CrunchGear |  |
- Daily Crunch: Beans & Chips
- After Ice Cream Sandwich Comes… Jelly Bean
- Rumored Specs For Nikon’s Mirrorless Cameras
- British Rapper Buys First Pair Of Nike Air Mags For $37.5K
- Nvidia: We’re No Longer In The Processor Business Because Intel “Preferred That We Weren’t”
- Lowe’s Invests In 42,000 iPhones To Improve Your Shopping Experience
- Adobe Gives Up On Apple, Works Around iOS’ Flash Video Limitations
- HP Releases A Faux 3D Scanner For The Masses
- The Touchpad Is Back (Briefly) In The UK
- Yet Another Battlefield 3 Gameplay Teaser
- Watch Windows 8 Boot In 10 Seconds, Live Life A Quarter Mile At A Time
- The Olympus E-PL3: DSLR Power In A Point-And-Shoot Package
- Daily Crunch: Critters
| Posted: 10 Sep 2011 01:00 AM PDT  Here are some of yesterday’s Gadgets posts:
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| After Ice Cream Sandwich Comes… Jelly Bean Posted: 09 Sep 2011 05:24 PM PDT  In case you’ve lain awake nights wondering what tasty treat will follow Ice Cream Sandwich in Google’s sweet parade of Android versions, allow me to set your mind at ease. According to a “trusted source” speaking to This is my next, it’s going to be Jelly Bean. More importantly, this source says that some of the “game-changing stuff” that was going to hit with ICS is being pushed out to Jelly Bean. That isn’t exactly welcome news — not that we actually knew exactly what was coming. On the other hand, they have to ship sometime, and Schmidt has just confirmed that October-November is the window they’re aiming for. Excising a few of the peskier features is probably how they managed to nail the date down so semi-exactly, but I’m guessing the major functionality discussed (merging the tablet and mobile branches of the Android family tree) will be mostly intact. Depending on what they’re shipping with, this push to release could be either good timing or extremely poor timing. If it’s a compelling release, they might see a nice bump in sales for the holidays. On the other hand, everyone seems pretty sure that the iPad 3 is on its way come January or February. If the cool features from ICS are delayed past that, the opportunity will have come and gone. We’ll know more when Google releases more information about ICS next month. Perhaps they’ll even answer questions straight out about what wasn’t included. If we get a chance, we’ll ask.
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| Rumored Specs For Nikon’s Mirrorless Cameras Posted: 09 Sep 2011 04:25 PM PDT  All the cool kids are going mirrorless these days. Micro 4/3 cameras like the E-PL3 and luxury compacts like the X100 are starting to capture market share as the format matures and people see the benefits. But Canon and Nikon, the great warring giants of photography, have yet to announce any plans. After all, their mirror-rich DSLR lines sell a ton. They don’t want to make their move too early. But Nikon may be getting ready to go first. Nikon Rumors has gotten its hands on what it thinks are fairly legit specs for Nikon’s upcoming mirrorless line. According to their tips, the first two cameras will be called the V1 and J1. The V1 will be the higher-end model, with a high-resolution EVF and a multi-accessory port. The J1 will have a built-in flash instead of the port. Both will be 10.1 megapixels with 3-inch LCD screens, and will be compatible with a new line of lenses, the CX system. We saw a leaked picture of the sensor, and the 2.7x crop factor mentioned seems to work with that, though indeed that shot may be where they got that information. There have also been some interesting patents over the last year or so. Early on there was a mirrorless system specced and illustrated in cross section, then we saw a patent on a new type of motorized zoom. Supposedly the V1 and J1 will have a feature or two not shared by their competitors, and that zoom may be one of them. Will people buy into a first-generation Nikon system when M4/3 systems are entering their third generation, and systems like the Sony’s NEX are becoming more and more compelling? The cameras will have to speak for themselves. No word on date just yet.
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| British Rapper Buys First Pair Of Nike Air Mags For $37.5K Posted: 09 Sep 2011 02:08 PM PDT  Just… wow. It was sort of a given that Nike’s limited edition, McFly-inspired Air Mag sneakers would be fetching pretty pennies on eBay, but TMZ reports British rap act Tinie Tempah spent more than he thought he would on the first pair up for grabs. The cost of his impulse decision: a cool $37,500. Mr. Tempah, a reputed Back To The Future nut and sneaker geek, received the sneakers and a nifty “plutonium” carrying case for his trouble. Meanwhile, prices for the long-awaited sneakers on eBay run quite the gamut: the cheapest pair to be found at time of writing is size 7, and is sitting pretty at $4,000. At the top end of things is an especially popular pair of size 12s, with an $8,100 price tag. All auctions will be open for another 6 or so hours, so these prices will probably climb ever higher, but you need not worry if your size disappears. Nike is listing 150 pairs a day for 9 more days, so you still have a few chances to buy the kicks of your dreams. All proceeds will benefit the Michael J. Fox Foundation, so rest assured that any purchases made will serve a dual purpose: not only will they (temporarily) assuage the shoe-lust felt by sneaker aficionados with too much money, they’ll also be helping a good cause.
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| Nvidia: We’re No Longer In The Processor Business Because Intel “Preferred That We Weren’t” Posted: 09 Sep 2011 01:03 PM PDT  If the meek capitulation in the headline sounds uncharacteristic of Nvidia’s infamously outspoken CEO, Jen-Hsun Huang, it’s probably because he’s bitter. Though the GPU-focused company announced way back in 2008 that it was going to “open a can of whoop-ass” on Intel, very little has happened, at least on the consumer side. Intel and Nvidia have had some major differences, and remain fierce competitors, but it’s been made clear that Intel won’t tolerate anyone making a grab at its x86 treasure hoard. But Nvidia isn’t going quietly. Or rather, they’re going quietly just so they can sneak around the back. While Intel is cracking its whip at anyone who wants a piece of x86, Nvidia and ARM, among others, are performing a flanking maneuver in the mobile sector. Intel itself has expressed contrition regarding its mobile and tablet efforts. When you’re shipping a couple hundred million processors every year, things like the iPad get lost in the shuffle, apparently. But the power level of tablets and mobiles is growing, and Intel has not provided that growth. They promised an x86 handset in 2012, but at this point they’re playing catch-up. Only an tiny fraction of tablets and phones sold use Intel hardware — mainly the Windows-running ones. Meanwhile Nvidia is getting lean and focusing on blowing up their graphics and mobile divisions. The next couple years might see some interesting partnerships, however. The ARM-Nvidia alliance might go up against something like an Intel-Microsoft-Nokia conglomerate, while team Apple watches from the sidelines. It’ll be a hell of a battle, but the winner will really be the consumer, whom every company will be going out of their way to please. Faster, smaller, and cheaper chips and phones. Sounds like a good deal to me.
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| Lowe’s Invests In 42,000 iPhones To Improve Your Shopping Experience Posted: 09 Sep 2011 12:49 PM PDT  Take it from a former retail drone: trying to give customers a good shopping experience can be tough when you have to jostle with other employees for open computers. In-store networks are slow, and more often than not, the computers are even slower. It’s enough of a process that a once free-flowing conversation can dry up into an awkward silence while the computer struggles to find the widget in question. Thankfully, hardware retailer Lowe’s has decided to do something about that lackluster experience: they have (among other things) purchased 42,000 iPhones to make their employees walking, talking sources of home improvement information. The purchase is partially in response to a similar move made by their orange rival Home Depot. Last year, Home Depot spent $60 million on a fleet of Motorola mobile devices that were meant to keep employees with customers and out of the computer line. Lowe’s has similar hopes for their iPhones: they will allow employees to perform on-the-go product lookups, check stock, and pull up instructional videos for customers. Each Lowe’s location is slated to receive 25 iPhones, but the rollout schedule has yet to be announced. Lowe’s wants to expand the capabilities of their in-store iPhones, assuming this first rollout goes well. The iPhones presumably lock out certain features to reduce the amount of employee shirking that’s possible, so mundane features on the short list include mobile calling and email. Lowe’s also hopes to add the ability to ring up purchases directly from the phone a la Square. According to Lowe’s CIO Mike Brown, the plan is to “[play] catch-up with the customer psyche,” which shines a bit of light on the company’s choice of mobile device. The iPhone is, for better or worse, a status device — the “cool” alternative to Home Depot’s own Motorola handhelds. The company’s recent move to replace CRT displays with flat panels and installing WiFi in stores also point to a new strategy for them. It looks like Lowe’s is trying to fight a war of positioning: they want to assume the role of the modern, forward-thinking hardware store. Whether or not it’ll pan out has yet to be seen, but they at least deserve some credit for trying to keep the retail run-down to a minimum.
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| Adobe Gives Up On Apple, Works Around iOS’ Flash Video Limitations Posted: 09 Sep 2011 10:20 AM PDT  Ardent iOS supporters have been clamoring for true Flash support for years, and with the announcement of their new version of Flash Media Server, Adobe completely fails to deliver. Instead, they’ve managed to update their media server with a way to get streaming Flash video running on Apple’s myriad iOS devices. Alas, while you can’t start working through your backlog of artsy Flash games, Flash Media Server 4.5 allows content producers to easily to get their Flash content onto iOS devices without any additional headache. While older versions of the media server served up video streams in the F4F format, the update has added support for the HTTP Live Streaming format, which iPads and the like can handle just fine. The media server system, according to ZDNet, detects the device’s level of Flash-capability and will switch over to using the HLS format when it sees an iOS device. It’s actually pretty ironic: in order to make Flash video streaming work, the new version of Media Server actually has to un-Flash the content and wrap it in another, more iOS-friendly container. While it isn’t the Holy Grail of iOS Flash support, it’s a solution that works, and will make life easier for those in the unenviable position of managing live video streams. Hopefully Adobe has a team sequestered in a bunker working getting actual Flash support working now that they’ve managed to cross “streaming video” off the list.
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| HP Releases A Faux 3D Scanner For The Masses Posted: 09 Sep 2011 09:23 AM PDT  First off, this isn’t what you’re thinking: this scanner doesn’t actually allow you to scan objects in 3D but it allows you to scan physical objects. Think of it as a larger camera. That said, the HP TopShot scanner is clearly a bold move for the beleaguered HP. The $399 MFP prints, copies, and scans and has a special arm that swings up to scan 3D objects. For example, you could place a model on it and “scan” it (really “take a picture of it”) from different angles. This is one of the first scanners I’ve seen with this feature set and if you’re an Etsy manufacturer or an eBay fiend, it might be a good way to grab shots of items without an expensive light box and lights. Otherwise, it’s just a bog standard multi-function printer that would look at home in anyone’s den or small office. No availability yet but knowing HP it will probably be discontinued in 47 days [[optional sound effect].
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| The Touchpad Is Back (Briefly) In The UK Posted: 09 Sep 2011 08:19 AM PDT  Gor blimey, Danger Mouse! The Touchpad suddenly appeared at UK retailed PC World for a mere $398, a far cry from the impressive $99 models offered on this side of the pond. There’s no telling how long these things will last in store and they don’t appear to be part of HP’s official resurrection efforts. As we know, HP is toying with the idea of offering the Touchpad as a standalone product – but don’t hold your breath. Anyway, if you live in the UK and have some cash to burn, this is the time to act!
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| Yet Another Battlefield 3 Gameplay Teaser Posted: 09 Sep 2011 07:54 AM PDT  Battlefield 3 launches late next month and DICE/EA have so far strategically released bits of video of what looks to be awesome gameplay. The Frostbite 2 engine looks astounding. Here’s the latest video showing bits of intense firefights and a brutal knife kill. Oh man, my GTX 570 and I can’t wait. It’s crazy to look at the Battlefield 1942 render on the left and then watch the video. The future is here.
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| Watch Windows 8 Boot In 10 Seconds, Live Life A Quarter Mile At A Time Posted: 09 Sep 2011 06:53 AM PDT  My overclocked quad-core beast of a desktop takes 3 minutes to start after loading Windows 7, never mind the time it takes to POST and run through all the pre-Windows crap — and that’s with Soluto installed. The quick demo after the break shows a notebook booting from a hard power start to Windows 8 in 10 seconds flat. That’s about the time it took you to read my silly post that I’m required to write instead of just posting the video with the quick message of “Watch this. It’s awesome.” Microsoft achieves this quick boot by writing the kernel sessions to disk, essentially putting the computer in hibernation mode rather than shutting it down completely. This improves boot time by 30-70% since the computer doesn’t have to load all the drivers and services every time. More here Microsoft is set to unveil Windows 8 at its BUILD conference next week and will likely turn to quick videos like this to showcase its upcoming OS.
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| The Olympus E-PL3: DSLR Power In A Point-And-Shoot Package Posted: 09 Sep 2011 06:30 AM PDT  Features:
Pros:
Cons:
Short Version This model is newer and sexier than the bulkier E-P3. It has an improved UI and features a 12.3-Megapixel Live MOS image sensor and TruePic VI Image Processing Engine. It also has an impressive autofocus system called FAST (Frequency Acceleration Sensor Technology). There are also a number of improved art filters and it supports 3D shooting, albeit with iffy results. The best thing about the E-PL3, however, is the size. It is about as big as a Canon G12 and supports all of Olympus’ micro 4/3s lenses, from the pancake 17mm to the ultrazoom 40-150mm. To shrink the camera down properly, however, Olympus had to remove the built-in flash (a hot-shoe accessory is available) and, like the rest of the line, this model eschews an optical viewfinder. Fans of simpler camera will be pleased with this model as it is almost barren when it comes to function buttons. There is a basic mode setting dial on the top, a dedicated video record button, and a few display and menu buttons. There are no dials for various manual functions and, due to a lack of a touchscreen, it may be a bit hard to tweak things just right if you’re not familiar with the interface. Autofocus is amazingly fast – a far cry from the original PEN line’s slow and steady focus. It has 35 auto-focus points and focused surprisingly quickly in video mode. It records in 1080i or 720p — I’d go with 720p. The camera, if you care, comes in white, black, and red. Conclusion Coming at this from an amateur’s standpoint, I find the E-PL3 slightly lacking, especially when compared to its slightly larger cousins. However, it was a dream to carry around on vacation and it’s surprisingly easy for almost anyone to use, making it a good second camera for the home. While I believe something like the E-P3 gives entry-level DSLRs a run for their money, the E-PL3 is a more subtle camera, requiring real buy-in and understanding before it becomes clear why you would spend $700 on this versus a Canon Rebel. That said, if you’re looking for the ease of a point-and-shoot with the versatility of a DSLR, this can’t be beat. Whether this particular model is the one you want is still up in the air, however. I’d recommend looking at both and deciding on a model depending on your dependence on flash indoors. If you’re a big party photographer, I’d aim for the E-P3. If you’re looking for something compact for street shooting, you can’t go wrong with this unit. If you’d like to see a more exhaustive look at this camera, pop over here to read Photography Blog’s Fountainhead-sized review.
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| Posted: 09 Sep 2011 01:00 AM PDT  Here are some of yesterday’s stories on TechCrunch Gadgets:
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