Want To Go To Mars? … Forever?

Apr 242013
 

In 2023 a private company will send 8 lucky (or crazy?) people to Mars with no return ticket. 4 people are planned to go on the first trip to Mars to setup base (then realize they forgot their snuggie) and 4 more to land 2 years later (to bring the snuggie that someone forgot), these trips to Mars will take around 7 months to complete (I would finally be able watch all those movies I’ve been meaning to get through). The requirement for the applicants has so far just been to be 18+ years of age, healthy, and don’t worry if you aren’t a genius, no skills needed, just don’t be that guy who leaves his dishes in the sink for a week. Canadians pay $33 USD to apply, general information about yourself, a letter as to why you are crazy enough to do this want to go, and submit a 1 minute video answering questions and why you should be the first person to step on Mars. Oh and yes you can have sexy time there with the other colonists.

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Agrigate: Samsung Galaxy S4 Is Coming

Apr 222013
 

 

Samsung-Galaxy-S4-portrait

 

Samsung Galaxy S4 is the latest flagship phone from the infamous Apple iPhone competitor from South Korea.

In Canada, companies have already announced their availability:

Us Canucks only get the 16GB version due to apparent low demand for 32GB variant, its being credited to the expandable memory slot. I would just like to think we’re smarter and would rather get the memory cards ourselves.

The main competitor to the magical Galaxy S4 is the HTC One, which from the looks of it takes a different approach, solid hardware and quality focused. Both phones are quad-core for the North American market but that’s where the similarities end.

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(We Are Back) Google Glass

Feb 242013
 

We are back.

So if you’ve been living under a rock (which it may seem like I’ve been doing), then you may wonder what Google is doing with glass? Well Google may just have forgotten about the “es” in the glasses because Google Glass is a “little” project where they have attempted to make a wearable computer, not just some Virtual Boy ripoff but they seem to have made it not so weird looking to wear. It is a light frame, like glasses without the glass, with the actual components that sits on the right of your head and has a transparent display that is viewable on the top right of your vision. In most cases there is no actual glass in front of your face, although they did show glasses with shades in some presentations and Sergey Brin is not shy about wearing it in public (like in the New York City subway).

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Making The Tesla Model S (Video)

Jun 202012
 

Tesla has been kind enough to release a series of videos showing the manufacturing of the upcoming Model S, enjoy.

Inside Tesla 05.29.12 – Stamping from Tesla Motors on Vimeo.

Inside Tesla 06.05.12 – Body Center from Tesla Motors on Vimeo.

Inside Tesla 06.12.12 – Paint from Tesla Motors on Vimeo.

Inside Tesla 06.19.12 – Assembly Center from Tesla Motors on Vimeo.

First Model S will be delivered this Friday June 22, stay tuned for more about it.

Introducing The: Microsoft Surface Tablet (Video)

Jun 192012
 

This is the new Microsoft Surface Tablet.

Specifications:

There are a few features with this new tablet such as:

  • All angle cooling
  • Built-in kick stand
  • USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 (for Windows 8 Pro version)
  • Optically bonded screen
  • Magnetic Touch Type Cover
  • VaporMg case
  • Pen with Palm Block with input sampling at 600 DPI (dots per inch)

So this brings us to the speculations:

  • Is the pen a Wacom Digitizer? If it is, it will be very attractive to artists who wish to replace their ASUS EP121 or those who’ve wanted something like it but better.
  • Did they forget Bluetooth?
  • How long will this last on a single charge?
  • How much will it cost?
  • What is the actual release date?
  • Will other accessories be able to utilize the magnetic connection?
  • Why did they use a Mini DisplayPort for the Pro version? Why not mini HDMI?
  • How much support will the Windows App Market have?

Release is suppose to be around Q3 for the Microsoft Surface RT version, and 3 months later (Q4) the Pro version will be released with pricing on the RT comperable to other Tegra3 tablets and Pro version being around what Ultrabooks cost.

So here’s what I think. Microsoft is hitting iOS, OSX, Android, and Chrome OS all at the same time with a form factor that is more user friendly and popular than traditional laptops. This device is about power in a tablet. This is a game changer for the tablet market and I don’t think people can believe its coming from Microsoft, hence all the criticism and hate. Rightfully deserved from some previous lackluster support for touch and pen input but I think they are renewing their creativity and ingenuity. They now have experience with trying to make the touch experience more user friendly and efficient with Windows Phone, which seems to be doing not so bad, they have now taken what they’ve learned and are now applying it to an area where they need to catch up, tablets. They have tried this with the ASUS EP121, but now with Windows 8, they can compete with iPad and Macbooks with a powerful OS.

I think that’s what people are forgetting here, Windows OS is a powerful program that has always been more functional and productive than Apple’s PC OS. This tablet is Microsoft flexing its muscles and taking back dominance from its old rival and the new kid on the block, showing everyone who is boss. Microsoft Surface Pro is going to do what the Macbook Air was trying to do, be sleek and functional (at least that’s what I assumed it was doing, if not just being used to cut bread). The Ultrabooks are going to take a beating as well, since they kind of follow the Macbook Air. With the Surface Pro I would be able to use 3D progams and maybe play some low res games while in a coffee shop, and maybe do some sketching in Photoshop if I feel like it, all while looking like I’m on an Android/Apple tablet.

I can already imagine the possibilities with this tablet. I would be able to use 3D progams and maybe play some low res games while in a coffee shop, and maybe do some sketching in Photoshop if I feel like it, all while looking like I’m on an Android/Apple tablet. Dual boot Linux, connect with Leap Motion,

All and all, nothing we say is really going to matter until this tablet comes out in Q3, and arguably, even more importantly the Pro version in Q4.

I will be doing updates when more information comes in closer to the release as well as reviews, I may be picking up the Pro version (impulse buy if it has a Wacom Digitizer) so look out for that.

The full presentation can be had here:

 

Also, I was talking with someone about the strength of the magnetic keyboard cover, take a look for yourself (starts at 1:50):

Link via Engadget, PCMag, The Verge

First Hexabites Podcast! Rupert Murdoch is a Douche and CES Smells

Jan 222012
 

So we will be doing this show weekly, or bi-weekly. Its a rough start (watch us stumble and hurt out knee) but we are open to suggestions and adjusting the show as we go.

We will be fixing up that echo problem and maybe just getting rid of the video. Let us know what you think.

Thanks to our friends at studioDYV.

In the meantime, enjoy!

Ultra Definition/4K is coming

Dec 292011
 

So it is the end of 2011 and most people can obtain a reasonably affordable 1080p TV or may even have a phone that can record 1080p but hear comes technology’s evolution to kick you in the wallet. 2160p (3840×2160) or 4K is coming to CES which means its making its way to your TV.

So what now? Well enjoy your 1080p TV or monitor and maybe even get one if you don’t already or even buy one when these ones come out. The main thing is to not panic, the only thing that ultimately decides whether you purchase technology these days is how much money you have (and credit doesn’t count). Look, technology is always going to do this and its going to get faster and faster so get accustom to it but the best way to handle it is to be happy with what you have. If you really want to get ahead start saving for an OLED TV or even a Quantum computer.

Link via Engadget

Quad-Core Coming to a Samsung Galaxy S3 Near You!

Dec 282011
 

Samsung Quad-Core coming at the Barcelona Mobile World Congress party next year in Febuary/March. Apparently going to have a Exynos chipset accompanied by a 720p Super AMOLED Plus display with LTE and 2GB of RAM to feed the monster CPU. Predicting that the clock would be 2GHz or 1.8GHz.

Apple better catch up to this one because if they don’t I see someone getting left in the dust of Android devices. Apple should probably sink some of those dollars they spend on lawyers to R&D. Samsung is in a position to rocket Android to the top with the support of many vendors.

With mobile devices that powerful we could see devices that are powered by their phones, why pay for another CPU when your phone already has so much power. With Windows soon going on mobile chips, we could see some practical uses for mobile CPUs instead of just a phone and travel toy.

Link via BGR

AMD Radeon HD 7970 Is Official *UPDATE: Reviews*

Dec 222011
 

Wow that was fast, So here is the brand new Radeon HD 7970 for $549. Specs:

  • 925MHz engine clock (overclockable to 1125MHz)
  • 2048 stream processors
  • 384-bit memory bus
  • 3GB of GDDR5

That is a hefty price but that is some kickass specs, and with a preview to the benchmarks I’m looking forward to some more for confirmation of its power but if these early ones are true then the 7970 is priced less than the 6990 but more powerful in some tests and uses less power than the NVIDIA 580 while still beating it. When this beast is overclocked it blows away the 580 while in the preview it seemed to maintain a max temperature of 86 degrees. It seems like an incredible GPU but if Radeon doesn’t get better drivers I’m going to have to switch to NVIDIA.

Continue for reviews…

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