Computing
Real-life Mario Kart - Waterloo Labs
December 20, 2012 10:09 am | Videos | CommentsIn this episode the good people at Waterloo Labs (same guys who created eyes-only Super Mario Bros.) rig up four go Karts so they can manipulate the throttle, gas, and brakes along with an RFID Item system so they could make a REAL playable version of Mario Kart.
10GBASE-T PHY enables single row top-of-rack design
December 19, 2012 5:54 pm | Broadcom Corp. | Product Releases | CommentsBroadcom Corporation announced the availability of what is said to be the industry's smallest quad 10GBASE-T physical layer transceiver (PHY). The BCM84848 second-generation 40nm 10GBASE-T PHY delivers 50 percent lower power in the industry's smallest footprint, according to the company, to
The newest (and most invasive) surveillance technique
December 19, 2012 12:31 pm | by Kasey Panetta, Associate Editor | Articles | CommentsBetter watch what you say next time you take the bus; somebody could be listening in. We’re all pretty used to the increasing amount of cameras on public transportation, and a lot can be said in their favor. They provide a safer environment for the driver when dealing with unruly passengers.
Avoid cracked screens: An airbag for your smartphone
December 19, 2012 9:34 am | by Kasey Panetta, Associate Editor | Articles | CommentsAs the proud new owner of an iPhone 5, I have but one concern: Can this phone survive my clumsy self? For the past three years, I’ve been the increasingly less proud owner of a Blackberry Bold. It was slow, bulky, people mocked me for having it, and viewing a website was as much fun as going to the DMV, but, man, could that thing take a hit like Floyd Mayweather.
Samsung drops request for sales ban on some Apple products in Europe
December 19, 2012 9:13 am | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsSamsung Electronics Co. said Tuesday it has withdrawn its requests to have sales of certain Apple products banned in Europe, though it is still pursuing lawsuits over technology licenses.The two companies are waging a legal battle on multiple fronts and across the world as they jostle for dominance in the more than $100 billion global smartphone market.
COM express module supports up to four displays
December 17, 2012 1:27 pm | Product Releases | CommentsMSC Embedded introduced a COM Express Type 6 module family. This family, called MSC C6C-A7, is based on the AMD embedded R-Series processors also known as accelerated processing units (APUs). MSC C6C-A7 members are compact form factor computer-on-modules characterized by very powerful graphics and high parallel computing performance with low power dissipation.
Programmable controllers include basic CPU, remote slave modules
December 17, 2012 11:19 am | Automation Direct | Product Releases | CommentsAutomationDirect’s Productivity3000 line of programmable controllers now includes basic CPU and remote slave modules. The P3-530 CPU’s five integrated communications ports include Ethernet for programming, monitoring, and networking; a USB port for data logging; USB I/O port for up to four local expansion bases;
Internet crackdowns around the world: From political opposition to video sharing
December 17, 2012 9:41 am | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsDUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) -- Envoys in Dubai signed a new U.N. telecommunications treaty Friday that a U.S.-led delegation says endorses greater government control of the Internet. The U.S. and more than 20 other countries refused to ratify the accord by the 193-nation International Telecommunications Union
Will the Blackberry 10 save RIM?
December 13, 2012 10:55 am | by Kasey Panetta, Associate Editor | Articles | CommentsThough Research in Motion (RIM) is banking on the Blackberry 10 release in early 2013 to save the company, Karl Volkman, the Chief Technology Officer of SRV Network, isn’t convinced.“I think it might be too little too late,” Volkman says of the Canadian communications company.
Got food allergies? Thanks to UCLA, you can test your meal on the spot using a cell phone
December 13, 2012 9:07 am | by Eurekalert! | News | CommentsAre you allergic to peanuts and worried there might be some in that cookie? Now you can find out using a rather unlikely source: your cell phone. A team of researchers from the UCLA Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science has developed a lightweight device called the iTube, which attaches to a common cell phone to detect allergens in food samples.
Google releases map app for iPhone nearly 3 months after Apple ousted the navigation system
December 13, 2012 9:00 am | by MICHAEL LIEDTKE AP Technology Writer | News | CommentsGoogle Maps have found their way back to the iPhone. The world's most popular online mapping system returned late Wednesday with the release of the Google Maps' iPhone app. The release comes nearly three months after Apple Inc. replaced Google Maps as the device's built-in
Pope needs help sending out blessing in first tweet
December 12, 2012 8:46 am | by Philip Pullella, Reuters | News | CommentsAfter weeks of anticipation bordering on media frenzy, Pope Benedict solemnly put his finger to a computer tablet device on Wednesday and tried to send his first tweet - but something went wrong.Images on Vatican television appeared to show the first try didn't work. The pope, who still writes his speeches by hand,
Gate bipolar transistor technology platform reduces power dissipation
December 11, 2012 2:58 pm | Product Releases | CommentsInternational Rectifier, IR introduced a new generation Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (IGBT) technology platform. The Generation 8 (Gen8) 1200V IGBT platform utilizes IR’s latest generation trench gate field stop technology to offer best-in-class performance for industrial and energy saving applications.
iSolated: Bad Apple Maps directions lead to desert
December 11, 2012 8:39 am | by KRISTEN GELINEAU Associated Press | News | CommentsThe city of Mildura is not at the end of a dirt road in the Australian bush, in tire-choking desert sand far from food and water. Unfortunately, Apple's much-maligned mapping application thinks it is.More than two months after Apple's CEO apologized for errors in its Maps service, Australian police say the app is .
USB 2.0 Hi-Speed host controller IC provides providing 480 Mbit/s capability
December 10, 2012 2:29 pm | Product Releases | CommentsFuture Technology Devices International Limited (FTDI) has strengthened its portfolio of USB semiconductor solutions, with the release of the FT313H host controller IC. This feature-rich device supports USB 2.0 hi-speed (480 Mbits/s), as well as full-speed (12 Mbit/s) and low-speed (1.5 M bit/s) implementations.
Next big thing: Electric buses
December 10, 2012 9:06 am | by Kasey Panetta, Associate Editor | Articles | CommentsElectric cars are a very hot topic, particularly with Motor Trend picking the Tesla S as its Car of the Year, but rarely do you hear anyone talk about electric buses. America is not a country of public transportation. We lack the infrastructure—mostly due to the logistical complications of trying to accommodate for such a large geographical area
Top 10 must-see posts for November
December 6, 2012 3:38 pm | by The ECN Editors | Articles | CommentsHere’s a rundown of the most read, most popular, most awesome articles on the web. Take a look at what you missed the first time around or check up on an old favorite to see the conversation in the comments. Keep checking out the Lead at www.ecnmag.com and follow us on Twitter @ecnonline for our most up-to-date articles.
Should schools use RFID chips to track students?
December 6, 2012 2:53 pm | by Kasey Panetta, Associate Editor | Articles | CommentsA few weeks ago, I came across an article on Slate talking about a school in Texas that had put RFID tags in the student ID cards that everyone has to wear. The article—available at the link--was a discussion on whether the tags were an invasion of privacy.
Robotcolypse: When the robots take over
December 6, 2012 2:08 pm | by Kasey Panetta, Associate Editor | Articles | CommentsWell friends, it appears the end is almost upon us. I’m not even referring to the end of the world a la the Mayan Calendar but rather an entirely different kind of a not-so-hostile takeover: robots. We’ve touched on robots taking over before, but this time, it’s getting serious. This robot was designed to actually replace humans.
Saudi Arabia's new "tracking" system for women
December 6, 2012 12:33 pm | by Kasey Panetta, Associate Editor | Articles | CommentsWhen you work in the tech world, your days are usually full of creative people doing incredible things; on the darker days, you occasionally stumble on people (or governments) using technology in ways that make your skin crawl. Reports out of Saudi Arabia are saying when
Driverless vehicles expected to navigate intersection of safety, speed
December 5, 2012 8:49 am | by Eurekalert! | News | CommentsHow do driverless vehicles navigate through intersections? Faster and safer than if humans were in charge, according to researchers with the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute. Autonomous vehicles will turn themselves over to an automated intersection controller, which adjusts the trajectory
Google talks continuing, no antitrust decision yet: EU's Almunia
December 5, 2012 8:46 am | by Foo Yun Chee, Reuters | News | CommentsEU antitrust regulators have not yet made a decision in their case against Google and talks are proceeding with the Internet search firm to resolve complaints that it used its clout to block rivals, the EU's competition chief said. "We are in the process of conversation with Google to try to reach a settlement,
Swiss spy agency warns U.S., Britain about huge data leak
December 4, 2012 9:19 am | by Mark Hosenball, Reuters | News | CommentsSecret information on counter-terrorism shared by foreign governments may have been compromised by a massive data theft by a senior IT technician for the NDB, Switzerland's intelligence service, European national security sources said.
Preventing 'Cyber Pearl Harbor'
December 3, 2012 9:01 am | by Eurekalert! | News | CommentsCyber attacks that have long caused major work disruption and theft of private information are becoming more sophisticated with prolonged attacks perpetrated by organized groups. In September 2012, Bank of America, Citibank, the New York Stock Exchange, and other financial institutions were targets of attacks
Roundtable: Predictions for 2013
November 29, 2012 3:20 pm | Articles | CommentsExperts in the industry weight in on the question: What trends and technologies have impacted the industry in 2012 and what does that mean for 2013? In their responses the industry experts talk about LEDs, chips and what will be coming up in the next year.
