Oct 16
Medalists at the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games will celebrate with circuit boards hanging from their necks.
That’s right. Gold, silver, and bronze medals for the upcoming games …
Oct 16
Microsoft Describes Apple as a “Noisy Competitor”
Posted in: Apple, Microsoft, Software, Today's ChiliThis article was written on July 09, 2008 by CyberNet.
Several weeks ago we wrote about how Microsoft is serious about improving their brand by hiring a well-known firm, Crispin Porter & Bokusky, to help them find ways to improve the way people view Microsoft. Now we’re getting a few more details about what the firm is going to be doing for them. Microsoft knows that those Mac vs. PC commercials are causing an impact on the sales of Vista, so with their campaign, they are going to try and let consumers know that the “time of worry is over” in regards to buying Vista. Microsoft wants people to understand that Vista isn’t as bad as Apple makes it sound.
Brad Brooks, VP of Windows Vista consumer marketing talked earlier this week about how Microsoft may have made some mistakes with the initial launch of Vista. He said, “we broke a lot of things. We know that, and we know it caused you a lot of pain. It got customers thinking, hey, is Windows Vista a generation we want to get invested in?” Then he talked about their noisy competitor, Apple, and said, “We’ve got a pretty noisy competitor out there. I’m a Mac… and I’m a PC commercials criticize Windows Vista. You know it. I know it. It’s caused some impact. We’re going to start countering it. They tell us it’s the iWay or the highway. We think that’s a sad message. Software out there is made to be compatible with your whole life.”
It’ll definitely be interesting to see what kind of advertising campaign they come up with and how they will tell “the real story” about Vista. We know it’s not as bad as everybody makes it out to be, but will it be easy to convince some of the general population that it’s okay to buy? So far Apple’s campaign seems to be working with about 2.5 million Macs shipped in the Spring which is 3.2 times the predicted industry average.
It’s about time Microsoft fights back against Apple, isn’t it?
Source: InformationWeek
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Oct 16
Ah, the REDFLY Mobile Companion. We’ve had some laughs at its expense, sure, but never doubted that someone out there would find a use for the thing. And what do we have here? It looks like our favorite Foleo doppelgänger is among a number of portable gadgets providing the backbone of the U.S. Army’s “Go Mobile” system. Based around a WinMo phone that soldiers can use to connect to the Army Knowledge Online (AKO) service for all their mission critical e-mail, calendar, contacts, tasks, and documents, the kit includes a wireless smart card reader for authenticating onto Army networks, a printer, a charging kit (including various solar options), a pico projector, VR goggles simulating a 50-inch display, and an unspecified “dumb terminal” which — as the picture above suggest — could only be our old friend from Celio. Which is fine, sure — but what ever happened to those bad-ass exoskeletons we were promised all those years ago?
Continue reading U.S. Army ignores our advice, outfits troops with REDFLY terminals
Filed under: Cellphones
U.S. Army ignores our advice, outfits troops with REDFLY terminals originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 16 Oct 2009 13:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Oct 16
On Thursday, Amazon announced that it will implement same-day shipping for certain select cities, giving last-minute shoppers a bit of an extra edge – provided they live close enough to the distribution center, of course.
The lucky cities are:
Here’s the way it works, according to Amazon:
Oct 16
Satsports Debuts Multi-Sport GPS
Posted in: gps, navigation, Sports, Today's Chili
Thought GPS devices were just for navigation? Oh, think again. Satsports, a London-based company, has just debuted Satsports GPS for North America. It’s a handheld GPS with apps for a variety of sports.
Satsports GPS comes with three preloaded apps: Satski (providing ski maps from around the world), Pocket Caddy (with 2D and 3D views of golf courses, plus yardage information), and Satsports Log (capturing speed, distance, time, and more for runners, cyclists, mountain bikers, walkers, and hikers).
The device can also be used as a turn-by-turn street navigator with spoken directions with the addition of a $65 miniSD card. The Satsports GPS device is all-weather and comes with a car charger and a bike mount, although not with a car window mount. It’s priced optimistically at $490.
Oct 16
Samsung’s Flexible OLED Screen Goes Under the Hammer
Posted in: Displays, OLED, samsung, Today's ChiliSamsung has been working to deliver flexible displays for cellphones that will be significantly thinner than current LCD screens and allow for new form factors. But a big question for electronics makers will be how sturdy are these flexible displays? There’s only one way to answer that question and that’s with a hammer.
A video clips shows what happens when you pound a flexible, 2.8-inch display that is about 20 micrometers thick. And the answer is nothing. There’s not a scratch on the OLED (organic light-emitting diode) display. In comparison, an LCD screen shatters when it is hit.
It’s an interesting demonstration of the technology’s potential. Flexible displays are a hot area of research. Arizona State University’s Flexible Display Center is working with the U.S. Army to create flexible displays that are so thin and light that they can be rolled up and stuffed into pockets or backpacks. Those displays could be available in limited field trials in about two to three years.
Samsung hasn’t disclosed when it plans to bring its flexible displays to market. But it is likely, the the first commercial products with flexible displays will debut around the same time.
[via OLED-Info]
See Also:
- Flexible Displays Get Touch Friendly
- Flexible Wrist-Mounted OLED Display Excites Dick Tracys Everywhere …
- Researchers Create Paper-Like Flat, Flexible Speakers
- Flexible Displays Closer to Reality, Thanks to U.S. Army
- Samsung Shows Flexible Display For Cellphones
Oct 16
Let’s face it, stealing office supplies is really a gateway to more serious crimes. It starts with pens and staplers; the next thing you know, you and your spouse are being arrested for stealing $23 million from your corporate employer.
A North Carolinian couple have been arrested over a scheme that defrauded Cisco’s SMARTnet to the tune of $23 million. According to the company, Mario and Jennifer Leigh Harmon Easevoli concocted a scheme to ship replacement parts to businesses in eight states.
Using fake names, the couple allegedly filed fake claims for the parts, later selling them to other businesses. Jennifer Leigh Harmon Easevoli then reportedly bragged about the claim via Classmates.com, writing:
For those of you who knew me and doubted me – I made it, and I made it big … I am bigger and better than you thought I could be. I am more successful than I could have dreamed and I have had a great time all the while.
Maybe it’s time to update that profile again.
Oct 16
MIT takes the wrappers off autonomous, robotic helicopter with intelligent navigation
Posted in: robot, Robots, Today's Chili
Advances in autonomous helicopters have been many over the years, but as far as we can tell, there’s essentially no limit to how awesome they can get. MIT’s recently developed an autonomous, robotic helicopter which is also able to navigate itself intelligently through a changing environment. The helicopter, which is equipped with a dual-camera array and a laser scanner, maps its terrain in real time, identifying changes along the way. An integrated autonomous exploration module allows the heli to interact with the changing, unknown environment it is mapping. The helicopter was shown off at the AUVSI 2009 International Aerial Robotics Competition, completing five missions — a feat not before seen in the 19-year history of the show. Check out the very educational video after the break.
Filed under: Robots
MIT takes the wrappers off autonomous, robotic helicopter with intelligent navigation originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 16 Oct 2009 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Oct 16
Even though I definitely messed up the title format and everything else for that matter, today’s show is still “Where the cheese stands alone,” because you get to witness the pain as I try to record a solo podcast. That’s right, Jeff is out and Wilson called in sick, so I’m left to fend for myself with the generous help of a few friends along the way.
Disclaimer: Today’s show is atypical. If this is your first time listening to The 404, note that this is definitely not the norm. The show is usually very random and tangential, but today’s episode is a ONE MAN SHOW. That man is me, and for that I beg your forgiveness in advance. If you’re able to get through the entire show, well then I tip my hat to you.
It’s the first time I’ve operated the engineering board and camera switching by myself, so the production value ain’t up to par with Jeff’s expert skills…just keep that in mind as you struggle through this episode of random musings, behind the scenes scoops, upcoming guests, meet-up ideas, Halloween costumes, and the future of The 404!
As hard as it is to listen to me wing my way through 45 minutes of streaming video, it would have been far worse if not for my dear friends Dan Ackerman, Scott Stein, and Julie Rivera who all came in to put me out of my lonely misery. They’re all part of CNET’s own Digital City Podcast, so be sure to check them out.
Here’s some exciting news to look forward to: our guest on Monday will be the band Family of the Year. After hearing that we chose them for our Beck’s Beer Draft Pick, they agreed to come in for a live in-studio acoustic performance!
Jeff will certainly be back for that, but no guarantees for Wilson G. Tang, who may or may not have contracted the Avian Swine Flu, a rare form of H1N1 that only occurs when pigs fly.
Have a great weekend everyone!
Episode 446
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Originally posted at The 404
Oct 16
Drowsy drivers may have met their match in new Mercedes-Benzes. The Mercedes-exclusive Attention Assist feature monitors driver alertness and if the driver seems less than attentive, the car sounds a chime and suggests the driver take a break. It’s on both the E-Class coupe and E-Class sedan and it’s part of the base price. Attention Assist is unobtrusive. It alerts you when you’re tired and occasionally when you’re not. Unobtrusive also means it’s also easy to ignore. I drove an E350 Coupe and was impressed by Attention Assist, even more so by the sensational styling. It’s a great car for two adults and two very occasional back seat passengers.
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