Dec 15
Petite block-shaped shooter fits on a keychain, and takes videos reminiscent of 8mm films.
Dec 15
Comcast On Demand Online renamed Fancast Xfinity TV, now streaming nationwide
Posted in: adobe, cable, hands-on, streaming, Today's Chili
After taking some time in limited beta, Comcast has renamed its TV Everywhere streaming venture Fancast Xfinity TV and made it available nationally to all customers with internet and cable TV subscriptions. A simple browser plugin authorizes up to 3 computers per account, but now that it’s live we’ve found more has changed than just its unfortunate new name. Users won’t need to be at home to activate their computers for viewing; all that’s needed is a login and with plenty of cross browser compatibility it should work easily no matter your setup anywhere within the U.S. For us, the Comcast Access installer worked flawlessly on one Windows 7 equipped netbook while failing with an error message tech support couldn’t decipher on a similar desktop. Once up and running, there’s even some high-definition streaming video available (Juno, Max Payne, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 25th Anniversary and others) with more on the way. All told there’s about 2000 hours of content online including HBO and Starz restricted items, peep the full list on Fancast.com or check out the setup and viewing process in our gallery below. Technical glitches aside, for the price of absolutely nothing over our current cable and internet bill with HD streaming already active, we may have a new way to keep up with our stories while on the go.
Gallery: Comcast Fancast Xfinity TV
Comcast On Demand Online renamed Fancast Xfinity TV, now streaming nationwide originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 Dec 2009 15:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | 
Comcast | Email this | Comments
Dec 15
Phaidon, publisher of the best-looking books on the planet, just released Pioneers, Mass Production, and New Technologies, three volumes each containing 333 of the most impressively designed objects of the last century. Here are 12 gadgets that made the cut.
The books move loosely through the 20th century—though they also contain some objects that were devised in the 19th century, and others that a certain Mr. Ive and Mr. Jobs cooked up since the year 2000. We skipped over all the Apple stuff, and much of the classic Braun and Bang & Olufsen objets de tech that you commonly encounter in gadget retrospectives. We looked deeper into the list, to find unexpectedly wondrous objects of great design. (We also skipped about a million different chairs—according to these books, designers spend more time thinking about where to park their keisters than any other dilemma in human history.)
Needless to say, the books are unbelievably gorgeous and informative, and the juxtaposition of so many varied products gives you new insight into what designers think about.
All three books are published this year by Phaidon as a series. They list for $40 each, but thankfully Amazon is selling them for a lot less (see below). While it makes sense to maybe buy just one, it’s tough to pick just one, and not just because the products are numbered from 1 to 999, with each volume covering one third. To simplify things perhaps too much, Pioneers covers archetypal designs we now take for granted, Mass Production includes all of the smartly conceived products we grew up with, and New Technologies brings design up to date with contributions from the consumer electronics and computer businesses. As much as the third volume best fits our readership, it’s almost more exciting to see how the legacies of the earlier product design movements informed the new tech.
• Pioneers on Amazon for $26.37
• Mass Production on Amazon for $26.37
• New Technologies on Amazon for $29.16
Dec 15
Ericsson trials HSPA-LTE interoperability, we count 7 Gs in total
Posted in: 4G, ericsson, hspa, lte, Today's Chili
Since it’ll be eons until we enjoy the kind of 4G coverage that we’ve grown used to on 2G (and to a lesser extent, 3G), manufacturers and carriers are hard at work making sure that we’ve got a reliable way to interoperate for the foreseeable future — TeliaSonera, for instance, wants to swap out its customers’ modems for LTE / HSPA dual-mode versions once they’re available next year. To that end, Ericsson and ST-Ericsson are trumpeting that they’ve become the first to establish “LTE and HSPA mobility” in accordance with 3GPP’s Release 8 specification, which dictates this sort of stuff in a way everyone can agree on (that’s a good thing). Verizon’s naturally more interested in the CDMA handoffs that have already gone down, but for AT&T and most of the rest of the world, this is exciting news indeed.
Ericsson trials HSPA-LTE interoperability, we count 7 Gs in total originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 Dec 2009 15:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Dec 15
Watch YouTube on your microwave
Posted in: Today's ChiliWhy should the front of your microwave be so empty? All that wasted screen space could be put to much better use if it were showing YouTube videos, right? pOriginally posted at a href=”http://www.cnet.com/8301-13553_1-10415804-32.html” class=”origPostedBlog”Appliances Kitchen Gadgets/a/p
Dec 15
The SmartSwipe ($89.99) lets you shop online by swiping your credit card through a USB device just as you would at an actual store. The advantages of the SmartSwipe isn’t just that it saves you from typing in your credit card information online, but it also keeps your information and identity secure. Once you swipe your card, SmartSwipe scrambles and encrypts your credit card data protecting you from malicious software attacks.
The device is compatible with Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Windows 7. Check out a product demo video at the SmartSwipe Web site.
Dec 15
Adding an NAS to your home network can be daunting, but Iomega’s drive makes it refreshingly easy. Needless to say, the sellout risk is high. pOriginally posted at a href=”http://news.cnet.com/8301-13845_3-10415783-58.html” class=”origPostedBlog”The Cheapskate/a/p
Dec 15
Audio-Technica Introduces Ultraportable Noise-Cancelling Headphones
Posted in: audio, headphones, MP3 Digital Audio, Today's Chili
It’s not quite right for a last-minute holiday gift since it won’t be out until January, but maybe you can give an IOU: Audio-Technica today introduced the ATH-ANC1, a new model in its lineup of noise-cancelling headphones. The ATH-ANC1 is an on-hear model (as opposed to in-ear) that blocks out 85 percent of outside noise.
What sets this model apart is that it folds up nicely for storage and travel. Many on-ear models are so large that they’re a burden to carry. The package comes with a carrying pouch, and the active noise-cancellation circuitry is located in an external module in order to keep the headphones themselves lightweight. The ATH-ANC1 will work as standard headphones without batteries or when the noise cancellation is turned off. Look for them with a list price of $129.95.
Dec 15
Android Market hits 20,000 apps, over 60 percent free
Posted in: Android, android market, AndroidMarket, app, AppStore, Today's Chili
Quantity rarely equals quality, of course, but it’s still fairly notable that the Android Market has now managed to top 20,000 apps just a little over a year after it opened its doors — Apple’s App Store had over 50,000 apps a year into its existence, for those keeping track. Even more interesting, however, is the distribution of free and paid apps in the Market. According to AndroLib, fully 62.2% of the apps available are completely free, compared to just 37.8% that are paid apps. That’s in stark contrast to the App Store, which now has over 100,000 individual apps, of which (by some recent counts) a hefty 77% are paid applications — although only 30% of total App Store downloads are for paid apps. What does it all mean? Well, that’s open for debate. But one thing’s for sure: the rest of the app store contenders are going to have to work some special pie chart magic to come out looking good in this battle.
Android Market hits 20,000 apps, over 60 percent free originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 Dec 2009 14:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | AndroLib, CIO | Email this | Comments
Dec 15
DIY Laptop Tray Keeps Your Computer Cool, Legs Burn-Free
Posted in: diy, laptop, Laptops, Today's Chili, top
Many of us prop laptops on blankets or pillows to avoid the heat, but these inevitably obstruct air circulation and cause overheating. This DIY stand made from a bistro tray and a bit of wood helps keep your computer—and legs—cool.
This step-by-step guide from DIY web site Instructables is far from difficult—all it requires is a few household tools, along with some thin pieces of wood and, of course, a stylish bistro tray. Plus, not only can you use the extra space to store flash drives, power cords, or other miscellaneous computer items below the laptop, but you can also still use the tray to carry drinks and such when it’s not holding your laptop—and where once the tray was stylish but prone to spillage, it is now a spill-free multitasker.
We had a tough time finding the exact tray used in the post, but it looks to be this one from CB2. IKEA has similar trays that could work, though, if you’re looking for something a bit different. If you find one that you like, feel free to share in the comments.
Who's in charge here?
This is site is run by Sascha Endlicher, M.A., during ungodly late night hours. Wanna know more about him? Connect via Social Media by jumping to about.me/sascha.endlicher.