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Mozilla will stop supporting Firefox OS for smartphones in May
Mozilla's Firefox OS isn't strictly speaking dead, but it may as well be as far as smartphones are concerned. The company announced via email that it would stop supporting the mobile OS after releasing Firefox OS 2.6 (currently slated for the end of May), a move that'll free up staff that will try to figure out how exactly Firefox OS fits into the growing internet-of-things scene.
Stanford's 'Gecko Glove' makes Spider-Man climbing possible
Never let anyone crush your dreams. Last week the results of a University of Cambridge study spread through the news, claiming that the dream of Spider-Man-like abilities for humans is simply impossible. By their reasoning, sticky pads need to scale up in order to support increased weight, and as a result, the size of a gecko is about as big as a vertical climber can be. The only problem? An engineer at Stanford showed off a way around that problem back in 2014. Now Elliot Hawkes has dropped a diss track on YouTube firing shots at Cambridge and Stephen Colbert, showing off his climbing skills thanks to a "Gecko Glove."
Stanford University makes its own Gecko-inspired wall climbing pads
Military types are obsessed with the Gecko because of the unique structure of its feet, which enable it to climb walls like Spider-man. Earlier this year, DARPA told the world that one of its labs had built a pair of pads that would enable a 218-pound person wearing 50 pounds of gear to pretend that they're Tobey Maguire. Of course, the method for building the pads was a closely guarded secret, but a team at Stanford University believes that it's cracked the formula. In essence (really paraphrasing here), the group started with PDMS -- polydimethylsiloxane -- a composite more commonly found in water-repellant coatings, skin moisturizers and at least one franchise burger joint's chicken nuggets. The substance was then molded into microwedges to increase the surface area, and crammed into a hexagonal plate with a handle. Testing is still underway, and as you can see in the video below, it's not the most exciting thing to see -- but we figure that millions of teenagers are currently adding this to their gift lists in the hope of making it easier to sneak in and out on a Friday night.
Soldiers of the future will climb walls like Spider-Man
The mad scientists at DARPA are encouraged to come up with crazy schemes to provide the US with an edge in future military campaigns. It looks as if the Z-Man Program, presumably subtitled "project make soldiers climb walls like Spider-man," has come to a successful conclusion. Copying the physical structure of a Gecko's toe, a team at Draper Laboratory, Cambridge, Mass., has constructed a pair of paddles that enable a 218-pound human to scale a wall with a 50-pound load strapped to their back. Naturally, it'll be a while until we see snipers scaling enemy buildings with this sort of tech, but it's a damn sight more useful than suction cups or a strong rope and a lot of pulling.
Gecko Bluetooth tags act as motion and location triggers for your mobile (video)
What you see above isn't a fancy pick -- it's a gesture control peripheral called Gecko designed to do a lot more than strum a guitar. According to its creators, each action the coin-sized gadget makes can correspond to a phone function, so long as the two are connected via Bluetooth. You could, for instance, configure your device loaded with the accompanying iOS or Android app to make an emergency call whenever you shake Gecko once. However, they claim that it also has many potential offbeat uses, such as notifying you when someone moves your bag or helping you find lost pets, kids or, worse, keys. Of course, that'll only work if you tag your items with it, but anyone with a hyperactive five-year-old wouldn't mind improvising a necklace out of it. Don't expect to find one at a local mall, though -- Gecko's merely an Indiegogo project at the moment, hoping to raise $50,000 to start mass production.
OLPC delivers big OS update with text-to-speech, DisplayLink and WebKit
While most of its energy is focused on the XO-4 Touch, the One Laptop Per Child project is swinging into full gear for software, too. The project team has just posted an OS 12.1.0 update that sweetens the Sugar for at least present-day XO units. As of this latest revamp, text-to-speech is woven into the interface and vocalizes any selectable text -- a big help for students that are more comfortable speaking their language than reading it. USB video output has been given its own lift through support for more ubiquitous DisplayLink adapters. If you're looking for the majority of changes, however, they're under-the-hood tweaks to bring the OLPC architecture up to snuff. Upgrades to GTK3+ and GNOME 3.4 help, but we're primarily noticing a shift from Mozilla's web engine to WebKit for browsing: although the OLPC crew may have been forced to swap code because of Mozilla's policies on third-party apps, it's promising a much faster and more Sugar-tinged web experience as part of the switch. While they're not the same as getting an XO-3 tablet, the upgrades found at the source link are big enough that classrooms (and the occasional individual) will be glad they held on to that early XO model.
The Engadget interview: Mozilla Chief of Innovation Todd Simpson at CTIA 2012 (video)
Today at CTIA Wireless in New Orleans we got the chance to spend a few minutes with Todd Simpson, Chief of Innovation at Mozilla. We talked about the company's "pivot into mobile" -- more specifically Firefox for Android and Boot to Gecko -- and what it means for Mozilla's future. Is there a Firefox for Windows Phone in the works? Will Boot to Gecko migrate to other platforms, like laptops? We're not going to spoil the fun for you -- just watch our video interview. Brad Molen contributed to this report.
The Amazing Gecko-Man: a superhero future made possible by probable science
There's no superhero origin story that begins with a bite (or a lick?) from a gecko. Plain 'ol wall climbing powers are, it seems, just not as sexy as wearing skintight suits, slinging webs and crawling up buildings. But if a few bright minds at the University of Southampton have anything to say about it, we could soon find ourselves walking like real-life lizard people (V, anyone?) and suctioning onto various surfaces using the managed properties of light. Lead researcher John Zhang and his UK team have predicted the existence of a force more powerful than gravity and the short-range pull of the Casimir effect, whereby plasmons (electromagnetic waves) captured on a metamaterial and the electrons on a metal resonate and form a bond of attraction. The resultant particle field is supposedly strong enough to "overcome the Earth's gravitational pull" and could even be used to alter the reflectivity of a material. Obvious military and aerospace applications aside, this invisible adhesive could also make its way into our everyday lives -- they just need to need to prove that it, y'know, actually exists first.
Inhabitat's Week in Green: Rolls Royce 102EX test drive, electric unicycle and a sun-powered leaf
Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us -- it's the Week in Green. Electric vehicle momentum swept the states this week as Inhabitat took a spin in the new Rolls Royce 102EX Phantom EV, and we brought you exclusive photos of BMW's brand new i3 and i8 electric cars. We also showcased six sexy electric vehicles set to hit the streets in 2012, watched a 350MPG EV win the Future Car Challenge, and saw scientists create the world's smallest electric vehicle from a molecule and four motors. Meanwhile, El Al airlines announced plans to launch a line of hybrid-electric Boeing 737 airplanes, Ryno unveiled a crazy electric unicycle, and a team of students revealed Uganda's first electric car. It was a big week for alternative energy as well as Kenya announced plans to tap lava power with a newly Toshiba-built geothermal energy plant and scientists made a breakthrough in using urine as a viable power source. We also looked into a scientist claiming to have achieved cold fusion, a 'solar cucumber' that harvests fresh drinking water from the ocean, and a sun-powered leaf capable of making ice in the desert. In other news, green textiles advanced by leaps and bounds as scientists wove fabric from 24-karat gold, researchers developed a reusable fabric that administers drugs through the skin, and the University of Kiel's developed a super-adhesive tape inspired by Gecko skin. We also showcased an incredible set of sculptures made from recycled circuit boards, we watched a crop of styrofoam robots invade Germany's streets, and we saw an innovative self-powered irrigation system win the 2011 James Dyson award. And just in time for the chilly winter season, we found these oh-so-handy texting gloves which feature conductive fingertips that allow you to touch, tap, or type on any mobile touchscreen outdoors without having to remove your gloves.
Mozilla seeks to infiltrate Android with Boot to Gecko, a new mobile OS for geekos
Remember those rumblings about Mozilla and its very own mobile OS known as Boot to Gecko? We now have further details to share, and unlike most operating systems -- which demand their own hardware -- this one is aiming to shack up with Android smartphones. Given the existing complexity of altering many of these devices, Mozilla's Boot to Gecko will likely find favor among geeks alone, but the project itself has much greater ambitions. First and foremost, the OS will be designed with web apps in mind, yet with functionality and device integration that's on par with native applications. The true boon here is the potential for other operating systems to integrate Mozilla's technologies into their own browsers, thus allowing true cross-platform application development and the possibility of bolstering platforms that struggle for developer interest. Right now, much of the project exists only in the minds of a few tenacious developers, but the group hopes to unveil a public demo early next year. As if this weren't wild enough, while Mozilla has no intention of creating its own Boot to Gecko device, the group has expressed a willingness to work with OEMs that share its dream of a web-based future. Go ahead and count us in.
TBCP-II tank robot climbs walls with gecko-inspired feet (video)
Taking a cue from nature and perhaps Geico, researchers at Simon Fraser University Burnaby have created a gecko-inspired robot, the Timeless Belt Climbing Platform (TBCP-II), capable of climbing smooth walls or across ceilings with lizard-like foot pads. The feet, made out of fibrillar adhesive polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), act as grip thanks to a small mushroom cap design 17 micrometers wide and 10 micrometers high for maximum surface exposure. The 240g tank-like machine is also somewhat independent, using sensors to detect its surroundings to change course based on obstacles in its way, taking us one step closer to... the inevitable. Check out the video and full PR after the break.
Gecko-inspired water-powered robot scales glass, washes windows (sort of)
We've seen some pretty impressive Spidey-like robots in our time, but honestly, crawling walls isn't always enough to pique or interest. A robot that can scale buildings and wash windows -- now that's something to get excited about. Like this little wall climber, the gecko-inspired machine enlists the Bernoulli principle, using the flow of water through fluidic vacuum generators that allow the reptilian robot to get a grip on smooth surfaces. Next, the water is directed through a solenoid valve to a piston in the robot's spine, and finally, the excess liquid is expelled and used to get glass gleaming. Currently, the little machine is capable of carrying twice its weight, and uses a small battery to power a "wireless communication system" and the servos used to control its direction. We're definitely intrigued, but judging from the video (after the break), we're pretty sure it's no match for flesh and blood window washers.
GameCube Fusion portable brings Wii aesthetics, GBA design to Nintendo's boxiest console (video)
It seems like there was a time, not that long ago, where we saw another new hand-crafted portable console every week, each one smaller and more impressive than those before. Those days are, sadly, gone and, whether you want to blame the short attention span of today's youth or simply conclude that everyone's too busy playing Angry Birds, it's a sad fact. Modder Ashen is bucking the trend, creating what he calls the GameCube Fusion. It's a hand-built portable GameCube that plays (hopefully legally acquired) titles from SD card via both WiiKey and Gecko, offering full controls on-board plus an external controller port, all kept cool by a laptop-sourced fan that sounds powerful enough to make the thing hover, F-Zero-style. It's far smaller than 2009's NCube, but the omission of a battery pack means it won't be traveling far. For those who want to know more, every detail will be revealed in the 12 minute video embedded just below -- if you can keep focused that long.
Flock 3.5 browser for Mac moves to speedy Chromium 7 engine
Flock, the free combo web browser / social networking tool / dessert topping, has been updated on all platforms to version 3.5, but the newest version for Mac OS X has really received a boost. In the past, Flock for Mac OS X was based on Gecko, the web browser layout engine from Mozilla that powers the Firefox browser. Unfortunately for Mac users, Flock was a bit on the slow side. Flock 3.5 for Mac OS X has replaced the Gecko engine with the shiny, speedy new Chromium 7 engine, which is based on WebKit. I downloaded the new Mac OS X edition yesterday and it feels much faster than the previous version, although I have no benchmarks to validate that claim. Flock is unique among web browsers in that it has a scrolling sidebar that contains a constantly-changing flow of updates from your social networks, including Twitter, FaceBook, LinkedIn, Flickr, YouTube, and RSS feeds. To log into all of the social networks and services, Flock requires a free account. Once you have logged into the Flock account, all of the updates start to scroll down the sidebar. It's a great way to keep up with your social networks while browsing or blogging. [via DownloadSquad]
NorhTech Gecko netbook reviewed, small, slow (video)
The kids at Liliputing finally got a chance to put the 8.9-inch, AA-powered NorhTec Gecko Edubook through its paces and, you know what? It's slow. Like, every bit as slow as you expected a 1GHz, 512MB of RAM, 8GB SD card storage device to be. The review unit sports the lightweight WattOS (Ubuntu based) Linux distro, although this guy will also support Windows XP if that's what floats your boat. Sure, it's cheap (under $200), so if portability is a premium for you, and you don't really need things like video or Google Docs (which is particularly painful to watch on the included video) you might want to give this one a second look. See for yourself after the break.
NorhTech Gecko netbook loaded up with AAs and booted
It's been a while since we first saw the $199 NorhTech Gecko hit the scene, but the AA-powered netbook looks to finally be hitting US shores in proper fashion, and the crew at Lilliputing just got their tester. Inside it's no great shakes, with a 1GHz Xcore86 processor, 512MB of RAM, an 8GB SD card, and an 8.9-inch 1024 x 600 display -- but almost every component can be swapped out for a more powerful variant, including the processor. That's certainly intriguing, especially for the education market NorhTech is targeting, but we're mostly on the edge of our seats waiting to find out how long those AAs last under some real use. Check one video after the break and another at the read link.
Norhtec's $199 Gecko EduBook, and its AA batteries, now available
You thought it wouldn't happen; you thought it couldn't be true. A $199 netbook that runs on the same batteries your fully-motorized LEGO AT-AT eats for breakfast? That's right, the updated Gecko EduBook we showed you last month is now available for purchase -- on two conditions. First: that you don't mind giving your credit card number to someone in Thailand. Second: that you don't do a spit-take when you're quoted a shipping fee. The laptop is indeed selling to individuals for a nickle less than $200, but if you're looking to outfit the entire class of 2017 with a fleet of these you can get that price way down to $160. A bargain, for sure, but just how well is that Xcore86 system on a chip going to cope with Windows XP, and who's the brave soul willing to risk a couple Benjamins (plus s&h) to find out?[Via Digital Home Thoughts]
Next Gecko netbook to have bigger screen, AA power, $200 price?
NorhTec's last attempt at a super-cheap laptop hasn't exactly rocked many peoples' boats -- with its 7-inch display surrounded by the king of all bezels and a $300 price, you don't have to spend much more to get a lot more netbook. Word on the 'net is, though, that there's a new Gecko EduBook on the way, set for debut at Computex and moving up to a netbook-standard 8.9-inch, 1024 x 768 600 LED-backlit screen while also dropping to a sub-$200 price point. That's possible thanks to a new architecture based on an Xcore86 system on a chip, offering a 1GHz processor and power consumption of just 1.2 watts, equating to four hours of battery life on eight NiMH AA batteries or six hours if Li-on cells are used. Full specs are at the read link, a demonstration video below, and, while this little lappy is still far from a powerhouse, it certainly looks a lot more appealing than its predecessor -- and some other low-cost alternatives.Update: Michael Barnes from NorhTech wrote in to clarify the history of these and the pricing a bit. The EduBook is completely modular and if you happen to be a small country looking to make a large order you can configure these for well under $150, but for the rest of us individual units should be available in the $195 range. Additionally, more models are on the way, including a 10-inch netbook and even a nettop.[Warning: PDF read link]
Second Life shutters orientation islands
Linden Lab has chosen to close its existing task-based Second Life Orientation Islands, which have been problematic in so many ways. Instead a modified version of the so-called Help Islands will be used as default user-entry-points instead. These modified islands were a part of an A/B testing program last month, and Blue Linden, Linden Lab's volunteer coordinator, said that the modified Help Islands 'are proving to do a bit better' according to the internal metrics that Linden Lab keeps. Just how much better, we're not sure, as Linden Lab generally plays those cards fairly close, but one Linden staffer is reported as saying that the hub-structured, task-oriented Orientation Islands are currently only yielding about 1%. We're not even sure whether to believe that grim statistic, as it seems to be shockingly low. Linden Lab's testing seems to indicate that the task-oriented nature of the Orientation islands is a mark against them, while many others have suggested that it is the hubbed layout that is at fault. Certainly everyone agrees that the outdated and faulty Orientation HUD system (an attachable user-interface item that is intended to guide and instruct) is a major strike against the existing orientation experience. Are you a part of the most widely-known collaborative virtual environment or keeping a close eye on it? Massively's Second Life coverage keeps you in the loop.
Warning: This dog bites!
Kylie Prymus is the first columnist for PS Fanboy. A Ph.D candidate in philosophy, Kylie specializes in the sociology of technology. Through this new weekly column, Kylie will explore the impact of PlayStation on thought and culture. I'm talking about this dog. Not just any dog. The Big Dog. It may not have teeth (though I'm sure those servo-motors could put a hurtin' on) but when I was shown this video earlier in the week I felt sure it had taken a few nips at my soul. Cut the dog down to two legs and increase its size tenfold and you've got a nearly perfect real life version of the Geckos from MGS4. While I've mentioned MGS4 to a greater or lesser degree in previous columns, thus far I've avoided tackling anything in the game head on. This is largely because, as readers of my last post are aware, my PS3 is several states away and I haven't been able to watch play the game through to its conclusion. Don't worry, I'll pick up Snake's saga in a couple weeks (he's at the front of the line just ahead of Niko and Zack), but I should be able to make a few observations about the game given what I have played (up to the middle of Act 3). If you haven't yet done so I suggest you hit the first link above and check out the video of Big Boss Dog.
