A search engine should be about more than just keywords. MC Hammer believes that passionately and Google must do too, because over the next few months and years it'll gradually adjust its own algorithms to put greater emphasis on "semantic search". Under this system, search queries are run through a vast knowledge database that discovers relationships with other words and facts. A Mountain View exec explained it thus: If you search for "Lake Tahoe", you won't just get ranked websites containing those two words but also key attributes about the lake, such as its location, altitude, average temperature and Bigfoot population. If a piece of knowledge isn't the in the ever-expanding database, the search engine will still use semantic search to help it recognize and evaluate information held on websites. In doing this, Big G hopes to compete with social networks that are amassing their own valuable (and sometimes intrusive) databases full of personal information, while also encouraging people to stay longer on its site and see more targeted ads. Google, who is Viviane Reding?

Google to switch on 'semantic search' within months, emphasize things as well as words originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 15 Mar 2012 04:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pentax's Optio WG-1 GPS point-and-shoot satisfied geotaggers out of the box, but owners of its K-5, K-r and 645D DSLRs have had to make do with third-party taggers like the PhotoTrackr or Eye-Fi. The new hotshoe-mounted O-GPS1 module fixes that oversight by recording latitude, longitude, altitude, Coordinated Universal Time and shooting angle. Everyday snappers might find an extra hotshoe attachment cumbersome, but astro-photography enthusiasts could well be enticed by the device's interesting "ASTROTRACER" function. This helps you take clearer photos of celestial bodies by using the in-built sensors to calculate a star's movement and then employing the camera's shake reduction system to compensate. Sounds clever, but be advised: this module is only for Pentax DSLRs -- and only for very specific models at that. You'll get full functionality with the K-5 and K-r cameras, and geotagging (no ASTROTRACER) with the 645D. Oh, and you'll need to make sure your camera's firmware is up-to-date. Peer carefully through that lens and you'll see the O-GPS1 heading for a July landing, priced at $250.

[Thanks, Iddo]

Pentax releases O-GPS1 add-on for DSLRs, appeals to astronomy nuts originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Jun 2011 15:08:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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When Apple first unveiled its iPhone 4 smartphone last summer, most media and bloggers were in agreement that the new glass construction was stunning. They also agreed, however, that the iPhone 4 would likely be more prone to significant damage than other smartphones due to the fragile nature of glass compared to plastic and metal. While we’ve heard our fair share of shattered iPhone stories, U.S. Air Force Combat Controller Ron Walker’s tale should help dispel the notion that the iPhone 4 is inherently fragile. While leaning out of an airplane looking for landmarks, Walker’s Velcro pocket flap popped open and his iPhone 4 plummeted to the earth below. At the time, the plane was traveling at 150 m.p.h at an altitude of roughly 1,000 feet. Once on the ground, Walker told a few friends what had happened, one of whom installed Apple’s “Find My iPhone” app on his own handset in an attempt to locate Walker’s lost phone. Unexpectedly, the app found Walker’s iPhone immediately and when the men drove to its location, they found the smartphone in perfect working condition without a scratch on it. Walker kept his iPhone in a standard Griffin case and it had no other casing or special protection at the time of its fall.

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Continue reading PlayStation Move, turntable used to track the Earth's rotation

PlayStation Move, turntable used to track the Earth's rotation originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 21 Feb 2011 14:50:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We've been told in the past that our mean, hate-filled looks could kill, but we never took that literally. Now, if Britain's BAE Systems has its way, that phrase could seriously have a whole new meaning. The company has developed an RAF helmet that will allow pilots to deploy and steer their weapons by turning their heads. It all sounds incredibly horrifying and futuristic, of course, but the technology which enables the new gadget is pretty intense, as well. The helmet is fitted with an optical head tracker, with targets popping up in the visor, which provides a supposedly highly accurate missile fire with low latency, at any altitude. The system has been extensively tested on the Eurofighter Typhoon, but is modular in styling so that it can be fitted to many systems. There's no word on when this tech will see actual action, but we have our reservations about it, so we hope they take their time.

Striker integrated display helmet has something to tell you about that old saying 'if looks could kill'... originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 06 Jan 2011 07:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Picture this: you are at the base camp of Mount Everest, only to realize it’s your girlfriends birthday and you forgot to send flowers; what do you do? Grab your cell phone and call the florist of course, as Ncell, Nepal’s mobile operator, now has you covered. The carrier has announced its first 3G base station on the the world’s tallest mountain, allowing users to make calls and connect to the internets from GSM enabled phones. Previously, mountaineers and adventurers had to resort to expensive satellite phones to make calls. Ncell is a joint venture between private investors and Sweden’s Telia Sonera, and currently cover one-third of Nepal. Ncell tested their latest base station by placing the world’s highest video call at 17,388 feet. Telia Sonera’s CEO had the following to say: “This achievement is as mighty as the altitude, as 3G high speed internet will bring faster, more affordable telecommunication services to the people living in the Khumbu Valley, trekkers, and climbers alike.”

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Continue reading EPFL develops Linux-based swarming micro air vehicles

EPFL develops Linux-based swarming micro air vehicles originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 27 Sep 2010 12:14:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GPS-guided parachutes are nothing new -- in fact, we're guessing that a few are being dropped somewhere in this wide world right now -- but a new deal between the Armed Services Blood Program and US Joint Forces Command will allow these devices to start saving even more lives in 2011. As the story goes, a cadre of air-dropped 'chutes will be sent to the front lines of the battlefield in order to deliver vital blood to medics. For those unaware, blood loss is a major cause of death in war, and by skipping over the lengthy process that's currently in place for delivery, the powers that be feel that more soldiers can be saved. Reportedly, the JPADS system "is a family of guided parachutes that can carry payloads ranging from about 150 to 60,000 pounds," and at a predetermined altitude, a "parafoil deploys and a GPS-device steers supplies to an exact target." The new system, however, will rely on ultralight versions of the aforesaid JPADS in order to sneak into locations that were previously thought impossible to penetrate. 'Course, all of this will be a moot point once the robot armies rise to power and start pulverizing each other with scrap metal, but hey...

GPS parachutes delivering blood to front lines in the coming years originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 13 Jul 2010 16:08:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Some of us spice up our bedrooms with He-Man sheets and scented candles. But the guy who turned his domicile into an airplane cockpit is operating at a whole other altitude. More »

Shopping - Business - Aircraft - Federal Aviation Administration - Fixed-wing aircraft

HP upped the ante in the ultra-portable notebook category with the addition of the Core i5 and Core i7 processor to its 12 inch EliteBook models. The standard 2540p and the convertible 2740p are part of HP’s ultra-tough business lineup and meet MIL-STD 810G military-standards for vibration, dust, humidity, altitude, and high and low temperatures. The EliteBook 2540p includes a 12.1-inch diagonal LED display, integrated Intel HD graphics, optional 2-megapixel webcam, SATA II hard drive up to 250GB or SSD drive up to 160GB, Integrated Intel Gigabit Ethernet (10/100/1000 NIC), 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi, optional HP Mobile Broadband (powered by Gobi) with GPS, optional optical DVD drive, a generous amount of ports and slots and Windows 7 with a Windows XP downgrade option. The Elitebook 2740P is similarly configured with the addition of a touchscreen display with outdoor-view option for tablet functionality. Both EliteBook models are expected to arrive stateside next month with the EliteBook 2540p starting at $1,099  and the EliteBook 2740p starting at $1,599.

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The Zanier Xplore.XGX gloves must be one of the finest examples of stuff you don't need, but would probably dearly love to have. With an embedded GPS tracking unit and a monochrome screen, these multifunctional finger warmers will guide you to and from the lodge, but the real fun kicks off when you hit the piste. Altitude, speed, duration and distance of your slaloms can all be recorded and then downloaded to your computer before being uploaded to the web. Is there anything more an exercise enthusiast (or an unashamed poser) needs? You get a Gore-Tex finish for enhanced grip on the sticks, and a few USB attachments to get connectivity up and running. Pricing has not yet been announced, but they're part of Zanier's 2010/11 line, so the wait shouldn't be too long.

Zanier GPS gloves let you Xplore without getting lost originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 18 Feb 2010 12:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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