Big Brother Archive

  • Google flexes biceps, flicks Android remote kill switch for the first time

    Google flexes biceps, flicks Android remote kill switch for the first time

    Posted on June 25, 2010 | No Comments
    We knew Google had the power to remotely remove Android apps -- Microsoft and Apple have backdoors into their mobile operating systems, too -- but it's always a little disconcerting to see a kill switch used. Such is the case today, as we've just heard Google unleashed the hounds this week, siccing bits and bytes of remote deletion power on a pair of "practically useless" but still Terms of Service-infringing apps. Curiously enough, Google admits that most who'd downloaded these programs had deleted them already, and that this "exercise" of the remote application removal feature was a "cleanup" operation. Google says users will get a notification beamed to their phone if an app is removed, however -- so as Big Brother as that all sounds, at least the company's being nice and transparent about the whole matter, eh?

    [Thanks, Matt]

    Google flexes biceps, flicks Android remote kill switch for the first time originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 Jun 2010 04:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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  • The Sony NEX-7 will bring 1080p recording later this year

    The Sony NEX-7 will bring 1080p recording later this year

    Posted on May 13, 2010 | No Comments
    You might want to hold off buying a Sony NEX-3 or NEX-5 camera for a bit. They might be the hotness right now, but it seems their big brother is right around the corner. The NEX-7 sounds awful nice.

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  • Sanyo is bringing latest XACTI cams stateside

    Sanyo is bringing latest XACTI cams stateside

    Posted on February 4, 2010 | No Comments
    Sanyo announced a couple of tasty XACTI camcorders a few weeks ago for the Japanese market. We praised the cams for shooting 1080p video and 14.4MP stills, but questioned whether or not they will ever reach the States. Well, good news. They're on the way and should hit retailers sometime next month.

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  • Giveaway: 500GB G-Drive mini external hard drive

    Giveaway: 500GB G-Drive mini external hard drive

    Posted on December 8, 2009 | No Comments
    Everyone needs more storage. But why spend the cash an external drive when we're giving away a sexy 500GB G-Drive mini? It's small, has both USB and Firewire interfaces, and sexy like it's big brother I just reviewed.

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  • Cyber Monday CrunchDeal: “Free” Droid Eris

    Cyber Monday CrunchDeal: “Free” Droid Eris

    Posted on November 30, 2009 | No Comments
    It may not have seen as much hype as it’s big brother, the Moto Droid, but the Verizon Droid Eris is still one helluva handset. Generally coming in at around $99 bucks, it’s one of the cheapest ways to get in on all this Android-hullabaloo – and for one day, it’s even cheaper. And [...]

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  • PETMAN robot walks like a human

    PETMAN robot walks like a human

    Posted on October 27, 2009 | No Comments
    If that BigDog robot from Boston Dynamics didn’t amaze and/or horrify you, maybe its human-like big brother “PETMAN” will catch your attention. I, for one, like that the torso section of PETMAN looks like a sweet boom box and I hope that someday Boston Dynamics sees fit to let the robot loose in the business district [...]

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  • Big Brother says no texting

    Big Brother says no texting

    Posted on October 5, 2009 | No Comments
    Texting while driving seems to be the hotbed issue of today's world. Even though texting is only one of a multitude of distractive factors in the car, 18 states will have legislation by January 2010 banning text messaging in vehicles. But for those parents who don't think the law is enough to keep their kids from texting, help has arrived! TXTBlocker is a piece of software installed onto a mobile device that prevents the phone from calling out, texting, or e-mailing while you are driving. Emergency calls are still allowed, but your phone pretty much becomes a useless brick whenever you move faster than 5 MPH. On the FAQ section of the TXTBlocker website, they explain how the software knows you're driving with the following: "TXTBlocker™ uses a variety of proprietary technologies to monitor the mobile phone’s location, acceleration, and velocity. Our guess is GPS. It also offers the feature to check where the device is located, simply by logging onto their website. Creepy.

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  • TXTBlocker allows parents to block kids from texting while driving

    TXTBlocker allows parents to block kids from texting while driving

    Posted on October 1, 2009 | No Comments
    Texting while driving is incredibly unsafe (and making calls, for that matter). Even more so than drinking and driving, which YOU SHOULD NEVER DO, EVER. California knows it. The Obama Administration knows it. And apparently, the folks responsible for TXTBlocker know it. What is TXTBlocker, you ask? It is a new service that “lets parents [...]

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  • KAUST: Visualization beyond the CAVE

    KAUST: Visualization beyond the CAVE

    Posted on September 22, 2009 | No Comments
    Yesterday I introduced CORNEA, the CAVE system at KAUST. CAVEs are great, but they require a huge investment: you need to build a facility around it, or renovate a space to accommodate it. Then you need to spend enormous amounts of money to buy and install the gear. Wouldn't it be great if you could have an immersive 3D environment without all that effort? Researchers at KAUST, in conjunction with folks from U.C. San Diego, are doing just that with NexCAVE, a scalable, modular immersion system. In addition to NexCAVE, there's several other great visualization projects underway at KAUST. Video and more inside.

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  • Meet An9-PR, the cutest multi-purpose robot out there

    Meet An9-PR, the cutest multi-purpose robot out there

    Posted on July 30, 2009 | No Comments
    Japan-based security company ALSOK has developed an adorable robot [JP] that fulfills not one but a number of different functions. The so-called An9-PR can be used as a guide to help people in shopping centers or office buildings, an autonomously moving digital signage system or for surveillance. It's the big brother of the An9-RR, which was introduced back in March. It features a simple electric bulletin board that's wrapped around its head and a total of three LCD screens built into its body (one 19-incher is on the front and there are two 12-inchers on the back). People can view ads, information on buildings and other information on these (touch) screens.

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  • Spotlight GPS is Big Brother for your pets (in a good way!)

    Spotlight GPS is Big Brother for your pets (in a good way!)

    Posted on July 21, 2009 | No Comments
    spotlight-gpsDo you have a dog that constantly gets away from you? Do you hate chasing your dog through your neighborhood, your cheeks burning with shame as your neighbors watch you yet again running down the street in your socks? If so, a new GPS-based pet location service may be worth your time.

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  • New service enables total control of factory workers

    New service enables total control of factory workers

    Posted on July 3, 2009 | No Comments
    In principle, any advance in any field of technology is welcome, but I have my doubts about this new service developed by a Japanese company called DSS. It's basically aimed at establishing a "big brother"-like control system [JP, PDF] within factories.

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