Galaxy S4 vs iPhone 5 vs. HTC One: Best smartphone screen battle

Samsung Galaxy S4 screen closeup


iPhone 5 screen closeup
Credit: GottaBe Mobile

http://www.gottabemobile.com/2013/03/30/galaxy-s4-vs-iphone-5-vs-htc-one-best-smartphone-screen-battle/ / resolution sharp screen technology quality display bright white black Super AMOLED technology display text white background black pixel /

What to expect from Qualcomm's next-gen Snapdragon mobile processors

Every year, mobile devices add an array of new features supported by growing processor power.  So, what can we expect from the next generation of mobile processors?

http://www.androidauthority.com/next-gen-snapdragons-174408/ / Snapdragon 600 S4 series next generation more powerful processor hardware specs specification specifications features Qualcomm rival tech companies high end high-end chips Snapdragon 600 CPU successors the Krait cores S4 Pro chips top of the line handsets Xperia Z Optimus G Samsung Galaxy S III IV Note 2 architecture clock speed graphics display processor /

Terrorists take down a major asset of greatest military power ever?

Is this likely?  Or was it an inside job?  You decide!

;)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2dvv-Yib1Xg&feature=youtube_gdata_player / StarWars Star Wars Luke Leya twin Skywalker Anakin centre center X-wing X wing fighter Carillon class trade freighter towers star ship Han Solo Darth Vader Anakin Sith international The force Jedi battle station Death Star father son sister brother daughter /

Quirky Crossover iPhone 5 case review

Credit: quirky/ gottabemobile.com

If you're looking for a different case for your iPhone 5, this is it.  It doesn't look like other cases, & 12 colours of the "crossovers" can be chosen individually for 144 different combinations.

Although the phone looks almost naked, the silicon rubber in the "crossovers" provides protection for the corners, sides, front & back in a fall.

Finally, cards can be inserted under the "crossover", as shown in the photograph.

http://www.gottabemobile.com/2013/03/13/quirky-crossover-iphone-5-case-review/

http://www.tuaw.com/2013/02/07/quirkys-crossover-finally-a-truly-unique-iphone-5-case/ / Apple iOS iPhone case protect protection impact /

Techology & social revolution: Steve Wozniak at TEDxBrussels (video)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKXjjpZqZwU&feature=youtube_gdata_player Apple co founder co-founder engineer futurist Jobs pioneer digital age three founders Apple Computer garage 1976 Woz design designed hardware circuit boards operating system Apple I 1 plane crash 1981 full time employment 1987 technology scene founding several tech companies working remote controls GPS technology Lego robots data storage autobiography iWoz From Computer Geek Cult Icon 2007 continues to provide schools in his neighbourhood with funding, technical support and advice. Wozniak is a founder of the Electronic Frontier Foundation and the recipient of the National Medal of Technology, the Heinz Award, and numerous honorary doctorate degrees

3D Printer + Snow = Signal Snowboards (video)

You may have heard this story from early in the history of the telephone: a small town had just had a telephone installed.  The mayor, being a far sighted man, observed that he could foresee a day when every town would have a telephone.

How is this related to 3D printers?  Point is, it's impossible to comprehend the impact of a new technology going in, but 3D printers look like being very important.

This is another application:

http://the-gadgeteer.com/2013/03/26/3d-printer-snow-signal-snowboards/ / print printing printed manufacturing manufacture /

Biofuel from CO2: Too good to be true?

Pyrococcus furiosus, aka rushing fireball
Credit: Michelle Kropf/ Missouri University of Science & Technology

Too good to be true?  So far, yes.

Existing systems to do this involve growing crops to produce biomass & then converting the biomass to fuel.  Perhaps the best known is growing sugar cane & converting the sugar to alcohol, using a conventional brewing process.  Sounds attractive on the surface: take carbon dioxide from the air & turn it into biofuel.

Where this falls down is that 1 unit of food energy requires inputs of 7 units (or more) of fossil fuel energy.  Turning the food into fuel doesn't improve the equation.  Biofuel produced by this method involves a big loss of energy.  It it not a green solution.

Linked below just might be an answer.  Before giving this one the tick, many questions have to be answered, most importantly, how much carbon dioxide is emitted in producing fuel by this method?

http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1083167_biofuel-from-co2-too-good-to-be-true / energy fuel petrol photosynthesis extremophile deep ocean vent black smoker volcanic transport future fossil fuel petroleum hydrocarbon carbon dioxide CO2 greenhouse gas global warming climate change University of Georgia Biomass Magazine researchers microorganisms atmosphere air atmospheric processes plants plant life photosynthesis sunlight transform water sugars sugar /

quirky makes invention accessible (video)

Have you ever had an idea for an invention?  Many people have.  Unfortunately, most people have also been overwhelmed by all the work between the moment of inspiration & a commercial product.  As Thomas Edison put it, "Genius is one percent inspiration, ninety nine percent perspiration."

What to do?  Kickstarter is one solution.  It provides exposure for inventors & developers, who have progressed their idea to the prototype stage, & require assistance in accessing funding for some combination of final development, production & marketing.  Kickstarter has done some truly wonderful things, not only in the area of devices, but movies, books & others as well.

Another solution is quirky, which takes raw ideas & adds whatever level of development, production & marketing is required to turn the idea into a commercial product.  Not surprisingly, they require a larger share in the profits for their larger contribution to development & share of the risk.

quirky discussed on Global BC's Tech Talk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CR2ZM0EraUA&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Founder Ben Kaufman tells his quirky story
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqYeWg7igkU&feature=youtube_gdata_player

quirky Web site
http://www.quirky.com/ / invent invention inventor inventing design developer develop development prototype prototyping finance loan debt venture capital investment share idea marketing sell /

I, Robin Hood: Bowblade does archery the iOS way (video)

Credit: Josh Lowensohn/ cnet



cnet
http://news.cnet.com/8301-10797_3-57566979-235/i-robin-hood-bowblade-does-archery-the-ios-way/

Manufacturer's site
http://bowactivegaming.com/bowblade/Movie.html / archery bow arrow release trigger game gaming exercise strength muscle game games accelerometer gyroscope simulation simulate feeling hunting general dynamics developers make specialty games designed iPhones iOS iPods Android devices Nintendo Nintendo's Wii console systems Xbox 360 PlayStation 3 peripherals Macworld iWorld, gaming, archery, exercise, Bowblade /

How to lock down & find Android & Windows phones

If you are using the "smarts" of your smartphone, the biggest risk in a lost or stolen phone is exposure of your data to malicious use.  Apple has the excellent Find iPhone which can help in recovering your device.  If this fails, it can protect your data using its lock or erase functions.

For Android & Windows phones, try this:

http://howto.cnet.com/8301-11310_39-57519173-285/how-to-lock-down-and-find-android-and-windows-phones/ / Enable screen lock sign up find my phone remote erase remote-erase option smart phone site app Lookout FoneHome lockscreen loss thief lose steal stolen thieves theft Find My Phone Face Unlock face recognition passcode protect Lookout Plan B Google Maps map scream lock remotely wipe live account register battery dead flat discharged /

F1 racing's focus turns to 2014's more fuel efficient engines

Red Bull in testing for the 2014 season
Credit: Green Car Reports/ The Car Connection

Racing once had relevance to road cars.  E.g. disc brakes first appeared in a D type Jaguar at Le Mans in the '50s.  Changes to 2014 Formula 1 create a superficial resemblance to road cars, but don't look for a practical application any time soon.

http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1083133_f1-racings-focus-turns-to-2014s-more-fuel-efficient-engines / Jag disk brakes sports racing car turbocharger turbocharged turbo 2013 Formula One racing season engineering engine regulations improve car cars fuel efficiency reduce sport sport’s environmental impact regulations raise development costs team teams relevant 2.4 liter litre V8 V-8 engines naturally aspirated litre 1.6-liter turbocharged V-6 V6 cylinder layout configuration improvements fuel consumption real world real-world efficiency efficient road car economy Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems KERS heat exhaust /

Man sentenced to 30 months in prison after “lasering” two aircraft in 2012

So, it's not only dangerous, irresponsible & inconsiderate in itself, for anyone who needs further help in working out if they should do this:  it also poses a threat to your personal liberty.

Other jurisdictions besides the United States too.

http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2013/03/man-sentenced-to-30-months-in-prison-after-lasering-two-aircraft-in-2012/ / USA United States of America October 19 year old Adam Gardenhire pled plead pleading pleaded guilty aiming laser pointer  private aircraft police helicopter federal judge California sentenced defendant 30 months in prison aiming laser aircraft federal crime under law signed President Barack Obama February 2012 sentence sentenced under the new law Californians California indicted charges charged North Hollywood pointed commercial grade green laser aircraft Cessna pilot suffer vision impairment that lasted for hours Pasadena Police Department helicopter pilot wearing protective gear suffer eye damage impair inciden arrested investigation Los Angeles Police Department Pasadena Police Department Burbank Police Department Federal Aviation Administration FBI /

Android is red hot, except with the business crowd

Confusingly, the tables for smartphones & tablets are reversed in the linked article.  Just to clarify, this is what the article intended to show for smartphone & tablet intentions among business users:

Smartphones:
• Apple — 33%
• Android — 22%
• No plans to use  smartphone on corporate network —  16%
• No preference/Don’t know — 11%
• Windows — 10%
• Blackberry — 7%
• Other — 1%

Tablets:
• Apple — 26%
• Windows 8 — 20%
• I don’t plan to use a tablet for work — 17%
• Windows 7 or other Windows — 12%
• No preference/Don’t know — 11%
• Android — 11%
• Amazon Kindle or Barnes & Noble Nook — 1%
• Blackberry Playbook — 1%
• Other — 1%

http://go.bloomberg.com/tech-blog/2012-12-18-more-people-would-rather-have-no-tablet-than-an-android-tablet/ / Google Android software mobile devices wide lead market share lucrative niche business people businesspeople smart phone smartphone market research researcher IDC information workers phone smart smartphone software on the job survey Forrester Research disparity Android consumers price sensitive Gilette Apple prices premium product iPhones iPhone Apple iOS products investment poll polled company companies support e-mail access CIO chief information officers slightly different version of fragmentation fragment software testing security updates support Frank Gillett analyst employees  malware reacting to problems Microsoft Apple being more proactive business crowd verall tablet market /

Another reason Google Reader died: Increased concern about privacy & compliance

Google has had a lot of flack over the shutdown of Google Reader.  But there may be more to the story than lack of a profit to be made:

http://allthingsd.com/20130324/another-reason-google-reader-died-increased-concern-about-privacy-and-compliance/ / Google Reader income stream privacy compliance /

Galaxy S 4 vs. iPhone 5 performance • Samsung Galaxy S 4 crushes iPhone 5 & others in early performance tests

Note that this is the slow version.  US S4s will have the Primate Labs quad-core Snapdragon chipset for LTE (4G) support.  International S4s will have Samsung’s own, eight-core processor, Exynos 5 Octa.   

http://bgr.com/2013/03/19/galaxy-s-4-iphone-5-comparison-performance-385274/?utm_source=featured-image-widget&utm_medium=home / Android iOS smartphone smart phone Geekbench 2 speed test tested  compare compared comparison Primate Labs quad-core Snapdragon chipset that features integrated LTE radios international version feature Samsung’s in-house eight-core processor Exynos 5 Octa SoC /

Don't just sit there!

If you want to have a longer, healthier life, get off the couch & get some exercise.  What type of exercise?  Almost anything works.  Walking is good.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/29/sunday-review/stand-up-for-fitness.html?_r=0 / exercise high blood pressure diabetes knee pain heart stent heart disease walk dog half hour hours per day diet support network friend friends fitness fibre cancer antioxidant /

Hey! You! Get off of Google’s cloud!

Credit: Nitrozac & Snaggy/ The Joy of Tech/ tapastic

Disappointed by the disappearance of Google’s RSS Reader? If a service is free, you are the product. Expect discontinuation of free software & services in the future & start planning to switch to an alternative now.

http://blogs.reuters.com/jackshafer/2013/03/21/hey-you-get-off-of-googles-cloud/ / world wide Web www RSS reader /

Say goodbye to mug rings with the Floating Mug

Credit: Tigere Chiriga/ Kickstarter

!
?
(shrugs)
:)

Kickstarter project.

http://the-gadgeteer.com/2013/03/21/say-goodbye-to-mug-rings-with-the-floating-mug/

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/tiggs/the-floating-mug / tea coffee cup mug hot beverage wooden furniture marks mark circle ring damage damp condensation wet damp /

Hydrogen fuel-cell cars not viable, says Volkswagen CEO

Mercedes-Benz hydrogen fuel cell vehicle
Credit: Mercedes-Benz/ Green Car Reports

For some time, the idea of the "fuel cell miracles" has been circulating.  I.e. what would have to happen to make fuel cell cars viable:

• Reduce price — Nissan hopes to bring  a fuel cell vehicle to market in 2015 at a cost of $US50,000.  If achieved, this will be an enormous  reduction from the $US1 million indicated for the Honda Clarity fuel cell vehicle.  Auto manufacturers have shown with battery electric vehicles (BEVs) that they are prepared to accept initial losses to establish a market.
• Storage — no way to store enough H2 for more than ~120 miles.  I.e. a range which can be equalled or exceeded by BEVs.
• H2 fuel is expensive — even using coal fired electricity, H2 is 3 times as expensive as petrol.
• Fueling infrastructure — doesn't exist.  Fueling infrastructure for BEVs is everywhere — including your home.
• Competing technologies must not improve.  In fact, alternatives such as BEVs, extended range BEVs (e.g. GM Volt) & even efficiency of fossil fuel vehicles, are improving, moving the bar for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles higher.

http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1083046_hydrogen-fuel-cell-cars-not-viable-says-volkswagen-ceo / service station petrol gas gasoline diesel fuel fossil hydrocarbon efficiency LiIon lithium ion battery charge range car automobile charge recharge refuel charger Chevrolet Equinox fuel-cell vehicles Toyota Ford Nissan Hindenburg /

Apple patent describes a method to prevent your phone from falling display first

Credit: Apple/ übergizmo.

http://www.ubergizmo.com/2013/03/apple-patent-describes-a-method-to-prevent-your-phone-from-falling-display-first/

While this would provide a degree of protection for the display, other parts of the phone would suffer anyway.  May be better to try something from Otterbox:

http://www.otterbox.com/ / phone mobile cell impact drop resistance centre center of gravity shift move drop land lands crunching cracking sound glass falling shift center of mass gravity sensor sensors gyroscopes accelerometers GPS imaging detect fall is taking place statistics falls height time to impact speed of the fall can be stored in the phone, allowing the system to compute the best solution in the event you drop your phone weighted mass lift foils extend from the device thrust mechanism /

Snapheal • Inexpensive alternative to Photoshop

It's not Photoshop, but it's not nearly as expensive either.

http://mashable.com/2012/11/02/snapheal-review/ / digital photograph photography image manipulation Photoshopped Adobe iconic photo editing software professional industry standard user-friendly image editing program a fraction of the price Mac Macintosh perform performs tasks erase eraser feature airbrush airbrushes unwanted objects out image application app include includes many standard editing features color light clarity adjustment erase clone stamp tools tool /

3D printing lunar habitats (podcast)

Credit: Foster + Partners/ ABC

If human beings are to explore the Solar System, first stop is the Moon.  Partly for its own sake, partly as a learning exercise for further exploration.  Long term exploration of the Moon requires some kind of dwelling.

Question: So how do we transport building material to the Moon?
Answer: We don't.

Launching 1 kg into low Earth orbit still costs thousands of dollars.  This is in large measure why the International Space Station was so expensive.  Transporting materials for a dwelling to the Moon would involve (literally) astronomical costs.

Question: So it can't be done?
Answer: Use local materials.
Question: What local materials?
Answer: We'll, there's lots of dust.
Question: Are we talking about building something humans can live in, or are we talking about playing in the Lunar dust?
Answer: A consortium set up by the European Space Agency is exploring the possibility of "printing" buildings using 3D printing techniques.  This would not use a printer in the usual sense.  Printers are large compared to the paper documents or 3D objects they produce.  Since the point of the exercise is to reduce the amount of material which has to be transported from the Earth to the Moon, a printer bigger than a house would be pointless.  What is envisaged is a small number of robotic devices, which could take lunar dust & turn it into a structure by applying a binding agent.  More at:

http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/bydesign/xavier-dekestelier---foster-26-ptrns/4581536

http://www.space.com/19602-moon-colony-3d-printing-lunar-dirt.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mobileweb/2013/02/06/esa-moon-base-3d-printing-_n_2624567.html

If you want to stream or download the podcast from the ABC (1st link above), do it soon, as they are normally only available for a relatively short time. / regolith simulated material paper Monolite ESA ink binding salt stone like solid structure structures habitat dome radiation gama foam magnesium oxide /

Music piracy study finds no link to decreased digital revenues

Interesting finding.

http://bgr.com/2013/03/20/music-piracy-study-digital-revenues-385611/ / MPAA Motion Picture Association of America  RIAA Recording Industry Association of America piracy sales revenue European Commission’s Joint Research Centre illegal downloading music industry browsing habits Europe Europeans research positive link online piracy visits legal music stores negative negatively impacting digital revenues researchers music sales benefit illegally  study find findings finding found music streaming websites Pandora Spotify cannibalize music purchases complementary effect trespassing private property rights harm digital music revenues /

Study: Hospitals with more Facebook "likes" have lower mortality rates

Now, this is important!

http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2013/03/study-hospitals-with-more-facebook-likes-have-lower-mortality-rates/273697/ / health healthcare care facility social media  /

All-electric sports car coming next month from Detroit startup?

Credit: Charles Steinmetz/ Green Car Reports

Not so much like the 1914 Detroit Electric (above), more like the one below:


Credit: Detroit Electric/ Green Car Reports

http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1082994_all-electric-corvette-coming-next-month-from-detroit-startup / LiIon lithium ion battery cell pack charge recharge range performance plug in Tesla Lotus Corvette /

4 reasons not to upgrade to the Galaxy S4

Credit: LaptopMag

Lots of hype for the new Galaxy S, including here, but is it for you?  May be time for a reality check.

http://blog.laptopmag.com/4-reasons-not-to-upgrade-to-the-galaxy-s4 / design isn't much different appearance software OS operating system Android apps fastest processor 1.9-GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 processor international version edition Samsung’s 1.6-GHz octa-core Exynos chipset LTE 8 cores CPU 4G screen brighter bright lux light meter screen brightness direct sunlight competition  /

Manipulate your Gmail from the Android notification bar

Credit: Google/ The Gadgeteer

Right on the notification bar — not going to get faster or easier than that!

http://the-gadgeteer.com/2013/03/19/manipulate-your-gmail-from-the-android-notification-bar/ / email e-mail mail archive reply open client /

Why one user switched from iPhone to Android

Not a title we see every day on the Macworld web site.  Maybe the author is attracted by the removable, easily replaceable, easily upsizeable battery, removable microSD storage & almost any screen size you can imagine (off the top of my head, 2.8 to 5.5 inches).

Part 1
http://www.macworld.com.au/blogs/whi-i-switched-from-iphone-to-android-part-1-88919/?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=New+iMacs+with+VESA+mounts+hands-on+with+Facebooks+new+design+and+much+more&utm_content=New+iMacs+with+VESA+mounts+hands-on+with+Facebooks+new+design+and+much+more+CID_981f23db7bf582ef3d80f7d702e4f263&utm_source=Email%20marketing%20software&utm_term=Find%20out%20more%20here


Part 2
http://www.techhive.com/article/2030116/customize-and-collaborate-why-i-switched-from-iphone-to-android-part-2.html

Part 3
http://www.techhive.com/article/2030168/pros-and-cons-why-i-switched-from-iphone-to-android-part-3.html / Android Google Apple iOS iPhone smartphone LTE uncapped unlimited data 5GB OS operating system software hardware adjust hardware settings status bar drilling down through device menus  keyboard SwiftKey speech-to-text SIRI Galaxy S3 Swype-style typing Swyle style install predict word predictive text customise experience adding features feature cost simplicity clarity perfectly valid philosophy usually effective one larger large collaboration sharing data /

Google Reader: Why did everyone’s favorite RSS program die? What free Web service will be next?

Death of Google Reader — a wake up call?

http://www.instapaper.com/m?u=http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/technology/2013/03/google_reader_why_did_everyone_s_favorite_rss_program_die_what_free_web.html / cloud software RSS reader save data online app application /

Boeing says Dreamliner battery redesign eliminates chance of fire

Credit: Boeing/ Wired

Another way to make this safe would have been to not use the most dangerous lithium ion battery chemistry, or maybe just repackage the cells they did use.

http://www.wired.com/autopia/2013/03/boeing-787-battery-redesign/ / LiIon battery charge energy density cell package cells NiMh nickel metal hydride  chemistry Elon Musk unsafe inherently /

Samsung’s Exynos 5 Octa • Checking out the chip inside the Galaxy S (video)4

Credit: ARM/ Ars Technica

Octa: eight right?  Yes, that's what it stands for.  Eight cores?  Yes & no.  Two sets of 4 cores.  One set is high processing power & battery consumption, the other low power & battery.  Only one set of cores can be active at a time.  By fitting the appropriate set of cores to each task, net effect is high processing power when required with little negative effect on battery life.  Nice!

http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2013/03/samsungs-exynos-5-octa-checking-out-the-chip-inside-the-galaxy-s-4/ / Google Android operating system OS Bada Tizen Galaxy S III iv Note ii 2 3 4 smartphone smart phone tablet pad slate  cell mobile /

Samsung Android relationship analysis: great escape planned

Speculation about Windows Phone is pointless in an article about Samsung abandoning Android to become master of its own destiny: why would it abandon the relatively open Android OS for the more restricted Windows Phone?

http://bgr.com/2013/03/15/samsung-android-relationship-analysis-380102/#more-380102 / Google Microsoft operating system  Bada Tizen Galaxy S III iv Note ii 2 3 4 smartphone smart phone tablet pad slate  cell mobile /

Carbon app shows how Android backup should happen

Credit: IT World

You've spent a lot of time downloading, installing & configuring the apps that let you do what you bought your smartphone for.  And your photographs are irreplaceable.  There's a lot on your phone that you don't want to lose.  Carbon is backup for Android done right: 

http://www.itworld.com/mobile-wireless/336015/carbon-app-shows-how-android-backup-should-happen  Smartphones lost stolen water unexpected baths glass shatter shattering blows hard reset cold reboot wiped out reset sale troubleshooting Android backup restore system settings wallpaper installing customizing apps app restore options Google’s Google backup reinstalling settings data and with you being signed out of all of them root rooted phone restore your entire old phone from a full backup ROM Manager Titanium Backup move moving from one device to another fix a problem that was deep in the system debug Google properly re-installs the apps you actually want on your refreshed phone Log into each app /

Evolution of the smart watch: Part 2

Pebble E-Paper Watch, 2013
Credit: Pebble Technology/ Macworld Australia

http://www.macworld.com.au/features/evolution-of-the-smart-watch-part-2-87440/

Part 1 is available at:
http://www.macworld.com.au/features/evolution-of-the-smart-watch-part-1-87362/ World Network Limited Web-@nywhere Fossil FX2001 Wrist PDA Timex Ironman Data Link USB Microsoft SPOT Watches Fossil FX2008 Wrist PDA Citizen i:Virt W700 Sixth-generation iPod nano with Griffin Slap Sony SmartWatch Pebble E-Paper Watch

Samsung Galaxy S IV Live Blog: All the news as it happened • UPDATED

Credit: Samsung/ Gizmodo

All Most of the speculation is over: it's been announced:


Credit: Samsung/ Gizmodo

And the remaining speculation? 16, 32 & 64 GB versions promised. Will this be the same as the promised 32 & 64 GB versions of the S III? I.e. never to appear? (There was a rumour that they were released in South Korea.)

More at:

http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2013/03/samsung-galaxy-s-iv-live-blog-all-the-news-as-it-happens/

Samsung Galaxy S4 hands-on:

http://gigaom.com/2013/03/14/samsung-galaxy-s-4-hands-on-shows-nice-hardware-but-software-is-the-star/ 4 Android smartphone big capacitative touch screen 3G 4G HSPA LTE Cat 3 network 850 900 1900 2100 5.99 5 inch HD Super AMOLED 441 dpi ppi OS 4.2.2 Jelly Bean camera front rear 13 megapixel megapixels video audio sensor accelerometer RGB light digital compass proximity gyro gyroscope barometer IR infrared gesture temperature humidity memory 2 GB microSD micro SD battery 2600 2,600 mAh

Apple is working on an iPhone camera with optical zoom & better resolution for future iPhones & iPads

Credit: Apple/ Unwired View

Looks similar to the internal, non-protruding zoom lenses found in compacts like the Sony T1, Konica Minolta X50 & Nikon Coolpix S1 in 2005.

Even so, a real zoom lens in a smartphone would get my vote.

http://www.unwiredview.com/2013/03/14/apple-is-working-on-camera-with-optical-zoom-and-much-better-resolution-for-the-next-iphone-and-ipad/ / true optical zoom iOS iPhone and iPad digital patent application light splitter camera module with optical zoom lens /

Is it hot in here? Thermodo says “maybe so”

Credit: Robocat/ The Gadgeteer

What is the temperature?  A Thermodo! plugged into the earphone socket of your Android or iOS device, will tell you.

Thermodo is a Kickstarter project, in aluminum or black or white plastic.

http://the-gadgeteer.com/2013/03/13/is-it-hot-in-here-thermodo-says-maybe-so/

Kickstarter page:
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/robocat/thermodo-the-tiny-thermometer-for-mobile-devices?ref=category / thermometer temperature passive sensor inside outside Robocat passive temperature sensor mobile devices hot cold device works plugging external sensor headphone jack mobile device plastic models anodized aluminum model funding funded scheduled ship in August 2013 iPhone /

Nissan Leaf electric vehicle reports own battery cell failure via Carwings

Carwings is Nissan's system to allow owners to communicate remotely with the Leaf electric vehicle (EV).  Facilities include state of charge check, plugged/unplugged status, start/stop charging & location of  charge stations.  It is similar to GM's Onstar for the Volt.

Apps are available for Android, iPhone & Blackberry, or it can be accessed from a browser on a computer.

More recently it has become apparent that it can be used by Nissan to check on the status of components of the car, including individual cells in the battery.

At least some of these functions require user permission, similar to the permission smart phone manufacturers require before monitoring use of your smart phone.  A difference is that while the data collected from your phone can be "anonymised", i.e. only data which  can't be associated with you personally, is collected.  In the case of a failing battery pack cell, anonymised data is useless.

Benefits of Carwings monitoring is obvious in this instance, & user permission is required.  How would you feel about enabling it in your  vehicle?

http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1082848_nissan-leaf-electric-car-reports-own-battery-cell-failure-via-carwings / EV electric vehicle LiIon lithium ion battery charge recharge range General Motors Chevrolet iOS warranty warrantee collect database fuel consumption energy electricity kWh kilowatt hour plug in monitor privacy tracking analysis /

Solar powered flight • Its moment in the sun

Credit: Solar Impulse/ Jacques-HenriAdd/ The Economist

Round the world solar powered flight.

http://www.economist.com/news/science-and-technology/21572731-attempt-fly-around-world-solar-powered-plane-its-moment-sun     / LiIon lithium ion battery solar powered solar-powered aircraft Silicon Valley 747 cargo jet flight tests experimental prototype project Solar Impulse aircraft circumnavigating globe power Sun test flights prototype base airfield Payerne Switzerland Solar Impulse critical safety check main wing spar backbone aeroplane broke failed during structural tests Bertrand Piccard co-piloted Orbiter 3 first balloon to circumnavigate the globe André Borschbergline of adventurers  August first to fly a balloon into the stratosphere Jacques record depths deep sea deep-sea submersible suitable weather operating experience development technologies develop Solar Challenger flew across the English Channel 1981 built by the late Paul MacCready American aeronautical engineer 14.3 metre wing  photovoltaic cells two electric motors single propeller fly through the night circumnavigate globe non-stop for five-to-six days plan take off easterly direction  land continent Tropic of Cancer long flights across oceans cruise at just 70kph 43mph ultimate range exercise lie down autopilot system ground crew sleep deprivation take taking off in the early morning 10,000 metres above stormclouds altitude oxygen supply night descend descends land landing early evening winds light meteorologists meteorologist weather models /

Instabridge invites friends to join your Wi-Fi, no password necessary (video)

Not only your home WiFi, but any network you sign into using your Android device.  And you can delete users any time you chose.  Much better than a password written on a piece or paper!  Even if you enter a password into your friend's phone yourself, you still need hands on access to their phone to remove the password.

Android only for now.

http://lifehacker.com/5990203/instabridge-logs-your-friends-into-your-wi%20fi-no-password-necessary?utm_campaign=socialflow_lifehacker_twitter&utm_source=lifehacker_twitter&utm_medium=socialflow     / Android friend's house join their Wi-Fi network illegible password scribbled sheet of paper Instabridge solves solve problem phones phone instantly log situation Instabridge elegant solution connected network you can invite any of your friends to join the network without having to locate and type in the password. If you decide you don't want them on your network access remove. Obviously, you should only do this with people you trust, lest you open your Wi-Fi to the entire world. Check out their security info for more on how Instabridge workstation app only works on Android now, but the site hints at other platforms in the works, so keep an eye out. In the meantime, download it now at the link below to try it out. /

Manufacturers getting creative with electric vehicle marketing

Production version of the BMW i3 electric
Credit: BMW/ MIT Technology Review

Car makers are very much feeling their way with EV marketing.  Renault & Better Place are leasing batteries.  GM is going with the on board, petrol (gasoline) powered, range extender in the Volt.

Tesla has had a long term, progressive plan:

• Roadster — expensive, niche market, high performance 2 seater which dealt with range issues with a very big, very expensive battery.

• Model S — less expensive, high performance, 5/7 seater. Solved the passenger space problem inherent in the Roadster.  Niche market only by virtue of (somewhat reduced) expense.

• Model X — no production examples yet, although a prototype has been displayed. Appears to be a Model S in crossover configuration.

• Mass market vehicle — no sign of this yet, apart from infrequent throw away lines.  Presumably will take advantage of falling cost & improving performance of battery technology to bring the Tesla range solution to the mass market.  To a degree, this is what happened between the Roadster & Model S — more practical, similar range & performance at lower cost.

We all know there is considerable doubt that any manufacturer is making a profit from EVs.

With the i3 electric, BMW is getting creative:

• one tactic is to lend EV buyers an internal combustion engine powered vehicle for longer trips
http://www.technologyreview.com/news/511906/bmws-solution-to-limited-electric-vehicle-range-a-gas-powered-loaner/

• another tactic is a variant with a petrol powered range extender
http://hhg2tech.blogspot.com.au/2013/01/bmw-i3-electric-car-motorcycle-size.html     / EV electric vehicle ICE internal combustion engine battery range cost expense range anxiety extend extended LiIon lithium ion economics market internal combustion engine ICE /

Best touch screen styli • Top picks

Credit: Digital Trends

My take: Wacom Bamboo Stylus is the best because of its small tip size with no loss of sensitivity.  Replaceable rubber stylus tip is a plus too.  It's the one I use very day.  For a few dollars more, the Bamboo Stylus Duo, with a ballpoint pen under the removable pen-clip cap saves carrying two writing instruments.

Agree too, that Adonit Jot Pro is best for fine work, though sensitivity is not as good as the Wacom.

http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/best-ipad-stylus/     / Wacom Bamboo Stylus Solo Duo Studio Neat Cosmonaut Appledea Maglus Lynktek TruGlide Sensu Brush Hand Stylus Spigen SGP Kuel H10 iPad iOS Android pad tablet slate capacitative touch screen /

Meet the "Corporate Enemies of the Internet" for 2013

Unfortunately, there's a steady stream of people & organizations that will do anything for a buck.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-57573707-38/meet-the-corporate-enemies-of-the-internet-for-2013/     / national governments purchase purchasing surveillance devices manufactured small number corporate suppliers using them to control dissidents spy journalists violate human rights advocacy group Reporters Without Borders warns new report released 2013 report names five private-sector companies Corporate Enemies of the Internet digital mercenaries sell surveillance censorship technology authoritarian regimes company companies products spy on journalists dissidents netizens U.K. Gamma Group Germany Trovicor Italy HackingTeam, France Amesys Blue Coat Systems Sunnyvale, Calif. California USA security surveillance technology Paris advocacy group nations most repressive Internet censorship worst governments list Syria China Iran Bahrain Vietnam five nations surveillance citizens WikiLeaks international surveillance-industrial complex surveillance industrial big business companies restricted access restricted-access conferences spy technologies technology most popular conference government governments most avid buyers surveillance software equipment Amesys French technology firm Bull SA,m eavesdropping on one person full country traffic monitoring automatic translation mapping real-world social networks one-stop shop for nationwide monitoring GSM mobile cell phone communications satellite signals Internet communications phone calls tout touts sensors analyzing probes former East German secret police centralized intelligence system information Moammar Gadhafi secret police  technology monitor Internet traffic Libya Wall Street Journal reported sell hardware software targeted wholesale surveillance break encryption monitor encrypted files emails PGP Skype VoIP voice over IP chat communication identification target's location relationships remotely activate microphones cameras computer works worldwide Reporters Sans Frontières RSF comment response /

Comic books with soundtracks?

Hindsight is 20-20 so this seems obvious now.  The hardware is sitting there waiting to be used in phone or tablet.

Almost as obvious is animation.  How far this can go before comic books disappear as a separate genre & become video is another question. 

http://www.Centives.net/S/2013/comic-books-with-soundtracks/     / Marvel dynamic soundtracks turn page don’t loop dependent context doing adapt to you rather than you being add emotional content resonance comics movies background score enhance experience writers suggest a colour color palette write script recommending musical cues two track tracks Project Gamma soundtracks music comics adaptive audio score musical elements sound effects turn panel page dynamically, instead of looping the audio mid-bar next bar sounds really smooth go backwards through panels audio is rolled back two mix types panel viewing full-page version issue launch launching /

After leaving users exposed, Apple fully HTTPS-protects iOS App Store (video)

Apple pushes the idea that they tightly manage devices & control what software the user can install in the interest of security.  Then they overlook something as simple & fundamental as this!

http://arstechnica.com/security/2013/03/after-leaving-users-exposed-apple-finally-https-protects-ios-app-store/     / password attack Apple didn't fully encrypt traffic between App Store end users iOS customers open to attack because engineers failed implement standard technology encrypt encrypted encrypts traffic between handsets App Store HTTPS encrypted communications prevent attackers from intercepting manipulating sensitive traffic sent online banks merchants native iOS app connects Apple's App Store fully deployed the protection Elie Bursztein Google researcher discovered security hole blog post reported various iOS flaws Apple's security post gave no indication that the iOS app had ever fully used HTTPS significant omission has been present for years Apple doesn't comment on security matters impossible for Ars confirm precise timeline level protection readers know HTTPS basic security measure almost as old as the Web ensures that traffic traveling between end-user webserver encrypted prevent prevents connection between the two endpoints from listening in. HTTPS cryptographic assurance server answering calls itunes.apple.com truly impostor Google Facebook Twitter end to end end-to-end HTTPS harder attackers exploits bypass customers using iOS app unnecessary risk iPhone iPad download an app unsecured Wi-Fi connection attackers connected same network freely available tools social-engineering trick retrieve passwords log-in credentials fake App Stores issue fake apps upgrades Apple legit legitimate fix fixing vulnerabilities iOS App Store fake upgrade attack Paul Ducklin, a researcher at antivirus provider Sophos, has more here on why HTTPS protection for the App Store is crucial /

The dazzling glory of San Francisco’s 25,000 LEDs (video)

Credit: Ars Technica

The San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge has been transformed into a massive public art project & will continue for the next 2 years from dusk to 2 am.

http://arstechnica.com/business/2013/03/the-dazzling-glory-of-san-franciscos-25000-leds-now-on-video/     / San Francisco evening 1.8 mile western span two-year-long public art project The Bay Lights northern side bridge section between San Francisco neighboring Treasure Island display a dazzling array 25,000 LEDs LED animated patterns strung vertically twisted steel cables individually addressable over Ethernet copper wire fiber optic network strung filtered 528 custom versions Philips power data supply boxes organizers project constant stream of approximately 32Mbps data flowing across that network control the entire constellation of lights artist Leo Villareal project motion laptop during event local Ferry Building custom-built software press conference Bay Lights debut Mayor Ed Lee  tourism lights big art expensive inexpensive cheap $8 million private donations budgeted display de-installation Silicon Valley Google Gmail electricity bill energy efficient one draws a single watt boxes data cables power lights /

Google’s impossible plan to fix our broken world

http://www.salon.com/2013/02/19/googles_impossible_plan_to_fix_our_broken_world/?utm_source=scribol.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=scribol.com     / self-driving cars better shopping experience mend our messy human imperfections fireside chat Singapore Google chief financial officer Patrick Pichette wants to fix it Australia interviewer engineering company computer scientists many opportunities to actually solve problems kabbalistic Jewish mystics religion humanity purpose earth repair fix damage primeval sundering teaching creation inseparable shattering of vessels containing divine light proper observation of Jewish ritual would raise holy sparks out of the hands of the forces of evil and restore it to the upper world social mandate for socially responsible activism. healthcare reform self-driving cars traffic jams searching online want to buy find it search /

Android malware accounted for 79% of all mobile threats in 2012

Credit: F-Secure/ Boy Genius Report

http://bgr.com/2013/03/07/android-malware-2012-362787/?utm_source=hubs-footer&utm_medium=home / malware virus worm Trojan study Google’s GOOG mobile operating system OS targeted hack hacking hackers platform security firm F-Secure Apple AAPL iOS iPhone iPad iPod platform on the untouched smartphone buyers threats emerging markets majority mobile users cautious suspicious text messages links emails graph threats variant /

Honda upgrades rare earth metals recycling from used nickel-metal hydride car batteries

Credit: Honda/ Legit Reviews

http://www.torquenews.com/1075/honda-upgrades-rare-earth-metals-recycling-used-nickel-metal-hybrid-car-batteries / hybrid EV battery NiMh nickel metal hydride charge Insight regen regenerative braking brakes recycle green China geopolitical /

The most important difference between Facebook & Google

This probably explains the privacy failures at Facebook.  "Move fast and break things," & "ship early and ship often," aren't good enough if an organization is interested in user privacy or security.

http://investing.covestor.com/2013/01/the-most-important-difference-between-facebook-and-google?aff=TAB&utm_source=TAB&utm_medium=taboola&utm_campaign=content / corporate culprit highly innovative profitable Silicon Valley Internet companies obtains information communicates communicate company Edmond Lau search quality engineer Quora company-wide organizational operational attributes  organizational philosophy dominant cultural response enough testing translates operational differences engineering higher iteration speeds  culturally ingrained culture higher quality code more test coverage ship shipping later less frequently place more bets validate more ideas /

Mobile computing is just getting started

'Mobile computers [smartphones & tablets] are spreading faster than any other consumer technology in history. In the United States, smartphones have even begun reaching the group of relative technophobes that consumer researchers call the “late majority.” About half of mobile-phone users now have one.'

http://www.technologyreview.com/news/511766/mobile-computing-is-just-getting-started/     / PDAs PDA touch screen iOS Android iPhone iPad tablet slate galaxy nexus mobile cell mobile data plan wireless carriers make money $1.3 trillion in revenue device makers Google Microsoft Apple profit company market markets network products personal computing phone value average wholesale price analysts market saturation prices revenue from all mobile handset sales has doubled apps services mobile computing advertising opportunities Facebook monthly audience Glass user interface /

Spigen GLAS.tR tempered glass screen protector for the iPhone 5 review (video)

Credit: Spigen/ The Gadgeteer

Also available for: Xperia Z, Galaxy S3, Galaxy Note 2, Nexus 4, Nexus 7, Nexus 10, Kindle Fire HD, iPad Mini & 2/3/4 & iPod.

http://the-gadgeteer.com/2013/03/09/spigen-glas-tr-tempered-glass-screen-protector-for-the-iphone-5-review/#more-124790     / PDAs screen protectors protector pieces of thin plastic adhesive one side specially engineered multi-layered layered films film applied with liquid protect smartphone Gorilla Glass screen engineers oleophobic coated, chemically treated hardened glass tempered strong hard protection microfiber cloth alcohol swab squeegee jelly bean jellybean button recess rounded tempered tapered edge cracking clean dust grime oil silicone adhesive plastic film crystal clear film touch screen sensitivity /

How we realized putting radium in everything was not the answer

Credit: Science Museum of Minnesota/ Science Buzz/ The Atlantic

And there was the inventer of the, Radiendocrinator, a radium filled device, designed to be worn, "like any athletic strap". Not surprisingly, it's inventor, marketer, & most prominent user, later died of bladder cancer.

Lots of broken promises.  In the 50s the nuclear industry was promising, "electricity too cheap to meter".

All along, one of the promises has been, if not health benefits, at least safety.  Try telling that to the people at Three Mile Island, Windscale (aka Sellafield), Chernobyl & Fukushima.

http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2013/03/how-we-realized-putting-radium-in-everything-was-not-the-answer/273780/     / butter health healthy healthier United States Radium Corporation numbers hands clock watch faces face military instrument panels work great detail girls women girl woman point small brush head lips ingesting Radium Girls die dead death glowing element panacea stomach bladder cancer carcinogenic carcinogen luminous metal lipstick chocolate tonic  chicken feed eggs researchers investigated deaths aplastic anemia poisoning female painters filed lawsuit Radium Girls very public trial hospital legal expenses documentary Radium City Radium Dial Company Geiger counter corpses are still radioactive bodies lead-lined coffin /

Samsung Galaxy S IV will let you scroll websites with your eyes

This article talks about the hardware required.  My guess is that the front camera will be up to the task, with some clever software.  Size of the image of the eye won't be a problem, because, although the front camera is only 2 megapixels, when the screen is being read, it's always within arms length. 

http://www.dvice.com/2013-3-4/samsung-galaxy-s-iv-will-let-you-scroll-websites-your-eyes / New York City smartphone specifications features employee eye tracking software source track  user’s eyes user scroll anonymity not authorized speak news media read articles reach bottom of the page software automatically scroll down reveal next paragraphs text company possible supplier Tobii smartphones 4.99-inch display 1920x 1080 resolution eight-core Samsung-built Exynos processor 2GB RAM 13-megapixel camera LED flash 1080p HD video recording two-megapixel front camera Android 4.2 Jelly Bean /

Belt Buckle Wallet

Credit: Belt Buckle Wallet/ The Gadgeteer

A wallet in your back pocket can be uncomfortable, even painful when sitting on it for hours as when driving.  Can even cause back problems.  And it can be an invitation to pickpockets as well.

So you put it in a front pocket where it can be almost as uncomfortable, & competes for space with your phone.

Or, use your belt buckle as your wallet:

http://the-gadgeteer.com/2013/03/07/smart-belt-buckle-belt-buckle-wallet/     / credit card cash receipt skinnier the better carry a thick stack of credit cards cash back pocket uncomfortable sit on can even cause back problems money clips carry just the essentials less pocket bulk sport sports Smart Belt Buckle pockets empty wallet around your waist stainless steel Smart Belt Bucklefits most men’s belts slot secure securely hold several credit cards ID folded cash /

3D-printed Urbee 2 hybrid car is light, strong, & nearing production (video)

Credit: Jim Kor/ Urbee Project/ Inhabitat

The, "diesel engine that can potentially be run on ethanol", is a bit of a puzzle.  Ethanol has a very high octane rating.  Diesel fuel has a very low octane rating, so that it can be ignited without the need for a spark, by compression alone.  Perhaps the idea is a buyer option of either an ethanol or diesel engine.

http://inhabitat.com/the-urbee-2-a-3d-printed-hybrid-car-that-is-light-strong-and-nearing-production/     / Hybrid electric motor EV electric vehicle battery LiIon lithium ion range diesel ethanol alcohol fuel charge recharge urban transportation mobility runabout /

3D-printed dress with 3,000 movable joints was designed on iPad (video)

Your body is 3 dimensional, but your clothes are (probably) made from 2 dimensional cloth. Much clothing around the world is assembled under sweat-shop conditions. 3D printed clothing requires little or no assembly.



http://n-e-r-v-o-u-s.com/projects/sets/kinematics-dress/

This item has been reconstructed with links to more recent material, after the original links were broken.     / reports 3D-printed 3D printed printer dress Freedom of Creation 2006 iPad over 13,000 Swarovski crystals burlesque dancer Dita Von Teese fit your body squeeze collaboration designer Michael Schmidt architect Francis Bitonti Fibonacci sequence 3D printing service Shapeways printed out meshed gown seventeen pieces assembled assemble clothing better fit fitting fits comfort allow new patterns designer Duann Scott Traditionally garments weave stitch introduce something completely different grow designs centuries old technology fashion clothing textiles shoe watches hats glasses MakerBots /

Record company royalty dispute: Apple wants to pay half Pandora rates

How to get rich: buy low, sell high.

http://bgr.com/2013/03/07/apple-record-company-royalty-dispute-363012/     / AAPL world’s most valuable tech company paying other companies company premiums products and services The New York Post reports hard bargaining hard-bargaining approach recording industry wants to pay record labels just $0.06 per 100 songs users stream yet to be announced yet-to-be-announced music-streaming service music streaming perspective on just how cheap this is that Pandora pays double this rate at $0.12 per 100 songs Spotify pays around $0.35 per 100 songs  enormous clout of Apple could tap a whole new revenue stream its own music service it would be surprising if the record companies in the end agreed to accept half of what the current lowest payer on the market is offering opening ambit tactical bid negotiation trade /

Insect wings shred bacteria on contact (video)

This holds the promise of synthetic versions in mass produced materials for sterile bench tops & other surfaces. Wallpaper?  Paint?

http://www.nature.com/news/insect-wings-shred-bacteria-to-pieces-1.12533  / antibacterial chemical substance kill kills bacteria soap Cicadas cicada soap insect household cleaning products structure of their wings wing electron microscope tiny nanopillars spikes blunt bacterium contact wing surface stick sticks bacterial membrane sags spaces between pillars rupture kill killing replicate wing structure synthetic materials mass produce mass-producible antibacterial surface like on public transportation  bathrooms restaurants wallpaper these places cicada-wing nanomaterials that kill bacteria on contact chemical cleaning agents, and surfaces will stay bacteria-free permanently antiseptic /

The case for drinking as much coffee as you like

Coffee has had a lot of bad press over the years & caffeine definitely makes it hard for most people to sleep.  On the other hand, it appears to have no no such effect on some people.

Most recently, however, studies show that coffee has a number of positive health effects.

http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2012/11/the-case-for-drinking-as-much-coffee-as-you-like/265693/     / diabetes high blood pressure hypertension sugar cream calories /

Elon Musk: "You have enough electricity to power all the cars in the country if you stop refining gasoline"

Elon Musk in Chris Paine's Revenge of the Electric Car
Credit: Chris Paine/ Revenge of the Electric Car/ Business Insider

"You take an average of 5 kilowatt hours to refine [one gallon of] gasoline, something like the Model S can go 20 miles on 5 kilowatt hours."

http://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-and-chris-paine-explain-how-the-electric-car-got-its-revenge-2011-10

And obviously, an electric vehicle gets cleaner the further it is driven, while a fossil fuel vehicle just keeps getting dirtier. / EV electric vehicle battery LiIon lithium ion charge recharge internal combustion engine ICE refinery energy petroleum transport pump drill explore exploration refine charging stations parking meter Denmark retrofitting parking meters adding electric chargers advantage circuit meter /

Google Glass is "the end of privacy": Australian politician

Credit: Google/ phoneArena.com

Not all Australians are this stupid, honest!

Not even our politicians.

http://www.zdnet.com/au/google-glass-is-the-end-of-privacy-australian-politician-7000012222/     / Google Glass Liberal Senator Opposition federal senator South Australia Cory Bernardi claimed Google's smartphone glasses Google Glass end of privacy everything filmed and trackable last year resigned resign resignation Opposition Leader Tony Abbott personal parliamentary secretary comments compare comparing same-sex marriage bestiality Common Sense blog serious concerns surveillance capability experimental Google Glass GG technology ability record video audio click capture the moment all day every day automatically government coalition /

Amazing GIF art (animation)

Credit: dvdp/ Dvice

http://www.dvice.com/2013-3-5/hypnotizing-gif-art-will-have-you-questioning-reality     / gif animation motion /

Would you like to buy a tank of petrol (gasoline) for $2.50? (video)

Recently, Holden (GM in Australia) gave some owners of internal combustion engine cars a taste of what it's like to own a Volt.

http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1082693_would-you-like-to-buy-a-tank-of-gas-for-2-50-video / EV electric vehicle ICE internal combustion engine gas charge recharge service station range battery LiIon lithium ion service station /

5 ways to help find your lost Android device

Credit: Google/ Where's My Droid

iOS users have the excellent Find iPhone, but what about Android?  Well, there's Where's My Droid plus a few other things you can do to help if your device is lost or stolen.

http://howto.cnet.com/8301-11310_39-20095637-285/5-ways-to-help-find-your-lost-android-device/

Get Where's My Droid here:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.alienmanfc6.wheresmyandroid&hl=en     / think ahead plan misplacing misplace lose lost stolen steal thief theft great apps app application help track it down installed went missing Contact Owner message telling them how to get in touch with you settings text SMS GPS antivirus package anti-virus tracking AVG AntiVirus lock down remotely find using Google Maps Lookout Security & Antivirus Web tracking secure find security Lookout Plan B /

Life with 2013 Tesla Model S: Getting Supercharged in winter

Credit: Tesla/ Green Car Reports

Another take on the Tesla/ New York Times range controversy.  Apparently, Elon Musk has conceded that Supercharger stations need to be 140 miles (225 km) apart, rather than 200 (321 km).

http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1082664_life-with-2013-tesla-model-s-getting-supercharged-in-winter     / Supercharger fast-charging system electric cars vehicle EV ultrafast 90-kilowatt DC fast-charging stations Interstate highways across cross country 150 miles extra range 30 minutes free no charge Tesla Motors TSLA installed five Superchargers California I-95 between Boston Washington D.C. long cross-country trips internal combustion engine ICE petrol gas gasoline  I-95 in Milford Connecticut charge rated range readout John Broder The New York Times /

Jailed hacker, allowed into IT class, hacks prison computers

This one came to light when embarrassed prison authorities, looking for someone to blame, fired the teacher & he sued for unfair dismissal.  :)

http://news.cnet.com/8301-17852_3-57572282-71/jailed-hacker-allowed-into-it-class-hacks-prison-computers/     / hack hacked cyber criminal cybercriminal Nicholas Webber IT class gaol jail serving five years Web site GhostMarket creating computer viruses stolen IDs private credit card data personal information fraud theft IT class mischief Daily Mail computer system Her Majesty's Prison Isis South London English prisons teacher running class suing the college  unfair dismissal Michael Fox Kensington Chelsea College /

iFixit finds Surface Pro repairability to be the worst, iPad a close second

Dell XPS 1 best.  Nexus 7, & Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 did well too.

http://bgr.com/2013/03/01/surface-pro-repairability-355164/     / Adhesive glue open case labelled cables colour color coded screws repairability score slate /

Volvo's permanent high beams keep other drivers in the shade (slideshow)

Credit: Volvo/ Gizmag

Rather than dimming your headlights, why not cast a shadow to protect the drivers of oncoming cars?  That's what Volvo's new headlights do!

Works for cars you are following too.

One question though: what does the system do when there are many sources of light, as in a city? Perhaps a default shadow similar to a conventional low beam.

http://www.gizmag.com/volvo-active-high-beam-control/26445/     / dazzle dazzled car high beams dip headlamps potentially dangerous Geneva Motor Show Volvo Active High Beam Control mechanical system headlamps actively selectively shields oncoming cars being followed lights high beams continually dazzling suddenly darkened road illuminate road everywhere car approaching opposite direction approached behind see sides road confidently stay in control camera already installed rear-view mirror car detection auto braking system camera detects other car calculates area shaded 1.5-degree margin Active Beam Control system activates tiny cylinder different sized metal pieces shade selected area proper degree renewed Active High Beam Control technology enhance visibility Prof. Lotta Jakobsson, Senior Technical Specialist Safety at Volvo Cars Safety Centre /

Evernote resets user passwords after being hit by “coordinated” hack

Yes, Evernote's system has been hacked. No, there is no evidence that any data you may have stored with them has been compromised. Your passsword is protected by one way encryption, so the password reset is precautionary only.

http://arstechnica.com/security/2013/03/evernote-resets-all-user-passwords-after-coordinated-breach-attempt/     / 50 million users reset login credentials site's site security team detected security breach exposed password data other personal information security notice published Evernote precautionary password reset investigation evidence stored content being accessed changed lost breach breached advisory payment information accessed user information usernames cryptographically protected passwords e-mail addresses  accessed passwords stored protected one-way encryption technical terms hashed salted digital break-in technique more time-consuming to crack security team time breach passwords password weak weaker crackers crack cracking strong stronger precaution necessary precaution reset account sign signing in automated prompt site release releasing updates application applications app apps password change process /

FlipKase Keyboard Folio case for iPad (video)

Credit: Jeff Erdfarb/ The Gadgeteer


Credit: Jeff Erdfarb/ Kickstarter

There's a problem with typing on an iPad: no real keyboard.  Plus small on screen keyboard.  Plus when the on screen keyboard is displayed, very little of the screen is left for the text being typed.

Cases with  built in keyboards are available, but they have smaller than standard keys & often non-standard key placement.

So I bought an Apple Bluetooth keyboard.  Hardly seen any use.  My preferred use of the iPad is on my lap.   Bluetooth keyboard doesn't work for me in this application.

But a solution may be at hand.  This Kickstarter project is a case which holds an iPad & Apple Bluetooth keyboard like a laptop.

See what you think:

http://the-gadgeteer.com/2013/03/01/flipkase-keyboard-folio-case-for-ipad/

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/401868602/flipkase-keyboard-folio-pro-case-for-apple-keyboar-0?ref=live     / iOS Apple Bluetooth keyboard full size /

Afraid you'd forget to charge an electric vehicle (or your phone)? (video)

Some people are resistant to owning an electric vehicle because they think they'll forget to charge it overnight & not be able to get to work the next day.  In my experience they are the same people who can't remember to charge a mobile (cell) phone.

One solution is inductive charging.  This is a pad on/in/beneath the surface the car drives over.  With an inductive charging pad on the floor of the garage, park the car as normal — the pad on the floor & a matching one on the bottom of the vehicle recognize one another & charging begins.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b71wC4z8its&feature=youtube_gdata_player

As indicated in the video, inductive charging would be excellent in public charging facilities.  Late for a meeting, or raining?  No problem, just park & forget.  When you come back your car will be charged.

How does inductive charging work?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Wf7aadxBkE&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Frequently forget to charge your phone?  Get a second battery & external charger.  One morning you discover that your phone is flat.  Swap batteries, put the flat one on the charger.  "Instant" recharge & there'll be another charged battery for tomorrow too.  A spare charger (or just a cable to plug into a USB port) at work can help as well.

E Ink Android phone lasts a week per charge, debuted at MWC 2013

Credit: E Ink/ BGR

Your smartphone has a big, bright, colourful display.  It looks great!

Problem: It consumes lots of power.  And it's almost impossible to read in direct sunlight.

Solution: An E Ink display consumes power only when the displayed image changes & it looks great in sunlight.

But, are you ready to give up all those colours?

http://bgr.com/2013/02/28/e-ink-android-phone-mwc-350263/#more-350263     / Mobile World Congress color colors colorful black-and-white black and white touch screen battery life power energy touch screen /

Interview with Elon Musk on Tesla Model S performance in cold weather

What happens to electric range in sub-zero temperatures?  Elon Musk says it drops around 10%, but that's mainly due to battery power being used to heat the passenger compartment for the comfort of passengers.

Hint: turn down the space heating, turn up the seat heating & wear driving gloves.  You'll be just as comfortable for a fraction of the energy consumption.

http://cleantechnica.com/2013/03/01/interview-with-elon-musk-on-tesla-model-s-performance-in-cold-weather/     / motors electric vehicle EV battery LiIon lithium ion range charge recharge New York Times road test tester pack warm heat temperature start driving liquid thermal loop transfers heat motor gearbox inverter battery pack not much incremental energy close radiator louvers lowering drag valve radiators liquid loop doesn’t reject energy to the environment ultracapacitor buffer motor gearbox inverter performance energy density /

Remote trigger for you DSLR

Credit: Satechi/ The Gadgeteer

$44.99 — that's a lot less than Canon or Nikon will charge you for a single purpose device with the same or less functionality.

A bargain!

Downside: iOS, only. Bluetooth 4.0 means less battery consumption, but iPhone 4S, or later, required.

http://the-gadgeteer.com/2013/02/28/the-satechi-bluetooth-smart-trigger-and-an-ios-app-gives-you-expanded-control-over-your-dslr-camera/     / remote release shutter timed exposure  trigger bulb Bluetooth 4.0 technology pair iPhone 4S 5 or iPad 3 4 mini iOS app free wireless wirelessly lock timed timer delay battery life /