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Thursday, June 14, 2012

Rascal Micro hands-on (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/06/13/rascal-micro-hands-on-video/

Not far from the bustling labs of Northeastern University is the even more bustling hacker space known as Artisan's Asylum. The roughly 30,000 square foot complex is home to more than 100 makers, tinkerers and artists who building all sorts of crazy contraptions. One of the less ostentatious projects being worked on within its cavernous halls though, is the Rascal Micro. This tiny board is home to an ARM-based SOC and has its hungry, open-sourced eyes on competitors like Arduino and Beagle. Brandon Stafford, the creator, boiled down its primary selling points to this: "it's maybe 25 times faster, has 1,000 times more storage." Where as the Arduino excels at making things blink, move or Tweet, the Rascal Micro has enough power to function as a full-fledged web server.

Gallery: Rascal Micro hands-on

Continue reading Rascal Micro hands-on (video)

Rascal Micro hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 13 Jun 2012 19:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nikon debuts new 18-300mm VR lens, brings highest zoom range yet to its DSLRs

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/06/14/nikon-18-300mm-vr-superzoom-lens/

The latest telephoto zoom lens from Nikon packs in the highest zoom ratio we've seen on an APS-C or DX lens. The Nikkor 18-300mm f/3.5-5/6 G ED VR cranks up the zoom to 16.7X, but pairs this with the aperture range of its existing telephoto lenses, ready for some bokeh-heavy close-ups. You'll be paying for that superzoom privilege, however, as the lens is set to arrive later this month, commanding a $1,000 premium. It's joined by a new standard-zoom lens, the FX-compatible Nikkor 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5 ED VR, which also arrives later this month, priced at $600.

Continue reading Nikon debuts new 18-300mm VR lens, brings highest zoom range yet to its DSLRs

Nikon debuts new 18-300mm VR lens, brings highest zoom range yet to its DSLRs originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 14 Jun 2012 04:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wednesday, June 13, 2012

You Won't Believe How Insane This Tiny New Detail in iOS 6 Is [Video]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5917967/you-wont-believe-how-insane-this-tiny-new-detail-in-ios-6-is

We've showed you the big guns of Apple's newest software tiara. We've showed you the subtle, overlooked features. But this? This is just a crazy addition—so small and precise I had to double check my phone.

Giz reader Zach wrote in after noticing something strange going on in the new Music app:

I noticed today that the reflection on the metallic sliders in the iPod app actually change as you tilt the phone from side to side.

And by God, he's right. Apple actually modified the app so that it'll detect the phone's slight shifting of position and create an artificial gleam on a virtual knob meant to replicate a design feature from the 70s. Functional? Nope. Entirely superfluous? Yep. Impressive? Yep again, if only for its lunacy. This is skeuomorphism on bath salts, and proof beyond a doubt that even post-Jobs, there are still some attention to detail nutcases onboard. [Thanks, Zach!]

Thunderbolt Software Update For OS X Causes Boot Failure [Apple]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5917997/thunderbolt-software-update-for-os-x-causes-boot-failure

Thunderbolt Software Update For OS X Causes Boot Failure Since Monday's WWDC keynote, Apple has been pushing out a range of minor updates which ready OS X for new hardware. Among them is a fairly trivial 537 KB Thunderbolt update—which happens to be causing some massive boot issues.

The update, Thunderbolt Software Update 1.2, provides support for Apple's new Thunderbolt to Gigabit Ethernet Adapter, which is designed for use with the MacBook Air and the new Retina MacBook Pro.

However, TidBITS has noticed that it's causing major problems for some users, whose computers are now unable to boot:

"Although it's unclear if all Thunderbolt-equipped Macs are affected, a number of people have reported that installing the update causes a variety of strange boot-related problems (kernel panics, getting stuck at the gray boot screen, "Unexpected error" messages, and more). Regardless of the details, in each case, it seems that the Mac is rendered unusable, even thunderstruck. I've now heard from some people for whom the update did not cause any problems, but it's still unclear what the difference may be between those who are and are not suffering boot failures."

The problem can be fixed, but only with a complete reinstallation of OS X. So, it might make sense to hold off installing that particular update for now. [TidBITS via Mac Rumors]

PSA: Which iOS 6 features can my device run?

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/06/12/psa-which-ios-6-features-can-my-device-run/

So you're eagerly awaiting iOS 6 in the fall, but you'd like to know just how many features you'll end up skipping if you cling on to your existing iPad, iPhone or iPod touch for one more generation. Apple has gone to the trouble of alerting would-be upgraders just what features they'll get when they check for the update this fall, and we've compiled it in a chart for an at-a-glance view of what you'll need. The short answer: you'll want an iPhone 4S if you're craving every iOS 6 feature. Some feature gaps are defined by obvious differences like the absence of cellular hardware, but the performance limits of the iPhone 3GS or fourth-generation iPod touch turn their upgrades into a patchwork. There's also a pair of questions about iPod touch support and whether or not "iPhone 4 or later" explicitly rules out the media player; we'll update should we know more. Either way, it's evident that Apple is bending over backwards to support burgeoning markets, but also that anyone who bought in 2010 or earlier is feeling the pressure to pick up something new -- especially original iPad owners, who can't upgrade at all.

	iPhone 3GS	iPod touch	iPhone 4	iPhone 4S	iPad 2	! iPad ( 2012)
Chinese service integration	X	X	X	X	X	X
Facebook integration	X	X	X	X	X	X
FaceTime over 3G/4G	-	-	-	X	-	X
Flyover and turn-by-turn GPS	-	-	-	X	X	X
Guided Access	X	X	X	X	X	X
Made for iPhone hearing aids	-	-	-	X	-	-
New content stores	X	X	X	X	X	X
Offline Reading List	-	?	X	X	X	X
Passbook	X	X	X	X	-	-
Phone replies and reminders	X	-	X	X	-	-	!
Safari tab syncing	X	X	X	X	X	X
Shared Photo Streams	-	?	X	X	X	X
Siri	-	-	-	X	-	X
VIP list, flagged/VIP mailboxes	-	?	X	X	X	X