Hasta La Gadget!

Earlier today, we brought you the news that Google was planning to launch a Google Maps update for Android to coincide with the launch of iOS 6. In iOS 6, Apple has cut Google out of the loop, instead opting for a Maps app of its own, so it makes sense that Google would want to launch an Android update around the same time that Apple released iOS 6. The only problem was that when Google announced the update, it didn’t give us a specific time for release.

That time is apparently now, as the update to Google Maps for Android has gone live on the Google Play Store. One of the big features in this update is that Google Maps will now sync your search queries and previous maps over multiple devices. This means that when you search for a location on your Android phone, Google will suggest locations and direction data that you’ve previously searched for, allowing you to pull up maps and get directions quickly. Of course, for this syncing to work, you’ll need to be logged into your Google account while searching and have web history enabled, but those are kind of no-brainers in this case.

Users can also access their map and directions history by going into the “Search” or “Directions” tabs in My Places. In addition to giving you the ability to quickly pull up your map history on mobile devices, this Google Maps update also brings a new way to zoom with one hand: just double tap the screen, hold your finger down, and then slide it across the screen to zoom.

In the grand scheme, these features aren’t groundbreaking, but they will certainly have their uses. Making it easier to bring up previous maps and direction data will be considered a godsend by those who hate typing on a small smartphone screen, and these new features complement the “always moving” society we live in nicely. Expect to hear more about Google Maps soon, because with new competition on the scene, you can bet that Google wants to make Maps the best app it possibly can.

[via Google Maps Blog]

Google Maps update for Android available now is written by Eric Abent & originally posted on SlashGear.
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Bicycle hubs have long provided power for bike headlights via small, built-in generators (dynamo hub), a great, green power source. But there are a few drawbacks. The power generated varies with your pedaling. Slow pedaling delivers a decent charge, but speed on the bike creates spikes and surges in the power – not healthy for devices. Another drawback is lack of storage for the power you generate. Seems like there are other uses for the pedal generated power like charging your electronic devices! BioLogic, bike accessory maker, offers a line of products that enables you to channel that bicycling energy with their ReeCharge™ Dynamo Kit and ReeCharge™ Power Pack.

The ReeCharge products work with any standard bicycle dynamo hub. ReeCharge Dynamo Kit, $30 at thinkbiologic.com, is easily attached to the fork and, when attached to the hub, conditions the power you generate to protect any devices you charge. So if you have your phone actively charging while riding, rest assured you will get clean, steady power. But once you stop pedaling you lose that power. So BioLogic also came up with a way to save that hard work, in the form of the ReeCharge Power Pack, $100 on their site. It contains a 1600 mAh Lithium polymer battery which is charged as you ride (also chargeable via computer or outlet). Attach a USB cable to the unit, initiate the charging process and you can deliver power to a phone, GPS or any device. Have a long day on the trails? No problem, take your hard work with you. Throw the Power Pack in your bag and charge devices as you need. And 1600 mAh will get you through a full charge cycle on a smartphone or multiple boosts to multiple devices.  Voila, no wasted pedal power! And of course ReeCharge™ Dynamo Kit and ReeCharge™ Power Pack come in durable cases so bring on the elements. Note: the iPhone 3GS does have some compatibility issues due to iOS 4.3.x. So check BioLogic’s website for details.

So don’t let your bicycling be for naught. Capture that energy you create and power your world.

Thanks: Bikebiz

[ Pedal Power Your Devices copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

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Artist’s rendition of microwaves changing the spin of an electron

In a stunning scientific achievement that could open the way for Moore’s Law to continue indefinitely, Australian scientists have created the first working quantum bit out of a single atom in silicon. The next step is to put two of these quantum bits together to form a logic gate, which opens the path for supercomputers to operate on a quantum processor.

In a paper published today in Nature, the team details how it was able to control both the spin of a single electron. The electron in question was bound to a phosphorus atom. The scientists used a microwave field to control the electron, which was implanted next to a silicon transistor. The atom was precisely placed  by Dr. David Jamieson through a process that makes even high-precision electronics like smartphones seem like they were put together with wood glue.

As team leader Dr. Andrea Morello noted, “This is the quantum equivalent of typing a number on your keyboard… Our technology is fundamentally the same as is already being used in countless everyday electronic devices, and that’s a trillion-dollar industry.” Whoa. Can’t wait until the iPhone 36 comes out with a quantum processor emitting microwaves.

Image courtesy of Tony Melov

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: LG Quantum Windows Phone 7 Now Available Through AT&T, Quantum dot lasers could offer 25Gbps in data communication,