Create your own space program: NASA quietly flogging bits of the Kennedy Space Center
The idea of private space tourism is certainly taking off, but at such high costs, only 1 percent of the 1 percent will be able to afford it. But, what if you could just do it all yourself? You're going to need some infrastructure to get you started, and luckily, NASA is reportedly looking to lease or sell off some Kennedy Space Center assets it no longer needs. While that list has not been made public, it apparently includes Launch Pad 39A, a landing strip, the Launch Control Center, and various other high-tech equipment and buildings from its late shuttle program. NASA also wants some quick deals before anything falls into disrepair, so if you're serious about your new space venture, you might be able to snag a bargain or two with some strategic low offers. Now you've just gotta wait for a cheap rocket deal to pop up on eBay and you're good to go.
Filed under: Misc, Science, Alt
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Via: The Loop
Source: Orlando Sentinel
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First proposed Android OS mascots see the light of day, give you the crazy eye Just before Page and Co. officially took the wraps off of Android in 2007, Googler Dan Morrill was getting ready to introduce the OS to a larger swath of developers in Mountain View. In an effort to spice up his presentation to devs, Morrill drew up a gang of bots while taking a brief respite, creating what he believes were the first proposed mascots for Android. The rowdy bunch may be a far cry from the avocado-hued droid we've come to know and turn into figurines, but the "Dandroids" enjoyed a small measure of popularity within Google before Bugdroid took the limelight. Their creator unearthed the image files while cleaning up a NAS and has slung them up on Google+ for all to see. Take a gander at the adjacent gallery or jab the neighboring source link to catch a glimpse of the other bots. Filed under: Google Comments Via: TechRadar Source: Dan Morrill (Google+) Read More ...
Sprint confirms pay-as-you-go service, promises not to throttle speeds or cap data Word of a Sprint pay-as-you-go service crossed our desks just yesterday in the form of a leaked slide, and now Big Yellow has confirmed to FierceWireless that the effort, dubbed Sprint As You Go, will launch on January 25th. The Now Network's new initiative will offer a $70 monthly plan for smartphones and a $50-a-month plan for feature phones. Both options won't offer premium features such as WiFi tethering and Sprint Navigation, but Sprint says customers will see neither hide nor hair of data caps or speed throttling. As for hardware, the smartphone tier includes the LTE-enabled Samsung Victory at $250 and the LG Optimus Elite for $150. On the feature phone end of the spectrum, Samsung's Array and M400 handsets are available on the service (presumably ringing up at $80 and $50, respectively). Angling to take advantage of Sprint's new offer? You'll have to forgo online shopping this time, as the firm is making the offer available exclusively through it's brick-and-mortar Sprint Stores. Filed under: Mobile Comments Via: PhoneDog Source: FierceWireless Read More ...
Microsoft working on a fix for Halo 4 SmartGlass issues, arriving in 'the coming weeks' Microsoft's SmartGlass and Microsoft's Halo 4 apparently aren't quite getting along on Windows Phone 8 devices. Using SmartGlass, Halo 4 players can normally access their stats and other info about their android supersoldier using the long-established Waypoint service -- except for Windows Phone 8 users, apparently. A forum thread dating back to Halo 4's November launch highlights the issue -- as Xbox.com forum user "Scion Eon" puts it: "Whenever I try to log into SmartGlass on my phone while playing Halo 4, I am immediately greeted with a message that says 'Your device is missing certain required features.'" As it turns out, Mr. Eon isn't the only one experiencing said connectivity issues -- specific to Windows Phone 8 devices -- and Microsoft's aware of the situation. "We are aware that there is an issue with the Xbox SmartGlass experience for 'Halo Waypoint' on Windows Phone 8 devices, which may prevent users from accessing Halo 4 player stats," a Microsoft rep told us this afternoon. Thankfully, Redmond's also taking care of a solution. "We are actively working on a fix and expect to have a solution within the coming weeks. We appreciate your patience as this gets resolved and apologize for any inconvenience this causes," the statement reads. Of course, should you want to access Halo 4's Waypoint functionality on SmartGlass before that fix, you can always use Microsoft's competitor's devices. But then who'd do that? [Thanks Colin!] Filed under: Cellphones, Gaming, Software, Mobile, Microsoft Comments Source: Xbox.com Read More ...
T-Mobile Monthly4G plans may get an unlimited data tier on January 9th The perpetual gotcha for T-Mobile's Monthly4G prepaid service has been the absence of truly unlimited data -- you could have one advantage or the other, but not both. TmoNews understands that this either/or choice is fading away after spotting what looks to be leaked promo material. Come January 9th, the carrier is reportedly replacing its 5GB Monthly4G tier with an unlimited alternative. The same $70 should net the previous unlimited talk and text, but skip the pesky throttling for very frequent users. As long as customers have good coverage, it's hard to see a downside for them if this proves real; next week can't come soon enough. Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile, T-Mobile Comments Source: TmoNews Read More ...
US Department of Defense signs three-year, $617 million Windows 8 licensing deal

The Daily Roundup for 01.04.2013 You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy. Continue reading The Daily Roundup for 01.04.2013 Comments Read More ...
Google quietly removed search warning message in China in early December 2012 Google's search engine has a turbulent history in China, from search results being censored to temporary shutdowns. The company's most recent effort to serve mainland China with unfiltered search results met with an untimely end back in early December, Google confirms -- a warning previously told mainlanders when the search term they were using had met with issues (read: Chinese government intrusion causing lengthy connection times) for other users. GreatFire discovered that said message no longer popped up when searching for various censored terms on Google Search in China, and while Google's confirming that fact, it's unclear what the exact reasoning is. Given the rocky history between Google and China, it seems likely that China responded in turn to Google's efforts with its own -- or as The Guardian puts it, "Google concedes defeat in China censorship battle." Whether that's the case or not remains to be seen, but Chinese Google searchers should beware that your experience may result in some unfortunate connection issues from time to time (as much as 90 seconds), per China's censorship policies. Filed under: Internet, Software, Google Comments Via: The Guardian, The Verge Source: GreatFire Read More ...
AKKA Ski Retriever detects where you lost your skiing gear with waterproof Bluetooth tags AKKA wants you to find your snowsports gear, minus hours lost digging in the snow. Its Ski Retriever project, being pitched on Kickstarter, pairs a handheld 1-inch OLED display with multiple bluetooth tags, with audio and visual feedback delivered as you get closer to your lost property and visible notification for both distance and direction. The tags can be connected into the base plate of your skis, through a cold-weather adhesive mount, or simply lashed to your equipment through lanyard loops. The creators have even have a list of wants they're hoping to add to the Ski Retriever if they get the necessary funding, including security geo-tagging, and certification to be used in search efforts after an avalanche. Kickstarter preorder customers will pick up a handset and two tags to start with -- the founders are hoping to raise $100,000. Filed under: Wearables Comments Source: Kickstarter Read More ...
Leaked images point to waterproof 'skeleton' structure, HDR video for Sony Xperia Z With all the recent leaks of Sony's upcoming 5-inch Xperia Z, it's a good thing the smartphone will have a water resistant body, according to the latest one. The formidable device will also sport HDR photo / video capturing capabilities, a "skeleton frame structure" for durability and a so-called Full-HD reality display, according to a fresh leak from Chinese retailer E-price and micro-blogger Weibo. Those go along with specs that Sony inadvertently revealed on its own site a few days ago, including a 1080P display, quad-core 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 Pro processor, 2GB RAM, 13MP Exmor RS-equipped rear cam and Adreno 320 graphics. While these latest tidbits ought to be digested with the requisite NaCl, they jibe with the other specs floating around -- so, hopefully Sony will have something to report when it outs the camera for real at CES on January 7th. Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Sony Comments Via: Mobile Syrup Source: E-Price Read More ...
Google Play Magazines offers free digital versions to print subscribers Google Play's magazine subscriptions have always, sadly, existed separate from a publications print offerings. Meaning, even if you already had the paper edition of Beer Advocate delivered to your home, you still had to cough up for the digital version. That's finally changed, however, which should make many magazine hounds quite happy. Now when you select a new periodical, you'll be offered the standard monthly and yearly subscription options, along with the new "free for print subscribers." You'll need to verify your subscription before Google will allow you to download issues, but that's one less barrier to entry for those looking to dip their toes in the digital magazine pool. For a bit more info check out the source link. Filed under: Software, Mobile, Google Comments Via: Droid Life Source: Google Read More ...
Harman bringing trio of JBL speakers and pair of AV receivers to CES Harman has joined several other companies in jumping the CES gun, announcing five new products it's bringing to the show. First up is the JBL Charge, a hardy Bluetooth speaker which promises an impressive 12 hours of tunes on a single charge. If you are willing to sacrifice some of that play time, you can siphon power from the internal battery to other kit via the speaker's USB port. Expected to start shipping in Q1 2013, you should be able to pick one up for around $149. Joining JBL's OnBeat range are the Mini and Rumble speaker docks, which are both compatible with Apple's Lightning connector. The Mini is a fairly standard dock which will play and charge for up five hours on battery power, and should be available this coming March for around $149. The Rumble, however, is a little more equipped, with both Lightning and Bluetooth streaming options, as well as a 4.5-inch, "down-firing subwoofer" for bass junkies. That extra muscle is reflected in the price, though, which is likely to be $399 when it hits stores next spring. A couple of new Kardon-branded A/V receivers from Harman are also coming along to CES -- the AVR 2700 and 3700. Both have multi-zone functionality, are stacked with wireless features including internet radio, AirPlay and DLNA connectivity, and can be controlled using iOS and Android apps. The AVR 2700 has eight HDMI ports and 4K video scaling for when you get round to buying that UHDTV, as well as 7.1-channel audio (at 100 watts per channel). The AVR 3700 adds WiFi connectivity, and has 7.2 channels (at 125 watts per channel) for adding a second woofer to your setup. When they become available to purchase in Q1 2013, expect wallet damage to the tune of $799 for the 2700, or $999 for the 3700. You can get a closer look at all the Harman products in the press shots below (complete with unnecessary reflection), and if you're into PRs, there are a whole bunch awaiting you after the break. Continue reading Harman bringing trio of JBL speakers and pair of AV receivers to CES Filed under: Home Entertainment, Peripherals, Wireless, HD Comments Read More ...
Hulu CEO Jason Kilar announces resignation, will leave company in Q1 Some big news out of Hulu late this afternoon: CEO Jason Kilar has just announced that he will be leaving the company sometime in the first quarter of this year. The news was first reported by Bloomberg News and followed quickly by a blog post from Kilar himself containing the email he sent to his staff. In it, Kilar says that he is now working with the company's board to manage the transition, and also confirms that Senior Vice President and CTO Richard Tom will be leaving along with him. He didn't exactly delve into the reasons for his resignation, though, saying only that the decision has been "one of the toughest I've ever made," and adding that he'll keep the team updated as "dates and other items get solidified." Filed under: Home Entertainment, Internet, HD Comments Via: @BloombergNews Source: Hulu Read More ...
Editor's Letter: CES ahoy In each issue of Distro, editor-in-chief Tim Stevens publishes a wrap-up of the week in news. It's very nearly time, dear readers. CES is just a few days away. By the time you read this I'll be boots on the ground in Las Vegas, with nearly the entire Engadget team filtering in to Sin City through the weekend. The days ahead of the show will see us setting up our base of operations, the usual vinyl-wrapped double-wide trailer parked just outside of the Las Vegas Convention Center, from which we can dash to anywhere on the show floor and return quickly, getting the news up and into your browser within minutes. In addition, like last year, we'll have a stage right on the show floor from which we'll be doing live interviews and demonstrations of the just-announced products, and if last year is any indication, we'll have some announcements being made right on the stage, too. And don't miss our video podcast from the show floor every night at 8PM PT. It should be an incredible week and, if that weren't enough, I'm headed straight to Detroit afterward for the North American International Auto Show to dig for some news on techy autos. Nothing like back-to-back show floor insanity. Continue reading Editor's Letter: CES ahoy Comments Read More ...
Westinghouse set to launch 'Roku ready' CES lineup of HD, 4K models Westinghouse is already jockeying for CES 2013 position in the crowded connected-TV arena, saying it'll announce a bevy of MHL-compliant models at the show that'll work with Roku's HDMI Streaming Stick. That would presumably give the panel maker Smart TV options without having to bake the circuitry into the new models, letting Roku take the load in providing WiFi connectivity along with 400 channels like Netflix, Amazon Instant Video and Hulu Plus -- all accessible with the TV's remote. Westinghouse teased LED side-lit models ranging from 27- to 60-inches that'll have the option, along with UHDTV sets like the 110-incher it trumpeted earlier. Pricing and availability are still in the air until at least CES, of course, but considering the company's lack of a premium reputation and the fact that you'd also need to purchase the $99 Roku stick, we don't see them looking at the haut de gamme set. Continue reading Westinghouse set to launch 'Roku ready' CES lineup of HD, 4K models Filed under: Home Entertainment Comments Read More ...
Engadget's CES 2013 Preview: Tablets With CES looming like an electrically charged storm of news and announcements, it's time for us to give you our best bets on what you'll see come January. During the month of December, we'll bring you a series of CES preview posts, forecasting what you can expect when the news deluge begins. For more of what's to come, check out our hub. Tablets: the other living room screen. For a category that was once regarded as an odd-duck luxury for the early adopter, 2012 certainly saw the portable computing tech grow closer to becoming a true laptop alternative. With an ever-increasing number of high-resolution displays, faster multi-core processors, a range of form factors and varied price points, it seems there's now a tab for just about everyone. So while last January's CES brought us news of 1,920 x 1,200 screens, quad-core CPUs and a proliferation of Android Ice Cream Sandwich offerings, the year ahead aims to take that same tack and turn it up a few notches. That said, don't expect this upcoming CES to play host to a glut of next-gen tablet reveals -- from what we gather, many major manufacturers are holding off for Mobile World Congress 2013's more focused global stage. Continue reading Engadget's CES 2013 Preview: Tablets Filed under: Tablets Comments Read More ...
RCA Mobile TV Tablet combines DTV with Dyle, arrives this spring for $299 The RCA DMT580D may not be memorably named, but the television-centric tablet stands out for other reasons: most notably, its combination of DTV and Dyle-powered mobile TV. RCA's toting its "Mobile TV Tablet" as, "the electronics industry's first dual-tuner mobile TV" -- making your on-the-go viewings of The View all the easier. Oh, and the other 130 mobile TV stations Dyle also offers certainly don't hurt; you'll be able to scoop up regular ol' digital TV signals using the tablet's telescoping antenna. It's essentially an upgrade to RCA's previous efforts in the TV-centric tablet market. If the TV angle isn't enough for you, RCA promises a fully featured Android tablet otherwise: an 8-inch HD IPS screen, 802.11b/g/n WiFi capability, a Cortex A5 1GHz processor, 1GB of RAM, and 8GB of flash storage memory (expandable via MicroSD). Should you wish to capture the facial reactions you'll assuredly make during those daily View broadcasts, front-facing and rear cameras are also part of the equation, and the whole shebang weighs in at roughly 1.4 lbs. Around four hours of battery life are expected if you're going whole hog on the TV bit, which balloons to 10 if you're just surfing the web / playing Angry Birds / etc. At $299, you'd better be really into those television features -- the RCA Mobile TV Tablet arrives at retail "this coming spring." Continue reading RCA Mobile TV Tablet combines DTV with Dyle, arrives this spring for $299 Filed under: Tablets, Software, HD, Mobile Comments Read More ...
GoPro Hero3 Black Edition review: taking action cam quality to the next level
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Fujifilm X20 and X100s details reportedly leak, put focus at center stage Fujifilm may have more than a few treats in store for shutterbugs this year. Details and photos have emerged that supposedly reveal the X20 and X100s, direct sequels to the company's well-known X10 and X100 cameras. Both semi-pro bodies could resemble their ancestors on the outside, based on Digicam-info's images, but reportedly tackle the autofocusing performance issues that have dogged the X-series up to the X-Pro1. Photo Rumors hears the two shooters will switch to a newer, faster hybrid (both contrast and phase detection) focusing system that also includes Sony NEX-style manual focus peaking, which provides a rough visual guide as to when a subject is as sharp as possible. A few model-specific upgrades may also be in store: the X20 might get a new X-Trans sensor, while the X100s could add a much sharper 2.4-megapixel OLED viewfinder (up from 1.4 megapixels) and a Digital Split Image feature that could once more help with focusing. Launch plans aren't part of the leak, although we may not have to wait long to hear about them. There's a prominent X-series banner at the CES 2013 venue, which hints that we may learn about the X20 and X100s as early as next week. Filed under: Cameras Comments Source: Digicam Info (translated), Photo Rumors Read More ...
AT&T, Sierra Wireless launch the AT&T Unite touchscreen hotspot for LTE on the go AT&T's snagged exclusive rights to Sierra Wireless' latest touchscreen LTE hotspot, the AT&T Unite. Packing a 2.4-inch display, the unit will keep you informed of your usage allowance, let you manage what devices are allowed access and tweak network settings without any additional fiddling. It's able to handle up to 10 simultaneous connections and, naturally, can be added to existing Mobile Share plans for $20 extra per month. We asked if it wanted to reveal details of pricing and availability, but AT&T suddenly went all shy and hid under the couch -- so we'll have to wait and see. Continue reading AT&T, Sierra Wireless launch the AT&T Unite touchscreen hotspot for LTE on the go Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile, AT&T Comments Read More ...
Razer releases $130 Orbweaver for single-pawed, mechanical PC gaming (video) Belkin made gamer's hearts flutter with the original N52te speedpad, which Razer took over a couple of years ago and developed into the Nostromo. Now, that peripheral-maker has taken the concept to a new level (and price) with the $130 gadget-tastic Orbweaver gaming keypad. Each of the 20 mechanical keys is programmable with unlimited-length macros, and produces a tactile click when actuated with 2mm travel / 50g of force -- all in the service of max speed to give gamers the drop on foes, according to Razer. Also provided is an eight-way directional thumbpad along with adjustable hand, thumb and palm-rest modules, plus Razer Synapse 2.0 software for re-binding buttons and assigning macros. It's available now for Windows or OS X, so if you're looking for a way to get that tricky drop, roll and fire combo into a single, satisfying click, check the source. [Thanks, Arjun] Continue reading Razer releases $130 Orbweaver for single-pawed, mechanical PC gaming (video) Filed under: Gaming Comments Source: Razer Read More ...
SuperTooth launches the $199 Disco Twin and $89 HD Voice at CES (video) Gallic Bluetooth audio house SuperTooth wants you to buy its Disco speakers in pairs to better show off its stereo prowess, not to mention make a little more cash. That's why it's outing the Disco Twin here at CES, a $199 pair of noisyboxes that offer discrete left and right stereo -- each pumping out 16 watts of RMS power. You'll be able to squeeze up to four hours of juice out of each one if you use them to host a (short) rave, or up to 10 hours in more serene circumstances. At the same time, it's also releasing the HD Voice, an $89 hands-free car kit that clips to your sun visor and will even pair with your phone using voice commands. The company isn't ready to say when the pair will be available, but we can't imagine it'll be a long wait. Continue reading SuperTooth launches the $199 Disco Twin and $89 HD Voice at CES (video) Filed under: Portable Audio/Video Comments Read More ...
ZTE readying 5.7-inch P945 smartphone, 9mm thick, quad-core processor, 720p display
ZTE may be warming up more than one phone for tech writers making their way to CES this weekend. Alongside the company's top-drawer Nubia Z5, Unwired View has spotted yet another phone and this one measures in at 5.7 inches. Currently going under the moniker P945, the screen resolution has apparently 720p (unlike the 5-inch 1080p display found on the Nubia device) while there's an unnamed quad-core processor clocked at 1.2GHz doing the heavy lifting. A 3,000mAh battery should (hopefully) be able to power that screen for a decent amount of time, with a front-facing 1-megapixel sensor paired with a rear-facing 8-megapixel camera for your imaging needs. This particular phone has China Mobile livery along the bottom edge and according to the leak, it should arrive over in Asia around the end of Q1 this year.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile
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Source: Unwired View
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Engadget's smartphone buyer's guide: winter 2013 edition Old Man Winter's reaching deep into his bag of tricks this season, but we've found the perfect escape from his world of rosy cheeks and frosty trees: just step into your local electronics store. Here, you can bask in the glow of the latest smartphones, each clamoring to join you for a new year of fun and adventures. Naturally, making sense of the dizzying array isn't an easy task, but our smartphone buyer's guide is here to help you find a handset that's sure to thrill. As you've probably noticed, a number of today's best smartphones are now available on multiple carriers. Likewise, we're introducing a new section that highlights devices that are available from three or more providers. The carrier section is also receiving a slight tweak, as you'll now find our top picks of carrier exclusives. Naturally, more smartphones than ever also means you'll find more choices than ever, but regardless of your budget or needs, you're sure to find a number of thrilling selections. So grab a cup of cocoa and join us after the break, where we round up the most exciting options of the new year. Continue reading Engadget's smartphone buyer's guide: winter 2013 edition Comments Read More ...
USPTO planning two roundtable discussions with developers about software patents
We know, we know: the patent system is broken. But what exactly should the US Patent and Trademark Office do to reform itself, particularly where nebulous software claims are concerned? If you ask the developers themselves, they might tell you code was never meant to be patented. Obviously, an outright ban might not sit well with USPTO officials, so the agency is instead taking a different tack: it's hosting two roundtable events with the developer community to discuss the future of software patents.
These discussions, which will take place in February in New York and in the Silicon Valley, will focus on the the terms used to define a patent's scope, among other topics. For those of you interested in attending, you'll need to register by February 4th by sending an email to SoftwareRoundtable2013@uspto.gov (you'll also need to list various credentials, which are outlined in the Groklaw post linked at the bottom of this post). Even then, seating is limited and entry is first-come, first-serve. If you can't attend, the events will both be webcast, and the USPTO is inviting developers to send in written comments (the deadline for that is March 15th). Consider this your FYI and if you really do intend to go, comment or even host a presentation at one of the events, you'll want to hit up the links below for more details.
Filed under: Software
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Via: Groklaw
Source: USPTO
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