29-May-07 04:56:00
Filed under: Misc. Gadgets
It seems funny now, but Apple's 2001 decision to open a chain of glossy white boutiques was thought to be pretty risky at the time -- there was no shortage of pundits declaring that the stores would fail spectacularly. (To be fair, no other manufacturer made it work except Sony, kind of. Read on.) Six years and several million iPods later, of course, the stores are a resounding success, and flagship stores are suddenly all the rage. Not every manufacturer's getting so lucky at the mall, however -- Randall Stross of the New York Times compared his experiences at a couple of Sony's 39 retail stores with a visit to an Apple Store, and came away less than impressed. Stross found both Sony outlets virtually deserted except for inattentive salespeople and security personnel, while the Apple Store was packed with shoppers and friendly staff. The Sony stores, according to the "retail consultants" Stross later talked to, are merely "places of stuff," a con...
It seems funny now, but Apple's 2001 decision to open a chain of glossy white boutiques was thought to be pretty risky at the time -- there was no shortage of pundits declaring that the stores would fail spectacularly. (To be fair, no other manufacturer made it work except Sony, kind of. Read on.) Six years and several million iPods later, of course, the stores are a resounding success, and flagship stores are suddenly all the rage. Not every manufacturer's getting so lucky at the mall, however -- Randall Stross of the New York Times compared his experiences at a couple of Sony's 39 retail stores with a visit to an Apple Store, and came away less than impressed. Stross found both Sony outlets virtually deserted except for inattentive salespeople and security personnel, while the Apple Store was packed with shoppers and friendly staff. The Sony stores, according to the "retail consultants" Stross later talked to, are merely "places of stuff," a con...
Source: Engadget
29-May-07 02:54:00
Filed under: Laptops
We're not in any position to tell whether this really is or isn't Lenovo's new Thinkpad Reserve Edition (cask aged for 12 years!), but whatever it is looks like it's got some leather going on up in there. Notebook Italia thinks this might have a little something to do with Lenovo's "Yoga" concept laptop, but for usability's sake let's all hope that hinge isn't some leather and plastic strapped together -- it's hard enough to keep our laptops' properly engineered metal hinges working well for extended periods of use.
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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
We're not in any position to tell whether this really is or isn't Lenovo's new Thinkpad Reserve Edition (cask aged for 12 years!), but whatever it is looks like it's got some leather going on up in there. Notebook Italia thinks this might have a little something to do with Lenovo's "Yoga" concept laptop, but for usability's sake let's all hope that hinge isn't some leather and plastic strapped together -- it's hard enough to keep our laptops' properly engineered metal hinges working well for extended periods of use.
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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
Source: Engadget
28-May-07 23:05:00
Filed under: Cellphones
So The Seattle Times got a sit down with the rather guarded Glenn Lurie, AT&T's man on the ground for the iPhone. While he didn't give much up in the way of the phone's finer details, he did have one takeaway that left us interested. When asked about the mass skepticism over the iPhone's price, he replied "... There are other things -- you have the widgets, some of the Google applications that are coming -- there are just so many things here that the price will not be an issue." Now, we don't want to get all weird here and read tea leaves, but he did say Google applications (as in plural), so we think it's safe to say Google has more planned than just Gmaps for the iPhone. We wouldn't be surprised to see a Google news reader, Gmail, or even Gcal apps on there, but given the fact that Apple already has its own agenda for mail, calendaring and the like, it might stand to reason the iPhone won't be locking its users out of 3rd party add-on...
So The Seattle Times got a sit down with the rather guarded Glenn Lurie, AT&T's man on the ground for the iPhone. While he didn't give much up in the way of the phone's finer details, he did have one takeaway that left us interested. When asked about the mass skepticism over the iPhone's price, he replied "... There are other things -- you have the widgets, some of the Google applications that are coming -- there are just so many things here that the price will not be an issue." Now, we don't want to get all weird here and read tea leaves, but he did say Google applications (as in plural), so we think it's safe to say Google has more planned than just Gmaps for the iPhone. We wouldn't be surprised to see a Google news reader, Gmail, or even Gcal apps on there, but given the fact that Apple already has its own agenda for mail, calendaring and the like, it might stand to reason the iPhone won't be locking its users out of 3rd party add-on...
Source: Engadget
28-May-07 22:16:00
Filed under: Features, Home Entertainment, Portable Audio
Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about technology, multimedia, and digital entertainment:
Even in this age of slim, lightweight televisions, few consumers short of bored bodybuilders would want to have to lift one whenever they needed to, say, change the channel. (Hence the remote control remains as popular today as it was 20 years ago.) But the iPod is a different story. For all the lawsuits targeted at Apple for iPod-related consumer complaints, none has alleged a strained back or pulled groins caused by Apple's miniature media machine. (Indeed, this has held true in spite of past rumors from credible sources that Apple has been working on a giant iPod.)
Nevertheless, as close a companion as many iPods are, there are times when they aren't packed in our pockets. Since they can hold months' worth of music, hard drive-based units in particular can serve as the ma...
Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about technology, multimedia, and digital entertainment:
Even in this age of slim, lightweight televisions, few consumers short of bored bodybuilders would want to have to lift one whenever they needed to, say, change the channel. (Hence the remote control remains as popular today as it was 20 years ago.) But the iPod is a different story. For all the lawsuits targeted at Apple for iPod-related consumer complaints, none has alleged a strained back or pulled groins caused by Apple's miniature media machine. (Indeed, this has held true in spite of past rumors from credible sources that Apple has been working on a giant iPod.)
Nevertheless, as close a companion as many iPods are, there are times when they aren't packed in our pockets. Since they can hold months' worth of music, hard drive-based units in particular can serve as the ma...
Source: Engadget
28-May-07 22:15:57
It's Memorial Day, so CNET got into the act by putting together a rundown of some of the Army's Future Combat System, which "envisions a family of high-tech gear including sensors, aerial drones, and manned and unmanned ground vehicles, all fully networked and linked to individual soldiers" that will ultimately help save lives.
galleryPost('armyfcs', 8, 'U.S. Army FCS');– Matt Buchanan
The system's development timeline stretches into the next decade, but some of it might see some action by the next fiscal year, which starts in October. While I think the Class I Unmanned Aerial vehicle is pretty cool, admittedly I'm fairly smitten by the Small Unmanned Ground Vehicle solely because it's controlled with a modified Xbox 360 controller.
The Army's vision for soldier tech [CNET via CrunchGear]
galleryPost('armyfcs', 8, 'U.S. Army FCS');– Matt Buchanan
The system's development timeline stretches into the next decade, but some of it might see some action by the next fiscal year, which starts in October. While I think the Class I Unmanned Aerial vehicle is pretty cool, admittedly I'm fairly smitten by the Small Unmanned Ground Vehicle solely because it's controlled with a modified Xbox 360 controller.
The Army's vision for soldier tech [CNET via CrunchGear]
Source: Gizmodo
28-May-07 21:32:00
Filed under: Storage
Having already increased the storage capacity of its holographic storage system, Sony's now turned its attention to speeding up data transfer rates, and it certainly doesn't look to be wasting any time ratcheting things up. According to Tech-On, Sony's managed to increase the transfer rate of its "coaxial type" holographic data storage system from a mere 3 Mbps to 92 Mbps and 107 Mbps for read and write times, respectively. That considerable leap was apparently achieved by using a new image-stabilization technique developed by Sony (artfully illustrated above), along with an improved CMOS sensor that allows the system to operate at a higher frame frequency. Sony's far from done yet, however, promising to eventually increase transfer rates to a cool 1 Gbps by boosting the laser output and increasing the sensitivity of the recording medium.
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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Pac...
Having already increased the storage capacity of its holographic storage system, Sony's now turned its attention to speeding up data transfer rates, and it certainly doesn't look to be wasting any time ratcheting things up. According to Tech-On, Sony's managed to increase the transfer rate of its "coaxial type" holographic data storage system from a mere 3 Mbps to 92 Mbps and 107 Mbps for read and write times, respectively. That considerable leap was apparently achieved by using a new image-stabilization technique developed by Sony (artfully illustrated above), along with an improved CMOS sensor that allows the system to operate at a higher frame frequency. Sony's far from done yet, however, promising to eventually increase transfer rates to a cool 1 Gbps by boosting the laser output and increasing the sensitivity of the recording medium.
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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Pac...
Source: Engadget
28-May-07 20:05:00
Filed under: Misc. Gadgets
We know, returning to work after an all-too-short long weekend leaves you just wanting more time off, but rather than skimming through those pictures you snapped and refusing to get back in the groove, why not force your brain to meditate and release those negative vibes? In an admittedly bizarre how-to guide, the folks over at MAKE have detailed Mitch Altman's Brain Machine, which reportedly enables you to slip into deep thought, sleep, or peaceful nirvana by syncing up your brain waves with pulsing lights and sounds. Odd as it may sound, the homegrown trip inducer purportedly utilizes an SLM (Sound and Light Machine) to "phase in new brain states by switching frequencies back and forth." Of course, we're still a bit hesitant to put our retinas at risk in order to legally experience hallucinations, but be sure to hit the read link for the step-by-step guide, and tap the via if you're interested in catching a video before subjecting yourself. [War...
We know, returning to work after an all-too-short long weekend leaves you just wanting more time off, but rather than skimming through those pictures you snapped and refusing to get back in the groove, why not force your brain to meditate and release those negative vibes? In an admittedly bizarre how-to guide, the folks over at MAKE have detailed Mitch Altman's Brain Machine, which reportedly enables you to slip into deep thought, sleep, or peaceful nirvana by syncing up your brain waves with pulsing lights and sounds. Odd as it may sound, the homegrown trip inducer purportedly utilizes an SLM (Sound and Light Machine) to "phase in new brain states by switching frequencies back and forth." Of course, we're still a bit hesitant to put our retinas at risk in order to legally experience hallucinations, but be sure to hit the read link for the step-by-step guide, and tap the via if you're interested in catching a video before subjecting yourself. [War...
Source: Engadget
28-May-07 19:20:00
Filed under: Announcements
What better way to blow out the holiday than with a handful of Motorola T305 car kits? Does one of 'em have your name on it? Only one way to find out, we figure: enter the contest!
Have a look at our other contests, too, before it's too late: Helio Ocean, T-Mobile Wing, Sprint UpStage by Samsung, Nokia N75
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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
What better way to blow out the holiday than with a handful of Motorola T305 car kits? Does one of 'em have your name on it? Only one way to find out, we figure: enter the contest!
Have a look at our other contests, too, before it's too late: Helio Ocean, T-Mobile Wing, Sprint UpStage by Samsung, Nokia N75
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
Source: Engadget
28-May-07 18:30:00
Filed under: Robots, Transportation
It looks like DARPA's newly-instated Urban Challenge is shaping up nicely, with this self-driving Isuzu SUV from Austin Robot Technology and the University of Texas now joining the likes of Team LUX's Volkswagen Passat and NC State's Lotus Elise in competing for the top prize. As with those other vehicles, the SUV (dubbed Marvin) is completely autonomous, relying on an array of sensors, video cameras, artificial intelligence, and machine-learning technology to (hopefully) avoid catastrophe as it motors about. As you might guess, the Urban Challenge presents a few different obstacles for the vehicles to deal with than the Grand Challenge does, including intersections, improperly parked cars, and traffic laws that must be followed at all times. Marvin still has a ways to go before it can get a chance to drive away a few million dollars richer, however, with it required to pass a basic driving test this summer and a national qualifier in Oct...
It looks like DARPA's newly-instated Urban Challenge is shaping up nicely, with this self-driving Isuzu SUV from Austin Robot Technology and the University of Texas now joining the likes of Team LUX's Volkswagen Passat and NC State's Lotus Elise in competing for the top prize. As with those other vehicles, the SUV (dubbed Marvin) is completely autonomous, relying on an array of sensors, video cameras, artificial intelligence, and machine-learning technology to (hopefully) avoid catastrophe as it motors about. As you might guess, the Urban Challenge presents a few different obstacles for the vehicles to deal with than the Grand Challenge does, including intersections, improperly parked cars, and traffic laws that must be followed at all times. Marvin still has a ways to go before it can get a chance to drive away a few million dollars richer, however, with it required to pass a basic driving test this summer and a national qualifier in Oct...
Source: Engadget
28-May-07 17:36:00
Filed under: Announcements
Hey everybody, just a little memo since we're doing some spring cleaning around Engadget. We just wanted to take a moment to respond to everyone who's written asking about a few reoccurring matters, so here ya go! Oh, feel free to sound off in comments if we forgot anything.
Breaking news and featured stories feeds
We know not everyone can keep up with the flow of news most days, which is why we have two channels for keeping an eye on the most important stuff: breaking news, and featured content. The breaking / featured boxes are off to the right in the center column and are updated instantly when new stories are added, but if you're addicted to RSS like we are, you can get the feeds as well. Subscribe to breaking news here, and to featured stories here.
Linking in comments (spam and blogspam)
Linking your site in your comment (especially as a signature): don't do it. It looks like spam, but even if you're not a...
Hey everybody, just a little memo since we're doing some spring cleaning around Engadget. We just wanted to take a moment to respond to everyone who's written asking about a few reoccurring matters, so here ya go! Oh, feel free to sound off in comments if we forgot anything.
Breaking news and featured stories feeds
We know not everyone can keep up with the flow of news most days, which is why we have two channels for keeping an eye on the most important stuff: breaking news, and featured content. The breaking / featured boxes are off to the right in the center column and are updated instantly when new stories are added, but if you're addicted to RSS like we are, you can get the feeds as well. Subscribe to breaking news here, and to featured stories here.
Linking in comments (spam and blogspam)
Linking your site in your comment (especially as a signature): don't do it. It looks like spam, but even if you're not a...
Source: Engadget
