[MobileRatty] tag: special

3's INQ to hit the mobile scene with Facebook-friendly INQ1

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 13:05:00 +0000

Overseas mega-corp Hutchison, which owns the 3 network, has a new handset subsidiary called INQ, which is going after the social-hungry youth market in a big way. INQ's first handset, the INQ1, doesn't look like anything special -- just a frumpy-looking slider with a decent screen -- but start poking around and you'll find a massive amount of software for such a dorky phone from a handset upstart. The big angle here is Facebook integration -- INQ has a Facebook app to rival Facebook's own work on the iPhone, and ties Facebook contacts, chat and messages into all parts of the phone. The phone enjoys similar integration with Skype (including making Skype calls free over the network, like 3's Skypephone) and Windows Live Messenger. Other apps include an eBay tracker and a full-on WebKit browser. None of this is revolutionary, or even particularly polished, but the work INQ has done at integration, like a unified contact list, could do to be copied by even the major smartphone players. What is revolutionary is the price: INQ plans to sell primarily through pre-paid carriers, who are expected to retail the featurephone for under £99 without contract. The HSDPA phone, to be "officially announced" on October 13th, will hit the UK in November, and can apparently be flashed to work with US carriers -- with a launch planned for here next year. Oh, and the killer app? The phone doubles as a plug-and-play 3G modem. Yeah, US carriers are going to take real kindly to this one.

Gallery: 3's INQ to hit the mobile scene with Facebook-friendly INQ1

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LG Electronics Announces the LG-KC780 with Face Detection

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 11:53:13 +0000

LG Electronics announced the launch of its LG-KC780, a slim 8 megapixel camera phone with special features that make it ideal for shooting portraits.

The LG-KC780 is a slim slider phone at just 13.9 mm thick, but manages to include a large 2.4-inch widescreen LCD. The phone is designed to ensure that its myriad camera features are convenient and easy to use. A Schneider-Kreuznach certified lens ensures that the LG-KC780’s camera takes high quality photos that are sharp and clear.

Several of the LG-KC780’s smart technologies focus around the most expressive part of a person, the face. Face Detection automatically finds and focuses on people’s faces to allow photographers to take clearer pictures. Part of this feature relies on LG’s Smile Detection technology, which can recognize the angle of people’s mouths and adjust focus for faces.

Other people-focused features on the LG-KC780 include easy-to-use shot modes that help make people look their best. With Smile Shot enabled the camera automatically triggers the shutter when it determines that the subject is smiling. And with Beauty Mode users can remove spots and imperfections on people’s faces, making sure the faces appear bright and clear in photos.

Great memories can happen anywhere and the LG-KC780 has a number features that ensure great shots no matter where they are taken. The LG-KC780 can almost see in the dark with adjustable light sensitivity up to an amazingly high ISO 1600. If an image is too bright, however, LG’s SmartLight setting automatically fixes it. A built-in Image Stabilizer ensures that pictures come out clear and sharp, even in shaky situations.

For those times when a picture is not enough, the LG-KC780’s D1 Video recording captures DVD-resolution video of every exciting moment. This means that movies captured on the handset will still look great when played back on a large screen TV.

The LG-KC780 is a full featured handset and includes the latest in mobile phone technology, including Smart Bluetooth, which opens up a number of new options when the phone is connected to a personal computer. For example, the phone’s camera can be used as a webcam for use in online conversations. Unlike USB webcams, this world’s first feature means that the camera can easily move with the user, as long as the phone stays within Bluetooth range.

Transferring the 8 megapixel photos that the phone takes is also far simpler thanks to Bluetooth. In addition, Smart Bluetooth makes it easier to send and read text messages, allowing them to be typed and viewed on the computer. The LG-KC780’s fun goes beyond its picture-taking capabilities; Motion Sensor Games make it easy to get into the action.

LG-KC780 will go on sale in November 2008, in Europe, later expanding to CIS and Asia, including India, Thailand, Hong Kong and China. LG expects that the LG-KC780 will build on the leadership the company established with its multimillion selling Viewty and enhance its lineup of 8 megapixel camera phones, along with the recently released an 8 megapixel touch screen multimedia phone, LG Renoir (LG-KC910).

Real Life Autobots Found in Chinese Scrap Yard [Robots]

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 11:45:00 +0000

It's got to be tough distinguishing your scrap yard (a big lot filled with junk) from a competitor's scrap yard (another big lot filled with junk). But one Chinese entrepreneur from the Zhejiang province had a plan to promote his particular pile of junk as something special. He'd build full scale Autobot sculptures. While it's tough to find fault with any of the work, his best is definitely this converted BMW 7-Series. And until a free shiny red semi pulls into town, it'll probably stay that way. [China Car Times via Jalopnik]

LG-KC780 Worlds first Face Detection camera phone with Bluetooth webcam facility

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 10:35:23 +0000

LG announced today the launch of its LG-KC780, a slim 8 megapixel camera phone with special features that make it ideal for shooting portraits. The LG-KC780 is a slim slider phone at just 13.9 mm thick, but manages to include a large 2.4-inch widescreen LCD. A Schneider-Kreuznach certified lens ensures that the LG-KC780’s camera takes high quality photos that are sharp and clear. Face Detection automatically finds and focuses on people’s faces to allow photographers to take clearer pictures. The LG-KC780 is a full featured handset and includes the latest in mobile phone technology, including Smart Bluetooth, which opens up a number of new options when the phone is connected to a personal computer. For example, the phone’s camera can be used as a webcam for use in online conversations. Unlike USB webcams, this world’s first feature means that the camera can easily move with the user, as long as the phone stays within Bluetooth range.

The LG-KC780 can almost see in the dark with adjustable light sensitivity up to an amazingly high ISO 1600. If an image is too bright, however, LG’s SmartLight setting automatically fixes it. A built-in Image Stabilizer ensures that pictures come out clear and sharp, even in shaky situations..LG-KC780 will go on sale in November 2008, in Europe, later expanding to CIS and Asia, including India, Thailand, Hong Kong and China.

Confederate Fighter Motorcycle Will Cut You, Not Care [Motorcycles]

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 07:50:36 +0000

The Fighter motorcycle by the Confederate Motor Company is available in special limited edition form at Neiman Marcus. Featuring an advanced titanium, aluminum and carbon fiber chassis, the bike is powered by a 120ci 45-degree air-cooled V-Twin engine that allegedly propels riders to speeds of 190mph. But we just can't get over its design—as if the bike was carved sharply from a single block of metal. In fact, we even prefer the bike to one of Confederate's latest concept designs. And how often does that happen? One of 45 Fighters can be yours for $110,000. [Neiman Marcus via Luxury Launches]

lomo split camera will have you seeing double

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 07:40:48 +0000

Looking for a new way to unleash your creative freedom? Check out this wacky camera which lets you combine multiple images onto a single frame of film.

The Lomo Split-Cam uses special adjustable light blockers which let you prevent the top, bottom, left or right section of standard 35mm film from being exposed before advancing to the next frame. A matching set of blinders on the viewfinder let you see exactly what your cropped areas will look like.

Sure, you can put the head of your cat on the body of your dog, but if you really want to see some creative uses, check out the Flickr Split-Cam gallery for lots of nifty multiple exposure techniques.

You can find the Split-Cam over on FredFlare for just $20 bucks.

SteelSeries World Of Warcraft Mouse

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 06:33:06 +0000

I know that RTS as well as FPS games would do well with their own special mouse, but does an MMORPG actually need one? SteelSeries thought so, developing the World of Warcraft (WoW) mouse specially for Blizzard's WoW. Boasting 15 (!) programmable buttons, you get flashing disco lights that color your world with 16 million options. Interesting to see three times as many buttons on a single mouse compared to the number of digits you have on your hand, the SteelSeries World of Warcraft mouse will retail for $90 next month. While it won't be able to function as a crystal ball to let you know whether you're going to be successful in the next party raid or not, at least it helps you feel smug about yourself, knowing that your MMORPG life is complete. Onwards to level 80!

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Eee PC news: touchscreens, bumps to dual-core Atoms, sub-$300 model

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 05:58:00 +0000

Filed under: Laptops

We've seen tons of Eees modded with touchscreens, and it looks like ASUS is taking the hint -- it's saying that it expects to launch touch-enabled Eee PCs next year, as long rumored. It's not clear whether the new models will run XP or a special Linux build, but we'll find out soon enough, since the company plans to show them off at CES in January. Unsurprisingly, we should also be seeing dual-core Atom 330 chips make their way into the Eee line as soon as they're available in quantity, but the best piece of news is probably that ASUS will be getting aggressive on price with a sub-$300 Eee. Now just wrap all that up in the S101's case and we're all set -- that would be just about perfect.

[Via Electronista]

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Trashing Batteries for Brighter Sidewalks

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 05:08:19 +0000

We all know alkaline batteries are really bad for the environment if you don’t dispose of them properly. The right thing to do is send them to special recycling centers but hundreds of tons end up in landfills where their toxic innards seep into the earth. Perhaps a good solution is the Energy Seed, an LED lamp post powered by trashed alkaline batteries.

The idea is to encourage people to throw their batteries away into the Energy Seed. There’s a slot for nearly every size battery. The unit combines any left over juice from all the batteries to power a super efficient LED ring.

Of course once the bins are full, we’re left with the same original problem. Somebody has to collect all those spent batteries and recycle them.

Designer: Sungwoo Park & Sunhee Kim

Video worklog of the new Cinematograph HD PC mod

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 03:30:18 +0000

Check out the new Cinematograph HD by the user Stealth over at the Modders-Inc.com forum , this computer comes complete with two 22-inch LCDs, lots (and lots) of diamond plate! Scroll down to the blockquote to see some of its specs!

The name Cinemagraph comes from the 1890’s device made famous by the Lumière Brothers that led to the birth of the world’s first motion picture. It was a device that not only was the camera, but also processed the film, and projected the work. Likewise, the CinematographHD is equipped to be taken on location and direct capture, edit, and then output full HD video.

Cinematograph HD Video Work log from Will Urbina on Vimeo.

What makes this system special is that It not only houses a full sized ATX motherboard as well as up to 5 3.5″ Hard drives, but it also houses 2x 22″ LCD displays, 10W stereo speakers, 5.25″ optical drive, and even has a storage area to transport its keyboard and mouse. The only thing you will need to find at your new work area is an electrical socket.

The idea for this mod came to me when I was at home for summer vacation. My main computer The Desk is amazing, but even for extended stays moving it is too big a burden. This left me with my Laptop. I was offered a job editing a short video, luckily it was only SD and I was able to accept, but it got me thinking. What if it was HD? Even if I had the patience to deal with a laptop processor struggling to apply effects, and encode video; Even if I had one of those $10,000 top of the line, 20″ mega-laptops, what, as someone who works with video, would I be missing? A Raid0 array, necessary for uncompressed HD video. Dual Monitors, because any serious editor simply can’t work with only one. Powerful speakers. Full sized Mouse and Keyboard. This is my solution to a problem.

For this project I decided as I began that I would show the construction with a video work log. This isn’t your average work log though, you know, decidedly still and slideshow like. No, this work log was shot and HD and shows the process that started with some extra computer parts, and a few pieces of angle iron.

[via Modders-Inc Forum]

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Video worklog of the new Cinematograph HD PC mod…

Tags: hack, computer, Cinematograph HD, DIY, mod