Mathematics explains why your earphones are always tangled

All bad news on the tangling front — if headphones are shaken, as in a pocket or bag while you are walking, the cords will tangle. Shorter, stiffer cords may help a little, but the only thing known to work is a pair of wireless earbuds.

http://www.dvice.com/2014-6-19/math-explains-why-your-earphones-are-always-tangled / pocket earphone earphones ear phone jumbled mess of cords untangle untangling group of physicists study studying earphones tangle maths math several factors knots cords shake shaking agitation cords pocket box factor physics physicists box full of string shake shook complex knots string knot knots 120 different types of prime knots up to seven crossings mathematical theory each type of knot probability length of each string agitation time shake strings longer length longer time more knots stiffness diameter length and agitation time strings shorter than 18 inches knotted less probability knotting increasing longer lengths long flexible cord getting tangled earphone cords getting tangled shorter and stiffer slightly fewer number of knots wireless earbuds /

Using a USB flash drive with your smartphone or tablet (video)

Flash drives — so useful. Almost everyone I know has a small collection. What would make them even more useful would be if they could be plugged into your phone as well.

And the good news is: they can! A growing number of Android devices have USB OTG (USB On The Go), which allows connection of USB devices. Only one problem remains: Android devices have micro USB connectors & flash drives have full size USB — except a few have both:

Leef Bridge



SanDisk Ultra Dual



If you want to use your existing USB flash drive with your mobile device that has USB OTG, try a USB-to-micro USB adapter.

iStick

If you have an Apple i-device with Lightning connector, there's something for you too:



iStick Kickstarter page

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/hypershop/isticktm-usb-flash-drive-with-lightning-for-iphone?ref=discovery

iStick manufacturer

http://www.hypershop.com/HyperDrive/iStick/ / flash drive micro USB microUSB plug socket Android iOS iPhone iPad phone smartphone smart phone smart-phone device Apple Google sneaker net Hypershop hyper shop transfer files file desktop desk top laptop lap top computer /

Google to spend a billion or more on Internet satellites

Credit: Singularity Hub

Google recently acquired Titan Aerospace, apparently for the purpose of producing drones able to provide fast Internet. Now, they apparently have plans to use satellites as well.

http://singularityhub.com/2014/06/14/google-to-spend-a-billion-or-more-on-internet-satellites/ / Internet access developed world emerging markets online Google massive growth opportunity build infrastructure Wall Street Journal fleet Internet satellites satellite network project Internet access remote areas solar powered drones high altitude balloons purchased drone company Titan Aerospace Project Loon stratospheric balloons global trade winds /

AirType keyless keyboard (video)

Appears to include a pair of strips which fit across the hands, at the top of the fingers. The strips sense the movements of the user's fingers, & after a learning process, can be be used as a replacement for a conventional keyboard. Most appropriate use would be with a device which does not have a satisfactory keyboard, such as a phone or tablet.

http://airtype.io/concept/ / smartphone smart phone pad touch screen key board keyboard BlueTooth blue tooth mobile cell /

Samsung Galaxy Note 4 specs revealed in AnTuTu benchmark database

Credit: AnTuTu/Boy Genius Report

● Samsung Exynos & Qualcomm Snapdragon processor variants to continue in Note 4
● 2560 x 1440 screen
● 3GB RAM
● 32GB on board flash storage
● 16 megapixel rear camera
● 3.68 megapixel front camera

http://bgr.com/2014/06/20/galaxy-note-4-specs-2/ / Galaxy S5 LTE-A Galaxy S5 Prime South Korea Samsung flagship Android smartphone smart phone specs specifications Galaxy Note 4 unveiled IFA 2014 spotted online benchmark test results reveal details hardware two versions Galaxy Note 4 AnTuTu benchmark database SM-N910C SM-N910S Exynos Qualcomm versions handset new Galaxy Note models system-on-chips SoC 1.3GHz eight-core Samsung Exynos 5433 processor four Cortex A57 four Cortex-A53 cores ARM Mali-T760 GPU SoC 2.5GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 processor Adreno 420GPU SoC high resolution 2K display 2560 x 1440 resolution 3GB RAM 32GB flash storage 16 megapixel camera 3.68 megapixel front facing camera Galaxy Note 4 two versions design flexible screen version /

Why unlocking mobile phones is both a consumer rights & a green issue (video)

http://www.treehugger.com/gadgets/why-unlocking-cell-phones-green-issue.html

http://www.wired.com/2014/03/cellphone-unlocking-bill-passed-good-thing/

My solution to all of these issues, no matter where you live: buy an unlocked phone outright. / lock unlock mobile cell smartphone freedom sale resale provider contract abuse cell phone unlocking flew under the radar consumers phones carrier Librarian of Congress banned practice software tweak disables device’s SIM lock contract is over owners of unlocked devices switch carrier AT&T Verizon unlocking a cell phone violation of copyright under the 1998 Digital Millenium Copyright Act law prevent piracy exempted Librarian of Congress illegal ban January 26 Internet protest digital rights activists personal property proponents mobilized forces petition We the People White House official petitioning forum support demand legalize cell phone unlocking White House response administration cell phones tablets smartphone smart phone common sense protect protecting consumer choice competitive wireless market delivers innovative products solid service meet consumer needs R. David Edelson White House senior advisor Internet consumer and digital rights unlocking also a green issue decommissioned every single day United States junk drawer rotting in landfills one billion cell phones sitting idle drawers closets losing value put back into service swapping old phones same carrier artificial limitation sharing economy re-legalizing unlocking more devices in service out of the national waste stream environment wireless technology iPhones iPads Samsung has produced 800 million mobile phones environmental consequences electronics manufacturing isn’t a clean industry conflict minerals e-waste electronics recycle recycling recycled landfills environmental damage electronics manufacturing gadgets reusable lock locked devices recycle recycling recycled free market economics /

We are headed towards a 4 to 5 Celcius degree increase in average world temperature by the end of the century

Credit: xkcd

http://xkcd.com/1379/ / CO2 carbon dioxide global warming climate change catastrophic greenhouse green house gas methane ice age fossil fuels coal petroleum petrol gas diesel hydrocarbon solar /