BYD intros dual-mode electric Qin vehicle, Remote Driving key for outside-the-car operation

The New York Auto Show may be done and over with, but the 2012 Beijing International Auto Show is just hitting its stride. Predictably, BYD is in attendance, and it's got a couple of new gizmos out on the red carpet. For starters, there's the Qin (pronounced "Chin," not Kin), a dual-mode electric vehicle that includes seven percent better efficiency, power and energy-saving in pure EV mode compared to the first generation's F3DM system. All told, the vehicle can scoot some 31 miles on a single 10KWh charge, and in hybrid mode, it can use both its 110KW electric motor and its 1.5 Turbo engine to output some 223KW of power and 440Nm of torque. For the technophiles, the car is also equipped with an intelligent cloud system platform, which incorporates things like "telematics, cloud-computing and a full-range of services 24 hours a day (like roadside assistance, vehicle positioning, remote monitoring, music and video downloads etc.)."

As if that weren't enough, the outfit's showcasing a new Remote Driving Controller for its F3 Plus, which enables owners to perform a variety of driving functions -- moving it forward / back, turning left / right and traveling at a "restricted speed" -- without having the owner inside of the vehicle. Naturally, we're anxiously awaiting a test unit of our own. Or, for a wave of lawsuits -- whichever comes first.

Continue reading BYD intros dual-mode electric Qin vehicle, Remote Driving key for outside-the-car operation

BYD intros dual-mode electric Qin vehicle, Remote Driving key for outside-the-car operation originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 24 Apr 2012 06:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Carphone Warehouse outs 'Samsung Galaxy S3' with tiny teaser pic

Last week we saw the the first retailer listing for the Samsung Galaxy S3 over on Amazon Germany, and today the plot thickens with a new stub appearing on Carphone Warehouse's "coming soon" page. The independent retailer lists the device, currently acknowledged by Samsung as the "next Galaxy", alongside a diminutive preview shot that's so tiny and generic it's impossible to tell whether it's an official render or not. If nothing else, it has its buttons in the right place for a Samsung phone -- you can clearly see a power button on the right and volume rocker on the left.

What's also intriguing is the slow gravitation we're seeing towards the "Galaxy S3" name rather than anything else. Over the past few days we've seen references to that name exactly -- Galaxy S3, not S 3 or S III -- leak out on Amazon, the official "Unpacked" app in the Google Play Store, and now CPW. Despite rumors that Samsung may attempt to ape Apple's naming scheme with a "new Galaxy S", we think the S3 name makes more sense in terms of branding. A "new Galaxy S" is too confusing for consumers upgrading from the S II, considering how schizophrenic Samsung's Galaxy branding already is across its phone and Tab lines. And a "Galaxy S III" with three as roman numerals isn't as instantly recognizable -- your brain takes a few more seconds to process those pesky three lines and differentiate "III" from "II".

Whatever the case, we're still in rumor territory with regards to much of what we "know" about this device. And we're not expecting that to change until the Galaxy S3, or whatever it's called, is unveiled in London on May 3.

Source: Carphone Warehouse

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Why does Norway's Breivik invoke the Knights Templar? (+video)

Anders Behring Breivik, who killed 77 people in a twin terror attack in Norway last July, claims to be a member of a reborn 'Knights Templar.' What's the symbolism?

One of the highlights of today's testimony in the trial of Anders Behring Breivik, who is accused of the murder of 77 people during a bombing and shooting rampage in Norway, was the prosecutor's efforts to challenge Mr. Breivik's purported membership in the "Knights Templar."

Skip to next paragraph A sociologist for the defense talks about Andrew Breivik's world view.

Breivik claims to have helped "refound" the ancient military order as a force to fight immigration and multiculturalism in Europe. But why turn to a long-gone Christian order to symbolize his agenda today?

The Knights Templar, or "Templars," were a Christian order founded in the 10th century. Named for the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, the Templars initially protected pilgrims traveling through the Holy Lands, but eventually evolved into a powerful military force that waged war against the Muslims during the Crusades.

The Templars became so powerful, however, that European leaders grew to distrust the order. Early in the 1300s, King Philip IV of France launched a crackdown on the Templars that, with the help of Pope Clement V, eventually spread Europe-wide, destroying the order. Many members were tortured and tried for heresy by the Catholic Church.

But despite, or perhaps because of, their ancient history and sudden demise, the Templars still hold a solid grip on modern imaginations and pop culture. They are frequently depicted as the mysterious controllers of the world in books like Umberto Eco's "Foucault's Pendulum" and movies like "National Treasure." "The Da Vinci Code" and "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" set the Templars up as secret keepers of the Holy Grail. They even appear as the enemies in video games like "Assassin's Creed."

Certainly, the organization that Breivik claims to be a member of is equally mysterious. Breivik describes the organization as "a leaderless network, made to be self-driven cells.? He said that ?For militants, [Knights Templar] is meant to be a version of Al Qaeda." He has yet to name another member of the group, claiming that to do so would risk their being caught, though he has indicated that his "English mentor" can be found in London and that a Serb "war hero" living in Liberia is among the group's ranks.

Whether or not the Templars in which Breivik claims membership are real, the name is likely meant to evoke both the mysterious nature of the original Templars and their open war against Muslim forces during the Crusades. The historical Templars' modern reputation and supposed influence makes a strong symbolic counterpoint to terrorist groups like Al Qaeda.

Monitor guest blogger James Bosworth suggested that the use of the name may also be meant to legitimize the group as a moral one.

Last July, Mr. Bosworth noted that Breivik was not the first violent criminal to invoke the Templars: A Mexican criminal gang has also adopted the name and some of the associated symbolism. But Bosworth concludes that "The Mexican Knights Templar code of conduct appears to be a false appeal to Mexico's citizens," something that could also be argued of Breivik's use of the Templar mythology. "The Knights Templar label is a failed attempt to grant historical legitimacy to a violent act that truly has no justification," Bosworth wrote.

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What Really Happens When You Swallow Your Gum? [Giz Explains]

You've heard the warnings: If you swallow gum, it will stay in your digestive system for nearly a decade. Which would mean there's a decent chance you've got some hanging out in your gut right now. More »

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Intel's Ivy Bridge will offer '20 percent more performance with 20 percent less average power'

So, there's still a little while to go before Intel gives Ivy Bridge a full unveiling, with official benchmarks, pricing and all those trimmings. But in the meantime, the BBC has detailed just how different this new architecture is compared to 32nm chips like Sandy Bridge and also AMD's coming Trinity processors. Most of this stuff we already knew -- like the fact that Intel has switched to a 3D or 'tri-gate' transistor design -- but what's new is a direct and official boast about performance. According to Kirk Skaugen, Chipzilla's PC chief, we can expect Ivy Bridge to deliver "20 percent more processor performance using 20 percent less average power." Now, judging from leaked desktop and laptop benchmarks, this broad-brush claim masks some very different realities depending on what type of CPU or GPU workloads you want throw at the chip, so stay tuned for more detail very soon.

Intel's Ivy Bridge will offer '20 percent more performance with 20 percent less average power' originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 23 Apr 2012 05:43:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Berlusconi: 'I'll cover you in gold,' just stay quiet

Karima El Mahroug of Morocco (left), also known as "Ruby the Heart-Stealer," poses for photographers in a hotel in the western Austrian ski resort of Ischgl in April, 2011. Former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi attends a soccer game between Parma and AC Milan in Parma in March of this year.

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By Claudio Lavanga, NBC News Producer

ROME ? All we knew of Ruby was that she stole Silvio Berlusconi?s heart. But according to leaked telephone conversations published on Monday, she also took quite a lot of money from him to lie about their relationship.

Karima El-Marough, better known as ?Ruby the Heart-Stealer,? is a Moroccan-born dancer who, according to prosecutors in Milan, had sex with the former Italian prime minister for money when she was still a minor. It?s a crime which could land?Berlusconi in prison for up to three years.?

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So far El-Marough has denied having had sex with Berlusconi, although she did admit to having received?thousands of euros from him. Berlusconi has claimed to have given money to her and other women as gifts to ?help out,? but according to leaked telephone conversations between and her friends, that money was meant to buy her silence.?

In the wiretapped telephone conversations dating back to October 2010, when the scandal broke, El-Marough told a number of friends that Berlusconi asked her to act "crazy" and lie. In exchange, he would give her whatever she wanted.

According to the wire-tapped calls on Oct. 28, 2010, she told a friends: ?Silvio called me to tell me he?ll give me as much money as I want, as long as I act like I am mentally unstable and a liar? as long as I don?t tell the truth. He told me ?I?ll give you all the money you want?I?ll cover you in gold?just don?t say anything.???

'Burlesconi' sex scandal comes full circle

On the same day, El-Marough told a friend named Sergio that she had even set a specific price for her silence on the relationship with Berlusconi.?

?Through my lawyer I asked him for five million euro ($6.5 million) in exchange for me acting like I am crazy? a liar? He accepted,? she said, according to the transcripts.

When another friend asked her if she was afraid of being involved in such a high-profile scandal, Ruby seemed to?acknowledge?that she had actually hit the jackpot.

?No, I am not afraid. I will get a lot of money?fame?why should I be afraid?? she is heard saying on the phone.

What is certain is that she did gain fame. Since the scandal broke out, she has become a household name, even though she is better known as ?Ruby the Heart-Stealer? than Karima El-Marough. She has since had a baby and appeared in a couple of small commercials.

Whether she was effectively paid to lie in order to protect Berlusconi is up to the?prosecutors?to prove. But the leaked phone conversations are so far the most damaging piece of evidence against the former Italian prime minister in a trial that has that could not only end his political career, but his life as a free man.

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Facebook?s Amended S-1: 901 Million Users, 500M Mobile, Paid $300M Cash + 23M Shares For Instagram

Facebook has just filed a fourth amendment to its S-1 to IPO that notes that it now has 500 million mobile users, 901 million monthly active users, and that it paid 23 million shares at $30.89 a share plus $300 million cash for Instagram for a total of $1,010,470,000. Facebook also made $1.058 billion in revenue in the first quarter of 2012, up 44.7% from Q1 2012 but down 6.5% from Q4 2011. So if Facebook maintains its current revenue rate, it would make between $4.69 and $4.81 on each of its 901 million users each year. Read on for more on Facebook's business, user counts, photos, apps, employees, Instagram, and to see our embed of the full amended S-1.

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The Feds Will Shut off Your Internet If You Don't Clean Your Computer by July 9 [Trojans]

When the FBI and Estonian authorities finally crushed the DNSChanger Trojan network in January, they set up a temporary DNS exchange to maintain connectivity for the millions of infected users until they could wipe the bug from their systems. More »

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Sunday Evening Dog Blogging: Reader Dogs (Theagitator)

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Shure SRH1440

In the iPhone era, headphones have taken a backseat to in-canal earphones for portability reasons. For the professional musician, mastering engineer, or serious audiophile, however, headphones are often still preferred for reference listening. Shure's SRH1440, at $399.99 (list), is actually a bargain for such discerning listeners. Compared to most headphones in this price range, the SRH1440 ?is feature-barren, and home recording studio enthusiasts should look elsewhere, as these open back headphones are designed to leak audio. However, if you're looking for a pair of powerful, professional headphones with excellent audio performance, the SRH1440 deserves your attention.

Design
The SRH1440's headband and circumaural (ear-enclosing) ear cups are black matte plastic, with the white Shure logo above both ears, and a black glossy logo embossed on the top of the band. The inside of the headband is lined with plush foam. At the bottom of each ear cup, there is a jack for the included audio cables?both of which terminate in a gold-plated 3.5mm connector. (A ?-inch gold-plated adapter is included for stereo system and pro gear.)

The inclusion of an extra detachable audio cable and replacement earpads help extend the life, and thus overall value, of the package. The SRH1440, cables, and the replacement velour earpads and come nuzzled inside a massive black zip-up protective case. The headphones are big on their own, but the case makes it impractical to stuff them in a bag.? Add in the fact that the open back design of the earcups means sound is also projected outward, and we're looking at a pair that's more suitable for home use than portable use.

The most important design element to take into account for a large pair of professional headphones is comfort. Shure did well in this regard. The black velour ear pads are ideal not just because they don't get uncomfortable over long listening periods, but because they also don't get very hot. The headband presses down on the scalp a bit after a long listening session, but the discomfort is only minor?you can easily wear this pair for hours at a time.

Performance
The first thing you notice about the SRH1440's excellent audio performance is the crispness of the mids and highs, which take center stage over bass response. The low frequencies are perfectly represented?they just aren't exaggerated like they are in so many modern headphones, such as the Beats by Dr. Dre from Monster ($349.95, 4 stars). Orchestral music, like John Adams' "The Chairman Dances," sounds amazing, with a sense of space that you don't often get from in-canal earphones or even some headphones. The lower register instruments possess an ideal resonance, but the brass and wooden percussion sit front and center.

On deep bass tracks, like The Knife's "Silent Shout", there is no distortion, though you get the sense that, at maximum volume, it is just about to come creeping in to the equation. Well, no one should be monitoring at top volume, anyway, and at moderate-to-very high volumes the SRH1440 sounds clean as a whistle, reproducing super-deep bass parts clearly, without any crackling or muddiness. For all genres, the SRH1440 provides a flat response approach that lets music be reproduced with little embellishment.

If the $400 price is a bit too high, consider Shure's SRH550DJ ($125, 3.5 stars)?at less than half the price, it's a solid pair of circumaural headphones with far less leakage, which is ideal for DJs and home studios. The KRK Systems KNS-8400 ($149, 4 stars) are slightly pricier than the SRH550DJ , but offer more power and are definitely suited for recording studio applications. And if mobility is more of a priority, check out our Editors' Choice Bowers & Wilkins P5 Mobile Hi-Fi Headphones ($299.95, 4.5 stars)?they're lightweight, on-ear, and sound excellent, though with a bit more embellishment of the lower frequencies. For $400, however, the SRH1440 nails exactly what it's designed for: A precise, dynamic, comfortable pair of headphones suitable for pro applications or casual home listening.

More Headphone Reviews:
??? Shure SRH1440
??? Razer Tiamat 7.1
??? Soul by Ludacris SL99
??? Altec Lansing A3 Custom Triple Driver Earphone
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Sprint discontinues HTC EVO 3D online, limited quantities remain at retail stores

It's not like we're gonna argue with Sprint's rationale, but the EVO 3D has met its end at the Now Network. Visitors to the carrier's online store will notice that the gee-whiz smartphone is no longer available for sale, and Sprint reps have confirmed to us that it's not coming back. Those who insist on owning an EVO 3D will be glad to know that the handset is still available at Sprint's retail outlets, but according to the carrier, quantities are rather limited. Given a phone that debuted less than a year ago, its abrupt and unceremonious demise comes as a bit of a shock, but with the mighty EVO 4G LTE on the horizon, we can't blame the carrier one bit.

Sprint discontinues HTC EVO 3D online, limited quantities remain at retail stores originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 21 Apr 2012 11:53:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Happy Birthday, Fenway (talking-points-memo)

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