Ubiquitous iRemoTap puts your powerstrip in the cloud, turns lights off remotely (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/23/ubiquitous-iremotap-puts-your-powerstrip-in-the-cloud-turns-lig/

It probably won't help you if you leave your oven on, but if you let lights linger after leaving home, Ubiquitous' iRemotTap may help you save a few Kilowatts. This seemingly vanilla powerstip is anything but, boasting the odd addition of a tiny OS embedded in a wireless LAN chip -- all the better to turn your lights off. Users can control the internet-enabled socket stick remotely via a mobile or desktop web browser, allowing them to switch off gadgets and lights after leaving the house. Can't be bothered to log in to switch off? No worries, this plug powers devices down automatically after they reach a pre-defined power consumption limit. If you're forgetful enough to need a light switch in the cloud, Ubiquitous is hoping to sell you peace of mind for less than ¥10,000 ($122) -- whenever these taps get out of R&D, that is. Vid's after the break, if you need convincing.

Continue reading Ubiquitous iRemoTap puts your powerstrip in the cloud, turns lights off remotely (video)

Ubiquitous iRemoTap puts your powerstrip in the cloud, turns lights off remotely (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 23 May 2011 17:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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i3D app brings glasses-free 3D to iOS, tracks your gaze like a creepy portrait tracks Scooby Doo (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/23/i3d-app-brings-glasses-free-3d-to-ios-tracks-your-gaze-like-a-c/

i3D is a new app that can create a glasses-free 3D display on iDevices, using a technology known as Head-Coupled Perspective (HCP). Developed by the folks from the Engineering Human-Computer Interaction (EHCI) Research Group, HCP uses a front facing camera to track the movements of a user's head, allowing the app to adjust the display accordingly. The result is a monocular 3D screen that creates the illusion of looking into a box. If the concept sounds a little familiar, it could be because Google unveiled a similar headtracking feature for Ice Cream Sandwich during the opening keynote at this month's I/O event. And by "similar" we mean "pretty much the exact same thing." i3D is now available for free in the iTunes Store and runs on the iPad 2, iPhone 4 and fourth generation iPod Touch. You can compare both iOS and Ice Cream Sandwich 3D generators after the break (Google's demo kicks off around the 16:50 mark).

Continue reading i3D app brings glasses-free 3D to iOS, tracks your gaze like a creepy portrait tracks Scooby Doo (video)

i3D app brings glasses-free 3D to iOS, tracks your gaze like a creepy portrait tracks Scooby Doo (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 23 May 2011 17:25:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Random Hacks of Kindness brings hackers together for the greater good next month

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/23/random-hacks-of-kindness-brings-hackers-together-for-the-greater/

What could possibly bring hackers in 18 cities around the world together for a weekend next month? Potentially a lot of things, but on June 4th and 5th it'll be the third annual Random Hacks of Kindness (or RHoK), a globally-linked conference that's centered on the idea of "Hacking for Humanity." As with the two previous conferences, this one is community-driven from the ground up, with anyone able to suggest a problem that could have a technological solution of some sort, and everyone welcome to join in helping to solve it (some of the suggestions so far are things like tornado notification and brush fire command systems). Those interested in participating can find all the information they need at the source link below -- and don't worry about not being 133t enough to make the grade, the definition of "hacker" in this case is a fairly loose one. It seems anyone with a laptop and some ideas is welcome.

[Thanks, Rachel; image: RHoK/Flickr]

Random Hacks of Kindness brings hackers together for the greater good next month originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 23 May 2011 18:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dell XPS 15z available in Australia and Asia, fits Sandy Bridge in under an inch of thickness

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/23/dell-xps-15z-available-in-australia-and-asia-fits-sandy-bridge/

The XPS 15z, true to Michael Dell's word, is now with us. Provided "now" is May the 24th in whatever part of the world you happen to live in. Laptop shoppers in Australia, Japan, Hong Kong, and Taiwan -- a group of nations already enjoying the glories of Tuesday -- can now buy the 0.97 inches-thick 15z for prices starting at just under A$1,400. That buys you a Core i5-2410M from Intel (2.3GHz default speed, 2.9GHz with Turbo Boost), a generous 6GB of DDR3 RAM, backlit keyboard, GeForce GT 525M graphics with 2GB of dedicated memory, a 750GB hard drive, and a 64WHr battery. The screen spans 15.6 inches diagonally and offers 1920 x 1080 resolution. Stepping up to A$1,700 gets you a Core i7-2620M (2.7GHz default, 3.4GHz TB) and 8GB of RAM. Juicy specs, we must admit. Now when's midnight coming?

[Thanks, John]

Dell XPS 15z available in Australia and Asia, fits Sandy Bridge in under an inch of thickness originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 23 May 2011 18:51:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pixlr-O-Matic Adds Retro Grunge to Your Photos on the Fly [Photography]

Source: http://lifehacker.com/5804521/pixlr+o+matic-adds-retro-grunge-to-your-photos-on-the-fly

Pixlr-o-matic is a flash-based webapp that allows users to add effects to images in a way reminiscent of Hipstamatic on the iPhone. The process moves the user through three processing steps, which mimic the effects of old film/developer combinations, lenses, and cropping. Images can either be snapped via webcam, or uploaded to the site straight from the computer. The whole thing takes about a minute, and finished images can either be saved when finished or shared directly through imm.io, which is Pixlr's own image-sharing service.

Though there are three steps to the process, users have the option of saving the image at any time and skipping any portion of the process.

Pixlr-o-matic comes from the same group that made the previously mentioned Pixlr editor back in 2008, which focused on a more standard set of image-editing tools.

Pixlr-o-matic

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