| Rascal Micro hands-on (video) Jun 13th 2012, 23:30  Not far from the bustling labs of Northeaster University is the even more bustling hacker space known as Artisan's Asylum. The roughly 30,000 square foot complex is home to more than 100 makers, tinkerers and artists who building all sorts of crazy contraptions. One of the less ostentatious projects being worked on within its cavernous halls though, is the Rascal Micro. This tiny board is home to an ARM-based SOC and has its hungry, open-sourced eyes on competitors like Arduino and Beagle. Brandon Stafford, the creator, boiled down its primary selling points to this: "it's maybe 25 times faster, has 1,000 times more storage." Where as the Arduino excels at making things blink, move or Tweet, the Rascal Micro has enough power to function as a full-fledged web server. Continue reading Rascal Micro hands-on (video) Rascal Micro hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 13 Jun 2012 19:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink |  Rascal Micro | Email this | Comments | | Orbitsound announces T9 iPhone-friendly soundbar, we go ears on Jun 13th 2012, 23:01  You may remember seeing Orbitsound's T12 iPod dock / soundbar pop up in our summer buyer's guide. Today, the firm's just unveiled the latest in its product family: the Orbitsound T9. As you'll see, it's a very similar deal, but with an obvious difference -- its size. At 300mm (about 12") across, it's almost exactly half the length of its bigger brother (605mm) -- but not everything is a straight cut down the middle. Power-wise, this diminutive dock has a peak output of 140W RMS (split 80 on the subwoofer, 35 on the front speakers and 25 on the sides,) and carries the same in- and output options. That means optical, line (phono and 3.5mm) and an iDevice connector going in, and a composite video (for piping those movies on your iPhone to your telly) in the other direction. The included subwoofer helps the device perform the dual roles of iPod dock, and TV soundbar. It's launching in mid-July in UK retailers, and internationally online for £200 / $249. Luckily, we managed to get our hands on one of the first production models, and took it for a spin, so boogie on past the break for our impressions. Continue reading Orbitsound announces T9 iPhone-friendly soundbar, we go ears on Orbitsound announces T9 iPhone-friendly soundbar, we go ears on originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 13 Jun 2012 19:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | Vodafone creates a signal-boosting, solar-charging umbrella to juice your cellphone whatever the weather Jun 13th 2012, 23:00  Vodafone has created the Booster Brolly, an umbrella that boosts your signal, charges your handset and can even keep you dry during the traditionally aqueous British summer. Developed by Dr Kenneth Tong at University College London, it's designed around a carbon fiber skeleton which holds a heavy-duty canopy in place. On top, there's 12 hand-stitched silicon solar cells which charge a battery stored in the handle. It'll reportedly charge your handset in around three hours via the handle-mounted USB port, while on top, a pair of high gain antennae enhance the signals of any cellphone within a meter radius. It'll be unveiled to the public at large at the Isle of Wight festival on June 22nd, where hordes of people will hope that the company starts selling this publicity and electricity generating canopy. Continue reading Vodafone creates a signal-boosting, solar-charging umbrella to juice your cellphone whatever the weather Vodafone creates a signal-boosting, solar-charging umbrella to juice your cellphone whatever the weather originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 13 Jun 2012 19:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Vodafone | Email this | Comments | | Nokia 808 PureView arrives fashionably late in India, 41MP in tow Jun 13th 2012, 21:43  After initially announcing it would come in May, and then dropping a countdown red herring, the PureView is finally opening its big 808-eye in India today. The 41MP camera (and phone!) lands with a 33,899 Rupee ($600) MSRP, depending on your barter skills. The PureView might not be a spec heavyweight, with its single-core 1.3GHz chip, 512MB RAM and 360 x 640 display, but we still found it hummed along smartly with its nimble Symbian Belle OS. For those of you who've already set the cash aside, might be time to call that Indian friend. Nokia 808 PureView arrives fashionably late in India, 41MP in tow originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 13 Jun 2012 17:43:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink  The Times of India | Nokia India | Email this | Comments | |
