Archive for August 23rd, 2009

It may not seem like much from this video, but Malmö University graduate student Rob Nero has assembled himself a surface-based touchpad using all Arduino products and “simple Algebra.” Dubbed TRKBRD, the device uses hyper-fast flashing LEDs and IR sensors to calculate the XY coordinates of the shadow, and subsequently the finger itself. We haven’t seen it hooked up to a computer just yet, but we hope there’s more to come. Videos of the successful trial run and some preliminary testing and wiring after the break.

[Via Make: Online]

Continue reading TRKBRD surface touchpad puts your weekend DIY project to shame, probably

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

TRKBRD surface touchpad puts your weekend DIY project to shame, probably originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 23 Aug 2009 15:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We know the specs, the release window, even the price — it feels like we’re already intimately acquainted with Samsung’s ION-powered N510 netbook, but honestly, we’ve never really seen it outside of a touched-up press photo. Netbooknews.de has gone ahead and fixed all that, giving us a good idea what we’ll be taking home to mom and dad, from retail packaging all the way to the exposed underbelly. There’s even a number of side-by-side shots with its older brother NC10, which looks downright tiny sitting next to its more powerful, but also pretty small kin. Want a good glimpse of what’s likely to be the first ION netbook to US market? All relevant materials lie beyond the read links below.

Update: Turns out the ION-equipped N510 has been pushed back until after the Windows 7 launch, at least for the US. Unboxing is from Germany, where the netbook’s now on sale.

[Thanks, buttons]

Read – Samsung N510 unboxing (translated)
Read – Flickr gallery

Filed under: Laptops

Samsung N510 unboxed, looking rather large sitting next to the NC10 originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 23 Aug 2009 13:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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As it turns out, Instinct HD really was the final name that Samsung decided for its Sprint-bound S50 / m850 Dash, at least as far as Best Buy is concerned. The “Weekly Ad Specials” listing confirms that the smartphone really does handle HD video, both recording and playback, with a 5 megapixel camera and a TV out connection for sharing. It’s also got visual voicemail, WiFi, and corporate calendar (likely Exchange and Lotus Domino) support. No price listed, but whatever it is will be effective from today through September 26th, so using our great powers of logic and deduction, we’re gonna predict it’ll hit stores sometime within the next month — bold assumption, we know. Don’t let us down, Sammy.

[Thanks, Benny L]

Filed under: Cellphones

Samsung Instinct HD pops up on Best Buy’s website with 5 megapixel camera, TV out originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 23 Aug 2009 11:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The last video we posted of the Storm 2 doing its SurePress thing has been unceremoniously pulled from YouTube, but this new video really makes up for it. It turns out the screen uses piezo electronics to detect pressure at any point on the screen, instead of the all-or-nothing click button on the Storm 1, and our video host was kind enough to explain this in painstaking detail in the video embedded after the break. The screen actually stiffens when it’s off or locked, and has a sort of spongy give to it when alive. He also confirmed in no uncertain terms the GSM and CDMA versions of the device will be packing WiFi. According to his Twitter account, we should be expecting a video about the OS soon as well.

[Thanks, Kristjan]

Continue reading Video: Storm 2′s new touchscreen tech explained with mindblowing clarity, WiFi confirmed

Filed under: Cellphones

Video: Storm 2′s new touchscreen tech explained with mindblowing clarity, WiFi confirmed originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 23 Aug 2009 09:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It’s nothing too astonishing in the specs department (300 nits, 60,000:1 contrast, 5ms response time), and the DVI and VGA plugs are rather lonesome without an HDMI or DisplayPort plug to tag along, but we can’t fault AOC for the 2436Vw’s $220 pricetag. The 49W of power draw in a 24-inch 1080p display doesn’t hurt either, and we’re sort of digging the clean design. The 2436Vw is out now.

[Via Electronista]

Filed under: Displays

AOC’s 2436Vw does 24-inches of power sipping LCD on the cheap originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 23 Aug 2009 07:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We’ve been enjoying (or just dealing with, depending on perspective) PCI Express 2.0 since early 2007, and it now looks as if we may still be utilizing said protocol come early 2011. Way back in June of ’08, we began to hear whispers that the next iteration of the technology would be finalized by the end of this year, but now the PCI SIG has formally delayed the release of the specification until the second quarter of 2010. What does that mean for the consumer? Try coping with the fact that you won’t see a PCIe 3.0 product until 2011. As the story goes, the delay was needed in order to “maintain backward compatibility with current PCI Express standards,” and while the technical details of all that may interest some, it’s the awfully unfortunate setback that’s most notable here. But hey, at least all those PCIe 1.0 cards that are still totally relevant will work with your next (next-next?) PC!

[Via Reg Hardware]

Filed under: Peripherals

PCI Express 3.0 specification formally delayed, products pushed to 2011 originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 23 Aug 2009 04:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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At Best Buy’s Zune HD preview today a certain Matthew Arkin on Qik was able to shoot footage of the “Apps” item that resides within the “Marketplace” section on the device. It’s still incredibly unclear what Microsoft’s plans are for that functionality — they’ve long admitted its existence, but have waffled on the name and have been reticent to show it off in meetings with us. Microsoft so far has only promised to have applications on par with the games currently available for Zune, but there’s obviously a lot of implied competition with Apple’s App Store that the word “Apps” on a touchscreen device conjures up. On video (embedded after the break) the rep is asked if there’s an SDK, and apparently Matthew got a “yes” offscreen, but we’re not really sure of the veracity of that statement, or what it means for developers at the moment — hopefully good, freedom-ey things.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Continue reading Zune HD’s “Apps” menu item spotted in the Marketplace, still short on details

Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video

Zune HD’s “Apps” menu item spotted in the Marketplace, still short on details originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 23 Aug 2009 02:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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All the cool kids are building CULV-powered 11.6-inch miniature wonders, and Acer-owned Gateway is no exception. This new EC1803h unit (a rebadge of sorts of Acer’s Timeline 1810T) just popped up in Canada, and has a lot in common with Gateway’s LT2000 netbooks — though somehow knowing there’s a “real” processor underneath makes it seem just a bit more sexy. Unfortunately, the $600 Canadian (about $550 US) pricetag isn’t quite as grand as the $400ish CULV laptops that Acer and Dell have been showing, but it’s hard to fault the 3GB of RAM, 6 cell standard battery and 250GB hard drive. No word on when this will head to the States.

Filed under: Laptops

Gateway’s 11.6-inch EC1803h CULV ultraportable surfaces in Canada originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 23 Aug 2009 00:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It’s not necessarily on the level of Yankee Stadium’s jetstream, but the new Dallas Cowboys stadium has its own problems. The massive HDTV strung up over the field was hit by a punt during the first NFL game played there last night. So far, by the rules that will result in a do-over, while owner Jerry Jones says there are no plans to move the screen and he doubts anyone will hit it during the regular season. Check the video evidence embedded after the break, somehow we doubt this is the last time this happens.

Continue reading Dallas Cowboys HD scoreboard hanging too low?

Filed under: HDTV

Dallas Cowboys HD scoreboard hanging too low? originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 22 Aug 2009 21:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The jury is still out on whether 200 / 240hz motion technology (last year’s prototype pictured above) provided an appreciable difference but that won’t stop Samsung from bringing 400 / 480hz (PAL / NTSC standards) LCD HDTVs to IFA 2009 next month. This is the second time we’ve heard rumors of a spec bump in motion technology, using black frame insertion instead of more complicated (& expensive) tech to create new frames from existing ones. LG has already demo’d its 480hz LCDs and the two will surely race to get a bigger number on store shelves, but we’ll need an eye-on before determining if it’s an upgrade worth waiting for.

[Via GadgetCrave]

Filed under: Displays, HDTV

After bigger, thinner and brighter, Samsung planning even faster LCDs for IFA originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 22 Aug 2009 19:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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