Thursday, July 18, 2013

Samsung: new Exynos 5 Octa SoC coming next week

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/07/18/samsung-new-exynos-5-octa-soc-coming-next-week/

Samsung new Exynos 5 Octa SoC coming next week

Samsung's current ARM superchip, the Exynos 5 Octa, was revealed at CES and has just started making its way into handsets, but the company claims it's already got a new and improved version ready to roll. Today, the company's SamsungExynos Twitter account revealed that a "more powerful, enhanced" Octa will make its debut next week. What, exactly, that means remains to be seen, but we'll be bringing you that info as soon as Samsung dishes it out. Stay tuned.

Filed under: , , ,

Comments

Source: SamsungExynos (Twitter)

Read More...

Google rakes in over $14 billion in revenue during Q2, increased ad revenue balances growing Moto losses

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/07/18/google-q2-2013-earnings/

Google rakes in over $14 billion in revenue during Q2, growing ad revenue balances growing Moto losses

For the last several months Google's stock price has been surging, getting increasingly close to the $1,000 mark. And when monstrous revenues like this keep rolling in, it's easy to see why. In Q2 of 2013, the internet giant pulled in $14.11 billion in revenue, an increase of 19 percent year-over-year. Of that massive haul, all most all of it (93 percent) was generated directly by Google properties, most notably massive advertising networks -- $12.1 billion of its gross was thanks to advertising. Motorola's efforts equate to just less than $1 billion in revenues, but the $998 million it pulled in is not an inconsequential improvement over Q2 2012's $843 million. Even with that modest increase, however, Moto still posted an operating loss of $342 million. That's notably worse than the $199 million lost during the same quarter last year. While this wasn't a record setting quarter for Google, it's certainly not far off from its Q4 2012 mark of $14.46 billion, and marks a small increase sequentially.

Net income also remained strong, with the Mountain View team pocketing $3.23 billion. Again, not a record high, but not far off from the $3.55 billion in Q1, and a pretty impressive jump year-over-year from $2.79 billion. While a significant chunk of Google's cash is generated here in the good ol' US of A, the international markets are still treating the company quite well. In fact, a full 55 percent of revenues ($7.2 billion) were earned overseas. While cost-per-click continued to decline for the company, by 6 percent from last year, the number of paid clicks was up more than enough to compensate -- an impressive 23 percent. And, should Google's fortunes suddenly turn, it has a war chest of $54.4 billion stashed away for a rainy day.

We're listening in to the earnings call at 4:30 PM ET today and you'll find updates from that after the break.

Filed under: , ,

Comments

Source: Google

Read More...

AMD Q2 2013 earnings: net loss of $74 million, expects 'a return to profitability' next quarter

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/07/18/amd-q2-2013-earnings-profit-next-quarter/

AMD Q2 2013 earnings net loss of $74 million, expects 'a return to profitability' next quarter

First, the rough news: AMD saw just $1.16 billion in revenue for its Q2 2013, and actually took a net loss of $74 million (and an operating loss of $29 million). That's an 18 percent decrease in revenue year-over-year, but CEO Rory Read says that things are looking up. "Our focus on restructuring and transforming AMD resulted in improved financial results," noting that AMD "expects significant revenue growth and a return to profitability in the third quarter."

That's a pretty bold statement given the continued decline in the PC market, but the outfit's graphical department seems to be doing fairly well. In fact, AMD's Graphics reportable segment has been renamed Graphics and Visual Solutions, and the outfit gleefully points out that AMD silicon is baked inside of the Wii U, Sony's upcoming PlayStation 4 and Microsoft's Xbox One. What isn't precisely clear, however, is the expected market change that'll finally turn the tide for AMD -- the world's watching for Q3, folks.

Filed under: , ,

Comments

Source: Marketwire, AMD

Read More...

HTC One mini announced: Flagship looks, UltraPixel camera and 4.3-inch 720p display (hands-on)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/07/18/htc-one-mini/

HTC One mini announced Ultrapixel camera, 43inch 720p display handson

Currently, the wireless industry's mantra is that good things come in large packages. But let's not just forget about the massive demographic of users that don't care about having the biggest phone on the planet. Samsung has already addressed this with the Galaxy S4 mini (albeit, with significantly lesser specs than the flagship GS4), and now it's HTC's turn with the aptly named One mini. The whispers were true: this little guy is a 4.3-inch device with 720p resolution and a nearly identical look to that of its older brother. According to the spec sheet (listed below), it isn't an HTC One in every sense of the name -- there's been a few drawbacks. However, you might be willing to forgo a lower-resolution, smaller display and other changes for a handier smartphone and what promises to be a lower price tag. So what are our first impressions? Read on beyond the gallery and video, and we'll fill you in.

Filed under: , ,

Comments

Read More...

Injectable 'smart sponge' controls diabetes, presents new targeted drug delivery method

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/07/18/smart-sponge-diabetes-cancer-research/

DNP Targeted drug delivery via sponge

Diabetics might appreciate high-tech glucose sensors when they're available, but the option for other advanced treatments is certainly intriguing. Take, for example, this new method developed by North Carolina State University researchers that uses injectable sponge to control blood sugar levels. No, it's not the same sponge you use to clean at home -- the material is made out of a substance taken from crab and shrimp shells called chitosan. This spongy material forms a matrix that's approximately 250 micrometers in diameter, where a rise in blood sugar causes a reaction in the pores that leads to the drug's release.

Fighting diabetes is but one of the things this miraculous sponge can be used for; developed further, it could even "intelligently" release anticancer drugs whenever the chitosan reacts to tumors or cancer cells in close proximity. Seems like medical technology is getting smarter with each passing day.

Filed under: ,

Comments

Source: North Carolina State University

Read More...

RunKeeper for iOS now motivates you with real-world training programs

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/07/18/runkeeper-for-ios-now-motivates-you-with-real-world-training/

RunKeeper for iOS now motivates you with real-world training programs

It's easy to find running apps that offer goals -- it's harder to find one that inspires you to run in the first place. RunKeeper wants to be that motivator, and it just overhauled the training section of its iOS app to match. The refresh takes broad, skill-based programs from sites like Greatist and breaks them down into more realistic daily objectives, such as running a little bit further or taking a break. There's also a steady stream of tips for staying healthy between sessions. RunKeeper hasn't said when Android-bound athletes will get the new training routines, but their iPhone-owning counterparts can grab the update at the source link.

Filed under: ,

Comments

Source: App Store

Read More...

REAL OR FAKE: These Computer-Generated Images Look Like Just Like Actual Photographs

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/cool-3d-images-2013-7

photorealistic 3d rendersCGTrader, a marketplace for 3D artists, modelers, and engineers, has rounded up a collection of stunning computer-generated imagery.

These are pictures created by professionals in the field, and the end results nearly look like actual photographs.

But nothing you're about to see is real.

The attention to detail is staggering.



But it's not all about making pictures of people.



Notice the subtle motion blur on the tires.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider
    


Read More...

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

drag2share: Lettuce Gaze Upon the Future of Agriculture

source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/vip/~3/jJtusfJPBnU/lettuce-gaze-upon-the-future-of-agriculture-789817712

Lettuce Gaze Upon the Future of Agriculture

Florida has its oranges, Georgia has its peaches, and California has its lettuce. These leafy greens are the Golden State's biggest vegetable crop, bringing in $1.6 billion annually. Problem is, they require a lot of attention to raise properly. Historically, California has relied of its abundant, affordable work force. But with that labor pool shrinking and foreign competition increasing, lettuce farmers in America's Salad Bowl are facing rising labor costs and worker shortages. And that's where the fully automated Lettuce Bot comes in.

Read More...

Crowsflight for iOS: Enjoy Wandering Without Ever Getting Lost

Source: http://gizmodo.com/crowsflight-for-ios-enjoy-wandering-without-ever-getti-805863347

Crowsflight for iOS: Enjoy Wandering Without Ever Getting Lost

Asking for directions is a sign of weakness. Everyone knows that. Still, that's not necessarily to say that you should solely rely on the sun and your wildly unfounded gut instincts. Crowsflight for iOS gives you a middle ground.

Read more...

Read More...

All It Took to Hijack Google Glass Was a Dumb QR Code

Source: http://gizmodo.com/all-it-took-to-hijack-google-glass-was-a-dumb-qr-code-812240007

The scariest Google Glass hack just got fixed before anyone evil could actually use it, but the details are a little unsettling. Using nothing more than Glass's camera and a malicious QR code, hackers would have been able to steal total control of the device if you so much as looked at the wrong thing.

Read more...

Read More...

drag2share: Magic Lantern gives 14 stops of DR to Canon 5D Mark III with dual ISO recording

source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/07/17/magic-lantern-dual-iso-canon-5d-mark-iii/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget

Magic Lantern gives 14 stops DR to Canon 5D Mark III with dual ISOs

Magic Lantern's brought some miraculous features to Canon EOS DSLRs lately, including RAW video recording on the 5D Mark III, and video recording, period, to the 50D. Its latest feat is no less amazing, even for jaded DSLR shooters. By exploiting unused dual ISO amplifiers on a sensor chip in the Canon 5D Mark III and 7D, new firmware allows you to record lighter parts of a scene at ISO 100 and darker portions at ISO 1600. It works with RAW video and stills on the 5D III and RAW stills only on the 7D, with both requiring post-processing after capture. That bit of creative coding increases the dynamic range of both cameras to around 14, though not without some drawbacks. Namely, the 7D implementation is buggy for now, you'll lose some resolution while gaining aliasing in shadows and highlights, and won't be able to check critical focus by zooming in. Still, the organization has a track record of quickly improving new features -- so, if you've got the guts to risk voiding your warranty, hit the source.

Read More...

Acer's 23-inch Z3-605 all-in-one ships to the US, starting at $700

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/07/17/acer-z3-605-us/

Acer Z3 all-in-one launches in the US for $800 with touch, $700 without

Want a straightforward Windows 8 all-in-one that won't cost a pretty penny? Acer has you covered with the launch of its Z3-605 Series in the US. The 23-inch desktop isn't a performance champ when it carries up to a Core i5 CPU, 8GB of RAM, a 1TB hard drive and a DVD burner. Don't dismiss it out of hand, however -- the 1080p IPS-based LCD should deliver a good-looking picture, and a touchscreen variant supports air gestures. If there's enough here to leave you intrigued, you can pick up the Z3-605 today for a modest $700 in base trim, or with touch for $800.

Filed under: ,

Comments

Source: Acer

Read More...

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Researchers Use Circuit Printer to Make Functional Heart Muscle

Source: http://gizmodo.com/researchers-use-circuit-printer-to-make-functional-hear-789602979

Researchers Use Circuit Printer to Make Functional Heart Muscle

Growing replacement organs in a lab and transplanting them is science-fiction dream-turned-very-possible-reality, but so far it's been limited to simple tissues. Today, MIT researchers published findings on their successful attempts to build functional heart tissue, using a modified machine originally meant to build integrated circuits.

Growing heart tissue in the lab presents an enormous challenge. If the muscle cells aren't precisely arranged to pull along the same axis, the tissue can't do its pumping job. For the 3D cell guidance they needed, researchers at MIT's Draper Lab created thin, micro-perforated sheets of biorubber. They stacked these sheets with a programmable machine from the integrated circuit industry, positioning the pores to create interwoven muscle bundles when seeded with mouse muscle cells and rat neonatal heart cells. By controlling the alignment of the resulting fibers, the researchers can produce tissue that precisely mimics the natural heart.

While several challenges currently prohibit mass-scale production of viable cardiac tissue, the researchers say this unprecedented level of cell growth control opens "a whole new design space." Next, they plan to test the tissue in rats that have suffered heart attacks. And there's a chance that someday, in the not too distant future, nobody will have to die of a broken heart. [MIT Technology Review via KurzweilAI]

Read More...

NASA and SETI discover new Neptunian moon, spot what Voyager 2 missed

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/07/15/new-moon-neptune/

NASA and SETI discover new Neptunian moon, spot what Voyager 2 missed

A baker's dozen worth of moons might already sound like too many for us Earthlings, but Neptune has just had its count bumped to 14. Though the extra luna appeared as a white dot in over 150 photos taken by NASA's Hubble telescope between 2004 and 2009, it took SETI's Mark Showalter to discover it after poring over images of faint rings around the planet. Dubbed S/2004 N 1, the satellite is no more than 12 miles across and completes its orbit every 23 hours. Hoping to spot it in the night sky? You're better off hitting the second source link for more pictures, as it's 100 million times dimmer than the faintest star viewable with the naked eye, and it escaped Voyager 2, to boot.

[Image credit: NASA, ESA and A. Feild (STScI)]

Filed under: ,

Comments

Source: NASA, HubbleSite

Read More...

Xolo Play T1000 brings Tegra 3-based phones to India

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/07/15/xolo-play-t1000/

Xolo Play T1000 ships to India

Tegra 4-based phones may be all the rage lately, but many in India haven't even had a shot at the Tegra 3 -- not very fair, we'd say. Xolo is addressing that deficit by launching the Play T1000, which brings the Tegra 3 to the country for the first time. The quad-core processor adds a gaming-friendly spin to what's otherwise a close cousin of the X1000 we saw back in March. Both phones share a 4.7-inch 720p LCD, 21Mbps HSPA+ and an 8MP rear camera; the T1000 cuts the (thankfully expandable) storage down to 4GB in return for a sharper 2MP front camera. Pricing may clinch the deal for some Indians, however. The Play T1000 is available now for 15,999 rupees ($268) off-contract -- a price low enough to make us wish there were plans for a US release.

Filed under: , ,

Comments

Source: Xolo

Read More...