NEC’s Medias X smartphone for DoCoMo features first-ever liquid-cooled CPU

NEC's Medias X smartphone for DoCoMo features first ever liquidcooled CPU

NEC’s just broken some new ground with the Medias X, the world’s first liquid-cooled smartphone that was launched as part of DoCoMo’s summer lineup. Rather than aiming it at the propeller-heads usually associated with that tech, though, NEC and DoCoMo are marketing it toward women in the same patronizing manner as the infamous HTC Rhyme and Fujitsu Arows Kiss F-03D. But back to the handset itself: cooling for the quad-core Snapdragon 600 CPU works via a liquid-charged tube from the processor to a graphite “radiator” along the system board that disperses heat. We’re not exactly sure why the phone needs it, though, as the rest of the specs don’t exactly scream overheating: Android 4.2, a 4.7-inch 720p display, LTE and a 13.1-megapixel Exmor RS camera. Though NEC claims the phone runs much cooler than a standard model (see the graphic after the break), we haven’t heard too many complaints about hot phones lately — but perhaps we’re hanging with the wrong crowd.

Filed under: ,

Comments

Via: The Verge

Source: NEC

Verizon offers VMware Horizon Mobile virtual workspace to Android users

Verizon releases VMware Horizon Mobile virtual workspace on Intuition and Droid RAZR M

We’d heard talk long, long ago of Verizon hooking up with VMware for a virtual workspace on its smartphones, and we can at last say that it’s more than just chatter. Starting today, Verizon’s business customers can buy VMware’s Horizon Mobile for their Android devices. The solution gives corporate phones a common desktop with encrypted apps, data and policies that can’t be touched from the device’s regular environment. While this puts the Verizon-VMware partnership in competition with the likes of BlackBerry Secure Work Space and Samsung Knox, it won’t be a perfect match for those services: the two companies are asking $125 per person for Horizon Mobile, and the initial device support is oddly limited to the LG Intuition and Motorola Droid RAZR M (neither is pictured here). Nonetheless, the deal might be a good fit for companies that would rather tie their phones to a single carrier than any one hardware manufacturer.

Filed under: , , , , ,

Comments

Source: VMware

Sony announces pricing for 55- and 65-inch 4K TVs in the UK, pre-order now, in-stores June

Sony announces pricing for 55 and 65inch 4K TVs in the UK, preorder now, instores June

Fancy some of the 4K magic from Sony, but are living over in the UK? Well you can get one step closer by pre-ordering today. The Bravia X9 — as it’s known over there — comes in two sizes (55- and 65-inch) both of which will land in bricks and mortar stores in mid-June. The price? Well, £4,000 and £6,000 respectively. That outlay will get you upscaling on all your media, and Sony’s 4K X-Reality PRO enginge handling the full-resolution stuff. Still not convinced? Well there is NFC and plus a TV SlideView app for Android and iOS if that sweetens the deal?

Filed under: , ,

Comments

University of Texas gaming academy to be led by execs behind Deus Ex, Warcraft

University of Texas gaming academy to be led by game execs behind Deus Ex, Warcraft

Whatever value you see in game development schools, it’s clear that few of them tout gaming industry veterans who can lead by example. The University of Texas’ upcoming Denius-Sams Gaming Academy could solve this discrepancy by tapping two executives whose work many of us know by heart. Both legendary designer Warren Spector and Blizzard COO Paul Sams will guide (and sometimes teach) year-long post-baccalaureate certificate programs at the Academy that focus on creative leadership and game company management — yes, that means instruction from gurus behind the Deus Ex and Warcraft franchises, among other classics. The programs will also emphasize that all-important ability to finish a game, rather than mastering skills in isolation. The first students join the Academy’s ranks in fall 2014, although they’ll need to be exceptional to stand a chance of getting in — just 20 spots will be open in the first year.

[Image credits: Nightscream, Wikipedia; Rob Fahey, Flickr]

Filed under: , ,

Comments

Source: University of Texas at Austin

Hamster wheel used to control human-sized treadmill (video)

DNP

Sure, your pet hamster’s amazing leg strength may someday power a house, but can it beat you in a race? A pair of Chicago-based artists might be able to help you solve this mystery. The duo recently hooked up a homemade tachometer to a hamster’s exercise wheel and mapped the data to a treadmill’s motor. The fur ball’s RPMs are transferred in real time, which gives it the ability to control its bipedal competitor’s running speeds. The team cautions that no animals were harmed during this experiment, however a human ego may have been bruised after trying to keep up with a tireless rodent.

Filed under: ,

Comments

Source: Daniel Jay Bertner (Blog)

Dyson DC47 and DC50 Animal vacuums shrink in size but not in suction

Dyson vacuum goes smaller, captures more dust with new DC47 and DC50

If you’re one of the remaining holdouts who hasn’t yet picked up a Dyson vacuum cleaner, get ready to be enticed by a couple new ones. The household name in suction has introduced two new “Animal” series dust busters, the DC47 and the DC50. The former is canister-shaped, while the DC50 stands upright. Both were designed to be much smaller and lighter than their predecessors, with the DC47 weighing in at 13.47 pounds and the DC50 tipping in at 11.6 pounds. They both boast 2 Tier Radial cyclones to extract more microscopic dust, a new Ball pivot that’s supposedly more maneuverable and carbon fiber brushes that promise to remove more dust from hard floors due to a lack of static build-up. If you’re sold, get ready to cough up some major cash: the DC47 Animal is $449.99, while the DC50 Animal is $499.99. If you want the latest and greatest in designer vacuums, you can snag one from the source link or your favorite Dyson retailer.

Filed under:

Comments

Source: Dyson

ESPN and Twitter widen their deal for in-tweet video highlights

ESPN and Twitter widen their deal for inline video highlights

Twitter would really, really like to make ad-driven TV experiences central parts of its service, and it just confirmed that laser-like focus through an expanded deal with ESPN. The sports broadcaster will soon show in-tweet video highlights of football, soccer and the X Games; Twitter, in turn, gets a guaranteed volume of promoted tweets to parallel ads inside the videos themselves. While we’re not looking forward to the new marketing pitches when they surface in the year ahead, we’ll be happy if we can catch more replays without losing our place in the social stream.

Filed under: , ,

Comments

Source: Wall Street Journal

Sony SBH50 Bluetooth headset touts NFC and a smart remote (video)

Sony SBH50 Bluetooth headset touts NFC and a smart remote video

Sony’s Xperia ZR isn’t reaching the market all by its lonesome: it’s accompanied by a high-end Bluetooth headset, the SBH50. The sequel to the Smart Wireless Headset Pro mostly ups the ante with NFC — listeners just have to tap the smart remote against their Xperias (or many other NFC-aware devices) to get going. There’s still the emphasis on higher-than-usual quality for wireless audio; likewise, the remote continues to preview calls and messages, play FM radio and take the owner’s pick of wired headphones. Sony has only committed to launching the SBH50 “soon” and hasn’t mentioned prices, but we’d use the previous headset’s $150 price as a rough benchmark. Catch Sony’s overview video after the break.

Filed under: , , , ,

Comments

Via: Sony Mobile (Facebook)

Source: Sony

T-Mobile raises iPhone 5 down payment by $50, device now costs $150

T-Mobile raises iPhone 5 down payment by $50, device now costs $150

After a month of offering the iPhone 5 for $100 down, T-Mobile has quietly increased the upfront cost by $50. Even with the price hike, it’s still less expensive than on most other carriers, but some type of warning would’ve certainly been appreciated. As for the rest of T-Mobile’s new pricing scheme, its $20-a month, two-year amortization schedule remains intact. Consider us skeptical, but hopefully this is just a case of growing pains, and unannounced promotions won’t be part of the UnCarrier’s game plan going forward.

Filed under: , ,

Comments

Via: TmoNews

Source: T-Mobile

Verizon bumps up Samsung Galaxy S 4 launch to May 23rd

Samsung Galaxy S 4 for Verizon

Disappoined that Verizon wasn’t going to offer its variant of the Galaxy S 4 until May 30th? You’re in for an unexpected treat: Big Red has just moved up the launch by a full week, to May 23rd. The $200 contract price remains the same, but we won’t complain much when Samsung’s quad-core flagship should now arrive ahead of the long weekend. It looks like those supply issues weren’t quite so bad as some thought.

Filed under: , , ,

Comments

Source: Verizon