91252117
submission
adeelarshad82 writes:
Lego enthusiast, Jacques Mattheij, ended up winning bids for 4400 pounds on ebay. Mattheij had noticed that unsorted bricks sell for something like €10/kilogram, whereas sets are roughly €40/kg and rare parts go for up to €100/kg. Hence, much of the value of the bricks is in their sorting. If he could reduce the entropy of these bins of unsorted bricks, he could make a tidy profit. Unlike most other people who sort these by hand, Mattheij wrote a software that used a camera paired with a computer running a neural net-based image classifier to sort the pieces. At its core, the system took images from a webcam and fed them to a neural network to do the classification. Given the sheer volume of size, color and orientation, the neural net needed to be "trained" by showing it lots of images, and telling it what those images represent. Mattheij's breakthrough was allowing the machine to effectively train itself, with guidance: Running pieces through allows the system to take its own photos, make a guess, and build on that guess. Here's a video of the system in action.
90708309
submission
adeelarshad82 writes:
The prospect of cities becoming sentient is fast becoming the new reality. Take Tel Aviv for example, where everyone over the age of 13 can receive personalized data, such as traffic information, and can access free municipal Wi-Fi in 80 public zones. But in a future where robots sound and objects look increasingly sentient, we might be less inclined to seek out behaviors to abate our loneliness. Indeed, one recent study finds that exposure to or interaction with anthropomorphic products — which have characteristics of being alive — partially satisfy our social needs, which means the human-like robots of tomorrow could kill our dwindling urge to be around other humans.
90547525
submission
adeelarshad82 writes:
Califorctenus cacachilensis, recently named by researchers at the San Diego Natural History Museum, was first located in 2013 in a mountain range in Baja California Sur, Mexico. The eye pattern led researchers to believe it was potentially part of a group of wandering spiders from the Ctenidae family. Knowing Ctenidae are nocturnal, the researchers returned to the cave at night, where they spotted a living specimen. Their research further led them to confirm that it was a previously unidentified species related to the Brazilian wandering spider.
52519393
submission
adeelarshad82 writes:
It has been teased, leaked, disassembled, leaked again, and now it's finally here. Google has officially announced it's next-gen smartphone, the Nexus 5. The smartphone sports a 4.95-inch, 1,920-by-1,080 full HD IPS Corning Gorilla Glass 3 display with 445 pixels per inch. It runs a 2.3GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 chip, and will be the first device with Android 4.4 KitKat. It also includes a 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera and 8-megapixel rear shooter with optical image stabilization. With a 2,300 mAH battery, Google promised up to 17 hours of talk time, 300 hours of standby, 8.5 hours of Internet time on Wi-Fi and 7 hours on LTE. The Nexus 5 is available today, unlocked, for $349 via Google Play in the U.S., Canada, U.K., Australia, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Japan, and Korea. It will go on sale "soon" via Sprint, T-Mobile, Amazon, Best Buy, and RadioShack.
51822463
submission
adeelarshad82 writes:
A number of iPhone 5s owners are reporting that their new smartphones are displaying the feared "blue screen of death" (BSOD) after using certain apps, and then launching into a reboot. The glitch appeared to primarily affect those using Apple's Numbers, Pages, or Keynote apps, but others saw the BSOD while using FaceTime, Safari, the camera, and other apps.
51782189
submission
adeelarshad82 writes:
Acer officially announced its new Chromebook, C720. The C720 is 30% thinner (at 0.75 inches thick) and lighter (at 2.76 pounds) than Acer's previous Chromebook, C7. The C720 Chromebook has an 11.6-inch anti-glare widescreen, with a 1,366-by-768 resolution. Acer claims seven second boot times and up to 8.5 hours of battery life. The C720 comes with 4GB of DDR3L memory and uses an Intel Celeron 2955U processor based on Haswell technology. The system also has 16GB of local SSD storage along with 802.11 a/b/g/n Wi-Fi to get to Google's cloud-based storage. Like previous Chromebooks, the C720 Chromebook is constantly updated with the latest version of the Chrome OS and built around the Chrome browser.
51193979
submission
adeelarshad82 writes:
Amazon today announced three new Kindle Fire tablets, the Kindle Fire HD, 7-inch Kindle Fire HDX and 8.9-inch Kindle Fire HDX. All three new tablets run Amazon's new "Fire OS 3.0," a version of Android 4.2.2 that's compatible with third-party Android apps. However Fire OS 3.0 has a totally different set of built-in apps and a completely rebuilt UI layer for faster touch performance and smoother graphics. Amazon redesigned Android's graphics pipeline and touch event handler to improve responsiveness. The 7.9inch Kindle Fire HDX packs a 2.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor, 2GB of RAM, and a 1,920-by-1,200 IPS LCD display for quick response and sharp images. And while the 8.9-inch model has the same processor and RAM, it comes with a 2,560-by-1,600 screen. Both new models have a 1-megapixel front camera, but the 8.9-inch device also has an 8-megapixel rear camera. Easily one of the biggest new features in the Kindle Fire HDX tablets is the Mayday button. Press it, and within 15 seconds, a live Amazon operator appears in a video chat window on your screen to answer all of your Kindle Fire questions. Your tablet now contains not merely an artificial helper like Siri, but an actual human assistant. The three tablets go on pre-sale tonight on Amazon.com. Kindle Fire HD will cost $139 where as the 7-inch and 8.9-inch Kindle Fire HDX will set you back by $229 and $379, respectively.
51090303
submission
adeelarshad82 writes:
Hackers have allegedly managed to bypass TouchID using a method that conjures up images of one's favorite spy movie. In this case, the hackers simply took a photograph of a user's fingerprint that was left on a glass surface, created a latex recreation of said fingerprint, and held it against said user's iPhone 5s to authenticate their way into the device. The hackers also posted a video showing off their exploit in action.
49339377
submission
adeelarshad82 writes:
With the G2, LG has managed to get an even bigger screen and battery into a case that feels no bigger or heavier than Samsung's popular Galaxy S4. By getting rid of all the front buttons, and almost all of the bezel, LG was able to create a great 5.2-inch expanse of bright IPS LCD screen. However by moving the power button to the back, some worry that this could potentially be a big usability pitfall. The 1080p IPS LCD screen itself is bright and has well-balanced colors, however it isn't like most super-oversaturated OLEDs we're used to seeing. The G2 runs a custom version of Android 4.2.2. LG adds some useful features to the phone such as LG's Qslide multitasking system which lets you open apps in little floating windows over what you're doing. Another feature called Kiddie Mode provides for a locked-down experience for kids. Powered by Snapdragon 800 processor using a 3000mAh battery, G2's new 5.2-inch display uses only as much power as a 4.7-inch screen does. During the hands-on the analyst did notice that the phone he was using only had 24.8GB of storage. Chances are this was the 32GB version, which would mean the phone would come with lot of pre-loads and also that the 16GB model will only have 8.8GB free. While LG didn't announce the price or the release date, the phone is expected to go on sale for $199 (with contract) in September.
49185839
submission
adeelarshad82 writes:
After months of speculation, leaks, and cryptic tweets, Motorola's new flagship smartphone is upon us. The Moto X runs Android 4.2.2 and is powered by the new Motorola X8 mobile computing system that includes several chips: a 1.7GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro, as well as a natural language processor and a contextual computing processor that handles the sensors. The phone carries a 4.7-inch, 1,280-by-720 display with 316 pixels per inch. Also since the phone features an active display, time and other selected alerts — text messages, missed calls, etc. — are shown without having to wake up your phone. Among the other features that Motorola talked up was the touchless control. Once activated, you can talk to your Moto X from up to 15 feet away. The Moto X differentiates itself from the other droid phones with customization options and since Motorola is assembling the Moto X in Fort Worth, Texas, the company expects users to have their customized Moto X within four days of placing an order.
49111311
submission
adeelarshad82 writes:
Researchers at U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory recently demonstrated electrical switching thousands of times faster than in transistors now in use using the naturally magnetic mineral. The experiment is considered to be a major step forward in understanding electrical structures at the atomic level and working with recently identified electrical "building blocks" called trimerons. Moreover the breakthrough could lead to innovations in the tiny transistors that control the flow of electricity across silicon chips, enabling faster, more powerful computing devices.
49002567
submission
adeelarshad82 writes:
While it's more limited than the Roku 3 and by no means Google's answer to Airplay, Chromecast sets itself apart from other similar products simply based on its price and potential of bringing Internet HDTV streaming to many more people than before. Priced at only $35, it's a direct stick that plugs into your HDTV's HDMI port and lets you stream media from Netflix, YouTube, and Google Play through your smartphone, tablet, or notebook. Unlike the Roku Stick, it uses a separate micro-USB port instead of MHL to power it. This on one hand means you need to run a cable from the stick to a USB port, making it much less neat than it would seem. On the other hand, it means the stick works with any HDTV, whether it has an MHL-capable HDMI port or not. Once connected, the setup itself is fairly simple and entirely app-controlled. Past the setup, your streaming content choices are currently limited, though Google released an API for the Chromecast, so more apps could support it in the future. For now Android users can stream media from Google Play Movies and Music, as well as Netflix and YouTube where as iOS users can watch Netflix and YouTube via the Chromecast. From a computer users can stream media from Netflix, YouTube, Google Play, and Chrome. Unlike Apple TV and AirPlay, Chromecast doesn't let you stream your locally stored media. In fact Google Play Music gives an error message when you try to play music you loaded on your device yourself and not through the Google Play store. All in all, at $35 it's the most affordable way to access online media services on your HDTV.
48674417
submission
adeelarshad82 writes:
Earlier today Capcom revealed details and a trailer for the upcoming Street Fighter game, dubbed Ultra Street Fighter IV. The game includes five new characters out of which four should be familiar to most Street Fighter fans, whereas the fifth member of the crew is new to the Street Fighter arena, but won't be revealed until the game's launch. Capcom is also providing updates to a number of characters, including Chun-Li, Balrog, Dudley, and T.Hawk. Additionally, the title will get a boost with six new battle environments, mysteriously named Pitstop 109, Mad Gear Hideout, Cosmic Elevator, Blast Furnace, Half Pipe, and Jurassic Era Research Facility. Gamers who already own Super Street Fighter IV or Super Street Fighter IV: Arcade Edition can pick up the DLC expansion pack for $14.99. While those who don't will have to pay $39.99.
48590841
submission
adeelarshad82 writes:
Over the past 40 years video games have have earned a bad rap. They're often scapegoated whenever a maladjusted young person snaps and a tragic event occurs. And this despite the fact that studies have suggested that violent video games aren't harmful to most kids. That said, it's hard to deny that games like Mortal Kombat, Midway Games' blood-soaked 2D fighting game and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 haven't pushed the boundaries of decency. Where Mortal Kombat nudged video game gore into the public consciousness, other titles pushed the envelope with disturbing imagery. For example, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2's "No Russian" scenario remains a prime example where the player has to slaughter innocent civilians in an airport in order to avoid exposing himself as an undercover agent. Shockingly though, that's hardly the most violent video game moment. A recently published article runs down the most violent video games of all time.
48564445
submission
adeelarshad82 writes:
Nokia's new phone, Lumia 1020, feels very similar in the hand to Nokia's Lumia 900 and 920 with one exception, it has a camera bump. The 41-megapixel uber-camera projects out very slightly as a black disc on the back. In terms of functionality though, the camera provides for smooth zooming only a pinch away, however takes a noticeable amount of time to lock focus and save images. At one point during hands on the camera app crashed so hard that it required a phone reboot which is hopefully just a pre-release firmware issue. The phone itself carries a brightly colored polycarbonate body that rolls around the edges to cradle a 4.5-inch, 1,280-by-768 screen. Lumia 1020 is powered by dual-core, 1.5-GHz Qualcomm MSM8960 processor which plows through apps well. Speaking of apps, there's a ton of bloatware on here, as you'd expect from any AT&T device. AT&T adds four apps right at the top of the app list. Nokia Lumia is set to hit AT&T shelves on July 26th for $299.
