New word - "4sq rampage" - yes, I did that and have pics to prove it - http://bit.ly/dPx24A
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Friday, March 25, 2011
Posted by Augustine at 4:31 PM
Clever iPhone App Only Shows You the Best of Everything [Apps]
Source: http://gizmodo.com/#!5785575/clever-iphone-app-shows-you-the-only-best-of-everything
The Village Voice has just put out a clever iPhone app called Best Of. The app basically uses your location to help you find every place that was voted the "best of" something—be it restaurant or hot dog.
The great thing about the app is that it's "utilizing the picks from publications like Houston Press, LA Weekly, Village Voice, Miami New Times and scores of other city guides and magazines" instead of using some sort of voting system which could be quickly gamed by businesses.
Currently only these cities are supported, but updates will bring more listings:
Atlanta, Austin, Baltimore, Boston/Providence), Broward / Palm Beach, Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas / Ft. Worth, Denver, Detroit, Houston, Kansas City, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis / St. Paul, Nashville, New York, Orange County, Orlando, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, Portland, Raleigh / Durham, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco / Bay Area, Seattle, St. Louis, Tampa Bay / St. Petersburg, Washington
DC
The Best Of app is free and available in the iTunes store now. [iTunes]
Posted by Augustine at 2:37 PM
How the iPad 2 Glass Bends to Incredibly Extreme Angles [Video]
Source: http://gizmodo.com/#!5785781/watch-how-the-ipad-2-glass-can-bend-to-incredibly-extreme-angles
When watched this video of someone bending the iPad 2's display glass I couldn't believe my eyes. Play it and see what I mean for yourself.
While the iPad and iPhone's glasses can shatter easily, they are all incredibly bendable. To the point that it's hard to believe that this is glass and not plastic.
And according to iFixyouri's test, the iPad 2's glass is a lot more resistant to breaking by bending than the original iPad, even while the former is quite thinner than the latter. iFixyouri also claims that, after multiple drop tests, they couldn't break the glass (don't try this at home, though). [9to5Mac]
Posted by Augustine at 2:35 PM
Buffalo reveals slimline external BDXL burner for $275, affiliated media still makes your wallet weep
Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/25/buffalo-reveals-slimline-external-bdxl-burner-for-275-affiliat/
BDXL is the optical storage medium du jour, but the options for those wanting its capacious quad-layer burning capabilities in a tasty to-go form factor are fairly limited. Previous drives have lacked a certain... aesthetic appeal, but now Buffalo has unveiled its BRXL-PC6U2-BK, a slim and shiny external model that'll handle all of your BDXL disc-creation needs. The drive can run off a single USB 2.0 plug, though writing at 4x speeds requires a second USB connection to give it the juice required to do the deed. Slated for a release by the end of March, otherwise known as next week, this hot little onyx number will set you back ¥22,100 (about $275). Just don't go blowing all your cash on the drive -- BR-R XL discs ain't cheap, y'know.Buffalo reveals slimline external BDXL burner for $275, affiliated media still makes your wallet weep originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 Mar 2011 08:20:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink Akihabara News | Buffalo | Email this | CommentsPosted by Augustine at 2:33 PM
Researchers produce cheaper, 'cooler' semiconductor nanowires
Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/25/researchers-produce-cheaper-cooler-semiconductor-nanowires/
Researchers produce cheaper, 'cooler' semiconductor nanowires originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 Mar 2011 09:18:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | PhysOrg | Email this | Comm entsPosted by Augustine at 2:33 PM
MSI ships Fusion-based CR650 laptop, Wind Top AE2050 all-in-one PC
Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/25/msi-ships-fusion-based-cr650-laptop-wind-top-ae2050-all-in-one/
AMD's Zacate E-350 APU (better known to casual observers as a member of the Fusion platform) has been shocking critics since its long-awaiting introduction earlier in the year, finally giving people a real alternative to Intel's historically sluggish Atom lineup. In the event that you've been waiting for Fusion-based options from MSI, a couple of previously introduced machines are now making their way out to the shipping docks. First up, it's the 15.6-inch CR650, complete with a dual-core E-350 APU (which includes a Radeon HD 6310 discrete-class graphics chip), an HDMI port, 720p webcam and a downright luscious $499.99 starting price. For those looking for something a wee bit less portable, or for those looking to significantly increase their load, the Fusion-backed Wind Top AE2050 ($679.99) is also shipping to Earthlings in North America. Hit the links below to learn more on each.Continue reading MSI ships Fusion-based CR650 laptop, Wind Top AE2050 all-in-one PC
MSI ships Fusion-based CR650 laptop, Wind Top AE2050 all-in-one PC originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 Mar 2011 10:07:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | MSI (1), (2) | Email this | CommentsPosted by Augustine at 2:33 PM
Samsung starts baking 30nm 4Gb LPDDR2 chips, packaging 2GB mobile RAM in April
Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/25/samsung-starts-baking-30nm-4gb-lpddr2-chips-packaging-2gb-mobil/
When it comes to mobile RAM, capacity is often what pops to mind first while we overlook speed and power consumption, but Samsung's latest delivery is worth the extra attention. Earlier this month, said Korean giant started producing 30nm 4Gb 1066Mbps LPDDR2 (or simply Mobile DDR2) chips, in order to phase out its 40nm ones that topped 2Gb at a 800Mbps transmission rate. To put it in perspective, a 40nm 1GB package consists of four 2Gb chips, whereas the new 30nm one will only need two 4Gb chips, thus reducing the package thickness by 20 percent (down to 0.8mm) and power consumption by 25 percent. It's hard to tell when we'll start seeing these bits of silicon entering the consumer market, but Samsung's already stamping out 1GB modules this month, with a 2GB version to follow next month. Oh yes, we're definitely liking the sound of 2GB RAM for mobile phones.Samsung starts baking 30nm 4Gb LPDDR2 chips, packaging 2GB mobile RAM in April originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 Mar 2011 11:57:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Tech-On!, Samsung Hub | Email this | CommentsPosted by Augustine at 2:27 PM
Google Nexus S 4G for Sprint hands-on (video)
Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/24/google-nexus-s-4g-for-sprint-hands-on/
We finally got our hands on the elusive Samsung Nexus S 4G for Sprint at CTIA here today and it's pretty much what you'd expect: a Nexus S with its GSM / HSPA radio swapped for a set of Sprint-compatible CDMA / EV-DO and WiMAX radios. While the Nexus S 4G lacks a SIM slot, it's actually 0.3mm thicker than the Nexus S -- that's the thickness of a business card, and is meaningless for all practical purposes. The phone also features a 4G signal indicator in the status bar, along with a 4G sub-menu in the wireless settings. Our demo unit was running Android 2.3.4 (!) -- a version we have not yet come across -- but we were told that neither the hardware nor the software are final at this point. So don't be surprised if the production model receives a few tweaks before launch. Perhaps a Sprint logo? Enjoy the gallery below, and hop past the break for our hands-on video.Continue reading Google Nexus S 4G for Sprint hands-on (video)
Google Nexus S 4G for Sprint hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 Mar 2011 18:28:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | | E! mail thi s | CommentsPosted by Augustine at 7:53 AM
Google Voice for Sprint hands-on (video)
Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/24/google-voice-for-sprint-hands-on/
Remember that Google Voice integration for Sprint we mentioned recently? Today at CTIA we got to see it in action, and it promises to take us one step closer to our robot overlords -- well, those of us who are Sprint customers, anyway. The most exciting feature is that the integration works with almost any Sprint number and device, and is not limited to just smartphones or the newly minted Nexus S 4G. Basically, you can pick your Sprint number or your Google Voice number to be your mobile number, and switch between them if necessary. Either way, this is the number that appears on other people's phones when you call them, and you still benefit from all the Google Voice perks. See it for yourself in our video after the break.Continue reading Google Voice for Sprint hands-on (video)
Google Voice for Sprint hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 Mar 2011 18:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | | Email this | CommentsPosted by Augustine at 7:53 AM
University of Twente's new lens reveals the sub-100nm level with visible light
Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/24/university-of-twentes-new-lens-reveals-the-sub-100nm-level-with/
Small is beautiful, but only when you can see it. Specifically, we're talking about nanostructures -- including cellular organelles and nanoelectronic circuits -- around the order of 100nm. The problem is with a microscope, visible light only takes us down to a resolution of 200nm at best, and it's not always ideal to use conventional methods to boost the resolution -- you'd either have to dope the subject with fluorescent dye or use highly delicate equipment. Thankfully, the University of Twente has come up with a new type of lens that would solve this problem: in a nutshell, a nanoparticle is placed on one side of the gallium phosphide lens, while the other side -- disorderedly etched with acid -- takes in a precisely modulated laser beam and scatters it into a focal point of your choice. Sure, this sounds bizarre and ironic, but apparently the modulation is controlled in such a way that the scattered beam focuses much tighter than an ordinary beam would using an ordinary lens. Have a look at the comparison shots of some gold nanoparticles after the break -- that's some sweet 97nm resolution right there for ya.Continue reading University of Twente's new lens reveals the sub-100nm level with visible light
University of Twente's new lens reveals the sub-100nm level with visible light originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 Mar 2011 23:50:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
P ermalink | MIT Technology Review | Email this | CommentsPosted by Augustine at 7:49 AM
Styrofoam touches electrodes to create incredibly fast-charging wonderbatteries
Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/25/styrofoam-touches-electrodes-to-create-incredibly-fast-charging/
Elon Musk's heart may have already given up on the humble battery, lusting after capacitors, but researchers at the University of Illinois have think there's life in the 'ol cells yet, creating batteries that charge and discharge in seconds. They've found a way to create electrodes using polystyrene beads as a sort of substrate, tiny spheres helping to set the porosity of either the nickel-metal hydride or lithium-manganese capacitor material. By adjusting the size and density of the bean bag innards the team was able to create an electrode porosity of 94 percent, which is just a few ticks short of theoretically ideal for exposing the maximum surface area of the electrode to the battery material. This results in extremely fast charges and discharges, the NiMH cell hitting 90 percent capacity in just 20 seconds and discharging in as quickly as 2.7 seconds. While we don't know just what kind of charging system the team was using to achieve this, even assuming a high-amperage stream of electrons this is still a remarkable feat. But, like most major advances there's a drawback: similar to Toshiba's SCiB batts the capacity of these cells is only about three quarters what it would be using normal battery construction, meaning you'd need roughly 25 percent more mass to get the same range in your ultra-fast charging EV of the future. That might just be a worthy trade-off.Styrofoam touches electrodes to create incredibly fast-charging wonderbatteries originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 Mar 2011 00:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink ars technica | Nature Nanotechnology, University of Illinois | Email this | CommentsPosted by Augustine at 7:49 AM
BrandFinance declares Google the most valuable brand in the world
Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/25/brandfinance-declares-google-the-most-valuable-brand-in-the-worl/
Continue reading BrandFinance declares Google the most valuable brand in the world
BrandFinance declares Google the most valuable brand in the world originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 Mar 2011 04:52:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink TG Daily | BrandFinance | Email this | CommentsPosted by Augustine at 7:47 AM
Xperia X10 to get Android 2.3 this summer, makes us rub our eyes in disbelief
Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/25/xperia-x10-to-get-android-2-3-this-summer-makes-us-rub-our-eyes/
Who's in charge of Sony Ericsson today and what did they do with the old crew? Reversing a previous statement saying there'll be no Android updates for its Xperia X10 family beyond Eclair, SE has just announced that it'll bring Gingerbread to the X10 at the end of Q2 / start of Q3 this year. That's right around this summer, when we should expect a user experience roughly equivalent to that on the new Xperia Arc, Neo and Play devices, whose Gingerbread implementation looks to have served as the basis for the elder X10's upcoming update. Seriously, Gingerbread on the X10, we still can't believe it.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Xperia X10 to get Android 2.3 this summer, makes us rub our eyes in disbelief originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 Mar 2011 07:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Sony Ericsson Product Blog | Email this | CommentsPosted by Augustine at 7:46 AM
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Kingston's Class 10 microSD family gets bigger, stays tiny
Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/23/kingstons-class-10-microsd-family-gets-bigger-stays-tiny/
Continue reading Kingston's Class 10 microSD family gets bigger, stays tiny
Kingston's Class 10 microSD family gets bigger, stays tiny originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 23 Mar 2011 13:20:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | BusinessWire | Email this | CommentsPosted by Augustine at 10:11 AM