Expect 1-4GB USB drives modeled after your favorite Hershey treats along with digital cameras, earphones and speakers shaped like everything from Kisses to Jolly Ranchers. Prices are expected to range from $15 to $30—but there is no word yet on a release date. Needless to say, if you lack willpower, avoid these products at all costs. [Jazwares Gearlog
The answer, even if you do attempt every possible combination, is no. But according to Microsoft Research, there's a way to "solve" the puzzle to within 1%, even if the board had 1000000 bulbs. The funny thing is, the algorithmic solution to the puzzle (originally built by Elwyn Berlekamp in 1960) can be used as a way to bypass brute-force computing in solving problems. The researchers at Microsoft are more interested in that whole thing, but I'm more interested in how some guy got to build this nice electronic board game as part of his day job, just for Show and Tell. Way to go, dude.
Here are the rules, in case you want to make your own home version (Phil Torrone, do you hear me?):
Update: This is also known as the Gale-Berlekamp lightbulb game—I'd hate for poor Mr. or Ms. or Dr. Gale to get left out of the credit. Also, I finally caught up on my Fringe from a few weeks back, and you commenters are totally right. Freaky. Wish I'd seen it beforehand.
Microsoft's TechFest is an annual jamboree of innovation and gadgetry from Microsoft Research, which means that while none of it is coming out as is in products in the near future, it's essentially what product development people use to add cool stuff to their actual releases. I'm here all day.!
The answer, even if you do attempt every possible combination, is no. But according to Microsoft Research, there's a way to "solve" the puzzle to within 1%, even if the board had 1000000 bulbs. The funny thing is, the algorithmic solution to the puzzle (originally built by Elwyn Berlekamp in 1960) can be used as a way to bypass brute-force computing in solving problems. The researchers at Microsoft are more interested in that whole thing, but I'm more interested in how some guy got to build this nice electronic board game as part of his day job, just for Show and Tell. Way to go, dude.
Here are the rules, in case you want to make your own home version (Phil Torrone, do you hear me?):
Update: This is also known as the Gale-Berlekamp lightbulb game—I'd hate for poor Mr. or Ms. or Dr. Gale to get left out of the credit. Also, I finally caught up on my Fringe from a few weeks back, and you commenters are totally right. Freaky. Wish I'd seen it beforehand.
Microsoft's TechFest is an annual jamboree of innovation and gadgetry from Microsoft Research, which means that while none of it is coming out as is in products in the near future, it's essentially what product development people use to add cool stuff to their actual releases. I'm here all day.!
Threat Level says that conspiracy theorists jumped all over the video, which racked up 200,000 views since going up. However, Chronister simply used old cellphone parts and a hot glue gun to push the paranoid and mentally unstable into a state of crisis. However, these tin foil heads aren't resting any easier: they believe pranks like this only create a smoke screen for the government to carry on with their clandestine activity. Who am I to say they're wrong? (Original video below) [Threat Level via BBG]
Burdick was just waiting for his cruise ship to arrive, when he decided to watch the game via his Slingbox (which streams television though an internet signal). Having an unlimited data plan, he thought everything would be peachy-keen. Unfortunately, he connected to the ship's network and, as a result, ran up international roaming charges.
When Burdick complained about the charges despite never leaving the country, AT&T offered to initially reduce the bill down to $6,000. Eventually, through some media attention, the bill was reduced to $220 in charges. Oh yeah—the score was 27-23. [Chicago Sun-Times via The Register]
Instead of using solid glass for the touchscreen, the device incorporates special material from DuPont Tijin Films in order for the paper-thin display to bend or roll up without damaging the gadget. The device also uses technology from E-ink Corp, allowing users to write, store and erase their own content on the displays; eventually, they will also be available in full color. Although it sounds pretty cool, don't get your hopes up: The Flexible Display Center estimates that this flexible touchscreen display won't be available for another 18 months. [EETimes via Electronista]
The Price: $250 with two-year contract, $50 rebate and qualifying data plan
The Verdict: A pretty damn good cameraphone. The TouchWiz UI is pretty much the same as the version on the Samsung Behold. In short, it's more usable as a touchscreen phone (keyboard is fairly decent) than Windows Mobile phones, but not quite as good as say, Android or the iPhone. It does have haptic feedback, meaning there's a slight rumble as you press down on the screen. And yes, that implies that the Memoir doesn't have capacitive touch. You still have to press down when you want to click things. Let it be known that Jesús Diaz does not like some Samsung touchscreen UIs.
The front of the phone looks like a Samsung touchscreen phone, but the back actually looks a lot like a Samsung camera. Which is kind of the point. The 8-megapixel camera is very good. So good, in fact, that it's (give or take) about as good as my Samsung NV3 point and shoot from a few years ago. The gallery below has comparison shots.
And here's how well the Memoir's Xenon flash works in complete darkness. Spoiler: Pretty damn well.
I haven't had enough experience with Nokia's high end N-series cameraphones to say whether or not the Memoir is better. We've ! already established that more megapixels isn't always better, but if the Memoir can take photos that are just about as good as Samsung's NV3 (which doesn't take FANTASTIC images, we have to admit), it's a great alternative for a point and shoot camera.
The proposition: You and a bunch of strangers are live streaming mobile-phone video of some event or disaster. A server stitches it all together and instantaneously publishes a rich, immediate patchwork of the action.
I love this system, but not necessarily for the same reasons that its developers at Microsoft Research do. I want to see something like this on YouTube, for instance. How bonerfied would Wolf Blitzer have been if he could have taken all the YouTube video of Obama's inauguration and turned it into a massive patchwork of super hi-def action? I mean, this thing makes the GigaPan look like something Thomas Edison invented in his spare time.
But Ayman Kaheel, a development manager at Microsoft's Innovation Center in Cairo, said he really wanted it to be live, and not for pre-recorded video, mostly because it's a greater challenge, and making it work live ultimately means that the other forms of it would work too. Kaheel says that the stitching service could be public or private, so in addition to plane crashes and inaugurations, this thing could make sense for weddings and stuff, if enough guests feel like livecasting.
Like most Microsoft Research projects, this one requires certain things that aren't yet here, but are coming soon. In order for all that live video to sync up when the system is stitching it together, each piece of video from each phone requires a timecode, and of course all the timecodes on all the mobiles sending video have to be totally in sync. (Surprisingly, Kaheel says the bandwidth requirements are already met by most networks, needing only 200Kbps to be effective.)
I see this as a multifaceted glimpse at social video's future: Whether it's live or archived, stitching may prove to be a great way to turn all the crappy 24! 0x320 vi deo into a high-def tapestry worth watching.
Microsoft's TechFest is an annual jamboree of innovation and gadgetry from Microsoft Research, which means that while none of it is coming out as is in products in the near future, it's essentially what product development people use to add cool stuff to their actual releases.
Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/rA3zJqKKM4c/omniweb-mac-browser-finally-released-for-free
A little background: OmniWeb is based on a slightly modified version of WebKit, but used to differentiate itself from other browsers with novel features. Ad blocking, tab previews, saved browsing sessions, inbuilt RSS reading, single-windows browsing and per-site preferences could once justify OmniWeb's price, but now most of these features, and plenty more, can be found in free browsers. That's not to say that OmniWeb isn't a good browser, but it'll have a extremely hard time facing up against our increasingly capable choices in free software—especially the fantastic Safari 4.
The Omni Group is also setting a few more applications free, but OmniWeb is the by far the juiciest. [Cult of Mac]
Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/25/syba-debuts-rcg-rc-vis62002-pocket-projector/
Filed under: Displays
Syba debuts RCG RC-VIS62002 pocket projector originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 25 Feb 2009 05:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsSource: http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/25/data-copy-and-internet-connection-sharing-dongle-explains-itself/
Continue reading Data Copy and Internet Connection Sharing dongle explains itself
Filed under: Peripherals
Data Copy and Internet Connection Sharing dongle explains itself originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 25 Feb 2009 06:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsSource: http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/25/sony-shows-off-its-latest-fuel-cells-and-cola-powered-batteries/
Filed under: Misc. Gadgets
Sony shows off its latest fuel cells and cola-powered batteries originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 25 Feb 2009 07:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsSource: http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/25/intel-launches-shapely-new-cpus-for-slim-new-laptops/
Today's laptops are slim and trim (with some notable exceptions), and as smaller cases demand smaller components Intel is doing its best to keep up, announcing two new CPUs specifically designed for the "ultra-thin" notebooks. They are the 1.6GHz Core 2 Duo SU9600 and 1.4GHz Core 2 Solo SU3500, both joining its existing line of consumer ultra low voltage (CULV) chips to create three tiers of efficient and dainty processors: Celeron, single-core, and dual-core. No word on where these chips will be first making an appearance, but we can think of one upcoming lithe lappy in which they'd be right at home.Filed under: Laptops
Intel launches shapely new CPUs for slim new laptops originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 25 Feb 2009 07:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsSource: http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/25/acers-aspire-one-trims-the-fat-upcoming-slimmer-model-pictured/
Filed under: Laptops
Acer's Aspire One trims the fat, upcoming slimmer model pictured originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 25 Feb 2009 08:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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