Oct 25
If you hate extraneous clutter but need to organize your books, here’s just the thing: Paul Cocksedge‘s Invisible Bookend is an exercise in function over form. Largely because you can’t see the damn thing. More »
Oct 25
Wacom is known for making all sorts of digital tablets and stylus for putting handwritten notes or hand-drawn sketches and artwork into computer systems. The company has announced that it has launched the Bamboo Paper app for Android devices on the Google Play store. Previously, the app was only available for iPad users.
Bamboo Paper is a free app that works like a digital notebook. The app allows users to create and collaborate with handwritten notes, sketches, and doodles saved on the Android device. The app is designed to work with the Wacom Bamboo Stylus line of input devices or any stylus that comes with a smartphone or tablet.
The app is compatible with the Samsung Galaxy Note, Galaxy Note II, and the Galaxy S III to start with. Wacom promises that compatibility with other devices will come later. The app supports natural handwriting for capturing notes and allows the user to draw using different color inks and highlighting.
The app requires Android 4.0 or higher and so far has between 1000 and 5000 installations. The downloads 18 MB and currently has an average rating of 3.7. The app is also available for download from the Samsung Apps app store.
Wacom Bamboo Paper app now available for Android devices is written by Shane McGlaun & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
Oct 25
Harmon Kardon’s BTA 10 will bring wireless audio streaming to your home theater system
Posted in: Today's Chili
Do you have an awesome sound system setup in your home, but wish you could wirelessly stream music to it? While there are devices out there that allow for wireless streaming, the variety that consumers can choose from, versus the total number of speakers out there is pretty unbalanced, which means that in order to go for the best possible audio quality, some features like wireless streaming will have to be sacrificed. Well the good news is that Harmon Kardon has announced the BTA 10, a Bluetooth adapter that promises to allow for wireless streaming to any home theater receiver or sound dock.
It will pair with your device via Bluetooth and you can pair up to eight different devices at once, meaning that at a party you will have up to eight different playlists and music libraries from your party-goers to play from. The BTA 10 will ship with an RCA cable and a 3.5mm auxiliary cable and with its Bluetooth connectivity, this means that it won’t be limited to a particular platform and devices running on iOS, Android and Windows should be able to play nicely with it. Measuring 2”x2”, it is small enough to be inconspicuous and will set you back $59. More details can be found on Harmon Kardon’s website.
By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Harmon Kardon SB16 targets home theater enthusiasts, G-GRIP Bluetooth speaker is one tough cookie,
Oct 25
We’re not sure how many of you guys need to listen to music while you catch up on the latest news, but if you use Flipboard to curate your news, you might be interested to learn that in the latest Flipboard update for Android, the news curating app has introduced a new feature which is the playback of audio. Yup, it seems that you will now be able to choose from a variety of sources to listen to while you flip through the news, such as NPR, The Economist, PBS and SoundCloud. Granted you could always play music in the background while using the app, we guess this audio integration lets you tune into the news and more informative sources rather than just the musical ones. If you haven’t updated your app yet, you will be able to find the update in the Google Play store. Alternatively if you haven’t download the app yet, you will be able to do so (for free) via the Google Play store as well.
By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Flipboard beta for Android has been launched, Flipboard reportedly working on a beta version of its app for other Android devices,
Oct 25
There have been plenty of rumors in the past that suggests that there could be multiple Nexus handsets launching this year, although so far based on the leaks, only LG’s Nexus 4 handset has been pictured. Word has it that other manufacturers like Sony and Motorola are possible candidates as well, and thanks to a post on the Droid Forums, a certain Motorola Nexus has been outed, along with an unknown Motorola handset called the Droid RAZR X. Basically the post was about the timeframe in which some of Motorola’s Android handsets would receive the Android 4.2 update, which some believe could be the next iteration of Android known as Key Lime Pie.
Given that Android 4.1 Jelly Bean was released not too long ago, it seems unlikely that a major revision of Android could be launched so soon, but we guess we will have to wait until the 29th of October to get the official details. In any case we suggest you take this with a grain of salt for now – after all the Sony Nexus “leaked” photo turned out to be a hoax, so it wouldn’t be a complete surprise if this turned out to be a dud too. Either way with only 4 days to go, we guess we won’t have to wait too long to find out, so stay tuned!
By Ubergizmo. Related articles: RAZR HD Review + RAZR Maxx HD Review, Motorola’s Wearable Computer Beats Google Glass to Market,
Oct 25
LG is tipped to be developing a webOS-based smart TV, using the open source platform in favor of Google TV, after concerns about the Android-base OS’ momentum. The deal has seen LG dispatch engineers and prototype hardware to HP’s Sunnyvale Gram facility, webOS Nation‘s source claims, with the goal of showcasing the first models at CES 2013 in January.
Although both LG and HP apparently signed an agreement some time ago – back in June, in fact – to collaborate on the project, there are still some wrinkles yet to be ironed out. Most obvious (and likely to actively frustrate users) is boot time, with Open webOS taking some time to load up; tablet and phone users might be willing to suffer such a delay, but those settling down on the couch are probably not.
To address that, LG’s L9 motherboards – which use a dualcore processor, and are found at the heart of existing LG smart TVs – have been sent over to HP’s engineers for testing and trialling software tweaks. What could end up being the solution, it’s said, is a TV that only shuts off the display when put into standby, with the processor actually remaining on in the background for a subsequent instant-resume.
Hardware isn’t the only challenge, however. Open webOS would replace LG’s NetCast platform, and needs smart TV-focused apps to cater for that challenge. Netflix is one cited example, with a player apparently being build in Enyo (the platform’s application framework), as well as other web-connected widgets and apps for YouTube, Pandora, and other services.
As for why LG is pushing ahead with Open webOS rather than sticking with Google TV as it previously announced, it’s a complex one. The Korean company is apparently uncomfortable with Google’s demands for using its platform, and turned off by its slow adoption overall; meanwhile, the ever-present specter of Apple and the longstanding chatter of an Apple smart TV has pressured LG into taking precautionary steps of its own.
Those steps will need to be shared with HP/Gram, of course, but with the $1.2bn acquisition of Palm still yet to produce tangible benefits to pacify shareholders, Open webOS poses more potential for tinkering and modification.
LG Open webOS smart TV planned for CES 2013 as Google TV sidelined is written by Chris Davies & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
Oct 25
Sharkoon is a company that makes a wide range of computer accessories and peripherals ranging from mice and keyboards to computer cases. The company has announced a pair of new gaming nice along with other gaming accessories. The most interesting products the company has announced are the gaming mice.
The game mice include the DarkGlider and Drakonia. The DarkGlider gaming mouse has a matte black surface and uses a laser sensor supporting up to 6000 dpi. The mouse has 256 kB of onboard memory allowing profiles for specific games to be bound to the mouse and saved with no need for software drivers. It has 10 programmable buttons and a programmable four-way scroll wheel.
On the bottom of the mouse are five ceramic slide pads for friction free mousing, and the mouse has a little LCD screen to show the sensitivity setting it’s at. The mouse appears to be a right-hand only design. The Drakonia is a laser mouse that has 11 programmable buttons and LEDs that show DPI setting. It supports up to 5000 dpi sensitivity setting and has an adjustable weight cartridge.
This mouse is a right-hand design only and has a rubberized surface for extra grip that reminds me of fish scales. The company also has a number of new mouse pads, and other products aimed at gamers. Pricing for the new gaming mice is unknown at this time.
Sharkoon unveils new DarkGlider and Drakonia gaming mice is written by Shane McGlaun & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
Oct 25
Engadget Eurocast 002 – 10.25.2012
Posted in: Today's Chili 
New week, new set of high profile product releases and service details. As you might have heard, Apple launched a new tablet, Microsoft’s Surface and Windows 8 finally see the cold light of day, and Dan wants more data, but isn’t sure if he wants to pay so much for it. Also on the agenda is the latest in 3D printing, the financial woes of a mobile giant, and a curious punishment dished out after a patent dispute ruling. Another seven days in the world of the Engadget Eurocast it is then.
Hosts: Dan Cooper, James Trew, Mat Smith
Producer: James Trew
00:32 – Apple announces 7.9-inch iPad mini with a 1,024 x 768 display, A5 CPU and optional LTE for $329
07:24 – Microsoft Surface with Windows RT review
17:09 – EE details UK 4G pricing: Unlimited calls, texts and 500MB of data starts at £36
25:46 – Virgin Media extends free tube WiFi for all until 2013
28:00 – Formlabs FORM 1 high-resolution 3D printer spotted in the wild, we go eyes on
32:32 – Apple loses out in UK tablet design case against Samsung
34:34 – Nokia’s Q3 2012: $9.4 billion in sales, 2.9 million Lumias sold and losses trimmed to $754 million
Hear the podcast
Continue reading Engadget Eurocast 002 – 10.25.2012
Filed under: Podcasts
Engadget Eurocast 002 – 10.25.2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 25 Oct 2012 05:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Oct 25
Planning on picking up the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 but don’t think that T-Mobile is the carrier for you? Well Verizon has rather quietly put up the pre-order page for their Galaxy Note 2. It is priced cheaper than T-Mobile’s offering at $299.99 along with a new two-year contract, although you might have to put up with Verizon branding the home button with their logo. Not a big deal but for those who might want to resell their handset or prefer a sleeker look, this could be something of an eyesore. For those who might have forgotten, the Galaxy Note 2 is the successor to the Galaxy Note of 2011 and will sport a quad-core Exynos processor under its hood along with 2GB of RAM. It will also feature a pretty big 5.5” Super AMOLED HD touchscreen display, S-Pen and Wacom support, an 8MP rear-facing camera and will come with Android 4.1 Jelly Bean preinstalled. Pop on over to Verizon’s website to place your pre-order, or you can check out our review of the device to see if it is for you.
By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Samsung Galaxy Note 2 from Verizon has carrier logo on its home button, Samsung Galaxy Note 2 variants for AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon stop by the FCC,
Oct 25
Windows Phone Marketplace estimated to have published over 126,000 apps to date
Posted in: Today's Chili
While hardware specs and built-in features are important when it comes to smartphones, just as important are the apps available for your chosen platform. After all a phone with the most powerful hardware specs but lacking in apps might be passed up for a less powerful device with a bevy of apps to choose from. Well if you liked the recently revealed Windows Phone 8 handsets by Nokia and HTC and were thinking about hopping about the Windows Phone 8 bandwagon, you might be interested to learn that the Windows Phone Marketplace has published over 126,000 apps to date. (more…)
By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Lomogram could be a Windows Phone alternative to Instagram, Bloomberg app a Nokia Lumia exclusive,
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