Facebook Nearby Friends Feature: Get Ready for Some Stalking!

Posted on 18/04/2014 by Range

Facebook is a powerful tool when it comes to connecting with people that you’ve met, as well as being arguably the most important social networking site on the planet. This can be both good and bad, and while I’m not sure if I want to share my location at all times on my timeline, I’m sure that it could be useful in some cases.

Facebook’s new Nearby Friends feature is disabled by default. It allows you to get alerts when some of your FB friends are nearby. It could definitely makes things easier when you’re out on the town, in the same general area, but have trouble actually locating your friends, something that actually happened to me today.

While I can also see the possible problems of such a feature, when it comes to stalkers, etc, at least it’s fully optional, and defaults to being switched off. The problem is that a lot of people aren’t going to remember to switch back off when they don’t want it running. They’ll just leave it on once they set it and forget it. At least you can choose who you do and don’t share your location with, so that should help some.

What do you think of this feature? Are you going to enable it on your phone?

[via Facebook]

LG Lucid 3: Affordable Droiding

Posted on 18/04/2014 by Range

I recently changed smartphones after I had lost mine whilst after dropping it from my motorcycle, consulting it for directions when I was stopped. A few cars drove over it, and I was surprised that it still worked with a completely shattered screen. Nevertheless, I was happily surprised when I no longer had to fight the autocorrect on my new phone. If you’re going to change phones, check out the new and affordable LG Lucid 3.

The LG Lucid 3 is powered by Android and comes free with on a 2-year contract with Verizon, or you can get the contract-free version for $299.99(USD). The 4G LTE phone runs the latest and greatest Android version 4.4.2 KitKat, has a 4.7-inch screen with a 960 x 540 display, a quad-core 1.2GHz Snapdragon 400 processor, 1GB of RAM, 8GB of internal memory, a 5MP camera and a 2,440 mAh battery.

The Lucid 3 won’t impress you if you want the latest and greatest, but it will get the job done in most situations, and is an inexpensive way to get a phone running the latest version of Android.

Military Stealth Dirtbike: Your Dirt Racing Dreams Have Never Been This Quiet

Posted on 17/04/2014 by Range

I’ve been driving around a Super Motard motorcycle for the last six months, and let me tell you, it’s extremely loud, so loud that my neighbors have asked me to start it outside the courtyard where it’s usually parked. One friend said that it sounded like my bike had eaten another one for breakfast. While all this racket is a fun part of having a motorcycle, you can imagine how this would be problematic for military motorcycles.

stealth motorcycle side us military 620x401

Note: Bike Shown Here is an Earlier Design by ZERO Motorcycles

With that in mind, DARPA has commissioned the development of a stealth motorcycle, which would allow soldiers to ride for long periods of time without emitting much noise. The bike, would use an extended-range hybrid-electric engine, and will be built by BRD and Logos Technologies. In addition to its stealthy operating capabilities, the bike will have all-wheel drive to help tackle difficult terrain.

Electric and hybrid bikes also make sense for commuters, especially in city traffic. Switching over to electric drive would mean no shifting and reduced noise, and of course lower fuel costs. Also, I’d probably not get any complaints from neighbors either.

[DefenseTech via The Verge]

Dronies! Drone-Selfies Are a Thing!

Posted on 16/04/2014 by Range

I have to admit when I first heard of drone selfies, I thought that actual drones were taking selfies of themselves.

That seemed a bit odd, but it made a lot more sense when I saw Amit Gupta’s drone selfie video. It simply blew my mind. The zoom out is quite amazing.

There are now a few more dronies popping up – so it’s almost sort of a thing now. The trick of a good dronie is to find a good location, because otherwise it just looks ordinary.

I like the overall look captured by the dronies as well. You can see so much detail when the drone zips away.

[via kottke]

Hawkeye Crime Surveillance System: The Eye in the Sky

Posted on 16/04/2014 by Range

Many people are worried about the government being able to monitor whatever they are up to. Now, there is a new kind of system that will be able to surveil America’s cities from above – with incredible precision. And no, it’s not “The Machine” and it won’t acquire sentience anytime soon.

Created by Persistent Surveillance Systems, the Hawkeye system is currently being tested out in Baltimore, Dayton, and Compton. Footage captured from the system can be real time, or played back at any time. It uses a plane that has been equipped with an array of high resolution cameras, flying a dozen hours for each shift. It’s capable of surveying a 25 square-mile patch of city for up to six hours. Its creator touts it as “a live version of Google Earth, with a full TiVo capability.” While the system has yet to achieve high enough resolution to make out individual people or license plates, data can be combined with street-level cameras to get that level of detail.

While it seems like science-fiction, it may be implemented in more cities to reduce crime.

[via Cironline via Ubergizmo]

Samsung Galaxy S5 Fingerprint Scanner Already Hacked!

Posted on 15/04/2014 by Range

It might have taken some extra time, but Samsung quickly adopted biometric security on their new S5 flagship Android phone. However, it didn’t take hackers long to figure out a way to defeat it.

Apparently, the fingerprint scanner of the S5 isn’t hard to spoof. SRLabs have been able to spoof it using a lifted print. It took them only a few minutes to create a dummy finger to allow them access to the phone. This is also true of the scanner on the iPhone 5s, however the iPhone 5s has got a password to allow access to the scanner, which the Galaxy S5 doesn’t have yet.

Hopefully, a quick software update will patch this vulnerability. PayPal has already reacted with a statement, saying that there are plenty of additional safeguards that will allow users peace of mind when using biometric security. With any luck, your money is still safe.

[via BGR]

Glow-in-the-Dark Highway Becomes Reality

Posted on 14/04/2014 by Range

If you tend to drive at night, you know that it can get dangerous on roads without lighting. That’s one of the reasons why some engineers in the Netherlands decided to make their highways glow in the dark.

It was first suggested by Studio Roosegard back in 2012, and it was conceived to make roads safer as well as cut down on the amount of electricity needed to maintain the lighting on long stretches of highway. To this end, the N329 highway in Oss now has a 500 meter-long (~1640 foot) stretch which has glow-in-the-dark road markings. To pull off the trick, a photoluminescent powder was integrated into the road marking paint, and the lines charge up from sunlight captured during the daytime.

I have one concern though – how long will this paint last? It’s a known fact that paint on roads needs to be reapplied every few years.

[via Wired]

Microlab FC60BT 2.1 Speaker System Promises Crystal Clear Sound, Transparent Stands

Posted on 14/04/2014 by Range

There are plenty of wireless boombox solutions out there, but not all of them deliver great sound. I’ve heard some pretty lame sounds coming of the more affordable speakers, but if you’re looking for a wireless solution for your home, you might want to check out these new speakers from Microlab.

The Microlab FC60BT speakers offer Bluetooth/NFC connectivity and have a subwoofer, as well as two stereo satellite speakers, which sit on clear stands instead of box enclosures, which the company claims will reduce harmonic distortions. The system provides a total of 105 Watts of power and comes with an RF remote control, which works from any place in your room.

The FC60BT doesn’t come cheap though, as it’s retail price is $449(USD). The system will ship starting this May.

Snolo Carbon Fiber Sled Hasn’t Got a Motor, But It Sure Looks Fast

Posted on 17/12/2013 by Range

Snowmobiles are fun and fast, but when you just want to get down a big snow-covered hill, there’s nothing like a sled. If you’re the kind of speed freak that enjoys going 40mph downhill, then this sled might be for you.

The Snolo Stealth-X Sled might break your bank account, but that’s because it’s made almost completely of carbon fiber. The entire shell is made out of one piece and is contour-molded in the seating area to fit your bum perfectly. It even has a padded back rest to keep you comfortable while you zip along this winter. There’s a single, steerable ski at the front, and two at the back.

The Snolo will give you the maneuverability of a snowboard, and blistering fast downhill speeds – but get ready to cry, because this baby costs a whopping $2,550(USD)!

[via Uncrate]

Zero FX Stealthfighter Motorcycle: All Electric Means All Good

Posted on 17/12/2013 by Range

I recently purchased a Supermoto, and I have to say that I’m having lots of fun. All that fun would probably be multiplied by ten if it was an all-electric bike. Check out the Zero FX Stealthfighter motorcycle, which can basically go anywhere, all without sipping a drop of fossil fuel.

The Zero FX Stealthfighter promises no fuss, and not much maintenance. The best part is that it’s all electric, so you won’t have to fill it up. It does well on the dirt track, the streets, or off road. It has 44 hp, 70 lb-ft. of torque, and weighs 280 lbs. The range for this bike varies between 35 miles and 70 miles, depending on which model you choose.

There are two versions of the bike available, one costs $9,495(USD) and has a 2.8 kWh battery. The other costs $11,990 and has a 5.7 kWh battery. Just like most electric vehicles, this is a clutch-less, direct-drive system, so no more shifting around to maximize power.

[via Gizmag]

GIZMODO.cz

Syndicated rss news

Author Archives: Range