Consumer
Magnalight handheld spotlight featured on HBO's True Blood
March 21, 2013 4:07 pm | Larson Electronics Llc | Product Releases | CommentsUnder the name of Fangbanger Productions, the hit TV show True Blood selected yet another Magnalight spotlight for an episode in the upcoming season. The GL-8130-M handheld spotlight offers a uniquely convertible configuration for use as a handheld lantern or traditional spotlight form factor.
Level the playing field between retailers and e-tailers
March 20, 2013 9:38 am | by Colin Hanna, President, Let Freedom Ring | Blogs | CommentsAs a former local elected official, I know that tax revenues need to come from somewhere and that they should be levied on as fair a basis as possible. It’s a delicate balance, one that does not come easily. Government must be responsible in its spending and should not abuse its authority to effect change in the marketplace....
LLC transformer promises up to 99 percent efficiency, 50 percent real estate savings
March 19, 2013 11:37 am | Precision, Inc. | Product Releases | CommentsPrecision, Inc. announced the global launch of its new LLC transformer which is asserted to provide up to 99 percent efficiency and extremely low power loss. The technology combines two discrete components – a resonant inductor and transformer – into a single package reducing real estate up to
Engineering Newswire 29: 3D printers in vending machines
March 18, 2013 9:08 am | Videos | CommentsToday on Engineering Newswire, brought to you by PTC, we're kick starting low-cost robotics, using a 3D printing vending machine, and having a cup of coffee in the sky. A group of Berkeley students found it difficult to get quick delivery of 3D-printed creations from online vendors, so they developed the concept of creating a network of local, automated 3D-printing vending machines named Dreambox.
Lady brains: Dumbing down technology for women
March 15, 2013 3:53 pm | by Kasey Panetta, Associate Editor | Blogs | CommentsManufacturers are constantly trying to find ways to appeal specifically to women. The justification is often that their product—be it pens, cars, or toys—sells with men, but they’re trying to attract more women. It’s a logical thought process: figure out what a demographic wants, market those specific traits, sell more product.
Using biometrics to avoid credit fraud
March 14, 2013 2:45 pm | by Kasey Panetta, Associate Editor | Blogs | CommentsCredit fraud is a growing problem, and new technology isn’t making it any better. With the advent of electronic wallets and fewer cash transactions, maintaining privacy and verifying identity are becoming an alarming issue.
Engineering Update #6: Spidey's new suit, robotic cheetahs and stretchable power supplies
March 14, 2013 10:03 am | Videos | CommentsECN's Engineering Update, brought to you by Mouser Electronics, takes a look at: a Spidey Sense suit. Researchers at the University of Illinois in Chicago have found a way to replicate Spider-Man's superhuman powers of perception with a Spider Sense suit. Modeled after the Marvel comic book hero...
Stereotyping prime obstacle to women in commercial science
March 13, 2013 9:14 am | by Eurekalert! | News | CommentsFemale professors are almost 50 percent less likely than their male counterparts to be invited to join corporate scientific advisory boards (SABs) and start new companies mainly because of gender stereotyping, says University of Maryland researcher Waverly Ding, an assistant professor of management at the Robert H. Smith School of Business.
The best use for Google Glass yet
March 13, 2013 9:05 am | by Kasey Panetta, Associate Editor | Blogs | CommentsThere is something universally horrifying about that moment at a party when you meet someone briefly but you can’t recall his name when you bump into him a few minutes later or running into a coworker on the street during lunch and being unable to come up with anything besides "that lady who works two cubes down from me".
'Mobile surfers': Report finds more youth accessing Web on smartphones, challenging oversight
March 13, 2013 9:05 am | by MARTHA IRVINE AP National Writer | News | CommentsKeep computers in a common area so you can monitor what your kids are doing. It's a longstanding directive for online safety - but one that's quickly becoming moot as more young people have mobile devices, often with Internet access. A new report from the Pew Internet & American Life Project finds that 78 percent of young people, ages 12 to 17, now have cellphones.
Solving the counterfeit crisis, engineers weigh in
March 11, 2013 9:57 am | by Kasey Panetta, Associate Editor | Blogs | CommentsHow would you stop counterfeiting? One of the hottest topics in electronic components--and basically every other industry-- is how to deal with the issue of counterfeiting. So we put it to the readers to come up with the best solutions for the counterfeiting crisis.
Robotic bartender uses Raspberry Pi to dispense perfect drinks
March 7, 2013 4:08 pm | by Jason Lomberg, Technical Editor | Blogs | Comments"Let our bot get you drunk!" If there’s a better sales pitch for the seamless integration of consumer robotics into our everyday lives, I don’t know it. "Bartendro" is a godsend for those who enjoy a good cocktail but don’t like to fiddle with precise measurements (or obscene bar tabs).
Tunable RF components enable smaller, thinner smartphones with reliable antenna performance
March 6, 2013 2:14 pm | On Semiconductor | Product Releases | CommentsON Semiconductor has introduced a new family of Tunable RF Components (TRFC) that address the design challenges faced by engineers developing the latest generation smartphones. The new devices optimally combine tuning range, RF quality factor (Q) and frequency operation, providing a superior solution to existing fixed approaches.
Motion sensor hub designed for mobile devices
March 5, 2013 10:48 am | Product Releases | CommentsPNI Sensor Corporation and EM Microelectronic – Marin SA announce the introduction of the Sentral sensor fusion hub, a new, highly effective way to integrate complex motion sensors on mobile devices. The Sentral sensor fusion hub is the first hub designed specifically to manage sensor outputs on a low-power integrated circuit....
HotSpot Episode 2: Wearable gesture control
March 5, 2013 9:43 am | Videos | CommentsThis week on WDD's Hotspot: Thalmic Labs has introduced its wearable gesture-controlled arm band -- Myo, which is capable of measuring electrical activity in muscle movements instantly, providing a seamless way to wirelessly control video games, phones, and other digital devices.
Marketing schemes through the Google [looking] glass
March 5, 2013 9:14 am | by Chris Fox, Associate Editor, PD&D | Blogs | CommentsLast June, Google announced a unique device that is supposed to incorporate their technology into your everyday life. In fact, their sights seem to be set on invading every moment your eyes are open with convenient updates, recording capabilities, and, of course, an easy-to-use search engine.
Agita over 3D printed guns is absurd
March 1, 2013 4:26 pm | by Jason Lomberg, Technical Editor | Articles | CommentsHobbyists, tinkers, and DIYers are the unsung heroes of our industry — "hackers" in the original sense of the word. But conflating "hobbyists" with "guns" causes fits of hysteria. And it’s entirely unwarranted. The handwringing over the imagined capability to print 3D guns and the associated moral implications is absolutely absurd and betrays a basic misunderstanding of firearms and physics.
Top 10 must-read posts from February
March 1, 2013 3:12 pm | by Kasey Panetta, Associate Editor | Blogs | 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.
Mayer’s memo ending telecommuting puts Yahoo in good company
March 1, 2013 12:27 pm | by Chris Warner, Executive Editor | Blogs | CommentsMarissa Mayer created quite a hornet’s nest when she issued a memo effectively ending the work-at-home option for Yahoo employees. In the memo, obtained by AllThingsD, Mayer writes, “To become the absolute best place to work, communication and collaboration will be important, so we need to be working side-by-side."
Why 3D-printable guns are a terrible idea
March 1, 2013 9:45 am | by Kasey Panetta, Associate Editor | Blogs | CommentsMention the words "3D printed guns" and you’ve got an instant, increasingly heated debate on your hands. When you consider there were 16 mass shootings—defined as a shooting with multiple, random victims—in 2012 with at least 88 people dead including children, it’s definitely a topic worth discussing. My take? No one needs a 3D printed gun or the ability to create one.
Engineering Update #5: Robotic cockroaches, lightsabers, a 3D wearable mouse, and Google Glass
February 28, 2013 9:20 am | Videos | CommentsIn this episode of Engineering Update, brought to you by Mouser Electronics (www.mouser.com): Researchers at the University of Michigan are studying cockroaches in order to advance robotic technology. A 3D wearable, wireless, thumb-activated, space recognition, Bluetooth 4.0 low-energy protocol mouse called Mycestro.
Metal pushbutton switch radiates white ring
February 27, 2013 4:46 pm | Schurter Inc. | Product Releases | CommentsSCHURTER expanded its MSM Series metal pushbutton switch to include a version with white ring and point illumination. Existing color options include red, green, yellow and blue. The series also expands its range of integrated resistor options to include
Apple to settle lawsuit on inadvertent app purchases by kids
February 26, 2013 9:13 am | by Reuters | News | CommentsApple Inc has agreed to settle a class action lawsuit that said customers were charged when their children inadvertently downloaded certain applications from the company's online store, a court filing showed.
EU judges to hear arguments in Google test privacy case
February 26, 2013 9:12 am | by Claire Davenport, Reuters | News | Comments(Reuters) - Google will do battle with Spain's data protection authority in Europe's highest court on Tuesday in a landmark case with global implications which poses one of the thorniest questions of the Internet age: When is information really private?
Chinese hackers seen as increasingly professional, methodical, as they plunder Web for secrets
February 26, 2013 9:09 am | by CHRISTOPHER BODEEN Associated Press | News | CommentsBeijing hotly denies accusations of official involvement in massive cyberattacks against foreign targets, insinuating such activity is the work of rogues. But at least one piece of evidence cited by experts points to professional cyberspies: China's hackers don't work weekends.
