Engadget http://www.engadget.com Engadget http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif Engadget http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Pigeon transmits data faster than leading South African internet provider]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/10/south-african-pigeon-transmits-data-faster-than-local-dsl/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/10/south-african-pigeon-transmits-data-faster-than-local-dsl/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/10/south-african-pigeon-transmits-data-faster-than-local-dsl/#comments Here's a sure-fire way to get noticed: take an overly trite expression and apply it literally to your complaint. Case in point: Unlimited IT, so exasperated by South Africa's leading supplier of slow internet connectivity that it pitted a Telkom ADSL line against a real-live homing pigeon in a 60-mile data transmission race. The pigeon arrived with the 4GB memory stick in just over an hour with another hour required to load the data onto the computer. As for Telkom? Well, after 2 hours it had barely reached 4%. Point made.

[Thanks, Ugotamesij]

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Pigeon transmits data faster than leading South African internet provider originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 10 Sep 2009 07:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>pigeonracesouth africaSouthAfricatelkomThu, 10 Sep 2009 07:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Devious carrier pigeon caught trying to smuggle cellphone parts into prison]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/16/devious-carrier-pigeon-caught-trying-to-smuggle-cellphone-parts/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/16/devious-carrier-pigeon-caught-trying-to-smuggle-cellphone-parts/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/16/devious-carrier-pigeon-caught-trying-to-smuggle-cellphone-parts/#commentsBack in late March and early April, when we first heard the terrifying tale of two shifty, hapless carrier pigeons intercepted while attempting to smuggle cellphone parts to inmates in a high-security Brazilian prison, we thought it was merely an isolated incident. Well, now that another pigeon has been caught -- this time outside a Columbian prison with a tiny suitcase full of cellphone components strapped to its back -- we have to face the truth: carrier pigeons are probably evil by nature. The Columbian authorities say that the pigeons are likely being raised inside the prison, then sent to the outside to collect the contraband handsets before doing what pigeons do best -- returning home. The officials also admit they are relatively powerless to combat the problem, though the intercepted bird is now imprisoned at a local animal shelter. So... how long until a different carrier pigeon is intercepted trying to sneak a teensy KRZR into the incarcerated, winged criminal?

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Devious carrier pigeon caught trying to smuggle cellphone parts into prison originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 16 Apr 2009 00:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>carrier pigeonCarrierPigeoncellphonecellphonescolumbiacriminal birdsCriminalBirdsmobilepigeonpigeonsprisonThu, 16 Apr 2009 00:32:00 EST<![CDATA[Devious carrier pigeon caught trying to smuggle cellphone parts into prison]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/16/devious-carrier-pigeon-caught-trying-to-smuggle-cellphone-parts/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/16/devious-carrier-pigeon-caught-trying-to-smuggle-cellphone-parts/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/16/devious-carrier-pigeon-caught-trying-to-smuggle-cellphone-parts/#commentsBack in late March and early April, when we first heard the terrifying tale of two shifty, hapless carrier pigeons intercepted while attempting to smuggle cellphone parts to inmates in a high-security Brazilian prison, we thought it was merely an isolated incident. Well, now that another pigeon has been caught -- this time outside a Colombian prison with a tiny suitcase full of cellphone components strapped to its back -- we have to face the truth: carrier pigeons are probably evil by nature. The Colombian authorities say that the pigeons are likely being raised inside the prison, then sent to the outside to collect the contraband handsets before doing what pigeons do best -- returning home. The officials also admit they are relatively powerless to combat the problem, though the intercepted bird is now imprisoned at a local animal shelter. So... how long until a different carrier pigeon is intercepted trying to sneak a teensy KRZR into the incarcerated, winged criminal?

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Devious carrier pigeon caught trying to smuggle cellphone parts into prison originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 16 Apr 2009 00:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>carrier pigeonCarrierPigeoncellphonecellphonescolumbiacriminal birdsCriminalBirdspigeonpigeonsprisonThu, 16 Apr 2009 00:32:00 EST<![CDATA[Video: pigeon learns to "play" Tap Tap Revenge]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/03/video-pigeon-learns-to-play-tap-tap-revenge/http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/03/video-pigeon-learns-to-play-tap-tap-revenge/http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/03/video-pigeon-learns-to-play-tap-tap-revenge/#comments
It's hard to say if the pigeon you see above actually understood what he / she was doing, but apparently these birds can be taught to at least play App Store games in a very poor manner. The creature's owner does note that Mr. Pigeon was pretty awful at racking up high scores on Tap Tap Revenge, but the important thing to realize here is that pigeon pecks do register as presses on the screen. Now that this is all out in the open, we fully expect a follow-up video next week of someone teaching their bird to dial a number on command. Vid's after the break.

Continue reading Video: pigeon learns to "play" Tap Tap Revenge

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Video: pigeon learns to "play" Tap Tap Revenge originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 03 Aug 2008 10:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3g iphone3gIphoneanimalanimalsbeakbirdcomedyfunnyiphoneiphone 3gIphone3gpigeontap tap revengeTapTapRevengevideoSun, 03 Aug 2008 10:52:00 EST<![CDATA[Video: pigeon learns to "play" Tap Tap Revenge]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/03/video-pigeon-learns-to-play-tap-tap-revenge/http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/03/video-pigeon-learns-to-play-tap-tap-revenge/http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/03/video-pigeon-learns-to-play-tap-tap-revenge/#comments
It's hard to say if the pigeon you see above actually understood what he / she was doing, but apparently these birds can be taught to at least play App Store games in a very poor manner. The creature's owner does note that Mr. Pigeon was pretty awful at racking up high scores on Tap Tap Revenge, but the important thing to realize here is that pigeon pecks do register as presses on the screen. Now that this is all out in the open, we fully expect a follow-up video next week of someone teaching their bird to dial a number on command. Vid's after the break.

Continue reading Video: pigeon learns to "play" Tap Tap Revenge

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Video: pigeon learns to "play" Tap Tap Revenge originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 03 Aug 2008 10:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3g iphone3gIphoneanimalanimalsapplebeakbirdcomedyfunnyiphoneiphone 3giphone osIphone3giphoneosmobilepigeontap tap revengeTapTapRevengevideoSun, 03 Aug 2008 10:33:00 EST<![CDATA[Chinese scientists control live pigeon flights via brain electrodes]]>http://www.engadget.com/2007/02/27/chinese-scientists-control-live-pigeon-flights-via-brain-electro/http://www.engadget.com/2007/02/27/chinese-scientists-control-live-pigeon-flights-via-brain-electro/http://www.engadget.com/2007/02/27/chinese-scientists-control-live-pigeon-flights-via-brain-electro/#commentsScientists in eastern China have successfully experimented with brain-motor skill manipulation in pigeons to "force the bird to comply with their commands." Micro electrodes have been planted into the brains of these pigeons to control their movement left, right, up, and down during flight. While chief scientist Su Xuecheng boasts, "It's the first such successful experiment on a pigeon in the world," they were fruitless in the search for any type of practical use, which was, ironically, the group's initiative when moving forward from similar experiments in mice in 2005. Although it's doubtful these pigeons will be transformed into aviary cyborg fighting machines, perhaps the scientists can have a little fun with practical droppings jokes and the like.

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Chinese scientists control live pigeon flights via brain electrodes originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 27 Feb 2007 15:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>birdbrainchinacommandelectrodeexperimentflightpigeonpigeonsremote controlRemoteControlsciencescientistsTue, 27 Feb 2007 15:32:00 EST