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Daily Crunch: Drop In

Posted: 05 Nov 2011 01:00 AM PDT

Hands On With The AppXRacer From AniApp

Posted: 04 Nov 2011 08:36 PM PDT

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If you’re a fan of the Parrot AR.Drone, you’ll probably get a kick out its earthbound relative, the AirXRacer by AniApp. I got a first hands on with this iPhone- or Android-controlled racecar in Shenzhen and you will be able to pick it up this holiday season.

The car is a standard RC racer that, as you can see, is quite fast. You control it using your phone’s accelerometer or using an onscreen “wheel,” a method that offers a bit more finesse. The creator, Jeff Luo of AniApp Labs, said the cars would be available in Radio Shack and Brookstone this holiday and the apps are available now for download.

It was a bit hard to video in the dark, but rest assured the control scheme was solid and the car was quite rugged, able to hit chair legs and ankles without shattering. No pricing yet, but look for it at a massage-chair dealer near you.

More Info And First Impressions: Canon’s New C300 Pro Cinema Camera

Posted: 04 Nov 2011 03:49 PM PDT

IMG_3150

Cinema tech isn’t a big focus on TechCrunch, but with Canon it makes sense, especially when that cinema tech represents a major overlap with consumer gear. The Cinema EOS line introduced last night is just that, and I’ve just had the chance to get my hands on the new C300 digital cinema camera (and a little quality time with the new 1D-X as well). I also got to put a few questions to Chuck Westfall, from Canon’s R&D department.

The most obvious thing about the new camera is how compact and handling-friendly it is. I sought out the most minimal setup, which is pictured above and (except for the lens) the default package for purchasing the C300. It was quite light and well-balanced, and the controls felt convenient for thumb or off-hand operation.

While I doubt any AAA features are going to be filmed on this micro setup, it does demonstrate how minimal the minimum viable camera unit is. I’m actually surprised that it comes with a built-in EVF, which isn’t particularly high-resolution (1.5 million dots, somewhere around 840×600 pixels or so) and is redundant for many filmmakers. And it does increase the options available.

I talked with Chuck Westfall about the camera, and he said that they had interviewed a lot of crews and cinematographers, who liked the small size and easy operation of DSLRs, but disliked the lack of ports and image quality issues. The C300 is a direct response to these concerns.

The lenses, too, are designed with motion photography in mind. The 360-degree focus ring and stepless iris (which feels smooth as butter and would be really nice to have in certain situations) are cinema-oriented, and they even gave the elements a different coating to reduce contrast and leave more up to the filmmaker. How the iris, which doesn’t use traditional stop numbers, will record or communicate that data to the camera is unclear, and Canon reps couldn’t answer my questions, citing the fact that most of the gear was pre-production. But they did confirm that aperture control is totally manual.

I asked about the choice to go with 1080p; RED’s announcement last night puts 4K recording at a very reasonable price and I was wondering whether Canon felt threatened. Westfall explained that “for an initial product” in the C series, they wanted it to fit into as many existing workflows as possible. Although 4K is clearly in Canon’s future (as demonstrated by the announcement of the 4K DSLR concept, they wanted to put something out that would plug right into the many productions that are shooting in 1080p. Which is a lot — you’d probably be surprised to hear how many are still shooting to tape or film.

As for RED’s product and how it related or competed with the C series, Westfall said diplomatically “the market is going to tell us which approach they prefer.” And while it’s true that RED’s Scarlet represents a serious value, the totally new workflow is only just beginning to make inroads on the industry at large, and the familiar Canon systems will still be preferred by many. Westfall convinced me of the company’s dedication to getting as much accuracy and quality from the sensor as possible, but comparisons will have to wait until the C300 hits studios.

Quick hands-on with the 1D-X


This thing is a beast. It’s enormous, heavy, and it takes pictures like a machinegun shoots bullets. I have serious gear envy.

Without looking closely at the shots it’s hard to say, but I saw a big increase in noise after around 12800 (naturally) – but it was a nice even noise pattern, not too chroma-y. The rapid fire is ridiculous. It’s very pro. Any real impressions other than this would take more time and more comparisons with other cameras and such, so I’ll just leave it at that. Specs and such are here.

Intel Itching To Work With Google’s Ice Cream Sandwich

Posted: 04 Nov 2011 02:36 PM PDT

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Intel hasn’t been able to make much of a dent in the smartphone or tablet markets, but they’re not about to give up just yet. ComputerWorld reports that Intel is working to make Ice Cream Sandwich-powered devices a part of their future.

The mobile space represents a huge opportunity for Intel, which is made all the more maddening because they’ve never really been able to crack it. Less than a handful of Intel-powered Android tabs ever saw the light of day, and most (like the Cisco Cius, which ran Froyo of all things) were geared heavily toward enterprise use.

Meanwhile, if you were to peer into the innards of nearly any smartphone or tablet on the market, you would likely see an ARM-based processor. It’s a reality that can elude some, as processors can bear ostentatious names like Snapdragon and Hummingbird that obscure the nature of their architecture.

Now, it looks as though Intel is about to roll their sleeves up and fight ARM’s onslaught. Intel showed off some frankly impressive smartphone and tablet reference designs at a developer event back in September, both of which ran on Intel’s Medfield plaftorm. The company has also promised that the first Intel-powered smartphone would see the a release sometime next year, so it’s apparent they’re beginning to get the lead out.

Given that Intel has their eye on both the smartphone and tablet markets, their apparent zeal for Ice Cream Sandwich makes complete sense. Ice Cream Sandwich is intended to be Google’s unifying OS, one that will bridge the experience gap between smartphones and tablets alike. If Intel can ensure that Ice Cream Sandwich will run without a hitch on whatever mobile chipset they go with, they stand a serious chance at popping up in your next tablet.

For the time being though, Intel is stuck playing the waiting game. According to an Intel spokesperson, Ice Cream Sandwich “includes OS optimization for x86,” so the actual work of getting ICS running may not be too difficult. Still, a concerted effort can’t begin they actually get their hands on the software, so Intel still has a little while to go before they get cracking.

Control Your TV From Your Couch With The Xoom 2 And Dijit

Posted: 04 Nov 2011 11:24 AM PDT

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We knew that at least one of the new Xooms would be able to double as a (rather large) remote control, but Motorola surprised us yesterday when they revealed that both of the Xoom 2 models feature IR transmitters. With their new tablets, it looks like Motorola may be looking to wage a war for control of your couch.

Having an IR blaster is great and all, but it’s worthless without some software to control the thing. That’s where the pre-loaded Dijit app comes into play. Dijit has enjoyed a bit of notoriety with its iOS app, and an Android version comes preloaded on both versions of the Xoom 2.

The setup seems harmless enough: just enter your zip code so the app can pull down the correct channel guide information, and select your television from the included list. Once the app’s “learning” process is over, you’ll be able to control your television in between reading pages of Tolstoy.

Dijit’s other main focus is on creating social experience around watching television. If you’re, say, watching a riveting episode of Top Gear, you can tie your Facebook and Twitter accounts into Dijit to share details or recommend episodes to other users. It’s sort of like GetGlue, but geared specifically toward television: Dijit takes your media-related conversations, and connects them with the very act of using your TV.

Folding a remote control into something as cumbersome as a tablet seems counter-intuitive, and it isn’t even a new concept — the 8-inch Vizio tablet managed a similar feat. Still, the notion of having one device eventually being able to control everything around me (even the the blinds) is undeniably cool, even if the desire for one does paint me as being a bit lazy.



Four Stopgap Apps That Almost Fix Google TV 2.0 (And One Bonus App)

Posted: 04 Nov 2011 08:29 AM PDT

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Google TV 2.0 launched earlier this week, finally bringing Android Market to the living room platform. But Google TV still isn’t perfect. For better or worse, the product’s dependence on apps allows 3rd party developers to stand up and fill the voids.

Hopefully Google TV will one day feature a rich app ecosystem filled with fun and glorious apps. That’s not today. Most of the launch apps are random Android apps, from LauncherPro to Twitter. Sideloading is allowed but it’s hit or miss. Some apps work, most do not. The five apps after the break mostly fill out Google TV’s features although one of them is included because of a fun drinking game.

Plex

Google TV is missing a solid local network media player. It natively supports DLNA servers, but I loath DLNA servers. They’re resource intensive requiring on-the-fly transcoding and often support just a limited amount of file types. Google TV needs the ability to browse a local network as an SMB client and play content remotely. That’s what most local network streamers have done it for years. But not Google TV.

Plex approaches local media in a similar fashion as DLNA servers. A server-side app is still required but it supports all the major file types including those wrapped in MKV containers. There’s a good chance Plex can play all your files. The app also features a swanky music and photos mode. One of the major downsides to Plex comes back to the server app, though. It requires a Core 2 Duo or better CPU, meaning most older file servers or network-attached storage devices are left out of play.

Still, Plex is a wonderful app and greatly increases the functions of Google TV. It looks great, runs smooth and as long as your files are stored on a compatible device, the app is a smart $5 purchase. Not only does it stream local media like a champ, but it provides access to Spotify, Viemo, and tons of other sources. I can’t recommend Plex enough, really.

PlayOn

Whenever I state that Hulu and others are blocked on Google TV, commenters always point me towards PlayOn. For the most part they’re right; PlayOn does provide all those services. However, I’m not a fan of the app. It’s built around a sloppy DLNA server, ugly in operation and worse yet, PlayOn is expensive. The server app costs $5 a month, $40 a year, or $80 through a one-time payment.

PlayOn serves an impressive amount of content though a backdoor. The app streams nearly every major streaming source including Netflix, YouTube, Hulu, ESPN, CBS and many more. This is accomplished using a DLNA server. Users input their username and password on the server app and then the streams are made available through the local network to a DLNA client or web browser, effectively bypassing any blockage on Google TV. It works, but not elegantly. There’s luckily a free trial so you can give it a go without handing over your credit card.

File Expert

If you want to dig deep into Google TV, you’re going to need a file manager. I found File Expert by accident but it seems to work great. It supports local network browsing so you can drop APKs and the like in a local network share for easy installation. The app even allows for easy app uninstalling. There are plenty of file managers out there but this one is free and seems to do a fine job.

Sideloading apps to Google TV is currently a fool’s affair. Most apps not found in Google TV’s Android Market force close immediately after they’re launched. But my little warning probably won’t stop you. You’re going to try it yourself and see that Angry Birds doesn’t work yet.

Dropbox

Alternatively, sideloading can be done through Dropbox. Installation is a bit wonky as the app throws several errors during installation but it eventually loaded for me. As more users try to exploit Google TV, Dropbox is an easy way to access remote files and install apps. Simply drop APKs into one of the shared folders and pull it up on Google TV. Easy.

However, don’t expect to read PDF files or Word documents without the right app installed on your Google TV. Even MP3s do not work without additional software installed.

AOL HD

AOL actually has a solid portfolio of video content. Translogic? Awesome. But TCTV’s Fly or Die featuring Erick and John is tops. It’s so good that it has an official drinking game and Google TV is the perfect device to play along.

Here it is:

  • Take a drink if Erick cuts off John
  • Take drink if both Erick and John give the product a fly
  • Take a drink if both Erick and John give the product a die
  • Take a drink if John is wearing an argyle sweater
  • Finish your drink if Erick talks for two minutes nonstop

Did I miss any? Drop your suggestions in the comments below.

[image via Wired]

TigerDirect Jumps On Bundle Bandwagon With $279 TouchPad Deal

Posted: 04 Nov 2011 07:54 AM PDT

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It looks like Best Buy managed to let a few of those 32GB TouchPads slip through their fingers, as TigerDirect has concocted a $279 bundle around HP’s stillborn tablet.

Yep, people looking to score a TouchPad on the cheap may need to look elsewhere (good luck, by the way). There always seems to be a catch when it comes to TouchPad deals, and TigerDirect is more than happy to oblige.

For $279, you get not only a 32GB TouchPad, but a Belkin tablet case, a Belkin FlipBlade tablet stand, and a pair of Creative Lab D80 Bluetooth speakers. Oh, and who could forget the 16GB HP flash drive TigerDirect is throwing in just to sweeten the deal?

Whether or not all that extra swag is worth an extra $130 is entirely up to you, but the bundle seems much easier to stomach than Best Buy’s PC purchasing ploy. Personally, it doesn’t seem like such a bad deal — just write up a list of people you begrudgingly have to buy holiday gifts for, and divvy up the accessories accordingly. Or hell, jump on Craigslist after the fact and flip those goodies for a profit.

TigerDirect will open the floodgates on TouchPad bundles today at 2:30PM Eastern, so those of you yearning for one final taste of webOS had best be ready to go by then.

WhiteyPaint Turns Walls Into Whiteboards Without Cramping Your Wallpaper’s Style

Posted: 04 Nov 2011 07:54 AM PDT

WhiteyPaint

Feeling useless?

The folks over at WhiteyBoard seem to have a solution: WhiteyPaint. As WhiteyPaint’s motto so clearly points out, “you’re useless without it.” While the verdict’s still out on that one, it does seem like a pretty nifty little product. It’s basically a quick-drying translucent paint that you can write on with whiteboard markers, and according to the maker, it erases well too.

WhiteyPaint can be used both indoors and outdoors, and on just about any surface you can find. Rather than laying a patch of white down over your wall paper or wooden table, WhiteyPaint will simply leave a glossy finish to those surfaces, ready to write on in just half a day. Most other paint solutions take about three days, while WhiteyPaint is ready to go in 12 hours, after just three coats.

30 square feet of paint will get set you back $75, but that’s basically a steal compared with competing products. The white board paint from WhiteyBoard is available now.


Crunchbase

Company: Whiteyboard
Website: whiteyboard.com
Funding: $500k

Whiteyboard has come up with an ultra inexpensive white board that sticks on to any wall, weighs less than 2 pounds and gets you working in seconds.

Learn more


Video: This 3D Display Uses Multiple Lenses To Boost Sense Of Depth Perception

Posted: 04 Nov 2011 06:02 AM PDT

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Naked-eye 3D displays, even large-sized models, are nothing special anymore, but they usually have a common problem: the 3D effect when viewing pictures isn’t as strong as with displays that require users to wear glasses. Professor Kakeya from Tsukuba University in Japan is trying to solve the problem.

The way his 3D display works is actually pretty simple: it uses multiple layers and lenses to boost the sense of depth perception. Professor Kakeya explains:

It forms images of objects at the front toward the front, and objects at the back toward the back. When objects at the front are in focus, those at the back are blurred, and when you’re looking at objects at the back, those in front are blurred. So a feature of this display is that it reproduces focal depth.

The resolution in the current prototype stands at just 200×200, but another cool feature is that it allows you to view pictures in 3D not only when you move your head horizontally, but also when you move it vertically.

This video, shot by Diginfo TV, provides more insight:

Daily Crunch: Robot Bike

Posted: 04 Nov 2011 01:00 AM PDT