Google Translate gets Doug E. Fresh-approved Beatbox button

We still don't believe that machines (or machine translation, for that matter) will ever replace the artistry that beatbox pioneers like Doug E. Fresh, Darren Robinson (RIP), or that guy from the Police Academy movies brought to the table, but it is nice to see Google acknowledging the wonderfully percussive nature of the German language phrase "pv zk pv pv zk pv zk kz zk pv pv pv zk pv zk zk pzk pzk pvzkpkzvpvzk kkkkkk bsch".

[Thanks, benhc911]

Google Translate gets Doug E. Fresh-approved Beatbox button originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 21 Dec 2010 20:51:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kinect paired with Vuzix VR920 shades, creates zany virtual reality game (video)

It was only a matter of time before Microsoft's continually-hacked Kinect became embroiled in a VR simulation of some sort, and while we're not riding light cycles quite yet, enterprising developer Nao_u has managed to put himself in the shoes (and short skirt) of a Japanese virtual pop icon. Mapping his every move onto the virtual skeleton of Vocaloid's Miku Hatsune probably won't impress you much at this stage of the game, but there's the little matter of what Nao_u did next: he hooked up a pair of Vuzix VR920 LCD glasses to see through the digital diva's eyes, too. Find the terribly cutesy video after the break, and fast-forward to 4:30 to watch Nao attempt to walk a narrow beam set atop a virtual skyscraper.

Continue reading Kinect paired with Vuzix VR920 shades, creates zany virtual reality game (video)

Kinect paired with Vuzix VR920 shades, creates zany virtual reality game (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 21 Dec 2010 21:53:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Microsoft to announce ARM-based Windows at CES?

We know Windows CE jibes with ARM-based architecture, but full-blown Windows? Looks like everyone and their respective mothers today -- to be specific, Bloomberg, AllThingsD, and the Wall Street Journal -- are reporting "sources" that claim Microsoft is set to announce Windows compatibility with ARM chips, which currently rule the roost in the mobile and embedded scenes, and more importantly dominate the tablet market. So yeah, we get the need for such a merge, and it'd really put Microsoft in a smart position for lower-power devices, but here's the catch: the products aren't expected for some time -- two years according to WSJ -- as drivers need to be written for the hardware.

Then again, this may all be for nothing. Cue another well-connected Microsoft reporter, ZDNet's Mary Jo Foley, who has a decidedly tamer prediction: a new Windows CE / Embedded Contact -- you'll remember we saw it running on a Tegra 2 tablet back at Computex -- and maybe ARM support for Windows 8 (or Windows 8 "Lite"). In other words, no one has a clear, 100 percent idea of what to expect in January, so as we say, just stay tuned.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Microsoft to announce ARM-based Windows at CES? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 21 Dec 2010 22:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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AirFlick allows streaming of arbitrary media, DVDs, even screencasting to the Apple TV (video)

If you've run out of things to do with your Apple TV and have been using it as a hockey puck now that the lakes are getting solid, you'd better go dig it out of the snowbank. Following up on her iOS AirPlay hacks, Erica Sadun has released an alpha version of a tool called AirFlick which enables the playback of any 'ol media files on an Apple TV. That's demonstrated in a video below. Things aren't perfect yet but already others are having a field day with the tool, the folks at TUAW figuring out how to not only stream whole DVDs to an Apple TV but their entire desktop image too by simply providing a VLC screen:// URL into the player. The quality looks a little iffy and, as you can see in the video below, it's not entirely error-free. But, if you have the smallest little bit of patience, it's sure worth a shot, eh?

Continue reading AirFlick allows streaming of arbitrary media, DVDs, even screencasting to the Apple TV (video)

AirFlick allows streaming of arbitrary media, DVDs, even scre! encastin g to the Apple TV (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 22 Dec 2010 07:52:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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CHART OF THE DAY: 44% Of New Twitter Accounts Were Made In The First 7 Months Of This Year

Want to get the Chart of The Day before everybody else? Get it in an email.

We've seen plenty of charts on Twitter's growth, but this one really grabbed our attention.

In the first half of 2010, 44% of Twitter's total account population joined the service, according to data from Sysomos, a social media tracking company.

It's a pretty impressive growth spurt for the already formidable social network.

The caveat: New Accounts created do not equal new and active users. Twitter appears to have many Zombie accounts, according to data from the Pew Research Center. Zombie accounts are people signing up to spam Twitter, and do other non constructive things.

So while this looks pretty great on face of it, the growth might be a little bit slower than what we're seeing here.

Follow the Chart Of The Day on Twitter: @chartoftheday

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