Hackers increasingly using telnet for attacks, port 23 looking younger than ever
January 31, 2011 No Comment
You can’t always just hang around waiting for the next big Microsoft security update . Sometimes you have to go and make your own destiny — even if it means probing a few dusty ports. That’s apparently the mantra of modern hackers who are, according to Akamai, increasingly looking back at telnet as a means to gain unapproved access to systems of all shapes and sizes. Admins of course should be relying on SSH for such remote shell access, far more secure, but apparently many like to keep port 23 open for old time’s sake. Green-screen nostalgia is, apparently, a dangerous thing. Hackers increasingly using telnet for attacks, port 23 looking younger than ever originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 31 Jan 2011 19:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Hokies give (tactile) sight to the blind so they can drive, no word on turning water into wine
January 31, 2011 No Comment
Daytona International Speedway is synonymous with speed, auto racing, and . . . blind people? Virginia Tech’s Robotics and Mechanisms Laboratory (RoMeLa) , along with the National Federation of the Blind (NFB), recently debuted its sight-optional and street-legal SUV at the famed racetrack. Dr. Dennis Hong and his students first let blind folks drive a dune buggy without the help of a sighted copilot in 2009 — as a first step to achieving the goal of a street-legal SUV for the sightless crowd . The SUV in question was designed for the NFB’s Blind Driver Challenge, and is equipped with a drive-by-wire system — also seen in the RoMeLa autonomous vehicle — that was modified for use with RoMeLa’s SpeedStrip and DriveGrip tactile interface technology. It works by using a laser rangefinder to map the surrounding area, relaying information for acceleration and braking to the driver by rumbling the SpeedStrip seat, and passing along turning info through vibrations in the DriveGrip gloves. The system was not developed solely for the purpose of getting blind drivers on the road, however, as Virginia Tech suggests that its technology could also be used in gaming applications. We’re not quite ready to see blind drivers on actual roads just yet, but why shouldn’t our sight-impaired friends get to enjoy Gran Turismo 5 with the rest of us? Video’s after the break. Continue reading Hokies give (tactile) sight to the blind so they can drive, no word on turning water into wine Hokies give (tactile) sight to the blind so they can drive, no word on turning water into wine originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 31 Jan 2011 19:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …UM students make cheap and portable solar charger / light source for developing nations
January 31, 2011 No Comment
Solar power is the most egalitarian of all energy sources, yet residents in many parts of the world still lack access to electricity. Three University of Michigan engineering students have created an affordable solution to this problem — to the delight of camping geeks everywhere — with the Emerald, a portable solar panel that does double duty as both a cellphone charger and personal light source. We’ve seen the personal solar panel idea before, but the price of entry made it an untenable solution for developing nations. Solar-powered light bulbs have been around for a while too, but the Emerald’s light lasts for eight hours on a charge (as opposed to the bulbs’ two to six hours), and it’s able to fully charge a phone in the same time it takes an outlet to do the job. They aim to sell the device for the low, low, price of under twenty bucks for customers in the developing world, which is 90 percent cheaper than other solutions and 100 percent more awesome. Continue reading UM students make cheap and portable solar charger / light source for developing nations UM students make cheap and portable solar charger / light source for developing nations originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 31 Jan 2011 18:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …RIM shows PlayBook living in sweet harmony with BlackBerry Torch in new video
January 31, 2011 No Comment
It’s no secret that RIM’s PlayBook is going to need a connection to a nearby BlackBerry phone to do much of its corporate heavy lifting, and a new video posted by the company today shows a little more detail on exactly how that’ll look. The one-minute, 54-second spot spends much of its time in the tablet’s email app, demonstrating how the Playbook and the Torch beside it are perfectly in sync — read an email on one, it immediately shows read on the other, and so on. We also learn that any secured corporate data that you’re using on the PlayBook while tethered is essentially on loan — it’ll disappear as soon as you disconnect, which is one of the reasons RIM’s touting this as a bolt-on for any corporate BES environment that won’t require any additional configuration or lines of data service. The video certainly doesn’t do much to appeal the the casual BlackBerry user — you know, the Curve and Pearl types of folks — but it’s an interesting watch nonetheless. Check it after the break. Continue reading RIM shows PlayBook living in sweet harmony with BlackBerry Torch in new video RIM shows PlayBook living in sweet harmony with BlackBerry Torch in new video originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 31 Jan 2011 17:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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It’s been confirmed, Super Bowl XLV will not be the first one with a full HD 3D broadcast (no gimmicky 3D commercials this year either, you can put the paper glasses away) despite featuring a halftime show by James Cameron’s BFFs, the Black Eyed Peas . Still, considering what happened the last time they tried 3D at the House That Jerry Jones Built it’s probably for the best. Still, just because you don’t have one of Cowboys Stadium’s record breaking HD screens you should still enjoy the game in style. In 2011 that means going beyond just the screen, the sounds and the seats — we’ll tell you how after the break. Continue reading Totally blow out the big game! Super Bowl XLV Totally blow out the big game! Super Bowl XLV originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 31 Jan 2011 17:20:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …NASA’s Sustainability Building, the government’s greenest building, opening in California this year
January 31, 2011 No Comment
You may or may not have heard about NASA ‘s project to build the most sustainable federal building in Moffett, California. The project began about two years ago, and will supposedly be finished this May. The experimental, earthly ‘space station’ cost $20.6 million to build, and includes 50,000 square feet of work space on two floors. The building also includes radiant ceiling panels, heating panels on walls, and radiant concrete flooring. When completed, the Sustainability Base will use 90 percent less potable water than a regular office building of the same size, and it will be able to create 22 percent more energy. NASA’s Sustainability Building, the government’s greenest building, opening in California this year originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 31 Jan 2011 16:51:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …The Engadget Show – 017: Steve Wozniak, Sony NGP, PlayStation Phone prototype
January 31, 2011 No Comment
We’ve never had a guest on The Engadget Show that inspired quite as much excitement as Steve Wozniak — the crowd was pumped and the Woz was in full effect. Josh and Woz talked for a full 40 minutes about everything from Woz’s white iPhone to the future of server storage to anecdotes about Apple, and it’s all topped off with a little creative currency manipulation, as Woz promises us his custom $2 bills can get us “arrested, but not convicted.” Then it’s on to the roundtable, where Josh, Paul, and Nilay talk over Sony’s new NGP , PlayStation Suite , and even play with a super-secret unannounced prototype of the PlayStation Phone . This is one you absolutely should not miss. What are you waiting for? Watch it now! Hit up the video stream after the break or download the show in HD below! Hosts: Joshua Topolsky, Nilay Patel, Paul Miller Special guests: Steve Wozniak Produced and Directed by: Chad Mumm Executive Producer: Joshua Fruhlinger Edited by: Danny Madden Music by: Zen Albatross Visuals by: invaderbacca Woz Intro by: Nick Criscuolo Opening titles by: Julien Nantiec Taped live at Cooper Union’s Rose Auditorium Download the Show: The Engadget Show – 017 (HD) / The Engadget Show – 017 (iPod / iPhone / Zune formatted) / The Engadget Show – 017 (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. Continue reading The Engadget Show – 017: Steve Wozniak, Sony NGP, PlayStation Phone prototype The Engadget Show – 017: Steve Wozniak, Sony NGP, PlayStation Phone prototype originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 31 Jan 2011 16:18:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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We’d all like our own personal arcade like Flynn’s, but sadly personal finances and a lack of square footage can make that a challenge. The Nanocade is much more affordable and, conveniently, much smaller too. It’s a kit from designer Rasmus Sorensen that enables you to turn a netbook or mini-ITX motherboard and 10.1-inch display into a wee MAME cabinet. If you have such a donor machine when this kit starts shipping in March all you’ll need is a little adhesive and technical know-how to make your own. Oh, and $349 plus shipping. Gallery: Nanocade Nanocade turns your netbook into a lap-friendly arcade cabinet originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 31 Jan 2011 15:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …ZMP’s City Simulator Experiment takes the driver out of the car, keeps the helmet just in case (video)
January 31, 2011 No Comment
ZMP has done some great things in the past — well, except maybe Miuro , the roving iPod dock that ensured your PMP would always be just out of reach. Lately the company has been focusing on self-driving cars like the RoboCar MEV , and while this little one most certainly does have a driver, that driver is not actually in the car. It’s a potential roadway revolution. Just imagine being able to partake in your morning commute from the safety of your own home! Right now it’s just a little RC car (not unlike Malte Jehmlich’s telepresence Wipeout from last year) being steered by what looks like a Logitech Driving Force GT , making us hope that the next Gran Turismo offers a mode just like this — minus the headgear. Continue reading ZMP’s City Simulator Experiment takes the driver out of the car, keeps the helmet just in case (video) ZMP’s City Simulator Experiment takes the driver out of the car, keeps the helmet just in case (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 31 Jan 2011 15:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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You can call it a Valentine’s sale or a pre-iPhone 4 blow out, but any way you slice it there’s some pretty good deals on Android phones available from Verizon right now. That includes the Samsung Fascinate and Continuum , as well as the HTC Droid Incredible and Motorola Droid R2-D2 , which are all now available for just $100 on the usual two-year contract (the Fascinate deal is apparently today-only). Unfortunately, the sale doesn’t include the Droid X, Droid Pro or Droid 2 Global, but Verizon is promising some additional one-day only sales during its “ten days of sweet deals” from now until February 10th, so folks interested in one of those might not be out of luck just yet. Verizon drops Samsung Fascinate, Droid Incredible, Droid R2-D2 to $100 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 31 Jan 2011 14:56:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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