Sweet Jupiter’s Loins! Look at this thing. It’s a quad rotor flyer with 20 independent cameras designed to blow through windows and sneak around tight spaces nary a whisper. I’m not sure what’s scarier – the device itself or the sounds it makes.
The folks at the GRASP Lab at Penn created this robot. You may remember them from such hits as “self assembling robot” and Little Ben, the self driving car.
According to the WSJ, Motorola president Sanjay Jha said that “We will introduce new Droid products in the Verizon franchise.” This probably means something like the Droid Shadow that “appeared” in a toilet recently.
We can also expect about a dozen new phones from Motorola this year, although not all of them will run Android.
A 79-year-old man from Utica, NY entered an AT&T store with a hit list of names and a 357 Magnum. He opened fired, hitting one employee, before an off-duty police officer who was shopping at the store pulled his own gun and shot the attacker dead.
The shooter, Abraham Dicken, had held a grudge against the store’s employees for months, even threatening them with a gun once before. His hit-list contained the names of six employees.
It wasn’t the first time that Dicken had been in the AT&T store and given the staff trouble. Authorities said that he had been in the store numerous times in the past, even brandishing a handgun to employees.
This Chinese phone is trying desperately to look like a Vertu but features one of the most massive pico projectors I’ve ever seen.
The NCBC 888 phone with a built in pico projector takes media on a mobile phone to the next level. Anyone who has ever had to stare at a smallish screen (even if it is up to 4 inches) knows that after a while there eyes will begin to tire. Not with the NCBC however, as you are talking a mini projector with you wherever you go. Anything from watching movies with friends on the bus, to giving quick media presentations to colleges is possible. The phone also has a TFT 2.4 inch screen with responsive touchscreen control, a 1.9MP camera, allows WAP and GRPS internet connection, comes with up to 8GB of memory courtesy of a microSDHC card, and can act as two phones in one by use of dual SIM ports with dual standby.
You can get these little beauties for $172 and it has two SIM card slots, just in case you needed to make two calls at once. It’s a little corny-looking, but $172 for a pico projector is pretty rockin’.
Are you totally into Android? Then you’re totally in luck. The folks who brought you Exploded iPad and Exploded iPhone present Exploded Andy, the Android android cut down to his component parts, including a fat, fleshy brain.
You can pick up a poster or t-shirt of Andy. Both are available right now at the product page
Remember when everyone was like “I’m returning my iPad? It’s the garbage?” That was SO early Spring 2010. The new hotness is increased iPad affection with a soupcon of wistful disappointment that comes to the folks who originally attacked the iPad and are now smitten. It was so fun to have a flat, glassy enemy back in April!
First, anecdotally, Disrupt this week featured so many iPads you could have feasibly placed one on every seat in the auditorium and still had iPads left over to pave halls by the loading dock. The iPad is the new iPhone but the tamagotchi effect – that thing you see where people just endlessly fiddle with their iPhones in public, rubbing them like hamsters – just doesn’t happened. The iPad sits, open, on your table in front of you and you occasionally brush your hand over it like a sleepy wizard. It doesn’t require as much attention as the iPhone.
Then you have Fred Wilson who, at first, was against the iPad and then he was for it. Why? Because it is unobtrusive.
Here’s what I think is going on. The iPad hits a sweet spot between a “device” and a piece of printed matter. If you see someone at dinner whipping out a phone, they’re a douche. But the iPad requires a bit more preparation and since it looks like a book or a magazine, we process its intrusion differently. If you pull it out in mixed company, it’s to show them something. It’s not so you can check 50 email messages and send tweets while everyone else is toasting the bride and groom.
Because the iPad looks like a book, the rules of book reading apply. If you’re outside using it, you’re available. You wouldn’t shush someone as you skimmed the Do’s and Don’t in Glamour just as you wouldn’t shush someone while using the iPad. It’s not a private activity, really. The screen is big and there’s always something you can share on the iPad’s screen with the other person. It’s inclusive rather than exclusive.
So go ahead and hate your neighbor and go ahead and cheat a friend, but don’t claim the iPad hasn’t hit a sweet spot with far to many people to dismiss it.
I talked to Liam Casey, Adam Hocherman, Chris Hawker, and Bre Pettis about open source hardware, manufacturing, and entrepreneurship in the manufacturing space. I won’t spoil anything for you, but I recommend you watch it.
If you take anything away from the panel, I think it will be “dick hammer.”
If you’ve ever watched old-timey Dr. Who, you probably wondered how they made the music for that series. It’s simple, really:
In 1963 Delia Derbyshire working for the BBC Radiophonic Workshop created one of the most significant and innovative pieces of electronic music, even before the availability of commercial synthesizers.
Starting with a score written by composer Ron Grainer, Delia created every note by cutting, splicing, speeding up and slowing down segments of analog tape recordings of plucked strings, white noise, and the simple harmonic waveforms of test-tone oscillators which were used for calibrating equipment and rooms, not creating music.
Below are pictures of Delia Derbyshire and the studios of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop.
It’s hard out here at Disrupt for gadget geeks, but we just got lucky. Merel Technologies is showing off a very cool multi-touch web table that uses gesture recognition, object recognition, and multi-user multi-touch to create a new way to interact with media and kiosk apps.
The best thing? It costs $3,200 for the 32-inch model and $4,200 for the 42-incher.
The table is made by Merel Technologies in New York and it uses a stacked multi-touch layer (looks like IR) along with an LCD TV to display the interface. A built-in PC runs the whole thing and you can tear it down to create a coffee-table sized device. You can also customize colors.
Interestingly, the gear is assembled in New York.
The goal here, it seems, is to allow customers access to multi-touch displays for not much money. It’s no Surface, but the company is working on an App Store which allows you to browse devices via Bluetooth, browse photos and classifieds, or even access video and restaurant menus right from your table. We saw something similar in iTable, which was a little more PC and a little less Surface — but also going for the lower price point.
Can you dig it? Ryu from Ninja Gaiden on the NES was a real badass. He could climb on walls and he had unlimited shuriken, a big plus when you’re going against hordes of anti-ninja forces on the NES. But how is he against Koopa Troopers?
Our favorite game, SMB Crossover, just announced they’re adding Ryu to their line-up of classic characters.
You can play it right here, right now. Thank us after you’ve had like an hour of fun.
You’ve been waiting for it! It’s the Dell Streak and it’s coming to a Carphone Warehouse near you! Wait, what?
The Streak, Dell’s 5-inch Android tablet, will arrive in June with O2, price to be announced. The device will come with 3G connectivity and should be subsidized by the carrier.
Want the Streak in the US? It won’t arrive until “later this summer,” which is a big old bummer. I’ve actually seen this guy IRL and it’s pretty cool.
Press release after the jump.
DELL STREAK TABLET ENTICES PEOPLE TO WATCH, SURF, CONNECT, LISTEN, AND PLAY ON 5″ OF POWER AND PORTABILITY
· Streak to launch early June in the UK exclusively on O2
· Available at O2 stores, O2.co.uk, The Carphone Warehouse and later next month at Dell.co.uk
· U.S. availability to arrive later this summer
BRACKNELL, UK – May 25, 2010 – Today, Dell released plans for Streak, a 5-inch Android™-based Tablet designed to provide people the best “on-the-go” entertainment, social connection, and navigation experience. Early this June the Dell Streak will be available across the UK at O2 stores, O2.co.uk, The Carphone Warehouse, and later in the month at Dell.co.uk. Pricing and data plans for the UK will be announced by O2 ahead of availability. Later this summer, Dell plans to make Streak available in the U.S.
The Dell Streak is a compact and powerful companion for people who want to expand their ability to access their digital lives on the go, and realize tomorrow’s technology today. The spacious 5-inch screen is ideal for experiencing thousands of Android Market™ widgets, games and applications, all without squinting or compromising portability. Built-in Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and available 3G connectivity brings easy access for downloading and listening to music, updating social networking status in real-time, and staying connected to friends and family through e-mail, text, IM, and voice calls.
On-the-go students, mobile professionals, and active families will find Streak’s web-browsing capabilities as natural as a laptop. The 5-inch screen is large enough to present Web pages in their natural form, create a comfortable viewing experience, and make turn-by-turn navigation simple and safe. The Dell Streak leverages Qualcomm’s Snapdragon™ solution with integrated 1GHz processor to combine basic functionality, performance, and benefits of a laptop in a pocket friendly size.
“The Dell Streak hits the sweet spot between traditional smartphones and larger-screen tablets,” said Ron Garriques, president, Dell Communication Solutions Group. “Its unique size provides people new ways to enjoy, connect, and navigate their lives.”
The Dell Streak was designed with the future in mind and will support over-the-air updates including platform upgrades, Adobe Flash 10.1 on Android™ 2.2 later this year, video chat applications and other software innovations.
Dell is a member of the Open Handset Alliance™ (OHA), a group of technology and mobile companies working together to accelerate innovation in mobility. Together, the OHA created Android, the first complete, open, and free mobile platform to provide people a richer, less expensive, and better mobile experience.
Key Features:
* Integrated Google Maps™ with turn-by-turn navigation, street and satellite views
· A full screen browsing experience with a 5-inch capacitive multi-touch WVGA display
· Easily integrated social media apps: Twitter™, Facebook, YouTube
· High resolution 5 MP camera, VGA front facing camera, removable battery, built-in Wi-Fi, 3G and Bluetooth connectivity options
· 2GB* of internal dedicated storage provides plenty of space to access and download Google Android Market’s many options
· Packaged with cushions made from 100 percent sustainable, compostable bambooSpecifications:
* Android platform complete with Android Market and Dell user interface enhancements
* ARM-based Processor: Qualcomm’s powerful and efficient Snapdragon chipset and software platform with integrated 1GHz processor
* 3G + WiFi + Bluetooth
* UMTS / GPRS / EDGE class 12 GSM radio with link speeds of up to HSDPA 7.2 Mbps* / HSDPA
* 5 MP autofocus camera with dual LED flash. Easy point, shoot, and uploads to YouTube, Flickr, Facebook and more
* User accessible Micro SD expandable memory available up to 32 GB*. Store up to 42 movies* or 32,000 photos*, or 16,000 songs* with 32GB* Micro SDFollow conversations in the blogosphere: #DellStreak
Key Links:
Images: www.dell.com/photos
Dell: www.dell.co.uk
O2: www.O2.co.uk
The Carphone Warehouse: www.carphonewarehouse.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/dellAbout Dell:
Dell (NASDAQ: DELL) listens to its customers and uses that insight to make technology simpler and create innovative solutions that simplify daily activities and help people stay entertained, connected and in touch. Learn more at www.dell.com.
A cluster of suicides has hit Foxconn, painting the factory in a horrible light and essentially drawing outrage just about everyone. Yesterday Foxconn CEO, Gou Tai-ming, officially spoke out against the suicides and today another potential suicide occurred at about 6:30 AM in Shenzhen.
Those are the facts and it’s a tragic situation. Something in the factory is wrong and Foxconn needs to fix it. This much is obvious.
To put this in perspective, however, I was speaking with someone who went to Cornell. If you recall, Ithaca is Gorges and, sadly, those same beautiful natural gorges are also a spot for suicides at Cornell university. This year there have been six suicides at Cornell, a record year and, with the national average reaching 7.29 suicides per 100,000 students in America, the rash of suicides there is a tragic statistical outlier.
To recap my earlier argument, the Foxconn factory feeds and houses almost 400,000 workers. If the national average of student suicides held in China, you’d see 28 suicides a year at Foxconn. For a bit of background, listen to and read this This American Life episode about a Chinese man who stops suicides on the Yangtze River Bridge in Nanjing, China.
Although this is not the narrative we want to hear, I don’t believe that Foxconn mistreats their employees any more than any ISO certified manufacturing plant does. The business of manufacturing can be deadening and exhausting but to place the blame squarely on the company is wrong. There are forces at work here we, culturally and historically, we do not understand and to raise a hue and cry over anything but the expectation that Foxconn begin offering counseling to the distraught who, for whatever reason, are deciding to take their own lives, is a dangerous course to take and masks a certain xenophobia and cultural insensitivity.
This young lady is eight years old and produces something she calls Sylvia’s Super-Awesome Maker Show. Today she made a Drawdio, a pencil that plays music when you draw things. Mark at BoingBoing found her at Maker Faire and she seems to really enjoy what she’s doing and she has great production values, which is a big plus in videoblogging.
Please, my friend, enjoy this young lady’s sojurn into making cool stuff.
We covered AppMakr a few months ago and found that they were a fairly cool way to make simple iPhone/iPad/iPod Touch apps with a minimum of fuss. They’ve just announced that they hit 1 million downloads onall of their custom apps and have also announced a number of improvements to the service.
The service, to recap, allows you create simple apps consisting of RSS feeds and other pieces of data. You create the app online and “publish” it either privately or with their help.
AppMakr has served as the app development tool for iPhone Apps built by Newsweek, US Congressional Committees, MacLife, National Geographic, Harvard Business Review, Seth Godin, Guy Kawasaki and thousands of others. AppMakr is an app-building service, which allows companies and individuals to make native mobile apps. The service is entirely web-based and lets users see a preview of the app as a fully-compiled, native iPhone app before it’s built.
The company just launched a number of improvements including an “App Quality Index” which allows you to squeak through the Apple approval process as well as push notifications and photo galleries.
You can create your app right here and publish it yourself. You’ll need to create an Apple Developer Account, but AppMakr will take care of most of the details. This offer is apparently for a limited time – they’re not announcing an end date – but, generally, it may be worth giving it a go if you’ve been thinking of creating a basic app.
Have you ever wondered how they rate gaming laptops and desktops? Well, aside from a bunch of hand-waving and pseudo-intellectual discussion, most hardware reviewers depend on a few important benchmarks, including 3DMark 11. 3DMark traditionally pounds graphics processors and CPUs with all kinds of great stuff – I remember running 3DMark in 2001 and seeing some amazing graphics including a fun space battle scene that pre-dated Halo 2 – and then it spits out a number.
FutureMark is releasing a new version of the software that will attack PCs with DirectX 11 graphics including new tessellation techniques to add amazing depth and detail to newer games.
The new software will appear at Computex and will be available for use in Q3 2010. A free version will also be available for stay-at-home amateur hardware pundits.
3DMark® 11 Announced, Trailer and Images Released
Deep Sea Tech Demo to be Shown at Computex, Taipei
2010 COMPUTEX TAIPEI
HELSINKI–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Futuremark®, the developer of the world’s most popular benchmarking software, today announced 3DMark® 11, the latest version of their industry standard benchmark for real-time 3D graphics. Designed to measure the performance of DirectX 11 gaming PCs, 3DMark 11 uses a native DirectX 11 engine created in-house. To accompany the announcement Futuremark has released a trailer and screenshots taken from a 3DMark 11 tech demo called “Deep Sea”.“So we are especially excited to announce 3DMark 11 and show the possibilities of DirectX 11 with the release of the Deep Sea trailer.”
Deep Sea is a demonstration of DirectX 11 technologies created using an early development build of the 3DMark 11 engine. The Deep Sea trailer features submersibles exploring the sea floor. Volumetric lighting illuminates the seabed with tessellation used to add rich detail to the rock, coral and manmade structures. Post processing delivers depth of field and other lens effects. The music is an original composition.“For over 10 years 3DMark has shown gamers what to expect from the next generation of real-time 3D graphics,” said Jukka Mäkinen, Futuremark CEO, “So we are especially excited to announce 3DMark 11 and show the possibilities of DirectX 11 with the release of the Deep Sea trailer.”
The trailer, a selection of screenshots and further information about 3DMark 11 can be found on a newly launched website: http://www.futuremark.com/benchmarks/3dmark11/teaser/
The 3DMark 11 Deep Sea tech demo will be shown publicly for the first time on the MSI booth at Computex in Taipei, from June 1 – 5.
3DMark 11 will be released in the third quarter of 2010. There will be a free edition available at launch. 3DMark 11 will join existing Futuremark benchmarks 3DMark Vantage for DirectX 10 and 3DMark06 for DirectX 9. Please visit the official website for more details.
Dost thou love Diddy? Then do not squander Diddy, for that’s the stuff life is made of. Monster has just announced the avilability of the Diddybeats earbuds in black, white, and pink for $179. Best of all? Les Diddybeats includes a free track from Diddy’s latest album, Last Train to Paris.
But wait! There’s more. Actually, that’s it. They’ll be available at Best Buy and, because they didn’t mention much about the audio, expect these things to be a little bass-heavy and actually fairly good, although the price is a bit high. Although folks complain about Monster all the time, I’ve been impressed with the Dr. Dre Beats, so these should be on par with those.
Sean “Diddy” Combs, Monster and Beats™ by Dr. Dre™ Announce Nationwide Availability of Diddybeats™ In-Ear Headphones in Black, White and Pink Exclusively at Best Buy®
Free Track Download of “Hello Good Morning” from Diddy-Dirty Money’s Upcoming Album
“Last Train to Paris” Available with Purchase
New York, NY, May 24, 2010 – Monster, the leader in audio/video accessories, and Beats™ by Dr. Dre™, co-founded by legendary artist and producer Dr. Dre and Interscope Geffen A&M Chairman Jimmy Iovine, are proud to announce the nationwide availability of Diddybeats™ (MSRP: $179.95), now in black, white and pink versions, exclusively at Best Buy® and Best Buy® Mobile stores. The latest addition to the hugely popular Beats by Dr. Dre headphone family from Monster, Diddybeats were created in conjunction with music entrepreneur and fashion icon Sean “Diddy” Combs.Free Track Download from Diddy-Dirty Money’s New Album Last Train to Paris
For a limited time, all headphone purchasers will receive a “ticket” with an online promotional code that entitles them to receive a free track download of the hit single “Hello Good Morning” from Diddy-Dirty Money’s upcoming album Last Train to Paris, which is scheduled for release on June 28 from Bad Boy Records and Interscope Records. Purchasers may enter their special code for the free download at http://diddybeats.com/track/default.aspx. In addition to their availability at Best Buy Mobile outlets, Diddybeats are also available at www.bestbuy.com/diddybeats.
“I am excited to launch Diddybeats at Best Buy because when it comes to electronics and entertainment devices they are second to none. I trust their expertise and am confident that this partnership will be a huge success,” states Sean “Diddy” Combs.
“Dre and I wanted to design an earbud that was a combination of great style and powerful sound,” said Beats by Dr. Dre Co-Founder and Interscope Geffen A&M Chairman, Jimmy Iovine. “Diddy was the perfect choice for this because he’s a pioneer in marrying music with fashion.”
Advanced Audio Technologies from Monster Deliver Extreme Clarity and Deep Bass
Diddybeats feature advanced audio technologies that break new ground for in-ear headphone performance, combining the deepest bass tones with the clarity of high frequency production and making them ideal for use with all types of music, from hip-hop and rock to jazz and classical. The remarkable sonic performance is made possible through the use of new materials and innovative patent pending designs, allowing users to hear details in their music they may never had heard before.
Head Monster, Noel Lee noted: “The goal of Beats by Dr. Dre headphones has always been to bring serious music listeners a new way to enjoy truly great sound, and to hear every nuance of the music the way the original artist intended it to be heard. With Diddybeats, we were fortunate to be able to work closely with Diddy, one of the world’s most meticulous recording artists, to fine-tune the sound, and the results are nothing less than astounding.”
“Best Buy is proud to be the exclusive partner with Monster and Beats by Dr. Dre to launch these tremendous headphones for consumers who are looking to enhance their experiences with mobile technology,” said Shawn Score, president of Best Buy Mobile. “Smartphones are becoming the central point for staying connected to everything from work to family and from social media to music. And that is why Best Buy Mobile is so focused on featuring smartphones and accessories. Diddybeats adds to our tremendous assortment and is certain to be a great product for our customers.”
Trendsetting Design Echoes Diddy’s Sean John Fashion Label
In addition to their leading-edge sonic technologies, Diddybeats in-ear headphones also incorporate design elements that echo the sensibilities and trendsetting style of Diddy’s critically acclaimed international fashion label Sean John. As such, Diddybeats are a 21st century combination of sophisticated styling and cutting-edge technology. The elegant headphones are made from high-tech aluminum, wrapped with the look and feel of leather and polished endcaps. Customers can get more information on Diddybeats at www.diddybeats.com.
Diddybeats come in an exclusive Sean John-inspired travel case and with an assortment of eartips to ensure maximum comfort and fit for every wearer. They also feature Monster’s exclusive matching flat cable design that not only integrates into the overall look and feel of the headphones, but also makes them tangle-resistant.
Diddybeats are being made available with the Monster ControlTalk™ headphone cable*, which can be used with iPhone™ and iPod® for music playback control as well as to take hands-free calls with iPhone and many smartphones. The special Monster ControlTalk headphone cable features an integrated high-grade microphone and answer button and allows users to access their music and answer phone calls without having to reach into their pocketbook, backpack or pocket.
* The ControlTalk remote and mic functions are supported by iPod nano (4th and 5th generation), iPod classic (120GB/160GB), iPod touch (2nd generation), iPhone 3GS, and iPad. The remote is supported by iPod shuffle (3rd generation). Audio is supported by all iPod/iPhone/iPad models. Requires software version 1.0.3 for iPod nano (4th generation), 2.0.1 for iPod classic (120GB), and 2.2 or later for iPod touch (2nd generation).
Additional note regarding Diddybeats and BlackBerry®:
The white version of Diddybeats is compatible with all BlackBerry smartphones. The pink and black versions do not support volume and tracking control.
Oh rapture! GPS 800G watch phone is here and it’s ready to rumble! This phone has GPRS tracking, an SOS button, and can record how fast you’re moving, allowing alerts to be sent to scared and frightened parents. But don’t take my word on it:
1.SMS & GPRS Tracking: Capable of text message (SMS) tracking & internet (GPRS) tracking 2. A SOS button for emergency help. 3. Have Timing & Positioning function , it can search the signal of GPS automatically ,then set the time according the time of satellites to choose the different time of every country . 4. It can store three alarm phone number . you can press any one alarm number button to get help actively…
Get help actively! Satellites! What a treat!
Brian at PocketNow posted a browser comparison video showing the iPhone, the Nexus One, and the HTC HD2 all viewing the same websites. He installed Froyo on the Nexus One and downloaded the Flash beta which allows him to run almost all Flash content. It’s really long.While I do enjoy a long video of a man playing with Android phones, 11 minutes worth of a man playing with phones (found after the jump) might be a bit tiring. However, the money shot comes at about 1:40 where you see some Flash games playing in the wild.
I think the most interesting part of that part of the video is how close Flash games running on a good processer are to standard, natively written games.
So fine, you say, things look great. Why not run Flash?
So you just woke up. You had some cereal, some coffee. Hit the old elliptical and then took a shower and went to work. You fire up the old PC, get the TPS reports ready, and while the FTOPS are loading you visit CrunchGear. You play the video above. You realize that your entire world, one day very soon, will change. You discover that LittleDog is the robot that will kill and macerate you.
This new video shows LittleDog, a DARPA project, learning terrain and performing unusual moves like hops and stretches to span chasms. Because it doesn’t need a bagel and a latte to get up to speed in the morning, I suspect that once these things go intelligent, we’re all screwed.
Oh well. Let’s enjoy ourselves while it lasts.
We just saw a great product at the TC Disrupt Hack Day. It’s basically a class action lawsuit generator against AT&T that uses your actual call drop data to tabulate how many times your phone crashed and how many times you’ve been generally hosed by AT&T.
The site is worstphoneever.com and it searches for baseband crashes on your desktop, uploads them, and saves them to a database. The results are tabulated and added to the total, eventually leading to a detailed class-action lawsuit.