| Microsoft patent imagines headphones as accessory docking motherships Jul 3rd 2012, 22:54  If it never occurred to you to plug all kinds of peripherals into your ear cans -- including the media player making the sound -- a new patent from Redmond's brain trust might give you pause. The headphones are shown as a catch-all, with receiving spaces for snapping in devices like rechargeable battery packs, storage, Bluetooth or WiFi reception modules and media players -- such as the Zune-like one sketched in above. The headset could also have controls to operate those peripherals, as well as an optional boom mic and USB ports, according to the document. All this is claimed to allow for numerous configurations, letting you pimp your headset to fit your own needs, and interface with games, movies or music in various ways. If they ever get to market, you might start thinking of humble headphones as full-blown entertainment centers instead of mere accessories. Microsoft patent imagines headphones as accessory docking motherships originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 03 Jul 2012 18:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink |  USPTO | Email this | Comments | | Engadget HD Podcast 306 - 07.03.2012 Jul 3rd 2012, 21:50  After Google I/O, the latest news from Mountain View is tops on our list as we try to wrap our heads around the Nexus Q. Also on the list this week are the odd couple pairings of Boxee and Comcast, as well as HBO and Hulu (in Japan.) Meanwhile Dish Network and AMC have severed ties, we'll see if the relationship can be repaired before Breaking Bad season five begins. We've also got updates on Windows 8 Media Center, Verizon's new CableCARD policy, and changes for the NFL -- press play for the full run down. Get the podcast
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Hosts: Ben Drawbaugh (@bjdraw), Richard Lawler (@rjcc)
Producer: Trent Wolbe 00:10:17 - Cracking the Nexus Q, Google's 25-watt amplified obsession
00:22:07 - Google Play starts selling movies, TV shows (single episode or full season) and magazines today
00:29:20 - Don't worry, you're not the only one: Netflix is currently down, admins hard at work
00:36:32 - HBO Go update supports Android tablets up to ICS
00:36:48 - Hulu Japan lands HBO content, but don't expect any changes in the US
00:37:56 - Boxee, Comcast agree to a workaround for encrypted basic cable channels on third party boxes
00:43:45 - Verizon FiOS TV finally set to enforce CableCARD restrictions
00:47:50 - Marquee Media Center hands-on
00:50:00 - Vizio XVT CinemaWide TV goes on sale, 21:9 movie purists celebrate the end of black bars
00:52:05 - Control4 delivers home automation Starter Kit for under $1,000 including installation, we go hands-on
00:58:42 - Marvel's The Avengers Blu-ray hits September 25th, iOS second screen app this month
01:01:15 - Indiana Jones: The Complete Adventures Blu-ray set hits shelves September 18th
01:01:35 - AMC dropped from Dish Network, cuts a new deal to stay on with AT&T U-verse
01:09:00 - Next season NFL will release All-22 game tape, relax blackout rules and start later
01:11:25 - Must See HDTV (July 2nd - 8th)
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LISTEN (AAC) Engadget HD Podcast 306 - 07.03.2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 03 Jul 2012 17:50:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | Google Now gets an epic 47-question interrogation, survives for now (video) Jul 3rd 2012, 21:22  You've seen us give Google Now a shakedown in our Jelly Bean review, but one JLishere decided to give the voice command system an unusually thorough grilling. The 47-question test goes beyond what Google showed onstage at I/O and shows that, in some cases, Android's new rival to Siri can cover a wide range of answers, whether it's day-to-day queries like directions and image searches to more esoteric trivia, like the minimum height for riding Disney World's Space Mountain. There's even a special treat for those who dare to bring up Google's best-known Easter egg. That said, we wouldn't be too eager to kick earlier voice command systems to the curb: we've tried a few close variants on the questions and sometimes managed to stump Google Now, so it's clear Google could stand to layer on some more polish. JLishere's original video evidence is available after the break. Continue reading Google Now gets an epic 47-question interrogation, survives for now (video) Google Now gets an epic 47-question interrogation, survives for now (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 03 Jul 2012 17:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Android Police | Email this | Comments | |
