Bike of the future removes the need to shift gears, pedal up hills or pack a lock
Biking in Seattle can be less than mellow with all the hills, traffic and especially that rain. But those things are exactly what inspired the Teague team of bicycle designers to build the Denny bike for the Oregon Manifest bike design project. Teague’s model (built by fabricator Tom Sizemore) sports a minimalist frame, which belies all the tech packed inside. First off, you’ve got an electric motor on the front hub (with a removable battery) to boost your pedaling, along with an automatic shifter. To combat the constant showers, the Denny has a simple device with rubber bristles that breaks up the water, rather than a clunky fender.
Since city driving is fraught with danger, the Denny also has safety features like daytime running lights, brake lights and turn signals activated by bumping the brake handles. And to keep that minimalist form, the handlebars function as either a nifty quick locking system, or fully detach to secure the frame and back wheel. For now, the bike remains experimental as part of the Oregon Manifest Bike Design Project. However, whichever bike wins the contest will actually go into production, and previous champs like the Faraday Porteur have lived on as crowdfunded production models.
Filed under: Transportation
Alleged Nexus 9 (Flounder) image turns out to be a dud
A recent leaked photograph on Google+ sparked excitement in the community when it was thought the image prematurely revealed the upcoming Nexus 9, which up until this point has been only known as codenamed Flounder. Whilst the image follows the profile of what we are all expecting from the Nexus 9, the image unfortunately shows nothing… Read more »
The post Alleged Nexus 9 (Flounder) image turns out to be a dud appeared first on AndroidGuys.
You can now watch Blu-ray 3D movies on your PlayStation 4
Before the newest, shiniest consoles launched late last year, it was the Xbox One that was touted as the complete multimedia machine. It’s slightly ironic, then, that Sony’s beaten Microsoft to the punch in adding Blu-ray 3D support to the PlayStation 4. Last week, we heard the feature was being added in software version 1.75, and today that update’s begun rolling out to PS4s. There are still a few things, like DLNA support, the PS4 needs to usurp other A/V gear in your entertainment center, but on the matter of Blu-ray 3D at least, the Xbone’s now playing catch-up.
PS4 System Software 1.75 is now ready to download. Get downloading.! pic.twitter.com/w1nFA1FHxi
– PlayStation Europe (@PlayStationEU) July 29, 2014
Source: PlayStation Europe (Twitter)
Microsoft and Intel’s latest development board will cost you $300
Intel may reign supreme in the desktop and laptop space, but ARM is eating its lunch almost everywhere else. That’s not something the chipmaker can ignore, which is why it’s having another crack at the hobby / developer market with Sharks Cove. The board, designed with Microsoft, has the stated aim of helping developers build apps and drivers for Windows and Android devices that use Intel chips. Since it’s also available for everyone else to buy, it could also be quietly positioned as a more powerful alternative to boards like Arduino and Raspberry Pi. Unfortunately, as with the NUC, there’s a catch: the board will retail for $300.
For all of that cash, however, you get the bones of a half-decent low-power PC, with a quad-core 1.33GHz Intel Atom chip, 1GB RAM and 16GB storage with a microSD slot for expansion. You can hook the board up to a display using either a MIPI connector or the full-size HDMI port, and can hook the unit up to the internet using the Ethernet port or with a WiFi dongle in the one USB 2.0 port. None of that may justify the cost compared to its low-power rivals, but the fact that the hardware comes with a full Windows 8.1 license may soften the blow a little. Still, at three benjamins, we can’t imagine too many hobbyists will buy one just for noodling around — so perhaps this will remain developer only gear.
Filed under: Desktops, Microsoft, Intel
Via: Ars Technica, Gizmodo
Source: MSDN, Mouser, SharksCove
Samsung Galaxy Alpha display seemingly confirmed to be 720p
For some time we believed that the Samsung Galaxy Alpha, or what we thought to be called the Galaxy F, was going to be a premium device offering something a bit more special than what the Galaxy S5 is. After a series of leaked photos of the device came out, it seems almost certain that this is not the case, and that the Galaxy Alpha is in fact Samsung‘s answer to the imminent release of the Apple iPhone 6. This much is evidenced by the 4.8-inch display, which today has allegedly been confirmed to be 720p i.e. with a resolution of 1280×720 pixels.
This information was gleaned from Samsung’s own developer console, which seems to confirm that the device will have a 720p display and that it will indeed be called the Samsung Galaxy Alpha (not the Galaxy F or Galaxy S5 Alpha). The expected hardware of the Galaxy Alpha include a fingerprint scanner, a nano SIM slot, 32GB storage without expandable memory, and is expected to have an aluminium edge all around the sides of the device. It is supposedly going to be released in August this year.
What do you think about the Samsung Galaxy Alpha? Do you think it has what it takes to wrest customers away from Apple? Let us know your opinion in the comments below.
Source: SamMobile
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Apple Launches Retina MacBook Pros with Faster Haswell Processors, More RAM Standard
As indicated over the weekend and yesterday, Apple today launched refreshed 13-inch and 15-inch Retina MacBook Pros.The new notebooks feature faster versions of Intel’s Haswell processors, as all 13-inch models now come with 8GB of RAM standard while all 15-inch models now feature 16GB of RAM. New build-to-orThe high end 15-inch model also received a $100 price cut, going from $2599 to $2499.
New models include:
13-inch:
– $1299: 2.6 GHz dual-core i5 processor, 8 GB RAM, 128GB of flash storage
– $1499: 2.6 GHz dual-core i5 processor, 8 GB RAM, 256GB of flash storage
– $1799: 2.8 GHz dual-core i7 processor, 8 GB of RAM, 512GB of flash storage
15-inch:
– $1999: 2.2 GHz quad-core i7 processor, 16GB RAM, 256GB of flash storage
– $2499: 2.5 GHz quad-core i7 processor, 16GB RAM, 512GB of flash storage
Build-to-order options now include a 3.0 GHz dual-core i7 processor on the 13-inch model and a 2.8 Ghz quad-core i7 processor on the 15-inch model. Users can also now add up to 1TB of flash storage for both the 13-inch and 15-inch models.
Alongside the refreshed line of Retina MacBook Pros, Apple’s 13-inch non-Retina MacBook Pro received a price cut, going from $1199 to $1099. However, the machine has not been updated with faster internals.
The minor refresh is primarily a stopgap measure until Apple can launch a more significant update to its Retina MacBook Pro line once Intel’s next-generation Broadwell processors hit the market. Broadwell chips appropriate for the MacBook Pro may, however, not arrive until mid-2015. Apple is also rumored to be working on a 12-inch Retina MacBook for 2015 which is said to feature an ultrathin chassis, a fan-less cooling system and a revamped trackpad.
Apple’s refreshed line of Retina MacBook Pros are available today through the company’s various retail location and online store, with all standard configurations showing a shipping avaliability of “within 24 hours.” The new notebooks will also be a part of Apple’s back-to-school program, which gives qualified educational purchasers an Apple Store gift card of $100 with the purchase of a new Mac.
Apple Expands AppleCare+ to Cover iPhones and iPads in Mexico and Sweden [iOS Blog]
Apple today expanded its AppleCare+ program to two new countries, bringing the program to cover iPhones and iPads in Mexico and Sweden.
In Mexico, AppleCare+ coverage for the iPhone and iPad are priced at 1,599 pesos. Meanwhile, AppleCare+ for the iPhone and iPad in Sweden are priced at 799 krona.
Apple last expanded its AppleCare+ program in September 2013, raising service fees for accidental damage, adding iPods, and expanding avaliability to China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Austria, Germany, France, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, and the UK.
Thanks, Steve!
Apple gives Retina MacBook Pros a speed boost ahead of Yosemite rollout
After rumors surfaced yesterday about an incoming MacBook Pro refresh, Apple’s store went down earlier today, and now, hey presto! New MacBook Pros. The updated models haven’t changed significantly, but look to be better equipped to handle the next version of OS X due in the fall, Yosemite. All 15-inch MacBook Pro Retinas now have 16GB of RAM standard instead of 8GB, and the priciest model will get a new 1TB PCIe-based SSD. All the larger Retina models will also get bumped by 200Mhz to the latest 4th Core-i7 CPUs, with the top-liner getting a Core i7-4980HQ, which hits the magical 4.0GHz mark. Surprisingly, Apple has stuck with NVIDIA’s GeForce GT-750M for its top model with discrete graphics rather than updating to the latest GeForce GT800M series. The upside, however, is that the price for that model has dropped by $100 to $2,499 (or £1,999 in the UK).
The 13-inch models, meanwhile also got memory and speed boosts. The minimum amount of memory now available on the entry level 13-inch MacBook Pro is 8GB instead of 4GB, and all 13-inch models also got a 200MHz CPU speed bump. Despite the performance tweaks, Apple has kept the same pricing across the board, apart from the aforementioned discrete graphics model. All of that should keep MacBook Pro fans happy, particularly those grumbling about the meager 4GB of RAM in the base models. We imagine that Apple wasn’t upgrading the memory out of sheer generosity, however. There are a lot of new tweaks in Yosemite, including a new look, Spotlight search, widgets, a new version of Safari and more — so any extra space won’t hurt.
Source: Apple
Spotify’s iOS app gets equalizer feature with custom settings and 22 presets
Spotify’s latest iOS app update rolls out today and adds a new equalizer to playback functionality. “A lot of our users have been asking for a built-in equalizer for a while now and it’s currently one of our most requested features on iOS,” says Sten Garmark, VP for Product at Spotify. The update also folds the Discover function into the Browse tab on iPhones and adds a redesigned Artist page to the iPad iteration, featuring musicians’ latest releases and… merchandise. Android users have been able to add third-party equalizers to music playback on dedicated music apps for years, although there’s no word from Spotify as to when these new feature will hit Google’s mobile OS. We’re hoping that equalizer will help even out music playback — even if you’re only packing underwhelming in-box buds.
Source: Spotify (iTunes)
Opportunity rover breaks record for longest distance driven off-Earth
When the Opportunity rover landed on the red planet in 2004, NASA only intended to drive it for about 1 kilometer (0.62 miles) within 90 Martian days. But the rover turned out to be a hardy Mars explorer, and on its 14th year on the planet, it has finally broken the record for the longest distance a vehicle has driven outside Earth. The Opportunity has recently accrued 25.01 miles of driving on another world, dethroning Soviet Union’s Lunokhod 2 rover, which drove 24.2 miles on the moon in 1973. While that’s a huge accomplishment for a vehicle that was never supposed to last for more than year, Mars Exploration Rover Manager John Callas says what truly matters is “not how many miles the rover has racked up, but how much exploration and discovery we have accomplished over that distance.” So, what’s next for this tough ole machine? Not retirement, that’s for sure. NASA’s hoping it still has what it takes to drive just a bit further and reach the next major investigation site more than a mile from where it is today.
[Image credit:NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS/NMMNHS]
Filed under: Science
Source: NASA
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