Leap Motion controller review

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/07/22/leap-motion-controller-review/

When the Leap Motion controller was revealed to the world, it brought with it the promise of a new and unique computer user experience. And, ever since we first got to see what the Leap Motion controller could do -- grant folks the ability to interact with a computer by waving their fingers and fists -- we've wanted one of our own to test out. Well, our wish was granted: we've gotten to spend several days with the controller and a suite of apps built to work with it. Does the device really usher in a new age of computing? Is it worth $80 of your hard-earned cash? Patience, dear reader, all will be revealed in our review.

Gallery: Leap Motion controller review

Filed under: Peripherals

Comments

Read More...

Summary only...

Gateway unveils slimmer NE laptops, updates DX, SX and One ZX desktops

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/07/22/gateway-ne-dx-sx-one-zx-2013/

Gateway may live in the shadow of its parent company Acer, but it's getting the spotlight today with refreshed versions of its entry-level PCs. New versions of its 15.6-inch and 17.3-inch NE Series laptops are slimmer than their ancestors, carry Kabini-based AMD A4 and A6 processors and offer up to 1TB of storage. Desktops remain largely the same on the outside, but there's a few welcome tweaks on the inside. Although the small SX Series isn't radically different, regular DX Series towers now have the option of a Haswell-era Intel Core i5 alongside recent AMD A-series chips; there's also a new entry-level version of the One ZX all-in-one that puts a 3GHz Pentium behind the 21.5-inch LCD. Gateway is now shipping the two NE portables at baseline prices of $380 (15.6-inch) and $450 (17.3-inch), while the DX, SX and One Z lines respectively start at $298, $398 and $530. A KX Series of desktop displays is shipping at the same time, starting at $99 for a 19.5-inch screen.

Filed under: Desktops, Laptops, AMD, Intel, Acer

Comments

Source: Gateway (1), (2), (3)

Read More...

Summary only...

Disney Research's AIREAL creates haptic feedback out of thin air

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/07/21/siggraph-disney-research-aireal-haptic-feedback/

Disney Research is at it again. The arm of Walt's empire responsible for interactive house plants wants to add haptic feedback not to a seat cushion, but to thin air. Using a combination of 3D-printed components -- thank the MakerBots for those -- with five actuators and a gaggle of sensors, AIREAL pumps out tight vortices of air to simulate tactility in three dimensional space. The idea is to give touchless experiences like motion control a form of physical interaction, offering the end user a more natural response through, well, touch.

Like most of the lab's experiments this has been in the works for awhile, and the chances of it being used outside of Disneyworld anytime soon are probably slim. AIREAL will be on display at SIGGRAPH in Anaheim from Sunday to Wednesday this week. Didn't register? Check out the video after the break.

Filed under: Gaming, Science

Comments

Via: Gizmodo (Australia)

Source: Disney Research

Read More...

Summary only...

Nokia Cinemagraph update brings 720p, improved desktop quality and color pop feature

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/07/21/cinemagraph-lumia-hd-gif/

Lumia users have no need for low-quality-GIF makers, thank you very much. Why? Because they can now use the new version of Cinemagraph to create animated images in full 1,080 x 720 glory. What's more, HD cat mems made with the updated app -- not to be confused with the similar Cinemagram -- can be viewed as short high-res video clips instead of GIFs when accessed on computers. As a nice bonus, the developers also threw in a new color pop feature that lets you highlight one hue and render the rest of the image black and white. Sure, the style's been overdone, but we'll bet many WP8 users are thankful the app's expanding its filter offerings in the absence of Instagram.

Filed under: Misc, Mobile, Nokia

Comments

Source: Conversations by Nokia

Read More...

Summary only...

Hasselblad Stellar reportedly leaked, adds aura of luxury to Sony's RX100

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/07/21/hasselblad-stellar-leak/

Hasselblad's strategy of sprucing up Sony cameras must be paying off -- that would explain Photo Rumors' apparent leak of the Stellar, a Hasselblad take on the RX100. The already high-end compact cam will reportedly switch to a tan metallic body and offer several choices of exotic grip material, including carbon fiber and padouk wood. There's no mention of functional upgrades over the Sony original, though. As with the Lunar, we're more likely to see a price hike instead -- Photo Rumors claims the Stellar should launch on July 26th for between $1,600 to $3,200, which would limit it to particularly well-heeled photographers.

Filed under: Cameras, Sony

Comments

Source: Photo Rumors

Read More...

Summary only...