Google pumps cash into UK classrooms, will buy Arduino, Raspberry Pi sets for kids

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/24/google-teach-first-raspberry-pi/

Eric Schmidt has said that Google will make cash available through its investment into Teach First to buy Raspberry Pi and Arduino units for British schoolchildren. He was at the UK's Science Museum to talk about Mountain View's partnership with the charity, which puts top university graduates into schools to teach disadvantaged kids. The Android-maker wrote a cheque to fund over 100 places on the scheme, aiming to get bright computer scientists to reintroduce engineering principles to pupils. Mr. Schmidt hoped that with the right support, kits like the Raspberry Pi would do for this generation what the BBC Micro did three decades ago.

Google pumps cash into UK classrooms, will buy Arduino, Raspberry Pi sets for kids originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 May 2012 05:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LG's 55-inch OLED TV gets official design, possible â¬9,000 price tag (update 3: LG fills in more)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/23/lg-55-inch-oled-tv-gets-official-design-possible-9-000-price/

LG has been coy quiet about details of its 55-inch OLED TV since we saw its hyper-rich organic colors at CES, but it just nailed down a number of details at a Monte Carlo Monaco event. The 55EM9600 has seen its display base get visibly bigger now that the screen isn't being specially perched at a trade show, but the redesign and using a carbon fiber back has let it shed an extra millimeter of thickness, down to 4mm (0.16 inches). The steadier footing puts all the AV connectors at the back, while a trio of USB ports sit on the side for those who often share media from their cameras and flash drives. LG wouldn't give our Spanish team definite release info about the OLED set, but there's been repeated murmurs of a European price of about €9,000 ($11,313) and a possible release as soon as July, just inside LG's official target of the second half of the year. Certainly not the most frugal TV you can buy at this size if that's true, then, but it'll certainly get everyone's attention -- now where's our US details?

Update: There's now a swishy promo video below, plus some English language details at the source link.

Update 2: For those who'd like a bit more reading material, we've added the full PR after the break.

Update 3: LG has also helped settle some of the details that it can share at this early stage: July isn't looking likely, but the price could be on the sunnier side, tentatively edging closer to €8,000 ($10,063).

Gal lery: LG 55EM9600 press shots

Continue reading LG's 55-inch OLED TV gets official design, possible €9,000 price tag (update 3: LG fills in more)

LG's 55-inch OLED TV gets official design, possible €9,000 price tag (update 3: LG fills in more) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 23 May 2012 16:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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CHART OF THE DAY: Time Spent On Facebook Has Gone Flat* (FB)

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/chart-of-the-day-facebooks-engagement-has-peaked-and-now-its-falling-2012-5

Note: This post has been edited from its original version, after we learned that the data we initially used was flawed. We have our original post below the chart, as well as an explanation.

Time spent on Facebook on desktop computers in the U.S. has been totally flat for the year, according to data from comScore. For a while now Facebook's engagement had been on the rise, but it appears to have hit a wall.

Part of the reason is that Facebook's users are going mobile, and spending their time there. This is bad for Facebook because it makes almost no money on mobile.

Note: This chart is flawed, comScore told us after we published. ComScore's previous data was unintentionally inflated due to existence of non-user requested URLs. However, ComScore has analyzed data since the beginning of the year using the same filters, and it tells us that the trend for Facebook is flat this year.

 

Follow the Chart Of The Day on Twitter: @chartoftheday

Original post: Time spent on Facebook on desktop computers in the U.S. has peaked and now it's falling according to data from comScore, via BI Intelligence.

BI Intelligence analyst Alex Cocotas attributes the drop to a "shift to mobile" as well as the rise of rival social networks like Tumblr, and Pinterest.

The shift to mobile is better than losing out to rivals, but it's bad for Facebook's business, because it makes significantly less money from mobile users than desktop users.

As for those rivals, take a look at Pinterest, which seems to have its own engagement problems. Our guess on what's happening there: The company got a lot of buzz, had a crush of new users, which inflated its numbers, and many of those people left.

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AT&T launches Samsung Galaxy Appeal GoPhone, available at Walmart on June 5th for $150

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/23/att--samsung-galaxy-appeal-gophone/

What's in a name? For the Samsung Galaxy Appeal, everything. The moniker of AT&T's new Android GoPhone fits the manufacturer's current legal situation perfectly, though admittedly its side-slider QWERTY-packing form factor is the least likely of Sammy's lineup to catch the attention of Cupertino's team of suits. Joking aside, the 4.3-ounce Appeal offers Android 2.3, a 3.2-inch HVGA (that's 480 x 320) display, 800MHz Qualcomm MSM7225A processor, 3MP rear camera and 512MB of RAM. It's also made with 80 percent recycled material and has a microSD port and 1,300mAh battery. The Appeal will begin its wireless sojourn on June 5th at Walmart for $150, and will pop up at other AT&T outlets beginning July 15th. Head below to find the legal team-approved press release.

Continue reading AT&T launches Samsung Galaxy Appeal GoPhone, available at Walmart on June 5th for $150

AT&T launches Samsung Galaxy Appeal GoPhone, available at Walmart on June 5th for $150 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 23 May 2012 12:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Backpack Flash Turns You Into a One-Person Photography Studio [Photography]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5912403/backpack-flash-turns-you-into-a-one+person-photography-studio

It's hard for clients to understand why photographers charge so much for photos. So if you find yourself in the same situation as Ian Spanier—who was hired for a shoot with no money for an assistant—you too can build this impressive looking backpack studio flash rig.

The getup starts with a sturdy LowePro backpack designed for bird watchers carrying a large tripod into the wilderness. But since Ian needed to be able to shoot handheld with lots of freedom of movement, he instead filled the pack with a rechargeable battery powering a Canon flash unit, the necessary framing and mounts to position the diffuser dome about five inches above his head, and of course wireless receivers so the flash could be triggered without annoying cables tethered to his camera.

Despite looking just a bit nerdy, the rig worked perfectly for Ian's shoot, even allowing him to adjust and position the flash exactly where he needed it just by twisting his body. With all that weight on his back there's the chance the rig could shorten how long he's able to work on a shoot, but the money he saved working without an assistant might just make it worth it. [Ian Spanier Photography via PetaPixel]

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