The idea of cars preventing accidents before they happen isn’t novel , but at the end of the day, collision detection systems are only as smart as the information being fed to them. That’s the ethos behind Continental’s new stereo camera system, which spots people, pets, and other objects in a vehicle’s path, and measures their height, distance from the vehicle, and how they might be moving. This rig, which will be just another part of Continental’s ContiGuard safety system, uses the difference in the lenses’ optical paths to make these calculations — so long as those obstacles are 20 to 30 meters (66 to 98 feet) away. The company also says the cameras are sharp enough to detect partially obscured objects, and claims accuracy within 20 to 30 centimeters (8 to 12 inches). No word on when it will be ready to ship seeing cars, though if the press release is any indication, German drivers are likely to get their test drive first. Continue reading Continental readies stereo camera system for ‘seeing’ cars Continental readies stereo camera system for ‘seeing’ cars originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 05 May 2011 12:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Hyatt, Hilton, Marriott, and Starwood Hotels reward your loyalty with free WiFi
May 6, 2011 No Comment
Free WiFi is practically a given at coffee shops and motels, yet lots of luxury hotels hit you with an extra $10 – $15 a day to ride their waves of wireless internet. Good news is, well-heeled world travelers won’t be paying those fees much longer, because several high-end hotel chains are now giving temporary tenants complimentary wireless internet. Loyalty program members for Hilton, Hyatt, and Starwood Hotels get online gratis if they have Gold or Platinum status, while Marriott lets all who sign up for its rewards program get WiFi for free. Seems ridiculous that some folks still pay extra for internet when a room runs several hundred dollars, but a little free websurfing is better than none. We can only hope that towel retention technology will provide a sufficient boost to their bottom lines to eventually allow access for all. Hyatt, Hilton, Marriott, and Starwood Hotels reward your loyalty with free WiFi originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 06 May 2011 07:03:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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We’ve been told time and time again to fear our mechanical friends, so imagine our relief when we heard that some Swiss scientists had a batch of bots that displayed altruism. What’s more, these little two-wheeled foragers weren’t programmed to share, they evolved the trait. Researchers at EPFL infused Alice microbots with digital “genes” that mutated over time as well as color sensors that allow them to navigate their environment. The robots were tasked with collecting “food” and given the option to keep it for themselves or split it amongst their silicon-brained relatives. The more they decided to give to others with similar genetic makeup the more those virtual genes were passed on to future generations — including the one for altruism. The experiment is an example of Hamilton’s Rule, an evolutionary model for how the seemingly counter-intuitive trait of selflessness could arise through natural selection. Don’t let your guard down just yet, though — the robots are only sharing with each other for now. Continue reading Robots learn to share, try to repair bad rep (video) Robots learn to share, try to repair bad rep (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 06 May 2011 05:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …San Francisco backs away from cellphone radiation law, will distribute common sense instead
May 6, 2011 No Comment
Science! It’s the heady stuff that keeps the looneys in check and our feet planted on the earth. Back it up with a powerful CTIA lobbying effort and science can even move San Francisco policy. The San Francisco Chronicle is reporting that The City’s law requiring cellphone retailers to label each device’s SAR level as tested by the FCC has been put on indefinite hold, with a watered-down version likely taking its place. Surely, this is yet another example of big business and government colluding to the detriment of man? Not really, not this time. As Joel Moskowitz, director at the IC Berkeley Center for Family and Community Health, and even the FCC will tell you , the SAR value is a poor measurement of radiation intake for consumers: “The specific absorption rate isn’t a very useful measure because it’s the peak reading on a variety of tests conducted on cell phones to measure their radiation, but doesn’t indicate the average amount of radiation a user would generally be exposed to. You could buy a lower SAR phone, but on average it could produce more radiation than a higher SAR phone.” Although changes to the law have not yet been formally introduced, they’ll likely result in retailers handing out “tip sheets” to customers that explain how to minimize radiation exposure from their new handsets. Ok, you win this time, reason, but we can still debate image artifacting on certain long-form birth certificates. Everyone, get to the choppa! San Francisco backs away from cellphone radiation law, will distribute common sense instead originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 06 May 2011 06:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …San Francisco backs away from cellphone radiation law, will distribute common sense instead
May 6, 2011 No CommentScience! It’s the heady stuff that keeps the looneys in check and our feet planted on the earth. Back it up with a powerful CTIA lobbying effort and science can even move San Francisco policy. The San Francisco Chronicle is reporting that The City’s law requiring cellphone retailers to label each device’s SAR level as tested by the FCC has been put on indefinite hold, with a watered-down version likely taking its place. Surely, this is yet another example of big business and government colluding to the detriment of man? Not really, not this time. As Joel Moskowitz, director at the IC Berkeley Center for Family and Community Health, and even the FCC will tell you , the SAR value is a poor measurement of radiation intake for consumers: “The specific absorption rate isn’t a very useful measure because it’s the peak reading on a variety of tests conducted on cell phones to measure their radiation, but doesn’t indicate the average amount of radiation a user would generally be exposed to. You could buy a lower SAR phone, but on average it could produce more radiation than a higher SAR phone.” Although changes to the law have not yet been formally introduced, they’ll likely result in retailers handing out “tip sheets” to customers that explain how to minimize radiation exposure from their new handsets. Ok, you win this time, reason, but we can still debate image artifacting on certain long-form birth certificates. Everyone, get to the choppa! San Francisco backs away from cellphone radiation law, will distribute common sense instead originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 06 May 2011 06:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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We just heard talk of a new 15.6-inch Dell laptop yesterday that was said to be thin and streamlined, and Mobile Review has now scored some pictures of what may be that very same laptop. While there’s unfortunately not much in the way of details, the laptop is apparently dubbed the XPS 15z, and it’s said to pack support for Sandy Bridge Core i5 and Core i7 processors. As previously hinted at, this particular laptop is also said to be just part of a series, with both 14-inch and 17-inch models also on the way. Hit up the link below for few additional shots. Dell’s stylish new XPS 15z laptop surfaces originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 05 May 2011 15:10:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …We just heard talk of a new 15.6-inch Dell laptop yesterday that was said to be thin and streamlined, and Mobile Review has now scored some pictures of what may be that very same laptop. While there’s unfortunately not much in the way of details, the laptop is apparently dubbed the XPS 15z, and it’s said to pack support for Sandy Bridge Core i5 and Core i7 processors. As previously hinted at, this particular laptop is also said to be just part of a series, with both 14-inch and 17-inch models also on the way. Hit up the link below for few additional shots. Dell’s stylish new XPS 15z laptop surfaces originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 05 May 2011 15:10:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …We just heard talk of a new 15.6-inch Dell laptop yesterday that was said to be thin and streamlined, and Mobile Review has now scored some pictures of what may be that very same laptop. While there’s unfortunately not much in the way of details, the laptop is apparently dubbed the XPS 15z, and it’s said to pack support for Sandy Bridge Core i5 and Core i7 processors. As previously hinted at, this particular laptop is also said to be just part of a series, with both 14-inch and 17-inch models also on the way. Hit up the link below for few additional shots. Dell’s stylish new XPS 15z laptop surfaces originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 05 May 2011 15:10:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …We just heard talk of a new 15.6-inch Dell laptop yesterday that was said to be thin and streamlined, and Mobile Review has now scored some pictures of what may be that very same laptop. While there’s unfortunately not much in the way of details, the laptop is apparently dubbed the XPS 15z, and it’s said to pack support for Sandy Bridge Core i5 and Core i7 processors. As previously hinted at, this particular laptop is also said to be just part of a series, with both 14-inch and 17-inch models also on the way. Hit up the link below for few additional shots. Dell’s stylish new XPS 15z laptop surfaces originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 05 May 2011 15:10:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …LG Optimus 2X scoops up Guinness World Record for being first dual-core smartphone
May 6, 2011 No Comment
LG’s Optimus 2X just scooped up official recognition from the Guinness World Records crew for being the very first dual-core smartphone, which sounds like a good thing, but really it kind of isn’t. In its rabid pursuit of the “First!” badge, LG neglected to polish up the 2X’s software, leaving a lot of early users feeling high, dry, and in need of a good custom ROM. On the other hand, that very same phone’s US variant, the T-Mobile G2x that came a couple of months later, arrived with a nice and shiny stock Android build that really showed off the underlying hardware’s true capabilities. So yeah, kudos on another Record, LG, but next time let’s have less haste and more awesome, mmkay? LG Optimus 2X scoops up Guinness World Record for being first dual-core smartphone originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 06 May 2011 03:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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