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Watch OSIRIS-REx take a bite out of asteroid Bennu's surface
OSIRIS-REx became the first mission to gather samples from an asteroid after it successfully collected rocky “regolith” material from the surface of Bennu. Now, NASA has released several videos showing exactly how that six-second process looked, and the best way to describe it is “controlled chaos.”
NASA will pay private companies to collect Moon dirt samples
NASA is looking to buy Moon dirt from private companies before its 2024 Moon mission.
Akai's MPC Live II is a portable studio with built-in speakers
Today, Akai reveals the MPC Live II. The Live II has one obvious new addition: a pair of “studio monitors” built right in. The speakers sit along the bottom and offer stereo sound wherever you are.
Amazon ends creepy program that sent samples based on purchase history
It's normally a bad thing when companies take freebies away, but you might not mind quite so much in this case. Amazon is ending a Product Sampling program that sent free samples of cosmetics, protein bars and other goods based on your shopping habits. While the company didn't explain why it was closing the machine learning-based program in a statement to CNBC, it did say the initiative would shut down sometime in 2020. It's not hard to see reasons why Amazon might shutter the program, mind you.
China’s rover finds mysterious minerals on the far side of the moon
Early this year, China's Chang'e-4 lunar lander made history when it became the first spacecraft to touch down on the far side of the moon. Now, according to a study published in Nature, the lander's rover, Yutu-2, may have detected the first signs of lunar mantle material. If the minerals it found prove to be part of the moon's mantle, the discovery could help scientists better understand how both the moon and the Earth formed.
NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft has arrived at the asteroid Bennu
NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft has officially arrived at the asteroid Bennu after a more than two-year-long journey. The spacecraft rendezvoused with its target around noon EST, and NASA confirmed the arrival a few minutes thereafter during a live event today.
Toshiba's flash chips could boost SSD capacity by 500 percent
Toshiba has started building prototype sample flash memory with the highest capacity yet, 1.33 terabits (166GB) per chip. The 96-layer 3D NAND flash chips have four bits per cell, as compared to its current-gen three-bit tech, which allowed for chips with "only" 32GB. A typical package for flash storage, containing 16 of the chips, would have an astonishing 2.66 TB capacity, opening up new possibilities for faster, higher density SSDs and memory cards.
WhoSampled's mobile app is Shazam for song samples
If you're a music junkie (especially in the electronic realm), there's a good chance that you've used WhoSampled to identify song samples, covers or remixes. So far, though, you've had to know the name of the song you're looking for to start your journey -- what if you hear an interesting sample in a song on the radio? You're in luck after today. WhoSampled has introduced Shazam-style music recognition to its Android and iOS apps, helping you identify both the song you're listening to and (if it's in the company's database) discover its connections. Are you convinced a strange song is using the Amen Break? You can find out just by putting your phone within listening range.
$550 dock turns a smartphone into a medical lab
Smartphones can now be used as laboratory-grade medical testing devices thanks to new kit designed by the University of Illinois. The transmission-reflectance-intensity (TRI) analyzer attaches to a smartphone to examine blood, urine or saliva samples as reliably as large, expensive equipment, but costs just $550. The technology uses a high-performance spectrometer. First, a fluid sample is illuminated by the phone's internal white LED flash, then the light is collected in an optical fiber. The light is then guided through a diffraction grating into the phone's rear-facing camera, and a reading is provided on-screen.
De La Soul's samples are why its classic albums stay offline
Have you wondered why De La Soul is more than happy to offer its newer albums online, but has had so much trouble getting its classics (Stakes Is High and earlier) online that it gave them away at one point? You now have a good, if imperfect, explanation. Their label, Warner Music Group, tells the New York Times that its staff "don't believe it is possible" to clear all the samples in early tracks for digital music services. It doesn't explain why those samples are being held back, but the group's current sample clearance agent suspects that many of those samples may have been cleared improperly, sometimes through informal agreements. It's also possible that many of the sample deals didn't account for non-physical releases, so Warner might have to start from scratch.
Two-player synthesizer looks just as wild as it sounds
Noodling on a synthesizer is normally a solo affair, but Ben Bengler and Fiore Martin have found a way to spice things up. Their Collidoscope lets two musicians play in tandem thanks to the combination of twin keyboards and a clever sample-grabbing mechanism: all you have do is record something and use a hybrid knob/slider to determine what you're sampling. It looks cool (somewhat like a musical, multiplayer Pong), but the big deal is that dueling artists can quickly create a track without breaking their flow. Perfect for live sets, we'd say. The team isn't selling the Collidoscope right now, but there are hints that you'll one day get to buy this competitive composition tool.
Sony Alpha A99 DSLR sample shots and video, plus comparison with the RX1 full-frame compact
Sony's A99 marks the first time in years that the company has built a full-frame pro rig to compete with the big boys from Canon and Nikon. The hardware impressed when we got our hands on one a month ago, but the proof, as they say, is in the pudding -- or in the photos in this case. So, we jumped at the chance to spend some time shooting with an A99 equipped with a 24 -70mm f/2.8 Carl Zeiss Vario Sonnar T Zoom Lens. Want to know how Sony's latest and greatest performed? Head on past the break to find out.
Sony Alpha NEX-6 sample shots and video
Sony's fourth member of the acclaimed NEX family of cameras, the NEX-6, predictably slots in between the 5N and 7 in its mirrorless product lineup. We've seen the 6 hardware a few times, and now we've gotten to take some pictures with the thing. Want to know how its 16.1-megapixel APS-C sensor performed? Check out our gallery below and head on past the break for a video sample and our impressions.
Engadget Primed: digital audio basics
Primed goes in-depth on the technobabble you hear on Engadget every day -- we dig deep into each topic's history and how it benefits our lives. You can follow the series here. Looking to suggest a piece of technology for us to break down? Drop us a line at primed *at* engadget *dawt* com. Digital audio. There's a very good chance that you've enjoyed some today. It's one of the more universal aspects of technology. In fact, perhaps the more relevant question would be, when was the last time you listened to an analog format? The truth, for many, will be quite some time ago -- vinyl purists and the odd cassette fanatic aside. Yet, despite its ubiquity, there's a lot of misunderstanding and confusion about digital audio. Some believe it'll never match analog for true fidelity, some assert quite the opposite. Many lament the lack of a tactile format, while others love the portability that comes with zeros and ones. In this installment of Primed, we take a look at the history of digital sound, as well as provide an introduction to some of its key components, with the view to helping us understand it better. Wondering what bitrate to encode your MP3s at? Or whether you should choose a 96 or 44.1KHz sample rate? We thought as much. By the time we're through, these questions should no longer lay heavy on your mind, and you can enjoy that latest Knife Party, or Britney track as much as its bit depth allows. What's bit depth you say? Well, read on to find out...
Nokia 808 PureView impressions, camera showdown with the iPhone 4S and HTC One S
Nokia invited us to take a tour of the Carl Zeiss HQ in Germany, all in the name of getting some time to shoot with the pair's latest project, the 808 PureView. Sure, you've heard the specs: a 41-megapixel sensor, f/2.4 Carl Zeiss lens and a focal length of 8.02mm. That hulking sensor dominates the body, but how do those photographic results turn out? We spent a few hours shooting with Symbian's (possibly) last hurrah and found that -- unsurprisingly -- this looks to be the new benchmark for mobile imaging. The top-heavy body fits in with the focus on mobile photography epitomized in this phone and there's a tangible quality to the photos even on the 808 PureView's 640 x 360 display, alongside a noticeable decrease in noise. Check out our gallery and grab more impressions and comparison images with the iPhone 4S and One S after the break. %Gallery-156016%
First sample shots with HTC's EVO 4G LTE for Sprint
What better way to see what a smartphone camera is made of than taking a tour of the best of what New Orleans has to offer? We were given the opportunity to take the forthcoming HTC EVO 4G LTE on a brief tour of the city here at CTIA 2012. Our full review of Sprint's latest LTE-capable device is on the way, but we want to give you a small teaser to arouse your curiosity ahead of time. So check out some of the sights through HTC's 8MP ImageSense camera (including HDR shots) and take a look at how it stacks up against the likes of the One X and One S below!
Nikon D800 studio samples posted at DPReview (update: 5D Mark III studio sample added)
Nikon faced some backlash following the announcement of its D800 DSLR, due both to the camera's potentially excessive 36.3-megapixel resolution and its relatively limited top sensitivity of ISO 25,600. Then, less than one month later, Canon revealed its own mid-range full-frame cam -- the 5D Mark III -- with a 22.3-megapixel sensor, and an option to shoot at ISO 102,400. Both models appeal to the same market of professional photographers, but with vastly different specs, which is the better pick? Low-light shooters will likely base part of that decision on high-ISO capabilities, and after reviewing samples from both cameras, there appears to be a winner.DPReview spent some time with the D800, and we took the Canon for a spin last week. We scaled the D800 sample down to 22.3 megapixels to match the 5D, then pasted a 300-by-400 1:1 pixel section from each camera side-by-side in the image above. The D800 JPEG (on the left) appears to be the noisier of the two, which seems logical, considering that Nikon opted to boost the camera's resolution instead of its sensitivity. Still, the cam's top-ISO is quite usable, and if you plan to shoot in a studio setting or can live without a six-digit sensitivity, the D800 will likely suit you just fine. Hit up our source link for samples shot at the full ISO range, including full-res downloads, to make that call for yourself.Update: We've replaced the Canon sample with a studio shot from DPReview, which provides a more accurate comparison. You can find images from both cameras at our source links below.
Apple's new iPad shows up in Hong Kong, teases with sample photos and video clip
Looks like Vietnam ain't the only place that got an early taste of the new iPad, which is due out this Friday around the world (unless you're super tight with your delivery man, of course). Hong Kong magazine PCM just informed us that it got hold of a 4G flavor of Apple's latest tablet, courtesy of a very mysterious person (especially considering the 4G version isn't yet available in this region). Within the little time it spent with the new iPad, PCM managed to do plenty of comparisons with the tablet's predecessor, particularly with their camera and graphics performance. While pretty much everything's been beefed up, PCM claims that the new lens isn't as wide as before, and it also notes that the extra 50g is pretty noticeable -- obviously we shall see for ourselves on Friday. Hands-on video and sample video clip embedded after the break, and head on over to the source link for more comparison shots.
Panasonic GF2 crashes the Engadget reader meetup, collects a gallery of memories / sample images
Our reader meetup this past Friday in San Francisco was infiltrated by a somewhat unusual assailant, Panasonic's GF2 Micro Four Thirds shooter. Sporting a new, significantly thinner, pancake lens primed at 14mm with a maximum F2.5 aperture, this eminently portable camera managed to sneak into the building while concealed inside one of our editors' jacket pockets. As we've said before, the major difference between the GF2 and the GF1 for us is that the new model really feels like a compact point-and-shoot, to the point of making us forget that it has a DSLR-sized sensor within it. We've put together the following galleries, which were mostly shot in the fully automatic mode, to give you a taste of how Panasonic's latest handles the challenges of a poorly lit nighttime scene, on the one hand, and a gorgeous sunny day, on the other. Enjoy! %Gallery-117921% %Gallery-117923%
European Union's 'One charger for all' starts sampling, coming this year
It was way back in summer of 2009 that Nokia, Apple, RIM, and the rest of the mobile world agreed to make micro-USB the connector around which all future European chargers would be built. Since then, most of those companies have transitioned their hardware to micro-USB without further prompting, but the European Union is still pushing ahead with a universally compatible charger standard to make sure everything is nice and harmonized. The details of what's expected of these chargers were published in December and now the first samples of the new hardware have been produced. The EU expects all manufacturers to have chargers adhering to the new guidelines by the end of 2011 -- and if you're wondering about how Apple, one of the signatories to this agreement, will handle it, there's a note to say that adapters will be allowed on phones without a micro-USB port. Full press release after the break.
