90 Seconds on The Verge: Tuesday, July 3, 2012

We know, you’re not at work. You’re lying on a beach somewhere thinking about America and freedom and bald eagles and America. That’s why we’ve distilled the full day of news into today’s episode of 90 Seconds on The Verge, so in less than the time it’ll take to cook your ninth hot dog you can get caught up on everything you missed. 

‘Smaller, cheaper’ iPad coming this year, Bloomberg says

Along with the mythical iTV, a smaller iPad is perhaps Apple’s most heavily-rumored device right now — and Bloomberg is saying this afternoon that it’s coming with a launch date in 2012, just in time to put a damper on the Nexus 7’s plans. The new model would allegedly fall somewhere between 7 and 8 inches (compared to the current model’s 9.7) and not feature a Retina display, an omission that’s sure to keep the price down. Apple may be targeting an October launch, the story reports.

Microsoft’s loyalty to Windows and Office blamed for a ‘lost’ decade, says Vanity Fair

“Windows was the god.”

3D printers and sugar used to create blood vessel networks

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania and MIT have developed a new technique for creating blood vessel networks using a 3D printer and some sugar

(Source: noirlac)

GeForce GTX 680 vs. Radeon HD 7970: is upgrading to the latest graphics card worth it?

Nvidia and AMD’s latest and greatest graphics cards put to the test

Let’s name the next 16 versions of Android

So I was sitting here, talking to our esteemed Senior Video Producer, Mr. Creighton DeSimone Esq. XXIII, and we were trying to decide what the next versions of Android will be called. Obviously, we know through J, but let’s go all the way out! (Plus, I bet Google has no idea what they’re going to call them all, so we can then take complete credit when we’re right.)

Design company’s HP render shows off webOS on a never-released all-touch smartphone

Before HP discontinued its webOS hardware, rumors surfaced of the Stingray, an all-touch HP smartphone designed to compete with the Evo. Also known as the Windsor Not (in contrast to the Windsor, another codenamed phone), the phone was allegedly killed at the behest of AT&T because it lacked LTE. Now, we have another sign that HP was indeed working on the Stingray late last year. 

The state of games: State of indies

Times they are a changin’. Expect public awareness of the indie moniker to improve this year, as indie developers and fans begin to attract more publicity with their charity work, dramatic life stories and increasingly popular games.

Android 4.1 Jelly Bean review

Do UI refinements, Google Now, and a few new features add up to a must-have smartphone OS? 

Panasonic Memoto Este: a steam-powered visor to soothe your weary eyes

Panasonic says it’s aiming the product at the apparently growing number of women in their 20s concerned about the effect that smartphones and office equipment could be having on their eyes. 

NASA reveals Orion capsule, set for eventual Mars mission

NASA has unveiled a new passenger module with the ultimate goal of taking astronauts to Mars. Dubbed Orion, the capsule is scheduled to fly its first manned mission in 2021. It arrived at Florida’s Kennedy Space Center last Friday, where it will undergo development and testing before an initial, unmanned trial flight in 2014. 

Weather Channel buys Weather Underground, will incorporate WunderMap service

90 Seconds on The Verge: Monday, July 2, 2012

Let’s party!