Google Announces Project Tango

The ever innovative Google, have tried their hands again at the smartphone market, this time the device is able to map the world around you using a series of sensors, the phone’s cameras and a powerful vision processor. The sensor enriched smartphone works around a 5 inch screen. The name of the prototype is Tango.

The concept smartphone has the ability to map the world around you in a 3D model. Project Tango will assist users in creating indoor maps, which will help navigate not only its user, but also then future devices, which operate in the home and workplace. Google has 200 development kits that it will be make available to developers in a approx 3 weeks time, in mid-March.

Build Your Own Robot At Home With MOSS

The field of robotics is seeing great advancements and so it makes sense that the up-and-coming generations are encouraged to get involved with science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM as the subjects are collectively known.

At this year’s Toy Fair, robotic kits and science sets featured heavily, aimed at nurtering a child’s interest in building and creating objects. One such kit named MOSS has been created by the same company that produces Cubelets. It comprises of a set of cubes that have sensors, inputs and ouputs and are colour-coded to make it easier to assemble them. So for example, cubes with green faces are for power, blue for pass through, brown for input and orange for output.

Supersonic Jet Will Replace Windows With Embedded Displays

The supersonic S-512 jet by Spike Aerospace is still in the concept stage but it has been revealed that when the plane does take to the skies, buyers should expect to have no windows. Instead the copany has announced that it plans to use super-thin embedded displays, rather than the traditional cabin windows, giving passengers a panoramic view of the external environment.

Facebook Buys Whatsapp For $16B In Cash And Stock

Facebook is purchasing messaging giant WhatsApp for$16B in cash and stock, according to aregulatory filing. The deal is being cut for$12B in Facebook shares, $4B in cash and an additional $3B in RSUs for employee retention.

A termination fee is attached to the deal that would cost Facebook $1B in cash and $1B in shares if the deal fails to pass regulatory muster.

Facebook hasposted on its blog, detailing the reasoning behind the acquisition as well. The post notes that WhatsApp will continue to operate independently and retain its brand. In addition,. WhatsApp co-founder and CEO Jan Koum will join Facebook’s board.

Google Launches The Largest Solar Power Project Ever Made

Google has just revealed the company’s latest venture into the field of renewable energy sources by announcing what they say is the planet’s largest solar power project. The Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating Station, is situated on the California-Nevada border. It uses 347,000 mirrors that face the sun, to produce 392 megawatts of electricity. This amount of energy is enough to power more than 140,000 homes. Google has invested a massive $168 million (£101m) into the solar plant. This latest venture is one in a series of fifteen such like investments, which Google has made in renewable energy in the last year alone. This last deal, has taken the company past the $1 billion (£599m) mark for its total investment into solar and wind energies.

1983 Steve Jobs Time Capsule Found in Aspen

It was in 1983 that Steve Jobs gave a talk on the future of technology at the Aspen International Design Conference. As part of his presentation he used a Lisa mouse, which was one of the first types of computer mouse to be sold commercially. Following the discourse those in attendance were asked to give items for the Aspen Time Tube, a time capsule that would be buried in an Aspen field. Jobs donated the Lisa mouse.

Marty McFly’s Power Laces Are Coming in 2015

If you watched Back To The Future Part 2, (and let’s be honest, who didn’t watch it?) you’ll remember Marty McFly’s shoes. You remember them because they were all kinds of awesome – they laced themselves up without Marty having to do anything! And, if you’re anything like me, you immediately wanted a pair as soon as you watched that scene. Unfortunately, for you, me, and everyone else, they weren’t available on the market yet.