Follow the Solar Impulse 2 round-the-world solar-powered flight

Credit: Solar Impulse/Jacques-Henri Add/The Economist

Solar Impulse 2 is a solar powered aircraft which is currently undertaking an around-the-world flight.

As of this writing, Solar Impulse 2 is in flight from Mandalay to Chongqing.

Many ways to follow:

Live coverage from the cockpit including instrument display & live video & audio (French):
http://www.solarimpulse.com/widget-aircraft

Twitter:
https://twitter.com/solarimpulse

Newsletter:
http://us3.campaign-archive1.com/?u=553e7fdb79a7f1570622b070d&id=087db6b00f&e=[UNIQID

Mobile apps:


iOS app screen shot
Credit: WISeKey Suisse SA/Apple

Google Play
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.wisekey.wisefans.solarimpulse

Apple iOS App Store
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/solar-impulse-hd/id963638162?ls=1&mt=8 / Swiss pilot pilots first ever attempt fly around the world propelled the Sun André Borschberg compatriot Bertrand Piccard take turns piloting single seater seat Solar Impulse 2 21,747 miles 35,000 km kilometre 12 legs including gruelling five- to six-day stints across the Atlantic Pacific oceans entire journey will take five months Borschberg took the controls takeoff take off take-off Al-Bateen executive airport Abu Dhabi early on Monday first destination Muscat in Oman pilots roughly 250 hours each inside narrow cockpit no oxygen temperature control temperatures outside range between -40 degrees C to 40°C falling asleep flight need constant attention Piccard Borschberg survive 20-minute naps every two to four hours pilots will practise yoga stave off the physical discomfort remaining confined seat for days at a time Borschberg biggest challenge maintaining concentration Piccard psychiatrist team 1999 first circumnavigated globe non-stop balloon taught techniques of self-hypnosis meditation maintain concentration time duration in the present moment the only way is to be present almost a spiritual experience entire journey circumnavigating Earth in a family car aircraft weighs the same as a Volvo sedan comparable speeds SI2 top speed 87m/h 140km/h pilots conserve battery power limiting plane half cockpit only slightly larger average car contain life support systems food oxygen supplies reclining pilot’s seat triples bed chair toilet fly both day and night no fuel powered by 17,000 solar panels set on its wings wider Boeing 747’s fuselage 633kg bank of lithium batteries quarter weight store energy run motors overnight journey early days intercontinental flight enormous speed range jet engines Qantas fly Kangaroo Route Sydney to London hopping Darwin Singapore Kolkata Karachi Cairo Tripoli en route Borschberg success Solar Impulse project first solar-powered plane fly through the night first to fly between two continents primitive step toward zero-carbon jumbo combustion fossil fuels dominated powered flight 19th century dirigible aviation burns the most carbon per passenger per kilometre of any mode of mass-transport and, despite efforts to limit emissions, remains the fastest growing anthropogenic source of greenhouse gases sector climate change toughest major emissions source to decarbonise solar flight seeks remains decades away Wright Brothers Charles Lindbergh deputy editor Aerospace magazine Bill Read solar flight commercial flights solar cells generate power fly Solar Impulse fly using solar power constructed very light weight light-weight lightweight huge wingspan solar cell technology power source aircraft advances project real-world uses today fly Sun day and night build an aircraft extremely energy efficient technologies energy efficiency used in your home your car appliances four motors power aircraft generate heat energy efficiency single cheapest way reduce carbon emissions across the world technologies challenge energy environment pollution natural resources /

If you just can’t wait for the Apple Watch

Knock offs are available already.

Bought a fake Apple Watch at CES:

http://mashable.com/2015/01/08/fake-apple-watch-ces/

Other sightings:

http://www.apppicker.com/news/22873/Apple-Watch-knock-offs-already-available

https://recode.net/2015/03/24/apple-watch-knockoffs-are-already-available-in-china-and-they-arent-10000/

Or, if you must have the real thing, you might like these accessories to go with it:


Credit: The Joy of Tech by Nitrozac & Snaggy www.joyoftech.com / Las Vegas highly anticipated Apple Watch hits shelves at least one company has already made a knockoff fake copy Acme bogus counterfeit forgery fraudulent phony spurious pseudo sham in the back smaller halls CES Chinese company showing off fake Apple Watches watch Shenzhen-based Hyperdon Smart Watch first glance watch's screen displays when icons blatant ripoffs Apple designs pairing process iPhone 6 make phone calls play music watch vibrates incoming call pedometer stopwatch alarm Anti lost enable disable out of Bluetooth range messaging notifier notifications WeChat apps downloading a sketchy-looking APK un-jailbroken jailbroken iPhone watch charges via a USB cable Hyperdon representative claimed battery life more than 180 hours test tested suspicious pay cash ATM representative price was $30 $27 USA US wholesale price retail stores in the U.S China iOS Apple iPhone /

How will Tesla’s Gigafactory reduce cost? — update

Chevrolet Volt battery pack uses proprietary cells
Credit: GM/Green Car Reports

Electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers use lithium iron phosphate cells, connected together to form a battery pack for electricity storage. Almost all use proprietary cells.

Almost all — Tesla is the exception, using 18650¹ size laptop cells. Why 18650? Because they are commodity cells. I.e. multiple large volume manufacturers world-wide, for widespread use in multiple applications (including laptops), has reduced cost by competitive, volume production.


AA cell left, 18650 cell right
Credit: Kaayee Electronics

18650 cells are cheaper than the proprietary cells used by other EV manufacturers, both individually & per kWh of capacity. But it’s not all good news: each individual cell is smaller, so more of them are required to construct a battery pack of a given capacity. Thats more wiring, & more connections, which adds to cost.

Tesla’s Gigafactory, as its name implies, will not just add a few percent to annual world production. Planned 2020 Gigafactory production will exceed 2013 global production².

In addition to volume of production, there is reason to believe that Tesla will also force costs down by changing the volume of the cells themselves³. A slightly larger cell of 20700 size (i.e. 2 mm wider, 5 mm longer than 18650) will be 33% larger in volume⁴, with a similar effect on storage capacity, for negligible increase in cell cost. There has also been speculation about 26650 cells⁵ (8 mm wider, same length as 18650).

For a given pack capacity, using 20700 cells will yield a battery pack containing 33% fewer cells & a similar reduction in wiring & connections, further reducing cost.

In summary, pack cost is expected to be reduced by:
1. volume cell production
2. reduction in cell count & cost
3. reduced pack assembly costs
____________

¹ 18650 — what do those numbers mean?
Rather than continue with the multiple, chaotic naming systems used for other battery chemistries, a naming system which specifies the physical dimensions of lithium ion cells has been adopted:
first 2 digits: diameter in mm — 18 mm diameter for 18650
last 3 digits: length in tenths of a mm — 65.0 mm length for 18650
AA size in a lithium cell is 14500 — 14 mm diameter x 50.0 mm length
AAA lithium cell is 10400 — 10 mm x 40.0 mm
Length is specified to one tenth of a millimetre because it is a more critical dimension for making a good electrical contact.
____________

² Tesla Motors: "Planned 2020 Gigafactory Production Exceeds 2013 Global Production", https://www.teslamotors.com/sites/default/files/blog_attachments/gigafactory.pdf
____________

³ Advanced Automotive Batteries: "The Tesla Battery Report", p10 https://www.advancedautobat.com/industry-reports/2014-Tesla-report/Extract-from-the-Tesla-battery-report.pdf

CleanTechnica: "Lighter Batteries May Prove The Tipping Point For Electric Vehicles",
http://cleantechnica.com/2015/03/17/lighter-batteries-may-prove-tipping-point-electric-vehicles/
____________

⁴ 18650 versus 20700 cell volume

18 x 65.0 mm cylinder = pi x (18/2)^2 x 65 = 16,540 mm³

20 x 70.0 mm cylinder = pi x (20/2)^2 x 70 = 21,991 mm³

Relative volume = 21,991/16,540 = 1.33 = 133%

____________

⁵ Manager Magazin: "Tesla baut seine Autos künftig ohne die legendären Laptop-Batterien" — Google Translate assures me this means, "Tesla builds its cars in the future without the legendary laptop batteries"
http://www.manager-magazin.de/unternehmen/autoindustrie/tesla-stellt-in-gigafactory-nicht-batteriezellen-vom-typ-18650-her-a-998973.html / Tesla Motors Elon Musk LiIon lithium ion lithium iron phosphate LiFeO4 charge recharge battery Model S Model 3 III range capacity kilo Watt hour Supercharger /

Daimler SuperTruck — 115% improvement in fuel efficiency

Credit: Daimler Trucks North America/Auto Blog

Big rigs are relatively small in number, but clock up huge distances — 120,000 miles per year (193,000 km), at very high fuel consumption — 5.5 to 6.5 mpg* (US) (6.6 mpg UK, 42.8 litres/100km).

Fuel improvements in this class of vehicle can yield substantial reductions in fuel use & CO2 emisssions. Daimler Trucks North America is researching ways to make this happen, & their SuperTruck is one of the products.

Testing included highway driving in Oregon & Texas, city driving in Portland, Oregon, & laboratory tests. Between San Antonio & Dallas, at an average speed of 65 mph, with a gross weight of 65,000 pounds, the truck averaged 12.2 mpg (US) (14.7 mpg (UK), 19.3 litres/100km).

http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1097471_daimler-unveils-supertruck-12-mpg-semi-is-more-than-twice-as-fuel-efficient

http://www.autoblog.com/2015/03/27/daimler-supertruck-115-percent-mpg-improvement/
_______________

* Road & Track: “Why a 10 MPG Peterbilt semi is a really big deal”, http://www.roadandtrack.com/new-cars/news/a4173/news-peterbilt-cummins-tractor-trailer-fuel-economy/ / heavy duty trucks traffic U.S. roads cover many more miles each year average passenger car much worse fuel economy small efficiency improvements biggest trucks major impact overall emissions lower cost of goods transport Daimler Trucks North America SuperTruck 2015 Mid-America Trucking Show Louisville Kentucky experimental SuperTruck 115 percent improvement in fuel efficiency stock 2009 model exceeds goal Department of Energy SuperTruck program smaller efficiency improvement 50 percent Daimler $40 million Federal grant develop test Freightliner SuperTruck improvements confirmed highway test drives Oregon Texas city driving Portland Oregon laboratory tests Daimler's Detroit engineering facility 312 mile Texas highway drive averaged 12.2 mpg gross weight 65,000 pounds average 65 mph between San Antonio Dallas results engineers adapted components production trucks custom features bodywork aerodynamic elements production Freightliner Cascadia Evolution more streamlined grille moveable shutters internal combustion engine ICE cooling air truck Freightliner's Intelligent Powertrain Management system digital maps time shifting maximum efficiency low rolling resistance tires electric appliances Daimler Federal regulations production three truck manufacturers awarded grants SuperTruck program Cummins Peterbilt 9.9 mpg similar testing conditions radical truck concepts AirFlow BulletTruck WAVE concept retail giant truck fleet owner Walmart interest operators save money manufacturers new fuel economy standards Federal regulations heavy duty trucks 10 to 20 percent increase fuel efficiency 2018 regulators draft new rules mandating addition improvements 2019 2025 Corporate Average Fuel Economy CAFE rules passenger cars /

Store unlimited photographs for $US11.99 per year with Amazon

Or store unlimited files of any type for $US59.99 per year. Plus the first 3 months are free.

http://the-gadgeteer.com/2015/03/27/amazon-offers-unlimited-cloud-storage-for-any-file-for-less-than-5-a-month-or-photos-for-less-than-1-a-month/ / Amazon offer unlimited Cloud storage any files less than $5 a month photographs photos less than $1 a month perk for Amazon Prime members store unlimited photos Cloud free Amazon extend type of files you can store very reasonable prices business unlimited cloud storage Prime members store unlimited photos $11.99 a year Unlimited Everything Plan $59.99 a year Unlimited Everything store unlimited photos videos documents other files Amazon’s Cloud access your stored files any device first three months free automatic automatically renew Unlimited Photos Unlimited Everything /

Magnetic silly putty engulfs a rare earth magnet

Available on eBay & Think Geek. / thinking silly putty flow fracture fast slow magnetic plastic stretch stretching molecules realign themselves with the direction of motion shatter speed time liquid spread moderate timescales stretches plastic solid short timescales bounces elastic solid very short timescales time scale impact high-speed projectile smart mass putty shatters dilatant compound solid under the influence of pressure Oobleck chemistry majors behaviors behaviours listed above are an example viscosity resistance to flow increases faster than the strain rate concentrated aqueous corn starch suspension oobleck /

Just what have the other car manufacturers been doing all this time?

Credit: TestDriven

“In fact, it makes us wonder: just what have the other car manufacturers been doing all this time, if what amounts to an internet start-up company can suddenly come out with this.”

http://www.testdriven.co.uk/tesla-model-s-review/

The item linked above reads in part: “Let’s not get bogged down in hypothetical meta-discussions about an electric car’s green credentials, because that way lies endless debates about how its ecological aspirations extend only as far as those of the power station it’s fed by.”

That statement is misleading. No, “endless debates”, about an, “electric car’s green credentials”, are justified. The issues are actually quite simple.

Pro: Any electric vehicle (EV) driver can provide for renewable electricity for that vehicle by generating green electricity with rooftop solar or entering into one of the many, “green power”, arrangements available around the world. All EV owners I know are doing one or both of these.

Con: But the EV driver can’t be sure that, in a mixed grid (part renewable, part fossil), that the green electricity paid for, is actually going into the EV.

Pro: Who uses a particular electron doesn’t matter. What does matter is the mix of renewable verses fossil electricity on the grid. If an EV driver pays for additional renewable energy to be generated, it will displace the same amount of fossil electricity, no matter where, or by whom, it is consumed.

Pro: Electric grids around the world are becoming cleaner. Worst case, if a driver takes no steps to provide green electricity for an EV, it will become progressively cleaner, as the grid it is charged on becomes cleaner.

Further reading: Why does an electric car generate less carbon dioxide than a petrol powered one? / petrolheads gearheads Tesla Model S Tesla power powered entirely electric vehicle EV battery lithium ion LiIon chemical chemistry lithium ion phosphate electric car’s green credentials ecological aspirations power station Model S electric car Renault Twizy Nissan Leaf style electric vehicle personal transportation tech giant Apple car industry charismatic figurehead over-achieving Elon Musk spark of inspiration iPhone car plug-in recharge downloads regular updates Internet iPad embedded in the dashboard user interface Silicon Valley start-ups dinosaur juice-slurping established automotive companies car manufacturers alternative power sources natural gas hydrogen cars fuel cells hybrids starting from scratch compelling platform latest model laptop batteries vital organs suspension brakes steering electric motors completely flat floor most aerodynamic saloon car on the market body on top electronic rear lights Jaguar Aston Martin premium brands Tesla’s design team gloss black snout radiator faux grille laptop tall drivers steeply-raked A-pillars huge flat-screen centre console perfectly at home intuitive user interface permanent 3G data connection built-in web browser Rdio music service speaking its name voice control audio quality internet powered Google-based navigation system speed limit indications choice of route planning shortest quickest added later Mercedes sourced electric window switches only two buttons glove box hazard lights tab touch-screen headlights heated seats electric sunroof tapping swiping practical put your phone shelf under the central touch-screen interference connected car electro-magnetic shielding instrument cluster 12.3-inch screen display central dial combines speed power use regeneration navigation system guidance map option shortcut menu jog-dial on the steering wheel flick through settings driver temperature screen brightness sunroof lack of storage space no door bins Model S interior rear seat space for three adults headroom optional pair rear seats boot floor frunk front trunk 1,800 litres of space column-mounted lever D for Drive Tesla 0-60mph in 3.2 seconds base single-motor model 0-60 in 5.9 seconds range dual-motor P85D model acceleration traction all-wheel-drive layout McLaren 650S suck-squeeze-bang-blow maximum torque from zero rpm instantaneous and seemingly endless power regenerative braking braking effect friction brakes kinetic energy battery batteries chemical energy regeneration Tesla’s rampant acceleration near total silence other noises wind noise tyre noise suppressed Model S slippery shape keep wind noise well in check speed tyre roar 19 inch rims optional 21-inch rims wheels tires tyres Model S handles big heavy car wider than a Porsche Panamera mass laptop batteries low down in the floor centre of gravity over 2,100kg charge recharge range 230 miles charge 370 km 400 kilometres recharging standard three-pin plug is possible charging painfully slow average person’s commute overnight charging Tesla’s network of Superchargers half a charge in about 20 minutes full charge hour free forever any public charger dual on-board chargers Tesla smartphone app pre-set the car’s climate control sunroof remind you where you parked company car zero benefit-in-kind tax no road tax exempt from the London congestion charge Supercharger cheaper to run than conventional car recharged plan your route more carefully charging stations built-in satnav Tesla has an impressive record of tweaking the car via over-the-air software updates Autopilot array of ultrasonic sensors cameras functions lane departure warning adaptive cruise control ability for the car to park itself 21-inch wheels very impressive a few foibles electric car astounding it makes us wonder: just what have the other car manufacturers been doing all this time if what amounts to an internet start-up company can suddenly come out with this start up startup /

Flat green house gas emissions — trend or aberration?

Recently on these pages, some good news on climate change: in 2014, CO2 emissions were the same as in 2013, while the world economy grew by 3.3%.

Next question: Was 2014 the beginning of a downward trend in CO2 emissions, or merely an aberration?

Scientists are divided.

http://www.businessspectator.com.au/article/2015/3/24/science-environment/scientists-have-mixed-opinions-about-whether-stagnant-energy?utm_source=exact&utm_medium=email&utm_content=1227831&utm_campaign=cs_daily&modapt= / International Energy global greenhouse gas emissions burning fossil fuels energy 2014 same as they were in 2013 first time in 40 years energy-related emissions were flat economy grew announcement established economic wisdom economic growth inextricably linked rising fossil fuel consumption rising climate-changing carbon dioxide emissions flat energy-related GHG green house gas climate change emissions CO2 carbon dioxide emissions growing economy leading climate scientists economists tight coupling decoupling emissions and economic growth in progress developed world climate scientists mixed opinions decoupling seen last year global CO2 emissions in the future renewable energy fossil fuels expand India China other developing nations with booming economies economic growth anthropogenic very hopeful sign grow the economy and lower carbon emissions at the same time Michael Mann climate researcher director Earth System Science Center Penn State University impossible possible appears to be happening already Steve Cohen director Earth Institute Columbia University increases use of fossil fuels China India show few signs of abating push emissions in the opposite direction in 2015 development affordable renewable energy technology counter that trend globally energy-related greenhouse gas emissions 32.3 billion metric tons CO2 IEA US energy-related greenhouse gas emissions USA US relatively flat growth US Energy Information Administration analyst Perry Lindstrom relatively low growth linked to both the adoption of more fuel-efficient vehicles replacement of coal-powered electricity with renewable energy sources relatively cleaner-burning natural gas policymakers opportunity make a big difference in emissions Rob Jackson earth systems science professor Stanford University flat or declining energy-related emissions can continue globally US energy-related emissions showing little growth flat policies impact downward direction Lindstrom Jackson decoupling CO2 emissions economic growth fast-growing economies China India this year’s good news link between CO2 emissions economic growth developed countries in part availability of inexpensive natural gas beginning replace coal for electric power generation Harvard University business and government professor Robert N. Stavins US boom in hydraulic fracturing fracking, horizontal drilling natural gas decrease energy-related CO2 emissions carbon pricing through cap-and-trade systems carbon taxes greater energy efficiency constrain CO2 emissions decades overall energy intensity energy use per unit of GDP economies developed world decreasing energy comes at a cost firms households incentives economise on energy use Stavins said Mann implement incentives create a greater gulf between CO2 emissions economic growth beginning of a trend emissions in the US Germany dramatically lowered their carbon emissions feed-in tariffs incentive incentivise non-fossil-fuel energy West Coast Northeast states US investing more in renewable energy decrease in emissions globally stagnant energy-related CO2 emissions exception to the rule beginning of a trend scientists greenhouse gas emissions Ken Caldeira climate scientist Carnegie Institution for Science Stanford California reduce GHGs climate significant investments in wind solar nuclear power emissions are going to rise in the long term substantial reductions emissions possible United States of America US rest of the world herculean efforts transforming global energy system use the sky as a waste dump Caldeira positive policy moves increasing automobile efficiency get serious avoiding the risk of dangerous climate change Climate Central /

Australia’s biggest solar plant starts generating to the grid

Credit: AGL Energy/Renew Economy

Still a work in progress, the solar power plant at Nyngan in central western New South Wales, has a capacity of 25MW. When completed, capacity will be 102MW.

Which points up another advantage of a photovoltaic power plant: it can start generating power while incomplete.

http://reneweconomy.com.au/2015/australias-biggest-solar-plant-starts-generating-to-the-grid-53079

http://www.wattclarity.com.au/2015/03/first-production-from-nyngan-solar-farm-seen-over-the-weekend/ / PV photovoltaic Nyngan solar power plant western New South Wales began generating power into the National Electricity Market 25MW completed date feeding into Australia’s main grid Australian 350,000 solar PV panels installed First Solar nominated capacity to 102MW first of two plants being built by AGL Energy 53MW Broken Hill plant under construction Nyngan visible Australian Energy Market Operator’s market NEM Watch several dozen large scale solar projects in planning mode several MWs mega projects 2GW plan western Queensland renewable energy target RET Nyngan Broken Hill projects defunct solar flagships program funds now managed Australian Renewable Energy Agency other large solar plants being constructed ACT solar auction process AGL’s head of merchant energy Anthony Fowler significant milestone Australia’s largest utility-scale solar PV plant project stakeholders local electricity distributor Essential Energy Australian Energy Market OperatorAEMO First Solar AGL to NSW Government transition to renewable energy NSW Environment minister Rob Stokes estimated 13,000 jobs supported by renewable energy in NSW mostly in regional areas development of projects in regional NSW provide traditional farming communities with alternative income streams that are not rainfall dependent Jack Curtis First Solar Asia-Pacific regional manager utility-scale solar Australia’s generation mix ARENA CEO Ivor Frischknecht large-scale solar plants more competitive creating jobs boosting skills contributing to local communities development of utility-scale solar diverse energy future Paul McArdle NEM-Watch /

Finally — good news on climate change

News on the climate change front has been uniformly bad, but finally a bit of good news: there is reason to think that in 2014, CO2 emissions were the same as in 2013, while the world economy grew by 3.3%.

http://www.economist.com/news/science-and-technology/21646716-ray-hope-debate-about-climate-change-flatlining / carbon dioxide emissions rose world level of economic activity low-carbon energy International Energy Agency IEA energy consumption consuming rich countries worldwide emissions carbon dioxide 2014 2013 CO2 emissions falling fallen economic contraction world economy growth grown International Monetary Fund IMF emissions risen European Union GDP CO2 emissions energy use GDP rich countries energy developed developing countries IEA’s regulations pollution European Union EU household appliances household electricity use flat efficiency standards requirements European law IEA vehicle emission efficiency standard fuel-efficiency global improvement USA America vehicle emission standards coal-fired gas-fired power stations economic activity China world’s largest polluter manufacturing heavy industry decline share of GDP services increase demand for coal is dwindling China’s national bureau of statistics coal consumption fell by pushing CO2 emissions down flattening of global emissions carbon dioxide atmosphere standard measurement atmospheric CO2 concentration Mauna Loa observatory in Hawaii growth dormancy great forests northern hemisphere 400 parts per million emissions stay flat temperature rise 3°C by 2100 pre-industrial levels 2°C emissions fall climate-change treaty global carbon price negotiation new climate treaty Fatih Birol IEA’s chief economist /

Google’s 2015 Pixel — best Chromebook to date

Credit: Engadget

Many people’s requirement of a computer are modest:
● email
● web surfing
● social media

This seems to be the target market for Chromebooks. Modest price matches the modest capabilities.

Then came the Google Pixel. Far from modest hardware & price, with ordinary battery life.

In its second incarnation, somewhat better price ($US999 & $US1,299), premium hardware, & battery life right up there with the best.

http://www.zdnet.com/article/the-best-chromebook-ever-the-chromebook-pixel-2015/

http://betanews.com/2015/03/14/13-things-you-should-know-about-chromebook-pixel-2015/

http://www.zdnet.com/pictures/new-chromebook-pixel-first-impressions-exceptional-hardware-upstages-chrome-os/

If a Chromebook suits most of your needs, but there are one or two applications which aren’t available on Chrome OS, the Pixel has enough processing power to run Linux & Chrome OS side-by-side:
http://www.itworld.com/article/2891142/how-to-run-linux-and-chrome-os-on-your-chromebook.html

Chromebooks in general have less storage than other laptops. At 32 or 64GB, the Pixel has more than most, but if your feel the need for more, have a look at:
http://hhg2tech.blogspot.com.au/2014/12/expand-your-laptop-storage.html / Google's new Chromebook Pixel high-end model 5th-generation, 2.4GHz Intel Core i7-5500U processor 16GBs memory 64GB Solid State DriveSSD for $1,299 top-of-the-line Chromebook Pixel sold out worth it Google's Chromebook Pixel 2015 best Chromebook ever price-tag to match Chromebook Chrome Web browser laptop 2015 Chromebook Pixel's 2.4GHz Intel Core i7 fast processor laptop laptops Intel Core i7-5500U processor high-end systems price-tags new Pixel USB-C port power peripherals new Pixel USB-C USB 3.0 ports USB-C port DisplayPort video HDMI displays USB-C adapter USB-C adapters MacBook larger SDD 256GB SSD upgrade 512GB SSD 64GB SSD SD card slot storage 1 TeraByte of Google Drive service for three years how fast high-powered Pixel Principled Technologies' CrXPRT 2015 benchmark evaluates Chromebooks performance battery life playing video games watching movies editing pictures office work fastest of all Chromebooks battery life of 11.58 hours better battery life benchmarked Chromebook laptop 12.85 innch 2560 x 1700 IPS display 239-pixel-per-inch density retina display 3:2 aspect ratio display web pages Intel HD Graphics 5500 display sharper and faster 4K video output DisplayPort HDMI networking new Pixel Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 7260 802.11ac Wi-Fi 2x2 spatial streams WiFi dual antennas no 4G option tethering Wi-Fi connections from their smartphones built-in 4G keyboard touchpad good keyboard best laptop keyboard glass touchpad ThinkPad's pointing stick touchpad Pixel's touchpad exceptional weight weighs 3.3 lbs lighter computers laptops desktop operating system cloud services content mobile-centric game changer cloud-based services thin fat clients OS operating systems cloud-based office software Google Docs QuickBooks Online SugarCRM Microsoft Office QuickBooks Microsoft Dynamics CRM Google Microsoft software-as-a-service SaaS Office 365 stand-alone desktop laptop Chromebook is already replacing it for many users photo-editing programs GIMP Photoshop desktop operating system OS Crouton desktop Linux Linux-based Chrome OS GIMP edit images Ubuntu 14.04 window applications apps work habits work on the Web Mac OS X Windows full Linux desktop Chromebook is all you need Pixel work on the cloud i5 better battery life laptop /

VW investigating 700 km electric vehicle battery

Actually, a bit more than investigate — they’ve bought a 5 percent holding in QuantumScape, the company developing the battery, with an option to buy a bigger share, after it makes a decision on the battery — “by July”.

And the battery? Its solid state, & in addition to higher capacity than other EV batteries, it’s variously described as, "fire proof", or, "fire resistant".

http://www.electric-vehiclenews.com/2015/03/vw-to-decide-on-new-battery-technology.html

http://cleantechnica.com/2015/01/01/vw-challenges-tesla-with-disruptive-new-ev-battery/ / Volkswagen new battery technology under development develop U.S. startup QuantumScape Corp electric cars technology’s boost the range battery powered vehicles tests are progressing VW Chief Executive Officer Martin Winterkorn press conference Stuttgart Germany progress has been made VW acquired 5 percent holding QuantumScape German carmaker energy-storage technology fireproof vehicles luxury Porsche Audi divisions 700 km range
new power storage technology electric vehicle driving distance charge recharge recharges 700 kilometers 430 miles battery-powered version VW Golf closely held QuantumScape founded 2010 former Stanford University researchers solid-state batteries liquid electrolytes lithium-ion technology solid electrolytes burn resistant store more energy more power extend the range of electric vehicles Perovskite disruptive technology lithium ion LiIon research Stanford Friedrich Prinz CEO is Jagdeep Singh solid track record cutting edge tech graphene naturally occurring mineral all-electron battery AEB effect inclusions embedded dielectric two electrodes capacitor electrons tunnel through dielectric electrodes inclusions increasing the charge storage density conventional capacitor all electron battery TheEEStory QuantumScape patents forming processing antiperovskite doped aluminium crystal structure similar naturally occurring perovskite synthetic antiperovskites thin film antiperovskite deposited substrate electrode lithium-based electrochemical storage device thin film solid state electrolytes lithium ion batteries metallic lithium anode increases capacity energy density lithium-based electrochemical storage device Li3OBr Li3OCl demonstrated superionic conductivity LiRAPs investigated use solid state batteries cell cells /

Mobile document scanning apps

Credit: LifeHacker

Want to reduce the amount of paper in your life? Your smartphone camera, with suitable software, can not only scan, but correct, enhance, & store locally, or in the cloud. And you may already have the software: as you can see from the image above, Google Drive provides a scanning function in Android. Evernote does something similar in iOS.

http://www.lifehacker.com.au/2015/03/five-best-mobile-document-scanning-apps/?utm_source=Lifehacker+Australia&utm_campaign=cf24e551e1-lifehacker_2015_03_19&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_9fc709844c-cf24e551e1-278953185 / scanning receipts travel notes on a whiteboard sketches envelope easy right tools best apps take a snapshot text recognition save scan cloud future reference other devices best smartphone apps image Evernote Google Drive Android iOS best tool scan keep track of receipts notes napkins sketches whiteboards productivity Google’s Drive apps Android scan documents OCR optical character recognition text documents scanning open Drive tap Add New select Scan photographs photos documents convert PDF Google Drive platforms scans saved on your device in your Google Drive account safe keeping retrieval later CamScanner Android iOS Windows Phone CamScanner freemium product easy to use scans document PDF directly performs OCR scanned documents important details prices dates titles multi-page batch scanning colour greyscale grayscale black-and-white scans files organised later retrieval auto-crop enhance scanned images sketches drawings annotate notes highlighting save your documents cloud access on other devices premium account additional features more cloud storage space editable OCR auto syncing other cloud services Box Dropbox Google Drive password protection shared PDF documents watermark your documents Mobile Document Scanning Apps titles multi-page batch scanning Genius Scan Grizzly Labs cross-platform document scanner automatically lines up isolates enhances final scan final image converting document PDF library email share basic editing tools auto cropping archiving fixes image perspective PDF generated upgrade premium version in-app purchase strips out the ads unlocks import PDFs automatic upload scan save to cloud storage services Dropbox Evernote Google Drive Scannable by Evernote user file organise account cropped remove backgrounds enhanced text readable business card contact contact card share other apps upload email camera roll unlocks premium version FineScanner document scanning tool languages translate export file image document types Office documents PDFs text image quality /

Solar Impulse approaching Varanasi, India

Support crew for the solar-powered round-the-world plane, Solar Impulse 2, is awaiting its arrival in Varanasi, India.

The sun is going down on #Varanasi as the #solarTEAM finally arrives to welcome @andreborschberg after #RTW #Flight3! pic.twitter.com/9Ra9p1ESSe

— SOLAR IMPULSE (@solarimpulse) March 18, 2015

/ Swiss pilot pilots first ever attempt fly around the world propelled the Sun André Borschberg compatriot Bertrand Piccard take turns piloting single seater seat Solar Impulse 2 21,747 miles 35,000 km kilometre 12 legs including gruelling five- to six-day stints across the Atlantic Pacific oceans entire journey will take five months Borschberg took the controls takeoff take off take-off Al-Bateen executive airport Abu Dhabi early on Monday first destination Muscat in Oman pilots roughly 250 hours each inside narrow cockpit no oxygen temperature control temperatures outside range between -40 degrees C to 40°C falling asleep flight need constant attention Piccard Borschberg survive 20-minute naps every two to four hours pilots will practise yoga stave off the physical discomfort remaining confined seat for days at a time Borschberg biggest challenge maintaining concentration Piccard psychiatrist team 1999 first circumnavigated globe non-stop balloon taught techniques of self-hypnosis meditation maintain concentration time duration in the present moment the only way is to be present almost a spiritual experience entire journey circumnavigating Earth in a family car aircraft weighs the same as a Volvo sedan comparable speeds SI2 top speed 87m/h 140km/h pilots conserve battery power limiting plane half cockpit only slightly larger average car contain life support systems food oxygen supplies reclining pilot’s seat triples bed chair toilet fly both day and night no fuel powered by 17,000 solar panels set on its wings wider Boeing 747’s fuselage 633kg bank of lithium batteries quarter weight store energy run motors overnight journey early days intercontinental flight enormous speed range jet engines Qantas fly Kangaroo Route Sydney to London hopping Darwin Singapore Kolkata Karachi Cairo Tripoli en route Borschberg success Solar Impulse project first solar-powered plane fly through the night first to fly between two continents primitive step toward zero-carbon jumbo combustion fossil fuels dominated powered flight 19th century dirigible aviation burns the most carbon per passenger per kilometre of any mode of mass-transport and, despite efforts to limit emissions, remains the fastest growing anthropogenic source of greenhouse gases sector climate change toughest major emissions source to decarbonise solar flight seeks remains decades away Wright Brothers Charles Lindbergh deputy editor Aerospace magazine Bill Read solar flight commercial flights solar cells generate power fly Solar Impulse fly using solar power constructed very light weight light-weight lightweight huge wingspan solar cell technology power source aircraft advances project real-world uses today fly Sun day and night build an aircraft extremely energy efficient technologies energy efficiency used in your home your car appliances four motors power aircraft generate heat energy efficiency single cheapest way reduce carbon emissions across the world technologies challenge energy environment pollution natural resources /

Liquid cooling for phone CPUs

Credit: Fujitsu/Android Police

Phone running too hot? Fujitsu may have a solution. A prototype liquid cooling system only 1 mm thick has been demonstrated.

No pump in the Fujitsu design, so no impact on battery life.

http://www.androidpolice.com/2015/03/16/fujitsu-shows-off-a-liquid-cooling-device-for-mobile-electronics-thats-just-1mm-thin/

http://www.ubergizmo.com/2015/03/fujitsu-unveils-liquid-cooling-tech-for-smartphones/

http://www.fujitsu.com/global/about/resources/news/press-releases/2015/0312-01.html / phone feel hot really hot mobile processor tech Fujitsu manufacturer OEM supplier thin cooling device for compact electronics liquid cooling solution designed high performance mobile chipset only one millimeter thin liquid cooling for electronics end gaming workstation PCs custom liquid cooling setups machines size power requirements Fujitsu's solution combination heatsink heat sink radiator moves evaporated coolant liquid heat generating component mobile CPU cooler area vapor condenses liquid hotter area again without additional electrical power pump passive liquid cooled system shed excess heat without extra battery drain Fujitsu move five times as much heat away from thermal hot spots previous passive solutions apparatus ranges 0.6mm thin evaporator 1mm thin condenser footprint spatial requirements high end tablets big smartphones device ready practical implementation 2017 year demonstrating Semiconductor Thermal Measurement Modeling Management Symposium San Jose evaporator vapor vapour line liquid condensor thermal diffusion plate temperature control diffuse disperse evaporate latent heat vaporisation condensation /

What Apple's website looked like in 1998

Credit: CBSNEWS

If it looks less sophisticated than you would expect from a multi-billion-dollar company, keep in mind that Apple was much smaller at that time, HTML itself was a lot less capable, most of the supporting technologies didn’t exist, & few users had the bandwidth to view anything more complex.

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/this-is-what-apples-website-looked-like-in-1998/ / java javascript ADSL baud rate modem iMac MacBook Pro Apple Watch Netscape GIF /

Screwpop pocket utility knife

Credit: Screwpop

Uses a standard two or four notch utility blade, available at any hardware store.

http://the-gadgeteer.com/2015/03/13/screwpop-utility-knife-is-a-box-cutter-you-can-carry-on-your-keychain/

http://www.screwpoptool.com/utility-knife.html / Screwpop Utility Knife slimmest most compact design packing Utility Knife fits standard utility blade 2 or 4 notched notch four controlled depths of cuts ingenious lever system blade stop tension locks mechanical friction-fit engineering blade adjustment moving move lever thumb-nail thumb nail thumbnail users Utility Knife various cutting needs attaches keyrings carabiner clips fits small pocket TSA blade any hardware store /

We have seen the future & it is delightfully dull

Palo Alto to Las Vegas in a self driving Audi A7.



http://www.wired.com/2015/01/rode-500-miles-self-driving-car-saw-future-boring/

http://jalopnik.com/autonomous-audi-a7-drives-from-sf-to-vegas-probably-no-1677737814

http://www.motorauthority.com/news/1029470_autonomous-audi-a7-concept-steers-itself-from-san-francisco-to-las-vegas-for-ces / Los Angeles driving down I-5 at the wheel sleek Audi A7 SUV waved with both hands safety hazard I hadn’t touched the steering wheel in more than an hour stickers on the car I was piloting Audi’s latest autonomous vehicle prototype designed handle the monotony of highway driving driving preparation day of training in Arizona ream of paperwork bureaucratic wrangling state of California issuing me a license to operate an autonomous vehicle riding along car of tomorrow autonomous road trip from Palo Alto California to Las Vegas Nevada Audi is showing off autonomous tech showrooms end of the decade Audi piloted driving German sedan cruising six radars three cameras two light detection and ranging LIDAR units computers analyze the road choose the optimal path maintaining a safe following distance smooth lane changes pass slower vehicles controlled by carbon-based life forms sophisticated grab the wheel tap the brake to immediately resume control Audi’s robo-car robot driver designed specifically for highway driving developing autonomous tech works only on the highway autonomous vehicles prototype doesn’t even have a steering wheel Google glorified version of adaptive cruise control lane departure warning autonomous A7 prototype technology production cars every major automaker experimenting with autonomous driving tech technology regulatory issues insurance questions consumer acceptance cars that drive themselves in all places at all times progressive slower timeline gives everyone time to accept the technology 2009 autonomous TTS 130 mph Bonneville salt flats winding course to the summit of Pikes Peak car controlled TTS lapped Thunderhill Raceway Park in 2012 autonomous RS7 150 mph Hockenheimring F1 track October controlled environment CES park itself drive itself through stop-and-go traffic Parking Pilot Traffic Jam Pilot Highway Pilot robot /

Formula E, round 5, today, 14 March 2015 — video — update

Credit: HybridCars

Miami, USA
Round 5 - Saturday 14 March 2015
Practice 1 - 08:15-09:00
Practice 2 - 10:30-11:00
Qualifying - 12:00-12:55
Race - 16:00
All times are Miami local time

Update

Qualifying


Race
http://www.fiaformulae.com/ / Formula E all electric racing series fourth 4th race Buenos Aires, Argentina ePrix stadium races F1 FIA electricity sport electric vehicles EV terrific acceleration pass passing possible tracks with tight corners technology range race organizers identical cars Spark-Renault SRT_01E built French company Spark Racing Technology carbon fiber aluminum chassis Dallara electric powertrain electronics McLaren Electronics Systems Williams Advanced Engineering building 200 kiloWatt battery pack batteries powertrain generate 270 horsepower five-speed paddle shift gearbox fixed gear ratios Michelin 18 inch tires wet dry conditions sound 80 decibel whine full grid 20 cars FIA Formula E strategy street courses dedicated circuits tire wear grip management battery life charge prematurely testing drivers learn knowledge teams construction constructors constructing FanBoost pit stop second fully charged car advances in battery technology battery swaps charging battery Renault Michelin DHL Qualcomm Richard Branson Virgin Racing team Leonardo DiCaprio Venturi team lithium ion LiIon battery charge recharge range battery management system BMS battery management system /

How to maximise your free storage space on every cloud service

Lots of free storage in the cloud from Dropbox, Google, Box & others. Once you have an account, there a few things you can do to increase storage, depending on the provider.

Another option for more storage, is to just sign up with another service. There are quite a few listed in the linked articles, & below.

https://www.lifehacker.com.au/2015/03/how-to-maximise-your-free-storage-space-on-every-cloud-service/

Something to consider before taking up time-limited storage, such as the Dropbox offer of 48GB of space for two years with a new Samsung or HTC phone. What will you do at the end of the two years? Start paying? Abandon your files?

If you want more security, a less-well-known service, called SpiderOak, may be for you:

https://www.cloudwards.net/spideroak-vs-dropbox-is-it-time-to-switch-for-better-security/

https://spideroak.com/ / Between Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive services cloud storage best ways to get extra free space service cloud storage provider promos extra storage space promotions new customers freebies providers bonus storage extra space invite a friend up to 16 GB extra storage adds 500 MB of space your account complete get started guide 250 MB bit of extra space install Carousel 3GB bonus for enabling auto upload your photos promo installing the Carousel app Android iOS install Mailbox 1GB similar promotion Mailbox app logging in once space permanently Apple store deauthenticate device link your Facebook Twitter accounts 125MB each social networks extra space little extra space connecting your accounts invite other users social sites device bonuses promotional offers 48GB of space for two years log in new Samsung HTC phone get more space page link check your personal account settings Google Drive your data syncing folders your desktop default 15GB upload data doesn’t count against your storage limit use play music store audio Play Music Google’s storage locker for your music bumped storage limit up to 50,000 tracks convert your documents Google Drive format Drive store your documents converting automatically convert documents upload Google Docs uploading crop photos below 2048×2048 upload an unlimited number of photos rule video below 15 minutes check your storage settings taking up space delete or convert some of your files purchase certain devices complete tasks Security Checkup promo Box 10GB of free storage basic plan pad that out OneDrive Microsoft’s OneDrive bonuses earn Camera Roll bonus link Office 365 subscription 1TB work school personal use refer a friend activated OneDrive backup photos with Camera Roll 3GB OneDrive app Android iOS Windows Phone automatically backup your pictures service enable disable integrated directly most-used desktop operating system sync unlimited space BitTorrent Sync service just launched 2.0 software folder workaround space on a server Amazon Cloud Storage Prime unlimited photo backup MEGA MegaUpload security end-to-end encryption Wuala breaks files into segments stores different servers combined over 100GB storage /

Vale Terry Pratchet ― update

Credit: The Telegraph

AT LAST, SIR TERRY, WE MUST WALK TOGETHER.

— Terry Pratchett (@terryandrob) March 12, 2015

“Stories of imagination tend to upset those without one.”

“The Universe contains everything ... & nothing ... but there is very little everything & more nothing than you can possibly imagine.” ― Truckers

“If cats looked like frogs we'd realize what nasty, cruel little bastards they are. Style. That's what people remember.” ― Lords & Ladies

“Why do you go away? So that you can come back. So that you can see the place you came from with new eyes and extra colors. And the people there see you differently, too. Coming back to where you started is not the same as never leaving.” ― A Hat Full of Sky

“In the beginning there was nothing, which exploded.” ― Lords & Ladies

“If you have enough book space, I don't want to talk to you.”

“I'll be more enthusiastic about encouraging thinking outside the box when there's evidence of any thinking going on inside it.”

“There is a rumour going around that I have found God. I think this is unlikely because I have enough difficulty finding my keys, and there is empirical evidence that they exist.”

http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-31858156

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/booknews/11467770/Terry-Pratchett-dies-reaction-and-tributes-live.html / Sir Terry Pratchett fantasy author creator Discworld series dead death died aged 66 eight years after being diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease Larry Finlay publishers Transworld author home surrounded by his family cat sleeping on his bed wrote more than 70 books completed his final book last summer enriched the planet Discworld satirised the world great skill enormous humour constant invention Terry faced Alzheimer's disease embuggerance bravely his legacy will endure for decades to come wife Lyn daughter Rhianna announcement of his death Sir Terry's Twitter account Thursday afternoon last few tweets were sent with shaking hands and tear-filled eyes campaigning for assisted suicide diagnosis Sir Terry's publishers did not take his own life his death was entirely natural and unassisted go at a time of his own choosing fellow author and friend Neil Gaiman paying tribute to Sir Terry on his website nobody like him actor Sir Tony Robinson friend urban cowboy clothes very shy Death The Discworld series started in 1983 flat world four elephants giant turtle publishing more than three books a year suffered a stroke very rare form of early-onset Alzheimer's disease phantom stroke knighted in 2009 AT LAST, SIR TERRY WE MUST WALK TOGETHER /

If global warming is real, why is this (northern) winter so cold?

Credit: How Stuff Works

Weather happens over hours, days & weeks. Climate happens over years & decades. The atmosphere is a heat engine, which moves heat around the Globe. Oceans too, redistribute heat around the Earth. While some parts of the Earth are becoming hotter, others are becoming colder.

In parts of the northern hemisphere, cold weather is being experienced. Unusually hot weather is being experienced in parts of the southern hemisphere.

“Global warming” & “climate change” are terms used to summarise the ideas in the paragraphs above.

http://www.economist.com/blogs/economist-explains/2015/03/economist-explains-2

http://www.ucsusa.org/global_warming/science_and_impacts/science/cold-snow-climate-change.html#.VQA8PlVW-iw

http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/climate-change/global-warming-will-make-our-winters-colder-9819825.html / James Inhofe senator Oklahoma threw snowball America upper chamber man-made climate change threat President Barack Obama chairman Senate’s environment committee United States of America USA four unusually freezing winters succession cold Earth climate global warming climate denier deny contrarian skeptic sceptic climate weather weather patterns develop change over hours days weeks climate changes over years decades American landmass surface of the globe temperatures well below average world abnormally warm connection between climate change colder winters parts of the northern hemisphere link Arctic region poles colder equator air streams north south equalise temperatures northern hemisphere flow jet stream rotation of the Earth stream turns right as the planet spins flows wavy line around the pole northern hemisphere jet stream warmer air from the south more temperate weather northern regions flows Arctic warming faster Earth temperatures at the north pole risen temperate latitudes difference between the poles equator moderating effect northern weather Jennifer Francis Rutgers University northern hemisphere westerly wind speeds weaken weak weakened flow faltered undulations of the jet stream gentle waves bigger loops low-pressure areas cold air build up polar vortices freezing weather patterns America northern Siberia Arctic warms cools Dr Francis’s Nature Geoscience retreat of the Arctic sea ice doubled probability severe winters Europe Asia researchers Elizabeth Barnes Colorado State University statistical links changes Arctic jet stream scientific controversy climate change global warming skeptic sceptic /

New MacBook 12”

Apple’s new MacBook (no Air, no Pro, just MacBook) has more lighter, more thinner, more smaller, plus a retina display.

● 13.1 mm (0.52”) thick
● 920 grams (1 pound)

Other features:
● edge-to-edge keyboard
● 12 inch retina screen (2304 x 1440)
● no fan
● touchpad no longer clicks — tactile feedback is generated by vibration motors & managed via a system of force sensors & software
● includes what Apple calls "Force Click" which allows the touchpad to respond to a range of pressures to, for instance, vary the speed of video

Inside
● new "butterfly mechanism" keys
● “terraced” battery allows shaping to more closely fit around the other components, saving space
● consumes 30 percent less power than previous displays
● which has facilitated the elimination of fans & longer battery life

Many things have been reduced, including weight & size. Another is the number of ports: the new MacBook has just 2:
● USB C (the new, reversible standard)
● 3.5 mm audio

Apart from audio, USB C provides all i/o, including video if an external display is used, plus charging (USB C provides 100 Watts of power, up from 10 Watts available previously).

While the new MacBook is lighter & smaller, the list of things you will need to carry won't be:
● SD card reader — no SD card reader in the new MacBook
● USB C to USB 2/3 adapter
● USB C multiport adapter, when they become available

Need to carry a proprietary charger will be reduced, but not until USB C power supplies become more widely available.

Apple will sell you the adapters — not only is the laptop lighter, but your wallet too:
http://techcrunch.com/2015/03/09/apple-releases-the-adapters-youll-need-for-the-new-macbook/





http://www.theverge.com/2015/3/9/8175329/new-macbook-specs-features-release-date-price

http://www.macworld.com.au/news/apples-radical-12-inch-macbook-is-the-slimmest-lightest-macbook-ever-136184/?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Event+-+103&utm_content=Event+-+103+CID_863e73f9468cc83ead0f46167763445c&utm_source=Email%20marketing%20software&utm_term=Read%20on#.VP6EXWSUcrO / update MacBook 2 pounds 12 inches MacBook Air models 24 percent thinner 11 inch MacBook Air measuring 13.1mm thickness all-new keyboard full width new MacBook butterfly mechanism better much more precise typing experience individual LED lighting for each key device that little bit thinner 12-inch screen Retina display family 2304 x 1440 resolution consumes 30 percent less power touchpad four force sensors one in each corner click feel managed by software pressure sensitivity pressing harder fast-forward QuickTime make a video play faster Force Click new USB Type-C connector upgraded reversible USB internal redesign logic board 67 percent smaller previous generations most dense densest no fan required computer Intel Core M Broadwell CPU battery life nine hours web browsing 10 hours movie playback new MacBook silver space gray stunning gold shipping begins April 10th most energy-efficient notebook laptop EPA US Environmental Protection Agency MacBook no extra name /

Solar powered round-the-world flight — update

At 07:12 Abu Dhabi time (03:12 GMT) Andre Borschberg took off on the first leg of a round-the-world flight in a solar powered plane, Solar Impulse 2. First stop Muscat, Oman, 12 hours away. The aircraft is single seat — Borschberg will be alternating pilot duties with fellow Swiss, Bertrand Piccard.



Part of the journey will be at night. Crossing the Pacific, between Nanjing (China) & Hawaii, is projected to take 120 hours (5 days) non-stop. With only one source of energy, the Sun, it is essential to store electricity in the 633 kg of lithium ion battery during the day, to power the plane at night.

Inherent in an aircraft, is another energy storage system: altitude. In addition to charging the battery, the plane will climb during daylight to around 3,000 metres (10,000 feet). At night, energy stored in the battery can be supplemented by allowing the aircraft to glide to a lower altitude. This works well in the Solar Impulse 2: it has been designed on sailplane principles & so has a glide ratio over 40 (how many metres it moves forward for each metre of altitude it loses)¹. At that glide ratio, 3,000 metres of altitude can be turned into 3,000 * 40 = 120,000 metres = 120 km (74.5 miles) of forward progress.

By contrast, a Boeing 747, with a glide ratio around 12 moves forward 3,000 * 12 = 36,000 metres = 36 km for a loss of 3,000 metres².

Update: 06 April, @solarimpulse tweeted: "#Si2's pilot climbs up to the height of Mt. Everest, 8,500 m (28,000 ft), in an unpressurized cabin!" At a glide ratio of 40, 8,500 metres = 8,500 * 40 = 340,000 metres = 340 km = 211 miles.

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/mar/08/swiss-pilots-attempt-worlds-first-around-world-solar-flight

http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-31772140
_______________

¹ "Gliding flight" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gliding_flight#Examples

² "747 Family Technical Characteristics" http://www.boeing.com/boeing/commercial/747family/pf/pf_400_prod.page / Swiss pilot pilots first ever attempt fly around the world propelled the Sun André Borschberg compatriot Bertrand Piccard take turns piloting single seater seat Solar Impulse 2 21,747 miles 35,000 km kilometre 12 legs including gruelling five- to six-day stints across the Atlantic Pacific oceans entire journey will take five months Borschberg took the controls takeoff take off take-off Al-Bateen executive airport Abu Dhabi early on Monday first destination Muscat in Oman pilots roughly 250 hours each inside narrow cockpit no oxygen temperature control temperatures outside range between -40 degrees C to 40°C falling asleep flight need constant attention Piccard Borschberg survive 20-minute naps every two to four hours pilots will practise yoga stave off the physical discomfort remaining confined seat for days at a time Borschberg biggest challenge maintaining concentration Piccard psychiatrist team 1999 first circumnavigated globe non-stop balloon taught techniques of self-hypnosis meditation maintain concentration time duration in the present moment the only way is to be present almost a spiritual experience entire journey circumnavigating Earth in a family car aircraft weighs the same as a Volvo sedan comparable speeds SI2 top speed 87m/h 140km/h pilots conserve battery power limiting plane half cockpit only slightly larger average car contain life support systems food oxygen supplies reclining pilot’s seat triples bed chair toilet fly both day and night no fuel powered by 17,000 solar panels set on its wings wider Boeing 747’s fuselage 633kg bank of lithium batteries quarter weight store energy run motors overnight journey early days intercontinental flight enormous speed range jet engines Qantas fly Kangaroo Route Sydney to London hopping Darwin Singapore Kolkata Karachi Cairo Tripoli en route Borschberg success Solar Impulse project first solar-powered plane fly through the night first to fly between two continents primitive step toward zero-carbon jumbo combustion fossil fuels dominated powered flight 19th century dirigible aviation burns the most carbon per passenger per kilometre of any mode of mass-transport and, despite efforts to limit emissions, remains the fastest growing anthropogenic source of greenhouse gases sector climate change toughest major emissions source to decarbonise solar flight seeks remains decades away Wright Brothers Charles Lindbergh deputy editor Aerospace magazine Bill Read solar flight commercial flights solar cells generate power fly Solar Impulse fly using solar power constructed very light weight light-weight lightweight huge wingspan solar cell technology power source aircraft advances project real-world uses today fly Sun day and night build an aircraft extremely energy efficient technologies energy efficiency used in your home your car appliances four motors power aircraft generate heat energy efficiency single cheapest way reduce carbon emissions across the world technologies challenge energy environment pollution natural resources /

Like the idea of a smartwatch, but they’re too expensive?

How does $US32 sound?


Credit: Pipo

Standard smartwatch functions such as phone connectivity via Bluetooth, display of notifications, & pedometer are included.

Uniquely, a built in microphone & speaker + the ability to unclip the watch from the band combine to allow use like a conventional (though tiny) phone to answer calls without first dragging your mobile (cell) out of your pocket, or searching for it in your bag.


Credit: Pipo

http://www.geeky-gadgets.com/pipo-c2-smartwatch-unveiled-for-32-06-03-2015/ / smartwatch smart watch hundreds of dollars for a wrist worn wearable device new smartwatch Pipo C2 Chinese manufacturer Pipo C2 priced detachable wristband connect smartphone via Bluetooth display notifications directly on your wrist dial phone numbers wrist speaker phone speakerphone integrated smartwatch talk smartwatch remote control connect applications wrist Google’s Android Wear operating system built-in pedometer tracking the distance walked, the number of steps taken speed available worldwide launched very soon in China more information C2 smartwatch /

Living without a pulse

An artificial heart that has no pulse, & uses magnetic bearings to reduce wear, is expected to have a useful life of up to 20 years. After having been successfully tested in sheep & cows, it is hoped to be ready for human trials by 2018, & to be routinely saving lives by 2020.



http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/bivacor-beatless-artificial-heart-appeal-hopes-to-raise-5-million/story-fnn8dlfs-1227252581778

http://bivacor.com/ / world first beatless artificial heart invented invent design Brisbane save saving lives 2020 device similar to a pool pump pass rigorous tests costs millions of dollars Brisbane’s Prince Charles HospitalPCH Foundation appeal raise $5 million ready heart human trials 2018 The Common Good cardiac expert John Fraser pump blend medicine engineering brilliance taking-on evolution alive without a pulse evolution developed pulse we don’t need one pump no pulse spinning disk levitated by magnets Japanese trains levitated by magnets no wear and tear devices support one side of the heart entirely replace the heart this could go for 20 years Professor Fraser electrically powered pump save patients suffering from heart failure largest killer in the 21st century development team device ready to be implanted in heart failure sufferers alternative to donor hearts short supply patients die spare hearts on a shelf invented Brisbane engineer Daniel Timms dying of heart failure his father plumber PhD engineering at Queensland University of Technology funded by a passionate group of doctors engineers PCH Foundation BiVACOR device slept in our lab many times no wages largest donors Texas furniture salesman Jim Mattress Mack McIngvale medical device importer N. Stenning & Co donated $100,000 Australia’s richest people various levels of government receiving $2.5 million from Federally-funded National Health and Medical Research Council NH&MRC wealthy people venture capital Bill Gates cheque books Prince Charles Hospital Foundation CEO Michael Hornby crowd-funding appeal was aimed at raising money from everyday mums and dads commercialised floating a company on the Australian Securities Exchange cost to buy successfully tested on sheep and cows kept alive in a laboratory for up to 50 days euthanased artificial heart technology doctors engineers /