Sony-alpha
- Cars
Saab Announces Hybrid, E85-Powered Hatchback
As the Saab logo on the hood attests, this is not a Mini Cooper from the future. It's the Swedish automaker's latest concept car—a next-gen compact that runs on a 1.4 liter, E85-capable turbocharged engine paired with an electric hybrid system. It draws on Saabs earlier Aero-X and 9X concepts, and follows on the heels of the Saab 9-4X BioPower crossover concept unveiled at the Detroit Auto Show in January.
- Gadgets
PEBL vs. RAZR vs. ...Flashlights?
I just got a Motorola PEBL. It's one of the sexiest, best-designed phones I've ever seen. It's actually one of the best designed anythings I've ever seen. The one-touch opening mechanism is engineering bliss, and the soft -touch plastic feels wonderful in your hand. That said, it doesn't really do anything that my previous phone, the Motorola RAZR didn't. And since my RAZR is smaller, I'm switching back. It got me thinking, though, about what I need in a cellphone. Most phones have the send/receive-calls bit pretty well nailed down by now, and that's good; I can check my Gmail with my phone, and because I don't actually want my work e-mail with me everywhere, I don't mind most handsets' lack of secure server compatibility. Most next-gen models support high-speed data transfer like 3G and EV-DO. Connectivity: check. Manufacturers are also taking steps to integrate cameras, MP3 players--even TV, in some cases--into their products. Multimedia: check. Battery life is only getting better, and very small phones are easy to find. The state of our cellphone union: strong. So what do I want? I want a friggin' LED flashlight. For real. Yes, I know about the software programs you can download that make your screen flash--I've got 'em all. And yes, I've also heard of those "slim" adhesive add-ons, but there's no way I'm sticking that monstrosity onto the back of my phone. I want an LED integrated into the casing of my phone so that I can find my keys when I drop them in the movie theater or annoy my sister when she won't stop giving me advice about my fear of comittment. I know you can do this, cellphone companies; Nokia did it a few years ago with a ruggedized, Europe-only model, but for some reason no trend arose. The standard mobile-phone lithium-ion battery voltage, 3.7 volts, is more than enough power to drive an LED. The diode itself takes up almost no space, and the power-regulating hardware could even easily fit onto the crowded cellphone circuit boards. So make it happen. I'll be your first customer. And while I have your ear, a bottle opener would be killer. Thanks. What do you want in your next cellphone, blog readers? —Joe Brown
- Entertainment & Gaming
How It Works: The Toy That Thinks
Four years in the making, Pleo, from California start-up Ugobe, is a baby dinosaur robot that acts and learns like a real animal, remembering traumatic experiences and friendly owners. We peeled off its skin to reveal more than a dozen motors, six processors and 38 sensors behind its personality.
- Gadgets
Sony PlayStation Portable
The introduction of Sony's PlayStation Portable (PSP) was the moment portable game consoles stopped being toys. The PSP is a multimedia powerhouse aimed at gamers and nongamers alike.
- Gadgets
Sony Launches Smallest High-Def Camcorder
Sony today announced what it claims to be the smallest high-definition camcorder, the 10-ounce HDR-TG1 Handycam. Into this small package (1.3x4.8x2.5 inches), Sony sueezes most of the features that go into bigger models: including 1920x1080i resolution, a 10X optical zoom lens and face-recognition. It’s packed in a titanium shell with a scratch resistant coating that Sony calls “quite fashionable.”
6.26.2008 at 09:08am - Comment by Sony-alphaGreat article, keep up the good work Thanks.
- Gadgets
Double Shot
Photo buffs love SLRs because the optical viewfinder shows exactly what the camera sees. But sometimes a point-and-shoot is more convenient. Its LCD is great for framing awkward shots where you cant get your eyeball up to that little window, such as holding the camera high to shoot over a crowd or low to snap pets. Sonys new high-end cameras deliver the best of both worlds: an SLR with a fast, accurate digital-preview option.
6.26.2008 at 09:05am - Comment by Sony-alphaI have had several digital cameras, and Sony Alpha my first dslr. I love taking pictures with it, especially action shots. Super fast auto focus, choices of programs etc. are found on lots of dslr's. The reason I bought this one is that it accepts Minolta af lenses and the anti-shake technology is in the camera and not in the lens. This makes additional lenses much more affordable.
- Gadgets
Shots in the Dark
More digital cameras now use CMOS (complementary metal-oxide semiconductor) sensors to capture sharper images in dim lighting, with less "pixel noise"--colored flecks that occur at high light-sensitivity settings when the camera's processor tries to boost the brightness in a dark image.REASON
6.26.2008 at 08:53am - Comment by Sony-alphaI have had several digital cameras, and this is my first dslr. I love taking pictures with it, especially action shots. Super fast auto focus, choices of programs etc. are found on lots of dslr's. The reason I bought this one is that it accepts Minolta af lenses and the anti-shake technology is in the camera and not in the lens. This makes additional lenses much more affordable.
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December 2009: Best of What's New
In our December issue, Popular Science names the 100 best innovations of the year: bombproof wallpaper, self-parking cars, the fastest helicopter, and 97 more. Plus inventor profiles and videos.
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