Yeah, So...

I'm takin' a break.  Get over it.

Alienware M11x R3

The 11.6-inch MacBook Air is the most perfect laptop I’ve ever owned, but that thin, miraculous wedge of glass and aluminum isn’t for everyone. As a writer, it’s the notebook I’ve always dreamed of, the laptop analog to the iPad… but as a gamer, it’s woefully under-specced. I forgive the MacBook Air for this, of course: as long as you aren’t running anything graphically intensive, the Air feels so fast thanks to its SSD that the idea of specs itself seem meaningless.

What if you’re a gamer who wants massive performance in the smallest footprint, though? Enter Alienware with their third foray into the ultraportable market, and if the specs rumored by Dell-Lab is anything to go on, we’re looking at a beast of a machine crammed into a form factor the size of a couple of MacBook Air’s pressed together.

The alleged specs include an 11.6-inch LCD (1366×768, LED-backlit), up to 8GB DDR3 RAM, up to 750GB storage or 256GB SSD, WWAN 3G/LTE/WiMAX 4G, and shipping in either red or black soft touch material. The proposed CPUs are Intel Core i5-2537M, Core i7-2617M and the Core i7-2657M.

Sandy Bridge CPUs! LTE/WiMax 4G options! Up to 8GB of RAM! All in under a foot’s worth of real-estate. In fact, the only thing not listed is the GPU, which we would assume — being an Alienware machine and all — would be similarly beefy to the rest of the specs. It should surpass the Nvidia 335M (1GB) used on the M11x and M11x R2, but the post coyly says there is not even confirmation of a discrete GPU yet. We’re betting Alienware sticks with discrete graphics, otherwise it takes the chance of massively disappointing consider number of M11x fans out there.

With the M11x currently at $599 (and about ready to be phased out) and the M11x R2 at $799, we should see the M11x R3 starting for under $1000 with the same (if not better) battery life. Rumor has it that these will be shipping some time in April.

Read more at Dell-Lab

Canon: Mirrorless micro four thirds are for loser camera makers

Canon has long been one of the dominant camera makers, and usually at the forefront when it comes to the camera packaging includes new form factors, which makes their complete failure to release the Micro Four Thirds camera even more inexplicable. Ultimately, the Micro Four Thirds is a popular motherboard, which has been around for many years, and is a good measure of economic society, such as Canon, because it promotes the sale of the lens. So what happens? Why not be the Canon Micro Four Thirds on the market?

Well, I do not know if this piece becomes suddenly executive questions about Canon, but it is entertaining. Social Canon Consumer Imaging, Rainer Fuehres amateur photographer said that the company is not looking at the Micro Four Thirds or the like as these form factors have been closed for business the loser could not hack DSLRs. convincing.

That said, Fuehres did not say that Canon will never make the Micro Four Thirds camera. However, if the Canon in the market, they marched to its beat.

"The idea of ​​a compact camera system has nothing to do with whether the camera is a mirror or not, but it is small and portable system," he said. "If the fees do not participate I hope not only to introduce me-too product, but there will be an opportunity to do something different."

We've heard this before from Canon. They said in July last year that they were not interested in the Micro Four Third, but instead thought they could shrink to a digital SLR factor Micro Four Thirds format size. Canon actually had a story in the market for digital SLR not to do incredible things to shrink the camera mirror, so that we would not be surprised if they managed that. But when?

KINECTS adapted to detect disorder symptoms in children

The motion controller KINECTS is no stranger to the medical procedures were reported in January that slowly unfolding in the operating room for surgical care. But now researchers at the University of Minnesota, Microsoft KINECTS sensors once more as a way to measure disorder symptoms in children.

The team, composed of a number of researchers from the Minnesota Medical Association, Science, Engineering and Education / School of Human Development, received an amount of $ 3,000,000 National Science Foundation grant to use in their research KINECTS. Were seeking to observe and analyze the behavior and movement abnormalities in children. These models could indicate possible behavior problems such as OCD, autism and attention deficit disorders.

Traditionally, these observations made by people via video recordings of patients. But one of the leading researchers in the project believe KINECTS based system could take the subjectivity of the process. This could result in significant savings of thousands of dollars compared to other diagnostic methods and conventional procedures. In some cases, the system KINECTS may eventually reduce costs up to $ 100,000 and also prevent the need to place sensors intrusive for the child.

Open-source PC operating systems and Microsoft KINECTS official SDK which was released earlier this month (spring for a non-commercial use) is to help researchers to adapt technology to their needs. But it will be another six months before their system is ready for testing.

Brandi, You're A Fine Girl

7 Truths About Me

I’ve been tasked by Brandi from Brandi’s Place to post 7 facts about me.  Since I enjoy a certain amount of anonymity here, this might be a little tough, so let’s see where my brain takes me for this exercise in truthiness.

Truth... Hmmm...  I dunno, it’s against everything my blog represents.... I make up stories, therefore they are not completely true.  I’m male, so as a self fufilling prophecy, “Men Lie”.  (Hang on a minute here, was that my first truth?  I dunno.)

Facts About End Transmission...

I have an unrepentant sweet tooth.  There are 5 major food groups, right?  The Pasta group, the Fast Food group, the Asian food group, the Pizza food group, and the Dessert food group.  There are always cookies in the cupboard, and plenty of ice cold milk on hand. Had some coconut cream pie the other day.  Delish!

I have no pets.  I love dogs and cats, but my allergies prevent me from having a little furry ball of energy around the ET compound.  If I did have a dog, it would be a Rottweiler.  Because they’re AWESOME.

I used to be a long haired rock and roller.  As a concert sound engineer, someone paid me to go to rock concerts and drink beer.  It’s good work if you can get it.  I have since cut off (or more accurately lost) all my hair, and went corporate.  Music and audio are still a big part of my life, but I sleep in my own bed every night.  Well, almost every night.... nudgenudgewinkwink

I am a neatnik.  You can blame my mother for this.  Yes, my closet is color coordinated.  That’s not hard to do when 80% of your wardrobe is black. (have ya seen my avatar people?) I learned long ago that it’s much easier in the morning to just reach in the closet and grab something without thinking.  No brain power needed in the early hours before work.  

I don’t watch much network television.  The TV is constantly on, sometimes even while I sleep.  It’s usually on some cop drama or Dirty Jobs or some other basic cable stuff.  It’s NEVER on any reality based programming.  Because, well, it’s not REALITY.  Favorite show of the moment.... The Cape.  How many shows can you say have a midget, a stripper and a magician in it? (besides Jersey Shore)

I have had one vacation as an adult.  (Adult meaning over 30)  I’ve been all over this continent, but only for working vacations, or just for work. I’ve worked in 42 states, Canada and Mexico. My one vacation was to Folly Beach.  It was a family vacation, and it was a flippin’ nightmare.  I’ve never been overseas.  :/

I often make time to appreciate the world around me.  Even though I’m stuck in a gigantic concrete building for most of my week, I make sure to take time and step outside and look around.  I’m looking forward to watching a few more sunsets this Spring and Summer.  Take a few moments to enjoy one.  I highly recommend it.

Pendulum

The pendulum is swinging back in my direction, and it’s heading straight for me, and there is nothing I can do to stop it.  I’m just one little ball away from being toppled by it’s mighty blow.

I’m looking after my parents now.  You see, this is the time in life where the roles have changed, and we, as children, ,must do our best to look after our aging parents.

It’s not an easy task, as I’m still their little boy in their eyes. (and many times, in mine.)  They are creatures of a very regimented schedule, and strict habit.  Casual living is not my parents’ strong suit.  Taking it easy, and relaxing does not come easy to two very busy, and involved people.  They have been forced to slow their breakneck pace due to illnesses, old age, and well; life.  Technology has rolled over them like a locomotive.  They refuse to leave their one cell phone on when it’s on the charger.  They don’t even have call waiting.

I am responsible for getting them to and from appointments with the doctors.  I also stop by every now and again just to have dinner, and get them caught up on my mundane and docile life.  They look forward to my visits, as their friends are mostly over the phone friends these days.  I help them put away the holiday decorations, as the boxes are just too big to carry down the basement steps.  I fix the plumbing, and the electrical, and put up new shelves. These are all things my Father would do on his own, and I know how to do them because he took the time to show me 'how to'.

I am conflicted often about having to drop everything and run over to their house.  I go, kicking and screaming, and cursing as I drive.  I argue with myself at how selfish I appear to be, and how dare you for a second act that ungrateful to the two people who brought you into this world, and gave you so much for so long.  I hang my head in shame from the guilt I feel about my thoughts.

Today, I’ll fix a ceiling fan that’s on the fritz.  Mom will hug me for what seems like a full 10 minutes, thanking me profusely.  Dad will shake my hand, and pat his Mr. Fixit on the back.  And I will leave, with a smile on my face, as I’m reminded that paying it back comes in many different forms.  This is my job now, and I’m perfectly suited for it.  I’ve got to run for now.  It’s pizza night, and a light fixture needs new bulbs.

Olympus’ new 16MP superzoom

Generally speaking, gadget makers try to avoid announcing new gadgets before an Apple event, but in the hush before the coming iPad 2 storm, Olympus decided to get out a press release for a handful of digital cameras, the most interesting of which is their new superzoom, the SZ-30MR.

Boasting a 24X optical zoom running the gamut of 25-6000mm, the SZ-30Mr boasts a sixteen megapixel backlit CMOS sensor, which would make it capable of some fairly decent low-light photography if not for the fact that the aperture maxes out at just f3. ISO goes up to 3200, which is a pipe dream, although you might get acceptable performance up to 1600. The SZ-30MR also boasts HDMI out, a 3-inch LCD, and an easy-to-use 3D mode where you can pan the camera while taking a photo and the camera will automatically capture a 3D composite shot. Neat.

Here’s where it gets really interesting, though. The new Olympus SZ-30MR boasts a new mode called Multi Recording, and it accomplishes a very neat trick indeed: it allows you to record full 1080P videos and 16MP stills at the same time. If that doesn’t impress you, you can even shoot two movies simultaneously, by shooting a wide-shot and a close-up at the same time.

That’s some pretty unique functionality. Unfortunately, it’s mitigated slightly by the narrow aperture, as well as the lack of RAW capture. Otherwise, though, if you’re looking to spend about $400 for a high-end point-and-shoot, the Olympus SZ-30MR looks like a pretty good bet when it’s released in April.