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AI that picked Oscar winners could predict the next US president
There's strength -- and intelligence -- in numbers. Unanimous A.I., a Silicon Valley startup, has built a platform that taps into the collective knowledge of a group of people to form its own opinions, preferences and surprisingly accurate predictions. The software, dubbed UNU, successfully guessed last year's Oscar winners (11 out of 15 categories) and most recently predicted the winning horses in the Kentucky Derby. Now the "artificial swarm intelligence" is hosting its first AMA on Reddit, where it will respond to questions pertaining to the US presidential elections.
Unu Android-powered 'entertainment hub' tablet ships in November for $200
As things often go with such products, the Unu tablet/game console/home entertainment center combo is a bit delayed. The Android device, which was originally scheduled to ship this summer, is now set to hit select retailers and online stores beginning next month. We spent some time with the device earlier this year at E3, and while the concept here isn't entirely unique, the execution seemed compelling enough. There's a 1,280 x 800-pixel 7-inch display, 2MP and 5MP cameras, 1GB RAM, 8 gigs of flash storage, HDMI output, 2 USB ports and support for up to 64GB microSD cards on board the Jelly Bean-powered slate. Pricing is set at $200 for the Media Edition, which includes a docking station and an air mouse controller with keyboard, and $250 for the Gaming Edition, which adds a game controller, making the Unu rig affordable enough to have broad appeal. Check it out in our E3-era hands-on after the break, and if you like what you see, you can place a pre-order at select e-tailers via the source link below.
Unu Android tablet / console hands-on (video)
Another Android gaming console at this year's E3? Kind of, sort of, yeah. But Unu's (née Snakebyte) looking to set itself apart from the OUYAs, Gamesticks and M.O.J.O.s of the world (to name but a few) by becoming the "Swiss Army knife" of the space. The device isn't so much a console as tablet that plugs into your TV, meaning that you can do pretty much whatever you can do on a standard Android slate (which, arguably, you can also do with Mad Catz's device, but we digress). The tablet itself runs Android 4.2, display through a seven-inch, 1280 x 800 IPS screen. The rear sports a brushed aluminum surface and a 5-megapixel camera (with a 2.0 module on the front). Inside, you've got 8GB of storage and a 1.6GHz quad-core chip. Unu does Bluetooth 4.0 and has two micro-USB ports, a microSD slot and, most importantly, a mini-HDMI port, which lets you turn the thing into a living room console of sorts, by connecting it to your HDTV. If you're feeling fancy, you can go in for the docking station, which does video out and charging -- and also props the tablet up nicely, so you can watch the same thing on two displays at the same time.
Snakebyte gamepad evolves into Unu Android tablet, promises to replace your Smart TV
What defines ambition? Maybe it's building an Android tablet after first setting out to build a Bluetooth gaming controller. That seems to be the backstory behind the Unu, a pair of seven and 10-inch gaming tablets that started life as the Snakebyte gamepad. The German made tablet is built to take the role of game console, music player, internet device and Smart TV, packing in a TV docking station, a whitewashed variation of the original Snakebyte game controller and a qwerty-equipped air mouse. The tablet is also said to include a proprietary UI for easy navigation and a button mapping app for games without native controller support. Technical specifications, availability and price details are scarce, but Sunflex CEO Mike Steup seems confident it'll impress. "It's the entertainment center of tomorrow," he says, explaining that the Unu will be available sometime in 2013. Luckily, the slab seems to be making an appearance at CES - we'll let you know if we can scrounge up some more info on the show floor. Follow all the latest CES 2013 news at our event hub.
