Source: http://lifehacker.com/nimi-places-organizes-your-desktop-changes-based-on-pl-839027764
When it comes to organizing your desktop shortcuts, Fences has always been a Lifehacker favorite
Saturday, July 20, 2013
Nimi Places Organizes Your Desktop, Changes Based on Place and Time
Shloosl Copies Your House Keys Using a Smartphone Photograph
Source: http://lifehacker.com/shloosl-copies-your-house-keys-using-a-smartphone-photo-789114803
Take two pictures of a housekey with your smartphone, email them to Shloosl, and receive a physical copy of that key a couple of days later. And it works. Seriously.
iPad Apps of the Week: VLC, Origami, and More
Source: http://gizmodo.com/ipad-apps-of-the-week-vlc-origami-and-more-842900399
You're a musician, a media junkie, and an all-around family man/lady—in other words, you've got a lot to juggle. So here are some apps to easily squeeze into your life and take some of the pressure off. Go on, champ, you deserve it.
The Moto X Might Have a 4.5-inch Screen and a Back Made from Kevlar (Updated)
Source: http://gizmodo.com/the-moto-x-might-have-a-4-5-inch-screen-and-a-back-made-844310614
Motorola and Google both don't even care about keeping the Moto X a secret, plastering it on its August 1st announcement invitation
Google brings new full-screen compose window to Gmail
Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/07/19/google-gmail-full-screen-compose/
It looks like those not satisfied with the recent Gmail redesign will soon have a new option to make things operate in a slightly more familiar manner. Google announced today that it's begun rolling out a new full-screen compose window that gives you more room to work with than the current option that's pinned to the lower right corner. What's more, you'll also find that the formatting toolbar is now on by default instead of requiring an extra click as it does now, and you can choose to make the full-screen view the default if you prefer it. If you don't have the new option already, Google says you should within the next couple of days.
Source: Gmail (Google+)
Galaxy S 4 for Verizon spied in Brown Autumn
Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/07/20/galaxy-s-4-for-verizon-spied-in-brown-autumn/
History might be repeating itself. Just as Samsung launched a red Galaxy S III for AT&T and followed up with black and brown Verizon models, a new @evleaks image hints that AT&T's red Galaxy S 4 could be matched by a Brown Autumn equivalent on Verizon. The product shot doesn't reveal more than the color, mind you -- we don't know when this GS4 could ship, or if Blue Arctic would tag along. If the past is anything to go by, though, customers won't have to pay a premium for any additional Verizon hues.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Samsung, Verizon
Source: @evleaks
Friday, July 19, 2013
Leap Motion controllers now shipping
Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/07/19/leap-motion-shipping/
Would you look at that? Seems Leap Motion's eagerly awaited motion controller has started shipping a few days early -- well, a few days before its delayed July 22nd date, but we'll take it. We've received a couple of confirmations from future Leapers that their devices are on the way. Until they actually arrive, however, why not take a look at some of the apps developers have been working on for the system?
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Filed under: Peripherals
Google's Chrome app launcher now available for all Windows users
Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/07/19/googles-chrome-app-launcher-gets-full-release-for-windows/
Though there's no official word from Google yet, it looks like the Chrome launcher has come out of developer preview mode and into full release, at least for Windows. On our own PCs, the installation placed the launcher app on the start page, taskbar and desktop for Windows 8 and in Windows 7's menu bar. From there, you can quickly access Chrome, the Chrome store, Gmail and any other apps that work with Google's ubiquitous browser / OS. We're not sure when it'll hit OS X or Linux (Chrome OS users have had it for awhile), but if your Windows workflow revolves around Mountain View's myriad products, you can enable it at the source.
[Thanks, Adam]
Filed under: Internet, Software, Google
Source: Chrome Webstore
VLC returns to iOS after two-year hiatus, brings AirPlay and Dropbox integration
Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/07/19/vlc-returns-to-ios-after-two-year-hiatus/
VideoLAN's original VLC for iOS had a brief and rocky history: open source licensing quirks led to the media player being pulled from the App Store just months after launch. More than two years later, it's back with a compatible license -- and it's bringing a slew of new features in return for the wait. VLC 2.0 supports all the file formats of its desktop counterpart while throwing in AirPlay, background audio, network streaming and numerous smaller tweaks. It's also better suited to sharing with support for Dropbox, the iOS sharing prompt, web downloads and WiFi uploads. The revived VLC app is gradually rolling out now, and its source code should be available for tinkering by July 19th.
Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Software, Mobile
Via: The Next Web
Source: App Store
Thursday, July 18, 2013
You Won't Need a PIN When You Pay for Everything with Your Face
Source: http://gizmodo.com/you-wont-need-a-pin-when-you-pay-for-everything-with-y-805487185
Imagine a world where your debit card stays in your pocket at all times, and you never have to touch cash. This is a place where you don't have to remember your wallet, or even phone, when you run down to the corner store. It's a future well off in the distance, to be sure, but dozens of companies are taking the first steps to get there.
Samsung: new Exynos 5 Octa SoC coming next week
Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/07/18/samsung-new-exynos-5-octa-soc-coming-next-week/
Samsung's current ARM superchip, the Exynos 5 Octa, was revealed at CES and has just started making its way into handsets, but the company claims it's already got a new and improved version ready to roll. Today, the company's SamsungExynos Twitter account revealed that a "more powerful, enhanced" Octa will make its debut next week. What, exactly, that means remains to be seen, but we'll be bringing you that info as soon as Samsung dishes it out. Stay tuned.
Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Mobile, Samsung
Source: SamsungExynos (Twitter)
Google rakes in over $14 billion in revenue during Q2, increased ad revenue balances growing Moto losses
Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/07/18/google-q2-2013-earnings/
For the last several months Google's stock price has been surging, getting increasingly close to the $1,000 mark. And when monstrous revenues like this keep rolling in, it's easy to see why. In Q2 of 2013, the internet giant pulled in $14.11 billion in revenue, an increase of 19 percent year-over-year. Of that massive haul, all most all of it (93 percent) was generated directly by Google properties, most notably massive advertising networks -- $12.1 billion of its gross was thanks to advertising. Motorola's efforts equate to just less than $1 billion in revenues, but the $998 million it pulled in is not an inconsequential improvement over Q2 2012's $843 million. Even with that modest increase, however, Moto still posted an operating loss of $342 million. That's notably worse than the $199 million lost during the same quarter last year. While this wasn't a record setting quarter for Google, it's certainly not far off from its Q4 2012 mark of $14.46 billion, and marks a small increase sequentially.
Net income also remained strong, with the Mountain View team pocketing $3.23 billion. Again, not a record high, but not far off from the $3.55 billion in Q1, and a pretty impressive jump year-over-year from $2.79 billion. While a significant chunk of Google's cash is generated here in the good ol' US of A, the international markets are still treating the company quite well. In fact, a full 55 percent of revenues ($7.2 billion) were earned overseas. While cost-per-click continued to decline for the company, by 6 percent from last year, the number of paid clicks was up more than enough to compensate -- an impressive 23 percent. And, should Google's fortunes suddenly turn, it has a war chest of $54.4 billion stashed away for a rainy day.
We're listening in to the earnings call at 4:30 PM ET today and you'll find updates from that after the break.
Filed under: Internet, Mobile, Google
Source: Google
AMD Q2 2013 earnings: net loss of $74 million, expects 'a return to profitability' next quarter
Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/07/18/amd-q2-2013-earnings-profit-next-quarter/
First, the rough news: AMD saw just $1.16 billion in revenue for its Q2 2013, and actually took a net loss of $74 million (and an operating loss of $29 million). That's an 18 percent decrease in revenue year-over-year, but CEO Rory Read says that things are looking up. "Our focus on restructuring and transforming AMD resulted in improved financial results," noting that AMD "expects significant revenue growth and a return to profitability in the third quarter."
That's a pretty bold statement given the continued decline in the PC market, but the outfit's graphical department seems to be doing fairly well. In fact, AMD's Graphics reportable segment has been renamed Graphics and Visual Solutions, and the outfit gleefully points out that AMD silicon is baked inside of the Wii U, Sony's upcoming PlayStation 4 and Microsoft's Xbox One. What isn't precisely clear, however, is the expected market change that'll finally turn the tide for AMD -- the world's watching for Q3, folks.
Filed under: Desktops, Laptops, AMD
Source: Marketwire, AMD
HTC One mini announced: Flagship looks, UltraPixel camera and 4.3-inch 720p display (hands-on)
Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/07/18/htc-one-mini/
Currently, the wireless industry's mantra is that good things come in large packages. But let's not just forget about the massive demographic of users that don't care about having the biggest phone on the planet. Samsung has already addressed this with the Galaxy S4 mini (albeit, with significantly lesser specs than the flagship GS4), and now it's HTC's turn with the aptly named One mini. The whispers were true: this little guy is a 4.3-inch device with 720p resolution and a nearly identical look to that of its older brother. According to the spec sheet (listed below), it isn't an HTC One in every sense of the name -- there's been a few drawbacks. However, you might be willing to forgo a lower-resolution, smaller display and other changes for a handier smartphone and what promises to be a lower price tag. So what are our first impressions? Read on beyond the gallery and video, and we'll fill you in.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, HTC
Injectable 'smart sponge' controls diabetes, presents new targeted drug delivery method
Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/07/18/smart-sponge-diabetes-cancer-research/
Diabetics might appreciate high-tech glucose sensors when they're available, but the option for other advanced treatments is certainly intriguing. Take, for example, this new method developed by North Carolina State University researchers that uses injectable sponge to control blood sugar levels. No, it's not the same sponge you use to clean at home -- the material is made out of a substance taken from crab and shrimp shells called chitosan. This spongy material forms a matrix that's approximately 250 micrometers in diameter, where a rise in blood sugar causes a reaction in the pores that leads to the drug's release.
Fighting diabetes is but one of the things this miraculous sponge can be used for; developed further, it could even "intelligently" release anticancer drugs whenever the chitosan reacts to tumors or cancer cells in close proximity. Seems like medical technology is getting smarter with each passing day.
Source: North Carolina State University
RunKeeper for iOS now motivates you with real-world training programs
Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/07/18/runkeeper-for-ios-now-motivates-you-with-real-world-training/
It's easy to find running apps that offer goals -- it's harder to find one that inspires you to run in the first place. RunKeeper wants to be that motivator, and it just overhauled the training section of its iOS app to match. The refresh takes broad, skill-based programs from sites like Greatist and breaks them down into more realistic daily objectives, such as running a little bit further or taking a break. There's also a steady stream of tips for staying healthy between sessions. RunKeeper hasn't said when Android-bound athletes will get the new training routines, but their iPhone-owning counterparts can grab the update at the source link.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile
Source: App Store
REAL OR FAKE: These Computer-Generated Images Look Like Just Like Actual Photographs
Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/cool-3d-images-2013-7
These are pictures created by professionals in the field, and the end results nearly look like actual photographs.
But nothing you're about to see is real.
The attention to detail is staggering.
But it's not all about making pictures of people.
Notice the subtle motion blur on the tires.
See the rest of the story at Business Insider
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
drag2share: Lettuce Gaze Upon the Future of Agriculture
Florida has its oranges, Georgia has its peaches, and California has its lettuce. These leafy greens are the Golden State's biggest vegetable crop, bringing in $1.6 billion annually. Problem is, they require a lot of attention to raise properly. Historically, California has relied of its abundant, affordable work force. But with that labor pool shrinking and foreign competition increasing, lettuce farmers in America's Salad Bowl are facing rising labor costs and worker shortages. And that's where the fully automated Lettuce Bot comes in.
Crowsflight for iOS: Enjoy Wandering Without Ever Getting Lost
Source: http://gizmodo.com/crowsflight-for-ios-enjoy-wandering-without-ever-getti-805863347
Asking for directions is a sign of weakness. Everyone knows that. Still, that's not necessarily to say that you should solely rely on the sun and your wildly unfounded gut instincts. Crowsflight for iOS gives you a middle ground.
All It Took to Hijack Google Glass Was a Dumb QR Code
Source: http://gizmodo.com/all-it-took-to-hijack-google-glass-was-a-dumb-qr-code-812240007
The scariest Google Glass hack just got fixed before anyone evil could actually use it, but the details are a little unsettling. Using nothing more than Glass's camera and a malicious QR code, hackers would have been able to steal total control of the device if you so much as looked at the wrong thing.
drag2share: Magic Lantern gives 14 stops of DR to Canon 5D Mark III with dual ISO recording
Magic Lantern's brought some miraculous features to Canon EOS DSLRs lately, including RAW video recording on the 5D Mark III, and video recording, period, to the 50D. Its latest feat is no less amazing, even for jaded DSLR shooters. By exploiting unused dual ISO amplifiers on a sensor chip in the Canon 5D Mark III and 7D, new firmware allows you to record lighter parts of a scene at ISO 100 and darker portions at ISO 1600. It works with RAW video and stills on the 5D III and RAW stills only on the 7D, with both requiring post-processing after capture. That bit of creative coding increases the dynamic range of both cameras to around 14, though not without some drawbacks. Namely, the 7D implementation is buggy for now, you'll lose some resolution while gaining aliasing in shadows and highlights, and won't be able to check critical focus by zooming in. Still, the organization has a track record of quickly improving new features -- so, if you've got the guts to risk voiding your warranty, hit the source.
Acer's 23-inch Z3-605 all-in-one ships to the US, starting at $700
Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/07/17/acer-z3-605-us/
Want a straightforward Windows 8 all-in-one that won't cost a pretty penny? Acer has you covered with the launch of its Z3-605 Series in the US. The 23-inch desktop isn't a performance champ when it carries up to a Core i5 CPU, 8GB of RAM, a 1TB hard drive and a DVD burner. Don't dismiss it out of hand, however -- the 1080p IPS-based LCD should deliver a good-looking picture, and a touchscreen variant supports air gestures. If there's enough here to leave you intrigued, you can pick up the Z3-605 today for a modest $700 in base trim, or with touch for $800.
Source: Acer
Tuesday, July 16, 2013
Researchers Use Circuit Printer to Make Functional Heart Muscle
Source: http://gizmodo.com/researchers-use-circuit-printer-to-make-functional-hear-789602979
Growing replacement organs in a lab
Growing heart tissue in the lab presents an enormous challenge. If the muscle cells aren't precisely arranged to pull along the same axis, the tissue can't do its pumping job. For the 3D cell guidance they needed, researchers at MIT's Draper Lab created thin, micro-perforated sheets of biorubber. They stacked these sheets with a programmable machine from the integrated circuit industry, positioning the pores to create interwoven muscle bundles when seeded with mouse muscle cells and rat neonatal heart cells. By controlling the alignment of the resulting fibers, the researchers can produce tissue that precisely mimics the natural heart.
While several challenges currently prohibit mass-scale production of viable cardiac tissue, the researchers say this unprecedented level of cell growth control opens "a whole new design space." Next, they plan to test the tissue in rats that have suffered heart attacks. And there's a chance that someday, in the not too distant future, nobody will have to die of a broken heart. [MIT Technology Review via KurzweilAI]
NASA and SETI discover new Neptunian moon, spot what Voyager 2 missed
Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/07/15/new-moon-neptune/
A baker's dozen worth of moons might already sound like too many for us Earthlings, but Neptune has just had its count bumped to 14. Though the extra luna appeared as a white dot in over 150 photos taken by NASA's Hubble telescope between 2004 and 2009, it took SETI's Mark Showalter to discover it after poring over images of faint rings around the planet. Dubbed S/2004 N 1, the satellite is no more than 12 miles across and completes its orbit every 23 hours. Hoping to spot it in the night sky? You're better off hitting the second source link for more pictures, as it's 100 million times dimmer than the faintest star viewable with the naked eye, and it escaped Voyager 2, to boot.
[Image credit: NASA, ESA and A. Feild (STScI)]
Source: NASA, HubbleSite
Xolo Play T1000 brings Tegra 3-based phones to India
Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/07/15/xolo-play-t1000/
Tegra 4-based phones may be all the rage lately, but many in India haven't even had a shot at the Tegra 3 -- not very fair, we'd say. Xolo is addressing that deficit by launching the Play T1000, which brings the Tegra 3 to the country for the first time. The quad-core processor adds a gaming-friendly spin to what's otherwise a close cousin of the X1000 we saw back in March. Both phones share a 4.7-inch 720p LCD, 21Mbps HSPA+ and an 8MP rear camera; the T1000 cuts the (thankfully expandable) storage down to 4GB in return for a sharper 2MP front camera. Pricing may clinch the deal for some Indians, however. The Play T1000 is available now for 15,999 rupees ($268) off-contract -- a price low enough to make us wish there were plans for a US release.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, NVIDIA
Source: Xolo
Toshiba's Exceria Pro SDHC cards claim 'world's fastest' write speeds of 240MB per second
Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/07/16/toshiba-exceria-pro-sd-cards/
SD cards are a dime a dozen, so any new entrants need a pretty juicy hook to get our ears pricked. Toshiba's Exceria Pro cards mightn't have any wireless or special transfer features, but they do claim to take the "world's fastest" title for one basic spec: write speeds. Intended for top-level cameras, the Pro SDHC cards will come in 16GB and 32GB configurations and tout the UHS-II high-speed standard for achieving write speeds of 240MB per second. Launching alongside the Pro options will be a couple of Exceria SDXC cards with capacities of 32GB or 64GB. Also UHS-II compliant, these have maximum write speeds of 120MB per second; data read speeds of all Exceria cards top out at 260MB per second. They'll be available in "major markets worldwide," but will arrive in Japan first, with the Pro cards launching in October before the regular Exceria models in November. Pricing info isn't available right now, but we imagine they'll be a little more expensive than the standard cards tucked away in your point-and-shoot.
Source: Toshiba
Monday, July 15, 2013
ZTE Geek U988S outed as world's first Tegra 4 phone, headed to China Mobile
Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/07/15/zte-geek-u988s-tegra-4-phone/
China's TENAA certification database is notorious for leaking mobile devices, but this time ZTE's learned that if you can't beat it, then just play along with it. After this U988S was leaked by TENAA recently, ZTE decided to share some product shots on a forum and Sina Weibo ahead of time. What's more, the company confirmed that this red device is actually the China Mobile version of the Geek, but the Intel chip has been replaced by NVIDIA's upcoming Tegra 4. As teased before, this will likely make the new Geek the world's first phone to pack this quad-core chip, which will be clocked at 1.8GHz and will have 2GB of RAM, according to the TENAA filing.
Other changes include the 5-inch LCD upgrade from 1,280 x 720 to 1,920 x 1,080 resolution, plus the front-facing camera is now at 2 megapixels instead of just 1. On the other hand, the old 8-megapixel main camera is here to stay. Sadly, this particular device will only work on China Mobile's TD-SCDMA network, meaning the rest of the world will have to stay tuned for a global version. Let's hope that this wouldn't take too long.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile
Via: Engadget China
Source: Sina Weibo, TENAA, ZTE Fans
Meet Utilite, a $99 quad-core ARM-based PC running Ubuntu
Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/07/15/meet-utilite-a-99-quad-core-arm-based-pc-running-ubuntu/
That box you see above? It's a quad-core ARM-based PC running Ubuntu called Utilite. The desktop system, made by Compulab, will be available next month starting at $99. While there are plenty of Android dongles built on ARM SoCs out there, few (if any) can truly offer a PC-like experience. The company -- best known for its Trim Slice, Fit-PC and MintBox products -- wants to change this.
Utilite packs a single, dual or quad-core Freescale i.MX6 Cortex-A9 MPCore processor (up to 1.2 GHz), up to 4GB of DDR3 RAM (1066MHz), an mSATA SSD (up to 512GB), WiFi b/g/n, Bluetooth 3.0, HDMI and DVI-D outputs, two Gigabit Ethernet sockets, four USB 2.0 ports, one micro-USB OTG connector, audio jacks (analog and S/PDIF), a micro-SD XD slot and two ultra-mini RS232 interfaces -- phew!
Rounding things up is support for OpenGL ES, OpenVG and OpenCL EP plus multi-stream 1080p H.264 on-chip decoding. All this fits in just 5.3 x 3.9 x 0.8 inches (135 x 100 x 21mm) and only consumes 3-8W using a 10-16V supply (unregulated). Those are impressive specs for the price, and the system sure looks positioned to compete favorably with some of the x86 boxes out there.
Filed under: Desktops
Source: FanlessTech
Sunday, July 14, 2013
Intel may launch internet TV service using OnCue name
Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/07/13/intel-may-launch-internet-tv-service-using-oncue-name/
Intel has been open with its plans to introduce an internet-based TV service, but many of the details remain up in the air -- not the least of which is the name. However, GigaOM has done sleuthing that suggests the offering could be called OnCue. A reported shell company for Intel, Sest, has registered trademarks that include the OnCue title, a logo and a "TV has come to its senses" slogan. Simultaneously, an employee at the marketing agency OMD claims to have worked on the OnCue launch. Intel isn't commenting on the apparent discoveries, but we wouldn't count on the trademarks arriving in tandem with a product. When the company is taking a very cautious approach to entering the internet TV field, there's a chance that the names will be all we ever see.
Filed under: Home Entertainment, Internet, HD, Intel
Via: GigaOM
Source: LegalForce
Dual-SIM HTC Butterfly S certified for China, comes with removable back cover
Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/07/14/htc-butterfly-s-dual-sim-9060-china/
It's a given that HTC will eventually launch its new Butterfly S in China, but will it be a dual-SIM version like the One Dual variants offered over there? The answer is yes, according to a filing in TENAA's database. This particular "9060" device comes with WCDMA radio, meaning it'll be picked up by China Unicom but will also work in many parts of the world.
According to a source of ours, the entire back cover (black or white; with NFC antenna) is removable to give access to the two micro-SIM card slots, as well as a microSD slot as featured on the One Dual. The trade-off, however, is the increased 10.89mm thickness from the original 10.6mm. That said, the listed 158g weight is a little below the original 160g, so we're not sure if the battery capacity is still at 3,200mAh.
The rest of the phone should otherwise be identical to its single-SIM sibling: 1.9GHz quad-core processor (so should be the same Snapdragon 600 SoC), 5-inch 1080p LCD, UltraPixel main camera, BoomSound stereo speakers and Android 4.2.2. As always, we shall keep an eye out for a price and date.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, HTC
Via: SlashGear
Source: TENAA
Moto X's Open Mic demoed, enables voice command when screen is off (video)
Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/07/14/moto-x-open-mic-voice-command-rogers/
Just when we're getting bored of all these static Moto X leaks, a couple of new video clips popped up to finally show off some of the software goodies. The first one appears to be a leaked Rogers promotional video (embedded after the break), in which a nice lady introduces us to a new Google Now voice command feature, which can be toggled with a custom phrase even when the screen is off. According to another clip uploaded by kronikbudz, said feature is called Open Mic, but there's no indication as to whether this will be exclusive to Motorola devices or whether it'll come with the next Android release.
The Rogers video adds that the Moto X will provide ambient "active updates" notifications on the screen when the phone is locked, and this is pitched as a more sensible replacement for the meaningless blinking light. Later on, the same lady demonstrates how one can activate the phone's camera -- even when locked -- by simply twisting the wrist twice. We're a bit worried that this may allow accidental activations, unless the phone can detect whether it is inside a pocket or bag.
Finally, the lady says the Moto X will be "exclusively" heading to Rogers this August in either black or white, thus confirming the "late Summer" window that we were previously told. Enjoy your very own exclusivity while it lasts, Mr. Schmidt!
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile
Via: MobileSyrup, Android Authority