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Saturday, May 12, 2012

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Mobile – Facebook And Google Can’t Live With It And They Can’t Live Without It

Posted: 12 May 2012 03:12 PM PDT

Mobile – Facebook And Google Can't Live With It And They Can't Live Without It


Mobile – Facebook And Google Can't Live With It And They Can't Live Without It
This week Facebook did a virtually unprecedented thing. In the middle of its IPO roadshow it modified its S1 filing in reaction to questions it had been being asked by analysts. The modification I refer to stated that Facebook wanted to acknowledge a trend; that trend is the declining ARPU (average revenue per user) being seen in its current quarter. This trend is being driven, Facebook said, by the growth in its usage on mobile platforms and its inability to monetize those platforms in the same way, or at the same rate, as its desktop/laptop offerings. The previous iterations of the S1 had all contained the possibility of this trend. Even the likelihood of it. But the actuality of the trend was noted here for the first time in the S1.

No, Snapchat Isn’t About Sexting, Says Co-Founder Evan Spiegel

Posted: 12 May 2012 03:12 PM PDT

No, Snapchat Isn't About Sexting, Says Co-Founder Evan Spiegel


No, Snapchat Isn't About Sexting, Says Co-Founder Evan Spiegel
"The minute you tell someone that images on your server disappear, everyone jumps to sexting." Evan Spiegel laughed and leaned back into his chair during his first sitdown interview since his iPhone app Snapchat blew up over the last month. Snapchat is #12 on the free iOS photo app charts in the U.S. and just scored some mainstream media attention in The New York Times. Plus, we hear that Snapchat has also impressed Facebook's internal product leadership and even Zuck himself. Why? Snapchat is a photo-sharing app that changes privacy norms in a very novel way. The free app allows users to send others photos and control how long receivers can see them. These photos last for up to 10 seconds, before they disappear forever. "It seems odd that at the beginning of the Internet everyone decided everything should stick around forever," Spiegel said. "I think our application makes communication a lot more human and natural."

Americans Now Spend More Time On Facebook Mobile Than Its Website

Posted: 12 May 2012 03:12 PM PDT

Americans Now Spend More Time On Facebook Mobile Than Its Website


Americans Now Spend More Time On Facebook Mobile Than Its Website
All those minutes reading your news feed in bed, messaging friends over lunch, and browsing photos on the bus really add up. Time spent on Facebook's mobile site and apps per month (441 minutes) has finally surpassed usage of its classic website (391 minutes) -- for Americans who do use Facebook on the go according to the latest report from comScore. And that's actually a big problem for the social network. Facebook usually shows four to seven ads per page on its website, but only a few ads per day in its mobile news feed. That means it makes a lot less money when you visit from your little devices. In fact, yesterday Facebook had to warn potential investors for upcoming initial public offering of stock that the more people who access it from mobile instead of the web, the worse its business is doing.

BetaTeamup: BetaBait Acquires BetaNoodle

Posted: 12 May 2012 03:11 PM PDT

BetaTeamup: BetaBait Acquires BetaNoodle


BetaTeamup: BetaBait Acquires BetaNoodle
The names, at least, sound like a match made in heaven — BetaBait says it has acquired BetaNoodle. And actually, the products sound like a good fit, too. BetaBait connects startups with early users through its website and email newsletter. BetaNoodle hasn't launched yet, but it's supposed to be an app doing something similar, but for Android developers and users. The financial terms were not disclosed, but it sounds like BetaNoodle was a one-man shop — the man in question being founder Austin Westfall. BetaBait co-founder Cody Barbierri (who I used to work with at VentureBeat) says Westfall will be joining his team, and that his company will be launching the BetaNoodle app in the next few months as a natural way to expand into mobile.

From Disrupt NY To A Multi-Million Skype Acquisition, GroupMe Tells All

Posted: 12 May 2012 03:11 PM PDT

From Disrupt NY To A Multi-Million Skype Acquisition, GroupMe Tells All


From Disrupt NY To A Multi-Million Skype Acquisition, GroupMe Tells All
They raised $11.45 million, acquired a company called Sensobi, and were themselves acquired by Skype for a price that was likely well north of $43 million. There may not be a wilder tale of a Disrupt success (though plenty of startups would beg to differ), which is why we've chosen GroupMe to kick off a series I'm doing on "Disrupt Startups: Where They Are Now."

This Is What Developing For Android Looks Like

Posted: 12 May 2012 03:11 PM PDT

This Is What Developing For Android Looks Like


This Is What Developing For Android Looks Like
You know how many Android developers complain about fragmentation? Yeah, this is what fragmentation looks like. Animoca, a Hong Kong mobile app developer that has seen more than 70 million downloads, says it does quality assurance testing with about 400 Android devices. Again, that's testing with four hundred different phones and tablets for every app they ship! The photo above is just a sampling of Animoca's fleet of Android test units.

Text The Rainbow: Color Text Messages+ Nabs Top Social App Spot From Facebook, T...

Posted: 12 May 2012 03:11 PM PDT

Text The Rainbow: Color Text Messages+ Nabs Top Social App Spot From Facebook, Twitter


Text The Rainbow: Color Text Messages+ Nabs Top Social App Spot From Facebook, Twitter
A new app has just taken the App Store by storm — a colorful, rainbowful storm. It's called Color Text Messages+ and the idea is relatively simple, but clearly appealing judging by the app's popularity. The app is so popular, in fact, that Facebook Messenger, Facebook, and Twitter have all just dropped down a spot to make room for the new kid on the social block. In essence, you can now send your friends customized color text messages, complete with backgrounds and various fonts. Yep, a huge chunk of Samsung's Galaxy Note campaign around personalizing communication on smartphones just went down the drain courtesy of a free app. But that's not the point — the point is that you can now send a Comic Sans text message inside a colored (or butterfly-themed) bubble. It's glorious.

Come iOS 6, Apple Will Reportedly Kiss Google Maps Goodbye

Posted: 12 May 2012 03:11 PM PDT

Come iOS 6, Apple Will Reportedly Kiss Google Maps Goodbye


Come iOS 6, Apple Will Reportedly Kiss Google Maps Goodbye
Google's map data has been baked into the iOS Maps app since the days of the first, thick, aluminum-backed iPhone, but that may no longer be the case once iOS 6 hits the streets. Unnamed sources told 9to5Mac that the Cupertino company would instead take that opportunity to reveal their own Maps application, and those early reports paint a pretty impressive picture. Astute readers may recall that Apple has been on something of a mapping company shopping spree these past few years -- what began with the purchase of Placebase in 2009, continued with Poly9 in 2010, and culminated with Apple snapping up C3 Technologies late last year.

HTC Titan II Review: Sometimes A Win-Win Is A Lose

Posted: 12 May 2012 03:11 PM PDT

HTC Titan II Review: Sometimes A Win-Win Is A Lose


HTC Titan II Review: Sometimes A Win-Win Is A Lose
I've been spending some quality time with HTC's Titan II, and I would never call it a bad phone. But that's not the question — good, bad, fast, slow, ugly, beautiful... they don't matter unless I feel that I'd put down money and live my life with this device. And even though I expected this to be one of my favorites, I walk away from my review certain that I wouldn't exchange cash for this handset. HTC is great at building quality hardware and Microsoft's new mobile platform is fresh, different, and intuitive. But the way that the duo comes together leaves me unimpressed and disappointed, namely in the camera and the display. Past that, the thickness of the device paired with poor battery life does nothing to make up for these more minor disappointments. In essence, it's simply not good enough. Let's talk about why.

Tagstand Is NFC-Enabling A Giant Cocktail Party, Will Let Guests Facebook & Twee...

Posted: 12 May 2012 03:11 PM PDT

Tagstand Is NFC-Enabling A Giant Cocktail Party, Will Let Guests Facebook & Tweet From Their Wristbands


Tagstand Is NFC-Enabling A Giant Cocktail Party, Will Let Guests Facebook & Tweet From Their Wristbands
Tagstand, the YC-backed company focused on making NFC a more mainstream technology, is getting some action at a pretty big black-tie event in New York this weekend which will see its technology used to enable some nifty actions for the 3,500 guests, like tapping to tweet, posting pictures to Facebook and registering "likes" for the cocktails they're drinking. Sounds like (kind of geeky) fun!

A Dreamy Look At A Would-Be Nokia Lumia 850

Posted: 12 May 2012 03:11 PM PDT

A Dreamy Look At A Would-Be Nokia Lumia 850


A Dreamy Look At A Would-Be Nokia Lumia 850
This Nokia Lumia 850 is not real. It's just a concept. But I would be proud to carry that phone in my pocket if it was real. The concept comes by way of The Nokia Blog, a fan site that found the concept made by Luxembourgish designer, BrianMFB. The 850, that once again is just a mockup, shows a slimmed down Lumia 800 that still regains a lot of the original character. The backside has tappered edges and flush mounted side buttons. The screen is a modest 3.8-inch as a 950 would likely have a larger screen.

No Tablet News From Nokia, But It’s Launching A Reading App Powered By OverDrive

Posted: 12 May 2012 03:11 PM PDT

No Tablet News From Nokia, But It's Launching A Reading App Powered By OverDrive


No Tablet News From Nokia, But It's Launching A Reading App Powered By OverDrive
There are still some big question marks over what Nokia plans to do in tablets -- a market where it is now possibly the only major smartphone maker yet to make a device -- but at least Nokia is moving ahead with the launch of tablet-friendly services. Today, it said it would begin the global roll-out of Nokia Reading, a Windows Phone app originally announced back in February for reading e-books on a Lumia device. The company says that initial countries that will get the app are France, Germany, Italy, Russia, Spain and the UK, with others following later this year. It is compatible with all four Lumia models: the 900, 800, 710 and 610.

With 12M+ Downloads, Scan Launches Scan-to-gram, A New Way To Follow People On I...

Posted: 12 May 2012 03:11 PM PDT

With 12M+ Downloads, Scan Launches Scan-to-gram, A New Way To Follow People On Instagram


With 12M+ Downloads, Scan Launches Scan-to-gram, A New Way To Follow People On Instagram
Three guys from Provo, Utah set out on a mission to make QR codes, those boring pixellated, black-and-white squares come alive -- in other words, to extend their functionality by turning them into realworld "like," "follow," and "buy" buttons. And it's been working. In February, Scan announced a seed funding round from Shervin Pishevar, Google Ventures, CRV, Start Fund, Social + Capital, Ludlow Ventures, and more. The company moved their operations from Utah to San Francisco, and is currently sitting at just over 12 million downloads across iOS devices. As Scan is in the business of creating apps that extend the potential application of QR code tech, Scan is today leveraging the buzz around Instagram to let businesses, organizations, etc. build their Instagram user base via QR codes. The new app, appropriately called Scan-to-gram, which launches today, lets users scan QR codes and instantly follow a company and its employees. Notable Instagrammers to be part of its initial launch, including Warby Parker, Zooey Deschanel, Nike, Marc Jacobs, and, notably, the Instagram team itself.

FTC: It’s Up To Facebook To Decide Whether An Instagram Investigation Will Impac...

Posted: 12 May 2012 03:11 PM PDT

FTC: It's Up To Facebook To Decide Whether An Instagram Investigation Will Impact The IPO


FTC: It's Up To Facebook To Decide Whether An Instagram Investigation Will Impact The IPO
Some slightly conflicting stories zipping across the ether today involving Facebook, its $1 billion acquisition of Instagram and a rumored Federal Trade Commission investigation into the deal: The FT is reporting that this could delay the acquisition. Betabeat is reporting that this could actually delay Facebook's IPO. Could it be both? Either? Neither? We reached out to the FTC to get some info straight from the horse's mouth.

Uber Is Testing In San Diego, Gives A Lift To Tony Hawk

Posted: 12 May 2012 03:10 PM PDT

Uber Is Testing In San Diego, Gives A Lift To Tony Hawk


Uber Is Testing In San Diego, Gives A Lift To Tony Hawk
Uber, the mobile car service that's becoming indispensable (I think I spend more money on Uber than on food), is continuing its geographic expansion by entering "super secret stealth test mode" in San Diego. "Super secret" means something different for Uber than it does for most people — apparently it involves posting about it on the company blog and then emailing tech press for coverage, similar to its "secret" test in Philadelphia. Oh, and it's talking about its first San Diego passenger, pro skateboarder Tony Hawk (apictured above).

Smart electric scooter going on sale in 2014

Posted: 12 May 2012 02:38 PM PDT

Smart electric scooter going on sale in 2014


Smart electric scooter going on sale in 2014
Filed under: EV/Plug-in, SMART, On Two Wheels, Daimler The ForTwo company is giving us two ForOnes. After releasing details on its ebike, Daimler's Smart division has announced it will start selling a battery-electric scooter in 2014. Smart first unveiled the escooter along side its electric-powered bike at the Paris Motor Show in September 2010 and said the scooter would have a single-charge range of 62 miles. The scooter's four-kilowatt electric motor is mounted on the rear wheel and provides a top speed of 28 miles per hour. The escooter was part of a broader electric-mobility plan Smart outlined at that Paris show. That plan also included an electric-powered bike as well as a battery-electric version of the ForTwo. Earlier this week, Smart said it would start selling its ebikes in the UK this month. The bike has a 250-watt electric motor and a battery pack that offers around 62 miles of single-charge range.Continue reading Smart electric scooter going on sale in 2014Smart electric scooter going on sale in 2014 originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Sat, 12 May 2012 17:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments

Apple's iPad WiFi + 4G renamed 'iPad WiFi + Cellular' across many of its online...

Posted: 12 May 2012 02:38 PM PDT

Apple's iPad WiFi + 4G renamed 'iPad WiFi + Cellular' across many of its online stores


Apple's iPad WiFi + 4G renamed 'iPad WiFi + Cellular' across many of its online stores
Remember Apple's new iPad WiFi + 4G? Well, forget that moniker, as this variant of the company's latest slate has been quietly re-dubbed as the iPad WiFi + Cellular. As noticed by 9to5Mac, the change occurred within the last "24-48 hours" across many of Apple's region specific webstores, including (but not limited to) those for the US, UK, Australia, Canada and various countries in Asia. If you'll recall, in many regions the best you'll get out of the slate is HSPA-connectivity, even though the slate is also equipped for LTE -- something that Apple itself had considered good enough to market it as 4G, even after offering refunds to customers in Australia who (like many others) can't partake in its LTE. Interestingly, 9to5Mac also notes that a similar change hasn't made its way over to the iPad 2, which still has its cellular-equipped variant still dubbed, iPad 2 WiFi + 3G. We're reaching out to Apple for comment, so stay tuned. In the meantime, feel free to hit up the source links below for more insight.Apple's iPad WiFi + 4G renamed 'iPad WiFi + Cellular' across many of its online stores originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 12 May 2012 17:25:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink 9to5Mac | Apple , Twitter (@markgurman) | Email this | Comments

NVIDIA confirms no 'Project Grey' until 2013, Tegra 3 LTE later this year

Posted: 12 May 2012 12:42 PM PDT

NVIDIA confirms no 'Project Grey' until 2013, Tegra 3 LTE later this year


NVIDIA confirms no 'Project Grey' until 2013, Tegra 3 LTE later this year
While earnings calls are rarely the veritable dial-in party, sometimes they do toss up a juicy gambit or disappointing revelation. While NVIDIA was dishing out projections for Q1 2013, it pretty much quashed any hopes of seeing an in-house LTE Tegra chip in 2012. While we were assured that Tegra 3 LTE phones would come this year -- based on those partnerships announced back in February -- it was also stated that the thoroughbred Tegra LTE chip wouldn't be a reality until 2013. So, this pretty much ties in with what we had heard, but this time, from the horse's mouth.NVIDIA confirms no 'Project Grey' until 2013, Tegra 3 LTE later this year originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 12 May 2012 15:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink SlashGear | Seeking Alpha | Email this | Comments

PSA: Dropbox Dropquest begins right now!

Posted: 12 May 2012 10:21 AM PDT

PSA: Dropbox Dropquest begins right now!


PSA: Dropbox Dropquest begins right now!
Big Dropbox fan are you? Got plans for the weekend? Cancel 'em. Dropquest 2012 begins right now. If you're unfamiliar -- it's the storage company's internet scavenger hunt that involves a series of puzzles, challenges and, erm, origami. If you complete the game, you'll get 1GB of extra space for free, but if you come in first place, you'll get 100GB free for your entire life, while 10 second-placers get 20GB for life and so on. You're not allowed to ask for help on the company's support forum (you'll get disqualified) and you're competing against at least half a million other fans of the service, but if that hasn't daunted you then head on down to the source link and get puzzling!PSA: Dropbox Dropquest begins right now! originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 12 May 2012 13:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Dropbox | Email this | Comments

Matsunichi's MarquisPad MP977 tablet tempts us with $249, dual-core Android 4.0

Posted: 12 May 2012 09:11 AM PDT

Matsunichi's MarquisPad MP977 tablet tempts us with $249, dual-core Android 4.0


Matsunichi's MarquisPad MP977 tablet tempts us with $249, dual-core Android 4.0
You might remember Le Pan's tablets from CES this year, of which only one was truly ready at the time. The company is now ready to hit the US in earnest, but you'll have to forget the company name along with the earlier designs: it's now Matsunichi, and it's planning to kick off its US-ready makeover through the MarquisPad MP977. The tablet shares the 9.7-inch, 1024 x 768 display of the Le Pan II, but it's now running a slightly speedier dual-core, 1.2GHz TI chip (likely the same OMAP 4430 as in the Droid Xyboard), ships with Android 4.0 out of the gate and comes in a sleeker -- not to mention browner -- shell. Storage is being cut in half over the Le Pan II to just 4GB between the internal memory and a bundled microSD card, though, and the battery is good for a very modest five hours. Nonetheless, the $249 sticker and a May release will put the MP977 in the running with the slower but more capacious Galaxy Tab 2 7.0. Matsunichi also teased us with a roadmap for a pair of future tablets in the process. The 10.1-inch MP1010 will keep the resolution, but it'll run on a quicker 1.5GHz TI processor and carry a total of 10GB of space when it appears sometime between June and August. If those 0.4 inches of extra glass are just too much to bear, an MP979 will bring all the extra storage and speed of the MP1010 to a 9.7-inch screen sometime between August and September.Matsunichi's MarquisPad MP977 tablet tempts us with $249, dual-core Android 4.0 originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 12 May 2012 12:03:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Matsunichi | Email this | Comments

The Engadget interview: OnStar's Nick Pudar talks smart grids at CTIA 2012 (video)

Posted: 12 May 2012 07:20 AM PDT

The Engadget interview: OnStar's Nick Pudar talks smart grids at CTIA 2012 (video)


The Engadget interview: OnStar's Nick Pudar talks smart grids at CTIA 2012 (video)
While visiting the Innovation Showcase at CTIA 2012, we ran into Nick Pudar -- OnStar's VP of Business Development -- who was kind enough to give us a few minutes of his time. We sat in the LTE Skype-enabled Chevy Volt on display and discussed such topics as OnStar FMV, RelayRides and smart grids -- wherein power utilities can (with the customer's consent) send a signal to a vehicle to control when it charges. The idea is to allows utilities to maximize grid efficiency and minimize power spikes while giving customers options for when to charge the vehicle -- like when the rates are the lowest or when the power generated is coming from renewable energy, for example. Pretty neat stuff, eh? Watch our video interview for all the (pardon the pun) juicy details.The Engadget interview: OnStar's Nick Pudar talks smart grids at CTIA 2012 (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 12 May 2012 10:07:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | | Email this | Comments

EVS: Ample Eo electric vehicle claims "world's first e-quadricycle" title

Posted: 12 May 2012 05:35 AM PDT

EVS: Ample Eo electric vehicle claims "world's first e-quadricycle" title


EVS: Ample Eo electric vehicle claims "world's first e-quadricycle" title
Filed under: EV/Plug-in, AutoblogGreen Exclusive, China, EVS Called the "world's first e-quadricycle," a small EV from Ample International was on display at the Electric Vehicle Symposium (EVS26) in Los Angeles this week. Named the Eo, the one-seat (or two- or three-seat) vehicle has a maximum speed of 65 kilometers per hour (40 miles per hour) and has a range of 200 km (124 miles), according to a representative at the booth. Ample's Shida Zheng told the Neon Tommy website, that, "It is a four-wheeled motorcycle, completely powered by electricity." The design is certainly interesting. There are no side mirrors, as the Eo relies instead on backward-facing cameras that pump a live feed into a screen on the left side of the wraparound dashboard. The interior is unlike any other vehicle we've seen, with a driver's seat up front and a flexible space in back that has two seats that can fold down from the sides of the vehicle, sort of like on trains. Since they're directly across from each other, we imagine knees will be touching.EVS: Ample Eo electric vehicle claims "world's first e-quadricycle" title originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Sat, 12 May 2012 08:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments

Microsoft Research's MirageTable brings some augmented reality to your tabletop

Posted: 12 May 2012 04:53 AM PDT

Microsoft Research's MirageTable brings some augmented reality to your tabletop


Microsoft Research's MirageTable brings some augmented reality to your tabletop
We got a look at a holographic telepresence project from Microsoft Research earlier this week, but that's far from the only Kinect-enhanced rig it's working on these days. This setup dubbed a MirageTable was also shown off at the Computer-Human Interaction conference in Austin, Texas this week, offering a glimpse of one possible future where two people can interact with virtual objects on a table as if they were sitting across from each other (or simply do so on their own). To make that happen, the setup relies on a ceiling-mounted 3D projector to display the images on a curved surface, while a Kinect on each end of the connection both captures the person's image and tracks their gaze to ensure images are displayed with the proper perspective. You can check it out in action after the break, although some of the effect is lost without 3D glasses.Continue reading Microsoft Research's MirageTable brings some augmented reality to your tabletopMicrosoft Research's MirageTable brings some augmented reality to your tabletop originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 12 May 2012 07:16:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink About Projectors | BBC News, New Scientist | Email this | Comments

Tesla coil gun exists, may shoot lightning

Posted: 12 May 2012 04:53 AM PDT

Tesla coil gun exists, may shoot lightning


Tesla coil gun exists, may shoot lightning
Inspired by the graphic novel "Five Fists of Science" -- and perhaps encouraged by the plucky MIT student who made his own Tesla coil hat and survived -- a DIYer named Rob designed a Tesla coil gun, which he says is fully functional. Rob used a Nerf gun cast in aluminum for the housing and created a high voltage switch with a 3D powder printer. The gun is powered by an 18V ion drill battery and a flyback transformer housed inside a PVC plumbing end cap. Though Rob has yet to fire the gun, photos show what he says are sparks from the setup, and a demo clip is on the way. While video proof is always nice, so is preserving your life. We wish Rob the best with both.Tesla coil gun exists, may shoot lightning originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 12 May 2012 05:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink Hack a Day | Hackerfriendly.com | Email this | Comments

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg says mobile apps the top focus, we say it's about time

Posted: 12 May 2012 01:09 AM PDT

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg says mobile apps the top focus, we say it's about time


Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg says mobile apps the top focus, we say it's about time
Facebook has been making a lot of promises during a tour to drum up interest in its ever-nearing IPO, but the one gadget-heads have been wanting to hear the most, a commitment to its mobile apps, has been elusive -- until now. Everyone's favorite hooded CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, is telling investors in his home 'burg of the San Francisco Bay that mobile is front and center in his company's plans. We're hoping that means new app features, although Zuck is likely referring to money-making as well: shareholders are jittery knowing that Facebook makes most of its money on web ads that it's not running on smartphones and tablets. Paid titles in App Center will go a long way towards scratching that itch, mind you. As for us, we'll just be happy if Facebook takes less than a year and a half to produce a major tablet app.Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg says mobile apps the top focus, we say it's about time originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 12 May 2012 03:37:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink Reuters | | Email this | Comments

Thunderbolt on Windows gets hands-on, lacks Mac's hot-swapping

Posted: 11 May 2012 10:42 PM PDT

Thunderbolt on Windows gets hands-on, lacks Mac's hot-swapping


Thunderbolt on Windows gets hands-on, lacks Mac's hot-swapping
Thunderbolt's 10-gigabit interface is only just making its way to Windows after spending more than a year as a Mac-only feature, so it's not surprising that a lot of questions surround how well the Apple- and Intel-developed connection works for those of a Microsoft persuasion. A thorough test at AnandTech of one of the first motherboards to support the spec on Windows PCs, an Ivy Bridge-ready board from MSI, has shown some positive signs along with a few flies in the high-speed ointment. The good news? Most general storage devices will work as expected with a minimum of fuss, and you can even get some features of Apple's Thunderbolt Display working if you're willing to accept a lack of pre-supplied software brightness controls and USB support. The bad news comes mostly in the absence of true hot-plugging like on the Mac: if a device isn't plugged into the Thunderbolt port on boot, Windows won't see it. Professionals who need everything to be just perfect will want to wait, then, but bandwidth lovers will still find something to like if they're willing to build Thunderbolt-equipped PCs themselves.Thunderbolt on Windows gets hands-on, lacks Mac's hot-swapping originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 12 May 2012 01:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | AnandTech | Email this | Comments

FCC Fridays: May 11, 2012

Posted: 11 May 2012 08:18 PM PDT

FCC Fridays: May 11, 2012


FCC Fridays: May 11, 2012
We here at Engadget tend to spend a lot of way too much time poring over the latest FCC filings, be it on the net or directly on the ol' Federal Communications Commission's site. Since we couldn't possibly (want to) cover all the stuff that goes down there individually, we've gathered up an exhaustive listing of every phone and / or tablet getting the stamp of approval over the last week. Enjoy!Continue reading FCC Fridays: May 11, 2012FCC Fridays: May 11, 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 11 May 2012 23:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | | Email this | Comments

University of California, Riverside runs entire building floor off of 1.1-megawa...

Posted: 11 May 2012 07:08 PM PDT

University of California, Riverside runs entire building floor off of 1.1-megawatt green battery


University of California, Riverside runs entire building floor off of 1.1-megawatt green battery
We're used to batteries powering a lot of devices, but the University of California, Riverside is upping that a notch by charging up a whole floor's worth. The school's Winston Chung Global Energy Center is walking the eco-friendly walk and has started using a huge bank of rare earth, lithium-ion batteries from Balqon to produce 1.1 megawatts, enough to keep Winston Chung Hall's entire first floor humming along while tapping renewable energy sources like solar and wind power. The batteries bank their energy overnight, keeping the throngs of students happy without having to recharge as much or use the regular power grid as a fallback. While it's considered a testbed, the university's giant battery is considered a blueprint for cellular towers and the green power sources themselves -- the combination of which could keep your smartphone up and running with a lot less of an environmental hit.University of California, Riverside runs entire building floor off of 1.1-megawatt green battery originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 11 May 2012 21:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | UCR Today | Email this | Comments

Panasonic sends 100,000 LEDs down Tokyo river, mates tech with tradition

Posted: 11 May 2012 05:56 PM PDT

Panasonic sends 100,000 LEDs down Tokyo river, mates tech with tradition


Panasonic sends 100,000 LEDs down Tokyo river, mates tech with tradition
If you'd been by the shore of the Sumida River in central Tokyo this past weekend, you would have noticed that it was glowing a distinct shade of blue. That's because Panasonic decided to kick off the first-ever Tokyo Hotaru (fireflies) festival by sending 100,000 EVERLED light bulbs down the river, both to mimic fireflies as well as to pay homage to a Japanese tradition of floating candles on the water. Before you cringe too much at the thought of the environmental impact, rest assured that Panasonic minimized the footprint of its aquatic LED parade. All the bulbs ran on solar power (presumably, charged during the day) that kept Evolta batteries fed inside, and the entire lot was scooped up in a large net afterwards. We love the exhibition as a large-scale demo of sustainable lighting -- you may just want to avoid fishing along the Sumida's shoreline for awhile in case you catch a straggler.Panasonic sends 100,000 LEDs down Tokyo river, mates tech with tradition originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 11 May 2012 20:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink Spoon & Tamago | Panasonic Tokyo Hotaru project (no translation available) | Email this | Comments

Consumer Reports says converted EVs are marred by design compromises

Posted: 11 May 2012 05:23 PM PDT

Consumer Reports says converted EVs are marred by design compromises


Consumer Reports says converted EVs are marred by design compromises
Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Chevrolet, Ford, Nissan, Tesla Motors When it comes to battery-electric versions of existing gas-powered vehicles, it's tough for those leopards to change their spots. That's a conclusion from Consumer Reports, which says that the Ford Focus Electric and Chevrolet Volt are among plug-in vehicles marred by design compromises because they used platforms from existing gas-powered models. The Volt, whose architecture stems from the Chevrolet Cruze, and the Focus EV both lack interior room and trunk space because the cars' larger batteries were crammed into spaces not originally designed to accommodate them, according to the publication. In contrast, models like the Nissan Leaf and Tesla Model S, which were always designed for electric powertrains, keep most if not all of their batteries underneath the car's flooring, increasing roominess as well as improving handling. Consumer Reports noted the Mercedes-Benz B-Class Fuel Cell vehicle as an exception because most of its powertrain components are also in the floor. The topic of converted electric-drive vehicles vs. those that had always been designed as EVs is topical as many automakers rush EVs to the market to capitalize on growing awareness of electric-drive vehicles. Earlier this month, Green Car Reports broached the topic of converted vs. purpose built EVs in an article about which EVs are being made for true production and which are being produced merely to comply with California's quota for zero-emissions vehicles. Green Car Reports concluded that converted models such as electric versions of the Focus, Honda Fit and Toyota RAV4 are being made merely for compliance purposes.Consumer Reports says converted EVs are marred by design compromises originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Fri, 11 May 2012 20:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments