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- Alcatel intros OneTouch T10 tablet with 7-inch display and Ice Cream Sandwich
- Nielsen says game consoles get men to use TV more: hurray, we think
- Likely HTC Windows Phone 8X with AT&T-friendly LTE surfaces at the FCC, just in time
- Japan's LED-stacked cubesat will burn Morse code into the heavens
- Dish gives up effort to turn Blockbuster into a Netflix competitor
- Australia Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder goes live as the world's quickest radio telescope
- Print your own headphones on a MakerBot Replicator and beat Dre at his own game
- ARIS 100-watt wireless speaker shipping for $499 with DLNA and Windows 8 certification
- Rovio hints at Angry Birds tie-in with Star Wars on October 8th, Red Bird Five standing by
- Square making Starbucks debut in November, will accept digital tips in 2013
- German court sides with Motorola, says it didn't violate Microsoft patent (updated)
- Nokia Lumia 920 to be a Rogers exclusive in Canada, we wonder if red is an option
- TomTom Navigator hits (some) Android devices, we go hands-on
- 3M, Roku team up for Streaming Projector to ship this November for $299
- Engadget Podcast 312 - 10.04.2012
- Distro Issue 60: Infinitec's rebirth gets Kickstarted in the Dubai desert
- Apple's Tim Cook remembers Steve Jobs' life on the anniversary of his death
- Edifier releases the Esiena and Bric Bluetooth speakers for iOS devices
- Behringer iNuke Boom Junior shrinks a giant iOS dock, won't trigger as many earthquake warnings
- Toys R Us launches family-friendly internet movie service, plans Tabeo access, HD video and more
- Microsoft buys PhoneFactor, adds smartphone authentication to its cloud services
- Sony stops Xperia Tablet S sales due to gaps between display panel and case
- Scarlet Motors partners with Metropolia University for electric sports car development
- PBS mini-documentary explores indie game creation, shows what they do that majors can't (video)
- Logitech's $180 WiFi webcam gets outed, targeted for the Mac
- Fraunhofer develops extra-small 1Gbps infrared transceiver, recalls our PDA glory days
- Heroes in a half shell: autonomous robot sea turtles in development
- Vic Gundotra post hints Snapseed for Android may be close, bring Google+ integration
- Researchers create algorithms that help lithium-ion batteries charge two times faster
- Alcatel-Lucent flies Parrot AR.Drone 2.0 over 3,280 feet using LTE: reach out and buzz someone (video)
- Google makes Gesture Search compatible with Nexus 7, improves app's overall performance
- MythTV updated to 0.26, hints at 'more exciting' 0.27 coming next year
- Microsoft announces updates for Windows 8 built-in apps, just in time for October 26th launch
- Samsung expects around $7.28 billion in operating profits for Q3, setting another record
- Parrot unveils Asteroid Smart, Tablet and Mini car infotainment systems, we go hands-on
- Samsung Galaxy Rugby Pro for AT&T hands-on
- Samsung Galaxy Express heads to AT&T, we go hands-on
- LG Optimus G for AT&T hands-on (video)
- Samsung ATIV SmartPC for AT&T hands-on (update: video)
- Bowers & Wilkins reveals Panorama 2 soundbar: same body, new features, $2,200 price tag
| Alcatel intros OneTouch T10 tablet with 7-inch display and Ice Cream Sandwich Posted: 05 Oct 2012 11:18 AM PDT Even though Alcatel does have devices out in the market like that Venture or OT986, the company still isn't exactly known for its hardware offerings. With the 7-inch (800 x 480) OneTouch T10, Alcatel's entering the overcrowded Android tablet space, and doing so without much flare -- especially when compared side-by-side with, say, Google's flagship, the Nexus 7. Something also tells us the OneTouch T10 might just be one of those reincarneted slates, but that's not to say some won't appreciate the inclusion of Ice Cream Sandwich alongside a 1GHz, single-core Rockchip CPU, 1GB RAM and 4GB of internal storage (expandable up to 32GB via microSD). Details on pricing and availability are still a tad bit scarce, though word on the web is it'll be priced at €130 (around $170) once it's up for grabs in the US and Europe. |
| Nielsen says game consoles get men to use TV more: hurray, we think Posted: 05 Oct 2012 10:49 AM PDT We're not sure if we should always cheer figures that reflect sedentary behavior. Still, chalk one up for greater (if superficial) gender equality. Nielsen finds that, as of this past March, men who owned a modern game console like the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 or Wii were using their TVs almost as much as women: while males in the broader population typically spend 37 fewer minutes in front of the big screen every day than females, that gap shrank to a negligible 11 minutes when console use came into play. Unfortunately, the agency doesn't say just what's getting men to tune in for that much longer. Gaming is the most likely culprit, but a raft of streaming video options could have some of those refined couch potatoes watching Hulu or Netflix instead of playing one more round of Gears of War. If consoles have people of all genders spending more time together, we're in favor of it; given that men still spend over twice as much time on consoles as women, though, it's clear there's still a bridge to cross if we want more of a balance in the kinds of TV activity we enjoy. |
| Likely HTC Windows Phone 8X with AT&T-friendly LTE surfaces at the FCC, just in time Posted: 05 Oct 2012 10:18 AM PDT Isn't that convenient. With only weeks left to go before the official Windows Phone 8 launch event, what's likely a version of the HTC Windows Phone 8X with North American LTE support has stopped by the FCC for approval. The PM23300 variant we see here (the international 8X is the PM23200) supports both the needed 700MHz LTE band for its eventual appearance at AT&T as well as AWS for wider AT&T coverage and the big three Canadian carriers. All are good signs that HTC is just about ready, although T-Mobile and Verizon subscribers might not want to get overly excited just yet -- there's no AWS 3G, CDMA or Verizon-ready 700MHz LTE to be found on this 8X, which shows that any US launch will still demand multiple editions. The others won't be far behind in the FCC race with that November release window already locked in. |
| Japan's LED-stacked cubesat will burn Morse code into the heavens Posted: 05 Oct 2012 09:53 AM PDT If you thought cloud writing was cool, then how about a message from space burnt into the night sky? A group of unassuming cubesats recently left the comfort of the ISS and joined Earth's orbit -- among them was FITSAT-1 (aka Niwaka), a four-inch-cubed Japanese satellite covered in high-powered LEDs. Its mission is to broadcast the message "Hi this is Niwaka Japan " in Morse code, using bursts of intense light to draw dots and dashes across the heavens. FITSAT-1 was originally planned to appear only over Japan , but a flurry of interest means it'll be touring the globe, starting next month. It'll also find time for its studies, beaming VGA images snapped with an onboard camera back to Earth, to test a high-speed data transmitter. While its creator, Professor Takushi Tanaka, has said the Morse broadcast has "no practical aim", we think it would make a good emergency beacon for natural disasters (or, more worryingly, alien invasions). FITSAT-1 will try and fulfill all requests for appearances, but it can't control the weather, so you'd better hope for a clear night if it visits your part of the world. If you're as excited as we are to see it in action, bookmark the source links below, which should be updated with its orbit schedule in the near future. And, even if you don't speak Japanese, the video after the break will give you an idea of what to expect.
This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Dish gives up effort to turn Blockbuster into a Netflix competitor Posted: 05 Oct 2012 09:27 AM PDT It's been an especially bumpy road for the Blockbuster brand these past few years, and things just got a bit more rough. In an interview with Bloomberg, Dish Network founder and CEO Charlie Ergen confirmed that the company is abandoning its current efforts to challenge Netflix with Blockbuster, saying that it no longer plans to use the brand as a video streaming or DVD-by-mail service in the US. Ergen did say that Dish had other plans for Blockbuster, but he didn't elaborate on what those may be. He also seems to be fairly resigned to the whole matter, saying "worst case, we'll take our money after having wasted some time, not much money, and life goes on." |
| Australia Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder goes live as the world's quickest radio telescope Posted: 05 Oct 2012 08:52 AM PDT Australia's Shire of Murchison is quickly becoming a hotbed for radio telescopes. As of of Friday, the territory is operating the world's fastest radio telescope in the form of the Australia Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder (ASKAP). The 36-antenna grid's eventual use of six phased array feeds, each with 188 receivers, will let it scan a field of view 150 times larger than the moon's visible area while processing that information much faster than a typical single-pixel radio telescope feed -- CSIRO estimates that an image of the Centaurus A galaxy that would take 10,000 hours to process with rivals should take five minutes with ASKAP. Ultimately, the array should grow to 60 antennas as part of the Square Kilometer Array, which includes South Africa in its hunt for pulsars, quasars and other unique parts of the universe. Just don't get your hopes up for booking alien listening sessions anytime soon. Commissioning started virtually as soon as the ribbon was cut, and scientists have already scheduled their usage slots for the next five years. We're sure we'll get over any frustration when we see the first ASKAP results published within the next year. |
| Print your own headphones on a MakerBot Replicator and beat Dre at his own game Posted: 05 Oct 2012 08:36 AM PDT As 3D printers become more and more accessible to a consumer audience, one question lingers above the rest: why? Granted, they're incredibly cool, but what, if any, are the practical implication of such a technology? For the most part, the great ambassadors of 3D printing have largely been printable toys -- cool, but not particularly useful. The question, as posed by John Mabry reads as follows,
An attempt at the answer comes in the form of the 13:30 printable headphones, which can by created on a MakerBot Replicator and coupled with some off-the-shelf components, making for a pair of slick-looking, functional headphones that, at the very least, will help you stand out from the rest of the Beats By Dre enthusiasts on a crowded subway train. |
| ARIS 100-watt wireless speaker shipping for $499 with DLNA and Windows 8 certification Posted: 05 Oct 2012 08:11 AM PDT If you're on the look-out for a decently boombastic wireless speaker but can't quite stump up three grand for the latest B&O, then perhaps the ARIS from Aperion Audio is worth a gander. Having finally emerged from pre-order status, it's available from Amazon and other retailers priced at $499, which gets you a 100-watt (RMS) output from six internal speakers housed in a 15-inch wide single-piece aluminum enclosure held up on a red wire frame. The ARIS handles regular DLNA and is also certified with work with Windows 7 and 8 sources over your home WiFi network -- just in case you should happen to have any cash left after that pricey Surface Pro. Aperion Audio ARIS™, the World's First Windows® 8 Certified Compatible Speaker System, Now Shipping The first wireless speaker for Windows (7 & 8) brings hi-fi to wi-fi, allowing effortless music playback over your home network Portland, OR - (October 4, 2012) – Aperion Audio announces the availability of the ARIS wireless speaker for Windows (7 & 8). The first certified compatible with Windows 8 speaker system, the ARIS lets digital music lovers listen to their tunes from any room in their home. Using the Windows "Play To" feature, users can select and send music wirelessly from any Windows PC, tablet or smart phone connected to their home network. The Aperion ARIS for Windows is available now for $499 at www.AperionAudio.com. Today, music is stored on a variety of digital devices in the home including desktops, laptops, notebook PCs, network storage drives, tablets and smart phones. ARIS connects to all of these sources of music on the home network and eliminates the need to move music files between devices or plug and unplug cables to hear specific tracks. Using Windows 7 & 8 on PCs or tablets and controller Apps on a Windows, Android, or iOS smart phone, music lovers can send music from any source on the network to an ARIS speaker located anywhere in the home. ARIS is the first wireless speaker system for Windows, providing functionality similar to wireless speakers that work with Apple® AirPlay® or Bluetooth® technology. However, being Windows and DLNA certified, the ARIS system allows connectivity to multiple network devices, a simple 'right-click' music file playback and compatibility with a variety of playback Apps for tablets and smart phones. Aperion's 12 years of experience in designing award-winning home theater speakers, has been applied in engineering the ARIS from the ground up for natural and low-distortion reproduction of sound, even at loud volumes. The all-in-one stereo speaker system includes six internal drivers and four amplifiers that provide a total of 100 W of audio power and a maximum SPL of 105 dB. The unique extruded and black anodized aluminum enclosure measures 6.5-inches high by 14.75-inches wide. The ARIS is equipped with an adjustable and removable red steel stand for precise angling to enable optimal placement in any room. The ARIS connects to a home network at the push of a button using Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS), which is built into most current wireless routers, or a simple on-board setup sequence when WPS is not available. Once on the network, the ARIS Wireless Card for Windows (included) automatically updates software over the Internet to maintain the latest networking and codec technologies. The system is also made future proof by a patent-pending capability to swap out the wireless card should hardware technology change or if the user chooses a different network infrastructure in the future. This removes the potential need to replace the complete speaker system. ARIS Wireless Speaker for Windows: http://aris.aperionaudio.com/ Key Features of the Aperion ARIS Wireless Speaker for Windows: Pricing, Availability and Warranty: |
| Rovio hints at Angry Birds tie-in with Star Wars on October 8th, Red Bird Five standing by Posted: 05 Oct 2012 08:04 AM PDT The green pigs have had their moment in the sun: it's time for the Angry Birds to come back. Rovio Mobile has posted a teaser of a collaboration between its frustrated avians and Star Wars that will get a grand reveal on October 8th at Toys R Us' Times Square location in New York City. No clear giveaways exist as to what's coming, although Rovio is promising animations, comics and other material in the weeks ahead -- we imagine it means more than a toy line, as unique as that can be. But does it mean an Angry Birds Space add-on that goes well beyond the Martian landscape, an entirely new game or something else altogether? We've asked the company for more details and will let you know if we're given more information. In the meantime, get ready for what's likely to be a geek culture explosion. |
| Square making Starbucks debut in November, will accept digital tips in 2013 Posted: 05 Oct 2012 07:58 AM PDT If you're wondering when Starbucks is finally going to get around to rolling out Square, wonder no more. The company announced that starting in November customers will be able to pay for their no-fat soy mocha lattes using the platform founded by Jack Dorsey. Of course, being able to use Square Wallet at the nation's largest coffee chain is a major milestone for the mobile payment scene as a whole, but loyal customers likely already have a Starbucks card and its associated app. Only problem with both Square and the Starbucks app is you still need to carry cash to tip your barista. Thankfully, at some point in 2013, the company will start accepting tips through its own app and Square Wallet. Which also means you'll be out of convenient excuses for not tipping, you cheap bastard. Starbucks Advances Mobile Payment Experience, Extends Starbucks Reserve® Coffee Program and Invests in Talent Development at 2012 Global Leadership Conference Company inspires nearly 10,000 store managers to lead and contributes 42,000 hours of community service during three-day conference in Houston HOUSTON, October 04, 2012 - Starbucks Coffee Company (NASDAQ:SBUX) today kicked-off its three-day Global Leadership Conference in Houston where the company will inspire nearly 10,000 store managers by investing in their development, connecting them with the company's core values and motivating them to deliver against Starbucks business aspirations. Conference highlights include: Starbucks chairman, president and ceo Howard Schultz and Square founder and ceo Jack Dorsey announced that customers will be able to use Square Wallet to pay with their mobile phones at U.S. Starbucks stores beginning in early November. Customers will also be able to use the Square directory to find more than 7,000 U.S. company-operated Starbucks stores. Developing Leadership For The Future Today Starbucks commenced its 2012 Global Leadership Conference which will run through Saturday, Oct. 6. Nearly 10,000 of the company's store managers and regional leaders from outside the U.S. traveled to Houston for three days of inspiration, instruction and interaction. Starbucks has branded the conference with the theme "Lead" to reinforce the critical leadership role these store managers - many of whom are running the equivalent of small businesses generating more than $1 million in annual sales - play in the company's success. As the fourth-largest city and fourth designated green coffee port in the U.S. as well as an important gateway to Latin America, Houston's rich diversity and deep community roots make this an ideal location to bring Starbucks retail leaders together. Starbucks has 228 company-operated and licensed stores in Greater Houston where it employs more than 2,500 partners. The company's first store in Houston opened in 1994. Starbucks is investing $35 million in this conference. When combined with the company's extensive three days of volunteer work across the city, the combined direct and indirect economic impact in the Greater Houston area is nearly $22 million. "Starbucks is a brand that needs no introduction, and we couldn't be more pleased to be hosting their Global Leadership Conference here in Houston," said Greg Ortale, president and CEO of the Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau. "Not only is Starbucks going above and beyond with a community outreach initiative while they're in our city, but they're leaving behind a nearly $22 million impact in Houston. It is a double legacy for their community outreach and for all the hospitality jobs supported by their direct spending." Several inspiring guest speakers will address attendees on the subject of leadership. In addition to Schultz, speakers will include Starbucks president of Americas Cliff Burrows; Square founder and ceo Jack Dorsey; and Harvard Business School professor Nancy Koehn. Conference attendees will participate in interactive sessions that will strengthen store managers' expertise in coffee, communications, customer service and partner recruitment as well as other leadership skills and business fundamentals that will accelerate Starbucks retail growth and differentiation. To bring the brand, mission and leadership imperatives to life, the company has created a nearly 400,000-square-foot immersive "Leaders' Lab" that will guide conference participants through a two-hour interactive journey. Accelerating Starbucks Mobile Payment Leadership In a joint presentation today, Schultz and Dorsey announced that Starbucks customers will be able to begin using Square's mobile payment application, Square Wallet, in early November at Starbucks approximately 7,000 U.S. company-operated locations. Starbucks also announced that it will enable digital tipping at its U.S. company-operated stores through both the Square and Starbucks mobile payment applications in the summer of 2013. "Starbucks and Square share a passion for constantly improving the customer experience," said Dorsey. "This partnership gives millions of Starbucks customers a quick, seamless payment experience and introduces them to hundreds of thousands of small businesses in the Square directory." Additionally, the official Starbucks mobile app is now even easier for customers with an iPhone or iPod touch. Today, Starbucks announced that Starbucks Card integrates Passbook functionality. From the Starbucks app, iPhone and iPod touch users simply need to tap "add to Passbook" once, and just swipe their Starbucks pass in Passbook to pay at a Starbucks store. Passbook is time and location enabled, so the Starbucks Card will show on the device's Lock screen automatically as soon as a customer enters their favorite Starbucks store. In early August, Square and Starbucks announced a groundbreaking partnership that will enhance the payment experience for millions of Starbucks customers while helping stimulate small business growth. With more than 70 million mobile payment transactions since Starbucks launched its mobile payment app in January 2011, the company has quickly emerged as the nation's largest mobile payment platform. In August, the companies also announced that Square will process Starbucks U.S. credit and debit card transactions, which will significantly expand Square's scale and accelerate the benefits to businesses on the Square platform, especially small businesses, while reducing Starbucks payment processing costs. Elevating Coffee Leadership "Our store managers are the heart and soul of Starbucks and being a coffee leader is just as critical as being a business leader," said Burrows in Houston. "At this conference, we are ensuring that our managers fully understand and embrace our rich heritage and expertise in sourcing and roasting the highest-quality coffee. This will help them deliver a perfect coffee experience with inspired customer service every day." Underscoring its coffee leadership and innovation, the company announced it plans to increase the number of locations where it sells and brews its rare and exotic Starbucks Reserve® coffees. There are currently 347 locations in the United States that sell Starbucks Reserve® coffee in packages of whole bean and also offer it by the cup brewed on the company's patented Clover® Brewer. In 2013, the company is planning to expand the number of Starbucks Reserve® stores by 60 percent – or approximately 200 locations - in the U.S. and Canada with additional expansion planned for key international markets, including Japan and the U.K., where Starbucks Reserve® already has a presence. Starbucks also plans to add several new exotic coffees to the Reserve® assortment, including a rare Geisha coffee varietal from Costa Rica that is one of the most highly sought-after coffees in the world this holiday season. Bringing Starbucks Juice and Food Innovation To Life Additionally, Starbucks announced that the third retail store for Evolution Fresh will open mid-October in the Filmore district of San Francisco, and it plans to open an additional store in the University Village Shopping Center in Seattle in mid-November. The opening of the new stores, as well as the continued expansion of Evolution Fresh™ bottled beverages, positions the brand's continued growth in the $3.4 billion and growing cold-crafted juice category. The addition of La Boulange® to the Starbucks portfolio earlier this year was a key next step in the company's journey to bring authentic and delicious food to customers, delivering additional reasons to enjoy their experience during multiple day-parts and at differentiated retail locations. After an initial market evaluation this fall and winter, Starbucks will begin to roll-out fresh La Boulange™ products to its company-operated stores in the U.S. beginning with the broader San Francisco area in late spring 2013. Helping Communities Thrive Starbucks has a long history of supporting communities and has always believed that passion for service is directly tied to leadership. As part of the conference, nearly 10,000 partners will participate in community service projects across several Houston neighborhoods, creating sustainable value for some of Houston's most underserved communities. Starbucks is teaming up with the Fifth Ward Community Redevelopment Corporation, Houston Food Bank, Volunteer Houston and the Association for the Advancement of Mexican Americans (AAMA). Partners will participate in a variety of projects including revitalization of Lyons Avenue, home restoration, internal and external refurbishments on the AAMA campus, assembly of hygiene kits for homeless veterans, urban garden creation and packaging and sorting food that will be distributed to nearly 500 food pantries, soup kitchens, senior centers and other agencies. More than 200,000 Houston residents are expected to benefit from these efforts, making this the single largest corporate volunteer effort in Houston's recent history. It is estimated that Starbucks partners will contribute more than 42,000 hours of community service over the next three days-resulting in nearly $1 million of financial value for the Houston community through service. The company also celebrated the opening of a profit-sharing Community Store in Houston's East End neighborhood. The Houston location is the company's third Community Store in the U.S. Starbucks opened its first two profit-sharing Community stores in Harlem, N.Y. and Crenshaw, Calif. one year ago. Starbucks is partnering with AAMA on the Houston Community Store which opened on September 25. A portion of each transaction from this store will be directed to AAMA and be strategically invested in youth and education programs benefiting Houston's most underserved Hispanic community. |
| German court sides with Motorola, says it didn't violate Microsoft patent (updated) Posted: 05 Oct 2012 07:37 AM PDT Perhaps it's not as loud or high profile as Apple vs. Samsung, but there is another patent war raging that is no less vicious between Motorola and Microsoft. The two have been at each others' throats for a few years now and, while Google has offered an olive branch or two to Apple, we've yet to see a similar gesture made in Redmond's direction. The latest chapter in this saga sees the regional court in Mannheim handing Moto a victory in a complaint filed by Microsoft over a patent relating to a set of mobile phone APIs. Its a rare bright spot for the new Google subsidiary, which has struggled to score legal points both in Germany in the US. Microsoft has scored several injunctions against Motorola products, while the lone ban awarded to the phone manufacturer remains unenforceable pending a breach of contract lawsuit. For a bit more detail dig into the more coverage link. Update: Microsoft's VP and Deputy General Counsel, David Howard, just issued this statement in response to the ruling.
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| Nokia Lumia 920 to be a Rogers exclusive in Canada, we wonder if red is an option Posted: 05 Oct 2012 07:21 AM PDT Where goeth AT&T, so often goeth its one-time partner Rogers. That's certainly true for the Nokia Lumia 920: Rogers has confirmed that it will have an exclusive on the Windows Phone 8 flagship in Canada, much as AT&T has a lock on the device in the US. While there's no pricing or color options yet, the Canuck model will share the November shipping window and LTE support, and it's easy to imagine Rogers gravitating towards its signature (and coincidentally patriotic) red. Other Canadian carriers haven't chipped in about the Lumia 820; if history is any indicator, though, we'd anticipate the less expensive portion of Nokia's lineup going Telus' way. The Nokia Lumia 920 is coming exclusively to Rogers in time for the holidays |
| TomTom Navigator hits (some) Android devices, we go hands-on Posted: 05 Oct 2012 07:05 AM PDT TomTom just released its Android navigation app on Google Play to the robot-toting hordes, some three years after its iOS version debuted. Unfortunately, quite a number of newer smartphones, like the Galaxy S III, aren't yet compatible, due to a current resolution limitation of 800 or 854 x 480 (WVGA or FWVGA). That didn't deter us from wanting to take it for a spin anyway, so we took our old Galaxy S out of mothballs -- and there's no place better to sample a GPS maker's wares than rural France, which has endless tiny tracks criss-crossing the countryside. To see how we made out, head past the break for the rest of the story. One of the selling points of TomTom (or competitors like Navigon) is the offline aspect of its maps, which always keep you on track whether you have a data connection or not. However, the price to pay for that luxury is exactly 3.1GB (the size of the European maps we downloaded) -- valuable space on your smartphone that you'll never be able to use for anything else. Of course, we were perfectly willing to make that tradeoff to see how the new app performed, but getting all the software on our device pointed out our first niggle we had with TomTom: no resumable downloader. About halfway through, our ADSL modem took a coffee break for 5 minutes or so, and then... poof, nothing. The download stopped, and wouldn't restart, forcing us to punt and start from scratch. After several hours we finally had everything installed, at which point things started to go a lot better. It takes a bit of practice to get the hang of all the functions, which aren't always well placed in the UI -- though to be fair, Navigon isn't exactly Google-esque, either. However, if you've used Google's own navigation offering to get from A to B in a car, its deficiencies quickly become glaring: limited offline guidance, no speed readout (or alert when you exceed posted limits) and difficult route planning, to name a few. Our short tests showed that TomTom's Android navigator handles those problems with aplomb while it guided us around without even a SIM card in the phone. It was easy to choose the shortest, fastest or most economical routes, skip toll roads and change course in mid-drive if we encountered a setback. Also, despite the mediocre (at best) GPS of the Galaxy S, TomTom stayed on track, giving us accurate speed readouts and audible/visible warnings if we busted the limit. If you want traffic or speed camera info, it's not included with the main software -- those are two separate in-app purchases, with traffic priced at $5.99 per month ($38 per year) and radar warnings at $1.99 or $24 per year. You'd need to do a lot of driving to justify that, which brings us to one of the big issues with TomTom: we aren't used to paying that kind of money for an Android app. For just the USA maps, the price starts at $38, with the US and Canada running $50 and North America, $60. We'd wager that a lot of folks would take the relatively clunky nav functions of Google Maps rather than part with that kind of change, particularly since it gives a lot more info once you arrive. We'd also question TomTom's decision to release the app prior to having it working on most Android devices -- the company has promised to remedy that problem by the end of the year, but it might have been wise to wait until all the popular new models were supported. But after all that, we did like the app, and would compare it favorably to Navigon's Android offering. If you do a lot of driving to strange places, TomTom's navigator will likely get you there safer and quicker than Mountain View's free option without breaking a sweat, even if there's not a cell tower in site. |
| 3M, Roku team up for Streaming Projector to ship this November for $299 Posted: 05 Oct 2012 07:00 AM PDT 3M's partnered up with Roku to provide a "big-screen" cinema experience from the comfort of your home. Announced today at a joint event, the Streaming Projector is a 4.3 x 4.2 x 2.0 inch palm-sized device that can project images in WVGA resolution up to 120-inches across walls or any other smooth surface of your choosing with a brightness of 60 lumens. The 1lb pod-like gadget has a battery life rated at just under three hours -- a little more than the running time of most blockbuster movies -- and also features a 3.5mm headphone jack for audio out, in addition to an inbuilt speaker. Of course, you need media to pair with it and that's where Roku's included streaming stick comes in handy, delivering an array of commercial content over dual-band WiFi. It's set to ship sometime this November for $299 as an Amazon exclusive. |
| Engadget Podcast 312 - 10.04.2012 Posted: 05 Oct 2012 06:49 AM PDT  With TechCrunch's Jordan Crook on board, the Engadget Podcasters explore the Wild Wild East of technology, AKA CEATEC, and also go for topics closer to home like the new Kindle and a thermostat. What we're saying here, basically, is that we've got both you and your grandma covered in this, the three hundred twelfth iteration of the Engadget Podcast. Hosts: Brian Heater, Dana Wollman 03:00 - Toyota's Smart Insect concept EV packs Kinect motion sensor, voice recognition Subscribe to the podcast Download the podcast Follow us on Twitter: @bheater, @danawollman, @jordanrcrook This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Distro Issue 60: Infinitec's rebirth gets Kickstarted in the Dubai desert Posted: 05 Oct 2012 06:30 AM PDT Another week has come to a close and that signals the arrival of a brand spanking new issue of our weekly e-magazine. This time out, Darren Murph makes the trek to the United Arab Emirates to chat with Ahmad Zahran about how crowd sourcing has jumpstarted his company, Infinitec, for a second time. We also pay a visit to to the Paris Auto Show to take a gander at the latest in transportation tech, while Amazon's Kindle Paperwhite and the Samsung Galaxy S Relay 4G get the full review treatment. "Eyes-on" tackles a suitcase full of sound, "Weekly Stat" offers a look at data consumption amongst Android users and NVIDIA's Nick Stam tells all in the Q&A. Grab a spot in your favorite reading chair because the latest issue is just a few clicks away. Distro Issue 60 PDF This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Apple's Tim Cook remembers Steve Jobs' life on the anniversary of his death Posted: 05 Oct 2012 06:08 AM PDT On the first anniversary of his passing, Apple has converted the front page usually monopolized by the latest shiny gadgets to a tribute to its late co-founder and CEO. "Remembering Steve" cycles through some iconic images and moments in the tech pioneer's life, including the memorable launches of the iMac and iPhone. It's a touching tribute, coupled with a hopeful note from his successor, Tim Cook, who asks the rest of us to reflect on Jobs' life, while adding that he considers the company's current output a tribute to his "memory and everything he stood for." |
| Edifier releases the Esiena and Bric Bluetooth speakers for iOS devices Posted: 05 Oct 2012 06:00 AM PDT With the arrival of the iPhone 5 and its legacy-wrecking Lightning port, this holiday season is likely to be the last that heavily features the now-obsolete dock connector. Two products caught in the wrong turn of history are Edifier's new pair of iOS device docks for home and on the go. If you need a "big" sound in a modest package, then the Esiena Bluetooth offers 3-inch full-range drivers and a class D digital amplifier -- and it's also packing Auxiliary, USB, SD card inputs and a digital FM radio. If you're more the adventuring type, then the portable Bric Bluetooth offers 2.75-inch full range drivers and the same class D amplifier in addition to a traveling pouch to keep the hardware safe on your travels. The Esiena will set you back $300 and the Bric a slender $100, with both arriving in the US and Canada from today.
Edifier® Releases Two Bluetooth Audio Solutions: Esiena BluetoothTM & Bric Bluetooth PortableTM Now available for purchase, two new elegantly designed audio systems boasting wireless connectivity & exceptional sound quality, whether at home, in the office or on-the-go Ft. Worth, Texas (October 5, 2012) – Edifier®, a leading global designer and manufacturer of award-winning audio systems, proudly introduces two new Bluetooth speaker systems: EsienaTM Bluetooth and Bric BluetoothTM. Edifier's EsienaTM Bluetooth is ideal for home or office use by providing stunning sound reproduction that is commonly found in systems with a larger form factor. Bric BluetoothTM is a portable speaker system that connects to source audio in a number of different ways and delivers crystal clear audio. Both speaker systems are now available for purchase at www.Edifier.US.com EsienaTM Bluetooth Features Bric BluetoothTM Features • Portable audio system for home, office and travel Edifier's EsienaTM Bluetooth is currently available at various retailers, including Target.com, Amazon.com, and www.Edifier.US.com/shop-edifier. Edifier's Bric BluetoothTM is currently available at various retailers, including www.Edifier.US.com/shop-edifier. |
| Behringer iNuke Boom Junior shrinks a giant iOS dock, won't trigger as many earthquake warnings Posted: 05 Oct 2012 05:20 AM PDT As enraptured as we might be with Behringer's monolithic iNuke Boom, the 8-foot-long frame and 10,000W output don't really lend themselves to a home installation. Not unless we want to produce false positives on the USGS' earthquake meters, anyway. We're happy to say the company has addressed that domestic oversight with the iNuke Boom Junior. The iOS- and iPod-capable speaker dock won't launch nearly as large-scale an audio assault at 50W, but it's also less than a twentieth of the size of its parent; no one will need a forklift to get Junior into the living room. In spite of the less than ego-inflating dimensions, the smaller system appears balanced with discrete woofer, tweeter and mid-range components as well as separate bass control. We just wish it was slightly more futureproof. As glad as we are that the iNuke Boom Junior's $180 price at Costco spares us from raiding our retirement funds, the speaker is still using a pre-Lightning dock connector and lacks any wireless audio -- iPhone 5 owners will have to turn to an adapter or the aux-in jack. At least we won't be violating any local noise laws in the process. BEHRINGER SCALES DOWN THE WORLD'S LARGEST, LOUDEST, 10,000 WATT DOCK TO FIT INTO YOUR HOME: INTRODUCING THE iNUKE BOOM JUNIOR OCTOBER GIVEAWAYS: BEHRINGER will giveaway one iNuke BOOM Junior every weekday during October on Facebook SEATTLE – October 4, 2012 – BEHRINGER, an award-winning innovator of professional audio and music equipment, has scaled down the world's largest and loudest dock ever, the 10,000-Watt iNuke BOOM, and is bringing it to you. We're excited to reveal the iNuke BOOM Junior - a 1:23 scale model of its powerful predecessor, packed with professional grade components and a 3-way active speaker design. Now, anyone can have the chance to sit back or rock out while enjoying concert quality sound at home with thumping lows, sizzling highs and crystal-clear sound at any level. "We wanted to shake up the whole i-device docking world with a product that brings home some of the magic of the original 10,000-Watt iNuke BOOM," says Costa Lakoumentas, BEHRINGER Senior Vice President of Marketing. "If you make a little room for the iNuke BOOM Junior in your home it will pay you back with stunning sound clarity and enough bass to throw a party; or get thrown out of your apartment." If you "Love" the iNuke BOOM Junior, then "Like" Behringer on Facebook for a chance to win your very own! Behringer is celebrating the launch by giving away one iNuke BOOM Junior each weekday in October. Entering is easy-- the giveaway hopefuls only need to visit www.facebook.com/inukeboom, and hit the "Like" button to be entered in the daily drawings. The iNuke BOOM Junior is available online exclusively at www.costco.com as item number 671770 (or search for iNuke) for $179.99 including Shipping and Handling, and it is compatible with almost all mobile phones or media players with its included cables. Specifications: • Indicators: Standby LED indicator, Line-In LED indicator, Aux LED indicator, iPod LED indicator |
| Toys R Us launches family-friendly internet movie service, plans Tabeo access, HD video and more Posted: 05 Oct 2012 04:25 AM PDT Like Amazon, Best Buy and Barnes & Noble before it, Toys R Us is following the path of being a retailer distributing its own branded hardware (Tabeo, Nabi) with an accompanying app store, and then supplementing those offerings with a digital media service. ToysrusMovies.com is a Rovi-powered digital storefront currently available to PCs, Macs and other Flash compatible devices, with an app planned for the Tabeo soon, as well as Blu-ray players, HDTVs and other mobile devices including iOS and Android. The content consists of "more than 4,000" titles from big names like Disney, Fox, NBCUniversal and more, available for 24-hour rental starting at $2.99, and $5.99 for download or streaming. Right out of the gate its scored an early release of Madagascar 3 two weeks before the disc release, currently a $16 purchase with "unlimited" streaming to activated devices, with downloads to up to 5 devices. Now of course, all it needs is some compatible devices, but building an ecosystem is a process, and may be key to separating Toys R Us' offerings from the competition. Check out more details in the press release after the break or at the site. Toys"R"Us, Inc. Launches Family-Friendly Digital Entertainment Service With More Than 4,000 Titles Available and No Subscription Required, Toys"R"Us Movies™ Provides Families Hours of Wholesome Entertainment Specially Selected by the World's Greatest Kids Brand WAYNE, N.J., Oct. 4, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Toys"R"Us, Inc. today announced that it has launched Toys"R"Us Movies™, a brand-new digital entertainment service that provides families instant access to the movies and TV shows kids love. Available at ToysrusMovies.com, the service features more than 4,000 titles, specially selected to supply hours of entertainment and fun for parents and children. In addition, the service is equipped with easy-to-use, customizable parental controls to help moms and dads choose the most appropriate content for their family's viewing. Toys"R"Us Movies is powered by Rovi Corporation, a global leader in digital entertainment technology solutions. Toys"R"Us Movies offers immediate access to an extensive digital library of premium video content for streaming and download. This family-centered service features new movie releases the same day they hit retail store shelves and television shows the day after they air, with no subscription required. Toys"R"Us Movies also offers select new releases before they go on sale, such as DreamWorks Animation's Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted, which has been made available for digital download nearly two weeks before the DVD is available in stores. Once customers select movies or television shows from Toys"R"Us Movies, they can be downloaded and stored in their personal Toys"R"Us Movies library for future viewing. For offline viewing, the Toys"R"Us Movies download player is offered for PC users at this time. "At Toys"R"Us, we continuously strive to bring exciting technologies and services to our customers and to extend the Toys"R"Us brand into new areas," said Michael Scharff, Senior Vice President, New Ventures, Toys"R"Us, Inc. "With Toys"R"Us Movies, we are able to leverage our valued relationships with leading digital and theatrical partners to provide great services and content we know families will love." Access to Toys"R"Us Movies from Multiple Electronic Devices Toys"R"Us Movies App to Be Featured in tabeo™ App Store User-Friendly Navigation Helps Families Browse Among More Than 4,000 Titles Movies start at $2.99 for a 24-hour rental and at $5.99 for a licensed digital download or stream. Television shows start at $0.99, with the majority priced at $1.99. Toys"R"Us Movies gift cards will be available later this fall in Toys"R"Us stores nationwide just in time for the holidays. The site also features a Wish List tool, which allows users to add movies and TV shows that they would like to view to a Wish List that is saved to their account. For example, kids can browse content, add desired movies and TV shows to their Wish List, and parents can review the Wish List to determine what's suitable for their family. Easy-to-Use Parental Controls The site also provides easy-to-use, customizable parental controls that allow parents to choose to display only titles with specific movie and television ratings when searching the site. For example, using their unique PIN, parents can choose to block content rated PG-13 from being searchable or displayed on this site. Leading Service Provider and Top Entertainment Studios Provide Incredible Content To provide the very best in family entertainment for Toys"R"Us Movies, Toys"R"Us will offer content from leading entertainment companies including, 20th Century Fox, Anderson Digital, Gaiam Vivendi Entertainment, Lionsgate/Summit, Magnolia Pictures, NBCUniversal, Paramount Pictures, Phase 4 Films, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, Starz Media, The Walt Disney Studios and Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Additional content from these and other studios will be added on a continual basis. Great Deals Available Now at ToysrusMovies.com Hotel for Dogs – originally $9.95, now $7.99 About Toys"R"Us, Inc. SOURCE Toys"R"Us, Inc. |
| Microsoft buys PhoneFactor, adds smartphone authentication to its cloud services Posted: 05 Oct 2012 03:28 AM PDT With a hand-in-glove relationship with the world of business, it's key that Microsoft ensures it can keep companies data safe. That's what prompted Steve Ballmer to whip out his checkbook to snap up PhoneFactor, a multi-factor authentication company that uses smartphones instead of code-generating security tokens. With its new toy, Redmond plans to integrate the feature into its services like SharePoint, Azure and Office 365, letting users sign on with their own device as a key element of the signing in process. |
| Sony stops Xperia Tablet S sales due to gaps between display panel and case Posted: 05 Oct 2012 02:31 AM PDT When Sony's designers put a port flap on the Xperia Tablet S in an effort to make it splash-proof, they surely didn't count on their good intentions being undermined by leaky build quality in other areas. According to Reuters though, that's exactly what has happened: a number of tablets have come off the production line with gaps between the screen and the chassis, and it must be a significant proportion because Sony has now decided to halt sales until it can get the problem fixed. The company is also promising to repair any of the 100,000 tablets that have already shipped, but doesn't expect the issue to be serious enough to dampen its earnings (which, let's face it, could already do with some time out in the sun). |
| Scarlet Motors partners with Metropolia University for electric sports car development Posted: 05 Oct 2012 01:33 AM PDT It wasn't long ago we witnessed the birth of EV manufacturer Scarlet Motors, and it's growing up so fast. The company has just announced it has united with the Finnish Metropolia University of Applied Sciences to accelerate the development of its all-electric sports car. Metropolia isn't new to the EV game, and already has the achievement of the E-RA sporty prototype to its name. Students actively work on research and development projects, and Scarlet's CEO feels the "unique" university environment will "push the boundaries." Don't expect them to have all the fun, however, as Scarlet is creating an online community of motorists to help steer its open design process, even if it does need boffins to build it. "Scarlet Motors announces partnership with Metropolia University of Applied Science to build the future of European electric cars." Helsinki, Finland – 5th of October, 2012: Scarlet Motors is a privately owned, premium European car company creating electric vehicles, combining state of the art technology with sportive emotions, reinventing the driving experience. Today, Scarlet Motors and Metropolia announced a partnership on the product development of Scarlet's sports car. Thanks to Metropolia's proven experience demonstrated by Electric RaceAbout (E-RA), their full electric super sports car prototype, Metropolia brings valuable technology expertise, boosting Scarlet's product development. Scarlet Motors announced today a technology partnership with the leading Finnish automotive university, Metropolia University of Applied Science, Helsinki. |
| PBS mini-documentary explores indie game creation, shows what they do that majors can't (video) Posted: 05 Oct 2012 12:36 AM PDT The indie game world has undergone a metamorphosis over the past few years, transforming from an often overlooked niche into as much a staple of the game industry as once-every-year blockbusters like the Call of Duty series. It's that fast-rising side of gaming that PBS' Off Book has explored in a succinct documentary. As both developers and game journalists explain, the small and more flexible nature of indie teams lets them delve into game concepts, art and sound that major developers typically avoid -- you probably wouldn't get Bastion, Fez or Super Meat Boy out of a company focused mostly on hitting its quarterly revenue targets. Crowdfunding and internet distribution methods like Steam and Xbox Live Arcade have similarly removed many of the barriers that either kept these games from commercial success or forced uncomfortable deals with large publishers in the past. Accordingly, the indie sphere that PBS sees in 2012 is less about trying to become the next Activision or EA and more about experimentation and personal expression. If you've ever wanted an elegant summary of what makes Spelunky feel so special, the whole Off Book episode awaits after the break. |
| Logitech's $180 WiFi webcam gets outed, targeted for the Mac Posted: 04 Oct 2012 11:28 PM PDT That mysterious Logitech WiFi webcam we spotted on the FCC in July might have finally been outed, thanks to a tip sent to Zatz Not Funny. This Logitech Wireless Webcam for the Mac listed on B&H certainly fits the bill, as it touts both wireless capabilities and apparently a rechargeable battery. There also looks to be an interesting status indicator on the top. Seeing as most Macs already come with a pretty decent front-facing camera, we're assuming the Logitech offers higher quality video (1080p perhaps?) and greater flexibility for broadcasting or recording to the cloud. The B&H Photo listing doesn't exactly provide many details, but it does reveal a $180 price tag. We'll be sure to keep an eye on this when it gets official. |
| Fraunhofer develops extra-small 1Gbps infrared transceiver, recalls our PDA glory days Posted: 04 Oct 2012 10:32 PM PDT Our 1997-era selves would die with envy right about now. Fraunhofer has developed a new generation of infrared transceiver that can transfer data at 1Gbps, or well above anything that our vintage PDAs could manage. While the speed is nothing new by itself -- we saw such rates in 2010 Penn State experiments -- it's the size that makes the difference. The laser diode and processing are efficient enough to fit into a small module whose transceiver is as large as a "child's fingernail." In theory, the advancement makes infrared once more viable for mobile device syncing, with room to grow: even the current technology can scale to 3Gbps, lead researcher Frank Deicke says, and it might jump to 10Gbps with enough work. Along with the usual refinements, most of the challenge in getting production hardware rests in persuading the Infrared Data Association to adopt Deicke's work as a standard. If that ever comes to pass, we may just break out our PalmPilot's infrared adapter to try it for old time's sake. |
| Heroes in a half shell: autonomous robot sea turtles in development Posted: 04 Oct 2012 09:37 PM PDT Sure you could have a robot assist you around the home, or even one that'll make factories friendlier, but we'll opt for a robot sea turtle any day of the week. The Swiss folks over at ETH Zurich are working on making that a reality with the Naro-Tartaruga, a turtle-inspired machine that would swim efficiently while carrying cargo in its shell. It's currently a cylindrical aluminum vessel with a couple of flippers, but concept designs include that totally bad-ass bot in the image above. The turtle-bot has a top speed of over 7 knots, so it'll handily beat any real sea turtle in a race, and the big torso has enough space for battery and sensors that are necessary for autonomous function. The fins on the turtle have a fully three-dimensional mechanism -- there are three actuators per fin, and each actuate the fin axle independently. The end goal is for the development of underwater autonomous vehicles, which will hopefully bring us one step closer to SeaQuest DSV. In the meantime, we'd like one just so we can freak the hell out of our cats. |
| Vic Gundotra post hints Snapseed for Android may be close, bring Google+ integration Posted: 04 Oct 2012 08:41 PM PDT When Google bought Nik Software, there was some worry that Snapseed would go the proverbial dodo's route and fade into obscurity as part of a larger Google app. We won't see that ignominious end anytime soon if Senior Engineering VP Vic Gundotra's photography is as valid a clue as it looks. On an evening flight to Baltimore, Gundotra posted a view of the setting sun to Google+ using Snapseed -- a rather unique achievement given that the existing, iOS-only app doesn't know the social network exists. Knowing the executive's usual choice of smartphone, the public use could be the hint of the already planned Android port getting close to launch, even if there's no way to know exactly when and how the image editing app could arrive. Let's hope that Gundotra's post is more than just a fleeting glimpse of a product that gets shelved later on. |
| Researchers create algorithms that help lithium-ion batteries charge two times faster Posted: 04 Oct 2012 08:07 PM PDT Researchers at the University of California San Diego have devised new algorithms that can cut lithium-ion battery charge times in half, help cells run more efficiently and potentially cut production costs by 25 percent. Rather than tracking battery behavior and health with the traditional technique of monitoring current and voltage, the team's mathematical models estimate where lithium ions are within cells for more precise data. With the added insight, the team can more accurately gauge battery longevity and control charging efficiency. The group was awarded $460,000 from the Department of Energy's ARPA-E research arm to further develop the algorithm and accompanying tech with automotive firm Bosch and battery manufacturer Cobasys, which both received the remainder of a $9.6 million grant. Wondering if the solution will ever find its way out of the lab? According to co-lead researcher Scott Moura, it'll see practical use: "This technology is going into products that people will actually use." New Sophisticated Control Algorithms Poised to Revolutionize Electric Battery Technology The researchers at the Jacobs School of Engineering at UC San Diego are sharing a $9.6 million grant from ARPA-E, a research agency within the Department of Energy, with automotive products supplier Bosch and battery manufacturer Cobasys to further develop the estimation algorithms and the technology they will drive. UC San Diego's share of the grant is $460,000 for the research group of Professor Miroslav Krstic and UC President's Postdoctoral Fellow Scott Moura in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the Jacobs School. "This research is bringing the promise that, with advanced estimation algorithms that are based on mathematical models, batteries can be charged faster and can run more powerful electric motors," said Krstic, who is also associate vice chancellor for research at UC San Diego. "This technology is going into products that people will actually use," said Moura, the co-lead researcher on the project. Krstic and Moura are taking a unique approach to making lithium-ion batteries more effective. Instead of monitoring voltage and current, they have designed sophisticated algorithms that can estimate what is physically going on inside the lithium-ion battery. "We have the unique ability to address the difficulties in estimating the battery's state of charge heads-on, at the electrochemical level," said Krstic. Current technology Manufacturers usually rely on voltage and current to monitor the battery's behavior and health. But those are very crude measures, said Krstic. Relying on these measures leads to over-designed, oversized batteries that weigh and cost more. They also take a long time to charge, compared with gas-powered vehicles. Toyota recently canceled mass production of its second all-electric car, the eQ, citing concerns over the viability of electric vehicle technology, including the amount of time vehicles take to charge. Lithium-ion batteries are cylindrical and made of three sheets rolled together, very much like a jelly roll. One layer is the anode, another layer acts as a separator and yet another layer is the cathode. When the battery is fully charged, the lithium ions are stored at the anode. The battery is designed so that the ions want to move from the anode to the cathode, powering the device it's connected to in the process. To know whether the battery is functioning properly, it's important to know where the ions are in the anode. But that's very difficult to measure, even with sophisticated equipment. The ions are usually lodged deep inside irregularly-shaped particles within the anode. Trying to estimate the particles' charge by measuring only the voltage on the battery is similar to having the person that collects tickets at the entrance to a movie theater try to estimate which of the seats the patrons are taking by watching the speed at which the line at the entrance is moving, Moura said. In this analogy, the ions are patrons making their way to seats within each row, which represent the particles. Enter the estimation and control algorithms Krstic and Moura developed. The algorithms allow researchers to estimate where the particles are. So the movie theater can now be filled to capacity safety and efficiently. The model can also estimate how the health of the battery evolves over time-the equivalent of which seats are breaking down in the theater and need to be fixed or replaced. The grant will allow researchers to refine the algorithms and to test them on actual batteries on testbeds developed by Bosch and Cobasys. They will estimate the charge distribution within the battery. Then they will estimate its state of health. Finally researchers will devise a strategy to find optimal rates of charging and discharging batteries. By testing their algorithms on electric vehicle batteries and comparing their performance to an electric battery run with existing technology, Krstic, Moura and colleagues plan to formulate a strategy to charge and use batteries to their maximum potential-safely. "We monitor these crucial states directly," said Moura. "It allows us to operate right at the battery's limits without damaging it." |
| Posted: 04 Oct 2012 07:23 PM PDT The Parrot AR.Drone 2.0 is many good things, but "long-ranged" isn't what comes to mind with a 165-foot maximum distance between pilot and quadrocopter. Not to be daunted, Alcatel-Lucent has conducted a test with an ad hoc LTE network, a USB modem and a smartphone to see just how far the remote-controlled aircraft could go on 4G. In practice, quite far: thanks in part to the inherently wide coverage of the 800MHz band in France, the team flew the AR.Drone more than 3,280 feet (one kilometer), all while streaming 720p video of the farmland below. Besides giving us ideas for a North by Northwest remake, the flight emphasized the possibilities that come when we have access to a long-distance wireless link with high bandwidth, such as monitoring crops or some very literal field journalism. The challenge will be convincing Alcatel-Lucent to share its trick and let us pester our not-so-next-door neighbors. |
| Google makes Gesture Search compatible with Nexus 7, improves app's overall performance Posted: 04 Oct 2012 06:57 PM PDT Earlier this morning, Google did the iOS crowd a generous favor by flipping the switch on its Street View service to help alleviate some of those Maps troubles, so it's only natural to take care of the Android faithful as well. With that in mind, Google has updated its Gesture Search to be fully compatible with the ASUS-built Nexus 7, as well as improving the application's UI, boosting search performance, adding support for more languages and allowing contacts without digits to now be searchable. The new version of Gesture Search can be downloaded now via Google Play, straight from your device or by simply using the link down below. |
| MythTV updated to 0.26, hints at 'more exciting' 0.27 coming next year Posted: 04 Oct 2012 06:32 PM PDT After releasing one long-awaited update back in April, venerable media PC platform MythTV has quickly pushed out another update to version 0.26. The changelog isn't particularly long this time around, though it does claim HTTP Live Streaming playback and recording, some clock tweaks and the requisite performance improvements. With that wrapped, the team has already shifted its focus to the next version, 0.27, which it says should be a more exciting release. It's scheduled for release in April of next year so we'll mark our calendars -- in pencil, not pen. |
| Microsoft announces updates for Windows 8 built-in apps, just in time for October 26th launch Posted: 04 Oct 2012 06:09 PM PDT All signs point toward the impending general availability of Windows 8, what with the upcoming OS launch event, the Surface RT finally hitting the FCC, and Paul Allen letting the world knows what he thinks of it. In light of this, the Redmond company has announced a final update push to the built-in apps you'll find in Windows 8. The Bing update will be first out the gate tomorrow -- it promises richer search results for local content -- with the rest rolling out through October 26th. Also of note is Music, which touts "expanded music services" as an update (Xbox Music, anyone?). If you're itching to know what built-in apps will be updated, you can get the full and extensive list after the break. SkyDrive
Mail, Calendar, People, and Messaging
Photos
Maps
Bing
Finance
News
Sports
Travel
Weather
Video
Music
Games
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| Samsung expects around $7.28 billion in operating profits for Q3, setting another record Posted: 04 Oct 2012 05:33 PM PDT Samsung has provided investors guidance ahead of its full Q3 earnings report that's due before October 26th, and as has been the custom, the numbers are huge. It's expecting a fourth straight record quarter with overall operating profit of 8.1 trillion won ($7.28 billion), an amount that would more than double last year's results for the same period and clear Q2s $5.86 billion, all on sales of 52 trillion won ($46 billion). We'll have to wait for the full report to see numbers broken down by department, but it's safe to say that there's a lot of Galaxy S IIIs (it ticked past 20 million last month) adding up to reach that pinnacle. Reuters and Bloomberg have predictions from various analysts on how many handsets, RAM chips and flat-panel HDTVs were sold, but if its legal battle with Apple ends in the worst-case scenario, at least we figure Samsung will have enough left over to keep the lights on. Samsung Electronics Announces Earnings Guidance for Third Quarter 2012 SEOUL, Korea – October 5, 2012 – Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. today announced its earnings guidance for the third quarter, 2012. About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. |
| Parrot unveils Asteroid Smart, Tablet and Mini car infotainment systems, we go hands-on Posted: 04 Oct 2012 05:06 PM PDT We first laid eyes on Parrot's first Android-based Asteroid car infotainment system a couple years ago at CES. Then, at this past year's show, we got a sneak peek at a trio of successor Asteroid devices. Now, a mere 10 months later, the Asteroid Smart, Tablet and Mini have finally arrived in consumer-ready garb. First, there's a flagship in-dash system, the double-DIN Asteroid Smart. It features a 6.2-inch 800 x 480 capacitive display, a Texas Instruments 800MHz processor and runs a heavily skinned version of Android 2.3. The Smart also has four USB 2.0 ports (one which pushes 5V to charge an iPod) for connecting external devices like the included GPS antenna or a dongle for cellular data. Plus, there are 3.5mm line-in and microphone jacks to go with a host of RCA connections and a micro-USB port round the back. Bluetooth 3.0 is baked in, and an SD card slot sits behind the detachable security strip to the left of the screen. The Smart's siblings, the Asteroid Mini and Asteroid Tablet are also coming to North America this month. The Tablet packs similar specs as the Smart, only it's got a 5-inch capacitive screen and is portable, as opposed to an in-dash solution. It runs the same skinned version of Gingerbread, has GPS and Bluetooth radios, and packs 512MB of RAM and 1GB of on-board storage, plus an SD slot. It also comes with a wireless touchpad remote so you can control the system straight from your steering wheel. Meanwhile, the Mini, with its 3.2-inch, non-touch screen has a similar form factor to the Tablet and comes with a wireless remote as well. However, its OS is built on Android 1.5 and it relies upon an external GPS antenna like its bigger, double-DIN cousin. The Asteroid Tablet will retail for $399, and the Mini will cost a hundred bucks less when they go on sale in a few weeks. We got to swipe our way around the Parrot Smart, so join us after the break to see it in action.
The Asteroid Smart hasn't changed tremendously since the last time we saw it, but when we spent some time with the device, we did discover a few new details about it. First, navigation is no longer from Google. Instead, it comes with locally stored navigation provided by iGo, so American customers will have to pay that company for additional maps should they wish to venture beyond the US and Canada. Additionally, the Asteroid Smart lets you pair two phones (personal and business) to the system simultaneously, so you can make and receive calls from either. Dual mics are included to ensure good voice pickup through beamforming technology -- which keeps the voice recognition system powered by Nuance working well, too. Unfortunately, we could only test a the locally powered features during our time with the Smart due to data connectivity issues. However, the device can stream music from Spotify and Deezer, and you can shop for additional apps through Parrot's Asteroid Market. The Asteroid Smart goes on sale later this month for $599. Parrot ASTEROID: A world of infotainment for vehicles Parrot once again establishes its technological leadership and its unique vision of in-car infotainment with three new innovative and connected solutions for consumers: These three systems, forming part of the Parrot ASTEROID development platform of connected products running on Android TM, provide access to a world of services and content in car. With the ASTEROID range, Parrot revolutionizes in-car infotainment and establishes itself as a leading player on the market by offering a performing range of in-car communication systems that match and take advantage of Smartphone functionalities. Parrot ASTEROID range: a wealth of functionalities The results of more than four years of research and development, Parrot ASTEROID Mini, Parrot ASTEROID Tablet and Parrot ASTEROID Smart run on AndroidTM and benefit from Parrot technological excellence in terms of hands-free telephony and multimedia systems. • Infotainment - Access to numerous Apps and content via 3G, 4G key or via Bluetooth or USB tethering from a mobile phone or tablet. - Download new Apps from the ASTEROID Market online store. Parrot ASTEROID range: Tailored-made infotainment solutions • Parrot ASTEROID Smart : Apps, Navigation, Video, Music and Hands-Free Telephony Equipped with various connectors (6 RCA, 1 video input & 1 video output), the Parrot ASTEROID Smart can be connected to a rear camera. Availability: November 2012 - MSRP: 599US$ • Parrot ASTEROID Tablet : Apps, GPS, Music and Hands-Free Telephony In the manner of a multimedia tablet, the navigation in the menu is tactile, and a wireless remote control with a sensitive panel also enables to manage functionality like hands-free telephony, selection of music source, music search by the voice... • Parrot ASTEROID Mini : Apps, Music and Hands-Free Telephony Connected to the Internet via 3G, 4G key or a tethering mobile phone connected by Bluetooth or USB, Parrot ASTEROID Mini accesses the ASTEROID Market in order to download Apps and other services like a simplified GPS system, a music library... Availability: November 2012 - MSRP: 299 US$ Parrot ASTEROID Market: a dedicated Apps store To provide drivers and passengers with innovative applications and services adapted to in-car usage, Parrot opened an online store: ASTEROID Market. Directly available from a Parrot ASTEROID Mini, Parrot ASTEROID Tablet, Parrot ASTEROID Smart and the Parrot ASTEROID Classic (available since May 2011) connected to the Internet; the ASTEROID Market provides a large number of applications developed by renowned partners. Classified by categories* (Driving assistance, Music, Points of interest...), by price or by number of downloads, users can customize their Parrot ASTEROID solution by selecting the Apps and content that will meet their needs: Driving assistance • Best parking • iCoyote • Jetfoo • Fuel for less • Parking • Parrot Maps • Wikango Music • Deezer • Orange LiveRadio • Spotify • TuneIn Navigation/Points of interest • PagesJaunes • Roadtrip Productivity • Roadhub Communication News • Meteo • iGO Primo • Waze • TextFriendly *Non exhaustive list. Some apps mentioned above may not be available in some countries. Parrot ASTEROID Market is also available from a computer connected to the Internet; applications can be downloaded on a SD card and installed on Parrot ASTEROID products within seconds. Parrot FC6100: The ASTEROID solutions for car makers and equipment manufacturers The Parrot FC6100 module enables auto manufacturers and equipment manufacturers to integrate all or part of Parrot ASTEROID functionalities to the new generation of vehicle as original equipment. The fully customizable Parrot FC6100 module meets the technological and economic constraints auto manufacturers and equipment manufacturers may face; and the Android environment for the car created by Parrot enables them to develop specific applications available via their own online apps store. |
| Samsung Galaxy Rugby Pro for AT&T hands-on Posted: 04 Oct 2012 04:44 PM PDT You can't blame us for having a bit of a soft spot for rugged devices. There's something comforting about knowing you can drop or drown your phone and it wont be any worse for wear. That's the reason we keep coming back to the Rugby series. Its specs dont impress and its certainly not a looker, but its sturdy masculine design kinda gets our blood pumping. So, we just had to stop by Samsung's table at tonight's AT&T event and spend some time with the Galaxy Rugby Pro, an updated version of the Rugby Smart we reviewed earlier this year. The basic design is the same -- it's a chunky slab of thick, ribbed, soft-touch plastic and rubber, with a sizable chrome screw holding the backplate in place. The textured rubber buttons up front have been reduced from four to three, in keeping with the updated user experience of Ice Cream Sandwich. Oh, did we mention it ditches Gingerbread for some delicious Android 4.0.4 goodness -- a most welcome upgrade from the Smart. It's not exactly smooth sailing on the 1.5GHz CPU, but the lag never got unbearable in our brief hands on time. Perhaps the biggest knock against the device though, is the rather lackluster 4-inch WVGA screen. It's a Super AMOLED panel, which means top-notch contrast, but colors were definitely off and a little washed out looking. It does however mean it should be perfectly viewable in direct sunlight -- a major concern for devices such as this. The paltry 768GB of RAM and 8GB of storage aren't really anything to write home about, but at least there's a microSD slot under the battery. Along the left edge of the device is the volume rocker and a customizable key that can be used to turn on the torch or launch the camera or any number of other tasks, while the right side is home to the power / lock button. The micro-USB port is on the bottom under a tiny plastic door while the headphone jack is similarly protected at the top of the device. We can't say we're expecting much from the 5MP camera, but the extremely dark conditions at the AT&T event ensured that we couldn't get anything usable out of it. For more check out the video after the break.
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| Samsung Galaxy Express heads to AT&T, we go hands-on Posted: 04 Oct 2012 04:29 PM PDT Samsung's Galaxy Express got a bit of a short shrift last month, revealed alongside a slew of other Samsung AT&T 4G LTE phones and not getting its own day in the sun. Here we are at AT&T's New York City event, providing that sun (albeit on a rainy evening). The 4.5-inch Super AMOLED Plus screen looks great, even running the aging Ice Cream Sandwich version of Android, and the 1.5 GHz dual-core processor is no slouch at speedily navigating the OS. The rear and front cameras leave a bit to be desired, with just 5-megapixels out back and 1.3 up front, but let's be honest -- you're not exactly looking for a top of the line camera in a Galaxy Express, are you? It'll be launching later this year on AT&T, though pricing and an exact release date have yet to be confirmed. Follow us past the break for a quick video of the device, won't you? |
| LG Optimus G for AT&T hands-on (video) Posted: 04 Oct 2012 04:05 PM PDT Well, we're finally getting a look at the US edition of LG's Optimus G and surprise, surprise, it's not that terribly different from the version we got to play with in both Korea and NYC last month. We're still looking at that stunning 4.7-inch 1280x768 True HD IPS PLUS display, a speedy Snapdragon S4 Pro quad-core processor, 2GB RAM, a hefty 2,100mAh battery and 16GB storage -- on this model, at least. But what, if anything, has changed on this Android 4.0 handset now that it's here in the US cruising along on AT&T's LTE network? Keep reading after the break to find out.
The mostly glass construction is still intact here, with backplate maintaining its shiny patterned surface that looks cheap but feels very premium. We remain torn on the Crystal Reflections process used to produce the sheet of silicate. It certainly lends a solid feel to the handset and a unique look, but we find the aesthetic somewhat off putting. The physical design is either refreshingly understated or uninspired depending on your perspective, but the slim simple frame is certainly in keeping with LG's past design successes including the Chocolate and Prada (and no, we can't make that comparison too many times). The left side houses the volume rocker and micro-SIM slot, while the right edge is home to the power / lock button. Up top is the headphone jack and the micro-USB port is on the bottom of the device. There's a front facing 1.3MP camera hiding behind the front pane of glass and, alongside it, is one of our favorite touches -- a notification light, something far too many manufacturers seem to underestimate. Around back is the main camera, an 8-megapixel affair that sits flush with the glass as opposed to the millimeter "hump" of its 13-megapixel counterpart. On the software front all the LG flourishes we've become accustomed to are present. QSlide, Cheese Shutter, QuickMemo... all the cross-tasking features packed into the unnamed skin are still here and still hum along pretty smoothly. Though, we suspect even the heftiest of Android skins would be hard pressed to strain that quad-core 1.5GHz CPU under the hood. That said, we did notice a bit of lag when orienting the screen from portrait to landscape. This being a pre-production model, expect things to be smoothed out by that vague "holiday" release. Joseph Volpe contributed to this report. |
| Samsung ATIV SmartPC for AT&T hands-on (update: video) Posted: 04 Oct 2012 03:45 PM PDT We knew we were going to get to spy some sleek new devices from AT&T today, but the company sprung a bit of a surprise on us at the last moment by announcing that it would also have a few Windows 8 tabs on hand running on its "blazingly fast" LTE network. The Samsung ATIV SmartPC, which has also gone under the name Series 5 Slate in a few other circles. The 1.5GHz Clover Trail chip inside hummed along in our brief hands on, chewing through the gorgeous don't-call-it-metro UI with relative ease and loading a few apps and webpages with nary a pause. With 64GB of storage on board there should be plenty of room for basic productivity apps and a view movies. Though, if you're a serious MP3 hoarder, we wouldn't expect to carry your whole music collection with you.
Not surprisingly, the 11.6-inch display makes for a rather hefty device. In fact, even during our short hands-on we were happy to have a stand to rest the slate in. It's certainly not unbearable, but this isn't something you're going to slip into a bag and pull out on the subway to read with. That said, the trade off is an absolutely stunning display with stellar viewing angles and superb brightness and saturation. The 1,366 x 768 HD PLS panel is, in a word, gorgeous. The device itself is pretty slick too. There are some brushed metal accents, but the majority of the device is slightly glossy plastic that, amazingly, doesn't immediately make us feel like we're manhandling a toy. There was a slight give, but we're willing to forgive it on an otherwise premium feeling tablet. Along the top is an array of ports and buttons, including a micro-SIM slot for connecting to AT&T's LTE network. (Which would go a long way towards explaining why it was being showcased at the event.) That's also where the volume rocker, power button, headphone jack, microSD slot and MicroUSB port are all stashed, making for a rather crowded top edge. There's also a 2MP front facing camera for gettin' your video chat on and a rear facing cam, though we don't imagine anyone will be taking too many photos with this. For more, check out the video below. |
| Bowers & Wilkins reveals Panorama 2 soundbar: same body, new features, $2,200 price tag Posted: 04 Oct 2012 03:18 PM PDT Bowers & Wilkins this week unveiled a sequel to its Panorama soundbar that looks an awful lot like its predecessor. There are, however, some key differences, including "dramatically improved acoustic performance," according to B&W. That soundbar soundbump comes courtesy of nine drive units, including two bass woofers, two midrange drivers and an aluminum dome tweeter. The Panaroma 2 has three HDMI inputs and one output, plus an On Screen Display that lights up when your hand gets close. It'll be available later this month for $2,200 a pop. More info can be found in the press release after the break.
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