At long last, the Lumix DMC-GF2 . Hitting the scene just a few weeks after the GH2 , this here Micro Four Thirds rig is Panasonic’s smallest and lightest interchangeable lens system camera, and it’s packin’ quite the specs list. From the top, you’re looking at a 12.1 megapixel Live MOS sensor, compatibility with the company’s own 3D interchangeable lens (the LUMIX G 12.5mm / F12) and an enclosure that’s seven percent lighter (not to mention 19 percent smaller) than the GF1 . You’ll also find a three-inch touchpanel on the rear, contrast AF system, a freshly designed Touch Q user interface, internal dust reduction system and the ability to record video at 1920 x 1080/60i or 1280 x 720/60p in AVCHD. Better still, lower resolution options are available with Motion JPEG recording, and the 23-area focusing system shouldn’t have a difficult time nailing your subject. We should point out that the ISO only ranges from 100 to 6400, but the included hot shoe accessory definitely allows for a flash. Of course, there’s no optical viewfinder here, but hey, you can’t have it all when you’re looking to save space. The GF2 will ship in January with three color choices (silver, red and black) and two bundle options: a 14mm F2.5 pancake kit and a 14-42mm zoom lens kit. Unfortunately for you, pricing won’t be announced until mid-to-late December. Bah, humbug! Continue reading Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF2 now official: 12.1MP, Full HD movie mode Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF2 now official: 12.1MP, Full HD movie mode originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Nov 2010 01:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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And just like that, all three of the major game consoles now have some semblance of motion controls. Unlike the Nintendo Wii and PlayStation Move , however, Microsoft’s Kinect for Xbox 360 opts to get rid of buttons altogether, relying on body gestures and voice commands. As the (estimated to be $500 million ) ad campaign says, “you are the controller” — for better and for worse. Read on for our full review! Gallery: Kinect for Xbox 360 review Continue reading Kinect for Xbox 360 review Kinect for Xbox 360 review originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Nov 2010 00:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …StumbleUpon launches App Discovery on Android, trips over clumsy interface
November 4, 2010 No Comment
StumbleUpon’s been serving up crowdsourced, personalized website recommendations since the turn of the century with the simple idea that like-minded surfers will enjoy the same stuff, and if that sounds like a fantastic formula for recommending apps, then you’re in a spot of luck. StumbleUpon’s bringing App recommendations to Android today as part of an update to its app, and we have to say, the program’s got some potential if it catches on. As with all crowdsourced software, StumbleUpon’s not terribly good at its job right off the bat and a moderately unresponsive UI (with tiny touchscreen buttons) doesn’t really help, but the app presently pulls from a set of existing Android app databases that give it a nice head start. After you log in with your StumbleUpon ID, it asks you if it can (a la AppBrain) take a look at the existing apps on your phone, after which point it displays likely correlations one by one (complete with descriptions, screenshots and Android Market star ratings) for you to vote up or down. We got quite a few flashlights, soundboards and fart machines, mind you, but most everything we saw had plenty of ratings and at least four stars, and a good number of our favorites (and some probable soon-to-be-favorites) popped up as well, and voting up and down app concepts is an amusing diversion in and of itself. Sadly, it doesn’t use your existing StumbleUpon topic preferences to recommend apps, but it will hopefully align them to your tastes soon, assuming that enough folks can look past the iffy UI long enough to help their fellows and give the free app a go. PR after the break. Update: It’s on the Android Market right now — find it at our source link, or use the handy-dandy QR code at right. Gallery: StumbleUpon App Discovery for Android Continue reading StumbleUpon launches App Discovery on Android, trips over clumsy interface StumbleUpon launches App Discovery on Android, trips over clumsy interface originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Nov 2010 00:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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It’s less than an hour away until Kinect drops in Times Square, as the motion-sensing peripheral is set to make its debut to a throng of freezing buyers. You know what that means — our brothers-from-other-mothers at Joystiq are on the scene, interviewing folks that have sat for over two days waiting for the camera-equipped controller. Head on over for the full scoop at our source links below. Get your Kinect launch coverage at Joystiq! originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Nov 2010 23:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Mac App Store begins accepting apps, submit your Trism, I Am Rich and fart programs now
November 4, 2010 No Comment
If the original iTunes App Store and Android Market launches were any indication, it’s going to take software devs some time to adjust to another platform still… but the acclimation process for Apple’s desktop marketplace starts right now. Registered Mac developers are receiving emails inviting them to begin submitting programs to the Mac App Store even as we speak, and the above banner is flying high on Apple’s developer website. If you’re comfortable with Apple’s extensive guidelines and have a idea ready to go, you’d best get a move on — there are fewer than 76 days remaining before the whole shebang goes live. By the way, we’re joking in this article’s headline: please, if you’re reading this, please don’t submit any fart programs this time. Mac App Store begins accepting apps, submit your Trism, I Am Rich and fart programs now originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Nov 2010 22:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Trying to get a copy of the Skyfire browser for your iOS device? You may not have much luck, as the pseudo-Flash-capable browser has just disappeared from iTunes App Stores around the globe, mere hours after its splashy debut . When we try to download it for ourselves in the United States we get the message immediately above, and RazorianFly readers are chiming in with reports that the app is no longer available in Greece, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Australia, Canada, Switzerland, Norway, Spain and the UK. We just pinged Skyfire for comment and they say it’s not Apple’s fault; demand for a Flash video workaround is apparently so high that the company’s having server issues and decided to pull the app rather than introduce new users to a sub-par experience. Skyfire assures us that it’s adding servers as quickly as it can, but didn’t provide an ETA on when we might see the app once more. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in] Skyfire disappears from iTunes App Store due to technical difficulties originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Nov 2010 19:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Hitachi GST’s G-Drive Slim: world’s thinnest 2.5-inch external hard drive
November 3, 2010 No Comment
Not like we need our 2.5-inch external drives to get that much smaller, but who are we to kvetch about progress? Hitachi GST has just outed what it calls the thinnest 2.5-inch external hard drive in the world. The G-Drive Slim is encased in a 128.6- x 82- x 9.9mm aluminum enclosure, and tucked within is a slimmer-than-usual 7mm Travelstar Z5K320 hard drive. The USB-powered unit comes formatted for use with Macs, but a quick reformat on your Windows machine will have its mind changed in no time flat. For now, it’s only available in a 320GB flavor for $99.99, and you’ll only find it at your local Apple Store. Continue reading Hitachi GST’s G-Drive Slim: world’s thinnest 2.5-inch external hard drive Hitachi GST’s G-Drive Slim: world’s thinnest 2.5-inch external hard drive originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Nov 2010 19:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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No 3D or over-the-top designs here, but HP has just rolled out a pair of new laptops for those simply looking for the basics. First up is the 15.6-inch G62m series laptop (pictured above), which packs a 2.2GHz Celeron 900 processor, 3GB or DDR3 RAM, a 320GBHard Drive, and integrated Intel GMA 4500MHD graphics on the base model, and starts at just $529.99 (a few upgrades are available, though you’re stuck at the Celeron level for processors). On the slightly higher-end is the 17.3-inch Pavilion dv7t, which is considerably configurable, but starts out with a Core i3-380M processor, 4GB of RAM, a 500GB hard drive, and the same integrated Intel graphics for $774.99 (after a $150 instant rebate and $25 coupon). Hit up the links below to check out all the configuration options available. HP slips out budget-minded G62m, Pavilion dv7t laptops originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Nov 2010 18:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …OLPC XO-3 debut delayed till February as the quest continues for an ‘unbreakable’ screen
November 3, 2010 No Comment
You’ll read about many a wonder at CES this January, but you can cross the OLPC XO-3 off the list — One Laptop Per Child founder Nicholas Negroponte told PC World that the slate’s debut has been pushed back roughly 45 days, until the middle of February instead. Whether the Marvell Moby-based tablet turns out to be a sexy, paper-thin device or a chunky contraption wasn’t discussed, but Negroponte did have a simple explanation for the delay — he needed a suitable surface to cover that probable Pixel Qi touchscreen . “The issue has been really finding an unbreakable material,” he said, hinting that “it may be glass or some flavor of glass,” rather than plastic as originally planned . Might we suggest a taste test at the Corning laboratories, Mr. Negroponte? We hear they have a Gorilla that does quite nicely . Video after the break. Continue reading OLPC XO-3 debut delayed till February as the quest continues for an ‘unbreakable’ screen OLPC XO-3 debut delayed till February as the quest continues for an ‘unbreakable’ screen originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Nov 2010 18:03:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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It’s not just Facebook for Android that’s getting an update today — Twitter just pushed out a new version of its Android app , and while it doesn’t add a ton of new features, it’s gotten a big speed boost and some polish. The biggest addition is pull-to-refresh, which the iPhone client has had for a while, as an option bar that’s revealed by swiping on a tweet. There’s also new quoting options for retweets and avatar photos are now high-res, which is nice. We just tried it out and it is indeed faster, which is nice, but we noticed that avatars don’t load in right away while you scroll — they’re generic until you stop. Just a minor niggle, and you’ve no reason not to upgrade — it’s free, after all. Hit market or scan the QR code after the break. P.S.- Hmm, a big Twitter app update on the same day as a Facebook event? That timing feels like a little more than a coincidence to us, especially since Facebook is gunning hard for location-based check-ins, which is traditionally Twitter’s domain. Dare we say that this relationship is complicated? Continue reading Twitter for Android updated, adds speed, polish, more options Twitter for Android updated, adds speed, polish, more options originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Nov 2010 17:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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