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NASA's Curiosity rover finds ancient streambed on Mars, evidence of 'vigorous' water flow
Curiosity may have spent a while limbering up for the mission ahead, but now it's found evidence of an ancient streambed on Mars that once had "vigorous" water flow. Photos of two rock outcroppings taken by the rover's mast camera between the north rim of Gale Crater and the foot of Mount Sharp reveal gravel embedded into a layer of conglomerate rock. The shape of the small stones indicate to NASA JPL scientists that they were previously moved, and their size (think from grains of sand to golf balls) are a telltale sign that water did the work instead of wind. Evidence of H2O on Mars has been spotted before, but this is the first direct look at the composition of riverbeds NASA has observed from above. According to Curiosity science co-investigator William Dietrich, it's estimated that water flowed at the site anywhere from thousands to millions of years ago, moved at a clip of roughly 3 feet per second and was somewhere between ankle and hip deep. "A long-flowing stream can be a habitable environment," Mars Science Laboratory Project Scientist John Grotzinger said. "It is not our top choice as an environment for preservation of organics, though. We're still going to Mount Sharp, but this is insurance that we have already found our first potentially habitable environment."
H2O Bolt promises unlimited 4G internet for $50, pretends it's never heard of Clear
It's not everyday that an MVNO decides to offer up unlimited data courtesy of Clearwire's WiMAX network, but H2O's latest entrant known as Bolt makes us wish the practice were far less frequent. The $50 no-contract service essentially replicates Clear's own offering at the very same price point that's been available to customers for years. Furthermore, both companies share Best Buy as their most significant retail channel. Now, for whatever reason, H2O's Bolt Flash (the $100 USB modem) and Bolt Spider (the $150 mobile hotspot) will sit side-by-side Clear's own offerings at the big box retailer, where it'll be up to those in Smurf shirts to explain the difference -- there's none. You'll find the PR after the break, but if you're living in Detroit, Phoenix, Indianapolis, Louisville, New Orleans, Memphis or Albuquerque, none of this even remotely matters. Frustrating, isn't it?
iMobileMinutes for Android refills your prepaid's empty tank
For all you free-wheelers who prefer talking without commitment, iMobileMinutes is giving you one less excuse to go running to the gas station when it's time to top up your cellular account -- thanks to a free set of carrier-specific apps in the Android Market that perform the same function with considerably less effort. Now, you can purchase minutes directly (or get the necessary PIN), in the denomination of your choice, all from the comfort of your Google-powered smartphone. If this sounds appealing, there's support for Alltel, AT&T, Cricket, H2O, Simple Mobile, T-Mobile, and Verizon Wireless, along with Airlink, Airvoice and Net 10. It's certainly a nifty alternative, but if you're not ready to cut ties with your favorite 7-Eleven clerk just yet, there's always Slurpees. Just don't blame us for the brain freeze, okay?
H2O Audio's Amphibx Grip waterproof armband keeps your new iPod nano, shuffle dry
Yep -- the same folks that enabled your iPod nano 5G to become an underwater camera have just created yet another underwater armband for Apple's latest. H2O Audio's Amphibx Grip is specifically designed to keep the latest iPod nano and iPod shuffle shielded from the harmful, oftentimes fatal effects of liquid, promising a "100 percent watertight and secure seal that provides waterproofing up to 12 feet." We're told that the ClearTouch Window allows for full operation of touchscreen and button controls, and if you're wondering, the company would be more than happy to sell you a set of waterproof earbuds to go along with it. Check it right now for a penny under $60. Michael Phelps would.
MTI Whirlpools' Stereo H2O throws tunes in the tub
We know, you're already skeptical about this one, especially considering all the dodgy material that's already floated your way, but unless someone at MTI Whirlpools is blowing hot steam, this one is for realz. The Stereo H20 bathtub actually does manage to integrate audio-blastin' equipment into a container full of water without guaranteeing any sort of unexpected electrocution along the way. Touting the soothing benefits of "full-bodied sound," the tub rocks several acoustic transducers on the shell's exterior near the waterline, which should theoretically create a bucket of sound to "envelope" the bather in question. Additionally, the digital amplifier that powers said speakers includes provisions for your iPod (or any other DAP, we presume), CD / DVD player, or even an eight-track jam if you can find the correct adapter. Unsurprisingly, there's no word yet concerning the pricetag on this unique piece, but if it's anything like the musically inclined Aquagate shower, it'll probably be reserved for the more affluent set anyway.[Via OhGizmo]
Select subscribers getting TiVoCast web-based programming
Following last month's deal with web video publisher Brightcove, TiVo has announced another round of partnerships that will bring various on-demand video clips to broadband-equipped Series 2 owners, with a new service called TiVoCast. The company has been making moves in this direction for some time now, but this is the first time we're being offered content that we'd actually bother watching, including NBA and WNBA highlights, New York Times-produced video (featuring David Pogue's often-humorous reviews), advice from CNET, and a dose of hip hop culture from H2O, along with male- and female-targeted programming from Heavy.com and iVillage, respectively. The new content -- accessible from the "Showcases" screen when it begins appearing next month -- will not be available to everyone, however, as USA Today is reporting that neither DirecTV subscribers nor Comcast customers will have access to any of these value-added TiVoCast downloads.