Wednesday, June 2, 2010

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Project Natal retail unit revealed at D8?

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Google: Chrome OS launching this fall

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White iPhone 4 casing shows up in yet more photos

By Nilay Patel posted Jun 2nd 2010 at 2:32PM

Steve Jobs didn't seem too upset over the story of the lost / stolen iPhone 4 last night at D8, so we're sure he won't mind that yet more parts for his next-gen phone have leaked out -- this time PowerBookMedic.com has scored the white version of the casing. As usual, the Engadget staff is now in a fierce and somewhat disturbingly violent debate over the relative style merits of black and white iPhones, so don't look for us to get much done for the rest of the day. Many more pics at the source link.

sourcePowerBook Medic

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Lego printer writes 'Hello World' with felt-tipped pen (video)

By Joseph L. Flatley posted Jun 2nd 2010 at 2:10PM

We've seen some pretty amazing Lego creations over the years, and this has to be one of our favorites. (Or at least, one of today's favorites.) A YouTuber named "horseattack" has assembled a Lego printer that uses little more than a felt tip pen to greet us all with a hearty "Hello World" (although we're sure it can write other stuff as well). And no sir, this isn't a Mindstorm kit... the design, coding, and construction are all from scratch. See for yourself after the break.

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Wired

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Microsoft responds to Google moving away from Windows, calls it ironic

By Nilay Patel posted Jun 2nd 2010 at 1:47PM

Google made some waves earlier this week by reportedly moving employees off of Windows and onto Mac OS X and Linux machines -- although the company wouldn't confirm the switch, the move was said to be precipitated by security issues after Chinese hackers attacked the search giant back in January. Now, that wasn't the only reason mentioned in the report -- Google apparently also wants employees to use home-grown products like Chrome OS, and it's sort of weird for Google to buy tons of software licenses from a major competitor -- but the implication that Windows isn't secure enough for Google seems to have raised Microsoft's hackles: a new post on the Windows Team Blog says the irony of the move is "hard to overlook" as Gmail and Google Docs have privacy and security issues of their own, offers a point-by-point breakdown of all the ways Windows 7 is more secure than the competition, and goes on to suggest that a recent piece of shady Mac OS X malware is "a future sign of things to come for Apple and security." Meow. Now, we honestly think the real story is as simple as Google not wanting to write Microsoft a really big check, but we're not going to say no to a little fight here -- Eric, Steve, you have anything to say?

sourceWindows Team Blog

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Latest Android stats show pre-2.1 versions still reign supreme

By Chris Ziegler posted Jun 2nd 2010 at 1:24PM

Fragmentation's a red herring, eh, Google? We'd suggest you look at your own stats, where -- as of yesterday, anyway -- fragmentation was alive and well, no matter how you define it. In the two-week period of Google's data collection ending June 1, some 54.5 percent of devices in the field were still using pre-Eclair versions of Android, a pretty sorry stat considering that it was released back in late 2009 and xda-developers members have proven countless times that every Android phone ever made can run 2.0 and above with aplomb. To be fair, 2.1 picked up significant steam since the last roundup and the trailing devices aren't entirely Google's fault -- manufacturers and carriers need to take most of the blame for the delays in getting upgrades pushed out -- but it's Google's wild development pace that has left this trail of premature obsolescence in its wake. Upgrades are good, but necessitating that your development community has its eyeballs on at least four versions of your platform (1.5, 1.6, 2.1, and 2.2) is generally bad.

Android Police

sourceAndroid Developers

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Project Natal retail unit revealed at D8?

By Joshua Topolsky posted Jun 2nd 2010 at 1:00PM

Breaking News

16diggsdiggHey -- you know Microsoft's Project Natal? Well we've just gotten an up close look at what appears to be the retail version (though it's clearly marked a developer unit). We couldn't storm the stage while Walt and Kara (and her son!) were showing it off, but no one seemed to mind that we took a load of these shots for your perusal. Check out gallery below for more pics!

Project Natal retail unit revealed at D8

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D8

AT&T users can keep $30 unlimited data when upgrading phones... unless they want tethering

By Chris Ziegler posted Jun 2nd 2010 at 12:56PM

10diggsdigg There's naturally been a ton of feedback in the past few hours on AT&T's new data pricing strategy, and the company has been responding to comments all morning over on its Facebook page; one of the key tidbits that's come out of the discussion so far is that folks on the current $30 smartphone data plan will be able to keep that plan when upgrading hardware. Translation: yes, you'll be able to get a new iPhone without switching to the $25 / 2GB DataPro plan if you so choose. What you won't be able to do, though, is keep the $30 plan and add on the $20 tethering option -- tethering specifically requires DataPro, so your hopes and dreams of a soft 5GB cap are quashed (unless you want to pay $30 for 3GB of overage, of course).
On a related note, we've been tipped that some folks' iPad orders from Apple have been pushed back to June 7 -- an interesting coincidence, considering that's when DataPlus and DataPro go live. If true, it's likely so that Apple can pre-install new orders with updated software for managing the new plans, but it's also a preemptive strike against a horde of people trying to grandfather into the $30 plan over the next few days.
[Thanks, John and Aaron]

MacDaddyNews

sourceFacebook (via AT&T)

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Kindle going nationwide in Target stores on June 6

By Paul Miller posted Jun 2nd 2010 at 12:34PM

Still waiting to see a Kindle in the wild before you pull the trigger? Hate shopping online? Need to pick up some toilet paper and a huge barrel of pretzels? You're in luck, because Amazon's finally going to be spreading Kindles out in retail nationwide through Target stores. After a trial run in April that got the e-reader into Target's flagship store and 102 brightly lit retail paradises in south Florida, the $259 e-ink device will be available all over as of June 6th. The press release points out that the Kindle is still Amazon's bestselling product, and we can't see a retail push like this hurting its prospects -- though with rumors flying about an imminent Kindle update, it might not be the absolute best time to buy. PR is after the break.

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I2T security camera generates searchable text transcript in real-time

By Joseph L. Flatley posted Jun 2nd 2010 at 12:13PM

Researchers in California have developed a prototype camera called I2T that can capture video, parse out the background, analyze the action, and then export the content to a text file "that can be searched using simple text search," according to Song-Chun Zhu, lead researcher and professor of statistics and computer science at UCLA. Using a database of over two million images, the system is pretty good at annotating surveillance footage, which generally relies on a static camera. Before the technology can be commercialized, however, they need to significantly expand the database. "If set loose on random images or videos found online," writes Technology Review, the camera would "struggle to perform." If Song-Chun Zhu is interested, we have a library of Greatest American Hero images we can donate to the cause (they're left over from our other blog, GreatestAmericanHeroFanfiction.blogspot.com). Check out the links below to see it in action. [Warning: PDF source link]

Technology Review (article), (video)

sourceUCLA

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Microsoft Windows Embedded Compact 7 explained, trial download now available

By Donald Melanson posted Jun 2nd 2010 at 11:51AM

Microsoft certainly made a bit of splash at Computex with the introduction of Windows Embedded Compact 7, but it's not necessarily the easiest thing to wrap your head around right off the bat (or say three times fast). Thankfully, Microsoft has now come through with a site that explains the new OS in detail (complete with videos), and a trial download that will let you get a sneak peek at it yourself. The short of it is that the OS is aimed at devices that don't need or aren't well suited to the full-fledged Windows 7 (or Windows Phone 7, for that matter) -- like the Eee Pad pictured above -- which, incidentally, seems to address one of the major concerns from folks like NVIDIA CEO Jen-Hsun Huang. That added simplicity also means that the OS won't run regular Windows applications -- it is a successor to Windows CE, after all -- but Microsoft does at least promise a "streamlined developer experience." That's not to say the OS isn't capable in its own right, though -- it boasts a full-range of media playback capabilities (including MPEG-4 and HD video), built-in support for Silverlight for Windows Embedded and Flash 10.1, a customized version of Internet Explorer with full multitouch, support for Open GL ES 2.0, support for the latest ARM v7 architectures and, of course, "seamless" integration with Windows 7, to name just a few highlights. Still hungry for more details? Then hit up the source link for the complete rundown and Microsoft's videos, and for all the information you need to download the preview release.

sourceMicrosoft Windows Embedded Compact 7

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Steve Jobs at D8: Foxconn, iPhone prototype, TVs, and more

By Ross Miller posted Jun 2nd 2010 at 11:25AM

In case you hadn't heard, Steve Jobs got downright conversational last night at D8, riffing on questions from Walt, Kara, and the attending audience of elites. You can hit up the entire liveblog for a timestamped play by play, or browse through some of the highlights below.

  • Steve Jobs live from D8
  • Steve Jobs' D8 interview: the video highlights
  • On TV: 'no one wants to buy a box'
  • On Foxconn: 'We're all over this'
  • On lost iPhone 4G prototype: it's an 'amazing' story
  • iPhone OS 'started on a tablet'
  • 'There might be' advantages to two iPhone carriers in US

Steve Jobs live from D8

We put some extra scintillating quotes after the break to shield the eyes of your children. Just a note, however: all of these are paraphrased quotes typed live as Steve was speaking, and not to be construed as the verbatim Word of Steve Jobs, though the gist is certainly there.

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Sonic acquires DivX to expand online movie delivery options, share of Kazaa downloads

By Richard Lawler posted Jun 2nd 2010 at 11:04AM

13diggsdiggJust because Sonic shifted its CinemaNow name into the care of Best Buy, don't think it's taking a break from working digital movie delivery options into every device it can. To that end it's purchased DivX, formerly a name you knew only as an illegal download enabling codec, but is now a legitimate enterprise that has agreements with major movie studios and more than 150 consumer electronics manufacturers. The cash and stock transaction should cause the two to get together and make the whole world believe them, with RoxioNow ending up in the millions of devices currently ready for DivX while increasing possibilities for DivX encoded movies going on sale in the United States. The DivX TV internet video frontend for set-top boxes and connected televisions should also get a boost from the deal, we'll see how it competes with widgets, TiVo and Google. There's a DivX TV trailer after the break for those interested plus the press release while related financial details, projections and promises can be found in the linked PDF.

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sourceSonic (PDF)

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Iomega's eGo drives accelerate to USB 3.0, should soon make the jump to plaid

By Tim Stevens posted Jun 2nd 2010 at 10:43AM

Iomega's eGo drives accelerate to USB 3.0, should soon make the jump to plaid

Yes, another manufacturer is throwing its weight behind the little, blue, but mostly the same USB 3.0 plug. Iomega has released a refreshed version of its eGo line of drives, with two models that support the new standard: the $129 500GB eGo Portable, and the $149 1TB or $229 2TB (and rather less portable) eGo Desktop. If you're not quite so forward-looking, USB 2.0 models of the Portable line are available in 320GB, 500GB, and 1TB sizes, and there are Mac-specific, FireWire 800 editions of the Portable and Desktop drives available in 1 and 2TB sizes. All, we must say, look rather dashing in their matte black finishes, and all are available now (for rather less than those MSRPs if you look around).

sourceGeek.com

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iPhone 4 gets KIRFy with an antenna

By Nilay Patel posted Jun 2nd 2010 at 10:22AM

We're sort of loving the fact that Apple's next-gen iPhone is already being KIRFed up, and although we've already seen a couple clumsy attempts at beating Apple to market with a clone of its own product, this lovely GPS-PHONE raises the bar by adding in a telescopic antenna. What's it for? We have no idea. We just know we want one.

9to5 Mac

sourcePC Online

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Quanta and 3M's DST touchscreens like styli and fingers too

By Tim Stevens posted Jun 2nd 2010 at 9:56AM

Quanta and 3M's DST touchscreens like styli and fingers tooSpend a few days with a capacitive touch device and moving back to resistive can feel a bit... clumsy. Quanta and 3M are saying they have created a new type of touch sensitive screen that could make capacitive feel relatively just as vague, what they're calling dispersive signal technology. DST is a layer of "specially-designed glass" that detects the pressure of a finger or a stylus (or, probably, other things too) with high precision, all without making the display thicker. We're not sure how another layer could not make things at least a little bit beefier, but it at least won't be an expensive addition, with DigitTimes saying "consumers should have no difficulty accepting the price." There are, however, no comments on how well consumers will handle the other stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, and depression. Remember, we're here for you.

sourceDigiTimes

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VIA reveals 1.6GHz Nano DC processor at Computex, shows it handling 720p (video)

By Darren Murph posted Jun 2nd 2010 at 9:33AM

Preview

Guess who showed up at Computex with an all-new dual-core processor? Nah, we're not referring to AMD or Intel (though they certainly did) -- we're talking about VIA. The company quietly (re)introduced a dual-core desktop chip here in Taipei, with the codename Nano DC being used to describe it for the time being. The device utilized a VN1000 Digital Media Chipset and fully supported dual-channel DDR3 memory. A Chrome 520 GPU was helping to push out a 720p movie trailer on the demo system, and the innate compatibility with HDMI and DisplayPort should keep home cinema owners happy. The 65nm chip was clocked at 1.6GHz, and we were told that it wouldn't be venturing into mobile machines in its current form. 'Course, this device has been a bit of unicorn for the past couple of years, but company representatives seemed certain that it would finally be ready to ship (using a different process technology, mind you) in around six months. We shall see. Live action video is just past the break.

VIA 1.6GHz Nano DC showcased at Computex 2010

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Computer World

Genetic engineering lets fruit flies 'smell' light

By Joseph L. Flatley posted Jun 2nd 2010 at 9:32AM

Scientists in Germany have genetically engineered fruit fly larva to 'smell' blue light -- and apparently it smells like bananas! According to a paper published in Frontiers in Behavioral ...

Read the full post on alt.engadget.com

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BlackBerry Bold 9650 hits Verizon tomorrow for $150 after contract

By Joseph L. Flatley posted Jun 2nd 2010 at 9:10AM

...and it's official! The BlackBerry Bold 9650 will be available for online ordering from Verizon beginning June 3rd (that's tomorrow) and in Verizon stores starting on June 10th. This is the provider's first global handset with GlobalAccess Connect tethering, and in keeping with the "global" theme transnational road warriors can look forward to worldwide VZ Navigator (including Canada, Mexico, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Spain, Sweden and of course ol' Blighty). Expect to pay $150 after $100 rebate and a two-year contract. PR after the break.

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Sonos S5 all-in-one wireless speaker fades to black, like your career

By Thomas Ricker posted Jun 2nd 2010 at 9:00AM

The $399 black Sonos S5 is just like the original... only now it's a little bit older and a lot darker. Just like a former teenage popstar. Either is available to purchase now.

Sonos S5 all-in-one wireless speaker fades to black

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Samsung NX5 becomes official little brother to NX10 hybrid DSLR

By Vladislav Savov posted Jun 2nd 2010 at 8:39AM

So you like Samsung's NX10 pseudo-DSLR camera, but can't quite reach up to its price point? Good old uncle Sammy is looking out for you with this here budget-friendly model -- the NX5 replaces the AMOLED display with a standard 3-inch LCD, but looks to be keeping all the other important features. That means you're still getting an electronic viewfinder and that 14.6 megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor -- which collected plenty of review approbation -- inside a compact body, plus the same selection of NX-mount lenses to choose from. A €699 ($855) launch price might not seem like a great deal, but we've found its elder brother retailing for $619 on Amazon.de together with a kit lens, so expect prices to tumble downwards shortly after this shooter's release in late June.

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MegaPixel.co.il

sourceSamsung Germany

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Intel Moorestown tablets will arrive before smartphones, won't hit for at least six months

By Joanna Stern posted Jun 2nd 2010 at 8:30AM

Digging all the Moorestown tablets and phones we've been seeing at Computex? Yeah, us too, but it looks like we're still going to be waiting a considerable amount of time for them to hit the market. According to Intel's Anand Chandrasekher, the first Moorestown devices won't pop up for at least six to twelve more months. That may be after the end of 2010 mark we had heard before, but let's hope Intel is using the time to get things just right. Anand also said that the first Moorestown products will be tablets rather than smartphones, the latter arriving sometime in the first half of 2011 -- not too surprising given handset manufacturers' history of designing and optimizing around ARM silicon and the fact that the smartphone flavor of the Intel-friendly MeeGo OS is still in development.

Engadget

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