| Ford wants you to meet its touchy, feely interior quality robot, RUTH 2.0 Jul 17th 2012, 13:22  That's RUTH. In the end, she really amounts to a big robot arm with six joints, but Ford clearly has a soft spot for the faceless employee. First utilized in Europe, the Robotized Unit for Tactility and Haptics is currently at work helping to tweak the interiors of the company's 2013 Fusions, turning data collected from customers across the world into the hard to define concept of "quality," touching the trim, pushing buttons and turning knobs in the interior of the vehicle, in order to help provide what Ford says is, "the same type of quality they might feel if they were to buy a high-end luxury car." The version of the arm dubbed Ruth 2.0 is currently being used by Ford alone in North America, and the company has extended her quality checking to include seat comfort in the vehicles. Check out a video of the long arm of the car company after the break. Continue reading Ford wants you to meet its touchy, feely interior quality robot, RUTH 2.0 Filed under: Robots, Transportation Ford wants you to meet its touchy, feely interior quality robot, RUTH 2.0 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 17 Jul 2012 09:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | T-Mobile US offers new Europe-wide 500MB roaming plan for $50 Jul 17th 2012, 12:53  In a bid to avoid making suit-wearing execs continually eye their data use when traveling to Europe with your smartphone, T-Mobile has announced a $50 per month plan for business customers, which offers half a gig of data on both 3G and 4G (where available). Once you hit beyond that threshold, you won't be charged for overuse, but your speeds will be throttled. The plan will connect to 28 countries, including likes of the UK, Germany, France, Italy, and will launch for that sweaty business meeting in Paris next month. Continue reading T-Mobile US offers new Europe-wide 500MB roaming plan for $50 Filed under: Cellphones T-Mobile US offers new Europe-wide 500MB roaming plan for $50 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 17 Jul 2012 08:53:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink  Phonescoop |  T-Mobile | Email this | Comments | | StyleTap brings its Palm OS emulator to Android, only asks for $50 Jul 17th 2012, 12:31  Chrome? Who cares, give us Blazer! For those of you who just can't let go of your legacy Palm OS apps, StyleTap has been delivering emulation software to salve your woes since about 2005. But, if you've been riding the Android train, you've been left out in the cold by the Canadian company. That all changes today with the release of StyleTap for Google's mobile OS. The emulator supports any apps written for Palm OS 5.2 and earlier, as well as programs that use native ARM code. Of course, none of this comes for free. StyleTap wants 50 of your American dollars for the privalege of firing up Giraffe on your Galaxy Nexus. Check out the PR after the break for a few more details and hit up the source link if you just can't wait to get your Grafiti on. Continue reading StyleTap brings its Palm OS emulator to Android, only asks for $50 Filed under: Cellphones, Software StyleTap brings its Palm OS emulator to Android, only asks for $50 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 17 Jul 2012 08:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | StyleTap | Email this | Comments | | NXP's new audio chip pumps up the volume for mobile device speakers Jul 17th 2012, 12:00  Dutch company NXP -- best known for it's NFC solutions -- introduced a new audio chip today that's set to significantly improve the sound quality of the micro-speakers commonly built into mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. The TFA9887 integrated circuit combines NXP's CoolFlux audio DSP, a class-D amplifier with current sensing and a DC-to-DC converter to boost the output level of micro-speakers up to five times (up to 2.6W RMS) without damaging the driver. Class-D amplifiers are highly efficient and, when combined with a DC-to-DC converter, provide a strong and clear signal regardless of battery level. With current sensing, the chip uses feedback from the driver to optimize power delivery, allowing micro speakers to provide louder, richer sound with deeper, tighter bass over the entire lifetime of a mobile device. Are you ready to turn it up to 11? Check out the full PR after the break. Continue reading NXP's new audio chip pumps up the volume for mobile device speakers Filed under: Cellphones, Tablet PCs NXP's new audio chip pumps up the volume for mobile device speakers originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 17 Jul 2012 08:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | NXP | Email this | Comments | | Panasonic Lumix DMC-G5 and other models arriving soon? (Updated) Jul 17th 2012, 11:47  A story published and then pulled by The Telegraph has revealed a range of new Panasonic cameras, including the new Lumix DMC-G5. The snapper will reportedly roll up with a 3-inch screen, a 16-megapixel Venus Engine VII sensor and a smoother, more rounded body. It should shoot Full HD video, crank up to ISO of 12,800 and find its way to the market as an entry-level kit costing £599 ($937), topping out at £879 ($1,375). If a flagship ILC isn't your thing, then you may be tempted by a bridge shooter, the DMC-FZ200, which comes with a rather powerful 25-600mm lens capable of maintaining a f/2.8 aperture at any focal length. The company will also be outing the DMC-LX7 compact camera that'll offer full manual control as well as "decent" low-light photography. Details are thin on the ground, but since the company's expected to make an official announcement tomorrow, we shouldn't have too long to wait. Update: We've had an email in from a tipster who has found a picture of the FZ-200 and a snap of an otherwise unmentioned FZ-60, which we've included after the jump if you'd like to take a peek. [Thanks, Alex] Continue reading Panasonic Lumix DMC-G5 and other models arriving soon? (Updated) Filed under: Digital Cameras Panasonic Lumix DMC-G5 and other models arriving soon? (Updated) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 17 Jul 2012 07:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink PanARMENIAN | The Telegraph (Broken) | Email this | Comments | | Microsoft under investigation for not fulfilling browser choice pledge (update: MS says it's fixing 'glitch') Jul 17th 2012, 11:37  You'd be forgiven for thinking this whole browser choice issue was resolved back in 2009, but no. European regulators are back on Redmond's back, following suspicions that the megacorp may not be complying with the deal it struck all that time ago. Specifically, the allegations focus on versions of Windows 7 sold since February 2011 that came preloaded with patches, and which may not have displayed the all-important browser selection screen that offered up IE alternatives like Firefox and Chrome. The EU's concerns have already been bluntly expressed by Competition Commissioner Joaquin Almunia, who said that Microsoft "should expect sanctions" if the "infringement is confirmed" by the investigation. Almunia added that this is the first time his commission has been faced with a previous offender potentially failing to meet its antitrust commitments. Update: Reuters reports that Microsoft has acknowledged a "technical error" that meant it "missed delivering the BCS (browser choice screen) software to PCs that came with the service pack 1 update to Windows 7." The company apologized for the problem and said it has taken "immediate steps" to fix it. Filed under: Software Microsoft under investigation for not fulfilling browser choice pledge (update: MS says it's fixing 'glitch') originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 17 Jul 2012 07:37:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | ZDNet, Reuters | Email this | Comments | | Controller board for 3D printers emphasizes expandability, gives nod to Sun God Jul 17th 2012, 11:31  Is your 3D printer's standard feature set lacking? Maybe Elefu's Kickstarter-funded custom controller board can help. Dubbed Ra (think ancient Egyptian god), the project places a focus on expandability and carries a roster of I/O options including camera triggers and fans. The ATMega2560-based system allows for computer-free printing by leveraging an LCD screen, SD card reader and a knob. For inattentive designers, a standalone and programmable MP3 player and a light controller can be used to create alerts when printing completes, and adds extra flair as well. The unit also supports up to three extruders and plug-and-play support for ATX power supplies. Having doubled its $4,000 funding goal nearly three weeks ahead of the campaign's end, boards are expected to show up on doorsteps this November and can be snagged for as little as $149. Head to the source for the full feature list and reward tiers. Filed under: Misc. Gadgets Controller board for 3D printers emphasizes expandability, gives nod to Sun God originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 17 Jul 2012 07:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Kickstarter | Email this | Comments | |
