Friday, October 31, 2014

Engadget Expand is all about you. And us. But really, you.


Engadget Expand is our annual event that's all about you -- our fans. It's not your typical tech conference that's priced for people fortunate to have an expense account. We make the event completely FREE thanks to our generous sponsors, giving you the chance to experience the future -- right now. And while you're at it, you get to meet your favorite Engadget editors.


When you join us at the Javits Center North in New York City next week on November 7-8, you'll be set loose on our show floor. You can check out some of our exhibitors and get your hands on gadgets that people can't buy yet (or in some cases, build your own in our workshops), head to our Expand stage and hear from some smart and inspiring people and so much more.


Taking over our stage



Our stage will ooze intelligence thanks to our banner lineup of experts and influencers in the tech and science worlds. On Friday, musician and producer RJD2 will melt faces and blow minds (you'll have to wait to see how). Then, on Saturday, DARPA's Arati Prabhakar will talk about the future of defense with our Editor-In-Chief, Michael Gorman. That afternoon, four-time Olympic Medalist Angela Ruggiero will be there to talk about how technology is helping athletes perform better and stay safer.


We'll also have a robot dance party, talk about VR's use outside gaming, life on Mars, the future of food and a lot more including our Insert Coin competition, where these 10 semi-finalists will show off their projects onstage at Expand for a shot at our $10,000 Judges' Choice and $15,000 Reader's Choice awards.


What else can you expect during our two-day event? Peruse our full schedule for yourself and thumb through the gallery above to see our roster of speakers.


Get your hands dirty



Bring lotion, because your hands are going to get a workout. We've grabbed some of our friends at Make: Magazine, LEGO(R), DODOcase, SparkFun and Eyebeam to set up workshops designed so that even the most novice tech nerd can walk away amazed at what they did.


For example, you can meet the folks from DODOcase and build your own cardboard VR headset that works with your smartphone (the above is a similar version by Google, given out at this year's I/O). Make: Magazine will offer a couple of workshops, one of which will let you build a gadget that brings human interaction and social media together. And you can watch folks build a robot using LEGO(R) MINDSTORMS(R).


Our workshops run on a schedule during the weekend, so definitely check out our itinerary and get to the exhibits early, as supplies are limited.


Eat 3D Printed Fruit (and more!)



You'll get advice from the Geek Squad, experience 3D Fruit Printing with Dovetailed, wear a Ringly, ride LEIF, put on KOR-FX and a whole lot more. What else can you expect? Flip through the gallery below or head to our sponsors page to find out more.


And now for some light housekeeping...


If you're going to be in New York City November 7-8, get your free tickets right here and we'll see you at the Javits Center North. Since it's a free event, there likely will be lines to get in, but we'll make it go as fast as possible to get you in... faster. It's also a good idea to check out these directions to make your trip to the Javits Center even smoother.


If you're not going to be anywhere near New York City, we'll pack our site with dispatches from the show floor and our livestream from the stage (which, you can even Chromecast to your TV to watch all the Expand action while in your boxers).


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Lumera lets you post high-res snapshots on Instagram with one click


You are done (DONE!) taking selfies with a phone like some plebeian -- you only take DSLR selfies now, even though it's a pain transferring photos using a camera without built-in WiFi. A camera attachment called Lumera wants to solve that problem by giving you a way to upload high-res snapshots to Instagram, Facebook or Twitter with a single click. To integrate the WiFi and Bluetooth Low Energy device with a DSLR, you need to attach it via the tripod screw and plug it into the camera's mini-USB port. So long as you define the social networks of your choice on its accompanying app, you won't have to take out your phone to upload pics anymore. The app itself is pretty useful, though: it can stream whatever the camera's viewfinder is looking at, set timelapses and access the DSLR's settings remotely.


In addition to giving you an easy way to upload high-res pics, Lumera can also connect to a portable drive via USB, enabling you to transfer images on-the-go if you're running dangerously low on storage space. Now, here comes the not-so-good news: Lumera only works with select Nikon and Canon DSLRs for now. But, the list is still a lot longer than the models those companies' own wireless adapters can support, and the device itself is loads cheaper.


While the brands' wireless attachments typically cost around $600 to $800 each, you can get the Lumera for only $125 -- that is, if you back its campaign right now on Kickstarter, where its developers are attempting to raise CA$90,000 (US$80,000). They plan to use the money to conjure up the final engineering design that takes backers' feedback into account before going into production. Barring any delays, the device will start shipping out by May 2015, but if you can't wait that long and have a knack for MacGyvering things, you can always try to build something similar on your own.



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Source: Lumera, Kickstarter


Engadget Daily: Samsung's all-metal phone, a Wii U eulogy and more!


A lot can happen between the time and the sun rises and sets -- especially in the future we live in. So, what's new 'round these parts? Well, Samsung debuted super thin, all-metal smartphones; our Joseph Volpe penned a eulogy for Nintendo's Wii U and our Sean Buckley reviewed ASUS' new gaming laptop, the ROG G751. There are more stories than that, though, and you can find those in the gallery below!


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Scientists can make your inner monologue audible


When you hear someone else speak, specific neurons in your brain fire. Brian Pasley and a bunch of his colleagues discovered this at the University of California, Berkeley. And not only that, but those neurons all appeared to be tuned to specific sound frequencies. So, Pasley had a thought: "If you're reading text in a newspaper or a book, you hear a voice in your own head," so why can't we decode that internal voice simply by monitoring brain activity. It's similar to the idea that led to the creation of BrainPort, which lets you "see" with your tongue. Your eyes, ears or vocal chords don't really do the heavy lifting, it's your brain. And if you can give the brain another source of input or output you might be able to train it to approximate a lost ability like speech.


Building the thought decoder began by developing an algorithm tailored to each individual subject. The participant was asked to read a passage, for instance John F. Kennedy's inaugural address, aloud to get a base reading. Then they were asked to read it to themselves. And finally, to just sit and do nothing. That allowed the team to isolate which neurons were firing when vocalizing the text. Then a visual representation of the sound waves is created and those sounds are matched with particular brain patterns. Then while the participants read silently to themselves the decoder is able to reconstruct the words based purely on what neurons are firing.


Of course, the technology is far from perfect. While the results were described as "significant" a reliable device that can translate thoughts in to words is a long way off. But the team from Berkeley is optimistic that one day they'll be able to give the gift of speech to someone who is paralyzed or "locked-in."


[Image credit: Science Photo Library - SCIEPRO/Getty Images]


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ASUS' ROG G751: a properly oversized gaming laptop


So, you noticed that NVIDIA has trotted out its latest GPU architecture and you're wondering if you should retire your old gaming laptop for something with a little more... pep. You aren't alone. Every time NVIDIA downsizes its flagship GPUs for the notebooks, manufacturers flood the market with new and improved laptops promising to give desktop gaming rigs a run for their money. The phrase "desktop-class" usually gets thrown around with reckless abandon, but the new machines never quite match the performance of their fully grown counterparts. Will this year's Maxwell-based 980M GPUs fare any better? Let's find out: The ASUS ROG (Republic of Gamers) G751 just landed in Engadget's bullpen, and it's aching to be reviewed.


Look and feel



In a world where most notebooks strive to get thinner and lighter, 17-inch gaming laptops stand out like the sorest of thumbs. Thick, heavy chassis and enormous screens almost make them a parody of portable computing. It's a necessity, of course, but it's also a shame -- few gaming rigs embrace their size as a means of standing out. Fortunately, ASUS' ROG G751 does, owning its gargantuan frame by taking liberties with the standard tropes of laptop design. Even at a glance, you can tell it's a little different: Instead of placing its screen hinge on the far edge of the machine's base, the G751 pivots its screen a few inches away from that edge. This leaves a distinctive, large "brick" jutting out from behind the laptop's open lid.


This look is typical of ASUS' heaviest gaming machines, but it's more than just visual flair -- it's a surprisingly well-thought-out design. Not only does moving the screen closer to the user make the laptop seem a little less large while it's being used, but it also gives the machine an isolated area to vent heat away from the user. It's a unique design, and it gives the rest of the machine's chassis license to be fairly subtle by comparison. The ledge and lid have a few brushed-metal accents and the vents are flared with red paint that lends them a sort of "jet intake" look, but the rest of the machine is covered in a matte, almost soft finish. It's nice.


Looking for connections? There are plenty on the G751: two USB 3.0 ports, a VGA connector, three audio jacks, Ethernet, HDMI and even a Thunderbolt port can be found on the machine's right edge. Two additional USB 3.0 connectors are arranged on the left side, as are the rig's optical drive (a Blu-ray burner) and SD/MMC card reader. Although "huge and heavy" are expected from 17-inch gaming notebooks, I'd be remiss not to mention the GT751's measurements, so here they are: 16.4 x 12.5 x 1.7 inches (length, width and thickness) and a total weight of 8.5 pounds. While I can't fault a single inch of that frame for poor build quality, it is an admittedly (and unsurprisingly) cumbersome laptop.


Keyboard and trackpad



The ROG's island-style keyboard doesn't look like much at a glance, but spend a little time with it and you'll find it littered with subtle tweaks designed specifically for PC gamers. Mostly, it's little things: an extra layer of red coloring running around the edges of the W, A, S and D keys, for instance, or the small, tactile "bump" on the W key to help players find it without looking down. There are a few custom keys, though -- including three programmable macro keys (labeled m1, m2 and m3) and specific buttons to launch NVIDIA GeForce Experience, Steam and ASUS' own "gaming center" menu (more on that later).


While none of these are unwelcome, they're also not really necessary: the GeForce Experience button seems to merely replicate the program's own screen-capture hotkey functionality, and the Steam button simply launches Big Picture mode in a few less clicks than using the mouse would. They don't take up any extra space, at least. The keys themselves are a general delight, falling 2.5mm with each depression and featuring just enough tactile resistance to feel satisfying. If you need a little more flair beyond the keycaps' red lettering, you can always hit fn+f4 to activate a dark red backlight.


I couldn't find anything wrong with the machine's trackpad, either -- the ROG's mouse surface is large, responsive and quite apt at handling multi-finger gestures. Better still, the quality of its buttons match the keyboard's fine balance between tactile resistance and a soft landing depression. The buttons aren't at all stiff or clicky. It almost feels like the machine's entire suite of inputs has been broken in beforehand, but not worn out in the slightest. There's nothing to complain about, and that's more than I expect from most laptop keyboard and mouse setups.


Display and audio



The ROG's 17.3-inch IPS display hits all the right notes: It's large, bright and has exceptionally wide viewing angles. At a glance, it's not the most vibrant display I've ever seen, but ASUS has included tools to tweak that. Tapping the ROG button offers easy access to the machine's "Splendid Technology" display tool, which offers three default color profiles and a slider for manual adjustments. All in all, it's a solid, well-balanced screen and its anti-glare matte finish doesn't hurt either.


Few gaming machines skimp on visual fidelity, but audio is another matter -- I've encountered so many laptops with subpar speakers that I've come to expect it. When I couldn't find visible evidence of the ROG's speakers, I was worried audio would be the laptop's cardinal sin. It is, but it's not that bad. While the machine's stereo speakers are clear and loud enough to fill a small room, they're also a bit tinny, and can even sound muffled if the PC's MaxxAudio equalizer program is ticked to the wrong setting. They're passable, but they can't compete with your gaming headset. Par for the course, really.



I did eventually find the speakers, by the way: They're hiding on either side of the screen's hinging mechanism, visibly obscured by the laptop's display itself. While this struck me as odd at first, I soon realized it's another tip to the G751's thoughtful design: By leaning the speakers against this hidden ledge, ASUS is able to point them directly at the user. Most laptop speakers push sound up from the machine's flat base, but I found this horizontal configuration to be a nice change.


Performance and battery life
















































































PCMark7PCMark Vantage3DMark063DMark11ATTO (top disk speeds)
ASUS ROG G751 (2.5GHz Core i7-4710HQ CPU, NVIDIA GTX 980M 4GB)6,19123,86129,752

E14,516 / P11,304 / X4,304


1.06 GB/s (reads); 775 MB/s (writes)
GT70 Dominator (2.7GHz Core i7-4800MQ CPU, NVIDIA GTX 880M 8GB)6,30823,43127,775

E11,433 / P8,344 / X2,877


1.4 GB/s (reads); 498 MB/s (writes)
Razer Blade 14-inch (2.2GHz Core i7-4702HQ, NVIDIA GTX 870M 3GB)5,66419,99424,255

E9,533 / P6,541 / X2,236


542 MB/s (reads); 257 MB/s (writes)
MSI GS60 Ghost (2.4GHz Core i7-4700HQ, NVIDIA GTX 860M 2GB)5,90922,60222,898

E7,908, / P5,152 / X1,519


537 MB/s (reads); 495 MB/s (writes)
Alienware 14 (2.4GHz Core i7-4700MQ, NVIDIA GTX 765M 2GB)5,31021,50220,868

E6,529 / P4,211


507 MB/s (reads); 418 MB/s (writes)
Alienware 17 (2.7GHz Core i7-4800MQ, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780M 4GB)5,64722,11427,137

E10,638 / P7,246


509 MB/s (reads); 420 MB/s (writes)
MSI GT70 Dragon Edition (2013) (2.4GHz Core i7-4700MQ, GeForce GTX 780M)6,11120,250N/A

E10,519 / P7,416


1.19 GB/s (reads); 806 MB/s (writes)
Samsung Series 7 Gamer (2.30GHz Core i7-3610QM, GeForce GTX 675M)N/A11,51521,131

N/A


N/A


Okay, we've established that the ROG G751's exterior trappings are pretty nice -- but what's on the inside? A veritable cornucopia of silicon goodies, including a 2.5Ghz Intel Core i7-4710HQ CPU, NVIDIA's new GeForce GTX 980M graphics processor, a 256GB SSD paired with a full terabyte of HDD storage and 24GB of DDR3 RAM. With specifications like that, it's hard to expect anything but top-tier performance and, well, I got it.


ASUS' new kit handled some of my heaviest-hitting games with aplomb, clocking a solid 50 frames-per-second average in Crysis 3 on maximum settings and a healthy 41 fps in The Witcher 2 with Ubersampling enabled (that jumped to 93 fps with the feature disabled). Large-scale action brawlers like Ryse and Shadow of Mordor held strong at 60 fps as well, though the former title can dip as low as 30 and 20 fps with supersampling dialed to max. Battlefield 4 easily eclipsed 100 fps, depending on the map, as did Alien: Isolation and BioShock: Infinite. The only game in my library that made the G751 groan at all was Metro: Last Light Redux, and only when I dialed SSAA to 4x. Turn that setting down to a more modest level and the game could run anywhere from 60 fps (SSAA 2x) to beyond 100 fps (SSAA disabled).



Gauging battery life in high-performance gaming laptops requires a very special kind of perspective: With very few exceptions, these machines rarely last more than four hours in even the best scenarios. The G751 is merely average in this regard -- Engadget's standard battery test (a standard-definition video looped endlessly at a fixed brightness) exhausted it in three hours and 40 minutes. Objectively, that's almost a good run for a machine of its caliber, but when you consider the fact that MSI's 2013 GT70 Dragon Edition and Razer's two most recent Blade laptops lasted almost an hour longer, it feels like a step backward.
































































Battery life


ASUS ROG G7513:40
Razer Blade 14-inch6:24
MSI GT70 Dragon Edition4:34
Razer Blade (2014)4:27
Razer Edge Pro3:40
Razer Blade 2.03:29
MSI GT70 Dominator (2014)3:21
MSI GS60 Ghost3:13
Alienware 143:07
Alienware 172:55
Digital Storm Veloce2:53
Samsung Series 7 Gamer2:11


Still, there's a silver lining -- gaming rigs may not be making heavy strides in general-use longevity, but they are starting to last a little longer while playing actual games. NVIDIA's Battery Boost feature (a special mode that limits game frame rates and voltage levels to extend battery life) ran a GeForce Experience-configured session of Borderlands 2 for a full hour and a half before giving in. The same test, with the same game, configured to the same graphics settings with Battery Boost disabled? Only 59 minutes. That's not a huge leap forward, but at least it's progress.


Unfortunately, I wasn't able to test all of Maxwell's latest features on the ROG G751 -- notebook-friendly technologies like Dynamic Super Resolution and Multi-Frame Anti-Aliasing haven't been enabled for NVIDIA's mobile chipset yet. The company tells me an update will change this in the near future, however, and that the GTX 980M inside the ASUS' latest flagship is compatible with both. Not familiar? Here's the skinny: Dynamic Super Resolution (or DSR) will let the machine run games at a higher internal resolution than the laptop's monitor can natively display, increasing visual fidelity in games you're already running at maximum settings. The new anti-aliasing trick, on the other hand, will provide the same graphical upgrades as modern AA techniques, but with less of an impact on your frame rate. They both sound like great features for laptops, but sadly, they aren't ready yet.


Software



The G751 comes with an odd assortment of necessary, unnecessary, useful and completely redundant tools, almost all of which bear some sort of ASUS or ROG branding. The aforementioned ASUS Gaming Center (the one that has a dedicated keyboard button) acts as a home screen for the laptop's most useful software pack-ins: the ROG Audio Wizard, MacroKey and ASUS' Splendid Display manager. These programs let the user tweak audio, keyboard and display settings, respectively, and all complement the G751's hardware in some way. The Gaming Center also has a profile manager that lets the user create different preconfigured mixes of audio and display settings.


Other tools are less necessary, but still somewhat useful. ROG GameFirst III, for instance, monitors and manages network traffic. Want to see what programs use the most data? You can find out here. It also prioritizes bandwidth by program, allowing the user to give their favorite games or apps a larger share of their download speed at will. There's also an application that disables USB charging if the battery dips below a certain level -- not a hindrance, but not a feature I would have missed if it weren't present. Finally, there are a couple programs I could do without: ASUS LiveUpdate, which seems to mirror WIndows' own update tool with an ASUS logo, and ASUS Screen Saver ...which just sets your PC's screen saver to a noisy and flashy advertisement for the laptop you're already using. Pointless, weird and annoying.


Configuration options and the competition



Like the look of those performance tests, but still want more? That can be done. The $2,499 unit ASUS lent me can be upgraded for an additional $500, converting its Intel Core i7-4710HQ CPU to an i7-4860HQ and increasing its allotment of DDR3 RAM to a full 32GB. Both machines feature the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980M (4GB GDDR5), but the higher-end machine (officially labeled as the G751JY-DH72X) has a little more storage space: a larger 512GB SSD paired with the same 1TB hard drive.


The G751 can be had in three lower-end specifications too (officially numbered the G751JT DH72, TH71 and CH71) -- all of which feature Intel's Core i7-4710HQ CPU and NVIDIA's second-best notebook GPU: the GeForce GTX 970M (3GB GDDR5). These machines are mostly separated by RAM and storage configuration. The bottom-dollar unit, the $1,499 CH71, comes with 16GB of DDR3 RAM, a 1TB HDD and a DVD multi-drive. Tack on an additional $150 (for the TH71), and you'll walk away with twice the RAM and a Blu-ray reader. The most expensive of the lower tier (the DH72) is kind of an odd machine, and also the worst value: Priced at $1,899, it's identical to ASUS' cheapest configuration in every respect, save one: a 256GB SSD. While it's true that an SSD always gives a machine a bit of pep, $400 is a pretty big premium for a boot drive.


ASUS wasn't the only laptop manufacturer to embrace NVIDIA's Maxwell architecture, of course: Machines of comparable power (and just as many configurations) can be had from most of the usual suspects. MSI's GT72, for instance, can be built to match our review unit for $2,650. Too thick and too expensive? Try MSI's upgraded GS60 Ghost: It packs an Intel Core i7-4710HQ CPU, GTX GeForce 970M graphics, 16GB of RAM and a 1TB HDD into a slim 0.78-inch frame for $1,999.


If you're willing to delve into less-mainstream brands, there are even more options. Maingear's Nomad 17 can be had with either the GTX GeForce 970M or 980M, starting at $2,099 and $2,399, respectively -- but both can be kitted out with various upgrades that can raise that price by several thousand dollars. AVADirect offers a customizable laptop with high-end components too, a Clevo P150SM-A machine that can cost anywhere from $1,600 to $3,600, depending on how you want to build it. Still, choosing from an offbeat manufacture can bear powerful fruit: Both the Gigabyte Aorus X7 Pro ($2,599) and Digital Storm's Behemoth laptop ($2,704 to 4,021) offers Maxwell GPUs (the 970M and 980M, respectively) in dual-chip SLI configurations. The extra power may cost you more than just cash, however -- NVIDIA's Battery Boost feature won't work with SLI enabled.


Wrap-up



Finding a machine with top-tier specs, screaming performance and a screen big enough to make you think twice about using an external monitor is easy -- but not every high-performance gaming rig is a good laptop. That takes smart design choices, great build quality and attention to detail; all things ASUS' latest ROG flagship has in spades. The G751's unique design, excellent keyboard and mouse buttons and sturdy build are what make it stand out from the competition, though admittedly, screaming performance doesn't hurt either.


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HP teamed up with a fashion designer to make a stunning smartwatch


As beautiful as the look of the Moto 360 is, there are people who would prefer something that's styled more like a traditional watch. For this, the MB Chronowing, created by fashion designer Michael Bastian and engineered by HP, could be the perfect solution. The new wearable, which will be compatible with iOS and Android, combines smartwatch features with an appearance reminiscent of older watches. Aside from that, the MB Chronowing can let you control your music right from your wrist, as well as display email/text notifications and sync with a calendar or alarm. And, better yet, it does these things while looking quite elegant -- after all, it does come from a fashion designer.


It will be available on the website Gilt.com on November 7th, starting at $349 for the base, silver-plated model; if you're willing to spend $649, the black one comes with sapphire glass and an alligator strap. Yes, an alligator strap.



[Image credit: F. Martin Ramin/The Wall Street Journal]

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Via: The Wall Street Journal


Source: Gilt


Five questions for the woman who's 3D printing edible fruit


In the last few years 3D printing has gone from a niche within a niche, to one of the most headline-grabbing fields in tech. Consumers haven't exactly embraced the technology, but it is beginning to trickle down into the homes of more hobbyists and entrepreneurs. The DIY community has fallen in love with its versatility and even NASA has embraced it as a way to do ad hoc repairs on the International Space Station. But really, that's just scratching the surface of what 3D printers are capable of. Vaiva Kalnikaitė and her company Dovetailed used fruit juice to print edible fruits, and surgeons have used 3D-printed parts to repair injuries. There are even people out there printing human organs and homes. We're going to be sitting down with Kalnikaitė and Anna Kaziunas France, digital fabrication editor at Maker Media, at Engadget Expand on November 8th. But in case you need a little tease to get you in the mood, we've got a short Q&A with Kalnikaitė after the break.


What is the biggest challenge facing the 3D printing field today?


Relevance to everyday consumers. At the moment, I think people struggle to imagine useful ways that they would use 3D printers in their everyday lives. I think that, at the moment, consumer 3D printers are on a trajectory to become something like sewing machines -- requiring specialized skills (like 3D modeling) and the inclination to want to design and make bespoke objects.



"Consumer 3D printers are on a trajectory to become something like sewing machines."



For 3D printing to achieve widespread adoption, both the design tools and materials choices need to grow substantially. One way to do this is by having tools that are very good at designing or customizing specific kinds of objects, rather than general-purpose 3D-modeling tools. In terms of materials, we need to move beyond just plastics. We are particularly interested in edible materials, for example.


Other than rapid prototyping, where is 3D printing going to have the most impact?


I think that the kitchen is an interesting space that we are just starting to explore. The kitchen is one of the places in the home where new and interesting appliances are welcomed. The promise that 3D printing brings in terms of customization, personalization and enabling creativity mesh well with people's interest in cooking and food. We are just beginning to see how 3D printing can make food preparation more creative and even convenient, allowing people to play with new flavor combinations, presentation and bespoke nutrition.



"The kitchen is one of the places in the home where new and interesting appliances are welcomed."



Is 3D printing ever going to replace more traditional methods of manufacturing?


For certain scales of production -- certainly. For mass manufacturing, the benefits of 3D printing seem less clear. But for "markets-of-one," 3D printing opens up possibilities that traditional methods have never been able to fulfill.


We've got plastic down pat; what's the next frontier in printing materials?


We are particularly excited by the idea of 3D printing "liquid structures," and this is what we're focused on. We look at techniques that allow you start with a liquid as your construction material, and encapsulate it into individual droplets that can then be shaped into beautiful and colorful 3D structures.


Using liquids as construction materials opens up a lot of interesting possibilities -- everything from edible things like fruit juice, to cosmetics and biological systems.


Will there come a day when people stop buying physical goods, and instead purchase files that allow them to print products at home?



"There are some really interesting and beautiful objects that are only available as 3D files."



This is already happening! At least the purchasing files part -- printing them at home is still some way off. There are some really interesting and beautiful objects that are only available as 3D files. Online 3D suppliers and 3D-printing services mean that you can get these objects made in precious metals or ceramics, which makes them more desirable and useful than the plastic objects you can currently print at home.


[Image credit: AP Photo/Jae C. Hong]


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Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo crashes after launch


Virgin Galactic's latest plane/rocket, dubbed "SpaceShipTwo", crashed shortly after takeoff this morning above the Mojave Air and Space Port in California. Director Stu Witt told Bakersfield, California's KGET that the plane crashed east of Mojave. Two pilots helmed SpaceShipTwo, and their condition is still unknown; KGET reports that one fatality was mentioned in police and fire rescue scanner calls, while one parachute was reportedly spotted post-crash. Associated Press is reporting "one fatality, one major injury" from the crash, citing the California Highway Patrol.


Virgin Galactic initially reported an "anomaly" with the ship, and is now reporting the ship as a "loss." The company's Twitter account says the status of the two pilots is "unknown at this time." It's not clear what caused said "anomaly," nor is it clear how the ship crashed. SpaceShipTwo is the space-faring component of Virgin Galactic's plane/rocket combination; the plane component is known as "WhiteKnightTwo," and it apparently landed without incident. Virgin Galactic issued the following statement:



"Virgin Galactic's partner Scaled Composites conducted a powered test flight of SpaceShipTwo earlier today. During the test, the vehicle suffered a serious anomaly resulting in the loss of the vehicle. The WhiteKnightTwo carrier aircraft landed safely. Our first concern is the status of the pilots, which is unknown at this time. We will work closely with relevant authorities to determine the cause of this accident and provide updates as soon as we are able to do so."



Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo is an eight-person plane/spaceship combination. This morning's flight in Mojave, California was a test conducted by Virgin Galactic's partner Scaled Composites. It took off from a runway at the Mojave Air and Space Port just after 9AM PT, slung beneath its plane component ("WhiteKnightTwo"). 45 minutes later, it reached 50,000 feet and the rocket component (SpaceShipTwo) was freed for solo flight. Virgin Galactic reported an "anomaly" with the ship soon after, via Twitter.


This isn't SpaceShipTwo's first test flight -- a successful test flight was completed last summer. The ship even has a lengthy list of passengers waiting to ride to sub-orbital flight, including Virgin owner Richard Branson. It's been a bad week for space flight, as Orbital Science's unmanned "Antares" aircraft exploded at launch on Tuesday.


We'll keep updating this post as we learn more.


Update: One tweet from Aviation Safety shows the crashed aircraft from overhead, which we've embedded here:



#SpaceShipTwo (N339SS) lost during test flight; two crew reportedly ejected. http://ift.tt/1tpRLvo


- AviationSafety (@AviationSafety) October 31, 2014

Update 2: ABC News captured the following images of the crash, via Twitter:



PHOTOS: Virgin Galactic SpaceShipTwo accident http://t.co/NONMPVCMrW http://ift.tt/1sRXAyc


- ABC7 Eyewitness News (@ABC7) October 31, 2014

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Source: Twitter, NBC, KGET, Associated Press


Not really into the iPhone 6? Sprint lets you rent the Galaxy S5, too


If you prefer to carry Samsung's most recent handset instead of that newfangled iPhone 6, Sprint is now offering the Android option for lease. Until now, the carrier allowed customers to rent Apple's phone for $20 a month for two years. After that, you can either continue service month-to-month or send it in for something new. It'll be interesting to see how popular the option is with a phone that's been out for a bit, but the Galaxy S5 Sport is available for lease, too. If you're on the fence, or have a tight budget, Sprint's unlimited everything plan is $10 per month cheaper for iPhone 6 users/lessees.


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Via: Gigaom


Source: Sprint


Sky could be preparing to launch an MVNO on Vodafone's network


When BT finally gets round to launching its own-brand mobile network running on EE's 4G infrastructure, it'll join Virgin Media and TalkTalk as a provider of all four main telecoms services: TV, internet, fixed-line telephone and mobile. This would leave Sky as the only rival telecoms company without a mobile offering, but a new trial with Vodafone suggests it, too, could be adding mobile to its product portfolio in the near future. As Mobile Today reports, 200,000 allegedly "handpicked" Sky customers were offered Vodafone's services as part of trial launched last month. It's not unreasonable, then, to hypothesize that this is the preliminary stages of Sky launching its own MVNO based on Vodafone's network.


The two companies already have a working relationship, with Sky Sports Mobile TV one of the optional perks bundled with Vodafone's 4G tariffs. While an MVNO partnership is still just speculation, Sky's CEO Jeremy Darroch hasn't exactly been subtle about how close the pair could potentially become. Speaking recently about the company's latest financial results, he said the alliance "could grow into something more meaningful," and commenting on BT's impending mobile launch, he declared: "If an opportunity arises we are well placed to respond." Kinda sounds like a done deal already.

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Source: Mobile Today


Microsoft releases new Outlook for Mac to Office 365 subscribers


Already using Office 365 on your Mac? Well, if you fancy Microsoft's email software too, you're in luck. The new version of Outlook for Mac is now available to the aforementioned subscribers, and it carries a smattering of new features. Aside from the usual performance boosts, there's a tweaked UI to bolster productivity, online archive support for Exchange searches, Master Category List syncing across platforms and more. In addition to that app, the company also mentioned that it plans to release a public beta for the next version of Office for Mac in early 2015, with the official arrival planned for the second half of the year. And as you might expect, Office 365 customers will get the new goods as part of the paid plan.


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Source: Microsoft


Virginia court says fingerprint-locked smartphones are fair game


Here's some trivia for your next trip to the pub. Did you know that, in Virginia, you don't have to tell the cops your phone's unlock code, but you're obliged to open it if you use a fingerprint based passcode? It's a quirky piece of legal precedent that's just been established in the state after a key piece of legal evidence was believed to be trapped on the defendant's smartphone. According to The Virginian-Pilot , the court ruled that the fifth amendment's provisions against self-incrimination protect against giving up your passcode, but that since a fingerprint is already taken by the police - same as DNA or handwriting samples - it's fair game. Naturally, this is just one circuit court judgment in one state, but we imagine this is the sort of thing winding up at the supreme court in a few years time.


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Via: Techmeme (Twitter)


Source: Hampton Roads


Starbucks' new app will let you skip the line and sort delivery


Love your morning coffee break, but hate having to wait in line amongst the masses? Well, Starbucks will allow you to skip the line entirely with its new app. Just place your order via that trusty smartphone, and you'll be able to walk in and pick it up. Of course, the company's mobile software sorts payments too, which certainly helps expedite the process. What's more, plans for a delivery option are in the works for folks who belong to its loyalty program -- but only in select markets. "Imagine the ability to create a standing order of Starbucks delivered hot to your desk daily," CEO Howard Schultz said. "That's our version of e-commerce on steroids." The new version of the bean-slinging mobile app is set to arrive in December, beginning with Portland, Oregon before a nation-wide rollout in 2015.


[Image credit: Jason Alden/Bloomberg via Getty Images]


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Source: Advertising Age


Oh, the irony: Facebook works on the world's biggest anonymity network


Facebook, the site where people share their entire personal lives for everyone to gawp at, is now available on the anonymity network that's designed to do precisely the opposite. Follow this link in your Tor browser and you'll be able to tell friends you're at the Park Row Starbucks without the feds finding out where you are. Until now, Facebook saw Tor's global network of proxies as a malicious botnet, making it difficult for people to poke each other under cover of darkness. With this experiment, however, users can connect directly to Facebook's core infrastructure, providing end-to-end communication straight into one of the company's data centers. At the moment, Facebook's olive branch to the privacy mob is just an experiment, but software engineer Alex Muffett hopes that even the mobile site will be accessible in the same way.


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Via: The Next Web


Source: Facebook (Tor), Facebook


Wii U, I love you: a premature eulogy


The Wii U is flawed. I won't pretend that it isn't and I won't apologize for it either. If the system had an animal equivalent, it'd be that of a damaged pound puppy. And yet, it's my go-to next-gen console for gaming. The reason for that is simple: It actually has fun games.



Right now, Nintendo's curious console basically exists on borrowed time, bolstered by the thin cushioning of loyalists' money and a string of exclusive first-party titles with familiar names (e.g., the Marios and Zeldas). Nintendo's been more than clear that it sees the Wii U as a transition point on the way to the sleep- and fatigue-tracking technology it's pursuing under that vague "quality of life" initiative. We all know the Wii U's end is near. Those pitiful sales numbers, recent quarterly profit notwithstanding, are like a final, damning prognosis. It's just a matter of time before the company pulls the plug. So, rather than pummel Nintendo's console softball into obscurity, I'm here to slow clap as it marches to the grave.


There's nothing smart about the Wii U and that, I believe, is its greatest selling point. The console doesn't offer you the option to bark voice commands at it in the hopes one will land, flail your hands in the air (to the embarrassed delight of your housemates) to trigger menu actions or even the ability to sit shirtless and livestream gameplay to Twitch. It won't play DVDs (what are those, anyway?); it doesn't have a music-streaming app you can play while mid-game. It's not even particularly attractive to look at it (I'm being extremely kind here). It just plays games and it does so very well. If you love games, that's exactly what should matter most.



The upcoming installment of The Legend for Zelda for Wii U will employ an open-world mechanic.



Sure, Nintendo's reliance on an endless parade of franchise retreads can get a bit tiresome, but let's give credit where credit's due: Every effort this generation has been a masterwork. I, for one, could do without a Mario resurrection every six months -- give me Splatoon already! But despite that cheap trick of slapping a known, globally adored mascot onto a new title for guaranteed sales, there's always an innovative and engaging game play mechanic driving the experience; a mechanic that has been tested to death for maximum fun effect. I can deal with the delays in Nintendo's first-party release schedule because I know I'll get a definite return on my investment: amusement.


Rather than pummel Nintendo's console softball into obscurity, I'm here to slow clap as it marches to the grave.



How can you hate on Mario Kart 8 ? That game is an exercise in pure delight and also a strong argument for local multiplayer (read: playing with friends and family in the room with you). Retro Studios' treatment of Donkey Kong Country stands as a reminder of how challenging and rewarding platformers used to be. The Wii U-exclusive The Wonderful 101 , despite being completely and unfairly glossed over by everyone for its steep learning curve, shines as the preeminent example of what developers can do with the GamePad. (Alright, so maybe I lost a few layers of skin on my thumb from frantically and repeatedly drawing symbols on the screen, but that was the result of an eight-hour, nonstop gaming session. The game is just that good.) Then there's the cash cow that is Super Smash Bros. for Wii U , a surefire system seller; Bayonetta 2 , yet another key exclusive that should have PS4 and Xbox One owners yearning; Hyrule Warriors; Pikmin 3; Super Mario 3D World; The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD; Little Inferno; Shovel Knight.



All of the above titles are well worth your dollars for the smile they'll plaster on your face. And I haven't even touched upon the Virtual Console library of classic Nintendo gems -- hello, EarthBound! -- that are perfectly suited to playing solely with the GamePad. I know, I know, Nintendo's been a bit daft about making the same quantity of VC titles available to the North American eShop. I'm also keenly aware that there's no PlayStation Plus-like subscription service to net you access to all of those titles for a monthly fee. I don't even have to argue why that'd be the wisest move for the company's bottom line. Like I said, there's nothing smart about the Wii U, but at least the games, however few, are there. Oh yeah, and it's backward-compatible with the Wii that started it all.



The Game Boy Advance title Metroid Fusion is available as part of the Wii U's Virtual Console.



I own Nintendo's portable 3DS XL, but almost never use it because it makes my giant, adult hands cramp. Which is why I adore the Wii U GamePad's chunky, spacious design and its second-screen purpose. I can recline lazily on my couch or bed, pick up the GamePad and indulge in a session of Super Mario World. (Full disclosure: I bought the larger battery and you should, too. It's a must, not an option.) There's no lag or image corruption to worry about like with PS4 Remote Play on the PlayStation Vita. The GamePad either works at a comfortable distance or it doesn't. It's also suited to pick up and play as you can suspend any VC game without waiting for a save point.


Nintendo, as a gaming company, won't be the same. And I'm mourning that passing already.

Now for the bad that's actually good: Streaming video on the Wii U is perhaps the worst experience you'll get out of the three next-gen consoles and I'm totally fine with that. The lack of an Ethernet port means I can't guarantee the strength and stability of my stream, and second-screen implementation on the GamePad (I'm looking at you, YouTube and Hulu Plus) is a hot mess. What's more, the resolution of the GamePad's screen can be downright frustrating if you like your Netflix in full HD. I won't even broach the subject of browsing the internet -- let's just forget that's an option. Bottom line: If I want to stream video, I turn to my PS4. For games and nothing else to distract, it's the Wii U all the way, baby. Except that it's nearly time to say goodbye.


Caucasian child, tween, 10 to 12 years old, playing with Nintendo Wii U game console


A young boy unboxes the Wii U.

Every time I boot up the system and see my Mii avatar drop into WaraWara Plaza waving at me, I wave back a wistful hello. The poor lil' guy doesn't know it, but he's not long for this world -- at least, not within the confines of the Wii U. He, my Mii, will be back in another incarnation; likely one that encourages me to get exercise and a good night's rest. But it won't be the same. Nintendo, as a gaming company, won't be the same. And I'm mourning that passing already.



It's all of our collective fault, really. Nintendo's traditional stubbornness to adapt to emerging trends and embrace cutting-edge tech, its continued disavowal of third-party developers and our insistence that the company bend to our bloodthirsty, shoot-'em-up thrills or give up the ghost and go third-party have dug that grave. I'm sure the day will come, however distant it may seem now, when a Mario or Zelda title will be available on Sony's and Microsoft's consoles, but I'll be hanging my head when it does. The Wii U may be dumb, but it was an innovative push in a different direction. A Nintendo that doesn't innovate gaming hardware and software is a Nintendo I don't want to know, and neither do you. You just don't know it yet.


[Image credit: Nintendo (The Legend of Zelda Wii U); Malcolm Fairman / Alamy (Boy with Wii U)]


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Thanks Gov: free WiFi to be installed in 1,000 public places across the UK

CNME8N Student working on laptop in library. Image shot 2011. problem theif student; working; laptop; library; archive; computer


If you're anything like us, free WiFi is essential to your enjoyment of basically every situation. Luckily, providers like The Cloud, O2 and BT, as well as independent hotspots, have you covered most of the time. Plenty of dead zones still exist, though, but the government is aiming to patch a few of these by installing 1,000 hotspots in public buildings across the UK by March 2015. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has announced that museums, galleries, libraries, sports venues, transport hubs, civic centres and other public places will benefit from the roll-out, with some hotspots already up and running. The project is part of the government's "SuperConnected Cities" investment programme, but not all participating cities are on the shortlist to receive free WiFi. Still, there are already plenty of reasons to visit Newport as is.



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Via: The Telegraph


Source: Department for Culture, Media & Sport


Could your washer really charge your smartphone from across the room?


Wireless charging is a little bit more convenient than plugging your device in, but was picking up a microUSB lead ever that much of a chore in the first place? White goods and TV supremos Haier believe so, which is why it's signed a development pact with wireless charging outfit Energous. The latter company's WattUp technology promises to deliver power over the same radio bands as a WiFi router and is apparently able to charge a smartphone from distances of up to 15 feet. The idea, at this early stage, is to cram these power transmitters into Haier's refrigerators, washing machines and microwaves, so that you can re-juice your phone while you wait for your dinner and do your laundry.


Of course, there's still a few questions about how it'll work in practice. For instance, won't needlessly pumping this stuff out be really energy intensive and wasteful? Then there's the question of if it wouldn't be damaging to health in the same way that people have raised concerns about living next to electrical substations? Oh, and what about the fact that constantly powering your phone will eventually cause the battery to stop storing a charge? Hopefully Energous will have answers to all of these questions soon enough, since we'll be keeping a watchful eye on how this project develops.



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Via: Computerworld, Pop Sci


Source: Yahoo Finance


Netflix's new ad boards react to the weather with GIFs

netflix gif advertisement


To promote its recent launch in France, Netflix hired Ogilvy Paris to create an advertising campaign with a difference. The agency installed digital posters that change their content to match the context of their surroundings. GIFs from Netflix's content library in the country, such as Orange is the New Black, Breaking Bad and Fargo, are used to convey a range of emotions based on major current events, such as a sporting victory or the weather. The campaign will run through to Christmas, by which time locals will be more than used to the sight of 300's King Leonidas sheltering from the pouring rain under his shield.



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Via: Fast Co. Create


Source: Ogilvy Paris (YouTube)


Amazon will develop Fire phone sequels despite the first one's failure


Amazon's Fire phone has been doing so badly on the market, that the company took a $170 million hit in the third quarter of 2014 and is currently sitting on $83 million worth of unsold devices. But even all those millions aren't enough to make the retailer throw in the towel -- Amazon SVP of Devices David Limp told Fortune that the execs are moving forward with their plans to develop and release more phones in the future. According to Limp, the company blames the Fire phone's originally steep pricing for its failure to sell. In fact, the 32GB model used to cost $200 on contract until Amazon was forced to drop its price to just 99 cents in September.


Limp said:



We didn't get the price right. I think people come to expect a great value, and we sort of mismatched expectations. We thought we had it right. But we're also willing to say, 'we missed.' And so we corrected.



He also pointed out that the first Kindle was just as critically panned when it came out, but that the product evolved into something a lot of people love -- a scenario Amazon wants to replicate with the Fire phone. While Limp didn't get into specifics about future models, he said that the company will continue releasing new software features for the current handset. Amazon hopes to learn from people's reactions to these software updates and to get their devices "better and better" in the process.

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Via: Apple Insider


Source: Fortune


These LED bulbs are brighter despite fewer diodes and a lower price


One of the toughest parts to swallow of LED lighting technology is just how costly it can be. Well, the folks at Cree have taken umbrage with that and developed a bulb that'll retail for around $5 per 40- and 60-watt equivalent bulb -- less than some standard CFL lamps by a few bucks. How's it doing that? In part by changing the bulbs' design and eliminating the need for heat sinks. As IEEE Spectrum reports, instead of the collar that more or less does double duty holding the LEDs in place and dissipating heat, the new models get rid of hot air via convection. Meaning, as diodes get warmer they naturally draw cool air in from outside the bulb as the higher temperature rises upward and outward.


Cree's also cut costs (and prices) by clipping the amount of LEDs from ten in its 60-watt equivalent bulbs down to eight. They don't lose any light power in the process, though. As a matter of fact, the diodes run at higher power to produce more of it. Oh, and according to the outfit's Mike Watson, the collar-less design makes the dimmable bulbs look like a traditional incandescent, which he thinks will speed up adoption. Sure? Seems like a bit of a stretch, but hit the comments if bulb-shape is what kept you away from the tech.

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Via: IEEE Spectrum


Source: Cree


Hungary's internet tax axed after public protests


Barely a week after it was first proposed, Hungary's internet tax looks to be dead in the water. Tens of thousands of Hungarians took to the streets last weekend to protest the tax, which would have seen internet use charged per gigabyte transferred. The plan was expected to rake in around $80 million per year, mostly from companies, but following the protests Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban said it "cannot be introduced in its current form," explaining that it was intended as a "telecommunications tax," but was perceived as an "internet tax." Instead, the Hungarian government will enter a period of "national consultation" for "a long time" to rework the proposal to the public's liking. With victory achieved, it's unlikely this weekend's planned protests will take place. Victory parade, anyone?


[Image Credit: Laszlo Beliczay MTI / AP Photo]


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Via: Sky News


Source: Reuters


Google Calendar for the web now lets you plan a schedule more quickly


The holidays are fast approaching, and chances are you're already busy planning your schedule for the next couple of months. Knowing how important it is to stick to a schedule for seasons like this, Google has introduced a handful of changes to its calendar interface for the web. Now, you don't have to refresh it to see new items and changes (such as invitations or rescheduled events) anymore, since Google Cal shows them immediately. The Other calendars list on the left-hand menu now moves active calendar profiles to the top of the pile and buries inactive ones at the bottom, as well. Finally, your back button now works within the interface (it previously didn't), and clicking it brings you to the previous page you're viewing. While these are obviously pretty minor, they make using Google Calendar on the web faster and a lot less painful than before.


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Source: Google+


HTC's recovery stays on track by the slimmest of margins


When a company like HTC has been on a year-long losing streak, it's hard to work out if its earnings for this quarter are a cause for celebration or despair. Last quarter, you see, the One M8 helped the company achieve a huge turnaround, pulling down a $92 million profit after a series of losses. This time out, the news is goodish, since while the company did make a profit, it was just $19 million - but considering that HTC was losing money this time last year, it's better than nothing. As far as products are concerned, the M8 is still doing well, and lower-end phones like the Desire 610 and 820 are getting plenty of attention from carriers and consumers. Hopefully sales of the HTC-made Nexus 9 and the RE camera will help the company maintain its promise to keep raking in cash rather than handing out IOUs.


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Source: HTC (.PDF)


Sony loses a little less money thanks to the PlayStation 4


If you're rooting for Sony to pull through recent tough times, it's still a cliffhanger, according to its latest earnings report. On the plus side, PS4 sales have been stellar, up 83 percent over last year at 310 billion yen ($2.8 billion). The good news drops off sharply from there, however, especially with mobile. Though sales in that division were up slightly from last year, it managed to lose 172 billion yen ($1.5 billion). Since most of Sony's other divisions fared okay, that means its 86 billion yen ($770 million) operating loss can be directly chalked up to its mobile division. Though it warned investors that smartphone sales would be dismal, Sony decided nevertheless decided to fire its mobile division's CEO, Kunimasa Suzuki, and replace him with VP Hiroki Totoki.


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Source: Sony


You can try Sony's VR headset at the 'PlayStation Experience'

US-ENTERTAINMENT-IT-E3


Tickets for Sony's PlayStation Experience in December go on sale today, but aside from a few coy teases, what you'll do there hasn't been clear. Well, now that's changing. For starters, Project Morpheus -- the catch-up king's VR headset -- is making its consumer show debut (as opposed to, say, appearing at E3). As far as games go, Uncharted 4: A Thief's End , The Order: 1866 and Bloodborne are making appearances too. And what would PlayStation be without indies? The Journey and Grim Fandango remasters for PS4, Helldivers, The Witness will be there, and something "super special" is planed for No Man's Sky come the show's Saturday night. There's too much to list here, and more still to come apparently, so head over to the PlayStation Blog for the full line-up that'll be in Las Vegas a little over a month from now.


[Image credit: AFP/Getty Images]


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Via: PS Blog


Source: PlayStation


Thursday, October 30, 2014

Google Wallet can now auto-withdraw from banks and send low balance alerts


You can't exactly use Google Wallet everywhere you go just yet, but if you do use it often enough to warrant semi-regular transfers from your bank, then you'll love its latest update. Now, you can activate recurring bank transfers, even pick the amount and the schedule (say, once a month or so) you want, to automatically replenish your digital dollars. That's especially useful if you depend on the physical Wallet card, which spends that balance every time it's charged. But in case Wallet balance doesn't matter as much -- say, you have an NFC-enabled Android phone and prefer to tap and pay mostly using credit -- then, you can also just program the app to let you know if it's almost out of cash. These features are available for both iOS and Android, as you can see after the break, but you can only use the tap-and-pay option if your NFC phone runs KitKat or higher.



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Source: Google+, Google Commerce


Google wants more companies to highlight actionable content on Inbox app


Google has been making it easier for more and more third-party companies to take advantage of its products' features recently. For instance, it's now taking airlines, restos and event venues (among others) by the hand, showing them how to use the new Inbox app's Highlights feature to their advantage. Like its name implies, "Highlights" finds pertinent info or actionable items within an email and shows them right within the email list. So, if you're eating out or prepping for a flight, you can confirm your reservation or check in without having to access the email itself. Devs simply need to mark up the parts they want to surface to make that happen -- we doubt they'll have a tough time doing so, since Google even offers full sets of instructions and sample codes they can look at. Just recently, the tech giant also made it simpler for devs to add the "OK Google" voice command to their creations, letting you do queries within an app without lifting a finger.



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Source: Google Developers


Samsung's all-metal Galaxy A5 and A3 are its slimmest smartphones ever


A unibody metal body, 5-inch AMOLED display, 13-megapixel camera, a claim as Samsung's "thinnest smartphone to date" and yet, this isn't a flagship smartphone. Especially for Halloween - or not related at all - the Galaxy A5 and A3 yet more smartphones from Samsung, measuring at 6.7mm and 6.9mm thickness. They're not the thinnest phones but with a metallic body, it's still quite a feat. They're both apparently geared at the youth, with Samsung's own press release praising its social network skills (extending to a GIF maker and 4G connectivity...) and the five-megapixel front-facing camera, because selfies, but given the notion of a metal-framed Galaxy phone, other crankier demographics might also be tempted.


Developing...


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'Arrested Development' season four is getting a re-edit

Premiere Of Netflix's


It wasn't a huge mistake, but the structure that Arrested Development's fourth season used was a bit off-putting for some viewers. Each episode followed the foibles of single members of the Bluth family in a few different timelines, and the early setup for many jokes didn't pay off until much later in the run. To address that, creator Mitch Hurwitz (above left) told Pretentious Film Majors that he's putting together a cut of the Netflix-exclusive episodes that runs in chronological order. A bunch of the laughs came from those punchline-reveals, so how this version shakes out should be pretty interesting to see. Maeby when this hits it'll coincide with the army's next half-day, or, as AV Club guesses, possibly with the upcoming season four box-set. Regardless, don't forget to leave a note with where you'll be watching once it happens.



[Image credit: Getty Images]


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Via: AV Club


Source: Pretentious Film Majors (YouTube)


Spain is making Google (and others) pay news publishers a tax


For companies like Google, facing problems with the law across Europe has become a common thing. The most recent example of this is now taking place in Spain, where the country's parliament just gave the go-ahead to what's being known as the "Google Tax," a set of intellectual property laws that lets news publishers get paid every time their content is linked within search results. Last year, something very similar happened in Germany, and that fight ended recently with Google having to strip down its news service to accommodate the requests of German publishers.


Naturally, Google isn't too happy about the decision from the Spanish parliament, but the search giant expressed that it will be working with news publishers in Spain to find ways to increase income for them. But this isn't only a loss for Google; it's a loss for the internet as a whole, since it allows lawmakers to micromanage content in new ways. In Spain, the new law goes into effect on January 1st, 2015.


If you speak Spanish, our Engadget en español siblings have a great piece on the subject.


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Source: The New York Times


Next Thursday you can ask Mark Zuckerberg anything

MEXICO-US-ZUCKERBERG


"When so many other features of the site have changed, why is Poking still a thing?" That's the question I'd ask Mark Zuckerberg if I ever had the chance. And next week, I might get an answer. Just about anyone could get a query answered by the Facebook CEO, actually, when he holds the first community question and answer session on the site. Writing on his profile (naturally), he says that this is an extension of weekly Q&As that let employees pick his brain about everything from current events to the company's direction. Zuck says he'll try to get through as many questions as possible in an hour, and the whole shebang will even be livestreamed on its Event page sometime next Thursday.


Want to make sure he sees yours? Leave it as a comment on the Event page and start a Liking campaign -- from the sounds of it, only the top questions will get answered. Over 2,000 questions have been posted since the note went live, so you'd better start rallying your pals if you hope to stand out.


[Image credit: AFP/Getty Images]


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Source: Q&A With Mark Facebook), Mark Zuckerberg (Facebook)


Andy Rubin is leaving Google after leading its Android and robot projects

Rakuten CEO Mikitani, Google EVP Rubin, Twitter Co-founder Dorsey, Skype Co-founder Zennstrom Speak At Japan New Economy Summit


Justabout a year ago we learned Andy Rubin had shifted his focus at Google from Android to working with robots, like the ones from its acquisition Boston Dynamics, but tonight reports indicate he is leaving the company entirely. The Information and the Wall Street Journal reported the departure, and the WSJ quotes Google CEO Larry Page wishing Rubin well on future endeavors. Earlier in 2013 Rubin handed over direction of Android to Sundar Pichai, who recently assumed an even more powerful role at the company.


Developing...


[Image credit: Tomohiro Ohsumi/Bloomberg via Getty Images]


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Source: Wall Street Journal


Warblr can identify that bird just by hearing its song

PALESTINIAN-EGYPT-CONFLICT-GAZA


Technology can be pretty wonderful sometimes. Case in point: Warblr, an app that uses sound recognition tech and your phone's GPS signal to identify birdsongs. The application first pinpoints where you are (it'll debut in the United Kingdom), and narrows the results by what types of fowl are common to the area, according to its Kickstarter page. Then, after making the ID, it presents the most likely suspects. Pretty simple, yeah? The folks behind the app say that one of the intentions is to add geo-tracking to, well, track what species are being found where -- useful for the likes of zoologists and ecologists to monitor migration patterns, for one.


The accuracy has been rated around 95 percent under optimum conditions and has even been validated by a Brazilian bird identification organization. As of now, the crowdfunding campaign has tallied £4,096 (around $7,850) of its £50,000 (approximately $80,000) goal and aims to launch next spring when the birds start flying again. Buy-in starts at the £25 tier ($40), and we're guessing that the app won't work for feathered pals of the angry variety.



[Image credit: AFP/Getty Images]


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Via: CNBC


Source: Kickstarter


Engadget Daily: The 'Microsoft Band,' life with the OnePlus One and more!


Been waiting for a Windows-powered smartwatch? Well, you'll have to keep waiting; Microsoft's debut wearable is a Nike FuelBand-like fitness tracker called the Band. That's not all we have on deck, though. Click through for our Nintendo 3DS review, details surrounding Tim Cook's coming out, and the rest of our news highlights from the past 24 hours.


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Kodak's new action cam offers 360-degree views of your stunts


Kodak has already thrown its hat into the action cam fray, but its new gadget offers a much wider view of the goings-on. The company's PIXPRO SP360 effort captures footage with 360-degree views in full HD (1080p), which it says is capable of creating "fully immersive images" without having to employ a fleet of cameras. With a dome-shaped fixed lens up top, the diminutive device records the aforementioned video at 30 fps with a 16-megapixel MO sensor, while offering Front (212 degrees), Split (180-degree front and rear views at the same time), Dome (214 degrees) and Sphere (360 degrees) modes for alternative vantage points.



As you might expect, the unit packs WiFi connectivity for syncing up with a mobile device of computer for remote viewing and controls from up to 65 feet away. In addition to being splashproof, freezeproof, shockproof and dustproof, the SP360 features a motion sensor that can automatically start recording when it picks up movement. And it can snap 10-megapixel stills of all the action, too. Pricing starts at $349, but if you're looking to pick up the kit that includes a waterproof case and both bar and adhesive mounts, you'll need to fork over an additional $50.



Sean Buckley contributed to this report.


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Source: Kodak