BinCam posts photos of your trash on Facebook, shames you into recycling (video)
June 9, 2011 No Comment
We’re not sure how comfortable we are with everyone online being able to examine our, as the Brits would say, “rubbish.” But our friends across the pond are apparently ok with it, seeing as it’s the home of BinCam — a research project out of Newcastle University that posts pictures of people’s trash on Facebook. At the heart of the experiment is an Xperia X10 Mini strapped under the lid of a garbage can that automatically snaps a photo every time it’s opened and closed. That image is then uploaded to the BinCam Facebook app, where you’re showered with public shame for failing to sort your recyclables or celebrated for not wasting food. And, just in case you think this is all an elaborate joke, check out the BBC report after the break the the study of how it affected student behavior at the source. Continue reading BinCam posts photos of your trash on Facebook, shames you into recycling (video) BinCam posts photos of your trash on Facebook, shames you into recycling (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 10 Jun 2011 01:03:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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We’ve diligently followed the Microsoft v. i4i Limited Partnership patent dispute as it wound its way through the courts , and now comes the day of reckoning: by a unanimous decision, the US Supreme Court has upheld the patent-infringement finding against Redmond. For those of you just catching up, MS had been taken to court by Toronto-based i4i over a portfolio of XML-related patents — patents it had already offered to license to the software behemoth. In court, Microsoft claimed it had not infringed and that the patents were invalid; a 2009 Texas court disagreed and awarded $200 million in damages. A subsequent appeal failed. Oh, and the government sided with i4i . Today’s Supreme Court verdict upholds the lower courts’ decisions: Microsoft Word is an infringing product, and the company now owes $290 million. The finding likely won’t affect consumers, as the offending versions of Word are now obsolete. Still, $290 million isn’t chump change, even for the world’s largest software company. There’s probably a joke in here about i4i justice, but we’ll be dadblasted if we can find it. Microsoft loses $290 million patent battle, begins searching couch cushions originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Jun 2011 21:43:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Wi-Fi Sync developer says he was ‘fairly shocked’ by Apple’s similar Wi-Fi Sync feature
June 9, 2011 No Comment
Wirelessly syncing a smartphone is hardly a new idea, but the developer of the Wi-Fi Sync app for iOS devices apparently thinks Apple’s similar new feature in iOS 5 — also called Wi-Fi Sync –is just a little too close to his for comfort. As you may recall, Greg Hughes submitted his “Wi-Fi Sync” app to Apple for App Store approval back in May of 2010 and was ultimately rejected, although not before he says he was told that Apple’s engineers were “impressed” by his effort — he then made the app available in the Cydia store, where it’s been downloaded more than 50,000 times at $10 a pop. That was apparently working out just fine for him until this week, when he says he was “fairly shocked” to see Apple announce a Wi-Fi Sync feature of its own in iOS 5, complete with a familiar looking icon. Hughes went on to tell The Register that he was “surprised” by the similarities, but he hasn’t offered any indication that he plans to push the issue any further. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in] Wi-Fi Sync developer says he was ‘fairly shocked’ by Apple’s similar Wi-Fi Sync feature originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Jun 2011 22:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Microsoft asked us to drop by at E3 to chat up a generically identified “Xbox executive,” imagine our surprise when we found Kudo Tsunoda hiding behind door number six. Wearing his signature shades, Kudo gave us a brief primer on what makes Kinect great, or at least a heavy endorsement of Kinect Fun Labs. While we can certainly dig the bit-sized gadgetry Fun Labs has to offer, we like to dig deeper — will the Kinect hardware ever be integrated into other devices? Any plans for Microsoft’s 3D tracking camera and Windows 8? Kudo did his best to feed our ravenous appetite for answers. It wasn’t easy on poor Kudo, of course — more than once we saw him glance longingly at his wrangler, a friendly PR rep keeping him from spilling the beans on anything too awesome. Probing about Windows 8 and Kinect produced one such look, and while our man very lightly suggested that Microsoft does more than games — and that the dual-camera device might start showing up on other devices — the big M had nothing to announce at that time. Kudo did go on to say, however, that we can expect to see new, innovative, “oh my gosh, I can’t believe Kinect can do that” experiences at E3 year after year, citing this year’s keynote for some recent examples. While we couldn’t coax any leaks about Xbox or Kinect successors out of the man, it’s good to see Microsoft’s continued dedication to improving the platform. Kudo Tsunoda doesn’t tell us a thing about Windows 8 support for Kinect originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Jun 2011 19:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Okay, so the U-shaped contraption you see above won’t get a motorsports enthusiast’s blood boiling quite like the Fanatec CSR Elite wheel we tested earlier, but for a lot of gamers the CSR is a bit too much. The Xbox 360 Wireless Speed Wheel, on the other hand, is rather more manageable — and affordable, with a $59.99 price. It’s a simple, lightweight thing, with an over-sized trigger on the back of each grip. These have very low resistance, so they tend to clap against the back when you mash the throttle, but this plus a long throw means it’s easy to be precise on the gas or brake. And that, of course, is what they’re intended to be used for. On the right prong are the four face buttons, on the left a D-pad. Start and Back are in the middle along with the Guide button, but sadly the L and R shoulder buttons didn’t make the start. That’s a mighty shame, making us wonder what compatibility will be like for racers that use those for up- and down-shifting. Regardless, with Forza Motorsport 4 the wheel works like a charm. There’s an almost imperceptible amount of lag between you turning the thing in air and your reaction being conveyed on screen, but it’s not a problem. The triggers feel great and, while shifting using the D-pad is a little clumsy, it works. Ultimately and predictably the Speed Wheel doesn’t deliver the most hardcore of racing experiences, but it’ll be a lot more couch-friendly than your average wheel and pedal setup when it ships this October. Gallery: Xbox 360 Wireless Speed Wheel Xbox 360 Wireless Speed Wheel hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Jun 2011 20:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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What’s the point of a robot disguised as a tank or, uh, a clothes dryer ? If you really want to infiltrate human society, you need robots that can hide in plain sight. Thankfully for would-be robotic conquerors, Ron Tajima brings us the aptly named CanBot, which hides batteries, an embedded control board, and three RC-servo legs beneath its beer-can exterior. Tajimi controls it with a Wiimote, and in the video above you can see it walking and rolling. His son seems less than impressed, but he probably sees this stuff all the time. We’re mightily excited, and look forward to picking up a six pack. Of robots. [Thanks, Robotbling] Adorable CanBot chills in your fridge, quietly biding its time (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Jun 2011 20:16:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Here’s a little tip for app developers: encrypt everything , especially passwords. Security firm viaForensics fed some popular iPhone and Android apps through its appWatchdog tool and found that Netflix, LinkedIn, and Foursquare all stored account passwords unencrypted. Since the results were first published on the 6th, Foursquare has updated its app to obscure users’ passwords, but other data (such as search history) is still vulnerable. While those three were the worst offenders, other apps also earned a big fat “fail,” such as the iOS edition of Square which stores signatures, transaction amounts, and the last four digits of credit card numbers unencrypted. Most of this data would take some effort to steal, but it’s not impossible for a bunch of ne’er-do-wells to create a piece malware that can harvest it. Let’s just hope Netflix and LinkedIn patch this hole quickly — last thing we need is someone discovering our secret obsession with Meg Ryan movies. Netflix, Foursquare, and LinkedIn Android apps expose your password originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Jun 2011 19:38:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Nox Audio Admiral Touch prototype preview redux: now with more clever ideas and some bass
June 9, 2011 No Comment
It’s been fully six months since Nox Audio’s everything-but-the-kitchen-sink Admiral Touch headset prototype wowed us at CES 2011, and boy, have things changed. That ugly metal band is gone, replaced by a handsome black and silver rig, with a neatly integrated adjusting strap for a comfortable noggin squeeze. Both sides of the Admiral Touch now sport buttons, including one to add the T-Pain Effect (we kid you not). More after the break. Gallery: Nox Audio Admiral and Admiral Touch at E3 2011 Continue reading Nox Audio Admiral Touch prototype preview redux: now with more clever ideas and some bass Nox Audio Admiral Touch prototype preview redux: now with more clever ideas and some bass originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Jun 2011 18:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Xfinity Home Security makes home monitoring and management Comcastic (video)
June 9, 2011 No Comment
It looks like Comcast’s trial bubble has been something of a success, and now the company is announcing that its Xfinity Home Security Service will be branching out beyond Houston to arm alarms, dim lamps and keep home automation freaks appraised of sports scores in an additional six markets (including Philadelphia, Portland, Jacksonville, Sarasota/Naples, Chattanooga and Nashville). Powered by iControl Networks’ Open Home automation and security platform, packages start at $40 a month and feature live video monitoring, lighting and climate control, burglar and fire alarm monitoring, and more — via touchscreen interface, web portal, and iPhone app. Now you too can put your family’s safety in the same hands that bring Gilligan’s Island into your home! Video, PR-palooza after the break. Continue reading Xfinity Home Security makes home monitoring and management Comcastic (video) Xfinity Home Security makes home monitoring and management Comcastic (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Jun 2011 18:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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GE’s legacy dates back over a century, but, despite its old age, the company’s got a fresh outlook on the future of energy production (at least according to its PR department). Earlier this week, the outfit announced MetCap Energy Investments’ plans to build a “first-of-its-kind” hybrid power plant , tapping GE’s FlexEfficiency technology, which combines natural gas, wind, and solar thermal power. The plant, planned for completion in Turkey in 2015, will produce enough energy, according to GE, to power 600,000 homes, and could lead to plant efficiency greater than 70 percent. What’s more, the company promises zero liquid discharge and single-button 28-minute startup. Here’s hoping this cracks up to be a better fit than NBC. Full PR after the break. Continue reading GE announces hybrid power plant of the (near) future GE announces hybrid power plant of the (near) future originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Jun 2011 16:24:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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