Expand your laptop storage – update

Some laptops have limited storage:
• older laptops
• Chromebooks typically have only 8 or 16 GB of flash storage
• Apple’s MacBook Air starts at 128 GB of flash storage – older models had even less

Most obvious solution would be to replace the existing storage, but this can be expensive. Plus, some laptops, particularly the ultra-compact, such as the MacBook Air, are difficult to disassemble or modify.

Much simpler is to plug in a flash drive. A 128 GB flash drive would increase the storage in many Chromebooks by 800%. This would be OK in a desktop machine, but in a laptop on a lap, or dropped into a backpack, a typical flash drive sticking out of a USB port is an accident waiting to happen.

Brando have a flush fitting microSD adapter which fits in the SD slot. It’s aimed at MacBooks, but will probably work with other devices with SD card slots, depending on just how deep the slot is. Only $10.


Credit: The Gadgeteer

http://the-gadgeteer.com/2014/11/17/expand-your-macbook-pro-or-macbook-airs-file-storage-with-a-micro-sd-card/

Brando also have an almost flush fitting microSD to USB adapter that will work with any laptop:


Credit: The Gadgeteer

http://the-gadgeteer.com/2009/05/21/usb-microsd-card-reader-that-is-almost-microscopic/

http://usb.brando.com/usb-microsd-hc-card-reader-with-easy-eject_p00933c031d15.html

SanDisk Fit is a USB flash drive of similar physical size, & up to 64 GB capacity.


Credit: PC Mag

http://www.sandisk.com/products/usb/drives/cruzer-fit/

PKparis have a USB 3.0 flash drive of similar size.

http://gizmodo.com/youll-barely-notice-the-worlds-smallest-usb-3-0-flash-1446986913

Update 06 December 2014: Leef


Credit: Leef

Up to 64 GB.

http://www.leefco.com/supra-usb-3.0-flash-drive / MB/s tiny LED activity light lap top USB 3.0 port slot adding more file storage MacBook Pro MacBook Air external hard drive USB port USB flash drive insert inserting SD card dangling external drive mobile USB flash drives SD cards snagged MacBook Pro Air Micro SD HC card adapter adapter XC 64GB adapter turns MBP MBA SD card slot solid state flash drive Netbook Chromebook disc disk /

Modular phone

Choosing a phone is all about compromise. Big screen & battery have obvious advantages, but not when it comes to fitting into a tight pair of jeans. But what if you could tailor your phone for different applications? Big battery & screen for watching movies on a long plane flight; smaller, for sightseeing at your destination? Or tight jeans verses cargo pants?

Modular phone concepts have been around for some time. Phonebloks was first. When Motorola showed interest, it looked like it just might make it to market.

Apparently a development of Motorola’s interest, is Google’s Project Ara:

http://www.projectara.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Ara

And most recently, Puzzlephone:



http://www.puzzlephone.com/

http://www.theverge.com/2014/12/1/7312763/puzzlephone-modular-cellphone-concept /electronics ddd lifetime decade users outdated earlier Puzzlephone module modular personalize personalized OS operating system hardware levels charge health enthusiast enthusiastic sensor sensors designer enough RAM phone calls one part phone needs repair upgrade need to replace the entire device future of hardware development and manufacturing will look more like mobile application development future release standard standards hardware developers manufacturers open hardware unnecessary industry barriers hinder innovation WiFi Bluetooth standard standards click together plug supreceded cheaper cost saving module modular lifetime cycles lifecycle green recycle modular smart phone smartphone open hardware software Advanced Technologies and Projects team Motorola Mobility phone hardware manufacturers /

JBL Pulse portable speaker

Credit: Think Geek

It’s not cheap at a list price of $US199, but a search will find prices around $US150, including Think Geek.

Looks great with the light display in operation, but reduces battery life by 50%, as reported by Cnet.

/ Bluetooth wireless music sound compact wireless Bluetooth speaker delivers good sound size integrated light show preprogrammed custom customize customizable themes built-in rechargeable battery LiIon lithium ion 10 hours battery life sound only 5 hours light show can distort at higher volumes rock tracks bass-heavy material no carrying case included not sound quite good $200 competitors integrated light show listening experience /

Revolutionary multi-directional elevator concept (video)

Unsurprisingly, Douglas Adams suggested it first*, but ThyssenKrupp look like bringing it to fruition: elevators (lifts) that move horizontally, as well as vertically. They are able to do this because they are driven electromagnetically. Elimination of heavy cables allows multiple lift-cars to occupy the same lift-shaft at the same time & improves energy-efficiency. Other claimed benefits include less floor space occupied by lift shafts & less waiting time for passengers.

http://www.gizmag.com/thyssenkrupp-magnet-drive-elevator/34976/

Claim of, “world's first cable-free elevator”, in the article linked above ignores hydraulic lifts, such as are used in the Statue of Liberty, which recently had an oil change:

http://machinedesign.com/news/miss-liberty-visitors-get-eco-friendly-lift

_________________
* The Restaurant at the End of the Universe, by Douglas Adams, 1980, chapter 10

“Modern elevators are strange and complex entities. The ancient electric winch and “maximum-capacity-eight-persons" jobs bear as much relation to a Sirius Cybernetics Corporation Happy Vertical People Transporter as a packet of mixed nuts does to the entire west wing of the Sirian State Mental Hospital.
“This is because they operate on the curious principle of “defocused temporal perception.” In other words they have the capacity to see dimly into the immediate future, which enables the elevator to be on the right floor to pick you up even before you knew you wanted it, thus eliminating all the tedious chatting, relaxing and making friends that people were previously forced to do while waiting for elevators.
“Not unnaturally, many elevators imbued with intelligence and precognition became terribly frustrated with the mindless business of going up and down, up and down, experimented briefly with the notion of going sideways, as a sort of existential protest, demanded participation in the decision-making process and finally took to squatting in basements sulking.

More at: http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/The_Hitchhiker%27s_Guide_to_the_Galaxy#Life.2C_the_Universe_and_Everything_.281982.29 / elevator lift design progressed cabins move vertically shaft supported cables inefficient limiting large footprint people passenger ride wait a long time next lift German conglomerate ThyssenKrupp unveiled revolutionary Willy Wonka style elevator concept several cabins move horizontally vertically up and down sideways left right same elevator shaft same time dubbed Multi ThyssenKrupp's elevator concept world's first cable free elevator electromagnetic specialist MagneMotion may have got there first ThyssenKrupp's system doing away with cables implications for the future design of tall buildings propelled magnet based drive technology Shanghai's super-fast Maglev train built Transrapid International joint venture Siemens ThyssenKrupp elevator motor horizontal vertical movement single shaft skyscraper complex system of shafts passengers access elevator every 15 to 30 seconds smaller shafts typical elevators increase building's usable area 25 percent 25% lighter too lightweight materials cabins doors slims slim 50 percent 50% typical elevator's weight mass 300 m 984 ft tall building test system /

Xmas lights that charge your iPhone

Credit: ThinkGeek/The Gadgeteer

It’s bright

It’s Christmassy

It charges your iPhone

It’s iPhone Merry Charger! (Lightning only)

http://the-gadgeteer.com/2014/11/25/decorate-your-office-for-christmas-while-you-charge-your-iphone/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheGadgeteer+%28The+Gadgeteer%29&_m=3n.002i.773.bg0ao004ub.114z / Apple iphone Christmas light lights charge recharge charging battery lightning connector cable string Christmas iPad holiday cable home office festive brighten up your work area USB plug in a charger cable 46″ 46 inch long charging cable 10 LED lights glow Lightning chargeable Apple devices /

Pilots report increased near-collisions with drones

Credit: Daily Mail

Air flight is relatively safe. At least, about as safe as flying through the air at hundreds of knots, thousands of feet up, in a fragile aluminium tube, carrying many gallons of flammable fuel, with an on-board ignition sources (electronic system & engine), can be.

Actually, the most dangerous parts are taking off &, most of all, landing. Which is why most air crashes occur at airports.

See image above.

Why is aviation relatively safe?
• participants put their life on the line
• barriers to entry are high: aircraft are expensive, pilot training is both expensive & time consuming
• very tightly regulated
• if you do something wrong, sooner or later you have to come back down, at one of few landing spots, & face the music

None of the above applies to the rapidly growing drone market. Regulations are rudimentary & difficult to enforce. In the USA there is a, “not above 400 feet, not within 5 miles of an airport”, rule. It is not always observed (placing aircraft at risk when they are most vulnerable – see links below), & doesn’t apply to areas such as hospitals, where rescue helicopters have to land from time-to-time. Another at-risk area is fire-bombing sites.

http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2014/11/pilots-report-increased-near-collisions-with-drones-faa-data-says/

http://www.casa.gov.au/scripts/nc.dll?WCMS:STANDARD::pc=PC_101745

http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2014/07/15/drones_pose_new_risk_for_aircraft_in_canadian_skies.html / USA Federal Aviation Authority FAA increase complaints complaint incident pilots air traffic control controllers personnel near collisions with drones small drones came within a few seconds few feet crash crashing collision impact smash much larger aircraft pilot reported report seeing siting site drones drone restricted airspace near collision near airport previously unreported incidents New York Washington DC area regulations governing drones current guidelines hobbyists fly drones fly no higher than 400 feet at least five miles away from airports altitude altitudes over 1,000 feet one incident LaGuardia drone flying at 4,000 feet almost hit a passenger plane descending to land incident passenger planes taking off very close call drone at about 2,000 feet incident US Airways shuttle flight departed Reagan National Airport reported encounter yellow drone four foot wingspan passed within 50 feet aircraft approaching LaGuardia American Airlines jet struck drone flying 2,300 feet Tallahassee Regional Airport Jim Williams manager FAA’s Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration Office metal and plastic aircraft big lithium battery high-speed turbine engine results catastrophic medical evacuation helicopters particular particularly particular risk take off and land at hospitals 5 mile radius rule airports tracking down offenders difficult resource consuming intensive time push to get drones in the air approve commercial use case by case basis commercial use of drones case-by-case basis Hollywood production companies hobbyist GoPro announced consumer drones today hot sellers this holiday season selfie self portrait photo dronie /

Want to fund a mission to the Moon?

Want to finance a space mission? Through the wonder of crowd funding, now you can be a part of Lunar Mission One, for as little as three British pounds.

Aims:
• land near the South Pole of the Moon – not previously explored
• drill a hole at least 20 metres (up to 100 metres) deep
• recover cores for examination by on board instruments
• insert a time capsule into the hole

Part of the time capsule will be occupied by private material, submitted by funders.

An ambitious project in itself will be the remainder of the contents of the time capsule:

"a publically assembled, authoritative record of life on Earth, with a history of humankind and a species database that chronicles the Earth's known biodiversity and how it all fits together – from geology to atmosphere. This archive will be available online both during development and after the Mission has been accomplished. We will have laid the groundwork for future generations to develop and maintain this hugely valuable research and educational tool. Publically owned and accessible to all, this archive is a hugely ambitious plan that could only be resourced by a project of this scale." – Wow!

Kickstarter project site:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/lunarmissionone/lunar-mission-one-a-new-lunar-mission-for-everyone

Media reports:

Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/mission-moon-millions-may-help-lunar-landing/2014/11/19/fa3d5dda-700c-11e4-a2c2-478179fd0489_story.html

BBC
http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-30102343

Wired
http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2014-11/19/space-mission-in-ten-years

Collins, & others, list "publically" (used in the quote from the Lunar Mission Project above) as an alternate spelling of "publicly":

http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/publically / Lunar Mission One most inspirational mission to the Moon Apollo landings reserve your place in space follow space exploration be a part of it unmanned robotic landing module South Pole Moon unexplored previous missions pioneering technology drill down depth at least 20m drilled 100m 20 100 metres meters access lunar rock dating back 4.5 billion years discover geological composition ancient relationship Earth our planet effects asteroid bombardment project improve scientific understanding early solar system formation our planet Moon conditions initiated life on Earth Rosetta mission new era of pioneering space exploration engage with the secrets of the solar system truly international mission everyone everywhere get involved in finance next phase of development Lunar Mission One reserve your place in space digital memory box buried Moon mission 21st Century time capsule borehole drill preserved billion years conditions within the Moon private archive millions individual digital memory boxes Kickstarter supporter secure longer term funding launch information inside time capsule buried on the Moon public archive publically assembled authoritative record life on Earth history of humankind species database chronicle Earth's known biodiversity geology atmosphere available online during development accomplished completed groundwork future generations develop maintain valuable research educational tool publically owned accessible to all hugely ambitious plan resourced project of this scale ten years launch rocket Earth orbit Lunar Missions spacecraft inscribed space craft upper stage boost spacecraft lunar lander drilling platform slow down orbit lunar poles adjust orbit precision landing viewing gallery mission control members Lunar Missions Club slows preselected landing site South Pole position target area adjusts trajectory look for small hazards make final adjustments rocket engines cut out legs stabilising settling craft surface of the Moon retrieve cylindrical rock cores analysis suite scientific instruments onboard arrange return mission most important samples back more detailed analysis on Earth next mission funded Lunar Missions Trust /