Kategorie: Technology

  • Top 10 Robots at Work and Play – Gallery

    Top 10 Robots at Work and Play – Gallery

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    Advancements in robotics are continually taking place in the fields of space exploration, health care, public safety, entertainment, defense, and more. These machines — some fully autonomous, some requiring human input — extend our grasp, enhance our capabilities, and travel as our surrogates to places too dangerous or difficult for us to go. Gathered here are recent images of robotic technology at the beginning of the 21st century, including robotic insurgents, NASA’s Juno spacecraft on its way to Jupiter, and a machine inside an archaeological dig in Mexico.

    r01_RTX14EEC r02_69854409 r03_83098292 r04_RTR3F6WU r05_DSC0923a r06_00efb10r r07_90623884 r08_10725200 r09_31116034 r10_67199262

    Official Source: http://www.theatlantic.com/infocus/2013/10/robots-at-work-and-play/100612/#img08

    http://www.theatlantic.com/infocus/2013/10/robots-at-work-and-play/100612/

  • Honeywell 316 Kitchen Robot from 1969

    Honeywell 316 Kitchen Robot from 1969

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    The Honeywell 316 was a popular 16-bit minicomputer built by Honeywell starting in 1969. It is part of the Series 16 which includes the Models 116, 316, 416, 516 and 716. They were commonly used for data acquisition and control, remote message concentration, clinical laboratory systems and time-sharing. The Series 16 computers are all based on the DDP-116 designed by Gardner Hendrie at Computer Control Company, Inc. (3C) in 1964.

    Honeywell316

     

    The H-316 was used by Charles H. Moore to develop the first complete, stand-alone implementation of Forth at NRAO. They were used as ARPANET Interface Message Processors (IMP) but could also be configured as a Terminal IMP (TIP) which added support for up to 63 Teletype machines through a multi-line controller.

    The original Prime computers were designed to be compatible with the Series 16 minicomputers.

    Hardware description

    The 316 succeeded the earlier DDP-516 model and was promoted by Honeywell as suitable for industrial process control, data acquisition systems, and as a communications concentrator and processor. The computer processor was made of small-scale integration DTL monolithicintegrated circuits. Most parts of the system operated at 2.5 MHz but some elements were clocked at 5 MHz.[4] The computer was a bitwise-parallel 2’s complement system with 16 bit word length. The instruction set was a single-address type with an index register.[5] Initially released with a capacity of 4096 through 16,384 words of memory, later expansion options allowed increasing memory space to 32,768 words. Memory cycle time was 1.6 microseconds; an integer register-to-register „add“ instruction took 3.2 microseconds. An optional hardware arithmetic option was available to implement integer multiply and divide, double-precision load and store, and double precision (31-bit) integer addition and subtraction operations. It also provided a normalization operation assisting implementation of software floating point operations.

    The programmers‘ model of the H-316 consisted of the following registers:

    • The 16-bit A register was the primary arithmetic and logic accumulator.
    • The 16-bit B register was used for double-length arithmetic operations.
    • The 16-bit program counter holds the address of the next instruction.
    • A carry flag indicated arithmetic overflow.
    • A 16-bit X index register was also provided for modification of the address of operands.

    The instruction set had 72 arithmetic, logic, I/O and program flow control instructions.

    Input/output instructions used the A register and separate input and output 16-bit buses. A 10 bit I/O control bus, consisting of 6 bits of device address information and 4 bits of function selection, was used. The basic processor had a single interrupt signal line, but an option provided up to 48 interrupts.

    In addition to a front panel display of lights and toggle switches, the system supported different types of input/output devices. A Teletype Model 33 ASR teleprinter could be used as a console I/O device, and (in the most basic systems) to load and store data to paper tape. Smaller systems typically used a high-speed paper tape reader and punch for data storage. The Honeywell family of peripherals included card readers and punches, line printers, magnetic tape, and both fixed-head and removable hard disk drives.

    A rack-mounted configuration weighed around 150 pounds and used 475 watts of power. Honeywell advertised the system as the first minicomputer selling for less than $10,000.

    The Honeywell 316 has the distinction of being the first computer displayed at a computer show with semiconductor RAM memory. In 1972, a Honeywell 316 was displayed with a semiconductor RAM memory board (they used core memory previously). It was never placed into production, as DTL was too power hungry to survive much longer. Honeywell knew that the same technology that enabled the production of RAM spelled the end of DTL computers, but wanted to show that the company was cutting edge

    Honeywell-316-01 Honeywell_H316_front

     

    Official Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honeywell_316#Kitchen_Computer

  • Next World of Warcraft expansion announced: ‚Warlords of Draenor‘

    Next World of Warcraft expansion announced: ‚Warlords of Draenor‘

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    Blizzard has confirmed ‚Warlords of Draenor‘ as the next expansion for World of Warcraft at today’s BlizzCon 2013.

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    It will feature time travel, in addition to new character models and animations. Here’s the full info:

    Blizzard will also raise the MMO’s level cap to 100, and Draenor will give players the option to boost one character — even newly created ones — immediately to level 90 so they can play the newest content.

    The Alliance and Horde champions who’ve been displayed in Draenor will be able to construct a Garrison, which Blizzard describes as an „expandable, customizable stronghold that will serve as each player’s personal base of operations throughout the course of the expansion and provide the ability to build upgrade a faction-controlled Garrison.“ As it grows, players will be able to recruit NPCs who can live in the Garrisons, gather resources and taken on missions at players‘ command.

    Warlords of Draenor will also include new battlegrounds, bosses, six planned five-player dungeons, quests, two planned raid instances and more. The expansion will feature new PvP zone, as well.

    According to Blizzard, the landmass will be split into the following seven zones:

    • Frostfire Ridge: Across snow-covered wastes and beneath towering volcanoes, heroes of the Frostwolf clan and the Horde unite to repel invaders from their homeland.

    • Shadowmoon Valley: Amid rolling moonlit hills, the draenei at the holy temple of Karabor unite with the Alliance in a desperate fight for survival against the Iron Horde and Shadowmoon clan.

    • Gorgrond: Deep within the desert canyons of Gorgrond, an arsenal of massive siege weapons built by the Blackrock clan is about to be unleashed upon the whole of Draenor.

    • Talador: In the shadow of a besieged Shattrath City, the Auchenai Soulpriests actively seek to safeguard the countless draenei souls inside Auchindoun from a terrible demonic threat.

    • Spires of Arak: At the height of their power, the regal arrakoa plot atop their high peaks, well out of the reach of the brutal Shattered Hand orcs and the wingless outcasts below.

    • Nagrand: Among the fertile hills and outcroppings of Nagrand, the bloodied wolf-riders of the Warsong clan remain a threat not to be trifled with.

    • Tanaan Jungle: Within the overgrown jungle home of the Bleeding Hollow clan, a Dark Portal is under construction … and an Iron Horde army makes grim preparations to conquer Azeroth.

    Official Source: http://eu.battle.net/wow/de/warlords-of-draenor/

    http://www.polygon.com/2013/11/8/5081560/world-of-warcraft-warlords-of-draenor-expansion

  • Heroes of the Storm™ Cinematic Trailer released

    Heroes of the Storm™ Cinematic Trailer released

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    Introducing the latest from Blizzard Entertainment — Heroes of the Storm.

    JOIN THE BETA

    Developed under the code name Blizzard All-Stars™, Heroes of the Storm is a raucous online team brawler starring your favorite Blizzard characters.

    To learn much more, visithttp://HeroesOfTheStorm.com, where in the weeks to come, you’ll find tons of videos, hero profiles, game features, information on how to join the public beta test, and more.

     

    Official Source: http://www.heroesofthestorm.com/de-de/

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ecv0bT9DEo

  • First 3D-Printed Metal Gun Unveiled, Successfully Fires Over 50 Rounds

    First 3D-Printed Metal Gun Unveiled, Successfully Fires Over 50 Rounds

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    Solid Concepts has unveiled the first 3d-printed metal gun, and it can fire without issue. In the latest test, this firearm fired off over 50 rounds, thanks to its sturdy design via laser sintering, „which helped them manufacture over 30 individual components for the gun – and various powdered metals.“

    3d-metal-gun

    But to be clear, and likely to the relief of law enforcement, this isn’t something you can run out and do yourself. „There are barriers to entry that will keep the public away from this technology for years,“ said Scott McGowan, the company’s VP of marketing, In a statement to The Verge.

    Those include a prohibitively high cost for the equipment involved and the expertise required to actually pull off the printing.

    Official Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7ZYKMBDm4M#t=0

    http://www.theverge.com/2013/11/7/5077718/worlds-first-3d-printed-metal-gun-fires-over-50-rounds

  • 5 Pictures of the Futuristic Nissan BladeGlider, Boasts Triangular Design

    5 Pictures of the Futuristic Nissan BladeGlider, Boasts Triangular Design

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    First unveiled at the Tokyo Motor Show yesterday, the futuristic Nissan BladeGlider was „inspired by the aerial engineering of a glider and the triangular shape of a high performance swept wing aircraft.“ It’s powered by lithium-ion batteries and can seat up to 3-people comfortably, with the driver getting a perfect 360-degree view of their surroundings.

    nissan-bladeglider

    In order to keep everything compact and shipshape, the BladeGlider’s lithium-ion batteries are placed in the lower-rear side of the vehicle.

    Nissan may also for the first time be using in-wheel motors in the final iteration of the BladeGlider to further its space-efficiency and provide extra rear-wheel propulsion and separate motor management.

    Official Source: http://www.dvice.com/2013-11-8/nissan-bladeglider-ev-half-glider-half-race-car-and-all-awesome

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjPaNiwmOEQ#t=0

  • Kim Dotcom’s MEGA Exits Out Of Beta With Improved UI, New Features

    Kim Dotcom’s MEGA Exits Out Of Beta With Improved UI, New Features

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    Earlier this year, Kim Dotcom launched MEGA into beta as the file-hosting service offers some nice perks such as giving users 50GB of storage for free among other things. It’s been ten months since the debut of MEGA, and today, the service has been taken out of beta.

     

    With its exit from beta, MEGA is rolling out a number of tweaks and improvements over the previously beta version of the website. One of the first things MEGA improved was its web UI, which looks to offer a more streamlined look and feel over the previous version of the UI.

     

    Some tweaks have also been made that focus on making the MEGA experience faster and more efficient, one of which includes local caching which only syncs changes from the last time you connected to the website. Sharing content with friends is also an easier experience as you’ll be able to upload profile avatars to help distinguish yourself on the service as well as the ability to see how many files a person is sharing with you and when they last updated their files. Now that MEGA is out of beta, the service is looking towards mobile as an Android app is currently available, while an iOS app has been submitted for review.

     

    Windows, OS X and Linux apps are also expected to be relesaed in the next month

     

    Official Source: http://www.ubergizmo.com/2013/11/kim-dotcoms-mega-exits-out-of-beta-with-improved-ui-new-features/?utm_source=mainrss

    https://mega.co.nz/

  • Insane Look at Devel Sixteen, the World’s First 5000HP Hypercar

    Insane Look at Devel Sixteen, the World’s First 5000HP Hypercar

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    Have more than $4-million to spare and want a car that does 0-60mph in just 1.8-seconds? Then look no further than the Devel Sixteen. It’s powered by a quad-turbocharged 7.2L V16 engine that produces an insane 5000hp, enabling it to reach a top speed of 347.9mph.

     

    Obviously inspired by designs such as the Lamborghini Veneno, Lamborghini Egoista and Pagani Zonda it definitely looks like no other supercar on the market.

    At the rear, the vehicle features what appears to be two massive jet turbines, but they are just for show and it isn’t in fact jet-powered.

    Arguably most impressively is the fact that the Devel Sixteen actually features quite a nice interior demonstrating that some real time and effort has been put into creating the car.

    Official Source: http://www.gtspirit.com/2013/11/06/5000hp-560kmh-v16-devel-sixteen-revealed-at-dubai/

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cl3Uy7CLCsI

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kv2w0teSOE

  • You Won’t Believe This Anime Video was Made by Microsoft

    You Won’t Believe This Anime Video was Made by Microsoft

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    No, this isn’t a fan-made commercial, but rather a real anime video promoting Microsoft’s Internet Explorer 11. It’s titled „Internet Explorer: The Anime,“ and stars Inori Aizawa. According to The Verge, it’s „set in the kind of dystopian world you’d find in Akira, Inori finds herself being chased by killer robots.“

    She’s surrounded, but just as she’s about to be blasted into oblivion, her „I“ pendant activates to protect her. A

    And then things go bananas. What follows is a melange of tributes to Sailor Moon, Chobits, and Neon Genesis Evangelion (and perhaps even some notes of MegaMan X thrown in for good measure). And then there’s a cat.

    Official Source: http://www.theverge.com/2013/11/6/5073934/microsofts-anime-inspired-internet-explorer-ad-is-its-best-yet

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9Jl6HlX3bM

  • 7 Amazing Pictures of „The Writer“, an Early Typewriter Machine from the 1770s

    7 Amazing Pictures of „The Writer“, an Early Typewriter Machine from the 1770s

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    Here’s a fascinating look at „The Writer“, an automaton, or self-operating machine built in the 1770s by world-renowned Swiss watchmaker, Pierre Jaquet-Droz (1721-1790). It’s made from nearly 6000 parts and capable of writing letters and words with a quill pen. According to Twisted Sifter, „the 240-year-old machine is said to be a distant ancestor of the modern-day, programmable computer.“

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    Official Source: http://twistedsifter.com/2013/11/the-writer-automaton-pierre-jaquet-droz-modern-computer-ancestor/

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUa7oBsSDk8

  • Spec Ops: The Line for Mac releasing tomorrow

    Spec Ops: The Line for Mac releasing tomorrow

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    We are only a day away from launching Spec Ops: The Line for Mac on Steam! This gut wrenching tale of sand and souls has affected gamers the world over with its brutal portrayal of things gone wrong in a distant land.

    The ruins of Dubai is a character all its own in the tragic tale of Captain Walker and his crew. These relics of a modern age taken over by natural forces are more than simple set pieces to shoot guns in. Sands will shift and the tides of battle can turn on its whim putting you at the city’s mercy.

     

    And here below the minimum requirements for the game to run:

    MINIMUM MAC SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS

    • Mac OSX 10.7.5
    • 4GB RAM
    • Intel Dual Core processor

    Video card recommendations:

    • Radeon HD 4670/4850/4870

    • Radeon HD 5670/5750/5770/5870/6630/6750/6770/6970

    • GeForce 8800/9600/120/130/Quadro FX 5600

    • GeForce 9400/285/320/330/Quadro FX 4800

    • GeForce 640/650/660/675/680

     

    Official Source: http://store.steampowered.com/agecheck/app/50300/

  • Call of Duty: Ghosts – Current-Gen vs. Next-Gen

    Call of Duty: Ghosts – Current-Gen vs. Next-Gen

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    The PS4 goes head-to-head with Xbox 360 & PS3 in an epic graphic showdown.

    call_of_duty_ghosts_building

    Expect Xbox One to be shown on the 12th of November.

     

    Xbox One Call of Duty: Ghosts Gameplay! Safeguard Survival Mode (COD Ghost Squad Game Play HD)

     

     

    Official Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=It26p5M51OE

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHNFviGstlI

  • Call of Duty: Ghosts sells more than $1 Billion on retail copies on day one

    Call of Duty: Ghosts sells more than $1 Billion on retail copies on day one

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    Call of Duty: Ghosts is Gamestop’s Most Pre-ordered Next Gen Title

    Call of Duty: Ghosts Takes over the #1 Spot on Xbox Live

    Call of Duty: Ghosts Sets New High Watermark for Average Player Session Length

    Activision Publishing, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Activision Blizzard, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI), announced today that the company sold more than $1 billion of Call of Duty®: Ghosts into shops worldwide as of day one.

    „Call of Duty is by far the largest console franchise of this generation,“ said Bobby Kotick, CEO of Activision Blizzard. „More people have played Call of Duty this year than ever before, logging four billion hours of gameplay. And in the last 12 months, Call of Duty®: Black Ops II, including its digital content, generated more revenues than any other console game ever has in a single year. Although it is too early to assess sell-through for Call of Duty: Ghosts, it’s launching at a time when the franchise has never been more popular.“

    Millions of people are already playing Call of Duty: Ghosts online. Since its release yesterday, Call of Duty: Ghosts has moved to the #1 spot as the most played game on Xbox Live, according to Microsoft. Additionally, Activision confirmed that on the Xbox 360 videogames and entertainment system from Microsoft, average player sessions for Ghosts have been longer than either Black Ops II or Call of Duty®:Modern Warfare® 3, during the same time period.

    Call of Duty: Ghosts launched at 15,000 midnight openings around the world. Fans around the world shared their excitement in social media, with Call of Duty-related terms trending an astounding 20 times globally on Twitter in the last 24 hours.

    „Ghosts is an amazing game which ushers in the next generation of Call of Duty. The team at Infinity Ward has delivered yet another epic thrill ride in the campaign, and what I think is our best multiplayer game yet,“ said Eric Hirshberg, CEO of Activision Publishing. „This is the must have launch title for the next generation of consoles, and we expect Call of Duty: Ghosts to be the most successful launch title for the Xbox One and PS4 by a wide margin. In fact, according to GameStop, Call of Duty: Ghosts is their most pre-reserved next gen title.“

  • Boy gets prosthetic hand made by 3-D printer

    Boy gets prosthetic hand made by 3-D printer

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    Two years ago, Paul McCarthy began searching for an inexpensive yet functional prosthetic hand for his son Leon, who was born without fingers on one of his hands.

    EN_1028_Miller_01_480x360

    McCarthy came across a video online with detailed instruction on how to use a 3-D printer to make a prosthetic hand for his son.

     

    Michelle Miller reports.

    Official Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FGSo_I86_lQ

  • Xbox kündigt kostenlose​s Unity Add-On für Xbox One und ID@Xbox an

    Xbox kündigt kostenlose​s Unity Add-On für Xbox One und ID@Xbox an

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    Demokratisierte Entwicklung: Unity für ID@Xbox Entwickler angekündigt

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    Während der Entwicklung von ID@Xbox – das self-publishing Programm für Xbox One – wurde zunehmend klar, dass der Einsatz von Middleware für unabhängige Entwickler zur Verwirklichung ihrer Visionen heute wichtiger denn je ist.

    Das Lizenzieren von Middleware ist jedoch alles andere als günstig und deswegen haben sich die Personen hinter ID@Xbox Gedanken gemacht, wie sie allen Entwicklern helfen können Inhalte für Xbox One zu produzieren. Umfragen zur Folge verwendet ein Großteil der Entwickler Unity, um sich nicht auf Technologie, sondern vielmehr auf die Entwicklung und das Realisieren von spielerischen Vision zu fokussieren.

    Heute kündigt Xbox, in Zusammenarbeit mit Unity an, dass im Zuges des Launches von ID@Xbox im kommenden Jahr, alle Entwickler im ID@Xbox Programm das Xbox One Add-On von Unity vollkommen kostenlos zur Verfügung gestellt bekommen – dies beinhaltet auch spezielle Xbox One Unity Pro Einzellizenzen. Das Unity Add-On für Xbox One unterstützt jedes Feature der Xbox One: Von Kinect über SmartGlass bis hin zu den Impuls-Triggern am neuen Controller und ermöglicht Entwicklern alle Aspekte der Xbox One voll auszuschöpfen.

    Unity ist ebenso für Windows und Windows Phone erhältlich, natürlich kostenlos für Entwickler von Spielen für Windows 8 und Windows Phone. Damit sind Entwickler in der Lage, beginnend von der Hauptplattform, ihre Spiele in das gesamte Microsoft Universum mit Hilfe einer Engine zu portieren – dank Technologie, die kostenlos zur Verfügung gestellt wurde.

    Das Ziel von ID@Xbox und Microsoft ist es den Entwicklern den Einstieg auf Microsoft Plattformen so einfach wie möglich zu gestalten, um sicher zu gehen, dass Spieler Zugang zur umfangreichsten und besten Spielesammlung weltweit haben. Weitere Partnerschaften mit anderen Middleware-Herstellern und Service-Anbietern sind geplant, um den Mehrwert für unabhängige Entwickler zu steigern und voraussichtlich werden bald weitere Ankündigungen folgen, von denen Spieleentwickler direkt profitieren werden.

     

    Official Source: XBOX AT Press Release

    http://news.xbox.com/2013/06/xbox-one-unity-announcement

  • 25 Cool and Futuristic Technologies That May Already Exist

    25 Cool and Futuristic Technologies That May Already Exist

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    We have seen the future of smartphones, and it just may be the ECO Mobius.

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    This modular smartphone has hardware pieces that can be removed and upgraded at the push of a button, including the RAM, GPU, CPU, camera, and more.

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    Official Source: http://list25.com/

  • 6 Pictures of the Batmobile-Inspired SkyRunner, an All-Terrain Flying Vehicle

    6 Pictures of the Batmobile-Inspired SkyRunner, an All-Terrain Flying Vehicle

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    If the Batmobile were to get a customized off-road version that had flying capabilities, it’d probably look something like the SkyRunner. It boasts a propeller on the back – also a concealed parachute-like paraglider – and when „it’s time to take flight, the wing is laid out behind the car, its propeller is fired up, then it zips along the ground until it reaches 37 mph (60 km/h), at which point the lifting force of the wing pulls everything into the air.“

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    Once airborne, the SkyRunner is reportedly fairly easy to control, as the pilot only needs to manage its pitch and roll. Should trouble arise, a reserve chute can be deployed.

    Official Source: http://www.gizmag.com/skyrunner-flying-parasail-car/29627/

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJZhuBHUkSA#t=0

  • Sony shares plunge after it cuts profit forecast

    Sony shares plunge after it cuts profit forecast

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    In the wake of Sony’s Q2 FY13 results, and the 40% cut to its profits outlook, the company shares dropped 11% to 1,668 yen on the Tokyo Stock Exchange this Friday.

    Here’s the report by the BBC:

    The firm lowered its full-year profit forecast by 40% on Thursday as it reported a loss for the July-to-September quarter.

    The company has been hurt by slowing demand and falling prices for key products such as TVs and game consoles.

    Its cinema division was also hurt during the quarter by some flops.

    The firm now expects to make a net profit of 30bn yen ($305; £190m) in the financial year to 31 March 2014, down from its earlier forecast of 50bn yen.

    The cut came as the firm said its loss in the three months to the end of September widened 25% from a year ago to 19.3bn yen.

    Its earnings were impacted by the poor showing of some high-profile movies including White House Down.

    Meanwhile, its TV division – which has struggled in recent years – also posted a loss of 9.3bn yen during the period,

    At the same time, a drop in prices resulted in its Game division reporting an operating loss of 800m yen during the period, compared to an operating profit of 2.3bn yen during the same quarter a last year.

    Analysts said that with some of key division continuing to struggle investors were worried if the firm will be able to turn around it fortunes.

    02_image 16_image

    Official Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-24768047

  • 5 Pictures of Lockheed Martin’s SR-72 Blackbird, the SR-71 Successor

    5 Pictures of Lockheed Martin’s SR-72 Blackbird, the SR-71 Successor

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    Here’s a first look at the SR-71 successor, Lockheed Martin’s SR-72 Blackbird. Unlike its predecessor, this one will use a new hypersonic engine design that combines turbines and ramjets, making the unmanned SR-72 twice as fast as its predecessor with a cruising speed of Mach 6.

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    According to Leland, a Mach 6 platform would not only leave very little time for an enemy to respond, but it also be a very effective way to launch hypersonic missiles.

    Since these wouldn’t need a booster rocket when launched at six times the speed of sound, they can be of much lighter and simpler construction. The key to the SR-72 is what Lockheed calls Turbine-Based Combined Cycle Propulsion, which incorporates Lockheed’s experience in building the HTV-2 hypersonic demonstrator that flew at Mach 20 (15,224 mph, 24,501 km/h) in tests.

    In this new system, the twin engines of the SR-72 are actually two engines in one.

    Official Source: http://www.gizmag.com/lockeheed-martin-sr-72-blackbird/29634/

  • ‚Wizarm‘: A synergic computer box for a smart DVR, PVR and media player experience

    ‚Wizarm‘: A synergic computer box for a smart DVR, PVR and media player experience

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    ‚WizArm‘ project creators have informed us about this device, which is basically a powerful HD-PVR packed with tons of features to make it easy capturing or recording a 2D or 3D movie clip. It can copy any HDMI source to digital, passing all security, etc.

    Wizarm – DVR/HD-PVR/mediaplayer from Julien DUPAYS on Sketchfab.

    The interesting thing is that this „All-in-One“ device also allows you to run Android apps and games on your TV. It’s Open Source and already Rooted. It can also run Linux!

    The project is now on Indiegogo, and they need $200,000 to reach their goal.

    20130901092815-wizrec580

    Here’s the info:

     

    Devices that let you run Android apps and games on your TV are a dime a dozen (or as cheap as $30 anyway). But the Wizarm might be the most powerful, feature-packed model to date.

    It’s a set-top box with a dual-core ARM Cortex-A15 processor, 16GB of storage, 2GB of RAM, a large number of input and output options, and the ability to act as a digital video recorder.

    A startup called Wizarm has launched an Indiegogo campaign for a hackable media player with DVR recording, HDMI pass-through, scaling and video overlay capabilities.

    The Wizarm incorporates the same Samsung 5250 SoC that appeared in Google’s Nexus 10 tablet. This “Big.Little” hybrid SoC combines dual ARM Cortex-A15 cores clocked to 1.7GHz with four lower-power Cortex-A7 cores. It also offers a quad-core Mali-T604 graphics processing unit (GPU).

    The Wizarm can multi-boot Android or Ubuntu, and considering the device is rooted and fully open source“, it can also load any other ARM-ready Linux distribution. The system ships with 2GB of DDR3 RAM and 16GB of eMMC 4.5 flash memory.

    Additional storage capabilities are provided by a micro-SDXC slot and a SATA 3 storage bay. If that’s not enough, there are three USB 3.0 ports and three more USB 2.0 ports.

    Both dual-band WiFi and a gigabit Ethernet port are provided for data sharing and Internet access, while Bluetooth 4.0 and IR interfaces connect various input devices. On the A/V side, HDMI is supported with separate in and out ports, and a DisplayPort connection is provided as well. In addition, the box provides S/PDIF audio out and analog line-in and line-out.

    The device is designed to receive input form a USB keyboard and mouse, a PS3 or Xbox 360 joypad, an Android device, or even a Mac or PC, including Linux computers

    While the specs alone are enough to help set this box apart from the crowd, the ability to act as a high-definition digital video recorder is probably its most unusual characteristic. You can use the HDMI input to record videos at 1080p60 resolutions.

    Yet Wizarm worth a look by A/V enthusiasts and hackers, who might be interested in exploring the new digital video possibilities enabled by the device’s open source, rooted design. Wizarm dubs its device a “synergic mediabox for smart handling of digital streams,” and indeed it’s far more than just an overpriced Android media player. Yes, it can plug into your TV and play Internet video and display browser screens or run Apps, but it can also process and store recorded video from any HDMI/DVI-D source, as well as capture and enhance the video signal with features like scaling and overlay processing. Starting at $259, the box is touted for offering some features found only on PC video capture cards that cost hundreds of dollars more.

    The campaign is up and running now over at Indiegogo with the goal to reach $200,000. The funds will be used to initiate tooling and manufacturing so that the device will become available in the market.

    A pledge of $259 makes you an early backer to the campaign and snags you a fully functional Wizarm device which is expected to ship out by April 2014.

    This is already a discounted price since once the early bird special is gone the regular price of $299 will kick in.

    20130826102118-wiz_back2 20130826101922-wiz_back1 20130901093059-wiz_open   icon_xl (3)

    Specifications listed for the Wizarm include:

    Processor — Samsung Exynos 5250 (2x Cortex-A15 cores @ 1.7GHz, 4x Cortex-A7 cores @ 1.2GHz); Mali-T604 GPU (4x cores @ 533MHz)

    Memory/storage:

    • 2GB DDR3 RAM @ 800MHz
    • 16GB eMMC 4.5 flash
    • Micro-SDXC slot (up to 64GB
    • SATA 3 storage bay

    Wireless:

    • 802.11 a/b/g/n dual-band WiFi
    • Bluetooth 4.0
    • FM radio
    • IR receiver

    Networking — gigabit Ethernet

    Other I/O:

    • 3x USB 3.0 host
    • 2x USB 2.0 powered (HHD)
    • USB 2.0 device
    • DisplayPort out
    • HDMI 1.4 in
    • HDMI 1.4 out
    • Optical S/PDIF out
    • Analog audio out; mic in

    Power — 19V 3.5A DC In

    Dimensions — 210 x 140 x 50mm (8.2 x 5.5 x 1.8 inches)

    Operating system — dual-boot Android and Ubuntu (or other Linux)

     

    Official Source: http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/wizarm-a-synergic-computer-box-for-a-smart-dvr-pvr-and-media-player-experience

  • Geek Surgically Implants Computer Underneath Arm, Becomes Cyborg

    Geek Surgically Implants Computer Underneath Arm, Becomes Cyborg

    Reading Time: < 1 minute

    Geek and self-proclaimed „biohacker“ Tim Cannon is the first human being to have a non-medical computer implanted inside his body. It’s called the Circadia 1.0, and this smartphone-sized computer was implanted in Tim’s forearm without the aid of anesthetic or even a licensed doctor.

    diy-cyborg

    In the future, Cannon can envision his flesh-mounted computer serving as a biometric hub, communicating with his smart devices and connected home.

    If he can pull that off, what has begun as a Frankenstein-esque marriage of flesh and sensors just might end up as the first integration of a human being into the internet of things.

    Official Source: http://www.dvice.com/2013-11-1/man-stitches-computer-his-arm-becomes-diy-cyborg

    http://www.geek.com/chips/man-implants-smartphone-sized-computer-in-arm-to-become-diy-cyborg-1575915/

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=clIiP1H3Opw#t=356

  • Gold Filled Hewlett Packard Calculator Watch was the first!

    Gold Filled Hewlett Packard Calculator Watch was the first!

    Reading Time: 2 minutes

    Unveiled in 1977, the Hewlett Packard HP-01 „was unique due to these unique features: Datatype for time, date, and time interval, and the ability to perform mathematics on these datatypes.

    hpcalculatorwatch 24800-450x-h_1 24801-450x-h_2 24802-450x-h_3 24803-450x-h_4 24804-450x-h_5 24805-450x-hpcalculatorwatch

    The Hewlett-Packard HP-01 is the only calculator wristwatch ever manufactured and sold to the public by Hewlett-Packard. The HP-01 used light-emitting diodes (LEDs) for its digital display. Introduced in 1977 at the height of the LED watch craze, five models were available, two gold filled models and three stainless models. Prices were from $650 to $850 which was quite a lot of money back in 1977. Most of the 28 buttons on the HP-01 were recessed and were designed to be depressed with a stylus. The production was stopped by end of 1979.

    The HP-01 was unique not only as the only Hewlett-Packard watch but due to these unique features:

    • Datatype for time, date, and time interval, and the ability to perform mathematics on these datatypes.
    • A stopwatch that allows the stopwatch time to be multiplied or divided by a constant, and continuously display the results. This was referred to as a „Dynamic Rate Calculation.“
    • The HP-01 was Hewlett-Packard’s first algebraic calculator. Prior to the HP-01, all Hewlett-Packard calculators used Reverse Polish notation. In later years,some HP calculators used a mixture of both.

    The HP-01 used light-emitting diodes (LEDs) for its digital display. Introduced in 1977 at the height of the LED watch craze, two models were available, a gold filled model for US$750 and a stainless model for US$650.

     

    Official Source: http://technabob.com/blog/2009/02/16/amazingly-preserved-hewlett-packard-hp01-led-calculator-watch-hits-ebay-offers-rare-glimpse-into-geek-history/

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HP-01