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Kevlar cartilage could help you recover from joint injuries
It can be difficult to fully recover from knee injuries or other damage to your joints, if just because there hasn't been an artificial replacement for cartilage that can withstand as much punishment as the real thing. That may not be an issue in the long run, though: scientists have developed a Kevlar-based hydrogel that behaves like natural cartilage. It mixes a network of Kevlar nanofibers with polyvinyl alcohol to absorb water at rest (like real cartilage does in idle moments) and become extremely resistant to abuse, but releases it under stress -- say, a workout at the gym.
Carbon nanotube film is stronger and stretchier than kevlar
Researchers at East China University of Science & Technology have finally managed to develop a macroscopic material that exhibits the same strength and pliability as individual nanotubes. In fact, their new carbon nanotube-based film that is five times stronger and 8 percent more pliable than any such material previously developed.
'Ballistic Wallpaper' bombproofs US combat shelters
At a recent DoD Lab Day, the US Army Corps of Engineers Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) unveiled a unique defensive product. Dubbed "ballistic wallpaper," this amalgamation of kevlar fiber threading and flexible polymer film is designed to protect American soldiers when they take shelter in an urban warzone.
Super-thin Kevlar layers promise safer, slimmer batteries
Scientists have spent a lot of time trying to lengthen battery life, but safety and thickness matter, too. Just ask Boeing about that first problem -- its 787 Dreamliner was grounded for months thanks to battery fires. However, a group of University of Michigan researchers may have found a way to make lithium-ion energy packs that are safer and slimmer at the same time. The team has developed Kevlar-based, nano-sized membranes that insulate the electrodes in a battery while still allowing lithium ions to pass through and create a proper circuit. The extra-thin layers should not only reduce the chances of short circuiting, but allow for more energy in a given space. You could get away with thinner batteries in smartwatches and other devices without giving up battery life... or worrying that your device will spontaneously combust, for that matter.
Motorola Droid RAZR HD hands-on: a 720p Android ICS update with 2,500mAh battery life
The curtains have finally been pulled back on Motorola's Droid RAZR HD, revealing little in the way of surprise. Abysmal attempts at secrecy aside, the Verizon-bound handset pushes the line forward with an incrementally larger 4.7-inch screen, 720p display, dual-core 1.5GHz S4 CPU and, most importantly, a 2,500mAh battery to temper LTE's juice-sapping ways. So does this less-than-wafer-thin device live up to its predecessor's legacy? Follow along after the break as we deliver our first impressions.%Gallery-164426%
Motorola announces Droid RAZR Maxx HD
Well, we weren't expecting it at today's Motorola event, but Motorola just outed a Maxx version of the Droid RAZR HD. Like its svelter sibling, the HD Maxx has a 4.7-inch Super AMOLED HD screen, 1.5GHz dual-core CPU, LTE, and an 8-megapixel shooter, but it upgrades the onboard storage to 32GB. And the main event with any RAZR Maxx is, of course, an upgraded 3,300mAh battery that promises up to 21 hours of talk time, 13 hours of video playback or eight hours of web browsing on LTE. Naturally, a price has to be paid for such longevous life, but at 67.9mm wide, 131.9 mm long and a mere 9.3mm thin -- less than 1mm thicker than the standard HD -- it's a relatively small one. Naturally, we don't know how much this beast will cost, but Motorola's telling us it'll be available for this holiday season. Folks looking to dig into the details even further can find them in the PR after the break and at the source below.%Gallery-164427%
Motorola Droid RAZR HD unveiled: 4.7-inch 720p display, ICS, dual-core S4 for Verizon (video)
It's been a day of big smartphone reveals, but Motorola's not one to let the glory shine too long upon rivals. At its press event today in New York City, the Google-owned manufacturer gave the public its first official look at the Droid RAZR HD. Unless you've been living off the grid, it's hard to find much about this announcement fresh and / or exciting, as specs, photos, tutorials, FCC docs and even sample pics have been leaking since the start of April. Surprise already blown, the handset falls in line with previous reports, running a lightly-skinned version of Android 4.0.4 (upgradeable to Jelly Bean) and bearing a 4.7-inch 720p display, dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor clocked at 1.5GHz, 8-megapixel rear camera, NFC, as well as a massive 2,500mAh battery. So, what's changed in this RAZR refresh? Well, the phone's back may still be Kevlar-coated (in this case, it's pretty much fully wrapped), but a few cosmetic differences have been made to the Droid RAZR HD's body. For starters, its front face almost spans from edge to edge, with just a little bit of bezel surrounding that display. Dimensions-wise, it's 131.9mm tall, 67.9 mm wide and still pretty thin at 8.4mm. It's definitely a coup for design-focused consumers that prefer to have their devices appear as a sea of seamless black glass. While it'll be hanging out on Verizon's 4G network, we're still waiting on pricing -- but we're promised that it will arrive "before the holidays." Mat Smith contributed to this report.
Motorola RAZR V goes on sale at Bell, gives Canadians a thin slice of Ice Cream Sandwich
Bell's version of the Motorola RAZR V might not be the media darling that is the Atrix HD, but that shouldn't dampen the interest for Canadians that can at last buy what's potentially a slick deal for an Android 4.0 phone. For $30 on a 3-year contract, or $400 contract-free, the carrier is offering an arguably improved version of the late 2011 RAZR (Droid RAZR for Yankees). Although it bulks up slightly to a third of an inch thick, it's still a skinny, Kevlar-clad wedge. The primary upgrade outside of the OS is a swap-out of that frankly mediocre Super AMOLED screen of the original RAZR smartphone for a much nicer ColorBoost LCD -- sorry, ColourBoost. Otherwise, you're getting the familiar 1.2GHz processor, 14.4Mbps HSPA+ data and 8-megapixel rear camera, although Motorola has shaved the built-in storage to 4GB to keep the costs down. We'd still be tempted to snag the Galaxy Nexus across the aisle to get us a taste of Jelly Bean for the same money, but Canucks with a penchant for Smart Actions now have an option outside of Rogers to get their fix.
Motorola Atrix HD now on sale at AT&T: $100 on contract for LTE, 720p and ICS
Well, lookie here. It didn't take long for Motorola's latest Atrix variant to go from unveiled to launched, as the Atrix HD is now on sale at AT&T for a wallet-pleasing $99.99 on contract. Sign the dotted line for two years, and you'll be getting a 4.5-inch Android superphone, complete with Ice Cream Sandwich (Android 4.0), a true 720p display, Kevlar-infused backing, a "splash resistant" casing and an LTE radio. Those who indulge quickly are set to grab a gratis Vehicle Dock for "a limited time," and you'll also enjoy the first Moto handset to bring the outfit's Circle Widget to the homescreen -- which is engineered to take owners directly to their AT&T account info, displaying data usage, battery status and more. The phone's listed right now in AT&T's smartphone section in Titanium and Modern White, but the link to buy it seems deactivated for the moment. Still, it's all square to go on sale today, so keep a close eye on the source link if you're dead-set on an upgrade. Psst... you can learn more about the Atrix lineage through our original Atrix 4G and Atrix 2 reviews.
AT&T Atrix HD priced at $99: coming July 15 (video)
While we've already stared down the specifications, AT&T's announced that it will bring Motorola's big and skinny slab to the US later this month, while Bell will do the honors in Canada "this summer." Priced at $99, the Atrix HD will tie together LTE connectivity with a 4.5-inch 720p display, available in both Modern White and Titanium colors. Better still, it's all arriving later this week, on July 15. If you're thinking about becoming an early adopter then you'll want to move quickly, as a free Vehicle Dock will ship with each one for a "limited time", designed to work perfectly with the included Smart Actions. Finally, this is the first phone to feature Motorola's "circle widget" on the home screen, designed to take owners directly to their AT&T account info, displaying data usage, battery status and more. Check after the break for a quick video walkthrough from AT&T plus a press release with all of the specs and details. %Gallery-160067%
Motorola Atrix HD revealed with 4.5-inch Colorboost HD display, ICS and Droid RAZR looks
The next Motorola Atrix phone has been revealed on the company's website as the Atrix HD, with an MB886 model number matching the "Dinara" we saw pass through the FCC. According to the listed specs, it features a 4.5-inch HD Colorboost (720 x 1,280) display, 1.5GHz dual-core CPU, and will ship with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich and (predictably) looks very much like the Droid RAZR. There's no carrier mentioned (other than the blatant logo at the bottom), but judging by the radio bands mentioned in the specs, it comes off very much as a Droid RAZR for AT&T with quad-band EDGE, quad-band HSPA+ and dual-band LTE. It has a 1780 mAh battery, 8MP rear camera, 1GB of RAM, 8GB of internal storage (up to 32GB external) and measures 8.4mm thick. The construction is as you'd expect, with Gorilla Glass and Kevlar fused to make the "business ready" handset, while the Atrix 2's Lapdock 100 is listed as an accessory. There's no word on when the third Atrix will be launched, but you can find out all about it and sign up for updates right now at the source link.
Motorola Droid RAZR HD's backside possibly leaked: we hope you like Kevlar
We may have seen it from the front, but Motorola's rumored upcoming Droid RAZR HD now looks to have had its back subjected to the whims of Mr. Blurrycam. The overriding theme? Kevlar. Lots of Kevlar. So much so that it runs right up to the edge, making even the original Droid RAZR seem a tad restrained. A side profile shot hints that it might not be as waif-thin as that first model, which Droid Life takes as a sign (however indefinite) that Motorola could reuse the 3,300mAh mega-battery from the Droid RAZR MAXX. Sadly, the snoop providing the photos hasn't solidified rumors of a Snapdragon S4 processor, a 720p display or a 13-megapixel camera, although they're components that are increasingly par for the course in mid-2012 and later. Unverified murmurs have Verizon only shipping the Droid RAZR HD in the summer; that will give us plenty of time to figure out whether or not it can stop a bullet.
ZTE teases 6.2mm-thick 'Athena,' crams in 720p IPS display and Cortex-A15 chip
Never mind Huawei's 6.68mm-thick Ascend P1 S or Oppo's 6.65mm-thick Finder, because the record's about to be beaten yet again by another Chinese manufacturer. Codenamed "Athena," this mysterious ZTE phone's been getting a fair bit of attention on Sina Weibo with its 6.2mm slimness claim, all thanks to a keen terminal device strategy director from the company. While Mr. Lu hasn't delved into specifics, what we know so far is that Athena will feature a 720p display, Cortex-A15 chip (a source of ours said it will be multi-core) and up to 64GB of internal storage, as well as a "Miflavor UI" -- something that we've already previewed on the Era at MWC -- to go on top of Android 4.0. Lu also hinted that there will be several color options, but we're more than happy to nab that black kevlar edition in the above shot (and someone should tell Motorola to take a look at this). Two more pictures after the break to keep you busy for the time being.
Motorola Droid RAZR Maxx review
Most of today's smartphones, especially those of the LTE-enabled persuasion, have earned a bad rap for exceptionally bad battery life, with large displays and hungry radios that suck the juice out faster than a three year-old can down a CapriSun. The race to construct the thinnest phones on the market doesn't help much either, since whittling down handsets results in less space for generously sized battery packs. The Motorola Droid RAZR is currently the slimmest phone this side of the Pacific, offering a thickness of 7.1mm at its thinnest end, and the title likely won't hold for long as new phones like the Huawei Ascend P1 S aim to knock the RAZR off its throne. But at what point do we stand up and insist on adding a little extra heft for the sake of having a bigger battery? Droid RAZR review Droid RAZR Maxx available now Droid RAZR Maxx hands-on at CES Enter the Motorola Droid RAZR Maxx. A mere two months after its predecessor was released on Verizon, this new contender came around to challenge the battery life of every single next-gen phone we've ever used. Its back end has been filled out somewhat to make room for a bigger battery, but at 8.99mm, it's still slimmer than a huge number of competing handsets on the market today. So what makes the Maxx different from the RAZR? Is it worth paying $300 with a two-year commitment -- a $100 premium over its original? Read on to find out.
Motorola LTE handset emerges with qHD Super AMOLED display, questionable identity
Well, what do we have here? According to "trusted sources" over at This Is My Next it's a Motorola Spyder, or a Droid RAZR, or maybe even the Droid HD we peeped back in August. Whatever the name, the phone is apparently packing a first-of-its-kind 4.3-inch, 960 x 540 qHD super AMOLED display. The rumored LTE handset also supposedly contains a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM, an 8 megapixel, 1080p rear-facing camera and HD front-facing camera, and is apparently outfitted in Gorilla Glass and Kevlar. TIMN is also boasting exclusive new details for the recently outed Atrix 2. It seems the name is confirmed as well as a handful of previously identified specs. What's more, the phone's got a couple of accessories on board, including a laptop dock called the Lapdock 100, also rumored to play nice with the Spyder, or RAZR, or HD. More images of both devices await you at the source links below.
Soundfreaq unleashes Sound Step wireless speakers for audio-loving multitaskers
Soundfreaq made quite the first impression last year with its Sound Platform SFQ-01 audio system, which is why our ears perked up when we heard about the company's newest creations -- the Sound Step and Sound Step Recharge compact wireless speakers. Compatible with all iOS, Android and BlackBerry devices, these Bluetooth-enabled docks allow users to remotely stream audio directly to their speakers, which feature a set of 2.75-inch, Kevlar-reinforced balanced drivers, a dedicated sub-woofer and a UQ3 spatial enhancement processor. There's also a 3.5 millimeter line-in jack and a USB charging port, meaning you'll be able to juice up multiple gadgets as you kick out multiple jams. And, since these guys are just 3.6-inches tall, you probably won't have to freaq out about making space for them, either. If your appetite's already whetted, you can grab the Sound Step for $139, or opt for the Recharge (with its six hours of rechargeable battery life) for $159. Otherwise, you can find more details in the full PR, after the break. Update: We've just received a bit of clarification from the company here. A "grey" colored model actually won't be on the docket, and as for the speakers, there's a pair of 2-inch drivers + a single 3-incher.
Carbon nanotubes run into magical polymer, become 'tougher than Kevlar'
Much like graphene, carbon nanotubes seem to be hitting on all cylinders in the lab. Of course, we can count on one hand finger how many instances we've seen them making a difference in "the real world," but we aren't giving up hope just yet. Researchers from a cadre of universities have come together to solve one of the most nagging issues when dealing with carbon nanotubes -- in prior studies, the bundling of these tubes resulted in a marked decrease in strength, which in turn led to a profuse outpouring of tears. But thanks to a new approach, which mixes in a nondescript polymer, they've managed to conjure up a "a high performance fiber that is remarkably tough, strong, and resistant to failure." More specifically, the resulting material is said to be "tougher than Kevlar, meaning it has a higher ability to absorb energy without breaking." Notably, this material isn't stronger than Kevlar, as it's resistance to failure isn't quite up to snuff, but you can bet the gurus working on this won't stop until it is. And then, friends, we will have officially arrived in The Future.
Transparent material developed that's twice as strong as Kevlar, infinitely weirder
Scientists in Israel have developed a transparent material with "the hardest organic nanostructure known to man," according to Discovery News. Based on artificial proteins similar to (and simpler than) the beta-amlyoid proteins that have been linked to Alzheimer's disease, and covered with transparent nanospheres, the new material is very, very strong: in order to cut it, a diamond-tipped probe would have to apply twice the pressure it would take to cut Kevlar. Researchers see it being used for anything from bulletproof armor to reinforced steel -- but don't throw out your old body armor yet! It could be years (if not decades) before this comes to market.
V-Moda's metallic Vibrato earbuds get Kevlar cable, in-line iPhone remote
It's been a hot minute since we've caught wind of a new set of V-Moda earbuds that weren't exactly like the last pair of V-Moda earbuds, but the Vibrato does a fairly decent job of differentiating itself. How so, you ask? By boasting zinc alloy construction, a Kevlar cable and an in-line, three-button iPhone remote. Obviously catering to those who need a set of metallic earbuds to match their loud-and-proud iPhone 4 antenna band, these guys also rely on 8mm neodymium drivers and ship with four sizes of ear tips. You know, in case you need to let your best bud borrow 'em for the evening. They're available now through Apple's retail shops and online at the company's e-store (see source link below) for $129.99.
Ultrasone Edition 10 headphones sound and are expensive: $2,749 for one of only 2,010 made
Hands up if you actually know what ruthenium is. Don't worry if you don't, it's just used as an external plating on these extremely luxurious open-back cans. More familiar expensive materials can be found within, with titanium-plated 40mm drivers, silver-plated copper wires with 99.99 percent purity and kevlar-coated cables, and of course, for that extra special touch, Ethiopian sheepskin earcup pads. That's skin, not wool, so bear it in mind if you care for the welfare of little fluffy ones. Either way, the Ultrasone Edition 10s do seem like they've packed just enough luxury and exclusivity to justify their $2,745 price -- only thing we need now is a matching mahogany furniture set, preferably with some endangered species' heads adorning our walls.
