Dr. Augustine Fou's Online Scrapbook: 10/20/13 - 10/27/13

Friday, October 25, 2013

India's biggest smartphone maker has designs on Europe with its 5-inch, full HD smartphone

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/10/25/micromax-canvas-touch-indian-smartphone-europe/

You'd be forgiven for not knowing Micromax, but it's a name that might get a little more familiar in the future. The Indian smartphone manufacturer has hired Hugh Jackman to be its pitch person, and the first product you'll find him carrying is the surprisingly tasty-looking Canvas Turbo. The Turbo is a 5-inch aluminum-clad smartphone with a 1,920 x 1,080 display that's backed up by a 1.5GHz MediaTek chip and 2GB RAM. On the imaging front, there's a 13-megapixel camera and a 5-megapixel front-facer, while the whole thing is running Android 4.2.1. If there's a downside, it's that there's no microSD card slot to complement the 16GB of on-board storage, but the fact that it's retailing for 19,990 ($325) should soften the blow a little. This handset launches in India tomorrow, but the company will be trialling sales in Russia later in the year -- and if that's successful, you'll begin to see Micromax smartphones entering more markets in Europe throughout next year.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile

Via: Android Community

Source: Micromax

Japan Display joins the Quad HD phone screen party with two new LCDs

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/10/25/japan-display-joins-the-quad-hd-phone-screen-party/

LG clearly doesn't have a monopoly on Quad HD smartphone screens -- Japan Display has unveiled two low-temperature polysilicon (LTPS) LCDs that offer the extra-sharp 2,560 x 1,440 resolution. The headlining 5.4-inch panel is ever so slightly denser than its Korean equivalent, at 543ppi; there's also a 6.2-inch (473ppi) model for giant devices. Both LCDs have "dead-bands" that are just 1mm thick, which should lead to extra-slim bezels on finished products. Japan Display hasn't said which companies will use the Quad HD screens, but it's easy to see one of the joint venture's partners (Hitachi, Sony or Toshiba) calling first dibs.

Filed under: Cellphones, Displays, Mobile, Sony

Via: Talk Android

Source: Japan Display

Thursday, October 24, 2013

AMD's flagship Radeon R9 290X graphics card now available for $549

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/10/24/amd-radeon-r9-290x-available/

AMD's range-topping Radeon R9 290X has been (officially) shrouded in mystery since its unveiling last month, but the company is at last revealing full details and releasing the graphics card to stores. As you'd expect given its $549 price, the flagship is a big leap in performance over the $299 R9 280X: it carries 2,816 stream processors, a wider 512-bit memory bus and a larger 4GB of video RAM. The board can muster 5.6TFLOPs of general computing power, AMD says, and is built with 4K graphics in mind. More importantly, it's also delivering a lot of bang for the buck. Early reviews at sites like AnandTech and Tom's Hardware show the R9 290X outperforming the more expensive GeForce GTX 780; as long as you can tolerate the noisier cooling, it may be a good fit for your gaming PC.

Filed under: Desktops, Gaming, Peripherals, AMD

Source: AMD

This Pumpkin Tap Turns Your Halloween Gourd Into an Edible Keg

Source: http://gizmodo.com/this-pumpkin-tap-turns-your-halloween-gourd-into-an-edi-1450804051

This Pumpkin Tap Turns Your Halloween Gourd Into an Edible Keg

Make Martha Boowart proud—while giving your Monster Mash an added seasonal flair—by converting that pre-op Jack-o-Lantern into something far more useful than a carriage: a Keg. The Pumpkin Tap will turn any pumpkin or squash—even watermelon—into an impromptu beverage server.

Simply open the top of the gourd, scoop out the seeds, and shove the shank in at the pumpkin's base. Then just screw the tap mechanism onto the shank and refill the cavity with your preferred beverage. I suggest three liters of Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte, but any number of other witches brews will work. The Pumpkin Tap retails for $32. [Kegworks]

This Pumpkin Tap Turns Your Halloween Gourd Into an Edible Keg

Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Fujifilm XQ1 Hands-On: A Canon Clone With Better Guts

Source: http://gizmodo.com/fujifilm-xq1-hands-on-a-canon-clone-with-better-guts-1451069096

Fujifilm XQ1 Hands-On: A Canon Clone With Better Guts

Maybe it's no surprise that when Fujifilm's first advanced pocket camera fell flat, they turned to proven designs for the basis of it's second try. I just played with Fuji's new XQ1, and I could believe It wasn't a Canon S120. But just because it's familiar on the outside, doesn't mean it's got the same stuff inside.

A Handheld Gaming Console You Can Build and Program Yourself

Source: http://gizmodo.com/a-handheld-gaming-console-you-can-build-and-program-you-1449365483

A Handheld Gaming Console You Can Build and Program Yourself

It's about as far from a Nintendo 3DS or PS Vita as you can get when it comes to the latest in handheld gaming consoles, but the DIY Gamer Kit from Technology Will Save Us comes with one features those devices don't: The satisfaction that you built it yourself. And not only do you have to assemble, wire, and solder the DIY Gamer Kit yourself, you'll also need to program your own games too. Sound like fun?

Article: Bromium Raises $40M For Security Technology That Traps Malware And Limits Attacks | TechCrunch

Bromium has raised $40 million for its micro virtual machine (micro-vm) technology that traps malware and analyzes it for IT administrators to examine once an attack takes place. The oversubscribed Series C funding round was led by new investor Meritech Capital Partners, with participation from e...

http://techcrunch.com /2013/10/23/bromium -raises-40m-for-security-technology-that-traps-malware-and-limits-attacks/

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A Headphone Jack Laser Pointer That No One Will Be Able To Spot

Source: http://gizmodo.com/a-headphone-jack-laser-pointer-that-no-one-will-be-able-1450204782

A Headphone Jack Laser Pointer That No One Will Be Able To Spot

Don't let anyone tell you otherwise; highlighting a character's crotch on-screen at the movies is hi-larious, and always will be. But getting caught with a laser pointer in your hand and tossed out of the theater isn't. So thankfully red lasers have been around for decades, and have been miniaturized to the point where they can hide inside your smartphone's headphone jack.

Add Your Own Wireless Capability To Your DSLR, And Save On Said DSLR

Source: http://gizmodo.com/add-your-own-wireless-capability-to-your-dslr-and-save-1450197939

Camera makers have been extremely stubborn about adding Wifi to their DSLR's, but you add your own wireless capability to your photo rig with the Toshiba Flash Air 8GB SD Memory Card. It's about as elegant as a third-party solution to a first-party problem gets, and it's cheap. I always keep one in my memory card arsenal for when the need arises. $26. [eBay]

Step Aside, Street Lamps: These Ordinary Paths Glow On Their Own

Source: http://gizmodo.com/step-aside-street-lamps-these-ordinary-streets-glow-o-1449711937

Step Aside, Street Lamps: These Ordinary Paths Glow On Their Own

Charging off-grid street lamps with solar power is a positive step towards reducing energy consumption. But what if our sun-baked public walkways also glowed in the dark?

Google to give parents more control with supervised user accounts in Chrome

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/10/22/chrome-beta-supervised-user/

Those unwilling to spend big bucks on a laptop for their kids might consider a low-cost Chromebook as an option, but could be a bit hesitant due to the OS's lack of parental controls. That could all change however, thanks to a new feature the Chrome team is rolling out this week to its beta channel. Simply add your child as a "supervised user" on Chrome, and you can see his or her browsing history and decide whether to allow or block certain sites. He or she can also request permission to view a blocked site if necessary. Interested parties can go ahead and try this out now by downloading the beta version of Chrome on Windows, Mac and Linux, though obviously this feature would be more useful for a machine with Chrome as its sole browser. Thankfully, that should be the case once this feature passes the beta phase.

Filed under: Internet, Software, Google

Source: Chrome Blog

4K 12-inch tablets are going to be a thing and Japan Display can prove it

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/10/23/japan-display-4k-tablet-lcd/

If the iPad mini's new Retina Display didn't quite hit the spot, maybe 4K tablet displays from Japan Display will. Panasonic's already managed to slather its hulking 20-inch tablet in the same resolution, which was a feat in itself. But let's consider something a little more handheld friendly -- something that's not going to smash through our glass coffee table. The unified forces behind Japan Display (including Sony, Toshiba, Hitachi) have announced that they've squeezed 4K resolution (3,840 x 2,160) into a 12.1-inch TFT module, creating a screen with a retina-piercing 365 pixels per inch. Revealed to display obsessives at the FPD International 2013 exhibition in Japan this week, the press release adds that the new screen module remains power-efficient and suitably thin too -- possibly the perfect business complement to the company's incoming White Magic 1080p smartphone screens. All the full technical details can be found at the source link below -- remember bring your Japanese dictionary.

Filed under: Displays, Tablets, HD, Sony

Source: J Display (Japanese)

LG's G Flex curved phone makes a surprise debut in Argentina

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/10/23/lg-g-flex-curved-argentina/

We got our first clear look at LG's curved G Flex smartphone in press shots just a few days ago, and now the device itself has popped up. The Verge points out tech journalist Frederico Ini of Telefe Noticias, a news program based in Argentina, has apparently obtained a prototype and brought it in to the studio for some hands-on pics and video. Curved from the bottom to the top (like the Galaxy Nexus) instead of side to side like Samsung's Galaxy Round, it also features rear mounted buttons just like LG's current flagship the G2. We've heard that the G Flex will feature a 6-inch OLED display when it's announced next month, although other details remain unknown.

[Image credit: Frederico Ini]

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, LG

Via: The Verge

Source: Telefe Noticias

Samsung acquires 7.4 percent of Gorilla Glass maker Corning, signs long-term supply deal

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/10/23/samsung-acquires-7-4-percent-of-gorilla-glass-maker-corning/

In a move that could raise eyebrows in the LCD business, Corning has taken full control of Samsung Corning Precision Materials Co. Ltd., a joint venture 43 percent owned by Samsung. In exchange, the Korean company will get $1.9 billion worth of preferred shares in Corning, which if converted, would give it a 7.4 percent stake. The pair have also agreed to a deal that will see Samsung Display supplied by Corning through 2023. That company's Gorilla Glass is used in most high-end smartphones and tablets, including those made by Samsung, Apple, HTC and Motorola. Since the Korean giant already supplies most of its competitors with LCD displays and other components, we can imagine some of them casting a wary eye on such a deal.

Filed under: Displays, Samsung

Via: Reuters

Source: Corning

Galaxy Gear compatibility comes to the Samsung Galaxy S4, S3, Note 2 and more

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/10/23/galaxy-gear-compatibility-gs4-gs3-note2/

If you wanted live out your Inspector Gadget fantasies, but lacked the Galaxy Note 3 needed to take full advantage of the possibilities, we've got good news. Samsung's bringing compatibility for its Galaxy Gear to the previously-mentioned Galaxy S4 as well as the Galaxy S III and Galaxy Note II through an Android 4.3 update. While those are the big ones, the wearable will soon hook up to a whole swathe of Samsung devices (Galaxy S4 Mini, S4 Active, Mega 5.8, Mega 6.3, and Galaxy S4 Zoom) in an update arriving at the end of October. Naturally, the typical proviso for different release dates in different countries remains, but those flagship devices mentioned earlier will get the earliest access -- and will also be able to make and answer calls with the Gear, like a real inspector. %Gallery-slideshow99617%

Filed under: Cellphones, Wearables, Mobile, Samsung

Samsung Galaxy S 4 with Snapdragon 800 and faster LTE treks to Europe

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/10/23/samsung-galaxy-s-4-lte-a-europe/

Remember how there was an LTE-A-equipped Samsung Galaxy S 4 with a juicy Snapdragon 800 CPU for South Korea and a lesser Exynos 5 or Snapdragon 600 version for everywhere else? Well, it looks like the more desirable former variant is about to migrate to Europe, judging by a GT-I9506 product page on Samsung's German site. That CPU would put the six month-old handset on par with Samsung's new Galaxy Note 3 flagship, along with the latest models from Nokia, LG and oth! ers. At the moment there's no European countries that actually support the 150Mbps LTE-A speeds, though Sweden has been testing it. Still, if you need feel the need to future-proof all your gadget buys, don't be surprised to see the model in stores around Europe soon.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile

Via: Phone Arena

Source: Samsung Germany (translated)

HTC's One Max ratted out by the FCC again on its way to Sprint

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/10/23/htcs-one-max-ratted-out-by-the-fcc-again-on-its-way-to-sprint/

Now that we know HTC's One Max is likely to be living large at AT&T, another variant for Sprint looks to have also been unmasked by the FCC. An OP3P700 version of the 6-inch, 1080p device has just passed the US regulator with Sprint's LTE bands 25, 26 and 41, a likely sign that it's bound for Big Yellow. We're still not sure how much it'll cost on contract or sans SIM, but we did see it priced in the UK at a hefty £600 ($952) with no carrier strings attached. If you're now looking to take advantage of Sprint's new upgrade program for the behemoth handset though, you'd better check out our One Max review, first.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, HTC

Source: FCC

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

iPad Air Meta Hands-On: Thin, But Not Flimsy

Source: http://gizmodo.com/ipad-air-meta-hands-on-thin-but-not-flimsy-1450187044

iPad Air Meta Hands-On: Thin, But Not Flimsy

An A7 processor, a 20 percent weight loss, and faster Wi-Fi. Apple's fifth generation iPad, the iPad Air, has arrived. But will it feel fragile in our (admittedly clumsy) hands? How much do those new dual microphones improve the sound quality when I'm Skyping? And just how much better is its new camera? We culled the best insights from the hands-on reports popping up online for you, below.

NYTimes Pays a Visit to Our Friend, the Amazing GIF Machine

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5991476/the-insane-one+man-computer-station-needed-to-cover-march-madness/1449955749/@marioaguilar

NYTimes Pays a Visit to Our Friend, the Amazing GIF Machine

Regular readers of our sister blog Deadspin are probably familiar with editor Tim Burke's incredible GIFing skills. What you might not know is that Burke never misses a moment because he built an incredible eight-monitor computer station that can keep track of every sporting event that's happening at a given time. Today, the NYTimes has a nice profile of Burke. While we highly recommend you go check it out. We do have one quibble with The Grey Lady's story: It's pronounced "GIF" not "JIF."

Nokia's Refocus Lens camera app promises infinite depth of field control

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/10/22/nokias-refocus-lens-camera-app/

Nokia's just announced a new camera app called Refocus Lens at Nokia World that brings a Lytro-like variable depth of field to Lumia cameras. Likely to be the fruits of that Scalado purchase from a while back, it'll let you change the focus of a snapshot using "clever algorithms" while adding "brilliant splashes of color" to images via a feature called "color pop." Nokia also said that images will be 5-megapixels in size and that you'll be able to use the refocusing option while in Facebook. The app will debut on the Finnish company's new flagship Lumia 1520 and trickle down at a later date to older devices like the Lumia 920 and 925. However, Nokia hasn't decided if the app will be available for lower-numbered Lumias like the 520 and 620 -- or any other Windows Phone devices, for that matter. We're still finding out more details from Nokia, so stay tuned!

Update: Nokia is now showing a dedicated Refocus site with a sample photo to play with. It's a larger image than we're used to seeing with the likes of Lytro and seems quite responsive.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Nokia

ROCCAT's Power-Grid enters open beta, turns phones into PC control centers (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/10/22/roccat-launches-power-grid-open-beta/

ROCCAT's Power-Grid has been slow in coming -- the smartphone-based PC assistant was originally supposed to launch last December. Nonetheless, gamers will be glad to hear that it's finally available to the public through an open beta. Both Android and iOS users can now control and monitor Windows PC activities of all kinds from their mobile device's screen, whether they're triggering StarCraft II keyboard macros or tracking CPU workloads. Demanding gamers can also create command screens and share them with others. ROCCAT doesn't yet know when it will stop the Power-Grid beta, but it does promise a slew of supporting accessories in 2014. Curious players can check out a feature video below before grabbing the app for free at the source link.

Filed under: Cellphones, Gaming

Source: ROCCAT

Nokia Unveils Its First Ever Windows Tablet, The Lumia 2520

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/nokia-lumia-2520-tablet-2013-10

nokia lumia 2520 windows tablet

Nokia announced today its first ever Windows tablet, the Lumia 2520.

The 10.1-inch tablet runs Windows RT 8.1, a special version of Windows 8 that's only designed to run on tablets and compete with Google's Android and Apple's iOS.

Unlike tablets that have the full version of Windows 8, the Lumia 2520 will only be able to run apps optimized for the new operating system. You won't be able to run older apps designed for Windows 7 or earlier.

The Lumia 2520 is an interesting product, not because it's the first Windows tablet from Nokia, but because it competes with Microsoft's own Surface 2 tablet, which just went on sale this month. Microsoft is in the process of buying Nokia's mobile device business for about $7 billion. If and when the sale goes through, Microsoft will be selling two different tablets that essentially compete with each other.

Just like the Surface 2, the Lumia 2520 has an optional snap-on keyboard cover accessory. The keyboard cover also has a built in battery, which will give you an extra five hours of juice.

But unlike the Surface tablets, Nokia's Lumia 2520 can connect to the Internet using a 4G LTE connection from your wireless carrier. Nokia has not announced what carriers will support the tablet though.

There's more. The Lumia 2520's screen can play full 1080p HD video and is designed to work well even in direct sunlight. It also has a 6.7 MP camera on the back for snapping photos and a 2 MP HD camera on the front for video chats. It'll come in three color options: red, white, blue, or black. It'll ship with Microsoft Office preinstalled.

Nokia did not say when the tablet will launch nor how much it will cost. Expect that information to come along in a few weeks.

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Here's The World's First Giant-Screen Windows Phone, The Nokia Lumia 1520

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/nokia-lumia-1520-phablet-2013-10

nokia lumia 1520

Nokia announced today the world's first giant-sized Windows Phone, the Lumia 1520.

The Lumia 1520 will have a 6-inch screen, which makes the phone's display a full inch larger than Samsung's Galaxy S4 and two inches larger than Apple's iPhone 5S.

It's also the first phone to take advantage of the newest version of Microsoft's Windows Phone 8 software, which has been designed to work on giant "phablets" (part phone, part tablet).

The newest version of Windows Phone 8 has a few other tweaks like improved multitasking and a driving mode that limits the notifications you receive while in the car. You can learn more about the newest version of Windows Phone 8 right here.

Like most of Nokia's recent Lumia phones, there will be a lot of focus on the camera. The Lumia 1520 will have a 20 megapixel camera plus a dual flash for better lighting in low-light settings. Many agree that Nokia's phones take the best photos, and this device should be no exception.

Other than that, there aren't many surprises. The Lumia 1520 can do just about everything else other Windows Phone 8 devices can do. It just gives you a bigger screen to do it all on.

No word on pricing or launch date, but Nokia says the Lumia 1520 will be available in the U.S. this year.

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Visualized: global DDoS attacks animated and mapped by Google

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/10/21/visualized-global-ddos-attacks-animated/

Earlier today, Google announced it had built Project Shield to help small websites stay online during DDoS (distributed denial of service) strikes, and it turns out the search giant also unveiled a frequently-updated online map of such assaults. Dubbed Digital Attack Map, the project was created in partnership with Arbor Networks, which updates the site every hour with anonymous DDoS events from over 270 internet service providers it counts as customers. Animations of inbound, outbound and internal volleys from countries across the globe fill the map, and are accompanied by data regarding duration, bandwidth and more. However, only a partial picture of the situation is painted, and the source of incursions can be incorrect. Not only does the effort rely on an incomplete data set -- though Mountain View argues this is the most fleshed out around -- but the origin of DDoS attacks are often forged, and are sometimes unwilling computers directed by foreign-controlled botnets. This affair is far from scientific, but feel free to play security researcher for a day at the source.

Filed under: Google

Via: Google (Google+)

Source: Digital Attack Map

Monday, October 21, 2013

You Have To See This Awesome Animated iWatch Concept GIF

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/iwatch-concept-animated-2013-10

A designer named Thomas Bogner shared his impressive concept of what Apple's long-awaited iWatch might look like.

While Bogner thinks "it looks basically like the bastard child of a Fuel Band and an iPhone," we're into it. It's a cool concept that looks like it'd be easy to wear, and those fluid transitions from screen to screen are simply tantalizing.

This is obviously all speculation and shouldn't be thought of as anything more than a fun design exercise. Apple's iWatch still might as well be a flying saucer, but if you want to learn more, check out this video with hotshot Apple reporter Mark Gurman.

dribbble_small_iwatch

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