Hasta La Gadget!

Plenty of people are happy using the iPad as Apple intended — as a tablet — but some of you have been searching for a way to add a sleek keyboard and trackpad to the device since day one. The Crux Loaded clamshell case brings both input devices to the mix, and even packs an external battery within its base, adding 7.5 hours of juice. Sound good? Unfortunately, you’ll need to wait until fall to shell out a whopping $249 for the case, assuming Apple opens the Bluetooth iGate to the Loaded’s trackpad. You’ll also need to hand over $30 for a remote desktop app if you plan to use the combo to control your computer (no, Crux hasn’t found a way to run OS X natively on the iPad, as the image above might imply). With its netbook-like price, however, we’d rather keep our wallets Loaded than pay $249 for a case — but if you’ve been dying for a way to make your tablet slightly more functional, you may be in luck later this year.

Crux Loaded case almost turns your iPad into a laptop for $250 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Jun 2011 09:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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If you’re thinking this iPad audio breakout dock looks remarkably good considering its DIY origins, then you should know it wasn’t put together by any old screwball with a soldering iron. Nope, this was made by Qubais “Reed” Ghazala, a very particular old screwball who’s been blurring the lines between circuitry, music and art since the Summer of Love (that’s 1967 on a normal calendar). His latest invention is all about getting pro-grade sound connections into and out of an iPad 2 — much like an Alesis dock or Akai SynthStation, but with that special “I made this” charm and minimal price tag. Key ingredients include a Macally aluminium iPad stand and a 30-pin PodBreakout board. Hit the video after the break to get further instructions and hear Ghazala’s “bottomless well of chance music” — both come at your own risk.

Continue reading DIY iPad music breakout gives pro-grade stage presence, mixes circuitry with art (video)

DIY iPad music breakout gives pro-grade stage presence, mixes circuitry with art (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 May 2011 11:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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i3D is a new app that can create a glasses-free 3D display on iDevices, using a technology known as Head-Coupled Perspective (HCP). Developed by the folks from the Engineering Human-Computer Interaction (EHCI) Research Group, HCP uses a front facing camera to track the movements of a user’s head, allowing the app to adjust the display accordingly. The result is a monocular 3D screen that creates the illusion of looking into a box. If the concept sounds a little familiar, it could be because Google unveiled a similar headtracking feature for Ice Cream Sandwich during the opening keynote at this month’s I/O event. And by “similar” we mean “pretty much the exact same thing.” i3D is now available for free in the iTunes Store and runs on the iPad 2, iPhone 4 and fourth generation iPod Touch. You can compare both iOS and Ice Cream Sandwich 3D generators after the break (Google’s demo kicks off around the 16:50 mark).

Continue reading i3D app brings glasses-free 3D to iOS, tracks your gaze like a creepy portrait tracks Scooby Doo (video)

i3D app brings glasses-free 3D to iOS, tracks your gaze like a creepy portrait tracks Scooby Doo (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 23 May 2011 17:25:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We already wished the Apple Store a happy 10th anniversary, looking back to see what’s changed (and what hasn’t) in a decade of retail presence. Now Apple’s tweaking things even more, launching the so-called Apple Store 2.0. iPads have been scattered throughout, deployed to run as mini-kiosks and providing information about various products on display. Users can learn more about any particular gadget on the tablets, figure out pricing, and even hit a button to have a sales associate swing by — for when turning around and saying “excuse me” is just too much work. The new system has already launched in Australia and, while it’s hardly the shocker some thought Cupertino might unleash on us and certainly won’t revolutionize your retail experience, it’s better than a dusty ‘ol YouTube video.

Update: We ran down to the 5th Avenue Apple Store and took a look-see. Check out some pictures in the gallery here, then join us after the break for our own video and for some impressions.

[Thanks, Khan]

Continue reading Apple Store celebrates 10th anniversary with 2.0 experience, iPads locked in Lucite (video)

Apple Store celebrates 10th anniversary with 2.0 experience, iPads locked in Lucite (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 22 May 2011 07:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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An explosion occurred at Foxconn’s Chengdu plant earlier today, with reports claiming several workers have been injured. The Taiwanese company has yet to release a statement regarding figures and the cause of this tragedy, but according to 21st Century Business Herald, witnesses saw lightning hit the A05 building before the explosion took place — it is believed that this is a case of dust explosion, and security guards were allegedly warning evacuees that the smoke was toxic. At the time, hundreds of workers were present in the affected workshop which houses an iPad 2 assembly line. Our thoughts are with the victims and their families.

Update: Sina Tech is reporting two deaths and sixteen injured people, with three in critical condition. We’ve also added a video from the scene after the break, courtesy of Sohu.

Update 2: Apple has provided a statement to All Things D, saying:

We are deeply saddened by the tragedy at Foxconn’s plant in Chengdu, and our hearts go out to the victims and their families… We are working closely with Foxconn to understand what caused this terrible event.

Continue reading Explosion at Foxconn’s Chengdu plant kills two

Explosion at Foxconn’s Chengdu plant kills two originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 May 2011 11:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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