Virgin Galactic unveils rocket plane thrill ride

MOJAVE, Calif.--Virgin Galactic founder Richard Branson and legendary aircraft designer Burt Rutan, whose SpaceShipOne took the $10 million Ansari X Prize in 2004, unveiled the VSS Enterprise Monday, a sleek commercial rocket plane that represents the ultimate thrill ride for well-heeled space tourists and amateur astronauts.

Seating six passengers and two pilots, Virgin Space Ship Enterprise--also known as SpaceShipTwo--will begin test flights next year with commercial launchings carrying paying customers starting after government regulatory requirements are met. More than 300 people have already put down deposits or paid the full $200,000 cost of a ticket for future sub-orbital up-and-down flights aboard the new spacecraft.
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Going retro: MP3 player with VU meters

If you love the look of old reel-to-reel tape decks, hi-fi receivers, and analog mixing boards, the latest MP3 player concept from Korea's Mintpass design team will probably leave you drooling.

The Cube MP3 player offers not one but three analog VU meters, capable of displaying volume, battery live, and FM radio frequency.
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Gboard: A specialized mini-keyboard for Google's email service

Gmail has long had keyboard shortcuts, though learning them can be difficult. Enter the Gboard, a specialized mini-keyboard for Google's email service. It debuts this Friday at an asking price of US$19.99.

The Gboard consists of 19 colored keys set in a standard size numpad-only keyboard. Clicking on any one of these performs that particular keyboard shortcut. Included are Gmail-specific features such as starring messages, starting a search, and jumping between message threads. Outside of Gmail they simply act as normal keyboard buttons, and will type in whatever letter or number corresponds with that shortcut.

The device is powered by USB and requires no special software or drivers, however users need to first enable keyboard shortcuts within Gmail's settings before using it. Also worth noting is that it was created not by Google, but by Charlie Mason, a film producer from Venice, Calif. This is his first foray into the computer hardware business.
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Orchestra members turn the iPhone into a musical instrument

Generally, cell phone noise is pretty much the last thing you'd want to hear at a concert. But it's all the audience will be getting at a Michigan recital next week. And that's the way it's supposed to be when the Michigan Mobile Phone Ensemble hits the stage.

Orchestra members are University of Michigan students winding up a fall course on turning mobile phones into musical instruments. The course merges engineering practices, mobile phone programming, and sound synthesis with music performance, composition, and interactive media arts.
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AMD readies Blu-ray stereoscopic 3D demo for CES 2010

AMD has fired its first salvo at the potentially lucrative 3D Blu-ray market ahead of the Consumer Electronics Show held next month in Las Vegas. According to its press release, the company will have a working demonstration of the forthcoming Blu-ray stereoscopic 3D standard at the annual tradeshow. More importantly, AMD is claiming the availability of compatible products and solutions as early as the second half of 2010 even though related format specifications are still a "work in progress" at the moment. This new development could probably mean AMD/ATI chips in your future Blu-ray players or computer-oriented 3D implementations in the PC market.

Either way, you'll probably need to overhaul your existing home theater to enjoy 3D visuals that jump out of your screen. And if you still recall the initial confusion with Blu-ray profile 1.0, 1,1 and 2.0, we strongly suggest you take the manufacturers' promises with a huge pinch of salt. These electronics makers seldom get things right the first time and will probably need time to iron out the kinks.

Via Engadget HD

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