More industry giants joining the battery development effort

Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) which are practical for the vast majority of daily use exist. Examples are the Mitsubishi iMieve & Nissan Leaf. For the small proportion of longer journeys, there is a workable solution: Tesla Model S. The only problem is that the shear number of cells required for a long range BEV is expensive. In every other respect, all of the problems of a long range BEV have been solved. And this is in no way a marginal solution: the Tesla Model S is the best car Consumer Reports has ever tested.

Essentially, the range problem is reduced to getting approximately the same amount of energy as in a Model S into a BEV for substantially less money. Elon Musk has said that the Model E mass market car available, "Hopefully 2016, but I would say no later than 2017," will have a battery cost 30 to 40% less per killowatt hour than the Model S.

Now a joint venture from Bosch, GS Yuasa, & Mitsubishi is making a major development effort:

http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1090405_three-lithium-ion-giants-join-to-build-better-electric-car-battery / three large global companies Bosch GS Yuasa Mitsubishi announcement announce announced joint venture improve develop develper development next generation battery cell batteries cell electric vehicles vehicle EV double energy capacity electric cars mass market mass-market held back existing battery technology majority of journeys most drivers limit limitation limit limited battery technologies increase increased increasing capacity energy density greater capacity battery pack packs of equivalent size offer significant increase range smaller lighter pack Green Car Congress Charged EVs twice as efficient /

Climate Council: heatwaves are getting hotter & more frequent

In Australia, since 1950, maximum & minimum temperatures have increased by 0.9°C, & the number of record hot days has more than doubled.

In 2003 & 2010, Europe experienced the hottest summers in at least 500 years.

Significant climate events have probably been happening in your part of the world too.

http://theconversation.com/climate-council-heatwaves-are-getting-hotter-and-more-frequent-23253?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Latest+from+The+Conversation+for+18+February+2014&utm_content=Latest+from+The+Conversation+for+18+February+2014+CID_b7ec3850216321c19018d26ee98bdf1c&utm_source=campaign_monitor&utm_term=Climate%20Council%20heatwaves%20are%20getting%20hotter%20and%20more%20frequent / heatwaves important climate-related climate related risks risk Australia Australians silent killers fatality fatalities death deaths natural disaster significant impacts infrastructure agriculture biodiversity climate warm heatwave heatwaves becoming hotter longer more frequent increasing frequency extreme heat Melbourne Australian Open tennis tournament record breaking record-breaking heat Queensland summer reminds remind reminds risks heatwaves hotangry summer summer’s heat long longer term longer-term trend hotter weather heatwaves on the rise Climate Council’s council latest report Heatwaves Hotter Longer More Often climate change widespread impacts increased deaths reduced workplace productivity damage infrastructure transport electricity systems mortality heat sensitive heat-sensitive plants animals stress on agricultural systems record hot days heatwaves increase further limiting future increase heatwave activity urgent deep cuts greenhouse-gas greenhouse gas emissions annual number record hot days double doubled maximum minimum temperatures increased 0.9°C frequency record hot days frequency record cold days hot hottest area-averaged area averaged national maximum temperature recorded 40.3°C 7 January 2013 extreme temperature records broken every state territory 2012 2013 2012/2013 summer lengthening longer heatwave season heatwave event much earlier intensity heatwaves temperature hottest day peak of the heatwave increasing summer record breaking record-breaking extreme heatwaves heat wave hot weather record high European heatwave July August 2003 France Switzerland 2010 more intense widespread heatwave Eastern Europe western Russia Belarus Estonia Latvia Lithuania Climate Council crowdfunded body Australian climate change global warming Heatwave Report /

Is Gmail sucking the life out of your Android's battery?

Credit: The Gadgeteer

http://the-gadgeteer.com/2014/02/16/julies-gadget-diary-is-gmail-sucking-the-life-out-of-your-android-smartphone/ / quick tip Android users user Android smartphone always warm to the touch your battery life taken a nose dive Samsung Galaxy S3 primary phone feel warm heavy light use not used it in hours day out of a charge custom ROM Carbon just learned to deal with it Samsung Galaxy Note 2 main phone started having same issues some digging around source of the problem – Gmail stand alone app problems with the Gmail app problems gets stuck refreshing check for new messages problem both phones ignore refreshing problem main thing drain quicker your phone’s battery settings Settings > Battery list apps app processes how much battery they are consuming Gmail app was using 84% of my battery turn off Gmail syncing account settings Settings > Accounts > Google solve problem temporarily Application managerSettings > Application Manager > Gmail Force stop Turn off buttons button disable Gmail app remove it from your apps list access your mail stock email app OS Android operating system third party email clients browse /

Facebook’s "look back" is marketing in disguise

Credit: Facebook/The Conversation

Summary: Remember the adage, "If its free, you are the product."

http://theconversation.com/facebooks-look-back-is-marketing-in-disguise-23090?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Latest+from+The+Conversation+for+17+February+2014&utm_content=Latest+from+The+Conversation+for+17+February+2014+CID_c73eb26cd970c65a616777a6e36be7aa&utm_source=campaign_monitor&utm_term=Facebooks%20look%20back%20is%20marketing%20in%20disguise / look back Facebook movie cry laugh your wacky life video videos new feature available Facebook users develop development developed celebrate social network 10th anniversary program photo photograph photos activity Facebook feed create one minute one-minute movie accompanyment accompanied music emotional involvement emotionally involved example examples clever contemporary technique marketers build loyalty decline declining brands brand marketing scholars promotional tool cocreation co-creation toolbox subtle techniques marketers buy products support their brands new tactic designed design designer normalise normalisation normal normalize normalization idea consum consumer consuming blur the lines between editorial content and advertising information entertainment multiple marketing channelstouch points online media product placement ingame inngame in-game advertising sponsorshipcultural camouflage normalising essentially commercial activity under the radar marketing techniques /

Anonymous browsing in a box for $49

Credit: Safeplug/Cloud Engines Inc/Funky Space Monkey

Be aware, though, that this device can only do so much: Flash & other plugins can still leak data, & anything typed or sent on line can impact privacy.

http://www.funkyspacemonkey.com/safeplug-safe-secure-anonymous-web-browsing-device

http://www.technologyreview.com/news/521676/online-anonymity-in-a-box-for-49/ / cheap device Safeplug makes it easy use Tor anonymity network home anonymity tools tool Tor easier easy to use online disguise connect connecting small box your Internet router anonymize Web surfing Tor privacy tool used activists criminals USA U.S.A. U.S. United States of America intelligence obscure traces trace online activities repackage repackaged mass market device launched launch consumers consumer route home Internet connection Tor network block most online ads advertisement advertizement advertise advertize add ad mass amrket mass-market product Jed Putterman chief product officer PogoPlug develop development developer developed Safeplug cloud storage backup home use family friendly family-friendly protection download downloading bundle software new Web browser each device use anonymously anonymous home Internet router Internet connected Internet-connected device Tor Safeplug proxy server computers network go-between access Internet device built in built-in advertising blocker disabled by default Putterman device appeal to families ISPs ISP online companies company ad networks IP address identity identity online activityreveal a person’s location track tracking link online activity behavioral profiles advertising purposes NSA surveillance encryption Mehmet Güneş assistant professor University of Nevada Reno anonymity tools obscure adjust online behavior unlinkability from source to destination anonymity leak identifying information Flash plug-in plug in plugin media add-ons add on add ons addon addons information type or send disable disabling disabled browser plug-ins slow down Web traffic secure /

10 great Android apps that do amazing things the iPhone can’t

Credit: Tasker/Crafty Apps EU/Boy Genius Report

Apple has a policy of tightly controlling its iOS user experience. This includes the range of settings available to the user, relatively limited capabilities available to third party apps & a tightly curated app store.

Google on the other hand, has a more open arrangement for its Android OS.

While both approaches have their strengths, it is true that there are some things that Android apps can do that iOS apps can not. Here are 10 examples:

http://bgr.com/2014/02/06/top-5-android-apps-vs-iphone/

http://bgr.com/2014/02/14/top-10-android-apps-vs-iphone-part-2/ / Apple’s Apple mobile platform iPhone iPad iOS smart phone smartphone smart-phone devicethird party third-party apps app limit limited limitations approach mobile software ecosystem Android apps Google Google’s open approach advantage advantages post awesome capabilities iOS app store developers developer applications below Event Flow Calendar Widget lock screen, but two of the most elegant and intelligent solutions I’ve found thus far are Event Flow Calendar Widget and DashClock Widget option two options busy people calendar calendars appointment appointments styling options configurations configuration my your agenda miss appointment handset handset’s display list upcoming appointments dates date time times weather forcast forecasts each day clutter lock screen home screen widget options option Google’s Google app store capabilities capability customise customize customisation customization options option DashClock Widget Aviate Tasker AirDroid Cover Swype keyboard change Profile Scheduler Android Stocks Tape Widget Smart Launcher /

First non-flammable lithium ion battery will stop your smartphone from exploding

Lithium ion (LiIon) batteries used in our phones, tablets & laptops as well as larger applications like power tools are flammable. LiIons are flammable because their electrolytes are composed of a lithium salt dissolved in a flammable organic solvent. Obvious solution is a non-flammable organic solvent. Easier said than done. But such a non-flammable organic solvent has been identified, & testing is proceeding.

http://www.extremetech.com/computing/176527-first-nonflammable-lithium-ion-battery-will-stop-your-smartphone-car-and-plane-from-exploding

Having said all of the above, the LiIon cells at present used in electic vehicles (EVs) have a significantly different chemistry than that used in most other devices, including phones, tablets & laptops. Most importantly, LiIons used in EVs are much less flammable. / lithium-ion lithium ion lithiumion battery batteries most important modern technology grievous flaw highly flammable puncture lithium-ion battery charge discharge improperly pretty bad fire explosive explosion Boeing 787 Dreamliner grounded 2013 lithium-ion battery packs electrical fires mid-flight mid flight midflight explode exploding smartphone batteries research researchers researching University of North Carolina Chapel Hill say built nonflammable lithium-ion battery LIB incendiary explosive pressure seal sealed pressurized pressurised electrolyte charge-carrying charge carrying liquid between positive negative +ve -ve electrodes flammable lithium salt dissolved organic solvent solvents highly flammable manufactured very high level of quality penetrate pierce penetrated pierced Tesla Model S battery pack impale impaled burst into flames thermal runaway occurs thermal runaway /