Googlerola buys Viewdle, ups Android's augmented reality and face recognition game

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/10/03/googlerola-buys-viewdle-ups-androids-augmented-reality-and-fac/

From existing tech like Face Unlock and Google Goggles to patent filings and Project Glass, it's clear that Google sees augmented reality and image recognition playing a big part in our computing future. It makes sense, then, that Big G subsidiary Motorola has bought Viewdle -- a Silicon Valley company that builds face, object, and gesture recognition technology for mobile devices. We don't know how much MMI paid for Viewdle, but we do know, thanks to a statement obtained by the good folks at TechCrunch, that the two firms "have been collaborating for some time." So, hopefully Android will reap the benefits (and fix those Face Unlock flaws) in the not-so-distant future.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile

Googlerola buys Viewdle, ups Android's augmented reality and face recognition game originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Oct 2012 21:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LG Optimus L9 for T-Mobile emerges from the magenta mist

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/10/03/lg-optimus-l9-for-t-mobile/

Looks like the Optimus G isn't the only smartphone from LG that'll soon hit US carriers, as its similarly sized (yet slower) sibling has just been outed for T-Mobile. True to form, the price and release date of the Optimus L9 are wholly absent from the equation, but outside of any substantial tweaks, shoppers may rightfully expect an Android 4.0.4 smartphone with a 4.7-inch qHD display that's powered by a dual-core 1GHz CPU. In its global iteration, the device also sports a 5-megapixel camera, 4GB of built-in storage and a 2,150mAh battery, which provides a rough guideline of what's on the horizon at T-Mobile. Naturally, there are more powerful smartphones to be found, but if the price is right, the Optimus L9 may hit a sweet spot for many.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, LG, T-Mobile

LG Optimus L9 for T-Mobile emerges from the magenta mist originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Oct 2012 22:06:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Panasonic's 75mm-thick, 100-lumen laser projector module claims world's thinnest title

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/10/04/panasonics-75mm-laser-projector/

While scanning through Panasonic's booth at CEATEC 2012, we couldn't help but notice a prototype of its world's slimmest 100-lumen laser projector module (or OIU aka optical imaging unit, as the company prefers), which can beam out an 800 x 480 picture. It's not clear when exactly we'll see this 75mm-thick device getting into consumers' hands, but there's certainly room for improvement for the image quality. Likewise, the scan-type OIU (resolution at about 400 x 300) next to the slim projector is far from ready for mass consumption, as the company is hoping to actually shrink it down and integrate it into mobile phones. That said, the fact that this technology doesn't require focusing makes it worth the wait -- the light doesn't go through an LCD filter like ordinary projectors do, and instead, it's a single laser beam scanning out the picture, hence the name.

Also shown along side were the optical bay drive pico projector that's already being offered by Fujitsu, as well as the PJ-SJ25U 854 × 480 DLP pico projector which was released in August this year. While the latter's image quality was rather impressive even under the strong ambient lighting, we struggle to appreciate the ¥56,800 or $730 price tag. Anyhow, pricing is just a matter time, as always.

Gallery: Panasonic's range of pico projectors at CEATEC 2012

Filed under: Displays

Panasonic's 75mm-thick, 100-lumen laser projector module claims world's thinnest title originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Oct 2012 02:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Researchers Discover Bacteria That Produces Pure Gold [Science]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5948739/researchers-discover-bacteria-that-can-produce-pure-gold

The gold you see in the photo above was not found in a river or a mine. It was produced by a bacteria that, according to researchers at Michigan State University, can survive in extreme toxic environments and create 24-karat gold nuggets. Pure gold.

Maybe this critter can save us all from the global economic crisis.

Or at least make Kazem Kashefi—assistant professor of microbiology and molecular genetics—and Adam Brown—associate professor of electronic art and intermedia—rich. They are the ones who have created a compact laboratory that uses the bacteria Cupriavidus metallidurans to turn gold chlroride—a toxic chemical liquid you can find in nature—into 99.9% pure gold.

Accoding to Kashefi, they are doing "microbial alchemy" by "something that has no value into a solid, precious metal that's valuable."

The bacteria is incredibly resistant to this toxic element. In fact, it's 25 times stronger than previously thought. The researchers' compact factory—which they named The Great Work of the Metal Lover—holds the bacteria as they feed it the gold chloride. In about a week, the bacteria does its job, processing all that junk into the precious metal—a process they believe happens regularly in nature.

So yes, basically, Cupriavidus metallidurans can eat toxins and poop out gold nuggets.

It seems that medieval alchemists were looking for the Philosopher's Stone—the magic element that could turn lead to gold—in the wrong place. It's not a mineral. It's a bug. [Michigan State University]

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The gold laboratory created by Kashefi and Brown. It contains the bacteria and the toxic crap they feed it.

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This is Cupriavidus metallidurans in action, eating away the toxins and producing the gold.

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Canon EOS M review: was Canon's first mirrorless ILC worth the four-year wait?

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/10/03/canon-eos-m-review/

More Info

• Leaked EOS M photo looks like Canon's long-awaited mirrorless camera
• Canon unveils EOS M mirrorless: 18 MP APS-C, EF compatibility, $800 in October with 22mm lens
• Canon EOS M mirrorless camera hands-on

It's here. Finally. Well, that is, if you happen to live in Japan. Canon's very first mirrorless interchangeable lens camera should be hitting shops the world over just as you begin to make room for that decked-out evergreen conifer, but the EOS M is already making the rounds in Canon's home country. It's available at select Japanese retailers for ¥109,900 (about $1,410, including sales tax). That lofty price will net you the EOS M in black, white or silver (the glossy red model remains elusive), complete with 55mm f/2 and 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 EF-M optics, a Speedlite 90EX external flash and the EF-M Lens Adapter, enabling full compatibility with any and all of your EF and EF-S lenses. The US variant, which comes bundled with only the black 22mm "pancake" STM lens, should run you $799 when it appears stateside beginning October 15th, though neither country's model carries a particularly competitive price tag, especially considering how diverse (and well-equipped) the mirrorless ILC market has become.

You might argue that Canon is borrowing a play out of Nikon's book when it comes to pricing the EOS M -- had the camera offered full DSLR functionality, including an advanced user interface, a $799 sticker might be justified. But the company has crippled its new compact shooter so as to avoid cannibalizing its still-successful full-size APS-C DSLR lineup, which includes models ranging from the Rebel T3 (about $475) to the EOS 7D (about $1,350). Appropriately, the EOS M falls right in the middle in terms of capabilities, with the added benefit of a new, nearly pocketable design that should win over more than its fair share of amateurs. That said, there's a reason larger SLRs remain on the market, and Canon very much wants to retain that solid footing. The EOS M isn't for everyone, and that's by design. But is it the right pick for you? Join us past the break as we try it on for size.

Gallery: Canon EOS M review

Continue reading Canon EOS M review: was Canon's first mirrorless ILC worth the four-year wait?

Filed under: Cameras, Canon

Canon EOS M review: was Canon's first mirrorless ILC worth the four-year wait? originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Oct 2012 11:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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