Serial knuckle cracking

Notice the white spot in the joint as the bones separate.
Credit: Gregory Kawchuk, University of Alberta/Plos Media/Wired

Most surprising part of this for me — the revelation is that the cracking sound is caused by bubble formation as the joint comes apart — this was always my understanding.

http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2015/04/mri-video-reveals-what-it-actually-looks-like-when-you-crack-your-joints/

http://www.wired.com/2015/04/watch-gross-mri-knuckle-cracking/ / knuckle cracking crack joints scientists never really understood physics chilling noise 1970s experts collapse gas nitrogen air bubbles synovial fluid lubricates joints new evidence sound formation gas-filled cavity joints stretch apart study researchers University of Alberta crack his knuckles multiple scientists fingers magnetic resonance imager watching cracking events researchers video bones in the joint separate negative pressure gas nitrogen synovial fluid sudden formation of bubbles scientific term tribonucleation crack pop flash space joint surfaces separate MRI signal cavitation tribonucleation joint surfaces come together bubble rapidly collapses popping phenomenon medical insight study Jacob Jaremko radiologist University of Alberta bubble collapse shock damage surrounding structures cavitation latest study provides some new information on the physics behind joint cavitation researchers research effects bubble collapse places of the human body flow dynamics heart circulation bloodstream fluid under pressure tribonucleation effects large consequences crack /

Moore’s law turns 50

Moore’s Law has been widely quoted & misquoted. Possibly the most popular misquote is: “Moore’s Law states that computing power doubles every 18 months.”

In fact, what Gordon Moore was talking about in 1965, was transistor density: that the number of transistors in a given area would double every two years. Performance impact is only indirect.

Despite frequent predictions of its imminent demise, Moore’s Law is alive & well at 50.

http://www.itworld.com/article/2911275/moores-law-at-50-the-past-and-future.html / smartwatch smart watch iPhone Moore’s Law computers smaller cheaper faster Moore’s Law computers Microsoft’s HoloLens holographic wearable develop development developed decades modern electronics scientific theory set of observations and predictions Intel co-founder Gordon Moore first published Electronics Magazine April 19 1965 core prediction states that density of transistors number of transistors on a given die area double every two years double the performance loosely translated in 18 to 24 months buy a computer that is significantly faster same amount of money tech industry cheaper with scaling transistor density doubles chips shrink in size processor processing speeds cost per processor declines smaller cheaper faster devices manufacturing advances chips power-efficient more battery devices smartphone Randhir Thakur Silicon Systems Group Applied Materials engineers predicted physical economic challenges conventional computers quantum computers systems brain-like neural chips function differently current processors silicon replaced chips new materials graphene carbon nanotubes Intel memory products benefit lower cost per bit integrated circuits 4004 had 2,300 transistors latest chips billions of transistors faster more power efficient changes in computing computer performance lowering power consumption last decade Mark Bohr performance desktops laptops smartphones wearables Internet of Things devices robots recognize objects make decisions products cars health devices home appliances integrated circuits engineers chips scale down atomic scale IEEE Spectrum innovations technology advance FinFET transistors chips new factories strained silicon high-k metal gate FinFET Xian-He Sun professor computer science Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago etch features smaller chips errors defects designing processes new materials technologies silicon gallium arsenide indium gallium arsenide new materials Alex Lidow semiconductor industry CEO of Efficient Power ConversionEPC gallium nitrideGAN better conductor electrons performance power-efficiency advantages digital chips EUV extreme ultraviolet lithography semiconductor /

Biofuels — green energy solution?

At first sight, biofuels look like the ideal solution to our energy needs — simply grow all the fuel we need.

Unfortunately, it’s not that simple:
● creating fuel from foods, such as soyabeans & sugarcane requires diversion of the food supply
● growing fuel crops requires arable land & fresh water
● commercial food production requires many fossil fuel calories for each food calorie — 10 in USA*

http://www.economist.com/news/science-and-technology/21648630-investment-biofuels-dwindling-and-scepticism-growing-thin-harvest
___________
* Melissa C. Lott: “10 Calories in, 1 Calorie Out – The Energy We Spend on Food”, http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/plugged-in/2011/08/11/10-calories-in-1-calorie-out-the-energy-we-spend-on-food/

Thomas Starrs: “Gas Guzzling Food”, https://www.organicconsumers.org/old_articles/btc/gasfood112105.php / making fuel solar energy stored living organisms photosynthesis green biofuel fermenting starch recycling cooking oil algae jet fuel investment Bloomberg New Energy Finance BNEF research Venn diagram sets biofuels compete commercially green green compete commercially ungreenness biofuels food crops plants grown on land produce such crops hurt food supplies committee European Parliament first-generation biofuels current European target renewables energy used in transport by 2020 new proposal first-generation fuels waste feedstocks food production European demand advanced biofuels Claire Curry of BNEF advanced fuels large-scale production waste cooking oil fats diesel ethanol from cellulose enzymatic hydrolysis commercial production renewable jet fuel South African Airways SAA Boeing fuel seeds tobacco plant crop specially bred strain tobacco nicotine-free seeds fertiliser food crop residue animal feed Ian Cruickshank cost tobacco-based product jet fuel refined fossil sources airline blended 50-50 jatropha bush toxic vegetable investors grow grown grower animal fodder oil diesel fuel biofuel sweet spot Venn diagram damage environment food security grown controversial issue genetic modification improve yields insects resistance biofuel crops grown on unirrigated marginal land GM crop researchers University of Manchester University of Turku Finland Imperial College London enzyme currently produce bio-butanol propane commercialised at scale algae-to-fuel high-value chemicals sunlight source energy biology /

Huawei P8 Max — when only too much will do

Credit: Huawei/Android Central

Larger & smaller screen phones both have their advantages, & this has been argued back & forth on these pages.

http://hhg2tech.blogspot.com.au/2014/10/making-case-for-large-screen-phone.html

http://hhg2tech.blogspot.com.au/2014/10/eight-of-best-pocket-sized-phones-for.html

Apparently, Huawei sees a case for phone with a 6.8 inch screen in their Huawei P8 Max

http://www.digitaltrends.com/cell-phone-reviews/huawei-p8-max-hands-on/#/10

http://www.androidauthority.com/huawei-p8-max-hands-on-601694/ / 6.8-inch P8 Max stretch your hands limits Huawei features P8 smartphone smart phone P8 Max much bigger phablet absolutely massive large hold up to your face tablets iPhone 6 Plus size big one-handed mode swipe across the navigation bar two hands activate massive Sony Xperia Z Ultra 6.4-inch screen possible to hold it in one hand big phone big battery giant phone giant battery inside 4,360mAh battery recharge day-and-a-half heavy use not heavy aluminum Gorilla Glass 4 edges chamfered slightly recessed oversized power button 13-megapixel camera lens flush dual-LED flash plastic section antenna array sharp colorful screen octa-core Huawei Kirin 935 processor new features slower shutter speed display 1080p 6.8-inch screen very sharp colours colors vibrant looks great quirky device small niche oversized phablet tablet phone smartphone sharp colorful 1080p screen two day battery life camera high-end build quality massive body one-handed use almost impossible /

Wisdom, Justice, Moderation? — update

Credit: State of Georgia, USA/Charged EVs

Georgia, USA, substantially through its forward thinking policies, such as a $5,000 tax credit for EV purchases, had established itself as second only to California in adoption of electric vehicles (EVs).

http://www.ucsusa.org/clean-vehicles/electric-vehicles/georgia-electric-vehicles#.VTCqrBxW-iw

http://www.wsj.com/articles/why-electric-cars-click-for-atlanta-1401922534 (free registration may be required)

However, last week, the Georgian state legislature passed a bill that not only eliminates the tax credit for EV purchases, but imposes a yearly user fee — $200 for personal vehicles & $300 for commercial EVs.

Brionte McCorkle, a spokesperson for the Sierra Club, Georgia: “When we asked Representative Jay Roberts [the author of the bill] how he arrived at 200 dollars, he said that the average driver pays 85 dollars per year in gas taxes. He said he took that, doubled it, & rounded up.”

http://chargedevs.com/newswire/georgia-reverses-policy-on-evs-eliminating-tax-credit-and-imposing-yearly-fee/

http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1097641_insult-to-injury-ga-kills-electric-car-incentive-adds-last-minute-luxury-car-tax-break

Update — On the other hand, Massachusetts has extended its EV rebate program:

http://chargedevs.com/newswire/meanwhile-massachusetts-extends-its-ev-rebate-program/ / Georgian Georgia’s legislature passed highway funding bill eliminates state $5,000 tax credit EV purchases imposes a yearly user fee personal vehicles commercial EV electric vehicle states fees for EV drivers highest in the nation legacy vehicles pay gas taxes Georgia resident gallon user fee arbitrary punitive Representative Jay Roberts average driver petrol gas taxes tax break for Mercedes employees bill Mercedes-Benz North America exempt from the state’s standard car tax Fiscal Research Center of Georgia State University legislation Governor Nathan Deal sign LiIon lithium ion battery cell Wisdom Justice Moderation /

iOS is better than Android — or not

Credit: The Gadgeteer

iOS is better than Android

http://the-gadgeteer.com/2015/04/14/julies-gadget-diary-5-reasons-why-i-think-apple-devices-are-better-than-android-devices/

Um … actually, no ... scrub that, Android is better

http://the-gadgeteer.com/2015/04/15/julies-gadget-diary-5-reasons-why-i-think-android-devices-are-better-than-apple-devices/ / mobile devices fans very vocal when chosen platform personal insult sensitive smartphones tablets Apple devices Google Android devices prefer hardware premium design platform OS operating system buy hate Apple physical design appearance tech sexy thin metal cases curved edges premium camera fingerprint scanner Retina display newest phone smartphone smart phone cool accessories app application software first add-on app application compatible iPhone iPad case cover cases platform fragmentation closed open platform too many variants hardware features specs specifications devices physical buttons devices mega pixel cameras fingerprint scanners microSD card slots Qi wireless charging replaceable battery iPhone 6 Plus 6 5S 5C button on the front volume button mute button power button consistent user interface Android devices vendors skin theme on top of the operating system Touchwiz Sense Samsung HTC user interface skin themes skins platform no consistency rigid consistency Apple devices Android users argue Apple’s walled garden boring restrictive search around apps settings waiting for carriers and vendors for OS updates new iOS version updates immediately wai various carriers vendors approve updates Verizon branded LG G3 Android 5.0 Lollipop Google Nexus devices updates Nexus 7 LTE tablet update updated version of the operating system more choices smartphone tablet microSD card slot replaceable batteries heart rate sensors built-in stylus fingerprint sensors gaming controls wireless charging IR blasters screen size storage capacity Motorola Moto X customize options customize user interface skin skinning skins install launchers customize interface install 3rd party ROMs widgets home screen NFC Near Field Communication pair devices Bluetooth speakers USB OTG On-The-Go connect standard USB keyboards flash drives mouse mice USB hubs terminal PDA /

Macbook alternatives

Credit: Wired

People have a range of different requirements for laptops. Some would actually prefer the facilities of a desktop, but need to be able to pack it away when not in use. For such users, weight is much less important & screen size & disc capacity are at a premium.

Apple’s new Macbook is aimed at users at the opposite end of the spectrum: those who value light weight, & the ability to fit into a briefcase or backpack, above all else.

On the other hand, for some users, some specs, such as the relatively slow processor, single USB-C port for i/o, & OS X itself are a barrier. Wired has some alternatives:

http://www.wired.com/2015/04/macbook-alternatives/ / Apple’s newest Macbook polarizing machine buy one sleek design tiny case mid-level specs one-port connectivity solution price tag slim fancy wedge laptop notebook note book laptop lap top Ultrabook first MacBook Air golden age of laptops uber-portable PCs solid performance impossibly slender frames weighing less than 3 pounds machine prices low consumer-friendly struggling PC business MacBook fetching design OSX OS X tack-sharp screen keyboard trackpad unique more capable affordable ultraportables core components weight price connectivity options lean-and-light heavy high octane 14-inch Razer Blade base versions MacBook Air MacBook Pro Retina Display specifications specs chart table base configurations laptop list touchscreen touch screen options screen resolution options higher-priced configuration Apple MacBook design screen resolution effortless portability Macintosh Mac OS X above-average battery life storage 1.1 GHz Core M processor price single USB-C port Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon pounds heavier priced competitor screen real estate keyboard multiple ports base configuration 2.7 GHz Intel Core i5 CPU 4GB RAM USB 3.0 ports HDMI-out Mini DisplayPort 1080p screen lower-res 157ppi. 226ppi higher-resolution touchscreen configuration ASUS Zenbook UX305 tradeoffs lower-end Core M processor 0.8GHz 1.1GHz lower-resolution 1080p display heavier load 13.3-inch 8GB RAM 256GB version three USB 3.0 ports MicroHDMI out SD card reader higher-resolution configurations Dell XPS 13 bargain power lower resolution 165ppi 226ppi storage 128GB RAM 4GB 2.1GHz Core i3 CPU ports Mini DisplayPort SD card reader touchscreen higher-resolution panel Microsoft Surface Pro 3 TypeCover lighter thinner screen resolution 64GB storage TypeCover keyboard typing accessory Samsung Ativ Book 9 MicroSD MicroHDMI Google Chromebook Pixel web apps 32GB storage Lenovo LaVie Z Razer Blade powerhouse 14-inch portable MacBook Air 11-Inch ultraportable Mac Macintosh MacBook Pro Apple laptop Macbook notebook PC /