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Thursday, November 29, 2012

DIY Wi-Fi Antenna Cheaply Extends Your Wireless Network

Source: http://lifehacker.com/5964111/diy-wi+fi-antenna-cheaply-extends-your-wireless-network

DIY Wi-Fi Antenna Cheaply Extends Your Wireless Network We've shared tons of ways to boost your home Wi-Fi, but if you need something a bit more powerful, this DIY antenna can stretch your wireless network much further.

DIYer Danilo wanted to share his internet access across multiple apartments, and traditional methods just weren't doing the trick. He wanted to try out a bigger antenna, but before buying one, cooked up a DIY option himself to see how well it worked. All i took was a bit of copper wiring, some aluminum foil, and some tupperware (to keep it protected from the elements, since it sat outside). The result was so good that he didn't even need to buy an antenna. You'll need to be able to solder, but if that's already a skill you have under your belt, this'll probably be a quick and easy project. Hit the link to see more.

Direttiva biquad per i 2,4Ghz (Translated) | Danilo Larizza via Hack a Day

Verizon FiOS brings its live TV streaming app to LG Smart TVs

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/11/28/verizon-fios-75-live-streaming-channels-lg/

Verizon is continuing to extend access to its FiOS TV service (at least, within the homes of subscribers) by bringing an app to LG Smart TVs with access to 75 channels and Flex View video on-demand. That follows the iPad last week, as well as earlier apps for the Xbox 360 and Samsung's connected TV platform. This app is of course customized for LG's Magic Remote gesture control feature, and is available on all 2012 Smart TVs, plus the BP620 Blu-ray player via the Smart TV smart World app store. The good news is you can make use of it in a room with no cable box needed, however the lineup is still missing a few key channels (ESPN) that may be tough to do without. Verizon recently announced a deal with NBCUniversal to increase its TV Everywhere selection, if it can add a few more the set-top box-less future may be within reach.

Continue reading Verizon FiOS brings its live TV streaming app to LG Smart TVs

Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD, Verizon, LG

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Toshiba preps 13MP phone camera sensor that promises low-light shooting without the noise

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/11/29/toshiba-preps-13mp-phone-camera-sensor-with-low-light-and-low-noise/

Toshiba isn't the most vocal of mobile camera designers; it's often shouted out by the likes of OmniVision and Sony. It has reason to crow now that it's near launching a next-generation imager of its own. The 13-megapixel, CMOS-based TK437 sensor carries the backside illumination we already know and love for its low-light performance as well as color noise reduction that should fight the side-effects of such a dense, sensitive design. If we take Toshiba at its word, the visual quality of the sensor's 1.12-micron pixels is equal to that of much larger, less noise-prone 1.4-micron examples -- important when stuffing the sensor into 0.33 square inches. Photos will prove whether the achievement is more than just talk, although we'll have some time to wait when test samples will only reach companies in December. It's months beyond that before there's a production phone or tablet with a TK437 lurking inside.

Continue reading Toshiba preps 13MP phone camera sensor that promises low-light shooting without the noise

Filed under: Cellphones, Cameras, Tablets

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Source: Toshiba

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Will.i.am launches pricey i.am+ camera add-ons for iPhone, we go hands on (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/11/28/will-i-am-iphone-accessories-hands-on/

So, we learned two things today. Firstly, Will.i.am is able to attract quite a media scrum, and secondly, national press photographers have sharp elbows. Nevertheless, we braved the London debut of the Black Eyed Peas star's i.am+ iPhone accessories and fortunately came away with more than just Elephunk-sized bruises. We got some brief playtime with the gadgets, plus an interview with the CEO of Will.i.am's tech venture -- none other than Chandra Rathakrishnan of Fusion Garage fame (or notoriety). If you're wondering if we asked him why anyone would spend upwards of £199 ($315) on a wide-angle lens attachment when a really decent alternative can be had for a fraction of that cost, then hopefully the video and early impressions after the break will satisfy your curiosity.

Gallery: i.am+ iPhone camera accessories hands-on

Continue reading Will.i.am launches pricey i.am+ camera add-ons for iPhone, we go hands on (video)

Filed under: Cellphones, Cameras, Mobile

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Aakash 2 hands-on: the $40 educational slate with revolution on its mind

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/11/28/aakash-2-hands-on/

Efforts to put cheap computers in the hands of students have always hit major stumbling blocks. Most notably price. The OLPC project had noble goals, but ultimately ended up well above its target price of $100. The Classmate was more of a "me too" product than anything truly revolutionary. What started as India's effort to launch a $10 laptop, slowly mutated into a $35 tablet that, even then, struggled in its initial incarnation. What ultimately became known as the Aakash was painfully underpowered and had carried a cost almost double its $35 target. With the second version DataWind is hoping to make good on the promise of an ultra-affordable tablet that can actually be used by students and educators. CEO of the company Suneet Tuli swung by our offices with the Ubuslate 7Ci, the commercial version of the Aakash 2, to give us a chance to put the device through its paces and talk about the transformative power of education.

Gallery: Aakash 2 hands-on