Future soldier: Theoretical physicist Michio Kaku on building a Death Star and Silicon Valley brain drain

Theoretical physicist Michio Kaku

Morning light shines softly through a large glass window as a travel-weary Michio Kaku gamely musters a smile. Just a few hours removed from a cross-country flight from the East Coast, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that this physicist is plain tired. Then the camera starts rolling. In an instant, Kaku looks rejuvenated as he plays to his audience and waxes poetic about his favorite subject -- science.

In the world occupied by nerds and techno geeks, theoretical physicist and futurist Kaku is akin to a rock star. Chalk it up to a flowing mane of pepper-gray locks and the fact he co-created string field theory (which tries to unravel the inner workings of the universe). These days, Kaku can mostly be found teaching at City College of New York where he holds the Henry Semat Chair and Professorship in theoretical physics. When he isn't teaching, Kaku still spends most of his extra time talking science, whether it be through his radio programs, best-selling books such as Physics of the Future or appearances on shows like The Colbert Report, where he recently enlightened Stephen Colbert about the dangers of sending Bruce Willis into space to blow up a deadly asteroid. As fun as it is for Kaku to talk physics, however, he also considers it a matter of survival

Future soldier Theoretical physicist Michio Kaku on building a Death Star and Silicon Valley brain drain video

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Insert Coin: Arduino-compatible Pinoccio microcontroller sports battery, WiFi

In Insert Coin, we look at an exciting new tech project that requires funding before it can hit production. If you'd like to pitch a project, please send us a tip with "Insert Coin" as the subject line.

Insert Coin Arduinocompatible Pinoccio microcontroller serves up Internet of Things in bite-size chunk

It's been said that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Improving on a good idea, however, is truly the ultimate homage, according to the makers of the new Pinoccio microcontroller. Inspired by the Arduino, the brain trust behind the Pinoccio decided to take the stuff they liked about the popular platform -- ease of programming and low cost -- and add some features to make it even better. These include a rechargeable battery, a temperature sensor and a built-in radio that allows one Pinoccio with a WiFi shield to communicate wirelessly with other Pinoccios. The microcontroller also delivers performance that stacks up well with an Arduino Mega but at a smaller size -- the Pinoccio only measures a couple of inches long and an inch wide. The project is currently trying to raise $60,000 at Indiegogo, with supporters netting the standard Pinoccio by pledging $49 and a microcontroller with a WiFi shield for $99. For more details, feel free to check out the video after the break or peruse the project's Indiegogo page by clicking at the source link.

Previous project update: The Lomography Smartphone Film Scanner was apparently ready for its closeup. The Kickstarter project more than tripled its $50,000 goal with two more weeks to go.

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Source: Indiegogo

San Antonio launching ‘bookless’ BiblioTech library in fall, places its eggs in digital basket

San Antonio launching 'bookless' BiblioTech library in fall, places its eggs in digital basket

Hardbound books, apparently, are soooo 20th century -- at least for the upcoming BiblioTech library in San Antonio, Texas' south side. When the shiny, new public library opens its doors to bookworms this fall, visitors will notice something important missing: actual books. Instead, the facility will be serving up ebooks -- about 10,000 digital titles or so -- in an attempt to supplement the area's traditional library system with some new-school cool. To help users partake in its content, BiblioTech will also carry actual e-readers for users to check out. Footage of the media event shows what appears to be a Barnes & Noble Nook Simple Touch as the facility's e-reader of choice. Checked-out ebooks are also programmed to be accessible by the borrower for a two-week period. Going the digital route has certainly been a growing trend -- 3M recently launched a Cloud Library lending service while one Austrian town kicked off its own unique e-book repository based on stickers equipped with QR codes and NFC chips. As ongoing issues involving Penguin show, however, digital lending sadly still has some hurdles to overcome.

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Via: Gizmodo

Source: San Antonio Express-News

Evernote’s Windows Phone app gets PIN lock, Business support in update

Evernote's Windows Phone app gets PIN lock, Business support in updateEvernote has been one busy bee, er, pachyderm lately -- extending its proverbial trunk to a more professional crowd with the launch of Evernote Business and even cozying up to Samsung's Terminator-sounding T9000 smart-fridge. For its next trick, the popular productivity app is giving some extra love to Windows Phone users by way of a feature-laden update. One of the shiny new bells and whistles is support for the aforementioned Evernote Business, including note creation and searching via Business Notebooks. There's also a new PIN lock feature to ensure that your notes can't be viewed when sharing your Windows phone with members of the unwashed masses. Other key features include joined notebooks and new style options for text as well. For info about the update straight from the elephant's mouth, just head on to the Evernote Blog by clicking on the source link.

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Via: TNW

Source: Evernote Blog

Cox doubles down on live streaming with new TV app

Cox doubles down on live streaming with new TV app

Cox Communications continued to build on its investment in live TV streaming, unveiling its latest mobile app at a CES presser. Developed in partnership with Cisco, the yet unnamed app will feature 90 live channels, On Demand content and personalized video recommendations for up to eight household members. Folks who don't quite feel the recommendations they receive will also be able to "like," "dislike" or "suspend" them. Cox apparently plans to place its proverbial eggs into this one basket, eventually integrating all its mobile applications into the app. Cox has been busy releasing all sorts of digital offerings in the last few years, including the Cox TV Connect app in late 2011 as well as its Cox Mobile Connect apps. The new app is slated to debut on the iPad first but will be available on more devices by the end of the year. For more details, check out the PR after the break.

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Source: Cox Communications

MIDI turns 30, gets year-long birthday bash from daddy

MIDI turns 30, gets yearlong birthday bash from daddy

Whether you're the next Trent Reznor on a MIDI controller or simply get a warm fuzzy feeling in your tummy when hearing classic video game themes, there's no denying the impact of the Musical Instrument Digital Interface specification. Three decades after its creators decided to collaborate and listen on a brand new invention, MIDI technology is now being used by more than 700 companies in a wide range of devices ranging from electronic keyboards and drum sets to video game consoles and cell phones. To commemorate its birthday, the MIDI Manufacturers Association just kicked off its "MIDI Makes Music" 30th Anniversary campaign with a preview of the past, present and future of the technology at CES. The yearlong tribute fittingly continues later this month at the NAMM Show 2013 -- the same event where the technology was first demonstrated in 1983. For more details about the ongoing MIDI revelry, feel free to peruse the PR after the break. It doesn't have instructions on how to transform your MIDI controller into a guitar enclosure but, hey, we kind of got you covered on that one, too.

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Source: MIDI Manufacturers Association

A perfect match: PC game designers and the quest for compatibility

A perfect match: PC game designers and the quest for compatibility

Making games for computers is apparently akin to churning out sausage. For the most part, consumers are privy to the final yummy-looking package, give or take the occasional wandering bug that decides to crash their gaming spread. Underneath all that sumptuous, juicy meat, however, is a healthy helping of mystery meat. This includes the amalgamation of hours upon countless hours of the proverbial blood, sweat and tears piled up by the modern-day artisans who ply in the video game trade. At the top of their list of concerns? Making sure a game works across the multitude of computers that proliferate out in the wild.

With the industry essentially settling on NVIDIA and ATI/AMD these days, the narrowing of card choices to two brands has made working on compatibility "a little easier" than it used to be, said Travis Baldree, president and lead engineer for Runic Games. Note he said "a little easier" not "a cakewalk."

"Compatibility is always the biggest challenge -- it isn't a new problem at all," Baldree said. "The sheer number of permutations of cards, drivers, devices and third-party software -- and their unexpected interactions with one another -- can be a trial to deal with."

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Ubuntu summit raises software development kit for OS

Ubuntu summit raises software development kit for OS

Things have been hopping in the land of Ubuntu lately, with the operating system securing a pending date with Steam, an appearance on the Nexus 7 and an April 25 launch for version 13.04. Now the OS is getting another extra hop in its step as word of a "future Ubuntu SDK" was dropped at a recent developer summit in Copenhagen. The powers-that-be mentioned the need to start discussions in order to define potential criteria for assessing technologies and libraries for inclusion in an Ubuntu SDK, as well as what tools to throw in. Although it appears that an Ubuntu SDK will not be the focus for 13.04 for now, mention of a software development kit should be welcome news for folks eager to bring apps to the OS. Interest piqued? Check out the source link to see the Ubuntu SDK assessment criteria.

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Ubuntu summit raises software development kit for OS originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 01 Nov 2012 08:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The future of higher education: reshaping universities through 3D printing

The Future of Higher Education Reshaping Universities through 3D Printing

Featuring four towering limestone columns and classic Flemish-bond brickwork, the century-old Mackay School of Mines Building at the University of Nevada, Reno, has long served as a bastion of Silver State history. Named after Irish immigrant and "Comstock Lode King" John Mackay, notable touches such as a cast bronze statue designed by Mount Rushmore sculptor Gutzon Borglum just outside the building helped it earn a spot in the National Register of Historic Places. Within its oak doors, however, are the makings of an intriguing experiment that's decidedly more new school. Like a mini museum, a collection of 3D-printed models are displayed within the building's sunlit, three-story atrium -- attracting a mix of students and teachers. Even more popular than the displays of plastic gears and molecule models, however, are the two 3D printers that made them: a professional-grade Stratasys uPrint SE Plus and a hobbyist 3DTouch machine.

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The future of higher education: reshaping universities through 3D printing originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 19 Oct 2012 11:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SpaceX Dragon capsule launch gets go signal from NASA

SpaceX Dragon capsule, Falcon 9 launch gets go signal from NASA

One small step in May is poised to turn into one giant leap for space capitalism as NASA approved the Sunday evening launch of SpaceX's Dragon capsule. The scheduled trip comes just a little over four months after the project successfully completed a docking test by the unmanned private spacecraft with the International Space Station. The Sunday flight -- dubbed CRS-1 -- will have the Dragon capsule piggybacking on a Falcon 9 rocket to punch through the atmosphere while carrying more than a thousand pounds of cargo. The capsule will then dock with the station for about three weeks before being sent back to Earth to deliver more than a ton of scientific samples and used hardware from the ISS. The launch is scheduled for 8:35PM ET from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station barring a tantrum from Mother Nature (we've also seen our share of aborted SpaceX Dragon launches before so we're keeping our proverbial fingers crossed). NASA says that Orbital Sciences' competing Cygnus spacecraft and Antares rocket will also make a demo flight later this year.

[Image credit: Jim Grossmann, NASA]

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SpaceX Dragon capsule launch gets go signal from NASA originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 07 Oct 2012 08:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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