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Android App Inventor lets you be the developer (video)
Google is following in Nokia’s footsteps today by offering its users a simple-to-use DIY app maker. Employing a design scheme that relies on visual blocks rather than oodles of arcane code, the App Inventor — still in Beta, of course — has functions for “just about anything” you can do with an Android handset, including access to GPS and phone functionality
Kompott ‘robotic agent’ helps the elderly stay connected, enjoys a nap
Full-fledged humanoid robots helping the elderly are certainly well and good, but what about somebody that just needs a little help staying in touch with their family?
Google Open Spot alerts Android users to freed parking spaces
Oh, sure — this has certainly been tried before , but given that things like this need a critical mass of followers to be effective, we’re particularly jazzed about Google ‘s own initiative. Dubbed ‘Open Spot,’ this bloody brilliant Android (2.0 and up) application enables motorists to search for unclaimed spaces that have been reported by other Open Spot users, and once they head elsewhere, it allows them to mark their spot as open and available.
Onkyo’s HT-S7300 and HT-S6300 HTIB bundles are totally ready for 3D, man
Shocker of shockers — Onkyo has outed a pair of home-theater-in-box bundles, and both of ‘em are 3D ready. Crazy, ain’t it?
Cyanogen squeezes Android 2.2 Froyo into G1, MyTouch 3G
Earlier this evening, we took the plunge — now, we’re rocking Froyo on our old-and-busted T-Mobile G1. That’s because Cyanogen’s team of ROM hackers has come through once again for the little handset that could, serving early adopters with HTC Dream and Magic phones (as well as the Nexus One) with the first fully-functioning, stable build of CyanogenMod 6. Based on Google’s famous frozen yogurt , the release candidate’s got more fabulous tweaks than you can shake a stick at, but sadly doesn’t seem to include Flash 10.1 , and though WiFi and the camera are working great (as well as SurfaceFlinger and Chrome to Phone ) many would-be shoppers in the Android Market are finding themselves faced with the dreaded force close
Marines field autonomous support vehicles based on winning robot design (video)
Since their third-place finish in the 2007 DARPA Urban Challenge , TORC Technology’s had quite a climb — the company founded by Virginia Tech graduates has since provided IED-scouting Humvee kits to the US Military, and a vehicle for the blind uses the drive-by-wire platform that they designed. Now, the Marines are testing a TORC kit called the Ground Unmanned Support Surrogate (GUSS), which autonomously navigate off-road terrain.
