retractable generator crank on the side. So with a lot of sunlight and/or elbow grease, you can perpetually keep its battery charged. Besides a microSD memory card slot and 15 built-in digital filters, the camera unfortunately mostly disappoints with its limited photo resolution and basic 640x480 video capabilities. So while the Sun & Cloud can in theory run forever, will you really want it to?

[AC Gears]

Visualized: Microsoft's homegrown 120-inch 4K television

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/21/visualized-microsofts-homegrown-120-inch-4k-television/

Samsung's $40k work of art has nothing on Redmond's non-existent TV division: Microsoft has built a 120-inch 4K display. Don't start pinching pennies, though -- this TV was created strictly for demo purposes, and won't be coming coming to stores any time soon. Check out Pocket-lint for all the details.

Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD, Microsoft

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Source: Pocket-lint

Google Art Project adds nearly 2,000 works, from street art to prized photos

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/21/google-art-project-adds-nearly-2000-works/

The Google Art Project could be considered a safeguard for culture when it's preserving work that's not just difficult to see, but may disappear at the drop of a hat. Witness Google's latest addition of 30 partners, and almost 2,000 pieces of art, as proof. The collection includes 100-plus examples of high-profile graffiti and street art from Sao Paulo, some of which aren't guaranteed to survive unscathed; there's also 300-plus photos from Spain's Fundacion MAPFRE and a famous Hungarian poem whose original copy is usually too fragile to show. Although the digital expansion won't replace booking a flight to visit the artwork first-hand, it may prevent some urban masterpieces from fading into obscurity.

Filed under: Internet, Google

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Via: Google Official Blog

Source: Google Art Project (1), (2), (3)

Thuraya's SatSleeve docks your iPhone onto its satellite network, charges it too (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/21/thuraya-satellite-iphone-satsleeve/

Despite the Gorilla glass, we're not sure if it's a great idea to bring that iPhone to K2. Still, if you can fire it up, you can now make satellite calls from Apple's iPhone 4 and 4s handsets thanks to Thuraya's SatSleeve. Always-on globetrotter types can slip one of those models into a cradle, dial their pals from virtually anywhere via the company's own satellite network and even place emergency calls without the handset. The device also includes a built-in battery pack to stretch call times by charging your phone -- though given satellite rates, you may get charged more than you think. Thuraya said that an iPhone 5 version's also in the works, but if you're okay with Cupertino's prior models, hit the break for more.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile

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HP Labs builds a glasses-free, portable 3D display with wide viewing angles (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/20/hp-labs-builds-a-glasses-free-portable-3d-lcd-with-wide-viewing/

Typical attempts at a glasses-free 3D display have trouble with viewing angles; we're all too familiar with having to sit in a sweet spot to get the effect. HP Labs might have just solved this last problem with a prototype 3D LCD that would better accommodate the real world. The display's backlight has nanopatterned grooves that send blue, green and red in multiple directions, letting the LCD show only the light that would be seen from a given viewpoint. Those positions are set in stone, but they're both abundant (200 for photos, 64 for video) and can spread across a wide 180-degree viewing arc. At a thickness of as little as half a millimeter, a production LCD could easily be thin enough for a mobile device, too. The catch isn't so much the screen as the content. Producers need an image for every possible viewpoint, which could create a fair share of logistical problems: even though footage wouldn't necessarily require 200 cameras, it could limit fully immersive 3D to computer-generated visuals or else consume a massive amount of bandwidth. If those are the biggest barriers, though, we're still that much closer to the holographic smartphone we've always wanted.

Filed under: Cellphones, Displays, Science, HP

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Via: MIT Technology Review

Source: Nature

Canon unveils EOS T5i and Rebel SL1, the world's smallest DSLR (hands-on)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/21/canon-eos-rebel-sl1-t5i/

If you haven't already come to grips with the fact that Canon won't be releasing a mirrorless camera with DSLR-like performance, you might as well cut your losses now. Instead of replacing the sluggish EOS M with a compelling shooter, the company has decided to focus on shrinking its DSLR. The result, the EOS Rebel SL1, is the world's smallest Digital SLR. SL stands for "super lightweight," which seems appropriate, given that it tips the scale at just over 14 ounces, yet the camera still accommodates EOS lenses, such as the new EF-S 18-55mm IS STM optic that ships in the box. There's an 18-megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor, DIGIC 5 image processor, a 1.04M-dot fixed touchscreen, a new hybrid autofocus and standard 9-point AF. It offers sensitivity ranging from ISO 100-25,600, can capture 1080p video at 30 or 24 fps, and it includes a built-in mono mic, along with a stereo mic input jack on the side. Jump past the break for our hands-on.

Gallery: Canon EOS Rebel SL1 and T5i hands-on

Filed under: Cameras, Canon

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Canon announces PowerShot SX280 HS with WiFi, ISO 6400 and 20x lens, we go hands-on

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/21/canon-powershot-sx280-hs-hands-on/

How do you justify splurging for a pricey point-and-shoot when your smartphone takes "good enough" pictures on its own? A 20x lens, for starters. Canon's new PowerShot SX280 HS is small enough to tuck away in a pocket, yet it packs a 25-500mm f/3.5-6.8 lens. That's old news for SX260 owners, though -- last year's model offered an identical range. There's plenty of new features, however, including a 12.1-megapixel CMOS sensor, built-in WiFi, a DIGIC 6 processor, 1080/30p and 60p video capture, a sensitivity range of ISO 80-6400 with significantly improved image quality in low light, a 14 fps Burst HQ mode and a 260-shot battery rating in Eco Mode (compared to 210 shots under normal conditions). Those features are joined by a 3-inch 461k-dot LCD and GPS, both of which shipped on the SX260.

During our hands-on, we quickly noticed the SX280 HS' significant speed boost -- it's 50 percent faster than its predecessor when it comes to focusing and shutter lag, and it definitely shows. The Burst HQ mode was also quite impressive, though you're unfortunately limited to just seven consecutive shots. The camera has a solid feel, though it's not terribly heavy. A very slim pop-up flash on the top, compact dedicated mode dial on the rear and a slightly extended front grip help to distinguish this model from lesser-equipped point-and-shoots, though both the red and black matte finishes convey a premium look on their own. You can catch both colors in person when the camera hits stores in April with a $330 MSRP, or you can sneak a peek right now in our hands-on gall! ery atta ched to this post.

Gallery: Canon PowerShot SX280 HS hands-on

Filed under: Cameras, Canon

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NY approves Cornell Tech's applied sciences campus on Roosevelt Island

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/21/ny-approves-cornell-tech-campus-roosevelt-island/

While Cornell has given its researchers the resources to build spider-like robots and move Pong paddles with the power of the mind, students more interested in the software side of engineering have not been getting as much love. That's about to change, however, with the recent City Planning Commission approval of Cornell Tech, a project to build an applied sciences campus on New York City's Roosevelt Island. Now the next step would be to get a blessing from the City Council. After all is said and done, we'll hopefully see the 12-acre site break ground in 2014, the campus opening its doors in 2017 and a full build-out by 2037. As they await their new home, Cornell is holding classes for aspiring computer whiz-kids at Google's Chelsea campus, where we're sure they'll get an inspiration or two. To see what else Cornell Tech has in store, check out the source link below.

Filed under: Science

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Via: < a target="_blank" href="http://thenextweb.com/us/2013/03/20/nys-cornell-tech-campus-approved-by-city-planning-commission-for-2014-groundbreaking/?utm_medium=Spreadus&utm_campaign=social%20media&awesm=tnw.to_a0WQu&utm_source=Twitter">The Next Web

Source: Cornell Tech

Google's Note-Taking Service Keep Is Live, And It's Wonderful

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5991578/googles-note-taking-service-keep-is-live-again-for-now

Google Keep is live. You can go check out Google's answer to Evernote at http://drive.google.com/keep.

Google officially announced the note-taking product some time ago, and after it cropped up briefly over the weekend, Google Keep is now really truly officially a real thing on the Internet that you can use. Oh, and it looks terrific.

Right now, the feature set seems relatively straight-forward and limited. Google basically wants to help you Keep track of what you're thinking about and doing. In addition to creating simple notes like the ones above, Google Keep also has a list tracking feature:

There's also an Android app for the service which is live:

The whole app is colorful and fun and the mobile interface in particular is crisco slick when it's working.

In trying it out so far, we've noticed that Keep has experiencing early life jitters and errors. But it's good enough when it is working that it might depose Evernote as the king of thought capture mountain. One thing you definitely notice is that the service is really lightweight. And some obvious features are missing. For example, you can share notes from the Android app but there's not obvious share feature on the web interface. [Google Blog]

Google Keep note taking service officially launches on web and Android (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/20/google-keep-note-taking-service-officially-launches-on-web-and-a/

The Google Keep note taking service that leaked out a few days ago has officially launched. There's a website and an Android app for now, and a post on the Google Drive blog it's intended for users to quickly jot down ideas. They're saved on Google Drive -- which probably explains why this exists instead of the axed Google Notebook service -- and on Android 4.2.2 there's a lock screen widget available for even easier access. Check after the break for a trailer explaining the new service's features, or just hit the links below to try it out for yourself to see if it can best alternatives like Evernote. That is, is if you can get in. While it was working for us initially, many are seeing "error encountered" messages now as the masses flood the service.

Filed under: Software, Mobile, Google

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Source: Google Drive blog, Google Keep, Google Play

Google Currents for Android now supports audio playback, improves syncing between devices

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/20/google-currents-for-android-update/

We don't see the Android -- or iOS, for that matter -- version of Google Currents get quite as many updates as, say, Google+ or Maps, but today its Mountain View creators have stuffed the app with some tidbits that are sure to come in handy to those using it on a daily basis. Most notably, Currents for Android is now more friendly with editions including audio content, adding a media bar which will allow for easy playback of such files within the application. Additionally, Google also gave its magazine-like app a boost by enhancing syncing between devices, making it rather facile for folks to pick up where they left off on a story. Go on and grab the updated version now from Google Play -- in the meantime, we'll still be pondering whether or not we should insert a shameless plug.

Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Software, Mobile, Google

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Via: Android Central

Source: Google Play

Tiger Woods: I Posted Those Facebook Photos With Lindsey Vonn To Crush The Paparazzi

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/why-tiger-woods-posted-facebook-photos-with-lindsey-vonn-2013-3

When Tiger Woods decided to post glamour shot photos of him and his new ladyfriend, Lindsey Vonn, it was unexpected. 

Woods is normally very private. This very public declaration of his personal life didn't make sense. And, frankly, the whole thing just seemed weird.

Today, during a press conference at the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill, he explained why he did it.

Basically, he wanted to take money out of the pocket of paparazzi who were stalking him.

"It's very simple. We're very happy where we're at, but also we wanted to limit the stalkarazzi and all those sleazy websites that are out there following us,'' Woods said, according to ESPN.

Last night, Fox Sports' Robert Lusetich reported Woods has been surreptitiously seeing Vonn since November. During that time, photographers have been trying desperately to get photos of the pair together.

Lusetich estimates the first photos of Vonn and Woods could have fetched $500,000 from tabloids.

By preempting the paparazzi from getting the first photos of the couple, Woods and Vonn popped the market. The hope is that they'll be left alone now.

"I've had situations where it's been very dangerous for my kids and the extent they'll go to. We basically devalued the first photos," he said, a! ccording to ESPN, "Unfortunately, that's just the way it is in our society right now, and we felt like it was the best thing to do. I'm very happy about it.''

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NVIDIA's GRID VCA now available to graphic crunching pros at a cool $24,900

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/20/nvidias-grid-vca-now-available/

While it won't supercharge Crysis or other games like its upcoming Cloud Gaming device may, NVIDIA's GRID Visual Computing Appliance is now up for grabs to designers, animators and visual production types for $24,900 plus a $2,400 yearly software license fee. That sum will merely get you the starter model consisting of 8 GPUs, 16 threads of CPU and 192GB of RAM to service up to 8 users, while the 16 GPU model -- which doubles all that up -- is hitting the dreaded "contact us" price point. For reasonable-sized studios with multiple designers or artists, though, it'd allow humdrum machines to link up via a network and still crunch complex models -- making the price rather beside the point for us individual users. For more info, hit the PR after the jump.

Filed under: Desktops, Networking, NVIDIA

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Samsung announces pricing for S9 UHD TV: $39,999, shipping in late March

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/20/samsung-s9-uhd-tv-pricing/

At its home entertainment event in New York City today, Samsung filled in the details about the HDTV lineup we first glimpsed at CES 2013 in January. If you recall, several high-profile sets were first unveiled at the show, and pricing is unsurprisingly steep to match. The 85-inch S9 UHD TV, with a slick, easel-style frame and "Precision Black Pro" display tech, will go for $39,999 when it launches at the end of March.

Samsung also announced pricing for its Smart Evolution Kit, a hardware set of products -- including a quad-core processor, GPU and memory -- that plugs into the back of a Sammy-designed TV to keep hardware and software up to date as new models are released. The kit will go for $300 when it debuts in May, and it wil come bundled with the latest Smart Touch Remote. And finally -- because what ultra-luxe home entertainment system is complete without high-end audio? -- there's the HW-F750 soundbar, which incorporates the company's vacuum tube technology and boasts a wireless subwoofer. The HW-F750 will connect with select Samsung Smart TVs via Bluetooth, and it will set you back $799 when it goes on sale in March. Hit up the press release past the break for more info.

Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD< /a>, Samsung

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Half Of What Advertisers Think They Know About You Is Wrong

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/advertisers-hilariously-wrong-2013-3

Considering that they’ve never explicitly asked us about our preferences, it’s a minor miracle of big data that web advertising companies know anything about us at all.

But at least half of the things they think they know about you—from your political preferences to your affinity for ladies’ fashion—could be wrong, and sometimes hilariously so.

Or at least, that’s what data from a survey put out by a firm called Enliken would suggest.

Because Enliken’s business is getting people to give up more-accurate data about themselves in exchange for access to content, and because the survey wasn’t very big—covering just 116 people and about 9,000 data points—I took the survey myself in order to see whether ad targeting firms’ notions about my preferences were as inaccurate as Enliken suggested.

The survey included more than 50 different data points gathered by a variety of tracking companies, from my interest in travel to my preference (or not) for Skyy Vodka. My own results weren’t as damning as Enliken’s overall numbers—only 26% of the data about me was obviously wrong—but many individual data points were laughably wrong.

I am anything but, for example, an auto fanatic and a hard core sports fan—whereas some ad targeting firms (Enliken doesn’t say which) pegged me as such.

 

Data from the overall survey of 116 people also suggests that not all tracking firms are created equal.

If these numbers are accurate, last-place finisher Yahoo was almost twice as likely to be wrong about a pe! rson&rsq uo;s preferences as first-place Google. (We’ve reached out to Yahoo for comment, and will update this once we hear back from them.)

 

Enliken is part of a larger trend, including “data locker” companies like Personal.com, that think people will give advertisers what they crave—accurate information about who they are and what they might like to buy—if people trust the intermediaries who gather that data.

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