Archive for January 4th, 2012

Homemade electronic drum kit uses plastic bowls, serves battery-powered battery

Posted by Ry on Jan 04 2012 | Technology

Drums and parents go together like cheese and gravel, but if the little ones want to learn, the smart buy is a headphone friendly electric kit. Proud / sneaky parent Ian Cole, on the other hand, decided that a portable set of digital drums would be the ideal way to share his son's "talent" with the grand-folk. Using an ATmega168-based "Drum Kit - Kit Ai" from SpikenzieLabs, some piezos to register hits -- wired up via plastic plumbing tubes -- and a bit of imagination (ok, actually MIDI and Garage Band), he knocked up a fully whackable six-piece kit so Junior can get his Bonham on during those precious weekend visits. There's no word on whether pops will make a wearable version for added family fun, but if you want to see it in action check the video after the break.

Continue reading Homemade electronic drum kit uses plastic bowls, serves battery-powered battery

Homemade electronic drum kit uses plastic bowls, serves battery-powered battery originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 04 Jan 2012 22:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HTC Radiant tipped for AT&T: don’t call it an LTE-enabled Titan

Posted by Ry on Jan 04 2012 | Technology

...But really, that's exactly what it is. An admittedly dodgy image has emerged today showcasing what appears to be a gently massaged HTC Titan, but if rumors are to be believed, this guy will actually be called Radiant. It's bruited that this AT&T-bound model will offer the latest build of Windows Phone 7 and ship with an LTE radio within, and if the name's ringing a bell -- you aren't entirely crazy. Radiant was trademarked back in April of 2011, and if we had to guess, we'd say you'll be hearing more at CES (or worst-case, Mobile World Congress in February). Hopefully we'll get something a bit more exciting than a relocated dual-LED flash and another device name we'll never remember.

HTC Radiant tipped for AT&T: don't call it an LTE-enabled Titan originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 04 Jan 2012 22:05:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Screen Grabs: Tom Cruise dials up futuristic navigation on Streak 5 (video)

Posted by Ry on Jan 04 2012 | Technology

Screen Grabs chronicles the uses (and misuses) of real-world gadgets in today's movies and TV. Send in your sightings (with screen grab!) to screengrabs at engadget dot com.

Scientology. Oprah. Katie. Love. Weird. Dell. Maverick. Mission: Impossible. Streak 5. Ghost Protocol. Scientology (again). Weirdly enough, the smattering of things that seemingly don't fit in that lineup have a place together, as what appears to be a Streak 5 has appeared in the "Sandstorm Chase" scene of Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol. Word on the street is that Tom needed 4.32 million of these things to ensure he had enough for a nearly unlimited amount of re-takes. And now, the whole 'discontinued' thing makes total sense. Vid's after the break, with the four of you who aren't fans advised to head straight to 1:40.

Continue reading Screen Grabs: Tom Cruise dials up futuristic navigation on Streak 5 (video)

Screen Grabs: Tom Cruise dials up futuristic navigation on Streak 5 (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 04 Jan 2012 21:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pioneer debuts N-30 and N-50 networked audio players: AirPlay, DLNA 1.5 and smartphone apps on tap

Posted by Ry on Jan 04 2012 | Technology

Willing to spare no expense to meet your streaming music demands? Then you now have two more fairly high-end systems from Pioneer to consider. The company has just released its new N-30 and N-50 networked audio players, which each boast support for AirPlay and DLNA 1.5, as well as the ability to handle top-end digital audio like 192kHz/24-Bit FLAC and WAV files. You'll also get a 2.5-inch LCD up front and control apps for both iOS and Android devices, although you'll have to shell out a bit more for some optional adapters if you want WiFi or Bluetooth connectivity. The N-50 model (pictured above) also steps things up with gold-plated RCA jacks and an "armored chassis" designed to reduce noise, plus support for additional audio features like Advanced Sound Retriever and Sound Retriever AIR (which promise to enhance compressed audio files). Look for it to set you back $699, with the lower-end N-30 model running $499. Some additional details can be found in the press release after the break.

Continue reading Pioneer debuts N-30 and N-50 networked audio players: AirPlay, DLNA 1.5 and smartphone apps on tap

Pioneer debuts N-30 and N-50 networked audio players: AirPlay, DLNA 1.5 and smartphone apps on tap originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 04 Jan 2012 21:24:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cheap Cable Management, Recipe Measurements, and Picasa Uploads [From The Tips Box]

Posted by Ry on Jan 04 2012 | Uncategorized

Readers offer their best tips for cheaply wrangling their cables, measuring ingredients when cooking, and turning your phone into a retro gaming device. More »


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Emporia Telecom expands to North America and Latin America, brings a couple new phones with it

Posted by Ry on Jan 04 2012 | Technology

Emporia Telecom, an Austrian phone manufacturer that focuses on making basic and easy-to-use handsets, announced this morning that it plans to expand its boundaries to include North and Latin America sometime this Spring. Along with the endeavor, Emporia plans to introduce two new handsets: the EmporiaCLICK clamshell and EmporiaSOLIDplus rugged candybar. These devices -- much like the others in the lineup -- are geared toward seniors who aren't interested in a smartphone, and boast simple features such as large buttons, loud speakerphone and ringtones, high-powered vibration motors and a one-touch Call to Care button that automatically alerts emergency services when pressed. The company plans to show off the handsets at CES next week, so keep an eye out for more updates as they roll in. In the meantime, read up on the press release below.

Continue reading Emporia Telecom expands to North America and Latin America, brings a couple new phones with it

Emporia Telecom expands to North America and Latin America, brings a couple new phones with it originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 04 Jan 2012 20:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Damn Simple Carpooling Organizes Your Carpools via Automatic Group Text Messages [Webapps]

Posted by Ry on Jan 04 2012 | Uncategorized

Gathering everyone up for the morning carpool can seem impossible. Damn Simple Carpooling sets up scheduled SMS messages for your entire group so you can keep track of each person. More »


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Plantronics accidentally outs GameCom 780 7.1 surround sound headset

Posted by Ry on Jan 04 2012 | Technology

If you insist on quality equipment to feed your fragging frenzy, then take note -- it looks as if the folks at Plantronics are about to unveil a serious piece of audio kit for pro gamers. A leaked slideshow has outed the GameCom 780, an over-the-ear headset that features virtual 7.1 surround sound with Dolby Headphone and Pro Logic IIx technology. Each can features a sizable 40mm driver and swivels to lay flat for transportation. Plantronics also touts the reinforced wiring and joints of this setup -- useful for rambunctious LAN parties -- which features a 6.5 foot (2 meter) USB cable. Naturally, there's also a requisite noise-canceling microphone, along with an on-ear volume wheel and mute switch. There's even a button to activate the surround sound function, although this goodie will only be useful to PC gamers -- the necessary Dolby software is Windows-only. As if any dedicated gamer would be caught dead with any other rig.

[Thanks, John]

Plantronics accidentally outs GameCom 780 7.1 surround sound headset originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 04 Jan 2012 20:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Remains of the Day: Ice Cream Sandwich Running On 0.6% of Android Devices [For What It’s Worth]

Posted by Ry on Jan 04 2012 | Uncategorized

Ice Cream Sandwich is making baby steps, Transformer Prime gets an automated root/unroot tool, and new malware attacks against online bankers will make you second guess receiving paper statements. More »


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Barnes & Noble looks to sell publishing arm, keeps the other to hold a Nook Tablet

Posted by Ry on Jan 04 2012 | Technology

In a sign of ever shifting priorities in the ole book business, Nook's papa is reportedly looking to sell its publishing unit. According to the Wall Street Journal, B&N acquired Sterling Publishing in 2003, ramping up its publishing efforts after more than 30 years in the business. News of a possible sale follows last month's Q2 earnings report that saw a $6.6 million net loss for the bookseller. That same quarter, the company's Nook business took an 85 percent leap forward, landing it a $220 million value. Barnes & Noble has yet to comment.

Barnes & Noble looks to sell publishing arm, keeps the other to hold a Nook Tablet originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 04 Jan 2012 19:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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