Jul 31
Yahoo! offers up coupons and refunds to DRM server-shutdown victims
Filed under: Portable Audio
If you woke up this morning worried about what Yahoo! is planning to do for its Music Store customers who are about to be left in the lurch with its DRM server shut-down, have no fear. Yahoo! has announced that it will offer customers coupons or refunds for those songs you bought. Basically, you’ll get a coupon that you can use at RealNetworks Inc.’s Rhapsody download service. Their songs, of course, are DRM-free. For those of you who have “serious problems with this arrangement” (their words, not ours), refunds will be available. The servers go down on September 30, so start combing your collections, kids.
[Thanks, JC]
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
NASA to hold Phoenix press conference tomorrow, water on the brain?
Filed under: Robots
It’s been a while since we’ve reported about the doings of our robotic friend on Mars, but a press conference tomorrow (Thursday) could uncover Phoenix’s first positive report of water on the red planet. NASA’s conference will be held at 2 p.m. Eastern Thursday and we’re hearing that Pheonix Mission is ready to report that water ice is not only confirmed, but the research robot has dug some ice out of a trench, heated it, and confirmed that it is, in fact water. If this all holds true, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory will be able to determine whether or not the atmosphere could sustain life and lead to manned missions to Mars. We call shotgun.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
written by CoolGadget
Jul 31
Microsoft Invents Sphere Display Technology: Just like Microsoft Surface
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3HGfIy_zCI Previously we’ve seen this Microsoft Surface Technology which uses innovative touch gesture technology through which multiple people can interact, synchronize their mobile devices with ‘Surface’ at…
Visit Techlivez.com for full story
India working on $10 Laptop
The OLPC (One Laptop Per Child) Project has not yet been started properly and now there is new more cheaper project (Oh I think its the cheapest project) - The $10 Laptop. People around the world are still struggling to make OLPC $100 popular, whereas Indian…
Visit Techlivez.com for full story
written by CoolGadget
Jul 31
GamePark’s GP3X leaked in spy shots, called the ‘Wiz’
Filed under: Gaming
Apparently, a leaked shot of GamePark’s next iteration of the GP2X — the GP3X (not to be confused with the Pandora project) — has gone and gotten itself leaked onto the interblogs. According to a post on GP2X News, the new system (which is being called the “Wiz”) isn’t set in stone, but will contain some form of a system-on-a-chip, and apparently will allow GP2X emulators to run after a bit of recompiling. There’s not a whole lot of information available right now, but we’ll keep you posted — in the meantime, enjoy the photo.
[Via GP2X News]
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Microwave process could cut cost of lithium-ion batteries
Filed under: Misc. Gadgets
While there’s plenty of folks out there focused on making lithium-ion batteries
safer and
longer-lasting, there’s also thankfully some dedicated to making ‘em cheaper, which is especially welcome when we’re talking about the expensive batteries powering cars. Among those in the latter camp is University of Texas at Austin professor Arumugam Manthiram, who has devised a method of using microwaves to heat a concoction of commercially available chemicals, which ultimately results in the Rorschach test of rod-shaped particles of lithium iron phosphate pictured above. While the use of lithium iron phosphate instead of the more commonly used lithium cobalt oxide apparently cuts back on the total amount of energy the batteries can store, it is apparently particularly well-suited to delivering large bursts of power, which should make the batteries ideal for use in hybrid vehicles. What’s more, while the actual cost of the materials may not be much cheaper than other solutions, the sheer speed at which Manthiram’s process works could allow for higher production rates from the same amount of equipment, which
should result in cheaper batteries by the time they roll off the assembly line.
[Via Daily Tech]
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
written by CoolGadget
Jul 31
Oh gawd, Dell releasing Zing-based DJ Ditty in September?
Filed under: Portable Audio
Ready for the DJ Ditty 2? You’d better be because the Wall Street Journal says that “several Dell officials” have confirmed in-house testing of a new sub-$100 digital music player that could go on sale as early as September. Dell also plans to launch a download service and software to “organize music and movies from various online sources” in order to properly seed the product ecosystem. The new player features a small navigation screen and basic button controls and will connect to online music services over WiFi. Unfortunately, there’s no mention of DRM, only that downloaded music can be shared with PCs and cellphones. So… if you’re wondering how Dell’s acquisition of Zing might play into this then go get yourself a cookie, Dell’s device is based on Zing’s software (that’s a pre-Dell era Zing prototype pictured). In fact, Zing will come pre-installed on a series of Dell laptops and “other devices” (like a Dell smartphone, maybe?) and will likely connect to “Zingspot” if Dell puts its trademark to use.
Funny, this all sounds very 2006 to us as we struggle to see how Dell’s player / service will compete in a market already shaking itself out — right Sony, Yahoo, and Microsoft? In fact, the whole WSJ piece seems like an attempt for Dell to gauge public reaction without suffering the indignity of a failed product announcement. Michael Tatelman, Dell’s VP of Consumer Sales, says he’ll decide “in a few weeks” how to proceed with the player and may decide not to sell it at all. So go ahead folks, now’s your chance to tell Dell how you feel with all the anonymous key slapping you can muster in the comments.
Read [subscription required]
Permalink | Email this | Comments
written by CoolGadget
Jul 30
Northrop Grumman’s aircraft-mounted laser moves forward in testing
Filed under: Transportation
We’re beginning to think the US government is playing tricks with our head. Let’s see, in late 2004, a Boeing anti-missile airborne laser achieved first light; in October of 2006, a laser-equipped 747-400F was deemed ready for testing; in January of 2007, an MD-10 with Northrop Grumman’s Guardian anti-missile system took off; now, we’re back to the testing stage? Something doesn’t add up. Whatever the case, we’re being fed information that leads us to think that the US Air Force’s Airborne Laser has moved on to some “other” stage of testing. More specifically, engineers are making sure its “sequencing and control” functions are operating normally. Unsurprisingly, we’re left in the dark as to when this thing will see action (again?), but consider our interest piqued for a reason The Man didn’t intend.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
written by CoolGadget
