Recent Comments:
DViCO launches PCIe-based FusionHDTV7 dual HDTV tuner card {Engadget}
May 3rd 2008 9:39AM I don't know about you, but when I see a giant metal can, I don't think "silicon tuner". Silicon tuners are much much smaller than that (size of an eraser on the end of a pencil). I'm willing to bet the two smaller chips are just demodulators.
Now, this device says it does Analog TV as well. This is interesting as there are 1000+ lower power analog stations that don't have to switch to digital in 2009.
The biggest question I have is: will this actually decode video (set-top-box on a chip) or is it another in a long line of demodulators that the PC then has to decode?
Mitsubishi's AVCREC Blu-ray recorders stuff HD content onto standard DVDs {Engadget}
Mar 18th 2008 12:20PM Don't forget Brazil with its slightly different standard.
Oyster Cards vulnerable to RFID hack, lots of other systems too {Engadget}
Mar 14th 2008 5:41PM Sweet, someone else from Atlanta that though "Gee, I bet I could do this..."
I don't use marta much, and I'm sure the temporary cards are worthless, but if you find someone that has the plastic cards, then you can probably cheat and use their account so long as they aren't on the rail. I say this because my friend had to buy two cards when he and his wife were going to travel, he thought he could get away with just swiping the card twice!
TSA can't believe MacBook Air is a real laptop, causes owner to miss flight {Engadget}
Mar 10th 2008 3:34PM Sounds like the traveler didn't get to the airport on time - its not TSA's fault. I've been flagged for the dreaded "SSSS" search a number of times (its not random if you book the night before, one way, and are checking no luggage!). Always plan in advance the time it takes to run all your electronics through the bomb sniffer.
Two-thirds of Americans think nanotechnology is morally unacceptable -- wait, what? {Engadget}
Feb 20th 2008 9:18AM Weak study. FTFA; 29% said it was morally acceptable. Did the other group just not fill out the answer sheet? Was this survey (of only 1k people) taken in a rural town in South Carolina? What were the other questions? If you were giving this question right after a question about embryonic stem cell research, you've already applied bias. What was the average level of education, job position, employment record for the people questioned?
Surveys lie.
Cisco is killing the Scientific Atlanta brand {Engadget}
Jan 6th 2008 12:04AM Settop boxes are usually a bunch of hacked together pieces of software that continue to grow and convolute over time.
Atlanta is home to a number of STB software companies. The SARA engineers shouldn't have a problem finding jobs :)
Phosphor E Ink watch giveaway (part 1) {Engadget}
Dec 26th 2007 6:04PM My current watch is my stupid moto razor. :(
So, what'd you get? {Engadget}
Dec 25th 2007 1:22PM In the words of Nathan Explosion, "Noooootthhhhhingggg" (as brutal as can be typed).
Ingram Micro's $459 24-inch V7 monitor is an HDMI oddity {Engadget}
Dec 18th 2007 2:19PM Can we get an updated "Do it yourself projector" project now?
Nissan's GPS-enabled cruise control foreshadows robot cars {Engadget}
Dec 16th 2007 8:29AM There are a few people here that are muddying the waters by comparing all computers to cell phones and personal computers. This is trying to compare "time to market" software and hardware (rushed designs and development with minimal testing) for non-critical use against hardware and software designed in life threatening situations (medical computers/embedded devices, air plane control systems, etc) which are usually tested to a very high degree of reliability. Please, tone down to rhetoric about "I don't trust my laptop/cellphone".
Now, I'm a computer scientist who has some stake in this technology as my wife was in a fatal accident 6 months ago - just sitting at a red light. In order for technology like this to replace a driver, it has to work in all normal situations for car driving (highway / city). To be successful I believe there are some key points that have to be addressed:
1) Information form multiple sensors are combined to form a real time, 360degree map.
2) The computer(s) must have assisitive control over steering, breaking, and acceleration (human override at anytime).
3) This information should be published (in a simi-anonymous fashion) to a "car area network" (CAN) and used by the local car to extend said 360 map. Published information can come from static devices installed by local governments, or other 'smart' cars.
4) Everything be open-source and tested to the same degree of failure as medical devices.
5) (very important) The technology needs to be "back ported" to older cars already on the road as an affordable package. The more cars you have, the more detailed a map you can generate.
Some day this will happen, and I hope to lend my services to the cause. On that day, I believe one of these cars will take emergency maneuvers to avoid an erratic/unsafe "bogey" from having a fatal accident with your loved ones.
(I love you, Erin)
