If we referred to an Apple or Android army, you might assume we’re talking about a legion of brand-loyal fanboys, with which most Engadget commenters are intimately familiar. Defense contractors, however, are trying to turn the US Army into a lethal Apple / Android force with soldier-centric apps. Harris Corp. has a tablet app in the works that allows soldiers to control IP cameras on UAVs for more pertinent intel on the ground while simultaneously sending that information to command centers anywhere in the world. Meanwhile, Intelligent Software Solutions aims to bring mapping mashups to the battlefield (no purpose-built device needed) with an app that combines smartphones’ geolocation with historical data to show troops what’s been going down in the area — from IED explosions to insurgent arrests. Best of all, these apps lower training costs since most warriors are already fluent in Android or iOS and the consumer handhelds can be cheaply ruggedized to replace the more robust $10,000 units in the field today. Should protective measures fail, the devices (relatively) low replacement cost makes them “almost disposable.” Apple and Android get drafted, soldier-centric Army apps coming soon originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 17 Mar 2011 02:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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The old saying goes “the early bird catches the worm,” and it certainly appears to be holding true for the insomniacs who stayed up for iPad 2 pre-orders to go live online. We’ve received our own orders that were placed as soon as the switch was flipped, as have several MacRumors forum contributors (as pictured above). With shipping estimates slipping longer and longer, maybe waiting on a real line isn’t the most unattractive option any more. iPad 2 online orders start arriving on doorsteps originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 17 Mar 2011 01:03:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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There’s an unfortunate lack of details on this one at the moment, but it looks like BMW has something a little special in store for China at the Shanghai Motor Show next month. It will be showing off its new 5 Series “New Energy Vehicle,” a plug-in hybrid that, as previously suggested , will be exclusive to the Chinese market. That will presumably be somewhat similar to the company’s ActiveHybrid 5 concept pictured above, which it first showed off last year but still hasn’t put into production. As Motor Authority notes, however, the New York Auto Show actually coincides with the Shanghai show, so there’s a chance that BMW could be set to provide an update on the ActiveHybrid 5, or possibly introduce a North American counterpart to the New Energy Vehicle. BMW promises 5 Series ‘New Energy Vehicle’ for China originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Mar 2011 19:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Waco’s YMF-5D biplane may look like an authentically vintage aircraft from the outside, but it’s an entirely different story once you strap yourself into the pilot’s seat. The plane is available with a number of different “glass cockpit” options, including the top of the line model pictured above that’s outfitted with a whole slew of Garmin aviation gear and other 21st century niceties. Of course, that doesn’t exactly come cheap – all told, the full glass configuration runs just over $99,000, or over $500,000 including the plane itself (you can see what it looks like after the break). Continue reading Visualized: classic biplane gets a glass cockpit Visualized: classic biplane gets a glass cockpit originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Mar 2011 23:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Internet Explorer 9 hits 2.35 million downloads in first 24 hours, we’re mildly impressed
March 16, 2011 No Comment
Okay, so 2.35 million downloads in a single day is nothing to scoff at, but it’s also not a monumental achievement in terms of browser downloads in the first 24. A post to Internet Explorer’s official blog used the word “wow” to describe the IE9 numbers, but considering Firefox 3 got the Guinness world record for most software downloads in a day, with 8 million way back in 2008, we’re reluctant to call this news wow-worthy. Given, Firefox 3 was available for both Mac and PC, but it still beat Windows’ new browser three times over. Don’t get us wrong, we like IE9 , but we still think a little bit of modesty goes a long way. Internet Explorer 9 hits 2.35 million downloads in first 24 hours, we’re mildly impressed originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Mar 2011 22:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Zediva mashes up Netflix and Redbox for $1.99, four hour-window DVD streaming rentals
March 16, 2011 No Comment
Netflix and Redbox have been the new hotness in rentals for the last few years but both have significant drawbacks. With Redbox , it’s the box and the morons who are constantly standing in front of it paging through every single movie in the thing and for Netflix’s Watch Instantly it’s a lack of new releases available for instant viewing. Now there’s a new startup, Zediva, that takes on both of those issues by sticking with DVDs, but instead of shipping them to customers or placing them in kiosks, just streams them on demand from one player, to one viewer (unlike Netflix , sometimes movies are “rented out” if there are no copies available at the moment — renting a flick gives you control of the DVD player, with fast forward and reverse, for four hours) for $1.99 a rental or 10 for $10. Apparently it’s been in beta for a year but is now available to all and is currently offering new release DVDs the same day they go on sale by simply purchasing them at retail. There’s no HD content yet but it claims Blu-ray titles will be offered soon. The Associated Press talked to a copyright lawyer who points out the case of a hotel that implemented a similar system but was sued into oblivion before calling Zediva “cute, but illegal” so if you decide to check it out, we’d recommend getting through that 10-pack of rentals with haste. Zediva mashes up Netflix and Redbox for $1.99, four hour-window DVD streaming rentals originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Mar 2011 20:52:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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You may not have known this, but besides missing a 3G radio, the WiFi-only iPad also lacks the A-GPS chip that enables exact GPS positioning versus less-accurate WiFi triangulation. Well, according to Tablet Monsters , if you’ve got an iPhone with iOS 4.3 and are subscribed to Personal Hotspot , your shiny slate should be able to tap into the GPS chip of it’s smaller-screened family member. Reports in the MacRumors forums confirm that people are indeed seeing this added functionality on both iPad 2 and the original. There’s talk that it doesn’t work in turn-by-turn GPS apps, Though the native Maps app is reportedly working perfectly there’s talk of unfriendliness in turn-by-turn GPS apps — though this could have to do with the refresh rate of the transmission. If you’re already shelling out for the Personal Hotspot plan this is a nice added bonus, and makes the choice between the 3G iPad and the WiFi one just a little bit easier — assuming you’ve got an iPhone of course. Still skeptical? Check out a video of it in action after the break. Continue reading iPhone Personal Hotspot transmitting GPS information to tethered iPads? iPhone Personal Hotspot transmitting GPS information to tethered iPads? originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Mar 2011 20:16:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …HTC Shooter appears for Sprint with Android 2.3.2, qHD screen and dual-core CPU?
March 16, 2011 No Comment
We still haven’t heard what happened to the HTC Glacier , but the GLBenchmark database brings word of another mysterious high-end phone from Taiwan — the HTC Shooter, which is very likely equipped with a dual-core Qualcomm processor. The “PG86100″ certainly identifies itself as carrying a speedy new Adreno 220 GPU , which is typically paired with twin processing units, and should help push plenty of pixels to the 960 x 540 screen that’s presently displaying Android Gingerbread 2.3.2. All in all, it sounds a lot like the rumored HTC Pyramid for T-Mobile — except this one’s apparently destined for Sprint. Could it be the EVO 3D , or something wholly different? We’ll likely find out next week at CTIA 2011. HTC Shooter appears for Sprint with Android 2.3.2, qHD screen and dual-core CPU? originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Mar 2011 18:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …RIM issues PSA following Pwn2Own exploit: turn off JavaScript on your BlackBerry
March 16, 2011 No Comment
It’s not just desktop web browsers getting hacked at this year’s Pwn2Own challenge — mobile browsers have also been targeted for vulnerabilities, and a fairly big one has now been found in RIM’s browser for BlackBerry OS 6. Apparently, there’s a JavaScript-related bug that could let a “maliciously designed” website gain access to data stored on both the phone’s media card and built-in storage, but not data stored in the storage portion for applications (such as email or contact information). For its part, RIM says that it hasn’t actually seen any evidence of anyone exploiting the vulnerability, but it’s nonetheless urging folks to disable JavaScript on affected devices, and it’s now busy providing IT departments everywhere with guidelines on how to do so. If that proves to be complicated, it’s suggesting that you simply disable the BlackBerry Browser altogether until it can be patched. RIM issues PSA following Pwn2Own exploit: turn off JavaScript on your BlackBerry originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Mar 2011 18:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …GE’s new phase-change based thermal conductor could mean cooler laptops — literally
March 16, 2011 No Comment
It’s no secret : if your laptop sits atop your lap for an extended period of time, you’re going to get burned — okay, so maybe not burned , but you’re definitely going to feel the heat . Luckily GE has been working (under contract for DARPA ) on a new phase-change based thermal conductor that promises to cool electronics twice as well as copper, at one-fourth the weight. The breakthrough means big things for those of us who’d like to make babies one day, but we doubt that’s why DARPA’s shelling out the big bucks — the new material functions at 10 times normal gravity, making it a shoo-in for on-board computing systems in jetliners. Using “unique surface engineered coatings” that simultaneously attract and repel water, the new nanotechnology could mean not only lighter, cooler electronics, but also an increase in computing speeds. Goodbye scrotal hyperthermia , hello cool computing! Full PR after the break. Continue reading GE’s new phase-change based thermal conductor could mean cooler laptops — literally GE’s new phase-change based thermal conductor could mean cooler laptops — literally originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Mar 2011 18:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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