Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Canon announces PowerShot SX500 IS, SX160 IS superzoom cameras ahead of Photokina

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/08/21/canon-announces-powershot-sx500-is-sx160-is-superzoom-cameras-a/

Canon announces PowerShot SX500 IS, SX160 IS superzoom cameras ahead of Photokina

Digital imaging buffs are certain to experience a whirlwind autumn, but there's nothing on the books saying that manufacturers need wait for the biennial Photokina expo to roll out new models. Just in time for the back-to-school season, Canon is announcing two new superzoom cams -- the SX160 IS will serve as the successor to the SX150, while the SX500 IS is an entirely new camera, set to sit alongside the company's SX40 HS and SX260 HS point-and-shoots. Both new models include identical 16-megapixel 1/2.3-inch CCD sensors, intelligent image stabilization, a relatively modest ISO range of 100-800 and the ability to capture 720p video at 25 frames-per-second.

As you may have guessed the SX500 IS is the higher-end flavor, offering a 30x, 24-720mm lens with a maximum aperture range of f/3.4-5.8. That model boasts autofocus improvements of 32 percent and decreased shutter lag of 33 percent over the SX40 HS, Canon's former top model in this category. The SX160 IS, for its part, packs a 16x, 28-448mm f/3.5-5.9 lens and offers 22 percent faster autofocus and 46 percent less shutter lag than the SX150 it replaces. It's also powered by AA batteries, which some users may find to be an advantage, considering wide availability during trips abroad. Both cameras include 3-inch LCDs -- 461k-dot for the SX500 and 230k-dot with the SX160 -- and are set to ship in September, with the black SX500 IS priced at $330 and the SX160 IS available for $230, in both red and black.

Gallery: Canon PowerShot SX500 IS and SX160 IS

Continue reading Canon announces PowerShot SX500 IS, SX160 IS superzoom cameras ahead of Photokina

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Canon announces PowerShot SX500 IS, SX160 IS superzoom cameras ahead of Photokina originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 21 Aug 2012 09:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Posted by Augustine at 11:42 PM

Diamond Multimedia outs AMP1000 Android set-top box: Gingerbread-based, 1080p, sells for $120 (update: ICS coming this week)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/08/21/diamond-multimedia-amp1000-android-media-player/

Diamond Multimedia outs AMP1000 Android set-top box: Gingerbread-based, 1080p, sells for $120

Diamond Multimedia's more commonly known around the web for selling Mac and PC capture cards (among other things), but as of today, the company's officially entering the set-top box game with its AMP1000. The media player itself is running a not-so-new flavor of Android -- Gingerbread, to be exact -- which will be used to bring a slew of familiar entertainment tidbits to the bigger screen, such as a media player capable of 1080p playback, an evolved internet browser and an oversized photo viewer, as well as other content like games, ebooks and magazines -- all of which can be downloaded from Google's Play repertoire. Although Diamond Multimedia's formally pricing the AMP1000 at $120, there's a Facebook-only offer that knocks the price down to a mere $100. Now, will it be enough to compete with, say, Vizio's $99 Google TV box? We'll let you be the judge of that.

Update: Well, in case you weren't fond of the AMP1000's Gingerbread innards, Diamond Multimedia's got something in the works to solve that problem. A company rep has contacted us to let us know Ice Cream Sandwich will be coming to early adopters "later this week," as well as noting that all future units will come with the creamy OS already onboard.

Continue reading Diamond Multimedia outs AMP1000 Android set-top box: Gingerbread-based, 1080p, sells for $120 (update: ICS coming this week)

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Diamond Multimedia outs AMP1000 Android set-top box: Gingerbread-based, 1080p, sells for $120 (update: ICS coming this week) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 21 Aug 2012 09:00:00 EDT. Please see our t! erms for use of feeds.

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Posted by Augustine at 11:42 PM

Insert Coin: Instacube is a hip, Android-based digital photo frame for your Instagram feeds

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/08/21/instacube-instagram-digital-photo-frame-kickstarter/

In Insert Coin, we look at an exciting new tech project that requires funding before it can hit production. If you'd like to pitch a project, please send us a tip with "Insert Coin" as the subject line.

Insert Coin Instacube is a hip, Androidbased photo frame for your Instagram feeds

Ever wished you had another option aside from using Instagram's mobile apps and permalinks for viewing your retrofied photos? The folks at D2M certainly did, resulting in what it likes to call Instacube. The square gizmo is essentially a 7.5-inch (2.5 inches deep), OneStep-themed digital photo frame purposed specifically for displaying and interacting with Instagram photo feeds. Up front, a 6.5-inch LCD touchscreen (600 x 600, the full resolution of photos on the service) allows you to tap between pictures and type when needed. Apart from that, three physical buttons on its top handle power, switching feeds and favoriting photos. Basically, the unit looks out for your specified hashtags so it can follow multiple Instagram feeds and automatically cycle through the images -- niche yes, but it's still undeniably cool.

Android runs the show (no word on what version) atop an undisclosed ARM processor that's bundled with 4GB of storage and 256MB of RAM, while b/g/n WiFi keeps it connected to Instagram independently. Speaking to its OS, tinkerers should be pleased to know that D2M plans to continually enhance its functionality, and potentially open it up to developers. Also worth note, Instacube sports a buil! t-in rec hargeable battery, allowing you have it operate completely untethered when the mood strikes.

Interested in pledging your own coin to help fund the project? 1,000 backers can get in on their own Instacube for a cool $99, after which it'll jump to $150. Another 1,000 can get a duo for $199, and the same goes for a limited edition "vintage spring" green variant that'll set you back $249 a piece. Past that, bulk options are on offer maxing out at $5,000 for 40 units, and $10,000 for 25 and a "Design Experience" with D2M. All in all, the Instacube project has 31 days to reach a $250,000 funding goal, with the first units set to ship in March 2013 if all goes well -- hopefully we'll see more than just renders of it well before then. Hit up the project at source link and the video overview past the break if you're interested in liberating your Instagram snaps to that larger display.

Continue reading Insert Coin: Instacube is a hip, Android-based digital photo frame for your Instagram feeds

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Insert Coin: Instacube is a hip, Android-based digital photo frame for your Instagram feeds originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 21 Aug 2012 09:24:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Posted by Augustine at 11:41 PM

Barnes and Noble sees quarterly sales surge, losses fall to $41 million

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/08/21/barnes-noble-2013-q1/

Barnes and Noble sees sales surge, losses fall as quarter ends in profit

Barnes & Noble has had a quarter worth remembering, bringing in $1.5 billion and reducing its losses to $41 million -- down from $57 million last year. Retail business was up, thanks to the closure of Borders branches and blockbuster sales of Fifty Shades of Grey, while College sales increased quarterly losses by $2 million to $14 million. While online sales fell 7.6 percent and the Nook business remained flat, the company saw digital content purchases skyrocket by 46 percent -- and the company couldn't produce enough GlowLight devices to satisfy demand. Wondering about the company's tie-up with Microsoft? There's still no news beyond that it hopes the new partnership will be up and running by the fall.

Continue reading Barnes and Noble sees quarterly sales surge, losses fall to $41 million

Barnes and Noble sees quarterly sales surge, losses fall to $41 million originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 21 Aug 2012 09:57:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Posted by Augustine at 11:41 PM

MetroPCS outs LG Motion 4G in tandem with unlimited all-you-can-eat plan

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/08/21/metropcs-outs-lg-motion-4g-in-tandem-with-unlimited-all-you-can/

MetroPCS outs LG Motion 4G in tandem with unlimited allyoucaneat plan

LTE doesn't have to mean premium pricing -- just ask MetroPCS. The budget carrier, notable for its recent launch of VoLTE, has announced the availability of a limited time promo service bundling unlimited voice, text and data dubbed Wireless for All. And to help give that initiative a proper public splash, the company's tossed in some new kit: LG's Motion 4G. That handset, a humble 3.5-incher, is actually the first Android 4.0 device to bow on the company's lineup and bears a familiar dual-core CPU setup clocked at 1.2GHz, HVGA display, 5GB of internal storage (expandable to 32GB via microSD), a 5-megapixel rear camera capable of 1080p video and 1,700mAh battery. As ICS handsets come, it's certainly no big leaguer, but at $149, plus the addition of that all-you-can eat $55/mo plan, it's hard to find fault with affordable. Skip on past the break to peruse the company's official presser.

Continue reading MetroPCS outs LG Motion 4G in tandem with unlimited all-you-can-eat plan

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MetroPCS outs LG Motion 4G in tandem with unlimited all-you-can-eat plan originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 21 Aug 2012 12:07:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Posted by Augustine at 11:41 PM

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