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WiGig will bring superfast WiFi to devices next year
The WiFi Alliance has finally certified "WiGig," a high-speed, 60 GHz standard otherwise known as 802.11ad. Using beamforming, it can yield speeds of up to 8 Gbps, or nearly 1GB per second from a distance of up to 10 meters. As many as 180 million devices using the standard, like routers, laptops and smartphones will arrive by the end of next year, the group said. It also unveiled the first five certified WiGig products from Intel, Dell and Qualcomm, among others.
Toshiba to release 4K-ready, 160MB/s CompactFlash memory cards
Toshiba will launch its Exceria Pro series of CompactFlash cards into the Japanese market tomorrow with 160MB/s read speeds and 150MB/s write speeds. The company claims the 32GB and 64GB models are the fastest CF cards you can get now, thanks to the UDMA7 protocol combined with its own NAND flash memory and custom firmware. As such, it's certified them to the "video performance guarantee profile 2" (VPG-65) standard, meaning they're guaranteed to sustain 65MB/s, which Toshiba says will support many CF-equipped 4K cameras on the market. Obviously, HD and RAW still shooters using pro DSLR models like Canon's 5D Mark III and the Nikon D800 won't have to sweat the frames-per-second, either. There's no word on US availability or pricing, but we should know more when they hit Japanese shops on April 27th.
Aptina intros 8MP sensors that bring 60 fps, pro-grade video to phones, action cameras
Smartphones and action cameras are no strangers to high-speed video: devices like the HTC One X make it a selling point. They've usually had to crop the frame from a much larger sensor, however, cutting into the final image quality and the field of view. Aptina's new AR0835 and AR0835HS sensors might be the ticket to no-compromise, fast footage. Both 8-megapixel, backside-lit CMOS imagers occupy as much of the sensor as they can when capturing widescreen video at 60 frames-per-second, oversampling HD video at six megapixels; the result is supposedly professional-level video sharpness and viewing angles without the professional-level pricing. Either sensor can also capture 6-megapixel stills mid-video, and they can combine pixels to record 720p video at an even brisker 120 fps. Aptina won't have the action camera-focused AR0835HS in production until first quarter of 2013, but it's already mass-producing the smartphone-oriented AR0835. As such, it shouldn't be long before there's brag-worthy, high-speed home movies sitting in our pockets.
Samsung brings speedy UHS-I class SD and microSD memory cards in new 64GB sizes to IFA 2012
We've seen UHS-I class SD and microSD cards capable of incredible speeds before, and Samsung unveiled a few 16GB microSD modules of its own earlier this year, but now it's showing off 64GB sized versions at IFA 2012. The top of the line Pro editions intended for high speed LTE-connected phones and tablets are capable of read/write speeds at 80MB/40MB per second (SD) and 70MB/20MB per second (microSD). If you're not with us in Germany, you should be able to get your hands on them in mid-October.
Alt-week 7.14.2012: Bleeping sheep and ATLAS art
Alt-week peels back the covers on some of the more curious sci-tech stories from the last seven days. While there might not quite have been the epic science news that we had last week, that doesn't mean that there isn't plenty going on in the world of Alt. In this installment we get to see how CERN tricks out its offices, how one farmer tries to keep his flock, and learn about how the military will be high-tailing around the planet in just a few years. This is alt-week.
ASUS Transformer Pad TF300 with LTE stretches its legs on O2 in Germany (video)
It wasn't all that long ago, that the FCC tempted us with the idea of an LTE capable Transformer Pad TF300. Now, a video has popped up online from Germany's O2 network showing of the speedy tablet in all its 42 Mbps down / 32 Mbps up glory. After the obligatory speed test, you can see YouTube videos loading up a charm, along with plenty of other HD video being scrubbed along like it wasn't even a thing. A quick tour of the white-backed version reveals little else of note, but if the lack of LTE was keeping the dollars in your wallet, this might just be enough to tease them back out. [Thanks, Alexis]
Gigabit Squared strikes deal to bring ultra high-speed broadband to six communities
It's still way too early for anyone to start ditching their existing broadband connections, but it looks like a few more communities in the US will be getting some ultra high-speed broadband networks to call their own. Ohio-based Gigabit Squared announced today that it's secured $200 million in funding to bring gigabit-speed networks to up to six different communities -- communities that have unfortunately not yet been named. What we do know is that the communities will all be ones centered around research universities, which themselves will be partners in the Gig.U initiative (an effort that has already enlisted more than 30 institutions). As The New York Times reports, Gigabit Squared is currently in talks with the first university in line for the rollout, and it apparently plans to make more announcements about timing and participation "later this year."
Vision Research's Phantom v1210 and v1610 do slow motion in style (video)
No matter how fast that piece of Jell-O landed on the floor, you'll be able to review the journey in all its slow motion glory with the newly announced Phantom v1610 and v1210 cameras. Vision Research is calling the latest entries in the Phantom line the "world's fastest one megapixel digital high-speed cameras." The v1210 is capable of capturing 12,000 fps to 16,000 fps, with its higher end buddy the v1610 capturing between 650,000 fps and one million fps, if you sacrifice resolution. Shooting 1280 x 800 widescreen images (at regular speed), the v1210 boasts 12GB, 24GB, or 48GB of segmented memory, while the v1610 can hold 24GB, 48GB, or 96GB of segmented memory. Other features include an image-based auto-trigger, ethernet port, SMPTE & IRIG timecode, genlock, 28 micron pixel size, 12-bit depth pixel depth standard, and an HD-SDI output. No word on pricing, but if you have a budget like NFL Films, let the epic sports montages and Truffle Shuffling commence. Check out some slow motion footage captured on the Phantom HD Gold after the break. Update: pricing starts around a cool $100,000.
Google Fiber puts boots on the ground, begins detail engineering in Kansas Cities
We've come a long way since Google first started taking about launching a fiber-based ISP -- from beta tests, to hopeful communities, to Topeka fools day, to selecting not one, but two Kansas Cities. Now, it's "boots on the ground," time according to the Google Fiber blog: detail engineering starts now. In the coming weeks, Kansas City residents (presumably on both sides of the Kansas / Missouri border) can expect to see El Goog's engineers measuring phone poles, gathering geographical data, and asking hard-hitting questions, like "What is your address?" All this footwork will help Google get a head start on building that sweet, ultra-high-speed gigabit network. Not the most glamorous bit of Google magic we've ever seen, but it's still exciting to hear that preliminary work has begun. Of course, it would be even more exciting if this were coming where we lived.
Gig. U hopes to bring Gigabit networks and straight cash, homey, to university communities
Familiar with Johnny Appleseed? He who traipsed 'round the country with a sack 'o seeds on his shoulder, planting trees hither and yon leaving apple orchards blooming in his wake? Gig. U is similar, only it's a project that aims to plant Gigabit networks in 29 collegiate communities to facilitate research, attract start-ups, and stimulate local economies. The plan is just getting underway, and the schools in question -- including Virginia Tech, the University of Hawaii, and the University of Alaska -- are asking private telcos and companies to help make their high-speed dreams a reality. In addition to benefiting the immediate areas, Gig. U sees these swift new networks functioning as hubs in a faster nationwide broadband system. The colleges claim that construction of these new information superhighways won't start for several years, so it'll be some time before they can help elevate us from our current state of broadband mediocrity. Chop, chop, guys.
NEC makes content addressable memory that takes data deposits sans power, RAM green with envy
Wouldn't it be great if system memory was super speedy like RAM and non-volatile like flash? Well, NEC and Tohoku University's new content addressable memory (CAM) has accomplished the trick -- it promises five-nanosecond retrieval speeds equal to sticks of DDR3 1600 and can store data even when the power's off. Spintronics logic is what makes the magic happen by setting the spin direction of electrons and using their interaction with magnetic forces to store bits of data. Those spinning attributes are then kept on the circuit even when there's no electricity flowing. The catch? This new CAM big -- 90nm compared to the 30nm DRAM currently available -- despite the fact it's half the size of previous CAM chips, and NEC's not telling how quickly it can write data. Of course, the tech is still in its developmental stages, so we won't getting its zero-power standby mode and instant-on capabilities in our gadgets for some time. PR after the break.
Google adds Kansas City, MO to list of Kansas Cities covered by ultra high-speed internet (video)
It's gotta be rough being a Kansas City sometimes. It must be a constant cycle of excitement, only to realize that everyone was talking about your identically-named neighbor -- like back in late March, when Google first announced plans to bring its ultra high-speed internet fiber to the Kansas side of the border. Things are looking up for our friends in Kansas City, Missouri, however -- the city's awesomely-named Mayor Sly James held a press conference with Google and Kansas City Power & Light today to announce that his town will be joining in on the bandwidthy fun. Both Kansas Cities can expect to go ultra high-speed next year, pricing on either side of the invisible line remains elusive. Video of joyous local government officials after the break.
First light wave quantum teleportation achieved, opens door to ultra fast data transmission
Mark this day, folks, because the brainiacs have finally made a breakthrough in quantum teleportation: a team of scientists from Australia and Japan have successfully transferred a complex set of quantum data in light form. You see, previously researchers had struggled with slow performance or loss of information, but with full transmission integrity achieved -- as in blocks of qubits being destroyed in one place but instantaneously resurrected in another, without affecting their superpositions -- we're now one huge step closer to secure, high-speed quantum communication. Needless to say, this will also be a big boost for the development of powerful quantum computing, and combine that with a more bedroom friendly version of the above teleporter, we'll eventually have ourselves the best LAN party ever.
Phantom Flex camera slows down time, drops jaws with incredible 2,564fps slowmo footage (video)
Ever wanted to see flowing water slowed down to the point of transforming into a series of airborne droplets? This video has that. And more. A chap by the name of Tom Guilmette got to work with a Vision Research Phantom Flex camera recently, and, being the true geek that he is, he put together a video composition of staggering slow-motion footage. When pushed to its limit, the Phantom is capable of filling every second of 1080p recording with 2,800 frames, though Tom mercifully ran it at a lower 2,564fps speed. That's still sufficient temporal resolution to let you track the wave of an impact's vibration as it travels up a BlackBerry's body -- oh yeah, it's as awesome as it sounds.
FCC report finds 68 percent of US broadband connections aren't really broadband
As the FCC itself has made abundantly clear, the definition of "broadband" is an ever-changing one, and its latest report has now revealed just how hard it is for the US to keep up with those changes. According to the report, a full 68 percent of "broadband" connections in the US can't really be considered broadband, as they fall below the agency's most recent minimum requirement of 4 Mbps downstream and 1 Mbps upstream. Also notable, but somewhat buried in the report, are the FCC's findings on mobile broadband use. The agency found that mobile wireless service subscribers with mobile devices and "data plans for full internet access" grew a hefty 48% to 52 million in the second half of 2009, and that when you consider all connections over 200 kbps, mobile wireless is actually the leading technology at 39.4 percent, ahead of cable modems and ADSL at 32.4 and 23.3 percent, respectively. When it comes to connections over 3 Mbps, however, cable modems account for a huge 70 percent share. Looking for even more numbers? Hit up the link below for the complete report.
China's Shanghai-Hangzhou rail line opens, hits record breaking speed of 262mph
High speed railways, particularly in Asia, have been soaring at around 200 miles per hour for quite some time now, but given just how much pride the Chinese have in their own rail system, it's no shock to hear the entire nation gloating about a new speed record. Of course, we're pretty partial to records ourselves, so we'll happily open up a round of applause when a bullet train hits 262 miles per hour without imploding. The newfangled Shanghai-Hangzhou connection (which connects Hongqiao and Hangzhou) has gone into service today, with most riders treated to a top speed of only 220 miles per hour. Officials have already stated that they're hoping to improve speeds to over 312 miles per hour, with other nations reportedly anxious to get ahold of their technology. Oh, and if you're curious about details, the CRH380 train covers 126 miles in just 45 minutes, with seats starting as low as $12. Update: We've learned that a maglev train in China has been known to hit around 268 miles per hour as recently as two months ago -- we're sure semantics are to blame here.
Phantom camera captures flamethrower vs. fire extinguisher in ultra slo-mo (video)
Korn's "Freak on a Leash," Smashing Pumpkin's "Tonight, Tonight" and Michael / Janet Jackson's "Scream" come to mind when thinking of stunning music videos of the past score, but we're guessing that a 3:19 clip from the good people in Dancing Pigeons will be joining that fray. The music video for "Ritalin" was shot entirely on a Vision Research Phantom and Canon EOS 7D, with the former handling the slow motion work. Which, of course, is the star of the show. You may not think 199 seconds of flamethrower vs. fire extinguisher would be entertaining, but you'd be wrong. Hop on past the break and mash play, but be sure to position a drip rag beneath your chin beforehand.
Vision Research's Phantom Flex captures 1080p at 2,800fps, our full attention
Inside tech fiends the world over, there is a deep-seated desire to film lightning strikes, bullets penetrating glass and objects dropped into water, if only to see the fantastic, chaotic patterns played back in slow motion. (Peep an example after the break.) Thing is, most cameras fast enough to catch such phenomena do so with a tradeoff -- like the Phantom V12, which had a tiny 256 x 8 picture at its impressive 1,000,000fps. But now, Vision Research claims they have a camera that does it all: the Phantom Flex, which captures 1080p images at up to 2,800fps -- with 1000 ISO sensitivity -- and can shoot higher (2560 x 1600 at 1,560fps), faster (640 x 480 at 13,000fps) or even slower (down to 5fps) for regular filming. Since the high speed modes fill the onboard 16 or 32GB of memory in the blink of an eye, the sexy black number supports hot-swappable SSD modules for storage, and can even be synced in pairs to film blue alien Pocahontas reenactments in stereoscopic 3D. Hit the source link for a mouthwatering spec sheet, and don't ask how much it costs. You really don't want to know.
T-Mobile and Clearwire mulling 4G partnership
Looks like the kids at T-Mobile USA are well aware that their company's future will depend on offering both compelling handsets and a competitive network for them to ride on. Reuters reports that the Deutsche Telekom subsidiary has been exploring all its options with regard to the provision of 4G services, including potential joint ventures with cable companies and even spectrum sharing with AT&T, though the likeliest candidate for the moment remains Clearwire's WiMAX infrastructure. Asked about a potential merger with Sprint, who controls more than 50 percent of Clearwire, T-Mobile's CEO Robert Dotson declined the idea, explaining that "what you never want to do is take one company that is going through challenges and take another company going through challenges." Reports of ongoing discussions between Clearwire and T-Mo have been around since last September, and the latest from Dotson suggests that his company is keen to get a resolution either way as soon as possible.
Vision Research rolls out high-speed Phantom Miro eX-series cameras
In the market for a high-speed camera that's compact but definitely won't be mistaken for a regular point-and-shoot? Then you may want to look no farther than one of Vision Research's new Phantom Miro eX-series cameras, which boast a "DSLR-like" design and a spec list intended for high-speed video and not much else. That includes your choice of 640 x 480 or 800 x 600 resolution cams, video frame rates from 500 fps to "over" 100,000 fps (at a reduced resolution), ISO settings up to ISO 1200 for color or ISO 4800 for monochrome, a 3.5-inch touchscreen, and 1GB, 2GB, or 4GB of internal memory, plus a CompactFlash card slot for expansion. Of course, these also won't be mistaken for a point-and-shoot when it comes to price, with the base eX1 model starting at just under ten grand. [Via PhotographyBLOG]
