Feb/100
HUMAVIPS project could lead to humanoids with social skills, humans being tricked
You don’t think the Robot Apocalypse is upon us, but we assure you, it is. The HUMAVIPS project, which will span three years and hopefully result in robots being developed with “social skills,” may seem innocent — even beneficial — at first blush, but let’s think about it. Will “humanoids with auditory and visual abilities in populated spaces” have more power than you, as an Earthling, would like? If all goes well, these robotic dudes and dudettes will be able to mimic what’s known as the “cocktail party effect,” which is better explained as “the human ability to focus attention on just one person in the midst of other people, voices and background noise.” So yeah, this definitely goes two ways — on one hand, you could finally have a live-in robot that pays attention to your feelings as the world around you crumbles, but on the other, these guys won’t have any issue overlooking your wailing when it’s them bringing everything down. Yikes.
HUMAVIPS project could lead to humanoids with social skills, humans being tricked originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 26 Feb 2010 12:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Feb/100
DIY photog creates laser trigger for remote DSLR snapping
There’s just no two ways about it: the integrated self-timer is easily one of the most amazing technologies to ever be invented. Yeah, we said it. Unfortunately, beeping for ten seconds while a shooter races to get in position isn’t always ideal or fun, and that’s where isharq comes in. His Arduino-based mod is amongst the most flexible out there for DSLRs, enabling it to morph from a basic laser trigger hack to something that senses heat, movement or sound (just to name a few) and then makes your camera react accordingly. As it stands, his setup triggers his DSLR to snap a shot whenever a laser beam is broken, and if you’re eager to see more, be sure to peek the in-action video just past the break. Oh, and the source link holds all the secrets to recreating something like this in your own laboratory.
[Thanks, Simon]
Continue reading DIY photog creates laser trigger for remote DSLR snapping
DIY photog creates laser trigger for remote DSLR snapping originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 16:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Dec/090
Allegedly leaked Nexus One purchase page answers, raises questions (update: we’ve got the terms of sale)
So apparently the cats over at Gizmodo have gotten their hands on leaked pics of the Nexus One’s landing and purchase page. First, the meat. According to the pages, the phone will be available in two ways: as a $529.99 unsubsidized and unlocked device, and as a $179.99 T-Mobile device locked to a two year contract. Sound familiar? It should, because it’s exactly the same story as every other phone available on the market right now. Additionally, the pics seem to suggest that there will only be one plan available should you get the device on contract — 500 minutes of talk time, unlimited text, data, and mobile to mobile for $79.99 — which happens to exactly equal what you’d pay for a T-Mobile Even More 500 plan with unlimited smartphone data and unlimited messaging, so that means there’s no bogus premium here. Furthermore, Giz claims that if you cancel your contract within 120 days you have to pay a $350 fee (a la Verizon) or return the phone to Google, and any existing customer that wishes to buy the phone has to switch to the Nexus One plan.
One thing that caught our eye is a mention of personalization — you’ll be able to get the phone engraved, something that we’ve been able to independently confirm through another tipster of ours. It looks like you can do two lines of text on a metallic bar on the back of the device… just don’t expect to return it if you do (seriously, it says right in the terms of service that you’re married to that thing if you get it etched).
To be perfectly honest, it’s hard to say if this is the real deal or not. We don’t get why Google would want to lock you into a single plan, nor do we fully understand why you would need to activate your phone via the website (as shown in the grab). Of course, the big G sometimes works in mysterious ways — perhaps they’re going for a little Apple magic here with restrictive plans and draconian ideas about how you can use the phone. It wouldn’t be surprising given the timing of the company’s little event next week. Don’t worry, all will be revealed soon enough.
Update: Well what do you know. We’ve just been hit with a few photos of our own, apparently straight from HTC training materials, according to a tipster. And what else? Oh yes — a PDF of the terms of sale, which you can download and view right here.
Allegedly leaked Nexus One purchase page answers, raises questions (update: we’ve got the terms of sale) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 29 Dec 2009 21:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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