This Sofa Wants To Be A Punching Bag [Design]

This Sofa Wants To Be A Punching Bag [Design]:

I love this sofa. It's comfy, looks stylish, and takes a good beating. Or at least I hope the thing can take having its stuffing beaten out when it apparently doubles as a punching bag. More »

Google reportedly preparing to intro TV software next month

Google reportedly preparing to intro TV software next month:

The Google TV—or rather, Google's software for set-top boxes—is one step closer to reality, according to sources speaking to the Wall Street Journal. Google is reportedly preparing to announce the software at next month's Google I/O conference, where developers may be able to get their feet wet writing applications for the platform, though the sources cautioned that Google might back off on the announcement if it's not quite ready by then.

Google's TV plans have yet to be officially confirmed, though they have been rumored for at least a month now. Consistent with the company's strategy in other areas, Google isn't expected to be involved in manufacturing set-top boxes; rather, the company is supposedly developing a version of Android that would be especially conducive to the big screen. Third-party developers would then be able to write their own apps for the devices, giving more openness and flexibility to people's TV watching habits.

According to the WSJ, hardware makers like Sony, Intel, and Logitech are interested in rolling out devices that work with Google's software. On top of that, Google is reportedly in the process of testing a sort of 'television search' with the Dish Network, which allows users to search for content on the Internet and from Dish's programming.

We're still left a little unsure of how well the Google TV project will succeed, given the fact that there are already a handful of other set-top boxes available (and some of them for pretty cheap). However, if the UI is good and the developer community gets on board, there's potential for this device (or, more likely: devices) to fill a small gap in the market. After all, there are few set-top boxes right now that aren't full-blown HTPCs, but still give developers the freedom to develop their own apps, and their growing familiarity with Android—thanks to the mobile world—would certainly help.

5 Ways That Cars Are Getting Smarter

5 Ways That Cars Are Getting Smarter:

In the emerging Internet of Things, everyday objects are becoming networked. Recently we looked at smart clothing, today we explore the world of smart cars. From Formula One to cheap family cars, all kinds of vehicles are utilizing sensors and advanced technology nowadays. While some of the features we discuss below aren't connected to the Internet, yet, all of them are using sensors. And so we can easily imagine the day when most cars are connected to the network.

We begin our post looking at the state of the art in car sensor technology: Formula One manufacturer McLaren's 300 live, simultaneous data streams. We end with a look at family car Alhambra's more humble sensor technology. In between we have the latest from Chrysler, General Motors and Ford.
300 Sensors on a Formula One Car:

The latest McLaren Formula One car, as driven by current world champion Jenson Button, relies on feedback during the race from 300 data streams - via miniaturized sensors on the car and the driver. This data tells Button's team how well he and his car are performing. This system is called "live telemetry" and it sends data such as the heart rate of the driver and the fuel level in the car.

This same technology is now being implemented in healthcare. Explained the Times Online:

"If we can track the heart rate of an elite athlete, why not also track the heart rate of a patient recovering from a heart attack?

If, for instance, a patient is released from hospital having suffered a heart problem, the McLaren technology can employ wireless sensors the size of sticking plasters that will send, via the internet to the doctor or clinician responsible, a continuous record of the patient's heart rate and electrocardiogram, the graph that monitors the heartbeat."

NASA Technology in Chrysler Cars

Perhaps in a bid to out-do Formula One, Chrysler is tapping into space travel technology!

According to a recent press release from NASA, it is partnering with Chrysler to "use technologies originally developed for human spaceflight to enhance future vehicles and adapt advanced automotive technology for use in space." The two organizations will share information about mobility systems, wireless technologies, robotics, energy storage, radar, materials engineering, and battery systems.

Chrysler said that it plans to use NASA's research in surface navigation sensors for backup warning systems, lane departure warning systems and adaptive cruise control.

GM's Augmented Reality Car

In an article entitled What You'll See In The Future, AOL Auto looks at the latest advances in car cameras and sensors. Side-view cameras, currently available on some up-market vehicles, can be used to assist parking and as "advanced systems that help spot vehicles in your blindspots." Sensors on the side of the car are also used for lane departure warning systems, which "monitor lane lines and alert a driver when he or she inadvertently crosses those lines."

Another use for external cameras and sensors, writes AOL Auto's Frank Filipponio, is forward vision enhancement. Last month ReadWriteWeb wrote about a new General Motors technology that will bring AR to car windshields and provide a heads-up-display (HUD) experience. Here's a video showcasing this "enhanced vision system" of General Motors:

Ford's Voice Controlled Car

Last week we reported on the latest update to Ford's Sync system, a voice-controlled connectivity system. Sync allows drivers to use voice commands to do things like place a call or control their music playlists.

With Sync AppLink, Ford introduced a new platform that allows developers to offer voice controls for their mobile apps on Sync-enabled cars. The first Sync-enabled applications, which will be available later this year, are Pandora, Stitcher, and Orangatame's OpenBreak Twitter app. The first car to feature this new service will be the 2011 Ford Fiesta.

Opposite End of Car Spectrum: The Alhambra

To show that even cheaper models of cars are getting sensor technology, let's look at the latest model of the Alhambra - a Spanish MPV car (Multi-Purpose Vehicle). The Alhambra was described by British car guide Whatcar? as "cheap to buy, comfy for seven and good to drive."

The latest model comes with "bi-xenon headlamps with adaptive control and full beam assistant." This works via a sensor, which "detects oncoming vehicles and automatically dips the beam."

Another new feature is "the park/steer assistant, which autonomously manoeuvres the Alhambra into tight parking spaces - even perpendicular to the direction of travel."

While the Alhambra may sound humble compared to Formula One's sensor technology, or Chrysler's deal with NASA, it shows that even the most basic of cars is using sensors - which will inexorably lead to an Internet of Things.
Let us know in the comments what you're driving and if it uses sensor technology.

YouTube’s IPL Cricket Streams Near 50 Million Views, Blow Away Internal Expectations

YouTube’s IPL Cricket Streams Near 50 Million Views, Blow Away Internal Expectations:

Last January, news broke that YouTube had signed its first international sports streaming deal, gaining multi-year rights to broadcast the Indian Premiere League’s 45-day cricket tournament worldwide. We’re now closing in on the conclusion of the tournament — the finals begin on Sunday morning — and YouTube has shared some initial stats.

Right now, YouTube’s IPL channel has over 49.5 million views. That far exceeds the company’s internal expectations: we’re told that their stretch goal was to get 10 million views over the course of the tournament. Viewers from 200 countries have watched the streams. Unsurprisingly, India has the most views overall; coming in second is the United States — YouTube had expected that spot to go to the UK or Australia, where cricket gets far more attention.

When the IPL deal was first signed it granted YouTube live streaming rights for every country except for the United States, where matches have been posted fifteen minutes after they ended. However, YouTube is streaming both the semi-finals and finals live (we’re told YouTube’s biz dev people worked “around the clock” to make that happen). All of which means the final view tally is going to be way more than 10 million.

Reuters Retracts Icelandic Volcano Photo

Reuters Retracts Icelandic Volcano Photo:



Last week when Reuters released photographs of the volcanic activity at Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland, one photograph stood out to Wade Laube, the photo editor of The Sydney Morning Herald.

After making a few calls, Reuters decided to investigate. Laube writes on his blog,

Reuters had made contact with the photographer, an Icelandic local, and sought access to the original. It transpired that before being acquired by the wire service, the photograph had been in the possession of an Icelandic newspaper and it was there that some fairly liberal digital dodging and burning took place. When a comparison was made with the original, it became obvious that post production had been applied to sufficient extent that it violated Reuters’ very firm position on digital enhancement. So they retracted the picture and supplied the original in its place, and we dropped that image into the Herald for later editions.

Looking at the before and after photographs shown above, you can see that post-processing was done in order to make the plume of ash look extremely dramatic.

What are your thoughts on how far post-processing can go before it becomes too much?

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Image credits: Photographs by Reuters

Is Handset Radiation Bad? COSMOS Will Tell You in 30 Years

Is Handset Radiation Bad? COSMOS Will Tell You in 30 Years:



The Cohort Study on Mobile Communications, potentially the largest research effort to understand the effects of radiation from cellular phone use, is now underway in five European nations. COSMOS, as it’s called, hopes to enlist more than 250,000 volunteers over for up to 30 years in Britain, Finland, the Netherlands, Sweden and Denmark.

Although prior studies have examined the effects of radiation from handsets, none have tracked data for as long as the COSMOS study plans to. A 21-year effort studying radiation and cancer instances in Danish handset owners wrapped up in 2006 and found no ill effects, while short-term proactive studies have failed to find any from wireless phones either. Countries often limit the radiation levels of approved devices, however. Here in the U.S., the FCC allows for a specific absorption rate of 1.6 watts per kilogram. European nations follow the higher International Electrotechnical Commission guideline of 2 watts per kilogram.

By researching over a long period of time, COSMOS can help identify radiation risks as they manifest themselves, not after, such as with handset radiation studies in which cancer patients are asked about their cell phone usage. Success of the COSMOS study is highly dependent on a large number of volunteers, so its organizers are working directly with carriers to help solicit consumers.

Air Force launches X-37B space plane

Air Force launches X-37B space plane: "The unmanned X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle heads into space on its first mission, as the Air Force scopes out how it might eventually serve 'warfighters' needs.'"

iPad Is First Computer 100-Year-Old Woman Bought [Ipad]

iPad Is First Computer 100-Year-Old Woman Bought [Ipad]:

The iPad is so easy to use, a cat can play with it. So can a dog! But what about a centenarian? Virginia of Oregon bought her first computer—an iPad—and as the video shows, she's a whizz. More »

YouTube Quietly Adds Movie and TV Show Rentals From 99 Cents [YouTube]

YouTube Quietly Adds Movie and TV Show Rentals From 99 Cents [YouTube]:

After tinkering with movie rentals in January, YouTube's added a bunch of movies and TV episodes you actually want to see. We're not just talking art-house Sundance Film Festival flicks—now, you can get a bit of anime too. More »

It's Happened: The First Full Face Transplant [Medicine]

It's Happened: The First Full Face Transplant [Medicine]: