Tuesday, August 17, 2010

IT News HeadLines (Engadget) 17/08/2010



Infrared laser shown to quicken heart rate, gives hope for ultra-small pacemakers
Here's an interesting one. Just years after a researcher in Japan realized that lasers could stimulate nerves, a professor of biomedical engineering at Vanderbilt University along with cohorts from Case Western Reserve have found that the same is true with the heart. By using an Infrared laser on an early embryonic heart, tests were able to show that the muscle was "in lockstep with the laser pulse rate." The crew also found no signs of laser damage after a few hours of experimenting, though obviously more extensive research would be required before any medical agency allowed such a device to be beamed underneath a human chest. The hope here is that this discovery could one day lead to ultra-small, implantable pacemakers, or better still, to "pace an adult heart during surgery." There's nary a mention of when this stuff will actually be ready for FDA oversight, but there's a downright creepy video of it all in the source link. Consider yourself warned.
Infrared laser shown to quicken heart rate, gives hope for ultra-small pacemakers originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 Aug 2010 10:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink New Scientist  |  sourcePhysorg  | Email this | Comments
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Entourage Edge gets rooted with ease, may get a bit more exciting
It's probably in large part due to the design, but the Entourage Edge never has taken off the way Barnes & Noble's Nook or Amazon's Kindle has. But now, that all has a chance to change. The dual-screen e-reader has finally had its very own root canal, and it's probably the easiest root process we've ever seen. The crafty folks over at Android Police were able to tap into the Edge's inner workings by entering a simple code into the Debug menu, and from there, it's a few short steps to installing Superuser. The purpose? To restart the imagination of owners, and to snag Android 2.2, the Android Market and a couple of overclocking opportunities if they're lucky. Head on past the break for a quick video, and then dart to the source link if you're itching to replicate this on your own device.Continue reading Entourage Edge gets rooted with ease, may get a bit more exciting
Entourage Edge gets rooted with ease, may get a bit more exciting originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 Aug 2010 10:16:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceAndroid Police  | Email this | Comments
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Philips' Android-powered GoGear Connect PMP seemingly on sale overseas
We suppose it could always be a glitch of some sort, but Argos isn't typically the kind of retailer to add products to its library with no intention of hawking them. First spotted back in February (with a pleasing dose of steroids, might we add), Philips' newest GoGear Connect is ditching the proprietary OS in favor of Google's alternative, following Samsung's Yepp-YP-MB2 into the mysterious world of Android-based PMPs. The product listing shows the 3.2-inch media player as boasting Android 2.1, 16GB of internal storage space, a battery good for 5 hours of video playback (and 25 hours of audio), FM radio tuner, a touchpanel and a microSD expansion slot. Curiously enough, GPS is also thrown in, as are a set of presumably lackluster headphones. It's listed for a scarily inflated €264.99 ($340), but mum's the word on an international release -- 'course, it's not like Philips hasn't ignored North America before, so we'd recommend not holding your breath.

[Thanks, Michael]Continue reading Philips' Android-powered GoGear Connect PMP seemingly on sale overseas
Philips' Android-powered GoGear Connect PMP seemingly on sale overseas originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 Aug 2010 09:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Tata bringing two all-electric cars to a Europe near you by March
First of all, don't worry, the spontaneously combusting Nano isn't among the pair of newly Euro-bound EVs from Tata. Going slightly more upmarket, the Indian company will be launching the Indica Vista EV hatchback for eco-conscious Brits and Scandinavians early next year, alongside the somewhat less exciting Ace, a commercial mini-truck. The Indica Vista has clearly had a few trials and tribulations in coming to market in an all-electric form, having originally been promised to Norwegian tree huggers for 2009, so let's just hope that this schedule is the one that sticks. It's about time this whole EV movement got some more affordable options.
Tata bringing two all-electric cars to a Europe near you by March originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 Aug 2010 09:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink Autoblog Green  |  sourceThe Hindu Business line  | Email this | Comments
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SNAP for iOS gives you The Power... to appraise your Facebook privacy
SNAP (Social Network Analyzer for Privacy) by BIT Systems does one thing, and one thing only: it looks at your Facebook profile and then "grades you on how visible you are to the outside world." Of course, you can always just go into Facebook itself and look at your privacy settings, which would save you the steps of downloading an app and using it to login to your account, but at least the thing is free. And it does provide a handy and thorough tutorial on Facebook privacy in general. Hit the source link to take it for a spin.
Continue reading SNAP for iOS gives you The Power... to appraise your Facebook privacy
SNAP for iOS gives you The Power... to appraise your Facebook privacy originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 Aug 2010 08:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceApp Store  | Email this | Comments
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Drug vending machines start trial in UK, allow awkward videophone conversations with your pharmacist
You've got to imagine the Japanese are green with envy right now, as the BBC report not one, but two different drug vending machines are being tested out under Her Majesty's watchful eye. The first of these experiments is run by supermarket chain Sainsbury's, which has installed a pair of drug dispenser machines in its stores. They identify users by their fingerprint or a unique number, demand PIN verification too, and then finally accept your prescription. Then -- and this is the really silly part -- a pharmacist comes along, picks up your prescription, fills it out, and deposits it in the machine for you to pick up. So it's impersonal and unnecessarily convoluted, great. PharmaTrust seems to have a slightly better idea with its videophone-equipped, ATM-style robo-vendor: it's intended to allow pharmacists to approve prescriptions off-site and out of usual working hours by letting them speak to you via videophone. It could in fact be a big benefit in more remote areas, depending on how patients take to it -- we'll know more when the trial starts up in participating hospitals this winter.Continue reading Drug vending machines start trial in UK, allow awkward videophone conversations with your pharmacist
Permalink   |  sourceBBC  | Email this | Comments
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Overheating iPod delays rush-hour train in Tokyo
Poor Apple. The company just can't catch a break these days. On Wednesday, Apple Japan began offering customers iPod nano replacements, giving in to local government demands to better address an overheating battery issue affecting Apple's first generation iPod nano players. Then Friday morning (making the English-language press only now) a busy rush-hour commuter train was stopped in Tokyo to investigate a smell. According to a spokesman, "When a member of staff went to investigate inside the train, a passenger came over showing him that the iPod she was listening to had burst apart." No injuries were reported and the exact iPod model is still unknown. However, we can be certain that the eight minute delay on Japan's notoriously timely railway system caused many commuters to question their ability to go on.

[Image courtesy of Maruhachi-kotsu]
Overheating iPod delays rush-hour train in Tokyo originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 Aug 2010 06:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink 9to5Mac  |  sourceReuters  | Email this | Comments
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MSI's 10-inch WindPad 100 advances past prototype stage, gets pictured with a dock
The wait for a legitimate mass market Windows 7 tablet continues, but at least MSI is showing signs of progress. The WindPad 100, which we saw at Computex in prototype form, has now reached design maturity and the concordant gallery of pictures has been distributed to the world. There's no word of any spec changes, meaning we're still looking at a 1.66GHz Atom Z530 CPU, 32GB SSD, 2GB RAM, Wind Touch UI overlay, and HDMI plus 2x USB ports on the stat sheet. The 100 has been joined by a new dock in these latest images, which will throw in the typical expanded connectivity options. We can probably expect to see both reappearing at IFA in Berlin in about a month's time.
Gallery: MSI WindPad 100 press shots
MSI's 10-inch WindPad 100 advances past prototype stage, gets pictured with a dock originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 Aug 2010 06:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink Mini-notebook-laptop  |  sourceNetbook News  | Email this | Comments
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Pleco 2.2 Chinese Dictionary uses iPhone camera to translate text in real time (video)
Can't say we've heard of the Pleco Chinese Dictionary app prior to today even though it's been around for two full version releases. Of course, we've seen plenty of Google Goggle-like smartphone apps that can snap pictures and then convert the image to text using optical character recognition (OCR) -- something that can be incredibly useful when important stacks of business cards. Pleco 2.2, however, is one of the first apps we've seen that can translate text in real time using the live image presented on your phone's camera display. The new feature, targeted for release in September, requires iOS 4 and should work with either the iPhone 4 or older 3GS. Sure, you might not need this app every day, but it might just be the difference between ordering chop suey or a thousand-year old egg garnished with a side of stinky tofu. See it in action after the break.
Continue reading Pleco 2.2 Chinese Dictionary uses iPhone camera to translate text in real time (video)
Permalink   |  sourcePleco (YouTube)  | Email this | Comments
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LG's 3D office projectors are ready to entertain the staff
If we can distract your sympathies from that rather unfortunately bespectacled product waif for a second, we'd like to tell you about LG's latest 3D projectors for the office. The LG BX327 pumps 3,200 lumens for 1,300,000KRW (about $1,090) while the BX327 scales things back to 2,700 lumens for 1,000,000KRW (about $837). Otherwise, both feature a 2,300:1 contrast, stereo speakers, and a USB jack for sourcing documents, videos, and photos directly off of a USB stick. Unfortunately, LG's not offering much detail here. But you can still imagine the fun you'll have dressing up your luddite executive team in those massive 3D glasses. Oh yes sir, you look magnificent.
LG's 3D office projectors are ready to entertain the staff originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 Aug 2010 04:56:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceLG (Flickr) [Translated]  | Email this | Comments
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Microsoft previews Windows Phone 7 app design process with a golfing scorekeeper (video)
You don't need us to tell you that apps have grown to become a core part of modern smartphone ecosystems. Android and iOS, the two major app-centric OS environments are growing in leaps and bounds, while a substantial part of Windows Phone 7's eventual success is expected to hinge on exactly how it matches (or betters) those guys on the app front. So, what better excuse than that to check out this concept golf scoring app from Redmond? Designed using Microsoft's favored Metro aesthetic, it really streamlines the user experience by employing "multiple touch targets [that] are spread out from one another" and distilling content down to large, easily readable data. We've got to say, it's hitting the right note with us, but do follow along after the break to learn about a few of the WP7 design quirks -- such as the drop-down system tray and the reason why rounded app icon corners are undesirable.Continue reading Microsoft previews Windows Phone 7 app design process with a golfing scorekeeper (video)
Permalink istartedsomething  |  sourceMSDN  | Email this | Comments
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Shocker: Touchscreen smudge may give away your Android password pattern
Fast food connoisseurs should pay special attention here -- according to a recent paper by the University of Pennsylvania, Android users are inadvertently leaving their nine-dot lock patterns in the open, courtesy of their fingers' oily smear on the screen. Specifically, the study on potential "smudge attacks" found that partial or complete patterns could be easily retrieved -- even with added noise on the display or after incidental clothing contact -- by using various lighting and camera orientation settings for the smear analysis. Should we be surprised? No. But should our phones be getting Froyo sooner for the extra PIN and QWERTY password options? Hell yeah.
Shocker: Touchscreen smudge may give away your Android password pattern originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 Aug 2010 03:18:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink Techdirt  |  sourceUSENIX  | Email this | Comments
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New Exilim golf-friendly digicam hitting Japan; the Pro from Dazaifu never had it so good
Golf fanatics will stop at nothing in pursuit of upping their game, and as you know, all sorts of gadgets have been modified to suit their purposes, from PNDs to digicams. Apparently Casio's Exilim line has been a favorite, and now its golf-centric camera is getting something of a spec bump. The Exilim EX-FC160S sports a 10 megapixel backside illuminated sensor, 5x optical zoom at 37mm, and support for 240fps video with an optional 30fps slow-motion playback. Available in Japan come August 27, in a limited production run of 5,000 units.
Permalink CNET  |  sourceCasio  | Email this | Comments
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Epic 4G review
15diggsdigg Of the seemingly countless variants of the Galaxy S that Samsung's in the process of deploying around the globe, one stands out in a couple very unique (and important) ways: Sprint's Epic 4G. The Epic hangs on to a couple of the Galaxy line's most important characteristics -- namely the 1GHz Hummingbird processor and the 4-inch Super AMOLED display -- but adds in a sliding landscape QWERTY keyboard, support for the wickedly fast WiMAX network that Sprint shares with partner Clearwire, and a handful of other notable one-off customizations.

We've already taken a look at two of the other US-bound Galaxy S models -- AT&T's Captivate and T-Mobile's Vibrant -- but it shouldn't take more than a quick glance at the Epic to tell you that this is a very, very different beast. Becoming just the second WiMAX phone released in the States (and the first with a physical keyboard), this is a pretty critical release for Sprint at a time when its subscriber count is just starting to pick up after several quarters of decline -- and making things even more interesting is the fact that Sprint's first WiMAX handset -- HTC's EVO 4G -- is simply one of the best phones we've ever reviewed. In other words, yeah, you could say that the Epic's got a lot to live up to. Is it up to the task? Let's find out.
Gallery: Epic 4G review
Continue reading Epic 4G review
Epic 4G review originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 Aug 2010 00:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Apple hires NFC expert to manage mobile commerce, prepare to pay with your iPhone
Don't look now, but things may be getting real on the pay-with-your-cell-phone front, as Cupertino's hired a man with years of experience in enabling just that to finally get 'er done. According to his LinkedIn profile, Benjamin Vigier is Apple's new Product Manager of Mobile Commerce, immediately following his handiwork on PayPal Mobile, Sprint MyMoneyManager and the iPhone-based Starbucks Card. Before that, he spent two years heading SanDisk's mobile commerce and near-field communication efforts and over a year doing NFC for Bouygues Telecom, so it's not much of a stretch to imagine the futuristic concert tickets depicted in Apple's recent patent applications might become reality before long. Either that, or he'll wind up on a completely unrelated project, only to leave under mysterious circumstances later on.
Apple hires NFC expert to manage mobile commerce, prepare to pay with your iPhone originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 15 Aug 2010 23:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink MacRumors  |  sourceNear Field Communications World  | Email this | Comments
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California universities use iPads to report news, diagnose heart conditions; Penn State students are like, 'what's an iPad?'
As you know, colleges and universities love throwing in "free" gadgets to justify bumping up their enrollment fees. To this end, USC Annenberg has announced a new program to provide j-school students with iPads, digital cameras, and audio recorders to help them report the news. Now, don't get us wrong: we appreciate the importance (and we're big fans of) "the journalism," and if an upgrade from those long, skinny notepads to modern consumer electronics helps facilitate a new crop of Woodwards 'n Bernsteins, then so be it. But are these kids really supposed to type their front-line reportage with the on-screen keyboard? And haven't most students had access to proper laptops for years now?

In other "iPad in education" news, UC Irvine's iMedEd Initiative is providing first year medical students with "a comprehensive, iPad-based curriculum," according to PhysOrg. The devices are equipped with all the necessary apps for note-taking, recording audio, and faculty will develop podcasts and archiving lectures. Our favorite part of all this? The "digital stethoscope," which interfaces with the tablet for listening to and recording a patient's heartbeat. Once recorded, it can be compared to a library of over 3,000 heart sounds that typify specific heart conditions. Thornton Melon never had it so good!

[Thanks, Matt F]
Permalink   |  sourceUSC Annenberg, PhysOrg  | Email this | Comments
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Inhabitat's Week in Green: frozen energy, spray-on solar and the hydrogen peroxide helicopter
Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us -- it's the Week in Green.

It was a big week for green transportation as San Francisco broke ground on its massive green-roofed Transbay Transit Center and unveiled plans to install 5,000 EV charging stations throughout the Bay Area. We were also wowed by several fun new forms of alternative transportation - a single-person helicopter that emits nothing but water vapor and a human-powered car that can go 30 MPH while driving uphill!

It was also an exciting week for energy storage tech as New York prepared to power up the world's first grid-scale flywheel energy plant and researchers cracked the code on a new cryogenic energy storage system. We also showcased a plan for a ribbon-like solar field that unfurls over the desert and saw researchers unveil a transparent solar spray that can transform practically any surface into a sun-capturing source of energy.

In other news, solar tech energized the arena of interior lighting as we showcased an adorable solar-powered table lamp and were dazzled by this set of folding OLED origami lights. Finally, a team of scientists blew our minds with this light-bending invisibility cloak made from gold-coated silk.
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Samsung Galaxy Tablet P1000 firmware leaks out, points to 1GHz Hummingbird core?
Samsung's Galaxy Tablet might debut with Vodafone. It might appear at IFA. And it might ship with a slightly slower processor than the last batch of rumors supposed. Samsung Firmwares claims to have stumbled upon a Android 2.2 software build for the Samsung Galaxy Tab P1000 complete with device specs in tow, and says it will have a 1.0GHz S5PC110 processor just like the Galaxy S at left. That's not the only characteristic the 7-inch tablet might share with that smartphone, as the website also fingers an 800 x 480 screen, which might explain why Sammy felt the need to smack the iPhone 4's pixel density. We wouldn't call it anything near confirmation, but the website also corroborates the 3.2 megapixel rear camera and tiny front-facing shooter our tipster tagged in June, plus a Swype keyboard, Flash and the ubiquitous WiFi and GPS. We're eager to find out what's actually under the hood when we finally see it in person.
Samsung Galaxy Tablet P1000 firmware leaks out, points to 1GHz Hummingbird core? originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 15 Aug 2010 19:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink OLED-Display.net  |  sourceSamsung Firmwares  | Email this | Comments
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New Xbox 360 hacked to play 'backup' discs, public release underway? (video)
If you're looking for video proof of the latest and greatest Xbox 360 firmware mod, you won't find it in the video after the break, but we're almost willing to take it on Team Xecuter's word and long-standing reputation that they've hacked the new Xbox 360. Banding together with Team Jungle and commodore4eva -- the hacker who brought backups to the original console in 2006 -- the group says they've successfully patched the DVD drive to play burned discs. Better still, they're promising that a public release of said patch "will be available shortly" to help you unlock a Stealthbox by your lonesome. Just remember, kids, circumventing DRM isn't always legal, even if you're copying games that you bought right off the shelf.

[Thanks, Tito]Continue reading New Xbox 360 hacked to play 'backup' discs, public release underway? (video)
New Xbox 360 hacked to play 'backup' discs, public release underway? (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 15 Aug 2010 17:57:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink Examiner  |  sourceTeam-Xecuter  | Email this | Comments
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Vlingo bows to Google Voice Actions, makes Android version free of charge
When Google Navigation hit the scene, it sounded the death knell for paid GPS on Android, so you can imagine the doom and gloom at Vlingo HQ last week when Google released the similar Voice Actions for free. As it turns out, however, Vlingo's not going to give up that easily; Vlingo for Android, once a $10 download, is now free as well. In a surprisingly gracious blog post that genuinely congratulates Google on the accomplishment, CEO Dave Grannan explains that he wants Android users to be able to freely compare the services as Vlingo adds features further down the road, and makes one valid point in his firm's favor -- you can try Vlingo now if you've got Android 2.0 or above, but Google's service only runs on Froyo. Interestingly enough, Vlingo on Android was the only version that actually charged; on Nokia, Blackberry and Windows Mobile, however, you could purchase a "Plus" license. Perhaps the company's not quite as generous as we thought, but there's still no arguing with a free voice command service that also reads your email aloud -- go ahead and give it a try.
Vlingo bows to Google Voice Actions, makes Android version free of charge originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 15 Aug 2010 15:08:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink Android and Me  |  sourceVlingo Blog  | Email this | Comments
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MagicJack announces software for completely free internet-to-phone calls, places femtocell on hold
For $40 (plus $20 per year), MagicJack's USB VoIP dongle will let you make free unlimited telephone-to-telephone calls, but this week the company's announced MagicTalk, a piece of software for internet-connected phones and computers that will waive even those upfront costs. The Associated Press tracked down one of our favorite ruthless salesmen, MagicJack CEO Dan Borislow, who described a service much like Google Voice and Skype, number portability and all -- except it adds the whole allowing-free-calls-to-regular-ol-telephones bit by charging the companies that carry incoming calls. The service will reportedly be available on Windows and Mac next week, with iOS, Blackberry and Android by October, but speaking of promises, Borislow said plans for the company's legally-ambiguous femtocell are now on hold -- the device can't legitimately muster up enough power without a cellular carrier on board.

In other news, NetTalk announced last week that its pair of competing VoIP boxes now support free video calls. We imagine the timing (and naming) of MagicJack's new service isn't making 'em feel too good.
Permalink   |  sourceAssociated Press  | Email this | Comments
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Dell: Streak likely going straight to Froyo in US
Though it's really quite a capable handset, Dell's Streak brought several disappointments to its belated US launch; namely, a pastry-based OS without any creme filling, and a $549 version that's still SIM-locked. While we doubt AT&T's iron grip will release the Streak from the latter servitude, Dell's Lionel Menchaca suggests that the former problem may get solved all at once, because the company is considering skipping Android 2.1 altogether for stateside Streaks and upgrading them directly to the faster, more capable Android 2.2. We don't have a timeframe for a potential release, of course, as the device just went on sale, but it's clear that Dell hears your cries for the functionality Froyo brings.
Dell: Streak likely going straight to Froyo in US originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 15 Aug 2010 11:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  source@LionelatDell (Twitter)  | Email this | Comments
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