Sunday, October 20, 2013

JetBlue begins Fly-Fi flight testing, on track for Q3 launch

JetBlue begins Fly-Fi flight testing, on track for Q3 launch data = {blogUrl: "www.engadget.com",v: 320};when = {jquery: lab.scriptBs("jquery"),plugins: lab.scriptBs("plugins"),eng: lab.scriptBs("eng")}; var s265prop9 = ('20637038' !== '') ? 'bsd:20637038' : ''; var postID = '20637038'; var modalMNo = '93319229', modalVideoMNo = '93320648', modalGalleryMNo = '93304207'; when.eng("eng.omni.init", {pfxID:"weg",pageName:document.title,server:"acp-ld39.websys.aol.com",channel:"us.engadget", s_account: "aolwbengadget,aolsvc", short_url: "",pageType:"",linkInternalFilters:"javascript:,",prop1:"article",prop2:"transportation",prop9:s265prop9,prop12:document.location,prop17:"",prop18:"",prop19:"",prop20:"", prop22:"zach-honig", prop54:"blogsmith",mmxgo: true }); adSendTerms('1')adSetMOAT('1');adSetAdURL('/_uac/adpagem.html');lab._script("http://o.aolcdn.com/os/ads/adhesion/js/adhads-min.js").wait(function(){var floatingAd = new AdhesiveAd("348-14-15-14d",{hideOnSwipe:true});}); onBreak({980: function () { adSetType("F");htmlAdWH("93319229", "LB", "LB"); adSetType("");}}); EngadgetMenu NewsReviews Features Galleries VideosEventsPodcasts Engadget ShowTopics Buyers Guides Sagas Store HD Mobile Alt Announcements Cameras Cellphones Desktops Displays Gaming GPS Handhelds Home Entertainment Household Internet Laptops Meta Misc Networking Peripherals Podcasts Robots Portable Audio/Video Science Software Storage Tablets Transportation Wearables Wireless Acer Amazon AMD Apple ASUS AT&T Blackberry Canon Dell Facebook Google HP HTC Intel Lenovo LG Microsoft Nikon Nintendo Nokia NVIDIA Samsung Sony Sprint T-Mobile Verizon About UsSubscribeLike Engadget@engadgettip uswhen.eng("eng.nav.init")when.eng("eng.tips.init") onBreak({980: function () {htmlAdWH("93308280", "215", "35",'AJAX','ajaxsponsor');}});JetBlue begins Fly-Fi flight testing, on track for Q3 launchBypostedJun 25th, 2013 at 8:12 PM 0

JetBlue begins FlyFi flight testing, on track for Q3 launch

Adding satellite WiFi to an airplane isn't as simple as mounting an antenna up top and flipping the switch on a router -- even installing a cockpit printer requires FAA approval, so as you can expect, the Federal Aviation Administration won't check off on major modifications without some thorough testing. JetBlue's new Fly-Fi service is well on its way to getting a formal green light, though, and is expected to launch before Q3 is through. This week, the carrier is running through a variety of flight tests with one of its Airbus A320s, including maneuvering the plane with some pretty unusual weight loads, such as the rear center of gravity positioning you can see demonstrated above. After that's complete, it's time to wait for FAA certification before moving onto performance testing, and if all goes well, passengers should expect to hook up to ViaSat-1 from 30,000 feet in mere months. Once Fly-Fi goes online, it'll be by far the fastest commercial in-flight WiFi option -- we really can't wait!

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Partiers of the Week: Cunningham, Chung, and Blasberg Get Down

This week's party haul is stuffed with impeccably dressed models, photographers, designers, and scenesters embracing the inescapable summer heat with refreshing drinks, impromptu dance parties, and curious costumes — like one Phil Winser's cow suit complete with udders. Bill Cunningham showed up at the Central Park Conservancy's Taste of Summer with camera and smile in hand; Alexa Chung and the party-loving Derek Blasberg posed outdoors at Dree Hemingway's dinner for Henry Holland's resort collection; and Feifei Sun, Liu Wen, and Bonnie Chen partied at the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund Americans in China After-Party. Extravagant headpieces abounded at the Swedish Midsummer event, even crowning the head of Mickey Boardman. Click through the slides to see happy and famous faces basking in the sun before it gets too humid.


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StickNFind launches SDK, lets coders harness its Bluetooth stickers

StickNFind Announces SDK Allowing Developers To Tap Into The Power of Bluetooth Smart

Mobile developers can now create unique applications to connect, track, signal and manage popular Bluetooth location stickers

Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. – June 26, 2013 – Today, StickNFind, LLC (www.sticknfind.com) announces the availability of the StickNFind Software Development Kit (SDK) now allowing anyone to create robust applications for the popular Bluetooth location sticker.

With the SDK, developers can create applications that leverage the existing features of StickNFind including: connect/disconnect, battery reader, temperature reader, temperature calibration, tap counter, signal strength, set up broadcast packets with and without encryption, receive broadcast packets, set speeds (broadcast, connection), set minimum pairing RSSI, set authentication keys, update of firmware and control alert features.

"We have already had customers, engineers and developers start talking to us about numerous new and amazing applications for StickNFind," says Jimmy Buchheim, CEO of StickNFind. "We expect to see users developing incredible innovations for the StickNFind. The SDK will enable individuals and brands to leverage the power of Bluetooth Smart and create anything from location tracking games, RFID replacement apps, location task apps, to practical enterprise applications."

StickNFind Stickers are coin-sized, BLE (Bluetooth low-energy or Bluetooth Smart) stickers that can be easily attached to any object that you don't want to lose and tracked through the smartphone application. StickNFind can replace active RFID for commercial applications for example.

In addition, StickNFind will be participating in CE Week at the Metropolitan Pavilion in New York on Thursday, June 27. StickNFind inventor, Jimmy Buchheim, will be speaking on Engadget SuperSession: Crowdfunding the Hardware Revolution, starting at 1:45 pm, discussing the new business paradigm and tips for getting started in the world of crowdfunding.

You can download the SDK and purchase StickNFind now at its website www.StickNFind.com.

Compatible devices:

iOS devices: iPhone 4s, iPhone 5,iPad 3, iPad 4, iPad mini & iTouch 5th gen.
Android: Samsung Galaxy S3, Galaxy Note 2,Galaxy S4.)


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The Most Whimsical Celebrity Engagement Ever

Say you're Pasquale Rotella, organizer of the Electric Daisy Carnival. How do you propose to marriage to Holly Madison, love of your life, ex-girlfriend of Hugh Hefner, mother of your daughter, whom you've given The Most Fanciful Celebrity Baby Name Ever, Rainbow Aurora Rotella?

The answer, courtesy Madison's blog: On top of the Ferris wheel at your electronic dance music festival, while she's wearing a Monarch butterfly tutu, with an eighteen carat yellow diamond, surrounded by rose diamond flowers and engraved with an owl.

Why an owl? "Because we love owls there is a hidden owl engraved on the rose gold in between two of the flowers," Madison writes. Yes, barn owls are monogamous. Eat your heart out, Vogue proposals guide.


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Reports: Princess Eugenie Is Moving to New York!

Some excellent news on this hot, sleepy Tuesday: Princess Eugenie is reportedly moving to New York! (Or so says both the Daily Mail and the Post, so do with that what you will.) We thought the first quasi-royal to set up shop over here would be Pippa, if anyone, but a legit princess is more than welcome. To review: Eugenie, 23, is the daughter of Prince Andrew and first cousin of Princes Will and Harry; she is probably best known for that wonderfully absurd hat she wore to the royal wedding. She and her sister Beatrice, who are almost always pictured together, once ran a red light in a Union Jack–emblazoned Mini Cooper during a royal engagement in Germany.

Eugenie's reason for moving is that she's apparently getting a job here. You see, although Eugenie is sixth in line for the throne, she's not quite special enough to qualify as one of the "working royals" who gets paid to represent Britain, so she's set her sights on "real" employment. According to the Daily Mail's source, "She is determined to be a working woman with a full-time job." 

Said job will reportedly be at Paddle8, an online auction house that specializes in "benefit auctions in collaborations with non-profits," according to its website. The start-up was co-founded by Aditya Julka and British hottie Alexander Gilkes, who is chummy with the royals. Not that plenty of companies wouldn't fall all over themselves to give Eugenie a desk and bask in the ensuing press coverage. We can already picture the Town & Country cover!

So, where will she live? Will she break up with her upper-crusty boyfriend, the fantastically named Jack Brooksbank, who works in the "gastropub trade"? And, most important, what will she wear to work?


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Intel Labs developing 'talking' tail lights for safer roads, we go eyes-on (video)

Intel Labs developing 'talking' tail lights for safer roads, we go eyes-on (video) data = {blogUrl: "www.engadget.com",v: 320};when = {jquery: lab.scriptBs("jquery"),plugins: lab.scriptBs("plugins"),eng: lab.scriptBs("eng")}; var s265prop9 = ('20636956' !== '') ? 'bsd:20636956' : ''; var postID = '20636956'; var modalMNo = '93319229', modalVideoMNo = '93320648', modalGalleryMNo = '93304207'; when.eng("eng.omni.init", {pfxID:"weg",pageName:document.title,server:"acp-ld39.websys.aol.com",channel:"us.engadget", s_account: "aolwbengadget,aolsvc", short_url: "",pageType:"",linkInternalFilters:"javascript:,",prop1:"article",prop2:"",prop9:s265prop9,prop12:document.location,prop17:"",prop18:"",prop19:"",prop20:"", prop22:"nicole-lee", prop54:"blogsmith",mmxgo: true }); adSendTerms('1')adSetMOAT('1');adSetAdURL('/_uac/adpagem.html');lab._script("http://o.aolcdn.com/os/ads/adhesion/js/adhads-min.js").wait(function(){var floatingAd = new AdhesiveAd("348-14-15-14d",{hideOnSwipe:true});}); onBreak({980: function () { adSetType("F");htmlAdWH("93319229", "LB", "LB"); adSetType("");}}); EngadgetMenu NewsReviews Features Galleries VideosEventsPodcasts Engadget ShowTopics Buyers Guides Sagas Store HD Mobile Alt Announcements Cameras Cellphones Desktops Displays Gaming GPS Handhelds Home Entertainment Household Internet Laptops Meta Misc Networking Peripherals Podcasts Robots Portable Audio/Video Science Software Storage Tablets Transportation Wearables Wireless Acer Amazon AMD Apple ASUS AT&T Blackberry Canon Dell Facebook Google HP HTC Intel Lenovo LG Microsoft Nikon Nintendo Nokia NVIDIA Samsung Sony Sprint T-Mobile Verizon About UsSubscribeLike Engadget@engadgettip uswhen.eng("eng.nav.init")when.eng("eng.tips.init") onBreak({980: function () {htmlAdWH("93308280", "215", "35",'AJAX','ajaxsponsor');}});Intel Labs developing 'talking' tail lights for safer roads, we go eyes-on (video) Hands-onBypostedJun 25th, 2013 at 11:48 PM 0

Talking tail lights could lead to safer roads

Smarter headlights could guide you out of a rainstorm, but intelligent tail lights could enable communication between vehicles. At least, that's the idea behind a collaborative Connected Vehicle Safety project between Intel and National Taiwan University. Its purpose is so that you'll be able to know just what the vehicles around you are up to -- whether they're speeding or braking or making a left -- by receiving data from their tail lights. Your vehicle could then stop or accelerate automatically without you needing to intervene, or you could choose to react manually if desired. We saw a demonstration of the concept at a Research @ Intel event in San Francisco with a couple of scooters, so head on past the break to learn how it all works, with video to boot.

Both scooters in the demo are hooked up to a laptop running GNU radio and Universal Software Radio Peripheral (USRP), but we were told that in real-world applications, a palm-sized microcontroller would be sufficient. The front scooter has a VLC FrontEnd board that talks to the tail light, while the rear scooter has a photo diode with a 120-degree viewing angle mounted underneath its handlebars. The diode would be able to use the receiving signal strength from vehicles around it to determine which is closest. Modulation of the tail light flashing frequency prevents interference and allows multiple vehicles to be tracked simultaneously.

In the demo, we saw that when the front scooter hit the brakes, the smartphone mounted on the rear scooter showed a red square. Similarly, when the front scooter made a left turn signal, a left arrow appeared on the display. Divya Kolar, a technology evangelist at Intel, told us that when all of this information is collated together, it'll be able to transmit the traffic patterns to the cloud so that others not in the same vicinity can learn from it and change their routes appropriately. Of course, this is still all in the research stage, so we likely won't see this in our vehicles any time soon. Check out the video below if you want glimpse of our connected vehicle future.

Michael Gorman contributed to this report.

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