Quantum refrigerator could cool your quantum computer, allow for quantum overclocking

September 3rd, 2010 by

Tim Stevens

The quantum computer is still ranking pretty high up there on the vaporware charts, somewhere between Duke Nukem Forever and a Steorn in-home power generator. Eventually we'll get there, and theoretical physicists at the University of Bristol are helping with a quantum cooling system. It is effectively a means for two qubits to cool a third, with the outer two cooled by lasers and absorbing energy from the third, which is heated to its excited state. Unsurprisingly this is all rather theoretical at this point, but the team does plan to actually such a quantum refrigerator in the not too distant future. Then, we figure, they'll host the first quantum kegger.

Quantum refrigerator could cool your quantum computer, allow for quantum overclocking originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Sep 2010 01:52:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung’s 50-inch 720p PN50C490 3D plasma on sale now for under a grand

September 3rd, 2010 by

Darren Murph

Looking to spoil yourself with a fancy new 3DTV? Ain't got the cash to go all-out? Hello, compromise. Samsung's 50-inch PN50C490 -- which we peeked just a few weeks ago -- is now shipping from Amazon, Best Buy and a slew of other local consumer electronic marts if we had to guess. As a refresher, this mid-sized HDTV has a 720p resolution, 2,000,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio, no internet connectivity to speak of, a USB socket, three HDMI inputs, a pair of component jacks and support for the third dimension. It's up for grabs today at just $989, but you'll probably want to budget a few extra hundies for that Samsung 3D Starter Kit (not to mention a few 3D Blu-ray Discs).

[Thanks, James]

Samsung's 50-inch 720p PN50C490 3D plasma on sale now for under a grand originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Sep 2010 00:56:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NVIDIA GTX 470M highlights rollout of 400M mobile GPU series

September 3rd, 2010 by

Vlad Savov

Not everybody needs the world's fastest mobile GPU, so NVIDIA is sagely trickling down its Fermi magic to more affordable price points today. The 400M family is being fleshed out with five new midrange parts -- GT 445M, GT 435M, GT 425M, GT 420M and GT 415M, to give them their gorgeous names -- and a pair of heavy hitters known as the GTX 470M and GTX 460M. Features shared across the new range include a 40nm fab process, DirectX 11, CUDA general-purpose computing skills, PhysX, and Optimus graphics switching. 3D Vision and 3DTV Play support will be available on all but the lowest two variants. NVIDIA claims that, on average, the 400M graphics cards are 40 percent faster than their 300M series counterparts, and since those were rebadges of the 200M series, we're most definitely willing to believe that assertion. Skip past the break for all the vital statistics, and look out for almost all (HP is a notable absentee, while Apple is a predictable one) the big-time laptop vendors to have gear bearing the 4xxM insignia soon.

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NVIDIA GTX 470M highlights rollout of 400M mobile GPU series originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Sep 2010 00:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ringtone creationism banned iTunes 10, but DIY still seems to work

September 3rd, 2010 by

Ross Miller

Not that we've ever been a fan of paying an additional 99 cents to turn an already-purchased track into a seconds-long ringtone, but if you fancied the option in iTunes 9.2.1, we're sad to inform you that yesterday's update seems to have nixed said option. But hey, look at this way, now you can learn a new skill: how to make iTunes 10 ringtones free of charge with some filename finagling. The old method still seems to work just fine (instructions via More Coverage link below), so turn that .m4-frown upside down!

Ringtone creationism banned iTunes 10, but DIY still seems to work originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Sep 2010 23:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ask Engadget: best screwdriver kit for DIY computer work?

September 3rd, 2010 by

Darren Murph

We know you've got questions, and if you're brave enough to ask the world for answers, here's the outlet to do so. This week's Ask Engadget question is coming to us from Calvin, who needs a replacement for his recently broken Switztool 6-piece screwdriver kit. If you're looking to send in an inquiry of your own, drop us a line at ask [at] engadget [dawt] com.

"I've always used a Switztool 6-piece screwdriver for my computer work. I love how it retracts all the bits into the screwdriver. But it just bit the dust after a very heavy fall. Just want to know from other fellow readers: what's the best screwdriver (or kit) out there for DIY computer work and electronics hacking?"

Quite an interesting question, indeed. We'd probably recommend a kit with a 00-sized Philips screwdriver for getting those laptop bolts out from the casing, but desktop-specific ones are certainly allowed. And... go!

Ask Engadget: best screwdriver kit for DIY computer work? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Sep 2010 22:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toshiba StorE TV+ drive connects up to 2TB of media directly to your HDTV

September 3rd, 2010 by

Richard Lawler

Feel like connecting a HTPC or even one of the many streamers to your HDTV is overkill? Toshiba's new StorE TV+ is prepared to quietly retain up to 2TB of media (in various formats, check after the break for specs) until called upon, when it can play them back via HDMI, no connected PC required. It can also connect to PCs or other DLNA devices (like, coincidentally enough, Toshiba's new HDTVs) networked via Ethernet and the included WiFi dongle or load files directly from memory cards and USB drives. Even with all that, a lack of access to internet video sources makes the £199 MSRP a tough sell even ith 2TB of space at the ready, but if it works its way into a TV bundle then there may be buyers willing to bite when it ships next month, while an eSATA hard drive only StorE.D10 model will follow later this year for an unknown price.

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Toshiba StorE TV+ drive connects up to 2TB of media directly to your HDTV originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Sep 2010 22:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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