iRobot Roomba 790 with Wireless Command Center hands-on (video)

What to get the homeowner who has everything? Perhaps a robotic vacuum styled in the fashion of an RC toy will fit the bill. Here at a gdgt event in New York City we happened upon iRobot's Roomba 790, which comes with a touchscreen remote for manually controlling where the bot goes. The controller -- make that the "Wireless Command Center" -- has an interface matching the one on the 790 itself, so there's no second set of menus to master here. In addition to deciding where it moves, you can also schedule daily cleanings or tap a "Clean" button to push the robot into action.Though this isn't the first time iRobot's dabbled in remote-controlled vacuum cleaners, all previous models relied on infrared sensors, meaning you could only control the Roomba if it was in your line of sight. This guy, though, uses a proprietary technology that allows you to program that 4pm scrubbing from up to 25 meters away.

As for battery life, it runs on four AA cells, and is rated for three to six months of runtime, depending on how compulsively you plan on cleaning. Interestingly, despite the change in wireless standards, the 790 is compatible with older 700-series Roombas, though it's not as is the controller would be sold separately. If you happen to be the kind of fabulously wealthy family who can afford (and has a need) for multiple Roomba cleaners, you can only pair the remote with one robot at a time anyway. Don't have the budget for a $700 robotic vacuum kit? We've got hands-on photos below and a demo video after the break.

Zach Honig contributed to this report.

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Keio University's Kinect-based Haptic VR system lets you roll your own face flat (video)

A research team at Keio University has built a fun haptic virtual reality system that enables you to manipulate pictures with a rolling pin. A vertically mounted Kinect takes a 3D image that is then displayed on the projection surface. Using the rolling pin, the image can be rolled over and flattened as if it was dough -- with a series of motor cranks inside the implement to replicate the necessary feedback so you can feel what it'd be like to iron out your own face. It's been designed as a modern-day update to the penny-squashing machines you found in theme parks, except with slightly more grotesqueness. You can watch the face-mashing in glorious color after the break.

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NASA's Seven Minutes of Terror: Curiosity's precarious Mars landing explained (video)

By Joseph Volpe posted Jun 25th 2012 9:29PM

Edited and scored with dramatic tension of a summer blockbuster trailer, NASA's put together a gripping short clip that dresses down Curiosity's mission to Mars for the layman. The "car-sized" rover, set to touchdown on August 5th of this year at 10:31PM PDT, is currently journeying towards the Red Planet on a suicide mission of sorts, with the success of its make it or break it EDL (enter, descent, landing) wracking the nerves of our Space Agency's greatest minds in advance. Their cause for concern? A period of radio silence, dubbed the "seven minutes of terror" for the amount of time it takes a signal to reach Earth, during which the craft will have already either smashed disastrously into the Martian landscape or nestled perfectly down from the ascend phase on a 21ft long tether. The logistics involved are so numerous and prone to error -- slowing the craft from 13,000 mph to 0 mph and then deploying, detaching and avoiding collision with the supersonic parachute for starters -- that it's a wonder the government ever signed off on the project. If it all does come off without a hitch, however, the ladies and gents down at Pasadena's Jet Propulsion Laboratory certainly deserve several thousand bottles of the finest bubbly taxpayer's money can buy. Click on past the break to gape at the sequence of engineering feats required to make this landing on terra incognita.

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Marquee Media Center hands-on (video)

Winning gdgt's StartUp contest has its perks -- just ask recent winner Marquee, which is showcasing version 2.0 of its Media Center here on the showfloor. The imposing device, currently available on the outfit's site for $899, packs 2TB of storage, 4GB DDR3 RAM, DVD player and a 2.4GHz dual-core Intel processor into an aluminum-lidded box to let you stream a mix of online and locally-stored multimedia content. Seen from above, the unit is mostly unadorned, save for a quite sizable power button, three circular vents and two notification LEDs. Off to the right side hiding just beneath that generous metal hood, lies ports for audio I/O and standard USB, with HDMI-out on the back.

Naturally, you need a way to parse through the goods and that's where Plex XBMC -- running atop Ubuntu 12.04 -- and a custom wireless controller outfitted with a full QWERTY keyboard come in handy. According to Marquee's CEO, set-up out of the box is a no-brainer and requires nothing more than connecting to an external display and your home network (via ethernet or WiFi) to get things started. We had the opportunity to take the Media Center for a quick test spin and immediately noticed a calibration issue that, combined with the cluttered remote, made for some extremely unintuitive navigation. You can check out some pics of the startup's progeny below and, while you're at it, click past the break to view a video demo of this pricey kit in action.

Edgar Alvarez contributed to this report.

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MIT projection system extends video to peripheral vision, samples footage in real-time

Researchers at the MIT Media Lab have developed an ambient lighting system for video that would make Philips' Ambilight tech jealous. Dubbed Infinity-by-Nine, the rig analyzes frames of footage in real-time -- with consumer-grade hardware no less -- and projects rough representations of the video's edges onto a room's walls or ceiling. Synchronized with camera motion, the effect aims to extend the picture into a viewer's peripheral vision. MIT guinea pigs have reported a greater feeling of involvement with video content when Infinity-by-Nine was in action, and some even claimed to feel the heat from on-screen explosions. A five screen multimedia powerhouse it isn't, but the team suggests that the technology could be used for gaming, security systems, user interface design and other applications. Head past the jump to catch the setup in action.

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Google's Turing doodle celebrates his genius, reminds us how dumb we are (video)

This week sees many corners of the globe celebrating the 100th anniversary of the birth of Alan Turing. A man whose contribution to the worlds of tech and gadgets is immeasurable -- a sentiment not lost on Google. Today, geeks and norms worldwide will be waking up to possibly the most complex doodle to date. Can you set the machine and spell out "Google"? If you can, you'll be sent off to lots more information about the man himself. This isn't the only thing Mountain View's done to keep his legacy alive, having previously helped Bletchley Park raise funds to purchase (and display) Turing's papers, and more recently helping curators at London's Science Museum with its Codebreaker - Alan Turing's Life and Legacy exhibition. If you haven't already, head to Google.com and pop your logic hat on, and if you get stuck, head past the break for a helpful video.

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Tesla Model S first drive: the sports sedan goes electric (update: video)

It's no secret that we have a few automobile enthusiasts in our midst here at Engadget, and we're pretty sure there are some in the audience as well -- you know who you are. Still, you don't have to be a car nut to appreciate all the innovation and technology that's gone into Tesla's sophomore vehicle -- the Model S electric sedan. So strap yourselves in and hold on to your kneecaps: you're about to ride along with us as we drive the Model S for the very first time. Excited? We are too -- hit the break for our first drive video and impressions.

Alan Turing's breakthrough machine gets a loving Lego tribute (video)

In the world of technology, having one of your inventions rendered in Lego form is the equivalent of a musician being parodied by Weird Al -- it's a sign you've truly made it and tribute to your influence. So, we're more than a little surprised to see that it's taken this long for the Turing Machine to be lovingly built from plastic bricks. The heart of this simple logic device is a Lego Mindstorms NXT set, but the soul is in Alan Turing's genius -- a man who was before his time and unjustly persecuted for failing to properly fit into society's molds. Dutch researchers Jeroen van den Bosand and Davy Landman built the device as a tribute to Turing, who would have celebrated his 100th birthday this Saturday. If you're in Amsterdam you can see the machine yourself at Centrum Wiskunde & Informatica's Turings Erfenis exhibit. Or, you can watch the short explanatory video after the break.

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Sony pumps $994 million into building stacked CMOS that lets smartphones record HDR Video

Sony increases production capacity for stacked CMOS image sensors

- Increasing total production capacity for image sensors to approximately 60,000 wafers per month to supply image sensors mainly for smartphones -

June 22, 2012, Tokyo, Japan – Sony Corporation ("Sony") today announced that it plans to invest in Sony Semiconductor Corporation's Nagasaki Technology Center ("Nagasaki TEC") from the first half of the fiscal year ending March 31, 2013 through the first half of the fiscal year ending March 31, 2014, to increase the production capacity for stacked CMOS image sensors.*1

This investment is intended to provide for new wafer processing equipment for stacked CMOS image sensors, and to increase and transform wafer lines capable of manufacturing CMOS image sensors.

With this development, Sony plans to increase total production capacity for CCD and CMOS image sensors to approximately 60,000 wafers per month by the end of September 2013.*2

In light of the rapidly expanding demand for smartphones and tablets, Sony plans to continue to solidify its leading global position in CMOS image sensors by strengthening its production capabilities for stacked CMOS image sensors, which provide greater performance in a more compact form. Furthermore, Sony intends to accelerate its growth strategy by incorporating superior core technologies, including stacked CMOS image sensors, into a wide range of products for its digital imaging and mobile businesses, which are priorities within its electronics business.

The investment amount is approximately 80 billion yen, of which, the amount to be invested in the current fiscal year ending March 31, 2013 (approximately 45 billion yen) was included in the forecast of the capital expenditures for semiconductors in the current fiscal year announced at the annual earnings release on May 10, 2012. In addition, Sony will utilize a governmental subsidy in its investment plan which will be provided by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry in Japan, through the "Subsidy for Domestic Location Promotion Projects" program.

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Joyride to joystick: Atari controller custom-built from car seat adjuster (video)

So you've survived the robot revolution and you're waiting for either a full-blown apocalypse, or Mr. Anderson. But how are you going to kill time when our new masters are eating controller PCBs for breakfast? With a steampunk joystick, of course. Jason Torchinsky from Jalopnik has done just that, making an Atari 2600 controller by repurposing a power seat control switch panel from a 1980s Oldsmobile. It's no Avenger Controller Elite, but it certainly does the job, and due to a standardized wiring layout it's functional on other hardware of the same era. And for all you MAME heroes, Jason says it would be no more complicated to hook it up to a PC or Mac using a USB keyboard encoder. Follow the source link for a neat walkthrough of the project and jump over the break to see a video of the seat switch in action, shot in the mancave of yesteryear.

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Canon shows how its Mixed Reality makes virtually anything look real (video)

Remember that Canon Mixed Reality project? For those torn between cold, hard real world, and the sickly sweet virtual one? Due for release this month, Canon's been showing off its purpose-built HMD in real (or is it virtual?) use to DigInfo. Using those stereo cameras and a "free-curve" prism -- along with high-speed image processing -- we get a glimpse at how it generates life-size virtual objects in real-time. While this could benefit a number of scenarios, Canon points to industrial design, where mock-ups are commonly used. This system allows designers to run through virtual versions first, before committing to more time intensive physical models. Working on something where this could be handy? Canon also says there will be an SDK for developers coming soon. Head past the virtual break for the real video tour.

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Google Maps Coordinate: keep tabs on your team, dish the work out fairly (video)

If you're a mobile / field worker, and are tired of getting hauled across town to jobs, when there are others nearer by, you might want to point your senior in the direction of Google Maps Coordinate. Sounding like a blend of Latitude, Maps and Google + (Circles,) it's a web tool and mobile app that should help central operations organize their teams out in the field. Of course there's the usual location sharing, plus options for recording and collecting (user defined) data, allocating staff to teams or groups, job and task allocation plus history for analytics. Google says any business can sign up (currently $15 per employee,) plus there's an API if the stock options don't fit your custom needs. Either way, you can kiss goodbye to those two-hour secret lunchtime golf sessions.

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Mobile BRAVIA® Engine explained [video]

Do you have an Xperia™ smartphone that comes with Mobile BRAVIA® Engine? Are you curious to find out more about what this Sony technology actually does? Mobile BRAVIA® Engine is a high quality image engine that utilises technologies that have been successfully proven in Sony BRAVIA® TVs for a number of years. The Mobile BRAVIA® Engine combines contrast enhancement technologies used in Sony BRAVIA TVs with colour management, and adds sharpness filters and noise reduction to display vivid beautiful images and videos on your Xperia™ smartphone. The Mobile BRAVIA® Engine is included in most Xperia™ smartphones, and its effects apply to image and video viewing. Go on reading after the jump where we describe the technology in more detail!

To go a bit into detail, the Mobile BRAVIA® Engine is a set of Sony-specific image processing algorithms which are applied to the rendering process when drawing an image or video on the screen of your smartphone. It’s on by default, in those Xperia™ smartphones where it’s applicable, but it can be turned off in the settings menu of your phone. The benefit of using Mobile BRAVIA® Engine is that the viewing experience is improved in a way that is optimised to fit the human eye, with more details, enhanced colours and less noise.

When the Mobile BRAVIA® Engine is running, a software layer is applied to the decoding step for images and video, where the Mobile BRAVIA® Engine processing is done in real-time. This means that it does not alter the image or video file, but only the way it is represented on the screen. The Mobile BRAVIA® Engine works intelligently and applies the effects depending on input, which means that the effects are applied in a way that is individually calculated for each picture. In addition, all of the algorithms in Mobile BRAVIA® Engine are calibrated for each Xperia™ product to improve image quality on the specific display. Below, we will describe the different effects along with images illustrating these effects.

Contrast enhancement brings out the details
With the Mobile BRAVIA® Engine, the contrast in images and video is enhanced by making the darkest parts slightly darker, which results in a perceived higher contrast that brings out details in the picture. This contrast enhancement is adapted to each individual image to avoid further reduction of brightness on images that are already dark, and to strengthen the contrast enhancement on vivid and bright images. As seen in the illustration below, this will give your images and videos more dynamics and better perceived details.

Illustration showing the contrast enhancement effect of the Mobile BRAVIA® Engine.

Colour Management gives deep and vivid colours
Colour saturation is also increased for specified colour ranges when you are running the Mobile BRAVIA® Engine, which will make the colours deeper and more vivid. In general, the human eye prefers deeper colours on photo and video. This is especially true for natural scenes. As you can see in the illustration below, the enhancement level and the enhanced colour ranges are calibrated to suit human eyes when running Mobile BRAVIA® Engine. This makes sure that colours on photo and video are represented in a way that is pleasant for the eye.

Illustration showing the colour management effect of the Mobile BRAVIA® Engine.

Noise reduction for clear video viewing
Another use case where Mobile BRAVIA® Engine comes in useful is when you are streaming low-quality video from online sources, as the compression algorithms usually used by common web services such as YouTube, often cause distortions and many artefacts in the image. For videos stored locally on your smartphone, there might also be a risk of noise depending on the video quality of your clip. The noise artefacts that most commonly occur when using such compression algorithms are block noise, and mosquito noise.

Now by using Mobile BRAVIA® Engine, all of these disturbances are greatly reduced as it reduces temporal and spatial noise caused by these artefacts in low-resolution video. Spatial noise reduction means that image noise reduction is applied to each individual frame, and temporal noise reduction means that noise between frames is reduced. The Mobile BRAVIA® Engine combines these two methods to get an improved user experience when watching videos.

Illustration showing the effect of the noise reduction done by the Mobile BRAVIA® Engine.

Sharpness filter increases detail level
As a final step in the Mobile BRAVIA® Engine, a sharpness filter is applied to increase the overall detail level in the image. This is done by enhancing the edges, as seen below, and the enhancement is calibrated to increase contrast between different image areas, but still avoid an increase of the amount of noise present in the image.

Illustration showing the effect of the Mobile BRAVIA® Engine sharpness filter.

As you can see, the effects of the Mobile BRAVIA® Engine enhance the image viewing experience drastically. And the best thing is that you basically only have to pick up a fairly modern Sony Xperia™ smartphone to enjoy it, as this Sony imaging technology is included in most Xperia™ smartphones.

Do you find the Mobile BRAVIA® Engine useful for viewing your images? Check out the links below for more information, and drop us a comment if you have any questions!

More information

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Amron Experimental 'Rinser Toothbrush' is back, now with more fountain (video)

The original Rinser Toothbrush was a dental delight. Now, Amron Experimental has updated its classic "Brush & Rinse" for the modern mouth. So, what's new in 2012 for the revolutionary chomper-washer? First of all: Power Fountain. No more lowly trickle of water to chase, this time a proud stream of H2O leaps upwards from its center. Secondly, the heads are now replaceable, meaning you can keep your Brush & Rinse in service much longer. Still have the taste of "unconvinced" in your mouth? Watch the tap of awesome flow in the video after the break. Think this is what your morning routine has been missing? Then head to the source where you can pre-order now for a minty-fresh $22.

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Pentax K-30 weather-sealed DSLR hands-on with sample photos and video

We can count on one hand the number of times a waterproof camera was the only suitable option for any given photo shoot, but drizzle and even flash monsoons can strike at any moment, especially in some locales. Most clothing and other analog gear can survive such attacks of mother nature nearly unscathed, but smartphones and cameras are another story altogether -- unless they're coated in head-to-toe weather sealing, of course. Pentax may not be a top player in any digital imaging category, but the company does have a few serious DSLR contenders, and should be taken seriously for anyone in the market for a new ILC. The manufacturer's latest swappable-lens model, the K-30, is quite a respectable beast, and a fairly solid value at $900 with an 18-55mm kit lens. Beneath that steel and polycarbonate black housing there's a 16.3-megapixel APS-C sensor with shift-based stabilization, a 100-percent FOV optical viewfinder, a color-adjustable 921k-dot 3-inch LCD and a bevy of manual control options, for stills and video alike.

We put the K-30 through its paces during a half-day shoot around NYC. There was no rain, sand or snow in sight, but the brutal heat and humidity didn't take any toll, with the camera offering consistent performance and excellent battery life for hours on end (we captured nearly 700 stills with live view and a few minutes of video with plenty to spare, and you can also swap in four AA lithiums for up to 1600 shots). We spend much of our time shooting with mirrorless cameras these days, but when absolute portability is less critical, there are obvious benefits to lugging around a full-size DSLR like the K-30. The camera was able to shoot with perfect exposure and white balance in almost every situation and images captured with the 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 kit lens were sharp and vibrant. Video performance was sufficient as well -- most of our clips were captured at 720/30p, but 720/60p and 1080/30p are also on offer. Focus wasn't the fastest we've seen (the Olympus E-M5 still holds the title), but the lens adjusted accurately even in low light, especially when aided by the green illuminator.

High-ISO performance didn't blow us away with noise reduction deactivated -- noise was visible at a 25-percent view at ISO 12,800 and a 12.5-percent view at the ISO 25,600 extended setting, but the sensor-shift stabilization mode enabled us to capture sharp handheld shots at 1/40 second, so it's not terribly difficult to avoid venturing into that high-sensitivity zone. Pentax also added a unique Astrotracer mode, which moves the sensor precisely for long night-sky exposures, using an optional GPS module to provide location and direction information (there was no way to test this feature in NYC, where the city lights never sleep). We did have a chance to test out that weather sealing, however -- the camera functioned just as well while under a running water fountain as it did on dry land. Overall, we were quite impressed with the K-30 -- it's one of the best sub-$1,000 DSLRs we've used to date, and if you've made an investment in Pentax KAF2 glass (or you're ready to load up now), you can expect to be pleased. Click past the break for a sample gallery and video.

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Augmented reality browser Junaio offers less 'clunky' apps, new API for developers (video)

Metaio adds new look, new feel, new API to junaio, bringing mobile browsing closer to reality

"Life should be as browsable as the web", says metaio

MUNICH / SAN FRANCISCO, June 20, 2012 – metaio, the worldwide leader in Augmented
Reality (AR) software, today announced the release of the latest update to junaio, the most
advanced AR Browser and open development platform, available immediately for download
on iOS and Android mobile devices. With a brand new user interface and experience, this
version of junaio is an AR browser that no one has ever seen before, driven by amazing
content, incredible interactions and a tool that allows anyone to produce their own
experiences.

From a new API that opens up the creation of AR experiences to HTML5 and JavaScript
development to a brand-new intuitive user interface, the new junaio takes mobile augmented
reality experiences to a whole new level. With thousands of content channels from developers, designers and popular brands, the camera of the smartphone releases the vastness of the internet into the real world.

Augmented reality apps in the past have been clunky, unintuitive and almost impossible to
navigate. The new junaio brings a fresh start to mobile AR, with a seamless swipe transition
between the different features. As soon as users load the application, they will be greeted with a friendly and quick tutorial, after which they will be transported instantly to smart GPS AR content, immediately displaying information based on their location. From that screen users need only to swipe to access the QR code scanner, a list of new and popular content channels, or even a visual search engine that will take the user directly to the AR content without ever leaving the screen.

"This is junaio at its best. It's never been easier to find fresh, relevant content in the world around you," said Daniel Gelder, VP Commercial & Consumer Platform Strategy. "This is a huge step for mobile Augmented Reality to have an application that practically anyone can use for the first time."

With over 10000 active developers, junaio is one of the most successful open development
platforms for mobile AR. Metaio has added HTML5 and JavaScript support that will allow
developers, agencies and brands to deploy games and other experiences that interact and
respond to elements in the real world.

For over a year, junaio has already provided smartphone users the ability to scan QR codes,
navigate indoor and outdoor environments and discover augmented content in images and print, with experiences from content from popular services and brands like 3M, eBay Classifieds, Toyota, Valpak, Foursquare, Eventbrite, Twitter, Instagram, and Wikipedia.

"Mobile users should be able to browse life like the web," said Trak Lord, head of US Marketing & Media Relations for metaio. "This latest version of junaio is the first major step to making that a reality."

GPS, image recognition, visual search and other AR features can be found in a variety of apps, but junaio is the only one that combines them all in a single, free application. With a clean new look and technology that will empower the next generation of mobile interactions, junaio is the mobile companion for an Augmented World.

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LeapFrog LeapPad 2 and Leapster GS Explorer hands-on (video)

If you've got little ones of your own, you're probably familiar with LeapFrog's various learning devices for children. Since last year, the company stepped things up a notch by offering up its LeapPad tablet breed for youngsters and pricing it at just $100. Not only did it ensure you'd never have to your precious iPad loose into rigors of the adolescence (read: having it tortured by kids in unimaginable ways), but it also packed LeapFrog's developmental education know-how into all of its apps. If you'll recall, it was just yesterday that the company announced its second iteration of the device, the LeapPad 2, and today we were able to spend some time with near production-quality engineering samples. On that note, the same can be said of its latest Leapster, the GS Explorer -- a $70 Gameboy-like portable unit focused more on educational gaming. Join us after the break for a brief rundown of what's been improved and our initial impressions of both.

While the LeapPad two looks nearly identical the original LeapPad Explorer, there are some notable enhancements. Moving around the device, all of the ports have remained the same and it still includes a stylus, but now there's a secondary front-facing 2MP video and stills camera for easier self-portraits (the rear shooter has also been upgraded to the same resolution). Aside from that, it still features an accelerometer and a resistive 5-inch touchscreen (480x272), but we're told that this time around the screen is less power-hungry. According to a LeapFrog rep, this allows for an extra hour of battery life from that of the previous generation. We did notice that the screen had a much warmer look to it, but we're told that the color-calibration is still being worked out. Internally, the unit now packs enhanced bracing for better durability, 4GB of storage (up from two) and a 550Mhz processor (up from 400). Sure those specs might seem weak up against the last smartphone, but its more than enough juice to run 325 (and growing) apps LeapFrog has for it, not to mention that the new unit really is noticeably quicker. Better yet, the device is now rated for youngins as little as three years old, and LeapFrog says it'll have software to match. In case you're wondering, there's still no wireless connectivity to be found, meaning tethering to your computer is a must for loading and off-loading digital content.

Moving right along, let's talk about that Leapster GS. The gaming system has seen a fairly extensive overhaul compared to its predecessor, and it all seems to be for the better. The device has increased in width, but it no doesn't have a bulky battery pack and certainly feels much better in the hands. The shoulder buttons have been pushed more to rear to be easier to press, while the action buttons and D-pad have better tactile feel and responsiveness. The screen's size has been increased to 3.5-inches (from 3.2, albeit no bump in resolution), but it's still resistive and functions either with your finger or an included stylus. The unit also features an included a 0.7MP shooter on back, allowing for similar functionality to that of the LeapPad 2. As you can see in the video above, the game Attack of the Sillies makes full use of all the system's features -- so much so that we were enjoying it much more than we'd like to admit.

Delving deeper into the issue of software, you'll be glad to know that both systems are essentially backwards compatible. So whether you were using cartridges or downloading apps (priced from five to 25 bucks) from LeapFrog's store, all of that content can go back and forth between the devices. That said, the LeapPad 2 comes pre-installed with the likes a new music player and a few creativity apps.

If you're ready to pick one up for your little one(s), both items are set to hit shelves in the middle of August in the UK, US, Canada and Ireland. Those eager to secure their own sooner however, can do so by pre-ordering the devices straight from LeapFrog on July 18th. Also worth note, both units AA batteries for power, and you'll also be able to pick up rechargeable batteries as add-ons. Last but not least, the LeapPad 2 will also be offered in Disney Princess-themed bundle that includes a case and other goodies for an extra 30 bucks. If you haven't already, check out the videos above to see the learning devices in action.

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United Nations launches My Life as a Refugee Android app (video)

As the great Tom Petty once said, you don't have to live like a refugee, but one UN agency is hoping you'll at least download its new app to see what it could be like. My Life as a Refugee is designed to raise awareness about the plight of millions of people living in conflict-ridden places around the globe, and it's available right now for free on Android (coming soon to iOS). We found the app to be only marginally interactive, with users simply encouraged to click through a litany of facts. However, you do get to choose one of two possible options before time runs out as each situation unfolds. You can only "play" a certain amount each day, which means you get some cliffhangers, and of course you can "share your experience" on Facebook right from the app. You can learn more there in the source link.


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SwiftKey 3 for Android out of beta: bigger spacebar, smarter auto spacing and more (video)

SwiftKey 3 launches half price on Google Play today for $1.99

SwiftKey 3, the next generation of the award winning keyboard app for Android devices, comes out of beta and is available to download on Google Play half price today for $1.99 / £1.49. SwiftKey 3 now offers the most accurate and complete auto-correction and prediction available on any smartphone or tablet.

The new version introduces a major leap forwards in auto-correction in addition to a wealth of other industry leading features, including:

Smart Space – adding to SwiftKey's already cutting edge correction, Smart Space detects mistyped or omitted spaces across strings of poorly typed words in real-time.

Two new themes – a new theme, 'Cobalt', to match SwiftKey's new look and feel, and an Ice Cream Sandwich-styled 'Holo' theme, as voted for by SwiftKey's VIP community.

An enhanced UI – a much larger space bar and smart punctuation key help improve accuracy and make it quick and easy to access common punctuation.

Additional languages – SwiftKey 3 now offers support for an additional seven languages, bringing the total up to 42. The new languages are Korean, Estonian, Farsi, Icelandic, Latvian, Lithuanian and Serbian.

"This new version of SwiftKey really provides the easiest, quickest and most accurate way to type on a touchscreen," said SwiftKey CEO Jon Reynolds. "Now you can focus on what you actually want to say when typing on a touchscreen, rather than struggling with typos and bad auto-corrections."

The app has been continuously refined since its initial beta launch in April, thanks to the feedback of SwiftKey's VIP community of over 65,000 testers. The improvements include:

- A dedicated comma key, and the <123> key in the bottom-left corner.
- Refined Smart Punctuation pop-up for better, more consistent behaviour.
- Improved Smart Space functionality for easier email addresses and URL entry.
- Reduced lag on some devices for a more responsive experience.
- Reintroduction of the long-press duration setting by popular request.
- Further improved prediction algorithms for even more accurate next word suggestions.
- Updated gestures for easier shortcuts.
- Several bug fixes.

SwiftKey's next word prediction is now so powerful that the company is also putting the app's underlying technology into the hands of doctors and nurses. In addition to SwiftKey 3, SwiftKey Healthcare launches today to help health professionals take faster and more accurate notes on tablet computers. In early trials of the product, its language models designed specifically for healthcare helped clinicians save an average of half the time they usually spent typing. SwiftKey's first entry into the enterprise market illustrates the wide range of contexts that can benefit from this groundbreaking technology.

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