dashes

Google debuts Dart, a JavaScript alternative

Google today launched an "early preview" of Dart, a programming language the company hopes will help Web application programmers overcome shortcomings of JavaScript that Google itself feels acutely.

Programmer and project leader Lars Bak detailed the project in a talk today at the Goto conference in Denmark and in a blog post. Dart is geared for everything from small, unstructured projects to large, complicated efforts--Gmail and Google Docs, for example.

"If we want to focus on making the Web better over time, we have to innovate," including with new programming languages, Bak said in an interview … Read more

Car Tech Live 233: Frankfurt auto show (podcast)

The Car tech guys give us the highlights, low-lights, and drink plenty of beer in the process.

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• 2011 Frankfurt auto show

Fly for distance with a jet pack machine gun

Jetpack Joyride is a new distance game from the makers of Monster Dash and Fruit Ninja, but in this game you use a machine-gun jet pack to maneuver past obstacles and use discovered vehicles to try to survive as long as possible. The control system is incredibly simple: touch the screen to propel your jet pack.

As in Monster Dash, you play hero Barry Steakfries, but in this game you'll break into a secret laboratory to steal and use experimental jet packs. As you propel yourself through this side-scroller, you'll need to gather coins you can use between … Read more

Google's post-JavaScript Web plan raises hackles

Google thinks it's time to look beyond JavaScript, the programming language that gives Web applications their brains. The company's project to do so behind closed doors with a new language called Dart, though, has spurred something of a backlash.

The company piqued Web programmers' interest last weekend with the news that it would offer details about Dart, which it calls "a new programming language for structured Web programming," at a conference in October. But immediately after, a leaked 2010 memo about Dart--at the time called Dash--raised hackles by spotlighting how Google often develops Web technologies … Read more

Run-for-your-life survival games on iOS

Just yesterday I wrote about a running game based on the viral video Baby Monkey (riding backwards on a pig). It's a fairly simple running game, but it got me to thinking about what would be the best games in the escape/running/survival genre (I'm not sure there's a standardized name for this genre). When I saw that a new game came out (the third in this collection) that added even more to the escape genre, I knew I had the theme for this week's post.

Escape games are not for everyone. Regardless of the setting, these games are the type that get you worked up, with your heart beating fast, trying to get as far as you can to beat your high score. All it takes is one mistake and you'll need to start over, so those with video game rage issues may want to skip this collection--we don't want anyone throwing their iPhones across the room.… Read more

Late for a meeting? Bike-mounted speakerphone lets you dial in from road

Bluetooth speakers are ideal accessories for outdoor activities where music is a must, but only the Soundmatters FoxLv2 wireless speaker features custom vehicle and bicycle mounts designed by ProClip.

The in-vehicle mount attaches easily to any vehicle model by clipping into the seams of the dashboard. The speaker can rotate freely in the mount to achieve the best angle for listening, and ProClip claims the average installation time is approximately 2 minutes no matter what kind of car you're driving. We imagine this bracket would come in handy for someone who already has a SoundMatters FoxL player and wants … Read more

CNET Roadside Assistance 014: Skipping, navigating, and all-wheel drive (podcast)

Skipping CDs, navigation CDs do you even need CDs at all these days? We'll let you know all about it, but first I'm about to totally nerd out about all-wheel drive systems. This is the 14th episode of CNET Roadside Assistance for Thursday, the 26th of May 2011 and I am Antuan Goodwin alongside Senior Editor Wayne Cunningham. This is the show where the car tech guys take a moment to answer your emails and highlight your comments.

Subscribe with iTunes (audio) Subscribe with iTunes (video) Subscribe with RSS (audio) Subscribe with RSS (video) EPISODE 014 cartech.cnet.… Read more

CNET Roadside Assistance 006: Where have all the wagons gone? (podcast)

This week we try to help a listener replace her wagon, a Honda Accord owner wants to ditch his busted CD changer, and we explain what the heck "satellite based navigation" means.

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• LOL Cars

Nook Color turned into in-dash car stereo

When it released the Nook Color last year, we're not sure Barnes & Noble envisioned anybody turning its e-reader into an in-dash car stereo system, but that's just what one creative DIYer, juicedigital, has done.

As you can see from the video demo, this is not your standard issue Nook Color but one that's been hacked, or "rooted," with custom firmware that opens up the tablet to run Android apps. What's interesting to note about the demo is that at one point you see Google Maps up on the screen, which has people theorizing that you could turn the Nook Color into a GPS navigation device if you could pair it via Bluetooth with a cell phone and share its GPS. But the Nook Color doesn't have Bluetooth, right?… Read more