Ultrasone goes 'airy' with $329 HFI-2400 headphones

Wow.... at this price you can get Xbox 360 or a PS3 and still run away with alot of money in your pockets. Well said that they're no Edition 8s, but Ultrasone's newest cans are still aiming to make a believer out of you. The mid-range (by its standards, anyway) HFI-2400 headphones are collapsible, over-the-head cans that promise an "airy tone" from the 40 millimeter drivers. Encased in black and silver, these definitely look the part, and the bundled velvet case and demo CD certainly go a long way towards making you feel like a real epicurean. The pain? Just $329, and they should be up for order as we speak.

Ultrasone may not be a household name in the headphone arena, but for those with lots of dough and a thing for pristine sound quality, we're sure they know the label well. The company's latest high-end effort is the open-backed HFI-2400, a member of the HFI series that is doused in black and silver and equipped with an "airy tone.

News on iPhone accessories download iPhone apps to iPhone memory

Among the many minor changes included in the 3.0 release of the iPhone OS was one that would enable those myriad of iPhone accessories to work more closely with software. That is to say, to make the plugging in of one result in in a prompting to download the other. The first such piece of hardware is the latest Griffin iTrip, which, when connected, raises the dialog shown above.Debuting with Griffin Technology’s new iTrip with App Support, it appears Apple is now allowing Made For iPod- and Works With iPhone-certified developers to include automatic application download prompts when connecting app-supported accessories. When connecting such an accessory to an iPhone or iPod touch for the first time, an alert box labeled “Application Not Installed” appears, informing users that the accessory requires an application which is not currently installed, and asking if they would like to install the application from the App Store. Upon acceptance, the iPhone or iPod touch then takes users to a new “For This Accessory” page on the App Store, with a direct link to the necessary app’s listing, from which they can download and install the application. While support for the feature was likely introduced alongside more robust accessory support in iPhone OS 3.0, this is the first time iLounge has seen the functionality included in a shipping accessory. More screenshots appear below. You can of course say "No" if you don't feel like playing along, but when it comes to accessories like the TomTom car kit we're thinking you'll probably be missing out if you don't go along with the flow

Freecom announces world's first USB 3.0 hard drive, the XS 3.0

It might not look like much; in fact, we're not sure what it's trying to look like; but that there is what Freecom purports to be the world's first SuperSpeed USB 3.0 hard drive. Dubbed the Hard Drive XS 3.0, the drive will be available mid-November in 1TB, 1.5TB and 2TB sizes, with a surprisingly accessible starting price of $175 US. Of course, it takes more than just a speedy cable to up hard drive speeds, but we'd say 130MB/s ain't a bad start. The drive can handle AES 256 bit encryption, is backwards compatible with USB 2.0, and the fanless, rubber-clad enclosure weighs in at 1.9 pounds.

The Solar Jacket - Electiricity on the Move

Ever wondered that you could be a battery yourself? Literally speaking I was amused when I saw the Solar Jacket picture. From the picutre it is quite clear that it can be used for any low to mid powered elecrtic suppliance i.e. cell, laptop, camera etc. The Vest is not only a fashionable Vest, but also your reliable assistant for charging the electronic devices of all kinds, when all power sockets are out of reach. Vest is equipped with 4 safely protected weather proof solar panels. You can pull these panels out and leave in the sun - if you are working or relaxing than put it in the open air.

The principle of this clothing is as follows: These Solar panels absorbs solar energy and accumulate it in a battery located in the front left pocket. When any of your equipment needs to be recharged, just connect it to the battery. The Solar Vest contains useful tools and electronic parts for managing the solar energy, in its pockets, as well as cables with a variety of power connectors. It fits almost any mobile phone, laptop, camera etc. This usefull THING can be purchased for $140 dollars only.

911 accepting TEXT/SMS as well !!!

Yes guys, its TRUE! 911 has introduced call for help through text. All you have to do is write 911 and send it to 911 ... but when ur in an emergency or stuck somewhere, can you really write a text? As far as I think this move by the 911ers is just to attract more fame and attraction in the market where all the buzz is being taken by iPhones, Palms, Googls OS, Win 7 and the list goes on for the high end computer freaks. So how do we rate this? Is it a good move or a bad one? No one know yet! Will it be utilised for what it has been introduced for or what. We will have to wait and see for ourselfs.

Toshiba's 64GB SDXC Card coming in December !!!

There were days when we used to see 64, 128 or at max 256 mb cards for our digital cameras and cell phones. As can be seen from the picture below, Toshiba is going to introduce 64 GB SDXC card in this coming December. So much for 4 and 8 gigs? From what we can see at the same time last year we were talking about the 16 and 32 GB ones, the computer vendors have slowed down the pace to introduce this mega-mem small-size card in to the market.

From the competition out there I think it wont take alot for the 1 TB cards to arrive, No? Well lets say....2 years at max?

Samsung 8500 series LCD TVs feature local-dimming LED backlights, Yahoo! widgets

Its a world wide fact known to every human being alive ,and even dead:P, that LED-backlit LCD HDTVs have taken place of regular TV sets in our lifes. To add to the much hype this train ain't stopping, Chico-Samsung just got official with the 8500 series, which features the next-generation of local-dimming LED backlights. The 54.6-inch and 45.9-inch 240Hz sets are just 1.6 inches deep and offer a 7,000,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio, a 2ms response time, and an Energy Star 3.0 savings mode that continually adjusts the picture and backlight to optimize both picture quality and power savings. You're also getting Samsung's usual suite of connected TV features, like the Yahoo! Widget Engine, DivX playback, and DLNA support, but you'll be paying handsomely for all this newness -- the45.9-inch UN46B8500's MSRP is $3,599, while the 54.6-inch UN55B8500 will run you $4,499.Original Post.

Digital Cowboy's DC-MCNP1 2.5-inch NAS doubles as media player

It was nearly two months since the Digital Cowboys did not give us anything to talk about, but now they are back, and back with a bang on the new 2.5-inch NAS drive. The Japanese wrangler is hitting back with a striking new piece of consumer electronics goodness. The DC-MCNP1, which falls neatly into the Movie Cowboy family, is a 2.5-inch NAS drive at heart, but aside from giving you access to files on its diminutive internal drive anywhere in the world, it also streams a plethora of file formats to your HDTV. The HDMI / composite video outputs should take care of the vast majority of ya, and the USB 2.0 socket provides an expansion option for those needing to hook up an external HDD. An Ethernet port is built in for network access, but those who'd prefer to cut the cord can certainly plug a wireless adapter into that USB socket and pray continuously to the signal gods above. If you find yourself in Fukuoka next month, give this one a look if you've got ¥19,900 ($209) to spare.

Original Post

2GB Eye-Fi Geo automatically geotags wirelessly uploaded photos, makes your day

You are a wireless freak? Then you are in for a treat. For the last decade we have seen many additions to the wireless forum, but this one is good for the wireless + photographers. Eye-Fi has just outed its latest WiFi-enabled Secure Digital card, and this one promises to disclose your every move to anyone who'll bother to follow your image feed. Announced today, the Eye-Fi Geo is a 2GB card that will enable users to automatically upload photos from a digital camera while geotagging them as they hit the 'net. The geotagging service is included for life, and for whatever reason, this one's being made exclusively available through Apple stores and online. Of course, it could have something to do with that "seamless integration" with iPhoto and MobileMe, but we're guessing it ought to play nice with other applications and image portals as well. If you're suddenly unable to move on with your life until you've got one of these in your hands, you can snag one today for $59.99.Eye-Fi Offers Users an Effortless Geotagging and Photo Sharing Experience When Using iPhoto, an iPhone or MobileMe

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., July 29, 2009 - Eye-Fi Inc. today unveiled the Eye-Fi Geo card, a new wireless SD memory card exclusive to Apple that allows users to automatically upload photos from a digital camera to a computer and offers lifetime geotagging service. Available today in all Apple stores and online, the Eye-Fi Geo card is the latest addition to the Eye-Fi product family that is built to seamlessly integrate with Mac products and applications, including iPhoto '09 and '08, the iPhone and MobileMe.

"Apple users want simplicity and an effortless user experience, so it's not surprising that a significant number of our users are on Macs," said Jef Holove, CEO of Eye-Fi. "The Eye-Fi Geo is the perfect companion for iPhoto's new 'Places' application to pinpoint photos on a digital map so memories are displayed in a richer, more meaningful way."

The Eye-Fi Geo wirelessly uploads photos straight to a folder on your computer or Apple's iPhoto gallery where they arrive automatically geotagged with location information about where the image was captured. Eye-Fi continues to embrace its loyal Mac following by developing products that seamlessly integrate with Apple products and features. iPhoto '09's "Places" lets users search and sort photos by location using geotags from the Eye-Fi Geo card. Users can also upgrade their Eye-Fi Geo card to share images online at MobileMe or one of more than 20 other photo sharing and social networking sites for a $9.99 annual fee. Earlier this year, Eye-Fi released the Eye-Fi application for the iPhone, which wirelessly uploads photos from the iPhone to the Web and into iPhoto, or organized folders on a computer. With Eye-Fi, users can aggregate all of their photos – from both an iPhone and a digital camera –to manage and share photos in one place regardless of which device the photos are taken on. Eye-Fi users with iPhones can download the app for free.

Eye-Fi's complete line-up of wireless SD and SDHC memory cards, including the Eye-Fi Pro and Eye-Fi Explore Video cards, range in price from $49-$149 and are available at www.eye.fi, in store at Apple Retail Stores and Best Buy locations, and at major online retailers such as Amazon.com, Walmart.com and Costco.com.

Eye-Fi cards have won numerous Mac product awards, including "Best of Show" at Macworld 2008 and The Mac Observer's "Editors' Choice Award 2008" at Macworld. For more information, please visit www.eye.fi/apple, or follow Eye-Fi on Twitter @EyeFiCard.

Original Post

Sprint acquires Virgin Mobile USA for a cool $483m

Remember Virgin Mobile? Sure you do -- not long ago the last-man-standing MVNO snapped up Helio, and seemed ready to take its place as one of the few boutique prepaid operations still... er, operating. Well that appears to be all but done and done, as Sprint has just announced a "definitive agreement" to purchase the company for $483 million worth of sweet, succulent stock (which looks to be right about what it was valued at to begin with). It looks like Sprint will pair the acquisition with its Boost Mobile brand, which till now was in direct competition with VM. It's not quite rival city, however, Virgin Mobile USA was launched as a joint venture with Sprint, and the MVNO glides on Dan Hesse's network as it is. Still, it does seem to be another indicator that the days of the MVNO are certainly on the wane, though Sprint now looks to own the space -- what little there is.

Original Post

RunCore's 1.8-inch Pro IV SSD line priced and tested

RunCore just got finished introducing its 2.5-inch Pro IV SSD family back in May, and already it's looking to expand its reach with a new line of solid state drives in the 1.8-inch form factor. These ultra-small devices were taken for a spin by the fine folks over at TweakTown, and while the real world difference compared to an HDD was certainly evident in the side-by-side comparison (shown after the break), it's the benchmarks that really had us smiling. In testing, the 128GB model managed to notch a 224MBps read and 136MBps write rate, and while both figures are more than respectable, the lofty MSRPs have us thinking twice about just how badly we flash in our lives.

If all goes well, the crew will hit shops next month for $179.99 (32GB), $289.99 (64GB), $499.99 (128GB) and $899.99 (256GB), and if our wildest dreams come true, they'll be slipped into unreasonably expensive portable media players shortly after. Original Post

Wooden electronic ruler concept makes measuring fun again

Think the market on measuring things has been cornered? Think again, cause designer Shay Shafranek recently came up with this new concept that adds a bit of newfangled technology to and old fashioned wooden ruler. The secret, it seems, is a line of tiny metal points running along the edge of the ruler, which can detect when you touch 'em with a pencil and display the exact measurement on the LED display discreetly hidden inside. Better yet, the ruler can apparently store measurements and add 'em up as you go along, eliminating the need for any pesky remembering or math. Of course, it is still just a concept, and there's no indication that Shafranek has any commercial plans for it just yet. In the meantime, you can get a peek at its inner working courtesy of the clear version.

Original Post

Mobile Software Firm Strikes While the Market Is Hot

On June 10, Antenna Software completed the acquisition of Dexterra for an undisclosed amount solidifying its position as a key player in the mobile middleware platform space, with a sharpened focus on field force enablement. This market grab comes on the heels of Antenna's acquisition of Vettro's strategic assets in November 2008, a move that was made to increase market share in the IT service management and local transportation verticals.
The Dexterra purchase represents a major move by Antenna to grab share in a market seeing increasing demand for mobilized enterprise applications that are scalable, configurable and platform-agnostic; and that can mobilize a broad range of field force functions such as field service , sales , and customer support.
Expanding Its Market Reach
Aberdeen research continues to see increasing interest in and adoption of mobility across all organizations. In recent 2009 field service research, 83 percent of companies stated that fully connected mobility was either "extremely" or "very" important to financial and operational performance.

Figure 1: Mobility Initiatives Over Time
(click image to enlarge)

Aberdeen's March 2009 benchmark, "More Mobility -- Less Budget: Enterprise Strategies in the Current Economic Downturn," found that enterprise mobility had "crossed the chasm" from a niche application to broad market acceptance. Figure 1 shows the growth of mobility initiatives among respondents from 2006 through 2009. During the period, the percentage of respondents who had a mobility initiative in place increased 42 percent, while the percentage of those who had no plans for mobility decreased by 93 percent.
Antenna's core offering is the Antenna Mobility Platform (AMP), an extensible application platform upon which prefabricated applications such as AMP Service, AMP Sales and AMP Support are also built. Antenna continues to see increasing interest in flexible development platforms as opposed to specific point solutions, reflected in the acquisition of Dexterra and its Concert mobile development platform. The acquisition also gives Antenna access to Dexterra's 100+ international customers, a majority of whom are in the field service space.

Expanding Its Capabilities
The acquisition also allows for expansion along the following lines:
Functionality: The Mobile Command Center in Dexterra Concert offers robust workforce management capabilities, including an integrated scheduling engine that allows for dynamic workforce scheduling. Dynamic or real-time scheduling continues to be a differentiator for Best-in-Class companies. This is predicated on the ability to allow for the seamless integration of data between the mobile application and the enterprise scheduling application. The acquisition also allows Antenna to test the waters in the mobile asset management market, another one of Dexterra's core strengths.
Geography: While Antenna does support a number of global customers, more than 80 percent of its customer base is in North America. Dexterra does overlap with its presence in the North American market, and it has made progress in increasing market share in Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), primarily through its channel relationship with Vodafone. Global markets present significant growth opportunities as reflected in Aberdeen's January 2009 Insights on mobile field service in EMEA and APAC (Asia Pacific). EMEA respondents indicated that 49 percent of their mobile workers were equipped with mobile devices, up from 43 percent in 2007; while APAC respondents revealed rates of 55 percent and 40 percent for 2008 and 2007, respectively.
Verticals: Prior to the acquisition, both organizations were competitors in the telecommunications and manufacturing verticals. While Antenna has also gained significant traction in healthcare and consumer packaged goods, the Dexterra purchase allows for expansion into the government and utilities verticals, representing approximately 20 percent of Dexterra's customers.
Device: Both platforms allow for use across multiple devices and operating systems. While a majority of Antenna's customers leverage BlackBerry or Windows Mobile devices, Dexterra's experience with Symbian devices increases the market reach of Antenna's solution. Antenna's recent focus on incorporating iPhone into the mix further expands their platform reach.
Deployment Models: While at least 80 percent of Antenna's customers are leveraging on-demand or hosted solutions, a majority of Dexterra's customers leverage on-premise mobile solutions. With the acquisition, customers now have the option of selecting either deployment model as per their IT, security or business requirements.
Partner Network: The acquisition also opens Antenna to Dexterra's vast partner network for the development, sale and support of its platform. Dexterra has invested heavily in the development of this network over the last 12 to 24 months. While Antenna has a reseller agreement with AT&T (NYSE: T) , it can now tap into Dexterra's relationships with carriers such as Vodafone (NYSE: VOD) and with systems integrators such as IBM (NYSE: IBM) and Accenture.

iTunes 8.2.1 brings Pre's music syncing capability to a halt

Palm itself had warned that the Pre's iTunes sync functionality could be broken at a moment's notice (and at Apple's whim), but we're pretty sure no one expected it'd happen this quickly. We've been able to confirm that version 8.2.1 of the software prevents the sync from working, meaning that you've got to add music the old-fashioned way -- the Pre functions as a USB drive, too -- until Palm gets around to patching the hack (if they decide to patch it, that is). This could end up being a protracted game of cat-and-mouse, which is entertaining to watch but nightmarish for the consumers down in the trenches actually trying to use this stuff. Funny thing is, Apple's straight up saying in its release notes that the update "addresses an issue with verification of Apple devices" -- in other words, they weren't being verified before, and now they are, thank goodness. Peaceful sleep is once again within our reach.

Can VLC 1.0 change the world?

There’s a new hit on the Web.
VLC 1.0 has about 6 million downloads since its launch a few days ago, and the number was climbing at over 11 per second at last count.
I have had VLC for a few years, and you may be wondering what the big deal is.
Start with the fact it breaks all the assumptions we’ve had about the proprietary video world. It reads anything, and ignores everything producers try to put in front of your video experience. On a Netflix DVD it will skip the previews, for instance.
As Matt Asay notes, VLC records as well as plays video so you can hoard everything Anne Hathaway has ever done on your hard drive. It can be used as a server to stream video to others.
Even while VLC may be a better player than what you have under Windows, its heritage is Linux, and open source. It’s licensed under the GPL V.2 and is compatible with the open source Ogg Theora codec. It supports many other codecs as well.
The VLC team is aware they have something special. They have ditched their old logo, a roadside traffic cone, for a snappy new bulldozer (above).
In summary, the new VLC media player is everything the copyright industries have fought against for over a decade — open source, wide-open access, free, streaming, Linux. VLC ignores all the agendas that have hampered Apple QuickTime, the Real Player, and Windows Media Server over the years.
Now, will it change the media world, or will the media industry work to shut it down?

Samsung Electronics has announced the launch of its new 1.8-inch 250GB hard disk drive – Samsung Spinpoint N3U, which sports a native USB controller r

Samsung Electronics has announced the launch of its new 1.8-inch 250GB hard disk drive – Samsung Spinpoint N3U, which sports a native USB controller right on its printed circuit board, eliminating the interrupt service time for bridge circuit board to convert PATA into USB signals, aiming for smaller foot print, less power consumption as well as optimized performance that ideal for portable storage devices.

In addition, Spinpoint N3U also eliminates possible points of failure due to loose cable connections, consuming about 40% less power compared to 2.5-inch hard drive of an equivalent storage capacity.

“The new high-capacity 1.8” 250GB drive enhances Samsung’s product offerings and is ideal for consumers who require a small form factor, high capacity data storage,” commented Choel-Hee Lee, vice president of marketing Storage System Division, Samsung Electronics. “It is easy to carry around and it is designed to withstand a free fall drop of up to 50 centimeters and be resistant to a maximum shock incident of up to 1500G.”

The new Samsung Spinpoint N3U native USB interface device is expected to hit the market starting mid-July 2009 for a MSRP of $199.

OCZ's Sabre OLED gaming keyboard now shipping, priced at $135

We've already gotten the official word that it was coming last month, and gone hands-on with the identical United Keys OLED keyboard even earlier than that, but it looks like OCZ is now finally shipping its own Sabre OLED gaming keyboard and, consequently, given it a price. Somewhat surprisingly, OCZ is letting this one go for just $135, which, while still not exactly a bargain, is a heckuva lot cheaper than the $260 that the United Keys version still runs. That'll get you nine customizable OLED keys, along with most of the standard specs you'd expect from a gaming keyboard, including "super tactile" keys, plenty of macro configuration options and, of course, some blue LEDs to remind you that you didn't buy this thing for work.

OCZ Sabre OLED World's Most Intelligent Gaming Keyboard-Retail

General Description The World's Most Intelligent Gaming Keyboard The Sabre’s unique combination of user-friendly functions, durability, and personalization features is the answer for serious gamers and professionals seeking improved productivity and competitiveness. The nine dynamic OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) user-programmable hotkeys help manage time and efficiency while surfing the web, gaming, emailing, and CAD applications or any avenue the user sees fit. The unique OLED keys can convert any digital image or text into distinctive icons, reminding the user of the personalized shortcut. Additionally, the remaining keys are backlit with glowing amber LEDs and blue side lighting, perfect for users that prefer darkened rooms or gamers frequenting LAN parties. Exclusive Software, Unlimited Customization The Sabre’s exclusive software turns conventional computing or gaming into an engaging, state-of-the-art experience. The software allows the user to map sets of simple or complex command tiers to each OLED and holds the power to store limitless layers of shortcuts and macros. Each “home” command of the key can then activate a sub-grid of your favorite alt/ctrl and menu shortcuts individual to each program or application. Add additional tiers of commands and macros to each sub-layer creating infinite possibilities and increasing speed and productivity at work or during game play. Outlast the Competition Designed for ultra-competitive gamers, CAD professionals, and enthusiasts, the OCZ Sabre keyboard embodies a collection of their high-end needs by uniting style and comfort with the features and personalization demanded from a high-end peripheral. The Sabre features an ergonomic and high-quality design and construction with keys lasting over 5 million cycles and will remain comfortable even through prolonged usage with its clean layout, tilted design, and rubber coated keys to provide the best tactile feedback. Special Features *Tilt design 5 to 10 degrees *9 Dynamic User Programmable OLED Displays *Convert any digital image into OLED key icon *Organize series of complex commands with proprietary tier system *Limitless command and macro configurations *Keys change on-the-fly as you alternate between applications *Blue LED sidelighting effect *Amber OLED key lighting *Super tactile, low-noise key feedback *Plug and Play, no drivers needed Included User Manual Software Installation CD Quick installation guide

New wireless "Broadband Bonding" technology

Mushroom Networks has been in the "broadband bonding" business for quite a while now, but we're guessing they're going to find a few more fans with their new wireless broadband gear, which promises the fastest cellular-based internet connection to date. Like the company's previous PortaBella device (pictured above, not exactly to scale), its new rig can combine up to four different cellular data cards into a single high-speed connection, but this one is fully portable (just over a pound) and, perhaps most importantly, it has an optional battery pack that'll let you be truly mobile with it. That, Mushroom says, makes the device ideal for a whole range of applications that can be a bit tricky with a single modem, like mobile TV broadcasting or temporary offices set up in a disaster area. Unfortunately, there's no word on pricing just yet, but it doesn't exactly take much guesstimating to figure out that it's likely not the most cost-effective solution around.

PortaBella is now shipping and caters to markets demanding fast, reliable and secure portable Internet access such as:

• News-gathering agencies (DNG / ENG crews, outside broadcasting trucks)
• Mobile TV broadcasting
• CCTV
• Security and remote monitoring video cameras (business and consumer)
• Transportation and specialty vehicles (buses, trains, taxis, limousines)
• Maritime (commercial, private, and military)
• Point of sale / information kiosks (Internet kiosks, banks, gas stations, digital signage)
• Government agencies (FEMA, Department of Homeland Security, Office of National Capital Region Coordination – NCRC, and Department of Emergency Response)
• Temporary Offices (construction trailers, portable tent offices, unconnected commercial offices)
• Cellular backhaul to WIFI hotspots

Mushroom Networks is actively pursuing channel partners to expand PortaBella’s reach across its targeted verticals. For more information on PortaBella including a brochure available for download, visit the products section of the company’s website at http://www.mushroomnetworks.com.

Tone-deaf robots teach each other to sing, passionately butcher a Happy Birthday rendition

After what must've been a few painful minutes of rehearsal, a few robots built by the Interdisciplinary Centre for Computer Music Research have preformed what we assume to be their first and last paid gig: a rendition of Happy Birthday to celebrate the 100th of the Science Museum in the UK. What's interesting about these bots -- outside of their horrible ear for music and laughable singing voices is the fact that they've actually been programmed to communicate and teach each other to sing through the process of singing to each other. Videos of both painful acts are after the break, and while we wouldn't call it art, we shouldn't throw stones: we've been in plenty of garage bands that sounded quite a bit worse.

Invisibility cloak could hide buildings from quakes

Borrowing from the physics of invisibility cloaks could make it possible to hide buildings from the devastating effects of earthquakes, say physicists in France and the UK.

The "earthquake cloak" idea comes from the team led by Stefan Enoch at the Fresnel Institute in Marseille,

France. They were the first to show that the physics of invisibility cloaks could have other applications – designing a cloak that could render objects "invisible" to destructive storm waves or tsunamis.

The seismic waves of an earthquake fall into two main groups: body waves that propagate through the Earth, and surface waves that travel only across the surface.

Although Enoch's team have calculated that controlling body waves would be too complex, controlling surface waves is within the ability of conventional engineering, they say. Fortunately, it is surface waves that are more destructive, says team member Sebastien Guenneau at the University of Liverpool in the UK.

Tuned rings

The new theoretical cloak comprises a number of large, concentric rings made of plastic fixed to the Earth's surface. The stiffness and elasticity of the rings must be precisely controlled to ensure that any surface waves pass smoothly into the material, rather than reflecting or scattering at the material's surface.

When waves travel through the cloak they are compressed into tiny fluctuations in pressure and density that travel along the fastest path available. By tuning the cloak's properties, that path can be made to be an arc that directs surface waves away from an area inside the cloak. When the waves exit the cloak, they return to their previous, larger size.

Unlike some of the optical invisibility cloaks that have been studied in physics labs in recent years, the new cloak is "broadband", meaning that it can divert waves across a range of frequencies.

This is made possible by tuning different rings of the cloak to incoming waves of different frequencies. Waves pass largely unaffected through rings not tuned to their frequency.

"The outer rings remain nearly still, but the pair of rings tuned to the frequency of the wave move like crazy, bending up and down and twisting," says Guenneau. "For each small frequency range, there's one pair of rings that does most of the work." The team has simulated cloaks containing as many as 100 rings, says Guenneau, although fewer would be needed to protect against the most common kinds of earthquake surface waves.

Sound foundations

When it comes to installing them into buildings, they could be built into the foundations, Guenneau suggests. It should be possible to make concrete structures with the right properties. To protect a building 10 metres across, each ring would have to be about 1 to 10 metres in diameter and 10 centimetres thick.

The concentric ring design can also be scaled down, and could offer a way to control vibration in cars or other machinery, he adds.

Work remains to be done to replicate the theoretical results experimentally, says physicist Ulf Leonhardt at the University of St Andrews, UK, who was not involved in the study. But it is possible that invisibility physics may see its first real world applications of in guiding seismic or ocean waves rather than to manipulate light, he told New Scientist.

"I think this is fantastic – I really like taking ideas that have emerged from optics and using them in other applications."