Hasta La Gadget!

Don’t act surprised. Japan, the land that just can’t get enough of robots — whether it’s for cooking, entertainment or interstellar warfare — now also conducts its weddings with the help of a ceremonial drone. Tomohiro Shibata and Satoko Inoue, who met in the course of their work in robotics, decided that getting married with the help of the I-Fairy bot you see above was a “natural choice.” We’ll just assume that’s a translational quirk and not an ultra-ironic statement from the happy couple. The I-Fairy isn’t quite as realistic as some of Kokoro‘s other humanoids, but it does come with flashing, anime-sized eyes, which we’re gonna go ahead and assume are popular over in Nippon. Video after the break.

Continue reading I-Fairy weds a couple of Japanese robot geeks (video)

I-Fairy weds a couple of Japanese robot geeks (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 17 May 2010 05:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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With international pre-orders now being taken, more data plan details have started emerging for Apple’s iPad. We now know that Rogers will be charging Canadians pretty similarly to how AT&T treats American 3G users, albeit with the inclusion of a 5GB monthly data cap on the pricier tariff. O2 has also outed its plans, though it’s not much better news in the UK where it’s matching Orange’s pricing with a 3GB monthly allowance for £15 per month ($22), while Vodafone has completely lost its marbles with a 250MB offers a 1GB option costing £10 a month and 5GB costing £25 per month. Apple engages in a bit of false advertising in Germany, claiming unlimited data plans with O2 (€25) and Vodafone (€29.95), but there are clear limits set out on the carriers’ sites of 5GB and 3GB per month, respectively.

Finally, Japan gets the stiffest deal of all with iPads there officially confirmed to be SIM-locked to Softbank Mobile‘s network, something that has already earned plenty of ire from the local populace. The carrier does offer a variety of monthly payment plans for obtaining your tablet, though its data tariffs are nothing special: ¥2,910 ($32) for a month’s unlimited use if you sign up to what seems like a longer-term plan, or ¥4,410 ($48) for a 1GB allowance if you go pre-paid. There’s a third option for spendthrifts, costing ¥1,510 ($16) for 100MB pre-paid, but that’s not even enough for you to watch a full Engadget Show, so we’d probably advise against it. You can find price breakdowns for each country after the break.

[Thanks, Bram]

Update: Rogers has killed that lovely third option shown in the image above. Hope you weren’t excited about it.

Update 2: Turns out Apple had the wrong details about Vodafone UK too — you get 1GB of data if you spend £10 a month. [Thanks, Rob]

Update 3: Movistar, Telefonica’s consumer arm in Spain, has announced a pretty stonking deal: if you already have a smartphone data plan costing €25 a month, you can get a Micro SIM and 3G data on your iPad for free. Espana totally just won the “best place to own an iPad” contest.

Continue reading iPad international data plans roundup: Japan gets SIM-locked devices, Spain gets a great deal more (updated)

iPad international data plans roundup: Japan gets SIM-locked devices, Spain gets a great deal more (updated) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 10 May 2010 07:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Interesting. Sony’s teasing a new VAIO “Ultra Mobile” in Japan. No idea what this could be: refreshed VAIO X lappie, VAIO P netbook, or a new take on its venerable VAIO UX micro PC? With Intel’s Moorestown just around the corner we’re leaning towards the latter, hoping for it anyway — Sony doesn’t tease just any old product without good reason. Oh, wait.

Update: A previously proven Sony tipster tells us that a new VAIO P is the mystery device. In fact, it’s orange and the paper clip to the left actually represents the unit as viewed from the side. Trippy.

Sony teases VAIO Ultra Mobile, Clippy chuffed (Update: new VAIO P) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Apr 2010 07:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Our grandparents did warn us that laziness would get us in trouble. The Japanese government and private sector are, according to the Nikkei, all set to begin work on a collaborative new project to develop thought-controlled gadgets, devices … and robots. The aim is to produce brain-to-computer interfaces that would allow the ability to change channels or pump out texts just with your almighty brain power, while also facilitating artificial intelligence that would be capable of detecting when you’re hungry, cold, or in need of assistance. Manufacturing giants Toyota, Honda and Hitachi get name-dropped as potential participants in this 10-year plan, though we wonder if any of them will have the sense to ask what happens when an ultra-precise and emotionless bot is given both intelligence and mind-reading powers. Would it really stick to dunking biscuits in our tea, or would it prefer something a little more exciting?

Japan plans mind-reading robots and brain interface devices ‘by 2020’ originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 23 Apr 2010 10:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Still monkeying around with that Finepix Real 3D W1 camera, somewhat confused about what exactly you bought it for? Take heart, bandwagon jumper — the bridge you’ve been searching for has just been constructed. Fujifilm has recently introduced a new card reader / HD player for use with its year-old 3D point-and-shoot, and judging by the topic of conversation at this year’s CES, it sure seems like the timing is far better this go ’round. Put simply, the HDP-L1 (¥4,000; $43) accepts both 2D and 3D content stored on SD / SDHC cards from your W1, and the HDMI output pipes that content directly onto your shiny new 3D HDTV for at-home enjoyment. We’re told that it’ll also work with that antediluvian 2D content as well, but let’s be honest — you didn’t buy a 3D camera just to shoot in 2D, now did you? On second thought, don’t answer that.

Fujifilm’s Finepix HD Player HDP-L1 puts 3D W1 footage onto your new 3D HDTV originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 23 Apr 2010 06:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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