If you asked us to drop $350 for 23 pieces of laser-cut plastic, we’d probably shoo you away, but it’s hard to resist the incredible charm of the Nanocade . Besides, designer Rasmus Sorensen’s actually selling the miniature arcade cabinet parts for just $229 right now, which makes the decision to finally build your own MAME machine a wee bit more affordable. You’ll still need to supply all the internals yourself, including buttons, an arcade stick, a monitor and glue, and even should you succeed, good luck prying guests away from your new coffee table conversation piece. Find the basic kit in your choice of Midnight Black or Arctic White at our source link. Note: It’s a bit of a bummer, but the Nanocade website says that handsome curved control panel displayed above actually isn’t part of the initial kit — it comes with a pair of flat pieces that meet at a (seemingly) wrist-chafing angle instead. Nanocade kit now on sale in the USA, somewhat less pricy at $229 originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 20 Feb 2011 18:03:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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All’s not well in hybrid solid state storage land, as owners of Seagate’s Momentus XT are facing serious issues with their drives — despite glowing initial reviews , a number of long-term users claim that the drives chirp, crash, stutter, and freeze with alarming regularity, particularly when installed in a Mac. Seagate forumgoers speculate these are symptoms of the XT’s magnetic platters spinning down inappropriately, due to an overzealous power management scheme. That’s the bad news — and it sounds pretty bad — but the good news is this: Seagate’s owning up to the issues, and is actively involved in getting them fixed. So far, a pair of new firmware updates have addressed some symptoms, a third is on the way, and a Seagate engineer known only as STX_NB is proactively chatting with affected customers about possible fixes. That’s what we call technical support — take notes, tech companies. Momentus XT hybrid drive causing headaches, Seagate working to fix originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 20 Feb 2011 17:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Apple patent application points to denser batteries, improved charging technique
February 20, 2011 No Comment
Some might think a ten-hour Macbook battery mighty fine, but we’re happy to say that Cupertino’s not quite satisfied. AppleInsider spotted a pair of Apple patent applications detailing a improved way of juicing up those lithium-polymer cells, which should greatly increase the number of recharge cycles they can endure — or, optionally, allow Apple to use denser batteries that last longer on a charge. We’ll break it down for you: the graph in the upper-left shows how Li-ion batteries currently charge, first very rapidly (constant current, increasing voltage) and then more slowly (constant voltage, decreasing current) to top the cells off. What Apple’s proposing is the multi-step method depicted on the right, where current and voltage trade off, to charge the battery while being far less harsh on the physical chemistry of the electrodes inside. As you can see in the bottom graph, the multi-step CC-CV cells lose much less of their potential after 300 recharge cycles, but that’s not all Apple’s cooking up — the company figures that it can increase the thickness of the electrodes to improve battery life (by as much as 28Wh/L, according to one chart) without negative effect thanks to the softer charge. Sure, we’d rather have plant-eating graphene supercapcitors , but this sounds like a plan for now. Apple patent application points to denser batteries, improved charging technique originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 20 Feb 2011 15:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Imperia plug-in hybrid does 0 – 60 in four seconds, looks classy while doing it
February 20, 2011 No Comment
If you’re tired of hybrids like the Prius or Volt , cars that could easily get lost in a Hertz parking lot, check out the GP. It’s the first and only product from resurrected Belgian auto maker Imperia, which previously operated in the early 20th century, but other than the pronounced front grille offers little resemblance to its forbears either above or below that pronounced bonnet. It has an inline four cylinder turbo engine offering 212hp that’s paired with a 134hp electric engine, itself backed by a Li-polymer battery pack. It’ll do about 45 miles on batteries alone but, more importantly, will roll the 0 – 60mph sprint in under four seconds. Or, at least, it will if it ever hits production. A concept of the car was unveiled at the Brussels Auto Show, but it’s anyone’s guess when it might actually hit the road for reals. Gallery: Imperia GP Imperia plug-in hybrid does 0 – 60 in four seconds, looks classy while doing it originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 20 Feb 2011 14:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Remember that Microsoft Rally Ball demo from a few days ago that showed Windows Phone 7′s integration with Xbox? Well, the gang at Supertouch has stolen a bit of Ballmer’s thunder with a new Kinect hack that lets you hurl digital orbs at your Kinect-controlling friend using an iOS device instead of a WP7 handset. The graphics for the game and the iDevice controls aren’t nearly as pretty as Microsoft’s cross-platform gaming solution, but the end result is pretty much the same — flingin’ balls with a phone while your friend dodges them courtesy of Kinect. Meanwhile, Frog Design has added a Human Tetris game to the Kinect’s repertoire where players perfect their Vogue-ing skills by striking a pose to match an approaching cut-out on screen. Finally, all the shape-shifting fun with none of the goofy silver jumpsuits. Vids are after the break. [Thanks to everyone who sent these in] Continue reading Kinect hackers give us iOS-friendly dodgeball and Human Tetris Kinect hackers give us iOS-friendly dodgeball and Human Tetris originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 20 Feb 2011 12:14:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Google’s Native Client almost ‘ready for takeoff,’ ready to make ActiveX look visionary
February 20, 2011 No Comment
We’re almost there, almost to the release of the Native Client we first got wind of last May. It is, basically, a way to run native code within a browser — low-end stuff capable of delivering performance good enough for 3D games and the like. Christian Stefansen, a Google Product Manager, said that the stuff is getting closer to delivery, that the team behind it has reached an “important milestone,” that code will be “as portable and secure as JavaScript.” It was of course security, or the lack thereof, that derailed Microsoft ‘s plans for this sort of functionality in Internet Explorer via ActiveX, a stigma that technology has still yet to escape from. Will Native Client do better? Will Crysis ever be available in the Chrome Web Store ? Could a Cr-48 run it anyway? Questions questions… Google’s Native Client almost ‘ready for takeoff,’ ready to make ActiveX look visionary originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 20 Feb 2011 10:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Best Buy adding new Apple laptop SKUs to its systems, foreshadows MacBook Pro refresh
February 20, 2011 No Comment
Best Buy’s laptop discovery tool is doing a slightly overzealous job this morning by listing a set of “new SKU” laptops from Apple Computer before said company has had a chance to announce them. This aligns perfectly with recent rumors of a MacBook Pro refresh coming next week , as do the $1,199, $1,499, $1,799, and $2,199 price points, all of which are already presently by current-gen 13- and 15-inch MBP variants. There is an additional $2,499 sticker for a laptop identified only as “New SKU I,” which presumably points to an upgrade to Apple’s 17-incher. Regrettably, there’s nothing more than the pricing for us to go on, but feel free to fill your time until Best Buy populates its listings with speculation about the hot new processing , storage, and interconnect options Apple might have in store for us. [Thanks, Michael] Best Buy adding new Apple laptop SKUs to its systems, foreshadows MacBook Pro refresh originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 20 Feb 2011 08:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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There’s not a scrap of evidence to back this rumor, but everything seems to line up: CNET reports that Apple will announce “a new high-speed connection technology” soon — and Intel’s Light Peak seems to be a shoe-in for the job. We’ve long known that Apple’s been secretly backing the 10Gbps interconnect, but with a likely MacBook Pro refresh right around the corner and Light Peak allegedly due for a 1H 2011 launch , it seems the time for action could be right around now. It also doesn’t hurt that this latest rumor comes from CNET , actually, as we’re pretty sure the publication has an inside source. The very same reporter wrote that Light Peak would be downgraded to copper , a full month before Intel would admit anything of the sort. Apple announcing new high-speed interconnect, Light Peak here we come? originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 20 Feb 2011 08:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Elite Porsche tuner RUF gets in on the electric game with three eRUF models
February 20, 2011 No Comment
If you want a Porsche with a little bit more — more power, more handling, more brakes, more outrageous styling — you want a RUF. It’s technically an independent auto manufacturer, but every model starts with a Porsche that gets systematically turned up to 11. The haus that Ferdinand built just announced a handful of electric cars and now RUF is getting in on the game too, creating three separate models. First is the all EV Single Motor Concept, a 911 with a 241hp motor that’ll do 93 miles on a charge, has a top speed of 136mph, and can hit 60 in about seven seconds. Next up is the Twin Motor Concept, pairing two 335hp motors to a larger battery, enabling 124 miles of range, top speed of 137mph, and 0 – 60 in a much more respectable five seconds. Finally there’s the Twin Motor Concept with Torque Vectoring. This again has two 335hp motors but this time each one drives a separate rear wheel, enabling dynamic torque vectoring. Range and acceleration are the same but handling should theoretically be much better when going through the twisties. And, really, that’s what it’s all about. Right now ten of these cars have been built for testing. They’re not available for general purchase but we have it on good authority that they’ll be very, very expensive when they do ship. Elite Porsche tuner RUF gets in on the electric game with three eRUF models originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 20 Feb 2011 05:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Motorola Xoom up for in-store pre-order at Best Buy, $800 for Thursday availability
February 20, 2011 No Comment
No more stunt prices , no more premature web appearances, this (we hope) is finally Best Buy’s fully official listing for the Motorola Xoom. It brings no great surprises to those who’ve been tracking the tablet’s progress to retail shelves, offering first dibs to buyers willing to make the effort and pre-order one in store today, with full availability coming on Thursday, February 24th. The $800 3G-equipped model is accompanied on Best Buy’s site by a $40 portfolio case, a $50 basic charging dock, a $130 stereo speaker dock, and a $70 Bluetooth keyboard, but there’s no sighting of the cheaper WiFi-only Xoom . There was some suspicion that the $600 SKU would launch a little later on and that is indeed what appears to be happening. One final note of caution: even if you’re intending to use the Xoom as a pure WiFi-only device, remember that you’ll be required to activate data with Verizon for at least a month first — don’t ask us why. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in] Motorola Xoom up for in-store pre-order at Best Buy, $800 for Thursday availability originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 20 Feb 2011 03:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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