Subscribe:

Friday, May 4, 2012

Shops Online

Shops Online

AT&T CEO voices regret over iPhone unlimited data model

Posted: 04 May 2012 02:54 PM PDT

AT&T CEO voices regret over iPhone unlimited data model


AT&T CEO voices regret over iPhone unlimited data model
It's always refreshing to hear the head of a major corporation cop to past mistakes -- particularly in front of a large crowd of on-lookers. AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson admitted some misgivings about the way the carrier handled iPhone data, telling a crowd at the Milken Institute's Global Conference in Los Angeles, "My only regret was how we introduced pricing in the beginning, because how did we introduce pricing? Thirty dollars and you get all you can eat." Stephenson drove the point home by adding, "Every additional megabyte you use in this network, I have to invest capital." And, for the record, that certainly wasn't the only thing about the iPhone that kept the exec up at night. Stephenson again, You lie awake at night worrying about what is that which will disrupt your business model," he said. "Apple iMessage is a classic example. If you're using iMessage, you're not using one of our messaging services, right? No one ahead said it was easy being the chief.AT&T CEO voices regret over iPhone unlimited data model originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 04 May 2012 17:20:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | The New York Times | Email this | Comments

Best Cars for Summer Sports

Posted: 04 May 2012 02:54 PM PDT

Best Cars for Summer Sports


Best Cars for Summer Sports
There's a vehicle for every outdoor adventure. Here are our 10 favorites.

UC Berkeley freshman shows us his ridiculously automated dorm (video)

Posted: 04 May 2012 02:04 PM PDT

UC Berkeley freshman shows us his ridiculously automated dorm (video)


UC Berkeley freshman shows us his ridiculously automated dorm (video)
Besides beer pong, the whole point of going away to college is to blossom into an independent, motivated, self-sufficient adult. That is, of course, unless your dorm's name is BRAD (Berkeley Ridiculously Automated Dorm), where freshmen Derek L. My controls devices all around his room without even getting out of bed. An app on his phone can adjust ambient lighting and curtain position depending on the situation. His laptop uses Dragon Dictate to turn shouts into tasks his pile of servos and motors can accomplish. Just saying "Romantic mode" makes a disco ball pop out of the ceiling and plays the epically passionate Elton John song, "Can You Feel The Love Tonight." As if that wasn't enough, the emergency "party mode" button located next to the bed activates a bunch of lasers and strobes, as well as fog and blacklights while a bumpin' stereo system cranks out dance music. This dorm is clearly every college freshman's dream. I mean, who wouldn't want to wake up with Justin Bieber every morning? Check out the video after the break.Continue reading UC Berkeley freshman shows us his ridiculously automated dorm (video)UC Berkeley freshman shows us his ridiculously automated dorm (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 04 May 2012 16:52:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink Boing Boing | YouTube | Email this | Comments

Listen to the Engadget Mobile Podcast, live at 5PM ET!

Posted: 04 May 2012 02:04 PM PDT

Listen to the Engadget Mobile Podcast, live at 5PM ET!


Listen to the Engadget Mobile Podcast, live at 5PM ET!
Samsung Galaxy S III. BlackBerry World. Phones with crazy amounts of RAM. Yeah, we'd say it was a pretty amazing week in mobile news, and CTIA hasn't even arrived yet! We'll have Myriam, Brad, Joseph and Mat Smith on tonight's Engadget Mobile Podcast, and we all have plenty to say about it. We have a hunch that you have an opinion as well, so join us tonight! May 4, 2012 5:00 PM EDTContinue reading Listen to the Engadget Mobile Podcast, live at 5PM ET!Listen to the Engadget Mobile Podcast, live at 5PM ET! originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 04 May 2012 16:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | | Email this | Comments

Honda Revives Minivan for War Vets

Posted: 04 May 2012 02:04 PM PDT

Honda Revives Minivan for War Vets


Honda Revives Minivan for War Vets
Edgier Odyssey may please disabled veterans unhappy with traditional vans.

Xamarin's XobotOS opens prospect of Android port to C#, can of worms

Posted: 04 May 2012 02:04 PM PDT

Xamarin's XobotOS opens prospect of Android port to C#, can of worms


Xamarin's XobotOS opens prospect of Android port to C#, can of worms
Would it be ironic if Android developers did an end-run around Microsoft patents by using Microsoft's own C#? Or if Google kiboshed its Oracle brouhaha with the aid of none other than Redmond? We're asking because Xamarin, the wacky open source implementer of .NET, has ported Android to Microsoft's C# with its XobotOS project. Although just an experiment and unlikely to solve Google's issues, the team showed that running the robot on C# instead of Java gave fewer coding limitations, better battery life and direct graphics access. Additionally, Xamarin reports "massive" speed gains on its HTC Flyer and Acer Iconia when running the side-project port -- no surprise given C#'s machine heritage. Sure, it's pure speculation that Mountain View and its developers would ever change their Java MO, but a little patent relief and faster Android devices in one kill shot? That's a sweet idea.Xamarin's XobotOS opens prospect of Android port to C#, can of worms originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 04 May 2012 16:16:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink The Inquirer | Xamarin | Email this | Comments

Some Guys Have All The Luck: HTC One X Hitting Doorsteps Ahead Of Schedule

Posted: 04 May 2012 02:04 PM PDT

Some Guys Have All The Luck: HTC One X Hitting Doorsteps Ahead Of Schedule


Some Guys Have All The Luck: HTC One X Hitting Doorsteps Ahead Of Schedule
Sure, AT&T's One X will officially hit store shelves this Sunday, but you may be in for an early weekend treat if you've taken it upon yourself to pre-order the thing. According to a handful of reports from AndroidCentral's and Phandroid's forums, some lucky HTC fans have already received their new Android handsets well in advance of the device's official launch.

Best Cars for Summer Sports

Posted: 04 May 2012 02:04 PM PDT

Best Cars for Summer Sports


Best Cars for Summer Sports
There's a vehicle for every outdoor adventure. Here are our 10 favorites.

TTXGP North America kicks off this weekend with new eSuperstock class

Posted: 04 May 2012 01:10 PM PDT

TTXGP North America kicks off this weekend with new eSuperstock class


TTXGP North America kicks off this weekend with new eSuperstock class
Filed under: EV/Plug-in, On Two Wheels, USA, Racing The first race of the 2012 TTXGP electric motorcycle racing series gets underway this weekend at Infineon Raceway. Along with the original open and TTX75 classes, the organization has added an eSuperstock category that should open the door to more participation. The rules for the new class allows for bikes from manufacturers with sales of more than 25 units. While the first race will feature four new riders aboard Zero S ZF9s, we hope more will join as the season progresses. Next year, can expect to see brand rivalry heat up with the appearance of the Brammo Empulse on the market. That bike will be unveiled after the race on the 8th in Los Angeles. Like last year, the field for this first race is pretty slim. Both bikes that had been expected to compete in the TTX75 class will now be no-shows and, with Moto Electra Racing sidelined for the first part of the season and Team Segway Racing MotoCzysz focused on finishing off a pair of new machines to bring to the Isle of Man for the TT Zero, the main class will be limited to three bikes. Still, it will be very interesting to see how laps times compare with those from last season. Lightning Motors will two field closely-matched entries, combining the raw speed and power they have always displayed with a much more refined chassis setup. Brammo, which has snagged a sponsorship from Icon Motosports (congratulations!) and whose racing effort will now be formally known as Team Icon Brammo, will be using a smaller, yet more powerful motor and controller from Parker-Hannifin. Game on!TTXGP North America kicks off this weekend with new eSuperstock class originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Fri, 04 May 2012 16:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments

Engadget Podcast 292 - 05.04.2012

Posted: 04 May 2012 01:10 PM PDT

Engadget Podcast 292 - 05.04.2012



Engadget Podcast 292 - 05.04.2012
The Engadget Podcast: it's a lot like Two and a Half Men, only you have to guess who the half is, and with lots more Galaxy S III news. Host: Brian Heater, Terrence O'Brien, Michael GormanProducer: Trent WolbeMusic: Orbital - Never 00:02:00 - Samsung Galaxy S III is official: 4.8-inch HD Super AMOLED display, quad-core Exynos processor and gesture functions 00:04:00 - Samsung Galaxy S III HSPA+ arriving in May, 4G version hitting North America this summer 00:06:00 - Samsung Galaxy S III preview: hands-on with the next Android superphone (video) 00:08:53 - Samsung Galaxy S III vs Galaxy S II and Galaxy S: meet the family 00:11:00 - Galaxy S III vs. Galaxy Nexus and Galaxy S II: what's changed? 00:15:00 - Samsung's Galaxy S III now has a commercial to call its own (video) 00:17:50 - Samsung announces buddy share feature, automatically sends photos to friends and family for you 00:18:00 - Samsung Galaxy S III focuses on photography sharing features, not cutting-edge optics 00:19:03 - Samsung unveils Galaxy S III accessories 00:23:00 - RIM's BlackBerry World keynote roundup: the OS, the hardware, everything else (video) 00:23:50 - BlackBerry 10 Dev Alpha hands-on 00:24:25 - BlackBerry 10 dev alpha unit unveiled: 4.2-inch screen, 1280 x 768 resolution 00:35:43 - RIM CEO: 4G PlayBook coming this year 00:39:10 - Ubuntu 12.04 Precise Pangolin review 00:00:00 - Spotify for iPad launches: impressions and a visual tour of the new app 00:00:00 - LASR: behind the curtain of the Navy's robotics laboratory Hear the podcast Subscribe to the podcast [iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes (enhanced AAC). [RSS MP3] Add the Engadget Podcast feed (in MP3) to your RSS aggregator and have the show delivered automatically. [RSS AAC] Add the Engadget Podcast feed (in enhanced AAC) to your RSS aggregator. [Zune] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in the Zune Marketplace. Download the podcastLISTEN (MP3)LISTEN (AAC) Contact the podcast Send your questions to @tim_stevens. Leave us a voicemail: (423) 438-3005 (GADGET-3005) E-mail us: podcast at engadget dot com Twitter: @bheater, @terrenceobrienFiled under: PodcastsEngadget Podcast 292 - 05.04.2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 04 May 2012 15:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | | Email this | Comments

Spike TV airing Microsoft's 'Xbox: Entertainment Evolved' from E3, also coming t...

Posted: 04 May 2012 01:10 PM PDT

Spike TV airing Microsoft's 'Xbox: Entertainment Evolved' from E3, also coming to Xbox Live


Spike TV airing Microsoft's 'Xbox: Entertainment Evolved' from E3, also coming to Xbox Live
Similar to last year's airing of Microsoft's E3 keynote, Spike TV's once again offering gamers who won't be making the trip to Los Angeles a quick way to enjoy a little bit of the show. The famed Major Nelson revealed the news that Spike TV will be showing the entire 90-minute Xbox: Entertainment Evolved event live on its network, which takes place on June 4th at 12:30PM Eastern time -- of course, we'll be there covering it. Unlike in 2011, though, now you'll also be able to check out whatever Redmond has in store for us straight from your console via Xbox Live. Sadly, we know that won't be some new Xbox hardware...Continue reading Spike TV airing Microsoft's 'Xbox: Entertainment Evolved' from E3, also coming to Xbox LiveSpike TV airing Microsoft's 'Xbox: Entertainment Evolved' from E3, also coming to Xbox Live originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 04 May 2012 15:24:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Major Nelson | Email this | Comments

Volvo will start V60 diesel plug-in hybrid deliveries in Europe by year-end

Posted: 04 May 2012 12:01 PM PDT

Volvo will start V60 diesel plug-in hybrid deliveries in Europe by year-end


Volvo will start V60 diesel plug-in hybrid deliveries in Europe by year-end
Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Volvo, Europe/EU If you're European and have a cool $80,000 at your disposal, you probably don't have to worry fuel costs. Volvo would like to give you the option to care about them even less, though, just in case. Across the pond, the Swedish automaker plans to start deliveries of its V60 diesel plug-in hybrid by the end of the year, Plugin Cars reports. Volvo is taking orders for the car, which will sell for about $81,000 at current exchange rates. That's about $19,000 more than the regular V60. In countries like France, though, government incentives aimed at boosting electric-drive vehicle sales could shrink that premium to about $10,000. Volvo unveiled the V60 plug-in at last year's Geneva Motor Show. The car will have a 2.4-liter five-cylinder turbodiesel engine paired with a 70-horsepower electric motor and battery that provides an all-electric range of as much as a 32 miles. Volvo has said it is investing more than $2 billion in research and development specifically geared towards cutting its vehicles' greenhouse-gas emissions. Last June, Volvo introduced a battery-electric prototype of its C30 that the automaker said would be available for leasing customers by the end of this year. It, too, isn't cheap.Volvo will start V60 diesel plug-in hybrid deliveries in Europe by year-end originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Fri, 04 May 2012 14:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments

Samsung biological analysis patent app has your best heart at interest

Posted: 04 May 2012 12:00 PM PDT

Samsung biological analysis patent app has your best heart at interest


Samsung biological analysis patent app has your best heart at interest
In Patent-application-land, the hills roll on forever, while buttercups gently ripple with the breeze. Anything is possible in Patent-application-land. In this particular filling, Samsung lays out some ideas about helping you to keep your health in check. An "internet phone" and a "biological analysis device" would combine to send your vitals off to a diagnosis server, hospital or remote doctor. There's also a provision for the use of "biochips," which we hope refers to a data gathering medium, and not a half-time snack. While we're not sure if this was a precursor to the freshly announced S-health service, if this ever came to be, at least you wouldn't need to leave the house to get that agoraphobia diagnosis.Samsung biological analysis patent app has your best heart at interest originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 04 May 2012 14:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | USPTO | Email this | Comments

CERN scientists explain what would happen if you put your hand in the LHC's beam...

Posted: 04 May 2012 12:00 PM PDT

CERN scientists explain what would happen if you put your hand in the LHC's beam (video)


CERN scientists explain what would happen if you put your hand in the LHC's beam (video)
Sure, concerns about the Large Hadron Collider creating a world-destroying black hole may have been more or less put to rest, but there's still plenty of pressing questions that remain unanswered. Like, what would happen if you put your hand in the beam? The folks from Sixty Symbols recently asked some physicists that very question and got some rather puzzled responses, so they went straight to CERN itself to get a definitive answer. You can see that in full after the break, but the short version is that it's something like the force of a moving aircraft carrier concentrated down to a laser-like one-millimeter-wide beam (accompanied by a wider beam of particles that would irradiate your entire body). Bad news. As they're quick to point out, though, actually getting anywhere near the beam is virtually impossible.Continue reading CERN scientists explain what would happen if you put your hand in the LHC's beam (video)CERN scientists explain what would happen if you put your hand in the LHC's beam (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 04 May 2012 14:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink Gizmodo | Sixty Symbols (YouTube) | Email this | Comments

$129 Swivl-it is a cheaper motion-tracking dock for your smartphone, ditches bui...

Posted: 04 May 2012 12:00 PM PDT

$129 Swivl-it is a cheaper motion-tracking dock for your smartphone, ditches built-in mic


$129 Swivl-it is a cheaper motion-tracking dock for your smartphone, ditches built-in mic
If you're aching to bring some motion-tracking video action to your smartphone but can't stomach the Swivl's $179 price tag, you might find the new Swivl-it more palatable. For $129, you get the same automatic panning, horizontal follow and remote control features of the original product, but you'll miss out on the built-in microphone and automatic tilt (there's manual tilt instead). The Swivl-it is available for pre-order now and will start shipping in late May. Click through to the Swivl site for a closer look.$129 Swivl-it is a cheaper motion-tracking dock for your smartphone, ditches built-in mic originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 04 May 2012 14:07:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Swivl | Email this | Comments

Rovio intros Angry Birds Facebook Share & Play, helps you get your feathery fix

Posted: 04 May 2012 10:51 AM PDT

Rovio intros Angry Birds Facebook Share & Play, helps you get your feathery fix


Rovio intros Angry Birds Facebook Share & Play, helps you get your feathery fix
Granted it's not quite, you know, organ donation, but Rovio's offering up some Facebook magic of its own. The casual game maker has rolled out the Share & Play feature, which lets users embed their latest Angry Birds level onto their friends' Timelines for some slingshot-happy bragging rights. Sharing goes beyond just Facebook however -- you can embed the playable level on other sites as well. Behold: after the break.Continue reading Rovio intros Angry Birds Facebook Share & Play, helps you get your feathery fixRovio intros Angry Birds Facebook Share & Play, helps you get your feathery fix originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 04 May 2012 13:43:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Rovio, Facebook | Email this | Comments

Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 now available for your pre-ordering pleasure

Posted: 04 May 2012 10:51 AM PDT

Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 now available for your pre-ordering pleasure


Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 now available for your pre-ordering pleasure
Not sick of all the Samsung talk yet? Great news! The 10.1 version of the Galaxy Tab 2 just went up for pre-order, courtesy of the cubicle stockers at Office Depot. As previously noted, the slate's being priced at $400, and you can secure one of your very own by clicking that cool blue button. The site is reporting a May 11th release for the tablet.Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 now available for your pre-ordering pleasure originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 04 May 2012 13:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink CNET | Office Depot | Email this | Comments

Why Can’t BlackBerry Muddle Through? They’re Not The 99%

Posted: 04 May 2012 10:51 AM PDT

Why Can't BlackBerry Muddle Through? They're Not The 99%


Why Can't BlackBerry Muddle Through? They're Not The 99%
Horace Dediu at Asymco has run the numbers and it's not looking good. Samsung and Apple now control an estimated 99% of vendor profits with HTC scraping in with 1%. BlackBerry and Nokia barely register and, in fact, form a loss. First, I'd like to note why Dediu believes carriers are willing to cede so much of their profit to Apple and, presumably, Samsung. It's mostly about lock-in, a sort of bear hug that encourages customers to stay put in the long run. He writes:

Samsung releases... Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 and 10.1 source code

Posted: 04 May 2012 10:51 AM PDT

Samsung releases... Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 and 10.1 source code


Samsung releases... Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 and 10.1 source code
Did you hear the news? Y'know, about Samsung's latest release? No, not the Galaxy S III -- that's officially yesterday's news. No, today's story is all about tablets, Galaxy Tab 2's more specifically. The Korean tech giant has released the source code for both the seven- and ten-inch varieties, effectively handing developers the keys to the customization kingdom. So if you love the technology, but the interface less so, you might not have to wait all that long for a better option. The exact models that have been opened up are: GT-P3100, GT-P3110, GT-P3113, GT-P5100, GT-P5110, and GT-P5113. Got a feature you'd really like to see? Better get poking the fine chaps at xda-developers with your requests.Samsung releases... Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 and 10.1 source code originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 04 May 2012 12:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink Ubergizmo | Samsung | Email this | Comments

BBC to launch app companion for Antiques Roadshow, asks you to price up British...

Posted: 04 May 2012 10:51 AM PDT

BBC to launch app companion for Antiques Roadshow, asks you to price up British heritage


BBC to launch app companion for Antiques Roadshow, asks you to price up British heritage
Perennial evening schedule-filler Antiques Roadshow will launch a new companion app in the UK, connecting PCs, smartphones, tablets and BBC's red button feature on TVs to the show, as it goes out live. It's shaping up to be very different to the existing PBS app, this time combining your incredulity over whether a painting is really worth that much with a quiz format. You'll be able to guess the value against the clock, with separate amateur and expert levels. (We're all experts when it comes to 18th century pottery, right?). It's the Beeb's first public launch of its companion feature, following closed trials with shows like Frozen Planet. When it eventually launches in September, you'll be able to poll the rest of the British Isles to see what they reckon before you make your decision. Until then, we're stuck vocalizing our disbelief at the TV.Continue reading BBC to launch app companion for Antiques Roadshow, asks you to price up British heritageBBC to launch app companion for Antiques Roadshow, asks you to price up British heritage originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 04 May 2012 12:56:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | BBC (1), (2) | Email this | Comments

BMW, Daimler will work together on Visio.M urban EV project

Posted: 04 May 2012 09:38 AM PDT

BMW, Daimler will work together on Visio.M urban EV project


BMW, Daimler will work together on Visio.M urban EV project
Filed under: EV/Plug-in, BMW, Mercedes Benz, Europe/EU, Germany, Daimler BMW and Mercedes-Benz parent Daimler AG are among a group of more than a dozen private and public entities that are working together on a project designed to speed up the development of urban electric vehicles. The German Federal Ministry for Education and Research (BMBF) is providing 10.8 million euros ($14.2 million U.S. at today's exchange rates) in funding for what's being called the Visio.M project. Scientists at the Technische Universitaet Muenchen (TUM) will work with automotive engineers to develop small, city-oriented EVs that have a maximum power of about 15 kW (20 horsepower) and a maximum weight of about 900 pounds (without battery) which would make the car about 45 percent lighter than a Smart ForTwo. The overall goal here is to develop a car that's light enough to provide a sufficient single-charge urban driving range but strong enough to be as safe as a conventional vehicle. Of course, the automakers involved already have advanced EV programs. BMW is planning to start selling its battery-electric i3 four-door next year and, earlier this year, started delivering the battery-electric ActiveE, the i3's precursor, to West Coast and East Coast leasing customers. Mercedes-Benz's alt-fuel development has been focused more on diesels and hydrogen fuel-cell electric vehicles, but is also has its E-Cell models.Continue reading BMW, Daimler will work together on Visio.M urban EV projectBMW, Daimler will work together on Visio.M urban EV project originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Fri, 04 May 2012 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments

Visualized: Apple and Samsung occupy the 99 percent... of phone profits

Posted: 04 May 2012 09:38 AM PDT

Visualized: Apple and Samsung occupy the 99 percent... of phone profits


Visualized: Apple and Samsung occupy the 99 percent... of phone profits
Financial maven and maker of beautiful graphs Horace Deidu has found that between the top eight mobile phone vendors, Apple and Samsung share 99 percent of the total spoils. Of RIM, LG, Sony (Ericsson), Motorola, Nokia and HTC, only the latter made a profit -- claiming that left over one percent. The remaining six all recorded losses for the quarter, Mr. Deidu adding that several of those companies are carrying feature phone businesses that they should shed before they become an albatross around their neck.Visualized: Apple and Samsung occupy the 99 percent... of phone profits originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 04 May 2012 12:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink Macrumors | Asymco | Email this | Comments

Apple Finally Gives Proper Credit To OpenStreetMap In iPhoto For iOS

Posted: 04 May 2012 09:38 AM PDT

Apple Finally Gives Proper Credit To OpenStreetMap In iPhoto For iOS


Apple Finally Gives Proper Credit To OpenStreetMap In iPhoto For iOS
When Apple launched iPhoto for iPhone, it quickly became clear that there was something odd going on with the maps in the application. Even though Apple never talked about this publicly, the data Apple used to render these new maps was clearly not from Google anymore. Instead, most experts agreed, Apple was using a number of different sources to create its new map tiles without giving proper credit to groups like OpenStreetMap, the Wikipedia-like crowdsourced mapping organization. This week's update to iPhoto for iPhone, however, finally gives credit where credit is due.

Nintendo patent application tech tracks your DS from above, serves as tour guide

Posted: 04 May 2012 09:38 AM PDT

Nintendo patent application tech tracks your DS from above, serves as tour guide


Nintendo patent application tech tracks your DS from above, serves as tour guide
Nintendo is already guiding you through the Louvre with a 3DS, but a newly published US patent application takes that kind of tourism to a very literal new level. Legend of Zelda creator Shigeru Miyamoto's concept describes a way to direct lost tourists by beaming position information through an overhead grid of infrared transmitters to a mobile device (portrayed as a DS Lite) held by the confused visitor below. The handheld then talks wirelessly to a server that lights up floor displays with maps and directions, and a helpful app on the device lets visitors pick their route while they read up on sightseeing tips. Like with any patent, there's no certainty that Nintendo will act on the idea and start wiring up museums with IR blasters, but the January 2012 patent may still be fresh in a frequently inventive mind like Miyamoto's.Nintendo patent application tech tracks your DS from above, serves as tour guide originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 04 May 2012 11:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | USPTO | Email this | Comments

The Lighter Car News

Posted: 04 May 2012 09:38 AM PDT

The Lighter Car News


The Lighter Car News
The Dead keep on truckin', Jim Nabors misses, Mitsubishi gets Sisyphean

Jetman soars over Rio, flies circles around historical landmarks (video)

Posted: 04 May 2012 08:22 AM PDT

Jetman soars over Rio, flies circles around historical landmarks (video)


Jetman soars over Rio, flies circles around historical landmarks (video)
Why would you want to leap out of a perfectly good aircraft? To fly a winged jetpack over the city of Rio de Janeiro, of course. It sounds nuts, but it's just a day in the life for Yves Rossy, the self proclaimed "Jetman" who flew over the Grand Canyon last year. Since soaring over the Rio Grande, Rossy has pitted his carbon-fiber wings against a rally car on Top Gear, taken to the skies over Abu Dhabi and, most recently, buzzed Brazil's famous Christ the Redeemer statue. Jetman rocketed past the monument on an 11 minute flight earlier this week, beginning his journey by dropping out of a helicopter over Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas. Rossy pulled his Rocketeer trick and eventually parachuted to safety on Copacabana beach. Sound fun? Head past the break to see the man in action. Us? We'll keep our feet planted on terra firma, thanks.Continue reading Jetman soars over Rio, flies circles around historical landmarks (video)Jetman soars over Rio, flies circles around historical landmarks (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 04 May 2012 11:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink Tecca | Jetman, BBC | Email this | Comments

HTC Titan II Review: Head-To-Head With The Lumia 900 And One X

Posted: 04 May 2012 08:22 AM PDT

HTC Titan II Review: Head-To-Head With The Lumia 900 And One X


HTC Titan II Review: Head-To-Head With The Lumia 900 And One X
The

Series revisits ARM's humble beginnings, BBC Micro and all

Posted: 04 May 2012 08:22 AM PDT

Series revisits ARM's humble beginnings, BBC Micro and all


Series revisits ARM's humble beginnings, BBC Micro and all
If you read our interview with ARM co-founder John Biggs, you know the company behind the processor in mosts smartphones had quite modest beginnings, what with an office in a barn and all. But Biggs is only part of the story, and Reghardware fleshes the rest out with a two-part series on the "unsung heroes of tech": Sophie Wilson, Steve Furber and Herman Hauser, the team behind Acorn Computers, the British PC company that spawned ARM in the mid-80s. We'll let you click through to the source links to take the journey yourself, but here are a few highlights: earning a computer contract with the BBC, happening upon ARM chips' low power consumption by accident and striking gold thanks to a partnership with Apple.Series revisits ARM's humble beginnings, BBC Micro and all originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 04 May 2012 10:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Reghardware (1), (2) | Email this | Comments

Nokia Weighs In On Investors’ Class-Action Lawsuit: It Has “No Merit”

Posted: 04 May 2012 08:22 AM PDT

Nokia Weighs In On Investors' Class-Action Lawsuit: It Has "No Merit"


Nokia Weighs In On Investors' Class-Action Lawsuit: It Has "No Merit"
Nokia may be busy suing the likes of RIM, HTC, and Viewsonic over the infringement of a long list of wireless patents, but the Finnish company should watch their backs -- now they're the target of a class-action lawsuit from a shareholder because their plan to embrace to Windows Phone hasn't yielded the right results. But are they concerned about it? Not if their official statement on the situation is any indication -- Nokia has just reached out to say that they are "reviewing the allegations contained in the complaint and believes that they are without merit. Nokia will defend itself against the complaint."

KinderTown’s Educational App Store For Parents Doubles Users, Adds Apps For Bigg...

Posted: 04 May 2012 08:22 AM PDT

KinderTown's Educational App Store For Parents Doubles Users, Adds Apps For Bigger Kids


KinderTown's Educational App Store For Parents Doubles Users, Adds Apps For Bigger Kids
KinderTown, the startup behind the educational iOS app store for parents (and honestly, a personal fav) is expanding its focus today. According to feedback from its users, the number one complaint was that KinderTown wasn't available for older children. Now that changes, as the service will bump up its supported age range from 3-6 to include children ages 7 and 8 as well. To kick off the launch, 125 new apps aimed at older children have been added to service, and more will be added every week. They company is also starting to see some growth, too, doubling the total number of users in April. In fact, KinderTown reports that it added more users in April than it did in the five previous months combined.