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A lawsuit almost stalled NASA's Cassini mission
Capt. Scott Kelly wasn't kidding when he famously quipped that "space is hard." Even getting to the launch pad can prove to be a daunting challenge. Take the Cassini mission to study Saturn, for example. Despite an investment of $3.4 billion and nearly a decade of development, Cassini wound up being very nearly scuttled at the last minute by protesters who thought they knew better than a federal agency that has put multiple men on the moon. Geez guys, it was just 73 pounds of plutonium riding aboard that Saturn orbiter -- it wouldn't have caused that much damage had something gone horribly wrong at launch.
Monitor your Twitter mojo with Merlo
Can you tweet more effectively? Merlo, a new iOS app, might help you to do just that (but only if you can make out the tiny graphic displays-more on that below). Merlo requires iOS 7.1 or later, is compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch, and is priced at $1.99. The majority of Twitter users, like me, tweet about things that interest us and move on to the next thing. Businesses and organizations use Twitter differently. More and more businesses and organizations are coming to understand just how important Twitter can be, especially as a part of PR and communications. Organizations need to know a lot about the effect of their efforts online. And there are big, complex and expensive social media management tools available that can help with this gargantuan task. The idea of having a social media analysis tool right there in the palm of your hand is intriguing. That's where Merlo comes in. Merlo is a iOS app designed to provide basic info to Twitter users about the effect of their tweets. In particular it displays information about gained and lost followers, the number of retweets and favorites, historical tweets and other basic trends. Setup is easy, but does require a 24 hour wait for a full report display. You can also import Twitter backups, but the process is cumbersome. The app can only track a single Twitter ID. I'm not sure who this app is really for. Organizational users need more robust tools, tools that can handle multiple Twitter IDs and sophisticated message tracking. Casual Twitter users don't need any tracking or analysis at all. For someone like me the data and reports that Merlo provides is mildly interesting at best. The one piece of information that I did gain from the Merlo reports is that I might improve retweets by releasing the daily post on my own site at 9 AM Eastern time rather than 8 AM as I currently do. It's worth experimenting with. That alone might have been worth the $1.99 app price. The real bone to pick with this app is its design. The designer aspires to "beautiful infographics," but what he ended up with is an app that is very hard to read. The report displays don't look too bad as screen shots as you'll see displayed here, but viewing them on a iPhone makes my aging eyes tear up. There's just too much data to display in such tiny charts. The choice of that particular shade of blue increases the difficulty in reading (Note: I did not test on an iPad). I also found some odd navigation in selecting "View More Stats" from the Statistics display. This selection forced a change in orientation, from portrait to landscape (the app's main displays are only portrait). These additional reports are larger and easier to read, but require you to close the view to return to the regular app display. I was also a bit chagrined that one of the four main displays in the app was primarily taken up with pleas to follow, rate, or promote the app (along with a short tutorial on how to import Twitter backups). This section might have been better used for the oddly placed "View More Stats" display. There was nothing about Merlo that really excited me. And the design of the app made it difficult to use and view. Merlo strives for "beautiful minimalistic design," but it ends up being very difficult to read and does not provide much info of value. Save your two bucks.
Ouya Everywhere starts with Mad Catz's MOJO microconsole in spring
Ouya Everywhere aims to put Ouya games on other company's consoles, and it's kicking off that process this spring on MOJO, the Android microconsole from Mad Catz. MOJO launched in December, and one of its highlights is the eventual ability to stream PC games. Along with the Ouya news, MOJO is getting a price drop, from $250 to $200 in the US. Ouya currently has 680 games and 33,000 developers on board, and all of that – plus any coming content – will hit MOJO in the spring. Ouya founder Julie Uhrman announced Ouya Everywhere this week, adding that the company is thinking about building a Steam-esque PC application as well. "Up until now, the game console experience has been locked inside a box," Uhrman says in today's press release. "Together with the hardware veterans at Mad Catz, we end that. Today's announcement signifies the inception of a truly open platform where independent developers can bring their creations to the platforms where gamers actually play: everywhere." Or, for now: on another Android microconsole. [Image: Mad Catz]
Mad Catz MOJO console now on sale for $250, baby
Xbox One and PlayStation 4 a bit too bulky for your gaming tastes? Need something a bit smaller? Maybe even micro sized? Good news for you, because Mad Catz's Android-powered MOJO microconsole is now available, which means you can finally say you got your mojo without being accused of hyperbole or referencing a Mike Myers film. Yeah, baby! The MOJO features an NVIDIA Tegra 4 T40S 1.8GHz Processor and 2GB RAM. We were also aware back in October that the device would be capable of streaming games from a PC, though we weren't given details as to how that would work. If you want to find out and steal some MOJO for yourself, all you need is a "time machine" and a fat Scotsman $250 and the ability to order a unit from one of Mad Catz's partners.
Mad Catz working with NVIDIA to bring GameStream to MOJO
Remember that PC streaming feature Mad Catz' MOJO is supposed to be getting sometime after launch? It might be powered by NVIDIA's GameStream technology. "We're talking to NVIDIA and we hope to enable GameStream soon after the launch of the console," Alex Verrey, Mad Catz' Global PR Director told Engadget at Expand NY this weekend. Right now, the technology is only available on NVIDIA's own Shield handheld -- if the Mad Catz deal pans out, it would be the first appearance of GameStream on a third party device. Verrey stopped just short of confirming the partnership, but suggested that the company was looking at other platforms, too. "We're also very excited for Steam and we look at all these opportunities with interest."
Mad Catz announces S.T.R.I.K.E.M keyboard for gamers on the go
Mad Catz is no stranger to gaming keyboards of course, but it had yet to bring its S.T.R.I.K.E branding to the mobile market. That changes today, however, with the launch of the S.T.R.I.K.E.M, a keyboard specifically made for portable devices such as its own M.O.J.O micro console for Android. Like the rest of the company's GameSmart devices, the S.T.R.I.K.E.M keyboard is equipped with Bluetooth for wireless connectivity, but it also features NFC technology for quick and easy pairing with compatible products. Frequent gamers will appreciate the micro P.U.L.S.E scissor keys underneath as well as an Optical Finger Navigation (OFN) mouse sensor. Other features include a rechargeable lithium polymer battery, backlighting for those late night gaming sessions and dedicated media keys. The S.T.R.I.K.E.M will be available in glossy black, white and red. We're not sure yet how much it'll cost or when it'll be available, but rest assured it'll likely arrive before the end of the y.e.a.r.
One of Mad Catz MOJO's crazy features is streaming PC games
Mad Catz' leap into the microconsole industry – it's a thing – brings with it another growing industry trend: PC game streaming. Mad Catz has confirmed to Joystiq sister-site Engadget that its Android-based home console M.O.J.O. will add the ability to stream PC games to a user's television after the device launches. In response to Joystiq's request for further details on how the feature would work, a Mad Catz representative said the company was not ready to divulge. "The plan is indeed for M.O.J.O. to enable streaming from compatible PCs, allowing gamers to play their PC titles on the living room TV, however, we have not yet confirmed when this functionality will be enabled. For PC streaming to work, M.O.J.O. will require a simple update which we hope will be available shortly after launch," Joystiq was told. The M.O.J.O. is set to arrive in December for $250 and, unlike other currently available and upcoming Android-based microconsoles, the system has access to the Google Play store. The system's final hardware specifications can be found after the break.
Mad Catz microconsole MOJO boots up pre-orders for $250, ships in December
Mad Catz's Android-based console MOJO is now available for pre-order. The system's price is now set at $249.99, and is expected to ship on December 10. Announced in June, MOJO separates itself from the likes of systems such as Ouya by allowing players to access games on the Google Play store. MOJO runs a stock version of Android and carries 16 GB of storage with a micro SD support for expandable storage up to 128 GB as well as a 1.8 GHz Tegra 4 processor. The console comes with a Mad Catz Ctrl-R bluetooth-enabled game pad, which includes a physical switch to change between three modes: Android controller, PC controller and mouse input.
Mad Catz's Android console now just 'MOJO,' pulls games straight from Google Play
Mad Catz's recently announced Project MOJO Android micro-console (now just "MOJO") was on-hand at the hardware manufacturer's open-air booth in the middle of E3's West Hall. We learned a great deal more about the device's proprietary publishing ecosystem, or rather its lack of one. Unlike the Ouya or other Android micro-consoles announced this year, the MOJO runs stock Android and connects to the Google Play store like any smartphone or tablet. This means that, rather than waiting for a game to be ported to the MOJO, it just has be ported to Android in general. It also means that the MOJO is registered to your existing Google Play account as another device, so any games you already own on your smartphone or tablet can be downloaded and played on the MOJO. "We don't believe we should be restricting you, we want to be as open as possible," Mad Catz senior product development manager Richard Neville told us. "We just want to give people the most powerful hardware they can get, and that then becomes the enabler for the user." Said hardware, at least on the E3 showfloor, ran on a Tegra 3 processor and featured HDMI output at 1080p, as well as two USB inputs, 16 gigs of on-board storage expandable by mini SD, wireless b/n/g interwebs and both Bluetooth Classic and Bluetooth Smart. The MOJO's processor is expected to change before the micro-console launches this winter, however, when the production unit's specs are finalized around the end of this summer. We were also told that the final version will feature an Ethernet port for hard-wiring into a home network. No pricing has been announced as of yet, but the console will include a Mad Catz Ctrl-R wireless Bluetooth Classic/Smart controller, which can change between being an Android controller, mouse input or PC gamepad at the flick of a switch.%Gallery-191510%
Mad Catz confirms M.O.J.O. Android 'micro console'
Mad Catz CEO Darren Richardson may have already let slip about the forthcoming Android M.O.J.O. console, but now it's been made official. The firm stopped short of giving us all the specifications, but we can tell you that it supports Bluetooth 4.0, and will ship with the company's GameSmart C.T.R.L.R. wireless GamePad. Thanks to the images, we also get a clue at some of the connectivity, which includes two regular USB ports, one micro-USB, an HDMI out, headphone connector and microSD slot. The wedge-like device is out there in the wild at E3, so we'll be sure to give it the full hands-on once it's spotted in its natural habitat.%Gallery-191069%
Mad Catz CEO announces 'Project M.O.J.O.' Android gaming console coming at E3
So, what with E3 just over the horizon, we're expecting a bunch of gaming news. But a new contestant in the Android gaming market? From an established gaming hardware maker? Well, apparently so, according to Mad Catz CEO Darren Richardson who announced "Project M.O.J.O." in a recent earnings call. Calling it an Android "micro console," Richardson claims it's like a supercharged smartphone, without a display, that you plug into a flatscreen TV. Richardson was also keen to stress that it's all about hardware performance, and will be open platform (rather than selling content). There are no details about specification at this stage, but M.O.J.O. is likely to be the fruit of a recent NVIDIA partnership, and will be the centerpiece of Mad Catz's own GameSmart products, which ensures a slew of peripherals and controller options. This partnership also likely means Tegra Zone compatibility, and therefore games from launch. For now we'll have to sit and wait, but it looks like Android gaming is about to step up a gear.
HP confirms legacy webOS apps will run on webOS 3.0, TouchPad keeps its Mojo
We know the original Palm Pre models and Pixi won't get upgraded to webOS 2.0, and we also know all about the new Enyo app development framework. But what about running those apps written in the older Mojo framework on webOS 3.0 devices, like the TouchPad? They'll be supported, so says HP Developer Relations and Framework Engineer Ben Combee. A first tweet indicated that "On webOS 3, Mojo apps will run in an emulation window with back and forward buttons at bottom." He went on to say this won't be a traditional emulator in the "check out my Super Metroid ROM, yo" sense, rather "a smaller card with gesture area chrome." So, good news for existing apps continuing to be supported going forward, but of course it remains to be seen what the experience will look and feel like. It seems we'll have to wait a bit to find that out.
Palm webOS 'Enyo' framework paves the way for tablets and larger phones (video)
Don't expect HP's webOS 2.0 to be tied to an HVGA screen for long -- come "early 2011," the company will introduce a number of "really interesting new form factors," including tablets and phones. That was the message driven home at Palm's Developer Day this year, according to PreCentral's Dieter Bohn, and the software that's going to make that shift possible is a little something called Enyo. Picking up where Ares left off, Enyo is a Javascript app framework with native hardware acceleration and faster app load times (they're allegedly down to one second now), but the part we think you'll be most interested in is the promise of apps that natively scale to multiple aspect ratios. HP's Scott Miles demoed it earlier this week by playing around with a tiny, single-pane portrait email application in the desktop version of Chrome... and then maximized the browser window to reveal a fully-functioning three-pane landscape layout suited for a large tablet screen. Representatives stressed that the email app was a proof of concept, but Enyo's here to stay, replacing the earlier Mojo starting in 2011 and slated to be available in early 2011 via developer SDK. Get introduced to Enyo in a video after the break, and skip ahead to that email demo at 15:55 if you're running late for your rockstar developer meetup.
Avaya intros business-oriented A175 tablet, shows off Flare user interface
Avaya's not a name you generally hear when circling the consumer electronics water cooler, and even though it just introduced a new tablet, you still won't ever see this guy in Target, Best Buy or Walmart. Expected to cost between $1,500 and $2,000, this 11.5-inch enterprise tablet is designed primarily to be used at a cubicle, doubling as a SIP phone and tripling as an office collaboration tool. Dubbed a "Polycom killer" more than an iPad killer, this unit relies on Aura 6.0 and the newly designed Flare user interface (detailed in the video past the break), which enables touchscreen operation and supports multi-user video calling, email, web browsing and support for Android applications. Specs wise, it's "slightly thicker than an iPad," has a trio of USB 2.0 ports, inbuilt WiFi, 3G / 4G WWAN support and an integrated battery for those days when you simply have to clock in from the comfort of Venice Beach. Hit that More Coverage link for a live report at the device's unveiling, and feel free to start hassling your manager to order up a few dozen of these. Or use that money for office-wide raises -- whatever floats your boat. [Thanks, Bob]
Palm throws the doors open: review-free app distribution over the web, open source developers can hop in for free
Well, things just got interesting. The very evening of the App Catalog's launch of paid apps, Palm has made a very different kind of announcement: it's going to let developers skip out on the App Catalog if they so choose. Devs will be able to submit an app to Palm, who will turn around and give them a URL for open distribution of the app over the web -- without a review process getting in the way! The App Catalog will still exist for those who want to use it of course, with a $50 entrance fee to get an app inside -- and we're guessing it'll remain the only way to distribute paid apps -- but the new URL distribution should decentralize things just a little bit. In other good news, Palm will be dropping the $99 annual developer fee for folks building open source apps, and hopefully that free ride applies to App Catalog entry as well, though now there's web distribution to make it less of a sticking point. Palm's also going to open up its analytic data to developers, and even is giving away Pres and Touchstones to the audience members of the little shindig privy to this announcement -- clearly the company is making a strong play for developers, and who doesn't like to be loved? [Thanks, Lawrence]
Palm makes Mojo SDK beta and docs publicly available, officially opens developer floodgates
digg_url = 'http://digg.com/gadgets/Palm_goes_public_with_Pre_webOS_SDK_and_docs'; Success! For all you developers hankering to get in on the webOS and Pre action (or at least see the action), your wishes have come true. Today Palm announced on its corporate blog that it would be making the Mojo SDK beta and accompanying documentation available to anyone who is interested... effective immediately. Furthermore, the company says it will begin taking submissions for new applications in the fall -- so if you're planning on getting something in, it's time to start cranking. For those of you haven't already torrented the previously available leak of the kit (or just want some real docs), this news should be music to your ears... er, eyes. Well what are you waiting for? Get downloading!Read - Palm blog postRead - Palm's developer site
Palm's Mojo SDK beta for webOS leaks into the wild
Palm has done its darnedest to keep the riffraff away from webOS development while it finishes up its Mojo SDK for webOS development, but the floodgates have finally opened with an opportune leak of Mojo to Torrent-vill. Naturally, Palm will still be locking out unapproved developers from releasing their creations to the App Catalog for the time being, but this should hopefully give the everyman a chance to hone apps in anticipation of a day of approval -- and should really beef up the homebrew community in the meantime. The other good news is that Palm is actually adding developers to its "early access program" at a fairly rapid pace, announcing that it doubled its membership this week, and plans to double it again next week. It's all coming together.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]Update: The original leak was strictly Windows-style, but PreThinking notes that it's available for Mac now as well.
Three Sheets slated to return, new season starting soon
Join us in exclaiming: Glory, Hallelujah! After the death of Three Sheets late last year, our TV watching just hasn't been the same. We've even found ourselves wondering what's wrong with the HD DVR for not recording any new episodes. At long last, we've finally been told that the immensely popular travel / drinking show is set to return, though we don't know where or when. On Zane Lamprey's official website, he's informed the world that the new home network is currently seen in around 65 million homes across America (compared to just 10 million with MOJO HD, the show's former home), and the announcement from said network should be coming soon. Also, the never-aired fourth season will begin airing soon after, with a season five scheduled to begin shooting in the not-too-distant future. Raise your glasses, mates![Via Yelp, thanks Ben]
Palm finally manages to bore us to tears with webOS Mojo SDK tutorial
We knew this day would come, and at last we've been faced with 56+ minutes of webOS-related video that we could barely keep our eyes open for. Palm Software CTO Mitch Allen did a rundown for an O'Reilly webcast detailing the structure and paradigms of webOS, and then went ahead and built a simple little app using TextMate and Safari. While we're sure some JavaScript fanboys out there will have a field day with this, there weren't too many juicy tidbits in there for us mere mortals. It did seem like Palm's still working on the whole app DRM situation -- exacerbated by the fact that webOS apps aren't really executables -- so it sounds like Google isn't the only one. What is clear is that the barrier for entry to app development here is stunningly low, and we suppose we'll all find out soon enough exactly what sort of awesomeness and terror that will mean for us end users. Video is after the break.[Via Palm Pre en español]
Google demos HTML5-based Maps on the Palm Pre
Looks like offline Gmail on the iPhone wasn't the only trick Google's Vic Gondotra has up his sleeve during his talk at MWC -- he also gave a quick demo of Google Maps running as a web app on the Palm Pre. Of course, what's interesting there is that the Pre's HTML-based SDK means that web apps can act like first class citizens on the device -- which is probably why Vic called the Pre "arguably one of my favorite devices." Hopefully that means we're going to see a lot more Pre devs really blur the line between local and cloud-based applications, but for now we'll just settle for the short demo video after the break.
