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Engadget News |
- Pentax K-30 leaks out in French catalog, teases us with weather resistance and 1080p video
- Acer Iconia Tab A700 hits FCC approval process head-on, comes out victorious
- Engadget's tablet buyer's guide: spring 2012 edition
- Samsung clarifies camera production shift, confirms commitment to point-and-shoot models
- Google patent application could mean melody-matching for YouTube
- Comcast rethinks bandwidth caps, trials two new policies that involve higher 300GB monthly limits
- Monmouthpedia: Wikipedia's very own QR-coated Welsh town (video)
- Samsung NX210 and NX20 now available, NX1000 to ship in June for $700
- Samsung Galaxy S III now available for pre-order on T-Mobile UK
- Time Warner Cable confirms HBO Go streaming is now available on Xbox 360, Samsung and Roku
- Facebook Pages Manager for iOS sees soft launch, stats junkies rejoice
- T-Mobile launches new contract-free, data-only plans
- Samsung mass-produces 4-gigabit LPDDR2 memory, aims to make 2GB a common sight in smartphones
- Visualized: What the new Samsung Series 9 could have looked like
- Forthcoming 4G networks could interfere with TV in 10 percent of UK homes
- Mind-operated robot arm helps paralyzed woman have her cup o' joe (video)
- Which devices have Ice Cream Sandwich?
- DirecTV to offer broadband to the boonies, teams up with ViaSat and Hughes Satellite providers
- This is what native 4K home cinema looks like on Sony's VPL-VW1000ES projector
- Samsung launches customer service app on Android as proof that it Cares
- Insert Coin: Troller 1D, the transforming robot that won't ruin your garden
- NHK makes first successful Super Hi-Vision OTA broadcast, man cave owners giggle with glee
- Laser-toting MAV can find its way in tight spaces, might eventually hunt you down (video)
- Chiba University's one-armed robot juggles balls, is not a Juggalo (video)
- Steam remote downloads exit beta, make impatience an option for everyone
- Visualized: Arduino gets super-sized ahead of Maker Faire
- Toyota turns to Nintendo DS as in-car GPS remote, won't guide you to Princess Peach
- Gmail and iPhone alums create Electric Imp, connect your toaster to the web
- I'm Watch creator explains order fulfillment process, offers 15 percent discount for your patience
- Club Jameco borrows from Etsy and Kickstarter, lets DIYers design, sell and buy project kits
- Nielsen: Americans have 28 percent more mobile apps in 2012, look down on the web with disdain
- Hillcrest Labs open sources Kylo web browser for TVs, hopes the people want one
- Rogers and CIBC make joint deal for NFC mobile payments in Canada, let you check out with your BlackBerry
- HTC confirms One X multitasking tweaks in Sense 4
- Apple slips out new OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion beta, leaves 2007 MacBook Pro in a momentary lurch
- Plastic Logic shutters US offices, gets out of making its own e-readers
- Google bots learning to read webpages like humans, one step closer to knowing everything
- Sony NEX-F3 and A37 cameras hands-on and sample shots
- LG's Optimus LTE II ships this week in Korea, nails down a few more specs
- NTT DoCoMo's Galaxy S III to ship with 2GB RAM?
| Pentax K-30 leaks out in French catalog, teases us with weather resistance and 1080p video Posted: 17 May 2012 11:52 AM PDT
It's been more than a year and a half since Pentax first put out the K-r as its entry DSLR, so it's about time that a sequel roll along to keep the company in the game. If we believe a French catalog, the K-30 should soon one-up its 2010-era brother with a new 16-megapixel sensor and an upgrade to "full HD" (read: likely 1080p) video from the 720p of today. Most of the real change, though, appears to be on the outside: the body would be "tropicalized," which we're sure means weather resistance and not a trip to Tahiti. We'll be a bit disappointed if there aren't subtler under-the-hood changes, though, as the ISO 25,600 sensitivity wouldn't be any different than with the K-r, and the four frames per second continuous shooting would be a decided step back from the six of the K-30's ancestor. The €799 ($1,014) with-tax price for an 18-55mm kit version likewise seems a bit steep for an entry DSLR, although we'll bite given that this is the "maximum." Let's just hope there's some wild color options in the pipeline whenever the K-30 arrives. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Acer Iconia Tab A700 hits FCC approval process head-on, comes out victorious Posted: 17 May 2012 11:35 AM PDT
The Tegra 3-touting tablet from Acer known as the Iconia Tab A700 hasn't made the rounds since CES, just over four months ago. It's finally hit the federal stage, with the WiFi-only version getting the seal of approval from the FCC, which tells us that its absence from the public spotlight doesn't mean Acer has stopped preparing it for its eventual (and still unannounced) launch date. Sadly, the docs are pretty limited in details, but there's plenty of reason for us to be excited -- the ICS-running tab should ship with a 1.3GHz quad-core NVIDIA SoC and a 10.1-inch 1080p display. Let's hope this is followed up with some news out of Taiwan sometime soon. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Engadget's tablet buyer's guide: spring 2012 edition Posted: 17 May 2012 11:15 AM PDT
As spring reaches full blossom, it's not just the flowers that are beginning to show -- so are the new slates heavy hitters teased back at CES. So, what does that mean? It means it's high-time that we cast a fresh glance over the tablet landscape, took in a deep breath of slate-infused air and exhaled a hearty Engadget tablet buyer's guide. We've been running the smartphone equivalent for a little while now, so we thought it only fair to give the now-mature tablet category one of its own. We're going to look at the main categories of fondleslabbery and carve out what we think are the finest offerings on the market right now. It doesn't matter if you're looking for something big, small, just good enough or so powerful that it could replace your laptop: we've collected our favorites and shepherded them safely into this one humble guide. Of course, if you want to cast your net a little wider, you can always check out our tablet review hub, but if you struggle with indecision, head on past the break to see what's hot right now in Tablet Land. 10-inch tablets When the Transformer Prime landed on our laps at the tail end of last year, it's fair to say we were smitten. It quickly took its place at the top of the Android tablet pile and months later, it's still a strong contender. Though its main selling point would seem to be the signature keyboard dock, it's actually the generous built-in storage (32GB and up), solid build quality, 8-megapixel camera and 600-nit, IPS display that won us over. Though GPS issues have cast a small shadow over an otherwise great product, ASUS has attempted to make amends in the form of an external dongle. If you're not in a hurry to buy, you might as well wait for the Infinity Pad 700, which ushers in a higher-res 1920 x 1200 display and your choice of a Tegra 3 or Krait chip. Another alternative to the Prime is the new, budget-friendly TF300 ($380 and up), a slightly heavier slightly less longevous model that still manages to do the Transformer name proud. No surprise to see this fella on the list. While it might not have been the first tablet computer, Apple's iPad certainly breathed life into a category that had previously found success in the business world and certain niche markets. Be warned that the latest version runs a little hot, but that doesn't detract from the fact that it has a mind-melting 2048 x 1536 screen, new and improved A5 chip, quad-core graphics and, of course, superb app and accessory support. If Apple's latest and greatest pushes your budget to the limit, its predecessor is still a decent slab of tech that can now be snapped up for a more reasonable $399. If you live and die by the numbers, then maybe Acer's Iconia A510 will push your (virtual) buttons. We only just reviewed this speedy little slate, and found its quad-core, Tegra-3-fueled engine purred along sweetly in our benchmarks. Beyond the solid processing stats, the A510 ticks off lots of key checkboxes on shoppers' lists. Ice Cream Sandwich? Yep. A 10-inch form factor? You got it. Good enough resolution (1280 x 800)? Indeedy. And a reasonable price ($450)? We think so. Acer will be keen to claim some space in the tablet market, and we think this is a solid flag in the ground. 7-inch tablets If you fancy Samsung's industrial design, but prefer something a little easier to hold, you might want to treat your fingers to the Galaxy Tab 7.7 instead. We pretty much declared it the best 7-inch tablet in our review, and our feelings haven't changed. The epic battery life, brilliant S AMOLED Plus screen and lively dual-core, 1.4GHz Exynos engine make this an Android tour de force. This quality does come at a price, however, and it's not a metaphorical one. If you want top spec, be prepared to pay top price, with the global HSPA+ version of the 7.7 pinching roughly 6.6 Benjamins, especially if you import it. If the price of the Galaxy Tab 7.7 makes your eyes water, why not dry them off next to the Kindle Fire? Amazon's success with its e-reader line plumped the pillows nicely for the introduction of a more capable member to the company's hardware family. The specs won't, ahem, start any fires, but the humble 1GHz dual-core chip, 512MB of RAM and 8GB internal storage are made up for by that $199 price tag. Naturally, it's got Amazon's services running through its veins, which means easy access to e-books, music and more. This all assumes you don't mind living in a cordoned-off garden of the Android palace; it's a heavily customized version of the platform, which rules out access to Google's own Play store. That said, if you want a tab mainly for consuming content, and like the rattle of some change in your pocket, the Kindle Fire is one of your best bets. Amazon wasn't the only e-reader maker that thought it could crack the tablet market. Barnes & Noble trotted out the Nook tablet and took its book-loving rivals head-on. A similar size and price tag make it hard not to compare this against Amazon's juiced-up Kindle. In brief, the strong points are that it's a little less restrictive on the software front, letting you step out of the walled garden, and we also found the 1024 x 600 display is better for video watching. Plus, there's a memory card slot for expanding the storage. All that will cost you $199 (down from $250!) -- a small price to pay if a little flexibility is what you're after. 3G / 4G tabletsFor those of you who a slate coupled with always-on internet, a 3G or 4G option might be worth the investment. In the US, at least, they typically require a two-year contract, which will hardly be a good fit for everyone. It should go without saying, but read your local carrier's fine print before taking the plunge. This is our second mention of Samsung's 7-inch tablet, and this time it comes bearing Big Red's LTE logo. We still love it for all the same reasons and, incredibly, Verizon's 4G service doesn't put a dent in its impossibly long runtime. The only drawback, as ever, is the price. In addition to $500 for the hardware, Verizon wants two years of your life and a data fee paid on time each month. As we alluded to, there's also a global HSPA+ version for use on other networks, if you don't mind paying an extra 200 smackers or so for the privilege. More familiar territory here: Apple, too, is making a second cameo on this list. The iPad has, of course, been available with 3G since it first hustled its way into our lives two ago. Now in its third iteration, you can gulp them bits down over 4G / LTE, rather than sip from the same old 3G mug. Other than that, it's more of the same, but if you love the look of that screen, and can't bear to be offline, then this is the one for you. When Huawei's MediaPad turned up on American shores in T-Mobile livery, it did so on the crest of a 7-inch tablet wave (Acer's Iconia Tab A100 and Samsung's Galaxy Tab Plus 7.0 were just hitting the market as well). Despite this, we described it as "speedy, well-built and longevous," with the added bonus of T-Mobile's 14.4Mbps HSPA+ network. With a dual-core 1.2GHz processor, 8GB of built-in storage and 1280 x 800 IPS display, the specs are reasonable, with price – once again – being the only major cloud. T-Mobile is asking for $250 and 24 months on contract, which will exceed most people's cost to need threshold. However, if you don't mind paying $430 for the unsubsidized hardware and buying pay-as-you-go data packages instead, then it could still be a contender for your mobile internet affections. Budget When Jeff Bezos and the team at Amazon were planning their debut into the tablet world, the final price was undoubtedly of the utmost importance. Landing at $199, the Kindle Fire was pitched just right for those who didn't want to spring for something a little more spec-heavy. But, and perhaps most importantly, this isn't just another cheap tablet. Amazon's robust catalog of books, music and apps make this 7 inches of pocket-friendly joy. Like the Kindle Fire, the Nook Tablet is worthy of mention as a 7-inch tablet, but that $199 price tag means it deserves a place on more budget-conscious shoppers' radar, in particular. If you were worried about the tablet's skimpy internal storage, you needn't be. And besides, if the built-in 8GB of space isn't enough, the expandable memory can solve any latent concerns for just a few more bucks. Also worth noting is the unique design, which (mentioning no names) will appeal to those who don't want their slate confused with any of its competition. If the Galaxy Tab 7.7 whetted your tablet appetite, but the hefty price tag dampened your spirits, all is not lost. The Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 offers up a great ICS experience, but without the balk-inducing cost. In our review, we found the dual-core 1GHz TI OMAP chip handles the latest version of Android just fine, and the good-enough 1024 x 600 LCD display his the same one used on the more premium Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus. While this might not offer the same tightly integrated ecosystem as a Kindle Fire, this $250 slate is unbeatable if what you really want is a low-cost tablet running the latest version of Android. If you want hang out with the big (screen) boys, but still keep on the right side of the $350 fence, then Acer's Iconia Tab A200 is worth more than just a cursory glance. This 10-incher's 1280 x 800 display and dual-core 1GHz Tegra 2 SoC won't have your hairs standing on end, but it will put Android 4.0 into your hands, while keeping the coffers relatively unharmed. While we've done our best to compare popular tablet choices, we understand you too may have a favorite that's not mentioned here. If so, feel free to represent it in comments below, tell us why you love it, and perhaps you'll see it here next time! | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Samsung clarifies camera production shift, confirms commitment to point-and-shoot models Posted: 17 May 2012 10:57 AM PDT
We've heard reports that Samsung has shifted focus at some of its camera manufacturing facilities away from point-and-shoot cameras with the objective of ramping up production of its compact mirrorless models. And while this move implies that the company's pocketable compacts could be doomed, that's simply not the case. We spoke with Reid Sullivan, Samsung's Senior Vice President of Mobile Entertainment, who reinforced the company's continuing commitment to developing and manufacturing point-and-shoot models -- in short, pocketable cameras remain a focus for the company, which simply made manufacturing adjustments to accommodate an anticipated increase in demand for recently-launched NX20, NX210 and NX1000. Point-and-shoots, for better or worse, are here to stay, and Sullivan explained that while we're unlikely to see new sub-$100 cameras make their debut, there's plenty in the works on the SMART front, with new launches in store for upcoming events like Photokina and CES. Whether there will continue to be demand for point-and-shoots remains to be seen, and while consumers are clearly turning to smartphones for casual shooting, Samsung appears to be in no hurry to abandon the point-and-shoot form-factor. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Google patent application could mean melody-matching for YouTube Posted: 17 May 2012 10:47 AM PDT
YouTube has become a treasure trove for rare live editions, outtakes and covers of popular songs -- the latter making stars out of acts like Pomplamoose. However, Google and the recording industry don't feel the same way, but the site's famous content filtering system can only handle exact matches of recorded songs -- so that 14-year-old moppet's cover version of Born this Way remains unfiltered. That could change should a patent application made available today result in a workable product. It describes a Melody Identification system that'll pluck out a "melody fingerprint" from any uploaded file and then determine the appropriate "rights management" to apply -- which sounds ominous. The patents haven't been granted and nowhere in the text of either document does it reveal how the company plans to deal with songs that sound very, very similar, but we can't imagine what'll be left if the worst comes to pass: lots of mute cat videos, probably. Update: Josh Rice in comments pointed out that Pomplamoose actually buys the rights to its covers. That's the nicest form of prior art there is. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Comcast rethinks bandwidth caps, trials two new policies that involve higher 300GB monthly limits Posted: 17 May 2012 10:28 AM PDT
Comcast's bandwidth policy has come under fire from several directions lately, and today it's announced plans to test two new systems for managing capacity. In a company blog post, VP Cathy Avgiris describes the new "flexible" approaches it will be testing out in certain markets that start off by raising the limit to 300GB (from 250GB where it's been since 2008) per month. One of the plans involves offering 300GB as a base on its Essentials, Economy, and Performance internet packages, and higher limits on its Blast and Extreme tiers, with extra data available as an add-on, possibly $10 for 50GB or so. The other plan simply bumps all tiers to 300GB per month and offers the additional blocks of data as needed. For markets where it's not testing the new plans, it's suspending enforcement of the 250GB cap entirely for now, although it says it will still contact "excessive" users about their usage. We're currently on a conference call concerning the changes and Comcast is reaffirming its belief that the FCC has decided it can "manage" data usage on its network, and that it will continue to do so in a "non-discriminatory" way. Particularly since the launch of its Xfinity TV Xbox 360 app others like Netflix and some consumer and networking watchdogs would beg to differ, it will be interesting to see if these approaches change anything. Executives on the call noted "noise" around the Xbox 360 app in making the change, but also pointed to an "ongoing internal discussion" and simply that times have changed from four years ago. The words that keep coming up so far are choice and flexibility, as well as mentioning that even today, very few customers approach the previous 250GB limit. In response to a question, Avgiris indicated the median usage for customers is still around 8-10GB per month.We'll find out more like where the test markets are later, for now hit the source link for all the information currently available. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Monmouthpedia: Wikipedia's very own QR-coated Welsh town (video) Posted: 17 May 2012 10:27 AM PDT
Wikipedia's credence as a fount of reliable knowledge is indubitably dubious. That said, its penchant for community contribution is what's snowballed the site into a go-to digital destination for most online denizens. But forebear of a QR-indexed, former principality? Surely, there's a limit to the social web's reach. Well, come May 19th, that odd, but apt distinction will officially encapsulate Monmouthpedia, née Monmouth, Wales -- an experiment in informational graffiti. The project, originally born from a Bristol-based TEDx talk, has taken half a year for founder John Cummings to execute given the need for County Council and local business support, the installation of a pervasive, free WiFi network and additional article contributions from site volunteers. And thanks to QRpedia, curious mobile-wielding tourists that chance upon the quaint Welsh town will need only to scan the omnipresent codes for an easy redirect to a corresponding language-appropriate article. Lest you think this web-to-real world experiment is merely a one-off, bear in mind those code-bearing ceramic plates are built to last. Hop on past the break for a French-subbed informational video tour.
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| Samsung NX210 and NX20 now available, NX1000 to ship in June for $700 Posted: 17 May 2012 10:00 AM PDT
We already had a fairly good idea of pricing for Samsung's trio of NX cameras, but until the company's US arm released figures of its own, we withheld hope that the entry-level NX1000 would break the critical $600 barrier. Sadly, that's not the case -- that curvy flavor will retail for $700 in white, black or pink finishes come June, with a 20-50mm kit lens in tow. Timing couldn't be more unfortunate for Samsung's NX line, considering that Sony upped the stakes earlier today with its NEX-F3, the successor to the wildly-popular NEX-C3, which is priced to sell at $600 with an 18-55mm kit lens. That camera's 16.1-megapixel APS-C sensor is the same physical size as what you'll find on the NX1000, NX210 and NX20, but Samsung's version ups the resolution to 20.3MP. Still, seasoned shooters know that megapixel count isn't a critical spec, making that extra 100 bucks a hard swallow for would-be NX1000 owners. Samsung's other mirrorless models, the NX210 and NX20, are available now for $1,100 and $900, respectively, so if you're in the market for an upgrade, those cameras may be worth considering. Full PR is after the break.
Samsung Unveils Three SMART Camera NX Models for U.S. Market – For Spectacular Image Quality and Instant Photo Sharing at Any Skill Level Samsung NX1000, NX210 and NX20 incorporate Wi-Fi, APS-C sensor and Interchangeable Lenses; Photographers will Enjoy an Unparalleled Experience RIDGEFIELD PARK, N.J., May 17, 2012 – Samsung Electronics America Inc., a market leader and award-winning innovator in consumer electronics, announced the pricing and U.S. retail availability of three SMART compact system cameras (CSC) with built-in Wi-Fi – the eye catching NX1000, the versatile NX210 and the top-of-the-line NX20. With SMART features, the NX1000, NX210 and NX20 can connect to wireless networks without any additional cards or devices, making it seamless to share and store photos directly from the camera. All three new Samsung NX cameras offer exceptional image quality and are designed for users with different photographic skill levels. With a premium metallic finish, the NX20 and NX210 compact system cameras are available now from authorized Samsung retailers for manufactured suggested retail prices (MSRP) of $1,099.99 and $899.99, respectively. The sleek and compact NX1000 will be available in June in white, black and pink at an MSRP of $699.99. "With the expansion of the NX family, Samsung reinforces its commitment to connected creativity. Photography, at its core, is as much about sharing a special moment, as it is about capturing a stunning image and the new NX Series delivers both without compromise," said Reid Sullivan, Senior Vice President of Digital Imaging, Samsung Electronics America. "Whether for professionals emailing photos on assignment, or a family sharing a truly unique memory, there is an NX Series camera ready to deliver." Channeling Samsung's premium NX image quality, the NX1000, NX210 and NX20 cameras all feature a stunning design and a professional-grade 20.3 megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor. Ensuring the cameras benefit from Samsung's ecosystem of imaging products, they are also compatible with Samsung's unique i-Function 2.0 system. This innovative system enables users to control camera settings using the lens only, without having to take focus off the subject. New i-Function features include a digital crop and zoom, which allows users to focus on the most important parts of an image and crop away distracting background elements, plus the ability to add custom functions. Shoot SMART with Samsung NX Further extending the benefits of Samsung's SMART features, the NX20, NX210 and NX1000 are compatible with Samsung's Remote Viewfinder app, which when loaded from Google Play (formerly the Android Marketplace) onto a supported GALAXY smartphone or tablet, allows users to control settings and even take the picture from up to 30 feet away. With Samsung's MobileLink app, users can easily transfer and display images on Samsung smartphones, tablets, or Smart TVs – turning a variety of popular devices into instant photo frames. In addition, AllShare and the TV Link application let the new NX models connect directly to a DLNA-compatible TV to show off those amazing images on the big screen, while PC Backup can store photos on a PC without fumbling with cables. All-new, Extremely Approachable: The NX1000 The Samsung NX1000 features a large, bright 3.0-inch LCD screen for composing images and 1080p HD video, and technologies like Smart Auto 2.0 take the guess work out of photo-taking. A dedicated Smart Link Hot Key on the top of the camera makes sharing photos via Wi-Fi as easy as pressing a button for instant sharing. Versatile and Powerful: The NX210 The new NX210 also boasts high speed capture with a 1/8000 shutter and continuous shooting capabilities up to 8 frames per second, ensuring no moment is missed. With features like Smart Panel, the NX210 brings versatility to the forefront and empowers users to push their photographic limits. Pro-grade Performance: The NX20 Fitting for more advanced users, the NX20 touts a lightning-quick shutter speed, allowing users to capture images at up to 1/8000 of a second. Continuous shooting also adds to the camera's photo prowess, as the NX20 can shoot up to 8 frames per second. Lastly, an electronic level feature helps compose images and allows users to perfectly center and adjust a tripod-mounted or handheld shot. Creative Control at Your Fingertips All three NX models feature Samsung's ten exclusive Smart Filters and a new Selective Color function, which allows users to isolate a single color in an image for a dramatic effect. Additionally, the NX20, NX210 and NX1000 make it simple to capture an entire scene with the innovative Panorama and 3D Panorama features creating immersive shots of landscapes and scenery. For more information on the new NX1000, NX210 and NX20 as well as Samsung's full line of cameras, please visit www.samsung.com. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Samsung Galaxy S III now available for pre-order on T-Mobile UK Posted: 17 May 2012 09:50 AM PDT
Sure, we'd seen a handful of other carriers in the UK have Sammy's GS3 up for pre-order, but that circle wouldn't be complete without a certain Magenta network. Worry not, though, as T-Mobile's joined the pre-order race and is now ready to swap your cash for a spanking-new Galaxy slab. Per usual -- at least across the pond -- you're likely to find a deal that's perfectly suited for you, with T-Mobile UK pricing the device as low £10.50 per month (£300 up front) and as high as £41 with the Full Monty on a 24-month deal -- of course, there's a plethora of different bundles to choose from. The carrier's site does note that if you order the goods now, unlike those lucky folks getting it on the 29th, delivery here is set for sometime after May 30th. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Time Warner Cable confirms HBO Go streaming is now available on Xbox 360, Samsung and Roku Posted: 17 May 2012 09:40 AM PDT
As we revealed yesterday, Time Warner Cable has finally activated HBO Go streaming to TV connected devices. As seen on the new activation pages for Samsung Smart TVs and Blu-ray players, Xbox 360s and Roku boxes, TWC and Bright House Networks are now among the available options (sorry, still no word on ESPN3 for the Xbox 360). The only bad news? DirecTV and Comcast have not (yet) followed suit, so for those customers HBO Go streaming on the TV is still a hit-or-miss affair. We're not sure what is behind the change of heart or policy, but while Comcast reportedly had authentication issues to resolve before switching on the Xbox 360's HBO access, it's worth noting that Time Warner Cable could have its app coming to some or all of these platforms very soon. An official blog post indicates it may take a few hours for things to switch on every where so if you don't see this in your neck of the woods just keep checking back. Update: Cablevision too, as noted by a post on the Roku blog. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Facebook Pages Manager for iOS sees soft launch, stats junkies rejoice Posted: 17 May 2012 09:36 AM PDT
If you're pining for another way to keep tabs on your Facebook pages while out and about, you're in luck -- that is, if you live in Australia, New Zealand or Ireland. Stealthily launched yesterday for iOS, Facebook's Page Manager app lets administrators keep an eye on page-specific notifications and Page Insight (read: number of likes, shares, views, et cetera) in addition to the normal management fare already available in Facebook's official app. For those in other territories dreaming of using the app, hope is not lost. As a late addition to Ireland's iTunes' Store after its initial appearance for Aussies, it looks like the app is following protocol by holding out on most of the world with its initial launch. As for page owners wielding other operating systems, there's no word on when your app's coming down the chute. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| T-Mobile launches new contract-free, data-only plans Posted: 17 May 2012 09:23 AM PDT
Not all of us want to be locked into a long term contract with a wireless carrier. Especially when it comes to data-only devices that might not get used on a regular basis. For those that want to grab a 4G dongle or a mobile hotspot and go, without the need sign their life over, T-Mobile is launching four new pre-paid data options. The 4G passes start at $15 for 300MB over the course of a week, all the way up to 5GB for $50 over the course of a month. The plans are available on the Sonic 4G and plain ol' T-Mobile 4G mobile hotspots as well as the Rocket 3.0 laptop stick, but tablet users can also hop on the bandwagon. The Galaxy Tab 10.1, 7,0 Plus and SpringBoard are all eligible for the No Annual Contract mobile broadband passes. You can start topping off your megabytes instead of your minutes on May 20th. For more details check out the PR after the break. T-Mobile Introduces New No Annual Contract Mobile Broadband Service Passes Starting at just $15, T-Mobile's lineup of No Annual Contract mobile broadband passes delivers a pay-in-advance, overage-free solution that offers an allotment of mobile data, making it possible for customers to choose a pass that best fits their data needs without committing to a two-year contract: -- 300MB 1-week pass for $15 -- 1.5GB 1-month pass for $25 -- 3.5GB 1-month pass for $35 -- 5GB 1-month pass for $50 "Although most of our mobile broadband customers choose postpaid rate plans for the best device prices and data rates, we know that many of our customers want the flexibility to be able to experience mobile broadband without committing to an annual contract up front," said Jeremy Korst, vice president of marketing, T-Mobile USA. "With better pricing and new features like an auto-refill option and a simpler purchase experience, T-Mobile's No Annual Contract mobile broadband passes make it easier and more affordable than ever to experience high-speed Internet on the go on a range of devices." T-Mobile(R) offers a variety of 4G mobile broadband devices that, when connected to T-Mobile's high-speed 4G network, offer customers fast access to the Web, e-mail, gaming, movies and more, while on-the-go. -- T-Mobile's lineup of mobile, connected tablets, including the Samsung Galaxy Tab(TM) 10.1, the Samsung Galaxy Tab(TM) 7.0 Plus and the T-Mobile(R) SpringBoard(TM) with Google(TM), deliver a premium on-the-go entertainment and Web experience, making it possible to stream movies on a road trip or shop online while the kids play at the park. -- The T-Mobile(R) Sonic(TM) 4G Mobile Hotspot and the T-Mobile 4G Mobile Hotspot are ideal for staying connected on-the-go with colleagues and clients or providing Internet on the go for the family on vacation. Providing simultaneous access to T-Mobile's 4G network for up to five Wi-Fi-enabled devices, customers can use their mobile hotspots to connect their iPad(R) devices, laptops, music players, portable gaming devices and e-readers, among other devices, to T-Mobile's high-speed 4G network. -- T-Mobile's laptop sticks, including the HSPA+ 42-enabled Rocket(TM) 3.0 USB Laptop Stick, are perfect for customers looking for a blazing-fast mobile Internet connection on their laptop. Availability T-Mobile's new No Annual Contract mobile broadband passes are expected to be available beginning May 20 at T-Mobile retail stores, select dealers, national retailers and online at http://www.t-mobile.com . More information on T-Mobile's mobile broadband offerings is available at http://mobile-broadband.t-mobile.com . About T-Mobile USA: Based in Bellevue, Wash., T-Mobile USA, Inc. is the U.S. wireless operation of Deutsche Telekom AG (otcqx:DTEGY). By the end of the first quarter of 2012, approximately 129 million mobile customers were served by the mobile communication segments of the Deutsche Telekom group -- 33.4 million by T-Mobile USA -- all via a common technology platform based on GSM and UMTS and additionally HSPA+ 21/HSPA+ 42. T-Mobile USA's innovative wireless products and services help empower people to connect to those who matter most. Multiple independent research studies continue to rank T-Mobile USA among the highest in numerous regions throughout the U.S. in wireless customer care and call quality. For more information, please visit http://www.T-Mobile.com . T-Mobile is a federally registered trademark of Deutsche Telekom AG. For further information on Deutsche Telekom, please visit www.telekom.de/investor-relations . Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements that reflect the current views of Deutsche Telekom management with respect to future events. These forward-looking statements may include statements with regard to the expected development of revenue, earnings, profits from operations, depreciation and amortization, cash flows and personnel-related measures. You should consider them with caution. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, most of which are difficult to predict and are generally beyond Deutsche Telekom's control. Among the factors that might influence our ability to achieve our objectives are the progress of our workforce reduction initiative and other cost-saving measures, and the impact of other significant strategic, labor or business initiatives, including acquisitions, dispositions and business combinations, and our network upgrade and expansion initiatives. In addition, stronger than expected competition, technological change, legal proceedings and regulatory developments, among other factors, may have a material adverse effect on our costs and revenue development. Further, the economic downturn in our markets, and changes in interest and currency exchange rates, may also have an impact on our business development and the availability of financing on favorable conditions. Changes to our expectations concerning future cash flows may lead to impairment write downs of assets carried at historical cost, which may materially affect our results at the group and operating segment levels. If these or other risks and uncertainties materialize, or if the assumptions underlying any of these statements prove incorrect, our actual performance may materially differ from the performance expressed or implied by forward-looking statements. We can offer no assurance that our estimates or expectations will be achieved. Without prejudice to existing obligations under capital market law, we do not assume any obligation to update forward-looking statements to take new information or future events into account or otherwise. In addition to figures prepared in accordance with IFRS, Deutsche Telekom also presents non-GAAP financial performance measures, including, among others, EBITDA, EBITDA margin, adjusted EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA margin, adjusted EBIT, adjusted net income, free cash flow, gross debt and net debt. These non-GAAP measures should be considered in addition to, but not as a substitute for, the information prepared in accordance with IFRS. Non-GAAP financial performance measures are not subject to IFRS or any other generally accepted accounting principles. Other companies may define these terms in different ways. SOURCE: T-Mobile USA, Inc. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Samsung mass-produces 4-gigabit LPDDR2 memory, aims to make 2GB a common sight in smartphones Posted: 17 May 2012 09:01 AM PDT
Samsung started making 2GB low-power mobile memory last year, but as the 1GB-equipped phone you likely have in your hand shows, the chips weren't built on a wide-enough scale to get much use. The Korean company is hoping to fix that now that it's mass-producing 20-nanometer, 4-gigabit LPDDR2 RAM. Going to a smaller process than the 30-nanometer chips of old will not just slim the memory down by a fifth, helping your smartphone stay skinny: it should help 2GB of RAM become the "mainstream product" by the end of 2013, if Samsung gets its way. New chips should run at 1,066Mbps without chewing up any more power than the earlier parts, too, so there's no penalty for using the denser parts. It's hard to say whether or not the 20nm design is what's leading to the 2GB of RAM in the Japanese Galaxy S III; we just know that the upgraded NTT DoCoMo phone is now just the start of a rapidly approaching trend for smartphones and tablets. Samsung Now Producing Industry's first Highest Density Mobile LPDDR2 Memory, Using 20nm-class Technology SEOUL, Korea – May 17, 2012 – Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., a global leader in advanced semiconductor technology solutions, announced today that it has begun producing the industry's first four gigabit (Gb), low power double-data-rate 2 (LPDDR2) memory using 20 nanometer (nm) class* technology. The mobile DRAM (dynamic random access memory) chip, which went into mass production last month, will help the market to deliver advanced devices that are faster, lighter and provide longer battery life than today's mobile devices. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Visualized: What the new Samsung Series 9 could have looked like Posted: 17 May 2012 08:32 AM PDT
In case you haven't noticed, we've gotten multiple opportunities to talk shop with Samsung executives over the past couple days. After we finished grilling the R&D team on higher-res displays, we sat down with the designers behind the latest Series 9 Ultrabooks, and they surprised us by whipping out a late-stage prototype -- aka, a glimpse at what these laptops might have been, were it not for a little extra hemming and hawing and at least one executive veto. You know what they say: a picture tells a thousand words, and we've got quite a few embedded below for your viewing pleasure. If you're obsessed with minutiae like the keyboard backlighting color, however, follow past the break for more on all those rejected design ideas, and feel free to let us know in the comments which ones you would've preferred. As Samsung neared the end of the design phase, it was decided that the laptop would have a brushed metal finish: the designers agreed it matched the company's "Arcflow" aesthetic, which emphasizes refined design and making PCs appear as slim as possible. Obviously, though, something changed by the time the Series 9 went into mass production, and that something was an order from senior management to sandblast the machine instead of drawing fine lines on it. We're glad somebody stepped in: as you can see in those pictures above, the final, smooth-surfaced version shows far fewer fingerprints than the brushed metal prototype. (We'll let you decide if you prefer the newer, slightly paler shade of gray.) Though Samsung execs wouldn't say to what extent sandblasting raises production costs, they do claim that it's tougher to achieve consistent results with sandblasting, and that this process is easier to pull off with lighter shades of metal (hence, perhaps, the revised color choice). As for that aquamarine lighting emanating from behind the keyboard, Samsung says it initially experimented with white, and then blue, only to settle on that funky blue-green later on. Their rationale, they say, was that that "bluish white," as they describe it, was less bright, less overbearing than the white glow you'll find on other ultraportables. Additionally, as those last hands-on shots reveal, the company grappled with the laptop's shape. Even the final version, in fact, represents a compromise of sorts: the design team would have preferred even cleaner lines, but they were unwilling to hide the ports behind doors this time around. After all, one of the most common complaints the company received about the OG Series 9 was how much of a pain it was to use the various sockets. Lucky for the design team, at least, there's a precedent for not including Ethernet jacks on Ultrabooks... right? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Forthcoming 4G networks could interfere with TV in 10 percent of UK homes Posted: 17 May 2012 08:01 AM PDT
If you live in the UK and a 4G wireless tower is going up right next to your house, you might want to hold off on the excitement. LTE networks occupying the 800MHz spectrum could cause some serious interference (sound familiar?), capable of knocking out around two million households' free terrestrial TV channels. An independent company has been set up to lessen the effects of the wayward waves and is installing government-subsidized filters in residences across the country. But even its valiant efforts could leave up to 8,500 homes without Freeview, as non-traditional antenna setups aren't covered by the public fund. Meanwhile, eager Brits continue to patiently line up for some kind of semblance of a 4G network. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mind-operated robot arm helps paralyzed woman have her cup o' joe (video) Posted: 17 May 2012 07:32 AM PDT
Researchers at the Braingate2 consortium have made a breakthrough that allows people with spinal cord or stroke injuries to control robotic limbs with their minds. The original project allowed subjects with motor cortex-implanted chips to move cursors on a screen with their minds, but they can now command DEKA and DLR mechanical arms to grasp foam balls and sip coffee. Researchers noted that dropped objects and missed drinks were frequent, but improved brain sensors and more practice by subjects should help. To see the power of the mind move perhaps not mountains, but good ol' java, jump to the video below.
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| Which devices have Ice Cream Sandwich? Posted: 17 May 2012 07:00 AM PDT
It's mid-May -- do you know where your Ice Cream Sandwich update is? Six months after Android 4.0 made its debut on the Samsung Galaxy Nexus, millions of owners of legacy Android devices are still anxiously awaiting the day the new firmware gets downloaded on their own electronic real estate. At least the scene today is much more pleasant than it was just a few months ago, as ICS is finally rolling out to several popular devices. But if you're shopping for a phone or tablet, how can you possibly keep track of which device has what version? Amidst the confusion, we've put together a handy list of the legacy devices that have already been updated to Ice Cream Sandwich, as well as the ones that are promised an upgrade at a future date. Of course, many phones and tablets have ICS ROMs, leaked builds and other unofficial versions of the new firmware available, but we'll only discuss official downloads here. We plan to amend the list as the update rolls out to more devices, so be sure to check back from time to time. Head past the break to see how much of a reach Ice Cream Sandwich has. SamsungSamsung's tackling the next version of TouchWiz in a major way, already rolling Ice Cream Sandwich out to a number of unlocked devices -- the Galaxy S II being the most significant. And there's plenty more coming: as we've come to expect, updates to branded devices tend to stall in carrier-specific testing, and Galaxy Tab users outside of Canada are still waiting for their turn to get ICS. Still, Sammy's done the best job so far in pushing Android 4.0 out to its customer base.
HTC
HTC is making waves by offering two different versions of Sense on Ice Cream Sandwich: a beefed-up version (Sense 4) for phones natively supporting ICS, and another for legacy devices. If you own one of the devices listed below, you'll be blessed with Sense 3.6, the "lighter" iteration that stays true to the UI's older look.
Sony
It took Sony a while, but the ICS ball is finally rolling. The company plans to push Android 4.0 to its entire 2011 Xperia smartphone lineup, and we've witnessed the refresh go out to three phones and a tablet, with plenty more following in the near future. Sony has a forum post that goes into excruciating detail as to which models (and which sales IDs of each model) already have been upgraded.
Motorola
Motorola has set up a page on its forums that details the progress for each device. Note that a large number of phones and tablets not on our list are still in "evaluation and planning" stages, which means they are under consideration for receiving ICS, but not all of them will make the cut. The devices we've listed below have been specifically promised an upgrade.
LG
Unlike its Korean rival, LG has been taking its sweet time readying Ice Cream Sandwich for its legacy devices. As you can see below, we know the company's cooking something up for most of its latest handsets, but only a few phones are slated for an update before the end of June, with the remainder taking the back seat until the third quarter of this year.
Miscellaneous
If your device isn't made by one of the above manufacturers, take a look below. There are plenty of other phones and tablets that will benefit from an update to ICS, and this section is as good a place as any to make sure they're all included. One company notably absent from the list is ZTE. We still haven't heard a peep about its plans, if they exist, for upgrading legacy devices.
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| DirecTV to offer broadband to the boonies, teams up with ViaSat and Hughes Satellite providers Posted: 17 May 2012 06:31 AM PDT
Sure, living in the boonies may give you plenty of space to test out high-tech farming equipment, but at what cost? Rural homesteads just aren't suited for ye olde landline broadband and those fancy satellite setups cost a pretty penny. DirecTV understands, and has struck deals with ViaSat and Hughes to bundle their stellar bandwidth with pre-existing triple play packages to help reign in the cost of high-speed internet. Details on availability and price are still scarce, but DirecTV says customers should be able to take advantage of "certain special offers" later this year. Read on for the official press release, or check out our review of ViaSat's Exede service here. DIRECTV Video & High-Speed Internet Bundles Available Soon throughout the Entire U.S. New Deals with ViaSat and Hughes will Provide Enhanced DIRECTV and Broadband Packages to Customers in Rural America; Supports Expansion of Connected Set-top Boxes EL SEGUNDO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- DIRECTV customers will be able to bundle their video and high-speed Internet services, no matter where they live in the United States, through new agreements with satellite broadband providers ViaSat and Hughes. DIRECTV will offer the Exede℠ by ViaSat and Hughes' HughesNet® Gen4 next-generation satellite broadband services, with speeds of over 10 Mbps, to its customers living in mostly unserved, rural areas later this year. This new offering, coupled with already available triple-play bundles with Verizon, AT&T, Century Link and other telco providers, means that any DIRECTV customer in the U.S. will now be able to get bundled pricing. Customers who sign up for satellite broadband through DIRECTV will be able to take advantage of certain special offers beginning later this year. More details on the offers and marketing plans will be made available closer to launch. "We look forward to offering every single DIRECTV customer access to fast, affordable broadband options through DIRECTV, no matter where they live," said Oswin Eleonora, senior vice president, Emerging Markets, DIRECTV. "With greatly improved capacity and speeds, satellite broadband services provided by ViaSat and Hughes will fully support our customers' connected home experience, enabling them to access a host of features like YouTube, Pandora, social TV apps, and more than 7,000 VOD titles." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| This is what native 4K home cinema looks like on Sony's VPL-VW1000ES projector Posted: 17 May 2012 06:00 AM PDT
Why are folks so keyed up about 4K? At first glance, that's the type of question that answers itself: by definition, a 4096-pixel wide image delivers around four times the resolution of 1920 x 1080, and that's a healthy multiple. It's actually of a broadly similar magnitude to the difference between 1080p and old-fashioned analog NTSC video, and nobody these days questions the value of that upgrade. On the other hand, there must come a point where pixels cease to be visible in a home theater environment, such that buying more of them at inflated prices stops being worth it. Sure, 4K can be a big help with 3D footage, because it boosts the resolution to each eye -- something we experienced with the REDray projector. But what about regular 2D material, which is still very much the default viewing option? That question's been nagging at us, so when Sony invited us back for a second look at its 4K projector, the VPL-VW1000ES, this time with full-throttle native 4K source material rather than just upscaled 1080p, we turned up with a tape measure. Read on for what came next.
The viewing took place in a plush private basement theater at Sony Pictures Europe. It's more like a commercial cinema than a home theater, but on this occasion the VPL-VW1000ES was positioned just six meters (20 feet) away from the screen, which ought to be achievable in an everyday type of mansion. The resulting screen was 3.8 meters (12 feet) wide and 2.2 meters (seven feet) high, which is also feasible in a big home set-up. After being duly impressed by some native 4K animation clips, we shifted to still images in order to focus solely on resolution. We started out by taking photos of a still projected image of some foliage, from a distance of around two feet from the screen -- by which time the light from the projector had had quite a journey. Unfortunately, Sony's screen was of the acoustic type, which allows sound through from the cinema's speakers behind, and which means our close-up images are riven with tiny holes. Don't let those perforations distract you, however, because the differences in resolution are still clearly visible -- and in fact the holes helped to keep the photos in focus. (The arrow and rectangle in the image above highlight the zoomed-in comparison area, and more specifically the best focus in our samples images was on the base of the tree bud in the lower left corner.) First, here's the projector playing the image from a PlayStation 3 set to output at a meager 1280 x 720. At this setting, the pixelation was pretty clear and the image was downright fuzzy even when viewed from a distance. By the way of context, each pixel wasn't quite as big as a microSD card, but nearly. Next, the PlayStation was switched back to its usual maximum resolution: 1080p. This was an enormous difference, with pixels shrinking to around 4mm2. You could easily see the difference between 1080p and 720p when sitting six meters away from the screen: switching from one to the other was a bit like taking a foggy pane of glass off the image. Then the Sony rep flicked the projector into 4K upscaling mode, which takes the 1920 x 1080 signal from the PS3 and converts it to 4096 x 2160. It does this using Sony's 'Reality Creation' algorithm, which is ironically named but which still does an excellent job of increasing sharpness without creating artifacts. Here, the pixels shrank from 4mm2 to just 1mm2 -- roughly the same size as the tiny acoustic perforations. The increase in detail couldn't quite keep up with that because it was artificially created, but upscaling still managed to deliver that feeling of removing one more foggy pane of glass from in front of the image -- so it's all good. At this juncture, we had to switch sources in order to get native 4K. This was served up by an ASUS gaming PC containing a Radeon HD 7970 -- AMD's flagship graphics card that can throw a 4K signal out of its HDMI 1.4 port. According to the rep, NVIDIA's GeForce GTX 680 can't quite manage this out of the box. In the close-up shots, the impact of going native is obvious compared to upscaled, and it was also very apparent when sitting three meters away from the screen. When viewing from six meters away, the difference between native and upscaled was there but it was subtle -- it was just a sense of the image being sharper and more natural at the edges of objects. The difference between native 1080p and native 4K at six meters, however, was more marked -- it could only be described as 'subtle' at a distance of nine meters from the screen. This wasn't a scientific test, because everyone has different visual acuity and the differences we see are ultimately subjective. In addition, the PC image had a slightly different color temperature to the PS3 images, which may have swayed our impressions somewhat. Nevertheless, we have the beginnings of an answer to our original question: if your screen is around three or four meters wide, and if you sit less than six meters away from it, you'll notice a clear benefit in switching from 1080p to 4K for 2D material. Interestingly, you'll also see a significant impact from upscaling your footage through the Sony projector's processing engine -- which makes 'Reality Creation' one of the stars of this show, not least because 4K content is so hard to find. Beyond that, it's hard to say much without getting philosophical. Does resolution really matter, when a good movie is readily enjoyable on a lowly qHD smartphone? Isn't it more about the quality of the content? But if there was no substance to the quest for greater resolution, then generations of magazine publishers wouldn't have demanded 300dpi, nobody would have worshipped the pixel-free magic of celluloid (aside from its other qualities), and no one would have cared about the Retina Display on the new iPad. 4K is part of one big push to totally eradicate the pixel: to make an image look like a natural and infinite swirl of colors rather than something generated by computer. That's exactly what the VW1000ES delivers and even though it's still a very niche product for niche material, it represents the future. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Samsung launches customer service app on Android as proof that it Cares Posted: 17 May 2012 05:32 AM PDT
Worried that Samsung is too busy selling millions of devices to care about you, the individual consumer? Fear not, for the company has released an app to prove its unconditional dedication to your happiness, and it's appropriately called Samsung Cares. The program serves as a hub for online support, offering how-to videos, troubleshooting guides, FAQs and service ticket tracking. Oh, and for those who don't own a Samsung device but still want the sweet reassurance of the company's interest in your well-being (or perhaps you just use other products made by Sammy), the free app can be downloaded on any phone or tablet running Android 2.1 or higher. Head to the source to grab a copy for yourself. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Insert Coin: Troller 1D, the transforming robot that won't ruin your garden Posted: 17 May 2012 05:01 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. A crawling robot that, at the touch of a button, curls up into a wheel and rolls away sounds a bit Robots in Disguise, doesn't it? Still, that's what roboticist Toby Baumgartner needs your cold, hard cash to build. Troller 1D is the first prototype of the modular automaton that uses a series of servos to take it anywhere it needs to go -- but it's not ready yet. The project needs $2,600 to get better servos and add some WiFi and Accelerometer features that'll get the 'bot rolling without any assistance. Once perfected, you'll be able to buy a kit with everything you need to build your own and terrify the local wildlife / your children. Previous Project Update: The Neva ski pole only raised $11,718 of its lofty $100,000 goal, maybe you bunch prefer not to answer calls while you're shredding the powder. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| NHK makes first successful Super Hi-Vision OTA broadcast, man cave owners giggle with glee Posted: 17 May 2012 04:24 AM PDT
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| Laser-toting MAV can find its way in tight spaces, might eventually hunt you down (video) Posted: 17 May 2012 03:54 AM PDT
A perpetual weakness of MAVs (micro air vehicles) is their frequent need for hand-holding in anything other than a wide-open or very controlled space. If they're not using GPS or motion sensors to find their locations, they can't turn on a dime the way a human pilot would. Adam Bry, Abraham Bachrash and Nicholas Roy from MIT's CSAIL group haven't overcome every problem just yet, but they may have taken combat drones and other pilotless aircraft a big step forward by giving them the tools needed to fly quickly when positioning isn't an option. Uniting a laser rangefinder with an existing 3D map of the environment -- still 'cheating,' but less dependent -- lets the prototype flyer find the distance to nearby obstacles and steer clear even at speeds that would scare any mere mortal MAV. Ideally, future designs that can create their own maps will be completely independent of humans, making us think that MIT's references to "aggressive" autonomous flight are really cues to start hiding under the bed. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chiba University's one-armed robot juggles balls, is not a Juggalo (video) Posted: 17 May 2012 03:27 AM PDT
Two balls, one hand? In this case, that's a definite yes, although the end result is much more appropriate for all ages. Furthering our slow creep towards engineering's Uncanny Valley, comes a cybernetic effort out of Japan's Chiba University that's made to mock our most precious clown-past time: juggling. The one-armed, three-fingered robot, shown off at the 2012 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation, utilizes a high-speed camera to track a ball's flight at 500fps and help coordinate its repetitive movements with eerie precision. The current setup's not without hitches, though, considering the bot's fixed shoulder joint can only carry out successful catches on a 2D plane before, quite literally, dropping the ball. Refinements are apparently on the way to expand the cyborg limb's range of motion which, of course, will only serve to defeat us in the end. Robot apocalypse, we're looking at you.
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| Steam remote downloads exit beta, make impatience an option for everyone Posted: 17 May 2012 02:47 AM PDT
That was quick. Just two weeks after Valve posted a new Steam beta that allows remote game downloads, it now has a truly polished release for everyone. Both Mac and Windows gamers can now queue up demos and full games, whether it's from a browser at work or from the Steam mobile app. Appropriately, Valve will let you reinstall games as well as start downloading a purchase as soon as the credit card clears. Either way, it'll guaranteed that your new copy of Bastion or that attempt to relive your Quake nostalgia will be ready when you get home. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Visualized: Arduino gets super-sized ahead of Maker Faire Posted: 17 May 2012 02:25 AM PDT
This is Make's John Edgar Park, manfully clutching his Arduino Grande. The oversized device isn't just for show though, it's a fully working unit for those projects where a standard sized PCB just won't do. He'll be taking excited modders though the process of building it at Maker Faire on Saturday, just head over to the demo stage at 5:30pm with your pre-written Super Size Me jokes close to hand. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Toyota turns to Nintendo DS as in-car GPS remote, won't guide you to Princess Peach Posted: 17 May 2012 01:55 AM PDT
Let's say you liked adding GPS to your Nintendo DS. How about adding a Nintendo DS to your GPS? Toyota is trying just that through a new Smart Navi GPS unit in its Estima Hybrid minivan that will let passengers control the mapping system. Load up the Bluetooth-equipped Kuruma de DS cartridge and you can enter directions from the back seat instead of waiting for the driver's next chance at a red light. The automaker is also hoping to cut the "are we there yet?" levels of ennui to a minimum by providing trivia questions, hand-drawn map notes and a surfeit of tourist info. Mii characters speak out text information, and you can even use the car as a speaker system in the event your Starfox game needs that much more audio immersion. Estima buyers can get the new Smart Navi and Kuruma de DS in Japan on June 1st, although the $2,586 equivalent price for the GPS, the $92 cartridge and the cost of the Nintendo console itself might be too rich when you don't need a navigator to tell you that the princess is in another castle. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Gmail and iPhone alums create Electric Imp, connect your toaster to the web Posted: 17 May 2012 01:23 AM PDT
Have you ever wanted to preheat your oven while on the way home from work, or start your sprinklers while vacationing, only to remember you don't have the spare loot lying around for a network of smart appliances? A recent startup (that somehow eluded Kickstarter) called Electric Imp is about to make your wireless control / monitoring fantasies a reality with its soon-to-be-released, $25 web interface. It works much like an Eye-Fi card, and communicates with cloud services as well as other connected devices like your Android or iPhone via WiFi. The company is working hard to get the slots that work with the cards into many of the machines that we usually don't link up to the good ol' www -- but have often wanted to -- and it hopes to have everything in place later this year. This all sounds like a great deal right now, but just wait until your washing machine gets hacked and starts using scalding water on all your darks and delicates. More info at the source. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| I'm Watch creator explains order fulfillment process, offers 15 percent discount for your patience Posted: 17 May 2012 01:04 AM PDT
We all know that Android 1.6 isn't getting any newer, but it's now clear that customers pining for the I'm Watch will need to dig deeply and muster a final bit of tolerance. According to the Italian smartwatch creator, it's made a few changes to the device, primarily to allow for greater application compatibility -- hopefully this means something other than a stale Donut. As for delivery, the company will send out 300 I'm Watches by June 15th and will then use the next month to solicit feedback and conduct final tests. By July 15th, the company will resume delivery for its outstanding orders and expects to fulfill all current orders no later than September 15th. Customers who'd prefer to back out from the deal will have until July 15th to apply for a refund from the company, and as a goodwill gesture, it's offering a 15 percent discount for all those willing to endure the wait. For the complete details, just hop the break. [Thanks, Darrell]
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| Club Jameco borrows from Etsy and Kickstarter, lets DIYers design, sell and buy project kits Posted: 17 May 2012 12:41 AM PDT
Though electronics hobbyists may not have the same resources that the Maker Sheds of the world have to design, package and sell do-it-yourself kits, electronics component distributor Jameco plans to change that. With Club Jameco, enthusiasts can pitch their kit ideas to the electronic component wizards in Belmont, CA and if a project is deemed viable for production, they'll be provided with feedback and have their idea posted for public comment. After the creation of step-by-step kit instructions, a list of materials and undergoing final approval, kits will be sold to the adoring masses. Once projects roll off production lines and into garages, creators will be paid royalties anywhere from five to ten percent based on quarterly sales. Aside from giving DIYers another sales avenue, it's also an opportunity for those who've been wary of piecing together projects to finally dive in sans the added fuss. Hankering to propose a bundle of your own? Per usual, all the particulars can be found in the source link below. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nielsen: Americans have 28 percent more mobile apps in 2012, look down on the web with disdain Posted: 17 May 2012 12:22 AM PDT
It's not hard to see that Americans love their mobile apps, and Nielsen can now tell us by how much. The average US smartphone owner circa mid-2012 now brandishes 41 apps, a pretty hefty 28 percent increase from a year earlier. They're preferring native apps to the web, as well: they're more likely to spend time with that direct port of Cut the Rope than the HTML5 version. Along with reminding us that smartphone owners are now in the majority in the country, Nielsen has added that there's a total of 84 million Android and iOS users in the US, or more than double what we saw just a year ago. We're a bit disappointed that the figures mostly exclude BlackBerry and Windows Phone owners, although they still paint a picture of a country that's entirely comfortable in its smartphone shoes. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hillcrest Labs open sources Kylo web browser for TVs, hopes the people want one Posted: 17 May 2012 12:02 AM PDT
We didn't hear much from Hillcrest Labs' Kylo web browser for TVs after it launched in 2010, but now the company is apparently turning its fate over to the community. A Mozilla-based browser, Kylo will work with any mouse but is designed specifically for its Freespace pointer controls. It's available under the Mozilla Public License which means others can use it for commercial products, but so far web connected products have been slow to take off and even Google TV has had trouble pushing a typical browser experience on HDTVs. Interested devs can snag the code at Kylo.tv or GitHub, we'll see if anyone builds anything with more market impact. Hillcrest Labs Turns Kylo® Web Browser for TV Over to Open Source Community - Enables Developers to Innovate and Create New TV Browsers and Applications - ROCKVILLE, Md., May 15, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Hillcrest Labs today announced that it has released the source code for the award-winning Kylo® Web browser to the open source community for the first time. Kylo is a free, Mozilla-based TV browser uniquely designed to view online content on TVs connected to the Internet. When used with a Freespace® pointer, like Hillcrest's award-winning Scoop™, Kylo makes it easy to surf the Web, watch online video and play casual point-and-click Internet games, whether in the living room, family room, bedroom or dorm room. It is compatible with the Mac OS® and Windows®. Hillcrest will provide the Kylo source code under the Mozilla Public License (MPL) 2.0 to enable developers to create new and different versions that extend its features and enables new uses. As such, developers can copy, modify and redistribute the Kylo platform and source code without a separate commercial license, and without paying royalties or fees. Hillcrest will remain active in the future development and support of the Kylo browser for TV. The open source version of Kylo is available for free via download at GitHub and www.kylo.tv. "Releasing Kylo to the open source community is a natural progression for the TV browser," said Steve Scheirey, vice president of TV software and services at Hillcrest Labs. "Kylo has always been a distinct initiative apart from our core Freespace business. By releasing Kylo's source code, we expect to see new innovations and product enhancements from a much broader development community." The Kylo Web browser was specifically developed for browsing and viewing the Web on a TV screen using a Freespace or other pointing device. Primary applications include dedicated home theatre PCs (HTPCs), laptops and ultrabooks with HDMI connectivity, and digital media players using Windows or Mac operating systems. Kylo is not meant to replace traditional browsers such as Internet Explorer®, Safari® or Firefox® for "2-foot use" on standard computer display screens. Unlike other applications or websites, Kylo does not offer a "walled garden" of aggregated video content. Instead, it is a fully featured Web browser that lets users browse the open Internet. Compared to conventional browsers, the Kylo browser provides more onscreen viewing space with less visual clutter; larger fonts and buttons for easy navigation from across the room; an easy-to-use onscreen keyboard; and zoom-and-pan capability for enhanced viewing. The Kylo Web browser for TV works with any mouse, but is ideal for use with a Freespace-enabled in-air pointing and motion control device. Hillcrest licenses its Freespace motion software and IP under separate commercial terms. Companies that have licensed Hillcrest's Freespace technology for use in their products include: LG Electronics, Logitech, Roku, SMK Electronics, Sony Computer Entertainment Inc., Universal Electronics (UEI), Eastman Kodak and others. Announced earlier this year, the new WarpiaTV browser is powered by Kylo, and features a Freespace-enabled wireless motion controller. A custom OEM version of Kylo is also featured in ASUS' Xtion media center for PCs. Hillcrest's remote control OEM partners, including UEI and SMK Electronics, are licensed to produce Freespace remote controls, which are ideal for use with Kylo. Hillcrest has received numerous awards and recognitions including the prestigious CES Innovations Honoree Award multiple times, EE Times' ACE Award, PC World's 100 Best Products and Greatest Tech Designs, Popular Mechanics' Editors Choice, ECN's Reader's Choice Tech, and many others. Additional information about Hillcrest's broad portfolio of natural motion control products is available at: www.hillcrestlabs.com. Follow Hillcrest on Facebook at www.facebook.com/HillcrestLabs or Twitter at @HillcrestLabs. About Hillcrest Labs Hillcrest Labs, Kylo, Freespace, and MotionEngine are trademarks of Hillcrest Laboratories, Inc. All company names and other trademarks remain property of their respective owners. SOURCE Hillcrest Labs | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Posted: 16 May 2012 11:43 PM PDT
Canadians sometimes can't catch a break: while NFC payments have been relatively common for Americans, Europeans and certainly the Japanese, Canucks have had to largely make do paying with ye olde credit carde. Rogers and national bank CIBC want to put an end to these antediluvian ways: starting later this year, CIBC card holders will just need to swipe an NFC-equipped BlackBerry like the Bold 9900 (Bold 9930 for CDMA-loving Americans) at a matching terminal to pay at a given store. The only special requirement is a secure SIM card that gives customers the freedom to change phones, even if it does create problems switching banks or carriers down the line. We're just hoping that Android and other platforms get the same treatment and let more of our Canadian friends pay for poutine that much faster. CIBC and Rogers Unveil the Future of Mobile Payments in Canada Announce plans to launch the first, secure mobile payment solution of its kind to Canadians TORONTO, May 15, 2012 /CNW/ - CIBC and Rogers Communications today announced an agreement to launch Canada's first joint mobile payment solution, allowing Canadians to pay with their CIBC credit card at the checkout counter using their Rogers "Near Field Communications" (NFC) enabled smartphone. Beginning later this year, customers will be able to use this payment capability at merchants across Canada where contactless credit card payments are accepted. This announcement represents the first time a bank and a wireless carrier have joined forces to offer a commercially available mobile payments solution to Canadians that leverages the secure SIM card inside an NFC-enabled Rogers smartphone. This new solution aligns to guidelines announced yesterday by the Canadian Bankers Association for mobile payments in Canada, as well as those developed by respected international associations such as the GSM Association (GSMA), the association of mobile operators and related companies dedicated to standardizing and supporting GSM technology. "As the leader in delivering mobile financial services innovations in Canada, we are pleased to introduce yet another innovation in the market that will shape the payments experience of the future," commented David Williamson, Senior Executive Vice President, Retail and Business Banking, CIBC. "By teaming with Rogers, CIBC clients will soon enjoy the convenience of paying at the checkout with their mobile device while enjoying the existing benefits of their CIBC credit card, including loyalty rewards." "Canadians are embracing new technologies at an accelerated pace and we know they're interested in using their smartphone for mobile payments," said Rob Bruce, President of Communications, Rogers Communications. "We've been laying the foundation for mobile commerce and the ecosystem is ready to give Canadians the convenience, security, and peace of mind they deserve," said Bruce. "Today's announcement with CIBC represents an important first step toward a whole new world of mobile transactions which is a key growth area for the company." Some of the key features of the new mobile payments solution include: Full access to a client's existing CIBC credit cards on their smartphone at no extra cost - whether Visa or MasterCard - this gives clients the opportunity to earn loyalty points on purchases as they do today. MasterCard's Mobile Payments Readiness Index ranks Canada ahead of the United States and second out of 34 countries. A key finding emphasizes that partnerships among the key players in the mobile payments ecosystem - financial institutions, payment networks, telcos, governments, technology providers - are essential to accelerate the commercialization of mobile payments. Today's announcement builds on CIBC's leadership position in delivering mobile innovations to clients. CIBC was the first bank in Canada to launch a mobile banking App in 2010, and more recently became the first bank in Canada to deliver an App that allows clients to trade stocks on their mobile device through the CIBC Mobile Brokerage App. The bank also offers the CIBC Home Advisor App, free to all Canadian homebuyers, giving them access to information about housing prices and other key neighbourhood data in an area they may be considering. CIBC was named "Best in Mobile Banking" globally by Global Finance magazine in 2011. In 2002, Rogers launched its GSM wireless network, and last year was the first carrier in Canada to launch LTE, bringing the largest and fastest network and a global wireless standard to Canada. Today's announcement builds on this foundation of world-class networks, Rogers history of innovation and mobile commerce expertise, specifically in the area of mobile proximity payments. Over the past six years, Rogers has worked with the GSM Association, including the "Pay-buy-Mobile" initiative to get industry standard payment cards - like MasterCard or Visa - on industry standard GSM devices. In the past year, the GSM Association further named Rogers as one of many operators worldwide committed to SIM-based NFC solutions and services. "The GSMA congratulate CIBC and Rogers on the launch of their mobile NFC services and we look forward to many more markets following Canada's lead in bringing exciting and interoperable NFC services to life," said Anne Bouverot, Director General, GSMA. "This is the year when mobile NFC is set to take off and the GSMA will continue to support our members around the world who will be launching their mobile NFC services later this year." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| HTC confirms One X multitasking tweaks in Sense 4 Posted: 16 May 2012 11:19 PM PDT
There's been quite a bit of brouhaha over at xda-developers lately about changes HTC's made to the way multitasking behaves on the One X compared to stock Ice Cream Sandwich. We're not just talking about obvious UI tweaks here -- Sense 4's horizontal, card-like arrangement vs. Android 4.0's default vertical list -- but actual differences in memory and task management. While we're not running into any problems with our One X review unit, some users have noticed that background app are getting terminated too aggressively, so we reached out to HTC for comment. Here's what the company said:
There you have it. HTC's definitely implemented some multitasking tweaks on handsets running Sense 4. Perhaps this is why battery life is so impressive on AT&T's One X? While we don't believe this is going to be an issue for most people, there's always the option of installing custom ROMs now that the phone's been rooted. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Apple slips out new OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion beta, leaves 2007 MacBook Pro in a momentary lurch Posted: 16 May 2012 10:32 PM PDT
Apple looks to be stepping up the frequency of OS X Mountain Lion beta updates after initially keeping the pace slow and steady: it just posted a new, unceremoniously titled 12A206J build for developers. What the update fixes in the Developer Preview isn't clear, but there are still glitches with Fast User Switching, Java applets, sharing menus and Notes syncing with iTunes, among a handful of other showstoppers. There's also a major heads-up for those who own mid-2007 MacBook Pros, as they can't properly run Mountain Lion at all until another update. We wouldn't be surprised if there's another fix in store ahead of WWDC next month, and there's still all of the summer left for Apple to put the final polish on the OS and make its release target. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Plastic Logic shutters US offices, gets out of making its own e-readers Posted: 16 May 2012 10:11 PM PDT
Plastic Logic has something of a rollercoaster history, having had to drop the QUE proReader before it even shipped and getting a $700 million cash injection that ultimately swung its attention to Russian schoolchildren. Unfortunately, the UK company's dreams of a self-branded e-reader are closing down along with its US branch. About 40 jobs are being cut in Mountain View, California, along with a smaller amount at its still-active British, German and Russian offices. The reduced headcount swings the focus to supplying e-paper screens to other companies, several of which are currently in talks. We're never fans of job cuts, but there is a silver lining to this cloud: the company's new flexible color e-reader screen could show up in more devices than it would have otherwise. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Google bots learning to read webpages like humans, one step closer to knowing everything Posted: 16 May 2012 09:36 PM PDT
Google just launched its Knowledge Graph, a tool intended to deliver more accurate information by analyzing the way users search. Of course, with a desire to provide better search results comes a need for improved site-reading capabilities. JavaScript and AJAX have traditionally put a wrench in Google bots' journey through a webpage, but it looks like the search engine has developed some smarter specimens. While digging through Apache logs, a developer spotted evidence that bots now execute the JavaScript they encounter -- and rather than just mining for URLS, the crawlers seem to be mimicking how users click on objects to activate them. That means bots can dig deeper into the web, accessing databases and other content that wasn't previously indexable. Looks like Google is one step closer to success on its quest to know everything. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sony NEX-F3 and A37 cameras hands-on and sample shots Posted: 16 May 2012 09:00 PM PDT
Sony's newest NEX and DSLR have already graced these pages -- albeit in decidedly unofficial fashion -- but the time has come for this duo of shooters to be revealed to the world with the blessing of their maker. In case you didn't catch the earlier leaks, the NEX-F3 is the replacement for the much-beloved NEX-C3 as the entry-level ILC from Sony, while the A37 slots in the same place in the company's Alpha DSLR lineup. Sony's also rolling out fresh glass for each this July, in the form of an E-mount 18-200mm, F3.5-6.3 zoom lens for $850, and an 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 A-mount telephoto unit that'll set you back $500. Both the NEX-F3 and A37 will come with kit 18-55mm lenses and cost $600 when they go on sale in June, which makes them quite competitively priced as compared to their competition. An enviable pricing position, to be sure, but can they deliver the imaging goods? Well, we spent time with each on a tour of San Francisco recently, so join us after the break for our impressions and some sample photos. As we said above, the NEX-F3 is replacing the C3 at the low end of the NEX lineup, which means it has some pretty big shoes to fill. The new model differs from the old in a few important ways. First off, it comes in three colors (black, white and silver) and the F3's grip has hit the gym, and now looks and feels like a cross between the grip found on the NEX-5 and NEX-7. That means the shutter button is on the downward sloping portion on top of the grip, as opposed to the top of the camera, and we found the new design to be a distinct improvement from its predecessor. It was easier to maintain a solid hold on the F3 than on our own C3, plus the two-stage shutter button was in a more finger-friendly position, making it a joy to use. The power switch has stayed on top, separate from the shutter, and sports a new design that we didn't like as much as the toggle on our C3 -- the switch is oriented 90 degrees down from the C3's, which made it a bit awkward for us to operate with our thumb. Other exterior changes include: round, spun metal secondary buttons, a built in pop-up flash and a new screen hinge that rotates the rear display upwards 180 degrees to help out Anyone who's used the NEX cameras will instantly feel at home with the F3, as the user interface is identical to its brethren. The NEX-F3 does have a couple new tricks up its sleeve, though. There's an Auto Portrait Framing feature that automatically crops your photos to make the resulting composition obey the rule of thirds, and boosts it back to full resolution using Sony's By Pixel Super Resolution technology. The tech works by analyzing the picture's pixels to find and match patterns using Sony's vast, proprietary database (which is loaded on the camera) to fill in the blanks. Generally, we were able to get some very good results with the F3, and we certainly enjoyed the reach that Sony's new 18-200mm lens affords. That said, the resulting photos aren't appreciably different from what you get with a C3, so unless you absolutely must have 1080p video and are incapable of properly composing portraits on your own, we can't see upgrading. However, if you're looking to ditch your old point-and-shoot to dip your toe into the mirrorless ILC waters, you won't be disappointed with F3. Meanwhile, the A37 joins the A77, A65 and A57 in Sony's DSLR lineup. Like the NEX-F3, it's got a 16.1 megapixel APS-C sensor, only with 100-16,000 ISO capabilities (the F3's lower limit is 200 ISO). It also shoots 1920 x 1080 60i and 24p videos, and can snaps stills at up to 7fps at 8 megapixels or 5.5fps if you want the full 16.1-megapixel treatment. As with other Alphas, it utilizes Sony's Translucent Mirror Technology, which -- in tandem with Sony's phase detection tech that predicts your subject's motion -- enables it to maintain smooth focus while shooting video. It also packs the same object tracking and 15-point autofocus capability found in the A65, plus the Auto Portrait Framing technology mentioned above in a lightweight, one pound package. Speaking of that package, the A37 really fit well in our hands, and despite its bantam weight, it felt solidly constructed. The textured and formed grip fit our phalanges perfectly, and it's light frame was easy to handle. Both the EVF and tilting 2.7-inch LCD on the back worked beautifully for framing shots, letting us enjoy our brief time with the A37. Admittedly, we were more comfortable using the F3 -- not a surprise given that our primary camera is a NEX-C3. Overall, the A37 is a nice option for those looking for their first DSLR. At $600, the price is $100 less than a Nikon D3200 and $50 more than a Canon T3, but you get a higher-res sensor and greater ISO range than either (update: the D3200 has a higher resolution, thanks commenters!). The deciding factor, of course, is in the photographic results. In that respect, we think the A37 acquits itself rather well, but we'll let you see our results in the gallery below and make that call for yourself. Sony Introduces Speedy α37 Camera with Full-time Continuous AF Powered by Translucent Mirror Technology New Model Features High-Quality 16.1MP APS-C Image Sensor, up to 7 fps Shooting, High- Resolution Electronic Viewfinder and more SAN DIEGO, May 16, 2012 – Lightweight, easy to use and packed with a variety of useful features, the new Sony SLT-A37 camera is an ideal choice for consumers eager to explore the world of interchangeable lens DSLR photography. The camera has a precision 3-cross 15-point AF system with tracking autofocus that keeps faces and fast-moving subjects in sharp focus. From action-packed sports to spontaneous family portraits, it will ensure that all the drama and beauty of that special moment is captured. "Delivering lightning-fast shooting speeds and autofocus plus advanced full HD video capture, our innovative Translucent Mirror Technology continues to serve as the backbone of our A-mount line of cameras," said Mike Kahn, director of the Alpha business at Sony. "Featuring this unique technology plus a host of exciting new features and an attractive price tag, our new α37 camera brings a whole new meaning to the term 'entry level DSLR'." Framing and focusing is easy with the camera's high-resolution Tru-Finder™ electronic viewfinder. With a high 1440k dot resolution, excellent contrast and 100% field of view, it matches or exceeds the abilities of many optical viewfinders. Adjustments to exposure and other creative picture settings can be previewed in real time, either via the Tru-Finder™ EVF or the tilt-angle 6.7 cm (2.7") Clear Photo™ LCD screen, making it easy to create shots with a customized, professional finish. Additionally, the Sony α37 camera helps inexperienced photographers create top-quality portraits with ease. The new Auto Portrait Framing mode identifies the subject's position in a composed image and follows the "rule of thirds" to trim the scene and create a beautifully framed portrait. The cropped photo is then boosted to full resolution using Sony's unique By Pixel Super Resolution technology, which uses pattern matching to maintain superb image detail, tones and textures in the photo. Both the original and cropped image files are saved for review. By Pixel Super Resolution Technology is also used for the "Clear Image Zoom" feature, which digitally doubles the effective magnification of any lens attached to the camera. Ideal for travel and everyday shooting, it's a great way to boost maximum focal length without carrying extra hardware. The 16.1 effective megapixel Exmor® APS HD CMOS sensor inside the α37 camera captures finely detailed, low noise stills and Full HD video. It's teamed with the latest BIONZ® image processor that extends sensitivity to an ISO 100-16000 range, broadening options for low-light shooting without flash. Shared with all α A-mount cameras, SteadyShot INSIDE™ stabilization cuts the effects of camera shake by up to 4.0 stops for clearer handheld images with any A-mount lens. The new α37 camera also features Superior Auto Mode, which intelligently recognizes a wide range of scenes and subjects and adjusts settings automatically. New A-Mount 18-135mm Telephoto Zoom Lens and Accessories A versatile match for the α37 and other Sony A-mount camera bodies, the new SAL18135 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 telephoto zoom offers a generous 8x (approx.) zoom range in a compact, go-anywhere lens that's great for travel, street photography and everyday shooting. The lens features a SAM design that assures smooth, rapid, whisper-quiet autofocus operation and Direct Manual Focus for accurate fine-tuning of focus. This sharp telephoto zoom lens will also be offered as a kit lens with the α37 and other Sony A-mount camera bodies. Compatible accessories include the new PCK-LM11 semi-hard screen protector sheet, exclusively designed for a perfect fit with the LCD screen on the α37 camera, as well as the HVL-F43AM flash, LCS-BP2 backpack and a variety of other exciting products that complete the Alpha ecosystem. Pricing and Availability The new α37 digital camera will be available this June with an 18-55mm kit zoom lens (model SEL1855) for about $600. The new SAL18135 telephoto zoom lens will be available as a stand-alone product this July for about $500, and will be offered as a kit lens with Sony A-mount cameras beginning this August at the below approximate prices: The camera kits, new lens and variety of accessories will be available at Sony retail stores (www.store.sony.com) and other authorized dealers nationwide. Sony's New α NEX-F3 Camera Packs DSLR-Size Sensor and Advanced Feature Set into Small, Stylish Body Lightweight Model Features 16.1 Megapixel APS-C Sensor, 180° Tiltable LCD, Built-in Flash, Auto Portrait Framing and more SAN DIEGO, May 16, 2012 – Sony's α NEX-F3 digital camera delivers professional quality photos with a compact, pocket-sized body, allowing consumers to explore the creative world of high-quality, interchangeable lens photography in a refreshingly fun and entertaining way. The new NEX-F3 camera features the same space-saving mirrorless design as other models in Sony's E-mount family as well as an advanced, 16.1 effective megapixel Exmor™ APS HD CMOS sensor, identical in size to sensors found in traditional DSLR cameras. The large sensor takes in more light during image capture, resulting in flawless, low-noise photographs and crisply detailed Full HD videos (60i/24p). Photographers can also easily create images with beautiful defocus effects, where the subject is focused sharply against a smoothly blurred background. "Sony continues to redefine digital photography with our E-mount series, packing a large APS-C size sensor into a small, lightweight camera body to produce professional-quality images with ease," said Mike Kahn, director of the Alpha business at Sony. "Featuring a diverse set of imaging technologies and offered at a great price, the new NEX-F3 model reinforces our commitment to this rapidly growing compact system camera market." The NEX-F3 camera adds a whole new perspective to self-portraits with a 180° Tiltable LCD screen, a first for Sony's E-mount camera line. By simply holding the camera at arm's length and flipping the LCD screen vertically, users can adjust the on-screen preview image and properly frame photos. The new NEX-F3 camera also includes the new Auto Portrait Framing feature for creating top-quality portraits quickly and easily. This innovative feature identifies a subject's position in a composed image, and follows the "rule of thirds" to trim the scene appropriately around the subject's face, creating a beautifully composed portrait. The cropped portrait is then boosted to full resolution using Sony's unique By Pixel Super Resolution technology, which uses pattern matching to maintain superb image detail, tones and textures in the photo. Both the original and cropped image files are saved for review. By Pixel Super Resolution Technology is also used for the "Clear Image Zoom" feature, which digitally doubles the effective magnification of any lens attached to the camera. Ideal for travel and everyday shooting, it's a great way to boost maximum focal length without carrying extra hardware. New Lightweight 18-200mm Telephoto Zoom Lens for Sony α NEX An ideal travel partner for the NEX-F3 camera, the new SEL18200LE E18-200mm F3.5-6.3 OSS LE telezoom lens offers a powerful 11x zoom range and superb resolution in an easy-to-carry package. Smaller and 12% lighter than the SEL18200 lens, the new E-mount model features Optical SteadyShot to compensate for the effects of hand-shake. It also features Direct Manual Focus to give users precise control over focus settings, resulting in crisp, beautiful images. Pricing and Availability The new NEX-F3 compact digital camera will be available this June in silver, black and white with an 18-55mm kit zoom lens (model SEL1855) for about $600. The new SEL18200LE telezoom lens will be available this July in black for about $850. The camera kit, new lens and a variety of compatible accessories including the LCS-EJC3 carrying case, STP-XSG1 shoulder strap and STP-WS2 wrist strap will be available at Sony retail stores (www.store.sony.com) and other authorized dealers nationwide | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| LG's Optimus LTE II ships this week in Korea, nails down a few more specs Posted: 16 May 2012 08:27 PM PDT
Just in case the world forgot which phone was first with 2GB of RAM, LG has pushed out another press release for its Optimus LTE II which ships this week in Korea, just as promised. The detailed specs reveal this version ships with a 4.7-inch True HD IPS LCD, and while many of its specs (8MP camera, 1.5GHz dual-core CPU) are identical to its predecessor, it weighs in at an extra 10g, likely owing to the larger 2,150mAh battery. As mentioned previously it also has support for wireless charging and, naturally, the Optimus UI 3.0 detailed earlier. There's still no word on when we'll see this one outside of Korea but for now a few specs and pictures will have to hold us over. LG'S MOST POWERFUL LTE SMARTPHONE UNVEILED IN KOREA | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| NTT DoCoMo's Galaxy S III to ship with 2GB RAM? Posted: 16 May 2012 07:53 PM PDT
Ah, Japan. That far east country what begot Mario most always gets to profit from the industry's more delightful excesses. This time, however, the spoils have less to do with gaming flash and more to do with smartphone specs. In a document recently released by NTT DoCoMo, the carrier's upcoming dual-core Galaxy S III variant is listed as doubling up on the available RAM, bypassing the standard 1GB announced at its official unveiling. It's not the first time we've seen an OEM shoot for the silicone stars, considering LG's headline-stealing Optimus LTE2 and monstrous LS970, so the swap could be likely. Nothing's set in stone quite yet, but given this is Samsung's flagship wünderphone, we doubt the company wants to be caught playing in its Korean rival's forward-looking wake. |
In addition to the external changes, the F3 has picked up a new, 16.1-megapixel APS-C sensor that one-ups the C3's max 12,800 ISO with 16,000 ISO capabilities. It can take 1920 x 1080 videos at 60fps interlaced or 24fps progressive, whereas the C3 can only shoot in 720p. Unlike the C3, the new NEX is compatible with Sony's OLED external viewfinder attachment, and comes with a 1.5-amp USB charger instead of a separate external battery charger (now sold separately). Unfortunately, the camera is unusable while it's juicing up, but because it's got the same cell as the C3, you can still use your old charger if you decide to upgrade. And, Sony claims that the F3 is much more efficient with electricity -- it can get 470 shots per charge, up from 400 in the C3.
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