World disappoints us once again: Japan loses 2022 3D holographic World Cup bid
December 3, 2010 No Comment
Look, we don’t know anything about World Cup bids. They probably have a lot to do with “infrastructure” and “taking turns” and stuff like that. But really, world? You couldn’t pick Japan just this once? Japan’s incredibly great 2022 World Cup bid involved projecting 3D holograms of the games live onto soccer football fields around the world, allowing folks that can’t make it to Japan for the actual games to get a pretty great simulacrum, while standing next to people that look like them and are probably rooting for the same team. “I have to admit that the idea of this blows my mind away,” said Japan’s committee chief Kohzo Tashima. Did you get that, world? Japan was offering you 3D holographic full field broadcasts , and you just turned a cold shoulder. Congrats, Qatar, we hope you’re happy with 2022, and we’re sure you earned it based on whatever arbitrary metrics FIFA uses to select World Cup countries. But you’ll never earn our hearts . Video of Japan’s bid is after the break. Continue reading World disappoints us once again: Japan loses 2022 3D holographic World Cup bid World disappoints us once again: Japan loses 2022 3D holographic World Cup bid originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Dec 2010 14:43:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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As folks who follow such things may be aware, there’s been some dispute over the origin of Square’s card reader technology more or less since the company (led by Twitter’s Jack Dorsey) went public with it last year. That dispute has now gotten even more contentious, however, with Square and its chairman, James McKelvey, taking aim at REM Holdings and Robert Morley, who actually holds the patent to the technology. The key issue is that McKelvey is not listed as one of the inventors in the patent, despite claims that he was the one that actually conceived the idea in a “flash of inventive insight,” and that he and Morley worked together to develop the idea (and later discussed obtaining patent protection with Jack Dorsey). And that’s pretty much where things stand at the moment — Square is requesting a court order to add McKelvey as a co-inventor on the patent, but there’s no indication as to when or if that will happen. Dispute over Square card reader patent gets litigious originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Dec 2010 14:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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After we reviewed the DropCam Echo a few weeks back and found ourselves generally unimpressed, we received an e-mail from someone at D-Link saying something to the effect of: “Dude, you have to try out our thing, because our thing is totally better than their thing and costs a heck of a lot less too.” We took them up on that offer and, while unfortunately D-Link’s thing has a much less catchy name, DCS-930L Wireless N Camera hardly rolling off the tongue, the sub-$100 device does indeed live up to its billing — for the most part. Gallery: D-Link DCS-930L Wireless N Network Camera Continue reading D-Link DCS-930L Wireless N Network Camera review D-Link DCS-930L Wireless N Network Camera review originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Dec 2010 13:57:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Engadget Podcast Bingo gets an app; nobody’s feelings get hurt because we’re all made out of rubber
December 3, 2010 No Comment
Oh, sure, funny-ha-ha. There’s an Engadget Podcast Bingo app available now, which lets you play a relevant game of bingo on your iPhone while you listen to Engadget , Engadget Mobile , or Engadget HD podcasts stored on your phone, or stream one live from your computer. It’s full of funny jokes. But you know what the thing is about humor? Every humor thing has an element of truth in it. That’s what makes it funny! But that’s also what makes it hurt people’s feelings. Sure, you might tap “Nilay Gets Fired” on your phone while chuckling quietly to yourself, but how do you think it makes Nilay feel? Or when someone accuses Chris of being “Paid by Apple,” all Chris can think of is his poor upbringing where he didn’t even have shoes to wear, and how he wishes someone would pay him for his mobile expertise. Or how when someone in chat says to somebody “can you be quiet for another 4 minutes” just because they want to fill in another bingo square. How do you think that makes that somebody, you know, theoretically, feel? How much psychic pain are you willing to cause? Go ahead, download the app, we don’t mind. We’re just robots, anyway. Engadget Podcast Bingo gets an app; nobody’s feelings get hurt because we’re all made out of rubber originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Dec 2010 13:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Okay, so there’s no actual way to phone up Sad Keanu Reeves and confirm that the Mercedes-Benz BIOME is indeed on sale in the “real world,” but it should be. Revealed in The Matrix’s own LA Auto Show, this here vehicle has a theoretical weight of just 875.5 pounds, but it’s likely far too wide to cruise on this planet’s existing roadway system. The vehicle was imagined by designers from the Mercedes-Benz Advanced Design Studios in Carlsbad, California, and it’s said to be “fully integrated into the ecosystem, from the moment of its creation right through to the end of its service life.” How so? It’s grown “in a completely organic environment from seeds sown in a nursery,” and just being totally frank here, we’ve no idea what that means. But hey, if M-B can figure out how to grow cars in Morpheus’ backyard, who are we to question the reality of it? Continue reading Mercedes-Benz BIOME concept car grows in a nursery, on sale now in Zion Mercedes-Benz BIOME concept car grows in a nursery, on sale now in Zion originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Dec 2010 13:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Oh, noble Wii Speak , you promised to make taunting newbs and chiding teammates so much more of a social affair. Now you’re being relegated to the cemetery of console accessories that simply never caught on. Nintendo has confirmed Wii Speak is only available now at “limited retail locations” ahead of an apparent discontinuation, and that while “additional shipments can be made if consumer demand increases,” that doesn’t sound particularly likely to us. If you’d like to pay your respects, visiting hours will be all weekend ahead of the final ceremony taking place on Monday between the Power Glove and Zapper plots. Nintendo pulling the plug on the Wii Speak, gently originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Dec 2010 12:51:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Is Sigma announcing an EVIL (as in Electronic Viewfinder Interchangeable Lens, not malevolent) camera today? Digital Photography Review forum member Ryan Shine seems to think so, and says it’s “here” in China. As if to prove his point, we’ve got a trio of pictures for the mirrorless shooter. Hey, don’t say we didn’t warn you — and if it doesn’t become official soon, at least there’s pictures to enjoy. Sigma’s mirrorless camera spotted, announcement coming later today? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Dec 2010 12:26:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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You may have already gathered that we’re fans of the Jawbone Jambox — seeing as how it appears in our Holiday Gift Guide — but does a miniature portable speaker, even one that pumps out 85 decibels, deserve a $200 price? How about that battery life? We’ve spent weeks now with the little Bluetooth speaker that could, throwing it at every scenario in sight, and after the break you’ll find a full review with all the upsides and downsides. Gallery: Jawbone Jambox unboxing and hands-on Continue reading Jawbone Jambox review Jawbone Jambox review originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Dec 2010 11:55:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Have you ever heard that Aaliyah song where Timbaland’s all “it’s been a long time (time), we shouldn’ta left you (left you) without a dope beat to step to (step to)?” That’s how we feel now, or it’s how we felt yesterday, and now this is a new beat to step to, but it’s a whole entire Engadget Podcast to step to. P.S. Oh, and in addition to the Engadget Podcast Bingo site , there’s now an Engadget Podcast Bingo iOS app made by insanely awesome listener Pierre-Marc Airoldi. Go check it out! Hosts: Joshua Topolsky, Paul Miller, Nilay Patel Producer: Trent Wolbe Music: Billionaire 00:07:05 – Verizon’s LTE details go live: December 5th, 38 markets, 60 airports, and 2 USB modems 00:08:34 – Verizon LTE plans start at $50/month for 5GB of data (update) 00:09:00 – Verizon LTE / 4G preview with the LG VL600 modem 00:11:00 – Verizon confirms contract-free 4G LTE options: same rates, pricier modems 00:33:25 – 55 people think the iPad is more valuable than the Galaxy Tab (updated) 00:42:15 – RIM buys TAT, BlackBerry UI in danger of becoming awesome 00:55:14 – Chrome OS consumer launch pushed to 2011, Google-branded Chromebook could still arrive this year 01:06:30 – Dell Inspiron Duo review 01:25:00 – Dell Venue Pro finally available to order: $99 on contract, shipping December 9th 01:25:37 – Acer reveals Iconia dual-screen laptop / tablet, Clear.fi cloud-based media sharing system 01:26:30 – Acer Iconia first hands-on! (update: video!) 01:30:55 – Sony Ericsson LiveView review Hear the podcast Subscribe to the podcast [ iTunes ] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes (enhanced AAC). [ RSS MP3 ] Add the Engadget Podcast feed (in MP3) to your RSS aggregator and have the show delivered automatically. [ RSS AAC ] Add the Engadget Podcast feed (in enhanced AAC) to your RSS aggregator. [ Zune ] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in the Zune Marketplace Download the podcast LISTEN (MP3) LISTEN (AAC) LISTEN (OGG) Contact the podcast 1-888-ENGADGET or podcast (at) engadget (dot) com. Twitter: @joshuatopolsky @futurepaul @reckless @engadget Filed under: Podcasts Engadget Podcast 220 – 12.03.2010 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Dec 2010 11:26:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Wondering just how well a tablet would do if picked up and marketed by all four major carriers in America? We’re still waiting for the breakdown within our borders, but there’s hardly a doubt that the unprecedented carrier arrangement has helped Samsung shatter its estimates on Galaxy Tab sales. Purportedly, the outfit has just passed the one million mark in global sales of the 7-inch Android tablet, but Information Week is quick to point out that Sammy’s not clear on whether that’s units in the sales channel or units in the hands of consumers. Either way, one million’s nothing to scoff at, particularly when you consider that only 600,000 had been sold as of November 22nd. The firm’s now hoping to move 1.5 million of ‘em by the year’s end, and while that’s still well short of the estimated seven million iPads that have been sold to date, it’s a sales rate that we’re sure no one at Samsung is kvetching about. Update : CNET heard from a Samsung representative that the company hasn’t officially announced the sales figure here, but hopefully we’ll get some clarification soon. It’s possible that the PR team simply isn’t ready to dish out the number in official fashion yet. We’ll keep you posted. Samsung sells one million Galaxy Tab units (update) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Dec 2010 11:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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