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Sharp Unveils Portable Air Purifier “Plasmacluster”

Posted: 17 Aug 2010 03:01 AM PDT

In the US (and elsewhere), Sharp has been selling a number of air purifiers, branded as “Plasmacluster”, for years now. In Japan, the company today announced [JP] a portable Plasmacluster, the IG-CM1. The mini version (57×27.5×124mm) basically works like the bigger models: it cleans the air around you, suppresses odors and makes sure your skin looks healthy.

Once you charge the battery, the IG-CM1 will work continuously for around eight hours, but it’s also possible to plug it into your computer’s USB port. The device weighs 150g and works at 29db.

Mainly targeting women, Sharp plans to offer the air purifier in pink, white, black and beige when it goes on sale in Japan on September 1st. Specialized gadget store Geek Stuff 4 U is already offering the IG-CM1 for pre-order for everyone living outside Japan (price: $197.45).

Via Kaden Watch [JP]

Street Fighter IV On Facebook? Capcom To Enter Social Gaming Business Next Month

Posted: 17 Aug 2010 01:41 AM PDT

What do you do when you are a major Japanese video game maker who faces a shrinking home market and sees the social games sector virtually explode at the same time? You make the jump, just like Capcom, the brand behind such hit games like Street Fighter, Resident Evil, or Mega Man. According to Japanese business daily The Nikkei, the Osaka-based company will start offering games for Facebook as early as next month.

Capcom’s US subsidiary (LA-based Capcom Interactive, Inc.) will bring yet to be named titles currently available for the iPhone to Facebook, with The Nikkei hinting that more games are to follow thereafter. At the moment, Capcom is offering just a handful of iPhone apps, for example Street Fighter IV or Resident Evil IV.

The Nikkei says Capcom plans to offer the Facebook games for free but will earn money by selling virtual items, as a lot of other game providers on social networks do. As a start, the Japanese company aims at attracting one million Facebook users from the US and Europe. In Japan, Capcom saw the domestic market for video games shrink for the second straight year in 2009 (minus 6.9% to $6.3 billion).

Capcom president Haruhiro Tsujimoto first announced his company’s move into the social gaming business back in May this year. Expect more Japanese video game companies to follow Capcom soon.

Daily Crunch: Robot Vanity Edition

Posted: 17 Aug 2010 12:00 AM PDT

Windows Phone 7 Xbox Live Games And Capabilities Shown Off

Posted: 16 Aug 2010 10:17 PM PDT

We’ve often said that Windows Phone 7 may live or die based on how it leverages Microsoft’s immense stature in gaming. A few games have been shown off here and there, but they’ve just blown the lid off their whole Xbox Live interface and Launch lineup.

Continue reading…

Bad News For RIM: Only 150,000 Torches Sold At Launch?

Posted: 16 Aug 2010 09:44 PM PDT

RIM needed a hit, and the data increasingly indicate that the Blackberry Torch is not that. While 150,000 units sold is nothing to sneeze at, and RIM’s overall sales are still strong, I can smell their decaying brand from here. When your next big thing is outsold by your biggest competitor by more than 10 to 1, it’s time to get serious.

Continue reading…

New Fujifilm W3 3D Point And Shoot Does 3D At 720p

Posted: 16 Aug 2010 09:24 PM PDT


3D cameras haven’t really caught on yet for a number of reasons, but nobody told Fujifilm; they’re going right ahead with a new version of the W1, their 3D point-and-shoot from last year. The new one improves photo processing (reduces 3D artifacts like doubling), increases the size of the LCD to 3.5″/800×480 (it’s autostereoscopic, so you can see 3D without glasses), and adds 3D HDMI out, something you needed an add-on for before. It also now shoots 720p in 3D! That could be awesome.

The Fujifilm W3 has 10 megapixels (well, 20 technically because there are two sensors), 3x optical zoom, and a few special 3D settings and modes. Available soon in Japan, and in September elsewhere for the low, low price of $500. Full press release below.

Fuji FinePix REAL 3D W3 Press Release

Valhalla, N.Y., August 17, 2010 – FUJIFILM North America Corporation today announced a new addition to its FinePix REAL 3D system – the FinePix REAL 3D W3 digital camera. The FinePix REAL 3D W3 steps it up from its predecessor with the ability to shoot high-resolution 3D photos and movies in 3D HD at 720p¹, with the help of a new RP (Real Photo) Processor. It also sports a new Mini HDMI port² for easy playback on most 3D television systems and an Autostereoscopic 3D Widescreen 3.5" LCD. All components make for stunning 3D still photos and movies that can be viewed and enjoyed through an easy connection between the FinePix REAL 3D W3 and their 3D TV³, or printed in stunning 3D quality.

"Last year, Fujifilm introduced the first real, complete solution for 3D digital photography, once again showing our commitment to the evolution of imaging technology," said Go Miyazaki, division president, Imaging and Electronic Imaging Divisions, FUJIFILM North America Corporation. "With the new FinePix REAL 3D W3 digital camera, we have made 3D imaging more accessible to all consumers, enabling them to shoot in 3D HD and making it easy to view their photos and movies on most 3D TV systems."

The slim FinePix REAL 3D W3 digital camera with a black matte finish is ergonomically designed and measures 21.0 mm at its thinnest point and weighs 8.5 ounces with battery and memory card. The durable stainless steel construction ensures that the optical axis is balanced ever so precisely resulting in accurate 3D images. The W3 also has a horizontal lens cover with wave detail, which serves as the on/off switch.

FinePix REAL 3D Technology

Fujifilm's FinePix REAL 3D technology captures true 3D thanks to its use of twin 10 MegaPixel CCD sensors and dual FUJINON 3x optical zoom lenses (35-105mm) that are spaced 75 mm apart to create realistic images that are similar to how human eyes see them. The synchronized control of the twin CCD sensors releases the left and right shutters at the same time. This technology produces a synchronized image with a natural sense of depth, and allows easy capture of 3D movies and photos in HD, and also provides the beneficial unique 2D Advanced Shooting modes.

3DHD Capture and RP (Real Photo) Processor 3D HD

The 3D and 2D Auto functions let anyone take high-definition, high-resolution movies and photos effortlessly and audio is captured in stereo to preserve its original impact. Photo data captured by the dual lens CCD system is processed by the newly developed RP (Real Photo) Processor 3D HD which merges the left and right images into a single image. This processor is also the power behind 3D Auto – the function that lets even first-time users take stunning 3D HD quality photos.

Autostereoscopic (3D) LCD

The FinePix REAL 3D W3 also comes equipped with a 3.5" high resolution Autostereoscopic 3D Widescreen LCD with 1150K resolution that displays high contrast images and movies that can be viewed in 3D without the need of 3D glasses. This new lenticular system uses rows of convex lenses that create a binocular parallax effect to produce a realistic 3D image with less cross-talk and flicker. 3D images can be shown in High Luminosity Mode that both display images 1.5 times brighter, and color reproduced 1.8 times deeper4, allowing for clear, distinct and vivid images.

3D HD Movies and Photo Playback

Now it's easier than ever to enjoy high quality 3D HD movies and still photos in your home, because the FinePix REAL 3D W3 comes equipped with a Mini HDMI 1.4 port. This allows the user to quickly and easily connect the camera with an HDMI cable (not included) to enjoy high quality movies at 720p and HD photos captured at 1920×1080 pixels (or higher) on most 3D HD TV systems.

Advanced 3D/2D Modes

The FinePix REAL 3D W3 includes advanced 3D and 2D capture modes. With Individual Shutter 3D Shooting, advanced users will enjoy the ability to take two shots of the same subject from different positions, and then the camera will automatically merge and save the captured images as a single, enhanced 3D photo. Photos of distant subjects like mountains and skyscrapers look amazing in enhanced 3D, while close-up subjects like flowers come to life in natural 3D. With Interval 3D shooting, you can shoot hyper (wide distance between capture of left and right data) for capturing 3D effect in far away subjects.

The Advanced 2D Modes also allow for independent use of the dual CCD sensors and FUJINON lenses in the FinePix REAL 3D W3. Just as if shooting with two digital cameras, the user can choose different zoom ranges and color settings for each image, capturing both at the same time. With Tele/Wide Simultaneous Shooting, you can zoom in on your subject while also taking a wide-angle shot of the same scene. With Two-Color Simultaneous Shooting, at one press of the shutter, you can take photos of the same scene with a different color tonality. Set one lens system to vivid colors and the other to vintage black and white, or capture the scene in both standard and black and white. Dual-Sensitivity Simultaneous Shooting allows the user to capture high and standard sensitivity simultaneously. For example, you can take panned shots of a moving subject at the exact same instant with different degrees of background motion blur. In dark scenes, you can prioritize blur reduction for one shot, and image quality for the other.

The FinePix REAL 3D W3 also comes with a variety of additional functions:

v Switch 2D/3D Button: Switch between capturing a subject in 2D or 3D instantly with the touch of a button and effortlessly capture movies and pictures for every kind of scene.

v

One Touch Movie Mode: No need to fumble to find the movie mode, as the button is located right on the back of the camera, instantly changing from still to movie mode, making it convenient for taking HD quality movies in either 3D or 2D.

v Auto and Manual Parallax Control: The camera automatically adjusts parallax in 3D Auto mode for an optimal sense of depth. Manual mode is also possible by operating the Parallax Control lever on the top of the camera to easily fine-tune the sense of depth and alignment of the images. Both can be used to eliminate "ghosting" and increase or decrease the 3D effect.

v MyFinePix Studio 3D Movie and Photo Editor: Manually edit captured 3D images effortlessly with MyFinePix Studio software that's included with the camera. Separate a 3D still photo (MPO file) into left/right still image data, and recombine left/right still photos into 3D photos (MPO file). MyFinePix Studio also lets you freely cut and splice 3D movies.

v Manual Shooting Functions: Choose "M" (Manual) mode for the freedom to set shutter speed and aperture. Get instant control of depth of field in "A" (Aperture Priority) Mode. With the built-in "P" (Program) Mode, the camera automatically sets the shutter speed and aperture value.

v Scene Positions: Select from among the 13 Scene Positions (SP) that matches the subject and situation. The camera automatically optimizes camera settings for some of the most common shooting environments, making it easy to get great 3D photos in virtually any shooting situation.

v Super Intelligent Flash: This advanced flash system automatically adjusts flash output and timing to capture subjects and background in bright, natural detail over the full flash range. No more flash washout even when taking ultra close-up shots.

3D Print Solution

Getting high quality 3D prints is as easy as uploading your images to Fujifilm's SeeHere.com a photo printing, gifting, and sharing website, and having them delivered right to your door. Fujifilm has integrated high precision prints with lenticular technology, resulting in stunning high quality 3D images with tremendous depth and detail. 3D prints priced at $6.99 for a 5"x7" print.

The FinePix REAL 3D W3 digital camera will be available in early September 2010 at a retail price of $499.95.

*1 As a digital camera equipped with 2 CCDs, according to Fujifilm research in August 2010.

*2 HDMI 1.4-3D compliant, HDMI mini-terminal.

*3 HDMI cable with high speed type required.

*4 Compared to previous model.

The Nikon Coolpix S1100pj Digital Camera Keeps The Embedded Pico Projector But Makes It Useful

Posted: 16 Aug 2010 09:06 PM PDT

Nikon broke the stale mold generally used in digital cameras with the Coolpix S1000pj projector camera last year. Instead of having just a boring lens and LCD screen, this bad boy comes with a front-firing pico projector for sharing the camera’s pics and videos. But that’s where the fun stops with the first generation. The pico projector was limited to viewing on-camera material only. But Nikon isn’t done with the form factor. Oh no. The second generation takes it up a notch and actually makes the pico projector a bit more practical. The S1100pj can project content from your computer. noice

The 14.1MP S1100pj is a good leap forward down the evolutionary path. Not only can it double as a computer-powered pico projector via USB, but the image will be 40% brighter, thanks to a 14-lumen internal projector. Nikon even opted for a 3-inch rear-touchscreen and a convenient kickstand, along with a 720p movie mode. Basically, Nikon improved every aspect of the camera including lowering the MSRP down to a more reasonable $349. Retailers should get the camera next month in a variety of colors including black, violet, green, and silver.
nikon-S1100pj S1100pj_BK_back S1100pj_BK_top_lo S1100pj_GR_front34l_lo S1100pj_SL_front34l_lo S1100pj_VL_front_lc


The Nikon Coolpix S5100 Is A Low-Cost Pocket Cam

Posted: 16 Aug 2010 09:02 PM PDT


Pocket cams are just getting better and better. The just-announced Nikon Coolpix S5100 seems as loaded as anyone could want. Inside the sleek casing is a 12.2MP senor, 4-way VR lens, a 720p@30 movie mode, and even a tripod detection mode that automatically knows when the camera is mounted and selects the appropriate exposure, ISO, and shutter speed. Bright colors, a 2.7-inch LCD and 5X zoom will likely draw in shoppers where the low $179 MSRP closes the deal. October 2010.

This Is What It Looks Like/When iPhone 4s Cry

Posted: 16 Aug 2010 05:56 PM PDT

Reader Brian sent in this horrible photograph of the saddest iPhone in the world, shattered by his friend in a fit of butterfingers. Do not do this to your own iPhone.

Disney Toy Story 3 Blu-ray To Include Game, Original Movie

Posted: 16 Aug 2010 05:00 PM PDT

So you say you’re a Toy Story 3 fan? Well, TGDaily reports that there’s quite the deal coming from Disney when the movie is released on Blu-ray, the collector’s edition will contain not just Toy Story and Toy Story 3, it will also contain the video game tie-in for TS3. Of course, no idea if the game will be any good, but the at least you’ll get two movies out of the deal. Now the bad part, the collector’s edition will cost $15 over the standard edition PS3 game at $65.

The Best Headphones I’ve Never Worn Discussed By Their Designers

Posted: 16 Aug 2010 04:30 PM PDT


Aiaiai’s TMA-1 is, theoretically, my favorite pair of headphones. I say theoretically because they only just started shipping out of Denmark this week and I’m not sure if I’ll ever actually have a pair of them wrapped around my head. But the next best thing is seeing them in this Cool Hunting video, with their designers talking about what went into creating these lovely things.

[via The Awesomer]

Amazon Taking Pre-Orders On Dual-Screen Toshiba Libretto

Posted: 16 Aug 2010 04:00 PM PDT

Toshiba announced a dual-screen laptop in the first half of a year, and it appears that it is a real product that is actually coming to market. Called the Libretto W105, it’s a limited edition model with no physical keyboard. Spec wise, it’s not anything too exciting, a 1.2GHz Pentium, 2 GB of RAM, a 62GB(?) hard drive, and Window 7 Home premium. Dual screens or not, the Libretto is priced at a wallet melting $1,099.99! While Amazon does have the Libretto W105 available for pre-order, there is no actual release date listed as of press time. Dual 7-inch touchscreens are cool and all, but without the proper software, I doubt this thing will be much of a game changer. Check out the video after the jump.

[via Tech Report]

A Stylish Camera Strap For Those Of You Not Willing To Rock Nylon

Posted: 16 Aug 2010 03:30 PM PDT


One of the first things I do when I get a new camera is to buy a new strap. The ones that ship with my last few DSLRs have been pathetic, and to be honest, I’m not too enamored of the replacement ones either, since they’re essentially the same nylon-and-neoprene setup. This beautiful leather and canvas strap from Roberu would be a great way of giving yourself and your camera a bit of individuality. I wouldn’t recommend it for heavy setups or long shoots, though.

Unfortunately, these hand-made items will probably run you around $100, if you can even get them to ship outside Japan. They also have a really nice-looking Olympus E-PL1 case.

[via Stilsucht and Notcot]

Private World of Warcraft Server Slapped With $88M Verdict

Posted: 16 Aug 2010 03:30 PM PDT

Scapegaming, the company that had set up and was running a private World of Warcraft server until Blizzard’s lawyers went after ‘em, now has to cough up some $88M in damages. There’s no question that Scapegaming had it coming to them, but $88M? Man alive!

Scapegaming, run by one Alyson Reeves, was ordered to pay $3M to cover the loss of revenue associated with the private server’s users, and $85M in statuary damages.

I’m going to guess that Scapegaming doesn’t have $85M lying around, so this will be fairly prickly moving forward.

If you want, you can read a nice summary of the lawsuit summary here.

What am I talking about? Let me explain!

There exist private World of Warcraft servers out there that people can connect to in order to play the game in non-Blizzard ways. So, a person can connect to one of these servers and start out with super advanced weapons and armor right from the word go. There’s typically enough people on these servers to make it feel like you’re still playing an MMO.

Obviously Blizzard doesn’t take too kindly to this kind of thing, hence the lawsuit.

Let this be a lesson to all the other private servers out there: lay low!

Does A Bit Of Wood Improve Headphones’ Performance?

Posted: 16 Aug 2010 03:00 PM PDT


I’m no audiophile, but it’d be silly to deny that there’s a wide range of quality in the audio devices out there, and material and construction can be the difference between a perfectly good speaker and a buzzy piece of trash. I was delighted with the ceramic and cork construction of the speakers I reviewed a few months back, but I have to say I’m a bit skeptical of the effect of wood construction in an in-ear headphone. I mean, isn’t the whole point to avoid resonation by channeling the sound directly into the ear canal?

But I haven’t yet tried these headphones (the Rain from Thinkingsound), so I’ll hold off on the trash talk until I’ve got something to back it up. I do like their eco-packaging, though.

Review: Fusion of Ideas’ Carbon Fiber Stealth Armor case for iPhone 4

Posted: 16 Aug 2010 02:27 PM PDT

Carbon Fiber. Made up of many tens of thousands of intertwining strands to give it incredible strength, it’s the material of the future. You’ve undoubtedly decked out everything you own in carbon fiber, right? The hood of your car? Carbon fiber. The grill you flash at the lady folks when you hit the club? Carbon fiber. Your iPhone 4? Carb — wait, that’s glass. That doesn’t match at all! EVERYTHING IS RUINED.

Chillax, Brocahontas. Fusion of Ideas’ Stealth Armor case promises to help your iPhone 4 meet its daily Carbon Fiber intake requirements — or at least pretend to (it’s not actual Carbon Fiber. It just looks the part.) So is it worth the $35 price tag?

Read the rest at MobileCrunch >>

Couple Builds Robot To Follow Them Around The House

Posted: 16 Aug 2010 02:00 PM PDT

(Picture from The Daily Mail)What do you do if you’ve created an incredibly successful game, made your millions, and can retire on the royalties? You build your own robot, of course. That’s exactly what the creator of the Aimec did: built a robot using off the shelf technology and custom software.

The robot is capable of following Tony and Julie (the builders of this prototype Cylon) around the house, tells jokes, snores, connects to household appliances, and apparently sounds like C-3P0. The Aimec isn’t available for purchase yet, but the self-made millionaire (he created the Cube World game) plans to someday produce the robot for home use. They hope to sell them for about $300, but at this point pricing is just speculation.

[From The Daily Mail via DailyTech]

PSA: Think Twice Before Picking Up That BFG Graphics Card

Posted: 16 Aug 2010 01:30 PM PDT

In case you didn’t know: BFG, a hardware company known for high-end gaming laptops, desktops, and components, is killing off its graphics card business.

Yet even though this has been known for a couple months, they’re still selling off their existing inventory and, contrary to previous statements, it now looks as if these cards will not be supported. So if you get a bum fan or accidentally chip the power connector, you’re going to be pretty much out of luck. Just an FYI if you’re thinking of picking one up.

I Am Angry At 2K For Hijacking X-COM

Posted: 16 Aug 2010 12:30 PM PDT


A recent interview with the developers of the upcoming X-COM reboot confirmed what every true X-COM fan always feared: that the game existed before they decided to make it X-COM, and 2K seems to have laid on the license as an extra layer. The game may still be good, of course, but it won’t be X-COM, and now that 2K has hijacked the name, it is much less likely that the beloved, neglected franchise will ever see a true modern sequel (though it may yet get a spiritual successor).

It’s fine by me, I’ll just play the old one in DOSBox — but someone, please, think of the children who will never know the joy of fusion cannons, or the gnawing fear of a single alien commando lurking in a dark farmyard! They need this!

Magajin: Like deviantART For Manga With Social Translation Built In

Posted: 16 Aug 2010 11:58 AM PDT


Say you’re looking for a picture of a cute demon or a violent little girl? And you want to talk to other people about those selfsame pictures? Where, besides the Heavy Metal Con circa 1988, can you go?

Magajin [Warning: Sort of NSFW sometimes] is, in short, a sharing service for Manga lovers with a twist. Artists can upload their drawings and leave comments. The comments can be in Japanese or English and the site auto-translates the comments either through a basic algorithm or through a crowd sourced system of translation that lets readers familiar with a word or phrase to quickly translate it, even if its slang or jargon.

You’ll obviously notice two forces at work here. First, you have a DeviantART for Manga, a noble goal in itself. The art is fun, futuristic, and sometimes a little randy. There are obviously limited ways to monetize this portion of the site but potentially artists could sell prints and mugs and stuff of their favorite maidens in long flowing dresses.

The second force is a sort of crowdsourced translation system for a very specific hobby. While machine translation works well in most cases, situations like Manga admiration require a fairly specific subset of jargon and slang. For example, I’m fairly sure Google Translate wouldn’t be able to figure out “Sugoii ne!!” or *-* when associated with picture content.

The site also has a blog that includes how-tos, interviews, and other fun stuff. Generally it’s a one-stop shop for amateur manga artists and the people who love them.

Anyway, check it out if you like little girls with big eyes drawn on graph paper and check out the technology if you’re into machine translation of specific knowledge sets.
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