Canonical’s Mark Shuttleworth has a long history of disrupting the industry, and this year’s CES is no different. The entrepreneur / space tourist will join us to day to discuss his company’s swipe at the smartphone space.
Check out our full CES 2013 stage schedule here!
Update: video embedded
Filed under: Mobile
[CES 2013] As a teenager, I played a lot of PC games. But one thing I couldn’t stand anymore was the amount of cheating that went on in popular first-person shooters like Counter-Strike. Players would be able to see through walls to know where exactly enemies were located at all times and even be able to kill enemies with an automatic headshot using an “auto-aim” cheat. But what if something like the auto-aim was possible in real life? That’s exactly what an Austin-based startup is trying to do with its precision-guided firearms.
Each of the three customized hunting rifles are equipped with advanced computerized scopes powered by Linux. What the hunter sees through the scope is a video image taken from the scope’s objective lens, instead of being a direct visual scope. You can tag your target, which the scope will take into account a number of variables. The marked target is then kept in the scope’s field of view, and when the hunter pulls the trigger, the hunter will need to match the position of the reticle with the marked target, which will then fire the rifle.
TrackingPoint’s rifles start at around $17,000, which is pretty high in the gun-buying world, but when you consider you can perform a real-life auto-aim with it, then that is something you’ll want to show off with your other hunter buddies.
By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Air-conditioned bullet-proof jackets could help cops in service be more comfortable, GUSS, the Robot Mule Helps Marines Haul Loads,
The world of mobile OSes is totally dominated by Android and iOS, but that hasn’t kept Ubuntu from trying to sneak in. And finding a way into already dominated markets is kind of Ubuntu’s strong suit. More »
Our first look at the upcoming Ubuntu phone OS left us excited but wanting for more details, and it seems that Canonical has now indicated when you’ll first be able to grab it. According to OMG Ubuntu, engineering manager Alan Pope said that a downloadable image of the upcoming system will be available in late February for the Galaxy Nexus handset. From what we’ve seen so far, if you’re brave enough to grab it you’ll be in for a reasonably fluid and hackable experience, although actually doing something with it might be another story, since there’s likely to be very few apps available. Still, for tinkerers with the handset who want to give Android a break, it’ll be exciting times when a full-fledged Linux distro finally goes small.
Filed under: Cellphones
Source: OMG Ubuntu
Lego’s Mindstorms kits were born into a world where the PC reigned supreme for control; the company is ushering in 2013 with an acknowledgment that its build-it-yourself toy is part of a much wider universe. Its updated Mindstorms EV3 runs on new Linux firmware that’s ready for Android and iOS control out of the box, creates an overall more hackable platform and allows further programming on the core Intelligent Brick itself; accordingly, there’s an SD card slot for local storage. A built-in infrared sensor expands the possibilities for a more autonomous design, as well — Lego suggests that EV3 constructs can follow other moving gadgets, or even their creators, around the room. It should also be the first Lego bundle with its own 3D construction guide, as a new app built with Autodesk’s help lets builders see the process from every angle. We won’t have the chance to put a kit together until the EV3 line ships in the second half of the year, but Lego already expects the core unit to sell for $350.
Gallery: Lego Mindstorms EV3
Continue reading Lego Mindstorms EV3 arrives tailored for mobile, infrared and more hackability
Filed under: Household, Robots
Source: Lego
As teased yesterday, Canonical unveiled its latest Ubuntu project by announcing a mobile version of Ubuntu, which is actually built around the existing Android kernel and drivers, but doesn’t use a Java Virtual Machine. The company has made the OS compatible on both ARM and x86 devices, and says that the new platform will use “the full power of the phone” when it eventually hits the market.
The move to the mobile platform by Canonical was long expected, although they’re certainly arriving late to a market, which is already dominated by the iPhone and Android-based devices. Essentially, though, Ubuntu for mobile isn’t a whole new operating system per se, but rather a “smartphone interface” for Ubuntu.
Ubuntu for Android, which was announced in February last year, will be the first step to getting the new Ubuntu mobile platform out on devices, which Canonical chief Mark Shuttleworth says will arrive at some point this year. While no carrier or manufacturer support has been announced yet, the first Ubuntu for Android handset should be provided by a “high-end” Android device manufacturer.
Proper Ubuntu phones, however, are promised to be out in early 2014, but the company already has a number of Galaxy Nexus devices that are running the new platform (as seen in the image above). The Galaxy Nexus is the only officially-supported device at the moment, and Canonical expects developers to work with the device in the meantime while the company continues to flesh out the OS.
Ubuntu mobile OS announced, coming to phones in 2014 is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
This is no ordinary Galaxy Nexus. Instead of Android, it’s running a very different Linux-based OS — the long-awaited mobile version of Ubuntu — which comes with a new UI adapted for smaller screens. We’ve played with the phone briefly and we’ll have a proper hands-on video for you shortly, but in the meantime there are a few salient features to report. First and foremost, the UI relies heavily on edge swipes instead of buttons — much like Windows 8 on a tablet or indeed other mobile OS’s like MeeGo, although here each swipe has its own Ubuntu-esque functions. Beyond that, the icons along the top have some interesting features, which will be explained after the break. We’re also told that voice control is in attendance, and that an app store is in the works, with a mix of both web apps and native apps — with the latter type being able to make better use of the hardware.
Speaking of hardware, here’s where you might get a twinge of disappointment: there are no immediate plans for actual Ubuntu phones, and no carriers have been signed up yet. Any new phone built for Android with at least a dual Cortex-A9 cores, a gig of RAM and 800 x 400 resolution could run this OS, should a manufacturer see merit in installing Ubuntu instead, and high spec 720p, quad-core phones should do wonders with it. Meanwhile, rather like Ubuntu for Android, this is still an idea looking for a device — but as ideas go, our initial impression is that it looks like a bright one, especially if you dig Linux and open source. We’re told the Galaxy Nexus-compatible build will be available for download within the next few weeks, and Mark Shuttleworth is optimistic that actual devices will ship sometime in early 2014 — which is quite a ways away. For now, check out the press release, gallery and publicity video after the break.
Update: Our hands-on video with the Benevolent Dictator himself is now live!
Gallery: Ubuntu for smartphones
Continue reading Canonical announces Ubuntu for smartphones, we go hands-on (video)
Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Mobile
If you direct your web browser to Ubuntu’s homepage, you’ll be greeted with a countdown with the words, “So close, you can almost touch it.” The countdown looks like it’s set to expire tomorrow, January 2, which is when we could see an announcement from Canonical about a possible touch-based operating system.
A touch-based OS of Ubuntu shouldn’t be a huge surprise at this point, since Canonical has recently hinted that they’re moving towards touch-based interfaces. In a Slashdot Q&A last month, Canonical founder Mark Shuttleworth made it clear that a cross-device OS was in the cards, with full mobile and tablet support set for Ubuntu 14.04 sometime in 2014.
Essentially, it’s the same approach Microsoft took with Windows in Windows 8 and Windows RT, and the challenges that faced Microsoft will also face Canonical — the company must find a way to unify the OS without alienating a subset of users. While we thought that Microsoft did a decent job with Windows 8, a lot of users feel that Microsoft screwed the pooch.
Either way, we have less than a day to go before Ubuntu’s mystery is revealed, and while we obviously know what it will be, we’re interested in finding out how the company will execute the software and what the interface will look like. If you’re at all interested in a touch-based Ubuntu OS, be sure to stick around tomorrow for the official announcement.
[via Engadget]
Ubuntu countdown teaser hints at touch support is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
“So close, you can almost touch it.” The Ubuntu home page is currently dominated by a banner with that teaser, along with a clock counting down to 8AM ET on Wednesday, January 2nd. Our guess is that the pre-CES announcement may focus on mobile, with a touch-friendly interface possibly on the horizon. During a Slashdot Q&A in December, Canonical founder Mark Shuttleworth clued readers in on the company’s plans to bring the OS to mobile devices, including smartphones and tablets, as part of a strategy to familiarize desktop users with the Linux-based operating system. While this week’s announcement may fall in line with that objective, it’s likely to be just one part of the equation, with 14.04 LTS not set to launch until April 2014 at the earliest. Either way, we have more than a day to go before Ubuntu’s mystery is unveiled, so tune your browser to the source link below to join in on the countdown fun.
[Thanks, Brian]
Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Software, Mobile
Source: Ubuntu
The Humble Indie Bundle 7 has been available for a week now, so that must mean it’s time for new games. Sure enough, a trio of indie gems has joined the already stellar Humble Bundle, bringing the total number of games on offer up to nine. The offer doesn’t just stop at games though, as Indie Game: The Movie and nine different soundtracks are also included in the bundle.
To get all of that loot, however, you’ll need to pay more than the average. Since the average currently sits at $6.45, we imagine that won’t be too difficult for most gamers. That’s especially true when you see the games that were just added to the bundle: The Basement Collection by Binding of Isaac developer Edmund McMillen, Offspring Fling, and Cave Story+. Cave Story+ has been featured in Humble Indie Bundles of the past, so veterans should be quite familiar with this game by now.
The Basement Collection is actually a bundle itself, bringing together a number of indie games made by Edmund McMillen. When you remember that Dungeon Defenders and Legend of Grimrock are both also beat-the-average bonuses, then you have every reason to shell out a little more cash. How can you possibly resist when so much great indie gaming is unlocked when you pay more than average?
Unlike the last Humble Bundle we saw, all of the games in this bundle are compatible with Windows, Mac, and Linux. With six days left to go, the amount the Humble Indie Bundle 7 has raised is closing in on $2 million, so it’s possible it could break $4 million by the time everything is said and done. Regardless of what happens in these remaining six days, we doubt it’ll manage to top the Humble THQ Bundle, which pulled in more than $5 million by the end of its run.
The Basement Collection, Cave Story+ added to Humble Indie Bundle 7 is written by Eric Abent & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
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