|  |  |  | | | | | Engadget | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  Be honest: was there any doubt whatsoever that something called a "Holey Optochip" would be anything short of mind-blowing? No. None. The whiz-kids over at IBM have somehow managed to transmit a staggering 1Tbps of data over a new optical chip, with the fresh prototype showing promise for ultra-high interconnect bandwidth to power future supercomputer and data center applications. For those who'd rather not deal with esoteric descriptions, that's around 500 HD movies being transferred each second, and it's enough to transfer the entire U.S. Library of Congress web archive in just 60 minutes. Needless to say, it's light pulses taking charge here, and researchers are currently hunting for ways to make use of optical signals within standard low-cost, high-volume chip manufacturing techniques. Getting the feeling that your own personal supercomputer is just a year or two away? Hate to burst your bubble, but IBM's been touting similar achievements since at least 2008. Actually, scratch that -- where there's hope, there's Holey. IBM's Holey Optochip transmits 1Tbps of data, is named awesomely originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 12 Mar 2012 00:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink  PC World |  IBM | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  NASA's overall initiatives may be throttled, but the Gravity Recovery And Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) spacecraft haven't heard of any such limitations. These guys have officially started their collection mission, orbiting the moon for the next 80-some-odd days in order to obtain a high-resolution map of the lunar gravitational field. Why? Humans told 'em too, of course. Outside of the conventional knee-jerk response, scientists are also hoping to grok more about the moon's "internal structure and composition," and perhaps even get a better understanding of how "Earth and other rocky planets in the solar system formed and evolved." Cleverly, the GRAIL mission's twin machines are named Ebb and Flow (thanks to a group of youngsters in Bozeman, Montana), and while it's not being made public, we wouldn't be shocked to hear that the whole thing is being covertly funded by Sir Richard Branson. The moon is totally the next hot real estate market, right? Continue reading NASA's GRAIL spacecraft begin the process of staring way too hard at the moon NASA's GRAIL spacecraft begin the process of staring way too hard at the moon originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 11 Mar 2012 23:26:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink io9 | MSNBC, NASA (1), (2) | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Samsung's 4.3-inch Mango phone looked and felt very much like a Galaxy S II, even down to that lovely Super AMOLED Plus display and its plastic housing. It packed the same internals as the Focus Flash, excepting that it came with 16GB rather than 8GB on-board. It was perfectly likable as a handset, which was our reviewers biggest problem with it: we just couldn't find a strong and compelling reason to part with $200 for one. Still, thousands of you got one of these, so we'd like to know what compelled you all to go for it and, after several months of using it day in, day out, if you had the choice, what would you change? How would you change the Samsung Focus S? originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 11 Mar 2012 22:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Rejoice, photo filter fans, Instagram is heading to Android "very soon," according to founder Kevin Systrom. Speaking at South by Southwest, Systrom raved about the app's growth, boasting of its 27 million registered users. "They're not excited about it because it makes your photos look beautiful," he says, "They're excited because it networks people across the world and it's the single fastest growing thing in mobile period." The Android version is currently being tested in a private beta, and it's reported to be superior than its iOS counterpart. "It's really, really fast," Systrom said. Don't look so surprised, he did tell us, after all, that iOS was just the beginning. Instagram hits 27 million user milestone, teases Android app at SXSW originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 11 Mar 2012 19:25:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Huffington Post | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | It took six years, but at long last, Anna Konda has a formidable firefighting partner. SAFFiR, also known as the Shipboard Autonomous Firefighting Robot, is being shaped by scientists at the Naval Research Laboratory. As the story goes, it's a humanoid robot that's being engineered to "move autonomously throughout the ship, interact with people, and fight fires, handling many of the dangerous firefighting tasks that are normally performed by humans." Outside of being stoic (and brawny) from tip to tip, it's also outfitted with multi-modal sensor technology for advanced navigation and a sensor suite that includes a camera, gas sensor, and stereo IR camera to enable it to see through smoke. We're told that its internal batteries can keep it cranking for a solid half-hour, while being capable of manipulating fire suppressors and throwing propelled extinguishing agent technology (PEAT) grenades. Wilder still, it'll be able to balance in "sea conditions," making it perfect for killing flames while onboard a ship. Of course, it's also being tweaked to work with a robotic team, giving it undercover powers to eventually turn the flames on the folks that created it. Paranoid? Maybe. But who are we to be too careful? SAFFiR: the autonomous, firefighting humanoid robot originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 11 Mar 2012 19:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | U.S. Naval Research Laboratory | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us -- it's the Week in Green.
This week the Chevy Volt lit up the newswires after GM announced plans to temporarily halt its production -- Inhabitat brought you an interview with Chevy on the shutdown and explained why it doesn't foretell electric vehicle doomsday. We also showcased you the hottest new vehicles straight from the Geneva Motor Show -- including Infiniti's sexy Emerg-E sports car, Toyota's ultra-compact FT-Bh hybrid, and Nissan's Hi-Cross hybrid crossover. On the lighter side of things, this week a LEGO space shuttle soared into the stratosphere, we featured an insane Russian bicycle powered by a chainsaw, and DARPA's robotic cheetah broke a world land speed record.
 Groundbreaking green architecture projects reached for the sky as Tokyo's Sky Tree was crowned the world's second tallest building and the eVolo Skyscraper Competition unveiled its futuristic finalists -- including an energy-generating tower made entirely from trash, a spiraling water-storing spire for the Himalayas, and a spherical underwater skyscraper that recycles plastic pollution. New York City also made waves as Mayor Bloomberg called for a solid waste to energy facility, Terreform proposed plans for a self-sufficient NYC covered with vertical gardens, and a new cupcake ATM hit the streets of Manhattan.
It was also a big week for consumer tech as Apple launched its brand new iPad -- however in the light of recent criticism over Apple's labor conditions we took a look at the human cost of Apple's products and we shared 5 things you should know before buying the iPad 3. Meanwhile, researchers at MIT developed a breakthrough LED light that exceeds 100 percent efficiency, and we brought you an inside look at 5 high-tech green data centers that serve the environment. Finally, scientists discovered several amazing new uses for spider silk by weaving it into violin strings that create superior symphonic sounds and insulation that conducts heat 800 times better than any other organic material. Inhabitat's Week in Green: interview with Chevy, breakthrough LED light and spider silk violin strings originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 11 Mar 2012 18:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us -- it's the Week in Green.
This week the Chevy Volt lit up the newswires after GM announced plans to temporarily halt its production -- Inhabitat brought you an interview with Chevy on the shutdown and explained why it doesn't foretell electric vehicle doomsday. We also showcased you the hottest new vehicles straight from the Geneva Motor Show -- including Infiniti's sexy Emerg-E sports car, Toyota's ultra-compact FT-Bh hybrid, and Nissan's Hi-Cross hybrid crossover. On the lighter side of things, this week a LEGO space shuttle soared into the stratosphere, we featured an insane Russian bicycle powered by a chainsaw, and DARPA's robotic cheetah broke a world land speed record.
Groundbreaking green architecture projects reached for the sky as Tokyo's Sky Tree was crowned the world's second tallest building and the eVolo Skyscraper Competition unveiled its futuristic finalists -- including an energy-generating tower made entirely from trash, a spiraling water-storing spire for the Himalayas, and a spherical underwater skyscraper that recycles plastic pollution. New York City also made waves as Mayor Bloomberg called for a solid waste to energy facility, Terreform proposed plans for a self-sufficient NYC covered with vertical gardens, and a new cupcake ATM hit the streets of Manhattan.
It was also a big week for consumer tech as Apple launched its brand new iPad -- however in the light of recent criticism over Apple's labor conditions we took a look at the human cost of Apple's products and we shared 5 things you should know before buying the iPad 3. Meanwhile, researchers at MIT developed a breakthrough LED light that exceeds 100 percent efficiency, and we brought you an inside look at 5 high-tech green data centers that serve the environment. Finally, scientists discovered several amazing new uses for spider silk by weaving it into violin strings that create superior symphonic sounds and insulation that conducts heat 800 times better than any other organic material. Inhabitat's Week in Green: interview with Chevy, breakthrough LED light and spider silk violin strings originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 11 Mar 2012 18:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ReCellular's hardly a new name in the recycling universe, but as more and more individuals toss their dumbphone for a smarter alternative, the Ann Arbor-based outfit is seeing a new wave of interest. iFixit, a company that thrives on tearing down gadgetry both new and old in order to inform people of their repair and upgrade options, recently had the opportunity to tour ReCellular's monolithic warehouse, where some 10,000 used phones are processed every 24 hours. The tour also included a bit of back-and-forth with the founder, who isn't against the seemingly endless churn of devices. In fact, he quips that "we have the right to get a phone that's smaller and a prettier color if we want," insinuating that ReCellular simply exists to provide a better home to older gizmos than in some landfill. Perhaps surprisingly, Chuck Newman even confesses that the whole "environmental message" isn't very effective, which is why it distributes prepaid envelopes to encourage recycling that would probably not happen otherwise. Eager to read more? Give those links below a tap. ReCellular's headquarters toured by iFixit, recycling and redistribution gets a closer look originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 11 Mar 2012 17:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink iFixit | The Atlantic | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | We got a little worried when ITG missed its January unveiling for the xpPhone 2, but yesterday, this Windows 7-powered smartphone finally made its debut public appearance in Guangzhou, and we happened to be there to scoop up a demo unit. Since we last came across the second-gen xpPhone, its ambitious Chinese manufacturer has dished out more detailed specs: the 17.5mm-thick device comes with a 4.3-inch 800 x 480 LCD made by Sharp, multitouch input, an Intel Atom Z5xx series processor up to 2GHz, up to 2GB of RAM, up to 112GB of SSD made by Silicon Storage Technology, microSD expansion and a multipurpose HDMI Micro socket (not HDMI Mini as we mistakenly said in our video after the break) that takes care of video, audio, data (USB 2.0) and power. Read on to find out what we think of this weird creature.
Continue reading ITG xpPhone 2 hands-on: Windows 7 on a smartphone ITG xpPhone 2 hands-on: Windows 7 on a smartphone originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 11 Mar 2012 15:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging for an update. From time to time, these mobile devices are blessed with maintenance refreshes, bug fixes, custom ROMs and anything in between, and so many of them are floating around that it's easy for a sizable chunk to get lost in the mix. To make sure they don't escape without notice, we've gathered every possible update, hack, and other miscellaneous tomfoolery we could find during the last week and crammed them into one convenient roundup. If you find something available for your device, please give us a shout at tips at engadget dawt com and let us know. Enjoy! Continue reading Refresh Roundup: week of March 5th, 2012 Refresh Roundup: week of March 5th, 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 11 Mar 2012 15:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  Sure, iRobot may have a strong presence in the impending robot apocolypse world of autonomous vacuum cleaners, but lest we forget about the others like Neato Robotics. The company's introducing the retro-futuristic XV-21 Pet and Allergy Vacuum for those of us wanting rid our domains of sniffle-inducing dust particles. Although the XV-21 looks similar to last year's XV-12, it features a new filter for improved airflow and suction, which Neato claims will catch three-times as many tiny bits around your domain as its normal kit. If that wasn't enough, the cleaner is also loaded with newly developed bristled brush to aid in sweeping up the likes of pet hair while keeping its noise levels to a minimum. If you're ready to leave the cleaning to the bots, this little guy is set to hit shelves in late April for $429 alongside a $60 Pet and Allergy kit packed with the filter (30 bucks on its own) and brush. Current Neato owner shouldn't fret either, as the add-ons are compatible with all of the company's vacuums, requiring only an upgrade to the latest firmware via USB. You'll find the full details in the press release after the break. Continue reading Neato Robotics' XV-21 vacuum sucks up pet hair and allergens, looks like a new-age SNES Neato Robotics' XV-21 vacuum sucks up pet hair and allergens, looks like a new-age SNES originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 11 Mar 2012 14:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  China isn't in a huge hurry get its own 4G network up and running, instead wanting to ensure the infrastructure is primed and enough compatible handsets are available before it launches. According to the head of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Miao Wei, the country needs plenty more base stations -- beyond the existing 220,000 TD-SCDMA bases and closer to 400,000 -- before the government starts offering 4G licenses. China Mobile, the country's largest mobile network, already plans to have over 20,000 TD-LTE base stations in operation by the end of this year, stepping up to 200,000 by the end of next year. This particular type of LTE hasn't quite set the world on fire just yet -- only two operators have launched TD-LTE services and a genuine handset for the network remains absent. Upgrading existing 3G stations is likely to take around three years, according to the official. At least it gives ZTE more time to get the MT73 readied for ICS -- or perhaps Android 5.0.
[Photo credit: big5.china.com.cn] Chinese official: We're not issuing 4G licenses for another two to three years originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 11 Mar 2012 12:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | PCWorld | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | If iRobot tickled your fancy, but you don't have the budget for military-grade technology, how about this fella? So, it's not officially called PlayRobot, but if there was a naming convention, we guess that would be it. The buggy has a mounted camera, which relays video back to the PlayBook over a WiFi connection set up via a BlackBerry 9900. The six-wheeler is controlled by an on-screen joystick, much like many tablet versions of arcade games. It's an entrant into this weekend's Robot Challenge in Vienna, so thanks to that video link, at the very least, if it doesn't win they can't say they didn't see it coming. Continue reading PlayBook controlled robo-buggy can see you smiling at it (video) PlayBook controlled robo-buggy can see you smiling at it (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 11 Mar 2012 10:38:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink CrackBerry | acbbpolsl (YouTube) | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Here's a juicy little rumor that's sure to excite the T-Mobile faithful. Retail training materials, acquired by TmoNews, indicate that the nation's fourth largest wireless provider may launch an "Unlimited Any Mobile" add-on early next month. The feature can be tacked on to existing T-Mo plans (with some exceptions) for a paltry $10 a month. Once added, you're free to call any US mobile without having to think about minutes, and there's no contractual commitments to the package. Sprint patrons have enjoyed this luxury for quite some time, and AT&T users can get the same, with the adoption of an unlimited text messaging plan. If this does materialize, maybe it'll help woo some of those customers back. T-Mobile to debut unlimited mobile-to-mobile plan next month? originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 11 Mar 2012 08:52:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | TmoNews | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | A German government committee is proposing changes that could force search engines operating in the country to pay for using news excerpts. The plans involve setting up a department to charge royalties from sites that aggregate news feeds, and covers them for 12-months from date of publish. This isn't the first country to attempt to protect publishers' material, with the Newspaper Licensing Agency in the UK also performing a similar role. Before you hide your news blog from German eyes, the ruling will only affect commercial outfits.
Germany's publishing executives have been pushing for such a move since a case in Belgium that saw Google News forced to stop excerpting articles. Unsurprisingly there is strong support from the industry, with 149 execs from the country already having petitioned the government with a "Hamburg Declaration on Intellectual Property Rights" proposal in 2009, and both the German Federation of Newspaper Publishers and Association of German Magazine Publishers also campaigning for change. Now that the committee has laid down clear plans, it remains to be seen if or how they will be implemented, but with the nation's track record for pulling no punches where technology is concerned, search engines might have to prepare for a rapid change in policy. German government proposes to charge search engines for excerpting news sites originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 11 Mar 2012 06:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink paidContent | Coalition Committee Report (PDF, German) | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Blood sweat and tears go into many projects, and in this case almost literally -- although technically it's blood, milk and mucus. Yep, researchers at Tel Aviv University have created biodegradable transistors from proteins found in the aforementioned organic substances. When the proteins are mixed with base materials in the right combinations, it seems they self-assemble into a semi-conducting film. Why blood, milk and mucus? Apparently, the different proteins each have unique properties. Blood's oxygen storing ability, for example, helps mix chemicals with semi-conductors to give them specific properties, while milk and mucus (the only time we want to see them together) have fiber forming, and light-creating properties respectively. The hope is that this can lead to flexible and biodegradable technology. The team at Tel Aviv says it's already working on a biodegradable display, with other electronic devices to follow -- which should help stem the flow of waste. Tel Aviv University develops biodegradable transistor, literally man made originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 11 Mar 2012 04:52:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink Gizmag | AFTAU | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Could an end to unsubsidized smartphones be on its way for US carriers? If T-Mobile's Chief Marketing Officer Cole Brodman had his way, that familiar on-contract pricing would've gone the way of the Dodo a long time ago. Speaking at this week's GeekWire Summit in Seattle, the Magenta exec vented his frustrations with the industry's current business model, citing his belief that low cost handsets not only distort consumers' perspectives, effectively "[devaluing].. the hardware they are using," but also position wireless market players to compete unevenly. When pressed as to why his own network hadn't effected the change, Brodman referenced the lack of cooperation from other major operators, in addition to a market driven by subscribers' purchase habits. As for the fourth place network's glaring iPhone omission, Brodman seemed nonplussed, highlighting the variety of Android and Windows Phones available on its lineup, while asserting his faith in a multi-OS marketplace. While you keep those toes crossed in the hopes of a subsidy-free mobile future, check out the source below for the full panel interview. T-Mobile CMO: subsidized pricing hurts wireless competition, undermines hardware value originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 11 Mar 2012 02:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink Mashable | GeekWire | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | |  | |  | |  |
