Hasta La Gadget!

We had a chance to go hands-on with Layar, the new augmented reality browser from SPRXmobile. Launched yesterday on Android Market in The Netherlands, we were curious to see how the software, that looked damn-impressive in the promo video, would function in actual use, in this case, from the living room of SPRXmobile’s Maarten Lens-FitzGerald just outside of Amsterdam. Our take? it’s the real-deal, especially for a v1 release. The software looks rock-solid and the initial data layers — ATMs, social joints like cafes and clubs, and job listings — appear fully populated and thus, useful. The ATM and cafe/club layers (or layars) are definitely helpful for serendipitous discovery though we’re still scratching our heads over the job search layar. See, what you’re discovering are jobs you can apply for from that particular employment office, not jobs necessarily available in that specific neighborhood or office building. Next month, Layar will have access to what could be its killer app (or killer data layar) called Funda, the site in The Netherlands for finding places to rent or buy. Of course, you can imagine travel guide companies like Let’s Go and Frommers jumping into this with huge effect as well. And really, it’s content that’s going to make this type of augmented reality software a success. Maarten tells us that more partner announcements are expected this week with expansion into the US, Germany, and UK anticipated later this year on Android devices and on the iPhone 3G S (compass required). Check the interview and demo after the break.

Continue reading Video: Hands-on with SPRXmobile’s Layar augmented reality browser for Android

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets, Interviews

Video: Hands-on with SPRXmobile’s Layar augmented reality browser for Android originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 18 Jun 2009 07:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It’s been ages (okay, months) since we first got our hands on the QNAP NMP1000 network media player, and it’s a good long while past its supposed shipping date. But, shipping it is (finally), now hitting Japanese stores according to Akihabara News. Initially we were only told that the thing would cost “somewhere under $10,000,” and we’re glad to say it’s way under: ¥45,000, or about $470. For that you get an HDMI 1.3-toting HD media streamer, which sports room for a 3.5-inch HDD, a gigabit Ethernet port, and the ability to not only stream media but also to act as a NAS, meaning this one didn’t fall far from the ‘ol family tree. Still no word on a US release, but hopefully that’ll be well under $10,000 as well. Soothing demonstration video to tide you over after the break.

Continue reading QNAP’s NMP1000 network media player starts streaming to Japan

Filed under: HDTV, Home Entertainment, Storage

QNAP’s NMP1000 network media player starts streaming to Japan originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 18 Jun 2009 07:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The most gullible shopper on the planet has to be the first time parent. Well meaning consumers who at their core are scared senseless. Chris Ebejer knows this and has developed a line of Babyglow clothing for newborns meant to communicate changes in your baby’s temperature — the fabric turns white above 37-C or 98.6-F. Ebejer claims to have spent 6 years and more than a million dollars to perfect the fabric — sure, even though similar, if not exactly the same tech has been around in novelty-Tees for the last 20 years. How much does a single bodysuit cost? Try £20 or about $33 per. Are you really going to trust this man with your treasure, be it carbon or gold?

[Via Gizmodiva]

Filed under: Wearables

Babyglow temperature sensing clothing: because you’re dumber than your newborn originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 18 Jun 2009 06:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LG is set to release its first 3D TV — the 47-inch 47LH50 LCD — into the Korean market next month. As our tech overlords, this could signal a trend that’ll head west. In fact, LG estimates that the 3D television market will exceed 30 million units by 2012 — exactly what we’d say too if we were in the business of selling televisions. Hmm, 30 million TVs multiplied by 4.5 pairs of glasses required for the average household — guess we’ll be investing in polarized lenses.

[Via @visitken]

LG readies first 47LH50 3D LCD TV — just 29,999,999 to go originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 18 Jun 2009 06:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Is it simple? Yes. Risky? A bit. Legal? We’ll leave that to the lawyers ’cause we know that you’re aching to give tethering a spin over your newly downloaded iPhone OS 3.0 update. We’ve seen several guides to enable tethering ever since OS 3.0 was first released into beta (and into the wilds) oh so many days ago. However, these were always carrier/country specific and required a bit more command line tampering than the common man could stomach. Now an automated solution has come to our attention that just works, is global, and doesn’t require a jailbreak. Essentially, you use your iPhone to browse to a site that you’ve never heard of (help.benm.at), download a file that promises to reconfigure your local carrier profile, and then switch on tethering as you would had you tithed a monthly tethering fee to your carrier. We’ve confirmed that it works on T-Mobile NL and on O2 UK. There’s obvious risk here so be careful and backup your iPhone first before giving this a shot. And don’t go nuts either — remember, your unlimited data plan likely contains a “fair use” clause and you can bet that carriers won’t be happy to see their bandwidth diminish without compensation. Now brace yourselves and hit the read link for the full procedure… ready, go!

Update: Some are reporting that this procedure could disable MMS and visual voicemail depending on your country and carrier — a fair trade for many.

Update 2: Techradar reports that O2 UK has responded to the tethering hack saying, “we reserve the right to charge customers making modem use of their iPhone or disconnect them.” This assumes O2 can identify such customers.

Filed under: Cellphones

How to tether your iPhone running OS 3.0 without jailbreaking, for free originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 18 Jun 2009 03:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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