Your 2 hourly digest for Engadget

Engadget Engadget

South Korea opens up cellphone sales, networks wary of the 'free market' Apr 30th 2012, 23:28 South Korea's Communications Commission is wresting control of the domestic cellphone market away from operators. From May 1st, it is opening the handset business open to any vendor, who will sell phones unlocked so consumers can decide their choice of network. The plan is aimed at lowering prices by introducing competition between the retailers -- although some voices in the industry have expressed concerns that the operators will withdraw discounted offers in retaliation. Naturally, the KCC is determined to ensure a better deal for consumers, and is already strong-arming wayward networks into ensuring that doesn't happen. South Korea opens up cellphone sales, networks wary of the 'free market' originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 30 Apr 2012 19:28:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink The Next Web  |  MK  | Email this | Comments Neutrinos could deliver millisecond advantage to cyborg Gordon Gekkos Apr 30th 2012, 22:57 In a world where stocks are traded based on price changes monitored at the millisecond level, every sliver of a speed advantage gained counts. And, to get that edge, financial firms will go to almost any lengths, including building high powered particle accelerators in their basements. Well, at least that's what we imagine. Banks and high-frequency trading companies are looking to the neutrino as a potential communications tool. Scientists have already shown that the subatomic particles can travel through walls, now there's every reason to believe messages could be passed straight through the Earth, saving up to 44 milliseconds on each communique. Of course, there's one problem with this idea -- creating neutrinos currently requires either a nuclear reactor or a particle accelerator, something even the largest of financial firms don't usually keep on hand. Either the world's banks will have to snatch up CERN or build their own atom smashers. Neither of which seems like it's very likely to happen in the immediate future. Neutrinos could deliver millisecond advantage to cyborg Gordon Gekkos originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 30 Apr 2012 18:57:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink   |  Forbes  | Email this | Comments Must See HDTV (April 30th - May 6th) Apr 30th 2012, 22:33 Mayweather/Cotto While its not the Mayweather/Pacquiao boxing match fans want to see, this is the fight we have. Miguel Cotto believes he's in position to send Floyd Mayweather Jr. home with his first ever loss and surprisingly, some boxing experts agree with him. We'll see if Cotto's strength is enough to overcome Mayweather's speed and defensive prowess, but as usual, the story here is the fight that's not on the card. (May 5th, 9PM, HBO PPV) NBA Playoffs A knee injury to Chicago's Derrick Rose has significantly shifted the balance of power in this year's NBA Playoffs. While the Bulls suddenly have to try and win without their superstar, the triumvirate down in Miami is suddenly under even more pressure to get the job done with two of the Eastern Conference's best players (Rose, Dwight Howard) out for the season. Out west the early games showed it will be a battle no matter what seeds are matching up, your guess is as good as ours as to who will come out of that conference and vie for the title in a few weeks. Continue reading Must See HDTV (April 30th - May 6th) Must See HDTV (April 30th - May 6th) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 30 Apr 2012 18:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments Insert Coin: Rowdy Robot creates Bluetooth 4.0 beacons that activate automatic alerts Apr 30th 2012, 22:11 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. It's no secret that Bluetooth 4.0 is energy efficient, but now a startup called Rowdy Robot wants to use it for something rather less predictable than monitoring heart palpitations during your Tour de France training. A network of little beacons ("tōds") interacts with your iPhone or iPad and lets you receive movement-triggered alerts: like when your kid wanders too far, or when they finally return home after hanging out with the corner cartel. Many uses will be similar to NFC tags, but with the advantage of a vastly greater range of up to 500ft -- plus a single beacon can last for years on a single battery. Of course, it could also work with location-based services, triggering automatic updates as you pedal past the Arc de Triomphe -- but none of this will happen unless check out the video after the break and help Rowdy Robot meet their $50,000 target. Continue reading Insert Coin: Rowdy Robot creates Bluetooth 4.0 beacons that activate automatic alerts Insert Coin: Rowdy Robot creates Bluetooth 4.0 beacons that activate automatic alerts originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 30 Apr 2012 18:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink   |  Kickstarter  | Email this | Comments KegDroid dispenses beer with the help of a Xoom tablet and an Arduino board Apr 30th 2012, 21:47 Here's an instance of NFC technology that's more exciting than yet another tap-to-pay scenario. Google employee Paul Carff combined a Motorola Xoom running ICS with an Arduino microcontroller to create KegDroid, a friendly green beer dispenser. The Xoom acts as a gatekeeper to that brewed goodness, only letting the bot dispense drinks after users swipe an authorized badge. The badge is read by an NFC scanner on the bottom of the case and is then authenticated (or rejected) by the Arduino board. Once the system grants access, users can choose from two selections on tap via a custom Android application displayed on the Xoom's screen. As Android Community points out -- and as you'll see in the video below -- the KegDroid hasn't mastered a bartender-level pour (read: there's way too much foam). Still, this is oodles cooler than your average keg, wouldn't you agree? Continue reading KegDroid dispenses beer with the help of a Xoom tablet and an Arduino board KegDroid dispenses beer with the help of a Xoom tablet and an Arduino board originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 30 Apr 2012 17:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink Android Community  |  Ubergizmo  | Email this | Comments

You are receiving this email because you subscribed to this feed at blogtrottr.com. If you no longer wish to receive these emails, you can unsubscribe from this feed, or manage all your subscriptions