Federal Excess: FedEx introduces liquid nitrogen-cooled biotech shipping, we can envision other uses
January 25, 2011 No Comment
Just think about this the next time a FedEx van comes speeding past you — that four-wheeled transporter could be carrying containers equipped with liquid nitrogen cooling that keeps its innards at a chilly -150 degrees Celsius. Don’t worry, though, says FedEx, the use of dry vapor is actually safer than the currently used dry ice and classifies this new methodology as non-hazardous. While we may like to poke fun, it sounds like a pretty legitimate boon for healthcare and biotechnology shipments, which can now be maintained at a deeply frozen temperature for up to 10 days at a time. FedEx will provide the self-sufficient container and collects it upon delivery of the goods, while also monitoring its condition during transit. No word on whether or when DiGiorno will be signing up for the service. [Thanks, Pavel] Continue reading Federal Excess: FedEx introduces liquid nitrogen-cooled biotech shipping, we can envision other uses Federal Excess: FedEx introduces liquid nitrogen-cooled biotech shipping, we can envision other uses originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 25 Jan 2011 04:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Music Man Game Changer robo guitar features 250k pickup configurations (video)
January 25, 2011 No Comment
“Game Changer” must be the most over-used word in the world of technology, and we try to avoid it as much as possible. Thanks to Music Man, however, it looks like this time we won’t be able to. The, ahem , Game Changer is — in this case — an all-analog pickup switching system similar to what we’ve seen in robot guitars in the past. Set to make its debut in select Reflect guitar and bass models this year, the system boasts over 250,000 pickup coil configurations, and since the pickup is being physically rewired, there is never any digitizing or modeling in the system. The USB port is for downloading different configurations from your computer — many of which will be available on the company website, although of course you can always roll your own. Price and availability to be announced. Video after the break. Continue reading Music Man Game Changer robo guitar features 250k pickup configurations (video) Music Man Game Changer robo guitar features 250k pickup configurations (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 25 Jan 2011 03:53:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Samsungs 750 and 950 3D LED monitors do a whole lot, won’t give us a price
January 25, 2011 No Comment
We reported on Samsung’s new line of 3D-enabled LED monitors just before the CES tsunami hit, but it seems the specs got lost in the commotion. So here’s what we know about the new 750 series and the asymmetrical 950 series: they’ll come in both 23- and 27-inch sizes with 1080p resolution, two-millisecond response time, 1000:1 contrast ratio, and D-sub, HDMI, DisplayPort, and DVI-DualLink connectivity — and they can all be ordered with a TV tuner for hybrid HDTV / monitor operation. They all do 3D for gaming, TV, films, and user-generated content, and the hybrid 750s and all the 950s can do 2D-to-3D conversion from PCs, Blu-ray players, gaming consoles, and set-top boxes. We know what you’re thinking: “How much?” Well, we’d like to know the same thing. The whole line hits stores in March, but Samsung has yet to set a price. Continue reading Samsungs 750 and 950 3D LED monitors do a whole lot, won’t give us a price Samsungs 750 and 950 3D LED monitors do a whole lot, won’t give us a price originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 25 Jan 2011 03:14:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …iPhone 5 and iPad 2 will come with NFC built in, suggests well-connected analyst
January 25, 2011 No Comment
You’ll no doubt be aware of our ( well justified ) distrust for anything that passes a tech analyst’s lips, but this time’s a little different. Richard Doherty of Envisioneering Group cites “engineers who are working on hardware” for Apple’s latest project in asserting what that project actually is: NFC capabilities are apparently being built into the next generation of iPhone and iPad devices. Contactless payments via NFC have been steadily building up in hype and adoption recently — at least in the western hemisphere, the stuff is commonplace in Japan — and Doherty predicts Apple will make its move into the field with some new hardware and an accompanying “revamp” of iTunes. The idea would be to allow the use of iTunes gift card balances and the credit card info Apple already has from you to make swiping payments at compatible retail outlets. Apple is said to be planning enticements, like loyalty credits and points, to get you using its service in the place of the competition, and there are already a couple of software patent applications from the company detailing other potential uses for the technology. All of which could mean absolutely nothing, of course, but this seems like an awful lot of smoke for there not to be a fire under it. iPhone 5 and iPad 2 will come with NFC built in, suggests well-connected analyst originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 25 Jan 2011 02:25:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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How is it that so few companies get it? While dozens of manufacturers will gladly slap an Intel, Microsoft, or NVIDIA advertisement on the palmrest of your brand new laptop, Google knows better than to partake in this annoying practice. Instead, it ships its Cr-48 Chrome laptop as a sticker-free slab of matte black stealth. At least it did. Now, don’t worry, Google hasn’t succumbed to the temptation to advertise (ironically) but it is bundling this swank skin and a decal set with new Cr-48 shipments. The choice to apply is yours and yours alone, exactly as it should be. See the finished product after the break. Continue reading Google Cr-48 Chrome laptop now shipping with stickers, the good kind Google Cr-48 Chrome laptop now shipping with stickers, the good kind originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 25 Jan 2011 02:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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As you may have been able to tell from the flurry of research that’s occurred over the past few years (which has even resulted in a Nobel Prize ), there’s plenty of folks betting on graphene as the next big thing for computing. One of the big players in that respect has been IBM, which first opened up the so-called graphene bandgap and has created some of the fastest graphene transistors around, but is now sounding a slightly more cautious tone when it comes to the would-be demise of silicon-based CPUs. Speaking with Custom PC , IBM researcher Yu-Ming Lin said that “graphene as it is will not replace the role of silicon in the digital computing regime,” and further explained that “there is an important distinction between the graphene transistors that we demonstrated, and the transistors used in a CPU.” To that end, he notes that unlike silicon, “graphene does not have an energy gap,” and that it therefore cannot be completely “switched off,” which puts it at quite a disadvantage compared to silicon. Intel’s director of components research, Mike Mayberry, also chimed in on the matter, and noted that “the industry has so much experience with it that there are no plans to move away from silicon as the substrate for chips.” That doesn’t mean that there still isn’t a bright future for graphene, though — Lin gives the example of hybrid circuit, for instance, which could use graphene as a complement to silicon in order to “enrich the functionality of computer chips.” IBM says graphene won’t fully replace silicon in CPUs originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 25 Jan 2011 01:37:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Truth be told, it probably does take a rocket scientist to truly understand the scope of what NASA is currently investigating, but the gist of it isn’t hard to grok. America’s premiere space agency is purportedly examining the possibility of using beamed energy propulsion to launch spacecraft into orbit, and while we’ve seen objects lofted by mere beams before , using a laser to leave the atmosphere is a whole ‘nother ballgame. The reasons are fairly obvious: a laser-based propulsion system would effectively nix the chance of an explosive chemical reaction taking place at launch, and it would “make possible a reusable single-stage rocket that has two to five times more payload space than conventional rockets, which would cut the cost of sending payloads into low-Earth orbit.” We’re told that the study should be concluded by March, but only heaven knows how long it’ll be before we see any of this black magic used to launch rockets. Sadly, we can’t expect any Moon missions to rely on lasers for at least 50 or so years, but we’re guessing that timeline could be shortened dramatically if Sir Richard Branson were to get involved. [Image courtesy of Jordin Kare] NASA considering beamed energy propulsion for space launches originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 25 Jan 2011 00:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Who needs a state-sponsored online mapping service? Why China , of course. We know that particular government doesn’t exactly trust the Googles and who knows how far astray its Google Maps service might lead those impressionable citizens. So now there’s Map World, created by the State Bureau of Surveying and Mapping and deemed to be “authoritative, credible and unified.” The service has been out since last year but has only recently lost its beta tag. We’ve spent a few minutes clicking around and it certainly seems reasonably comprehensive, offering map and satellite views plus 120,000 POIs and even 3D views of some cities, which could make finding your way to den of KIRF all that much easier. China’s Map World now providing maps and POIs within the Great Firewall originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 25 Jan 2011 00:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Robot camel jockeys found packing illegal stun guns, Dubai police say ‘Don’t tase them bro!’
January 25, 2011 No Comment
It’s been awhile since we’ve talked about the remote controlled robot jockeys used in Arabian camel racing, but a recent scandal that has rocked the camel-racing world compels us to revisit the topic. The Dubai police discovered that some shady characters have been selling robot jockeys equipped with stun guns to “encourage” camels to run faster. We’re pretty sure that the animals don’t need any more incentive to run — they already have a robot whipping them — and it’s good to see that the powers-that-be agree with us, as the two men selling the machines were arrested. Now that our dromedary friends need no longer fear being tased in the name of sport, we only have to worry about over-zealous peace officers using them on all of us . [Image Credit: ZDNet ] Robot camel jockeys found packing illegal stun guns, Dubai police say ‘Don’t tase them bro!’ originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 24 Jan 2011 22:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Handyscope attachment turns your iPhone into a dermatoscope, no residency required
January 25, 2011 No Comment
Just think — a decade from now, you won’t even need to spend eight grueling years in the books to be able to practice medicine. Instead, you’ll be able to drop endless cash on smartphone attachments while letting the robots handle the rest . FotoFinder Systems is one company working hard to make that future a reality, with its recently updated Handyscope iOS app working in conjunction with the camera attachment shown above. To do what, you say? To turn your iPhone 3GS or iPhone 4 into a digital dermatoscope for mobile skin examination. It’ll probably make quite a few stomachs turn, but the peripheral + app combo allows mere mortals to take dermoscopic photos which can be viewed with a magnification of up to 20X, enabling users to email them directly to their physician (Dr. Spaceman, we hope) for a second opinion. In all seriousness, we can’t imagine anyone at risk for skin cancer even waiting for this thing to arrive before going to get checked out, but if you’re willing to pay big bucks to play doctor, the attachment is on sale now for €1,166 ($1,582), with the accompanying app going for a comparatively modest $11.99. Vid’s after the break, if you’re into it. Continue reading Handyscope attachment turns your iPhone into a dermatoscope, no residency required Handyscope attachment turns your iPhone into a dermatoscope, no residency required originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 24 Jan 2011 21:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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