DARPA’s new division takes biotechnology to the battlefield
DARPA knows that soldiers need more than the latest gadgets to fight effectively — they need to stay healthy, too. Accordingly, it just launched a Biological Technologies Office (BTO) to study how organics can help national defense. The division is working on projects that will keep troops in top shape, monitor large-scale biological patterns (such as viruses) and understand how natural processes can be put to work in both materials and machines. The agency doesn’t yet know when the BTO will bear fruit, but it plans to minimize ethical concerns by speaking to academic experts on a regular basis.
[Image credit: Spc. Coltin Heller / DVIDS, Flickr]
Casio G-Shock Connected BT Watch review
Casio’s G-Shock Brand dove into the world of smartphone connected watches in late 2013. This is not your average smartwatch; this is a very durable Casio G-Shock with light and basic smartphone connected features. Details include alerting you by vibration and/or sound when you’re receiving a phone call, text message, email, etc. The watch comes with a companion application which can be found on the Google Play Store.
Time and Durability
Keeping track of time is the most important function of any watch. Thanks to Casio’s MobileLink, the time will auto-synchronize with your smartphone.
Like other Casio G-Shock products, durability is a huge advantage. The water resistant watch can handle the wear and tear of an active life. Featuring an LED Backlight, you can use the timer, stopwatch, world time, and alarm to help you throughout your day.
Smartphone Connectivity and Alerts
This watch can provide various alerts such as notifications to SMS messages, emails, phone calls and more from your cell to your watch. Many iPhones and Android devices are able to connect with this watch. Bluetooth 4.0 Low Energy ensures the best battery life with the connection from your cell to your watch. According to Casio, the built in (replaceable) battery can last up to 2 years on average.
One feature I found particularly useful was the ability to change tracks on your music player when connected to your smartphone. When you receive a call, your watch will vibrate and display basic caller identification. As I indicated earlier, this one is mostly about alerts and enhancement of the smartphone experience. Unfortunately, even with the latest application updates, connection issues.
Overview
While I wouldn’t go as far as calling this an outright “smartwatch” this product can help keep you alerted and better connected. It will add convenience to your life and extend your smartphone’s capabilities but never get in your way.
A model from the Casio G-Shock Bluetooth 4.0 series may be a good purchase if you are looking for a durable watch with water resistant properties and a bonus notification system. Check out the GBX6900B-1 available now on Amazon.
The post Casio G-Shock Connected BT Watch review appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Huawei readies Ascend Mate 2 for U.S. launch
Huawei has opened up a new website for the Ascend Mate 2 ahead of an eventual U.S. debut. From the looks of things, the Ascend Mate 2 will be sold directly to U.S. consumers; pricing and availability are unknown.
Initially unveiled as CES a few months back, the Huawei smartphone features 6.1-inch 720p display, quad-core 1.6GHz processor, 2GB RAM. 16GB internal storage, and a 4050mAh battery. The rear camera offers 13-megapixels while the front-facing shooter packs 5-megapixels. Powered by Android 4.4 KitKat, the Ascend Mate 2 includes Huawei’s latest Emotion UI.
The post Huawei readies Ascend Mate 2 for U.S. launch appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Amazon Prime signs ’24’ away from Netflix just before the new season airs on Fox
After four years away CTU agent Jack Bauer is coming back to TV on May 5th in 24: Live Another Day, and he’s already being used as a pawn in a new battle: Amazon vs. Netflix. Until today, US fans of the show could catch up with all 192 episodes (plus 24: Redemption) on Netflix’s streaming service, but now Amazon Prime is the exclusive subscription streaming home of 24. Amazon’s deal with 20th Century Fox is timed to take advantage of the show’s upcoming return, similar to exclusive agreements it’s made for other shows like Orphan Black, Suits, Falling Skies, Downton Abbey, Justified, Workaholics, Veronica Mars,Under the Dome, and Extant.
Amazon’s “pilot season” to crowdsource opinions on potential shows hasn’t produced hits on par with Netflix Originals like House of Cards or Orange is the New Black, but we suppose this is another way of filling the library. For Netflix’s part, it sent out a PR blast yesterday focusing on what it’s adding to streaming this month, including an exclusive deal for the complete series of House M.D. plus Rocky I – V, Coneheads, Amistad and Braveheart. Of course, today only (check your calendar), there is also a very special Netflix Original for you to check out.
Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD
Source: Amazon
Sony’s Xperia Z2 is coming to North America in May
Sony’s Xperia Z2 is already available in a few corners of the world, but North America has so far been left high and dry. That drought will soon come to an end, though, as Bell says that it’s bringing the waterproof Android flagship to Canada this May. While the carrier isn’t divulging pricing at this stage, we’d expect the Z2 to cost $200 Canadian or more on a two-year plan, like most high-end smartphones. As for the good ol’ US of A? Unfortunately, there’s no word on an American launch — for now, you’ll have to make do with the Xperia Z1S if you live stateside.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Sony
On Xbox One, game broadcasters are quickly catching up to PlayStation 4
Though Xbox One sales may be slightly behind that of the PlayStation 4, it looks like game broadcasting is taking off at a much quicker pace on Microsoft’s new console. In the first week of availability, 108K Xbox One owners took to Twitch to broadcast games; the same number was reached on the PlayStation 4 after 25 days of availability. This is largely due to Twitch broadcasting launching alongside the PS4, whereas broadcasting didn’t function on the Xbox One until early last month — resultantly, millions of Xbox One consoles were already out in the wild, whereas the PS4 had to be physically purchased and brought home before users discovered the glory of … mostly safe for work broadcasts. It also didn’t hurt that the Xbox One had its first major exclusive game, Titanfall, launching alongside game broadcasting (we even got in on the fun ourselves). Regardless, it looks like game broadcasting is proving more than just a passing fad.
BT sports channels are coming to Chromecast in the UK
Fans across the Atlantic are about to get an option for streaming UK-based sporting events on Google’s dongle. BT is set to make its sports offerings available on Chromecast, joining the BBC iPlayer app in beaming home-grown content to the diminutive living room gadget. Of course, only those who use BT broadband will be able to view action from the pitch. Details are sparse for now, and there’s no official word on a launch date for the sports coverage to arrive on Chromecast yet either. The £30 add-on has only been available in Europe for two weeks, so there’s sure to be more viewing options on the way.
[Image Credit: Carl Court/AFP/Getty Images]
Filed under: HD
Apple Seeking to Boost iPhone Display Quality by Acquiring Chip Firm Renesas SP Drivers
Apple is in talks with chipmaker Renesas Electronics over the potential acquisition of a unit that creates chips for smartphone displays, reports Japanese business site Nikkei. The chips, which are already used in the iPhone’s liquid crystal displays, improve both image sharpness and battery life.
Renesas SP Drivers, the division Apple is aiming to purchase, is a leading producer of drivers and controllers for small LCDs. The company is a joint venture between Renesas, Sharp, and Powerchip, with Apple offering 50 billion yen or $479 million for Renesas’ 55 percent stake in the company. Following the transaction, Sharp is also expected to sell its 25 percent of shares in Renesas SP to Apple, while Powerchip will retain 20 percent.
Renesas SP is the world’s leading producer of drivers and controllers for small and midsize LCDs, with a market share of around one-third. These chips determine a display’s quality and performance as well as a phone’s overall energy efficiency – they are said to account for around 10% of battery usage.
Renesas’ 240 employees are expected to stay with Apple and the company is aiming to complete the transaction by the summer.
In recent years Apple has taken a greater interest in controlling its own production supplies and core technologies, signing a deal with GT Advanced that will provide it with massive quantities of sapphire and purchasing several chip firms in the past, including P.A. Semi and Passif Semiconductor.
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Apple Expands Access to iAd Workbench, Introduces Short Videos for Mobile Ads
Apple is making it easier for anyone to create an ad campaign using its iAd Workbench mobile advertising tool. As noted by Ad Age, the company is now allowing any person with an Apple ID to open an iAd Workbench account and create an ad campaign, a feature previously restricted to registered developers. The changes will make it simpler for advertisers, small and large, to create ads for the platform.
At the onset of its mobile-ad business, Apple extended olive branches to a select group of brands, promising premier reach. But advertisers pushed back against its pricey offerings. Now, it appears Apple has concluded money in mobile ads comes from a wide net; in short, it’ll look more like Google.
Apple is also introducing new features to Workbench, its web-based platform used for tracking and launching campaigns. Users can now include short videos in an ad, which will be displayed full screen on the iPad and the iPhone, as first described earlier this year. Previously, iPhone ads were limited to less obtrusive banners that needed to be tapped before a video would play. Video iAds are also able to send viewers to websites or promoted iTunes content, rather than just mobile apps.
At the current point in time, the iAd Workbench expansion is limited to mobile ads and does not extend to iTunes Radio. Ad buyers are able to pay based on cost-per-click or cost-per-thousand impressions.
The company is likely hoping to attract new advertisers to the iAd platform with the introduction of videos and the simplification of account creation. Since its 2010 debut, iAd has been largely unsuccessful gaining advertising partners, but Apple has been aiming to revive iAd since the introduction of iTunes Radio.
Several major advertising partners, including McDonald’s, Nissan, Pepsi, and Procter & Gamble signed up for iAd when iTunes Radio debuted and Apple has managed to increase iAd revenue to $260 million in 2013 from $38 million in 2011.
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5 Of The Worst Signage Failures
When your business’ sign is flopping in the wind, you are communicating a clear message to your clients. And that message is one of disarray, a lack of attention to details, and a sense of sloppiness. These are not desirable points to communicate. There are a number of ways sign installation can quickly go wrong. Here are several mistakes that can drastically damage the potentially positive work your sign can do.
Banners Blowing
One popular sign variety is the banner. These can be quite long, or rather short. They can be posted in a variety of spaces such as lamp posts and above entranceways. Some of these locations are more vulnerable to installation problems than others.
When you have a banner posted outside, it must be able to stand up to the elements. Things such as wind and rain can really challenge how well your sign was installed. Now in a hurricane most people won’t be too judgemental, but if a little summer’s breeze is sending your banner flapping in the wind, you have a classic case of poor installation.
Quality banner installation takes elements such as the wind into account. This means that the proper tension needed in order to maintain a taut appearance will be implemented. Failure to get this balance correct leads to floppy and sagging signs. The right sorts of materials must be used in the installation, and everything needs to be properly mounted. Don’t let your banner becoming a burden! Instead, make sure you get quality sign installers to help.
Dips and Dents
If you have a long sign, one of the challenges can be to keep it nice a taut. When there is a lot of material to work with, it is very important that it be properly supported from behind. Failure to do this can lead to distracting dips and dents. Although this may not render the entire sign as ineffective, it certainly distracts the client and ultimately communicates that there is a lack of attention to detail.
Some of these dips and dents can cause more serious problems. Not only can they undermine the lifecycle of the sign material, but it can also create unfortunate visual effects. For example, a sign with a image of a face which suffers from a few dents may turn a friendly image to a lopsided disturbing one. Its always bad to make clients feel disturbed, so you want to ensure that your signs do not suffer any such difficulties. Check out this post for some examples of this problem http://www.signs.com/blog/sign-installation-failures/
Disintegrating Materials
The materials used in installing your sign, as well as the materials used to create your sign, must consist of items which can stand up to the environment. If you want to display your sign outside, the materials used must be able to withstand both wind and rain exposure.
If you use a material which is unacceptably weak, your sign can literally fall apart. You may begin to suffer from dips and dents, or the flopping and sagging material. In order to determine what kinds of material your installation requires, you will need to evaluate the location where the sign will be on display.
Consulting professionals is ideal in for this problem because the sorts of materials available to help display signs is extensive. Those who work frequently with them will be able to give you guidance about what is most and least likely to hold up.
Tilted Displays
Failure to properly mount a sign can result in it tilting one way or the other. This distracts from the content of the sign and ultimately makes the business appear sloppy. It can be quite unsettling to those who want to see clean cut lines. If the sign is near any other square lines, it can be quite visually unappealing to have one be slightly asque. You can see an example of this on this post about public and state building signs: http://www.smashingmagazine.com/public-and-state-building-signs-part-1/
Beautiful Display, Incorrect Spelling
Suppose you have successfully and proudly displayed your sign. You have managed to get it installed using the right material, at the right height, and its situated perfectly to entice your customers. But, after admiring all this hard work, it strikes you that one of the words is misspelled. Sometimes misspelled words can even suggest something completely different than what was intended. This can range from comic to inappropriate. You want to be sure that whoever you are working with on your sign, everyone is on the lookout for misspellings and the like. Failure to catch such things can be costly and deter potential clients. For a good laugh, check out these comic sign tragedies http://www.buzzfeed.com/tasneemnashrulla/29-spelling-mistakes-from-india-that-will-make-you-laugh-cry
Louise Williams has traveled all over the globe to study and capture all of the various types of signs out there. From Europe to China to India, she’s seen all types of signage, and now she brings her knowledge to IS Installations and to the masses.
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