Sunday, October 02, 2011

drag2share: Samsung releases 1.5GHz Exynos processor and 16MP CMOS for mobiles, if you're nice

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/01/samsung-releases-1-5ghz-exynos-processor-and-16mp-cmos-for-mobil/

Samsung's just announced the newest and fastest version of its Exynos mobile processor. The 4212 is a dual-core ARM Cortex A9 clocked to 1.5GHz, built using a 32mn process that makes it 30 percent more efficient and 25 percent faster than the 4210. Last year's model was capable of many impressive feats, but its 3D abilities were hampered by the limits imposed by its HDMI 1.3 controller. The new boy gets version 1.4 and hence the freedom to run stereoscopic imagery at an impressive 70fps. The chips will be available in Q4 of this year, but only to "select customers" who -- we guess -- look after Mr and Mrs. Samsung's cats over the holidays. The chip comes too late for the Galaxy S II LTE but we can expect to see it in future superphones before too long.

At the same time, the company released a 16 megapixel CMOS sensor designed for mobile devices. It can shoot stills at the quoted figure and is theoretically capable of 30fps video at around half that, although we're unlikely to see a device that can record 8 megapixel video in the near future. If you hadn't guessed, "select customers" will get their extra-polite hands on the Samsung S5K2P1 in November, other OEMs will have to wait outside, in the snow. Of course, as everyone knows, it's not about how big your megapixel count is, it's what you do with 'em that really counts.

Continue reading Samsung releases 1.5GHz Exynos processor and 16MP CMOS for mobiles, if you're nice

Samsung releases 1.5GHz Exynos processor and 16MP CMOS for mobiles, if you're nice originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 01 Oct 2011 02:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink BusinessWire (Exynos), BusinessWire (S5K2P1)  |  sourceSamsung (S5K2P1), Samsung (Exynos)  | Email this | Comments

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drag2share: Mobile Miscellany: week of September 26, 2011

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/01/mobile-miscellany-week-of-september-26-2011/

This week was packed with news on the mobile front, so it was easy to miss a few stories here and there. Here's some of the other stuff that happened in the wide world of wireless for the week of September 26, 2011:
  • Last week we heard the rumor that Sprint would be launching the BlackBerry Curve 9350 on October 2nd, and we've finally received the official confirmation. The device will be hitting stores tomorrow for $80 with a two-year contract. [PhoneArena]
  • The Motorola Photon WiMAX, referred to as the Photon 4G in the US, is now making its way to Japan as KDDI announced the launch of the device this past Monday. [Motorola]
  • Verizon Wireless launched the Pantech Jest 2 this week, which is a feature phone with a full slide-out QWERTY keyboard. [Verizon Wireless]
  • The Samsung Galaxy Y is now listed as "coming soon" on O2's website, which makes it the second carrier to announce upcoming availability in the UK. The actual date of release, however, is still unofficial. [O2]
  • Softbank (Japan) looks ready to land the ZTE Lord V882, which appears to be an Android device running on Gingerbread, and comes packed with a 1GHz CPU, 512MB of RAM, 3.8-inch LCD at WVGA resolution and a 5MP camera. [LandofDroid]
  • NTT DoCoMo and Orange have teamed up to offer the Sharp AQUOS SH80F, which features dual 8MP stereoscopic cameras and claims to be the world's first Android device capable of converting 2D content into 3D in real time. It'll first be launched in France on October 6th and will follow to other European and Asian countries shortly after. [Softpedia]
  • Maybe Microsoft Canada just assumed nobody actually reads terms and conditions, because the company outed the names of a few upcoming Windows Phones in the T&C for a developer contest: the Nokia Sabre and a duo of Samsungs named the Yukon and Wembley. The Nokia Searay was also named in the list, indicating the Sabre is a second device running on Mango. [Nokia HDBlog (translated)]
  • In preparation for its Windows Phone debut, Nokia is also rumored to be featuring a new voice navigation system with 3D maps, according to some leaked marketing materials. [WinRumors]
  • Here's a rendering of the HTC EVO Design 4G, also known as the Kingdom or Hero S. [Pocketnow]
  • Samsung may have a midrange device coming soon to AT&T's lineup as a complement to the Galaxy S II. We've already seen the I857 pass through the FCC and show up in a leaked roadmap, and now it appears to have been dubbed the Doubletime, according to uncovered Cellebrite records. [Pocketnow]
  • Also appearing in Cellebrite records are the HTC Vigor (PH98100), Motorola Droid HD (XT912), and the Samsung Nexus Prime (SCH-i515). [Droid-Life]

Mobile Miscellany: week of September 26, 2011 originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 01 Oct 2011 11:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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drag2share: Sony cuts the VAIO SA's starting price to $1,000, starts shipping the 15-inch VAIO SE

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/02/sony-cuts-the-vaio-sas-starting-price-to-999-starts-shipping/

Lots of PC news flowing out of Sony Electronics' US headquarters this fine Sunday morning. First, the company slashed the starting price of the 13-inch VAIO SA laptop from $1,250 to $1,000, while the lower-end SB series now starts at $780 (it had been going for $800 after instant savings). We asked Sony's PR team what that means for folks who recently purchased either of these through Sony's online store, and still haven't gotten a response, but the company was quick to remind us that it's up to retailers such as Best Buy to set their own price protection policies. (Thanks, Sony!)

Moving along, that 15.5-inch VAIO SE series we reviewed a month ago is at last up for sale, beautiful 1080p display and all. You can find her on Sony's site starting at a thousand bucks with a Core i5-2430M processor, 4GB of RAM, a 640GB 5,400RPM hard drive, DVD burner and, of course, that 1920 x 1080 panel. So, is all that worth a flaky trackpad and poor battery life (sans $150 slice)? That, friends, is a decision you'll have to make for yourself. Finally, in more granular news, the 14-inch C and E series are getting expanded Sandy Bridge processor options, while the 16-inch F series and L series all-in-ones will come with Vegas Movie Studio HD Platinum, Sound Forge Audio Studio and ACID Music Studio pre-installed. In addition, the SA, L, F and E series are all getting speed bumps, as are pre-configured SB and Z series laptops. Oh, and the SB is now available in red. Got it? Good. Lots of up to date specs at the source link.

Sony cuts the VAIO SA's starting price to $1,000, starts shipping the 15-inch VAIO SE originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 02 Oct 2011 08:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceSony Store (VAIO home page)  | ! ;Email this | Comments

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drag2share: LiveLens MFT adapter brings aperture control to Canon EF lenses

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/02/livelens-mft-adapter-brings-aperture-control-to-canon-ef-lenses/

It may be serving a somewhat small niche, but we're guessing that niche will be plenty pleased that something like the LiveLens MFT adapter now exists. That's MFT as in Micro Four Thirds, and the adapter is for Canon EF lenses. Nothing too special there, but this particular adapter now also allows for aperture control for the first time, which is actually done on the adapter itself, not the camera -- the only remaining drawback is a lack of autofocus. Expectedly that ability comes at quite a premium -- you'll have to fork over $442 for the adapter and an extra $52 for the necessary 9V battery cable.

LiveLens MFT adapter brings aperture control to Canon EF lenses originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 02 Oct 2011 09:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Wired Gadget Lab  |  sourceRedrock Micro  | Email this | Comments

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drag2share: Google and ITA's OnTheFly app update puts flexible flight planning in your pocket

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/02/google-and-itas-onthefly-app-update-puts-flexible-flight-planni/

Google went through a lot to buy ITA and its travel software, and we saw the acquisition first bear fruit in the form of Mountain View's web-based Flight Search. Now the partnership has produced version 1.2 of the OnTheFly airfare booking app for Android, iOS and BlackBerry. What's new? Flexible date searches that let you peruse departures 35 days at a time, plus a price graph that shows the most fiscally prudent times to travel. Additionally, globetrotters can access their itinerary search history and see price changes for those fares throughout the year. Nice job fellas, now let's work on bringing bargain-basement fare finding for the final frontier in the next revision.

Google and ITA's OnTheFly app update puts flexible flight planning in your pocket originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 02 Oct 2011 19:38:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Android Central  |  sourceGoogle Mobile Blog  | Email this | Comments

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