Today, the world-famous environmental organization Greenpeace filed lawsuits against two chemical companies, Dow Chemical and Sasol. The suit alleges that both companies engaged in
Continue reading …Dockstar FreeAgent hacked into inexpensive emulation masterpiece (video)
November 29, 2010 No Comment
Hello, multipurpose! Seagate’s Pogoplug-based FreeAgent DockStar — at least at a glance — isn’t much good to those who aren’t buying up DockStar HDDs. But if you dig a little deeper, you’ll realize that this minuscule adapter packs a 1.2GHz Marvell processor, 128MB of RAM and 256MB of ROM. There’s also a smattering of USB ports and an Ethernet socket; add that all up, and you’ve got a hacker’s playground. One Hunter Davis decided to see just how much he could squeeze out of this here peripheral, which can be widely found for as little as $25 nowadays. Thanks to a copy of Debian Linux, a good bit of programming know-how, a DisplayLink USB-to-VGA adapter and a USB sound adapter, he was able to concoct a homegrown emulation console that could handle nearly everything he threw at it. ‘Course, you’ll have to spring for those other parts if you don’t have a house full of random doodads, but once he figures out how to install a battery and make the entire setup portable… look out! Head on past the break for an in-action video. Continue reading Dockstar FreeAgent hacked into inexpensive emulation masterpiece (video) Dockstar FreeAgent hacked into inexpensive emulation masterpiece (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 29 Nov 2010 17:07:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Surveillance video shows a car crashing into a California restaurant. A 52-year-old woman was killed in the accident. Police say the driver lost control and plowed through a wall of Troy’s Restaurant. (Nov. 29)
Continue reading …Two Kinects join forces to create better 3D video, blow our minds (video)
November 29, 2010 No Comment
Remember when Oliver Kreylos impressed and shocked us by showing that a single Microsoft Kinect could create some remarkably stout 3D video ? He’s back at it again, this time blowing minds and demonstrating that two Kinects can be paired and their output meshed — one basically filling in the gaps of the other. He found that the two do create some interference, the dotted IR pattern of one causing some holes and blotches in the other, but when the two are combined they basically help each other out and the results are quite impressive. As you can see in the video after the break, Oliver is able to rotate the camera perspective and basically film himself from a new camera angle that exists somewhere in between the position of the two Kinects, and do-so in real-time. Sure, the quality leaves a lot to be desired, but still. Wow. [Thanks, Mohammad] Continue reading Two Kinects join forces to create better 3D video, blow our minds (video) Two Kinects join forces to create better 3D video, blow our minds (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 29 Nov 2010 13:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Bicycle lock climbs poles, encourages would-be thieves to look elsewhere (video)
November 29, 2010 No Comment
Had your morning cup of Haterade? Get ready to have it flushed out. A team of bicyclists / engineers have assembled what might be the best thing to happen to the bicycle since Lance Armstrong, with the (currently unnamed) pole-climbing bike lock created for Germany’s own Conrad. There’s no word on if (or when) this fancy contraption will go on sale, but we know at least one Dutch inhabitant that’ll be parting ways with as many Euros as necessary in order to take one home. In short, this device straps around a nearby light pole and then carries your bike high into the air (and thus, faraway from the hands of thieves) via a remote control. The only problems? For one, it’s huge, and should prove worrisome to carry around. Secondly, you’ll be in a whole heap of trouble should some other prankster decide to hike his / her bike up the same pole beneath yours. Anywho, the video after the break is definitely worth a watch. Continue reading Bicycle lock climbs poles, encourages would-be thieves to look elsewhere (video) Bicycle lock climbs poles, encourages would-be thieves to look elsewhere (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 29 Nov 2010 12:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Welsh singer Duffy talks about her return with new single ‘Well, Well, Well’ and reveals how it took a few glasses of champagne to get her dancing for the video. (Nov. 29)
Continue reading …Lady Gaga trapped in an Android smartphone, we wish she’d stay there (video)
November 29, 2010 No Comment
NTT DoCoMo has Darth Vader selling its Android wares, so what could KDDI au possibly counter with? Why, a force even darker and more heinous than the Sith Daddy himself: Lady Gaga. Yes, the music fiend we love to hate has remixed Poker Face just to make sure we take notice of Sharp’s IS03 , and the kindly Japanese carrier has taken care of inserting her into the phone for maximum promotional value. Yes, au, now that we’ve seen Lady Gaga strutting around inside it, we totally want to own one of these handsets! See the video promos after the break. [Thanks, machine] Continue reading Lady Gaga trapped in an Android smartphone, we wish she’d stay there (video) Lady Gaga trapped in an Android smartphone, we wish she’d stay there (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 29 Nov 2010 10:24:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Microsoft’s been strangely quiet during the recent smart TV explosion even though it has arguably the most mature set of products in Windows Media Center and Mediaroom , and now we know why: Reuters says MS has been meeting with media companies in an effort to create an entirely new TV service possibly delivered through the Xbox 360. Apparently there are multiple options on the table, ranging from a full-on “virtual cable operator” with monthly fees to using the 360 as an extension of existing cableco online TV initiatives to simply delivering certain channels like ESPN and HBO a la carte, and Reuters ‘ sources say the plan might take another 12 months to develop. That sounds like a bit too long, if you ask us: Apple and Google are waging a major living room assault, and we can’t imagine Microsoft is willing to miss another technology cycle — especially not one where it holds the significant advantage of the 360′s installed base and proven history as an IPTV device on multiple operators worldwide, including Uverse . We’ll see what happens — it sounds like the battle might finally be joined. Microsoft in talks to start new TV service using the 360? originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 29 Nov 2010 10:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …To Letterman’s Annoyance, His Mom Won’t Blame Global Warming for Warm Days in Indianapolis
November 29, 2010 No Comment
As the long holiday weekend comes to an end, catching up with a humorous, seemingly spontaneous, moment on the last fresh Late Show before Thanksgiving. David Letterman is a big believer in cataclysmic predictions about global warming, but on Wednesday’s program his mom, Dorothy, rejected his proposition that global warming was to blame for some unseasonably warm days in Indianapolis — prompting her disappointed son to shake his head in disapproval. Dorothy, better known as “Dave’s mom,” appears annually from her kitchen in suburban Indianapolis to let her son guess the types of pies she’s baked for Thanksgiving. This year, the 89-year-old remarked “it's been unseasonably warm,” leading her son to assert “that's that climate change. It's the global warming . You know that, mom? Do you believe in the climate change, in the global warming?” To which, Dorothy Letterman innocently responded: “Not really.” read more
Continue reading …Adafruit Propeller Platform USB entices DIY electronics builders, ‘Gadget Gangsters’ at large
November 29, 2010 No Comment
It’s days like today where you realize just how badly you need to scratch that DIY itch, and Adafruit ‘s newest two circuit boards couldn’t be landing at a more opportune time. Both of these bad boys are classified as Gadget Gangsters , which makes ‘em viable for purchase without any additional investigation. Should you choose to, however, we’ll have you know that the Propeller Platform USB is an open-source platform for building your own electronics projects with a new eight-core Parallax Propeller chip; the ProtoPlus model adds video / audio support as well as a “prototyping area.” Tutorials are available in the source links for those inexperienced with Spin, and at just $50 / $15 (respectively), we’d say they’re well worth the purchase if you’re looking to simply get your toes wet. Better known as “become hopelessly addicted to modding” ’round these parts. Adafruit Propeller Platform USB entices DIY electronics builders, ‘Gadget Gangsters’ at large originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 29 Nov 2010 05:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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