Dr. Augustine Fou's Online Scrapbook

Monday, January 10, 2011

YouTube Adds Drag-and-Drop Video Uploading [YouTube]

Source: http://lifehacker.com/5729502/youtube-adds-drag+and+drop-video-uploading

Yet another Google service frees its users from the tyranny of browse-and-select file picking. YouTube offers drag-and-drop video uploading on modern, HTML5-happy browsers like Chrome and Firefox.

It's a bit odd that the feature doesn't perhaps support Safari and Opera, both of which are fairly HTML5-friendly, but it's a nice time saver for serious YouTube users in any case.

Drag and Drop Uploading for YouTube Videos [Google Operating System]

This Disc Makes Objects Invisible to Sonar [Sonar]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5729554/this-device-makes-objects-invisible-to-sonar

How do you make an underwater invisibility cloak? You start by creating a device that can manipulate sonar waves. This small cylinder, developed by researchers at the University of Illinois, does just that.

Nicholas Fang, a mechanical science and engineering professor at the University of Illinois, lead the development of the device, which is made of 16 concentric rings of acoustic circuits. Sound waves find their way into the channels between the circuits, moving faster toward the innermost rings. But as this speeding up requires energy, the waves instead gather on the outer rim of the cloak, essentially bending the sound waves around itself and hiding anything inside it.

In testing, the cloak made objects of various shapes and sizes acoustically invisible to sound waves from 40 to 80 KHz, though further refinements need to be made for faster moving objects. Still, Fang is pleased with his progress. "This is certainly not some trick Harry Potter is playing with," he explained. Oh? Bummer. [Paper via Daily Tech and Phys Org]

A look at BPG Motors amazing, transforming, self-balancing Uno (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/10/a-look-at-bpg-motors-amazing-transforming-self-balancing-uno/

One thing we're learning at CES is that the future of transportation is, apparently, pretty weird looking. The EN-V or YikeBike not odd enough? Check out the Uno from BPG Motors, a tricycle that transforms into a self-balancing, two-wheeled... thing. It's gained a wheel since the last time we saw it, a front fork that folds in between the rear wheels and the whole thing starts balancing when you need to go through some tight spaces and then, when it's time to go faster (up to around 30 or 35mph) that wheel pivots out, the whole thing lowers, and away it goes. Unfortunately we weren't allowed to pivot the thing at the show, but we have a video of the transformation after the break along with a little walk-around of the thing. Trust us: you'll want to watch them both.

Gallery: BPG Motors Uno

Continue reading A look at BPG Motors amazing, transforming, self-balancing Uno (video)

A look at BPG Motors amazing, transforming, self-balancing Uno (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 10 Jan 2011 11:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Espert Identity Tab E301 and E201 hands-on preview

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/10/espert-identity-tab-e301-and-e201-hands-on-preview/

Android tablets aren't exactly in short supply at CES 2011, but the Espert Identity Tab stands out -- despite hailing from a manufacturer we'd never heard of before the show. Espert's got two slick 7-inch slates on the floor, and while the E201 mostly cribs from Samsung's WiFi-only Galaxy Tab -- right down to 1GHz Samsung Hummingbird chip -- the flagship Espert E301 pumps up the pixel density with a 1024 x 600 capacitive touchscreen, adds an all-metal case, a mobile DTV antenna, and 3G connectivity. We poked and prodded these tablets all over and got a peek at the full spec sheets, so after you peruse our gallery below, hit the break for details!

Gallery: Espert Identity Tab E301 first hands-on!

Gallery: Espert Identity Tab E201 first hands-on!

Continue reading Espert Identity Tab E301 and E201 hands-on preview

Espert Identity Tab E301 and E201 hands-on preview originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 10 Jan 2011 12:24:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Motorola Xoom to boast barometer, budding meteorologists have found their next tablet

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/10/motorola-xoom-to-boast-barometer-budding-meteorologists-have-fo/

To say Motorola's Xoom had a coming-out party at CES would be understating things greatly. It was easily one of the highlights of the show, and the potential that was shown was obviously just part of the story. According to Moto's developer page, there's actually a barometer included, right alongside an accelerometer, magnetometer, ambient light sensor and gyroscope. Oddly enough, a proximity sensor is left out of the mix, but seriously... a barometer? Truth be told, this is actually just an oft overlooked point that was first shown in VZW / Motorola's joint press release, but it's good to know that at least one flagship slate will be compatible with Android 2.3's barometer support. Here's hoping it'll be useful for helping you sidestep ugly weather patterns, or something of the sort.

Motorola Xoom to boast barometer, budding meteorologists have found their next tablet originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 10 Jan 2011 10:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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