Wednesday, March 19, 2014

drag2share: Oppo Find 7 is the world's first phone that can take 50MP photos (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/03/19/oppo-find-7-50mp-camera/

We've seen the teasers and we've seen the leaks, so it's about time to see the real thing. Oppo has finally unveiled the Find 7 in Beijing just now, and as promised, this Android 4.3 device really can take 50-megapixel photos! But as with many things in life, there's a catch here: the sensor is actually a 13-megapixel Sony IMX214 CMOS, so it's a software trick. Still, the results we saw earlier were surprisingly good, so read on to check out how it's done and what the rest of the phone is like.

The Find 7 comes with Oppo's latest image signal processor dubbed Pure Image 2.0, and this is what enables the 50-megapixel "Super Zoom" creation: the camera takes 10 consecutive shots very quickly, and then it automatically picks four best shots to combine them into a 50-megapixel still. Our 8,160 x 6,120 sample shots ended up being around 10MB large each, and as you can see above, there's a lot of detail preserved even up close, which puts the Xperia Z1's 20-megapixel camera to shame. While Super Zoom is a software-based feature, the 1/3.06-inch IMX214 sensor also deserves credit for its 480 megapixel-per-second bandwidth, which is 33 percent faster than the 13-megapixel CMOS chip on the Find 5. And of course, the bright f/2.0 aperture helps, too.

Other notable camera features include 4K video recording at 30 fps, slow-motion video at up to 100 fps, long exposure for up to 32 seconds, HDR-capable GIF creation and RAW mode. You'll also be able to use some of these features with the 5-megapixel f/2.0 front-facing camera.

The 5.5-inch Find 7 will come in two versions. The $499 Find 7a (aka Find 7 Lite in China) packs a 2.3GHz Snapdragon 800, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage, a 2,800mAh battery and a 1080p display. The more premium $599 Find 7 features a faster 2.5GHz Snapdragon 801, 3GB of RAM, 32GB of storage, a 3,000mAh cell plus a quad HD (2,560 x 1,440) display. This makes Oppo the second manufacturer to offer a quad HD phone, following sister company Vivo's Xplay 3S.

Apart from the above points plus the different back covers (the Find 7's has a carbon fiber texture), the two models are otherwise identical. You get Gorilla Glass 3, microSD expansion (up to 128GB), micro-SIM slot, LTE radio (for Chinese, European and US models; 3G only for Indonesian model), a pulsing "skyline" notification light underneath the chin, award-winning MaxxAudio plus Dirac HD audio enhancement and "VOOC" rapid charging (you go from zero to 75 percent in just half an hour). About the last point, you apparently won't have to worry about potential heat issues while charging, as the Find 7 is built with five layers of thermal protective coating, and the solid titanium-aluminum alloy frame -- crafted with nano-injection molding -- also helps dissipate heat.

The Find 7 will be shipped with Color OS 1.2 based on Android 4.3, and it'll come with many familiar features that are already on the N1. These include weather animation on the home screen, gesture shortcuts (including torch and camera activation even when the screen is off) and themes. Do look up our N1 review if you want to know more about Oppo's custom ROM. At the time of publishing this article, we have yet to hear any news about CyanogenMod development for the Find 7, so stay tuned.

Interested folks outside China can order a Find 7a both online and offline come mid-April (there will be a $50 early bird discount from some retailers), or you can wait for the advanced Find 7 due May or June. If you happen to be in Beijing, CEO Tony Chen will be personally selling some units in one of the local shops tomorrow. Now that's a hands-on boss.

Filed under: ,

Comments

---
drag2share - drag and drop RSS news items on your email contacts to share (click SEE DEMO)

Read More...

drag2share: Microsoft's Project Spark beta now open to all wannabe game makers (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/03/19/xbox-one-project-spark-open-beta/

If you haven't had the chance to make the Flappy Bird or Minecraft clone of your dreams just yet, Microsoft is removing the final barrier to Project Spark's entry. The game-creation title's been in open beta for a bit, but now you can download it directly from the Xbox One dashboard -- no waiting required. Should you need something to, ahem, spark your creativity, the embedded trailer's montage of user-creations set to a Linkin Park song might do the trick. If that somehow doesn't help, Major Nelson will be joining the dev team on its Twitch stream this week, and you can pick his brain for ideas there. Or, maybe just kick back while Xbox's blogger plays the game (where he'll presumably make a game) on your game console. It's all up to you!

Filed under: , , ,

Comments

Source: Major Nelson

---
drag2share - drag and drop RSS news items on your email contacts to share (click SEE DEMO)

Read More...

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

drag2share: Moto 360: This Is Motorola's Slick Android Wear Powered Smartwatch

Source: http://gizmodo.com/moto-360-this-is-motorolas-android-wear-powered-smart-1546422737

Moto 360: This Is Motorola's Slick Android Wear Powered Smartwatch

We just learned about Android Wear for the first time , and now we're already getting inundated in new hardware. Here's a hot piece of gear from Motorola, the Moto 360. Billed as a more contemporary smartwatch thank the clunky wrist-bricks we've seen before, the Moto 360 will supposedly be available this summer.

Read more...

---
drag2share - drag and drop RSS news items on your email contacts to share (click SEE DEMO)

Read More...

drag2share: Neon Lights Make These NYC Water Towers Into Inter-Dimensional Portals

Source: http://gizmodo.com/neon-lights-make-these-nyc-water-towers-into-inter-dime-1546461413

Neon Lights Make These NYC Water Towers Into Inter-Dimensional Portals

Have you ever stuck your head up a water tower? Wait, what? You haven't? Well, here's your chance. On display at Madison Square Park in New York right now are three water towers, each illuminated with neon lights and mirrors. Even if you're not in New York, you can take a look at these trippy photos.

Read more...

---
drag2share - drag and drop RSS news items on your email contacts to share (click SEE DEMO)

Read More...

drag2share: Scientists Discover the Key to Making Paint That Never Fades

Source: http://gizmodo.com/scientists-discover-the-key-to-making-paint-that-never-1546474602

Scientists Discover the Key to Making Paint That Never Fades

It seems like scientists are all about immortality these days. It's not just plants and people that are getting the treatment, though. A team of Harvard engineers are developing a way of producing color that could produce paint that never fades, and displays that never go dark.

Read more...

---
drag2share - drag and drop RSS news items on your email contacts to share (click SEE DEMO)

Read More...