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SpaceX Dragon is ready for launch (update: launched!), view the live stream now

admin — Tue, 22 May 2012 07:59:25 +0000

After being scrubbed a few days ago, it appears we are just minutes from viewing the launch of SpaceX’s Dragon capsule on a Falcon 9 rocket. The plan is to become the first private company to successfully deliver cargo to the space station, as a step towards manned missions and eventually, Mars. Launch time is officially set for 3:44AM ET, and you can view it live via NASA’s UStream embedded after the break or on SpaceX’s feed at the source link. Assuming all goes well it will be a few more days until we actually see the capsule dock with the ISS, and we’ll keep you updated every step of the way.

Update: This time the launch took place on schedule, and the Dragon capsule is on its way to space. NASA has a press conference planned for after the launch coverage ends at 5:15AM.

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Google launches autocomplete predictions to Gmail search

admin — Mon, 21 May 2012 22:51:45 +0000

Following the plethora of updates to Gmail that included automatic translation, quick access to contacts in search and the new Google+ integration, Google is launching a third update this month that now includes autocomplete predictions when searching from within your Gmail inbox. Gmail users will be happy to know that Google is bringing the same search experience in Google to its email service. “Today, we are making that experience even better by improving the autocomplete predictions you see when you search in Gmail,” Google said. The update now allows users to see suggestions and autocomplete predictions matching content within your emails when typing in the search bar.

“For example, you might now get lax reservation or lax united as predictions after typing “lax” if you have received an email with a flight confirmation for your trip to Los Angeles in your inbox recently,” Google explained. The new feature will be rolling out first to Gmail users supporting English over the next few days. Google promises that more languages will be supported in the next coming months. Google also mentioned that the new feature will not be available to Google Apps users, although the company plans to bring the feature to Apps domains in the future.

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Gmail updated with quick access to contacts in search and new Google+ integration, Gmail gets updated with automatic translation, tab title tweaks and smart mute,

Google Chrome Just Beat Out Internet Explorer as the Most Used Browser [Factoid]

admin — Mon, 21 May 2012 13:38:54 +0000

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Inhabitat’s Week in Green: NY Design Week, a hybrid Porsche and recycled sportswear

admin — Mon, 21 May 2012 01:09:40 +0000

Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week’s most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us — it’s the Week in Green.

Want a sneak peek into the future of design? This week Inhabitat hit NY Design Week to uncover the best and the brightest in green interior and furniture design. At ICFF we spotted an ethereal series of 3D printed Hyphae lamps and we were wowed by the iTree — a massive iPod sound system made out of an entire tree trunk! We also saw LED technology take on surprising new forms – like Light and Contrast’s tiny flower-shaped lamps and Peteris Zilbers’ quirky mood broom lamp (yes, it’s shaped like a broom). We’ll continue with the New York Design Week coverage throughout next week, so come back to Inhabitat in the coming days for more fresh new design finds, and read on beyond the break for more in the here and now.

We’ve been thinking about green technology lately — not only the local level, but also on the international and even interplanetary scale, beginning with a team of engineers from Glasgow that is currently testing solar satellites that would be able to tap the sun’s energy around the clock, regardless of weather conditions. Meanwhile, back on Earth, we were pleased to hear that Saudi Arabia, a nation that is practically synonymous with oil production, promised to invest over $100 billion to develop 41 gigawatts of solar power by 2032.

Closer to the home front, a proposal backed by Google for a wind power transmission line stretching from Virginia to New Jersey cleared a major regulatory hurdle when it was given the green light by the federal government this week. Speaking of promising news for renewable energy, a study led by researchers from Yale and Harvard shows that Americans are willing to pay slightly higher electricity bills for clean energy, meaning that Americans are ahead of Congress when it comes to clean energy policy (big surprise there). And if you’ve been sitting on the fence about wind energy because you think all wind turbines are ugly, feast your eyes on the Enessere Hercules wind generator, a vertical axis wind turbine with wood blades that produces energy regardless of which way the wind is blowing.

This week was also a big one for LEGO builders from around the world. South Korea broke the world record for the tallest LEGO skyscraper with a physics-defying 104.65-foot-tall tower in Seoul. But perhaps equally impressive is Thomas Poulsom’s beautiful and ingenious set of LEGO birds, which are highly detailed and built to be as close to their real size as possible.

In a development that should appeal to the inner Trekkie in all of us, an engineer known simply as “BTE Dan” believes that (with technology currently available) it is possible to create a full-size replica of the USS Enterprise, but instead of dilithium crystals, it would be powered by nuclear power. And in an unrelated bit of space-based news, NYC artist Tom Sachs teamed up with Nike to produce a new line of sportswear using recycled Mars Rover airbags, mainsails for boats, and even NASA spacesuits. Far out, man.

In green transportation news, we’ve been busy drooling over Porsche’s upcoming 918 Spyder Hybrid, which is reported to get more than 770 horsepower and an estimated 78 mpg fuel economy rating. It’s a shame we’ll have to wait until the end of 2013 before it goes into production. Another hybrid release to keep an eye out for will be the 2013 Ford C-MAX compact utility vehicle, an efficient five-seater that’s scheduled to hit dealerships this fall. And in one of the more interesting developments of the week, Siemens announced that it would test its “eHighway of the Future” – a system of electric lines that will be used to power hybrid trucks in California. We’ve also been keeping tabs on Honda’s new UNI-CUB, an electric, self-balancing, weight-shift controlled device that will almost certainly compete with the Segway for the title of personal mobility device that makes able-bodied people look the weirdest.

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DVD-encryption cracking to be allowed by the Feds?

admin — Sun, 20 May 2012 15:13:38 +0000

The United States Copyright Office has reportedly heard requests of the public to discuss any possible loopholes on its rules. At the UCLA Law School this Wednesday, Federal regulators have considered testimonies whether to legalize DVD-encryption cracking or not. The public hearing was attended by federal officials, representatives from motion picture studios and about 2 dozen members of the public. The public, including filmmakers, have petitioned the U.S. Copyright Office for the permission to continue using DVD decryption tools to copy short clips of DVDs from motion pictures. It is also reported that another proposal was heard about the authorization for the public to make copies of their own DVDs without breaching the Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998. (more…)

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Court orders Apple and HTC to attend settlement talks, Dragon Shout, Unofficial Skyrim App for iPhone Gets Legal Note from Bethesda’s Lawyers,

Zuckerberg Just Got Married [Facebook]

admin — Sun, 20 May 2012 05:10:47 +0000

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Insert Coin: CordLite illuminated iPhone cable (video)

admin — Sat, 19 May 2012 17:17:33 +0000

In Insert Coin, we look at an exciting new tech project that requires funding before it can hit production. If you’d like to pitch a project, please send us a tip with “Insert Coin” as the subject line.

On average, North American consumers will spend a lifetime total of five days on failed attempts to pair their dock connector cable with an iPad or iPhone. Yeah, that’s not true, but we can certainly sympathize with frustrated device owners — fitting a tiny connector to any gadget can be a chore, especially in the dark. Scrap Pile Labs’ CordLite sets out to point the way to a successful connection with its built-in LEDs. The illuminated cable is quite simple to use — with no buttons or switches to fuss with, the connector lights up when you touch the aluminum plates, and powers off the moment it’s secured to your device. There’s really not much else to it — CordLite functions identically to an Apple-manufactured cable, though the dock connector itself is significant larger than the OEM variety, at least in its current prototype form.

The design team has turned to Kickstarter to get their project funded, with a $70,000 goal. If all goes to plan, they expect to ship black or white CordLites beginning in September at $35 a pop, but as always, getting in during the “pre-order” phase will net you a hefty discount. The first 200 backers can get an early-bird cord in the color of their choice with a $25 pledge, with the required amount jumping up to $30 from there. A $45 pledge gets you an exclusive laser-etched model, while $50 will be met with a pair of early-bird cords. As you may have gathered from the picture above, the first version will only function with Apple devices, though a microUSB cord is also said to be in the works. See it in action in the video demo just past the break.

Previous project update: The Chameleon Android interface is well on its way to a $50,000 goal, with just shy of one month left to go. A $5 pledge will get you early access to the app, while higher amounts net you goodies like theme packs, t-shirts and a Galaxy Tab.

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Spectral Instruments’ 1100-series 112 megapixel camera is one of a kind

admin — Sat, 19 May 2012 09:02:00 +0000

Special Instruments is working on a gargantuan 1100-series camera that has a 112 megapixel CCD and is reportedly capable of shooting photos of both the sun and the stars in broad daylight. Special Instruments, an Arizona-based company that builds cameras for scientific applications, reportedly cooled the chip to -100 degrees Celsius to eliminate “dark current”, thus allowing the exposures to last for hours while remaining crisp. Technically, the term dark current is the relatively small electric current that flows through photosensitive devices such as a photo-diode or a charge-coupled device (CCD). (more…)

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: QuantumFilm: Quantum Dot-Based Image Sensor, San Francisco bars to install facial detection cameras,

The Beautiful Beach Chairs You’ll Want To Take Everywhere [Daily Desired]

admin — Sat, 19 May 2012 00:04:54 +0000

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LG LS970 ’superphone’ shows up again, flaunts its removable battery and NFC chip

admin — Fri, 18 May 2012 10:14:52 +0000

It’s only been a few days since we first heard the rumors about an upcoming, Sprint-bound LG quad-core slab, and now that same LS970 “superphone” is back for more action. Thanks to yet another snap acquired by the folks over at BriefMobile, we can now spot a couple extra details on the device, including its previously unknown NFC capabilities. Contrary to earlier beliefs, the alleged LG Eclipse also seems to offer a removable battery, which is likely to make some power users very content. Something tells us this isn’t the last we’re going to see of this super handset, though, so we’ll keep you in the loop if any more noteworthy findings appear.

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