Dr. Augustine Fou's Online Scrapbook

Wednesday, May 06, 2009

SmartQ 7 is an Internet Tablet with dedicated FN

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/06/smartq-7-is-an-internet-tablet-with-dedicated-fn/

Oh look, another 7-inch device with an identity crisis. Too big to be called a smartphone, definitely not a netbook, it must be a MID, UMPC, or maybe a PMP. Wait, we see it now, the SmartQ 7 aspires to be an "Internet Tablet." Good, because its WVGA (800ish x 480 pixel) resolution is the same as Toshiba's 4.1-inch TG01 (to name just one smaller device) only stretched across a 7-inch touchscreen display -- not exactly ideal for video in 2009. The SmartQ 7 runs an unspecified Linux distro with specs that include WiFi, a USB-host mode, stereo speakers, and up to 2-days of music off a single charge to its 4500mAh Li-Poly battery. More importantly, there's a dedicated FN button along the top for instant fun. No launch date or price but we've got the backside, front, after the break.

[Via Pocketables]

Continue reading SmartQ 7 is an Internet Tablet with dedicated FN

Filed under: Handhelds, Portable Audio, Portable Video

SmartQ 7 is an Internet Tablet with dedicated FN originally appeared on Engadget on We! d, 06 Ma y 2009 03:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tuesday, May 05, 2009

The Problems with a Hackintosh Netbook, Six Months Out [Hackintosh]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/dkfTaZL0zfA/the-problems-with-a-hackintosh-netbook-six-months-out

More than a few Lifehacker readers were probably intrigued when reports popped up about how easy it was to install OS X on an MSI Wind netbook (and it's gotten easier lately with the Dell Mini 9). Before you splurge on what seems like a cheap, portable MacBook replacement, consider the experiences of Wired GadgetLab's Brian X. Chen, as he dealt with software, hardware, and hardware design problems. He's not alone, either—Dave "MacSparky" Sparks and Steven Sande at The Unofficial Apple Weblog are near the breaking point with their Mini 9s. Got a counter-argument for your beloved HackBook? Agree that it's best to go official with Apple products? Tell us your take in the comments. [Wired GadgetLab]

Manhattan Mapped Without a Horizon [Art]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/OMGYARBJ7aE/manhattan-mapped-without-a-horizon

It's rare that we get excited over maps, but this idea by graphic designers Jack Schulze and Matt Webb would be great for GPSs, combining 3D, first person and overhead views into one übermap.

The art project, called Here & There, bends the world into horizon-less, roller coaster loop topography, which allows the viewer to see their position from the first person perspective (complete with those 3D buildings that usually just get in the way) alongside the route/terrain to come.

For now, the designers' work is available in limited edition prints only that go for $65 (per a set of two). But we can still dream that someone like Google, Apple or Garmin might come around and drop a big pile of money on the small agency before automating this visualization for real time navigation. [Here & There and Background Info via FastCompany]

Also check out these two similarly themed, Dyson Spheresque images. The first, Halo. The second, RingWorld.

DDRdrive's RAM-based SSD is snappy, costly

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/05/ddrdrives-ram-based-ssd-is-snappy-costly/

In the race for ever faster storage, manufacturers have increasingly been looking towards the PCIe bus. And while we've seen lots of interesting things out of companies like Fusion-io, it will probably be a few long moments before anything comes around that's feasible, or reasonable, for the consumer. That said, PC Perspective has put in some quality time with the DDRdrive X1, which places 4GB DRAM and 4GB NAND in parallel on a full height PCIe card, keeping that volatile memory of yours safely backed up on a static disk, just in case. According to the reviewer, this device offers the user nothing less than "pure unadulterated random IO" that is "unmatched by any other device available." Other pluses include its cost (I / O operations per second are calculated at about a fifth of the ioDrive) and snappy custom drivers for both 32 and 64-bit members of the Windows family (Linux drivers are promised for the near future). The Cons? This bad boy is currently limited to 4GB, and it'll run you a cool $1495. Not exactly the stuff dreams are made of for 99% of our readers, but if you should happen to find yourself the admin for an eneterprise server of some type (as many of us do, from time to time) this might be something worth looking into.

Filed under: Storage

DDRdrive's RAM-based SSD is snappy, costly originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 05 May 2009 12:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Eye-Fi's 4GB WiFi Video cards now with more options for Internet regret

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/05/eye-fis-4gb-wifi-video-cards-now-with-more-options-for-internet/

You know that video mode you haven't used since first bought your compact point and shoot? Right, the one that does 720p HD video if you've purchased a camera within the last 6 months? Well, Eye-Fi's back to remind you that it's now selling its $99 Eye-Fi Explore Video (with geotagging) and $79 Eye-Fi Share Video SDHC cards nationwide. They've also enabled video sharing with Picasa, Photobucket, and SmugMug in addition to Flickr and YouTube. The result is dead-simple, un-edited direct-to-internet video sharing without the need for a tethered computer. Of course, these cards work equally well for dumping your films and photos over WiFi to your Mac or PC at home -- but why live your life in a bubble?

Filed under: Digital Cameras, Wireless, Storage

Eye-Fi's 4GB WiFi Video cards now with more options for Internet regret originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 05 May 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gmail gets pushed to select BlackBerries

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/05/gmail-gets-pushed-to-select-blackberries/

Gmail gets pushed to select BlackBerries

There's a new push purveyor on the mobile scene, come to show the competition what's what -- despite being completely dependent on that competition, at least for the moment. Hot on the heels of RIM adding a push API, Google is enabling some BlackBerry users to get their Gmail and Google Calendar goodies shoved straight to their handsets. However, there are a number of shortcomings here that make this addition somewhat limited in usefulness. For one thing users have to be connecting to BlackBerry Enterprise Server instances, and furthermore those instances have to be backed by Microsoft Exchange. Additionally, only 250 users per Enterprise Server instance can get their mobile Gmail on, changes made to appointments on a handsets cannot be pushed back to Google Calendar, and to top it all off searching for Gmail messages still requires a separate app. Updates and improvements are coming, but until then it's caveat emailor.

Filed under: Cellphones

Gmail gets pushed to select BlackBerries originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 05 May 2009 08:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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What's in Store for Verizon FiOS: Slingbox-Like Streaming and More [FiOS]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/Gh30GPVbtgY/whats-in-store-for-verizon-fios-slingbox+like-streaming-and-more

Gear Live had a sit-down with a senior rep from Verizon and found a few tasty hints as to what's in FiOS's future. Most exciting? They're working on a Slingbox-like service for streaming live TV.

That content streaming feature, confirmed by senior VP Eric Rabe, is definitely in the works, pending the resolution of some agreements (we imagine they'll have many tiresome meetings with the networks before that gets ironed out). In addition, they'll be adding support so the FiOS box can stream video content from networked PCs (and Macs)—at the moment, only audio and photos are supported, so this'll be a nice change.

Not so interesting is the distressing news that Verizon has apparently discovered social networking. That means Facebook and Twitter support in the form of widgets, because lord knows that's what we all need. The Twitter widget could be used to discuss programs as they air, in case you don't have a laptop or friends.

An interesting tidbit: Looks like Verizon has, right now, the capability to bring us 100Mbps internet, but they've made the decision not to offer it at the moment. Their reasoning is that their highest speed plans are already not particularly popular, and, oddly, that there's "no practical use" for such blazing speed.

And finally, it looks like they'll be making the guide widescreen and HD instead of the positively archaic full-screen guide they use now. HD for all! [Gear Live]

Microsoft, take a page from Wolfram Alpha. Spend ~$0, launch in social channels, let others call it "awesomer!" - http://ping.fm/WFmWP

Wolfram Alpha and Google Tested Head-To-Head [Obvious]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/HdYuJgPpnh8/wolfram-alpha-and-google-tested-head+to+head

Technology Review did something obvious with their access to Wolfram Alpha: they plotted the computational search engine against Google. The results? As we knew, Wolfram Alpha is no Google. It's completely different, and awesome.

Its makers have never appreciated sensationalist "Google Killer!" labeling, and rightly so: Wolfram Alpha excels at interpreting huge data sets, and only at interpreting huge data sets. A revealing taste of the contrast from TR:

SEARCH TERM: Sydney New York
WOLFRAM ALPHA: I got tables showing the distance between the two cities in miles, kilometers, meters, even nautical miles; a map of the world with the optimal flight path; and the fact that the trip spans 0.4 of the earth's circumference. I learned how long it would take to make the trip: 18.1 hours flying; 13 hours for a sound wave, 74 milliseconds for a light beam in fiber, and 53 milliseconds for a light beam traveling in a vacuum. I also got comparative populations, elevation in meters, and current local times.

GOOGLE: I got a mix of things: a form for finding flights between Sydney and New York; a Google Maps-plotted list of businesses in New York City that contain the word "Sydney"; and links to the municipal government of Sidney, a small town in upstate New York.

It's also a huge nerd:

SEARCH TERM: Aspirin Tylenol
WOLFRAM ALPHA: Alpha gave me molecular diagrams for aspirin and acetaminophen and lots of scientific information co! mparing their molecular weights, boiling points, vapor pressure, and so forth.

GOOGLE: Usefully (to nonchemists suffering from headaches), the top link was to a Wiki-answers page telling people whether they can take aspirin and Tylenol together. Other links gave information about toxicity, danger to kidneys, and the like.

In other words, Wolfram Alpha is like a beefed-up, research-oriented take on Google's extras (stock price, calculator, unit conversion), with Aspergers.

I'm aware of the theoretical differences between the two, and I'm sure Wolfram Alpha's creators' blood would boil at the thought, but the engine's most natural home might be as a direct complement to Google, as a tab on their homepage or as a replacement for their modest current nonsearch functions. Anyway, TR has plenty more comparative search tests, and they give a pretty full picture of what you can expect when this thing finally goes public. [Technology Review]

MSI Wind U123 netbook now being stocked by US retailers

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/05/msi-wind-u123-netbook-now-being-stocked-by-us-retailers/

If you've been waiting the edge of your seat for MSI's Wind U123, sit back and relax for now. The 10.2-inch WSVGA netbook's now officially either stocked up or available for pre-order from online US retailers, with all the usual accoutrements: 1.66GHz Intel Atom N280, integrated graphics, 1GB RAM, 160GB HDD, card reader, 802.11g/n, 6 cell battery, and Windows XP Home. All are priced between $350 and $380, with Frosty Computers so far being the only option so far for customization. Color options are red and blue, and if that doesn't suit you well, may we suggest any of the other dozens of netbooks with the exact same spec sheets?

[Via Portable Monkey]

Read - Newegg
Read - Amazon
Read - J&R
Read - Frosty Computers

Filed under: Laptops

MSI Wind U123 netbook now being stocked by US retailers originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 05 May 2009 05:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EagleTec's NanoSac MicroSD Card reader makes mouse balls look big

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/05/eagletecs-nanosac-microsd-card-reader-makes-mouse-balls-look-bi/

We've got a thing for size, who doesn't? So check this USB 2.0 NanoSac MicroSD Card Reader from EagleTec. You can casually carry it around in any empty USB slot and then slip in your MicroSD/MicroSDHC card when you need a quick read/write. It's like EagleTec's Nano flash drive except with removable flash. For $18, we say why not. Hot NanoSac in the jack action after the break.

[Via Brando]

Continue reading EagleTec's NanoSac MicroSD Card reader makes mouse balls look big

Filed under: Storage

EagleTec's NanoSac MicroSD Card reader makes mouse balls look big originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 05 May 2009 05:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Renesas's 1080p-decoding processor coming soon to a cell phone near you

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/05/renesass-1080p-decoding-processor-coming-soon-to-a-cell-phone-n/

Renesas's 1080p-decoding processor coming soon to a cell phone near you

Plenty of modern cell phones have HD-quality screens on them, but few can manage any sort of high-definition video content at a respectable frame rate. That's set to change with the release of the Renesas SH7370, a chip we first got wind of back in December with its promise to offer 1080p video at 30fps in a package small (and efficient) enough to be included in a handset. The first units are now shipping to manufacturers, and while the size has increased (it's about 1cm square vs. the 6.4 x 6.5mm package previously discussed) it's still impressively small given its functionality: 1080p H.264 video decoding and encoding along with on-chip Dolby Digital 5.1-channel output. Overkill? Maybe for now, but you might change your mind when the first head-mountable satellite speakers with subwoofer seat cushions hit retail.

Filed under: Cellphones, Portable Audio, Portable Video

Renesas's 1080p-decoding processor coming soon to a cell phone near you originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 05 May 2009 06:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Monday, May 04, 2009

Samsung's 850 PAVV plasma teases the 1-inch thick mark

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/04/samsungs-850-pavv-plasma-teases-the-1-inch-think-mark/

The plasma industry may be teetering on the edge of certain doom (okay, so maybe that's exaggerating it... a little), but Samsung's still pushing the envelope. Over in South Korea, the company just outed its latest PDPs, the 850 PAVV lineup. Aside from being 40 percent more power efficient, 20 percent lighter and 120 percent more seductive than the prior generation, the new 50- and 58-inch sets also boast DLNA support, a USB 2.0 socket, DivX compatibility and a rather striking stand. The real kicker? The 29 millimeter depth, which equates to just over one inch thick for those who abhor the metric system. There's no word on when these beauties will hit the streets, but we're guessing Panasonic will be keenly interested in knowing.

Filed under: Displays, HDTV, Home Entertainment

Samsung's 850 PAVV plasma teases the 1-inch thick mark originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 04 May 2009 08:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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RIM's BlackBerry Curve 8900 officially hitting AT&T in "early summer"

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/04/rims-blackberry-curve-8900-officially-hitting-atandt-in-early-su/

Ah, ha! So the rumors were true. Just a day after we heard that RIM's BlackBerry Curve 8900 would be making its way from T-Mobile over to AT&T comes this -- official confirmation from the carrier itself. Loaded with WiFi, GPS and a 480 x 360 resolution display, this 'Berry includes free AT&T WiFi at over 20,000 hotspots (with an unlimited data plan, ironically enough) and a 3.2 megapixel camera. There's also a microSD / SDHC slot that supports cards up to 16GB in size, and while AT&T's not being very forthcoming with pricing (as in, there's no word given at all), loyal customers can expect it to land sometime in "early summer." In other words, all this release has done is extinguish the rumor fires -- 'preciate it, Ma Bell.

Filed under: Cellphones

RIM's BlackBerry Curve 8900 officially hitting AT&T in "early summer" originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 04 May 2009 09:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BlackBerry Curve 83XX overtakes iPhone 3G in US smartphone rankings

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/04/blackberry-curve-83xx-overtakes-iphone-3g-in-us-smartphone-ranki/

The handset might've been surpassed in functionality and looks by its Curve 8900 successor, but nothing's got an edge on the BlackBerry Curve 83XX series in smartphone sales. According to NPD, the handset overtook the erstwhile champ iPhone 3G in the category for the first quarter of 2009, while BlackBerry's own Storm and Pearl handsets took the third and fourth slots, with the T-Mobile G1 rounding out the ranks in fifth place. Overall the smartphone market has grown from 17 percent of handset sales in Q1 2008 to 23 percent in Q1 2009. Compared to the previous quarter, RIM's gained a whopping 15 percent share of the US market -- owning nearly half of the entire scene -- while Apple and Palm both dropped 10 percent as they prep for their heroic mid-year launches.

Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds

BlackBerry Curve 83XX overtakes iPhone 3G in US smartphone rankings originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 04 May 2009 10:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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