| Email widget takes on viral rumors, fact checks for you May 8th 2012, 06:04  If you're one of those people who actually believes that Facebook is going to start charging users tomorrow, you're probably going to want to skip this post. LazyTruth is working on a Gmail widget -- something that could've easily been borne out of Google Labs -- that will automatically vet your messages and determine if they're full of viral misinformation. When it detects specific unique phrases that are consistent with known fallacies, it immediately circles back to Snopes.com and Factcheck.org (a pair of myth busting portals, if you couldn't guess) to provide original source links and even rebuttals. It seems like it could be a great way to make us all even lazier more efficient when it comes to debunking some of the wilder rumors that tend to affect our most gullible friends. Of course, given that there's no set release date just yet, perhaps the source link could use a scrubbing itself. We kid... we think. Email widget takes on viral rumors, fact checks for you originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 08 May 2012 02:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink  New Scientist |  Lazy Truth | Email this | Comments | | Sony unveils Crystal White PlayStation Vita, limited digital diva edition May 8th 2012, 05:21  Remember that line-up of colorful consoles we eyed back at TGS? One of eight of those mock-ups is about to become a reality, at least in Japan. On June 28th, color conscious gamers will be able to pick up a WiFi or 3G Crystal White PlayStation Vita for ¥24,980 and ¥29,980, respectively (that's about $312 and $375 if you're counting in greenbacks). If the absence of color is a bit too bland for you, a limited edition Hatsune Miku handheld will hit shelves two days later, commanding a ¥10,000 ($125) premium for the privilege of plastering Sega's digital diva on your Vita's rear touch panel. On the plus side, Vocoloid's poster girl packs a 4GB memory card to offset the limited edition's larger sticker price. No word yet when or if these Vita variants will hit the western world, but we'll let you now if we hear anything. Until then? Try to satiate yourself with the video after the break. Continue reading Sony unveils Crystal White PlayStation Vita, limited digital diva edition Sony unveils Crystal White PlayStation Vita, limited digital diva edition originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 08 May 2012 01:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink Engadget Japanese | Sony | Email this | Comments | | Olympus Tough TG-1 iHS packs 12-megapixel sensor, f/2.0 lens, ruggedized housing for $399 May 8th 2012, 05:00  Ruggedized cameras have always been delivered with some kind of compromise -- an inflated price tag, bulkier body or sub-par image quality. Now, much as the E-M5 did to tighten the gap among mirrorless cameras, Olympus is introducing a full-featured pro-worthy Tough model. The Tough TG-1 is effectively an XZ-1 in a ruggedized shell -- its 12-megapixel 1/2.3-inch BSI CMOS sensor, 25-100mm, f/2.0-4.9 4x zoom lens and 3-inch 610k OLED display are all wrapped in a reinforced body, capable of flawless shooting at depths of 40 feet, in temperatures as low as -10 degrees Celsius (14 degrees Fahrenheit) and after a 6.6-foot fall. With the TG-1, the company is aiming for the pro's gear bag, bringing features like 30 fps full-res rapid-fire shooting (for 50 consecutive shots, or 220 in a 3-megapixel 60 fps mode), the same TruPic VI image processor previously available only on current-gen PEN models and super-fast E-P3-like focusing speeds to an affordable, pocketable compact. The TG-1 is also a capable video shooter, offering 1080/30p captures on land and under the sea, with Linear PCM audio recording and a powerful Multi-Motion Movie image stabilization feature. A shutter range from bulb to 1/2000 second boosts versatility, while tools like GPS, an e-compass and pressure-measuring manometer combine to provide data-rich pictures while also aiding in-camera tools, like a compass with 3D renders and a power-efficient GPS that helps to identify more than 700,000 landmarks around the globe. It's hardly approaching ILC territory, but the camera includes some lens accessory compatibility, with an available conversion adapter with fisheye and telephoto attachments that work (and can be swapped in and out) underwater. Double-locking battery and HDMI port doors will keep dust and water away from compartments, and a repellant coating helps fight water build-up on the lens -- there's 40.5mm filter compatibility as well. The Olympus Tough TG-1 is set to ship for $399 in mid-to-late June, and we're fairly certain it will be worth the wait. Full PR is just past the break. Continue reading Olympus Tough TG-1 iHS packs 12-megapixel sensor, f/2.0 lens, ruggedized housing for $399 Olympus Tough TG-1 iHS packs 12-megapixel sensor, f/2.0 lens, ruggedized housing for $399 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 08 May 2012 01:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | |
