Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Your 2 hourly digest for Engadget

Engadget
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Ikea's Uppleva TV hits European shelves with tiny, 8GB DVR add-on
Jun 20th 2012, 02:19

Ikea's Uppleva TV hits European shelves with tiny, 8GB DVR add-on

If you're US-based, you'll still have to wait till 2013 to get your hands on a TV you can assemble with an Allen wrench. Our friends across the Atlantic on the other hand, can already snatch up a particleboard package that combines a display and TV bench. The Uppleva first went on sale in Ikea's Stockholm flagship store last week, with it's Berlin Lichtenberg shop and select others across Europe to begin selling the home theater device on July 2nd. Those eager to score one were also treated to a bit of a surprise, when the furniture company listed an 8GB USB drive (which you can see in the image after the break) as an accessory that will enable limited DVR functionality -- including the rewinding and pausing of live TV. The only bad news? According to a review by Swedish site M3 the display isn't exactly up to videophile standards and the smart TV interface is about as responsive as one of those tasty meatballs Ikea serves in its stores. Now you'll just have to have patience... or, decide that the couch, chair, desk, bookcase and dresser you already own is enough medium-density fiberboard for your tiny apartment.

Continue reading Ikea's Uppleva TV hits European shelves with tiny, 8GB DVR add-on

Ikea's Uppleva TV hits European shelves with tiny, 8GB DVR add-on originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 19 Jun 2012 22:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink GigaOm, Gizmodo  |  sourceIkea, M3  | Email this | Comments

Cartoon Network's iPhone and iPad app adds a live TV feed, for authenticated customers
Jun 20th 2012, 01:34

Cartoon Network's iPhone and iPad app adds a live TV feed, for authenticated customers

Cartoon Network announced plans to join the TV Everywhere party with a live internet feed of its channel (for authenticated cable / satellite customers) during upfronts and now the updated v1.8 app has arrived on iPhones and iPads. The feed can also be streamed with Flash on the channel's website (we tried it on an Android 2.3 device and logged in but couldn't get it to play), although the only differences we noticed were that the website feed was slightly ahead of our cable box and iOS was a few seconds behind, but with slightly higher picture quality. All in all it's very similar to the WatchESPN experience (which ABC expanded upon last week with Watch Disney, Watch Disney Jr and Watch DisneyXD apps, though the full experience is only currently available to Comcast customers), and should satisfy all those who have been missing the Toonami experience when they're away from home. Take a peek after the break for a preview trailer, shot of the login screen and press release.

Continue reading Cartoon Network's iPhone and iPad app adds a live TV feed, for authenticated customers

Cartoon Network's iPhone and iPad app adds a live TV feed, for authenticated customers originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 19 Jun 2012 21:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceCartoonNetwork.com, iTunes  | Email this | Comments

Microsoft offers a sneak peek at Windows Phone, we'll be liveblogging at 12pm ET!
Jun 20th 2012, 01:04

Microsoft offers a sneak peek at Windows Phone, we'll be liveblogging at 12pm ET!

Microsoft is definitely having a field day week, sandwiched right in between WWDC and Google I/O. Tomorrow morning the giant's offered us a sneak peek at Windows Phone, and that's leaving us plenty of food for thought to chew on. Will it be this Apollo we've heard all about? We're going to be at tomorrow morning's keynote, bringing you all of the updates as the news flows out of Joe Belfiore & Co. Join us then -- the fun begins at noon!

June 20, 2012 12:00 PM EDT

Microsoft offers a sneak peek at Windows Phone, we'll be liveblogging at 12pm ET! originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 19 Jun 2012 21:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Axio's EEG headband helps you teach your brain to focus (hands-on)
Jun 20th 2012, 00:39

Axio's EEG headband helps you teach your brain to focus handson

Usually when an EEG sensor headset graces these pages, it's used to peer into your thoughts or grant the wearer the power to control other gadgets with his or her mind. While such uses have appeal, start-up company Axio has a new EEG headband that aims to help you learn to better control your own brain. It tracks your level of mental focus in real-time and provides positive reinforcement audio feedback when you're mentally locked in. The neoprene band packs a trio of electrodes, a PCB with a Bluetooth radio and audio out, and a battery pack to power everything. It works by identifying the brainwave readings that correlate to ideal executive function in your pre-frontal cortex and shooting that data to your computer or phone via Bluetooth. Axio's software then shows an onscreen graph that charts your focus level in real-time, and for folks who prefer a more literal tracking method, there's a photo above the chart that moves in and out of focus along with your mind. Additionally, the headband provides pleasing audio neurofeedback when you're focused in order to train you to stay mentally engaged.

Unfortunately, we couldn't get much more information about the neurofeedback functionality, as the technology behind it is the company's secret sauce, and it won't divulge more until it's got the cash to bring the band to market. We also weren't able to actually test the band to see how it works, as it's still in the prototype phase and there's still a kink or two left to work out. Axio did tell us that the prototype we got our mitts on was the result of just six short months of work, and that after hacking together the original design using Arduino, the current iteration has a custom PCB better suited to Axio's needs. Co-founder Arye Barnehama also informed us that the band should be on sale by the end of summer, though he wouldn't say for how much or where we'll be able to pick one up. Sometime after it hits store shelves, Axio plans to release an SDK so that enterprising devs can make their own focus-aiding software and implement whatever audio feedback they prefer to help them take care of business -- a dose of Bachman-Turner Overdrive ought to do the trick.

Axio's EEG headband helps you teach your brain to focus (hands-on) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 19 Jun 2012 20:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceAxio  | Email this | Comments

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