Google to spend a billion or more on Internet satellites

Credit: Singularity Hub

Google recently acquired Titan Aerospace, apparently for the purpose of producing drones able to provide fast Internet. Now, they apparently have plans to use satellites as well.

http://singularityhub.com/2014/06/14/google-to-spend-a-billion-or-more-on-internet-satellites/ / Internet access developed world emerging markets online Google massive growth opportunity build infrastructure Wall Street Journal fleet Internet satellites satellite network project Internet access remote areas solar powered drones high altitude balloons purchased drone company Titan Aerospace Project Loon stratospheric balloons global trade winds /

AirType keyless keyboard (video)

Appears to include a pair of strips which fit across the hands, at the top of the fingers. The strips sense the movements of the user's fingers, & after a learning process, can be be used as a replacement for a conventional keyboard. Most appropriate use would be with a device which does not have a satisfactory keyboard, such as a phone or tablet.

http://airtype.io/concept/ / smartphone smart phone pad touch screen key board keyboard BlueTooth blue tooth mobile cell /

Samsung Galaxy Note 4 specs revealed in AnTuTu benchmark database

Credit: AnTuTu/Boy Genius Report

● Samsung Exynos & Qualcomm Snapdragon processor variants to continue in Note 4
● 2560 x 1440 screen
● 3GB RAM
● 32GB on board flash storage
● 16 megapixel rear camera
● 3.68 megapixel front camera

http://bgr.com/2014/06/20/galaxy-note-4-specs-2/ / Galaxy S5 LTE-A Galaxy S5 Prime South Korea Samsung flagship Android smartphone smart phone specs specifications Galaxy Note 4 unveiled IFA 2014 spotted online benchmark test results reveal details hardware two versions Galaxy Note 4 AnTuTu benchmark database SM-N910C SM-N910S Exynos Qualcomm versions handset new Galaxy Note models system-on-chips SoC 1.3GHz eight-core Samsung Exynos 5433 processor four Cortex A57 four Cortex-A53 cores ARM Mali-T760 GPU SoC 2.5GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 processor Adreno 420GPU SoC high resolution 2K display 2560 x 1440 resolution 3GB RAM 32GB flash storage 16 megapixel camera 3.68 megapixel front facing camera Galaxy Note 4 two versions design flexible screen version /

Why unlocking mobile phones is both a consumer rights & a green issue (video)

http://www.treehugger.com/gadgets/why-unlocking-cell-phones-green-issue.html

http://www.wired.com/2014/03/cellphone-unlocking-bill-passed-good-thing/

My solution to all of these issues, no matter where you live: buy an unlocked phone outright. / lock unlock mobile cell smartphone freedom sale resale provider contract abuse cell phone unlocking flew under the radar consumers phones carrier Librarian of Congress banned practice software tweak disables device’s SIM lock contract is over owners of unlocked devices switch carrier AT&T Verizon unlocking a cell phone violation of copyright under the 1998 Digital Millenium Copyright Act law prevent piracy exempted Librarian of Congress illegal ban January 26 Internet protest digital rights activists personal property proponents mobilized forces petition We the People White House official petitioning forum support demand legalize cell phone unlocking White House response administration cell phones tablets smartphone smart phone common sense protect protecting consumer choice competitive wireless market delivers innovative products solid service meet consumer needs R. David Edelson White House senior advisor Internet consumer and digital rights unlocking also a green issue decommissioned every single day United States junk drawer rotting in landfills one billion cell phones sitting idle drawers closets losing value put back into service swapping old phones same carrier artificial limitation sharing economy re-legalizing unlocking more devices in service out of the national waste stream environment wireless technology iPhones iPads Samsung has produced 800 million mobile phones environmental consequences electronics manufacturing isn’t a clean industry conflict minerals e-waste electronics recycle recycling recycled landfills environmental damage electronics manufacturing gadgets reusable lock locked devices recycle recycling recycled free market economics /

We are headed towards a 4 to 5 Celcius degree increase in average world temperature by the end of the century

Credit: xkcd

http://xkcd.com/1379/ / CO2 carbon dioxide global warming climate change catastrophic greenhouse green house gas methane ice age fossil fuels coal petroleum petrol gas diesel hydrocarbon solar /

Urban bus tops up charge in 15 seconds

Credit: ABB/Treehugger

My take: probably using capacitors for electricity storage. Note that charges at stops along the route may take longer than 15 seconds & do not seem to completely charge the bus. Treehugger refers to charges at stops in, "as little as 15 seconds", while ABB mentions, "At the end of the bus line a 3 to 4 minute boost enables the full recharge of the batteries."

http://www.abb.us/cawp/seitp202/f32c9ded54dc0b20c1257b7a0054972b.aspx

http://www.treehugger.com/clean-technology/worlds-first-high-capacity-flash-charging-electric-bus-system-tops-charge-15-seconds.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+treehuggersite+%28Treehugger%29&utm_content=Google+Reader

Thanks to Miemie for the initial lead to this item. / ABB technology power flash charging electric bus 15 seconds overhead lines ultrafast charging times selected bus stops next generation silent zero-emissions urban mass transportation transport power automation technology high capacity flash charging electric bus system public transport company SIG TOSA electric bus system pilot project boost charging technology deployed large capacity electric bus passengers selected stops 15 second energy boost passengers Geneva airport international exhibition center Palexpo urban mass transport overhead power lines Claes Rytoft ABB Chief Technology Officer project public transport infrastructure reduce reducing pollution noise TOSA Trolleybus Optimisation Système Alimentation system systeme zero carbon emission solution power electricity clean hydro power charging time bus schedule urban environment greater route flexibility laser controlled moving arm overhead receptacle charging at bus shelters trolley poles overhead lines high frequency bus routes peak times onboard batteries 400 kilowatt boost selected stops end of the bus line 3 to 4 minute boost full recharge of the batteries compact batteries vehicle braking energy regen regenerative braking charge recharge range electric vehicle charging power automation technologies lowering environmental impact technical terms super capacitor supercapacitor /

Why Tesla gave up on patents

http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2014/06/why-tesla-gave-up-on-patents/372703/#comments / Elon Musk blog post Tesla website company renounce enforcing patents patent technology company's trademark electric cars electric vehicle EV LiIon lithium ion Tesla's patents made public new company policy conference call shareholders press wall of Tesla patents lobby of our Palo Alto headquarters statement spirit of the open source movement advancement of electric vehicle technology Tesla materialistic drive developing patents cars Zip2 patents societal benefit patents abuse of the patent system individual inventor created technology benefitting society inventors greater good inventions profit John Walker invented the humble match inventor Sir Tim Berners-Lee creator of the World Wide Web Internet CERN open democratic Web presence critical mass of users incentive develop infrastructure widespread electric vehicle charging stations patents hold back competition slow down innovation competition enormous flood of gasoline cars more charging stations Tesla's benefit society society's healthy competition pollution polluted air global warming /