<![CDATA[Gizmodo: singapore]]> http://tags.gizmodo.com/assets/base/img/thumbs140x140/gizmodo.com.png <![CDATA[Gizmodo: singapore]]> http://gizmodo.com/tag/singapore http://gizmodo.com/tag/singapore <![CDATA[The Pixel Cloud Skyscraper Is a JRPG Dream Fortress]]> This digital cloud skyscraper was a finalist in Singapore's recent contest to design a pavilion for the World Expo 2010. And it's nothing short of wondrous.

By Singapore-based Design Act, "My Dream, Our Vision" is constructed from 3866 cubes of varying opacity, and serves as a physical manifestation of the intangible: digital information floating above the green landscape. Embodying "xin" (or "new"), visitors are beckoned inside by music to post their dreams of tomorrow, to incite innovation.

And it just looks really, really cool.

[Design Act and World Expo 2010 via Inhabitat]

]]>
http://gizmodo.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5192526&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[9 Year Old Writes iPhone Application]]> So, is the age of 10 becoming the new benchmark for career success? We already have an 8-year old Microsoft Certified Professional and now we can add a 9-year old iPhone developer to the list.

The 9-year old I am speaking of is Lim Ding Wen from Singapore, and the app he developed is called Doodle Kids. Designed with his artistic younger sisters (aged 3 and 5) in mind, the app allows users to draw shapes in random colors and then clear their work with a shake of the phone. Since its launch two weeks ago, the freebie app has attracted over 4000 downloaders.

Apparently, Lim is fluent in six programming languages and started using the computer at the age of two. Since then, he has completed over 20 programming projects. Currently, he is in the process of developing a game called Invader Wars, which he hopes to launch on the App Store in the near future. His father, who also writes iPhone applications, claims that they check their statistics every night in a friendly father/son competition.

Man, this makes the "Clean Desk Award" I earned in 3rd grade seem like total crap. [Reuters via Digg]

]]>
http://gizmodo.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5147072&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[Japan Has Double the Robots of Everyone Else, Density-Wise]]> As a break from all this CES news, let's talk about robots—specifically, which countries are chock full of them. Unsurprisingly, Japan has the densest robot population, with 295 industrial automatons per every 10,000 workers.

Perhaps a little more eyebrow-raising is Singapore's place on the list, which beat out South Korea by five robots per 10K workers for the number two spot. What?

First off, Singapore is tiny and isn't really known for its manufacturing capabilities...where are these robots and what are they doing? Spying on the people to make sure they aren't chewing gum or something, I bet.

Secondly, what gives South Korea? You make all this fuss about working on robotic soldiers, deploying robotic teachers, campaigning for robot rights and even frickin' creating a robot land... and you're in a paltry third place? For shame! [Spectrum Ieee]

]]>
http://gizmodo.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5127051&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[Singapore Flyer Strands 173 People for Six Hours, Makes Me Reconsider Riding It]]> I'm in Singapore right now and had every intention to ride the Flyer, the world's largest Ferris Wheel. But after it left 173 people were stranded for six hours last night, I'm... hesitant.

The view from the Singapore Flyer, which measures 492 feet tall, is supposed to be astounding, and I'm incredibly curious about their crazy observation pods, each of which is air conditioned and holds 28 people. 28 people per 28 pods that suddenly stopped spinning last night after fires broke out in the control room.

The 173 people had to be rappelled down from the capsules, starting from those closest to the bottom. Those who had to wait the longest for rescue efforts were given food, water and methods of relieving themselves. According to commenters at the Straits Times, those at the top received virtually nothing—since it was much harder to communicate with ground crews from about 42-stories up.

This isn't even the first time the Flyer's broken down since it's grand opening eight months ago. It stopped thanks to a braking system malfunction in July, and got stuck earlier this month for five hours (on Dec. 4) due to bad weather. So, Gizmodo readers, I leave it up to you. Assuming they turn it back on before I leave, should I give it a go? I guess if it does break down, we can all look forward to more pictures of me looking uncomfortable. [Straits Times]

]]>
http://gizmodo.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5117499&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[Man Banned From Owning a Camera Phone After Secretly Filming Woman On the Toilet]]>

A man in Singapore (where else) has been banned from owning a camera phone for a year after being caught secretly filming a woman in an airport bathroom. Actually, "secretly" is probably a strong word when you consider that the perp, 19-year-old Samuel Ong, simply slid his camera phone under the cubicle door to catch a few shots.

Not surprisingly, the woman caught Ong in the act and reported him to the police. In addition to the cellphone ban, he will have to complete 60 hours of community service, undergo psychiatric treatment and observe a curfew as part of his sentence. Seems like he is getting off pretty easy, especially by Singaporean standards.[Reuters]

]]>
http://gizmodo.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5015536&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[Biggest Flyer In the World Makes Everyone Look Like Ants]]> This is the view from the biggest flyer in the world, a 492-foot diameter monster located in Singapore, 16 feet bigger than the Star of Nanchang, China, and 98 feet more than the London Eye (which I'm looking at right now, after moving into the city this weekend.) The capsules' interior look straight out of 2001: A Space Odyssey, and rolling in them must feel as slow as the movie itself: a complete trip—which allows you to admire views 28 miles away—takes 30 minutes. [Singapore Flyer via Singapore VR]

]]>
http://gizmodo.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=394786&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[Singapore Airlines Flights Get iPhone/iPod Docks and 15.4-inch LCDs]]> Singapore Airlines is installing iPod docks and 15.4-inch widescreen LCDs in their all-Business Class Airbus A340-500 flights between NY/LA and Singapore, ensuring that we're going to be flying with them if we ever have to travel to that part of the world. Each business customer can dock their iPhone or iPod and watch their own movies on the included noise-canceling headphones—which will be interrupting when the captain wants tell you to look off to your left so you can see a drunken Superman mooning your plane. Flights from Newark with this will start May 15 (today), and August for the LA ones. Maybe now business passengers won't engage in business time whilst in the air.

]]>
http://gizmodo.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=391003&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[World's Largest Commercial Jet, Airbus A380, Makes Maiden Voyage (Video)]]> The Airbus A380, the biggest commercial jetliner ever put into production, at long last took its first trip—and it didn't hit any icebergs. Out of a possible 850 travelers, 450 were on board in this seven-hour Singapore Airlines trip from, well, Singapore all the way to Sydney. This means that, today Airbus officially steals the Sizemodo trophy from Boeing, even though, as the delayed 787 demonstrates, the future of commercial airlines may not be determined by the size of the planes. [BBC News]

]]>
http://gizmodo.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=314974&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[Singapore Contest Offers $600k for Best Robo-Warrior]]> All you bot builders listen up. Singapore's Defence Science and Technology Agency is holding a contest to see who can build the best street-fighting robowarrior. The prize? One million Singapore dollars (about $652,000 US). The bar is set pretty high, however, as the winning bot will have to know how to move within buildings, navigate through urban landscapes (without the use of a GPS system, mind you), and use an elevator. He'll also need to know how to climb up and down flights of stairs. I guess that puts Honda's Asimo outta the competition. Applications must be received by May and the winning bot will be crowned in August 2008.

TechX Challenge [via Tech Blog]

]]>
http://gizmodo.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=231228&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[Citibank Releases Biometric Finger Scanning Payment System]]> Citibank has developed a system of payment that uses a person's fingerprint as the conduit of sale. Over in the high-tech wonderland of Singapore, Citibank is releasing the biometric scanners at places where people's time is "more valuable," like train stations, coffee shops, etc. Right now, the biometric scanner is tied into a specific type of credit card (the Clear Platinum, popular with tech-hungy kids), but the banking giant plans to make the system available for other cards as well.

This isn't the first time that Citibank has embraced new technology for its customers. A few months ago, they started to release RFID credit cards. I for one can't wait until they start scanning our eyes whenever we want to purchase some soda pop.

Citibank Singapore debuts biometric fingerprint payment system [Digital World Tokyo]

]]>
http://gizmodo.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=216630&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[Singapore Space Port Fantasized About]]> Space flight is not just for governments any more, and a group from Singapore is getting in on the action, with a bold, fantastic press release about its plans to open a $115 million spaceport complete with astronaut training facilities and suborbital space flights. A partnership between Space Adventures, Ltd. and an unnamed Singapore-based consortium, the hook for tourists is a 62-mile-high spaceflight where passengers will experience five minutes of weightlessness while gazing out into the infinite and beyond.

Space Adventures already claims to have sent tourists into space, renting out rides on a MiG-25 where passengers hold tight to air sickness bags while seeing the curvature of the Earth at 80,000 feet.

As for the upcoming space flights from Singapore, tickets are not available yet. Don't hold your breath.

Space Adventures Announces $115 Million Spaceport in Singapore [Born Rich]

]]>
http://gizmodo.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=156296&view=rss&microfeed=true