Hasta La Gadget!

A few years from now, we might be able to send small satellites into deep space for cheap using a new propulsion system being developed by University of Michigan engineers — assuming they raise enough money via Kickstarter. Called CAT (CubeSat Ambipolar Thruster), it’s designed to propel 10 x 10 x 10 centimeter CubeSat blocks far beyond the planet’s orbit using only solar energy for fuel. Thus far, similar satellites can only orbit the Earth after going along for a ride on current rockets that are larger and more expensive. In the future, CATs could head to the asteroid belt, or even as far as Saturn and Jupiter to investigate water on their moons. The $200,000 its engineers aim to raise (in exchange for your name etched on the golden layer of a spacecraft panel) will go towards the CAT engine’s development and testing. The team could send an experimental thruster to space as soon as 2014 with help from NASA-Ames and Google, with a spacecraft launch targeted for 2015.

Filed under: Science

Comments

Source: CAT (KickStarter)

If you’ve been putting off buying a white Nexus 4, be ready to wallow in regret: you’ve missed your chance to get one straight from Google Play. Both the 8GB and 16GB versions are “no longer available for sale,” a little more than a month after the company’s online store started carrying them. A Google spokesperson told us that the alabaster phone has indeed sold out, and that the Play Store won’t carry it again, as it was a limited edition release. All’s not lost, though — T-Mobile still sells the white Nexus 4, but you’ll pay a slight premium for it.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Google

Comments

Via: Android Police

Source: Google Play, T-Mobile

If you’ve ever found yourself wishing for the ability to zoom your vision whilst squinting at a sign or object in the distance, you can rejoice – the first telescopic contact lens has been created, and with it the wearer’s sight can be boosted 2.8x. What’s more, the lens is small enough that it can be worn without discomfort.

The work was done by researchers led by Eric Tremblay of the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne and Joseph Ford of University of California, San Diego. With this latest technology, all previous versions of telescopic vision have been torn asunder: implants, glasses, and thick contact lenses that were too big for someone to reasonably wear.

The lens measures in at 1.17mm in thickness, and works through a series of light bouncing. Light enters via the contact lens’ edges and bounces four times on very small mirrors made of aluminum, which function to both remove chromatic aberration and boost the image nearly three times. The light then reaches the outer portion of the retina with the magnified image.

The lenses were developed specifically for individuals affected by macular degeneration, which causes damage to the central part of the retina while usually leaving the edge of the retina in working condition. This portion of the eye can’t make out most details, however, reducing vision quality. Because the lenses pushes the light to this outer portion of the retina, individuals with this condition will be able to zoom in on an image, seeing the details the disease rids them of.

The contact lens is made from the same material that older versions of contact lenses were made from, a polymer called PMMA. The final product, which would be made available to the average consumer, will have to be made from the modern contact lens material known as RGP polymer. When in use, the wearer can switch back and forth between regular and zoomed vision.

This is achieved using 3D TV glasses (not to be confused with the red-and-blue 3D glasses used with older 3D technology). The glasses work with a polarizing filter that is on the front of the center portion of the lenses. The glasses reverses the polarization, causing the light bouncing and zoom effect.

SOURCE: Extreme Tech

Researchers make telescopic contact lens capable of 2.8x zoom is written by Brittany Hillen & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2013, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Though ESPN 3D’s imminent demise might be evidence to some that 3D TV isn’t exactly killing it, BBC has confirmed that it will cover Wimbledon again this year with that extra dimension. In particular, it will broadcast selected matches, including the men’s and women’s finals and semi-finals, in free-to-air 3D for those with the Red Button service and supported sets. Wimbledon marked its first-ever 3D broadcast two years ago, and the BBC is also experimenting with 4K coverage this year with Sony, albeit exclusively at a live spectator “experience zone” on the finely manicured grounds. The network also said it would up its live streams from six to ten to go with its YouTube coverage — meaning UKers who miss a single grunt will have only themselves to blame.

Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD

Comments

Source: BBC

Nokia has unveiled three new candy bar-style cell phones, the Nokia 207, 208, and 208 Dual SIM. All three handsets are small, clean-looking phones available in four different colors offering 3G connectivity with a low price tag. The phones are aimed at users who want an alternative to their smartphone, or who are updating from an older phone but wish to stick with a non-smartphone offering.

Though the cell phones resemble the network-lacking candy-bar phones of days mostly gone by, they offer some features sorely needed on modern handsets, among them being Bluetooth 3.0 connectivity, microSD storage exapansion up to 32GB, and 3G data network support. The 208 models of the phone also offer a 1.3-megapixel camera, while the 207 lacks a camera for those who need a handset in camera-restricted locations. In addition, the SIM is a micro slot, so users can pop their card from a smartphone and use these handsets as a cheap backup.

There’s 258MB of flash memory, a 1020mAh capacity battery (12 hours talk time, one month standby), micro USB slot, AHJ headphone support, and a standard 3.5mm AV port. The display measures in at 2.4-inches with a QVGA resolution, and while that isn’t particularly notable, it is large enough to make Web browsing and app usage doable. The 207 model weighs just under 90 grams, while the 208 models weigh just a tad over that.

For browsing the Web, the handsets include the Nokia Xpress Browser, which compresses data. There are also some pre-installed applications, among them being Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, and YouTube, with additional software options being available via the Nokia Store. In addition, the cell phones are enabled to function as a USB mobile data modem.

As far as design goes, Nokia says the three models are “splash-proof”, and that the keys have no gaps between them, preventing debris build-up over time. The colored part of the handsets are a removable shell, so users can swap their current color for a different one whenever they want. The three versions of the phone will be available in black, white, red, and cyan, and will be priced at about $68. Shipping starts sometime in Q3 of this year.

SOURCE: Nokia

Nokia unveils 207, 208, and 208 Dual SIM budget 3G cell phones is written by Brittany Hillen & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2013, SlashGear. All right reserved.