Boeing’s new Phantom Ray aircraft made a covert first flight last week, taking to the skies above California’s Edwards Air Force Base. The unmanned airborne system (UAS) reached 7,500 feet, hitting a maximum speed of 178 knots and flying for a total of 17 minutes — sure, it won’t outlast the Phantom Eye anytime soon, but hey, we’ve all gotta start somewhere. What the 36-foot long vehicle lacks in relative endurance , it makes up stealth, designed to be undetectable on radar, and thanks to a deeply embedded engine, giving off a minimal amount of heat. Boeing will be running additional tests on the autonomous vehicle in the coming weeks, in attempt to prep it for possible future surveillance and attack missions. No word on when this might actually be hitting an airspace near you, but in the meantime, it’s probably best to refrain from ticking off any deep pocketed governments. Continue reading Boeing’s Phantom Ray soars like a terrifying, unmanned eagle Boeing’s Phantom Ray soars like a terrifying, unmanned eagle originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 03 May 2011 21:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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For a product with the word “vitality” in its name, Nintendo’s forthcoming Wii peripheral doesn’t seem to have much of a pulse these days. The oddball controller certainly piqued our interest when the gaming giant showed it off way back in 2009, but aside from some false alarms and an uncovered patent application , we haven’t heard a peep. Nintendo president Satoru Iwata addressed the Vitality Sensor’s conspicuous absence during a financial presentation, chalking the delay up to “differences in biological information in humans.” The peripheral is still coming, according to Iwata, but it won’t be released until the company can make it work well with 99 percent of consumers — a tall order indeed. And what about the other one percent? Well, perhaps they can try these on for size. Nintendo Wii Vitality Sensor still coming to a hand near you, says Iwata originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 03 May 2011 20:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Cisco may have washed its hands of pocket camcorders, but Olympus is ready to dive into the market with gusto. The company, best known for its cameras and voice recorders, just brought those two worlds together by announcing the LS-20M, a handheld whose relatively high-end audio specs should help it go toe-to-toe with Zoom . In addition to 1080p video, the LS-20M records 24 bit / 96 mHz Linear PCM audio using a pair of condenser mics. Alas, at $300 it has a small 2-inch screen and no optical zoom, but at least Olympus borrowed four of the visual effects that make its PEN cameras so fun to use. Look for it in June, and in the meantime, hit the PR for more details. Continue reading Olympus’ LS-20M boasts dual mics and 1080p recording, split personality Olympus’ LS-20M boasts dual mics and 1080p recording, split personality originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 03 May 2011 18:55:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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As the saying doesn’t go, what opens and shuts in Vegas, stays open and shut in Vegas. Fear not, there is a somewhat reasonable explanation behind the story of why a 20-by-20 tent emerged across from the entrance to the Las Vegas Convention Center for only a matter of hours. (More on TIME.com: See 10
Continue reading …Dual-booting ViewSonic ViewPad 10 gets Android 2.2 upgrade, patient owners join 2010
May 3, 2011 No Comment
Good things come to those who wait. If you bought the dual-booting ViewSonic ViewPad 10 , Android 1.6 be damned, we have some good news — the tablet’s getting an upgrade to Android 2.2. Just to refresh your memories, that leap from Donut to Froyo means ViewPad 10 owners will now get updated Gmail, Calendar, Google Maps, Gallery, and YouTube apps, a refined onscreen keyboard, compatabilty with newer applications, and a healthy dose of sorely needed eye candy. New customers can choose one that also runs Windows 7 Home Premium and has 16GB of flash storage ($599) or one with Win 7 Professional and 32GB of space ($679). As for those of you chomping at the bit to upgrade, ViewSonic is keeping things interesting by compelling you to download Froyo onto a thumb drive, and then plug both it and a USB keyboard into the ViewPad to install the update. Then again, something tells us the kind of person who would opt for the ViewPad 10 over other ViewSonic tablets might actually enjoy the challenge. Continue reading Dual-booting ViewSonic ViewPad 10 gets Android 2.2 upgrade, patient owners join 2010 Dual-booting ViewSonic ViewPad 10 gets Android 2.2 upgrade, patient owners join 2010 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 03 May 2011 19:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …ColorWare takes the green from your wallet and puts it on your iPad 2 (video)
May 3, 2011 No Comment
Yup, it’s here — the moment all (eight) of you have been waiting for. The Apple iPad 2 finally hit the ColorWare config tool, so you can play around with that palette and make something just as hideous as we have here. And, if you feel so inclined, you can even add the thing to your cart, hand over $910 (for the base 16GB WiFi config) and wait “about 4 weeks” for your creation to arrive in the mail. While you’re at it, pick up a pair of limited edition chrome Beats . We’re shocked to see that they’re still in stock, given that modest $1,000 price tag. Continue reading ColorWare takes the green from your wallet and puts it on your iPad 2 (video) ColorWare takes the green from your wallet and puts it on your iPad 2 (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 03 May 2011 17:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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A forensics expert talks about what techniques the US government likely used to ensure that Osama Bin Laden is in fact dead. (May 3)
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Plex has been serving up streaming video for more than a minute, bringing content to Macs , iDevices , and even jailbroken Apple TVs (not to mention apps for all sizes of Android ). For those who are neither Apple aficionados nor dedicated ‘droid users, the company has rolled out a client that runs on Rokus . It’s currently in beta and only supports video, but Plex plans to provide picture and music management in the future. Plex’s XBMC secret sauce paired with Roku’s ample streaming content buffet? Sounds delicious . [Thanks, James] Plex Media Server launches client for Roku originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 03 May 2011 17:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Nielsen estimates show first drop in TV ownership in 20 years, Mayans nod approvingly
May 3, 2011 No Comment
The Nielsen Company has announced that its estimated number of TV households for 2012 is dropping to 114.7 million (96.7 percent), down from 115.9 million (98.9 percent) the year before which is the first time it’s gone down in two decades. While some will say this marks the end of the TV era as we’ve known it , there are a couple of factors to take into account, starting with how the numbers are gathered — Nielsen only counts TVs that are capable of tuning into at least one channel. If you’ve cut the cord and gone all internet / Blu-ray / DVD without putting up an antenna or never upgraded for digital broadcasts (as some rural or low-income homes have not) then your TV doesn’t count. After reviewing the numbers and watching Apocalypto twice we still can’t tell if this means it’s already over for linear TV or if it’s more of a temporary bump due to an uncertain economy like it was in 1992. Of course, the fact that we rented the movie on iTunes may be telling. Nielsen estimates show first drop in TV ownership in 20 years, Mayans nod approvingly originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 03 May 2011 14:52:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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If you think schlepping a tripod along with your DSLR isn’t worth it because you’re convinced you can get a clean shot if you just concentrate hard enough, we have to ask… how’s that working out for ya? To demonstrate the destructive power of shaky hands, Camera Technica attached a laser to the hotshoe of a Canon 7D, with the light reflecting off a wall 20 feet away. The lesson: it’s challenging enough to get a crisp shot with a tripod — let alone without. In the video below, the laser point wobbles erratically when the photographer gingerly presses the shutter with his finger. In the second clip he uses a remote release, which visibly cuts, but doesn’t eliminate, the shake. Only when he locks up the mirror and resorts to a tripod and remote release does the shaking drop to a minimum. Need some more vivid evidence? We highly suggest heading past the break for a demo that might just make you reconsider that decision not to pack a Gorillapod . Continue reading Lasers prove you can’t hold a camera still (video) Lasers prove you can’t hold a camera still (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 03 May 2011 15:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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