Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Memorex intros Nintendo DS game-changing case, other not-so-game-changing accessories
The Nintendo DS line has had many redesigns up to the present 3DS, but one thing that hasn't changed are the tiny, easily lost cartridges. Enter Memorex's $ 20 Universal Game Selector Case, announced as part of its gaming accessory lineup for E3. The UGSC stores up to three games and hooks up to the cartridge port on any DS, letting you swap between them using a signal routing switch. We've seen cases similar to this in the past, but Memorex's take is the first to support 3DS titles as
Best Video I've Seen Today Gives Me Goosebumps [Video]
Jesus Diaz — You know, being a hard core Rolling Stones fan I thought nobody would ever beat Keith, Mick, Charlie and Bill at their own game. I was wrong. Albeit difference, this version matches the original and it gives me goosebumps.
This Gimme Shelter cover was made by Playing for Change—the amazing people who put together the tear-jerking cover of Stand By Me back in 2009.
Like Stand By Me and the rest of that original album, Gimme Shelter was recorded by unknown artists in a
This Gimme Shelter cover was made by Playing for Change—the amazing people who put together the tear-jerking cover of Stand By Me back in 2009.
Like Stand By Me and the rest of that original album, Gimme Shelter was recorded by unknown artists in a
Live from D9: Google's Eric Schmidt takes the stage
We're settled in here at D9, and while it's probably past your bedtime back east, a couple of bigwigs are about to say quite a few interesting things at the Terranea Resort in Rancho Palos Verdes, California. According to our schedule here, we've got Robert Thomson (Managing Editor, The Wall Street Journal) and Eric Schmidt (Executive Chairman, Google) on deck, and we'll be bringing you the blow by blow as the unscripted interviews unfold.Continue reading Live from D9: Google's Eric Schmidt
TDK starts mass production of transparent OLEDs, makes texting and walking safer
TDK is taking those transparent OLED screens we saw back in October and putting them into mass production. The 2.4-inch, QVGA (240 x 320) UEL476 display has a transmittance of 40 percent, but obscures light passing through the front so others won't be able to read your text messages from behind. Obviously, these aren't going to find their way into high-end Android handsets, but they may have a home in fashion phones like Lenovo's S800. And, you know, they seem perfect for SMS addicts who
My iPad
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http://www.couchfire.com/juice/pro-core-data-for-ios-data-access-and-persistence-engine-for-iphone-ipad-and-ipod-touch-books-for-professionals-by-professionals/ Pro Core Data for iOS: Data Access and Persistence Engine for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch (Books for Professionals by
http://www.couchfire.com/juice/pro-core-data-for-ios-data-access-and-persistence-engine-for-iphone-ipad-and-ipod-touch-books-for-professionals-by-professionals/ Pro Core Data for iOS: Data Access and Persistence Engine for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch (Books for Professionals by
Monday, May 30, 2011
A glass bathtub for the stylish exhibitionist [Design]
Kelly Hodgkins — Design-driven architecture firm Stern McCafferty created a striking bathroom that has an aquarium-style tub as its centerpiece. Not a concept, this lovely tub is actually installed in a house at the South End of Boston.
The tub uses a thick piece of clear glass sandwiched between two tile walls to create its see-through effect. It's like nothing I have ever seen. After the awe has worn off, I am left with one burning question. Did the owners install it in their house for
The tub uses a thick piece of clear glass sandwiched between two tile walls to create its see-through effect. It's like nothing I have ever seen. After the awe has worn off, I am left with one burning question. Did the owners install it in their house for
MSI brings sub-$300 Enjoy 7 and Enjoy 10 Gingerbread WindPads to Computex, we go hands-on
MSI has snuck a couple of new tablets into Computex, which we've naturally dug up, dusted off, and covered in fingerprints. The WindPad Enjoy 10 is a 10-inch Android Gingerbread slate with relatively humble specs -- 1024 x 768 resolution, 4GB of storage, 512MB of RAM, and a 27.3WHr battery -- but also a very modest asking price of $ 299. It comes with a 1.2GHz ARM Cortex A8 (single core) processor that's said to be able to play back 1080p video, and at least one of the dual 2 megapixel
MenuUninstaller Uninstalls Programs Right From Windows' Context Menu [Download Of The Day]
Whitson Gordon —Windows only: If you stumble upon unwanted Windows programs, you usually have to head all the way to the Control Panel to remove it. MenuUninstaller adds an "Uninstall" option to the Windows context menu so you can remove programs right from their shortcuts.
While you probably make occasional sweeps through the Add/Remove Programs dialog, it's more likely that you discover unwanted programs when you're scrolling through the Start Menu, and rarely do you want to go all the
While you probably make occasional sweeps through the Add/Remove Programs dialog, it's more likely that you discover unwanted programs when you're scrolling through the Start Menu, and rarely do you want to go all the
After Samsung and Dell, Asus tries luck with own MacBook Air-killer
Notice a trend recently? Major notebook players are growing increasingly confident about putting Apple’s MacBook Air in their cross-hairs. First Samsung issued a challenge with the Series 9 notebook that tried to be a Windows MacBook Air, then Dell followed suit with the supposedly thinnest notebook on the planet which wasn’t even as thin as the 2.5-year old MacBook Pro. The latest entrant includes the UX2, a machine Asus unveiled with great fanfare this morning at Computex.
PCMag went
PCMag went
Top Stories: May, 2011 [Total Recap]
Ceci n'est pas une Photoshop | See how National Geographic's Frans Lanting captured this stunning image
They're Just Like Us, Honest: Apple Store Employees Caught Planking
Apple's got quite the reputation as being a tough employer, so once they catch wind of employees planking on the job, will they follow Woolworths in giving them the sack? I mean, that's a precious MacBook Pro he's planking on! More »
All the Amazing New Features in Windows Phone Mango
This is the new Windows Phone,
They're Just Like Us, Honest: Apple Store Employees Caught Planking
Apple's got quite the reputation as being a tough employer, so once they catch wind of employees planking on the job, will they follow Woolworths in giving them the sack? I mean, that's a precious MacBook Pro he's planking on! More »
All the Amazing New Features in Windows Phone Mango
This is the new Windows Phone,
Sunday, May 29, 2011
CUPP PunkThis hands-on (video)
It's not the first time we're run into CUPP Computing's unique ability to blend the x86 and ARM platforms into one device -- at least in prototype form -- and just before the start of Computex 2011 here in Taipei we got a chance to experience the company's latest iteration called PunkThis. The product is meant to replace your computer's 2.5-inch SATA hard drive with a board featuring a complete ARM-based system along with a mini-PCIe socket -- the latter capable of accommodating a physically
This Athens Bike Shops Looks Unfinished On Purpose [Design]
With its exposed particle board, bare floors and an almost treehouse-like interior this Athens-based bike shop appears half-done, but that's by design. "Nature" is one of the main themes, as it is "nature" where you'll be doing your
Inhabitat's Week in Green: hydrogen-powered space plane, Japan's solar surge and urban farms of Ze Future
Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us -- it's the Week in Green.
Green transportation took off for the stars this week as Inhabitat reported that the European Space Agency has approved of a new hydrogen-powered "Skylon" space plane, and we spotted a hot Star Wars-inspired electric chopper that wouldn't look out of place on the Death Star. We also learned that NASA plans to rejoin the space race with a new MPCV
Green transportation took off for the stars this week as Inhabitat reported that the European Space Agency has approved of a new hydrogen-powered "Skylon" space plane, and we spotted a hot Star Wars-inspired electric chopper that wouldn't look out of place on the Death Star. We also learned that NASA plans to rejoin the space race with a new MPCV
Poof! Android Market Emulators Go MIA [Blip]
Jack Loftus —Popular Android emulator developer "yongzh" has had all of his apps yanked from Android Market without warning, he told users today, signaling that Google's recent bans (started last month at the behest of Sega) are all but over.
The culled few include user favorites like Nesoid, Snesoid, Gensoid, Ataroid and Gameboid, just to name a few. This would appear to be the quiet, unceremonious end to sanctioned emulator sales in the Android Market. [Android Market via
The culled few include user favorites like Nesoid, Snesoid, Gensoid, Ataroid and Gameboid, just to name a few. This would appear to be the quiet, unceremonious end to sanctioned emulator sales in the Android Market. [Android Market via
NVIDIA refreshes mobile graphics with GeForce GTX 560M, attracts ASUS, MSI, Toshiba and Alienware
If you've enjoyed NVIDIA's fine tradition of merely bumping along its GPUs time and again and affixing a new badge, you'll like the GeForce GTX 560M -- it's much like last year's GTX 460M, but with more bang for the buck than ever. ASUS, MSI, Alienware, Toshiba and Clevo have all committed to new notebooks bearing the graphics processor in light of the potent performance NVIDIA claims it will bring: Namely, those same 192 CUDA cores (now clocked at 1550MHz) and up to 3GB of GDDR5 memory (now
D-Wave sells first commercial quantum computer to Lockheed Martin
Who found ten million dollars to drop on the first commercially available quantum computer? Lockheed Martin, it seems, as the aerospace defense contractor has just begun a "multi-year contract" with the quantum annealing experts at D-Wave to develop... nothing that they're ready or willing to publicly discuss at this time. This "strategic relationship" marks the second major vote of confidence in D-Wave's technology, after Google built image detection algorithms for the company's processors
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Twitter Buckles To Legal Pressure and Releases Confidential User Info [Twitter]
Kwame Opam —Twitter just gave into pressure from British councillors to release the private information of users who made some allegedly libelous tweets. This is a landmark case in the already-messy realm of online free speech and privacy.
The case had to do with five Twitter users, @councillorkhan and @ahmedkhan01, and was made by councillors in the town of South Tyneside. They were brought in by Ryan Giggs, one very famous player for Manchester United, to investigate claims by a Mr.
The case had to do with five Twitter users, @councillorkhan and @ahmedkhan01, and was made by councillors in the town of South Tyneside. They were brought in by Ryan Giggs, one very famous player for Manchester United, to investigate claims by a Mr.
How would you change HTC's Thunderbolt?
We know we're opening a can of worms that can never be resealed here, but it's true: we're desperate to know how you'd change HTC's Thunderbolt if given the chance. Verizon's LTE wunderchild has had all sorts of issues from the beginning, some of which are still ongoing. Tough battery life, random reboots, you name it. That said, it's still an imposing, beautiful device, and if those quirks ever get ironed out, it's easily one of the best 4G phones on the market. You know the deal -- toss
Reserve Power: Stand Off, Part 1
Ross Rubin contributes Reserve Power, a column focused on personal perspectives and products.
With handset screens getting larger and applications such as streaming primetime shows and video chat becoming more prevalent, it's not surprising that some handsets such as the HTC Evo 4G include a built-in kickstand. Most phones, though, suffer from LifeCall commercial syndrome -- when they've fallen, they can't get up. To offer some assistance, a whole cottage industry of pocketable products -
With handset screens getting larger and applications such as streaming primetime shows and video chat becoming more prevalent, it's not surprising that some handsets such as the HTC Evo 4G include a built-in kickstand. Most phones, though, suffer from LifeCall commercial syndrome -- when they've fallen, they can't get up. To offer some assistance, a whole cottage industry of pocketable products -
Visualized: Samsung wants to see the iPhone 5 and iPad 3
Samsung lawyers recently asked the court to make Apple show them the as-yet-unannounced iPhone 5 and iPad 3, claiming that they need to know what Apple's products will look like ahead of time to avoid future lawsuits and uncanny similarities.
If only it were this easy.Visualized: Samsung wants to see the iPhone 5 and iPad 3 originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 28 May 2011 20:55:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | This is my next | Email
If only it were this easy.Visualized: Samsung wants to see the iPhone 5 and iPad 3 originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 28 May 2011 20:55:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | This is my next | Email
Friday, May 27, 2011
Great Moments in Autopen History [Timelines]
Seth Abramovitch —Minutes before midnight, after a landslide House vote of 250-153, President Obama signed legislation backing a four-year extension on the controversial USA PATRIOT Act. (Did you know that's an acronym for Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism? Now you do.) Yay, habeas corpus denials, warrantless searches and carte blanche wiretapping! Four more years! Four more years!
Because the president was in
Because the president was in
Ask Engadget: best sub-$100 5.1 surround sound system?
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 inquiry is coming to us from Greg, who needs 5.1 surround sound in the worst, most inexpensive way. If you're looking to send in an inquiry of your own, drop us a line at ask [at] engadget [dawt] com.
"I'm looking for a budget 5.1 surround sound system to set myself up with a rudimentary home theatre. I've got a Panasonic Viera TH-42PZ85U TV, and
"I'm looking for a budget 5.1 surround sound system to set myself up with a rudimentary home theatre. I've got a Panasonic Viera TH-42PZ85U TV, and
ASUS Eee Pad Slider going on sale 'soon,' price is still anyone's guess
ASUS' Eee Pad Transformer might still be difficult to track down, but at least all systems are go for the company's other Honeycomb tablet, the Eee Pad Slider. The company confirmed today that the 10.1-inch tablet, originally slated for May, is "coming soon" -- no word, of course, on whether it will ditch Tegra 2 for an Atom Z670 CPU, as rumored. Next up, ASUS, give us a price, capiche? Last time we checked, the company was estimating it would cost between $ 500 and $ 800, so your guess is
Twitter on my ipad
This is a good app Twitter client for the iPad. It’s uncluttered, smooth, loads websites and images well and quickly, and offers every option that you really need. If you tweet a lot, it’s good to have on your iPad why not Follow your interests instant updates from your friends, industry experts, favorite celebrities, and what’s happening around the world. Get short bursts of timely information on the official Twitter app for The iPad is a news junkie’s dream. With a few taps you
Samsung Galaxy Tab: Human Outside, Android Inside [Video]
Matt Buchanan — If you're not a nerd, you shouldn't buy an Android tablet. Not yet. This one is just like those, except it's first the one to at least feel like a tablet for real people.
PLUSSESThinner and lighter than an iPad 2, by a gram and a millimeter (or two). This is a Big Deal. It's what makes the Galaxy Tab feel a generation ahead of any other Android tablet, even though it's got basically the same guts and software and battery life, for the same reason that the iPad 2 felt
PLUSSESThinner and lighter than an iPad 2, by a gram and a millimeter (or two). This is a Big Deal. It's what makes the Galaxy Tab feel a generation ahead of any other Android tablet, even though it's got basically the same guts and software and battery life, for the same reason that the iPad 2 felt
Cadence's 4-Bit Chrono Watch lets you do business, disguises your inner geek
Glance above and you'll notice a normal, elegant chronograph watch, correct? Not exactly... See, that jet-black dial is rocking 4-bit binary hour-bars in place of numbers, and looking very geek-chic doing so. Announced today, Cadence's 4-Bit Chronograph Watch is the chrono revision of its $ 80 4-Bit Watch, sporting a larger casing, darker dial, greater water resistance, and most notably, a UTC display to help you stay on schedule while globetrotting. The luminescent hands -- perfect for
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Sony Ericsson boosts Xperia Arc and Play to 2.3.3, includes Facebook integration
Well, Sony Ericsson might just deserve a gold star for effort. A week ago we reported that a possible rollout of the long-rumored Facebook integration update would come to select Xperia series phones this week, and we're seeing the process begin today. The recipients of this particular push are the Arc and Play, though it will come to all new Xperia devices down the road. While the download includes Android 2.3.3, the major focus is on "Facebook Inside Xperia," another way for you to sync your
Here Are a Bunch of Ways to Make Touchscreen Gaming About More Than Screen [Video]
Adrian Covert — Touchscreens have lessened the need for physical interactive components in devices. But sometimes, they make things, like games, better. Imagine needing to use specially shaped objects to solve a puzzle, or facing a mini-robot standing on top of your screen?
Michael Knuepfel explored this concept as part of his thesis for NYU's ITP design program, and developed seven devices for making touchscreens more interactive and/or functional. I mean, I'm not even sure what you'd
Michael Knuepfel explored this concept as part of his thesis for NYU's ITP design program, and developed seven devices for making touchscreens more interactive and/or functional. I mean, I'm not even sure what you'd
ASUS to unveil a phone-docking tablet at Computex?
We love teasers, but the wait can be unbearable sometimes. Luckily, all it takes is a tweak in the URL to uncover ASUS' upcoming Computex teaser pics ahead of time, as discovered by our eagle-eyed reader Anas. As you might have already figured out, the image on the left -- which just went live -- seems to be just a reminder of the Eee Pad MeMO's June launch, though the words "A Tablet That Jumps Out at You" could also imply a device bearing 3D functionality of some sort. Maybe ASUS managed
GhostTown App Plays Any Searchable Song on the Web for Free [Video]
Max Behrman — GhostTown is a music aggregating app that's definitely worth a peek—assuming it doesn't violate some part of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act that the RIAA would inevitably use to destroy it.
A lot of the appeal is in its simplicity. Just search for the artist, song, or album, and GhostTown sifts through the interwebs looking for a match. When it finds one, it plays it. None of the "Since you liked X, try Y!" annoyances you get with other apps. Just the song you asked
A lot of the appeal is in its simplicity. Just search for the artist, song, or album, and GhostTown sifts through the interwebs looking for a match. When it finds one, it plays it. None of the "Since you liked X, try Y!" annoyances you get with other apps. Just the song you asked
Takumi's Bridge Turns Any Bin Into a Shredder [Office Supplies]
Kat Hannaford —You don't have to chuck your $ 500 Eames bin (into another bin?) when you purchase a new shredder, if it's Takumi's shredder bridge. Placed over any receptacle, the battery-powered shredder is perfect for small offices. [Takumi via
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Here's Your Chance to Design a $100 Bill [Design]
Kelly Hodgkins — Are you one of those people that like to doodle on a dollar bill? Deface the president with a goatee? iIf so, then you must participate in the Make Your Franklin Project.
Created by Martin Joubet, the online experiment lets people exercise their creativity and commemorate the iconic $ 100 bill at the same time. Joubet provides interested artists with a template of the currency and asks them to go wild. There are no rules, restrictions or prizes. Just an online gallery
Created by Martin Joubet, the online experiment lets people exercise their creativity and commemorate the iconic $ 100 bill at the same time. Joubet provides interested artists with a template of the currency and asks them to go wild. There are no rules, restrictions or prizes. Just an online gallery
Barnes & Noble clarifies battery life on new Nook, calls out Kindle
Wondering which electronic reader reigns supreme when it comes to extreme battery life? If you ask Amazon, it's the Kindle, but Barnes & Noble begs to differ -- and it has some numbers to back that up. Earlier today we received a statement from the company explaining just how thrifty the new Nook is when it comes to sipping from cells. With WiFi disabled on both devices, B&N says it managed 150 hours on the new Nook when turning a page every minute. The current-gen Kindle, meanwhile,
Google's NYC partner event happens tomorrow, join the liveblog fun here live
Well, it's certainly been a busy week in the city! First Kobo, then Mango, then Nook, and now... Google Wallet? Yes, it looks like Big Search is coming to contactless payments, finally giving Nexus S users something good to do with that NFC chip. The event happens at noon EST, and we'll be bringing it to you live. Set your bookmark here if you'd like to join in the fun, and if you happen to be tuning in from a land far, far away, check out the local times below:
06:00 - Hawaii
09:00 -
06:00 - Hawaii
09:00 -
Google gets creative, names new NFC payment system Google Wallet?
Yesterday, anonymous sources said that El Goog and Sprint would debut a new NFC payment system on May 26th -- otherwise known as tomorrow. Today, a leak allegedly from the Container Store appears to have spilled the beans on the moniker for Mountain View's mobile money method: Google Wallet. Not the most creative cognomen, but at least it sums up the service succinctly. Still, it's no Ice Cream Sandwich, but we'll find out how it tastes live at tomorrow's event.Google gets creative, names new
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
EVO 3D shipping with locked down bootloader, but HTC may reconsider policy
We've got some good news and some bad news. Let's do the bad news first: much like the Sensation, Thunderbolt, and Incredible S, Android Police has confirmed that the upcoming HTC EVO 3D will also be sporting a locked down bootloader of similar fashion, meaning custom ROM modders will have a hard time glamming up said phone. Not that anyone should be surprised by this finding though, given the sad trend. That said, there is still hope: earlier today, HTC announced on Facebook that it's
Ford car seat prototype keeps its sensors on your heart, so you can keep your eyes on the road
Chevy had the whole "Heartbeat of America" thing cornered in the 80s, but now its Ford's turn to get in on the action. The car maker's European research team unveiled a prototype car seat capable of monitoring a driver's heart courtesy of six embedded electrodes, which can take measurements without coming in direct contact with skin. The technology, the latest in a recent string of health-related in-vehicle concepts from the company, can detect whether the driver is having a heart attack and
Visualized: Androidify avatar dance party (video)
Have your YouTube dance videos been lacking something? Can't quite put your finger on it? How 'bout another, more Android-y you to add some diversity to your One, Two Step? The folks who brought you the Androidify app have apparently enlisted a friend, his Android avatar, and a Kinect to bring you the above video. Not too shabby, but we'd be even more intrigued if he was rocking a black leotard and busting out Mexican Breakfast, Beyonce-style. Check out the not-so-Fosse video after the
Kindle 3G gets ad-supported $164 version, basically sells your eyeballs for a $25 discount
It's been one heck of a week for e-readers, with a new $ 139 touchscreen Nook in town and a $ 129 finger-friendly Kobo as well. What's Amazon going to do about the newfound competition? Simply lower the price of its best-selling Kindle 3G to $ 164. Well, perhaps "lower" isn't quite the right word, because you'll simply be paying by different means: the new Kindle 3G with Special Offers will be the company's second e-reader to feature built-in advertising. If you're shy on cash, though,
Yes Yes Yes Kermit the Frog and that Hot Chick from Talladega Nights [Video]
Mat Honan — Jim Henson's ghost! It's a Muppet movie! You need to watch this right
Monday, May 23, 2011
A T-Shirt to Help You Have Sweet(er) Dreams [Video]
Sam Biddle — If you're having a crappy night's sleep, most doctors will hook you up to a complex array of machines that measure your vital signs. But the people at Nyx think all you need is a breath-calculating shirt.
The Somnus shirt is really just two capacitive sensors that you can iron on to any shirt, coupled with a storage pod to hold your breathing data. Every time you gulp in som air, your chest (and shirt) expands, triggering the sensors. You (or your doctors) can then use this
The Somnus shirt is really just two capacitive sensors that you can iron on to any shirt, coupled with a storage pod to hold your breathing data. Every time you gulp in som air, your chest (and shirt) expands, triggering the sensors. You (or your doctors) can then use this
The Most Mesmerizing Video of an Exploding Volcano [Video]
Matt Buchanan — Smoke, lightning, clouds, dramatic score, volcano. It's not the opening of Lord of the Rings—it's an amazing video of the Icelandic volcano GrÃmsvötn erupting, shot by Jon Gustafsson.
Shot from a helicopter just five miles out, right before a 20-mile radius around the volcano was declared a no-fly zone, Gustafsson says he hasn't even "really had time to watch the video." Which is unfortunate, because he's missing out—especially because he's possibly one of the few
Shot from a helicopter just five miles out, right before a 20-mile radius around the volcano was declared a no-fly zone, Gustafsson says he hasn't even "really had time to watch the video." Which is unfortunate, because he's missing out—especially because he's possibly one of the few
Dell’s new ‘thinnest’ laptop isn’t even as thin as the 2.5-year old MacBook Pro
[unable to retrieve full-text content]We were expecting a MacBook Air-like device. It turns out Dell’s new product, dubbed “Thinnest 15-inch PC on the planet” isn’t thinner than the 15-inch MacBook Pro I gave up a year ago for an Air. That’s the same one that came out with the Unibody manufacturing process in October 2008. Dell’s 15-inch XPS 15z [...]
9 to 5
9 to 5
Google releases OTA update for Chrome OS, Cr-48 owners can upgrade now
Google recently rolled out the beta release of Chrome 12, and now Cr-48 owners are getting a matching version of Chrome OS. This latest version, 0.12.433.48, brings bug fixes, Flash 10.2.158.22, a file manager context menu, and some spiffy new icons and avatars to its browser-based UI. We grabbed the update on our own Google-fied laptops and got some pics of the beta's new bits for your viewing pleasure. We're still getting acquainted with all of the changes, so if you've also copped the new
Researchers create 26 terabit-per-second connections with just a single laser
Remember that pair of 100 terabit-per-second connections we told you about earlier this moth? Impressive? Sure, but not entirely practical thanks to the massive banks of lasers (370 to be exact) that guzzled several kilowatts of electricity. Researchers at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology in Germany haven't hit 100Tbps yet, but they were able push 26Tbps using just one, lonely laser. The new single-laser fiber-optic speed record was set using a technique called fast Fourier transform
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Movie theaters could screw up your 2D movies by leaving the digital projector set up for 3D
We generally prefer to do our movie viewing in our own home theaters, but when we succumb to the temptation of public moviehouses we often choose digital projection hoping for a flawless viewing experience. Unfortunately, this report by The Boston Globe indicates that may not be the case. It is alleged by unnamed theater employees that theaters are leaving the 3D lens adapters on their Sony 4K digital projectors even when showing 2D. Just like viewing 3D, this cuts the light output and it's
Hulu Plus on TiVo Premiere hands-on
As rumored, Hulu Plus is now officially available on the TiVo Premiere, and according to TiVo, this "further extends its lead as the only one-box solution that integrates in one easy-to-use user interface." We supposed this is technically true, but it depends on your definition of "integrates" -- we'll discuss why after the jump. Hulu Plus of course comes at a monthly premium, but the other news is that new TiVo Premiere owners will get the privilege gratis for six months, while existing
Astronomers snap black hole murder in graphic detail (video)
We tend to imagine a black hole sucking everything around it straight into oblivion. The truth, however, is even more gruesome. Astronomers have just captured an ultra hi-res image of our neighbouring galaxy, Centaurus A, and it helps to reveal what actually happens. Matter is yanked helplessly towards a black hole at the galaxy's core, but it refuses to die quietly. For some unknown reason, it erupts as it falls, spewing out vast plumes of particles -- like blood from celestial murder.
Inhabitat's Week in Green: bubble dresses, LEDs galore and otherwordly stadiums
New York Design Week took Manhattan by storm this week and Inhabitat was on the scene at all the design shows to bring you up-to-the-minute coverage of this year's freshest new designs. We brought you the latest high-tech designs from NYU's ITP student show - including an otherworldly bubble dress that contains a built-in air purification system. We also uncovered a stellar array of next-gen lighting solutions, and we were excited to learn that Hulger's sculptural Plumen CFL bulbs are set to
A New Star Wars Ride Includes a Parody of TSA Security Checkpoints [Humor]
Casey Chan —Disney's Star Tours Star Wars simulator ride has gone through a renovation and has re-opened...with a parody of TSA checkpoints. It makes waiting in line a lot more enjoyable as Jedis are walking by, luggage is being sorted and Droids are yelling at you.
Specifically:
The second room of the queue is now a security check area, similar to a TSA checkpoint. The two G-series droids are still there, G2-9T scanning luggage and G2-4T scanning passengers...
While we won't tell you
Specifically:
The second room of the queue is now a security check area, similar to a TSA checkpoint. The two G-series droids are still there, G2-9T scanning luggage and G2-4T scanning passengers...
While we won't tell you
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Mimics helps you cope with your Sync-less existence (video)
Much as we hate to admit it, we can't all afford a fancy new car with Sync or Mini Connected inside -- I mean, come on, we're not made of money, people. Thankfully, it seems MP3Car has a pretty slick and affordable solution to the problem of fumbling with your iPhone when you should probably be focusing on the road and not crashing into things. Mimics is an in-car solution that transmits the contents of your handset to a touchscreen display in the vehicle's dash, letting you listen to music,
How would you change Samsung's Galaxy S 4G?
Oh, sure -- Samsung's Galaxy S II should be hitting American airwaves quicker than you can say "Where'd my weekend go?," but we're living in the here and now, aren't we? Now that you've survived whatever scare was scheduled for today, it's time to get back to what matters most: answering fictional questions. This week's episode of HWYC involves the T-Mobile variant of Samsung's heralded Galaxy S. Yeah, this one's been around the block on other carriers before, but that makes our prodding
Download Bing App For iPad
The all new Bing for iPad app from Microsoft has finally arrived in the iTunes App Store. It really is an incredible app and best of all it’s absolutely free. It’s truly sophisticated yet simple to use and quite user friendly. As you’d likely expect this newly released app comes bundled with many great features.
Key Features Included With Bing for iPad App
Visually rich and well designed
Stay current with all the latest news, weather, traffic, stock quotes, movies & more
Search
Key Features Included With Bing for iPad App
Visually rich and well designed
Stay current with all the latest news, weather, traffic, stock quotes, movies & more
Search
Tired of Your Old, Broken Super Nintendo Games? Piss on Them! [Video]
Mike Fahey — You thought that eBay lot of used Super Nintendo games was a good idea, until you discovered they were all either broken or horrifically outdated sports titles. At least you'll have a pot to piss in, as long as you follow Price Charting's instructions on how to build a video game urinal.
For only $ 200 to $ 250 plus the price of 40 old SNES games, you can piss on Nintendo more than Sega did back when Sega was still a company concerned with pissing. I used to think that
For only $ 200 to $ 250 plus the price of 40 old SNES games, you can piss on Nintendo more than Sega did back when Sega was still a company concerned with pissing. I used to think that
The Arcturus Is the Smallest Drone Capable of Killing You [Warfare]
Kwame Opam —Florida-based company Arcturus has managed to create a tiny drone small enough for small military units to command. If this passes the military testing stage, this, along with other small-scale armed drones, could see the expansion of drone warfare.
The Arcturus has a wingspan of a little over 17 feet, and is capable of carrying up to 22 pounds of cargo, including the 10-pound laser-guided Saber missile. It has this feature even though it's meant primarily for spying
The Arcturus has a wingspan of a little over 17 feet, and is capable of carrying up to 22 pounds of cargo, including the 10-pound laser-guided Saber missile. It has this feature even though it's meant primarily for spying
Friday, May 20, 2011
Google News Archives stops digitizing old newspapers, picks great day to do it
Ain't like you'll be reading 'em anyway after today's over.Google News Archives stops digitizing old newspapers, picks great day to do it originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 21 May 2011 00:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink Reuters, MSNBC | AFP / Yahoo! News | Email
Ask Engadget: best extended battery for power-hungry smartphones?
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 inquiry is coming to us from Chuck, who seems to be having an unusual level of difficulty getting his phone through an entire day on a single charge. If you're looking to send in an inquiry of your own, drop us a line at ask [at] engadget [dawt] com.
"I have the HTC Evo, which has terrible battery life. I've gone through many steps, including
"I have the HTC Evo, which has terrible battery life. I've gone through many steps, including
Congress Probes FCC Commissioner Baker's Jump to Comcast [Blip]
Davey Alba —The drama over FCC Commissioner Baker's jump to Comcast continues to unfold. Congress has now begun a probe in order to "gain a better understanding of the rules that govern Commissioner Baker's departure"—and the response deadline is May 21st. Good on ya, Congress, it's about time to get some answers. [Ars
Sharp Aquos Android clamshell tricks friends into thinking you can't afford a smartphone
Looking for a handset that harkens back to simpler, pre-smartphone era, without losing the Googley luster of Android? We've got the perfect phone for you, and all you've got to do is move to Japan and get a Softbank Mobile account. Sharp, one of the largest smartphone manufacturers in its native country, rolled out the retro-future Gingerbread-packing Aquos Phone Hybrid 007SH, an Android 2.3 flip phone with a 180-degree swiveling touchscreen above the hinge and a numeric dial pad below that
Flyer Friday: Best Buy starts selling HTC's seven-inch slate today
We thought HTC's Flyer wasn't going on sale until May 22nd, but it appears a certain big box retailer has changed its plans. Our tipsters have told us that stores with the device in stock have started selling it today, May 20th, despite the somewhat confusing text you see in the picture above. So, if you're pining for a $ 500, seven-inch slab of silky smooth Sense 3.0, head on down to the local Best Buy and grab one yourself.
[Thanks, Anonymous]Flyer Friday: Best Buy starts selling HTC's
[Thanks, Anonymous]Flyer Friday: Best Buy starts selling HTC's
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Nokia's Windows Phones will feature dual-core ST-Ericsson U8500, says STMicroelectronics chief
As you'll no doubt be aware, Qualcomm currently enjoys a stranglehold on processing hardware inside Windows Phone handsets. Its Snapdragon chip stars in both Microsoft's original and updated chassis spec for the platform, but its hegemony may soon be coming to an end. STMicroelectronics (the ST in ST-Ericsson) boss Carlo Bozotti is cited by Forbes as saying that Nokia will use ST-Ericsson hardware to power at least some of its Windows Phones. The dual-core U8500, a long-time Nokia favorite,
Man eats 25,000 Big Macs and Lives to Tell About It [Food]
Kelly Hodgkins —Don Gorske started eating Big Macs on May 17, 1972 and he never stopped. He has eaten his way through an astonishing 25,000 Big Macs and is now in the Guiness Book of World Records.
Gorske is hard-core has kept a journal of his eating marathon. He has even kept the receipts and cartons from each of his McDonald meals. Contrary to what you might expect, Gorske is not overweight is overall very healthy for a 57-year old man. And if you're wondering, the retired prison guard
Gorske is hard-core has kept a journal of his eating marathon. He has even kept the receipts and cartons from each of his McDonald meals. Contrary to what you might expect, Gorske is not overweight is overall very healthy for a 57-year old man. And if you're wondering, the retired prison guard
Google to buy Modu patents, hopefully leave Nokia alone
It took complete failure to do it, but it looks like Modu founder Dov Moran finally found that new source of capital he went hunting for last November. In an effort to pay back creditors and unpaid wages, the firm's patent portfolio is slated to be snatched up by Google for roughly $ 4.8 million. What's Mountain View going to do with a mess of ultra-lite modular phone patents? It didn't come up, but we wouldn't be too surprised if it had something to do with its Danger-powered hardware wing
This Is What Keeps the Netherlands Dry [Monster Machines]
Andrew Tarantola —The Netherlands used to flood a lot. Rather than just grow gills and be done with the matter, the Dutch blew a bunch of cash on a massive set of levees, then added this monumental storm surge protector up front.
The $ 3.3 billion dollar Oosterscheldekering is the largest of the Netherland's 13 Delta Works dams. It's goal: to reduce flooding in the Southern part of the country to once every 10,000 years. The rest of the nation will get it once every 4,000. America will
The $ 3.3 billion dollar Oosterscheldekering is the largest of the Netherland's 13 Delta Works dams. It's goal: to reduce flooding in the Southern part of the country to once every 10,000 years. The rest of the nation will get it once every 4,000. America will
AT&T demos speedy LTE, calls 28.8Mbps downloads realistic for real people
GigaOM got to peek inside inside AT&T's Foundry innovation center in Texas this week, and the tour came with a special treat -- a first glimpse at how AT&T's upcoming LTE network might perform when the carrier flips the switch later this year. Where Verizon's existing network promises download speeds of between 5 and 12 megabits per second (though we've gotten far better and worse in practice), the publication witnessed a connection with 28.87Mbps download and 10.4Mbps upload speeds,
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
In an Alternate Dimension, Photographers Are Trained Killing Machines [Video]
Adrian Covert — In our society, the war photographer exists to document battles, not fight in them. In the world imagined above, the war photographer will take your head off with an external flash. [The Camera Store via Reddit via
The Ultimate Collection of iPad Wallpapers
The Ultimate Collection of iPad Wallpapers
The iPad is a tablet computer designed by Apple Corp. It is marketed as being a platform for audio and visual media such as books, periodicals, movies, music, and games, as well as web content. iPad was a long awaited tablet that was expected after the launch of several other tablet touch screens from apples competitors including Microsoft
The iPad has a screen resolution or 1024×768. When rotated horizontally, it was thought that it can take any
The iPad is a tablet computer designed by Apple Corp. It is marketed as being a platform for audio and visual media such as books, periodicals, movies, music, and games, as well as web content. iPad was a long awaited tablet that was expected after the launch of several other tablet touch screens from apples competitors including Microsoft
The iPad has a screen resolution or 1024×768. When rotated horizontally, it was thought that it can take any
What Is Planking? [What Is]
Casey Chan —Planking is blowing up the news these day. Old people would say it's another instance of why the youth is screwed. Kids would fire back the most fun you can have being still. Who's right? And just what the hell is planking?
It's a stupid internet sensation...
Planking is the act of lying facedown for a photograph. The term planking originated from Australia but is actually just another name for 'the lying down game' (I'm not kidding). The specific instructions: to put your
It's a stupid internet sensation...
Planking is the act of lying facedown for a photograph. The term planking originated from Australia but is actually just another name for 'the lying down game' (I'm not kidding). The specific instructions: to put your
Military Boeing 707 Crashed in Point Mugu, California [Breaking]
Kelly Hodgkins —A military aircraft crashed during takeoff from a base in Point Mugu, California. The Boeing 707 erupted in flames just off the runway with a fire so intense it is melting the fuselage. The older aircraft was used for transport and had three passengers on board. All three escaped safely. The 158,000 pounds of fuel within the plane is burning itself out with a thick, toxic black smoke. Residents are being asked to stay indoors because of the intensity of the smoke and
Evidence of webOS netbook and keyboard-less phone pop up in developer logs
Well this is interesting: a webOS dev spotted a pair unnamed devices in his log files -- one sporting a 1024 x 768 screen and a non-sliding keyboard, and the other a smartphone with no physical QWERTY input. Don't look so surprised: it was all but confirmed by leaked training materials that webOS was coming to netbooks and HP has already announced its intention to bring desktops and laptops into the fold. Of course, this could also just be a TouchPad connected to a certain special keyboard.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Sprint network is down, no SMS and voice calls for some of you
Uh oh, according to the handful of tips we've received, it appears that Sprint is currently having some technical problems on its cellular network nationwide. Specifically, customers aren't having much luck with sending text messages, while some are also not able to make voice calls. But don't worry, the carrier's certainly aware of this issue and is already working on a fix, so hang tight and let your fingers take a break -- we'll let you know when things are up and running
Save Your Wine Glass from the Dishwasher's Horrors [Video]
Brian Barrett —I've lost nearly as many wine glasses to the dishwasher's fickle flow as I have to my own 2am clumsiness—and that's saying something. But the clunkily named Tether Stemware Saver might just save me from those shards.
The design—which includes a hollow rubber base that slides over a dishwasher post and a clip that attaches to your glass's stem—is caught in a limbo between concept and product right now over at Quirky. But it's got to catch on, right? The American
The design—which includes a hollow rubber base that slides over a dishwasher post and a clip that attaches to your glass's stem—is caught in a limbo between concept and product right now over at Quirky. But it's got to catch on, right? The American
iDVM Digital Multimeter collects voltage readings on your iDevice, shares them with whoever cares
This, dear reader, is the iDVM Digital Multimeter -- the world's very first iDevice-enabled voltmeter, from Redfish Instruments. Designed with auto technicians, electricians and engineers in mind, the iDVM uses an ad hoc wireless network to connect to any iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch, allowing users to record voltage, resistance and current directly from their palms. Once you've purchased the multimeter and downloaded the accompanying iDVM app, you'll be able to gather electrical measurements
Next-gen Porsche 911 getting hybrid transmission system?
Porsche has already tricked out its racing cars with kinetic energy recovery systems, and now it looks like its more mainstream 911 is getting the hybrid transmission treatment, too. Citing anonymous sources, our sister site Autoblog reports that the entire range of the next-gen coupe is going to use these systems, which don't store energy in a battery, but instead capture kinetic energy during deceleration using a flywheel mechanism. Even without that sleuthing, a series of spy shots
A Laser-Aimed, Remote Controlled Chain Gun, in Case War Isn't Already Enough Like a Videogame [War]
Sam Biddle —The BAE Systems Mk 38 is a giant gun made for obliterating things at sea. It not only packs massive firepower, but sophisticated optics—IR vision and laser aiming. All this, controlled indoors by a guy on a joystick.
Is this the way war's heading? The enormous use of drone strikes has already distanced soldiers from the act of killing—and although it's safe, critics wonder whether being thousands of miles away from your foe makes war a more lighthearted affair. A gun
Is this the way war's heading? The enormous use of drone strikes has already distanced soldiers from the act of killing—and although it's safe, critics wonder whether being thousands of miles away from your foe makes war a more lighthearted affair. A gun
Monday, May 16, 2011
Eole concept watch has turbine bezel, shows time when you blow (video)
Traditional electronic watches may be practical, but there's nothing elegant about battery power. With the Eole watch concept, designer Julien Moise envisioned a device that's powered by blown air, displaying the time only when you want to see it. Sure, compulsively blowing on your watch in a meeting is less discrete than sneaking a peak under the table, but you'll still have your BlackBerry around for when you need to count down the minutes until freedom. There's also a weather indicator and
How Good is Google’s Instant Mix? [Republished]
Google's reputation is based on it's ability to return accurate results to virtually any query. So, why did our friends at MusicMachinery.com get such wacky results with the new Instant Mix service?
This week, Google launched the beta of its music locker service where you can upload all your music to the cloud and listen to it from anywhere. According to Techcrunch, Google's Paul Joyce revealed that the Music Beta killer feature is ‘Instant Mix,' Google's version of Genius playlists,
This week, Google launched the beta of its music locker service where you can upload all your music to the cloud and listen to it from anywhere. According to Techcrunch, Google's Paul Joyce revealed that the Music Beta killer feature is ‘Instant Mix,' Google's version of Genius playlists,
T-Mobile confirms gratis WiFi calling for the magenta-clad masses
Last week, the online grapevine foretold that T-Mobile users would have complimentary calling over WiFi. Now, the pink provider's powers that be have made good on the gossip and officially made free WiFi calling official. The service is available to those with Android handsets with the carrier's Smart Wi-Fi app preinstalled and are on T-Mo's Even More or Even More Plus plans. All others wanting a dose of free will have to pony up for a new plan -- you didn't think it was actually free, did
23-Inch Anorexic LED-Backlit Monitor Unveiled by HP [HP X2301]
HP unveiled the razor-thin x2301 LED-backlit monitor with a 9.8mm profile that will open up some space on your desk and look stunning at the same time.
The 23-inch x2301 maintains its thin profile by keeping the display at a minimum and cramming all the electronics and ports into the base. While the size is certainly striking, the monitor won't dazzle you with its specs. It's a mid-range offering with a 1980x1080 resolution, 8,000,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio and 3ms response time. Look for
The 23-inch x2301 maintains its thin profile by keeping the display at a minimum and cramming all the electronics and ports into the base. While the size is certainly striking, the monitor won't dazzle you with its specs. It's a mid-range offering with a 1980x1080 resolution, 8,000,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio and 3ms response time. Look for
Sunday, May 15, 2011
NTT DoCoMo's Fujitsu LOOX F-07C goes official, dual-boots to Windows 7 and Symbian (updated)
Yes, 'tis quite a shock for a Monday morning, but it turns out the dual-booting Fujitsu LOOX F-07C smartphone is indeed legit. According to NTT DoCoMo's preliminary spec sheet, this 7.69-ounce landscape slider handles both Symbian and Windows 7 (Home Premium, 32-bit Japanese edition) with its 4-inch 1,024 x 600 LCD, along with a 1.2GHz Intel Atom processor, 1GB of LPDDR400 RAM, 802.11b/g/n WiFi, 32GB of eMMC disk space, and expandable memory via microSDHC. You'll also find a 5 megapixel
Artist Blends Fire and Electricity with Music For His Art [Video]
Kwame Opam — Rusty Oliver, here in his workshop otherwise known as the Hazardfactory, created this sculpture he calls "the Singularity." The voltage he's pumping through those manifolds shape the flames to create a really beautiful EQ meter. Imagine this at concerts.
Lenovo ThinkCentre Edge 91z leaks out: a 21.5-inch all-in-one desktop with optional boot drive
If you're looking for a sleek, angular slab of an all-in-one desktop computer, Lenovo may have the machine for you, as we've just intercepted plans for this unannounced ThinkCentre Edge 91z, and she's most definitely a beaut. According to the leaked PDF, Lenovo will full reveal the 21.5-inch, 1080p desktop in just two days and ship it in June, but for now we can tell you that it can be configured with low-power Intel Core i7 processors, discrete ATI graphics and a 80GB mSATA auxiliary SSD --
Inhabitat's Week in Green: floating trains, dead bees, dirt-powered phones and Cornish pasties
Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us -- it's the Week in Green.
Did you know that the cell phone in your pocket could be causing the collapse of bee colonies? This week Inhabitat reported the alarming news as Swiss researchers confirmed that cell signals confuse bees and are leading to their deaths. We also looked at a Bill Gates-funded plan to power cell phones using dirt, and we spotted a new phone battery that
Did you know that the cell phone in your pocket could be causing the collapse of bee colonies? This week Inhabitat reported the alarming news as Swiss researchers confirmed that cell signals confuse bees and are leading to their deaths. We also looked at a Bill Gates-funded plan to power cell phones using dirt, and we spotted a new phone battery that
Switched On: Chrome alone
Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology.
About a year after the debut of the first Android handset, Switched On discussed the threat that Chrome OS posed to Android. We'll briefly reprise it here: Like chief rivals Apple and Microsoft, Google has two operating systems trying to bridge the rift between consumer electronics and traditional computing, but Chrome is different than Mac OS and Windows in an exceptionally important way.
Rather than trying
About a year after the debut of the first Android handset, Switched On discussed the threat that Chrome OS posed to Android. We'll briefly reprise it here: Like chief rivals Apple and Microsoft, Google has two operating systems trying to bridge the rift between consumer electronics and traditional computing, but Chrome is different than Mac OS and Windows in an exceptionally important way.
Rather than trying
Samsung Infuse 4G and HP Veer 4G now on sale at AT&T
These two smartphones probably couldn't be any different if they tried -- on the left, we've got the tiny 2.6-inch HP Veer with webOS on board, and on the right is Samsung's Infuse 4G, a giant 4.5-inch Android that costs twice as much on contract. They do have two important things in common, however: they're both available on AT&T right now, and you can read our reviews of each before tossing any money down. Enjoy!
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]Samsung Infuse 4G and HP Veer 4G
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]Samsung Infuse 4G and HP Veer 4G
Light the Way and Grow a Tree Simultaneously Within This Green Lantern Concept [Green]
Jack Loftus —While the LED's heat light might actually end up doing more harm than good to the tiny sapling growing within, I have to give a nod to the effort.
What better way to promote the green initiative than put a terrarium inside a camping lantern? Designer Frank Shaw, a hat tip to you sire, and your sapling-cooking, heart's -in-the-rught-place lantern concept. [Frank Shaw via
What better way to promote the green initiative than put a terrarium inside a camping lantern? Designer Frank Shaw, a hat tip to you sire, and your sapling-cooking, heart's -in-the-rught-place lantern concept. [Frank Shaw via
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Google I/O 2011 T-shirt puzzle solved, reveals the droid you've been looking for
If unsolved Google puzzles keep you up at night, you now have one less reason to go sleepless: the Google I/O T-shirt enigma has been unraveled. The picture above contains a series of dots and dashes, which our friends at MobileCrunch recognized as Morse code. Using the line breaks as spaces (new characters), the code then reads:
.... - - .--. --. --- --- .-.-.- --. .-.. .- ....- -.-. -.... ...-- ----.
That translates to a URL, which we've linked to below. We won't spoil where it
.... - - .--. --. --- --- .-.-.- --. .-.. .- ....- -.-. -.... ...-- ----.
That translates to a URL, which we've linked to below. We won't spoil where it
How would you change Apple's Thunderbolt-equipped MacBook Pro?
Same 'ole, same 'ole? There's no doubt that Apple's newest MacBook Pro looks awfully similar to the models that have come before it, but the engineers in Cupertino still managed to shake a few things up on the early 2011 model. Aside from throwing an AMD GPU under the hood, pairing that with Intel's integrated HD 3000 chipset and implementing Sandy Bridge, there's also an entirely new I/O port: Thunderbolt. But was that really enough? For those of you who couldn't escape the upgrade bug,
This Wall-E PC Casemod Does Everything Save Compact the Trash [Video]
Jack Loftus —German modder Thechoozen loves Wall-E and PC casemods so much that he combined them into this swanky build that, yes, actually moves around his garden.
Beyond that, the case includes dual webcams behind the eyes, which Thechoozen uses to capture 3D imagery of the yard, promiscuous neighbors or anyone else who might let their guard down when approached by one of Pixar's most lovable characters.
His rumored Eve prototype casemod that I just made up just now contains Mac
Beyond that, the case includes dual webcams behind the eyes, which Thechoozen uses to capture 3D imagery of the yard, promiscuous neighbors or anyone else who might let their guard down when approached by one of Pixar's most lovable characters.
His rumored Eve prototype casemod that I just made up just now contains Mac
Friday, May 13, 2011
Microsoft Research-backed e-reader prototype can't keep its text to itself (video)
We've seen plenty of dual-screen devices over the past couple of years, and they never fail to make us a little sentimental for Microsoft's stillborn Courier concept. That goes double for this reader device, which made an appearance at this week's CHI conference in Vancouver, seeing as how Microsoft Research apparently played a role in its development. But this gadget, presented by the University of Maryland's Nicholas Chen, is clearly its own beast -- and it's an awesome looking one at
Robot arm learns to use hammer, mocks pathetic human's attempt to fight back (video)
This guy had a pretty natural reaction upon discovering that the DLR Hand Arm System has learned to use a hammer: he took a bat to the thing. Rather than curbing the inevitable robotic uprising, however, the whole thing just demonstrates exactly how durable the mechanical appendage is, as it resumes normal functionality after the swift blow. The arm contains 52 motors and super strong synthetic tendons, and is the work of the German Aerospace Center, the electronic sadists who also recently
10 Food Additives That You're Eating . . . Right . . . Now. [Daily 10]
Esther Inglis-Arkell — When it comes to our eating habits, we've been living in the future for quite some time. Compared to food of the past, ours is sweeter, its colors are brighter, and (if it's bread) ultra-fluffly-er. Find out about all the neat things that you're eating, even as you read this. That's right. I see that hot pocket.
10. Ethyl Vanillin
You'll find this in a lot of cake mixes, frostings, and ice creams. It's not too exciting, but I'm including it because I think it should
10. Ethyl Vanillin
You'll find this in a lot of cake mixes, frostings, and ice creams. It's not too exciting, but I'm including it because I think it should
Google I/O 2011 keynotes now available on YouTube (video)
Is there anything you don't know about Google's blowout I/O 2011 developer conference? If you've read our recap of happenings over in San Francisco this week, you should be well on your way to becoming the most knowledgeable Google geek in your local data cluster, but if you're looking for all the key info in a more digestible format like, say, video, Google's taking care of you as well. Both of the company's I/O keynotes have been posted to YouTube, where they can be consumed in up to 720p
Android 3.1 on the Motorola Xoom: hands-on (video)
That Android 3.1 update that Google announced during I/O is slowly rolling out to 3G Xoom owners as we speak. How'd we know such a thing? Why, it just landed on our in-house Xoom, of course! Most of the changes to Honeycomb are happening under the hood -- better HTML5 support, faster performance, and USB host functionality for connecting peripherals like game controllers and mice -- but there are some improvements that will be a lot more obvious to the user. Perhaps our favorite is the
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
The Human-Powered Helicopter That Hopes to Take Flight [Video]
Kelly Hodgkins —A team from the Clark School of Engineering at the University of Maryland is hoping to take to the skies in their human-powered helicopter tomorrow.
The students are competing for the $ 250,000 Sikorsky prize, a competition started by the American Helicopter Society in 1980. The prize requires competitors have to fly a homemade helicopter for 60 seconds at an altitude of three meters. It must be a controlled flight so each pilot has to stay within a 10-meter square. In
The students are competing for the $ 250,000 Sikorsky prize, a competition started by the American Helicopter Society in 1980. The prize requires competitors have to fly a homemade helicopter for 60 seconds at an altitude of three meters. It must be a controlled flight so each pilot has to stay within a 10-meter square. In
Lenovo's LePad going global with IdeaPad Tablet K1 moniker?
At last, here's a sign of Lenovo's Android tablet making its way out of the fertile land of China. While there's no direct mention in this FCC application, the speakers at the bottom suggest that this slate -- dubbed the IdeaPad Tablet K1 and made by Compal -- is a variant of the China-only LePad as opposed to the shinier U1 Hybrid (which is more likely to be the Skylight slate, anyway). Also bear in mind that Lenovo's already confirmed a global June launch for the LePad, so the timing of
Google Has Hired Danger, the Makers of Sidekick, to Work on 'Android Hardware' [Blip]
Casey Chan —Fortune is reporting that Joe Britt and Matt Hershenson, co-founders of Danger, have joined Google and Andy Rubin, the other Danger co-founder, to work on a new wing within Android called 'Android Hardware'. That means Danger, the company that made the uber-popular, original Sidekick, is back together at Google.
So does that mean the Danger folks will begin building real Google phones (we're not talking about Nexuses)? Not exactly. Fortune says:
They tell me they spend their
So does that mean the Danger folks will begin building real Google phones (we're not talking about Nexuses)? Not exactly. Fortune says:
They tell me they spend their
Microsoft motion controller concept kicks sand in Kinect's puny face
Think your body's a temple? Turns out it's actually just the antenna the temple's staff uses to watch football when they're done praying. A group of engineers from Microsoft Research showcased a technology at Vancouver's Conference on Human Factors in Computing that offers gesture-based control on a scale that could make the company's Kinect controller downright laughable. The team demonstrated how it could harness the human body's reception of electromagnetic noise to create gesture-based
Don't Swallow a Stolen Diamond Cause They'll Come After You with a Colonoscopy [Wtf]
Casey Chan —What would you do if you were caught stealing a diamond? Drop it? Hide it? Swallow it? That's what this diamond thief did. And when he got caught, the police waited for the diamond to come out, em, naturally. But it wasn't coming out!
io9 says that even though the man was under surveillance and his stools were being screened, bowel movements for the man were rare so they sent him over to get X-Rays to locate the diamond. Once they found the diamond in his cecal area, they
io9 says that even though the man was under surveillance and his stools were being screened, bowel movements for the man were rare so they sent him over to get X-Rays to locate the diamond. Once they found the diamond in his cecal area, they
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Watching Animatronics Come to Life Is Going to Give Me Nightmares [Video]
Casey Chan — We've seen pictures of John Nolan's amazing animatronics before and they were already scary! Now, we get to take a peak at his video reel and see all of those complex robots come to life. No surprise: it's even more frightening.
I can't get over how lifelike they are! I'm going to be up all night thinking about it. I'm such a wuss.
I can't get over how lifelike they are! I'm going to be up all night thinking about it. I'm such a wuss.
The Perfect Picnic Table Goes Both Ways [Design]
Whether it's enjoying food, drinks or conversation, life is better on a picnic table. It's one of tenets I live by. But picnic tables kill my back! If only I could prop the seat up and lounge. Wait. I can?
Wrongfully called 'Another Picnic Table', it splits the benches up into two different seats and gives two different options for seating: you can use the chair normally or as low seating lounge chairs. So when you're painfully full, sinfully drunk, or the conversation has grown to a halt.
Wrongfully called 'Another Picnic Table', it splits the benches up into two different seats and gives two different options for seating: you can use the chair normally or as low seating lounge chairs. So when you're painfully full, sinfully drunk, or the conversation has grown to a halt.
The First Android Tablet [Tablets]
Matt Buchanan —The Galaxy Tab 10.1 is amazing in two ways.
It's the first tablet that's as immaterial as the iPad 2, in form and weight and feel. That's amazing. What's more amazing, maybe, is the fact that's amazing.
It's not as rigid, not as sturdy or deliberately constructed—at least that's the way it feels. That's because the back is plastic, glossy and thin. Like the Motorola Xoom, it's proportioned in a way that it's really meant to be used in landscape—it's too tall, too long
It's the first tablet that's as immaterial as the iPad 2, in form and weight and feel. That's amazing. What's more amazing, maybe, is the fact that's amazing.
It's not as rigid, not as sturdy or deliberately constructed—at least that's the way it feels. That's because the back is plastic, glossy and thin. Like the Motorola Xoom, it's proportioned in a way that it's really meant to be used in landscape—it's too tall, too long
Fossil Meta Watch wrists-on at Google I/O (video)
Today at Google I/O we got a chance to play with Meta Watch, Fossil's wearable development platform, which allows developers to extend the interfaces of devices and applications to the wrist. Both watches -- one analog / digital with traditional dial plus two small OLED displays, the other digital with a larger memory-in-pixel LCD (a highly reflective, always-on, ultra low-power screen) -- feature Bluetooth for communication, along with a vibration motor, three-axis accelerometer, and
A Super Powerful Wind Turbine That's Taller Than the Washington Monument [Monster Machines]
Max Behrman —Wind blows. And if there's energy (and money) to be made from this fact of life, we may as well take advantage of it, right? That's what Vestas is doing—and they're using the V164-7.0 MW, a massive, 614-foot wind turbine, to do it.
My brain pretty much explodes when I try to comprehend how big this thing is. Its rotor, spanning a diameter of 540 feet, can fit the infield and outfield of Yankee Stadium within it. Twice. Come again?
The power it supplies is as impressive as
My brain pretty much explodes when I try to comprehend how big this thing is. Its rotor, spanning a diameter of 540 feet, can fit the infield and outfield of Yankee Stadium within it. Twice. Come again?
The power it supplies is as impressive as
Monday, May 9, 2011
Work Is Just a Game for Air Traffic Controllers [Block Quote]
Adrian Covert — Air traffic control horror stories are popping up left and right these days, but few stories have a description as vividly nerdy as the one found in Mother Jones' write up about the switchboard operators of the commercial flight world.
One day after Christmas, our computer system got gummed up with too many flights, as sometimes happens. It made it harder for me to track some of the 30 airplanes that I had on frequency-almost double what we'd handle on a heavy day 15
One day after Christmas, our computer system got gummed up with too many flights, as sometimes happens. It made it harder for me to track some of the 30 airplanes that I had on frequency-almost double what we'd handle on a heavy day 15
Microsoft close to buying Skype for more than $7 billion?
Following rumors of Facebook and Google eyeing on a deal to acquire Skype, we now have a new contender who is none other than the beast from Redmond, Microsoft. According to the Wall Street Journal's sources, Team Ballmer and the VoIP company are finalising a negotiation that's worth more than a whooping $ 7 billion, and they could be making an announcement as soon as Tuesday. Given that this figure will be a new record for Microsoft in recent years, it's clear that Ballmer's very keen on
Pioneer's AVIC-ZH09 GPS navigation systems take augmented reality on the road
While it may not be the first GPS navigation system we've seen sporting augmented reality, Pioneer's latest in-dash series may offer the first built-ins to bring AR to the open road. Using a windshield-mounted camera, the AVIC-VH09CS and AVIC-VH09 stream live footage to a 7-inch in-dash display, adding layers of pertinent information to real-time video. Among other things, the AR-capabilities provide visual cues that alert drivers to the changing of upcoming traffic lights and the exact
Google I/O 2011 kicks off tomorrow, get your liveblog right here!
It's been quite a year for Google already, but in truth, things haven't even truly begun. The outfit's annual tech extravaganza kicks off in the morning at San Francisco's Moscone West, with an untitled Day 1 Keynote scheduled to boot things up at 9:00AM PT. As for what to expect? Things have been eerily quiet surrounding this year's event, but it wouldn't be a stretch to hear more about the rumored Google Music, Android's next step towards world domination, juicy details on the company's
Entire Nation to Time-Travel in December [Gawker] [The Future]
— While our federal government continues to spend its taxpayers' money on useless things like the U.S. Senate, the Pacific island nation of Samoa is doing something awesome: Time-traveling. Into the future!
On December 29 of this year, Samoans will go to bed as though it were any other day. But they will wake up [dons sunglasses] in the future! Twenty-four hours in the future, to be exact, on December 31, moving it to the other side of the International Date Line and putting the country
On December 29 of this year, Samoans will go to bed as though it were any other day. But they will wake up [dons sunglasses] in the future! Twenty-four hours in the future, to be exact, on December 31, moving it to the other side of the International Date Line and putting the country
Sunday, May 8, 2011
HP launches DataPass to sell prepaid 3G data plans, service piggybacks on Sprint's network
It looks like HP is getting into the prepaid data game. The company just announced DataPass, a solution that lets you purchase 3G service from your laptop. The service is HP-branded, and that isn't just marketing hype -- the company bought excess spectrum from Sprint and is setting its own prices, effectively turning the PC maker into an MVNO. The no-contract plans start at $ 5 for a modest 75MB, which HP says is enough for about five hours of use, and stretch up to $ 30 for 1GB. Look for
Windows Phone 7 updates Bing to find music and barcodes, provide turn-by-turn directions and send speech-to-text SMS?
Developers are getting plenty of toys alongside Windows Phone 7's "Mango" release, but there may be extra baubles for regular users, too -- Microsoft will reportedly add a few features to Bing in the near future which could prove particularly useful. According to the latest episode of the Windows Phone Dev Podcast -- which hosted Microsoft's Brandon Watson as a guest -- a new function called Bing Audio will act like a Shazam for recognizing music (and will sell you Zune tracks) while Bing
I Want an Invisible Chair Too [Photography]
Casey Chan — I spend half my day sitting on a chair. Probably more than half. It's comfy enough but man, I'd take an Invisible Chair over the most comfortable chair in the world. They don't exist yet, but these pictures from Jens Sage sure as hell make it seem like they do. And they look quite the comfy. [Jens Sage via
Inhabitat's Week in Green: Cities of the future, the Aqua Star, and 0-60 in 3.4 seconds... with a go-kart
Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us -- it's the Week in Green.
What will the high-tech city of the future look like? This week Inhabitat brought you a sneak peek as we took an exclusive look inside Abu Dhabi's carbon-neutral Masdar City, which just opened for business. We also brought you brand new photos of the world's largest wooden structure, and we spotted several innovative solar-powered buildings -
What will the high-tech city of the future look like? This week Inhabitat brought you a sneak peek as we took an exclusive look inside Abu Dhabi's carbon-neutral Masdar City, which just opened for business. We also brought you brand new photos of the world's largest wooden structure, and we spotted several innovative solar-powered buildings -
Poker chip-sized device non-invasively measures brain temperature, intrigues Le Chiffre
Do you ever feel like Portal 2 is making your brain overheat? You should get that checked, and thanks to researchers in Norfolk, Virginia, there's an easier way to do so. The Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters has developed a device the diameter of a poker chip that sits atop a patient's head; by detecting the microwaves that all human tissues produce, it calculates brain temperature without the need for messy skull-popping. The waves pass through the bone to give doctors precise,
Johnny Depp Can't Watch 3D Movies [Movies]
Kwame Opam — It seems Johnny Depp won't be enjoying his new movie, "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides" like most audiences on May 20th. Like a very small portion of the population, he simply can't see 3D movie effects.
"I'm unable to see in 3D. My eyes don't see in 3D. I have a weird eye... It just doesn't work. It may come as a surprise to you, but I've never seen normally," he told the TV show Access Hollywood.
In any case, I hope the movie doesn't need the 3D to be
"I'm unable to see in 3D. My eyes don't see in 3D. I have a weird eye... It just doesn't work. It may come as a surprise to you, but I've never seen normally," he told the TV show Access Hollywood.
In any case, I hope the movie doesn't need the 3D to be
LG Optimus Black debuts in Europe 'this month,' rest of the world settles for dual-core crumbs
LG told us to expect the ultra-slim Optimus Black handset globally in the first half of the year, and at least one continent will receive the device as planned -- the company just announced that the 9.2mm thin smartphone with the 700 nit NOVA display will hit Europe this month, with launches planned for North America and Asia at unspecified times after that. Yes, there'll be plenty of jealousy to go around, especially sometime in June -- that's when LG will allegedly unveil white and pink
Saturday, May 7, 2011
How would you change Motorola's Xoom?
Two Motorola products in a row here at HWYC? Say it ain't so! A week after throwing the Atrix 4G out for discussion, Moto's Xoom tablet is on the docket next. As the world's first commercialized Honeycomb tablet, it obviously launched with heightened expectations. That over-the-top Super Bowl ad didn't help, but we digress. For those who've chosen the Xoom over countless others, we have to ask: are you happy with your decision? How's the software treating you? Taken those cameras out for a
A 3-Year Old Boy Armed With a Blowtorch Burnt Down His Neighborhood [Children]
Kwame Opam — Yesterday, a 3-year-old boy and his dog decided to go for a morning stroll through the neighborhood. Only this walk involved a blowtorch and some $ 5,000 in property damage. Kids today really know how to have fun.
It's a miracle, of course, that the kid came out unhurt. But this will definitely be a story for when he's older. Wearing only a T-shirt and man-sized balls to weigh him down, the lad somehow managed to undo the safety switches on the torch and proceeded to have a
It's a miracle, of course, that the kid came out unhurt. But this will definitely be a story for when he's older. Wearing only a T-shirt and man-sized balls to weigh him down, the lad somehow managed to undo the safety switches on the torch and proceeded to have a
iPad 2 light leakage due to faulty LG panels? (update)
We don't have official word from Apple on the subject, but we're hearing rumors that might explain why some iPad 2 backlights tend to bleed -- according to Digitimes' anonymous sources, LG Display was "forced to reduce its shipments in the first quarter due to light leakage problem for panels," and that Samsung took up the slack. That suggests that some of today's vaunted 9.7-inch IPS displays may be from LG's faulty batch and some may be slightly superior Samsung screens, but we don't
Friday, May 6, 2011
iPad For Seniors For Dummies
iPad For Seniors For Dummies
ISBN13: 9780470883174
Condition: New
Notes: BRAND NEW FROM PUBLISHER! BUY WITH CONFIDENCE, Over one million books sold! 98% Positive feedback. Compare our books, prices and service to the competition. 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed
The full-color guide to the exciting new iPad, written specifically with the needs of seniors in mind!The iPad is the perfect device for the senior market, combining the Web, e-mail, photos, video, and book reading into an intuitive,
ISBN13: 9780470883174
Condition: New
Notes: BRAND NEW FROM PUBLISHER! BUY WITH CONFIDENCE, Over one million books sold! 98% Positive feedback. Compare our books, prices and service to the competition. 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed
The full-color guide to the exciting new iPad, written specifically with the needs of seniors in mind!The iPad is the perfect device for the senior market, combining the Web, e-mail, photos, video, and book reading into an intuitive,
myPadMedia And iPad – A Perfect Combination
The Apple workforce is continuously exceeding expectations and transforming the way in which people today do stuff from enjoying music to keeping in touch with their buddies and loved ones. Initially, these people released us their innovative brilliance with the creation with the iPod and iTunes. They virtually transformed the way in which we get and appreciate music. They after that took it up a notch using the iPhone and the new technology of the multi-touch display screen.
And even
And even
Eight-core Intel Sandy Bridge E chips listed on, pulled from eBay
What's this? A listing for an unreleased Intel chip on eBay? This purported eight-core, hyper-threaded Sandy Bridge E-series processor is apparently a third party tester unit, hence the cloak and dagger "Intel Confidential" stamped in the middle of the thing. The "E," as previously stated, stands for "Enthusiast," especially fitting in the case of a $ 1,360 dollar piece of near-future tech with a strict no refund / return policy. Not surprisingly, the sale has been shutdown prematurely.
I Can't Stop Laughing Because HTC Is Charging $80 for Its Tablet Stylus [Wtf]
Sam Biddle — That HTC is touting the stylus for its Flyer tablet as a wonderful feature is risible on its own—outside of those with very specific uses, nobody should ever need a stylus in 2011. But the price is insane.
The stylus won't be included with the Flyer—instead, it'll be an $ 80 add-on. Eighty dollars. That's almost a fifth of the cost of the entire tablet. And although the thing does have some multimedia features tucked in, it's still, at its heart, a stick. A stick you
The stylus won't be included with the Flyer—instead, it'll be an $ 80 add-on. Eighty dollars. That's almost a fifth of the cost of the entire tablet. And although the thing does have some multimedia features tucked in, it's still, at its heart, a stick. A stick you
Visualized: Google searches around the globe
You've already seen Android activations mapped around the globe over time, now how about some Google search volumes? Using WebGL and different color crayons for each language, the coders at Mountain View have put together the above Search Globe, which presents a single day's worth of Google queries in a beautiful, skyscraper-infused visualization. Jacking yourself into the source link below (your browser can handle WebGL, right?) will let you twist and turn the model globe for a closer
LG Optimus 2X scoops up Guinness World Record for being first dual-core smartphone
LG's Optimus 2X just scooped up official recognition from the Guinness World Records crew for being the very first dual-core smartphone, which sounds like a good thing, but really it kind of isn't. In its rabid pursuit of the "First!" badge, LG neglected to polish up the 2X's software, leaving a lot of early users feeling high, dry, and in need of a good custom ROM. On the other hand, that very same phone's US variant, the T-Mobile G2x that came a couple of months later, arrived with a nice
Kindle joins Nook and Kobo on Walmart store shelves
The tablet market is still a one-horse race, but e-readers continue to ramp, and Walmart wants another piece of that precious pie at big box retail. Starting this week, the online retailer will deliver shipments of Amazon's mighty Kindle 3G and ad-supported Kindle to over 3,200 Walmart stores across the US, where it will join the Nook and Kobo e-readers in competing for shelf space. Could this be the beginning of another e-reader price war? Perhaps not yet, but it could be one more retail
Thursday, May 5, 2011
New Apple 13.3″ MacBook Pro dual-core Intel Core i5 2.3GHz: $1049
From the Toys section:
MacMall via eBay Daily Deal has the 13-inch MacBook Pro dual-core Intel Core i5 2.3GHz for $ 1049 with free shipping. That’s $ 150 off and the lowest price we’ve seen for a new unit. Features include an Intel Core i5 2.3GHz dual-core processor, 13.3″ 1280×800 LED-backlit widescreen glossy LCD, 4GB RAM, 320GB 5400 rpm hard drive, Airport Extreme (802.11a/n) wireless, Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR, multi-touch trackpad, iSight webcam, Mac OS X 10.6, and more.
Apple
MacMall via eBay Daily Deal has the 13-inch MacBook Pro dual-core Intel Core i5 2.3GHz for $ 1049 with free shipping. That’s $ 150 off and the lowest price we’ve seen for a new unit. Features include an Intel Core i5 2.3GHz dual-core processor, 13.3″ 1280×800 LED-backlit widescreen glossy LCD, 4GB RAM, 320GB 5400 rpm hard drive, Airport Extreme (802.11a/n) wireless, Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR, multi-touch trackpad, iSight webcam, Mac OS X 10.6, and more.
Apple
Sony offers free Debix identify theft protection for PSN and Qriocity hack victims in US
Sony's "Welcome Back" package of free software and PlayStation Plus subscriptions was a nice gesture, but it won't help you if your credit card gets fraudulently charged in the aftermath of the PlayStation Network debacle. That, however, is exactly what Debix is for. Sony's announced that it will provide a complimentary one-year subscription to Debix's "AllClear ID Plus" identity theft protection service to all PlayStation Network and Qriocity account holders in the United States, which will
Hitpad for iPad [App Of The Day]
Casey Chan —
Have you ever looked at Twitter trending topics or Google Trends and wondered who the heck is that or what in the world are these people talking about? I do that every single day! HitPad explains those trending topics by giving you the relevant news, tweets, videos, pictures and web links about them. Don't ever feel left out again.
What is it?
Hitpad, Free, iPad. Hitpad is your explainer for all things going on in the world, or well all things going on in the world
Have you ever looked at Twitter trending topics or Google Trends and wondered who the heck is that or what in the world are these people talking about? I do that every single day! HitPad explains those trending topics by giving you the relevant news, tweets, videos, pictures and web links about them. Don't ever feel left out again.
What is it?
Hitpad, Free, iPad. Hitpad is your explainer for all things going on in the world, or well all things going on in the world
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Surface SDK gets input simulator, opens doors to indie devs
There's one big, table-shaped obstacle to developing apps for Microsoft's Surface: you kind of have to own one. A new Surface 2 SDK, landing this summer, will sidestep that problem with an input simulator so devs can test their code on any Windows 7 PC. You can tap fingers, place tags, or paint "blobs" for your virtual SUR 40 to interact with, and even fake multitouch gestures by "stamping" a finger in one spot then moving a second one. If the Surface you're programming for happens to be
White Castle offers online ordering but makes you leave couch for pick-up
Do you crave hamburgers but also want to minimize your interaction with fellow human beings? Then your unicorn-riding white knight has arrived, in the form of White Castle's new online ordering service. Thought not quite as handy as Domino's UK-only SMS ordering, the feature is rolling out to all 400 US locations. The website lets you "customize your sack" however you please; it also has a pretty high (or non-existent?) limit on quantities, meaning 1,000,000 Bacon and Cheddar Sliders will set
MIT Media Lab develops glasses-free HR3D, supports broad viewing angles (video)
We've already seen plenty of glasses-free 3D HDTVs and portable devices, but a promising new technology called HR3D (High-Rank 3D) has hit the prototype phase. Engineers from MIT's Media Lab, who developed the new solution, say that it avoids compromising on screen brightness, resolution, viewing angle, and battery life, and doesn't require those pesky (and pricey) 3D glasses. HR3D uses a pair of layered LCDs to give the illusion of depth, with the top layer (or mask) displaying a variable
Concept Puppy Vacuum Cleaner is Absolutely Adorable [Concepts]
Casey Chan — This vacuum cleaner concept from Hyun-Seok Kim utilizes 4 robotic "puppies" as the vacuum cleaners, they run around the house and clean up everything they can get their clean paws on. The base station is designed as a "mommy dog", as it re-charges the puppies with power and gives them enough energy for the puppies to do it all over again. I'd say the concept is a helluva lot cuter than a Roomba, wouldn't you? [Yanko
CRTC sets target of 5Mbps broadband for all Canadians by 2015
The FCC may be sticking with its target of 4Mbps broadband for everyone in the United States, but it looks like the CRTC thinks Canada can do one (megabit) better. The regulatory agency has just set its own target of 5Mbps download speeds and 1 Mbps upload speeds for all Canadians -- a goal that it says must be met by 2015. Those speeds, the agency notes, must be actual speeds not advertised ones, although it's not yet going as far as to declare internet access a basic service to ensure that
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
270,000 Lego Bricks Make Up this Great Wall of Lego [Lego]
Casey Chan — Lene Rønsholt Wille, a Denmark-based designer, made this absolutely stunning Great Wall of Lego. It took her six weeks to build! She used 270,000 pieces! Can you even imagine what it would be like to play around with 270,000 Lego bricks? Heaven, I'm pretty sure.
But in actuality, it was probably hell, since each brick is the same and you're doing the same thing over and over and over again. And over again. Multiply by 270,000 times. But in the end, you get to say you built
But in actuality, it was probably hell, since each brick is the same and you're doing the same thing over and over and over again. And over again. Multiply by 270,000 times. But in the end, you get to say you built
People Came Up with Some Crazy Ideas to Fight Tornadoes Back in the Day [History]
Casey Chan — I've never experienced a tornado but I watched Twister multiple times and I'm scared shitless of them. And I sort of understand the weathery science behind them! Imagine how people felt in the 1800's when those menacing winding bolts from the sky would manifest and tear up everything in its path. Not fun.
To avoid the destruction of tornados—and there was destruction, thousands of people died in the late 1800's—people started fantasizing ways to ward off tornadoes. Two,
To avoid the destruction of tornados—and there was destruction, thousands of people died in the late 1800's—people started fantasizing ways to ward off tornadoes. Two,
Boeing's Phantom Ray soars like a terrifying, unmanned eagle
Boeing's new Phantom Ray aircraft made a covert first flight last week, taking to the skies above California's Edwards Air Force Base. The unmanned airborne system (UAS) reached 7,500 feet, hitting a maximum speed of 178 knots and flying for a total of 17 minutes -- sure, it won't outlast the Phantom Eye anytime soon, but hey, we've all gotta start somewhere. What the 36-foot long vehicle lacks in relative endurance, it makes up stealth, designed to be undetectable on radar, and thanks to a
Nintendo Wii Vitality Sensor still coming to a hand near you, says Iwata
For a product with the word "vitality" in its name, Nintendo's forthcoming Wii peripheral doesn't seem to have much of a pulse these days. The oddball controller certainly piqued our interest when the gaming giant showed it off way back in 2009, but aside from some false alarms and an uncovered patent application, we haven't heard a peep. Nintendo president Satoru Iwata addressed the Vitality Sensor's conspicuous absence during a financial presentation, chalking the delay up to "differences in
Dual-booting ViewSonic ViewPad 10 gets Android 2.2 upgrade, patient owners join 2010
Good things come to those who wait. If you bought the dual-booting ViewSonic ViewPad 10, Android 1.6 be damned, we have some good news -- the tablet's getting an upgrade to Android 2.2. Just to refresh your memories, that leap from Donut to Froyo means ViewPad 10 owners will now get updated Gmail, Calendar, Google Maps, Gallery, and YouTube apps, a refined onscreen keyboard, compatabilty with newer applications, and a healthy dose of sorely needed eye candy. New customers can choose one that
Monday, May 2, 2011
Julian Assange Thinks Facebook Is the "Most Appalling Spy Machine That Has Ever Been Invented” [Blockquote]
Casey Chan — In an interview with Russia Today, Wikileaks founder Julian Assange went all conspiracy theorist on Facebook. He says:
Facebook in particular is the most appalling spying machine that has ever been invented. Here we have the worlds most comprehensive database about people, their relationships, their names, their addresses, their location their communication with each other, their relatives...all accessible to US intelligence.
Assange didn't out and declare Facebook was
Facebook in particular is the most appalling spying machine that has ever been invented. Here we have the worlds most comprehensive database about people, their relationships, their names, their addresses, their location their communication with each other, their relatives...all accessible to US intelligence.
Assange didn't out and declare Facebook was
Working Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 spotted, handled in Germany (video)
We had a chance to peek at a glass-protected dummy version of Samsung's Galaxy Tab 8.9 at CTIA, but the real thing popped up at an event in Germany over the weekend, in all its svelte gadget glory. Our friend Johannes went hands-on with the tablet in Frankfurt, and liked what he saw. The version he saw was noticeably thinner than the prototype 8.9-incher that we got to smudge up in March (it's even slimmer than the iPad 2), and if this Europe appearance is any indication, Sammy may be on track
State Farm Driver Feedback App Wants You to Know You're Doing it Wrong [App]
Andrew Tarantola — Just in case the old ladies flipping you off after you clip them in the crosswalk isn't enough, State Farm has released the Driver Feedback App to rate just how poorly you drive. By measuring (and recording!) how hard you accelerate, brake and corner based on your iPhone's accelerometer and GPS location, the app is able to provide a detailed, mapped report of your driving habits and provide helpful driving tips (STOP HITTING PEDESTRIANS). It will even give you an
China joins Better Place on the battery-swapping bandwagon
EV's are great for getting around in a green-conscious way, but plug-in people must practice patience while waiting hours to juice up their ride. Better Place's battery swapping stations offer much faster EV refueling, which is why China Southern Power Grid Co. (CSG) is betting big on the technology. The Chinese utility giant has teamed up with Guangzhou's municipal government and Better Place to build a power pack exchange depot and an EV education center. With exhibits, meeting rooms, and
Color the Walls with Your Pee [Urinals]
Casey Chan — I've seen some crazy urinals in my day but none top the potential addicting awesomeness of this thermochromic urinal.
The trough-styled urinal takes peeing to the next level with a heat sensitive wall that changes colors to reflect the temperature change. Red, Orange, Yellow? How hot can you get it? Imagine the piss art possibilities you can create by showering the wall! This just might be my true calling. [Matrix Agents via
The trough-styled urinal takes peeing to the next level with a heat sensitive wall that changes colors to reflect the temperature change. Red, Orange, Yellow? How hot can you get it? Imagine the piss art possibilities you can create by showering the wall! This just might be my true calling. [Matrix Agents via
This Was Osama's Hideout [Terrorism]
Sam Biddle — Osama bin Laden's dead. But before we offed him, he was camped out in a Pakistani mansion—and in typical internet fashion, it's already pinpointed on Google. The mapper's anonymous, but they reveal strange things—police station neighbors? [The
Sunday, May 1, 2011
HDHomeRun Prime TV tuner passes CableLabs tests, available for preorder on Amazon
We've been waiting for SiliconDust's CableCARD-compatible HDHomeRun Prime for a little over a year and it seems finally ready to bring its triple tuner TV magic home, having gained CableLabs certification as of April 28th and subsequently showing up for preorder on Amazon. While this is mostly big news for Windows Media Center fans who need a new way to get premium channels on their box it also supports other DVR software like MythTV on Copy Freely-marked content. HTPC builders don't have to
Samsung's Galaxy S WiFi 4.0 and 5.0 now rolling out to countries far away from you
While Samsung has yet to announce an actual date for its new Galaxy Players in the US, their international counterparts are already heading towards other parts of the world for a head start. The Galaxy S WiFi 4.0 is said to be debuting in Russia followed by other countries, whereas its 5.0 sibling will be launched in Switzerland. In terms of specs, not much has changed since we last saw these 1GHz, DivX-friendly Android PMPs, and yes, they'll still be shipped with Froyo "with a possibility to
Switched On: Honeycomb or the highway
Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology.
During the holiday season of 2009 when netbooks were the hot commodity, Apple lost share in the PC market. It had nothing to compete with the sunken prices and shrunken sizes of those miniature laptops. PC vendors such as ASUS and Acer, on the other hand, did well in the netbook segment, as they could call on their expertise in building inexpensive Windows notebooks.
After the iPad's introduction, though, the
During the holiday season of 2009 when netbooks were the hot commodity, Apple lost share in the PC market. It had nothing to compete with the sunken prices and shrunken sizes of those miniature laptops. PC vendors such as ASUS and Acer, on the other hand, did well in the netbook segment, as they could call on their expertise in building inexpensive Windows notebooks.
After the iPad's introduction, though, the
Resist the Urge to Test This iPad Case by Tossing It Out the Window [Cases]
Jack Loftus — This menacing, industrial case from LTD Tools isn't cheap, but there's really no point in arguing over whether or not it will protect the iPad contained within form a simple fall. Or a baseball bat. Or...
Made from powder coated aluminum, this transforming mega case will cost you $ 140, but that includes a built-in stand and an inset that's made for mounting the thing on a wall.
The style won't be for everyone (myself and my naked electronics included), but maybe those
Made from powder coated aluminum, this transforming mega case will cost you $ 140, but that includes a built-in stand and an inset that's made for mounting the thing on a wall.
The style won't be for everyone (myself and my naked electronics included), but maybe those
Sony promises 'phased restoration' of PlayStation Network and Qriocity starting this week
Sony made quite a few promises this morning about how it intends to deal with the fallout from the PlayStation Network outage and breach -- you can find our liveblog right here -- including improved security measures and a few token handouts of 30-day free subscriptions to PlayStation Plus and Qriocity and possibly some free software. Perhaps more importantly for you gamers, Kaz Hirai told reporters that services will resume "soon," and by the end of the week we should see some functionality
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