Fujitsu eye-tracking tech uses built-in motion sensor, infrared LED for hands-free computing

Eye-tracking technology looks to be one of the major tropes at CEATEC this year. One of many companies demoing a gaze-following setup is Fujitsu, which is showing off a prototype desktop PC with a built-in sensor and infrared LED. This configuration should be cheaper than many other eye-controlled solutions out there, as the components are integrated directly into the computer and no external hardware is needed. It's sweet and simple: the camera captures the reflection of light on the user's eye, and image processing technology then calculates the user's viewing angle to allow for hands-free navigation on-screen.

[Source: Engadget - Read more there]

Sony reveals Japan prices for Windows 8 devices, adds touchscreen to VAIO L, E14P and T13

With Windows 8 finally launching in less than four weeks, it's only a matter of time before the web is flooded with prices of upcoming PCs, the first among which this month hail from Sony VAIO's Japan branch. Starting with the Duo 11 slider PC, it's expected to go for about ¥150,000 ($1,930) when it launches in Japan on October 26th (alongside Windows 8), and it'll come with a 1080p display, 1.7GHz Core i5-3317U, 128GB SSD, 4GB RAM and WiMAX. Then we have three flavors of the Tap 20 portable all-in-one which will range from about ¥140,000 ($1,800) up to about ¥180,000 ($2,310) come November 3rd, with the main differences being the CPU (1.8GHz Core i3-3217U, 1.7GHz Core i5-3317U or 1.9GHz Core i7-3517U) and the RAM (4GB or 8GB), but all three will feature the same 20-inch 1,600 x 900 display and 1TB hard drive.

Also announced at the Tokyo event are Japan prices for three more existing VAIO models that now feature a touchscreen: ¥130,000 ($1,670) for the T Series 13 Ultrabook with Core i5-3317U, ¥150,000 ($1,920) for the VAIO E Series 14P laptop with Core i5-3210M, and from ¥210,000 ($2,700) to ¥240,000 ($3,080) for the VAIO L Series 24-inch all-in-one with Core i7-3630QM and 1080p display. The two laptops will be available in Japan from October 26th, whereas the all-in-one will join in from November 3rd.

There's no indication as to whether the US prices will match their Japanese counterparts (the former are usually a lot cheaper), but hey, stay tuned here and you'll know as soon as we do.

[Source: Engadget]

Nominet proposes more secure .UK domain for British websites

Nominet is considering a .uk internet domain for users who can't bear to type the extra three characters necessary for .co.uk. The body is lobbying for the new domain in time for ICANN's next TLD expansion, which includes new entries like .shop, .play and .home. Nominet has promised tough entry requirements for the system, with only businesses (or persons) that can prove a UK presence being eligible to register. It'll also be around four times more expensive, with the extra charges going to pay for daily malware scanning to prevent domain spoofing and a donation to a trust to improve web security. If you're an interested party, you can offer your tuppence-worth at the body's official public consultation which runs until January 7th 2013.

[Source: Engadget]

DOMESKIN ANNOUNCES A NEW COLLECTION OF INNOVATIVE 3D SKINS

DomeSkins feature a very unique 3D “dome” design giving any device a exceptional look and feel. The patented technology and advanced engineering used in construction make DomeSkin the highest quality skin on the market. Created to enhance and improve device style with modern designs and bold statements, DomeSkins provide a unique look, slim profile and enhanced device gripping which prevents slippage and adds protection.

DomeSkin Vice President, Adam Kutlug, is excited for the launch of iPhone 5 DomeSkins along with the popularity and uniqueness of the new DomeSkin line. "DomeSkin is differentiated from other skins on the market with the clear 3D top coating and the advancements in quality engineering to produce them. The DomeSkin line is reusable due to the “clear dome” armor/resin built into the skin. We are proud to offer our customers a large variety of designs and a huge device selection, he said.

The new collection of iPhone 5 DomeSkin debuts today online and is available in unique, stylish and popular designs to match all individual personalities at, www.domeskin.com/iphone-5. The website also highlights the new collection of skins for the iPhone 5 and also the Samsung S3 which are all making a splash in the accessory market with a sophisticated style and advanced quality engineering.

All DomeSkins can be easily removed from the device and come off totally clean thanks to the patented 3M technology used in the construction of the skins. Removing the skin will not damage the skin, device or design.

DomeSkin is scratch-resistant and much more durable than other skins on the market. For this reason, the DomeSkin warranty will not expire during the lifetime of the device to which it is initially applied. The DomeSkin offers the advantage of a soft layer of “skin” to gently protect the device without unnecessary bulk—the result is a smooth, form fit which mobile device users love.

The DomeSkin product assortment provides the following device options with a retail price of $19.99 for most devices and $29.99 for the iPad. DomeSkins come in hundreds of designs suitable for everyone, while providing excellent value and the perfect blend of protection and contemporary style. DomeSkin are available for immediate purchase at: www.domeskin.com

Facebook Messenger for BlackBerry reaches App World, sates compulsive chatters

If you own a BlackBerry, it might not have been immediately apparent that Facebook Messenger has been an option since October; unlike with Android or iOS, you had to track down the download on Facebook's website. We don't know why it's been kept out of a more accessible channel, but that ends today with Facebook's chat-focused app arriving on BlackBerry App World like most any other title. There don't appear to be any new tricks included with the expanded availability, although we'd say that the wider exposure is enough of a highlight for an audience that just needs to get by until BlackBerry 10. Those who don't use BBM for all their instant messaging can find what they need at the source link.

[Source: Engadget]

Mozilla Persona sign-in launches in beta, skips the social networking ball and chain

We all know those web pages where the only alternative to a site-specific login is a social networking account. That's not very reassuring for anyone skittish about linking their commentary to a Facebook account relatives might see, if they're even willing to join a social network in the first place. Mozilla has been aware of that hesitation long enough to have just released its long-in-development Persona sign-in service as a beta. Although it has the same kind of simple approach to a login as a Facebook or Twitter pop-up window, Persona's emphasis is on privacy: it stops paying attention the moment credentials go through, keeping any diatribes or subscription details from landing in social streams or central databases. Users don't have to play a rousing game of guess-the-username, either, as they just need to sign in with one or more familiar e-mail addresses and a single password. Persona faces an uphill battle in getting web developer adoption when the establishment sign-in services are open to hundreds of millions of internet citizens, but it does have The Times' online crossword section, OpenPhoto and Voost as early poster children -- and anything that lets the privacy-minded join the party has our vote.

[Source: Engadget]

Permanent quartz glass data storage announced by Hitachi, could hit market by 2015

Sure, we can store huge quantities of bits in a tiny space, but how long will that data last? Current optical, magnetic and flash storage media have limited shelf lives, so Hitachi has announced a new way of locking up ones and zeros in quartz glass for hundreds of millions of years. The data can be etched with a laser in three layers on the crystals at a density slightly higher than a CD, then read out with an optical microscope, meaning that future generations could restore the info without needing a proprietary drive. The technology could come to market in three years, according to the research lab -- but would likely be targeted at companies first, who would need to send in their data to be encoded. Hitachi said the media withstood two hours of 3500 degree Fahrenheit temperatures in testing without data loss, meaning that archaeologists from the future may one day uncover your questionable taste.

[Source: Engadget]

Google Play hits 25 billion app downloads, holds celebratory yard sale with $0.25 games

Google Play crossed a rather significant milestone this morning: something to the tune of 25 billion app downloads. While the accomplishment is weighty enough on its own -- especially given that the store also offers books, music and movies, which aren't included in this tally -- Google is celebrating in symbolic style with a number of apps and games for sale at just $0.25 over the next five days. Among the mix of discounted titles, you'll find publishers such as Gameloft, Electronic Arts, Rovio, Runtastic and Full Fat. Not to stop there, shoppers will also discover a curated collection of 25 must-own movies, 25 banned books, 25 albums that changed the world and 25 top-selling magazines.

With today's announcement, it was revealed that 675,000 apps and games now live in Google Play -- a healthy increase when compared to 600,000 titles and 20 billion installs just three months ago. As you might expect, Apple still claims the largest selection with 700,000 titles in its App Store, although with such a thin separation between the two, we may see Google Play eclipse its rival in short order.

[Source: Engadget]

Twitter CEO says users will be able to download old tweets by year's end

Twitter's been rolling out a number of changes lately, many resulting in negative reactions, but it looks like one feature long-requested by users is just around the corner: the ability to download all of your past tweets. Twitter CEO Dick Costolo spoke today at a conference for the Online News Association, and was asked when the ability would be coming to Twitter. According to both Alex Howard and First Post, Costolo replied that it would be arriving by the end of the year.

[Source: The Verge]

Dell releases new S Series monitors with edge-to-edge glass, IPS panels

Dell's built quite a reputation for delivering solid monitors at reasonable prices, and it's now expanded its offerings in a fairly big way with no less than five new S Series models, some of which boast edge-to-edge glass and/or IPS panels. On the top end is the 27-inch S2740L, which has the most connectivity options of the lot (DVI, VGA, HDMI and a pair of USB ports) and, of course, the highest price tag at $400. From there, things drop to $300 with the 24-inch S2440L (the only non-IPS model of the lot), and go all the way down to $200 for the 21.5-inch S2240M -- the three lower-end models ditch the edge-to-edge glass but still retain minimal bezels. Unlike some of the company's higher-end UltraSharp models, though, all five monitors have a 16:9 aspect ratio instead of 16:10, and you'll get a standard 1920 x 1080 resolution regardless of the size you choose. Complete specs for each can be found at the links below.

[Source: Engadget]

W3C says HTML 5 will be finalized in 2014, HTML 5.1 to follow in 2016

HTML 5 has been a buzz word around the interwebs for so long you'd be forgiven if you thought it was awell-established standard looking for a successor. In fact, nothing could be farther from the truth. The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), which helps establish the primary standards used online, didn't actually intend to complete HTML 5 until 2022. Thankfully, the group has reconsidered that seemingly absurd timeline and now plans to have this whole mess wrapped up by the end of 2014. The revised plan calls for an HTML 5 Candidate Recommendation (sort of like a feature-frozen beta) to be submitted by the end of 2012, before being finalized in 2014. All existing bits of the standard that are unstable or that suffer interoperability problems will be pulled from that candidate and pushed to a draft version of HTML 5.1. While HTML 5 is being completed, its evolutionary successor will begin the process of marching towards standardization, with a target completion date of 2016. For a more detailed exploration of the future of HTML hit up the source link.

[Source: Engadget]

BT to offer free YouView box with one-year broadband contract, £49 for existing customers

If you're not quite comfortable shelling out £299 for BT's YouView box, then you're in luck. Starting October 26th, the hardware will be free for new Infinity broadband subscribers who ink contracts that are one year or longer. Instead of relying on cable, the Humax-built device uses both aerial and internet connections to deliver content from more than 100 digital TV and radio channels including Channels 4 and 5, the BBC and ITV. With the IPTV box, users can sift through content that's aired in the past seven days, watch on-demand programs and record up to 300 hours of standard definition television or 125 hours of high-def video to a built-in 500GB hard drive. Current British Telecom subscribers pining for the subsidized box will be able to get their own for a £49 activation fee and a £6.95 delivery charge. Those eager for the gratis set-top solution will be able to order it online starting October 19th if they register interest with BT's website beforehand. For more details, check out the press release below.

[Source: Engadget]