Houston grandmother becomes host of first ‘super WiFi’ hotspot, proves you’re never too old for wireless
April 20, 2011 No Comment
This ain’t your grandma’s WiFi — that is, unless your grandma is 48 year-old Leticia Aguirre. The Houston woman became the host of the very first “super WiFi” hotspot, earlier this week — the new network takes advantage of unused UHF TV channels to bring internet service to underserved communities. In collaboration with researchers at Rice University, a Houston-based non-profit fittingly referred to as Technology for All (TFA), facilitated the setup and is in the process of deploying more whitespace hotspots across the area. The FCC approved use of whitespace for the new “super WiFi” back in September of last year. Full PR after the break. Continue reading Houston grandmother becomes host of first ‘super WiFi’ hotspot, proves you’re never too old for wireless Houston grandmother becomes host of first ‘super WiFi’ hotspot, proves you’re never too old for wireless originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 20 Apr 2011 18:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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When Nissan announced the Leaf RC we, naturally, were expecting a little radio controlled version of the battery-electric sedan that’s making its way to driveways now — slowly . We certainly didn’t expect a race version of the thing, but that’s what Nissan created, and now here it is at the New York International Auto Show, sitting on a turntable and spinning away. In fact you could envision that spinning stretching it out. It’s rather… longer than the stock Leaf . In fact, it really looks nothing at all like the stock car, but if it did it’d be all the more strange on the track than this long, low, spread-out, carbon fiber wedge. They are at least both pure electrics and both painted blue, though under the cerulean lights here just about everything is looking decidedly cool. Okay, so 107HP, a top speed of 93MPH, and a maximum duration of just 20 minutes on the track will hardly see this winning any WTCC races, but with a weight of just 2,068 pounds (some 700 less than a Tesla Roadster) we’d certainly take one for a spin — even if it were a short one. Gallery: Nissan Leaf Nismo RC Nissan Leaf Nismo RC all-electric race car eyes-on originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 20 Apr 2011 17:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Apple beats estimates with Q2 earnings: $24.67 billion revenue, $5.99 billion profit
April 20, 2011 No Comment
Apple just announced its earnings for the second quarter of the year, and it’s once again beat estimates, with it reporting earnings of $6.40 a share, a total of $24.67 billion in revenue, and a net profit of $5.99 billion. As for the sales breakdown everyone’s waiting for, Apple says it sold a whopping 18.6 million iPhones in the quarter (up 113 percent over the previous year, and ahead of estimates of 16 million), plus 4.69 million iPads (actually less than the expected 6.29 million, apparently due to supply issues), and 3.76 million Macs, which represents a 28 percent jump over the same quarter a year ago. Not surprisingly, iPods are the one area that continues to slow, with sales of 9.02 million representing a 17 percent decline over the previous year — the iPod touch accounted for more than half of those sales. One other big bright spot for the company is the Asia Pacific region, where it saw revenue grow a staggering 151 percent year-over-year. Interestingly, Apple isn’t providing any specific sales numbers for the iPad 2 — it’s only saying that it “sold every iPad 2 we could make in the quarter.” Update: The company’s press release is after the break. Continue reading Apple beats estimates with Q2 earnings: $24.67 billion revenue, $5.99 billion profit Apple beats estimates with Q2 earnings: $24.67 billion revenue, $5.99 billion profit originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 20 Apr 2011 16:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Final Audio Design’s Piano Forte earphones promise concert hall sound at bank-breaking prices
April 20, 2011 No Comment
Behold Final Audio Design’s latest high-end earphones : the Piano Forte X-VII Series. Each of the four models that comprise the series features a large neodymium magnet driver, nestled inside a rigid metal housing made of alloy powder and natural resin, designed to minimize bad vibrations. The driver is a hefty 16 mm in diameter, and boasts roughly three times the surface area of your garden variety earphones, resulting in enhanced low frequency soundscapes. Final Audio Design also added a proprietary pressure ring to each model’s diaphragm (to ward off sound artifacts), as well as special pressure vents (to optimize air pressure around the diaphragm). Internal air pressure, on the other hand, is kept in check thanks to the X-VIII Series’ metallic earpads, which allegedly allow your ear to naturally adjust to any barometric shifts. Each of the four models comes in a unique metallic housing, reportedly capable of delivering different audio blends. But they all share one important characteristic — they’re really expensive. At the high end of the price spectrum are the X-G and X-CC models, which will put you back some
Continue reading …Eye-Fi Direct Mode is here, turns tablets and smartphones into must-have camera accessories
April 20, 2011 No Comment
Eye-Fi promised that its Direct Mode for beaming photos straight from your camera to your smartphone or tablet would land this week, and we’re pleased to announce the company has kept its word. Just pop your X2 card into a computer, launch the Eye-Fi Center, and you should be prompted to install the new firmware — version 4.5022. All you have to do then is install the Eye-Fi app on your Android or iOS device, pair it with your camera (you did remember to put the card back in your camera, right?), and you’re ready to rock and/or roll. From then on, any pics you snap with your Eye-Fi-equipped cam will automatically beam themselves to your handheld, and sharing on Picasa or Eye-Fi View is just a tap or two away. If you need a bit of a refresher on what Direct Mode looks like in action, just check out our hands-on from CES. Eye-Fi Direct Mode is here, turns tablets and smartphones into must-have camera accessories originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 20 Apr 2011 15:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Niyari brings back Atari 400 nostalgia with USB keyboard, brown never looked so good
April 20, 2011 No Comment
We never got around to reviewing the Atari 400 back in 1979, but it was probably for the best — according to Technabob , the game console’s membrane keyboard was more of a finger torturing tool. But if you dig this iconic design regardless, then you may consider Niyari’s similar-looking chiclet keyboard from Japan. Sure, $148.55 is pretty steep for an otherwise ordinary USB peripheral, but some old schoolers may gladly pay for this much improved typing experience, albeit 32 years too late. Head past the break to compare this device with an actual Atari 400. Continue reading Niyari brings back Atari 400 nostalgia with USB keyboard, brown never looked so good Niyari brings back Atari 400 nostalgia with USB keyboard, brown never looked so good originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 20 Apr 2011 14:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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This year at CES we got our first glimpse of the Toyota Entune infotainment system, and then a week later at the North American International Auto Show we got our first close-up look at the bigger, hatchbackier Prius V . Now, here at the New York International Auto Show, the two pieces have come together into one five-door package. The car and the infotainment suite are slated to hit dealerships this summer and we sat down in one to try out the other. See if you can figure out which is which before clicking on through to check out our impressions. Gallery: Toyota Entune and Prius V hands-on Continue reading Toyota Entune and Prius V hands-on Toyota Entune and Prius V hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 20 Apr 2011 13:26:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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FROG has a long way to go before it can become a real dinosaur. It’s skinny, it’s awkward — in fact, the camouflaged robot is downright timid when compared to, say, the horn-wielding matador’s nightmare that is Boston Dynamics’ BigDog robot . It’s a heck of a start, though. FROG — that’s Four-legged Robot for Optimal Gait — is actually a prototype of a triceratops skeleton designed by Dr. Wei Wang and a number of PhD students at the Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Automation. It has joint angle sensors, acceleration sensors, a pan-tilt camera, and a number of other sensing devices. FROG’s got a Linux system inside and communicates wirelessly with a host computer — in order to power it, however, you’ve got to plug the thing in, which puts it at a decided disadvantage when doing battle with robotic tyrannosauruses. Inspiration for FROG came from small triceratops statue given to Dr. Wang by a Chinese film director working on a CGI animated dinosaur movie. The doctor hopes that the ‘bot will show up in museums or other dinosaur exhibits when it’s a bit more complete. Dr. Wang balks at comparisons to our beloved BigDog, however, since FROG has DC Motors and isn’t hydraulic, so don’t expect this herbivorous reptile to carry your luggage over rocky terrain any time soon. Continue reading Chinese robotic triceratops skeleton packs Linux, no horns Chinese robotic triceratops skeleton packs Linux, no horns originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 20 Apr 2011 12:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Laser tripwire does Hollywood-style security on the cheap, precious jewels not included
April 20, 2011 No Comment
Sure, you could opt for a laser tripwire that puts intruders on blast via Twitter, but there’s something to be said for the simplicity of the latest security system to come from Instructables user EngineeringShock. You’ve seen this setup before: a group of mirrors are strategically positioned to bounce a laser beam across an open space, ensuring that even the most nimble of invaders — excepting MacGyver, perhaps — will set sirens blaring. Consisting of a programmable keypad, a laser and detector, a series of six carefully aligned mirrors, and an LED-equipped siren, the system does Hollywood-style security on a budget — the siren being the most expensive element at $20. If you’re looking to lock your stuff down like they do in the movies, follow the source link for full instructions, or check out the video demo after the break. Continue reading Laser tripwire does Hollywood-style security on the cheap, precious jewels not included Laser tripwire does Hollywood-style security on the cheap, precious jewels not included originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 20 Apr 2011 11:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Kindle Library Lending will let you take books out on your e-reader or Kindle app, launching in US this year
April 20, 2011 No Comment
We love books. We just don’t love carrying more than one of them around. It’s great to hear, then, that Amazon has figured out a new Kindle Library Lending feature, which will allow US customers to check the ethereal form of books into their Kindle (all generations are supported) or Kindle app-equipped smartphone or computer. Annotations will be retained, in case you decide to take the book out a second time or purchase it through Amazon, in which case they’ll come flooding back in like fond memories of a good read. The service matches Sony’s similar ebook library checkout offering , which is no coincidence as it’s powered by the same company, OverDrive. It’s set to launch later this year and you can read more about it in the press release after the break. Continue reading Kindle Library Lending will let you take books out on your e-reader or Kindle app, launching in US this year Kindle Library Lending will let you take books out on your e-reader or Kindle app, launching in US this year originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 20 Apr 2011 09:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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