Hasta La Gadget!

It’s common knowledge by now that Facebook‘s stock could be doing a whole lot better. Its stock price has been consistently falling ever since Facebook’s IPO in May, partly over investor concerns that the company wasn’t doing enough to make money from mobile users. Yesterday, Mark Zuckerberg got up on stage at the TechCrunch Disrupt conference, making his first appearance since Facebook went public. His discussion was filled with admissions of failure, but Zuckerberg also looked toward the future, talking about what Facebook is going to do to turn its fortunes in the mobile arena around.

Some of that is already underway, but for the most part, Zuckerberg‘s plans for the future of Facebook on mobile devices have yet to play out. Still, his optimism during his appearance yesterday seems to have inspired something in Facebook’s investors, as the company’s stock price actually climbed a bit today. Mercury News says that Facebook’s stock climbed $1.50 today, ending the day at $20.93. That means that Facebook’s stock has made gains two days in a row, as the company’s stock price also rose slightly on Tuesday in anticipation of Zuckerberg’s appearance.

That $1.50 gain resulted in Facebook’s market share growing by a whopping $4 billion in a single day, which is definitely a big win for the company. That gain is needed to, as Facebook’s stock has slipped quite far from its initial $38 price, falling to as low as $18 last week. It seems that investors like Zuckerberg’s plan for the future, so now all he needs to do is stick to it and things should begin looking up on a more regular basis.

That’s easier said than done, however, and Zuckerberg and the rest of the people at Facebook definitely have their work cut out for them. One thing is for sure though: Zuckerberg knows where Facebook went wrong in the mobile space, and now we’re seeing him get serious about turning it around. Stay tuned, because this could be a big turning point for the struggling social network.

Facebook stock rises after Zuckerberg’s comments on mobile is written by Eric Abent & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Iconic and underwhelming: that’s been the recipe for Apple’s bundled earbuds with the iPod and iPhone so far, but the EarPods are here to hopefully change that. Packaged with the new iPhone 5, 5th-gen iPod touch and 7th-gen iPod nano, and also available for anyone with $29 to spare, the EarPods promise an affordable step up, but do they deliver? Check out our hands-on after the cut.

First things first: they’re a solid improvement over the standard Apple earphones. That wouldn’t take a huge amount, though, but it’s a welcome change for those picking up one of today’s new devices. Whereas before we would probably have recommended everyone replacing the standard set with some aftermarket alternatives, the EarPods are reasonable enough options to at least audition for a while before settling on a replacement.

The gimmick is in the trio of apertures for the sound, both at the tip as usual, but also arranged around the body of each bud. They also get a new design of casing, which is said to improve in-ear fit. We had no problems keeping them in place, and they do feel more secure than the version they replace, but a sturdy rubber or foam tip (or, better still, a set of custom-molded buds) will always feel less precarious.

What those options usual have against them is cost, and there the EarPods strike a balance. We’ll have to spend more time with them to figure out quite the quality difference – amid the noise of the demo floor they were certainly better than the old set, with noticeably stronger bass, but we won’t judge any more than that – and listening to other people testing them it was clear that these aren’t the headphones to choose if you want to keep your musical tastes completely secret. There’s definitely some overspill in noise.

Apple EarPods headphones hands-on is written by Vincent Nguyen & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Atlantic City can keep its fancy projection mapping system. This animatronic wall, dubbed the Hyper-Matrix by its creators at the South Korea-based Johnpasang media group, recently made its debut at the Hyundai Exhibition Pavilion at the 2012 Yeosu EXPO. It relies on a massive grid of computer-controlled pistons to move a wall of Styrofoam blocks. Check out the Making Of video to get a sense of the incredible amount of dedication, effort, and precision engineering that went into its construction. [Buzzfeed] More »

Boosted Board isn’t the first powered skateboard to grace these pages, but it is the lightest. In its current prototype form, it weighs just 12 pounds, thanks to a high-end Loaded Vanguard longboard, 2,000W brushless electric motor, 100W/h Lithium polymer battery pack and regenerative braking and drivetrain bits. That hardware will move you along at up to 20mph, provide about six miles of range and tackle up to a 15 percent grade. The company is also evaluating different battery chemistries and cell sizes for folks looking for longer range. We were told that the board is capable of much higher speeds, but it’s been limited for safety reasons. However, that reservoir of power is put to good use when rolling uphill, as the Boosted Board’s got some custom firmware that aims to make cruising up inclines feel the same as riding on flats. Adjusting the speed is accomplished through a custom handheld, thumb-operated throttle that’s still in development.

We got to lay our hands (and feet) on one today in San Francisco, and we spoke with Boosted Board’s builders, too. The board’s lightweight design, with the battery pack and motor components nestled at either end, is quite different from other electric decks we’ve seen with a massive power pack centered underneath. This design is made possible by that power-dense brushless motor, and it allows the Boosted Board to maintain the flexible feel that regular longboarders know and love. For now, the drivetrain and components are left exposed (as you can see in our gallery) but a more integrated design will go to the Kickstarters who pledged the $1,200 needed to get one when they start shipping next May. Folks looking for more info can find it in the source below and the video after the break.

Continue reading Boosted Board electric longboard is lightweight enough to carry, powerful enough to haul riders uphill

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Boosted Board electric longboard is lightweight enough to carry, powerful enough to haul riders uphill originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 12 Sep 2012 18:26:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Remember the iPad event this spring, when the “Resolutionary” display made everyone projectile vomit into each other’s mouths and burst into flames, falling wildly into a pit of acid and shame? Good. Here’s the next step in Apple’s hellward ad copy spiral: Renanoed. More »