May 25
Hackers, programmers, gamers, and overall dweebs have reason to rejoice. It’s Geek Pride Day, when geeks the world over are supposed to revel anew in everything that makes them misunderstood by the other half.
May 25
A small controversy is brewing over which e-reader lays claim to the title of having the best battery life.
May 25
Comcast will start testing an IPTV service at MIT, new Xcalibur guide coming your way sooner
Posted in: cable, dvr, mit, network, streaming, Today's Chili, TV
According to a report by the Wall Street Journal, Comcast will start testing a new video delivery system that is completely internet protocol based at the Massachussetts Institute of Technology in “the coming months.” AT&T’s U-verse uses IPTV already, while others use similar technology for video on-demand or some of the new initiatives that stream TV to the iPad. Comcast plans to let students watch by connecting TVs, computers or other devices to the campus network, followed by a test just for employees and eventually an all-IP service to run alongside — but not replacing — its traditional cable TV service. This could allow the company to deliver video to devices with no set-top box required and even potentially outside its current footprint. That however is unlikely given the headache just a move to multi-platform IP delivery might cause when it comes to negotiating broadcast rights. Being able to watch pay TV on whatever you want and potentially wherever you want may help fight off subscribers temptation for cable cutting, but between testing and the aforementioned legal wrangling, it could be a while before we get to see it.
What is much closer is the new HD and internet connected guide software we spotted testing in Georgia. As the cabler celebrates passing 20 billion video on-demand views (PR after the break), it’s bringing the internet and cloud technology behind its mobile apps back to the cable box to help organize it all. Dubbed Xcalibur, the new DVR setup pictured above is available to all new customers in the Augusta, GA area now and will roll out next year, assuming there are no worldwide calamities or product delays before then.
Comcast will start testing an IPTV service at MIT, new Xcalibur guide coming your way sooner originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 25 May 2011 19:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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May 25
Dialed In 175: Mango Madness
Posted in: Today's ChiliMicrosoft goes all tropical on us with the announcement of Windows Phone Mango, the next big update to the Windows Phone operating system. We discuss all of the Windows Phone news, the latest 4G markets, and a cavalcade of Verizon smartphones that include the Motorola Droid X2 and the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play.
Dialed In 175: Mango Madness
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News
Windows Phone Mango: First impressions
Exclusive hands-on: Windows Phone update to integrate apps into hubs
Acer, ZTE, Fujitsu board the Windows Phone 7 train
HTC Trophy launches as Verizon’s first Windows Phone device
Sprint, Motorola to host event on June 9
AT&T to roll out LTE to 5 markets this summer
Verizon spreads LTE wings to 9 markets
Verizon opening more 4G LTE markets June 16
Verizon adds LG Revolution to May 26 launches
T-Mobile doubles 4G speeds in 50 markets
Reviews
Motorola Droid X2 (Verizon Wireless)
Sony Ericsson Xperia Play (Verizon Wireless)
Originally posted at Dialed In
May 25
This Is North Korea’s Computer for the People
Posted in: government, korea, PC, Today's Chili, top
When you think of North Korea, you probably picture images of extreme poverty and a country still in a technological Dark Age. But now North Korea is making three models of state-controlled PCs for its citizens, according to a report from the country’s state-run TV channel. That’s the office model, above. More »
May 25
ASUS Matrix GTX 580 and MARS II desktop graphics cards revealed, devour PCI slots
Posted in: ASUS, NVIDIA, Today's Chili
With all the talk of ASUS’s tablets recently it’s easy to forget the company also dabbles in graphics cards, some large enough to blot out the sun. We’ve got some details on its latest contestants for your PC gaming dollar, the MARS II and Matrix GTX 580 (above), and you might have to buy a new case just squeeze these unwieldy pixel-pushers inside. The Matrix will come in two flavors — standard and Platinum — both with 1.5GB of RAM and an enormous dual-fan cooling solution that eats up a jaw-dropping three PCI slots. But, hey, it should afford you some serious overclocking headroom. Though we’ve yet to seen any pics of the MARS II, the 3GB, dual-GPU behemoth is bound to be even more massive — we wouldn’t be surprised if ASUS had to provide a breakout box for whatever cooler it strapped to those pair of GTX 580 cores. Prices and release dates are still up in the air, but we’re sure all will be revealed during the official announcement at Computex. Check out the image after the break for more detailed specs.
[Thanks, Robert and Alexandre]
Continue reading ASUS Matrix GTX 580 and MARS II desktop graphics cards revealed, devour PCI slots
ASUS Matrix GTX 580 and MARS II desktop graphics cards revealed, devour PCI slots originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 25 May 2011 18:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
May 25
EVO 2 console promises to bring Android gaming to your TV this fall
Posted in: Android, console, Today's Chili
Remember the Linux-based EVO game console? We can certainly forgive you if you don’t, but it did actually end up shipping, and “sold out” according to the company the behind it. Now that company, Envizions, is back for a second try with another big promise: an Android-based game console dubbed, naturally enough, the EVO 2. First announced earlier this year, the console is now supposedly set to hit the US sometime this fall and, to prove that it’s not completely vaporware, Envizions is making EVO 2 developer units available today — the unit is “free,” although developers will have to pay an annual $149 software support fee.
As for the console itself, it will apparently pack an unspecified 1.2GHz Samsung processor, a “modified” Android 2.2 OS, and both a TV remote and game controller. Leaving no stone unturned, Envisions says it’s also planning to add a motion sensor by the end of the year, and it even has its own points system in mind that will let you buy Android games with “EVO tokens.” As for a price, you can expect to pay $249 when/if the console actually ships, and those willing to take a chance can reserve one right now for $15 at the link below.
Continue reading EVO 2 console promises to bring Android gaming to your TV this fall
EVO 2 console promises to bring Android gaming to your TV this fall originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 25 May 2011 18:03:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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May 25
Aelios Weather for iPad
Posted in: Today's Chili, top
Aelios for iPad re-imagines how you search for weather. It uses a clever ring dial that smartly pinpoints cities on a map and gives you the necessary data. I haven’t had this much fun cruising around a map since I discovered Google Maps. More »
May 25
Microsoft on Windows 8, Tablets: Now You See It, Now You Don’t
Posted in: Microsoft, steve ballmer, Tablets and E-Readers, Today's Chili, windows 8
Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer talks about the future of Windows at CES 2010. Photo: Jonathan Snyder/Wired.com
Microsoft’s CEO Steve Ballmer got ahead of himself on Monday when he publicly blurted out a general roadmap for the next version of Windows.
Ballmer told an audience at a developer forum in Tokyo that Microsoft will have news to share about Windows 8 on tablets, slates and PCs over the next year.
“As we look forward to the next generation of Windows systems, which will come out next year, there’s a whole lot more coming,” Ballmer was quoted in a transcript provided by Microsoft. “As we progress through the year, you ought to expect to hear a lot about Windows 8. Windows 8 slates, tablets, PCs, a variety of different form factors.”
However, later Monday afternoon a Microsoft spokesperson retracted Ballmer’s statement.
“It appears there was a misstatement,” a Microsoft spokesperson said in a statement the company issued. “We are eagerly awaiting the next generation of Windows 7 hardware that will be available in the coming fiscal year. To date, we have yet to formally announce any timing or naming for the next version of Windows.”
Besides Ballmer’s hiccup, little is known about Microsoft’s next operating system. In June 2010, an Italian Windows blog published what it purported to be slides showing Microsoft’s plans for Windows 8. The slides hinted that Microsoft hopes to replicate Apple’s App Store model and instant-on capability for devices in order for Windows 8 to succeed. Microsoft did not confirm the authenticity of the slides, though observers agreed that they look credible.
A looming question about Microsoft as a whole is just what it plans to do in the tablet market in the wake of the iPad. Apple, Google, and dozens of other small companies have produced tablet products, but Microsoft has not yet announced a credible tablet strategy. Microsoft’s retraction of Ballmer’s statement about Windows 8 on tablets suggests that the company isn’t quite firm about its plans.
See Also:
- 7 Reasons You Won’t Want a Windows 7 Slate
- Microsoft to Announce iPad-Challenging Slate Next Month
- Official: HP Slate Will Run WebOS
- Microsoft Cancels Courier Tablet
May 25
At new University of Chicago library, five underground robot cranes help fetch your books from storage bins in the vault.
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