Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 and Galaxy Player 4.2 come stateside on May 13th

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/11/samsung-galaxy-tab-2-10-1-and-galaxy-player-4-2-come-stateside/

The last we heard, Samsung's Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 was in pre-order limbo at Office Depot. Now we have official word that the slate will launch at that outlet -- and also at Amazon, Best Buy, Tiger Direct and others -- on May 13th. As expected, the 16GB WiFi version will go for $400, and if you've followed our coverage, you'll know it's a solid dual-core slate that nonetheless doesn't make huge spec improvements over the original Tab 10.1 (barring that Ice Cream Sandwich OS, of course). The Galaxy Player 4.2 will also make its debut this Sunday, for an asking price of $200. Android-loving moms: rejoice.

Continue reading Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 and Galaxy Player 4.2 come stateside on May 13th

Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 and Galaxy Player 4.2 come stateside on May 13th originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 11 May 2012 17:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nokia nabs 808 PureView space shot of this big, blue 41-megapixel marble

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/11/nokia-nabs-808-pureview-space-shot-of-this-big-blue-41-megapixe/

We've seen plenty of shots of the Nokia 808 PureView in action, but they've all been hampered by boring old terrestrial bounds. Thankfully, a team attached the handset to a giant balloon for a little more perspective. The photo is at the end of the six and half minute video after the break, but thankfully there are a lot of lovely shots of Iceland accompanying atmospheric music to keep you busy in the meantime.

[Thanks, Chad]

Continue reading Nokia nabs 808 PureView space shot of this big, blue 41-megapixel marble

Nokia nabs 808 PureView space shot of this big, blue 41-megapixel marble originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 11 May 2012 18:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Audi e-bike Wörthersee lets you pop wheelies eco-style, plays nice with your smartphone

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/11/audi-e-bike-worthersee-lets-you-pop-wheelies-use-smartphone/

We're no stranger to e-bikes here, but most of the examples we've seen so far have very much been meant for A-to-B rides. Audi's aiming to fix that with its e-bike Wörthersee prototype. The carbon fiber transport not only has a strong 2.3kW motor -- the most powerful ever in a bike, so says Audi -- but can use that power for tricks. You can flick the Wörthersee into a wheelie mode and either shift your weight around or leave it fully automatic, depending on the fierceness of your stunt skills. Not that it'll be a timid ride if you prefer to keep both wheels on the ground, as a motor-assisted pedaling mode will take you up to 50MPH, and you can still ride at 31MPH if you're not keen on using your legs. That's faster than the already speedy Grace One City we tried, folks. The vorsprung durch technik also comes through a smartphone tie-in, although in a much more stunt-savvy way than the app- and tuning-focused Ford E-Bike Concept: it tracks video and trick runs, both for its own game system and for bragging rights on Facebook.

With a very light 3.5-pound carbon fiber frame and a quick 2.5-hour charge-up time, the e-bike Wörthersee sounds like a wild ride that will charge quickly enough for a spin on your lunch break, but we wouldn't rush to put down a deposit. Audi is calling the prototype a "show bike," which is a sign than the design as-is won't show up at the local sports store. We'll let you know if the Wö! ;rtherse e or a more pragmatic descendant makes the leap to a dealer.

Continue reading Audi e-bike Wörthersee lets you pop wheelies eco-style, plays nice with your smartphone

Audi e-bike Wörthersee lets you pop wheelies eco-style, plays nice with your smartphone originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 11 May 2012 19:24:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Panasonic sends 100,000 LEDs down Tokyo river, mates tech with tradition (updated with video!)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/11/panasonic-sends-100000-leds-down-tokyo-river/

If you'd been by the shore of the Sumida River in central Tokyo this past weekend, you would have noticed that it was glowing a distinct shade of blue. That's because Panasonic decided to kick off the first-ever Tokyo Hotaru (fireflies) festival by sending 100,000 EVERLED light bulbs down the river, both to mimic fireflies as well as to pay homage to a Japanese tradition of floating candles on the water. Before you cringe too much at the thought of the environmental impact, rest assured that Panasonic minimized the footprint of its aquatic LED parade. All the bulbs ran on solar power (presumably, charged during the day) that kept Evolta batteries fed inside, and the entire lot was scooped up in a large net afterwards. We love the exhibition as a large-scale demo of sustainable lighting -- you may just want to avoid fishing along the Sumida's shoreline for awhile in case you catch a straggler.

Update: We've found a video of this spectacular event -- check it out right after the break.

Continue reading Panasonic sends 100,000 LEDs down Tokyo river, mates tech with tradition (updated with video!)

Panasonic sends 100,000 LEDs down T! okyo riv er, mates tech with tradition (updated with video!) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 11 May 2012 20:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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University of California, Riverside runs entire building floor off of 1.1-megawatt green battery

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/11/university-of-california-riverside-runs-building-on-battery/

We're used to batteries powering a lot of devices, but the University of California, Riverside is upping that a notch by charging up a whole floor's worth. The school's Winston Chung Global Energy Center is walking the eco-friendly walk and has started using a huge bank of rare earth, lithium-ion batteries from Balqon to produce 1.1 megawatts, enough to keep Winston Chung Hall's entire first floor humming along while tapping renewable energy sources like solar and wind power. The batteries bank their energy overnight, keeping the throngs of students happy without having to recharge as much or use the regular power grid as a fallback. While it's considered a testbed, the university's giant battery is considered a blueprint for cellular towers and the green power sources themselves -- the combination of which could keep your smartphone up and running with a lot less of an environmental hit.

[Thanks, Justin B]

University of California, Riverside runs entire building floor off of 1.1-megawatt green battery originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 11 May 2012 21:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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