At first glance, we couldn’t tell if someone rolled a giant quarter in front of NYC’s Katz’ Deli, or if artist Alan Wolfson painstakingly crafted a miniature of the deli that was so good, it was borderline indistinguishable from the real thing. Turns out it’s the latter. Color us impressed. [Alan Wolfson via Andy Baio] More »
Just as man-hacks can repair their trajectories as they whiz towards Gordon Freeman’s head, these little robots from the Laboratory of Intelligent Systems can now pick themselves back up when they crash. This little feature solves a problem that has long been the bane of flying robotics hobbyists everywhere as they watched their AR Drones and other bots fling themselves to pieces against walls and plant life.
Designer Adam Klaptocz said that he took his designs from nature and the prototypes he built can shoot out little legs that helps the robot right itself and take off again when it suffers from a hit. These robots could also fly in the dark because they are able to withstand a few wrong moves.
The robot, called the AirBurr, has a low center of gravity and a set of powerful propellers than can send the robot soaring again. I especially love the last part of the video where the thing falls into a box and gets itself out like a spider that mated with a radioactive eggbeater.
We’ve heard about the FXI Cotton Candy a lot over the past year, but it still hasn’t made it into the hands of users and developers. First detailed last year, we then received some hands-on back in February with the Android powered USB stick. Today however, we’ve learned this PC and Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich on a thumb drive is shipping now for just $199.
The Cotton Candy has seen various delays, improvements, design changes and more. We’ve seen tons of lower quality and cheaper alternatives appear on the market in their absence, but they’re finally ready to start shipping. Originally it was set to hit the market in March, but later that turned into May for developers and now it looks like the public can get their hands on these little miniature devices.
The new and improved Cotton Candy is still the size of a pack of gum, only the design is seriously improved. You’ll get a dual-core ARM Cortex A9 CPU, ARM Mali-400MP GPU, WiFi b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1 and a micro-SD slot. On each side are the ports consisting of USB and HDMI-out for all types of use. Streaming movies, Android, Games and more to a display and hooking up wireless mice and more. The options are pretty limitless.
It currently runs Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich and we might even see Jelly Bean, as well as other Linux-based operating systems. The device doesn’t support the Google Play Store either — so that’s a thing. FXI is alerting those two pre-ordered that devices are shipping now, and they’ll end the pre-order status for full store access starting October 1st. More details can be found at their website.
[via Liliputing]
FXI Cotton Candy PC and Android-on-a-stick now shipping is written by Cory Gunther & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
Google’s recently received permission to test their self-driving cars in Nevada, but until today in California, where the cars were conceived and tested, it remained illegal. Today at Google HQ, California Governor Jerry Brown signed SB1298, which creates a legal framework and safety standards for the testing and operation of computer-driven cars on California state roads. Take a look at the live-streaming press conference here.
By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Lytro light-field camera hitting retail stores next month, LaCie finally puts Thunderbolt on a portable, external SSD,
A project at the University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland is looking to transform our body’s ability to realize and adjust body language while interacting with others. RISR is a set of wearable sensors that gives the user feedback on their body language via vibration. The unit consists of an IR camera on the front that captures body language of those you interact with. A ‘brain’ or central control point analyzes the motion of those you are with. Then the vibrations of the network of sensors give feedback on how to position yourself. When activated, RISR constantly evaluates posture of whoever you are with, and adjusts you accordingly. The harness is worn under clothing. To calibrate it you spend time ‘teaching’ it your typical body language. Then when ready to use the unit, engage it by activating the RISR app from a smartphone. Get a behind the scenes look at RISR via the video above.
So is RISR just a fancy way to get a date or a job? To some extent yes, but enhanced body language inevitably leads to an increase in self-confidence. Other possible applications for RISR could involve people with conditions that impact their social skills. RISR could work with them to improve their reactions to different situations. Sure the concept is still just that, but who knows. If technology can help improve interpersonal communications I am sure there will be some takers.
Thanks: Fast Company
[ Master Your Body Language copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]
Human bases built on other planets is a routine happening – at least as far as the realm of science fiction is concerned. But so far, there hasn’t been a real base put out there in a heavenly body by our race. That is about to change, though.
NASA has unveiled its ambition of building a base on the moon. This is not the first time someone has come up with such an ambitious plan. Space agencies of both Japan and Russia have articulated similar plans in the past. So far, none of these plans have materialized. (more…)
By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Thor Hammer inspires NASA project for satellite deployment, NASA’s Z-1 prototype spacesuit is completely versatile,
Youth-oriented TV drama factory The CW is hoping that Entertainment Weekly readers are interested in taking Twitter from smartphones and computers to the printed page — er, at least a printed page with an LCD insert attached. The October 5th issue of EW features a miniature LCD display with the six most recent posts to its Twitter feed (@CW_Network), as well as a “short video showing stars of new CW shows,” according to The New York Times. Yes, seriously — an LCD screen with some form of internet connection embedded directly into copies of a physical magazine. “Emily Owens M.D.” — a new show on The CW — is the first to receive direct promo treatment via the magazine’s LCD display. It’s unclear if all issues of the Oct. 5 edition will contain the embedded video screen (only 50,000 issues of a 2009 EW issue ran an embedded Pepsi video ad, for instance).
CW executive VP Rick Haskins said the company’s social media team overseeing the project will only filter out “profanity or other unacceptable language.” As for negative tweets, however, those are fair game. Not that we’d encourage such things, but this setup sounds all too ripe for exploitation by the denizens of the internet. Do with the information as you will, unscrupulous readers.
Filed under: Displays, Software, HD
The October 5th edition of Entertainment Weekly has a built-in Twitter feed (really) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 25 Sep 2012 16:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink 
Mashable | 
The New York Times | Email this | Comments
Earlier this year, we fell in love with the Nikon D800. How could you not? It’s a 36.6-megapixel hulk of a professional camera. But if you don’t have $3000 lying around, too bad. More »
A lot of fun stuff happened at RIM’s BlackBerry Jam event. They’ve been showing off their latest BlackBerry 10 mobile operating system and even debuting weird videos. After the event, RIM CEO Thorsten Heins spoke to the press to answer some questions, and he was confident that BlackBerry could be — not number one or number two — but number three in the mobile OS market.
Heins thinks that RIM has a solid chance to overtake Windows Phone 8 and grab the third spot behind iOS and Android. He clarified that BlackBerry isn’t just another mobile operating system that’s saturating the market, and that RIM can put a big dent in Windows Phone 8. Here’s what Heins had to say:
“We have a clear shot at being the number three platform on the market. We’re not just another open platform on the market, we are BlackBerry.”
He pointed out that some of the unique features of BlackBerry 10, like the BlackBerry Hub and the new multitasking UI, will help BlackBerry become a real contender against other mobile operating systems. Heins also said that the company wants to focus on better multitasking for the BlackBerry OS. He brought up iOS and its inefficient way that it jumps in and out of apps, which Heins says may not be the best method for power users.
So, why number three? Why not number two or even number one? Heins responded by saying, “You climb a mountain step by step.” He said that he wasn’t thinking about BlackBerry becoming the number one smartphone, but instead becoming number one in mobile computing, which means that RIM isn’t only focusing on making smartphones, but an “entire mobile computing platform.”
For now, let’s hear it for RIM’s new chant: “We’re number three! We’re number three! We’re number three!”
[via The Verge]
RIM CEO says BlackBerry has a shot at being number three is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
This is site is run by Sascha Endlicher, M.A., during ungodly late night hours. Wanna know more about him? Connect via Social Media by jumping to about.me/sascha.endlicher.
