Sony signs up all six major studios for HD movies on PlayStation Network originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 14:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Onyko presents the TX-SR608 receiver, where it feature HDMI 1.4 capability, offering six inputs with repeater as well as single HDMI output that ability to passing 3D video, and upscale to 1080p. Set to available on April for $599, the Onkyo TX-SR608 also decoded all HD audio formats utilize the 192kHz/24-bit Burr-Brown DACs. It has Dual subwoofer outputs as well as 7 x 160W output.

The new TX-SR608 7.2-channel THX-Select2 Plus certified receiver has new power amplifier section that uses three-stage inverted Darlington output topology, and a power boost from 90 to 100 watts. Audyssey DSX dimensional sound processing has been added to its predecessor’s Dolby PLIIz capabilities. Additionally, all video sources, including those using the new PC input, and regardless of source resolution, can be upscaled to big and beautiful 1080p via HDMI and Faroudja DCDi Cinema. The TX-SR608 will also include a front HDMI input, a feature first introduced by Onkyo in 2009. The TX-SR608 will be available in April at an MSRP of $599.

[ Via Gizmodo ]

Hey remember that feel-good iPad introduction video with the Ben Folds cover of “Just Like Heaven” Apple posted on launch day? Yeah, well you’re going to remember the hell out of it once you watch it with Google’s auto-transcription enabled on YouTube. Trust us, you owe yourself these few moments of absurdity.

[Thanks, Jeff]

The iPad introduction video, as captioned by Google originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Mar 2010 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chinese-based manufacturer, RAmos has just unveiled their new T7+ Portable Media Player (or PMP), and keeping in line with most PMPs worth their salt, RAmos made sure it is able to handle High Definition output at both 720p and 1080p. The RAmos T7+ also comes with a 7-inch (800 x 480) display screen, and HDMI out. The player also can play a variety of HD video file formats, including MKV and H.264. Price and availability still have not been revealed. Stay tune for more updates

[ RAmos Via Techfresh ]

If you’re a gadget fan (and let’s face it: you are) then there’s simply no excuse for using disposable batteries. Environmental concerns aside, rechargeables have advanced such that it just makes economic sense to switch. We’ve been unapologetic fans of Sanyo’s Eneloop series of Ni-MH batteries for years. Hell, we like any modern rechargeable that’s sold fully charged and is capable of maintaining that state even after years inside the family junk drawer. Today, Sanyo is announcing its Eneloop lite series scheduled for a June 22nd launch in Japan with a global release set for sometime later. These cells are meant to tempt you by their relatively low, up-front purchase price of ¥780 (about $8.64) for a pair of 1.2V 950mAh AAs or ¥640 ($7.09) for a pair of 1.2V 550mAh AAAs — each capable of about 2,000 recharges saving you at least $1,000 over their lifetime. They’re not going to power your hotshoe flash but they will handle the relatively low to medium power requirements of all the remote controls in your life. Do it.

Continue reading Sanyo Eneloop lite Ni-MH rechargeable batteries are cheap, less filling

Sanyo Eneloop lite Ni-MH rechargeable batteries are cheap, less filling originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Mar 2010 04:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Folks living in the US who are looking forward to the release of the Apple iPad will be thrilled to know that the Apple tablet will available starting from April 3, at an unbelievable price, staring at $499. The iPad pre-orders will start on March 12 through the Apple Online Store. The iPad will pre-installed with iTunes and the App Store and has a virtual keyboard for typing, as well as pop-over menus. Other features including HD Video support, Wi-Fi 802.11n, Bluetooth 2.1+ EDR support, even has an accelerometer, compass, speaker, microphone and Apple standard 30-pin connector. Strangely enough, it doesn’t support multitasking. Full specs after the jump

Specification of the Apple iPad tablet :

• 1GHz Apple A4 custom-designed, high-performance, low-power system-on-a-chip
• 9.7-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit glossy widescreen Multi-Touch display with IPS technology
• 1024-by-768-pixel resolution at 132 pixels per inch (ppi)
• Fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating
• Height: 9.56 inches (242.8 mm)
• Width: 7.47 inches (189.7 mm)
• Depth: 0.5 inch (13.4 mm)
• Weight: 1.5 pounds (.68 kg) Wi-Fi model; 1.6 pounds (.73 kg) Wi-Fi + 3G model
• Support for display of multiple languages and characters simultaneously
• Digital compass
• Wi-Fi model: Wi-Fi (802.11 a/b/g/n), Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR technology
• Wi-Fi + 3G model: UMTS/HSDPA (850, 1900, 2100 MHz), GSM/EDGE (850, 900,1800, 1900 MHz), Data only, Wi-Fi (802.11 a/b/g/n), Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR technology
• Storage: 16GB, 32GB, or 64GB flash drive
• Accelerometer
• Ambient light sensor
• In the box: iPad, Dock connector to USB cable, 10W Power Adapter, Documentation
• Frequency response: 20Hz to 20,000Hz
• Audio formats: AAC (16 to 320 Kbps), Protected AAC (from iTunes Store), MP3 (16 to 320 Kbps), MP3 VBR, Audible (formats 2, 3, and 4), Apple Lossless, AIFF, and WAV
• User-configurable maximum volume limit
• Support for 1024 x 768 with Dock Connector to VGA adapter; 576p and 480p with Apple Composite A/V Cable, 576i and 480i with Apple Composite A/V Cable
• Video formats: H.264 video up to 720p, 30 frames per second, Main Profile level 3.1 with AAC-LC audio up to 160 Kbps, 48kHz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats; MPEG-4 video, up to 2.5 Mbps, 640 by 480 pixels, 30 frames per second, Simple Profile with AAC-LC audio up to 160 Kbps, 48kHz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats
• Viewable document types: .jpg, .tiff, .gif (images); .doc and .docx (Microsoft Word); .htm and .html (web pages); .key (Keynote); .numbers (Numbers); .pages (Pages); .pdf (Preview and Adobe Acrobat); .ppt and .pptx (Microsoft PowerPoint); .txt (text); .rtf (rich text format); .vcf (contact information); .xls and .xlsx (Microsoft Excel)
• Language support for English, French, German, Japanese, Dutch, Italian, Spanish, Simplified Chinese, Russian
• Keyboard support for English (US) English (UK), French (France, Canada), German, Japanese (QWERTY), Dutch, Flemish, Spanish, Italian, Simplified Chinese (Handwriting and Pinyin), Russian
• Dictionary support for English (US), English (UK), French, French (Canadian), French (Swiss), German, Japanese, Dutch, Flemish, Spanish, Italian, Simplified Chinese (Handwriting, Pinyin), Russian
• Accessibility: Support for playback of closed-captioned content, VoiceOver screen reader, Full-screen zoom magnification, White on black, Mono audio
• Built-in 25Whr rechargeable lithium-polymer battery (rated at 10 hours using Wi-Fi)
• Charging via power adapter or USB to computer system
• 3.5-mm stereo headphone jack
• Built-in speakers
• Microphone
• SIM card tray (Wi-Fi + 3G model only)
• PC or Mac support

[ Via Laptoping ]

We just found a new friend. Kojiro, a humanoid being built by the University of Tokyo’s JSK Robotics Laboratory, has a detailed musculoskeletal system built to mimic the human body. It works on a system of artificial bones, muscles and tendons to create a robot that is theoretically more light and agile than your regular bot, and which moves in a more organic fashion to our untrained eyes. The bot has motors which pull cables that simulate the method which muscles and tendons interact, and has about 100 tendon-muscle structures, giving it 60 degrees of freedom — more than an average rotary joint bot like Asimo (34 degrees, last time we checked). The robot shaves weight with its lighter, plastic materials and small brushless motors. The idea is to make a robot that’s more people friendly by not being substantially heavier or more rigid than a human it might come into contact with. Of course, that’s not the only perk of a bot built like this: the human-style flexible and twistable spine gives Kojiro all sorts of abilities that your regular bot is just too straight-spined for. Like the limbo, for instance. The big difficulty here is that all the motion and flexibility means Kojiro is a big chore to program, and there’s an army of gyros, accelerometers and force sensors embedded throughout the bot to help it learn its balance. Currently they’re working with an iterative learning process to get small motions down until Kojiro can eventually manage more complex motions like sitting motionless at a desk for nine hours on a Saturday, tending to FarmVille. Check out a video of Kojiro in limited action after the break.

Continue reading Kojiro humanoid goes musculoskeletal in a big way

Kojiro humanoid goes musculoskeletal in a big way originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 07 Mar 2010 02:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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One of the biggest mysteries in the blogosphere right now is probably Crave’s Nexus One, which somehow developed a cracked screen while simply charging on the desk (sounds familiar, right?). Not even HTC could unearth the cause from its forensic inspection, but it didn’t rule out the possibility of a small crack growing over time due to, for example, “getting knocked around by keys” and repetitive squeezes in tight pockets. That’s fine, but saying “people sometimes forget that they don’t go in pockets” is surely stretching a bit, no? What happened to the awesomeness in the compression test and bend test that we once witnessed? More importantly, has anyone here had the same baffling screen problem and been charged £180 ($273) for the repair? If so, do share your pain with us — we’ve got a shoulder for you.

Bad news: HTC says the Nexus One doesn’t ‘go in pockets’ originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 06 Mar 2010 03:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The upcoming HTC Incredible phone has been leaked out around the net. This handset is reported to comes with Snapdragon CPU, Android 2.1 with Sense UI, 256MB of memory, an optical pointer, dual LED camera flashes, a 3.5-inch or 3.7-inch with WVGA resolution (unconfirmed, but possibly AMOLED-based) and more. No idea on pricing, but the HTC Incredible expect to hit Verizon network soon.

[ Via Unwiredview ]

Who knows what’s actually housed in the device, but judging by the accompanying placard, MSI is playing the aesthetic card with this one. Designed as both a PC and a decoration for the home, it’s certainly pleasing on the eye. And like the sign says, “don’t try to put in toast” — cute, but we’d rather that line had a commitment to releasing this sucker. Or a price range. Or some hint as specs. Or anything tangible, really.

MSI Toast PC catches our eye, and that’s all she wrote originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Mar 2010 22:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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