There’s an Apple event going on today at 10PT, 1ET! We’ll be liveblogging, of course, and we’re starting now. More »
While the whole tech world goes into speculation overdrive over the smallest shred of gossip about today’s Apple “back to the Mac” event, the real future of computers is on your coffee table. LuminAR is a project of MIT’s Fluid Interfaces Group which seeks to eradicate the traditional mouse-keyboard-screen interface. LuminAR utilizes a specialized Pico-projector that can project a computer interface onto any surface–coffee stains and all. The system is able to read your hand movements so as to form a working touchscreen interface–literally, anywhere.
If you ever dreamed of playing Tetris on your sleeping grandpa, the future is yours, my friend.
The full LuminAR set-up comes affixed to a robotic lamp arm that can find empty area to project an interface on or read hand gestures to project in a pre-programmed location (for example, if you want it to always show you videos on the wall as opposed to your desk, it can do that). But the actual LuminAR “bulb” can be removed from the robotic arm and placed in any conventional light socket, computer, or cell phone. It’s the ultimate augmented reality accessory to make the entire physical world into your personal computer desktop.
Video after the jump.
Break out those calculators, friends–today is the first-ever World Statistics Day. Now, before you go writing this event off as just another Hallmark holiday designed to sell cards to statisticians, please note that the event has the blessing of the United Nations.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon kicked off the event stating, “on this first World Statistics Day I encourage the international community to work with the United Nations to enable all countries to meet their statistical needs.”
The day is a celebration of United Nations Statistical Commission, which, according to Moon, “has created international methodological standards and guidelines in virtually every area of statistics. It has played a key role in helping governments strengthen their statistical reporting, making data more available and comparable across countries and regions than ever before.”
Moon also took the occasion to point out the less statistically fortunate,
[A]s in so many other areas, developing countries often find themselves at
a disadvantage, lacking funds to pay salaries, train staff and collect data. On this first
World Statistics Day I encourage the international community to work with the United
Nations to enable all countries to meet their statistical needs. Let us all acknowledge the
crucial role of statistics in fulfilling our global mission of development and peace.
Bad news for those in the US who fell in love with the Le Phone at this year’s CES. Looks like Lenovo’s super-slick smartphone won’t be arriving on our shores any time in the near future.
In the same meeting with the company’s COO Rory Read, which yielded the information about the company’s upcoming Honeycomb-based Android tablet, Lenovo revealed that that, while the Le Phone may, in fact, hit the US market, it may still be another two years before we see the thing.
It seems that Lenovo wants to focus on its market share in China before it commits to selling the thing overseas.
Of course, it is still possible to get the phone in the US–but it will cost you. An importer called Chinavasion is selling an unlocked version of the Android handset for $501.69–that’s apparently down from $556.87, if that helps sweeten the deal at all.
Just in time for Blizzard Entertainment’s BizCon gaming convention, gaming peripheral-maker Razer has unveiled a line of peripherals designed with StarCraft II in mind (first announced back in June). StarCraft fans can pick up the Razer Spectre StarCraft II gaming mouse (shown), the Razer Marauder StarCraft II gaming keyboard, and the Razer Banshee StarCraft II gaming headset.
All three peripherals include features designed to enhance the StarCraft player’s gaming experience. They feature an APM (actions per minute) lighting system that provides the gamer with feedback on performance, responding directly to the player’s maneuvers and speed. Each one also features a StarCraft universe design. The mouse lists for $79.99, the keyboard for $119.99, and the headset for $119.99. Look for them in November.
We haven’t seen many — okay, any — Windows 7 slates from major manufactures (i.e. HP, Lenovo, ASUS) like Steve Ballmer promised back in July, but one thing is for certain, smaller companies aren’t just sitting around waiting for the other shoe, er slates to drop. We’ve already gotten our hands on products from the likes of CTL and Netbook Navigator, but Australian-based Tegatech also wants a piece of the large touchscreen pie with its 10.1-inch Tega v2. Like the others, the $799 Tega v2 is pretty much a netbook that’s lost its keyboard — it’s got an Intel Atom N455 processor, 2GB of RAM, and a 32GB SSD that boots Windows 7 Home Premium — but the 0.5-inch / 1.9-pound slate sets itself apart by being one of the thinnest and lightest out there. Oh, and did we mention that it dual boots Android? So, is the Tega v2 the Win 7 tablet you’ve been waiting for — assuming you have in fact been waiting for one? Hit that read more button to find out in our full review!
Gallery: Tegatech Tega v2
Continue reading Tegatech Tega v2 review
Tegatech Tega v2 review originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 20 Oct 2010 11:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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There are so many headphone choices out there, how does one stand out? For the V-Moda Vibrato, it’s with both design and functionality. The Vibrato is crafted from zinc alloy and features a Kevlar fabric cable with a three-button remote and microphone. Its geometric design has the look of fine jewelry, and it has a solid, durable feel, unlike the many plastic or aluminum headphones that feel fragile.
It doesn’t just look good, though. The Vibrato also offers noise-isolation to block out the everyday world. It comes with four sizes of silicone ear tips so that you can always get a secure seal for serene listening. It also comes with V-Moda’s sport earhooks, ensuring that they’ll stay on while you’re working out. You can get a pair for $129.99 from Apple’s retail stores. Look for it in Apple’s online store soon.
Announcing a upcoming, far-off Android tablet is the new black. It’s the perfect manner of non-committed committal from companies attempting to position themselves on the iPad consumer tablet bandwagon. Chinese PC manufacturer Lenovo is doing just that. The company announced that it is working on a new Android-based tablet due out “as early as” summer 2011.
Yeesh.
Why the epic wait? The company is waiting for a new version of Android. Google has made it pretty clear that Android 2.2 Froyo is not a great operating system for tablets–and Lenovo appears to agree. “I don’t believe Froyo is the right base to have a fully functioning pad,” the company’s COO told the press yesterday.
Instead, the company is waiting for the release of Honeycomb, a version of the mobile OS designed specifically for tablets. As for a Lenovo Windows 7 tablet? I wouldn’t hold my breath on that one…
Some sections that cropped up overnight on Apple discussion forums could be related to announcements–iLife, anyone?–that might be coming at the company’s “Back to the Mac” event today.
Originally posted at The Digital Home
Is 3D gaming on the verge of completely revolutionizing your world? If you’re a hardcore PlayStation fan, you might believe the answer to that question is “yes.” However, given the recent DisplaySearch findings on 3DTV adoption, we’re thinking more of you fall in with the leanings of Microsoft’s Phil Spencer, who is making it clear that he isn’t pushing the technology at this point:
For better or for worse, people just don’t really have TVs in their house right now that are going to do 3D in a way that’s going to work… As a corporate mandate, I don’t need to sell you a new TV, that’s not part of my business model. Other companies maybe have that part of their business model. I don’t.
“Other companies,” eh? Yeah, we think you can figure out who he’s talking about there. Phil isn’t just dishing up the Haterade, though, throwing props to Nintendo: “I like the 3DS, you don’t have to wear the glasses.”
Microsoft’s Phil Spencer rains on Sony’s 3D parade, thinks 3DS has potential originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 20 Oct 2010 10:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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