Feb 04
DARPA has announced the launch of a public website offering anyone access to its open source offerings, the Open Catalog. With this comes the hope easy access will facilitate more … Continue reading
Feb 04
Apple has been rumored for a while to be working on a new Apple television, not to be confused with the Apple TV set top box. The Apple TV set … Continue reading
Feb 04
When Microsoft first launched its slick Kinect motion tracking and facial recognition system, it was hacked for all sorts of uses including reading sign language. It appears that yet another … Continue reading
Feb 03
Those who watched the Super Bowl yesterday likely marveled at the bright lights flashing from the stands during the half time show, something that was both a wonderful backdrop for … Continue reading
Feb 03
While the mystery surrounding Google’s barge constructions has almost been solved, the company has been mostly tight-lipped about the matter. But Google may now have more than just leaks and … Continue reading
Feb 03
PIXYUL Studios startup plans to map the globe with drones for survival game
Posted in: Today's ChiliDrones have a lot of promise on the civilian and consumer level, and some companies have already considered how they can use this technology to improve their products and services. … Continue reading
Feb 03
Here’s another computer looking for a dumb terminal to mate with. Like the ICE xPC, Tango crams in the main components of a computer into a palm-sized case. It also uses a dock to connect to an HDMI display and other peripherals.
Tango has a 2GHz quad-core AMD A6-5200 CPU with an integrated Radeon HD 8400 GPU. It can have between 2GB to 8GB RAM as well as a 32GB to 512GB SSD. Like the ICE xPC, Tango can be loaded with pretty much any desktop operating system.
Unlike ICE xPC, Tango keeps it simple and only has one dock. That dock has an HDMI port, three USB 2.0 ports, one USB 3.0 port, an Ethernet jack and a Wi-Fi adapter. The dock of course needs to be plugged into an outlet for the whole setup to work.
Pledge at least $349 (USD) on Indiegogo to get a Tango PC and a docking station as a reward; there are also separate pledges for additional docking stations.
I still don’t think that this is the best solution to portable computing on a budget. Yes, it has decent specs and is quite cheap, but it’s clunky and messy. You’ll need multiple docks, keyboards, mice and a whole lot of cables for it to be worth it. Windows 8.1 tablets like the ASUS Transformer Book T100, the Dell Venue 11 Pro and the new ThinkPad 8 are more useful than the Tango, but they also cost more and run only Windows. Chromebooks are cheap and come with a keyboard and screen but they might not have access to the programs you need. I guess beggars can’t be choosers.
Feb 02
The new PS3 racing game Gran Turismo 6 lets players drive concept cars made expressly by automotive companies and other brands for the game. Honda is one of those companies, but it’s also using a newer form of technology to reach out to its fans. The Japanese automaker recently made 3D models of its concept cars available for download.
As of this writing the Honda 3D Design Archives features five downloadable 3D models, headlined by the 2013 Acura NSX Concept. You can also download the Fuya-Jo, the FSR Concept, the Kiwami and the toaster-like Puyo from the website. Not familiar with any of those cars? Check out this video:
Man, I need to step my daydream game up. Drive your browser to Honda 3D Design Archives and download the models.
[via TomoChan Store]
Feb 02
A growing number of establishments are accepting Bitcoin as payment. Now you can even use it to play arcade games. British company Liberty Games combined the cutting edge currency with the aging gaming platform to make a simple transaction hilariously complicated. The company used a Raspberry Pi and a PiFace add-on to make the payment interface.
Liberty Games first tried their Bitcoin payment mod on a pool table. After receiving good feedback for that mod, the company decided to apply it on an arcade machine.
The great thing about their method is that it doesn’t mess with the machine’s software, which means it can be performed on pretty much any coin-operated arcade game. Not that you should.
[via Gamefreaks]
Feb 01
Last year we talked a bit about the Soccket soccer ball, or football depending on where you are from, when it turned up on Kickstarter. At the time a pledge of $89 would get you one. If you missed the Kickstarter campaign and want to get your hands on one of the power generating balls, you now can.
It uses tech inside the ball that captures and stores electricity when the ball is kicked around. It’s designed primarily for use in developing nations which have limited access to electricity, and can provide three hours of light after 30 minutes of play, using the flexible LED lamp included with each ball.
https://vimeo.com/8103669
The power captured by the generator inside is stored in a battery pack. If you don’t need a light, the power can be used to charge a smartphone. Keep in mind that its USB jack offers only 6W so it’s not enough for most tablets.
The Soccket ball is now available to purchase for $99(USD).
[via EverythingUSB]
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