Consumer
Google to develop new headquarters at London's Kings Cross
January 18, 2013 8:55 am | News | CommentsGoogle Inc. is developing a new UK headquarters which could be worth as much as 1 billion pounds ($1.6 billion) when finished, the latest overseas property deal for the cash-rich U.S. Internet group. Google has purchased a 2.4 acre plot at the Kings Cross Central development,
Social media dispute resolution stumps some companies
January 18, 2013 8:53 am | by Mitch Lipka, Reuters | News | CommentsIf HBO cuts out on you in the middle of the latest "Girls" episode, and if you have Charter Communications Inc as your cable provider, don't try tweeting your dismay to their customer service department. Nobody will hear your lament.
Would these “smart” ice cubes change how you drink?
January 17, 2013 2:24 pm | by Kasey Panetta, Associate Editor | Blogs | CommentsSometimes great technology comes out of bad life experiences. Like the time Dhairya Dand from MIT Media Lab was so intoxicated he blacked out, and came up with an idea for a technology that would prevent people from drinking too much.By placing a smart LED inside molds of waterproof, edible jelly...
CES 2013 a meager showcase for consumer electronics
January 17, 2013 2:20 pm | by Jason Lomberg, Technical Editor | Microsoft Corp. | Articles | CommentsCES has never been more irrelevant. I wrote those words last year when Microsoft pulled out of CES and the industry was in the thralls of its 3D hysteria, pushing a technological gimmick that no one wanted. Since then, the industry has found a new rallying cry – 4K (or Ultra-HD) – and largely abandoned hopes of shoving stereoscopy down our throats, but the pizzazz is still missing.
Seeing beyond cameras: Predicting where people move in CCTV blind spots
January 17, 2013 9:03 am | by Eurekalert! | News | CommentsA new model from Queen Mary, University of London could be a useful security tool in tracking people in large, busy venues such as airport terminals and shopping centres. The research fuses information gathered from multiple Close-Circuit Television (CCTV) network cameras and geographical maps for the first time,
Retailers taking tech battle for shoppers to next level
January 17, 2013 8:53 am | by Phil Wahba and Jessica Wohl, Reuters | News | CommentsThe store of the future has arrived and it is threatening to leave technology laggards behind.The modern store is equipped with cameras that look at you, guess your tastes based on your gender, age and behavior, and send deals to your smart phone accordingly. It also has the technology to reduce endless check-out lines and speed up the process for picking up something ordered online.
The truth about relative vs. absolute motion control systems
January 16, 2013 12:39 pm | by Chad Lucien, Hillcrest Labs, www.hillcrestlabs.com | Hillcrest Labs | Articles | CommentsSmart TV features are beginning to transform the TV into an entertainment hub. Whether functionality is native to the TV or via a connected set-top box, many Smart TV systems utilize motion and pointing to control myriad features and functions. Motion control provides cursor, point-and-click, and tilt-based controls, mimicking the control system of a computer mouse or smartphone touchscreen.
New Jersey’s power and fuel infrastructure was no match for Sandy
January 16, 2013 12:14 pm | by Chris Warner, Executive Editor | Articles | CommentsThe love-hate relationship we have with "the grid" was inescapable during Superstorm Sandy. We don’t think about it much when our homes are lit and appliances are humming – we have the freedom to do anything we want. But when there’s an interruption, there’s that nagging wish to be free from the grip of our local utility....
App helps catch drunk drivers
January 16, 2013 9:00 am | by Eurekalert! | News | CommentsNearly 30 Americans a day die in vehicle crashes that involve drunk drivers, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That number is so appalling to Frank Vahid, a computer science professor in the Bourns College of Engineering at the University of California, Riverside, that he plans to spend much of the rest of his academic career helping to eradicate the problem.
Seeking the next CERN: Europe to award $1.3 billion to next-generation science projects
January 15, 2013 9:01 am | by FRANK JORDANS Associated Press | News | CommentsCall it Europe's Got Talent for geeks.Teams of scientists from across the continent are vying for a funding bonanza that could see two of them receive up to (EURO)1 billion ($1.33 billion) over 10 years to keep Europe at the cutting edge of technology. The contest began with 26 proposals that were whittled down to six last year. Just four have made it to the final round.
4k2k: Are we underestimating its value?
January 14, 2013 11:31 am | by Paul Gray, Director of European TV Research, DisplaySearch | Display Search | Blogs | CommentsWith the predictable run of 4k2k announcements this CES, most comments have sensibly focused on content availability. This was undoubtedly the single greatest factor in the failure of 3D to create a revival in the TV market.
5GHz WiFi module designed for 802.11ac notebook and mobile equipment applications
January 14, 2013 9:23 am | Rfmd | Product Releases | CommentsRF Micro Devices introduced the highly-integrated RFFM4501E front end module (FEM) for 802.11ac notebook and mobile equipment applications. RFMD’s newest WiFi FEM meets or exceeds the system requirements for 802.11ac connectivity in the 5.150GHz – 5.850GHz frequency band and is optimized to support multiple applications....
iPhone 5 users are Europe's biggest data consumers
January 14, 2013 8:59 am | by Reuters | News | Comments(Reuters) - Users of Apple's iPhone 5, launched in September 2012, have the most voracious appetite for data in Europe, consuming on average more than four times the amount of a typical person still using a iPhone 3G, according to a study.
Astronomers discover largest known structure in the universe
January 14, 2013 8:58 am | by Reuters | News | Comments(Reuters) - Astronomers have discovered the largest known structure in the universe - a group of quasars so large it would take 4 billion years to cross it while traveling at speed of light. The immense scale also challenges Albert Einstein's Cosmological Principle, the assumption that the universe looks the same from every point of view, researchers said.
4 products that defined trends at top gadget show, from supersharp TVs to crowdfunded watches
January 14, 2013 8:56 am | by PETER SVENSSON AP Technology Writer | News | CommentsThe world's largest gadget show wrapped up on Friday, and the organizers said it was the biggest ever, beating last year's record in terms of the floor space companies purchased to display their wares. What was it that drew more than 3,500 companies and 150,000 people to Las Vegas for this mega-event?
Apple executive dismisses cheaper phone as a market share grab: report
January 11, 2013 12:22 pm | by Reuters | News | CommentsApple Inc will not resort to a cheaper iPhone to expand its market share, marketing chief Phil Schiller told a Chinese newspaper in an interview when asked about speculation the company is developing a less expensive version of its popular smartphone.Schiller pointed out that though Apple
U.S. warns on Java software as security concerns escalate
January 11, 2013 12:17 pm | by Jim Finkle, Rueters | News | CommentsThe U.S. Department of Homeland Security urged computer users to disable Oracle Corp's Java software, amplifying security experts' prior warnings to hundreds of millions of consumers and businesses that use it to surf the Web. Hackers have figured out how to exploit Java to install malicious software
Gadget Watch: Smart watch lets you know your iPhone is getting a call, no need for charging
January 11, 2013 12:14 pm | by PETER SVENSSON AP Technology Writer | News | Comments"Smart" watches that talk to cellphones have been around for some time, but they've been hampered by their high battery drain - usually needing recharging every few days. At this week's International CES electronics trade show in Las Vegas, a startup launched a smart watch, the Cookoo, that runs for a year on a standard button cell.
FCC to push for faster wi-fi at airports, other hubs
January 10, 2013 2:03 pm | by Reuters | News | CommentsTelecommunications regulators are planning a push to increase wi-fi speed in airports, convention centers and other major hubs where travelers often see download speeds slow to a maddening crawl. Federal Communications Chairman Julius Genachows
This flashlight can operate on any battery
January 10, 2013 9:23 am | by Kasey Panetta, Associate Editor | Blogs | CommentsPicture this: You’re sitting in front of the television one night watching Ax Men when suddenly the power goes out. Stumbling over to the hall closet, you rummage around on the shelves for a flashlight. Finally, after nearly strangling yourself with a scarf, you locate the light only to discover it needs batteries.
Gadget Watch: Samsung shows phone with bendable screen, teases future with screens that fold
January 10, 2013 9:05 am | by PETER SVENSSON AP Technology Writer | News | CommentsBy showing off a phone with a flexible screen, Samsung is hinting at a day when we might fold up our large phone or tablet screens as if they were maps. The Korean electronics company provided a glimpse of such a device at a keynote speech Wednesday at the International
Far-field voice input processor SoC targets smart TVs
January 9, 2013 2:59 pm | Conexant Systems | Product Releases | CommentsConexant Systems announced the CX20865, its new high-performance Far-Field Voice input processor system-on-chip (SoC) designed specifically for Smart TVs. The CX20865 is asserted to be the first dedicated Far-Field Voice solution with integrated
Wireless audio platform supports iOS, Android, Windows 8 and Mac
January 9, 2013 12:23 pm | Microchip Technology Inc. | Product Releases | CommentsMicrochip Technology Inc., announced what it asserts is the first and only Wi-Fi audio connectivity platform — featuring the new JukeBlox 3.2 platform and software development kit — to support all of the major mobile and PC operating systems along with
Gadget Watch: Electronic fork tracks your bites, nags you about your eating habits
January 9, 2013 8:58 am | by PETER SVENSSON AP Technology Writer | News | CommentsIf you've always wanted a fork that spies on your eating habits, you're in luck: A company has developed a utensil that records when you lift it to the mouth. The electronic fork is one of the gadgets getting attention this week at the International CES in Las Vegas, an annual showcase of the latest TVs, computers and other consumer-electronic devices.
Gadget Watch: Pen uses infrared, ultrasonic technology to make old monitors touch-ready
January 9, 2013 8:50 am | by RYAN NAKASHIMA Associated Press | News | CommentsMany people who have tried Microsoft's new Windows 8 operating system without a touch screen have hated it because of the inability to use touch and swipe commands to get things going. Now, a company has made a digital pen to allow people to use Windows 8 on their old monitors for less than the cost of buying a new touch-enabled computer.
