Posts Tagged ‘wireless’

NASA is carrying out emergency repairs on the International Space Station today to try to fix an ammonia coolant leak discovered earlier this week . While the crew of the ISS is safe, NASA has sent astronauts Tom Marshburn and Chris Cassidy on a short-notice spacewalk to attempt to find the source of the leak. According to NASA, the spacewalk will last for about six hours.

More:
Watch live: astronauts perform emergency spacewalk to attempt to find and fix ISS leak

There’s no shortage of places to store your files online , but that isn’t stopping mobile carrier Verizon from jumping into the mix. Today, the company is announcing Verizon Cloud for smartphones and tablets, a storage and syncing service that lets people save 500MB worth of text messages, call logs, contacts, music, and other files for free. If that’s not enough, you can also get extra space for prices that range from $2.99 a month for a 25GB plan to $9.99 for 125GB. Comparatively, the biggest plan gives you more storage than Dropbox’s identically-priced 100GB offer, but is roughly twice the price of 100GB plans from Google Drive and Microsoft’s Sky Drive, although the ability to easily save phone-specific data like text..

Read More:
Verizon Cloud app is the wireless carrier’s answer to Dropbox

Yahoo’s bid for a controlling stake in video portal Dailymotion has ended after the French government raised objections to the deal, according to reports. The collapse of the talks is a blow to Yahoo, which has been fighting the perception it is irrelevant by acquiring up-and-coming talent and releasing well-regarded new apps . It also deprives them of a new distribution channel for original programming and the advertising that will run alongside it. Dailymotion is owned by France Telecom-Orange, in which France holds a minority stake. TechCrunch , building on an earlier report from Le Monde , reports that France’s minister of industrial renewal did not want to see one of France’s marquee Internet companies sold off to a U.S

Read More:
France reportedly scuttles Yahoo’s bid for Dailymotion video portal

As major game publishers push overbearing copy protection that frustrates legitimate players, an indie studio has taken a novel approach to the difficult problem of piracy. Greenheart Games released a “cracked” version of its Game Dev Tycoon to illegal downloading sites, but there’s a sting in the tail — anyone attempting to play the game development simulation beyond a few hours will get a subtle hint about the consequences of their actions. A message informs the player that people are choosing to pirate their studio’s game, and profits will drop until the virtual company eventually goes bankrupt. In a blog post , Patrick Klug of Greenheart Games said that the cracked version made up over 93 percent of all Game Dev Tycoon downloads,…

See the original article here:
Players who pirated ‘Game Dev Tycoon’ see their virtual studios hit by piracy

Last week, Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer announced an exclusive deal to offer Saturday Night Live’s clip library online, but it turns out that was just the tip of the content iceberg. Today, Yahoo is revealing a slew of new programming deals that run the gamut from partnerships with ABC News and WWE wrestling to new original programming including a John Stamos comedy about celebrities losing their virginity. First, the partnerships. The biggest news is Yahoo’s deal with WWE, which gives it exclusive access to archives of historic wrestling matches, shows, highlights, and other content. There will be two new weekly series produced exclusively for Yahoo, as well as a 30-minute pre-show for Monday Night Raw and pre-show content for every WWE…

Read More:
Yahoo continues content push with exclusive WWE partnership and original programming

Microsoft is planning to update Windows Phone 8 later this year to support 1080p displays and it appears that close partner Nokia might be ready to take advantage of the new resolution. The Financial Times reports that the Finnish smartphone maker is working on a large screen smartphone that’s similar in size to Samsung’s Galaxy Note series. The device is said to be part of Nokia’s Lumia range of smartphones. A Nokia “EOS” PureView Lumia is also allegedly planned for July. The Verge previously revealed “EOS,” a Lumia with a similar sensor that’s found on Nokia’s 808 PureView handset.

More here:
Nokia reportedly planning Galaxy Note rival, advanced PureView Lumia coming in July

After 14 years of sitting on a piece of gaming history, someone claiming to be a former Sega employee is breaking silence, posting what he claims to be photos of the long-rumored Sega Pluto prototype console. Posted on Assemblergames.com , the machine is a modified Sega Saturn (it even has the Saturn logo) with a built-in 28.8Kbps NetLink connection for web browsing and email. The shell of the device has been majorly redesigned, with a flip-top lid on the optical drive instead of the pushbutton mechanism on the Saturn, and the poster, named Super Magnetic, describes it as “a beast… definitely the heaviest console I’ve ever held in my hands.” The Pluto reportedly runs, although region incompatibility (the poster is in Japan but the…

Read the original post:
Forgotten Sega Pluto prototype console surfaces online

Wireless charging standard Qi looked formidable. High profile phones like the Nokia Lumia 920 , the HTC Droid DNA , the Samsung Galaxy S III and the LG-built Google Nexus 4 all included the tech. Public charging stations were rolling out, including many in Japan .

More:
Wireless charging coup: HTC, LG and Samsung join Power Matters Alliance

In their quest to create an adhesive that more reliably holds skin grafts in place, scientists have taken inspiration from a parasitic worm known as the pomphorhynchus laevis. To feed off of its host (fresh fish), this worm latches onto the intestinal wall of its host by digging its needle-like head in and then swelling up to secure itself. A research team at Brigham and Women’s Hospital applied similar thinking to a new adhesive patch that latches onto human tissue by way of dozens of microneedles. The resulting bond is over three times as strong as staples conventionally used in skin graft procedures according to Dr. Seung Yun Yang

Original post:
Worm-inspired medical adhesive uses expanding microneedles to secure skin grafts

In addition to the dour news that Verizon will be strictly enforcing a 24-month upgrade cycle , the company is extending a small olive branch. Customers who want to get a new phone before their contract is up (or, presumably, anytime) will be able to do so without paying the full device cost up front. Instead, Verizon will let consumers sign up for a “Device Payment Plan” that will break up the full retail price into monthly payments over the course of a year. A Verizon spokesperson tells The Verge that smartphones and tablets costing more than $349.99 will be eligible, but there’s also a $24 “finance charge, billed at $2 each month.” The plan was originally leaked by Droid-Life earlier today, and it’s mainly an extension of a program…

Read More:
Verizon to offer one year payment plans on smartphones costing over $349.99

Apple’s deals with European wireless carriers are under scrutiny by the European Commission, reports The New York Times . According to an unnamed source, a group of European operators submitted details of their contracts with Apple to the Commission, although no formal complaints have been filed. The accusations reportedly focused on French carriers, although other countries may be involved. Continue reading…

More here:
NYT: Apple allegedly squeezing EU operators on iPhone contracts, regulators looking into it

Nokia’s Cinemagraph and Camera Extra applications are now available for Windows Phone 7 Lumia owners with some added features. After debuting on the company’s Lumia 920 and 820 devices in November, Nokia is now porting them back to Windows Phone 7, as promised . The Camera Extras app includes Smart Shoot, Panorama, Action Shot, and a self-timer. There’s also a burst mode to take multiple photos. Cinemagraph is the more interesting out of the pair.

See more here:
Nokia Cinemagraph and Camera Extras updates available for all Windows Phone 7 Lumias

We’ve been eagerly waiting to see what T-Mobile has planned for its “Uncarrier” event planned for March 26th , but it looks like the details have trickled out ahead of schedule. According to an alleged leak posted by Engadget , unlimited talk and text will be included free in any of the carrier’s data plans, which range from $60 a month for 500MB of high-speed data to $130 a month for 12GB — all of which include the ability to use your phone as a mobile hotspot. And if tethering is a lesser concern than your high speed data cap, you can always opt for unlimited data at $90 a month, minus the hotspot functionality. According to the document, “the number of lines and amount of high-speed data are the only choices that a customer needs… Continue reading…

Continue reading here:
T-Mobile ‘Uncarrier’ pricing possibly leaked, removes guesswork with flat rates for data

Apple may be facing penalties in an ongoing privacy case after a failure to produce documents in a timely fashion. Bloomberg reports that Judge Paul S. Grewal had strong words for the company’s legal team today. The privacy case, in which Apple is accused of collecting data from its customers even when their geo-location services were turned off, has seen Apple reprimanded a number of times for not providing emails and documents that Grewal said “absolutely should’ve been collected and they were not.” Grewal got involved in forcing Apple’s hand on March 6th, when he ordered the company to explain how it had collected documents it had turned over to attorneys for the other side.

Read the original:
Apple lambasted by judge for not turning over documents in privacy case

The impending demise of Google Reader has major implications for the app development community; Google’s RSS service had become the de facto standard for third-party clients, and users and developers alike will need to find an alternative. Popular news aggregation app Feedly thinks it has a solution, though — it’s been working on a project that clones the Google Reader API, and says that users will see a “seamless transition” once Reader shuts down. It sounds like other clients will have the option of Feedly’s solution, too; a statement provided to GigaOm says that since the Feedly-created API is supposed to be identical to Google’s, other clients should be able to plug into the service in the same way.

Read More:
Feedly could save Google Reader clients with cloned API

Intrade, the “prediction market” that let users wager on the outcomes of everything from presidential elections to air strikes, is shutting down all trading. The news was first reported on Wealth.net , and contradicts earlier statements from the company that it would continue to operate following a November lawsuit from the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission. In the suit, the CFTC alleged that Intrade was effectively buying and selling commodity options, in violation of its ban on off-exchange trading. Continue reading…

View article:
Intrade’s ‘prediction market’ shuts down due to possible financial irregularities

Age of Empires II is a monument to the glory days of sprites, battlefield evangelism , and real-time strategy, and you’ll be able to get another shot at spreading your influence around the world when an HD version of the game arrives next month. Age of Empires II: HD Edition is based on Age of Empires II: Age of Kings , released in 1999, and has been visually remastered with new textures, effects, and support for 1080p displays and multiple monitors. Eurogamer reports that the reworked version will feature the entire single-player campaign through the Conquerors expansion, and support for Steam’s social features: including achievements, leaderboards, and matchmaking. Age of Empires II: HD Edition will be sold for $20 exclusively on Steam…

Read More:
Relive the glory of conquest with remastered ‘Age of Empires II’, available on Steam April 9th

The last time we checked out the Leap Motion Controller (then known as “The Leap”) we referred to it as ” a Kinect on steroids .” Since then, Leap has attracted an impressive amount of developer support and has announced a full retail launch on May 13th for $79.99 through major channels like Best Buy . We just had a chance to use the final hardware and some of the early third-party apps and games, and frankly, we’re still very impressed — but it’s still in its infancy. Continue reading…

See the original article here:
Small gestures, big impact: hands-on with Leap Motion’s latest games and apps

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has determined that “reasonable suspicion” can be required to search electronic devices at the border, potentially raising the bar for police there. For the past several years, activists have attempted to set higher standards for when laptops or other devices can be seized and searched by border police. In a recent report, the Department of Homeland Security’s civil liberties watchdog group said that “overall authority to conduct border searches without suspicion or warrant is clear and longstanding,” and electronic devices were included in that mandate.

View article:
Federal appeals court says ‘reasonable suspicion’ required for some electronic border searches

Dell’s buyout deal is reportedly facing more opposition from shareholders, and competing offers could be in the works. Sources have told Bloomberg that fellow computer makers HP and Lenovo have expressed interest in buying the company at a higher price, as has Blackstone Group. The sources say HP and Lenovo are unlikely to actually pursue a bid, but their consideration will complicate Michael Dell’s plan to take the beleaguered company private for $24.4 billion provided by himself, equity firms, and a Microsoft loan. Meanwhile, prominent investor Carl Icahn — recently known for his heavy investment in Netflix — seems to have his own plans in the works. CNBC sources reported yesterday that Icahn has collected a roughly 6 percent..

View post:
Dell buyout challenged by another major investor and potential bids from Lenovo and HP

Back in December, Judge Lucy Koh refused to give Apple the sales bans it wanted on 26 Samsung products found to infringe on its patents, ruling that Apple needed to establish that the patented features were “important drivers” of demand for the offending devices. Now Apple is appealing the ruling, arguing that it sets the bar too high, and it’s getting help from an unlikely friend — Nokia. The Finnish cellphone maker filed an amicus curiae brief in support of Apple this week, and while the filing is under seal, Nokia outlines its position clearly in an accompanying motion.

See the article here:
Nokia sides with Apple in push for Samsung product sales ban

How times have changed. The US Transportation and Security Administration on Tuesday announced it would be relaxing the restrictions on items prohibited from being carrying aboard airplanes. Starting April 25th, for the first time since the September 11th, 2001 attacks, the agency will allow airline passengers to pack “small knives,” and sports equipment in their carry on baggage. The changes are being made to try and reduce the number of items the TSA confiscates that the agency doesn’t think pose a threat to safety, Bloomberg reports. But flight attendant labor groups are criticizing the decision as unsafe and shortsighted

More:
TSA to allow small knives, sports equipment on planes starting April 25th

E-commerce has disrupted a number of industries, but it’s only helped expand the global market for items made of illegal African elephant ivory. Online sales listings for items made of the highly-coveted tusks of African elephants have increased in recent years, showing up on eBay, Google Shopping and numerous other online forums, according to conservation advocacy groups. Many of the groups are gathering this week in Bangkok, Thailand, for a summit to revise international wildlife trade agreements. While they say eBay has made progress in shutting down ivory sales on its websites around the globe, one nonprofit, the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) faults Google for not doing enough in responding to concerns, and says Amazon is..

Excerpt from:
Elephant ivory ads on eBay and Google Shopping threaten conservation, advocates say

It’s no surprise that Samsung is planning a follow-up to the Galaxy S III for the spring, but the company has thus far managed to keep from spilling too many details on its next flagship phone. What we do know so far is that it’ll likely have a 1080p 5-inch screen, like many of this year’s high-end smartphones — and it’s also rumored to have some new eye-tracking capabilities, as well. In true Samsung fashion, we’ve also seem some perplexingly vague teasers.

More:
Galaxy S 4: Samsung prepares to unveil its latest flagship smartphone

Launched in early 2012, the Raspberry Pi is a simple, Linux-based computer designed to make programming cheap and accessible. Coming in $25 and $35 models, it uses modest components and SD card storage, with an HDMI connection and optional ethernet port. In its first year, one million Pis have been sold, both to educational institutions and to coding enthusiasts. Continue reading…

Read the original post:
Raspberry Pi grows up: a $35 mini-computer takes on the world