Formual E, round 6, Long Beach, 04 April 2015 — video

Qualifying


Race


Complete results, including the race & qualifying:
http://www.fiaformulae.com/en/results/long-beach-eprix.aspx / Formula E Long Beach California USA sixth race all electric racing series fourth race Long Beach California USA open wheeler ePrix stadium races F1 FIA electricity sport electric vehicles EV terrific acceleration pass passing possible tracks with tight corners technology range race organizers identical cars Spark-Renault SRT_01E built French company Spark Racing Technology carbon fiber aluminum chassis Dallara electric powertrain electronics McLaren Electronics Systems Williams Advanced Engineering building 200 kiloWatt battery pack batteries powertrain generate 270 horsepower five-speed paddle shift gearbox fixed gear ratios Michelin 18 inch tires wet dry conditions sound 80 decibel whine full grid 20 cars FIA Formula E strategy street courses dedicated circuits tire wear grip management battery life charge prematurely testing drivers learn knowledge teams construction constructors constructing FanBoost pit stop second fully charged car advances in battery technology battery swaps charging battery Renault Michelin DHL Qualcomm Richard Branson Virgin Racing team Leonardo DiCaprio Venturi team lithium ion LiIon battery charge recharge range battery management system BMS /

April fools prank in mathematics class

In the light of such brilliance, all I can add is: over 4 million views as of this writing.

Enjoy:

/ viral youtube video maths math professor lecture professor teacher every year April Fools’ Day interesting pranks tech companies tech jokes Google fresh April Fools stunts Samsung HTC rose to the challenge interesting fake products maths math teacher Matthew Weathers in class the other day fake video tutorial showed in class character in the video gets some trigonometry wrong math teacher correct himself chaos ensues video YouTube hit 2 million views clever professor tech video you see is un-edited what the students saw in class Reddit used Adobe Premier After Effects on-screen video practiced about 20 times to get the timing right hilarious April Fools prank video /

jamstik+ ultra small guitar & MIDI controller

Credit: Zivix/GuitarPlayer





That’s most of the story above: it’s lots of fun, & jamstik+ with the right apps on your iPhone (or iPad or Mac) can make real music.

The detail

● still available on Kickstarter for $US229, as of this writing

● as with all portable devices, there is a tension between the competing requirements of portability & usability — a longer neck would be good when you’re playing, but not when trying to stuff it into your luggage

● only 5 frets, but via the D-pad, it has settings that give access to more than twice the range of a 21 fret guitar

● jamTutor is just what it says — a tutor program

● connects to iOS & OSX devices via Bluetooth LE

● overcomes the latency some users complained of in the original jamstik

● charges via supplied micro USB cable — no power adapter supplied, but you can use the adapter for your iOS device, or a USB port on your OSX device

Kickstarter page

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/80789521/jamstik-the-smartguitar

TechCrunch is enthusastic

http://techcrunch.com/2015/01/22/the-new-jamstik-is-a-musicians-best-friend/

http://techcrunch.com/2015/01/22/fly-or-die-the-jamstik/

Other reviews are generally positive

http://www.guitarplayer.com/gear/1012/jamstik-gets-serious-with-hexaphonic-pickup-and-bluetooth-capability--video/51477

http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/news/general_music_news/introducing_jamstik_smartguitar_the_possible_future_of_guitars.html

An educator’s view

https://techinmusiced.wordpress.com/2015/03/25/jamstik-kickstarter-campaign-begins-today/

On the other hand

This negative review is about the original jamstick, but doesn’t mention the latency some have complained of:

http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/feb/09/emmy-the-great-tries-jamstik-midi-controller / playing guitar one of the most rewarding experiences you can have listen learn make music jamstik+ jamstik+ works wirelessly iPad iPhone iPod Touch Mac Macintosh iOS OSX app apps get you playing right away so easy to use strumming your first chord included apps guide how to hold a pick correctly creating your own song fingering strum finger fret frets plectrum pick watching listening people play guitar lessons afford the lessons playing chords dream creating music a reality everyone pros YouTube sensations YOU start playing Kickstarter crowd funding funded making the jamstik+ first-time jamstik players jamstik+ senses sensors where your fingers are infrared pluck a string learning incredibly intuitive always in tune connect wirelessly iOS device via Bluetooth LE low energy download launch jamTutor app walked through a series of lessons launch jamMix just start playing everything sounds good in jamMix free companion apps jamstik+ guitar MIDI controller can sound like almost any instrument you can think of drums samples synths banjo create mix entire songs companion apps your favorite music apps like GarageBand Loopy SampleTank Ableton Live build an entire song in GarageBand with the jamstik+ infrared sensors in the fretboard detect precise variations of your fingers instant feedback no delay between what you play and what you hear traditional guitar users hands hexaphonic magnetic pickup more realistic guitar feel higher resolution signal wireless Bluetooth LE connectivity works seamlessly latest BLE MIDI Protocol supported by Apple /

No batteries, no motors, this boot allows you to walk 7% more efficiently

Credit: Gizmodo

Not quite 100% efficient, the human gait. This boot captures back 7%. Not impressed? Every little bit helps.

http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2015/04/this-exoskeleton-boot-saves-energy-in-an-ingenious-way/ / millions of years of evolution your feet not perfectly energy efficient exoskeletons exoskeletons researchers created a new boot unlike other exoskeletons makes walking more efficient without extra battery power source boot contraption reduces energy walk by about 7 per cent without a bulky battery pack power works differently from exoskeletons give you superhuman strength total energy expenditure is the same finding tiny inefficiencies correcting them human walking, optimised inefficiency muscles use energy even when they’re locked mechanical clutch Davide Castelvecchi Nature research exoskeleton structures lightweight carbon-based materials spring connects back of the foot just below the back of the knee attaches with a mechanical clutch Achilles tendon stretched clutch is engaged spring additional tendon stretches store energy standing leg pushes down push unleashing elastic energy clutch releases absorbs slack in the spring next cycle video sound like a robot squeaking through the woods researcher refine the boot energy gains regardless of speed and terrain squeakiness /

Do you want to have a better memory?

Almost everyone seems to complain about their memory. Aids, such as a diary & a notebook can help (mine are in my phone), but is there a way to improve memory itself?

An interview with Nelson Dellis, three time winner of the USA Memory Championship gives some clues, & recommends some books & websites that can help:

http://www.lifehacker.com.au/2015/04/ask-an-expert-all-about-memorisation-techniques/ / memorisation techniques train yourself better memory brain games scepticism memorise memorize memory remember practising techniques help you increase your ability to recall Nelson Dellis USA Memory Championship memorising 117 faces names memorisation techniques brain health not an inherent talent Alzheimer’s disease improve memory practice Alzheimer’s research fairly good memory recall information better recall information already know improve use it or lose it memory often enough gets better wired to remember better with less effort memory exercises daily ability to recall information when you want it will improve techniques books web sites resources most useful learning retention learn retain best books Quantum Memory Power by Dominic O’ Brien Moonwalking with Einstein by Joshua Foer best websites training practice memo method students method of Loci study subjects like physics calculus chemistry list format technique math maths mathematics physics mental image memorise best way to organise structure images memory palace linked list tried a variety of techniques remember anyone’s name acute mental block word associations re-picturing events plain repeating the name a million times take people’s photo store in my phone creepy remember names focus when you meet someone choose a feature pick something distinguishing face picture name turn it into a mental picture attach the two imagine that picture name interacting with the feature be creative repeat advice kids memorise recommend imagination visually exciting silly imagery memorising kids imagine crazy silly things memorise words memorise jokes lines monologues methods this type of memorisation numbers sequences remembered actual words recite commit jokes to memory memory palace store key image images path palace order Josh Foer Ted talk speeches memorisation practice practising improve your memory nootropics brain growth memory retention practice being healthy eat well DHA Omega-3 stay fit Kwik Learning Lumosity exercises memorisation motivated /

Follow the Solar Impulse 2 round-the-world solar-powered flight

Credit: Solar Impulse/Jacques-Henri Add/The Economist

Solar Impulse 2 is a solar powered aircraft which is currently undertaking an around-the-world flight.

As of this writing, Solar Impulse 2 is in flight from Mandalay to Chongqing.

Many ways to follow:

Live coverage from the cockpit including instrument display & live video & audio (French):
http://www.solarimpulse.com/widget-aircraft

Twitter:
https://twitter.com/solarimpulse

Newsletter:
http://us3.campaign-archive1.com/?u=553e7fdb79a7f1570622b070d&id=087db6b00f&e=[UNIQID

Mobile apps:


iOS app screen shot
Credit: WISeKey Suisse SA/Apple

Google Play
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.wisekey.wisefans.solarimpulse

Apple iOS App Store
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/solar-impulse-hd/id963638162?ls=1&mt=8 / Swiss pilot pilots first ever attempt fly around the world propelled the Sun André Borschberg compatriot Bertrand Piccard take turns piloting single seater seat Solar Impulse 2 21,747 miles 35,000 km kilometre 12 legs including gruelling five- to six-day stints across the Atlantic Pacific oceans entire journey will take five months Borschberg took the controls takeoff take off take-off Al-Bateen executive airport Abu Dhabi early on Monday first destination Muscat in Oman pilots roughly 250 hours each inside narrow cockpit no oxygen temperature control temperatures outside range between -40 degrees C to 40°C falling asleep flight need constant attention Piccard Borschberg survive 20-minute naps every two to four hours pilots will practise yoga stave off the physical discomfort remaining confined seat for days at a time Borschberg biggest challenge maintaining concentration Piccard psychiatrist team 1999 first circumnavigated globe non-stop balloon taught techniques of self-hypnosis meditation maintain concentration time duration in the present moment the only way is to be present almost a spiritual experience entire journey circumnavigating Earth in a family car aircraft weighs the same as a Volvo sedan comparable speeds SI2 top speed 87m/h 140km/h pilots conserve battery power limiting plane half cockpit only slightly larger average car contain life support systems food oxygen supplies reclining pilot’s seat triples bed chair toilet fly both day and night no fuel powered by 17,000 solar panels set on its wings wider Boeing 747’s fuselage 633kg bank of lithium batteries quarter weight store energy run motors overnight journey early days intercontinental flight enormous speed range jet engines Qantas fly Kangaroo Route Sydney to London hopping Darwin Singapore Kolkata Karachi Cairo Tripoli en route Borschberg success Solar Impulse project first solar-powered plane fly through the night first to fly between two continents primitive step toward zero-carbon jumbo combustion fossil fuels dominated powered flight 19th century dirigible aviation burns the most carbon per passenger per kilometre of any mode of mass-transport and, despite efforts to limit emissions, remains the fastest growing anthropogenic source of greenhouse gases sector climate change toughest major emissions source to decarbonise solar flight seeks remains decades away Wright Brothers Charles Lindbergh deputy editor Aerospace magazine Bill Read solar flight commercial flights solar cells generate power fly Solar Impulse fly using solar power constructed very light weight light-weight lightweight huge wingspan solar cell technology power source aircraft advances project real-world uses today fly Sun day and night build an aircraft extremely energy efficient technologies energy efficiency used in your home your car appliances four motors power aircraft generate heat energy efficiency single cheapest way reduce carbon emissions across the world technologies challenge energy environment pollution natural resources /

If you just can’t wait for the Apple Watch

Knock offs are available already.

Bought a fake Apple Watch at CES:

http://mashable.com/2015/01/08/fake-apple-watch-ces/

Other sightings:

http://www.apppicker.com/news/22873/Apple-Watch-knock-offs-already-available

https://recode.net/2015/03/24/apple-watch-knockoffs-are-already-available-in-china-and-they-arent-10000/

Or, if you must have the real thing, you might like these accessories to go with it:


Credit: The Joy of Tech by Nitrozac & Snaggy www.joyoftech.com / Las Vegas highly anticipated Apple Watch hits shelves at least one company has already made a knockoff fake copy Acme bogus counterfeit forgery fraudulent phony spurious pseudo sham in the back smaller halls CES Chinese company showing off fake Apple Watches watch Shenzhen-based Hyperdon Smart Watch first glance watch's screen displays when icons blatant ripoffs Apple designs pairing process iPhone 6 make phone calls play music watch vibrates incoming call pedometer stopwatch alarm Anti lost enable disable out of Bluetooth range messaging notifier notifications WeChat apps downloading a sketchy-looking APK un-jailbroken jailbroken iPhone watch charges via a USB cable Hyperdon representative claimed battery life more than 180 hours test tested suspicious pay cash ATM representative price was $30 $27 USA US wholesale price retail stores in the U.S China iOS Apple iPhone /