IT News HeadLines (Engadget) 06/02/2011

350Green plans EV charging network for apartment dwellers, Jimmy McMillan

You think the rent's too high? Try buying a depressed property with a hope that it'll appreciate. As of today, the vast majority of EV chargers are being marketed towards those who have garages to install 'em in. While that's all fine and dandy for Mr. and Mrs. Suburbia, it's a bit of a stretch to ask the modern day apartment dweller to install one on the nearest street corner. In an effort to make electric vehicles more feasible for renters, 350Green is envisioning a vast network of chargers near places of work, and it's getting things going in the Bay Area. Thanks to a little financial help from the folks at Bay Area Air Quality Management District, the aforementioned company will be installing a range of fast chargers in six cities around the area: Albany, Menlo Park, Milbrae, Palo Alto, San Francisco, and Sunnyvale. We're told that 100 percent of the plazas will be installed in the parking lots of select, high-traffic retail locations, at no cost to the host location, with specific locations to be named in the coming weeks. If all goes well, NorCal's gem will be hooked up by June of 2012, with additional markets around the US to be addressed following that. Jump on down and mash play to see how it'll work, and while we're on the topic, good luck securing one of those HOV stickers for your future EV. Ain't no lane like the fast lane, ya heard?Continue reading 350Green plans EV charging network for apartment dwellers, Jimmy McMillan

350Green plans EV charging network for apartment dwellers, Jimmy McMillan originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 06 Feb 2011 09:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Newfangled lab-on-a-chip technology gets more health data from less blood
It's a nightmare of epic proportions: the finger prick. Anyone who detests 'em completely understands, and they'll also be supremely appreciative of the work being done by Dr. Karan Kaler and co. at the University of Calgary. Kaler's team has created a new lab-on-a-chip technology, which uses a wireless microchip to analyze nanolitre-sized samples of blood. That's far less fluid than is currently needed to run a gauntlet of tests, and this fresh take is also far more efficient. We're told that it "involves creating a structure called a micro-emulsion, which is a droplet of fluid captured inside a layer of another substance." From there, the emulsions are positioned precisely on the chip, and after tests are ran, the results are piped wirelessly to a computer. The potential here is far more impressive than the existing iteration; the long-term vision is to "create handheld devices for patients to use at home for testing fluids, such as blood and urine," which would prevent extensive wait times and enable patients to get vital information faster. There's no telling how long it'll take to escape the lab and land in the hands of those who need it, but we're sure the folks involved are cranking just as hard as they can.

Newfangled lab-on-a-chip technology gets more health data from less blood originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 06 Feb 2011 07:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Screen Grabs: Tango supplants FaceTime for Big Bang Theory videocall
Screen Grabs chronicles the uses (and misuses) of real-world gadgets in today's movies and TV. Send in your sightings (with screen grab!) to screengrabs at engadget dot com.

It may not share the same level of name recognition as FaceTime (or heck, even Fring), but Tango's multi-platform videocalling app is still a very real alternative. So real, in fact, that it was just used in an episode of The Big Bang Theory as a highly fictional (and severely busted) character makes an outlandish videocall to a mythical group of friends. Or was it all just a dream? Hop on down to the source link (and fast-forward to the 13th minute) to find out.

[Thanks, Sowmitra]

Gallery: Tango videocalling app stars on The Big Bang Theory

Screen Grabs: Tango supplants FaceTime for Big Bang Theory videocall originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 06 Feb 2011 06:24:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SRS Labs iWow for iDevices: now with 3D!
SRS Labs pushed out the iWow adapter a couple of years ago to give your iDevice more sonorous tones, and now is has released a new product: the iWow 3D, for your audial enjoyment. SRS's latest offering still promises to "effectively and naturally restore the audio cues that are buried" in your music -- which seems a bit like a Rumplestiltzkin proposition to us -- through an included dongle and the free iWow app. The company provides little information on how the attachment spins sound straw into aural gold, but the idea of better bass response and richer sound from Apple's iPod may be suitable enough for us. Plus, the device is just $49.99 ($30 less than the OG version), or you can step up to the iWow 3D Combo package that adds five colored faceplates and earbuds for $69.99. No word on when it will go on sale (coming soon, according to SRS), so it looks as if you'll have to endure your drab, two dimensional music just a bit longer.

SRS Labs iWow for iDevices: now with 3D! originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 06 Feb 2011 03:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EPA's letter grade automobile stickers could bring QR codes to car windows in 2013

Ever wonder how the world would still turn after MPG stickers were updated to take hybrids and EVs into consideration? Wonder no more. Purportedly, the Environmental Protection Agency is planning to decide by July's end whether it'll require "emissions grades" on all new vehicles. We're told that said stickers would resemble those shown above, complete with a QR code that could be scanned by any smartphone for more detailed information on how a grade was decided upon. As the story goes, cars would be graded from A through D, with a score of F presumably omitted for political correctness. If implemented, it wouldn't require automakers to slap these onto their rides until the 2013 model year, but as you'd expect, said car companies aren't exactly pumped about the idea. As of now, 40 percent of the vehicles on American roads would receive Cs or Ds, and Ohio's own Rep. Steven LaTourette had this to say about it: "Those who live in Planet Reality might need a minivan or SUV to haul around four kids in child and booster seats, and have room for luggage and a family dog. Thanks to the EPA, they'll be lucky to find a vehicle that gets a C." In truth, he's dead right, but there's always two sides to every story. To counter the obvious, automakers are instead backing "a more modest labeling redesign" that's not quite so jarring to consumers. Ah, the wonders of compromise.

EPA's letter grade automobile stickers could bring QR codes to car windows in 2013 originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 06 Feb 2011 02:16:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google's Eric Schmidt on the future of technology, his role change and Apple's turn toward consumers
Eric Schmidt only has a few more months to call himself CEO of Google, but contrary to some reports, he won't be stepping away when he hands said title over to Larry Page. Not even close, in fact. In a lengthy talk with The Telegraph at the World Economic Forum last week, the Google bigwig discussed everything from his own future to the future of technology, and just about everything in between. While we'd highly recommend peeking the source link for the full scoop, there are a few gems worth separating. He made crystal clear that he's not "semi-retiring," and there was absolutely no fear about competition from Facebook in the decision. In fact, he feels that increased interest in Facebook will inevitably lead to increased interest in Google. Speaking about the future of search and social, he noted that from now on, "you need never be lonely," carefully adding that location-based activities will be there to bolster one's digital experience so long as they wish to opt-in. He also threw the gents and gals at Cupertino quite the bone, despite the fact that Google and Apple have had their own differences over the years. According to Eric:

"When I grew up it was basically about enterprises - IT. Today computer science is really about consumers and information. The rise of Google, the rise of Facebook, the rise of Apple, I think are proof that there is a place for computer science as something that solves problems that people face every day. There was only one company that saw that a decade before anybody else and that company is Apple. If you look even through the Nineties -- Sun, Microsoft, Novell, Cisco -- they were fundamentally infrastructure companies based around corporations. That is where the money was. There was almost no consumer use with the exception of Apple in people's daily lives. The big shift was over 10 - 15 years and it came with the development of the web."

As we said, the whole interview is most certainly worth a read.

[Image courtesy of Reuters / IB Times]

Google's Eric Schmidt on the future of technology, his role change and Apple's turn toward consumers originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 05 Feb 2011 23:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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How would you change Logitech's Revue with Google TV?

Remember Google TV? It's still kickin', but El Goog still has quite a few content distribution quibbles to solve before it can be taken seriously -- at least in our estimation. Logitech was one of the first outfits to buy into Google's scheme to take over the television, with the Revue first out of the gate to provide Google TV access to existing sets. We had our fair share of gripes with the box, and while it definitely enabled quite the unusual videocall in a prior episode of The Engadget Show, we were never convinced said fun was worth the price. Enough about us, though -- how's your Revue treating you? Has it revolutionized the way you consume television content? Anything you'd change about it? Tweak the user interface? Broaden compatibility? Change up the keyboard? Let us know in comments below -- something tells us Google's still listening up for input.

How would you change Logitech's Revue with Google TV? originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 05 Feb 2011 22:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Greenpois0n untethered jailbreak for iOS 4.2.1 comes to Windows

It's been a painful two days, hasn't it? If you're a Windows user looking for an untethered jailbreak for your iDevice, the answer is most certainly "yes." The Chronic Dev Team has just let loose the greenpois0n untethered jailbreak for iOS 4.2.1, but unlike the build released 48 hours ago, this one's meant for Wintel boxes. The team's site seems to be down at the moment (shocker!), but there's a download mirror linked below if you just can't wait to get going. As always, we'd caution you to back up your iPad, iPod touch or iPhone before doing the deed, and since it's the first of its kind (for this version of iOS, anyway), we'd be ready to see a few bugs along the way. Minor details, we know.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Greenpois0n untethered jailbreak for iOS 4.2.1 comes to Windows originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 05 Feb 2011 21:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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XIM3 Xbox 360 keyboard / mouse / etc. adapter goes on sale... sort of

Well, ain't that a shame. The XIM3 mega-adapter you've been waiting patiently for went on sale this week, and within 3.299 seconds, the company managed to blow through their entire stock. If you've been out of the loop, this here peripheral is designed to bring keyboards, mice and all sorts of other controlling devices to the average Xbox 360 owner, and it's obviously far more sophisticated than its predecessor. The good news is that it's only $149.99, but the bad news is that the source link currently directs you to a sign-up form to be notified of when stock is refreshed. It's pretty clear that the company's having trouble keeping 'em around, so we'd keep a pretty constant check on the site if you'd like to be a part of the first second wave. Oh, and don't be shocked to see your online skills mysteriously decline over the weekend -- something tells us a few folks will have an unfair advantage on the other side. Check out a Black: OPS example just after the break.

Update: Looks as if the store may be up and down (but mostly down) through Monday due to the crushing order load. A good problem to have, we suppose. Thanks, Tom!

[Thanks, Richard]Continue reading XIM3 Xbox 360 keyboard / mouse / etc. adapter goes on sale... sort of

XIM3 Xbox 360 keyboard / mouse / etc. adapter goes on sale... sort of originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 05 Feb 2011 21:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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3DTV shocker! Toshiba's first glasses-free TVs selling slowly in Japan

In truly surprising news, it appears that a combination of high prices, small sizes and a somewhat questionable viewing experience have caused Toshiba's new GL1 line of glasses-free 3DTVs to sell more slowly than the company expected. In their first month of availability the 20-inch set, priced at 240,000 yen ($2,940), sold around 500 units while its 12-inch cousin sold even less than that, despite projections both would sell at least 1,000 units. Don't think Toshiba's letting its hard work go the way of the old Sony XEL-1 OLED TVs just yet, as we saw at CES, it's still committed to bringing autostereoscopic 3D in larger screen sizes to the masses despite the potential technological hurdles like providing more viewing angles for the 3D effect.

3DTV shocker! Toshiba's first glasses-free TVs selling slowly in Japan originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 05 Feb 2011 19:52:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HTC's flagship Android spotted again with 2.2.1 OS and unibody design

Oh boy, looks like HTC's having some real trouble with leaks in its home town lately. Spotted again in Taiwan is this Android device that looks awfully familiar, and for the first time, we get to see a clear shot of its somewhat homely backside. The lucky phonespotter claims that this unibody phone -- codenamed Saga and running 2.2.1 -- belongs to a "client" of his, and from his brief hands-on he reckons it's about as thick as the 7 Mozart and the Legend. Well, that's pretty much all we've been told -- stay tuned in case we hear more in this remaining week before MWC.

[Thanks, Sam]

HTC's flagship Android spotted again with 2.2.1 OS and unibody design originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 05 Feb 2011 18:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HTC Desire 2, Flyer, Pyramid and LG Optimus 3D, Star Tab surface in Vodafone Germany inventory system

There are leaks, and then there are leaks. As you can probably glean from the headline, this is most certainly a case of the latter. FoneArena has received shots of what appears to be a Vodafone Germany inventory system, and it's a system currently overflowing with both rumored and heretofore unheard of product names. HTC's Flyer and Pyramid are all but confirmed for a MWC unveiling, while the Desire 2 is popping up on our radar for the first time. We've also been told that LG's Optimus 3D will be fully revealed next week in Barcelona, but the Star Tab? Now that's a new one. Of course, it shouldn't come as any surprise to see a swath of new names pop up just days before the year's most gargantuan mobile show, but it definitely brings about a metric ton of questions. Is the Star Tab a phone? A slate? A unicorn-based gaming console? Will the Desire 2 simply be more desirable than the original, or will it utilize one of those new screen technologies HTC is feverishly working on? Hard to say from a simple list of names, but you can bet we'll be keeping an ear to the ground for more as Mobile World Congress approaches.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

HTC Desire 2, Flyer, Pyramid and LG Optimus 3D, Star Tab surface in Vodafone Germany inventory system originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 05 Feb 2011 16:56:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Engadget Podcast 231 - 02.05.2011

This podcast is so disgusting that #1 Digitimes bestselling author Paul Miller wants to take a shower. JK, not disgusting at all! Lots of cool stuff, actually. Just look at that topics list! It's a real beauty, right? We're not sure we COULD fit any more platforms into a podcast if we tried. Hang out with it. It's the Engadget Podcast, just the way you like it, with especially special guest Chris Ziegler.

Hosts: Joshua Topolsky, Nilay Patel, Paul Miller
Guest: Chris Ziegler
Producer: Trent Wolbe
Music: Sexy Chick

00:08:24 - Live from Google's Android event!
00:08:37 - Android in-app purchases hands-on (video)
00:08:55 - Android Market gets a web store with OTA installations, in-app purchases coming soon
00:11:00 - Android Market web store hands-on
00:20:47 - Motorola Xoom first benchmark: 1823 in Quadrant
00:21:47 - Google shows off Fragments API for Android 3.0
00:25:00 - Motorola teases Xoom Super Bowl ad: '2011 looks a lot like 1984'
00:36:30 - Motorola's Atrix 4G coming to AT&T on March 6th for $200, bundled with Laptop Dock for $500
00:51:35 - Verizon iPhone review
00:52:23 - Verizon can now throttle top five percent of bandwidth hogs, downres multimedia transfers
00:53:12 - Verizon breaks first day sales record with iPhone 4 pre-orders -- in only two hours
01:01:43 - Nokia, Microsoft announcing partnership next week, possibly involving Windows Phone 7?
01:10:19 - Palm creating palmtop computer with detachable, dockable cellphone?
01:12:15 - HP CEO: New webOS products shipping weeks after February 9 reveal, another big announcement March 14
01:13:35 - Palm 'Think Beyond' teaser shows off glimpses of... something (updated with longer video)


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Twitter: @joshuatopolsky @futurepaul @engadget @reckless @zpowerFiled under: Podcasts

Engadget Podcast 231 - 02.05.2011 originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 05 Feb 2011 15:55:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chevy Cruze to read back Facebook status updates, make / ruin your night (video)

We knew good and well that Chevrolet was planning to integrate Facebook read-backs into its OnStar technology, and now it seems all but confirmed... at least on the Cruze. An early Super Bowl ad peek has revealed that the aforesaid automobile has the ability to read back statuses on command, giving you one less reason to keep your mind on the task at hand (read: driving) and one more reason to make The Zuck even richer. Go on and mash play below, but don't expect any details on how exactly this whole setup works. Something tells us it's tied to a BT-enabled smartphone, but hopefully we'll find out the nitty-gritty sooner rather than later.Continue reading Chevy Cruze to read back Facebook status updates, make / ruin your night (video)

Chevy Cruze to read back Facebook status updates, make / ruin your night (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 05 Feb 2011 15:03:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google's Cr-48 netbook now surfing on AT&T's GSM network (after a gentle hack)

Oh, sure -- Google's being all-too-kind by handing out a few free megabytes of Verizon data with each of its Cr-48 netbooks, but if you're both lucky enough to have one and more inclined to use that dust-collecting AT&T SIM of yours, there's hardly a better day for you to pay attention to a hack. After noticing that a recent update to Chrome OS added GSM support for Qualcomm's Gobi 3G chip, Hexxeh dug in a little to see what it'd take to get the Cr-48 operational with a data SIM from Ma Bell. Turns out there's shockingly little needed from you; simply flip the Developer switch beneath the battery and follow the shell commands listed in the source link. It should be noted that there's no data counter here, so watch those gigabytes if you're working with a data cap. There, we solved your Saturday. You're welcome.

Google's Cr-48 netbook now surfing on AT&T's GSM network (after a gentle hack) originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 05 Feb 2011 13:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Brooklyn bus riders get real-time bus tracking via cellphone

New York's Metropolitan Transit Authority launched a pilot program a few months back that offered bus riders some real-time tracking information, but it's now expanded things with a whole new program on the B63 route in Brooklyn. That service is currently accessible via a mobile-friendly website or text message, and smartphone users can also scan simply snap a picture of a barcode (presumably a QR code) at a bus stop to immediately check in on the location of the next five buses that will arrive at the stop. What's more, unlike the previous program, this new system is based on an open source platform developed with the help of OpenPlans, and the MTA is actually encouraging developers to dig into the API and develop their own solutions -- which could certainly get interesting as the program is expanded across the city (the Staten Island bus line is next up). Head on past the break for the MTA's press release, and hit up the link below to try out the service right in your browser.

Continue reading Brooklyn bus riders get real-time bus tracking via cellphone

Brooklyn bus riders get real-time bus tracking via cellphone originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 05 Feb 2011 12:50:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nokia reportedly planning 'organizational changes,' mobile phones exec on the outs
Looks like Capital Markets Day is shaping up to be quite the barnburner for Nokia. In the wake of news that Microsoft and Nokia may have some sort of tie-up in the works, Germany weekly Wirtschaftswoche is reporting that newly appointed CEO Stephen Elop will be bidding adieu to a number of high-ranking officials. Citing "company sources," the paper stated that Mary T. McDowell, a bigwig in the mobile phones unit, as well as Niklas Savander, the manager of the markets unit, could be on the outs. Moreover, Kai Oistamo (Chief Development Officer) and Tero Ojanpera, the manager responsible for services and mobile solutions, may also be enjoying their final weekends as Nokia employees. It's all part of a monumental strategy shift, and if it all pans out, it'll be Elop's first major move since taking over as CEO last September. Of course, Anssi Vanjoki more or less left on his own accord, and the company has essentially forged ahead with little to no change since. We're told that Nokia has hired headhunters to scout top people to fill said slots, but it's hard to say why Elop feels that new brains are needed. Here's hoping it's the start of something... competitive.

Update: Having had a few minutes to digest this news, it's worth pointing out that neither Alberto Torres (exec leading MeeGo Computers) nor Jo Harlow (head of Symbian Smartphones) are rumored to be at risk. So if the report is true, then these organizational changes appear focused on, 1) rectifying Nokia's inability to quickly execute upon its corporate strategy and, 2) the recent walloping Nokia received in emerging markets like India where Nokia's S40 feature phones once ruled the land, but are increasingly under attack by aggressively priced cellphones from Chinese and Indian handset makers.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Nokia reportedly planning 'organizational changes,' mobile phones exec on the outs originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 05 Feb 2011 11:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Archos 70c color e-reader now up for pre-order stateside

What do you get when you cross the Atlantic ocean with the Archos 70b color e-reader? An alphabetical shift one place, it seems. The Android 2.1-powered book substitute with a 7-inch 800 x 480 TFT display has popped up for pre-order on JR.com. No picture (although we assume it's pretty much the same as the 70b), a $149.99 price tag, and no definitive release date. Resistive touch screen, 600MHz CPU, 4GB Storage, WiFi, SD slot, and a 10-hour untethered lifeline. Much cheaper than a Nook Color, but is still appealing amongst an even sweeter competition? That's your call.

Archos 70c color e-reader now up for pre-order stateside originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 05 Feb 2011 08:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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