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Sure, you can buy compact cameras in dozens of garish and offensive colors, but what if you're the sort who craves a different garish and offensive color every day of the week? You need the $150 Pentax RS1000, a 14.1 megapixel shooter with a 4x optical zoom, 720p video recording, and faceplate that's just four screws away from getting lost. Using the Personal Skin Designer app you can craft your own custom cover (the first one is free), meaning you could be just a few clicks away from having that brick of a camera look like a real brick. Far more exciting, however, is the identically spec'd NB1000 and its Nanoblock connectors, which are a lot like Lego but smaller and presumably cheaper to license. With that you can truly shape whatever you want, like the above safari scene, which makes this model particularly pocket unfriendly. Both cameras are set to release later this year, though the Lego-esque NB1000 is tragically destined only for kids of all ages in Japan. Pentax announces customizable cameras, faceplate-swapping RS1000 and Lego-loving NB1000 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Sep 2010 11:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink Akihabara News | Pentax RS1000, NB1000 | Email this | CommentsAuthor: Tim Stevens Posted: 9 Sep 2010 at 3:01pm Wow, a mutant virus? This analogy may sound like a ringing bell for another cat fight on the playground, but Acer founder and retired chairman Stan Shih is actually semi-praising Apple here. Speaking at the launch of an Acer touch-themed design competition, Shih said that while Apple's taking the "revolution" highway to tackle the PC market, Acer's success has always depended on its time-consuming but more pragmatic "evolution" strategy, and it'll keep doing so to lay the ground for the next 30 years or so. Here's how China Times paraphrased Shih: "Apple is like a mutant virus, escaping from the traditional structure of the PC industry, but the industry will still eventually build up immunity, thus further blocking this trend, and we believe the size of the non-Apple camp will exceed Apple's, because this is how the industry normally evolves." Assuming the second half of Shih's quote refers to the tablet market share, this certainly echoes the words of his good friend JT Wang. That said, this is also the man who's boldly predicted that all American PC brands will be gone within 20 years, but there's no promise that Apple won't be kicking out a few more revolutions in the coming years. Anyway, doesn't Acer have more to worry about for the mean time? CE-Oh no he didn't!: Acer founder characterizes Apple as a mutant virus originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Sep 2010 10:38:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink 9 to 5 Mac | China Times | Email this | CommentsAuthor: Richard Lai Posted: 9 Sep 2010 at 2:38pm Apple definitely surprised us this morning by relaxing its restrictions on third-party iOS development tools and publishing its app review guidelines, but that's nothing compared to the almost shockingly blunt tone of the guidelines themselves. Grab the PDF for yourselves at the source link now and check out the highlights after the break. Continue reading Apple's App Store Review Guidelines: 'we don't need any more fart apps' Apple's App Store Review Guidelines: 'we don't need any more fart apps' originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Sep 2010 09:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | App Review Guidelines (PDF) | Email this | CommentsAuthor: Nilay Patel Posted: 9 Sep 2010 at 1:58pm Expect to see some changes to Boxee when its $199 D-Link-built Box ships in November, as Lead Apps Developer / Community evangelist Rob Spectre tells NewTeeVee that among them will be a new Webkit based browser. The current Mozilla based browser is clearly useful for some quick & unblocked Hulu viewing, but still doesn't render many sites properly. According to Spectre, HTML5 "absolutely should be the future for the browsers you use on your TV," with competition from Google TV we can see why he'd say that, and it should be ready to stream video from even more sites that don't build Boxee apps. The desktop versions of the software will get the new browser in version 1.0 after the Boxee Box is released, so make sure your comparison charts are appropriately updated. Boxee's new browser is built on Webkit and HTML5 ready originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Sep 2010 09:52:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | NewTeeVee | Email this | CommentsAuthor: Richard Lawler Posted: 9 Sep 2010 at 1:52pm It may be facing an uphill battle against the likes of Amazon, but it looks like Kobo's footprint is only continuing to get bigger, with it now matching Amazon with a desktop application of its own for Windows and Mac. That will naturally let you access your current library and buy new books from the Kobo eBook Store, and maintain bookmarks from your Kobo eReader or other devices using the Kobo app. Otherwise, the application is about as simple as you'd expect, with it boasting some basic font customization options and a full-screen mode for some distraction-free reading -- and it's free, of course. Head on past the break for the complete press release, and hit up the link below to download the application. Continue reading Kobo rolls out desktop application for Windows and Mac Kobo rolls out desktop application for Windows and Mac originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Sep 2010 09:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Kobo | Email this | CommentsAuthor: Donald Melanson Posted: 9 Sep 2010 at 1:29pm Woah, who saw this coming? Apple has changed its super-controversial stance on third party developer tools for iOS apps, now allowing any and all comers (which would obviously include Adobe Flash CS5), "as long as the resulting apps do not download any code." Apple's also publishing its App Store Review Guidelines at long last, which will give developers a better idea of how their apps are going to be scrutinized by Apple before they submit them. We're sure we'll be hearing plenty in the coming weeks as developers and arm chair analysts rifle through Apple's so-far-secretive guidelines, but mostly we're just excited to see what sort of innovation and development accessibility we've been missing out on while these third party tools have been off the market. The full (and brief) release can be found after the break. Meanwhile, it seems like it's time for a little recap: Apple's iPhone lockdown: apps must be written in one of three languages, Adobe in the hurt locker Adobe says iPhone / iPad adoption and 'alternative technologies' (cough, HTML5) could harm its business Steve Jobs responds directly to developer over new iPhone SDK rules, cites blog for explanation Steve Jobs publishes some 'thoughts on Flash'... many, many thoughts on Flash Adobe's CEO: Jobs' Flash letter is a 'smokescreen' for 'cumbersome' restrictions (update: video) Adobe decries Apple's 'walled garden,' yet pledges 'best tools' for HTML5 Adobe targets Apple in ad campaign launched today, publishes open letter from founders Steve Jobs' D8 interview: the video highlights (updated) Adobe's CEO: 'we've moved on' from Apple's argument, and Flash still rules Continue reading Apple backpedaling on some iOS development restrictions, will allow third party tools Apple backpedaling on some iOS development restrictions, will allow third party tools originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Sep 2010 08:50:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | CommentsAuthor: Paul Miller Posted: 9 Sep 2010 at 12:50pm What, you didn't think iFixit would stop at just disassembling the new iPod touch, did you? The all-new nano has also been sat atop the workbench, handed a bottle of hard liquor, and told to close its eyes and count to 120 million. The 6th-gen device weighs in at 67 percent of the volume of its precursor, with a slightly thicker body and that integrated clip on its back. Its 240- x 240-pixel display offers a 220ppi density, which, within Apple's ranks, is bettered only by the Retina Display on the fourth generation iPhone and iPod touch devices. Regrettably, just as with those two machines, the 2010 nano has its front glass, LCD and touchscreen assembly fused together. One handy bit of news here is the battery size, which at 105mAh is what you might call paltry, but still doubles up the 2010 shuffle's 51mAh. All in all, the conclusion from this dissection is that the new device feels more like a shuffle with a screen than a miniaturized nano, which, when you look at the form factor, makes all sorts of sense. More at the source. iPod nano (2010) splayed open in the name of miniature science originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Sep 2010 08:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | iFixit | Email this | CommentsAuthor: Vlad Savov Posted: 9 Sep 2010 at 12:42pm Hands up if you've ever heard of BridgeCo. No? Us neither, but that's about to change following a CNBC report detailing the company's relationship with Apple. BridgeCo is in the business of embedding its network media processor and software stack into its partners' audio equipment to enable wireless streaming. Now, according to a CNBC interview with BridgeCo CEO Gene Sheridan, Apple decided sometime last year to make BridgeCo an AirPlay launch partner. As such, any vendor that embeds BridgeCo's newest tech will be able to accept streaming audio (and its metadata) from an iTunes library or handheld iOS 4.2 device -- there's no mention of video or picture streaming although AirPlay supports both. According to CNBC, audio gear should start arriving with the BridgeCo software in time for the holidays allowing iTunes users to "mix and match their favorite equipment with a common software." What that means isn't exactly clear, though BridgeCo does offer the ability to link systems into a distributed home audio network that includes a "party mode" where all speakers are synced to play from a common source. Importantly, according to Sheridan, this is the first time that Apple has opened up its iTunes software to a third party, giving it a glimpse at the source code. Exclusively? That's the big question. When Apple announced AirPlay, it listed Denon, Marantz, B&W, JBL, and iHome as "featured" partners. Coincidentally, in a blog post published two days after Apple's fall music event, BridgeCo listed all of these brands, with the exception of Marantz, as partners of its own. If you'll recall, the "Made for iPod" licensing program has provided a steady stream of revenue for Apple since 2005. And in the last few years, Apple has relied upon a proprietary authentication chip to authorize device compatibility and to unlock features such as video streaming. Apple undoubtedly seeks similar control over the expected rush of AirPlay-enabled devices in order to ensure a consistent user experience while making a few bucks on every third party accessory sold. So is BridgeCo the new chip and software behind a "Made for AirPlay" accessory certification program? We can't say for sure. Sheriden does let on that the Apple deal's impact is "immense" and should provide more than half of the company's revenues. Needless to say, the idea of combining systems from multiple brands into a unified whole-home audio network is certainly attractive. Sonos and Squeezebox, your approach to distributed wireless audio is officially on notice. Is BridgeCo the foundation for 'Made for AirPlay' Apple accessories? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Sep 2010 08:08:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | CNBC, BridgeCo | Email this | CommentsAuthor: Thomas Ricker Posted: 9 Sep 2010 at 12:08pm If somehow you were able to choke up the FirePro V8800 and its 2GB of graphics buffer -- traveling across an autobahn-wide 147.2GBps interface -- here's the card for you. ATI has just announced the V9800, which doubles its predecessor's memory allowance to a mighty 4GB of GDDR5, but otherwise looks an almost identical beast. It maintains the 1,600 stream processor count of the V8800 and makes some small advances in performance and power efficiency, but on the whole it's the same card, just strapped up with more buffer muscle. We shouldn't neglect the new array of six mini DisplayPorts -- the retail package will include six DVI adapters, worry not -- which will let you have your full six-screen Eyefinity cake driven by just this one card. So, is this future collector's item worth your time? Well, at $2,499, the V9800 is a whole thousand dollars pricier than the V8800, but then if you have the highly specialized needs it's looking to cater for, we're guessing that won't be too much of a hurdle for you. Continue reading ATI FirePro V9800 runs out of ideas, shoots up with 4GB of GDDR5 and six mini DisplayPorts ATI FirePro V9800 runs out of ideas, shoots up with 4GB of GDDR5 and six mini DisplayPorts originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Sep 2010 07:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink Hot Hardware | AMD | Email this | CommentsAuthor: Vlad Savov Posted: 9 Sep 2010 at 11:45am Looks like our pals at Research In Motion are taking the company name literally this week -- they've got a pair of patent applications target ads to automobiles and pedestrians on the street by dynamically changing their information density. By taking a page out of Google's book and measuring the relative position of GPS-equipped phones (or using traditional sensors should that fail), RIM wants to create digital billboards that automatically add details the slower traffic gets. In one example, a "Road House Restaurant" could display only the name and exit number of the joint in giant letters when traffic moves quickly, but pitch that delectable pecan pie more thoroughly when it's stop and go -- but RIM's thinking a bit further than that, suggesting that when vehicles are particularly slow, you could pull out your phone and get a coupon by photographing a projected QR code. The future, ladies and gentlemen. RIM tries to patent billboards that adjust to roadside traffic originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Sep 2010 07:14:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink SlashGear, Unwired View | USPTO (1), (2) | Email this | CommentsAuthor: Sean Hollister Posted: 9 Sep 2010 at 11:14am So let's see, how long has iOS 4.1 been out in the open for public consumption? We make it less than 24 hours, yet already some earnest jail busters have managed to liberate it from Apple's control freak clutches. It's still a fair distance away from an easily executable jailbreak, but it's looking like it'll work on iPhone 4, the latest-gen iPod touch, and the iPad, covering all the freshest bases of Apple hardware. Now it's just a matter of waiting it out. iOS 4.1 jailbreak on the way after bootrom exploit discovery originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Sep 2010 06:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink Redmond Pie | @pod2g (Twitter) | Email this | CommentsAuthor: Vlad Savov Posted: 9 Sep 2010 at 10:48am LaCie's bringing its monkey out to play again today, announcing a USB 3.0 version of the Rikiki and a new Minimus portable hard drive. Both come in slick aluminum enclosures, with the Rikiki looking unchanged from its predecessor, but of course inside they pack the extra vroom vroom of the latest USB spec. Unlike Iomega, LaCie isn't shy about price premiums here, as the Rikiki USB 3.0 model costs $100 for 500GB (versus $85 for the 2.0 SKU) and the Minimus offers a terabyte in exchange for $130. Both will have larger options as well, a 1TB Rikiki and a 2TB Minimus -- with correspondingly elevated levies, we're sure. Gallery: Lacie Minimus USB 3.0 product images Gallery: Lacie Rikiki USB 3.0 product images Continue reading LaCie embraces USB 3.0 with world's smallest hug, 'world's smallest' HDDs LaCie embraces USB 3.0 with world's smallest hug, 'world's smallest' HDDs originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Sep 2010 06:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Lacie (Rikiki USB 3.0), (Minimus USB 3.0) | Email this | CommentsAuthor: Vlad Savov Posted: 9 Sep 2010 at 10:19am If you were into last week's announcements from Apple and Roku but still thought separating from even one Benjamin for a media streamer was just too much to ask, we have a solution that may work. The One Day, One Deal people at Woot.com have picked the Netflix, Amazon VOD and UFC-streaming Roku HD-XR with WiFi N (and a 1080p upgrade practically around the corner) for today's offering, currently standing at $69.99 + $5 shipping for a refurbished unit with a 90 day warranty, which is the best deal we've seen since it launched. Sure, you can sit around and keep thinking over the comparisons, or you can just click the buy button now before they run out of stock, which could happen at any moment. Like now. Or now. Or...you get the point. [Thanks, Isaac] Woot offers up refurbed Roku HD-XRs for $75 shipped originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Sep 2010 05:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Woot | Email this | CommentsAuthor: Richard Lawler Posted: 9 Sep 2010 at 9:48am Browser betas, like puberty, can be a confusing time. Sure, we're eager to be getting new functionality, but all the crashes and compatibility breaks and unrequited crushes can be a bit tough to handle. Now Mozilla is giving us something big for all our blood, sweat and acne: Firefox 4 Beta 5 has Direct2D hardware acceleration on by default. We tested it out real quick, and it seemed to speed up most HTML5 tasks considerably while inexplicably slowing a couple down, but we're sure all will be ironed out in time for the final version of Firefox 4 to go head to head with Microsoft's own upcoming hardware accelerated contender, IE9. Unfortunately, the speedups only apply to Windows for now, Mac and Linux are being left out in the GPU-less cold, but we suppose they should be used to that by now. Other perks in the update include HSTS, a successor to HTTPS in secure surfing, and HTML5 Audio, which allows for all sorts of audio processing and analysis at the browser level. You can check out a quick demo of hardware acceleration after the break. Continue reading Firefox 4 Beta 5 brings GPU acceleration for Windows Firefox 4 Beta 5 brings GPU acceleration for Windows originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Sep 2010 05:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink DailyTech | Mozilla | Email this | CommentsAuthor: Paul Miller Posted: 9 Sep 2010 at 9:17am Okay, so Symbian^3 is still just a glint in our eyes, but that launch date is fast approaching and here's a neat little accessory to keep up excitement for the platform: the Mobile TV Headset. You know how most phones use the cord of your earphones as an FM aerial? Well, this thing does the same, only with DVB-H teevee signals, piping them straight through into your USB-on-the-go-equipped Nokia handset. It comes with channel-changing, call-receiving, and volume controls, and will set you back €40 ($51) before taxes in Q4 of this year. [Thanks, Maximus] Nokia Mobile TV Headset acts as a TV antenna for your unreleased Symbian^3 device originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Sep 2010 04:50:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Nokia Conversations | Email this | CommentsAuthor: Vlad Savov Posted: 9 Sep 2010 at 8:50am Newsfeed display by CaRP |
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