We’ve been hearing reports about Nexus S’ Android 2.3.3 update adding a yellow tint to the screen and even washing out its colors, but according to Google’s Ry Guy, said patch is indeed intended to tweak the display’s color temperature. Here’s the full quote from Google’s support forum: “With your new OTA complete, you may notice a slight difference in the way colors are displayed on your Nexus S. For Nexus S, we have adjusted the color temperature settings to more accurately reflect darker colors at all brightness levels. The Gingerbread UI being darker, we found that the colors were not as accurate when the device was being used at lower brightness levels. For example, some users reported that the initial color temperature was too high leading to some darker greys having a reddish tone; with the new color temperature this is no longer the case.” So while this display tweak is well-intentioned, it looks like many commenters on both the forum and XDA-Developers aren’t too happy with this. Being curious geeks that we are, we went ahead and manually updated our own Nexus S (and by the way, be sure to match your build number with the appropriate patch). As you can see in our comparison photos (shot with the same manual camera settings and medium screen brightness), the new overall color temperature is no doubt subtly warmer, although the dimmer brightness settings no longer suffer from the aforementioned red tone. Interestingly, we actually approve this change, and the Super AMOLED display certainly doesn’t look washed out to us, nor do we see any noisy dithering that some have reported. Surely we can’t be alone. Well, there’s only one way to help solve this mystery: if you happen to be a fellow Nexus S owner who’s applied this update, why not chime in below? [Thanks to everyone who sent this in] Gallery: Nexus S 2.3.3 update adjusts screen’s color temperature, we go eyes-on View Poll Nexus S 2.3.3 update adjusts screen’s color temperature, we go eyes-on originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 27 Feb 2011 05:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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It doesn’t move and it certainly doesn’t transform , but we’re still not sure we’d stand anywhere near this jagged metal contraption ripped right out of the silver screen. The giant Megatron tank replica from Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen not only looks like it’d grind us up like beneath its spiky treads, it reportedly weighs five tons and stands eight feet tall, and is constructed entirely out of scrap metal by a designer known as “Steel Legend” — a honorific that we imagine few will dare question now. If only it could take on junkyard Optimus Prime in a Beijing Battle Royale. More pics of the tank at our source links below! [Thanks, leungxd] Chinese designer makes Megatron tank a steel-toothed reality originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 27 Feb 2011 02:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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We know, Archos already makes fairly cheap tablets , but believe it or not, the company’s going after an even cheaper segment with its new Arnova 8 and 10. The two have been popping up all around the web — they stopped by the FCC earlier this week and there was an early spec leak from a Russian site — but now we’re finally getting some real details and hands-on impressions courtesy of Charbax, who is quite possibly the biggest Archos fan in the world. The $199 10.1-inch Arnova 10, which we have to say looks a lot like the Archos 101 , packs a 600MHz Rockchip RK2818 processor, resistive touchscreen, 8GB of storage, and Android 2.1 — but before you gag, know that there should also be a 1GHz ARM Cortex-A8 Rockchip RK 2918 / capacitive touchscreen version coming in April. Meanwhile, the 8-inch Arnova 8 rings up at $150 with the same processor and resistive touchscreen, but only 4GB of storage. If the cut corners don’t faze you and you’re in the mood for a closer look, we suggest you hit the break for some Charbax video originals. Continue reading Archos Arnova 8 and 10 tablets hit the bargain bin (video) Archos Arnova 8 and 10 tablets hit the bargain bin (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 26 Feb 2011 23:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Nintendo 3DS launches in Japan, populace tears through initial 400,000 unit shipment
February 26, 2011 No Comment
You won’t be able to snap one up at your local GameStop for a full month , but the Nintendo 3DS had a solid launch in Japan today, reportedly liquidating nearly its entire initial shipment of 400,000 spiffy stereoscopic gaming handhelds by the end of the day. Some of those sales were to customers waiting in a few lines up to 2,000 persons long, but those lines were exceptions to the norm — several publications note that very few stores actually had any lines to speak of, as most Japanese electronics retailers sold out when the 3DS went on pre-order over a month ago. Get a refresher on what to expect from the system here (and here ) or read all about the surprisingly orderly Japanese launch at our source links below. Nintendo 3DS launches in Japan, populace tears through initial 400,000 unit shipment originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 26 Feb 2011 21:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Modder turns RROD-stricken Xbox 360 into PS3 arcade controller, awesomeness
February 26, 2011 No Comment
In the most recent of Xbox 360 hacks , a modder named Morris has crafted a PS3 controller out of none other than — as ironic as this may seem — a dead Xbox 360 . That’s right, somewhere out there, a PlayStation 3 has slain its mortal enemy, mercilessly gutted the internals and now has a modded Xbox as its eternal slave. The case contains all of the buttons you need to partake in a classic beat-’em-up — a joystick, the four PlayStation buttons, R1 and R2. There’s plenty more to gander at in the source link and enough in the way of detail and instruction to get started on your own arcade stick too. Modder turns RROD-stricken Xbox 360 into PS3 arcade controller, awesomeness originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 26 Feb 2011 13:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Mac OS X Lion has TRIM support for SSDs, HiDPI resolutions for improved pixel density?
February 26, 2011 No Comment
As you’d expect, developers have wasted no time in tearing apart the Mac OS X Lion preview , and in so doing they’ve allegedly discovered some intriguing things — namely, support for the SSD-wiping TRIM command , and a series of high-DPI display modes which would allow for icons and UI elements with twice the graphical detail — which could mean a PC-sized Retina Display . The former doesn’t sound like the most exciting upgrade, but it’s truly a boon for Mac users with solid state storage, as TRIM can greatly improve write speeds in compatible drives. As far as the improved pixel density rumors are concerned, it’s not clear whether Apple’s actually looking at actually doubling display resolutions in new computers ( 9to5Mac imagines a 15-inch MacBook Pro with a 2880 x 1800 screen) or whether Apple’s simply moving to maintain icons that are precisely the same physical size across all its displays — which would make fantastic sense for a touchscreen UI, by the way. Mac OS X Lion has TRIM support for SSDs, HiDPI resolutions for improved pixel density? originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 26 Feb 2011 19:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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We’ve known for some time that RIM is going all-in on NFC ( isn’t everyone? ), but we didn’t realize they were going retroactive, too. A NFC payment trial coming up involving RIM and Bank of America will allow selected testers to get an NFC-capable back for their Curve 8520 or 8530, Tour 9630, or Bold 9000, 9650, or 9700 — in other words, most of the company’s portrait QWERTY models from the last couple years. You’ll also need an active Bank of America account, at which point you’ll be able to tap your ‘Berry on NFC terminals to get your pay on. The trial starts this spring; no word on when it might be open to everyone. [Thanks, Dylan] RIM, Bank of America partnering up for Mobile Wallet NFC trial originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 26 Feb 2011 11:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Researchers debut one-cubic-millimeter computer, want to stick it in your eye
February 26, 2011 No CommentThis as-of-yet-unnamed mini computer was fashioned as an implantable eye pressure monitor for glaucoma patients, but its creators envision a future where we’re all crawling with the little buggers. Taking up just over one cubic millimeter of space, the thing stuffs a pressure sensor, memory, thin-film battery, solar cell, wireless radio, and low-power microprocessor all into one very small translucent container. The processor behind this little guy uses an “extreme” sleep mode to keep it napping at 15-minute intervals and sucking up 5.3 nanowatts while awake, and its battery runs off 10 hours of indoor light or one and a half hours of sun beams. Using the sensor to measure eye pressure and the radio to communicate with an external reader, the system will continuously track the progress of glaucoma, without those pesky contacts . Of course, the mad scientists behind it look forward to a day when the tiny device will do much more, with each of us toting hundreds of the computer implants all over our bodies — looks like a bright future for cyborgdom . Researchers debut one-cubic-millimeter computer, want to stick it in your eye originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 26 Feb 2011 17:43:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Researchers debut one-cubic-millimeter computer, want to stick it in your eye
February 26, 2011 No Comment
This as-of-yet-unnamed mini computer was fashioned as an implantable eye pressure monitor for glaucoma patients, but its creators envision a future where we’re all crawling with the little buggers. Taking up just over one cubic millimeter of space, the thing stuffs a pressure sensor, memory, thin-film battery, solar cell, wireless radio, and low-power microprocessor all into one very small translucent container. The processor behind this little guy uses an “extreme” sleep mode to keep it napping at 15-minute intervals and sucking up 5.3 nanowatts while awake, and its battery runs off 10 hours of indoor light or one and a half hours of sun beams. Using the sensor to measure eye pressure and the radio to communicate with an external reader, the system will continuously track the progress of glaucoma, without those pesky contacts . Of course, the mad scientists behind it look forward to a day when the tiny device will do much more, with each of us toting hundreds of the computer implants all over our bodies — looks like a bright future for cyborgdom . Researchers debut one-cubic-millimeter computer, want to stick it in your eye originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 26 Feb 2011 17:43:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Researchers debut one-cubic-millimeter computer, want to stick it in your eye
February 26, 2011 No CommentThis as-of-yet-unnamed mini computer was fashioned as an implantable eye pressure monitor for glaucoma patients, but its creators envision a future where we’re all crawling with the little buggers. Taking up just over one cubic millimeter of space, the thing stuffs a pressure sensor, memory, thin-film battery, solar cell, wireless radio, and low-power microprocessor all into one very small translucent container. The processor behind this little guy uses an “extreme” sleep mode to keep it napping at 15-minute intervals and sucking up 5.3 nanowatts while awake, and its battery runs off 10 hours of indoor light or one and a half hours of sun beams. Using the sensor to measure eye pressure and the radio to communicate with an external reader, the system will continuously track the progress of glaucoma, without those pesky contacts . Of course, the mad scientists behind it look forward to a day when the tiny device will do much more, with each of us toting hundreds of the computer implants all over our bodies — looks like a bright future for cyborgdom . Researchers debut one-cubic-millimeter computer, want to stick it in your eye originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 26 Feb 2011 17:43:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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