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VR

Inside the iPad 2: Chip brings 50% browsing boost

Wondering what makes that iPad 2 you just got tick and how much faster it is than the original iPad? Anandtech, iFixit, iosnoops, and UBM TechInsights have provided some answers.

Processor performance: Let's address this first--for obvious reasons. Apple has already been very public about the dual-core 1GHz A5 processor--a step up from the single-core chip in the original iPad--and the chip's "up to 9X faster" graphics" (Apple's ad copy).

And the verdict from an independent review? "CPU [Central Processing Unit] performance...we found to be a healthy 50 percent faster than the … Read more

Sharp announces first 100GB Blu-ray disc

Blu-ray disc capacity just jumped substantially.

Sharp, a member of the Blu-ray Association, announced Monday that it's going to be the first optical disc maker to launch a new Blu-ray format that offers 100GB of storage space.

The existing dual-layer Blu-ray format offers a cap of 50GB per disc. The new format, called VR-100BR1, will use a new triple-layer standard that enables even more data to be squeezed onto the same amount of physical space.

According to Sharp, the VR-100BR1 disc is made based on the new BDXL format specification introduced by the Blu-ray Disc Association in April. This … Read more

Sneak peek at Vuzix Wrap 920AV glasses

There's little doubt that as we inch closer to the technological singularity, video-enabled glasses will play a part. Unfortunately, manufacturers have yet to produce a pair that don't make you look like a complete idiot, and bionic eye camera implants still seem a ways off.

Luckily, the folks at Vuzix must have grown tired of all the Geordi La Forge jokes, as their latest pair of video glasses look astonishingly normal. While there's no guarantee that the Vuzix Wrap 920AV won't induce muffled laughter from everyone around you, they do promise to combine virtual reality capabilities … Read more

Apple buys stake in mobile graphics chip designer

Apple has taken a small stake in a British chip designer, revealing how the company plans to power the graphics in future iPhones and iPod Touches.

Imagination announced Thursday that Apple has acquired a 3.6 percent stake in the company, which will only cost Apple 3.2 million pounds, or about $5 million. Imagination designs chip cores for a variety of applications, but its most prominent designs are its PowerVR cores for graphics in mobile phones.

That is believed to be the source of Apple's interest in the company, according to AppleInsider, which has tracked Apple's interest … Read more

3VR Security updates line of surveillance gadgets

3VR Security announced on Monday the 3VR SmartCam, a new line of megapixel surveillance cameras, and a new 3VR SmartSearch Network Video Recorder. The two work together to create a complete network surveillance solution.

Because it sends only critical information, such as motion and faces, to the 3VR system for analysis, the 3VR SmartCam uses less storage, network, and computer requirements than comparable megapixel cameras, the company says. This helps minimize CPU requirements by as much as 90 percent.

The SmartCam also comes with digital pan-tilt-zoom capabilities. Operators can quickly view specific regions and see important details of scenes, or … Read more

Finally, a $10,000 simulator for adults

We've never quite understood why so many high-end game simulators for the home basically look the same as the ones at the mall or the theater lobby. After all, if you're going to shell out several grand, the least they can do is design some that don't look like they came directly from an arcade fire sale.

That's why we appreciate Global VR's efforts on its "Blazing Angels" simulator, which is designed to look like the cockpit of a World War II fighter plane, complete with faux bullet holes in the fuselage. It … Read more

Good vibes for Nikon's 18-55mm lens

As an increasing number of competitors add sensor-shift image stabilization to their consumer dSLRs--Olympus and Pentax, to name but two--OIS diehards Nikon and Canon have to keep up by moving lens-based stabilizers farther down their product lines. Earlier this year, Canon updated its staple f3.5-5.6 18-55mm kit-optimized lens with the IS moniker and technology, and now it's Nikon's turn to follow suit with its AF-S DX Nikkor 18-55mm f3.5-5.6G VR lens.

For those of you who lack the Nikon lens-speak decoder ring (though there seems to be an e-version on bythom.com), the lens … Read more

Concept 360-degree panorama cam draws lots of interest, little understanding

Update, 5/30/07: I knew this wasn't the first concept of its kind, and sure enough, our own Candace Lombardi had covered one in a previous life. Cedric Tay's 360 Degree Digital Camera even won a European design award.

While it lacks the visceral impact of the film version shown to the left, designer Ye Chen's hypothetical digital camera optimized for shooting 360-degree panoramas has the advantage of being a lot smaller and cooler looking. The camera concept, posted today on the Yanko Design site, incorporates a rotating camera lens, essentially turning the entire camera body … Read more