The First Image of the Shuttle Entering Earth Is Simply Unbelievable [Image Cache]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5823596/the-first-image-of-the-shuttle-entering-earth-is-simply-unbelievable

When I first saw this image just released by NASA I just couldn't believe my eyes. It shows Atlantis re-entering the Earth's atmosphere from the International Space Station, leaving a trail of fire behind it. As NASA describes it:

This unprecedented view of the space shuttle Atlantis, appearing like a bean sprout against clouds and city lights, on its way home, was photographed by the Expedition 28 crew of the International Space Station. Airglow over Earth can be seen in the background.

By far, this is the most amazing shot I've ever seen of the shuttle. Absolutely crazy. Now I'm even sadder to see it go. [NASA]

Watch our homage to the video space shuttle program: 30 years of the shuttle in one single launch video

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A $3,000 Bike with 4 Wheels for the Well-Heeled [Bikes]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5823536/a-3000-bike-with-4-wheels-for-the-well-heeled

It must be nice to be filthy rich— to not have to worry about making rent, to be able to shrug off $4/gal gas, and have the bankroll to purchase one of these custom quad-wheeled cruisers from Autumn Sphere.

The Epitaph Cruiser is opulent, if anything. Its powder-coated steel frame is accented with aged-leather. The seat, handlebar covers and insert are all hand-made. The Epitaph also uses a single rear coaster brake to maintain the clean, fixed gear look (though you'll want to avoid long hills). Oh, and it has four wheels— oversized front and rear forks accommodating its custom double alloy rims. The production run is limited to a scant 12 cruisers with each bike retailing for $2950 (hey, exclusivity ain't cheap). No word yet on how you'd change out flats from the twin-mounted tires. [AutumnSphere via Born Rich]

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Dell quietly pulls the Streak to perform an update, might bring it back next month?

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/21/dell-quietly-pulls-the-streak-to-perform-an-update-should-bring/

What Dell can give, it can taketh away. That's the story with the Streak, which has quietly vanished from retail as well as the outfit's online storefront. We first got wind of this when a tipster wrote in to say he had spoken to a company employee, who said the 5-inch Android tablet / phone had been discontinued. When we reached out to Dell's PR team to see what's up, we got the pat "Dell does not comment on rumors, speculation, or unannounced products." So then we called customer service, pretending to order one, and that's when things got interesting. The rep told us the Streak hasn't, in fact, been end-of-life'd; it's just been pulled from shelves while it receives an update. The gentleman couldn't say how severe the issue is, though he insists it has zilch to do with Android. Whatever it is, Dell isn't even accepting orders for the 5-inch Streak at the moment. If all goes according to plan, though, we're told it should go back on sale in early August.

[Thanks, Venkata]

Dell quietly pulls the Streak to perform an update, might bring it back next month? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Jul 2011 12:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Motorola Droid 3 review

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/21/motorola-droid-3-review/

The third installment of a trilogy is typically the most satisfying. The Empire Falls, Frodo destroys the ring, Cinderella goes back in time. (Okay, that's a stretch.) Our protagonist in this tale is the Droid 3, which bears an uncanny resemblance to its dad and granddad-- but Verizon's added a few new components and made some minor design tweaks in attempt to improve the overall experience.

Are these adjustments enough to save the series? The original Droid launched with much fanfare, a device that steered Motorola back onto the path of success from its post-RAZR Hades. It had a refreshing gold-laden design that oozed elegance, top-of-the-line specs for its time, and was the pioneer that helped usher Google's mobile OS into a new era. Each new iteration has received less attention than the one before, however, and the Droid 3 experienced such a quiet launch that we blinked and almost missed it. No matter, though -- as long as the phone can speak for itself, it doesn't need the confetti to accompany it. But is the third time another charm for the Droid? Or will it be buried by other heavyweights like the Droid Bionic or Samsung Galaxy S II Function? Join us after the break to find out.

Gallery: Motorola Droid 3 review

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Motorola Droid 3 review originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Jul 2011 12:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Watch 30 Years of the Space Shuttle In One Single Launch [Video]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5823357/watch-30-years-of-the-space-shuttle-in-one-single-launch

The end. Today it's all over. Three decades of the Space Shuttle, with its many amazing successes and two horrible failures, are gone forever. This video shows those thirty years in one single launch.

Click video to enlarge.

The space shuttle was the most complex machine ever created. Even with all its faults, it was a mighty beast. Combined, the shuttles travelled 513.7 million miles (826.7 million km) in 135 missions. It's an staggering number—we could have visited Jupiter!

As a spacenerd who never saw Saturn V roaring up to the skies, I couldn't imagine a more amazing display of power and engineering prowess more amazing than the launch of the Space Shuttle. Strapped to 1.6 million pounds of liquid fuel and two solid rocket boosters pushing 5,600,000 pounds-force of liftoff thrust, it was a thing of beauty that we will never see again.

For someone who saw the original launch of Columbia as a kid, I'm finding it hard to believe that everything is over just three decades later. If I feel gutted today, I can't even begin to imagine how people working in the program must feel. Still, I'm hopeful that things will get even more exciting in the coming years, hopefully with a mission to Mars and other planets. Until then, I'll watch this video to remind me of the genius of human engineering and the American space program.

Godspeed Columbia, Challenger, Discovery, Atlantis, and Endeavour. And thanks for all the fish.

Video edited by Woody Allen Jang on an idea by Jesus Diaz. Additional video editing by Jesse Martinez.

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