Flexible metamaterial could make your next invisibility cloak rather more comfortable
November 9, 2010 No Comment
Metamaterials have a lot of potential future applications, but only one of them really gets our geeky senses tingling: invisibility cloaks. Previous theoretical examples we’ve seen were built upon rigid silicon substrates, meaning they’d be about as comfortable to wear as a motherboard jacket with ISA sleeves. But, a new material at the University of St. Andrews has been created that offers similar light-bending properties in a flexible package, crafted by the formation of a membrane upon a release layer, etching microscopic gold bars upon it, and then removing the release layer to have just the blingy membrane left behind. It can be tuned to bend various wavelengths, with the team having success working at wavelengths as short as 620nm — you know, red. If there’s one problem it’s the size of the thing, with current prototypes measuring just 5 x 8mm, but it is said to be “scalable to industrial levels,” meaning next-year’s Harry Potter costume could be the best one ever. Flexible metamaterial could make your next invisibility cloak rather more comfortable originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Nov 2010 15:06:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …
Ah, the beautiful, ever-useful jailbreak and the developers that make it worthwhile. It’s already unlocked the magic of FaceTime over 3G , and now it’s making FaceTime capable with any old iPhone 3GS handset (thanks to the iPhoneIslam Team, who did the heavy lifting). Of course, lacking a front facing camera, the resulting video chat might be a little short on faces , but the functionality certainly isn’t hurting anybody. Right, Apple? Hit up the app on Cydia and start streaming to your heart’s content, and if you’re wary there’s a demo video after the break. [Thanks, Moe] FaceIt-3GS brings FaceTime to your jailbroken 3GS originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Nov 2010 14:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …
Our love of tech, gadgets, and anything, really, with blinking lights means that while we certainly value usability and quality in our consumer electronics, there will always be a place in our hearts for the utterly useless . And we’re definitely not alone here, as the popularity of the annual Bacarobo (stupid robot) contest will tell you. This year’s event was held in Budapest, Hungary, and featured a number of the silliest robots you’ve never seen before — all designed to get a laugh. The contest is judged in true hackneyed Gong Show-esque fashion with an applause meter, and the winner received a €2,000 ($2,700 USD) prize. And that’s nothing to laugh at! But enough chatter: peep the video after the break to see for yourself. Continue reading Bacarobo ‘stupid robot’ contest is back, and it’s hilarious (video) Bacarobo ‘stupid robot’ contest is back, and it’s hilarious (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Nov 2010 14:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …
Sure, it might not make for as good of an R&B album title as Nilay Patel’s ” Beautiful Handcuffs ,” but Interactive Fabrication’s “Beautiful Modeler” iPad app is probably a bit more useful (though not as useful with the ladies ). The concept is to use the iPad’s multitouch screen as an input for multi-finger 3D modeling on a computer, while the tablet’s tilt sense lets you navigate around the object. Sure, it’s not as slick or precise as, say, the Axsotic 3D mouse , but it also looks a whole lot more “tangible.” Unfortunately, the app is currently unavailable on the App Store, and we have no idea if it’s ever headed for a computer near you — Interactive Fabrication is all about the high concept stuff, leaving the execution to individuals — but there’s some freely available GPL-licensed source code if you want to take a crack at compiling and making a real product out of this. Check out a video of the sculpting in action after the break. [Thanks, Danil ] Continue reading ‘Beautiful Modeler’ app turns iPad into multitouch 3D sculpting device ‘Beautiful Modeler’ app turns iPad into multitouch 3D sculpting device originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Nov 2010 13:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Sylvania’s 7-inch Android tablet now ready to disappoint, swallow your $180
November 9, 2010 No Comment
Not down with coughing up serious cash for a serious Galaxy Tab ? Great news, Bargain Ben: you’ve got options. Joining the raft of cut-rate , low-priced tablets is a new one from Sylvania , which is humorously described as a “7-inch MID tablet.” Details are scarce, but it’s rocking Android 2.1, an 800 x 480 screen resolution, six-hour battery, 512MB of RAM, 2GB of Flash memory, front-facing camera and a microSD card slot. You’ll also get 802.11b/g WiFi, a pair of mini-USB sockets, HDMI output and what we’re assuming is a resistive touchpanel. We’d say the chances of Android Market access are slim to none, but for just $179.99, who really cares if it functions? [Thanks, Braden] Sylvania’s 7-inch Android tablet now ready to disappoint, swallow your $180 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Nov 2010 13:25:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …
Timeline (the condensed version): Google launches Android 2.1 on January 5th , Motorola promises to eventually offer 2.1 for all its Android handsets (including the heavily skinned CLIQ) on January 6th , Google’s Nexus One gets 2.1 on January 11th . We wait. Motorola CLIQ gets 2.1 today, a mere 11 months later. Sure, maybe we were young and naive, but who could’ve known then that this update would be so long coming? Nobody really knows the solution to this problem in a general sense, especially since vanilla Android seems to be off the table for the majority of phones. What could compel a handset manufacturer and a carrier to work up timely software updates on heftily-skinned handsets past their shelf life, potentially competing with their own newer handsets in the process? Maybe paying for updates ? Real Genuine Tears of Desperation? You tell us. Anyway, congrats to the saintly CLIQ owners out there who have waited patiently for 2.1, and a grumble grumble thanks to Motorola for keeping its promise. Motorola CLIQ gets Android 2.1 at long last originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Nov 2010 12:38:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …
Alright, folks — we get it. There’s a market for iPad cases with accompanying keyboards . If none of the other options that have emerged over the past few months tickled your fancy, Zagg is introducing yet another to mull over. The Zaggmate actually does manage to differentiate itself fairly well from the competition, with two models being available: one with a keyboard and one without. This clip-on stand can elevate your iPad (positioned horizontally or vertically) for easier viewing, and the “with keyboard” model obviously throws out a full QWERTY set to make those Pages creations somewhat easier to bang out. Currently, Zagg’s got this one listed as ‘Coming Soon,’ with the standard model carrying a $69.99 price tag and the keyboard edition demanding an extra $30. Peek ‘em both in their YouTube debuts just after the break. [Thanks, Adrian] Continue reading Zaggmate iPad keyboard case saturates a market in record time Zaggmate iPad keyboard case saturates a market in record time originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Nov 2010 12:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …
The Samsung Focus ‘s microSD slot has always been an odd little blip on the spec sheet, since it’s only kinda-sorta supported by Windows Phone 7 , and now it looks like it’s causing more trouble than it’s worth: Paul Thurrot says AT&T’s telling employees not to install anything in the slot because of reliability issues, and that Microsoft is working on the problem. Now, we’ve had mixed experiences using the microSD slot ourselves, and we’ve been told by numerous sources that AT&T and Samsung added the feature without too much encouragement from Microsoft, which told us at MIX that expansion wouldn’t be supported by WP7 at all. We’ve also been told by reliable sources that the problem is primarily to do with microSD speed and reliability — apparently only the fastest cards will work well, and current microSD class ratings aren’t accurate or meaningful enough to be useful. We’d bet Microsoft and Samsung get together and put out a line of Focus-specific cards before this is all over — but wouldn’t it have been easier to just build in 32GB of storage from the start? Samsung Focus having microSD issues, AT&T not installing cards in-store originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Nov 2010 11:52:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …
Scientists say they have taken a big step toward displaying live video in three dimensions _ a technology far beyond 3-D movies and more like the “Star Wars” scene where a ghostly Princess Leia image pleads, “Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi.” (Nov. 9)
Continue reading …
You can slow ‘em down , HTC… but you can’t stop ‘em. That’s the message that xda-developers is sending loud and clear today on news that the T-Mobile G2 has graduated from a temporary root solution to a permanent one, despite HTC’s attempt to lock it down tight in hardware. Interestingly, the solution involves starting with the already-tried-and-true temporary root and applying a few additional steps; as always, you want to be careful with these sorts of things, but we’ve no doubt there are thousands of G2 owners out there who’ve already beaten us to the punch. Let us know how it goes, won’t you? [Thanks to everyone who sent this in] T-Mobile G2 gets a permanent, honest-to-goodness root originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Nov 2010 11:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …