Apr 21
iRobot PackBots are working their way through the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, and recording the first look inside.
Apr 21
The PSP Go Goes Away for Good
Posted in: sony, Today's Chili, video games
It was only a matter of time. Sony has decided to wake up and smell the coffee, revealing that it ended production of the ill-fated PSP Go handheld.
The device was a smaller, sleeker version of the PSP with no UMD slot and a dedicated focus on digital download titles. At $250, it was more expensive than a regular PSP, the Wii, low-end Xbox 360s, and all DS models, and just $50 cheaper than a PS3.
The announcement comes as Sony is no doubt shifting resources to the Next Generation Portable (NGP), which may or may not come out by the end of this year. Production of the much more popular PSP-3000 remains intact.
Via Inquirer
Mark Raby, Blogger
Apr 21
ThinkGeek’s iCade Turns iPad into Retro Arcade Cabinet
Posted in: Games, Retro, Today's Chili, Toys and Games
The iCade cabinet will make you feel like a giant living in the 1970s
Remember the iCade? Sure you do. It was ThinkGeek’s 2010 April Fool gag, a tiny tabletop arcade machine which used the iPad as its screen. Now, just over a year later, the iCade is real, and can be pre-ordered for $100 at ThinkGeek’s store.
Along with the price drop (the joke unit was $150) there have been some changes to the imaginary specs. Now the iCade connects to the iPad by Bluetooth, not through the dock connector. It also has more buttons — eight instead of just two — but it keeps a coin slot so you can feed it with quarters.
But best of all is that ThinkGeek has teamed up with Atari. The legendary game company recently released Atari’s Greatest Hits, which brings 100 classic titles to the iPhone and iPad. These games have built-in support for the iCade’s joystick and buttons. ThinkGeek has also released an API so any developer can bake support into their own games. This rather practical addition raises the iCade from mere novelty to actually pretty awesome.
So popular is the iCade that, despite only being available for pre-order, it is already back ordered. Thus, you’ll have to wait for the second batch. International buyers will have an even longer wait, as worldwide shipping will only start once the iCade is in stock. My $100 is ready.
iCade product page [ThinkGeek]
See Also:
Apr 21
Amazon launches German Kindle Store with 650,000 titles and lots of long words
Posted in: amazon, amazon kindle, AmazonKindle, Android, app, Books, e reader, e-book, e-books, e-readers, europe, germany, ios, ipad, iPhone, kindle, Today's Chili
After having already penetrated the UK’s e-book market last year, Amazon has now launched the German Kindle Store, bringing more than 650,000 titles to Europe’s most populous country. With today’s launch, the German Kindle Store instantly becomes Germany’s biggest e-bookstore, with some 25,000 German-language titles, thousands of free classics, and a similarly bountiful collection of independent newspapers and magazines. Customers will also be able to purchase the latest Kindle and Kindle 3G models directly from Amazon.de, along with a whole new suite of free, German-language Kindle apps for iPhone, iPad, PC and Android platforms. Germany’s writers and publishers, meanwhile, can use the Kindle Direct Publishing service to make their works instantly available on the new store, where, if they’re lucky, they may get to pocket some handsome royalties, as well. Full press release after the break.
Continue reading Amazon launches German Kindle Store with 650,000 titles and lots of long words
Amazon launches German Kindle Store with 650,000 titles and lots of long words originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Apr 2011 08:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Apr 21
Samsung Fans Call Apple Out
Posted in: Android, Apple, ipad, iPhone, ipod, samsung, Today's Chili
Apple is suing Samsung for “copying” the iPod, and the iPad. However, Android users are saying that Apple copied the Android devices first. The fans claim that Apple stole the design from a Samsung Android-based phone called F700. The touch screen phone was a boxier looking model that some say started this whole craze.
Lets look at the facts, the Samsung F700 debuted back in 2006, then came out in February 2007. The Apple iPhone was first shown in January 2007 and then came out that following June. The product by Samsung was older than the famous iPhone, which makes Apple appear to have copied the design concept.
Thus far, neither Apple or Samsung have released a public statement about the lawsuit. Nor has Samsung filed one back at Apple.
Via Apple Insider
Apr 21
Universe expansion: dark matter’s out, anti-gravity’s in, matter and antimatter still can’t get along
Posted in: science, Today's Chili
Dark matter, we barely knew you, but before we ever found out if you were, in fact, the invisible hand pushing the cosmos apart, an Italian scientist ginned up a new theory that has anti-gravity doing the Yoko Ono to the universe’s merry band of galaxies. Massimo Villata’s theory assumes that both matter and antimatter have positive mass and energy density, which gets particles attracting particles and antiparticles attracting antiparticles through the force of gravity. To give dark matter the heave-ho from the galactic expansion equation, Villata supposes that the theory of general relativity applies in reverse to antimatter particles to create anti-gravity. And just as gravity pulls particles together, anti-gravity shoves them apart — giving the universe its burgeoning waistline, no clown, king, or colonel required.
Universe expansion: dark matter’s out, anti-gravity’s in, matter and antimatter still can’t get along originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Apr 2011 08:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Apr 21
Smart Cover Inspired ‘Quick Stand’ Is One More Thing to Carry
Posted in: Accessories and Peripherals, Today's Chili
The Quick Stand will add two inches to the height of your notebook, and 5.5 ounces to the weight of your laptop bag
If Aviiq’s already minimal laptop stands continue to get smaller and cheaper, then soon you’ll be able to order one up for $0 and — one week later — receive nothing in the mail. Maybe you already did. How would you know?
The latest is the Quick Stand. At $40, it’s half the price of the original Aviiq stand, and it is also smaller, measuring up at 11 x 3.25 x 0.375 inches against 15 x 12 x 0.1 inches when folded.
This is no surprise, as instead of folding out to make a full laptop-sized platform, it just turns into a triangular wedge that props up the back of the computer. Think if it as an aluminum and plastic Smart Cover, only it’s not a cover (or actually that smart).
Weirdly though, despite being smaller, the new Quick Stand weighs a lot more than its big brother 5.5 ounces Vs. just 2.7 ounces. So I guess that the hypothetical $0, invisible stand you may order in the future would actually be very heavy. It would be made, perhaps, from Dark Matter instead of the aluminum and plastic “Hylite” from which the current stands are fashioned.
Should you buy one? That depends. Propping up a notebook certainly helps to keep it cooler, but you don’t need a $40 widget to do that. Looking across my (admittedly rather cluttered) desk I see all manner of things which would raise my MacBook’s rear end up a couple of inches, and I suspect you can find some too. Available now.
Quick Stand product page [Aviiq. Thanks, Pedro!]
See Also:
- Hands-On with Aviiq's Beautiful, Expensive Folding Notebook Stand …
- Aviiq's Color-Coordinated Smart Cases Match iPad 2 Covers
- Origami-Like Folding Laptop Stand Is Perfect for In-Bed Movies …
Apr 21
iHub gets shut down by the iPolice
Posted in: Apple, Law, legal, peripheral, Today's Chili, usb
What happens when you decide to sell a device that brazenly features an apple logo you’re not allowed to use? Well, not much actually, the robocops don’t come busting through your door or anything, but evidently the Cupertino lawyers are on top of their game (they’ve certainly had enough practice lately) and have shot out a kindly note to the M.I.C. Store guys to ask them to halt sales of the iHub. That’s exactly what’s happened with the $10 USB hub, and before we get in a huff about Apple acting all totalitarian again, let’s remember that a trademark is only as good as the enforcement you attach to it, so this pretty much had to happen. Strangely, M.I.C. still promises to complete delivery for those who’ve already placed an order, and this latest development should make it feel that much more special if and when it does arrive.
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
iHub gets shut down by the iPolice originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Apr 2011 08:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Apr 21
Apple to Focus on Video Games
Posted in: Apple, ipad 2, iPhone, Today's Chili
Apple is shifting the iPad/iPhone focus to gaming. Ever since the devices came out, Apple has seen a huge increase in games played on those devices. However, gaming has been put on the back burner until now.
While Apple is switching the focus for now, some argue that this was Apple’s plans from the start. Many game developers have designed games for the iOS, which has help set Apple apart as a competitor to the big boys like Sony, and, Nintendo.
No word on what Apple will do next, but we can expect more games to come out. Apple has made it clear that the iPhone game is here to stay.
Via Business Insider
Apr 21
ECOtality announces Blink Mobile EV charging app
Posted in: Android, app, BlackBerry, charging, ev, ios, Today's Chili
It’s fast becoming apparent that no electric vehicle is complete without an accompanying smartphone app to help you find places to charge it, and it looks like ECOtality isn’t about to let that trend pass it by. It’s just announced its new Blink Mobile app for iOS, Android and BlackBerry devices, which will let folks locate Blink charging stations, check up on the charger’s status, and receive various alerts (like when your car is finished charging at home). Unfortunately, you can’t download it just yet, but ECOtality says it will be available sometime this summer, with the iOS and Android apps likely to come out a bit ahead of the BlackBerry app — a web-based app is also in development. Head on past the break for the complete press release.
Continue reading ECOtality announces Blink Mobile EV charging app
ECOtality announces Blink Mobile EV charging app originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Apr 2011 07:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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