KrystalBoard wants to replace blackboards and whiteboards with liquid crystals
If you ask most people, they'd tell you there's nothing wrong with the standard classroom set-up of a blackboard and chalk, or a whiteboard and dry-erase markers. Nicholas DePorzio isn't most people, though. At
Northeastern University's Husky Startup Challenge Demo Day, he took home the "audience favorite" prize for KrystalBoard, a liquid crystal-based writing board. His early prototype takes a few cues from
Boogie Board's line of scratch pads. Functionally, they're almost identical: use a stylus to scratch your message into the panel then, when you're done, simply press a button to erase it. What DePorzio believes sets his creation apart is the ability to scale to much larger sizes. His first prototype, tossed together in just six weeks, certainly has some rough edges (literally, the stand is made from roughly cut cardboard boxes). But, with a different selection of liquid crystal panels, the hope is that high-contrast classroom-sized KrystalBoards are well within his reach.
The first iteration uses a nine-volt battery to force the crystals to reorient themselves and wipe out any missives, but DePorzio is confident that a small solar panel (like the one on your 99-cent calculator) will have more than enough juice to "power" a much larger model. And "power" is a relative term, since technically there's no electricity coursing through the single-crystal panels. The goal is to save time and money by doing away with erasers, chalk, markers and other disposable supplies. The Northeastern student even believes he can get the cost of materials below that of a standard whiteboard or blackboard, but only time will tell on that one. Taking home the first prize check though, should give the fledgling company a good head start.
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LSI and Intel put 1TB worth of SSD cache on a Nytro MegaRAID board
RAID cards are one of the more difficult things in the technology world to get excited about. Especially since most of these discrete add-on boards are really aimed at enterprise users, not media centers or gaming rigs. But, we've got to hand it to
LSI and
Intel for knowing how to make a splash. The companies caught our attention by slapping a paid of 512GB SSDs on a Nytro MegaRAID PCIe card. While there are a couple of models of the controllers, it's the RCS25ZB040LX specifically that's carrying the 1TB of flash storage. The media isn't meant for installing programs or archiving data, though, instead its dedicated cache for the controller. All that blazing fast SLC flash should help speed up any task that is reliant on frequent random reads. We don't think you'll be picking up one of these
SandForce-powered bad boys for your personal server though, even an entry level version with 100GB of SLC will set you back $1,795.
Filed under:
Storage,
Intel
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Via: SemiAccurate
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US Navy to deploy ship-mounted laser in 2014, blasts drones in the meantime (video)
Lasers have been
flaunted by the US Navy before, but now it's announced that 2014 will see the very first solid-state laser deployed aboard a ship, two years ahead of schedule. The USS Ponce, a vessel used as an amphibious transport dock stationed in the Persian Gulf, will get the honor of hosting the prototype Laser Weapon System (LaWS). Not only can the hardware set boats and airborne drones ablaze, but it can also emit a burst to "dazzle" an opponent's sensors without inflicting physical harm. Sure, it cost roughly $32 million to construct, but the price is expected to fall when it hits wider production, and Chief of Naval Research Rear Admiral Matthew Klunder estimates that it each shot rings up at under $1. It may not be the missile-obliterating
free-electron laser that the Navy's been
lusting for, but we're sure it doesn't matter much to drones at the end of the beam. Hit the jump to for a video of the contraption in action.
Filed under:
Misc,
Science
Comments
Via: The Register
Source: US Navy (1),
(2)
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Virgin Mobile offers $100 rebate to T-Mobile turncoats, now through May 31st
In the wake of T-Mobile's recently unveiled
Simple Choice plans,
Virgin Mobile is capitalizing on the shakeup by playing a value card of its own. Now through May 31st, the Sprint-owned MVNO is offering $100 credit to all T-Mobile subscribers willing to port their number to Virgin Mobile. Study the numbers for yourself and the deal seems a no-brainer, as Virgin matches T-Mobile's unlimited scheme with a monthly bill of only $55, which rings in $5 less than the UnCarrier's $60 (2.5GB) alternative. Naturally, that's where Virgin Mobile hopes the conversation ends, but we don't need to tell you that there's quite a difference in speed between Virgin's EV-DO / WiMAX service and the speedier HSPA+ / LTE alternative from T-Mobile. That said, if your inner cheapskate is tingling, you'll now find an extra $100 incentive to make the switch.
Filed under:
Cellphones,
Wireless,
Mobile
Comments
Via: Electronista
Source: Virgin Mobile
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Antitrust complaint levied against Google in EU, this time it's all about Android
Google has spent the past couple years facing down
antitrust accusations in Europe for pushing its web services over those of competitors. But, just as that case is
coming to a close, the
New York Times now reports that new anti-competitive allegations have been levied against Android. This new complaint was filed by a group called Fairsearch -- whose members include old EU foes
Microsoft and Nokia, plus Oracle and a host of travel booking websites -- and claims that Google's using Android as a way to deceive consumers into using Google apps instead of competitors' software. The problem, as Fairsearch sees it, is that Google forces OEMs who use Android to unfairly place apps like YouTube and Gmail in prominent places on the desktop. Of course, this new complaint is just the beginning, so we'll have to wait and see what the European Commission's investigation into the matter uncovers, and how the folks in Mountain View respond.
Filed under:
Microsoft,
Nokia,
Google
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Source: New York Times
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Tumblr for Android gets overhauled with new interface
It looks like April is the month for major Android apps to get a visual overhaul. Following
Twitter's refresh last week (and Facebook's decidedly more ambitious
effort), Tumblr has today released its own app update that offers a whole new user interface. As you can see above, that includes some
Path-esque expandable controls for creating various types of posts, as well as new post animations and a general appearance that's more consistent with Android's "
Holo" theme. There's no indication yet of that new interface heading to iOS, which just got its own
Tumblr update last month.
Filed under:
Cellphones,
Internet,
Mobile
Comments
Source: Google Play,
Tumblr
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Sony Xperia ZL gets its first US carrier, arrives at Cincinnati Bell on May 1st
In the battle of 5-inch, 1080p smartphones, it seems that the
Sony Xperia ZL might've gotten lost in the shuffle amongst US carriers. Despite its availability as an
unlocked device (and through
Canadian carriers), any potential stateside buyers looking to snag the Xperia ZL with a carrier subsidy are currently out of luck. Fortunately for some, all that is set to change on May 1st, as
Cincinnati Bell has announced that it'll sell the Xperia ZL for $250 after rebate on a two-year contract. Naturally, Cincinnati Bell isn't the largest of carriers, and its relatively steep pricing leaves a bit to be desired, but it's certainly nice to see Sony gain some traction in the states. Perhaps it's a sign of things to come?
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Cellphones,
Mobile,
Sony
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Via: Phone Scoop
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HBO Go version 2.1 for iOS adds AirPlay multitasking
Now that you can finally
watch HBO Go on your Apple TV via
AirPlay, the premium cable network has decided to sweeten its iOS app with AirPlay multitasking in a 2.1 update. The new version of the app also offers enhancements to
Game of Throne's interactive features and general performance improvements as well. We'd obviously prefer that the app offers a
standalone option instead, but being able to catch up on episodes of
GoT on the HDTV while looking up how to say "winter is coming" in Dothraki is good too. (It's "
Aheshke jada.")
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HD
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Source: HBO Go (iTunes)
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Red details Scarlet upgrades and trade-ins: $9,500 for Full Epic-X or Scarlet Dragon
If you're pining for a
Dragon Sensor but don't have an
Epic-M or
Epic-X in your collection, you might be in luck: Red just detailed an upgrade and trade-in path for owners of its entry-level Scarlet camera. By plunking down $9,500 and trading-in your Scarlet, you'll nab a Full Epic-X with its new black body, and have the option upgrade it to a Full Epic Dragon through the
standard update process, to boot. If that doesn't strike your fancy, you could send in $9,500 instead and have your grey-bodied cam turned into a Scarlet Dragon, netting you the dynamic range and revamped color of the new sensor, replete with a maximum frame rate of 60 fps at 5k. Ready to move on up to gear that packs a bigger punch? Pre-orders kick off this Thursday, while upgrades are slated to commence in July.
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Cameras
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Source: RED
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Eyes-on with Sony's brilliant 4K OLED monitor prototypes (video)
The 30- and 56-inch
4K OLED monitor prototypes that Sony introduced yesterday are sitting prominently in the company's booth here at NAB, and they're really quite something. These sets offer wider viewing angles and reduced color shift compared to previous-gen monitors, and Sony is emphasizing the technology's color accuracy. We got a taste of the 56-inch, 3,840 x 2,160 model
back at CES, but it looks like we can extinguish all hopes of this monitor making it to the consumer market anytime soon. Instead, it will be available to professionals working with 4K content. Even though the prototype won't make it to our living room, we couldn't help but marvel at the image quality: to say that the footage of Carnivale popped off the screen would be an understatement -- colors were just
that vibrant and details were incredibly lifelike.
Meanwhile, the 30-inch, 4,096 x 2,160 model is destined to hit the market sometime in 2014, and it's plenty striking itself. Like its larger sibling, the relatively petite model looked fantastic, with very sharp details and bright, vibrant colors. Sony wouldn't share pricing information -- heck, booth attendants wouldn't even let us get close enough to get a good shot of the monitor itself -- but we did manage to snag a clip of both panels in action. Granted, it's impossible to judge the quality from our compressed eyes-on video, but if you can't make it out to NAB, you'll just have to take us on our word that these really are quite stunning.
Filed under:
Displays,
Home Entertainment,
Sony
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The Daily Roundup for 04.08.2013
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.
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Sony announces Long GOP 4K codec for pros, XAVC-S for consumers
If you were chomping at the bit to create content for the oncoming
4K revolution, Sony has just announced a couple of enhancements to its
XAVC video format to help you on your way. Long GOP is a high-efficiency codec designed to meet the requirements of the professional market, while XAVC-S is aimed squarely at consumers with its MP4 wrapping. Of course, both codecs should play nice with
Sony's series of CineAlta cameras (the PMW-F5 is pictured above), which is set to reach over 2,000 units shipped by the end of the month. Sony's not the only one making XAVC-compatible devices however; over 60 manufacturers have applied for XAVC licenses while 31 others have pledged to support it in their products. Seeing as 4K hardware is finally
dipping into affordability, we can't fault Sony for getting the ball rolling, at least from the creation side of things.
Filed under:
Cameras,
HD
Comments
Via: Far East Gizmos
Source: XAVC
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ASUS' 7-inch MeMo Pad now on sale for $150
Cheap tablets are currently on the rise, but not just
low-end hardware from manufacturers that you've probably never heard of -- true consumer electronics heavyweights are getting in on the action. Today, ASUS unleashed its $150
MeMo Pad to the frugal masses. This 7-inch slab packs a 1GHz single-core VIA WM8950 processor, 1GB of RAM, 16GB of expandable storage, a 1-megapixel front-facing shooter and Android 4.1. While its specs aren't anything to sound-off about, this distant cousin to the highly acclaimed
Nexus 7, might be worth considering if your budget happens to fall $50 shy of Google's entry-level slate.
Filed under:
Tablets,
ASUS
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Via: Tech on Budget
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Must See HDTV (April 8th - 14th)
Tonight the Men's NCAA basketball tournament comes to an end as Louisville faces Michigan. That's not the only finale this week, as
Being Human,
Go On,
Legit and others wrap up their seasons. Look below for the highlights this week, followed after the break by our weekly listing of what to look out for in TV, Blu-ray and videogames.
Archer
If you're somehow not watching this cartoon, you should be. Part two of the season finale airs Thursday night as the ISIS agents find themselves trapped undersea (it's all Carol's fault.)
(April 11th, FX, 10PM)
Louis CK: Oh My God
It's going to be Louis CK, on stage, telling some jokes. Don't have HBO? the comic will be selling this one on his website as well, although you'll have to wait until November to get it.
(April 13th, HBO, 10PM)
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HD
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Christie's latest 4K projector sports 60 fps output, six-figure price tag (eyes-on)
When a 48 frames-per-second version of
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey was released, some viewers
questioned whether high frame rates necessarily translate to a better viewing experience. Whether or not you embrace this trend, it's clearly not going away. Case in point: today, Christie Digital Systems introduced two new 4K projectors capable of 60 fps -- a "world's first," according to the manufacturer. Unveiled on the NAB show floor, the 35,000-lumen and 25,000-lumen models display extremely crisp and bright images -- big-budget car commercials and surfing footage basically pop off the screen.
The projectors are available for pre-order now, so it'll likely be quite some time before they begin showing up in your neighborhood cineplex. Their price tags ($125,000 for the 25,000-lumen model and $161,000 for the 35,000-lumen D4K3560), not to mention their bulky 250+ pound bodies, make them destined for state-of-the-art cinemas rather than home theaters. If you
do manage to squeeze one of these giants into your den, we'd be more than willing to drop in to catch a flick or two. Take a look at the 25,000-lumen D4K2560 in action in our eyes-on video after the break -- it looks incredibly sharp and vibrant, despite the reduced brightness output.
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Home Entertainment
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Slickdeals' best in tech for April 8th: Drobo 5N and Canon EOS 60D DSLR
Looking to save some coin on your tech purchases? Of course you are! In this round-up, we'll run down a list of the freshest frugal buys, hand-picked with the help of the folks at Slickdeals. You'll want to act fast, though, as many of these offerings won't stick around long.
Mondays aren't always sunshine and rainbows, but we're hoping some online gadget shopping might put some pep in your step to start the week. On today's list, a
Drobo 5N 5-bay NAS storage unit and
Canon EOS 60D body may immediately grab your gaze, but there's a bunch more to peruse beyond the break. Head on down for all of the details and pricing links that are eager to accept those hard-earned funds.
Filed under:
Cameras,
Displays,
Home Entertainment,
Portable Audio/Video,
Storage
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Source: Slickdeals
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Best Buy shipping HTC One for T-Mobile starting April 19th, priced at $250
We knew good and well that HTC's
One would be
arriving on T-Mobile USA at some point, and for those uninterested in tying themselves to Sprint or AT&T, here's some news that matters: Best Buy has just confirmed to us that it'll begin shipping T-Mobile's flavor of the aforementioned phone on April 19th. The "Glacier Silver" kit will be on sale for as little at $249.99 on a two-year deal, whereas you'll be forced to pay $699.99 for the blessing of having no strings attached. Granted, T-Mob's
Simple Choice suggests that no contracts will be involved, but if you take the bait on the subsidized price, you'll either be hanging with the carrier long enough to pay it off, or you'll be forking out the difference on the way to some other operator.
Brad Molen contributed to this report.
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Cellphones,
Mobile,
HTC
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Source: Best Buy
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Boost Mobile now offers unlimited calling to Mexico for $15 per month
We've seen US-based wireless operators
offer low-cost calling to Mexico
before -- and frankly, creations like
Google Voice and
Skype have made it cheaper than ever to make a cross-border voice call -- but it's not everyday that you see an MVNO launch a dedicated calling plan to MX. That said, Boost Mobile is today introducing a $15 per month add-on that allows its users to phone up every single landline
and mobile number in the country immediately south of America, assuming that it's added on to a monthly unlimited plan.
Curiously, the offer is only designed to stand through June 6th, and the company isn't mentioning what that sum will rise to after said date. For those who indulge, that $15 also includes limitless calling to landlines in over 45 nations (including Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Argentina and Colombia), unlimited calling to Canada, unlimited international text messaging worldwide from the United States and reduced calling rates to over 200 other destinations. Of course, this is assuming you still communicate via voice, which may or may not be true
at this stage.
Filed under:
Cellphones,
Mobile,
Sprint
Comments
Source: Boost Mobile (1),
(2)
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Finally, you can bring a DualShock 3 with you to play mobile phone games
On Sony's
upcoming Xperia SP mobile handset, you'll be able to control various
PlayStation Mobile titles using the PlayStation 3's ubiquitous DualShock 3 controller. Sure, it seems a bit strange to us that you'd want to carry a full game console controller with you, but then it's also a much better option for games with virtual buttons. And hey, Sony's not the only one employing such strange logic, so who are we to judge?
Anyway, the controller functionality seems locked to Sony's Xperia SP phone for now, but it's likely to head elsewhere before too long (at very least to
the rest of Sony's Xperia line, if not all PlayStation Mobile-enabled devices) -- we've asked the company for more info, but have yet to hear back. Since the DualShock 3 connects via Bluetooth, pairing the DualShock 3 with the Xperia SP is a snap; simply connect via USB, pair the devices, and you're off the races (or the shooting, or whatever game you're playing). After doing so, you'll be able to reconnect without wires in subsequent uses by holding down the PlayStation button in the middle of the DualShock 3. For a quick walkthrough of how it works, head past the break for a snazzy video showing off just that.
Filed under:
Cellphones,
Gaming,
Handhelds,
Peripherals,
Tablets,
Software,
Mobile,
Sony
Comments
Via: Xperia Blog
Source: Twitter - @djnermal
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Microsoft to build first innovation center in China, has software development in mind
Microsoft's relatively often finding
ways to encourage software development in various fields, and the company's latest venture has it setting footsteps near the Great Wall. According to a report by news agency
Xinhua, the software (
and hardware) company has reached a deal with China's Hainan government that will see it build an innovation center in this territory. Focusing on IT development and skills in tourism and agriculture, this new property will be the first of its type in
China, and Microsoft has high hopes that the joint efforts can, aside from becoming a crossroads of knowledge, also "boost the region's efforts to become a major international tourist destination." Frankly, seeing as how the highly populated nation doesn't appear to be slowing down its
all-around growth anytime soon, it wouldn't surprise us if Redmond decides to start setting up more of these in the years to come.
Filed under:
Misc,
Microsoft
Comments
Via: ZDNet
Source: China Daily
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Intel announces next-gen Thunderbolt with 20 Gbps throughput, 4K support
Here at NAB, Intel just introduced the next generation of its
Thunderbolt interface, which promises a data rate of 20 Gbps in both directions (on each of the two channels) as opposed to 10 Gbps for the previous version. Of course, the company stepped back for a moment first, boasting that Thunderbolt currently has about 200 licensees, and more compatible devices -- along with new, thinner cables -- should be coming out in the following months. Building up to the big reveal, Intel also shared some info about its new Thunderbolt host controller, (code-named Redwood Ridge), which will be built into some of Intel's upcoming fourth-gen Core processors.
But let's talk about the
real news: the next-gen Thunderbolt tech (code-named Falcon Ridge) enables 4K video file transfer and display simultaneously in addition to running at 20 Gbps. It will be backward-compatible with previous-gen Thunderbolt cables and connectors, and production is set to ramp up in 2014. An on-stage demo with fresh-off-the-press silicon showed the new Thunderbolt running 1,200 MBps, which is certainly a step up from what's currently on the market.
Update: We've added a video of the Thunderbolt demo from Intel's stage. Hop on past the break to check it out.
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Intel
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Google Fiber is officially coming to Austin, Texas
Hear that? It's Austin, being weird enough to add
yet another reason to live within its city limits. As
rumored,
Google Fiber will be rolling down to one of Texas' most esteemed towns in the near future, joining the Kansas City, Kansas and Missouri
metro as the only locales (so far) in the US of A offering the outfit's Fiber-based TV, phone and
1Gbps broadband services. Mum's the word on an exact rollout, but we'll update this post as we learn more.
Filed under:
Internet,
HD,
Google
Comments
Source: Gig.U
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Fox threatens to become a pay-TV channel if courts greenlight Aereo, probably doesn't mean it
Quick: what's the difference between a
broadcast TV network (Fox, CBS, ABC and NBC) and a cable channel (TBS, TNT, ESPN, etc.)? Oh, only
millions and millions of viewers. Nevertheless, Fox's COO Chase Carey is perturbed enough by the mere thought of
Aereo getting its way, that he's already claiming that the network will go dark in favor of becoming a cable channel -- if and when OTA network streaming over the internet is completely
legalized, that is. Causticism aside, Carey's remarks are certainly indicative of how the networks feel about the
potential disruption of their revenue stream, and moreover, showcases just how far we are from
living in a world that isn't dominated by the same old processes when it comes to entertainment.
Carey stated: "
We need to be able to be fairly compensated for our content. This is not an ideal path we look to pursue, but we can't sit idly by and let an entity steal our signal. We will move to a subscription model if that's our only recourse."
Is it
possible that Fox would suddenly vanish from over-the-air antennas everywhere, screwing up countless programming agreements with a near-endless amount of partners? Sure... but it's also possible that the ninth circle of Hades will be converted into an NHL arena. We're calling your bluff, Carey.
Update: According to the
New York Times, Univision chairman Haim Saban joined the saber rattling, stating that his network is ready to consider all options, including converting to pay-tv.
Filed under:
Home Entertainment,
Internet,
HD
Comments
Source: Bloomberg
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Bloomberg: Next Xbox features an AMD x86 chip, making backwards compatibility difficult
The
Xbox 360 successor may not support Xbox 360 game discs, according to a
Bloomberg report. The issue arises from the as-yet-unannounced console's chip, which allegedly comes from AMD and, like
the PlayStation 4, uses x86 architecture (like a PC). Resultantly, backwards compatibility would have to be handled on a software level through emulation, as game discs won't play (like with Microsof't last console). Today's report, which cites unidentified "people with knowledge of the matter," reflects earlier rumors of the next Xbox -- codenamed "Durango" and / or "Kryptos" -- containing AMD's "Jaguar" SoC. The chip design is intended for laptops and tablets, allowing the chipset to push the maximum amount of power without employing too much wattage.
Earlier this year,
specs for the retail version of the next Xbox were said to be as follows: a 64-bit D3D11.x 800MHz GPU, an 8-core 1.6GHz 4MB L2 CPU, 8GB DDR3 RAM, 500GB of on-board memory, USB 3.0, HDMI-out, and an optical drive for 50GB discs. It's unclear if the reported specs have changed since then, but we'll likely find out in the near future as Microsoft's expected to detail its next game console ahead of this year's E3 gaming conference in early June.
[Image credit:
Kotaku]
Filed under:
Gaming,
HD,
Microsoft,
AMD
Comments
Source: Bloomberg
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