Chevrolet Bolt – Wired gets 240+ miles from one charge

Wired staff drove a pre-production Chevrolet Bold electric vehicle down the California coast from Monterey to Santa Barbera. When they had racked up 240 miles (386 kilometres) the range estimator still showed 20 miles (32 kilometres) remaining.

/ Chevy Bolt electric car electric vehicle EV cell battery charge recharge charger fast charger Supercharger lithium ion LiIon LiFeO4 lithium iron phosphate Tesla 60 kWh kilo Watt hour battery 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV electric car 240 miles single charge lowest range achieved driving four Bolt EVs along the California coast same trip 32 miles remaining car’s display 2017 Chevy Bolt EV electric car 238 mile EPA range rating 119 MPGe combined Bolt EV EPA range rating 238 miles combined real-world use six-hour drive route 235 miles Monterey California south Santa Barbara scenic coastal Route 1 one of the most frustrating routes in the world Chevrolet team member comparatively free slow-moving rented motorhomes gawking tourists half the drive route covered speeds 40 to 60 mph country roads highway toward the end trip keep up with traffic 70 to 75 mph crested 2,000-foot pass over coastal mountains descending sea level our destination air conditioning low counter temperatures more than 90 degrees Fahrenheit miles before final grade Bolt replaced miles-remaining number instrument cluster orange Low Range warning halfway up the grade warning began flash insistently GM passenger it’ll be fine warning comes up based variety factors kicked in on the early side some battery capacity remaining traveling up to 75 mph before starting the steep climb 60-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack motor rated up to 150 kilowatts 200 horsepower relatively light Bolt EV remaining range inescapable physics energy used overcome aerodynamic drag increases exponentially with speed mix of speeds Bolt EV delivered 4.1 miles per kilowatt-hour 240 miles used 58.7 kwh 97.8 percent total stated pack capacity of 60 kwh less aggressive driver achieved 4.8 mi/kwh 4.5 mi/kwh remaining range price half average Tesla sold today electric car market second-generation Nissan Leaf Tesla Model 3 electric BMW crossover utility compact-sized electric car Volkswagen other vehicles 200 or more miles of range Bolt EV pre-production Bolt EV may not quite correspond final vehicles hit dealer floors before the end of the year Bolt EV’s shape short length tall height boxy bigger car substantially larger Chevy Spark Mitsubishi i-MiEV interior wide remarkably spacious four tall adults can sit easily inside unlike Volt flat floor center position rear real seat seating position perched on a hump Bolt’s interior large crisp displays central touchscreen touch screen fully digital instrument cluster size resolution brightness easier to read information simple speed range remaining energy cluster total energy consumption other data central display thin seats comfortable room in the back full-sized adults normal Drive mode gear selector lever just like automatic transmission idle creep keep foot on the brakes alternative Low range increases regenerative braking considerably smoothly slow the car complete stop without using brakes one-pedal driving Tesla Bolt EV regen Chevy electric cars mimic automatic-transmission driving experience various modes that increase regen one-pedal driving conventional mode Bolt EV genuine one-pedal driving conventional feel idle creep entirely absent in Low hill-hold function mode Sport mode remaps accelerator deliver power more quickly weight 3,580 pounds relatively light 60-kwh battery size 94-cubic-foot interior volume handling and roadholding predictable 200-hp motor more than enough performance keep up with traffic acceleration is good too looks considerably smaller than it actually is tall wagon small minivan interior volume 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV more interior volume than you'd expect superb instrumentation electric-range cars costing twice as much enjoyable performance electric vehicle Bolt EV usual test route recharge speed winter 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV pricing features trim levels options released car on-sale /

Timeline of Earth’s average temperature

20,000 BC – much of the Earth was still covered by the glaciers of the last ice age. Temperatures were cooler than today – around 5 Celsius degrees on average.


Credit: xkcd

More wisdom at https://xkcd.com/ / climate change climate change evidence climate change global warming carbon dioxide CO2 greenhouse gas industrial revolution glacier proof evidence human cause empirical evidence element climate change global problem absolute consensus human action leading increase average temperatures try to argue with that but you can't global warming warming depends how you measure Richard Feynman scientist believes empirical evidence quoting consensus graph draw a slightly straighter trend line on there misunderstanding misrepresentation NASA conspiracy Tony Jones interpretation highly qualified scientist I don't believe that data has been corrupted manipulated NASA audience began to laugh Steve Goddard 1930s were warmer recent decades Bureau of Meteorology Greg Hunt squashed investigation BoM Bureau of Metrology moon landing NASA Australian Academy of Science adversarial report is superb accusation NASA Australian Bureau of Meteorology Met Office UK collaborating manipulate global temperature data model answer question making projections based on models providing models validated proven accurate models have already been proven inaccurate IPCC Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change empirical data that's flat out wrong deception flat out incorrect snapshot evidence 2015 global upper ocean heat content highest record 2015 global sea level highest on record in 2015 70mm higher than that observed in 1993 global surface temperature highest on record El Nino 10-40 per cent contribution tropical cyclones well above average overall key point is if you don't accept that the only way to try to formulate policy what we do with emissions build models predict the future tarot cards tea leaves anthropogenic climate change /

Samsung Galaxy Note 7 – fires continue – simple solution

Fire in a Jeep Grand Cherokee has been attributed to a Note 7 charging on the dashboard
Credit: Fox News/news.com.au

Samsung Galaxy Note 7 phablets continue to catch fire – most spectacularly as shown above. If garaged, its hard to imagine such a fire not consuming the garage + any connected house. There are many other examples on the ‘Net.


Samsung Galaxy Note7 smartphone reportedly burst into flames while charging, causing $1800 damage to a hotel room.
Credit: news.com.au

Fires seem to have occurred only in phones which are charging – as in both images above – but if you have one of these phones:

● turn it off
● place it in a fireproof area
● contact Samsung for a replacement

Fires are a potential problem with all devices fitted with the type of lithium ion battery currently in use in laptops & phones. While researching this article, I was told by a representative of another phone manufacturer, “If it starts to puff up, or the screen starts to push out, bring it in to us.”

How phone manufacturers can prevent this happening again. / fire Jeep Grand Cherokee Note 7 charging on dashboard Samsung Galaxy Note 7 halt sales Galaxy Note 7 exploding battery retailers stop selling phones Samsung halt sales Samsung Galaxy Note 7 smartphones prepare replacement devices phones already sold multiple reports exploding batteries Australia's biggest phone retailers stopped selling phone reported problems were being investigated Samsung take about two weeks prepare replacement devices phones already sold high-end gadget launched just weeks ago users have complained battery fault caused phones explode catch fire while being charged 35 cases of problems smartphone concerned customers return the phone outlet where they purchased it JB Hi-Fi Optus Telstra remove phones unclear how many phones been affected telecommunications provider paused sales Samsung Galaxy Note 7 investigation by Samsung customers concerns Samsung Galaxy Note 7 handset visit nearest Optus store discuss their options Telstra investigating problem Galaxy Note 7 phones Samsung precaution paused Galaxy Note 7 sales Telstra spokesperson contact existing owners directly issue affecting their phones unclear how many phones have been affected problem nip it in the bud right now analysts expect the Note 7 problems to be resolved quickly ongoing major problems derail Samsung's mobile recovery string of product successes reversed the smartphone leader's declining market share South Korean firm maintain strong sales momentum stiffening competition Apple Inc release its latest iPhone Samsung name exploding battery injury Investors stripped about $7 billion off Samsung Electronics' market value shipment delays on Thursday /

New drug clears malaria from mice in a single dose

Credit: World Health Organization/David Darling

Malaria is a major disease world-wide from both a public health & financial perspective. Last year, there were over 200 million new cases, & nearly half a million deaths.

The situation is deteriorating:

● malaria parasite is developing resistance to current treatments

● global warming is extending the range of the Anopheles mosquito which transmits the disease

● Anopheles mosquito is developing resistance to control measures

It is timely then, that a new drug has been developed. Mouse trials only so far, but very promising:

http://arstechnica.com/science/2016/09/new-drug-clears-malaria-from-mice-in-a-single-dose/ / New drug clears malaria mice single dose hasn't been tested in humans yet looks very promising drug chemist pharmacologist last year over 200 million cases malaria nearly half a million deaths efforts control disease limited success mosquitos carry rapidly evolved resistance insecticides DDT parasite causes disease resistant most effective treatment develop new drugs malarial parasite plasmodium eukaryote shares basic biochemistry find drug targets parasite human cells plasmodium complex life cycle stages makes generating vaccines difficult treatment new approaches screening drugs success Nature drug targets Plasmodium protein drug tests on mice drug clear infection single dose report huge international collaboration screened approximately 100,000 new chemicals activity against malaria designed adopt three-dimensional structures similar known biomolecules more likely chemicals tested stick to protein occupying site protein chemical found inside cells binding of the drug disrupt normal activity protein drugs tested ability slow down parasite growth cultured red blood cells related chemicals bound to proteins targets known drugs being useful not anything new entirely new structure of the chemical provide many clues Plasmodium evolve resistance parasite survived the drug sequenced its genome changes associated with the resistance gene encodes protein attach amino acids RNA incorporated into proteins protein helped attach phenylalanine RNA phenylalanine amino acid ring structure explain how drug interfere with its metabolism drug originally isolated water soluble half-life blood single dose persist for several days revised chemical tested mice side effects single dose drug completely clear any sign of infection effective ingested orally drug appeared several different stages parasite's life cycle clearing infections blood liver effectiveness limit spread parasite mosquitos researchers single dose malaria drug-resistant varieties medical facilities sparse nonexistent evolution of drug resistance clear the parasite with a single dose human testing results promising testing /

Chrome OS – the great leap forward

Acer Chromebook R13 convertible Chromebook
Credit: Google/Wired

Chrome OS is secure, simple, & boots in under 10 seconds. But its, “just a browser”. Android on the other hand has millions of apps.¹ The strengths of those two operating systems are about to come together.



And Chromebooks recently outsold Macs for the first time
http://www.theverge.com/2016/5/19/11711714/chromebooks-outsold-macs-us-idc-figures

How Chromebooks are about to totally transform laptop design
https://www.wired.com/2016/09/chromebooks-totally-transform-laptop-design/?mbid=nl_9916_p3&CNDID=

Attention, college students: Chromebooks are about to get awesome
http://www.wired.com/2016/08/attention-poor-students-chromebooks-get-awesome/?mbid=nl_81216_p3
__________

¹Statista: “Number of available applications in the Google Play Store from December 2009 to February 2016”,
http://www.statista.com/statistics/266210/number-of-available-applications-in-the-google-play-store/ / college students Chromebooks are about to get awesome back-to-school advice don’t buy a laptop wait a couple of months Apple release new MacBook Pro Windows PCs a few made by Microsoft itself new breed of Chromebooks on their way lots of good Chromebooks cheap ones ridiculously expensive ones straightforward laptops Google Play Store Chrome OS millions of Android apps on your Chromebook change Chromebooks completely touchscreens will be more important new sensors processors integrated detachable hybrid laptop-tablet things buy a recent Chromebook support Android app integration when it launches full app-y experience HP Chromebook 13, for instance great laptop more versatile device from Asus Chromebook Pixel has a touchscreen timeframe you should seriously consider buying a Chromebook ChromeOS secure and simple lose or break your device all your settings and data restored in a few minutes Chromebooks have great battery life don’t require much power pretty portable too Chromebook is plenty of computer for reading Wikipedia and writing your papers what’s great about ChromeOS how little setup it requires you just log in. tweak and fiddle Chrome Web Store full of extensions apps Plex torrented get JSTorrent downloading LastPass 1Password keep all your logins in order Line Google Hangouts Chrome apps Facebook Messenger WhatsApp have decent web apps Evernote for taking notes download New Tab Draft notepad every time you open a new tab Word and Excel Chrome Google Docs Sheets work offline great apps learning math reviewing flashcards reading textbooks Android app a few tweaks Chromebook Android Google Pushbullet links files photos device OneTab many tabs dock at the bottom of the screen right-click icons enable OK Google start a search biggest change Chromebook Mac Windows PC ChromeOS device powerful feature-rich a Chromebook’s exactly what most people browser Android biggest ecosystem apps laptop laptop /

Jaguar Formula E ready for the new racing season

Jaguar Formula E car in its Panasonic livery on Thursday 1st September 2016 at Mallory Park, England
Credit: World Copyright: Andrew Ferraro/LAT/Jaguar/Electrek

In December of last year, Jaguar announced its intention to enter Formula E in the 2016-2017 season. With the 1st race of the new season in 09 October in Hong Kong, Jaguar has announced more of its plans:

Drivers: Adam Carroll & Mitch Evans with Ho-Pin Tung as a reserve
Sponsor: Panasonic
Car:



Electrek – Jaguar unveils its all-electric race car ‘I-TYPE’ for the Formula E, Panasonic joins the team
https://electrek.co/2016/09/08/jaguar-unveils-all-electric-race-car-i-type-formula-e-panasonic-team/

The Verge – Jaguar names Panasonic as title sponsor of its Formula E team
http://www.theverge.com/2016/9/8/12846824/jaguar-formula-e-sponsor-announced-panasonic

Jaguar – Jaguar Electrifies
http://www.jaguar.com.au/jaguar-racing/index.html / sounds new Formula E race cars Jaguar officially unveiled all-electric I-TYPE compete Formula E championship partnership battery maker Panasonic Panasonic EV industry supplying battery cells Tesla joined Jaguar all-electric racing championship create Panasonic Jaguar Racing team Adam Carroll Mitch Evans team drivers Ho-Pin Tung reserve driver team vehicle debut first race few weeks season 3 Formula E October 9, 2016 09 October 2016 Hong Kong new I-TYPE serve test bed Jaguar’s upcoming electric vehicle technology rumours Jaguar plans release all-electric SUV 2017 all-electric prototype camouflaged F-Pace exterior spotted in the wild Jaguar’s official plans bringing electric vehicles to market Jaguar automaker comeback racing Formula E all-electric Championship lithium ion LiIon battery charge recharge battery swap two cars change cars battery pack gearbox gear box /

iPhone 7 announced – no 3.5mm headphone socket

iPhone 7 Plus with revised antenna lines, dual cameras, in Rose Gold, Gold, Silver, Black & Jet Black
Credit: Digital Trends

Once more, the new iPhone has been announced at the Apple September event. Specs of the 7 & 7 Plus are very much as expected:

● revised antenna lines

● additional camera only in the iPhone 7 Plus – doesn’t take advantage of the most recent developments in dual cameras for phones – implementation is simply 2 cameras – one with the same focal length as previous iPhones, the other, used wholly independently, with twice the focal length + digital zoom

● solid state home button – click simulated, as in the MacBook 12" – pressure-sensitive

● water resistant
● no 16GB version – iPhone 7 comes in 32GB, 128GB & 256GB capacities
● no 3.5mm headphone socket
● new headphones using the Lightning socket

● a Lightning-to-3.5mm adapter will be included for owners who want to continue using their existing headphones

● no option to charge & use headphones at the same time for now, unless using wireless headphones

● which Apple will be happy to sell you



LA Times – Can I charge & listen at the same time? No.
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-apple-iphone-can-i-charge-and-listen-at-the-same-1473283039-htmlstory.html

CNet – Jet-black Apple iPhone 7 is here with a water-resistant body, better cameras, 256GB capacity – & no headphone jack (hands-on)
http://www.cnet.com/au/products/apple-iphone-7/preview/ / iPhone 7 iPhone 7 Plus Apple announced launch event San Francisco water resistance better battery life iPhone 3.5 mm 3.5mm headphone jack feels the same funky home button hands-on Apple's event water resistant water resistance demo room Apple's iPhone 7 seems bunch of upgrades no headphone jack home button solid-state Force Touch Jet black Apple's new glossy black color iPhone iPhone slim black obelisk iPhone 7 iPhone 6S same 4.7-inch screen HD Retina display 25 percent brighter last year's model pressure-sensitive 3D Touch layer buzzes slightly press and hold the screen static home button solid state physically press click pressure-sensitive taptic feedback three levels of pressure haptic feedback light or strong buzz doesn't feel like a button takes getting used to water-resistant water resistant IP67 no headphone jack Apple's new EarPods headphones Lightning connector port adaptor new funky-looking AirPods headset connects wirelessly auto-pairing worked well sounded pretty good new camera 12-megapixel camera larger aperture optical image stabilization stabilisation keeps images steadier camera sticks out more from the back second 56mm telephoto lens built-in zoom feature new front-facing camera iPhone 7's 7-megapixel front-facing camera 5 megapixels iPhone 6S auto-image stabilization stabilisation optical image stabilization digital image stabilisation stereo speakers second speaker joins Apple longer battery life greater battery capacity longer battery life 12 hours LTE browsing iPhone 7 Plus two more hours faster processor iPhone 7's new A10 Fusion chip 64-bit quad-core processor 40 percent faster last year's A9 processor two cores are high-performance two are high efficiency conserve battery while handling tasks deeper visual graphics gaming Super Mario is coming to the iPhone more storage! 32GB, 128GB, 256GB capacities colors colours color colour Glossy jet black matte black gold, silver rose gold new jet black /