Apple TV first impressions

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Apple TV first impressions

By now, if you preordered an Apple TV, you should be enjoying one for yourself, but in case you didn't, a limited number of units were available yesterday at Apple stores in the US. If you weren't able to snag one however, we have a quick overview of the new unit to hold you over. As far as sizing, well… it's as tiny as the photos on Apple's site make it look. Definitely smaller than two iPhone 4s placed next to each other, though a little taller. Around the back of the device, things have been simplified. You'll find a power port, HDMI port, optical audio port, ethernet port, and microUSB port. Yes, that is all. Though the Apple TV comes with a new CNC'd aluminum remote, you are going to want to use an iOS device if you have one. Not only is the Remote app for iPhone, iPod touch and now iPad fully redone, it also gives you access to your shared home content on iTunes. That means you can control every song or video in your iTunes library as if you were at your main computer.

In addition to now streaming instead of painfully syncing your iTunes content, there are obvious other advantages of the new Apple TV. The first one? Netflix! Something long available on practically all other home entertainment consoles, DVRs, and systems, Netflix on the Apple TV works great. It's simple to set up, and you have access to everything you would want from the comfort of your sofa. We're cooking up a more detailed overview, but there are a couple in action shots after the break for your enjoyment. Also, definitely chime in if you're a lucky owner of a new ATV — hit us if you love the new design and feature set, and comment if you don't — we want to know what you guys think.

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Throwback Thursday: Apple IIgs

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Throwback Thursday: Apple IIgs

Apple made a lot of beige boxes back in the 1980's, but for some reason, if you ask someone about their first computer, the Apple IIgs often comes up. The IIgs was originally released on September 15, 1986, and was one of the first Apple computers to use a 16-bit microprocessor. Running at a blistering 2.8 MHz, the "g" and "s" stood for "graphics" and "sound" respectively. The IIgs packed an 8-bit Ensoniq wavetable sound chip that offered 32 separate channels of sound, and a video card that could dazzle the eye with a 12-bit pallet of 4,096 colors. The graphics card could also push graphics in native resolutions of 320 x 200 pixels or 640 x 200 pixels. The IIgs originally came with 256 KB of RAM built-in (later updated to 1.125 MB) and could be upped to 8.125 MB for those power users; the IIgs also included 128 KB of ROM (later updated to 256 KB). You would often see a matching beige floppy drive, keyboard, mouse, and dot-matrix printer hanging off the side of the GS; making this the ultimate Oregon Trail, word processing machine. Anyone out there ever own an Apple IIgs? How about the Woz: Special Edition?

BGR Throwback Thursday is a weekly series covering our (and your) favorite gadgets, games, and software of yesterday and yesteryear.

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Volkswagen Polo named 2010 World Car of the year

Volkswagen AG and Volkswagen of America, Inc. are proud to announce that the Polo has been honoured as the 2010 World Car of the Year. With 59 of the top automotive journalists from around the globe judging, the Polo surpassed a total of 29 other nominees. Announced this morning at the New York International Auto Show in New York City's Jacob Javits Center, the annual World Car of the Year awards recognize the year's most outstanding vehicles based on merit, value, safety, environmental impact, significance, and emotional appeal.

"We're honoured that the Volkswagen Polo was chosen by this distinguished group of jurors," said Prof. Dr. Martin Winterkorn, Chairman of the Board of Management of Volkswagen AG. "After the great triumph of the Golf last year, we are delighted to repeat this success with the new Polo. These automobiles have reaped numerous awards, winning well-nigh every prize the automotive industry has to award. This shows that Volkswagen is on the right track and is offering arguably the best range of products in its history."



The latest generation of the Volkswagen Polo has quickly become a favorite in the brand's lineup to drivers and media alike, with its uncluttered, timeless design, and exceptional versatility and efficiency. More than 230,000 customers worldwide have placed orders for the newest version of Volkswagen's popular subcompact vehicle.

Now in their seventh year, the World Car of the Year awards, have become one of the most credible and significant programs of its kind. The World Car jurors hail from 25 countries, and are appointed by the World Car Steering Committee on the basis of their expertise, experience, credibility, and influence. Each juror drives and evaluates new vehicles on a regular basis as part of his ongoing, full-time professional work, and, collectively with all the jurors, reaches millions of consumers and automotive enthusiasts across the globe.



In a separate award, the BlueMotion product brand consisting of the Golf, Passat, and Polo, was declared the 2010 World Green Car of the Year by the World Car of The Year organisation.

The 59 member jury awarded the BlueMotion product brand over two other finalists in the 2010 World Green Car award: the Honda Insight and the Toyota Prius.

Jurors felt that: 'It is not necessary to add an electric motor and a heavy battery pack to achieve class-leading efficiency. Based on Volkswagen's common rail diesel engines, the BlueMotion models are among the most fuel-efficient vehicles on the market. In fact, the Passat BlueMotion can travel just about 1,000 miles on one tank of fuel in the European cycle. As far as internal combustion engines go today, these models are the ultimate you can get.'

'BlueMotion is one of the most succ...

100,000th new Volkswagen Scirocco leaves the production line

Since its market launch in 1974, the Scirocco compact sports coupé has been the most successful Volkswagen in its segment: 795,650 vehicles were sold up to 1992. Currently, the third generation is being manufactured.

On Friday, at the VW Autoeuropa - Automóveis Ltda. plant in Portugal, just two years after its market launch, the 100,000^th third generation Scirocco rolled off the production line. Andreas Hinrichs, Autoeuropa Plant Manager, said: 'The Scirocco is one of the most important cars that we produce. For myself personally, it was a moving moment.'

The celebrated model is a Scirocco R 2.0-litre TSI, in Rising Blue Metallic, with a Titan Black interior, radio navigation system, Park Pilot and a tilting sunroof. In southern Portugal, with 3,000 employees, Volkswagen produces the Eos, the new Sharan and, since 2008, the third generation of the Scirocco.

With its attractive design and sporty appearance, the Scirocco leaves a lasting impression. In 2008, it claimed the AutoBILD Design Award and was named Car of the Year by Top Gear magazine.

The Scirocco is looking just as good in motorsport as it does on the open road: already in 2008, the racing version of the new Scirocco occupied top ranks at the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring. In its first time at the competition in 2009, the Scirocco GT24-CNG (natural gas) won in the alternative-drive class.

How much does your lifestyle cost? Find out with Volkswagen

Volkswagen has launched the latest stage in its 'Unbelievable Value' campaign with a new microsite designed to illustrate the true cost of everyday living over a lifetime and how looking beyond the initial price tag and making small changes can lead to dramatic financial gains over the long-term.



By logging onto www.truelifecosts.com visitors to the site are introduced to a fictitious village representing different areas of everyday life from food and family to fun, homes, holidays and cars. Click on any of the areas and they'll be guided through a series of simple interactive demonstrations showing how the little expenditures in life can quickly mount up and how, with a series of small tweaks, large savings can be made. An expensive coffee, an extravagant holiday, that handbag or the latest TV – they all add up over a lifetime.



In the car section, visitors can learn how much they could save if they opted to buy a Volkswagen rather than a competitor model. Volkswagens offer impressive whole-life costs thanks to competitive purchase prices and running costs through fixed price servicing plus consistently strong resale values. In the case of the Golf, over a period of three years, this could amount to a saving of up to 14 per cent when compared to its direct rivals. Enough for an expensive coffee every day, an extravagant holiday… you choose.

Interesting facts are also included – for free of course. Such as that the average person spends £1172.44 on sausages in their life, which all added together would make a banger measuring 360 metres. Or that we spend £512.47 on jams and marmalades over a lifetime. Based on an average application time of six seconds per slice of toast would take 18 and a half hours to spread. Incredible.

Any of these facts can then be shared on Facebook, along with guilty confessions about whether the user is a gourmet supermarket shopper or a pub grub fiend for example. Visitors can also compile a personal Cost Report and the financial implications of their spending choices calculated. These can also be posted on Facebook.

Designed and developed by DDB UK, the site will be supported by a radio advertising campaign in the coming weeks.

Volkswagen at the MPG marathon: The results

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Volkswagen at the MPG marathon: The results

Volkswagen is pleased to report a successful performance in this month's 2010 ALD Automotive/Total ECO 10 MPG Marathon.



Two vehicles were entered, both of which demonstrated impressive economy, thanks to a combination of engineering, technology and careful driving.



The Golf GTI with 2.0-litre 210 PS engine and DSG automatic gearbox has a manufacturer combined figure of 38.2 mpg. Driven by David Madgwick and Ashleigh White, it achieved 55.63 mpg – a 45.62 per cent improvement – to claim the best percentage improvement accolade.



Meanwhile, the Polo BlueMotion – a vehicle more traditionally associated with low fuel consumption and driven by Andrew Andersz and Alyson Marlow – was named runner-up in the best 'overall MPG' category. The Polo returned 89.22 mpg during the event, representing an 8.52 per cent improvement over the manufacturer's combined economy figure of 80.7 mpg.



The Polo BlueMotion has a three-cylinder 1.2-litre 75 PS common rail diesel engine and a raft of economy measures including aerodynamic and gearing modifications, Stop/Start system, low rolling resistance tyres and battery regeneration. Despite this, it is a practical five-seater and retains all same design, quality and practical attributes of other Polo models. Winner of the best 'overall MPG' category was the SMART Fortwo.



Thirty-five vehicles took part in this year's 400 mile, two-day challenge which covered a testing combination of A and B roads as well as the motorways of Warwickshire, Worcestershire, Herefordshire, Shropshire, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire. Only six, including the Polo BlueMotion, achieved more than 80 mpg.

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Seventh generation Passat unveiled at the Paris Motor Show

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Seventh generation Passat unveiled at the Paris Motor Show

Following over 15 million sales in 37 years across 100 countries around the world Volkswagen has unveiled the seventh generation of the Passat at the Paris Motor Show. Establishing benchmarks in quality, design, economy and comfort the new Passat is not only the most advanced iteration yet but also the most efficient.



A completely new look styled by Klaus Bischoff (head of design, Volkswagen) and Walter de Silva (head of design, Volkswagen Group) establishes a fresh direction for the Passat saloon and Estate with clean surfaces and an elegant yet imposing stance. The front of the car, dominated by a new grille element with prominent horizontal chrome fins, features striking heavily contoured headlight units, set into which are LED running lights. At the rear a set of distinctive tail lights is joined by subtle chrome highlights that extend down the side of the car. Every body panel apart from the roof is new.

Measuring 4,769 mm in length (Estate 4,771 mm) the new Passat is marginally longer than the car it replaces (+4 mm) and at 1,820 mm wide and 1,474 mm tall (Estate 1,519 mm) it retains the same proportions.

The fresh look continues inside the seventh generation Passat with new seats that can be specified to both heat and cool their occupants and even feature a massage function for the driver and front seat passenger. A revised dashboard with new dials, trim finishes and an analogue clock are joined by subtle chrome inserts and the option of ambience lighting similar to that found in the Phaeton. The centre console has also been uprated with revisions to the minor controls as well as new door trims.

Powering the new Passat is a range of advanced and highly efficient petrol and diesel engines. The petrol line-up comprises a 1.4-litre TSI engine developing 122 PS, a 1.8-litre TSI unit with 160 PS, a 2.0-litre TSI 210 PS engine and a range-topping 3.6-litre V6 producing 300 PS.

The refined and frugal diesel range starts with the most efficient engine, the 1.6-litre TDI unit producing 105 PS. Equipped with this engine and the BlueMotion package of changes including aerodynamic modifications, Stop/Start and battery regeneration, the new Passat can achieve a combined 68.8 mpg while emitting just 109 g/km of CO₂. This equates to a theoretical range of over 1,000 miles on a single tank of diesel. Joining the 1.6-litre TDI is a 2.0-litre TDI engine available in two power outputs – 140 PS and 170 PS. Each of the engine ranges can be specified with a choice of manual or DSG gearboxes.

The new Passat is available with many new safety and comfort technologies previously only seen in the Touareg and Phaeton luxury models.

The optional new City emergency braking function, a part of t...

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New Midsize Seden from VW

In an effort to stem the outpouring of criticism aimed directly at the recently-revealed B7 Passat
, VW has released some more pics of the upcoming American NMS (New Midsize Sedan). Thankfully, we here in the States won't have to deal with the reskinned Passat and its - according to our readers - "boring" looks. Instead, we'll be getting a production version of the car seen here, Teutonic and built in Tennessee.

VW says the NMS will debut at the NAIAS in Detroit in January 2010, with sales beginning in the third quarter. Short of the pics they've released, there have yet to be any official details; however, it's safe to say this will essentially be a Passat with a more Ameri-centric look.

Other than that, one styling bonus over the B7 that's immediately noticeable is the C-pillar's BMW-derived Hofmeister kink. Other design elements that would be appreciated in a production model are the higher belt line, squat appearance, narrower daylight opening, and Audi-inspired tail lights. VW, get us some pics of this thing pronto.

By Phil Alex

Burnout

The burnout. It's one of the greatest things a person can do with an automobile. It looks great, it's liberating and it's a downright blast if you do it right. Some people think that burnouts are reserved for big block muscle cars making 500 plus horsepower, but in today's day and age that is simply not the case. Hell, most guys will try a burnout with anything as long as it has an engine attached to it. One manufacturer that is NOT known for being able to smoke the hides is VW. Take an old VW Beetle for example, those babies came stock with around 44 hp and had trouble making it through a stiff headwind. However with the right amount of tuning and a few little engine mods, the little buggers can be made to run with the biggest and baddest out there. The above video was made in 2008 at the Scandinavian Cal-look Classic in Norway and shows all host of VW's smoking the hides in super slow motion. It's a long video and something that is definitely worth the watch, so now just sit back, hit play and enjoy a little smoke before a long holiday weekend.

Electric Beetle Goes Coast-to-Canadian-Coast

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Electric Beetle Goes Coast-to-Canadian-Coast

A team of students from the University of British Columbia (UBC) in Canada have crossed the Great North in an electric '71 VW Beetle. The Beetle was converted to electric by UBC Electric car club. It's powered by a lithium-ion battery pack and driven by a three-phase A/C motor. The setup is good for a range of 185 miles at 60 miles per hour or 340 miles at 30 mph. It recharges in four hours. Not bad. Not bad at all. The team had a few snags, including a broken half shaft and a busted charger, but they crossed Canada in 14 days. I wonder if they're selling the Bug. I totally dig it.

Source: Wired Autopia

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Roll Golf Returns!

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Roll Golf Returns!

VW RollGolf Rolls Again!

Thank God that beer fueled Scandinavians have to endure long winters. Otherwise, we wouldn't know what happens when you shorten the wheelbase of a VW Golf, lift the suspension and wrap the outside in a round roll cage. If you liked the first roll Golf video that circulated the internet, you'll love the repeat antics in this one. It looks like our viking-speaking heroes have worked (most) of the bugs out and completed the design for their self righting car.

It's a good thing I don't own an acetylene torch and a tubing bender, because there's a press fleet Fiesta in my driveway that would make a pretty spectacular roll car. Of course it's not winter down here, and using a cutting torch in a 100 degree garage isn't my idea of fun.

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2011 Audi TT RS Coming To U.S. Thanks To Internet Petition

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2011 Audi TT RS Coming To U.S. Thanks To Internet Petition

Photo: Audi

Sometimes, it would appear, your vote really does count for something. Take the Audi TT RS, for example: until now, the hottest version of Audi's popular two door coupe was verboten in the United States. Thanks to 11,500 U.S. fans, Audi has reconsidered their position and has agreed to import the TT RS to these shores. It will come in coupe version only, and there are no plans for a TT RS cabriolet on this side of the pond.

Photo: Audi

The TT RS uses Audi's 2.5 liter, turbocharged inline five cylinder motor, good enough for a claimed 360 horsepower and 332 ft lb of torque. Power is delivered to all four wheels via Audi's superb quattro AWD system, and only a six speed manual transmission will be offered. Zero to 100 kph (62 miles per hour) time should be in the range of 4.6 seconds.

Photo: Audi

Pricing will be announced closer to the launch date, which is scheduled to be sometime in Q3 2011. In the EU, the TT RS commands roughly a 65% price premium over the base TT coupe. If that price premium will be carried over to this side of the pond, expect the limited availability TT RS to sticker at around $58,000.

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2011 Volkswagen Touareg Models Announced

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2011 Volkswagen Touareg Models Announced

2011 VW Touareg TDI. Photo: VW

In the market for a mid-size SUV / Crossover vehicle? Can you hold out just a little while longer? If you can, then you may want to give VW's second generation Touareg SUV a drive when it hits dealer showrooms later this fall. For diesel fans, this is very good news since the Touareg will be back with a TDI clean diesel variant. Unfortunately, the V10 turbodiesel and it's stump pulling 553 ft lb of torque won't be used in second generation, but there's still enough grunt in the new oil burner to keep torque fans happy.

Photo: VW

The 2011 Touareg will be offered with three motor options, beginning with a 3.6 liter V6 (280 horsepower, 265 ft lb of torque) that gets 23 mpg highway and 19 mpg city. A new hybrid version, available next spring, gives you a supercharged 3.0 liter V6 coupled with an electric motor that yields a combined 380 horsepower and 428 ft lb of torque, while returning an estimated 25 mpg highway. Finally, the aforementioned 3.0 liter turbodiesel will get you 225 horsepower and an impressive 406 ft lb of torque, while netting you 28 mpg highway and 19 mpg city. All motor choices shift through a new eight speed automatic transmission, and all Touareg models come with VW's 4MOTION all wheel drive system. Finally, all engine options are rated to tow up to 7,700 pounds when equipped with the factory installed tow package.

Photo: VW

Several Trim levels are planned, including Sport, Lux, Hybrid and Executive. All include an 8" touchscreen nav and infotainment system, Sirius Satellite Radio, HID headlights, rearview camera, power adjustable and heated front seats and dual zone climate controls. All Touareg models include six airbags, an improved head restraint system, ABS, traction control and electronic stability control. Expect pri...

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=?cp932?Q?Smart_eBike:_Electric_Innovation_for_When_You=81fre_Ti?= =?cp932?Q?red_of_Peddling.?=

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Smart eBike: Electric Innovation for When You're Tired of Peddling.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but weren't bicycles invented as a human powered mode of transportation with the added benefit of keeping your fat ass in shape? Over the past year I've been seeing battery powered bicycles buzzing all over NYC and for the life of me I can't understand why. Ok fine, for the Chinese Food delivery guys I can see the applications, but for everyone else who owns one I'm just taking it to mean that they're just flippin' lazy. Apparently Smart, maker of the crappy ForTwo micro car has now decided to jump on the electric bike bandwagon as well by developing their own electric two wheeler dubbed the eBike and debuting it at the Paris Motor Show. After watching the video you can see that the eBike is extremely well made and packed with some nifty technology like a hub-mounted electric motor as well as iPod integration. Let's face it though, this is supposed to be a bicycle, not a scooter so what the hell is Smart doing building one of these? The way I see it, this bike will appeal to the same hipster urban-ites who purchased the original Smart Car. Sure it's cool, but at the end of the day it's not going to help you lose those saddlebags you've been carting around on that big ass of yours. My opinion… save the money, go buy a Schwinn and do some real exercise. Trust me, you'll thank me later.

Source: Youtube.com

Related Posts:

• Smart E-Scooter Concept to Debut at Paris Motor Show.


• Lamborghini Sesto Elemento Concept Unveiled


• The Ferrari 599 Roadster You Can't Buy


• Range Rover Evoque Debuts In Paris

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One-Million-Pixel External Viewfinder for Video-Shooting SLRs

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One-Million-Pixel External Viewfinder for Video-Shooting SLRs

You can get great movies from a DSLR, but you're stuck with staring at the rear LCD-panel whilst shooting. With the internal mirror flipped up to let the light get to the sensor, the viewfinder is blacked-out. Enter Redrock Micro's microEVF, an external electronic viewfinder for SLRs. Or rather "HDSLRs" as they are called in the press release, continuing the slow addition of useless letters onto the start of the SLR name.

The microEVF plugs into the HDMI port of any camera that has one and uses the signal to drive its LED-backlit LCD screen. The eyepiece has a 1.2-million dot resolution, which is higher than the 920,000-dots found on most high-end rear-panels. The 6-ounce unit has its own battery which promises a full day of use, and there will also be some mysterious "Electronic assist features that will be announced closer to production release." These will either be self-contained additions, or will rely on information reaching the eyepiece via the HDMI-cable.

The microEVF is probably essential for anyone shooting outdoors in the sunshine, and – because it can be positioned off-camera – it's a lot more practical than the loupe-type hoods that just fit over the camera LCD. A release date has yet to be decided, but the price will be $595.

MicroEVF product page [Redrock Micro]

See Also:

• Professional Video Shoulder Mount for iPhone 3GS


• Nano' Mounts Turn SLRs into Movie-Cameras on the Cheap

Follow us for real-time tech news: Charlie Sorrel and Gadget Lab on Twitter.

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IOS 4.2 Beta Adds Tethering to iPad

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IOS 4.2 Beta Adds Tethering to iPad

iPad 4.2b2 tethering preferences by Paul Grave on Twitter

If you install the latest iOS 4.2 beta 2 on your iPad 3G and visit the "Cellular Data" section of the settings app, then you may be in for a rather nice surprise. Right there, underneath the familiar APN settings is a new option: to tether the iPad's internet connection.

Both of the screenshots here come from the UK, one on the T-Mobile network and the other on 3. A complete lack of reports of this option in the US indicates that tethering on the iPad will follow tethering on the iPhone, and be available only in select markets where the carriers approve. This is far from the first time that an iOS beta has switched on tethering, and it may disappear later.

Why would you want to do this? After all, sharing the data connection from your iPhone to you iPad would seem more sensible, right? I can think of several uses: Sharing a connection with friends (I actually needed this when I was reading in a bar, and the Lady was working on her MacBook with no internet connection). Or perhaps letting you update an iPod Touch's email and Instapaper before heading out and leaving your iPad in the hotel.

The most useful, though, would not be the sharing of 3G data itself. If tethering lets you set up an ad-hoc network with the iPad, then you could beam photos to it from a Wi-Fi camera in the field. Then my waste-of-money Eye-Fi card might finally become useful.

iPad 4.2b2 tethering preferences [Paul Grave / Twitter]

Internet Tethering coming to iPad? [9to5 Mac]

See Also:

• AT&T Internet Tethering Comes to iPhone OS4 Beta


• AT&T Adds iPhone Tethering, Kills Unlimited Data for iPad …


• Pictures: iPhone 3.0 USB Tethering Already Activated

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Sony Ericsson LiveView, An External Monitor for your Phone

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Sony Ericsson LiveView, An External Monitor for your Phone

At first, SonAt first, Sony Ericsson's tiny 1.3-inch Bluetooth external cellphone screen seems like a joke. And then you realize that it is designed to work with the giant, slab-like HTC Desire or Sony Ericsson's own Xperia X10 and it all makes sense.

The LiveView is a small OLED screen the size of a watch-face. It has physical buttons on its corners, and the bezel is touch-sensitive. You can use it to control music, check Twitter, read RSS feeds or do pretty much anything an app wants to do. Applications need to be written to use this monitor, and the most impressive demo in the video below shows a sports app sending stats to the LiveView as you run.

The widget comes with a wrist-strap (of course – wrist-mounted gadgets are the new pocket-watches, or something) and can be clipped onto clothes, just like the iPods Nano and Shuffle. There are a handful of phones that support it already, but you can use it with any phone running Android 2.0 or better by downloading Sony Ericsson LiveWare Manager from the Android Market.

I love the idea. Wouldn't it be great if Apple did something like this with the Nano and the iPhone? The LiveView will be in stores in the fourth quarter of this year, price as yet undecided.

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Ligier VIPA: Hey Eric Schmidt, Your Car Is Here [Paris Motor Show]

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Ligier VIPA: Hey Eric Schmidt, Your Car Is Here [Paris Motor Show]

Meanwhile, in the "Dystopian Vision" hall at the Paris Motor Show, there's the Ligier VIPA, a driver-free electric vehicle with room for six passengers that's as cute as a puppy with encephalitis. Eric Schmidt, your car has arrived! More »

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Panasonic 推出新的 10" Let's Note J 系列筆電

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Panasonic 推出新的 10" Let's Note J 系列筆電

自從 Y、T 和 W 系列分別被轉成了寬螢幕的系列後，R 系列的跟進似乎是勢在必行，只是不知道什麼時候而已。答案揭曉：接替 R 系列的寬螢幕筆電，就是 J 系列囉！雖然同樣是 10" 的螢幕，拉寬的 J9 採用的是 1366x768 的解析度，比原本 R9 的 1024x768 要增加了一點額外的顯示空間，同時 J 系列使用的竟然是標準電壓的 i5-460M / i3-370M 處理器，號稱是 10" 級以下的筆電中的第一次。



為了打入女性市場（Let's Note 原本的使用者 9 成以上是男性 囧），J9 設計了筆電「外衣」，多少藏一下底下「樸實」的外觀，只是原本重僅 990g 的筆電加上外套後會增加到 1205g，幾乎和 12" 的 N 系列沒兩樣了。J9 也設計了新的鍵盤，將按鍵做成了樹葉型的，號稱可以加輸入時的準確率。兩款新筆電（J9L / J9N）規格如下：



．CPU：i5-460M / i3-370M

．記憶體：2GB DDR3（最高 6GB，一個空插槽）

．硬碟：128GB SSD / 160GB HDD

．螢幕：10.1" 1366x768

．周邊：VGA、HDMI、SD 卡讀卡機、USBx3（左一右二）、LAN、MIC、音源出

．電力：12hr（內附大電池）/ 7.5hr（內附小電池）

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Unreal Engine now able to make iOS apps

With Apple's recent decision to ease off on its third-party app creation tools restrictions, gamers are in for some very cool and interesting developments. At the Korea Games Conference, Epic Games announced that the Unreal Development Kit (UDK) will have the ability to generate iOS games and other applications.

The UDK is freely available and has the ability to churn out incredible looking environments, such as the Epic Citadel tech demo you might have downloaded or at least gazed upon in wonder.

If the gameplay of the final, released version of the Citadel demo is as smooth and playable as what was shown at the most recent Apple press event, there's no doubt we'll see even more amazing things come from what developers can churn out with the UDK. Think someone will port Unreal tornament?

Mmmm... new flavors of DODOcase iPad case are available

Remember the DODOcase? It was perhaps the first iPad case that we reviewed, a beautiful handmade Moleskine-like case made with traditional bookbinding methods. The case single-handedly revived the art of bookbinding in San Francisco, and it's sparked a handful of competitors.

For most of the product's short life so far, the interior paper in the case has been red. Now the company will be providing a full spectrum of 11 colors (including red) to purchasers. Craig Dalton, co-founder of DODOcase, sent us a bunch of glamor shots of the cases that we've collected into a gallery to make you drool.

An interesting note about the bookplate inside the cover of every DODOcase. Dalton noted that "We introduced the bookplate after we realized we couldn't possibly hand sign every one that went out the door. We signed the first 1000, then moved to a printed library card for another 1000 or so, then moved to the bookplate. We are passionate about the history of book binding and were really jazzed when someone pointed us towards the bookplate (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bookplate). I loved the idea of creating something that people could personalize with their name, but also feel like a part of the history of the book."

If you have a hand-signed DODOcase sheltering your iPad, consider yourself very lucky.

Gallery: New DODOcase interior colors

TUAWMmmm... new flavors of DODOcase iPad case are available originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 14 Sep 2010 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Regards,

Derik Chan

Church of Christ in China(Yuen Long Church)

5, Ping Shun St., 

Yuen Long, N.T.,

Hong Kong

Office: 24760089 Fax: 24735810

Website: www.ylcccc.org

Found Footage: Kensington Bluetooth keyboard case for iPad

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Found Footage: Kensington Bluetooth keyboard case for iPad

OK, admit it.



The multi-touch screen on the iPad is amazing for most of the work that you do, but when you're really trying to type a lot of words quickly, the virtual keyboard sucks.



We've seen a few similar keyboard cases demoed over the past few months, but this is the first we can remember from a well-known accessory manufacturer like Kensington. When it begins to ship next month, Kensington's Bluetooth keyboard case for the iPad will cost $99.



The case has hotkeys for launching the home screen, searching, and controlling media playback, which will keep you from reaching up to tap the screen while you're working. According to the post on Liliputing, the case comes with a Lithium-ion battery that powers the Bluetooth transceiver for up to 3 months on a charge. Blogger Brad Linder noted that the keys have a "soft, rubbery texture," which sounds regretfully like the infamous PCjr chiclet keyboard. Still, as Linder states, that's still better than the on-screen keyboard for fast typing.



In other iPad keyboard news, AIDACASE is reporting that their very similar Keycase Folio Deluxe for iPad is now shipping. The $99.99 case looks strikingly identical to the Kensington case, is charged through a Micro-B USB connector, and now has a magnetic flap to keep the folio closed when on the move.



For this blogger, I'd rather spend $69 and get an Apple Wireless Keyboard if high-speed typing on an iPad becomes a necessity.



[via

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What's new (and gorgeous) in iOS 4.2 beta

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What's new (and gorgeous) in iOS 4.2 beta

If you're as excited as I am about the iOS 4.2 beta being released, you probably spent the majority of Wednesday paging through all of the tech blogs and/or neglecting your responsibilities as an adult. For those of you who aren't able to experience Apple's latest firmware until November, I've rounded up all the tastiest morsels and topped them with a delicious set of screenshots.



iOS 4.2 beta has some great new features for all three of the main touch devices, meaning that you can expect the following on your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad come November:

• AirPlay: Demoed by Steve Jobs at the keynote on September 1st, AirPlay gives the iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch the ability to stream music to the Airport Express and movies, photos, and music to the new Apple TV with the touch of a button.

• AirPrint: As wireless printing has been one of the most commonly requested features of the iPad since its launch, it's no surprise that Apple has once again put pressure on the netbook market by granting consumers' wishes for full over-the-air printing from Safari, Photos, Mail, and more (provided you have a printer that is part of the admittedly limited compatibility list). Your print queue can be managed from a new "Print Center" icon that appears in the multitasking bar. The biggest surprise? You'll be able to print from your iPhone and iPod touch, too.

• Changing fonts in the Notes app: In what designers and artists may hail as the greatest single advancement ever made on the platform, Apple has given users the option to change the font that the included Notes app displays. Your choices now include Apple's original "Marker Felt," the equally ugly "Chalkboard," and the wonderful, majestic king of typefaces known as "Helvetica."

• 'Find In Page' Search in Safari: A small but incredibly useful feature makes its debut on all devices in iOS 4.2 beta. 'Find In Page' appears below the Google Suggest search results when the user activates the search box, and it works qui...

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Coming soon to a pocket near you: Jorno folding Bluetooth keyboard

Coming soon to a pocket near you: Jorno folding Bluetooth keyboard

Want a Bluetooth keyboard that you can use with your iDevice or Mac and slip into your pocket when it's not in use? Cervantes Mobile LLC today introduced their Jorno folding Bluetooth keyboard, which folds down to a tiny 3.5" x 3.5" x .9" box when not in use. When deployed, the keyboard is quite small -- 8.5" x 3.5" by just 0.3" -- but apparently quite usable. It's only 8.8 ounces in weight, too, so it won't bog you down.



The Jorno keyboard uses a rechargeable lithium ion battery to provide about a month of use; it's charged with a Mini USB charging cable. It works with a variety of devices, so even if you don't have an Apple device, you can put one to good use. It also comes with a detachable cradle for holding a phone, iPad, or media player.



Jorno will cost US$99 when it begins to ship later this fall, but you can preorder the keyboard for a special price of $79 through October 31, 2010.

TUAWComing soon to a pocket near you: Jorno folding Bluetooth keyboard originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 21 Sep 2010 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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