Cambridge scientists develop lower-than-low power WORM memory
Researchers at Cambridge University have recently published a paper on their new type of WORM (write once read many) memory which is even more low powered than the ones that came before it. The new electron-only design of the memory is solution processed, making it low cost as well as it requires no lithography. The device, using ZnO semiconductor nanoparticles to inject electrons into a polymer which is capable of conducting. The electrons are then used to program the memory by permanently lowering the conductivity of the polymer, producing insulation. This result is far lower power densities than previously recorded, by orders of magnitude. The research team believes that it can make further improvements to the device as they continue to work.
Cambridge scientists develop lower-than-low power WORM memory originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Sep 2010 18:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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SD Card Association: flash card speeds to triple by 2012
SD Card Association: flash card speeds to triple by 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Sep 2010 17:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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SD Card Association: flash card speeds to triple by 2012
Klipsch issues first on-ear headphones, Image S5i Rugged and bargain Image S3 earbuds
It's been awhile since we sashayed through Klipsch's world headquarters back in December of last year, but the company certainly hasn't let off of the pedal. Today at IFA, it managed to introduce no fewer than three new headphones, including the outfit's very first on-ear set. The Image One was built to bring Klipsch's signature sound to folks who'd prefer cans over 'buds, and it's also amongst the first to have an Apple-centric mic and three-button remote for controlling music playback on iPods, iPads and iPhones. Travelers will be pleased to hear that the ear cups fold flat for portability, but you'll need $149.99 to call 'em yours when they ship this November. Moving on, there's the Image S5i Rugged (shown above) -- essentially, you're looking at the same sound quality we lauded last year, but with a rugged slant. These feature the aforesaid three-button remote / mic as well as a "safety case" that touts a built-in flashlight. We're expecting a demonstration of their toughness at IFA tomorrow, but in the meanwhile you can start sacking away $129.99 for their November debut. Finally, the October-bound Image S3 is the company's new low-end set, priced at just $49.99 but still shipping with a trio of oval ear tips, a carrying case and a choice of gray, red, pink or green hues. The full presser is after the break, if you're into that type of thing.
Klipsch issues first on-ear headphones, Image S5i Rugged and bargain Image S3 earbuds originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Sep 2010 17:14:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Netgear offers 500Mbps powerline networking via next-gen standard
Even as the IEEE P1901 working group was set to meet this week to recommend its draft standard for broadband over powerline networks for official status, Netgear announced its line of Powerline AV 500 adapters that incorporate the HomePlug-compatible flavor of the standard. The new devices theoretically promise up to gigabit Ethernet speeds over home electrical wiring, and are the first to incorporate the newest standard.
The Powerline AV 500 comes in either standard or power pass-through versions, and are available in two-adapter "kits" to set up a source and destination point for your network. While hardcore geeks won't settle for anything less than running Cat 6 cable all throughout the house, powerline adapters have the benefit of being able to utilize existing electrical wiring to move data from point to point, and could be convenient for homes or apartments where running new cable would be impractical, prohibitively expensive, or just not allowed by your landlord.
While the IEEE P1901 standard promises speeds up to 1Gbps, no powerline adapters come close to the top theoretical speeds (and to be fair, neither does most wireless networking hardware). Still, it can provide greater and more consistent bandwidth for applications like networked AV equipment or gaming consoles compared to increasingly crowded home WiFi networks.
"Almost every new home entertainment device today can be connected to the Internet. This puts tremendous demand on the home network," Netgear product manager Chris Geisersaid in a statement. The new Powerline adapters are up to 2.5 times faster than competing products and provide a useful supplement to WiFi networks, he said.
The Powerline AV 500 line starts at $159 for a kit, and will begin shipping this fall according to Netgear. The P1901 WG expects its standard to be submitted the IEEE for adoption as an official standard at the end of this month.
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App Review: Angry Birds (Android)
What does it take to make an addictive game? Not much -- just throw in some super simple controls, cute graphics, and basic physics. Rovio Mobile's Angry Birds is one such game that includes all these elements, and today the studio's just released a public Android beta to cater those without an iOS, webOS or Ovi-enabled device. In case you're not already familiar with the popular title, the backstory is that a gang of hungry pigs snatched away some eggs from the birds, forcing the feathered creatures to embark on a rescue mission for the sake of their survival. The gameplay on the Android version is just as simple as before: in each level you use a fixed slingshot to fling the birds -- one at a time -- into the forts, in order to kill all the pigs inside. As a secondary challenge, you must also attempt to get a three-star rating depending on the amount of structural material you destroy, so the key is to perfect your shooting angle.
At the beginning you're only given one type of bird that does nothing more than just headbutting, but throughout the game you'll come across six more birds, each possessing one special power: multiply, explode, accelerate, dropping egg bombs, boomerang, and extra strength. Don't worry, the instructions are pretty clear when you first meet these enhanced kamikaze birds -- most involve just a single tap anywhere to trigger their special abilities mid-flight. Once you get the hang of it, you'll soon be wanting to try out all sorts of trajectories to take vengeance on those cheeky green hogs. Seriously, the pigs really do laugh at you when your birds miss them.
While we're not familiar with the Ovi Store and webOS versions of Angry Birds, we've definitely spent a fair amount of time on the iOS flavor. Sadly, since the latter's still running on a low 480 x 320 resolution, the blurred graphics on the notoriously sharp retina display does no justice to the game. On the other hand, the Android version looks a lot prettier on our Nexus One, Dell Streak and HTC Desire, as it runs on their native resolution of 800 x 480. That said, overall the Android beta didn't feel as well-oiled as its iOS counterpart -- we've noticed the occasional light hiccups while panning across the scene, so here's hoping that this will be fixed in the final release. Regardless of this minor flaw, we'd still highly recommend Android users to check out this free Angry Birds beta in the market -- go grab it while it's hot!
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App Review: Angry Birds (Android) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Sep 2010 16:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Ubuntu 10.10 beta arrives with new netbook UI
Canonical has announced the availability of the Ubuntu 10.10 beta release. The new version of the popular Linux distribution, codenamed Maverick Meerkat, is scheduled for final release in October. It brings some noteworthy user interface improvements and updated software.
The beta ships with GNOME 2.31, which introduces support for the new dconf configuration storage system. Ubuntu's standard F-Spot photo tool has been replaced by Shotwell, a relatively new application that is developed by nonprofit software group Yorba. Although it's not as feature-complete as F-Spot, it's progressing quickly and has a lot to offer.
Canonical has continued its work on panel indicators, especially the audio indicator which now has playback controls in addition to a volume management slider. This will eliminate the need for individual audio applications to have their own notification area icons.
Work has also continued on the Ubuntu Software Center, which now promotes "Featured" applications and has a section for purchasing commercial third-party applications. The look and feel of the Software Center is more refined and aesthetically sophisticated.
The Ubuntu Netbook Edition has seen particularly dramatic improvements during this development cycle due to Canonical's work on the new Unity user interface. Unity, which was initially introduced in May, has matured very rapidly. It has a global menubar that works surprisingly well.
Users who want to get an early look at the new version can download the beta release from the Ubuntu website. For additional information, you can refer to the release notes.
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Vodafone’s Microsoft Surface: like Go Fish for phones
Microsoft worked with Vodafone late last year to deploy Surfaces to a few dozen stores in several European countries (much as AT&T has done in the US), and one of those units happens to be set up at the carrier's IFA booth this week. The basic idea here is that each available model appears as a card that can be twirled, resized, and flung around the screen. When the software first starts, the cards start in a deck from which you can "deal" onto the table -- but when we first approached it, the Surface had obviously already been played with because the cards were in complete disarray. Not too helpful when you're a befuddled buyer trying to browse models and make a choice from a dizzying selection of handsets, but that doesn't mean it's not cool -- if nothing else, parents, it's something to babysit the kiddies for a few minutes while you go about your business in the store. Follow the break for video of the Surface in action.
Continue reading Vodafone's Microsoft Surface: like Go Fish for phones
Vodafone's Microsoft Surface: like Go Fish for phones originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Sep 2010 16:10:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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The Engadget Podcast, live at 430PM EST!
Not much happened this week apart from a local fruit company holding a small event, a minor industry get-together in Germany, and Samsung releasing a giant Galaxy S. Yeah, yawn. Josh, Paul, and Nilay will be on had at 430PM EST to talk it all over, so get cozy in the chat below and we'll see you then!
P.S. And don't forget that Ustream has Android and iPhone clients as well, if you out and about and you can't join in on the Flash-based fun below.
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The Engadget Podcast, live at 430PM EST! originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Sep 2010 16:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Oil sands release pollutants, contrary to government study
The extraction of heavy crude oil from oil sands in Canada is releasing as many as 13 kinds of pollutants into the surrounding air and water, according to a study published in PNAS this week. The independent report directly contradicts the results of the government-administered Regional Aquatic Monitoring Program (RAMP) that claimed neither humans nor the environment were at risk from the oil extraction.
Oil sands are swaths of ground that are laced with heavy crude oil that can be extracted and refined into fuel. Development of oil sands in Canada has been taking place since 1967, but scientists have long been uncertain of the production's impact on the environment.
The RAMP study conducted by the government showed no significant ill effects, but another group of scientists decided to double-check their work. They took samples around an oil sands development facility in Alberta near the Athabasca River from the air and surrounding watersheds, and found some highly contradictory evidence.
Summertime water samples downstream from the development area had concentrations of elements like mercury, arsenic, chromium, and beryllium eight times as high as the background levels. Air samples showed concentrations twice that of the late 1970s, and during the winter, the water concentrations were also twice as high as normal.
The authors speculate that the concentration difference results from the snow capturing many airborne particulates and holding them until summer, when it all melts into the ground and water. The researchers also suspect that many of the airborne contaminants are scattered, lowering their local concentrations but spreading their effects over a wide area.
While this single study doesn't automatically invalidate the RAMP study, this data seriously undermine the government's results and methods, and suggests that the long-term effects of oil sands development bear further scrutiny.
PNAS, 2010. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1008754107 (About DOIs).
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LG’s 180-inch plasma that wasn’t
When we first caught wind of LG's "180-inch plasma" we were understandably enthused (and just a little skeptical), but our excitement was quickly ruined with word that LG was merely sticking nine 600Hz 60-inch plasmas next to each other and calling it a day. We got a glimpse at the "multi-vision display" (LG shorthand for "a bunch of screens next to each other") today, and it's still decently impressive in its own right. LG's managed to get the seams between the screens down to a mere 1.5mm, and while the lines are still noticeable, they could be a lot worse. While they lines certainly get in the way of entertainment, it actually provides an interesting effect when donning the 3D glasses -- almost highlighting the effect of depth. LG has some pretty boring plans for the screens, like digital signage and education, and we'll be sticking to projectors for our big screen needs, but we're still saying a 180-inch straight-up, no funny business plasma would be pretty stellar.
Gallery: LG's 180-inch plasma that wasn't
LG's 180-inch plasma that wasn't originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Sep 2010 15:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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LG's 180-inch plasma that wasn't