Is this NVIDIA’s next Shield handheld console?
A while back, NVIDIA’s CEO gave us a not-so-subtle hint that the next Shield handheld was close to release. The picture above goes a long way to backing that up. It’s from an official FCC filing for a Shield-shaped game controller called the “P2570.” It’s impossible to be certain with these things, and NVIDIA hasn’t so far responded to our queries, but the model number does sound like a hardware refresh, since the the existing Android console is the “P2450.” That said, the physical changes seem subtle, with the Shield’s stubby bumper buttons apparently lengthened slightly, perhaps to make them more twitch-friendly, and with the manufacturing joints and screws moved to different positions. A side-by-side comparison between the two models (shown below) also suggests the new version may be slightly more slender, and therefore hopefully lighter too, given the 580-gram (1.27-pound) heft of the original.
Even if this really is the Shield 2 (as opposed to some other NVIDIA-related controller), however, the major technical advances are likely to be things we can’t make out from the diagram. For example, we know that the new device will run off a Tegra K1 chip, with its enhanced graphics and Unreal Engine 4 skills. We also suspect that the LCD display could get a resolution bump for 720p. In any case, now that this “P2570″ is finished and ready for certification, it’s only right to expect some solid improvements to what is already an excellent piece of Android gaming kit.
Filed under: Gaming, HD, Mobile, NVIDIA
Source: FCC
Google Hangouts updated to V2.1.223 [Download APK]
Everyone’s favourite messaging app Google Hangouts has just been updated to version 2.1.223 and with it brings some pretty minor changes, but noteworthy nonetheless.
It seems in Google Hangouts version 2.1.223 you’re now able to set custom sounds for messages and hangout calls, which can be accessed in the “People & Options” section of the Menu.
The update is slowly rolling out to the Google Play Store so either hit below to grab it from the Store, or this link to download the Hangout version 2.1.223 APK file.
VIA: Droid-Life
The post Google Hangouts updated to V2.1.223 [Download APK] appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Big Ass Fans Unveils iOS Compatible ‘Haiku’ Smart Ceiling Fan [iOS Blog]
Big Ass Fans has unveiled the new ‘Haiku’ ceiling fan with ‘SenseME’ technology, which is billed as the world’s first smart ceiling fan and features an on-board computer that utilizes a companion app on iOS devices. The ceiling fan is composed of a durable bamboo material and boasts an array of sensors that automate a number of tasks, such as adjusting fan speed and powering the fan on and off. The fan also learns a user’s preferences based on weather conditions and a person’s tendencies in a room.
SenseME monitors a room’s occupancy and local temperature conditions, adjusting Haiku’s speed when conditions change so the space is always pleasant. If you make changes to the speed, SenseME remembers and makes more personalized speed adjustments in the future; after all, comfort is personal. Haiku with SenseME turns any room into a comfortable, energy-efficient Micro Environment.
The Haiku’s companion app provides the user with additional functionalities, including the ability to set schedules for the fan and select from a number of different control modes. The app allows users to group fans, and can also work without a home Wi-Fi network, utilizing the LAN provided by the fan’s onboard Wi-Fi radio. iOS 7 devices compatible with the Haiku’s companion app include the 5th generation iPod Touch, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, iPhone 5c, iPhone 5s, and iPads running iOS 7.
The Haiku with SenseME could also be a prime candidate for certification under Apple’s new HomeKit initiative, which allows home automation devices and their apps to work with Apple’s apps using a single, secure protocol. While Big Ass Fans and the Haiku are not currently listed under Apple’s partners for the program, it is likely that this will change if the product gains enough notoriety.
The Haiku with SenseME can be pre-ordered in fan diameters of 52” and 60” at a starting price of $1,045 with the first units being shipped in 8-12 weeks. Users may also choose to include a smart LED light on the fan for $95. 
Three extends free roaming to France and four other countries
Not content with offering free roaming to customers travelling in the US and other far-away locales, Three has extended its Feel At Home service to five countries a little closer to home. From July 1st, Three customers can enjoy data, text and calls at no extra charge when they visit France, Switzerland, Israel, Finland or Norway. That takes the operator’s total tally up to 16 countries and throws shade on rival roaming plans, which have come down in price but still require customers to add travel bolt-ons to their existing tariff. Calls to non-UK numbers will incur a charge but Three makes Feel At Home available to anyone on its network — perfect for uploading Instagram selfies from the beach or sharing Vines by the side of the pool.
Source: Three
Argue about the offside rule in Portuguese with Rosetta Stone’s Futebol app
We’re big fans of Football English Soccerball, but even we aren’t hardcore enough to be able to discuss the technicalities of the game in Portuguese. Thankfully, and just in time for the World Cup, Rosetta Stone (amongst others) is unveiling a Futebol Edition of its travel app, helping you to say escanteio (corner kick), un meio-campista (midfielder) and por favor, queremos saber onde fica o estádio (excuse me, we’re looking for the stadium). The app, which is available for free on iOS and Android will give you tips on navigating public transport, but since all of the data is offline, it won’t rinse your data connection as it does so. We’ve tried the app and it’s missing a few practical phrases (o árbitro é um bastardo) but otherwise it’s golden.
Filed under: Software, Mobile, Apple, Google
Source: Rosetta Stone (App Store), Rosetta Stone (Google Play)
Study: NASA can’t afford a trip to Mars, but deserves the cash to do it
It’s no secret that NASA’s long-term goal is to get people to Mars. But how realistic is that objective, really? Unfortunately, the prospects aren’t looking good right now. The National Research Council has conducted a review of NASA’s space program that suggests its budget isn’t practical for anything more than trips to lunar space, and might not even stretch that far. So long as the administration’s finances aren’t keeping up with inflation, any attempt to push past low Earth orbit would “invite failure” and “disillusionment,” the Council says.
However, the NRC doesn’t believe that NASA should scale back its ambitions. Instead, it suggests that the US government should loosen its purse strings to make sure those dreams come true; a budget growth of rate 5 percent per year could be enough to get humans on Mars with minimal risk. It won’t be as simple as getting more cash, mind you. The Council also wants NASA to set clear milestones so that it has a sense of its progress, and it should warm up to international collaboration to both take advantage of pooled resources and improve the US’ political standing. That last piece of advice may tough to follow given the space agency’s chilly attitudes toward China and Russia.
The study contends that it would easily be worth overcoming those challenges. Besides fulfilling short-political and scientific aims, maintaining plans to set foot on Mars could inspire students, unite humanity under a common cause and even save the species from extinction. It’s tough to know if the White House will heed the advice in an era of budget cuts, but it’s apparent that NASA at least has one major ally in its corner.
[Image credit: Pat Rawlings/NASA]
Filed under: Transportation, Science
Via: Washington Post
Source: National Academies
Take a sunny Street View tour of Brazil’s World Cup stadiums
If heading out to the 2014 World Cup in Brazil weighed too heavy on your wallet, Google’s latest Maps update might help you experience some of the fútbol magic from the comfort of your own home. With the tournament just days away, the search giant is kicking things off a little early by adding all 12 of Brazil’s World Cup stadiums, including the revamped Maracanã, and the vibrantly-colored boulevards that surround them to Street View. For those who managed to grab a ticket, Google’s also made sure to update its mobile app with transit data in each of the host cities, as well as indoor maps and turn-by-turn navigation (perfect for those embarking on a dream road trip). If that wasn’t enough, Maps now includes Peru, Chile, Colombia and Mexico, letting you explore Latin America whenever the feeling takes you.
Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Internet, Software, Mobile, Google
Via: Google Lat Long
Source: Google Maps
Computer trickery makes these shadows ‘dance’
You know how to turn crooked vases into an interesting art installation that remind us of Beauty and the Beast’s singing pots and candlesticks? We’d like to say magic, but since we don’t live in a Disney movie, the right answer is motion tracking and real-time 3D rendering. The installation’s creators, artist Laurent Craste and digital agency Dpt., used a hidden projector to make the vases’ shadows dance whenever a viewer swings the lamp above them. Their movements even depend on the lamp’s swing, so side-to-side swinging triggers the same animation, while a more circular one also shows the lamp’s shadows going in circles. Sadly, you can’t see this in person anymore (it was displayed at a festival in Montreal in May), but you can watch the video after the break.
Filed under: Misc
Via: Laughing Squad, Colossal
Source: dpt, Laurent Craste
Nova Launcher Gets ‘Okay Google’! Google Hangouts Brings Custom Message Tones! – App Updates
Hump Day is here, and more Google core apps have been updated. Today we saw Google Hangouts and YouTube get updates and hopefully you have updated those apps. The Play Store secretly updated the past week too, or maybe I am just the only one that didn’t have the current version. Nova Launcher finally integrated “Okay Google” to their launcher, which is really the only reason why you should be still using the Google Launcher. Try it out, it works beautifully.
App Updates
Google Hangouts update
YouTube update
Google Play Store update
Nova Launcher update
Talon update
//<![CDATA[
ord = window.ord || Math.floor(Math.random()*1E16);
document.write('’);
//]]>
Softbank Japan has robots that recognize how you’re feeling, and will sell them next year
Japanese telecom Softbank and its CEO Masayoshi Son have never been afraid to push the envelope, and now the exec is presenting a new development: robots. Presented at a press conference going on right now in Japan (take a peek at the live video stream embedded after the break) it’s dubbed the Pepper Robot, and uses technology acquired from the French robotics company Aldebaran. Those are the folks behind the Nao humanoid robots we’ve been covering for years, from their first steps to the inevitable dance-offs that followed. Aldebaran CEO Bruno Maisonnier credited Son for believing in its vision, saying robots that can recognize human emotion will change the way we live and communicate. The robots will debut at two stores tomorrow in their customer service capacity, but Softbank is planning to put them on sale to the public next year.
Developing…
The “Pepper” robots can communicate through emotion, speech or body language. They’re equipped with both mics and proximity sensors, and Maisonnier claims this will be the start of a robot revolution that rivals the rollout of the PC and smartphone. According to him “With Pepper, the future begins today.”
Filed under: Cellphones, Robots, Mobile
Source: Engadget Japanese
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