HTC, Huawei, LG and Samsung join Power Matters Alliance, AT&T pledges wireless charging by 2014

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/04/17/att-pma-wireless-charging/

The Power Matters Alliance (PMA) just scored another major boost. AT&T has announced that it will integrate wireless charging within select smartphones by 2014. Those TBA handsets may be manufactured by BlackBerry, ZTE, or any of the organization's latest members: HTC, Huawei, LG and Samsung. Notably absent is Apple, so don't expect PMA-compatible devices to make their way out of Cupertino anytime soon, but with chipset makers like Broadcom and Texas Instruments on board, we could very well be seeing quite a few handsets pop up by early next year. Integration may be implemented directly within the chipset, or it could be delivered through an add-on device, such as the Wireless Charging Card (WiCC) in the image above.

A PMA membership doesn't necessarily represent a commitment from manufacturers to release products that support the technology -- joining the alliance requires just "a few thousand dollars" in dues, but Duracell Powermat President Daniel Schreiber seems confident that all of the smartphone makers now on board will have releases of their own in the near future. The next step, of course, would be a widespread rollout of PMA-compatible charging stations, such as those manufactured by Powermat and installed in Boston Starbucks stores and Madison Square Garden in NYC. PowerKiss, which has begun similar trials in Europe, also joined the PMA recently, and may have compatible devices in place in several McDonald's restaurants and train stations throughout the continent by the second half of ! this yea r.

Filed under: Cellphones, Household, Mobile, Samsung, HTC, AT&T, LG

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Doodle3D aims to make 3D printing easy enough for anyone, is totally rad

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/04/17/doodle3d-kickstarter-launch/

You'll forgive us for frontloading this informational post about Doodle3D -- a simple sketching software tool, complete with hardware dongle, that's being Kickstarted -- with superlatives like "totally rad," but it's difficult to feel otherwise. The software is very accessible, enabling 2D drawings done on a computer, tablet, or smartphone to be wirelessly sent to a hardware dongle attached to a variety of 3D printers. Just like that, drawings are magically turned from crude 2D images into physical 3D objects; this principle is demonstrated in the group's Kickstarter video (below the break), which features a variety of non-techie folks using the application to thrilling results. More importantly? Not a single companion cube!

If you'd like to contribute, several tiered options are available. The early bird special affords 100 lucky folks a Doodle3D WiFi box for just $88, but that's quickly running out. The box will otherwise run you (at least) $99, and the team is expecting to ship them sometime in September -- should the project reach its $50,000 goal, that is. With 35 days to go and just over one fifth of that goal already funded, it's looking like that won't be an issue.

Filed under: Cellphones, Desktops, Handhelds, Household, Peripherals, Tab! lets , Wireless, Software

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Via: Twitter - @tha_rami

Source: Kickstarter

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Tiny lithium-ion battery recharges 1000x faster than rival tech, could shrink mobile devices

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/04/17/researchers-devise-fast-and-powerful-microbattery/

Supercapacitors are often hailed as the holy grail of power supplies, but a group of researchers at the University of Illinois have developed a lithium-ion microbattery that leaves that prized solution in the dust, recharging 1,000 times faster than competing tech. Previous work done by Professor William P. King, who led the current effort, resulted in a fast-charging cathode with a 3D microstructure, and now the team has achieved a breakthrough by pairing it with an anode devised in a similar fashion.

The resulting battery is said to be the most powerful in the world, avoiding the usual trade-off between longevity and power while having a footprint of just a few millimeters. By altering its composition, scientists can even optimize the contraption for more juice or increased life. It's expected that the technology could make devices 30 times smaller and help broadcast radio signals up to 30 times farther, but it'll still be a while before it winds up in a super-slim phone within your pocket. For now, the researchers have their sights set on integrating the tech with other electronic components and investigating low-cost manufacturing.

Filed under: Science, Alt

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Via:< /strong> Eureka Alert

Source: University of Illinois News Bureau

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Most Popular Small Form Factor PC Case: BitFenix Prodigy

Source: http://lifehacker.com/most-popular-small-form-factor-pc-case-bitfenix-prodig-473239688

If you're planning your next system build and want a PC that won't take up a ton of space, or you're building an HTPC that needs to fit nicely next to the TV, a PC case on the smaller side might be a good option. Last week, we asked you which small cases you thought were the best. Then we featured the five best small form factor PC cases. Now we're back to highlight the winner.

The BitFenix Prodigy took an early lead and held on to the top spot through the finish, eventually nabbing over 50% of the votes cast. It's a bit on the large size among the other contenders, but it's still a great case, and we love it as much as you guys do.

In second place with just over 23% of the overall vote was the Fractal Design Node 304, a gorgeous small PC case that'd look beautiful on your desk or in your entertainment center. The battle for third place is where the real action was however: the difference between third and fourth was a mere five votes, with some of them coming in right under the wire as the poll closed. In the end, the Silverstone FT03/FT03-Mini took third place with 10.36% of the vote, and the Cooler Master Elite 120 Advanced fell to fourth with 10.23% of the votes cast. Bringing up the rear in fifth place is the admittedly un-sexy but very definitely the smallest case in the roundup, the Mini-Box M350 Universal Mini-ITX case, which is so small you can mount it on the back of a monitor safely.

The Hive Five is based on reader nominations. As with most Hive Five posts, if your favorite was left out, it's not because we hate it—it's because it didn't get the nominations required in the call for contenders post to make the top five. We understand it's a bit of a popularity contest, but if you have a favorite, we want to hear about it. Have a suggestion for the Hive Five? Send us an email at tips+hivefive@lifehacker.com!

Photo by docklandsboy.

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Intel execs predict Bay Trail touch-enabled laptops for $200 - $300 by the holidays

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/04/17/intel-bay-trail-200/

On the earnings call after Intel released its Q1 numbers, its executives faced many questions from analysts, including some asking what to expect from the company in Q4. According to CEO Paul Otellini and CFO / EVP Stacy Smith, among the reasons for investors to be optimistic are the prospects of cheaper touch screen computers powered by its upcoming Bay Trail (quad-core Atom) and Haswell processors. Just how cheap you ask? According to Otellini, as transcribed by SeekingAlpha:

We have a certain spec for ultrabooks, and that is the product that Stacy said is going to be centered at as low as $599 with some [diverse] SKUs to $499. If you look at touch-enabled Intel based notebooks that are ultrathin and light using non-core processors, those prices are going to be down to as low as $200 probably.

We'd put more weight in those figures if they were price tags attached to products or at least from the OEMs that will build them, but at least there's a target. Whatever happens, there's sure to be a flood of new ultrabooks, tablets, convertibles and detachables hitting the streets later this year, and if the price is right (along with some Windows 8 tweaks) maybe they'll be worth the wait.

Filed under: Desktops, Laptops, Tablets, Intel

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Source: Seeking Alpha

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Mid-range HTC 606w spotted with front stereo speakers and dual soft key design

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/04/17/htc-606w-leak/

While the HTC One is facing much anticipation ahead of its launch in more regions, its price tags may not be everyone's cup of tea; but judging by the above leak, it looks like Peter Chou's willing to spare a couple of notable features for a more affordable model. According to last week's filing on China's TENAA database, the back of this 606w takes design cues from the China-only One SU (especially around the camera), but flip it around and you'll notice what appears to be a pair of front-facing stereo speakers (aka BoomSound as it's marketed as for the One), as well as the same dual soft key implementation on the company's latest flagship.

The rest of this Android 4.1.2 phone is a bit of a mix: there's a 4.5-inch 960 x 540 display, a quad-core 1.2GHz processor, 1GB RAM, an 8-megapixel main camera (so not UltraPixel), a 1.6-megapixel front-facing camera, WCDMA radio and microSD expansion. It's easy to see how these specs are carefully crafted to avoid directly clashing with the recently launched E1 (603e) as well: lesser front-facing camera but better processor and display here (presumably). And no, this is clearly not the rumored M4. As always, we'll keep an eye out for the 606w's official announcement.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, HTC

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Via: PhoneArena

Source: TENAA

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BlackBerry Q10 hits the FCC en route to a spring launch

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/04/17/blackberry-q10-fcc/

We're fairly certain that the BlackBerry Q10 will make its hometown debut on April 30th, but Thorsten and Co. haven't been very precise about when the handset will land in the US. Thanks to the FCC, however, we know that it can't be too far out, as the first BB10 device with a physical QWERTY keyboard has been passed fit for human consumption by the federal agency. We'd have guessed that professional keyboardist Alicia Keys would be first in the queue, but she probably got a freebie ahead of time.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Blackberry

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Source: FCC, Bluetooth SIG

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Seiki 50-Inch 4K TV Eyes-On: How the Hell Is a TV This Beautiful So Cheap?

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5994765/seiki-50+inch-4k-tv-eyes+on-how-the-hell-is-a-tv-this-beautiful-so-cheap

Yesterday, Chinese OEM Seiki officially priced its 50-inch Ultra HD TV at $1500, making it the cheapest 4K television in the history of absurd resolution. It's cheaper even than the last round of super-cheap Chinese 4Ks we saw. The price is so low, in fact, and the brand name is so unfamiliar, that you had to wonder if this television was a joke—or worse—a piece of garbage. I'm one of the first people in America to see this mythical creature, and I'll tell you right now: I can't believe my eyes.

We got a chance to watch 4K content on Seiki's 3840 x 2160, 120Hz LED beast for about 30 minutes today, and it was totally breathtaking. Much of the footage was stock 4K so, you know, it was amazing and perfectly shot and calibrated. But even with that knowledge in mind my brain was bombed by the clarity and detail of the picture. It's hard to get over the thrill of squinting at a TV up close and not seeing a pixel or a blur.

While watching footage of a tokyo cityscape, I could see the tiniest details like, for example, a tiny train navigating its way through skyscraper canyons. I also watched a 10-minute clip of animated video designed to be representative of 4K video content, and it was totally enrapturing. The TV was only 50-inches, but the picture was so immersive that you could've told me I was in movie theater.

Now, this wasn't a full, formal test of the TV so we can't argue for sure that it's a keeper, but for a 4K, it is unbelievably cheap. Please remember, too, that there isn't a whole lot of 4K content out there, but a lot of big companies like Sony are planning to start delivering large amounts of it within the next year. 4K is a fairly safe bet for the future. Investing in a 4K panel doesn't seem as crazy today as it did a few years ago. The power of the television's 4K-scaling engine will also be a very important measure of its worthiness and we haven't seen any 1080p content on it yet.

Seiki also told us that there would be a one-year, no-questions warranty. The company is hoping to have a 65-inch 4K TV ready by mid-summer.

Now, the TV is cheap in part, because it doesn't come with any bells and whistles. It's just a straight up beautiful panel with three HDMI inputs. The simplicity is a clear rebuttal to Sony, Samsung, LG, et al, and we're willing to bet that Seike is is right about one thing: People don't really care about connected TV crap and 3D or even a brand name enough to spend $25,000 on a TV. People just want simple, beautiful televisions they can afford. What good is a television the price of a sports car? Sure, at $1500, Seiki isn't gonna going to make any R&D money—but the company might actually sell some TVs. We're intrigued.

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Panasonic Lumix GF6 announced for the US, shipping in June for $600

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/04/16/panasonic-lumix-gf6-ships-in-june/

Panasonic's latest entry-level Micro Four Thirds cam appears to follow the design language (and perhaps usability) of its GF predecessors, but at least it's got WiFi, right? We'll hold out on passing further judgement until we have the camera in hand, but if past models are any indication, you'll definitely want to try the Lumix GF6 on for size in a retail store before handing over a cool 600 bucks. That said, there are some major improvements here -- there's NFC and WiFi functionality, as we mentioned, and the 1,040k-dot LCD is certainly a step up from the GF5, as is the top sensitivity of ISO 25,600. There's also a dedicated mode dial (always a plus), a pop-up flash and a bundled manual-zoom 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 lens. The new MFT camera, which was announced for Japan just last week, will be hitting US retailers in June.

Filed under: Cameras

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KidDIY: 2013 National STEM Video Game Challenge aims to shape future of innovation

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/04/15/stem-initiative-2013/

The New York Hall of Science is hidden away in the Corona corner of Queens, N.Y., a primarily Hispanic neighborhood below the city's 7 subway line. Pupuserias and bodegas line pedestrian-filled 111th Street as it leads to the open swath of land occupied by the hall, making the sudden appearance of Cold War-era space rockets all the more jarring -- they jut into the sky, taking advantage of Queens' lack of skyscrapers. Not that 50-year-old rockets are at home anywhere in New York City, but they serve as a fitting backdrop for the day's event: the culmination of the 2013 National STEM Video Game Challenge.

The challenge aims to enable America's youth of today to become tomorrow's innovation leaders. In so many words, the US government is hoping these kids won't just go on to create the next big shooter franchise, but, say, the next iPod. Or the next SpaceX, perhaps.

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Titan supercomputer to be loaded with 'world's fastest' storage system

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/04/16/titan-supercomputer-to-be-loaded-with-worlds-fastest-storage-system/

If you figured Titan's title of the world's most powerful supercomputer would give the folks at Oakridge National Laboratory reason to rest on their laurels, you'd be mistaken. The computer is set to have its fleet of 18,688 NVIDIA K20 GPUs and equal number of AMD Opteron processors paired with what's said to be the planet's speediest storage system, making its file setup six times faster and giving it three times more capacity. Dubbed Spider II, the new hardware will endow the number cruncher with a peak performance of 1.4 terabytes a second and 40 petabytes of storage spread across 20,000 disk drives. Behind the refresh are 36 of Datadirect Networks' SFA12K-40 systems, which each pack 1.12PB of capacity. For more on the herculean rig's upgrade, hit the jump for the press release.

Filed under: Misc, Storage, Science

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BitTorrent Surf plugin launches in beta on both Chrome and Firefox

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/04/16/bittorrent-surf-plugin-beta/

After four months in the alpha incubator, BitTorrent has released its Surf file-sharing plugin in beta not just for Chrome, its initial browser, but for Firefox as well. In an effort to make downloading and discovery easier, the new plugin has a status window for monitoring file progress plus a recommendation engine that'll offer suggestions based on search terms. BitTorrent claims the results "prioritize legitimate content" and will "help creators and fans connect." With ventures like SoShare, Sync and live-streaming in the works, this is yet another sign that a brand (arguably) once synonymous with illicit activities is at least trying to go legit.

Filed under: Internet

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Source: BitTorrent (1), (2)

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Thanks to HTML5, Streaming Movies on Netflix Might Suck Less

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5994732/streaming-movies-on-netflix-might-suck-less-soon-thanks-to-html5

Netflix currently uses Microsoft's Silverlight plugin to run its streams. It's an inelegant solution that sometimes makes for subpar and bogged down streaming experiences. But Silverlight is possibly dying! And Netflix wants to get better! So Netflix is planning to move on from streaming on Silverlight and move towards HTML5 video. When that happens, streaming movies on Netflix might suck less.

Netflix detailed its goals to move away from Silverlight because of the limitations of browser plugins in general: Users have to install a plugin, users may be wary of security and privacy risks that come with plugins and probably most importantly for Netflix, not many mobile browsers support plugins. The future for browser plugins such as Silverlight is not bright. Enter HTML5.

Netflix has been trying to make HTML5 ready for "premium video playback" (which basically means putting all those DRM chains on its movies) by working on three W3C initiatives: streaming media through JavaScript, slapping DRM on its streams and maintaing the security of its streams. Two of those extensions are already working on ChromeOS (WebCrypto—the security one is not, Netflix is using a plugin for that right now). Eventually HTML5 Netflix streaming will trickle down to everybody else. Or that's the idea, at least. [Netflix via The Verge]

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Comcast to encrypt basic cable channels, require set-top box for all content

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/04/15/comcast-encrypt-basic-cable/

Well, this is quite a blow to basic cable viewers. Up until recently, Comcast has allowed subscribers to access certain channels without adding a set-top box for every TV -- instead, you'd simply connect your TV directly via coax (how quaint!). Now, certain customers have received word that their free ride will soon be coming to an end. The media giant will begin is expanding the area where it encrypts basic cable channels, requiring a single STB for each and every television that you plan to use. A Comcast Q&A document only addresses home users, so it's unclear whether enterprise subscribers would also be affected -- though that wouldn't be out of the question.

We think the move could mean a more complicated (and pricey) installation at hospitals, university dorms and even neighborhood gyms, where TVs installed in cardio equipment often plug directly into wall jacks, not to mention the inconvenience you'll be facing at home. This latest setback, of course, follows an FCC decision to allow companies to encrypt their basic cable channels -- the authorization was reportedly granted to cut back on service theft, among other concerns. Comcast will be issuing up to two adapters to each subscriber at no charge for up to two years, assuming you request your equipment within four months of the date of encryption. That's the good news, but encrypted content is quite a bummer, nonetheless.

Update : Comcast has already implemented encryption in certain areas -- this latest move simply represents a wider rollout. Additionally, Comcast-issued set-top boxes are not required when a CableCard solution is in use. Boxee TV owners can receive a new E-DTA that turns Comcast's encrypted cable channels into IP streams, as specified in an earlier agreement.

Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD

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Via: GigaOM

Source: Comcast

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Galaxy S 4 pre-orders live in Canada today, $199 on a three-year commitment

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/04/15/galaxy-s-4-pre-orders-live-in-canada-today/

Samsung's next Galaxy flagship is seeking a new home in the land of hockey, maple syrup and politesse. Starting today, Canadian subscribers on Telus, Rogers or Bell will be able to pre-order the 16GB Galaxy S 4 for $199 on a three-year plan. Shipments of the TouchWiz-laden überphone are slated to begin later this month on the 27th, with Telus committing to an in-store date of May 3rd. Of course, you needn't sign away such a significant chunk of your wireless life for subsidized GS4 privileges -- the handset can be had outright for $700 CAD. Whether you go all in or opt for the monthly payment package, you'll at least have your pick of carrier poison.

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile, Samsung

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Source: Rogers

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