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Friday, June 17, 2011

Harvard's Kilobot project does swarm robots on the cheap (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/16/harvards-kilobot-project-does-swarm-robots-on-the-cheap-video/

We've certainly seen plenty of swarm robots before, but few of those are cheap enough to let you easily build something that can truly be called a "swarm." These so-called Kilobots developed by Harvard's Self-organizing Systems Research Group, however, can apparently built for just $14 apiece, and can each be assembled in just five minutes to boot. Despite that low cost, the bots are still capable of plenty of swarm-like behaviors, including the ability to follow the leader, disperse in an environment, put on a synchronized LED light show. Head on past the break for a pair of videos.

Continue reading Harvard's Kilobot project does swarm robots on the cheap (video)

Harvard's Kilobot project does swarm robots on the cheap (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 16 Jun 2011 13:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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IEEE Spectrum | source

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OWC Mercury Electra 6G SSDs boast big speeds, price to match

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/16/owc-mercury-electra-6g-ssds-boast-big-speeds-price-to-match/

Other World Computing may specialize in upgrading aging Macs, but you don't have to own one to jam one of its new Mercury Electra 6G SSDs in your computer. The high-end SandForce Driven line of NAND drives range in size from 120GB to a far more impressive 480GB and, with the aide of 6Gb/sec SATA 3.0, can sustain write speeds of 523MB/sec and read speeds of 556MB/sec. Of course, this sort performance doesn't come cheap -- the smallest of the trio will set you back $230, while the massive 480GB model weighs in at a wallet-sapping $930. You can pick them up now from OWC if you've got a serious need for speed, and plenty of disposable income. Check out the PR after the break.

Continue reading OWC Mercury Electra 6G SSDs boast big speeds, price to match

OWC Mercury Electra 6G SSDs boast big speeds, price to match originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 16 Jun 2011 15:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LG's Optimus 3D officially launched, debuting in Europe with dual lens and dual core CPU

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/17/lgs-optimus-3d-officially-launched-debuting-in-europe-with-dua/

The long wait is finally over! Joining the likes of HTC EVO 3D and Sharp SH-12C is LG's very own Optimus 3D aka Thrill 4G for AT&T, which we first got our hands on back in February and again in March. The specs for this Android 2.2 device (yeah, we know) have remained untouched since we last checked: here we have a 4.3-inch glassessless 3D LCD with 800 x 480 resolution, a 1GHz dual core TI OMAP4430 processor, 512MB of speedy dual channel RAM, a 1.3 megapixel front-facing camera, and a couple of 5 megapixel cameras on the back that can capture 3D 1080p video at 24fps, or 3D 720p at 30fps. Other tidbits include 14.4Mbps HSPA+ connection, an HDMI-out port, and a removable 1500mAh battery, all inside a 5.93 ounce package. Alas, no date's been mentioned for the phone's US launch, but the lucky Europeans will get to pick up this phone first, followed by the rest of the world "over the next several weeks." Stay tuned while we keep our eyes peeled open for further news.

Continue reading LG's Optimus 3D officially launched, debuting in Europe with dual lens and dual core CPU

LG's Optimus 3D officially launched, debuting in Europe with dual lens and dual core CPU originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 17 Jun 2011 00:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Microsoft decides to pass on WebGL over security concerns

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/17/microsoft-decides-to-pass-on-webgl-over-security-concerns/

Well, it looks like Microsoft is taking those warnings about WebGL pretty seriously. The company has decided not to support the web-based 3D standard because it wouldn't be able to pass security muster. Highest on the list of concerns is that WebGL opens up a direct line from the internet to a system's GPU. To make matters worse, holes and bugs may crop up that are platform or video card specific, turning attempts to plug holes in its defense into a game of whack-a-mole -- with many players of varying reliability. Lastly Microsoft, like security firm Context, has found current solutions for protecting against DoS attacks rather unsatisfying. Lack of support in Internet Explorer won't necessarily kill WebGL and, as it matures, Microsoft may change its tune -- but it's still a pretty big blow for all us of hoping the next edition of Crysis would be browser-based.

Microsoft decides to pass on WebGL over security concerns originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 17 Jun 2011 01:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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WinRumors | source

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Motorola Droid 3 official in China under Milestone 3 moniker, packs 4-inch qHD display

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/17/motorola-droid-3-official-in-china-under-milestone-3-moniker-pa/

The Droid 3 is upon us! Well, it is if you live in China and don't mind calling it the Milestone 3. A new XT883 model has just been made official by Motorola during China Telecom's CDMA Summit, touting the tagline "the third Milestone" and a new five-row slideout QWERTY keyboard. The salient specs include a 4-inch touchscreen with qHD (540 x 960) resolution, a dual-core processor capable of driving 1080p video recording, an 8 megapixel rear camera with LED flash, up to 32GB of built-in storage, and of course, Android 2.3 as the shipping OS. A pretty compelling package, we think you'll agree. It's coming to China this summer, though Moto could still be crafty enough to squeeze the US launch in before actual units start shipping to Yao Ming's homeland. Because, well, who's ever heard of a Milestone coming before a Droid?

Gallery: Motorola Milestone XT883 official pictures