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Hello? Tap, tap, tap, this thing on?

CERN’s $9 billion, 17-mile long atom smasher was just turned on and we′re awaiting reports on how the tests have gone. The Large Hadron Collider did experience “small electrical problems” overnight. However, these were not expected to delay the first test firing at 9:30am CEST. As such, the clockwise and counter-clockwise firing of particles should already be in progress.

Remember, no smashing will be done today, for that we’ll have to wait until later this month. We’ll update you here as things progress.

09:49 – Confirmed, the first beam of protons has been fired! It took 48-seconds for the pulse to generate and then a tiny flash of light on a computer screen indicated a successful firing around the first 3-km of the 27-km ring — they will methodically extend the range throughout the day.

10:25 – The beam just completed the full ring (in stages) in less than an hour. Things are going much more quickly than expected. Counterclockwise test next.

12:18 — CERN estimates that the LHC will be fully operational for physics work in the next few months. Added NASA-like video of the reaction to the full-loop, first beam success after the break (watch for two flashes on the left-most screen).

Note: Insert, the following string into VLC to watch live: mms://qstream-live.qbrick.com/00862live80910

Read — small electrical issues
Read — webcast (currently down)
Read — First beam fired

Continue reading CERN’s Large Hadron Collider started — are we still here? (updated with video)

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Original post by Thomas Ricker

Set your alarms and kiss the kids goodbye, CERN will be providing a live webcast of the Large Hadron Collider’s “First Beam” maiden voyage on Wednesday. Let us know how it goes, we’ll be holed-up inside grandpa’s bombshelter with our canned turnips and 10th anniversary Heaven’s Gate Nikes — remember, two-knocks if it’s safe else we’ll assume you’re a robot.

[Thanks, Rui]

Read — Webcast starting Wed, Sep10 at 09:00 CEST (calculated globally)
Read — Satellite broadcast

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Original post by Thomas Ricker

Filed under: Laptops

After suffering a presumed Jolly Rancher infestation, ASUS is prepped to loose these artificially flavored Eee PCs onto Korea. Available for pre-order now, the limited edition “pink” (hey, that’s what they say) and Jell-O green Eee PC 901 and Eee PC 1000H ship on the 22nd of August for an undetermined price. Hmmm, blood-red snowflakes and glo-stick mistletoe? Feels like Christmas in our very own Eee PC hell.

Gallery: Limited Edition Eee PCs ready to candy-coat Korea

[Via Akihabara News]

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Original post by Thomas Ricker

Filed under: Desktops

Don’t deny it — you totally blew the original Duct Tape Server off as some one-off project created after a hard night of truth or dare, but the DTS team is out to prove that this here is no fad. Just this week the DTS II (that’s Duct Tape Server II for those who prefer things broken down) was introduced shortly after DTS I came unglued. Reportedly, this unit will be on server row at MillionManLan and will pack a 2.2GHz Pentium 4, 1GB of RAM, an 80GB hard drive and a few fans to keep things breezy. Hit up the read link for a slew of build shots, and click on through for a quick video.

Continue reading Duct tape server II gets proudly introduced

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Original post by Darren Murph

Filed under: Storage

Fujitsu has a MHZ2 for nearly any application: hardcore security, tight spaces and now continuous operations. The 2.5-inch MHZ2-BK (7,200 RPM) and MHZ2-BS (5,400 RPM) SATA drives are being offered up in sizes as large as 250GB, and as you could likely guess, they′ll keep right on keepin′ on even under heavy nonstop loads. Designed specifically for use in “business critical and industrial applications that require higher storage capacity,” these HDDs are meant to survive the most grueling of tasks, though we′re not specifically told what all they actually can live through. Nevertheless, trusting souls can snap up a couple of the MHZ2-BS units right now (pricing not disclosed), while the quicker MHZ2-BK series won′t be available until July.

[Via Physorg]

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Original post by Darren Murph

Filed under: Cellphones, Home Entertainment, Laptops

We’d say 2007 was a pretty big year for Steve Wozniak, what with Kathy Griffin, an Epcot animatronic, some widely covered Apple sentiments, and (honor of honors) an Engadget interview to top it all off. Turns out he’s not backing down in 2008, and spoke out at a Sydney press conference with some fairly constructive criticism for some of Apple’s brightest stars. He expressed concern over the 24 hour limit for iTunes movie rentals, and doesn′t see the Apple TV taking off just yet, though he sees it as a “good indication of the future.” Woz was less kind to the iPhone, saying he was “really disappointed″ at the iPhone’s introduction, due to the lack of 3G. He’s still a fan of the phone interface, particularly the browser, but he’s miffed about those speed constraints. Finally, he likes his MacBook Air, and he’s currently attempting to see if he can make it his single laptop, but the shortage of ports and lack of disc drive and removable battery are making it difficult. We really couldn′t have said any of it any better, Woz.

[Via The Inquirer]

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Original post by Paul Miller

Filed under: Home Entertainment

Ruh ruh, Macworld ran one last test as the month of February expired yesterday and found that contrary to Apple′s claim that there would be over 1,000 movies for download by March, iTunes and the Apple TV have hundreds fewer flicks available than anticipated. The 91 (of 100 promised) HD movies and 399 total rental titles make up a fair chunk of the 770 some-odd rental and sale titles, which comparatively isn’t all that bad a number when you look at the other download services, but Cupertino clearly has a ways to go before we all trade in our Netflix and Blockbuster memberships.

[Thanks, Jimi]

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Original post by Ryan Block

Filed under: Home Entertainment

There isn’t (yet) a way to hack Apple TV v2 (aka take 2), but if you were patient enough to wait for the “safe” PatchStick upgrade on your hacked unit, Safari HD is ready to go. Good luck, and take care, after those weeks of waiting for the new update it sure would suck to brick that device.
Read - Safe update for Apple TV v2
Read - Safari HD available

 

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Original post by Ryan Block

Filed under: Features, HDTV, Home Entertainment

Yeah, the Apple TV (take 2) update took a bit longer than promised to actually arrive on the scene, but now that it’s available for existing ATV owners to chew on, we’re interested in hearing from its toughest critics. Rumors of Apple finally enabling some sort of HD movie / television show download service had been making the rounds for what seemed like ages, and after months of waiting for a move to be made, take 2 made its debut under the shadow of the MacBook Air.

Aside from finally offering up 1080p support and giving users the ability to rent HD flicks (though only some with Dolby Digital 5.1), the v2.0 upgrade changed up the look and added in Flickr integration. Granted, the innards here have remained the same, but we’re not just interested in finding out what you adore / detest about the newest update. Oh no — we’re also curious to know how you think the existing hardware is handling its new duties. Has anything slowed down? Are you still (or were you ever) satisfied with the port assortment? Have you found yourself itching to downgrade? We know, software updates as substantial as this one hardly ever never leave everyone happy, and while we′ve done some sizing up of own in regard to HD quality, how would you like to see things tweaked for take 3?

 

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Original post by Darren Murph

Filed under: Home Entertainment

Apple isn’t one to let a new product out the door without a video guided tour lately, and today’s release of the Apple TV take 2 update is no exception. Nothing too shocking in the walkthrough of iTunes rentals and the new Flickr features — when will Apple learn that all we really want is some hardcore settings menu action? — but fans of The Anonymous iPhone Guy and John, The Classy Leopard Dude will be disappointed to see that they’ve been replaced by Hannah, The Pleasantly Boho Apple TV Lady. Check it out at the read link — and if you’re hungry for some real deets, you know we’ve got you covered.

 

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Original post by Nilay Patel

Filed under: Home Entertainment

We got some good time in with Apple’s take 2 (i.e. v2.0) software update at Macworld this year, but now that it’s out we had to put the spurs to it. We’ll be updating with more as we go, but for right now here’s what you need to know:

• The update itself took us under five minutes to download, but over ten minutes to install. Our first try failed out. Also, get used to seeing that loading bar screen, it cycled through about five times for us.
• Yep, that’s a slick new video that it opens with.
• Did someone say 1080p output? Oh yes, it’s finally enabled!
• Yep, it’s officially software version 2.0.
• Although manually inputting your Apple ID with the remote is a pain, renting movies is absolutely a snap.
• Our HD movie was ready for playback within a minute of starting the download. Very nice.
• Picture quality is pretty good. Not amazing, but pretty good.
• Flickr integration works well (unlike on stage at Macworld), but there’s no way to aggregate your contact lists’s photos to your ATV. It’s on a single contact basis only, meaning you can only look at your own or any one other user’s photos at a tim.
• Plenty more details to be found here and here, as well as an informative chart of how downloads works here.

 

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Original post by Ryan Block

Filed under: HDTV, Home Entertainment

A couple of tipsters have reported that the delayed Apple TV “take 2″ update is finally available, right on schedule. It’s reportedly a 5 minute download, but that’s all the info we’ve got until Apple gets official about it. Let us know if it works for you.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

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Original post by Paul Miller

Filed under: Transportation

While many around the globe have their eyes fixated on the events going down in Las Vegas this week, the 9th Auto Expo in New Delhi, India is managing to steal at least a hint of the limelight. Announced today, Tata Motors’ $2,500 “1-Lakh” car will actually see production in India later this year, and it has affectionately been dubbed the NANO. For those not keen on such a title, it can also be recognized as “The People’s Car,” but it seems “The Person’s Car” may have been more appropriate. Nevertheless, this little bundle of automotive joy will feature an all-aluminum, two-cylinder engine that can deliver around 54 US miles per gallon, and while stripped down would be a gross understatement, it does promise to “exceed current regulatory (read: safety) requirements.” Hit the read link for Tata’s official release along with a plethora of photos.

[Image courtesy of Manan Vatsyayana/Raveendran for Getty]

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Original post by Darren Murph

One consequence of the switch from analog to high-definition TV broadcasts (set to happen in just 13 months) is that a lot of TV sets suddenly won’t work, unless consumers get a set-top box that’ll downgrade the HDTV signal. This likely means a lot of TV sets will be stored on the curb over the next decade. But rather than just throwing out that old 13-inch black-and-white, you can try and get a few bucks ($100, actually) for it to trade up to a new HDTV.

From now until March 15, 2008, Sony is offering a $100 coupon toward the purchase of a new BRAVIA high-definition TV at Sony Style stores in exchange for any TV brought in for recycling. The Sony Take Back Recycling Program, a partnership with WM Recycle America eCyling, has been running for a couple of months, but I hadn’t heard much about it until now. Maybe the big S didn’t want to break the bank by giving out the Benjamins.

I should also mention that the set you′re trading in doesn’t have to be a Sony. So even though $100 off a Sony TV won’t soften the blow if you really weren’t ready to make the upgrade to HDTV, at least the old CRT won’t end up in a landfill.

Post by Peter Suciu

Original post by Carol Mangis

The news is all over Engadget and the UK version of Gamespot: A new Sony AIBO robotic dog called the AIBO PS is on its way and it’s designed to work with Sony′s Portable PlayStation and PlayStation 3. If true, this would truly be a resurrection, since Sony killed its robotics division (including the AIBO and humanoid QRIO) in the fall of 2006. I’m skeptical, however. There’s no information about where this article came from and many of the new features breathlessly reported on blogs and Gamespot existed in previous AIBOs, including wireless control, built-in camera, motion sensors and facial recognition. The big deal is that it can stream video over WiFi to your PSP. That’s cool, I guess. I used to be able to control my AIBO wirelessly via my PC. If this product is real, Sony simply ported existing AIBO Mind software to the PSP platform and, I assume, the PS3 platform as well. I’d love to believe that, but Sony’s not saying anything and the company ultimately ended up treating AIBO like an unwanted step child. Plus the whole idea that AIBO can somehow rescue the PSP is utter nonsense. That platform will live or die on its own steam.

Original post by Lance Ulanoff