Month: June 2012

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From Engadget: MIT engineers develop glucose-based fuel cell to be used in neural implants

MIT engineers develop glucose-based fuel cell to be used in neural implants

We’ve seen fuel cells used in a variety of gadgets — from cars to portable chargers — and while medical devices aren’t exactly at the top of the list, they’re yet another application for these mini power sources. MIT engineers are turning to sugar to make fuel cells for powering brain implants. The scientists developed cells that use platinum to strip electrons from glucose molecules found in a patient’s cerebrospinal fluid to create a small electric current. The fuel cells are fabricated on a silicon chip so they can interface with other circuits in a brain implant. The prototype can generate up to hundreds of micro watts, which is enough to power neural implants used to help paralyzed patients move their limbs. Mind you, this technology is years away from making it to market. The next step will be proving that the devices work in animals, which reminds us of one Ricky the rat, who survived a biofuel cell implant back in 2010.

 

from Engadget

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From Engadget: An ARM core in an AMD device? It just happened, but not the way you think

An ARM core in an AMD device? It just happened, but not the way you think

Yes, you heard right. AMD just added to ARM’s burgeoning heap of gold coins, having licensed the British company’s Cortex-A5 design for use in its own hardware. While this might sound like a dramatic capitulation on the part of the struggling giant, particularly after yesterday’s news, it probably isn’t. AMD says it’ll use the ARM component solely for adding better security features to its next generation of business-focused laptops and tablets. A spokesperson told us the company’s “commitment to x86 hasn’t changed,” referring to the fact that it’ll continue to use its regular in-house chip architecture for the primary task of running applications.

The Cortex-A5 will be one tiny core squeezed in amongst everything else on the future 28nm silicon. It’ll be dedicated to running ARM’s proprietary TrustZone technology, which protects sensitive apps from tampering — stuff like mobile payments, DRM, and nudge, nudge corporate documents. Rather than invent its own system for doing the same thing, AMD reckoned it’d be easier to work with ARM’s, and who can blame it? If we remember rightly, even Intel made a similar call five years ago.

[Tentacles via Shutterstock]

 

from Engadget

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From Engadget: DOJ looking into whether Comcast, other TV giants are unfairly (knee)capping Hulu, Netflix

Comcast bandwidth exceeded

The Department of Justice may have taken Netflix chief Reed Hastings’ net neutrality complaints about Comcast as a lot more than just sour grapes. It’s reportedly conducting an investigation into whether Comcast, AT&T and other TV providers are anti-competitive in their data restrictions. The Wall Street Journal cites primary concerns that Comcast’s Xfinity TV cap exemption might unfairly punish competing services, but also claims that officials are worried the caps themselves steer viewers away from internet video, helping the incumbents cling to legacy TV for just a little while longer. On top of its cap anxiety, the DOJ may be looking into policies requiring traditional TV subscriptions just to watch online. None of the involved parties have commented on or confirmed the investigations, so there’s no guarantee of any full-fledged lawsuit. Still, while TV operators insist they’re being fair and need to keep data use in check, that might not deter legal action when the DOJ has supposedly questioned Hulu, Netflix and other relative newcomers who feel they’re being squeezed. When Sony postpones its IPTV goals after fretting over US data caps, it’s hard to imagine that there aren’t at least a few raised eyebrows in Washington.

from Engadget

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From Droid Life: Samsung Announces TecTiles, Brings Programmable NFC Tags to the Masses

 

Tonight, Samsung announced their newest non-hardware creation called TecTiles. These are programmable NFC tags that will be available through major carriers at the launch of the Galaxy SIII. Their goal with TecTiles is to help NFC reach the masses and become a part of our everyday lives. Since the GS3, Galaxy Nexus, Nexus S, Galaxy SII (some models), HTC One X and so many other devices all have NFC chips inside, this should be simple, right? 

If you are not familiar with NFC stickers like these, I’ll do my best to explain them. With an NFC sticker like TecTiles, one can program it to accomplish a single task that under normal circumstances would take more than a few seconds of your time. For example, you could program a TecTile (using your NFC phone to program it) to toggle WiFi on and off. Assuming you have an NFC-enabled phone, all you would have to do is touch your phone to this sticker and it should toggle your WiFi. A restaurant owner could place one inside the door of the building so that customers with NFC phones could quickly tap the sticker and check-in through Foursquare. You could place one of these stickers on your desk and have it automatically send a text to your wife that read, “Hi Honey, on my way home from work!” as you leave work. The possibilities are sort of endless if you think about it. You could launch an app with a programmable NFC sticker, post a Facebook update, open a webpage or even send a Tweet.

TecTiles specifically will be available for $14.99 for a pack of 5, again, at all major U.S. carriers. The TecTiles app that helps you program these as many times as you’d like, is available in the Google Play store.

Here is a link to the TecTile site.

Are you ready for mass NFC adoption? I sure am.

  

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Samsung Mobile Puts All The Pieces in Place to Bring NFC To The Masses

Inexpensive, easy to use Samsung TecTilesâ„¢ Programmable NFC Tags can be customized to launch apps, send text messages, share contact information, change phone settings and more, with an NFC-enabled Galaxy smartphone

 DALLAS — June 13, 2012 — Samsung Telecommunications America (Samsung Mobile) is helping consumers realize the potential of NFC technology today with the creation of Samsung TecTiles™ and the TecTile™ programming application. With the largest user base of NFC-enabled devices in the United States and TecTiles available in all four major carrier stores and at major online retailers at the launch of the Galaxy S III, Samsung is ensuring NFC becomes a part of daily life.

With a simple tap of an NFC-enabled phone to a TecTile, consumers are able to automate everyday functions of a smartphone including sending a “headed/at home” text message, silencing the phone when entering a meeting, setting an alarm, and dimming the display when going to bed.

Samsung TecTiles will transform how businesses large and small engage with consumers. On premise, TecTiles enable consumers to check-in on Facebook® or foursquare®, connect to Wi-Fi® or download content. Off-premise, businesses can use TecTiles as a way to market to and engage with consumers by enabling reward programs and to download discount offers or content.

“With millions of NFC-enabled Samsung Galaxy smartphones currently in the market and the arrival of our flagship device Galaxy S® III, Samsung saw an opportunity to expand the value of NFC beyond mobile payments,” said Dale Sohn, president of Samsung Telecommunications America, the No. 1 mobile phone provider in the U.S. and worldwide-. “The launch of Samsung TecTiles is another example of Samsung’s ability to innovate new products and applications that improve the way we use our mobile devices for everyday tasks.”

Samsung TecTiles are easy to program with any NFC-enabled smartphone and the free application, which can be found in the Google Play™ marketplace. TecTiles can be reprogrammed as often as needed to complete any of the following functions on an NFC-enabled phone:

 Settings & Applications

  • Change phone settings (Bluetooth®, Wi-Fi, ringer/media volume, screen brightness, etc.)
  • Launch an application
  • Join a Wi-Fi Network
  • Show a message

 Communication

  • Make a call
  • Send a text message
  • Start a Google Talkâ„¢ conversation
  • Share a contact or business card

Location & Web

  • Show an address on a map
  • Open a web page
  • Foursquare or Facebook check-in

 Social

  • Automatic Facebook “Like”
  • Update Facebook status
  • Post a tweet or follow a contact on Twitter
  • Connect on LinkedIn®

 Samsung NFC-Enabled Android TM Smartphones

  • Samsung Galaxy S® III on AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, US Cellular and Verizon
  • Samsung Galaxy S® II on T-Mobile
  • Galaxy Nexus TM on Verizon, Sprint and GSM Unlocked
  • Nexus TM S ® 4G on Sprint
  • Samsung Galaxy S® Blaze ® 4G on T-Mobile

Pricing/Availability

Priced at $14.99 for a pack of five, TecTiles programmable NFC sticker tags are now available for purchase online and in-store at AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, and T-Mobile. The Samsung TecTiles app is now available for download at the Google Play store.

© Samsung Telecommunications America, LLC.  Samsung, Galaxy, Galaxy S, and TecTiles are all trademarks of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Android and Nexus are trademarks of Google Inc.  All other company names, product names and marks are the property of their respective owners and may be trademarks or registered trademarks. 

Links for more information:

About Samsung Telecommunications America

Samsung Telecommunications America, LLC, a Dallas-based subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., researches, develops and markets wireless handsets and telecommunications products throughout North America. For more information, please visit www.samsungwireless.com.

About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is a global leader in semiconductor, telecommunication, digital media and digital convergence technologies with 2011 consolidated sales of US$143.1 billion. Employing approximately 206,000 people in 197 offices across 72 countries, the company operates two separate organizations to coordinate its nine independent business units: Digital Media & Communications, comprising Visual Display, Mobile Communications, Telecommunication Systems, Digital Appliances, IT Solutions, and Digital Imaging; and Device Solutions, consisting of Memory, System LSI and LED. Recognized for its industry-leading performance across a range of economic, environmental and social criteria, Samsung Electronics was named the world’s most sustainable technology company in the 2011 Dow Jones Sustainability Index. For more information, please visit www.samsung.com.

from Droid Life

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From Droid Life: Sensordrone for Android, a Kickstarter That Actually Looks Worthy of My Money

Click here to view the embedded video.

We recently came across the Sensordrone project on Kickstarter, and frankly, it looks pretty awesome. With the sensor hardware that connects through Bluetooth to your device, checking the carbon monoxide levels in an area, natural/artificial lighting, and even your BAC is made possible. The hardware comes with a ton of various sensors onboard which is what makes some of the following things possible:

Application examples:

  • Air quality
  • Breath alcohol
  • Color matching
  • Non-contact thermometer
  • Weather monitoring
  • Crowd sourced Sensor Data
  • Games (totally new concepts)
  • Flatulence (use gas sensors for both serious and not so serious measurements)
  • Totally new applications/Multi-sensor mayhem!

To receive a beta of the Sensordrone you only have to donate $99, which isn’t too bad. The project has already reached its goal, so this will in fact come to fruition. Does checking your BAC before you drive home from the bar interest you at all?

Via: Kickstarter

Cheers Isaac! <3

from Droid Life

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From Autoblog: Report: Disco ball-inspired side-view mirror eliminates the blind spot

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The view behind a Drexel University professor has never looked better, wider or less distorted than with his all-new rear view mirror that eliminates blind spots.

“Imagine that the mirror’s surface is made of many smaller mirrors turned to different angles, like a disco ball,” said R. Andrew Hicks, a mathematics professor at Drexel, who received a patent on his mirror in May.

Hicks developed an algorithm to control the angle light bounces off the mirror making his curved mirror not act like a curved mirror. The mirror has a field of view of 45 degrees, while most regular rear view mirrors on cars have a field of view between 15 and 17 degrees.

While offering a much wider view, the mirror will not make it onto new U.S. vehicles any time soon. Mirrors on the driver’s side must be completely flat. Ford has one solution for federal regulations with its blind spot mirror, which is regular mirror that includes a convex spotter mirror in the upper left-hand corner.

But judging by photos, Hicks’ mirror offers a much cleaner and less distorted view. It can be sold as an aftermarket accessory, and Hicks has had some interest from manufacturers in producing it.

 

from Autoblog

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From Wired Top Stories: Why Steam-Powered Distribution Made Sense for Indie Game: The Movie

For independent moviemakers, film festivals can be like speed-dating — show off your best qualities to as many distributors as possible and hope that someone wants to take you out to theaters. And at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, the creators of Indie Game: The Movie entertained nearly every suitor at the party. Then they decided to go stag, becoming the first full-length feature film to be released via videogame delivery service Steam.

from Wired Top Stories