Friday, January 14, 2011

IT News HeadLines (Engadget) 13/01/2011



IBM's Watson supercomputer destroys all humans in Jeopardy practice round
So, in February IBM's Watson will be in an official Jeopardy tournament-style competition with titans of trivia Ken Jennings and Brad Rutter. That competition will be taped starting tomorrow, but hopefully we'll get to know if a computer really can take down the greatest Jeopardy players of all time in "real time" as the show airs. It will be a historic event on par with Deep Blue vs. Garry Kasparov, and we'll absolutely be glued to our seats. Today IBM and Jeopardy offered a quick teaser of that match, with the three contestants knocking out three categories at lightning speed. Not a single question was answered wrongly, and at the end of the match Watson, who answers questions with a cold computer voice, telegraphing his certainty with simple color changes on his "avatar," was ahead with $4,400, Ken had $3,400, and Brad had $1,200.

Alright, a "win" for silicon for now, but without any Double Jeopardy or Final Jeopardy it's hard to tell how well Watson will do in a real match. What's clear is that he isn't dumb, and it seems like the best chance the humans will have will be buzzing in before Watson can run through his roughly three second decision process and activate his buzzer mechanically. An extra plus for the audience is a graphic that shows the three answers Watson has rated as most likely to be correct, and how certain he is of the answer he selects -- we don't know if that will make it into the actual TV version, but we certainly hope so. It's always nice to know the thought processes of your destroyer. Stand by for video of the match, along with an interview with David Gondek, an engineer on the project.
Gallery: IBM's Watson supercomputer destroys all humans in Jeopardy practice round
IBM's Watson supercomputer destroys all humans in Jeopardy practice round originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Jan 2011 14:51:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Shure adds SE215 buds, cans for DJs and studios alike
The NAMM trade show -- also known as the musician's candy store -- is kicking off today out in Anaheim, which means that audio-focused press releases are starting to pour in. Headset and mic manufacturer Shure is beefing up its line with the introduction of three new models -- a set of buds plus two cans. On the bud side, the SE 215 slots in predictably beneath the SE315, offering a budget-friendly single driver in your choice of black or fancy translucent casing; it comes in at a retail price of $99, some $100 less than the SE315. Moving to cans, the SRH550DJ (pictured center) is -- as the name implies -- targeted at DJs with a "super-aural design" for full isolation and a 90-degree swiveling headband for flexible wearing positions; this one will set you back $99 on the store shelf. On the upscale side, the SRH940 is billed as a reference set with a premium padded headband, and you'll pay for it: it's $299 at retail. All three models will be available this spring; follow the break for the press releases.Continue reading Shure adds SE215 buds, cans for DJs and studios alike
Shure adds SE215 buds, cans for DJs and studios alike originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Jan 2011 14:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Vitality GlowCap review
The Vitality GlowCap concept's been floating about for years now, but it still slightly blows our minds -- you stick a tiny, battery-powered wireless computer on top of your pill bottle, which reminds you to take your medicine on time. Well, it turns out they aren't exactly a concept these days, as you can buy one for $10 with a $15 monthly plan, and we've actually spent the past month living with the chirping, glowing, AT&T-connected device, keeping a journal all the while. After the break, find out what a life-saving nag feels like.

Note: Amazon's actually out of stock at the time of this writing, but Vitality says a new shipment should arrive tomorrow.
Gallery: Vitality Glowcap unboxing and hands-on
Continue reading Vitality GlowCap review
Vitality GlowCap review originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Jan 2011 14:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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BlackBerry Balance announced, gives your phone a split personality
You might recall that VMware has teamed up with LG to separate the "work" and "life" environments on your Android phone into two distinct, secure platforms, which has some pretty obvious benefits -- as more people want smartphones in their personal lives, IT departments can still manage the content on their work phones without necessitating two separate devices. Seriously, who wants to carry around two phones? (Don't answer that.) Anyhow, RIM's getting into the game with today's announcement of BlackBerry Balance at an enterprise-focused event in Boston, a tool that'll allow the computer nerds in your office to manage, wipe, and encrypt the work-related content on your BlackBerry while leaving your personal content unscathed. Of course, not everyone wants a BlackBerry as their personal smartphone -- but for those that do, this should make you feel a little more confident that the IT dude isn't going to spontaneously delete your mom's contact record. No word on availability just yet.
BlackBerry Balance announced, gives your phone a split personality originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Jan 2011 14:03:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink Phone Scoop  |  sourceAllThingsD  | Email this | Comments
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BlackBerry Curve 'Apollo' leak provides image, details, no relationship status
"Lower-mid end of the lineup... decent specs... aggressively priced." Not exactly the descriptors which dreams are made of, but that's the wording BGR is using to describe its other leaked BlackBerry device today (Dakota being the other). A 480 x 360 resolution screen of unknown size, 800MGhz Tavor MG-1 CPU, 512MB RAM, a 5 megapixel camera with HD video recording, 1050 mAh battery, 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1, NFC, GPS, and BlackBerry OS 6.1 to put everything in check. It all serves quad-band GSM / GPRS / EDGE and tri-band UMTS / HSPA 7.2Mbps. The keyboard, we'd assume, is pretty darn snappy. The price and release date, should this apparent leak come to fruition, is still unknown.
BlackBerry Curve 'Apollo' leak provides image, details, no relationship status originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Jan 2011 13:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Wikipedia celebrates 10th anniversary, co-founder Jimmy Wales opines on app stores
Did you know that Wikipedia is celebrating its 10th anniversary this week? It is, on January 15th! It's hard to believe that the 'edited by the everyman' encyclopedia has been around that long... or maybe we're just getting old. Either way, co-founder of the site (and man of many personal appeals) Jimmy Wales took the opportunity to answer some questions about the past, present and future of Wikipedia, and, when asked about the growing prevalence of mobile apps and app stores, well, Wales had plenty to say, including that models such as the iTunes app store can represent a dangerous "chokepoint" and that they could be "a threat to a diverse and open ecosystem." He also added that mobile devices are owned by people, and those people should control their own devices. We can see where Jimmy's coming from in some ways -- apps are a wholly new, untested way of ingesting content, but we have a hard time swallowing wholesale that the app store model could threaten internet freedom more than an issue such as net neutrality. But you know, if you ask us nicely, Jimmy, we might just take your word for it. Hit up the 'more coverage' link to check out a video of Jimmy Wales waxing philosophical about the birthday celebration.
Wikipedia celebrates 10th anniversary, co-founder Jimmy Wales opines on app stores originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Jan 2011 13:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceTech.Blorge  | Email this | Comments
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Pioneer engineers Android-powered cyclocomputer, might remind Landis to stop doping
Think Android has reached its limit when it comes to applications? Think again. Pioneer has conjured up a new cyclocomputer, and compared to the antediluvian rivals available on the market today, this one looks like a bona fide supercomputer. It's designed for mounting on the bike's handlebars, where riders can then see speed, cadence, heart rate, and power at a glance. The device is engineered to play nice with the ANT+ wireless specification, and it can also pull data from optional crank sensors that can be installed to monitor one's pedaling force. Furthermore, it's equipped with GPS, and we're guessing it's a prime candidate for running Google's own My Tracks app. There's no time table for release, but we're guessing the International Cycling Union will have one out in no time... one that continuously tests riders for illicit substances, of course. Video's after the break, if you're down for more.Continue reading Pioneer engineers Android-powered cyclocomputer, might remind Landis to stop doping
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Akai SynthStation49 dock / giant keyboard combo is less portable than its predecessor
You may or may not be familiar with Akai's previous iPad dock / keyboard combo, the SynthStation. The thing is, the original SynthStation's keyboard was miniature, and the dock was designed for the iPhone -- presumably so that it was simultaneously portable. Well, the new Akai SynthStation49 adds a full keyboard, though it obviously loses that portability. Regardless, the SynthStation49 packs nine MPC-style pads, dedicated pitch and mod wheels, and transport controls. The internal audio boasts 1/4-inch outputs, and the hardware is MIDI supporting, so you can use the keyboard as a MIDI input device. This one is currently awaiting certification from Apple, so we can't say when it'll be released, nor do we have pricing. Hit up the source link for more details.
Permalink Create Digital Music  |  sourceAkai  | Email this | Comments
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RIM's WebWorks SDK: make apps compatible with both PlayBook and BlackBerry 6
RIM's adding yet more incentive for developers to give its PlayBook tablet a chance. The company's just launched a beta of WebWorks SDK, a collection of tools that lets you package up your web applications, with access to the hardware capabilities, as apps compatible with both the PlayBook and BlackBerry 6 smartphone devices. RIM also released a handful of new SDKs and extended the free PlayBook offer to March 15th. If you're the sort who dreams in binary, hit up the relevant links below.
RIM's WebWorks SDK: make apps compatible with both PlayBook and BlackBerry 6 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Jan 2011 12:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink Phone Scoop  |  sourceRIM  | Email this | Comments
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Vertu Ascent Ti Ferrari is a celebration of extreme self-indulgence
International jet-set elite, your new phone is here! That's right, Vertu and Ferrari have teamed up yet again to produce the phone that serves two important purposes: showing the world that you own a Ferrari, and showing the world that you don't need a phone that does much besides receiving calls from your accountant. Essentially the recently announced Ascent refresh, this bad boy features a 2-inch QVGA sapphire crystal display and quadband 3G. The case itself is constructed from forged titanium with a matte black PVD finish and the same hand stitched leather as the interior of the car it's inspired by. But you better be fast! Only 2,011 will be made. (Get it?) Hit the source link to order three or four for yourself.

[Thanks, James]
Vertu Ascent Ti Ferrari is a celebration of extreme self-indulgence originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Jan 2011 11:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink Sybarites  |  sourceVertu  | Email this | Comments
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Samsung Forte Android phone with LTE for MetroPCS leaked?
Things look to finally start to get interesting with hardware selection on MetroPCS' LTE network -- a network that still offers nothing more than the Samsung Craft dumbphone to tame those wild 4G speeds several months after the commercial launch. The latest leak here is for a device allegedly called the Forte -- also from Samsung, naturally -- that features a sliding landscape keyboard along with a 1GHz Hummingbird processor, 5 megapixel camera, and Android 2.2 at launch, all specs that would suggest this might be a Galaxy S-branded device. What we don't know is whether the Forte is the same as the SCH-R910 that was leaked for MetroPCS a few days ago; Samsung Hub's tipster claims there are two LTE devices in the pipeline here, so they could be different (perhaps one with a keyboard, one without) even though the tops are identical at a glance.
Samsung Forte Android phone with LTE for MetroPCS leaked? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Jan 2011 11:38:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink PhoneArena  |  sourceSamsung Hub  | Email this | Comments
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Samsung refreshes netbooks with dual-core NC210, among others
Samsung has outed three new netbooks, all refreshes to previous models. On offer is the 10.1-inch NC210, which boasts a dual-core, Intel Atom N550 CPU with up to 3GB of DDR3 SDRAM, a 250GB hard drive, 802.11 b/g/n WiFi, LAN, and Bluetooth 3.0. It's also got a VGA port, three USB 2.0 ports, a 4-in-1 card reader, and a 6-cell battery. The company has also trotted out the NC110, which boasts a 1.5GHz, dual-core Atom N570 but seems to be identical to the NC210 other than that.

In other, rather less exciting Samsung netbook news, the company also rolled out the NF310, and the NS310, the former one being an LTE-packing 10.1-incher, while the NS310 is yet another netbook of the same size with a metallic chassis. There aren't full specs, pricing or availability yet for any of these models, but you can hit up the source links for more photos.
Samsung refreshes netbooks with dual-core NC210, among others originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Jan 2011 11:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceNotebook Italia, Notebook Italia 2, (3)  | Email this | Comments
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IBM demonstrates Watson supercomputer in Jeopardy practice match
We're at IBM's HQ in upstate NY, where IBM will pit its monstrous Watson project (in the middle buzzer spot) against two Jeopardy greats, Ken Jennings and Brad Rutter. Watson has been in development for four years, and this is its first big public practice match before it goes on national TV in February for three matches against these giants of trivia. Unlike IBM's Deep Blue chess project in the 90s, which was pretty much pure math, Watson has to deal with the natural language and punny nature of real Jeopardy questions. IBM, ever the salesman, has thrown gobs of its fancy server hardware at the project, with 10 racks full of IBM Power 750 servers, stuffed with 15 terabytes of RAM and 2,880 processor operating at a collective 80 teraflops. IBM says it would take one CPU over two hours to answer a typical question, so this massive parallel processing is naturally key -- hopefully fast enough to buzz in before Ken and Brad catch on to the human-oriented questioning. We'll update this post as the match begins, and we'll have some video for you later in the day.

Continue reading IBM demonstrates Watson supercomputer in Jeopardy practice match
IBM demonstrates Watson supercomputer in Jeopardy practice match originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Jan 2011 11:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Centrafuse leads to iPhone control via touchscreen, carputer dreams come to life (video)
We've seen countless individuals integrate their phone, PMP or tablet into their whip, but for years, we've all been thinking the same thing: "There has to be an easier way." Turns out, there is. One Mr. Romin has seemingly unearthed the solution, which involves a Lilliput FA1042 touchpanel, a Belkin AV dock adapter cable and a critical piece of software by the name of Centrafuse. Working in conjunction, he has enabled his monitor to actually control the iPhone, and when firing up a YouTube video, the content plays back on the big screen while the controls remain visible on the handset. It's a nifty setup, for sure, and we're downright excited to see this rig get installed in a vehicle far too small for American roads in a fortnight or so. For now, catch it working in action just past the break.Continue reading Centrafuse leads to iPhone control via touchscreen, carputer dreams come to life (video)
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Freecom gets slim with Mobile Drive Mg portable hard drive, supports USB 3.0 and FireWire 800
Been awhile, hasn't it Freecom? The same company responsible for serving up the world's first portable USB 3.0 hard drive is now responsible for cranking out the world's slimmest portable HDD. At just ten millimeters thick, the Mobile Drive Mg is likely thinner than your average ink pen, touting a magnesium enclosure and a USB 3.0 port, enabling it to shoot data back and forth at rates as high as 130MB/sec. Oddly enough, the drive will only be made available through Apple Premium Resellers, despite the fact that no existing Mac ships with native USB 3.0 support. At any rate, it'll be on sale within the week for $69.95 (320GB) or $109.95 (750GB), with a high-end 750GB model offering both USB 3.0 and FireWire 800 for $119.95.Continue reading Freecom gets slim with Mobile Drive Mg portable hard drive, supports USB 3.0 and FireWire 800
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Researchers develop 'liquid pistons' for cameras, medical use
It may still be years away from any sort of practical use, but a team of researchers at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have developed some so-called "liquid pistons" that they say could shake up everything from cameras to medical devices. Those pistons consist of some droplets of "nanoparticle-infused ferrofluids," which are able to oscillate and precisely displace a surrounding liquid. In the case of a camera, that could be used for a liquid lens of sorts (as seen at right), and the researchers say the same technology may one day even be used for implantable eye lenses. The possibilites don't end with optical uses, though -- the researchers say that the precise ability to pump small volumes of liquid could also be used for implantable drug-delivery systems that would be able to deliver tiny doses at regular intervals. Of course, there's no indication as to when any of that might happen -- in the meantime, you can occupy yourself with the brief but oddly hypnotic video after the break.Continue reading Researchers develop 'liquid pistons' for cameras, medical use
Researchers develop 'liquid pistons' for cameras, medical use originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Jan 2011 10:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink PhysOrg  |  sourceRensselaer  | Email this | Comments
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NZXT Bunker keeps your USB peripherals secure, even at dodgy LAN parties
So, here's the situation: you roll into a LAN party in a less-than-ideal section of town. The lights are dim, the bouncer looks suspect, and Mike Tyson's tiger is situated there in the rear of the room. Even the Ethernet cables are grimy. Everyone's got their eyes on you and your new Alienware, and that stash of Razer peripherals just feels ripe for the taking. You aren't about to make a beeline back to your Daewoo, so you wrap each and every USB cable around your right arm just to make sure you go home with everything you came with. Sadly enough, that's not exactly an awesome way to trample your nearby enemies, but it seems that NZXT has a delightful solution. The company's new Bunker USB Locking Drive is designed to fit within a spare 5.25-inch slot in whatever tower you own, offering a foursome of USB 2.0 sockets and a potent, daunting locking mechanism. The idea here is that your webcam, mouse, keyboard and USB headset can be plugged in, and you can keep your mind at ease that nothing is going anywhere when you waltz over to the restroom. Unfortunately, critics over at Overclocks Online noticed that the shallow depth prevented all but the smallest of flash drives from fitting in, further proving that this thing is designed specifically for use with PC peripherals. Hit the links below to learn more, and get ready to shell out $24.99 come March if it's something you're into.Continue reading NZXT Bunker keeps your USB peripherals secure, even at dodgy LAN parties
NZXT Bunker keeps your USB peripherals secure, even at dodgy LAN parties originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Jan 2011 09:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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BlackBerry Dakota photo, specifications leak
So what's this all about? Oh, just the BlackBerry Dakota which we heard about back in July, and which definitely seems to be real. This one, pictured above in a photo procured by BGR, looks like it's going to boast that up top 2.8-inch (VGA resolution) capacitive touchscreen we'd heard about, with the BlackBerry Bold-style keyboard you've come to know and love below. Yes, this 'Berry is quite attractive in the looks department, and spec-wise, it's a quad band GSM/GPRS/EDGE device with tri-band UMTS. It also packs a 5 megapixel cam with HD video recording, 4GB of storage, plus 768MB of RAM. The phone will also have WiFi and be 3G hotspot-enabled, and it'll run BlackBerry OS 6.1. Like we said, from the looks of it, this thing is legit, but there's no word on pricing or availability as of yet.
BlackBerry Dakota photo, specifications leak originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Jan 2011 09:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceBGR  | Email this | Comments
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Thermo Mirror measures body temperature, gives us something else to stare at
As good looking as we are -- and you know we are -- we sometimes get tired of staring into the mirror. Honestly, aside from reminding us of our resemblance to a young Sean Connery, the standard mirror really doesn't do much, but the Thermo Mirror is another story. The device, designed by Japanese electronics firm NEC/Avio, uses an infrared sensor to measure an onlooker's temperature from up to 30 centimeters (about 1 foot) away, without physical contact. The subject's temperature appears on the mirror's surface, and, if they have a fever, an alarm sounds. Thermo Mirror is available in two versions and costs between 98,000 and 120,000 yen (or $1,180 and $1,440). When not in use, its face displays date, time, humidity, and temperature. Now if it could just make us a martini -- shaken, not stirred, of course.
Thermo Mirror measures body temperature, gives us something else to stare at originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Jan 2011 09:08:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceAFP  | Email this | Comments
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Mysterious 7-inch Viewsonic Android tablet breaks cover, reveals little
Let's see, if there's a ViewPad 10 and a ViewPad 4, logic would dictate that a ViewPad 7 couldn't be far out, right? Unfortunately for those convinced, Viewsonic actually has a 7-inch ViewPad on the market already, and the device you're peering at above most certainly isn't it. This gem was spotted by CarryPad at Zinio's CES booth, complete with Android 2.2, the outfit's own content software and... well, who knows what else. Chippy noted that booth attendees weren't exactly hip with him toying around with the device, though he did remark that performance seemed snappier than usual when compared to the other 7-inchers out there. So, will Viewsonic come clean with its LTE-enabled, 7-inch miracle-of-a-tablet? Highly doubtful, but who said dreaming was a crime?
Mysterious 7-inch Viewsonic Android tablet breaks cover, reveals little originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Jan 2011 08:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceNetbook News, CarryPad  | Email this | Comments
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Japanese doctor turns hot toddy into superconductor catalyst
It's rare that hot booze does anything more than get you drunk, and possibly make you sick, but according to Dr. Yoshihiko Takano, the drink you're sucking on could facilitate the levitation of a train. After a party for a colleague, the Japanese scientist found that FeTe0.8S0.2 (composed of iron, tellurium, and tellurium sulfide), when soaked in warm booze overnight, shows signs of increased superconductivity -- another in a long line of liquor-enhanced discoveries that could have far reaching effects on everything from consumer electronics to public transportation. Dr. Takano decided to test the material (known to become a superconductor after soaking in water) in the leftover alcohol from the party: beer, red wine, white wine, sake, shochu, and whiskey. As it turns out, red wine has the highest superconducting volume fraction at 62.4 percent -- nearly four times higher than the ethanol-water control samples. Dr. Takano and his colleagues speculate that the ease with which wine and beer oxidize could be play a key role in the increase in superconductivity. We speculate that even a superconductor gets a little hopped up after soaking in a bottle of wine.
Japanese doctor turns hot toddy into superconductor catalyst originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Jan 2011 08:16:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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HTC HD2 gets its very own Windows Phone 7 ROM (video)
While its original OS might be yesterday's news, the 4.3 inch HTC HD2 with 1GHz Snapdragon processor still has plenty of life in it thanks to the industrious efforts of the global development community. A new Windows Phone 7 ROM has just been released by DFT (Dark Forces Team) for your flashing pleasures. While it's said to be working at nearly 100 percent, it does come with the caveat of lacking access to any Windows Live services. As such, you won't be downloading apps or media from Marketplace or setting up your avatar on Xbox Live -- pretty serious omissions for a WP7 device. Nevertheless, if you're an HD2 owner just aching for a taste of Microsoft's newest OS then now's your chance. Video of the ROM in action after the break.

Update: Well, that was fast. A video and instructions showing hacked access to Live services has now been posted. See the proof after the break.

[Thanks, br0adband]Continue reading HTC HD2 gets its very own Windows Phone 7 ROM (video)
HTC HD2 gets its very own Windows Phone 7 ROM (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Jan 2011 07:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink XDA-Developers  |  sourcemwangDFT (YouTube)  | Email this | Comments
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Volvo crashes E30 EV so you don't have to, doesn't spill a drop of battery juice
Try as it might to act hip and young, Volvo is still a company that's associated with the name "safety," and that's really not a bad thing. Demonstrations like this help to reinforce that, with the company taking great pride in its E30 EV holding up as well as it did in a crash. It was subjected to a 40mph offset and, while it's looking mighty deranged, no portions of the electric drivetrain were compromised. In other words: no battery goo leaked and no first responders would have been zapped. If that's all a little too ghastly for you, fear not: there are plenty of pictures of a beautiful E30 with nary a body panel askew, including a peek into its trunk, which doesn't appear to have been nearly as negatively affected as the poor Focus Electric.
Gallery: Volvo E30 before and after
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Volvo crashes E30 EV so you don't have to, doesn't spill a drop of battery juice originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Jan 2011 07:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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DARPA's MSEE to develop new mathematical language, race of sentient machines
The hyper-ambitious folks at DARPA are totally over the current state of military data collection, and they're pretty sure they know how to fix it: teach sensors how to think. Well, they've got an idea how to fix it, but they've put out a call for mathematician to do the dirty work. The Mathematics of Sensing, Exploitation, and Execution (MSEE) program seeks a unified mathematical language that cane teach sensors not only to collect data, but to interpret, and act on it too. The aim is to eliminate the "data deluge" that comes from ever-increasing streams of information, like cellphone intercepts and video drone feeds, allowing analysts to focus on the important stuff. Currently the onus falls on humans to interpret the overwhelming amount of information collected by military sensors, but DARPA is confident that the right algorithm could have machines interpreting the world as early as 2014. Which gives you right around three years to fulfill every fantasy you've ever had.
DARPA's MSEE to develop new mathematical language, race of sentient machines originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Jan 2011 06:25:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink Danger Room  |  sourceFedBizOpps  | Email this | Comments
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Shazam and Spotify team up on iOS and Android apps
In yet another sign that Spotify has gone mainstream the company has just announced a partership with Shazam -- the ubiquitous mobile music identification service. Under the deal, Shazamers will now be greeted with a "Play in Spotify" feature for all music discovered. The feature will be fully integrated in Shazam's free app "soon" and is available now for the premium apps on Android and iOS wherever Spotify is available, namely, the UK, Sweden, Norway, Finland, France, Spain and the Netherlands.Continue reading Shazam and Spotify team up on iOS and Android apps
Shazam and Spotify team up on iOS and Android apps originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Jan 2011 05:56:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceSpotify  | Email this | Comments
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VW Golf Blue-e-motion and Hybrid Touareg strike a pose in Detroit
Alternative means of propulsion are the norm at the North American International Auto Show this year in Detroit, and VW had a few options on display. First up is the Touareg Hybrid, the company's first, with a 3.0 liter supercharged V6 paired to an electric motor, offering a combined 380hp, 0 - 60 times of 6.2 seconds (not bad for a 5,000lb SUV), and up to 27mpg -- if you don't dip too deep in the throttle. Keep things light, and under 30mph, and you can drive it as a purely EV car so long as there's charge. It's available now.

Also on display is the Golf Blue-e-motion that our friends at Autoblog previously got to spend a little time with in Germany. This is currently built on the Golf Mk VI platform but, by the time it is released in 2013, will be applied to the upcoming Mk VII platform. It's said to offer a realistic 80 miles of range and, unlike the Focus Electric, hasn't made too many sacrifices in the cargo compartment.
Gallery: VW Blue-e-motion Golf

Gallery: VW Touareg Hybrid
VW Golf Blue-e-motion and Hybrid Touareg strike a pose in Detroit originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Jan 2011 05:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Microsoft mocks Google, likens WebM to failed Esperanto language
If you fancy yourself a codec nerd then you'll love a tongue-in-cheek piece penned by Tim Sneath, Senior Director of Windows and Web Evangelism at Microsoft. Sneath, posing as the President of the United States of Google, calls for Esperanto (aka, WebM) to replace English (aka, H.264) in order to foster global peace and understanding.
Though English plays an important role in speech today, as our goal is to enable open innovation, its further use as a form of communication in this country will be prohibited and our resources directed towards languages that are untainted by real-world usage.
Brilliantly played following Google's announcement to drop H.264 from Chrome. Esperanto, as you might recall, was the universal second language designed in 1887 to facilitate international communication. Something that never quite worked out judging by the preponderance of English spoken by humans everywhere except Parisian cafes and taxi cabs.
Microsoft mocks Google, likens WebM to failed Esperanto language originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Jan 2011 05:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Rovi sues Amazon and IMDb for infringing TV guide patents
Rovi sounds friendly enough, but the company used to be called Macrovision -- and the infamous DRM provider just sued Amazon's IMDb.com last week for infringement of five TV guide patents. The patents came along with Rovi's acquisition of Gemstar, and they cover everything from interactive program guides to purchasing products on-demand to scheduling recordings from a computer -- a huge range that seems to hit everything from QVC to the Xfinity TV iPad app. That probably explains why Rovi says it has deals with everyone from Apple to Yahoo -- between its TV listings products, recent purchase of a sizable video library, and the current litigation with IMDb, it appears that the company is serious about leaving its DRM-centric roots behind and moving into internet content distribution.
Rovi sues Amazon and IMDb for infringing TV guide patents originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Jan 2011 05:08:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Bridgestone shows off QR-LPD display, the future looks dim
We didn't manage to check out Vivitek's booth and its bevy of low power QR-LPD-screened devices at this year's CES, but it doesn't look like we missed much. The e-book fanatics over at The Digital Reader dropped by, and found Bridgestone's QR-LPD screen technology extremely disappointing. Apparently the screens are just as dim and washed out as they were when we first glimpsed them, over two years ago. In addition, the screen refresh time is painfully slow. Unless these screens turn out to be vastly better in production and incredibly cheap, we think Mirasol and Pixel Qi don't have anything to worry about in the next-gen screen space. There's a video of QR-LPD after the break if you're still interested.Continue reading Bridgestone shows off QR-LPD display, the future looks dim
Bridgestone shows off QR-LPD display, the future looks dim originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Jan 2011 04:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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'Find my Friends' MobileMe feature revealed in iOS 4.3 developer build
Looks like Apple will be adding a new "Find My Friends" feature to its MobileMe service in the not too distant future. The settings pictured above were unearthed in the latest iOS 4.3 developer build that's already yielding a healthy list of new devices and functionality including in-app AirPlay video support, a carrier-dependent personal WiFi hotspot, the return of the physical orientation lock switch, and a host of new multitouch gestures. Presumably Find My Friends will offer functionality akin to the free Google Latitude app doing little to justify Apple's $99 MobileMe annual cost.

Update: Remember Apple's iGroups location-based social networking patent application? We just did.
'Find my Friends' MobileMe feature revealed in iOS 4.3 developer build originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Jan 2011 03:52:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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HP's Todd Bradley all but confirms webOS tablet for February 9th event, promises even more devices
We do love to hear from loquacious execs, and HP's Todd Bradley has been the very definition of one in an interview conducted with CNBC during CES. In a discussion revolving around webOS, Bradley was asked how HP intends to differentiate itself from the iPad and improve upon it, to which he quipped, "you and I will talk about that on the 9th." If that's not a confirmation that we'll finally have our unicorn of a webOS tablet next month, we don't know what is. Even more encouraging is the implication further on in the interview that HP could have debuted this slate at CES, but opted to do an unveiling at a separate event so as to properly highlight just how awesome it is. But wait, there's yet more good news for webOS fans: Bradley's crew sees its upcoming tablet as just "one piece" of the connected experience that is the company's goal and we're promised to be enlightened about a broad range of webOS devices at the February 9th event in San Francisco, though the lack of any Palm namedrops seems to suggest they might not bear the name of their maker. Even if they're called iPaqs, we just want to see them already!Continue reading HP's Todd Bradley all but confirms webOS tablet for February 9th event, promises even more devices
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Fujifilm's X100 hybrid viewfinder demoed on video, gets us all sorts of excited
Imagine a retro-styled, Micro Four Thirds-sized compact camera with an optical viewfinder. Now, imagine that same camera having a switch that throws all sorts of useful data into your line of sight. That camera is Fujifilm's Finepix X100, and that viewfinder is real. Back at Photokina, the mockup we ran into didn't have a functioning viewfinder, but with just two months until the $1,000 beaut is released into the wilds of America, it's not too shocking that our brethren over at Engadget Spanish managed to come across a (mostly) functional one at CES last week. Eager to show the world exactly what a hybrid viewfinder looks like when being flipped on and off, they shoved a camera up against the OVF and toggled the new mechanism -- it's downright luscious, and it's waiting for you in the video just past the break.Continue reading Fujifilm's X100 hybrid viewfinder demoed on video, gets us all sorts of excited
Fujifilm's X100 hybrid viewfinder demoed on video, gets us all sorts of excited originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Jan 2011 03:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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FireWire ships its two billionth port, still not as fast as USB 3.0
The 1394 Trade Association has announced that over two billion FireWire ports have shipped worldwide, which is most impressive for a largely forgotten interface. Going forward, the Association expects to see "steady, stable growth" in 2011 as more products with FireWire S1600 go to market, though a dearth of such devices at CES makes us think you can add the word 'slow' to that projection. Given that the standard's promised 1.6 Gb/s bandwidth is less than a third of the 5 Gb/s offered by USB 3.0 (even with USB's larger overhead, 3.0 still provides a bigger pipe), and the fact that Intel may finally get on board with Superspeed, it may be awhile before FireWire celebrates another such milestone.

[Image source: ScratchWorx]Continue reading FireWire ships its two billionth port, still not as fast as USB 3.0
FireWire ships its two billionth port, still not as fast as USB 3.0 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Jan 2011 02:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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'The Daily' iPad newspaper set for launch on January 19th, according to sources
The good old Associated Press has a couple of good old unnamed sources pinpointing the launch of The Daily -- the first iPad-only newspaper venture -- as January 19th. They even name the location as the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. Rupert Murdoch's News Corp is the company making this leap into the unknown (do people even care about news anymore?) and he is specifically named as a presenter at this alleged event for next week, to be joined on stage by Apple's Steve Jobs. An ancillary little note is that journalists are said to have already been hired in bureaus across the country, including the big news-spinning markets of New York and Los Angeles -- which makes all the sense in the world given the widespread expectation that the news app they'll be working for will launch by the end of this month.
'The Daily' iPad newspaper set for launch on January 19th, according to sources originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Jan 2011 01:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourceAssociated Press (Yahoo! News)  | Email this | Comments
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Sony outs CLM-V55 video monitor for interchangeable lens cameras
To take John McEnroe's famous quote badly out of context, you cannot be serious about video recording without giving your devices a nice big display for videographers to monitor their recordings through. Sony's clearly in agreement and has today revealed the CLM-V55, a 5-inch clip-on unit for its interchangeable lens cameras, that provides WVGA resolution, tilt / swivel adjustments, and color peaking plus pixel magnification to make sure focus is just how you like it. The primary beneficiaries of this would be those delightful A33 and A55 siblings, which strive to combine the fast autofocus of a camcorder with the image quality of a DSLR, along with the NEX-VG10, an all-out camcorder that can nonetheless exchange its lenses and even exploit Alpha-mount glass via an adapter. You can see it outfitted with the V55 after the break, right next to the full press release. Launch is expected in March at an as yet unannounced price.Continue reading Sony outs CLM-V55 video monitor for interchangeable lens cameras
Sony outs CLM-V55 video monitor for interchangeable lens cameras originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Jan 2011 01:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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OCZ quits DRAM business to focus on super-speedy SSDs
OCZ, a company that started life a decade ago by churning out DRAM modules for enthusiasts to throw into their towering rigs, has now announced it's abandoning that market entirely. As PC Perspective points out, it's grown increasingly difficult for companies to differentiate their products when it comes to memory -- most of it just works and most of it is pretty fast -- and continually declining prices have apparently forced OCZ's hand. The San Jose-based company's new primary breadwinner will be solid state drives, which already account for a substantial proportion of revenues and look set to grow exponentially as their own prices dip a little further into the range of the affordable. It's a shame we'll no longer have that bold Z to look at when picking out memory sticks for our next self-built machine, but maybe it's all for the best. Check out an interview with an OCZ VP at the source link below.Continue reading OCZ quits DRAM business to focus on super-speedy SSDs
OCZ quits DRAM business to focus on super-speedy SSDs originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Jan 2011 01:05:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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iGUGU InterneTV works as promised in its strange little niche (hands-on)
The first time we laid eyes on iGUGU's InterneTV marketing materials, we sensed something was strange in the neighborhood. After seeing the unique product in action though, we've decided to give it a bit more credit. Unlike most internet TV solutions that rely on set-top boxes to stream content, iGUGU's product attempts to make connecting an existing computer to a TV easier using software, a wireless or wired TV connector, and a special QWERTY keyboard remote. The software then provides a not-so-pretty TV interface for browsing through any type of content a computer could normally access online. True to its word, we watched the system play videos on ABC.com and other blocked sites devices like a Roku box or AppleTV can't access. The application also allows users to play local content stored on the computer and aggregates content in pre-populated "channels" like local news, movies, and TV shows. That's all gravy, but we're not sure its worth $99 considering it still requires a computer to work. For more shots of the UI and included components browse through the gallery below.
Gallery: iGUGU InterneTV hands-on
iGUGU InterneTV works as promised in its strange little niche (hands-on) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Jan 2011 00:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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iOS 4.3 code reveals new iPhone and iPad models, rumor mill suggests a dislike of the home button
History lesson, folks. If you dig far enough into iOS's code, you'll eventually come across iPhone3,1, which is the AT&T iPhone 4, and the analogous iPhone3,2 (i.e. Verizon iPhone). It's nothing we haven't seen before, but then along comes iOS 4.3 with a handful of new mystery identifiers to spurn speculation -- namely, two new-generation iPhones (4,1 and 4,2) and three iPads (2,1; 2,2; and 2,3). Speculate all you want, but there isn't much else at all we can say definitively here, but if we had to take a guess, it's the GSM and CDMA variants of the next-gen models (plus a WiFi-only iPad). It is interesting to note the lack of an "iPhone4,3" given the yet-to-be-revealed iPhone3,3 is still there -- will the last member ever see the light of day? Outside of iOS 4.3 but still very much related, BGR is claiming it's heard from sources that the next iPhone / iPad models will eschew the physical home button altogether in lieu of the new multi-finger gestures and that employees at Cupertino are already testing such devices. That seems a little more out there to us; five-finger pinch to home feels extremely clunky. The real takeaway here? We can finally have an iPhone rumor that doesn't involve wondering if it'll head to a new US carrier.
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New Goo.gl URL shortener API lets third party developers in on the outrageous fun that is Google URL shortening
Just a quick note, because we know how much you love APIs: Google has opened its URL shortening service to third party developers. That's right -- not only can you use Goo.gl to generate QR codes, but now you can build it into your own software. As well as support for URL shortening and expanding, the API will also let you track your history and analytics. Says Ben D'Angelo of the URL shortening team: "You could use these features for a wide variety of applications, enabling behaviors ranging from auto-shortening within Twitter or Google Buzz clients to running regular jobs that monitor your usage statistics and traffic patterns." The team is also working to improve spam and malicious site detection for the service. Since the government of Greenland seems to be a bit more stable than that of a certain Muammar al-Gaddafi, we're sure that Google won't run into the same problems that vb.ly did (although we wonder if things would change if Kuupik Kleist got his own voluptuous Ukrainian nurse). Hit the source link to get coding.
Permalink CNET  |  sourceGoogle Code Blog  | Email this | Comments
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Vulkano Blast and Flow due this month, streaming your media all over the place
You know what was missing form Vulkano's last release? More pun-ful names, that's what. Enter the Vulkano Blast and Flow do-it-all media boxes. For $99, the latter boasts watching live TV, browsing episode guides, and accessing recorded content via PC, Macs, smartphones, and various tablets -- iOS, BlackBerry, and Android for now, according to the press release, with Windows (Phone?) 7 and Symbian on the horizon. Meanwhile, the Blast adds HDMI out, UPnP support, and a 160GB hard drive for $199. Both have a 802.11n router and both are due out this month, if ya dig.
Vulkano Blast and Flow due this month, streaming your media all over the place originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 12 Jan 2011 22:57:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink   |  sourcePRNewswire (1), (2)  | Email this | Comments
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