Google offers historical exhibitions, wields its search powers to tell untold stories (video)

Google offers historical exhibitions, wields its search powers to tell untold stories video

Google has been taking advantage of its sheer domination of search to act as a custodian for human culture, whether it’s famous artwork or wonders of the world. The most direct example of this archival impulse may have arrived today through the launch of historical exhibitions at the (virtual-only) Google Cultural Institute. Starting with 42 exhibitions, the project delves into major historical events with both a guided, mixed-media tour as well as the kind of free-form exploration you’d expect from Google, such as hunting down a specific person, place or time range. The focus helps Google tell both textbook-level history as well as private stories. Though small at present, the collection is taking further submissions that could lead to a much broader internet resource for learning — an expansion that we can’t help but embrace.

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Google offers historical exhibitions, wields its search powers to tell untold stories (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 11 Oct 2012 01:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We’re live from CEATEC 2012 in Chiba, Japan!

We're live from CEATEC 2012 in Chiba, Japan!

Japan’s annual electronics expo is about to kick off in the Tokyo suburb of Chiba, and we’ve settled down for the week to deliver a peek inside Makuhari Messe, where local carriers will demonstrate their R&D wares, a fair share of robots are expected make their debut and component manufacturers will provide a hint of what’s to come. And, because the Tokyo Motor Show is held only once every two years, that winter exhibition will make a smaller appearance within these Chiba halls, with vehicle designers showing off their latest contributions to the automotive industry. The fun begins in just a few minutes, when dozens of diligent guards will lift the gates to the show. As always, you can follow along from home without spending a single yen. Just keep an eye on our homepage, or head over to the CEATEC 2012 tag for a complete roster of this year’s show coverage.

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We’re live from CEATEC 2012 in Chiba, Japan! originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 01 Oct 2012 20:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Photokina 2012 wrap-up: Canon, Nikon, lust-worthy Leicas, a full-frame Sony compact and more

Photokina 2012 wrapup Canon's 6D, lustworthy Leicas, a fullframe Sony compact and more

The sun is setting on Germany’s monster of a photo show, but Photokina didn’t come and go without shaking up the industry. The biennial trade show drew all the big names — Canon, Nikon, Olympus, Panasonic, Sony and many more manufacturers all had their latest wares on display for tens of thousands of photographers, journalists and local attendees — with each company releasing a suite of impressive products. Canon and Nikon made an impression with their $2,100 6D and D600 full-frame DSLRs, while Olympus, Panasonic, Sony and Fujifilm each upped the ante with new mirrorless lineups, and Leica demoed its new M, which for the first time brings live-view and video capture to the high-end rangefinder series. The fun doesn’t stop there, though — there was plenty more to explore, and you’ll find it all in our wrap-up just after the break.

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Photokina 2012 wrap-up: Canon, Nikon, lust-worthy Leicas, a full-frame Sony compact and more originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 20 Sep 2012 09:43:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We’re live from Photokina 2012 in Cologne, Germany!

We're live from Photokina 2012 in Cologne, Germany!

Germany just can’t get enough of Engadget, it seems. Just two weeks after the close of IFA in Berlin, we’re back in the land of Bier and Honig, for a camera-fueled journey to Cologne. This giant photography trade show is held only once every two years — the last Photokina was way back in 2010 — and it’s arguably the industry’s biggest event, drawing manufacturers the world abound to launch their latest prosumer and professional devices. We won’t likely see a blockbuster product like Samsung’s Galaxy Camera, but there could be another Android shooter or two in store, along with plenty of updates to last year’s advanced compacts and mirrorless cams, and a modest spattering of full-frame DSLRs. We’ll be bringing you all the news as it happens, so keep your eyes peeled to this very site to catch the action as it goes down.

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We’re live from Photokina 2012 in Cologne, Germany! originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 17 Sep 2012 09:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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IFA 2012 wrap-up: Galaxy Note II, 84-inch 4K TVs, Windows 8 convertibles and much more

IFA 2012 wrapup

Europe’s premier consumer electronics trade show has further cemented its status on the industry’s radar, thanks in no small part to Samsung, Sony and a shocking number of 84-inch 4K TVs. Since Wednesday, we’ve welcomed a brand new Galaxy Note, a healthy heaping of smaller mobile phones, a few cameras (including that Android stunner) and enough laptops and tablets to keep us computing well into the fall. From your perspective, the show ran silky smooth, though Berlin’s mobile data plague continued to take its toll on our productivity, while the Messe’s absolutely insane sprawl left us with a few well-worn shoes. As always, we still had a blast bringing you all the latest gear as it hit the floor, and German hospitality (and beer) made the setbacks a bit more bearable. Since there’s oh so much to get through, we’re sorting out our grouping of news and hands-ons from major manufacturers, followed by some smaller device makers and a few one-hit wonders — all tidied up just past the break.

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IFA 2012 wrap-up: Galaxy Note II, 84-inch 4K TVs, Windows 8 convertibles and much more originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 01 Sep 2012 12:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung Unpacked at IFA 2012: watch it online now

Samsung Unpacked at IFA 2012 watch it online now

Couldn’t make it out to Berlin for Samsung’s Unpacked event? No worries — Sammy has re-packed its deluge of tablets, phones and Android-powered cameras for your viewing pleasure. Go ahead and relive Sammy’s self-proclaimed magic at the outfit’s Facebook page or with the embedded video after the break.

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Samsung Unpacked at IFA 2012: watch it online now originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Aug 2012 20:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We’re live from IFA 2012 in Berlin!

We're live from IFA 2012 in Berlin!

Have you ever visited a state fair in the US? Picture the fairgrounds — perhaps enlarged several fold — filled to the brim with ultra-slim televisions, giant smartphones, tablets, laptops and enough washers and dryers to keep the entire population of Germany’s wardrobe squeaky clean. That’s IFA. There may not be any deep-fried Oreos at this Messe (though you will find plenty of Brezels and Bier), but there’s more than enough to keep us entertained for a full week, and then some. The fun kicks off tomorrow afternoon with Sony’s annual press conference, followed by Samsung Unpacked where we expect to see a Galaxy S III-like successor to last year’s blockbuster Note. Then chaos ensues, when the two dozen exhibition halls open to the public, and tens of thousands of curious consumers mix with industry reps and journalists, pushing and shoving their way to the hottest gadgets from every category, be it high-end home theater or personal grooming (read: electric toothbrush/water flosser duos). Rest assured that we’ll focus our efforts on the former, and you can stay on top of all the news as it happens using our “ifa2012” tag.

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We’re live from IFA 2012 in Berlin! originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 28 Aug 2012 10:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BMW opens i Store in sync with London Olympics, shows tourists their electric destiny

BMW opens Flagship i Store in sync with Olympics, shows Londoners their EV future

Technology companies have been lining up to milk the London Olympics spotlight for all it’s worth. BMW isn’t shy about taking its turn, but it’s not looking to cash in — directly, we mean. The automaker is instead using its just-opened i Store to showcase everything electric and hybrid for downtown visitors who aren’t busy watching the cycling. Its centerpieces are unquestionably the i3 and i8, which won’t even go on sale until many months after the summer games’ closing ceremonies; the i3 on the floor is closer to the street model, though, and will tease EV drivers with BMW’s option packs. Should that make your bank account cringe far too soon, the i Pedelec scooter and the i Wallbox charger will be hanging around as well. If you didn’t book a ticket to Heathrow in time, don’t panic: the i line is going on a world tour this year that starts in Rome, swings past the US and Japan, and comes full circle to London in 2013.

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BMW opens i Store in sync with London Olympics, shows tourists their electric destiny originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 26 Jul 2012 01:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google opens Web Lab at London’s Science Museum, because ‘the internet is incredible’

Google opens Web Lab at London's Science Museum, because 'the internet is incredible'

Still unable to resist its technophilanthropic urges, Google has just unveiled the Web Lab at the Science Museum in London. Paid for entirely with Google juice and constructed in a basement area that was previously used for storage, the exhibition consists of five experiments that help us to “discover the power of the internet while we’re on the internet.” That might sound cheesy, but we’ve had a good play with each installation and they’re actually very well thought out and accessible — although, if you’re already a hyper-connected nutcase then you might find it more appropriate for friends and family.

We won’t give too much away in case it spoils your fun, but you can get a flavor from the attached promo video we saw back at Google I/O, plus our gallery and the PR after the break. In any case, it’s safe to say that each experiment involves creating and sharing media in a way you’ve never tried before. What’s more, everything you do is stored in a little personal account in the cloud that you can access using the unique “lab tag” shown in the photo above. (Incidentally, all those symbols floating around in the background represent other individuals who are also currently participating in the project — which ought to give you some idea of the overall premise.) The exhibition opens to the public tomorrow, is free to enter and follows the same opening hours as the main museum — although the lab’s online dimension will remain active for a distinctly un-British 24-7-365.

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Google opens Web Lab at London’s Science Museum, because ‘the internet is incredible’ originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 Jul 2012 16:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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