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- Motorola phases out Webtop, points to a Lapdock-shy world
- Inhabitat's Week in Green: solar panel printer, gold producing bacteria and a life-size of horse made of computer keys
- SpaceX Dragon capsule launch gets go signal from NASA
- US and Russian space agencies to launch first year-long mission on the ISS
- Pioneer's latest Raku Navi GPS units take commands from hand gestures
- Sharp 'Moth Eye' LCD Panel demo shows off future HDTVs with less glare
- Apple extends iCloud storage upgrade for MobileMe users another year
- Ask Engadget: best online 3D printer?
- Mobile Miscellany: week of October 1st, 2012
- Nano-SIMs reportedly popping up at T-Mobile stores, ready to welcome your iPhone 5
- Alt-week 10.6.12: supercomputers on the moon, hear the Earth sing and the future of sports commentary
| Motorola phases out Webtop, points to a Lapdock-shy world Posted: 07 Oct 2012 10:20 AM PDT When Motorola launched its Webtop concept alongside the original Atrix 4G, it had grand visions of replacing our PCs with a smartphone, a Lapdock and some optimism for a mobile-focused future. Most of us don't appear to have shared that rose-tinted view, as Motorola has confirmed that devices from the Photon Q 4G LTE and Droid RAZR M onward don't carry Webtop and won't get it in the future. The firm is blunt in explaining the cut and says that "adoption has not been strong enough" -- we just weren't buying those desktop- and laptop-oriented docks in the large numbers Motorola would need to devote further attention. As CNET explains, the move isn't surprising in light of Google's cost cutting as well as an initial $500 Lapdock price that likely chilled any momentum, even after prices dropped to as little as $200 in the Atrix 2 era. We'd also point to a market that still favors budget laptops and tablets: when $400 will get you an entirely separate Transformer Pad TF300, albeit without a keyboard, it's hard to justify buying what amounts to an empty shell. At least we'll still have our PadFone to keep us company while you read the full statement below.
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| Posted: 07 Oct 2012 07:30 AM PDT 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. Inhabitat is always interested in finding innovative uses for old technology, and this week we saw artists and designers from around the world produce new things from old, unused or outmoded gadgets. In Osaka, a local goldfish club has been transforming old phone booths into gigantic public fish tanks. In another large-scale art installation, Babis Panagiotidis used 18,000 recycled computer keys to make a life-size rocking horse. London artist Leonardo Ulian also makes beautiful, ornate mandalas from bits and pieces of old circuitry. And Benjamin Yates makes his unique coffee tables from recycled circuit boards, old VCRs and computer components. We've also been staying abreast of new and developing technologies that could have lasting implications for the future of sustainability. In New Zealand, an industrial design student has come up with a concept for a doorless refrigerator that reduces food spoilage. A UK team has developed a harpoon system to capture rogue or redundant satellites and pull them out of the sky. We also spotlighted the Networking Nature exhibit at the Venice Biennale -- a small ecosystem that lives off of seawater and produces fresh drinking water. We were surprised to learn that a biologist at the Argonne National Laboratory is transforming the data found in blue-green algae into music, while researchers at Michigan State discovered that super-strong bacteria can produce nuggets of gold. This week we were also pleased to learn that by 2016 IKEA will only sell LED lights. And speaking of IKEA, we shared a step-by-step guide to building a vertical garden room divider using IKEA plant stands. In clean energy news, we learned that all solar panels are not created equal. V3Solar proved that point when it unveiled its new spinning, cone-shaped solar panels, which can generate 20 times as much energy as flat panels. But the week's most exciting solar story is The Solar Pocket Factory, a DIY backyard photovoltaic panel printing system that can print a solar panel in 15 seconds flat. We were also surprised to see Karl Lagerfeld line Chanel's runway with wind turbines and solar panels in a preview of Spring 2013 Paris Fashion Week. And we reported on a 93-year-old man in North Carolina who is selling his personal collection of 30 gigantic windmills to build a local theme park. At the 2012 Paris Motor Show, which opened last weekend, Audi unveiled its brand-new Crosslane Hybrid Coupe concept, which is powered by a 1.5L three-cylinder engine and two electric motors. Smart USA announced this week that its ForTwo Electric Drive will start at $25,000, making it the most affordable EV in the US. In one of the week's cheesiest stories, a team of Utah State University researchers set a land speed record in their class with a dragster powered by cheese (seriously). And London-based architect Andy Martin teamed up with furniture company Thonet to design a gorgeous bentwood fixed-gear bike. |
| SpaceX Dragon capsule launch gets go signal from NASA Posted: 07 Oct 2012 05:01 AM PDT One small step in May is poised to turn into one giant leap for space capitalism as NASA approved the Sunday evening launch of SpaceX's Dragon capsule. The scheduled trip comes just a little over four months after the project successfully completed a docking test by the unmanned private spacecraft with the International Space Station. The Sunday flight -- dubbed CRS-1 -- will have the Dragon capsule piggybacking on a Falcon 9 rocket to punch through the atmosphere while carrying more than a thousand pounds of cargo. The capsule will then dock with the station for about three weeks before being sent back to Earth to deliver more than a ton of scientific samples and used hardware from the ISS. The launch is scheduled for 8:35PM ET from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station barring a tantrum from Mother Nature (we've also seen our share of aborted SpaceX Dragon launches before so we're keeping our proverbial fingers crossed). NASA says that Orbital Sciences' competing Cygnus spacecraft and Antares rocket will also make a demo flight later this year. [Image credit: Jim Grossmann, NASA] |
| US and Russian space agencies to launch first year-long mission on the ISS Posted: 07 Oct 2012 03:32 AM PDT If you thought that year out around Europe was an eye opener, how about 12 months on the International Space Station? That's what's in store for two unnamed astronauts. Currently, the maximum stay on the ISS is six months, but in 2015, one Russian, and one American will work their way through the whole calendar, in a trip that could help pave the way for deep space travel. Plenty of data has already been collected about the effect microgravity has on the body, but less is known of the longer-term implications. NASA is already considering sending manned expeditions to near-Earth asteroids and Mars in the coming decades -- but the results from this excursion could prove invaluable. The names of the chosen two haven't been revealed, and the Soyuz capsule's (currently unaccounted for) third-seat has also sparked talk of another person possibly coming along for the ride. Time to re-plan that gap year? |
| Pioneer's latest Raku Navi GPS units take commands from hand gestures Posted: 07 Oct 2012 01:56 AM PDT An AR heads-up display wasn't the only navigation hardware Pioneer showed off at CEATEC 2012. The firm also took the opportunity to tear the wraps off a new line of gesture-controlled Raku Navi GPS units. With the infrared-powered Air Gesture feature, drivers can wave their hand in front of a device to pull up a menu with commands such as setting their home or a personal haunt as a destination or skipping to the next tune on a playlist. Once a hand is retracted, the menu will be replaced with the usual map interface. Though the solution isn't completely hands-free, horizontal hand waves can be assigned one of ten different functions. Japanese store shelves will be lined with two dashboard-embeddable units by mid-October, while four console-independent models will join them in early November. As of now, there's no word if the hardware will make the pilgrimage stateside. |
| Sharp 'Moth Eye' LCD Panel demo shows off future HDTVs with less glare Posted: 06 Oct 2012 11:23 PM PDT While its high pixel density mobile displays stole much of the attention at CEATEC 2012, Sharp also has tech destined for bigger screens like this "Moth Eye Panel" that Engadget Japanese took a look at during the show. Thanks to nanoscale irregularities on its surface similar to the eye of a moth it claims to give bright colors and high contrast while cutting down glare as seen above (moth eye panel on the left) The technology isn't in use yet, but Sharp says the film has been produced in 60-, 70- and 80-inch sizes already, so if you thought the company's extra large and Elite HDTVs couldn't get any better, next year's model will probably have at least one way to prove you wrong. Sharp at CEATEC Japan 2012 New Products and Technologies that Transform People's Lifestyles to be Exhibited Sharp Corporation will take part in CEATEC JAPAN 2012, the annual comprehensive exhibition showcasing the latest in IT and electronics from October 2 to 6, 2012 at the Makuhari Messe convention center in Chiba City, Chiba Prefecture. Under the concept "Future Smart Living Revolves Around Solar," Sharp will display new products and technologies that will transform people's lifestyles. Visitors will get a glimpse into the home of the future in a Sharp smart house composed of proprietary see-through solar modules set up as a symbolic structure of the booth. Sharp's residential energy solutions feature greater overall power generation thanks to panel configurations geared to roof shape and a power conditioner, as well as a lithium-ion storage battery that allows load levelling in which inexpensive night-time electricity is stored for use during the daytime. Commercial energy solutions, meanwhile, include solar panels that are built right into the construction materials. Visitors can experience the super-high-quality images achieved by Sharp's ICC-LED TV. An integration of ICC (Integrated Cognitive Creation) technology, developed by I3 (I-cubed) Research Center, and Sharp large-screen panel technology that gives a resolution four times that of conventional full HD LCD panels, the ICC-LED TV reproduces the cognitive process by which the human brain interprets light stimuli, resulting in on-screen images that approach true-to-life quality. Sharp introduces an AQUOS LCD TV incorporating a "Moth Eye® Panel," which gives vividly colored images and high contrast while at the same time keeping screen reflections to a minimum. Sharp LCD panels with IGZO technology offer higher resolution, lower power consumption, and higher performance touch screens. COCOROBO robotic appliance has advanced functions like artificial intelligence, voice recognition, sensors, and smartphone linking, thus offering users comfort, and a safe, secure home. |
| Apple extends iCloud storage upgrade for MobileMe users another year Posted: 06 Oct 2012 09:20 PM PDT Apple's done its level best to [Thanks, Jonathan C] |
| Ask Engadget: best online 3D printer? Posted: 06 Oct 2012 07:27 PM PDT We know you've got questions, and if you're brave enough to ask the world for answers, then here's the outlet to do so. This week's Ask Engadget inquiry is from Paul, who wants to experiment with additive manufacturing that's beyond the capacity of his Makerbot. If you're looking to ask one of your own, drop us a line at ask [at] engadget [dawt] com.
3D printing is so new that no service has made a name for itself above all others, so let's throw it open to the world's finest minds, our trusty readers. Hold your breath, count to ten, feel the Earth move... and then share your experiences in the comments below. |
| Mobile Miscellany: week of October 1st, 2012 Posted: 06 Oct 2012 06:08 PM PDT If you didn't get enough in mobile news during the week, not to worry, because we've opened the firehose for the truly hardcore. This past week, FCC Chairman Genachowski weighed in on what must be done to keep the spectrum crunch from becoming a crisis, pricing leaked for the Motorola RAZR HD LTE at Rogers and Japan got a version of the Xperia V to call its own. These stories and more await after the break. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore the "best of the rest" for this week of October 1st, 2012. Pricing leaks for Motorola RAZR HD LTE at Rogers We previously knew that the Motorola RAZR HD LTE would hit Canada as an exclusive to Rogers Wireless, and while its release date remains up in the air, MobileSyrup has stumbled on the handset's pricing structure. Most importantly, it looks as if the Kevlar-backed smartphone will be available for $100 on a three-year contract, or a hefty $600 outright. As is generally the case, Rogers is providing little incentive for those who commit to just one or two years -- one of the many reasons the carrier is not-so-affectionately referred to as Robbers. [MobileSyrup] Amosu Couture slathers the Samsung Galaxy S III in Swarovski crystals Don't bother busting out the credit card with this one, because it'd be a hell of a shame to be making payments on any smartphone long past its useful life. That said, lovers of all things bling will find that Amosu Couture is now selling a Swarovski Edition Galaxy S III that flaunts over 500 of the little crystals, and just for good measure, it also comes with a calf leather case. Much like its down-to-earth counterpart, the smartphone is available in marble white and pebble blue, although its £2,099 price certainly places it out of the reach of many. For those who already own the Galaxy S III, Amosu Couture is also offering to slather it in crystals for a mere £1,399 -- just think of the savings! [Pocket-lint] Huawei reportedly mulling IPO options Sources of the Wall Street Journal claim that Huawei is actively seeking advice from investment banks as its leaders are considering taking the company public. While companies often seek IPO funding as a way to rapidly grow their operations, sources claim that Huawei is looking to increase its transparency in hopes that the necessary disclosures would make it more attractive in the contract bidding process. For those who like to keep score, Huawei and its equipment has previously been the target of national security concerns. Sources claim that no decision has been made whether to proceed with an IPO, although a company spokesman said that such a move would take place "when it makes commercial sense." [WSJ] Sony Xperia AX debuts in Japan as retooled Xperia V Sony took the wraps off of the Xperia V for its home turf this week, which has been dubbed the Xperia AX. Like its sibling, the smartphone will feature Android 4.0 with a 4.3-inch 1,280 x 720 display and a dual-core 1.5GHz CPU. Shoppers will also find a 13-megapixel camera, LTE, NFC and infrared capabilities in a handset that's said to be dust and water resistant in accordance with IPX5 / IPX7 standards. No release date has yet to be announced, although Sony claims we'll see it hit the market later this year. [Engadget Japanese (translated)] FCC Chairman Genachowski weighs in on spectrum crunch If you were under the impression that FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski wasn't happy with the current spectrum allocation in the US, then good on you for paying attention. In fact, the recent pushes for spectrum sharing, removal of regulatory barriers and voluntary selloffs all relate to the National Broadband Plan, first announced in 2010 with the goal of reclaiming 500MHz of spectrum for mobile data use. In all, the FCC believes it's on track to free up at least 300MHz of spectrum by 2015. Naturally, much of this is a gradual process, with regulatory barriers set to be lifted this year, AWS auctions scheduled for next year and its broadcast incentive auctions planned for 2014. Looking further out, Chairman Genachowski believes the FCC can free up 500MHz of spectrum by 2020, which by his own admission, may not be enough to satisfy the growing demands for mobile data. As such, he's suggested that we must improve spectrum efficiency through use of small cells, smart antennas and compression, in addition to improving wireless receivers so that services may operate more closely on the spectrum chart without interference. Lastly, Chairman Genachowski also pointed to the government's current inefficient use of its allocated spectrum -- a hurdle he expects will require congressional action. [FCC (PDF)] [Mobile Miscellany photo credit: Thristian / Flickr] This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Nano-SIMs reportedly popping up at T-Mobile stores, ready to welcome your iPhone 5 Posted: 06 Oct 2012 03:19 PM PDT The iPhone 5 may not be ready for sale unlocked officially just yet, but that doesn't mean T-Mobile isn't ready to be your service provider. As evidenced by the photo above, the folks at TmoNews and YouTuber BigRicksChannel have confirmed that the service provider is now selling iPhone 5-compatible Nano-SIMs. Of course, these'll work just fine with the Verizon-variant of the the 4-inch device, as it's technically unlocked out of the box. Need proof beyond a photo? Catch the video after the break to see it connecting to T-Mobile's network for yourself.
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| Posted: 06 Oct 2012 02:00 PM PDT Alt-week peels back the covers on some of the more curious sci-tech stories from the last seven days. Normally we try to encourage you to join us around the warm alt-week campfire by teasing you about what diverse and exotic internet nuggets we have for you inside. Sadly, this week that's not the case. There's nothing for you here we're afraid. Not unless you like totally mind-blowing space videos, singing planets and AI / sports commentary-flavored cocktails, that is. Oh, you do? Well what do you know! Come on in... this is alt-week. The moon. it's just sitting there, effortlessly controlling tides and Werewolves. It also seems a bit of a waste of some grade-a real estate don't you think? Well you might not, but University of Southern California graduate student, Ouliang Chang, certainly does. So much so, he presented an idea for a lunar-based supercomputer in a recent presentation at the AIAA Space conference. It's more than just one of the most exclusive zip-codes at stake here, Chang's proposal is also a solution to a very real problem -- potential data bottlenecks on NASA's Deep Space Network (that which supports interplanetary spacecraft missions and more). The envisioned machine would be located on the dark side of our moon near in a cold polar region which would help both help keep it cool, and avoid electromagnetism from Earth. If this sounds like something that might cost a few bucks, then you're right, an estimated 10 - 20 billion of them. While this might sound like a lot, the service it could provide would be invaluable as interplanetary data-flow continues to grow in demand. Cost, and mind-bending logistics aside, the presentation was said to at least spark the imagination of the broader community. In the meantime, we imagine lunar realtor's are already calculating their percentages. Like the idea of an extraterrestrial condo, but worried about how you might wile away those cold, lunar nights? How about listening to the Earth sing? In fact, you don't have to go all that way to hear the Earth's "Chorus" (an electromagnetic phenomenon caused by plasma waves in Earth's radiation belts) as NASA's pair of satellites in the radiation belt (the very same we told you about a few weeks ago) are currently exactly where the "song" is emitted from -- and have sent back the clearest example of it yet. It's not exactly a sweet sonnet though, as in it's natural form it's inaudible to the human ear, and it's also believed to be a potential cause of so called "killer electrons" -- particles that get charged with enough power to damage systems). Weirdly, it also reminds of a futuristic whale call. Whether it's better than MJ's Earth Song is a matter of taste, but it's certainly out of this world. Please accept our apologies for that last pun.
There's another sound that might be almost inaudible to many ears, and that's the drone of bad match commentary. Even if you're a sports fan, you may still find yourself choosing a game based on who's talking over it, rather than who's actually playing. At least, that's the situation PhD Student Greg Lee found himself in, preferring those who could tell him something interesting, rather than just rote stats and figures. Inspired by this, he lead up a project to create a database of sporting anecdotes that would be offered up during a game based on score, players, game history and so on. The Sports Commentary Recommendation System (SCoRes) would provide commentators with access to a store of relevant and interesting tales that they could weave into their coverage, rather than rely on their memory recall in the heat of the moment. So far the system has been trialled on baseball games, with a trial group of 16 confirming they found the tailored tidbits enjoyable and entertaining. The team will present its findings at the AIIDE conference in California next week. While this next story may not be the sporting event of the season, it's certainly involves a new (inter) world record. A star spotted orbiting the Milky Way's central black hole has been clocked in at a ludicrously-fast 3,100 miles per second. This might not be a patch on the unbeatable speeds reached by light, but it does allow scientists the opportunity to test Einstein's theory of relativity in the next ten years. Why the wait? Well the speedy star has an orbit period of 11.5 years, and this means scientists can use S0-102 (as it is called) along with fellow star S02 (whose orbit is 16 years) to measure "precession" -- the change in their orbit's orientation. By doing so, astronomers can observe how much the gravity of the central black curves / bends space. This won't be the first time such a project has been undertaken, but the presence of two stars to take measurements from will allow for much more accuracy. No one's expecting any rules to be broken, but the chance to explore one of science's most important theories on such a scale is a rare luxury. It's an oft-used phrase, but this time, we really do think we've saved the best 'til last. Gazing up at the stars can be amazing, we all know that. What about gazing back at Earth from within them? That's a privilege reserved for just a select few, most notably those aboard the ISS. Fortunately for you, though, someone invented the internet. This means you, too, get to enjoy the rare view of the Universe as seen from the space station without even leaving your den. Seriously, watch this video and tell yourself it's not amazing... you can't, can you? Enjoy 4-minutes and 48 seconds of visual bliss:
Seen any other far-out articles that you'd like considered for Alt-week? Working on a project or research that's too cool to keep to yourself? Drop us a line at alt [at] engadget [dot] com. [Image Credits: University of Alberta / Greg Lee, Ethan Tweedie, Simon Lutrin / Wired] |
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