Are you confused by the ethical grey area, constitutional ambiguity, and general scariness of robots that kill people? Don’t sweat it, man. Hang out with these Cool Drones, and watch this Edu-Fun video, right here on Gizmodo. More »
Earlier today, we heard that some freshly-launched Windows Phone 8 handsets from both Nokia and HTC are having issues with random reboots. That’s a little unsettling, but at the time, Microsoft hadn’t said anything. Now we’re getting confirmation that Microsoft is aware of the reports and is having a look around to find out what’s causing these reboots.
The company told CNET that it’s on the case, saying nothing other than “We are currently investigating reports of these incidents.” The problems don’t seem limited to just random reboots though, as users are reporting issues with email sync. Obviously, these problems aren’t good, and it’s probably a major headache for Microsoft to have to deal with these right after the launch of Windows Phone 8 – a mobile OS that needs to make a great first impression if it hopes to eventually rise in popularity and challenge Android and iOS.
Some users on the WPCentral forums are saying that uninstalling the Skype for Windows Phone 8 preview helps with random reboots, but at the moment, there doesn’t appear to be an on-the-fly fix for the issues with email syncing. It’s also worth pointing out that uninstalling the Skype preview might not be a permanent fix for the reboot issue, as there could be any number of reasons Windows Phone 8 devices are suddenly restarting.
We’ll have to wait for Microsoft to issue a statement that says more than just “we’re investigating the issue.” Hopefully the company can figure out what’s going on quickly and push a fix out the door soon, because we have a feeling that most Windows Phone 8 users don’t like these features of the new mobile OS. Keep it tuned here for SlashGear, as we’ll have more information for you once it’s available.
Microsoft investigating random Windows Phone 8 reboots is written by Eric Abent & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
Intel isn’t having much success keeping its upcoming Bay Trail-era Atom platform under wraps. If the previous overview leak wasn’t enough, a roadmap uncovered by Mobile Geeks has just explored the finer points of the tablet-oriented Bay View-T and its Valleyview-T processors. The most surprising leap may be in graphics: while we knew the GPU core would be much faster, we’re now seeing that the new Intel hardware can output to as much as a 2,560 x 1,600 display and record stereoscopic, 1080p 3D video in the event that 3D-capable tablets come back into vogue. Likewise, battery life should be rosier than you’d expect; Bay Trail-T can reach the same performance at half the power, which should lead to about two extra hours of video playback for at least some of the 1.6GHz to 2.1GHz processors in the lineup. Don’t get too excited by the potential, however. If the leak is accurate, Bay Trail for tablets isn’t expected until early 2014, by which point 22-nanometer Atoms will be a step behind the cutting edge.
Via: Notebook Italia (translated)
Source: Mobile Geeks
Today, iTunes Match went down. Yesterday, it was iMessage and FaceTime. Since launching iCloud to the public on October 12th, 2011, Apple just hasn’t been able to keep its cloud-based services airborne. More »
Every since the compact mirror-less Canon EOS M camera has been announced, it has generated quite come, buzz. As an EOS camera, the EOS M does come with the Canon EOS Utility, a small program that can be used to download images into specific folder, but more importantly, it is an app that photographers use for remote shooting, which means that the images shot are save directly to a computer driver over USB. I have bad news for everyone who was waiting for this feature: the Canon EOS M does not support it. (more…)
By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Canon 5D Mark III 2013 update paves the way for high-end HDMI video, Canon EOS-1D X DSLR gets new firmware update,
If you have an iPad other than the first-generation device or the new iPad mini and you want a steering-wheel shaped holder that you can put the iPad into for your racing games, then the Kolos might be for you. While they claim it’s the “First iPad Gaming Wheel”, Cideko actually holds that title.
The Kolos wheel is designed primarily for racing games, but also works with flying and other games that depend on you turning the tablet for control. The wheel’s main feature is a 12.3″ diameter steering wheel with an anti-perspirant rubber coating. When placed into the stand, it puts your iPad at a 70-degree angle and the wheel can be tured a full 180-degrees when its base is mounted to a desk or tabletop.
The Kolos can be had in two different versions, one including the steering wheel holder only for $50 (USD). The more expensive version includes that steering wheel holder and the base for $85. Both versions fit the iPad 2 and newer models.
The Kolos is on indiegogo seeking funding right now, though its future is far from certain. The project is seeking $150,000, and so far has raised a tiny portion of that amount. With 28 days to go, Kolos has only raised $750 – though in fairness, the project just launched. The project lists only four backers so far that each pledged $85. That adds up to less than half the pledged amount, so I’m not sure where the remainder of the money came from. The developers of the product expect to deliver in May of 2013. If you’re a hardcore racing game player on your iPad, this project might be worth backing.
The lead designer of the classic Wing Commander video game, Chris Roberts, is making a comeback and is developing his own space-based MMO title called Star Citizen. In order to raise funding to develop the game, he’s been calling on fans to donate money in order to see the game get made and released. While Roberts has said he only needs $2 million, the fundraising campaign ended with a total of $6.2 million raised.
Roberts has been accepting donations on the game’s website, as well as on Kickstarter. Kickstarter alone raised over $2.1 million, while the rest was donated on the game’s official website. The campaign on the game’s website ended ten days ago with a total of $4.1 million raised, while the Kickstarter campaign ended today.
Roberts said that he’s “completely overwhelmed, humbled and grateful for the support from everybody who backed Star Citizen.” He also addressed all the naysayers out in the world who thought PC gaming was dying, by stating that the fundraiser “sent a statement to the rest of the gaming world that PCs and space sims are very much alive and kicking.”
The first 200,000 backers who donated at least $30 to the project will be given alpha access to the game sometime within a year. No details were given as far as if or when the game will have an early public beta version, or when gamers should expect the final release to be available for purchase.
[via Joystiq]
Star Citizen raises $6.2 million in crowd-sourced donations is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
Is $20 too much for a deck of playing cards styled to look exactly like the pixelated designs in Windows 98 Solitaire? Not a chance. As their creator Evan Roth points out, before the internet Solitaire was the only real distraction an office drone could rely on. So why not give it the respect and immortalization it deserves with this lovely deck printed on genuine Bicycle playing cards? More »
By Dorene Internicola
NEW YORK, Nov 19 (Reuters) – Skiing is a such a skill-based activity that if you don’t start learning until you are 20, it will take 20 years to learn.
But fitness experts say proper conditioning can make the difference between a fun weekend on the slopes and one waylaid by injury.
“Skiing first is technique,” said Robert Forster, a Los Angeles-based physical therapist and founder of Phase IV Scientific Health and Performance Center. “If your quads (muscles) are just burning up on the runs, then you’re not skiing right. That’s a good sign that you might need a lesson.”
To minimize fatigue and risk of injury, Forster, physical therapist to 42 Olympic medalists, suggests getting in ski-shape before hitting the slopes.
“All fitness begins with an aerobic base,” he said. “So six weeks before, start training with an elliptical trainer or stationary bike, or running or walking. Build up to 20 to 30 minutes three times a week.”
Aerobic training also strengthens muscles, Forster said, so any subsequent agility drills, such as running sideways or skipping, will be even more effective if you’ve established an aerobic base.
Stretch before skiing to protect against injury and enhance freedom of motion; stretch afterward to return the muscles to their normal length, said Forster.
He calls stretching the single most important thing people can do for body health maintenance.
“Connective tissue shortens with time,” he explained. “We stretch to maintain good alignment of the bones.”
If your skiing holiday lasts a week, limit your time on the slopes the first day, Forster suggests. And reconsider that dehydrating après-ski cocktail.
“We know that a glass of wine and a hot tub is not a good idea. Heat adds to inflammation. It will only increase swelling the next day,” he said.
Save that soak for the morning, and then not more than five minutes.
Ice down any sore spots or tight areas. “Ice is a great treatment for tightness,” he said.
Jessica Matthews, an exercise physiologist with the American Council on Exercise, suggests that even those already in good condition would benefit by integrating sports-specific pre-ski training into their workout.
“Prepare the body to move in short bursts,” said Matthews, who notes that skiing demands carving back and forth, rapid turns and sudden changes of direction.
She said it’s easy to set up fitness drills using plastic cones, which can be had at any sporting goods store.
“There’s great stuff you can do with cones,” she said. “Those newer to fitness can begin with stepovers, laterally, side to side. Those more seasoned can make them hops, or invent more intricate drills.”
For those who prefer to train in groups, the fitness company Equinox recently launched a class at its clubs called Core Values, which uses low parallel bars, called parallettes, and medicine balls to enhance mobility and stability skills.
“It’s geared to help sports people get in condition for their sport,” said Lisa Wheeler, who created the class to train across all ranges of motion.
“Even downhill, skiing is about rotation,” said Wheeler, an experienced skier. “Most people scoop right and left as they are going downhill.”
Falls account for 75 to 85 percent of all skiing injuries, according to the American College of Sports Medicine. Most common is damage to the knee.
Forster said even though more runners than skiers are injured every year, ski injuries tend to be more serious.
“Skiing has much more traumatic injuries that can have long-lasting effects,” he explained.
The National Areas Association, the trade association for ski area owners and operators, said U.S. ski areas tallied an estimated 51 million skier and snowboarder visits during the 2011-2012 season.
Forster advises skiers to assess themselves and the slopes before diving down the mountain.
“Is there fresh snow? Heavy, wet snow?” he said. “Be aware of conditions. Fatigue is a big factor. If I had a dollar for every client who got hurt on the last run …” (Editing by Patricia Reaney and John Wallace)
It’s time for Verizon to get its hands on the Windows Phone 8 universe with the lovely Nokia Lumia 822, another iteration of the original Lumia 820. This device is essentially the same as the original Lumia 820 with a 4.3-inch 480 x 800 pixel resolution AMOLED display with ClearBlack technology to make it extra vibrant – covered with a Corning Gorilla Glass 2 pane of reinforced glass and surrounded by some more of that fabulous near-soft plastic we’ve seen on each of the Lumias thus far. This device takes on the Lumia 920 with many of the same features but just ever-so-slightly less top-notch specifications – there may be a little less magic, but there’s certainly magic enough.
This device works with a body that’s not going to blast past the top smartphone tier as far as outright beauty goes, nor is it about to keep your iPhone 5 friends at bay with a more high-class feel. What it is going to do is offer you Windows Phone 8 in just about as perfect a combination of hardware and software as you’re going to see on the market today (also see our T-Mobile Nokia Lumia 810 Review for a similar solution). Nokia has always been known for their high-quality builds and long-lasting equipment, and this device is no exception to the rule.
With a body that’s 127.8 x 68.4 x 11.2 mm and carrying a weight of 142 g, you’ll find that this device is just the little “Monoblock”, as Nokia calls the form factor, that you’ll want to experience Windows Phone 8 at the fullest. Inside you’ve got a Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 dual-core processor, the same as you’ll find in the Samsung Galaxy S III and the bigger brother to this device, the Nokia Lumia 920. This device has an 8 megapixel camera on the back with Carl Zeiss Tessar lens and 2.2 mm F number/aperture. The front-facing camera is no joke, also, at 1280 x 960 pixels ready for video chat – nothing compared to the iPhone 5, but still perfectly useful.
The big differences between this device and the Nokia Lumia 920 are the camera and the display – the display on the 920 is larger (have a peek at our full Nokia Lumia 920 review) and the camera on the 920 works with PureView technology. That means it works amazingly in the dark, effectively. The Nokia Lumia 822 still brings on amazing photos in normal lighting conditions – and you’ve got a dual-LED flash to back you up if you want to head down to the basement as well.
Under the hood you’ve got essentially the same software as you’re getting with every Windows Phone 8 device today plus a collection of Nokia’s own augmented reality and mapping apps. These apps really do make the difference if you’re planning on using your phone for its GPS abilities or if you want to go out exploring the city you live in or want to get to know better. Have a peek, again, at our Nokia Lumia 920 review to see what these apps are all about – or just have a peek at this handy hands-on with the Nokia Lumia 920 courtesy of Nokia – apps ahoy!
You also get a taste of Nokia Music as well as Verizon-specific bonuses like NFC Mobile. This device also comes with Univision for Spanish speaking video lovers and Data Sense. Data Sense is an app that allows you to closely track the amount of data you’re using each day so you’ll never go over your allotted amount – no more pocketbook busters for you! My Verizon Mobile also exists in your app list right out of the box, this allowing you more control over your Verizon account – no hassle!
With a combination of the Qualcomm Snapdragon S4′s battery conserving abilities and the ease with which you’re able to manage how much energy you’re using via Nokia and Windows Phone 8, this device will last you at least a full working day. If you’re doing nothing but streaming video via 4G LTE, expect less than a standard 8 hours – anyone can drain a battery if they try hard enough. Also note – we’ve not yet heard about wireless charging for this unit, but the removable back panel gives us hope that the 822 will follow the 820′s lead.
The camera, again, works rather well here with the Nokia Luma 822, just as well as its brethren each starting with the number “82″. It would appear that the Snapdragon S4 processor helps here as well as the high-quality lens and sensor to create an image processing package that’s right up there with the top tier smartphones on the market. Windows Phone 8 also provides a unique opportunity to closely integrate apps with the camera itself rather than opening apps that also have camera abilities, this making the entire photography experience a joy no matter which Windows Phone 8 device you’re on.
The crowning jewel on this device is, of course, Verizon’s 4G LTE. We’ve had no Lumia device work with data this quick thus far, nor indeed any Windows Phone 8 device not on Verizon’s network. The Nokia team was smart to finally make a connection with Verizon for Windows Phone 8 here, especially now that the Windows 8 wave has begun. Hopefully the hot selling action that’s happening with the Lumia 920 will continue here with the Verizon-bound 822 so Nokia can continue to bring unique solutions like this one to the market. Available immediately if not soon in any color just so long as it’s black.
Verizon Nokia Lumia 822 Review is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
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