We’ve seen our fair share of camera-related concepts that are decidedly out there, but there’s also thankfully some that are considerably more practical — and sometimes even eventually become actual products. Hopefully that ends up being the case with this so-called HoodCap Flower which, as you can probably surmise, combines a lens hood and a lens cap in one flower-inspired contraption. Just twist the dial to open it up and take some pictures, and close it when you want to protect your lens. Not quite as protective as a proper lens cap, to be sure, but we’re guessing plenty of folks would take that trade-off. HoodCap Flower concept gives you one less piece of camera gear to lose originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 05 Aug 2011 19:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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We haven’t seen anything this heart-wrenching since Pleo last made its way through the FCC. There’s just something depressing about watching an adorable little animal robot get torn down in the commission’s sterile government labs. Karotz, the successor to Nabaztag’s friendly WiFi-enabled throne has followed Pleo down the FCC rabbit hole, getting poked, prodded, and pulled apart, to assure that it won’t be shooting any harmful bunny death rays at you, the consumer. Also of note: the strangely ominous “Your New Life With Karotz” user manual cover. Gallery: Karotz hits the FCC Nabaztag successor Karotz cracked open by the FCC originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 05 Aug 2011 17:53:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Tesla Model X SUV to launch in December, will be gliding quietly down the highway by 2014
August 5, 2011 No Comment
Well, it’s not often that we hear about products being ahead of schedule. Telsa CEO Elon Musk presented some forward-looking statements during his company’s quarterly earnings call this week, revealing a mid-December time frame for the unveiling of its Model X prototype, which could hit streets as soon as 2014. There hasn’t been any hint as to pricing for the all-electric SUV, but we wouldn’t be surprised to see Tesla’s X priced comparably to BMW’s identically named X model hybrid SUV — think sub-$100,000, not “affordable.” With plans to produce only 15,000 per year beginning in 2013, a high price tag won’t be the only thing keeping Tesla from fulfilling the dream of having an electric car in every driveway. Range has been another obstacle for electric car makers, but with new charging stations popping up on a regular basis, we may be able to make the 165-mile drive from New York City to Albany with slightly less anxiety by the time mid-decade rolls around. Tesla Model X SUV to launch in December, will be gliding quietly down the highway by 2014 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 05 Aug 2011 18:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Ricoh GXR Leica M-mount module gets a September ship date, lets you swap lenses with one sensor
August 5, 2011 No Comment
Sure, you’ve seen cameras with interchangeable lenses — you might even own one or two — but a cam that lets you swap out the sensor with the lens? Now that’s pretty unique. Ricoh’s GXR has been around since 2009 and does exactly that , with four lens / sensor combos, including two zooms and a pair of fixed lenses. Now, the company has confirmed that its new Leica M-mount module will ship on September 9th, letting you use your existing Leica lenses with the GXR. The module includes a 12.3 megapixel APS-C sensor and has a 27.8mm Leica M bayonet mount, with support for RAW image capture and 720p video. It also has an “open” price, which means it’s still anyone’s guess as to how much you’ll be shelling over. But if you own a collection of Leica glass and are interested in experimenting with such a unique sensor-swapping camera system, you’re probably somewhat open to open pricing. Ricoh GXR Leica M-mount module gets a September ship date, lets you swap lenses with one sensor originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 05 Aug 2011 16:18:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Apple’s iPhone 4 can serve as a great little camcorder when you’re in a bind, but it’s never been our go-to cam for video shoots. Not only is its small sensor not best suited for high-quality HD shooting, but the smartphone form factor can be awkward to hold, resulting in shakier than normal footage. A new app called DollyCam, which also supports iPad 2 , helps soften the blow of the latter, letting you successfully stabilize videos — with a few drawbacks. We took our iPhone 4 out to test a watermarked free version of the app in New York City, shooting a scene first with the phone’s native app, and then with DollyCam. It won’t replace a hardware solution like the Steadicam Smoothee , but it’s significantly cheaper and more convenient. The only major issues we noticed were related to softened sound capture of all things (pay close attention in the video past the break), and the fact that the app can’t process in real-time, so a minute-long video clip will need about five minutes to process. The app does crop your footage slightly, as can be expected. You’ll also need to remain in the app as it’s processing, though you can also stabilize videos later, after completing your shoot. Overall, it’s an acceptable solution, especially considering the $2.99 price tag. Jump past the break to see original and stabilized clips, and browse through the gallery below for a quick look at the interface. Gallery: DollyCam video stabilization for iPhone 4 hands-on [Thanks, Jon] Continue reading DollyCam app lets you stabilize iPhone 4 videos, we go hands-on (video) DollyCam app lets you stabilize iPhone 4 videos, we go hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 05 Aug 2011 16:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Intel Ultrabooks to sell for under $1000, take a page from ASUS’ design book?
August 5, 2011 No Comment
Back at Computex, Intel whipped out its magic 8-ball to predict a “you may rely on it” 40 percent share for the upcoming Ultrabooks market. While we can neither confirm, nor deny the company’s powers of retail clairvoyance, we can point you to a purported bill of materials that would usher its line in at a sub-$1000 price. The report from Digitimes doesn’t lay out the specific assembly costs, but pegs the chipmaker’s 18mm and 21mm thick laptops at $493 – $710 and $475 – $650, respectively. Intel is also reportedly meeting with manufacturers in Taipei next week to figure out a way to deliver on the budget-friendly goal, aimed at producing 11 – 13-inch models for the thinner entries and girthier 14 – 17-inch models. If you’re wondering what sort of form factor the company’s after, take a glance at ASUS’ UX21 and UX31 ultrabooks — supposed reference designs for the svelte, Ivy Bridge-powered computers. We hope that’s the only bit of strategy Intel cops, otherwise we’re all in for a disappointingly priced ultraslim future . Intel Ultrabooks to sell for under $1000, take a page from ASUS’ design book? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 05 Aug 2011 14:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …HTC Puccini screens leak, AT&T bloatware and number pad make an appearance
August 5, 2011 No Comment
HTC’s 10-inch Puccini tab’s been poking its head out from the speculative shadows and now we have a few leaked screens to further whet your LTE appetite . The bevy of shots over on Pocketnow show the AT&T-branded Honeycomb slate packing a serious amount of carrier-installed bloat, with AT&T’s Code, Family, MyText and Navigation apps joining the likes of Amazon Kindle, Cordy, Let’s Golf 2 and NFS Shift. The OEM also appears to have tacked on a number pad to its virtual keyboard solution — a feature Sony’s rumored to include in its own tablets — taking full advantage of the purported 1280 x 800 display. And, lest we forget that last pic of stylus pairing , the slab’s menu dock sports a “pen icon in the tray,” confirming those notions of Scribe-functionality. Be sure to check the source for an extra peek at the orange-colored network’s future must-have device . HTC Puccini screens leak, AT&T bloatware and number pad make an appearance originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 05 Aug 2011 15:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Would demigods feel honored that smartphones are getting named after them? The Samsung Hercules , from what we can tell, seems to fit its given title appropriately; he was, after all, famous for his behemoth strength. Sadly, we’ve known more about him than his technological counterpart, though that may be soon changing. MobileSyrup found someone clutching onto the still-unannounced device at a VIP event and snapped a quick pic for the world to see. While they didn’t get any hands-on time, they indicated that it was running on Telus, it appeared to have a 4.5-inch display (as rumored), and is a design mashup of the Galaxy S II , Nexus S , and the Infuse 4G . This still leaves us with nothing but spec rumors — which include a 1.2GHz dual-core CPU, Super AMOLED Plus display, 16GB of flash storage, 42Mbps HSPA+, and an eight megapixel camera — but it’s nice to have a face to go with the famous name. For somebody who likes to go the distance , its superphone namesake sure seems awfully close. Samsung Hercules snapped in the wild, powering its way to Telus soon? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 05 Aug 2011 13:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Until now, I had conveniently forgotten that I collected Magic Cards. Not just collected, mind you, but hoarded — a feverish obsession harking back to an earlier yen for stickers, pogs, and Happy Meals. While some kids played truth or dare in the back of the bus to I.S. 228, I kept my collection at the ready, wrapped with care in a rubber band. I’m not sure who I intended to show them to, save for a handful of guys who used to stake out a row in the front, but if I happened to have something good, I wanted to brag a little. At thirteen, I challenged a certain boy to a game, thinking that was all the hint I needed to drop. He beat me handily, and I never admitted my crush. Let’s just say I’ve evolved since then. I remember as little about mana as Peter Pan did about owning Rufio in a dissing contest. I seem to have kicked my shyness habit — so much so that my coworkers have taken to calling me “Brass Knuckles.” And while I haven’t had to suffer dating for awhile, I like to think I’ve stepped up my game. Continue reading Growing Up Geek: Dana Wollman Growing Up Geek: Dana Wollman originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 05 Aug 2011 14:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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If there’s still not enough change in your couch to snatch up a $399.99 16GB HP Touchpad , today could be your lucky day — that is, if you’re in the market for a webOS slate in the first place. It looks like Staples is offering a $100 coupon for the slab, which should be applicable to the already discounted price, giving you webOS love for $299 for the 16GB model and $399.99 for 32GB. If that price gets any lower, the $35 tablet might just have to step up its game. HP TouchPad now $200 off at Staples — it’s like Christmas in August originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 05 Aug 2011 12:55:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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