Elon Musk says SpaceX will send a man to space in three years, Mars within the next two decades
April 25, 2011 No Comment
Elon Musk has never been one to shy from making bold predictions , which is why we’re not surprised to hear that he has high hopes for the future of space travel. In a recent interview with the Wall Street Journal , the SpaceX founder said his company will “probably” put a man in space within the next three years, in the hopes of sending passengers to Mars within the next ten to 20 years. Earlier this month, Musk’s company unveiled plans for the “world’s most powerful rocket,” the Falcon Heavy , just a few weeks before receiving $75 million from NASA to help spur the development of its commercial spaceflight projects. Musk, it seems, is approaching these projects with an almost sacred sense of duty. “A future where humanity is out there exploring stars is an incredibly exciting future, and inspiring,” he explained, “and that’s what we’re trying to help make happen.” Head on past the break to see the full interview (space talk begins around the 13:00 mark). Continue reading Elon Musk says SpaceX will send a man to space in three years, Mars within the next two decades Elon Musk says SpaceX will send a man to space in three years, Mars within the next two decades originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 25 Apr 2011 13:08:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …The Engadget Show – 020: RIM’s Ryan Biden, GDGT’s Peter Rojas, Ford CEO Alan Mulally, lots of tablets, Shredder test-drive
April 25, 2011 No Comment
Welcome to the latest episode of the The Engadget Show, in which we change things up just a little bit. Everything starts with a trip to the New Mexico desert for a ride on the Shredder , love child of a tank and a skateboard. Next, Tim and Associate Editor Jacob Schulman sit down with RIM’s Ryan Biden to talk about the BlackBerry PlayBook . Then, Tim has a chat with Ford President and CEO Alan Mulally about the future of transportation, and just what’ll be driving you in to work in 20 years. After that, Engadget founder Peter Rojas joins Tim and Managing Editor Darren Murph to look at a plethora of tablets. Favorites are chosen, lines are drawn, and allegiances pledged. There’s also talk of Amazon’s next play in the tablet space, the death of Flip , and what’s up next for GDGT. It’s an action-packed show and it’s ready for you. What are you waiting for? Watch it now! The video stream is above, or download the show in HD below! Hosts: Tim Stevens, Darren Murph, Jacob Schulman Special guests: Ryan Biden, Alan Mulally, Peter Rojas Produced and Directed by: Chad Mumm Executive Producer: Joshua Fruhlinger Edited by: Danny Madden Music by: Sabrepulse Visuals by: Paris and Outpt Shredder segment music: Minusbaby Taped live at AOL Studios Download the Show: The Engadget Show – 020 (HD) / The Engadget Show – 020 (iPod / iPhone / Zune formatted) / The Engadget Show – 020 (Small) Subscribe to the Show: [ iTunes ] Subscribe to the Show directly in iTunes (MP4). [ Zune ] Subscribe to the Show directly in the Zune Marketplace (MP4). [ RSS MP4 ] Add the Engadget Show feed (MP4) to your RSS aggregator and have it delivered automatically. [ HD RSS ] Get the Engadget Show delivered automatically in HD. [ iPad RSS ] Get the Engadget Show in iPad-friendly adaptive format. The Engadget Show – 020: RIM’s Ryan Biden, GDGT’s Peter Rojas, Ford CEO Alan Mulally, lots of tablets, Shredder test-drive originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 25 Apr 2011 12:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Samsung makes sure you know the Galaxy S II is really, really thin with silly new ad (video)
April 25, 2011 No Comment
Samsung seems to be killing time until it finally ships the Galaxy S II by making promo videos for its dual-core superphone . The latest in a series of ads for the S II spends a few precious seconds reminding us just how excellently thin it is, and gives us a particular usage scenario where that slim profile truly becomes practical. We won’t spoil that for you, though we should play spoiler in noting the barely readable small print above — “Thickness of the device may differ by country or carrier.” So remember, just because you and your pen pal from across the world are both buying a product with an excruciatingly specific title like Samsung Galaxy S II doesn’t mean you’ll both get the same thing. All that said, the 8.49mm-thick version of the device is ready to wow you on video just past the break. We’ve thrown a couple of Samsung’s earlier commercials in there as well, just to complete the set. Continue reading Samsung makes sure you know the Galaxy S II is really, really thin with silly new ad (video) Samsung makes sure you know the Galaxy S II is really, really thin with silly new ad (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 25 Apr 2011 10:06:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …AT&T’s new cell tower can fit in a suitcase, help restore networks after natural disasters
April 25, 2011 No Comment
Whenever a natural disaster strikes, phone companies are typically forced to patch up their own networks with fleets of trucks that serve as temporary cell towers. It’s a process that involves plenty of manpower and, most importantly, plenty of time. AT&T has a more portable solution: a cell tower small enough to fit into a suitcase. The company’s new Remote Mobility Zone is comprised of an antenna and accompanying satellite dish, both of which can handle up to 14 simultaneous calls placed within a half-mile radius. Any AT&T phone can connect to the makeshift system, which will sell for anywhere between $15,000 and $45,000 (plus some monthly fees), though emergency workers will need a generator to get it up and running. They’ll also have to live without 3G data, which sounds like a reasonable compromise to us. AT&T’s new cell tower can fit in a suitcase, help restore networks after natural disasters originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 25 Apr 2011 10:37:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …B-Squares bring portable solar energy and Arduino compatibility to toy blocks (video)
April 25, 2011 No Comment
We’ve seen plenty of portable solar chargers in our time, but few have looked quite as versatile as B-Squares — a new collection of 3D modular energy storage devices that can be arranged in various configurations, according to the kind of gadget you’re looking to juice. Developed by MIT grads Jordan McRae and Shawn Frayne, each solar-powered B-Square features a sticky microsuction surface, along with magnetic and electric contacts at each corner, making it easy to connect and arrange them in different formations. Rotating a single square will change its electrical circuit, depending on its adjacent connection. Some B-Squares, for example, feature LED surfaces, allowing you to create solar-powered lanterns, while others have solar panels, or simply serve as rechargeable battery sources. There’s even a square devoted to Arduino boards, along with another surface designed to dock and charge iPhones. McRae and Frayne have already put together a full “recipe book” of different configurations, though the DIY route seems a lot more enticing to us. Their B-Squares are set to leave the prototype phase on May 1st, at an as yet unspecified price. Check them out in video action after the break. [Thanks, Ryan] Continue reading B-Squares bring portable solar energy and Arduino compatibility to toy blocks (video) B-Squares bring portable solar energy and Arduino compatibility to toy blocks (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 25 Apr 2011 09:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …B&N Nook Color update released, brings Froyo, apps, and Flash, we go hands-on (video)
April 25, 2011 No Comment
We’ve been waiting for this day: our little reader would finally become a big boy tablet — without having to resort to any sort of hackery. We knew it was coming and, as of now, owners of the Barnes & Noble Nook Color should be receiving notices that their devices are ready to drop those training wheels and run some proper apps. Flash web browsing, downloads, games, e-mail, it’s all here. Click on through for our impressions and a video of the update in action. Continue reading B&N Nook Color update released, brings Froyo, apps, and Flash, we go hands-on (video) B&N Nook Color update released, brings Froyo, apps, and Flash, we go hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 25 Apr 2011 08:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Okay, so the pic only shows one child seat on this new power-assisted bike from Panasonic, but the designers reckon you can fit another one on the back. It’s called the Gyutto and it packs some nifty technology to make it safe for a trio. For a start, to prevent the bike toppling when you park up, the kickstand activates a lock on the handle bar, making the front wheel rigid. And to keep you travelling in the right direction up a steep hill, the 8Ah lithium-ion battery delivers some high-torque power assist, good for 36km on a single charge — better than some others . Talking about steep, the price will work out at around $1,780 (including the two child seats) when the bike is released in Japan on May 23rd. The same money will get you a Mini version with smaller (20-inch) wheels. It’s a lot to spend on a couple of ungrateful rugrats, but at least you won’t have to pump those pedals so hard. Panasonic’s ‘Gyutto’ e-bike has room for two, actually even three originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 25 Apr 2011 07:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Acer said to be using LG Shuriken display in upcoming laptop — less bezel, less thickness, more awesome
April 25, 2011 No Comment
The zany guys and gals at DigiTimes have a saucy new rumor to start our week off with a bang. A newfangled LG display, dubbed Shuriken, is apparently being recruited in Acer’s fight against irrelevance . The Taiwanese company will reputedly use it in an upcoming 14.1-inch laptop, but here’s the kicker: the physical size of the laptop will be no bigger than that of a 13.3-inch model. That’s because the Shuriken’s panel will require less bezel (8mm instead of 12mm) and less thickness, slimming itself down to just 4mm. LG already has the 12.5-inch Xnote P210 , which would seem to be employing similar technology, so it’s not a stretch to believe the company’s war on bezels has stepped up to the 14-inch size class. Acer is expected to launch this new laptop as early as next month, though the cost of the Shuriken displays is cited as the reason they haven’t been taken up more widely yet, meaning the price of the eventual product will be almost as intriguing as its looks. Acer said to be using LG Shuriken display in upcoming laptop — less bezel, less thickness, more awesome originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 25 Apr 2011 06:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1v available tomorrow for €590, starting with Portugal
April 25, 2011 No Comment
Some lucky Aussies might have been able to pre-order the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1v ahead of the rest of the world, but it turns out the Portuguese will actually be taking this Honeycomb tablet home first, starting tomorrow. Originally known as the Galaxy Tab 10.1 but quickly superseded by a slimmer, impending model , said transitional device is now listed on Vodafone Portugal’s website with a more delightful €589.90 ($860) price tag, along with a big red “available from April 26th” stamp. We dug through Vodafone’s other European sites and the only country that also mentions this Tegra 2 slate is the Netherlands, though it only indicates a “week 17″ launch — in other words, any time between now and May 1st. If you’re in Europe and don’t mind this slightly out-of-date whopper, be sure to check back as we’ll be keeping our eyes peeled for more details. [Thanks, Carlos O.] Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1v available tomorrow for €590, starting with Portugal originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 25 Apr 2011 05:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Fire : the most primal element. “It’s a living thing,” Robert De Niro once said, “It breathes, it eats, and it hates. The only way to beat it is to think like it.” Unless you’re an artist – then you rig up a series of tubes, pump in some kerosene, and connect it to a Power Glove -like control device. Next thing you know, you’re “fire painting,” making that hateful beast dance and strut for your amusement. “Its burning can be handled by subtle movements of the sensory data glove for tactile formulation of the fiery image,” the artist explains, “Thus, the image can be manipulated, yet it constantly escapes control.” To know what it’s like to summon flame with a flick of your wrist – while sporting a creepy smiley-face welding mask, no less – see the video above. Painting with fire, thanks to a cybernetic glove (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 25 Apr 2011 04:24:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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