You might be surprised to hear that many current aircraft already have the ability to print documents at 30,000 feet. Long-haul airliners like the Boeing Dreamliner and Airbus A340 ship with a ToughWriter flight deck printer installed and ready to go, but the device has been limited to black and white output, which can be a bit restrictive when it comes to spitting out charts and weather information. Astro-Med, the company behind the cockpit printer currently churning out reports in thousands of commercial, business and military planes, has a spiffy new model on the way. We spotted an early prototype on display at the Paris Air Show this week, and while it's still a ways off from being cockpit-ready, the device works quite well, printing to ZINK paper at about 30 seconds per page, compared to 5 seconds for the monochrome version.

Unlike the printers we're accustomed to using on the ground, a ToughWriter must be installed before an aircraft is certified, so it's really something you need to factor in before the FAA signs off on your plane. In other words, don't expect to simply swap in this new color model once it hits the market. It's also an expensive acquisition -- it wouldn't be unreasonable to expect pricing in the $25,000 range, though that detail has yet to be announced. The version we saw in Paris is very much a work in progress -- it far exceeds the maximum size allowed, and it's heavier than the targeted 10 pounds, too. It does print quite nicely, though, and once engineers manage to squeeze the printer into a smaller housing, it'll likely include AirPrint so pilots can print from their iPads, and possibly Android wireless support, too. Astro-Med reps weren't able to tell us when the color ToughWriter will take to the skies, and considering the certification involved, it could be a few years out. Catch it in action in the gallery below.

Gallery: Astro-Med ToughWriter color cockpit printer hands-on

Filed under: Peripherals, Transportation

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There's a battle going on between Airbus and Boeing, but while both industry players maintain their fair share of government contracts, this war primarily concerns the commercial side of the biz. For many of the companies that surround these giants at this week's Paris Air Show, however, military might is big business. Fighter jets, troop transporters, attack drones and massive missiles are the bread and butter of manufacturers like US-based Raytheon and France's own Thales -- smaller companies from China, Germany, Israel and Russia flaunt their own munitions at otherwise ordinary trade show booths, too.

High-profile politicians and military officers from around the world are also in no short supply at Le Bourget Airport this week. In one exhibition hall, we spotted Lieutenant General Craig Franklin, a top US Air Force commander, studying a new security screening system from Safran. Then, earlier today, we stumbled upon Sergey Shoygu, Russia's Minister of Defence, examining a handful of mobile rocket launchers. And just after yesterday's Airbus A350 cockpit tour, we bumped into a gaggle of Chinese officers as they were checking out model attack choppers at the Eurocopter booth.

Troops from dozens of countries around the globe were in attendance, often dressed up in full military regalia despite the oppressive summer heat. Allies and enemies alike joined together to take note of the latest and greatest, scanning ground displays and taking in dramatic performances a few hundred feet above the sweltering tarmac. You don't need to rough it at Le Bourget to see this year's displays, though. We've collected many of the 2013 Paris Air Show's deadliest crafts in the gallery just below.

Gallery: Weapons at the 2013 Paris Air Show

Filed under: Transportation

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If you're lucky, your smartphone's battery can just make it through a full day, with the percentage meter dropping to the single digits as you finally get a chance to plug in. With 10 hours out and about, some handsets can't even last through dinner, though, and out of reach power outlets make juicing up at the restaurant a tad inconvenient. Beginning this summer, public power will be much more accessible in New York City. AT&T is partnering with Goal Zero to deploy Street Charge stations in a handful of parks and other locations around NYC. They'll be coming to Fort Green Park on June 18th, and will roll out to Brooklyn Bridge Park, Coney Island, Riverside Park, Rockaways, Summerstage in Central Park, Randall's Island, Governor's Island, Union Square, and Hudson River Park over the next few weeks. Each solar-powered pole, designed locally by Pensa, sports six USB connectors: for iPhones and iPads, there's 30-pin and Lightning plugs, Android and Windows Phone users can hook up to micro-USB, and everyone else can use their own cable with one of three female USB connectors.

There's three 15-watt solar panels and a 168 watt-hour battery, enabling each Street Charge to power up to six devices for several days without exposure to the sun. Sure, it's probably impractical to fill your gadget's cell completely, but if you have a few minutes to spare, you'll be able to juice up and go. You can plug in phones, tablets, cameras, or even a Pebble watch -- each cable can pump out up to two amps of 5V power, providing support for just about any USB-powered device. Each weatherproof unit will have AT&T branding, which seems reasonable, considering the carrier is footing the bill here. You should start seeing these pop up at several TBA locations in New York throughout the summer, with more stations to come if the trial's a success. Take a closer look in the hands-on video after the break.

Gallery: Street Charge hands-on

Filed under: Household, AT&T

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Source: Pensa

While you were sleeping earlier today, we were getting trampled by crazed commuters at a train station, overheated in a steamy bus that inched through traffic at one mile per hour, and soaked by heavy rains and an overflowing airport sewage system. But all in all, it was a pretty fantastic day. That's due in no small part to the dozens of incredible aircraft we had a chance to get up close and personal with, the fighter jets demonstrating slow flight and vertical climbs a few hundred feet above the ground, and the A350 cockpit we stumbled upon in the Airbus booth.

Yes, we're here at the 2013 Paris Air Show -- France's gigantic biennial aviation fest. It's more or less like any other trade show we've visited in the past few weeks, just instead of tablet accessories, we're digging through aircraft components, and the Airbus A350 is this expo's Zenbook Infinity. There's been no shortage of press on TV and all over the web today, so you're probably familiar with the show's theme: Airbus versus Boeing. Sure, that's more or less been the case every time Le Bourget Airport has opened its doors to the aviation community, but with the Dreamliner's recent dilemma and the A350's budding ascendance, the competition this year is furious. But we'll leave the industry analysis to aviation publications -- we're here for the gear. And some pretty ambitious flight demos. You can catch more of today's action in our video after the break.

Gallery: 2013 Paris Air Show

Filed under: Transportation

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What's it like to fly the A350? Only a handful of pilots know for sure, but Jean-Michel Roy has a pretty good idea. The Airbus test pilot has flown a variety of yet-to-be-certified aircraft over the years, and he'll soon step behind the controls of the company's answer to Boeing's Dreamliner, the A350. While the first batch of pilots are back at the aviation giant's Toulouse HQ preparing for the next test flight, Roy is schmoozing with customers a few hundred miles to the north, at the Paris Air Show. It's an arguably safer task for the industry vet, but something tells us he's itching to climb aboard this latest wide-body aircraft. We were hoping for such an opportunity here in Paris, but a delayed rollout means attendees will be lucky just to see the A350 perform an unscheduled flyover sometime over the next few days, with a cockpit mockup serving to satisfy airline execs for now.

As deep-pocketed buyers queued up for a first look at the A350 flight deck, we managed to sneak a quick peek, with Jean-Michel Roy on hand to answer questions and provide a video tour. As you might expect, the cockpit is as modern as they come, with large LCDs taking the place of traditional avionics. In fact, the layout looks more like something you'd find on a stock broker's desk -- it's quite a contrast to the aging panels many commercial pilots still use today. The overhead system controls are presented in a layout similar to what you'll find on an A320 or A330, as is the flight control unit just below the windshield. The screens below, however, are much more accessible, offering up aircraft manuals, charts, checklists, camera feeds, weather information -- you name it. A trackball and keyboard make it easy to enter info, while side-mounted joysticks let the pilots control orientation while also serving to create a cleaner look and feel. Fly past the break for a first-hand look at this state-of-the-art demo deck.

Gallery: Airbus A350 cockpit tour

Filed under: Transportation

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Samsung's mobile chief JK Shin hinted that the company would soon be announcing an Android-powered mirrorless interchangeable-lens camera, and now the Galaxy NX is all but official. In press shots appearing on a Vietnamese gadget site, the device is pictured with a mirrorless mount and a trio of NX lenses. Judging from the body, the camera is likely to be closer in size to a DSLR than Samsung's existing CSC lineup, with a large touchscreen occupying much of the rear.

Hardware controls are few and far between, and may be limited to a shutter release, video capture button, top-mounted dial and a pop-up flash release, along with the compulsory lens release to the left of the swappable optic. It's said to include Android 4.2, a 20.3-megapixel APS-C sensor, ISO sensitivity through 25,600 and 1080p video capture. Pricing info is still up in the air, as is an official announce date, which could very well be as soon as Samsung's June 20th event in London. Hit up the source for a few more shots.

Filed under: Cameras, Samsung

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Via: SlashGear

Source: Tinh te (Vietnamese)

Unless you're quick to sign up with new services, snagging a simple user ID with your name, or just about any word from the English dictionary, can be unlikely. If you're only first joining Yahoo today (for one reason or another), however, registering any account without a handful of random numbers tacked on at the end is downright impossible. That'll soon change. The internet giant has announced on Tumblr that come July 15th, IDs that have been inactive for more than a year will be released to the public, giving shoegurlmary1992@yahoo.com a chance to snag mary@yahoo.com, for example. The decision seems perfectly reasonable to us. We only hope that other sites (Twitter) follow suit.

Filed under: Internet

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Via: The Next Web

Source: Yahoo (Tumblr)

Instead of its typical pre-show E3 press conference, Nintendo opted to open up its exhibition booth to journalists a bit early this year, teasing a few Wii U games, such as Pikmin 3 and the long-awaited Super Mario 3D World. Much to the amusement of attendees, Koichi Hayashida, the director of that latter title, joined journalists "dressed as a cat," as you can see in the image above. There were meows and everything. Such is our reward for an unusually long wait for the abbreviated event to kick off.

Filed under: Gaming, Nintendo

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Well, it pays to stick around a launch venue as the cleanup crews begin to roll out. We just caught a glimpse of Sony's brand new PlayStation 4 following the company's press event tonight, and it's really quite stunning. We were only able to view the console from a right angle, but we did manage to make out a dark black glossy finish up top, with a gray matte panel just below. It's difficult to judge depth from the side, but from this front view at least, we definitely liked what we saw.

A small silver PlayStation logo is positioned towards the bottom of the glossy panel, representing the only branding visible from this side of the device. There's a Sony logo on the left side as well, as you can see in our gallery below. It's really quite a sleek design, so even though you may opt to toss the console away in a cabinet, it'll look just fine sitting out, too. Unfortunately Sony staffers ushered us out after snapping this shot, so that's all we've got for now. We'll be hitting up the company's booth bright and early tomorrow morning, though, and you better believe we'll be back to share our full hands-on impressions then.

Follow all of our E3 2013 coverage at our event hub.

Gallery: Sony PlayStation 4 eyes-on

Filed under: Gaming, Sony

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The Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) officially kicks off on Tuesday morning, but press attendees have packed schedules starting bright and early tomorrow AM. Microsoft's kicking things off with its briefing, which promises new Xbox One details and a major focus on games. Sony, meanwhile, is officially unveiling its new PlayStation 4 hardware, having teased the look of the new box and naming its nighttime E3 briefing as the big reveal. We'll also hear more on EA and Ubisoft's next-gen console plans, and Alienware's got its own briefing to close out the night. It's going to be quite a busy day. Come Tuesday, Nintendo is welcoming select show goers at its exhibition booth for a sneak peek at new Wii U titles, before E3 opens for business at noon Pacific Time. And that's to say nothing of the Oculus Rifts and OUYAs of the world, not to mention any unknowns.

You'll find a plethora of liveblogs, news stories and hands-on posts on our homepage throughout the week, but we're also rounding everything up at our E3 2013 event hub, which we'll update in realtime with all the gaming news fit to print, straight from downtown Los Angeles.

Gallery: Live from E3 2013

Ben Gilbert contributed to this report.

Filed under: Gaming, Sony, Microsoft, Nintendo

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This year's Computex certainly didn't come and go quietly. From a 6.5-magnitude earthquake shortly after landing in Taipei to tons of tablets, smartphones, Haswell systems and more peripherals than you can shake a Taiwan dollar at, this has been one whirlwind week of hot and humid adventure. Unlike other shows abroad, this country's massive computer exhibition is only growing in importance, as more manufacturers from both East and West choose to announce products and services here in the Republic of China.

The week was filled with unveilings both revolutionary and evolutionary -- from quirky to crucial, there was a lot to take in. You'll find many of our show picks at our Computex 2013 event page; there are dozens upon dozens of articles, hands-on videos and photo galleries to sift through, so set aside some time over the weekend and dig on in. We've also rounded up links to each and every related post after the break -- click on through for all that and more.

Gallery: Computex 2013 wrap-up

Filed under: Announcements, Desktops, Displays, Household, Laptops, Peripherals, Tablets, Wireless, Mobile, Sony, Microsoft, ASUS, Intel, Dell, Acer, Lenovo, NVIDIA

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No, we're not making this up. We've always thought the Aspire R7 bore an uncanny resemblance to the USS Enterprise, and now it appears that Acer's officially in on the fun, too. Our friends at Engadget Chinese stumbled upon a new version of the starship-esque convertible at Acer's Computex booth today -- the company manufactured just 25 of these special-edition notebooks, one of which it plans to offer up on eBay from June 14th through the 24th, with all proceeds going to charity. This variant is unique enough for us to look past the device's shortcomings, and perhaps place a bid of our own. Star Trek (and industrial design) fans can get their fix in the eyes-on gallery just below.

Gallery: Acer Aspire R7 Star Trek edition eyes-on

Sanji Feng contributed to this report.

Filed under: Laptops, Acer

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Source: Engadget Chinese

Pet care industry spending exceeds $50 billion per year in the US alone, so there's no question that folks are dropping some serious dough on man's best friend. A device to track your dog's health, then, makes an awful lot of sense, from a business perspective at the very least. Whistle, designed by a company bearing the same name, keeps tabs on your pooch for 100 bucks. The device connects to your pet's collar; from there, it quietly measures activity and rest. The information it gathers can then be shared with both you and your dog's doc, and it's also added to a database, available to researchers around the world. The device and associated service will provide feedback for improving your dog's health, tailored to his or her specific breed. You don't pay any fees beyond the $100 pre-order charge, which you can submit directly to the manufacturer at the source link below.

Filed under: Household, Wearables

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Source: Whistle

During today's Computex keynote, Microsoft Windows chief Tami Reller just announced that new x86 Windows 8 tablets will ship with Office in the box. The executive didn't detail the software offering, beyond mentioning that Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote will all be included. Windows RT devices, for their part, will now also include pre-installed Outlook, beginning with the Windows 8.1 update, which is due to arrive as a preview version later this month.

Update: Microsoft just put up a blog post saying that these free Office applications will come with "small screen tablets" -- in other words, not necessarily all Windows 8 tablets. Tami Reller didn't specify screen sizes during her presentation, and we don't know if small necessarily means the Iconia W3 degree of small (i.e. eight inches), but we're seeking clarification.

Update #2: We tracked down a rep at Computex who said that the bundled software will only come with Windows 8 tablets under 10 inches, which will evidently rule out a lot of devices.

Filed under: Software, Microsoft

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Source: Microsoft Windows blog

Earlier this week, E Ink announced its Mobius flexible display, a 1.73-inch touch-enabled panel for smartwatches. Now, the new screen has made its way onto the Computex exhibition floor in Taipei. Sonostar, a local manufacturer, has integrated the 320 x 240 grayscale panel within its new wearable, which the company is demonstrating for show attendees. Simply called "Smartwatch," the product is little more than a mockup at this point, but it is expected to hit production sometime in Q3 of this year.

The two samples on hand were non-functional, unfortunately, but they did each contain a working Mobius panel -- one displayed a sample Facebook notification, while the second had the time and date with a small low-res picture of a dog, along with battery and Bluetooth indicators up top. The watch itself was very lightweight, and while glare was clearly an issue today, there's plenty of time for engineers to tweak things before this ships later in the year. The Smartwatch, which can stay powered for up to a week with each charge, will come in both black and white, and should be compatible with both Android and iOS devices. Pricing is not yet set, but representatives did confirm that it'll be coming to the US.

Gallery: Sonostar E Ink Mobius smartwatch hands-on

Filed under: Displays, Wearables, Mobile

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Over the last year, some key manufacturers have opted to reduce their dependence on major trade shows, instead deciding to launch new devices at blowout private events. That's not the case at Computex. As the home of substantial technology players such as Acer, ASUS and HTC, Taiwan is no stranger to innovation. Its capital city, Taipei, has played host to this annual IT show for more than three decades, and judging by the activity today, the event remains vitally important to the country, and the industry as a whole. We had a chance to check out a tremendous number of new products on the first day alone, but we'll continue delivering news and hands-ons throughout the week. For a look at what we saw on Monday in Taipei, click past the break. Then check out our event hub for a complete look at Computex 2013.

Filed under: Desktops, Laptops, Tablets

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Acer's got a variety of hardware on display at its Computex press conference venue, including a TBA smartphone and tablet. The handset appears to be quite large -- it's definitely of the phablet variety, though it's unclear exactly what size the display is. The device on stage is running the stock Jelly Bean OS. The tablet, for its part, is at least seven inches -- possibly larger -- and running the latest version of Android as well. Acer's press conference begins in just a few minutes, and we expect to have plenty more details to share then.

Update: The slate on stage looks remarkably similar to the Iconia A1, which made its debut last month in NYC. Acer is keeping attendees at a distance, so we can't confirm for sure, but the resemblance is clear even from a few feet back.

Update 2: And the phone is called the Liquid S1 -- we've got all the details and a hands-on here.

Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Acer

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EA's Online Pass program has been in the news a bit of late, but that'll soon change. The voucher's now set to be phased out completely -- earlier this month the company shared that it won't be including the certificates with new games, but now Game Informer reports that this will apply to existing titles as well. Soon, EA Sports games will no longer prompt users for a code, while numbers for other titles will be made available for free online. The rollout should wrap up over the next few weeks.

Filed under: Gaming

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Via: Joystiq

Source: Game Informer

Fanhattan, maker of video-streaming tablet and smartphone apps, now has a set-top box to call its own. It's called Fan TV, and combines live web streaming, TV and cloud-based DVR functionality in a single device. The interface is very simple and clean -- you navigate through a TV-based UI, as you'd probably expect, with a tiny multi-touch remote driving the experience. The main device, designed in partnership with Yves Behar of OLPC fame, is also quite compact. Spec details are light, but we do know that the system runs on Android, and features limited connectivity, including Ethernet and HDMI. According to a The Next Web report, Fanhattan is planning to sell Fan TV through cable TV providers, rather than directly to consumers. The company isn't sharing its content and distribution partners yet, but more details will surely become public before the expected US launch later this year. There's also no mention of price. For a closer look, check out the promo video after the break.

Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD

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Via: The Next Web

Source: Fanhattan

At university graduations, students often deck out their academic regalia with glittery text and other shiny objects to help family members identify them among the crowd. As you might expect, the design sophistication can vary depending on the youngster's major, but at Cornell this year, one scholar clearly stole the show. Jeremy Blum, the proud new owner of a master's degree in electrical engineering, one-upped his classmates with Control my Cap, a WiFi-connected headpiece that packs 16 350mA high-brightness LEDs. Blum installed four red, green, blue and white LEDs in a clear light diffuser attached to his stock grad cap using a 3D-printed holder. He then embedded a Raspberry Pi computer and a $20 Adafruit LCD module with keypad within a wrist-mounted holder he printed with a MakerBot Replicator. Finally, a simple mobile site served as an interface for attendees, who could submit colors for the cap to display. We bet his professors are very proud.

Filed under: Displays, Wearables

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Source: Jeremy Blum

Admittedly, this one's a bit of a snooze, but if you find yourself adding events through Google's Calendar app on Android, you might give a hoot about these tweaks. First up is a new color tool, which lets you highlight specific appointments and change the color of your entire calendar. Judging by the screenshot above, there are two dozen hues up for grabs, so you're bound to find one that's to your liking. There's also a new date and time picker -- functionality hasn't changed much, but it looks different now. More rounded and playful, you might say. There's an analog clock, dials and all, for picking the time, and a fairly basic date listing for choosing the date. You can also select the correct time zone by typing in a city name -- the app takes care of the rest. You'll need Android 4.1 or higher to take advantage, so if you haven't yet pulled the trigger on that new handset purchase, you might want to set a date. Using the boring previous-gen Calendar app, of course.

Filed under: Internet, Software, Google

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Source: Google, Google Play

Singapore isn't necessarily known for its generous media freedoms, but the Southeast Asian city-state is planning to tighten the reigns even further next month. Beginning June 1st, any online news outlet with more than 50,000 unique monthly visitors within Singapore that also reports on the country at least once each week will need to obtain an operating license from the Media Development Authority. According to a press release, the objective of such a policy, which already covers print publications, is to "provide greater clarity" when it comes to text and visual media the government will not allow to be published, such as "content that undermines racial or religious harmony." The agency's release lists a total of 10 online publications that will be affected by the new policy, including sg.news.yahoo.com, businesstimes.com.sg and straitstimes.com. According to a Reuters report, blogs are currently excluded, though we could see stricter regulation on that front in the future.

Filed under: Internet, Alt

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Source: AsiaOne, Reuters

There's a mysterious new Leica coming next month, and now we know what it looks like. The German camera maker teased its new model, dubbed the Mini M, with an image of a generic black box posted last week. It looks like a French iPad app spilled the beans a bit early, though, and Mirrorless Rumors managed to snag a screen grab. The new cam (in the foreground above) will reportedly sport a 16.1-megapixel APS-C sensor and a fixed 28-70mm f/3.5-6.4 lens -- not the interchangeable mount some fans were expecting. The camera is said to be manufactured from aluminum, and includes support for an optional electronic viewfinder. Specs are fairly light, but there's supposedly HD video recording (that's a safe bet) and a copy of Adobe Photoshop Lightroom that ships in the box. Leica is scheduled to introduce the Mini M on June 11th, at which point all of the above, along with the rumored €2,450 (about $3,150) price tag, will likely be confirmed.

Filed under: Cameras

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Via: PetaPixel

Source: Mirrorless Rumors

There are a lot of 7-inch tablets on the market, but few can be had at a US-based retailer for less than 100 bucks. Chinese manufacturer Hisense is set to undercut that saturated market with a pair of budget Jelly Bean tablets: the Sero 7 LT, priced at $99, and the Sero 7 Pro with a $149 MSRP. While both devices include similar housings, the internals differ significantly, as you might expect.

The cheaper model includes a 1.6GHz dual-core CPU, 1GB of RAM, 4 gigs of internal storage (plus a microSD slot with support for 32GB cards), a 1,024 x 600-pixel 7-inch display, 0.3-megapixel front-facing camera, a four-hour battery and Android 4.1. The Pro model boasts a 1.3GHz quad-core Tegra 3 processor, 1GB RAM, 8 gigs of storage, an upgraded 1,280 x 800 display, a 2MP camera up front with a 5MP cam on the rear, up to 10 hours of battery life and Android 4.2. You should be able to snag both tablets at your local Walmart store or through the retailer's website beginning tomorrow.

Filed under: Tablets

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Source: Walmart

Chevy just announced pricing for its 2014 Spark EV. The all-electric compact will retail for $27,495 before incentives, such as a $7,500 federal tax credit and up to $2,500 in state and local credits. All told, you could drive the car home for less than 18 grand, and California residents will net HOV (carpool lane) access to boot. The four-door vehicle ships with a 21kWh battery pack, giving you an estimated range of 82 miles on a full charge. You can also add on DC Fast Charging capability, letting you recharge up to 80 percent in about 20 minutes at select stations. Alternatively, you can charge up using a 240-volt system in about seven hours. The car also includes Chevy's MyLink infotainment platform, the RemoteLink smartphone app and three years of OnStar service. It'll be available at select dealers in California and Oregon by mid-June.

Update: In the original version of this post, we incorrectly reported that the Spark is a two-door compact. There are four doors, however -- the rear handles are hidden from view.

Filed under: Transportation

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