UK moves another step closer towards opening the first European spaceport
While the US might be leading the race to open the first commercial spaceports, the UK is working hard to close the gap. More than six months after the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) shortlisted eight potential spaceport locations, the government today backed plans to make them a reality.
With the government’s “widespread support,” Britain remains on track to build an operational spaceport by 2018, which will likely become the first in Europe. In publishing the results of its three-month consultation, the government ruled out two airfields at RAF Lossiemouth and Kinloss Barracks in Scotland, as they’ll play a role in Britain’s future defence plans, reducing the list of potential spaceport locations to six.
As of now, there are four potential sites in Scotland, including Stornoway, Glasgow Prestwick, Campbeltown and a temporary launchpad at RAF Lauchars. English seaside town Newquay and Llanbedr in Wales make up the other two.
So what’s next? With support from the government, the Department for Transport will now draw up a “detailed technical specification” of spaceport requirements. It’ll then ask all of the companies it spoke with during the consultation (and other interested parties) to tender their proposals. This is when we’ll likely see all of their futuristic plans. The specification is expected to be published later this year, so hopefully we won’t have long to wait to critique their designs.
Filed under: Transportation, Science, Alt
Via: The Independent
Source: Gov.uk
Sonos updates its Android app with a better rooms menu and more
Sonos has updated its app for Android devices to version 5.3, which includes a number of improvements to help owners of the company’s connected speaker products.
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Pebble Introduces ‘Pebble Time Steel’ Following Successful Kickstarter Campaign [iOS Blog]
Exactly a week after revealing the new generation of Pebble smartwatches, called the Pebble Time, Pebble today announced an additional tier to its Kickstarter fundraiser called the Pebble Time Steel.
Touted as having every feature of the Pebble Time – including the new color display and Timeline features – but featuring more classy, decorative casings, so it’s “dressed up and ready to go.” The Steel comes in two band options, stainless steel or premium leather, and the watchface itself is coated in a CNC-finished 316L stainless steel casing. Differing slightly from its original counterpart, the Time Steel’s battery will last for up to 10 days versus the Time’s 7 days.
The Time Steel starts at a $250 tier on Pebble’s Kickstarter page, but will retail for $300 when it officially launches later this year. The company also promises that those who have backed the Pebble Time can upgrade to the Time Steel by clicking on the “Manage” button next to their existing rewards tier.
The Time Steel comes in color options similar to the Time: silver with a stone leather band, gunmetal black with a black leather band, and gold with a red leather band. The company promises that all Time Steels will include both a leather and matching metal band in each order. The gold and red leather band Pebble Time Steel shares a striking resemblance to Apple’s own 18-Karat Yellow Gold Apple Watch Edition with Red Modern Buckle option.
The company also introduced a “Smartstrap” system that will allow any developer to create various third-party applications using sensors and electronics built into swappable bands. As pointed out by TechCrunch, there are numerous options developers could capitalize on by working with the new smartstrap system.
You could add a heart rate monitor, for instance, or a GPS chip for improved run tracking and fitness powers; a spare battery to bump up the life of the Pebble to multiple weeks; or environmental sensors to tell you about air quality and temperature.
In the 7 days since the Pebble Time Kickstarter campaign began, it’s raked in just over $12 million as of writing, with some 54,000 backers and still about 24 days to go. Those interested in the newly introduced Pebble Time Steel rewards tier can head over to the Kickstarter page now to check out more information on the smart wearable.
Apple Watch’s magazine world tour continues with stop in Hong Kong’s East Touch
The Apple Watch is continuing its tour of magazines around the globe, this time with a stop in Hong Kong’s East Touch magazine.
The Apple Watch graces the cover of the magazine, as well as its own multi-picture spread. It features the three different models of the Apple Watch: Apple Watch, Sport, and the gold Edition. First published in the print edition of East Touch, four of the photos in the spread were later published by Hypebeast:
The Apple Watch has been on a bit of a world tour in the last few weeks. Most recently, Apple’s first foray into wearables has found itself in the U.S. and French editions of Vogue, as well as the cover of Self Magazine.
The Apple Watch is expected to make its full debut at Apple’s “Spring Forward” event, which will take place in just a week on Monday, March 9.
Source: Hypebeast, via AppleInsider
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Microsoft reveals its Windows 10 universal apps plans to developers at MWC 2015
Microsoft took some time today at the Mobile World Congress event to reveal some its Windows 10 universal app plans to developers at the conference.
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