Nissan unveils sexy ESFLOW concept EV sports car

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/11/nissan-unveils-sexy-esflow-concept-ev-sports-car/

Concept cars always promise the car of tomorrow, but they only get us hot and bothered for fantastical design elements that rarely make it to production due to trivial concerns like "cost" and "the laws of physics." Undaunted by these limitations, Nissan has rolled out a new futuristic EV called ESFLOW -- with a roofline inspired by modern Z cars and an elongated bonnet reminiscent of the original 240Z -- to titillate our inner gearhead. Scheduled for a Geneva Motor Show debut in early March, the coupe is powered by children's dreams and whimsy dual electric motors driving the rear wheels and can take residents of imagination land from 0-100kph (0-62mph for us Yanks) in less than five seconds. If the ESFLOW is where Nissan's going with its EV designs -- the Leaf isn't exactly a looker -- we're all for it, but don't expect to see it on the road anytime soon as it's only a concept after all. Vid's after the break.

Continue reading Nissan unveils sexy ESFLOW concept EV sports car

Nissan unveils sexy ESFLOW concept EV sports car originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 11 Feb 2011 04:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fooducate App Explains Just How Unhealthy That Frozen Dinner Is [Apps]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/#!5756914/fooducate-app-explains-just-how-unhealthy-that-frozen-dinner-is

Here's a handy app for calorie (and sodium, and carb, and vitamin) counters: Fooducate, which grades any package in your grocery aisles, gives you its contents' nutritional high(and low)lights, and provides healthier alternatives.

The 200,000 products in its database might sound like a lot, but that's going to leave plenty of blind spots. And it's not entirely clear what separates a "good" from a "bad" product in some cases. But better to have a limited dietitian in your pocket than none at all! And as long as it doesn't tell me what exactly goes into my cheese curls orange dust, I'm happy for the help. [iTunes via NY Times]

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Set Up Google's Two-Step Verification Now for Seriously Enhanced Security for Your Google Account [Google]

Source: http://lifehacker.com/#!5757059/set-up-googles-two+step-verification-now-for-seriously-enhanced-security-for-your-google-account

Google just launched two-step verification for all Google accounts, a system which makes your Google/Gmail account—the account possibly containing the lion's share of your private communication online—considerably more secure. In fact, we'd encourage everyone who uses Gmail (the @gmail version or your Google Apps version) as their primary email provider to start using this feature as soon as possible. Here's why, and then how.

What's Two-Step Verification?

The only thing standing between a hacker and your Google account—and more importantly, your sensitive information—is your password. Even if you had the strongest password you could possibly randomly generate, if someone were able to discover that password, they'd be in.

Two-step verification offers a more secure way for Google to verify that you are who you say you are when you're logging into your Google account on a new web browser, through a new application, or on a new mobile device. With two-step verification, your password isn't enough by itself. As Google put it:

2-step verification requires two independent factors for authentication, much like you might see on your banking website: your password, plus a code you only use once.

Those two factors are:

1. Your password (just like always)
2. A single-use verification code that Google sends to your phone in one of three ways: 1) Using the Google Authenticator app available for Android, iPhone, and BlackBerry, 2) via SMS, or 3) through a voice call (meaning you could even use a landline if you didn't have a cellphone—basically the call would read off the code to you).

Like many new feature releases from Google, two-step verification is a gradual rollout, available to everyone in the coming few days starting today. If you don't see the Using 2-step verification link immediately, it should be there soon.

Both your password and the single-use verification code are required to log in on a new browser. You can then tell Google to remember your log-in for 30 days.

How to Set Up Two-Step Verification

If you're convinced that you want the added security, or you at least want to give two-step verification a try, just log into your Google account and point your browser to your Google accounts page. (Google Apps users will need to go to their domain-specific control panel to enable two-step verification. If you're not the Google Apps admin, talk to yours about it.)

On the right side of the page, under Personal Settings > Security, click the Using 2-step verification link (you can bookmark that link if you like).

Now walk through Google's two-step verification setup guide. It's pretty simple: Essentially you have to add a new phone that you want to use for your two-step verification, confirm that it is indeed your phone (you do this in different ways depending on what method you're using. Using the Google Authenticator app for Android or for iPhone, for example, you verify by scanning a QR code and then testing the verification code it generates. Just follow along with the wizard for whatever method you're using.

Once you've set up your phone, you can also add a backup—a trusted number you can also access if, for example, you lose your phone—so you can still access your account. You can even print off a few backup codes to carry in your wallet or somewhere safe.

Using Two-Step Verification

The process for logging into your Google account from a new browser will now look something like this:

1. You visit a Google sign-in page, like this one.
   
2. You enter your username and password, like always.
3. You're now prompted to enter a code, which is tied only to a phone number you provide. You can receive this code on your phone using one of the Google Authenticator apps available for Android, iPhone, and BlackBerry, via SMS, or through a voice call (or, I suppose, using one of your printed backup codes).
4. You enter the code, optionally checking the box to Remember verification for this computer for 30 days, click Verify, and you're in.

It's fairly simple, but it does add a little bit of hassle to your login. Personally, I think the added security is well worth it.

The other thing you'll need to get used to involves logging into your Google account from third-party applications—like, say, a desktop email client. Since those clients don't support Google's two-step verification, you actually have to create single-use passwords first time you log into any new third-party application that needs to access your Google account. You'll only need to generate the new password for each application once—unless you decide to revoke access to that device. Here's how it works:

Point your browser to this page (I'd actually recommend bookmarking it, but you can also find the link on your Account settings page under Security > Authorizing applications & sites. Here you'll see all the webapps that you've allowed access to your Google account via Oauth (which uses the verification process above); below you'll see the Application-specific passwords section, which is where you generate new passwords for devices that can't support the two-step verification. To do so:

1. Type in the name of the device or application that you want to generate a single-use password for.
2. Click Generate password.
3. Google will return a new 16-digit (plus four spaces) password for you to use on that device. Once you hide it, you have no way to retrieve it again (a good thing).

Unlike the two-step process for logging into your Google account on the web, you only have to enter an application-specific password once; it remains active with that single-use password indefinitely. You can, however, revoke any password/device/application from accessing your Google account at any time—which I've done for the password I generated in the screenshot above. (Hands off my Google account!) From the device configuration page, you can also clear your phone info and all printable codes, should you lose your phone or misplace a printed code.

---

Two-step verification has been available for a while now to Google Apps users—specifically for the paid Google Apps accounts. This update makes it available to all users of Google's free products, including free Google/Gmail accounts and free Google Apps accounts.

Been using Google's two-step verification on your Google Apps account before this? Share your tips in the comments. Otherwise, let's hear if you're planning to use the new two-step verification with your Google account.

You can contact Adam Pash, the author of this post, at tips+adam@lifehacker.com.  You can also follow him on Twitter and Facebook.

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Sonos Controller for Android with voice search will blow you away (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/10/sonos-controller-for-android-with-voice-music-will-blow-you-away/

You can exhale Sonos fans, it's finally happening. The Sonos Controller for Android is official. After almost a year in development, the free WiFi music remote finally gives Sonos owners control over their whole-home audio system from any Android 2.1 and above device with a screen size of HVGA 320 x 480, WVGA 480 x 800 or WVGA 480 x 854. At least it will when it hits the Market at the end of March. Better yet, it trumps the Sonos iOS controller with music controls mapped directly to the buttons on your Android hardware. As such, you can control the volume of your Sonos system with the physical volume rocker on your Desire Z or use the search button on your Droid X to forage for that certain artist, track, or album. Oh, and the Sonos Controller for Android also supports voice search -- take that iOS app. Sorry, Sonos isn't announcing anything related to an Android tablet-equivalent of the Sonos controller for iPad today as the company is waiting to see how that market develops and which screen sizes and resolutions gain the most traction. Nevertheless, we'll be getting our first hands-on opportunity of the handset controller at Mobile World Congress next week. So, until then, why not wipe the tears from your $349 Sonos CR200 controller and watch the video preview after the break.

Continue reading Sonos Controller for Android with voice search will blow you away (video)

Sonos Controller for Android with voice search will blow you away (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Th u, 10 Feb 2011 09:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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RunCore USB 3.0 Express SSD offers 64GB of storage and two ports in one killer device

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/10/runcore-usb-3-0-express-ssd-offers-64gb-of-storage-and-two-ports/

Let's say you have a laptop. It has an ExpressCard slot but, because it's a little old, it doesn't have USB 3.0. Also, it just doesn't have enough storage to suit your needs any more. Oh, and the keys are kind of worn and shiny, especially H for some reason. RunCore can't help with that last problem, but it certainly has a tidy solution for the other two, a solution with a highly appropriate name: the USB 3.0 Express SSD. It offers 64GB worth of SSD storage plus a pair of cerulean USB 3.0 ports poking out the side just waiting for something -- like maybe another SSD. No word on price or availability, but we're hoping for soon, because this ExpressCard slot here isn't going to fill itself.

RunCore USB 3.0 Express SSD offers 64GB of storage and two ports in one killer device originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 10 Feb 2011 10:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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