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Saturday, April 21, 2012

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Smart EDs play modified pong game called EBall (seriously)

Posted: 21 Apr 2012 02:15 PM PDT

Smart EDs play modified pong game called EBall (seriously)


Smart EDs play modified pong game called EBall (seriously)
Filed under: EV/Plug-in, SMART, Videos Electric-drive vehicles are efficient, but not when they are used as video game joysticks. Then they're just silly. But that's kind of the idea behind EBall, a strange, "hey-look-at-this" promotion for the Smart ED that was held in Germany last year. Footage from the games was just put together to show the world that you can, in fact, play pong with the all-electric version of the Fortwo. Two driver...

First ASUS G55VW gaming laptop configuration spotted and priced

Posted: 21 Apr 2012 02:15 PM PDT

First ASUS G55VW gaming laptop configuration spotted and priced


First ASUS G55VW gaming laptop configuration spotted and priced
ASUS's G-series has been warming the laps of gamers for a while, whether it's the smart G74 or the elder statesman G73JH. The newest splinter of the G-team, however, is the G55 line. Right now, it's the G55VW-DS71 that's just had its specifications splayed out for all to see. It'll be a quad-core i7-3610QM Ivy Bridge chip calling the shots, with a 2GB NVIDIA GTX 660M providing graphical backup....

The Rise of Smart Mobile Services (Not Apps!)

Posted: 21 Apr 2012 12:45 PM PDT

The Rise of Smart Mobile Services (Not Apps!)


The Rise of Smart Mobile Services (Not Apps!)
Editor's note: Saar Gur is a general partner at Charles River Ventures. Follow him on Twitter @saarsaar. A new generation of Smart Mobile Services is coming. We don't need to wait for Google Glasses to build the next generation of world-changing consumer services. Many of the enabling features for these services exist in our smartphones today. What do I mean by a Service versus an App? Well, most mobile app developers have built their user experiences to look a...

Cablevision's Optimum Online live TV streaming now available on Windows and Mac

Posted: 21 Apr 2012 11:16 AM PDT

Cablevision's Optimum Online live TV streaming now available on Windows and Mac


Cablevision's Optimum Online live TV streaming now available on Windows and Mac
It's been a little over a year since Cablevision launched Optimum for iPad with live streaming of all of its channels to the tablet, and now subscribers can experience the same thing on their computer with the Optimum for Laptops app. Available for Mac or PC it has a brand new interface and searchable guide, as well as the ability to manage DVR recordings and change the channel on cable boxes...

Real-Time Research: iOS Dominates Over Android When It Comes To Usage, Says Chitika

Posted: 21 Apr 2012 09:46 AM PDT

Real-Time Research: iOS Dominates Over Android When It Comes To Usage, Says Chitika


Real-Time Research: iOS Dominates Over Android When It Comes To Usage, Says Chitika
Android, by most accounts, is proving to be the most popular smartphone platform when it comes to devices getting sold today — partly due to the sheer variety of devices and price points that are out there. But a new research tool that tracks usage in real-time shows that when it comes to usage, consumers, in the U.S....

Sprint discontinues HTC EVO 3D online, limited quantities remain at retail stores

Posted: 21 Apr 2012 09:01 AM PDT

Sprint discontinues HTC EVO 3D online, limited quantities remain at retail stores


Sprint discontinues HTC EVO 3D online, limited quantities remain at retail stores
It's not like we're gonna argue with Sprint's rationale, but the EVO 3D has met its end at the Now Network. Visitors to the carrier's online store will notice that the gee-whiz smartphone is no longer available for sale, and Sprint reps have confirmed to us that it's not coming back....

Study shows more people watch TV on tablets than computers, still nothing on

Posted: 21 Apr 2012 06:47 AM PDT

Study shows more people watch TV on tablets than computers, still nothing on


Study shows more people watch TV on tablets than computers, still nothing on
Is your notebook still your preferred second TV? Well, it seems you're now in the minority. The hip new way of consuming the drug of the nation -- after the 'ole tube itself -- is on a tablet, according to a recent Viacom study. Over 2,500 people were polled nationwide, and the results show a shift away from computers and smartphones to slates....

Google adds hybrid Lexus RX450h to autonomous fleet

Posted: 21 Apr 2012 05:15 AM PDT

Google adds hybrid Lexus RX450h to autonomous fleet


Google adds hybrid Lexus RX450h to autonomous fleet
Filed under: Emerging Technologies, Hybrid, Lexus The Google self-driving-vehicle fleet has grown by one. According to Wired, the tech giant has added a black Lexus RX450h to its autonomous stable. The hybrid SUV was spotted out on the road for testing wearing a new roof-mounted sensor array that's significantly more streamlined than the gear found on the company's autonomous Toyota Prius models....

Polaris' pool-cleaning robots get updated with added intelligence, four-wheel drive

Posted: 21 Apr 2012 04:30 AM PDT

Polaris' pool-cleaning robots get updated with added intelligence, four-wheel drive


Polaris' pool-cleaning robots get updated with added intelligence, four-wheel drive
It's been almost exactly a year since Zodiac Pool Systems last expanded its line of Polaris-branded pool-cleaning robots, and it's now back with two more additions that fill out the top and bottom end of its lineup. That includes the company's most advanced robot to date, the $1499 Polaris 9400 Sport (pictured above), which adds four-wheel drive for the first time, as well as the company's new accelerometer-enhanced ActivMotion Sensor technology...

RedSn0w updated for Mac and Windows: adds Corona A5 jailbreak, other tools

Posted: 21 Apr 2012 03:45 AM PDT

RedSn0w updated for Mac and Windows: adds Corona A5 jailbreak, other tools


RedSn0w updated for Mac and Windows: adds Corona A5 jailbreak, other tools
What better way to finish off your night than by updating your favorite jailbreaking tool? Now, you'll be able to do just that after the whiz-kids from the iPhone Dev-Team have pushed out a new copy of their famed RedSn0w application. In what's perhaps the biggest inclusion, version 0.9.10b7 now adds implementation of that untethered Corona jailbreak for A5 devices, making it easier for the iOS 5.0.1 crowd to do bits...

Facebook flips the swtich on its North Carolina data center, cooled with balmy m...

Posted: 21 Apr 2012 12:42 AM PDT

Facebook flips the swtich on its North Carolina data center, cooled with balmy mountain air


Facebook flips the swtich on its North Carolina data center, cooled with balmy mountain air
Since breaking ground in Western North Carolina some 16 months ago, Facebook has been running at full speed to get its newest data center online. This week, Zuckerberg & Co. flipped the switch. The new facility, located in Forest City, touts the "first major deployment" of the outfit's Open Compute Project web servers and will be the first "live test" of the OPC's outdoor air-cooling design....

3DS firmware update promises folders, less cluttered home screens on April 25th

Posted: 20 Apr 2012 10:27 PM PDT

3DS firmware update promises folders, less cluttered home screens on April 25th


3DS firmware update promises folders, less cluttered home screens on April 25th
Are all those ambassador games crowding your 3DS' home screen? Sit tight, Nintendo's got a fix. During the outfit's Nintendo Direct conference livestream, head honcho Satoru Iwata announced that folder organization is coming to the 3DS. Fastidiously organized gamers can expect the firmware update to land on April 25th, bringing with it the joy of creating directories, stuffing them with up to 60 items and ascribing them fitting names....

HTC talks smartphone design: from inception to final product

Posted: 20 Apr 2012 09:01 PM PDT

HTC talks smartphone design: from inception to final product


HTC talks smartphone design: from inception to final product
At the Frequencies media summit in Seattle over the last two days, HTC walked us through the fine details on how its smartphones are developed, going from the boring rectangular ABS block to the more refined plastic mockups that are presented to carriers and focus groups -- the findings of which then shape the final product....

Google app review video shows Share to 'Drive' option

Posted: 20 Apr 2012 08:18 PM PDT

Google app review video shows Share to 'Drive' option


Google app review video shows Share to 'Drive' option
To close out each week, the Android Developer Relations team hosts a Friday App Review video. This Friday, however, the focus is far from whatever apps are being showcased (psst... it's Handy Scanner); instead, all eyes are on the Share to 'Drive' option, seen just below the 'Bluetooth' logo in the screen capture above....

Visualized: Shopping bag crash helmet protects your head, not your image (video)

Posted: 20 Apr 2012 06:50 PM PDT

Visualized: Shopping bag crash helmet protects your head, not your image (video)


Visualized: Shopping bag crash helmet protects your head, not your image (video)
The Grappa is a tote-style shopping bag that you can wear on your head (once it's empty) during a natural disaster. It's less insane than it sounds, because the base of the bag is made from the same EPS foam found in hard-hats, and is rated to cope with falling debris at least as well as similar emergency hoods already on the market....

Amazon Germany weighs in on Samsung Galaxy S III with 4.7-inch screen and 12 meg...

Posted: 20 Apr 2012 06:07 PM PDT

Amazon Germany weighs in on Samsung Galaxy S III with 4.7-inch screen and 12 megapixel camera


Amazon Germany weighs in on Samsung Galaxy S III with 4.7-inch screen and 12 megapixel camera
March 3rd is no doubt going to be a monumental day for Samsung, but April 20th is certainly turning out to be quite memorable for potential specs of the Galaxy S III. Not only did we happen to come across a purported leak of the device itself, which suggested the handset would pack a 4.6-inch display and an 8 megapixel camera, but now a placeholder has popped up on Amazon's German...

A Mid-Career Switch: From Massachusetts State Trooper to iOS Developer-To-The-Re...

Posted: 20 Apr 2012 06:07 PM PDT

A Mid-Career Switch: From Massachusetts State Trooper to iOS Developer-To-The-Rescue


A Mid-Career Switch: From Massachusetts State Trooper to iOS Developer-To-The-Rescue
After writing about Lovestagram, the app that Instagram co-founder Mike Krieger's girlfriend made for him as a Valentine's Day present, we didn't think we could find a cuter story. But we totally did. Smoopa, a mobile commerce app I wrote about yesterday, is also the by-product of a little love story....

Nissan predicts Leaf sales jump, says diesels are unlikely

Posted: 20 Apr 2012 05:23 PM PDT

Nissan predicts Leaf sales jump, says diesels are unlikely


Nissan predicts Leaf sales jump, says diesels are unlikely
Filed under: Diesel, EV/Plug-in, Hybrid, Nissan, USA Don't count Nissan among automakers looking to crank up some new diesels anytime soon. Instead, the company will continue to push for plug-ins. Nissan is expecting annual U.S. sales of its battery-electric Leaf to jump sixfold between 2011 and 2013 but is downplaying the possibility of selling a diesel-powered vehicle, Car and Driver said, citing company executives. The Japanese automaker, which sold just under 9,700 Leafs last...

WPC updates Qi standard, increases inductive charging distance to 40mm

Posted: 20 Apr 2012 05:23 PM PDT

WPC updates Qi standard, increases inductive charging distance to 40mm


WPC updates Qi standard, increases inductive charging distance to 40mm
It seems that Power Matt just got a bit more, er, powerful. The Wireless Power Consortium announced today that it's improved the Qi inductive-charging standard to "include longer range magnetic resonance wireless charging." Effectively, this means charging stations that are up to spec will be able to transmit up to 5 watts of power from distances of 40mm (up from 5mm, previously) to Qi-enabled devices....

500px launches Android app, adds iPad update on the side

Posted: 20 Apr 2012 04:40 PM PDT

500px launches Android app, adds iPad update on the side


500px launches Android app, adds iPad update on the side
Confined to the imposing shadow of a certain filter-heavy Facebook purchase, 500px is another photo-sharing network making the eco-system leap to Android. 500px is built around collections of high-quality images that are automatically updated and streamed, with a full search option to seek out specific images. Alongside the ability to share photos on the likes of Twitter and Facebook, professionals can attempt to make their fortune by selling their images through...

Facebook Updates Android App: 1.9 Adds Photos, Message Sharing From Home Screen

Posted: 20 Apr 2012 04:40 PM PDT

Facebook Updates Android App: 1.9 Adds Photos, Message Sharing From Home Screen


Facebook Updates Android App: 1.9 Adds Photos, Message Sharing From Home Screen
Facebook has released an update to its Android app today that should give users of the social network on Android devices a more integrated and instant experience — and takes Facebook another step closer to making its mobile app experience more like the one people have when using the social network on the web. Specifically, the new version lets users share photos and messages direct from the home screen of their devices,...

Dissatisfied with Auto Repair Shops?

Posted: 20 Apr 2012 04:40 PM PDT

Dissatisfied with Auto Repair Shops?


Dissatisfied with Auto Repair Shops?
Consumer Reports cites the main reasons.

Sifteo and Surface team up for magical marriage of meaninglessness

Posted: 20 Apr 2012 03:56 PM PDT

Sifteo and Surface team up for magical marriage of meaninglessness


Sifteo and Surface team up for magical marriage of meaninglessness
Sifteo and Surface are definitely two of the cooler, but more useless gadgets we've had the pleasure of handling over the years. So, what happens when you get these questionably useful toys (both literally and figuratively) together? Well, a whole lot of nothing particularly important. By combining the proximity sensors on the Cubes with the object recognition of the SUR40 the devs were able to whip up a simple game that...

Google Sync for BlackBerry swept away in spring cleaning

Posted: 20 Apr 2012 03:56 PM PDT

Google Sync for BlackBerry swept away in spring cleaning


Google Sync for BlackBerry swept away in spring cleaning
It's springtime, and you know what that means for Google: out with the old and in with the new. Unfortunately, many BlackBerry fans might not like how Google's rearranging the furniture. During its routine tradition, the company announced that Google Sync for the BlackBerry will no longer be available for download as of June 1st....

Tiggzi’s Drag-And-Drop Mobile App Builder Goes Beyond Templates

Posted: 20 Apr 2012 03:56 PM PDT

Tiggzi's Drag-And-Drop Mobile App Builder Goes Beyond Templates


Tiggzi's Drag-And-Drop Mobile App Builder Goes Beyond Templates
There are plenty of services out there that will let you build simple mobile apps without the need to know how to program. The problem with most of these is that you quickly reach their limits once you want to build more complex apps. Tiggzi, a new cloud-based service by software engineering company Exadel, wants to provide a bridge between the world of drag-and-drop app builders and more complex tools....

Ford developing way to make car parts from cash

Posted: 20 Apr 2012 03:12 PM PDT

Ford developing way to make car parts from cash


Ford developing way to make car parts from cash
Filed under: Emerging Technologies, Ford Ford is looking to put a new twist on the term "old money." The U.S. automaker may add old, shredded, out-of-circulation U.S paper currency to its list of recyclable materials that may be used for cushions, insulation and other components. With about 10,000 pounds of paper money being shredded per day, Ford is exploring adding it to a list of recyclable or reclaimed materials that includes soybeans, denim and...

ASUS Transformer Prime GPS Extension Kit hands-on

Posted: 20 Apr 2012 03:12 PM PDT

ASUS Transformer Prime GPS Extension Kit hands-on


ASUS Transformer Prime GPS Extension Kit hands-on
Software updates can only get you so far, and in the case of ASUS' Transformer Prime, they didn't even get it down the street. The Taiwanese tablet has been fighting satellite blindness since its inception -- it was only a matter of time before the Tegra 3 slab caved in and got a prescription....

The Engadget Show is live, here at 6:00PM ET!

Posted: 20 Apr 2012 03:12 PM PDT

The Engadget Show is live, here at 6:00PM ET!


The Engadget Show is live, here at 6:00PM ET!
We've got a very special episode of the Engadget Show coming at you tonight! We took our film crew to Asia this time out, to check out the markets of Taipei, Hong Kong and Shenzhen. We'll also be speaking with top reps from Huawei and ASUS on our trip, plus bringing you the latest and greatest gadgets, surprises, a performance by Brooklyn's Suckers and a whole bunch more....

Hands-on with HTC's colorful One X cases

Posted: 20 Apr 2012 03:12 PM PDT

Hands-on with HTC's colorful One X cases


Hands-on with HTC's colorful One X cases
We just got our hands on a couple new cases that HTC's making specifically for its One X flagship. The colorful accessories are designed to both protect and enhance the device. Different designs will be available although we only got to see the one. Sadly, there's no pricing or availability at this time....