Saturday, August 04, 2012

Adafruit launches Raspberry Pi Educational Linux Distro, hastens our hacking

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/08/03/adafruit-launches-raspberry-pi-educational-linux-distro/

Adafruit launches Raspberry Pi Educational Linux Distro, hastens our hacking

The Raspberry Pi is already considered a hacker's paradise. However, that assumes that owners have all the software they need to start in the first place. Adafruit wants to give the process a little nudge through its Raspberry Pi Educational Linux Distro. The software includes a customized distribution of Raspbian, Occidentalis, that either turns on or optimizes SSHD access, Bonjour networking, WiFi adapter support and other hack-friendly tools. The build further rolls in Hexxeh's firmware and a big, pre-built 4GB SD card image. Before you start frantically clicking the download link, be aware that the "educational" title doesn't refer to a neophyte's playground -- Adafruit still assumes you know enough about Linux and Raspberry Pi units to be productive (or dangerous). Anyone who was already intrigued by the Raspberry Pi by itself, though, might appreciate what happens when it's tossed into a fruit salad.

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Adafruit launches Raspberry Pi Educational Linux Di! stro, ha stens our hacking originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Aug 2012 19:38:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SLIPS liquid repeller is inspired by carnivorous plants, enemy to insects and graffiti artists alike

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/08/03/slips-liquid-repeller-is-inspired-by-carnivorous-plants-enemy-t/

SLIPS synthetic liquid repeller is inspired by carnivorous, enemy to insects and graffiti artists alike

When a team of Harvard researchers wanted to create the ultimate liquid- and solid-repelling surface, they looked toward the Nepenthes pitcher plant, where curious insects check in and never check out, thanks to slippery walls that lead to their tiny, horrific fate. The tropical plant inspired the creation of SLIPS (Self-healing, Slippery Liquid-Infused Porous Surface), a synthetic material that utilizes nano/ microstructured substrates, capable of repelling just about anything you can throw at it. During a visit to the hallowed Crimson halls, the team was kindly enough to show off the material through a series of messy, messy demos, dropping water, motor oil, liquid asphalt and newly-mixed concrete on aluminum and glass. The team even went crazy with a can of black spray paint, comparing the results to a Teflon surface. The outcome was the same in all case -- an amazingly repellent material.

The team has published a number of papers on the stuff, including ones that demonstrate its ice- and bacteria-repelling properties. Oh, and like its natural inspiration, SLIPS does a great jobs keeping bugs off its surface. You can check out our demos and one unhappy ant filmed by the SLIPS team. No insects were harmed in the making of our video, at least -- and the lab assures us that ant had a good life before learning the hard way why it shouldn't mess with Harvard scientists.

Continue reading SLIPS liquid repelle! r is ins pired by carnivorous plants, enemy to insects and graffiti artists alike

SLIPS liquid repeller is inspired by carnivorous plants, enemy to insects and graffiti artists alike originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Aug 2012 20:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rumored HTC One X+ with 1.7GHz Tegra 3 revealed in NenaMark report?

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/08/03/rumored-htc-one-x-with-1-7ghz-tegra-3-revealed-in-nenamark-repo/

DNP Rumored HTC One X with 17GHz Tegra 3 revealed in NenaMark report

We've heard murmurings of it before, but they've been just that. Now we've got the first shred of hard evidence that the fabled HTC One X+ is actually real. Rumored to be heading to T-Mobile (or AT&T, depending on who you ask), this 1.7GHz super phone popped up over at NenaMark's site, bearing the model number PM63100. Sadly, that internal moniker doesn't really reveal much, but between that and the fact that it's running Jelly Bean 4.1.1 we're confident this isn't something already on the market. And the reported resolution of 1280 x 720 combined with its high-speed Tegra 3 innards puts this squarely in flagship territory. What else do we know? Not a whole heck of a lot. But, as always, the truth will be revealed in time.

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Rumored HTC One X+ with 1.7GHz Tegra 3 revealed in NenaMark report? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Aug 2012 21:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Motorola RAZR V goes on sale at Bell, gives Canadians a thin slice of Ice Cream Sandwich

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/08/03/motorola-razr-v-goes-on-sale-at-bell/

Motorola RAZR V goes on sale at Bell, gives Canadians very thin slice of an Ice Cream Sandwich

Bell's version of the Motorola RAZR V might not be the media darling that is the Atrix HD, but that shouldn't dampen the interest for Canadians that can at last buy what's potentially a slick deal for an Android 4.0 phone. For $30 on a 3-year contract, or $400 contract-free, the carrier is offering an arguably improved version of the late 2011 RAZR (Droid RAZR for Yankees). Although it bulks up slightly to a third of an inch thick, it's still a skinny, Kevlar-clad wedge. The primary upgrade outside of the OS is a swap-out of that frankly mediocre Super AMOLED screen of the original RAZR smartphone for a much nicer ColorBoost LCD -- sorry, ColourBoost. Otherwise, you're getting the familiar 1.2GHz processor, 14.4Mbps HSPA+ data and 8-megapixel rear camera, although Motorola has shaved the built-in storage to 4GB to keep the costs down. We'd still be tempted to snag the Galaxy Nexus across the aisle to get us a taste of Jelly Bean for the same money, but Canucks with a penchant for Smart Actions now have an option outside of Rogers to get their fix.

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Motorola RAZR V goes on sale at Bell, gives Canadians a thin slice of Ice Cream Sandwich originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Aug 2012 22:10:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Seagate completes purchase of LaCie in quest to become king of the hard drive hill

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/08/03/seagate-completes-purchase-lacie/

Seagate completes purchase of LaCie

The final price may end up being more than the initially proposed $186 million, but Seagate has successfully acquired a controlling share of LaCie stocks. The provisional price of €4.05 per share could increase to €4.17 if Seagate manages to accumulate 95 percent of the company's stocks in the next six months. As of now, however, it hold just shy of 65 percent, enough to take control of the French manufacturer. With LaCie and its valuable consumer business under its belt and Samsung's SSD expertise, the move to reject a Western Digital take over is looking better and better. After all, consumer choice is the engine of capitalism and now Seagate has more than enough ammunition to take on WD and its Hitachi properties. Check out the PR after the break.

Continue reading Seagate completes purchase of LaCie in quest to become king of the hard drive hill

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Seagate completes purchase of LaCie in quest to become king of the hard drive hill originally appeared on Engadget on F! ri, 03 A ug 2012 23:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Verizon-branded Galaxy S III wireless charging kit starts showing up at retail stores

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/08/04/verizon-samsung-galaxy-s3-wireless-charging-kit/

Verizon-branded Galaxy S III wireless charging kit starts showing up at retail stores

Back when we met the Galaxy S III for the very first time, Samsung promised a wireless charging solution would be coming soon to its sleek and potent slab. Unfortunately, Sammy's power-boosting companion's been hit by hapless delays that have prevented it from seeing the light of day. Now, thanks to a few recent shots from Phone Arena, it looks like at least some S3 owners could see a bundle in the near future, albeit not the official one from the Korean outfit. According to the site's kind tipster, Verizon's allegedly pricing the charging station at $50, while the rear case is expected to be around $40 -- making it nearly $90 for the entire kit. Naturally, this could change at any given moment, but hey, at least we know it's out there.

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Verizon-branded Galaxy S III wireless charging kit starts showing up at retail stores originally appeared on Enga! dget on Sat, 04 Aug 2012 00:43:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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IBM pushing System z, Power7+ chips as high as 5.5GHz, mainframes get mightier

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/08/04/ibm-pushing-system-z-power7-chips-as-high-as-5-5ghz/

IBM pushing System z, Power7 chips as high as 55GHz, mainframes get mightier

Ten-core, 2.4GHz Xeons? Pshaw. IBM is used to the kind of clock speeds and brute force power that lead to Europe-dominating supercomputers. Big Blue has no intentions of letting its guard down when it unveils its next generation processors at the upcoming Hot Chips conference: the company is teasing that the "zNext" chip at the heart of a future System z mainframe will ramp up to 5.5GHz -- that's faster than the still-speedy 5.2GHz z196 that has led IBM's pack since 2010. For those who don't need quite that big a sledgehammer, the technology veteran is hinting that its upcoming Power7+ processors will be up to 20 percent faster than the long-serving Power7, whose current 4.14GHz peak clock rate may seem quaint. We'll know just how much those extra cycles mean when IBM takes to the conference podium on August 29th, but it's safe to say that our databases and large-scale simulations won't know what hit them.

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IBM pushing System z, Power7+ chips as high as 5.5GHz, mainfra! mes get mightier originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 04 Aug 2012 02:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Friday, August 03, 2012

A Wi-Fi NEX Camera Would Be Fine and All But Sony Needs to Chill Out [Rumors]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5931550/a--wi+fi-nex-camera-would-be-fine-and-all-but-sony-needs-to-chill-out

A Wi-Fi NEX Camera Would Be Fine and All But Sony Needs to Chill OutA purported leak reported by Sony Alpha Rumors has outed the latest incarnation of its Sony's mid-range mirroless, interchangeable-lens camera beast, the NEX-5N. Well, it's two cameras really; the Sony NEX-5R and Sony NEX-6 will supposedly be announced in September.

The cameras were discovered on the product listing of an Indonesian company. According to Sony Alpha Rumor's reports, the cameras will be Wi-Fi enabled much like Samsung's latest of mirrorless cameras. The NEX-5R will supposedly have the same vanity-friendly 180-degree tilting screen that's good for taking self-portraits. The NEX-6 looks to be a new addition to the line. It will supposedly be a cheaper version of the $1300 NEX-7 with a lower-resolution electronic viewfinder.

We're fond of Sony's NEX camers. At $600 with a lens, the fantastic NEX-F3 (pictured above) is one of the best camera deals out there—just like the NEX-C3 a year before and the NEX-3 a year before that. Yup, Sony has been upgrading its mirrorless line-up every single year. And now it's apparently adding a fourth camera? After a while these little iterations and different version almost start to feel like product spam. Why not save the bitsy upgrades for a monster refresh? Do we need so many concurrent versions of basically the same thing? As we've seen with companies like Nikon and Canon, sometimes spacing upgrades out gives consumers new products that actually have appreciable differences from their predecessors. But, hey, as long as Sony's cameras keep kicking butt, we've got no right to complain. [Postel.go via The Verge via Sony Alpha Rumors]

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Verizon survey reveals FiOS Companion Android tablet, aka the Motorola Corvair

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/08/03/verizon-fios-companion-tablet-motorola-corvair/

Verizon survey reveals FiOS Companion Android tablet, aka the Motorola Corvair

While it hasn't actually started to roll out yet, one of our readers sent in pics of a Verizon FiOS survey gauging reactions to a new device that "may be available in the future" as the FiOS Companion tablet. As described in the survey, it's a WiFi-connected Android slate that not only runs the usual apps, but also works as universal remote control and streams "select" TV channels (probably the same ones as the Xbox 360 app) directly to its screen. The sole picture included confirms we're looking at the Motorola Corvair 6-inch Android 2.3 tablet that surfaced late last year with all of those features, home automation tie-ins and a 4000mAh battery. The survey questions don't reveal much else about its capabilities or potential pricing other than asking users if they would be interested in customizing their own home screen, and how. We'd hope the software has seen some updates since its original leak, but knowing this market that seems unlikely. All we can do now is help Verizon / Motorola with that customer research they were hoping to perform so let them know -- is this something you'd be interested in?

[Thanks, anonymous]

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Verizon survey reveals FiOS Companion Android tablet, aka the Motorola Corvair originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Aug 2012 16:56:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BLU Products intros Vivo 4.3, says it's 'world's first' dual-SIM smartphone with Super AMOLED Plus

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/08/03/blu-products-vivo-4-3-smartphone/

BLU Products intros Vivo 43, says it's 'world's first' dualSIM smartphone with Super AMOLED Plus

It feels like it was only yesterday that BLU was keeping us slightly occupied with its Studio 5.3 and TouchBook 7.3 devices, which, as you may or may not know, left us with somewhat of a bittersweet taste in our mouths. Still, the past is the past, and now the company's back for more with the recent revelation of its Vivo 4.3 handset; one the company's loudly dubbing as the "world's first dual-SIM smartphone with Super AMOLED Plus." Regardless of any global, self-induced titles, the 4.3-inch Vivo appears to offer some interesting features of its own, including that aforementioned Super AMOLED Plus screen, a 1GHz, dual-core Cortex A9 CPU, dual-SIM capabilities and a tweaked flavor of Android 4.0. What's best, however, is BLU plans on selling the Vivo 4.3 unlocked in the US next month for $250, while additional availability is "soon to follow" through Latin America and some parts of Asia.

Continue reading BLU Products intros Vivo 4.3, says it's 'world's first' dual-SIM smartphone with Super AMOLED Plus

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BLU Products intros Vivo 4.3, says it's 'world's first' dual-SIM smartphone with Super AMOLED Plus! ori ginally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Aug 2012 16:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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This $200 Camera Turns Your TV Into a Skype Center [Skype]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5931526/this-200-camera-turns-your-tv-into-a-skype-center

This $200 Camera Turns Your TV Into a Skype CenterUsing Skype on your TV is kinda neat: it opens the conversation right up and makes group chats more fun. Now Skype and Logitech have announced a new TV-mounted camera that lets you do that conveniently—for a price.

The TV Cam HD is compatible with any HDMI-equipped TV, and can use either Wi-Fi or ethernet to hook up to the internet. The device is pre-loaded with Skype—running on what we're not quite sure—so you can just use it to log in to your existing account and make video calls, or proper phone calls using credit.

The thing rings when your TV is on or off—which is either a curse or a blessing, depending on your view—and has a zoom feature which may be useful if you're sat on the sofa by yourself. It also claims to work well in low-light conditions, but some real-life experience is probably needed before that claim is believed.

If you feel like you've seen something like this before, then that's because you probably have. The TelyHD offers a very similar concept, but retails at $250.

By comparison, the Logitech TV Cam HD is set to cost $200. But while that is $50 cheaper, it's still astronomical for what amounts to a webcam with some processing power and pre-installed software. What you're paying for, of course, is convenience—it's just up to you to decide whether it's worth it. [Logitech]

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Dropped calls, slow download speeds rank among top gripes of mobile users

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/08/03/pew-research-dropped-calls-complaints/

Dropped calls, slow download speeds rank among top gripes of mobile users

Everyone has an opinion, and if they all stink, then Pew must have one hell of a tolerance for foul odors. The research group recently surveyed a number of mobile phone owners to determine their primary complaints, and while it's not much of a surprise, slow network performance stole the show. In all, 77 percent aired at least some dissatisfaction with download speeds, and nearly half of all respondents cited frequent frustration. The story is similar for dropped calls, as 72 percent of those surveyed claim to experience the annoyance at least occasionally. While less widespread, the distribution of those who receive unwanted marketing attempts via either telephone calls or text messages is roughly equal -- it seems reasonable to assume that many respondents are harassed by both means. For more surveys*, just text #eng-123 to 9999. *Outrageous fees will apply.

Continue reading Dropped calls, slow download speeds rank among top gripes of mobile users

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Dropped calls, slow download speeds rank among top gripes of mobile users originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Aug 2012 03:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ASRock Vision 3D 252B reviewed: a quiet, top-shelf HTPC worthy of the premium price

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/08/03/asrock-vision-3d-252b-reviewed/

ASRock Vision 3D 252B reviewed a quiet, topshelf HTPC worthy of the premium price

Sure, we know there's great temptation to go the DIY route when considering your next HTPC, but if you're looking for a small form factor solution, there are legitimate advantages inherent to prebuilt systems. HotHardware just put the ASRock Vision 3D 252B through a rigorous review, and while it isn't the newest rig on the block, it's said to be worthy of your consideration just the same. At the system's heart, you'll find a Core i5 2520M -- which is from the Sandy Bridge era -- but the diminutive computer is said to provide flawless playback of all media types. Other high points include the system's quiet operation and low power consumption, and in summation, "The component choices, connectivity options, and form factor all hit the sweet spot." While the roughly $900 price may deter some, HotHardware recommends the Vision 3D 252B as a worthwhile HTPC that provides better connectivity options and a smaller size than the DIY alternative.

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ASRock Vision 3D 252B reviewed: a quiet, top-shelf HTPC worthy of the premium price originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Aug 2012 02:05:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Logitech launches TV Cam HD for living room video chats: built-in Skype, 720p, $200

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/08/03/logitech-skype-tv-cam-hd/

Logitech launches TV Cam HD for living room video chats builtin Skype, 720p, $200 video

If Cisco's ill-fated Umi video conferencing system had been more like this, would it have survived? Logitech is about to find out, one way or the other, once its TV Cam HD -- recently spotted at the FCC -- arrives in the US this month. The $199.99 device hooks up to your TV and contains all the processing power needed to run Skype and transmit wide-angle, 720p footage of your couch over WiFi or Ethernet. Unlike the previous TV Cam, there's no need for a Viera Connect HDTV -- anything with HDMI-in will do. The company is banking on the notion that families will forgo the use of their existing mobile devices and laptops in favour of an always-on dedicated system with incoming call alerts, four noise-cancelling mics and a Carl Zeiss lens that "gets the whole family in the video call, so everyone from grandparents to grandchildren can move around naturally." If you're tempted, the publicity video after the break gives a decent overview of the product in action.

Continue reading Logitech launches TV Cam HD for living room video chats: built-in Skype, 720p, $200

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Logitech launches TV Cam HD for living room video chats: built-in Skype, 720p, $200 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Aug 2012 04:51:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Thursday, August 02, 2012

Perfectly Clear for Android: Instant Edits to Your Smartphone Snaps [App Of The Day]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5931350/perfectly-clear-for-android-instant-edits-to-your-smartphone-snaps

Perfectly Clear for Android: Instant Edits to Your Smartphone Snaps Smartphone cameras have gotten so good that many people are ditching their point-and-shoots. Because of that, you can share your shots instantly, and if they're not to your liking you can make them even better right on your device with Perfectly Clear for Android

What does it do?

Lets you effortlessly edit photos on your phone using simple swipes and taps.

Why do we like it?

These days, everyone is a photographer, thanks to smartphones. But most people are pretty crappy photographers, although Perfectly Clear will help them fool the critics. You can make 10 detailed corrections like smoothing out skin, whitening teeth, and enhancing the eyes. When you're taking a snapshot there's always room for user error, but this app will fix those flubs with minimal effort.

Perfectly Clear

Download this app for:

The Best:

Lots of edits

The Worst:

Interface is ugly

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PSA: Verizon Galaxy Nexus owners now have direct access to Google Wallet

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/08/02/psa-verizon-galaxy-nexus-owners-now-have-direct-access-to-googl/

PSA Verizon Galaxy Nexus owners now have direct access to Google Wallet

Nobody puts Google Wallet in the corner for long, not even Big Red. Though the carrier courted controversy late last year by withholding support for the burgeoning NFC-based platform amidst security concerns, it appears to have finally changed tack. Owners of that LTE Galaxy Nexus variant are now reporting the ability to access the app from the Play store, no workarounds necessary. Though we weren't able to verify the success of that particular method -- no results surfaced during a quick store search -- we did have success downloading the application to our stock, unrooted device using a direct market link. We've since reached out to Verizon for official comment on the matter, but have yet to hear back. In the meantime, if you've been itching to give Mountain View's brand of mobile payment a go, hit up the source link below and let us know how you fare in the comments.

[Thanks, Keith]

PSA: Verizon Galaxy Nexus owners now have direct access to Google Wallet originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Aug 2012 18:29:00 EDT. Please see! our terms for use of feeds.

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Ting becomes first US MVNO to hop the Galaxy S III bandwagon, outlines its device roadmap

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/08/02/ting-becomes-first-us-mvno-to-hop-the-galaxy-s-iii-bandwagon/

Samsung Galaxy S III Sprint marble white

Ting has drawn a lot of attention among MVNOs for its unique mix-and-match approach to contract-free plans, but it's had to contend with some rather middling phones inherited from its network partner Sprint. That gap in high-end phones will narrow before the summer's up: Ting plans to carry the Galaxy S III within three to six weeks, becoming the first virtual carrier in the US to tout Samsung's flagship. Its version is identical to the Sprint model and will even cost $20 less when you skip Sprint's two-year term, at $529 for a 16GB edition and $579 for its 32GB cousin. If that doesn't satisfy the appetite, Ting is also giving a peek at its menu for the months ahead. Along with adopting LTE this year to make that Galaxy S III hum, the carrier expects to bring in a more moderately-priced LTE phone, a hotspot, an accessible phone and a budget slider. We wouldn't base any carrier switches around an iPhone or Windows Phone option, though. There's only "some progress" coaxing a deal out of Apple, and a Windows Phone is most likely to wait until the first quarter of 2013.

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Ting becomes first US MVNO to hop the Galaxy S III bandwagon, outlines its device roadmap originally! appeare d on Engadget on Thu, 02 Aug 2012 19:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HOUSE OF THE DAY: Now You Can Own A Beautiful Bronx Mansion That Was Originally Designed For Jesus

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/a-home-designed-for-jesus-in-the-bronx-hits-the-market-2012-8

riverdale house jesus christ

The Chapel Hill Mansion in Riverdale, N.Y. has hit the market for $13.588 million.

The home, built in 1928, has seven bedrooms and eight bathrooms.

The head of the New York Theological Society commissioned the house for the preparation of the "second coming of Jesus Christ," according to The Real Deal

The home would house "the Christian savior once he returned to earth to judge the living and the dead," listing broker Sean McPeak of Prudential Douglas Elliman, told The Real Deal.

The 15,000-square-foot house sits on 2.3 acres of land.

Manhattan College previously owned the property, and had planned to use it as dormitories or a seminary, but is now in the hands of a private owner who is an attorney, The Real Deal reported. 

Welcome to West 253rd Street.



The home features marble floors imported from the Vatican and chandeliers from the Plaza Hotel.



In the foyer and bar area, gold and silver leaf adorn the ceilings.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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Dying a Single Shirt With CO2 Saves 25 Liters of Water [Video]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5931326/dying-a-single-shirt-with-co2-saves-25-liters-of-water

Dying a Single Shirt With CO2 Saves 25 Liters of WaterThe simple act of turning a shirt from white to blue—or any color—requires 25 liters of water and enough harmful chemicals that every clothing manufacturer should be looking for safer methods. Like this fantastic CO2-based DryDye technology that Adidas has started using which doesn't require a single drop of H2O.

But it's not like the color dyes are blasted at the shirts with a pressurized CO2 canister—although that would be pretty awesome. In reality, the fabrics and chemical dyes are placed in a large sealed chamber, and CO2 is pumped in to a pressure of about 74 bar. The tank is also heated to 88 degrees fahrenheit at which point the CO2 behaves like a gas and a liquid, allowing the colored dyes to thoroughly permeate the fabrics without the use of excessive chemicals.

The DryDye process actually uses about half the chemicals as traditional water-based dying methods, and requires about half the energy too, so it seems like an all-around better way to go about tinting clothing. Which is probably why Adidas has already made 50,000 shirts using this safer process this summer, and is banging the drum so everyone knows how awesome they are for doing so. [Adidas via Gizmag]

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Software Glitch Costs Trading Firm $440 Million In 45 Minutes [Wtf]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5931284/software-glitch-costs-trading-firm-440-million-in-45-minutes

Software Glitch Costs Trading Firm $440 Million In 45 MinutesKnight Capital lost $440 million in a flash on Wednesday when newly installed trading software went haywire. That's nearly double the company's second quarter revenue, and could be enough to sink Knight for good.

You know all the concerns about automated high-speed trading on the stock market? This.

So how does a screw up this colossally epic happen? According to The New York Times, the company "accidentally sold all of the stocks it bought Wednesday morning." Seriously:

The problem on Wednesday led the firm's computers to rapidly buy and sell millions of shares in over a hundred stocks for about 45 minutes after the markets opened. Those trades pushed the value of many stocks up, and the company's losses appear to have occurred when it had to sell the overvalued shares back into the market at a lower price.

Oopsies! What? How the hell does that happen by accident? This isn't the first time a computer error has caused massive losses on the stock market—in fact Knight took it on the chin during the NASDAQ Facebook IPO fiasco as well—and it's just going to keep happening if the industry isn't better regulated. Financial institutions hate regulation, but as this case plainly proves rules aren't just there to protect us plebs. They can save billionaire asses as well. [New York Times]

Image via Mark Lennihan / AP

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ARM claims new GPU has desktop-class brains, requests OpenCL certificate to prove it

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/08/02/arm-mali-opencl/

ARM claims new GPU has desktopclass brains, requests OpenCL certificate to prove it

It's been a while since ARM announced its next generation of Mali GPUs, the T604 and T658, but in the semiconductor business silence should never be confused with inactivity. Behind the scenes, the chip designers have been working with Khronos -- that great keeper of open standards -- to ensure the new graphics processors are fully compliant with OpenCL and are therefore able to use their silicon for general compute tasks (AR, photo manipulation, video rendering etc.) as well as for producing pretty visuals.

Importantly, ARM isn't settling for the Embedded Profile version of OpenCL that has been "relaxed" for mobile devices, but is instead aiming for the same Full Profile OpenCL 1.1 found in compliant laptop and desktop GPUs. A tall order for a low-power processor, perhaps, but we have a strong feeling that Khronos's certification is just a formality at this point, and that today's news is a harbinger of real, commercial T6xx-powered devices coming before the end of the year. Even the souped-up Mali 400 in the European Galaxy S III can only reign for so long.

Continue reading ARM claims new GPU has desktop-class brains, requests OpenCL certificate to prove it!

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ARM claims new GPU has desktop-class brains, requests OpenCL certificate to prove it originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Aug 2012 14:56:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung's New Superfast Chips Could Fuel Your Future iPhone [Guts]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5931281/samsungs-new-superfast-chips-could-fuel-your-future-iphone

Samsung's New Superfast Chips Could Fuel Your Future iPhoneSamsung has just announced some superfast new chips and they might one day power an iPhone.

The company claims the Pro Class 1500 line is the Usain Bolt of flash memory cards—four times speedier than predecessors, and possibly the fastest chips around. They can read data at 140 MB per second and write it at 50 MB per second and process at 1,500 IOPS (inputs/outputs per second) for writing and 3,500 for reading. They come in 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB configurations. Despite their very public squabbling, Samsung still provides Apple with some very important components, including flash memory.

And the latest chips could be the innards that supercharge not your next iPhone, but your next next iPhone. [Samsung Tomorrow via Engadget]

Image credit: Samsung Tomorrow

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Compact Hydroponics Cube Turns an Extra Parking Spot Into a Vegetable Farm [Video]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5931253/compact-hydroponics-cube-turns-an-extra-parking-spot-into-a-vegetable-farm

Tired of paying the exorbitant markup for fresh produce at your grocery store? For a mere $70,000—and the cost of finding someplace else to park your car—this compact hydroponics container lets you grow a farm's worth of vegetables on a minimal chunk of land.

In fact, the creators of the aqua-cube claim it can successfully grow up to 23 different varieties of leafy vegetables, or smaller root plants like radishes and turnips, at the same time. And while $70,000 is certainly a steep investment, its yield is promised to be upwards of 10,000 heads of lettuce per year. More than the average family can consume, but perfect for a restaurant with a free parking spot near the kitchen. Just make sure you spring for the rooftop solar panel option to help cut down on the aqua-cube's $4,500 yearly power bill.

Compact Hydroponics Cube Turns an Extra Parking Spot Into a Vegetable Farm

[DigInfo TV]

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Sharp: we're making displays for new iPhone and shipping them this month

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/08/02/sharp-new-iphone/

Sharp we're making displays for new iPhone and shipping them this month

In an effort to end today's dismal earnings report on a high, Sharp's president Takashi Okuda has purposefully let slip that his company is among those contracted to manufacture displays for a new iPhone. We already have numerous reasons to suspect the iPhone 5 will be announced around September 12th, and Okuda has now corroborated that by saying that "shipments will start in August." If earlier rumors and component leaks are to be trusted, the screen will be significantly larger (likely around 4-inches) and slightly less rotund than that on the iPhone 4S.

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Sharp: we're making displays for new iPhone and shipping them this month originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Aug 2012 06:38:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nixeus shows off 27-inch IPS Vue monitor with 2560 x 1440 resolution, $430 price

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/08/02/nixeus-27-inch-IPS-Vue-2560-1440/

Nixeus shows off 27inch 2560 x 1440 IPS monitor $430

Greenhorn Nixeus, perhaps better known for media streamers, has jumped headfirst into the display market with the 27-inch IPS Vue model boasting a 2,560 x 1,440 pixel WQHD resolution and priced at $430 -- around half what you'll pay for similar panels. The new model, which the company says will be released on August 21st, seems to be nicely specced with an LG S-IPS panel, true 8-bit color, 6ms refresh, DVI / DisplayPort / HDMI 1.4 connection options and full-portrait tilting. If you've been coveting more screen space and pixels, but don't want to be reduced to bread and water, it'll go up for pre-order soon.

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Nixeus shows off 27-inch IPS Vue monitor with 2560 x 1440 resolution, $430 price originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Aug 2012 10:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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This Guy Stomps Out 3G Hotspots at the Olympics [Olympics]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5931156/this-guy-stomps-out-3g-hotspots-at-the-olympics

This Guy Stomps Out 3G Hotspots at the OlympicsPortable Wi-Fi hotspots, powered by 3G, are banned at all the Olympic venues in London. But while that might sound like a hollow threat, this man makes sure it isn't, by sniffing out rogue Wi-Fi networks and shutting them down.

There is, of course, good reason to want to keep portable Wi-Fi hotspots out of the games. At events that increasingly rely on wireless communication —for everything from referee mics through timing devices to wireless cameras—interference could easily get in the way of the smooth running of things. As the saying goes, better to be safe than sorry.

There is, however, something rather amusing about seeing a man wander around with an antenna to stop people sharing their internet. [Reddit]

Image by Aschebescher

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Aperion Audio Intimus 4T Summit touts uncompressed surround sound without the cords

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/08/01/aperion-audio-intimus-4t-summit-touts-uncompressed-surround-sound/

Aperion Audio Intimus 4T Summit touts uncompressed 51channel audio without the cords

See that little box next to those huge speakers? That's Aperion Audio's ticket to what's reportedly a no-compromise approach to wireless home theater. The Intimus 4T Summit Wireless is billed as the only system of its kind to transmit uncompressed 24-bit, 96KHz audio to its 5.1- or 7.1-channel speaker array without having to string wires across the living room. There's no interference and no more than 5ms of lag, even when that wunderkind box is processing Dolby TrueHD or DTS-HD Master Audio. Aperion is still touting an easy setup that can create a sweet spot in awkward spaces. If you like the idea, the only real catches are the $2,999 and $3,499 prices for the respective 5.1- and 7.1-channel systems -- although the outlay may be worthwhile to cut the clutter without sacrificing the finer details of Blu-ray movie soundtracks.

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Aperion Audio Intimus 4T Summit touts uncompressed surround sound without the cords originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Aug 2012 20:14:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Facebook releases its 2011 energy usage report, details your carbon footprint

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/08/01/facebook-2011-energy-statistics/

Facebook releases its 2011 energy usage report, details your carbon footprint

More Facebook news, but this time we're back to the numbers instead of reporting on a new feature, improvement or integration. As part of its mission to swap the familiar blue for something of a greener tinge, Facebook released today its carbon footprint and overall energy usage figures for 2011. Turning bio-babble into easy visualizations, the company points out that for the whole year, an active user occupied roughly the same carbon footprint as one medium latte. Or, if you're a fan of the tipple, a couple of glasses of wine. Impressively, 23 percent of the social giant's energy usage came from clean and renewable sources, which puts it well on the way to its 2015 target of 25 percent or more. If you'd like more info and a complete breakdown of the stats, the full report is available at the source link below.

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Facebook releases its 2011 energy usage report, details your carbon footprint originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Aug 2012 20:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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