May 07

Researchers Examine Robot-Inflicted Injuries

Posted in: robot, robotics, Robots Robotics, science, Today's Chili

Jetsons_Rosie.jpg

I suggest you keep your hands in your pockets for this one. German researchers at the Institute of Robotics and Mechatronics have recently studied injuries caused by robots using sharp tools working alongside humans, BBC News reports.
To conduct the tests, the researchers employed a 31-pound robot arm holding a variety of bladed tools “programmed to strike test substances that mimic soft tissue.” (Ouch!)
Some of the test cases led to what would be considered lethal injuries, the report said. The idea behind the study was to gather data in order to learn how to develop safer robots that could aid humans in domestic settings–and probably on a much more significant level than what we’re used to today.

For more on robot rampages, check out Lance Ulanoff’s column at PCMag.com: “When It Comes to Robots, We’re Brainless.”

(Image credit: The Jetsons/Cartoon Network)

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May 07

Kobo eReader Available for Pre-Order

Posted in: amazon, Books, kindle, nook, Today's Chili

Kobo_eReader.jpg

Kobo announced that its eReader is now available for pre-order in the U.S. at Borders online, and will ship “in time for Father’s Day.”
The Kobo eReader rings in at $149.99, which is $110 below the Amazon Kindle and the Barnes & Noble Nook. Post-iPad, that’s probably a more reasonable price point for dedicated ebook readers.
The Kobo device features a soft, quilted back panel, and promises access to over a million e-books. It can sync via USB or over Bluetooth, but it won’t offer an over-the-air store like the Kindle or the Sony Reader Daily Edition (review coming soon).
The Kobo eReader will come preloaded with 100 classic books, and has enough memory for about 1,000 books total.
Kobo already offers free apps for the iPhone, iPad, BlackBerry, Palm Pre, and Android, and syncs currently read books across apps for continuous reading.
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May 07

Thanko’s Bracelet Battery is back, better and geekier than ever

Posted in: Today's Chili
Thanko's Bracelet Battery is back, better and geekier than ever

If 2007’s Bracelet Battery from Thanko didn’t match your lifestyle, there’s a good chance 2010’s model won’t either. That’s because it looks identical to the prior model, sporting the kind of style that would go perfectly with a Caped Crusader costume and virtually nothing else. New with this year’s model is an adapter cable that enables it to work with an even greater variety of devices, a 1,500mAh lithium-ion battery, and (wonder of wonders) an on/off switch. Yours for just ¥3,980 — about $40.

Gallery: Thanko Bracelet Battery

Thanko’s Bracelet Battery is back, better and geekier than ever originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 07 May 2010 12:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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May 07

Amazon selling ‘new’ Dreamcast systems

Posted in: Today's Chili

It appears that Amazon–and not some third-party merchant–is actually selling brand-new vintage Dreamcast consoles for $88.99. Are you nostalgic enough to buy one?

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May 07

Zotac ZBOX HD-ID11 and its Ion 2 innards reviewed

Posted in: 1080p, HTPC, intel atom, IntelAtom, nettop, NVIDIA, nvidia ion, NvidiaIon, review, Today's Chili

Small form factor? Check. Low power consumption married to 1080p video playback capabilities? Of course. Quiet cooling? Naturally. Those are the basic requirements for, and their fulfillment is the means by which we judge, a good home theater pc. They’re also the highlights of Zotac‘s Ion 2-powered ZBOX HD-ID11 barebone (you have to add your own RAM, storage and OS) nettop, which recently visited AnandTech‘s labs for some old fashioned review action. It’s a highly illuminating read, particularly for those interested in the differences between NVIDIA’s Ion generations, which throws up a mixed bag of results. While you’ll be quite alright watching Full HD Blu-rays on the ZBOX, Flash hardware acceleration — yeah, that old nugget again — is not yet implemented well enough, resulting in a maximum of 480p resolution before Hulu streams started glitching out on the reviewer. A June driver update from NVIDIA should rectify this issue, and we’re encouraged to wait it out and see what we might see then. In the mean time, you can just delve into the complete analysis which awaits at the link below.

[Thanks, Wowzers]

Zotac ZBOX HD-ID11 and its Ion 2 innards reviewed originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 07 May 2010 11:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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May 07

StoryCorps app helps preserve family stories for posterity

Posted in: Today's Chili

Unfortunately, it doesn’t help enough. By not offering integrated recording tools, it kills the chance for spontaneous interviews. pOriginally posted at a href=”http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-19512_7-20004420-233.html” class=”origPostedBlog”iPhone Atlas/a/p

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May 07

Toshiba readying world’s thinnest, lightest 13-inch laptop?

Posted in: Today's Chili

Leaked photos suggest that Toshiba might be ready to show off a very Adamo-like high-end laptop of their own.

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May 07

Nokia sues Apple again, says the iPad 3G infringes five patents

Posted in: Apple, ipad, iPhone, lawsuit, legal, nokia, patent, patents, Today's Chili

Looks like settlement negotiations in the various Nokia / Apple patent lawsuits aren’t going too well — Espoo’s just hit Cupertino with a second federal patent lawsuit, this time alleging the iPad 3G and iPhone infringe five patents related to “enhanced speech and data transmission, using positioning data in applications and innovations in antenna configurations that improve performance and save space, allowing smaller and more compact devices.” Interestingly, Nokia’s filed this one in the Western District of Wisconsin, a so-called “rocket docket” that’s well-known for bringing patent cases to settlement or trial in just over a year. That means we could see some real movement in this dispute within our lifetimes, but we’re not holding our breath for a definitive conclusion — by our count, Apple and Nokia now have some five pending legal actions between them, including one that’s been placed on hold pending an ITC decision. Anyone want to bet how long it takes for Apple to add another countersuit to the mix?

Nokia sues Apple again, says the iPad 3G infringes five patents originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 07 May 2010 11:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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May 07

WePad renamed WeTab to ‘clearly differentiate’ itself

Posted in: Linux, slate, tablet, Today's Chili
The WePad has already had to cross a few hurdles and overcome some skepticism on it’s way to a release, and it’s now undergone another big change — it’s just been renamed the “WeTab.” According to the company, that’s been done in order to “clearly differentiate our products within the international market for tablet computers.” No other changes, from the looks of it, and the company says that pre-orders of the device are not affected by the name switch-a-roo — although we suppose you can cancel if you’re fiercely averse to anything named “Tab.” Coincidentally, it seems that the tablet has also recently gone up for pre-order on Amazon.de, with it demanding the expected €449 for the 16GB WiFi version, and €569 for the 32GB 3G model — still no promised ship date, unfortunately.

[Thanks, Mike]

Continue reading WePad renamed WeTab to ‘clearly differentiate’ itself

WePad renamed WeTab to ‘clearly differentiate’ itself originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 07 May 2010 11:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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May 07

Rude Headset Goes Primal

Posted in: headphones, headset, Today's Chili, video games

RudePrimal.jpg

Maybe this headset is the perfect Mother’s Day gift. Use it and you’ll stop waking Mom up with your late-night gaming. Rude Gameware has just announced the Primal Wireless Headset for the Xbox 360. The big plus here is that it’s completely wireless, so you can sit as far away from the screen as you like. It uses a digital infrared transmission to send your sound over 25 feet, and it also includes a wireless mic.

Unlike other wireless headsets, says Rude, this one won’t interfere with your Wi-Fi adapters. It even works with your home theater or TV audio, so you can turn the volume up as high as you want without bothering anyone.

You can grab a pair now for a list price of $99.99.

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