Dr. Augustine Fou's Online Scrapbook

Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Parrot AR.Drone 2.0 ready for May takeoff, pre-orders start March 1st

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/28/parrot-ar-drone-2-0-shipping-in-may/

It's been a few weeks since we stumbled upon the AR.Drone 2.0's unattended self-promotion back at CES. And, shortly thereafter took it for a spin. Now, Parrot's finally announcing its $299 next-gen quadrocopter will be ready to take off in May, with you early adopters being able to pre-order as soon as March 1st. The company's also added two fresh bits that were absent during our time with the 720p-packing drone in Vegas, one of which will let you bust out a barrel-roll move while in flight. The other is the inclusion of a USB port that'll let you grab whatever ~~creepy~~ amazing pics and vids you've been shooting with it and record them on any jump drive. You still have a couple months to go before you can grab one of these, in the meantime be sure to check out the glamorous press shots and PR below.

Gallery: Parrot AR.Drone 2.0 press shots

Continue reading Parrot AR.Drone 2.0 ready for May takeoff, pre-orders start March 1st

Parrot AR.Drone 2.0 ready for May takeoff, pre-orders start March 1st originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 28 Feb 2012 23:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Raspberry Pi credit-card sized Linux PCs are on sale now, $25 Model A gets a RAM bump

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/29/raspberry-pi-credit-card-sized-linux-pcs-are-on-sale-now-25-mo/

The good news is that Raspberry Pi's highly anticipated teeny-tiny Linux computers are on sale now, just barely making the promised February launch window (good thing it's a leap year). The better news, is that the $25 Model A version has gotten an upgrade from the planned 128Mb of RAM to 256Mb matching the Model B, which still throws in an extra USB port and an Ethernet hookup for $10 more. Unfortunately there is some bad news as well, while the Model A is going into production "immediately", cheapskates will have to hold off a little, as the Model B is the only one on sale right now. Built on a Broadcom BCM2835 700MHz ARM11 processor, they're intended as a cheap computing option that require only a keyboard and RCA or HDMI-connected display to give a full desktop experience including gaming and HD video playback . The team also announced it has secured manufacturing and distribution agreements that should guarantee a steady supply, without the previous limitation of 10,000 at a time batches. Need more technical details? Hit the FAQ page below, or put down a few Hamiltons -- they can be ordered directly from distributors Premier Farnell / Element 14 and RS Components -- and find out how it runs (Fedora, Debian and ArchLinux are currently supported) for yourself.

Update: It appears the servers of both retailers are completely crushed by traffic at the moment, and we're told RS will ship in the UK only. Good luck in your struggle with that most difficult of questions: Keep mashing F5, or get some sleep and try again in the morning?! Raspber ry Pi's Twitter account reports Farrell appears to have already sold out, so keep that in mind. A press release and video demo from BBC follow after the break.

Continue reading Raspberry Pi credit-card sized Linux PCs are on sale now, $25 Model A gets a RAM bump

Raspberry Pi credit-card sized Linux PCs are on sale now, $25 Model A gets a RAM bump originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Feb 2012 01:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Envia's GM-backed battery delivers huge energy density, lower costs, headaches for competitors

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/29/envias-gm-backed-battery-delivers-huge-energy-density-lower-co/

If you're one of those worried about the battery on your expensive EV running out, look away now. Envia has unveiled a new cell that boasts a record-breaking energy density of 400Wh/kg (most currently offer between 100 and 150). It's estimated that when commercialized, this could bring the cost of a 300-mile range EV down to as little as $20,000. The performance gains come from a special manganese-rich cathode and silicon-carbon nano-composite anode combination. The battery maker is also partly owned by GM, which unsurprisingly means we're likely to see these very cells in its EVs in the future. Perhaps with the right choice of upholstery, we might see even better savings? Want to know more? Tap the fully charged press release parked just after the break.

Continue reading Envia's GM-backed battery delivers huge energy density, lower costs, headaches for competitors

Envia's GM-backed battery delivers huge energy density, lower costs, headaches for competitors originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Feb 2012 02:24:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dr. Augustine Fou Moderator; OMMA Metrics Panel: Trending the Analytics Business

Dr. Augustine Fou moderating panel at OMMA Metrics in New York City - Trending the Analytics Business

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

This Is the iPad 3 Hiding In Plain Sight [IPad 3]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5888989/this-is-the-ipad-3-hiding-in-plain-sight

Apple just flashed their new iPad 3 on their Wednesday 7 event invite. You can clearly see the new Retina display in all its glory. Compare the top (invitation) to the bottom (a photo of iPad 2).

The top has a lot more definition. It's clear on the typography in the Wednesday, the spacing in relation to the icon and the edges of the icon itself.

Not only that, but there seems to be NO home button, which explains the mention of the "And touch." in their invitation. How do we know? First, the photo they are showing is on portrait mode. You can't achieve that icon spacing in the landscape mode (which is the only explanation for the lack of home button). Moreover, the icon falls right onto the same water drop that the current iPad 2 falls while in portrait mode. It's clearly a photo of the iPad in portrait mode. And there's no button to be seen.

Additional reporting by Adrian Covert.

ELVIIS Volvo C30 EV charges from any standard outlet, bills the driver (hands-on)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/28/elviis-volvo-c30-ev-charges-from-any-standard-outlet-bills-the/

The electric vehicle is still a fresh enough concept that the issue of redirecting the bill when filling up at a public outlet or a friend's house is of little concern. But once EVs gain more traction and the cost of electricity during that monthly dinner party starts to run upwards of 50 bucks, you'll definitely take notice. ELVIIS, a research collaboration between Ericsson and the Viktoria Institute in Sweden, may be the solution. Instead of pulling power from the grid blindly and billing the outlet's owner, the system provides driver and vehicle information to a server before charging begins, then redirects the cost for power consumed to whatever account you've registered with the vehicle, alleviating any concern about unexpected electricity bills. ELVIIS can theoretically serve other purposes, allowing you to select the least-expensive energy source, for example, or set the car to wait to charge until late-night, when rates are lower.

We jumped into the passenger seat of one of five existing ELVIIS cars -- built around an all-electric Volvo C30 -- and poked around the charging interface. The project isn't fully operational just yet, and was running in demo mode so there's no way to verify that it works as described, but it definitely appears to be solid, with Ericsson providing financial and development support. Eventually, it will use the car's GPS to identify nearby power outlets -- for now, you need to enter a specific outlet ID. There's also an Android app that allows you to monitor and reschedule charging, so if you programmed your car to be! complet ely charged by 7AM but realized that you need to leave at 6, you can make sure you're covered without getting out of bed. But you don't need to go anywhere to see it in action -- just click on past the break.

Gallery: ELVIIS Volvo C30 EV hands-on

Continue reading ELVIIS Volvo C30 EV charges from any standard outlet, bills the driver (hands-on)

ELVIIS Volvo C30 EV charges from any standard outlet, bills the driver (hands-on) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 28 Feb 2012 12:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Verizon CTO says shared data plans coming mid-year

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/28/verizon-cto-says-shared-data-plans-coming-mid-year/

Verizon

We've already from Verizon's CEO Lowell McAdam that the carrier was planning to offer shared data plans. And leaks have indicated that the carrier is already prepping its backend system for the change. Now CTO Fran Shammo has narrowed down the time frame a bit for us, telling a group of investors that family data plans should debut towards the middle of the year. But, he was quick to clarify this isn't as simple as setting a launch date. The shift to the new billing system will take time and not everyone will be migrated on day one. Still, Shammo indicated it will be an important part of the ongoing transition to 4G and its future plans for mobile dominance.

Verizon CTO says shared data plans coming mid-year originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 28 Feb 2012 12:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SanDisk Extreme SSD has 'mighty' mix of performance and support

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/28/sandisk-extreme-ssd-is-mighty/

SanDisk Extreme SSD reviewed

SanDisk's new Extreme SSD sounded nice enough when it launched recently, but we weren't expecting anything too crazy -- just another 6Gbps SandForce-based drive that would compete on $-per-GB more than performance. As it turns out, that doesn't do it justice. StorageReview has shown that the unit actually beats the Intel 520 in some key real-world tests and delivers a "chart-topping" 4K random write speed of 88,324 IOPS. With the bonus of the low price-point -- starting at $190 for 120GB -- and the level of support from SanDisk, the Extreme SSD can now boast an Editor's Choice trophy. Click the source link for the full report.

SanDisk Extreme SSD has 'mighty' mix of performance and support originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 28 Feb 2012 08:28:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 hitting Verizon on March 1st for $500 on contract

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/28/samsung-galaxy-tab-7-7-hitting-verizon-on-march-1st-for-500-on/

The Galaxy Note 10.1 may be the flavor of the week at Mobile World Congress, but those waiting to get their hands on the well-reviewed (and considerably smaller) Galaxy Tab 7.7 on contract here in the States will get their wish in the very near future. Verizon let it be known today that the "world's thinnest 4G LTE tablet" will be hitting its network on March 1st. Such superlatives don't come cheap, however -- Samsung's 7.7-inch Honeycomb slate is going to run you $499.99 plus a two-year contract. Start saving those pennies and peep the press info after the break.

Continue reading Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 hitting Verizon on March 1st for $500 on contract

Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 hitting Verizon on March 1st for $500 on contract originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 28 Feb 2012 09:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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CNBC: Quad-core iPad 3 with LTE to be unveiled in New York

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/28/cnbc-quad-core-ipad-3-with-lte-to-be-unveiled-in-new-york/

The tweet says it all really, sources close to CNBC have apparently revealed that the iPad 3 will be unveiled in New York next week, but does it tally with our rumor roundup?

Developing...

CNBC: Quad-core iPad 3 with LTE to be unveiled in New York originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 28 Feb 2012 11:14:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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This Guy Needed Just 28.80 Seconds to Solve a Rubik's Cube. While Blindfolded. [Video]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5888842/this-guy-needed-just-28-seconds-to-solve-a-rubiks-cube-while-blindfolded

I've had a Rubik's Cube sitting on my desk for the better part of a year and still haven't solved it. Marcell Endrey of Hungary needed less than a half minute to blow through his during a recent competition.

Endrey turned in the record-breaking score during the blindfolded Rubik's Cube challenge at this year's Zonhoven Open in Belgium. In addition to the blindfold, a moderator will also block any potential peeking with a sheet of paper. Even without being able to see, Endrey broke the last record, a time of 30.58 seconds held by China's Yuhui Xu, by nearly two seconds.

This year's overall Zonhoven Open winner was Mats Valk and his average time of 10.28 seconds for a standard 3x3 cube. [CNet]

Google's Giving $60,000 to Whoever Can Exploit Chrome [Security]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5888839/googles-giving-60000-to-whoever-can-exploit-chrome

While both Safari and IE collapsed under the pressure from hackers at last year's Pwn2Own contest, not one person was able to crack Chrome. This year, Google's sweetening the pot with a million dollars in prizes to successful exploiters.

In fact, Chrome is the only browser in the contest's six year history to not be exploited—like, at all. Therefore Google will hand out prizes of $60,000, $40,000, and $20,000 for contestants able to remotely commandeer a fully-patched browser running on Windows 7. Finding a "Full Chrome Exploit," obtaining user account persistence using only bugs in the browser itself will net the $60k prize. Using webkits, flash, or a driver-based exploit can only earn the lesser amounts.

"While we're proud of Chrome's leading track record in past competitions, the fact is that not receiving exploits means that it's harder to learn and improve," wrote members of the Google Chrome security team in a post on Monday. "To maximize our chances of receiving exploits this year, we've upped the ante. We will directly sponsor up to $1 million worth of rewards."

The company will not, however, sponsor the contest itself as it has in year's past. Google pulled its support after finding that recent rule changes allowed hackers to claim prize money without actually revealing the inner workings of the exploit to vendors. Which is kind of the entire point of these contests. [Chromium Blog via Ars Technica]

Image: Pedro Miguel Sousa / Shutterstock

You Spend 120 Times Longer on Facebook Than Google+ [Factoid]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5888846/you-spend-120-times-longer-on-facebook-than-google%252B

We all know Google+ is hardly the Facebook contender Page and co hoped for. But according to data from comScore, reported by the Wall Street Journal, visitors to the sites using computers spent an average of about three minutes a month on Google+ between last September and January, versus six to seven hours on Facebook each month over the same period. That's over a 120 times longer. Bad luck, Google. [comScore via Wall Street Journal]

ADATA reveals three new SandForce SSDs for the high, mid and low end

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/27/adata-reveals-three-new-sandforce-ssds-for-the-high-mid-and-low/

ADATA reveals three new SandForce SSDs for the high, mid and low end

ADATA makes multiple memory solutions, including super fast USB sticks, and now the company has released a trio of new SSDs, with a model for every type of consumer. There's the XPG SX900 built for enthusiasts that uses a SATA III 6Gbps connection and SandForce SF-2281 controller to deliver 550MB/s reads and 530MB/s writes in up to a 512GB drive. The Premier Pro SP900 packs similar specs to deliver 550MB/s reads and 520MB/s writes in up to a 256GB package, but at lower price point than its performance sibling. Rounding things out is the Premier SP800, a budget entry in 32 and 64GB sizes that uses a SATA II 3Gbps interface, plus an SF-1222 controller to deliver 280MB/s and 260MB/s sequential speeds. As usual, ADATA's not telling how much the new SSDs will set you back, but there's a full slate of specs at the source below and PR after the break.

Continue reading ADATA reveals three new SandForce SSDs for the high, mid and low end

ADATA reveals three new SandForce SSDs for the high, mid and low end originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 27 Feb 2012 20:07:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Infiniti Emerg-E concept gets unveiled before Geneva, is it the 'green' supercar you've been waiting for?

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/27/infiniti-emerg-e-concept-gets-unveiled-before-geneva-is-it-the/

Infiniti Emerg-E concept gets unveiled before Geneva, is it the 'green' supercar you've been waiting for?

Despite parent company Nissan's penchant for forward-thinking electric mobility, its luxury division, Infiniti, hasn't gotten much love from us thus far, chiefly due to its reluctance to play in the EV and plug-in hybrid spaces that we cover. That friends, will change at the upcoming Geneva Auto Show with the unveiling of the absolutely gorgeous Emerg-E concept. We don't have much more info on offer other than a bevy of official shots, but with looks like that, how could we not keep a watchful eye out for its March debut? You'll find another snap of its interior after the break, and those with more time (and privacy) ought to peep the upcoming E-tron and i8 competitor over at Autoblog.

Continue reading Infiniti Emerg-E concept gets unveiled before Geneva, is it the 'green' supercar you've been waiting for?

Infiniti Emerg! -E conce pt gets unveiled before Geneva, is it the 'green' supercar you've been waiting for? originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 27 Feb 2012 21:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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