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Engadget's back to school guide 2011: accessories
Welcome to Engadget's Back to School guide! We know that this time of year can be pretty annoying and stressful for everyone, so we're here to help out with the heartbreaking process of gadget buying for the school-aged crowd. Today, we've got a slew of accessories -- and you can head to the Back to School hub to see the rest of the product guides as they're added throughout the month. Be sure to keep checking back -- at the end of the month we'll be giving away a ton of the gear featured in our guides -- and hit up the hub page right here! Fall's slowly, but surely creeping back in, and we bet you've already started to gather up the necessary gear for your return to the residence hall. Sure, you've got the basics covered, with a computer, smartphone, MP3 player and even a tablet at the ready. But wouldn't it be nice to start the school year off in style with some handy accoutrements to trick out those digital crutches? Let's face it, you're going to need a lapdesk buffer zone between you and your laptop's scorching heat for those countless hours spent churning out term papers. Or, an external hard drive, so you can store those full seasons of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia and bring the late night funny to your stressed-out friends. However you manage to make it through the year and snag that 4.0 GPA, we've got a selection of accessorized aids to match your collegiate budget. Oh, and don't forget, we're giving away $3,000 worth of essential back to school gear to 15 readers, and you can be among the chosen few simply by dropping a comment below! Click on past the break to start browsing.
Joseph Volpe08.29.2011
NintendoWare Weekly: Gargoyle's Quest, The Ignition Factor
Once again, to our delight, Virtual Console games grace two separate Nintendo platforms today, and both are "fire" themed to a degree. On the 3DS eShop, Capcom's excellent RPG-ish Ghosts 'n Goblins spinoff, Gargoyle's Quest, is now available. The somewhat more obscure SNES firefighting game, The Ignition Factor, is on Wii. DSiWare sees a very cute Bubble Bobble-esque game, and ... Calculator. Which is a calculator.
JC Fletcher08.25.2011
Canon X Mark I Mouse Lite hands-on impressions
It's a calculator. It's a wireless mouse. It's a Bluetooth numeric keypad. It's... really bizarre. Canon's X Mark I Mouse Lite takes everyone's favorite desktop rodent and tries to make it all fancy like, filling that wasted space below the mouse buttons with a calculator -- monochrome LCD and all. Except that the unused space below the mouse buttons isn't wasted at all -- it was designed for resting palms, not poking fingertips. The result is a mediocre mouse paired with a mediocre calculator, for $60. Sadly, it's not nearly as elegant of a solution as it may appear to be, and after a couple days of use, we were ready to switch back to our boring old single-function mouse. So what exactly left us so unimpressed? Jump past the break to find out.%Gallery-129884%
Zach Honig08.04.2011
Graphing calculator web browser lets you visit your favorite sine wave fan sites (video)
Graphing calculators: essential tools for math education or low-res Game Boys? The debate rages on. Advocates of non-mathematical applications for the devices have scored a major victory with the introduction of Gossamer, a new web browser for various TI graphing calculators, which lets users visit some very basic versions of webpages, using the CALCnet and globalCALCnet protocols. The 1.0 version can request, display, and scroll pages. Logging in will bring you to a portal with links -- the application's developer has promised to add the ability to directly enter URLs in a future version, however. There's a demo video after the break, though you may want to wait until after math class to check it out.
Brian Heater07.26.2011
Canon launches X Mark I Mouse Lite, pairs ten-digit calculator and Bluetooth laser mouse (video)
Have you ever looked longingly at your mouse, noting its underutilized input device real estate? Canon has, replacing that excessive unused space with a built-in calculator in its X Mark I Mouse, announced today for folks in the US. (If you'll recall, we spent a few quality moments with this guy in Germany last year at Photokina.) The combo device provides users with both a physical ten-digit adding machine and a numeric Bluetooth 2.0 keypad, which you can use seamlessly with a variety of apps, replacing the number pad now absent on many desktop and portable keyboards. The company's camera design team helped to create the hybrid input device, which also includes a trio of mouse buttons and laser tracking. Canon also announced its X Mark I Keypad, a full-size calculator with Bluetooth support that's powered by either AAA batteries or a built-in solar panel. Both devices will be available for $60 in August and September, respectively, and will ship in both black and white.%Gallery-129107%
Zach Honig07.26.2011
TI-Nspire CX graphing calculator now shipping, color officially 'in'
It may have been hard to believe when it was announced back in February, but you can rest assured that Texas Instruments' new color TI-Nspire CX calculator is indeed real, and shipping right now. Assuming you're ready to make the jump from monochrome, the $165 asking price will buy you a 3.2-inch 320 x 240 display, 100MB of storage, 64MB of memory, and TI's new version 3.0 operating system that comes complete with 3D graphing capabilities. Of course, TI isn't completely breaking new ground here -- Casio's had a graphing calculator with a "high res" color screen since way back in 2010. [Thanks, Michael]
Donald Melanson06.02.2011
Kokuyo's X-VIZ designer calculator is tailor-made for one-armed accountants
We're not exactly sure why anyone would ever want a designer calculator, but for those who do, Kokuyo's got you covered. The Japanese company has just announced the X-VIZ -- a super slim, matte-finished device that can help you balance your checkbook with one hand. Crafted by robot designer Tatsuya Matsui, the X-VIZ probably isn't something you'd use to carry out heavy duty operations and, at just 12mm thick, it certainly won't double as a mouse, either. But at least Kokuyo refrained from tacking on another superfluous laser or detachable holster, as it's been known to do. Both black and white models of the X-VIZ will hit the Japanese market on May 11 for ¥5,250 ($64), so hit up your favorite importer if you're interested in grabbing one.
Amar Toor04.26.2011
Seven free iOS apps to help you out in the lab
There are apps for converting between weights, volumes and areas, for converting currency and even to calculate your split of the tip at a bar; but what about apps for scientists? An iOS device, like an iPhone, is almost constantly on your person, so why not get some apps for helping you out in the lab? Here are some of the best free apps for your perusal.
Samuel Gibbs04.18.2011TI-Nspire graphing calcs get full color displays, 3D, WiFi, and new OS
It's been a good year or so since the TI-Nspire line of graphing calculators got a refresh, but that was nothing compared to what the company's planning for this year. Possibly responding to changing times (or the Casio Prizm), the new Nspire devices are getting a WiFi dongle for communication with TI-Navigator workstations, a 16-bit (320 x 240) full color display, and a number of new functions, including the ability to load images and analyze images for such things as curve fitting functions and regressions. Perhaps even more exciting, the new Nspire OS 3.0 features 3D functions -- and, yes, the original grayscale TI-Nspire models will be able to upgrade to the new OS when it becomes available this spring. Tech Powered Math is reporting a mid-April release date, for an MSRP of $165. Totally psyched? We bet you are! See the PR after the break for more info.
Joseph L. Flatley02.28.2011
TI-Nspire calculator: yes, it plays Doom
Sure, folks have ported games over to the good ol' number cruncher for ages, but getting a fully rendered classic like Doom to run on a calculator is a different feat altogether. The folks over at omnimaga have successfully moved a beta version of nDoom (a reworked version of the original id Software's FPS) over to a Texas Instruments TI-Nspire and -- with all things considered -- the game runs shockingly smooth. As of right now, the only proof of concept is the video you see above, with a tragic crash bringing all things dangerous to a dismal halt. We're looking forward to a fully working version of nDoom because, you know, video games and calculators are two things close to our nerdy hearts.
Sam Sheffer02.21.2011
Ask Mr. Robot: What gear should you get?
I'm not the best person when it comes to really optimizing and min-maxing my characters. I read up on the theory, but much of it goes way over my head. I'm just not that great when it comes to numbers. But hey, there is a new site out there for players like me who have difficulty with this kind of stuff. If you're looking for a gear optimizer, go ahead and Ask Mr. Robot. If you're not sure which item is the best you can get for the content you're doing, you can use Ask Mr. Robot to show you what the optimal drops are. Not only that, it even tells you how you should gem, enchant and reforge. Let's take a closer look.
Matt Low02.09.2011
Final app giveaway of 2010: Digits for iOS
The clock is ticking toward midnight in the US, and in fact our colleague Chris Rawson has already begun 2011 (he's in New Zealand, on the other side of the International Date Line). To count all the ways we're thankful to have spent the past 12 months with all of you would take more time than we have left in the year, but as a small token of our appreciation -- here's the last app giveaway of 2010, five promo codes for the essential iPhone and iPad calculator Digits. In the recent 2.0 release, developer Joshua Distler added multi-tape management to the capable computation app, allowing you to share, sync, email and print your calculator tapes. It's currently on sale for US$0.99, but if you'd like to win a license, just share a comment below with your New Year's resolution (keep it clean!). We'll pick five winners next week. Best wishes from all of us for a happy, healthy and safe 2011! Open to legal US residents of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia who are 18 and older. To enter leave a comment on this post telling us your New Year's resolution. The comment must be left before January 3, 2011 at 11:59 PM Eastern Time. You may enter only once. Five winners will be selected in a random drawing. Prize: one copy of Digits for iPhone/iPad. (ARV $0.99) Click Here for complete Official Rules.
Michael Rose12.31.2010
Apple engineer uses Lego to rebuild ancient Greek mechanism, will surely try to patent it (video)
The Antikythera Mechanism is what you call truly old school technology. Argued to be the world's oldest known computer, this ancient Greek invention was used some time circa 100BC to calculate and "predict celestial events and eclipses with unprecedented accuracy." Skipping past the two millennia in which it lay lost on a sea floor somewhere, the Mechanism has now been recreated by an Apple software engineer by the name of Andrew Carol, who has lovingly pieced 1,500 Lego Technic blocks together, creating 110 gears and four gearboxes in total. Each box is responsible for performing one piece of arithmetic, and when the resulting machine is fed with appropriate calendar data, it spits out a (hopefully accurate) prediction for the next time a solar eclipse should occur. All well and good, but we're really just amazed by the beauty of those gears working. Check them out after the break.
Vlad Savov12.10.2010
Calculator's currency calculations currently kaput
OS X's built-in Calculator.app has built-in support for currency conversions. To get accurate results, you have to update the currency exchange rates from inside the application. This feature is currently broken for many users, as I discovered after it wouldn't work for me. Several threads on the Apple Discussion forums show this is a "known issue" with no known fix at this time. This seems to be happening to users of both Leopard and Snow Leopard. In the meantime, you can use the "Unit Converter" widget which is still working and updates successfully. You can add the widget by clicking on the "+" in Dashboard, or by double-clicking on it from /Library/Widgets/. Some users are reporting that other conversions are not working either. I did not have that problem, but if you do you can try deleting the ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.Calculator.plist file (where ~ means your Home folder). If you need to do currency conversions but don't want to use Dashboard, you can use Google instead; it will accept plain language conversions such as "20 euro to us dollars" and will offer other currency conversions as well.
TJ Luoma10.29.2010
Casio debuts Prizm graphing calculator with 'high-res' color screen
Texas Instruments recently rocked the graphing calculator world by adding a touchpad to its TI-Nspire calculator, and Casio has now come back with a technological revolution of its own: a high-res color screen. Of course, a 3.7-inch, 384 X 216 display may not be much by smartphone standards, but Casio insists that the "Blanview" LCD will let equations and text be "displayed just like they appear in textbooks." The rest of the calculator's specs aren't too shabby either, and include USB connectivity, 16MB of flash memory, and a promised 140 hours of battery life. You'll still have to stick to your cold, hard black-and-white world for a while longer, however, as the Prizm won't be available until sometime in January, when it'll set you back $129.99.
Donald Melanson10.09.2010
Canon's X Mark I Mouse excites and exhilarates like few gadgets can (video)
If there's one thing you don't expect to find at Photokina, it's a mouse. If there's another, it's a calculator. In some strange twist of fate, we found both in Canon's press lounge, and we couldn't possibly be more elated. The X Mark I Mouse captured our attention early last month, and we've been searching up and down to get our hands on one ever since. Nestled gently between legions of camcorders and a few dozen printers was the gem we'd be searching for, and we didn't hesitate to clear the area for a brief hands-on. Both models were surprisingly large, which simultaneously made the calculator buttons easy to press and the mouse as a whole difficult to grasp. The harsh, sharp edges were no friend of Mr. Ergonomic, but we'd probably forgive it if that $63 MSRP fell to a more reasonable level. Be sure to thank a lack of sleep and all of the companies pouring out news at the show for the delirium that's after the break. %Gallery-103100%
Darren Murph09.25.2010
iPad: The missing apps
As we suspected back in March, the iPad shipped without apps that are standard on the iPhone: Stocks, Calculator, Clock, Weather, Voice Memos, and Compass. Instead of going without, we've found the best examples of each for you to install and get your iPad on par with your iPhone. Clock Our own Steve Sande pointed out several options for iPad owners, including Night Stand HD (US$4.99) and Clock Pro HD ($5.99). Go and check out the full article. In the meantime, click below to read the rest of our list.
Dave Caolo09.15.2010
DIYer constructs 4.3-inch Open SciCal graphing calculator, puts your TI-83+ to shame
What's 4.3-inches diagonally, costs $200 to build and has absolutely no reception issues when held as shown in the image above? Why, the Open SciCal! Matt Stack, the genius who pieced this gem together, relied on a 1GHz ARM Cortex A8 CPU, 8GB SD card, WiFi module and a spartan web browser in order to concoct what's likely the most desirable graphing calculator this side of Pluto. The handheld device weighs about 1.6 pounds, runs Linux as well as the statistically inclined R, and is reportedly capable of doing roughly twice as much crunching as Texas Instruments' Nspire. Skeptical? Considering that this bad boy sucked down stock data from Yahoo! Finance and ran auto-correlation on the numbers in order to near-instantly report current trends, we're guessing TI (or any other graphing calculator company, really) has no room to argue. Hit the source for more details, and don't worry -- that feeling of insignificance wanes with time.
Darren Murph08.07.2010
Canon's X Mark I Mouse triples as calculator, numeric keypad, fame attractor
We know, we know -- you're practically married to your existing Razer or Logitech, but it looks like you may want to phone your lawyer and get the separation papers flowing. Canon -- of all companies -- has just introduced its latest critter, and it may very well be the most spectacular mousing device in the history of mousing devices. The unquestionably magical X Mark I Mouse is a wireless laser mouse underneath, but it also doubles as a fully functional calculator and a numeric keypad to boot. Bluetooth 2.0 is responsible for the connections, and the 1,200dpi sensor should please all but the most particular of users. It'll also play nice with both OS X and Windows platforms, leaving us with an inexplicable need to handle one prior to the scheduled November launch date. Oh, the price? A paltry £39.99 / €48.99 / $63, but really, you'd pay anything those blokes asked to have one of your own.
Darren Murph08.06.2010
Bing Maps' Taxi Fare Calculator keeps your lollygagging cab driver in check
We've all been there -- you step into a cab in a foreign place, ask your driver to head to your destination, and then he / she asks you if you'd rather take the highway or go direct. Or, worse still, senses your innocence and proceeds to head the wrong direction for two or three miles. In an effort to give desperate travelers a better sense of how much it'll cost to get from point A to point B D in a cab, Bing Maps' new Taxi Fare Calculator was created. Turns out, this add-in for the mapping service was built by someone hankering to win the King of Bing Maps competition, and while it's only capable of calculating routes around a few dozens cities right now, we get the impression that this could soon grow into a monster of its own. Hey Microsoft, when's the (badly needed) optimized-for-mobile version coming out?
Darren Murph08.03.2010