Netflix original series 'Orange is the New Black' debuting July 11th

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/04/30/netflix-orange-is-the-new-black/

Despite having recently introduced the likes of Hemlock Grove and House of Cards, Netflix isn't staying put and is now boosting its original content with yet another production: Orange is the New Black. The new comedic drama series, created by Weeds' own Jenji Kohan, is set to start streaming to worldwide Netflix subscribers beginning July 11th. Similar to Netflix's House of Cards, Orange is the New Black consists of thirteen episodes running at around 60 minutes -- however, the main story here won't be based on drama coming out of D.C., but rather a "world populated with unforgettable characters and no-holds-barred humor set against the backdrop of a women's prison." Be sure to peruse over the PR after the break, where you'll find more deets about the plot as well as the full cast.

Filed under: Home Entertainment, Internet, HD

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Source: Netflix

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Samsung starts production of 20nm 4Gb LPDDR3 mobile DRAM

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/04/30/samsung-20nm-4gb-lpddr3-ram/

What is it that you want to know about the RAM in your mobile device? Usually, how much of it there is, and if you're a little more demanding of your hardware, maybe what type it is, too. Well, folk in the latter category might interested to know that Samsung has started production of 20nm 4Gb LPDDR3 mobile DRAM. As is the nature of smaller, more efficient components, the new chips promise to be faster (2,133 Mbps per pin, over LPDDR2's 800 Mbps), and -- so claims Samsung -- a 20 percent drop in power consumption. With just four of these new chips, OEMs can have a 2GB offering that's still just a slick 0.8mm in height.

Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Mobile

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Belkin's Thunderbolt Express dock is finally shipping, offers its ports for $299

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/04/30/belkin-thunderbolt-express-dock-finally-shipsoffers-it/

Remember the Belkin Thunderbolt Express dock that we first laid our peepers on back at CES 2012? Well, the device that looks to lend a hand to your desktop setup is now available. After upgrading the unit back in the summer of 2012, pre-orders went live in February with a ship date expected shortly thereafter. No word on the cause of the delay, but the $299 dock still offers dual Thunderbolt ports for daisy-chaining up to five gadgets, FireWire 800, Ethernet, and both 3.5mm audio input and output. If the wait hasn't swayed your interest, grab one immediately via the source link below, and in stores before the end of May.

Filed under: Peripherals

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Source: Belkin

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Jawbone acquires health-tracking pioneer BodyMedia, opens API to developers

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/04/30/jawbone-acquires-bodymedia-opens-its-api-for-ios-developers/

Did your vibrating fitness bracelet wake you up on time? Good, because Jawbone has not one, but two pieces of news to share this morning. First off, getting the corporate news out of the way, the company's buying BodyMedia, perhaps best known for its wearable fitness trackers (yep, similar to what Jawbone's already making). In fact, though, BodyMedia's been in the health-data business since 1999, with a particularly strong foothold in the medical industry -- a market Jawbone hasn't reached yet, but would like to. As you can imagine, once the deal is finalized and Jawbone brings on BodyMedia's 60-odd employees, the plan will be to improve Jawbone's existing apps, and maybe even break into healthcare. In the meantime, we're told Jawbone will continue to sell BodyMedia's existing fitness monitors, but it's making no promises to keep them around indefinitely.

Speaking of improving the current Jawbone apps, the company is also opening up its API to developers so that they can use Jawbone stats in their applications, as well as share their own data back with Jawbone. For now, the Up platform is open only for iOS, though a company rep told us they're planning on adding Android too. (No exact ETA there, sorry.) At launch, there will be 10 apps on board, including notables like RunKeeper, Withings and MapMyFitness. What's neat is that users can manually disa! ble a co nnection with these apps anytime they want, and when they do, these third-party developers are required to delete user data from their servers. Again, no word on when this will be available for Android, but for now, at least, the iOS platform is open to developers worldwide. Hit the break for more info, along with a full list of the apps you can sync with your Up band right away.

Gallery: Jawbone Up platform for iOS

Filed under: Wearables

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drag2share: This Is What A Google Self-Driving Car 'Sees' At A Stoplight (GOOG)

source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/businessinsider/~3/aYmVuI_GxA8/this-is-what-a-google-self-driving-car-sees-at-a-stoplight-2013-4

This Is What A Google Self-Driving Car 'Sees' At A Stoplight (GOOG)

Apr 30, 2013

According to Idea Lab's Bill Gross, Google's self-driving cars gather 1 gigabyte of information every single second.

He says this is what a self-driving car "sees" at a stoplight:

Gross doesn't say where he got the image.

The idea of self-driving cars being on the road scares some people.

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Global Tablet Shipments Topped 40 Million Last Quarter

Source: https://intelligence.businessinsider.com/welcome

Tablets had a strong first quarter, shipping 40.6 million units, according to Strategy Analytics.

That's a 23% drop compared to the prior quarter, but it's an 143% increase over the same quarter in 2012. 

The sequential drop shouldn't come as a surprise because the holiday quarter is historically the tablet market's strongest, so sales naturally dip in the first quarter. 

The important thing, however, is that the dip is becoming less pronounced. Last year the decline between the fourth quarter of 2011 and the first quarter of 2012 was 41%. This year, it was nearly half that.

Furthermore, there is reason to believe that there is a substantial grey market for tablets in China that is flying under the radar of data research firms. 

In terms of tablet platforms, Apple's iOS once again leads the tablet market, accounting for a 48% share of tablet shipments in the first quarter. That's a slight improvement over the fourth quarter, when it stumbled to a 44% share.

Google's Android was second, with a 43% share, according to Strategy Analytics.

Note, however, that Strategy Analytics places tablets like the Kindle Fire into the Android category, even though it doesn't really make sense to categorize them as such. Kindle tablets run on software that is a "fork" of the Android operating system, and they don't come pre-installed with Google's services and software.

Microsoft shipped 3 million tablets, up from 1 million a quarter prior, for a 7 percent share. Microsoft tablets may be showing signs of life, but the company's two-in-one Windows 8 interface — designed to work seamlessly across tablets and PCs — is not a rousing success just yet.

Click here to view a larger version of this chart.

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Tweets sent from 'Twitter for Glass' appear, suggest official app in testing

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/04/30/twitter-for-glass-tweets/

Google has opened its Mirror API for devs while passing out Glass headsets to early adopters -- including our own Tim Stevens -- and now there's evidence Twitter is already working up an official app. As TechCrunch points out, developer Jonathan Gottfried noticed images popping up from a "Twitter for Glass" client sporting the same #throughglass hashtag he'd been using on his own TweetGlass project and that Google puts on G+ images shared from the device. The original tweet he pointed out has been deleted, but as he informed AllThingsD, there are several others still live. Most notably, they originate from Googlers working on the Glass project, and ATD astutely mentioned Twitter's rules prohibit third-party apps from using the company's name, suggesting this is something developed in-house.

Filed under: Wearables, Google

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Source: TechCrunch, AllThingsD, Jonathan Gottfried (Twitter)

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Synrgic Uno debuts as one of the last TI OMAP-powered Android phones (updated with video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/04/30/synrgic-uno-m1-singapore/

Taiwan might have an HTC One and an HTC First, but starting today, Singapore has a Synrgic Uno to join the banter (get it?). The name Synrgic might not immediately ring a bell, but if you dig a little deeper, you'll see a mention of its earlier phone plus three tablets from a while back. Alas, said phone was eventually canned as the quality didn't meet expectations, so consider this Uno a new attempt by the same Singaporean startup. Announced in its home city just now, this device is positioned as a mid-tier Android phone with some modest specs, namely a 4.7-inch, 720p IPS display with Gorilla Glass and, more interestingly, a dual-core 1.5GHz Texas Instruments OMAP 4470 SoC (with 1GB DDR2 RAM and SGX 544 graphics chip). With the upcoming TI OMAP 5 series shifting towards automotive systems, chances are the Uno will be one of the last OMAP-powered smartphones before TI waves goodbye to the mobile world. More after the break.

Update: We've added a hands-on video after the break. In short: smooth software and solid hardware build, with some room for improvement on the coating at the top and bottom sides.

Gallery: Synrgic Uno debuts as one of the last TI OMAP-powered Android phones

Gallery: Synrgic Uno hands-on

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile

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Source: Synrgic

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Nokia to invest in 'array' mobile cameras that use small lenses to capture big images

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/04/30/nokia-to-invest-in-pelican-camera-tech/

If the name Pelican Imaging rings a bell, it's possibly because we covered the company's array imaging camera prototype back in 2011. The technology uses multiple lenses that are relatively tiny in terms of how much space they take up in a mobile device, but which work together to capture an image of the same quality as a much larger camera -- just as array telescopes replace the need for one huge telescope. Now, it appears we weren't the only ones taking an interest, because Nokia's investment wing has revealed to Bloomberg that it's been watching the startup since 2008 and is currently planning to invest in it. Bo Ilsoe, of Nokia Growth Partners, describes Pelican's technology as being "on the cusp of being commercialized" -- so who knows? One day, a future Lumia might house 41 megapixels, image stabilization and the voodoo known as plenoptics. In the meantime, there's a video after the break which sort of explains how the technology sucks in enough data to allow for focus to be adjusted after a picture is taken -- a trick which also sounds rather familiar.

Filed under: Cellphones, Cameras, Mobile, Nokia

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Source: Bloomberg

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Eyes-on: MIT Media Lab's Smarter Objects can map a user interface onto... anything (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/04/29/eyes-on-mit-media-labs-smarter-objects/

While patrolling the halls of the CHI 2013 Human Factors in Computing conference in Paris, we spied a research project from MIT's Media Lab called "Smarter Objects" that turns Minority Report tech on its head. The researchers figured out a way to map software functionality onto tangible objects like a radio, light switch or door lock through an iPad interface and a simple processor / WiFi transceiver in the object. Researcher Valentin Huen explains that "graphical user interfaces are perfect for modifying systems," but operating them on a day-to-day basis is much easier using tangible objects.

To that end, the team developed an iPad app that uses motion tracking technology to "map" a user interface onto different parts of an object. The example we saw was a simple radio with a a pair of dials and a speaker, and when the iPad's camera was pointed at it, a circular interface along with a menu system popped up that cannily tracked the radio. From there, Huen mapped various songs onto different positions of the knob, allowing him to control his playlist by moving it -- a simple, manual interface for selecting music. He was even able to activate a second speaker by drawing a line to it, then "cutting" the line to shut it off. We're not sure when, or if, this kind of tech will ever make it into your house, but the demo we s! aw (see the pair of videos after the break) seemed impressively ready to go.

Filed under: Tablets, Science

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Your Skype Account Can Be Easily Hijacked, Says A Guy Who Was Hacked Six Times In One Day (MSFT)

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/spammers-can-easily-hijack-your-skype-account-says-a-security-researcher-who-lost-his-account-six-times-2013-4

It is painfully easy for hackers to hijack your Skype account and then use it to spam your Skype contacts, says a guy who had his Skype account stolen six times in one day.

Over the weekend, "Dylan," aka @TibitXimer on Twitter, a self-proclaimed security researcher/hacker, contacted Skype when he discovered his account had been hijacked. Skype asked him a few basic questions and then reset the account.

The problem is that those same easy-to-answer questions are what allowed spammers to hijack his account in the first place.

When someone contacts Skype to say they want a new email address and password, Skype asks people to tell them things like naming three to five Skype contacts, giving them an email account used with Skype, or giving a first and/or last name, Dylan explained.

He says it's easy for a hacker to learn those things, call Skype and gain control of the account.

After the sixth time he had his account stolen on Saturday, Dylan posted a message to the Skype help forum and started Tweeting about it: 

@skypesupport my skype was given away to over 6 people in one day due to them just knowing my email, name, and 5 contacts on my account

— Tibit (@TibitXimer) April 25, 2013

Other people tweeted about getting their Skype accounts hijacked, too.

@tibitximer @skype My account was hijacked and they changed/add! ed email . Can't reset password bc the token expires. Support's terrible.

— Jana Veliskova (@jveliskova) April 29, 2013

Skype fixed the problem with Dylan's account, it says, but it's unclear if they will change their support policies to make it harder to get a Skype account reset.

We've reached out to Skype PR and Microsoft PR for comment.

SEE ALSO: The 10 Most Important Companies In Cloud Computing

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Olympia Circuits' Arno Shield lets Arduino newcomers bring their own board

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/04/29/olympia-circuits-arno-shield-lets-arduino-newcomers-byob/

While there have certainly been attempts at easing the Arduino learning curve, many of these still demand a new board or simplify just one aspect of a much larger universe. Olympia Circuits' new Arno Shield could help strike a better balance between starting fresh and diving into the deep end. It includes all the buttons, lights and sensors needed for 40-plus educational projects, but grafts on to existing boards such as the company's LeOlympia or an Arduino Uno. Owners don't have to add parts or wires; they just remove the shield once they've learned enough to create their own masterworks. The shield kit won't be cheap when it arrives on May 2nd for $60, but it may prove the real bargain for tinkerers who want a full-fledged Arduino board as soon as the training wheels come off.

Filed under: Misc

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Source: Olympia Circuits

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HTC 608t spied, brings dual speakers to a One SV-like design

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/04/29/htc-608t-spied-brings-dual-speakers-to-a-one-sv-like-design/

HTC might be gearing up for a wider audio assault. Just days after the 606w made a pass through China's TENAA with stereo sound, a 608t cousin has made the agency rounds carrying its own pair of front speakers. If the 608t looks familiar, it should -- it's effectively a spin on the One SV body (or rather, the somewhat similar One ST from China) with both the reworked audio as well as the same navigation layout that first appeared on the One. While we can't verify rumors that the 608t will step up to Jelly Bean, a quad-core chip and an 8-megapixel rear camera, the TENAA report does show that it will include TD-SCDMA for China Mobile as well as GSM and WiFi. However subtle an upgrade the phone will be, about all that's left is for HTC to orchestrate a formal launch.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, HTC

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Via: Blog of Mobile (translated)

Source: TENAA (translated)

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LG will launch the world's first 55-inch curved OLED HDTV (update)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/04/28/lg-curved-oled-hdtv/

We heard that the curved OLED HDTV prototypes LG showed at CES would be coming soon, and now it's official. A Korean press release indicates we can expect the 55EA9800 to launch in the next month, with shipments starting in June. According to the specs, its 4.3mm depth results in a weight of just 17kg, probably thanks to a carbon-fiber reinforced frame. Like an IMAX theater screen, the edges are curved towards the viewer to provide a more immersive feeling. Given the fact that we're still waiting for LG's flat OLED TVs to see a wider release we doubt it will arrive on US shelves any time soon, but until then you can check out our in-person pics from CES below, and a video after the break.

Update: LG sent over the English press release, which confirms pre-orders start today at more than 1,400 retail locations with a price of 15 million Korean won ($13,500), a healthy bump over the standard version's $10K MSRP. Release dates and pricing for non-Korean markets are coming "in the months ahead," check after the break to read all the details first hand.

Gallery: LG's curved EA9800 OLED display eyes-on

Filed under: Displays, Home Entertainment, HD, LG

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Source: LG Korea

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