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Monday, April 16, 2012

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Blackmagic Cinema Camera packs 'feature film' 2.5K quality, touchscreen for $2,995

Posted: 16 Apr 2012 11:59 AM PDT

Blackmagic Cinema Camera announced with 'feature film' 2.5K quality, touchscreen UI for $2,995

While Canon and Red have already stolen the show with new camera announcements here at NAB 2012, Blackmagic Design is trying to carve out a niche for its new Cinema Camera. Priced at $2,995, where the company sees this as differing from the competition is its ability to capture film quality video on its 2.5K sensor and output it to CinemaDNG RAW, ProRes and DNxHD file formats. That camera housing can take Canon or Zeiss lenses on the front, contains a built-in SSD within and has a capacitive touchscreen display for control and metadata entry. Once you've captured the video, the included copy of DaVinci Resolve can take care of all color correction needs, while the video can be pulled from the SSD over a variety of high speed ports including BNC SDI out and Thunderbolt. Check out a few in-person pics in our gallery below and more specs in the press release after the break.

Blackmagic Cinema Camera
Show full PR text
Blackmagic Design Announces Blackmagic Cinema Camera

NAB 2012, Las Vegas, USA - April 16, 2012 - Blackmagic Design today announced Blackmagic Cinema Camera, a revolutionary digital cinema camera design that includes powerful features such as super wide 13 stops of dynamic range, high resolution 2.5K sensor, built in high bandwidth SSD recorder, open file format support, color correction with full version of DaVinci Resolve and a built in LCD with metadata entry, all in an attractive compact design for only US$2,995.

Blackmagic Cinema Camera will be demonstrated on the Blackmagic Design NAB 2012 booth at #SL220.

Many current generation video cameras suffer from a "video look" due to a limited contrast range, a maximum HD resolution sensor, poor quality optics and lenses, the use of heavy video compression for file recording and poor integration with NLE software metadata management. With these limitations, they cannot be used for high end work or feature films.

Blackmagic Cinema Camera has been designed to eliminate these problems so customers get a true feature film look, and at an affordable cost can shoot high end television commercials, episodic television programming and feature films.
Blackmagic Cinema Camera

Blackmagic Cinema Camera includes a super wide 13 stops of dynamic range, large 2.5K sensor, a built in SSD recorder that has the bandwidth to capture open standard CinemaDNG RAW, ProRes and DNxHD files, a built in capacitive touch screen LCD for direct metadata entry, standard jack audio connections, built in high-speed Thunderbolt connection, 3 Gb/s SDI output, a refrigerated sensor for low noise, and is fully compatible with extremely high quality Canon EF and Zeiss ZF mount lenses.

Blackmagic Cinema Camera also includes a full copy of DaVinci Resolve for color correction and Blackmagic UltraScope software for waveform monitoring. UltraScope can be run on a laptop connected to the camera via a Thunderbolt connection.

One of the most important features of the camera is its super wide dynamic range of 13 stops, allowing feature film quality images. Commonly people focus on more pixels, however often this just creates a higher resolution, but still "video" looking images that suffer from highlight and black clipping that limits details. Blackmagic Cinema Camera's wide dynamic range eliminates this problem and provides film quality with dramatically more detail retained in black and whites in the image. Once the shoot is complete, the included DaVinci Resolve color correction software can be used to adjust images and take advantage of this extra range in the images. The high quality EF and ZF lens compatibility also helps create sharp and cinematic images that look incredible.

To eliminate the damage that low bit depth and high compression video storage creates, Blackmagic Cinema Camera includes a fast SSD recorder. The built in SSD recorder can record on fast solid state disks the full sensor detail in 12 bit Log RAW files in the open standard CinemaDNG format. These files can be read by all high end video software. The full 2.5K sensor data is stored in the files completely uncompressed because the SSD has the speed to store video data at the required rate. Then this high quality file can be color corrected on DaVinci Resolve for the same high quality result currently only possible on cameras costing tens of thousands of dollars.

Blackmagic Cinema Camera has been designed as the perfect companion to Final Cut Pro X and Avid Media Composer NLE software. Unlike other cameras, which require the use of custom video file formats that are not compatible with popular NLE software, often making the post production process a nightmare, the Blackmagic Cinema Camera includes absolutely no custom video file formats, and every file type included is open standard. It records into CinemaDNG format for RAW files, ProRes and DNxHD for HD resolution files compatible with Final Cut Pro X and Avid Media Composer.

The built in large LCD display makes focus easy, and allows playback of captured files. Blackmagic Cinema Camera includes a built in microphone, as well as external jack based mic/line level balanced audio connections. When playing back recorded clips, a speaker is built in, and there is an included headphone socket, as well as embedded audio on the SDI output and Thunderbolt connection. The SDI output includes all camera data such as timecode, transport control, shutter angle, color temperature setting and ASA information overlaid in attractive anti aliased fonts.

For easy metadata entry, the built in LCD features fast and responsive capacitive touch screen technology. When the user taps the display with a finger, a data entry window called the "slate" appears. This lets the user enter shot information just like typing on a smart phone. This data is then stored in the files so can be accessed by NLE software when editing content later. Metadata is compatible with popular software such as Final Cut Pro X and DaVinci Resolve. All camera settings can be changed on this touch LCD, such as frame rate, shutter angle, color temperature, dynamic range, focus assist settings and more.

Blackmagic Cinema Camera includes an innovative industrial design built from solid machined aluminum metal which results in an attractive but rugged design. All of the camera, recorder and display have been shrunk down into a lightweight design thats very portable.

"This is one of the most exciting products we have ever created and its been a work in progress for a very long time," said Grant Petty, CEO, Blackmagic Design. "Ever since I was a telecine engineer back in the 1990's I have wished that video cameras would include features that allowed them to perform creatively similar to film. However current digital cameras are too heavy, way too expensive and need costly accessories to work. We felt there was a need for a camera that delivered these features in a design that's optimized for professional video shoots, as well as being a compact, elegant design that's easily affordable. We think we have achieved that!"
Blackmagic Cinema Camera Key Features

High resolution 2.5K sensor allows improved anti aliasing and reframing shots.
Super wide 13 stops of dynamic range allows capture of increased details for feature film look.
Built in SSD allows high bandwidth recording of RAW video and long duration compressed video.
Open file formats compatible with popular NLE software such as CinemaDNG 12 bit RAW, Apple ProRes and Avid DNxHD. No custom file formats.
Includes no custom connections. Standard jack mic/line audio in, BNC 3 Gb/s SDI out, headphone, high-speed Thunderbolt I/O technology, LANC remote control and standard DC 12-30V power connection.
Capacitive touch screen LCD for camera settings and slate metadata entry.
Compatible with extremely high quality Canon EF and Zeiss ZF lenses.
Supports 2.5K and 1080HD resolution capture in 24, 25, 29.97 and 30 fps.
Thunderbolt connection allows direct camera capture via included Media Express software and supports live waveform monitoring via the included Blackmagic UltraScope software.
Includes a full copy of DaVinci Resolve 9.0 color grading software.

Availability and Price

Blackmagic Cinema Camera will be available July 2012 for US$2,995 from Blackmagic Design resellers worldwide.
Press Photography

Product photos of the Blackmagic Cinema Camera, and all other Blackmagic Design products, are available at www.blackmagic-design.com/press/images.
About Blackmagic Design

Blackmagic Design creates the world's highest quality video editing products, color correctors, video converters, video monitoring, routers, live production switchers, disk recorders, waveform monitors and film restoration software for the feature film, post production and television broadcast industries. Blackmagic Design's DeckLink capture cards launched a revolution in quality and affordability, while the company's DaVinci Emmy award winning color correction products have dominated the television and film industry since 1984. Blackmagic Design continues ground breaking innovations including stereoscopic 3D and 4K workflows. Founded by world leading post production editors and engineers, Blackmagic Design has offices in the USA, UK, Japan, Singapore, and Australia. For more information, please check www.blackmagic-design.com.

RED Dragon 6K sensor upgrade eyes-on

Posted: 16 Apr 2012 11:34 AM PDT

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"Obsolescence Obsolete" -- that's RED's tagline for the just-announced Dragon sensor upgrade, which is set to bring 6K resolution to EPIC and Scarlet cameras beginning later this year. The sensor module was on display at the company's NAB booth today, under a backlit case that could only have been designed to make photographing the new chip a near-impossible task. We did manage to snag a few frames of the device, which appears as a mere silhouette to the naked eye. Sensors aren't designed for us to look at, however -- they're supposed to do the looking -- so we won't get any more hung up on the presentation. Existing RED camera owners can look forward to an incredibly impressive 15+ stops of native dynamic range and up to 120 frames-per-second at resolutions up to 5K. And as we discovered earlier today, the upgrade will roll out to EPIC owners sometime in 2012 for $6,000 while Scarlet users will need to hang tight for a release date, and a price tag. That's all we've got as far as details go, so click on through the gallery below for a flashlight-enhanced peek at the Dragon.

RED Dragon 6K sensor upgrade hands-on

Reed Hastings takes Comcast to task for skirting net neutrality

Posted: 16 Apr 2012 11:22 AM PDT

Reed Hastings takes comcast to task

Netflix CEO Reed Hastings let loose a mini rant on Facebook Sunday, setting his sites squarely on Comcast and its data accounting practices. Highlighting one of the arguments for net neutrality, Hastings pointed out that viewing streaming videos using the Comcast Xfinity app on his Xbox doesn't count against his monthly cap, but other services do. "If I watch last night's SNL episode on my Xbox through the Hulu app, it eats up about one gigabyte of my cap, but if I watch that same episode through the Xfinity Xbox app, it doesn't use up my cap at all." It's slightly odd that different rules would apply to the same device using the same connection to stream the same content from different sources -- and exactly the sort of preferential and self-promoting behavior that net neutrality advocates are afraid will become the norm in an unregulated market. Of course, Hastings is also irate because his own company would love the same preferential treatment, but hasn't been able to close any deals. For the full rant hit up the source link.

Dreamworks Animation joins Walmart's disc to digital program

Posted: 16 Apr 2012 10:59 AM PDT

DreamWorks Animation has signed up with Walmart's VUDU-powered disc to digital service. From today, you can take any of the studio's movies (such as Shrek or Kung-Fu Panda) and have them converted to standard quality video for $2 or a HD version for $5. There's no word on if DreamWorks proper would sign up, but given the complex nature of its ownership, we won't hold our breath.

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DreamWorks Animation Joins Walmart's Disc-to-Digital Service

Current Titles from Blockbuster Family Franchises Including Shrek, Kung Fu Panda and Madagascar Available Now for Disc-to-Digital Conversion Exclusively at Walmart

BENTONVILLE, Ark., April 16, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Shrek, Gingy, Po and Tigress are making their way to the cloud! Beginning today at more than 3,500 Walmart stores in the U.S., movie fans can now gain digital access to current DreamWorks Animation titles, including Shrek, Madagascar, Kung Fu Panda and How to Train Your Dragon, through Walmart's exclusive disc-to-digital service powered by VUDU, the industry-leading video streaming service. DreamWorks Animation is the sixth major Hollywood studio to partner with Walmart to give Americans the freedom to access their previously-purchased DVDs and Blu-ray movies in the cloud.

"Once again, Walmart is breaking new ground in helping consumers understand the opportunities of new technologies amid the changing digital landscape," said Jeffrey Katzenberg, CEO, DreamWorks Animation. "We are thrilled to make DreamWorks Animation's current library of films available as part of their disc-to-digital service, which we view as a positive step forward for the industry and for consumers."

Customers can now receive digital copies of their previously-purchased movies from the following studios: DreamWorks Animation, Paramount Home Media Distribution, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, Universal Studios Home Entertainment and Warner Bros. Home Entertainment.

"Walmart's disc-to-digital service answers our customers' desire for new and flexible ways to enjoy their movie collections," said John Aden, executive vice president for general merchandising, Walmart U.S. "DreamWorks Animation's existing line-up of blockbuster films is a powerful addition to the extensive list of titles available to our customers today and we're proud to have them on-board."

Walmart's Disc-to-Digital Service Powered by VUDU: How it Works

The process to convert previously purchased DVD/Blu-ray movies to digital copies is quick and simple:

Customers bring their movie collections from the participating studio partners – DreamWorks, Paramount, Sony, Twentieth Century Fox, Universal and Warner Bros. – to their local Walmart Photo Center.
A Walmart associate will help them create their own free VUDU account.
Customers tell the associate how they would like their movies converted:
Convert a standard DVD or Blu-ray movie for $2; or,
Upgrade a standard DVD to an HD digital copy for $5.
Walmart will authorize the digital copies and place them in the customer's VUDU account. No upload is necessary, and customers get to keep their physical discs.
Customers can log onto VUDU.com from more than 300 Internet-connected devices to view movies any time, any place.

Walmart Entertainment supports UltraViolet, the movie industry's initiative currently in its beta phase that allows consumers to put their purchased movies into a cloud-based digital library and keep track of them safely and securely. Walmart is able to offer customers the ability to watch and purchase UltraViolet-enabled titles directly from VUDU. These enhancements to Walmart Entertainment's services are the first of their kind from a major retailer and mark an important milestone in the expansion of digital home video ownership.

To learn more about Walmart Entertainment's new services please visit: www.walmartstores.com/entertainment

REDray 4K cinema laser projector and player eyes-on

Posted: 16 Apr 2012 10:39 AM PDT

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There's no better way to control the visual experience from shoot to show than to create the camera and the projector. That's likely the thinking behind the REDray, the 4K laser cinema projector making an appearance at the company's NAB booth today. The device supports 2D and passive 3D (up to 120fps in 3D mode), with 4K projection for each eye and has a rated laser life of over 25,000 hours. While the device itself is likely to be hidden behind glass in an elevated projector room, the REDray has the same industrial look and feel of its Scarlet and Epic capturing counterparts, with a solid matte metal construction, heavy duty bolts and dedicated access panels for the lens filter, the laser phase adjustment oscillator and the angular refraction aberration indexer. There's also a T1.8 50mm lens mounted up front, sufficiently completing the beautifully monstrous package. Also on display was the tablet-controlled REDray Player, which includes four HDMI 1.4 video outputs with 7.1-channel audio output, the ability to move 4K video to the internal hard drive and an SD reader for ingesting content. You'll also find dual gigabit Ethernet ports, along with USB and eSATA connectors.

The projector experience is much less about the hardware than it is the projections themselves, which certainly did a justice here -- especially considering the imaging device's mid-development status. During a screening of the 3D short Loom, which was shot with the RED Epic, images looked fantastic with accurate color and excellent dynamic range, allowing us to see every detail in a contrasty dark scene, where we were able to make out a very dimly lit female actress. The projection was incredibly sharp on the 24-inch screen, despite the film being displayed with 2K for each eye, rather than the maximum 4K. There will be two versions of the REDray projector, including a home theater flavor that supports screens up to 15 feet in size that'll ring in at under $10,000, and a professional model with support for larger venues. RED CEO Jim Jannard confirmed that the home-bound version will ship sometime this year, though he was unable to provide a more precise ship date. We weren't permitted to record video during the screening -- which is for the best, considering that there's really no way to do this thing justice -- but you can still flip through the gallery below for an early look at REDray.

REDray 4K cinema laser projector eyes-on

Raspberry Pi boards begin shipping today (video)

Posted: 16 Apr 2012 10:16 AM PDT

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The moment has finally arrived: Eben Upton's Linux-powered dream of a super-cheap PC that could revolutionize the way we teach computer science begins shipping from today. RS Components and Allied Electronics have begun to mail the dinky devices out to the lucky pre-order customers who managed to get through before the overwhelming interest forced the servers offline. If you missed out originally, Model B is now available in the UK for £31.86 (inclusive of VAT and P&P) or $35 in the States -- if you'd like to see the momentous occasion when Mr. Upton personally delivered the first batch of devices, head on past the break

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Raspberry Pi deliveries start from RS Components and Allied Electronics

First boards leave RS warehouses for shipment to customers across the globe

OXFORD, England--(BUSINESS WIRE)--RS Components (RS) and Allied Electronics (Allied), the trading brands of Electrocomponents plc (LSE:ECM), the world's leading high service distributor of electronics and maintenance products, are commencing shipments of Raspberry Pi, the credit-card sized computer board designed to seed a new generation of programmers. The shipments are being sent to the first group of customers from around the world, all of whom registered for a Raspberry Pi from RS and Allied.

"There has been a huge wave of anticipation and extraordinary levels of demand for Raspberry Pi since it was launched, so we are delighted to be delivering the first boards to initial customers"

When ordering Raspberry Pi from the dedicated online store, customers can click through to the associated parts and accessories required for activation of the board. These include USB A-B cables, HDMI cables, power supplies and SD memory cards from a range of leading suppliers, all available to purchase from stock. By ordering these cables and other accessories from RS and Allied at the same time as the Raspberry Pi board, customers can make a saving on the delivery cost, as the same total shipping charge is applicable.

"There has been a huge wave of anticipation and extraordinary levels of demand for Raspberry Pi since it was launched, so we are delighted to be delivering the first boards to initial customers," said Glenn Jarrett, Head of Electronics Marketing at RS Components. "We are working very closely with the manufacturer to bring subsequent batches of boards into stock so that we can fulfil every customer order for Raspberry Pi as quickly as possible."

Eben Upton, Raspberry Pi founder and trustee, commented, "This is an exciting and momentous phase for Raspberry Pi as the boards start heading out to customers from our distributors. We know from the incredible amount of interest in Raspberry Pi that there is a huge impetus among enthusiasts and educators for a product that brings computer programming to the masses, and we encourage these new programmers to share their experiences and results with us."

RS and Allied are currently developing a variety of tools and initiatives to support Raspberry Pi users and the companies' DesignSpark electronics design community is seeing many people discussing ideas and thoughts on Raspberry Pi. Recent additions to the site include a series of Pi Perspectives, where leading UK academics and scientists share their views on Raspberry Pi, and information on a Raspberry Pi experimenter's kit now being developed. Various tutorials covering everything from initial set-up to a guide to the different Linux flavours, including a Fedora Mix start-up guide, are also available.

For developers, there is the free schematic capture and PCB layout tool from RS and Allied, DesignSpark PCB. It has already won awards from across the globe, and the company is seeing more developers adopt it with some already creating prototyping boards to use with Raspberry Pi.

The Raspberry Pi boards from RS and Allied are priced at £21.60 plus a shipping charge of £4.95 to any destination worldwide, plus VAT and import duty as applicable.

The Raspberry Pi board was created by the Raspberry Pi Foundation, a charity based in Cambridge, UK, and was conceived to encourage and enable children to learn and apply computer programming.

We're live from NAB 2012 in Las Vegas!

Posted: 16 Apr 2012 09:51 AM PDT

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Three months ago to the day, we were packing up our CES trailer and making a run for the airport, expecting another year to pass before our return to Sin City. But now, as the National Association of Broadcasters' annual trade show has begun overlapping with the consumer electronics market -- from a gear perspective, at least -- we've decided to make our way back to the desert, calling this oasis home for another week in 2012. If you're a high-end camera buff, this is the show for you, with Canon, Sony and RED introducing products that are sadly priced out of reach of photo enthusiasts, but carry mass appeal among professionals with million-dollar equipment budgets, and a need to shoot with the latest and greatest digital devices. It's yet unclear what else we may see at this year's NAB, but rest assured that we'll be scouring the halls of the LVCC, bringing you updates from the floor throughout the week.

Protip: Use the 'NAB 2012' for the latest show news and hands-ons.

Microsoft job ads hint at a browser-based version of Skype based on HTML5

Posted: 16 Apr 2012 09:36 AM PDT

There's something thrilling about using job postings to parse a company's strategy, especially when the advert is so gosh darn low on secrecy. Take Microsoft, for instance, which posted four openings for developers to work on its Skype for Browsers project. If that weren't self-explanatory enough, the various ads each explain that Microsoft is looking for code monkeys to help "bring [the] Skype experience on to the Web," a position that calls for HTML5 know-how, along with proficiency in C#, Java or C++. That's as official a heads up as any, though if you've been paying attention you know Skype already powers Facebook's web-based video chat service. So it shouldn't exactly be surprising, then, that a Skype-branded version is likely in the works as well. Armchair investigators can find the postings at the source links, where any brilliant, Europe-based developers can try their hand at one of the four openings.

Report: HP's South Korean offices raided over alleged price fixing

Posted: 16 Apr 2012 08:52 AM PDT

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Korea Times is a publication that isn't shy of the odd bold statement and today it's claiming that HP's South Korean offices were raided on suspicion of price-fixing deals made with IBM and Oracle. The country's Fair Trade Commission seized documents, computer records and questioned employees over alleged price-rigging on public-sector contracts. A company spokesperson said that the visit was routine, while FTC officers refused to comment about ongoing matters, but what is clear is that if any wrong-doing is found, the case will be turned over to prosecutors with the aim of commencing criminal proceedings for those responsible.

Sergey Brin says the internet is under attack by governments, Apple and Facebook

Posted: 16 Apr 2012 08:27 AM PDT

One of the qualifications for scoring a CE-Oh no 'round here is actually being a CEO -- so Sergey Brin does not receive that honor. We will, however, draw attention to what some might call his hyperbolic ramblings. In an interview with the Guardian, Google's cool uncle said he was worried about the state of the internet and that his company could not have flourished in an online ecosystem like today's. According to Brin, the threats are coming from all sides -- most notably governments. While oppressive regimes like those in China and Iran get top billing, the US doesn't escape without criticism thanks to SOPA and PIPA which seemed perilously close to passing with support from the media industry. The co-founder also took shots at Apple and Facebook, which he said have built "really restrictive" walled gardens. For more smack talk from one of the most influential men in the tech industry, hit up the source link.

[Image via Thomas Hawk]

Engadget Giveaway: win a pair of Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol Zeal Optics Z3 Transcend GPS goggles!

Posted: 16 Apr 2012 08:01 AM PDT

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Nothing like a smooth action movie with Tom Cruise to inspire our latest giveaway, eh? This time Paramount Home Media Distribution is stepping up to the plate to celebrate tomorrow's release of Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol on Blu-ray and DVD, and it's offering a pair of special edition Zeal Optics Z3 Transcend GPS goggles (by special edition, we mean the box is M:I-branded), as well as a copy of the movie! But if you don't win this time, you may still have a chance to get something: the first two runners-up will receive the movie as well. Fortunately, all you need to do is leave a comment -- we're not asking you to climb a skyscraper or anything.


The rules:
  • Leave a comment below. Any comment will do. Duplicate entries will be filtered out and discarded, so adding additional comments won't increase your likelihood of winning.
  • Contest is open to all residents of the 50 States, the District of Columbia, and Canada (excluding Quebec), 18 or older! Sorry, we don't make this rule (we hate excluding anyone), so direct your anger at our lawyers and contest laws if you have to be mad.
  • Winners will be chosen randomly. One winner will win one (1) pair of Zeal Optics Z3 Transcend GPS goggles and a copy of Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol. Two winners will win one (1) copy of Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol.
  • If you are chosen, you will be notified by email. Winners must respond within three days of being contacted. If you do not respond within that period, another winner will be chosen.
  • This unit is purely for promotional giveaway. Paramount Home Media Distribution and Engadget / AOL are not held liable to honor warranties or customer service.
  • The full list of rules, in all its legalese glory, can be found here.
  • Entries can be submitted until April 17, 2012 at 11:59PM ET. Good luck!

Sprint confirms Galaxy Nexus release date: coming April 22nd for $200, preorders open now

Posted: 16 Apr 2012 07:25 AM PDT

Sprint confirms Galaxy Nexus release date: coming April 22nd for $200

Remember CES? It feels like an age since Sprint went official with the Google flagship, but now it's finally -- almost -- here. Yep, anyone unhappy with the Verizon variant can now lay claim to the Now Network's version of the Galaxy Nexus, which is up for preorder now, priced at a smidgen under $200, and set to arrive next week. As an added incentive, Google Wallet dabblers will get $10 credit from the start, with an additional 40 bucks given after three weeks. Commence throwing that physical money at the screen once you've hit up the source below.

[Thanks Korey]

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This morning, Sprint announced Galaxy Nexus will be available on April 22 for $199.99 with a new line or eligible upgrade and two-year service agreement. Pre-order begins today at www.sprint.com/nexus. As an extra bonus, Sprint customers who activate a Google Wallet account within a week of activation of their Galaxy Nexus will receive a $10 instant credit on their Google Wallet account and an additional $40 credit within three weeks.

It boasts a Pure Google experience, 1.2GHz dual-core processor, a 4.65-inch HD Super AMOLED™ contour display and dual cameras.

Transformer Prime GPS dongle spotted, won't play nice with keyboard dock

Posted: 16 Apr 2012 07:04 AM PDT

Transformer Prime GPS dongle spotted, won't play nice with keyboard dock

Remember those GPS issues that hobbled ASUS' quad-core tablet? Now, after the company announced a free module to fix this, Land of Droid has managed to snap the first pictures of the Transformer Prime GPS Extension kit, adding that it looks likely to get an official reveal sometime today. This not-particularly-subtle add-on apparently improves GPS performance noticeably and attaches to the base of the tablet, meaning that you won't be able to juggle both keyboard typing and location functions. The source below packs several more blurry shots of the dongle on its own -- if you're into that sort of thing.

LG opens up 3D World video store for 2011, 2012 Cinema 3D Smart TVs

Posted: 16 Apr 2012 06:37 AM PDT

Own one of LG's Cinema 3D Smart TVs? If so, you're in luck. The company formerly called Lucky Goldstar is now offering up 3D World, an online video store that, surprise surprise, sells 3D content. You'll have access to a catalogue of entertainment, sports, documentary, kids and lifestyle programming that'll swell as the company ties down more deals with providers. If you've got a 2011 model, you can download the 3D World app from today, while those who purchased the hardware this year will find it magically appear as a card on the dashboard.
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LG ANNOUNCES GLOBAL LAUNCH OF 3D WORLD, NEXT GENERATION PREMIUM 3D CONTENT SERVICE

3D World to Improve Access to High Quality 3D Content for
LG Customers and Boost Efforts to Increase 3D Content Collaboration

SEOUL, Apr. 16, 2012 – LG Electronics (LG) announced the worldwide opening of 3D World, a premium content service that will be available to LG's CINEMA 3D Smart TV users in nearly 70 countries. With DNA from LG's original 3D Zone Smart TV app launched last year, 3D World gives LG customers access to an expansive selection of high quality 3D content via a "card" on the Home Dashboard.

3D World allows customers the ability to search through high quality 3D content across numerous content categories such as entertainment, sports, documentary, kids, and lifestyle. Once the content is selected, LG's CINEMA 3D Smart TV brings it to life in beautifully rendered 3D images. The action scenes in sports become more dynamic and exciting, documentaries more realistic, educational videos in the kids' category more captivating.

Whether it's cooking, travel, fashion or any other interest, there's something for everyone. In addition to the content, LG plans to pursue further collaborations with global 3D content providers in order to bring the most sought after 3D content to LG customers.

"3D World is a critical part of LG's long-term strategy which includes controlling more of the 3D ecosystem that CINEMA 3D owners experience," said Havis Kwon, President and CEO of LG Home Entertainment Company. "With the global roll-out of 3D World, LG is demonstrating its commitment to providing diverse, high quality 3D content."

3D World will be offered in app-format for CINEMA 3D Smart TVs that were produced in 2011, while 2012 models will use the streamlined card system on the Home Dashboard.

'New' iPad landing in South Korea, Israel and 19 other countries, officially ceases to be new in US

Posted: 16 Apr 2012 06:03 AM PDT

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Are you not in one of the 35 countries that already has the "new" iPad? Well, this week may finally mean you can get your hands on the tablet that's already become old hat here in the US. The "resolutionary" slate is landing in South Korea, Venezuela and ten other nations this Friday, while Israel, India and seven more will be granted membership to the cool club on April 27th. Outside of some region-specific language tweaks the devices will be exactly the same as those that have been on sale here in the US for whole month now. (Isn't it amazing how time flies!) If you want to see if you're home is joining the list of places you can pick up a Retina display-equipped tablet head on after the break.
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New iPad Arrives in South Korea & 11 Additional Countries This Week

CUPERTINO, California―April 16, 2012―Apple® today announced the new iPad®, the third generation of its category defining mobile device, will arrive in South Korea and 11 additional countries on Friday, April 20. The new iPad features a stunning new Retina™ display, Apple's new A5X chip with quad-core graphics and a 5 megapixel iSight® camera with advanced optics for capturing amazing photos and 1080p HD video. The new iPad still delivers the same all-day 10 hour battery life* while remaining amazingly thin and light.

In addition to South Korea, the new iPad also will be available beginning on Friday, April 20 in Brunei, Croatia, Cyprus, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Malaysia, Panama, St Maarten, Uruguay and Venezuela. Beginning on Friday, April 27, the new iPad will be available in Colombia, Estonia, India, Israel, Latvia, Lithuania, Montenegro, South Africa and Thailand.

The new iPad Wi-Fi models will be available in black or white for a suggested retail price of $499 (US) for the 16GB model, $599 (US) for the 32GB model and $699 (US) for the 64GB model. The iPad Wi-Fi + 4G models will be available for a suggested retail price of $629 (US) for the 16GB model, $729 (US) for the 32GB model and $829 (US) for the 64GB model.** The new iPad will be sold through the Apple Online Store (www.apple.com) and select Apple Authorized Resellers. Additionally, iPad 2 is available at a more affordable price starting at just $399.

*Battery life depends on device settings, usage and other factors. Actual results vary.

**4G LTE is supported only on AT&T and Verizon networks in the U.S. and on Bell, Rogers and Telus networks in Canada. Data plans sold separately.

Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple has reinvented the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices with iPad.

Insert Coin: 'Epic Mario' aims to build entire Super Mario Bros. Level 1-1 with Legos (video)

Posted: 16 Apr 2012 05:28 AM PDT

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: 'Epic Mario' aims to build entire Super Mario Bros. Level 1-1 with Legos
What's cooler than Super Mario Bros. and Legos? Why, Super Mario Bros. with Legos, of course. That's the premise behind Lego artist Zachary Pollock's "Epic Mario" project, which aims to recreate the entire Level 1-1 of Super Mario Bros. using one Lego block at a time. At one brick per pixel, Pollock's project is expected to come in at around six feet tall and 90 feet wide once completed. He also estimates that he's going to need "just over 780,000 Lego studs" and some significant coinage -- to the tune of $26,400. Unfortunately, money just doesn't come from punching bricks in real life, and Pollock is turning to Kickstarter to get all the extra coin he needs for the project. This isn't the first time Legos were used to re-imagine a beloved classic -- heck, it isn't even the first Mario level to get the blocky treatment. That doesn't make the concept any less amusing, however, and Pollock promises to hold brick-building parties and take his project on the road to various conventions if it gets funded. Check out the potential project in all its blocky glory in the video after the break, as well as an update on our last Insert Coin project, the Berlin Boombox.


Previous project update: The Berlin Boombox has passed the $12,000 mark toward its $14,000 goal with 9 days left to go. The device is a portable cardboard boombox that's compatible with any source that can be connected via a 3.5mm headphone jack.

Vatican and Oxford libraries scan ancient works, let scholars stay in their armchairs

Posted: 16 Apr 2012 04:31 AM PDT

Two of the world's most hallowed libraries are about to get even quieter, having been given $3 million to go with the flow and put some of their oldest collections online. The Vatican Library and Oxford University's Bodleian Library will together offer up 1.5 million pages of hoary text, including Gutenberg's Latin Bible from the 15th Century, a 1,200-year-old Hebrew codex called the "Sifra," and enough Greek philosophy to make even Homer seem succinct. At the end of a five-year flatbed scanner marathon, these digital copies will be accessible to speakers of dead languages everywhere, and hopefully for less than sacrilegious prices.

Motorola engineer leaks Droid RAZR HD, could lose his desk

Posted: 16 Apr 2012 03:45 AM PDT

If you spent your weekend scanning Picasa for photos shot on a Motorola Droid RAZR HD smartphone, then ordinarily you'd have wasted your time. No phone by that name officially exists, and the PenTile Super AMOLED displays on both the standard Droid RAZR and the RAZR Maxx are distinctly not high definition. Surprising then, that when Blog of Mobile searched Picasa they discovered an album shot by a Motorola engineer supposedly using a RAZR HD. The photos have since been removed, leaving only the blurry desk image shown above, which is also attributed to a RAZR HD even if we can't be certain who shot it. Fortunately, the EXIF data was grabbed before the wipe, and if you glance past the break you'll see that it mentions a possible 'Vanquish' codename for the phone as a well as ICS build 4.0.3. There, just when you needed yet another reason to love EXIF.



Image

Engadget Mobile Podcast 134 - 04.16.2012

Posted: 16 Apr 2012 03:30 AM PDT

This week we've put together a Sprint-centric podcast with the help of TechnoBuffalo's Mark Hearn, but that doesn't mean afficionados of other services will be left in the dark: we'll use the carrier's yellow beacon to shine a light on more magenta, red, and orange providers and their policies. If you're not into network news, we'll wax poetic about Instagram for you, just to round things out, you know.

Hosts: Myriam Joire (tnkgrl), Brad Molen
Guest: Mark Hearn
Producer: Trent Wolbe
Music: Tycho - Coastal Brake (Ghostly International)

00:01:33 - Sprint HTC EVO 4G LTE preview (video)

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RED unveils Dragon sensor upgrade, turns Epic and Scarlet into a 6K camera

Posted: 16 Apr 2012 03:07 AM PDT

Love gadgets named after Hannibal Lecter movies? Good, because RED's announcing the RED Dragon upgrade kit that'll bolt onto your EPIC or Scarlet camera to provide resolutions of 6K at 85fps or 5k at 120fps with 15+ stops of Dynamic Range. Company founder Jim Jannard has said that the sensor is slightly larger than that of the Mysterium-X, but the pixel size is smaller, promising that "most of the current lenses will work" with the new hardware. It'll cost EPIC users $6,000 and arrive "late in the year," but bad news if you've got a Scarlet: it's back of the queue time for you until 2013, with no word on what it'll cost you, either.

PSA: PlayStation Network goes down for maintenance from 9am EST

Posted: 16 Apr 2012 02:42 AM PDT

PSA: PlayStation Network goes into maintenance from 9am EST

Sony is taking its PlayStation Network offline for another health check, starting this morning. During the 13-hour tune-up, you won't be able to access PlayStation Home, Store, their account or play online. Similarly, official PlayStation sites will also go down, but you can steel yourself through those offline hours by checking on the PlayStation Twitter account, which will provide all the latest details.

RED teases 4K REDray player and projector for the theater / millionaire set

Posted: 16 Apr 2012 02:11 AM PDT

RED teases 4K REDray player and Laser projector for the theater / millionaire set

We don't deny our unhealthy love for RED's gear, so just imagine the look on our poor-but-aspiring faces when Jim Jannard teased a 4K laser projector coming this year. Now the spec-list is out, we can see that the subtly branded REDray Laser will display 2D or 3D for passive glasses at up to 120fps, while lasting over 25,000 hours and costing less than $10,000. At the same time, there are more details on REDRay, a compatible player that'll throw out 4K content from its internal HD, SD cards or flash media. Wish list. Added.

Exercise bike connects to original Mario Kart, Rainbow Road shortcut gets even trickier (video)

Posted: 16 Apr 2012 02:02 AM PDT

Exercise bike gets hooked up to original Mario Kart, Rainbow Road shortcut still tricky (video)

Canadian modder Brent Smith has managed to connect an aging exercise bike to Nintendo's perennial racer. Naturally, there's some Arduino involvement, but the whole setup plugs directly into an original SNES console -- no emulation necessary. Power-ups are accessed with a button in the center of the exercise bike's handles, each of which has a directional button for steering, while the pedals function as the acceleration button, accurate to one sixth of a rotation. According to Smith, "it's a lot harder than it looks" -- and we believe him. Watch his test-drive kart plow off-track in the video demo after the break.

Xtex's My Tablet gets you 7 inches of tasty ICS for just 150 bones (update)

Posted: 16 Apr 2012 01:02 AM PDT

Tablets are are great and all, but they sure can be expensive -- especially if you want one running a newer version of Android. Step in Xtex's $150 My Tablet, a 7-inch device loaded with Ice Cream Sandwich 4.0.3, a 16GB HDD (expandable to 48 GB via its TF card slot) and a 1.5Ghz CPU complimented by 1GB of RAM. That's not all, though, as the device also packs a 2-megapixel front-facing camera, an HDMI output and mini and standard USB ports. That low price does mean you'll be making do with a screen resolution of 800 x 480 and only WiFi connectivity, but you'll get to choose from its very neapolitan-esque black, white and pink colorways. Considering the My Tablet is nearly half the price of an Andy Pad Pro, it sure does looks appetizing on paper -- as long as you keep your expectations reasonable, that is. Satisfy your sweet tooth with more images in the gallery below and the press release after the break.

Update: Apparently, this tablet isn't as new as it seems. As it would turn out, it looks to be a re-badge of the Zync Z990 that's sold in India.

Update 2: Xtex has contacted us to clarify the My Tablet's relationship to the Zync Z990 stating "...although we do have the same outer shell (chose from an already created mold to cut down pricing to end consumer) all the parts and etc are completely different from the Zync."

Xtex My Tablet
Show full PR text
MY TABLET, 7-INCH HIGH PERFORMANCE AND AFFORDABLE ANDROID TABLET LAUNCHES


The $150, 7-Inch My Tablet combines portability with connectivity and up to 48GB memory

NEW YORK - April 13, 2012 - XTEX announces My Tablet, a 7-inch WiFi enabled tablet device that combines affordability with connectivity, courtesy of the powerful and stable Android Ice Cream Sandwich 4.0.3 OS...all at a manufacturer's suggested retail price of $150.

"Everyone is walking around with a tablet device under their arms," said XTEX VP Allen Kiehl. "The 10-inch tablet's become a fashion accessory, like not so long ago when everybody wore cell phones clipped to their belt." Eventually, the smartphone was made small enough to fit in a pocket, and it's time we did the same for tablets. 10-inch tablets are too big, while 5-inch models are too small, like squinting at a smartphone screen. The My Tablet 7-inch is just right. Not only is it about the size of a paperback book and ultra-slim to slip easily into a jacket or back pocket, but also it's loaded with features for convenience and on-the-go connectivity.

"But just in case fashion and accessorizing are important, My Tablet is available in three colors at the time of its launch: black, white, and pink."

Lightweight and less than half an inch thick, the 7-inch My Tablet fits in a pocket but comes loaded with features, including a 1.5MHz Processor, 1GB of RAM, a 16GB internal hard drive, expandable to 48GB of storage with a 32GB MiniSD card, a brilliant 800X480 7-inch capacitive screen, and a front facing 2MP webcam.

My Tablet features Wi-Fi as well as USB Mini, USB Ports, a TF Card Slot (supporting up to 32GB), and HDMI 1080P output, maximizing connectivity to the internet, printers, high density TVs, or any number of external devices for easy and reliable on-the-go access to email, movies, videos, music, and photos. Surf, browse, blog, text, email, stream, download, upload or Tweet...take care of business on the fly and stay in touch with friends and family with an affordably priced tablet that fits in your pocket. Download video and musicfrom the internet or carry them separately on 32GB MiniSD cards. The choice is up to the user.

"I can attest that the My Tablet was extremely snappy and handled all the apps I threw at it," writes Stormy Beach of the influential blog, AndroidSPIN.com. "I don't think there is a tablet out there that can offer this much goods for such a small price tag."

With its full list of features, including blisteringly fast 1.5GHz processor, 1GB of RAM, and 16GB of internal storage, AndroidSPIN also declared My Tablet "quite a powerful little device for $50 less than a Kindle Fire."

Power. Portability. Affordability. My Tablet. The whole world in your pocket!

Key product Information:

7" Capacitive screen (800X480)

1.5 MHz Processor

Android 4.0 OS

1GB RAM

16GB HD (storage)

2.0MP Front Facing Webcam

USB port

Mini USB Port

HDMI 1080P output

TF card slot (support 32GB)

Headset port

Samsung will unveil the next Galaxy phone May 3rd in London

Posted: 16 Apr 2012 12:05 AM PDT

After months of rumors Samsung has officially announced the world will meet the next Galaxy phone in London on May 3rd with this invite, first received by Dutch site Tweakers.net. While most speculation will immediately focus around something we're expecting to arrive as the Galaxy S III, the BlackBerry World-spoiling invite we received is conspicuously devoid of details like name or specifications. While we'll keep the address of the Samsung Unpacked event to ourselves, the only other information included is the date / time (2PM ET) and the address for a live stream on Facebook. The original Galaxy S and GS2 are already million unit sellers many times over since first launching two years ago and have led the Android pack for most of this time, so what will Samsung do to top itself this time? (Answer: not 3D, and it's probably a little too late for another Continuum-like gimmicky split display.) There are just 17 days left until we find out for sure.

Roku 2 XD and Roku 2 XS launch today in Canada with over 100 channels

Posted: 16 Apr 2012 12:01 AM PDT

Having already debuted in the UK, Roku is officially undertaking the second stage of its international attack plan by taking on a new region of North America: Canada. Given the box's roots and popularity as a Netflix streamer it's no surprise that the international rollouts just happen to be in English-speaking countries where the service is available, but there's more to be had, since Roku says it's launching with more than 100 channels north of the border. Hardware-wise, Roku is kicking things off with two of its higher-end players in the Roku 2 XS and Roku 2 XD. Both can handle video in resolutions up to 1080p and feature built-in WiFi while the XS throws in a gaming remote plus Ethernet and USB ports just like their US counterparts. The XD and XS can be has for $89.99 ad $109.99 CAD, respectively, either online from the usual sources, while London Drugs and Walmart are expected to offer them at retail by the end of the month. There's a bit more detail on the launch channels in the press release after the break, we'll expect more firsthand impressions from our Canadian friends once the NHL playoffs are over.
Show full PR text
Roku Streaming Players Launch in Canada
Award-winning Platform Brings On-demand Video, Music and Games to TV without a PC

Saratoga, Calif. – April 16, 2012 – Roku®, the leading streaming platform in the U.S. today announced the official launch of its products in Canada. Two Roku streaming player models – the Roku 2 XD and the Roku 2 XS – are available for purchase in Canada starting today. These small set-top boxes use the Internet to stream entertainment to the TV instantly.

At launch in Canada, Roku features more than 100 entertainment channels including movies and TV shows from Netflix and Crackle; live and on-demand sports from the National Hockey League and Major League Baseball; music from Rdio and TuneIn Radio; photos and videos from Facebook and Flickr; news and weather from the Wall Street Journal and CNBC – plus casual games like Angry Birds, Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy. Roku expects to broaden its channel selection in Canada at a pace similar to its growth in the U.S. – now at more than 450 channels.

"We have a simple formula for our best-selling streaming players: provide access to a ton of entertainment at a low price, while maintaining a best-in-class streaming experience," said Chuck Seiber, vice president of global marketing at Roku. "We've set the same high bar for ourselves with the launch of our players today in Canada."

The Roku 2 XD Streaming Player offers tremendous value for streaming video and music directly to a TV. The Roku 2 XD connects to the Internet instantly via built-in WiFi and supports up to 1080p high-definition video. The Roku 2 XS is the top-of-the-line Roku streaming player. In addition to the features of the Roku 2 XD, the Roku 2 XS comes paired with an enhanced remote with motion control for playing games like Angry Birds. It also features an Ethernet port and a USB port for playing music, videos and photos off of any USB drive.

Roku is an open streaming platform and content providers – whether they are big entertainment brands or new Internet services – can develop a channel on Roku. Content providers interested in developing a channel can contact Roku at partners@roku.com for more details and to access the software development kit.

Pricing and Availability
The Roku 2 XD and the Roku 2 XS streaming players have suggested retail prices of CAD 89.99 and CAD 109.99, respectively. Both models are available now for pre-order online from Roku.ca, Amazon.ca LondonDrugs.com and Walmart.ca; and are expected to be available at London Drugs and Walmart retail locations at the end of the month. Canadian retailers interested in becoming an authorized reseller of Roku can contact Roku's distributor, Synnex at newaccounts@synnex.com.

About Roku Inc.
Roku is a leading streaming platform. Delivering entertainment to millions of customers in the U.S. and in a growing number of countries around the world, Roku streaming players are affordable, are easy to use, and feature the best selection of streaming entertainment. Channels on Roku vary by region and include Netflix, Amazon Instant Video, Crackle, Hulu Plus, HBO GO, MLB.TV, Pandora, Facebook, Disney, Angry Birds and many more. Based in Saratoga, Calif., Roku was founded by Anthony Wood, inventor of the DVR. For more information, visit www.roku.com.
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How would you change Motorola's Xoom 2?

Posted: 15 Apr 2012 10:15 PM PDT

Motorola's Xoom 2 is, undeniably a strong tablet. It was able to beat a Galaxy Tab 10.1 and a Transformer Prime in some of our performance tests, battery life is around nine hours and it's nearly running a pure version of Honeycomb. We're a big fan of that display, but less so its unnatural attraction to fingerprints. As we sit anxiously waiting for Ice Cream Sandwich to make its belated way onto the slate, we want to know: what do you think works, what did Motorola scrimp on and what would you change to make it a better device?

ASUS to unveil new K and N series notebooks at Milano Design Week

Posted: 15 Apr 2012 09:37 PM PDT

ASUS still hasn't clued us in how it'll have us experiencing "infinity," but it is letting some of its other plans for Milano Design Week slip -- namely its N56, N76, N46 and K55 notebooks. Notebook Italia gave the rigs a quick pre-show rundown. The new machines in the N-series lineup are reported to ship with 8GB of DDR3 1333 MHz RAM, up to 1TB HDD space, a Blu-ray or DVD combo drive and a NVIDIA GeForce GT 635m GPU, all driven by various Sandy Bridge CPUs, depending on the model. The K55 mirrors this almost exactly, save for the substitution of a GeForce GT 630m. Notebook Italia says that while these machines are currently slated to launch with Intel's current architecture, Ivy Bridge variants should crop up soon after the CPU hits the market. Curiosity piqued? Check out the source links below for more details, or just stick around -- Design Week is only a couple of days away.

[Thanks, Marco]

Canon Cinema EOS C500 camera hands-on (video)

Posted: 15 Apr 2012 07:37 PM PDT

The familiar EOS-1D C isn't the only Canon camera to make its public debut ahead of NAB. The Cinema EOS series welcomes a third model to the collection this week, with looks that nearly match last year's C300. Unlike that model, which you can already pick up through e-tailers and at specialty shops, the C500 has a long way to go before it gets a shipping nod -- it may not even make it to market in 2012. The $30,000 price tag may pose an even greater barrier to entry than its to-be-announced availability date, however, and may in need of some tweaking before it's ready to compete with already established models, like the much less expensive RED Scarlet. Like the 1D C, the C500 can shoot 4K video -- the most apparent upgrade from the $16,000 C300. To that end, boosting its price tag may be the only way for Canon to avoid cannibalizing that less-abled flavor, since many cinematographers would otherwise pay little attention to the C300, due in part to its 1080p-limited shooting capabilities.

It's been a few months since we've last seen Canon's first Cinema EOS model, but the C500 has a look and feel that seems to be only subtly different from the C300. It is noticeably heavier, likely due to the additional cooling gear on board to accommodate 4K shooting. Both flavors include dual CF card slots, which you'll only be able to use for snapping 1080p video -- 4K is fed to an external recorder through the dual 3G-SDI ports, which for obvious reasons you won't find on the C300. There's also a larger grip on board, now a permanent fixture on the C500, which should aid with bare-bones handheld shoots -- but if you're dropping 30 grand on a digital body, some sticks and a dolly shouldn't be far behind. Like its sibling, this year's model ships with either a Canon EOS or industry standard PL mount, so if you have a need for both, you'll need two cameras. Overall, you're looking at the same sleek, albeit slightly unconventional body design, with a price tag that's likely to make amateurs weep and pros run for the rental house. As always, there's a hands-on video waiting just past the break.
Canon Cinema EOS C500 hands-on

Canon Cinema EOS-1D C 4K camera hands-on (video)

Posted: 15 Apr 2012 07:15 PM PDT

It's been but half a year since Canon first entered the motion picture market, and the company is already back with its second and third professional video rigs. The Cinema EOS-1D C marks the most drastic departure from the C300, which launched last November at an elaborate Hollywood event at Paramount Studios. It was at this spectacle that we were first introduced to the 1D C, which was then but a glass-protected prototype. Now, far sooner than expected, the (relatively) compact camera is making its return to the spotlight, in more polished form. Like the 1D series bodies that bear similar monikers and appearances, including the yet-to-ship EOS- 1D X, the C model is a very capable still shooter, offering the same core functionality of the $6,800 X. It also brings 4K capture to the table, however, prompting Canon to price the camera far above its less-abled counterpart. At $15,000, we don't expect to see red C logos popping up in many a photojournalist's gear bag, but for deep-pocketed professionals with a need to capture 4K clips, this may be a worthwhile acquisition.

We took a closer look at the 1D C at Canon's pre-NAB event in Las Vegas. As the pictures and spec sheet imply, it's the 1D X's clone in nearly every way. In fact, beyond the headphone jack and C logo, there's not much distinguishing the pair externally. You'll need to hop into the menu before you'll really notice a difference, in the form of several unique 4K shooting modes, including 8-bit 4:2:2 24fps captures to a CF card or 8-bit 4:2:2 clips in an uncompressed format over HDMI. Otherwise, the C looks and feels just like the X -- a model pro snapper that we've already managed to fondle on three continents under Canon's watchful eye, but still has yet to ship. Both cameras are gorgeous externally, with slight design tweaks yet no drastic overhaul, dating back to the very first EOS-1D. If you haven't had a chance to gawk at either model, you'll at very least be able to check out the 1D C at Canon's booth this week at NAB . We're hoping to see both cameras hit the market sometime in 2012, and who knows -- this Cinema EOS could even be the first next-gen 1D to ship. Take a closer look in the gallery below, and in our hands-on video after the break.
Canon Cinema EOS-1D C hands-on

Meizu MX Quad-core launching with Android 4.0 in June, gets 32GB and 64GB flavors

Posted: 15 Apr 2012 06:43 PM PDT

Can't say we're surprised, but Meizu's finally giving us the lowdown on the quad-core variant of its flagship Android smartphone. Simply dubbed the MX Quad-core, this new device will be powered by a Cortex-A9-based, 32nm HKMG (High-K Metal Gate) quad-core Samsung Exynos chip -- no word on the clock speed or RAM, but we're betting our money on the Exynos 4412 that goes up to 1.5GHz. Meizu claims this will save up to 20 percent of CPU power consumption compared to its dual-core counterpart. Also, the battery will be bumped up from 1,600mAh to 1,700mAh -- we shall see how much difference this makes when we eventually get our hands on the phone. And yes, in addition to the original white back cover, you'll be able to swap it with one of the five optional colored covers pictured above.

On the software side you'll get a Meizu-customized Ice Cream Sandwich system (aka Flyme OS), though it isn't clear whether the company will stick to its old promise of simultaneously releasing a vanilla ROM. The rest of the new phone's identical to the dual-core MX, especially the 4-inch 960 x 640 ASV display and the eight-megapixel BSI camera. While there's still no microSD expansion, here's some good news to make up for this flaw: the base model starts at 32GB and it'll cost the same as the current 16GB MX! In other words, come June the unsubsidized MX Quad-core will go from ¥2,999 (US$480) in China and HK$3,099 (US$400) in Hong Kong; and then there'll also be a 64GB version priced at ¥3,999 (US$635) and HK$4,099 (US$530), respectively. Meanwhile, starting today, the original MX is reduced to ¥2,399 (US$380) and HK$2,599 (US$335). Press release after the break.

Now, with Meizu proudly claiming to have the world's first smartphone to utilize the quad-core Exynos chip, we wonder where Samsung's at with its own unicorn device?
Show full PR text
MEIZU officially announces the new MEIZU MX Quad-core

MEIZU announces the world's first smartphone with the quad-core Exynos A9 CPU


HONG KONG – April 16, 2012 – MEIZU today announces the brand new MEIZU MX Quad-core smartphone to be available in June this year. Among many surprises, the MEIZU MX Quad-core is the first smartphone in the world to use the brand new and powerful Exynos A9 quad-core processor.

The MX Quad-core uses a power efficient quad-core Exynos A9 CPU with industry-leading 32 nm HKMG technology which has been optimized to reduce CPU power consumption by up to 20%. In addition, it will last even longer with a new 1700mAh battery.

With its state-of-the art hardware, the MEIZU MX Quad-core is better in every way than its predecessor. The MEIZU MX Quad-core CPU is 60% faster, and GPU 50% faster compared to the previous MX. Whether it is browsing through menus, playing the latest games, or watching 1080p video, the MX Quad-core easily beats dual-core devices.

MX Quad-core comes with a vivid 292 PPI high definition ASV display. With no visible pixels on the screen, it provides the user with the ideal smartphone viewing experience. On the back side, the MX Quad-core has an 8 megapixel BSI camera with an f/2.2 lens aperture, capable of taking great photos even in low light conditions. The MX Quad-core will come with MEIZU's unique Flyme OS based on Android 4.0, providing users with beauty, simplicity and buttery smooth performance at every interaction.

The MEIZU MX Quad-core will be available in MEIZU's 400 retail stores during June at ¥2999/3999 CNY and $3099/4099 HKD for capacities 32GB and 64GB in Mainland China and Hong Kong, respectively. With MX Quad-core, the company also releases MX back covers in five colors in addition to the original white, allowing users to experience the MX on their own terms. Coinciding with the announcement of MEIZU MX Quad-core, the MEIZU MX will have its price adjusted to ¥2399 CNY and $2599 HKD in Mainland China and Hong Kong respectively. The reduced price for the MEIZU MX is effective as of April 16, 2012.

Refresh Roundup: week of April 9th, 2012

Posted: 15 Apr 2012 05:32 PM PDT

Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging for an update. From time to time, these mobile devices are blessed with maintenance refreshes, bug fixes, custom ROMs and anything in between, and so many of them are floating around that it's easy for a sizable chunk to get lost in the mix. To make sure they don't escape without notice, we've gathered every possible update, hack, and other miscellaneous tomfoolery we could find during the last week and crammed them into one convenient roundup. If you find something available for your device, please give us a shout at tips at engadget dawt com and let us know. Enjoy!

Official Android updates
  • Aakash 2: India's renowned $35 tablet is set to ship in just a few weeks with a refreshed set of components, and upon its arrival, it will include Android 4.0. [PC World]
  • HTC EVO Design 4G: Sprint issued a security update this week, which handset owners may download today. The carrier will begin pushing the update to all remaining handsets on Tuesday. [Android Central]
  • Samsung Nexus S 4G: Last week, Google released the Android 2.3.7 recovery ROM for the Nexus S 4G, and as a bit of good news for those who've ever messed anything up, it's now made the Android 4.0.4 recovery image available to all. [Android Life]
  • HTC Rhyme: Verizon Wireless released a small update that enables support for the Wireless Alerting System, brings new controls and options to Dock Mode and tweaks the signal strength indicator. [Phandroid]
  • Samsung Galaxy S: The Korean manufacturer has detailed the inclusions of its Value Pack update for Galaxy S owners. Included in the mix is Face Unlock, the ability to take pictures while recording video, the ability to create folders for apps and a new photo editor. [GSM Arena]
  • Samsung Galaxy S II: Vodafone made the Android 4.0 update available to its subscribers over Samsung Kies this past Friday, and come Tuesday, April 17th, it will begin pushing Ice Cream Sandwich to all Galaxy S II handsets with an over-the-air update. [Vodafone UK]
  • Motorola Droid 2: Verizon Wireless has announced an update to enable support for the Wireless Alerting System, fix an issue that'd caused the device to power on without user interaction and reduce the number of memory errors. It's also said to bring security enhancements from Google and stop the device from resetting when music is playing. [Android Police]
Unofficial Android updates, custom ROMs and misc. hackery
Other platforms
  • HTC Trophy: Verizon Wireless released the 8107 update for its only Windows Phone handset this week. [Pocketnow]
  • Nokia 701, 700 and 603: This trio of handsets were treated to Nokia Belle Feature Pack 1 this week, which included new home screen widgets, tweaks to the notification bar and an updated web browser. It also includes a number of application refreshes and bumps the processor from 1GHz to 1.3GHz. For a glimpse of the new features, the folks at Unleash the Phones have put together an excellent screenshot tour and video. [All About Symbian]
  • Windows Phone (AT&T): A bit of a stir was caused a few weeks back when it was suggested that AT&T wouldn't deliver the 8107 update to its lineup of Windows Phones. Said to solve the mystery of the disappearing keyboard, it's now said that the carrier will release the fix as part of a larger refresh. [The Verge]
  • Nokia Lumia 800: T-Mobile UK is now pushing out the Windows Phone 12070 update, which is known to deliver significant battery life improvements. [wpcentral]
Refreshes we covered this week

Inhabitat's Week in Green: solar-powered plane, chrome Fisker Karma and the 'blackest' solar cells ever

Posted: 15 Apr 2012 05:00 PM PDT

Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us -- it's the Week in Green.

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With the days getting longer and the spring sun creeping into the evening hours this week, we saw a host of impressive solar energy projects that put those rays to work. Kyocera revealed their plan for Japan's largest solar farm and French company Areva announced they will be building the largest solar installation in Asia. On the other side of the globe, New York City was proud to say that it recently tripled its solar power production and a new study showed that the United States pulled ahead of China in the clean energy race this year. We also saw designs for a new solar satellite that could harvest the sun's rays 24/7 and we ogled photos of the Image massive array of PV panels topping the zHome complex in Washington. A team at Natcore blew away the scientific community by creating the "blackest" solar cell ever designed and Panasonic gave us a sneak peek at its shimmering, solar-powered "Photosynthesis" Ecosystem installation, which will light up the night at the Milan Furniture Fair next week.

In green transportation news, Justin Bieber's blindingly shiny chrome Fisker Karma had people talking (and putting on their sunglasses), while the former head of R&D at GM predicted that we'll see driverless cars by 2020. Honda announced that it is teaming up with Zipcar to provide EVs and hybrids to Zipsters and Ferrari confirmed that its future V12 models will have a new hybrid system. Finally, SolarWorld sent us news about their new Elektra solar-powered plane, which can fly twice as far as its predecessor.

Smart design continued to make the world a little better with innovations like this vibrating glove that lets blind people text and Montessori's Intro to Letters app, which teaches kids the alphabet. We also got back into nature (literally) with these see-through bubble tents surrounded by trees, and we reflected upon the mysterious human-shaped mirror sculptures that popped up in a Scottish forest.

Panasonic introduces new microP2 SD-sized storage at NAB 2012

Posted: 15 Apr 2012 04:37 PM PDT

Among several new announcements for NAB 2012, Panasonic had time to show off its new microP2 card. It does all the high speed transfer pro video shooters have come to expect from their P2 hardware, but in a package that's the size of an SD card. Panasonic also showed off a companion adaptor that could be used to make the new micro-sized cards compatible with existing PCMCIA-based hardware, however they will need a firmware upgrade (at an unspecified cost, of course) first. Of course, that's all still off in the future, since these won't hit the market until spring 2013. Check out our gallery for a few more pictures and look after the break for the press release.
Panasonic microP2 storage
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PANASONIC ANNOUNCES DRAMATIC INNOVATION IN P2 MEDIA

WITH THE INTRODUCTION OF MICROP2 CARD SERIES

Companion MicroP2 Card Adaptor Ensures Compatibility with Existing P2 Hardware



LAS VEGAS, NV (April 15, 2012) – Continuing its evolution to higher-speed, lower-cost media, Panasonic announced today a new series of memory cards called microP2 card, which have an SD card form factor to further cost-efficiencies in media pricing. The simultaneous introduction of a microP2 Card Adaptor assures that the new series of 64GB and 32GB microP2 cards will operate in current P2 hardware*.



The microP2 card will ensure high-speed transfer, high reliability and the writing assurance of all P2 frame rates, formats and codecs, as well as Panasonic's newest compression platform, up to the AVC-Intra200 mode of AVC-ULTRA, which will be available within 2013. Furthering the versatility of the microP2 card adaptor, its design allows Class 10 or high-quality SD cards (at bit rates only up to 50Mbps) to be used in P2 products in emergency situations.



"Since introducing this Emmy Award-winning, solid-state recording format nearly a decade ago, Panasonic has continued to make improvements to P2," said John Baisley, Executive Vice President, Panasonic System Communications Company of North America (PSCNA). "The development of the microP2 card brings additional innovation to the owners of the more than 250,000 P2 products in use worldwide."



Panasonic's P2 solid-state memory cards ensure highly reliable video, audio, and metadata recording, especially in challenging conditions of extreme temperature range, shock, and vibration. P2 cards allow professional users to benefit from a fast, easy, file-based workflow and exceptional reliability.



The microP2 media and microP2 Card Adaptor will be available in spring 2013.



* The microP2 card and microP2 card adaptor will not support all P2 products. To use the microP2 card adaptor, a firmware upgrade of current P2 hardware is required and a fee will be charged.

Sony NEX-FS700 cinema camera hands-on (video)

Posted: 15 Apr 2012 04:07 PM PDT

http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/15/sony-nex-fs700-hands-on/

Sony's otherwise dull pre-NAB press conference yielded one gem -- the NEX-FS700 cinema camera -- which the company announced earlier this month. The FS700 doesn't include 4K shooting functionality out of the box, but it is 4K capable, with the appropriate software coming later in the form of a firmware update. The camera includes the familiar Sony E-mount, bringing with it compatibility with interchangeable lenses, including the standard 18-200mm lens attached to the demo camera at today's event. There's also a trio of ND filters on board -- 1/64ND, 1/16ND and 1/4ND -- along with some impressive slow-motion capabilities, ranging from 120 to 240 frames-per-second in 1080p, going all the way up to 960fps if you're willing to sacrifice full-HD resolution. Company reps confirmed that the camera is expected to retail for "under $10,000" when it hits the market in June, while that 4K update should hit before the year is out, once Sony's external recorder becomes available. The body itself looks very similar to its predecessor, the NEX-FS100, and is lightweight enough for comfortable handheld shooting. Jump past the break for a closer look live from Las Vegas, with Sony Senior Vice President Alec Shapiro.

Sony NEX FS-700 hands-on

Switched On: When the smartphone giveth, Part 1

Posted: 15 Apr 2012 02:30 PM PDT

Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology.

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Part II of this article will be coming next week -- stay tuned!

The rise of smartphones hasn't been kind to makers of devices such as digital cameras, digital music players and portable GPS devices. Handsets with a rich selection of apps have been increasingly cannibalizing sales of these products, leaving few ways for these once hot holiday gift items to compete. In some cases, though, they have enabled functionality that was once envisioned for standalone products that either failed in the market or never went much beyond a niche audience. Here are five examples of failed devices that never made much headway. The concepts behind them, though, ultimately found acceptance on smartphones.

Slacker Portable

ImageToday its offerings run the gamut from free streaming radio competing with Pandora to complete on-demand subscription access competing with Rhapsody, but what differentiated Slacker in its early days was the ability to cache Internet radio stations for offline playback. This was achieved via the Slacker Portable, the first version of which featured a large 4" display but an awkward user interface and controls; stations could be cached via Wi-Fi or sideloaded from a PC. A planned accessory that would datacast the Slacker service via satellite for use in the car never materialized. Slacker cleaned up its act considerably with the smaller and slicker G2 version of the device, but by then the writing was on the wall.

Nowadays, the Slacker app, which uses touch screens to provide a better user interface than was possible on the dedicated players, can cache stations and download songs via a wide range of smartphones and tablets, the iPod touch, some Android-powered media players and the Sony Walkman X. However, it requires a monthly fee for its ad-free Plus tier to cache stations whereas ad-supported caching was free on the devices.

Sony eMarker

Popular apps such as Shazam and SoundHound can identify songs after sampling just a bit of them by tapping into a big music database in the cloud. But gadget-based song identification Imagewas tried a decade ago by the flash drive-like Sony eMarker (and its backed competitor, the Xenote iTag) using a kludgy workaround to audio fingerprinting. If you heard a song playing on the radio and wanted to know what it was, you would press a button on the device. Later, you'd plug the device into a PC and it would take you to a Web site that listed what was playing at the time by using a service that tracked radio song airtimes.

The eMarker had a small LCD that indicated how many of the ten songs allowed at a time you had bookmarked. It was a strange limitation because the eMarker didn't sample the audio itself. It recorded only a date and time stamp when you heard something on a default FM radio station. If you did something crazy like change the radio station you were listening to, you'd have to tell the companion Web site the station you tuned to or the song would be incorrect. Sony killed the eMarker after about a year and offered refunds to those who had bought it, making it one of the biggest flops of the era for Sony outside of the much more imposing and expensive BeOS-based eVilla monochrome Internet appliance.

TrafficGauge

ImageToday, free apps such as Waze and Google Navigation will route you around traffic; even the bundled Maps app on the iPhone can show trouble spots. But when far fewer people owned smartphones, a Seattle startup named TrafficGauge sold a handheld device of the same name that used the paging network to provide real-time traffic status updates. Since a sparse layout of the city was fixed on the device, a separate edition of the gadget existed for the four supported cities of Seattle, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Chicago.

TrafficGauge found itself embroiled in controversy when it began charging a monthly fee to consumers who had already signed up for lifetime service due to the rising costs from paging network operators.The company was ultimately acquired by RIM, where it joined the assets of Dash, an early cellular-enabled car navigation device that also made limited inroads.

Next week's Switched On will discuss the visions for two other dedicated devices that ultimately prevailed on smartphones and throw in a bonus marketplace failure from Microsoft that was ultimately realized on tablets. (Hint: it's not Courier.)


Ross Rubin (@rossrubin) is executive director and principal analyst of the NPD Connected Intelligence service at The NPD Group. Views expressed in Switched On are his own.

Band Pro seeking damages against ARRI and Michael Bravin, expects to get its data back

Posted: 15 Apr 2012 12:48 PM PDT

Should you ever get the itch to illegally peek at a former employer's servers, take a lesson from Michael Bravin: don't. The former ARRI executive's adventures in corporate espionage have landed him nothing but trouble. Although Bravin's previous plea agreement required him to pay back Band Pro for damages and legal fees, the outfit is now seeking punitive damages against both ARRI and Bravin himself. "Band Pro is informed and believes, and thereupon alleges that Glenn Kennel and Bill Russel, executives of ARRI, had firsthand knowledge of Bravin's hacking activities," asserts the recently filed complaint. In addition to damages, Band Pro is seeking orders requiring ARRI to return all information acquired from the said hacking and the destruction of "all business plans and strategies developed in reliance" of that information. Check out the PDF yourself for Band Pro's full list of demands and a detailed outline of its thirteen accusations against ARRI -- we'll let you know how things go down if the trial pans out.
at 12:15 PM

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