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Ion-powered aircraft flies with no moving parts
As clean as electric aircraft can be, there's still one kind of pollution they still produce: noise. Even that might go away before long, though. MIT researchers have successfully flown an ionic wind-powered aircraft that doesn't use any moving parts. The 16-foot wide machine stays aloft by charging wires with a high enough voltage (40,000V) that they strip negatively-charged electrons from air molecules, which are promptly attracted to negative electrodes at the back of the aircraft. The collisions from that newly-formed ionic wind create the thrust needed to keep the vehicle airborne.
Some of Earth's oxygen escapes to the moon every month
The Earth and the moon share more than an orbit around the Sun. Turns out that bits of atmosphere manage to travel the 240,000 miles out to our nearest celestial neighbor, and have been for more than 2 billion years, according to data gathered by Japan's moon-orbiting Kaguya spacecraft.
Researchers discover bacteria can communicate electrically, like neurons
Bacteria may be unicellular but that doesn't mean they're complete loners. They often congregate in (relatively) large colonies, not unlike human cities. In fact, a team of researchers from the University of California, San Diego have recently discovered that at least one species has even developed a long-range (again, relatively) communications mechanism which works very similarly to the brain's neurons.
ION's Road Warrior Bluetooth speaker won't fit in your bag, costs $399 (hands-on)
ION Audio took to CES 2014 to reveal a number of new products, and the Road Warrior was among them. In typical trade show fashion, we thought it was only appropriate to stop by the company's booth to check out its not-so-portable Bluetooth speaker. As you can imagine, this thing is big and extremely loud -- we were playing Lorde at about half the maximum volume and walked away hugely impressed at the amount of noise it can push out. It wasn't exactly surprising given its 200-watt power and two 10-inch woofers, but the Road Warrior can definitely turn your tailgate party into one for the ages. ION Audio told us that the model being shown is a prototype, with the final retail version said to feature a thinner body and built-in kickstand. Priced at $399, the Road Warrior won't be shipping until June, though you can catch an early glimpse of it in our gallery after the break.
Road Warrior Bluetooth speaker plans to amp up your tailgating with 200 watts
If the average portable Bluetooth speaker doesn't pack enough audio punch for your liking, Ion's just revealed a titan that just might meet your needs. Dubbed the Road Warrior, the firm's 200-watt wireless stereo system packs a duo of ten-inch woofers paired with two one-inch tweeters. In addition to Bluetooth streaming capabilities, the box also boasts an AM/FM radio and an 1/8-inch jack. When it comes to power, the package can rely on its built-in battery, a wall plug or the 12 volt outlet in your auto. The kit was designed for occasions like tailgating events and cookouts, so it's fitting that the speakers are contained in a cloth-covered box reminiscent of car audio gear. A price tag and release date are MIA, but expect more information as CES -- and 2014 -- continues.
Ion Audio shows off its latest offerings, including the AirCopy and the iDJ2Go, at CES 2013
Ion Audio has a booth set up as usual on the floor of this year's International CES, where it is showing off a number of new and fairly new products for anyone coming to see them. This company is one of our favorites -- they make some really excellent iOS accessories and fun devices (including the very popular iCade line and the All Star Guitar) and we were very excited to see what 2013 would bring. Fortunately, Ion didn't disappoint. The most impressive accessories in the booth were probably from the iDJ 2 Go line. The 30-pin version of Ion's DJ controller (as seen above) is already available, and it provides a great physical interface for either the company's official iDJ2Go app, or Algoriddim's great djay app. There's a new Lightning version of the iDJ2Go board coming this spring, too, so if you have an iPad mini or an iPhone 5 you want to use it on, you can do that. Ion was also showing off its Scratch2Go accessories, which are a set of capacitive touch-based accessories (including a few sliders, and some turntable knobs), which can sit right on your iPad's screen and allow for more physical controls while using these DJ apps. The Scratch2Go kit makes for a little more crazier contraption (you literally stick the knobs and sliders onto your iPad's screen with suction cups), but at US$39, it's a relatively cheap and easy way to set yourself up with real physical DJ controls. Elsewhere in the booth, Ion was also showing off its Bluetooth speakers. The Party Rocker was an interesting bit of fun -- it's a speaker with a spinning light on top that's designed to make any parties you play music at a little livelier. But the Job Rocker Pro was probably the most impressive speaker in Ion's arsenal: It's a completely wooden speaker that's got all of the bells and whistles you can think of, from an AM/FM tuner to plenty of USB auxiliary plugins, a mobile battery for 50 hours of off-cord life, and even two AC power plugs on the side for charging or using anything else you happen to have around. The Job Rocker Pro was seriously impressive -- I don't know if you'd need a speaker on a work site, but if you do, this $299 model would be all you need. Finally, Ion also showed us the AirCopy, which isn't related to audio at all: Instead, it's a WiFi based scanner that can transmit any photos or documents wirelessly over to your iPad or any other iOS device. This scanner actually runs its own WiFi network wherever you set it up, which means all you have to do is connect the iOS device to its network once it's up and running, and then anything you send in through the slot on the wireless scanner will get automatically uploaded to the iOS device's photo library. From there, you can push it out to any other apps, running optical recognition, photo processing or any other tasks on it as needed. It's all very impressive -- you get a real-time view of the photo coming in as it scans, and the quality looks very excellent. The AirCopy will be available for $149 when it comes out this spring, and we'll keep an eye out for it to run a full hands-on. Ion always brings some fascinating gadgets to show off at CES, and this year was no exception. The company's certainly got a big year ahead.
iON reveals Adventure and Air Pro 2 sports cameras, we go hands on
You may remember iON stepping out onto the action camera market back in spring, when we went hands on with the OG Air Pro. Fast forward to CES, and it's back with a brace of new cameras to capture your every move. First up is the iON Adventure, a 1080p GPS-enabled helmet cam with a twist, almost literally. The device has the same tubular format as the original, but the lens is actually on one of the longer sides, rather than at the end of the barrel, making it more suitable for chest mounting. The Adventure also has two memory card slots, meaning you can pack in a whole lot more footage, battery willing. For those extended shoots, a new loop recording mode allows continuous, non-stop recording between the two cards -- no more swapping out your micro-SD on the move. Other features include a vibrate-to-record function (it starts and stops recording when it detects movement) and a partnership with map / video sharing service Kinomap. The device has a sleek, gloss back finish, weighs just 4.2 ounces, and has a large, easily accessible record button on one end. While we only spent a short time with the camera, the quality of the build felt good, and the demo footage looked impressive. The Adventure will be available starting in March for $349. The second new family member is the Air Pro 2. As you might have guessed, this is the second iteration of the original we saw back in March. Much of the external design remains the same, with the distinct octagonal accents at either end of the barrel. The main difference being the image sensor upgrade, which can now shoot at 14 megapixels, with 60fps for video and a 180-degree mode for those extra wide shots. Last time we liked the Air Pro, but we'll be especially keen to see how the follow up performs. With more and more cameras launching into the market, differentiating can be difficult, something apparently not lost on iON, who has clearly tried hard to introduce new and distinct features. The Air Pro 2 also becomes available in March, with two versions -- one with WiFi, one without. The wireless enabled one will cost you $299, or $249 if you don't need the extra functionality. Sean Cooper contributed to this report
Ion reveals digital conversion turntables for iOS, PC and Mac, we go hands-on (update: video)
Vinyl may be the format of choice for discerning audio connoisseurs, but those harboring love for both digital and analog options may have their interest piqued by Ion's latest lineup of turntables. The iLP Lightning takes a traditional turntable, replete with RCA outputs, and adds a 30-pin dock connector that's compatible with Cupertino's Lightning to 30-pin adapter. Leveraging a free app, the table converts a record's audio to MP3 files, separates it into tracks and saves it to docked iOS devices. If you'd rather not have songs sent to your iDevice of choice, the rig also includes a USB cable for routing tunes to a Mac or PC with a gratis desktop app. Ion is also serving up the Pure LP, which removes the 30-pin dock from the equation. As for availability, the iOS-compatible tables are expected this summer for $99.99 in white, red, blue, black and a woodgrain finish. Analog diehards can have some fun too with the Live LP table, which packs stereo speakers, standard RCA outputs, a natural wood finish and nothing in the way of digital conversion. Click on to the break for photos and the full press release. Update: We've just given Ion's record player a test drive, and we've posted the footage after the break. Initially, we had some concern about how anything larger than an iPad Mini might dock to the hardware, but it handled one of Apple's miniature tablets well enough. Audio quality from the turntable -- at least from what this editor could hear over the din of other journalists -- passed the ear test. Though we weren't able to try out the desktop experience for converting audio from vinyl records to MP3 files, the conversion experience on the iPad itself was a breeze. Follow all the latest CES 2013 news at our event hub.
Ion outs its Lightning-compatible iDJ 2 Go Plus, we take a close look
Cupertino's Lightning connector has put a few DJ peripherals out of the running for new iOS devices, but Ion's iDJ 2 Go Plus is up to the task. The portable rig supports Apple's new connector, features two scratch wheels, a crossfader, a handful of backlit buttons and a collection of knobs for music junkies to do their thing. As for software, the hardware can take advantage of the firm's free iDJ 2 Go app or other software, such as Algoriddim's Djay. As of now, details on price and availability are scarce. Minimalist DJs can mix with the outfit's Scratch 2 Go: a collection of knobs, two turntables and a crossfader that attach to an iPad via suction cups. According to Ion, the low-key kit also functions with popular DJ apps in addition to their own offering. Price and availability details are nowhere in sight, but you can catch a hands-on with both setups in the bordering galleries. Update: We've gone hands-on with the iDJ 2 Go Plus and, as you'd expect, it resembles its predecessor -- except for the 30-pin connection being swapped for Lightning. As we took it for a spin, the turntables, crossfaders and knobs were responsive and up for the task -- even though this editor's DJing skills may not have been. The board is being readied for a June release with a $99 price tag. Scratch 2 Go was paired up with Ion's app when we took it for a spin and it did a fair job of responding to our twists and turns. The tiny suction cups that affix the rigs pieces to the iPad's screen did their job, but we did notice one loose turntable. Ion's minimalist kit will launch in April for $19.99. Follow all the latest CES 2013 news at our event hub. Edgar Alvarez contributed to this report.
Ion unveils cellphone accessories for home phone replacement, speakerphones
If you've cancelled your home phone service, but still yearn for handsets peppered throughout the house, Ion's Bluetooth Cordless Phone Station could fill that void. Slotting a cellphone into the base, which also functions as a charger, allows a trio of satellite handsets to make calls using the docked device via Bluetooth and DECT 6.0 tech. If design and conference calls ares on your mind, Ion's rolled also out a saucer-shaped speakerphone system dubbed Talking Point. The glossy disc connects to smartphones via Bluetooth, packs a top-facing speaker and multiple microphones for capturing audio from several directions. Also tagging along is the Phone Station Plus, which packs stereo speakers, an LCD display and condenser mic, and allows Bluetooth-enabled cellphones to use it as a speakerphone rig. Journey past the jump for the press release, glamour shots and a handful of hands-on photos. Update: We've spoken to the folks at Ion and Talking Point is estimated to arrive this June carrying a $149.99 price tag. The outfit's Bluetooth Cordless Phone Station is penciled in for a September arrival and is set to ring up at $99. As for the Speaker Phone Plus, it's already available out in the wild. %Gallery-174755%
All-Star Guitar gets loaded with Lightning connector compatibility
If you caught Ion's All-Star Guitar in our holiday gift guide, but didn't find it under the Festivus pole since it lacked support for Apple's Lightning connector, there could be hope for next year's holiday haul. The faux guitar is getting refreshed with a Lightning connector and has kept the same form factor, complete with light-up fret buttons and built-in speaker. For the uninitiated, the rig above can accommodate an iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch and allows users to learn notes and chords via a companion app. As of now, there's no word on when you'll be able to rock out with the axe or how many simoleons it'll set you back. Update: The refreshed faux-instrument is geared for a June release and will set aspiring musicians back $99. Follow all the latest CES 2013 news at our event hub.
Ion introduces Air Copy: mobile scanner for smartphones, tablets and laptops (update: eyes-on)
Ion's Air Copy has just stepped into the wireless mobile scanner arena, and it brings support for slinging scanned documents and photos as big as size A4 to Android, iOS, Windows 8 and OS X devices via WiFi. Once documents are scanned, they're saved as high-resolution 300 DPI JPEG files to the connected hardware. A free app available for the gadget gives users a real-time preview of what's being scanned. There's no word on pricing or availability as of yet, but you can hit the jump for the press release or take a peek at our hands on shots in the gallery. Update: As it turns out, Air Copy is being readied for an April release and will set customers back $179.99. In person, the hardware itself is easy on the eyes and light enough to comfortably tote around. We didn't get to take it for a spin, but you can check out our eyes-on photos in the bordering gallery. Follow all the latest CES 2013 news at our event hub.
Alt-week 20.10.12: our oldest primate ancestor, the birth of the moon and a planet with four stars
Alt-week peels back the covers on some of the more curious sci-tech stories from the last seven days. Most mornings, we wake up with little to no idea what happened the day before, let alone last week. Fortunately, they don't let us run important scientific research projects. Or maybe they do, and we just forgot? This week (and most others as it goes) we definitely leave it to the pros, as we get some insightful glimpses at some important origins. Ball Lightning, the moon and even us humans are the benefactors of those tireless scientists, who work hard to explain where it all comes from. There's also a planet with four stars that sees the first few paragraphs of its origin story excitedly written out. One thing we never forget, however, is that this is alt-week.
Ion The Game action cam has built-in WiFi and 2.5-inch display, we go hands-on (video)
Between big guns like GoPro and Contour and big names like Sony, the action camera market is getting pretty full, pretty fast. Back in May, we saw the arrival of the Air Pro WiFi from Ion, an oblong mountable camera with an add-on WiFi module, and now the company's got another addition to the line, the punnily-named (wait for it) Ion The Game (get it? Eye? Eye-on The Game?). The whole "action" part is far less pronounced here. This sports cam is intended to be more stationary than its predecessor -- mounted on a still spot to capture soccer games (don't let them catch you calling it that here in Europe) and to help you critique your golf swing. The key differences here -- aside from its boxier shape -- are the 2.5-inch display and the WiFi, which is built directly into the device, rather than relying on an add-on. The display isn't much to write home about. It's small, a bit dull in the color department and a little choppy. It'll get the job done though, when it comes to monitoring action (or lack of action, we guess) on the fly. The WiFi meanwhile, adheres to the company's whole "shoot-and-share" motto, letting to send videos directly to Facebook and the like. The camera looks reasonably rugged, with a plastic protected lens -- it's also water-resistant up to 10 meters. The Game records to SD cards and will be arriving by the end of the year, priced at an admittedly lofty €329 here in Europe.
SteelSeries Free Touchscreen Gaming Controls and Free Mobile Gaming Controller aren't free, we go hands-on (video)
The capacitive touch capabilities of today's devices are perfect for a great many things -- but traditional gaming just isn't among them. When it comes to "fixing" gaming controls on touch devices, there are two avenues of approach, and SteelSeries is headed down both of them: touchscreen augmenting nubs, and wireless gamepads. The firm lumps both of these solutions into its new "freedom to play" line of accessories -- and though both of them echo products we've seen before, these peripherals play their roles exceedingly well. %Gallery-164655%
Sony Xperia Ion hits AT&T June 24th for $99 on contract
In the tech industry, time (and the fleeting interests of geekdom) waits for no one product. So, it's understandable if you've already forgotten about Sony Mobile's US flagship: a sleekly designed, mid-range contender known as the Xperia Ion. It's been nearly six months since the electronics giant officially unveiled the device at CES and, for brand loyalists still clinging to the edge of their seats, the wait's nearly over. Starting June 24th, AT&T will be offering the LTE handset -- a first for the newly unified wireless outfit stateside -- for $99 with a new two-year agreement (insert applause for Nokia and its precedent setting Lumia 900 here). So, what do you get for that compelling price tag? For starters, there's that gorgeous 4.6-inch 720p HD Reality display, 1.5GHz dual-core Snapdragon S3 CPU, 16GB of inbuilt storage (expandable up to an additional 32GB via SD card), 12-megapixel rear camera with Exmor R sensor, PlayStation Certification and a healthy 1,900mAh battery. Whether that spec list and associated on-contract pricing will pack enough of a power punch to win over Android elitists remains to be seen -- for now, this mid-2012 phone'll be shipping with Gingerbread 2.3.7 on board. That's not to say it won't ever see a much needed upgrade to Ice Cream Sandwich; it's certainly on the way, there's just no telling precisely when it'll arrive. If the company's recent track record is any indication, however, the Ion stands a very good chance of joining the Xperia upgrade brigade sometime soon. Hit up the break to peruse the official presser in all its hyperbolic glory.
Ion iCade Mobile and iCade Core review
The iCade Arcade Cabinet famously began life as an April Fool's joke, pulling the video game equivalent of Pinocchio by transforming in a real salable product. The $100 arcade machine-shaped iPad enclosure / controller hit the sweet spot between functionality and retro gaming nostalgia, proving successful enough that Ion found itself with a solid reason to expand the line. Notable amongst the new arrivals are the iCade Core, which offers up the same feature set as the original iCade in a more portable joystick form, and the iCade Mobile, a re-imagining of the product as an oversized iPhone case. The Core carries the same price tag as its predecessor, while the Mobile clocks in at $20 less. So, are these additions worthy of the iCade name? Or would the line have been better served as a one-off? Insert a coin and find out after the break. Update: Unfortunately, we were provided with incorrect information ahead of the review -- the iCade Core is actually priced at $80, same as the iCade Mobile.
Sony Xperia Acro HD for NTT DoCoMo hands-on (video)
We just happened upon the Sony Xperia Acro HD for NTT DoCoMo, which is sold as the SO-03HD and recently launched with the Japanese carrier. As many of you are aware, the handset is a variant of the Xperia Ion, but with a few features for the locals such as a built-in TV tuner, mobile payment and infrared support. The Acro HD offers a respectable list of specs, which include a Qualcomm MSM 8260 SoC with a dual-core 1.5GHz CPU, a 4.3-inch, 720p display and a 12.1-megapixel camera that includes Sony's Exmor R sensor and is capable of shooting 1080p video. It also includes 1GB of RAM, 16GB of storage and an 1,840mAh battery. As a final notable aspect, the Xperia Acro HD is waterproof and can remain submerged in up to one meter of water for a half-hour. The phone is currently available in a variety of colors, which include Blue, Pink, White and Black -- the last being the particular variant that we sighted today. While there are many aspects of the phone we liked, such as its high-quality display and refined aesthetics, a number of its design elements such as the extendable TV antenna and atrocious number of doors for ports struck us as quite flimsy. The phone runs Android 2.3.7 with a heavy amount of skinning from the carrier, which you can see in our hands-on video after the break.
Ion announces release date, price for iCade Core and Mobile
We saw the new iCade Core (one of three takes on Ion's popular iCade iOS joystick accessory) back at CES earlier this year, but now it has a price and a date, for the UK at least. June is when it will arrive in Great Britain, according to the official Ion site, and it'll have a price of ￡49.99, which works out to around $81 as of this writing (probably $79.99 once things are all worked out). The iCade Mobile is set to show up around that same time. That's the one modeled after a PSP, that lets you sit your iPhone or iPod touch right in the middle of a joystick and a button pad. Both were very excellent devices back at CES, so it's good to hear that the wait to buy them is almost over. [via Engadget]
ION Air Pro POV camera: shoot on the piste, upload to the cloud, we go hands-on (video)
You might think the POV / action sports camera world has been a bit of a two horse race recently. That could all change, however, now ION has muscled into the scene with its Air Pro HD sports camera. The firm's dabbled with handy cameras before, but now it's dipping a well armored toe into the helmet-cam market. Needless to say, that means it's rugged, waterproof, and built to eat dirt -- or at least capture the moments when you do.Your action is scooped-up in full 1080p HD, and there's a 5-megapixel stills option for when you want to frame that killer jump for static posterity. The lens is a 170-degree wide-angle affair, you can change the FOV if you wish, but it's definitely enough to grab all the action. There's also no display on the device itself, but there's a reason for that: operating the Air Pro is a ridiculously straightforward task. With just one click you're recording, even if switched off. The two controls on top are all you need to get the essential jobs done with this device, a button for switching it on and off (and taking stills) and the sliding record switch -- this set-up also means you can physically feel if it's recording, even when you can't see it.