Month: December 2011

Spotify Radio feature turns into an app, offers Pandora-like stations with unlimited skips

While Spotify has had little trouble cranking up its subscriber base so far, one feature that has notably been lacking is its radio / auto playlist feature. Today (tied in with an appearance by CEO Daniel Ek at LeWeb 2011) that’s been upgraded, as the freshest preview builds move the Radio section down among the new Spotify Apps, where it now lets you drop in any song from your library for it to automatically create a radio station of similar music around. Subscribers not interested in upgrading yet can find similar functionality tied to Spotify’s library with the EchoFi tool, but this venture represents the service’s debut of an “all-new intelligent recommendation engine” meant to dig the tracks you want out of its millions-deep library. Advertising “unlimited skips” is a clear jab at Pandora, but it’s not immediately clear if you’ll still need a premium paid-up account for truly unlimited listening (well, maybe not). Hit the source link to grab a Radio-enabled preview build and see if some algorithm can defeat even the mightiest Yacht Rock playlist crafted by our own Brian Heater.

Spotify Radio feature turns into an app, offers Pandora-like stations with unlimited skips originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 09 Dec 2011 05:53:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spotify Radio feature turns into an app, offers Pandora-like stations with unlimited skips

A haunting audio/visual representation of a geomagnetic storm [Video]

Geomagnetic storms are probably most famous for generating especially vibrant aurorae — some of the most breathtaking natural light displays on Earth. But these storms also give rise to all manner of electromagnetic interference across the radio spectrum — interference that gets picked up and measured by equipment here on Earth, like Canada’s CARISMA radio array. More »

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A haunting audio/visual representation of a geomagnetic storm [Video]

Has James Bond gone green? Bulletproof electric roadster in the works


Warding off assassins while saving the environment just became a cake walk with the Jo-Mojo, an upcoming creation by Estonian armored vehicle company DARTZ. This two seat convertible roadster brandishes an 80 horsepower electric engine capable of pushing zero to 60 mph in 9.5 seconds and a top speed of 125 mph — yet most of its “mojo” is outside the hood. Custom seating, color-changing chameleon paint finish, bulletproof tires, and others are just a few of the many “drooling” features. The sunroof is given a task with flexible solar panels built-in, good for juicing up the batteries while idle or on the go. Aimed to hit the market at the end of Q2 2012, its estimated price tag starts at 30,000 euros (~ $40,000), within range of most low-end luxury automobiles. Check past the break for a video slideshow of this snazzy piece of metal by Gray Designs, DARTZ’s partner in the venture.

Continue reading Has James Bond gone green? Bulletproof electric roadster in the works

Has James Bond gone green? Bulletproof electric roadster in the works originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 08 Dec 2011 05:28:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Has James Bond gone green? Bulletproof electric roadster in the works

Bluetooth Keyboards With a 10-Year Charge Promised

angry tapir writes “Broadcom is working on a Bluetooth chipset that will give wireless keyboards a battery life of up to 10 years. If they had a battery life of as long as 10 years, that Bluetooth-based accessories could potentially never need new batteries, the chip maker said. A set of two AA batteries would be enough to power a keyboard using the BCM20730 Bluetooth chip to connect with a computer for its entire lifetime, Broadcom said.”

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

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Bluetooth Keyboards With a 10-Year Charge Promised

OnLive intros apps for iOS and Android, refreshes its wireless controller, we go hands-on (video)

Look, games like Fruit Ninja can be addicting and all, but we’ve many times pondered what playing a proper title — the kind intended for the latest consoles and PCs — would be like on a tablet or smartphone. Of course, we’ve seen some fantastic results from Tegra 3 and been notably impressed by Infinity Blade 2 on iOS, but starting today, OnLive is set to one-up the limitations of locally run mobile games with its new app. Whether you’re using an Android, iOS device or even a Kindle Fire, you’ll now be able to play games from the OnLive ecosystem while you’re on the move over 3G, LTE or WiFi, rather than merely spectating in OnLive Viewer. Better yet, the OnLive app itself is completely free and any games purchased can be used across devices, and currently, 25 titles have been optimized for touch-based controls, including a tweaked version of L.A. Noire. HOwever, if you’re more inclined to use tactile controls you’ll be pleased to know that the company also has a soon to be released, revised version of its wireless controller.

Outwardly, the updated controller is looks identical to the outgoing MicroConsole pack-in model, but this one connects to Macs, PCs and just about any mobile device thanks to new “adaptive wireless” technology. Those seeking extra low latency can use its bundled USB dongle to link up to four of the controllers and a single Bluetooth headset for voice chat with one PC. The gamepad’s media controls can also navigate iTunes in addition to playback of Brag Clips within OnLive. When it debuts, you can expect to pick one up for about $50 (£39.99 in the UK). OnLive CEO Steve Perlman was kind enough to walk us through using this new bit of kit, so head on past the break for our full impressions and to see the controller in action.

Continue reading OnLive intros apps for iOS and Android, refreshes its wireless controller, we go hands-on (video)

OnLive intros apps for iOS and Android, refreshes its wireless controller, we go hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 07 Dec 2011 21:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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OnLive intros apps for iOS and Android, refreshes its wireless controller, we go hands-on (video)