Hasta La Gadget!

The world seems to have gone a little Kickstarter crazy lately, with new and interesting projects popping up all the time on the crowd-funding site. It seems that things have gotten a little out of hand though, as Kickstarter has announced that it will be implementing a few new rules those hoping to get a project funded need to follow. The new rules were announced in a Kickstarter blog post titled “Kickstarter Is Not a Store,” so right away we get an indication of the problems Kickstarter is facing.

Obviously, one of the biggest issue is that many people pledge money thinking they’re buying a product, when really they’re helping fund the development of that product, and that development process may end in failure. To counteract this notion that backers are buying a product, Kickstarter now requires that all projects have a “Risks and Challenges” page. It’s there that project creators have to talk about the risks associated with their project, letting potential backers better determine if the project in question will ever see the light of day.

The next new rules only apply to hardware and product design projects, but they’re big rules nonetheless. Staring immediately, product simulations are forbidden, meaning that creators can no long show video of what their product could potentially do. Instead, Kickstarter says that products “can only be shown performing actions that they’re able to perform in their current state of development.” Creators can no longer show renders of their product too, and have to show images of the current prototype instead. That one is pretty big, considering that all of the images we saw of OUYA during its Kickstarter campaign were renders.

Finally, hardware and product design Kickstarters can no longer offer multiple quantities of a reward. Kickstarter has put this rule in place to combat the implication that products seen on the site are “shrink-wrapped and ready to ship.” All of these rules have gone into effect already, so Kickstarter obviously wanted to get them on the books as fast as possible. Have a look at our timeline below for more posts on Kickstarter!

Kickstarter implements new set of rules for project creators is written by Eric Abent & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

We’ve all been on a plane and heard the same spiel over and over again. Please turn off any and all electronic devices, MP3 players, iPods, laptops, and set all iPhone, iPad, and devices to airplane mode — get ready for takeoff. Today however the folks from Boeing have shared their plans to allow cell phone use on their top-tier Dreamliner airplanes as soon as 2013.

Passengers aboard Boeing’s 747-8, massive 787 Dreamliner, and 777′s will soon be able to use their cell phones according to the company and CNET. Back in July when Boeing unveiled their new 787 Dreamliner they were showing off their Android-based entertainment systems on board — but apparently that wasn’t the only Android and smartphone usage they had in mind.

Here in the US however, the FAA has a ban in place that probably will never allow for such activity. So the uses for this new technology and improvements isn’t really known at this point. Whether other countries and officials will allow the use of cell phones is an entirely different situation. Yes we have on-flight WiFi, but making calls is another level.

Along with cell phone use, WiFi as usual, and more, Boeing also states they’ll have actual live TV, and even wireless media streaming by sometime in 2014. If you need to have a video conference while sky high — Boeing will have you covered. Many still think smartphone usage on planes is no big deal and of no security concern, just ask Alec Baldwin.

[via AndroidCommunity]

Boeing Airplanes set to allow cell phone use in 2013 is written by Cory Gunther & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Facebook really wants you to use your real name. The company’s name policy is clear and unequivocal: you should be using the name on your Governement ID. Maybe, if your name is Robert, you can go by Bobby on the social network, but that’s about it. While this is a longstanding policy, Facebook hasn’t been able to enforce it as thoroughly as they’ve wanted. It seems like they’ve found a way to determine who’s using a fake name: they’re going to ask your friends.

This weird decision for Facebook was spotted by Twitter user @chapeaudefee, and it shows you a friend and asks you, “Is this your friend’s real name?” You get four options, and only four options (there’s no option to close the popup): “Yes,” “no,” “I don’t know,” and “I don’t want to answer.” It’s a intimidating tactic, and it doesn’t make you feel warm and fuzzy about Facebook. What Facebook doesn’t realize is sometimes a pseudonym on the internet is not only safer, but the smart decision. But that doesn’t fit in with Facebook’s business model, which is to become the identity for the internet. It can’t do that if s0me people aren’t who they say they are.

Most Facebook feature rollouts happen incrementally, so you might not see these popups if you log on today. But if you do, and you tell Menlo Park my real name isn’t “Princess,” remember: snitches get stitches.

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Facebook allows users to delete search history, Facebook disables facial recognition in the European Union,

Welcome to future Los Angeles. All of our homes will be built into the side of a hill. They will all be gigantic, geometric forms, with stark, hypermodern interiors. Colors are forbidden. Black, white and shades of grey only. (Exceptions can be made if you intend to hang a Warhol.) While residing in the MUL:7691 house, your bathtub will alone stand as a piece of moderncontemporary art. And your house may or may not be equipped with the ability to launch into the cosmos. More »

Google has had a rough go of it in China. The company seems to fall farther and farther behind the home-grown search powerhouse Baidu. The latest battle Mountain View has been forced to concede is in the world of music. Google Music Search launched in 2009 as a legal alternative to Baidu’s own tool that turned up primarily illicitly shared results. The service never took off, even with the backing of a local partner, and things only got worse when the web giant ceased censoring results and took it wares to Hong Kong. The fatal blow came last year when Baidu signed a licensing deal with One-Stop China — a joint venture of Universal, Warner and Sony BMG. Since that day, you could argue that Google has only been postponing the inevitable. Today’s announcement officially begins the countdown, and on October 19th Google Music Search will close its doors for good in China.

Filed under: Internet

Google shutters Music Search in China, concedes battle to Baidu originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 21 Sep 2012 14:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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