The crafty engineers at Google aren't the only ones working on augmented reality glasses. Researchers at the Instituto de Oftalmología Aplicada have created a prototype system, based around a head-mounted display and a pair of small cameras. Instead of overlaying info about landmarks or capturing video of your trampoline-based escapades, this prototype is simply meant to help the visually impaired detect and avoid obstacles. A small computer performs real-time analysis of the environment highlighting objects and color coding them to indicate distance. The goal is to help those with glaucoma and other impairments that hinder depth perception. The next step is to streamline the device, making the computer portion of it smaller and more portable and to make the goggles less cumbersome. For more detail check out the source link.

Prototype glasses help the visually impaired avoid obstacles originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 29 May 2012 16:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

It took a bit longer than initially anticipated, but Fedora 17 is finally here with its rather unfortunate code name in tow. Beefy Miracle delivers a pretty healthy assortment of improvements over version 16, including support for GNOME Shell even in the absence of 3D acceleration. The project has also embraced the coming tablet revolution by adding multi-touch support to the OS and moved to a unified file system. Otherwise, the changelog is primarily a pedestrian list of performance improvements, bug fixes and package upgrades. To download it and try it yourself hit up the source link.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Fedora performs a Beefy Miracle, releases version 17 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 29 May 2012 14:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Pretty much the only place you see vacuum tubes any more is inside a quality audio amp. But, once upon a time, they were the primary ingredient in any piece of electronic equipment, including computers. The glass tubes have since been replaced with the smaller, less fragile and cheaper to manufacture silicon transistor. There are, however, disadvantages, to transistors. For one, electrons tend to move more slowly though the semiconductors, and two, they're highly susceptible to radiation. The second of those problems doesn't affect us much here on Earth, but for NASA it poses a major obstacle. Engineers have finally managed to combine the advantages of both vacuum tubes and silicon transistors, though, in what has been dubbed "nano vacuum tubes." They're created by etching tiny cavities in phosphorous-doped silicon, bordered on three sides by electrodes that form the gate, source and drain. The term "vacuum tube" is slightly misleading however, since there is no true vacuum in play. Instead, the source and drain are separated by just 150 nanometers, making it highly unlikely that flowing electrons would run into stray atoms. In addition to their space-worthy hardiness, they can also potentially operate at frequencies ten-times as higher than silicon transistors, making them a candidate to push terahertz tech from experimental to mainstream. For more, check out the source link.

[Image credit: Shane Gorski]

Nano vacuum tubes could give a second life to the guitarist's best friend originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 27 May 2012 17:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Perhaps there aren't enough places for you to play Words With Friends or FrontierVille, who are we to judge? Maybe what the world needs right now is playable Angry Birds in your Facebook news feed. Instead of just an invitation to join Cow Clicker, maybe you need to be able to play it straight from the homepage. Well, now you can. And that's all we have to say about that.

One more place to play Farmville or one more reason to quit Facebook? originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 27 May 2012 10:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Square, PayPal, Intuit, Verifone -- the mobile payments field (and we're not talking wallets here) is seriously crowded already. So, the question is then, why on Earth would Groupon want to join the fray? We're not entirely sure, but VentureBeat is reporting the coupon service is preparing to do just that. According to a source within the company, Groupon is testing card-reading dongle and payment platform with surprisingly aggressive pricing. According to the insider, transaction fees will be 1.8 percent, on top of a $0.15 base charge. By comparison, square charges a flat 2.75 percent. Interestingly, the source also claims that Groupon is handing out, not just free readers, but free iPod touches to plug them into. The move makes obvious sense since the company snatched up Kima Labs, makers of TapBuy, in February. Besides, it could easily integrate its discount offers with the platform as a value added service. None of this is confirmed just yet but, we certainly wont be surprised if this rumor pans out.

Groupon reportedly experimenting with Square competitor originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 26 May 2012 18:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Sometimes the X-Prize foundation gets a little ahead of itself. We couldn't get a private mission to the moon off the ground and apparently we can't built a tricorder either. But, we can take baby steps. Presumably that's what the newest X Challenge is all about. The group has teamed up with a certain Finnish phone maker to introduce the Nokia Sensing X Challenge. Rather than dive head first into Star Trek tech, the two are offering $2.25 million to further the development of health sensors and their associated technology. Nokia's interest is clear: it's widely expected that those tricorders of our dreams will one day become a reality and take the form of our cellphones. The challenge will actually be broken up into three different events to be held over the next three years, with many of the same competitors expected to follow up by entering Qualcomm's competition. For more, check out the PR after the break.

Continue reading Nokia and X-Prize put medical sensors on the spot for next challenge

Nokia and X-Prize put medical sensors on the spot for next challenge originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 May 2012 21:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

To hell with Instagram. Seriously. It's not that we don't understand the appeal of the photo filter standard bearer, it's just that it lacks a cleverness and visceral quality that InstaCRT has in spades. See, rather than simply recreate retro effect with some software trickery, InstaCRT actually uses the aging titular tech to achieve its goals. The concept, while clever, is actually pretty simple: you take a photo on your iPhone using the InstaCRT app, it's then uploaded to the developer where all the magic happens. Your image is displayed on a tiny 1-inch CRT (harvested from an old-school VHS camcorder) in the company's office, a picture of your photo is then taken with a fancy DSLR, and the resulting image is sent back to you. The results are monochrome, loaded with scanlines and just slightly distorted -- offering a sense of physicality that other photo filter apps just can't match. However, as clever as the concept is, it's equally inefficient and, as more people start using the app, the wait between snapping a pic and getting the finished product back, gets longer and longer. (We had to wait almost four minutes for the image above.) Still, we can't help but fall in love with InstaCRT... at least until the next photo filter app hits the market. Don't miss the video after the break, and hit up the source link to buy it now for $1.99 and see how fast we can crash the developer's servers.

Continue reading InstaCRT puts all other photo filter apps to shame (video)

InstaCRT puts all other photo filter apps to shame (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 May 2012 15:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Like any tech company worth its weight in silicon, Intel puts plenty of cash into research, often partnering with outside labs and schools that are less concerned with turning every project into a multi-billion dollar product. After throwing $30 million at Carnegie Mellon last year to open two new labs, Chipzilla is investing $40 million more in a global network of university research centers. Over the next five years that money will be rolled out to what the company is calling, Intel Collaborative Research Institutes (ICRI). The ICRI are based on the same premise as Intel's Science and Technology Centers, like those opened at Mellon, except with a global reach. Two existing labs, the Intel Visual Computing Institute at Saarland University and the Intel-NTU Connected Context Computing Center at National Taiwan University are being rolled into the program. In addition, three new centers are being opened up, including ICRIs for Sustainable Connected Cities in the United Kingdom, Secure Computing at the Technische Universität Darmstadt and Computational Intelligence at the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology. For more info on what sort or work they'll be doing at the various labs check out the PR after the break.

Continue reading Intel funnels $40 million into global network of research laboratories

Intel funnels $40 million into global network of research laboratories originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 May 2012 23:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Developers can never have too many options when it comes to ways to take your money. Google has opened the doors to In-app purchases, carrier billing and now, in-app subscriptions. Perhaps it wasn't enough that game creators be able to lure you in with perks and content you could purchase for a one-time fee, now devs can choose to hit you with a monthly charge for the privilege of using their wares. Of course, it's not all that bad. Subscription-based games aren't the only potential uses here. Customers can now buy monthly or annual subscriptions to services or publications as well. There's even a publisher API for extending the subscription beyond the walls of Google Play and your Android device. Glu Mobile will be first out the gate, turning on subscriptions in properties like Frontline Commando, but we're sure plenty of others will follow. Soon enough you might be able to get your New York Times subscription or Spotify Premium account without ever leaving the comfort of the Android app. Any handset with Google Play 3.5 or higher installed should have access to subscriptions starting today.

Google brings in-app subscriptions to Android originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 May 2012 13:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

If 10,000 of you go and vote at Lego Cuusoo, we could soon have a Ladyada Lego Workshop. The concept, whipped up by Limor Fried and Phillip Torrone, was a direct response to the borderline offensive Lego Friends set that was marketed to young girls last year. The seemingly unnecessary line of pastel-hued bricks inspired Fried to hire renowned Lego artist Bruce Lowell to help create a set of blocks that told girls it was ok to aspire to more than good hair and gossipy friends. Ladyada's Workshop is an ABS celebration of hacking, tinkering, strong women and all things DIY. Now all that needs to happen is that enough of you head on over to the Cuusoo site when the set goes up for vote. Hit up the source link for more images of what could wind up being the very first Lego product based on a company that sells DIY electronics kits.

Adafruit unveils Lego Ladyada's Workshop, vote for it to become a reality originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 May 2012 07:14:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Bandwidth is a precious commodity on military vessels. Ships in the US Navy fleet are generating more data, but the pipe it's getting pumped through isn't getting any larger. What's more, with limited connectivity options on the table, the sea-faring military wing is missing out on all the smartphone and app store fun. Rather than turn green with envy, or turning their dress whites is for camouflage cargo pants, the Navy is beefing up its mobile tech arsenal, beginning with the U.S.S. Kearsarge, U.S.S. San Antonio and U.S.S. Whidbey Island. The ships will serve as test beds for a nautical LTE system, with a range of about 25 miles. The 4G network will serve as a localized platform for wirelessly feeding data to sailors, as well as a way for the enlisted to connect to the outside world. On the backend, the Marines are working on a new satellite broadband service that should be able to provide ships with 300 megabits of shared bandwidth. Satellite internet and off-grid LTE might induce yawns in some, but they're certainly a major part of modernizing our fighting forces. For more info, check out the source link.

Navy plans ship-based LTE for close-quarters communication originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 May 2012 01:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Linux comes in all sorts of flavors -- it's part of what makes the OS so confusing to new comers. To make matters worse, some of the most popular variants are actually based on other distros, such as Linux Mint, the refreshing desktop that's based largely on Ubuntu. So, if you're wondering what's new in the Mint 13, a good place to start is probably our review of the aubergine OS. Of course, Maya has a few wrinkles of its own -- including a pair of desktop options dubbed MATE and Cinnamon. MATE, as you may recall, was introduced in the last version, but Cinnamon is all new (read: a tad unstable) and built on a modern framework using Gnome 3 and Clutter. There have been a few other new additions, including a new display manager in MDM and a switch to Yahoo! as the default search engine. As usual with these things, you can download it and try it out for free at the source.

[Thanks, Mohamad]

Linux Mint 13 'Maya' released, just in time for the next piktun originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 23 May 2012 20:09:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

In the US, Asia and Australia they've already had their fill of the HTC One XL. But, in Europe, they've had to make do with the lame ol' HSPA+ One X. That is, until now. German carrier Vodafone has announced that it'll be the first to bring the XL home, complete with triband LTE in tow. Just like the American "One X," the new Euro XL ditches the quad-core Tegra 3 for a 1.5GHz dual-core S4, primarily because the NVIDIA solution doesn't support LTE. Though, as an added bonus, we're sure it helps extend the life of that 1,800 mAh cell inside. Vodafone will get the handset first in early June in a nice matte black, while Deutsche Telekom and O2 Germany will score the device later -- potentially in white. If you want yours contract free, it'll cost you €699 from Vodafone or €659 from HTC.

HTC One XL coming to Germany, drags LTE with it originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 23 May 2012 14:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

3D printing with ABS and other plastics that have a low-melting point are old hat. And, with the price of entry dropping below the $500 mark, soon enough anyone will be able print their own pirated 45s. Instructables user [taulman] has has taken it upon himself to push the DIY polymer extruder scene in a new direction -- Nylon. The slick and bendable Nylon 6 melts at 320 degrees celsius, roughly 100 degrees higher than the more common and brittle ABS. The flexible nature of nylon has some obvious advantages, particularly when printing tubing or even an iPhone case. What's more, gears and bearings created from the synthetic don't need to be lubricated. But, this isn't the end game for [taulman]. The resourceful DIYer plans to keep working on his high-temperature system until he can build custom creations from Delrin and Polycarbonate. The obvious downside here, is that higher temperatures require more power and more rugged components that could drive up cost. But, we'd say it's a small price to pay for being able to print your own Otterbox. Check out the video demos after the break.

Continue reading 3D printing gets more flexible with Nylon extrusion

3D printing gets more flexible with Nylon extrusion originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 22 May 2012 17:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Comcast took the opportunity at The Cable Show 2012 to introduce some new features for its Xfinity Voice service, dubbed Voice 2Go. The end goal is to bring the perks you enjoy with your smartphone to your landline. It all starts with an app that's available on iOS and Android (in both phone and tablet-friendly formats) that functions similarly to Google Voice. The Xfinity Connect Mobile app allows you to send and receive texts on your mobile device through your home phone number and forward incoming calls to multiple devices, including your cellphone, so you'll never miss a call again. What's more, your Xfinity account can be used to place VoIP calls from any connected device over WiFi, 3G or 4G. For more check out the video after the break.

Continue reading Xfinity Voice 2Go bridges the gap between mobile, VoIP and home phones

Xfinity Voice 2Go bridges the gap between mobile, VoIP and home phones originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 22 May 2012 15:50:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Months in the making -- the deal is finally done. Motorola Mobility is officially part of Google. After receiving blessings from Europe, the US and China, the Internet giant has put the finishing touches on its purchase of Moto's mobile division. Though the corporate marriage faced plenty of obstacles, Big G was able to put the manufacturer on its ledger for the price of $40 per share, or about $12.5 billion. As it stands, Motorola Mobility will continue to operate as a separate business entity and as a licensee of Android, but Mountain View is still claiming the purchase will allow it to "supercharge" its mobile ecosystem. The future of the new subsidiary's employees is a different matter, however. Rumors have been swirling for the last week or so that there could be significant layoffs at Moto following the merger, which would further enforce the perception that Google is more interested in the company's patents than in entering the hardware business. Of course, whether or not we'll see layoffs or perhaps a Moto-branded Nexus is still a mystery. For a bit more on Google's victory lap, check out the PR after the break.

Update: Google has also settled on a replacement for Sanjay Jha as CEO of Motorola Mobility, Dennis Woodside. Woodside is a longtime Googler who got his start in sales, building out business in Africa, Eastern Europe and Russia, before becoming President of the Americas sales operation.

Continue reading Google officially closes deal for Motorola Mobility

Google officially closes deal for Motorola Mobility originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 22 May 2012 09:03:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

GitHub, the version tracking and collaboration platform for developers, has proven quite popular, especially with the open source crowd. There's been one glaring issue with the dev hub, though -- lack of an easy to use Windows client. Sure, app creators could sync their changes though command line tools and SSH, but Mac devs have had a slick desktop app to call their own for sometime. Now Microsoft users get the same benefits, including the ability to merge branches and roll back changes, wrapped in pretty Metro-friendly package. You'll find more info and a download link at the source.

GitHub branches out, releases Windows client originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 22 May 2012 06:26:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

It was bound to happen eventually, every other gadget does it. After debuting in a serious black sheen, the PS Vita is now getting a stylish white shell as well. Sadly, the shiny new pale version will only be available in Hong Kong at first, starting June 28th. There's no price premium for grabbing the lighter shade of handheld, though, if you want the matching white accessory pack, you'll have to pre-order. On the plus side, if you pledge now, they'll toss in the Trooper Pack, Armor Game case, 4GB memory card and (perhaps most importantly) a lint free cloth for free. Check out the PR after the break.

Continue reading Crystal White PS Vita landing in Hong Kong June 28th, overpriced import shops two days later

Crystal White PS Vita landing in Hong Kong June 28th, overpriced import shops two days later originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 18 May 2012 11:07:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

As we move away from traditional fossil fuel-burning automobiles towards hybrids and EVs, we're presented with new challenges -- namely servicing those vehicles and their high-voltage batteries. When it comes time for transport, in the event of an accident or when components need to be serviced individually, it's necessary to completely drain the cells on board, and that's where Midtronics' GRX-5100 comes in. The vehicle battery service and de-power tool is wrapping up field testing at GM and may soon find itself in "reclamation yards" (read: junk yards) as well as your local mechanic. With testing out of the way Midtronics plans to ramp up production before the end of the year, and its updateable firmware means it will be able to handle future vehicles with nothing more than an upgrade loaded on a USB key. For more info check out the PR after the break.

Continue reading Midtronics GRX-5100 simplifies servicing hybrid and EV batteries

Midtronics GRX-5100 simplifies servicing hybrid and EV batteries originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 18 May 2012 05:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

James Maher had the unfortunate luck of placing his bag and prized Fujifilm X100 in a "dry" container on a fishing trip that didn't keep its contents very dry. Maher survived his harrowing voyage on the SS Hit 'em Hard, but his camera did not. Thankfully, the photographer didn't let his shooter die in vain. He spent precious time dissecting it and disassembling it, piece by piece. Inside was a densely packed puzzle of 130 screws, 50 pieces of tape and over 152 individual parts. Best of all, Maher documented his adventure inside the X100 and posted it online for all of us to enjoy. It's not the first glimpse under the hood, but it's certainly the most thoroughly documented. So hit up the source link and take a peek at what the inside of a sophisticated digital camera looks like.

Water-damaged Fujifilm X100 torn apart for fun and education (but mostly fun) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 18 May 2012 04:26:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Not all of us want to be locked into a long term contract with a wireless carrier. Especially when it comes to data-only devices that might not get used on a regular basis. For those that want to grab a 4G dongle or a mobile hotspot and go, without the need sign their life over, T-Mobile is launching four new pre-paid data options. The 4G passes start at $15 for 300MB over the course of a week, all the way up to 5GB for $50 over the course of a month. The plans are available on the Sonic 4G and plain ol' T-Mobile 4G mobile hotspots as well as the Rocket 3.0 laptop stick, but tablet users can also hop on the bandwagon. The Galaxy Tab 10.1, 7,0 Plus and SpringBoard are all eligible for the No Annual Contract mobile broadband passes. You can start topping off your megabytes instead of your minutes on May 20th. For more details check out the PR after the break.

Continue reading T-Mobile launches new contract-free, data-only plans

T-Mobile launches new contract-free, data-only plans originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 17 May 2012 12:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Sure, we've explained to you why sensor size matters in a digital camera, but maybe you need to take it back a bit. Maybe, you're not entirely sure how those sensors work in the first place. Well, Bill Hammack, better known as The Engineer Guy, is here to help. After breaking down LCDs and hard drives for your amusement and education, Bill has turned his attention to the CCD. The charge-coupled device is the heart and soul of many a digital camera, turning incoming photons into a charge that the impressively complex processor inside can convert into an image. What makes the CCD so impressive is it's rather ingenious solutions to problems such as interference (no wires, just a shift register) and color reproduction (pixel-sized filters and a hue-flattening algorithm). For more, check out the video after the break.

Continue reading The mysteries of the CCD revealed (video)

The mysteries of the CCD revealed (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 May 2012 19:37:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Update: We just finished listening through the entire webcast (we're still waiting for the transcript) and found the quote that is going to make most customers shake their fists in anger:

"LTE is our anchor point for data share. So, as you come through an upgrade cycle and you upgrade in the future, you will have to go on to the data share plan. And moving away from, if you will, the unlimited world and moving everyone into a tiered structure data share plan."

Doesn't get much clearer than that, but we're still hoping Verizon will come back and say Shammo was speaking out of turn... fingers crossed.

Verizon CFO says grandfathered unlimited plans on the way out originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 May 2012 13:43:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Nick Yulman has been doing the whole mechanical music thing for sometime. In fact, the first time he came to our attention was at Maker Faire a couple of years back, when he had a cadre of small robotic instruments set up on a table in a quiet corner near the food stands. For ITP's Spring Show, Nick decided to share the love and brought along his Bricolo mechanical music system. Comprised of a number of different modules, Bricolo is meant to simplify the act of incorporating robotics and physical objects into the creation of "electronic" music. The two main pieces are a drum arm, which can be mounted on a mic stand and uses and uses a simple actuator to swing a drum stick, and a platform with a small solenoid that can produce either percussive rhythms or melodic tones. All of the pieces can be easily controlled by any MIDI instrument or sequencer.

The small platform that can produce actual musical tones converts notes from any MIDI source into a frequency that the solenoid can vibrate at, creating sound by striking a surface extremely quickly. In the video below you can see as an old hard cover book is turned into a bass synth. Interestingly, by opening and closing the book, varying the weight placed on the platform, you're able to create a filter effect. For the moment the tiny musical motors are largely a proof of concept -- exposed components attached to black or clear acrylic, but the hope is to eventually sell them to curious creators. Our composing skills might not be quite up to Mr. Yulman's lofty standards and we'll never write a bass line as good as I Want You Back. But, we are big fans of noise, and you can make plenty of it with Bricolo. Check out the video after the break to see it in action.

Gallery: Bricolo hands-on

Continue reading Bricolo mechanical music system hand-on (video)

Bricolo mechanical music system hand-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 May 2012 09:26:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Don't lie, you love The Price is Right. There's no shame in it. Maybe you don't watch it religiously, but you get a thrill every time you see them break out the Plinko game. Now, what if you could combine that visceral thrill, with the absurdity of magnetic poetry, while juxtaposing the conflicting political perspectives of Fox News and the New York Times. That's exactly what Inessah Selditz and Deqing Sun did with Plinko Poetry, an installation on display at the ITP Spring Show. Operating it is as simple as dropping a red plastic disc, but the tech behind it is decidedly more sophisticated. It starts with a script that harvests headlines from the Twitter accounts of the New York Times and Fox News. Those streams of words then scroll across a screen dotted with yellow pegs. A simple webcam with a polarizing filter tracks not only those pins, but a red disc that you feed through the top of the display. As it tumbles, the words it passes over are selected to create mashups of the days top stories that are sometimes unintentionally hilarious or accidentally beautiful but, more often than not, predictably gibberish. Once the Processing script on the controlling computer constructs the new phrases, they're fired out into the digital ether via the @PlinkoPoetry Twitter account, which you can monitor on the iPad mounted next to the Plinko itself. To see the art in action, head on after the break.

Gallery: Plinko Poetry hands-on

Continue reading Plinko Poetry hands-on (video)

Plinko Poetry hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 May 2012 22:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Etch-a-Sketch. A standard bearer for childhood, and one that most of us never really mastered. While Yelizaveta Lokshina can't help you create awe-inspiring portraits from aluminum powder, she has managed to update the toy for the digital age. Using an Arduino, a few buttons and a pressure sensor crammed inside a hollowed-out Etch-a-Sketch, the 3.0 version of the doodler is able to draw in old school gray, as well as vibrant colors created by blending an RGB palette. While holding down the red, green or blue button you squeeze the pressure sensor to add more or less of individual hues. The same sensor is used to change brush width when you hold down the black button. There's even a secret mode that automatically cycles through colors and thicknesses for creating vibrant, almost hallucinatory patterns.

At the moment, the dual doodle knobs need to be physically connected to a computer so that a Processing script can work its magic and render the virtual Etch-a-Sketch. But, future versions may include wireless for sketching out images from the comfort of a couch and an accelerometer for the replicating the satisfying sensation of shaking the red fram to erase your creation. Basically, it's still a work in progress. Drawing with the Etch-a-Sketch 3.0 is just as satisfying, in a tactile sense, as the original, though we struggled slightly to get the hang of the pressure sensitive selector. One thing's for sure, though, the kids love it even more than the 1960 creation. Check out the video after the break to see it in action on the floor of the ITP Spring Show.

Gallery: Etch-a-Sketch 3.0 hands-on

Continue reading Etch-a-Sketch 3.0 hands-on (video)

Etch-a-Sketch 3.0 hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 May 2012 20:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

ITP, or the Interactive Telecommunications Program at the Tisch School of the Arts at NYU churns out some of the most reliably interesting tech-centric artists in the world. Every so often, the school opens its doors to the public and the press and, of course, we jumped at the chance to see what the grad students were cooking up... literally. Marko Manriquez took the opportunity to showcase his thesis project, the Burritob0t, a 3D printer the spits out edible piles of beans and cheese, instead of non-toxic (but, highly inedible) plastic. The base is built largely around a standard RepRap machine, with the Frostruder attachment from MakerBot. From there it's pretty simple to plug in any 3D model and build your creation from highly-processed Mexican food -- on a heated platform from the Thingomatic, of course.

Marko says that his creation not only seemed like a logical way to combine "edible bits and digital bytes" but also a way to address the increasingly mechanized food industry and our growing reliance on manufactured "food." Sadly, we weren't able to get a complete demo on the show floor. The current incarnation of the device relies on air pressure to push the ingredients through syringes, and firing up the compressor was not an option. A Kickstarter is forthcoming, however, and Marko plans to upgrade the components to ditch the bulky and loud compressor. He also hopes to actually serve food from his printer, perhaps by taking up residence in a park. But, we suspect it'll be a while before you can get a Burritob0t burrito while you wait for your Concrete from Shake Shack. Check out the video after the break.

Gallery: Burritob0t hands-on

Continue reading Burritob0t hands-on (video)

Burritob0t hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 May 2012 19:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading HGST launches new CinemaStar drives for media PCs and set top boxes

HGST launches new CinemaStar drives for media PCs and set top boxes originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 May 2012 14:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Intel is pushing out that delicious Ivy Bridge update to server chips and, interestingly, it's not focusing purely on the high end to start. In total, 28 new Xeon CPUs were introduced today, including the E5-4600 and 2400 families targeted at four and two socket systems, respectively. Those tweaked mainstream processors aren't the interesting part, though. We're more intrigued by the updated E3 series, the low-end offerings that are aimed small businesses and light web-hosting duty. In particular the new E3-1220L v2 slashes power consumption to an impressive 17w by going with just two cores and only 3MB of cache. While that 3W advantage over its predecessor may not sound like much, it can make a huge difference in the microserver market and in high-density environments where cooling a room full of servers can become problematic. Even in its stripped down form the extremely low-power processor still supports Turbo Boost, Trusted Execution Technology and PCI-Express 3.0. Considering that last-gen's Atom-based server chip pulled down 15W, we'd consider the 1220L v2 an impressive feat of engineering. Now we've just gotta hope that Intel can carry through on that promised 6W Centerton chip. Check out the PR after the break.

Continue reading Intel launches new Ivy Bridge Xeons, targets microservers

Intel launches new Ivy Bridge Xeons, targets microservers originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 May 2012 01:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

You might not know this, but you can literally never have enough all-terrain quadrupedal robots... at least according to us (John Connor might disagree). So, while HyQ from the Italian Institute of Technology might bear more than a passing resemblance to Boston Dynamic's Big Dog, we won't hold it against the creators. The Hydraulic Quadruped robot (HyQ for short) was first dreamed up in 2008, but the project is only now coming into its own. Researchers at IIT took the bot for a stroll outside of the confines of a laboratory and treadmill for the first time. They've also stepped up the treadmill testing by bumping up the incline and practically throwing obstacles at it. Impressively, HyQ holds his own, even as his creators pelt it with shipping pallets. Check out the video after the break to see the cybernetic crawler in action.

Continue reading HyQ is the latest all-terrain quadruped bot, tells Big Dog to bring it on (video)

HyQ is the latest all-terrain quadruped bot, tells Big Dog to bring it on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 May 2012 01:03:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

In need of a new computer, but holding out because you don't want to be saddled with a last-gen OS when Windows 8 lands? Worry not potential consumers, Microsoft plans to offer a cheap upgrade path to its latest and greatest if you buy in now. Well, not now, but soon. Starting June 2nd Redmond will offer a $15 upgrade from Windows 7 to Windows 8 Pro. Mary Jo Foley first reported the deal last week, but wasn't able to put a price on the offer. Now, Paul Thurrott is filling in those blanks. For $14.99 any new PC purchaser will be insured against the coming Metro revolution. This is hardly a new tactic for Microsoft, which has used similar deals to try and stave off steep drops in computer sales as the release of a new OS approaches. The only question we have left is, why the push to Pro? Though, far be it for us to look a gift horse in the mouth.

Microsoft to offer $15 Windows 8 upgrade, when you buy a Win7 PC originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 14 May 2012 13:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Apple plans to announce an update to its iCloud service at the WWDC in June. The revamp will include new photo-sharing features that will also allow users to comment on images -- bringing a little social flavor to the data syncing service. The personal media syncing is also going to expand to support videos, allowing you to quickly upload clips from your phone and have them appear on your computer. If that weren't enough, the same sources also claim that Apple is building out a syncing service for Notes and Reminders, which will debut alongside iOS 6, as previous leaks have indicated. Obviously none of this is concrete, but it certainly sounds as if Apple is planning to put some serious effort into making iCloud succeed where MobileMe failed. Such a dramatic upgrade might also help explain the trickle of tips we've been receiving this morning that iCloud's email service is down.

Apple may be prepping iCloud upgrade, photo-sharing features originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 14 May 2012 12:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Let's say you're embroiled in an international tale of espionage and intrigue, and you've got hard drives filled with incriminating evidence and top secret information. You could dispose of that potentially dangerous data by manually wiping each disk with multiple passes of a disk erasing app or, you could pop them in the Data Killer and be done with it in seconds. Platform of Japan demonstrated the information obliterating devices at the Information Security Expo. A large powerful magnet realigns the bits on the surface of the drive's platters eliminating all trace of the data that existed before, without physically damaging the hardware. With just the push of a button a Data Killer can wipe practically any magnetic media, including tapes or an aging floppy disk. The data disposals even come in different sizes, allowing you to kill just a single 3.5-inch disk or up to 14 at a time. The larger models can even accept an intact laptop. Check out the video after the break to see it in action.

Continue reading Data Killer turns hard drives into blank slates with the push of a button (video)

Data Killer turns hard drives into blank slates with the push of a button (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 14 May 2012 10:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading NVIDIA reports Q1 earnings: rakes $60.4 million profit on $924.9 million in revenue

NVIDIA reports Q1 earnings: rakes $60.4 million profit on $924.9 million in revenue originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 11 May 2012 08:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

It's the final day of CTIA Wireless 2012, and time for the week's big event. Will it be a new super phone? An epic new high-speed 4G network? The resurrection of webOS? Nope. The big get of the week is the 42nd president of the United States, Mr. William Jefferson Clinton. Honestly, we're not entirely sure what to expect of the event ending keynote. Most likely Willy (he let's us call him that since we're such close, personal friends -- it's no big deal) will wind up talking about the ability of wireless technology to empower the underclass and level the global playing field... you know, light-hearted stuff. But, there's only one way to find out for sure: follow along after the break.

Live from President Bill Clinton's CTIA keynote originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 10 May 2012 14:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Looking for something nice to take home alongside your shiny (oh, so shiny) new HTC EVO 4G LTE? How about the Car StereoClip? When the latest EVO hits shelves on May 18th, it'll launch with this Bluetooth accessory that lets you stream audio to any device with a mini stereo auxiliary input. The tiny, USB thumb drive-sized receiver has a micro-USB port on one end for charging, and a male 3.5mm connector hides under a cap on the other side. While the dongle is being marketed for in-car use, it could be used to turn your home stereo into a set of Bluetooth speakers as well. HTC claims that Bluetooth 4.0 and aptX support should make for drastically improved audio quality -- at least when paired with a similarly specced phone. You'll be able to pick up the plug for $60 from Sprint, followed shortly thereafter by AT&T. Check out the gallery below for a few more pics.

Gallery: HTC Car StereoClip hands-on

HTC Car StereoClip hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 10 May 2012 13:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Third time's a charm...
Three's a crowd...
She's once, twice, three times a lady Nexus...
Three's a magic number...
Good things come in threes... or is that sneezes?
Okay, so maybe there isn't anything clever we can say to get you hooked, but do we really need to lure you in at this point? The Galaxy Nexus is, arguably, not only one of the best Android phones on the market, but one of the best phones, period. So, there's no reason to expect the Sprint variant ($199 on contract) would be anything short of incredible. Still, there's only one way to find out. Follow along after the break as we put the newest member of the Nexus family through its paces and see how it stacks up against its Verizon and unlocked siblings.

Gallery: Samsung Galaxy Nexus for Sprint review

Continue reading Sprint Galaxy Nexus review

Sprint Galaxy Nexus review originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 10 May 2012 10:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Remember those Braven speakers from a few weeks back? Well, guess what, the trio made an appearance here at CTIA and we finally got to put our shaky, caffeine-fueled hands on them. The Six Series of Bluetooth boxes is (going from left to right in the image above) the 600, the 650 and the 625s. Both the 600 and 650 are crafted from the same aircraft-grade aluminum and are all but indistinguishable at a glance. The lone physical differentiator is the numerical labeling in the bottom right corner. Both have a pleasant heft and a matte finish that makes them feel like decidedly high-end products. And, at $150 and $190 respectively, they're priced that way too. The 3W speakers and dual passive subwoofers were perfectly pleasant sounding and got surprisingly loud -- drowning out the crowded showroom floor with relative ease. The only issue, predictively, was that the low end started to distort as the volume was cranked -- particularly on the 600. We were even able to daisy chain them through a mini stereo cable (though not turn them into a stereo pair via Bluetooth), clearly irritating Braven's booth neighbors.

The 625s is a slightly different beast. It also features an aluminum speaker grille, but the rest of the casing is wrapped in shock-absorbing rubber. It felt quite a bit lighter, but that's not necessarily a bad thing, since the company appears to think you should use this as a flashlight (hence the LED attachment). The unit even has a drybag should you decide to take it with you kayaking. We were even able to jack our iPhone in to the USB port for a bit of juice before heading back out on the floor. For more check out the gallery below.

Gallery: Braven Six Series hands-on

Joseph Volpe contributed to this report.

Braven Six Series hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 09 May 2012 17:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Well, we kicked off the week with the current king of regulation, now we end the event with a keynote from a former regulatory king maker. President Bill Clinton will be taking the stage tomorrow afternoon to talk about... something. The philanthropist and former commander-in-chief took the long trip to N'awlins to address the industry and press, so we assume he's got something important to say. If you want to find out exactly what that might be, check back here at the time listed below to watch Willy get his word groove on.

Join us live for Bill Clinton's CTIA keynote tomorrow at 3PM ET originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 09 May 2012 16:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

It's not often that we write about a feature phone, but we were charmed by the Twist Connect's unique design. The dual-SIM device prides itself on its integration with Nyx Messenger, social networks like Twitter and its MP3-playing abilities. It's the music-playing features that caught our attention. The whole bottom of the phone rotates, switching from a full QWERTY keyboard, to a set of dedicated music controls. In messaging mode the keypad is angled out on a chin to make typing easier, while keeping the screen in a better position for visibility -- it wasn't the greatest display, easily getting washed out at even slight angles under the conventions center's lights. Give it a twist (hence the name) and the keyboard gets stuck to the rear, exposing a pair of stereo speakers and a set of controls to raise and lower the volume, skip tracks and, of course, play and pause your tunes. Otherwise, the bulky and plasticky handset holds little allure, but we'll cheers Nyx Mobile for their special twist on the MP3 phone. Check out the gallery below for a few pics.

Gallery: Nyx Mobile Twist Connect hands-on

Nyx Mobile Twist Connect hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 08 May 2012 23:37:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.