Whiz Reviews http://whizreviews.com Blogs You Should be Reading Thu, 11 Mar 2010 16:06:00 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en OpenGL 4.0 arrives, brings more opportunities for general purpose GPU action What's a Game Developers Conference without some sweet new tools for developers to sink their teeth into? Khronos Group, the association behind OpenGL, has today announced the fourth generation of its cross-platform API spec, which takes up the mantle of offering a viable competitor to Microsoft's DirectX 11. The latest release includes two new shader stages for offloading geometry tessellation from the CPU to the GPU, as well as tighter integration with OpenCL to allow the graphics card to take up yet more duties off the typically overworked processor -- both useful additions in light of NVIDIA's newfound love affair with tessellation and supposed leaning toward general purpose GPU design in the Fermi chips coming this month. Lest you don't care that much about desktop gaming, OpenGL ES (Embedded Systems, a mobile offshoot of OpenGL) is the graphics standard on "virtually every shipping smart phone," meaning that whatever ripples start on the desktop front will be landing as waves on your next superphone. If that holds true, we can look forward to more involvement from our graphics chips beyond their usual 3D duties and into spheres we tend to care about -- such as video acceleration. Now you care, don't ya?

OpenGL 4.0 arrives, brings more opportunities for general purpose GPU action originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 11 Mar 2010 11:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Tech Crunch  |  Virtual Press Office  | Email this | Comments]]> http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/11/opengl-4-0-arrives-brings-more-opportunities-for-general-purpos/ Huawei announces SmaKit S7 Android tablet
When we first spied Huawei's SmaKit S7 Android tablet, we were at CeBit and it was... well, non-functioning. Now Huawei's officially announced the tablet now, and we have to say that it looks just like every other Android tablet being hoisted upon the world these days, but it's got some nice features that make it worth a second gander. The 7-incher boasts an 800 x 480 pixel resolution, 720p playback, 3G connectivity, plus a dock with HDMI out, two USB 2.0 ports, and two microSDHC slots. The tablet, which runs the 1.6 version of the OS, will supposedly be available this summer, though we don't yet have any information about where it will be available or how much it will cost. We'll let you know as soon as we do -- but in the meantime, there's a video demo after the break.

Continue reading Huawei announces SmaKit S7 Android tablet

Huawei announces SmaKit S7 Android tablet originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 11 Mar 2010 10:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  Let's Go Digital, Phandroid  | Email this | Comments]]> http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/11/huawei-announces-smakit-s7-android-tablet/ T-Mobile webConnect Rocket available March 14, already blowing minds in Philly
It looks like T-Mobile's webConnect Rocket USB modem will be released right on schedule, even if you currently have to be in Philadelphia to enjoy those HSPA+ speeds (then again, if you're in Philadelphia you probably deserve a break). Accordingly, folks jumping on that March 14 release date can expect to pay $99 with a two-year contract that entitles you to monthly charges of $50 for 5GB or $20 for 200MB -- with a $0.20 / megabyte overage charge. Fun! Additionally, the kids at Mobile Burn got their hands on a unit for a review and were generally quite impressed with consistent download speeds ranging from 1780Kbps to 2797Kbps "on a couple of [DSLreports.com] East Coast servers." Hell, after moving to a location with "prime, perfect signal (-51dbm)" things picked up considerably, with, on average, 6480Kbps downloads and 2160Kbps uploads. Not bad, eh? Hit the source link to get into the nitty gritty. PR after the break.

Continue reading T-Mobile webConnect Rocket available March 14, already blowing minds in Philly

T-Mobile webConnect Rocket available March 14, already blowing minds in Philly originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 11 Mar 2010 10:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  Mobile Burn  | Email this | Comments]]> http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/11/t-mobile-webconnect-rocket-available-march-14-already-blowing-m/ $92 MD500 Android tablet from Hott actually looks pretty cool Hott's $92 MD500 Android tablet actually looks pretty cool At this point we really need another tablet like we need another hole in the head, but when this one could cost around $100 and still look quite good, well, it's worth talking about. It's the Hott MD500, an Android device with a 4.8-inch, 800 x 480 screen and plenty of OS customizations to make it rather more media-friendly, including the ability to "play every codec" according to the guy doing the demonstration. We'll believe that when we see it, but it is shown playing a 720p clip from the cinematic masterpiece Tokyo Drift without too much trouble. The somewhat iPhone-esque design looks very nice and is much smaller than a comparable Archos 5. The price is $92 to distributors without any flash memory and, since you can get a 4GB microSD card for a few bucks these days (even a legit one), we wouldn't be surprised if these sell for for $115 or $120. Whether they'll ever hit retail in the US is, of course, another question. Video demonstration is embedded below if you want to hear the hype, just try not to lose your breakfast every time this is enthusiastically called an iPad killer.

Continue reading $92 MD500 Android tablet from Hott actually looks pretty cool

$92 MD500 Android tablet from Hott actually looks pretty cool originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 11 Mar 2010 09:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  ARMdevices.net  | Email this | Comments]]> http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/11/92-md500-android-tablet-from-hott-actually-looks-pretty-cool/ Opera Mini 5 on Android mini review Opera Mini 5 on Android mini review Opera's Mini 5 beta finally hit Android in the wee hours of this morning and, while writing about what it looks like is nice, we thought a little walk-through to demonstrate the impressive speed of the thing was worthwhile. So we have a short video for you below, with a comparison against the stock Android browser, plus some impressions of just how it is to use. So, click on through, won't you?

Continue reading Opera Mini 5 on Android mini review

Opera Mini 5 on Android mini review originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 11 Mar 2010 09:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments]]> http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/11/opera-mini-5-on-android-mini-review/ TiVo returning to the UK thanks to partnership with Virgin Media It looks like TiVo's freshly minted Premiere hardware will soon be setting sail eastwards as The Daily Telegraph is reporting Virgin Media's next generation set-top box will be built around it. Loyal readers of Engadget HD will already be aware that TiVo and Virgin hooked up last November and this latest news relates to the first hardware to be spawned from that relationship. According to TiVo CEO Tom Rogers, the Premiere will "heavily inspire the development work" going into Virgin's next TV appendage, which may or may not mean that the cable company will simply rebadge the well-received new boxes. What's assured though is much greater integration with online content, with search linking you out to Amazon, BBC's iPlayer, YouTube or good old standard broadcast channels. The whole thing's about unlimited choice, apparently, and should be showing up on the Queen's isles by the end of this year. We can wait, but we'd rather we didn't have to.

TiVo returning to the UK thanks to partnership with Virgin Media originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 11 Mar 2010 09:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink T3  |  The Daily Telegraph  | Email this | Comments]]> http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/11/tivo-returning-to-the-uk-thanks-to-partnership-with-virgin-media/ Stihl’s autumn calendar automatically rips through to tomorrow Unless they're incredibly quiet or potentially explosive, you won't find us waxing poetic (or even prosaic) about leaf blowers. But if a company that produced leaf blowers made a motorized calendar that tore off its own pages? We'd tell you about that in a heartbeat -- even if the wonderfully wasteful contraption turned out to be a viral ad by agency Euro RSCG rather than an actual household organizer, and even if its pages aren't nearly as saucy as Stihl's usual NSFW fare. Believe it or not, there's no blade inside that brushed aluminum shell; the process works by ripping out the bookbinding thread along the calendar's spine using a motorized reel. Join us in celebrating the wonder of pressed dead wood floating to earth all by its lonesome with a short video after the break.

Continue reading Stihl's autumn calendar automatically rips through to tomorrow

Stihl's autumn calendar automatically rips through to tomorrow originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 11 Mar 2010 08:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  DirectDaily  | Email this | Comments]]> http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/11/stihls-autumn-calendar-automatically-rips-through-to-tomorrow/ NES harmonicas hit eBay, three lucky gamers cheer Remember the HarmoNESica? A brief refresher, then: it's what happens when you've got a copy of Super Tecmo Bowl, a Pocket Pal harmonica, and the desire to create a unique musical instrument. But if you don't have any of the aforementioned ingredients and just want the end result, eBay's got you covered as usual -- three HarmoNESicas have been gathering bids at the online auction house this week. Whether your pleasure be Dick Tracy, Super Mario Bros. 3 or The Legend of Zelda, there's a harmonica to match; and if (for some reason) you want to actually play one of the games, you'll find the ROM guts tastefully included. But before you make your bid, remember: there's more than one way to skin an NES cartridge.

NES harmonicas hit eBay, three lucky gamers cheer originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 11 Mar 2010 08:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink GoNintendo  |  Dick Tracy, Mario 3, Zelda  | Email this | Comments]]> http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/11/nes-harmonicas-hit-ebay-three-lucky-gamers-cheer/ Nikon D90 torn down, rebuilt in pink (video) Words... what good are words when you're trying to describe the horrific visage of a growling, rugged, heavyweight camera coated in the frilly tutu of the color spectrum, magenta? We shan't try to describe the peculiar mix of revolt, disgust and subtle desire that this whole thing incites in us, and will just point you after the break for the video. There's plenty of good clean fun to be had while exploring the dismantled D90 (though there's one instance of foul language when the modder gets an electric shock, understandable) and if you're of a nervous disposition you can always skip the shockingly pink finale.

Continue reading Nikon D90 torn down, rebuilt in pink (video)

Nikon D90 torn down, rebuilt in pink (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 11 Mar 2010 07:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Digital Home Thoughts  |  DigitalRev  | Email this | Comments]]> http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/11/nikon-d90-torn-down-rebuilt-in-pink-video/ ASUS Cine5 is ‘world’s most compact’ five-channel speaker, doesn’t forget the blue LEDs Seriously, who told manufacturers that we're in love with garish LED status lights?ASUS has strapped a glowing orb of unnecessariness around the volume knob of the Cine5 -- an otherwise perfectly acceptable and appreciably diminutive PC soundbar. With an array of speaker drivers integrated into that curvy body, ASUS claims the Cine5 produces realistic multidirectional surround sound, but does admit it's mostly intended for smaller spaces such as study rooms. The announcement also includes a nod to FPS gamers, with claims that the improved positional audio on offer will benefit both gameplay immersion and accuracy when identifying a sound source, though we reckon the biggest boon will still be the elimination of the extra cables and speakers one usually needs to get one's surround sound on. Price and availability have not yet been made public, but knowing ASUS both should be in the reasonable range of the market.

ASUS Cine5 is 'world's most compact' five-channel speaker, doesn't forget the blue LEDs originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 11 Mar 2010 07:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  ASUS  | Email this | Comments]]> http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/11/asus-cine5-is-worlds-most-compact-five-channel-speaker-doesn/