Tuesday, October 29, 2013

This flame is made of pure water

Source: http://front.kinja.com/this-flame-is-made-of-pure-water-1453720981/@jesusdiaz

This flame is made of pure water

Scientists have invented a new low-cost method to create a safe welding flame using water as its only fuel. Called the Safeflame, the device splits water in oxygen and hydrogen, recombining them both outside of the torch's mouth to create fire. And the only byproduct is water.

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Scientists Smash the Li-Fi Data Record, Achieving Speeds of 10Gbit/s

Source: http://gizmodo.com/scientists-smash-the-li-fi-data-record-achieving-speed-1453923218

Scientists Smash the Li-Fi Data Record, Achieving Speeds of 10Gbit/s

If the hype is to believed, Li-Fi could be the next Wi-Fi. And if that's the case, then we're excited—because a team of researchers has just smashed the record for visible light data transmission, pushing it to a staggering 10Gbit/s.

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ARM report claims the always-connected 'Internet of Things' is already here

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/10/28/arm-internet-of-things/

The Internet of Things (IoT) is finally here. Or at least, that's what a recent report by the Economist's Intelligence Unit wants us to believe. Sponsored by ARM, which certainly has a vested interest in the matter, the 32-page paper states that the industry is at last catching on to the idea of connected devices after more than a decade of slow progress. After surveying 779 senior business leaders from 19 different industries around the world, the Economist revealed that a staggering 75 percent of businesses are already exploring the space. In fact, only 6 percent of those interviewed think of it as hype, and 94 percent believe IoT will have a significant impact in the next three years.

However, the IoT phenomenon still has a long way to go before widespread consumer adoption takes hold. Most businesses are still just experimenting with IoT either in research or internal operations and the "internet of things" mantra remains laced with jargon that might not sell well to the general public. The report also notes the dearth of IoT-skilled workers, a general lack of investment and the need for open standards before more consumers can embrace it.

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Source: ARM

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Huawei overtakes LG in smartphone market share during Q3

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/10/28/huawei-overtakes-lg-in-smartphone-market-share-during-q3/

Huawei and Lenovo now among the top five smartphone makers

Need proof that China is a crucial smartphone market? Strategy Analytics is more than happy to oblige. It just posted third quarter global market share estimates showing that Huawei has overtaken LG since the Q2 report, claiming third place with 5.1 percent of sales. This isn't the first time that the Chinese phone maker has reached such lofty heights, but it comes even as LG produced stellar results; Huawei just happened to grow faster. Researchers attributed the rise to strong sales of its higher-end Ascend P6 and the mainstream G610, particularly in Huawei's home country.

Otherwise, it's a familiar story. Samsung is still ruling the roost with 35.2 percent share, while Apple held on to the second-place spot at 13.4 percent. Huawei also isn't guaranteed to maintain its position when LG is likely to get a fourth quarter sales boost from the G2. However, it's evident that smartphone designers shouldn't get too comfy -- it doesn't take much to change the status quo.

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Source: Strategy Analytics

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Motorola's 'Project Ara' modular smartphone setup switches out hardware like apps

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/10/29/motorola-project-ara-modular-smartphone/

Motorola's 'Project Ara' want to make modular smartphone hardware a reality

We were intrigued by the Phonebloks concept phone that teased the ability to switch out a handset's components the way most users change ringtones, and now Motorola is putting its resources behind it. In what Motorola calls Project Ara, the advanced Technology and Products group is working with Phonebloks creator Dave Hakkens on an "endoskeleton (endo) and modules." Announced this evening on the company blog by Paul Eremenko, the company says it's already "done deep technical work" and is opening the process up to the community and volunteers (aka Ara Scouts, sign up here) to begin designing hardware modules. Its stated goal is to do for hardware what it says Android has done for software: create a vibrant third-party developer ecosystem, lower the barriers to entry, increase the pace of innovation, and substantially compress development timelines."

Suggestions for modules include the phone's CPU, display, extra battery, external sensors or anything else one can think of. The timeline currently points to a Module Developer's Kit (MDK) release this winter, while those volunteers can expect an exclusive discount when the product launches and the 100 most active are getting free phones. Hakkens has described his design as a "phone worth keeping" -- with the ability to upgrade piece by piece and (hopefully) never experience obsolescence again we'd call this idea a phone definitely worth building.

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Source: Motorola

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Olympus' $700 Stylus 1 compact tempts enthusiasts with 28-300mm constant f/2.8 lens

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/10/29/olympus-stylus-1-compact-camera/

Olympus Stylus 1 compact tempts enthusiasts with constant f28, 28300 lens

After watching Sony rejuvenate its compact lineup with the RX-series, Olympus is having a go as well with its latest effort, the Stylus 1. It looks to be a step up from last year's Stylus XZ-2, bringing a more DSLR-like form factor and new 1.44 million dot EVF. The fixed lens is also markedly improved, thanks to a constant f/2.8 aperture over the 28-300mm (35mm equivalent) 10.7x zoom range and a close-focusing 2-inch macro distance. While it carries the same smallish 1/1.7-inch, 12-megapixel sensor as the Stylus XZ-2, it's gained the fast touch AF system from the Olympus PEN ILC series. Other features include a 3-inch, 1.04 million dot tiltable touchscreen viewer, a hybrid control ring for functions like focus or shutter speed, WiFi sharing with a smartphone app, and 1080/30p HD video with 240fps slo-mo at 320 x 240. It'll be up for grabs in December for $700, so if you're thinking of slipping one in your pocket instead of (or along with) your smartphone, check the gallery of press shots below. %Gallery-slideshow102341%

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Source: Olympus

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Monday, October 28, 2013

Apple confirms it's 'unclear' whether there will be enough Retina iPad minis to meet demand

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/10/28/apple-confirms-its-unclear-whether-there-will-be-enough-retin/

While Apple CEO Tim Cook may have put one rumor to rest during today's earnings call, he basically confirmed another one: When asked about the availability of the iPad mini with Retina display, Cook said that the new model will start shipping "later in November," but that it's "unclear whether we'll have enough for the quarter or not." Cook quickly pointed out that "we know how many we'll have," but that it's difficult to predict demand for a product until it starts shipping. He seemed to be confirming persistent rumors that the Retina mini would be in short supply during the holiday shopping season.

Although Cook insisted that "we'll do fairly well with iPad," and that Apple will have a "really great holiday season," the company may have reason to be concerned about not being able to meet demand for the new model. As reported earlier, iPad sales were flat compared to the same period last year, even while competitors are seeing major growth in tablet sales. Apple has seen its share of the total tablet market drop from 60 percent a year ago to just 32 percent today. Apple is hoping, according to Cook, for "an iPad Christmas," but it may be one that many customers will have to celebrate without the company's most notable new model.

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Play-i's Bo and Yana robots teach kids programming concepts through stories (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/10/28/play-i-robots/

Playi's new robot toys will teach kids the concepts of coding

There are efforts to promote coding to kids, but they're typically aimed at an older demographic -- few young children are ready to sit at a keyboard and start writing. Play-i hopes to foster that interest at an earlier age with its upcoming programmable robots. Both the three-wheeled Bo (right) and its stationary cousin Yana (left) teach coding concepts through the context of stories, which are easier to grasp for kids. Owners can tell Bo to give a flower to a friend, for example, or get Yana to make helicopter sounds when it's shaken. Play-i's Bluetooth-based remote control app (currently iOS-only) simplifies arm, eye, gesture and wheel commands, reducing them to icon-based sequences; effectively, kids learn about if-then code without mastering a programming language.

The company is running a crowdfunding campaign to help with its planned summer 2014 launch. Interested parents can pledge $49 for Yana, and $149 for Bo; prices should climb to a respective $69 and $199 when the robots reach the market. Tinkerers can also spend $499 to get a developer combo that includes both machines as well as early access to an API. If you're interested in giving your kids a head start in the tech world -- or just want particularly clever toys for yourself -- you'll want to check out Play-i at the source link. %Gallery-slideshow102193%

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Source: Play-i

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CHART: America Is Way Behind The Rest Of The World When It Comes To Broadband, Paying More For Slower Speeds

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/chart-america-is-way-behind-the-rest-of-the-world-when-it-comes-to-broadband-paying-more-for-slower-speeds-2013-10

The BBC has a fantastic and — if you live in the U.S. — disturbing report on international broadband internet access.

It turns out that America is not, as it sees itself, the foremost shining beacon of progress, speed and modernity on the web.

By some measures, it comes last among the developed countries. Americans pay more for broadband than other countries do, and get slower speeds for their money. Here's a basket of data from major cities:

Broadband price speed

And here's the same data on a country-wide average:

countries international speed broadband

Americans are often paying twice as much as everyone else, with monthly bills nearing $100.

The reason: Local internet provider monopolies. The U.S. is a big place and although there are several national deregulated providers they tend to dominate the regions they are strong in. On top of that, phone companies' copper wires can't compete with TV companies' cable wires. The result is that many customers have to choose between just one or two companies of they want fast web access.

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Samsung's Galaxy Round ad compares its curved smartphone to avocados, Russian dolls (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/10/28/samsung-galaxy-round-ad-curved-smartphone-korea/

Samsung's Galaxy Round ad compares its curved smartphone to avocados, russian dolls video

Thanks to Samsung Korea's new (soon to be viral) Galaxy Round commercial, we've learned that its new smartphone is curved. Like many other objects. In the world. We get that now. It's also got differently-curved competition coming very soon. The whole 30-second showcase is after the break.

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Via: Phone Arena

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LG G Flex announced with vertically curved 6-inch 720p screen, 'self-repairing' back cover

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/10/27/lg-g-flex/

LG G Flex announced with verticallycurved 6inch 720p screen, 'selfrepairing' back cover

LG's unveiled all the details for its often-leaked, curved screen smartphone. Weighing in at 177g with a 6-inch (but 720p) curved OLED display, it's powered by a Snapdragon 800 processor and 2GB of RAM, with a 13-megapixel camera housed above the two rear control buttons, which is now LG's thing. In comparison to Samsung's Galaxy Round, the screen on the G Flex arcs from top to bottom, not side-to-side, which at least makes a little more sense to us, hopefully fitting in better to the curvature of the users' face. We're yet to handle either curved phone IRL just yet, however, when we'll be able to offer up a better perspective on how both devices actually feel.

Like LG's recent G2, there's high-fidelity audio recording and playback, dual-window app functionality and tap-to-wake on that substantial touchscreen. There's also special animations, depending on where and how you unlock the phone. The Korean press release is also reporting that there's a self-healing coating that can repair hairline scratches on the rear of the phone. LG says they are repaired "within minutes." Korean smartphones with the power to control the elements are, however, still TBC. The G Flex will arrive on Korea's three major carriers next month -- but (again) there's no word on global roll-out, hinting that the smartphone could well be a test model for the company. We've added the confusingly Google-translated release after the break.

Update: We've now included the full English press release, below. %Gallery-slideshow102215%

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Via: The Verge

Source: Newswire, LG Newsroom

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Nielsen to add web viewers to future TV ratings, with a little help from Facebook

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/10/28/nielsen-mobile-digital-device-tv-ratings/

After several months of testing within the industry, Nielsen is finally ready to reveal its efforts to bake mobile viewing habits into its TV ratings system. In a wider roll-out of what the company already monitors, it'll launch an SDK for participating broadcasters in mid-November that will encompass both old-fashioned screens and those not-so-new upstarts (including DVRs, internet-connected TVs, tablets, smartphones and browsers). To work out which stream is being watched where, Nielsen will parse together "big data and a census-style measurement approach." This will apparently match demographic information through social networks, mentioning Facebook explicitly -- the ratings monitor is already involved with Twitter. It'll also know exactly which device viewers are watching content on thanks to "audio watermarks, metadata or tags associated with the content and related advertising." The aim, after all this work, is for Nielsen to accurately reveal who's watching TV ads and, concurrently, who's watching Scandal elsewhere.

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Source: Nielsen

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AIRO wristband tracks not just sleep, exercise and stress, but also what you eat

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/10/28/airo-wristband/

AIRO wristband keeps track of your eating, stress, exercise and sleep for overall health

There are fitness wearables that track steps, gauge your quality of sleep and monitor your stress, but few combine all three. As for keeping track of what you eat, most people still resort to old-fashioned food diaries and calorie counters. The AIRO wristband, however, aims to measure all of the above completely automatically. Launching today, the AIRO uses a special embedded spectrometer to track not just your heart rate, but also your sleep patterns, workout intensity and calories consumed. It's even able to break down the nutritional intake of your food.

Abhilash Jayakumar, co-founder and CEO of Airo Heath, tells us it's able to do this because specific nutrients have different light properties. "As your body breaks the food down, the sensor can detect the amount of light that passes through the blood based on green, red and infrared patterns." So, for example, if you just ate a candybar, you'll see a spike in sugar intake reflected on an accompanying AIRO app. The wristband is able to parse the nutritional value of food into protein, fat and carbohydrates. Jayakumar tells us that the app is right now not quite sophisticated enough to tell the difference between simple starches and complex ones, but the team still has more experiments to do, so don't rule that out just yet.

"We might be able to see a difference in waveform, that would show you whether something is better or worse for the body." Further, Jayakumar notes that the AIRO's caloric intake measurement might differ from that on food packaging, because different people process foods differently.

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Source: Airo

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Sunday, October 27, 2013

Alcatel's 7-inch OneTouch Pop tablets are colorful, and subject to leaks

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/10/27/alcatel-7-inch-onetouch-pop-tablet/

Alcatel's 7inch OneTouch Pop tablet could be the brightest leak this week

Way back in January this year, Alcatel trotted out some new tablets set for debut in Q3. Some we saw come to light in August. But, what's this we have here? Perpetual thorn in every product release's side -- @evleaks -- has just thrown up images of what are apparently new colorful 7-inch tabs from Alcatel. The difference here, to what we saw earlier, seems to be that they are part of the OneTouch Pop family, much like those recent budget handsets we saw -- which incidentally should start popping up in stores soon. As well as the hues you see above, we hear the covers are removable, and it will come in black, too. Plus there's word of a translucent flip-cover to keep it clean. Whenever it gets official that is.

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Source: @evleaks

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Friday, October 25, 2013

India's biggest smartphone maker has designs on Europe with its 5-inch, full HD smartphone

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/10/25/micromax-canvas-touch-indian-smartphone-europe/

Image

You'd be forgiven for not knowing Micromax, but it's a name that might get a little more familiar in the future. The Indian smartphone manufacturer has hired Hugh Jackman to be its pitch person, and the first product you'll find him carrying is the surprisingly tasty-looking Canvas Turbo. The Turbo is a 5-inch aluminum-clad smartphone with a 1,920 x 1,080 display that's backed up by a 1.5GHz MediaTek chip and 2GB RAM. On the imaging front, there's a 13-megapixel camera and a 5-megapixel front-facer, while the whole thing is running Android 4.2.1. If there's a downside, it's that there's no microSD card slot to complement the 16GB of on-board storage, but the fact that it's retailing for 19,990 ($325) should soften the blow a little. This handset launches in India tomorrow, but the company will be trialling sales in Russia later in the year -- and if that's successful, you'll begin to see Micromax smartphones entering more markets in Europe throughout next year.

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Via: Android Community

Source: Micromax

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