Military Researchers Design Real-life 'Transformer' Plane

UK aerospace and defense contractor BAE Systems have taken the wraps off several concepts it envisions as possible tools for the military in the decades to come — and if these designs are any guide, future battlefields are going to look like the set of a science fiction movie.

The most interesting of the concepts is called the Transformer, a stealth aircraft that's actually composed of three airplanes — a large, diamond-shaped model, and two smaller flanking planes.

The Transformer is theoretically capable of longer flights that conserve fuel by reducing overall aerodynamic drag.

Right now, the most common aerial refueling techniques are the probe-and-drogue and the boom method, both of which require the delicate mid-air synchronization of separate aircraft. The Transformer would conceivably make the prospect of longer missions easier by requiring fewer mid-air fueling runs.

Alongside the Transformer, the firm also unveiled several other concept vehicles, including a self-healing aircraft called the Survivor (see video above). This plane repairs its exterior in mid-flight using a lightweight adhesive fluid within a pattern of carbon nanotubes.

BAE's concept videos also include an aircraft capable of shooting a concentrated energy beam to disable missiles as well as an aircraft (see video below) with the ability to fabricate and deploy UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) using on-board 3D printers.

But while BAE's advanced research group is known for coming up with fascinating innovations, the company is careful to mention that the concepts are mere predictions of what might be possible by 2040.

"[W]e don't know exactly what sorts of aircraft technologies will be used in 2040 with any certainty," said Nick Colosimo, an engineering manager from BAE's R&D team, in a statement. "But it's great to be able to show the public some concepts that might be possible through projecting where today’s technology could get to."

Image:youtube BAE SYSTEM

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'Smart Glass' Could Produce DSLR-Quality Smartphone Photos

Newly developed "smart glass" technology that mimics the shutter capabilities of a traditional camera could improve the pictures you snap on your smartphone. Researchers in Germany have developed a camera component for smartphones that helps adjust light, exposure and focus.

Traditional cameras have what photographers refer to as an aperture — overlapping blades around the inside of a lens that move mechanically to change the size and focus of the lens. The aperture is sometimes referred to as an "iris." Much like the iris of the human eye, it controls how much light enters the mechanism, which affects the image that is eventually produced. When it comes to cameras, the amount of light that touches the camera's sensors affect the overall focus of the picture you take.

Because of their size, smartphone cameras currently don’t have aperture mechanisms. "There is no technology today that can realize an iris aperture for smartphone cameras," said Tobias Deutschmann, physicist at the Technische Universitaet Kaiserslautern in Germany and lead-author of the study.

As a result, camera phone pictures won’t have the same quality or focus as pictures taken by a DSLR camera, for instance.

"The [smartphone] cameras would benefit from an iris, because it allows [the camera] to change the depth of focus, which is not possible right now, and would further close the gap in functionality between smartphone cameras and conventional digital cameras," Deutschmann told Live Science. "In addition it would be an option to create larger optics for the smartphones to increase the picture quality in bad light situations, like at night, while the iris would decrease the amount of light that reaches the sensor in bright environments."

Deutschmann and his colleagues developed a mechanism to make up for the need for better focus — a "micro-iris." The thin device, made of electrochromic material sometimes referred to as "smart glass," can be placed on the smartphone camera lens. Electrochromic material controls how much light passes through itself by changing its transparency in response to light or heat. Smart glass has been used in sunroofs, windows and skylights, and the material changes in opacity from transparent to translucent when heated or when voltage is applied to it.

In rearview mirrors, smart glass tints the mirror to reduce light glare. In architecture, smart glass is being employed in buildings as a way to cut energy costs, Green Tech Media reports.

But in smartphone cameras, the smart glass in the micro-iris could function as an aperture — it can adjust how much light enters the camera, preventing too much exposure and helping to focus the image. The micro-iris is also incredibly low-powered, requiring only 1.5 volts of electricity, which means handheld smartphones are well-suited to handle it, the researchers said.

Deutschmann said the smart glass is still in its early stages of development, which means the idea works in principle but isn’t quite ready for commercial products just yet. Future research will look at how well electrochromic materials can control camera focus — an important parameter that will determine whether smart glass will be a key feature for next-generation smartphones.

This article originally published at LiveScience.

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Samsung Announces New 85-Inch UHD TV and Curved Sets

Samsung announced three new UHD televisions on Tuesday, including two curved sets and a monstrous $10,000 addition to its HU8550 series.

At a whopping 85 inches, the new TV is the largest set in Samsung's HU8550 lineup, though it's not the company's largest UHD TV, which is 110 inches. The television will sell for $10,000 when it becomes available later this month.

The two new curved sets — part of Samsung's new HU7250 lineup — come in more manageable 55- and 65-inch varieties, and will retail for $2,200 and $3,300, respectively, when they hit stores in August. The new curved offerings are powered by a quad-core processor, and include Samsung's UHD Dimming feature, which adjusts the display's brightness and contrast. They also have the ability to display content from four different sources onscreen, simultaneously.

Finally, Samsung announced its new HU6950 series, new flat screens meant to be more affordable UHD TV offerings. The sets come with some of the same features as Samsung's flagships, including UHD Dimming, UHD Upscaling and multiscreen capabilities. The HU6950 lineup come in 40-, 50- and 55-inch options, and will cost between $1,000 and $2,000.

Image: Samsung

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Smart Soccer Ball Brings Tech to the World Cup

Whether you’re on the field or spectating from thousands of miles away, there’s no escaping the impact of technology on this year's World Cup.

In our latest Mobile Minute video, we take a look at the big tech players - from smart soccer balls to smartwatches that track goals.

The Adidas miCoach Smart Ball lets you feel like a champ at home, helping you perfect your passes, headers, corners and penalty kicks in time for the next games.

For the brave souls officiating each game, there's Goal Control, a camera-powered smartwatch that vibrates when the ball crosses a goal.

And for those who want to get in the action at home, there are plenty of ways to stay connected to the game thanks to a variety of apps.

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Glance Turns Almost Any Wrist Gear Into a Smart Device

It's not a smartwatch, but it's pretty dang close.

Glance is a wristband prototype accessory that can effectively turn a regular watch into a smartwatch. Designed by Kiwi Wearables, a startup based out of Toronto, Canada, Glance can be tucked in behind a regular watch band and synced with a smartphone.

The device can alert the wearer to incoming calls or text messages, track movement and be used as a remote control for a smart TV, according to the device's Kickstarter page.

Unlike many smartphones, which can only survive a few hours of optimum use before needing juice, Glance's designers created it to last for a week without charging. When its power is low, the Glance's battery can easily be recharged via its USB port, just like any other mobile device.

Glance also uses a 3D motion detector to measure movement. For example, it can tell how many steps you've taken or how many miles you've biked. It also has the added benefit of being waterproof.

The team behind Glance is looking to raise $150,000 by July 3 to fund the project. So far, they have nearly 500 contributors who have collectively put up just over $41,000.

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Nex Band Is a Wearable Device Complete With Modular Charms

Charm bracelets aren't just for kids anymore.

NEX Band is a customizable wearable device for adults that allows the wearer to add charms or “Mods," each with a unique set of features.

"It's a disruptive concept because it gives power to the consumer to customize their bands on the inside and out at a fraction of the cost," Adam Adelman, CEO and co-founder of Mighty Cast, the company producing NEX Band, told.

While most wearable devices focus on a single niche use, the NEX Band includes five different modifications including giving the wearer the ability to track their fitness or send coded messages to other NEX users. Some Mods may also function as stand-alone fashion statement pieces.

Each of the multi-colored LED Mods can send notifications, be exchanged with other users and managed with the NEX mobile app. The company uses its patent-pending "Base and Token" technology to connect the Mods to a cloud system to update any information in real-time. "In essence, we're a Pandora charm bracelet 2.0," says Adelman.

Beginning May 13, SDKs, APIs and emulators will be available for developers to use to "create Mods for The NEX band and/or use the technology to adapt the base and token concept to other form factors outside of wearables and into the Internet of Things," said the company in a press release.

The NEX Band itself is Bluetooth enabled and iOS and Android compatible.

Similar to Google’s Project Ara smartphone, Mighty Cast believes modular tech is the next level of technology. So if a developer wanted to create a Mod that requires hardware inside the Mod, Mighty Cast claims it's possible.

"The NEX Band is set to disrupt the wearable space, giving power to the consumer to customize their user experience, not lock themselves into one application,” says Adelman.

The NEX Bands are currently available at a pre-order amount of $49.99 — half off its expected price of $99.99 — with the next batch shipping in the fall.

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LG G3 Specs Leak Ahead of Release: QuadHD Display, 13MP Camera

The LG G3 is set to be launched on Tuesday, May 27, but some of LG's international websites have killed the suspense by publishing the device's specifications a day early.

Droid Life has the details (coming from LG's Dutch site), and they're as expected: the LG G3 will feature a QuadHD (2560x1440 pixels), 5.5-inch display — the first high-profile Android phone to do so.

We also know the G3 will have a 13-megapixel rear camera, 2GB of RAM, a Snapdragon 801 processor, 16GB of storage (expandable via microSD memory cards), and a 3,000mAh battery.

Other features of note include a 2.1-megapixel front camera, "lightweight metallic design," wireless charging support and a 1W speaker.

We'll follow up after the device's official unveiling later today.

Image: LG

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Google Unveils Self-Driving Car Prototype

Google has been building self-driving cars for years, but what we've seen so far has always been retrofits of existing cars — until now. The search giant unveiled on Tuesday a fully autonomous self-driving car, built from the ground up by Google and its partners.

Company co-founder Sergey Brin revealed his plans at Recode's Code Conference in southern California. He told Recode editors Walt Mossberg and Kara Swisher (who has ridden in the car), that there's a safety benefit in a custom-built self-driving car. Because the car doesn't have a steering wheel, accelerator or brakes, it has more sensors in strategic spots than is possible in a regular vehicle. It is also equipped with a big "stop" button. In addition to all this tech, Google's autonomous car includes internal power steering and power brakes.

"It was inspiring to start with a blank sheet of paper and ask, 'What should be different about this kind of vehicle?'" Chris Urmson, director of the Self-Driving Car Project, wrote in a blog post about the new car.

Swisher said riding in the all-electric car was like going on a Disney ride. Considering it currently has a maximum speed of roughly 25 mph, this makes sense. Brin described riding in the car, which in one test was programmed via smartphone, as "relaxing," and similar to catching a chairlift. He added that the car will eventually go up to 100 mph once it's proven to be able to travel safely at that speed.

As for when the cars — which are significantly smaller than traditional cars and include couch-like seating — might actually make it to real highways, Brin said Google will soon test them with drivers. "Within a couple of years, we'll — if we’ve passed the safety metrics we've put in place, which is to be significantly safer than a human driver ... have them on the road," he said.

Image: GOOGLE

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Finally, Robots That Turn Into Furniture

Get ready for self-constructing, shape shifting, moving-on-command furniture — or as its creator like to call it, Roombots.

There are a lot of things we imagine our future robot overlords doing. But making, or rather being our furniture is probably not one of them. The kind of robot furnishings researchers at Switzerland-based technical university Ecole Polytechnique Federerale de Lausanne (EPFL) are working on is the stuff of dreams (and maybe a few nightmares).

Roombots are actually robotic modules, roughly 6x6x6 inches and weighing about 3 pounds, that include a few motors for three degrees of movements. They can roll slowly on the ground or use their built-in grip modules to attach themselves to each other or objects like specially-designed table-tops.

According to scientist Auke Ijspeert of the EPFL’s Biorobotics Laboratory in Switzerland, Roombots can build themselves into adaptive furniture that can change from a chair to, say, a table and even rise up to meet you. This second feature could be especially important, as one of Ijspeert’s goals is to make Roombots an assistive technology. A Roombot table could, for example, twist its legs so it becomes taller and easier to use for someone who has trouble bending down to reach the table top. Alternatively, a Roombot chair could move into place and rise up to help someone sit, instead of that person having to flop down into a tech-free chair.

The robot modules, which communicate via Bluetooth and run for an hour on a charge, can grab each other and, potentially join up in groups to turn a robot chair into a bigger robot bench. They also connect with passive modules, like a tabletop piece or anything else, like a lamp, container or camera, as long as these pieces have special notches to accept the Roombot’s powered grippers. Those same grippers also allow the modules to climb special walls. So, for example, a collection of them could line the walls of a seemingly empty meeting room and just the right number could climb down and combine into a set of self-aware conference table and chairs.

While the video is compelling, researchers have a lot of work do before we see robots tuning into furniture and rushing to offer themselves as a seat. EPFL reports that engineers hope to make the Roombots more practical by speeding up their movements and acknowledge that there’s still much work to be done on the configuration algorithms. Scientists told that industrial use is 15 years away and it could be two decades before they could be used reliably by every day consumers.

IMAGE: EPFL

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Waterproof 360-Degree HD Camera Adds a World of Depth to Oculus Rift

With tools such as the Facebook-owned Oculus Rift moving into the mainstream, panoramic video and imagery are increasingly becoming necessary perspectives rather than mere visual curios.

Helping to meet that need is a new Kickstarter-backed panoramic video camera called the 360cam.

Created by France-based Giroptic, the tiny device might remind you of the roof-mounted camera seen on Google Street View cars. But this isn't a tool for large corporations; it's designed for the average user.

Housed in a blue and black plastic egg-like shell, the device allows you to capture 360-degree HD video and photos, all while delivering the device's current status on its surface via LED display. The display can indicate the camera's current mode (Time Lapse, Burst, Photo, Video, Live) and count down during timed photos.

Oculus owners can view live panoramic video through the 360cam's Oculus Rift video player. And, because the 360cam is waterproof, it offers the potential of virtual trips under the surface, for the first time. To enhance the visual clarity of underwater shots, the device also comes with a unique set of goggles for its lenses.

A few weeks ago, we saw a similar device called the Centr Cam, developed by a team of former Apple employees. But at time of writing, with only eight days to go, that Kickstarter campaign has raised roughly $500,000 of its $900,000. By contrast, the 360cam quickly blew past its goal of $150,000 — earning nearly $180,000 with 43 days of crowdfunding left.

"We have a wider field of view, 360x150 vertical, covering almost the full sphere, [and] we have a gyroscope for image stabilization," a Giroptic spokesperson told when asked to list differences between the two products.

Early backers of the device will receive the 360cam in August, and the company expects to start selling the camera in November for about $499.

Image: GIROPTIC

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These Smart Glasses Track Exactly What You're Looking At

Your devices already track your location and communication — why not what you're looking at, too? That's the promise of the Tobii Glasses 2, a pair of high-tech glasses that can track your eyes.

Why would you ever want to do such a thing? You probably wouldn't, but researchers of visual systems are clamoring for that kind of information — what, for instance, a person spends the most time looking at when they're watching TV while holding a tablet.

The glasses are designed primarily for those kinds of scenarios: research projects, testing rooms and simulators — where the thing being looked at isn't just a computer or tablet screen, which would be better served by non-wearable eye tracking like Tobii's EyeX. If you want to study what part of a person's face people look at in various social situations, for example, the Tobii Glasses 2 can tell you.

"What you're actually watching is the overlay of the gaze on the video," explains Barbara Barclay, general manager of Tobii North America. "The glasses themselves have no obstruction on the peripheral, so [they] can eye-track a wide area."

Although Tobii has had an eye-tracking pair of smart glasses for a while, the Tobii Glasses 2 has some nice upgrades. Each eye is now tracked by two cameras, which means even if the wearer adjust the glasses a little, they'll have a better chance of tracking your gaze. At 1.6 ounces, they're also extremely light.

The best part of the upgrade is real-time tracking. A researcher can watch what a person's looking at — with the gaze point continuously market onscreen — on a tablet or laptop as they're looking at it, the footage transmitted wirelessly from the glasses. The device also saves the footage to an SD card.

And what about when it comes time to analyze all this valuable eye-tracking data? Tobii can help there, too, but to get serious analysis software, you're going to have to pay extra. The basic Live View version of the Tobii Glasses 2 costs $14,900, but the Premium Analytics package is $29,900.

That's well north of even the notoriously expensive Google Glass, but if you're in the market for wearable eye tracking, there aren't that many games in town (although Berlin-based SMI offers an alternative). Tobii also offers the Premium Analytics package as a subscription for $800 a month.

Tobii plans to open up the Glasses 2, and the software that powers them, to developers later this year, with an SDK coming in October. That will allow manufacturers to integrate Tobii's platform into their own wearables, which could eventually lead to augmented-reality gaming headsets and smart glasses that can display information about exactly what you're looking at.

"That will allow people who are doing more complex interactions to take the platform of the glasses and do all kinds of things," says Barclay.

Tobii builds several different kinds of eye-tracking technology. The company just began shipping the EyeX, an eye tracker intended for PCs, to developers.

Image: TOBII

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Skylock Bike Lock Alerts You When Someone Tries to Steal Your Bike

Even the toughest bike locks won't stand up to the most determined and well-equipped bike thieves. But a new startup is trying to prevent bike thefts altogether with the Skylock, its connected bike lock that can be controlled with a smartphone and sends real-time alerts when a lock is tampered with.

Velo Labs, the startup behind the device, launched a crowdfunding campaign on its website on Thursday to raise $50,000 for the production of its app-enabled lock.

"People have these emotional connections with their bikes," Gerardo Barroeta, cofounder of Velo Labs, told. "We think an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."

The Skylock pairs to a smartphone via bluetooth and will automatically disengage when users get close to their bikes. It works in conjunction with a smartphone app, which will be compatible with iOS and Android handsets.

The lock is equipped with an accelerometer that enables its crash and theft alert systems. If the sensor detect a lot of motion around the bike, like someone tampering with the lock, the app will send a notification alerting the bike's owner.

Crash detections also relies on the lock's accelerometer. The sensor communicates with data collected by a user's iPhone to determine when a rider gets in an accident. If the crash or fall is severe, the app will send a push notification asking the user to confirm that he's O.. If he fails to respond, the app will alert emergency responders and users can designate up to three emergency contacts who will also be notified.

The lock is solar powered so users don't have to to worry about recharging. The creators say one hour of sunlight is enough for about a week of regular use. It also has a built-in touchscreen that can be used as a backup locking and unlocking method, should a person not be able to use his phone.

Velo Labs is also building bike sharing functionality into the app that will allow cyclists to rent out their bikes to others; prices will be determine based on the demand of each location.

The Skylock will ultimately retail for $249, but you can snag one for $159 during the crowdfunding campaign. The founders say they anticipate shipping the first units by early 2015.

Image: VELO LABS

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New Google Glass Teardown Claims Device Costs Only $150 to Make

A complete teardown of Google Glass, Google's $1,500 wearable computer, conducted earlier this month reveals that the price of the components adds up to just $152.47.

The teardown, performed by IHS, found that the most expensive part of the Glass is its frame, which the company priced at $22.

"Today’s Google Glass feels like a prototype," said Andrew Rassweiler, senior director of cost benchmarking services for IHS, in a statement. "The design employs many off-the-shelf components that could be further optimized. If a mass market for the product is established, chipmakers are expected to offer more integrated chipsets specific to the application that will greatly improve all aspects of performance, including processing speed, energy efficiency, weight and size."

The second-most expensive component of Glass, according to IHS, is its square lens, made by Taiwan’s Himax Technologies, at a cost of $20.

A similar teardown of the device was conducted in April by Teardown.com, which came up with a figure of $79.78 for the total cost of the device's components, a figure Google disputed.

"While we appreciate Teardown.com's attempt to guess the cost of Glass, their estimate is wildly off," a spokesperson from Google told the website eWEEK, earlier this month. "Glass — parts and all — costs significantly more than their estimate."

However, at just $70 more, IHS Technology's estimate isn't likely to quell the chatter around the high price of Google Glass — a product the company says is still in beta testing — versus the cost to construct it.

But despite the wide margin between what IHS claims is Google's cost to build Glass and its price, the research company indicates that the device is worth more than the sum of its parts.

“[T]he vast majority of its cost is tied up in non-material costs that include non-recurring engineering (NRE) expenses, extensive software and platform development, as well as tooling costs and other upfront outlays," says Rassweiler. "When you buy Google Glass for $1,500, you are getting far, far more than just $152.47 in parts and manufacturing.”

This timing of this reveal of the new Google Glass teardown could turn out to be significant, as Google announced on Tuesday that it has decided to make the previously invitation-only wearable computing device available to all consumers without an invite.

Now, empowered with the knowledge that Glass costs around $150 to build, some fans of the device might think twice before parting with their $1,500.

IMAGE: IHS TECHNOLOGY

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Google Glass Gets Foursquare, TripIt and OpenTable Apps

Google Glass just got a whole lot more useful for travel. The connected headset now has official apps for Foursquare, TripIt and OpenTable.

The new apps join Word Lens and Google's own Field Trip (which recently got an upgrade) to create an impressive suite of travel apps for the wearable device. With the apps, wearers can explore their immediate area, make reservations, get updates on planned trips, and even translate signs and menus — all without ever touching a smartphone.

I got a chance to try out the new apps. Foursquare offers an extremely stripped-down experience when compared to the smartphone app, but it gets the essentials: the ability to see venues close by and to check into them. Both are actually accessible via the same command: "Okay Glass, check me into...." With that, the app serves up a "strip" of venues you can browse by swiping; a tap will check you in.

I was a bit disappointed that I couldn't add a photo to a check-in, but I expect that will be one of the first things to be added in subsequent updates.

The upcoming debut of Swarm — Foursquare's plan to split check-ins and discovery into two different apps — suggests the Foursquare Glass app was in development well before Swarm was announced. Given that Glass apps lend themselves to simple experiences, it's unlikely Foursquare will opt for two apps on Glass, but it may rebrand at some point after Swarm's launch.

TripIt inserts its trip updates and information in the Google Now cards that already appear on Glass. Your flight status, departure time and gate will all appear on a single card like the one, above, easily accessible with a tap and swipe on Glass' touchpad. Although Google Now already provides travel information (assuming the trip is in your Google Calendar), users who prefer to use TripIt can now do so through Glass.

Open Table has its own command: "Okay Glass, make a reservation...." Once you speak those words, a selection of nearby restaurants will appear, ready for you to scroll through. Completing the reservation is as easy as a tap: Your preferences (say, party of three for 8:30 p.m. ) are saved each time, so the app will carry them over, but you can change them with a few more taps and swipes if you wish.

The current version of Google's Field Trip sends you notifications about surrounding points of interest, but the upgrade, released in April, lets you specifically ask what's nearby. When you do, you can get general recommendations, or narrow things down by categories, including Art, Food and Museums. Tap again, and a scrolling list of venues appears.

Finally, Word Lens completes the travel package. The app has been on Glass since last November, but its augmented-reality translation abilities are arguably perfectly suited for smart glasses. With Glass, all you need to do is look at a sign or menu, aim Glass' camera so the text you need translated is in an onscreen rectangle, and the words will change — from, say, Italian to English — before your eyes. On a smartphone, the effect is impressive; on Glass, it blows you away.

This set of apps emphasizes one of the main areas where smart glasses can be truly useful: travel. When you're in a foreign land, having fast access to information about the area you're visiting is essential. Glass not only provides that access, but does it in a hands-free way. If smart glasses ever go mainstream, the category may have the travel industry to thank.

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The Body Dryer Blows Water Off Your Body - No Towel Needed

There's a chance your bathroom towel could end up in a retired pile of old cassette tapes and fax machines as something replaced by newer, shinier technology.

As part of an effort to shake up the towel market, an Indiegogo campaign for a product called The Body Dryer is attracting significant attention on the crowdsourcing site. Similar to the hand dryers used in bathrooms, the Body Dryer —which looks like a standard bathroom scale — blows the water off your body every time you step out of the shower or pool.

And why does the towel need a tech overhaul? Germs, says Body Dryer founder Tyler Overk.

"There is a problem with the growth of bacteria on a towel's wet, warm surface if it's not allowed to dry properly," Overk told. "If you dry off with it again, you are putting those bacteria back onto yourself."

In fact, this could potentially lead to health issues. We're talking Fungi infections, ringworms, athlete's foot, skin rashes and even serious infections for people with weakened immune systems.

"The bathroom rug is actually the ripest source of skin cells, bacteria and mildew because water and body particles drain down to your feet as you're drying off," he added. "Once you step on the Body Dryer, it will eliminate the bacteria, especially on your feet."

To keep the post-bathtime experience clean, a user steps onto the device — which can actually take your body weight measurements too (if you choose) — the body is given a blast of air. About 30 seconds later, the Body Dryer promises you'll be fully dry, without the need for a towel.

The device (2 x 2 feet) can be plugged into any standard AC outlet. You can control the temperature, too (cool or warm), which will likely come in handy during the changing seasons.

Since the campaign launched last month, it far surpassed its funding goal of $50,000 and brought in more than $275,000. The company has sold units on every continent except Antarctica and received more than 300 requests for distribution rights.

The Indiegogo campaign ends May 15. Early backers could get the device for $125 (it's now sold out), but it will retail for $250 when it officially launches later this year.

IMAGE: BODY DRYER

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Report: Samsung's First Tizen Smartphones Are Coming to Russia and India

It looks like the first Tizen-based Samsung smartphones are finally getting closer to release.

The Korean electronics giant is preparing to launch a Tizen-based smartphone in Russia and India, according to The Wall Street Journal.

The Russian release will reportedly coincide with the Tizen Developer Conference, which takes place in San Francisco this June. Samsung will hold a launch event in Russia that's similar to its global Galaxy launches, WSJ reported.

Tizen is an open-source, Linux-based operating system led by Intel and Samsung. Like Samsung's previous Bada effort, Tizen is focused on emerging markets and low-cost devices.

Samsung's efforts to bring a Tizen-based smartphone to the market have been beset with delays. The first Tizen release was originally planned for 2012, which then became 2013. After 2013 came and went with no Tizen release, Samsung delayed the release of its first Tizen phone again in January.

Meanwhile, carrier partners — including Japan's NTT DoCoMo — have lost interest. Because Tizen is designed to run on a variety of devices, a few Tizen-based products have hit the market, including Samsung's Gear 2 smartwatch.

A Google-free OS

Samsung already controls 65% of the Android-device market, so why should it even bother with Tizen?

Two words: Ecosystem control.

Because it uses Android, Samsung's current mobile-device strategy relies on Google. Although Samsung can make some changes and tweaks to the interface, and offer its own unique applications, fundamental aspects of the OS must remain in Google's control. What's more, the future direction of the platform is shaped by Google, not Samsung.

With Tizen, Samsung has the opportunity to build its own platform. Not only can Samsung customize this platform in ways that Google won't let it (say, put in a different default mapping client or make changes to the interface), it also has the potential to build its own app ecosystem — one that Samsung, not Google, can profit from.

So why Russia and India? Samsung already has a strong presence in these markets, and as WSJ noted, the company is hoping users will be swayed by the Samsung brand (and low price point), rather than access to Android and Google apps.

It also aims to capture users in India and Russia who don't have smartphones. Like Facebook, Samsung hopes they will become life-long customers.

In that vein, the point of Tizen isn't to steal business from the 1.5 billion users who already have smartphones, it's to attract the next 2 billion smartphone users.

It's a strategy that could pay off. As long as Samsung ensures that the most-used applications (i.e. WhatsApp, Facebook) are available, it could be enough to take over the lowest end of the smartphone market. These users could then graduate to more expensive, premium Samsung smartphones in the future.

This tactic is similar to what Nokia is trying to do with its Android-based devices. The difference (aside from built-in support for existing third-party Android app stores), is that Samsung is an aspirational brand in a way that Nokia is not.

Will anyone care?

Of course, this is Samsung, so execution will be essential. The company is famous for having great ideas that don't necessarily take off because the experience isn't seamless.

What's more, Chinese and Taiwanese phone makers are increasingly pushing down prices of higher-end, Android-based smartphones. This ruins some of the appeal of a Tizen-based Samsung device, at least in regions that already have some 3G infrastructure.

It's possible that Tizen's true value might not be realized for several years. In the meantime, Samsung's strategy of basing its non-smartphone connected devices on Tizen, might have more of an impact.

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This Smart Lighter Will Help You Quit Smoking

A new Internet-connected lighter called Quitbit will light your cigarette, but wean you off a smoking habit too.

A new Kickstarter campaign called Quitbit takes the same monitoring principles embedded into fitness trackers and helps users track and cutdown on smoking. In a nod to the name, it's like a Fitbit for smoking.

The product, which launched on Monday and is seeking $50,000 in funding pledges, is a pocket lighter that uses a heating coil similar to what's found in cars. But whether you're looking to quit or not, the lighter keeps track of every time you light up and logs that data in an accompanying app.

Users can set custom plans — so they can trim on intake at whatever pace they want — and see much money they've saved by cutting back on packs along the way. It also reveals the time since your last smoke, how many were consumed within a certain period of time and lets you call out the times you shared a cigarette with a friend (or let someone borrow the lighter).

The Quitbit, which also works with e-cigarettes or the patch, was developed by two friends who wanted an easy way to track the quitting process.

"Kuji and I were both smokers and met while in grad school together at Brown," co-founder Ata Ghofrani told. "I was trying to quit when he asked how much I smoked, and I realized there wasn't a really good way to keep track." "I was trying to quit when he asked how much I smoked, and I realized there wasn't a really good way to keep track."

Although there are countless apps on the market that help smokers quit, this is the first solution that includes hardware: "We wanted a piece of hardware to automatically monitor how much you're smoking, without having to manually enter that information within the app," he added.

Although it's up to each person to decide when and if they want to quit smoking, keeping the Quitbit in your pocket — we assume — gives the same affect of wearing a fitness wristband tracker. Sure, you might not wear a Fitbit to specifically lose weight, but it serves as a constant reminder to stay active.

The Quitbit will likely do the same; having access to all of your smoking data might the final nudge you need to scale back.

IMAGE: QUITBIT

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FDA Approves Segway Inventor's Mind-Controlled Robotic Arm

The era of real cyborgs has begun. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) gave its first approval for the sale and marketing of a prosthetic arm that translates signals from a person’s muscles on Friday.

Informally known as the "Luke" arm (a reference to Luke Skywalker's robotic arm in Star Wars), the Deka Arm, which is controlled by electrical signals from electromyogram (EMG) electrodes connected to the wearer's muscles, can now move from research experiment to full-fledged commercial product. That's right, bionic limbs are about to go mainstream

" The Deka Arm System may allow some people to perform more complex tasks than they can with current prostheses in a way that more closely resembles the natural motion of the arm," said Christy Foreman, the director of the Office of Device Evaluation at the FDA's Center for Devices and Radiological Health in a statement.

In a demonstration video (see above) released on Friday, Fred Downs, one of the recipients of the Deka Arm, is shown using the prosthetic hand to delicately pick up and move a carton of eggs. Like the device's nickname, the demonstration is indeed reminiscent of the dexterity exhibited by Luke Skywalker's robotic hand, a technology that was pure science fiction just a few decades ago, when the movie was first released.

The Deka Arm's electrodes, which are attached to the muscles of the wearer, transmit signals to a processor in the prosthesis, which then interprets those signals and turns them into up to 10 distinct movements.

In yet another video (see above), Downs is shown using the Deka Arm to open up a piece of mail, a seemingly simple demonstration that is nevertheless indicative of the device's precision.

And while the project was sponsored by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and the U.S. Army Research Office, Dean Kamen, the inventor of the Segway, and his team at Deka Research were instrumental in its development, hence the name.


IMAGE: DARPA

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Samsung NX3000 Camera Lets You Get Serious About Selfies

In the NX Mini, Samsung introduced a camera for the selfie-obsessed, including an LCD that flips a full 180 degrees and special settings for self portraits. Now that feature is getting a second home in the NX3000.

Whereas the NX Mini prioritized a slim form factor and speed over all else, the NX3000 is a more "traditional" mirrorless camera. Its APS-C sensor captures the same 20 megapixels as the NX Mini's, but its larger size will give image quality a boost, plus it makes the camera compatible with the diverse NX line of lenses (the Mini's 1-inch sensor requires different optics).

The marquee feature is the flip-up LCD, which gives selfie lovers the perfect way to set up a high-quality shot of themselves. Not only will you benefit from the NX3000's lens and sensor, but the camera's Self Shot mode will also automatically airbrush your selfies by default (you can turn the feature off for the "natural" look). You can also set it up to snap your selfie either after a 3-second countdown, when you smile or when you wink at the camera.

The NX3000 has a shutter speed that maxes out at 1/4,000 of a second and can capture up to six RAW photos per second. ISO is adjustable from 100 to 25,600. Just like the NX Mini, it saves to microSD cards instead of full-size ones, both to cut down on space and make them quickly swappable into a smartphone.

There's a micro USB port for data and charging (it has the same battery as in many Galaxy smartphones) as well as a micro HDMI port for displaying photos and videos on a TV. The body comes in brown, black and white, and it ships with a 16-50mm power-zoom lens that includes optical image stabilization. A detachable flash is included.

The NX300 will be available June 1 for the tidy sum of $529 (with 16-50mm OIS Power Zoom and a SEF-8 Flash), or about as much as the NX Mini (depending on the lens). A version with a 20-50mm lens and SEF-8 flash will also be available for the price of $479.

Whichever you choose is a question of how much you prioritize lens compatibility, overall slimness and that potential extra bump in image quality. But in either case, you'll get the best selfies you've ever taken.

Image: SAMSUNG

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Robot TED Talk Will Make You Believe in Magic

Magician's assistants may soon be out of work. Robots are not only ready to take their place, but they're doing it live and on a TED stage.

After months of development, training and practice, self-styled "techno illusionist" Marco Tempest took a Baxter robot, renamed him EDI (pronounced "Eddie") and put him on stage doing magic tricks at the recent TED2014 conference in Vancouver.

Tempest's six-minute TED talk, seen below, is a testament to what's possible with modern robots. As he told, "It’s time for magicians and technologists to collaborate.”

Tempest, whose previous magic-infused TED talk used augmented reality and iPads, started his new project last year, shortly after Rethink Robotics introduced its roughly $30,000 Baxter robot. Although it's designed to work in a factory setting, Baxter is unusual: It plugs into a standard wall outlet, and can be trained to do simple repetitive tasks in a half an hour.

For his TED talk, however, Tempest had something else in mind. He wanted a performance, not "creepy" repetitive tasks. Over a period of eight months, Tempest reprogrammed Baxter to work with him, adding 3D-printed hands that would help its performance, a jaunty hat and a new digital face to make the robot look "goofier."

When we checked in with Tempest last year, the project looked promising, but there was still a lot of work left to do (see the video, below). The performance he and EDI (Electronic Deceptive Intelligence) gave in Vancouver, however, is flawless and rather astounding. Notice that Tempest interacts directly with EDI, and despite the robot's impressive arm span and occasionally rapid movements, they never collide.

As the video shows, the talk is roughly 70% robotics education and 30% magic performance. Once we're all up to speed on the power and promise of robotics, perhaps we'll see even more magic out of EDI and Tempest.

VIDEO: Marco Tempest

IMAGE:  TED CONFERENCE, JAMES DUNCAN DAVIDSON

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