09/25, 11:40am
tryrtyrtyrty
FWB yesterday announced that it is now shipping Hard Disk Toolkit 4.0, a major upgrade to its drive formatting and management utility. The new version features performance and reliability improvements, FireWire compatibility, Mac OS 9 compatibility, and interface enhancements. Additional features include support for the latest AGP G4s, Ultra-DMA 66 drives, Iomega ATAPI ZIP as well as more than 1000 other storage devices. Hard Disk Toolkit 4.0 carries a $200 price tag; upgrades are available to version 3.0 owners for $50.
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06/09, 12:25pm
3M USB 3 screen could handle video, more
3M at an event today showed the first example of a USB 3.0-based display. The 18.5-inch LCD is powered entirely by the bus, albeit over two ports, but should have much better refresh rates for video and other visually intensive tasks through the roughly 10 times larger, 5Gbps bandwidth versus USB 2.0's 480Mbps. The panel uses just 8W of power, or about half of what a similarly sized LCD would need.
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06/09, 11:50am
Samsung brings 3D, pico projector to InfoComm
Samsung showed its upcoming A800 3D home projector and SP-H03 pico projector in the US for the first time. The 1080p A800 3D uses Samsung's Active 3D technology and can reproduce broadcast-standard colors. In spite of the added dimension, it's rated at 1,000 lumens of brightness and has a 10,000:1 contrast ratio.
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06/09, 10:10am
Sony A290 and A390 get new sensors, redesign
Sony today added two new Alpha cameras for newcomers. The A290 and A390 together now have the 14.2-megapixel, in-body stabilized CCD sensor of the outgoing A380. Compared to their ancestors, they also have a simpler top control layout and a redesigned grip that should be more comfortable to hold.
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06/09, 9:35am
Skype says watching FaceTime only, not using it
Skype today clarified its interest in iPhone 4 and the possibility of video chat. A spokesman said Skype was curious about FaceTime and wanted to "see how this process unfolds" but made clear that the company didn't have any near-term intention of using Apple's open video call standard for Skype chats. Its now confirmed earlier remarks were simply about getting the "best possible experience" for video calls on the iPhone app, the company told Electronista.
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06/09, 9:00am
WD TV Live Plus HD latest to get Netflix streams
Western Digital expanded its set-top hubs today with the WD TV Live Plus HD. The new addition primarily brings Netflix video streaming and, unlike some other interfaces, lets users add movies to the queue from the hub instead of going to a separate device's web browser. Internet access beyond Netflix is also important as users can check Flickr photos, watch YouTube and stream Live365 or Pandora radio.
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06/09, 2:50am
Panasonic intros ultra-thin Toughbook F9 notebook
Panasonic on Wednesday rolled out its latest Toughbook rugged notebook, the 14-inch F9. It's the lightest in its class, at 3.6lbs, yet has been tested to withstand drops from 30 inches while running onto its base, or onto all surfaces and angles from 12 inches. The PC has a keyboard that can shake off up to 7 ounces of liquid without any ill effects, while its lid and base can withstand more than 220lbs of compression.
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06/09, 1:50am
Panasonic to ship 152-inch HD 3D plasma in 2011
Panasonic at InfoComm introduced the world's largest 4K HD 3D professional plasma display, the TH-152UX1. The display has a 4096x2160 resolution, which is equivalent to nine 50-inch screens. The aspect ratio is 17:9, and the set is mostly meant for use in work such as 3D CAD work, health care, although it's also seen as being useful for ultra-luxury home theaters.
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06/08, 9:25pm
Hulu paid subs for iPad could be ready soon
Hulu's rumored paid subscription service should be ready considerably sooner than thought, a pair of sources claimed Tuesday night. The TV streaming service should be ready within the "next month or two" and at some point should involve the iPad and Xbox 360. Rates weren't discussed, but the Reuters contacts echoed views that the free web-based service would still offer newer shows while the paid version would allow for older shows and other, unspecified content.
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06/08, 6:40pm
USPTO says TiVo patents invalid
TiVo suffered a second major setback in its lawsuit against Dish in as many months today as the US Patent and Trademark Office rejected two of the patents behind the complaint. The ruling isn't final but, if upheld, would dismantle the longstanding case TiVo has made against Dish and its former sibling Echostar, which accused both of copying the technology used behind simultaneous recording and playback in TiVo's DVRs.
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06/08, 2:20pm
Nokia N8 to rival iPhone 4 for movie editing
Nokia in a seemingly coincidental update has pitched the N8 against the iPhone 4 as a tool for video editing (video below). The Symbian^3 phone will have a visual timeline "like iMovie or Windows Movie Maker" and in some ways will behave like iMovie for iPhone. Owners can trim and split clips as well as add transitions and customizable titles.
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06/08, 1:45pm
Skype hopes to spread FaceTime as standard
An insider at Skype today said the company would like to spread Apple's newly developed FaceTime video calls through other apps and platforms. The VoIP app developer wants to move the technology past the iPhone 4 to other platforms. The unnamed Pocket-lint source said Skype would "welcome the opportunity" to collaborate with Apple on getting FaceTime into the Skype iPhone app and would also likely spread to other hardware. Desktops and TVs were among the likely candidates.
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06/07, 6:55pm
WHDI to get 3D support this year, Wi-Fi link next
The WHDI organization on Monday said it will release a new specification that will back all 3D formats supported the HDMI 1.4a. WHDI 2.0 is due, with full 3D support that includes the next-generation 1080p 60Hz x2 3D format. This will also bring with 4K HD format support that has four times the resolution of 1080p, at 4096x2160. WHDI and Wi-Fi can be integrated and exist on the same channel, along with reduced power requirements for integration with mobile devices will also be included in WHDI 2.0.
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06/07, 6:30pm
Sharp shows display with near seamless bezels
Sharp is showing off a multi-screen display system that uses nine of its new 60-inch professional PN-V601 LCD monitors to achieve a world-first. Thanks to its ultra-thin bezels around the display itself, the space between the displays is just over a quarter-of-an-inch (6.5mm). This allows creating multi-screen commercial displays with nearly invisible seams.
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06/07, 5:05pm
Sanyo shows two ultra short-throw 3D projectors
Sanyo has introduced two new short-throw, 3D-ready projectors on Monday, the PDG-DWL2500 and PDG-DXL2000. Thanks to a newly designed mirror projection optical unit, they can throw up large images in about half the space of a traditional projector. The DWL2500 is the shortest-throw projector on the market, with the ability to create an 80-inch image when just 12.6 inches away from the screen.
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06/07, 5:00pm
Apple iBook claim omits Random House, others
Apple's claim that it garnered 22 percent of e-book sales in the US isn't truly accurate, analysts warned this afternoon. The figure is only among the five major publishers that have agreed to sell through the iBookstore and doesn't count Random House, which sells through Amazon but doesn't yet support Apple. Independent publishers also aren't factored into the data.
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06/07, 3:40pm
Apple refines iPhone with subtler features
Apple's launch of the iPhone 4 has included a number of subtler features that were only mentioned briefly if at all. The Retina Display was designed by Apple itself rather than a ready-made part. While it uses the same IPS technology as the iPad and newer Macs, it's unique in having extra treatment to reduce the amount of glare on the screen. LG Display is the most likely manufacturer.
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06/07, 2:35pm
Utility introduced alongside iPhone 4
Alongside Apple's iPhone 4 introduction, the company also previewed an iMovie app designed specifically for the handset. The new device allows users to record video in 720p resolution at 30 frames per second. Recordings can then be edited in iMovie and exported via e-mail, SMS or YouTube.
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06/07, 11:00am
OmniVision OV5640 sensor does 1080p in smartphones
OmniVision had unusual timing today as it launched a new 5-megapixel camera sensor designed with smartphones in mind. The OV5640 is a full system-on-a-chip that combines the sensor and processing hardware in a footprint small enough for a thin phone; at a third of an inch wide and 0.2 inches thick, it can fit into tight areas. Even with the smaller size, the sensor can still handle up to 1080p at a full 30FPS as well as 720p at up to 60FPS.
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06/07, 10:20am
Toshiba dynabook TX98MBL plays 3D out of the box
Toshiba staked out a first in the PC field today with the dynabook TX/98MBL. The 15.6-inch system not only stands as Toshiba's first notebook with a 3D-capable display but the first anywhere to play Blu-ray movies. A combination of a 120Hz LCD, a GeForce GTS 350M with 3D Vision support, and a special version of WinDVD BD display the extra dimension with movies when using (bundled) active shutter glasses.
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06/07, 9:50am
HP printers to print from e-mail, get web access
(Updated with detailed specs) HP today is rolling out a new set of printers that promise true wireless printing for phones and tablets. The series is built explicitly for the Internet and will give each device a unique e-mail address that can print from anywhere online. An iPad, a BlackBerry, or a web-based document editor like Google Docs can send any website or document as an e-mail message and have it printed without needing drivers or special support in an app.
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06/05, 6:55pm
Fujifilm HS10 30X camera tested
Ultrazoom, non-DSLR cameras have almost always been exercises in compromise. They can shoot long distances, but the optical quality often takes a dive to reach such extreme lengths, and the control is rarely any better than on a point-and-shoot costing half the price. Fujifilm's FinePix HS10 tries to change that with sensor tricks to improve quality and controls you'd normally expect only on an SLR. We'll learn in our full HS10 review if these amount to real changes or if an entry DSLR is still a better pick.
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06/04, 5:55pm
Google separates WebM patents from copyright
Google today changed the license for its WebM video standard to help shelter users against possible patent lawsuits. It's now been reworded to only deny access to the patents themselves in the event of a lawsuit shutting them down. Previously, the license would have cut off all rights, locking any patent users out of use altogether.
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06/04, 5:20pm
Verizon spreads V CAST to Android for first time
Verizon spokesman Sheldon Jones today teased that the cell carrier's V CAST video service would reach its Android phones on June 7. The approach will give the Droid Incredible and fellow Droid phones on-demand TV shows and other video content over 3G. Jones didn't say how closely it would match the existing lineup for other phones.
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06/04, 5:00pm
Pushme.to adds support for web chatting
Aquafadas is currently running a special promotion that provides customers with savings of up to 50 percent on all of its software products. The promotion, which begins today, will run until June 8th and provides a 10 percent discount with the purchase of one software title, 30 percent with the purchase of two titles, and 50 percent with three titles. The promotion applies to all of Aquafadas' applications including BannerZest, the company's utility for creating flash animated banners, and PulpMotion, a tool for creating and sharing slideshows. Also included in the promotion is iDive, SnapFlow, and VideoPier.
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06/04, 5:00pm
Panasonic intros the lightest HD camcorder
Panasonic has introduced what it claims is the lightest HD camcorder in the world, the 0.5lb HDC-TM35. The camera can record 1080i videos in the AVCHD format onto SD, SDHC or SDXC cards up to 32GB in capacity. Its lens has a 23X effective zoom and hybrid image stabilization, and the camera can capture 2.9-megapixel still images while recording 2.1-megapixel video at the same time.
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06/04, 3:30pm
CyberPower outs six 3D-ready NVIDIA gaming PCs
Custom PC maker CyberPower on Friday announced the release six gaming desktop PCs that have
NVIDIA's 3D Vision graphics technology. There are four systems from the Gamer Xtreme series and two in the Gamer Ultra series. All ship with a 22-inch Samsung 3D LCD and 3D Vision stereoscopic glasses. The systems are powered by AMD's Phenom II or else Intel's Core i5 or Core i7 processors.
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06/04, 12:50pm
Chrome on all platforms gets Google video codec
Google on Friday began seeding the first developer versions of Chrome with WebM video built-in. The download lets the open codec work for HTML5 video on Linux, Macs and Windows PCs. Other changes include key bug fixes after coming out of sleep and, on Macs, the option of using the Tab key to cycle through only form fields or links.
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06/04, 10:35am
Qik 5 dollar service gives Evo 4G HD video chat
Qik this morning took advantage of the launch of the Evo 4G to offer up its premium video chat service. Paying the $5 extra per month allows for "higher than 640x480" video as well as unlimited video archiving, automatic computer downloads, and shooting still images in the middle of live video capture.
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06/03, 5:15pm
Beta test to begin with 3DS Max users
Developer e-on has released Personal Learning Editions of Vue 8.5 xStream and Infinite, its main environmental modeling suites. Infinite operates independently, while xStream connects to Maya, Lightwave, Cinema4D, Softimage or 3DS Max. The PLE editions are free, but are for non-commercial use only, and thus have network rendering disabled and watermarked output. Likewise, PLE users cannot exchange files with other people or editions of Vue.
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06/03, 5:15pm
Innoversal shows tablet with Pixel Qi screen
At Computex, a company called Innoversal is showing off a 10.1-inch Windows tablet with a Pixel Qi 3qi display. Called Lattice, the tablet has a resolution of 1024x600 and is powered by a 1.66GHz Intel Atom CPU. The screen's nature allows users to turn off the backlight, so the device functions nearly like an e-paper display device, extending the six-cell battery life.
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06/03, 3:25pm
Sony sees digital reading inevitably taking over
E-books will be the dominant form of reading within five years, Sony's digital reading head Steve Haber predicted late Wednesday. He had estimated three years ago that it would take 10 years for e-readers to overtake print but now believes that was pessimistic and would take half as much time. Digital text has already passed a point of mainstream acceptance and can't help but get more important than paper, he said.
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06/03, 2:15pm
OnLive at D8 says iPad ideal
OnLive at the D8 conference demoed its streaming game service running on the iPad. The remote play interface works "great" on an iPad and was shown running the action RPG Borderlands where many of the PCs at the conference wouldn't have the power to run it properly. Videos also work properly, and a Harry Potter movie clip played without lag between the movie and its audio.
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06/03, 1:50pm
Samsung NX5 a cheaper alternative to NX10
Samsung has quietly brought out a lower-cost alternative to the NX10. The NX5 has the same 14.6-megapixel sensor, interchangeable lenses and controls of its older counterpart but costs less through its displays. A regular LCD replaces the AMOLED from the NX10, and the electronic viewfinder is lower resolution.
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06/03, 1:05pm
Plextor shows new home media products at Computex
Plextor brought two new products to Computex, with its PlexMedia networked media player and an attachable external Blu-ray drive. The former is the first to allow connecting the Blu-ray drive, allowing users to view content on Blu-ray discs and watch movies. The drive can also be carried and connected to desktop or notebook PCs.
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06/03, 8:45am
MS claims Win Live Essentials trump iPhoto
Microsoft today tried to claim a rare edge in superiority for media apps with a preview of an upgraded Windows Live Essentials pack. The bundle focuses heavily on Photo Gallery and claims some advantages not seen in iPhoto: users can make composite images that take the best parts of similar images, and Facebook integration is tight with both uploads and the ability to import tags from photos already uploaded to the social network. Batch edits and an Office-like ribbon interface are also new.
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06/02, 11:45pm
Update works with video editors, exports to iPad
Boinx Software has loosed an update to its still-image animation software, FotoMagico 3.5. The software generates slideshows from a set of still images, supports movies -- with in- and out-point edits -- as slideshow frames, and allows users to add multiple audio tracks and narration track recording. FotoMagico can quickly build slideshows from basic elements, while customization options can be used to take the designs further.
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06/02, 6:25pm
S3 claims Apple handhelds, Macs violate patents
S3 Graphics late last week filed a complaint (PDF) against Apple with the International Trade Commission for allegedly violating four patents relating to encoding and decoding images. It accuses Apple of copying the technology with the iPad, iPhone and iPod touch. Certain MacBooks and Apple software, such as SDKs, also supposedly imitate S3's work.
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06/02, 5:40pm
Magic Bullet Grinder supports H264-encoded video
Red Giant Software has launched a Final Cut Pro plug-in, Magic Bullet Grinder, designed to convert DSLR video into formats compatible with editing software. Users can convert H264-encoded video into ProRes, Standard, ProRes Proxy, and PhotoJPEG formats. The utility supports batch processing and takes advantage of multi-core CPUs for faster conversion speeds or simultaneous processing of multiple videos.
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06/02, 4:35pm
Redesigned user interface, scheduled playlists
Plyxim has introduced v2.0 of Exibia, a utility for uploading and scheduling stills and QuickTime-compatible videos through a central server. New to the program is a redesigned user interface, the ability to create and schedule video playlists, and complete web-based administration of all program settings. Support has also been added for bulk-uploading videos, and creating thumbnail images for clips via a new tool.
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06/02, 4:15pm
Project Natal demonstrated at D8
More photos of what is believed to be Microsoft's Project Natal full body controller have surfaced, thanks to Engadget. The expected retail version was being demonstrated at the D8 show, which is where the photos were captured. Unlike the previous leaked photos, this version is white, to match the Xbox 360 Arcade's standard color.
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06/02, 4:15pm
Searches by image size, other criteria
KavaSoft has announced HyperImage 3.0, a update of its app for downloading web photo galleries. The software includes a built-in image browser, used to both manage and view downloaded files. The v3.0 upgrade incorporates a new image search feature, allowing users to set a minimum image size, as well as find clip art, line drawings, or people's faces. Search criteria can also be based on color, and deliberately omit adult content.
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06/02, 4:00pm
Nikon may get new sensor, lenses
A gathering amount of rumors might have given clues as to the expected replacement for the Nikon D90. Possibly called the D8000, it would be the first real Nikon DSLR outside of the D3x to shoot over 12 megapixels and would have both a sensor between 16 and 18 megapixels as well as 1080p video. Other details aren't mentioned by Nikon Rumors but might be inherited from the D300s or D3s.
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06/02, 3:05pm
Kno tablet boasts book design, dual multi-touch
Kno today used the D8 conference to formally unveil its self-titled tablet. The tablet carries dual 14-inch screens and is conceived as a replacement for school textbooks and uses a custom, multi-touch version of Linux optimized for books. Kno textbooks themselves support on-screen notes, highlights and "stickies," and a stylus comes with designed with handwriting in mind.
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06/02, 11:20am
Barnes & Noble sending $50 gift card with Nooks
Barnes & Noble, the maker of the Nook e-book reader, today a special promotion that will give buyers a free $50 gift card that can be used for Nook e-books or accessories. The card applies to Nooks purchased at Barnes & Noble and Best Buy stores, both online and in-store. For online orders, the card will ship in the same package as the $259 Nook itself.
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06/02, 10:15am
Amazon Kindle to come to all Target stores soon
Amazon today said that the Kindle e-reader will be available at all Target retail stores starting June 6. The device has slowly been appearing at Target stores, but this will be an all-encompassing release and makes Target Amazon's full official retail partner. Thus far, Target has mostly been selling the Sony Reader, with prominent displays, accessories and book certificates.
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06/02, 9:05am
Brings lens correction, key cameras
Following several weeks after the last beta release, Adobe has posted the final version of Camera Raw 6.1. The software supports various cameras' RAW formats within Photoshop. New is support for 10 more cameras, including the Canon EOS 550D (Rebel T2i), Kodak Z981, Sony A450, Panasonic G2 and G10, and the Olympus E-PL1 and E-600.
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06/02, 8:25am
Sonic acquires DivX to improve Roxio
Sonic today acquired video codec maker DivX for $3.75 per share, or the equivalent of $323 million. The deal gives the owner of Roxio one of the more popular video formats and are intended to give Sonic a better means of providing video over the Internet, especially for home electronics. Many Blu-ray and DVD players, TVs, and set-top boxes already support DivX videos, and DivX is already using copy protection approved by movie studios, Sonic said.
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06/01, 8:35pm
Update adds improved interface, lens adjustments
HumanSoftware has upgraded its photographic effects plug-ins, HSC Edit, for Apple's Aperture software. The set is spread across 14 modules featuring more than 5000 individual effects. Each tool provides a wide range of manual variations and can be applied to a single image or processed across a larger batch. The modules include effects organized around color adjustments, depth of field, focus, noise, and lighting or lens effects, among others.
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06/01, 4:50pm
Sony to show Pellix cameras in September?
Sony will unveil two models of a new type of digital cameras at the Photokina show in September, says one rumor. The design is dubbed Pellix, and includes both a semitransparent and fixed mirror, according to SonyAlpahRumors. The two new Sony cameras, A55 and A33, will use the same APS-C sized sensor as the NEX-3 and NEX-5.
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