Hasta La Gadget!

Wondering where Sony would go next with its high-end line of ES receivers? The answer is apparently home automation. As we’ve seen the segment heat up with competition from companies like your cable TV provider and even Google (does anyone remember Android@Home?), Control4 and Sony have announced at CEDIA 2012 that they are partnering up to create a simpler option for the custom install market. While it doesn’t address our main gripe with Control4 — that it needs an authorized dealer to install it or tweak the setup, with all the associated costs — it does make the STR-DA5800ES (announced last week at IFA) and STR-DA2800ES receivers an easy choice for custom builds by integrating the company’s software directly into them. That means less wiring and complication for setup, and not only do the receivers themselves tie in with the system, Sony’s ES control apps for iOS and Android can also control the home’s automated features.

The necessary license to activate the software costs $300 if you buy it along with the receiver, which will cost $2,099 for the STR-DA5800ES and $999 for the STR-DA2800ES. Still want the ES-level build quality, built-in WiFi, Bluetooth and AirPlay support but aren’t keen on home automation? Opt for the STR-DA1800ES, priced at $699 — more details are in the press releases after the break.

Continue reading Sony unveils two new ES receivers that are the first with Control4 built-in, plus one without

Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD

Sony unveils two new ES receivers that are the first with Control4 built-in, plus one without originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 05 Sep 2012 19:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The European Commission is well aware that we need spectrum. Rather than make everyone fight for their piece, though, the agency wants us to hug it out. It’s proposing a spectrum change that would bring in “much more dynamic sharing” of both licensed and unlicensed radio frequencies. While nothing’s definite at this point, the EC’s Digital Agenda representative Ryan Heath mentions that the move could give more capacity to WiFi in the unlicensed 5GHz space — no doubt a relief for anyone who’s dealt with an overwhelmed public hotspot. That’s not to say that carriers won’t benefit. Officials want to provide perks by offering “guaranteed rights” to providers and anyone else that has to share licensed airwaves with others. The sharing initiative is a long distance away from having an impact given that the Commission is calling for help from the European Council and Parliament just to get started, but it could be an important step towards harmony in a land where unoccupied airwaves are rare.

Filed under: Wireless, Networking

European Commission pushes for spectrum sharing, sees 5GHz WiFi getting a lift originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 05 Sep 2012 04:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We’ve had furtive glances of Sony’s upcoming NEX-6 before, but only in the very clinical space of a government test lab. Apparently, no mere agency can confine it: photography workshop director Vincent Kang has posted a photo of the pre-release mirrorless camera on Weibo for all to see. Posing next to 24mm and 50mm lenses, the NEX-6 looks to be very much the in-between camera we suspected it was, without as much dedicated control as the NEX-7 but still carrying an electronic viewfinder, a pop-up flash and a dedicated function key near the shutter release. The dedicated mode dial is also more conspicuous — there’s no question that Sony wants to free up controls on the back for the future camera’s more experienced target audience. Between the new design and the already known inclusion of WiFi, it’s looking as though the NEX-6 may hit the sweet spot for shooters who want more control than the NEX-5R without sacrificing all its newer features. We just need to wait for official launch details to make it all real.

Filed under: Cameras

Sony NEX-6 spotted in the wild, electronic viewfinder and mode dial in tow originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 04 Sep 2012 10:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung’s AllShare Cast Dongle has finally gone up for sale, a compact box that hooks up to your TV and streams video wirelessly from your Galaxy S III, Galaxy Note 10.1 or other gadgets. The £80 ($127) adapter comes with all the cables you need – HDMI for your TV, and a microUSB AC adapter for power – and is in stock with UK retailer Clove.

Samsung announced the AllShare Cast Dongle back at the Galaxy S III launch in May, a straightforward way to get photos, video and music off your phone or tablet and onto your big-screen TV. Although we’ve seen DLNA support on other devices, Samsung’s reskinned version aims to make the wireless streaming more simple, while the Dongle itself means older TVs can be upgraded rather than forcing the user to buy a new Smart TV.

Up to Full HD 1920 x 1080 video is supported, though there’s no ethernet option for those with wired networks, only WiFi a/b/g/n. Still, that should make it easier to hide the Dongle behind your display,

Samsung isn’t just keeping AllShare Cast to existing products, either; it’s a part of TouchWiz now, and so was included on the freshly-announced Galaxy Note II from last week and, potentially even more useful, the Galaxy Camera as well. There’s more on Samsung AllShare in our hands-on demo with the Galaxy Note 10.1 and Galaxy S III.

Samsung AllShare Cast Dongle hits retailers is written by Chris Davies & originally posted on SlashGear.
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Oh! Look! Another cheap e-Book Reader! Announced at just 9,980 Yen only the PRS-T2, the successor of the PRS-G1, is Sony’s new compact e-Book reader. This 6″ (800×600) reader comes with a touchscreen and improved battery that will now give you up to 30,000 page display (around 2 month worth of usage) on a single charge in just 164g! For information the PRS-G1 only offered up to 14,000 Page worth of battery in 168g.
The comes by default with WiFi, 2GB of memory, a microSD Slot …