Samsung NX100 mirrorless camera gets official: 14.6MP, i-Function lens, 3-inch AMOLED

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/14/samsung-nx100-mirrorless-camera-gets-official-14-6mp-i-functio/

Look out, world -- the mirrorless camera game just got a lot more interesting. Shortly after Olympus introduced a new mid-range DSLR, Samsung has outed its newest, the (previously rumored) NX100. It's the predictable successor to last year's NX10, offering a sleeker body, 14.6 megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor, a 3-inch VGA AMOLED display 'round back, an ISO range of 100 to 3200 (with a boost mode hitting 6400), 720p movie recording (H.264), SD / SDHC card slot, optional geo-tagging with GPS10 module and 'Sound Picture' mode that allows users to record audio when a photo is taken. The standout feature here, however, has little to do with the body itself; instead, it's the new i-Function lens system, which features a dedicated 'i-Function' button that allows users to scroll through manual settings, and a focus ring which is used to change parameters for each setting. Users can toggle between shutter speed, aperture, EV, WB, and ISO by simply using the i-Function button and ring on the lens, and it's a feature we're frankly desperate to try out ourselves. Sammy's planning to offer a variety of lenses for the NX100, including a 60mm macro, 18-200mm telephoto, 20mm wide-angle pancake and a 20-50mm compact zoom. The full details on the camera as well as the glass arrangement is just after the break, but good luck finding a price and release date. Depressing, we know.

Gallery: Samsung NX100 mirrorless camera

Continue reading Samsung NX100 mirrorless camera gets official: 14.6MP, i-Function lens, 3-inch AMOLED

Samsung NX100 mirrorless camera gets official: 14.6MP, i-Function lens, 3-inch AMOLED originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 14 Sep 2010 02:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Canon G12 arrives, brings HD video with it

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/14/canon-g12-arrives-brings-hd-video-with-it/

Nikon came gunning for the Canon G11 with the new Coolpix P7000, and now Canon's firing right back with the updated G12. The big news here is the addition of 720p/30 HD video, which patches up one of the biggest omissions from the G11, but just keeps par with Nikon's offering -- a proper 1080p/24 mode here would have made this decision pretty easy. Otherwise things are just welcome iterative improvements: the backside-illuminated HS System 10 megapixel CMOS sensor, 5x lens with teleconverter, DIGIC 4 processor, and 2.8-inch 461k-dot articulated LCD remain the same, but now you get new Canon's Hybrid IS system from the S95 for better macro performance, along with a new HDR mode for all your ultra-trendy hyperrealistic shots. It'll be $499 when it hits in early October -- we're looking forward to putting this guy through its paces. Full PR after the break!

Continue reading Canon G12 arrives, brings HD video with it

Canon G12 arrives, brings HD video with it originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 14 Sep 2010 04:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Nokia E7 demoed live at Nokia World

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/14/video-nokia-e7-demoed-live-at-nokia-world/

We've just spent a little bit of time ogling a very, very green E7 here in the so-called Experience Lounge at Nokia World 2010, and needless to say, this thing makes an impression -- you might think from the shots you've seen so far that it's roughly the same size as the N8 (especially since it shares the same case design), but it's actually quite a bit larger and more imposing. A friendly booth rep walked us through the beast's hardware and software highlights on video; check it after the break. Oh, and yes -- when it launches, it'll be available in five colors, so you don't have to get the green if you're not cool enough for it.

Continue reading Video: Nokia E7 demoed live at Nokia World

Filed under: Cellphones

Video: Nokia E7 demoed live at Nokia World originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 14 Sep 2010 06:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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There's a House Hidden In This Photograph [Architecture]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5636924/there-is-a-house-hidden-in-this-photograph

Look closely. There is a house hidden in this photograph. It's right there, on plain sight. Can't you see it? Perhaps looking from another angle will help you.

The photo above shows the house's front, as you approach it from the road. It's just a gargantuan natural boulder, which is why the house itself is called the Joshua Tree Boulder House. This is the view from the back:

And this is the back itself:

The 1700-square-foot home rises in desert wonderland, near Joshua Tree State Park, California. It has two bedrooms, two full baths, full kitchen with steel appliances, stained concrete flooring, A/C, double-pane window walls, and 9-inch, 2 pound foam insulation all around. And it can be all yours for just $1.35 million. Not that bad.

Unlike the humble Flintstones house in Portugal, I want to live in this one. [Joshua Tree Boulder House via Archdaily]

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Sci-Fi Author's Wireless ISP Will Give You 20Mbps Downloads For $40/Month [Wisp]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5637098/sci+fi-authors-wireless-isp-will-give-you-20mbps-downloads-for-40month

Sci-Fi author Rudy Rucker is one of the folks behind the cleverest wireless ISP serving San Francisco. He and his team have set up a system to provide customers with reliable 10-30Mbps download speeds for a mere $40 per month.

Sure, you could get theoretical speeds of about "20 Mbps down and 4 Mbps up from Comcast for $55 per month," but the service provided by Rucker's company, MonkeyBrains, is providing reliable and consistent speeds:

MonkeyBrains guarantees at least 10 Mbps symmetrical and most customers see 15-20 Mbps. Some customers see 25-30 Mbps with a good connection. According to [a company employee], this depends on the company's backhaul connection, which is in the process of being upgraded. Once that happens, he expects 30 Mbps+ connections will be common.

There are initial startup costs associated with the service—it costs about $250 to install the required antenna—but MonkeyBrains appears to be offering customers several free months of service to compensate for that cost.

The company is still small: It has "about 100 antennas, each of which may serve one or many customers—an average of 5-10 per antenna"—but it certainly appears to be off to a good start. Of course, the downside of a company like MonkeyBrains is that it provides such great—and cheap—service because it's sticking to a small area and focusing on those customers. This means that those of us who live outside of San Francisco are left hoping that someone will think to run a small WISP with a silly name in our areas too. [Information Week]

Image by Chistoprudov Dmitriy Gennadievich/ShutterStock

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