Someone ought to gift these IBM researchers a better camera, because their latest General Parallel File System is a back-slapping 37 times faster than their last effort back in 2007. The rig combines ten IBM System xSeries servers with Violin Memory SSDs that hold 6.5 terabytes of metadata relating to 10 billion separate files. Every single one of those files can be analyzed and managed using policy-guided rules in under three quarters of an hour. That kind of performance might seem like overkill, but it’s only just barely in step with what IBM’s Doug Balog describes as a “rapidly growing, multi-zettabyte world.” No prizes for guessing who their top customer is likely to be. Full details in the PR after the break. Continue reading IBM rig doesn’t look like much, scans 10 billion files in 43 minutes IBM rig doesn’t look like much, scans 10 billion files in 43 minutes originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 22 Jul 2011 03:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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We had our hands on a raw version of the Droid Bionic way back at CES , but two listings on Amazon for desktop and car docking stations , uncovered by Android Central forum posters, may give the clearest look at the phone so far. As you can see in the shot above of the desktop dock Motorola’s slab appears to have a chrome ring running around the outside, while the dock itself has a 3.5mm audio out, HDMI output and USB ports. There’s no price or release date listed for either accessory but if you’ve been lusting over the beast and its rumored specs we’re figuring some quiet time with these shots is just what the doctor ordered — check after the break for a shot of the car dock and the back of the desktop docking station. Continue reading Droid Bionic’s secrecy betrayed on Amazon, by simple dock listings Droid Bionic’s secrecy betrayed on Amazon, by simple dock listings originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 22 Jul 2011 04:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Amazon’s Kindle DX and RIM’s BlackBerry PlayBook were supposed to be the business world’s answer to an on-the-go office. Turns out, PDFs viewed in e-ink or on a tethered slate don’t offer much in the way of interactive app experiences — they’re still just documents, no matter the tablet they’re wearing. Well, Wolfram Group’s got an open format contender to Adobe’s throne and it’s hoping you’ll adopt it. Introduced today, the Computable Document Format “puts easy-to-author interactivity at its core,” breathing animated life into otherwise static infographics. Not a programmer? No need to worry, the company promises the two-way diagrams are “easy enough for teachers, journalists, managers, [and] researchers to… create.” We’ve seen Microsoft’s XPS take a similar crack at dethroning the reigning format king, only to find itself in portable document oblivion. We’ll just have to wait and see if CDF’s a more noble contender. In the meantime, head on over to the source to download the free player and see for yourself the possible future of live textbooks, tables and charts. Continue reading Wolfram launches open CDF format, adds visual pizzazz to charts and graphs Wolfram launches open CDF format, adds visual pizzazz to charts and graphs originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 22 Jul 2011 02:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …New Mac mini gets iFixit teardown treatment, leaves space for 2nd hard drive
July 21, 2011 No Comment
What do you do the day after an arsenal of new Apple products are announced? Why, take them apart as soon as you can get your hands on them, of course! Wouldn’t ya know it, iFixit is at it again — this time, tearing down the new Mac mini . At first glance, the only noticeable difference is the inclusion of the powerful Thunderbolt port. Once under the hood, though, a second hard drive port was spotted, along with just enough space for a second storage device. Perhaps the only thing standing the way of a dual HDD welding compact desktop is your ability to secure another SATA cable. If you want to give it a shot, the updated mini scored a solid eight out of ten in the repairability category as the machine had no proprietary screws or glue. Moreover, easy access makes a DIY RAM upgrade a piece of cake, especially when you’re already in there adding that extra disk. So if you’re looking to get your teardown feet wet, swan dive right in. Update: Sure, you can get dual HDDs straight from the Apple store, but you’ll pay dearly for it. As in, the base Mac mini will run you $1550 — and that’s for the only option: a 750 GB ATA and a 256 GB SSD. The other option is to splurge for the Lion Server model, where dual 500 GB or dual 750 GB options are available. Still, going this route will set you back at least $1000. Since these bad boys are so easy to work on, you’d put far less strain on your wallet by going the DIY route. New Mac mini gets iFixit teardown treatment, leaves space for 2nd hard drive originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Jul 2011 22:18:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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After some will they / won’t they drama , Nintendo snuck out its new Video app for the 3DS , giving owners of the handheld a little something to enjoy in 3D between gaming sessions. That said, we hope your Netflix queue is full because there are apparently only four selections available at any given time. At launch, those slots are filled with an intro video, two short films ( Sunday Jog and Dinosaur Office ) and a Captain America movie trailer. Users should expect a continuously updated carousel of content going forward, but for now if you’re not near your glasses-free 3D machine (or don’t own one at all) check out these shots provided by one of our tipsters. Otherwise check for the app in the eShop; though with only a four-pack to start, we’d suggest pacing yourself instead of diving in all at once. [Thanks, Xavier] Gallery: Nintendo Video for 3DS Nintendo Video app for the American 3DS appears with four videos in tow originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 22 Jul 2011 00:52:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Laser Pitch Detection system turns your axe into a luminous, latency-free MIDI machine (video)
July 21, 2011 No Comment
Here’s a fact you should remember about lasers: they make everything better. Even musical instruments . Anyone who has ever tried to use their trusty six-string as a MIDI controller knows the pain of the latency introduced by trying to convert string vibrations into digital signals. M3i’s Laser Pitch Detection (LPD) system skirts this issue by running a laser beam under each string. Instead of detecting vibrations the optical pickup measures the distance between the diode and the depressed string, then converts that into a pitch. That not only means there’s no delay, but also that no need to actually tune your instrument — it combines all the laziness of Antares’ ATG-6 with the class of Beamz . If you’re curious, there’s a demo video after the break. Continue reading Laser Pitch Detection system turns your axe into a luminous, latency-free MIDI machine (video) Laser Pitch Detection system turns your axe into a luminous, latency-free MIDI machine (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Jul 2011 23:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Been on the prowl for an audio solution with AirPlay to compliment your iDevice or Apple TV? Bid hello to Libratone’s ultra-chic Lounge and Live soundbars. Last year, the company introduced its eye-catching Beat wireless speaker system back at IFA; we were intrigued by its active drivers and carry handle, but mildly disappointed that cord-cutting required pesky proprietary adapters. Apple users will be happy to know AirPlay’s been fully embraced this time, along with the signature adornment of cashmere wool. First up, the Live appears to be an Airplay-enabled Beat with 50 extra watts of RMS power (150 total), and an updated — mini TOSlink accepting — 3.5mm input for hooking up non AirPlay-enabled gear. Next up, the sleek Lounge unit above sports a similar external design and digital 3.5mm jack, but it’s svelte in comparison for wall-mounting under a TV. Under its sheep fuzz, you’ll find two 1-inch ribbon tweeters, two 4-inch ceramic drivers, and one 8-inch inverted woofer, all of which are independently amplified for a combined output of 150 RMS watts. Poised to please audio enthusiasts, both employ DSP and Libratone’s FullRoom for a “360 degree soundscape” controllable via an iOS app, while the Lounge’s volume can also be handled by a TV remote. The Live will be available through Apple’s online store this September priced at
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Unless you’re a True Blood diehard, the idea of bleeding yourself intentionally shouldn’t really seem all that appealing. So imagine how most diabetics feel when they’re forced to prick their thumbs three times a day in the name of health. Well, soon they might not have to thanks to a nanosensor tattoo and… an iPhone ? Developed by Prof. Heather Clark and her Northeastern University team, this injection of subdermal nanoparticles combines “fluorescent dye, specialized sensor molecules…and a charge-neutralizing molecule” that attach to glucose, releasing ions and altering the tat’s glow in the process. The researchers had originally designed a “large boxlike” tattoo-reading device, but an apparent Apple fanboy on the team modded an iPhone case with LEDs and a filter lens to make the whole affair a bit more stylish . Next up for the team is, you guessed it, an app for that — although this one’ll focus on sodium. Fluorescent nanosensor tattoo monitors glucose under the iPhone’s glare originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Jul 2011 21:03:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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That most heavenly hunk of MeeGo , the Nokia N9 , has passed through our government’s most holy of hallways, delivering full external and internal photos to show us what’s happening at every level. If you had any doubt this will be a world phone, tests confirming quadband 2G and pentaband 3G (2100/1900/1700/900/850 MHz) should put those to rest, while 802.11a/b/g/n WiFi spread over 2.4 and 5GHz means it’ll be quick to download the goods around the house. Models with 16 and 64GB are shown, though squint all we could we couldn’t count the difference on the teardown pics, which you can enjoy for yourself in the gallery below. Look closely on the internal photos and you’ll note the petite SIM tray and a 1,450mAh battery that relies on a wired connector. It is, quite clearly, not meant for easy user accessibility. Appetite still not sated? The full user manual is also there, ready for your download. And just think, a few minutes ago you didn’t have any good reading material for this weekend. Gallery: Nokia N9 at FCC Nokia N9 arrives at FCC, opened up to see where all the MeeGo comes from originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Jul 2011 21:20:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Apple tops Android in enterprise; little green robot still gunning for corner office
July 21, 2011 No Comment
BlackBerry used to rule the boardroom, but over the past few years we’ve seen a steady uptick in the number of enterprise users switching to their OS of choice. So who’s going to be the successor to the BlackBerry throne? Well, according to Good’s latest report, Apple devices have fast become the preferred companions for its customers, and it looks like the iPad’s leading the way. The enterprise provider shows that in Q2 2011, users activated more iPads than Android smartphones and tablets combined. What’s more, iPads made up 95 percent of tablet activations, with Android tablets taking in only 3.1 percent. Smartphone adoption was a slight bit more balanced, but Apple still came out on top with 66 percent over Android’s 33 percent. That’s all well and good, but what we really want to know is who’s got the stuff to win the three-legged race at the company picnic? For those of you visual learners, a representative bar graph of Good’s results awaits you after the break. Continue reading Apple tops Android in enterprise; little green robot still gunning for corner office Apple tops Android in enterprise; little green robot still gunning for corner office originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Jul 2011 20:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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