Yep, that Flash error up there is one of many we got today on our Cr-48s . On top of that, as you may have read in our in-depth preview , we’ve been experiencing incredibly sluggish Flash performance, including choppy playback of YouTube and Hulu videos. It’s certainly not a good situation, but Adobe’s aware of it and promising that hope is on the way. Adobe’s Senior Director of Engineer Paul Betlem has put up a post regarding the matter on the company’s very own Flash Player blog, and says that ” In terms of Chrome notebooks specifically… video performance in particular is the primary area for improvement.” He also goes on to promise that the updates will be seamless as the Flash plug-ins are integrated directly into the self-updating operating system. That sure sounds good to us, but in the meantime, we’ll be waiting for these Flash errors and stuttering 480p videos to disappear — or, you know, for HTML 5 to take over. Flash working poorly on your Google Cr-48? Adobe’s working on it originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Dec 2010 19:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Diago’s Little Smasher puts a 5W guitar amp in a tiny carbon steel box (video)
December 9, 2010 No Comment
Sure, you can always plug your axe into a computer (or even an iPhone ) and make sweet, sweet music with software. But what about those times you need an honest-to-goodness amplifier? Diago’s Little Smasher is a full-fledged 5 watt guitar amp head that is only roughly the size of an effects pedal. The things is pretty basic — active bass and treble (which gives you more control of the tone than passive EQs), gain, volume, 4-16 ohm output impedance (should work with any speaker cabinet), and that’s pretty much it! We should probably also add that the carbon steel enclosure is a nice touch, and one that will be appreciated when you’re fighting off a stage invasion at the next Lilith Fair. But you probably want to hear how it sounds — and for that, we direct you to the video placed after the break. Available for $250 this January. Continue reading Diago’s Little Smasher puts a 5W guitar amp in a tiny carbon steel box (video) Diago’s Little Smasher puts a 5W guitar amp in a tiny carbon steel box (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Dec 2010 17:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …PlayStation Move Sharpshooter hands-on: a first-party SMG peripheral coming in February
December 9, 2010 No Comment
This isn’t the first PlayStation Move peripheral to replicate a firearm , but the Sharpshooter is brought to you by Sony itself, so you expect a higher degree of quality than from the third-party deluge . And if you’re the sort who like to accessorize, it’s a pretty good offering. We had a chance to check it out this morning over a brief round of Killzone 3 , which Sony says was the inspiration (along with the upcoming SOCOM ). Overall, it’s pretty light and sturdy. The Move controller slides into the front, and the buttons then become mapped around the gun: RL is under the grip, the Move button is just under the trigger, start and select rest on opposite sides of the barrel, and Square / Triangle are mirrored above the trigger, making it easier to reach regardless whether you’re right- or left-handed. There’s a cradle under the stock for the Navigation Controller to rest, the butt is adjustable, and the top has a mount for a scope (no details on that peripheral of a peripheral). There’s additionally a lock button and what seems like burst-fire mode that won’t be used by Killzone 3 ; the reps told us they spoke with various other developers to make sure the accessory fit their needs as well but couldn’t elaborate more. So, how did it handle? We’ll say the buttons were all easy to get to, but this accessory is fundamentally not for us. Having to move the entire submachine gun to aim felt more unwieldy than simply twisting a wrist like you would with the first-party Shooting attachment (or the Move controller by its lonesome). Speaking of which, the Sharpshooter is lacking in retro aesthetic, something we really liked in the “1950s laser pistol” replica that came out last month. We get the feeling this wasn’t made with us in mind, anyway. Sharpshooter should hit store shelves in February (same month as Killzone 3 ) for a penny under $40. Looking for something more traditional? A jungle green DualShock 3 is also coming in February for $55. Press release after the break. Gallery: Sony Sharpshooter for PlayStation Move hands-on Gallery: PlayStation Sharpshooter and Jungle Green DualShock 3 Continue reading PlayStation Move Sharpshooter hands-on: a first-party SMG peripheral coming in February PlayStation Move Sharpshooter hands-on: a first-party SMG peripheral coming in February originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Dec 2010 17:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Looks like some Chinese manufacturers think they know what the next-generation iPad looks like — we’ve seen numerous pictures today of supposed cases all with the same features: a headphone jack, a hole for a camera on the back, just one dock connector ( not two ), and a mysterious slit on the bottom. So, what could that be? An SD card slot seems unlikely since the cutout predominantly strips away the back of the case, not the bottom edge. Our source speculates it might be the antenna — if all the manufacturers saw was the aluminum case design, the cutaway could’ve been made as a precaution, not knowing exactly what it’s for. (Then again, the antenna for iPad 3G is found on the top of the device). We’re thinking it might be for a revised speaker design — the cutout is located just above and behind the location of the current iPad’s speaker. Maybe we’ll find out for ourselves by April , and maybe we won’t — consult your own crystal ball for that one. Some more case designs in a video after the break. Continue reading Alleged iPad 2 cases show up with some interesting cuts (video) Alleged iPad 2 cases show up with some interesting cuts (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Dec 2010 15:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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They’ve successfully targeted MasterCard’s and Visa’s websites, but the coalition of hack-savvy cyber-protesters taking the name Anonymous apparently missed their mark when it came to tripping up monster e-retailer Amazon on Thursday.
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Democrats in the House passed a resolution Thursday telling the president not to bother bringing his compromise extension of tax cuts for the wealthy to their chamber. Nancy Pelosi said Democrats would continue to work with the White House, and, if history is our guide, the White House will continue to work with Republicans to get the bill passed.
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Co-stars Ben Barnes and Georgie Henley talk about the drama of shooting ‘The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader’ on and under water. (Dec.9)
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Image via Solyndra video Ever wonder what the inside of a solar panel manufacturing plant looks like, and wanted to see the steps of the process? What about the making of cylindrical solar panels? Solyndra, a company we first started watching a couple years ago as they announced their distinctive solar technology, has released a very cool video highlighting their new Fab 2 plant, and shows off some of the key steps in creating their rather unusual solar panels. … Read the full story on TreeHugger
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The Earthlings here at Engadget HQ are still patiently awaiting their own Cr-48s , but it looks as if those who were quick on the trigger have just received a Chrome OS laptop to cuddle with. If you’ll recall, Google opened up a Chrome OS Pilot Program Tuesday, and for those who registered early (and got awfully lucky), they’re being treated to a Cr-48 on their doorsteps. One gracious tipster has already sent over a trio of unboxing shots, and we’ll be sure to give the low-down (you know — video, impressions, etc.) once our own arrives. Anytime now, FedEx… [Thanks, Dan] Gallery: Google Cr-48 Chrome OS laptop now shipping Google Cr-48 Chrome OS laptop now shipping to the lucky few originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Dec 2010 10:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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