CrunchGear |  |
- TechCrunch Review: The Name’s iPhone. Verizon iPhone.
- Renault’s Kangoo Electric Is Quite Promising, Except It Requires A Subsciption
- Canon 600D (AKA T3i) In Korean Agency Listing Suggests Imminent Launch
- Somebody Buy Me This Oak And Ostrich Leather Arcade Stick, Pronto
- Portable Rainbow Machine Makes Cheery Vandalism Easy
- Reuters Knows A Guy Who Knows A Guy Who Totally Saw The iPad 2 Today
- Free In-Flight Facebook Comes To More Airlines
- Kinect Hack Used To Make Colorful Music Video
- Crysis Continues To Look Awesome In New Trailer (Update: Minimum Specs!)
- New Bionic Commando On PSN Won’t Let You Play Offline
- SSDD A-3 Backpack From Fuct Looks Solid
- USA Is Dominate: Duty Calls Masterfully Deconstructs Why A Certain Shooter Franchise Is Rubbish
- GM To Show Buick Regal Hybrid With e-Assist At Chicago Auto Show
- We Need To Build A Fishing Net In Space To Protect Us From All Of The Junk
- HEX Announces Sport Watch Band, Works With Nike Plus
- Honeycomb Is The First Shot Fired Along Apple’s Bow
- Apple Seeks Photography Expert To Work On iPad
- EA: Star Wars The Old Republic Only Needs 500,000 Subscribers To Be Profitable
- Android Honeycomb Livestream Is Happening Now
- Nokia DC-14 Battery Charger Now On Sale, Charges Your Phone While You Pedal
| TechCrunch Review: The Name’s iPhone. Verizon iPhone. Posted: 02 Feb 2011 06:19 PM PST
Yesterday, I made a 45-minute phone call from my office. This seemingly unremarkable statement is remarkable for two reasons. First, I was able to place a call from my office — something which was impossible for me to do a week prior. Second, I made it through the entire 45-minutes without the call being dropped once. Again, this was impossible a week prior. So what changed? Well, my iPhone changed.
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| Renault’s Kangoo Electric Is Quite Promising, Except It Requires A Subsciption Posted: 02 Feb 2011 06:18 PM PST
It’s available for order right now in France with delivers later this year in July. The electric motor produces 59 hp with 167-lbs/ft of torque and the battery capacity is 22 kWh. The official range is 100 miles, though maxing out the 1,430 lb payload will probably reduce range. The batteries, housed underneath the floor, have the exact same cells in use by the Nissan Leaf. Sounds pretty good, right? Except the nearly $32,000 price tag doesn’t include a battery, and you cannot buy one.
So how does the car actually..um..run? Well, you have to rent the battery; it costs $1,500 a year. So while the burden of paying for gas is gone, it costs an additional $125 a month, even if you don’t drive it. However, it’s not all sad news. Those who will use it as a work truck in a fleet can almost guarantee that the battery will always work — once it dies, you just rent another.
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| Canon 600D (AKA T3i) In Korean Agency Listing Suggests Imminent Launch Posted: 02 Feb 2011 05:40 PM PST
Which is why this listing at a Korean regulatory agency seems timely. But while the agency listing it is Korea’s “Radio Research Agency,” that doesn’t imply something like wi-fi built in. The agency has listed items in the past, probably just as a certification that they don’t emit any harmful radiation. At any rate, we’ll keep you informed.
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| Somebody Buy Me This Oak And Ostrich Leather Arcade Stick, Pronto Posted: 02 Feb 2011 05:20 PM PST
The Hoon/Neo Legend joystick is hand-made in Paris, and is constructed from lacquered oak, with ostrich leather casing. It’ll work with a PS3, 360, or PC,and should be available on the 18th. Price is unannounced, probably because the ostrich leather alone costs as much as a normal arcade stick. I’m not sure if you’ll even be able to order one, or if you have to go to the actual joint to place an order. I kind of hope that’s the case. If I can’t have one, I don’t want anyone else to have one — except Parisians, obviously. Actually it looks like you can pre-order at Hoon. so there’s that. [via Pursuitist and Technabob]
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| Portable Rainbow Machine Makes Cheery Vandalism Easy Posted: 02 Feb 2011 04:46 PM PST
The thing is actually deceptively complicated: it’s got to have wiring to start and stop the paint cans, and a gearing system to make sure the swing arm doesn’t go too fast or too slow.
Very cool. We could use a few more of these in Seattle. I wonder what the rainbow capital of the world is? Probably somewhere weird. [via Adafruit and Hack a day]
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| Reuters Knows A Guy Who Knows A Guy Who Totally Saw The iPad 2 Today Posted: 02 Feb 2011 03:59 PM PST
I’m poking fun at the Reuters report on the matter, of course. Do I know that it’s inaccurate? No, it could be completely accurate for all I know. But I mean, come on.
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| Free In-Flight Facebook Comes To More Airlines Posted: 02 Feb 2011 03:56 PM PST
No Southwest, which means I’ll be flying a lot more Southwest. I get on airplanes to get away from Facebook.
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| Kinect Hack Used To Make Colorful Music Video Posted: 02 Feb 2011 03:05 PM PST
Their song, Young Silence, and music video in one way or another is a blend of digital noise. The creators used custom Cinder-based apps to get the footage just right and the quality isn’t too bad either. Similar to the Sandman in the latest Spiderman movie, and their video only took seven weeks of work. I have friends that could have done it in only four. [via PCWorld]
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| Crysis Continues To Look Awesome In New Trailer (Update: Minimum Specs!) Posted: 02 Feb 2011 02:09 PM PST
This isn’t exactly timely criticism, but did feel the best parts of Crysis were its least-structured segments, where you had a large area to range around in and a few objectives to accomplish by whatever means necessary. Looks like Crysis 2 will be a bit more scripted, but we’ll see. Update: I also just saw these minimum specs posted. A whole other post didn’t really seem warranted, so I’m putting them up here: * OS: XP / Vista / Windows 7 That’s not so bad. My current machine could almost run it! Note that these are the minimum specs, not recommended.
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| New Bionic Commando On PSN Won’t Let You Play Offline Posted: 02 Feb 2011 01:15 PM PST
Well, they just lost one sale, anyway.
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| SSDD A-3 Backpack From Fuct Looks Solid Posted: 02 Feb 2011 12:45 PM PST
I love its blank labels, and although I wish the snaps were metal, the rest of it looks pretty practical. It costs ¥14,700, or about $180, so it’s not a budget bag, but hey. Sometimes you need to shell out a bit for something sweet like this. [via Hypebeast]
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| USA Is Dominate: Duty Calls Masterfully Deconstructs Why A Certain Shooter Franchise Is Rubbish Posted: 02 Feb 2011 12:30 PM PST |
| GM To Show Buick Regal Hybrid With e-Assist At Chicago Auto Show Posted: 02 Feb 2011 12:10 PM PST
With all the Volt excitement, we haven’t really talked a lot about what other electric offerings GM has planned. GM has a new hybrid system they think can raise fuel economy about 25% higher. It’s called eAssist and it’s somewhat a mild hybrid modifier for existing vehicles. GM already plans to offer this technology in the 2012 Buick LaCrosse and now, they’ve announced it for the Buick Regal. eAssist is a power management system that aids a gasoline engine. Normal power comes from a 180 hp 2.4-liter Ecotec delivered through a 6-speed auto. Also, there is a 115V lithium-ion battery that powers a 15 KW motor-generator unit to provide up to 15 hp and nearly 80 lb-ft torque of assist during acceleration. Having a motor-generator also allows for recuperation during braking and the battery allows for auto start-stop of the engine at idle. Unlike the LaCrosse, the eAssist system won’t be available on the base Regal and instead will be an option. "It's a cost issue," GM insiders told WardsAuto. [via egmCartech]
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| We Need To Build A Fishing Net In Space To Protect Us From All Of The Junk Posted: 02 Feb 2011 12:00 PM PST
This is nothing if not a fun story, and the world could use more fun stories. It would appear that the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, along with Nitto Seimo Co (an honest-to-goodness fishing net company), has come up with a plan to create a giant "fishing net" of sorts that would surround the planet. Why would we want a giant net around the planet? Oh, you know, just to collect space junk and prevent it from smashing into the many satellites that we have buzzing around up there. The net would be carried up into space and then electrified, creating a sort of artificial magnetic field. The net would then hover around the planet, as seen in this artists' impression, collecting space junk in the process. Space junk? You'd be surprised how much trash we humans have pumped into space since the days of Sputnik. There's old, abandoned rocket parts, satellite parts, space craft—we're just a bunch of litter bugs, really. The Pentagon warned last year of the danger of space junk damaging communication satellites, the implication being that if we don't do something about this soon we could very well be doomed. No DirecTV, no Sirius XM, no reason to live at all.
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| HEX Announces Sport Watch Band, Works With Nike Plus Posted: 02 Feb 2011 11:39 AM PST
For those who like to incorporate tech with exercise, there’s nothing better than Nike Plus. It’s simple, cheap and fun, especially since you can compete against friends. The HEX Sport Band offers easy functionality with Nike Plus and adds a bit of fashion into the mix.    Similar to other HEX watch bands, the Sport Band features an easy way for iPod Nanos to pop in-and-out of the silicone case. On the side of the band there are controls for for changing volume and tracks. The other side is for the Nike Plus receiver. It looks like a lightweight alternative to lugging the iPhone around. Expect to see these at the climbing wall. Price is only $29.99 and $8.95 for the cable keeper. You can buy them here.
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| Honeycomb Is The First Shot Fired Along Apple’s Bow Posted: 02 Feb 2011 11:03 AM PST
Android 3.0 aka Honeycomb means Google is now officially at war with Apple. The lines are drawn. The sides chosen. This is going to get nasty, but there doesn’t have to be a clear winner for consumers to win. The Apple iPad stood alone in 2010 while Google was finalizing Android for the slate form factor. If this were a race, the iPad would be miles ahead while Android was still packing carbs. But it’s not a race. It’s a fictional war, and while Google might be a bit behind in both market share and consumer awareness, it’s never too late to introduce a new, major platform like Android 3.0. But how can the upcoming Honeycomb devices — the Motorola Xoom and the LG G-Slate — stand strong against not the current iPad, but the upcoming second generation? Can Android beat the iPad in terms of hardware? Sure. The iPad dev cycle lasts one year while there will be hundreds of Android Tabs out in the next few months. Too bad hardware is irrelevant in this sort of platform war. Everyone is going to use similar processors and similar memory technologies. Screens won’t be much different among these devices, no matter how much folks like Pixel Qi want that to change. The iPad ruled 2010. Not a single tablet could stand up to its feature set or general appeal. Only the Samsung Galaxy Tab sold in any significant numbers, but it’s still not clear how many they sold in the first place. To be fair, the current Android release was never truly designed for the slate form factor, but manufacturers like Dell and Samsung pushed on, determined to put up something against the marauding iPad. Both hit the market with an anticlimactic thud and tarnished the Android name.
2011 will be different. Android 3.0 is a proper tablet OS, designed from the start to be a tablet interface. Things are going to get interesting from here. Previously Android tablets were sold on hardware specs alone. It was like computer Mad Libs: “Oh, nice, the [tablet name] is built on the [mobile platform ] and comes with a [size in inches]-inch screen.” The iPad, however, was sold on capabilities thanks to Apple’s vertical ecosystem. “Oh, nice, you can play [game app], use [productivity app] or enjoy content from [streaming app].” Those two ideas – the specs vs. apps argument – will converge.
Honeycomb changes this and brings the Android tablet to nearly the same level as the iPad with a robust backed-in feature set. Everything from the totally redesigned the UI with live multitasking, mulitple tool bars and a whole host of new apps is different from iOS. It’s by far the most dramatic update since the Android platform launched and in many ways, it looks and works totally different from anything else currently on the market. Even the Android Market got a fresh set whitewash. The new web version packs features that allows developers to better promote and describe their wares just in a similar fashion as iTunes. The web version even allows users to buy apps online, which will then automatically download to the phone or tablet.
Which tablets will take the popularity crown from the iPad? Well, it’s hard to say. Look at the Motorola Xoom. It rocks a 10.1-inch, 16:10 display, a 3G modem that’s later upgradeable to 4G, a 5MP camera, and a gorgeous casing. The LG G-Slate is more of the same except it sports 3D cameras and a Tegra 2 platform that’s able to support 1080p capture and playback. But none of that should matter in the long run. These are pricey tablets and in order for the Android tablet to become a hit like the iPad, the volitilty normally associated with Android needs to subside and the tablets just need to work as advertised. Looking forward to future hardware profiles is fine, but building a platform around what’s currently available installs trust and confidence. When people purchase the iPad, or the iPhone really, the features the device is built around a current feature set that works as it should. Android’s trademark, “Wait until the next version! That’s when it will be an Apple killer.” The iPad 2 will no doubt right some of the original’s wrongs. There’s said to be an SD card slot, a larger and therefore functional speaker, and maybe even a thinner bezel. The second generation of Android tablets are tackling the many problems with the software suite: built-in tablet apps, improved user interaction and a code base designed for tablet hardware platforms. Again, none of this really matters. Android vs iOS is a silly battle that’s fought only on fan sites and forums. Google and Apple are constantly working to bring the best they can to consumers. Both look at each other’s products and and compare competitors against their own work. Sometimes features make it to the other’s products. Sometimes they don’t, but they’re both turning into phenomenal products, regardless of who shoots where.
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| Apple Seeks Photography Expert To Work On iPad Posted: 02 Feb 2011 10:59 AM PST
Apple has put out a new job listing looking for a digital photography expert to work on the iPad development team. So here is an honest answer to whether or not the iPad will ever have a camera. What’s interesting here is that they are looking for a digital photography expert, not a camera expert.
Also, remember that we saw wallpaper images from the second beta of iOS 4.2 that included new photo apps: FaceTime and Photobooth. Apple will likely use this new position to make the photography experience of iOS devices more satisfying.
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| EA: Star Wars The Old Republic Only Needs 500,000 Subscribers To Be Profitable Posted: 02 Feb 2011 10:45 AM PST
Quite a bit has been written about Star Wars: The Old Republic, BioWare's upcoming MMO. So, here's more writing. The latest is that EA, the game's publisher, says that it will be profitable with only 500,000 subscribers. If all the planets align and they're able to nab 1 million subscriber, whew! Swimming in money. The question becomes, will they even get that many subscribers? The game has been subject to rumor after salacious rumor—at its conference call yesterday, EA said that it "chuckles" at some of those rumors—detailing a chaotic development, incompetent management, and all sorts of other tales of intrigue. EA did admit that the game is incurring "significant" development costs, but that can quickly be made back at $10 per month per subscriber. The game was recently pushed back to September. Oh, dear.
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| Android Honeycomb Livestream Is Happening Now Posted: 02 Feb 2011 10:13 AM PST |
| Nokia DC-14 Battery Charger Now On Sale, Charges Your Phone While You Pedal Posted: 02 Feb 2011 10:12 AM PST
When Nokia showed off their cell phone charger by pedal power concept, they underestimated the response from customers. Why wouldn’t it get popular? It makes a lot of sense: transferring human energy to a more efficient gear setup, a bicycle, and running electronics off it. The idea of using a bike to power electronics isn’t new, in fact, most bike lights years ago used this method. What’s interesting is that by keeping speeds up, around 8.7 mph or more, the energy created is the same as what you get by plugging into AC. The setup is dirt- and weather-resistant and the phone is locked down with a couple of straps. For developing countries with less access to power, this could become a great alternative, and it’s a green device for the rest of us. It’s now on sale for £25 in Nokia’s UK store. [via Slashgear]
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We heard a while back that Canon might be doing a serious refresh of its lineup soon, and that the most likely place would be the CP+ photo show in Japan coming up in about a week. I’d say 2011 will likely be a shake-up year for Canon, but don’t expect them to roll everything out at once. A new compact DSLR is certainly due, though; the 
Have you heard the news? 
The 
The position is at Apple’s headquarters in Cupertino and the candidate with be a “dynamic software engineer with the drive and desire to deliver great photography applications for the Mac and iPad platforms.” 
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