Let it Slide is an engaging, difficult puzzle game

I have a thing for physics games, and I've been known to post the occasional platformer or action game here and there. But Let it Slide is one of the brainiest games I've posted to date.

The idea is very simple, and far from original: You get a board with pieces arranged in a particular pattern; you have to slide those around until you get the special piece into its target location.

It's not even about finding out where the target location is - you can just hover over "dim tiles" and instantly see where you're supposed to bring the special piece. But getting it there is a whole different story.

There are five tutorial levels, which I strongly recommend you do. Then there are twenty "beginner" levels, but that's really a misnomer. If those are the beginner levels, I don't want to know what the intermediate and advanced levels look like!

Every time you finish a level you get a score based on how many clicks it took you - each level has a "par" (the minimum number of clicks it could be completed in), and your performance is compared to that gold standard. Because it's such a brainy game, getting it right is quite satisfying. I was downright proud of myself when I managed to finish a few levels. All in all, quite recommended, especially if you've got a few minutes of quiet. It might actually help you focus better later on.

Let it Slide is an engaging, difficult puzzle game originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 23 Feb 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/02/23/let-it-slide-is-an-engaging-difficult-puzzle-game/

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New system lets you type with your brain using MRIs

This isn't mind reading, per say. Instead Bettina Sorger, Joel Reithler, Brigitte Dahmen and Rainer Goebel at Universiteit Maastricht have figured out a way to monitor the flow of blood in the brain and associate the images captured using an MRI with the letters of the alphabet. The whole system takes about an hour to learn and configure for each individual. Trials focused on healthy individuals, but clearly its the paralyzed and people suffering from diseases like ALS that have the most to gain. Sorger hopes to enable "locked-in" patients to finally be able to communicate with the outside world by thinking out letter at a time. Obviously, patients aren't going to be able to install an MRI in their homes, much less lug one around with them. The data collected could be used to finely tailor less accurate but more portable systems for patients that monitor electrical or light signals. If you're interested in the real nitty-gritty you can check out the complete research paper at the source link.

New system lets you type with your brain using MRIs originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 29 Jun 2012 13:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/06/29/new-system-lets-you-type-with-your-brain-using-mris/

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Apple Draws Up Blueprint for iTunes Renovation

Apple's iTunes may be getting a facelift soon. The new iTunes Store will be rolled out later this year -- most likely along with the next generation of Apple's popular iPhone -- and sport improved discovery and sharing capabilities, as well as better iCloud integration, according to a report.

Source: http://ectnews.com.feedsportal.com/c/34520/f/632000/s/20d837e9/l/0L0Stechnewsworld0N0Crsstory0C755120Bhtml/story01.htm

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Orion Capsule—Say Hello to the Future of Manned Space Flight [Video]

NASA didn't completely dump the idea of manned extra-terrestrial flight. It just needed some space. Before the agency resumes its manned missions sometime in 2021, NASA will need somewhere to put the astronauts. A new generation of reusable spacecraft, capable of zipping beyond the current limits. Something like the Orion Capsule. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/uRGY80VfARo/orion-capsulesay-hello-to-the-future-of-manned-space-flight

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Shockingly, AT&T and Verizon were behind ill-fated BlackBerry "Apple Killer" Storm and Torch

Remember those stories about BlackBerry maker RIM working on what they internally referred to as an "Apple Killer"? Remember how that turned out for them with the BlackBerry Storm and BlackBerry Torch? Well, it turns out everyone has Verizon and AT&T to thank for that. Shocking, right?

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/nTdwf8EYtvI/story01.htm

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Corel releases VideoStudio Pro X4, we go hands on (video)

Corel seems to be on a roll lately; after releasing WinZip System Utilities just last week, this morning the company announced VideoStudio Pro X4.

VideoStudio Pro is aimed at home users and small business professionals who want to create professional-looking videos, but without the hassle, steep learning curve and price of Adobe Premiere Pro and the likes.

This new version introduces several features:

• Stop motion animation: You can now capture still frames using a webcam, camcorder or DSLR and use them to produce an animation. Tools such as "onion skin view" let you compare the previous image in the sequence with the current one and make the animation as smooth as possible.
• Processor optimization: Corel says the app is optimized for Intel's new Sandy Bridge systems, and have shown us some graphs with very impressive numbers. We've been unable to test this particular point, but if you have a recent-generation Intel or AMD Fusion system, VideoStudio performance should be blazing. Even on our older test system performance was quite impressive.
• Customizable workspace: You can drag the video preview window to your secondary monitor (if you have one) and tweak just about any other element in the window layout. Once done, you can save your ideal workspace in one of three slots.
• Share-to-Web: VideoStudio Pro X4 hooks directly into YouTube, Vimeo, Facebook and Flickr, so you don't even have to launch a browser to upload your final product. Edit, produce and share from within the app itself.
• Smart Package: Video projects typically consist of many files; Smart Package lets you bundle all video assets for a given project into one ZIP file which you can password-protect and keep in a safe place once you're done editing.

I've had a chance to play around with a pre-release version for a few days, and have put it through its paces editing a short video for my day job. Overall, I've been impressed with how easy it was to create pro-looking results. If you do any sort of video editing but are leery of the investment other apps require (both in dollars and effort), VideoStudio Pro is well worth checking out. To see a bit of the interface itself and what the app can do, watch the video after the jump.

Note: We'll be running a give-away of ten VideoStudio Pro X4 licenses later today, each worth $100 USD. Keep your eyes peeled for the giveaway post!

Continue reading Corel releases VideoStudio Pro X4, we go hands on (video)

Corel releases VideoStudio Pro X4, we go hands on (video) originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 22 Feb 2011 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/02/22/corel-releases-videostudio-pro-x4-we-go-hands-on/

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Sous Vide Machines: Amazing or Overrated? [Chatroom]

With the advent of molecular gastronomy and modernist cooking, sous vide machines have come into vogue. In short, they cook your vacuum-sealed bags of food (meats, vegetables, whatever), in a bath of warm water kept at a constant temperature. The benefit is supposed to be that your food is never overcooked, and always tender. But there are the critics who say the end result isn't thaaaaat amazing (and carries some health hazards if you're not careful). What say you, tech chefs? Is the case for sous vide cooking overstated? More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/Xj-2Pv-77-Y/sous-vide-machines-amazing-or-overrated

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