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The iPhone 4's outer case makes it on camera... in Portugal
iPhone 4 parts just keep on dribbling out of China and turning up around the world -- this time it's the next-gen phone's outer case on a video from iPhone Portgual. The site actually has two cases, which it says were purchased by a reader in China, and while they look genuine enough, we obviously can't tell for certain whether they're real. In any event, at this rate we'll have enough leaked parts to assemble the entire damn thing by the time Steve takes the stage at WWDC to announce it in a few days -- or hey, maybe he'll just show it off at D8 tonight. Either way, we'll be there. Videos after the break. [Thanks, Mike]
Apple applies for 'disappearing button' patent
You know that little sleep indicator light on the front of your new MacBook Pro -- the one that simply disappears when your notebook is wide awake? Apple wants to do that for buttons, too. Cupertino's latest patent application is for pressure-sensitive, capacitive touchscreen materials it could build right into the surface of its aluminum-clad devices, and identify with laser-cut, micro-perforated holes that let light shine from within. According to the filing, the technology could potentially be used to eliminate existing buttons in favor of a smooth, solid slab, and / or integrate new ones into surfaces that weren't previously considered for use. Engineers imagine light-up controls on a laptop's lid that could be used while closed for things like USB charging and media playback, and local heat and sound sensors that selectively light up interface opportunities when users are in close proximity. Not bad, Apple. As long as you let us keep our nice, springy keyboards, we're all for revolutionizing the rest of modern input.
ASUS Eee PC 1218 trades veil of secrecy for popular design award
Well, will you look at that. In its haste to proclaim itself winner of a 2010 Red Dot design award, ASUS has inadvertently or perhaps intentionally announced the brand-new netbook that received it -- the Eee PC 1218. She's a beaut, too, with a slim, one-piece aluminum shell that evokes the MacBook Air but still packs a substantial number of expansion ports. There aren't any hard specs quite yet, but the above shot shows it'll come with a webcam and chiclet keyboard, and in a second pic after the break we can make out three USB sockets, Ethernet, VGA, a pair of 3.5mm audio jacks and an HDMI port -- the last of which possibly suggests a dedicated GPU (here's hoping an Ion 2) for HD video playback. Oh, and lest we forget, ASUS says it's also got a soft-touch plastic underside, for all you coffee-swilling, netbook-slinging butterfingers out there. No word on pricing or availability.
Mythos XTR-50 speakers exude aircraft style, remain grounded by price tag
Let's get this out of the way: at 38mm (1.5 inches) thick, these Mythos XTR-50 speakers are not the "world's thinnest," no matter what manufacturer Definitive Technology might have you believe -- JVC dropped 31mm satellites onto our secret wishlists just last fall. But unless you live in Japan, the Mythos XTR-50 may be the thinnest speakers you can actually buy. Made completely from aircraft grade aluminum, the enclosure houses six domed drivers and a tweeter, themselves shaped from aluminum, and connected with copper-covered aluminum wire. Why all the aluminum, you ask? The obvious reason is that -- in moderation -- it's lighter and stronger than alternative materials, which contributes to these satellites' luscious curves, but it also means that the entire assembly acts as a giant heatsink. Logical design -- who would have believed it. Too bad the units cost $700 each, and you'll need at least two -- if not five -- to get the full effect.
Sony VAIO Z with Quad SSD stripped down and explained by its project leader
For the average geek like us, there's nothing more satisfying than watching a gadget skillfully torn apart by its creator. That's why we're slightly envious of Engadget Chinese, who saw Sony VAIO Z Series project leader, Takamitsu Kasai, explaining the differences between the old and new VAIO Z literally part by part. Hightlights include Sony's proprietary Quad SSD (so not user-upgradable, sadly), a redesigned heatsink to accommodate the new chips' higher TDP (thermal design power), and various features of the "one-piece milled aluminum" and "hybrid carbon" chassis. Of course, all we really care about are photos of the naked VAIO Z, so go ahead and gorge yourselves after the jump.
Some things we may not see again from Apple
Conan O'Brien once had a recurring segment on Late Night called "Guests We Won't Have Back," during which he would look back at guests (who were fake) that he regretted having on the show. There was bug expert Sara Wiggins, who ate a live beetle in front of the camera. And there was wine expert Charles Nance who, during his on-air wine tasting session, drank himself into a drunken stupor. digg_url = 'http://digg.com/apple/Some_Things_We_May_Not_See_Again_From_Apple'; Despite its fairly strong record over the last decade, Apple has not been without its lapses and major changes. And, in the spirit of Conan O'Brien's "Guests We'll Never Have Back," let's take a look at "Some Things We'll Never Have Back" on the Apple front.
The Space Bar sleekly covers up your grimy keyboard, adds a few USB ports to boot
Let's face it -- there's at least an 89.4 percent chance that you'd be utterly embarrassed to let your mother, SO or inner neat-freak inspect your keyboard. Years of wear and tear have cleared the way for minuscule portions of delicacies, follicles and all manners of foreign objects to make their home just beneath the vowels you smash on a daily basis, and considering that cleaning said keyboard or buying a new one is far too difficult, the Quirky community has a better solution. The Space Bar ($42 in a 3-pack) is an aluminum keyboard cover that can slip right over 'boards that measure 18-inches wide and 1.5-inches deep; aside from covering things up, it also provides six easily accessible USB 2.0 ports. Too bad there's no germ-nixing UV light on the underside, but there's always hope for v2.0. Update: The pricing has since been updated -- it's $42 for each. %Gallery-83455%
BMW-designed Thermaltake Level 10 scores breathless review
As PC cases go, the Level 10 is easily the most outrageous design to ever get the go-ahead for commercial distribution, and according to PC Perspective the reason for that is clear: the product's workmanship and long-term durability match its most excellent looks. Weighing in at nearly 50 pounds of densely packed aluminum, the Level 10 sports a modular design with room for six hard (or solid state) drives, three optical drives, multiple jumbo-sized GPUs, and even an appropriately huge power supply. Alas, the one shortcoming of all this supersizing (apart from the price) is pretty big in itself -- the case turned out to be so large as to make it impossible to connect some components with their standard cabling. We'll call that a newbie filtration feature and continue to hope someone loves us enough to buy us one.
Hands-on with the new Apple Remote
Like many of the others at TUAW who really wanted to see this remote, I got my new Apple Remote a few days ago, and here are some of my impressions.
The hits just keep coming: now there's a new Apple Remote
In the universal scheme of things, it's not a big thing, but it's a welcome update. Apple has announced a new Apple Remote that has aluminum niceness and works with the iPhone, iPods with the Universal Dock, and iMacs introduced since 2005 that have a built-in infrared receiver. According to Apple, the remote "gives you total command of your music, photos, videos, and DVDs from anywhere in the room. It works with Front Row to make accessing the digital content on your Mac as simple as navigating your iPod." On an iPod or iPhone connected to a dock with IR you can "experience your songs, slideshows, and more from across the room. Plug your iPod into the Universal Dock and choose a playlist, slideshow, or video. Then sit back, relax, and enjoy. Ready to move on to the next song? No need to get up. Just press the Next button on the Apple Remote. Getting a call on your iPhone? Press Pause, then pick up where you left off." It's a spiffy new design, with darker buttons instead of the all-white older model. Might make it easier to use when fumbling in the dark. The remote will sell for U.S. $19.99 and is shipping in 2-4 weeks. Thanks to everyone who sent this in.
Video: Hanvon / Hanwang's aluminum-clad tablet does Windows 7 multitouch
You know that tablet we keep waiting for? Well, here's something that looks very much like it, but for the Windows 7 operating system and purported Atom processor inside. This 8.9-inch, two USB port-sporting device can pull off multi-touch pinching and zooming -- albeit with a lag akin to wading through water -- and is outfitted in a rather becoming all-aluminum case. It could make for a pretty desirable movie-playing machine on the go, provided it has the battery prowess for such tasks. Chinese folks will know for sure pretty soon, with the release coming before year's end -- presumably just as soon as the company figures out which westernized version of its name to use. Check out the video after the break.
Transparent aluminum! Would that be worth somethin' to ya, eh?
It's hard to say if boffins at Oxford University got their inspiration from Nimoy and Co., but one thing's for sure: they aren't joking about the creation of transparent aluminum. In what can only be described as a breakthrough for the ages, a team of mad scientists across the way have created "a completely new state of matter nobody has seen before" by blasting aluminum walls (around one-inch thick) with brief pulses of soft X-ray light, each of which is "more powerful than the output of a power plant that provides electricity to a whole city." For approximately 40 femtoseconds, an "invisible effect" is seen, giving the gurus hope that their experiment could lead to new studies in exotic states of matter. For a taste of exactly what we mean, feel free to voice command your PC to jump past the break. Or use the keyboard, if you're feeling quaint.
HP Mini 5101 netbook approved for use by mini executives
The Mini 5101, or Mini Executive as HP would have it, is now available to purchase, with prices starting at $399.99. While still a netbook at heart, the 5101 has an impressive array of accoutrements: aluminum and magnesium shell for lightweight (2.64 lbs) sturdiness, flat chiclet keyboard, 10.1-inch LED-backlit display, and at an extra cost, 128GB SSD and 1366 x 768 resolution upgrade options. The build quality and keyboard got high marks from us when we handled the machine back in June, and now a couple of online scribes have put together timely in-depth reviews of the device. They share the impression that HP has a strong business product on its hands, highlighted by a class-leading WiFi signal of 37.7 Mbps at 15 feet, though they were also concerned that neither pricing nor battery life (between 5 and 7 hours) are the best available. Hit up the read links for all the delectable details.[Thanks, Knifex4]Read - HP product pageRead - Laptop Mag reviewRead - PC Mag review
Solid Alliance's $10,000 Mnemosyne USB drive is built for style, not convenience
The Greek goddess of memory, Mnemosyne, would surely be proud of this product bearing her name. For starters, it comes at a price few mere mortals can afford and is couched within an extravagant all-aluminum body. The puzzle cube certainly provides a ceremonial feel to accessing the data within, and makers Solid Alliance are pitching it as a luxurious receptacle for your most treasured memories. Yes, under all the sheen, you are still looking at 16GB of standard issue flash memory, but can we really put a price on mythology-infused style?
File under "This won't last": new white MacBook benchmarks faster than unibody model
In a thorough review of the new speed-bumped white MacBook, Macworld notes an intriguing fact: the 2.13GHz model of the $999 entry-level laptop actually outperforms the base unibody model. The magazine's benchmarks show a 4 percent advantage for the new white MacBook over the $1299 2GHz aluminum laptop; the white model even outlasts the next-generation machine on battery life by more than 30 minutes. Unless you absolutely have to have the new industrial design on your laptop and you're willing to pay an extra $300 for the privilege, it does seem that the new white model is the better buy... for now. A performance gap like this is a strong hint that the unibody models are due for a processor bump sometime soon, if only to restore the proper order of things: faster should equal more expensive. Right?
Video of 'aluminum MacBook' surfaces
An often-blurry QuickTime spy video of what appears to be an aluminum MacBook enclosure is available now on apple.pro. (If the video link isn't working, try watching it on YouTube; there are stills available here.) The video is a series of close-up shots, none showing the thickness of the enclosure, nor the keyboard. The only features visible in the video are the new location for the power button, and a larger trackpad. Its authenticity could not be independently verified. Yesterday, apple.pro had photos of what appears to be the same enclosure. Is it the new MacBook? We'll see on October 14. [Via Electronista.] Thanks, Josh, for the YouTube link!
Use a Red Bull can as a radio interference shield
I love the iPhone, save for one thing. It sits on my desk every night, right near my computer, and the speakers I've got hooked up to it. And every 15 minutes, when the iPhone checks email for me, I get that buzzing -- the sound of radio interference flying across my speaker wires. And almost every night, I have to jump out of bed angrily just to shut off the speakers and stop the buzzing. Little did I know, all I've ever needed was an empty can of Red Bull.Yes, someone has fashioned a "shield" out of an emptied and carved up Red Bull can, and supposedly it works like a charm -- just fashion it around the dock that came with the iPhone, use a little doublestick tape to make sure it stays on there (and I would maybe put some around the edges, too, so you don't slice your fingers open every time you pull the iPhone off the dock), and no more buzzing sound.The maker does wonder if it would affect the actual signal of the iPhone at all, but it hasn't so far. If you've got a Red Bull can around to cut up and are driven as nuts as I am by that buzzing noise, here's your makeshift solution. The other option is to buy speakers that don't buzz, of course, but this seems a lot cheaper.
Essential Extras: Monaco aluminum case
If you're in the habit of carrying your DS in a pocket or in a bag, you've probably considered some sort of slim case or armor, if you don't have one already. Sure, the DS is pretty sturdy overall, but do you want to risk those hinges or shoulder buttons? Better safe than sorry, right? If, like us, you're interested in protecting your handheld, you might want to check out the above armor, the Monaco aluminum case. We spent a couple of days banging the slim-fitting case around and testing its functionality, and have mostly good news to report. %Gallery-22596%
Vulnerable USB drive gets wrapped in aluminum for security's sake
Corsair's Flash Voyager comes straight from the factory in a water- and shock-resistant enclosure, but for one particular owner, said chassis just wasn't hardcore enough. Rather than swapping it out for an Iron Drive, he took matters into his own hands by gutting the innards and custom building an ultra-rugged aluminum casing. Showing off his fantastic attention to detail, a machined slot for the keychain and a LED indicator hole were included, too. Hit up the read link for the walkthrough if you're feeling atypically industrious -- otherwise, just kick back and admire.[Via Hack N Mod, thanks Joe]
Flytech showcases waterproof K790 all-in-one PC
We've definitely witnessed a waterproof display being put to the test, but an all-in-one PC getting a bath is certainly less common. Nevertheless, the folks at Flytech were apparently so sure that its K790 could withstand liquid while Windows hummed along in the background that it set up an overhead shower to demonstrate. Apparently, the lineup can be had with your choice of Intel processors, up to 2GB of RAM, displays ranging from 12.1- to 19-inches in size, a 2.5-inch hard drive, four USB ports, Ethernet, audio in / out and built-in speakers to boot. No word on price, but be sure and check out another look after the break.[Thanks, Big D]
