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SI Screens ships Reference Motorized projector screen
Shortly after hearing that SI Screens was shipping its flamboyant Black Diamond projector screen comes word that its Reference Motorized model isn't too far behind. The company sounds totally jazzed to be showcasing said unit at CEDIA 2008, but folks who'd rather not wait for the expo demo can apparently get one on order right now. Each unit sports a curved décor case, ultra quiet motor and a Super Flat rigid horizontal screen tensioning system. Prospective buyers can snag one in sizes ranging from 80- to 160-inches diagonal, with screen format options including 2.35:1, 16:9, and 4:3. Now, if only these things weren't so incredibly pricey...
Rural carriers fight for return of spectrum cap
What started as a hard 45MHz limit enacted back in 1994 to ensure that there was enough spectrum to go around in every market was first raised, then eliminated, then later changed to a somewhat more toothless guideline used for analyzing proposed mergers, and rural carriers are pretty fired up about it. Following an absolutely dominating performance by the big boys in this year's 700MHz auction, the nation's back-country providers are more concerned than ever that license distribution in some markets is making it virtually impossible to compete. The solution? Bring the ol' cap back into play, but plug it at 110MHz instead of the 45 they started with nearly a decade and a half ago, a reflection of the RF-saturated, heavily licensed world we now inhabit. They've managed to pique the interest of some congresspeople, too, so there's a fighting chance this could go through; if it does, the Verizon-Alltel merger could turn into a fire sale of freed spectrum, which we imagine these little guys would be just delighted to scoop up in bulk.[Via Phone Scoop]
First Look: Mocha VNC Lite
Mocha VNC Lite allows your iPhone or iPod touch to connect to your Mac or PC via VNC. For those of you who don't know, VNC is a protocol that allows you to screenshare/control other computers via a VNC client (which is what Mocha VNC Lite is). It is amazing to see this working right on my iPhone. I remember back when I used a Palm device to do this sort of thing and it was very kludgy, but this seems to work rather smoothly. When you are connected to the computer via VNC, you are able to control pretty much everything on the screen, with the exception of special keys (i.e. command, option, F keys, etc.). You can, however, "pinch" the iPhone's screen to zoom in or out the viewing area. Now for the gripes. Mocha VNC Lite uses left-clicks on the screen (which can be quite annoying after a few minutes use). You are also unable to change the refresh rate (however, if you click the "+" button, you're given a "refresh option.") Mocha VNC also offers a paid version which gives you more useful features like extra PC keys, cursor keys, text macros, and a right mouse key. However, the lite version will give most users everything they need for casual VNC management. You can download Mocha VNC Lite from the App Store for free. At the time of this writing the paid version has not yet been placed on the App Store. Feel free to look at our gallery of screenshots before you download.%Gallery-28170%
Wrath of the Lich King login screen
While we've had some fake Wrath of the Lich King login screens before, this one is the real deal. It's being reported on by numerous sites, and several people have confirmed its authenticity. The image itself is of a ice fortress. You can see the version, 3.0.1, along with the latest build number and date: July 15, 2008.Many people will notice that you have to sign in via an email address. This is part of a new system that Blizzard has put into place for the Wrath beta. Essentially, you'll have to create a new "Blizzard Account" to log into the beta. This account is separate from your retail WoW account, however you still have to have a retail WoW account and a beta key to get one. There's not a ton of information out on the new account system they are using for this, but when we have more information on it we'll post it.For now, enjoy your new login screen!
Ask Engadget: Best LCD monitor under $400?
Tired of looking at that tired old CRT monitor? Anxious to get a screen with a bit more screen real estate? So is Paul -- have a look: "I was wondering if you all could help me out in deciding on a monitor. I'd like it to be at least 19-inches, bigger is better, but the main thing is to have a nice resolution. I currently have a 1,280 x 1,080 17-inch LCD monitor, and really like it, but would like to go past the 1,080 to possibly 1,200. Thing is I'd like to spend around $300, going up to maybe $400. What's the best choice out in this price range?" We'd wager Paul's quandary is one shared by many, and if you just recently solved this yourself, be sure to toss in your recommendation below. Once you've completed said task, feel free to shoot us a question you'd like help with at ask at engadget dawt com.
SI Screens ships Black Diamond projector screen
Are you serious about your projector? No, we mean serious. If so, SI Screens is asking that you place your money where your mouth is with the shipping announcement of its Black Diamond products. Said screens promise the blackest blacks and the whitest whites, though there's no details on whether it does chores when not entertaining guests. Still, for $2,599 (100-inch), it better.
Elite Screens intros mobile electric floor-rising Kestral
The VMAX Plus3 may be just the thing for home theater builders looking to set it and forget it, but what about projectionists on the run? Elite Screens' $2,199 Kestrel should be just the thing, as it comes in a highly portable package that enables users to erect a screen from the floor up with the press of a remote. Available in both 84- / 100-inch versions in either 4:3 or 16:9 aspect ratios, these screens boast a "mechanized cross-rising apparatus is driven by a tubular motor," and the built-in 5-12V projector trigger should come in handy as well. So much for taking the top-down approach, huh?
Sidenote keeps your notes on the side
So for quite a while now I've been using nothing more complicated than TextEdit to keep a list of what I've got on my plate any given day -- I stuck an "Untitled" text file in the top corner of my screen, and just kept it open all the time. But I wasn't quite satisfied with that -- at the end of the day, I still had this text file open, I never remembered to save what was in there, and it just wasn't as elegant a solution as I wanted. Wasn't there anything I could keep open as a memopad, that was smart enough to save itself and slide out of the way when I didn't need it?A friend recommended Sidenote, and it turned out to be exactly what I was looking for -- like the Quicksilver Shelf (which I'm using religiously nowadays) it sits in drawer on the side of your desktop, can be pulled open momentarily (either with the mouse or a hotkey) and then slides right back out of view when you're done. Just like TextEdit, it allows for a nice variety of text formatting, and unlike TextEdit, it saves in a repository rather than a file. I only use one note so far, but there's functionality for multiple notes in there as well.We last mentioned Sidenote way back in 2005, and since then it's been upgraded to 1.7.3, and streamlined a few already streamlined features. Very nice and easy app -- for the purpose, it was exactly what I needed. It's available as donationware from developer Pierre Chatel.
Fake Throne of Arthas Video
Kupoccino sent us a tip earlier today about a video that's posted over on a German site about WotLK. In the video a level one Warrior walks up the throne of Arthas and purchases a sword from a stone – a sword that appears to be Frostmourne.The video is a fake, and has graphics elements and game elements, such as the bags, that are indicative of a private server. Additionally Kuoccino points out to me in a later email that the steps are really benches from the Undercity, and that the throne is from the Undercity as well. I'm inclined to agree with him.Normally I wouldn't post something like this, but it's a good example of how far people are willing to go to try to get a scoop on WotLK. Also, as Mike Schramm pointed out on the podcast this afternoon, now is about the time that we'll start to see more leaked WotLK information. The alpha is going on, and the beta is a few months away - this is prime time for leaks to happen.Now of course, there is the remotest of remote possibilities that this video is real. If there is even a smidgen of truthiness in here, my hat is off to the person that got this. If you've got any WotLK screenshots, real or fake, hop on over to our tip line and send away! We're always on the lookout for a good thing! We just reserve the right to laugh and cackle if you send us fakes.
Elite Screens introduces VMAX Plus3 projection screen
If you've got wads of Benjamins just roasting a hole in your pocket and you're desperately in need of a new projection screen, Elite Screens may have just the thing. Announced this week, the outfit has made official its VMAX Plus3 (prior iteration pictured) electric projection screen, which is designed for "large presentation halls, auditoriums, churches and community theaters," but we're confident it would seem right at home in a serious home theater. The unit is available in 4:3 or 16:9 aspect ratios and is constructed from Elite's proprietary MaxWhite 1.1 gain synthetic weave material. You'll also find direct wired (Ethernet) / wireless options (IR and RF) for control, a side access panel in case the motor ever needs to be removed and a price tag starting at $1,778.
Apple quietly settles MacBook 6-bit LCD screen lawsuit
It looks like that would-be class action lawsuit over the quality of MacBook and Macbook Pro screens has fizzled out to nothing, as the plaintiffs have quietly settled. Although it's technically true that the 6-bit screens can't actually display millions of colors at the same time, apparently the two photographers who filed the suit had a difficult time finding other people who had bought MacBooks based on the advertised color depth of the display -- and from what we're told, you just can't have a "class action" without a "class." Even still, we hope someone at Apple was paying attention to how much interest the case generated at the outset -- although MacBook Pro screens generally look fine to us, we've seen some awful MacBook screens in our day.
ASUS P750 secretly packing VGA resolution?
Here's one you may not have heard before: a manufacturer decides to stick a VGA touchscreen in some handset model not because it wants VGA resolution, but just because it got a killer deal on them. That's the rumor being floated on a handful of sites and forums about ASUS' monster P750 Windows Mobile 6 Professional device, with some sharp-eyed contributors noticing that each logical pixel on their devices' screens are actually comprised of -- count 'em -- four physical pixels. Indeed, a quick glance of the spec sheet for the alleged part number used reveals a "VGA/QVGA dual viewing mode," so the story seems to check out, and folks are apparently already hard at work enabling full 640 x 480 resolution on their beloved devices. Good luck, everyone!
ASUS' 9-inch Eee PC, now with living pixels!
We showed you quite a bit of the 9-inch Eee PC from ASUS yesterday, but they wouldn't let us turn it on. Now that CeBIT has officially begun, however, ASUS is lighting up those pixels loud and proud. ASUS tells us the screen is 1024 x 600, and it looks to be almost the exact same pixel density as the 7-inch version. The computer was being shown in both Linux and Windows XP versions, so it looks like you'll be able to have your choice of OS when the 9-incher is released later this year.%Gallery-17479%
DNP's Supernova Epic Screen now shipping
DNP -- the very same folks that developed the daylight-friendly Supernova Flex Screen -- is all set to begin shipping out its newfangled Supernova Epic Screen. Clearly aimed at high-end home theater enthusiasts, this particular projection screen promises to provide "widescreen reproduction of movies in all aspect ratios displaying superior high-contrast images in 100-percent neutral color." Additionally, the unit's motorized masking system is "fully adjustable from closed to 2.40:1 settings," and it even combats retro-illumination so you don't have to. The Supernova Epic is available in standard sizes up to 156-inches (though custom orders are welcome), and while pricing has yet to be divulged, we're taking that as a sign of unaffordability.[Via AboutProjectors]
Keeping your screen clean
Although I can be a bit of a slob, I'm pretty anal retentive when it comes to keeping my electronics clean. That goes triple for my MacBook. Although I was pretty scrupulous with my last laptop, the glossy screen and black casing that shows all have required me to become even more attentive. Even though I don't have people touching my screen all the time, I manage to accumulate build up of fingerprints, smudges and dust marks (most likely from the keyboard) that require giving the screen a full cleaning every week.The Apple Blog has posted some some great tips/techniques for keeping your screen looking like new, and while they are directed for glossy screen owners, the same basic techniques can be used for any screen, be it iPod/iPhone, matte LCD screen (like on a MacBook Pro or older Apple laptop), iMac, etc.The key is getting the right type of cleaning solution an the right type of cleaning cloth. The author of the tips article recommends using monitor wipes from some sort of Office supply store, but I've found that unless you get individually sealed one-time use wipes (which can get expensive), the wipes tend to dry out very, very quickly, effectively making them useless. I prefer to use cleaning product like iKlear or a home-made 50/50 solution of isopropyl alcohol and bottled water. 99% of all electronics cleaners out there are essentially diluted isopropyl alcohol (add blue dye and some fragrance and ammonia and you have Windex -- don't use Windex on your screen).As for the right kind of cloth, you want to use a lint-free microfiber lens cloth (it will be slightly textured as opposed to a smooth microfiber cloth that you use for polishing/cleaning an iPod or digital camera screen, you can use a smooth microfiber cloth, but I have had much better results with the more textured ultra-suede cloths for laptop screens). Now for the actual cleaning:
DS Daily: Screen safety
Alright, spill: are you using screen protectors, or do you like taking risks? It took me a while to get around to getting a set when I got my (omgsoawesome) Crimson and Black Lite, and every time the DS was turned on, it was like an exercise in terror. But now all is safe and grand and a shiny new level of safety has been installed. Of course, then it led to another train of thought ... in this house, that screen (or rather, the shield) gets cleaned often. Just a rubdown with a soft cloth, to be sure, but a dirty DS is just not allowed. Are you vigilant, or do you let the fingerprints pile up?
Apple working on pressure sensitive touchscreens
Apple Insider's got the latest on yet another Apple patent application, this one for not just touch sensitive screens, but for pressure sensitive touchscreens. Right now, the iPhone can tell where you're touching it, but not how hard you're pressing on it. The device described in the patent could do just that, and use the force information "for purposes of providing command and control signals to an associated electronic device."Pretty interesting. I can't think of a great use for it besides the one Wacom and other high-end input tablets already use (the harder you press, the darker mark you can make with a virtual pencil), but then again, I'm not an award-winning user interface designer (just a pretty average user interface user). Who knows what Apple could come up with using an interface like this-- maybe flip through CoverFlow albums front-to-back as well as horizontally?Of course, like all patents, as AI notes, Apple has no obligation to actually use this design in any of their products. But just in case you needed any more hints that they're not walking away from a touchscreen interface anytime soon, here you go.
iPhone owners experiencing display issues, too?
We aren't saying that this is a widespread issue just yet, but a (rightfully) annoyed tipster has informed and shown us that his "refurbished" 8GB iPhone seems to have the same "negative black issue" that some iPod touch owners are currently grumbling about. Granted, he admits that the photo makes things look a little worse than they do in person, but the problem is still apparent. So, dear readers, are any of you experiencing iPod touch-like display issues on your iPhone?[Thanks, Jason G.]
iPod touch dark screen problems
There are increasing reports out there about problems with the screens on the new iPod touch. Apparently many folks (including here on TUAW) are complaining that the screen is very dark and lacking in details. Above you can see a comparison on Apple Touch comparing the iPhone to the iPod touch (right). Over at the Apple Discussion boards a third-party LCD engineer weighs in with a possible answer: bad quality control in manufacturing led to an error with the anti-reflective coating. If this is right, he suggests the problem might be fixed at the factory in the near future. The upshot is simply that it may be worth waiting a bit if you want an iPod touch to see what Apple is going to do.[via Digg]
Revolutionary: Super Size Mii
Every Tuesday, Mike Sylvester brings you REVOLUTIONARY, a look at the wide world of Wii possibilities. It may be time for Nintendo to concede that we've entered the HD-era. Anyone looking to buy a new television will have an increasingly difficult time finding a "classic" SD tube amongst the pristine plasmas, elegant LCoS, lavish LCDs, dazzling DLPs, and (soon-to-come) sexy SEDs. And the technologies behind today's televisions are benefiting greatly from economies of scale, making it easier for consumers to consider going big on their next TV purchase. For too long, big screen gaming had been confined to dollar-munching arcade machines and reruns of Silver Spoons, but more and more people are finding out what it feels like to have a truly super Mario kicking gargantuan goombas across the Mushroom Kingdom. If you haven't yet been bitten by the big bug, today I'll make you feel the itch.
