The lawsuit that accused Taco Bell of only having 36% beef in their seasoned beef has been dropped. Taco Bell says no money exchanged hands and that they weren’t changing any products either. Taco Bell estimates they spent $3 to $4 million dollars combatting the false accusation in advertising. Go ahead and order your Gorditas and Chalupas again. It’s 88% beef! [LA Times] More
Hobo with a Shotgun earns rave reviews
Rutger Hauer is straight to cable in Hobo with a Shotgun, with a limited theatrical release coming in May. The reviews are in, and it’s extremely good. [Flooby Nooby]
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Hobo with a Shotgun earns rave reviews
What I Am Legend would have looked like with non-CG monsters [Video]
Here is video proof that I Am Legend would have been a lot better with practical monsters. Watch this makeup test for an I Am Legend plague zombie, that the film-makers passed over in favor of a CG army. More
New Condensation Tech Captures Drinkable Water From Diesel Exhaust [Science]
We’ve seen plenty of concepts designed to lessen the physical burden of being a member of the military-Marines using portable renewable power stations, clothing that charges radios and GPS devices. But there’s not much being done to address drinking water, one of the heaviest yet most critical battlefield necessities. Now the Oak Ridge National Laboratory might have a solution that can help lessen the weight of water. More
Otomata sequencer creates generative music for the melodically challenged (video)
It won’t bring you the success or adoration that Brian Eno’s enjoyed, but the Otomata sequencer could have you making noise like the Roxy Music alum in seconds. Way back in 1996, Eno espoused the idea of generative music, which is a non-repetitive form of music created, in this case, anyway, by a piece of software. Otomata takes that idea and puts it to use in a cellular automaton, consisting of a simple grid of cells in different states. With Otomata, each selected cell has four states: up, down, left, and right. When activated, the cells move in the direction of their given state, and when they encounter an obstacle, like a wall, a pitched sound is created. After each collision, the cells turn around and head in the opposite direction until they hit another obstacle, and the process continues indefinitely. The result is a chaotic but somehow lulling symphony of electronic sounds, a la Mr. Eno, that anyone with a mouse can muster. Head on past the break to see for yourself.
Continue reading Otomata sequencer creates generative music for the melodically challenged (video)
Otomata sequencer creates generative music for the melodically challenged (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 19 Apr 2011 11:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Dish Taking Over Blockbuster Leases, Will Maintain Physical Stores
According to an AP report, Dish Networks, the soon-to-be new owner of Blockbuster, is keeping the leases on 500 of Blockbuster’s physical stores. The reasoning, while on the surface inscrutable, will give Dish a physical presence and allow it access to Blockbuster’s assets and brand to sell its own satellite TV service to consumers.
Dish finalized the sale this month and signed the papers to maintain the stores last week. It bought the beleaguered video rental chain for $228 million, giving Dish access to Blockbuster’s limited assets as well as all branding.
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Dish Taking Over Blockbuster Leases, Will Maintain Physical Stores
Fastec’s DSLR-sized TS3Cine does 720p at 720fps for $30,000
For years, consumers have been able to shoot slow-motion videos — mostly with the help of Casio’s line of slightly gimmicky point-and-shoots. But Fastec’s TS3Cine aims for a more discerning customer — the kind of videographer who might spice up a promo or short with some slow-mo action. Unlike Casio’s cameras, which cut the resolution to little more than thumbnail-size as you crank the frame rate, the TS3Cine does 720p video at 720fps, and 1280 x 1024 at 500fps. It’s only when you further slow down the video (up to 20,000fps) that the image size starts to shrink. This camera also has a badass design, pairing a DSLR-like body with a gargantuan 7-inch WVGA LCD that effectively eliminates the need for an external monitor. Pros have their choice of a C-Mount, F-Mount, and optional SL-Mount, and can upgrade to a 256GB SSD for a cool two grand if the standard 128GB one isn’t roomy enough. It also has Gigabit Ethernet and USB ports, HDMI-out, support for an external power source, and a removable battery. Can’t afford the $29,900 price tag? If you’re in the Boston area, at least, you can rent it for $625 a day, a price that includes a tripod and two batteries — enough juice for up to six hours of shooting. Head on past the break for a sample video clip and a tour of this beastly camera in action.
Continue reading Fastec’s DSLR-sized TS3Cine does 720p at 720fps for $30,000
Fastec’s DSLR-sized TS3Cine does 720p at 720fps for $30,000 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 18 Apr 2011 22:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Fastec’s DSLR-sized TS3Cine does 720p at 720fps for $30,000
For years, consumers have been able to shoot slow-motion videos — mostly with the help of Casio’s line of slightly gimmicky point-and-shoots. But Fastec’s TS3Cine aims for a more discerning customer — the kind of videographer who might spice up a promo or short with some slow-mo action. Unlike Casio’s cameras, which cut the resolution to little more than thumbnail-size as you crank the frame rate, the TS3Cine does 720p video at 720fps, and 1280 x 1024 at 500fps. It’s only when you further slow down the video (up to 20,000fps) that the image size starts to shrink. This camera also has a badass design, pairing a DSLR-like body with a gargantuan 7-inch WVGA LCD that effectively eliminates the need for an external monitor. Pros have their choice of a C-Mount, F-Mount, and optional SL-Mount, and can upgrade to a 256GB SSD for a cool two grand if the standard 128GB one isn’t roomy enough. It also has Gigabit Ethernet and USB ports, HDMI-out, support for an external power source, and a removable battery. Can’t afford the $29,900 price tag? If you’re in the Boston area, at least, you can rent it for $625 a day, a price that includes a tripod and two batteries — enough juice for up to six hours of shooting. Head on past the break for a sample video clip and a tour of this beastly camera in action.
Continue reading Fastec’s DSLR-sized TS3Cine does 720p at 720fps for $30,000
Fastec’s DSLR-sized TS3Cine does 720p at 720fps for $30,000 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 18 Apr 2011 22:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Flight attendants trained in kung fu
Hong Kong Airlines is encouraging its new flight attendants to study wing chun, a form of kung fu that is effective in tight spaces, such as airplanes.
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Flight attendants trained in kung fu
redsn0w untethered jailbreak updated for iOS 4.3.2, still no love for iPad 2
Good news for all iOS jailbreakers: turns out the latest 4.3.2 update is still vulnerable to the same untethered hacking method used by redsn0w for 4.3.1, so Dev-Team’s @i0n1c simply had to port his code over to the new kernel to keep the jailbreak alive. As before, the almighty iPad 2 is still not supported here, and ultrasn0w unlockers are reminded to wait for the new PwnageTool release later this week; but the rest of you can go ahead and grab the new tool — though fix pending for iPhone 4 at the time of publication — at the source link.
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
redsn0w untethered jailbreak updated for iOS 4.3.2, still no love for iPad 2 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 18 Apr 2011 21:55:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.