Foursquare Speeds Up The Check-In Process

In retail, businesses that speed up the check-out process get more business. With Foursquare, it is speeding up the check-in process, which should get people to use it even more. A new release of its iPhone app puts a new check-in button smack in the middle bottom of the app, removing at least one step to check-in bliss. The fewer steps an app requires of users, the more they will tend to use it. Remove barriers and people will flock to your product. At least that's the theory. Hey, it works in retail.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/B5ouYI89FVo/

Benjamin Schötz Johannes Liebl Arne Koller Fiona Brandenburg

$100,000 Razor Has Just Two Blades

I’m having a hard time working out just who would buy this $100,000 Zafirro Iridium razor. It would have to be someone very rich, and very, very hairy. I’m thinking Robin Williams, but he’s way too smart to drop the price of a cheap apartment on a bathroom accessory. What could possibly justify this price? Well, [...]

Source: http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2011/06/100000-razor-has-just-two-blades/

Lennart Tonn Simone Temme Heidemarie Stegmann Annika Schäffer

Dry ice makes graphene cheaper, greener, and by the (relative) boatload

Amartya Chakrabarti and Graphene
Dry ice isn't just great for keeping steaks cold and filling your bathtub with fog, it may also play a major role in producing the miracle metal material graphene. Researchers at Northern Illinois University have discovered that burning magnesium in frozen carbon dioxide produces a thin layer of the hyped-to-the-lattices carbon nanostructure. The so-called dry-ice method has several advantages over previous techniques, not the least of which is the ability to pump out the relative of pencil lead on a much larger scale. It also happens to be faster, cheaper, and more environmentally friendly compared with the lengthy processes involving hazardous chemicals used in most graphene production. It's pretty great news but, honestly, all we want to know is when the stuff is going to start powering super-fast internet connections -- that complete Flying Circus collection isn't going to download itself.

Dry ice makes graphene cheaper, greener, and by the (relative) boatload originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 21 Jun 2011 11:55:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/21/dry-ice-makes-graphene-cheaper-greener-and-by-the-relative-b/

Janine Harrer Emilia Münchow Claus Rehberg Tobias Leinenbach

Tarzan Ball is a tricky hook-and-pull physics game

tarzanball
So, you're a ball. A Tarzan Ball, to be precise. You've earned the nickname thanks to your astonishing ability to shoot out a lengthy 'vine' (I hope it's a vine) at objects, and then pull yourself towards those objects.

That's a handy ability to have, especially since you've got no legs, no arms, and no other means of transportation. In Tarzan Ball, the rope is everything. But you don't just swing around the screen aimlessly - that wouldn't be much of a game now, would it?

Instead, your goal in life is to collect "targets". Each level has one of these "targets" hidden away somewhere on the screen, usually behind some kind of barrier. Once you navigate close enough to the target, you can shoot your rope at it and just reel it in. That's when you pass the level.

You can't die in this game, but it can still be very frustrating. It's actually one of the tougher games I've posted recently. Still, if you enjoy physics games, this one is quite nicely made.

[This is actually the sequel to IQ Ball, which we covered last year! -Ed]

Tarzan Ball is a tricky hook-and-pull physics game originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 21 Feb 2011 18:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/02/21/tarzan-ball-is-a-tricky-hook-and-pull-physics-game/

Ingeburg Liebermann Elsa Alexander Furtmann Siegrid Holstein Michael Vollmar

Nokia N9 first hands-on! (update: video)

The N9 has arrived. Functional units of Nokia's long-awaited MeeGo smartphone have finally landed into our eager hands and we've got a gallery of images to provide you with below. What we can say from our first experience is that we're in the presence of a fantastically designed device with a gorgeous AMOLED screen and some highly responsive performance. Hold tight as we're updating our fuller impressions after the break, where you'll soon be treated to our first hands-on video with the Nokia N9.

Update: Hands-on video plus a live demonstration of the N9's ability to pair Bluetooth devices over NFC (very impressive!) can now be found after the break.

Continue reading Nokia N9 first hands-on! (update: video)

Nokia N9 first hands-on! (update: video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 21 Jun 2011 05:57:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/21/nokia-n9-first-hands-on/

Simone Temme Heidemarie Stegmann Annika Schäffer Edgar Betz

Sony Music Unlimited App Comes to Android

You can listen to millions of songs anytime on your Android device with the Music Unlimited App from Sony.  The app is free in the Android marketplace, but you’ll need either a Basic or Premium service plan to have access to the songs.  With the Basic plan, you’ll have access to personalized channels that adapt [...]

Source: http://the-gadgeteer.com/2011/06/19/sony-music-unlimited-app-comes-to-android/

Svenja Hoferichter Carola Auer Luca Liebe Finja Kerkhoff

Breaches Everywhere: 5 Ways to Soften the Blow When It Happens to You

Is it just me, or does it seem like every day there's another breach to worry about? RSA, Epsilon, Sony, now Citibank -- it seems like a day doesn't go by where there isn't another high-profile breach in the news. It seems like everyone's getting hacked, and it seems like it's happening with increasing regularity.

Source: http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/72704.html

Monika Kley Heidemarie Frick Maike Beetz Fiona Henschel

CrunchGear Week in Review: Animal Shots Edition

Here are some stories from the past week on CrunchGear: ?Rotary Mechanical? Cell Phone Concept Isn?t Practical, But It Looks Great Lomo?s New La Sardina Camera Is Cheap And Sardine-Can-Like Panda Itazura Bank: Super-Cute Piggy Bank (Video) Meet The Robostir, A Robotic Soup Stirrer SugarSync Adds Mobile Device Management To Send Files To Devices From [...]

Source: http://www.crunchgear.com/2011/06/20/week-in-review-animal-shots/

Simone Temme Heidemarie Stegmann Annika Schäffer Edgar Betz

$100,000 Razor Has Just Two Blades

I’m having a hard time working out just who would buy this $100,000 Zafirro Iridium razor. It would have to be someone very rich, and very, very hairy. I’m thinking Robin Williams, but he’s way too smart to drop the price of a cheap apartment on a bathroom accessory. What could possibly justify this price? Well, [...]

Source: http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2011/06/100000-razor-has-just-two-blades/

Elfriede Oltmanns Janine Hillenbrand Vivien Strupp Elena Lasch

Help Bob make money in Sticks, a fun physics game

sticks
Sticks is another one of those rare games where the intro is actually worth watching. It introduces you to office worker Bob, who is basically a wage slave fantasizing about a better existence.

Then, on his way back home from another grueling day at the office, he passes a huge sign which says "Sticks." This is where the game starts.

Each level has a number of coins hovering in mid-air, and your goal is to place sticks that lead those coins to Bob -- but you only have a limited amount of wood to play with. As soon as you're done placing your sticks strategically, hit the big Play button and let nature, or rather gravity, run its course. The coins will drop down, and if you place your sticks correctly, they will roll all the way to Bob.

The soundtrack is soothing and playful, and didn't get on my nerves even after playing for quite a while. All in all, a very cute game, especially for a day at the office.

Help Bob make money in Sticks, a fun physics game originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 18 Feb 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/02/18/help-bob-make-money-in-sticks-a-fun-physics-game/

Moritz Beller Gabriela Prell Sylvia Lösche Steven Walnsch