It’s not uncommon for our batteries to need the occasional boost while we’re running around a trade show , but spending more than a couple minutes tethered to a power outlet can be seriously detrimental to our productivity. And we’re definitely not alone. NTT Docomo , one of Japan’s largest carriers, has developed a prototype battery that’s capable of achieving a complete charge in just ten minutes. NTT reps weren’t willing to get into much detail about the new technology, which currently employs an external lithium-ion battery sleeve and is only designed to support NEC’s super-slim Medias Android (Japan only) smartphone. They did let us take a look at the battery sleeve’s AC adapter, which supports output of up to 6.0 amps, but otherwise appeared to be fairly generic. A pair of amp meters compared the power draw of a standard battery with that of the ultra high speed charger, which pulled 0.55 amps and 5.86 amps, respectively — at least according to the demo equipment on hand at NTT’s CEATEC booth. The model we saw definitely looked very much like an early prototype at this point, and the carrier didn’t seem to have any idea of when it may begin to be implemented in handsets and other devices, only committing to a release “as soon as possible.” Still, we’re pretty excited about the potential here (imagine being able to charge your phone completely with only a quick stop at an airport kiosk), and wouldn’t hesitate to pick a battery up — assuming of course that the final version is a bit more refined. Click on through the gallery shots below, or jump past the break for our hands-on video to get a closer look. Gallery: NTT Docomo 10-minute charging battery hands-on Continue reading NTT Docomo battery claims 10-minute charge time, we go hands-on (video) NTT Docomo battery claims 10-minute charge time, we go hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 03 Oct 2011 09:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …The countdown to Oneiric Ocelot begins, Ubuntu 11.10 arrives October 13th
October 3, 2011 No Comment
A whole new world? A whole new computer? Those are some pretty epic promises coming from the folks at Canonical , especially since we’ve seen the most recent beta and Ubuntu 11.10 and, while its packed with welcome improvements over Natty , it’s not exactly revolutionary. Still, we’re excited that on October 13th the final release of Oneiric Ocelot will be hitting the web with an improved Dash that integrates search Lenses, new default apps, a spiffed-up app switcher and application syncing across multiple devices. There are plenty of other little tweaks and improvements that add polish to the popular Linux distribution — more than we could possibly cover without inspiring a string of TLDR comments. If you’re the adventurous type you can download the second beta now, but we suggest you wait till the timer at the source link reaches zero. If you want to spread the Gospel of Ubuntu you’ll also find a printable flyer at the source with a QR code and tear-off URL strips that lead to ThisIsTheCountdown.com. The countdown to Oneiric Ocelot begins, Ubuntu 11.10 arrives October 13th originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 03 Oct 2011 09:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Sure, you could use Google Maps to find the shortest path from point A to point B, but what if you’re interested in going from A to B via scenic route C? That’s where Google’s new ‘helicopter view’ comes in. Unveiled last week, this feature allows online navigators to visualize any driving, walking or mass transit route with a 3D, bird’s-eye animation. All you have to do is enter your starting point, destination and mode of transportation, and click the new “3D” button that will appear next to each route. From there, you’ll be launched into a Google Earth-powered flight, displaying all the buildings, mountains and other terrain that you’d encounter during your real-life journey. You can also pause the flight at any moment to check out any sights of interest, along with any geo-linked photos, videos or other online content. Buckle up and check out the source link below for more details and images. Google Maps adds 3D bird’s eye route previews for high-flying navigators originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 03 Oct 2011 07:08:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Did you know that Microsoft’s Kinect can measure your bodily proportions in 3D and hence ontogenetically estimate your age? Well grandma, it can. Aside from being incredibly impolite, a recent patent application from Redmond also highlights a more beneficial function: to prevent kids from watching or playing age-restricted media. The proposed system could even shut down inappropriate material automatically when an offending minor steps in the room and then resume it when they leave. On the other hand, we give it five minutes before some scheming rugrat with a distorting lens tweets a workaround. Kinect has no qualms about guessing a woman’s age originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 03 Oct 2011 07:56:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …‘Humanity toward others’ extended to Windows with Ubuntu One cloud storage
October 3, 2011 No Comment
Are you a Windows user in need of yet another cloud storage option? Lucky for you, after a long-running beta, Canonical’s Ubuntu One client has officially debuted on Microsoft’s platform. First introduced with Ubuntu 10.10 , the service offers 5GB of free storage, with file syncing across multiple machines, ala Dropbox . Android and iOS clients are already available. If you need more space, how about 20GB for $29.99 a year or $2.99 a month? And if portable tunes is your game, you can have that same 20GB along with music streaming apps (similar to Google Music Beta ) for $39.99 a year or $3.99 a month. Click the source link to engage in some cross-platform storage. Filed under: Storage , Networking ‘Humanity toward others’ extended to Windows with Ubuntu One cloud storage originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 03 Oct 2011 04:09:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Oh, hey, Fitbit. Nice to see you again. Although we thought the original did too little for a $100 gadget, enough people apparently begged to differ, as the the outfit just trotted out a second-gen model, dubbed the Fitbit Ultra. This, too, analyzes eating, exercise and sleep patterns, while that design, website and hundred-buck price should be mighty familiar, too. This time around the company is adding a few new features, including Foursquare-esque badges and an altimeter for counting how many steps you’ve climbed. But does this series of minor enhancements add up to a significant improvement? Time to lace up your running shoes, kids, and meet us after the break. Gallery: Fitbit Ultra Gallery: Fitbit Ultra review Continue reading Fitbit Ultra review Fitbit Ultra review originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 03 Oct 2011 06:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Voltage Pictures dismisses 90 percent of defendants in Hurt Locker file-sharing lawsuit
October 3, 2011 No Comment
That record-breaking Hurt Locker lawsuit may not be so impressive after all, now that Voltage Pictures has slashed a major chunk of defendants from its file-sharing complaint. Last week, the company voluntarily dismissed about 90 percent of the 24,583 defendants originally named in the suit, according to documents filed with the US District Court for the District of Columbia. The dismissals were made without prejudice, meaning they could theoretically be re-targeted in the future, though the number of those that reached settlements with Voltage remains unclear. The company also identified some of the alleged file-sharers by name, but acknowledged that 2,278 IP addresses remain anonymous. For more details, check out the coverage from TorrentFreak , where you’ll find the full list of dismissed IP addresses, along with the recently-named defendants. Voltage Pictures dismisses 90 percent of defendants in Hurt Locker file-sharing lawsuit originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 03 Oct 2011 05:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Mango kills Microsoft’s always-on location tracking, makes good on letter to House of Representatives
October 3, 2011 No Comment
Remember all that iPhone tracking hubbub back in April? Sure you do — you probably also recall Apple’s denial , the subsequent Senate hearing , and the rest of the fiasco’s dramatic fallout . Amid the ballyhoo, Microsoft stepped out to admit that its Windows Phone also collected location data, but quickly promised to knock it off following the next scheduled update. According to ChevronWP7 collaborator Rafael Rivera, Windows Phone 7.5 cinches it: Mango “no longer sends location data prior to being granted permission to do so.” Redmond previously told the US House of Representatives that it only collected location data if a user expressly allowed an application to send it along — a claim which Rivera debunked last week, noting that simply launching the camera application captured and transmitted “pin-point accurate positioning information.” The big M maintains that the collected location data was anonymous, and that it shouldn’t have been sent at all unless the user allowed it. Either way, Microsoft’s chapter in the big location tracking blunder of 2011 seems to be at a close, squaring the firm with Congress, its developers, and hopefully its customers. Mango kills Microsoft’s always-on location tracking, makes good on letter to House of Representatives originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 03 Oct 2011 02:06:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Mango kills Microsoft’s always-on location tracking, makes good on letter to House of Representatives
October 3, 2011 No Comment
Remember all that iPhone tracking hubbub back in April? Sure you do — you probably also recall Apple’s denial , the subsequent Senate hearing , and the rest of the fiasco’s dramatic fallout . Amid the ballyhoo, Microsoft stepped out to admit that its Windows Phone also collected location data, but quickly promised to knock it off following the next scheduled update. According to ChevronWP7 collaborator Rafael Rivera, Windows Phone 7.5 cinches it: Mango “no longer sends location data prior to being granted permission to do so.” Redmond previously told the US House of Representatives that it only collected location data if a user expressly allowed an application to send it along — a claim which Rivera debunked last week, noting that simply launching the camera application captured and transmitted “pin-point accurate positioning information.” The big M maintains that the collected location data was anonymous, and that it shouldn’t have been sent at all unless the user allowed it. Either way, Microsoft’s chapter in the big location tracking blunder of 2011 seems to be at a close, squaring the firm with Congress, its developers, and hopefully its customers. Mango kills Microsoft’s always-on location tracking, makes good on letter to House of Representatives originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 03 Oct 2011 02:06:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Last month, we sat down with Microsoft for a quick look at the Xbox’s upcoming Dashboard update — it was sleek, searchable, and extremely camera shy. A quick trip to Europe seems to have cured it of its bashful ways, however, and the budding update can now be seen in a slightly blurry piece of French cinema. This leaked video shows a Dashboard with a smidge more polish than the demo we saw in September, and silently plods on without so much as a bleep or bloop. Our mute host briefly peeks at the Xbox Live Marketplace, casually glances at the Bing search page and scrolls leisurely through the new Dash’s very Metro menu. The whole shebang is en fran
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