Eyes-on: University of Pennsylvania's TitanArm exoskeleton (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/05/04/eyes-on-university-of-pennsylvanias-titanarm-exoskeleton/

TitanArm already took home silver in a competition for senior projects at the University of Pennsylvania, and now the team behind it is visiting Orlando to compete in the Intel-sponsored Cornell Cup for embedded design. We stopped by the showroom and snagged a few minutes with the crew to take a look at their creation: an 18-pound, untethered, self-powered exoskeleton arm constructed for less than $2,000.

To wield the contraption, users attach the cable-driven mechanical appendage to themselves with straps from a military-grade hiking backpack, and guide it with a thumbstick on a nunchuck-like controller. If a load needs to be held in place, the wearer can jab a button on the hand-held control to apply a brake. A Beagle Bone drives the logic for the setup, and it can stream data such as range of motion wirelessly to a computer. As for battery-life, they group says the upper-body suit has previously squeezed out over 24 hours of use without having to recharge.

Gallery: TitanArm hands-on

Filed under: Robots, Alt

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Google+ widget lets you embed Photo Spheres on any website

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/05/04/google-widget-photo-sphere/

One of the biggest highlights of Android's jump to 4.2 was the addition of Photo Sphere, a 360-degree panoramic shooting mode that pans vertically as well as horizontally. It's a neat trick, but the only way to share it was on Google+ or on a device running Android 4.2 or higher. Now, thanks to a new widget that utilizes the Google+ Platform API, you can embed an interactive 360-degree slideshow on any website you choose -- so long as your photos are stored on G+ and PicasaWeb. If you're willing to play around with a bit of code, have a peek at the source to get started.

[Image credit: Colby Brown]

Filed under: Internet, Google

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Via: Colby Brown Photography, Google+

Source: Google Developers

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Acer outs the Iconia A1: 7.9-inch IPS display and built-in 3G, priced at $169 (hands-on)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/05/03/acer-iconia-a1-tablet/

And the news just keeps on coming. Acer just made yet a third product announcement here at its New York City press event. That would be the Acer Iconia A1 tablet, the same Android tablet leaked by a French retailer a few weeks back. Well, it's official now, and it's going on sale in the US later this month for $169. Spec-wise, it measures 11.1mm thick, runs a 1.2GHz quad-core processor from MediaTek, and is topped off by a 7.9-inch IPS display with 1,024 x 768 resolution (hey, what'd you expect on a budget tablet?). It also has 8 or 16GB of internal storage, as well as built-in 3G, similar to the comparably priced FonePad from ASUS. As for software customizations, you'll find Acer's WakeApp feature which lets you launch into a designated app when you wake the tablet from sleep.

In our brief hands-on, the device felt like you'd expect a $169 tablet to feel: it's made of plastic, and lacks any sort of visual flare, but the back cover at least feels durable, and doesn't seem to pick up many fingerprints (especially in white). The display, too, might be the best part about the device, its low pixel count be damned: the viewing angles are wide enough that you can read the screen with the tablet lying face-up on a table. That's all for now, but we've got some hands-on shots below.

Update: We've amended the post with full (and correct!) specs.

Update #2: Acer's confirmed the 16GB version of the tablet should sell for about $199 in the US. It's expected to ht shelves by the end of the month.

Gallery: Acer Iconia A1 hands-on

Filed under: Tablets, Acer

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Acer brings options galore to new Aspire V5 and V7 laptops (hands-on)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/05/03/acer-new-aspire-v5-v7-ultrabook-laptops/

Choice, you say? Acer's newest laptop duo is offering that in spades. At a gala this morning in New York City, the company rolled out quite the arrangement of new kit -- not the least of which was a revamped Aspire V5 and Aspire V7. The two lines ship with a 14- or 15.6-inch display, giving users the option of a 1,366 x 768 panel or a (highly recommended) 1,920 x 1,080 IPS panel; those seeking something even smaller will also find an 11.6-inch option in the V5 range, weighing just three pounds and measuring under an inch thick. The whole lot can be selected with dual- or quad-core chips from AMD and Intel, while select configurations are equipped with NVIDIA's GeForce GT7XXM series or AMD's Radeon HD8750 discrete graphics.

In essence, the V7 only differs from the V5 by adding a "silky touch" finish on the bottom, the "latest Intel CPUs," optional SSDs and Intel's Wireless Display (WiDi) technology. Both ranges offer the new Acer Converter Port, which aims to make the act of connecting to an external display, HDD, router, etc. a lesson in simplicity. The newfangled V series will ship at the end of the month with prices starting at $499, but you can bet that the model you're really after will land far north of that.

Gallery: Acer Aspire V5 hands-on (2013)

Gallery: Acer Aspire V7 hands-on (2013)

Filed under: Laptops, Acer

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Source: Acer

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Insert Coin: $250 Casetop turns your smartphone into a laptop (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/05/03/insert-coin-casetop-smartphone-laptop-dock/

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.

We keep hearing about how handheld devices are replacing laptops, so how about doing it literally? Casetop just launched a laptop-style dock on Kickstarter that you can plug your smartphone into, turning it into the processor, graphics engine and trackpad of a "laptop." In return, the dock will give you an 11.1-inch 720p display, full-sized keyboard, stereo speakers, HDMI input, MHL video input, dual-mode MicroUSB, audio output and "always-powered" USB for charging other devices. Unlike similar offerings such as the still-unshipped Clambook (or Motorola's ill-fated Lapdock) the Casebook uses the handset as a trackpad, and the creators say that it won't be device-specific, working instead with a large number of smartphones from Apple, Blackberry, Samsung and others. Of course, it needs to meet the lofty $300,000 funding goal for all that to happen, but if you're optimistic, hit the source to plop down your $250 minimum pledge.

Filed under: Cellphones, Laptops

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Source: Casetop

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