Friday, August 31, 2012

Samsung announces Galaxy Note II, hits shelves in October

Samsung announces Galaxy Note II, hits shelves in October: "Taking the stage at IFA 2012, South Korean technology giant Samsung has announced the successor to its stylus-equipped, supersized Galaxy Note, the Galaxy Note II."

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In the flesh: 145 inches of 8K Super Hi-Vision

In the flesh: 145 inches of 8K Super Hi-Vision: "I see your 84-inch 4K TV, and raise you one 145-inch 8K Super Hi-Vision monster of a display. First seeing light of day back in April, this collaborative effort from Panasonic and Japanese national broadcaster NHK has a resolution of 7680 x 4320 (more than 33 million pixels), and, being a plasma screen, is the first 8K display without need of a backlight. Naturally, Gizmag jumped at the chance to see it in the flesh at IFA 2012."

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WWE legend George "The Animal" Steele recalls telling jokes while testifying in front of a grand jury regarding drug testing in WWE, overcoming serious medical issues, working with Randy Savage

WWE legend George "The Animal" Steele recalls telling jokes while testifying in front of a grand jury regarding drug testing in WWE, overcoming serious medical issues, working with Randy Savage: "WWE legend George "The Animal" Steele recalls telling jokes while testifying in front of a grand jury regarding drug testing in WWE, overcoming serious medical issues, working with Randy Savage"

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Thursday, August 30, 2012

KEYC - Mankato News, Weather, Sports - - Farmer won't be charged for shooting rogue deer

KEYC - Mankato News, Weather, Sports - - Farmer won't be charged for shooting rogue deer: "A northwestern Minnesota farmer who made news when he got pummeled by a deer won't be charged with shooting the buck out of season."

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Wednesday, August 29, 2012

"Real-life tricorder" to be tested on International Space Station

"Real-life tricorder" to be tested on International Space Station: "While still impressive, the capabilities of early "tricorders," such as the Scanadu and Dr Jansen's tricorder, fall well short of the Star Trek device that inspired them. But new technology to be tested on the International Space Station (ISS) brings the age of instant diagnosis of medical conditions using a portable device a step closer."

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Pyros Small Tactical Munition hits bulls-eye in field testing

Pyros Small Tactical Munition hits bulls-eye in field testing: "Raytheon's new Pyros small tactical munition has passed an end-to-end live test with flying colors. The Pyros was dropped from a Cobra unmanned air vehicle (UAV) to demonstrate the glide bomb's semi-active laser and GPS guidance modes, its height-of-burst sensor for standoff detonation above a target, its electronic safe and arm device, and the new five pound NammoTalley multi-effects warhead."

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Fliz bike combines walking, cycling, and nostalgia

Fliz bike combines walking, cycling, and nostalgia: "Bicycles haven't really changed much in over 100 years. Of course the materials used, technologies employed, and safety equipment utilized have all improved a great deal, but two wheels, one of which is linked to pedals by a chain, is still the basic layout."

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Monday, August 27, 2012

Mobile app turns smartphones into “virtual radios” for first responders

Mobile app turns smartphones into “virtual radios” for first responders: "In an emergency, every second counts, and communication between various emergency services and government agencies can be of critical importance."

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Honda introduces its newest robot, and it cuts your lawn for you

Honda introduces its newest robot, and it cuts your lawn for you: "Is mowing the lawn one of those household chores that you absolutely dread? Well, Honda is offering a new product in Europe designed to make it so you never have to walk behind a lawn mower again. The Honda Miimo is Honda’s entry into the growing robotic lawn mower market."

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EcoXPower powers bicycle lights and charges mobile devices simultaneously

EcoXPower powers bicycle lights and charges mobile devices simultaneously: "EcoXPower by EcoXGear is another take on a concept which most Gizmag readers will be familiar with: harnessing the kinetic energy produced while one pedals a bicycle in order to convert it into electricity and charge a smartphone or similar device."

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Friday, August 24, 2012

Spray-on coating helps keep bananas from spoiling

Spray-on coating helps keep bananas from spoiling: "Just about everyone loves bananas, but there is one problem with the things – they have a way of becoming overripe before they can be eaten. Yesterday, however, a scientist from China’s Tianjin University of Science and Technology announced the development of a spray-on coating that is capable of keeping picked bananas fresh for almost two weeks."

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Is your hotel room lock safe? Why the answer could well be no

Is your hotel room lock safe? Why the answer could well be no: "If, during your next hotel stay, you're met with a lock on your door like that pictured above, it's time for a conversation with management. This is an Onity HT series lock. Cody Brocious claims that the company has sold 10 million of its various locks to hoteliers, accounting for half of all locks worldwide, and appearing in one in three hotels"

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Thursday, August 23, 2012

SunVolt solar charger claims "outlet-like" charging times

SunVolt solar charger claims "outlet-like" charging times: "SunVolt is a portable solar power station able to harness the Sun's rays in order to charge low-power mobile electronic devices, such as digital cameras, e-book readers, cell-phones and tablets. While you'd be forgiven for feeling underwhelmed on hearing news of yet another solar charger in the works, the crucial difference between SunVolt and existing solar chargers like the Solarmonkey and EnerPlex, is that SunVolt’s creator Don Cayelli claims his product can, on a clear day, charge multiple devices just as quickly as if they were plugged into the wall."

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Neurological discovery could lead to machines that speak for the speechless

Neurological discovery could lead to machines that speak for the speechless: "Recently, scientists unlocked the code used by neurons in the retina for sending visual data to the brain. This allowed them to create a device that restored almost-normal vision to blind mice. Now, another group of scientists has announced that they have determined the brain’s code for pronouncing vowels, and they believe that their discovery could lead to machines that speak for people who are physically unable to do so."

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DARPA releases video of floating tank-like CAAT vehicle

DARPA releases video of floating tank-like CAAT vehicle: "So the year is 2015, and you're in a serious disaster – one that requires the immediate provision of food, water, medical care, and shelter for a hundred thousand people. In other words, not something that a few airlifts will handle. If there is navigable water anywhere nearby, you could be saved by a future version of one of DARPA's new toys: the Captive Air Amphibious Transporter (CAAT)."

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Wednesday, August 22, 2012

McLaren one-off X1 concept surfaces at Pebble Beach

McLaren one-off X1 concept surfaces at Pebble Beach: "The Pebble Beach Concours at Monterey is used to seeing the weird and wonderful creations of bespoke vehicle design and craftsmanship, but one of the most surprising entrants this year was from the McLaren Special Operations team. The vehicle, known as the X1 Concept, is an extraordinary mixture of McLaren MP12C road car and an entirely new bodyshell crafted in a style that wouldn't look out of place in a 1930s comic book. Before you imagine that McLaren has hit the crazy button, a little explanation is in order."

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Video purports to show successful hover bike test flights

Video purports to show successful hover bike test flights: "Videos released by California-based tech research company Aerofex appear to show successful test flights of a prototype hover bike that gains lift from two large ducted rotors, similar in principle to Chris Malloy's Hoverbike prototype we've previously covered. Aeroflex claims its hover bike allows the pilot intuitive control over pitch, roll and yaw without need of artificial intelligence, flight software or electronics of any kind."

'via Blog this'

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Royal Navy’s T26 GCS next-gen warship unveiled

Royal Navy’s T26 GCS next-gen warship unveiled: "The U.K.’s Ministry of Defence (MOD) has unveiled its new multi-mission warship - the Type 26 Global Combat Ship (T26 GCS). Due to replace the thirteen Type 23 frigates in Britain’s Royal Navy when it enters service in after 2020, the T26 GCS has been in development by the MOD and BAE Systems since 2010 and is intended for use in combat and counter-piracy operations as well as supporting humanitarian and disaster relief work around the world."

'via Blog this'

Slovenia's supercar: The Tushek Renovatio T500

Slovenia's supercar: The Tushek Renovatio T500: "In the future, every nation on the globe may just have its own home-brewed supercar. We're getting closer every year, one country at a time. We've seen a 1,100-hp electric supercar from Croatia. Brazil and Poland have chimed in with their thoughts on supercar design. The Netherlands and Denmark have represented. Now, Slovenia has a little something to say."

'via Blog this'

Room-temperature solid state maser may be the laser of tomorrow

Room-temperature solid state maser may be the laser of tomorrow: "Everyone has heard of lasers, but hardly anyone outside of a physics lab or a science fiction novel has heard of a maser. Despite the fact that it was the precursor of the laser, the maser has been something of a technological backwater because masers are difficult to build and expensive to operate. "

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War of the Worlds: Curiosity fires first laser shot on Mars

War of the Worlds: Curiosity fires first laser shot on Mars: "NASA’s Mars rover Curiosity has fired its laser for the first time. Its target wasn’t attacking Martians, but a 7 cm (2.75 inch) wide rock called “Coronation” (AKA N165) about 10 feet (3 m) from the rover. Curiosity’s laser fired 30 pulses over a ten-second interval, hitting Coronation with one million watts for five-one billionths of a second."

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Is this the largest rooftop wind installation in the world?

Is this the largest rooftop wind installation in the world?: "A newly opened wind farm on the roof of the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation is claimed by turbine suppliers Venger to be the largest building-integrated wind farm in the US. But might it be the largest in the world?"

'via Blog this'

Saturday, August 18, 2012

NASA's "Mighty Eagle" targets asteroid or Mercury landings

NASA's "Mighty Eagle" targets asteroid or Mercury landings: "The crash of NASA’s Morpheus lander was an unfortunate setback, but like any good space pioneer, the agency has more than one string to its bow - and more than one lander in the hanger."

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Friday, August 17, 2012

5 Things You Didn’t Know About The First Digital Cameras

5 Things You Didn’t Know About The First Digital Cameras: "The digital camera has taken more than 35 years of technological advancement to reach its current stage of development. The journey from original concept to the all-singing devices we have access to today has been long, and still new technologies in photography emerge. I’m already excited about what the next 35 years might bring."

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General Imaging introduces ipico hand-held projector for iPhone

General Imaging introduces ipico hand-held projector for iPhone: "If you're the kind of iPhone and iPod touch user who likes to share your photos, home movies and amusing social network feeds with a bigger audience than your iDevice screen allows, General Imaging's new ipico may just be what you're looking for."

'via Blog this'

One size fits all Mobi-Lens improves the camera of almost any device

One size fits all Mobi-Lens improves the camera of almost any device: "The Mobi-Lens is a portable lens for your cell phone, tablet, and even some laptops. Instead of having a design that is exclusive to a certain device, the Mobi-Lens uses a clip-on design that will work with almost anything."

'via Blog this'

Kelty AirPitch inflatable tents pitch in less than a minute

Kelty AirPitch inflatable tents pitch in less than a minute: "Most tents still use solid metal, fiberglass and composite poles, but a few manufacturers, including Nemo, have experimented with inflatable poles to limit packed size and make set-up easier."

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Thursday, August 16, 2012

Canon Rebel Recovered After Spending 3 Years Underwater – PictureCorrect

Canon Rebel Recovered After Spending 3 Years Underwater – PictureCorrect: "When on a vacation in Adirondack, New York, amateur photographer, Michael Comeau’s Canon Rebel XT fell from his hand and plummeted off the bridge he was standing on, to what Comeau assumed was a certain death for the camera. He eventually came to terms with his loss and moved on. Then, three years later, Comeau was contacted by a complete stranger with some very uplifting news."

'via Blog this'

Agri-Cube grows mass quantities of vegetables in a one-car parking spot

Agri-Cube grows mass quantities of vegetables in a one-car parking spot: "Daiwa House, Japan's largest homebuilder, has introduced a line of prefabricated hydroponic vegetable factories, aimed at housing complexes, hotels, and top-end restaurants. Called the Agri-Cube, these units are touted by Daiwa as the first step in the industrialization of agriculture, to be located in and amongst the places where people live, work, and play."

'via Blog this'

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

How to Properly Fit Hiking Boots

How to Properly Fit Hiking Boots: "When it comes to hiking boots, you should try as many as possible, until you find the perfect fit. As with other shoes, your boots will need some breaking in before they fit you perfectly, but for comfort and safety on the trails, you should buy ones which have the best fit possible."

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Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Gamera II human-powered helicopter flight record confirmed by NAA

Gamera II human-powered helicopter flight record confirmed by NAA: "The unofficial human-powered helicopter flight record set by Kyle Gluesenkamp from the A. James Clark School of Engineering's Gamera II team on June 21 2012 has just been ratified by the National Aeronautic Association (NAA). The new national record has now been submitted to the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale for approval as a new world record."

'via Blog this'

NASA’s Mars rover Curiosity getting "brain transplant"

NASA’s Mars rover Curiosity getting "brain transplant": "NASA’s Mars rover Curiosity is changing its mind – or rather, NASA is changing Curiosity’s mind for it. The 4X4-sized robot explorer is spending its first weekend on the Red Planet installing a major software update that NASA calls a “brain transplant.” This new software replaces that which Curiosity ran while in transit from Earth and will prepare the rover for exploring the Martian surface."

'via Blog this'

Sunday, August 12, 2012

Take better notes with the Echo Smartpen | How To - CNET

Take better notes with the Echo Smartpen | How To - CNET: "This is not your average pen. Find out how the Echo Smartpen syncs audio with handwritten notes and digitizes them -- and learn a few tricks along the way."

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Massive Nook Tablet Price Drop – Will Kindle Fire Price Drop Follow? « Kindle Review – Kindle Fire Review, Kindle 4 Review

Massive Nook Tablet Price Drop – Will Kindle Fire Price Drop Follow? « Kindle Review – Kindle Fire Review, Kindle 4 Review: "The Kindle Fire and the Nook Tablet 8 GB have been at $199 for a long time. The Nook Tablet 16 GB has been at $249 while the Google Nexus 7 came in at $209 for the 8 GB version."

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Saturday, August 11, 2012

ILOA's Moon observatory plans progress

ILOA's Moon observatory plans progress: "The International Lunar Observatory Association (ILOA) is being backed by Google Lunar X Prize contestant Moon Express in placing a small telescope on the Moon's surface to test and troubleshoot operating protocols for a fully loaded remote telescope. "

'via Blog this'

Solar-powered Silent Falcon UAV unveiled

Solar-powered Silent Falcon UAV unveiled: "UAVs have become increasingly common in everything from carrying out missile strikes against terrorists to helping map archaeological sites. They come in all sizes from jet-powered behemoths to ones so small that they can sit in your hand."

'via Blog this'

Friday, August 10, 2012

Sneak Peek: DRD Tactical Arms Paratus Clandestine Breakdown Rifle | TheBlaze.com

Sneak Peek: DRD Tactical Arms Paratus Clandestine Breakdown Rifle | TheBlaze.com: "The Blaze has been given a first look at an incredible special ops breakdown rifle that you haven’t seen anywhere else."

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Awesome Experiments with Water in Zero Gravity [Video] - How-To Geek

Awesome Experiments with Water in Zero Gravity [Video] - How-To Geek:

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Iron-air batteries may prove a cheap, eco-friendly solution for energy storage

Iron-air batteries may prove a cheap, eco-friendly solution for energy storage: "Revamping a concept that was first explored forty years ago, researchers at the University of Southern California (USC) are putting the final touches on a patent-pending design for cheap, rechargeable, high energy density iron-air batteries. Because of their unique features, the batteries look particularly well-suited to the kind of large-scale energy storage that could accelerate the adoption of renewable energy sources."

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25 Awesome Gadgets for $50 or Less | PCWorld

25 Awesome Gadgets for $50 or Less | PCWorld: "We scoured the Web for the best deals on 25 gadgets you might actually want to buy. All you have to do is sit back and click through the slideshow."

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Thursday, August 9, 2012

Stone Spray builds architecture from the ground up ... literally

Stone Spray builds architecture from the ground up ... literally: "As useful as 3D printers are becoming in industrial design, they still aren't exactly eco-friendly and are still mostly limited to small scale objects. You couldn't really use one to print a building just yet, but a group of architects may have taken a step in the right direction with a new machine called the Stone Spray. Using natural soil and sand, the Stone Spray can construct intricate solid structures at almost any location, even on vertical surfaces."

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Bicycle Rim Lights

Bicycle Rim Lights:

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Wednesday, August 8, 2012

NASA demonstrates Morpheus Lander prototype

NASA demonstrates Morpheus Lander prototype: "While the spotlight this month has been firmly on Curiosity's rendezvous with the Red Planet, NASA has also been showcasing some of the technology we can expect to see on future missions in the form of the Morpheus Lander."

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Disaster Preparedness: Planning Ahead | PCMag.com

Disaster Preparedness: Planning Ahead | PCMag.com: "Anyone who has actually managed a business' recovery from a disaster knows that the most critical factor when it comes to business and operation continuity is having a plan in place before the disaster strikes."

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Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Stompy: 18 foot wide, 6-legged, rideable robot in the works

Stompy: 18 foot wide, 6-legged, rideable robot in the works: "Project Hexapod is aiming to make the construction of large scale robots cheaper and easier for hobbyists with Stompy - an 18 ft (5.5 m) wide, 4,000 pound (1800 kg), 6-legged hydraulic robot that you can ride."

'via Blog this'

Chris Fertig and Crew Set Record in New York City-to-Bermuda Boat Race

Chris Fertig and Crew Set Record in New York City-to-Bermuda Boat Race: "American Chris Fertig and his crew have set a record time in the 774-mile (673-nautical mile) Bermuda Challenge race that runs from New York City to St. George, Bermuda. Fertig’s time of 21 hours and 39 minutes beat the previously held record by 44 minutes (22 hours and 23 minutes)"

'via Blog this'

Monday, August 6, 2012

Sunday, August 5, 2012

» The Best Websites for Expanding Your Scientific Knowledge

» The Best Websites for Expanding Your Scientific Knowledge: "If you have a thirst for scientific knowledge, there are many websites that can start to quench that thirst. From news about scientific discoveries to resources for teaching science, you can find a wealth of scientific information on the web."

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Friday, August 3, 2012

Hanson Robotics unveils latest version of its Zeno humanoid robot

Hanson Robotics unveils latest version of its Zeno humanoid robot: "Back in 2007, we did a report on Zeno, a humanoid robot with a remarkable range of movement and impressive artificial intelligence that was aimed at the children’s toy market. Built by Hanson Robotics, the 17-inch (43 cm) tall robot could stand, make eye contact and had artificial intelligence software with voice recognition to enable it to engage in conversation"

'via Blog this'

Thursday, August 2, 2012

Sports car-inspired design aims to bring hovercraft into the 21st century

Sports car-inspired design aims to bring hovercraft into the 21st century: "Frustrated with what they see as stagnation in the evolution of hovercraft design over recent decades, cousins Michael Mercier and Chris Jones have teamed up in an effort to bring the personal hovercraft into the 21st century."

'via Blog this'

New Google service lets users "zoom" through years of time-lapse satellite photos

New Google service lets users "zoom" through years of time-lapse satellite photos: "A combined effort between researchers at the Carnegie Mellon University Robotics Institute, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and Google provides users with easy access to 13 years of NASA Landsat imagery of the Earth’s surface. The new capability within Google Earth Engine lets users zoom in and out on any spot on the globe, moving back and forth in time between 1999 and 201"

'via Blog this'

A Camera that Shoots at a Trillion Frames Per Second

A Camera that Shoots at a Trillion Frames Per Second: "In this video Ramesh Raskar from MIT reports on a camera that they’ve built that shoots at a Trillion Frames per second."

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Wednesday, August 1, 2012

X-47B unmanned aircraft gets its Pax River wings

X-47B unmanned aircraft gets its Pax River wings: "Following the completion of airworthiness flight tests at Edwards Air Force Base in California on May 15, the second Northrop Grumman-built X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System (UCAS) demonstrator was transported cross-country to Naval Air Station Patuxent (Pax) River in Maryland where it has just conducted the first flight at its new home."

'via Blog this'

Lockheed Martin reveals glimpse of Sea Ghost UAV

Lockheed Martin reveals glimpse of Sea Ghost UAV: "Lockheed Martin has hinted at plans for a new UAV carrier combat aircraft, known as the UCLASS Sea Ghost. This makes the American defense contractor the fourth contender for the U.S. Navy’s unmanned carrier combat aircraft contract, joining Northrop’s X-47B, Boeing’s Phantom Ray and General Atomic’s Sea Avenger."

'via Blog this'

Monster mecha with smile-controlled gatling guns makes public debut

Monster mecha with smile-controlled gatling guns makes public debut: "Hold fire on those Christmas lists. Japanese artist Kogoro Kurata has unveiled a 13 ft (4 meter) tall, 9900 lb (4500 kg) prototype mecha robot called Kuratas, which comes complete with "weapon systems" and is apparently cable of being driven by an onboard human pilot."

'via Blog this'