Microsoft shuts down utility monitoring service, proves you can’t go Hohm again
June 30, 2011 No Comment
Is there anything more tragic than a broken Hohm? Microsoft announced this week that it will be shuttering its utility monitoring service at the close of May 2012, citing a lack of consumer adoption. The news comes a week after Google announced the closing of its competing PowerMeter service. Despite the shutdown, however, Microsoft assures us all that it’s still in the business of developing energy solutions for cities with a wide-ranging list of partners. Hohm itself will continue to operate through the end of May 2012, at which point its users will be rendered Hohmless. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in] Microsoft shuts down utility monitoring service, proves you can’t go Hohm again originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Jun 2011 17:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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We’ve already seen press shots and teaser videos of Sony’s S1 Honeycomb tablet and dual-screen S2 (and had our eyes on them ourselves), but Germany’s Golem website managed to spend a bit of time with both of the devices at an event in Munich, and has now provided what’s surely the best look at them to date. Unfortunately, that’s still not exactly a thorough look — there’s just the single image of the S1 above, and an 18 second video of the S2, which you can check out after the break. Continue reading Sony’s S1 tablet spotted in the wild, S2 captured briefly on video Sony’s S1 tablet spotted in the wild, S2 captured briefly on video originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Jun 2011 16:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Ah, the bicycle — that first symbol of locomotive independence from our youth. How we’ve often wished you came with a motor, solar power and some rechargeable batteries to make that ride less… taxing. Well, chin-up childhood glory days, because Terry Hope’s done all that and a bit more. The self-described EV enthusiast outfitted a Specialized FSR bike frame — chosen for its double crown suspension fork — with an array of three solar slats, a 24-volt one horsepower motor, and three 5,000mAh Li-ion batteries to assist your pedaling on those grueling uphill climbs. The sun-soaked panels powering this 18-speeder’s motor are a homemade mix of polycarbonate sheeting, aluminum and 18- x 6- x 6- inch mono crystalline cells that generate a combined 8.7-volt charge to the batteries of your choosing. While its beneficial turbo boost isn’t intended to replace that Harley you’ve got covered in the garage, it will takeover on those lazy days when you just feel like cruising. Hilarious robot voice over for the environmentally-conscious cyclist after the break. Continue reading Solar Cross e-bike soaks in the sun, powers your pedals Solar Cross e-bike soaks in the sun, powers your pedals originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Jun 2011 15:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Hanako 2 robot acts like a human dental patient, makes us say ‘aah’ (video)
June 30, 2011 No Comment
No, she’s not in a state of shock, nor is she hunting for plankton — she’s simply waiting for the dentist to polish her pearly whites, just like any other conscientious robot . Known as the Showa Hanako 2, this humanoid was originally developed last year as a tool for dentists looking to practice new procedures. Now, engineers at Japan’s Showa University have updated their dental denizen, adding a motorized head and replacing her PVC skin with a more realistic silicon coating. She also boasts speech recognition capabilities and can execute freakishly natural movements, including blinking, sneezing, coughing and, under more unsavory circumstances, even choking. See her in action for yourself, after the break. Continue reading Hanako 2 robot acts like a human dental patient, makes us say ‘aah’ (video) Hanako 2 robot acts like a human dental patient, makes us say ‘aah’ (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Jun 2011 13:43:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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AMD is due to release a batch of new Llano APUs next month that are specifically tailored to desktops rather than laptops . The most powerful among them will be the 2.9GHz A8-3850, which has already caused a stir on the review circuit for one simple reason: it pulls off a brutal “one shot one kill” on Intel’s HD 3000 integrated graphics. AnandTech raised an impressed eyebrow at the fact that all its benchmarking games were playable on the $135 AMD chip, which roughly doubled frame rates in titles like Modern Warfare 2 , Bioshock 2 and World of Warcraft compared to the more expensive Sandy Bridge i5 2500K. TechSpot declared the APU its “new budget king,” with graphical performance “on another level” compared even to an i7. However, the superlatives quickly evaporated once reviewers shifted their focus to the CPU. TechReport spotted that pure CPU performance per dollar was actually lower than what you’d get from a lowly i3. Moreover, it reckoned you’d only have to spend an extra $70 to buy a much more powerful CPU and a separate graphics card — an option that comes “awfully close to making the A8-3850 seem irrelevant.” Ouch. Nevertheless, if an affordable processor with integrated graphics is what you’re after, then it’s fair to say this one sets the standard. Click the source links below for full reviews. AMD Llano desktop APU gets reviewed: the best integrated graphics in town originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Jun 2011 14:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Go shopping online for a microSDHC card and you’ll find that while manufacturers don’t hide the speed specs, they’re not exactly crowing about ‘em either. Make no mistake, though: Samsung is mighty proud of its new 32GB number, which boasts a class 10 speed rating and read / write rates of 24MBps and 12MBps — ideal numbers for those of you who plan on making good use of your phone’s 1080p camera. If you’re a storage buff, you know that class 10 is the highest speed category for SD cards at the moment, and that it sits above classes 4 and 6 — the tiers covering many other microSDHCs on the market. No word just yet on pricing, but we think it’s safe to say you’ll be dishing out a premium. Continue reading Samsung announces 32GB microSD card capable of 12MBps write speeds Samsung announces 32GB microSD card capable of 12MBps write speeds originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Jun 2011 12:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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You know the rigamarole by now — product gets introduced , product takes forever to ship, and at long last, product hits the hands of a few lucky souls. And then, the fine folks over at iFixit rip said product limb from limb in the name of science. This go ’round, they found twelve larger chips and a smorgasbord of other bantam components within Apple’s first Thunderbolt cable, and they didn’t hesitate to suggest that the $50 asking price was at least somewhat justified. A Grant’s worth of dissection photos await you in the source. Apple Thunderbolt cable gutted, a dozen other things found within originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Jun 2011 12:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Sony intros G-Series micro HiFi iPhone / iPod systems, blends retro looks with modern features
June 30, 2011 No Comment
Sony’s got a reputation for pumping out forwardly- designed wares , but its new G-Series micro HiFi systems are a blast from the past — at a glance, anyway. Both rigs are MP3 and iPhone / iPod-compatible via USB and will be available in two different configurations. To start, the CMT-G1BiP / G1iP feature 60 watts of RMS power with DAB packed into the former for those who find only having AM/FM is pass
Continue reading …HTC Eternity leaked: 1.5GHz processor, 4.7-inch display, front-facing camera
June 30, 2011 No Comment
As the world runs short on snarky phone titles (and in fact, starts using a couple of the gems on more than one occasion ), we’re left to overlook the moniker here while focusing on what’s important: that display. In fact, the 4.7-inch WVGA Super LCD shown here actually does seem to extend on for Eternity, and if HTC Inside ‘s leak pans out, we could be looking at the world’s next WP7 superphone. It’s bruited that this fellow will be shipping with a single-core 1.5GHz processor, 8 megapixel camera (autofocus, dual LED flash), a 720p movie mode, front-facing 1.3 megapixel camera, 16GB of storage, DLNA support, Bluetooth, WiFi, GPS and a 1,650mAh battery. That’s a pretty startling list of features, and savvy Windows Phone followers will recognize that the Mango update will indeed be necessary before that front-facing shooter becomes useful. Needless to say, we’ll be keeping an ear to the ground for more, as essentials like price and release have thus far eluded us. HTC Eternity leaked: 1.5GHz processor, 4.7-inch display, front-facing camera originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Jun 2011 09:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Given the number of apps Google’s made available for smartphones, it shouldn’t be much of a surprise that it’s taken its suite of social networking services direct to the mobile world as well. As soon as Google+ was officially announced , an app was ready for download in the Android Market and a web app became available for Safari for iOS (with its full offering to the App Store coming soon). As usual, we couldn’t resist the urge to play around with it , but how does the mobile iteration fare against the competition? Continue past the break to get a peek of the larger-than-life service squeezed into a 4.3-inch (or smaller) display. Continue reading Google+ for Android app (hands-on) Google+ for Android app (hands-on) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Jun 2011 09:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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