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Monday, December 26, 2011

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Bit-tech's Mod of the Year contest underway: finally, something you're comfortab...

Posted: 26 Dec 2011 03:31 PM PST

Bit-tech's Mod of the Year contest underway: finally, something you're comfortable voting on


Bit-tech's Mod of the Year contest underway: finally, something you're comfortable voting on
Like ponies to little girls, we always have a soft spot for mods here at Engadget. Who could forget Angel OD's liquid-cooled Wii, for example? Or Peter Brands' Frankendesk of a PC, the L3p D3sk? Well, it seems like we're not the only ones whose fancies got tickled by these things, as both made the list of nominees for bit-tech's Mod of the Year 2011 competition....

Join the Engadget HD Podcast live on Ustream at 5:30PM

Posted: 26 Dec 2011 02:45 PM PST

Join the Engadget HD Podcast live on Ustream at 5:30PM


Join the Engadget HD Podcast live on Ustream at 5:30PM
It's Monday, and almost as regular an occurrence as the day itself, we're here to help by letting you listen into the recording booth when the Engadget HD podcast goes to mp3 at 5:30PM. Please be a part of it by reviewing the list of topics after the break, then participating in the live chat as you listen in.Continue reading Join the Engadget HD Podcast live on Ustream at 5:30PMJoin the...

MESM Soviet computer project marks 60 years

Posted: 26 Dec 2011 02:00 PM PST

MESM Soviet computer project marks 60 years


MESM Soviet computer project marks 60 years
Before you go complaining about your job, take a moment to remember the MESM project, which just marked the 60th anniversary of its formal recognition by the Soviet Academy of Sciences. The project, headed by Institute of Electrical Engineering director Sergey Lebedev, was born in a laboratory built from scratch amongst the post-World War II ruins of Ukrainian capital city, Kyiv, by a team of 20 people, many of whom took...

More reasons to choose car-sharing: serious health benefits

Posted: 26 Dec 2011 01:15 PM PST

More reasons to choose car-sharing: serious health benefits


More reasons to choose car-sharing: serious health benefits
Filed under: Transportation Alternatives, UK The next time you go visit your doctor for a check-up, go ahead and take a car-sharing vehicle. Why? Because that way you can say that you're actively engaging in a mode of transportation that helps your health. According to a recent report by researchers at the University College London (UCL), making "rational, economic decisions about the most appropriate mode of travel for each individual journey (on foot,...

WindowBreak Project seeks universal developer unlock tool for Windows Phone (video)

Posted: 26 Dec 2011 01:15 PM PST

WindowBreak Project seeks universal developer unlock tool for Windows Phone (video)


WindowBreak Project seeks universal developer unlock tool for Windows Phone (video)
The developer known as Jaxbot is becoming quite familiar around these parts, who's known for bringing instant app resuming and multitasking to Windows Phone -- long before these features had gone mainstream. Now, he's back at it with WindowBreak, a project that seeks to deliver an interop unlock tool that can be used on any Windows Phone....

RockMelt hits beta 5, makes Chome's Omnibox a gateway to Facebook

Posted: 26 Dec 2011 12:28 PM PST

RockMelt hits beta 5, makes Chome's Omnibox a gateway to Facebook


RockMelt hits beta 5, makes Chome's Omnibox a gateway to Facebook
Last year, when RockMelt picked up where Flock left off, deeply tying social services into the browser interface, we were understandably a bit skeptical. But, just over 13 months later the tricked out Chrome variant is still kicking and tacking on new features. The latest beta, version five, turns the Omnibox into a full-fledged Facebook portal, allowing you to upload photos, initiate chats and load profiles without first having to launch...

Tizi app turns your iPhone into a pricey iPad remote, enlists Siri for channel s...

Posted: 26 Dec 2011 11:38 AM PST

Tizi app turns your iPhone into a pricey iPad remote, enlists Siri for channel surfing


Tizi app turns your iPhone into a pricey iPad remote, enlists Siri for channel surfing
It's time to show your iPad who's boss -- your iPhone, naturally. The Tizi Remote app is presently available for free via iTunes, letting you use your iPhone to change channels, record shows and pause live TV on iPads connected to the Tizi or Tizi Go TV receivers -- and if you happen to have a 4S, you can harness the power of Siri to change channels for you....

Textaholics Rejoice! Swype Beta Taps Dragon Dictation

Posted: 26 Dec 2011 10:51 AM PST

Textaholics Rejoice! Swype Beta Taps Dragon Dictation


Textaholics Rejoice! Swype Beta Taps Dragon Dictation
Textaholics, this one's for you. Swype — the Android-flavored keyboard that lets you type (or swype, rather) faster than you ever thought possible — has a present for you this holiday season. With Siri on the iPhone 4S, voice control apps are sprouting up faster than you can ask Siri about the meaning of life....

Smart ForTwo EV gets delayed until September, 'unspecified problems' to blame

Posted: 26 Dec 2011 10:51 AM PST

Smart ForTwo EV gets delayed until September, 'unspecified problems' to blame


Smart ForTwo EV gets delayed until September, 'unspecified problems' to blame
Bad news for those of you waiting on that updated Smart EV. The faster and longer-lasting third generation city-dweller previously scheduled for delivery in "early 2012," has just been delayed until September. According to Daimler, the culprit is "unspecified problems" at battery cell provider, Li-Tec. But before jumping to explosive conclusions, the auto maker quips there aren't any "technical or quality problems with the batteries." Curious, yet also a bummer, as...

Engadget Mobile Podcast 118 - 12.26.2011

Posted: 26 Dec 2011 10:03 AM PST

Engadget Mobile Podcast 118 - 12.26.2011


Engadget Mobile Podcast 118 - 12.26.2011
If listening to Engadget Chinese editor Richard Lai talk about the bleedingest-edge phones from China isn't the perfect programming to shake off all those extra trips to the Christmas buffet to, we don't know what is. It's the Engadget Mobile Podcast, now with more globetrotting/calorie burning madness inside. Hosts: Myriam Joire (tnkgrl), Brad Molen Guest: Richard Lai Producer: Trent Wolbe Music: Tycho - Coastal Brake (Ghostly International) 00:01:07 - Xiaomi Phone review 00:10:56 - Meizu MX review 00:29:53...

Boxee 1.5 nears release, will be final desktop version

Posted: 26 Dec 2011 10:03 AM PST

Boxee 1.5 nears release, will be final desktop version


Boxee 1.5 nears release, will be final desktop version
We have some good news and bad news. The good news is: Boxee 1.5 will be entering public beta soon, with a proper release scheduled for January alongside Live TV. The update will finally bring the desktop software up-to-date and deliver the more streamlined UI found on the Boxee Box to your Windows, Mac or Linux computer....

LG announces ICS upgrades to begin in Q2 2012

Posted: 26 Dec 2011 09:15 AM PST

LG announces ICS upgrades to begin in Q2 2012


LG announces ICS upgrades to begin in Q2 2012
Following the footsteps of Samsung and Sony, LG has come forth with details on which devices will be getting Android 4.0 -- also known as Ice Cream Sandwich -- and when we can begin expecting those upgrades to roll out. The phone manufacturer made its official announcement via its Facebook page, stating that several of its 2011 models will be on the receiving end of ICS starting in the second and...

Matt Richardson turns Arduino, Twitter and lasers into art (video)

Posted: 26 Dec 2011 08:27 AM PST

Matt Richardson turns Arduino, Twitter and lasers into art (video)


Matt Richardson turns Arduino, Twitter and lasers into art (video)
Matt Richardson's genius has never really been in question. The Make Live host and compulsive hacker has built an impressive library of creations, ranging from a Google Reader pedal to an email-triggered Christmas tree. The man's works are definitely art, in their own way, but his new project, Fade Away 1, is the first that we could easily see taking up residence in a SoHo gallery....

LG Prepping Ice Cream Sandwich Update For Q2 2012 Release

Posted: 26 Dec 2011 07:40 AM PST

LG Prepping Ice Cream Sandwich Update For Q2 2012 Release


LG Prepping Ice Cream Sandwich Update For Q2 2012 Release
Most of the big name Android smartphone vendors have already laid out their Ice Cream Sandwich upgrade plans, but LG has been notably absent from the list of companies offering an update schedule. Well, a brief announcement on the company's official Facebook page has remedied that — Android 4.0 will be coming to select LG handsets as early as Q2 2012. The first round of updates will roll out to the Prada...

Seiko Epson marks Boxing Day by announcing Nokia lawsuit settlement, 'extraordin...

Posted: 26 Dec 2011 07:40 AM PST

Seiko Epson marks Boxing Day by announcing Nokia lawsuit settlement, 'extraordinary loss'


Seiko Epson marks Boxing Day by announcing Nokia lawsuit settlement, 'extraordinary loss'
With Christmas behind us, it's time to get back to the real world. For Seiko Epson, that means some serious downer news. The company announced today that it has finally opted to settle with Nokia over antitrust lawsuits filed in the US and UK. The company will pay the Finnish handset maker a cool $80 million over the lawsuit, which stems from issues with LCD supply....

Back to the Future 3 DeLorean Sells for $541,200

Posted: 26 Dec 2011 06:09 AM PST

Back to the Future 3 DeLorean Sells for $541,200


Back to the Future 3 DeLorean Sells for $541,200
Where you're going, you're gonna need a big check.

Apple kicks off 12 Days of iTunes, offers a dozen freebies to last into 2012

Posted: 26 Dec 2011 06:09 AM PST

Apple kicks off 12 Days of iTunes, offers a dozen freebies to last into 2012


Apple kicks off 12 Days of iTunes, offers a dozen freebies to last into 2012
Find yourself something Apple-flavored underneath the Christmas tree yesterday? Need some gentle coaxing into using iTunes? Well, you're in luck; Cupertino's annual download giveaway starts today and runs through January 6th. The free gifts kick off with some Coldplay tracks and videos from the band's latest Apple-sponsored festival appearance. But don't let that put you off; we expect to see more music, some apps and even books over the next few...

Bad math makes claim that each Volt cost taxpayers $250,000 go viral

Posted: 26 Dec 2011 05:23 AM PST

Bad math makes claim that each Volt cost taxpayers $250,000 go viral


Bad math makes claim that each Volt cost taxpayers $250,000 go viral
Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Hybrid, Chevrolet, GM Oh, how easy it is to go viral on the Internet. All you have to do is be really, really bad at math. Or have an agenda. Here's how to play the game: Start with a car that is already in the news and for some reason has turned into a political hot button....

Amazon UK opens its doors for the Christmas sales, adds hundreds of Kindle books...

Posted: 26 Dec 2011 05:23 AM PST

Amazon UK opens its doors for the Christmas sales, adds hundreds of Kindle books from 99p


Amazon UK opens its doors for the Christmas sales, adds hundreds of Kindle books from 99p
Got some Kindle hardware burning a hole in your pile of festive gifts? Well, British bookworms have been given some extra yuletide joy courtesy of Amazon UK which has also started a 12-day sale, focusing on its e-book wares . The site vows to add more digital reads each day and it looks like all the additions will stick with their shrunken price tags for the extent of the sale....

CUPP's PunkThis graduates to tablets, earns a degree in security (hands-on video)

Posted: 26 Dec 2011 04:36 AM PST

CUPP's PunkThis graduates to tablets, earns a degree in security (hands-on video)


CUPP's PunkThis graduates to tablets, earns a degree in security (hands-on video)
Remember CUPP Computing's PunkThis board we played with at Computex 2011? It's now left the confines of its 2.5-inch hard drive form-factor and jumped ship from a standard Asus netbook to a Core i5-equipped Eee Slate EP121, taking residence alongside the tablet's battery. As a refresher, PunkThis puts a complete ARM-based system into an x86 computer by replacing the SATA HDD with a single core 1GHz Texas Instruments OMAP 3730 processor,...

Hacked Powermat lets you touch-to-charge your iPhone in stop-and-go traffic

Posted: 26 Dec 2011 03:04 AM PST

Hacked Powermat lets you touch-to-charge your iPhone in stop-and-go traffic


Hacked Powermat lets you touch-to-charge your iPhone in stop-and-go traffic
When you're cruising down the highway, you've got much better things to do than fiddling with iPhone cables -- like, you know, texting and playing Angry Birds. Thankfully, this handy little Powermat hack brings the fun of wireless charging to the comfort of your mobile office, to help free up your hands a bit -- at least until Siri learns how to steer....

FCC approves mysterious Archos DECT device, may or may not be secret death ray

Posted: 26 Dec 2011 12:03 AM PST

FCC approves mysterious Archos DECT device, may or may not be secret death ray


FCC approves mysterious Archos DECT device, may or may not be secret death ray
It's amazing, it's mysterious and it's hard to say exactly what it does. On Friday, the FCC passed a device described as "a handset of internet tablet with DECT," suggesting that the mystery gadget may be some sort of bizarre marriage between a DECT cordless phone and a tablet. Given the "Smart Home Phone" name on the back of the product, the tablet functionality could be used to view contacts and...

Sony sells its stake in Samsung LCD team-up for $939 million

Posted: 25 Dec 2011 11:19 PM PST

Sony sells its stake in Samsung LCD team-up for $939 million


Sony sells its stake in Samsung LCD team-up for $939 million
Sony and Samsung have decided to part ways on their seven-year-old LCD venture. Possibly due to Sony's recent struggles in the increasingly competitive world of TV division, Samsung will buy up its 50 percent share for around $939 million. The Japanese company has agreed to a new strategic agreement to source Sammy's LCDs in the future and, according to Sony, will continue "cooperative engineering efforts focused on LCD panel technology." Its...

Tetris played on microscopic level with lasers, thanks to Amsterdam's rigorous c...

Posted: 25 Dec 2011 10:34 PM PST

Tetris played on microscopic level with lasers, thanks to Amsterdam's rigorous curriculum (video)


Tetris played on microscopic level with lasers, thanks to Amsterdam's rigorous curriculum (video)
Ostensibly speaking, it appears that university goers in the Netherlands have a bit too much time on their hands. You see, in between visits to coffee shops, students at VU University Amsterdam have developed a way to play Tetris with lasers, or in this case, a light-trapping device known as optical tweezers....

Human Birdwings combines Wiimote, smartphone in DIY flying initiative (video)

Posted: 25 Dec 2011 09:06 PM PST

Human Birdwings combines Wiimote, smartphone in DIY flying initiative (video)


Human Birdwings combines Wiimote, smartphone in DIY flying initiative (video)
Somewhere, somehow, the Wright Brothers are smiling. Jarnos Smeets, a mechanical engineer from the Netherlands, has been plugging away on his Human Birdwings project for many, many months now, and his latest breakthroughs are absolutely worthy of a peek. Put simply, the bloke has married an HTC Wildfire S, a Wii remote and bookoodles of software genius in order to create a set of wings that are controlled by a human...

How would you change Logitech's Harmony Link?

Posted: 25 Dec 2011 07:38 PM PST

How would you change Logitech's Harmony Link?


How would you change Logitech's Harmony Link?
Remote controls suck, but touchscreen phones and tablets aren't smart enough to replace them, yet. Logitech's Harmony Link is there to bridge the gap between your WiFi device and TV, but we found it inflexible, unreliable and unspectacular. Some of those issues might have been fixed in the recent update -- but what would you do differently to make it the must have gadget of 2012?...

LG's 55-inch 'world's largest' OLED HDTV panel is official, coming to CES 2012

Posted: 25 Dec 2011 06:54 PM PST

LG's 55-inch 'world's largest' OLED HDTV panel is official, coming to CES 2012


LG's 55-inch 'world's largest' OLED HDTV panel is official, coming to CES 2012
We only have a few more days left until the festivities truly kick off at CES 2012 in Las Vegas, but LG has already tipped its hand with a press release promising the "world's largest" OLED panel for the show. We've seen smaller screens from LG before and it had already promised a 55-inch OLED HDTV for mid-2012, so this news is just another sign the company is ready to take...

XDA dev provides means to block Nook Tablet OTA updates

Posted: 25 Dec 2011 06:11 PM PST

XDA dev provides means to block Nook Tablet OTA updates


XDA dev provides means to block Nook Tablet OTA updates
Worried that an OTA update will put a crimp in your Nook Tablet modding activities? Then you may want to follow the lead of xda-developers member Indirect, who has managed to tweak the tablet to block all OTA updates and kindly provided the means for you to do the same....

Inhabitat's Week in Green: hydrogen fuel cell-powered laptop, hybrid buses and b...

Posted: 25 Dec 2011 05:27 PM PST

Inhabitat's Week in Green: hydrogen fuel cell-powered laptop, hybrid buses and bioluminescent bacteria


Inhabitat's Week in Green: hydrogen fuel cell-powered laptop, hybrid buses and bioluminescent bacteria
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. The newswires were buzzing with alternative energy developments this week as Inhabitat reported that Apple filed a patent for a hydrogen fuel cell-powered laptop that can last an entire week without needing a recharge....

IMEC working with holograms, mirrored pixels to prevent 3D movie headaches

Posted: 25 Dec 2011 03:59 PM PST

IMEC working with holograms, mirrored pixels to prevent 3D movie headaches


IMEC working with holograms, mirrored pixels to prevent 3D movie headaches
Let's face it, 3D movies are amazing but there are times when you'll walk away with a killer headache. A group of researchers at IMEC believes that holographic video might be the best way around this problem and has been working on a means of constructing holographic displays by shining lasers on microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) platforms capable of moving up and down like small, reflective pistons....