SatelliteAR Android app now tracks falling UARS, helps you avoid being smooshed
September 23, 2011 No Comment
You may have a better chance of winning the lottery or running into Captain Kirk at the mall, but when it comes to being impaled with pieces of the now defunct Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite as it plummets towards Earth, it’s better to be safe than sorry. The SatelliteAR Android app has added a temporary feature that gives stargazers the ability to monitor this space junk’s trajectory to avoid impact when it re-enters the atmosphere sometime later today. NASA has assured us that the bus-sized satellite won’t land anywhere in North America, but if it touches down at night, people on the ground could witness a pretty sweet light show wherever it does land. Android users determined to avoid a Wicked Witch of the East-like fate can download the app at the source link below and check out the video demo after the break. Continue reading SatelliteAR Android app now tracks falling UARS, helps you avoid being smooshed SatelliteAR Android app now tracks falling UARS, helps you avoid being smooshed originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 23 Sep 2011 11:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Samsung’s ” 20nm -class” designations for flash memory production are frustratingly nonspecific, but smallest processes or not it’s ready to crank out more chips than ever. Reuters reports the electronics giant just flipped the switch on its first new production line in five years, one that it’s calling ” the industry’s largest and most advanced memory fabrication facility.” It could take up to nine months to get fully up to speed, but the increased production and reduced costs should keep the competition coming Samsung’s way for storage no matter what their current legal situation . Samsung opens ‘most advanced’ 20nm-class flash memory production line originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 23 Sep 2011 08:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Microsoft patents modular Windows Phone with swappable batteries, keyboard, and gamepad
September 23, 2011 No Comment
We’ve seen slider phones with speakers , gamepads , and of course, the standard keypad — but what if you want to swap out your slider accessory for something new? A new patent from Microsoft is exploring the possibility, showing off a concept smartphone with a sliding modular bay. Tired of that keyboard? Replace it with a gamepad, or a life-giving battery pack. According to the patent claims, some of the modular components would even function wirelessly, citing a touchscreen module which doubles as a wireless handset or a media remote. Neat? You bet, but we wouldn’t get our hopes up — Microsoft typically keeps out of the handset manufacturing game, and the last modular phone to pique our interest didn’t exactly make a splash. Microsoft patents modular Windows Phone with swappable batteries, keyboard, and gamepad originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 23 Sep 2011 09:14:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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In-app purchases via iTunes have apparently been failing in a big way for the last ten hours and app creators who depend on this heavily taxed income are getting antsy. We’re hearing unconfirmed speculation that the problem may be connected to fake purchase receipts getting into the system. Whatever the cause, one developer told us the failure is “losing lots of sales” for apps that use receipt verification and is “threatening to more-or-less take down the entire IAP ecosystem.” Seeing as Apple insists on this being the only route for in-app purchasing, they’d better fix it pretty darned quick. [Thanks, Tipster] In-app purchasing fail on iTunes is starting to bug developers originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 23 Sep 2011 08:05:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Motorola’s Atrix 2 (Edison) flaunts qHD display, hands-on reveals no PenTile matrix
September 23, 2011 No Comment
It seems that Motorola’s successor to the original Atrix has emerged in the streets of Chicago prior to being officially unveiled by AT&T. The crew at The Verge recently scored some hands-on time with the device, and in the process, cleared up much of the speculation regarding Ma Bell’s upcoming Atrix 2 — also known as the Edison . First, we know the device will indeed have a qHD display, although unlike Moto’s other 960 x 540 screens, this one discards the PenTile matrix and features properly proportioned sub-pixels, which delivers crisper text in the process. Additionally, there’s now further evidence that the handset will not be a member of AT&T’s LTE lineup, and thus will be limited to its HSPA+ network. Notably, this revision adds a shutter button along the right edge of the handset, although like the Photon , it’s only a single-stage mechanism, which is quite a bummer. Similar to the Bionic , it features a dual-core 1GHz TI OMAP CPU and delivers comparable benchmarks in the process. Looks like it’ll be a fine contender for battle with the biggies from Samsung and Apple, eh? Motorola’s Atrix 2 (Edison) flaunts qHD display, hands-on reveals no PenTile matrix originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 23 Sep 2011 06:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …CERN scientists discover particle traveling faster than the speed of light, Einstein theory threatened
September 23, 2011 No Comment
It ain’t over till the LHC says so , which is why researchers at CERN are opening up their most recent OPERA experiment to the scientific community before officially releasing its findings. Why, you ask? Because the experiment could shatter one of the fundamentals of physics — Einstein’s theory of special relativity , which says nothing in the universe can travel faster than the speed of light. While studying neutrino oscillations — where particles shift from one type of subatomic particle (muon-neutrinos) to another (tau-neutrinos) — scientists clocked a beam of muon-neutrinos outpacing the aforesaid ray of light by 60 nanoseconds. Calling the result “crazy,” lead scientist Antonio Ereditato published the findings online, hoping to attract the attention of others who might shed some light on what it all means . We’re not expecting a conclusive answer any time soon, but budding whiz-kids can get educated in the links below. CERN scientists discover particle traveling faster than the speed of light, Einstein theory threatened originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 23 Sep 2011 06:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Sprint to launch Direct Connect October 2nd, confirms mobile hotspot capping
September 23, 2011 No Comment
The way Sprint’s been going lately, we’re wondering if there’s going to be anything left to announce at its October 7th strategy update . Another screenshot has surfaced, detailing the Now Network’s intentions to launch its CDMA-based (read: no more iDEN) Direct Connect service on October 2nd, with “increased coverage” coming early next year. We’ve been expecting to see it at some point this winter , which means the Nextel alternative is getting pushed out ahead of schedule. With this, we should be hearing news in the near future concerning compatible handsets like the Motorola Admiral or Kyocera DuraMax / DuraCore duo. Unfortunately, October 2nd will be filled with both happy news and bad, as it looks like the leaked memo detailing Sprint’s plan to cap the mobile hotspot add-on was right on target. The carrier made its intentions official this morning, confirming that it indeed will be putting a 5GB-per-month leash on the tethering done from your phone, complete with overage charges of $.05 per additional MB used. Grandfathered add-ons aren’t an option here, so every tetherer already shelling out $30 for the privilege will find themselves restricted as well. But look at the bright side: tablets need not apply to the data cap, and on-phone data plans and dedicated mobile broadband packages will remain unaffected… for now, at least . Sprint to launch Direct Connect October 2nd, confirms mobile hotspot capping originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 22 Sep 2011 16:52:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Scientists reconstruct images from our brains, plan to do the same for dreams (video)
September 23, 2011 No Comment
This is your brain. And now this is your brain on YouTube . By using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) software, researchers at UC Berkeley created a visual representation of what our brains see when we watch a TV or movie. It works as such: scientists show subjects random clips and measure the corresponding cerebral activity. After the computer “learns” what vids evoke what brain activity, scientists feed 18 million seconds of random YouTube videos into the computer program where it reconstructs a movie representation of neural happenings based on the hundred clips most similar to what it sees. Although the method currently only works with images actually viewed, the future goal is to recreate what people see in their dreams and memories — which could give doctors major insight to the minds of the mentally impaired, stroke victims or those with neurological disorders. Inception in real life isn’t exactly around the corner, but the implications of this new technology are pretty mind-blowing. See for yourself in the video after the break — no totem required. Continue reading Scientists reconstruct images from our brains, plan to do the same for dreams (video) Scientists reconstruct images from our brains, plan to do the same for dreams (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 23 Sep 2011 03:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Rumor ’round the Twitterverse has it that Amtrak may finally be implementing free WiFi on October 1st — finally seeing the bet laid down by various plane and bus companies over the past couple years. The casual conversation between conductor and passenger yielded the information that the system is apparently “ready to roll and it’s [sic] just a matter of ‘flipping the on switch.’” This comes as great news for commuters who have heard rumblings of the allegedly forthcoming free WiFi since January of 2010. Unfortunately, other than the tweet, there’s no word (official or otherwise) whether net surfage will be possible beginning next month. Regardless, looks like the “I didn’t have internet access” excuse is still valid for a little while longer for all you nine to fivers. [Thanks, @melanierenzulli] Amtrak to finally launch free WiFi on October 1st? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 23 Sep 2011 04:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …NTT DoCoMo’s mobile accessories smell your breath, tell you to put the burger down (video)
September 23, 2011 No Comment
Sick of your friends saying you look fat in those jeans? Apparently, NTT DoCoMo feels your pain and aims to swap out the peer criticism with smartphone objectivity. Shown off in advance of CEATEC Japan 2011 (an annual electronics trade show), the operator took the wraps off several mobile-based accessories, ranging from gamma ray and UV light monitoring phone cases to a breathalyzer-like add-on for measuring body fat (you paying attention, HTC Rhyme ?). There were also a couple of applications on hand for checking photos of food against a calorie database
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