6 high-flying clean energy generators
By Cat DiStasio
Dirty fossil fuels come from the ground, but the future of energy is in the sky. Thanks to innovative engineers in the renewable energy industry, the world of high-altitude wind and solar generators is booming. Not only are these devices cleaner than fossil fuel alternatives, but they have the potential to generate more usable energy at a lower cost. High-altitude wind turbines can take advantage of faster wind speeds, and positioning solar arrays above the clouds yields better sun exposure without shadows blocking the rays.
Hey Moto 360 owners, how’s that Marshmallow update treating you?
Not a whole lot of external changes, but plenty of usability adjustments.
Motorola’s spotty history with updates clearly doesn’t apply to their watches, as their entire line are among the first to get Google’s latest version of Android Wear and all of the features that go along with that. We already know about the new gestures that are available on the watch, and permissions on the wrist are the kind of thing you either accept or can’t stand. There’s a lot more to an update like this, though, and the best way to get a feel for how that update is working out for everyone to to ask directly.
So, Moto 360 owners, this one’s for you. Our Moto forums have been buzzing with individual experiences, but a group voice is required here. Is Marshmallow on the aging hardware that powers the original Moto 360 a little too much? Have you noticed better battery life on your second generation Moto 360? Do the new gestures offer any increase in day-to-day functionality? There are plenty of folks out there waiting for Marshmallow to hit their wrists, so do your part and share your experiences in the comments below!
Moto 360 (2015)
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Amazon will bring encryption back to Fire tablets in upcoming update
Amazon recently removed the encryption of its tablets with the Fire OS 5 update, and now the company has announced that they will be bringing it back. Initially when the encryption was removed, Amazon said that the communications through its server were secure enough, but the move still had people upset. Luckily, it appears as though Amazon heard the users, and will be bringing the encryption back to the tablets. Amazon told Engadget:
We will return the option for full disk encryption with a Fire OS update coming this spring.
While it may not have been smart to remove it in the first place, it is still great to see that Amazon will be bringing it back.
Recommended Reading: US Soccer uses VR to reveal new crest
US Soccer’s Rebranding Gets an Assist From Virtual Reality
Zach Schonbrun,
New York Times
When the time came to reveal its new crest, the US Soccer Federation chose a different medium to announce the new design. The Federation sent kits to all of its members with a Google Cardboard headset, 360-degree video and an updated scarf. In a move that looks to draw interest using the latest tech, it’ll be interesting to see if the excitement around the rebrand and the national teams remains high. VR isn’t just for medicine and gaming, it’s becoming a valuable marketing tool, too.
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Game Jam at the Top of the World Eurogamer goes on board a cruise ship for a game jam on the waters of Norway. The so-called Splash Jam united developers and designers for 48 hours on frigid waters near the top of the world. |
Sugru, a Versatile Glue From Ireland, Gets Help From Web The New York Times has the story of a moldable glue that can fix things like frayed power cords and much more due to its ability to bond to nearly anything. |
ICYMI: Fast brain upload, mind-control monkeys & more
Today on In Case You Missed It: Researchers at HRL Labs have developed a system to upload information to your brain using electrical signals already mapped from an expert’s mind. Duke University is testing a wireless brain-machine interface that allows monkeys to steer a wheelchair with their mind, which they were able to do while also improving their skills over time. Cardiologists have a new tool to roto-rooter blood vessels filled with plague in the first FDA approved device that helps surgeons see inside vessels with a built-in camera.
In case your presidential race watching hadn’t gotten to hate-stage yet, make sure to take in how John McAfee is willing to hold the highest office in the US. You know, if he has to.
As always, please share any interesting science or tech videos, anytime! Just tweet us with the #ICYMI hashtag to @mskerryd.
HTC 10 renders show off the upcoming flagship phone
On the last day of Mobile World Congress, HTC released a very vague teaser showing the outline of a new phone. Well, we now know what that phone might look like, thanks to these renders that Evan Blass (a.k.a. the famed leaker of phones, evleaks) at VentureBeat got his hands on. These images show a white version of the device from every angle, though note that these are merely computer renders and don’t show the actual handset.
According to Blass, this is the manufacturer’s upcoming flagship phone, which will be simply known as the HTC 10. He said that the company chose that name, because it wants to veer away from its top-shelf devices’ naming scheme these past few years. If you’ll recall, those devices were called the HTC One M9, M8 and M7. The HTC 10 will be launched in mid-April, he added, and could be available for purchase as soon as early to mid-May.
Source: VentureBeat
Urban Armor Gear has great cases that offer excellent protection and good looks
Admittedly I am not much of a fan of cases. I usually have found that they’re too bulky for what they offer and make my devices uncomfortable to hold due to
Amazon reverses course on encryption for its Fire tablets
It’s been only one day since — in the midst of a national debate over encrypted devices — Amazon started pushing a new Fire OS 5 to its tablets that ditched support for device encryption. Just yesterday, the company said that was because customers weren’t using the feature. Tonight, the company tells Engadget that it will bring the option back in another update that is due to arrive this spring. Given the attention Apple’s battle with the FBI has brought to this security feature it seems logical that encryption remains at least available as an option, even on a device intended for casual usage.
Amazon:
We will return the option for full disk encryption with a Fire OS update coming this spring.
$350 million Nintendo land coming to Universal Japan’s park
When Nintendo announced it was granting Universal Studios the rights to some of its properties for theme park rides, it was anyone’s guess where they’d show up first. Now we know that they’ll debut in the gaming juggernaut’s back yard: Japan. Regional news outlet Sankei (Japanese) reports that the attraction is scheduled for completion by 2020, the year Tokyo is slated to host the Olympics.
And lest you think this will be a simple statue of Princess Peach and a Mario Kart-themed go-kart track, the publication says this should be on par with the likes of Universal’s Harry Potter-themed zone but focused entirely on everyone’s favorite Italian plumber. Hell, it could even be called “Super Mario World.” Crazier things have happened!
Need more evidence for how serious of a deal this is? Universal is putting up ¥40 billion ($351,509,200) — given Nintendo’s current financial woes, the company is probably happy someone else is footing the bill. For that amount, maybe we’ll see a full scale version of the entire Mushroom Kingdom in a few years.
4) Busy start of 2016 for Nintendo. See the picture below for details (from Sankei: https://t.co/NRejTXGL6Q) // end pic.twitter.com/EMHunhgYFa
— Dr. Serkan Toto (@serkantoto) March 5, 2016
Via: Dr. Serkan Toto (Twitter)
Source: Sankei (Japanese)
AIVAnet 