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Thursday, September 22, 2011

drag2share: Squid extract bridges human / machine divide, cyborgs to become very real

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/21/squid-extract-bridges-human-machine-divide-cyborgs-to-become/

If we ever manage to capture a live giant squid, researchers at the University of Washington are going to have a field day. Enterprising minds at the institution's materials science and engineering department have discovered a use for chitosan -- an extract made from squid pen or crab shells that could lead us down a cybernetic road to human / machine interfaces. The team incorporated the organic compound into their field-effect transistor prototype, and effectively created the first protonic circuitry "that's completely analogous to [the way] an electronic current" can be manipulated. Naturally, the silicon-based tech isn't ready (or safe) for implantation into humans just yet, but could one day be used to control biological functions, sending on / off commands to our bodies. So, maybe we won't have to fear that robot apocalypse, after all. You never know, give scientists ample time to fully flesh this advancement out and Spielberg's next great cinematic, sci-fi opus could wind up becoming a cyborg rom-com. Stranger things have happened folks.

Squid extract bridges human / machine divide, cyborgs to become very real originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Sep 2011 17:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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drag2share: Samsung releases AT&T Galaxy S II kernel source far in advance of the phone's release

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/21/samsung-releases-atandt-galaxy-s-ii-kernel-source-far-in-advance-o/

Whoever's cranking out the kernel source in Samsung's headquarters has some serious aspirations. Cooking it up for the Galaxy S II Epic 4G Touch the day it was released was a rather snappy process, but the manufacturer's managed to one-up even itself by pushing out AT&T's version a full week and a half early. Talk about an exciting deal for developers, who now have a sizable head start ahead of the Galaxy S II's October 2nd launch. Not too shabby, right? Let's see exactly what those with the know-how can build in the meantime -- we predict customization options aplenty by the time the phone's officially stocked on store shelves. How early can we expect to see the kernel for T-Mobile's Galaxy S II? Hard to say, but for now you can grab the kernel source at... well, the source below.

Samsung releases AT&T Galaxy S II kernel source far in advance of the phone's release originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Sep 2011 18:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

AndroidCentral | source

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drag2share: 'Monster Cat' 30,472-core supercomputer can be yours for $1,279 an hour

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/21/monster-cat-30-472-core-supercomputer-can-be-yours-for-1-279/

Nicknamed after the magical "Nekomata" cat of Japanese nightmares, Cycle Computing's monstrous new supercomputer can now be yours to rent for the low price of $1,279 an hour. By fusing together the face-melting power of 3,809 eight-core Amazon AWS Elastic Computer 2s, the company was able to create the world's 30th fastest computer with 30,472 processor cores and 27TB of memory -- primarily used for complex modeling rather than Facebooking. Components of the beast hide out in three of Amazon's EC2 data center lairs located in California, Virginia and Ireland, and communicate using HTTPS and SSH encrypted with AES-256 to keep its secrets safe and secure. Compared to the company's previous 10,000-core offering ($1,060 / hour), the new version is far more powerful and minimally more expensive, mostly because it uses spot instances (where customers bid on unused EC2 capacity) rather than pricier reserved instances. Good on you Cycle Computing, not everyone has access to a Jeopardy champ.

'Monster Cat' 30,472-core supercomputer can be yours for $1,279 an hour originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Sep 2011 19:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

! Extreme Tech | source

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drag2share: Samsung SHV-E120L comes out of the development dark, is the Xtina to LG's Britney

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/21/samsung-shv-e120l-comes-out-of-the-development-dark-is-the-xtin/

Brothers from another mobile mother, or just a case of copycat syndrome? We'll let you be the judge, but from the looks of this latest leak, Samsung's SHV-E120L could be sharing some of the LG LU6200's special spec sauce. Outed over on Cetizen and iNews24, the full breakdown of the device's innards point to a dual-core 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, 4.7-inch 1280 x 720 HD display, 2 megapixel front-facing / 8 megapixel rear camera, 1GB RAM, 16GB of onboard storage, WiFi, Bluetooth and NFC. We've seen conflicting reports as to the exact version of Gingerbread that'll ship on the phone, with Android 2.3.5 in the running. As for the handset's radios, its purported MDM9600 Gobi chipset indicates tri-mode LTE, HSPA and CDMA compatibility. Sammy's super-sized smartphone could hit South Korea later this month, or in early October -- if the passable English in that Google translation can be believed.

Samsung SHV-E120L comes out of the development dark, is the Xtina to LG's Britney originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Sep 2011 20:37:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

PocketNow | source

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Cetizen (Translated), iNews24 (Translated) | Email this | Comments

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drag2share: LG Optimus EX bound for South Korea, still won't pay alimony

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/21/lg-optimus-ex-bound-for-south-korea-still-wont-pay-alimony/

Despite its rather curious name, the LG Optimus EX (aka the LG SU-880) just might be your soulmate -- provided you live in South Korea. The 9.5mm device appears ready to take SK Telecom by storm with a 1.2GHz dual-core CPU (with no indication of make or model), Android 2.3, 4-inch WVGA TFT-LCD display and five megapixel camera; it's also said to be coming in black and white varieties. We admit, it's not the type of spec sheet that induces a large amount of salivation, but we imagine many will be seduced by the new device -- if the price is right, that is. No word on pricing or availability yet, but we'll hopefully know more once we get officially introduced to the new handset.

LG Optimus EX bound for South Korea, still won't pay alimony originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Sep 2011 22:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

PocketNow, MovePlayer (translated) | source

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Popboy (translated) | Email this | Comments

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drag2share: OCZ debuts Synapse Cache Series SSDs to compensate for your HDD's shortcomings

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/22/ocz-debuts-synapse-cache-series-ssds-to-compensate-for-your-hdd/

This really shouldn't come as much of a surprise, given some of OCZ's other offerings, but the company has outed its Synapse Cache SSDs so you don't have to suffer the speed limitations inherent in spinning disk storage. These 2.5-inch, 6 GB/s SATA drives come in 64 and 128GB flavors, and do the dual drive dance with your HDD of choice using the firms' Dataplex caching software. That nifty bit of code hastens data retrieval by dynamically managing your data, placing frequently used info on the speedy SSD, and shoving the rest on your capacious, cheap-as-chips HDD. When can you up your storage speed limit and how much will it cost? OCZ's not telling, but the drive's full performance specs can be found in the PR and source below.

Continue reading OCZ debuts Synapse Cache Series SSDs to compensate for your HDD's shortcomings

OCZ debuts Synapse Cache Series SSDs to compensate for your HDD's shortcomings originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 22 Sep 2011 00:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wednesday, September 21, 2011

drag2share: CouponCodes Relaunches, Aggregates Discount Codes for Thousands of Retailer Web Sites [Shopping]

Source: http://lifehacker.com/5842034/couponcodes-relaunches-offers-discount-codes-for-thousands-of-retailer-web-sites

CouponCodes.com is under new management, and the site re-launched this morning as a hub for coupons and discount codes for over 2,500 retail sites, curated and screened by real people behind the scenes.

To find a coupon code for a retailer you're about to buy from, just search for the retailer in the search bar, or scroll to the bottom of the page to search for the retailer by name. Featured coupons live on the front page, and some of the service's banner retail partners include AT&T, Apple, Dell, Sears, Home Depot, and Target.

The new CouponCodes.com isn't the first service to do something like this, and they enter an already crowded field of web sites offering coupons and discount codes, like previously mentioned RetailMeNot and CouponChief. What could make CouponCodes.com stand out in the long run is the fact that the codes are manually curated and approved by real people-something other services are woefully lacking.

CouponCodes.com

You can reach Alan Henry, the author of this post, at alan@lifehacker.com, or better yet, follow him on Twitter or Google+.

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drag2share: YoYo.com Is a Wonderland for Finding Great Toys [Toys]

Source: http://lifehacker.com/5842050/yoyocom-is-a-wonderland-for-finding-great-toys

Online toy store YoYo can help you find the right toy for that special kid—a feat that's not always easy. The site aims to provide the broadest selection of toys online and handpicked recommendations.

You can shop by age, product category, and characters as well as see YoYo's picks for toys that meet criteria such as "eco-friendly" or "perfect for travel." The assortment is very impressive; right now YoYo has 20,000 toys, books, video games and collectibles in stock, compared to ToysRUs' 10,000 in stock (YoYo is also a sister company of Diapers.com, Soap.com, and pet supply company Wag.com, all owned by Quidsi, a subsidiary of Amazon, which itself doesn't carry as many toys).

Besides the vast selection, YoYo's main purpose will be to help you find excellent age-appropriate toys.

YoYo | via TechCrunch

You can follow or contact Melanie Pinola, the author of this post, on Twitter or Google+.

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drag2share: Most Popular Fitness Tracking Web Site: Fitocracy [Hive Five Followup]

Source: http://lifehacker.com/5842058/most-popular-fitness-tracking-web-site-fitocracy

When you're ready to make the commitment to getting in shape and improving your health, finding the right site or service to help you stay on track can make a big difference. Last week we asked you which web site or service you used to keep track of your personal health and fitness goals. Then we took a look at the top five and put them to a vote. Now we're back to highlight the winner.

Voting was heavy and fierce through the weekend (due in no small part to the fact that many of the top five put out the call to their members on Facebook and Twitter to come vote in the poll, so keep that in mind) but Fitocracy took the top spot with just over 39% of the votes cast. SparkPeople came in second place with just under 37%, and RunKeeper finished a distant third with 11% of the vote. Bringing up the rear in fourth and fifth were MyFitnessPal and DailyBurn, with 8% and 5% of the vote, respectively.

You can reach Alan Henry, the author of this post, at alan@lifehacker.com, or better yet, follow him on Twitter or Google+.

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drag2share: LG 50PZ950 3DTV Reviewed: One of the Best TVs Out There [3dTv]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5842231/lg-50pz950-3dtv-reviewed-one-of-the-best-tvs-out-there

If you've been waiting years for a TV as awesome as the departed Pioneer Kuro get excited about the 50-inch LG 50PZ950 HD 3D TV. It might be the new titan of television.

It's not the first time a reviewer has proclaimed a new king of the HD mountain, but according to Sound and Vision, the LG 50PZ950's THX Certified display has amazing picture quality worthy of your Blu-ray collection. If streaming services are more your style, the TV has built-in apps for Netflix, Amazon Instant Video and even a web browser. (Holy WebTV!) The reviewer does quibble with the 3D performance, but the whole package looks like one of the best TVs out there. [Sound and Vision]

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drag2share: OnStar Is Tracking Your Speed And Location Even When You Cancel Your Service [Cars]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5842317/onstar-were-tracking-your-speed-and-location-even-when-you-cancel-your-service

OnStar is alerting customers of a change in its privacy policy that'll let the company collect the speed and location of any OnStar-equipped vehicle, even when the owner no longer subscribes to the monthly service.

According to spokesman Adam Denison, the company will keep this tracking active for the convenience of customers who wish to restore service. He also says the connection will remain open "unless the customer says otherwise".

Even more troubling is a little known section of the privacy policy that lets OnStar compile this GPS data and sell an anonymized version to government agencies, marketing companies and vehicle manufacturers. [OnStar via Wired]

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drag2share: MakerBot's Turtle Shell Racers cruise around our offices (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/20/makerbots-turtle-shell-racers-cruise-around-our-offices-video/

This weekend's Maker Faire in New York City was lousy with 3D printers. Every tent in the outdoor area was packed to capacity with the things, their owners standing beside them, showing off the small trinkets they'd created with the devices. Judging from their presence, there seems little question that the technology has proven a success with the maker community. Amongst the general public, however, they've been a much harder sell. Perhaps it's the price, or maybe it's the generally dull connotations of the word "printer," or it could just be the fact that there hasn't been the right iconic image to help sell the products to the public at large.

MakerBot's Turtle Shell Racers may well be just the ambassador that the world of 3D printing needs. The toy football-sized RC cars are proof positive that the devices can turn just about anything you can imagine into reality. There are certain limitations, of course, like the fact that the objects printed can't be larger than five inches in diameter. The Shells' creator circumvented that admitted shortcoming by assembling the products out of small pieces that snap together. Check out more hands-on impressions and a video with the racers after the jump.

Gallery: Turtle Shell Racer hands-on

Turtle Shell Racer hands-on

Continue reading MakerBot's Turtle Shell Racers cruise around our offices (video)

MakerBot's Turtle Shell Racers cruise around our offices (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Sep 2011 13:03:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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drag2share: LaCie ships Little Big Disk Thunderbolt, promises 240GB SSD variant in mid-October

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/20/lacie-ships-little-big-disk-thunderbolt-promises-ssd-variant-in/

It's taken its sweet time, but folks who weren't exactly keen on the Promise Pegasus finally have a compact option for putting their Thunderbolt port to good use. LaCie has just announced that it's Little Big Disk Thunderbolt external drive -- a first for the outfit -- is available to purchase. For those keeping count, it's only the second overall T-bolt drive to hit the scene, with this 1.4-pounder boasting a pair of 2.5-inch drives, support for JBOD / RAID 1 / RAID 0 and a typically metallic chassis that measures 1.6- x 5.5- x 3.3-inches. We're promised speeds as high as 480MB/sec (for SSD arrangements) and 190MB/sec (for HDD models), and users can daisy chain several of 'em to hit transfer rates of around 800MB/sec. These guys should be available starting today (though Apple's online shop currently has a "one to two week" wait), with the 1TB 7200RPM edition retailing for $399, and the 2TB 5400RPM model listing for $499. We're still awaiting word on the specifics surrounding the October-bound 240GB SSD variant, but those who'd rather press their luck for a free one can enter the ongoing contest in the More Coverage link below.

Gallery: LaCie Little Big Disk Thunderbolt press photos

Continue reading LaCie ships Little Big Disk Thunderbolt, promises 240GB SSD variant in mid-October

LaCie ships Little Big Disk Thunderbolt, promises 240GB SSD variant in mid-October originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Sep 2011 13:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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drag2share: Huawei gives October shipping date for MediaPad in Malaysia, US and China by year's end

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/20/huawei-gives-october-shipping-date-for-mediapad-in-malaysia-us/

Huawei MediaPad

Been wondering when you were gonna get a chance to smear fingerprints all over 7-inches of Android 3.2, courtesy of Huawei's MediaPad? Well, if you happen to live in Malaysia, it should be by the middle of October. The rest of you shouldn't fret though -- the company plans to have it on shelves in the US, China, Hong Kong and Thailand before the end of the year. Meanwhile, folks in Singapore can already place pre-orders for $598 SGD, roughly $473 USD. It's a bit later than the Q3 ship date we were originally told but, as they say, better late than never. Though, we're more apt to cry "gimme, gimme, gimme."

Huawei gives October shipping date for MediaPad in Malaysia, US and China by year's end originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Sep 2011 14:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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drag2share: Samsung Epic 4G Touch gets torn down, confirms its epic crendentials

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/20/samsung-epic-4g-touch-gets-torn-down-confirms-its-epic-crendent/

The Samsung Epic 4G Touch is a triumph of engineering, jamming oh-so-very-much into an oh-so-little frame. What better way to celebrate its wonderous design, than to tear it all down to its constituent parts, and then reassemble it? Thank the guys at iFixit, because they've already done it -- again. Interesting points include just a single EMI shield -- unlike some competitors -- which is great news for those looking to emulate a tear-down of their own Sprint-specific GSII. It could still prove to be a challenge, with both the glass panel and LCD apparently fused to the middle of the phone, meaning a replacement for that sumptuous 4.5-inch Super AMOLED Plus screen could prove costly. Click below for a pictorial blow-by-blow of the teardown, let's keep the drooling to a minimum, shall we?

Samsung Epic 4G Touch gets torn down, confirms its epic crendentials originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Sep 2011 15:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iFixit | Email this | Comments

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