Sony just released its 3.42 software update for PlayStation 3 owners. As a mandatory update, PS3 jockeys must accept it if they want to continue accessing the PlayStation Network or PlayStation Store. While Sony’s American mouthpiece isn’t saying much about the release, Sony Japan says that it fixes a “hardware security issue,” and that’s it. Sounds like a patch for PSJailbreak and its open-source variants to us.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

PS3 3.42 software update reportedly patches jailbreak, hates fun originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 07 Sep 2010 01:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ever wonder how the single driveshaft in your car manages to power two (or more) wheels simultaneously? The answer is the differential, a device capable of splitting torque dynamically. There are a variety of different types of diffs, from fully unlocked to more pricey limited-slip models, but none are quite like the one created by Harvard graduate student Pratheev S. Sreetharan and professor Robert J. Wood. Dubbed the PARITy (Passive Aeromechanical Regulation of Imbalanced Torques), it’s only five millimeters long and, while such a tiny thing would evaporate if mounted between the rear wheels on a Mustang GT, it’s destined for rather smaller applications: tiny, winged micro air vehicles. The scientists proved its effectiveness by clipping one wing on a PARITy-equipped drone and, despite the imbalance in lift surface, the robo-bee maintained level flight — differential automatically flapping the tinier wing more quickly to compensate. You know what that means: keeping our robot overlord’s spies grounded just got a little bit harder.

PARITy differential keeps your MAV flying level even if you clip its wings originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 07 Sep 2010 01:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Whether you’re new to Gizmodo or a seasoned old-timer, there always seem to be some tips, tricks, guidelines, or rules that might be news to you. That’s why we’ve put everything into one handy-dandy reference guide. More »

After the calendar that sucks ink out of a bottle, this is my favorite design: The 2011 Calendar Scarf, an entire year on a single thread. More »

Should there be an international award for Cheekiest Man of the Year, it’d have to go to Meizu’s shameless Jack Wong. Shortly after Apple’s keynote last week, the CEO of KIRFdom seized the opportunity to cry foul on the new iPod touch, claiming it “looks a bit like” his forthcoming M9II Android phone, as pictured above. Wait, M9II? Turns out even though the M9 has yet to materialize in early October, Mr. Wong already has an enhanced model to be brought forth by his faithful unicorns. Assuming both M9 series devices will carry the same Meizu-fied Android 2.2 software, the only known differences on the M9II include a larger 4-inch display (as opposed to 3.5 inches at 960 x 640), the additional front-facing camera plus flash for the rear camera, and a Cortex-A9 CPU. To play devil’s advocate, we’d actually suggest Wong skip the M9 for this lovely dream phone, but we’re probably too late — check out his snazzy prototype M9 after the break.

Continue reading Meizu CEO Jack Wong: Oh hey, the new iPod touch ‘looks a bit like the M9II’

Meizu CEO Jack Wong: Oh hey, the new iPod touch ‘looks a bit like the M9II’ originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 06 Sep 2010 22:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Back in 1988, Russian engineer Vladimir Demin combined a bunch of solenoids (loops of copper wire) and a Bayan (a Russian accordian), to create a self-playable instrument controlled by his awesome, self-built computer. Yes, we’re impressed, and you will be too, if you take a look at the video below.

Continue reading Computer controlled Bayan from 1988 makes us want to go back to the past

Computer controlled Bayan from 1988 makes us want to go back to the past originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 06 Sep 2010 22:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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After last week’s Apple announcements, your previous-gen iPod probably isn’t looking so hot. Cheer up! We’ve got five mods that’ll breathe new life into the little guy, so you don’t have to feel guilty about picking up a shiny replacement. More »

The fantastic Nike+ App let you track how far, how fast and at what speed you’re running with only a sensor in your Nike-branded shoe and a compatible iPod or iPhone. Now you don’t need the sensor or the shoe. More »

Looks like we can take the guesswork out of today’s leaked render, after all. A generous (and, as usual, anonymous) reader just sent us a handful of pictures of what appears to be — quite convincingly, we might add — the Samsung NX100 we’ve been eying since a low-res snapshot came to light last month. According to our tipster, video on the camera is great and changing settings is easy, on par with DSLRs, but the of course size still doesn’t compare to point-and-shoots. And to repeat the earlier specs, now that they seem more likely: 4.74 x 2.8 x 1.36 inches, 9.95 ounces, an external GPS receptor, an external EVF with 201K resolution, and a (non-articulating) display that’s 921K AMOLED. A shame we can’t claim those fingers for our own just yet, but patience is a virtue. Or something like that — it’s not like we have a choice, might as well say something to feel better about it.

Exclusive: Samsung NX100 in the wild originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 06 Sep 2010 21:18:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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You can have your 3D glasses and eat them too, if you just follow this easy recipe over at Diamonds for Dessert for stained-glass glasses. It goes without saying, but they cost a lot less than $150 per pair. [DfD] More »

U of M laser mimics helicopter heat signatures to thwart missiles originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 06 Sep 2010 20:08:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It’s bad enough worrying about losing your life-enabling smartphone connection due to a battery mismanagement crisis—but what happens when your car goes flat? A new wave of mobile car chargers could stop that nightmare scenario from unfolding. More »

Sometimes I question my own existence, but—thanks to Google and the words of this modern day René Descartes—I now know how to easily find the reassurance I require on those days. [The Daily What via High Definite] More »

Mac OS X (and soon, Windows): Cyberduck adds support for Amazon S3 file versioning, Google Storage, and Access Control List (ACL) editing for both. Also announced is an upcoming version of the popular FTP application for Windows. More »

Reviews are starting to trickle out for Pansonic’s LX3 successor, the DMC-LX5, and so far they all seem to echo similar sentiment. The form factor hearkens back to its Micro Four Thirds darling GF1, at least from the top, with “dinky buttons” (in CNET UK’s words) on the back reminding you of its point-and-shoot bloodline. The pictures are solid if not characteristically warm — and the ability to simultaneously produce RAW and JPEG files is a nice touch — as is the choice of either Motion JPEG or AVCHD Lite video. The universal issue with this camera is the price; that £449.99 tag (the equivalent of $691 in US currency) doesn’t quite seem to match the offerings, especially when it’s about on par with entry-level DSLRs with interchangeable lenses (albeit without the slim look). As PhotographyBLOG puts it, Panny’s gotta hard case to make for a camera “that looks, at first glance to be very similar to a £299 model.” Hey, a hardware switch for changing the aspect ratio (just above lens barrel; 4:3, 3:2, 16:9, or 1:1) doesn’t come cheap. Much more detail can be found in the reviews below.

Note: It’s worth mentioning that this camera can be had for $500 at Amazon right now. Still pricey, but not $700 pricey.

Read - PhotographyBLOG
Read - CNET UK
Read - Pocket-lint

Lumix DMC-LX5 review roundup: great hardware for a not-so-great price originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 06 Sep 2010 18:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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When JimmyJane showed off their Form 2 sextoy, Jesus Diaz said it looked like a Millennium Falcon. The new Form 3, on the other hand, resembles a soft-touch computer mouse—but don’t go using a Microsoft Arc “down there.” More »

Oh, sure — a few people have called Google’s Nexus One a “superphone,” but suddenly, that nickname has taken on a whole new level of meaning. A team of talent from MIT has put its head down in order to concoct a new Android application that can come darn close to solving complex computational problems in just a fraction of the time that it’d take a bona fide supercomputer. The goal here is to let researchers and scientists convert to Google’s mobile OS, but if you aren’t falling for that one, it’s also designed to “let engineers perform complicated calculations in the field, and to better control systems for vehicles or robotic systems.” Of course, the models that are hosted on the phone do require a supercomputer to create, but once certain formulas are embedded, the app can then compute approximations in mere seconds rather than hours. Best of all, rbAPPmit is available for download as well speak in the source link below, but we’d probably wait for the (presumably thick) user guide to surface before diving in headfirst.

[Thanks, Alasdair]

MIT app turns your Android phone into a supercomputer… of sorts originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 06 Sep 2010 17:10:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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An artificial kidney powered by the circulatory system could be the first implantable device to replace kidney donation and dialysis, scientists say. More »

…It feels slightly more modern than WinMo 5, but only just! In all seriousness, this was taken at the Secret Cinema London showing of Lawrence of Arabia (hence my somewhat-Bedouin-wear), which Windows has plastered its sponsorship over. More »

We’re not quite sure what to make of this, as our first reaction is to label it a fan made render and move on. But it’s a very detailed render, so let’s hear this one out in between bites of freshly grilled burger (or whatever you do to celebrate Labor Day; we think more working is an appropriate course of action, but to each his or her own). So what you see surfaced on the Digital Photography Review forums is an apparent render of the Samsung NX100 and a diagram pictured after the break — labeled by number but missing the complementary key. We still don’t know much about the forum poster nor the images’ origins, but later on he or she did provide supposed dimensions and some display specifications: 4.74 x 2.8 x 1.36 inches, 9.95 ounces, an external GPS receptor, an external EVF with 201K resolution, and a (non-articulating) display that’s 921K AMOLED. We’re intrigued to say the least, but nothing tangible at the moment.

Continue reading Alleged Samsung NX100 pics and specs surface

Alleged Samsung NX100 pics and specs surface originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 06 Sep 2010 16:09:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Just look at them! They’re cute and colorful, with blown up illustrations of your favorite electronic components, crazy nerdtastic prints, or quirky fun images. I think I’ll get two pillow covers to make up for my iPadless-ness. More »

It’s a big skull. No, wait, it’s two people under an arch. Hold on, it’s a skull again. Two very different images can be perceived in this trick picture and now we are one step closer to working out how the brain spontaneously flips between such views, with the discovery of what may be the relevant brain region. More »

Hey, there little guy! That’s the Toshiba AC100 — an Android 2.1 smartbook with Toshiba’s custom user interface — on show in the UK, where you can now grab one up. The 10.1-inch, 1.9-pounder has yet to show its face anywhere near the US, but as for specs it’s got a 1GHz Tegra 250 SoC, a 32GB SSD, 512MB of DDR2 memory, 802.11n WiFi, optional 3G, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, a 1.3 megapixel webcam, and an HDMI port. While it’s listed on Amazon you still can’t actually order one of these bad boys stateside, but if you’re in the UK, you can grab one up for £292.52 (almost $450) for the non-3G model. Video of the little guy in action back in June is below.

Continue reading Toshiba AC100 Android smartbook hits the United Kingdom

Toshiba AC100 Android smartbook hits the United Kingdom originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 06 Sep 2010 14:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Capitalizing on the wave of hysteria post-”a dingo took my baby!,” second-hand hard drives are shown as dangerous as Australia itself. Let’s face it, any advert from the ’80s is always going to crack a smile. [Gizmodo Au] More »

Well, it looks like the mystery of Nokia’s Symbian^3 slider may soon be solved — Reuters is reporting that the company will introduce its new “flagship” E7 smartphone at its Nokia World event in London next week, and it says that the device will pack both a “large” touchscreen and a full QWERTY keyboard. That’s further backed up by the existence of an XML file on Nokia’s own site, which seemingly confirms that the E7 does indeed run Symbian^3, and that it boasts a 640 x 360 display along with that QWERTY keyboard. Not much more than that at the moment, but those previous leaks suggest that we’re basically looking at a slider version of the Nokia N8.

[Thanks, Wes]

Nokia said to be launching E7 smartphone next week originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 06 Sep 2010 13:08:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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These odd images were all taken using an iPhone cleverly equipped with a 45x microscope. The best part though? You can add such an upgrade to your own iPhone for about $10. More »

While Danish Ubuntu Solutions Provider Martin Pihl’s marriage “wasn’t without hazzles”, he “juuuust had to check my e-mail before the ceremony.” You’ve got counseling! (Can I still make an AOL joke? I guess if people still use Ubuntu…) [MartinPihl.dk] More »

We didn’t get to hear them for ourselves at IFA 2010, and it sounds like we missed out — a pair of publications are already showering Sleek Audio’s nigh-bulletproof SA7 buds with praise. The tightly-woven carbon fiber casing may look stylish, but both SlashGear and TrustedReviews were even more impressed by the sound, calling the combination of dual-armature drivers and one-piece aluminum housing “more precise” and “stonkingly good” respectively. Both noted hugely powerful bass that sounded fantastic alongside the trebles and mids, rather than drowning them out, and high frequencies that remained comfortable to listen to even at higher volume — a mark of excellence, to be sure. Of course, one typically expects quality audio when slapping four Benjamins down — we’ll have to hear how these stack up against other audiophile buds.

Sleek Audio’s SA7 earphones briefly tested, dubbed ’stonkingly good’ originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 06 Sep 2010 12:07:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We’ve seen numerous announcements of tablet computers in recent weeks, as the R&D labs of the world push out their hastily assembled attempts at competing with Apple’s game-changing iPad. But are any of them up to the job? More »

It looks like Windows Phone 7 is going to have at least one pretty game on it when it arrives, in the shape of Bye Bye Brain—a 3D zombie-based tower defense game. More »

Minuscule solar cells that can fix themselves using the same building blocks as plant cells have been demonstrated, with our old friend the carbon nanotube one of the key components that holds these self-healing power units together. More »

Even though the TFT screen was mentioned the first time we heard (however unofficial) of the presence of a Samsung tablet, it was still disappointing to see there wasn’t actually a Super AMOLED in the final product. But why not? More »

Carl Zeiss keeps on making minor improvements to its Cinemizer head-mounted display, announced way back in 2008 and intended to be the most amazing way to watch stuff on your iPod. They didn’t exactly catch on then, and two years later we’re not entirely sure that the latest revision will either. The tiny screens that sit a fraction of an inch from your eyeballs have been upgraded to OLED, which should make them bright and lovely as they pummel your rods and cones, but sadly they’re still stuck in VGA land — 640 x 480 is not a lot of pixels these days. This version also pledges greater compatibility with non-Apple devices, a welcome change, and even more welcome is the new visual styling, which makes you look a little less walleyed than the last model. Despite this the price hasn’t changed much, estimated to be around €400 ($515), but that’s still a lot to pay just to have the coolest Frozone costume ever.

Carl Zeiss Cinemizer 3D Plus glasses get OLED infusion, still no attention originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 06 Sep 2010 10:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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“Want to star alongside Pam in a short film?” is the question Nokia’s asking, as part of its promotional campaign for its forthcoming N8 smartphone. Pam’s perhaps not the unstoppable sex machine she once was, but… yes please. More »

Usually we’d advise you not to read too much into this — we’d point out that this was a themed ad served up before the showing of Lawrence of Arabia at London’s Secret Cinema event — but what the hell: Microsoft says the revolution’s coming. It’s on now!

Continue reading Windows Phone 7 ad promises ‘the revolution is coming’ (video)

Windows Phone 7 ad promises ‘the revolution is coming’ (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 06 Sep 2010 10:09:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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