Vision -- Engadget

vision posts

Microsoft group manager: Windows 7 borrowing 'Mac look and feel' (updated: Microsoft responds)

by Darren Murph posted Nov 11th 2009 at 9:43PM

We'll be honest -- before today, we had never heard of Simon Aldous, but it sure seems as if he's trying hard to get his name out there. Mr. Aldous, a group manager at Microsoft, recently sat down for a rather lengthy talk with PCR. Most of the back-and-forth revolved around receiving input from partners and other mildly boring topics, but one particular Q&A was pointed directly at the outfit's newest operating system. When asked if Windows 7 was "really a much more agile operating system," Simon made a deliberate decision to say the following:

"One of the things that people say an awful lot about the Apple Mac is that the OS is fantastic, that it's very graphical and easy to use. What we've tried to do with Windows 7 – whether it's traditional format or in a touch format – is create a Mac look and feel in terms of graphics."

Of course, he followed that up by slamming OS X's general stability, noting that Vista's core technology -- on which Win7 is built -- is "far more stable than the current Mac platform." We know we're opening up a giant can here, but... um, thoughts?

Update: Microsoft has issued its response, and it's none too happy, and apparently the Microsoft employee in question was "not involved in any aspect of designing Windows 7." From the official Windows Blog: "I hate to say this about one of our own, but his comments were inaccurate and uninformed." We imagine there were lots of frowny faces around the office today.

[Via AppleInsider]

Nokia reveals 2015 vision while struggling with 2009 realities (video)

by Thomas Ricker posted Nov 11th 2009 at 7:15AM

When Nokia talks about the future it's generally a good idea to pay attention. After all, even with diminishing market share, a split Maemo and Symbian smartphone strategy, and less than stellar financials, the company remains the world's leading supplier of handsets with a proven ability to innovate. So take notice when Nokia's head of corporate strategy, Heikki Norta, describes what life will be like in 2015 in a video littered with high-tech devices driven by finger-based UIs. Of course, five years is generally only enough time for the nascent technologies we see today to mature enough for mass market acceptance -- in other words, readers of Engadget won't find anything mind-blowing in a presentation laced with liberal doses of augmented reality, pervasive connectivity, dual-display clamshells, and as always: micro projectors and laser keyboards. Beyond hardware and software, Nokia sees itself at the heart of a global network aggregating data from hundreds of millions of intelligent devices for an unprecedented level of knowledge sharing that enables services such as highly localized traffic reports and weather trends. Fun stuff and certainly worth a few minutes to ponder on your own. Still, it's difficult to get too excited by the vision from a company that was not only totally caught off guard by consumer trends at the margin-rich (read: money making) end of its devices portfolio, but also so slow to respond in any meaningful way.

[Via Slashgear]

Continue reading Nokia reveals 2015 vision while struggling with 2009 realities (video)

Super cheap Archos 1 Vision DMP set for release this month

by Laura June posted Nov 6th 2009 at 2:02PM

Archos has been on a real PMP tear as of late, releasing the Archos 2 Vision, 3 Vision, and the Clipper all in one pop back in August. The company's now launched yet another Vision model, the entry-level 1 Vision. This tiny little 4GB dude has a 1.5-inch LCD and supposedly gets about 20 hours of battery life per charge. No video support in this puppy, but the €30 (somewhere in the realm of $45) pricetag should temper some of your crushing disappointment over its lack of features. The Archos 1 Vision should be available in Europe by the end of November.

[Via PMP Today]

MIT researchers tout progress with retinal implant - yes, it comes with a visor

by Donald Melanson posted Sep 24th 2009 at 1:57PM

As impressive as that tooth-eye implant was, we're guessing most folks had something more like this in mind when they considered the future of sight restoration. While it's still a bit early in development, and has yet to actually be implanted in anyone, this new retinal implant certainly seems to have the researchers at MIT excited, who say that tests with blind patients could begin within the next three years. The basic idea behind it was apparently inspired by the cochlear implants that have proven successful in restoring people's hearing, although in this case the implant works by electrically stimulating damaged nerve cells that would ordinarily send visual signals from the retina to the brain. According to the researchers, however, the system would only work on folks that have lost their sight due due retinitis pigmentosa or age-related macular degeneration, and it wouldn't restore complete sight, but could let them see enough to find their way through a room or walk down a sidewalk (which is certainly no small feat). They'll also have to wear a special set of glasses (or visor, if you prefer), which will not only wirelessly send images to the implant, but keep it powered wirelessly through a set of coils.

[Via The Register]

Mercedes-Benz Vision S 500: it's the plug-in hybrid for old people

by Darren Murph posted Sep 12th 2009 at 9:36AM

Look, you won't find a bigger bunch of fans of the C63 than this here crew, but man, that massive "plug-in hybrid" logo might as well say "70+ aged drivers only, please." For everyone not interested in scooping up a Tesla Roadster, Chevy Volt or some other eco-friendly whip that they can't afford, there's the Mercedes-Benz Vision S 500. Made official this week during the run-up to the impending Frankfurt auto show, the 3.5-liter PHEV aims to grab the eyes of those who value class, comfort and luxury, and while this whole "gas mileage" thing is still very much in the air with this type of vehicle, early estimates peg the MPG rating at around 70. M-B has gifted the car with an 18-mile electric range, but most everything else is being veiled in secrecy until the full reveal next week.

Acer Ferrari One hands-on, and more from AMD's VISION event

by Ross Miller posted Sep 11th 2009 at 9:02AM

Despite the infamous logo and hot red lid, Acer's Congo-based Ferrari One "ultrathin notebook" (read: netbook) managed to blend in rather well among a number of other laptops (at least 15, by our count) on display at AMD's VISION event yesterday. The chassis felt pretty sturdy and the keys had the right amount of bounce... and we'd love to tell you more, but like all but a handful of portables on display, it was resolved to play the same video over and over again, refusing to acknowledge our key-pressed directives. We also decided to take snapshots of the entire display lineup, although more than a few here are previously-seen models -- it was pretty much just a rebranding, after all. See them all for yourself in the galleries below!

Gallery: Acer Ferrari One hands-on

More Galleries
Acer	ASUS	HP	MSI	Toshiba

Acer's Congo-based 11.6-inch Ferrari One: finally, a netbook with speed

by Darren Murph posted Sep 10th 2009 at 7:22PM

We've seen a couple of netbooks that we'd actually consider to be mildly quick, but given that locating an Ion-based netbook is about as easy as entering North Korea with a US passport, we haven't had much of a chance to really love on 'em. Today, Acer is extending its boutique Ferrari lineup with the Ferrari One, an 11.6-inch machine that is among the first to rely on AMD's newly announced Congo platform. Packed within the chassis is a dual-core 1.2GHz Athlon X2 L310 CPU, ATI's Radeon 3200 graphics, an XPG port for connecting an external graphics solution, a 1,366 x 768 panel, WiFi, Bluetooth, optional WWAN and a 6-cell battery. You'll also notice AMD Vision and Windows 7 badges alongside the obligatory prancing pony, but you can bet you'll be paying dearly for this when it ships on (surprise, surprise) October 22nd. How dearly? Try £435 ($724), or roughly the cost of a single lug nut on an F430.

[Via TrustedReviews]

AMD announces 'VISION' guide to buying PCs

by Donald Melanson posted Sep 10th 2009 at 4:46PM

Well, Intel may have been on a bit of a processor rebranding kick as of late, but it looks like AMD is now trying to one-up 'em in fairly big way with its new "VISION" branding strategy, which promises to do nothing short of change the way people buy PCs -- or so AMD hopes. The short of it is that AMD is looking to take the focus off the processor and instead connect "the needs of the consumer to the PC," which, of course, calls for some new logos. As you can see above, new AMD-based PCs (starting with laptops and extending to desktops early next year) will be now branded primarily as either Vision, Vision Premium, or Vision Ultimate, with the processor and other specs apparently tucked away for folks that want to go looking for them. Not ones to keep things too simple, AMD will also later be introducing a Vision Black edition for "high-end, top of the line systems" which, ironically, are aimed mostly at folks primarily concerned with specs.

[Via Technologizer]

Archos 2 Vision, 3 Vision and Clipper spotted in French wilderness

by Vladislav Savov posted Aug 24th 2009 at 4:27AM

With the 2 Vision's price and spec recently emerging, all that was missing were some "real life" shots of the player without studio lighting and professional makeup. Archos Lounge has gone and filled that gap, with the added bonus of some 3 Vision and Clipper sightings. Disappointingly, whereas the touch-sensitive horizontal slider originally looked to have been bracketed by buttons sitting flush with the case, in reality those are of the bumpy, cheap looking variety. We can take no umbrage with the thin casing though, as it looks just as skinny as we were led to believe. Hit up the read link to explore the player for yourself, or slide past the break to see it side by side with the 3 Vision.

[Via CrunchGear]

Continue reading Archos 2 Vision, 3 Vision and Clipper spotted in French wilderness

BrainPort lets you see with your tongue, might actually make it to market

by Vladislav Savov posted Aug 14th 2009 at 2:10PM

We first saw the crazy BrainPort in 2006, but the intervening time hasn't been wasted by its developers, who've brought the quirky visual aid to the cusp of commercial viability. If you'll recall, the device translates signals from a head-mounted camera to electrical pulses that lightly zap your tongue in response to visual stimuli -- early results have shown people can regain a good bit of their spatial awareness and even read large writing. The next step is FDA approval, which is expected by year's end, meaning that the BrainPort could arrive as early as 2010. There is a steep entry fee though, with prices expected to begin at $10,000, but the very fact you'll be able to buy it is a milestone in our book. Edifying video after the break.

[Thanks, Toy]

Continue reading BrainPort lets you see with your tongue, might actually make it to market

TruFocals make steampunk glasses a functional, expensive reality

by Vladislav Savov posted Aug 11th 2009 at 12:28PM

Glasses with an adjustable focal length -- sounds so simple, somebody must have already done it, right? Well, yes, but earlier efforts have looked more like diving goggles than something you could, you know, wear in public. The Harry Potter-esque TruFocals, on the other hand, are (only just) acceptable looking and operate via the golden slider you see above. By tweaking translucent fluids between a pair of lenses for each eye, it alters the distance at which the specs focus, sort of like having your very own zoom function. The price for such flexibility is $895, which inventor Stephen Kurtin considers a sterling bargain, and we've got video of him after the break explaining just how awesomely revolutionary his product is.

[Via CNET]

Continue reading TruFocals make steampunk glasses a functional, expensive reality

New Archos 2 Vision PMP pictured, priced, and predictably short on battery life

by Ross Miller posted Aug 9th 2009 at 12:23AM

Meeting what we'd call the bare minimum for being able to say there's "touch capabilities," the new Archos 2 Vision PMP has quietly stepped out of the shadows and onto UK retailer MyMemory's website. Just under the 2-inch, 220 x 176 resolution display is a tactile slider for menu navigation and volume control. The credit card-sized player also sports a FM tuner and recorder, a microSD slot in addition to internal memory, and support for MP3 / WMA audio and AVI video -- nothing too fancy here. Battery life is a depressing 10 hours for audio and 4 for video, which at €60 / $85 for 8GB and €99 / $140 for 16GB models, is just a tinge south of acceptable in our book. Europeans still intrigued can pick one up now, while US consumers will either need to pay a premium for import or just wait patiently.

[Via DAP Review]

Archos Vision PMPs get UK pricing, August release

by Vladislav Savov posted Jul 2nd 2009 at 12:32PM

Few details were available when Archos announced its new lineup of PMPs last month, but today we can provide you with fuller specs and news of imminent UK availability. The new flagship model, 3 Vision, comes with a 3-inch touchscreen, 8GB of storage, microSDHC card slot, video playback, and a few extras like a voice recorder, calendar, stopwatch and an FM transmitter for streaming music to your Hi-Fi. Positioned as a direct competitor to the iPod Touch, the new Archos will cost nearly half as much at £90 ($148). Other models detailed today include the 2 Vision -- a 1.8-inch "credit card sized" player that loses video playback but gains a 16GB option, with prices likely to start at £50 ($82) -- and the Archos Clipper, a 2GB no-frills player priced at £20 ($32).

[Via Pocket-lint]

New nanotechnology augments vision, optic blasts not included

by Ross Miller posted Dec 25th 2008 at 12:07AM

It wouldn't be as much of an icebreaker as saying you have a bionic eye, but University of Colorado Hospital's Jeffrey Olson has developed a procedure for improving eyesight that involves injecting nano-sized semiconductors called "quantum dots" into the retina. These dots stimulate electrical activity in working parts of the eye and slows degradation in the rest, and early tests on rats have been shown to successfully increase perception. Although intended for those with damaged vision, this might be just the thing for watching your neighbors' HBO from the comforts of your windowsill -- hey, we won't judge you.

[Via New Scientist]

Glaucoma monitoring contact lenses crafted at UC Davis

by Darren Murph posted Aug 6th 2008 at 12:08AM

Far from the first circuit-laden contact lens we've laid eyes on (ahem), researchers at UC Davis have more than bragging rights in mind with their "smart" contacts. The devices are infused with a "pattern of conductive silver wires, which could be used to measure pressure inside the eye." The material, dubbed polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), would boast antimicrobial properties and could enable scientists to better study glaucoma. How so? By sending pressure data to computers sans wires. Better still, the contacts also include the ability to automatically dispense medication into the eye, making this beneficial in more ways than one. The creators are expected to apply for approval to begin testing the lenses in humans here shortly, and barring any unforeseen (sorry, totally unintentional there) setbacks, we would hope these could be put to use within the next few years.

[Via medGadget]