Author: Mark Wilson

  • Buy Your Way In To Apple Betas for $100 [Software]

    Aside from access to SDKs, Apple developers get access to new OSs for Apple’s portables and computers before the public. Now, buying your way in to the Mac Developer Program costs about the same as MobileMe.

    Formerly a $500 to $3500 proposition, Apple has combined development memberships on all their platforms into one $100/year offer. For developers, that means developing for OS X is really no more expensive than developing for the iPhone. For fanboys, that means you can download the next beta OS without the need of a torrent. [Apple via 9to5Mac and Macworld]






  • Ceiling Painted By Light [Concepts]

    At the moment, our choice of lighting is fairly committal. We drill holes in our ceilings for permanent placements of bulbs. But LEDs open all sorts of other possibilities.

    It’s not hard to imagine a ceiling covered in RGB LEDs, like Seo Dong-Hun’s Draw the Lights concept. Equipped with a few sensors, a laser (or IR) pen could “paint” an array of light, allowing you to customize your entire living space in a manner not unlike a Philips LivingColors lamp…only a lot more immersive. [Red Dot via Yanko Design]






  • There’s More Ingenuity In This Wooden Marble Machine Than the Sum of My Entire Existence [Science]

    Equipped with a marble, some wood and the principles of potential energy, kinetic energy and gravity, one man built a remarkable machine that warps your very sense of what’s physically possible. Prepare yourself, then hit the clip at 2:30.

    While this video eventually ends, the device can keep going, sending the marble in a loop from the top to the bottom to the top (to the bottom…) without stop, as long as a single weight is repositioned to reset various components.

    And, if for some reason, you’re one of those guys thinking to himself, “Meh, I could do that.” Please, please do. [Reddit via CrunchGear]






  • Roly Poly Iron Prefers Not to Burn Down Your House [Concepts]

    I can’t speak for everyone here, but who hasn’t burned down 2, 3 even 4 dwellings with a rogue iron? The Roly Poly, an iron concept by Wonkook Lee, may be our last hope.

    The Roly Poly Iron is loaded with an extra set of weights. When you hold it, these weights shift inside the handle, making the horizontal positioning natural. But as soon as you let go, sensors note your recklessness and shift the weights properly to actually stand the iron back up on its hind legs…defiantly.

    Yeah, on second thought, I don’t need an iron that thinks its judgment is better than mine…even if it is. [Yanko Design]






  • Velocity and Turbo: Your Two New Options for AT&T LaptopConnect 3G [3G]

    If you want to use a dedicated 3G dongle for your laptop, hardware choices are always limited. Here are AT&Ts two new offerings, the LG Turbo and Option Velocity. And no, you’re not the only one who thought “American Gladiators.”

    LG Turbo

    Free with a two-year contract, the Velocity is a no-frills card, with HSPA 7.2 support, MicroSD slot for thumb drive capability and a swiveling head that should allow you to—well, if you’ve actually used one of these 3G sticks, you know that they can be unwieldy. So it helps.

    Option Velocity

    Despite its plastic design, the Turbo is AT&T’s new premium 3G stick. It, too, supports MicroSD, but it also adds aGPS and will set you back $30 with two-year contract.

    Both new dongles will be available starting March 7th.

    DALLAS, March 1, 2010 – AT&T* today announced two new 3G LaptopConnect devices: the AT&T USBConnect Turbo from LG and AT&T USBConnect Velocity from Option. Both will be available in AT&T retail stores, business channels and online beginning March 7. The Turbo and Velocity enable customers to stay connected on their laptop while on the go with the nation’s fastest 3G network.

    The Velocity, is the first GPS-enabled LaptopConnect device from AT&T. The built-in aGPS functionality opens the door to location-based applications making it easier than ever for customers to get to their desired destination. Option offers a free software application, the Option GPS Control Panel, that leverages location-enabled sites like Yahoo! Maps and Bing for directions and local points of interest. Option GPS Control Panel will be available for download on the Option support web page beginning March 7. Additionally, through TeleNav Track LITE™ and Xora GPS Locator from AT&T, enterprise customers can add tracking and location awareness thus improving response time by easily locating the closest worker to a service call.

    The Turbo is AT&T’s first LaptopConnect device from LG and features a compact, lightweight design. Turbo’s HSPA 7.2 capability offers a high speed Internet connection that allows users to meet their professional and personal computing needs away from their office or home computer. The ergonomic design and unique USB connector makes Turbo compatible with a wide variety of laptop configurations.

    Both devices feature an integrated microSD card slot making them portable storage devices that allow users to carry the data and files they need at their fingertips. LaptopConnect devices allow customers to get more done on-the-go as well as keep up to date with their professional network from anywhere AT&T provides data coverage.

    “Velocity and Turbo both offer a first for AT&T: our first GPS enabled LaptopConnect device and our first LaptopConnect device from LG,” said Michael Woodward, vice president, Mobile Phone Portfolio, AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets. “In addition to being compatible with our latest HSPA technology, the two devices let AT&T customers get more done while on the go. From traveling professionals to students, AT&T offers a LaptopConnect solution for everyone.”

    Pricing and Availability
    Beginning March 7, both the Turbo and Velocity will be available online and in AT&T stores nationwide. AT&T USBConnect Turbo will be available for free after mail-in rebate and a new two-year DataConnect contract of at least $35 a month (pay $99.99 and after mail-in rebate receive $100 AT&T Promotion Card. Two-year agreement and DataConnect plan required).

    AT&T USBConnect Velocity will be available for $29.99 after mail-in rebate and a new two-year DataConnect contract of at least $35 a month (pay $129.99 and after mail-in rebate receive $100 AT&T Promotion Card. Two-year agreement and DataConnect plan required).






  • Tin Foil Sanctuary Shields Crazy From Pesky World Built Upon Logic [Tin Foil]

    When a clearly sane man couldn’t convince his wife to line their home in tinfoil, he moved his most prized possessions into the garage.

    Joking aside, the guy does nice work. We can barely line a pan before breaking the (otherwise impenetrable) barrier that is tin foil (OK, or as some of you pointed out, mylar). [English Russia]






  • Shooting Challenge: By Candlelight [Photography]

    Anyone can take a picture with plenty of sun around. But capturing extreme lighting conditions takes discipline. So for this week’s Shooting Challenge, you can shoot whatever you want, but you only get a single candle to light it.

    The Challenge

    Capture a photo in complete darkness, save for the light of one candle.

    The Method

    Candles are a light source unlike any other, with an organic softness that has no equal. But working with them is by no means easy. You’ll find some practical tips here.

    The Rules

    1. Submissions need to be your own.
    2. Photos need to be taken the week of the contest. (No portfolio linking or it spoils the “challenge” part.)
    3. Explain, briefly, the equipment, settings and technique used to snag the shot.
    4. Email submissions to [email protected].
    5. Include 800px wide image AND 2560×1600 sized in email. (The 800px image is the one judged, so feel free to crop/alter the image for wallpaper-sized dimensions.)

    Send your best entries by Sunday, March 7th at 11PM Eastern to [email protected] with “By Candlelight” in the subject line. Save your files as JPGs or GIFs, and use a FirstnameLastnameCANDLE.jpg (800px) and FirstnameLastnameCANDLEWALLPAPER.jpg (2560px) naming conventions. Include your shooting summary (camera, lens, ISO, etc) in the body of the email.

    [Lead photo by Tahmid Munaz]






  • Ear Force PX21: Universal Chat Headset for the Xbox 360, PS3 and PC [Headsets]

    So here’s the good news: Turtle Beach announced a universal version of their gaming-oriented chat headset. In stereo, it mixes your talking with your gaming perfectly, meaning you won’t be shouting at your teammates (unintentionally). Here’s the bad news:

    Just like the otherwise superb Astro A40s, the Ear Force PX21s require a lot of cordage—namely, a USB plug for chat audio and a line to your stereo RCA outputs. Plus, they cost $80, which, at $20 more than Turtle Beach’s similar Xbox 360 exclusive stereo headset, is putting you into surround sound headset territory.

    But if you game a lot on the 360 and the PS3—which many of you do—the PX21 may be worth a look.

    Note: If you’re willing to drop a bit more coin and can go without chatting on the PS3, the more expensive X41 headset is both wireless and fantastic. [Turtle Beach]






  • Wheelchair Blitzkrieg [Concepts]

    The Zenith wheelchair, a design by the Mechanical Engineering Department at the University of Alberta, is fit with tank-like treads to climb up stairs under the user’s own power.

    The treaded design combines with strong, lightweight tech like an aluminum back frame and a Herman Miller-inspired carbon fiber seat to create a beastly machine that’s not too cumbersome to actually wield. Still, if the design actually works—there’s no working prototype yet—we have to wonder: Why didn’t everyone put tank treads on wheelchairs already? And why the heck is Johnny 5 receiving better medical care than the citizens of humanity? [thedesignblog via coroflot via io9]






  • Infographic: The Burger Wars [Infographic]

    If fast food were a game of Risk, Texas would be Sonic’s Australia. [Weather Sealed via Chartporn via Fast Company]






  • The Sapphire Radeon HD 5970 Is Faster Than Every Other Graphics Card [Graphics]

    The new Sapphire Radeon HD 5970—based upon the acclaimed ATI HD 5970 chipset—is the new world’s fastest graphics card. Its 3DMark Vantage score is an insane 22,000.

    The overclocked ATI GPU runs at 850MHz, which is supported by 4GB of GDDR5 RAM (itself, clocked at 1,200MHz). And all this hardware necessitates three fans an a massive heatsink, making it thicker than your average video card. Outputs include two dual-link DVIs and one mini DisplayPort. Weird that there’s no HDMI on here, like the 5870 has.

    AMD expects that we’ll see the HD 5970 from a variety of different manufactures, which is good because while we have no idea what the thing costs, it won’t be cheap. [Fudzilla via SlashGear]






  • The Porn Detection Stick Is Like the Hot Tub Time Machine for Smut [Peripherals]

    We have good news and bad news. The bad news is that the Porn Detection Stick, a simple USB dongle, will legitimately, automatically scan your hard drive for pornography. The good news is, well, times have changed.

    The Porn Detection Stick, by Paraben, is a $100 thumb drive stuffed with Windows-compatible image detection software. Give it an hour and a half, and the device can scan 70,000 images—even deleted ones—with algorithms that analyze “facial features, flesh tone colors, image back grounds, body part shapes, and more.”

    The system promises less than 1% false positives.

    Of course, what the software can’t analyze are any videos that may be saved to your hard drive or pretty much anything in the web. In fact, the Porn Detection Stick seems designed for a whole other era of pornographic distribution, one when the discerning man might have scanned the latest Playboy to his 386 for posterity before pulling down his Zubaz pants to masturbate to it. Then again, maybe that’s a good thing. [Porn Detection Stick via 69gagdet via ChipChick]






  • The iPad Could Make Emergency Calls…So Will It? [Unconfirmed]

    Hunting around in the iPhone/iPad SDK, one developer spotted this option to make an emergency call.

    The above was easily achieved by enabled a passcode lock, and then entering it incorrectly about 5 times. You can then slide for a emergency call.

    So does this mean the iPad will make emergency calls?

    Possibly. There are two schools of thought here, and they both hold some validity.

    The skeptic’s response is simple, “that’s leftover from the iPhone SDK, on which the iPad SDK is based!” It could be.

    But, what I might call the more reasoned response, is that the iPads with 3G chips, speakers and mics could (technically) make such calls just fine. Plus, as 9To5Mac points out, FCC regulations mandate that all cellphones must be able to place emergency calls, even when not under subscription.

    By offering iPad owners the option to make emergency calls, Apple could be sidestepping any FCC issues while also being generally cool about their device assisting those in emergencies.

    Besides, I always knew the iPad was just a big iPhone! [Gumball Tech via 9To5Mac]






  • LEGO. Stop Motion. Lightsabers. Important. [Image Cache]

    Just as I’d play LEGO Star Wars, I’d gladly watch a full feature LEGO Star Wars movie—assuming it’s as well-executed as this clip. Enjoy the brick gore. [BricksinMotion via Kotaku]






  • Verizon Customers Are Amidst a Nationwide Data Blackout [Verizon]

    If you’re a Verizon customer and your phone isn’t connecting to data this morning, it’s not just you. Verizon has confirmed that its data is down across the nation, though apparently NY is doing just fine. UPDATE

    Your make/model of phone has nothing to do with the problem, as everything from Blackberries to Droids are equally affected by the outage. Those old fashioned phone calls, however, still work just fine. [Crackberry and DroidForums via Engadget]

    UPDATE: According to Verizon, the outage is over. On their Twitter account, Verizon also clarified that, despite earlier reports, this was an issue in the eastern US.






  • TiVo Premiere Details and First Hands On: Like IMDB On TV [TiVo]

    TiVo may have invented time-shifting, but the past few years haven’t been kind to this company unsure how to cut a profit. Then, someone inside TiVo HQ must have realized, oh right, INNOVATION! That’s the ticket!

    What You Need to Know

    • The TiVo Premiere (320GB, $300) and Premiere XL (1TB, THX certified, $500) are the new Series 4 TiVos
    • They have completely new widescreen HD software built on Flash
    • This software will not come to Series 3 models (or earlier)
    • The Premiere is less a DVR than a completely integrated video machine
    • Available in early April

    Why I’m Excited

    The TiVo Premiere is the smallest TiVo yet, a thin and diminutive box that holds only one CableCard and still lacks Wi-Fi (a $90 802.11n adapter will be available this May, plus you can pick up a $30 TiVo powerline adapter). It hides a multicore processor inside that drives a new, HD UI that previews your program at all times. That’s right—no more going into Now Playing only to lose the stream of your show.

    Despite the redesign, you’ll find the experience is remarkably familiar. The basic fonts and menus are unchanged, with a few key differences. Most importantly, instead of seeing one page at a time (like being in Now Playing, then clicking to a new screen with a particular show), you see two pages at a time—a logical design update to the widescreen format that speeds up navigation enormously.

    Plus there are little touches that anyone can appreciate: A disk space meter. Show titles change colors once watched. The 30-second commercial skip? That’s been programmed into a dedicated “scan” button that flashes half a minute by in just a handful of frames (to keep advertisers happy). Plus, I have it in good faith that TiVo won’t be eliminating the classic 30-second skip, either.

    Of course, you’ve already noticed the top bar filled with show icons. That’s basically a list of suggestions that shift dynamically depending on what you’re watching at the time. I have a feeling TiVo is finding a way to make money off that thing, but you know what? That’s OK if they’re offering content to me based upon what I like.

    Which brings us to the big, key difference about the Series 4.

    It’s the Internet

    Even though the Series 4 still makes you pay for a Wi-Fi dongle (ridiculous, right?), it’s truly an internet machine.

    Imagine if TiVo and IMDB made a baby. That’s exactly what you get.

    Swivel Search, which allowed you to search for programs by criteria like actor and keyword, has been built in to the very core of Series 4, and it’s got internet access.

    So say you’re watching 30 Rock and you decide, that Jack Donaghy is an interesting guy. I want to see more of his work! A few clicks takes you to Alec Baldwin. A few more? You can access pretty much anything Alec Baldwin’s been in—but not just within your cable subscription.

    You’ll see Netflix streaming options. Amazon Video on Demand. Blockbuster on Demand. YouTube clips, even. Or you can find an Alec Baldwin movie that will be in the theaters in several months. Then? You can program your TiVo, right then, to record that movie whenever it’s finally on cable.

    And I should add, none of this advanced search is forced upon you. Much like IMDB, the information is just there if you choose to dig deeper.

    For Flash, There’s Not Much Flash

    If we have one criticism regarding the Series 4 (other than the lack of integrated Wi-Fi, yes, I’m gonna hammer that point home), it’s that there’s nothing all that flashy about it.

    Yes, this point is a quibble, but an important quibble all the same. Those accustomed to flipping through their Netflix queue on a modern, powerful machine like the Xbox 360, those accustomed to the seemingly endless media oomph of the PS3’s animated XMB previews and photo collages, may be disappointed in the Premiere’s general lack of flare.

    I’d love to see a few more UI treats—tiny, tactile animations that smartphone programmers are so wickedly good at designing—built in to the core UI.

    There’s no doubt, the Series 4 is a smart machine. I just want to make sure that TiVo doesn’t become an old maid, but rather a naughty librarian with a sense of adventure. I’m not sure whether or not, just by glancing at it, the Premiere will be enough to woo the average consumer again. And that’s something that TiVo very much needs to do.

    Oh, and TiVo, Wi-Fi dongles shouldn’t cost $90 anymore. Who are you taking lessons from, Microsoft? (OK, OK, I’m done with the Wi-Fi complaints…for now.)

    While my impressions were from a meeting long ago, John Herrman just got a second hands on. Here is the sum of his experience:

    TiVo’s Series 4 box is superficially, well, just another TiVo box, but that’s not the point—all set-top boxes are boxes, and if they were anything else, they wouldn’t be set-top boxes. It’s what’s inside that counts, and that’s where the Premiere’s newness is.

    The new TiVo interface is recognizably TiVo-y (and almost exactly like what was previewed back in 2008), and just as recognizably fresher—there are fewer tacky shine effects, and more soft gradients. It’s kind of a natural progression for the original interface, which was designed with SDTVs in mind, to a more HD-ready take on the same concept. It’s based on Flash, and while you can’t really tell now, Tivo’s said that the platform is extensible with some kind of app store-type platform, from which you can download Flash Lite-based apps, very little of which TiVo has made specific commitments about, but which is coming, in one way or another. This could be what makes the Premiere a gamechanger, whenever it happens.

    In terms of content, TiVo’s taken a hard turn online: as Mark put it, it’s as if “TiVo and IMDB made a baby,” which is to say any TV show or movie you’re browsing is augmented with context and metadata, pulled from online. A minor feature which is actually kind of huge is that if you look up a film or show, the Premiere plants icons for the integrated streaming services—Netflix, Blockbuster, Amazon, etc—to help see if a download or play option is available. The integration is smooth, and the concept natural. But groundbreaking? Not so much.

    The optional QWERTY remote will be very familiar to anyone who’s used TiVo for more than five minutes, excepting the giant freakin’ keyboard that slides out of the side. Integrating the keyboard into a peanut shape was risky, and it didn’t really pay off: The keyboard itself isn’t overly large, but the fact that it’s flanked by two large endpieces makes reaching the center buttons tough, even for the large-handed. Anyway, it’s more merciful than generous, since asking users to navigating any amount of text-oriented web content with the regular ol’ peanut is mildy hellish. I suspect a lot of folks will spring for this one, even if the necessary Bluetooth dongle (not to mention the remote itself) costs.

    What’s most striking about TiVo’s Next Big Thing is that it doesn’t do a whole lot that other DVRs and set-top boxes couldn’t, probably for a lower price. (The Premiere is $300, and the XL, with a 1TB drive, is $500.) Granted, a lot of people are going to end up with a Series 4 DVR subsidized by their TV provider, and then, yeah, it’s going to be a nice step up from whatever terrible TI genero-box they would have had otherwise. But TiVo’s breathless invite to this launch (Inventing the DVR was just a warmup!) doesn’t ring true. Is there’s something else on the way? Is everyone missing something? mean, I’m glad TiVo discovered the internet and all, but this kind of stuff is baseline nowadays.

    TiVo Premiere Box Specifications:

    * TiVo Series4™ architecture
    * Supports digital cable, high-definition digital cable, antenna (ATSC) and Verizon FiOS
    * Outputs: HDMI, Component video, Composite video, Optical audio, Analog audio
    * Video output modes include: 480i, 480p, 720p, 1080i, 1080p
    * Inputs: CableCARD™ support, Cable coax, Antenna coax, Ethernet
    * Ethernet connection, USB 2.0 ports (2), E-SATA support for external storage
    * TiVo Wireless N and G Network Adapter support
    * ENERGY STAR® certified
    * 320 Gigabytes
    * Records up to 45 hours of HD programming or up to 400 hours of standard-definition

    TiVo Premiere XL Box Specifications (all specs not listed are the same as above unless noted)

    * One Terabyte storage
    * Records up to 150 hours of HD programming or up to 1350 hours of standard-definition
    * Backlit, programmable, and learning remote
    * THX®certified, ensuring optimal audio and video reproduction and enables seamless integration with other THX components
    * TiVo Premiere XL box is the first HD product to feature THX® Optimizer™, a video calibration tool that lets users fine tune color, black levels and other settings to improve picture quality. Hailed by critics for its ease-of-use, the exclusive THX Optimizer for TiVo Premiere XL box is found in the My Shows menu of the TiVo service. A pair of THX Optimizer Blue Glasses, designed for adjusting Color and Tint settings, is included with the owner’s manual.

    TiVo Premiere and TiVo Premiere XL boxes will be available in retail nationwide in early April. They are also available for pre-order today at tivo.com for $299.99 and $499.99 respectively.






  • TiVo Premiere QWERTY Remote Requires ANOTHER Dongle [TiVo]

    When we saw Vizio’s gargantuan QWERTY remote at CES, we knew a new era was upon us. Now TiVo debuts their premium QWERTY remote slider and, yes, the day in which you change the channel with a Sidekick has come.

    Joking aside, TiVo’s upcoming QWERTY remote is an interesting evolution of their classic peanut. Popping out like a slider, the backlit keyboard allows easy text entry for new TiVo Premieres.

    It’s a bit large in your hand, which means it feels a tad less perfect than the classic TiVo remote. But the Bluetooth connectivity means you don’t need line of site, which is always nice.

    However, when it’s available later this year for an undisclosed price, there’s a big catch: It will come with a USB dongle. The Premiere doesn’t have Bluetooth for reasons we don’t really understand (it’s not expensive at all to stick a Bluetooth chip into even small devices like cellphones now). So, somewhat anticlimactically, TiVo’s flagship remote will require a Bluetooth dongle (on top of the Wi-Fi dongle you’ll probably need). I wouldn’t call this a dealbreaker, but for a company that designs a very small ecosystem of hardware, it’s not the best thought-out plan, is it?






  • Averatec N1200: The Thinnest, Lightest 10-inch Netbook Starts at $330 [NetBooks]

    Most netbooks are fairly thin and fairly light, but the Averatec N1200 happens to be both the thinnest and the lightest 10-inch netbook on the market.

    Less than an inch thick and just 2.2lbs, the stock (aka cheapest and lightest) N1200 features an Atom N450 processor (that’s the new, more energy efficient model), 160GB hard drive, 1GB of RAM (expandable to 2GB), webcam, and 802.11n Wi-Fi. It runs XP or Win 7 Starter for an admittedly scant three hours per charge. Such is the price of weight.

    Aside from the inevitable coat of fingerprints on that piano black finish, it’s really not a bad looking netbook at all. You can also pick up the N1200 in silver, but you know, silver is the old black.

    Averatec Introduces Thinnest, Lightest 10-inch Netbook on the Market

    Extended Battery Models Offer Up to Six Hours Battery Life

    SANTA ANA, Calif., March 2, 2010 — TriGem USA today announced the Averatec N1200 Series netbook, the thinnest, lightest 10.1-inch netbook on the market today. The netbook weighs in at 2.2 pounds, measures less than one-inch thick, and offers up to six hours of battery life with the extended battery model. The N1200 will be offered in different models to match a customer’s computing needs and budget requirements, with prices ranging from $329 to $379.

    Three models will be offered and feature various configurations based on either the Windows XP Home or Windows 7 Starter operating systems. Extended battery models will also be available to increase battery performance from three to six hours.

    To achieve this design, the engineering team at TriGem incorporated materials and components typically found on more expensive ultra-slim notebooks. Cutting-edge technologies such as ultra-slim LED LCDs along with super-slim 7mm hard drives are some of the key components which enable the N1200 Series netbook to be less than one-inch thick. Magnesium-alloy casing and the use of lithium polymer battery cells help to keep the weight down to 2.2 pounds, making it the lightest in its class.

    “To build a leading-class netbook, you need to think about how it should be built,” said Bob Davidson, TriGem USA senior vice president. “The lines between low-cost netbooks and ultra-portable notebooks are becoming blurred and consumers are no longer satisfied with mere compact clamshell-shaped netbooks. They want all the premium styling and features found in ultra-portable notebooks but at much more affordable prices.”

    The new Averatec N1200 Series netbook features a 1.66GHz Intel Atom N450 processor and operating system options for either Microsoft Windows XP Home or Windows 7 Starter. For videoconferencing and video Web chat, the netbook includes a 1.3-megapixel webcam. Storage options include 160GB and 250GB hard drives and the N1200 comes standard with 1GB DDR2 memory which is expandable to 2GB of total system memory.
    The Averatec N1200 Series netbook is available for purchase this month at retail partners such as BestBuy.com, TigerDirect.com and OfficeMax.com.

    TriGem’s products are backed by a one-year limited warranty and one-year of U.S.-based technical support available Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pacific Time.

    NOTE TO EDITORS: High-resolution 300dpi photos of the Averatec N1200 Series netbook are available for download at the following links:

    Specifications – N1200 Series

    MODEL NAME: N1231EA1E-1S (Silver) / N1231EA1E-1B (Bronze)

    Battery (hrs): Up to 3hrs
    Screen Size: 10.1″ Wide LED LCD (16:9) (1024 x 600)
    Processor: ATOM N450 (1.66GHz)
    Chipset: Intel NM10
    Memory: 1GB DDR2
    Hard Drive: 160GB HDD
    Optical: N/A
    WLAN: 802.11N
    LAN: 10/100 LAN
    Bluetooth: None
    Video Solution: Intel Integrated
    Webcam: 1.3 megapixel
    Operating System: Windows XP Home
    Audio: High Def. Audio
    Weight/Dimensions:2.2lbs/10.7″x6.5″x.9″(without the feet)
    MSRP: $329.99

    MODEL NAME: N1231EE1E-1 (Silver)

    Battery (hrs): Up to 3hrs
    Screen Size: 10.1″ Wide LED LCD (16:9) (1024 x 600)
    Processor: ATOM N450 (1.66GHz)
    Chipset: Intel NM10
    Memory: 1GB DDR2
    Hard Drive: 160GB HDD
    Optical: N/A
    WLAN: 802.11N
    LAN: 10/100 LAN
    Bluetooth: None
    Video Solution: Intel Integrated
    Webcam: 1.3 megapixel
    Operating System: Windows 7 Starter
    Audio: High Def. Audio
    Weight/Dimensions: 2.2lbs/10.7″x6.5″x.9″(without the feet)
    MSRP: $349.99

    MODEL NAME: N1231FE1E-1S (Silver) / N1231FE1E-1 (Bronze)

    Battery (hrs): Up to 6hrs
    Screen Size: 10.1″ Wide LED LCD (16:9) (1024 x 600)
    Processor: ATOM N450 (1.66GHz)
    Chipset: Intel NM10
    Memory: 1GB DDR2
    Hard Drive: 250GB HDD
    Optical: N/A
    WLAN: 802.11N
    LAN: 10/100 LAN
    Bluetooth: Bluetooth
    Video Solution: Intel Integrated
    Webcam: 1.3 megapixel
    Operating System: Windows 7 Starter
    Audio: High Def. Audio
    Weight/Dimensions: 2.46lbs/10.7″x6.5″x.1.0″ (without the feet)
    MSRP: $379.99






  • Roger Ebert’s New Voice [Text To Speech]

    Since cancer left Roger Ebert without the means to speak, he’s been talking through a computer with a generic intonation. Today on Oprah, Ebert revealed his new voice by CereProc, resourcefully programmed from Ebert’s TV appearances and DVD commentaries.

    Later in the show (not captured here), Ebert walked us through his Oscar picks. For the most part, the digital voice was still fairly robotic. No one is going to be mistaking this early computer rendition for the original—not yet.

    But there were moments—simple syllables and phonemes—that were unmistakably his own, being rendered in real time. As you can see, it was enough to bring tears to his wife’s eyes.

    What a world we live in. [Oprah]






  • 54 Awesome Action Sequences [Photography]

    What happens when Gizmodo readers capture action at 3-5fps? Why, the results of this week’s Shooting Challenge: Action Sequence Photography. Read on for the winners.

    Second Runner Up


    “Shot in my New England backyard during the lull in a snowstorm on February 26, 2010.”
    Camera: Canon EOS 7D
    Lens: Canon EF 70-200 f/2.8L IS USM
    ISO: 3200
    Focal Point: 73mm
    Aperture: f/7.1
    Shutter: 1/4000
    [Ed note: Loved the juxtaposition of the soft yet miserable environment and a young, undeterred athlete.]
    – Ron Miles

    First Runner Up


    “I have shot this series in Engelberg Switzerland on Jochpass on an awesome day. I have used a Canon EOS 50D with a 17-85mm lens.”
    Exposure Time 1/4000
    ISO 100
    Exposure bias +2 steps
    Focal Length 17mm
    [Ed note: The epic jump, mixed with the sun that blinds us to the full scope of the scene—my eye kept coming back.]
    – Simon Sharp

    Winner


    “I was directly below the snowboarder, standing behind the jump ramp. All photos taken with Nikon D2x with Nikkor 10.5mm fisheye lens. I didn’t use any tripod, it was all hand held. Aperture was around f/6.3 and shutter speed around 1/1000sec. No flash Photos are then merged together in Photoshop cs4.”
    [Ed note: It’s just an awesome shot that required an element of risk, capturing a classic sports action sequence from an immersive perspective.]
    – Vedran Frka

    Truly fantastic entries this week. Thanks to everyone who entered.

    Just a note to commenters: Please, please, sing praises for your favorites. There are so many great shots here, and it’s flat-out unfair for them not to be recognized. But there’s absolutely no reason to put down anyone’s work from the cheap seats. We will ban accordingly.