Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Sony to release XAVC 4k video spec, licensees include Apple, Adobe

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/11/14/sony-to-release-xavc-4k-video-spec/

Sony to release XAVC video format SDK to 4K developers

Sony has announced that it'll release an SDK to 4k developers this month for its recently launched XAVC video format used by the new F5 and F55 CineAlta camcorders. The new specification uses MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 video compression, which allows up to 12-bit color depth, 60 fps shooting speed at 4k and 180 fps in HD. So far, fourteen companies including Adobe and Apple have signed on as licensees, and Sony says the format may come to consumer products as well. Details of the program along with an SDK will arrive this month, just in time for a possible Ultra HD onslaught.

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Sony to release XAVC 4k video spec, licensees include Apple, Adobe originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Nov 2012 11:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung Galaxy Camera review: a 21x compact shooter brought to life by Android

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/11/14/samsung-galaxy-camera-review/

Samsung Galaxy Camera review

There were no heckles, boos or crickets for Samsung's reps back at IFA. But it's fair to say that the atmosphere following its unveiling of the Galaxy Camera was as muted as it was polite. It didn't help that most journalists in that meeting room were there primarily to see the Galaxy Note II, which was undoubtedly the show's headline act. It was also worrisome that Nikon had recently released a half-hearted Android camera of its own -- the Coolpix S800c running on lowly Gingerbread. And finally, some folks in the room -- ourselves included -- may have been put off by Samsung's talk of "convergence," in reference to the fact that the Galaxy Camera has a micro-SIM slot for HSPA+ cellular data. After all, the whole notion of converged hardware has lost the sheen it once had. Hybridized, perhaps. Modular, maybe. But please, not a camera-phablet.

Here's the thing, though: the Galaxy Camera is not a converged device. It's a camera, plain and simple. It just happens to be one that's hooked up (in a multitude of ways) to the glorious world of Android. More specifically, we're looking at full-throttle Jelly Bean sitting astride the same optically stabilized 21x zoom lens and almost half-inch 16-megapixel sensor that have already been deployed in Samsung's WB850F WiFi camera. These are components which far exceed anything you'd find in even the most image-conscious smartphone. If you want to put a label on it, it's probably more meaningful to describe all this as software convergence. The same OS and cloud-connected apps that have so radically transformed phones, tablets and TVs are now also being deployed in a camera -- and there's no reason why they shouldn't be just as invigorating in this new role. At the very least, don't dismiss this device as a curiosity until you've read our take on it.

Continue reading Samsung Galaxy Camera review: a 21x compact shooter brought to life by Android

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Samsung Galaxy Camera review: a 21x compact shooter brought to life by Android originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Nov 2012 09:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Scientists Make Shake-to-Charge Cellphones a Real Possibility

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5960440/scientists-make-shake+to+charge-cellphones-a-real-possibility

Scientists Make Shake-to-Charge Cellphones a Real PossibilityNeed to make a call but run out of juice? Just give your cellphone a shake for an extra burst of power - that's the idea behind a new cellphone charger that turns movement into energy.

Shashank Priya and his colleagues at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg are designing an emergency onboard charger that draws energy from the piezoelectric force generated by your fingertips clicking the keypad, your voice - or just by giving the phone a good old shake.

The researchers experimented with zinc oxide, a common piezoelectric material, to see how well it converts vibrations from sound and pressure waves into energy to power a phone.

They subjected the material to sound waves of 100 decibels, which made the material vibrate and produce an electrical current at about 50 millivolts. In a cellphone, the piezoelectric material would be mounted below the keys and convert mechanical vibrations into energy that could be stored for later use.

It wouldn't produce a great deal of power - certainly not nearly enough to continuously operate a phone - but would be sufficient for an emergency situation, says Priya.

"In an emergency you could just shake your cellphone for a few minutes to get enough power to make this one important call," he says.

For everyday use, the same group recently completed a micro wind-turbine charger that fits into a water-bottle-like container. The charger generates a watt of power with wind speeds of around 8 to 10 kilometres per hour. It connects to a cellphone with a standard USB connection and charging time is normally in the range of 45 minutes to an hour-and-a-half, Priya says.

Image by DAJ/Getty


Scientists Make Shake-to-Charge Cellphones a Real PossibilityNew Scientist reports, explores and interprets the results of human endeavour set in the context of society and culture, providing comprehensive coverage of science and technology news.

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Jellyfish-mimicking device could snatch cancer cells right out of the bloodstream

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/11/14/jellyfish-inspired-microchip-captures-cancer-cells/

Jellyfishlike microchip scoops cancer cells right out of the blood stream

If you think the picture above looks like droplets of blood being snared in a sticky tentacle, then you have a scarily active -- but in this case accurate -- imagination. It's actually a microfluidic chip that's been coated with long strands of DNA, which dangle down into the bloodstream and bind to any cancerous proteins floating past -- directly imitating the way a jellyfish scoops up grub in the ocean. If required, the chip can release these cells unharmed for later inspection. According to the chip's designers at Boston's Brigham and Women's Hospital, the catch-and-release mechanism can be put to both diagnostic and therapeutic use in the fight against Big C, and can also be used to isolate good things, like fetal cells. The next step will be to test the device on humans -- at which point we may owe an even greater debt of gratitude to our gelatinous friends.

[Image credit: Rohit Karnik and Suman Bose]

Continue reading Jellyfish-mimicking device could snatch cancer cells right out of the bloodstream

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Jellyfish-mimicking device could snatch cancer cells right o! ut of th e bloodstream originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Nov 2012 07:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink IEEE Spectrum  |  sourceProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Discovery News  | Email this | Comments

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Verizon brings wireless monitoring service to Lowe's Iris smart home system

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/11/14/verizon-brings-wireless-monitoring-service-to-lowes-iris-smart/

Verizon brings wireless monitoring service to Lowe's Iris smart home monitoring

If you're haunted by dreams of left-on irons and stoves while trying to holiday, Verizon has announced it'll team up with Lowe's to help you wirelessly correct any carelessness. The operator is bringing a USB modem to Lowe's Iris smart home system, letting you monitor and manage your house remotely from a smartphone, sans WiFi or broadband. That'll let you track family members (or intruders) and control thermostats or appliances via smart plugs. Lowe's kits start at $180, so if you'd rather hear "are we there yet?" instead of "is the house on fire yet?" on your next trip, tap the PR after the break.

Continue reading Verizon brings wireless monitoring service to Lowe's Iris smart home system

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Verizon brings wireless monitoring service to Lowe's Iris smart home system originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Nov 2012 08:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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WSJ: Samsung Is Betting Big on Flexible Phones

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5960408/wsj-samsung-is-betting-big-on-flexible-phones

WSJ: Samsung Is Betting Big on Flexible PhonesWe've known for a while that Samsung is readying phones with flexible screens. Now, though, the Wall Street Journal is reporting that it's pushing forward with the concept more quickly than ever, in order to avoid being beaten to the finish line by other firms.

The new phones simply swap plastic for glass in the screen. The OLEDs you find in plenty of other displays can be put on flexible materials—like metal foil—which then makes it possible to create a device which is both unbreakable and bendable.

Samsung hasn't told the Journal how much it's invested in the new bendy phones. However, it points out that it has been spurred along by growing innovation in the display market, from the likes of LG and Sharp. Seems that's enough to rush out a bendy phone as soon as possible.

Which is just what it plans to do. The Journal reports that a "person familiar with the situation" told it that devices will be released in the first half of 2013. Bendy phones for all!

But that raises a fine question: who the hell wants a bendy phone anyway? Aside from plenty of gimmick value and the ability to flex when squeezed into the pocket of your tightest pants, it's not obvious what it adds to the user experience of a phone. Is a bendy phone something you want in your life? [WSJ]

Image by Samsung

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Elliptic Labs develops touchless gesture control for Windows 8, assuages our fear of fingerprints (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/11/14/elliptic-labs-develops-touchless-gesture-control-for-windows-8/

Elliptics Labs develops touchless gesture control for Windows 8, assuages our fear of fingerprints

The rise of touchscreen Windows 8 PCs isn't a happy occasion for anyone who's been carefully keeping PC screens clean: years of slapping wayward hands have been undermined by an interface that practically begs us to smudge up the display. While we suspect it's really aiming for ease of use, Elliptic Labs may have heard that subliminal cry for cleanliness while producing its new Windows 8 Gesture Suite, a touchless control system built for a very touch-focused platform. The company's newest take on ultrasound control can pick up 3D hand motions near the display and invoke all of Windows 8's edge swipes and scrolling without the extra effort (or grease) of putting skin to screen. The method doesn't need a one-to-one map of the screen and can work even in pitch darkness, which leaves adoption mostly dependent on hardware support rather than any wary users -- despite immediate availability for the SDK, PCs need extra microphones and transducers to drop the touch layer. If computers with the Gesture Suite arrive in the hoped-for 12 to 14 months, though, we can get back to obsessing over a fingerprint-free LCD while saving some physical strain in the process.

Continue reading Elliptic Labs develops touchless gesture control for Windows 8, assuages our fear of fingerprints (video)

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Elliptic Labs develops touchless gesture control for Windows 8, assuages our fear of fingerprints (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Nov 2012 06:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Visa's V.me digital wallet service graduates from beta with 53 banks, 23 retailers on board

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/11/14/visa-v-me-beta-ends-53-banks-23-retailers/

Visa's V.me digital wallet service graduates from beta with 53 banks, 23 retailers on board

After roughly a year since its unveiling, Visa's digital payment platform V.me has emerged from beta with support from a total of 53 banks, including PNC and U.S. Bank, and 23 retailers. If V.me has escaped your memory thanks to the proliferation of electronic payment options, you'd be forgiven. For those in need of a refresher, the service lets users check out at participating online stores using a one-click solution that remembers credit card details from multiple providers (American Express, Discover, MasterCard and Visa) in addition to billing and mailing addresses. Visa's Global Head of eCommerce, Jennifer Schulz, told TechCrunch that the firm is planning on making mobile apps and bringing the service to checkout terminals next year. How does the company plan on standing out from the sea of options? Visa's banking on its brand-name and ability to spread the service far and wide. If V.me has piqued your interest, leap past the break to catch the full list of supported banks and retailers.

[Image credit: Philip Taylor, Flickr]

Continue reading Visa's V.me digital wallet service graduates from beta with 53 banks, 23 retailers on board

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Visa's V.me digital wallet service graduates from beta with 53 banks, 23 retailers on board originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Nov 2012 05:57:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Vuzix Smart Glasses M100 to battle Google Glass for Android eyewear supremacy

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/11/13/vuzix-smart-glasses-m100-announce/

DNP Here's apps in your eye! Vuzix Smart Glasses M100 coming to Android and iOS in 2013

Interactive eyewear maker Vuzix revealed its potential challenger today for Google Glass in the Android-powered world of augmented reality: the company will showcase its Smart Glasses M100 at CES 2013, in hopes of bringing over-the-eye display support to everyday mobile applications. Set for a mid-2013 release, the Ice Cream Sandwich-based eyepatch, features a WQVGA display with a 16:9 aspect ratio, a 1GHz OMAP4430 processor, 1GB of RAM and 4GB of internal memory. This modernized monocle is also capable of capturing still photos and 720p HD video, with playback and picture viewing available through its mounted display. While the M100s run Android 4.0, Vuzix has included support for iOS devices and plans to release an SDK for developers sometime in December to the tune of $999. As more tech companies begin focusing their efforts on HUD glasses, hopefully some jerk will come along and create a next-gen Opti-Grab to hold these things steady.

Continue reading Vuzix Smart Glasses M100 to battle Google Glass for Android eyewear supremacy

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Vuzix Smart Glasses M100 to battle Google Glass for Android eyewea! r suprem acy originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 13 Nov 2012 17:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sprint quietly launches ZTE Flash with 12.6MP camera and vanilla(ish) Android

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/11/13/sprint-quietly-launches-zte-flash/

Sprint quietly launches ZTE Flash with 126MP camera and vanillaish Android

Sprint and ZTE decided not to hold a fancy get together to announce the Flash. Heck, there wasn't even really proper PR. The ICS-sporting handset simply popped up in the online store and a spec sheet was sent out over the wire for those interested enough in mid-range Android devices to pay attention. The leak that caught our attention a couple of weeks back turns out to be spot on -- the 4.5-inch phone is running what looks to be a pretty vanilla build of Ice Cream Sandwich on a 1.5GHz dual-core Snapdragon and 1GB of RAM. There's also plenty of little niceties included, like NFC (fingers crossed for Google Wallet!), Bluetooth 4.0, LTE and a microSD expansion slot to complement the reasonably paltry 8GB of internal storage. Oh, and that display -- it's IPS and HD, so expect nice viewing angles and crisp images. The two biggest bullet points here, though, are the eco-friendly design and that massive 12.6 megapixel sensor. You can pick one up now for $130 with a $50 mail-in rebate. The complete data sheet awaits you after the break.

Continue reading Sprint quietly launches ZTE Flash with 12.6MP camera and vanilla(ish) Android

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Sprint quietly launches ZTE Flash with 12.6MP camera and vanilla(ish) Android origina! lly appe ared on Engadget on Tue, 13 Nov 2012 17:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HTC Droid DNA coming to Verizon on November 21st for $200, pre-orders begin today

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/11/13/htc-droid-dna-verizon/

HTC Droid DNA coming to Verizon on November 21st for $200, pre-orders begin today

It's not much of a secret at this point, but HTC and Verizon have finally made their king-sized smartphone official at today's press event: the Droid DNA, which is essentially Big Red's variant of the J Butterfly released in Japan a few weeks ago, will be offered in stores and online starting the day before Thanksgiving for $200 with a two-year commitment, but early adopters will be able to pre-order their unit today.

As you may recall, the DNA is already well known in mobile circles thanks to its 5-inch 1080p Super LCD3 display (which comes out to 440ppi), but there's plenty of other goodies that make this particular handset a rather tempting purchase for the holiday season. For instance, it's helped along by a 1.5GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro processor (APQ8064 paired with MDM9615m, to be specific) and 2GB of RAM, and will come running Jelly Bean and HTC's Sense 4+ UI. It will also come with an 8MP f/2.0 rear camera with 28mm wide angle lens, BSI sensor, ImageChip and 1080p HD video capture. On the opposite side of the phone you can expect to see a 2.1MP f/2.0 front-facing cam that features 1080p HD video record and an 88-degree ultra-wide angle lens. By the way, all of these spiffy specs will rely on an embedded 2,020mAh battery for its power supply, but it'll have Qi-compatible wireless charging to help out when it's getting low.

HTC continues ! to highl ight its audio prowess, as the DNA takes advantage of Beats Audio and a 2.55v built-in headset amplifier and dedicated rear speaker amp, which is geared to offer minimal distortion at maximum volume; in terms of how much multimedia you can throw on the phone, however, it comes with 16GB internal storage and no microSD slot. Rounding out the spec sheet, the DNA offers Verizon LTE, quad-band GSM and UMTS (we haven't been told if global roaming will be enabled, but we suspect so), Bluetooth 4.0 with aptX support, NFC, MHL, dual mics for noise cancelation and WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n (dual-band). It measures 9.73mm thick and weighs 4.86 ounces (138g). We'll update our post with Verizon's press release as soon as it's available, and our team is at this morning's event getting ready to have some quality hands-on time with the new beaut. In the meantime, you may want to think about revising your Black Friday shopping list.

Continue reading HTC Droid DNA coming to Verizon on November 21st for $200, pre-orders begin today

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HTC Droid DNA coming to Verizon on November 21st for $200, pre-orders begin today originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 13 Nov 2012 11:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PocketBook teases first front-lit, color e-reader for June 2013, gets ahead of itself

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/11/13/pocketbook-teases-first-front-lit-color-e-reader-for-june-2013/

PocketBook teases first frontlit, color ereader for June 2013, gets ahead of itself

Shouting "first!" isn't reserved for overeager blog commenters. PocketBook is just as determined to get ahead of the e-reader field with the first unveiling of a front-lit, color E Ink device, well before it's ready for store shelves. While the device doesn't even have a name, we're already promised the combination of Kindle Paperwhite-like illumination with a Triton-based 8-inch, 800 x 600 touch display that can show 4,096 colors. There's even an early battery life estimate of a month of typical use, which should stack up decently against most of the e-reader's grayscale counterparts. Just don't be surprised if PocketBook loses its crown before it's even sitting on the throne. An initial launch in the Commonwealth of Independent States is pegged for June 2013 -- far enough into the future that competitors could announce and ship products before PocketBook lands its first sale.

PocketBook teases first front-lit, color e-reader for June 2013, gets ahead of itself originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 13 Nov 2012 14:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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This Game-Changing Electric Honda Is Just Too Small For The US

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/electric-honda-micro-commuter-2012-11

Honda Micro-Commuter

How small can a vehicle get, and at a certain point is it better considered (and regulated as) a motorcycle…or some other kind of vehicle class altogether?

Although these are questions that we should likely consider in the U.S., they’re issues that Japan is evaluating right now.

And with the new Micro Commuter Prototype that Honda revealed this week in Japan, we see that the automaker is serious about developing such a vehicle, making it practical and relatively safe, and packing some advanced green-energy ideas into it.

The Micro-Commuter Prototype, at just 98.4 inches long and 56.9 inches high, looks like a real car — albeit a very small one — from the side; but from the front its 49.2-inch width is rather shocking, giving it a different sense of proportion that’s from some angles, undeniably motorcycle-like.

There’s no need for power steering, as the curb weight is perhaps closer to a motorcycle than to a car, at about 1,000 pounds.

It’s basically a one-person vehicle, although a very small back seat, almost immediately behind the driver’s seat, can seat two children or very small adults at outboard positions (Honda points to urban Tokyo mothers who might otherwise use a bicycle to run errands with their children).

The main seat, however, is just as spacious as in any typical small car, and this lanky 6’-6” editor managed to fit just fine.

A small lithium-ion battery packaged under the floor of the Micro-Commuter Concept, while there’s a 15-kW electric motor at the rear wheels. Top speed is at least 50 mp! h, accor ding to Honda, and charging time is less than three hours using 240 volts.

40-mile driving range, three-hour charging

Honda is estimating a driving range of nearly 40 miles. That’s more than double the neighborhood electric vehicles) that are legal only for use in gated communities, campuses, and such.

Although we couldn’t yet drive the Micro-Commuter, Honda is calling it a fully operational prototype and will begin demonstration testing of it in Japan in the first half of next year.

The aim of the project, which is part of an initiative for the Japanese government, isn’t just to create another vehicle class but to look at how to increase short-distance mobility for those with small children, or for senior citizens. Use of such a vehicle could even be expanded to car-sharing services, home delivery services, or some kinds of commuting, says Honda, and it’s also looking to expand Europe’s L7 motorcycle category to include a vehicle like the Micro-Commuter.

As a much-evolved, far more production-possible version of the Micro Commuter Concept first shown at last year’s Tokyo Motor Show, the Prototype substitutes wheel wells for the Concept’s odd, robotic look, and the Concept’s ‘twin-lever steering’ has been discarded in favor of a real steering wheel. Meanwhile, the Prototype uses a tubular ‘Variable Design Platform’ that’s closely related to what’s used in Honda’s motorcycles.

One aspect of the Concept that still may carry over to the Prototype is the idea of removable panels, permitting a quick-and-easy color change.

A tablet-based dashboard—that stays with the driver, not the car

The Micro-Commuter Prototype has no conventional dashboard displays. Through a removable Samsung Galaxy (Android-based) tablet computer that clicks neatly into a port just behind th! e steeri ng wheel, Honda was able to design a completely customizable vehicle interface, with conventional speedometer, charge, and driving range displays, along with other integrated navigation, audio, and backup-camera functions. And the car’s solar-panel roof can fully charge the tablet so that you can remove it and use it on the go, at the office or at home. The automaker is also working on supplementing vehicle charging itself with the roof cells.

Honda plans to offer an advanced V2H (vehicle to home) system with the Micro-Commuter Prototype—one that would link with the Honda Smart Home System for energy management, allowing the vehicle to contribute its power in natural disasters or power outages, as well as to simply help save money or reduce strain on the power grid during peak times.

Would this micro-mini ever come to the U.S.? Based on the reaction from Honda officials, definitely not. But there are a number of good ideas in this prototype that we expect to see in some of Honda’s other small cars and electric vehicles quite soon.

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Holy Smokes! Google's Nexus 4 Smartphone Sold Out In Less Than An Hour (GOOG)

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/google-nexus-4-sold-out-2012-11

google nexus 4

Google's newest smartphone, the Nexus 4 from LG, sold out within its first hour in the U.S.

The unlocked phone was only available through Google's online Play store, but T-Mobile is selling at a discount with a two-year agreement too.

The Nexus 4 costs $299 for the 8 GB model and $349 for the 16 GB model. Google now prompts you to input your email address in order to get updates on when the phone will be available again.

The price is right too. At $299, the Nexus 4 costs about half as much as an unlocked iPhone

It's unclear how many phones Google had to sell, but it surely didn't expect this kind of demand. We've reached out to Google for comment and will update if we hear back.

UPDATE: Google won't comment on how many Nexus 4 phones it sold, but it did post an alert to Google+ letting people know that more units are on the way:

There’s been so much interest for the Nexus lineup that we’ve sold out of some of our initial stock in a few countries! We are working hard to add more Nexus devices to Google Play in the coming weeks to keep up with the high demand. You can learn more about Nexus devices and stay updated at play.google.com/nexus

Don't Miss: Our full review of the Nexus 4 >

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A Cellphone Base Station in the Palm of Your Hand

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5960063/a-cellphone-base-station-in-the-palm-of-your-hand

A Cellphone Base Station in the Palm of Your HandHow will the billion people who still use older 2G cellphones use them to pay for goods, just like people with smartphones equipped with near-field communications (NFC) wireless links? One answer is to place a tiny 2G base station at the point of sale so that those older non-NFC phones can also make a short-range transaction securely.

So says Cambridge Consultants Limited, a UK-based technology development firm which demonstrated what it claims is the world's smallest cellphone base station system at its lab on 8 November. Called Sidewinder, "it's an entire GSM network running on one circuit board", says Monty Barlow, head of CCL's signal processing group. "It has everything a cell tower would need to run eight simultaneous 2G cellphone calls. That normally needs racks and racks of equipment."

Crucially, the circuit's power can be turned down to give it a low range of a metre or so. So any transactions undertaken - extracting cash charged up on a SIM card, say - are not being beamed to a distant cell tower where they may be intercepted by attackers en route. "We can detect the proximity of those old phones and deliver a number of services to them securely," says Barlow.

In CCL's demo, the circuit was shown running calls on three 2G phones simultaneously. The system's secret is the fact that its cellphone format and power is entirely defined in software. That means it has the capability, with a software update, to become a highly portable 3G base station, or a white-space radio, that could allow the fast setting-up of other types of ad-hoc network - such as after earthquakes or extreme weather events when other networks may be down.

However, cellphone frequencies are an expensive resource for which networks pay billions of dollars, so CCL cannot use them at will. The company is hoping to strike deals with network operators that might add Sidewinder services to their networks.

Image by Cambridge Consultants Limited


A Cellphone Base Station in the Palm of Your HandNew Scientist reports, explores and interprets the results of human endeavour set in the context of society and culture, providing comprehensive coverage of science and technology news.

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