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 /