Motorola will enable Atrix 4G’s 1080p video recording in post-launch software update

The software on Motorola’s upcoming Atrix 4G has already been subject to some stern (and premature) scrutiny, but here’s some rather more concrete information about it, courtesy of the company’s own spec page for the device. As it turns out, Moto intends to launch the Atrix with some of its hardware capabilities clipped — specifically its Tegra 2-derived power to encode 1080p content — but will deliver them to users in an update (hopefully soon) thereafter. LG’s Optimus 2X, which is built around the same dual-core chip from NVIDIA, has been spending its time before launch showing off exactly what those 1080p encoding skills can deliver — both with video recording and through its HDMI connection — so it’ll be a downer for Moto fans to learn that their hallowed new superphone won’t be able to match up at launch. Then again, when we think about how often phone makers fail to tap the full potential of their hardware, maybe we should just be happy that 1080p abilities are coming to the Atrix at all, eh?

[Thanks, Mr. techcrunch]

Motorola will enable Atrix 4G’s 1080p video recording in post-launch software update originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 28 Jan 2011 02:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ContourGPS helmet cam review

ContourGPS helmetcam review

Helmet cameras have now achieved the pinnacle of HD recording: 1080p. If you have the cash, a head, and a pastime worth filming you have a few choices for full HD extreme POV recording. So what’s a little lid-mounted recorder to do for its next trick? If you’re Contour it’s to add a positional sensor and the letters G, P, and S to your product and create the ContourGPS. It lets you not only record your extreme antics but also how fast you were going when you were partaking in them, plus a lot of other information. And, more promisingly, there’s a suite of hardware updates here, some paving the way to letting you use your smartphone as a viewfinder. But how does this $350 piece of helmet jewelry perform on the ice? Keep on reading for some video evidence.

Gallery: ContourGPS

Continue reading ContourGPS helmet cam review

ContourGPS helmet cam review originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 25 Jan 2011 12:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Panasonic unleashes Lumix ZS10, ZS8, FX78, and TS3 point-and-shoot cameras

Thought Panasonic was done unleashing Lumix point-and-shoots for a bit? Us too, but apparently the compact cam fun isn’t over yet. Yep, in addition to the eight it released earlier this month at CES, the company has four new ones for your eyes only tonight. Naturally, we’ve got all the important details and few glossy shots below. Oh, and if that’s not enough for ya, you can always hit the break for the full press releases.

  • Up first are two new powerful shooters joining the ZS family: the DMC-ZS10 and DMC-ZS8. Like the previous ZS cams, the 14.1 megapixel ZS10 has a 24mm ultra-wide-angle and 16x optical zoom Leica lens, records 1080p video, and sports a three-inch touch LCD. The specs certainly impress, but Panny’s also hoping you take its 3D Photo mode seriously — the setting can produce a “realistic 3D photo” by taking 20 consecutive shots and overlaying the best two. Naturally, the images can be viewed on any of the Viera 3DTVs. The ZS8 sports most of the same specs, but cuts it down to just 720p recording. No word on the pricing on these two, but they should be hitting shelves in March.
  • Like its FX75 brother, the DMC-FX78 is all about Full HD. Packing a Leica 24mm wide-angle lens, the 12.1 megapixel FX78 can record full 1920 x 1080-resolution video in AVCHD. But beyond the recording specs, Panasonic has improved its 3.5-inch Smart Touchscreen, which basically allows you to control all the cam’s functions — autofocus, zooming, playback, etc. — with, well you know, just a touch. Like the ZS cams, the FX includes the 3D Photo mode. As you may have guessed, no pricing yet on this bad boy, but it will come in black, gold, and white in March.
  • Last but not least is the rugged TS3. Like the DMC-TS1, the 12.1 megapixel shooter is completely waterproof, not to mention shockproof, freezeproof, and dustproof. Yep, it’s as proofed as they come, and throw in the fact that it packs a compass, altimeter, and barometer and you pretty much can swap this thing out for a ton of other gear. As an actual camera, the TS3 doesn’t sound too shabby either — it can record 1080p video, packs a 3D mode, and boasts a 28mm wide-angle Leica lens. Nope, no pricing, but it’ll join the others in March.

Continue reading Panasonic unleashes Lumix ZS10, ZS8, FX78, and TS3 point-and-shoot cameras

Panasonic unleashes Lumix ZS10, ZS8, FX78, and TS3 point-and-shoot cameras originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 25 Jan 2011 00:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Vudu 2.0 interface moves beyond PS3 & Boxee Box, now available on most TVs, Blu-ray players

Just shy of a month after it launched on the PlayStation 3 and days after debuting on Boxee’s Box, the new Vudu 2.0 interface is live on most TVs and Blu-ray players with access to the service. Check out our earlier gallery if you’re not familiar with the new look, it should be identical across the lineup (sans-Move support of course) with recommendations, enhanced sharing options and optimized for HD. For now it looks like the Yahoo! Widgets based Samsung and Vizio versions are the only ones still lagging but they’re on deck for an update “soon.”

Vudu 2.0 interface moves beyond PS3 & Boxee Box, now available on most TVs, Blu-ray players originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 21 Jan 2011 12:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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OmniVision’s OV10810 image sensor handles 1080p video recording, 10 megapixel image capture

OmniVision has just let loose its OV10810, hailed as the first native 16:9 CMOS image sensor to enable simultaneous 1080p HD video recording and ten megapixel image captures. The chip is built upon the company’s 1.4-micron OmniBSI pixel architecture, and it’s obviously aimed at digicams, camcorders and higher-end smartphones. Generally speaking, any camcorder that can snag stills on the side does so at a terribly low resolution, but this bantam slab of silicon would obviously serve as a solution. The technobabble’s there after the break if you’re interested, and you can commence waiting for this to make it to your favorite smartphone / camera maker… now.

Continue reading OmniVision’s OV10810 image sensor handles 1080p video recording, 10 megapixel image capture

OmniVision’s OV10810 image sensor handles 1080p video recording, 10 megapixel image capture originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 10 Jan 2011 09:05:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MultiTouch Ltd’s 46-inch panel accepts unlimited touch inputs, we put it to the test (video hands-on)

MultiTouch Ltd has been at this IR-based multitouch thing since 2007 and it’s hit CES in force this week. Sure, the current 46-inch model requires 12 inches of depth — in order to provide sufficient space for the infrared cameras embedded in its back to capture the whole, ahem, surface — but having unlimited touch inputs is always a wildly impressive sight. We put one of the displays to the test by exploiting a nearby crowd and slapping down a good 40+ fingers on it, all of which were recognized. To be perfectly fair, the IR cameras don’t seem to have a very flat recognition area and many of our inputs were picked up from over an inch from the screen. The 46-incher under hand is already available for a totally affordable $17,000, provides full HD resolution, and hooks up to a PC for processing of input. See our thoroughly intensive test on video after the break.

Continue reading MultiTouch Ltd’s 46-inch panel accepts unlimited touch inputs, we put it to the test (video hands-on)

MultiTouch Ltd’s 46-inch panel accepts unlimited touch inputs, we put it to the test (video hands-on) originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 08 Jan 2011 20:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Iogear GW3DKIT wireless 3D media kit banishes your components to the closet

We went hands-on with Iogear’s wireless HD system last year at CES, and now we’ve managed to do the same with a prototype of the boutique brand’s new GW3DKIT 3D wireless streamer. The kit consists of a 3D transmitter and receiver that each feature four HDMI inputs as well as one component, composite, VGA, and USB input. Each box also features one HDMI and USB output. Together the system is designed to stream full 1080p 60Hz HD video / 5.1 audio along with 3D content over WiFi (802.11n) from as far as 100 feet away with supposedly little latency or wireless interference. Iogear says to expect the system sometime in Q1 of 2011, and no official pricing is available yet, but we’ve been told it would be around $499 by Iogear’s CES booth staff. If everything performs as advertised, it sounds like a great solution for you home theater minimalists out there who prefer components out of sight. We’ll reserve official judgment though until we can go eyes-on with some extended tested. For more information, be sure to check out the full PR after the break.

Continue reading Iogear GW3DKIT wireless 3D media kit banishes your components to the closet

Iogear GW3DKIT wireless 3D media kit banishes your components to the closet originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 08 Jan 2011 05:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ViewSonic ViewPad 4 hands-on (video)

ViewSonic’s taking tablets to great new lows here at CES, calling its new 4.1-inch ViewPad 4 a “tablet device with smartphone functionality.” Whatever the description, though, this is a pretty handsome, angular Froyo handset with an 800 x 480 resolution, 5 megapixel camera that can record 1080p 720p video, a front-facing imager, 2GB of ROM, and either 512MB or 1GB of RAM. The spec sheet we found online says the former, but the chap at ViewSonic’s stand today told us the latter. Either way, we’re really liking the smoothness of the Android UI on this tabletphone, it was very pleasantly responsive. The most shocking thing about the ViewPad 4, however, might be its launch date, which we were told will be somewhere around mid-June. Froyo in mid-June … really? Get your video hands-on fix after the break.

Update: A second pass through the ViewSonic stand informed us that actually the ViewPad 4 is only capable of 720p video recording. Bogus, man.

Continue reading ViewSonic ViewPad 4 hands-on (video)

ViewSonic ViewPad 4 hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 07 Jan 2011 15:57:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lenovo L2363d is a 3d monitor with 3D webcam and 3D glasses

NVIDIA blew what’s left of our minds with its Project Denver announcement yesterday, so today it’s back to the more familiar world of 3D to soothe our souls. The company’s 3D Vision technology has been installed on the above Lenovo L2363d, which touts both three-dimensional output and input, courtesy of a pair of webcam lenses embedded in its top bezel. This 1920 x 1080 display spans 23 inches diagonally and requires the usual active shutter glasses to enjoy its content. So, if you buy one for yourself and your nearest and dearest, you can get your 3D videoconferencing action on in proper Blues Brothers style.

Continue reading Lenovo L2363d is a 3d monitor with 3D webcam and 3D glasses

Lenovo L2363d is a 3d monitor with 3D webcam and 3D glasses originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 06 Jan 2011 13:09:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GoPro 3D Hero, Battery, and LCD BacPac hands-on

GoPro 3D Hero, battery, and LCD BacPac hands-on

Helmet cam user? Chances are you’ve suffered the extreme indignity of capturing footage of the sky or the ground but, sadly, nothing in between. They’re hard to aim. GoPro is tackling that issue with the LCD BacPack, a clip-on LCD that attaches on the back interface port on 1080p HD Hero cameras, showing you not only what the camera is looking at but also battery life and even a speaker. Then there’s the Battery BacPac, which is the same size but instead of a display makes room for a second battery and, thanks to its miniUSB port, doubles as an external battery charger. Neat! And, yes, there’s a new back cover needed to fit over the new bulge.

Finally there’s the egregious 3D Hero expansion, a revised version of what we saw in September. It comes with a cable to ensure that both start filming at the same time, though sadly it doesn’t come with any extra neck muscles to keep this thing aloft should you affix it to your helmet. We got a chance to look at some of the resulting footage and the results are compelling — not as clear as your average big-budget Hollywood summer release but, considering the size of the thing, quite compelling. All three devices are expected to launch in the next few months but, sadly, at undisclosed prices.

GoPro 3D Hero, Battery, and LCD BacPac hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 06 Jan 2011 10:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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