We weren’t shy about telling Sony that it ought to bring some of those NEX-3/5 color concepts from Photokina out on the market, and the Japanese manufacturer has clearly taken note. To be fair, our pining was more concerned with the white variant than this pink number, but whatever, a new hue is a new hue. Japanese lovers of small cameras with big sensors and ros
Continue reading …Microscopic Pac-Man installation makes a play for the smallest part of your heart
October 12, 2010 No Comment
“Cute” doesn’t even begin to accurately describe it. Kotoro “dotimpact” Tanaka, a Japanese design professor, has been credited with designing what may actually be the world’s smallest game of Pac-Man . The microscopic installation was recently showcased at the 30th anniversary Pac-Man exhibition, utilizing original Pac-Man hardware, a projector and a microscope in order to blow up a minuscule game of cat and ghost for human eyes to recognize. We’re told that it’s able to reflect its image through a mirror in order to produce a 1cm square image at a resolution of 1439 pixels per inch (PPI), and users are highly encouraged to screw with the zoom and focus controls in order to heighten the level of difficulty. So, dotimpact… how’s about an on sale date? Microscopic Pac-Man installation makes a play for the smallest part of your heart originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 12 Oct 2010 03:20:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Samsung releases NX10 1.20 firmware update, brings i-Function lens compatibility
October 12, 2010 No Comment
Just as the outfit promised us at Photokina , Samsung has outed an anticipated firmware update for its NX10 interchangeable lens camera. Version 1.20 adds support for Sammy’s downright brilliant i-Function lens collection, which enables shooters to adjust controls (ISO, shutter speed, aperture, etc.) by simply tapping a button on the lens and then twisting a dial. We adored this feature when toying with the NX100 , and couldn’t be happier that it’s coming to adopters of the camera’s predecessor. Hit the source link if you’re looking to get your upgrade on, or head on past the break if there’s any question about how it’ll revolutionize your life. Continue reading Samsung releases NX10 1.20 firmware update, brings i-Function lens compatibility Samsung releases NX10 1.20 firmware update, brings i-Function lens compatibility originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 12 Oct 2010 02:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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You won’t find it on Netgear’s site but you will find the Netgear branded Roku XD media streamer on the physical and virtual shelves of Fry’s. That’s right, Roku has hit the mainstream. The Netgear Roku XD Media Player (model NTV250) appears to offer all the same features of its Roku XD cousin including built-in 802.11n WiFi; Netflix, Pandora, and Amazon Video on Demand streaming; and HDMI out for 1080p video. Even the $79.99 price is the same after some “instant savings” shenanigans. Now lets get this baby into Best Buy and Wal-mart for the kind of mass market exposure it deserves. [Thanks, Gary L.] Netgear branded Roku XD on sale at Fry’s originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 12 Oct 2010 01:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Surgical procedures assisted by robots are nothing new — they can be more precise and less invasive — and now it looks like a new upgrade could make them even better. The main drawback of a surgical robot is that the human surgeon performing the operation gets no tactile feedback, but that’s not the case with Sofie. Sofie, a joystick controlled robot gives haptic feedback to the surgeon by adjusting the resistance the controls give to indicate how much pressure is being exerted, surely a welcome addition to bots of this kind. This robot is also more compact than many earlier bots of this kind, and its creators are now looking to bring it into production, with a goal of it coming to the market in about five years. Sofie surgical robot gives haptic feedback for a more originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 11 Oct 2010 23:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …NVIDIA launches sub-$80 GeForce GT 430 for single-slot cooler enthusiasts
October 12, 2010 No CommentThe graphics card that doesn’t require a fridge-sized cooler is turning into something of a rarity nowadays, but we doubt the market for quiet, efficient, and halfway-decent GPUs is ever going to disappear completely. NVIDIA is fleshing out its Fermi family today with a creature that aspires to such epithets, the 96 CUDA core-equipped GT 430. It’s a patently humble GPU, as indicated by its $79.99 typical price, 49W TDP, 5.7-inch board length, and single-slot cooler design. Mind you, while those are typically considered positives, they do limit gaming performance quite significantly, with the GT 430 getting roundly beaten by ATI’s ( sob! ) AMD’s similarly priced Radeon HD 5670 . So what niche is left for this card? Well, it’s an upgrade over integrated graphics and it gets you on the 3D bandwagon, but on the whole we’re left scratching our voluminous craniums as to why anyone would dodge AMD’s more accomplished hardware for NVIDIA’s latest. Hit up the reviews below and form your own opinion, if our one doesn’t suit your outfit today. Read – HardOCP Read – AnandTech Read – PC Perspective Read – Hot Hardware Read – Legit Reviews Read – Hexus Gallery: NVIDIA GeForce GT 430 partner boards NVIDIA launches sub-$80 GeForce GT 430 for single-slot cooler enthusiasts originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 11 Oct 2010 21:56:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Updated Yahoo Messenger app now live in App Store, 3G video calling bonanza awaits you
October 12, 2010 No Comment
Not stoked on Skype or FaceTime ? Looks like you’ve got another option, bub. That overhauled Yahoo Messenger app we told you about 48 hours ago is now live in the App Store, offering multitasking on the iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4, 3G / WiFi video calling (iOS to iOS, iOS to Android or iOS to PC) and instant notifications. Users interested in making voice calls can also tap into their bucket of Yahoo Voice Phone Out minutes, but it’ll only work in America, France, Germany, Spain and Singapore at the moment. Hit that source link to get your download on, cool? Updated Yahoo Messenger app now live in App Store, 3G video calling bonanza awaits you originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 11 Oct 2010 20:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Shear feedback GPS navigation tells your fingers where to go, you just have to follow (video)
October 11, 2010 No Comment
Keeping your eyes on the road gets ever more difficult with ever-bigger, ever-brighter GPS navigation units hitting retail. This product of University of Utah research could obsolete them entirely by tickling your fingers. It’s called “shear feedback,” effectively stretching the skin on your fingertip to tell you which way to go, achieved via a pair of old Thinkpad trackpoints, which were always too coarse a grit for our delicate tastes. The nub moves left or right to tell you where to go, and in a test distracted drivers were 24 percent more likely to follow directions through their digits than when told by cold, uncaring GPS lady. It’s demonstrated after the break and looks like it would be perfect if we always drove at ten and two — and wanted to get our fingerprints sandpapered off on every trip to the mall. Continue reading Shear feedback GPS navigation tells your fingers where to go, you just have to follow (video) Shear feedback GPS navigation tells your fingers where to go, you just have to follow (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 11 Oct 2010 19:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Samsung X430 headed for Microsoft Stores with a crapware-free copy of Windows
October 11, 2010 No Comment
We just got a quick look at a previously Korea-bound Samsung X430 laptop that Microsoft has tapped as a “Microsoft Store Exclusive.” It’s pretty good hardware, both inside and outside, for the price. Also, due to its Store-exclusive nature, Microsoft also put the promised “Microsoft Signature Image” on here, which means a copy of Windows 7 completely free of crapware and trialware, though Microsoft has put a good quantity of first party software that you’ll probably want like Windows Live, Bing Maps 3D, and Microsoft Security Essentials. If you ask yourself “how would Steve Ballmer use this computer,” the Signature Image is pretty much the answer. For $1,099 you get a Core i3 ULV processor, GeForce 310M graphics, a 500GB HDD, and a 14-inch WXGA screen. Our favorite part is probably just the premium feel of this device, and its no-nonsense look, at least when it’s open and you’re actually using it — that faux carbon fiber lid on the outside is a little loud. Gallery: Samsung X430 headed for Microsoft Stores Samsung X430 headed for Microsoft Stores with a crapware-free copy of Windows originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 11 Oct 2010 18:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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So, you can go and nab Zune 4.7 right this minute. Also, Microsoft is showing off Windows Phone 7 right now behind semi-closed doors (sorry, public). Can we bring these two beautiful stories together? Turns out we can, and we did. Now, if you’ve ever used a Zune before, this isn’t going to be that revelatory of an experience, but there are enough minor tweaks and one major one (the Windows Phone 7 Marketplace) that we thought were worth a quick video walkthrough. Find it after the break. Don’t be a square! Continue reading Zune 4.7 in cahoots with Windows Phone 7, caught on camera Zune 4.7 in cahoots with Windows Phone 7, caught on camera originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 11 Oct 2010 18:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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