Wednesday, June 20, 2012

MIT thaumaturges work to turn any windowed room into a camera obscura

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/06/20/mit-scientists-camera-obscuras-forensics/

MIT thaumaturges work to turn any windowed room into a camera obscura

Those interested in criminology, forensics or the basics of voyeurism probably have a decent grasp on what a camera obscura is. For everyone else in the audience, allow us to explain. Used since way before your birth, these chambers are designed with an optical device that projects an image of its surroundings on a screen; you just need a room with a hole in one side, which allows a fine amount of light to pass through. If you've ever watched [insert crime drama here], you've probably seen those magical investigators take a blurred shot of a room wall, zoom it in and somehow draw conclusions about the origins of life. Now, MIT's own Antonio Torralba and William Freeman have developed a method that can "transform the entire setting into a pinhole camera." In other words, any room with a window can be repurposed for forensics. On that note, you should probably consider moving your... operations center to a windowless bunker, STAT.

MIT thaumaturges work to turn any windowed room into a camera obscura originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 20 Jun 2012 03:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Y!kes' app-enabled system transforms hotel accessibility: talking with hotel chains, launching this month on iOS, Android, BlackBerry and WP7

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/06/19/yikes-hotel-platform-unlock-door-smartphone-app-ios-android/

Y!kes' proximityaware platform creates complete hotel access solution via a single smartphone app

We all knew opening one's hotel room door with a smartphone was just the beginning, didn't we? As the years have turned (and LodgeNet has inexplicably remained), a smattering of companies have seen the opportunity to connect savvy hotel guests to the properties they frequent. Y!kes is the latest to tune in, and its solution undoubtedly has the potential to change the way smartphone users interact with lodging venues. Designed as a hardware + software platform, the proximity-aware access system offers hotels the ability to tightly and specifically grant or deny access to one's phone. As an example, a hotel and guest both utilizing the system could see an elevator automatically choose one's floor upon entry, a door automatically unlock when a patron walks within range, a parking deck automatically have its gate raised, and a VIP lounge door automatically open if the credentials are programmed in.

Going a step further, one could envision this system having the ability to alert a hotel when a guest lands at the nearest airport, thereby triggering a series of events that places fresh Perrier bottles on the desk, blue mood lighting in the bathroom, a thermostat adjustment to 74 degrees and whatever else that person has specified in their profile. Insane? Sure, but not at all outside of the realm of feasibility. Once a venue ha! s instal led the system, guests need only have the associated app -- available for Android, BlackBerry OS, Windows Phone and iOS -- running in the background on their device. If all goes as planned, he or she won't even have to drop by the check-in counter, and when the stay is over, they'll be able to bypass the check-out line as well.

If you're curious about app availability, we're told that the iOS build will hit the App Store "this week," while the other three platforms will see launches "within 30 days." We asked the company if it was ready to announce any partnerships with hotel chains, and received the following reply: "As for integration, Y!kes is currently engaged in deep discussions with the top hotel chains and will have information pertaining to specific contracts in the near future." Needless to say, the jetsetters in the crowd will be keeping an ear to the ground for more.

Continue reading Y!kes' app-enabled system transforms hotel accessibility: talking with hotel chains, launching this month on iOS, Android, BlackBerry and WP7

Y!kes' app-enabled system transforms hotel accessibility: talking with hotel chains, launching this month on iOS, Android, BlackBerry and WP7 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 19 Jun 2012 12:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gooseberry Android board plans to sate those still waiting on a Raspberry Pi (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/06/19/gooseberry-android-board-plans-to-sate-those-still-waiting-on-a/

Gooseberry android board released to sate those still waiting on a Raspberry Pi

If one of the aims of the Raspberry Pi was to embody the "do-it-yourself" ethos, then it's already succeeded. Annoyed at the wait for the education-friendly board to arrive, the anonymous creator of the Gooseberry decided to build their own. Looking reasonably similar to its inspiration, it's packing a 1GHz AllWinner CPU, 400MHz Mali GPU, 512MB RAM and 4GB of onboard storage. It'll go on sale in the UK for £40 ($63) shortly, running Gingerbread and is capable of running HD video -- as demonstrated by the video we've got for you after the break.

Continue reading Gooseberry Android board plans to sate those still waiting on a Raspberry Pi (video)

Gooseberry Android board plans to sate those still waiting on a Raspberry Pi (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 19 Jun 2012 13:16:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Giant Tie Clips Keep Your Veggies On the Grill and Out Of the Fire [Cooking]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5919536/giant-tie-clips-keep-your-veggies-on-the-grill-and-out-of-the-fire

Giant Tie Clips Keep Your Veggies On the Grill and Out Of the FireVegetables and BBQs were meant to be together, but for every piece of grilled asparagus that makes it to the table, how many fall through the grill to a fiery death? It's a terrible summer epidemic that these Grill Clips should alleviate.

They might look like oversized tie clips, but these spring-loaded grips are designed to securely hold thinner or delicate veggies that are most at risk of falling through the grill when flipped. Think of them as stainless steel insurance that guarantees your asparagus, green onions, and zucchinis all make it to the table. You can get a set of four for $15 and they might even eventually pay for themselves, if you find yourself having to buy extra grill fixings to compensate for the vegetables that get left behind. [Sur La Table via OhGizmo!]

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Here's How Microsoft's Surface Tablet Compares To The iPad (AAPL, MSFT)

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/microsoft-surface-and-ipad-specs-comparison-2012-6

Now that we have most of the details behind Microsoft's first tablet, let's take a look at how the hardware compares to Apple's iPad. 

The Surface comes in two configurations: RT and Pro. The RT model will feature a tablet-only interface. The Pro model will run the full version of Windows 8 and work with older Windows apps.

DON'T MISS: The first photos of Microsoft Surface

Here's the breakdown:

   
Spec Surface RT Surface Pro New iPad (Third Generation)
Operating System Windows RT Windows 8 iOS 5
Weight 1.49 lbs 1.99 lbs 1.44 lbs (Wi-Fi model), 1.46 lbs (Wi-Fi + Cellular model)
Thickness 9.3 mm 13.5 mm 9.4 mm
Battery 31.5 W-h battery, no word on battery life 42 W-h battery, no word on battery life 42.5 W-h battery, 10 hours of life on Wi-Fi, 9 hours of life on cellular 
Storage 32 GB or 64 GB 64 GB or 128 GB 16 GB, 32 GB, or 64 GB
Ports USB, Micro SD USB, Micro SD Charging port
Processor, RAM Nvidia ARM processor (no specifics on speed yet) Intel Core i5 (no specifics on speed yet) Dual-core 1GHz A5X, 1 GB RAM
Data Connection Wi-Fi only Wi-Fi only Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi with 4G LTE, or Wi-Fi with 3G (depending on country and carrier)

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