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The Big Picture: A far-away supernova split into four
Gravity can play a lot of tricks with light, and we're not just talking about black holes. Take this recent Hubble Space Telescope discovery from UC Berkeley's Patrick Kelly, for example: those four lights are actually a distant supernova magnified and split into four images by the gravitational lensing of a giant galaxy. Besides looking cool, the image promises to be a gold mine for astrophysics. The time delay between those four lights will let researchers study both the properties of the exploding star and the galaxy, including the presence of dark matter. The best part? Due to the light's unusual path, there's a good chance that scientists will get a "rerun" in a few years if they want to see it again. [Image credit: NASA/ESA/FrontierSN/GLASS/Frontier Fields]
Scientists use lasers to imitate an exploding star here on Earth
It could be centuries (if ever) before humans can observe the behavior of a supernova first-hand, but scientists at the University of Oxford may have delivered the next best thing. They've recently simulated an exploding star by zapping an extremely thin carbon rod with a powerful laser; the resulting extra-hot blast (1.8 million degrees Fahrenheit) ripped through a chamber much like the real thing, as you can see pictured here. To add an extra dose of realism, the team added a plastic grid that replicated interference from dust and gases.
Pandigital Supernova available mid-October for $230, is an eReader in Android tablet disguise
Pandigital hasn't made much of an effort to swathe its Supernova tab in mystery. When the 8-inch LCD slate swept through the FCC earlier this summer, we were privy not only to images of the device and its internals, but also to the apps that'd be pre-loaded on purchase -- GetJar and Barnes & Noble's Nook app amongst others. So, what can you expect for $230 when it lands this month? Well, the company's forsaken Honeycomb for the soon-to-be outclassed Gingerbread OS, tossed in a single-core 1GHz A8 processor, 4GB of storage (expandable to 32GB via microSD slot), WiFi and Bluetooth. It's a cheap, me too Android tablet entry, for sure. And with the recent outing of a certain budget-priced, ecosystem-friendly tab, we might suggest you hold off for the higher-specced goods. Official PR after the break.
Pandigital's SuperNova Android tablet gets its FCC on, leaves little to the imagination
Typically, when a new gadget makes its way through the FCC, we have to do a fair amount of digging to get to the juicy details, put Pandigital's latest 8-inch tablet / e-reader, the SuperNova, isn't holding anything back. This Android 2.3-powered slate follows in the footsteps of its 9-inch predecessor, the Novel, acting more as a glorified e-reader than a real-deal tablet. Like the Novel, it comes with B&N's Nook app pre-installed and lacks access to the Android Market -- apps can be downloaded via SlideMe. What's more, it's got front (0.3 megapixel) and back-facing (3 megapixel) cameras, 4GB of internal storage, HDMI and mini-USB connectivity, support for 32GB micro-SD, and an 8-inch capacitive touch screen. Just about the only things missing from this FCC filing are price and availability, but we have a feeling the pair isn't far behind. If SAR reports and tablet entrails are your thing, you can peek even more SuperNova details at the source link below.
Rockchip's Supernova x1 tablet does 3D without glasses or technical specs
You had to know that Nintendo's 3DS wouldn't be the only glasses-free 3D handheld for long. Our Chinese compatriots caught sight of a prototype device from Rockchip called the Supernova x1, performing some similar lenticular trickery to make images appear 3D. Exactly what display tech it uses remains a mystery, but we're told the Disney footage being displayed had to be "processed" in some way to make it appear 3D. Like the 3DS, the 3D effect here can be adjusted or disabled entirely, but that's really all that is known at this point about this mystery tablet/PMP. Sit tight, though: everything should be revealed at IFA in a week's time.
T-Mobile launches new Shadow today alongside Nokia 7510
It always brings joy to our hearts to see a new UMA-compatible device come into the market, and T-Mobile's revised Shadow from HTC certainly fits the bill. In fact, it's being launched today as the very first Windows Mobile device to support HotSpot calls over WiFi, joining BlackBerrys and a handful of dumbphones on the support list. Speaking of HotSpot dumbphones, the stylish 7510 flip is also hitting shelves today with changeable faceplates, a trick semi-hidden external display, and 2 megapixels of Pulitzer-caliber shooting power around back in addition to the WiFi radio. Nab the Shadow for $199.99 and the 7510 for $49.99, both on contract after rebates.Read - Shadow (White Mint)Read - Shadow (Black Burgundy)Read - Nokia 7510
Hands-on with T-Mobile's Nokia 7510
Color us impressed (literally). If T-Mobile can manage to subsidize the 7510 down to, say, $50, they're dealing with a serious winner; it's attractive, different from your run-of-the-mill midrange Samsung, and offers that all-important UMA for crazy cheap calling. The phone can be best described as fashion-conscious with a Finnish sensibility, and for us, the formula works. 3G would've sealed the deal, but there's no such thing as the perfect phone, is there?%Gallery-40965%
T-Mobile-branded 7510 Supernova revealed on Nokia's website
Want to "add a little fun to your social life"? Of course you do, and Nokia thinks that an American rendition of the 7510 Supernova is just what the doctor ordered. Unfortunately, AWS 3G apparently has nothing to do with adding said fun -- the T-Mobile version of the 7510 is EDGE-only, just like its international cousin -- but you'll get a fashion-forward flip with a hidden secondary display, 2-megapixel cam with LED flash, microSD expansion, FM radio, and a QVGA screen for what we can only guess will be a fairly awesome price. It'll come in red, aquamarine, and brown, but it hasn't really been announced just yet; Nokia introduced some T-Mobile stuff at CES last year, so we wouldn't be surprised to see them do the same this time around.[Thanks, youngcalihottie]
Nokia flings out two new colors of Supernova handsets
We're always down with new shades of old mobiles, and we're particularly find of new ones that bring along something extra. Nokia has just expanded its Supernova range with a Graphite and Passionate Purple Supernova 7610, 7510, 7310 and 7210. Each of the newcomers also brings along "enhanced services" that enable users to "share their images and video with friends through Ovi Share, as well as keep up to date with friends via Nokia Maps and instant messaging with Windows Live Messenger." There's no mention of pricing, so we'll go out a limb and assume they'll remain the same as the colors already available.
Nokia Build website lets your dream 7310 Supernova come alive
Nokia's 7310 Supernova isn't a half bad looking handset straight from the factory, but you know you're champing at the bit to destroy any and all resell value by slapping a pixelated image of your mum and pop on there. Regardless of how wild, tacky or fashionable your ideas, users in France with the requisite coin can order up a 7310 Supernova with practically any design they want. For the less imaginative, there are a few templates that should still do the trick, but we wouldn't let the opportunity of being able to upload your own JPEG pass you by. The whole Nokia Build concept is still in beta at the moment, so we're anxiously hoping to see it hit other markets in short order.[Via UnwiredView]
Nokia rolls deep on the cheap, cooks up six models
Looking through the pictures here, you might not suspect that the sticker prices for these bad boys range from just €90 ($117) all the way down to a jaw-droppingly low €25 (about $32), but they do, which raises a question: why must they be targeting emerging markets alone? Nokia has a history of going after emerging economies with the occasional barrage of models, and the latest round ups the game with features we'd be totally cool with seeing on your average "mature market" handset -- goodies like integrated flashlights, sturdy lanyards, and a vaguely-defined "Nokia Life Tools" service that delivers relevant information in a graphical interface to phones via SMS (the logic being that GPRS isn't always available where these phones are going to be used). The most expensive device of the lot will be the 5130 XpressMusic, the first music-centric Nokia destined for low-income areas of the world with an integrated FM radio, 2-megapixel cam, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. Next up we've got the fancy 7100 Supernova, joining Nokia's fashion-friendly line in a couple tasty colors with a 1.3-megapixel cam. If we skip all the way to the bottom, we have the lowly 1202, a rugged-looking little monochrome beast with an extended battery, a five-user phonebook to make it easy to pass around the whole family, and extra-loud ringtones -- and at 25 euros, it's Nokia's lowest-cost phone ever. Why do we want one really badly? Are we crazy? Look for all six of these to start filtering around the globe between now and early 2009.
Nokia unleashes Supernova series: meet the 7210, 7310, 7510, and 7610
Though they've already been well documented (heck, they're already on sale in some parts of the world), Nokia's just now getting around to making its foursome of Supernovas official. The new line reps mid-range fashion (think L'Amour, but not over the top) and comes in your choice of two candybars, a flip, or a slider as the 7210, 7310, 7510, or 7610, respectively. The 7210 features a tri-band GSM radio plus EDGE, a 2 megapixel camera, and an FM radio; look for it to launch in the third quarter for €120 (about $189). The 7310 apes the 7210's look but adds support for changeable Xpress-On faceplates, TV-out, and support for GSM 850, and while all that extra kit adds €35 (about $55) to the price over the lesser model, it's available now. The 7510 goes for the flip form factor but carries over most of the 7310's spec sheet, waiting it out until the fourth quarter for a €180 (about $283) launch in scary colors like "Fatal Red". Finally, the 7610 (no, not that one) moves up to a beefier 3.2 megapixel camera and hits next quarter for €225 (about $354).%Gallery-26277%
Nokia 7610 Supernova bears all in FCC documents
So one of the models in Nokia's new low-cost Supernova fashion series, the 7610 slider, just hit the FCC for approval. That's not terribly interesting -- this sort of thing happens on a daily basis. What we did find interesting, though, was this little patch of stars on the backside. It's kind of like that tattoo you've got hidden in a naughty place no one's ever going to see, because those stars lie directly under the far more uptight, boring, slate blue battery cover. What's up with that? North Americans who want to investigate this little mystery in more detail are in luck on account of the quadband GSM / EDGE radio, so as long as you haven't sworn allegiance to the 3G towers in your neighborhood, you'll be good to go -- just don't go shedding your battery cover for every heartbreaker you meet.
SuperNova '08: All the world's a game
Supernova 2008, an annual conference on how pervasive connectivity and decentralization is changing the world, decided to take a look at how massively multiplayer games "offer glimpses of how social interactions and work will develop in the Network Age." On the panel were Doug Thomas, Dave Elfving, and Metaplace's Raph Koster. Koster pointed out that there's a natural desire on the part of MMO players for "transgressive" gameplay -- for doing things the game designers never intended. For instance, raiding was not an original part of EverQuest, but something created by players and later made by the developers into a central part of gameplay. Doug Thomas predicted that gamers will become more successful than non-gamers in the workplace, as we are more focused on getting things done, as well as being more open to diversity. Dave Elfving brought up the topic of hikaru dorodango, shiny balls of mud that Japanese children obsessively mold and polish for hours, and how the grind that most MMOs encourage might be tying in to a basic human compulsion.Uptake's Elliot Ng was there for (almost) the full panel, and has the complete write-up on his blog. Raph has his own take on the panel, and points out the similarities to an earlier talk he gave at Project Horseshoe.There's a natural desire to justify the games we love by insisting they will give us an edge in business, or that we are merely expressing natural human behavior in a new way. Is this the case, or is this just wish fulfillment?
Nokia 7610 Supernova gets visualized
We've seen the candybar and the flip, but if you remember correctly, there's a third member of Nokia's forthcoming Supernova series -- a slider, naturally. The 7610 has broken cover just after its two siblings, revealing a device that shares the same overwhelmingly mirrored surfaces, brightly colored battery covers, and penchant for style. No need to throw the phone away when you get tired of the color, either, as it seems that the 7610 will bring back the XpressOn exchangeable covers that Nokia used to be known for; otherwise, though, we've got a 3.2 megapixel camera, FM radio, and 64MB of internal memory. It's Series 40 and it lacks 3G -- both strikes against it for series phone nerds -- but we can see this one finding a few customers.[Via Slashphone]
Nokia 7510, 7610 to round out Supernova series
It turns out the Supernova from Nokia isn't a single phone, but rather a whole line of new midrange Series 40 handsets targeted squarely at women -- though we've gotta be honest, we could see a whole host of men putting these beauties in their pockets, too. Details on Nokia's Polish site appeared recently (notice the past tense; they were taken down shortly thereafter) talking about 7510 and 7610 models, adding clamshell and slider form factors alongside the recently-retailed 7310 candybar. The 7510 includes a 2 megapixel lens while the 7610 upgrades to 3.2, but otherwise, both models are alike in their microSD slots, QVGA displays, and pursuits of a lazy 2.5G lifestyle. Since Nokia's regional sites already seem to have these suckers preloaded and ready for a switch to be flipped somewhere, we'd be shocked if they weren't officially announced any day now.[Via Unwired View]
DNP's Supernova Epic Screen now shipping
DNP -- the very same folks that developed the daylight-friendly Supernova Flex Screen -- is all set to begin shipping out its newfangled Supernova Epic Screen. Clearly aimed at high-end home theater enthusiasts, this particular projection screen promises to provide "widescreen reproduction of movies in all aspect ratios displaying superior high-contrast images in 100-percent neutral color." Additionally, the unit's motorized masking system is "fully adjustable from closed to 2.40:1 settings," and it even combats retro-illumination so you don't have to. The Supernova Epic is available in standard sizes up to 156-inches (though custom orders are welcome), and while pricing has yet to be divulged, we're taking that as a sign of unaffordability.[Via AboutProjectors]
Final Fantasy Tactics Advance 2 confirmed for DS [update 1]
Back when the "Ivalice Alliance" was announced and a sequel to Final Fantasy Tactics Advance was unveiled, there was some confusion over which handheld system would reap the rewards. Surely, the DS is the hottest thing since the SN 1054 supernova in the Crab Nebula, but the "Advance" moniker was unsettling.Just kidding. No it wasn't. Square-Enix aren't a bunch of fools, and with the intense support they've been showing lately toward the machine of the future, this announcement was merely a formality. Hopefully, FFTA2 won't be a mess of obscure gameplay rules and can bring back what made the original Tactics so great ... Calculators.[Update 1: Wrong frackin' blog!]
DNP unveils daylight-friendly Supernova Flex Screen
While the Claro TV fights off the dimness so often associated with watching front-projection in broad daylight, and Planar's Xscreen claims to work without the gargantuous pricetag, now there's yet another firm in the mix of miracle-working screens. Germany's DNP has unveiled the Supernova Flex Screen, which claims to deliver "ten times" the contrast and "double" the brightness compared to standard screens when used in daylight. Available in both fixed and retractable versions, and in widescreen sizes up to 120-inches (100-inches for 4:3 versions), the Supernova is reportedly compatible with all LCD, DLP, and LCoS projectors. It also sports an "ultrafine" .0065-millimeter pitch along with a "high-contrast filter" that allows the projected image to be reflected by the screen while it absorbs incidental light from other sources. While we've no idea how much DNP plans to charge for this daylight-friendly device (nor if it actually works as claimed), we shouldn't have to wait around too much longer to find out.
