| BAE Systems speaks about unmanned ASTRAEA: no reason it can't stay in air 'for weeks' Jul 14th 2012, 05:14  BAE Systems' ASTRAEA isn't a new concept -- the company's been playing up its unmanned potential for quite some time now -- but it's all seeming entirely less pie-in-the-sky now that the Farnborough Airshow has kicked off. Typically, UAVs are thought to be smaller, drone-type apparatuses; these things are typically used in military exercises where remote gunfire or reconnaissance is required. Clearly, it's about time someone asked the obvious: "Why?" Lambert Dopping-Hepenstal, Engineering Director Systems and Strategy, Military Air and Information at BAE and ASTRAEA Program Director recently spoke at the aforesaid event, noting that this particular aircraft could "open up a new market." He continued: "Current search and rescue aircraft are limited by human endurance, however with a UAV there's no reason why they can't stay up for weeks." Sadly, he also affirmed that there aren't any plans to ship actual humans up in the air without a pilot onboard, but if you're rich and mettlesome enough to pull it off yourself... well, be sure to send us the video. Also, Godspeed. Filed under: Transportation BAE Systems speaks about unmanned ASTRAEA: no reason it can't stay in air 'for weeks' originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 14 Jul 2012 01:14:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink  T3 |  BAE Systems | Email this | Comments | | Savi People app brings 'smarter' contacts to iPhone, integrates with your favorite social networks Jul 14th 2012, 03:58  If you haven't been completely content with the stock Contacts app on your renowned Cupertino handset, and were wishing there was a little more to squeeze out of it -- there might just be something in the App Store waiting to meet your needs. Enter Savi People. The 99-cent application essentially brings all your address book connections into one hub, but what separates it from the Contacts you've come to know is its integration with most of your preferred social networks -- you know, the likes of Twitter, Facebook and, with the latest update, Instagram. Assuming you give Savi People the credentials to get into your accounts, you'll be tweeting, sending direct messages and posting on people's walls in no time directly from the app. You can grab Savi People for a little less than a dollar right now, though that could change at any time as it is a "special" price. Continue reading Savi People app brings 'smarter' contacts to iPhone, integrates with your favorite social networks Filed under: Cellphones, Software Savi People app brings 'smarter' contacts to iPhone, integrates with your favorite social networks originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 13 Jul 2012 23:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | iTunes (App Store) | Email this | Comments | | XBMC for Android app revealed; source code available now, beta APKs soon (video) Jul 14th 2012, 03:28  Surprise surprise, after popping up on the iPad last year, XBMC developers revealed tonight that they've created a version of the media center that runs as an Android app. Currently the team has it stable on the Pivos XIOS DS set-top box, and posted a video (embedded after the break) showing it running on a phone and a tablet. Of course, the different varieties of Android hardware audio and video decoding is mostly a software only affair, but universal hardware decoding is in the plan. The truly dedicated can dig up the source code right now, but APKs for beta testers are promised "in the coming weeks." According to the blog post, it currently includes a community member created touch oriented skin and hopes to have more available before any version of this hits Google Play officially.
[Thanks, Bharath] Continue reading XBMC for Android app revealed; source code available now, beta APKs soon (video) Filed under: Cellphones, Home Entertainment, Tablet PCs XBMC for Android app revealed; source code available now, beta APKs soon (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 13 Jul 2012 23:28:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | XBMC | Email this | Comments | |
