Want a $25 Computer? [Gear]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/#!5799287/want-a-25-computer

This skeletal computer absolutely WILL NOT run Crysis. However, it will (just barely) get you up and running on the internet, and is so small it can dangle from your keychain (though I don't recommend it).

Equipped with a 700 MHz ARM 11 processor, 128 MB of RAM, a USB port, and room to add a webcam or wi-fi module, the Raspberry Pi is a shrunken down version of that Gateway computer you had over a decade ago, except it's just a circuit board...nothing else. Aut that computer didn't run Ubuntu 9, which I'd definitely take over Windows ME (and probably Windows 2000 as well).

Creator David Braben plans to sell it for $25, but still has to finalize manufacturing. [Raspberry Pi via BBC via CrunchGear]

Jaguar will actually build million-dollar C-X75 hybrid supercar in 2013

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/06/jaguar-will-actually-build-million-dollar-c-x75-hybrid-supercar/

You know how we said that 780bhp electric pipe dream Jaguar had last year wasn't going to be anything more than a concept? Well, we were wrong. Sort of. You see, the British automaker has just announced its intention to produce a limited run of 250 C-X75 supercars in partnership with Formula 1 team Williams, however the retail model will eschew the craziest aspect of the original design -- the twin turbine engines at the back. Those will be replaced with a four-cylinder, turbocharged petrol engine, which will aid the four electric motors (one attached to each wheel). Don't worry, though, this tweak has actually made the C-X75 accelerate even faster, as it's now rated to go from 0 to 60mph in under three seconds. 2013 is when the earliest production of this road-faring beast is expected to commence, with prices starting at £700,000 ($1.15 million), and there's even a glimmer of hope that a version with the gas turbines will also be built at some point down the line. Crazy, just crazy. Check the C-X75 out on video after the break, where Jay Leno gives you a tour around its dramatic design.

Continue reading Jaguar will actually build million-dollar C-X75 hybrid supercar in 2013

Jaguar will actually build million-dollar C-X75 hybrid supercar in 2013 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 06 May 2011 09:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ASUS: Eee Pad Transformer delays due to demand, not component shortages

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/06/asus-eee-pad-transformer-delays-due-to-demand-not-component-sh/

We're sure you heard the rumors when hanging out in your ASUS fanboy haunts, wearing your ASUS logo hats and medallions, talking your crazy ASUS lingo with your fellow ASUS scenesters. Or maybe you thought something was up when Amazon sold out immediately. Either way, there has been plenty of chatter in the gadgetsphere as of late about the Eee Pad Transformer. Why is it so hard to find? Are component shortages to blame? Quality control issues? We've heard plenty of speculation, and now ASUSTek spokesperson David Chang is weighing in on the matter. According to Netbook News, the company has seen overwhelming demand for the device, and is currently planning to put 100,000 units on the street in May, followed by an additional 200,000-plus in June. "If the demand continues to increase substantially," said Chan, "then we will have to continue to ramp up production in order to fulfill our customers' demand." You know, that's exactly what we would do if we were in that situation!

ASUS: Eee Pad Transformer delays due to demand, not component shortages originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 06 May 2011 10:09:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HTC Flyer stylus on sale at Best Buy for $80, because matching gadgets should cost more

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/06/htc-flyer-stylus-on-sale-at-best-buy-for-80-because-matching-g/

If you ordered the HTC Flyer because you're keen on scribbling notes and doodling over screenshots (and already misplaced the stylus that came with it), well, today's your lucky day -- it's now on sale by itself for a cool $80. That's fairly outrageous, given that you can buy the HP Slate 500's for well under that tally, and the Fujitsu LifeBook T580's for roughly $22... that is, if you lose the one included in the box. Plus, although these pens won't complement your Flyer's aluminum chassis, they should still work, as all of these tablets use N-Trig's DuoSense pen / capacitive touch technology. And particularly with a dearth in apps that can take advantage of pen input, you'd better be the next J.K. Rowling if you're looking to get your money's worth.

HTC Flyer stylus on sale at Best Buy for $80, because matching gadgets should cost more originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 06 May 2011 10:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Best Apps for Group Texting? [Hive Five Call For Contenders]

Source: http://lifehacker.com/5799092/best-apps-for-group-texting

Sending SMS messages doesn't have to be a one-on-one affair anymore, and it definitely doesn't have to be expensive. A whole new category of apps and services have come to the rescue, offering conversational text messaging at low rates. This week, we want to know which you use.

Most group texting apps work best when all parties are signed up for the service. Others let you bring outsiders in on the conversation. Still, the biggest benefit to group texting apps is you can send the same message to everyone at the same time, and everyone can respond like you're all having a conversation.

This week we want to know which group texting app works best for you. Whether it's iOS, Android, or cross-platform, which app do you turn to when you need to organize a group or break some news? Let us know in the comments.

Hive Five nominations take place in the comments, where you post your favorite tool for the job. We get hundreds of comments, so to make your nomination clear, please include it at the top of your comment like so: VOTE: BEST GROUP TEXTING APP. Please don't include your vote in a reply to another commenter. Instead, make your vote and reply separate comments. If you don't follow this format, we may not count your vote. To prevent tampering with the results, votes from first-time commenters may not be counted. After you've made your nomination, let us know what makes it stand out from the competition.

About the Hive Five: The Hive Five feature series asks readers to answer the most frequently asked question we get: "Which tool is the best?" Once a week we'll put out a call for contenders looking for the best solution to a certain problem, then YOU tell us your favorite tools to get the job done. Every weekend, we'll report back with the top five recommendations and give you a chance to vote on which is best. For an example, check out last week's Five Best Video Services for Ditching Cable Without Losing Your Favorite TV Shows. Photo by Bryan Gosline.

AT&T's Biggest (and Thinnest and Fastest) Phone [Smartphones]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/#!5799014/atts-biggest-and-thinnest-phone

The Infuse 4G doesn't feel quite as spectacular as I remember at CES—it's missing that feeling of heft, that feeling of quality construction, subbing in a less dense plastic—but the 4.5-inch Super AMOLED Plus screen is still a rich-hued stunner, and its 8.99mm of thinness effectively camouflages the serious size of the phone, which inches (literally) into mini-tablet territory.

It's all still powered by a single-core 1.2GHz processor, with an 8MP rear and 1.3MP front camera. The 4G on here is, um, more 4Ger than AT&T's other "4G" phones, with 21Mbps on the downstream, and HSUPA enabled from the get go, unlike the Atrix. On the downside, it's still running Android 2.2 with the older version of TouchWiz, same as the current Galaxy S variant on AT&T, the Captivate. But this thing massive thing's out May 15 for $200 w/ contract.

Expect more hands on time with this later. [AT&T]

Footprints Is an Energy-Saving Location Tracker for iOS [Downloads]

Source: http://lifehacker.com/5799070/footprints-is-a-energy+saving-location-tracker-for-ios

Like Google Latitude (and other apps), Footprints tracks your location and shares it with others so you can find your friends or track your kids. What Footprints does better is provide easy sharing, less drain on your battery, and the ability to report your location to multiple sources.

While Footprints can eat up as much of your battery as Google Latitude (and others), it allows you to set the interval for when your location is reported so it reports less and therefore uses less of your battery. Sharing your location is also very simple, as you can sync up with Facebook or just select someone from your address book who's also using Footprints. The main downside is that they have to already be in your address book, as there doesn't seem to be an option to just add a contact, but chances are you're not going to want to share your location with someone you don't know so it's probably not a big deal. While Footprints is free to download, an in-app purchase is required to continue using it after the first three months. It's only $1 for three months, $3 for a year, and $5 for two years, so it's not terribly pricey but still obviously more expensive than its free competitors.

Personally, I'm not a big fan of location tracking apps and generally don't like to use them, but some people do and I do feel there are legitimate uses for them. If you're trying to meet up with people or want someone to know your location for safety (or other) purposes, Footprints is a good choice because it doesn't require much effort and you can share with just about anybody. It has a few drawbacks, but if you're sharing with other iOS users and want a low-battery, private option, it's a pretty good alternative to Google Latitude.

Footprints | iTunes App Store

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You can follow Adam Dachis, the author of this post, on Twitter and Facebook.  If you'd like to contact him, Twitter is the most effective means of doing so.

LastPass Alternatives that Keep Your Passwords Safe from Online Hacking [Passwords]

Source: http://lifehacker.com/5799131/the-best-password-utilities-that-dont-store-your-data-in-the-cloud

After popular password manager LastPass faced a possible security breach yesterday, many of you are looking for an alternative password solution that doesn't store your passwords on someone else's servers. Here are three of our favorite password managers that will store your passwords without syncing them to the cloud.

LastPass has long been our favorite any-browser, any-OS password solution, and its password generation features are great for creating super-secure passwords, but it stores all of your passwords on their servers—which make them vulnerable if their servers somehow get compromised. We still love LastPass, and pretty much all of us use it. As long as you're using a strong, non-dictionary password, you're probably pretty safe, and as far as today's breach is concerned there's still no evidence that they were actually hacked. But, we understand that some of you may be rethinking your decision to store your passwords online. If you'd like to look at other options, here are some great programs that will keep all your passwords stored safely on your local machine.

KeePass

KeePass has long been one of our favorite password managers; in fact, it won our Hive Five on the topic last year.

Pros: It's open source, available for tons of different platforms, and has some pretty great plug-ins available. You can automatically generate passwords, automatically fill in information, and import and export your database into a number of different formats. If you want to store information other than passwords, it also has a great "secure notes" feature that lets you store any data you want, while keeping it secure in its database.

Cons: While there are some specialized apps like KeeFox out there for better browser integration, KeePass' browser integration has always left a little bit to be desired. Where LastPass works seamlessly with almost every browser and OS out there, you need to work a little harder to get KeePass to play nicely with whatever software you're running.

1Password

1Password was long a favorite of Mac and iPhone users, but it now has Windows and Android versions available, making it a good cross-platform option for storing all your passwords locally.

Pros: Like the other options, it stores your passwords and can automatically fill them and log you into your favorite sites on the web. Not only can you store passwords with 1Password, but you can store credit card information, software licenses, and other important documents for quick access. It also has official builds for iOS and Android, which is nice if you do a lot of browsing on your phone.

Cons: The big downside to 1Password is its hefty $40 price tag, which some may find worth it for its polish—but don't think you need to pay that much money just for the security, as open source options like KeePass are just as good.

Note: Both KeePass and 1Password support syncing your passwords between your machines with Dropbox, which while convenient, presents the same problem as LastPass. When you sync items to the cloud, they end up on someone else's servers and out of your control. As such, using one of these programs and syncing the data over isn't all that different from using LastPass in the first place, so if you're looking to avoid that issue entirely, we recommend against the Dropbox syncing features of these programs

Keeper

Keeper is less popular and well-known than KeePass and 1Password, but it's probably one of your better options if you want to sync your passwords between devices.

Pros: Keeper is available on nearly every desktop and mobile platform out there, and allows you to sync passwords over Wi-Fi between devices—meaning you can sync your passwords without ever putting them on a central server that could get hacked. It's also very nicely organized for tons of different data beyond passwords, like credit cards, software licenses, or other private information.

Cons: Like 1Password, Keeper isn't cheap—it says on its web site that it's $30, but after installing you find out that it is, in fact, $30 a year—which may be worth it to you for the convenience of Wi-Fi syncing, but it's important to know going in. Also, if you want to keep your data off their servers, you have to sync over Wi-Fi—there isn't an easy wired option for your computers that don't have Wi-Fi.

LastPass Pocket

LastPass Pocket is a small application that gives you full offline access to your LastPass passwords, so when LastPass gets overloaded or has issues (like it is today as a result of the breach), you can still access them. Now, we know this doesn't solve the main problem of having them in the cloud at the first place, but it bears mentioning for those of you that want to keep using LastPass, since it iat least solves the problem of losing LastPass functionality when the servers go down or have problems.

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There are a ton of different password managers out there, and a lot of them are pretty great, but these are a few popular ones that we think are good replacements if you're tired of LastPass. If you want more options, definitely check out our Hive Five on password managers, and if you have your own suggestions that we didn't mention, share them with us in the comments.

Global rare earth supply deficit should turn into a surplus by 2013, Goldman Sachs says

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/05/global-rare-earth-supply-deficit-should-turn-into-a-surplus-by-2/

It looks like rare earth elements are getting slightly less rare. According to a research note released by Goldman Sachs today, the world's rare earth supply deficit will probably reach its apex this year, before converting into a surplus by 2013. Goldman's analysts constructed their projections based on evidence that many Western companies have begun building their own mines, in response to China's overwhelming market dominance. Today, the People's Republic produces about 90-percent of the world's rare earth minerals -- a group of 17 elements that are used to manufacture many of the flat screen TVs, hybrids and cellphones we've come to know and love. Over the course of the past few years, China has only consolidated its hold on the industry, thanks to economic policies aimed at nationalizing private mines and implementing restrictive export quotas. As a result, global rare earth prices have skyrocketed, forcing mining companies in the US and elsewhere to look inward and harvest their own deposits. The only downside, however, is that even if global supply spills into a surplus within the next two years, prices probably won't cool down until 2015. But at least the horizon looks brighter than it has in recent months.

Global rare earth supply deficit should turn into a surplus by 2013, Goldman Sachs says originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 05 May 2011 15:37:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung Infuse 4G is AT&T's first 21Mbps smartphone

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/05/samsung-infuse-4g-is-atandts-first-21mbps-smartphone/

AT&T has been adding a little dash (and asterisk) of 4G to all its phones as of late, but not all of those handsets are created equal -- the Motorola Atrix 4G, HTC Inspire 4G and HP Veer 4G are technically capable of only HSDPA Category 10, which equates to maximum download speeds of 14.4Mbps. Not so for the new Samsung Infuse 4G, as it's been boosted to HSDPA Category 14, which bumps its particular flavor of 4G up to 21Mbps. That has AT&T playing in the same arena as T-Mobile, assuming that your local cell towers have the fiber backhaul in place... and assuming that T-Mobile doesn't make good on promises to deliver some 42Mbps (HSPA+ Category 20) handsets before AT&T catches up. And yes, the uploads should be fine, too -- AT&T says the Infuse 4G supports HSUPA Category 6, which should give us maximum rates of 5.76Mbps when firing files into the clouds.

Samsung Infuse 4G is AT&T's first 21Mbps smartphone originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 05 May 2011 16:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung Infuse 4G hands-on (updated)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/05/samsung-infuse-4g-hands-on/

We've seen it powered down and had it dangled in front of us and now, four months after its launch, we've finally had a chance to play with a real, working Samsung Infuse 4G. This 4.5-inch superphone -- the biggest Sammy has made to date -- feels surprisingly light in the hands, despite its width. That's largely thanks to its crazy-thin 8.99mm profile, along with a subtly textured backside. The Super AMOLED Plus display -- the same kind found on the smaller Droid Charge -- which promises to be brighter than Super AMOLED as well as easier to view in direct sunlight, is simply stunning. We were seriously impressed by the punchy colors and deep blacks, although that outdoor test will have to wait for another day.

Blessedly, Samsung lets those vibrant colors speak for themselves -- it loaded the phone with Android 2.2 and abstained from saddling it with its TouchWiz UI made its TouchWiz UI less intrusive out of the box. The handset packs a single -- not dual -- core 1.2GHz processor, but you won't notice or care how many cores it has unless you're a benchmark junkie -- the phone launches applications briskly, while the touchscreen is responsive and always precise. We noticed nary a delay as we swiped among the seven home screens and three application pages. Speaking of speed, this is AT&T's first device to promise max speeds of 21 Mbps. Samsung held its press event in a New York City restaurant with poor reception, alas, and we have a feeling the crawling rates we observed off-camera don't do this phone justice. We're walking out of here with one of these bad boys, and we're stoked to fully put it through its paces over the next few days. We'll be back with an in-depth review, but in the meantime, have a gander at the gallery of close-up shots below.

Gallery: Samsung Infuse 4G hands-on!

Updated: Unlike the Inspire 4G, Captivate, and Aria, the Infuse 4G enables app sideloading and features the "Unknown Sources" menu item in the settings. Check out a photo of the appropriate settings screen in the updated gallery.

Samsung Infuse 4G hands-on (updated) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 05 May 2011 17:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google Earth gets optimized for Honeycomb tablets, interior photos hit Google Maps next week

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/05/google-earth-gets-optimized-for-honeycomb-tablets-interior-phot/

There may have been a slight shortage of Honeycomb-optimized apps to go along with the first round of tablets, but things are now starting to pick up a bit, and Google has now filled in one more gap itself. It's just released a Honeycomb-optimized version of Google Earth, which brings with it support for fully textured 3D buildings that you can view from street level, as well as a new action bar on top that lets you jump between layers and other options. What's more, Google has also now announced that its new Business Photos feature for Google Maps (Places, specifically) will begin to roll out next week, offering what's effectively Street View for the inside of retailers and other buildings -- with the owner's permission, of course. Head on past the break for a demonstration of how it will work.

Continue reading Google Earth gets optimized for Honeycomb tablets, interior photos hit Google Maps next week

Google Earth gets optimized for Honeycomb tablets, interior photos hit Google Maps next week originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 05 May 2011 18:26:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung's entire line of active shutter glasses gets a price cut, more money for your popcorn

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/05/samsung-drops-prices-for-its-entire-line-of-3d-active-shutter-gl/

Following its pledge to make 3D TV experience more affordable, Samsung's just announced a price drop on the rest of its active shutter glasses lineup. As you probably already know, the entry-level SSG-3100GB went from $129.99 down to just $49.99 last month; and now we have the better-looking SSG-3300CR plus SSG-3300GR reduced by $50 down to $129.99, along with the swanky SSG-3700CR (pictured above) getting a $70 discount to just $149.99. Of course, these premium spectacles are still far from affordable compared to their passive counterparts, so it'll be interesting to see if Samsung's attempt to lure more 3D viewers will work at all. Ultimately though, we'd love to see other manufacturers follow suit -- bring on the 3D price war!

Samsung's entire line of active shutter glasses gets a price cut, more money for your popcorn originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 05 May 2011 23:57:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Poke Your head Inside Local Spots with Google Business Photos [Video]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/#!5799019/poke-your-head-inside-local-spots-with-google-business-photos

"Google Business Photos" sounds immensely boring, but, to the contrary, it'll be incredibly cool, once implemented next week. The idea: Street View for building interiors. So you can see just how divey that gross dive bar across the street is.

This makes sense—Bing's already beat Google to interior-peeking with Photosynth, which allows panoramic interior uploads to their own cartographic spread. [Google via Mashable]

RT @christianbusch - YouTube's amazing stats - over 700bn playbacks, over 2bn monetized views per week, etc (more) - http://bit.ly/kWIjxn

Mobile Ad Network Jumptap Closes $25 Million Funding Round

Source: http://techcrunch.com/2011/05/05/mobile-ad-network-jumptap-closes-25-million-funding-round/

As we reported a month ago, mobile ad network JumpTap has raised a round of new funding. The company confirmed this today, announcing a $25 million financing round from AllianceBernstein, General Catalyst, Redpoint Ventures, Summerhill Ventures, Valhalla Partners and WPP, as well as several new investors, who are not being disclosed. This brings the company’s funding to over $90 million.

JumpTap is one of the largest remaining independent mobile advertising networks, in addition to Millennial Media, 4INFO, InMobi and others (another remaining network Greystripe was just acquired). Jumptap's data-driven technology promises highly targeted advertising and the company partners with digital and media agencies, publishers, wireless carriers and brand advertisers to serve an array of mobile advertising solutions.

Despite the heated competition in the mobile advertising space, JumpTap appears to be growing, both in terms of reach and employees. JumpTap says its network now reaches 83 million consumers, which is a 30 percent increase from last year. And the network has partnered with more than 10,000 sites and apps; received over 10 billion ad requests in April, and has over a dozen patents related to mobile ad technologies.

The company added 35 employees since the beginning of 2011 from companies including Apple, IAC, Time Inc, and Maxus. JumpTap also recently landed a deal with Tokyo-based cyber communications (cci).

George Bell, CEO of Jumptap said this in a statement: "Our focus on leading mobile innovation through technology and services underscores our long-term vision and commitment to delivering the best solutions for advertisers and publishers…We are well positioned to capitalize on the momentum in the mobile marketplace and continue to see impressive growth across all measures."

The company says the new investment will be used towards product and technology development, and to hiring additional staff to support client demand.

As we reported a month ago, mobile ad network JumpTap has raised a round of new funding. The company confirmed this today, announcing a $25 million financing round from AllianceBernstein, General Catalyst, Redpoint Ventures, Summerhill Ventures, Valhalla Partners and WPP, as well as several new investors, who are not being disclosed. This brings the company’s funding to over $90 million.

JumpTap is one of the largest remaining independent mobile advertising networks, in addition to Millennial Media, Greystripe, InMobi and others. Jumptap's data-driven technology promises highly targeted advertising and the company partners with digital and media agencies, publishers, wireless carriers and brand advertisers to serve an array of mobile advertising solutions.

Ultra-thin handheld microscope could sniff out skin cancer, forged documents

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/05/ultra-thin-handheld-microscope-could-sniff-out-skin-cancer-forg/

It may not look like it, but that sleek black thing pictured above is actually a microscope. Designed by engineers at Germany's Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Optics and Precision Engineering IOF, this little guy boasts a 5.3mm optical length, rendering it slim enough to fit in the palm of your hand, yet powerful enough to deliver images at a scanner-like resolution of five micrometers, over a wide surface area. Fraunhofer's researchers achieved this balance by essentially tossing out the manual on traditional microscope design. Whereas most devices slowly scan areas and construct images on a piecemeal basis, this handheld uses several small imaging channels and a collection of tiny lenses to record equal sized fragments of a given surface. Unlike conventional scanner microscopes, all of these 300 x 300 square micrometer imaging channels are captured at the same time. With a single swipe, then, users can record 36 x 24 square mm shots of matchbox-sized objects, without even worrying about blurring the images with their shaky hands. The prototype is still two years away from going into production, but once it does, engineers say it could help doctors scan patients for skin cancer more easily, while also allowing bureaucrats to quickly confirm the authenticity of official documents. We can only imagine what it could do for Pac-Man. Full PR after the break.

Continue reading Ultra-thin handheld microscope could sniff out skin cancer, forged documents

Ultra-thin handheld microscope could sniff out skin cancer, forged documents originally appeared on Eng! adget on Thu, 05 May 2011 09:14:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Intel refreshes Wireless Display with support for DRM-protected DVDs, Blu-rays

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/05/intel-refreshes-wireless-display-with-support-for-drm-protected/

We were bowled over from the start by Intel's Wireless Display technology, which lets you stream HD content from select laptops to an HDTV (with the help of a small adapter, of course). But while WiDi's been good for watching The Colbert Report on Hulu and streaming flicks stored on your hard drive, it hasn't played so nice with DVDs and Blu-rays. At last, though, Intel is supporting HDCP-protected discs (along with some online content) through a free driver update. One catch: it only applies to Sandy Bridge laptops, which just started shipping this spring. If your notebook's a few months too old, well, using an HDMI cable isn't the worst consolation prize.

Intel refreshes Wireless Display with support for DRM-protected DVDs, Blu-rays originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 05 May 2011 10:08:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Acoustic Poetry concept turns ambient noise into verse

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/04/acoustic-poetry-concept-turns-ambient-noise-into-verse/

Modern society invests a lot of time and money attempting to drown out our surroundings, but the inability to hear ambient noise can rob one of a sense of place, which can be a very real concern amongst the deaf community. The Acoustic Poetry concept device from British designer Michail Vanis won't miraculously cure the deaf, but it does promise to keep them a bit more in touch. The wooden box is used to capture sound and transmit it to an interpreter, who listens and translates it into text, coming out like something of a free form haiku. It's a communication relay not entirely unlike ones we've seen from a number of other companies, and one that doesn't really necessitate its own stand-alone device. Still, it's nice to see text messaging that can actually keep people more in-touch with their surroundings, for a change -- we still don't recommend using it while driving, however. Video after the break.

[Thanks, Ro]

Continue reading Acoustic Poetry concept turns ambient noise into verse

Acoustic Poetry concept turns ambient noise into verse originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 04 May 2011 16:25:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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TrendNet outs first 450 Mbps dual-band WiFi adapter

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/04/trendnet-outs-first-450-mbps-dual-band-wifi-adapter/

If you're reading this, we're going to go ahead and assume you've got a computer endowed with its own wireless radio, but that doesn't mean it's powerful enough to handle your non-stop streaming these days. For folks craving more oomph, TrendNet has just announced the first USB adapter that promises to boost your throughput to speeds as high as 450 Mbps (thanks to MIMO technology) -- a mighty boost over the 54Mbps or 150Mbps rates you might be used to. As a dual-band adapter, it'll connect to either 2.4GHz or 5GHz networks and -- bonus -- its design is relatively discreet, too. Feel the need for speed? It's on sale now for $80.

Continue reading TrendNet outs first 450 Mbps dual-band WiFi adapter

TrendNet outs first 450 Mbps dual-band WiFi adapter originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 04 May 2011 17:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MIT Media Lab develops glasses-free HR3D, supports broad viewing angles (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/04/mit-media-lab-develops-glasses-free-hr3d-supports-broad-viewing/

We've already seen plenty of glasses-free 3D HDTVs and portable devices, but a promising new technology called HR3D (High-Rank 3D) has hit the prototype phase. Engineers from MIT's Media Lab, who developed the new solution, say that it avoids compromising on screen brightness, resolution, viewing angle, and battery life, and doesn't require those pesky (and pricey) 3D glasses. HR3D uses a pair of layered LCDs to give the illusion of depth, with the top layer (or mask) displaying a variable pattern based on the image below it, so each eye sees a slightly different picture. Nintendo's 3DS uses a similar technique, but with a parallax barrier instead of a second display. The designers constructed the prototype from two Viewsonic VX2265wm displays, removing the LCDs from their housings and pulling off polarizing filters and films. We've yet to go eyes-on with HR3D, so we're a mite skeptical, but tech this promising is worth watching closely, and from every angle.

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MIT Media Lab develops glasses-free HR3D, supports broad viewing angles (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 04 May 2011 21:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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