|  |  |  | | | | | Engadget | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  Apple has withdrawn all its laptop and desktop computers from the EPEAT environmental rating system, including older MacBook Pro and MacBook Air models. According to iFixit, who recently tore down a MacBook Pro and its retina screen, that's likely related to a design direction favoring smaller, lighter notebooks and longer battery life. Doing so required them to glue the cells to the aluminum shell, making it impossible to recycle the case and other parts -- iFixit couldn't pull the batteries out without spilling the (highly toxic) battery guts all over. Cupertino's decision means that many federal agencies might not be able to buy those products, since 95 percent of its electronics purchasing must conform to the EPEAT standard. On top of that, many educational institutions that require the certification would also need to opt out of Mac purchases, as well as large corporations like HSBC and Ford. Currently, iPhones and iPads are exempt from that certification, but considering recent ads from Apple specifically touting its conformance to EPEAT, the company might have some 'splaining to do. [Image credit: iFixit] Apple pulls out of EPEAT green registration, may not be able to sell computers to federal agencies originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 07 Jul 2012 02:18:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink  WSJ |  iFixit | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  The decision to invest in an electric vehicle would be much easier to justify if the car in question offered unlimited range. That appears to be the concept behind a Toyohashi University research group's wireless power prototype, which can successfully transmit electricity through a 10 centimeter-thick concrete block. During a demonstration in Yokohama, Japan, the team sent between 50 and 60 watts of power through a pair of concrete blocks to two tires, which then juiced up a light bulb (you can see the rig just above). The project is called EVER (Electric Vehicle on Electrified Roadway), and could someday be used to keep cars moving along a highway without any need to pull over for a recharge, thanks to a constant stream of electricity coming from below the road. There are some serious obstacles to overcome before EVER can get some wheels turning -- namely, a need to pump nearly 100 times the current maximum load through concrete that's twice as thick as what they've managed today, not to mention improving undisclosed efficiency levels -- but the group reportedly said that it's up to the task, making us fairly optimistic that such a solution could one day get us from A to B without petrol. Until then, you'll probably want to plan out a pit stop or two before you leave the garage. Japanese group transmits electricity through 4-inch concrete block, could power cars on roads originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 07 Jul 2012 00:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink TechOn, The Verge | Toyohashi University of Technology | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  Remember the melted Samsung Galaxy S III that surfaced in an Irish forum a few weeks ago? Samsung said they were looking into it and, along with a third party investigation, have decided it occurred as a result of "external energy" being applied to the device, not anything from within the phone itself. The damage is apparently consistent with the phone going in the microwave. The original poster dillo2k10 has posted an update on Boards.ie, indicating it was a mistake by someone else in an attempt to recover the phone after it got wet. The Samsung Tomorrow post linked cites a report from Fire Investigations UK finding that the phone itself was not responsible for generating the heat that caused the damage, so GSIII owners (and the pockets of their skinny jeans) should be able to breathe easier. Samsung finds exploding Galaxy S III was due to 'external source', owner says it was a 'mistake' originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 06 Jul 2012 23:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Samsung Tomorrow, Boards.ie | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  Virginia's nTelos was part of a big regional carrier push for the iPhone in April. At the time, though, the only real option at the carrier was to spring for one of the company's full-fledged smartphone plans, usually on-contract -- not a bad value at $80, but a tougher case to make when there's Cricket and Virgin Mobile iPhones available with a cheaper rate. As of today, nTelos is offering a much sweeter deal for the commitment-phobic. If the $550-plus full price of an iPhone 4 or 4S stays palatable, the option is now open to go prepaid at $55 a month for unlimited voice, messaging and data with nTelos' FRAWG Nationwide Unlimited Everything plan. You'll still want to reside in the state for nTelos to truly make sense, but if you regularly cheer the Hokies with pride, going the Apple route just got a lot more flexible.
[Thanks, Garrett] nTelos starts selling iPhone without contract, Apple's prepaid sphere grows a little larger originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 06 Jul 2012 23:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | nTelos | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  If you're in China and use a free chat app called Weixin on Android or iOS, you're about to get no-charge VoIP as well thanks to an imminent update. The company is set to join the likes of Skype, Viber and Korea's Kakao Talk in providing free cellphone calls to the nation and ought to make a huge splash given the massive 100 million user install base. The Tencent-owned service is also adding Bluetooth support, a matching VoIP web service and a complete redesign of its site, according to TechNode. There's no release date yet or word on whether the English version WeChat will get it, but if so, it might make those pricey cellphone calls to friends and family overseas a lot freer. 100 million smartphone owners in China getting free VoIP through messaging app Weixin originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 06 Jul 2012 22:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink TNW | TechNode | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  Mozilla's Thunderbird mail client just hasn't enjoyed the same level of stardom as its Firefox cousin. Their developer must be feeling this discrepancy more than most, as the company has confirmed plans to take the organization out of active Thunderbird development. The shift is officially being spun as an adaptation that lets the Foundation center its energy on Firefox OS and the usual browser plans, but when Mozilla proper will only be handling bug fixes and security updates for a client that's "not a priority," we'd say it's putting Thunderbird on ice. Accordingly, leaked details from TechCrunch show Mozilla moving some of the team out of the project at some point; any new features will have to come from the community, which suggests the future upgrade schedule will be more than a bit unpredictable. The writing is on the wall soon enough that existing owners could have food for thought well before a final strategy is due in early September. Mozilla giving Thunderbird the (effective) axe, leaving its fate to the community originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 06 Jul 2012 21:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink TechCrunch | Lizard Wrangling | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  It's no secret that both the 8GB and 16GB variants of Google's Nexus 7 have been set to ship in two to three weeks from pre-orders placed at its Play store. While retailers like Gamestop are also remaining mum on specifics, Staples has stepped up with actual arrival dates on its US and Canadian websites for the 16GB model. Apparently, fast fingers within the United 50 that lay out $250 to reserve one of the Jelly Bean-loaded slates by July 10 can expect it to arrive as early as the 13th -- that said, Staples notes that this "limited quantity" of initial stock is set to ship "between July and July 17th. Heading to Staple's site for the Great White North, the tablet is listed to hit shelves in-stores and online on the 23rd for 259 Canadian dollars, however, there's no word on when online orders might ship. We'd still advise you to take these dates with some NaCL at this point, but it's likely a safe to bet that you'll have yours before August if you place an order soon. Google Nexus 7 tablet gets mid-July arrival dates from Staples in US and Canada originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 06 Jul 2012 20:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink SlashGear | Staples (US), (Canada) | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  While Ridley Scott's Prometheus is still in theaters, it's been available for preorder on Blu-ray 3D since before the flick debuted, and now Amazon France has exposed the full list of extras on the way. The bad news, pointed out by Movies.com and Prometheus Forum, is that those anticipating a classic Ridley Scott Director's Cut to fill in plot holes appear to be in for a disappointment -- while there are 15 minutes of extended / cut scenes, there's no indication that you'll be able to watch the movie with them reinserted. There are a lot of other extras, including a director's commentary, extensive making-of featurettes, many of the short viral videos that were posted previously and production materials, along with a Second Screen iPad app. The specific set listed includes the other Alien flicks, but since we're sure you've already snagged the Anthology with its MU-TH-UR interactive mode you'll probably be looking for a more limited release. The release date for the set remains October 9th, hit the source link for the listing or check out the full list of features and a trailer after the break. Continue reading Prometheus Blu-ray extras leak reveals Second Screen app and 15 minutes of deleted scenes Prometheus Blu-ray extras leak reveals Second Screen app and 15 minutes of deleted scenes originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 06 Jul 2012 19:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink Movies.com, Prometheus Forum | Amazon France | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  Of all the childhood toys to update for the early 21st century, the Furby seems like a no-brainer. After all, the hairy ball of amalgamated animal strangeness packed in electronics so baffled the general public that it managed to get itself banned from the Pentagon as a threat to national security. After the Furby was first decommissioned in 2000 (managing to sell an impressive 40 million units in its first three years), Hasbro attempted to revamp the line in 2005 with Emtro-Tronic Furbies, bigger versions of the toy that brought increased facial emotions and voice recognition, failing to recapture the success of the original line. The latest addition to the line marks a much more significant update for our old furry pal, bringing him up-to-date for a generation growing up with smartphones and tablets, with revamped aesthetics, new innards and an appetite for Apple's iPad. We managed to get our hands on the squirming and verbose little Mogwai-esque creature -- four of them in fact -- for a bit, when Habro popped by our office with a furry blue army packed in a duffle bag. Check out some impressions of the reborn furball after the break. Continue reading Furby gets a reboot for 2012, we go hands-on (video) Furby gets a reboot for 2012, we go hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 06 Jul 2012 17:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  The United Nations defines the stereotype of a peace broker, so it's not that far-fetched to hear that its International Telecommunication Union (ITU) wing is hoping to step in and cool down the rapidly escalating patent world war. The organization plans to convene a Patent Roundtable on October 10th -- in neutral Geneva, Switzerland, of course -- to have smartphone makers, governments and standards groups try and resolve some of their differences. Those mostly concerned about Apple's actions won't be happy with the focus of the sit-down, however. Most of the attention will surround allegations that companies are abusing standards-based patents, which will put the heat largely on a Google-owned Motorola as well as Samsung. Still, there's hope when the the ITU's Secretary-General Dr. Hamadoun Touré talks of desiring a "balancing act" between what patent holders want and what customers need. Our real hope is that we don't have to hear talk of customs delays and product bans for a long while afterwards. [Image credit: Patrick Gruban, Flickr] ITU wants to bring smartphone makers to peace talks, hash out patent wars originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 06 Jul 2012 17:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink BBC | ITU | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  It's been nearly a month since we saw Facebook officially introduce us to its newly minted App Center, and now Zuck & Co. are taking the application-loaded service to internet grounds over in the UK. Facebook's App Center in the Kingdom (or, as UKers call it, App Centre) won't be much different in comparison to its American counterpart, thus you'll still be able to grab all those big-name apps like the network's own Instagram, Draw Something, Spotify and Pinterest -- of course, there's over 600 others to choose from. In addition to these, though, there are some Euro-specific additions to the application mix, including Deezer's music streaming goods. Eager to find out what all the App Centre fuss is about? Then head over to the source below, where you'll be able to poke around it yourself. Facebook's App Center pokes its way into the UK, now available to you and your friends originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 06 Jul 2012 17:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink Telegraph | Facebook | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  It's hard to underestimate the value of brand loyalty. Just ask Verizon Wireless. It's with satisfied Incredible and Incredible 2 owners in mind that the carrier is promoting the Droid Incredible 4G LTE, a 4-inch, $149 device that -- as you may have guessed -- rides along VZW's fast LTE network. Interestingly, the Incredible 4G LTE is landing at a time when many consumers might have preferred, say, the HTC One X. In fact, though, Verizon's decision to instead update the Incredible (also made by HTC) introduces a rather enviable proposition to Verizon customers. Remember that in a short matter of time, the Samsung Galaxy S III will soon make its debut at Verizon, at which point, it's expected to become the network's premiere smartphone. Still, its large size will deter many shoppers, and when viewed through this lens, the Droid Incredible 4G LTE begins to make sense. Put simply, it's a compact handset that stands as the antithesis to the assumption that size equals power. While the handset doesn't quite approach the capabilities or elegance of the One X (or the One S, for that matter), the latest Incredible is a worthy successor and deserves consideration as your next smartphone -- regardless of your current provider. Read on to learn why. Continue reading Droid Incredible 4G LTE review: Verizon gets an excellent smaller-sized Android phone Droid Incredible 4G LTE review: Verizon gets an excellent smaller-sized Android phone originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 06 Jul 2012 16:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  What if you could control a robot -- wait, don't answer yet -- with your mind? Pretty great, right? That's what the Virtual Embodiment and Robotic Re-embodiment (VERE) group is working on, and it's made some pretty good, you know, strides. New Scientist details a test utilizing fMRI brain activity-sensing technology to control a robot in France from a laboratory in Israel. The volunteer was able to perform tasks like walking around a room, following a person with the small 'bot and locating a teapot, using visuals from a camera embedded in the robot's head. There's a "small" delay in the technology, but researcher Ori Cohen insists that it's possible to anticipate and compensate for it. The technology, which one scientist compared to Avatar, naturally, has some truly beneficial potential applications, and the scientists have plans to test it out with paralyzed subjects, giving them the opportunity to control a surrogate with their mind. The fMRI technology, meanwhile, may be swapped out for an electrode-based electroencephalogram system, and the scientists plan to try things out with a Japanese robot that is roughly the height of a human for future testing. Check out a video of the project in its current state after the break. Continue reading Scientists take mind-controlled robot for a stroll (video) Scientists take mind-controlled robot for a stroll (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 06 Jul 2012 15:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink Gizmodo | New Scientist (Registration Required) | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 300 episodes ago, the Engadget Podcast existed, before podcasts themselves really even existed, amongst Treos, StarTACs, and O.G. RAZRs. This one is hanging out with Qs, 7s, and Beans. What hardware will 600 be accompanied by? Where on the time-space continuum will the hosts record from? Will their cortical stacks be podcasting for them? These are the questions of Generation Engadget Podcast. Hosts: Tim Stevens, Brian Heater, Dana Wollman
Guests: Ryan Block, Darren Murph, Phillip Torrone, Josh Fruhlinger
Producer: Trent Wolbe
Music: Orbital - Never 08:10 - Nexus 7 review: the best $200 tablet you can buy
21:21 - Nexus Q social streaming device hands-on
28:25 - Jelly Bean, Android 4.1 revealed by Google, rolling out in mid-July
36:55 - Google's Project Glass gets some more details
50:30 - RIM announces Q1 earnings: $518 million net loss, 5,000 job cuts, BB10 not due until Q1 2013
51:00 - RIM's Thorsten Heins denies company's 'death spiral,' predicts successful transition to BlackBerry 10
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E-mail us: podcast at engadget dot com Engadget Podcast 300 - 07.06.2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 06 Jul 2012 14:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  Sure, it may not have been the most, you know, explosive launch at this year's E3 -- but if Facebook "likes" are any sort of metric (which, granted, is debatable), EA's newly reborn and heavily-socialized SimCity has a bright future ahead of it. SimCity Social opened up shop on the Zuckerbergian social network this week, letting players plan and build cities, harnessing the site's massive user base to build friendly relationships or form rivalries between towns. The 800k or so likes the game has currently racked up clearly aren't enough, so EA is offering up exclusive content for those who click the friendly thumb. And seeing as how sitting in front of your computer wouldn't be complete without some fried breakfast pastries, Dunkin' Donuts is getting in the act, allowing players to gift coffee and doughnut "Boosts" in-game. Continue reading EA opens SimCity Social on Facebook, really, really hopes you'll 'like' it EA opens SimCity Social on Facebook, really, really hopes you'll 'like' it originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 06 Jul 2012 14:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Facebook | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  For all of Google's emphasis on integrating its own services across Android, playing YouTube videos outside of the official YouTube app has usually required losing some piece of the experience, whether it's backwards compatibility, mobile optimization or just keeping viewers in the same app where they started. As it turns out, Google was well aware of this problem during Google I/O this year and teased a solution while everyone else was still recovering from their Nexus 7-induced fevers. A new YouTube Android Player API will let third parties integrate a full YouTube player into their Android apps with adaptive streaming, orientation and other special tricks intact. Any Android 2.2 or later device (including Google TV boxes) can come along for the ride, and views will count towards producers getting paid. Full details are only coming in the next few months, but app developers who've been craving a chance to slip in some viral videos can get an early look at the API near the start of the session video below -- or just load the Google I/O 2012 app, which has the code baked in. Continue reading Google slips out YouTube Android Player API, third-party apps get full Nyan Cat experience (video) Google slips out YouTube Android Player API, third-party apps get full Nyan Cat experience (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 06 Jul 2012 13:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Android Central | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Welcome to IRL, an ongoing feature where we talk about the gadgets, apps and toys we're using in real life and take a second look at products that already got the formal review treatment.
If we've never explained where the idea for IRL came from, now might be as good a time as any. Our own Tim Stevens, a car nut in his own right and a one-time auto editor for Engadget, wanted to test gadgets the way auto mags do vehicles. That is to say, on an ongoing basis, over a long period of time. That mission rings particularly true this week: Jon's taken hundreds of test shots with Fujifilm's X-Pro1, Terrence has been commuting with the Garmin Edge 200 cycling monitor and Brian has owned the Otterbox Universal Defender case so long that he's actually taking back the praise he gave in a prior IRL. All that and more after the break. Continue reading IRL: Fujifilm X-Pro1, Garmin Edge 200 and Otterbox's Universal Defender case, revisited IRL: Fujifilm X-Pro1, Garmin Edge 200 and Otterbox's Universal Defender case, revisited originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 06 Jul 2012 13:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  When setting up a gadget for review, delicately unboxing and smelling the carcinogenic whiff of freshly molded plastics, we typically feel some amount of excitement and anticipation to see how it stacks up against the competition. It's either that or a resigned sense of duty as we run yet another iterative evolution of this or that laptop through the same benchmarks to see just how this year's model stacks up to the older model now being sold on discount. With the Nexus Q, though, we felt something different altogether: genuine curiosity. Why? Well, it's a high-end device with a $299 MSRP, pricing it orders of magnitude higher than media streamers like the Apple TV, anything from Roku and, indeed, Google's own Google TV. And yet, the Q has considerably less functionality than any of them. Largely because of this, many who witnessed its unveiling at Google I/O were quick to write it off. Despite having our own doubts we pledged to give it a fair swing, a week of solid use at home and with friends. How did it do? Does this high-concept device with high-end componentry make up for some decidedly low-end capabilities? There's only one way to find out. Continue reading Nexus Q review: Google's mysterious little social streamer Nexus Q review: Google's mysterious little social streamer originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 06 Jul 2012 12:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  Cisco has already tried to soothe angry customers by scrapping a key section in its new Linksys privacy agreement -- a clause which allowed the company to monitor a person's internet history via their router. However, realizing that probably wasn't enough to quell the sense of intrusion, it's now gone one step further. Writing on an official blog, Cisco VP Brett Wingo has declared that Linksys customers will no longer be pushed into signing up for Connect Cloud, the service which lay at the heart of the problem: "In response to our customers' concerns, we have simplified the process of opting-out of the Cisco Connect Cloud service and have changed the default setting back to traditional router set-up and management." In other words, you'll no longer have to hook up to a convoluted cloud service just to access advanced settings on your router, and neither will you have to sign away an even greater chunk of your personal space -- which is just how it should have been (and indeed how it was) in the first place. Cisco climbs down another rung over unpopular Connect Cloud service originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 06 Jul 2012 12:05:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | ZDNet | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  Good things come in pairs, right? Earlier this year Samsung revamped its high-end Series 9 line with two new Ultrabooks: an impressively thin 15-inch model, along with a more portable 13-inch machine. So far this year, we've gotten a chance to review the larger version which remains one of our favorite ultraportables ever, thanks to its minimal design, fast performance, lovely display and long battery life. "So what?" you're thinking. "Why bother revisiting the miniature version?" For one, friends, Samsung only recently refreshed the Series 9 with third-generation Intel Core processors, and we were eager to make note of any performance gains. More importantly, though, the 13-inch Series 9 faces stiffer competition than its big brother. There truly isn't another big-screen notebook quite as thin or as light as the 15-inch Series 9; if those are the attributes that matter most, that's the laptop you're best off getting. But the smaller Series 9 finds itself fighting for space on retail shelves amidst high-end ultraportables like the MacBook Air, ASUS Zenbook Prime UX31A, the HP Envy Spectre XT and, well, you get the idea. So how does this $1,300 system fare against such worthy opponents? Read on to find out. Continue reading Samsung Series 9 review (13-inch, mid-2012) Samsung Series 9 review (13-inch, mid-2012) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 06 Jul 2012 10:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  Apple has already sought to patent some elaborate water damage detection methods, but it's also a fan of the classics. That must be why it's still attempting to patent a water detection method that it's been seeking since December 2006, just a month before the iPhone went public. The concept is a simple one that you'll find in many iPhones (and other iOS devices) so far: water-reactive, color-changing tape positioned in a device such that the Genius Bar staffer can see that your device took a dive in the swimming pool without having to tear the phone open. Mercifully, the patent factors in a membrane to prevent an overly humid day from triggering a false positive. There's still no immediate clue as to whether or not Apple will receive the patent, which strikes us as odd for a technology that's been used in the field for so long -- not that the company has needed the USPTO's blessing to void the warranty (or offer a rare free replacement) for more than a few waterlogged iPhones over the past five years. Apple still trying for water damage indicator patent, drop-prone device owners twitch originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 06 Jul 2012 09:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink CNET | USPTO | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  An as-yet unannounced Sony phone has been given another official nudge, courtesy of a filing over at leaky favorite, Bluetooth SIG. The device houses a substantial 4.6-inch screen carrying a 720p display and Sony's Mobile Bravia engine software tweaks. It's apparently part of Sony's "premium product line" and while glamor shots are still non-existent, we're told that it'll have a familiar-sound arc design, and a metal back cover -- a rarity for Sony phones. Despite these heady specs, the phone remains slim at 9 mm, and a weight of around 140g, while the LT30 model number tallies with some earlier benchmark appearances and user agent profiles that suggest the device will pack Android 4.0 and an LTE-friendly Snapdragon S4 processor. Good news then, if you thought Sony wasn't launching enough phones this year. Sony LT30 is Bluetooth-certified: packs 720p display, Snapdragon S4, no name originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 06 Jul 2012 07:16:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink PhoneArena, (2) | Bluetooth SIG | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  Sure, the 2012 Olympics may be gearing up for HD, 3D and even Super Hi-Vision broadcasts, but that doesn't mean still photography has lost its appeal. In fact, Reuters photographers Fabrizio Bensch and Pawel Kopczynski are taking Olympic photography to the next level, perching remote-controlled camera rigs in stadium rafters. The system, which the duo has been developing since 2009, can turn, adjust focus and receive commands wirelessly. Once stills are snapped, they're sent to an editing system and then off to distribution. The team is spending more than 12 hours a day installing the cams at different Olympic venues before the games kick off on July 27th. In the meantime, you can sprint to the source for photos of the setup. Reuters cooks up remote camera rigs for 2012 Olympics, mounts them where humans can't tread originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 06 Jul 2012 05:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Reuters | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  Almost as a dare, Shoryuken challenged its fans to produce a fighting game-style controller for Starcraft II. Mauricio Romano took them up on that contest and won with a surprisingly polished arcade stick of his own. Its cornerstone is a heavily modified Ultrastik joystick that's turned into an on-controller, two-button mouse. You didn't think a PC gamer would cling to a plain joystick, did you? In the process, the usual 101 keys of a typical keyboard have been pared down to a set of 26 buttons most relevant for Blizzard's real-time strategy epic. Packaged up in a single, polished USB peripheral, the one-off prototype's design is good enough to imagine a Major League Gaming pro taking it out on the road. We'd put that idea on ice for now, though: as Mauricio shows in the video below, the learning curve is steep enough that most players won't be fending off diamond-league marine and zergling blitzes anytime soon. Continue reading SRK contest produces a 26-button Starcraft II arcade controller, probably won't stop Zerg rushes (video) SRK contest produces a 26-button Starcraft II arcade controller, probably won't stop Zerg rushes (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 06 Jul 2012 05:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink Joystiq | Shoryuken | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Almost as a dare, Shoryuken (SRK) challenged its fans to produce a fighting game-style controller for Starcraft II. Mauricio Romano took them up on that contest and won with a surprisingly polished arcade stick of his own. Its cornerstone is a heavily modified Ultrastik joystick that's turned into an on-controller, two-button mouse. You didn't think a PC gamer would cling to a plain joystick, did you? In the process, the usual 101 keys of a typical keyboard have been pared down to a set of 26 buttons most relevant for Blizzard's real-time strategy epic. Packaged up in a single, polished USB peripheral, the one-off prototype's design is good enough to imagine a Major League Gaming pro taking it out on the road. We'd put that idea on ice for now, though: as Mauricio shows in the video below, the learning curve is steep enough that most players won't be fending off diamond-league marine and zergling blitzes anytime soon. Continue reading SRK contest produces a 26-button Starcraft II arcade controller, probably won't stop Zerg rushes (video) SRK contest produces a 26-button Starcraft II arcade controller, probably won't stop Zerg rushes (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 06 Jul 2012 05:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink Joystiq | Shoryuken | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  We've seen some pretty wonky bipedal robots before, but scientists at the University of Arizona have gone straight to the source -- us -- to make one with a more human-like saunter. It turns out it's not just our skull-borne computer that controls gait: a simple neural network in the lumber area of our spine, called the central pattern generator (CPG), also fires to provide the necessary rhythm. By creating a basic digital version of that and connecting some feedback sensors in the legs, a more natural human gait (without balance) was created -- and on top of that it didn't require the tricky processing used in other striding bots. Apparently this throws light on why babies can make that cute walking motion even before they toddle in earnest, since the necessary CPG system comes pre-installed from birth. That means the study could lead to new ways of stimulating that region to help those with spinal cord injuries re-learn to walk, and produce better, less complex walking robots to boot. Judging by the video, it's a good start, but there's still a ways to go before they can mimic us exactly -- you can watch it after the break. Continue reading Robotic legs simulate our neural system, lurch along in the most human-like way so far Robotic legs simulate our neural system, lurch along in the most human-like way so far originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 06 Jul 2012 04:16:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | EurekaAlert! | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  Aftermarket keyboard layouts are still relatively rare among tablets, which makes KeyPoint Technologies' new Adaptxt beta for Android tablets that much more valuable. Along with optionally splitting up the keyboard to make thumb typing that much gentler, it expands on the stock keyboard formula with aggressive word prediction and shortcuts for words or whole sentences. The wait for a tablet version has also rewarded the patient with a handwriting recognition extra, just in case they'd like to revive cursive writing as an art form. The beta is is free to use for anyone who's running at least Android 2.3 on a big-screened slate, although only for a "limited period" -- if you're willing to accept a few rough edges, we'd recommend hitting the source links before there's a price tag attached. KeyPoint's Adaptxt keyboard enters beta for Android tablets, adds handwriting for that extra touch originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 06 Jul 2012 03:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Adaptxt, Google Play | Email this | Comments | | | | | | | | | |  | |  | |  |
