Apple's completely redesigned Mac Pro 2013

Credit: Apple/ Digital Arts

Is it a garbage bin?  A barrel vacuum cleaner?  Part of an air conditioner?  No, it's the new Mac Pro workstation.

Why a cylinder?  Well, it's tiny (25cm tall, 16cm diameter), so it's probably for cooling ...  or ... this is Apple we're talking about, maybe it's just for style.

http://www.digitalartsonline.co.uk/news/creative-hardware/apple-launches-2013s-mac-pro-completely-redesigned-inside-out/ / bin-shaped bin shaped new Mac Pro incredibly powerful set components wrapped around innovative cooling system Apple taken wrapper completely redesigned Mac Pro workstation one eighth 8 eight  size of previous model design compared  bin dusty bin Daft Punk helmet something Dyson would create air-conditioning unit comparison more accurate design new Mac Pro getting airflow through top of the range top-of-the-range components tiny in size Mac Pro main rival’s flagship desktop workstations Dell Precision T7600 HP Z820 Lenovo ThinkStation D30 arranged components around a central wind tunnel single big fan engineer engineering engineered design designed everything cool keep keeping noise minimum full chassis measures 25cm tall 16cm diameter top flight workstation 2013 Mac Pro single Intel Xeon processor Intel’s Ivy Bridge workstation-class workstation class processors which offer up to 12 cores Intel announced April release released releasing Q3 2013 July to September Apple ship shipped shipping later this year fit timeframe dual eight-core chips total 16 cores upgrade upgraded two 12-core Xeon processors 12 core total of 24 size cooling system Mac Pro prevent two processors creative applications Apple RAM the 2013 Mac Pro support 1,866MHz ECC RAM fast faster speed memory 1,600MHz feature features PCIe flash storage data transfer rate 1,250MBps 2.5x 2.5 times fast faster fastest SATA-based SATA flash storage 10 10x faster 7,200rpm SATA drive very expensive small capacity external drive projects project graphics dual graphics chips AMD AMD’s FirePro range. card cards includede quoted specs specification specification chips AMD’s top-of-the-line FirePro W9000 graphics card feature 6GB of graphics RAM ECC RAM 384-bit memory interface 264GBps memory bandwidth VFX editing work full-res 4K video output three 4K displays at once PC based PC-based FirePro W9000 display ports DisplayPorts six Thunderbolt 2 ports can be used as mini-DisplayPort outputs output monitors adapter Apple’s MacBook Pro iMac HDMI output back four USB 3.0 ports two gigabit ethernet port 20GBps gigabits per second data transfer attach devices device PCI array arrays external RAID storage devices Apple says that the all-black exterior lights ports when rotate 801.11ac wireless Bluetooth 4.0. review /

iTunes cards redeemable with camera in iOS 7 (video)

Credit: Gift Cards On Sale/ Apple

http://www.giftcardsonsale.com.au/2013/06/redeem-itunes-gift-cards-with-your-iphone-camera-in-ios-7/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+giftcardsonsale+%28Gift+cards+on+sale%21%29

It's been possible using your Mac's webcam since November 2012:

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5556

Check out the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7KXr3tKGDg&feature=youtube_gdata_player / post news Gift Cards on Sale deals deal  article AppleFanSite share sharing manually voucher codes redeem iTunes iTunes cards on sale credit account App Store iOS 7 redeem gift card photo photograph camera photo code Apple updating design back  gift cards support available Australia code box  supported pic picture image facetime smartphone smart phone iPhone iPod iPad /

Google acquires Waze

Waze, community based traffic & navigation app has been taken over by Google:

'We’ve all been there: stuck in traffic, frustrated that you chose the wrong route on the drive to work. But imagine if you could see real-time traffic updates from friends and fellow travelers ahead of you, calling out “fender bender ... totally stuck in left lane!” and showing faster routes that others are taking.'

'To help you outsmart traffic, today we’re excited to announce we’ve closed the acquisition of Waze. This fast-growing community of traffic-obsessed drivers is working together to find the best routes from home to work, every day.' — Brian McClendon, Vice President, Geo, on the Google Official Blog

http://googleblog.blogspot.it/2013/06/google-maps-and-waze-outsmarting.html

http://www.waze.com/ / Waze product development team remain Israel operate separately for now enhancing Google Maps traffic update features enhancing enhance Waze Google’s search capabilities work closely vibrant Waze community app grow and prosper crowd sourced crowd sourced source community dedicated team source timely road corrections updates welcome Google work working ongoing effort comprehensive accurate useful map world navigation GPS global positioning system map maps explore /

What goes into a Tesla Model S battery — & what it costs

Credit: Tesla/ Green Car Reports

Tesla's share price has recently risen substantially.  Obviously, this is predicated on future sales.  To date, Tesla has released for sale two electric vehicles which are priced outside the reach of most drivers, limiting the market.

On the other hand, this is consistent with Tesla's long declared plan for electric vehicle marketing:
• high performance sports car (Roadster)
• luxury sports sedan (Model S)
• mass market car ("no later than 2017")

All of the above depends on Tesla being able to take advantage of the falling price of lithium ion batteries.  This effect is demonstrated in the reduction in price, with improvement in practicality, from the Roadster to the Model S.

Recently this was questioned in a Barron's article.  Apparently Barron's used the difference between retail prices of two different capacity Tesla battery packs.  This appears to ignore the fact that retail prices include a markup.

Something else the Barron's article ignores is that while other manufacturers use custom cells, Tesla use mass market 18650 cells, which are available at a much lower price per kilo-Watt-hour (kWh).

http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1084682_what-goes-into-a-tesla-model-s-battery--and-what-it-may-cost 

Business Spectator:

http://www.businessspectator.com.au/news/2013/6/12/cleantech/tesla-shares-face-drain-pricey-batteries-barrons?utm_source=exact&utm_medium=email&utm_content=317257&utm_campaign=cs_daily&modapt= 

Barron's:

http://online.barrons.com/article/SB50001424052748703578204578523303280053948.html?mod=BOL_hpp_cover#articleTabs_article=1 / recent interview Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk hung up reporter interview interviewing interest article debates obvious point dramatic reduction battery cost understand business apologies apologise apologize apologizing end ending interview story argued share stock price overvalued lithium-ion cells lithium ion LiIon power Tesla electric vehicles vehicle EV cost a great deal.   spend $400 per kilowatt-hour build battery pack Model S electric luxury sport sedan electricity charge recharge figure widely cited journalists write about Tesla The New York Times $10,000 market test contacted wholesaler offered purchase small number 18650 cell battery batteries pack packs pack company offered offer sell price roughly $350 per kWh including attached circuit boards group battery cells larger assemblies retail unattached much lower much less competing automakers paying automaker specialized large format Li-Ion battery pack thousands inexpensive commodity laptops automotive produced billions subject fierce competitive pressures signature characteristic computer consumer electronics industries industry including overhead pack enclosure connections between cells modules module sensors sensor circuitry lower pack costs cost other maker plug in plug-in electric cars redesign redesigned relatively simple cell less complex much lower manufacturing cost removing expensive safety systems built into each individual cell laptop battery safety mechanisms prevent fires large electronically controlled electronically-controlled, liquid-cooled liquid cooled battery pack safety features cell redundant heated cell design eliminates relatively complicated battery cap commercial cell replaces simple aluminum disk Panasonic investor /

Immerse yourself in gaming & exercise with the Omni

Credit: Virtuix/ Kickstarter

Full on virtual reality (including natural use of your feet) for video games.  It's a Kickstarter project, fully funded to over $740,000 in only a few days.  As of this writing, you can still get on board for $429.

Is it just an expensive toy?  No.  Sitting for long periods of time can be a threat to your health.  There have been (rare) fatalities among gamers.  Omni accepts inputs including turning, standing, walk, run, jump & crouch.  Video games can stop being a threat to you health & become a fitness programme.  Counts calories burned too.

http://the-gadgeteer.com/2013/06/10/immerse-yourself-in-gaming-and-exercise-with-the-omni/

Kickstarter page:

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1944625487/omni-move-naturally-in-your-favorite-game

Video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGFuedKS9Mg&feature=youtube_gdata_player / revolution virtual reality release affordable head mounted display low-cost sensor technologies true virtual reality Omni stand up traverse virtual worlds with the natural use of their own feet interface moving freely naturally favorite game moving naturally virtual reality creates unprecedented sense of immersion cannot be experienced sitting down develop development developed Omni Walk run jump crouch on your feet and in motion health healthy healthier way game working out work fun software tracks your distance traveled calories burned gamers passive seated gameplay unleashing full potential virtual reality gaming Oculus Rift future head mounted displays gaming keyboard mouse gamepad siting sit seated pales comparison intense experience fun actually running jumping games realistic virtualization fit fitness program /

Google China return unlikely, according to Google chariman

http://bgr.com/2013/06/07/google-china-return-unlikely/ / Google pulled out China 2010 result numerous hacking attacks U.S. US USA U.S.A. United States America originated inside country 560 million people www world wide Web Internet Google plans return services CNET reports Google’s annual shareholder meeting chairman CEO Eric Schmidt continued reports censorship spying on people government treats its citizens plans to invest more resources search engine controlled 29% Chinese market company’s company /

Honda begins leasing Walking Assist Exoskeleton (Flash video)

Credit: Honda/Ubergizmo

Exoskeleton development has mainly focused on military & industrial applications. On the other hand, Honda has recently began leasing its Walking Assist Exoskeleton to hospitals for rehabilitation & mobility assistance purposes. At the moment, exoskeletons will only be available in Japan for monitoring & validation purposes.

http://www.gizmag.com/honda-leasing-walking-assist-device-exoskeleton/27681/

http://www.ubergizmo.com/2013/05/honda-walking-assist-exoskeleton-now-being-leased-in-japan/

Flash video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pp4XUvgqkbU / practical exoskeletons everyday use with Honda begun leasing 100 Walking Assist Devices hospitals Japan monitor validate their usefulness real world Honda's Walking Assist Device designed provide assistance rehabilitation most exoskeletons exoskeleton RB3D Raytheon Lockheed Martinprimarily aimed military marketplace provide strength endurance soldiers development company's Bodyweight Support Exoskeleton tested worker assist device work being done military context applicable worker assist devices Honda R&D work Honda's Asimo robot focused study human walking walk variety environments slopes stairs rough ground progressed controlled computer takes into account sensors improve symmetry timing each leg lifting ground extending forward promote longer stride easier walk compact 2.6 kg device designed Honda working collaboratively medical research institutions developed hospitals leasing program announced announcement research medium large size leased 50 different hospitals sports exoskeletons Japanese D-ART iREX 2011 /