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Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Project Holodeck and Oculus Rift hope to kickstart every gamers' VR dream for $500 (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/07/23/project-holodeck-and-oculus-rift/

Star Trek: The Next Generation may be coming to your living rooms soon courtesy of some hot new Blu-ray pressing, but one of the most compelling pieces of the technology shown on that series still remains elusive: the holodeck. Don't get down, sunshine, because we might soon be making our first, tentative steps into a virtual courtesy of Project Holodeck. It's underway at USC's School of Cinematic Arts as well as the Viterbi School of Engineering and starts out with a pair of Project Oculus glasses. These glasses, which were shown off at E3 by none other than John Carmack, cram a 1,280 x 800 display into a pair of glasses that present a wide, truly immersive field of view. Pair that with a PlayStation Move for head tracking and a Razer Hydra controller and you have the beginnings of a proper virtual reality environment.

An early concept of what the complete system might feel like can be found after the break, a couple of people acting out a sequence from Skies of Arcadia, which could be called a spiritual inspiration for the first game designed for Project Holodeck: Wild Skies. In it, two people "pilot a massive airship through a exotic world of floating islands" -- though whether they look as kawaii as their Dreamcast predecessors remains to be seen. When you might actually get your hands on the system is also unknown, but one piece of the puzzle, the Oc! ulus Rif t glasses, are said to be hitting Kickstarter any day now -- for an anticipated price of just $500. Bat'leth and copy of Workin' out with Worf not included.

Continue reading Project Holodeck and Oculus Rift hope to kickstart every gamers' VR dream for $500 (video)

Filed under: Gaming

Project Holodeck and Oculus Rift hope to kickstart every gamers' VR dream for $500 (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 23 Jul 2012 20:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Arduino Leonardo finally launches with new pin layout, lower price (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/07/23/arduino-leonardo-finally-launches/

We caught our first glimpse at the new, simplified Arduino Leonardo at Maker Faire back in September of last year. At the time, we were promised a late October shipping date, but it failed to materialize. Finally, Massimo Banzi has taken the wraps off the slimmed down microcontroller and its now in stock at retailers across the web. The Leonardo sports a new pin layout, dubbed R3 (which the Uno has also been updated with), that will become standard across all Arduino boards. That's a big deal for shield makers who only have to design and manufacture an add-on once to ensure it's compatible with the entire product line. The new layout also adds some extra pins and versatility, especially in the realm of shields, which can use to the new IOREF pin to determine the voltage of the processor and thus its model. That means a shield doesn't have to be designed specifically with the new ARM-based Due in mind. The other big news is that the circuitry for converting USB to serial communication and the processor itself have been combined, which not only simplifies the design and drives down costs, but allows it to communicate directly with a computer and imitate all sorts of accessories (such as keyboards and mice). Best of all, is the price. The Leonardo, complete with headers, costs just $25 -- a good $10 less than the Uno -- while the headerless, solder-friendly! version retails for $22.50. Check out the video after the break for a few more details from Massimo himself.

Continue reading Arduino Leonardo finally launches with new pin layout, lower price (video)

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Arduino Leonardo finally launches with new pin layout, lower price (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 23 Jul 2012 22:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Microsoft digs deep into Windows 8's hardware graphics boost, says fast just isn't slick enough

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/07/23/microsoft-digs-deep-into-windows-8-hardware-graphics-boost/

While Microsoft has been exploring the sensory experiences that will go into Windows 8, like sight and touch, there's only one thing that many enthusiasts care about: speed. To their delight, Redmond has just devoted one of its pre-release blog posts to showing just how much faster its hardware graphics acceleration will be in a Metro-focused universe. The goal is a hiccup-free 60Hz frame rate, and virtually everything in Windows 8 centers on that ambition. Baked-in transition effects, optimized geometry and even improved font rendering give modern computers a huge jump in performance versus Windows 7. Microsoft is just as keen to expose that power, as well: Direct3D 11.1 is now the root of all video acceleration in the pipeline, making it both easier and faster to mix 2D and 3D. All told, Windows 8 promises to get responsiveness freaks and benchmark lovers all hot and bothered. If either label describes you, the source link might satiate your lust until October 26th.

Filed under: Software

Microsoft digs deep into Windows 8's hardware graphics boost, says fast just isn't slick enough o! riginall y appeared on Engadget on Mon, 23 Jul 2012 23:14:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ARM and TSMC team up on 64-bit chips and FinFET transistors

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/07/24/arm-and-tsmc-team-up-on-64-bit-chips-and-finfet-transistors/

ARM and TSMC are renewing their vows and plan to continue collaborating well into the future, as they work to optimize the 64-bit v8 architecture for the Taiwanese company's FinFET transistor tech. The two will push next-gen ARM chips to 20nm and beyond, and hopefully shorten the time to market for new designs. The FinFET process should also help boost frequencies, while keeping power consumption low -- a key to the continued success of the RISC architecture. The FinFET architecture is similar to Intel's own tri-gate transistor technology that was instrumental to nudging the Core architecture forward with Ivy Bridge. After those 64-bit ARM chips are up and running at 20nm and powering your next-gen smartphone, TSMC will begin to look at even smaller processes, with an eye on 15nm next. You'll find the entire joint profession of their love for one another after the break.

Continue reading ARM and TSMC team up on 64-bit chips and FinFET transistors

ARM and TSMC team up on 64-bit chips and FinFET transistors originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 24 Jul 2012 01:53:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Researchers develop femtosecond laser that can diagnose, blast cancerous tumors

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/07/24/femtosecond-laser-diagnoses-burns-cancerous-tumors/

Researchers at the University of Tennessee's Center for Laser Applications have developed a femtosecond laser that can non-invasively diagnose, map, irradiate and burn cancerous tumors. Utilizing a beam that pulses at one-quadrillionth of a second, the technology is able to seek out growths and obliterate them with an increased burst of intensity. "Using ultra-short light pulses gives us the ability to focus in a well confined region and the ability for intense radiation," says Associate Professor of Physics Christian Parigger. "This allows us to come in and leave a specific area quickly so we can diagnose and attack tumorous cells fast." The swift, precise technique can avoiding heating up adjacent, healthy tissues and has potential for use in outpatient procedures, particularly for people afflicted with brain tumors. For now, however, the scientists are working with the non-profit University of Tennessee Research Foundation to bring their tech to market. Roll past the jump for the press release and a glimpse of the laser in action.

Continue reading Researchers develop femtosecond laser that can diagnose, blast cancerous tumors

Filed under: Science

Researchers develop femtosecond laser that can diagnose, blast cancerous tumors originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 24 Jul 2012 05:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple wins 'EU-wide' injunction against Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/07/24/apple-galaxy-tab-7-7-eu-injunction/

Word around the mulberry bush is that Apple has just won itself a Europe-wide injunction against the sale of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7, in case anyone still wanted to buy that tablet now that the Nexus 7 is out. The decision was taken in-between beer courses at the appeals court in Dusseldorf, but it didn't all go Apple's way -- Cupertino's request to have the re-designed Galaxy Tab 10.1 (aka the 10.1N) banned too was rejected, having already been turned down at preliminary hearing back in February.

The Tab 7.7 apparently infringes Apple patents that date from 2004 and, such is the power of one little German town, cannot technically be sold anywhere in the EU -- although other countries may choose to ignore the ruling and it's probably only a matter of time before a 7.7N comes out anyway. In contrast, the failed claim against the 10-inch slate hinged on a "generic design patent," which a British judge has also vehemently dismissed. Glossing over the 7.7 decision, Samsung says it "welcomes the court's ruling" with regard to the 10.1N and accuses Apple of using "legal claims" to restrict "design innovation and progress in the industry."

Filed under: Tablet PCs

Apple wins 'EU-wide' injunction against Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 24 Jul 2012 05:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Monday, July 23, 2012

Become an Antarctic explorer with panoramic imagery

Source: http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2012/07/become-antarctic-explorer-with.html

In the winter of 1913, a British newspaper ran an advertisement to promote the latest imperial expedition to Antarctica, apparently placed by polar explorer Ernest Shackleton. It read, "Men wanted for hazardous journey. Low wages, bitter cold, long hours of complete darkness. Safe return doubtful. Honour and recognition in event of success." While the ad appears apocryphal, the dangerous nature of the journey to the South Pole is certainly not—as explorers like Roald Amundsen, Robert Falcon Scott and Shackleton himself discovered as they tried to become the first men to reach it.

Back in September 2010, we launched the first Street View imagery of the Antarctic, enabling people from more habitable lands to see penguins in Antarctica for the first time. Today we're bringing you additional panoramic imagery of historic Antarctic locations that you can view from the comfort of your homes. We'll be posting this special collection to our World Wonders site, where you can learn more about the history of South Pole exploration.

With the help of the Polar Geospatial Center at the University of Minnesota and the New Zealand Antarctic Heritage Trust, we've added 360-imagery of many important spots, inside and out, such as the South Pole Telescope, Shackleton's hut, Scott's hut, Cape Royds Adélie Penguin Rookery and the Ceremonial South Pole.

The ceremonial South Pole (View Larger Map)

The interior of Shackleton's Hut demonstrates the host of supplies used in early 20th century Antarctic expeditions—everything from medicine and food to candles and cargo sleds can be found neatly stored inside. (View Larger Map)

With this technology, you can go inside places like Shackleton's Hut (pictured above) and the other small wooden buildings that served as bases from which the explorers launched their expeditions. They were built to withstand the drastic weather conditions only for the few short years that the explorers inhabited them, but remarkably, after more than a century, the structures are still intact, along with well-preserved examples of the food, medicine, survival gear and equipment used during the expeditions. Now anyone can explore these huts and get insight into how these men lived for months at a time.

The landscape outside of Robert Falcon Scott's supply hut conveys just how desolate the area is. For these early explorers, the supply huts were an oasis of warmth and comfort in a cold and inhospitable landscape. (View Larger Map)

This new imagery was collected with a lightweight tripod camera with a fisheye lens—equipment typically used to capture business interiors through the Business Photos program. We worked with this technology because of its portability, reliability and ease-of-use (our Street View trikes wouldn't be much use in the snow).

The goal of these efforts is to provide scientists and travel (or penguin) enthusiasts all over the world with the most accurate, high-resolution data of these important historic locations. With this access, schoolchildren as far as Bangalore can count penguin colonies on Snow Hill Island, and geologists in Georgia can trace sedimentary layers in the Dry Valleys from the comfort of their desks. Feel free to leave your boots and mittens behind, and embark on a trip to Antarctica.

Posted by Alex Starns, Technical Program Manager, Street View

Explore âThis Exquisite Forestâ with Chrome and Londonâs Tate Modern

Source: http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2012/07/explore-this-exquisite-forest-with.html

This morning, in partnership with the Tate Modern in London, we released an online art experiment called This Exquisite Forest, which lets you collaborate with others to create animations and stories using a web-based drawing tool.

Seven renowned artists from Tate's collection, including Bill Woodrow, Dryden Goodwin, Julian Opie, Mark Titchner, Miroslaw Balka, Olafur Eliasson and Raqib Shaw, have created short "seed" animations. From these seeds, anyone can add new animations that extend the story or branch it in a new direction. Or you can start a tree of your own with some friends. As more sequences are added, the animations grow into trees, creating a potentially infinite number of possible endings to each animation.

In addition to the website, an interactive installation will open on July 23 in the Level 3 gallery of Tate Modern. Trees seeded by Tate artists—and the contributions from the public—will be on display as large-scale projections. Gallery visitors may also contribute using digital drawing stations.

This Exquisite Forest uses several of Google Chrome's advanced HTML5 and JavaScript features to produce a unique content creation and exploration experience. For example, the Web Audio API makes it possible for contributors to generate music to accompany their submissions. The project also runs on Google App Engine and Google Cloud Storage.

Please try it out at ExquisiteForest.com and contribute your own animation to help the forest grow.

Posted by Aaron Koblin, Google Creative Lab, Data Arts Team

A50 Audio System review: Astro Gaming's latest wireless headset (mostly) pwns in 7.1

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/07/23/astro-gaming-a50-wireless-headset-review/

Alright, so you've been successfully pwning n00bz in Battlefield and Call of Duty, but lately you've decided your rig could benefit from one of those surround sound headsets that everyone says will make you so much better at first-person shooters. You might remember Astro Gaming's latest offering from E3, the A50 Wireless Headset -- it's the company's second try at a wireless Dolby Headphone-enabled 7.1 surround sound system. Its previous attempt, the MixAmp 5.8 (sold alone and bundled with the $229 A30 / $280 A40 Wireless Audio Systems), was a solid solution for folks wanting traditional MixAmp controls and enough versatility to use with any pair of wired headphones. (What's up, audiophiles?) However, it didn't provide as seamless a setup for gaming on the couch as headsets with embedded wireless radios like Turtle Beach's X41. So, does essentially shoving the MixAmp 5.8 into an A40 make for a better living room-geared solution? Does it manage to retain that MLG-bred DNA Astro is famous for? Does it trump headsets in its range like the $270 XP500? Most importantly, should serious gamers consider dropping 300 bones for it? We'll explain it all after the break.

Gallery: Astro Gaming A50 Wireless Audio System review

Gallery: Astro Gaming A40 plus MixAmp 5.8 vs. A50... Fight!

Continue reading A50 Audio System review: Astro Gaming's latest wireless headset (mostly) pwns in 7.1

Filed under: Gaming, Peripherals

A50 Audio System review: Astro Gaming's latest wireless headset (mostly) pwns in 7.1 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 23 Jul 2012 17:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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USB Power Delivery spec upped to 100W, aims to make proprietary power connectors obsolete

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/07/23/usb-100w-power-delivery-spec/

The battle between Thunderbolt and USB 3.0 has only recently begun in earnest, what with mobo's finally emerging to give non-Mac computers access to the 10Gbps interface. While USB 3.0 can't match Thunderbolt in terms of data throughput, it now has the upper hand in power capabilities, as last week the 100W Power Delivery spec was approved for both USB 2.0 and 3.0. That's ten times what Thunderbolt can do, and it means that you can charge up your laptop or power most any peripheral via Universal Serial Bus. Naturally, the new specification relies on beefier cables to deliver maximum juice, but we won't have to go replacing all our old wires -- it includes a means to check attached cables and devices and set the voltage and amperage accordingly. Perfect, that means we won't have to carry around bundle of proprietary power cords when we travel, and we get peace of mind that charging via USB won't have any, ahem, unpleasant side effects.

Continue reading USB Power Delivery spec upped to 100W, aims to make proprietary power connectors obsolete

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

USB Power Delivery spec upped to 100W, aims to make propriet! ary powe r connectors obsolete originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 23 Jul 2012 18:37:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Biostar Hi-Fi Z77X gives audiophiles 7.1-channel analog sound, overpriced cables thankfully optional

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/07/23/biostar-hi-fi-z77x-motherboard-gives-audiophiles-analog-sound/

There haven't been many choices in PC motherboards for audiophiles -- the 'real' kind that might see even a good dedicated sound card as slumming it. Biostar wants to fill that untapped niche with the Hi-Fi Z77X. Along with run-of-the-mill expansion for an Ivy Bridge- or Sandy Bridge-based desktop, the board's built-in 7.1-channel audio flaunts six 3.5mm analog jacks, an amp and the kind of exotic-sounding language that leads audio addicts to buy $2,000 cables they don't need. We're talking "metal-oxide film resistors" and "non-polarized electrolysis electric audio capacitors," here. Whether or not the changes have an appreciable impact on sound quality, listeners are ironically left out of S/PDIF audio, which exists only as a header on the board unless buyers spend a little more on parts. That said, if we assume the as yet unknown price isn't stereotypically high -- and that audiophiles don't mind a big, potentially noisy desktop as a home theater PC -- the Hi-Fi Z77x could be a treat for those who want to wring every nuance out of music and movie soundtracks.

Filed under: Desktops, Home Entertainment

Biostar Hi-Fi Z77X gives audiophiles 7.1-channel analog sound, overpriced cables thankfully optional originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 23 Jul 2012 19:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Bit-Tech.net | source

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Next-generation Xiaomi Phone rumored to house quad-core processor, 720p display

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/07/23/next-generation-xiaomi-phone-rumored-to-house-quad-core-processo/

Following last year's launch of its potent, price-savvy Android smartphone, Xiaomi is already purportedly crafting its even more powerful successor. Alongside a bundle of blurry cam images, leaks from within factories making the next iteration say that it'll pack a 720p screen, one of Qualcomm's quad-core processors and a dual-flash setup alongside the camera. There's still the curious absence of a front-facing camera, but this should to help ensure the phone lands with a price tag just as attractive as Xiaomi's last device. While rival manufacturer Meizu priced its latest quad-core phone at around $480, the Foxconn-based moles reckon this next-generation (likely MIUI-powered) slab could land at just over of $300. If all these rumors (and that price) have piqued your interest, you can head on the source for a handful of extra images.

Filed under: Cellphones

Next-generation Xiaomi Phone rumored to house quad-core processor, 720p display originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 23 Jul 2012 07:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LG's 27-inch V720 all-in-one PCs pop up on Flickr, IPS and optional Ivy Bridge in tow

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/07/23/lg-27-inch-all-in-one-v7200-pc/

LG has unveiled the V720, a new series of all-in-one PCs, featuring 27-inch IPS HD panels and an Intel Ivy Bridge processor option. The line consists of a high-end model with Intel's 3rd generation Core i5 and an IPS 1,920 x 1,080 3D panel, and a lesser model with a 2nd generation Core i3 and the same display sans 3D. Other specs include 750GB SATA3 hybrid or standard drives, up to 8GB DDR3 RAM, USB 3.0 and NVIDA's GT640M 1GB graphics. Photos show a white and silver looker with well concealed computer guts, but don't count on being able to pick up one of the minimalist units in the US -- LG normally keeps its PC offerings exclusively in Asia.

Filed under: Desktops

LG's 27-inch V720 all-in-one PCs pop up on Flickr, IPS and optional Ivy Bridge in tow originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 23 Jul 2012 08:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google's Stopped Selling 16GB Nexus 7 Tablets Because They're Too Popular [Nexus 7]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5928066/googles-stopped-selling-16gb-nexus-7-tablets-because-its-too-popular

Google's Nexus 7 tablet is so popular that sales had to be suspended to try to catch up with demand. Units that were ordered up until last week will be delivered on time.

The shortage comes because Google was taken totally off guard by how popular the 16GB model would be. It had expected the $200 8GB model to be the big seller. That hasn't happened, though. Instead, the $250 16GB model has been a massive, surprising success.

This will probably be a minor setback at worst for Google and the Nexus 7. But hopefully it's also a wakeup call for Google and its competitors that the battle to catch the iPad isn't just a race to the bottom. [Guardian via Techmeme]

How Bars Use Music to Get You Drunk Faster [Science]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5928061/how-bars-use-music-to-get-you-drunk-faster

How Bars Use Music to Get You Drunk Faster Do you drink your booze faster when you're out at a bar or a restaurant than you do just sitting at home? You probably do, and apparently it's because bars and restaurants have learned that loud, fast music makes you eat and drink more, at a faster rate.

Here's a quote from a New York Times piece on the subject:

In 1985, a study by Fairfield University in Connecticut reported that people ate faster when background music was sped up, from 3.83 to 4.4 bites per minute. Nicolas Gueguen, a professor of behavioral sciences at the Université de Bretagne-Sud in France, reported in the October 2008 edition of the journal Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research that higher volumes led beer drinkers in a bar to imbibe more. When the bar's music was 72 decibels, people ordered an average of 2.6 drinks and took 14.5 minutes to finish one. But when the volume was turned up to 88 decibels, customers ordered an average of 3.4 drinks and took 11.5 minutes to finish each one.

That's a pretty massive increase. And it's sort of logical, too, right? You're less likely to sit there nursing a whiskey when there's fast and loud music booming through the place than you would be listening to a country ballad or something. [NY Times via Animal New York]

Image credit: Shutterstock

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