Archive for November, 2010
November 26, 2010
Apple’s AirPlay feature that allows you to wirelessly stream videos or audio to compatible devices is a useful one, though it would be much better if it worked with more apps. The good news is that folks out there are hard at work to make it happen, and have discovered that only a single line of code blocks you from doing so. With that in mind, a developer named Zone-MR has come up with the AirVideoEnabler, a hack that is available for download in Cydia for jailbroken devices, bringing AirPlay to all apps, such as VLC and Safari. Will Apple move to block this in the future, or has the fruity company disabled the feature because of some unmentioned issue? Video demonstration after the jump.
Permalink: Jailbreak App Enables AirPlay In All iOS Apps from Ubergizmo | Hot: Macbook Air Review,Google TV Review
November 26, 2010
You can never be sure when it comes to Apple-related rumors and now Digitimes is reporting that Apple will be adding five new features to the iPad 2 and they include video chat, a thinner glass panel for better mobility, a USB port, new display technology and 3-axis gyroscopes. The video chat we’re talking about is probably FaceTime, which will probably mean the long-awaited camera feature will be hitting the iPad. An improved display could be related to Apple’s Retina Display, and considering that it looks pretty good on the iPhone 4, we’re looking to see what Apple can do to improve the iPad’s display. The USB port sounds dubious, though, not that we wouldn’t appreciate it, since it would make the iPad easier to use with other devices/peripherals.
Permalink: Possible iPad 2 Features Surface from Ubergizmo | Hot: Macbook Air Review,Google TV Review
November 26, 2010
It may just be an elaborate stunt to promote batteries, but it’s hard not to get a little caught up in Evolta’s 500-kilometer trek from Tokyo to Kyoto, which finally came to an end this week after two months on the road — ahead of schedule, no less. Aided by a team of “Evolta Sisters,” the pint-sized robot hauled a dozen AA Evolta batteries in a cart the whole way, and guided itself by following an infrared signal from a device pushed in front of it — a few other ground rules also allowed it to be carried up stairs, and the bot didn’t walk at night or in the rain. Even still, 500 kilometers is 500 kilometers (or 317 miles, if you prefer), and that’s a long way for any robot to walk. Head on past the break for a video recounting some of the journey.
Continue reading Panasonic’s Evolta robot finishes 500-kilometer trek ahead of schedule
Panasonic’s Evolta robot finishes 500-kilometer trek ahead of schedule originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 26 Nov 2010 05:18:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
November 26, 2010
We know you’ve got questions, and if you’re brave enough to ask the world for answers, here’s the outlet to do so. This week’s Ask Engadget question is coming to us from Pavel, who seems to be primed and ready to splurge on a bargain-bin Android tablet during the impending Black Friday rush. If you’re looking to send in an inquiry of your own, drop us a line at ask [at] engadget [dawt] com.
“I’ve been looking into getting myself a tablet, but being a high school student, I don’t have the money to go buy an iPad. I was wondering if there were any good Android tablets under $200. If there were any expectations, it would be a 7- or 10-inch screen and that the OS doesn’t lag from basic tasks, because I’ve seen many of these tablets lag on the app drawer. Peace and love.”
Here’s our advice: “good luck.” Every sub-$200 Android tablet that we’ve touched lags somewhat, but it’s definitely possible to find some units that are more snappy than others. You’ve got a number of low-rate options if you’re cool with fighting the Black Friday crowds, but otherwise, have a listen at the readers below in comments. Keep things helpful, alright folks?
Ask Engadget: best Android tablet for under $200? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 25 Nov 2010 22:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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November 25, 2010
The idea behind Infinitec’s Infinite USB Memory Drive is actually quite straightforward, but we’ve found that when we tell friends and acquaintances about the unit, it often boggles their minds. So, we’ll try to keep it real simple: This red plastic stick is a 802.11b/g/n WiFi radio disguised as a USB flash drive. And when we say “disguised”, we’re not just talking about the stick’s size, but its functionality as well — it lets you wirelessly transfer files direct from from your WiFi-equipped laptop’s hard drive to just about anything with a USB port. Stick it into an Xbox 360 or set-top-box, for instance, and it pretends to be your average thumbdrive, but with access to theoretically anything you choose. Sounds like a fantastic idea, but does it really work? Find out after the break in our full review.
Continue reading Infinitec Infinite USB Memory Drive review
Infinitec Infinite USB Memory Drive review originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 25 Nov 2010 17:16:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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November 25, 2010
The Swiftpoint Mouse is designed specifically to work with laptop computers. The manufacturers made it small enough to carry around on a magnetic mount in the USB port, and easy enough to use on the palm rest of your notebook [...]
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November 24, 2010
Nottingham, England is notable for the tracery of sandstone caves—some natural, others artificially enlarged or hewn from the living rock—that runs beneath the city. In the 14th century, troops under orders from King Edward III stole into the city by means of one of these caves in order to arrest Roger de Mortimer, who was believed responsible for the death of the king’s father. Now, the Nottingham Caves Survey is in the midst of imaging not only “Mortimer’s Hole,” but all of the city’s more than 450 caves. (The survey is based at University of Nottingham, whose chemistry department produces a Gearfuse favorite, the Periodical Table of Videos series. Happening place, Nottingham.)
The caves are imaged with laser scanners that collect up to 500,000 survey points per second. The video above compiles data from numerous such scanning sessions, creating a fly-through of what looks like an admirable game world. As Geoff Manaugh writes at BLDGBLOG (where many other images may be seen), “it’s intoxicating to imagine a city whose most exciting discoveries lie somewhere far below its own streets and urban surfaces, in a delirious sprawl of artificially enlarged sandstone caves. ”
The imagery reminds me of something else, however: the nests of ants. In particular, it called to mind for me a picture I first saw in E. O. Wilson and Bert Holldobler’s book The Leafcutter Ants: an image of a nest that was excavated after its passages had been filled with six tons of cement:
It looks like a vast archaeological dig turning up the ruins of a past civilization. Which it is, really. Here’s a segment of the news magazine CBS Sunday morning about ants, in which an entomologist shows how he makes a cast of a nest by filling it with molten aluminum:
A massive aluminum model of a subterranean ant city is great. Obviously, however, 3D laser scanning would be preferable from the perspective of the ants.
All this underground modeling makes me imagine a 3D subterranean layer For Google Earth—a kind of Streetview for the caverns of the world, from the sewers of Paris to Mammoth Cave, from Yucatan cenotes to Chile’s Copiapó mine. If it included all the ant colonies, of course, the amount of data would be mind-boggling: petabytes, perhaps yottabytes even. There wouldn’t be room for the servers needed to store all that data—unless perhaps we put them underground.
[via BLDGBLOG]
November 24, 2010
Is there something in the air? Hot on the heels of Rupert Murdoch’s impending The Daily newspaper for the iPad, we’re getting word of a Richard Branson-funded, iPad-specific magazine dubbed Project. The magazine will cover entertainment, travel, business, design, and international culture. It’s hard to tell if these two announcements are somehow related to each other, or if they imply some sort of shift in Apple’s treatment of publications, but either way they do indeed seem to be happening. The full announcement of Project is due for Tuesday next week.
Richard Branson launching ‘Project’ magazine for iPad next week originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 24 Nov 2010 14:37:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
November 24, 2010
This DOD F880HD Camcorder not only ships with a 30 metre waterproof case, but also features infra-red vision for night time frolics, motion detection tech and a windshield mount if you want to use it as a car event monitor. [...]
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November 24, 2010
Kik Messenger is one of the recent messaging applications that has gained popularity, since it’s free instead of the more popular WhatsApp. That being said, it has been noticed that the app has been removed from the BlackBerry App World portal by RIM and the push services for existing users have been disabled. Folks have reached out to RIM for comments and the company states there the company breached contractual obligations, resulting in its removal from the app store. The problem wasn’t detailed, but it remains to be seen if this issue will be resolved anytime soon. The response from RIM reads:
Permalink: RIM Responds To The Removal Of Kik From App World from Ubergizmo | Hot: Macbook Air Review,Google TV Review
