Hasta La Gadget!

Just because Huawei has already launched a small torrent of smartphones two months into 2013 doesn’t mean the company is taking a vacation anytime soon. Evleaks has spotted what’s purported to be the Ascend G710, a not-quite-high-end smartphone that would sit just below the Ascend D2. While it would preserve the 5-inch screen and 1.5GHz quad-core processor, it would dip to a 720p resolution. There’s hints that it may be more a step sideways, however, through some less performance-minded changes: the G710 would have a premium-looking metal (or metal-effect) back, free up screen real estate with capacitive navigation buttons and talk to both CDMA and GSM networks. When the camera, storage and the all-important launch plans are still missing, though, there’s a long way to go before we know where this latest Ascend might sit in Huawei’s catalog.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile

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Via: Engadget Chinese (translated)

Source: Evleaks (Twitter)

A cursory look at the ZTE Grand S might leave you worrying that it will fetch quite the premium for that 5-inch screen, LTE and quad-core performance. Not so, according to mobile division lead He Shiyou. He estimates that the smartphone’s price in mainland China will hover between ¥3,000 to ¥3,500 ($481 to $561), depending on market conditions — a reasonable bargain for a high-end model expected to ship before the first quarter of the year is out. We’re just left wondering whether the value-minded pricing will hold if and when the Grand S goes on a world tour.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile

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Via: GizChina

Source: MyDrivers (translated)

Science! A team of bioengineers and physicians over at Cornell University recently detailed their work to 3D print lifelike ears that may be used to treat birth defects like microtia and assist those who have lost or damaged an ear due to an accident or cancer. The product, which is, “practically identical to the human ear,” according to the school, was created using 3D printing and gels made from living cells — collagen was gathered from rat tails and cartilage cells were taken from cow’s ears. The whole process is quite quick, according to associate professor Lawrence Bonassar, who co-authored the report on the matter,

“It takes half a day to design the mold, a day or so to print it, 30 minutes to inject the gel, and we can remove the ear 15 minutes later. We trim the ear and then let it culture for several days in nourishing cell culture media before it is implanted.”

The team is looking to implant the first ear in around three years, if all goes well.

Filed under: Science, Alt

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Source: Cornell Chronicle

In an effort to usher its newest flagship‘s infrared capabilities to the masses, HTC is adding an IR API to its OpenSense SDK. Starting today, developers interested in creating applications that use the One’s IR blaster can request the software kit directly from the company. By making this API available to the masses, HTC hopes to build a stable of apps unique to its new hardware, kicking things off with Sense 5’s integrated universal TV remote control software. Devs looking to ease the pain of Logitech’s plans to kill off the Harmony — or those interested in more details — can find just that via the source link below.

Filed under: Cellphones, Software, Mobile, HTC

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Source: HTC

DJ apps for iPad? There’s a bunch. But — if you’re at all familiar with the craft — there’s a very notable name absent from the crowd. Until today that is. Native Instruments set the high watermark for DJ software with its desktop-based Traktor application, and now it’s available in compact iOS form. Designed by the same team as the full-fat version, aspiring DJs can enjoy two waveform-based decks, with three-band EQ, eight effects (ported over from Trakor Pro) all redesigned from the ground up for the iPad’s touch-based input. The interface eschews the conventional virtualization of a turntable set-up, instead creating a workflow more congruent with the hardware’s form factor. Notably, a new “Freeze” mode stops the waveform from galloping on, letting you tend to cue points, loops etc or slice it into samples for “playable” parts. There’s also interaction between the mobile and desktop versions via dropbox-based media sync, so any tracks loops and so on made on the move can be seamlessly transported to your club performance too. Think an iPad app is nice and all, but want a little more spice? Well, hook it up to one of the firm’s popular Audio 6 or Audio 10 interfaces (via the USB connection kit) you just got proper pre-listen and cue functionality too. Traktor DJ is available today for $19.99, and if you’re still undecided, there’s a demo video after the break that might just swing it for you.

Filed under: Tablets

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Source: Native Instruments