| TRENDING STORIES IN TECH & GADGETS | | | | | | | ALL STORIES IN TECH & GADGETS | | |
| Happy 8th Birthday, Firefox! | | Thursday, November 08, 2012 11:24 PM | Stan Schroeder |
|  On November 9 2004, eight years ago today, the Mozilla foundation has launched the first version of Firefox. This anniversary may be confusing for some, as we've recently compiled a timeline of Firefox's first 10 years. This is because the browser that would eventually become Firefox, called Phoenix, was actually launched as a beta in 2002. When the first full version of the browser was launched in 2004, it was renamed to Firefox. Mozilla's open source browser was seen as a breath of fresh air at the time when Microsoft's Internet Explorer 6 dominated the market share, annoying many users with its numerous security issues. Over the years, Firefox captured a sizable chunk of the market share from Internet Explorer, but in the last couple of years it has gotten some very serious competition in the form of Google's Chrome, Opera, Apple's Safari and others. Currently, Firefox is the world's third most popular browser, behind IE and Chrome. For the future, Mozilla plans several important features, including a Windows 8-ready version of Firefox, as well as the Social API, which will enable integration of Facebook and other social networks with the browser. |
| Gramophone Amplifies Your iPhone, Edison-Style | | Thursday, November 08, 2012 9:54 PM | Eric Larson |
|  Listening to music from your phone is tough. Without headphones, and with the volume turned all the way up, you still need to connect to a speaker to really enjoy what song is playing. But what if you're in the mood for something a little more vintage? Say, 1877-vintage? Restoration Hardware recently released the iPhone Gramophone -- and, yes, it's just what you'd think it is. SEE ALSO: One Speaker Dock for the Entire iOS Family The sound dock is designed to look like a traditional gramophone, with a walnut base and an iron and brass horn. Your iPhone plugs directly into the base, and the horn amplifies sound right from its speaker -- so no batteries or electricity are needed. The creators say the dock is all about keeping the classic look and, in turn, classic sound. So don't expect high-definition quality (but, again, we're talking vintage here.) The Gramophone accepts all iPhone models, including the iPhone 5. It's available for $249. An iPad Gramophone is also available, for $299. Would you use this with your iOS devices? Let us know. |
| Lung-on-a-Chip Passes a Crucial Test | | Thursday, November 08, 2012 6:03 PM | MIT Technology Review |
|  Researchers at the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University have shown that their "lung-on-a-chip" technology can mimic a life-threatening lung condition. They also report that scientists can uncover new aspects of the disease using the lung chip that would not be found with animal experiments. The study, published in today's Science Translational Medicine, is the first definitive demonstration that the institute's organ-mimicking chips, which include a gut, a heart, and a kidney, can be used to model a disease and even test candidate drugs. The lung-on-a-chip device is a clear, flexible thumb-sized block of polymer perforated by two tiny channels separated by a thin membrane. Air flows through one channel, which is lined with human lung cells; a nutrient-rich liquid that acts as a blood substitute flows through the other, which is lined with blood-vessel cells. A vacuum applied to the chip moves the channels to re-create the way human lung tissues physically expand and contract when breathing. The study, led by Wyss Institute fellow Dongeun Huh, focused on pulmonary edema, a condition in which fluid and blood clots fill the lungs. It can be caused by heart failure as well as the side effects of a common cancer drug. The researchers injected the cancer drug into the blood-vessel-like channel and found that fluid and blood plasma proteins leaked across the membrane into the air channel, similar to the drug's side effect in patients. This led to two surprising discoveries, says study coauthor and Wyss lead staff scientist Geraldine Hamilton. One was that the immune system, which was not represented in the chip, was not required to cause the leakage side effect as had been previously thought. Second, the team found that when they turned on the vacuum system to create breathing-like movements, the leakage worsened, another unknown aspect of pulmonary edema. The researchers also show that a GlaxoSmithKline drug candidate could prevent the leakage in the chip system (GSK researchers were also coauthors on the Wyss study). In a separate study in the same issue of Science Translation Medicine, GSK researchers demonstrate in mice with heart failure that their drug can reduce pulmonary edema, helping to validate the chip system, says Hamilton. "The reality is that animals will be required for clinical testing for many years to come, but this moves us a step closer to finding alternatives," she says. There are skeptics. Organ-on-chip systems lack the typical environment that an organ would be exposed to, such as the various hormones and other molecular cues that are constantly being circulated throughout the body of an organism, says Michael Hayward, a lead scientist at Cranbury, New Jersey-based life sciences company Taconic. Hayward, who specializes in developing animal models of human disease, also notes that most diseases involve many organs, and understanding how different organs interact to cause a disease state would be out of the grasp of a single organ-mimicking device. Hamilton acknowledges that both industry and regulators are going to want lots of validation of the organ-on-chip technology before using it as an alternative to animals, but the potential benefits of the chip technology are evident in today's study, she says. "Not only do we mimic clinical response, but we also found out something new. This is a glimpse into the effects this could have on drug discovery and development in the future," she says. "Not only could you replace the animal, but you gain further insight." And one day, they may begin to address the concerns of Hayward and others about the isolated nature of their devices. "Our ultimate goal, which is high risk, is not only to develop disease models but to develop an integrated body-on-a-chip, where we can start to link these organs, moving us a step closer to mimicking the whole human response," she says. |
| iPad Mini Wins in Eye-Tracking Study [VIDEO] | | Thursday, November 08, 2012 5:43 PM | Kenneth Rosen |
|  When it comes to buying tablets, do the eyes have it? A recent study by EyeTrackShop placed the top 7-inch tablets in front of participants and tracked their eye movements in a study to determine which one was most popular among consumers. Facing off were the iPad mini, the Nexus 7, the Nook HD and Kindle Fire HD. Shown to test subjects along with the company's current advertising campaign, the iPad Mini created a 40% higher purchase intent than its competitors. That means that by simply looking at the iPad Mini, users were more interested in buying from Apple than the others in the line up. It's no wonder, then, that Apple applied for a patent for their "rectangles with curved curves" -- and was award one on Thursday. SEE ALSO: See How The iPad Mini Stacks Up Against Competitors The study was conducted through 600 users who allowed access to their webcams and were shown the tablets before being asked a few follow-up questions. About 25% of respondents said they planned on buying a tablet within the month. Watch the video to see how the other 7-inch tablets fared, and let us know in the comments if you agree with the results. |
| This Siri Smartwatch Could Change Everything | | Thursday, November 08, 2012 2:22 PM | Samantha Murphy |
|  For those hoping Apple will come out with a smart iWatch design to compete with the Pebble, this concept will make you long for that day even more. Federico Ciccarese has developed a wearable device called the iSiri Smartwatch that connects to the iPhone via Bluetooth. By connecting the nano-sized iSiri to a wristband or earbuds, users gain access to the control functions you would get via the iPhone. Want to know what time a show starts? Ask iSiri, and she'll tell you. Need directions? No need to reach for your iPhone. Although this is just a concept design and isn't for sale, a Siri-inspired smartwatch could be a true game changer. For a full look, check out the video below. Would you wear the iSiri Smartwatch? Should Apple get into the smartwatch business? Let us know your thoughts below. |
| NASA Builds Interplanetary Internet, Controls LEGO Robot From Space | | Thursday, November 08, 2012 1:47 PM | Chris Taylor |
|  In the annals of geeky space experiments, it's going to be hard to top this one. NASA and the European Space Agency announced Thursday that it had successfully tested a new kind of communications protocol -- the backbone of a future interplanetary Internet. And how had it tested it? By having the International Space Station commander remote-control a LEGO robot back on Earth. "The experimentalwe've tested from the space station may one day be used by humans on a spacecraft in orbit around Mars to operate robots on the surface, or from Earth using orbiting satellites as relay stations," said Badri Younes, deputy associate administrator for space communications and navigation, in a statement. The communications protocol they used is called DTN, for Disruption Tolerant Networking. On Earth, our regular Internet splits up the data you need into packets, then routes those packets to the nearest working node to make sure it gets to you. SEE ALSO: The 10 Biggest Space Moments of 2012 That's great for the surface of a planet, where you can put machines all over the place and generally assume there's always going to be one working. It's not so great for the vast distances of space, where you're going to have to rely on a long, thin supply chain of data. That's why "DTN accounts for disconnections and errors," NASA says. "Data move through the network 'hop-by-hop.' While waiting for the next link to become connected, bundles are temporarily stored and then forwarded to the next node when the link becomes available." NASA and the ESA's experiment was designed to simulate a situation where astronauts might be in orbit around the Moon, or Mars, controlling a robot Rover (like Curiosity) on the surface. Coincidentally, rumors surfaced Thursday that NASA is planning a mission where astronauts orbit the Moon at a great distance, and practice sending down Rovers to the surface. ISS expedition commander Sunita Williams used a specially designed NASA laptop to drive a LEGO rover at the European Space Operations Centre in Darmstadt, Germany, via DTN. The experiment was conducted in late October, NASA said. Picture courtesy of NASA |
| Apple Patents Packaging That Doubles as a Dock | | Thursday, November 08, 2012 1:16 PM | AppAdvice |
|  While many people were displeased when Apple announced it wouldn't produce an official dock for the iPhone 5, the company apparently isn't done with the dock altogether. According to Patently Apple, a recent patent filing details a new form of iOS device packaging that transforms into a dock. As pictured, the concept looks very similar to Apple's current iOS device packaging. But the magic happens after the lid is removed from the packaging as the base can be converted into a dock that could accommodate something like an iPhone or iPod touch. And the packaging could also be sized to hold a number of items - like other personal electronic devices, and even an iPad. While there is currently no Apple dock for the iPhone 5, other third-party manufacturers have been quick to swoop in and save the day with their own versions. The Lightning Dock is a very simple and sturdy solution that comes in a nice metal or hardwood exterior. If you're a little more adventurous, the iPhone 5 Flash Lightning Dock might be for you. You can order the unauthorized accessory with a flashing Lightning cable. There is also a DIY version from the Daily Brick in the UK. It's composed of 42 Lego bricks. Image courtesy of Flickr, JuditK |
| How to Install Windows 8 Without Ditching Windows 7 | | Thursday, November 08, 2012 12:46 PM | Charlie White |
|  Windows 8 is so new and different, many users aren't sure if they really want to abandon Windows 7 for it just yet. But you, dear Mashable reader, can have both at once. I'll show you how to keep your Windows 7 installation as it is, and have the option to boot into Windows 8 on the same machine, giving you the time and experience to make an informed choice between the two. You've been able to dual-boot previous versions of Windows for years, but now with Windows 8 it's easier than ever. There's good news, too: Microsoft is offering Windows 8 Pro for $39.99 until January 31, 2013, and I'll show you how to use that version to dual-boot between Windows 7 and Windows 8. Using the regular Windows 8 Pro download saves you $85.01 by ignoring advice on Microsoft's website urging you to buy the $125 Windows 8 Pro System Builder software if you want to dual boot. However, if you want to try Windows 8 for a while before activating -- an option available with Windows 7 -- you can't legally install Windows 8 unless you have a valid product key. SEE ALSO: Windows 8 Is Bold and Powerful/a> Follow along and I'll show you how to download the software, put it on a DVD, and then install it on your machine without breaking anything, giving you the freedom to boot into either Windows 7 or Windows 8 at your whim. Before we get started, be sure your PC has the minimum system requirements for Windows 8 and that you have at least 20GB of free space on your hard drive. Then you'll be ready for this fresh install of Windows 8, side-by-side with Windows 7. Keep in mind that a disadvantage of loading a fresh install rather than an upgrade of Windows 8 is that it won't transfer all your settings and applications you've so carefully curated. However, you will have a better chance at long-term stability if you freshly install a copy of Windows 8, and with this dual-boot setup, if it turns out you don't like it one bit, you can have your machine boot by default into Windows 7 and forget the whole thing. Special thanks to Lifehacker and About.com for their excellent tutorials that pointed us in the right direction while we prepared this guide. |
| Pope Benedict to Get Personal Twitter Account | | Thursday, November 08, 2012 11:16 AM | Samantha Murphy |
|  Pope Benedict XVI may have sent his first tweet last year from a Vatican Twitter account, but the pontiff is now gearing up to get his own personal handle. According to a Newsmax report, the Pope will start tweeting from a personal Twitter account by the end of the year. A Vatican official said he will be sharing opinions and Church news via the social networking platform. "It will be proper language, for example pointing to his weekly catechesisor whatever he is doing on that day," the source told Newsmax. "You're probably not going to get any tweets saying 'a great new pizzeria has just opened in my neighborhood.'" The Pope will most likely not write the tweets himself, but will have to sign off on them. The official said his tweets will be "fairly infrequent" and likely "not veer too far from his texts." SEE ALSO: 11 Must-Follow Twitter Accounts for Daily Inspiration Last year, the Pope sent a tweet from the Vatican's official account to coincide with a new Vatican information site, news.va. He wrote via an iPad: "Praised be our Lord Jesus Christ! With my prayers and blessings, Benedictus XVI." The Vatican official said Pope Benedict was so intrigued by the concept, it's been in the works for him to get his own Twitter account ever since. Pope Benedict also embraced a Sony tablet to light up the world's tallest Christmas tree in 2011 with the touch of a button. This isn't the first time a Pope has embraced a new medium to reach out to the masses. In 1931, Pope Pius XI worked with the Italian inventor of the radio, Guglielmo Marconi, to set up the Vatican's first radio broadcasting. Image via Flickr, Catholic Church (England and Wales) |
| AT&T Reverses Course, Offers FaceTime on Tiered Data Plans | | Thursday, November 08, 2012 11:15 AM | Alex Fitzpatrick |
|  AT&T will offer Apple's FaceTime iPhone video chat service over LTE networks to mobile customers with tiered data plans, the company announced in a course reversal Wednesday. Previously, only customers using shared data plans could access the service via wireless data services. FaceTime capability will be rolled out to AT&T customers on tiered data plans over the next eight to ten weeks, according to a company release. The app will remain Wi-Fi-only for customers on an unlimited plan or with a non-LTE device. In news likely to be welcomed by the disabled community, AT&T also said it will allow deaf and hard-of-hearing customers on its tiered Text Accessibility Plans to use FaceTime over mobile networks. AT&T has previously argued that the old limitation on FaceTime was in place because its wireless infrastructure couldn't handle iPhone owners across the country using the data-intensive FaceTime. AT&T has more iPhones on its network than any other carrier, perhaps a holdover effect of being the first provider to carry the device. SEE ALSO: AT&T's FaceTime Blocking Leads to FCC Complaint However, the company offers apps similar to FaceTime that compete with Apple's software, resulting in widespread criticism and charges of violating Federal Communications Commission regulations. Technology policy advocacy group Free Press has been among the most outspoken voices against AT&T's previous FaceTime policy. "AT&T's course correction is a move in the right direction, but until the company makes FaceTime available to all of its customers it is still in violation of the FCC's rules and the broader principles of Net Neutrality," said Free Press Policy Director Matt Wood in a statement delivered following AT&T's decision. "AT&T simply can't justify blocking an app that competes with its voice and texting services unless customers purchase a more expensive monthly plan that includes an unlimited amount of those very same services," he continued. Is this decision by AT&T enough or should it open FaceTime to all subscribers on mobile data plans? Share your thoughts in the comments. Image courtesy of iStockphoto, mikkelwilliam |
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