An elephant never forgets

Tusker Tim – one of the largest elephants in Kenya
Credit: Amboseli Trust for Elephants/Lonely Planet

“An elephant never forgets.”

May or may not be true, but when he was speared recently, Tusker Tim remembered where to go for medical care – the same place he had been treated for a similar injury two years earlier.

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/news/2016/07/04/elephant-didnt-forget-aid-needed/#ixzz4DUuVwoC7 / they say elephants never forget Tusker Tim Tusker Tim Tusker Tim speared for a second time stories of attacks on animals in the wild happy ending Kenya‘s Kenya Kenya Kenya biggest and oldest elephants elephants elephants elephant elephant elephant wily old animal knew best course of action head to a camp which had nursed him back to full health before one of his tusks almost touches the ground animal left his attackers behind headed directly site close to Amboseli National Park Amboseli National Park Amboseli National Park 47-year-old bull elephant understood the place where he would get medical aid to treat his wound Conservationist David Bates famed elephant concerned huge bleeding wound in his head small spear protruding from the wound animal hit by a huge rock conservationist Kenyan Wildlife Service Kenyan Wildlife Service Kenyan Wildlife Service KWS Kenyan Wildlife Service KWS Kenyan Wildlife Service KWS spear poisoned spear poisoned spear poisoned African elephant went missing overnight searches search searchers Amboseli Trust for Elephants Big Life Foundation BLF animal spotted by an aerial search team darted allow medical treatment spear poisoned poison under ear area rather than full on wound only scratched the skin swamps in mid-Amboseli first spearing deep wound had become infected needed treatment by Dr. Michael Njoroge head of the Amboseli Veterinary Unit spear was smaller child children might use Amboseli Trust for Elephants elephants attack by poachers kill them sell their tusks on the international black market /

Apple to ditch 3.5mm socket in iPhone 7? – Manufacturers will be offering Lightning earphones & adapters

Lightning earphones
Credit: Mobile Fun

Persistent rumours that Apple will ditch the 3.5mm socket in the iPhone 7 have been supported by manufacturers offering a range of Lightning earphones & adapters.


Lightning to 3.5mm adapter
Credit: Mobile Fun

No solution for charging while using wired headphones so far, although, no problem for Bluetooth headphone users.

More:

http://www.mobilefun.co.uk/blog/2016/06/lightning-headphones-adapters-coming-to-mobile-fun/

http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/136466-5-lightning-headphones-to-buy-when-iphone-ditches-the-3-5mm-jack / iPhone thinner iPhone 7 rumor mill Fast Company design ditch standard 3.5mm headphone jack make phone thinner Japanese website Mac Okatara November Fast Company 9to5 Mac anonymous sources lend extra weight to the claim Apple developing different potential accessories replace ubiquitous 3.5mm EarPods ship iPhone headphones connect via Lightning port spec Apple defined Lightning headphones 2014 charge phone listening to music phone support wireless charging Apple Watch Android Windows phones completely wireless headset Apple Beats acquisition no wire connecting headphones iPhone no wire connecting left and right earbuds together Apple testing replacement headphones solutions market dongle standard headphones dropping headphone jack thinner phone important extra battery space freed up relatively deep headphone jack dumping old technology drive adoption new technology typical Apple behavior ubiquity 3.5mm jack guarantee consumer pushback Internet petition 200,000 people signing Apple dump 3.5 mm jack plug every computer tablet phone buy billions 3.5mm headphones guarantee a painful transition ditching ditch abandon iPhone headphone jack annoys everyone except Apple furore continues Apple doing away with ditch abandon eliminating standard 3.5mm headphone jack plug technology If it ain't broke don't fix it industry changing its products consumers knee-jerk reaction upset about the rumours garment-rending chest-beating these reports last surfaced in January kerfuffle Apple changing charging cable Lightning cord plug socket headphone port industry standard something Apple uses con arguments buy new stuff new headphones new attachment modify old headphones buying a $1000 phone include Lightning-enabled headphones with every phone particularly soulless money grab tighten Apple's control accessory market digital music Nilay Patel these headphones tacitly support DRM digital rights management keeps you from being able to freely move media files between devices get rid of the analogue headphone jack motivation support anything analogue argument anyone making Lightning headphones will require certification from Apple Beats support new standard more control for Apple a bad thing for consumers open standard closed standard leads to confusion and higher costs for consumers add a second Lightning port to the phone Apple wants to make more room inside the phone can't charge your phone have your headphones plugged in at the same time one-port MacBook power port double duty USB-C sound quality can be better over a Lightning port manufacturers headphones lossiness of today's music make the iPhone thinner create more room in the iPhone bigger battery thinner iPhone boost battery official Apple charging case consumers not user-friendly Apple track record weeding out legacy technologies disk drives CD drives old 30-pin charger makes its customers happy Apple's pros cons for Apple change always on their own side Lightning port Lightning port Lightning port Lightning Y-adapter Lightning Y-adapter Lightning Y adapter adapter Bluetooth earbuds headphones microphone /

Tesla Autopilot death – was the driver watching a movie?

Tesla Model S in Autopilot mode
Credit: Jasper Juinen/Bloomberg/Getty Images/TechRepublic

As reported on these pages on Saturday 02 July, the first fatal traffic accident involving a Tesla Model S in Autopilot mode occurred recently in Florida.

More information has now come to light:

1. Not quite as recently as was first thought. Turns out the collision occurred on Saturday 07 May 2016.¹

2. Joshua Brown was driver of the Model S.

3. The driver of the truck has claimed that Brown was, “playing Harry Potter on the TV screen” – i.e. had a movie playing – & that the movie, “was still playing when he died & snapped a telephone pole a quarter mile down the road.” Associated Press have indicated that the truck driver claimed to have, “heard the movie but didn’t see it.”¹

4. Florida Highway Patrol has confirmed that there was a portable DVD player in the Tesla.^1,2

5. A man who lives on the property where the car came to rest said when he approached the wreckage, 15 minutes after the crash, he could hear the DVD player.²

6. A Florida Highway Patrol trooper on the scene told the property owner, Robert Van Kavelaar, that a Harry Potter movie was showing on the DVD player.²

7. However another witness, Terence Mulligan, said he arrived at the scene before the first Florida state trooper & found, “There was no movie playing. There was no music. I was at the car. Right at the car.”²

__________

¹ “Tesla driver killed while using autopilot was watching Harry Potter, witness says”, https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/jul/01/tesla-driver-killed-autopilot-self-driving-car-harry-potter

² “Tesla crash: DVD player found in car wreckage, amid reports driver was watching Harry Potter”, http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-07-02/tesla-crash-dvd-player-found-in-car-florida-police-say/7562962 / Tesla crash DVD player found car wreckage reports driver watching Harry Potter DVD player found Tesla car autopilot driver killed collision truck May Florida Highway Patrol FHP officials confirm differing reports whether Harry Potter video movie playing portable system DVD player accident FHP Florida Highway Patrol Sergeant Kim Montes portable DVD player in the vehicle no camera found mounted on the dash wreckage player was operating at the time of the crash witnesses wreckage 2015 Model S sedan giving differing accounts player showing a movie man who lives on the property where the car came to rest when he approached the wreckage 15 minutes after the crash hear DVD player Florida Highway Patrol FHP trooper on the scene property owner Robert Van Kavelaar Harry Potter movie showing on the DVD player Mr Van Kavelaar another witness Terence Mulligan arrived at the scene before the first Florida state trooper no movie playing no music I was at the car right at the car Mr Mulligan why the car did not stop turning truck victim Joshua Brown watching the road critical for Tesla Motors Inc electric car maker preliminary inquiry federal regulators safety Model S Autopilot system engaged at the time of the crash Autopilot system car keep itself in a lane maintain speed operate for a limited time without driver doing the steering Tesla statement Autopilot by far most advanced driver assistance system on the road does not turn Tesla into autonomous vehicle does not allow the driver to abdicate responsibility weeks before officials make a final determination of the cause of the crash first known fatality Model S driver while using Autopilot Florida Highway Patrol FHP's Sergeant Montes Tesla engineer downloaded information black box shared with FHP investigators Florida Highway Patrol FHP Florida Highway Patrol ability download information newer vehicles about how vehicle was being driven before a crash does not have the ability to download information from Tesla's data system Sergeant Montes Officials from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration alerted by Tesla about the crash NHTSA officials first contacted the FHP Florida Highway Patrol Sergeant Montes said lawyer for the truck driver Frank Baressi Model S data recorder been removed before investigators were able to see it victim was identified in police reports obituaries 40-year-old Joshua Brown Tesla enthusiast former Navy SEAL ran a technology company Ohio social media accounts company's website YouTube video account belonging to Joshua Brown recently posted video showing Tesla Model S automatically able avoid truck veered into its lane Mr Weekley top third of the Model S was sheared off rest of it went under the trailer travelled 210 metres on the road 60 more metres off the paved surface before coming to rest Mr Baressi independent owner-operator hauling half-load blueberries 8-wheeler driving made a left turn cross eastbound lanes US Highway 27 Alternate near Williston, Florida Mr Baressi waited allow another car to go by making turn when he first saw the Tesla just cresting the hill I gave it the gas Mr Baressi Tesla left of two eastbound lanes passing lane Tesla struck the white trailer carrying blueberries slow right lane I thought he had a heart attack I don't know why he went over to the slow lane when he had to have seen me Tesla white trailer not easy car's cameras distinguish from the bright Florida afternoon sky crash sunny Saturday afternoon May initial traffic report of the crash /

Tesla Model 3 revelations

Little of substance has been heard from Tesla about the Model 3 since the unveiling. With ~400,000 pre-orders, & a promise to begin delivering them by the end of 2017, Tesla is most likely concentrating on engineering, rather than communication with the public. However, there have recently been a few interesting revelations.

● A matte black Model 3, escorted by two Model S has been sighted, on a California highway, just before, “Exit 20 onto Pageville Road toward Palo Alto”, according to the GPS in the camera car, starting just after the one minute mark.

● Notice the door handles on the Model 3. At the unveiling, cars had 2 different designs. Looks like flush handles, similar to the Model S, will be used in production.

● Design of the power inverter for the Model 3 is completed or substantially completed. Output, “over 300 kW”, with ~25% fewer unique parts, compared to the Model S, is claimed. This bodes well on the performance & price control fronts. Both major targets of the Model 3 programme.

More at EV Annex:
https://evannex.com/blogs/news/tesla-model-3-leaks-spy-shots-and-undercover-video-footage

How to make a video using your phone:

Quality of the video above leaves something to be desired. Cause – it has been substantially reprocessed from this video:



Cameras in phones produce extraordinary results, given the constraints imposed by the need to fit them into tight-jeans-compatible phones, but video quality is compromised in portrait mode.

Clue: when shooting video with your phone, turn it to landscape mode. Most stills too.

More about the effort required to produce the top video, in the comments at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCjcoaBBVpE / Tesla Motors NASDAQ TSLA launched forthcoming Model 3 recent interview CEO Elon Musk Model 3 pre-orders 400,000 Elon Musk tweet Model 3 updates post-launch developments lower-priced electric vehicle streamlining Model 3 production process Elon Musk Tesla planneddesign the car to be easy to make new information on the Model 3 car's performance Electrek leak source very familiar with the Model 3 powertrain program programme confirmed Tesla same engineers worked dual motor inverter architecture Model S develop Model given a blank sheet develop system from the ground up power semiconductor package strategy paid off inverter architecture Model 3 capacity over 300kW comparable Model S RWD system Model S much higher-end bigger vehicle source system geared toward manufacturing ~25% fewer unique parts significantly increase volumetric gravimetric current density Model 3 inverter expected much cheaper dollar per power capacity basis Tesla’s most recent dual motor inverter system Model 3's performance characteristics main drive unit delivering over 300 kW similar dual motor Tesla’s current system delivering ~250kW achieve supercar-like performance similar Model S intriguing leak multiple spy photos matte black Tesla Model 3 revealing shot spartan Model 3 interior Tesla Model 3 include a heads-up display HUD landscape touchscreen Model 3's exterior spy photos undercover video matte black Tesla Model 3 highway road testing shadowed Model S Tesla Golden Ticket drawing Model 3 reservation holders placed pre-order first day randomly selected 12 winners all-expenses paid trip Gigafactory Grand Opening 150,000 people reserved Model 3 opening day chance of winning the trip pre-ordered Tesla Model 3 first day invite lucky winners Gigafactory Golden Ticket latest Tesla Model 3 news /

Tesla driver dies in Autopilot crash

A Telsa Model S has been involved in a fatal crash while in Autopilot mode. Not the first Autopilot accident, as shown in this video, first published on 25 May.



Apparently, the Autopilot system was confused when the car it was following changed lanes to avoid the stopped van. Perhaps most significantly, afterwards, the driver was quoted as saying, “Yes, I could have reacted sooner, but when the car slows down correctly 1,000 times, you trust it to do it the next time too. My bad ...” – Electrek http://electrek.co/2016/05/26/tesla-model-s-crash-autopilot-video/

Wired reported on a transcontinental US trip which ended in Manhattan on Wednesday 21 October 2015. Autopilot was engaged for 96 percent of the trip. One of the drivers, Alex Roy, was later quoted:

‘Autopilot caused a few scares, Roy says, largely because the car was moving so quickly. “There were probably three or four moments where we were on autonomous mode at 90 miles an hour, & hands off the wheel,” & the road curved, Roy says. Where a trained driver would aim for the apex – the geometric center of the turn – to maintain speed & control, the car follows the lane lines. “If I hadn’t had my hands there, ready to take over, the car would have gone off the road & killed us.” He’s not annoyed by this, though. “That’s my fault for setting a speed faster than the system’s capable of compensating.”’ – Wired https://www.wired.com/2015/10/obviously-drivers-are-already-abusing-teslas-autopilot/

Take home message from the above, is that while Autopilot is able to reduce the driver’s workload, it is not yet ready to be solely responsible for safety. This is consistent with its status as a beta release. When used responsibly, as described by Alex Roy, Autopilot is safe to use, while always remembering that is an aid, not a replacement for the driver.

Tesla's response to the fatality:
https://www.teslamotors.com/en_AU/blog/tragic-loss?redirect=no

The Verge:
http://www.theverge.com/2016/6/30/12072408/tesla-autopilot-car-crash-death-autonomous-model-s

The Guardian:
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/jun/30/tesla-autopilot-death-self-driving-car-elon-musk

Thanks to Miemie & Glenn for this item. / National Highway Traffic Safety Administration NHTSA opening preliminary evaluation performance Autopilot recent fatal crash occurred Model S first known fatality over 130 million miles Autopilot was activated all vehicles in the US fatality every 94 million miles worldwide fatality every 60 million miles National Highway Traffic Safety Administration NHTSA action preliminary evaluation determine system worked according to expectations standard practice Tesla informedNational Highway Traffic Safety Administration NHTSA incident immediately after it occurred vehicle divided highway Autopilot engaged tractor trailer drove across the highway perpendicular Model S Autopilot driver noticed white side tractor trailer against brightly lit sky brake was not applied high ride height trailer combined positioning across the road extremely rare circumstances impact caused Model S pass under the trailer bottom of the trailer impacting windshield Model S Model S impacted front or rear trailer high speed advanced crash safety system prevented serious injury numerous other similar incidents Tesla disables Autopilot by default requires explicit acknowledgement system is new technology public beta phase enabled drivers activate Autopilot acknowledgment box explains Autopilot assist feature requires keep hands steering wheel at all times maintain control responsibility your vehicle Autopilot engaged car reminds the driver always keep your hands on the wheel be prepared to take over at any time system makes frequent checks ensure driver's hands remain on the wheel provides visual audible alerts if hands-on is not detected gradually slows down until hands-on is detected again ensure every time the feature is used used as safely as possible more real-world miles accumulate software logic accounts for increasingly rare events probability of injury will keep decreasing Autopilot getting better not perfect requires driver remain alert used conjunction driver oversight data unequivocal Autopilot reduces driver workload results statistically significant improvement safety compared purely manual driving crash loving family saddened loss friend Tesla broader EV community life focused on innovation promise of technology believed strongly Tesla’s mission extend our deepest sympathies family and friends /

Doppler’s wireless earbuds let you remix the sounds of the real world

Here One buds from Doppler Labs will be available in black & white
Credit: Doppler Labs/Wired

What do you look for in earbuds? Whatever it is, Doppler Labs’ new wireless earbuds, Here One, have it all – & more.

Of course, you want them to take phone calls, stream music & interact with Siri &/or Google Now – & Here One can do all of that. In addition, they allow you to manage & augment the sound of the real world.


Here One app – notice presets to manage background noise in offices, aircraft & restaurants
Credit: Doppler Labs/Wired

Some things you can do with Here One:

● noise cancellation – raised to a whole new level – attenuate all the sound – or just specific frequencies

● remix the music at a concert – drums overpowering the rest of the band? – turn them down to hear all of the music

● noisy environment? Here One has three directional microphones per ear, so using the companion app, control the direction & frequency of sound, to separate out the voice of the person you are talking to

● turn down the noise of the city, to hear your music, without being run down at the next crossing

If Apple does ditch the 3.5mm audio socket in the iPhone 7, Doppler Labs' Here One earbuds may be just the ticket.

Wired:
http://www.wired.com/2016/06/ones-earbuds-way-just-wireless-headphones/

The Verge:
https://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2016/6/28/12043946/here-earbuds-wireless-bluetooth-doppler-augmented-reality

Forbes:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/bradauerbach/2016/06/28/doppler-labs-launches-here-one-not-only-a-volume-knob-in-a-loud-world-a-supercomputer-in-every-ear/#32050c347649

Pre-order at the Doppler Labs web site:
https://hereplus.me/ / Doppler Labs company straight-outta-science-fiction earbuds let you control volume world new product Here One wireless earbuds tweaking sound mix concert tuning out subway noise One everything expect standard set of wireless headphones even more stuff on top of that Here One buds will cost $299 ship in November Doppler Here Ones set of wireless headphones stream music take calls interact with Siri Google Now pair of headphones Doppler’s Here buds Here One buds do even better filter change the noise of the real world companion app change frequency response tune out baby screams train screeches turn up the volume people in front of you multiple directional mics three directional mics Here One buds sound editing even more powerful Doppler not a medical device Doppler CEO Noah Kraft false binary people either can hear or can’t hear first set up your Here Ones customization customisation process software learn particulars of your ears hearing attenuate sound specifically for you mix real-world sound whatever you’re listening to Doppler calls layered listening jamming headphones into your ears drown out the world sound as though music’s playing speaker a few feet away whoever you’re talking to on your bike still hear the cars flying by Doppler’s a number of companies working on truly wireless headphones Here One among the most comfortable and usable Doppler interesting engineering wireless headphones executive chairman Fritz Lanman soon enough everyone from Apple Samsung Microsoft try sell you wireless earbuds Doppler’s put a computer in their ears soundtrack sound track sounds of the city /

iPhone 7 to ditch 3.5mm audio socket? – Rumours persist – update

Pssst – check the plug
Credit: TechRadar
__________

Update 25 August 2016

The Woz not impressed – “If it’s missing the 3.5mm earphone jack, that’s going to tick off a lot of people.”

Bluetooth? – “I would not use Bluetooth … I don’t like wireless. I have cars where you can plug in the music, or go through Bluetooth, & Bluetooth just sounds so flat for the same music.” – Steve Wozniak, Co-founder of Apple

More at the Australian Financial Review
http://www.afr.com/technology/mobiles-and-tablets/apple/steve-wozniak-says-apple-must-fix-iphone-7-bluetooth-or-revive-its-headphone-jack-20160821-gqxwsg#ixzz4I6wk11Ub
__________

In January of this year, a furore was created when a rumour surfaced that Apple would ditch the 3.5mm audio socket in the iPhone 7. Over 200,000 online petitioners asked Apple not to.

Almost 6 months later those rumours persist.

One concern is that an iPhone with only one Lightning port & no 3.5mm socket, will not be able to charge & use headphones at the same time. A likely solution will be adapter(s) with two Lightning sockets &/or Lightning + 3.5mm sockets. Some manufacturer will probably produce an adapter with all of these.

Apple’s Macbook 12" with only 1 USB-C port + 3.5mm has already spawned multiple adapters, including its own USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter (USB-C + HDMI + USB-C) & the Marble mutiport adapter (2 x USB-C + 2 x USB-A + HDMI + Micro SD reader + mains power adapter).

More:

Ditching iPhone headphone jack annoys everyone except Apple
http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/ditching-iphone-headphone-jack-annoys-everyone-except-apple-20160627-gptaxb.html

How your current headphones can work with the iPhone 7 even if it ditches the audio jack
https://bgr.com/2016/01/11/iphone-7-headphone-jack-workround-adapter-converter/

iPhone 7 may include EarPods with headphone jack + Lightning to 3.5mm adapter
http://9to5mac.com/2016/06/20/iphone-7-may-include-earpods-w-headphone-jack-lightning-to-3-5mm-adapter/

If Apple does release an iPhone 7 without a 3.5mm socket, & you don’t want to follow suit, it would be a good time to grab one of the iPhone 6 variants. If the 7 is as uninspiring as some are suggesting, this may be an attractive option:

Wait for 8? More evidence iPhone 7 will be a boring upgrade
http://www.techradar.com/au/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/iphone-7-rumors-apple-design-2016-1323759 / iPhone thinner iPhone 7 rumor mill Fast Company design ditch standard 3.5mm headphone jack make phone thinner Japanese website Mac Okatara November Fast Company 9to5 Mac anonymous sources lend extra weight to the claim Apple developing different potential accessories replace ubiquitous 3.5mm EarPods ship iPhone headphones connect via Lightning port spec Apple defined Lightning headphones 2014 charge phone listening to music phone support wireless charging Apple Watch Android Windows phones completely wireless headset Apple Beats acquisition no wire connecting headphones iPhone no wire connecting left and right earbuds together Apple testing replacement headphones solutions market dongle standard headphones dropping headphone jack thinner phone important extra battery space freed up relatively deep headphone jack dumping old technology drive adoption new technology typical Apple behavior ubiquity 3.5mm jack guarantee consumer pushback Internet petition 200,000 people signing Apple dump 3.5 mm jack plug every computer tablet phone buy billions 3.5mm headphones guarantee a painful transition ditching ditch abandon iPhone headphone jack annoys everyone except Apple furore continues Apple doing away with ditch abandon eliminating standard 3.5mm headphone jack plug technology If it ain't broke don't fix it industry changing its products consumers knee-jerk reaction upset about the rumours garment-rending chest-beating these reports last surfaced in January kerfuffle Apple changing charging cable Lightning cord plug socket headphone port industry standard something Apple uses con arguments buy new stuff new headphones new attachment modify old headphones buying a $1000 phone include Lightning-enabled headphones with every phone particularly soulless money grab tighten Apple's control accessory market digital music Nilay Patel these headphones tacitly support DRM digital rights management keeps you from being able to freely move media files between devices get rid of the analogue headphone jack motivation support anything analogue argument anyone making Lightning headphones will require certification from Apple Beats support new standard more control for Apple a bad thing for consumers open standard closed standard leads to confusion and higher costs for consumers add a second Lightning port to the phone Apple wants to make more room inside the phone can't charge your phone have your headphones plugged in at the same time one-port MacBook power port double duty USB-C sound quality can be better over a Lightning port manufacturers headphones lossiness of today's music make the iPhone thinner create more room in the iPhone bigger battery thinner iPhone boost battery official Apple charging case consumers not user-friendly Apple track record weeding out legacy technologies disk drives CD drives old 30-pin charger makes its customers happy Apple's pros cons for Apple change always on their own side /