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Saturday, July 30, 2011

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DNA-based artificial neural network is a primitive brain in a test tube (video)

Posted: 30 Jul 2011 01:59 PM PDT

DNA-based artificial neural network is a primitive brain in a test tube (video)


DNA-based artificial neural network is a primitive brain in a test tube (video)
Many simpler forms of life on this planet, including some of our earliest ancestors, don't have proper brains. Instead they have networks of neurons that fire in response to stimuli, triggering reactions. Scientists from Caltech have actually figured out how to create such a primitive pre-brain using strands of DNA....

BMW unveils new i3 and revamped i8 concepts, we await our automotive future (video)

Posted: 30 Jul 2011 11:54 AM PDT

BMW unveils new i3 and revamped i8 concepts, we await our automotive future (video)


BMW unveils new i3 and revamped i8 concepts, we await our automotive future (video)
BMW's been teasing us with its vision for electric motoroing for years, and today, folks, the trend continues. The German automaker has unveiled two concepts from its upcoming i sub-brand: the city-dwelling i3 and a rehashed version of its i8. This is the first time we've officially seen the smaller of the two, as the car formerly known as the Megacity had only been spied in an official render and during...

Lux Research ranks LG Chem tops in lithium-ion battery industry

Posted: 30 Jul 2011 09:49 AM PDT

Lux Research ranks LG Chem tops in lithium-ion battery industry


Lux Research ranks LG Chem tops in lithium-ion battery industry
Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Hybrid Chevrolet Volt battery pack - Click above for high-res image gallery In its latest report, Lux Research ranks lithium-ion battery manufacturers and makers of ultracapacitors on its Lux Innovation Grid, a proprietary framework that supposedly assesses the relative performance of companies, The report, titled "Using Partnerships to Stay Afloat in the Electric Vehicle Storm," claims that lithium-ion battery manufacturer, LG Chem, leads the industry and that Maxwell Technologies heads...

Insert Coin: YouTurn accelerometer-based turn signal system for cyclists

Posted: 30 Jul 2011 09:17 AM PDT

Insert Coin: YouTurn accelerometer-based turn signal system for cyclists


Insert Coin: YouTurn accelerometer-based turn signal system for cyclists
In Insert Coin, we look at an exciting new tech project that requires funding before it can hit production. If you'd like to pitch a project, please send us a tip with "Insert Coin" as the subject line. Many of us who bike in the city ride in constant fear of being tapped by a taxi cab, or crushed by a bus....

Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 Retail Mode app makes its debut on a Galaxy Tab 10.1 (video)

Posted: 30 Jul 2011 07:42 AM PDT

Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 Retail Mode app makes its debut on a Galaxy Tab 10.1 (video)


Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 Retail Mode app makes its debut on a Galaxy Tab 10.1 (video)
Still yearning to find out when the Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 will be released worldwide? Aside from Sammy's previously announced September release for the Nordic areas, there's been no other official word on when the rest of us can get our mitts on one -- not to mention that a month's time has passed since the AT&T-banded 3G Galaxy Tab 8.9 hit the FCC....

This is the 2012 Toyota Camry Hybrid

Posted: 30 Jul 2011 07:11 AM PDT

This is the 2012 Toyota Camry Hybrid


This is the 2012 Toyota Camry Hybrid
Filed under: Hybrid, Toyota, Spy Shots Toyota was busy introducing all flavors of the 2012 Toyota Camry to the media earlier this week, but since all that stuff's embargoed, there's not much to tell. Yet. But what isn't under embargo is this collection of spy photos showing the 2012 Camry Hybrid in its birthday suit while shooting a television commercial. The new Camry's familiar roofline communicates practicality overall, but the updated sheetmetal has...

RZA unveils branded headphone line, hopes you don't leave Shaolin without them

Posted: 30 Jul 2011 06:39 AM PDT

RZA unveils branded headphone line, hopes you don't leave Shaolin without them


RZA unveils branded headphone line, hopes you don't leave Shaolin without them
The other rappers probably spend a lot of time making fun of you when you don't have your own line of headphones. The Wu Tang's RZA can thankfully breathe a sigh of relief as he becomes a member of the not so inclusive club that already contains the likes of Dr....

UPS fleet of alternative fuel vehicles clocks over 200 million miles

Posted: 30 Jul 2011 06:08 AM PDT

UPS fleet of alternative fuel vehicles clocks over 200 million miles


UPS fleet of alternative fuel vehicles clocks over 200 million miles
Filed under: Diesel, EV/Plug-in, Hybrid, MPG On Thursday, package delivery company United Parcel Service (UPS) released its annual Sustainability Report (PDF). The exhaustive 107-page report shows that significant progress has been made in UPS' efforts to use technology that minimizes miles driven and reduce total fuel consumption. Crucial to UPS' sustainability efforts are a variety of alternative fuel technologies, including hybrid-electric, compressed natural gas and electric-only vehicles....

CNC mod carves dot drawing portraits for your living room walls

Posted: 30 Jul 2011 04:02 AM PDT

CNC mod carves dot drawing portraits for your living room walls


CNC mod carves dot drawing portraits for your living room walls
Fancy seeing your mug enlarged to halftone-processed heights? You're in luck, because Finnish modder Metalfusion has a homebrew solution for those Wall Street Journal-style hedcut delusions. Using a specially designed image conversion program, the DIY hobbyist tranforms .jpg, .gif or .png files into DXF-formatted dot patterns of varying density. The resulting images are then fed directly into a CNC machine where a drill is left to make the wood-carved magic happen....

LED coffee table busts a multicolored move (video)

Posted: 30 Jul 2011 12:54 AM PDT

LED coffee table busts a multicolored move (video)


LED coffee table busts a multicolored move (video)
It might look like something out of MJ's Billie Jean, but this colorful LED array won't be under moonwalking foot -- that is, unless the party gets crunk. This colorful grid is actually a table top, brought to you by way of TI's MSP430 microcontroller, and it knows how to get down....

Razer's Electra headphones pump out bass, keep your voice 'inline' for $60

Posted: 29 Jul 2011 11:20 PM PDT

Razer's Electra headphones pump out bass, keep your voice 'inline' for $60


Razer's Electra headphones pump out bass, keep your voice 'inline' for $60
Are you a gamer and bass-lover on a tight budget looking for a new headset? Razer's Electra headphones might just be your ticket for dubstepping through your next WoW raid. These stereo cans sport a 40mm driver in each earcup tuned to pump out lows, along with leatherette earpads to help keep 'em comfortable while aiding in passive noise isolation....

Google wants to speed up your site, while resisting the urge to sell you stuff

Posted: 29 Jul 2011 09:47 PM PDT

Google wants to speed up your site, while resisting the urge to sell you stuff


Google wants to speed up your site, while resisting the urge to sell you stuff
Google has plenty of things going for it, but patience has never really been high on the list -- not surprising, really, for a company that employs scooters to get around the halls of its offices. The search giant has taken a similar approach to the web, offering up a number of services to help speed things up around the old tubes....

Google refines search experience for big-fingered tablet owners

Posted: 29 Jul 2011 07:41 PM PDT

Google refines search experience for big-fingered tablet owners


Google refines search experience for big-fingered tablet owners
Having trouble selecting those tiny links with your big, ol' digits on that swanked-out slab? Don't you worry, Google's just made some slate-friendly improvements to its bread and butter search site, and it's available for iPad and Honeycomb 3.1+ users. On deck for this UI refresh: a much simplified search results page, larger-sized buttons and text, and a quick access button located below the search box that skips you off to...

360: TeliportMe Brings Its Killer Panorama App To Android (Oh, And It Works On O...

Posted: 29 Jul 2011 07:41 PM PDT

360: TeliportMe Brings Its Killer Panorama App To Android (Oh, And It Works On Over 200 Phones)


360: TeliportMe Brings Its Killer Panorama App To Android (Oh, And It Works On Over 200 Phones)
Last November, TechCrunch's own Sarah Lacy sat down with Vineet Devaiah from "social streetview" startup, Phototour.in, which, at the time, had just received term sheets from a number of high-profile U.S. investors and had recently been awarded the "Top Emerging Technology Company of 2010″ by Nvidia. The startup was the first international, non-funded, under-20-member company to win the award, according to Devaiah. Since then, Phototour added Academy Award certificate-winner and entrepreneur Bala...

Three Companies Chi-Hua Chien Of Kleiner Perkins Would Love To Invest In

Posted: 29 Jul 2011 06:38 PM PDT

Three Companies Chi-Hua Chien Of Kleiner Perkins Would Love To Invest In


Three Companies Chi-Hua Chien Of Kleiner Perkins Would Love To Invest In
Today at Aol West Headquarters, a number of expert speakers gathered to discuss the state of the mobile industry and mobile technology. After a series of individual panels, the day concluded with the crowd of panelists gathering together for a lively discussion about the future of mobile, current mobile trends gaining legs, as well as what's missing....

iPhone 4 gets upgraded for NFC payments the hard way

Posted: 29 Jul 2011 06:07 PM PDT

iPhone 4 gets upgraded for NFC payments the hard way


iPhone 4 gets upgraded for NFC payments the hard way
Softbank customers in Japan can simply get an NFC sticker to add some contact-less payments to their iPhone 4, but most folks don't have it quite so easy just yet. There are some alternatives while you wait for Apple to hop on the NFC bandwagon, however, like this solution from Unplggd's Vivian Kim....

New CAFE rules for 2025: How 54.5 mpg generates a lot of numbers (and opposition...

Posted: 29 Jul 2011 05:05 PM PDT

New CAFE rules for 2025: How 54.5 mpg generates a lot of numbers (and opposition from VW)


New CAFE rules for 2025: How 54.5 mpg generates a lot of numbers (and opposition from VW)
Filed under: Diesel, EV/Plug-in, Legislation and Policy, USA Following the big CAFE announcement this morning - which called for a 54.5 mpg fuel economy standard by model year 2025 - EPA administrator Lisa Jackson (pictured) gave a bit more information on how the proposal will affect the vehicle landscape in the U.S....

LauncherPro dev's skinnable UberMusic player finally hits the Android Market

Posted: 29 Jul 2011 04:33 PM PDT

LauncherPro dev's skinnable UberMusic player finally hits the Android Market


LauncherPro dev's skinnable UberMusic player finally hits the Android Market
We were thoroughly infatuated with LauncherPro developer Federico Carnale's then-unnamed music app the first time we saw it in beta, bringing Metro UI styled playback to our Android lifestyles. Now UberMusic v1.0 is available on the Android Market, flexing its customizable skills for the princely sum of $3.49. Don't think this is just some ripoff however, while one of the skins (that can also be found on the Market)is a Zune...

Pike predicts more than 5,200 hydrogen fueling stations operational by 2020

Posted: 29 Jul 2011 04:02 PM PDT

Pike predicts more than 5,200 hydrogen fueling stations operational by 2020


Pike predicts more than 5,200 hydrogen fueling stations operational by 2020
Filed under: Hydrogen According to a report from Pike Research, more than 5,200 hydrogen fueling stations will be operational worldwide by 2020, up from just 200 stations in 2010. The research firm forecasts that, by the end of 2020, annual investments in hydrogen stations will soar to $1.6 billion, with ten-year (2010 to 2020) investments hitting $8.4 billion globally. Pike says global demand for hydrogen fuel will hit 418 million kilograms (922 million...

IDC: Nokia, LG see significant Q2 shipping decline, Apple continues to grow

Posted: 29 Jul 2011 04:02 PM PDT

IDC: Nokia, LG see significant Q2 shipping decline, Apple continues to grow


IDC: Nokia, LG see significant Q2 shipping decline, Apple continues to grow
Well, the numbers are in and Q2's proved to be a mixed bag for the mobile market. According to IDC, cellphone makers shipped a total of 365.4 million units last quarter, a year-over-year increase of 11.3 percent. Nokia, while still the world's largest handset maker, suffered a significant blow, with shipments dropping from 111.1 million in Q2 2010 to 88.5 million; the company's market share was similarly down, hitting 24.2 percent,...