Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Heel Worn Down? Nevermind, Just 3D Print a New One [3D Printers]

Heel Worn Down? Nevermind, Just 3D Print a New One [3D Printers]

Heel Worn Down? Nevermind, Just 3D Print a New OneIsn't it frustrating when a shoe part wears out, but everything else is fine? Like when the rim of your Converse cracks, but the upper looks—well, not new, but satisfactory. 3D-printing replacements could save our landfills—and wallets.

I suppose it's like going to the cobbler to get a heel replaced—instead of tossing the shoe out completely, you make do and mend. In Dutch shoe designer Marloes ten Bhömer's case, she 3D prints replacement parts. This also ensures the shoe fits its wearer perfectly, as every measurement can be input to CAD and printed out in minutes.

This particular shoe, the Rapidprototypedshoe (made like it says on the tin, I suppose) is made from various parts which slot together, so when they're worn out from much trampling, they can be replaced easily. It's on display at the Design Museum Holon in Israel now, as part of the "Mechanical Couture" exhibition. [Marloes ten Bhömer via Dezeen]

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The Most Super Amazing Science Photos of 2010 [Imagecache]

The Most Super Amazing Science Photos of 2010 [Imagecache]

The Most Super Amazing Science Photos of 2010Science—cool when it's invisible and behind closed doors, but much, much cooler when it produces spectacular photos. Lucky for all of us, Popular Science has a stunning gallery of the year's best. Check below for our favorite picks.

The full selection is massive—but we thought these were the coolest. And like any captivating science photo, it might not be obvious what each is at first glance. Try to guess before reading on.

If you managed to navigate the gallery without getting sucked into a simulated black hole, hit the rest of the photos—this is only a small sample of a big year in science. [PopSci]

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Android's Facebook App Has Been Updated With Chat Functionality [Android Apps]

Android's Facebook App Has Been Updated With Chat Functionality [Android Apps]

Android's Facebook App Has Been Updated With Chat FunctionalityHey, fire up the ol' Android, and update that clunky Facebook app. Notice anything? It's not as buggy! Plus, it now has Chat integration (with push notifications). It's a free download. [Droid-Life via Lifehacker]

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The iPhone's Graphics are Set to Get Even Better [IPhone]

The iPhone's Graphics are Set to Get Even Better [IPhone]

The iPhone's Graphics are Set to Get Even BetterBefore your eyes glaze over with boredom at the news that Imagination Technologies has acquired Caustic Graphics, listen to this first: Imagination, as you know, makes the iPhone's GPU. Caustic is famed for brilliant 3D graphics. See the connection?

The acquisition was announced yesterday, as part of a $27 million deal for Imagination Technologies, which should see even more innovative work come out of the UK-based company, of which Apple owns a 9.5 per cent stake. Their PR Director David Harold told TechRadar that "this acquisition opens up the potential for highly photorealistic imagery to reach new real-time applications and markets, including consumer, not possible previously, via its integration with POWERVR, which is the de facto standard for mobile and embedded graphics."

Going on, he mentioned that "ray tracing is a key additional technology that traditionally has been regarded as the exclusive domain of specialised markets and non real-time applications. We will change that." Ray tracing is a technique used by Caustic in creating highly-realistic images using reflection, refraction and scattering effects.

"We would not have acquired this [Caustic] technology if we did not believe we could get it into handsets".

Imagination will also be using Caustic's graphics in the TV and game console areas, but it's definitely the cellphone potential which has got most people excited. [Reuters and TechRadar]

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Pioneer ships $200 BDR-206MBK BDXL writer, dares you to afford related media

Pioneer ships $200 BDR-206MBK BDXL writer, dares you to afford related media

Two months from introduction to shipping? Not bad, Pioneer... not bad at all. The world's first BDXL PC writer is now on sale at your local Fry's Electronics, bringing support for toasting 128GB quad-layer discs (if you can find / afford 'em) as well as speedy writing on typical BD-R, DVD-R and CD-R discs. Pioneer's also throwing in a CyberLink software suite, and if you buy in early, you'll get a single piece of 100GB BR-R XL media for free. Makes that $199 asking price seem entirely more attractive, doesn't it? In other news, the first Blu-ray format still isn't supported by Apple, not even on a $10,000 Mac Pro. Spectacular.

Continue reading Pioneer ships $200 BDR-206MBK BDXL writer, dares you to afford related media

Pioneer ships $200 BDR-206MBK BDXL writer, dares you to afford related media originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 14 Dec 2010 22:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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AMD Radeon HD 6970 and HD 6950 launch assault on enthusiast gaming market

AMD Radeon HD 6970 and HD 6950 launch assault on enthusiast gaming market

It's taken AMD a long time to refresh the top end of its graphics hardware, but today's culmination to that wait has to be described as somewhat bittersweet. Sweet, because we're finally getting a successor to the venerable HD 5870, one that offers improved power management and tessellation performance at a lower $369 price point, but also bitter because in terms of sheer firepower, the Radeon series doesn't seem to have made quite the leap many of us had hoped for. The new top of AMD's single-GPU pile, the HD 6970, offers 1,536 stream processors, an 880MHz core clock speed, and 2GB of GDDR5 RAM running at 5.5GHz for a total of 176GBps of memory bandwidth. Its partner in crime, the HD 6950, is expected to list at $299, for which saving you'll have to sacrifice some clock speed (down to 800MHz) and processing units (1,408 in total). There's a neat little addition to both new boards: a Dual-BIOS switch that will act like Google's hardware jailbreak toggle on the Cr-48, allowing tweakers to unlock the extra (unprotected by warranty!) performance headroom in their cards.

Early reviews all seem to agree that both the Radeon HD 6970 and HD 6950 have struck a very fine price-to-performance ratio. The 6970 manages to spar with the much pricier GTX 580, but given that it's priced similarly to NVIDIA's GTX 570, it scores plaudits for being a more than viable alternative. The HD 6950 is seen as the real value item here, however, particularly since it occupies a relatively unique spot in the price range, and most reviewers tipped it as their new bang-for-the-buck leader.

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Continue reading AMD Radeon HD 6970 and HD 6950 launch assault on enthusiast gaming market

AMD Radeon HD 6970 and HD 6950 launch assault on enthusiast gaming market originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 15 Dec 2010 00:14:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iTunes 10 now offering social playlists with Ping

iTunes 10 now offering social playlists with Ping

After Twitter integration and iPad migration, looks like the next stop for Ping is social playlists. That's right -- the next time you make a mix in iTunes 10, clicking on the playlist arrow will give you two options: you can either purchase the playlist as a gift to your friend or loved one, or publish the playlist to Ping itself. Once your playlist is published, you can even give your friends on the network the option to edit it, making it a community playlist of sorts. Of course, this last option only works if you really trust your friends' taste. After all, it just wouldn't do to have Philip Glass invade your "Core Workout Playlist" featuring such beloved anthems Move This by Technotronic and Whoomp! There It Is by Tag Team.

iTunes 10 now offering social playlists with Ping originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 15 Dec 2010 05:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceMac World  | Email this | Comments

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IR-embedded Surc case converts iPhone into a universal learning remote

IR-embedded Surc case converts iPhone into a universal learning remote

Whoa, Nelly! ThinkFlood won't like this... not one bit. If you'll recall, the RedEye universal remote dongle was well received, as a simple 3.5mm adapter added IR beaming to Apple's slate of iDevices. But now, Mashed Pixel has taken the integration one step further, seamlessly embedding an Infrared emitter into a case. Simply pop the Surc around your iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS or iPhone 4, download the (free) accompanying app and start programming. Before long, you'll be dictating your home entertainment setup sans any external accessories, and heck, you may even improve your phone's reception all the while. The only downside to this approach compared to ThinkFlood's is that the iPad is obviously not supported, and once you upgrade to the iPhone 5, your trusty IR case becomes a glorified paperweight. If you're kosher with that, though, you can get your pre-order in now for $69.95, with initial shipments expected to make their way out in Q1 2011.

Continue reading IR-embedded Surc case converts iPhone into a universal learning remote

IR-embedded Surc case converts iPhone into a universal learning remote originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 15 Dec 2010 08:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceGet Surc  | Email this | Comments

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DirecTV survey hints at NFL Sunday Ticket on Apple TV, Boxee and Roku players?

DirecTV survey hints at NFL Sunday Ticket on Apple TV, Boxee and Roku players?

Marketing research surveys have proven a good source for yet-to-be-announced information in the past and a recent one by DirecTV may be a good sign for those who prefer their NFL Sunday Ticket over the internet instead of satellite. According to a tipster, some of the questions asking about potential pricing setups indicated the digital version would be available via currently unsupported devices including internet connected Blu-ray players & TVs, "game machines," Apple TV, Roku and Boxee. Another new wrinkle is a $19.99 per weekend pricing plan for streaming NFL Sunday Ticket access among other options. Currently, Sunday Ticket streams in HD to PCs and a bevy of mobile platforms (even without DirecTV's TV service), but it's possible we could see that list expand to several if not all connected TV platforms in the near future -- assuming this isn't just pie in the sky dreaming of course. The NBA, NHL and MLB already play ball with some but not all of the streaming set-top boxes, if the NFL follows them by adding alternate viewing options -- assuming a new labor deal is reached and we actually see football played in late 2011 -- would it make you more likely to subscribe?

[Thanks, Anonymous]

Continue reading DirecTV survey hints at NFL Sunday Ticket on Apple TV, Boxee and Roku players?

DirecTV survey hints at NFL Sunday Ticket on Apple TV, Boxee and Roku players? originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 15 Dec 2010 08:26:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple TV updated to 4.1.1, aims to fix resolution and download problems

Apple TV updated to 4.1.1, aims to fix resolution and download problems

See, sometimes dreams do come true. Just days after we asked how you'd tweak the second generation Apple TV, in flies an update that a good many TV owners have been anxiously awaiting. The 4.1.1 update purportedly solves "an issue that causes some high-definition TVs to incorrectly display at 480p," as well as an issue that "may cause a movie or TV show to be re-downloaded." It's pretty obvious that Apple's aiming to correct a nagging color / banding problem that has been plaguing some owners since day one, but according to users over at Apple Insider's forums, it's not a cure-all solution. A handful of members have stated that their sets -- typically using an HDMI-to-DVI adapter -- still display incorrect colors after the update. Flip on your own box and get the download started, and let us know if it's the fix you've been after down in comments below.

Apple TV updated to 4.1.1, aims to fix resolution and download problems originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 15 Dec 2010 08:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Google Voice app now supports iPad and iPod touch, brings Click2Call

Google Voice app now supports iPad and iPod touch, brings Click2Call

So, how exactly does a voice app work on devices without any cellular ties? Glad you asked! Google has just updated the iOS Google Voice app to include support for the iPod touch and iPad, but neither of them can make cellular calls directly. Instead, you can use the app to initiate GVoice calls with a nearby phone. The process is known as Click2Call -- users simply click any 'Call' button within the app and then choose which of their phones they want to ring. It's probably more time consuming than just grabbing your phone from the start, but hey, there it is. In other news, the app now disables text forwarding when you enable Push Notifications (to avoid double alerts), and there's a new Do Not Disturb option in the Settings tab for those who'd prefer to disconnect. Hit the iTunes link below to get your download on, and let us know how things shake out in comments.

Google Voice app now supports iPad and iPod touch, brings Click2Call originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 14 Dec 2010 15:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceGoogle Mobile Blog, iTunes  | Email this | Comments

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Comcast Testing Super Set-Top Box That Does Cable TV and Web Video [Comcast]

Comcast Testing Super Set-Top Box That Does Cable TV and Web Video [Comcast]

Comcast Testing Super Set-Top Box That Does Cable TV and Web VideoComcast subscribers in Augusta, Georgia are currently playing guinea pig for a new set-top box that lets them watch internet video in addition to regular TV (and search seamlessly across both.) But should one cable box have all that power?

The service, codenamed "Spectrum" and "Xcalibur," is one of several experiments the cable giant is conducting as it looks to the future and the inevitable convergence of TV and internet. According to the WSJ, the new boxes can access a "smattering of Web video" and some social networks, though they don't offer full web browsing like Google TV. Still, the web video served by the new boxes, as well as live TV, DVR and OnDemand content, is fully searchable with a new "fluid and graphical" interface.

I'm of two minds about this! On one hand, I've got it in my head that it would be really cool to watch Vimeo videos on my TV; on the other, I know there's no way in hell that Vimeo is included in the "smattering" of web videos Comcast's deigning to serve to my TV. And that's essentially the rub here—cable companies, whose dinosaur boxes occupy some space in all of our TV rooms, have unparalleled access to put internet on our TVs with little headache or hardware. But that's going to be the internet on their terms, and we've seen how they're not afraid to throw their muscle around to protect their interests.

Comcast says they're not sure if or when they'll launch the mega-boxes, though it's hard to imagine that serving up just enough internet content to keep the Google TVs and Apple TVs and Rokus of the world out of living rooms isn't part of their master plan. At least there's that fluid interface to look forward to! [WSJ]

Image credit: Mr. T in DC

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OnLive MicroConsole torn down, Marvell Armada found lurking within

OnLive MicroConsole torn down, Marvell Armada found lurking within

OnLive MicroConsole torn down, Marvell Armada found lurking within
When Marvell was still teasing its Armada processor company co-founder Sehat Sutardja said it would be showing up in "a new gaming platform" -- but he kinda left us hanging after that. Four months later it's looking like we might have found it. Reader David Fisher was kind enough to tear his OnLive Microconsole down to its requisite bits, spreading them upon his kitchen countertop and exposing the Marvell Armada lurking within. Other specs include 512MB of RAM, an unknown quantity of Samsung ROM, and networking chips also from Marvell. There you have it: another mystery of the world solved thanks to your friend the screwdriver.

[Thanks, David]

OnLive MicroConsole torn down, Marvell Armada found lurking within originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 14 Dec 2010 09:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Freebox v6 Revolution set-top box brings calling, TV and gaming together

Freebox v6 Revolution set-top box brings calling, TV and gaming together

Pay-TV operators have been tossing out "quadruple play" bundles for the better part of three years now, but we dare say that none of 'em have come close to nailing it like this. France's own Free, a well-known ISP in the nation, has just introduced the Freebox v6 Revolution, a newfangled set-top box designed by Philippe Starck and engineered to handle just about all of your home entertainment needs. It's stuffed with 250GB of hard drive space, an internal 802.11n WiFi module, Blu-ray drive, inbuilt web browser and Intel's Atom CE4100 media processor. It also ships with a motion-sensing remote, and in short, it's designed to provide live / streaming television options, internet (fiber or DSL is supported), gaming (via a streaming service similar to OnLive) and at-home calling to boot. Free's also planning to dabble in mobile telephony starting in 2012, hence the plans for a quadruple play offering in the not-too-distant future. We're told that a joystick (presumably for getting your game on) is thrown in, as are a pair of powerline adapters in order to easily network it through your abode's power network. The Revolution is up for pre-order now, and depending on how long you've had your current Free STB, it could cost as little as €59.99 or as much as €119.99. The "basic" Freebox service will run €29.99, and once Free goes mobile in 2012, you can add a mobile line for another €29.99.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Freebox v6 Revolution set-top box brings calling, TV and gaming together originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 14 Dec 2010 08:53:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Millennial: Android And iOS In Deadlock Again For Monthly Smartphone Impression Share

Millennial: Android And iOS In Deadlock Again For Monthly Smartphone Impression Share

Mobile ad network Millennial Media is releasing its monthly data on mobile devices and OS marketshare for November today. Millennial’s ads reach 63 million of a total of 77 million mobile web users in the U.S., or 81 percent of the U.S. mobile web.

Similar to last month’s report, Android tied with iOS as the largest Smartphone OS on the network for November, with both mobile operating systems sharing 38 percent of ad impressions on the network. Both Android and iOS’s share increased by one percent from last month. RIM followed Android and iOS with a 19 percent impression share in November, down one percent from October.

One of the more interesting data points from the network’s report is that Android apps represented 54 percent of all apps on the Millennial network and are averaging 10 percent growth month-over-month over the past 4 months. Apple was second on the list with a 38 percent share. Additionally, Android was named the leading platform that publishers/developers intend to support in 2011, with the iPad and Windows Phone 7 tied for second on the list.

General smartphone impression share decreased by 3 percent month-over-month and accounted for 58 percent of the mobile phone impression share in November. Feature Phones and WiFi Connected Devices (i.e. the iPad) experienced a 1 percent and 2% increase in impression share month-over-month, respectively. Together, they represented 42% of impressions in November.

Millennial also reported that Apple continued its reign as the top manufacturer on the Millennial network (as it has been for the last 14 months), representing 25 percent of the network’s impression share by manufacturer in November. In terms of actual devices, the iPhone and iPod touch made up the top two individual mobile devices.

Samsung came in second in terms of manufacturers, followed by Motorola with a 15 percent impression share Motorola had three devices in Millennial’s network—Droid, Droid 2 and Droid X). RIM devices represented five of the Top 30 Mobile Devices on Millennial’s network, with a combined impression share of 11 percent in November.

While Android is eating away at the smartphone marketshare that Apple and RIM once commanded, there’s the possibility that Android’d rampant growth could be slowing down. The OS only posted a 1 percent increase in impressions share on Millennial’s network versus an 8 percent increase in October.

It will be interesting to see if Android can manage to surpass impression share in December. According to a new IDC report, Millennial is the third largest network behind Google AdMob and Apple’s iAd, so a shift in share on Millennial’s network would be significant.



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