May 02

Thunderbolt Successor to Come Out in 2015

Posted in: intel, thunderbolt, Today's Chili

 

Thumbnail image for Intel-Announced-the-Availability-of-Thunderbolt-technology-a-new-high-speed-PC-connection-technology-that-runs-at-10Gbps_.jpgIntel may have just released the first generation Thunderbolt this spring, but Intel is already planning it for long term. Intel is already working on the Thunderbolt’s successor, even before the original really takes off. Here is what the director of Intel Research labs had to say:

We see them as complementary. It’s the evolution of these connectors and protocols as they move forward. 

[Besides], Thunderbolt is more than a cable. It’s a router chip that aggregates DisplayPort and PCI-Express.

No reason was given for the upgrades being developed so early on. Some companies outside of Apple have shown interest, but by no means have we seen anything big for it yet. Intel appears to be living more in a dream than a reality.

Via TG Daily

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Apr 28

Pepsi Unveils Social Vending Machines

Posted in: Today's Chili, Weird News

Pepsi - Social Vending Machine

You’re out at a concert and you’re about to buy a drink from a vending machine. You think about your friend who couldn’t make it, and want to send them a quick text to let them know you’re thinking of them and wish they were there. 
With Pepsi’s new social vending machines, you can not only send them a message, but you can buy them a drink at the same time. 
Pepsi’s new machines come with a fancy touch-screen UI that makes selecting a frosty beverage a more technical experience than perhaps it needs to be, but also include a social component that will take your friend’s name and cell phone number and send them a text message with a code they can redeem for a free drink. 
The code has to be redeemed at one of the new social machines. If you want, you can also give a random customer a gift at the vending machine through what Pepsi calls a “random act of refreshment,” meaning someone will walk up, select their drink, try to pay, and be told that they’re getting their drink for free. You can even record a quick video message to include with your free drink so the recipient knows who just made their day. 
Pepsi has no plans for a rollout of the new machines; the current model is just a prototype. Still, it’ll be on display at the National Automatic Merchandising Association Show in Chicago at the end of the month for everyone to see. Check out a video of the machine behind the jump.
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Apr 25

Coming Soon: Glasses-Free 3D TVs in Airplanes

Posted in: Today's Chili

3dairlines.jpg

Perhaps one day watching movies on an airline won’t be a completely disappointing experience. A company called MasterImage 3D is leading the charge to bring 3D displays to airlines around the world.

MasterImage also wants glasses-free 3D technology to come to in-car entertainment systems. In other words, it will become a ubiquitous medium for when you don’t really want to watch TV but have nothing better to do because you’re stuck in a vehicle of some sort.

“We weren’t looking at (airlines and car makers) initially. We were focusing on smartphones and tablets, but there turned out to be strong interest,” said company VP Roy Taylor.

Via Hollywood Reporter

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Apr 22

New Video Game Console Cycle to Start In 2014

Posted in: Microsoft, nintendo, sony, Today's Chili, video games

 

playstation-3.jpgGood news for gamers everywhere! The next generation of video game consoles could kick off in 2014, according to Sony and Microsoft. However, it does come with a catch for both companies, Nintendo is reportedly ready to launch its next console as early as next year.

While all of these are loose target dates, many gamers are already getting ready for the upcoming gaming cycle. The last one happened in 2006 to 2007, which left both Microsoft, and Sony behind Nintendo until recently. None of the three companies have released any statements about these dates, but Sony and Microsoft are both building up to the launch.

Via TG Daily

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Apr 22

Netgear Releases New Line of Enterprise Networking Tools

Posted in: Today's Chili

pro-59-netgear-wireless-router.jpgNetgear has developed an enterprise class networking tool and is launching two new products called ProSafe Wireless N Access Point (WNAP320), and NETGEAR ProSafe Dual Band Wireless N Access Point (WNDAP360). Both are designed for big enterprises who need one simple solution to managing a large network.

Most big enterprises use tech teams to manage the networks, yet Netgear hopes to help make the job easier for them. The products will allow techs to check, secure, and monitor the network. They support all the current standards used by today in networking, like WPA, and WPA2.

The ProSafe Wireless N Access Point is out now for $350, while the NETGEAR ProSafe Dual Band Wireless N Access Point will come out later on this year. The NETGEAR ProSafe Dual Band Wireless N Access Point’s price or target date have not been released yet.

Via Hot Hardware

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Apr 21

Acer and Nvidia Launch 3D Monitors

Posted in: NVIDIA, Today's Chili

 

500x_3dvisionglasses.jpgAcer is trying to get into more fancy niches by taking a bite into the 3D world. The company is releasing a 3D monitor which will allow users who have computers that can handle 3D to enjoy the experience. However, this is not a glasses-free 3D monitor. You will be required to buy a pair of glasses from Nvidia.

Acer, who does not have the technology for 3D support, had to go to Nvidia who is the only one that has support for it. Thus both companies had to make a deal in order to create the device itself. 

The monitors come in two sizes, a 23.6-inch and a 27-inch monitor at $449 and $689, respectively. The glasses required for 3D will cost you $119 a pair. 

Via TG Daily

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Apr 20

Potentially Landmark Ruling Bans Debt Collector From Facebook

Posted in: Today's Chili

dark-money.jpg

A Florida judge has ruled in favor of plaintiff Melanie Beacham in a harassment lawsuit against debt collector MarkOne Financial. In it, Beacham says she received 23 phone calls per day about a debt she owed, and then at one point MarkOne was able to track her down on Facebook. Representatives then not only sent online messages to her but also to everyone on her friend list.

In a preliminary ruling, the judge declared MarkOne is barred from contacting Beacham or any of her friends on any social networking site.

The legal order is the first of its kind, and a big victory for Beacham’s lawyer Bill Howard. Howard, who focuses on consumer protection cases at firm Morgan & Morgan, said a ruling against using social networking to harass debt owners is “something we’ve been fighting for, and we finally got a court ruling on that.”

Beacham’s case remains ongoing, but some could say she already scored a victory.

Via Orlando Sentinel

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Apr 20

Thunderbolt to Beat Out USB 3.0?

Posted in: intel, thunderbolt, Today's Chili, usb

 

Thumbnail image for Intel-Announced-the-Availability-of-Thunderbolt-technology-a-new-high-speed-PC-connection-technology-that-runs-at-10Gbps_.jpgAt last, Intel’s wish may come true. There are reports that the Thunderbolt technology might cut off the USB 3.0, before the USB update even takes off. Or at least that is what some people are guessing.

Despite that Intel has been mocked for the Thunderbolt, Intel has stood beside it. Unlike Apple who used FireWire in the past, which later flopped, it appears to have a strong fan base. More companies appear to be looking into adopting it, as we reported last week. No word on why some experts are claiming that the Thunderbolt will beat out the widely used USB’s next generation.

No study has been released, nor has the USB 3.0 officially been rolled out. However, one of Thunderbolts strong points is that it supports both USB, FireWire, and, many of the other common ports used today.

Via TG Daily

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Apr 20

Awesome LED Table Can Be Whatever You Want

Posted in: LED, Today's Chili

ledtable.jpg

A company called Nkcharms has begun taking orders for this super stylish table that incorporates 1700 LED lights to turn the display into anything you want.

One sample style is the tree seen above, but it could obviously be custom created for any design you want. So in case you were worried that you weren’t using enough electricity as it is, this may be the perfect solution for you.

The man who created the tree design, Dennis Veut, explained in a statement, “The tree becomes wood becomes light, a metaphor for the circle of life itself.” Deep stuff… We don’t really get it, though. But we do think the table is pretty darn cool.

Via Tom’s Guide

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Apr 20

This Motorized Chair Concept Reminds Us of Wall-E

Posted in: Today's Chili, Weird News

Supple Motorized Chair

If you’ve seen the movie Wall-E, you remember the sad state that most humans had come to in the far future: so used to sitting around lazily that we lost the ability to walk around and get exercise, and depended in floating, motorized chairs to get us from place to place. Now, Iranian designer Mohamad Sadegh Darounkolayi has something that’s pretty close. It’s called the Supple, a chair that sits on top of a motorized ball that can go virtually anywhere. 
To be fair, the design could be useful for people who are disabled or who need a motorized wheelchair to get around. All you have to do is point to where you want to go on a GPS-powered map and the chair will plot a course to get you there with minimal effort. 
When it’s not in use or you’re not wheeling around in it, the ball on the underside of the Supple slides out and in front to work as a small table. Darounkolayi also envisioned the Supple with the ability to connect to other chairs to create larger vehicles with multiple wheels that can work together and get groups of people to the same location. 
Even so, we weren’t the only people who saw the Supple and immediately thought of the hover chairs and blob-like humans from Wall-E: the folks over at DVice had the same reaction. 
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