While Google Glass is a leader in its field, it lacks on one thing: attraction and applicability to that of sports and athletes.  While it is water resistant, it is not the toughest of products and probably wouldn’t hold up to someone dripping sweat for long periods of time.  Recon Instruments saw the obvious hole in the market and developed the Jet.  The Jet is a pair of sport sunglasses with an integrated Android powered display that has an endless amount of possibilities.

Recon, previously known for its MOD ski goggle inserts, takes the idea one step further and applies the same technology to a sporting pair of shades with a list of supped up features.  They also added a huge amount of connectivity options and sensors, it comes with WiFi, Bluetooth, an accelerometer, thermometer, GPS and most exciting, ANT+.  These features will allow the shades to gather data from different capturing sources such as heart rate monitors, cycling power and cadence.

Strava users will be chomping at the bit to get this technology with the ability to get real-time displays of everything they desire.  Engaget tried a pair of prototypes and described the glasses as a bit flimsy and stating they had a difficult time seeing the display.  But keep in mind this was a pre-production prototype and I’m sure they will work out some of the bugs and finalize a marketable product.  The removable battery is said to have a projected life of six hours, way more than I would need to get winded!

The Recon Instruments Jet is set to ship by the end of the year and we have no official release of expected price, though some speculation it will cost around $500 — give or take a hundred or so.  Seems a bit steep, but those that already spend thousands on their bikes and gear will have no problem dropping that much for the real-time applications and training possibilities.

[ source ]

The post Recon Instruments Create Android Powered Sunglasses appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

Developed by Otherfab, the Othermill is a portable computer-controlled 3-axis mill that will allow you to cut custom circuit boards. And since it’s capable of cutting metal, wood, wax and plastic, you can also start working on your own jewelry, molds and more.

You can make beautiful jewelry from materials such as brass and birch as the Othermill can accommodate any tool with a 1/8” shank.

According to Otherfab:

“The Othermill was designed with PCBs in mind, and they were the very first thing we tested when we had a working machine. The precision and accuracy of the Othermill allows you to reliably cut 10 mil trace and space on FR-1 PCB stock. You can create custom circuits that fit into odd 3D printed parts, seamlessly integrate electronics into your clothing, and free up your Arduinos for other applications”.

The Othermill is a kickstarter project and it seems they have reached their goal of $50,000 within less than 24 hours since it began. Check out the video below to know more about their project.

[Source]

The post Othermill: Cut Custom Circuit Boards and More (Video) appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

The main problem faced by all HP Touchpad users is the scarcity of apps, but of course dual booting into Android is a good way to access apps that are unavailable. If all goes as it should, a better solution could arrive in just a few months, provided you are willing to help Phoenix International Communications in their attempt to resurrect OpenMobile’s ACL for webOS.

In case you are new to ACL, it’s Application Compatibility Layer, and it allows running of Android apps on non-Android devices. The webOS ACL will allow users to run Android apps alongside native webOS applications, and its alpha version appear to be working fine on a Touchpad as you will see in the video below.

Since OpenMobile worked on the project earlier, Phoenix is promising that the final build will be available for purchase and download by July. It’s a Kickstarter project and they have, at the time of writing this, managed $5,991 of the $35,000 goal with 24 days to go.

They are offering various gifts including a copy of the ACL software, their LED flashlight keychain, and even the developer’s Touchpad depending on how much you pledge.

[Source]

The post OpenMobile ACL For webOS Coming In July appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

Is Google Glass the next big thing or just a silly trend that will see a loss of interest in time? That’s a good question, and one with no easy answer. In Science Fiction movies we often see wearable computing play a major role, but it’s hard to say how big that role will really be in the next few years.

What we do know is that in its current form, Google Glass is targeted at developers and the occasional “enthusiast”. When does Google see the product becoming a true consumer item? According to Eric Schmidt, about a year from now. A year from now and wearable computing will be easily accessible and hopefully more affordable for every day folks. Amazing how quickly technology evolves.

Still, Google Glass brings up some unique questions and concerns, the biggest of these dealing with security.

When the first camera phones started surfacing, it was a game changer for privacy in many ways. Before that, not everyone carried cameras in their pockets or purses, meaning that unless they planned on capturing something on tape or in the form of a picture, they probably didn’t have the camera or camcorder with them.

As phones became more powerful, just about everyone potentially was waiting to take that embarrassing photo or video, or record a witness event of a crime. It was an idea that even that was met with some concern.

The same goes for Google Glass. The idea of having a wearable computer on your head that allows easy recording and pictures at all time is a novel concept and one that has already met some negative reactions from groups that call for a ‘ban’ on Google Glass due to these privacy concerns.

That’s where Schmidt talks about the need for new etiquette and understanding regarding wearable computing devices like Google Glass.

“It’s obviously not appropriate to wear these glasses in situations where recording is not correct. Companies like Google have a very important responsibility to keep your information safe but you have a responsibility as well which is to understand what you’re doing, how you’re doing it, and behave appropriately and also keep everything up to date.”

Security concerns and questions aside, is there true potential for Google Glass?

Devices like Google Glass might seem more like novelties at the moment, but as developers learn how to best use the technology, there are tons of potential uses. For those of us that like to walk or run for exercise, fun and transportation, having GPS, radio and an augmented panel of information on the fly would be great.

Also imagine being able to ‘tag’ places as you visit them, leave yourself notes about the location and other details. Maybe you could socially share these notes. So you walk into a bar for the first time and already know what people think are the best drinks, how people rate the atmosphere, etc.

Google Glass has the potential to change the way we see the world, whether that’s a good or bad thing depends on how you feel about these kinds of computing devices.

“At the moment what you do is you wear it. There are tremendous numbers of applications that can be imagined – augmented reality – where you see what’s going on in real-time and then we annotate that. We say, oh that’s this building, or this is something that you’ve already done, or those sorts of things.”

What do you think about Google Glass and other wearable devices like glasses, smartphones, smart backpacks and the like? Are they truly the future or just a short-term trend? Let us know what you think in the comments below!

[ source ]

The post Google Glass to Be Consumer Ready Within A Year, Says Eric Schmidt appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

Our astronauts would love to get themselves into a more flexible suit while floating through space. Takahiko Hariyama and his team at Japan’s Hamamatsu University School of Medicine appear to have found a solution. Their so called nano-suit is currently just for insects but it could be developed for use in space.

If we try to take a nanometer-level resolution image of an insect using a scanning electron microscope, that creature won’t survive the process since it is required that the subject is kept in a vacuum.

But Hariyama and his colleagues noticed that when electrons were fired at a fruit fly larva polymerization caused its skin molecules to link together to form a barrier, and they named this barrier as the nano-suit. The nano-suit helped the larva to survive in a vacuum by preventing the escape of moisture from its body.

But the formation of a natural nano-suit did not happen with other larvae. So they developed a suit using a chemical called Tween 20 and water. This artificial nano-suit ensured the survival of the insects. And since it remains flexible without breaking, scientists can now try to capture nanometer-level videos of insects while they are in motion.

Hariyama is currently trying to develop an artificial nano-suit that can also protect an insect from electron radiation.

This certainly could find applications in spacesuit development for astronauts. You can imagine a very thin and flexible space shield capable of protecting humans from radiation and other issues.

[Source]

The post Nano-Suits For Future Astronauts (Video) appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

From the development of diagnostic devices to uses in physical therapy and drug delivery and more, Nanotechnology is finding numerous applications in the medical world. Now a group of scientists at the University of California, San Diego, have developed Nanosponges which are capable of soaking up lethal toxins from the bloodstream.

Each sponge features a biocompatible polymer core which is packed inside a natural red blood cell (RBC) membrane. This makes the Nanosponges similar in appearance to RBC and capable of evading the host’s immune system. Each sponge is about 3,000 times smaller than an RBC; therefore thousands of sponges can be coated with membrane taken from a single cell.

In the bloodstream these nanosponges will attract “pore-forming toxins” produced by snake and insect venom, and bacteria such as MRSA and E. coli. Since the number of nanosponges in the bloodstream will be much higher than that of real red blood cells, the toxins end up attaching themselves mostly to the sponges. Then the sponges with attached toxins reach the liver where they are metabolized ensuring no harmful effects.

When they tested on mice by inoculating them with the nanosponges, 89 percent of them survived lethal doses of alpha-haemolysin toxin from MRSA. And unlike other anti-toxins, nanosponges in their stock form can take care of a variety of toxins.

[Source]

The post Nanosponges That Remove Toxins From The Bloodstream (Video) appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

It’s no secret that Google is working on unifying it’s chat and message services in to something called Babel, and the Play Store could really do with a spit and shine, so it’s hardly surprising to see leaks appearing online showing both. Starting with Babel, some users are claiming that a message appears when deleting certain messages in Gmail. The message says:

“All conversations have been moved to the Trash. Because one of more are part of a Babel chat, these messages are still available in other Babel chat applications.”

Not only a pretty solid clue that Babel is on the way, but a nice feature too.

As for the Google Play 4.0 redesign, the above screenshot is said to have been briefly seen on the YouTube page of a Google employee. It has since been deleted but as you can see from the image we have here the new version of Play looks to be bringing better search and app discovery to Android.

And as a bonus leak, the screenshot could also has come from an updated 4G LTE verso of the Nexus 4 as evidenced by the notifications bar.

[ Source ]

The post Redesigned Google Play and Babel leaks turn up appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

At CES in January, GM announced that it is releasing an SDK so that developers can create apps specifically for its vehicles. In fact, there is going to be a 4G-supported app store built into that in-dash screen, allowing you to browse and buy apps from right behind the steering wheel. Of course, they don’t recommend you do this while driving, but you know that inevitably some people will try.

The goal isn’t so much to extend existing apps into the cars as much as it is to build apps that are specific for cars. It’s not about having Angry Birds on there. As Phil Abram, GM Chief Infotainment Officer said, “GM may approve applications that stem from vehicle ownership. For example, customers can choose to download applications that assist them in driving more safely or in a more fuel efficient manner, possibly decreasing the costs of vehicle ownership.” Of course, we can expect the usual suite of weather, music, news and navigation apps too.

The built-in 4G also ensures that you can keep downloading and using these apps even when you’re not tethering off your phone or in the presence of a Wi-Fi hotspot. They have a deal with AT&T for this purpose.

[Source]

The post GM Launching App Store Inside Your Car’s Dashboard appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

If a new rumor is to be believed, Facebook’s upcoming April 4th event will be focused on the social network giants first foray in the mobile operating arena. Like many before them, Facebook has opted to adapt Google’s Android OS to incorporate their own social media apps including Facebook Messenger, Photos and Contact applications.

The first phone to run the Facebook Home OS is rumoured to be running on the all new HTC Myst which sources close to the company say looks a lot like the iPhone 5 and will feature a physical home button and 4.3-inch display.

It’s going to be interesting to see what the custom Facebook Android OS is going to look like. What we are really curious about is how well it will be accepted, though. What do you think, interested in the idea of a Facebook Android fork?

[ Source ]

The post Facebook Home Custom Android OS to Launch at April 4th Event appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

It looks like Google isn’t just giving the axe to Google Reader, but to ad-blocking applications as well. Google has now removed many of the ad-blocking apps that were previously in their Google Play store.

Whether you love or hate ads, this is how Google and the free app developers make their money, so I can’t say I blame Google for the decision.

Officially, Google says that the reason for the removal is because these kinds of apps violate section 4.4 of the Developer Distribution Agreement for Google Play.

Here’s a sample letter of what Google is sending out, this one originating from the developer behind the program called “Ad Blocker”:

This is a notification that your application, Ad Blocker ★ Root ★, with package ID com.jrummy.apps.ad.blocker, has been removed from the Google Play Store.

REASON FOR REMOVAL: Violation of section 4.4 of the Developer Distribution Agreement.

After a regular review we have determined that your app interferes with or accesses another service or product in an unauthorized manner. This violates the provision of your agreement with Google referred to above.

All violations are tracked. Serious or repeated violations of any nature will result in the termination of your developer account, and investigation and possible termination of related Google accounts. If your account is terminated, payments will cease and Google may recover the proceeds of any past sales and/or the cost of any associated fees (such as chargebacks and transaction fees) from you.

If your developer account is still in good standing, you may revise and upload a new instance of the application that is compliant with the developer terms. Before uploading any new applications, please review the Developer Distribution Agreement and Content Policy

If you feel we have made this determination in error, you can visit this Google Play Help Center article for additional information regarding this removal.

The Google Play Team

Of course if you really want or need an ad-blocker, you can always download them directly from their developers or even use a 3rd party app store (just be careful that the source is safe and trusted). Keep in mind Google isn’t attempting to block the use of these kind of apps on Android – they just aren’t enabling the use of them through the Play Store.

What do you think of Google’s decision to remove ad-blocking programs, does it make sense or do you think it was the wrong move?

[ source ]

The post Google Removes Ad-Blocking Programs From the Play Store appeared first on Mobile Magazine.