Hylas 1 satellite blasting off today, will rain down broadband from above
November 26, 2010 No Comment
Europe’s about to catapult a new satellite up into orbit today, this one with the stated goal of providing broadband internet access to people in the areas hardest to reach by terrestrial connectivity means. UK startup Avanti Communications is the official name responsible for the Hylas 1, which is a funny mix of private and public investment: it’s a commercial venture, yet the British state has contributed
Continue reading …Super Talent USB 3.0 RAIDDrive nabs an extra 55MB/sec via firmware update
November 26, 2010 No Comment
How’s this for post-purchase pleasantries? Super Talent has just revealed a new firmware update for the world’s first USB 3.0 thumb drive (that would be the RAIDDrive ), and it’s one that takes full advantage of second generation USB 3.0 controller technology. The end result? An extra 55MB/sec on the benchmarking front, pushing its proven maximum speed to 370MB/sec. Head on past the break and mash play if you don’t believe us, and feel free to start pressing your own storage boutique of choice for something similar for all those other SuperSpeed products. Continue reading Super Talent USB 3.0 RAIDDrive nabs an extra 55MB/sec via firmware update Super Talent USB 3.0 RAIDDrive nabs an extra 55MB/sec via firmware update originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 26 Nov 2010 07:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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NTT DoCoMo recently launched the Samsung Galaxy S in the Japanese market and now we’ve come to discover that it’s chosen a very forceful personality to represent the product to its discerning audience. Darth ” roundabound ” Vader has been starring in the carrier’s latest round of “always with you” ads, wherein he serves as a (sort of) human representation of the phone, thus lending some anthropomorphic qualities to the cold slab of technology awaiting you in the shops. This whole outlandish idea really shouldn’t work, but somehow it does — we want a little Vader in our lives too now. Video after the break. Continue reading Luke, I am your smartphone (video) Luke, I am your smartphone (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 26 Nov 2010 07:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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How much fun can you really have with an 8×8 pixel array? Quite a lot, as evidenced by this here arcade project. One Bomber Punk has managed to created a full-on arcade enclosure for a Meggy Jr. game console , and he even took the time to swap in coin-op buttons and a joystick for control. The whole thing took around a month to build (part-time, of course), and considering that he has managed to load up an absurdly pixelated version of Donkey Kong, we’d say it was definitely worthwhile. Head on past the break for a visual explanation. Continue reading MeggyCade: it’s what happens when Meggy Jr. meets arcade (video) MeggyCade: it’s what happens when Meggy Jr. meets arcade (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 26 Nov 2010 06:16:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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It may just be an elaborate stunt to promote batteries, but it’s hard not to get a little caught up in Evolta’s 500-kilometer trek from Tokyo to Kyoto, which finally came to an end this week after two months on the road — ahead of schedule, no less. Aided by a team of “Evolta Sisters,” the pint-sized robot hauled a dozen AA Evolta batteries in a cart the whole way, and guided itself by following an infrared signal from a device pushed in front of it — a few other ground rules also allowed it to be carried up stairs, and the bot didn’t walk at night or in the rain. Even still, 500 kilometers is 500 kilometers (or 317 miles, if you prefer), and that’s a long way for any robot to walk. Head on past the break for a video recounting some of the journey. Continue reading Panasonic’s Evolta robot finishes 500-kilometer trek ahead of schedule Panasonic’s Evolta robot finishes 500-kilometer trek ahead of schedule originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 26 Nov 2010 05:18:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …La Boite Concept LD120 is the hi-fi desk your laptop’s been crying out for (video)
November 26, 2010 No Comment
Why more people aren’t doing this kind of thing , we don’t know. La Boite Concept, a French design studio with a focus on electronic acoustics, has put together the above piece of laptop-loving music furniture, dubbed the LD120. It features a total of seven drivers, including a down-firing subwoofer and a stereo pair at the rear, the latter of which is intended to bounce sound off a wall and neatly into your ear canal. You’ll still only be getting 2.1 audio output at the end of it, but when it emanates from a leather-trimmed desk equipped with its own USB sound card and a cable-tidying channel in one of its legs, we’re kind of willing to overlook that little detail. We only wish we could be as blas
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The poster child for the electric car has just received its official EPA sticker, merely days after Nissan’s Leaf received its own . Granted, the Volt can haul around quite a few more Earthlings (and grocery bags, for that matter) than the compact Leaf, but it still won’t be able to claim the world’s best gas mileage amongst its peers. The Volt has been found to have a 93MPG equivalent when running purely on batteries, while one could expect an average of 37MPG when using petrol alone. According to the EPA, the Volt will only be capable of cruising 35 miles on a full charge (here’s hoping you’ve got a socket at your workplace, right?), but the overall range of 379 miles ain’t too shabby for a car of this size. The good news here is that this sticker will enable General Motors to finally get these automobiles onto showroom floors, but the bad news is pretty obvious: 93 definitely isn’t 230 . Continue reading 2011 Chevy Volt gets stickered: 93MPG on battery, 37MPG on gasoline 2011 Chevy Volt gets stickered: 93MPG on battery, 37MPG on gasoline originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 26 Nov 2010 02:50:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Researchers from security firm SecTheory have described a handful of flaws in webOS , saying that the platform — by its very nature — is more prone to these sorts of things than its major competitors because Palm puts web technologies like JavaScript closer to webOS’ core where system functions are readily accessible. At least one of the flaws, involving a data field in the Contacts app that can be exploited to run arbitrary code, has already been fixed in webOS 2.0 — but the others are apparently still open, including a cross-site scripting problem, some sort of floating-point overflow issue, and a denial-of-service vector. We imagine Palm will get these all patched up sooner or later, but as SecTheory’s guys point out, how long is it until mobile malware becomes a PC-sized problem? Security experts unearth unpleasant flaws in webOS originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 26 Nov 2010 01:18:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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We know you’ve got questions, and if you’re brave enough to ask the world for answers, here’s the outlet to do so. This week’s Ask Engadget question is coming to us from Pavel, who seems to be primed and ready to splurge on a bargain-bin Android tablet during the impending Black Friday rush. If you’re looking to send in an inquiry of your own, drop us a line at ask [at] engadget [dawt] com . “I’ve been looking into getting myself a tablet, but being a high school student, I don’t have the money to go buy an iPad. I was wondering if there were any good Android tablets under $200. If there were any expectations, it would be a 7- or 10-inch screen and that the OS doesn’t lag from basic tasks, because I’ve seen many of these tablets lag on the app drawer. Peace and love.” Here’s our advice: “good luck.” Every sub-$200 Android tablet that we’ve touched lags somewhat, but it’s definitely possible to find some units that are more snappy than others. You’ve got a number of low-rate options if you’re cool with fighting the Black Friday crowds, but otherwise, have a listen at the readers below in comments. Keep things helpful, alright folks? Ask Engadget: best Android tablet for under $200? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 25 Nov 2010 22:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Just a couple of weeks after its debut, the Boxee Box is getting its first software update today. While it might not address all the concerns raised in our review , this edition does include fixes for notable issues like 1080i playback problems, WiFi connectivity and issues handling certain audio and video files. The Boxee Blog has the full (long) list of tweaks and additions, while CEO Avner Ronen promises the company plans to release screenshots and a list of usability/UI issues still to be addressed next week. Other upgrades before 2010 runs out of time should include the Netflix and VUDU apps, so when the question of “what are you thankful for?” comes up, just say “build #1.0.1.16319,” which your Box should find automatically within 24 hours, though the impatient can prompt for an update manually. Boxee Box owners can be thankful for their first firmware update originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 25 Nov 2010 21:28:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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