Jun 09
CNET compares the key features of Harman Kardon’s new 2011 AV receivers.
Jun 09
Brawn and Beauty Unite in HTC’s Sensation Smartphone
Posted in: hands-on, Phones, t-mobile, Today's Chili
HTC's Sensation is a slick, dual-core delight. Photo: Jim Merithew/Wired.com
HTC’s Sensation won’t hit the shelves until mid-June, and we’ve been eager to get our hands on the dual-core–powered smartphone for some time. We’ve now taken one for a test drive, and it was worth the wait.
The Sensation’s Qualcomm Snapdragon chip sports 1.2-GHz of processing power, scrolling and whipping through menu screens with ease. Running the Halo-esque HD game Nova on the device made for seamless gaming.
I do wish the phone came with a bit more RAM, though. The 768 MB seemed to buffer multiple application processes fine, but who knows what cool, resource-hogging apps are on the horizon? I’d be more comfortable with a gig under the hood.
More often than not, larger screens mean bigger, bulkier frames. But despite the increased screen real estate, the Sensation is a relatively svelte piece of machinery. The 4.3-inch candybar shape fits nicely in hand, and at 5.22 ounces, it’s no fatty — definitely slimmer than its 4.3-inch cousin, the Thunderbolt.
You’ll appreciate the screen size when you start watching video on the Sensation’s qHD display. I watched a few particularly colorful music videos in landscape mode, and at 960 x 540 resolution, I soaked up every last pixel of video in brilliant detail. And for the size queens out there not satisfied with 4.3 inches, DLNA compatibility allows for video streaming to compatible devices.
Yes, there are cameras — two of ‘em, of course. The 8-megapixel back-facing camera snaps decent enough shots, and with the pre-loaded Qik software, you can use the front-facing camera for video chat with pals. If you’re not into live video feeds, the camcorder supports recording up to 1080p HD resolution. Par for the course these days, but the cameras function as they should.
On-board storage is meager at 1 gigabyte, but who needs internal when you can go SD? The phone’s microSD card slot supports up to 32 GB of extra space.
As far as the user interface goes, I’ll give the standard line I recite whenever I play with an HTC phone: I’m not in love with the skin. All of HTC’s handsets ship with Sense, the company’s customized user interface that’s laid on top of the stock Android operating system. This may not bug the vast majority of consumers. I am, however, a purist: I want bare-bones, stock Android on my phone.
That’s not to say that Sense version 3.0 isn’t without its positive attributes. Lots of bells and whistles in terms of general accessibility. Each menu screen plays home to the most widely used apps, like your calendar, contacts and media player.
I will, however, give the company props for shipping the phone with Android version 2.3 (Gingerbread) installed. It’s the latest version of the operating system, but most 2011 smartphone debuts came with older versions of the software (mostly 2.2 Froyo).
If you’re a hacker-type nerd, the phone comes with one major annoyance: HTC locked the Sensation’s bootloader, which makes modification and customization problematic. The company has since reversed its policy on shipping locked-down phones, but not before pushing out the Sensation to stores. The phone may not be too far from the modding crowd yet, however: an update to the Sensation that unlocks the device is in the works.
HTC’s latest Android phone isn’t hitting the shelves widely until June 15. When it drops, you can pick it up in T-Mobile stores for $200 bucks with a two-year contract.
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Jun 09
Deadmund does it right: PlayStation Move and 1:1 swordplay, hands-on (video)
Posted in: e3, hands-on, playstation, Playstation3, ps3, sony, Today's Chili, video
Medieval Moves: Deadmund’s Quest may be built on the mini-game mechanics of last year’s Sports Champions, but its whole is greater than the sum of its parts. We hit up Sony at E3 2011 to see if Deadmund could out-fence the Jedi in a duel of 1:1 swordplay and on-rails battle. What we found was surprisingly responsive. Deadmund himself runs on a pre-set path, plodding his way through a skeleton-filled barracks automatically. Deadmund’s on-screen sword matched our wand-equipped wrist’s every move, accurately slicing skeletor wannabes any way we saw fit. Reaching behind our back with the Move controller let us pull a virtual arrow from a quiver, or we could choose to dispatch baddies by flinging throwing stars.
If the on-screen slashfest lagged behind our physical slicing in any significant way, we didn’t notice — we were too busy loving the Move’s speedy response time. Faster swings produced “stronger” in-game sword attacks, or farther flying shurikens. Last year at E3, we accused the PlayStation Move of just skirting outside of gimmick-land, but it’s hard to argue with 1:1 motion control this responsive. Will Deadmund move Sony’s motion lollypop to the front of the gesture control race? Probably not on his own, but it’s still great to see this tech at its best. Check out our hands-on playthrough video after the break to see the action for yourself.
Continue reading Deadmund does it right: PlayStation Move and 1:1 swordplay, hands-on (video)
Deadmund does it right: PlayStation Move and 1:1 swordplay, hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Jun 2011 17:26:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Jun 09
This article was written on August 17, 2006 by CyberNet.
Yahoo has finally brought their new photo service out of Beta for United States residents. I really love how the site is laid out and it does a good job of fully utilizing the capabilities that AJAX has to offer.
It boggles my mind why Yahoo has two photo services (they own Flickr as well). Isn’t there a way that they could combine both of these? I guess it might be difficult because the type of people that use Flickr may not be the same type of people that use Yahoo Photos. One thing is for sure and that is they should let users of Yahoo Photos bring their pictures over to Flickr or visa versa. Maybe you can do that but I don’t see the option.
I am not currently using an online photo service because all of them that I try never have support for sub-albums. If I am going to organize my photos online that is one thing that I really need. Hopefully someone will come out with that soon!
News Source: CNet
Copyright © 2011 CyberNetNews.com
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Jun 09
Jun 09
U.S. Cellular has big plans for the rest of the year that include its first 4G LTE devices and eight Android products.
Originally posted at Dialed In
Jun 09
Sony reveals midrange VPL-HW30ES 3D projector on the way next month (Update)
Posted in: projector, sony, Today's Chili
We all know you deserve to live the projector lifestyle, but fitting Sony’s first home projector with 3D — the $10k (MSRP) VPL-VW90ES that launched last fall — into one’s budget might be a little tough. Now the company is launching the “affordable” VPL-HW30ES for the rest of us this year, featuring some of the same 240Hz SXRD tech in a cheaper package. There’s no word yet on pricing or a ship date here in the US, but it’s confirmed shipping in Europe and Japan next month with a pricetag of 370,000 yen ($4,626 US) in the latter. That lower price nabs specs like a claimed 70,000:1 contrast ratio and 1,300 lumens of brightness and all the picture adjustment settings befitting a product rocking the Elevated Standard tag, along with an upgraded 3D system to reduce crosstalk. 3D compatibility is achieved with Sony’s new lighter active shutter 3D glasses and an add-on IR sync device that are both sold separately — no complex lens switching necessary.
Update: Sony sent over the us press release with pricing ($3,699 and other information, check it out here.
Continue reading Sony reveals midrange VPL-HW30ES 3D projector on the way next month (Update)
Sony reveals midrange VPL-HW30ES 3D projector on the way next month (Update) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Jun 2011 17:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Jun 09
GE’s legacy dates back over a century, but, despite its old age, the company’s got a fresh outlook on the future of energy production (at least according to its PR department). Earlier this week, the outfit announced MetCap Energy Investments’ plans to build a “first-of-its-kind” hybrid power plant, tapping GE’s FlexEfficiency technology, which combines natural gas, wind, and solar thermal power. The plant, planned for completion in Turkey in 2015, will produce enough energy, according to GE, to power 600,000 homes, and could lead to plant efficiency greater than 70 percent. What’s more, the company promises zero liquid discharge and single-button 28-minute startup. Here’s hoping this cracks up to be a better fit than NBC. Full PR after the break.
Continue reading GE announces hybrid power plant of the (near) future
GE announces hybrid power plant of the (near) future originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Jun 2011 16:24:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Jun 09
Vodafone UK bids adieu to Galaxy Tab 10.1v, likes its slates skinny
Posted in: galaxy, GalaxyTab, samsung, samsung galaxy tab, SamsungGalaxyTab, slate, tablet, tablets, Today's Chili, uk, vodafone
Back in February, it looked like Vodafone UK was more than happy to get its hands on the original Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1v, but with the impending UK release of a younger, slimmer model, the carrier is giving the 10.1v the boot. According to some helpful tipsters, customers who showed early interest in the thicker version of the tablet have received an “important update” from Vodafone saying, “We’ve decided to add the slimmer Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 to our range, which will now take the place of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1v.” The landing page for the original 10.1 has also been removed from Vodafone’s website. Looks like it’s a sad day for our friends across the pond who like their tabs with a little extra cushion, not to mention an 8 megapixel camera.
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Vodafone UK bids adieu to Galaxy Tab 10.1v, likes its slates skinny originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Jun 2011 16:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Jun 09
How The US Was Supposed to Survive a Nuclear Holocaust With 9 Inches of Concrete
Posted in: Today's Chili, top
The American people have a well-documented history of panicking during crises. Is it any wonder then that, when faced with possible nuclear annihilation, the US government would use any ploy available to maintain public order? Bomboozled by Susan Roy explains. More »
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