TrackR bravo – not just another tracker for your keys (video)

There are lots of trackers out there. Attach it to keys. Link it to an app on your smartphone. When your keys go missing, locate it using the app. You can even make the tracker beep. Works the other way too. If you misplace your phone, press a button on the tracker & your phone will beep. Even if on silent.

Heard all this before.

What makes TrackR bravo different is a, “crowd GPS network”. To quote the Indiegogo page: “When another user of the TrackR app comes within 100ft range of your lost item, you will receive a GPS update of where your item is.”

So they sell a few thousand TrackR bravos world wide, that doesn’t create a very big “crowd GPS network”.

Well, it doesn’t have to, because the the “crowd GPS network” already exists:



https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/trackr-bravo-the-thinnest-tracking-device-ever--2/x/9010251 / lose keys key wallet lose something looking for my keys hiding under the couch cushion design designed invented TrackR keep track of items smart phone research development R&D customer feature suggestions product revisions TrackR bravo slim slimmest tracking device Crowd GPS network locate TrackR app iPhone Android locate items distance indicator radar Ring Device button lost item to ring track any Bluetooth device Bluetooth tracker device locate silent mode item goes missing TrackR Crowd GPS network find GPS update track any Bluetooth device Bluetooth tracker device world's largest Crowd GPS network best techniques materials thinnest tracking device ever dog's name tag accessory pack track pet collar attachment water proof water-proof attachment water proof casing Compatible with iPhone 4s iPad 3rd Generation Android 4.4 device Bluetooth 4.0 /

Virgin crash sets space tourism back by years – update – no explosion

SpaceShip 2 has an engine explosion soon after being dropped from the White Knight 2 launch vehicle.
Credit: AP/BBC

Update: US National Transport Safety Board investigation has revealed the accident was caused by premature deployment of the re-entry system.

Virgin’s launch system has a “re-useable first stage” in the form of the jet-powered aircraft, White Knight 2. At 40,000 feet, SpaceShip 2, the second stage, is dropped, the pilot starts the rocket engine, & the craft continues to around 350,000 feet.

Virgin rocket motors are of a relatively new type, using rubber as fuel, with nitrous oxide as the oxidising agent. Porous rubber allows the oxidiser to diffuse through. Throttle control is obtained by varying the flow of nitrous oxide.

Rocket motors by their very nature, release huge amounts of energy in a very short period of time. By this means, they achieve amazing outcomes, such as lifting SpaceShip 2 to 350,000 feet. Sometimes the mechanisms creating, containing & directing this energy, fail. Result: an accident such as has just occurred.


Spaceship 2 wreckage
Credit: KABC News in Los Angeles/Phys Org

And space tourism? Virgin had plans to carry it's first paying passengers into space in 2015. That schedule will have to be revised.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-29857182

http://phys.org/news/2014-10-virgin-space-tourism-years-experts.html / pilot killed injured Virgin Galactic SpaceShipTwo space tourism craft crashed California desert flying manned test a serious anomaly first powered test flight since January Mojave Desert north of Los Angeles Virgin Group founder Sir Richard Branson shocked and saddened tragic loss blog post deeply saddened space is hard persevere and move forward together Dr David Whitehouse space scientist no such thing as routine regular safe access to space both pilots Scaled Composites designed pronounced dead transported local hospital debris Ken Brown photographer exploded released National Transportation Safety Board Saturday morning investigate cause accident supporting investigation George Whitesides chief executive of Virgin Galactic new type of rocket motor development challenge exceptionally hard /

The case for collaborative consumption

Do you own a power drill? How much do you use it? Did you actually want the drill or the hole?

Do you own any DVDs? How many times have you watched them? Will you ever watch them again? Would you like to exchange one of your existing DVDs rather than pay for your next one?

Time for collaborative consumption:



More video:

http://youtu.be/kTqgiF4HmgQ

http://youtu.be/K6FXZJU2-w8

More from Rachel Botsman:

http://www.rachelbotsman.com/

http://www.rachelbotsman.com/book/ /Collaborative Consumption cultural economic force transforming business consumerism the way we live 10 Ideas That Will Change the World TIME magazine hopeful book social revolution Financial Times revolution think about ownership WIRED What’s Mine is Yours rapidly growing socioeconomic groundswell technology enabling sharing exchange assets money cars skills stuff scale enormous marketplaces eBay Craigslist emerging sectors peer-to-peer travelAirbnb social lending Zopa swap trading Swap.com car sharing Zipcar disruption disrupting outdated modes business reinventing what how consume travelling global entrepreneurs established companies three systems product service systems collaborative lifestyles redistribution markets maps key principles global brands start-ups public services innovate adapt opportunity opportunities Rogers power of collaboration big ideas /

Naked & afraid: that's how open public WiFi security should make you feel

Free WiFi. Better yet: no annoying password to type in.

All true.

But ... everything you type, or see on your screen is sent in the clear, & visible to anyone with a little knowledge ...

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2014/10/29/naked_and_afraid_thats_how_telstras_wifi_security_makes_you_feel// sit down open up the laptop join advertised SSID go online free WiFi makes working cafe breeze transformed Sydney’s libraries most sought-after spots in town encourage tourists business residents spend more time money everything they send receive over their connection read by anyone else free network understand the risk Wireshark root access free WiFi network never has a password easy to log on in read the network traffic transmitted in the clear every packet of data Telstra public WiFi hotspots free trial period public WiFi hotspots open warnings login screen perform sensitive tasks connected smart phone smartphones weather forecast emails downloading podcast proactive script kiddie Wireshark root need secure connections public security paranoid risks WPA2 authentication access public WiFi network unsecured WiFi network consider safety of their users open networks unacceptable unnecessary risk risky environment SSID corporate secrets tablets or laptops surfing the Web secure website Google Facebook Twitter HTTPS encryp traffic between web browser server snoop metadata sites visited content of that traffic websites secure HTTPS authentication encryption authenticated and secured HTTPS website Internet known threats The Reg naughty list HTTP devs developers developer develop alerted /

Best iPhone 6 case so far

Credit: Incipio

"Best" — bold claim, but The Wirecutter has polled over 1,000 readers.

http://thewirecutter.com/reviews/best-iphone-6-case/ / survey surveying Wirecutter readers test testing iPhone 6 cases our current pick best all-around case NGP from Incipio available black clear frost blue teal pink red NGP has protected generations iPhones devices reputation solid protection good fit slim svelte dimensions comprehensive protection handset body buttons opening bottom compatibility wide range of accessories surveying readers testing iPhone 6 cases best all-around case NGP dock compatibility poll polled readers /

Carbon fibre for more performance & economy

Credit: Charged EVs

Weight is the enemy of acceleration, handling, braking & economy in a vehicle.

For this reason, manufacturers invest a substantial effort in weight reduction. Perhaps the most obvious method of weight reduction is choice of structural materials. Steel is the major structural material of most vehicles because of cost.

Carbon fibre is both lighter & stronger than steel. It also more expensive, because of the labour-intensive methods used in its production.

Carbon fibre is extensively used in racing cars & aircraft. BMW has made extensive use of carbon fibre in its i3 electric vehicle & i8 extended-range electric performance car.

Before carbon fibre can be more widely used, however, price must be reduced. Essentially, this means elimination of the expensive manual component. I.e. automation.

Klaus Drechsler, head of MAI Carbon Cluster Management GmbH, a research programme supported by the German govenment & BMW among others, told Bloomberg that they have, "reached a halfway point":

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-10-09/bmw-backed-researchers-closing-in-on-cheaper-carbon-fiber.html

http://chargedevs.com/newswire/german-consortium-halfway-to-goal-of-reducing-carbon-fiber-costs-by-90-percent/ / large scale manufacturing manufacture cars lightweight carbon fiber costs fall materials development group Bayerische Motoren Werke AG BMW MAI Carbon Cluster Management GmbH research federal government research reducing carbon fiber production cost cost cutting target carbon-fiber parts professor Technical University of Munich next generation of cars BMW Audi AG NSU manufacturers components weigh mass Roland Berger Strategy Consultants Holding GmbH automation production electric cars electric vehicle EV Augsburg Germany planemaker Airbus Group NV AIR engineering Siemens AG SGL Carbon SE SGL joint venture BMW carbon fiber passenger frame i8 hybrid sports car research Oak Ridge Carbon Fiber Composites Consortium Oak Ridge Tennessee Ford Motor Dow Chemical Herbert Diess development Munich /

Apple Pay/CurrentC — another standards war — this time in mobile payments

In USA, a large drug store chain (Rite Aid) has stopped taking payments through Apple Pay. Reason appears to be their interest in an alternative system, CurrentC, which is also backed by such heavyweights as Wal-Mart, Best Buy, Target, Darden Restaurants & Sears.

CurrentC has two problems:
● it won't be operational until 2015 — so customers will have to wait
● based on the information available, customers will be required to link their account to the CurrentC system, & at the time of making a payment, will have to use their phone to scan a QR code displayed on the merchant's terminal

An attempt to carve out a piece of electronic payments, in this way, is likely to be as attractive to customers as a business accepting only one type of credit card.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2014/10/26/cvs-follows-rite-aid-shuts-off-apple-pay/17959213/

http://9to5mac.com/2014/10/25/cvs-begins-disabling-nfc-terminals-in-stores-to-cut-off-apple-pay-support-in-favor-of-currentc/ / drug store chain Rite Aid Inc stopped accepting payments Apple Pay system CVS Health pharmacy stores conflict mobile payment system CurrentC developed retailer-owned mobile technology Merchant Customer Exchange MCX NFC chip generates QR code displayed merchant checkout terminal linked bank accounts system scan QR code terminal transaction completed early September Wal-Mart Stores Best Buy adopt new system partners in MCX major retailers Target Darden Restaurants Sears Holdings mobile payment solution big retailers paying fees drive adoption Apple Pay real-world testing works with existing checkout terminals retailers purchase new equipment communicate with NFC chip iPhone 6 Plus contractual solidarity backers exclusively customer demand NFC-based systems technology /