Weather Channel distributes Android app via on-screen QR code

Google’s been doing some pretty slick stuff with QR codes lately, and now it looks like The Weather Channel’s getting in on the fun — it’s running a little on-screen graphic prompting Android owners to download their app by scanning their TV screens. Sure, it’s not the craziest thing in the world — it just takes you to a webpage — but it’s certainly fun, and one of the more mainstream uses of QR codes we’ve seen in a while. Check the video after the break.

Continue reading Weather Channel distributes Android app via on-screen QR code

Weather Channel distributes Android app via on-screen QR code originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Feb 2010 15:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Large Hadron Collider schedules holiday for 2012, full 7 TeV power for 2013

It’s good to know that even huge inanimate objects appreciate the need for a work-life balance. After a nice winter hiatus, Switzerland’s Large Hadron Collider is coming back online soon, set to resume smashing protonic beams at one another with the force of 3.5 trillion electron-volts (TeV) per beam, or 7 TeV in total. We have to swallow hard when we hear such force described as “low-energy,” but that’s what the LHC designers consider it, and moreover we’re learning they’ll skip past the middle and go for the full 14 TeV potential smashes after a retooling break during 2012. Although this may delay the discovery of the Higgs boson particle, other physics research shouldn’t be stalled in the meantime — scientists claim they’ll be able to extract data from the low-energy collisions that could lend us more information on aspects of string theory, extra dimensions, and supersymmetry. Doesn’t all this sound like nerds trying to avoid getting real jobs?

Large Hadron Collider schedules holiday for 2012, full 7 TeV power for 2013 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Feb 2010 08:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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FlexiKnob paddle controllers are perfect for playing your old Atari Breakout ROMs

Spend any time in a audio or video editing suite of applications and you’ll find yourself overwhelmed by a selection of on-screen controls that have absolutely zero relevance to your on-desk controls — keyboard and mouse don’t really equate to slider and dial. FlexiKnobs bridge that gap, and allow collaborative work too. A project by researchers at the University of Applied Sciences, they’re little wooden mice of a decidedly non-ergonomic shape, but they allow you to move cursor (shown after the break) over on-screen control, then click in the wheel and spin it to adjust the value. The cursor changes depending on whether it’s locked on or floating free, and each bears the color of the FlexiKnob it is associated with. Up to 250 of the things can be paired with a computer at once, which sounds like heavenly pandemonium to us.

[Thanks, Sam]

Continue reading FlexiKnob paddle controllers are perfect for playing your old Atari Breakout ROMs

FlexiKnob paddle controllers are perfect for playing your old Atari Breakout ROMs originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Feb 2010 08:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PSP Go ‘relaunch’ in the works?

There’s not much to go on here, but according to alleged sources of Gamervision, Sony’s planning a relaunch of sorts for the PSP Go. The oft-maligned portable hasn’t exactly taken the world by storm — and with its lack of an UMD drive, despite the company’s continued support of the format, that arguably wasn’t the point of its existence, anyway. An apparent marketing blitz is in the cards (unsurprising), and additionally there’s speculation that a price drop might be coming, too. That seems a bit early given it only launched back in October, but if the company’s really wanting to get aggressive and pushing units of its admittedly pretty hardware, that’s a pretty good way to do so. Then again, its hands might be full adding some vigor to its other gaming machine.

PSP Go ‘relaunch’ in the works? originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Feb 2010 07:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ovi Maps downloaded 1.4 million times in first week since going free

People sure do like getting something for nothing. Since Nokia made the big move to stop charging for its walk and drive navigation last week, 1.4 million of us have downloaded the Ovi Maps software — on average, that’s a download a second since launch. The response has been so good that it’s exceeded Nokia’s expectations according to Anssi Vanjoki, Nokia Executive Vice President, with China, Italy, UK, Germany and Spain representing the top 5 downloaders. Hardly a surprise to see consumers responding so favorably to a free offering that makes a device you already have (your smartphone) that much smarter even if it does make your dedicated satnav somewhat mostly redundant. Full press release after the break.

Continue reading Ovi Maps downloaded 1.4 million times in first week since going free

Ovi Maps downloaded 1.4 million times in first week since going free originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Feb 2010 04:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Japan certifies its first LTE device, LG says ‘whoa, ours?’

In a country whose carriers’ phone lineups are dominated by domestic giants like NEC, Sony, Sharp, and Fujitsu, you wouldn’t necessarily think that the road to 4G would begin elsewhere — strangely, though, South Korea’s LG has garnered the honor of becoming the first company to have an LTE device certified by Japan’s TELEC, a necessary, FCC-like step to getting cellular equipment deployed in those parts. NTT DoCoMo, which intends to launch commercial LTE service later this year, is undoubtedly stoked to hear that the LD100 external modem is the lucky recipient of TELEC’s seal of approval (following FCC certification last year, coincidentally), meaning the carrier now has the green light to use it in trials. Considering that TeliaSonera’s already beaten DoCoMo to the punch with a live, customer-facing LTE network, are the days of being shocked and awed by Japan’s mobile tech drawing to a close, or are we just witnessing a little fluke here?

Japan certifies its first LTE device, LG says ‘whoa, ours?’ originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Feb 2010 03:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Zune HD drops $30-$40 at Amazon, Newegg

Zune HD drops $30-$40 at Amazon, Newegg originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Feb 2010 15:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We’re turning comments off for a bit

Hey guys, we know you like to have your fun, voice your opinions, and argue over your favorite gear, but over the past few days the tone in comments has really gotten out of hand. What is normally a charged — but fun — environment for our users and editors has become mean, ugly, pointless, and frankly threatening in some situations… and that’s just not acceptable. Some of you out there in the world of anonymous grandstanding have gotten the impression that you run the place, but that’s simply not the case.

Luckily, our commenting community makes up only a small percentage of our readership (and the bad eggs an even smaller part of that number), so while they may be loud, they don’t speak for most people who come to Engadget looking for tech news. Regardless, we’re going to crank things down for a little bit to let everyone just cool off, and we’ll switch them back on when we feel like we’ve shaken some of the trolls and spammers loose from the branches (AKA swing the banhammer in our downtime). See you on the other side!

We’re turning comments off for a bit originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Feb 2010 11:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fujisoft’s PALRO humanoid robot in the running to be our new best bud

Fujisoft’s recently taken the wraps off its latest companion bot, and they call this one PALRO. PALRO’s 39 centimeters tall (just over a foot), and boasts a 1.6GHz CPU Intel Atom CPU, 1 GB of RAM, 4 GB of flash memory, a 3 MP camera, Wi-Fi, 802.11 b/g/n, and a lithium ion battery to top it all off. He’s also equipped with a 3 megapixel webcam, but don’t worry — his specs don’t make him unapproachable. As you’ll see in the video which is after the break, PALRO’s probably the kind of guy that you could spend a lot of time with… but see for yourself. Fujisoft plans to start shipping units in March for 300,000 yen (that’s about $3,300 ). Hit up the source link for a lot more video.

Continue reading Fujisoft’s PALRO humanoid robot in the running to be our new best bud

Fujisoft’s PALRO humanoid robot in the running to be our new best bud originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Feb 2010 10:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony busts out colorful VAIO E Series laptops

Hey there, what’s this little surprise? Sony’s colorful VAIO E Series laptops have arrived to cheer us up — and it looks like they’re going to do the trick, we have to tell you. These 15.5-inchers come in a wide range of colors, and you can mix and match lid and keyboard shades, if you dare. Inside, you get a 2.13GHz Core i3 CPU, 4GB of RAM, a DVD burner and a 500GB hard drive. A Core i5 version is also right around the corner. You can pre-order one of these bad boys now for shipping in March — but it’ll cost you about $800. Hit the read link to check them out. There’s one more shot after the break.

[Thanks, Paul]

Continue reading Sony busts out colorful VAIO E Series laptops

Sony busts out colorful VAIO E Series laptops originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Feb 2010 10:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pyxis OS demo video sports high production values despite DIY Arduino hardware

We’re absolutely loving what all the cool kids are doing with Arduino hardware — the robots, the instruments, the fashion — but when it comes to getting stuff done, well, let’s just say we’re not giving up our smartphones yet. A new project from Skewworks could change that, an Ardiuno-based operating system called Pyxis. It provides a UI for launching applications, easy access to microSD storage, and graphics routines that make creation of apps and games much more simple. If you want to code in anything other than assembly you’ll need to pay up for the professional edition of Pyxis Studio, but we’re thinking you can scrounge up the $10 to make that happen. There’s a quality video demonstration after the break, but we’d recommend turning down those speakers before clicking through — unless you’re really ready to rock out.

Continue reading Pyxis OS demo video sports high production values despite DIY Arduino hardware

Pyxis OS demo video sports high production values despite DIY Arduino hardware originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Feb 2010 09:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony Ericsson Aspen: first with Windows Mobile 6.5.3

It’s finally here: Wndows Mobile 6.5.3, the iterative finger-friendly Windows Mobile release that should have been wrapped into 6.5.0. It comes wrapped inside the Sony Ericsson Aspen.

Developing…

Sony Ericsson Aspen: first with Windows Mobile 6.5.3 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Feb 2010 03:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Inhabitat’s Week in Green: turbines, rubber circuits, and cola-powered cars

Sure, the iPad happened this week, but we also caught sight of several hot green gadgets and clean tech innovations this week that stand to shape the future of green consumer technology.

First off, design star Philippe Starck brought haute design to clean tech with two novel designs for home wind turbines. Starck’s high-profile products have made him a household name, so we’re interested to see if his latest creations kick off a trend towards “designer” wind power.

We were also impressed by researchers at Princeton University who recently found a way to integrate piezoelectric chips into flexible, durable rubber-based circuits. We’ve seen piezo power sources before, but applications for the new chips are sure to put bounce in your step: energy generating shoes, movement-powered microsurgical devices, and self-charging pacemakers are right around the corner.

Interest in green transportation is building as Florida rides high on the government’s recently announced grants for high speed rail — the sunshine state is set to blaze a trail with $1.25 billion in funding. And for those with a soda habit, Takara Tomy’s cola-powered RC car is one sweet ride. The biobattery-powered car can convert any sugary liquid to energy, so pour in some Jolt and you’re good to go.

Finally, love it or hate it — the launch of Apple’s iPad has dominated the newswires all week. While we appreciate the device’s e-book reading, toxin-free, recyclable construction and impressive battery life, but we have to ask: is it really green?

Inhabitat’s Week in Green: turbines, rubber circuits, and cola-powered cars originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 31 Jan 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Laser-based ‘clock’ shortens beam as wake-up time draws closer

It’s probably not the clock you need to build if being punctual is your modus operandi, but it’s sufficiently nerdy nonetheless. One Nirav Patel — which may or may not be related to our own Mr. Patel — decided to hand craft his own “sleep remaining indicator,” which utilizes a slowly rotating servo, a laser beam and a timer in order to work its magic. Put simply, the beam gets shorter and shorter as one’s wake-up time draws near, but oddly enough, you’ll never be able to see its awesomeness if you’re actually sleeping. Quite the conundrum, no?

Laser-based ‘clock’ shortens beam as wake-up time draws closer originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 24 Jan 2010 21:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Two new patents show Apple getting into the energy tracking game, killing power bricks

Apple may already be the favored child of Greenpeace and platform of choice for eco-minded gadgetistas worldwide, but it isn’t resting on its laurels. The company looks like it’s pondering an entrance into the home automation/energy tracking markets, filing for a pair of patents that would enable devices to register their power usage and communicate with each other using HomePlug Alliance standards. Users would be able to monitor the charging status of connected devices and delay their charges to occur during off-peak hours. There’s even a new type of plug that could internally perform AC/DC conversions and automatically provide the appropriate amount of juice to any supporting device. The end of the ubiquitous power brick? Sounds nice, but something tells us it’ll be a few decades before we can reclaim that precious space in our carry-ons.

Two new patents show Apple getting into the energy tracking game, killing power bricks originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 18 Jan 2010 09:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bell Labs spearheads Green Touch initiative to improve network energy efficiency

Normally we might not cover the formation of a new consortium with ridiculously lofty goals like this, but check it: Bell Labs has managed to corral a who’s-who of carriers, universities, government agencies, and industry labs with the goal of making communications networks more energy efficient than they are today. What makes the goal so lofty, though, is the fact that Bell wants to improve efficiency by a whopping 1,000 times — a number it says should be possible based on research it has done suggesting a 10,000-fold improvement is theoretically possible. Heavy-hitting members include China Mobile (the world’s largest carrier), AT&T, Swisscom, Telefonica, MIT, Stanford, Freescale, and the Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology, so we’re feeling good about the plausibility of Green Touch’s first proposed milestone: a reference architecture and sample components within five years capable of meeting the 1,000-fold improvement mark. The group’s first meeting is next month — just be sure to drive your plug-in hybrids to the gathering, guys.

Bell Labs spearheads Green Touch initiative to improve network energy efficiency originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 12 Jan 2010 19:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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‘3-point’ USB 3.0 hub is self-referential fun and functionality

‘3-point’ USB 3.0 hub is self-referential fun and functionality originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 10 Jan 2010 19:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Casio’s XJ-A series portable projectors are both attractive and environmentally conscious

Here’s something you don’t see everyday: a projector with some sex appeal behind it. Casio’s XJ-A Series is quite the looker by design. It’s pretty slim, too, measuring 43 mm in height. Your green friends can enjoy knowing it’s Merucury-free, and you can take solace in up to 3,000 lumens. Of the seven models in the lineup, two have WXGA and five XGA, and depending on your choice you’ll get USB or WiFi connectivity and a price tag between ¥148,000 and ¥318,000, or $1,5182 and $3,399 if converted to stateside currency. See? Not everything exciting has to come from CES this week.

Casio’s XJ-A series portable projectors are both attractive and environmentally conscious originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 08 Jan 2010 03:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Garmin’s CES lineup leaked: golf, cars, and do-it-yourself navigation voices

We’ve just gotten the inside line on Garmin’s CES spread, and let’s just start this intel off on the right foot: it looks like we aren’t going to see a Nuvifone II at the show this year. Here’s what we’ve got in the pipe:

• Garmin Voice Studio: This might be the coolest announcement, but if you’ve got friends with compatible devices, it’s going to get old real quick. Basically, it’s a PC-based app that lets you record your own nav instructions (which we’re guessing is going to result in some extraordinarily NC17-rated Nuvis). The company is saying it’ll take about 20 minutes to complete a set of commands — and naturally, it won’t do text-to-speech for reading street names and the like. It won’t work on the Nuvi 3xx and 6xx series, but otherwise, you should be good to go.
• Zumo 665: Have a rider in the family? The 665 is Garmin’s latest motorcycle-centric nav unit, which appears to be little more than a 660 with the XM weather, radio (with A2DP out), and traffic on board. It’s got a slightly newer firmware build than the current 660 that adds additional map layouts and data fields; and don’t worry, 660 owners — you’ll get it in the Spring.
• ecoRoute HD: The long-discussed ecoRoute cable will be confirmed (again) at $149.99, this time for a launch somewhere between the first and second quarter of the year.
• Approach G3: This looks to be a downmarket version of the G5 for high-tech golfers looking for a little assistance on the green; MSRP comes in at $349 (compared to $449 for its big brother).

And as far as we can tell, that’s it. Start warming up your best navigation voices, folks.

Garmin’s CES lineup leaked: golf, cars, and do-it-yourself navigation voices originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 04 Jan 2010 19:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ASUS Eee PC 1001P with Atom N450 appears on Amazon.de

ASUS Eee PC 1001P with Atom N450 appears on Amazon.de originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 30 Dec 2009 14:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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