Tech Pedia » Gadgets

Flying Cars on the Anvil

Abhinav Kaiser — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 07:21:03 +0000

Soon we will see traffic jams in the sky. Thanks to the technology fueled by Terrafugia, flying cars will start to zoom past your ears. If you thought that the new set of cars will be based on Robin Williams’ Flubber, you are not way off. Except, this one has wings to go along with it.

The flying car is christened Terrafugia Transition and will see the light of day sometime during the last quarter of 2011. It is expected to cost $195500, and the company is asking for $10,000 deposit up front. When the car is airborne, the speed of the vehicle is estimated at 115 mph. The car is powered by 100 hp Rotax 912S engine with a payload of around 430 lbs.

The technology and production are in place, and the only other deterrent seems to have paved way as well. US Federal Air Authority have provided a special weight exemption for the Terrafugia Transition. This is an important thing to note because it is usually difficult to obtain a street-legal car manufacturing license in the US due to higher safety measures, and the Terrafugia Transition seems to have managed to get it.

Next Gen Alarm Clock for Sport Enthusiasts & Geeks!

Apple announces 3 million iPads sold in first 80 days

Anuroop Kaiser — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 16:02:41 +0000

Apple on Tuesday revealed that its new multitouch iPad sold 3 million units in the product’s first 80 days of availability, with the device on sale in the U.S. only for most of that time.

“People are loving iPad as it becomes a part of their daily lives,” Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs said. “We’re working hard to get this magical product into the hands of even more people around the world, including those in nine more countries next month.”

Apple also said that developers have created more than 11,000 new applications for the iPad that take advantage of its multitouch user interface, large screen and high-quality graphics. In addition, it will run almost all of the more than 225,000 apps on the App Store, including apps already purchased for an iPhone or iPod touch.

Apple sold its first million iPads in less than a month, reaching that milestone in 28 days. The 2 million sales point was later reached in less than two months.

The numbers show that the pace of sales for the iPad has not slowed since it first launched with the Wi-Fi-only version in the U.S. alone on April 3. Later that month, the iPad 3G was released in America, and remained consistently sold out at Apple’s retail stores for weeks.

The iPad launched in nine more countries on May 28, making its debut in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, Switzerland and the U.K. The international launch was originally delayed due to high demand in the U.S.

Further launches in Austria, Belgium, Hong Kong, Ireland, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand and Singapore will occur in July. Apple said it will announce launch dates for nine additional countries at a later date.

Users can browse the web, read and send email, enjoy and share photos, watch HD videos, listen to music, play games, read ebooks and much more, all using iPad’s multitouch user interface. The devic is 0.5 inches thin and weighs 1.5 pounds, making it thinner and lighter than any laptop or netbook, while still delivering up to 10 hours of battery life.

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Rumor: Microsoft to charge $150 for Kinect

Anuroop Kaiser — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 15:53:05 +0000

The majority of Microsoft’s E3 keynote was dedicated to Kinect, the camera system formerly known as Project Natal, and we learned the device’s release date and heard details about its use in several games. But one important piece of information was still missing: the price. Soon after the keynote, Gamestop listed Kinect for $149.99, and now further evidence has been revealed to support that number.

Firstly, we have Microsoft’s own store, which has listed Kinect as $149.99 for those who want to pre-order the motion control device. This isn’t an official price confirmation, however; the store says that “the advertised price for pre-order items may increase or decrease prior to the date the product is released to the public.”

Meanwhile, Develop has reported on information from a “highly positioned” anonymous source claiming that each Kinect unit actually costs Microsoft $150 to manufacture. If true, this would mean that Microsoft would take a loss on each unit sold for less than $150, whereas sticking to the rumored price would allow the company to break even on the hardware.

With Kinect not due to launch in North America until November 4, it could be quite some time before we get an official pricing announcement.

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Microsoft Ditches RRoD, Tries New Look For Dying Xbox 360 Slims

Anuroop Kaiser — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 16:27:12 +0000

Some may miss the good old days with their Xbox 360s, RRoDs, and multiple warranties…

The Microsoft Xbox 360’s “Red Ring of Death” became synonymous with hardware failure, much as the “Blue Screen of Death” formerly found in Windows became a colloquialism for operating system failure. Now the infamous failure is going away for good.

In the latest round of console wars Nintendo has come out well on top, with over 53.6 million Wii consoles sold worldwide. Despite launching solid titles and launching a year and a half earlier, the second place Microsoft Xbox 360 has only sold 32.5 million consoles worldwide. Part of that gap is due to Nintendo’s innovative motion controls.

To its credit the Xbox 360 has still sold very well and has a very high software attach rate. But if there was one problem on its own part that held it back from complete domination, it was hardware failures. The console suffered from a variety of hardware failures, with some sources claiming that its lifetime failure rate was as high as 54 percent and some users suffering from hardware failures even after multiple replacements.

Microsoft was actually quite supportive, pouring billions into warrantying the failing consoles. Eventually the issues were linked to overheating and a series of die shrinks and firmware updates helped reduce failure rates. By that time though, the red ring of LEDs that turned on when the hardware failed had made its way into the annals of pop culture.

At E3 2010 Microsoft announced the Xbox 360 “S” (Slim), which would replace the Xbox 360 Elite at the $300 USD price tier. The new unit is based around a integrated CPU/GPU chip using a smaller 45nm fabrication process. The internal architecture has been rearranged, with one large fan replacing the two smaller ones for cooling duties. USB ports replace Memory Unit slots and 802.11n wireless was added.

One additional change is that the RRoD has been replaced with the “Red Dot of Death” (RDoD?). The red LEDs in the ring have been removed and now only green light will show out the ring of the power indicator. Upon hardware failure, a single red LED will light up the center power indicator symbol.

Phil Spencer, Corporate Vice President for Microsoft Game Studios states, “Now obviously, the box has a way to communicate to you if something has happened…but yes, three red lights are not part of our sequence of telling somebody something is wrong. Obviously if you look at the success rate of the original 360s, we’re very proud of both the way the company stepped up to support the customers that we had as well as the success rate we have with the box today. I think we’ve learned a lot. That learning has gone into the development of this [new] box.”

That said, the Xbox 360 “S” is hopefully far less likely to fail. If Microsoft did its homework, the redesign and die shrink should help to fix a large variety of issues and reinvigorate the console. As for the RRoD, it may be gone, but it certainly won’t be forgotten for some time.

Update: Friday June 18, 2010 10:00 a.m.:
Anandtech has completed a teardown and testing of the new Xbox 360 and has found it also packs a number of other improvements. Noise is “noticeably quieter,” measured at 45dB when idle or 51dB. Power consumption has also been reduced with a 50 percent reduction from the original 2005 Xbox 360 (25 percent less than Jasper-class rigs at idle, or 17-20 percent less under load).

The single fan design is allowed by a single chip which now contains the CPU, GPU, and eDRAM.

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Tweet Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword swinging in 2011

Anuroop Kaiser — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 17:55:14 +0000

At the 2009 Electronic Entertainment Expo, Nintendo did not much more than tease that the Wii would be getting a second installment in the Legend of Zelda franchise. This year, though, the publisher led its E3 press conference with the first public demo for Link’s newest action adventure, in the process definitively announcing Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword will arrive in 2011.

Nintendo’s live demo of Skyward Sword was offered by none other than franchise creator Shigeru Miyamoto. Joined by Nintendo marketing executive Bill Trinen onstage, Miyamoto showed how the new Zelda will integrate with the Wii’s motion-sensing scheme, with the Wii Remote doubling as a sword and the Nunchuk serving as a shield. Foes confronted and vanquished during the demo included carnivorous plants, disembodied eyeballs, and orcish creatures.

Beyond Link’s hallmark sword and board, Miyamoto also showed off a number of other weapons in Link’s arsenal, including a slingshot, bow and arrow, bomb, and whip. Of the whip, players have precise control over its direction, thanks in part to the game’s intergration with the Wii’s precision-enhancing MotionPlus add-on.

The demo also introduced the beetle, which flies off Link’s wrist like a falcon, and players have a limited time to guide it around the level, scouting areas or picking up items.

Before ending his demo, Miyamoto noted that Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword will be available for play on the E3 showfloor. As such, stay tuned to GameSpot for a more in-depth look at the game.

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Under a Month, Apple Sells 1 Million iPads

Abhinav Kaiser — Mon, 03 May 2010 17:17:42 +0000

Apple products are hitting the zenith, at least in its early years. The latest is the one which has made a name for itself over the past quarter, iPad. The company has reported that it has sold over a million pieces in under a month, 28 days to be precise. Let’s do some math here, everyday 36,000 iPads are sold. Wow! That is good news, and a great encouragement for product manufacturers.

A company statement by Apple CEO Steve Jobs said – “One million iPads in 28 days—that’s less than half of the 74 days it took to achieve this milestone with iPhone,”

“Demand continues to exceed supply and we’re working hard to get this magical product into the hands of even more customers,”

Apple’s website states 5-7 days as the wait time, but in reality, consumers are disgruntled, and we met a couple who have ordered it over a fortnight ago.

A good chunk of this million is its 3G version which launched last Friday. It is estimated that 300,000 pieces were sold over the last weekend, that’s 100,000 a day. Are we in the age of the machines? Oh yes! iPad 3G features cellular connectivity through AT&T as well as built-in WiFi support.

The company does not end its money streak with the product alone. Consumers who bought iPad have downloaded more than 12 million apps from the App Store, and more than 1.5 million e-books from Apple’s new iBookstore.

Apple know the demand statistics, and have rightly priced the iPad on the higher side. The basic version with Wi-Fi powered by 802.11 starts at $499 for the 16GB model, $599 for the 32GB model, and $699 for the 64GB version. The 3G version which features Wi-Fi as well is $629 for the 16GB model, 32GB model at $729, and the 64GB version is priced at $829.

Latest Windows Phone 7 ROM Reveals Progress

Anuroop Kaiser — Mon, 03 May 2010 06:33:01 +0000

Microsoft has released the latest Windows Phone Developer Community Technical Preview (CTP) for Windows 7 and the folks at XDA Developers didn’t waste any time unlocking it to see what the ROM includes. Progress has been made, but time is running short for MS to finish it up, get it to manufacturers to get devices to market by the end of this year.

Since being unlocked, XDA Developers has discovered Office is now part of the package. Engadget wrote up a post about Office for Windows Phone a little over a week ago.

The uninstall mechanism for apps is also in place. When you press and hold an application’s icon you can pin it to the start screen, rate and review it for the Marketplace or uninstall it. You’ll no longer have to find a dedicated uninstall screen on the device or in the Marketplace app.

The phone dialer UI has also made some progress. XDA Developers has a number of screen shots of screens now available, including the dialer interface, call history and more.

Time is running short for Microsoft to meet some of the rumored release dates we’ve heard for some of the devices. Q4 is the timeframe we’ve been told devices will ship and you have to assume that Microsoft wants devices on the streets in time for the holiday shopping season. Back it up from there about three to five months which is about how long it has historically taken device makers to get the final build of Windows Mobile, put it in a device and complete carrier testing, and you are into the June or July timeframe to wrap it up, which is just 60-90 days away.

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Nokia N8 Boasts Beefy Specs, Revamped Symbian 3 OS

Anuroop Kaiser — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 18:07:24 +0000

Nokia announced on Tuesday its latest smartphone, the multimedia-heavy N8, featuring a 12-megapixel camera and HD video recording. Its hardware specs could make any iPhone user jealous, but as the first phone to feature the latest iteration of the Symbian OS, the N8 will have to prove that Nokia’s software is a worthy competitor, too.

Available in the third quarter of 2010, Nokia says the N8 will cost just under $500 for an unlocked carrier-independent model (i.e. no carrier subsidy announced yet), and would be able to work on AT&T and T-Mobile’s US networks.

The Nokia N8 can take photos with its 12-megapixel camera (with flash) and shoots HD videos (720p). It also has a secondary video camera on the front for video calling. You can view your recordings on the phone’s 3.5-inch capacitive touchscreen or connect it to your home cinema system via the built-in HDMI port.

Connectivity-wise, the N8 features Wi-Fi (b, g, and the speedy n standard), in addition to Bluetooth 2.1. You also get GPS and A-GPS positioning systems, with Nokia’s free and complete navigation solution, Ovi Maps. The N8 comes with 16GB of on-board storage (expandable via microSD cards up to 32GB) and also features an FM receiver and transmitter (which will eliminate the need for cables to listen to music from the phone in your car).

Nokia’s real gamble though, is not with the N8 hardware, but with the operating system delivered on the device. The Symbian OS has been widely criticized for being sluggish, and lagging behind competitors like the iPhone or Google’s Android OS.

But with the N8, Nokia is putting out its first phone featuring the revamped Symbian 3 OS, which includes several new features, such as multi-touch, flick scrolling, and pinch-to-zoom. Symbian 3 adds several other features found on competing smartphone platforms, like multiple home screens and home screen widgets (similar to Android) for Facebook and Twitter, among others.

I haven’t had a chance to test the N8 yet, but late last week Russia-based Mobile-Review got their hands on one, and by the looks of it (via Google translation), they were not particularly impressed with Symbian 3, despite the beefy hardware. I will hold back such judgements though, until I get a proper hands-on with the Nokia N8.

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Bluetooth v4.0 Enables Low-Power, High-Speed Wireless Devices

Anuroop Kaiser — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 10:45:06 +0000

The core specifications for Bluetooth v4.0, a technology declared one of the “10 Mobile Technologies to Watch in 2010 and 2011″ by Gartner based on its perceived potential to evolve and impact short-term mobile strategies and policies, have been finalized by the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG). The next-generation Bluetooth wireless protocol promises lower power consumption and faster transmission speeds than existing Bluetooth.

Bluetooth is the less-capable, but still ubiquitous cousin of Wi-Fi. It is an open wireless technology standard used for transmitting data over short distances using short-length radio waves. It is the technology responsible for elevators full of business professionals with little device plugged into their ears appearing to talk to themselves, and the technology found in many vehicles to pair with mobile phones and provide hands-free communications.

Many wireless computer peripherals rely on Bluetooth as well. Wireless keyboards, mice, and headsets enable users to be comfortable and productive at the same time–untethered by oppressive cords getting tangled and restricting movement.

“Bluetooth v4.0 throws open the doors to a host of new markets for Bluetooth manufacturers and products such as watches, remote controls, and a variety of medical and in-home sensors. Many of these products run on button-cell batteries that must last for years versus hours and will also benefit from the longer range enabled by this new version of the Bluetooth specification,” said Michael Foley, Ph.D., executive director of the Bluetooth SIG in a press release.

Bluetooth v4.0 is described by the Bluetooth SIG as a versatile combination of three different Bluetooth protocols–the classic Bluetooth we know and love, the low-energy Bluetooth, and the high-speed Bluetooth. The three faces of Bluetooth v4.0 can be implemented individually or in combination with each other.

One of the defining characteristics of Bluetooth–especially compared with Wi-Fi–is the short range. Standard Bluetooth devices are generally restricted to about a 30 foot range in order to maintain the wireless connection. With Bluetooth v4.0, it’s possible to optimize the range of Bluetooth devices up to 200 feet or more.

The Bluetooth SIG expects the integration of classic Bluetooth with the low-energy Bluetooth specification by June 30, 2010. Devices built with the Bluetooth v4.0 protocol are expected to be available by late 2010 or early 2011.

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BlackBerry OS 6.0 Images, Details Surface

Anuroop Kaiser — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 10:39:31 +0000

Earlier in February it was reported that Research in Motion’s BlackBerry OS 6.0 was in the making. Now, BoyGeniusReport has acquired the first screenshots and some details of the OS. A redesigned homescreen, multi-touch gesture support for touchscreen handsets, and system-wide kinetic scrolling are few of the many features unleashed in the major upgrade. RIM is expected to reveal BlackBerry OS 6.0 at the WES 2010 symposium starting April 27, while it will be released sometime in June or July. Hey, that’s when the iPhone OS 4.0 update is expected too!

BlackBerry OS 6.0 is expected to be a nifty upgrade to the existing 5.0 version and will bring new set of features. The BGR guys were shown the working of BB OS 6.0 and also given some screenshots for reference by one of their sources at AT&T. RIM has finally implemented system-wide kinetic scrolling, which was recently made available to Symbian S60v5 users as well. Kinetic scrolling over touchscreen BlackBerry handsets gives a fluid experience while browsing through lists, emails, webpages and so on.

Another major addition is system-wide multi-touch support like in webpages, photos app, media player and so on. Of course, multi-touch means you can pinch-and-zoom the small fonts on webpages for it to appear larger and the same gesture works even for photos. The new decked up browser built with WebKit offers tab switching and favorites options for better mobile web experience. The tab switcher comes with transparent display.

Homescreen will also undergo major changes and will be customizable with pages. Just like Android phones, you can have pages full of applications on left and right of the main screen. At the homescreen, you get to pull up the apps menu and then scroll it sideways to access other pages like Favorities, All, home, etc.

One of the most interesting features is the modal pop-ups with gestures that will work well with touchscreen BlackBerry. When the BB OS 6.0 loaded touchscreen BlackBerry phone is tapped and held for a moment, nine icon groups appear on the center of the screen like a context menu. So you basically get to outdo the normal menu options and get more visually-contextual menu icons. The photo application draws quite an inspiration from the iPhone’s photo app.

All this info will bring many touchscreen BlackBerry owners to the edge of their seats. However, it looks like it’s going to be just a few months wait until BlackBerry OS 6.0 is released.

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