As reported on Engadget. By Nicole Lee Just a few weeks after Nissan dropped the price of the Leaf in the US, eco-minded car buyers across the pond will be able to snag theirs for a little less as well. Indeed, the popular Japanese EV is now £23,490 ($37,115), which is £2,500 less than the initial sticker price. As with the stateside version, some of the cost reduction stems from local manufacturing — Nissan hopes to start churning out…
As reported on The Verge. By T.C. Sottek AdAge reports that YouTube is preparing to launch paid subscriptions for individual channels, citing sources familiar with the matter. YouTube is said to have reached out to a “small group” of channel producers, asking them to create paid channels that will cost between $1 and $5 a month. The report also states that YouTube is considering charging access to live events and libraries of content. AdAge says that it’s not certain which…
As reported on The Verge. By Jeff Blagdon The Viral Spaces research group at MIT’s Media Lab has developed an Android app that could let you make the most of your mobile data plan. Airmobs is a community-based P2P Wi-Fi tethering market; you let other users tether to your phone when they need network access, and you get credit to leech off someone else the next time you’re stuck with no connectivity. The system optimizes for a number…
As reported on The Verge. By Amar Toor The US Navy is looking to develop a swarm of odor-sniffing robots to help assemble and load some of its most dangerous weaponry. As Wired reports, these semi-automated robots would act almost like mechanized ants, with “leader” and “follower” bots loading 1,000-pound bombs into tight spaces aboard aircraft carriers. A human-controlled leader robot would lead the procession, with its automated followers trailing behind. The key ingredient to the Navy’s proposal is an…
As reported on The Verge. By Chris Welch Can an app make your TV look better? According to THX, the answer to that question is yes. Today the company is releasing THX Tune-Up, a calibration app for iOS it claims can help you get the best performance from your home theater setup. Tune-Up arrives just in time for the rush of HDTVs being sold ahead of this weekend’s Super Bowl, and there’s good reason for new…
As reported on TechCrunch. by CATHERINE SHU VMware plans to cut about 900 jobs, or 7 percent of its workforce, as part of a restructuring. The company also issued cautious 2013 forecast, due to a decline in U.S. federal government bookings and continuing concerns about the sluggish economy in Europe. The company reported on-target fourth-quarter earnings and said it expects revenue of $1.17 billion to $1.19 billion for the first quarter, an increase of 11 percent to…
As reported on TechCrunch. by RIP EMPSON It’s easy to get lost in the Silicon Valley and Bay Area tech bubbles, where it seems that everyone carries five phones, owns three laptops and just had lunch with a sentient robot. But, the reality is outside of the bubble is a little different. Digital literacy is a privilege, and more the exception than the rule. Not everyone owns a computer or is employed at a startup that…
As reported on TechCrunch. by JORDAN CROOK Method actors are known to go to extreme lengths to understand the character they’re portraying. Natalie Portman dropped a whopping 20 lbs to play a ballerina in Black Swan. Ashton Kutcher’s preparation for playing Steve Jobs in the biopic jOBS was so extreme it left him in the hospital. According to USA Today, he spent two days in the hospital after trying to stick to Steve Jobs’ fruitarian diet, which…
As reported on Engadget. By Jon Fingas North Korea has yet to welcome the internet with open arms despite Eric Schmidt’s visit, but the internet is certainly welcoming North Korea: as of a sweeping update, Google Maps touts detailed cartography of the secluded state rather than the voids we’ve known before. The results still leave significant blank spots, although that’s forgivable when Google Map Maker is virtually the only option to improve accuracy. We doubt a suspicious government is about…
As reported on Engadget By Sharif Sakr Not that a view over the Thames ever gets old, but commuters should soon find it a bit easier to check their inboxes while they’re on or next to the water. Californian WiFi specialist Ruckus says that its wireless steering technology — which increases network range by up to 4x by directing signals around obstacles and interference — has just been picked for an upgrade to BT’s Thames WiFi service. The…