Macbook alternatives

Credit: Wired

People have a range of different requirements for laptops. Some would actually prefer the facilities of a desktop, but need to be able to pack it away when not in use. For such users, weight is much less important & screen size & disc capacity are at a premium.

Apple’s new Macbook is aimed at users at the opposite end of the spectrum: those who value light weight, & the ability to fit into a briefcase or backpack, above all else.

On the other hand, for some users, some specs, such as the relatively slow processor, single USB-C port for i/o, & OS X itself are a barrier. Wired has some alternatives:

http://www.wired.com/2015/04/macbook-alternatives/ / Apple’s newest Macbook polarizing machine buy one sleek design tiny case mid-level specs one-port connectivity solution price tag slim fancy wedge laptop notebook note book laptop lap top Ultrabook first MacBook Air golden age of laptops uber-portable PCs solid performance impossibly slender frames weighing less than 3 pounds machine prices low consumer-friendly struggling PC business MacBook fetching design OSX OS X tack-sharp screen keyboard trackpad unique more capable affordable ultraportables core components weight price connectivity options lean-and-light heavy high octane 14-inch Razer Blade base versions MacBook Air MacBook Pro Retina Display specifications specs chart table base configurations laptop list touchscreen touch screen options screen resolution options higher-priced configuration Apple MacBook design screen resolution effortless portability Macintosh Mac OS X above-average battery life storage 1.1 GHz Core M processor price single USB-C port Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon pounds heavier priced competitor screen real estate keyboard multiple ports base configuration 2.7 GHz Intel Core i5 CPU 4GB RAM USB 3.0 ports HDMI-out Mini DisplayPort 1080p screen lower-res 157ppi. 226ppi higher-resolution touchscreen configuration ASUS Zenbook UX305 tradeoffs lower-end Core M processor 0.8GHz 1.1GHz lower-resolution 1080p display heavier load 13.3-inch 8GB RAM 256GB version three USB 3.0 ports MicroHDMI out SD card reader higher-resolution configurations Dell XPS 13 bargain power lower resolution 165ppi 226ppi storage 128GB RAM 4GB 2.1GHz Core i3 CPU ports Mini DisplayPort SD card reader touchscreen higher-resolution panel Microsoft Surface Pro 3 TypeCover lighter thinner screen resolution 64GB storage TypeCover keyboard typing accessory Samsung Ativ Book 9 MicroSD MicroHDMI Google Chromebook Pixel web apps 32GB storage Lenovo LaVie Z Razer Blade powerhouse 14-inch portable MacBook Air 11-Inch ultraportable Mac Macintosh MacBook Pro Apple laptop Macbook notebook PC /

Tesla has confirmed its first road-trip-relevant Supercharger in Austrlalia

Tesla has had two Supercharger stations within a few kilometers of one another in Sydney, NSW, for some time, & announced plans for a network linking Melbourne-Sydney-Brisbane in January of this year.

Today, Tesla has confirmed the first Supercharger outside a major metropolitan centre. Eight bays!

Today we confirmed we are building a Supercharger station with 8 bays in Goulburn NSW. Free long distance travel. Let the road trips begin.

— Tesla Motors (@TeslaMotors) April 13, 2015

/ travellers car park resides panel solar grid newly constructed car port electric revolution charging stations electric cars petrol bowsers driving longer distances electric cars the way of the future electric vehicle EV new car sales figures demand for electric cars, Australia big infrastructure investment technology American electric car company Tesla 16 high-powered supercharger stations between Melbourne Brisbane 2016 stations Tesla customer travel supercharger network exceeding 140 stations established luxury brands BMW local electric market rollout free electric charging stations build it and they will come Tesla spokesman Heath Walker supercharger network hotel partnerships high powered wall units motles hotels single three phase Darling Hotel in Sydney Marriot Melbourne range anxiety high purchase prices infrastructure charging at home barrier 40 amps of power home house charge overnight up to 500km of range next morning forward thinking Elon Musk design range car charging station free for public use /

Do you dream? Why?

Some people report frequent dreams. Others claim to dream rarely. Others not at all. Do dreams have a purpose?

A number of different types of sleep are recognised. Dreaming occurs during REM type sleep, which begins some time after falling asleep. People deprived of REM sleep will begin to enter REM sleep immediately after falling asleep. Apparently, attempting to make up a REM & dreaming deficit. This implies that REM sleep & dreaming perform an important function.

Rats deprived of REM sleep for four weeks, die. Perhaps more puzzlingly, this has not been demonstrated with any other species.

Strange but true: less sleep means more dreams
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/strange-but-true-less-sleep-means-more-dreams/

Why some remember dreams, while others don't
http://www.livescience.com/38856-why-people-recall-dreams.html

People who do not dream
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/dream-catcher/201204/people-who-do-not-dream

And how much sleep do you need? Is three or four hours enough?
http://nymag.com/scienceofus/2015/02/what-its-like-to-need-hardly-any-sleep.html?mid=outbrainrc / need much less sleep than the average person short sleepers Eva Salem crocodile she woke up dreams vivid crazy active breast-feeding daughter crocodile-attack dream living on four hours of sleep a night sleep a full night dreams vivid lack of sleep soon after eyelids close sleep deprived greater sleep intensity greater brain activity during sleep dreaming definitely increased more vivid neurologist Mark Mahowald University of Minnesota director Minnesota Regional Sleep Disorders Center Minneapolis phenomenon REM rebound REM rapid eye movement darting of the eyes under closed lids dream the most brain activity resembles that of waking life muscles go slack lie paralyzed toe might wiggle essentially we can't move brain protecting body bodies acting out dreams REM four stages non-REM distinct brain wave frequency stage one of non-REM nodding off period between sleeping and waking sensation of falling into a hole stage two brain slows only a few bursts of activity brain practically shuts off stages three four shifts into slow-wave sleep heart and breathing rates drop dramatically 70 minutes non-REM sleep first period of REM lasts only five minutes total non-REM–REM cycle 90 minutes pattern repeats five times over the course of a night non-REM stages shorten REM periods grow 40-minute dreamscape just before waking study REM deprivation torturous sleep deprivation electroencephalogram subjects moving into REM wake them up psychologist Tore Nielsen director Dream and Nightmare Lab Sacré-Coeur Hospital in Montreal rob them of REM pressure for them to go back into REM starts to build go directly into REM as soon as they are asleep non-REM rebound as well brain gives priority slow-wave sleep REM states are independent of each other 2005 study published journal Sleep losing 30 minutes of REM 35 percent REM increase the next night subjects 74 minutes of REM rebound of 100 minutes dream intensity increased REM deprivation subjects quality of dreams REM deprivation subsequent rebound alcohol nicotine both repress REM blood pressure drugs antidepressants REM suppressants take away the dreams the depression lifts scary rebound persistence of REM rats are robbed of REM for four weeks die we spend 27 years dreaming average life scientists can't agree on why it's important Psychiatrist Jerry Siegel head of the Center for Sleep Research University of California Los Angeles UCLA REM nonexistent some big-brained mammals dolphins whales dying die death lack of REM species other than a rat helps regulate body temperature neurotransmitter levels evidence dreaming helps assimilate memories fetuses babies spend 75 percent of their sleeping time in REM platypuses experience more REM than any other animal Minnesota Mahowald rats run through dream mazes lab mazes some purpose meaningful information in dreams John Antrobus professor psychology sleep research City College of New York dream content tied to our anxieties extreme vividness REM rebound higher level of brain activity action-packed dreams brain interpretive organ purpose of thought /

A few things you probably didn’t know about the Apple Watch (update)

Credit: Apple/Deccan Chronicle

Did you know that there are no third party watch faces for the Apple Watch? Or that there is an ultra-low power mode that continues for hours, & only tells the time? This is, apparently, Apple’s work-around for the 19-hour battery life.

http://www.cnet.com/news/11-surprises-i-learned-about-the-apple-watch/

Update: 3,000 third party apps at release.
http://www.geeky-gadgets.com/apple-watch-app-store-launched-with-3000-apps-24-03-2015/ / Apple's Apple new watch secrets quirks tidbits wearing mystery device on sale worn wearing Apple watch review discovering surprises extremely new little tricks up its sleeve most interesting revelations third party watch faces Apple's 10 watch faces beautiful design designed Pebble Samsung Gear Google's Android Wear watches other watchfaces download install when how watchfaces sold distribute distributed distribution power reserve mode Apple Watch odd coma Apple Watch battery gets too low Power Reserve pared-down watch mode tells the time lasts for hours deactivate Power Reserve reboot start up again regain functions pay for things without Apple Pay QR codes Passbook app phone iPhone Apple Watch Starbucks card into the watch no Apple Pay required accept Apple Pay watch bands worn swapped across Apple Watch models same size fancy band Apple Watch Sport easily swappable bands work across models same-sized Apple Watch 38mm 42mm bands fit differently can't use your watch to start and stop calls on your iPhone make and answer calls on the Apple Watch hand them off to your iPhone continue the call other wireless phone-charging accessories don't work with Apple Watch Qi A4WP Alliance for Wireless Power don't charge the Apple Watch Apple's unique magnetic inductive charge cable actual Apple Watch-ready accessory Siri shortcut through the Apple Watch's many menus swiping tapping digital crown pressing and holding the crown down for Siri hey, Siri launch apps place calls dictate messages taptic Prominent Haptic vibrate vibration vibrational haptic subtle sound and haptics settings screenshots iPhone's photo library saves a backup on your phone unpair reformat wipes the data restore local backup on your phone settings apps pair external Bluetooth health device external Bluetooth heart rate monitor onboard heart rate measurement health and medical gadget wearable tech technology /

Are you addicted to your phone?

Are your sure?

How would you know?

Take the quiz:

http://dailytekk.com/2015/04/08/i-can-prove-youre-addicted-to-your-phone/?reading=continue

http://www.wikihow.com/Beat-an-Addiction-to-Cell-Phones

http://www.outlish.com/will-digital-addiction-cost-you-more-than-1500/ / devices phones tablets laptops smart watch smartwatches our gadgets lack of a phone most anguish panic we society have become serious phone addicts physical and digital lives fuse general population reads articles phones laptops desktop computers appendage accessory Internet large portion of our lives actually lived online connected disconnect disconnecting from your smartphone event sleeping questions how to tell if you’re a phone addict someone in your life complain complained spend too much time on your phone more than 60 times per day first thing you reach for in the morning before you get out of bed your phone in another room anxiety feel anxious retrieve felt bad missed something important too absorbed in your phone digital addiction check your phone in the bathroom toilet more than 25 minutes a day wasting time giving your full attention to an important conversation family friends coworkers your phone bored phone used it too much always spend the night in the same room phone close by people you’re closest to bored entertain yourself with your phone last thing you interact with at night phone constantly running out of power unhealthy dependence on your phone under the age of 40 own a smartphone definitely addicts kick your phone addiction addiction kick your phone habit don’t sleep in the same room as your phone phone’s do not disturb mode important give yourself limits conversation bathroom rearrange your phone’s app extras folder focus folder uninstall time-wasting apps games news reader programs Moment app tracks track phone usage /

Something wicked this way comes? — update

Update: And the big announcement is: Consumer Reports has taken delivery of a Tesla Model S P85D for extended testing.

Video: First impressions of our new Tesla Model S P85D on the CR test track: http://t.co/BdsUY4cLsb http://t.co/QqHyYEtdR8

— Consumer Reports (@CRcars) April 9, 2015

Something wicked this way comes 4.9.2015 07:00 EST #CRCarFest pic.twitter.com/SwClYlWqjO

— Consumer Reports (@CRcars) April 8, 2015

At the moment, it’s 04:19 EST (USA) on 04 April 2015. So, in just under 3 hours, Consumer Reports, or maybe someone else, will announce, “something wicked”.

The video in the tweet includes the tail light from a Tesla Model S & the carbon fibre spoiler option for the P85D. Consumer Reports currently has a booth at the New York Auto Show. All of this points to something automotive, most likely, Tesla automotive. But Tesla has just made a significant announcement — the 70D. A few possibilities:

● a repeat of the 70D announcement
● wider availability of P85D-only options
● improved performance for the 85D / Tesla battery range charge recharge LiIon lithium ion iron phosphate regenerative braking /

Tesla upgrades base model to 70 kWh

Tesla has just announced that its base model has just been upgraded from a 60 kWh to 70 kWh battery. Also included is:

● an upgrade to Dual motors for all wheel drive
● access to the free Supercharger network
● many of the features previously included in the tech package
● performance now slightly exceeds the standard 85

No fanfare for the apparent improvement in the 85D 0-100 kph time. As recently as last week, on the Australian site, the Model S 85D was shown as 5.4 sec for 0-100 kph (0.2 seconds faster than the 2wd 85). Today, the 85D is down to 4.6 sec. Power of the two 85 configurations are now 85 — 270 kW, & 85D — 315 kW.

http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1097683_breaking-new-75000-tesla-model-s-70d-awd-240-miles-of-range

https://transportevolved.com/2015/04/08/breaking-tesla-kills-entry-level-model-s-replaces-it-with-tesla-model-s-70d-makes-dual-motor-standard/

http://www.engadget.com/2015/04/08/tesla-new-model-s-70d/ / Tesla lithium ion LiIon updating lineup arbitrary model year changeovers Tesla Motors all-new Tesla Model S 70D 4WD all-wheel drive version Model S luxury sedan EPA-approved range 240 miles per charge 275 miles NEDC test cycle announcement entry-level Model S 60 EPA-approved range 208 miles per charge Model S 70D additional 32 miles range outgoing model raises entry-level price 70D best value premium sedan official press release earlier cost advantages over internal combustion engine fuel savings incentives cost of owning ownership Model S 70D single-motor Model S Tesla Model S 85 70D, 85D P85D all-wheel drive dual-motor autopilot hardware built in safety features lane departure warning automatic braking activated with Tesla’s 6.2 operating system standard additional autonomous driving features enabled in time via Tesla’s free over-the-air update system free of charge performance improved new higher-capacity model all-wheel drive optional-extra top speed has been increased 140 mph 0-60 mph dash taking place in 5.2 seconds increased battery capacity 70 kilowatt hours 60 kilowatt hours Tesla’s Supercharging network previous entry-level Model S standard on the 70D /