Geek Cube :: News & Reviews on the latest tech

The New iPad Review @ Engadget

GeekCube — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 23:34:13 +0000

“What’s in a name? Or, more importantly, what’s in a digit? Would that which we call an iPad by any number less than 2 be less sweet? That’s the question Apple posed for us indirectly when it unveiled the new iPad and relegated its future slates (and, presumably, phones) to a numeral-free future. And that new slate? It’s much the same as the old one, with a slightly more chipper processor at its (quad) core and support for both Verizon and AT&T’s fancy new LTE networks.

But there’s one bigger change here, one that will ripple across the industry as each manufacturer struggles to keep up in this ever-accelerating market. That feature is the iPad’s new 2048 x 1536 Retina display. It’s the best display ever featured on a tablet, probably the best display ever on a mobile device, but is that enough to keep this tablet ahead of the pack? Believe it or not, the answer is yes.”

Click here to read the full review @ Engadget!

Super-skinny Samsung Galaxy S III coming in May?

GeekCube — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 03:15:10 +0000

The Samsung Galaxy S III anticipation could soon be over with a May launch touted for the much speculated handset.

That’s the word from Korean publication ETNews, which also reports that the next-gen Sammy flagship phone will be a super-skinny 7mm thin. That’s not quite skinny enough to take the world’s skinniest title away from Huawei and its Ascend P1 handset but will no doubt be slimline enough to ruffle a few feathers over in Cupertino.

The report says the smartphone will utilise printed circuit boards (PCB), connector parts and chips that are 10 to 20 per cent thinner than conventional parts, to keep its waistline thin.

Last week a memo from Samsung dropped into the Pocket-lint inbox stating that “the successor to the Galaxy S II smartphone will be unveiled at a separate Samsung-hosted event in the first half of the year, closer to commercial availability of the product”.

There’s a raft of rumours surrounding the S III online and, if they all ring true, then we’re in for a monster device. We’re not too sure, though, how Samsung is going to fit both a quad-core and a dual-core ship inside.

Via: ETNews

Engadget reviews the Sony Alpha NEX-7 mirrorless camera

GeekCube — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 03:07:53 +0000

Click here to check out the full review @ Engadget!

Samsung confirms Galaxy Nexus White arriving in UK mid-February, misses the snow

GeekCube — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 02:55:29 +0000

Well, we thought it would already be here, but it looks like Samsung had other ideas. It’s confirmed that the HSPA+ version of its premier Android 4.0 phone will be available across UK retailers from February 13th — that’s next week. The suitably snowy smartphone packs all the specifications of the original and, well, it just suits that Ice Cream Sandwich OS a little bit better, doesn’t it?

Via: Engadget

Virgin Media 100Mb broadband now available to 10 million homes

GeekCube — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 00:40:37 +0000

Virgin Media has announced that its super-fast 100Mb broadband service is now available to 10 million homes in the UK, and that it will meet its roll out target ahead of schedule. The provider originally planned to be able to offer the speedy internet connectivity to half of the UK by mid-2012, but is on track to have work completed by spring.

This news comes on the back of the company’s current campaign to double all of its existing and new customers’ broadband speeds by 2013 – advertised on TV and on Virgin Media’s own website by world record-holding runner Usain Bolt (masquerading as Virgin chief Richard Branson). L and M customers will have their broadband doubled from up to 10Mb to up to 20Mb, XL from up to 30Mb to up to 60Mb, XXL from up to 50Mb to 100Mb, while existing 100Mb subscribers will receive a price drop on their service.

Different areas are being switched over at different times, as a total of 186,000km of cable and 38,000 street cabinets are upgraded. All of the work is expected to be completed in 2013. New customers who sign up now will also have their service doubled once their area has been improved. You can check when the work in your area is due to finish on a handy post code checker hosted on Virgin Media’s website.

It comes on the back of BT’s announcement that it is trialling FTTP (Fibre to the Premises) technology at present, which is capable of carrying speeds up to 300Mb. However, this could still be some way off from being a consumer proposition.

Corning looks to the future. Well, through it (video)

GeekCube — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 03:02:29 +0000

Source: Corning

Nokia confirms white Lumia 800, shipping without pigment this month

GeekCube — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 02:51:43 +0000

Nokia does love teasing us with its albino-hued special editions, and so it did with the white Lumia 800 back in December. Now that phone is following the color-free road to retail later this month. Other than the eye-pleasing lack of color the phone looks to be identical to its rather more chromatic predecessors, with a 3.7-inch AMOLED display up front and a 1.4GHz processor inside. It looks good, but it just leaves us with one question: how long will we have to wait for a white Lumia 900?

Via: Engadget

Roland’s iModela 3D milling machine: it’s a crafty tool

GeekCube — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 02:43:44 +0000

3D printing. Sure, that’s pretty neat, but there are other ways to make three dimensional objects at home. Roland’s new iModela, for example, is an “affordable” ($899) digital hobby mill that can carve 3D shapes, jewelry, textures and prototypes out of balsa wood, foam, modelling wax and plastics. Projects definitely need to be more on the petite side, but the 3.39inch x 2.17inch x 1.02inch milling area should be good for a wide range of small craft creations. The iModela comes with all the cutting tools, software and materials you need to get started, but if you’ve already been tinkering with ideas, there’s also compatibility with other “popular” CAD software. Want to get making right away? Tap the source, or check out the PR after the break for more info.

Source: Roland

Roland’s New 3D Hobby Milling Machine Provides an Affordable Production Tool for Craft and Hobby Enthusiasts

iModela Produces Miniatures, Models, Jewelry, Accessories and Craft Embellishments from Modeling Wax, Foam, Balsa Wood and Plastic

Irvine, Calif., Feb. 2, 2012 – Roland DGA Corp. has introduced the iModela hobby milling machine, providing hobbyists with easy and affordable access to 3D milling technology.

“iModela is a completely new concept – a digital hobby mill designed to support a range of unique creative pursuits, from miniatures and model railroading to jewelry design and craft projects,” said Brian Brooks, product manager for Roland DGA Corp. “The applications for this innovative technology are endless, and we can’t wait to see what our customers will produce with it.”

With iModela, 3D modelers and hobby enthusiasts can easily and accurately create and embellish a wide range of projects by producing 3D shapes, reliefs, textures and patterns from modeling wax, foam, balsa wood and plastic materials. With a milling area of 3.39 inches wide by 2.17 inches in length and 1.02 inches in height, iModela is the perfect tool for small-scale creative projects.

Based on 25 years of proven Roland milling technology, iModela is a complete solution, with a cutting tool, sample materials and software. To build on this starter kit, Roland offers a variety of optional tools and materials that can be purchased conveniently online. Designed for ease of use, iModela comes equipped with a virtual panel that allows users to operate the machine right from a personal computer.

Included with the hobby milling machine is iModela Creator design software, which includes free hand drawing tools for sketching out designs and ideas. Intuitive menus and icons guide the user through the design process. Once designs are completed, they are easy to output on iModela using the included Windows driver. More advanced CAM software is available for download as well at http://icreate.rolanddg.com, allowing users to mill 3D files from other popular CAD applications.

iModela “iCreate” Community

To help iModela artists further their creative goals, Roland has established an online iModela community at http://icreate.rolanddg.com. The site serves as a collaborative forum for sharing design ideas, production workflows and technical tips. In addition, users can download free software and sample projects for production on iModela.

Priced at $899, iModela can be purchased online at www.rolanddgastore.com, and is available for delivery anywhere throughout North and South America (except Brazil). To purchase iModela outside this region, please visit http://icreate.rolanddg.com.

Source: Roland

AMD Windows 8 tablets landing in 2012

GeekCube — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 03:46:03 +0000

Rather than waiting for the ARM-based threat from the likes of Nvidia to invade its PC market share, AMD has plans to expand towards mobile devices in the form of Windows 8 tablets.

That’s the message from new CEO Rory Read who was speaking to analysts in the States this week. “We have a huge opportunity in front of us,” Read said. “How the world is using processors is changing rapidly. This is about stepping out of the shadows and leading.”

The huge shadow that AMD stands in is, of course, Intel’s – which has already embraced the tablet revolution and recently went public with its move into the smartphone arena with its Medfield chips.

AMD doesn’t want to be left behind though and, while there are no declared smartphone plans yet, a mobile move is coming by the way of the Hondo low-power chip designed for tablets. Featuring a 40-nanometer manufacturing process, Hondo will combine processing and graphics in a single chip that AMD is calling an accelerated processing unit, or APU.

Lisa Su, head of global products at AMD, said Windows 8 tablets packing the chip would appear later this year. And, in 2013, we’ll see Hondo’s successor in the way of Temash featuring the new Jaguar processing core.

Read is aware that the company is entering a competitive arena. “We’re entering an inflection point in the market,” he said. “We’ve got to see the opportunity in the market and execute on it. We have to build trust, change the architecture, and capture where the puck is going.”

Via: venturebeat.com

Creative pumps out $99 HN-900 noise-canceling headphones

GeekCube — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 02:40:42 +0000

Fact: not everyone’s willing to pay a premium to enhance their personal listening experience. Fortunately for those of you who like noise cancellation and a flush bank account, Creative’s just taken the wraps off its $99 headset that’ll do the trick. The HN-900 offers great features — aside from the low price tag — such as 40-hours of active noise canceling powered by some AAA juice (for the times when you feel like ignoring the world), 40mm Neodymium drivers, and a built-in microphone to help with making and answering calls, just to highlight a few. Naturally, with such a stout feature set and low price, the headphones are selling like hotcakes and are currently out of stock. That said, you can still head over to the source to check out the rest of the deets and be one of the first in line once the second batch hits Creative’s virtual shelves.

Via: CNET

Source: Creative