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- Boing Boing shows off the Marvel Comics iPad app
- Toshiba’s UX600 TV line is certified as Windows 7 compatible
- For the Nintendo 3DS? Sharp’s unveils glasses-free 3D touchscreen [Update: Video]
- Dragon Dictation. On the iPad. For free!
- The iPad: Apple’s Trojan Horse
- Integrated headlight and taillights, yet this bike helmet looks cooler than mine
- Interesting short on London pirate radio stations
- DPReview’s Canon T2i review arrives
- Moog releases Auto De-tune. We get our sanity back
- First pre-production Volt rolls off the line
- Here’s the latest A-Team trailer and you must watch it
- And now we wait for someone to jailbreak the iPad
- Adios, Usenet: UK High Court rules against Newzbin
- “Go green” with the 7pipe Pro
- Is this nice looking browser really Internet Explorer 9?
- Like flying games? Mad Catz launches the Cyborg F.L.Y. flight stick
- Review: Casio EX-G1 rugged digital camera
- Make a paper iPad for fun and profit
- Review: Lowepro SlingShot 202 AW
- Team Fortress 2 – Law Abiding Engineer
| Boing Boing shows off the Marvel Comics iPad app Posted: 02 Apr 2010 05:19 AM PDT The Marvel Comics is one of the three iPad apps that actually make me want to drink the Apple kool-aid and go lay down alongside the Apple faithful to slowly drift towards a land of simple, non-multitasking computing. So far we’ve only seen screenshots and a press release for the app, but Xeni over at Boing Boing posted a quick hands-on video that sealed my fate. I think I’m going to have to get an iPad now.
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| Toshiba’s UX600 TV line is certified as Windows 7 compatible Posted: 02 Apr 2010 05:02 AM PDT
This series features 3 models at 40", 46", and 55" size at $1400, $1700, and $2400 respectively. Each model however features Toshiba’s ClearFrame 120Hz screen, 24 fps cinema mode, 4 HDMI ports, 3,000,000:1 contrast ratio along with both an Ethernet port and a Wi-Fi adapter for easy network connectivity. For more information about their specs, check out Toshiba's product page.
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| For the Nintendo 3DS? Sharp’s unveils glasses-free 3D touchscreen [Update: Video] Posted: 02 Apr 2010 02:01 AM PDT
The panel Sharp showcased at a press conference in Tokyo for the first time is extremely thin, can switch between regular 2-D and 3-D modes, doesn’t require glasses for viewing images in 3D, and will be available with or without touchscreen capabilities. It features a screen size of 3.4 inches, 480 x 854 resolution, a contrast ratio of 1,000:1, and 500 cd/m2 brightness (Sharp claims the image quality is the best in the industry). Here’s how the 3D effect works (from the press release):
Sharp says their screens will be used for cameras and cell phones, but there is a chance the upcoming Nintendo 3DS will have them, too. This is pure speculation, of course, but Sharp has been providing LCD displays for the Nintendo DS since 2004 (Hitachi joined one year later) – so there is a close relationship between both companies. Sharp plans to sell both types of the 3D display (touchscreen and conventional) from the first half of fiscal 2010. Update:
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| Dragon Dictation. On the iPad. For free! Posted: 01 Apr 2010 07:30 PM PDT
Essentially, if you can type it in, you can use Dragon Dictation to, well, dictate it in instead. The “Notes” feature allows you to draft documents, e-mails, world domination plans, etc. It will also work in either portrait or landscape mode. It won’t be free forever, so go get it soon.
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| The iPad: Apple’s Trojan Horse Posted: 01 Apr 2010 07:16 PM PDT
That’s right: instead of an overfed talking-head tech reporter pawing over the iPad on morning TV, the iPad got prime-time coverage in a sitcom. Think about the last computer company to get that kind of screen time. Only Microsoft, in their abysmal product placement in Family Guy comes to mind. But in Modern Family the iPad was a major plot point. While I’m sure Apple paid a pretty penny for the exposure, I don’t doubt the folks at ABC would have put the product in for free had Apple asked. The iPhone convinced millions of people that Apple makes nice phones. The iPad, in turn, will convince millions of people that Apple makes nice computers. Whereas the “halo effect” that the iPhone was supposed to have on the rest of Apple’s wares – laptops and iMacs and the line – isn’t quite apparent except in Apple’s impressive revenues, I suspect the iPad is going to push people over the hump. While you can get away with booting up craggy old Windows on your craggy old Dell while mucking about in iPhone’s sylvan glades, you’re less likely to appreciate your old laptop when its sitting alongside a device that looks like a cross between a robotic communion wafer and something out of Star Trek. To describe this metaphorically, (and this is a horrible metaphor) think of the iPhone as a bicycle made by BMW. No one is going to upgrade to a Ford car if you’re only used to their bikes but if Ford starts to sell, say, something like an inexpensive Smart car or nice motorcycle with a little more power and all that BMW “magic,” there’s a good chance they’ll buy a Z-Series next time they’re looking at cars. So the reason you’re not seeing geeks like us with iPads this week is simple – the iPad isn’t for geeks like us. While time will tell if this is a correct assessment, I’m almost betting on it. UPDATE – I found some things to add. First, Apple has 91% market share in “premium PCs,” which is huge. But in lower-end PCs Windows still rules. Now what happens when a sub-$700 Apple ends up in millions of homes. Much more market share and a real halo effect across the market. *It’s seriously a really good program. Christopher LLoyd (Frasier and Wings) produces it. I thought it would be dumb at first too. Try it.
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| Integrated headlight and taillights, yet this bike helmet looks cooler than mine Posted: 01 Apr 2010 07:00 PM PDT
This helmet features built-in lights in the front and back not only to help you see the road better, but also you make it easier for drivers to see you. Of course, if that's still not good enough for you, you might want to look into the Superskin. The Lazer Urbanizer also comes in pink, green, blue, black, and "espresso." [Via The Awesomer]
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| Interesting short on London pirate radio stations Posted: 01 Apr 2010 06:30 PM PDT The idea of pirate radio is sort of retro-romantic. I love it, but at the same time I have to accept that its place in history is… well, not now. Kind of like tricorn hats. However, pirate radio is more interesting to learn about than tricorn hats, and so maybe you should take a breather and watch a bunch of Brits talk about their clandestine antenna setups. You know what’s even crazier than this? Numbers stations. These guys have nothing on the Conet Project.
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| DPReview’s Canon T2i review arrives Posted: 01 Apr 2010 06:00 PM PDT
Their extensive testing (I’m getting so used to their little props in the comparison pictures) reveals pretty much what we all knew: most of the cameras at this price point (Nikon D5000, Pentax K-x) are so close in everyday performance that choice comes down to feature set and preference. The T2i (known as the 550D elsewhere) wins out here and there, though the camera it beats most handily is its predecessor, the T1i/500D. I’m planning on replacing my XSi with a T2i once the price comes down a bit (that is, if the 60D doesn’t tempt me too much), and this review here mainly serves to show that there are no serious new problems with the line. Now hurry up, Canon, I need to get this thing reviewed!
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| Moog releases Auto De-tune. We get our sanity back Posted: 01 Apr 2010 05:45 PM PDT
Thank the audio gods. Today marks the greatest day in musical history. Well okay, not the greatest, but maybe right behind the release of the Beastie Boys’ Licensed to Ill. This glorious day is the day Moog’s MF-401 Auto De-tune unit starts shipping out. Now we can finally stop putting up with this.
The device uses Moog’s new Authentic Vocal Imperfection™ technology to remove any vocal modifications on a track. No longer will pop songs sound like they were recorded by a group of frenzied chipmunks on helium. The parameters are fully adjustable, everything from warble rate, deviation range, emotive overload. It even has caterwaul rotary controls. There are also a number of preset settings including:
The MF-401 goes on sale today at $799.00. But can you really put a price on staying sane? Definitely the best April Fool’s bit I’ve seen all day. via [SynthGear]
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| First pre-production Volt rolls off the line Posted: 01 Apr 2010 05:30 PM PDT
When a pre-production car comes off the line, it’s typically used for quality control purposes, and to ensure that the manufacturer is set up for the actually production run. Hopefully this means that we’ll see the Volt sooner, rather then later. [via TreeHugger]
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| Here’s the latest A-Team trailer and you must watch it Posted: 01 Apr 2010 04:56 PM PDT I was going to work in “I pitty the fool” phrase into that headline but you’ve already been subject to enough lame jokes seeing as it’s April Fool’s Day. But seriously, you must watch this trailer. Tits is the only word to properly describe it. [via Giz]
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| And now we wait for someone to jailbreak the iPad Posted: 01 Apr 2010 04:26 PM PDT
It’s not until one of the thousands of hackers out there, with teeth sharpened on jailbroken iPhone apps, gets their iPad and cracks the mother wide open, that we’re going to have the real fun. And I have reason to believe that’s going to happen mighty fast. The single input is the big issue, but the dock is essentially a USB-to-iPad cable. Sync everything over that, even — dare I dream — driver support for multiple wireless controllers? I’m thinking how perfect this thing is for couch or travel gaming — but I’ll be damned if I’m going to limit myself to the App Store. Bring on the DOS emulators. Bring on dual-boot with Chrome OS.
The limitations are very few. With the iPhone, it still had to function as an iPhone — adding forbidden functionality on top of that was difficult and broke often. But the iPad is far less tethered to its OS, and I get the feeling that’s going to result in a bonanza for people willing to hack it. See, here’s the thing. It’s not just that the iPad is a great device. You may or may not think it is; personally, I think it’s incomplete and compromised by Apple’s control fetish. If I pay $500 for this thing, I’m not buying an Apple product, I’m buying a beautiful touchscreen device that has hackers and developers the world over drooling over the possibilities. You may dislike that it’s the Applest Apple product ever to come out, but you can’t argue with the numbers being sold and the hardware itself. Decent CPU, discrete GPU, responsive touchscreen, familiar resolution — it’s a tablet computer, whether Apple wants to let you use it as one or not. I don’t know about you guys, but in my world, the consumer decides what the device is for, and the iPad is a great place to prove it.
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| Adios, Usenet: UK High Court rules against Newzbin Posted: 01 Apr 2010 04:00 PM PDT
Thus begins the countdown to the Death of Usenet. It’s capitalized because it’s important. The High Court in the UK has ruled against famous Usenet index site Newzbin, saying that the site can be held liable for the copyright infringement of its users. Hear that? That’s the sound of the world’s Usenet users screaming “OH DEAR GOD NO!” You knew this day was coming. For the unfamiliar, Newzbin and sites like it store NZB files, small text files that point the location of actual files. These sites are easily searchable, so you can look for “the wire s01″ and all of The Wire’s first season episodes would pop up. You can sorta think of NZB files as torrent files: there’s nothing in the NZB file itself other than directions of where to get actual files. Doesn’t matter, says the High Court, that constitutes copyright infringement. No details of the court’s ruling have been publicly released just yet, but you can bet your bottom dollar that Newzbin will be forced to shut down till it no longer offers offending files. Since that’s pretty much the raison d’être of sites like Newzbin… Incidentally, when I spoke to a lawyer from the Electronic Frontier Foundation at CES last January, he said Usenet as we know (knew?) it had two years to go before lawsuits would kill it. This Newzbin ruling looks to be step one in that slow death. Smoke ‘em if you got ‘em.
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| Posted: 01 Apr 2010 03:20 PM PDT
The 7pipe Pro is unique in the fact that it uses a glass insert, instead of the standard metal style. Typical pipes of this style are made metal or wood, and have a tendency to taint the flavor of your smoke. It’s also considered to be more healthy, as seen by the popularity of water pipes and other related goods. The 7pipe Pro also features an interchangeable mouthpiece, carb control, and an easy to adjust flame height. MSRP is $72, with replacement glass selling for $11.
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| Is this nice looking browser really Internet Explorer 9? Posted: 01 Apr 2010 02:40 PM PDT
The overall design clearly follows the same design cues found in Windows 7 Mobile: sharp lines and solid colors. Gone are all the extra buttons, labels, and craziness that have become standard in Internet Explorer. There are only basic navigation buttons, text-input bar, and pages/settings buttons. That’s on par with Chrome, which is saying a lot considering the last few versions of Internet Explorer have seemingly been an exercise in clutter. Maybe this is the new Internet Explorer. Combine the sleek look with the hardware-accelerated browsing demo’d yesterday, and some folks might actually switch back to IE. Release the right product and anything can happen. I switch back to PCs from Macs because of Windows 7 and I don’t think I’m alone. [LiveSino via Download Squad]
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| Like flying games? Mad Catz launches the Cyborg F.L.Y. flight stick Posted: 01 Apr 2010 02:14 PM PDT
The F.L.Y.9 is part of Mad Catz Cyborg line (we told you about their mouse at CES). That means that it’s customizable; you can change the handle length, handle rake angle, and head angle. Mad Catz set this thing up nice too, it features an integrated lap mount, but you can still remove the feet if you want to build something a little more From the press release:
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| Review: Casio EX-G1 rugged digital camera Posted: 01 Apr 2010 01:40 PM PDT
Pros:
Cons:
Full review: I was surprised when I saw this camera announced. I mean, it’s nice to put out a rugged camera, and the EX-G1 looked nice, but Casio has a leg up on the rest of the industry with its high speed sensor tricks, and if they could have put that into this thing (plus 720p video), I would have declared it the winner sight unseen. But as it is, the camera has neither HD nor high speed video, hoping instead that its slim body and pretty design will set it apart. And so they do. This little guy performed just fine in my tests, although for some reason its underwater pictures turned out badly. I’m not holding that against it, though, since it was mainly fish placement issues.
But Casio giveth, and Casio taketh away. The EX-G1 is the only camera in the roundup that doesn’t shoot in 720p or better. I mean, given the quality of 1080p video on the Playsport, that’s not necessarily a bad thing, but if you like working in 720p so you can put it right up on your TV with no stretching or reprocessing, this is definitely a minus. The 848×480 widescreen video isn’t bad, but it’s about the same quality as the HD on the other cameras. This is really the main point against the camera: if you need or really want HD, even crappy HD as most cameras these days have, then the EX-G1 is not for you. Here’s a still from the underwater footage shot for the above video. Lots of chroma noise, as you can see:
Interestingly, though, I found that the Casio had the best still image quality of the three cameras. It’s a little bit over-sharpened and the white balance is different from the Fuji and Olympus, but there’s a lot of detail, the exposure is good, and Casio’s “Best Shot” modes are occasionally useful. In shooting up close (nearly macro) the Casio was far and away the winner (Casio, Olympus, Fujifilm) — I suspect with a little tweaking in Program mode I could have made the others a little better, but they were set to macro/close-up and in good light; I think the results are admissible. You can also see the clarity of the Casio’s shots if you look at the full-size centers of the building and cherry tree (in this set); there’s more fine detail and I feel the color is more accurate.
The Casio also sports a little triple-LED recording light, which is pretty awesome. It’d be nice to have a hardware on/off switch, but it’s easy enough to do in the quick-access menu and really, cameras have enough buttons already. It’s not particularly bright, but it could be the difference between picture and no picture underwater or at a party. Probably helps with AF, too. The layout and ergonomics of the EX-G1 were my favorite by far. The Fujifilm’s buttons were mushy and hard to press, and the Olympus, while simply and functionally laid out, were not nearly as intuitive or accessible as Casio’s. The separate still and movie buttons press easily, the raised D-pad is clicky and would be easy to operate even with numb fingers, and I never once hit a button by mistake or had trouble getting one to recognize that it was being pressed.
The I/O ports are reached by twisting a little dial, which is clever except that you only have to turn the dial like 20 degrees before it opens. Since it’s up near the shutter buttons, I foresee a few accidental openings in this camera’s future. There are also a few extra items that come with the camera: little bumpers for the left side, which you attach with microscopic screws. I’m thinking they’re probably mostly ornamental, and they end up making the camera a little bigger anyway. And there’s a little doodad that you’re supposed to keep on the lanyard which you can use (though it’s not required) to open the battery compartment. I see that thing lasting about a month. It seems like these little extra plastic bits were ideas Casio brainstormed early on but couldn’t come to an agreement about which to implement and how — so you’re stuck with a couple little baggies and some screws you’ll be puzzling over in five years. “What are these things for?” The quick menu is handy for switching modes, though I question some of the additions — “Make-up” and “Vibrant landscape” are two modes that you can switch on and off which probably could have stayed buried in the menus somewhere, as they just clutter up the main screen. But the LED controls are there, as well as movie format, AF mode, and all the stuff you need to adjust quickly for various situations. The Best Shot mode, as I noted, is occasionally useful. Modes like “Pet” and “Sunset” I can do without, but it has a time-lapse feature and a “pre-record” mode that lets you capture the last few seconds of video when you hit the movie capture button. Handy stuff, though not as versatile as the non-rugged Exilims. Interestingly, the EX-G1 uses MicroSD instead of regular SD. It’s not really a problem at all, but of course a MicroSD adapter is one more little thing to carry around. Capacity is a concern if you never unload your camera, but hey, there are 32GB MicroSD cards now, and I’m still rocking 4GB on my DSLR. I don’t think it’ll really be an issue. Conclusion Although it’s a bit of a spoiler for tomorrow’s Olympus review, I’m going to go ahead and say that the EX-G1 is my pick for this roundup. It’s more compact than the others, takes great pictures, has some handy extra features, and it’s cool-looking to boot. The lack of HD video may be a deal-breaker for some, but those who can see past the numbers will know that the quality of the 720p on cameras like this is no great shakes, and 848×480 is sufficient for scuba diving videos. Now Casio, get started on a slow-mo-capable version of this thing!
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| Make a paper iPad for fun and profit Posted: 01 Apr 2010 01:36 PM PDT All this iPad crap is getting out of hand. It really is, but yet I’m here perpetuating the hype with this Macworld instructional video on how to make a paper iPad. I’m clearly driving the bus to hell. This could be great fun if you use the Daniel Tosh video after the jump as a guide.
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| Review: Lowepro SlingShot 202 AW Posted: 01 Apr 2010 01:00 PM PDT
Features:
Pros:
Cons:
So there’s a problem with camera bags. They can be really comfortable to carry, but getting your gear out is a hassle (backpack). Or you have a bag that’s not as comfortable to carry, but you can get at stuff fast (messenger bag). The SlingShot line combines the best of both into one bag. You wear the SlingShot over your torso like a messenger bag, but it sits on your back like a pack, rather then on your hip. This makes the pack really comfortable to wear, particularly when compared to a messenger bag that can get uncomfortable after extended use.
If there’s any one theme with this SlingShot, it’s functionality. The bag feels extremely well thought-out, from the type of zipper pull, to the little pocket that pulls out of the bag to hold the feet of your tripod. The main compartment is designed to be opened from the side, after you shift the bag from your back to your front. This allows you to easily access your camera without taking the bag off. The main compartment has space for your DSLR body, and up to four other accessories like lenses and flashes. The main compartment’s flap is held partway shut by two quick release buckles; by releasing the buckles, you can open the compartment completely, which allows you to access your other gear. There’s also a mesh bag on the left side of the main compartment that holds a microfiber cloth attached to the inside of the bag. There are other little features like this all over the bag. The top compartment zips open to reveal another mesh bag, this one intended for the camera manual, as well as another zip pocket for your filters or gels. There’s even a weather cover concealed in the bottom of the pack that stretches out to cover the SlingShot as needed when the weather turns bad. Even the cover is clever, in that it has an elastic band with velcro designed to fit over the shoulder strap so the cover won’t slip off.
Conclusion: The SlingShot 202 AW is a great field bag. You’re not going to be able to fit all of your gear in this bag, but you won’t want to. It’s a bag intended for the outdoor photographer, not someone who needs 4 umbrellas, 5 Speedlites, and what have you. The SlingShot 202 is also available in two other sizes, the 102 AW and the 302 AW. The 102 is a slightly smaller version, and the 302 is slightly larger. Both have all the features that make the SlingShot series so great, the only difference is the overall size. I wholeheartedly recommend the SlingShot product line. LowePro makes great bags and this is no exception. The SlingShot 202 hits that sweet spot of being both extremely functional and affordable.
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| Team Fortress 2 – Law Abiding Engineer Posted: 01 Apr 2010 12:30 PM PDT Awesome. I’d rather see the TF2 version before the crap out of Hollywood. Watch the real trailer after the jump to to be even more impressed. [via JoelJohnson]
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We’ve been yelling at our gadgets for years to get them to work. And with Dragon NaturallySpeaking software from 
Something struck me about Apple’s handling of the 
Things are looking good for the 
As time goes on, we’re seeing technology start to show up in all kinds of unexpected places. For example: the DVD kiosk, shoe insoles, and now the pipe. And when I say pipe, I mean a “420 friendly” pipe. 
Ever since the days of playing F-15 Eagle on my old Atari 800xl, I’ve had a weakness for flight games. Now days of course there aren’t that many of them, but I can still appreciate the need for a good flight stick. Mad Catz just announced the release of the F.L.Y.9 wireless flight stick. I think I want one. 
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