Salvage crews trying to limit the environmental damage from an oil-leaking cargo ship off New Zealand were unable to resume pumping out the remaining fuel, despite calmer weather near the reef where the ship ran aground. (Oct. 14)
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Activists say Syrian security forces have opened fire on protesters in three different parts of the country, killing several people. (Oct. 14)
Continue reading …Visualized: Google opens @Android Twitter, raises Ice Cream Sandwich effigy (video)
October 14, 2011 No Comment
Now that Ice Cream Sandwich is officially coming our way next week , Google’s statue-makers ( Honeycomb , Gingerbread , Froyo ) wasted no time raising an idol in its honor. Video of the ceremony is after the break, helpfully pointed out by the brand new @Android Twitter account. Give ‘em a follow, won’t you? Continue reading Visualized: Google opens @Android Twitter, raises Ice Cream Sandwich effigy (video) Visualized: Google opens @Android Twitter, raises Ice Cream Sandwich effigy (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Oct 2011 19:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Microsoft finalizes acquisition of Skype, Tony Bates shares his thoughts (video)
October 14, 2011 No Comment
Well, it’s finally happened — Microsoft’s acquisition of Skype has just been finalized, a little more than five months after it was first announced. Under the $8.5 billion deal, Skype CEO Tony Bates will be named president of the new Skype Division of Microsoft, and will have to report directly to Steve Ballmer. Many Skype employees, meanwhile, will stay onboard at offices around the globe, including at outposts in Estonia, the Czech Republic, Russia, Sweden, the UK, Luxembourg, Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong and the US. In a post on the Official Microsoft Blog today, Bates seemed unsurprisingly enthusiastic about the acquisition, describing it as a marriage of two “disruptive, innovative, software-oriented companies.” The exec was less specific about the role his company would play within Redmond’s new architecture, but assured that Skype would be at the forefront of future communications initiatives across a variety of platforms. “Microsoft is committed to the ubiquity of the Skype experience – communication across every device and every platform will remain a primary focus,” Bates wrote. “And we’ve only scratched the surface.” Head past the break for Microsoft’s full PR, as well as the video address from Bates. Continue reading Microsoft finalizes acquisition of Skype, Tony Bates shares his thoughts (video) Microsoft finalizes acquisition of Skype, Tony Bates shares his thoughts (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 14 Oct 2011 02:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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After the recent score of creepy robots, it’s great to see a mechanical creature that doesn’t look like it would trample you to death if you insulted its parentage. This is the SimLab SQ1, built by the Korean software company as a testbed for a Government-funded giant version to rival the AlphaDog . After the break you’ll find a little motion picture of the SQ1 comically tottering around. Have your laughs now: it won’t nearly be so funny when it comes for you in the night. Continue reading SimLab SQ1: Korea’s adorably unstable robot dog (video) SimLab SQ1: Korea’s adorably unstable robot dog (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 14 Oct 2011 04:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Maide Control iPad app lets you build and view 3D models with your bare, sweaty hands (video)
October 14, 2011 No Comment
Looking for a hands-on 3D controller that won’t require any five-fingered peripherals ? Check out Maide Control — a new app that allows users to manipulate 3D CAD data from the comfort of their iPad displays. Available for $4.99 on iTunes, this app will wirelessly sync an iPad with any compatible 3D program, thereby enabling modelers to mold and view their designs using an array of multitouch gestures. You can also use Maide Control to showcase models on larger displays (say, at a company presentation), or to connect multiple iPads to the same render, in case you’re working on a more collaborative project. For now, the app only supports Google SketchUp and Rhino on Windows only, though the company plans to incorporate other 3D apps and Mac support in the near future. Wiggle past the break to see a pair of demo videos, or hit up the source link below to download the app directly from iTunes. Continue reading Maide Control iPad app lets you build and view 3D models with your bare, sweaty hands (video) Maide Control iPad app lets you build and view 3D models with your bare, sweaty hands (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 14 Oct 2011 08:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Panoramic ball camera gives a full 360-view of you nervously throwing it in the air (video)
October 14, 2011 No Comment
Yes, it isn’t the first ball camera we’ve seen, nor is it the first camera to hawk 360-degree panoramas . But, the Throwable Panoramic Ball Camera marries these two concepts together, and packs them into a sturdy-looking sphere made mostly of foam. This shields the 36 fixed-focus phone camera modules, each capable of taking two megapixel snapshots. These are then stitched together to create full panoramic works like the shot above. Somewhere within that squishy core is an accelerometer to measure the apex of its flight, and where the camera array will capture its image. The big question is, can it survive a few rounds of keepie-uppie? You can take a closer look at the ball camera’s 36 x two megapixel images in the video below. Now, do you think there’s any chance of getting one for the next Engadget meet-up ? Continue reading Panoramic ball camera gives a full 360-view of you nervously throwing it in the air (video) Panoramic ball camera gives a full 360-view of you nervously throwing it in the air (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 14 Oct 2011 13:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Teamlab’s hangers use RFID to take shopping into the 21st century (video)
October 14, 2011 No Comment
Ever heard of an UltraTechnologist before ? Yeah, neither have we, but a group of those imaginatively monikered folks have banded their engineering and design skills together to update the shopping experience . Issued from their Teamlab art collective, a batch of RFID-embedded hangers were put to the interactive test at Vanquish, a men’s store in Japan’s uber fashionable Shibuya district. So, how do these newfangled clothes hangers work? Garments lifted off the rack by a curious customer send a signal to a nearby screen that’ll display a front and back preview of the selected outfit — fitted to an impossibly chiseled model’s body, of course. The Teamlab hangers can also be used to manipulate a shop’s booming soundtrack and lighting, although we imagine that could get quite messy. So, if you count yourself amongst the claustrophobes that can’t handle those encroaching dressing room walls or if you simply take your style cues from photoshopped images of perfection then, hey — this tech’s for you. Continue reading Teamlab’s hangers use RFID to take shopping into the 21st century (video) Teamlab’s hangers use RFID to take shopping into the 21st century (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 14 Oct 2011 14:09:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Latest Ad Fodder for Romney Opponents: Mitt Praises Ted Kennedy for Securing Federal Support for Mass. Health Law
October 14, 2011 No Comment
**Written by Doug Powers This flashback could be coming to the campaign ads of many GOP hopefuls, not to mention Obama, fairly soon: ***** Reason.com points this out: One other thing to note is that Romney praises Kennedy for helping make the case that federal support was necessary to fund the state-based coverage expansion. Romney Broadcasting platform : YouTube Source : Michelle Malkin Discovery Date : 09/04/2010 23:00 Number of articles : 6
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As revolutionary forces continue fighting to capture Moammar Gadhafi’s hometown in Libya, NATO’s top official is calling a seven month bombing campaign a “positive story”. (Oct. 14)
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