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Saturday, March 10, 2012

Panasonic details US availability for 25 of its 2012 HDTVs

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/09/panasonic-details-us-availability-for-25-of-its-2012-hdtvs/

Too busy multitasking to make any important decisions? You might want to bookmark this post, then, because Panasonic just spat out a wallop of a press release outlining US availability (but not pricing) details for 25 of its 2012 HDTVs. Starting with those Infinite Black Ultra plasmas we saw at CES, the 65-inch VT50 is coming later this month, but you'll have to wait until April for the 50-inch GT50. If you can settle for a set with an Infinite Black Pro panel, though, the ST50 series is available now in 50- and 55-inch sizes, with the 60- and 65-inchers coming this month and in April, respectively. Moving down the 3D Plasma totem pole, the UT50 series will start tricking out this month in 42- and 50-inch flavors, with 55- and 60-inch counterparts following in April and May. The most affordable of the models listed, the 50-inch XT50 series, will go on sale before the month's end.

Had your heart set on an LED number? If you recall, Panasonic announced a boatload of those at CES, and this press release doesn't even mention all of them, but so far we know the E5 series (32 and 37 inches), the E50 series (42, 47 and 55 inches), the lower-end X5 series (32 inches) and the 47-inch TC-L47DT50 (part of the high-end DT50 series) will all be available this month. Want the best and the biggest? Panasonic is shipping its 3D-capable, 55-inch DT50- and WT50-series sets in May. Rounding out the list, there's Panasonic's first polarized 3D TVs, which will be available later this month in 47- and 55-inch flavors, with a 42-incher following in Apr! il.

Got it? Good. You sure? In case you need a moment to digest all those dates and model numbers, tap the source link below to find detailed specs, along with confirmed pricing -- something you won't see anywhere in that extensive press release.

Continue reading Panasonic details US availability for 25 of its 2012 HDTVs

Panasonic details US availability for 25 of its 2012 HDTVs originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 09 Mar 2012 13:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Vocre 2.0 for iOS brings live translation to video calls

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/09/vocre-2-live-video-translation-for-ios/

Let's say you've just landed on home soil and happened to meet a charming partner during your stay abroad -- yet your unrequited love is separated by a nasty language barrier. Sure, it didn't seem to matter in the moment, but now that you've moved onto -- you know -- communication, you could use a bit of an assist. Thankfully, the folks at MyLanguage seem to have a worthwhile solution with the new Vocre 2.0 app for iOS. The software allows two individuals to engage in video chats in their native tongues, and the app removes the language barrier by providing translations (both text and spoken) on-the-fly. While Vocre 2.0 is currently in private beta, it'll debut as a free, ad-supported application. Further, users may take advantage of paid, premium services that include on-demand human translation. You can follow a similar story of two young lovers in a video after the break. Think it'll work out for 'em?

Continue reading Vocre 2.0 for iOS brings live translation to video calls

Vocre 2.0 for iOS brings live translation to video calls originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 09 Mar 2012 13:08:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MythTV turns 0.25, is actually ten in human years

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/09/mythtv-turns-0-25-is-actually-ten-in-human-years/

Perhaps it's to help it keep that start-up vibe but, for whatever reason, on the eve of its tenth birthday MythTV is about to release version 0.25. That's right, it's the two bit anniversary of one of our favorite open source HTPC programs. So, what's new in this edition? A lot. In fact, for full details you'll have to hit up the changelog at the source. But, we can guarantee that the new MythTV Services API will open up a whole new frontier to devs. If you're looking for more, well, don't worry -- the creators have also added support for IPv6, AirPlay, HTTP Live Streaming, and DirectX acceleration. For more details and to download the beta for yourself, hit up the source link.

Update: One more major feature added to 0.25 is the support for CableCARD tuners. That capability was added to 0.24 through patches, but this next version supports it out of the proverbial box.

MythTV turns 0.25, is actually ten in human years originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 09 Mar 2012 16:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tether for iPhone returns as an HTML5-powered subscription service (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/09/tether-for-iphone-html5-webapp/

We're still not sure how iTether temporarily snuck into the App Store the first time around, but the developers behind that software have returned with a new version that skirts Apple's guidelines entirely. While Tether.com has standard apps available for BlackBerry and Android users, the new approach on iOS relies on creating an ad-hoc network from a PC, and then visiting the appropriate webpage on the iPhone. Log in to the website, and the company's "patent-pending" software does the job of tying the two connections together wirelessly through the magic of HTML5, no jailbreaking or other hackery needed. The cost for the service is $30 a year, although it's currently available for the first year at $15 -- no free trials, and of course what happens to your data plan is between you and your carrier. Check out the video above for a demonstration or hit the company's website for more details.

Tether for iPhone returns as an HTML5-powered subscription service (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 09 Mar 2012 18:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Forth Dimension's second Replicating Reality concept stuffs Half-Life 2 into a virtual reality headset (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/09/forth-dimensions-second-replicating-reality-concept-stuffs-half/

GDC might be winding down, but we'd be remiss if we didn't catch up with Forth Dimension Displays, the Kopin subsidiary responsible for all those little microdisplays inside your camcorders and, we're told, specialized military gear. While neither of those are terribly exciting to consumers, the outfit's latest concept is. Similar to last year's E3 demo, the company's new rig is built to highlight the kinds of use cases it would like OEMs to build using its microdisplays. The above jury-rigged setup above consists of a helmet rocking two of the company's SXGA (1280 x 1024) microdisplays which are in turn connected to back-mounted drivers which are then attached to your run-of-the-mill gaming PC. But unlike previous endeavors, when head-tracking happened in the helmet, this year we've got a plastic gun stuffed with an air mouse which controls onscreen movement. It's admittedly hacked together and certainly not flawless -- the cursor tended to bob upwards in our time with it -- yet very immersive and an amazing way to frag combine soldiers in the trenches of Half Life 2. But don't take our ! word for it, ogle at the gallery below, or watch a video of it in all its glory after the break.

Gallery: Forth Dimension's Replicating Reality Half-Life 2 concept