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Sunday, October 21, 2012

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Official: For real? Researchers use air, water to make gasoline

Posted: 21 Oct 2012 02:24 PM PDT

Official: For real? Researchers use air, water to make gasoline


Official: For real? Researchers use air, water to make gasoline
Filed under: Emerging Technologies, UK Here's a potentially really cool discovery that combines air and water, and it ain't Perrier. UK-based Air Fuel Synthesis (AFS) says it has found a way for those two basic elements to be combined to make fuel. In a nutshell, the company electrolyzes water to produce hydrogen, which is combined with carbon dioxide via a fuel reactor to make a fuel-type liquid. And that fuel can be blended with gas, diesel or jet fuel. Describing this in more detail would require finding our 10th grade chemistry books (it's complicated), but the company says it's making as many as 10 liters of liquid fuel a day from a small demonstration setup. AFS is putting some money into the project - about 1 million British pounds ($1.6 million) during the past two years, according to a BBC video that can be seen below - to bring the technology to commercial scale. You can also read AFS' more scientific explanation below. Don't worry, you won't be tested.Continue reading For real? Researchers use air, water to make gasolineFor real? Researchers use air, water to make gasoline originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Sun, 21 Oct 2012 17:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments

Dish Network settles Voom HD lawsuit, AMC comes back on the air tonight

Posted: 21 Oct 2012 01:39 PM PDT

Dish Network settles Voom HD lawsuit, AMC comes back on the air tonight


Dish Network settles Voom HD lawsuit, AMC comes back on the air tonight
Dish Network customers have been without AMC and its family of channels since July 1st, but thanks to a settlement between the satellite company and Cablevision's former Voom HD unit, AMC will be back on the air starting tonight. The possibility of a settlement leaked out late last week via a court filing, and according to the terms Dish will hand over $700 million in cash plus its 20 percent stake in Voom, and receive 500MHz of video and data spectrum licenses in 45 areas. In a separate deal, Dish and Cablevision spinoff AMC Networks have a new multiyear deal that should bring back AMC in time for The Walking Dead to air tonight, and all of its other channels (IFC, WE tv, Sundance and for the first time, Fuse) starting November 1st. Developing...Continue reading Dish Network settles Voom HD lawsuit, AMC comes back on the air tonightFiled under: Home Entertainment, HDDish Network settles Voom HD lawsuit, AMC comes back on the air tonight originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 21 Oct 2012 16:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | | Email this | Comments

Best Buy offering pre-orders for Nokia Lumia 920 and HTC 8X for $149.99 and $99....

Posted: 21 Oct 2012 10:38 AM PDT

Best Buy offering pre-orders for Nokia Lumia 920 and HTC 8X for $149.99 and $99.99 under contract


Best Buy offering pre-orders for Nokia Lumia 920 and HTC 8X for $149.99 and $99.99 under contract
Nokia and HTC's upcoming Windows Phone 8 flagships are still on the standard release path: announcement, federal approval and now, pre-order. Keeping device availability tucked firmly under its hat, Best Buy is now offering Nokia's Lumia 920 and the HTC 8X for pre-sale, priced at $149.99 and $99.99, respectively. Early buyers have options, too: the Lumia 920 is kitted out in red, blue, yellow, black and white shells. Fashionistas with a flair for purple, however, will need to stick to HTC's hardware. Unfortunately, you don't get that much choice -- Bust Buy's pre-orders don't balk at the devices' AT&T exclusivity. The retailer doesn't say when devices are going to ship, but we imagine early adopters won't have to wait too long.Filed under: Cellphones, MobileBest Buy offering pre-orders for Nokia Lumia 920 and HTC 8X for $149.99 and $99.99 under contract originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 21 Oct 2012 13:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink WPCentral, Verge | Best Buy | Email this | Comments

Iterations: The Harsh Realities Of iOS App Distribution

Posted: 21 Oct 2012 10:38 AM PDT

Iterations: The Harsh Realities Of iOS App Distribution


Iterations: The Harsh Realities Of iOS App Distribution
In this post, I'm going to try illuminate a tactical problem many application developers face, but unfortunately, I must claim upfront that I don't know if any solution exists without a fundamental change occuring. The topic for this week's column is to peel back the layers on mobile app distribution in Apple's iOS, and in doing so, hopefully illuminate areas developers can exploit given the treacherous conditions that currently exist. As is the case with many of these kinds of posts, I'll get a few disclaimers out of the way. First, I'm focusing on the iOS app ecosystem because that's what I've been mainly exposed to. Yes, I have tried Android products in the past and I do recognize its open system allows developers to build things faster and with less restrictions than would be the case within Apple's universe. Second, I'm going to ask readers to, for this post, to put aside iOS apps that are games, communication utilities, extensions of large brands (I'm sure Target has a large install-base), native Apple apps (like iMovie), especially those that come preloaded, and basic utility apps like Fandango (for movie tickets) and so on -- the apps that have the most downloads and the most competition. It goes without saying that these types of apps are downloaded most often, so with these cast aside for a moment, how do the rest of us who aren't Instagram get real iOS distribution?

Happy 2nd Birthday Windows Phone 7: This Is Your Life

Posted: 21 Oct 2012 10:38 AM PDT

Happy 2nd Birthday Windows Phone 7: This Is Your Life


Happy 2nd Birthday Windows Phone 7: This Is Your Life
Windows Phone 7, Microsoft's big return to the smartphone stage after Windows Mobile's gradual decline and demise, turns two today, according to a tweet by Joel Belfiore, Microsoft's head of Windows Phone product definition and design. So I thought it would be fitting to take a look back at Windows Phone 7's life up until now, and what the mobile OS has or hasn't done for Microsoft so far.

Google Reportedly Revealing 10-inch Nexus And 3G-Capable Nexus 7 Tablets At Upco...

Posted: 21 Oct 2012 09:07 AM PDT

Google Reportedly Revealing 10-inch Nexus And 3G-Capable Nexus 7 Tablets At Upcoming Event


Google Reportedly Revealing 10-inch Nexus And 3G-Capable Nexus 7 Tablets At Upcoming Event
According to a new report from The Next Web today, Google is readying a number of new devices for announcement at the event it recently announced for October 29, including new Nexus tablet hardware and Android 4.2 features. Some notables from the list of upcoming reveals include improved Nexus 7 tablets (one boasting 3G connectivity), a 10-inch Nexus tablet and a new Nexus reference phone.

Pre-Orders For AT&T Windows Phone 8 HTC And Nokia Handsets Begin At Best Buy

Posted: 21 Oct 2012 08:22 AM PDT

Pre-Orders For AT&T Windows Phone 8 HTC And Nokia Handsets Begin At Best Buy


Pre-Orders For AT&T Windows Phone 8 HTC And Nokia Handsets Begin At Best Buy
Best Buy started accepting pre-orders today for the AT&T Nokia Lumia 920 and HTC 8X Windows Phone devices. Pricing details are also now available, with the Lunia 920 available for $149.99 on a new 2-year contract, and $599.99 without commitment. The 8X is $99.99 on contract, and $599.99 without, meaning those interested can get on board with Windows Phone 8 for $50 less with HTC.

Verizon HTC DLX, HTC’s First North American Phone With 1080p 5-Inch Display, Rep...

Posted: 21 Oct 2012 07:36 AM PDT

Verizon HTC DLX, HTC's First North American Phone With 1080p 5-Inch Display, Reportedly Caught On Camera


Verizon HTC DLX, HTC's First North American Phone With 1080p 5-Inch Display, Reportedly Caught On Camera
Last week, we got a peek at HTC's J Butterfly Japan-only Android phone, with a huge 1080p 5-inch display that manages a crazy 440ppi pixel density, and today, Android Central is claiming a new North American HTC flagship phone coming to Verizon will offer the same screen on our shores. The HTC DLX, as the report claims it's called, appears to share both design and spec cues with the J Butterfly.

Inhabitat's Week in Green: the world's tallest skyscraper, mind-controlled robot...

Posted: 21 Oct 2012 07:36 AM PDT

Inhabitat's Week in Green: the world's tallest skyscraper, mind-controlled robot exoskeleton and a Lego Bat Cave


Inhabitat's Week in Green: the world's tallest skyscraper, mind-controlled robot exoskeleton and a Lego Bat Cave
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. At Inhabitat, we always keep our ear to the ground for new green building techniques and technologies as we look for more sustainable ways to shape our world. For the past year, we've been following the story of the Chinese developer BSB, who is planning to build the world's tallest skyscraper -- the entirely prefabricated 220-story building is set to break ground next month, and the building is expected to take just 210 days to build. In Chicago, transportation officials held an official groundbreaking ceremony last week for the "greenest street in America," a 2-mile stretch of road that is paved with permeable, smog-eating pavement.Continue reading Inhabitat's Week in Green: the world's tallest skyscraper, mind-controlled robot exoskeleton and a Lego Bat CaveFiled under: Misc, ScienceInhabitat's Week in Green: the world's tallest skyscraper, mind-controlled robot exoskeleton and a Lego Bat Cave originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 21 Oct 2012 10:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | | Email this | Comments

To do: Your holiday organizing checklist

Posted: 21 Oct 2012 07:36 AM PDT

To do: Your holiday organizing checklist


To do: Your holiday organizing checklist
Hosting for the holidays? Eight ways to get your home ready for the busy season ahead.

Report: Ovshinsky, nickel-metal hydride battery inventor, dies at 89

Posted: 21 Oct 2012 06:51 AM PDT

Report: Ovshinsky, nickel-metal hydride battery inventor, dies at 89


Report: Ovshinsky, nickel-metal hydride battery inventor, dies at 89
Filed under: Emerging Technologies, Hybrid Stanford Ovshinsky, the inventor of the nickel-hydride (NiMH) battery that is widely used in many non-plug-in hybrid-electric vehicles, among other amazing things, died October 17 at the age of 89 from complications due to cancer. Ovshinsky, who didn't go to college, had hundreds of patents to his credit, and a 2006 Financial Express article went so far as to compare Ovshinsky to Thomas Edison. It wasn't the only outlet to do that. Ovshinsky's discoveries, which date back to the late 1950s, helped further the development of such widely used products such as flat-panel displays, solar panels and rewritable compact discs. In 1960, he founded ECD Ovonics (first called Energy Conversion Devices), which was named a top 20 green company by Plenty magazine in 2007. An extensive obituary can be found in the New York Times here.Ovshinsky, nickel-metal hydride battery inventor, dies at 89 originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Sun, 21 Oct 2012 09:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments

Analyst Puts iPad Mini Build Cost At $195, Pricing Said To Start At $329 For 40%...

Posted: 21 Oct 2012 06:51 AM PDT

Analyst Puts iPad Mini Build Cost At $195, Pricing Said To Start At $329 For 40% Gross Margin


Analyst Puts iPad Mini Build Cost At $195, Pricing Said To Start At $329 For 40% Gross Margin
a couple of new reports that surfaced this weekend shed a little more light on what we might expect with iPad mini pricing. KGI Securities analysts Ming-Chi Kuo has an early look at the likely bill-of-materials (BOM) for the iPad mini, and 9t05Mac reports on U.S. retail pricing, providing a look at how the iPad mini figures into Apple's existing lineup when it comes to comparing gross margins.

Apple’s 5th Gen iPod Touch And 7th Gen iPod Nano Shipping Times Improve

Posted: 21 Oct 2012 06:05 AM PDT

Apple's 5th Gen iPod Touch And 7th Gen iPod Nano Shipping Times Improve


Apple's 5th Gen iPod Touch And 7th Gen iPod Nano Shipping Times Improve
Apple's new iPod touch and iPod nano, announced alongside the iPhone 5 at an event last month, saw their shipping times improve over the weekend, from an expected two week shipping timeframe to 5-7 business days. The new iPod were first given the open-ended retail window of "October" when initially announced, and then began rolling out to pre-order customers earlier this month.

Microsoft Touch Mouse gets promised Windows 8 support, works like a Charm

Posted: 21 Oct 2012 03:04 AM PDT

Microsoft Touch Mouse gets promised Windows 8 support, works like a Charm


Microsoft Touch Mouse gets promised Windows 8 support, works like a Charm
Microsoft vowed that its Touch Mouse would get Windows 8 support in time for the software's big release day, and it's being very true to its word by posting the relevant update with less than a week to go. Mouse and Keyboard Center 2.0 saves time for those not graced with a touchscreen by introducing multi-touch swipes that bring up Windows 8's Charm bar, switch between active apps and invoke Semantic Zoom. Will the Touch Mouse update trick you into thinking you have a Surface? No, but it's certainly much easier on the wallet.Filed under: Peripherals, Software, MicrosoftMicrosoft Touch Mouse gets promised Windows 8 support, works like a Charm originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 21 Oct 2012 06:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink The Verge | Microsoft | Email this | Comments

HTC Droid Incredible X possibly spotted with Verizon badging intact (Update: int...

Posted: 20 Oct 2012 11:17 PM PDT

HTC Droid Incredible X possibly spotted with Verizon badging intact (Update: international variant could be 'Deluxe')


HTC Droid Incredible X possibly spotted with Verizon badging intact (Update: international variant could be 'Deluxe')
It's about time. The HTC DLX has most often been rumored carrying a Verizon-style 6435LVW or Droid Incredible X name, and yet it was unveiled first in Japan as the J Butterfly; we really needed the photos just now surfacing at Android Central to remind us that the 5-inch, 1080p gigantophone could still come to Big Red. While nothing's confirmed yet, the black-with-red-trim design and all too prominent Verizon labeling make a convincing case for the DLX's ultimate US destination. A helpfully provided phone profile screen might be more interesting to some, as it hints that we might get the same quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro, 2GB of RAM and 8-megapixel rear camera as in the J Butterfly -- Verizon won't pull a Droid Incredible 4G LTE and tone down the hardware, if this is true. Without any more details, we're still left wondering just how soon Verizon could commit to launching the smartphone. There's no guarantees that Verizon will follow KDDI's schedule and ship in early December. Update: We've been wondering whether the odd name was meant to be short for Droid Incredible X, i.e. "DIX" instead of "DLX," but our friend evleaks just showed us a list of device PIDs that mentions DLX. evleaks also suggests that DLX might be short for "Deluxe" for the international variant, just as "ENR" is short for "Endeavor." Check out the list right after the break.Continue reading HTC Droid Incredible X possibly spotted with Verizon badging intact (Update: international variant could be 'Deluxe')Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, HTC, VerizonHTC Droid Incredible X possibly spotted with Verizon badging intact (Update: international variant could be 'Deluxe') originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 21 Oct 2012 01:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Android Central | Email this | Comments

Ask Engadget: What's the best way to store my media collection?

Posted: 20 Oct 2012 08:15 PM PDT

Ask Engadget: What's the best way to store my media collection?


Ask Engadget: What's the best way to store my media collection?
We know you've got questions, and if you're brave enough to ask the world for answers, then here's the outlet to do so. This week's Ask Engadget inquiry is from Michael, who is suffering from a storage crunch. If you're looking to ask one of your own, drop us a line at ask [at] engadget [dawt] com. "I'm a bargain-basement kinda guy, and I've picked up lots of DVDs cheaply during the sale season(s). I was planning to rip my collection with Handbrake so I could watch them on my iPad, but my 1TB HDD is already close to being maxed out! Is there a better solution out there than just buying a 2TB HDD now, waiting a year and buying a 3TB HDD when the prices come down? Is there a cheap RAID-style system that plays nicely with my iTunes? Please help!" You can pick up a standalone 3TB external HDD for between $150 and $200, Or you could take the leap and set up an iTunes home server, perhaps using the cheapest Synology DiskStation, which is $200 plus the cost of the drives. That way you can get a 4TB iTunes server for just under $400. You could also snag a Drobo that'll give you the same storage options with significantly increased expandability, up to 16TB in the future. That said, perhaps our friendly readers know a way to tame this man's ever growing media collection, so if you've already set up your own system, why not share your knowledge in the comments below?Filed under: Portable Audio/Video, StorageAsk Engadget: What's the best way to store my media collection? originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 20 Oct 2012 23:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | | Email this | Comments

A Quarter Of Japanese eCommerce Giant Rakuten’s $5B/Year Revenue Is Mobile, And...

Posted: 20 Oct 2012 07:29 PM PDT

A Quarter Of Japanese eCommerce Giant Rakuten's $5B/Year Revenue Is Mobile, And It's Growing 3-400% Y/Y


A Quarter Of Japanese eCommerce Giant Rakuten's $5B/Year Revenue Is Mobile, And It's Growing 3-400% Y/Y
Today, at Y Combinator's Startup School at Stanford University, Rakuten Founder and CEO Hiroshi Mikitani took the stage to talk about the company's culture, acquisitions and its crazy growth over the last year. Mikitani said that Rakuten was currently seeing about $5 billion/year in revenues and that 25 percent of that revenue was coming from mobile mobile phones, both feature and smartphones. Forty percent of those transactions emanated from feature phones (yes, you heard that right), with 60 percent coming from smartphones.

Soft Core: Why Do Sex Toy Makers Have Such Horrible Videos?

Posted: 20 Oct 2012 07:29 PM PDT

Soft Core: Why Do Sex Toy Makers Have Such Horrible Videos?


Soft Core: Why Do Sex Toy Makers Have Such Horrible Videos?
We wrote about Vibease back in early September and I called it the long-distance relationship you've always wanted. Since, LovePalz (with his and her's toys) has launched, along with quite a few other players in the general mobile... sexual... hardware segment(?). Anyways, Vibease originally launched the Android app before having an accompanying Bluetooth vibrator to launch along with it. But today the company has opened up pre-orders with a video. It's ridiculous. The commercial part in the beginning, at the very least.

Mobile Miscellany: week of October 15th, 2012

Posted: 20 Oct 2012 07:29 PM PDT

Mobile Miscellany: week of October 15th, 2012


Mobile Miscellany: week of October 15th, 2012
If you didn't get enough in mobile news during the week, not to worry, because we've opened the firehose for the truly hardcore. This past week, we received further evidence of an imminent replacement for the Galaxy Nexus and the Optimus 4X HD found a new home in Canada. These stories and more await after the break. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore the "best of the rest" for this week of October 15th, 2012.Continue reading Mobile Miscellany: week of October 15th, 2012Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile, Google, AT&T, LGMobile Miscellany: week of October 15th, 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 20 Oct 2012 22:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | | Email this | Comments

PayPal Here goes on sale at AT&T stores: like a one-stop shop for account hiccups

Posted: 20 Oct 2012 06:43 PM PDT

PayPal Here goes on sale at AT&T stores: like a one-stop shop for account hiccups


PayPal Here goes on sale at AT&T stores: like a one-stop shop for account hiccups
PayPal Here, despite all its focus on in-store transactions, hasn't really been available to buy in a US store -- that's been the domain of the seemingly ubiquitous Square reader. eBay's payment wing has at last established that retail beachhead through a deal with AT&T. About 1,800 of the carrier's stores are now carrying PayPal Here readers, and they'll keep the service's big rival from hogging the spotlight at a time when most aren't even aware that there's any competition. If you're still cynical, you can look at the AT&T move as a matter of convenience: at least this way, all your account headaches will come from one place.Filed under: Cellphones, MobilePayPal Here goes on sale at AT&T stores: like a one-stop shop for account hiccups originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 20 Oct 2012 21:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink TechCrunch | PayPal Blog | Email this | Comments

Node modular iOS sensor hands-on

Posted: 20 Oct 2012 05:08 PM PDT

Node modular iOS sensor hands-on


Node modular iOS sensor hands-on
With the spate of bad publicity surrounding all those Kickstarter projects that never make it beyond the funding stage, there's a certain surreality to actually holding a crowd-funded device in your hands. But here it is, the Node, a project we highlighted in its infancy, way back in February. The whole thing blew way past its funding goal, scoring $76,000 out of a requested $50,000. And now, roughly eight months later, the product has been shipped out to enthusiastic supporters all over the place, inside an unassuming white box. Since its inception, the Node's been an interesting (if not particularly easy to explain) proposition. Now that we've got our hands on one, not all that much has changed -- which is to say, in its early stages, there's a lot of potential, but its still a bit of a hard sell. Hardware-wise, the Node's a solid proposition -- the size and shape of a roll of quarters. The body is made of a white plastic, with Node logos indented on either side. Next to one, you'll find a micro-USB port for charging, and by the other, you get the power button, which also serves to turn on the flashlight module. Inside the body, you've got the battery (which should give you 12 to 14 hours with Bluetooth on), an accelerometer, magnetometer and gyroscope.Gallery: Node modular iOS sensor hands-onContinue reading Node modular iOS sensor hands-onNode modular iOS sensor hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 20 Oct 2012 19:56:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Variable Technologies | Email this | Comments

Motorsports: Brammo strong in TTXGP World Championship practice and qualifying [...

Posted: 20 Oct 2012 04:22 PM PDT

Motorsports: Brammo strong in TTXGP World Championship practice and qualifying [w/video]


Motorsports: Brammo strong in TTXGP World Championship practice and qualifying [w/video]
Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Podcasts, On Two Wheels, USA Daytona is a noisy place this weekend, with Biketoberfest happening concurrently with the Fall Cycle Scene. The streets echo with the potato-potato sounds of thousands of Harley Davidson cruisers, whilst inside the Daytona International Speedway, the air is filled with the screams of a few dozen assorted racing bikes. One end of the paddock at the race track is an island of aural calm, however. Here, the teams contesting the TTXGP World Championship are going through the process of practice and qualifying for Sunday's big race. While there is the typical spinning of wrenches and plotting of strategy, the revving of engines is replaced by the click-clacking of laptops. As expected, Team Icon Brammo is strong. Dominant even, with riders Eric Bostrom and Steve Atlas qualifying in the top two spots with fast laps of 1:58.648 and 1:59.397, respectively. Victory is not assured however, since both riders experienced worrying glitches while securing the lead positions. Sadly, their strongest American competitors, Barracuda Lightning, are a no-show after reportedly suffering logistical setbacks.Münch Racing will be 3rd on the grid, after pulling down a 2:04.897. They were comfortable enough with the TTE-2 race machine that they sat out the last pre-qualifying practice opportunity, despite making a few tweaks after a bit of early-morning track time.Catavolt will line up next, behind the Germans. Maybe. The Australian team had overcome a small leak in its hub motor's water cooling system that almost sent rider Jason Morris off the high side in early practice, allowing them to turn up the power to the controller of their torque monster. When it came time to put the bike to the test, though, the motor seemed to fail and it only just managed to make it around the track. As it was, their 2:33.732 qualifying time came from an earlier practice. When last we left the paddock, the boys were scrambling to resolve the issue. Jeremiah Johnson will bring up the rear on a modified Zero S after experiencing an issue with the controller in his Be-Ev.com bike. Though his lap was slower than the others at, 2:50.624, he is confident it will hold up to the duress that only Daytona, with its long straights and steeply banked turns, can dish out. You can see some great videos from the practice sessions by simply scrolling below. You can also follow this writer on Twitter for real-time photo tweets.Continue reading Brammo strong in TTXGP World Championship practice and qualifying [w/video]Brammo strong in TTXGP World Championship practice and qualifying [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Sat, 20 Oct 2012 18:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments