Dr. Augustine Fou's Online Scrapbook

Friday, July 01, 2011

AT&T to enable BlackBerry Bridge support before sundown

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/01/atandt-to-enable-blackberry-bridge-support-before-sundown/

Most tablets function just fine on their own, but RIM's BlackBerry Playbook introduced a unique, yet restrictive interface that limits Bluetooth tethering to a similarly-branded handset. This feature, called BlackBerry Bridge, lets your tablet piggyback on a handset's 3G data connection, also enabling access to productivity apps like email and calendar, which are still otherwise unavailable on the PlayBook. Unfortunately, this option hasn't been made available for AT&T users, but that's about to change, as the feature will be added to App World today. While the Bridge suite is totally gratis, enabling the AT&T 3G data connection requires a monthly tethering plan of $45, which means anyone grandfathered into the unlimited data feature will need to decide if it's worth the jump. Bridge not sounding like your cup of tea? Don't worry -- at least you can take comfort in knowing that the days of pining for native email are numbered.

AT&T to enable BlackBerry Bridge support before sundown originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 01 Jul 2011 12:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Scientists develop algorithm to solve Rubik's cubes of any size

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/01/scientists-develop-algorithm-to-solve-rubiks-cubes-of-any-size/

A computer solving a Rubik's cube? P'shaw. Doing it in 10.69 seconds? Been there, record set. But to crack one of any size? Color us impressed. Erik Demaine of MIT claims to have done just that -- he and his team developed an algorithm that applies to cubes no matter how ambitious their dimensions. Pretty early on, he realized he needed to take a different angle than he would with a standard 3 x 3 x 3 puzzle, which other scientists have tackled by borrowing computers from Google to consider all 43 quintillion possible moves -- a strategy known simply as "brute force." As you can imagine, that's not exactly a viable solution when you're wrestling with an 11 x 11 x 11 cube. So Demaine and his fellow researchers settled on an approach that's actually a riff on one commonly used by Rubik's enthusiasts, who might attempt to move a square into its desired position while leaving the rest of the cube as unchanged as possible. That's a tedious way to go, of course, so instead the team grouped several cubies that all needed to go in the same direction, a tactic that reduced the number of moves by a factor of log n, with n representing the length of any of the cube's sides. Since moving individual cubies into an ideal spot requires a number of moves equal to n², the final algorithm is n²/log n. If we just lost you non-math majors with that formula, rest assured that the scientists expect folks won't be able to apply it directly, per se, though they do say it could help cube-solvers sharpen their strategy. Other that, all you overachievers out there, you're still on your own with that 20 x 20 x 20.

Scientists develop algorithm to s! olve Rub ik's cubes of any size originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 01 Jul 2011 12:57:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Vizio Tablet goes up for limited pre-order, starts shipping mid-July

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/01/vizio-tablet-goes-up-for-limited-pre-order-starts-shipping-mid/

Can't wait to get your hands on Vizio's upcoming budget tablet? Good news, beginning today, you can put your $400 where your mouth is, by pre-ordering the device straight from the company's site, starting at 1:30PM ET. That amount will get you the Gingerbread tablet, along with a 16GB MicroSD card, and a folding folio case. Pre-ordered devices will start shipping on July 18th. Those who snoozed and therefore lost will be able to pick one up in stores that same week.

Update: Let the pre-orders begin!

Vizio Tablet goes up for limited pre-order, starts shipping mid-July originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 01 Jul 2011 13:05:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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French pilot sets big speed record in tiny electric airplane (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/01/french-pilot-sets-big-speed-record-in-tiny-electric-airplane-vi/

It may not be all that fast in the broader world of aircraft speed records, but French pilot Hugues Duval still has a fair bit to boast about with his latest accomplishment. Not only did he actually fly the aircraft pictured above -- which weights just 200 pounds and has a wingspan of 16 feet -- but he manged to hit a top speed of over 175 miles per hour, breaking his own record for the fastest all-electric airplane by about 15MPH. Not surprisingly, the plane itself (powered by two 35 horsepower electric motors and a pair of 1.5 kWh batteries) is better suited for short hops and the odd record attempt than any long-haul flights, as it's not able to fly for much more than 25 minutes at a time even at a more reasonable 65 miles per hour. Video after the break (en Français, of course).

Continue reading French pilot sets big speed record in tiny electric airplane (video)

French pilot sets big speed record in tiny electric airplane (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 01 Jul 2011 14:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HAL exosuit takes a Cybernic approach to disabled tourism

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/01/hal-exosuit-takes-a-cybernic-approach-to-disabled-tourism/

Cybernics -- it's not a typo, it's a completely new field that mixes cybernetics, mechatronics, and informatics with an all-human core. Pioneered by Tsukuba Univeristy designer Yoshiyuki Sankai, the Hybrid Assistive Limb (HAL) exosuit originally created to aid Japan's eldery has now found an even nobler mission -- assisting disabled tourists. Through detection of weak muscular bioelectrical impulses in the legs, this RoboCop-like lower body suit boosts its wearer's load-bearing abilities by a whopping 176 pounds. The exoskeleton tech first helped paralyzed Seiji Uchida nearly tackle Switzerland's Breithorn peak in 2006 and is now getting another go at the disabled traveler's bucket list. This time 'round, Uchida hopes his ride atop a HAL-outfitted human will successfully carry him to the top of Normandy's rugged Mont Saint-Michel, paving the way for other similarly handicapped travelers to do the same. Although the robotics in question here is more mech suit than say, dental training real doll, it's still a huge leg up for the nascent research industry that got its kick-start making a wish come true.

HAL exosuit takes a Cybernic approach to disabled tourism originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 01 Jul 2011 14:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Swidget Replaces Banner Ads on the Web with Widgets [Downloads]

Source: http://lifehacker.com/5817288/swidget-replaces-banner-ads-on-the-web-with-widgets

Firefox/Chrome/IE: Swidget is a browser add-on that swaps banner and box ads for useful widgets, like the weather, news headlines, or even your Facebook feed.

Swidget works on Windows or Mac OS, but only supports Firefox on the Mac. On Windows, Chrome, Internet Explorer, and Firefox are all supported. Once installed, the add-on places a button at the top of banner and block ads to click that replaces them with a widget that you choose.

The gallery of widgets is broad: you can choose weather, stocks, clocks, headlines, and more. The only downside is that Swidget doesn't work automatically: you have to click to replace each ad on the page one at a time.

Swidget | via MakeUseOf

You can reach Alan Henry, the author of this post, at alan@lifehacker.com, or better yet, follow him on Twitter.

Tumblr for iPhone 2.0 Makes Managing Tumblr Blogs Easier on the Go Than on the Web [Download Of The Day]

Source: http://lifehacker.com/5817308/tumblr-for-iphone-20-makes-managing-tumblr-blogs-easier-on-the-go-than-on-the-web

iOS: If you don't have a Tumblr blog, it might be time to get one. Tumblr for iPhone 2.0 launched earlier this week with a new interface that makes it easier than ever to follow popular blogs and post messages, photos, and video to your own.

The new Tumblr app sports a new interface with buttons on the home screen that let you share photos, video, music, or links on your Tumblr blog with two taps. You can read blogs you follow, follow new ones, see liked posts, or access your dashboard just as easily.

If you're not a current Tumblr user, you can even sign up right through the mobile app. It's been a long time since we talked about Tumblr, but it's still a great and easy way to share on the Web. Tumblr for iPhone 2.0 is free in the iTunes App Store.

Tumblr for iPhone 2.0 | iTunes App Store via ReadWriteWeb

You can reach Alan Henry, the author of this post, at alan@lifehacker.com, or better yet, follow him on Twitter.

Plnnr Generates Free, Customized Itineraries for Your Next Vacation [Travel]

Source: http://lifehacker.com/5817344/plnnr-generates-free-customized-itineraries-for-your-next-vacation

Plnnr is a neat webapp that saves you the trouble of hiring a tour guide for your next vacation by providing you with smart itineraries that are customized based on criteria you provide. It'll even recommend a convenient hotel in your price range.

You start by signing up and providing a little information about your interests. Plnnr doesn't support every city you might want to visit, but it offers a number of popular destinations. Once you select where you headed, you let it know what kind of places you want to see, how many days you have to see them, what kind of hotel you're looking for, and a few other details. Next, it puts all that information together and comes up with an itinerary and you can check it out. Before you commit, you can tell it how you feel about each choice. If there's something you don't like, veto it. If it's at a bad time in the itinerary, say so. If you just don't know what it is, click on its name and you'll get an explanation along with photos. Once you're done, print it out and take it with you on vacation.

Plnnr is completely free to use, so go give it a try if you're looking for things to do next time you travel.

Plnnr | via USA Today

You can follow Adam Dachis, the author of this post, on Twitter and Facebook. Twitter's the best way to contact him, too.

Samsung announces 32GB microSD card capable of 12MBps write speeds

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/30/samsung-announces-32gb-microsd-card-capable-of-12mbps-write-spee/

Go shopping online for a microSDHC card and you'll find that while manufacturers don't hide the speed specs, they're not exactly crowing about 'em either. Make no mistake, though: Samsung is mighty proud of its new 32GB number, which boasts a class 10 speed rating and read / write rates of 24MBps and 12MBps -- ideal numbers for those of you who plan on making good use of your phone's 1080p camera. If you're a storage buff, you know that class 10 is the highest speed category for SD cards at the moment, and that it sits above classes 4 and 6 -- the tiers covering many other microSDHCs on the market. No word just yet on pricing, but we think it's safe to say you'll be dishing out a premium.

Continue reading Samsung announces 32GB microSD card capable of 12MBps write speeds

Samsung announces 32GB microSD card capable of 12MBps write speeds originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Jun 2011 12:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sprint updating the Samsung Galaxy Tab with Gingerbread on July 5

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/30/sprint-updating-the-samsung-galaxy-tab-with-gingerbread-on-july/

It's hard out there for a Samsung Galaxy Tab owner, watching Honeycomb slates hit the market by the bushel, with a lucky few stepping up to Android 3.1 and its resizeable widgets. Sprint, at least, is still giving the 'ol Tab some love -- according to an anonymous tipster, the Now Network will push out an update to Gingerbread, something Tab owners overseas have already been enjoying. The upgrade's expected to roll out starting July 5th, and will include not just Android 2.3, but a step up to HID Bluetooth as well. Oh, and while it's at it, Sprint will also release a fix for a bug in the Samsung Transform that has interfered with PRL and data profile updates. Sounds like as fine a way as any to beat the post-holiday weekend blues.

Sprint updating the Samsung Galaxy Tab with Gingerbread on July 5 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Jun 2011 12:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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AMD Llano desktop APU gets reviewed: the best integrated graphics in town

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/30/amd-llano-desktop-apu-gets-reviewed-the-best-integrated-graphic/

AMD is due to release a batch of new Llano APUs next month that are specifically tailored to desktops rather than laptops. The most powerful among them will be the 2.9GHz A8-3850, which has already caused a stir on the review circuit for one simple reason: it pulls off a brutal "one shot one kill" on Intel's HD 3000 integrated graphics. AnandTech raised an impressed eyebrow at the fact that all its benchmarking games were playable on the $135 AMD chip, which roughly doubled frame rates in titles like Modern Warfare 2, Bioshock 2 and World of Warcraft compared to the more expensive Sandy Bridge i5 2500K. TechSpot declared the APU its "new budget king," with graphical performance "on another level" compared even to an i7.

However, the superlatives quickly evaporated once reviewers shifted their focus to the CPU. TechReport spotted that pure CPU performance per dollar was actually lower than what you'd get from a lowly i3. Moreover, it reckoned you'd only have to spend an extra $70 to buy a much more powerful CPU and a separate graphics card -- an option that comes "awfully close to making the A8-3850 seem irrelevant." Ouch. Nevertheless, if an affordable processor with integrated graphics is what you're after, then it's fair to say this one sets the standard. Click the source links below for full reviews.

AMD Llano desktop APU gets reviewed: the best integrated graphics in town originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Jun 2011 14:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google+ code reveals intent to unleash Games and Questions to the social world

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/30/google-code-reveals-intent-to-unleash-games-and-questions-to-th/

Having a difficult time getting your honeydew list checked off because you're trying to level up in Mafia Wars? You may want to just chuck the whole sheet of paper in the trash. Buried deep in Google Plus' source code are a few curious references to at least two new services that may very well be destined for the invite-only social networking suite. The first is Google Games, the tech giant's first venture into the world of social gaming. While this isn't a big stunner -- recent job postings insinuated that this feature would come around sooner or later -- it makes perfect sense for it to be included as part of the Google+ experience to help strengthen Mountain View's bid against the likes of Facebook.

Also on the company's white board is Questions, a likely love child of Google's $50 million acquisition of Aardvark. When the source code offers up hints like "you might try rephrasing or tagging your question to make it easier for someone to answer," along with the utterance of sharing questions with others and commenting on answers, nothing could be more indicative of a social service. There still isn't a strong indication that we'll see these two features pop up anytime soon, but the hamster wheels are definitely turning right now, and we're piecing the clues together. At the rate things are going, these services may easily be ready before we all get invites.

[Thanks, Ian]

Filed under: Software

Google+ code reveals intent to unleash Games and Questions to the social world originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Jun 2011 14:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony's S1 tablet spotted in the wild, S2 captured briefly on video

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/30/sonys-s1-tablet-spotted-in-the-wild-s2-captured-briefly-on-vid/

We've already seen press shots and teaser videos of Sony's S1 Honeycomb tablet and dual-screen S2 (and had our eyes on them ourselves), but Germany's Golem website managed to spend a bit of time with both of the devices at an event in Munich, and has now provided what's surely the best look at them to date. Unfortunately, that's still not exactly a thorough look -- there's just the single image of the S1 above, and an 18 second video of the S2, which you can check out after the break.

Continue reading Sony's S1 tablet spotted in the wild, S2 captured briefly on video

Sony's S1 tablet spotted in the wild, S2 captured briefly on video originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Jun 2011 16:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Acer planning a sliding Android tab for the holidays, won't fit in your stocking

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/30/acer-planning-a-sliding-android-tab-for-the-holidays-wont-fit/

Acer Sliding Tab

Rumor has it that ASUS wont be the only company with a sliding Android tablet this holiday season -- DigiTimes claims to have it on good authority that Acer will be launching its own 10.1-inch slate with a peekaboo QWERTY stashed behind the screen. The ARM-powered device is reportedly being manufactured by Compal, but beyond that your guess is as good as ours. By the time it lands we should be getting our first taste of Ice Cream Sandwich, but it's a pretty safe bet if this unnamed device does ship later this year, it'll do so with Honeycomb on board.

Acer planning a sliding Android tab for the holidays, won't fit in your stocking originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Jun 2011 19:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pic3D sheet brings glasses-free 3D to iPhone for $25

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/30/pic3d-sheet-brings-glasses-free-3d-to-iphone-for-25/

Many of us are perfectly content viewing only 2D content on our mobile devices, but if you've been dying to add a bit more depth to your smartphone's display, Global Wave may have just what you're looking for. At the 3D and Virtual Reality Expo in Tokyo, the Japanese company demoed its Pic3D sheet, which converts your Windows-based desktop or laptop, or iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch into a 3D display. The sheet uses a lenticular lens system instead of a parallax barrier for a smoother, more consistent image, yielding a reported 90-percent transmission level and 120-degree field of view. The company's Windows and iOS apps output video in a side-by-side format, simulating a 3D image. The software also allows you to view side-by-side content from the web, submitting the YouTube URL of a compatible video, for example -- perhaps not the most elegant solution, but a good start, if it works. Prices range from ¥2,000 (about $25) for an iPhone or iPod touch sheet, all the way up to ¥15,000 (about $186) for a 23-inch desktop version. We'll be on the lookout for Pic3D at the Tokyo Game Show in September, but in the meantime, you can get Diginfo TV's take in their video after the break.

Continue reading Pic3D sheet brings glasses-free 3D to iPhone for $25

Pic3D sheet brings glasses-free 3D to iPhone for $25 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Jun 2011 20:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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