Researchers flaunt flying bike, no mention of alien-caching basket (video)

Researchers from several Czech companies have managed to make a bicycle soar with the aid of six electric motor-driven propellers. Looking like an over-sized quadrocopter drone, the bike was actually guided in a similar RC manner by scientists on the ground while a dummy rode in the pilot's seat. The range of the contraption was severely limited by the small batteries needed to keep the already-chunky 220 pound weight down, and the device would obviously be difficult to operate on a bike path due to its ungainly size. Still, the developers said the project was more about the fulfillment of childhood dreams than any commercial aim -- though we're not sure even our wildest ET fantasies would compel us to make the leap.

Amazon offers 'Launch Edition' PS4 for wealthy early-adopters, instantly sells out

Amazon, with its limited supply of PS4s, has cleaved its product listing into two, to help people get a handle on when to expect their pre-order to arrive. Those who've already stumped up their cash are likely to find they've been assigned a "Launch Edition," guaranteeing that they'll get the console on the first day of release -- and they'll probably have received the explanatory email copied after the break. If Amazon is able to guarantee delivery for more stock, perhaps the Launch Edition will become available again -- or perhaps those who order the Standard edition (which is identical except for the delivery promise) will be automatically upgraded. Either way, it looks like demand has already outpaced launch-day supply at this retailer.

Philip Pullman argues that authors are being shortchanged on e-book loans

Few people understand the magic of libraries better than Philip Pullman, author of His Dark Materials, but all is not well when it comes to digital lending. As the soon-to-be president of the Society of Authors, Pullman is leading the charge against publishing houses that may be shortchanging writers on e-book loans. In a letter to major publishers like Random House and Bloomsbury, Pullman argues that selling e-books to libraries as single sales rather than licenses costs authors up to two-thirds the income they receive from print loans. The Society's brief calls for the industry to reconsider existing models for compensation so that writers can continue producing books with which to line library shelves. After all, without authors, there would be no books, and as Pullman himself wrote, "Without stories, we wouldn't be human beings at all."

HTC Butterfly S spotted with BoomSound stereo speakers and Sense 5? Mobile

OK, HTC, we're starting to see a pattern here. Following the One, theDesire 600 (including China's 606w and 608t) and the much anticipatedOne Mini, it's no surprise that Peter Chou is keen to spread some BoomSound love to more devices. This will apparently include the upcoming Butterfly S, according to the above photos obtained by our friends over at VR-Zone. The leak claims to confirm that the display is still a 5-inch 1080p panel, and naturally, the old loudspeaker on the back has been made redundant by the new front-facing stereo speakers. There's of course Sense 5 as well, as evidenced by BlinkFeed in the above shots, but we're uncertain of whether the camera's been swapped with an UltraPixel version. Well, we shall find out at the launch event in Taiwan next week