Engadget

DARPA contractor shows off tiny robo-hummingbird UAV

We've seen plenty of tiny UAVs (or NAVs -- Nano Aerial Vehicles -- as they're also known), but none quite like the robo-hummingbird that's been in development at DARPA-contractor AeroVironment for the past couple of years. While we haven't heard much about it during that time, the company recently completed its most advanced prototype to date, dubbed Mercury, and it's taken advantage of the opportunity to show off all the progress it has made. As you can see in the video after the break, the bot is able to fly about and hover in place by mimicking the wing movement of a real hummingbird and, of course, be controlled completely untethered. What's more, the firm says that the final version will actually look like a real hummingbird as well, and be able to be controlled from up to a kilometer away -- even inside buildings, where a hummingbird won't look at all out of place.

[Via Danger Room]

Continue reading DARPA contractor shows off tiny robo-hummingbird UAV

Filed under: Robots

DARPA contractor shows off tiny robo-hummingbird UAV originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Jul 2009 23:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Published on: Friday, July 03, 2009 | link

The Daily Roundup: here's what you might've missed


	Psystar bounces back from Chapter 11, intros new high-end hardware Psystar's new Open(7) hardware runs Intel Nehalem Xeon, which should provide a nice performance jolt to hackintosh land.		Sony exec says UMD-less PSP was "always the plan" Sony "needed to prepare the right environment for it first - things like the transferal of content with the PS3 and PSN, and PC software to manage content like music and movies such as Media Go."
	Apple patching nasty iPhone SMS vulnerability Given the hype surrounding Apple's iPhone, we're actually surprised that we haven't seen more holes to plug over the years.	Other news of import Apple patent applications offer glimpses of haptic screens, RFID readers, fingerprint ID Toshiba's TG01 outed on Orange UK D-Link's Xtreme N DIR-685 storage router hands-on and impressions UK moviegoers treated to industry's first interactive 3D game
	How to relocate a HD set-top-box and still have it work with an HDTV We know how it goes, you pick up a nice big HDTV and a wall-mount only to get it all setup then realize you still need a place to put your HD set-top-box.		HTC Hero hits FCC with US 3G For the record, Bands II and V are 1900 and 850MHz, respectively, which is exactly the combo AT&T subscribers would need to flip the switch on high-speed data.
TiVo HD upgrade program helps you save as much as $100 Ask Engadget HD: How can I get my home theater ready for 3D, right now?		Ovi Maps graduates from beta Samsung's SCH-W760 with infrared video conferencing is ready for your parole hearing

The Daily Roundup: here's what you might've missed originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Jul 2009 22:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Published on: Thursday, July 02, 2009 | link

Ask Engadget: Best Bluetooth mouse out there?

We know you've got questions, and if you're brave enough to ask the world for answers, here's the outlet to do so. This week's Ask Engadget question is coming to us from Sang-Jung, who is desperately in search of the perfect cordless critter to take some of the strain away from that trackpad.

"I'm heading to university next year, and I've purchased a MacBook. I'm also taking my four year old desktop, just in case I'm left with no computers when the MacBook is being repaired or whatnot. With only two USB ports on a MacBook, I want a Bluetooth mouse. Budget is about $100, and of course, it needs OS X support. Thanks for the help!"

Alright folks, it's time to get serious. Do you own a Bluetooth mouse that you can recommend? Recommend against? Be sure to spill your thoughts in comments below, and feel free to send in a question of your own to ask at engadget dawt com.

Filed under: Ask Engadget, Peripherals

Ask Engadget: Best Bluetooth mouse out there? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Jul 2009 21:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Published on: Thursday, July 02, 2009 | link

Engadget HD explains: Where to put your DVR when you wall-mount your HDTV

IR emitters on Xbox 360 and HD DVD player

With CableCARD enabled HDTVs being a complete bust and the crazy popular trend of mounting HDTVs on the wall, many wonder what they can do with their DVR or cable box. As you might expect, the crew over at Engadget HD is more than familiar with the options and lucky for you they actually wrote them down in an easy to digest format. So if you are the do-it-yourself type and are looking to relocate your HD DVR or noisy Xbox 360, then by all means what are you waiting for, click on through.

Filed under: HDTV, Home Entertainment

Engadget HD explains: Where to put your DVR when you wall-mount your HDTV originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Jul 2009 20:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Published on: Thursday, July 02, 2009 | link

PSPgo packs a 480MHz processor, probably not crossing 333MHz mark

Officially, Sony's PSPgo is only clocking in at 333MHz like the rest of its brothers and sisters, but as the gang at Sony Insider found out in the FCC filing, the internal processor actually maxes out at 480MHz. What that means for gamers is probably nothing in the near future, since the firmware'll underclock it to standard speeds and we've seen absolutely no sign Sony's interested in releasing software exclusively for the UMD-less iteration at this point. Of course, the opportunity to capitalize on the upped hardware is gonna be there, and we still remember a noticeable difference in the technical quality of games released after Sony bumped its original PSP's clockspeed from 266MHz to its max 333MHz, but for now, it's just something to keep in the back of your mind.

[Via Sony Insider]

Filed under: Gaming

PSPgo packs a 480MHz processor, probably not crossing 333MHz mark originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Jul 2009 19:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Published on: Thursday, July 02, 2009 | link

Archos 9 Windows 7 tablet does a little hands-on time

Looks like the Archos 9 Windows 7 tablet has made it out of the labs (and controlled show floor settings) and into the hands of Crave UK, where that seemingly-amazing resistive touchscreen continues to impress -- so much so that they initially thought it was a capacitive unit. We actually pinged Crave ed Nate Lanxon to find out what was up, and the real story appears to be a mystery -- either Archos PR is mistaken in telling everyone that it's a resistive screen, or the company has somehow improved the tech to the point where it's virtually indistinguishable from a capacitive display. Given our experience with previous Archos resistive touchscreen devices that felt like mush, we've got to say we're going with Occam's Razor on this and that it's really capacitive, but we're definitely ready to be proven wrong -- hey Archos, you feel like sending us a new toy to play with?

Filed under: Tablet PCs

Archos 9 Windows 7 tablet does a little hands-on time originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Jul 2009 18:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Published on: Thursday, July 02, 2009 | link

LG eyes number two phone maker spot for 2012, premium brand in the works

Sitting pretty as the number three cell maker in the world would make many of the bigger names happy -- not to mention the usurped Sony Ericsson and Motorola a bit green -- but not LG, as it's now gunning for spot number two. In an interview with Yonhap, LG's president of its mobile business, Ahn Seung-kwon, stated that the company hoped to bump Samsung to the wayside by 2012 with the help of a serious new set and a premium brand. While the gaudiness of really expensive handsets disturbs us at times, we'll admit that mention that LG's looking at a foray into the über high end of the spectrum -- with the likes of Nokia's Vertu -- piques our curiosity a good deal. And what about that serious new set we mentioned? Apparently in Q4 of this year, LG will launch a new Black Label-branded device to compete directly with iPhone, which when coupled with dreams of more success from yet another Prada device (and if we're super fortunate, some more Transformers-branded stuff) is part of the master scheme to start down the path. Will they crack it? Well, if we were betting types, we'd lean towards not likely as long as the Samsung juggernaut's standing in the way -- but we're all for watching them try.

Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds

LG eyes number two phone maker spot for 2012, premium brand in the works originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Jul 2009 17:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Published on: Thursday, July 02, 2009 | link

Sega Toys makes indoor fireworks infinitely safer, to Elvis Costello's dismay

Lovers of pyrotechnics everywhere have always struggled with the quandary: what to do on a rainy day? Well, firebugs, get a load of this: Sega Toys Japan has heard your prayers and answered 'em in the form of the Uchiage Hanabi. This is essentially a projector that displays "fireworks" on the walls and ceilings, with realistic movement and sound. And if that weren't enough, you can create your own fireworks and program your own shows. Now you can have Bastille Day, every day, in the privacy of your apartment! Out August 1, with a list price of $168. Video after the break.

[Via Japan Trend Shop]

Continue reading Sega Toys makes indoor fireworks infinitely safer, to Elvis Costello's dismay

Filed under: Displays

Sega Toys makes indoor fireworks infinitely safer, to Elvis Costello's dismay originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Published on: Thursday, July 02, 2009 | link

Tiny, printable batteries promise to change the face of obnoxious greeting cards forever

Researchers at the Fraunhofer Research Institution for Electronic Nano Systems ENAS in Chemnitz led by Prof. Dr. Reinhard Baumann have unveiled tiny, printable batteries that they hope to put into production for pennies apiece. The new battery prototype is primarily composed of a zinc anode and a manganese cathode that can be screen printed and covered with a non-printed template cover. Each mercury-free battery weighs less than one gram, and can individually produce about 1.5 volts of electricity. By placing several batteries side by side, however, up to 6 volts can be generated. The institute has already produced these little power houses in the lab, and hopes to see them into production by the end of the year. The batteries have a relatively short lifespan, making them suitable for applications such as powering greeting cards. All we can say is that this battery would have made the card we got two years ago that sang "Word Up" much, much awesomer.

[Via Physorg]

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Tiny, printable batteries promise to change the face of obnoxious greeting cards forever originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Published on: Thursday, July 02, 2009 | link

iPhone facing potential trademark issues in China?

Apple's on-again, off-again deal with China Unicom to officially bring the iPhone to China may still be up in the air, but it looks like it could now also be facing some trademark issues that could potentially further hold up its release. Apparently, China's Hanwang Technology owns the trademark for "i-phone" in the country, which could force Apple to make a deal with 'em before it enters the market (sound familiar?). Interestingly, Apple does actually own an "iPhone" trademark in China, but it apparently only covers computer hardware and software, while Hanwang's trademark covers mobile phones. According to Hanwang, however, the two aren't actually in talks just yet, and it's not saying what it plans to do if Apple decides to go crazy and announce a move into China without its blessing.

[Via mocoNews.net]

Filed under: Cellphones

iPhone facing potential trademark issues in China? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Jul 2009 15:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Published on: Thursday, July 02, 2009 | link