2012 HDTV pricing leaks out for Panasonic, Sony, Sharp and Samsung

http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/09/2012-hdtv-pricing-leaks-out-for-panasonic-sony-sharp-and-samsu/

The madness of CES 2012 is long over and now that we've seen all of the new HDTVs, it's time to find out when they're actually going on sale, and for how much. HDGuru has just dug up advertised pricing for some of the new models from Sony (BX, EX and HX lines) and Sharp (640, 745, 844, 847 and 945), while US pricing and ship dates for Panasonic's new plasmas have been revealed by Value Electronics. For Samsung, some of the new HDTVs have already showed up for preorders at retailers like Vanns, including the top of the line 75-inch ES8000 priced at $7,999, while a more reasonably sized 46-inch model is $2,699. Sony's prices range from $399 for the KDL-32BX320 to $2299 for the KDL-55HX750, while Sharp's range from LC-46-L540U for $1,099 to the LC-80LE844U for $6,499. Most of the ship dates are still TBA, although Panasonic is planning to unleash the ST50 later this month, followed by the UT50 and GT50, then the top of the line VT50 in May. While we wait for official announcements, you can hit the source links below for more details, and let us know if you've seen any other 2012 model information peeking out early.

2012 HDTV pricing leaks out for Panasonic, Sony, Sharp and Samsung originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Feb 2012 22:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Record-breaking freefall advances space suit technology (video)

http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/08/freefall-requires-custom-spacesuit/

Jumping to Earth from the edge of space is no mean feat. Not only are you dropping like a stone, there's also the minor issue of your blood boiling as you do so. These are challenges daredevil Felix Baumgartner and the Red Bull Stratos team will be taking head-on -- literally -- with their record-breaking 120,000 foot "spacedive." To ensure Baumgartner lives to claim his honors, the Stratos team is using a custom spacesuit. It's designed by the David Clark Company, which made the first pressurized suits for World War II fighters, and includes a gas-filled bladder and integrated valve to maintain pressure over the various altitudes. While Baumgartner hopes to set new freefall distance, and time (5 minutes 30 seconds) records, there'll also be a lasting contribution to science, with team medical director Dr. Jonathan Clark hoping the developments can lead to advances in space travel and tourism. So in the future when you're opening your pretzels, looking down upon the Earth, raise a complimentary glass to Felix

Continue reading Record-breaking freefall advances space suit technology (video)

Record-breaking freefall advances space suit technology (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 08 Feb 2012 19:18:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Vonage Mobile app allows free calls and texts worldwide to fellow Android and iOS users

http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/08/vonage-mobile-app-allows-free-calls-and-texts-ios-android/

Looking to save some coin on those international calls to your mates in Brussels? Vonage has just rolled out new Android and iOS apps that do just that. The Vonage Mobile app offers free talk and text for corresponding with fellow app users worldwide by way of WiFi or data connection. Need to update app-less Auntie Em while backpacking through the Swiss Alps? The outfit says it'll save you 70% over major carriers and costs 30% less than Skype. For calls to folks without the app, users can add calling credit in either $4.99 or $9.99 increments right from the iTunes store or Android Market. The software also makes use of your existing number and extensive list of contacts without the need to create another username. Right now, calls to any phone in the US of A, Canada or Puerto Rico are free from the app for a limited time -- so long as you stay under 3000 minutes per month, of course. Hit the source link or PR below for more information before heading to your app repository to snag the free download.

Continue reading Vonage Mobile app allows free calls and texts worldwide to fellow Android and iOS users

Vonage Mobile app allows free calls and texts worldwide to fellow Android and iOS users originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 08 Feb 2012 14:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Microsoft celebrating leap year right by launching Windows 8 Consumer Preview at MWC

http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/08/microsoft-celebrating-leap-year-right-by-launching-windows-8-con/

Perhaps celebrating a push toward the mobile space with its traditionally desktop-bound OS -- or maybe just doing its best to further confuse the similar naming conventions with its forthcoming smartphone operating system -- Microsoft today sent out invites for a February 29th Mobile World Congress event that will see the launch of its Windows 8 Consumer Preview. Details are scarce about the two-hour event, but you'd better believe that we'll be there in Barcelona with bells on.

Microsoft celebrating leap year right by launching Windows 8 Consumer Preview at MWC originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bridge the Gap between WHS, iTunes and Home Sharing

http://www.mswhs.com/2012/02/bridge-the-gap-between-whs-itunes-and-home-sharing/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+MSWHS+%28MS+Windows+Home+Server%29

The Doc’s World explains his experience of using iHomeServer, a product which bridges the gap between WHS, iTunes and Home Sharing.

“…if you are in the iTunes ecosystem and running a Windows Home Server, you might look into this product to see if will benefit you as much as it did me.”

Its an interesting read and as the writer states, if you are a iTunes and WHS user as it allows these two platforms to co-exist and not only work, but actually complement each other.

You can find the article here.

Bridge the Gap between WHS, iTunes and Home Sharing is a post from: MS Windows Home Server - Your Personal Guide to Microsoft Windows Home Server!

from MSWHS.com http://www.mswhs.com

Google (finally) brings Chrome to Android

http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/news/2012/02/chrome-finally-brings-modern-web-standards-to-android.ars?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss

Google is finally bringing Chrome to the Android platform. A beta release of the increasingly popular Web browser was published this morning in the Android Market and is available to users who are running Android 4. The port includes Chrome's advanced HTML rendering engine and many of the browser's popular features.

The Chrome beta is designed to run on both phones and tablets. The tablet version of the user interface is nearly a perfect match of Chrome on the desktop, including the distinctive slanted tab design. The phone version has a more compressed interface, suitable for smaller screens, and includes the standard Chrome features such as the Omnibar and application shortcut pane.

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from Ars Technica http://arstechnica.com/index.php

Google Chrome browser arrives on Android (video)

http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/07/google-chrome-browser-arrives-on-android-video/

The latest step in bringing Google-based unification has arrived. The Chrome browser is here on Android. This beta version is currently only available for that elite crowd of ICS phones and tablets and like its desktop progenitor, the synced settings and bookmarks are all in tow. Expect to see a new, more natural mobile view of the tab system. It'll also remember what you were last looking at on your desktop Chrome browser, and sync it across to your mobile device -- it's like Kindle or iBook's bookmarking system, but for the web. Your autocorrect content from the desktop is similarly synced. Expect to see the reappearance of link previews, something you may recall from the results of any Google searches, offering a brief thumbnail of a link's destination. We're giving it a good play-around right now, but while we get our first impression up, check the quick intro video after the break.

Update: Here's our hands-on. With video, naturally. Another more in-depth video from Google can also be found after the break.

Continue reading Google Chrome browser arrives on Android (video)

Google Chrome browser arrives on Android (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 07 Feb 2012 12:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Archive TV with Windows Home Server 2011

http://www.mswhs.com/2012/02/archive-tv-with-windows-home-server-2011/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+MSWHS+%28MS+Windows+Home+Server%29

The Digital Media Zone has put together a guide on how to automate recorded TV backups on Windows Home Server 2011.

All you need to accomplish this is separate storage drives in your WHS 2011 and Windows 7 running Windows Media Center.

In the guide the guys explain how to get this setup and running, which you can find here.

Archive TV with Windows Home Server 2011 is a post from: MS Windows Home Server - Your Personal Guide to Microsoft Windows Home Server!

from MSWHS.com http://www.mswhs.com

Nokia reveals polarizing secrets of ClearBlack display

http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/06/nokia-how-clearblack-display-works/

Nokia's revealing the secrets behind ClearBlack: its display technology that, even under the brightest sunlight, renders black as black as blackest night during a dark spell. Wedged above the E7, Lumia 800 and 900 displays are three thin layers, a linear polarizer, a quarter-wave retardation film and a reflecting surface. When light enters the first layer, it vertically aligns the "wave vibration" of the light so when it hits the retardation layer, it begins to rotate towards the right. Hitting the reflecting surface causes it to reverse, becoming left-circularly polarized before passing through the retardation later again, where it polarizes horizontally. This enables the polarizing filter up top to screen out horizontally polarized light, meaning it doesn't reflect back in your face. Why (we hear you ask) then doesn't it happen with the light from the display itself? Because it only passes through the second half of the process, it doesn't become horizontally aligned, leading to that beautifully dark display reaching your peepers. It's a clever and elegant solution that we can't help but be impressed at, even if we've used up the world's supply of the word 'polarize' in order to explain to you.

Nokia reveals polarizing secrets of ClearBlack display originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 06 Feb 2012 17:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony Alpha NEX-7 mirrorless camera review

http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/06/sony-nex-7-review/

Remember the NEX-7? Ever since a days-long shooting session back in September, Sony's prized mirrorless cam has eluded us -- and the rest of the world. As you may recall, the flagship Alpha ILC was hit by the Thailand floods, resulting in delay after delay, eventually missing the holiday shopping season entirely before resurfacing late last month. Another week later and our beloved Sony Alpha NEX-7 has finally arrived, ready to take on the streets of New York City. So what exactly is the NEX-7, and why does it cost as much as a mid-range DSLR? First off, the 24.3-megapixel APS-C ILC captures, well, 24.3-megapixel images, offering the highest resolution of any mirrorless model on the market. Its APS-C sensor is identical to the one found in Sony's A77 DSLR, measuring larger than Micro Four Thirds and on par with most full-size digital SLRs.

If having the ability to capture mural-size images ranks fairly low on your digicam wish list, you may take comfort in some of the NEX-7's other features, such as its gorgeous and durable magnesium alloy body, built-in XGA OLED electronic viewfinder, 3-inch, 921k-dot articulating LCD and unique tri-navi control interface that enables direct access to key settings adjustments, including both aperture and shutter speed in manual mode. There's also 1080/60p HD movie capture with full manual control and microphone input support, a 10 frames-per-second continuous shooting mode (with exposure and focus locked) and a BIONZ image processor that's capable of delivering low-noise images all the way through ISO 16,000. These features combine to make the NEX-7 one of the most powerful mirrorless cameras to date, but are they enough to justify the $1,200 body-only price tag? Join us past the break to find out.

Gallery: Sony NEX-7 review

Continue reading Sony Alpha NEX-7 mirrorless camera review

Sony Alpha NEX-7 mirrorless camera review originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Book Review: The Infinity Puzzle

http://arstechnica.com/science/news/2012/02/the-infinity-puzzle-quantum-field-theory-and-the-hunt-for-an-orderly-universe-frank-close.ars?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss

The Infinity Puzzle sounds like one of those wooden gadgets that you can play with for a few minutes before wanting to hurl it across the room in frustration, but the infinity puzzle of this book's title actually refers to a mathematical quandary that stumped particle physicists for the first half of last century. The story of how physics moved beyond this roadblock has now been told by Frank Close, a distinguished theoretical physicist as well as a very apt storyteller.

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from Ars Technica http://arstechnica.com/index.php

Leaked Windows Phone 8 vid: Windows 8 kernel and integration, multiple cores

http://arstechnica.com/microsoft/news/2012/02/leaked-windows-phone-8-vid-windows-8-kernel-and-integration-multiple-cores.ars?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss

Windows Phone 8 will be based on the same kernel as Windows 8, and will support multicore processors, NFC, and full device encryption according to a leaked video seen by PocketNow. This in turn inspired Paul Thurrott to reveal a little more about the software too. In the video intended only for internal consumption by Microsoft and its partners, Joe Belfiore, director of the Windows Phone program, describes the extensive features that Windows Phone 8, codenamed "Apollo," will contain.

Addressing widespread concerns about Windows Phone's mid-range hardware specification, Apollo will support processors with up to four cores, four different (and unspecified) screen resolutions, NFC for contactless payment, and removable microSD storage.

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from Ars Technica http://arstechnica.com/index.php

Windows Phone 8 detailed: dual cores, Skype Integration and NFC are a go

http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/02/windows-phone-8-detailed/

If you thought Mango was the bee's knees, just wait till you get a hold of Apollo. No, seriously, keep waiting 'cause we have no idea when that will happen. While we still can't say when Windows Phone 8 will be making its way to a handset near you, we do have quite a few new details about the mobile OS courtesy of the folks over at PocketNow. The site managed to snag a copy of a video starring Windows Phone manager Joe Belfiore talking about what's coming in the next major revision. Those of you concerned with Microsoft's inability to go toe to toe with Apple and Google on specs can breathe a bit easier as new screen resolutions (four in total) and dual-core CPUs will be supported, while those clamoring for more storage will be happy to hear that microSD support has returned -- this time in an official capacity. Rounding out the new hardware features will be NFC support, including the Beam-like ability to share content by tapping, though, it'll have the advantage of being able to share with Windows 8 based tablets and laptops as well. And, speaking of Windows 8, its similarly numbered, phone-centric sibling won't just share a UI, it'll have many of the core components, including large chunks of the kernel, networking stack and security features -- which should make porting apps from the desktop to the handset a relatively simple affair.

Amazingly enough, the list of improvements doesn't end there. If you've been wondering when Microsoft was going to put its Skype acquisition to good use, wonder no more. A Windows Phone app for the VoIP service will debut alongside Apollo and will feature deep integration with the OS, including the ability to place calls the same as you would standard voice calls. A new live tile and app called DataSmart will make it easier for users to manage their data usage and ensure they don't end up eating insane overage fees. To milk every last bit out of that data plan Windows Phone will favor WiFi over a cellular connection and can be programmed to automatically connect to carrier-owned hotspots when they're in range. And, if that weren't enough, Microsoft plans to use proxy servers to compress web pages before feeding them to the mobile version of Internet Explorer 10, not unlike Opera Mini. Those of you who doubted that Windows Phone could actually keep pace with Android and iOS, now might be a good time to reevaluate your position. Hit up the source link for a few more details.

Update: If you want to get all of the details in a nice easy to glance list head after the break for a convenient bullet point presentation.

Continue reading Windows Phone 8 detailed: dual cores, Skype Integration and NFC are a go

Windows Phone 8 detailed: dual cores, Skype Integration and NFC are a go originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Feb 2012 15:16:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Oscar Nominated Animated Short Is All About Books

http://blog.blurb.com/index.php/2012/02/02/oscar-nominated-animated-short-is-all-about-books/

The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore is a valentine to books by Moonbot Studios, a creative media group that produces apps, short films, and enhanced ebooks. It’s cool to see a company so engaged with current technologies show their love for printed books too. The Academy-Award nominated short comes in at 15 minutes, so you may want to watch it during your lunch break. But it’s well worth watching – particularly in full screen.

from Blurberati Blog http://blog.blurb.com

How-To: Set up a home file server using FreeNAS

http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/01/how-to-set-up-a-home-file-server-using-freenas/

Ask Engadget: What's the best budget NAS?

Kingston Wi-Drive for iOS hits stores today, lets you create your own portable music server for $130

Tilera sees sense in the server wars, puts just 36 cores in its newest processor

In today's digital world we've all got data, and lots of it. Our libraries are also growing rapidly: where you used to get by setting aside a few bookshelves for your books, CDs, DVDs and VHS tapes, we now require untold server space to preserve our beloved media in digitized form. We also want our data to be itinerant, or at least seem that way. That is, if you want to take a book or disc to another room of your abode, you pull it from the bookshelf and take it with you. Similarly, if you're working on a document upstairs on your desktop and you want to move to the den with your laptop, you'll need the proper infrastructure working in the background to enable that kind of wizardry. So, how can we create this "digital bookshelf?" Can you go out and buy it now? Can you build it in your garage? As it turns out, the answer is "yes" on all counts. You could go out and buy a Drobo device but in this case, we're going to assemble our own. And we're going to do that with the help of an open source storage platform called FreeNAS. So how involved a process is that? Meet us after the break to find out.

Continue reading How-To: Set up a home file server using FreeNAS

How-To: Set up a home file server using FreeNAS originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Feb 2012 15:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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