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RedPad brings Chinese patriotism to Android, costs each comrade just $1,590
Well, it was only a matter of time. Hongpaiyihao (literally meaning "red group number one"), a Beijing-based pro-government new media company, has launched a 9.7-inch Tegra 2 tablet that's "tailor-made for government officials" and patriotic consumers. Well, we're not sure whether the government's even aware of this Android 3.2 device's existence, but it's certainly preloaded with a bunch of pro-China apps (including one for the state-approved microblogging service), electronic subscription to a handful of newspapers (state-controlled, of course) and "exclusive" access to daily updates on some government strategic decisions. The damage? 9,999 yuan ($1,590) per unit, or 7,100 yuan ($1,120) each if you buy in bulk. As pointed out by Penn Olson, this RedPad is about two to three times as expensive as the iPad in China.To be honest, having dug around Hongpaiyihao's unbelievably shoddy product pages, this reeks of a desperate company trying to squeeze money out of overly patriotic folks in China. Even the screen resolution and battery capacity are inconsistent across the site: it's either 1,024 x 768 and 8,000mAh, or 1,280 x 800 and 7,600mAh, respectively. Judging by the render, the former combination is more likely the real deal; yet the screenshots in the owner manual suggest the latter. Oh, and just so you know, there's no sign of the above interface in the manual at all. If you still care, other features include a five megapixel main camera, a two megapixel front-facing camera, 3G connectivity, 1GB of RAM and 16GB of storage. We'll stick to our diet of regular Honeycomb and Ice Cream Sandwich, thank you very much -- they'll keep our wallets healthier.
Samsung Galaxy Note Notepad hands-on at CES: it's like a Note, but analog
What if Samsung made a Galaxy Note, but instead of throwing a dual-core processor, a few megabytes (or gigabytes, whatever) of RAM, and random pieces of silicon between the front and rear covers, it included an undetermined amount of paper? What it we lived in a world where that type of activity was not only okay, but encouraged? What if the Note is actually the Notepad in a parallel universe? What if the aforesaid parallel universe is reality in Las Vegas, Nevada? Think about it.
Adobe's Todd Teresi to lead Apple's iAd unit, fully purge himself of Flash reliance
It had to happen at some point, right? Adobe and Apple -- two names in a similar field -- would inevitably end up hiring someone that worked at the other firm in a past life, and unsurprisingly, the world is up in arms about an acquisition that would go unreported if not for the past drama between the two outfits. As the story goes, Todd Teresi (formerly of Adobe) has been hired to be the new chief of Apple's iAd mobile advertising division, but since the hire hasn't been officially confirmed, it's all based on "sources familiar with the matter." Interestingly, Bloomberg BusinessWeek asserts that the iAd team has been "cutting prices to keep customers from jumping ship to rivals, including Google," noting that the dominance seen in the tablet market isn't exactly translating on the advertising side. Something tells us Apple's got a few bills to lose while experimenting, though.
Microsoft brings Kinect float to Rose Bowl Parade: a making-of video
Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade? Pish posh. As any red-blooded American will likely confess, it's the parade preceding the annual Rose Bowl that really gets one's attention, and this year's edition featured a float from none other than Microsoft itself. As Russell Wilson and co. were gearing up to take the field in Pasadena, a smattering of folks were strapping on their winter gear and heading atop an admittedly eye-catching Kinect float. No, there's no way to actually dictate the rest of bowl season through your motion-sensing peripheral, but there is a making-of video just after the break for the handicraft sect.
Plextor outs limited edition M2P SSD in weirdest press release ever
"Although no specific information is available," says Plextor in its own statement, "word has it that Plextor is serious about the limited edition status" of its latest M2P SSD. In other detective work, they've discovered that the drive comes in 128GB and 256GB variants that cost $240 and $440 respectively and should be available towards the end of the month. Both models handle 6Gb/s SATA III, are powered by the "server grade" Marvell 88SS9174 controller chip and deliver up to 500MB/s reads and 440MB/s writes. Engadget suspects the full PR is right after the break.
This concept wants you to smell it, smell it, Smellit
We admit it: this could just be another highfalutin gadget render that'll never breathe the polluted whiff of day. But it's a nice render, which demonstrates a concept called the Smellit: a miniature olfactory factory that's meant to connect to your PC and bring a "fourth dimension" to video and gaming. Its creator, Nuno Teixeira, even claims he's found a French company to build the device and show it off at the Lisbon Design Show next week. Now, the principle of a practically-sized scent generator has already been demonstrated by others, but we won't be convinced until we have to open a window.
Print your own blood vessels, no need for red toner
Barely 24 hours after we told you about printing your own bones, the franken-science continues with the announcement that blood vessels are next on the body-parts-you-can-print list. Unsurprisingly, you'll need more than just regular toner if you want to start printing your own at home, but pioneering work by application-oriented research organization Fraunhofer has claimed to have cracked it by adding some good old 'two-photon polymerization' into the mix -- yeah, obvious once you know. The added photon special sauce is what makes the printed synthetic tubes biofunctionalized, which in turn enables living body cells to dock onto them -- we're guessing that's important. Sounds cute, but how long until we can start printing whole people -- Weird Science, anyone?
Nikon announces that it has announced nothing
Actual report: "Nikon understands that some article appeared in the media regarding Nikon's imaging product. Please note that Nikon has made no announcement in this regards." Translation: "We don't always reject rumors. But when we do, we reject ones you've never heard of." The exhaustive press release can be found in its entirety after the break. [Thanks, PJ]
Blu e-Cigs finally launches new 'Smart Pack' for social smoking, tweakable nicotine intake
blu Cig's electric cigarettes are already designed to offer users a "healthier" way to get their daily dose of nicotine without resorting to the classic cancer stick. Now, they've launched the long-awaited Smart Pack that alerts you of other users within 50 feet, perhaps for some enlightening small talk without the wrinkle-inducing ash. It also improves battery life and features a "convenient cartomizer" that lets you tweak the level of nicotine and flavor based on how hard you're fiending. Don't worry about running out, as the "Smart Pack" will even automatically reorder your smokes when supply dips -- how kind. In the future, the company hopes to integrate social networking features so like-minded e-smokers can build relationships out of their habits. But honestly, what's more addictive -- nicotine or Facebook? Check out the PR after the break.
Photographer goes digital, blows half a million dollars on a 10MP sensor
Ever spent way too much on a luxury watch or handbag? We hear ya -- the Engadget closet is bulging with Balenciaga clutches we hardly ever take out any more. But do you know who we blame for these inexplicable lapses of consumer judgment? A professional photographer by the name of Mitchell Feinberg, who happens to own the world's largest digital sensor. He uses the $500,000 custom-built 8x10-inch camera back to help capture mouthwatering advertising stills for couture clients like Bulgari and Vogue. What's really loco, though, is that the sensor is only 10MP, which isn't remotely sufficient for printable art. Instead, Feinberg puts it to work as a replacement for Polaroid; grabbing full-size test snaps during a shoot before reverting to an old-fashioned sheet of 8x10 film for the final money-shot. Whereas he previously spent $50k per year on Polaroid stock, now he spends nothing. So, unlike those silly blue-tinted Ray-Bans we bought for our vacation, this block of light-receptive love should eventually pay for itself. (Oh, and speaking of summer breaks, Feinberg says he's currently away on his, but he promises to post some sample pics on his site when he returns.)
Sony's Face-to-Avatar blimp soars through SIGGRAPH, melts the heart of Big Brother (video)
Telepresence, say hello to your future. Humans, say hello to the next generation of Chancellor Sutler. All jesting aside, there's no question that Big Brother came to mind when eying Sony Computer Science Laboratories' Face-to-Avatar concept at SIGGRAPH. For all intents and purposes, it's a motorized blimp with a front-facing camera, microphone, a built-in projector and a WiFi module. It's capable of hovering above crowds in order to showcase an image of what's below, or displaying an image of whatever's being streamed to its wireless apparatus. The folks we spoke to seemed to think that it was still a few years out from being in a marketable state, but we can think of a few governments who'd probably be down to buy in right now. Kidding. Ominous video (and static male figurehead) await you after the break. %Gallery-130392%
Visualized: Boeing 747-8 makes its longest flight to date, writes name in the sky
It's always fun to write your name on things -- chalkboards, diplomas, speeding tickets, yellow snow... you know, the usual. The folks at Boeing couldn't agree more, which is why they tasked 747-8 pilots with writing the jet's name in the sky on a flight test across the US. What could be called the "747-8 wuz here" mission is designed to test the outer limits of the jumbo jet in a max endurance operations test. Taking off yesterday morning from Seattle's Paine Field, the jet flew across 18 states in a 747 pattern until it landed on the west coast a little after midnight -- 17 total hours of mayhem. It seems like everything went swimmingly, which means the brand spanking new jet will be sold to Cargolux, a ginormous cargo airline, later this year. The jet writing does somewhat resemble a drunken righty's attempt at left-handed writing, but hey, who are we to judge?
Two more fake Apple Stores spotted by officials in China, two get the smackdown
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but that didn't go down too well with the three KIRF Apple Stores in Kunming, China. In fact, after American expat BirdAbroad made her local stores famous last week, local officials have since been combing through the city's 300-plus gadget shops on behalf of Apple China, and managed to dig up two more "Apple" stores. It's not exactly clear if these new offenders are at the same severity as the ones spotted by BirdAbroad, but the authorities have confirmed that none of the five stores are Apple Authorised Resellers, let alone having its permission to use its logo on their store front. Additionally, two out of the five stores have since been shut down due to unlicensed retail operation. The fate of the remaining three is still unknown -- the officials have only concluded that no KIRF products have been found in the stores, though details such as the decor and staff uniform are certainly very similar to those of the real deal. Well, we're glad they agree, but this is only just the beginning -- BirdAbroad has since gathered photos of more sketchy Apple stores across the world, so go take a gander. Oh, and for those who have been out of the loop, there's a hands-on video of one of the Kunming stores after the break.
The ultimate KIRF: fake Apple Store spotted in China
This Apple Store looks so real we still can't quite believe it isn't. The KIRF-ers have excelled themselves this time: mimicking or at least reinventing everything from the Brave New World posters down to the dog-tags and "We live here" demeanor worn by the staff. There were a few giveaways, however, which led observant blogger BirdAbroad to whip out her camera and start gathering evidence: slight imperfections in the decor, a lack of individual names on staff badges, plus an unlikely location in the Chinese Backwaterville of Kunming. Hey Apple, we feel your pain. You'll find further unbelievable pics after the break and over at BirdAbroad's blog.
Groupon offers KIRF iPad for $248, proves it's the best deals site in the universe
Why does one thumb its nose at a $6 billion offer from Google? 'Cause you can make a mighty fine sum from hawking Android-equipped KIRF iPads, apparently.
Joseph Holmes photographs punctilious texters in NYC, encourages you to have a peek
Have you ever texted? Have you ever been photographed while texting? Were you in the vicinity of New York City, USA? If so, you may be one of the crowd in Joseph Holmes' newest art composition, as the self-proclaimed professional now has a growing library of individuals who seem to be shockingly focused on whatever they're texting. The gallery is quite simply called "Texters," and he shot 'em over a two month period and whittled that group down to just 26 amazing, wondrous panels of pixels. Hit the source to see 'em all, and yes, it's cool be inspired.
Google bids pi for Nortel's wireless patent stash, brings comedy to places you never thought possible
Enabling surfers to play Pac-Man instead of actually initiating the search they showed up to complete? Taking a stroll through an episode of Burn Notice? Throwing internet on a magical Indian bus? All relatively normal things from one Google, Inc., but it seems that Larry Page's deadpan demeanor is actually covering up quite the character. During the outfit's recent attempt to outbid the likes of Apple, EMC, Ericsson, Microsoft, RIM and Sony for a sliver of Nortel's coveted wireless patent portfolio, Reuters is reporting that Google's plays were... less than conventional. Reportedly, the company bid $1,902,160,540 and $2,614,972,128, better known by mathematicians as Brun's constant and Meissel-Mertens constant, respectively. Funnier still, Google decided to offer $3.14159 billion (you know, pi) when the bidding reached $3 billion. One of the unnamed sources summed up the bizarreness quite well: "Google was bidding with numbers that were not even numbers. It became clear that they were bidding with the distance between the earth and the sun. One was the sum of a famous mathematical constant, and then when it got to $3 billion, they bid pi. Either they were supremely confident or they were bored." Or, perhaps they're just supremely awesome?
The Elliptical Machine Office Desk: putting the 'commute' back in 'telecommuting'
Quite frankly, you've got it just a bit too easy. You rise 98 seconds before you're scheduled to clock in, you mash a power button, and suddenly, you're at work. PJs still caked to your legs, mouth still steaming from a lack of brushing. You're a telecommuter, and you're the envy of the working world. In fact, it'd be just stellar if you'd do us all a solid and add a sliver of complexity to your workday -- you know, like swapping out your OfficeMax special for an elliptical machine. And maybe, just maybe, you can convert your laptop into one that's pedal-powered, forcing you to keep churning for fear of dropping from the virtual office. And no, you can't ask for donations to cover the $8,000 price tag -- your fuel savings from last week alone should just about cover it. Harrumph.
Rotobot mice: the best use of typewriter keys since the typewriter
These fully-functional wireless Rotobot mice from designer Aaron Ristau will make you look seriously cultivated when people drop by your apartment. In our eyes, that means they officially join the esteemed ranks of typewriter-themed Works of Art, but unfortunately it also means they cost $180 -- which might be hard to stomach when you realize that each one is just a non-ergonomically modded $25 Logitech M305. Hey-ho, everybody needs at least one peripheral to be their geeky equivalent to good cutlery. And no, that CSR Elite in the cupboard doesn't count.
Fully working Super8 film projector built totally out of Lego, well almost (video)
Projecting Super8 film is a largely unnecessary hassle these days, but those words are clearly meaningless to camera nut Friedemann Wachsmuth. His painstakingly constructed Lego projector runs at a rickety 24fps without mangling celluloid, and with only the most minor use of non-Lego components (lens, lamp, spindles, bah who's counting?). The contraption serves no purpose other than to hurl photons of pure geek passion at white-ish walls, and previous Lego viewfinders and shutter releases are mere pecks on the cheek by comparison. Turn up your volume before you hit the video because the rattliness of this thing is all part of the love.
