ESA, NASA test interplanetary internet by remote controlling a Lego robot from the ISS

ESA, NASA test interplanetary internet by remote controlling a Lego robot from the ISS, take one giant leap for bricks

NASA (and the ESA) have long been working on a multi-planet internet that can link up spaceships, probes and rovers, but they've at last brought the experimentation from the broad scale to smaller dimensions. Lego bricks, to be exact. International Space Station expedition lead Sunita Williams recently steered a Lego Mindstorms robot at an ESA facility in Darmstadt while she orbited overhead, proving that future space explorers could directly control a vehicle on a planetary surface while staying out of harm's way. As in the past, the key to the latest dry run was a Disruption-Tolerant Networking (DTN) system; the focus was more on reliably getting packets through to the brick-based vehicle than on pure speed. As tame as that Earth-bound test drive might sound relative to an in-the-field use on a less familiar world, it demonstrates that the DTN approach can work when it really counts. We just wouldn't hold our breath for any Martian RC car races.

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ESA, NASA test interplanetary internet by remote controlling a Lego robot from the ISS originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 09 Nov 2012 11:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/11/09/esa-nasa-test-interplanetary-internet-by-remote-controlling-lego/

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Multiple Screens Can Join Together in a Pinch

Researchers at the Tokyo University of Technology have developed software that lets users link up multiple mobile devices to create a giant display. You just place a number of mobile devices together in any array desired, and use the pinch gesture familiar to touchscreen users to link them up. The so-called "Pinch" software lets users link mobile devices of different sizes together.

Source: http://ectnews.com.feedsportal.com/c/34520/f/632000/s/2528f82f/l/0L0Stechnewsworld0N0Crsstory0C765310Bhtml/story01.htm

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Interlocked is a three-dimensional brain teaser

interlocked
Back when I was a kid, I used to love crafting ornate puzzle boxes out of Lego. There would be just one way to open the box, by carefully shifting and rotating a bunch of pieces. Well, either that, or breaking the box in frustration.

Interlocked takes that spirit and turns it into a beautiful Flash game. It's a good thing the soundtrack is soothing, because the game itself can get pretty frustrating.

At the start of each level, you're presented with a box built out of blocks in different colors. You can click and drag the mouse to rotate the box any which way. Once you decide you want to shift a part of the box, hit SPACE to switch into "move" mode. You can then click any part of the box and drag it. Of course, you can only move a part as long as nothing is in its way. So it becomes a matter of understanding how the box is built, and what parts you need to move around so you could eventually take the box apart.

It's a tricky, difficult game, but it's a great brain teaser -- and definitely a keeper.

Interlocked is a three-dimensional brain teaser originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 29 Mar 2011 17:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/29/interlocked-is-a-three-dimensional-brain-teaser/

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Dotcom Loses Dominion Over Me.ga Domain

Kim Dotcom, founder of the now-defunct file-sharing site Megaupload, has long been in hot water with the big, huge United States. Now he's irked the tiny, little nation of Gabon. Gabon has reportedly blocked the Megaupload successor, which Dotcom announced last week, and which is supposed to launch on Jan. 20. The URL that Dotcom had tabbed for his new site, Me.ga, seemed a logical one.

Source: http://ectnews.com.feedsportal.com/c/34520/f/632000/s/2561436b/l/0L0Stechnewsworld0N0Crsstory0C765770Bhtml/story01.htm

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TripAdvisor app for Windows Phone 7 now available

tripadvisor windows phone 7TripAdvisor, the popular travel planning tool, has just launched an app for Windows Phone 7. Just like the mobile website, the app allows you to search for anything travel-related -- from hotels and flights to restaurants and points-of-interest to visit once you reach your destination.

Geolocation is supported, which allows TripAdvisor to quickly locate places nearby. But while that's a neat feature, it's also a bit of a downer -- because, really, it's about the only feature TripAdvisor for WP7 brings to the table that its mobile Web app doesn't already offer (its browser-based geolocation doesn't work with WP7 at the moment).

While it's nice to see Windows Phone 7 users getting some big-name apps, it'd be even nicer if we saw some packing a bit more swagger.

Still, TripAdvisor for WP7 might just be worth installing on your device if you're frequently on the go -- at least until a better browser arrives with the Mango update.

TripAdvisor app for Windows Phone 7 now available originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 05 Apr 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/05/tripadvisor-app-for-windows-phone-7-now-available/

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Car Widget Pro Goes the Distance - and Beyond

Developer Alex Gavrishev's free, widget-oriented app lets you assign home screens specifically to be used in the car, and it lets you create large, easy-to-punch buttons for six shortcuts per screen. The buttons render well at tablet-strength high resolutions, unlike other car apps I've tried.

Source: http://ectnews.com.feedsportal.com/c/34520/f/632000/s/2528ed68/l/0L0Stechnewsworld0N0Crsstory0C76530A0Bhtml/story01.htm

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Samsung Galaxy Note 2 now available at AT&T

Android Central

Those of you itching to get a hold of Samsung's latest phablet will be happy to hear that, as expected, the Galaxy Note 2 is now available at AT&T stores and online for $299 on a two-year contract. 

The Note 2 launch on AT&T is going to be a bit crowded by Windows Phones though, as both the Nokia Lumia 920 and the HTC 8X are also hitting shelves today, and they're getting a lot of visibility. On the other hand, Samsung has already sold 3 million Note 2 devices. There aren't any surprises as far as Note 2 specs go, as the 5.5-inch HD Super AMOLED display, LTE connectivity, 8 megapixel camera, and quad-core 1.6 GHz processor are the same as models released elsewhere. 

 Who's in? Of course, you'll want to check out our review of the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 before taking the plunge. 

More: Samsung Galaxy Note 2 forums

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/pGQSkVnk3pI/story01.htm

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Giant Smiley Discovered In Mercury

NASA scientists are having a lot of fun with Messenger, the spacecraft now orbiting Mercury. Not only they are documenting the planet at a resolution of 200 meters per pixel, but they are spotting all kinds of fun stuff. A few weeks ago it was the Sesame Street's cookie monster. Today it's a smiley crater. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/CxJOpC43fH0/giant-smiley-discovered-in-mercury

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The Downsides to Apple?s iPad

When Apple’s iPad was launched, there were queues of people waiting to get their hands on one. The revolutionary tablet iPad was going to offer people a new device that was going to change their lives. However, a lot of people shrugged at the idea with clear indifference. Many people announced their disappointment at the fact the iPad could not deliver on it’s promises. The two opposing views show just how divided opinions are about the device. First we need [...]

Source: http://tabletbuzzblog.com/the-downsides-to-apples-ipad/

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