drag2share: Kevin Bacon's closer than you think, Facebook finds folks separated by only 4.74 degrees

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/23/kevin-bacons-closer-than-you-think-facebook-finds-folks-separa/

Facebook's fertile ground for social experiments, and it wasn't all that long ago that Yahoo tested the six degrees of separation theory using the site. Not to be outdone, Mark Zuckerberg's crew, with an assist from the Laboratory for Web Algorithmics of the Universita degli Studi di Milano, has done a little digging of its own to find out just how intertwined its 721 million users really are. Turns out, instead of being six degrees away from your favorite dancing actor, you're likely only 4.74 -- which was the average distance between any two Facebook users globally. Considering that number shrinks to three when limited to relationships within your own country, and the worldwide number was at 5.28 in 2008 (and is shrinking all the time), you should be best friends with Kevin Bacon by 2020 or so. Don't believe us? There's plenty of statistical analysis to prove it at the source below.

Kevin Bacon's closer than you think, Facebook finds folks separated by only 4.74 degrees originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 23 Nov 2011 02:16:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink The Verge  |  Facebook  | Email this | Comments

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drag2share: Terahertz wireless chip could deliver 30Gbps of bandwidth, stream uncompressed 4K video

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/23/terahertz-wireless-chip-could-deliver-30gbps-of-bandwidth-strea/

Usually, when we start talking terahertz, it means one thing: lasers! But not today, friends. Today, we're talking something with a little less flash and a little more potential for everyday use. ROHM, a Japanese electronics component manufacturer, has developed a chip measuring just 1.5mm by 3mm that can transmit data at up to 1.5Gbps using those precious terahertz radio waves. That's both significantly smaller and faster than existing terahertz wireless experiments and the research teams at ROHM and Osaka University (who are collaborating on the project) believe they can scale the tech up to 30Gbps -- enough bandwidth to stream HD video to every room in your home, provided you don't live in a 200 room mansion. Perhaps most exciting though, producing these chips costs only a few hundred Yen, while earlier versions saw prices hovering at around several thousand. For a few more technical details check out he machine translated PR at the source.

Terahertz wireless chip could deliver 30Gbps of bandwidth, stream uncompressed 4K video originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 23 Nov 2011 03:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink TechCrunch  |  ROHM (translated)  | Email this | Comments

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drag2share: Googly Eye Arduino Shield proves geeks just wanna have fun (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/23/googly-eye-arduino-shield-proves-geeks-just-wanna-have-fun-vide/

Look, not every Arduino accessory has to be useful. Heck, some of them don't have to do anything at all except, perhaps, make you smile. And that's all the Googly Eye Arduino Shield promises to provide -- a little cheer and personality to add to your latest hack or project. The $7 shield is simply a platform with stacking headers, so you put another shield on top if you like, that sports a pair of googly eyes. Best of all, it's completely customizable. The kit comes with two pairs of different sized peepers which you can place wherever you want. Add all four if you like! The blank white slate leaves you plenty of room to doodle, add a smile, eyelashes or, if you simply must ruin it by adding functionality, a mini breadboard. You can see the Evil Mad Scientist-made shield in action after the break but, honestly, if you're not sold yet you never will be (also, you probably don't have a soul).

Gallery: Googly Eye Shield for Arduino

Continue reading Googly Eye Arduino Shield proves geeks just wanna have fun (video)

Googly Eye Arduino Shield proves geeks just wanna have fun (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 23 Nov 2011 04:16:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Adafruit  |  Evil Mad Science  | Email this | Comments

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drag2share: 5 Cool Concepts that YD Likes

Source: http://www.yankodesign.com/2011/11/22/5-cool-concepts-that-yd-likes/

In our quest to bring you the best in concept design, we often come across projects that are simply superb but due to lack of information or technicalities are put in the backburners for further research. Here is a collection of 5 Cool Devices and Gadgets that were in our resource pool but never got published. Enjoy!

Custombook Laptop

This innovative laptop features a transparent touchscreen and a customizable touch keyboard. Flip the lid close, and it transforms into a tablet! The keyboard can be configured to resemble a Mac, IBM etc.

Personal Digital Library

The Personal Digital Library is a 10-megapixel camera with an expandable screen and Internet connectivity. Digital Dolby Sound, organizer apps and library, are just some of its innovative features.

Luxury Palette Mobile Phone

The Luxury Palette is a dual screen mobile phone with an integrated stylus. It's the convenient form of the phone that makes it a cool desk accessory. Someone like me will probably prop it like a calendar or a digital photo frame, just for kick's sake!

Sandwich Phone

A triple layer phone, The Sandwich includes individual displays for Phone, MP3 player and Camera. Styled more like a pocket notebook with only 3 pages, this concept can be developed to represent a sleek handy gadget for students and businessmen alike!

The Eye – Multi Mini Projector

The Eye is a pocket-sized camera and projector with dual LCD screens. It seamlessly glides between a digital camera, a video recorder and a projector. Imagine the kinda instant shows you can put on for all the creative photos and wild videos you have shot! Awesome!

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(5 Cool Concepts that YD Likes was originally posted on Yanko Design)

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drag2share: PowerBalance Scam Lawsuit Forces Company Into Bankrupcy [Snake Oil]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5861816/powerbalance-scam-forces-company-into-bankrupcy

After admitting that their PowerBalance bracelets are worthless pieces of plastic in Australia, the company has officially filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the United States following a class action suit filed in a Los Angeles' federal court.

What a surprise. Citing "sources with direct knowledge of the situation," TMZ claims the settlement amount is $57 million. The stupid makers of stupid bands with stupid holograms claim is only $1 million and said that they are "not going out of business" in Twitter, despite filing for Chapter 11. In fact, spokesman Jason Damata told the NY Daily News that PowerBalance "is actually in the process of launching a new product, dubbed performance mouth gear in markets over the next few weeks."

I hope this one has at least two holograms, one for performance, another one to whiten your teeth. [TMZ via NY Daily News]

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