Google gives WWF $5 million to fund wildlife-observing drones

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/12/06/google-gives-wwf-5-million-to-fund-wildlife-observing-drones/

Most of the drone-related news these days may focus on military or police use, but those are far from the only applications for the unmanned aerial vehicles. Case in point: the World Wildlife Fund, which has now received a $5 million grant from Google's Global Impact Awards program to fund UAVs designed to monitor endangered species. Details on the drones themselves remain light, but the WWF says they'll be used to detect poachers and tagged animals on the ground, and then relay that information to a command center and mobile law enforcement units. What's more, while that initial funding will only provide something of a testbed, the WWF says it's focusing on "easily-replicable technologies," with its ultimate goal being to create an "efficient, effective network that can be adopted globally."

[Image credit: WWF]

Filed under: Misc, Google

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Via: BBC News

Source: WWF

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Insert Coin: Transporter, the collaborative, internet connected, peer-to-peer storage hub (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/12/06/insert-coin-transporter-the-collaborative-cloud-storage-hub/

In Insert Coin, we look at an exciting new tech project that requires funding before it can hit production. If you'd like to pitch a project, please send us a tip with "Insert Coin" as the subject line.

Although cloud storage is a mainstay of modern teamwork, there's any number of problems that come along with trusting it explicitly: the limited space for the money, the heavy dependence on a constant connection and the risk that a hack could expose sensitive projects. Veterans from Drobo, Sling Media and TiVo (among others) think they've got a much safer solution in the Transporter, a dedicated internet connected storage hub. Once online, the funnel-shaped device stores and automatically syncs files with the Transporters of invited friends and groups -- and only their Transporters. The focused sharing space keeps data both private and accessible offline, while free accounts limit the costs to the hub and a 2.5-inch hard drive, if it isn't already in the box.

Continue reading Insert Coin: Transporter, the collaborative, internet connected, peer-to-peer storage hub (video)

Filed under: Storage, Internet

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Source: Transporter (Kickstarter)

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Mushkin shipping 'world's first' 480GB mSATA SSD in January for $500

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/12/06/mushkin-480gb-msata-ssd-500-jan/

Today, component maker Mushkin announced plans to ship the "world's first" 480GB mSATA solid-state drive. Priced at a respectable $500, the made-in-the-USA Atlas SSD is expected to ship beginning in early January, and features a SandForce SF-2281 controller with an unthrottled IOPS, a SATA III (6Gb/s) interface and a three-year warranty. At a little over $1 per gigabyte, ultrabook power users looking to push their storage capacity beyond its current 256GB boundary may want to keep an eye out for this burly option in the coming weeks. For more details, check out the press release after the break.

Continue reading Mushkin shipping 'world's first' 480GB mSATA SSD in January for $500

Filed under: Laptops, Storage

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Via: AnandTech

Source: Mushkin

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Galaxy S III 'Premium Suite' features detailed: Multi-Window, Page Buddy and more (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/12/06/galaxy-s-iii-premium-suite-features-detailed-multi-window-pa/

Samsung started pushing a new Jelly Bean update to its Galaxy S III phones yesterday, and it's posted a video breaking down some of the features. Many of the "Premium Suite" upgrades are cribbed from the Galaxy Note II, but we're sure users will still enjoy multi-window, a customizable notification panel, smart rotation and more. The video shows off the new multitasking, NFC and reader features, plus contextual awareness tweaks that adjust the phone around your actions. Some of the other new features are apparently being saved for part two of the video, but if you need something to keep busy until 4.2 eventually arrives you can check it out after the break.

Continue reading Galaxy S III 'Premium Suite' features detailed: Multi-Window, Page Buddy and more (video)

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Samsung

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Source: Samsung Tomorrow

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Google+ makes you feel at home with Communities, 'a place for whatever you're into'

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/12/06/google-communities/

Google's social service has provided a venue for chatting and collaborating with family and friends, but it hasn't exactly been the best place to get to know strangers who happen to share similar interests. That seems to be the idea behind Communities -- think of it as Facebook Groups, but within the Google ecosystem. Google+ Communities can be open to anyone on the network, but they can be private if you wish, so members have the opportunity to share photos, forum posts, and even add Hangouts and Events without worrying about that content being available to anyone and everyone on the web. The network's latest feature is set to roll out today, so keep an eye out for the Communities icon to hit your Google+ sidebar. You can also snag a sneak peek in the intro video just past the break.

Continue reading Google+ makes you feel at home with Communities, 'a place for whatever you're into'

Filed under: Internet, Google

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Source: Google Blog

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