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Tag Heuer Carrera Mikrograph Precision Mechanical Chronograph Watch Hands-On

Posted: 19 Mar 2011 05:10 AM PDT

Tag Heuer was nice enough to share the new Carerra Mikograph 1/100th of a second chronograph watch with me, but the room we were in was too dark to take video! So forgive me for having just the CG movie to show you what the watch looks like while the chrono is working. Though the Mikograph is much faster than a foudroyante watch, if you know what those look like to operate you get the basic idea.


Canon Ambiguous On Mirrorless Camera Plans

Posted: 18 Mar 2011 06:04 PM PDT

Last year, we heard Canon was vaguely planning on getting into the M4/3 camera market. More recently Canon Europe’s head of consumer imaging, Rainer Fuehres, said that Canon has no need to enter the mirrorless compact system (CSC) segment.

Canon Europe head of consumer imaging Rainer Fuehres says “The idea of the compact system camera is nothing to do with whether the camera has a mirror or not, but about creating a small and more portable system. If Canon does take part I hope we won’t introduce just a me-too product, but we’ll use the opportunity to do something different. For Canon it would be about connectivity and providing high image quality in a small form.”

It hasn’t been ruled out that Canon will introduce a CSC. Fuehres indicated that if it were to happen it would only be because Canon could do it in a different manner.

[via electronista]

Use A Body Cap And Some Foil To Make Your DSLR A Pinhole Camera

Posted: 18 Mar 2011 05:58 PM PDT


Pinhole cameras look like a lot of fun to mess around with, but unless you’re willing to really dedicate some time and materials to them, you’re kind of out of luck. And film is expensive! So this little DIY project is a fun way to experiment with the format, even if it’s not quite the same thing.

All you need is take a spare body cap (used to cover up the lens mount when there’s no lens), some aluminum foil, and a pin. Drill (or gouge) a hole in center of the body cap, then tape the foil down and put a tiny pinprick exactly in the center. Put on the body cap, and presto, digital pinhole camera!

The pictures shown in the video are pretty blurry (yeah, that’ll happen), but if you mess around with it and try a few different pinholes and exposure settings, I bet you’ll get some interesting shots. Anyway, it’s something to try for the weekend.

Good For Them: Halifax Library Refuses To Carry DRM-Limited HarperCollins E-Books

Posted: 18 Mar 2011 05:42 PM PDT

You might have heard by now of the senseless idea of HarperCollins’s that their e-books should only be able to be lent 26 times by libraries before “expiring.” Not the smartest PR move I’ve seen. But I’d just like to congratulate Halifax’s public library system for opting not to acquire any of these restricted titles for their collection.

Many other librarians are leaning this way, too, but few have taken concrete steps. Tell your local library what you think of this nonsense, and hopefully we can nip this idiotic scheme in the bud.

[via TechDirt]

Massive 512 LED Cube Made Possible By Arduino (Video)

Posted: 18 Mar 2011 05:00 PM PDT

This 8x8x8 LED cube with 512 LEDs takes the old 3x3x3 light cube made up of 27 LEDs to the nth degree. This, certainly more time consuming project, actually involves a simpler design. By using a STP16CP LED sink driver, Nick (the creator), was able to reduce the component count. The LED sink driver can control 16 LEDs at once, as opposed to single LED control from the 3x3x3.

Programming came by way of MATLAB, which explains many of the shapes I learned in Calc 3 and diffy-q. I suggest taking a few minutes to check out the video of this amazing project.


Video Hands-On With The Nintendo 3DS

Posted: 18 Mar 2011 04:35 PM PDT

As part of our continuing coverage of the Nintendo 3DS I recorded a quick video overview of the device prior to our full review. Here is our initial hands-on for some further context.

G.Skill’s Sniper Series RAM Has Sweet Gun-Shaped Heat Spreaders

Posted: 18 Mar 2011 04:30 PM PDT


I’m looking into putting together a new system right now, and although I don’t really care about how it looks on the inside (though a matte black P67 PCB would be nice), it would make me feel pretty cool to know that my RAM has guns on it. G.Skill, you’re my hero.

Netflix Confirms Kevin Spacey TV Show, Details About Ownership

Posted: 18 Mar 2011 04:00 PM PDT

Earlier this week we talked about rumors of Netflix’s venture into original content production. Today, the rumors were confirmed that Netflix had won the exclusive rights to stream 26 original episodes of House of Cards to their customers.

House of Cards will make its way into US and Canadian homes starting in late 2012. Kevin Spacey stars in the show about ruthless politics as an “ambitious politician”.

“House of Cards represents a slightly more risky approach [then Netflix's current operations]; while we aren't producing the show and don't own it, we are agreeing to license it before it is successfully produced,” said Netflix Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos.

By signing up for 26 episodes of House of Cards, Netflix will have something no one else has, and since they already deliver 61% of all digital video, it won’t be hard for people to access the show. The company says it “may” sign on more exclusive series’ in the future, too.

[via Ars Technica]

Samsung Dinged For $32 Million In Price-Fixing Case

Posted: 18 Mar 2011 03:30 PM PDT


This ongoing price-fixing scandal has resulted in nearly a billion dollars in penalties dealt out to Samsung and other LCD component makers over the last few years.

We’ve seen a few of these cases, and it’s all crazy high-level business stuff, but we thought we should update you with the news that yes, it’s still going on, and yes, some fools are being charged cash money. Samsung SDI was just fined $32 million.

NES Classic River City Ransom Finally Getting A Real Sequel

Posted: 18 Mar 2011 03:00 PM PDT


While the original and beloved NES version of River City Ransom had a number of spin-offs in Japan, it’s only the first that actually came to the US and charmed a generation. There was a remake in 2004 for the Game Boy Advance, but we haven’t had a real follow-up… until now.

Yes, it’s a real sequel, developed by Miracle Kids and will be designed with online play in mind. It should be released in 2012 in Japan as Downtown Nekketsu Monogatari 2 (Downtown hot-blooded story 2) — and although there are no plans at the moment to release it in the US, I think it’s a no-brainer. Interestingly, it’s coming out for consoles and PC. Didn’t see that coming.

Man, the original was just great all the way through. If you have a Wii, grab it on the virtual console and give it a playthrough with a friend. Still one of the best beat-em-ups out there.

[via 1up]

Swappa: It’s Like Craigslist, But For Android Geeks

Posted: 18 Mar 2011 02:37 PM PDT

Buying a used Android phone can be tough. It seems like most of the people slingin’ their handsets up on eBay or Craigslist are doing so because they don’t really understand the phone, which doesn’t exactly lend to their ability to aptly describe it. Most of’em end up reading something like:

FOR SALE: The Verizon ANDROID. It has a touchscreen, buttons, microphone, four “G”s, buttons, and a battery. Runs all the apps! iPhone sucks! Brand new in box. Well, the box is new. The phone is broken.

“But wait! Thats not enough information at all!” you say. “Is it rooted? Is it running CyanogenMod? Is the ESN good? Also, what the hell is the Verizon ANDROID?” Alas, your e-mails go unanswered, with the buyer giving you whatever the Internet-equivalent of a blank stare is.

Enter Swappa. Swappa wants to be the trading post for even the geekiest of Android geeks.

Read the rest at MobileCrunch, or we’re gonna Swappa you for a new reader. Just kidding, we love you. But seriously, click through >>

The Magic Connector Unifies The Apple Wireless Keyboard And Magic Trackpad

Posted: 18 Mar 2011 02:30 PM PDT

The Magic Connector is a lot like the BulletTrain adapter. It creates a union between the Apple Wireless Keyboard and the Magic Trackpad, making it one single unit, except without the extra bulk.

It’s great for keeping both peripherals side-by-side, especially when sitting somewhere other than a desk — like your couch. The Magic Connector also claims to be the only adapter that still allows the left and right click feature on the Magic Trackpad to work. Best part about it is that it’s only $25 and available here.

Every Super Nintendo Game Ever – Yours For $9999!

Posted: 18 Mar 2011 02:00 PM PDT


Have you ever wanted to own every SNES game ever (or at least the NTSC ones)? Well you’re in luck, if you’re also rich. A lot of all 720 games released in the US is on the block at eBay, a refreshing change from the many NES lots of the same type. It’s the ten thousand dollar price tag that gives me pause.

That’s an average of $14 a game. Now I know $14 is a huge bargain for Final Fantasy III or Super Mario RPG, but remember there are probably 600 games there you don’t remember and love. Remember Power Piggs of the Dark Age and Rap Jam: Volume One? Neither do I.

But for the completist, which really, these collections are aimed at, this could be a big break. I don’t see these SNES lots nearly as much as I’d like. Probably because the owners are busy playing through Secret of Mana for like the tenth time.

For Your Friday: Skiing With A Jetpack On

Posted: 18 Mar 2011 01:30 PM PDT

PopMech has bit of whimsy for your Friday afternoon: a man using a massive jetpack to shoot himself through space on skis.

The skier, Troy Hartman, initially wanted to drop out of an airplane and fly around with the jetpack on but instead of doing that he strapped it to his back and took a few moguls, burning his jacket in the process. Just goes to show that maybe we’re all sitting around in our offices too much.

With Third-Party Access Axed, Sirius XM Points People Toward Official Web Player & Mobile Apps

Posted: 18 Mar 2011 01:00 PM PDT

There’s a fair bit of controversy surrounding Sirius XM today. The company has recently made some changes to its online feed, changes that, for the moment, have locked out third-party application access. That means users can’t listen to the service with applications like Radium for Mac OS X.

The company posted a message to its Facebook page (you’ll have to scroll down to find it) a few hours ago. I’ll past it here to save you the trouble of opening up a new browser tab:

@All- thanks for your feedback. Radium and other 3rd party apps were never really supported by Sirius XM. We have recently made some technology changes with our player that made it incompatible with these 3rd party apps. These changes will allow us to add more enhancements and features in the future to our player and enhance your listening experience. We offer a solution that works on both Mac and PC. Radium was valuable for Mac when our web player didn't work on Macs, but this has been resolved. Hope this helps.

I am passing along your valuable feedback regarding our new player to our product and engineering team so they can continually improve the quality of the player. Thanks!

This is all well and good, and Sirius XM is well within its rights to decide whether or not to allow third-parties to tap into its online stream, but the problem right now is that its new Web player isn’t particularly good. I know the player is new and you’d probably expect at least a few glitches in the early going, but today was particularly egregious. The Web stream was all but unlistenable, cutting in and out quite frequently. If you’re going to limit access to the stream to official Sirius XM applications, that’s fine, but make sure they work as well as the applications they’re replacing.

Another strange one: the new iOS app still has that pesky inactivity timeout that stops playback every 90 minutes. I can see that being beneficial if you’re connected to the stream via 3G, particularly as wireless providers are phasing out unlimited data plans, but surely if you’re connected via Wi-Fi then data consumption really shouldn’t be a concern. (The app also seems to be far less battery efficient.)

I can only speak to what I’ve experienced, but I never had a problem accessing the Sirius XM online stream prior to the switch-over using Radium. Launch the app, listen to my shows, close the app when finished. (Pad data even popped up if you had Growl installed). Done and done.

Users have flooded the company’s Facebook page with complaints about the poor Web player performance, the iOS app’s irregularities, and the fact that, at least for the time being, applications like Radium can’t be used to listen.

I also genuinely don’t see what’s to gain by locking out guys like Radium, but here we are.


HTC Incredible S To Come In Strawberry Red?

Posted: 18 Mar 2011 12:59 PM PDT

Back in the day, back when phones still kind of sucked, these things came in every color. Want a sparkly pinkish-greenish blacklight sensitive faceplate for your crappy Nokia 8260? Sure, why not. The parts were swappable and cheap enough to make that if the original manufacturer didn’t make one, some Chinese third-party would be cranking them out within a week of the handset hitting the shelves.

Nowadays it’s a different story. Smartphones are all the rage, and most of their parts aren’t easily replaceable. You want it in something other than white or black? Good luck with that, crazy cat lady.

Read the rest at MobileCrunch, which I’d imagine is the only site that has ever called you a crazy cat lady.

Is This Russia’s Next Battle Tank?

Posted: 18 Mar 2011 12:30 PM PDT

This is said to be Russia’s next-gen tank, the T-95 as the media dubbed it years ago. Don’t ask questions, because there’s isn’t much known about it right now. Well, at least, there’s not that much on the world wide web about the unannounced tank yet. Russia hasn’t even announced the offiical name.

DefenseTech dug up a Russian datasheet and discovered that the key features of the compartimized design. The tank operators are up front in the heavily armed section and separated from the turret by a blast wall. The autoloader is located higher in the body to prevent anti-tank mine damage while the fuel cell is appart from everything else. The goal here is to increase human and hardware survivability.

The tank is supposedly going to be the heart of the Russian mechanized force. Sometime. Generally these machines hit production when they’re ready and not a day before.

82nd Airborne Tests Out Special Android Build In Field Test

Posted: 18 Mar 2011 11:30 AM PDT

It looks like the U.S. Military has embraced the smartphone era. A recent field test at Fort Bragg saw members of the 82nd Airborne Division using customized smartphones running customized versions of Android. To what end? One app gives soldiers a GPS-assisted map of the area, while another lets them send photos and other relevant information back and forth.

Of course, even though this is being positioned as a "soldiers embrace smartphones" story, it could just as well be positioned as a "soldiers embrace small computers" story. What is a smartphone if nothing but a tiny computer? Those of you who heard me on Bryan Alvarez’s After Dark Radio last week will recall that I made the same point.

The apps in question are called Joint Battle Command-Platform and Tactical Ground Reporting. No, you can’t find these on the Android Market.

And to ensure that soldiers don’t run into dropped calls or whatnot, the phones aren’t running on plain ol’ GSM or CDMA networks, but WIN-T, which is an Army-exclusive communications network.

OnStar’s Retail Unit Gets Named FMV, Great For When You FML

Posted: 18 Mar 2011 11:00 AM PDT

OnStar has made a move out of being a proprietary unit for GM vehicles and into the retail front with their OnStar mirror. This $299 unit (plus $100 for installation) is being named OnStar FMV, or For My Vehicle. The subscriptions start at $18.95 per month or you can get an entire year for $199.

It’s expensive, but you get hands-free calling, turn-by-turn navigation, assistance locating a stolen vehicle and even Automatic Crash Response thank to a built-in accelerometer. The best feature of the classic OnStar, remote door unlocking, is sadly unavailable.

Available this summer at your favorite big bog retailer: Best Buy.


Press Release

OnStar FMV: Retail Product Gets New Name and Performance Upgrade
Free external microphone provides best-in-class audio quality 

2011-03-17
DETROIT – OnStar’s new retail product will be called OnStar FMV and include an external microphone for best-in-class voice quality comparable to the aftermarket Bluetooth speakerphones and OnStar systems integrated into new Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac cars, trucks and crossovers.

OnStar FMV, an abbreviation of For My Vehicle, will bring the industry-leading safety, security and convenience of OnStar to 90 million vehicles already on the road when it goes on sale for $299 this summer.

OnStar FMV offers the same core features that have made OnStar the most trusted and popular safety, security and communications service for more than 6 million subscribers.

Automatic Crash Response, triggered by an accelerometer in the OnStar FMV mirror, connects the vehicle to a trained OnStar emergency advisor in the event of a crash. The advisor can provide the exact location of the crash to emergency responders using the mirror’s GPS location, even if the vehicle’s occupants are unable to respond.

Turn-by-Turn navigation, OnStar’s most-popular service, is accessible with a press of OnStar’s blue button. The driver asks the advisor for directions for a specific address or location, such as a gas station or restaurant. Directions are downloaded to OnStar FMV, which provides spoken turn-by-turn instructions to the destination.

Security services include Stolen Vehicle Location Assistance, which also uses OnStar FMV’s global positioning satellite location. Roadside assistance is a blue button push away. A red button is for emergency assistance or situations such as witnessing a collision or a crime in progress.

OnStar FMV provides two choices for hands-free calling: through the OnStar service itself, or through a Bluetooth connection to a mobile phone. The external microphone, which tucks neatly into the roofline or above the overhead console, gives the best-possible voice quality – while the driver keeps hands on the wheel and eyes on the road. The external microphone replaces an embedded microphone in the original design.

The roster of vehicle makes and models compatible with OnStar FMV continues to grow. OnStar has now validated 90 million vehicles manufactured in the last 10 years as compatible with OnStar FMV – up from 55 million when the product was announced at the International Consumer Electronics Show in January.

“OnStar FMV meets the same rigorous standards for safety, reliability and performance we’ve developed in 15 years of producing and perfecting OnStar for GM vehicles,” said Greg Ross, vice president of Business Extensions at OnStar. “Drivers of Fords, Toyotas and other vehicles now have the unique ‘blue button’ OnStar experience that brings together the best of technology with the best of person-to-person customer service.”

OnStar is continuing to actively recruit retailers to carry OnStar FMV, which will sell for $299. Installation, which consists of replacing the existing rearview mirror with the OnStar FMV, is expected to take less than an hour and cost less than $100. A range of service plans will be available for OnStar FMV, starting at $18.95 a month or $199 a year.

For more information on OnStar FMV, visit www.onstar.com.

Hands-On: Google TV iOS Remote App Hits The App Store

Posted: 18 Mar 2011 10:47 AM PDT

The Google TV Android app launched shortly after the first round of devices. Now iOS devices can get in on the fun, too. The versions seem very similar with the Android flavor and features a touchpad-ish control scheme with the very clever voice control.

Update: Hands-on video after the jump!

The app is arguable a tad late to the game, but shows that while Google TV might not have the thunder it had around launch,the platform is rolling on. All that’s missing now is Android Market. And more hardware options. And access to network Internet streaming. And consumer awareness.

Jump over to the App Store store and download it now.

Thanks Kyle!
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