Tech Today w/ Ken May

Today during Sony’s CES press conference , Sir Howard Stringer oh-so-casually dropped news about this prototype Crystal LED display they have in the works. As it turns out, it’s probably the coolest thing Sony has at CES. More »

In May Linux finally saw the release of kernel version 3.0 , an evolutionary update to the popular open-source platform that was nearly 15 years in the making. Today, version 3.1 is making its debut, once again primarily offering small tweaks like better support for Intel’s Ivy Bridge and Cedar Trail chips and improved power management. But there are some new features getting baked in, including support for NFC and drivers for Wiimotes. The brave amongst you can download the sources from Git now (it hasn’t been posted to Kernel.org just yet), but we suggest you hold out until your distro of choice releases an official update. Linux kernel hits 3.1, adds support for NFC and Wiimotes originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 24 Oct 2011 13:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink

Looking forward to Dell’s latest Windows slate? Point your peepers here, the outfit’s Malaysian site just unleashed a promo video showing off the firm’s Latitude ST tablet. The preview confirms that the 10-inch tablet will sport front and rear cameras, HDMI-out, a built-in stylus and an Intel Atom processor. The Latitude ST can also be paired with a familiar looking docking station, leaving us to wonder if we’re looking at Dell’s ‘Peju’ Tablet in its final form. Care to wonder with us? You’ll find the video after the break. Continue reading Dell Latitude ST promo video shows off stylus, docking station Dell Latitude ST promo video shows off stylus, docking station originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 23 Oct 2011 19:20:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink

Desktop PC power supplies are tough to get excited about, no matter how many features they cram in. But Cooler Master’s Silent Pro Hybrid Fanless series is actually pretty alluring. The supply isn’t actually “fanless” but it does have a fanless mode that can be used to minimize machine noise, at least until the load crosses the 200W threshold. Add to that a 90-percent efficiency, fully modular cables and a control panel that lets you manually adjust the speed of your system fans and you’re looking at quite the compelling product for the DIY desktop enthusiast. As you could have guessed though, all these fancy features don’t come cheap. Cooler Master is offering three different models: 850W, 1050W and 1300W, which range in price from $200 to $300 — a sizable chunk of change to drop on any component. They’ll be shipping this month to the US and Asia, with Europe to follow in November. Check out the complete PR after the break. Continue reading Cooler Master launches Silent Pro Hybrid Fanless Series of power supplies Cooler Master launches Silent Pro Hybrid Fanless Series of power supplies originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 08 Oct 2011 06:55:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink

Ladies and members of the so-hip-it-hurts demographic, Toyota’s got a Prius hybrid just for you. The curved, futuristic-looking EV first did the dais spin for us at the Detroit Auto Show earlier this year and now, armed with a hue-matching ‘Aqua’ moniker, is prepping to rollout to lots in January of 2012. A report in Nikkei indicates this fuel efficient gas / electric car will get just about 40km/l (or 94mpg), besting its current Prius family member’s 32km/l (about 75mpg). And as for that price tag, look for it to retail at around 1.7 million yen (or $22,000) when it makes its eventual splashy blue bow in the Japan and US next year. Toyota Prius C undergoes name change, comes out feeling ‘Aqua’ blue originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 30 Sep 2011 04:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink

The NFC Forum just released the latest update to the growing close-range standard and it includes a nice little treat called SNEP, which stands for Simple NDEF Exchange Protocol. (Side note: the NDEF in SNEP, stands for NFC Data Exchange Format — it’s like a matryoshka doll of abbreviations.) What makes SNEP exciting is that it allows for sending and receiving of data between two devices. This could be used to exchange contact information between phones (similar to Bump , but without the need for an app) or collect links to trailers from movie posters which could be played back on your TV at home. It’s potentially exciting stuff, so long as manufacturers actually make use of it. Check out the PR after the break for a few more technical details. Continue reading New NFC spec enables two-way communication, potentially makes Bump obsolete New NFC spec enables two-way communication, potentially makes Bump obsolete originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 30 Sep 2011 03:14:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink

Assuming your local laws give you permission to drool, you might want to smack your lips and read on for some expert verdicts of OCZ’s enterprise-level 2.8GB/s Z-Drive R4 PCIe SSD. If your statutory position is trickier, then maybe just do it quietly? Storage Review : the R4 “blew away the competition in nearly every test by a significant margin,” even though it costs just $7/GB — up to 40 percent less than its rivals. Hot Hardware : benchmarks support the ridiculous speed claims, but thermal sensitivity means the card must be constantly bathed in cool air. AnandTech : it’s hard to compare the Z-Drive R4 because no other SSD comes close, but this type of technology has no track record for reliability and may therefore be a hard sell. OCZ Z-Drive R4 review roundup: this is what 2,800MB/s looks like originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Sep 2011 08:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink