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Thursday, March 22, 2012

Netflix iPad app upgraded with Retina quality icons and images now, HD video soon

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/21/netflix-ipad-app-retina-hd-video/

Now that the third generation iPad has hit the streets even more apps are pushing out upgrades for its high-res display, and among the latest is Netflix. Version 2.1.1 adds not only high-res artwork but also fixes for VoiceOver, improved playback on external displays and other more minor tweaks. Better yet, for when you're actually watching your movies and old TV shows, the official Twitter account promises HD video streaming is on the way. Not rocking one of the fruit logo-branded tablets yet? You still may notice some changes, as HackingNetflix points out the homepage has been revamped once again recently, with a design that feels smoother and faster, featuring a floating red bar that follows as you scroll down. However, as Netflix giveth, Netflix taketh away, and streaming-only customers have lost the ability to even view or rate DVD-only titles in this new version. Take a peek at the latest changes for yourself and let us know in the comments below how they strike you.

Netflix iPad app upgraded with Retina quality icons and images now, HD video soon originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Mar 2012 19:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Adobe unveils Photoshop CS6 beta with redesigned UI and 65 new features, download it for free today

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/22/adobe-photoshop-cs6-beta/

It's been two years since Adobe unveiled a new version of Photoshop, so it shouldn't come as a surprise that the company's engineers have been toiling away behind the scenes on a major update. The outfit's clearly ready to start showing off the fruits of its labor, though, as it just unveiled the beta version of CS6. All told, the outfit's added 65 user-feedback-inspired features, including a new crop tool, expanded video editing options, auto recovery and the ability to search for specific layers. Fans of the dotted lines in Illustrator now get the same vector tools in Photoshop. Additionally, every slider for the Camera Raw 7.0 plug-in (exposure, contrast, etc.) has a freshly tweaked algorithm. And for anyone who's ever looked on helplessly as Photoshop locked itself up during a long file save, projects can now save in the background while you work on other things. Looking for more info? A brief rundown of the beta and a full list of new features awaits just past the break.

Gallery: Adobe Photoshop CS6 beta screenshots

Continue reading Adobe unveils Photoshop CS6 beta with redesigned UI and 65 new features, download it for free today

Adobe unveils Photoshop CS6 beta with redesigned UI and 65 new features, download it for free today originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 22 Mar 2012 00:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Yamaha's singing keyboard makes X Factor even more redundant (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/21/yamaha-vocaloid-keyboard/

Tired of singers over pro-ho-ho-ho-nouncing every vowel? Perhaps the solution is to just remove their ilk from the equation altogether. That's the idea behind Yamaha's new Vocaloid Keyboard, which transforms the Vocaloid software into a ready-to-play device. 16 keys represent consonants, vowels and the types of voicing marks used in Japanese, while at the same time selecting a tone on the keyboard. An LED display prints out each letter as its plays, ensuring that you aren't making any playing errors (or should that be "typing errors?"). Experienced musicians who have used the device found that they were able to produce nursery rhymes after three hours of practice, but sadly the company isn't planning to press it into production. Instead, as the chip inside is "removable," it might contemplate licensing it t another interested party, Simon Cowell, perhaps.

Continue reading Yamaha's singing keyboard makes X Factor even more redundant (video)

Yamaha's singing keyboard makes X Factor even more redundant (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Mar 2012 15:14:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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YouTube wants to make your crummy video slightly less crummy

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/21/youtube-wants-to-make-your-crummy-video-slightly-less-crummy/

Upload a lot of videos to YouTube, but still can't afford that tripod? No worries, the Google-owned video site today announced some welcome additions to its editor, which can detect problems with your video and offer up corrections, so you can brighten things up a bit or eliminate some of the shakiness. If you're the type who needs this information explained in animated form, check out the YouTube video after the break. The feature, meanwhile, will be rolling out to users over the next few days.

Continue reading YouTube wants to make your crummy video slightly less crummy

YouTube wants to make your crummy video slightly less crummy originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Mar 2012 15:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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