We were tempted to call it an April Fools’ joke, but it seems the story’s true: Sony CEO Sir Howard Stringer reportedly let slip that his company is producing camera for the next batch of iPhones and iPads during a public interview with the Wall Street Journal . Traditionally, Apple’s sourced its sensors from OmniVision, including the delightfully backside-illuminated 5 megapixel CMOS unit you’ll find in the iPhone 4, but since Sony too has BSI tech and OmniVision has reportedly encountered delays, your next portable Apple product might house a Sony Exmor R sensor like the one we admired on the Xperia Arc . Mind you, that may not end up actually happening, because of the context in which Sir Howard revealed the news — according to 9 to 5 Mac , he said that the factory producing sensors for Apple was affected by the Japanese tsunami. Oh well. Sony CEO casually mentions he’s supplying cameras to Apple originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 02 Apr 2011 14:26:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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We were tempted to call it an April Fools’ joke, but it seems the story’s true: Sony CEO Sir Howard Stringer reportedly let slip that his company is producing camera for the next batch of iPhones and iPads during a public interview with the Wall Street Journal . Traditionally, Apple’s sourced its sensors from OmniVision, including the delightfully backside-illuminated 5 megapixel CMOS unit you’ll find in the iPhone 4, but since Sony too has BSI tech and OmniVision has reportedly encountered delays, your next portable Apple product might house a Sony Exmor R sensor like the one we admired on the Xperia Arc . Mind you, that may not end up actually happening, because of the context in which Sir Howard revealed the news — according to 9 to 5 Mac , he said that the factory producing sensors for Apple was affected by the Japanese tsunami. Oh well. Sony CEO casually mentions he’s supplying cameras to Apple originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 02 Apr 2011 14:26:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Gmail Motion April Fools’ gag inevitably turned into reality using Kinect (video)
April 2, 2011 No Comment
It had to happen. When Google showed off a new and revolutionary Gmail Motion control scheme yesterday, it failed to fool most people, but it didn’t fail to catch the attention of some motion control geeks with Kinect cameras on hand. Yep, the FAAST crew that’s already brought us a Kinect keyboard emulator for World of Warcraft has taken Google to task and actually cooked up the software to make Gmail Motion work. All your favorite gestures are here: opening an email as if it were an envelope, replying by throwing a thumb back and, of course, “licking the stamp” to send your response on its way. Marvelous stuff! Jump past the break to see it working, for real this time. Continue reading Gmail Motion April Fools’ gag inevitably turned into reality using Kinect (video) Gmail Motion April Fools’ gag inevitably turned into reality using Kinect (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 02 Apr 2011 13:24:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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When we reported on Japan’s plans to track the re-entry process of its Kounotori 2 spacecraft with a black-box-style recorder, there were still some unanswered questions: specifically, would the REBR (Re-entry Breakup Recorder) sink or swim. Well, according to an announcement from the device’s creator, the thing not only survived the fiery plunge to Earth, but it also stayed afloat after plunking down in the South Pacific Ocean on Tuesday. During free fall, the REBR did as it was expected, automatically monitoring, recording, and eventually transmitting data about the re-entry process, and while the thing was admittedly “not designed to survive impact with the water,” it continued relaying information even after landing. The next scheduled REBR mission is planned for June — here’s hoping the new guy’s as buoyant as its buddy. Full PR after the break. Continue reading Japanese spacecraft’s ‘black box’ recorder survives flaming fall to earth Japanese spacecraft’s ‘black box’ recorder survives flaming fall to earth originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 02 Apr 2011 09:57:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Cablevision Optimum for iPad app now available, streams hundreds of TV channels plus VOD
April 2, 2011 No Comment
The new Cablevision iPad app is out, taking on broadcasters ( Fox, Discovery, Viacom ) attacking Time Warner’s live TV streaming TWCable TV app by offering subscribers the same channels as their iO TV package and video on demand. The Optimum for iPad app also includes the ability to set up DVR recordings, delete recorded shows and browse TV listings, although it doesn’t act as a direct remote for the cable box. The last time Fox and Cablevision squared off subscribers couldn’t watch their shows on Hulu or two games of the World Series which, along with a long battle over network DVRs , suggests the cable company is prepared to dig its heels in deep on this issue. Multichannel News points out subscribers need at least one cable box and internet service from Cablevision to make use of the new app and the TOS states it can only be used within the customer’s residence. Subscribers suitably equipped can grab the app at the iTunes link below, or just check out screens in the gallery. [Thanks, jcdesimp & Michael] Gallery: Optimum for iPad app Cablevision Optimum for iPad app now available, streams hundreds of TV channels plus VOD originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 02 Apr 2011 12:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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If you decided to throw good judgement out the window and buy an HP Photosmart eStation just for the tablet, let us start by saying we told you so . Now that we have that squared away, it looks like there could be hope for HP’s Android-powered slate yet — reports are starting to roll in of a long awaited Android 2.2 update for the Zeen. For months, owners of the tablet have filled HP customer service forums with complaints about the promised, but never delivered update, but as you can see from the video below, Zeen owners can now download a beta version of Froyo complete with Flash-compatibility, and from what we’ve heard, it’s a huge improvement. If you must see it for yourself, check out the video after the break, but let us issue yet another warning: the audio in this video will creep you out. [Thanks, Zac] Continue reading HP’s Zeen tablet gets Android 2.2 Froyo update, finally (video) HP’s Zeen tablet gets Android 2.2 Froyo update, finally (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 02 Apr 2011 10:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Skype in the Classroom tears down geographic walls, connects pupils the world over
April 2, 2011 No Comment
Cisco’s doing it in the boardroom , and soon, your children may be taking notes from kiddos situated in a different continent. Skype in the Classroom is a new online platform that aims to make it easier for teachers to find other teachers who are utilizing Skype within their classes, and already there are 3,900+ taking advantage. The goal here is to enable professors to easily reach out and find like-minded individuals who are covering complementary topics, and with a quick email, the two could be cooking up joint lesson plans a dozen time zones apart. As of now, 99 countries have teachers that are signed on, and we’re guessing it’s only a matter of time before a couple more join and push that into triple digits. Next step? Logging into first period from home. Or Fiji. Continue reading Skype in the Classroom tears down geographic walls, connects pupils the world over Skype in the Classroom tears down geographic walls, connects pupils the world over originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 01 Apr 2011 11:05:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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If you’re the type of person who has 99 problems, a satisfactory wristwatch being one, feast your lustful eyes on this diamond -encrusted abomination. ZShock has managed to work its magic — $18,000 worth, to be precise — on a Lunatik iPod nano watch , with the end result being something that we’d hardly recommend being caught dead with. Of course, those who’d disagree vehemently are going to need a magic number in order to procure one, but those who are just curious can peek the source link below for a bit of wrist-on action. Temper that jealously, though. Diamond-encrusted Lunatik iPod nano watch is as superfluous as it sounds originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 02 Apr 2011 08:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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It’s a term (and a technology) that has been bandied about for around four years now, but after waiting far too long for the next next best thing, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers has just given its oh-so-coveted stamp of approval to 802.16m . For those unfamiliar with such a term, that’s the standard for next generation WiMAX , which may end up being capable of handling downstream rates of over 300Mbps. ‘Course, those that were around during CEATEC last year know that Samsung already hit that in testing, but we’re starting to feel as if that 1Gbps theoretical maximum that we were teased with in 2007 (and again last year ) won’t ever breach reality. It’s tough to say what this approval means on the consumer front — over the past four years, a tremendous amount of carriers have switched their allegiance to LTE, and even if WiMAX 2.0 finds itself ready for public consumption in the near future, it’ll take a serious operator commitment before you’ll ever enjoy the spoils. So Sprint, you feeling froggy? Continue reading IEEE approves next generation WiMAX standard, invites you to meet 802.16m IEEE approves next generation WiMAX standard, invites you to meet 802.16m originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 01 Apr 2011 11:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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There are few things we enjoy more than seeing the glittery innards of a device splayed before us in the name of science — especially when it happens to be the CDMA version of Sony Ericsson’s Xperia Play . The Verizon bound phone made a cameo at the FCC today where it was subjected to — and passed — the usual battery of SAR tests before getting dissected. What’s intriguing about the pictures in the FCC report is that the CDMA model features the same combination SIM / microSD card slot as its GSM sibling . While some are theorizing that Verizon’s gaming handset might support LTE, we think it’s more likely that the Xperia Play uses a dual-mode CDMA / GSM radio and that the SIM slot will either remain empty and disabled in firmware or that the Xperia Play will be one of Verizon’s global offerings. Take a look at the gallery below and judge for yourself. Gallery: CDMA Xperia Play visits FCC, promptly gets dissected CDMA Xperia Play visits FCC, promptly gets dissected originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 02 Apr 2011 07:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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