Emerging Tech

Canon Gets Uncannily Real With New Mixed Reality Tech
February 21, 2013

Canon officially launched its new MREAL System for Mixed Reality on Wednesday. Unlike traditional virtual reality-type systems that essentially block out the real world, this new imaging solution simultaneously merges virtual objects with those of the real world at full scale and in three dimensions.

Robotics: Revitalizing American Manufacturing
February 21, 2013

Much has been said over the last few years about the loss of American jobs to other countries. The fact is that China and India, as well as other cheap labor countries, have taken a good number of jobs. Many of these jobs will likely never return. I wrote an article in 2006 titled "Why Money Chases Cheap Labor -- The Outsourcing Phenomenon."

Google Provides a Clearer View of Glass
February 21, 2013

After nearly two years of research, testing and developers-only access, Google announced Wednesday that consumers would finally be next to view the world through Glass, the company's augmented-reality glasses project. Those users can participate, however, only if they are the winners of a social media-based contest.

Getting to the Root of Patent Exhaustion
February 19, 2013

Patent laws remain in the crosshairs, despite the passage and near final implementation of the infamous America Invents Act of 2011. The Supreme Court is again hearing a case that has far-reaching implications for future innovation in self-replicating systems in fields such as nanotechnology, cell and DNA lines, new medical treatments and others.

Killing Tesla Slowly: Horse vs. Gas vs. Electric and 1 Foolish CEO
February 18, 2013

I watched in horror last week as Tesla's CEO Elon Musk attempted to turn a New York Times reporter into the next Ralph Nader and kill his company. It brought back memories of the Chevrolet Corvair that died as a result of GM's decision to fight what turned out to be false allegations instead of just making the car better.

1-2 Celestial Punch Raises Questions About Space Object Defenses
February 16, 2013

A blazing meteor streaked across the skies of Russia on Thursday, leaving a large smoke trail in its wake before blowing up over the remote town of Chelyabinsk in the Ural mountains. More than 1,000 people reported injuries, and windows across the region were shattered by a deafening sonic boom.

Mobile Devices Help Chart the Future of Marine Navigation
February 15, 2013

Daniel Collins, an avid sailor and sailing instructor, has traveled solo across the Gulf of Mexico and up the Eastern Seaboard of the U.S. to Nova Scotia, using only his iPhone and iPad for navigation.He's part of a new breed of boaters who use tablets and smartphones in addition to -- and sometimes in lieu of -- traditional onboard electronic navigation and chartplotting systems.

Intel Chips In With Its Own Web TV Service
February 13, 2013

Intel is getting inside Internet TV. What's been grist for rumor mills for weeks was finally confirmed Tuesday. Intel's TV offering -- which won't be branded with the Intel name -- will be a combination hardware, software and content package designed to "delight" consumers, said Erik Huggers, general manager for Intel Media, during the All Things D Dive Into Media Conference.

Musk Zaps NYT Over Tesla Model S Review
February 13, 2013

Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk has blasted The New York Times' negative review of the company's Model S electric sedan, which claims the vehicle ran out of electricity well before it was supposed to. "He alleged that our report was a 'fake,' and we responded yesterday by saying that was false," said New York Times spokesperson Eileen Murphy.

Telling the Time May Be Apple's Next Big Thing
February 12, 2013

Apple is reportedly developing a smart watch made of flexible curved glass that will do more than just tell time. The device would run on iOS, but beyond that it's unknown what an Apple smart watch would be able to do -- for example, which apps would be accessible, whether it would receive notifications, or if it could support Siri or GPS functionality.

Toy Tech: In Search of the Light App-tastic
February 12, 2013

The tablet computer craze that has users of all ages launching Angry Birds and making Temple Runs is profoundly influencing toy makers as well. "We are moving into a new realm of toys that the industry finds quite exciting," said Jackie Breyer, editor-in-chief of The Toy Book.

The Rise of the Consumer Electronics Prosumer
February 11, 2013

The smartphone processor with its in-built camera chip is driving a resurgence of interest in the art of photography. Just look at the Instagram app user numbers -- about 80 million at last count, according to publisher Burbn's blurb in iTunes. There's a problem, though. Today, the smartphone can't provide the image quality of a dedicated camera.

Technology's Place in the Gun Safety Debate
February 01, 2013

The calls for gun control in the United States have grown more urgent since the December shooting in Newtown, Conn., and it is likely that legislation will be introduced in Congress this year. Gun control advocates are pushing for more extensive background checks, a ban on high-capacity magazines, and restrictions on semi-automatic firearms.

After Nearly 30 Years, Apple Fans Still Flock to Macworld
February 01, 2013

In the days before Apple split with Macworld, fans of the company's products used to pack the event in feverish anticipation of watching Steve Jobs tell them what new goodies his company had in store for them. How things have changed: The show has a new name, Macworld/iWorld, and an actor who will be playing the late Jobs in an forthcoming biopic took center stage.

Apple, Nokia and RIM: The Incalculable Impact of Image
January 28, 2013

Apple is still doing relatively well, but its valuation is falling like a rock, while Nokia and RIM are ascending from catastrophically low levels. Yet judging from Twitter feeds and relevant articles, it appears the people who disbelieve that Apple can fall are matched by those who can't believe RIM and Nokia will recover.

DNA Could Become the Next Big Data Warehouse
January 25, 2013

Researchers at the European Bioinformatics Institute on Wednesday announced their success at storing data by encoding it to DNA. The system could stand the test of time -- tens of thousands of years, perhaps. This method for archiving data could make it possible to store 100 million hours of high-definition video in about a cup of DNA, and given the trend toward Big Data, that could be a major breakthrough.

Fleet of FireFlies to Probe Space for Mineral-Rich Asteroids
January 24, 2013

Deep Space Industries on Tuesday announced plans to launch a robotic fleet to scour space for asteroids that can be mined. The company will send out its FireFly spacecraft in 2015 on journeys of two-to-six months. DSI will build the 55-lb. FireFlies using CubeSat technology. The company will work with NASA and other partners to identify targets of opportunity.

Machine Learning, TDA and the Future of Invention
January 23, 2013

Ayasdi came out of stealth mode and told the world it had a new way to analyze big data, and I think the implications for CRM and social are very large indeed. The new way is called "topological data analysis" and hearing about it has the feel of hearing about relativity for the first time and learning that space is curved.

The Web Flows Into Cuba but Nothing Flows Out
January 22, 2013

Cuba has activated an underwater cable that could alter the nation's Internet landscape -- but its impact would be greater if the cable were turned on all the way. The long-awaited cable reportedly is only facilitating incoming -- not outgoing -- Web traffic.

It's a Rocky Road for Alternative Powertrain Cars
January 22, 2013

Hybrid and electric vehicles have marketed as the "cars of the future," but consumers just aren't getting in gear with alternative powertrains; neither hybrids nor electrics are rolling down the road in great numbers. Although each year sees the introduction of new hybrids at auto shows, most consumers are still buying proven, well understood gasoline-powered autos.