Hasta La Gadget!

We’re not exactly sure why anyone would ever want a designer calculator, but for those who do, Kokuyo’s got you covered. The Japanese company has just announced the X-VIZ — a super slim, matte-finished device that can help you balance your checkbook with one hand. Crafted by robot designer Tatsuya Matsui, the X-VIZ probably isn’t something you’d use to carry out heavy duty operations and, at just 12mm thick, it certainly won’t double as a mouse, either. But at least Kokuyo refrained from tacking on another superfluous laser or detachable holster, as it’s been known to do. Both black and white models of the X-VIZ will hit the Japanese market on May 11 for ¥5,250 ($64), so hit up your favorite importer if you’re interested in grabbing one.

Kokuyo’s X-VIZ designer calculator is tailor-made for one-armed accountants originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 26 Apr 2011 11:51:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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If you want to get your hands on one of the last remaining Flip pocket video cameras, now’s the time to buy. Just share video carefully.

There are many, many tests of automotive performance throughout the average calendar year, yet the Pikes Peak Hill Climb stands out as one of America’s most historic and most brutal. Oh, and most pucker-inducing, what with the general lack of guardrails and corner edges bounded by nothing but thousands of feet of free-fall — then rocks. This is the challenge that an unmodified Nissan Leaf will face this summer, all 110 horsepower dedicated to hitting the summit in a time that hopefully won’t be too embarrassing but surely won’t challenge the current EV record of 13 minutes and 17 seconds. Driver Chad Hord will sit behind the wheel when the event gets underway on June 26th, burning nary a drop of gas on the way up and putting on something less of a show than Ari Vatanen did in his (traditionally-powered) Peugeot back in 1990. That rather invigorating performance is embedded below for your viewing pleasure.

Continue reading Nissan Leaf entered in 2011 Pikes Peak Hill Climb, can feel free to just coast back down again

Nissan Leaf entered in 2011 Pikes Peak Hill Climb, can feel free to just coast back down again originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 26 Apr 2011 11:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We’ve seen our fair share of prosthetic arms and computer interfaces operated with little more than the firing of a synapse, but legs? They’re a different story: balancing and propelling a sack of (mostly) flesh and bone is a much more complicated task than simply picking up a sandwich. Thankfully, the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago’s Center for Bionic Medicine is now one step closer to thought-controlled lower-limb prosthetics. As pictured here, the researchers’ early simulations showed that amputees could control a virtual knee and ankle with 91-percent accuracy, by way of pattern recognition software to interpret electrical signals delivered through nine different muscles in the thigh — patients think about moving, thus lighting up the nerves in varying patterns to indicate different motions. The ultimate goal is to hook up bionic legs through the same way, which would offer a greater range of motion than existing prosthetics, making tasks like walking up and down stairs safer. Now all we need is a quadruple amputee willing to pick up a badge and slap on an eye-tracking microdisplay.

Continue reading Researchers take one step closer to neural-controlled bionic legs for safer mobility

Researchers take one step closer to neural-controlled bionic legs for safer mobility originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 26 Apr 2011 10:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It was pretty clear that a launch was imminent, and Verizon has now finally officialy announced that the HTC Droid Incredible 2 will be available on Thursday, April 28th. It will run you the usual $200 on a two-year contract, which will buy you a 4-inch super LCD screen, a 1GHz Snapdragon processor, an 8 megapixel camera with a dual LED flash, a brand new 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera, and WiFi mobile hotspot support. As expected, it’s also a world phone, but it’ll be left in the dust by the Thunderbolt when it comes to sheer speeds due to its lack of LTE support. Full press release is after the break.

[Thanks, Shane]

Continue reading Verizon officially announces HTC Droid Incredible 2: available April 28th for $200

Verizon officially announces HTC Droid Incredible 2: available April 28th for $200 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 26 Apr 2011 10:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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