Acer's 6-inch LumiRead e-reader just hit the FCC, but there's not a lot to learn -- the company smartly withheld the user's manual and detailed images, so all we have are the triplicate forms of stalwart government employees trying to irradiate themselves. Those thankfully painless tests reveal that the Kindle-alike will have standard 802.11b/g WiFi alongside its monochrome E Ink screen, and the whole 532MHz Freescale iMX357 kit will be powered by a 3.7V, 1460mAh battery. Exciting stuff, we know. In other news, the FCC's "ancillary equipment" list features genuine Apple iPod earbuds, and a Dell Vostro 1510 -- because that's how they roll.

Acer's LumiRead 600 hits the FCC with slow bursts of 2.4GHz radiation originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 12 Jul 2010 00:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Continue reading Kompott 'robotic agent' helps the elderly stay connected, enjoys a nap

Kompott 'robotic agent' helps the elderly stay connected, enjoys a nap originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 11 Jul 2010 22:10:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Entelligence is a column by technology strategist and author Michael Gartenberg, a man whose desire for a delicious cup of coffee and a quality New York bagel is dwarfed only by his passion for tech. In these articles, he'll explore where our industry is and where it's going -- on both micro and macro levels -- with the unique wit and insight only he can provide.

A core part of Microsoft's strategy from days gone by was known as embrace and extend. With a reboot of their mobile platform due later this year, is it time for Microsoft to think about moving some of their services and applications to competitor's platforms? To some degree, it's already happening. Microsoft licenses the ActiveSync protocol which allows Android, iOS and other platforms to wirelessly sync with Exchange. It's developed Bing and Live Messenger apps for iOS and also done a deal to bring mobile Office apps to Nokia's platforms. One could argue that in some of these cases Microsoft has given competitors access to what could have been key differentiators for its own mobile efforts. I'm not sure I disagree with that analysis, but now that it's happening, I think Microsoft should think even more broadly about porting some applications and services. Here's what I'd like to see made available for other platforms.

Office Mobile: Sure, there are other solutions for viewing and editing Office documents on almost every platform, but none of them carry the Microsoft Office brand. A version of Office for mobile (including a touch-enabled version of OneNote) would be an instant best seller on every platform and a become the de facto standard for mobile office applications. A combination of free document viewers and a suite of applications at a reasonable cost would put Microsoft at the top of mobile productivity and at the same time help continue to drive Office sales for PCs and Macs.

Continue reading Entelligence: Time for Microsoft to once again embrace and extend

Entelligence: Time for Microsoft to once again embrace and extend originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 11 Jul 2010 21:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us -- it's the Week in Green.

This week Inhabitat saw the world's first solar-powered aircraft soar through the night sky as it successfully completed its first 24-hour flight. We also took a look at the 15 ultra-efficient cars currently vying for the Progressive Automotive X Prize. Electric vehicles also made the headlines left and right this week as Korean carmarker CT&T announced plans to produce EVs in South Carolina and California rolls out plans for a whopping 1,600 charging stations.

Heatwaves swept the states this week, but we found some solace in the abundance of sunshine as Obama unveiled plans to kick-start the US solar industry with a $2 billion investment. We also looked at a sleek and stylish solar powered bag and an advanced solar cell manufacturing technique that promises to boost the efficiency of thin film photovoltaic cells by a fourth. Wind power also made waves as plans were officially unveiled for the United States' first freshwater wind farm in Lake Erie.

Finally, this week we saw several remarkable advancements from the field of biotechnology, starting with an amazing new wound dressing that harnesses nanotechnology to detect and treat infections before they strike. And from the desk of strange-yet-true comes one architect's plan to create a conceptual home entirely from meat cells grown in a lab!

Inhabitat's Week in Green: solar aircraft, freshwater wind farms, and the Automotive X Prize originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 11 Jul 2010 20:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The iPad's capable of 3D games and complex mobile applications, but if you'd rather go back to a simpler time, you can install an emulator (or three) on your iPad for some serious classic gaming. More »



IPad - Apple - Emulator - Nintendo - Video Games

Who wouldn't want to work in an office that sits like a fort above the surrounding area? Today's featured workspace is a loft-within-a-loft design that feels more like a secret hide-a-way than an office. More »



Business and Economy - Business - Furniture - Construction and Maintenance - Remodeling

Parking your two-wheeler in a shady neighborhood, but left your secondary lock at home? No problem -- to protect your wheels, just bend your bike around a nearby post and thread your U-lock through the whole kit at once. That's the idea behind UK designer Kevin Scott's folding bicycle, which is rigid enough to freely ride, but releases its flexible ratcheting mechanism when you push a lever on the side. The design won the 21-year-old student £500 at the New Designers exhibition in London this week. He's presently looking for partners to help commercialize the concept, which looks more practical than some, so we expect it'll be only a few years before you'll see his creation zipping down the street. One question, though -- why not go the whole nine yards and give it a built-in lock, too?

Bendable bicycle wraps itself around a pole - by design originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 11 Jul 2010 18:53:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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