Consumer
Gadget Watch: Samsung camera lens goes from 2-D to 3-D at the flip of a switch
January 8, 2013 8:50 am | by PETER SVENSSON AP Technology Writer | News | CommentsCameras that can record in 3-D are usually pretty complicated, sporting two lenses instead of one, to mimic human binocular vision. Samsung says it has a more elegant solution: a single lens that can go from 2-D to 3-D mode with the flip of a switch.
Finding Chicago's food gardens with Google Earth
January 7, 2013 9:03 am | by Eurekalert! | News | CommentsUrban agriculture is promoted as a strategy for dealing with food insecurity, stimulating economic development, and combating diet-related health problems in cities. However, up to now, no one has known how much gardening is taking place in urban areas. Researchers at the University of Illinois
New Lego robotics kit talks to iPhones, comes with infrared 'eyes;' $350 later this year
January 7, 2013 8:57 am | by PETER SVENSSON AP Technology Writer | News | CommentsLego bricks are getting cozy with the iPhone and other Apple devices in the latest incarnation of the Mindstorms robotics kit. Lego is set to announce Monday that a new, $350 Mindstorms EV3 kit will have the ability to talk to iPhones, iPads and iPod Touches through Bluetooth wireless connections.
Huge gadget show gears up in Vegas
January 3, 2013 6:17 pm | by PETER SVENSSON - AP Technology Writer - Associated Press | News | CommentsThink your high-definition TV is hot stuff — as sharp as it gets? At the biggest trade show in the Americas, which kicks off next week in Las Vegas, TV makers will be doing their best to convince you that HDTVs are old hat, and should make room for "Ultra HDTV." It's the latest gambit from an...
Would you like to contribute to our Brainstorm section?
January 2, 2013 4:50 pm | by Kasey Panetta, Associate Editor | Blogs | CommentsWe here at ECN love to hear what you have to say, so for our February issue we’re opening up the Brainstorm discussion to our faithful readers. We want to hear your thoughts about consumer electronics and the future of technology. Typically, the Brainstorm is an editorial section consisting of short commentary....
The chicken-and-egg challenge of innovation
January 2, 2013 11:06 am | by Alan Nicol, Executive Member, AlanNicolSolutions | Blogs | CommentsInnovation is a very popular topic right now, and has been for several years. The inventive spirit and a long history of innovative prowess has kept United States industry on top of the global pile for, arguably, nearly a century. It’s hard to argue that it has been so for the last half-century.
Review: 4 ways to highlight loved ones on Facebook, making it less a voyeuristic free-for-all
January 2, 2013 10:40 am | by TALI ARBEL AP Business Writer | News | CommentsNEW YORK (AP) -- A woman I haven't spoken to in six years is pregnant with her second son. Another college acquaintance reads the Bible a lot. A high school classmate likes to rant about politics. A college dormmate thinks he works too much.
LG beats rivals in race to sell new OLED TVs as it starts taking South Korean orders
January 2, 2013 10:37 am | by YOUKYUNG LEE AP Technology Writer | News | CommentsLG Electronics Inc. started taking pre-orders on Wednesday for the world's first big TVs that use an advanced display technology promising startlingly clear images on wafer-thin screens. The South Korean company said the 55-inch TVs, which use a technology called "OLED"
Top 10 must-see posts for December
December 21, 2012 12:34 pm | by Kasey Panetta, Associate Editor | 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.
Big Brother takes the wheel
December 21, 2012 9:57 am | by Meaghan Ziemba, PDD Assistant Editor | Articles | CommentsIs placing black boxes in automobiles really an invasion of the driver’s privacy? While I am all for the advancement of automobile safety, I wonder if placing black boxes in a cars is stepping over the privacy boundary? A recent article, “Black Boxes in Cars Raise Privacy Concerns” discussed the placement of event data recorders....
Click, print, shoot: Guns made on 3-D printers not as farfetched an idea as it sounds
December 21, 2012 9:09 am | by JASON DEAREN Associated Press | News | CommentsSAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Downloading a gun's design plans to your computer, building it on a three-dimensional printer and firing it minutes later. No background checks, no questions asked. Sound far-fetched? It's not. And that is disquieting for gun control advocates.
European Commission wades into global tech patents war
December 20, 2012 12:10 pm | by Ethan Bilby, Reuters | News | CommentsEU regulators are poised to accuse Samsung of breaking competition rules in filing patent lawsuits against rival Apple, in the EU's first formal challenge to the consumer electronic industry's patent wars. "We will issue a statement of objections very soon," the European Union's competition chief Joaquin Almunia said on Thursday, referring to the Commission's charge sheet.
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.
Top 10 must-see posts of 2012
December 19, 2012 3:00 pm | by Jason Lomberg, Technical Editor | Articles | CommentsHere’s a rundown of the most read, most popular, most awesome articles on the web from 2012. 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.
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.
AI computer program develops free downloadable game for Christmas
December 18, 2012 3:25 pm | News | CommentsResearchers at Imperial College London have developed an Artificially Intelligent (AI) computer program that has itself designed a video game for the Christmas season, which can be downloaded for free today. The game developed by the AI computer program is called "A Puzzling Present".
10 hot consumer trends for 2013
December 18, 2012 10:24 am | News | CommentsAs 2012 draws to a close, Ericsson ConsumerLab has identified the hottest consumer trends for 2013 and beyond. Michael Björn, Head of Research at ConsumerLab, says: "Our global research program is based on annual interviews with over 100,000 individuals in more than 40 countries and 15 megacities....
Beyond sensor fusion: Making smartphones smarter
December 17, 2012 4:09 pm | by Ian Chen, Executive Vice President, Sensor Platforms, Inc., www.sensorplatforms.com | Articles | CommentsSensor fusion is now integrated into most smartphones and tablets, enabling many mobile apps. But consumers want more: they want their mobile devices to be even smarter without having to learn any new interfaces themselves. This article provides an overview of a new class of sensor applications that go beyond sensor fusion....
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
AP-GfK Poll: Science doubters say world is warming
December 17, 2012 9:37 am | by SETH BORENSTEIN AP Science Writer | News | CommentsA growing majority of Americans think global warming is occurring, that it will become a serious problem and that the U.S. government should do something about it, a new Associated Press-GfK poll finds. Even most people who say they don't trust scientists on the environment say temperatures are rising.
Apple iPad shipments to reach 100 million in 2013?
December 14, 2012 4:29 pm | by David Hsieh, DisplaySearch | Blogs | CommentsIn 2012, Apple’s iPad continues to dominate tablet PC panel production. According to our Quarterly Large Area TFT Panel Shipment Report, panel makers including Samsung, LG Display, Sharp and Innolux will ship 70 million 9.7” iPad panels in 2012. Of those, 23 million will be iPad 2 XGA panels and 47 million will be new iPad QXGA panels....
Augmented reality helps retailers get personal
December 14, 2012 12:16 pm | by Chris Warner, Executive Editor | Articles | CommentsWe’ve all been there. You’re shopping at your favorite store, perhaps running an errand for someone else. But in order to make the purchase, you need to know if it’s right for you. The sales associate is busy helping someone else, or they may be missing in action. You just need the details about the product so you can get it right the first time without having to return it later....
Engineering Newswire 17: Life-sized, programmable humanoid robot talks, sings, acts
December 14, 2012 8:49 am | Videos | CommentsToday on Engineering Newswire, we're working with the world's smallest wrench, crossing the pacific in an autonomous wave rider, and creating a humanoid robot that can walk, talk, and ... act? Today's episode features....
