RED DSMC specs detailed, prices start at $28,000 for EPIC-X, lower-end Scarlet still vague

Here we are at last. RED has finally dropped the full specs of at least one its "Digital Stills and Motion Cameras." And what did you expect? RED has naturally blown this thing out. The first camera to be released will be the insanely high-end EPIC-X, which will come out in four stages and retails for $28,000 (ouch). A pre-production "TATTOO" version will hit this year, followed by a production model for pre-existing RED owners next year, a release after that for RED trade-ins and then finally a widespread release. Meanwhile the Scarlet 2/3-inch camera (which is much more akin to current video-shooting DSLRs, though it doesn't have a full frame sensor) hasn't been given a price range or a release window, but promises to please with dual XLR inputs, electronic lens interoperability with RED, Canon and Nikon lenses (adapters required) and 1080p shooting at 60 fps. One great function shared between the cameras is the ability to operate the camera with a touchscreen and perform "touch focus tracking." So, now that we've frightened off all but the die-hards with a hint at pricing and some vaguely defined functionality, let's let the bullet points take it away after the break:

Aptera 2e

For a time, it looked Aptera might be missing out on the US Department of Energy's funding bonanza for energy-efficient vehicles due to its car's three-wheeled nature, but it looks like President Obama has now had the final say on the matter, and signed legislation that makes both two-wheeled and three-wheeled vehicles eligible for the same funding as their four-wheeled counterparts. Of course, that doesn't yet mean that Aptera will actually receive any funding, and the legislation doesn't have anything to do with safety regulations, where the 2e is still classified as a motorcycle by the Department of Transportation. For its part, however, Aptera says that it'll be filing another application to meet the updated requirements, and it still insists that it'll hit "volume production" of the car sometime in 2010, and get it on the road for between $25,000 and $40,000.

Regen Reverb

If you thought Regen's Renu solar-powered iPod dock was unbelievable, get a load of its big brother, the Reverb. It's 3-feet tall and capable of cranking out 60 watts of power off of the sun's rays.

 

LG launches official site for GW620 Android phone, sort of

LG's GW620 handset may be easy to miss among all the other current Android-based offerings, but it looks like LG is now starting to ramp things up a bit to help it get noticed, with it recently launching (inadvertently, judging from the copy) the official site for phone complete with some fresh new images and promo videos. While there's expectedly not much in the way of new details, LG's ads and promo videos (check one after the break) do seem to position the phone squarely in CLIQ territory, with LG even going so far as to dream up a series of mascots (including a "Social Butterfly") to demo the phone's social networking capabilities. Head on past the break to see for yourself, and keep an eye on the link below for what should soon be the "official" official website.

[Via Android-France Via Engadget]

Ropid

This cute, lil' Japanese robot is like a kid after too much candy, but somehow it's got better balance than most of us after a long day of writing posts. Check out how it lands gracefully after some high jumps.

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Aside from supposedly being the fastest runner and best jumper among similarly constructed robots, ROPID also responds to voice commands, with either action and speech. It's so talented and cute that I don't even suspect it could have an evil side, but I guess we'll see about that when it turns into a Christmas must-have toy seasons from now. [Robot Watch via Dvice via Gizmodo]

HTC Droid Eris

Hey, HTC -- we're onto you. We know you're a little upset that the lower-end Droid Eris isn't getting much attention now that the DROID is all over Verizon's marketing agenda, but it's not like we don't feel your pain. For those interested in spending a full Benjamin less on their next Android handset (on Big Red, anyway), the Droid Eris looks to offer that very solution, and now a few more sneak peeks have shown that a 5 megapixel camera (with a video record mode) is gracing the rear. We're also told that WiFi will be onboard (right, VZW?), and a bundle of joy will also be thrown in after mail-in rebate. Whatever that means.

Read - Boy Genius Report
Read - phoneArena
[Via Engadget]

First USB 3.0 Motherboard

Intel might be dicking around on USB 3.0, but Asus ain't. The Xtreme Design P7P55D-E is apparently the very first USB 3.0 motherboard. It's an Intel P55-based mobo that uses a third-party USB 3.0 controller for a pair of ports.
It has 10 USB 2.0 orifices too. Personally, I'd just wait for a full USB 3.0 board, where every port's USB 3.0. Otherwise, you're just gonna feel cramped and then dumb, when you have to buy another board. If you must have the 3.0 now this slab supports CrossFire and SLI with a pair of PCIe x 16 slots, a pair of Gigabit ethernet ports, and eSATA. Of course, there's no price or date for this thing yet, which makes it a little less exciting, perhaps. As exciting as gimped USB 3.0 motherboards can get, anyway. [Register via Gizmodo]

Cisco’s FlipShareTV

How I love thee, FCC, and thy never-ending bounty of product announcements. Scanning through the filings this evening, I solved the Flip remote control radiation testing mystery report. After perusing the unreleased “FlipShare TV” product manual, it seems the three-piece package is a companion to Cisco’s Flip video recording devices. Previously recorded video, accessed on a computer via FlipShare software, is wirelessly streamed via the FlipShareTV USB stick (above, lower left) to the small FlipShare TV box (above top, connected to a television) and controlled via remote (above, lower right). What we don’t know is the ship date (probably soon) and pricing (probably too much). So maybe what you really want is AppleTV 3.0. Or a TiVo. [Zatz Not Funny!]

Some Germans Built This Outdoor Library Out Of Beer Crates

This particular architectural gem could only come from Deutschland. It's an outdoor library partially constructed out of beer crates. Not surprising that they've been working on it since 2005 though, takes time to empty out the crates after all.

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Designed by a group called KARO, the library started out as an art installation consisting of beer crates stacked up in an abandoned district center in Madgeburg, Germany. Now sheltered seating areas and extra cozy nooks constructed out of wood from an old warehouse have been added to complete this crazy design. I've got no clue how they keep books dry when it rains, but I definitely wanna snuggle up with a novel in one of those corners. [Dezeen Via Gizmodo]

MB&F Horological Machine No.2.2 Is a Formidable Keeper of Time

What happens when you cross a Swiss watchmaker with a French Designer and a fair amount of titanium? Well, you end up with MB&F's Horological Machine No.2.2, of course.
Designed by renowned French Designer Alain Silberstein, the dual-dialed watch has a body crafted from a single piece of titanium, tells the time on the right and the date/current phase of the moon on the left. The hour is displayed using a jumping mechanism, which is under the minute dial, which resembles a speedometer.

Horological Machine No.2.2

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Only 8 of these limited edition pieces will be produced, so if you have an obsession with watches (and presumably, alot of disposable income), you might want to start plotting ways to get your hands around this watch—or rather, this watch around your wrist. [MB&F via Watchismo via Dvice Via Gizmodo]

America's (newest) largest solar plant set to go live in Florida

If all goes well, this 25-megawatt solar plant in Florida won't be America's largest for long, but it's not like we'd pass up the opportunity to let this $150 million facility bask in its own glory (and the sun, if we're being thorough) while it can. The Desoto facility is just one of three solar projects that Florida Power & Light is spearheading, and judging by the proximity of this one (in Arcadia) to the 75-megawatt facility planned for nearby Charlotte County, we'd surmise that the two are linked in some form or fashion. President Obama is expected to show up rocking a set of Kanye glasses underneath a welder's mask when the plant is fired up this Tuesday, and while it'll only provide power to "a fraction" of FP&L's customer base, it'll still generate around twice as much energy as the second-largest photovoltaic facility in the US of A.

[Thanks, Yossi]
[via Engadget]

Honda design boss discusses changes to production CR-Z

Honda global design director Nobuki Ebisawa - click above for high-res image gallery

For the first time in its history, Honda invited a select group of North American media to visit to its design studio this week following the Tokyo Motor Show. While we didn't see any secret new cars today, we did sit down for a chat with Nobuki Ebisawa, general manager of global design for Honda. Among other things, we discussed the styling of the new CR-Z hybrid sport coupe.

Honda unveiled an updated concept version of the CR-Z at the show that's merely a thinly-veiled version of the production model slated to debut at the Detroit Auto Show in January. The new concept remained on the show floor while the original 2007 concept was on display in the studio along with two quarter-scale clay models. One model was of the original proposal from early 2007, while the other model was the 2009 concept. Both are the work of Motoaki Minowa, while the actual concept that was built in 2007 was produced by Makoto Iwaki. Read on to learn more about the changes.

Gallery: Honda CR-Z design studio

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Pentax limited Edition The Korejanai K-x DSLR

You Yanks won't be getting your paws around this without a buddy in Japan ready and willing to ship it your way, but those camped out in the Land of the Rising Sun can soon jockey for an opportunity to grab the most colorful Pentax K-x DSLR of all time. The Korejanai K-x -- which was engineered by the same folks behind the 'Self Destruct Button' USB hub -- looks as if it had all of its panels painted a different hue, and as diehard lovers of the iconic 1996 Volkswagen Harlequin Golf, we can't help but drool here. Only 100 of these will be sold, and it'll be bundled with a matching Korejanai Robot Model. Of course, the camera itself is identical to the standard version save for the paint job, but somehow we're guessing you'll appreciate this one just a wee bit more. It's set to sell for ¥79,800 (around $880), with orders being accepted starting at 10AM JST on November 2nd. Best set your alarms, kids!

[Via Image-AcquireVia Engadget]

Nokia patent app reveals dreams of pressure-sensitive multitouch interface

Nokia's no stranger to the patent application process here in the United States, and while we've certainly seen some strange ones emanating from its R&D labs, this one looks like something that should be implemented on the double. Explained as a "user interface for controlling an electronic device," the multitouch solution would essentially allow you to pinch, zoom and rotate objects as usual, but it would also employ an array of pressure sensors in order to give your motions a sense of severity. If executed properly, one could theoretically envision the use of a strong push to simulate a double tap (for example), or as a means to activate a secondary function that generally requires another button press or the use of a 'Function' key. Hit the read link for all the mumbo jumbo, but be sure to keep your expectations within check. Or not.

[Unwired View via Engadget]

Else Intuition

In 2006, Access bought the rights to Palm OS, and licensed the code to Palm. Access spent plenty of time and money developing a next-gen OS, which Palm totally ignored for their own. Things looked grim! Until this thing.
The Else Intuition, aside from being one of the first phones to use Access' Linux Platform v3.0 OS, is a 3.47-inch 480x854 slab of handset, with an OMAP 3430 processor, 16GB of internal memory, a five-megapixel camera, A-GPS, and 3.5mm headphone jack. It's capable hardware to start with, and the Palmy (an honestly, kind of sleepy) v3.0 OS has been slapped with a completely new OpenGL-accelerated interface, codeveloped by Access and Emblaze, who had promised an "ultimate holistic device," whatever that means, late last year.

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It's a lot to process, and there's not a ton of info to run with here: There's no hands-on to indicate if this left-field software is any good, and the companies won't get any more specific than "[worldwide] operator evaluations are currently underway" as far as potential release dates go. That said, this looks like decent hardware, albeit seriously bricklike, and newness counts for a lot in mobile software. (Pre, anyone?) Maybe this whole Access fiasco wasn't so crazy after all? [Access via Impress via Gizmodo]

Honda U3-X

Jim Kenzie of the Toronto Star tries out the U3-X - Click above for high-res image gallery

If there is one thing humans love, it's personal mobility. After all, what other species regularly harness other creatures for the sole purpose of getting around. The auto industry is all about personal mobility. Since the dawn of the car in the late 19th century, it has been adopted world-wide as one of the preferred means of getting around.

OMA wins competition for Stadskantoor building at Rotterdam’s City Hall

© OMA

A month ago we presented you the finalist entries for Stadskantoor, a new mixed used building at Rotterdam’s City Hall. After a process of public feedback and a presentation to the professional jury, OMA’s entry was awarded with the 1st prize.
The strategy of the project is very simple: a modular flexible structure spans between existing buildings, supporting the mixed use program, while freeing the space below for public use. The axonometric shown below shows this rich public realm that the offers back to the city.

The New Bouwkunde by Adam Wojtalik

Polish Design Season: for his masters project student Adam Wojtalik proposed a conceptual design for the Delft University of Technology’s Faculty of Architecture, whose previous campus was destroyed by fire in 2008.

Called The New Bouwkunde, the campus would feature an eleven-storey tower and a five-storey pavilion.

Canon 1D Mark IV: The $5000 New King of Cameras

The videos are out, and now so's the camera: $5000 buys you a 16MP DSLR that shoots at a whopping 102,400ISO with a new 45-point autofocus system, 10fps bursts, and oh yeah—suck it D3s, incredible 1080p video.
The 1D Mark IV uses an APS-H-sized 16-megapixel sensor that's "similar in size to a Super 35mm motion picture film frame" with a 1.3x crop factor (so not full-frame, booo) , and a normal ISO range of 100 to 12,800, with expanded going up to 102,400 ISO (like Nikon's fresh D3s). The new 45-point autofocus system has 39 cross-type points and uses a new AI Servo II AF predictive focusing algorithm that's supposed to be faster, which is handy, since it shoots in 10fps bursts.

But, let's talk about video, which Canon isn't too shy of making the star of this camera: You get full manual exposure control, stereo mic input, and 1080p video at 24, 25 or 30fps; 720p and standard def at 50 or 60fps; and the samples, while obviously Canon-vetted, so far look seriously amazing (that's a link to a full-res1080p stream of the video above, by Vincent Laforet).
There's a new auto-lighting optimizer that automatically adjusts contrast and brightness in-camera that sounds sorta like Nikon's Active D-Lighting. And hurray, a new white balance algorithm that's better at low color temperatures, something that Nikon's typically been better with in the past.
It's coming out in December for $5000. Man, pro DSLRs just got way more interesting again. Six-digit ISO speeds, extreme low-light performance , high-def video: It's a war.