Sigma’s flagship SLR, the SD1, has finally gotten a price and launch date. The 45-megapixel camera will go on sale in June 2011, and will cost a rather dizzying $9,700.
So what do you get for that money? It’s mostly about the sensor, which is either 15MP or 45MP depending on how you count the pixels. [...]
Monday, May 23, 2011
Switched On: Adding to Android's army
Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology.
Android, as Andy Rubin (no relation) has pointed out on multiple occasions, plays a game of numbers. And at Google I/O, the company carrying on its development shared some large ones: 100 million activated devices with 400,000 being added each day. However, like in many games, different players can catch up or overtake each other at different points. Just ask Nokia and RIM. To stay on top, operating system vendors implement strategies that lock consumers in. The more money consumers sink into iPhone apps, for example, the more incentive they have to stay with that platform; the same is true for accessories that use Apple's 30-pin dock connector that has been around since the third-generation iPod.
With Android having become the lead operating system for every smartphone company that licenses its OS with the notable exception of Nokia (which nearly did), Google showed that it's intent not just on moving Android into other devices with sufficient computing horsepower such as tablets and, increasingly, TVs, but now has its sights set on having just about everything that can't run Android directly feed into it. Google is taking two approaches - one for things that plug into Android devices, and one for things that don't.Continue reading Switched On: Adding to Android's armySwitched On: Adding to Android's army originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 22 May 2011 15:20:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | | Email this | Comments
Android, as Andy Rubin (no relation) has pointed out on multiple occasions, plays a game of numbers. And at Google I/O, the company carrying on its development shared some large ones: 100 million activated devices with 400,000 being added each day. However, like in many games, different players can catch up or overtake each other at different points. Just ask Nokia and RIM. To stay on top, operating system vendors implement strategies that lock consumers in. The more money consumers sink into iPhone apps, for example, the more incentive they have to stay with that platform; the same is true for accessories that use Apple's 30-pin dock connector that has been around since the third-generation iPod.
With Android having become the lead operating system for every smartphone company that licenses its OS with the notable exception of Nokia (which nearly did), Google showed that it's intent not just on moving Android into other devices with sufficient computing horsepower such as tablets and, increasingly, TVs, but now has its sights set on having just about everything that can't run Android directly feed into it. Google is taking two approaches - one for things that plug into Android devices, and one for things that don't.Continue reading Switched On: Adding to Android's armySwitched On: Adding to Android's army originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 22 May 2011 15:20:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | | Email this | Comments
Windows 8 App Store images leaked?
Windows 8 images continue to leak onto the Internet, despite Microsoft's wallpaper-based pleas to those with access to the early releases. Today's installment courtesy CNBeta shows the upcoming Windows App Store, which will likely feature prominently in Windows 8.
We've got our doubts about the authenticity of the image. In addition to showing several of the built-in games which already ship with Windows, Opera is listed -- and a competing browser seems like an odd inclusion this early on. Of course, with the browser ballot still in place in the EU for quite some time, Microsoft would probably need to include rivals like Opera and Firefox to stay out of trouble. We're also not sure why Clickgamer is shown beneath Angry Birds instead of Rovio -- the game's actual publisher.
It's still early, of course, so it's entirely possible that the Windows App Store image is genuine but merely using placeholder images and text for now. Anyone else thinking Windows Marketplace might be a more logical name? You know, to keep things consistent with Windows Phone and keep Apple's legal eagles at bay.Windows 8 App Store images leaked? originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 11 Apr 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
We've got our doubts about the authenticity of the image. In addition to showing several of the built-in games which already ship with Windows, Opera is listed -- and a competing browser seems like an odd inclusion this early on. Of course, with the browser ballot still in place in the EU for quite some time, Microsoft would probably need to include rivals like Opera and Firefox to stay out of trouble. We're also not sure why Clickgamer is shown beneath Angry Birds instead of Rovio -- the game's actual publisher.
It's still early, of course, so it's entirely possible that the Windows App Store image is genuine but merely using placeholder images and text for now. Anyone else thinking Windows Marketplace might be a more logical name? You know, to keep things consistent with Windows Phone and keep Apple's legal eagles at bay.Windows 8 App Store images leaked? originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 11 Apr 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
British royal family announces iOS and Android wedding app
To celebrate the imminent marriage of Prince William and Kate Middleton, the Royal Collection will release an Android an iOS app that chronicles the last seven royal marriages, including Queen Victoria's marriage to Prince Albert in 1840.
Ironically, the app won't actually feature anything to do with William and Kate's marriage -- rather, it will focus on the "tradition, splendor and romance" that are intrinsic to British royal marriages. "[The app] will share the stories of past royal weddings and offer a wealth of historical context for the ceremony on April 29."
Unfortunately, the app, which has been lumbered with the fantastically creative name of 'Royal App,' won't be available until April 18 -- just 11 days before Kate's big day. It won't be free, either: it'll cost the rather princely sum of £1.79, or three of your Tea Party-loving dollars. The money will go to the Royal Collection, though, which is a good cause!British royal family announces iOS and Android wedding app originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 05 Apr 2011 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Ironically, the app won't actually feature anything to do with William and Kate's marriage -- rather, it will focus on the "tradition, splendor and romance" that are intrinsic to British royal marriages. "[The app] will share the stories of past royal weddings and offer a wealth of historical context for the ceremony on April 29."
Unfortunately, the app, which has been lumbered with the fantastically creative name of 'Royal App,' won't be available until April 18 -- just 11 days before Kate's big day. It won't be free, either: it'll cost the rather princely sum of £1.79, or three of your Tea Party-loving dollars. The money will go to the Royal Collection, though, which is a good cause!British royal family announces iOS and Android wedding app originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 05 Apr 2011 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Awaken on the Dark Side
This Star Wars figure is a lamp, MP3 player, and an alarm clock all packed into one cute – er, menacing – Darth Vader. �The lamp stands 11.5″ tall and is 6″ in diameter. �The lamp has a standard 120V power plug, and it uses 3AA batteries (not included) for clock backup. �You’ll need to [...]
Electronics For Imaging Electronic Data Systems Electronic Arts
Eight Plankers Lose Their Jobs For Foolish Facebook Fad [Wtf]
Planking has already cost one Australian man his life, but now eight employees of the Australian chain Woolworths are out of work for balancing on shopping trolleys, mincing machines, and whatever else they discovered they could balance on at work. More »
CrunchGear Week In Review: Composition Edition
Here are some stories from the past week on CrunchGear: Now You Can Fabricate Your Own Strandbeest ThinkGeek?s USB Mushroom Lamp Provides Light, Not Super Abilities The White iPhone Is Official, Available April 28 ?Slow Photography? Is Like Hipstamatic In Real Life Nintendo 3DS Takes Over The Jet Blue Terminal
The ChromiumPC from Xi3 Is the First Desktop Ready to Run ChromeOS [Hardware]
The ChromiumPC modular computer, first unveiled by Xi3 last year, is ready to ship this summer, with an architecture designed specifically for Chrome. More »
Gillmor Gang 5.21.11 (TCTV)
The Gillmor Gang ? Robert Scoble, Kevin Marks, Dick Hardt, and Steve Gillmor ? got all LinkedIn in the wake of the startup's successful IPO. Amid the fear mongering about another tech bubble, it seemed more likely that LinkedIn was the first of at least a trio of big social plays going public. Facebook and Twitter seem no brainers, each with their own dynamics in terms of revenue plus virality. And then there's Groupon and maybe Zynga.
But the real question was not whether hype trumps value, but what's next as the intersection of technology and media accelerates. This year's broadcast upfronts seemed primed for disruption, with most networks junking their entire drama debuts from a year ago in favor of big budget sci-fi and Sheenless comedies. Meanwhile Netflix continues to mushroom as it becomes the next HBO, or some supernode unlike anything since the agencies took over from the film studios in the '50s. King Harvest will surely come.
But the real question was not whether hype trumps value, but what's next as the intersection of technology and media accelerates. This year's broadcast upfronts seemed primed for disruption, with most networks junking their entire drama debuts from a year ago in favor of big budget sci-fi and Sheenless comedies. Meanwhile Netflix continues to mushroom as it becomes the next HBO, or some supernode unlike anything since the agencies took over from the film studios in the '50s. King Harvest will surely come.
Shutterfly Custom Path Photo Books Give You Complete Design Control
We’ve reviewed several photo books at The Gadgeteer, and they’ve all allowed some customization of your book design. �You can choose themes (wedding, baby, holiday, etc) that determine a set of background images, and you can choose templates that fit a pre-determined number and size of photos and text boxes on a page. �Shutterfly also [...]
Saturday, May 21, 2011
LinkedIn Climbs Past $100 Per Share On Second Day Of Trading
LinkedIn's stock continues to perform well at the start of its second day of trading. After closing on the New York Stock Exchange at $94 per share yesterday afternoon (giving LinkedIn a $9 billion market cap), the professional social network's first trade began at $98 per share this morning and has reached as high as high as $103.28. The company is now close to a $10 billion market share.
For background, LinkedIn priced its shares at $45 on Wednesday evening but began trading at $83 per share yesterday morning, up 84 percent and giving the company a $7.8 billion market cap. In total, LinkedIn raised $352.8 million in gross proceeds from the offering of 7,840,000 shares, with 94.5 million shares of stock outstanding.
For background, LinkedIn priced its shares at $45 on Wednesday evening but began trading at $83 per share yesterday morning, up 84 percent and giving the company a $7.8 billion market cap. In total, LinkedIn raised $352.8 million in gross proceeds from the offering of 7,840,000 shares, with 94.5 million shares of stock outstanding.
The Hack Is On At The Hackathon
The tables here at Pier 94 are full of enterprising hackers, swapping code and networking furiously. The Red Bull is flowing freely and snacks crunch underfoot — pigeons flit to and fro looking for crumbs and perhaps some seed funds. And it's only just beginning.
The hacking will continue all night, punctuated by API demonstrations by the likes of Twitter, Qualcomm, and Google, and at 9:30 tomorrow morning the projects will be submitted. There are way more teams and individuals than our last Hackathon, which was already far larger than the one before. Fortunately, our new venue is very spacious — cavernous, even. They'll need the space after the pizza arrives and things start getting over-savory.
The hacking will continue all night, punctuated by API demonstrations by the likes of Twitter, Qualcomm, and Google, and at 9:30 tomorrow morning the projects will be submitted. There are way more teams and individuals than our last Hackathon, which was already far larger than the one before. Fortunately, our new venue is very spacious — cavernous, even. They'll need the space after the pizza arrives and things start getting over-savory.
Explosion at Foxconn's Chengdu plant kills two
An explosion occurred at Foxconn's Chengdu plant earlier today, with reports claiming several workers have been injured. The Taiwanese company has yet to release a statement regarding figures and the cause of this tragedy, but according to 21st Century Business Herald, witnesses saw lightning hit the A05 building before the explosion took place -- it is believed that this is a case of dust explosion, and security guards were allegedly warning evacuees that the smoke was toxic. At the time, hundreds of workers were present in the affected workshop which houses an iPad 2 assembly line. Our thoughts are with the victims and their families.
Update: Sina Tech is reporting two deaths and sixteen injured people, with three in critical condition. We've also added a video from the scene after the break, courtesy of Sohu.
Update 2: Apple has provided a statement to All Things D, saying:
We are deeply saddened by the tragedy at Foxconn's plant in Chengdu, and our hearts go out to the victims and their families... We are working closely with Foxconn to understand what caused this terrible event.
Continue reading Explosion at Foxconn's Chengdu plant kills twoExplosion at Foxconn's Chengdu plant kills two originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 May 2011 11:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink M.I.C. Gadget | 21st Century Business Hearld | Email this | Comments
Update: Sina Tech is reporting two deaths and sixteen injured people, with three in critical condition. We've also added a video from the scene after the break, courtesy of Sohu.
Update 2: Apple has provided a statement to All Things D, saying:
We are deeply saddened by the tragedy at Foxconn's plant in Chengdu, and our hearts go out to the victims and their families... We are working closely with Foxconn to understand what caused this terrible event.
Continue reading Explosion at Foxconn's Chengdu plant kills twoExplosion at Foxconn's Chengdu plant kills two originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 May 2011 11:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink M.I.C. Gadget | 21st Century Business Hearld | Email this | Comments
TweetDeck to launch as HTML5 Web app, now accepting beta testers
When TweetDeck landed in the Chrome Web Store, it seemed like an indication that it might eventually evolve into a pure HTML5 Web app. Now it looks as though that's exactly what's going to happen, with TweetDeck announcing that a new, not-just-for-Chrome Web client is ready for beta testing.
It's a natural progression for TweetDeck, especially since its originally Adobe Air app is practically all Web code. TweetDeck Web will sport a feature set which is nearly identical to the Chrome app, with the notable exception of Twitter streaming.
Initially, TweetDeck is targeting Firefox 4 and 3.6, Google Chrome, and Safari. Opera and Internet Explorer 9 won't be invited to the dance until a bit later on.
If you'd like to get in on the TweetDeck Web beta, head on over and register -- or sign up using your existing TweetDeck account.TweetDeck to launch as HTML5 Web app, now accepting beta testers originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 06 Apr 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
It's a natural progression for TweetDeck, especially since its originally Adobe Air app is practically all Web code. TweetDeck Web will sport a feature set which is nearly identical to the Chrome app, with the notable exception of Twitter streaming.
Initially, TweetDeck is targeting Firefox 4 and 3.6, Google Chrome, and Safari. Opera and Internet Explorer 9 won't be invited to the dance until a bit later on.
If you'd like to get in on the TweetDeck Web beta, head on over and register -- or sign up using your existing TweetDeck account.TweetDeck to launch as HTML5 Web app, now accepting beta testers originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 06 Apr 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Daily Crunch: Online Affection Edition
Video: Online Kiss Transmission Device IODATA 3TB Drive Looks Like It?s Mad At You Carry Your iPad 2 In The Pockets Of These Tactical Pants NOUS System Allows Disabled Users To Perform Simple Tasks? With Their Brains! Nintendo DS AR Card Tattoo (Possibly Sharpie) Indicates Extreme Fanboy Levels
Friday, May 20, 2011
Tarzan Ball is a tricky hook-and-pull physics game
So, you're a ball. A Tarzan Ball, to be precise. You've earned the nickname thanks to your astonishing ability to shoot out a lengthy 'vine' (I hope it's a vine) at objects, and then pull yourself towards those objects.
That's a handy ability to have, especially since you've got no legs, no arms, and no other means of transportation. In Tarzan Ball, the rope is everything. But you don't just swing around the screen aimlessly - that wouldn't be much of a game now, would it?
Instead, your goal in life is to collect "targets". Each level has one of these "targets" hidden away somewhere on the screen, usually behind some kind of barrier. Once you navigate close enough to the target, you can shoot your rope at it and just reel it in. That's when you pass the level.
You can't die in this game, but it can still be very frustrating. It's actually one of the tougher games I've posted recently. Still, if you enjoy physics games, this one is quite nicely made.
[This is actually the sequel to IQ Ball, which we covered last year! -Ed]Tarzan Ball is a tricky hook-and-pull physics game originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 21 Feb 2011 18:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
That's a handy ability to have, especially since you've got no legs, no arms, and no other means of transportation. In Tarzan Ball, the rope is everything. But you don't just swing around the screen aimlessly - that wouldn't be much of a game now, would it?
Instead, your goal in life is to collect "targets". Each level has one of these "targets" hidden away somewhere on the screen, usually behind some kind of barrier. Once you navigate close enough to the target, you can shoot your rope at it and just reel it in. That's when you pass the level.
You can't die in this game, but it can still be very frustrating. It's actually one of the tougher games I've posted recently. Still, if you enjoy physics games, this one is quite nicely made.
[This is actually the sequel to IQ Ball, which we covered last year! -Ed]Tarzan Ball is a tricky hook-and-pull physics game originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 21 Feb 2011 18:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Google Deodorizes Sniffable Android Security Flaw
Google has begun rolling out a patch to fix a security flaw in versions 2.3.3 and earlier of its Android mobile operating system. That flaw affects all Google services using the ClientLogin authentication protocol. It lets hackers access any personal data available through Android's application programming interfaces.
Let's Punk the Rapture [Religion]
A lot of people think the Rapture is coming May 21. It's not. But assuming your pets are okay, here's a prank we'd like you to pull. We call it Rapture Bombing. More »
Chaos Rings Omega Circles Familiar Territory [Gaming App Of The Day]
Last year's Chaos Rings told the story of five couples mysteriously transported to a place called the Arc Arena, where are forced to fight their way through a variety of dungeons until only one couple remained to claim the grand… [Kotaku]
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Communications Holdings Compal Electronics Cosmote Mobile Telecom
This Carbon Nanotube Patch Could Heal Your Broken Heart [Science]
When areas of a heart are deprived of oxygen—say, in a heart attack—muscle and nerve cells are damaged. The tissue can't regenerate on its own. But this carbon nanotube patch could help. More »
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