Apple’s Australian Store discounts most things by around 10 percent, foreshadows Black Friday deals
November 25, 2010 No Comment
Just like last year and the year before , Apple’s kicking off its Black Friday sale in the land of Oz first. Australian Mac lovers can now buy the iMac, MacBook Pro and MacBook Air for A$121 less than their usual price, while the iPad and iPod touch dip down by A$51 apiece and the iPod nano is now A$25 cheaper. It’s all for today only, but should also be followed by similar discounts in the US and Europe. Apple’s Australian Store discounts most things by around 10 percent, foreshadows Black Friday deals originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 25 Nov 2010 08:08:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Not so keen on plopping down a Benjamin for Movea’s Air Mouse ? A full two years after the introduction of that very product, there’s now an acceptable, bargain-bin alternative: the Air Mouse. Er, the Air Mouse app for iPod touch / iPhone. This here nugget of code, which is selling for just $1.99 in the App Store, taps into your iDevice’s inbuilt gyroscopes as well as the company’s own MotionSense technology in order to convert your handheld into a mouse. No need to fish for a surface, though — simply wave your iPhone around in order to take advantage of in-air cursor control and gesture recognition. It’s a dream come true for HTPC owners (Macs and PCs are supported), though critics are suggesting that Mobile Mouse may actually be superior. If you’ve already parted ways with your buck-ninety-nine, let us know how things are panning out in comments below. Continue reading Movea turns your iPod touch or iPhone into an Air Mouse for just $2 Movea turns your iPod touch or iPhone into an Air Mouse for just $2 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 25 Nov 2010 07:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Content providers might be banning Google TV left , right , and center , but hardware partners don’t seem to be losing any enthusiasm. After Samsung openly admitted to contemplating a HDTV with Google TV hardware and software built right in, Toshiba and Vizio are now said to have firm plans to introduce such new products at January’s CES 2011 . While neither manufacturer would be drawn into confirming this latest bit of insider info, Toshiba’s American GM, Jeff Barney, is quoted as saying, “Google certainly is a key partner for us on the PC side and will likely be key for us on the TV side as well.” How else could Google function as a key TV partner than with its web-connected TV experience ? Toshiba and Vizio expected to join Google TV bandwagon in January originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 25 Nov 2010 05:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Sir Howard Stringer is a busy man. Currently holding the Chairman, CEO and President titles at Sony, the man’s in charge of one of the vastest empires in the history of vastness, which is probably why the company’s now said to be looking for someone to succeed him at one of those posts. Bloomberg ‘s reporting that Sony is having internal discussions about appointing a new President, with Kaz Hirai and Hiroshi Yoshioka identified as the names at the top of the pile. The pair are currently responsible for handling one half each of Sony’s broad consumer electronics portfolio and it’s notable that the Japanese giant seems to be looking for its next great leader from the hardware side of the business. If this speculation does bear fruit, expect the next President to deputize Stringer in the short-term and to eventually succeed him as top banana when the current ruler decides to hang up his cornflower-blue tie. Sony said to be looking for new President to lighten Sir Howard’s load originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 25 Nov 2010 04:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Kinect hacks lets you control a web browser and Windows 7 using only The Force (updated)
November 25, 2010 No Comment
Hacking the Xbox 360 Kinect is all about baby steps on the way to what could ultimately amount to some pretty useful homebrew. Here’s a good example cooked up by some kids at the MIT Media Lab Fluid Interfaces Group attempting to redefine the human-machine interactive experience. DepthJS is a system that makes Javascript talk to Microsoft’s Kinect in order to navigate web pages, among other things. Remember, it’s not that making wild, arm-waving gestures is the best way to navigate a web site, it’s just a demonstration that you can . Let’s hope that the hacking communinity picks up the work and evolves it into a multitouch remote control plugin for our home theater PCs. Boxee, maybe you can lend a hand? Update : If you’re willing to step outside of the developer-friendly borders of open-source software then you’ll want to check out Evoluce ‘s gesture solution based on the company’s Multitouch Input Management (MIM) driver for Kinect. The most impressive part is its support for simultaneous multitouch and multiuser control of applications (including those using Flash and Java) running on a Windows 7 PC. Evoluce promises to release sofware “soon” to bridge Kinect and Windows 7. Until then be sure to check both of the impressive videos after the break. [Thanks, Leakcim13] Continue reading Kinect hacks lets you control a web browser and Windows 7 using only The Force (updated) Kinect hacks lets you control a web browser and Windows 7 using only The Force (updated) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 25 Nov 2010 03:56:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Have you been riding the OnLive bangwagon from the start ? If so, you’ll want to heed this little Thanksgiving note from the company, which is offering a free MicroConsole to its early cloud gaming service users — whom it dubs Founding Members — provided they’ve bought licenses for at least two games in their time. The diminutive TV adapter typically costs $99, but qualifying Members will be able to get it for free if they pre-order it now, though they will have to spring for covering delivery costs. As to the more timid among you who only ever bought the one PlayPass , OnLive will let you have a free Full PlayPass (equivalent to a free game) in the place of the hardware. So, whichever way you slice it, it’s good to be first. OnLive giving thanks to its Founding Members with free MicroConsoles originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 25 Nov 2010 02:53:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Scientists have been experimenting with muscles and technology to solve both human and robotic mobility issues for years. Now it looks as though researchers from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council have made a significant leap forward for paraplegics, thanks to a revolutionary microchip the team has dubbed “Active Book.” What’s notable about the chip is that it stimulates more muscle groups than existing technology without the need for external connections. This was accomplished via micro-packing and precision laser processing, which allowed tiny electrodes to be cut from platinum foil and rolled into a 3D book shape. These platinum foil “pages” close in around nerve roots, and are micro-welded to a hermetically sealed silicon chip. Once embedded into areas within the spinal canal, the chip can work to stimulate paralyzed muscles, implying patients could even “perform enough movement to carry out controlled exercise such as cycling or rowing.” A press release from the Council says the Active Book will begin trials sometime next year — we can’t wait to see the results. Continue reading Active Book microchip provides hope for exercising paralyzed limbs Active Book microchip provides hope for exercising paralyzed limbs originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 25 Nov 2010 02:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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That fine bastion of cellular modding prowess known as XDA-developers received some particularly savory snaps this fine Thanksgiving morn — spy shots of Samsung’s elusive Nexus S running an operating system that looks uncannily like Gingerbread, which it calls ” Android version 2.3 ,” and sporting a new back cover that would look perfectly normal on the original Samsung Galaxy S , if not for the extra curves. XDA’s source also claims it has a 720p video camera, though other specs are still a little shaky. To be clear, this is most definitely the phone that Eric Schmidt showed us at the Web 2.0 Summit, though the rear cover looks much further along — assuming Samsung hasn’t scrapped it for a dual-core version , we wouldn’t be surprised if we saw it again in person quite soon. Hit up our source link for some shots of a green-and-black operating system running on that AMOLED screen. [Thanks, Sid] Nexus S poses for Mr. Blurrycam, flaunting those signature curves originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 25 Nov 2010 01:16:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Creative’s 7-inch ZiiO tablet hits the FCC, ripped into component circuitry
November 25, 2010 No Comment
Creative hasn’t gone public with a US release window for its Ziio tablets , but it’s probably only a matter of time — the 7-inch model arrived at the FCC this week, complete with user manual and lovely snapshots of its innards all laid out. There’s no mistaking that ZiiLABS ZMS-08 system-on-a-chip front and center, flanked by four slabs of NAND flash from Hynix Semiconductor, and in the upper left-hand corner you can even see the AzureWave chip responsible for its 802.11 b/g WiFi connectivity and Bluetooth functions. None of this simple beauty can make up for the fact that a resistive touchscreen is calling all the shots , but battery life should be relatively long — FCC documentation describes a chunky 5,000mAh lithium-ion cell, images of which are below. Also pictured: the FCC squishing the poor device into copious amounts of styrofoam. Gallery: Creative’s 7-inch ZiiO tablet at the FCC Creative’s 7-inch ZiiO tablet hits the FCC, ripped into component circuitry originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 24 Nov 2010 22:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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The Portal gun . If you’ve been alive over the past year and change, you know exactly what we’re talking about. We can safely say our lives were changed after spending a few good minutes with Harrison Krix’s handmade replica in 2009, and soon you’ll have the golden opportunity to know exactly what we mean. Krix has constructed a new Portal gun, one that’s arguably more bodacious than ever, and there’s only one way to get it: outbid the Bro Montana next to you on December 7th. A Child’s Play Charity event auction will be held on that fateful day in Seattle, and it’ll be the one and only opportunity to have the pink slip transferred to you. Of course, monies received from the auction will benefit Child’s Play (a gaming industry charity dedicated to improving the lives of children with toys and games in a network of over 60 hospitals worldwide), and the bragging rights afforded to the winner will be fairly epic in scope. Head on past the break for a video of what’s up for grabs. Continue reading Portal gun to be auctioned off for Child’s Play charity Portal gun to be auctioned off for Child’s Play charity originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 24 Nov 2010 21:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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