Skip to main content

Posts

Showing posts from March 17, 2013
Security hole allows anyone to reset an Apple ID with email and DOB  Gaping security holes are a pretty terrifying thing, especially when they involve something as sensitive as your Apple ID. Sadly it seems that immediately after making the paranoid happy by instituting two-step authentication a pretty massive flaw in Cupertino's system was discovered and first reported by The Verge . Turns out you can reset any Apple ID password with nothing more than a person's email address and date of birth -- two pieces of information that are pretty easy to come across. There's a little more to the hack, but it's simple enough that even your non-tech savvy aunt or uncle could do it. After entering the target email address in the password reset form you can then select to answer security questions to validate your identity. The first task will be to enter a date of birth. If you enter that correctly then paste a particular URL into the address bar (which we wi
Asus posts image of a metal box, will tell us what it is tomorrow Asus has been busy rolling out and announcing new devices, such as the Eagle Eye GX1000 gaming mouse launched a couple days ago and the branded GeForce GTX Titan graphics card last month. Now, according to a post made on its Google+ account, the company has another product that is about to be launched, but it wants us to guess what it is.  

Nest Thermostat: Heats your house by monitoring your activities

 This is no ordinary thermostat. It was designed by the people who worked on the iPod, which may explain its technological wizardry. It learns how best to heat your house by monitoring your activities and predicting what temperature you’d like when. Give it a week, and the makers claim it’ll have your daily routine down pat. It’s energy efficient, and has Wi-Fi built in, so you can switch it off from anywhere in the world via an app, so you won’t rack up a huge bill for forgetting. Or you can just annoy whoever’s at home. Though we’re sure you wouldn’t do that.

Must Have:LG LFX31935 Blast Chiller

 Cool a can of beer in five minutes? Or a bottle of wine in eight? Where do we sign? The Blast Chiller is a compartment in LG’s new French-Door smart fridge – just pop in your can of beer or bottle of vino, and set your egg timer. And try not to gnaw at your nails while you wait. The compartment is pretty small unfortunately, so you can either cool up to two cans or just the one bottle, but than that’s probably for the best in the long run. And it’s an end to forgetting about cans in the freezer.

Google Executive Chairman (Eric Schmidt) Use BlackBerry Phone

When you’re the Executive Chairman of a company who makes a large chunk of its business surround a mobile operating system like Google does with Android, you don’t go around using a BlackBerry . That is, unless you’re Eric Schmidt. It was confirmed this week that Schmidt, while speaking at the Activate conference in India to Guardian editor-in-chief Alan Rusbridger, that Schmidt uses a BlackBerry smartphone because he likes the keyboard. If that’s not the news of the day in the gadget universe, I don’t know what is. Though a real straight-up pull-quote has yet to be found, it’s 
Fujifilm announces FinePix XP200 ruggedized camera, S8400W superzoom Ready to hear about some mid-range Fujifilm point-and-shoots? Let's do this. The FinePix XP200 looks like the more exciting model of the bunch, so we'll start there. Available with red, purple, yellow, green, blue and orange glossy finishes, this ruggedized camera packs a 16-megapixel CMOS sensor with image stabilization, a 28-140mm lens, 3-inch, 920k-dot LCD, a 10-frames-per-second continuous shooting mode, 1080/60i video and built-in WiFi for pushing pics to a companion app. It's a ruggedized cam, so that means it's waterproof to 50 feet, freezeproof to 14 degrees Fahrenheit (-10°C) and shockproof to 6.6-foot drops. The other flavor is a superzoom model, or a "bridge camera," as manufacturers are calling them these days. The lens is the focus here, and this one's got a 24-1,056mm, 44x optic with a maximum aperture range of f/2.9 to f/6.

Filabot Reclaimer Recycles Old Plastic Into 3D Printing Filaments

Home 3D printing is quite economical now.  Still, the expenses on those $30 spools of plastic you use to form your finished products can add up after many projects.  The Filabot Reclaimer could change that. Created by researchers at Michigan Technological University, it's a plastic extruder that turns throwaway plastics into usable filament for 3D printing.  That means, all those milk jugs you clean out drowning your cereal, plastic water bottles, old toys and all sorts of plastic products that would otherwise end up in the trash (or your recycle pile) can be transformed into ammo for your future 3D creations.

Batman Backpack: For Times When Utility Belt Just Ain’t Enough

You got one of those awesome Dark Knight motorcycle suits from UD Replicas.  Only problem is, it doesn't really suit the backpack you usually bring when going on those long motorcycle trips with.  Complete your Batman motorcycling outfit with this Batman Backpack. Also made by UD Replicas, it's a functional replica of the same motorcycle pack that Batman wore in some scenes of the first and third Dark Knight movies.  Designed to go with the replica Batman suit in mind, it's sized and shaped to sling over the armor perfectly, apart from looking like a seamless part of the costume.

Twitter Turns 7

They grow up so  fast , don't they? When  Jack Dorsey  was setting up his twtter, even he probably didn't expect the service to be this popular, or that he'd become a household name in the process. After seven years, the social network has 200 million active users, pumping out 400 million tweets per day -- of which we'd roughly estimate 90 percent of which is people being snarky about the TV show they're watching. To celebrate, the company has put together a reminici package to take you through how Twitter has  influenced  the world, which we've stashed after the break.

The Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 11:A Better laptop than a tablet

This Laptops's  keyboard is permanently attached to the tablet section and when in tablet mode, it’s bulky, heavy, and awkward to hold. Thankfully, if you’d rather lay your tablet down flat or simply watch movies on it, the Yoga 11’s flexible, dual-hinge, $649 body gives you a few useful positions to choose from. Also, in laptop mode, it makes for a pretty cheap ultrabook, as long as you don’t mind being saddled with Windows RT. If the thought of buying a device with RT causes you to wake up in the middle of the night screaming, then you may want to wait for the Windows 8 version of the Yoga 11, called the Yoga 11S, coming this summer for

GPS dependence can affect memory and spatial orientation!

 Increasing dependence on GPS devices might affect development in our brains. Three studies out of McGill University in 2010 suggested that how a person navigates can have implications for brain function as that person ages. To find our way around, humans use one of two strategies, as reported by NBC News: spatial navigation memory, in which we use maps developed in our brains using visual cues, and stimulus response, which is essentially just following directions that are either memorized or presented as needed. The hippocampus is the part of the brain that deals with memory and spatial orientation, and is among the parts of the brain initially impacted by Alzheimer's disease. The hippocampus shrinks as we age.
NYC MTA Planning to install 90 futuristic touchscreen kiosks across the subway  Replacing those unused telephones that still dot the streets of NYC with high-tech kiosks is just the start. Control Group, one of the companies looking to Reinvent Payphones, has been hired by the MTA to bring its touchscreen and app-driven vision to the New York City Subway system. All told, 90 of 47-inch panels will be installed in stops from Grand Central to Bedford primarily near booths, but also on the platforms themselves. At least initially the rugged displays will primarily be used to feed information about delays and outages and, of course, serve up ads. Eventually, the stainless steel-encased kiosk will be able to run apps approved by the MTA, but the star of the show will be the navigation system that offers a mastery of New York public transportation that Google could only dream of. Sadly there's no concrete timeline for the rollout, we'll just have to keep an eye on th
Hero3 The faster, powerful sports camera Ever   The GoPro Hero3 is smaller, lighter sports camera spacially built for every kind of sports including surfing,skiing and all other sports events.It features built-in Wi-Fi connectivity. The Black Edition offers a number of ultra-high-resolution capture modes and high frame rates for standard HD resolutions; burst speeds for still photos has been greatly improved. The GoPro Hero3 is 25 percent lighter than the previous-generation Hero 2's camera. It's also 30 percent smaller. However, all of that reduction manifests in reduced thickness with a new depth of only 20mm. The height and width (42mm by 60mm) are unchanged to maintain compatibility with GoPro's line of BacPac add-on modules and rear doors for the clear plastic shell. On the front panel, you'll find the new f/2.8, six-element aspherical lens that is supposed to offer twice the image sharpness and reduce the amount of barrel distortion at the e
HP Researchers builds a glasses-free, portable 3D display   Typical attempts at a glasses-free 3D display have trouble with viewing angles; we're all too familiar with having to sit in a sweet spot to get the effect. HP Labs might have just solved this last problem with a prototype 3D LCD that would better accommodate the real world. The display's backlight has nanopatterned grooves that send blue, green and red in multiple directions, letting the LCD show only the light that would be seen from a given viewpoint. Those positions are set in stone, but they're both abundant (200 for photos, 64 for video) and can spread across a wide 180-degree viewing arc. At a thickness of as little as half a millimeter, a production LCD could easily be thin enough for a mobile device, too. The catch isn't so much the screen as the content. Producers need an image for every
Another lock screen bypass bug found in Samsung's Android phones  Since lockscreen bypass methods are apparently what's hot in the streets, it's no surprise that yet another one has surfaced, this time targeting Samsung's Android phones. A variant of another, earlier uncovered method, this one does not fully unlock the phone by itself, but does provide access to apps and settings for a brief period. Given that, as demonstrated in the video by Terrence Eden, it's possible to use Google Play to download an app to disable the locked screen and fully access the phone. According to Terrence, this problem is confirmed on the Galaxy Note II, possibly the Galaxy S III and potentially on other TouchWiz UI Samsung Android phones. Disabling screen animations under developer options should reduce the vulnerability, but doesn't eliminate it without switching to another ROM. He also mentions Samsung is aware of the issue and is working on a fix, but tha
Facebook's first direct app update heads to Google Play  More than a few of us were surprised when Facebook tried pushing Android app updates outside of Google Play. Was it switching app distribution models? Not quite. We've since learned that Facebook was trialling a program that lets social networkers volunteer for beta tests, and the same update is now available in Google Play for everyone. The update isn't special in itself, mostly adding profile photo changes (also seen on iOS) as well as ways to hide or report posts. However, it also includes the beta version's request for permission to download files without notification when on WiFi, which may let testers receive future pre-release updates even when they haven't explicitly approved non-Google Play installations -- we've reached out to Facebook to verify that this
Sony updates SmartWatch software, adds new watch faces Sony‘s SmartWatch comes in a variety of styles and has a sleek square LCD face. Those who enjoy the combination of stylish wrist wear and tiny interactive devices will be pleased to learn that Sony has rolled out a new software update for the device. Those who update will get access to a variety of new features, including six new watch faces. The six new watch faces offer a variety of additional styles that will appeal to those with many different styles and personal tastes, including retro and contemporary designs. Every new watch interface features its own functionality. The watch faces can be activated using different triggers, such as moving the watch towards the wearer’s face or tapping the display.
Flash memory chip built out of single-atom-thick components Graphene, a single-atom thick sheet of carbon, has become the focus of a lot of research (and a Nobel Prize) because it has some interesting electronic properties: electrons move through the material as if they have no mass. But it's only one of a number of single-atom thick materials that have been discovered, and some of the others have very different properties, acting as semiconductors or insulators. The discoveries raise the prospect of building more complex electronic devices out of a series of these materials, with each part being only a single atom thick. Now, researchers have used two of these materials—graphene and molybdenum disulfide—and put them together with some more traditional components to make a flash memory device. Although the work is very preliminary, with some of the parts being assembled by hand under a microscope, it shows some excellent properties, like the potential to stor
Turns Your Smartphone Into A Useful Car Computer   Many fancy new cars come with fancy on-board information systems.  But you can't afford a fancy new car, so you make do with the econobox you bought second hand two years ago with no fancy computer in the dash.  Don't miss out on modern tech with Automatic, a plug-in solution that turns your smartphone into a modern car computer. Using a small dongle called Automatic Link that plugs into your car's data port (the same one mechanics use when servicing your car), the system will perform real-time reads on the various things going on with your vehicle.  All data is processed and displayed through the dedicated smartphone app via a Bluetooth 4.0 link, where you can monitor all the statistics your heart desires. Automatic pulls data from the car's onboard computer, as well as your smartphone's GPS to come up with a variety of useful data for drivers, such as detailed information about your t
Bunkie Is A Space-Efficient Pre-Fab Cabin Building a cabin on the property you bought by the lake sounds like a wonderful plan.  Until you actually get in the process of constructing one and realize for the umpteenth time that's you're nowhere near a capable carpenter.  Yeah, might as well just go pre-fab to save yourself the hassle.  If you're looking for something simple but functional and attractive, the Bunkie should figure high in your list of choices.

Snap screenshots with a click On Google+ Capture tool

Beginning soon, Google+ users will be able to take screenshots of content within a Hangout using the new Capture tool. Once the feature rolls out, simply click the camera button at the bottom of the Hangout window to grab a frame. The addition helps to simplify workflows a bit, while also serving to boost privacy -- unlike third-party screenshot offerings, this integrated tool notifies fellow users in your Hangout whenever someone enables the feature and when a picture is taken. Additionally, snaps are saved to a shared album, which other attendees may access from within the Hangout or through your photo albums. Privacy-obsessed users beware, though: You'll only be notified if the official Google tool is used -- apps like Skitch and Grab can still snag frames without a public warning.

Jawbone Up fitness band gets an Android app and Available worldwide

 Well, this took long enough, don'tcha think? Ever since the original Jawbone Up fitness tracker came out, we've been saying it needs an Android app so you can use it with more than just an iDevice. Heck, even when the redesigned second-gen version went on sale last year, it was still for iOS only. Finally, though, that Android app is here, and it's (almost -- we'll let you know when it's live) ready to download in the Google Play store. Like the iOS version it's free, and can be used to log daily meals, as well as view pretty charts illustrating your various sleep and activity patterns. You'll also notice some strong similarities in the UI, though the iOS version has a few features the Android software doesn't have yet, such as the ability to share things on

Wacom announces the Cintiq 13HD pen display

Wacom's Cintiq 24HD is an excellent piece of kit for design pros, but the unit is quite the behemoth and the 22-inch offering still requires a lot of desk space. There's no need to worry about that anymore, though, as the graphics peripheral outfit has outed the Cintiq 13HD: a 13-inch HD pen display with an adjustable stand and a retooled Pro Pen. Much like its larger siblings, the 13HD offers customizable ExpressKeys and Rocker Ring to keep that workflow as efficient as possible. The aforementioned stand can be situated flat or positioned at angles of 22, 35, and 50 degrees for that next Illustrator session. Details are scarce on the full list of improvements for the Pro Pen, but we do know that it sports 2,048 levels of sensitivity and tilt recognition to boot. If all of that sounds too good to resist, these bad boys will start shipping in early April with a price tag of $1,000 or £749.99 (incl. VAT). The full press release and a couple more snapshots await j

Samsung confirms work on a watch

Rumors of a new smart watch are following more than just one particular tech company, and like Apple there have been suggestions Samsung is working on such a product. Bloomberg reports mobile executive VP Lee Young Hee said during an interview that " We are preparing products for the future, and the watch is definitely one of them." As to when, he only indicated it would be important to be the first one to commercialize it so consumers can use one meaningfully -- something samsung should know, since it's built many watch / phone combos over the years. " There's also no word on what a Samsung watch would be like (that's the S9110 touchscreen watchphone from 2009 pictured above) so until hardware is actually unveiled, we'll just have to use our imagination.

Apple Planning iPhone Mini, would be Under $150?

Smartphone market is actually being raced between two horses–Apple and Samsung. Undoubtedly, Samsung is now the world’s biggest Smartphone vendor, expecting to post a record-breaking fourth quarter earnings on January 25 this month. The company is expected to post an unaudited operating profit of about $8.3 billion on a revenue of $53.6 billion. Besides, the company is expected to ship more than 60 million Smartphones in the quarter ending December; now, it’s selling 500 handsets in every minute. On the other side, Apple’s performance (since the last quarter) has not been quite promising for investors–they still believe that the company couldn’t maintain its long growth haul in the future. However, the company outstandingly performed in the last quarter. In fact, the quarter (Q4 2012) would be the most profitable quarter for the world’s biggest technology company in terms of capitalization. Samsung, the only Android vendor that has managed to climb at zenith position,

Apple iPhone 5 explodes during phone call in Thailand

 In a bizarre incident, an iPhone 5 user in Thailand claims that his two-month old phone exploded while he was on a call. CoconutsBangkok , a Bangkok based local news and reviews site, reported that the user, named Suwicha Auesomsaksakul, had been holding his 32GB black iPhone 5 to his ear for only 30 seconds when he felt that the handset was getting hot and saw smoke coming out of it. Auesomsaksakul threw the phone on the floor following which it exploded like a fire cracker, four times, with the phone's Home button showing burn marks. The burn marks can be seen clearly in a video by Thai website MCOT.net .

Curiosity put back into safe mode due to software error

Back on March 11, NASA was scheduled to apply two software patches to its Curiosity Mars rover after recovering from a problem with one of its on-board computers. Now the rover has run into another problem, this time with a software file error that is preventing it from performing most of its duties, though it remains in communication with the NASA team. According to NASA, safe mode was caused by a failed command file size check, causing the rover to automatically revert into its protected mode. The rover was utilizing the B-side computer, which it switched to earlier this month when the A-side computer corrupted. The A-side computer was later restored to work as a back up for the B-side, but the rover did not switch over to it

Google Maps brings you to Everest

Living vicariously just got a bit more exciting. Google Maps had added some of the most famous (and highest) mountains in the world to Street View. The list includes Aconcagua, Kilimanjaro, Mount Elbrus and Everest Base Camp -- four members of the Seven Summits, letting you explore some of the of the highest points on Earth without the aide of a breathing apparatus. According to Google, the shots were captured with the help of a tripod and a fish-eye-sporting digital camera. All of the aforementioned mountains can be reached in the source link below -- or with the assistance of a good support team.

Android 5.0 coming to Samsung Galaxy S III, Galaxy Note II

Android 5.0 (rumored to be named Key Lime Pie) hasn’t been officially announced yet, but it’s already rumored to be coming to the now-last-generation Samsung Galaxy S III, as well as the Galaxy Note II. Furthermore, it’s also said that the Galaxy S II and the original Galaxy Note will eventually be receiving the Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean update. It’s said that Samsung will only be updating five of its devices to Android 5.0 when it eventually releases. These devices include the Galaxy S III, Galaxy Note II, Galaxy Note 8.0, Galaxy Note 10.1, and of course, the new Galaxy S 4. While there’s no definitive release date for Android 5.0, we could see it announced at this year’s Google I/O conference.

Compulsory upgrades to Windows 7 SP1 starts

If you're a Windows 7 user and you've been dragging your heels when it comes to that Service Pack 1 upgrade, then prepare to get an extra dose of encouragement from Microsoft. Starting Today, the company start begin deploying SP1 via Windows Update to all neglected PCs, and just so you're aware, the update won't require your consent. The push will happen a phased rollout over the next few weeks, and as for the consequence of not upgrading, Microsoft will no longer support Windows 7 RTM as of April 9th. Naturally, PCs that are managed by system admins can be shielded from the deployment, but for everyone else, it seems that you'd best prepare for the inevitable.

Rumor : LG Google Nexus 5 Specs and Features

In the latest, Google is set to be working with Nikon to bring on board Nikon’s expertise to the next version of Nexus 5. If you could just recollect, then Google and Nikon have worked together in coming out with the Nikon Coolpix S800C smart camera which is based on Android OS. Also, Google has acquired Nik software last year who are the makers of the popular app “Snapseed” and in which Nikon has invested substantially. So, indirectly Nikon and Google wants to leverage each other’s expertise. Google wants to have a level playing field with Nokia’s Pure View technology, HTC’s Ultrapixel war and Apple iPhone’s brilliant camera. Purported Specs and Features of LG Nexus 5:

Sony Xperia SP announced

While the Sony's Xperia Z tablet and smartphone occupy its high-end Android selection, it's now the turn of the middleweights. Say hello to the Xperia SP, a 4.6-inch phone that ties together the some of the features (and design cues) from both the S and P models of 2012 -- yep, it's all in the name. Alongside a 720p screen with Sony's Bravia Mobile Engine 2, there's an 8-megapixel Exmor RS sensor on the back, NFC, LTE and a dual-core 1.7GHz Snapdragon MSM8960 Pro processor. That's all built into a classy aluminum frame that's just shy of 10mm thick and weighs 5.5 ounces. The phone marks the return of Sony's see-through strip, but with a slightly more advanced (and customizable) notification light built into it. Software-wise, the phone is running Android 4.1.2 with that familiar Xperia seasoning, including plenty of the new additions seen in the Xperia Z. The camera app includes the new auto+ setting, which will toggle HDR and other set

Microsoft will stop supporting Windows Phone 8 and 7.8 After 1.5 Year

Historically, Microsoft has been fairly transparent about its plans to support older versions of Windows -- and it tends to give users a nice, long heads up, too. Until now, though, that hasn't always been true of Windows Phone -- remember how long it took Redmond to confirm you couldn't upgrade to WP8? In any case, Microsoft seems to be taking a more direct approach going forward: the company posted a brief table on its site, explaining when it will end support for Windows Phone 8 and 7.5. In short, each OS gets a total of 18 months of support, and that period has of course already begun, as both operating systems are shipping on various hardware. Support for WP8 will end first, on July 8th, 2014, while 7.5 "Mango" will hit the end of the road on September 9th of that year.

Software update adds Group Play feature To Galaxy Grand

 Samsung has started rolling out a new update for its Galaxy Grand smartphone. The update, which is 27.86MB in size and lists only 'Improved stability', in the change-log, brings Group Play functionality to the phone. The feature was first spotted by BGR India .  The Group Play feature was introduced with the Galaxy S4, and allows users to transfer and instantly view or play documents, music files, photos, and other content to other Galaxy S4 handsets with just a simple tap. (Check out the Top 10 new features of the Galaxy S4) However, its functionality seems to be a limited in the Galaxy Grand. One reason for the limited functionality is the lack of NFC capability in the Galaxy Grand. The Grand's Group Play app allows sharing of pictures, music and documents with other Samsung smartphones connected on the same WiFi network. Users need to select the media item, enter a six digit PIN, and users on the same WiFi network with Group Play enabled handsets will se

Two men hacked Subway to steal gift cards totaling $40,000

 Two men were charged for an elaborate hacking scheme. They have been identified as Shahin Abdollahi, whose alias was Sean Holdt, and Jeffrey Thomas Wilkinson. The two men hacked over 13 point-of-sale (POS) computers at a variety of Subways located in Massachusetts, Wyoming, and California. This isn’t the first time Subway’s been hacked. Last September, the franchise’s credit card terminals were hacked at over 150 of its locations. It suffered $10 million in losses and 146,000 accounts were compromised. Abdollahi and Wilkinson went through an elaborate scheme to execute their plans. Abdollahi operated his own POS business, called “POS Doctor”. There he sold POS computers to various Subways, and he preloaded his LogMeIn (remote desktop tool) information into those machines. In order to get a better understanding of how Subway and their POS systems worked, he
3D-printed gun maker Got federal firearms license to manufacture Guns  On Saturday, Defense Distributed announced on Facebook that its founder, Cody Wilson, now has a federal license to be a gun manufacturer and dealer. The group published a picture of the Type 7 federal firearms license (FFL) to prove it. “The big thing it allows me to do is that it makes me manufacture under the law—everything that manufacturers are allowed to do,” he told Ars. “I can sell some of the pieces that we've been making. I can do firearms transactions and transport.” Wilson and his colleagues have been making prototypes of guns for months now. Most recently, the group demonstrated an AR-15 semi-automatic, which is allowed under American law without a license. The legal difference now is Wilson can distribute the guns that he makes and sell them, too. Earlier this month Wilson told Ars that he had submitted the application to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (a division of
iPhone That Shaves Your Beard? These things look like iPhone 4 clones down to the buttons on the metal band and the glass finish. So much that they are probably risking a cease-and-desist. Except they are travel USB-based electric shavers from Shavetech. Your own Jon Ive baby face comes at $40 a pop.You can buy it from shavetech. This innovative travel electric razor will revolutionize your shaving experience while you are traveling the world! Its sleek, fashion forward design is no larger than a smart phone, making it the must-have grooming accessory for tech savvy man on-the-go. The ShaveTech is available in two sleek colors, lustrous black and fresh white, both of which are trimmed in brushed silver.

Power Matters and PowerKiss Alliancand e plans to expand wireless charging standard in Europe

Now might be the time to familiarize yourself with the Power Matters Alliance (PMA). The industry's most recognizable standard, Qi, is facing serious competition from the PMA, which has garnered support from Duracell Powermat, AT&T, smartphone manufacturers such as BlackBerry and ZTE, and even Starbucks shops, which have begun rolling out its wireless charging tech in certain outlets. Beginning soon, you may be able to charge your compatible smartphone at European McDonald's restaurants, too -- the food service giant's support comes courtesy of Helsinki-based PowerKiss, which is now ditching Qi in favor of the PMA. The move is arguably the Alliance's most significant to date, and it could bring confidence to organizations currently considering their own strategies.  It's unfortunate for consumers who may have recently invested in Qi, however -- popular wireless charging spots in major European train stations, for example, will be swapping out t
Panasonic may end plasma HDTV production soon   Japanese business paper The Nikkei is reporting that Panasonic may stop using the technology in fiscal 2014. Without citing sources, it claims Panasonic will shut down production at its main Amagasaki plant, reducing production gradually to avoid angering partners and retailers. A Panasonic spokesperson tells Reuters that the company has not made any decisions on the future of its TV business yet. The Nikkei's info indicates it will downsize the entire TV business, including reductions in LCD manufacturing, over the next three years. What's next? OLED, as Sony and Panasonic are partnering on developing the technology and according to the report it plans to outsource manufacturing to keep costs down. We'll find out how much of this turns out to be true in the coming months, but for now we'll just appreciate the company's latest round of Viera plasmas.
Kinect for Windows SDK gets significant update on March 18, includes Kinect Fusion and Interactions   Kinect for Windows is getting a big SDK update on March 18th to version 1.7 -- Redmond's calling it "our most significant update to the SDK since we released the first version" -- which includes the long awaited 3D object scanning application Kinect Fusion. Microsoft took to Engadget's Expand stage today to unveil the features of the SDK update, which included live demos of both Kinect Fusion and Interactions; Fusion creates live 3D models of both people and objects, while Interactions adds a whole variety of recognizable gestures to the Kinect for Windows SDK ("push-to-press buttons, grip-to-pan capabilities, and support for smart ways to accommodate multiple users and two-person interactions," says Microsoft). Microsoft' also adding code samples to its Kinect for Windows development site (CodePlex), making this the first such code
Sony's 2013 HDTVs start shipping We got a peek at Sony's 2013 HDTV lineup during CES in January, and now the company has announced they're starting to roll out and confirmed official pricing. The new sets add features like NFC, MHL and Miracast support to certain models, while the top of the line W900A is its first to use Quantum Dot technology in combination with edge LED lighting. Sony's brought back its old Triluminos brand name for the technology, which it claims provides a wider color gamut while keeping prices quite a bit lower than its last TVs to rock the tag, the now-retired XBR8 series. There's no word on the XBR series, but in the lower W- and R- lines the KDL-W900A is the only one with Triluminos. It also brings an extra long internal speaker duct for improved sound and standard NFC remote, and the 55-inch model will carry an MSRP of $3,299. The step down W802A version keeps MHL standard, has the NFC remote as an option and comes in 55-