| Throwaway NFC keyboard improves productivity, reduces bank balance Aug 7th 2012, 21:08  NFC is used primarily for enjoyable activities, like buying things, sharing content and making QR codes feel old. But Japanese company Elecom is looking to change all that with a compact keyboard that exploits NFC for productivity. The silicon menace requires a companion app and is compatible with Android phones running Gingerbread (2.3.4) and up. If the bundled case had you sold on the peripheral, you may want to reconsider. The retail price is a sizeable 18,690 yen (approximately $240), and what's worse, the battery is neither rechargeable nor replaceable, so you'll have to bin it after the stated six months to a year of life. Still interested? Then head over the break for a video demo from Norwegian co-development company one2TOUCH. Continue reading Throwaway NFC keyboard improves productivity, reduces bank balance Filed under: Cellphones, Peripherals Throwaway NFC keyboard improves productivity, reduces bank balance originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 07 Aug 2012 17:08:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink  Akihabara News |  Elecom (1), (2), one2TOUCH | Email this | Comments | | Federal appeals court says warrantless wiretapping is legal Aug 7th 2012, 20:47  A federal appeals court has ruled today that the US government can tap into Americans' communications without worrying over frivolous things like "being sued" by its people. In what most sane civilians will probably see as a depressing loss of protection, a three-judge panel of the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that citizens can sue the United States for damages stemming from the use of information collected via wiretap, but not for the collection of information itself. In typical pass-the-buck fashion, Wired reports that Judge Michael Daly Hawkins and Judge Harry Pregerson added the following: "Although such a structure may seem anomalous and even unfair, the policy judgment is one for Congress, not the courts." Alrighty. For those unaware, the back and forth surrounding this issue extends back to Congress' authorization of the Bush spy program in 2008, and more specifically, a pair of US lawyers and the now-defunct al-Haramain Islamic Foundation -- a group that was granted over $2.5 million combined in legal fees after proving that they were spied on sans warrants. The full report can be found in the PDF below. Filed under: Internet Federal appeals court says warrantless wiretapping is legal originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 07 Aug 2012 16:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink Wired | US Court of Appeals [PDF] | Email this | Comments | | Samsung accused of, denies employing child labor through Chinese contractor Aug 7th 2012, 20:39  Despite improvements, working conditions are still a sore point in China -- and China Labor Watch wants to emphasize that no company is exempt from scrutiny. The rights advocacy group claims that, on top of pushing mandatory overtime and poor overall conditions, Samsung contractor HEG Electronics has allegedly been employing at least seven underage workers at a Huizhou plant making phones and DVD players. Not surprisingly, Samsung has been quick to defend itself, asserting that it found "no irregularities" in two separate inspections this year and that it plans a third as a response to the new accusations. Who's telling the truth is still up in the air, although China Labor Watch is taking aim only after going undercover; it's long been suspected that contractors whitewash their labor practices when they see corporate inspectors coming from a mile away. If there's any substance to the allegations, Samsung may be the next tech giant taking action to mend a bruised public image. Filed under: Cellphones, Home Entertainment Samsung accused of, denies employing child labor through Chinese contractor originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 07 Aug 2012 16:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink Bloomberg | China Labor Watch | Email this | Comments | | Supermarket launches trial virtual stores in UK airport, readies fresh milk for your return Aug 7th 2012, 20:19  UK supermarket Tesco has decided to bring its virtual supermarket screens (successfully trialled in South Korea last year) to Gatwick Airport. There's ten touchscreens in total, dotted around the departure lounge, with eager shoppers able to make a preemptive grocery strike with their smartphone. On-screen barcodes for around 80 items can be scanned by compatible -- that is, Android and iOS -- devices and added to your shopping basket. Following online payment, your bounty of food can then be assigned a delivery date up to three weeks in advance. The virtual shelves will stay up for two weeks; the UK retailer hasn't commented on further roll-out or extension plans. However, in an airport, during summer vacation, is probably the last place we'd muse on what we're going to eat on our eventual return. If you're wondering exactly how to shop with a four-foot touchscreen, Tesco walks you through it at the source link below. Filed under: Cellphones, Internet Supermarket launches trial virtual stores in UK airport, readies fresh milk for your return originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 07 Aug 2012 16:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink BBC News | Tesco | Email this | Comments | |
