Red Bull customer fails to get promised wings — sues

Red Bull, while maintaining that, "... its marketing & labelling have always been truthful and accurate ..." has decided to settle out of court. If you live in the United States, you may be entitled to a refund of $10 in cash or $15 worth of Red Bull if you've bought the stuff since 2002.

If this applies to you, go to energydrinksettlement.com before 02 March 2015.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2014/10/11/red_bull_wings_lawsuit/ / website Red Bull caffeine consumer consumers claim multi-million dollar award wings ad slogan promised crash crashed Austria-based drinks maker manufacturer settle US lawsuits out of court long-time user Benjamin Careathers sue sued New York court false advertising filed cases in California did not have wings improved athletic intellectual ability deceived users lawyers acting on behalf of seeking to redress pervasive pattern fraudulent deceptive false otherwise improper unproper advertising sales marketing practice Red Bull defendants have engaged in Red Bull defendants prey upon consumers Red Bull gives you wings mixture of ingredients significantly improve consumer’s physical mental performance best course of action settle out of court agreeing refund deal will cost Red Bull $13.5m $6.5m avoid cost distraction litigation spokesman said maintains denies wrongdoing liability change future advertising plaintiffs David Wolf Migeul Almarez California court documents /

Puppy-sized spider surprises scientist in rainforest

Credit: Live Science

A spider the size (& weight) of a puppy would surprise most of us. It is regarded as venemous, but doesn't pose a lethal threat to humans. Even so, with 5 cm (2 inch) fangs, it could inflict an injury best avoided. Plus it has another weapon: when it feels threatened, it rubs it abdomen with its hind legs, releasing a cloud of hairs which will sting & itch for weeks if they get into sensitive parts of the body, such as the eye, mouth & nose.



http://www.livescience.com/48340-goliath-birdeater-surprises-scientist.html / Piotr Naskrecki night nighttime walk rainforest Guyana rustling creeping underfoot small mammal possum rat entomologist photographer Harvard University Museum of Comparative Zoology brown furry mammal enormous puppy size spider South American Goliath birdeater Theraphosa blondi arachnid world world's largest spider Guinness World Records leg span foot30 centimeters body size large fist Live Science weigh 6 oz.170 grams the scientist wrote on his blog giant huntsman spider larger leg span much more delicate sounds feet have hardened tips claws clicking sound horse's hooves prickly hairs 2 inch fangs rainforest rub its hind legs against its abdomen cloud of hairs microscopic barbs eyes mucous membranes extremely painful itchy 2 inch long 5 centimeter fangs venomous deadly to humans extremely painful hairs front spider's body tiny hooks barbs Velcro eat birds killing small mammals leaf litter ground night spider species puncture drink bird eggs eat frogs insects main prey earthworms humid common spiders tropics South America lab study museum /

A charge for your phone in 5 minutes – revisited (video) – updated

Credit: Zap&Go

You may remember a recent post about a large external rechargeable lithium ion battery which could accept enough charge in 5 minutes to fully charge a typical mobile phone. It worked because at 13,500 mAh capacity, it could accept enough charge in 5 minutes to subsequently fully charge the much smaller battery in a typical smart phone.

Some of the same functionality is provided by Zap&Go, a smaller device (both physically & electrical storage capacity), which can accept a "phone-full" of charge in 5 minutes, using capacitor technology.

Other features include:
• built-in electrical wall-plug
• interchangeable international plugs for world-wide use
• can be used as a wall-charger for your phone

How do the Pronto (in the previous post) & the Zap&Go compare?
• Pronto uses a lithium ion battery of 13,500 mAh capacity
• there is a 4,500 mAh capacity Pronto, but it will not accept charge fast enough to do the 5 minute trick – more like 20 minutes
• Zap&Go uses a supercapacitor
• both will accept enough charge in five minutes to subsequently fully charge a "typical phone" – read iPhone 5s rather than Galaxy Note 4
• full charge for a Pronto will take 1 hour, but will charge a "typical phone" several times – tablets too
• full charge for a Zap&Go will take 5 minutes, & will charge a "typical phone" once only – developer claims two full charges of a Zap&Go to fully charge an iPad 2
• Pronto requires an external charger
• Zap&Go has its charger built in, plus international adapters
• Pronto is bigger & heavier than Zap&Go

Zap&Go is an Indiegogo project.



Developer's figures on Zap&Go performance charging a range of devices:

http://www.zapandgocharger.com/features.html

Indiegogo listing:

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/zap-go-5-minute-charger#home

Zap&Go website:

http://www.zapandgocharger.com/

More:

http://www.gizmag.com/zap-and-go-supercapacitor-charger/34228/

http://www.ohgizmo.com/2014/10/15/zapgo-portable-charger-fills-just-5-minutes/ / Oxford based startup crowdfunding development design develop Zap&Go phone charger speed portability graphene supercapacitor ad-hoc power supply charged charge 1,500-mAh capacity fully charge iPhone 5s five minutes more practical solution current alternatives traveling travel smartphones tablets keep getting thinner displays pixel-dense power-hungry battery life portable devices one day of heavy usage limitations LiIon lithium-ion lithium ion batteries hours fully charge need more juice external battery recharge our electronics socket wall plug fast external batteries 2,600-mAh Petalite Flux Power Practical Pronto 13,500 mAh version pack suitcase traveling charge faster typical smartphone Zap&Go speed portability phone tablet standard 5-volt USB port normal charger plugging it in electrical socket phone tablet charging device fast five minute charge cycle quick full charge connect product working prototype stage company founder Stephen Voller two major innovations replace aluminum foils super capacitor supercapacitor more conductive graphene shrink size new power supply include international plug adapters for UK Japan EU Indiegogo campaign /

Making the case for a large screen phone

LG G3, left – Samsung Galaxy Note 4, right
Credit: Pocket Now

Having recently made the case for small screen phones, today, it will be the largest, those that approach the size of tablets, sometimes called, "phablets".

So, why would anyone want a phone with a screen in the 5.5 inch, & up, range?

Obviously, part of the answer is the reverse of the arguments for smaller screen: a user with large hands & a carry method that doesn't place a premium on the pockets of tight jeans.

Other advantages of large screen phones:
• More information on the screen – reading a webpage on a phone can be a struggle to get the information on the screen at a readable point size. Even worse, can be reading PDFs, because the point size is fixed. (If this is a problem for you, on Android, have a look at qPDF Viewer &/or ezPDF Reader, using the "text reflow option".)
• Can make multitasking easier by having both apps visible on the screen at the same time
• Combine some of the advantages of phone & tablet
• Samsung's S-Pen stylus brings a unique level of precision & set of functions to its Note phablets

Samsung Galaxy Note 4 – 5.7 inch screen:

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/16/technology/personaltech/samsung-galaxy-note-4-review.html

http://www.forbes.com/sites/ianmorris/2014/10/15/samsung-galaxy-note-4-review-far-more-to-offer-than-apples-iphone-6-plus/

LG G3 – 5.5 inch screen:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/ianmorris/2014/07/11/lg-g3-review-the-perfect-smartphone/

G3 Vs Note 4:

http://pocketnow.com/2014/09/06/samsung-galaxy-note-4-vs-lg-g3

Apple iPhone 6 Plus – 5.5 inch screen:

http://www.techradar.com/au/reviews/phones/mobile-phones/iphone-6-plus-1264566/review
/ 2011 Samsung unveiled smartphone big joke mistake screen measuring 5.3 inches diagonally device criticism the most useless phone look stupid talking on it critics were wrong sell millions huge Note spawned dozens of copycats entire new category phablet smartphones big enough tablets smartphone manufacturer phone as big as the Note plus-size phones watershed device original iPhone iPad important influential digital invention bigger better Note Apple’s iPhone 6 Plus more intuitive interface half dozen half-dozen clever features sharper larger display charge battery half-full in just 30 minutes stylus transformative device big phone ambitious effort future of computing more useful powerful than PCs other kinds of computers gimmick gimmickry gimmicky features seem half-baked heart-rate monitor fingerprint scanner rough edges truly useful machine stunning display size larger display giant phone display bigger better DisplayMate technical tests digital displays significantly better color accuracy sharper more vivid Android Google mobile operating system OS TouchWiz user interface several useful features use them in different modes phones scan email look up directions morning mail plan a day calendar take notes side-key panel pop-up menu home screen previous screen open apps side key side-key panel tap under your thumb second mode two handed two-handed tasks small pop-up windows any size you wish stylus productivity select text click on links more precision notepad scribble hand writing recognition multiple windows useful learning curve phone of tomorrow /

Tesla’s first battery-swap station opening by year-end

Tesla demonstrated its battery swapping technology over a year ago, with no apparent progress since. Now, Slashgear has reported that the first operational battery-swap station will be coming soon.

http://www.slashgear.com/teslas-first-battery-swap-station-opening-by-december-15350430/

Changes to California Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) credit rules

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-04-04/tesla-to-get-fewer-eco-credits-as-california-tweaks-rules.html
/ battery swap battery-swap station electric vehicle EV lithium ion LiIon LiFeO4 iron phosphate electric car company drivers Model S ninety second refuel cars battery exchange system rapid charging Tesla's Supercharger network wholesale exchange batteries themselves fully automatic automated robot robotic systems drop existing battery pack out underneath EV replace fully charged version Tesla's demonstration battery swap technology last year CEO Elon Musk fill traditional gas tank petrol fast fastest faster Supercharger network 30 minutes 170 miles range Model S efficiency cost-effectiveness scaling battery swapping infrastructure drivers switch back original battery return journey opt pay difference upgrade fee managing battery demand start up Better Place folded last year first Tesla swap station somewhere between San Francisco Los Angeles /

Turbine-electric drivetrain for lower cost delivery

A. turbine powered generator B. battery C. plug in charging D. electric traction motors E. fuel tank
Credit: Wrightspeed/Hybrid Cars

Internal combustion piston engines have many disadvantages:
● inefficient — in lab conditions, perhaps a little more than 30% for a diesel — driving a vehicle, very much less
● not very durable — around 5,000 hours operating life — at peak efficiency (full load) closer to 500 hours
● high maintenance costs
● dirty exhaust

Gas or diesel turbines, are less efficient, but at peak load have an operating life of 40,000 hours & have much lower maintenance costs. Very clean exhaust.

Electric motors are 80 to 90% efficient — largely independent of load — durable too — only one moving part — & much lower operating costs.

Many medium duty trucks, such as delivery vehicles, have many start/stop cycles in daily operation & rarely reach peak efficiency. Add to this, heavy traffic with slow driving in a low gear + idling, to create a recipe for inefficient operation, high fuel cost & short operating life.

Even less efficient are garbage trucks. Much of their operation is: accelerate for a few meters, brake hard (throwing away the energy just consumed to get the truck moving), load the garbage, & repeat.

Wrightspeed had a better idea:
● replace the piston engine with an efficient electric motor
● batteries are expensive, so restrict battery range to reduce cost &
● add a turbine-powered generator to periodically recharge the battery

This improves efficiency because:
● 80-90% efficient electric motor drives the vehicle
● an electric motor brings with it regenerative braking, which further improves the efficiency of the vehicle by returning energy to the battery at each stop
● electric motors don't need to idle, further adding to efficiency
● although peak efficiency of a turbine is less than that of a piston engine, when it is operating, it is always driving the generator at peak efficiency

Wrightspeed claim their powertrain can improve efficiency from eight or ten miles per (US) gallon, to 25 or 30 or more. In operation, this is a saving of $35,000 fuel & $8,000 in maintenance per vehicle per year.



FedEx is trialing delivery trucks with Wrightspeed drivetrains:

http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1094920_fedex-tests-wrightspeed-electric-trucks-with-diesel-turbine-range-extender

Extended interview with Wrightspeed CEO, Ian Wright:

http://chargedevs.com/features/qa-with-ian-wright-the-ceo-of-wrightspeed-on-tesla-gas-turbines-and-electric-trucks/ / EV electric passenger vehicles commercial trucks electric drive huge global fleet reduce emissions fuel costs improving efficiency alternative powertrain power train drivetrain drive train range extender electric delivery trucks diesel turbine generator WrightSpeed turbine range extended electric delivery van conversion FedEx electric powertrain Silicon Valley WrightSpeed turbine takes gasoline combustion engine Chevy Volt BMW i3 REx range extended electric cars tested 39 kilowatt hour lithium ion battery pack range urban delivery constant speed buffered battery pack power train propulsion systems /

Eight of the best pocket-sized phones for small hands

Samsung's Galaxy Note was introduced to a surprised world. With a 5.3 inch screen, most thought it too large. Apple, on the other hand had decided that 3.5 inches was ideal, as it was the best screen that could be managed with one hand, using the thumb for touch. Of course, this ignores the fact that hands come in a range of sizes – 3.5 inches is ideal for some (probably including Steve Jobs), but too big for for others & unnecessarily small for still others. For those who chose to use a phone two-handed, one-handed reach of the thumb is irrelevant.

Android phones, meanwhile, continued to grow larger. Galaxy Note expanded to 5.7 inches. Samsung's S grew as well, & now sports a 5.1 inch screen, only slightly smaller than the original Note, which surprised so many.

Apple has finally moved with the trend, & has 4.7 & 5.5 inch screens in the iPhone 6.

While bigger screens are better for many reasons, for many users, how a phone fits into a pocket of a pair of tight jeans is an important selection criterion. Another, is how well a phone suits the user's hand size.

https://gigaom.com/2014/10/13/best-phones-under-5-inches-2014/ / big demand two-handed two handed usage high-end smartphones fit pair skinny jeans upgrade powerful handset fits in your pocket huge screen carriers expensive phones bigger 5 inches powerful processors cameras replace tablet laptop easy to carry iPhone 6 Plus large screen size big phones phablet Sony Xperia Z3 Compact true flagship powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 chip 3 GB RAM waterproof memory expansion expand expandable MicroSD card slot cameras phones availability smart phone smartphone device Samsung Galaxy Alpha light solid metal construction fingerprint sensor Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 HTC One Remix Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor cpu Sharp AQUOS Crystal bezel GSM network Moto X first generation smaller phone Snapdragon S4 Pro chip cutting edge mixed reviews Motorola voice activation iPhone 6 Moto X Android iOS 4.7-inch screen best Apple App Store most mature marketplace mobile apps iPhone 5S Apple’s Touch ID sensor 64-bit A7 processor Amazon Fire Phone good build quality one handed use Amazon Prime Amazon Appstore Google Play Apple App Store Dynamic Perspective Amazon’s 3D effect four front-facing cameras gimmick /