Archive for August, 2009
August 29, 2009
Pentax may not be the first name you think of when scouting a new DSLR, but it’s certainly closer to the top now than it was prior to the K-7’s release. The semi-pro cam saw positive review after positive review flow in, giving even the Nikon and Canon faithful reason to pay attention. At right under $1,300 for just the body it didn’t come cheap, though the high-def movie capture mode, ability to snap HDR shots natively and 14.6 megapixel sensor help to justify the MSRP somewhat. What we’re really after here are your thoughts; for those that bought in, have you been pleased? Is the low-light performance sufficient? Is the autofocus snappy enough for your tastes? Or more importantly, how happy are your clients with the results? Comments are all yours, so get to it!
Filed under: Digital Cameras
How would you change Pentax’s K-7 DSLR? originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 29 Aug 2009 01:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
August 28, 2009
Well, it’s nearly become an annual event at this point, but it looks like those patiently waiting for a Canon EOS 7D now have a bit more fodder to consider, with a purported new poster and some new lenses for the camera recently turning up online. As you can see above, however, that poster reveals only a few details and an even less complete look at the camera itself, which was most recently spotted in pieces. The rumored new lenses, on the other hand, are making themselves seen considerably more clearly and, if the pics (after the break) are to believed, include an EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM lens and a longer EF-S 18-135m f/3.5-5.6 IS. Still looking for a bit more? There’s charts and graphs at the read link below.
[Thanks, Bruno]
Continue reading Purported Canon EOS 7D poster, lenses turn up online
Filed under: Digital Cameras
Purported Canon EOS 7D poster, lenses turn up online originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 28 Aug 2009 16:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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The Long Range Acoustic Device (or Sonic Blaster, for us simple people) is among the Navy’s proudest feats of warfare engineering and a favored tool of law enforcement agencies. The non-lethal amp pumps out an ultra-powerful beam of sound that deters baddies from coming within 82 feet of its position. Unless, of course, those baddies decide to act fresh and bring one of these sound insulating, double-glazed head shields, which will let the wearer stand right in front of a Sonic Blaster without losing his hearing for all eternity. Created by the BBC’s Bang Goes the Theory show, the head shield is a perfect complement to your favorite hoodie and casual pair of jeans for a stylish riot out on the town.
Filed under: Wearables
Sonic Blaster is defeated by fashionable noise-canceling ‘head shield’ originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 28 Aug 2009 10:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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August 28, 2009
This is just hitting the wires but China Unicom has struck a 3-year deal to finally bring the iPhone (two versions of the 3G) to China’s massive subscriber-base potential. That’s it, short and sweet after what feels like years of rumors. But really, unless you live in China and subscribe to China Unicom what else is there to know?
Filed under: Cellphones
iPhone coming to China Unicom in Q4 — it’s official originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 28 Aug 2009 04:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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August 27, 2009
Altec Lansing has released yet another digital boombox, the MIX IMT800 for the iPod and iPhone. This was inspired by retro, audio rack-style equipment, where it boasts a built-in Universal Dock, horn-loaded silk dome tweeters, a pair of mid range drivers, a 5.25″ side-firing subwoofer and 5.25″ tuned passive radiator and an integrated digital FM radio. Depending on the situation, you can choose to have it run on AC power or take the more expensive long-term route - using eight D batteries, although the latter option does lend an air of portability to the entire setup. Other features include an LCD with track, artist, album, and station display, a seven-band graphic equalizer, dual top-mounted auxiliary inputs and a clip-on carabiner remote control. Expect the Altec Lansing MIX IMT800 digital boombox to go for $300 thereabouts.
Permalink: Altec Lansing MIX IMT800 digital boombox from Ubergizmo | Hot: Wii, PS3 and Natal Motion Sensing
August 27, 2009
Remember the tiny 5cm robot grasshopper that could leap like a superhero but had trouble landing its, um, landings? Well, it still hasn’t figured out those basics, but its Swiss developers are already marching ahead with plans to endow it with a pair of wings and light awareness. Now described as a self-deploying microglider, the wannabe locust will be able to identify light sources and fly toward them, an act known as phototaxis, which will make it about as intelligent as your garden variety moth. All the same, you can’t stick a camera on a moth and use it to search disaster areas for survivors … or can you? Videos of the underlying tech can be found after the break.
[Via Bot Junkie]
Continue reading Video: Robohopper gets wings, Icarus complex
Filed under: Robots
Video: Robohopper gets wings, Icarus complex originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 27 Aug 2009 13:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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August 27, 2009
If you’ve been drooling and pining and otherwise adoring LG’s GD910 watchphone from afar, wanting to add one to your wrist, hopefully you found your way down to the Orange shop at Bond Street Station in London this morning, as that’s where and when they went on sale — and we wouldn’t be surprised if that’s where they promptly sold out. The prompt folks at Electricpig managed to scoop one up and took a suite of pictures of the phone, its box, its UI, and even its gigantic (decidedly non-folding) AC adapter. Initial impressions are good, tempered only by a seemingly great amount of shame felt when wearing this in public. We suffer from no such misgivings.
Filed under: Cellphones
LG GD910 watchphone unboxed, adored, smudged originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 27 Aug 2009 07:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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August 27, 2009
Don’t let your instinctual attraction to glossy items fool you. While the PJD2121 pico projector on the right is certainly the shiniest, it’s ViewSonic’s WPG-350 wireless gateway that we’re digging the most. Assuming you’ve pre-installed the appropriate software onto the pertinent Windows / OS X machine, connect the bridge to a VGA display of some sort, and stream all the 1024 x 768 presentation content you want over 802.11b/g/n WiFi. Sure, it’s not HD, but at $199, it’s not the worst value, either, and it’s still half-lustrous on the top. Looking back at the projector, the little DLP shiner boasts 800 x 600 output, 400 lumens, and a 1,800:1 contrast ratio. A $499 price tag definitely undercuts the Samsung offering we saw yesterday, but it’s still way pricey for SVGA.
Read - Press release
Read - PJD2121 product page
Read - WPG-350 product page
Filed under: Displays, Portable Video, Wireless
ViewSonic debuts WPG-350 for WiFi video streaming, PJD2121 for portable SVGA projecting originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 27 Aug 2009 01:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Remember back when Sony introduced Rolly to stunned silence followed by a protracted effort to determine exactly what the hell it was, an effort that arguably continues to this very day? Yep, that’s kind of where we’re at right now with the Zii EGG, and nothing in the SDK documentation we’ve received today — the same documentation paying developers are just now getting — is helping us flesh that out. We can tell you that it’s well-equipped — there are proximity sensors and accelerometers on board, it’s got native support for Flash Lite, voice recognition, and 3D acceleration and it’ll eventually have support for Creative’s X-Fi audio tech — but really, that’s like saying “the Rolly is well-equipped.” What does it mean?
Here’s what we do know: out of the gate, it seems the EGG will only be running Creative’s homegrown Plaszma OS, though Android support is forthcoming. The Plaszma SDK is being rolled out in three phases spanning the rest of 2009, and some pretty important stuff — Bluetooth support, for example — won’t even be available to developers until the third phase, which is a pretty strong indication that Zii-powered products intended for consumer consumption probably won’t be around in time for the holidays. For the moment, there isn’t any indication on when devs will have access to Android support libraries, which we think might be where Zii’s true value lies, because let’s be honest — the world realistically doesn’t need another target platform for mobile.
Interestingly, Creative is using Zii to actively target China-based devs that it says “may not have brands but have an insatiable appetite for ready-to-go technologies, and can adapt these technologies very quickly to new market opportunities” (in other words, KIRFers) through its “Shanzai program,” a mix of prototype boards and support packages that it says will help small businesses bring products to market faster. If that means we can get the next great N97 clone running Android in record time, we’re all for it. Check out the full Plaszma SDK roadmap in the gallery below.
[Thanks, Joe]
Filed under: Handhelds
Zii EGG SDK roadmap revealed, some important features not coming until end of year originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 26 Aug 2009 19:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
August 26, 2009
You know, there are a slew of devices out there that’ll let you indulge in some graffiti action without sullying your hands (or breaking the law). Indeed, we’ve seen real time 3D paintings in galleries and something called the Wiispray, and now we have Eyewriter. An ongoing effort by a group of graffiti artists from around the world, this open source project has designed and built a low-cost eye-tracking system to enable people like Tony Quam (a.k.a. TEMPTONE), who is paralyzed, to create artwork moving only his eyes. But that ain’t all — the group also designed a “mobile broadcast unit,” which is essentially a low-powered, networked bicycle capable of projecting the business onto the side of a building (or street sign, or train). The kids responsible for this heartwarming example of “eye vandalism” promise that how-to materials, software, and the like will all be available soon, but in the meantime check a video of the thing in action after the break.
[Via Jailbreak]
Continue reading DIY Eyewriter brings the joy of art, vandalism to those with ALS
Filed under: Displays, Peripherals
DIY Eyewriter brings the joy of art, vandalism to those with ALS originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 26 Aug 2009 13:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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