Updates to Tesla Model S in the works

Credit: http://forococheselectricos.com/

Some time ago there were indications that the Tesla Model S was about to have a 100 kWh battery option, at least for the 4wd performance variant.

Now other sources are indicating that the 100 kWh battery, plus some styling updates, the Bioweapon Defense Mode from the Model X, plus LED headlights & taillights will soon appear:

http://www.roadandtrack.com/new-cars/news/a28778/tesla-model-s-p100d-with-new-styling-could-debut-this-week-says-rumor/ / bigger battery Model S 320 miles range styling Model X grille redesigned taillights automotive rumor mill Tesla Model S significant styling drivetrain update soon Tesla update Model S styling Model X Model 3 rumor powertrain 100kWh battery Model S lineup increase driving range largest battery option 90kWh driving range 320 miles Model S 100D Model S P100D Ludicrous mode incrementally quicker acceleration updated Model S Bioweapon Defense Mode Model X seals off passenger cabin air conditioned air giant HEPA filter Model S updated styling Model X smaller front grille updated LED headlights taillights
Tesla Model S styling Model 3 Tesla /

Platooning lets trucks make better use of roads, save fuel & reduce greenhouse gasses

Routes used by DAF, Daimler, IVECO, MAN, Scania, & Volvo trucks taking part in the European Truck Platooning Challenge
Credit: slo-tech.com

Semi-autonomous trucks connected by radar, GPS, WiFi & optical sensors are able to follow one another on the highway more closely than is safe for human drivers. Such group of trucks is called a platoon. Shorter distances between the members of a platoon increase the efficiency & greenhouse emission gains from slipstreaming. On Wednesday 06 April, the European Truck Platooning Challenge successfully concluded in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, as shown in the map above.



http://arstechnica.com/cars/2016/04/europe-completes-a-demonstration-of-semi-autonomous-truck-platooning/
/ two-lane highway headaches Europe demonstrates semi-autonomous truck platoonWi-Fi-connected trucks tight convoys saving fuel increasing safety self-driving vehicles technology companies autonomous advocates self-driving technology road haulage freight sector Europe demonstration semi-autonomous trucking European Truck Platooning Challenge wrapped up successfully on Wednesday 06 April Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment trucks from six different European manufacturers DAF Trucks Daimler IVECO MAN Scania Volvo trucks left their home bases traveled in platoons Dutch port of Rotterdam trucks platoon connected via Wi-Fi enabled synchronized driven much closer to each other human drivers completely autonomous level 4 vehicles driver on board each vehicle trucks equipped radar optical sensors at least as smart semi-autonomous Teslas Audis cars driving advantages networked platooned trucks almost no reaction time within platoon lead truck slow down brake trucks in the platoon respond at once closing gap between each vehicle trucks benefit from decreased wind resistance better fuel economy 10 percent saves truck operators money less carbon dioxide emissions USA level 3 autonomous truck Freightliner impact technology industry employs 3.5 million people shortage of truck drivers in the USA semi-autonomous tech reduce workload decrease stress fully autonomous passenger cars completely autonomous truck travel no human intervention setting the route networked truck platoons cut down carbon emissions improve road safety /

"MagSafe"™ charging for any device with USB-C

Credit: Griffin Technologies/techvibrate.com

If you bought the new Macbook 12 inch, with USB-C port, you may regret loss of the MagSafe™ charging connector which protected your laptop, cable & charger against damage from the cable being kicked. If so, Griffin Technologies has a solution in the form of its BreakSafe Magnetic USB-C Power Cable. As you can see in the image, it consists of a connector which is inserted into the USB-C port of your laptop, & a six foot (1.83 metre) cable with a standard USB-C plug at one end & a proprietary connector at the other which attaches magnetically to the connector in the USB-C socket of your computer.

Breaksafe works with any computer with USB-C charging.

https://the-gadgeteer.com/2016/04/08/the-breaksafe-magnetic-usb-c-power-cable-is-coming-soon/ / new laptop new industry standard USB-C port USB C replace all older USB ports Macs PCs mobile devices standardization Magsafe magnetic cable old device magnetic power cable Griffin Technologies BreakSafe Magnetic USB-C Power Cable ease of snapping on your charging cable charges your device faster breaks away when placed under stress don’t accidentally pull your laptop off your desk tripping on the charging cable order connector 12.8mm deep remain inserted in your USB-C port your device six-foot power cable USB-C charger device compatible with USB Power Delivery rated up to 60 watts 20 volts @ 3 amps BreakSafe for charging power only data video not supported BreakSafe Magnetic USB-C power cable release April 2016 Griffin Technologies cost $39.99 new USB-C products covered by Griffin’s new Guaranteed for Life warranty program /

Is a modern industrial society possible without cheap fossil fuels?

Credit: EPA USA

Many, on all sides of the climate & economic debates, have expressed concern that a modern industrial society may not be possible without cheap fossil fuels & their attendant greenhouse gas emissions. Fortunately, emerging evidence points to the possibility of a bright economic & environmental future:

● With subsidies running at $10 million per minute worldwide, fossil fuels aren’t cheap.

● Data (some of it preliminary) show that world greenhouse gas emissions stayed flat in 2015, for the second year in a row, while global gross domestic product continued to grow.

http://www.wri.org/blog/2016/04/roads-decoupling-21-countries-are-reducing-carbon-emissions-while-growing-gdp

https://www.iea.org/newsroomandevents/pressreleases/2016/march/decoupling-of-global-emissions-and-economic-growth-confirmed.html keys countries transition new climate economy growth drive coexist climate stabilization whether climate stabilisation can drive growth debates growth resources complex fractious resolved immediate future recent developments global greenhouse gas GHG emissions stayed flat 2014 2015 GDP continued to grow emerging trend supported by 21 countries reduce GHG emissions while growing GDP United States of America largest country multiple consecutive years economic growth decoupled from growth in carbon dioxide emissions CO2 2010 to 2012 energy-related carbon dioxide emissions declined 6 percent 5.58 to 5.23 billion metric tons GDP grew by 4 percent $14.8 to $15.4 trillion analysis Clean Power Plan U.S.A. Energy Information Administration forecasts cleaner electricity system after 2020 sustained period GDP-GHG decoupling CPP implementation reduce total U.S.A. USA energy-related carbon dioxide emissions further 6 percent between 2020 and 2025 GDP increases 13 percent in real terms United States implements Clean Power Plan achieves sustained decoupling twenty other countries decoupling GDP energy-related carbon dioxide emissions UK country economic growth CO2 emissions increasingly diverged UK achieved six years of absolute decoupling real GDP grew carbon dioxide emissions declined shifting to a low carbon path decoupling of GDP and GHG emissions economy economics business emissions international climate policy renewable energy /

Big changes driven by success of Tesla’s Model 3 unveiling

Tesla Model 3
Credit: Tesla/Computer World

Response to the unveiling of the Tesla Model 3 has exceeded all expectations.

Over 325k cars or ~$14B in preorders in first week. Only 5% ordered max of two, suggesting low levels of speculation.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 7, 2016

Tesla will be expanding production plans.

http://electrek.co/2016/04/07/tesla-model-3-production-plans/

Lithium, “... between 15 & 20,000 metric tonnes of lithium carbonate equivalent to supply that demand,” are being discussed.

http://business.financialpost.com/midas-letter/tesla-motors-inc-ignites-a-lithium-race-among-albemarle-sqm-and-fmc

A large number of online vehicles represents a large hacking target, & the dangers can be substantial. All Teslas are Web-enabled, & have been hacked in the past.

So Tesla has hired Apple’s OS security expert

http://electrek.co/2016/04/04/tesla-apple-os-security-expert-hacker/ / supply Tesla Motors Inc.’s gigafactory Albemarle CorporationNYSE:ALB Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile ADR NYSE:SQM SQM FMC Corp NYSE:FMC supply 90 per cent of the world’s lithium Tesla’s facility industrial installation Nevada desert make electric cars mainstream reducing cost lithium ion batteries mass production investors price of lithium double triple plant opening lithium ion-powered age opportunities to profit increasing production plans minimize wait for Model 3 overwhelming number of Model 3 reservations increasing production plans minimize wait Model 3 reserve $35,000 long-range all-electric vehicle reservations Tesla hired Apple’s OS security expert connected cars hacking risk automotive industry IT security connected cars hacking risk Tesla IT security team Chris Evans head Google’s Project Zero team of hackers Google zero-day vulnerabilities /

Phone cameras – the great leap forward

Two Leica cameras in Huawei’s P9 phone – exploded view
Credit: tjfer.com

Some time ago, I predicted that the future of photography would be very large pixel-count-sensors with digital zoom. My predictions included: “... expect a consumer camera producing 10 mp images with an 8x digital zoom inside ten years.”

A number of companies are working on making this happen well inside 10 years.

What I missed, is that multiple small sensors (pixel count & physical dimensions) combined with clever software can synthesise large-pixel-count &/or large-format, sensors.

One implementation of synthetic-sensor cameras is the Light L16 camera, which combines 16 cameras, each with phone size sensors, to emulate the performance of a full-frame SLR with a 40+ megapixel sensor & 35-150 mm zoom. All of this fits into a package the size of a 6" phablet phone, but twice as thick, with no protruding lens.

Also in development, synthetic-sensor cameras for smartphones. 2 x phone-cameras, one a typical phone-camera, the other a longer focal-length black & white. Cameras & software synthesise the capabilities of a phone-camera with 5x optical zoom.

First-to-market with a synthetic-sensor camera – Huawei. Their P9 phones incorporate two Leica cameras, one a conventional phone camera, the other black & white, for improved definition & low-light performance.

http://www.wired.com/2016/04/huawei-p9-leica-dual-cameras/

And what of the point-&-shoot camera? Existing phone cameras are the only camera many people own. The rapid expansion of phone-camera capabilities we will see in the next couple of years will only accelerate this trend. / Huawei Leica unveiled rumored new P9 P9 Plus smartphone two primary cameras on the back dual-camera flagship phone long-term technology partnership new phones unveiled press event available first in Europe London smartphones design Huawei’s previous P Series smartphones finish shell aluminum metal rounded corners 5.2-inch FHD full high definition 5.5-inch AMOLED display most interesting detail pair 12-megapixel cameras back side backside both phone models cameras co-engineered Huawei Leica Chinese phone-maker German optics company dual cameras lens lenses designed P9 two large sensors sensors new 1.25um Sony IMX286 chips captures RGB information monochrome sensor superior light sensitivity lens aperture f/2.2 field of view 27mm equivalent full frame 35mm equivalent dual-LED flash on board though optical image stabilization missing shortcoming black and white synthetic-sensor camera synthetic-sensor camera synthetic sensor camera synthetic sensor camera sensor colour sensor color sensor working together capture more light more detail photographs photos Huawei monochrome sensor captures 300 percent more light photos shot with the phone brighter backgrounds better contrast clearer images two sensors operate in wide-aperture mode extra depth of field background blur attractively bokeh cameras refocus a frame after fired off a shot dual lenses autofocus mechanism faster laser-assisted focus system close-up shots objects dedicated sensors contrast focusing objects farther away smartphone dual-camera 3D features camera two lenses refocusing options refocusing variable aperture well-respected leader in photography Leica optical expertise smartphones chips smartphones Huawei Kirin 955 octa-core system-on-a-chip USB Type-C connector fast charging P9 six colors 32GB storage 3GB RAM 64GB memory 4GB of RAM microSD slots optional 128GB of additional storage Press Touch Huawei Apple’s 3D Touch interface Force Touch larger P9 Plus stereo speakers integrated IR universal remote function very small camera interface pro mode make manual adjustments ISO adjusted shutter speed white balance beauty filters HDR panorama night shots time-lapse slo-mo slow-motion slow motion watermark light painting audio notes document readjustment options monochrome mode, too black and white effect filters third-party camera apps monochrome dedicated Leica sensor dramatic gorgeous black and white picture deep blacks awesome contrast /

Million Mile Light

Million Mile Light captures energy from the runner’s motion
Credit: Million Mile Light/battery free/werd

Million Mile Light is a safety light for runners to make them visible to other road users at night. Because it captures energy from the user at each stride, it doesn’t need batteries. Ever.

Although, a million miles does sound a trifle ambitious ...



http://www.werd.com/33906/million-mile-light/

Manufacturer’s web site
https://batteryfree.com/ / powered by motion kinetic energy Million Mile Light 30-lumen LED safety light runner run running runners step stride flashes pulse of light keep you safe weighs 1.5 ounces never needs a battery /