galileo

Digital City 97: NFL FanVision hits the field and hands-on with the Samsung Galaxy Tab

This week we check out the new NFL FanVision device, which Scott demoed live from this week's Jets game. It's a slightly dated looking handheld screen that gives you access to instant replays, other game highlights, and more, all while you're sitting in the stadium.

Following that, we discuss our recent hands-on demo with the Samsung Galaxy Tab, along with the exciting news that Google Docs editing is coming to both Android and iOS within weeks.

We also act out the latest testy Steve Jobs e-mail exchange with an equally tone-deaf college student, and finally show some some amazing video we shot that very morning, of a daredevil window washer, working on a high ledge without any kind of safety harness.

Digital City 96: In-studio helicopter flight; Halo: Reach goodies; and the latest in pseudoscience

In this week's action-packed episode, we engage in a little live Halo: Reach multiplayer action, finding out in the process that none of us is particularly good at this sort of thing.

Then, Joey attempts to pilot a remote control helicopter around the confines of our broom-closet-size studio. Hilarity ensues, as does some small amount of danger.

After showing off some new minilaptops from Toshiba and Sony, Scott tells us about the FanVision handheld device being hawked by NFL teams (including his beloved Jets). Finally, we hold our heads in collective disbelief over the upcoming "Galileo was Wrong" pseudoscience conference, being held later this fall. Yes, that's a real thing, not some sort of Onion-like prank.

EC auditors criticize Galileo overruns

Europe's GPS project has been severely criticized by European Commission auditors for running over budget and deadline.

The Galileo satellite-network project, which aims to provide a European civilian rival to the U.S. military's GPS system, was launched in the mid-1990s, and due to be completed by 2013. The European Court of Auditors said in a special report on Monday that the project had seen "substantial delays and cost overruns."

The auditors' report covered the period from 2003 to 2006, when the project was managed by the Galileo Joint Undertaking (GUJ), a body set up by … Read more

The dark side of Galileo

When Americans think Europe, it's green parties and granola, not death from above. But a recent think tank report accuses the European Space Agency of plotting to use its Galileo satellite and other space programs to dominate the "high ground" of space.

The paper raises concerns about the "creeping militarization" of space and the potential for an inter-NATO arms race in the name of "EU security." It also highlights the roles played by the European military-industrial complex.

"EU-financed communication and spy satellites are slowly becoming reality and in the long term the … Read more

EU launches second test satellite for Galileo

The European Union on Sunday launched Giove-B, the second (and last) test satellite in its $5.3 billion Galileo project, according to Reuters.

The first test satellite, Giove-A, was launched in December 2005. Giove-B will test the program's high-precision atomic clock and signal transmission, Reuters reported.

Galileo is Europe's upcoming satellite radio navigation system, and it's the EU's largest space program. Galileo will eventually become an ultraprecise system of 30 satellites, but it has hit a few bumps along the way.

The project's launch date has been pushed back several times, from the original goal … Read more