If you're an iPhone or iPad owner, you might have been disappointed that the Delorme inReach two-way GPS communicator launched with app support only for Android users. That's fine if you're trekking with a Casio G'zOne Commando, but not so hot if you're of the Apple mindset and get stranded canoeing down the Amazon. Thankfully, Delorme just posted an iOS version of its Earthmate app that will let your Cupertino-designed gear send either text messages or SOS beacons through a paired-up inReach unit. As before, the handheld relies on its own GPS positioning and embedded locations in messages to keep friends and rescue crews updated anywhere the device can get an Iridium satellite lock-in. It'll still cost you $250 for the device and $10 per month to stay linked up; even so, there's a real chance you'll be texting your friends from your iPhone in Mali, assuming you haven't had to call a rescue helicopter first.

Continue reading Delorme's inReach two-way satellite communicator gets iOS support, sends iPhone texts from Timbuktu (video)

Delorme's inReach two-way satellite communicator gets iOS support, sends iPhone texts from Timbuktu (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 23 May 2012 08:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

It can't go faster than 34MPH and it's already a year late for its planned deployment in Afghanistan, but Northrop Grumman's Long Endurance Multi-Intelligence Vehicle (LEMV) is now set for its maiden flight. The test run is scheduled for sometime between June 6th and 10th over Lakehurst, New Jersey, whose residents ought to be forewarned that it is not a solar eclipse or a Death Star, but simply a helium-filled pilotless reconnaissance and communications airship that happens to be the size of a football field. After floating around for a while, the giant dirigible is expected to journey south to Florida, where it'll be fitted to a custom-built gondola that will carry the bulk of its equipment, and by which time her enemies hopefully won't have come into possession of an air force.

Army spy blimp to launch within weeks: 300 feet long, $500 million, 'multi-intelligent' originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 23 May 2012 08:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

NHK is working on Hybridcast (an entirely different system to the Hybridcast 3D-delivery setup it demonstrated last year), a system that uses the internet to make vanilla TV broadcasts interactive. It works by pushing HTML5 overlays to your tablet and TV, so you can play along with quiz shows or follow a travelogue from the comfort of your couch. The company is planning to build a set-top-box with the technology ready for sale next year, with integrated TVs hoped to arrive from Sony, Toshiba, Panasonic, Sharp and Mitsubishi shortly afterward. You can see what the residents of Japan can expect by watching the video after the break.

Continue reading NHK working on Hybridcast interactive TV platform (video)

NHK working on Hybridcast interactive TV platform (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 23 May 2012 07:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

When NVIDIA's Jen-Hsun Huang talked of $199 Tegra 3 tablets, we were nothing but skeptically hopeful. Now, it seems those were more than just words. During a recent stockholder meeting, VP of Investor Relations, Rob Csongor, revealed the firm's strategy to deliver on this budget quad-core promise. Announcing the "Kai" platform, Csongor stopped short of giving specifics, but implied that the architecture or hardware borrows much of the "secret sauce" from Tegra 3, and will enable lower-priced higher-performance devices. Jump on the source link, and listen in from about 33 minutes, if you want the full spiel.

NVIDIA outlines Kai platform, hopes to make good on quad-core $199 tablet promise originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 23 May 2012 07:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

It's still very much a concept, and not something being described as a business venture, but author / designer Douglas Coupland is hoping that his new "V-Pole" design will serve as something of a model for cities looking to build out their technology infrastructure. As you can see, it's a rather nondescript (albeit brightly-colored) pole on the outside, but Coupland sees the inside being packed with an array of the latest technology, including Alcatel-Lucent lightRadios for wireless connectivity (both WiFi and cellular), an LED street light on top, and connections to nearby wireless charging stations for electric vehicles. As for the "V" in the name, that stands for Coupland's home city of Vancouver, which he sees as a natural fit for the pole -- something the city's mayor apparently agrees with.

Douglas Coupland's V-Pole unifies wireless connectivity and EV charging in an LED streetlight originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 23 May 2012 05:57:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Casio's apparently feeling a need for speed as the company just announced its new zippy compact camera, the "Exilim" EX-ZR300. According to Casio Japan, the 16.1-megapixel shooter boasts a startup time that's just a shade under a second and can take continuous shots at .26-second intervals. The EX-ZR300 also features a 24-300mm, f/3.0-5.9, 12.5x zoom lens that can focus as quickly as .12 second. For lighting buffs, ISO range starts at 80 and can go all the way up to 12,800. In short, this compact camera is quick and sensitive enough to capture those blackmail-worthy moments at the next company party. Users can also transfer their incriminating evidence wirelessly thanks to Toshiba FlashAir technology. Want video to go with your embarrassing photos? You'll be happy to know that the EX-ZR300 can shoot video up to 1080p as well. Expect Casio's compact blackmail machine, er, camera in Japanese stores on June 8.

Casio Japan says its new Exilim EX-ZR300 compact camera is fast and furious originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 23 May 2012 05:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

What's a spankin' new Android phone to do hot off its CTIA 2012 debut? Why, stop by the FCC for an inside-out coming out party. The Kyocera-crafted handset outlined in the docs looks to be the recently unveiled Hydro, as the device's model number -- C5170 -- matches that of the unit we got hands-on with in New Orleans. The filings don't spill much of the middleweight mobile's guts, but we were able to discern radios for CDMA 1900MHz, WiFi b/g/n and Bluetooth, as well as the existence of a 1,500mAh battery. We're still in the dark as to where this waterproofed, ICS-laden phone'll end up, but if our magic 8-ball's any indication, all signs point knowingly to Sprint. Hit up the source below to rifle through the RF tests for yourself.

Kyocera Hydro bares all for the FCC originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 23 May 2012 04:05:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Yep, it's party-time in Beijing once again. While the PC industry as a whole reportedly grew by a tight handful of percentage points over the past year, Lenovo has somehow managed to continue its long-running growth spurt, with shipments up 44 percent and operating profits up 46 percent. Sales of both laptop and desktop (including IdeaCentre all-in-ones) grew roughly equally, helped along by blossoming demand in emerging markets, while fledgling smartphones and tablets also proved popular in Lenovo's homeland. The manufacturer reckons it's now second in command of the market behind HP, although it conveniently disregards Apple's iPad from its ranking.

Lenovo beats PC market with 46 percent profit surge originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 23 May 2012 03:16:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Acer has been known to celebrate the Olympic Games with special-edition tech, so we weren't exactly surprised when the company launched a festive version of the Iconia Tab A510 this April in anticipation of the Summer Games in London. Now that the event is just two months away, the Tab is preparing to make its UK debut. According to the Inquirer, it will be available through Carphone Warehouse in June. To jog your memory, this version has the same specs as the original Iconia Tab A510, including a 10.1-inch IPS display, Android Ice Cream Sandwich and a 1.3GHz quad-core Tegra 3 CPU. There's also the same 5-megapixel camera and 32GB of onboard storage. The main difference, of course, is that this version sports an engraving of the five Olympic rings, and Acer also pre-loads a trial of Eurosport channels so users can get coverage during the Games. When the Iconia A510 Olympic Tab launches next month, it will reportedly go for £350 (about $552) without a SIM.

Acer Iconia A510 Olympic Tab to launch in UK next month originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 23 May 2012 02:50:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Gene Roddenberry would have you believe that space is the final frontier. But really, the deep blue sea is more apt for that distinction. And without mega-rich hobbyists to fund exploratory plunges into those uncharted depths, science has had to seek out an alternative, more cost-effective means. Enter the robotic fish. Measuring five feet in length (1.5 meters), lasting up to eight hours and costing about $32,000 (£20,000), these cyborg swimmers are made to boldly go where no man should -- that is, into contaminated waters. The project -- a joint collaboration between the University of Essex and Strathclyde, the Tyndall National Institute and defense contractor Thales Safare (cue ominous Jaws soundtrack) -- aims to cut down on the time it traditionally takes to collect samples and determine corresponding levels of water pollution. The sensor-laden bots apparently swim just like the real thing and, if a recent trial off the coast of Gijon, Spain pans out, could very soon "school" their mass-produced way into other maritime endeavors. No word on whether these automated pesce will be able to detect the piscio in your pool, but there's always the purple water for that.

Robo-fish swim into the ocean's funk, so you don't have to originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 23 May 2012 01:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.