Hasta La Gadget!

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the September 11th attacks. The brilliant memorial (partially shown above) to be unveiled that day is radical not only as a result of on-site electronics, but also thanks to a computer algorithm, responsible for resting fallen victims next to each other based on affiliation, not the alphabet. Victims will be grouped by employer, but also by their friendships — before the towers fell, and now for generations to come.

Algorithm places September 11th victims next to friends at 9/11 Memorial originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 06 May 2011 11:37:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bonhams’ upcoming Space History Sale — happening May 5th in New York — is filled with items that will make any space geek reconsider their current spending priorities, but we couldn’t help but notice one particular item that hits a little closer to home. Mixed in with spacesuits expected to fetch upwards of $100,000 and other various memorabilia from both the US and Soviet space programs in this, a wholly ordinary Nintendo Game Boy (complete with Tetris, of course) that accompanied cosmonaut Aleksandr A. Serebrov on Soyuz mission TM-17 in 1993. Interested? The estimate is pegged at a somewhat reasonable $1,500 to $2,000, but we have a sneaking suspicion Bonhams might be underestimating the will of a considerable number of folks who are both space and video game nerds (we’re speaking as one ourselves, of course). Hit up the source link below to check out everything up for auction.

Bonhams’ Space History Sale includes spacesuits, memorabilia, and a Game Boy flown in space originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 02 May 2011 11:55:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Can’t say we’re surprised by this, but turns out Verizon’s decided to delay the launch of its Samsung Droid Charge — originally scheduled for today — at the very last minute. According to an internal email we obtained, the blame’s on “unexpected delays” and no new date has yet been set. This makes sense, considering it wouldn’t do Verizon much good to launch a new 4G Android when its LTE service is still down (for over 24 hours and still counting). Ah well, this 4.3-incher better be worth the wait.

[Thanks, Anonymous]

Update: We’re hearing reports that LTE is gradually being restored across the states, and our own Myriam Joire also sees 4G connection in San Francisco. That said, at this stage it’s unlikely that the Droid Charge will resume launch today.

Update 2: Apparently the folks at Target aren’t picking up what Verizon’s putting down, as a tipster has told us it’s releasing the Charge today as planned. Picture’s after the break.

Continue reading Verizon freezes Droid Charge launch indefinitely, blaming ‘unexpected delays’ (update)

Verizon freezes Droid Charge launch indefinitely, blaming ‘unexpected delays’ (update) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 28 Apr 2011 04:18:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We recently deemed the ASUS Eee Pad Transformer the “best Honeycomb tablet yet.” Admittedly that was before we got our hands on the T-Mobile G-Slate, but it’s still an awfully nice hunk of glass, and now we know just how much you’re going to have to pay to get one — and exactly when you can plunk down that credit card. The 10.1-inch Transformer with its 1280 x 800 IPS panel and 16GB of storage will cost you $399, while the 32GB version will set you back $499. That docking station, which kinda sorta turns it into a laptop? That costs $150. Units are expected to hit retail on Tuesday, April 26th, meaning you have just five days to scrounge together four or five Benjamins — plus tax, of course.

ASUS Eee Pad Transformer hits US on April 26th for $399 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Apr 2011 04:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Robotics experts at the Department of Energy’s Idaho National Laboratory just taught an old war machine some new tricks, namely radiation detection — a timely acquisition of knowledge, for sure. Swapping out rocket launchers and machine guns for a suite of radiological sensors, digital cameras, and a GPS device, this modified TALON will be used to map the radiation levels (and create a visual output) surrounding the Fukushima nuclear power plant. The newly modified TALON landed in Japan just last week, joining an existing team of robot helpers already in use in the disaster area, including two additional TALONs equipped with sensors that can identify more than 7500 environmental hazards. Guns for Geiger counters seems like a good trade to us; check the video up top to watch the ‘bot try out its treads.

[Thanks, John]

TALON robot gets declawed, helps Japan sniff out radiation (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 16 Apr 2011 23:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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