Day: September 14, 2011

Giinii AudioBulb hands, eyes and ears-on

GiiNii AudioBulb

Alright, so check this out — that thing above is both a 5W LED light bulb and a 10W wireless speaker. Around the edge is a ring of glowing diodes with a four-stage dimmer, while the center is a 2.25-inch driver that speaks to a dock via 2.4GHz wireless. The AudioBulb from GiiNii is a fairly unique way to kick out the jams anywhere in your abode and they disappear into practically any lamp. A basic setup of two bulbs, a dock and a remote will set you back a surprisingly steep $299, but you can add on up to six more bulbs for $99 a pop. Speaking of rooms and bulbs, you can configure the speakers to work in stereo pairs or in mono, and set up two zones with different volume levels.

The dock is a chintzy feeling piece of plastic with an integrated iPhone/iPod connector and around back you’ll find an auxiliary jack for the non-Apple fans. The dock can connect to the speakers from up to 100 feet away, depending on the environment, and comes pre-paired with the bulbs in the box. Adding additional speakers requires just the push of a button on the base and bulb simultaneously to get the party started. It was tough to hear the tunes over the din in the hall at Pepcom’s event, but we’re confident it can’t quite compare with the Play 3. They did, however, give off enough light to keep their little corner of the convention well lit. Check out the gallery below as well as the PR after the break.

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Giinii AudioBulb hands, eyes and ears-on originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Sep 2011 21:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Thunderbolt coming to Windows PCs in 2012 from Acer and ASUS



Apple has so far been the only PC maker to support Intel’s high-speed Thunderbolt interconnect, but Windows PC users will be able to get in on the fun soon enough: Acer and ASUS have announced that they will ship computers with Thunderbolt ports starting next year.

Intel’s Mooly Eden demonstrated a Windows-based PC transferring files at 700MBps from an Intel SSD during the company’s Intel Developer Forum, according to IDG News.

Both HP and Sony had claimed early support for the nascent standard, but HP later changed its mind and decided to stick to USB 3.0. Sony did end up using the tech in its updated Vaio Z ultraportable, but used a proprietary implementation that only works with a special GPU and Blu-ray equipped docking station. With no support outside Cupertino and few peripherals shipping, we wondered whether Thunderbolt would gain wider adoption.

That’s where Acer and ASUS come in. Both companies, which are working on new ultrabook models to ship next year, say they will ship PCs with Thunderbolt next year as well. The manufacturers will likely use new Cactus Ridge controllers announced by Intel this week, which are believed to offer a cost advantage over current Thunderbolt chips. Those controllers should be available in the second quarter next year—the same time that Intel's Ivy Bridge platform launches.

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Thunderbolt coming to Windows PCs in 2012 from Acer and ASUS

Dyson intros Hot AM04, aims to change the home heating game (video)

Leave it to James Dyson to give your ordinary household appliance a new spin. Tonight in New York City, Mr. Dyson took to the stage in order to properly unveil his latest gizmo — the $399.99 Dyson Hot AM04. As its name suggests, this is the company’s latest fan Air Multiplier, but with a ceramic coal heating element to keep your toes toasty. On those muggy summer days, you’ll be able to get your room down to a frigid 32 degrees Fahrenheit, and when the the winter’s bitter cold hits, you’ll be able to hit 99 degrees — caliente. The unit is designed much like a jet’s wing, bringing air in from its bottom grills and amplifying it six times as it soars out through the ducts.

Interestingly enough, we’re told that the heating element stays at one preset temperature, measuring the room until it reaches the level you tell it to. As you’d expect, an inbuilt safety mechanism flips the whole thing off if it tips over. With its tiltable base or an included IR remote, you’ll be able to change the temperature, choose between ten fan speeds and set it into an oscillation mode. Better yet, the remote magnetically clings to the top of the unit — perfect if you’re prone to losing things. It’s currently available in white or silver directly from Dyson (though a remote-less version is tipped for those looking to save a few bucks), and you’ll find more details in the PR past the break.

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Dyson intros Hot AM04, aims to change the home heating game (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Sep 2011 21:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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European Union extends Beatles’ copyright, still gonna have to buy the White Album

If you’ve been waiting for the hits of the ’60s to lapse into the public domain, prepare to be disappointed. The European Union has agreed to extend the term of protection for sound recordings — which previously lasted for 50 — to 70 years. That means the White Album won’t be free to own until 2038. The extension was granted to guarantee income for performers in their old age who would otherwise lose out, such as impoverished multi-millionaire Sir Paul McCartney. Opinions are divided, with record companies praising the move and open-rights groups being a lot less enthusiastic. An interesting point to note is that the move was done in spite of government-funded research to the contrary. Either way, ever increasing copyright legislation means it’s far more likely we’ll see even more extreme anti-piracy adverts, just like the one after the break.

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European Union extends Beatles’ copyright, still gonna have to buy the White Album originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Sep 2011 20:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Netgear’s N900 dual-band router hits 900Mbps top speed, pats itself on the back

Stopping just short of bundling its announcement with an “Eye of the Tiger” MP3, Netgear’s rolling out the hyperbole carpet for its now available N900. Heralding it as “the most advanced wireless home router,” the sleekly-designed $180 box packs six antennas for an extended WiFi range, and is capable of speeds up to 900Mbps — that’s with both the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands delivering data at a full 450Mbps. Sure, TRENDnet’s already called First! with its own 450Mbps concurrent dual-band device, but the real focus here is on the added extras. In addition to the two USB ports — capable of 30% faster transfer rates — Netgear’s thrown in a suite of goodies, like its Genie network monitoring application, Live Parental Controls, printer sharing, video stream optimization, DLNA, gigabit wired ethernet, guest access, WPA and WPA2 security protocols, usage meter and, lastly, a shutoff timer. Clearly, this isn’t your ordinary wireless router, and that’s exactly the company’s point. Click on past the break for the official presser.

Continue reading Netgear’s N900 dual-band router hits 900Mbps top speed, pats itself on the back

Netgear’s N900 dual-band router hits 900Mbps top speed, pats itself on the back originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Sep 2011 08:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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