Tuesday, June 03, 2014

Ă¢Intel launches Core M processors for even thinner 2-in-1 PCs

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/06/03/intel-new-2-in-1-reference-pc/

At Intel's keynote presentation here at Computex, president Renee James is set to show off Intel's mobile future: a 2-in-1 reference PC powered by the company's new 14nm Intel Core M processor. (Note: it's actually a fifth-generation Core processor, even though the slide shown below says "fourth.") 14nm processors means less energy use and, when the buck stops, longer battery life -- something we can never get enough of. We're still waiting to see what that design will look like exactly, but we do know it'll be a hybrid tablet-laptop, measuring in at 7.2mm thick (keyboard detached), while a companion media dock will apparently offer extra cooling (and a performance burst).

Update: As teased, in the flesh it's a very thin tablet, with no fans to see. Intel's president also teased the companion docks, although we only saw a glance of the keyboard add-on. Thankfully, it looked at thick enough to handle a bit of typing.

It's not the first appearance of Intel's new Broadwell chips: Intel boss Brian Krzanich showed off a more vanilla laptop running on the chips late last year. Regardless, Intel says the series is set to be its most energy-efficient Core processor yet, and that the majority of the hardware running on the chip will be fanless, as well packing hybrid functionality -- which explains why the reference design took the shape it did. As you can see above, Intel's Core M family will offer around a 20 to 40 percent performance improvement, while SOC power could be up to 45% less, while producing 60 percent less heat -- thus the fanless design. The new processor will also take up around 50 percent less space inside devices, whether that's a tablet, a laptop or both.

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Google Glass And Diane Von Furstenberg Introduce Thirteen Extravagant High Fashion Frames

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/new-google-glass-frames-dvf-2014-6

DVF Google Glass

Get ready for your close up, Glass wearers: New frames are on their way, and they're made especially for the fashion-savvy. 

Mashable reports Google later this month will be launching a new collection of frames and shades Glass in collaboration with American fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg.

Google Glass DVF

This is in addition to the announcement from Google in March on its partnership with eyewear giant Luxottica, which will give Glass Ray-Ban and Oakley-branded frames.

Five new frames and eight new shades will be available through the Google Glass website and Net-a-Porter starting on June 23.

Google Glass, available to the public, costs $1500 but the price for Google Glass with the new prescriptive lenses will be a little bit higher at $1,725. Glass with DVF-branded shades will cost $1,620. 

Here are some of the frames. Could you see yourself wearing any of these?

DVF Google Glass

DVF | Made for Glass coll!   ection

 

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Monday, June 02, 2014

ASUS' new Fonepads are solid tablets, but still awkward for making calls

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/06/02/asus-fonepad-hands-on/

ASUS' new Fonepad 7 and 8 are sleek, well-built Android tablets equipped with 3G connectivity and dual SIM slots, along with a speaker and mic. Whether making calls on a gigantic slate is something you're into is another question, but if you're at all interested in a tablet that can pull double duty as your handset, ASUS' products are the best ones you could ask for. And they work quite well as tablets, too.

Announced at Computex in Taiwan earlier today, the Fonepad 7 and 8 are updates to last year's Fonepad 7 -- both sport 64-bit Intel processors for improved power efficiency and speed. It's impossible to draw conclusions about a tablet's performance based on a few minutes of use, but basic Android 4.4 (KitKat) navigation on both Fonepads felt a smooth as you'd expect. On the 1,280 x 800 IPS display, colors are extremely crisp and vivid as well.

The larger Fonepad 8 is definitely the more premium of the two, with a dimpled texture on the back as opposed to the Fonepad 7's simple rubberized finish. The bezels are extremely narrow, which makes gripping the tabs with one hand relatively easy. At a show full of run-of-the-mill Android tablets, these two definitely stand out.

While both devices are quite thin and light, there's no getting around it: holding a 7- or 8-inch slab up to your face to make calls will never feel natural. If you mostly communicate via text -- or if you're content to use the speakerphone -- this won't be a huge problem, but the Fonepads' size is definitely not ideal for lengthy calls.

Fortunately, both tablets have much more going for them than just the phone functionality; they're attractive, with premium specs to boot, and dual front speakers make them ideal for streaming music and watching movies. ASUS is the master of multifunctional devices -- seriously, check out this phone-laptop hybrid also unveiled at the show -- and the Fonepads are high-quality, if unexciting, Android tablets.

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Google is building 180 satellites to spread internet access worldwide

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/06/01/google-making-internet-satellites/

How Will We Sustain a More Populated Planet?

Google's plans for satellite-based internet access just got a little more concrete. The Wall Street Journal hears that the search firm is preparing to build 180 "small, high capacity" satellites (not pictured here) that will go into low orbit and provide internet connections to underserved areas. While details aren't forthcoming about the machines, there may be more on the way; reportedly, the company could "double" its vehicle count if all goes well. A spokeswoman didn't confirm or deny the efforts, but did note that having an internet link "significantly improves people's lives."

The initiative might be very expensive, with tipsters estimating a cost between $1 billion to $3 billion. However, the satellites could eventually pay for themselves. They would really be an extension of the thinking behind the balloons from Project Loon -- getting more people online increases the number of people who can see ads, improving Google's bottom line. Any orbital internet service would most likely serve as a complement to Project Loon, providing data in far-flung, sparsely populated regions while the balloons handle places with greater demand.

[Image credit: NASA/GSFC/Landsat, Flickr]

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Source: Wall Street Journal

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The ASUS MEMO Pad 8 is 'the world's lightest eight-inch LTE tablet'

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/06/02/asus-memo-pad-8/

ASUS boss Jonney Shih is barreling through his announcements at Computex 2014. Between routers, 4K monitors and flagship laptops, he also revealing the company's newest tablets, and the MEMO Pad 8 is the first salvo. With a 64-bit 2.3GHz Intel processor, Gorilla Glass 3 and a full HD display, Shih says it's the lightest LTE tablet in the world -- it's only 299 grams.

It was swiftly followed by the slightly smaller, and logically named, MEMO Pad 7. It'll also pack Intel's 64-bit Atom processor, although the screen is merely HD(that's 720p), not 1080p like the 'Pad 8. If you haven't quite bought an Android tablet yet (and you're still in the market for one), the MEMO Pad 8 will arrive later this year in pink, white and royal blue color options, while the MEMO Pad 7 will be dressed in turquoise, red, white and yellow. Summer shades, people. Summer shades.

Both tablets feel light, and while the range of color options is attractive, we can't fight the feeling that there's nothing here to woo over prospective tablet buyers that haven't yet made the leap. Both of them handled exactly like you'd expect from an Android tablet, we have no complaints about the Intel processor working away inside. The MEMO Pad 8 proved to be our favorite of the two, with bright, pixel-dense panel. The styling of the eight-inch tablet also follows the Padfone series, while the seven-incher settles for looking awfully similar to last year's MEMO Pad which not-so-coincidentally launched at Computex 2013.

Zach Honig contributed to this report.

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Here's a semi-professional 32-inch 4K monitor from ASUS

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/06/02/asus-PA328Q-4k-monitor/

Following ASUS' $799 28-inch 4K monitor from earlier this year, the Taiwanese tech giant has today unveiled yet another high-res display, but this time it's aimed at semi-professionals instead of mainstream users. The new ProArt Monitor PA328Q is a 32-inch, 16:9 3840 x 2160 monitor, and it boasts factory calibration with 10-bit color, 100-percent sRGB color gamut plus 350cd/m² brightness. On the back, you'll find three HDMI ports (one of which with built-in MHL 3.0), one DisplayPort 1.2, one Mini DisplayPort 1.2 and four USB 3.0 ports. ASUS added that this pretty monitor lets you adjust its tilt, swivel, pivot and height.

As with many product announcements today at Computex, ASUS doesn't yet have a solid date or price for the PA328Q, but our understanding is that it's aiming for around half the price of the high-end $3,799 PQ series when it lands in Q4. If you need something fairly reliable for your graphics projects but are stuck with a smaller budget, then this monitor is probably worth your consideration -- if you can wait for it, that is.

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Sunday, June 01, 2014

FilmOn Lets You Watch Broadcast TV Online for Free

Source: http://lifehacker.com/filmon-lets-you-watch-broadcast-tv-online-for-free-1583948264

FilmOn Lets You Watch Broadcast TV Online for Free

We're big fans of cord-cutting here at Lifehacker, but you still occasionally miss broadcast TV, especially sports. FilmOn is a way of watching broadcast TV online for free.

FilmOn includes a variety of TV stations based in the US as well as international stations. The free version of the service includes standard definition broadcasts and embeds ads before you can watch. For an additional $9.95 a month, they provide a higher quality stream as well as the ability to save shows for later watching. Both the paid and free versions of the service have the original broadcast TV ads as well.

Similar to broadcast-to-online service Aereo, FilmOn's long-term legality is questionable and it's been ordered to shut down. Until that time, catch broadcast TV online for free at the link below.

FilmOn Live TV | via MakeUseOf

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Scientists Can Now 3D Print Human Blood Vessels

Source: http://gizmodo.com/scientists-can-now-3d-print-human-blood-vessels-1584485633

Scientists Can Now 3D Print Human Blood Vessels

Sure, we can now 3D print stem cells and even whole organs like kidneys , heart, liver and lungs. But 3D printing blood vessels? Now that was a challenge.

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HP hedges its bets, unveils a 14-inch laptop running Android

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/06/01/hp-slatebook/

HP hedges its bets, unveils a 14-inch laptop running Android

If you thought this year's Computex show would be dominated entirely by Windows machines, you're in for a little twist. HP has just revealed the SlateBook, that 14-inch Android laptop we saw in a leaked video earlier this year. In addition, HP refreshed its 11-inch Chromebook with a slightly better batter, and dropped the price from $279 to $249. And that's not even counting all the Windows systems the company just launched. Some might call this strategy "throwing spaghetti at the wall and seeing what sticks"; HP would probably just say it's hedging its bets. Either way, we've got the skinny -- but we'll leave it to you to decide which operating system makes the most sense.

The SlateBook isn't the first Android clamshell we've seen. Normally, though, once we get this far up in screen size, we expect a machine to be running Windows or OS X. You know, a "real" desktop OS. Heck, we've even seen Android running on various all-in-ones. But Android on a laptop? Especially one this large? That's a horse of a different color.

What's interesting is that with these specs (an NVIDIA Tegra 4 processor, a 1080p touchscreen and a nine-hour battery), the 3.7-pound SlateBook is poised to compete against Chrome OS devices, including HP's own Chromebook 14, which costs a hundred dollars less. In particular, it matches up well against Samsung's new Chromebook 2, which also has a full HD screen and long battery life, and which costs the same as the SlateBook.

The difference, of course, comes down to which operating system functions better on a laptop. At first blush, it would seem Chrome OS is more mouse-and-keyboard friendly, but that Android has a much wider selection of apps, meaning you might be able to do more with it. The SlateBook will be available August 6th, starting at $399, at which point we'd love to get one in to review so that we can live with an Android laptop and see what it's like. Until, then, though, it would appear this is your shopping dilemma, if you choose to go with either OS at all.

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Saturday, May 31, 2014

drag2share: Illegal Prescription Drugs Keep Showing Up On Amazon

source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/businessinsider/~3/y9NLNsYJKXc/amazon-prescription-drugs-2014-5

pills medicinePhysician Ford Vox started noticing prescription drugs on Amazon that were available without a prescription, he writes on Slate.

All of the drugs linked to in his article have since been removed from Amazon, indicating that the company removes potentially illegal goods when they have been identified.

But other listings for prescription drugs mentioned in the article can still be found on the e-commerce site.

A quick search for the medication Vitara Clinda Gel brings up more than 100 results. Searching for its prescription-regulated ingredient, clindamycin, yields more than 300 results. Clindamycin, Vox writes, is known to cause severe and even deadly reactions if used improperly. There's a reason it's not supposed to be easy to get.

Vox writes there are many more strong and dangerous drugs available on Amazon that would usually require a doctor's signature, such as prescription-strength muscle relaxers and antibiotics, which can contain harmful compounds and are lethal with misuse.

Here's what Amazon told Vox:

I asked Amazon public relations manager Erik Fairleigh a number of specific questions about how illegal products make it through to the site to end up being sold to Amazon customers. I wanted to know if Amazon employees manually review each product before it is listed, why products are removed following reporting like this only to reappear later on the site, a! nd if Am azon considers itself protected from liability when third-party distributors are selling illegal products to Amazon's customers. Fairleigh declined to answer these questions, but he did point me to Amazon's policy on counterfeiting, which attempts to distance the company from the third-party sellers in its marketplace by saying "it is each seller's responsibility to source and sell only authentic products." The policy goes on to state that, "if we determine that a seller account has been used to engage in fraud or other illegal activity, remittances and payments may be withheld or forfeited."

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Around Half Of All American Adults Were Hacked In The Last Year

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/half-of-american-adults-were-hacked-last-year-2014-5

target shopping carts

New data says 110 million Americans, about 47% of American adults, lost some personal information to hackers in the past year, Digital Trends reports. This information includes everything from names and phone numbers to credit card numbers and security questions.

The data comes from Ponemon Institute and CNN Money and is not exact, but is estimated from numbers from the Identity Theft Resource Center and different corporate disclosures, Digital Trends says.

This is likely thanks to some large-scale hacks from the past year. The Heartbleed Bug, the Snapchat hack, and the Target hack all left millions vulnerable to hacks and theft. Other companies, like eBay and AOL, had large-scale security issues but have yet to release figures about how many accounts were at risk. This is why 110 million people can only be an estimate, CNN Money reports.

Hackers are also growing more efficient and sophisticated. A hack can go on for years without being detected. CNN Money says.

SEE ALSO: A bunch of AOL accounts have been hacked

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Friday, May 30, 2014

drag2share: New Method of Quantum Teleportation Could Bring Us a Quantum Internet

Source: http://gizmodo.com/new-method-of-quantum-teleportation-could-bring-us-a-qu-1583771236

New Method of Quantum Teleportation Could Bring Us a Quantum Internet

A team of Dutch scientists just announced a new method of quantum teleportation that uses entanglement as a form of communication. They can successfully teleport data over a distance of ten feet. But, more importantly, they can also do so with 100 percent reliability.

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drag2share: Samsung's latest smartphone-camera hybrid launches in the UK tomorrow

source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/05/30/samsung-galaxy-k-zoom-uk-launch/?utm_source=Feed_Classic_Full&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget&?ncid=rss_full

Samsung appears intent on single-handedly bringing back the word "cameraphone," if the Galaxy S4 Zoom and recently announced Galaxy K Zoom are anything to go by. The newer of the two does a much better job of hiding its hybrid bloodline, and tomorrow (May 31st) it arrives in the UK at various online and bricks-and-mortar outlets, including at Carphone Warehouse and Samsung's own Experience stores. If the official K Zoom product page is any indication, you'll be looking at around £400 all-in, and we doubt they'll be a wealth of carrier-subsidised deals on offer for the niche device. The K Zoom doesn't quite rival the Galaxy S5 in terms of raw power, but it's the 20.7-megapixel camera with 10x optical zoom you'll be buying it for; and, how can you resist something with a Selfie Alarm mode?

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drag2share: This Futuristic Floating City Could Become A Reality In China

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/china-may-build-this-floating-city-2014-5

Renderings of this futuristic Floating City (via Dezeen) could very easily pass for the storyboard of a Hollywood sci-fi flick set in the distant future.

But this design for a floating city, by London-based architecture firm AT Design Office, may very well become reality.

According to the city's designers, the project's backers are in talks with a large Chinese investment group to discuss the possibility of constructing the City. "China Transport Investment Co. is reviewing the proposal and is likely to start to test this ambitious project from a smaller scale next year," project architect Slavomir Siska said in a press releaseFloating CityCommissioned by Chinese construction firm CCCC, the Floating City is a proposed four-square mile floating structure comprised of hexagonal modules connected by underwater tunnels that create a network of roads and walkways. Floating City 6The eco-friendly project is expected to be self-sufficient, with on-island food production, power generation, and waste management systems. Movement throughout the city is expected to be facilitated by electric cars or other zero-carbon forms of transport. Floating City 1Logistically, the movement of goods in and out of the Floating Cit! y may be a challenge, but designers are hoping a network above, as well as underwater transport canals with fleets of transport yachts and submarines, will ease the strain.

In fact, the City's center harbor,with access to its shopping and entertainment districts, could be used as a parking location of commercial submarines.Floating City 2The Floating City will consist of both above and underwater segments, and will feature all of the residential, commercial and entertainment accoutrements of a major city. Planners expect the City to house luxury hotels, restaurants, shopping, and other recreational options. The Floating City will even come equipped with docking facilities for cruise ships to encourage tourism.Floating City 3The architects at AT Design Office have also included a copious amount of green space in their design, both above and under water. The above-ground green belt is designed to provide residents with recreational space, while the underwater greenery will provide fresh air and additional relaxation space.Floating City 4While it is unlikely the completed Floating City will be an exact facsimile of these renderings, many of the construction techniques needed to bring the project to life is already exist. The City's backers expect to construct the city out of a series of 500 x 100-foot prefabricated blocks by implementing techniques CCCC is currently using to build a 31-mile-long bridge connecting Hong Kong, Macau and Zhuhai.Floating City 5

SEE ALSO: 10 Awesome Photos From The Glamorous Monaco Grand Prix

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drag2share: Insane man flies through a narrow gap between two buildings

Source: http://sploid.gizmodo.com/it-seems-the-world-is-full-of-people-who-dont-care-abou-1583246151/+caseychan

Insane man flies through a narrow gap between two buildings

It seems the world is full of people who don't care about their lives. Here's one: Sebastián Álvarez, who decided it was a great idea to fly in his wingsuit through this narrow gap between two buildings in Reñaca, Chile.

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drag2share: A Shape-Shifting Colander You Can Get Excited About

Source: http://gizmodo.com/a-shape-shifting-colender-you-can-get-excited-about-1583489266

A Shape-Shifting Colander You Can Get Excited About

Ten years ago, London-based designer Ran Merkazy starting an unusual project. He started designing a better colander. Inspired by geometry and origami, Merkazy eventually came up with a folding, hanging, pouring, steaming, straining device that your kitchen needs.

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drag2share: SpaceX Dragon V2 can seat up to seven passengers, use thrusters to land on solid ground

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/05/29/space-x-dragon-v2/

SpaceX's Dragon capsule has been taking cargo to the International Space Station since 2012, but it's done so lacking the chops to shuttle humans into orbit. The firm's just unveiled the next generation of the spacecraft, dubbed Dragon V2, to remedy that, and it's designed to do much more than carry people. The new craft is reusable, can hold up to seven passengers and is designed to allow for swapping crew space for additional cargo. What's more, the vessel is able to land on solid ground with the accuracy of a helicopter -- as opposed to splashing down at sea -- without parachutes. Using eight SuperDraco thrusters, engines 3D-printed from a superalloy, the Dragon V2 can blast out enough force (16,000 lbf for each engine) to slow itself down for a landing on terra firma.

According to SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, Dragon V2 will make its first voyage with humans by the end of 2016. In the meantime, the capsule and its engines still have to undergo more testing. Once its making regular flights, Musk expects the capsule to endure 10 launches without major refurbishing. When its past that threshold, it's likely that only its heat shield will need servicing. Presumably, once the shield is repaired, the craft can endure another 10 trips before needing another major tune-up.

In the event of an emergency during launch, Dragon V2 can use its SuperDraco engines to abort at any time during its ascent. Typically, that kind of escape option is only available during the first few minutes of flight. When it comes to mishaps while landing, Musk's new vessel can land itself even if two of its thrusters aren't operating. If an engine-driven touchdown is out of the question, the capsule can rely on parachutes to slow it down for an ocean splashdown.

So, how much will a launch for NASA or other customers cost? As low as $20 million. According to Musk, the new Dragon is part of SpaceX's goal to make spaceflight so affordable that there are hundreds -- and eventually thousands -- of craft hurtling towards space every day. If you want a private trip, you'll have to start saving pennies.

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drag2share: This augmented reality motorcycle helmet could save your life

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/05/30/augmented-reality-motorcycle-helmet/

"I was in early morning traffic when an inattentive driver hit me from behind and I was thrown from my motorcycle." Ryan Shearman, founder and CEO of Fusar Technologies, tells me at Augmented World Expo 2014. It's the kind of thing that could happen to any motorcyclist -- and indeed, happens too often -- but it also served as a spark of inspiration. "It started the wheels turning in my head: how can I make motorcycle riding safer?" His answer was to build a better helmet.

Shearman calls his smart helmet the Gaurdian; it's a DOT approved brain bucket with an Android board, two wide-angle cameras and bits and pieces from an Epson Moverio. "What it is, is a fully integrated and connected device that motorcyclists can wear that allows them to have a full cognitive awareness of what's going on around them." The Epson optics provide the rider with a detailed heads-up display, filling their view with data from the rear view camera, their current speed and navigation information.

"It also has video recording capabilities," he told me. "Everything is recorded passively, but in the event that an accident is detected, that footage is locked into hard memory. It effectively has a black box feature built in." It sounds like a great feature, but Shearman obviously wants it to be used as infrequently as possible. The helmet's software package is being designed to monitor the cameras for potential hazards -- if all goes well, the final product will be able to alert the driver of a dangerous situation before it becomes an accident. He also plans to add voice control to future prototypes.

The models Shearman brought to AWE were pretty beat up, but with good reason: the entrepreneur has been riding up and down California's Pacific Coast Highway all week, shooting footage for his company's upcoming Kickstarter video. The company plans to launch its crowdfunding imitative by mid July, and wants to have the Guardian on the market in about a year. Hungry for a safer helmet? Check out the firm's website at the source link below.

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Source: Fusar

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drag2share: Velociraptor-inspired robot can run almost as fast as DARPA's Cheetah

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/05/30/velociraptor-robot-kaist/

There's a new robot that's almost matched Cheetah's speed record, but it wasn't designed after another speedy cat. Instead, it takes cues from something more terrifying: a velociraptor. The two-legged machine named Raptor was created by scientists from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, who've even outfitted it with a tail like the extinct reptile's for balance. In its current form, it can go as fast as 28.58 mph (46 km/h), just a bit slower than the famous mechanical cat's max speed of 29.2 mph (47 km/h). Compared to DARPA's robotic cat, though, Raptor's technology is a lot simpler, even using ordinary springs as tendons to be able to run fast more effectively. Right now, Raptor's confined to running on a treadmill like Cheetah's older iterations, but its creators hope to make it more stable so it can run on any surface without a tether. Once that happens, all it'll need is a velociraptor suit for the KAIST researchers to start their own (hopefully safer) Jurassic Park.

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Via: CNET, SlashGear

Source: IEEE

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Thursday, May 29, 2014

drag2share: Google's cutesy cars are a 'serious threat' to the auto industry, says GM

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/05/29/google-vs-gm/

There's no doubt about it: for a company that makes most of its money from web ads, Google knows how to make an adorable self-driving car. The search giant's automotive prowess isn't going unnoticed by the industry's more established players, either. Mark Reuss, GM's executive VP of global product development, told recently told Bloomberg that he could see Google becoming a "serious competitive threat" in the motoring realm.

Yes, that seems like a "well, duh" confession to us too, especially now that Google will roll out at least 100 of those cutesy, two-seater prototype cars for some real world testing later this year. It certainly doesn't hurt that California's Department of Motor Vehicles just gave a thumbs up to self-driving car tests on public roads, a decision that'll take effect in September. Of course, Google can only become a competitive threat if it wants to be, and it's still unclear just how it plans to bring these motors to market. A separate Google Motors division? A slew of partnerships with existing manufacturers? Our crystal ball is on the fritz, and car crafters aren't quaking in their boots just yet. Reuss noted that "anybody can do anything with enough time and money" - Google's definitely got plenty of the latter, but major auto makers haven't just been sitting on their laurels. GM and Nissan both have self-driving car projects underway in China and Japan, respectively, while Volvo has been testing its own on the open roads of Sweden.

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Source: Bloomberg

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