Recently Apple CEO Tim Cook noted that Apple would be assembling a Mac computer in the United States once again. Cook didn’t offer a lot of detail on that comment, despite the fact that a flurry of questions were tossed his way when he made the announcement. People want to know where exactly the machine will be constructed, but Cook declined any further details.

All we know at this point is that a Mac computer will be built in the United States and according to Cook, it will be a new iteration of an existing product. That could mean anything from a refreshed MacBook to a new version of the Mac Pro or Mac mini.

Reports indicate that whatever Mac computer is built in the United States won’t just be a collection of parts shipped from overseas. Many of the components used in the assembly of the new Mac will themselves be made in the United States. Some of the components sourced from the US will come from Arizona, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, and Texas.

Some of the processors Apple uses in products such as the iPhone are already built in the US. Apple made a significant investment into a Samsung chip manufacturing plant in Texas where processors for the iPhone are produced. It’s nice to see Apple bringing even more of its construction back to the US, though you have to wonder if this will mean any increase in prices.

SOURCE: Engadget

Fans of darker shows that follow vampires also flock to this network to watch The Vampire Diaries. In the realm of secondary TV networks, The CW is quite popular. CW has announced that it has started a new deal to bring its content to Apple TV. The content will come to Apple TV via the CW TV now application.

That application has previously been available only on the Xbox 360 and Windows 8 devices. CW says that it’s trying to reach more viewers on more platforms and the deal with Apple TV is one of the methods it’s using. The interesting thing about this app is that while The CW network is only available on cable, you don’t have to have a cable subscription to watch streaming content via its app.

That makes this app one of the first true attempts at unbundling by a television network. What’s even more impressive about this application is that it’s not only past season episodes that you can check out. The company puts new episodes of every one of its series on the app the day after they air on the TV network.

The CW network promises that the application on the Apple TV will work and function similarly to how the app works on the Xbox 360. The TV shows available on the streaming application on all platforms are supported by ads. That means you will have to sit through commercials, but if you don’t have cable, or your cable company doesn’t offer The CW, I think watching a few commercials is probably a good trade-off. The one caveat to this announcement is that there is no specific timeframe offered for the application to hit the Apple TV.

SOURCE: MacRumors

Among the shows that Amazon will add as part of its agreement are shows from USA Network including Covert Affairs and Suits. The agreement will also see the new SyFy show Defiance and two NBC programs, including Grimm and Hannibal, are coming to the streaming service. The shows won’t all show up at the same time.

Grimm, which is based on the collection of Grimm Fairy Tales, is available as of today. Both of the USA Network shows, Suits and Covert Affairs, are available today as well. NBC’s new show Hannibal will be available later this year. Syfy channel’s Defiance won’t show up until early next year.

Amazon says shows that are exclusive to its streaming service will offer access to prior season episodes. That would seem to indicate new episodes won’t be coming straightway. Along with the programs already mentioned, the deal also brings access to several other popular series.

Syfy’s Alphas, Eureka, and Warehouse 13 are also coming to Prime Instant Video. The service will also gets a new children’s shows including Curious George and The Land Before. Both of the children’s programs will be available in the Kindle FreeTime Unlimited content service.

SOURCE: Amazon

The controller is called the Razer Atrox Arcade Stick. Some manufacturers try and make their hardware as tamper-resistant as possible, but Razer has fully embraced the modding community. This arcade stick is built specifically for enthusiasts to be able to access the inside of the controller and modify the device to their preference.

Razer even offers a template for the top panel to make it easier for you to customize the controller to your liking. The controller opens at the top of the arcade stick revealing access to internal storage compartment where you can store the detachable cable, screwdriver, and space for two more buttons. The joystick itself comes with a ball top and an additional bat-shaped top.

The cable for the controller is 13 feet long and can be removed for portability. Razer uses Sanwa Denshi hardware components that promise to last for a long time including 10 high response buttons and a precision eight way joystick. The top of the controller is designed to allow you to add your own custom artwork.

The arcade stick also has a honeycomb structure on the inside making it easy to attach screws so you can add your own components and hardware. The controller has a 2.5 mm audio jack for use with the Xbox 360. The Atrox will be available for pre-order on May 21 with the launch in Japan set for this month and a global launch in June. The controller will cost $199.99.

SOURCE: Razer

One of the more interesting products out there that uses technology to help you track your fitness goals is the Fitbit bracelet that sends information about your activity and other details to a number of smartphones and other devices on the market today. The device had to be specifically compatible with certain Android devices to operate.

Fitbit has now announced that the list of compatible devices been updated to support Bluetooth 4.0 on the new incredibly popular Samsung Galaxy S 4. Fitbit says that it’s team has been working hard to bring support for the new high-end Samsung device after a number of users requested that the company get its device to work with the new Samsung smartphone.

Fitbit says that each new phone it adds with Bluetooth 4.0 sync support requires custom development. The problem according to the company is that many of the phones that support Bluetooth 4.0 hardware don’t have the software needed to support third-party apps like Fitbit and allow the apps to access the Bluetooth hardware.

Google has said that it will be standardizing support for Bluetooth 4.0 in a future version of the Android operating system. Fitbit says that that standardization will make it easier to support Bluetooth 4.0 devices in the future. If your smartphone still lacks support for Fitbit, the company says it is working on adding support for additional devices with phone manufacturers and Google. If you want to know more about Fitbit, be sure and check out our comprehensive review of the Fitbit Flex.

SOURCE: Fitbit

Recently Tesla CEO Elon Musk took to Twitter dropping some teasing details about a future electric vehicle that he and Tesla are dreaming up. Musk said, “It has always been my dream to produce a low cost, compelling electric car. We are 3 to 4 years away. Wish it could be sooner.” That would put timeframe for Tesla’s next electric vehicle at approximately 2016 to 2017.

Musk then answered another question when people were curious what sort of pricing Tesla was considering for its future electric vehicle. Musk tweeted in response to that question, “$30k in 2013 $.” He also said that the new vehicle would have a 200+ mile range with some “really cool tech that we can’t talk about yet.”

I’d wager that really cool tech will be the hot-swappable battery packs that Tesla recently mentioned in an SEC filing or fast battery changing stations. Musk also tweeted that the vehicle would be about the size of the Audi A4 or BMW 3-series compared to the Model S being sized like the Audi A7 or BMW M5.

Musk even said that he thinks when we consider the savings the vehicle will give you in gasoline, that you can actually cross-shop a $30,000 Tesla EV with $25,000 gasoline-powered vehicles. Tesla could be right to assuming this future technology Musk isn’t ready to talk about has something to do with making it quick and easy to recharge or swap battery packs at a low cost.

SOURCE: Forbes

One of the biggest game developers in the gaming universe is EA, which produces franchises such as Madden NFL, The Sims, and the Battlefield franchise. About two years ago, EA announced an “unprecedented partnership” with Nintendo hinting that a number of video games for the console would be coming. Fast forward a few years and EA is now saying that it has not one single game in development for the Nintendo Wii U now.

EA hasn’t ruled out the possibility of developing games for the console in the future, but the company currently has no games in development for Nintendo’s latest hardware. This is a rather surprising revelation by EA considering it and Nintendo were throwing in together to the point that in 2011 at E3 Nintendo’s CEO and EA’s CEO took to the stage together to talk about the Nintendo Wii U and the number of games coming for the console.

EA did develop and launch video games for the Nintendo console early on including versions of hit games such as Mass Effect 3, Need For Speed Most Wanted, Madden NFL, and FIFA. However, none of those games launched first on Nintendo’s new console or were exclusives. In fact, they had all been available previously on the other game consoles. EA spokesperson Jeff Brown told Kotaku this week that the earlier run of games for the Nintendo console was EA delivering on its E3 2011 content partnership.

If EA saw value in designing and developing games for the Wii U, you could bet that the company would be doing it. If you’re a big fan of the Wii U, EA’s lack of support for the console means you will have no NFL video game to play because EA holds the exclusive license. It ever a console needed a massive first party video game success, the Wii U is it. However, it looks like Nintendo will have to step up and develop any successful games to drive desire for the console itself, and it doesn’t exactly have a strong track record in recent years for developing hit video games.

SOURCE: Kotaku

The new packages include the Dart SXT and Limited model Special Edition packages and a new Ralley Appearance Group. The SXT Special Edition package features a black grille, dark tinted projector headlamps, LED racetrack tail lamps, and an integrated dual exhaust. The package also features front passenger seat and seat storage and add only $595 to the price of the vehicle.

Dodge also offers the Ralley Appearance Group that brings a dark front fascia, Ralley badge, and 17-inch hyper black aluminum wheels for an additional $395. The available Limited Special Edition package brings a power sunroof, heated front seats, heated steering wheel, dual zone automatic temperature control, SiriusXM Satellite Radio, LED racetrack tail lamps, premium Napa leather seats, and Garmin navigation for $1810.

That Limited Special Edition package adds significant features of luxury for the price. The Dart is a very important vehicle for Dodge. The company says that the vehicle attracts the youngest demographic in the compact car segment with 60% of buyers new to the Chrysler group. Dodge also says that the vehicle is important for building its brand awareness and is coming off of five consecutive month over month sales records.

The 2013 Dart has a base price of $18,590 plus an $895 destination charge. The SXT Special Edition uses a 2.0-liter 160 hp Tigershark four-cylinder engine. The Limited starts at $19,995 and features the 8.4-inch touchscreen on the dash along with the seven-inch full-color TFT LED reconfigurable instrument cluster.

SOURCE: Dodge

The screens had a resolution of 2880 x 1620. Asus has now stepped up with a notebook that we haven’t heard about until now called the ZenBook UX51VZ-DB115H. This notebook has a 15.6-inch screen carrying a resolution of 2880 x 1620. Asus didn’t bother offering up an official press release or announcing the product, this new computer packing its high-resolution screen has simply turned up on the German Amazon.com website for pre-order.

The pixel density for the high-resolution screen is 221 ppi. Other hardware available on the machine includes an Intel Core i7-3632QM processor, 8 GB of RAM, a 256 GB or 512 GB SSD, and graphics by a Nvidia GeForce GT 650M GPU. The notebook also features an aluminum chassis, and integrated DVD burner, and an HD resolution camera.

Connectivity includes three USB 3.0 ports and the machine runs Windows 8 for the operating system. The notebook measures 380 x 255 x 19.7 mm and weighs 2.06 kg. Power comes from an internal eight-cell battery with 90Wh of power inside.

The notebook can be pre-ordered starting at €1700 for the version featuring a 256 GB SSD. If you opt for the 512 GB SSD the machine starts at €1999. This machine certainly isn’t cheap, but if you’re looking for a Windows 8 notebook with a very high resolution display this could make for a very nice option.

SOURCE: Notebookitalia

Google has added some new quick action buttons to Gmail designed to help users take care of their digital needs quickly and easily. The quick action buttons will appear for certain types of messages that arrive in your inbox allowing you to take action without having to bother opening the e-mail. One example is if a friend sent you an invite to a party at a restaurant.

You would be able to RSVP that you will attend, won’t attend, or may attend using a small action button will appear in upper right-hand corner of the e-mail window. The action buttons will also allow you to rate the restaurant you ate at for lunch using the link in your inbox. Another type of e-mail that will get these easy-to-use action buttons are flight confirmation e-mails.

If you open an e-mail containing a flight confirmation, details about the flight will appear right at the top. Details include things like departure time, whether or not the flight is on time, the terminal, and the gate number. Granted airlines are notorious for changing the details of the last minute, so you’ll still have to check with your airport.

It’s very nice though to have all the information on your flight right at the top without having to do a lot of scrolling. Google says that these the quick actions will roll out over the next few weeks and that it is working on adding additional actions in the future. Developers can also add actions to their e-mails, which opens interesting possibilities. I can see this being combined with the Google wallet integration with Gmail where a user can be sent an e-mail with a price quote for product or service and the user could pay directly from their inbox streamlining the process for the buyer and seller.

SOURCE: Gmail

The case is called the juice pack plus and promises 120% extra power in a thin case. Not only does the case provide extra runtime the iPhone 5, but it also helps to protect the phone from drops and impacts. Inside the case is a 2100 mAh battery promising 120% additional battery life for the iPhone 5 user.

Mophie also promises that the case itself won’t damage the iPhone 5 thanks to features like anti-scratch guides to buffer the impact of falls and a direct injection sleeve engineered with a special shockproof band. The case is offered in three different colors including a soft touch black case, glossy white, and metallic red. The red case is a collaboration with Product (RED).

The large battery pack inside the case promises up to 10 additional hours of talk time on a 3G network. Users can also get up to 12 additional hours of Wi-Fi use and up to 50 additional hours of audio playback. The battery pack can also provide up to 12 additional hours of video playback. Users can charge the phone and sync the device without removing it from the case.

It features a lightning pass through using the included micro USB cable. Users can also connect their headphones to the iPhone 5 without removing it from the case. A flip switch is integrated to allow users to toggle between charging using the juice pack plus battery or standby for the battery so it’s there when you need it. The case is also fitted with an LED indicator showing how much power is left in the case and the case has one amp charging allowing it to charge quicker than when using a standard .5A system. You can purchase the iPhone 5 juice pack plus right now for $119.95.

SOURCE: Mophie

As most buyers of software and other electronic devices know, just because the box says 16 GB of storage certainly doesn’t mean you actually have that much storage to use. On the 16 GB Galaxy S 4, Samsung installs so much software that roughly half of the storage space available is consumed when the device is turned on for the first time. Samsung maintains that all the software installed on the phone is required to provide the features users expect.

Samsung is reportedly having a change of heart when it comes to its stance on using up so much the storage space on a user’s new smartphone without their permission. Samsung has said in the wake of the BBC Watchdog investigation that it will try to compact the features it adds to the device into a smaller amount of storage space to get more storage for user data and applications.

Samsung also recently announced a version of the Galaxy S 4 during the Google I/O conference that will ship without the Samsung TouchWiz interface. That special Samsung user interface is one of the pieces of software that takes up memory on a new smartphone. One of the big reasons why Watchdog and some consumers are so irritated by Samsung filling up the internal storage with software is because storage space for apps is limited.

The S 4 does have a memory card slot, but users can’t install applications to that memory card. The only content that can be stored on the memory card inside the phone is data like photos and music. Anyone who likes high-end mobile games knows that some come in close to the 1 GB mark and with only 8 GB of storage space not taken up by Samsung software, you can only install a few of those high-end mobile games before you’re out of space for everything.

SOURCE: CNET

NASA’s specifically looking for impacts that form craters that are at least 12.8 feet across. The investigation has led researchers to identify 248 new impact sites on different portions of the surface of Mars in the past decade. NASA scientists used images from the MRO to determine when the craters appeared.

NASA arrived at the conclusion that more than 200 small asteroids or little pieces of comets impact the surface of Mars each year by calculating a number based on the actual number of craters found in a systematic survey of a smaller portion of the red planet. NASA used the MRO’s Hi Resolution Science Experiment camera to take pictures of fresh craters at sites where before and after images by other cameras were available.

NASA says that Mars is struck with a significantly higher number of asteroid and comet fragments than Earth because Mars has a much thinner atmosphere, therefore these smaller fragments don’t burn up during entry. The asteroid or comet fragments that hit the planet are usually in the area of 3 to 6 feet in diameter according to NASA scientists.

NASA also notes that the meteor that created such a sensation when it entered the Earth’s atmosphere over Chelyabinsk, Russia in February was about 10 times bigger than the chunks of asteroid and comet fragments causing these craters on the surface of Mars. NASA says that its new estimates on the rate at which new craters appear on the surface of the planet will be used to estimate the ages of exposed landscape features on Mars and other planets. Mars gets an average of one new crater each year on each portion of its surface measuring approximately the size of the state of Texas.

SOURCE: NASA

One of the biggest races where electric vehicles play a significant role is the annual Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. The 2013 version of the race will be held on June 30, 2013 and Mitsubishi has announced that it will be fielding a pair of all electric four-wheel drive prototype racecars at the event. The racecars are called the MiEV Evolution II.

These electric racecars are quite strange looking. Whereas some racecars are incredibly beautiful, I don’t think you can call Mitsubishi’s electric racecars beautiful. Vehicles designed specifically for hill climb racing are often very odd looking with gigantic wings and lots of canards to provide more downforce. The Mitsubishi racecars are open cockpit designs with large rear wings and squared off tail sections.

The Pikes Peak International Hill Climb is held each year in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The race takes drivers up the 14,110 foot summit of Pikes Peak with racers covering an elevation of almost 4720 feet. This event is one of the longest running races in all of motorsports in the United States with the first run held in 1916.

The 2013 race will be the 91st running of the hill climb. Behind the wheel of Mitsubishi’s all electric racecars will be Hiroshi Masuoka and Greg Tracy. The Mitsubishi electric racecar has four electric motors with two in the front and two in the rear providing a maximum output of 400 kW. The battery pack has a maximum capacity of 50kWh. The vehicle’s make extensive use of lightweight technologies including a tube frame chassis and carbon fiber.

SOURCE: Mitsubishi

The people behind the project say that you can build your own customized wake-up routine using any combination of several different items while your device charges. You can be woke up using a standard alarm including soft, loud, or progressive chimes. You can also be woke into a song from your device.

If normal alarms aren’t your deal, you can also wake to the days weather report or traffic alerts. The alarm can also wake you using voice reminders to remind you do specific things during the day. You can also program the alarm to offer a brainteaser before it will turn off to ensure that you’re actually awake. One of the brainteasers has the user trying to touch a fly buzzing across the screen on tim-E’s face.

If you poke the robot and not the fly, he will say things like “Swat the fly, not the eye, sleepyhead!” The traffic reports come in the form of phrases from the robot with things like, “Give yourself some extra time today, because the 405 is jammed!” The robot will also give you perky little phrases the weather forecasts such as “75 and sunny today! Forget work, let’s hit the beach!”

I think that’s much better than just having a buzzer that goes off and having to read the forecast on the screen of your iPhone. It also makes this device particularly well-suited to younger children who have a difficult time getting up and may not be the best readers. Rather than using the blue robot face, you can also use pictures of friends and family as the robot’s face. The project is seeking $150,000 and has 28 days to go. So far, it has raised a little under $3200 and the pledge of $60 or more will get you your own tim-E.

SOURCE: Kickstarter

There’ve been a few interesting offerings that surfaced in the home automation realm over the last several months, and one of those is the new Insteon Hub. This device is now shipping at a retail price of $129.99. The Hub turns your iOS or Android device into a home automation controller using an app. The Hub is the central controller for whole home automation systems and you can connect to it using applications on your smartphone or tablet from anywhere in the world where you can get an Internet connection.

Using the Hub, you can control all sorts of devices within the home that are equipped with Insteon controls such as light bulbs, wall switches, outlets, thermostats, and more. You can also get e-mail or text message alerts from the Hub if motion is detected in the home, a door is opened, a window is opened, or from water leak sensors while you’re away.

That feature may be particularly appealing to people who travel a lot and parents. For instance, parents could receive an e-mail when the door opens to notify them that their child is home from school. You can also use the alerts to know if your maid showed up or the repair man.

The Hub supports full dual-band communications, secure remote access, and powerline signal strength from Insteon and X10 signals. That means it should work with many commercially available home automation devices and sensors. The $129 price does not include any sensors or switches to automate your home and is only for the central controller, which is the brain of a home automation system.

SOURCE: Insteon

One of the biggest causes of repetitive motion injuries for computer users is the mouse. Moving your wrist back and forth for hours each day, day in day out can cause pain for many people. One way to treat this problem is with an ergonomic mouse that helps reduce those repetitive stresses. One of the more unique mice available out there promising ergonomics is from a company called Penclic.

Penclic has announced a new ergonomic mouse called the Bluetooth B2 Mouse. It looks rather like someone stabbed a pen into the top of a small mouse designed for portability. The mouse base has a little scroll wheel and the pen has multiple buttons. This particular mouse from Penclic eliminates the need to use a wire or take up a USB port with a wireless adapter by supporting Bluetooth.

If your notebook or desktop computer has integrated Bluetooth, you don’t need anything else to pair this mouse to your computer. The mouse will work with both Mac and Windows machines. The pen-style is designed to provide users with an intuitive user experience and the mouse is designed to work without a mouse pad.

The mouse feels and acts like a pen in your hand and uses a laser sensor to move the cursor with accuracy over most surfaces. The mouse has a total of five buttons and an integrated scroll wheel. The mouse is powered by an internal rechargeable battery good for up to two months of use on a single charge. The wireless range is up to 10 m and the mouse comes in white only. You can purchase the B2 Bluetooth Mouse now.

SOURCE: Penclic

Sony will begin taking pre-orders online for the TV on May 15 and the device will be in stores by the middle of June. Pricing in Europe for the TV will be €4500 for the 55-inch model and €7000 for the 65-inch model. Sony promises that both versions of the X9 will deliver extremely high image quality and sound.

Like all 4K TVs, Sony’s offerings bring four times the resolution of a full HD TV. Also like all other 4K TVs, at least for now the problem for buyers will be poor availability for 4K content. Sony does have some 4K films available for media players supporting high-resolution and a streaming movie service.

The X9 4K resolution TVs use a technology that is unique to Sony called Triluminos Display that promises a wide palette of realistic colors. The TV also features integrated NFC technology to make it easy to mirror the screen of your compatible smartphone or tablet with a touch. That feature makes it easy to get content from your mobile device onto the big screen in the living room.

On TV sets, it’s easy to focus only on the picture and forget about the sound. Sound is an integral part of the movie and TV watching experience and Sony uses a technology to improve the sound experience on the X9 TVs. One of those technologies is a unique Signal-to-Sound architecture Sony says it designed specifically to make sounds more realistic without overwhelming the dialogue in your favorite movies or TV shows.

SOURCE: Sony

The iPlayer app/link/shortcut is available as a free download from the Windows Phone Store. Once downloaded, users can search for content by channel, by featured content, or save shows you like to your favorites area. Users can catch up on their favorite BBC programs on the go.

BBC also says that it realizes how important being able to catch up on your favorite programs on the go is. According to the company, in March of 2013 30% of overall requests for streaming content came in from mobile devices and tablets. Those requests totaled 81 million in March alone.

Fans of BBC programming who use Windows Phone 7.5 may be wondering where their support is. BBC says that it has been working with Microsoft to launch its iPlayer on both Windows Phone 7.5 and 8. However, BBC says that platform limitations on Windows Phone 7.5 have left it unable to provide the same quality playback experience as it can on version 8.

The fact that the playback quality was impacted led BBC to the side to not offer iPlayer on Windows Phone 7.5. BBC doesn’t think this is that big of a deal because Windows Phone 8 currently makes up the majority of all Window smartphones on the market. I don’t think the only people using Windows Phone 7.5 feel any better knowing that fact.

SOURCE: BBC

Back in February we learned that a Raspberry Pi camera module was coming to market that would be priced at about $25. If the idea of a small camera board for your projects is exciting, you’ll be thrilled to hear that the camera board is now shipping. The device can be purchased at multiple online retailers, including RS Components and others.

The camera module sells for $25 and has a five-megapixel CMOS image sensor by OmniVision. That CMOS sensor uses 1.4 micron backside illumination pixel architecture. The architecture allows the camera to deliver five-megapixel resolution still images and high rate HD resolution video capture capability.

When the camera module is used record to 720p resolution HD video, it can do so at 60p. The camera card add on connects to the Raspberry Pi via the existing camera connector and uses CSI for data and I2C for control. Users can record both 720p and 1080p at 30 frames per second in H264 format.

The small camera add-on board measures only 20 x 20 x 10 mm and has an integrated flat ribbon cable for connection. The camera will work with both the Raspberry Pi Model A or Model B boards. Depending on the version of the operating system you’re using on the board, you may have to upgrade to be able to use the camera add on.

SOURCE: RS Deliveries

The manufacturer has announced availability of a new nano wireless extender called the N150 Nano Easy-N-Range Extender. The networking adapter is model number TEW-713RE and it is designed to extend the wireless network easily. The goal of the product is to bring Wi-Fi coverage to areas of the home where wireless connectivity is poor.

This can be a very common issue in multistory homes or larger homes where some rooms simply can’t get a decent Wi-Fi signal to allow computers and game consoles to go online. To use the range extender, all you need to do is plug it into an outlet in an area of the home that still has at least two bars of network connectivity from the wireless router.

A button press on the range extender adapter automatically syncs security details with compatible wireless routers and the newly extended network is ready to go. The device will ship on the 20th for $44.99. Trendnet is also announced a new product in its popular cloud camera line called the TV-IP762IC Wireless HD Day/Night Cloud Camera.

The camera is designed to allow home or business owners to view security footage over the Internet. The device connects easily to a wireless network and features night vision allowing you to view what’s going on up to 16 feet away in complete darkness. The camera supports 720p HD resolution video and connects wirelessly to high-speed 802.11n wireless networks. The camera also supports streaming audio allowing you to hear what’s going on in the video and it features motion detection. The camera can record video to a memory card and it will ship this fall. Pricing for the camera is set at $149.

SOURCE: Trendnet

SOURCE: Trendnet

NASA had a space station in orbit around the Earth in the early 70s called Skylab. The 40th anniversary of the launch of Skylab is today. You may be wondering exactly where Skylab is, and the answer to that is that not only is it no longer and space, but most of it isn’t in the United States. NASA placed crews aboard the Skylab space station from 1973 through 1974.

Skylab crews consisted of three astronauts and between May 1973 in February of 1974 three different crews lived briefly aboard the space station. Skylab was later abandoned, but NASA had hoped to possibly reactivate the station using the space shuttle fleet which was then in development. The problem for Skylab was that it was in an orbit that was too low and NASA was unable to boost the space station into a higher orbit.

In 1979, Skylab reentered the Earth’s atmosphere over the southern Indian Ocean. Skylab was large enough that several pieces of the space station survived reentry and ended up impacting along the south coast of Western Australia. The reentry of Skylab was said to be mostly uncontrolled and created a media sensation at the time.

Another problem with the reentry for NASA was that the Skylab reentered the atmosphere several minutes earlier than predicted and on a slightly different course than predicted. Some sections of Skylab ended up getting the ground in the Australian outback near Balladonia on Australia’s Nullarbor Plain. The largest pieces of Skylab reportedly recovered include the oxygen tanks that supply breathable air Astronauts living on the space station. The surviving components now reside in the town of Esperance, which boasts 10,000 residents and is about 450 miles from Perth. Other components that survived reentry included the space station storage freezer, water tank, nitrogen spheres, and a portion of the hatch used to enter the space station.

SOURCE: Space.com

That means tomorrow, the new software development kit will be available for Android developers and it promises to make it easier for the developers to accept in-app payments via Android. Developers on the iOS platform had access to a similar SDK about two months ago. PayPal had promised Android developers that they would get their own version of the SDK soon when the iOS version launched.

The new PayPal Android SDK supports Android version 2.2 and up. The new Android payment solution will allow developers to accept payments via PayPal and via credit cards. PayPal believes that giving users the option to pay quickly and easily via their PayPal account or by scanning a credit card will lure more customers into paying developers for their work.

PayPal says that offering two forms of payment via the SDK “removes payment friction so developers can focus on creating amazing experiences.” With more and more apps watching that are supported by in-app purchases, easy payment systems are a necessity for developers.

PayPal says that it is also offering security features that will allow developers to “significantly reduce” fraud they encounter with payments. The one downside to this new SDK is that it likely means an increasing number of freemium applications. Getting an interesting game or app for free only to realize that you have to spend money in the game to make it playable frustrates everyone.

SOURCE: TheNextWeb

The Adam II features a 10.1-inch screen and is cheaper, better performing, and has a secondary black and white display on the side that the original Adam tablet lacked. The resolution of that 10.1-inch screen is 1280 x 800 and it uses IPS technology. The secondary black and white screen on the side is a LCD display and is used for notifications.

The heart of the tablet is a 1.5 GHz dual-core ARM Cortex-A9 processor. The tablet runs Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean for the operating system. The dual core processor is paired with 1 GB of RAM and the tablet has integrated Wi-Fi as well as Bluetooth.

Other features include a front camera and a rear camera, both with two-megapixel resolution. The internal battery has 6000 mAh of power promising 10 hours of battery life per charge. Rumors originally tipped the price for the Adam II to be $220.

However, reports have now indicated that the rumored $220 price is incorrect. Official pricing hasn’t been announced at this time. This tablet is expected to be a reasonably priced offering since the only thing out of the ordinary is that additional LCD display for notifications. I can’t see that secondary display driving the price up significantly from the originally rumored $220. There is no official launch date announced at this time.

SOURCE: Liliputing

I’ve known more than a few people that were really on the fence when it came to keeping their Facebook account or deleting it. You probably know a few people like this, they are the sort who have an account but never post anything and only rarely check to see what’s going on. Over the weekend, a new app for Facebook turned up called Social Roulette.

The intention of this app was to take control out of the hands of the user when it came to deleting the account. The game was a spin on the deadly game of Russian Roulette. Rather than risking your life, The simply risked your Facebook account. The design of the app was that one in six people who used it would have their complete Facebook profile deleted.

According to the developers of the app, we can completely remove all your posts, friends, apps, likes, photos, and games before completely deactivating it [your account].” If this sounds like an interesting app, Facebook has blocked the application and it no longer functions. While this sort of app is said to not violate Facebook’s terms and conditions, it obviously isn’t something that Facebook would want out there.

The last thing Facebook wants is for users to delete their account. Facebook is working incredibly hard to figure out a way to generate money from the millions and millions of users the social network has. Honestly, the developers of the application had to know Facebook would eventually block them, even the logo for the app used Facebook’s logo, which the social network doesn’t take kindly to. The developers of the app said Facebook blocked their API key and restricted their ability to create Facebook applications. The developer say that the Facebook automated system flagged their app for “creating a negative user experience.”

SOURCE: TechCrunch

Archos is back with another new tablet aimed at specific use. The tablet is called the ChefPad and as the name suggests it’s intended to be used in the kitchen. The tablet runs Android 4.1 for the operating system and uses a dual-core 1.6 GHz processor.

Other hardware features for the tablet include 1 GB of RAM, 8 GB of storage, a mini HDMI output, memory card slot, and front and rear cameras. Both the front camera and rear camera have the same two-megapixel resolution. One of the kitchen oriented features of the tablet is an integrated adjustable stand.

That adjustable stand allows you to prop the tablet up so you can view it hands-free from across the counter while you cook. The tablet also comes in a protective silicone case to help keep the tablet free from various ingredients and to help protect it from spills and splashes. The tablet works in conjunction with an application from Archos called Chef Apps Selection.

That particular app will send users to the Google Play store and filter out everything but apps having to do with cooking. The tablet has a 9.7-inch screen with a resolution of 1024 x 768. It does have built-in Wi-Fi and is Google Certified. The tablet also supports full HD resolution video playback. Archos plans to launch the tablet in June for €169.99.

SOURCE: ArcTablet

It doesn’t appear that this device is designed to be flexible itself, but that screen is said to be flexible. I would imagine that the flexibility is important in a device designed to be written on by hand to allow the screen to survive without cracking over time. The device is currently a concept, but Sony reportedly plans to bring it to market this year for testing. The writing slate has a 13.3-inch E-ink screen that is sized like an A4 sheet of paper.

The screen promises a resolution of 1600 x 1200. Other details of the tablet are known include 4 GB of internal storage, a microSD card slot, integrated Wi-Fi, and the device promises three weeks of battery life. The panel uses some sort of electromagnetic induction technology and the touch functionality won’t work with a finger.

The only way to interact with the tablet is said to be by using the included pen or another stylus. The device supports only one file format, which is PDF. That may well be the downfall of this device. There is no support for Word, Excel, PowerPoint, or any other file type. More than anything else, that will limit the usefulness of this device.

Sony says that it will be field trialing the device at several Japanese universities later this year. Sony’s goal is to offer the tablet commercially by the end of its fiscal 2013. That would be somewhere around May of 2014 according to reports.

SOURCE: The-digital-reader

One of the coolest features of the Hue system at launch was that using an application Philips offers running on your smartphone, you can control everything from the brightness of the light to the color of the light. Philips has now announced that it has launched the next generation Philips Hue app adding in all sorts of interesting new features for users of the lighting system.

The updated application allows users to control the light bulbs using smartphones or tablets and the control is available with more flexibility than with the older app. One of the new and interesting features of the application is a new Philips Hue channel on If This Then That. That channel allows the light system to access any application programming interface on the Internet so the light bulbs can act as informational gateways.

That sounds very complicated, but what it means is that the smart bulbs in your home can be set up to give you visual cues on things such as whether, stocks, sports scores, e-mail, social media, and more. Think about how useful that feature could be. For instance, if the first thing your kids always want to know in the morning is if it will rain today, you could set up a bulb in their room to glow purple if the weather forecast predicts rain and yellow if the forecast predicts Sun. You can also set the bulb to glow your favorite teams color if they won the game last night.

Version 1.1 of the new application also includes a geo-fencing and recurring schedules capability. The geo-fencing feature approximates the location of the smartphone or tablet controlling your system and controls the lights as the user’s smartphone or tablet approaches and leaves the home. That means you get close to your house with your smartphone in the pocket, the lighting system in your home can automatically turn on. It also means that as you walk out of your house the morning on your rush to work, the lights will automatically turn themselves off.

The system also has a new synchronous scenes feature that works in the background to allow large batches of Hue bulbs to change scenes in a smooth an immediate matter. The recurring schedules feature also allows users to schedule timer settings so daily and repeated behaviors of the lights, like waking up or going to sleep are supported without having to reset the bulbs each day. The app also has a new randomized setting to turn the lights off and on an unexpected times while the owner is away from home. The new app is available as an easy to apply update for Apple and Android device users. Individual Hue bulbs can be purchased for $59.

SOURCE: Meet Hue

To celebrate the 50th birthday of the exotic carmaker, Lamborghini unveiled a one-of-a-kind concept vehicle called the Egoista powered by a 600 hp V10 engine.. That name translates to selfish. Why called the car selfish? The reason for the name is because only one person can drive in the car. Having something as cool as the Egoista, only making one of them, and then only allowing one person to enjoy it at the time is selfish indeed.

The car reminds me of something that would turn into a robot in the Transformers or Robotech universe. Lamborghini says that the car is designed to resemble the look of the Apache attack helicopter. I can see some of that resemblance in the angles and planes of the vehicle body.

The single person cockpit certainly looks like something straight out of the helicopter. The concept vehicle was designed Walter De Silva. One look at the car and it doesn’t appear to be something that could ever be driven on the roads legally in most countries. All the protuberances on the front of the vehicle look as if they were intended to be used in a rehash of Death Race 2000.

The cockpit is so tight that the vehicle uses a removable steering wheel along the lines of a racing car. The vehicle even has a choreographed routine that is required to get into the car and strap in. Anyone rich enough to afford a one-of-a-kind Lamborghini will be sad to hear that Lamborghini has no intentions of actually building this car or selling the one that they did construct.

SOURCE: Yahoo

According to the report, the average iTunes user spends about $40 per year on music, apps, and other content. The report also shows that during the last quarter iTunes revenues topped $4 billion. Apple also believes it can maintain its impressive growth rate stating it has a $16 billion annual run rate.

Asymco says that the content portion of iTunes revenue during the last quarter was $2.4 billion, which is a significant increase from the $2.1 billion in the previous quarter. The growth into Q1 was expected because many iTunes gift cards given during the holiday season are used during January. iTunes revenues have grown at an average of 29% per quarter for the last six years.

Apple is now offering iTunes music in 119 different countries. Apple also has 35 million songs in its music catalog. Music isn’t all iTunes offers, movies are also available in 109 different countries and 60,000 titles are available. Another big market for iTunes is books with iBookstore available in 155 different countries offering a total of 175 million different books.

The App Store is now available in 155 different countries covering 90% of the world’s population. The report also notes that developers have created over 850,000 apps for Apple devices including 350,000 made specifically for the iPad. So far more than 45 million downloads have been made from iTunes and 50 billion downloads are expected by the middle of May.

SOURCE: Asymco

Arrested Development aired on the Fox network from 2003 through 2006. The show was so popular that fans have been clamoring for a return of the series or a big-screen movie for years. Neither of those ever happened until Netflix stepped in and announced in 2011 that it would be bringing Arrested Development back to television.

Of course, the caveat was that the new episodes will be available only for Netflix subscribers. Netflix has now put the Arrested Development season four trailer online and it appears that the show picks up pretty much where it left off when it was canceled in 2006. New episodes of Arrested Development are returning with the complete original cast reprising their roles.

One of the best things about Netflix’s original programs is that the streaming company puts every episode online at the same time. That means you can watch the first episode and if you’re interested the entire remainder of the season is available for you to watch all in a row. Netflix says that all 15 episodes of the series that have been made will be available as of May 26.

Each of the episodes runs 30 minutes long and will presumably be commercial free like all of the other content on the streaming network. It’s interesting to see the show return after a seven-year hiatus. I had a few shows from the past that I really liked to watch that were canceled that I’ve wished would return. I know I’m not the only one who has long hoped that Firefly would return to the air. I don’t see that whenever happening with the success of Castle for Nathan Fillion.

SOURCE: Mashable

The Google SMS Search service allowed users to search Google’s vast database via text messaging. Users will send a text message to a specific Google number, and Google would respond with search results via SMS at no cost to the user. However, I’m sure there will be a cost associated with text messages with your wireless carrier.

The SMS Search service had a bunch of shortcuts for users looking for specific information such as sports scores, local businesses, stock quotes, and the weather among other things. If you happen to be one of the users around the world that has a feature phone that is unable to get online, the termination of Google’s SMS Search service may bring tears to your eyes.

Google has officially announced that SMS Search has been shut down. If you send a search query to the SMS Search number, the response will be a message that says, “SMS search has been shut down. You can continue to search the web at Google.com on any device.” The shut down reportedly came abruptly on Sunday evening.

Google made no official announcement about shutting it down and the first warning users had was the message I mentioned previously. Strangely, the Google Mobile website reportedly still lists SMS Search, but if you selected it goes to a webpage that no longer exists. Google does offer other SMS applications for calendar, Gmail, and Google voice, which are reportedly still working.

SOURCE: Ghacks

The big benefit is that it will be significantly faster. That will mean less buffering time for streaming media such as movies and video. It will also mean faster networking for multiple player games and faster downloads for new games and other large files. Samsung says that it expects the maximum transmission speed for 5G mobile networks to reach the “tens of Gbps.”

Samsung says that the speed will be high enough that users will be able to download an ultra high definition movie file “within seconds.” During testing Samsung has been able to demonstrate the ability to achieve transfer speeds of up to 1Gbps over distances of up to 2 km. The technology is currently relying on 28 GHz ultrahigh frequency bandwidths.

Samsung also notes that other companies and institutions around the world have been developing technology that would take advantage of 6 GHz bandwidths. The problem with using those ultra-high-frequency bandwidths, such as a 6 GHz range, according to Samsung is that the transmission range is decreased.

Samsung is currently looking to commercialize be 5G technology is developing by 2020. Samsung isn’t alone in trying to roll out 5G mobile communications technology by 2020. Several international standards unions are working on 5G technology and overall standards to govern the rollout of these networks and the development of technology.

SOURCE: Samsung

A company called VOX One Labs has a new MP3 project on Kickstarter seeking the funding to come to market. The company has designed this MP3 player specifically for active users so it stays in place and usable no matter how strenuously you exercise. The MP3 player is called the ITreq and it’s designed to be compact and very lightweight.

The MP3 player rather reminds me of headsets worn by law enforcement officers or the military in that the MP3 player hangs behind the ear with an ear piece that plugs into the ear canal. The ITreq does have an extra 3.5 mm port allowing it to be worn as a stereo headset if desired. The device will come in white, black, or red and will support 4 GB microSD cards. The device will play any MP3 file that you put onto the little memory card.

Users will be able to carry multiple memory cards with them to have access to as many audio tracks if you want. Another nice feature of the audio player is that it has a high impact ABS shell along with medical grade silicone rubber ear hooks. That means it shouldn’t feel heavy behind the ear and can survive sweat and the elements.

The devices IP53 water resistant, but not waterproof. That means you can’t swim with it, but sweat or the occasional sprinkle of rain won’t destroy the player. The project is seeking $56,750, which is a strange amount. So far, the project has raised $6225 with 26 days to go. You will need to pledge at least $59 or more to get one of the ITreq MP3 players for yourself. The more money pledge up to $99, the more 4 GB memory card you receive with your purchase.

SOURCE: Kickstarter

The stars in question are white dwarfs with atmospheres said to be polluted by debris from asteroid-like objects falling onto them. According to scientists, this discovered indicates that the formation of rocky planets with the common in star clusters. A white dwarf is a smaller, dim remnant of a star once like our sun.

The stars in question are 150 light-years away from the area in the Hyades star cluster. That cluster is part of the constellation of Taurus. Astronomers say that of the approximately 800 known exoplanets, only four are known to orbit stars in a cluster. However, the astronomers believe that the reason planets aren’t commonly discovered around clusters could have to do with the fact that cluster stars are typically young and very active producing lots of flares and other outbursts that make it difficult to study them in detail.

Spectroscopic observations made using the Hubble were able to identify silicon in the atmosphere of the two white dwarfs in this particular cluster. The scientists say that the presence of silicon is a major ingredient of rocky material that forms planets such as the Earth and other planets in our solar system. The theory is that the silicon present in the atmosphere of the stars was left there by planets destroyed by the gravity of the star. The scientists also believe that rocky debris left over from the destroying of planets is likely to have formed rings around the stars.

[via SpaceTelescope]

To gather additional information for crew members on the station and NASA controllers on the ground, ISS crewmembers used hand-held cameras while Mission Control used external television cameras to record images to gather additional data. Those images were used to narrow down the location of the leak.

Information from crewmembers aboard the space station and the photographs taken indicate that the ammonia leak in the section of the cooling system is increasing in capacity. The ISS uses ammonia to cool the power channels that provide electricity to systems aboard the space station. NASA says that the ISS crewmembers are in no danger at this time.

SpaceFlight Now reports that this coolant system requires at least 40 pounds of ammonia for normal operation. NASA believes that at the current leak rate, the coolant loop in question would drop below that level and shut down within 48 hours if a repair isn’t made. If that coolant loop shuts down, crewmembers would have to reconfigure the coolant loops to use a different loop to cool some of the computer systems the leaking 2B loop currently cools.

[via NASA and SpaceFlightNow]

The game puts players behind the controls of World War I biplane as they battle to take control of the skies. The game is described as a strategic aerial combat title and will work on both the iPhone and the iPad. Players will use their aircraft to defend their base camp and allies.

Players will be able to progress through various campaigns across Europe while the upgrade their skills, improve the aircraft, and perform other tasks. Players will be able to choose from 30 vintage and historical World War I aircraft. The game has a total of over 120 missions and players can choose their team of Aces each offering a special skill to expand options during play.

Players will also be able to upgrade and promote their top pilots throughout the course of the game campaign. The game can be played as a turn-based single-player title, a two-player hot pad game, or as synchronous multiplayer through Game Center. The game is available as a free download on the App Store and as you can imagine the will be hoards of in game purchase options.

[via Take2Games]

Bluetooth SIG is the special-interest group that certifies products that use Bluetooth technology. That means just about everything that hits the market rolls through their hands at one time or another. The latest device to surface in documents on the website of the Bluetooth SIG is called the Samsung Mobile Phone SM-C101.

That SM-C101 is the part number that’s been rumored to go along with the Galaxy S 4 Zoom. The documentation on the website doesn’t exactly offer a lot of details on the smartphone, but it does appear to confirm that the device is real and coming. Luckily, the rumors that have been circulating do have a few details.

The rumor says that the Galaxy S 4 Zoom will resemble the Galaxy S 4 Mini. The biggest difference between the two smartphones comes in the fact that the Zoom has a very impressive 16-megapixel rear camera features optical zoom, at least according to the rumor. Rumors also indicate that the Zoom may be coming in early June. Keep in mind that all of this is unsubstantiated rumor since that part number is only associated with the Zoom by rumor.

[via Unwired View]

The five programs that are covered in the licensing agreement include Jake and the Never Land Pirates, Tron: Uprising, Handy Manny, Special Agent Oso, and JoJo’s Circus. All of those shows are very popular with kids, and even some adults. The programming is built around multiple areas of child development.

Disney says that the shows help multiple areas of child development including physical, emotional, social, and cognitive thinking and creative skills. The children’s programming is also intended to help the moral and ethical development of kids who watch.

The programming will be available on the kids section Netflix. Like all other Netflix content, all five of the new Disney programs will be commercial free and included in the Netflix monthly service charge. Netflix has been adding a lot of content over the last several months and more content will be added in the future.

[via Netflix]

The new crowd-sourced funding site will be called FundAnything. Trump has even gone so far as to promise to fully fund some of the projects himself. Trump also promises to tweet about new projects on a weekly basis.

If you think this is nothing more than a clone of Kickstarter and Indiegogo, you’re right. Zanker says, “What I’m trying to do is bring crowdfunding away from the Brooklyn hipsters and bring it to the masses.” The launch of Trump’s crowd sourced funding initiative was naturally made in New York at the Trump Tower.

One interesting twist for FundAnything is that it will guarantee any backers of a project a return of up to $100 on their investment if a project turns out to be fraudulent. Naturally, FundAnything will charge a 5% administration fee on successful campaigns and a 9% fee on unsuccessful campaigns. Kickstarter and indiegogo both charge similar fees.

[via AllThingsD]