iPad and Aviation Apps Helping to Decrease Private Plane Crash Fatalities
Crashes, and subsequent fatalities, of small private planes have “fallen to the lowest levels in decades” thanks to mobile devices that give pilots “much better weather information” than a few years ago, along with other benefits. These devices mainly include Apple’s iPad lineup and, in 2015, helped contribute to the lowest rate of fatal crashes ever recorded by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration: 1.03 fatal accidents per 100,000 flight hours (via Bloomberg).
As pointed out by John Hansman, an astronautics and aeronautics professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the data should be “approached with care,” due to the fact that there is far less information and data available on general aviation as opposed to commercial flights. Private airplane flights per year have also decreased, which would help lessen the overall chance for accidents in the first place. Still, the new data collected “jibes with broad new efforts to improve safety in that arena,” according to Hansman.
“It’s encouraging,” said Hansman, who has studied private-aircraft safety data. “There are reasons to think it might be accurate. There’s a lot of things happening in the system that are slowly making it better.”
In reaction to these accidents, the FAA and the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board moved to bolster each private aircraft pilot’s safety levels, leading to the official approval of “weather and other programs for mobile devices.” To improve the regulation of these aircrafts, the two administrations also approved ways to make it easier to add safety equipment to planes, including devices that warn of engine failure and the impending loss of control of the plane.
Related Roundups: iPad Air 2, iPad mini 4 (2015), iPad Pro
Buyer’s Guide: 9.7″ iPad Pro (Neutral), iPad Mini (Don’t Buy), 12.9″ iPad Pro (Neutral)
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T-Mobile drops the HTC 10 after less than three months
HTC just can’t catch a break. The company’s smartphone sales are down, fuelling consecutive quarterly losses. To bounce back, HTC needs its latest flagship, the HTC 10, to pick up steam — and fast. But that’s unlikely to happen now that T-Mobile, one of the biggest carriers in the US, has quietly dropped the Android handset. It’s not clear exactly when the smartphone disappeared from store shelves, but a Reddit post has it pegged at July 21st. That’s only two months since the phone went on sale at the so-called “un-carrier.” The more worrying part is that barely anyone seemed to notice.
The HTC 10 is a phone the company can be proud of. The aluminium shell (one we’ve grown fond of since the M7) is supported with a fairly clean Android experience and some decent hardware under the hood. The camera is greatly improved too, although it doesn’t offer quite the same picture quality as the Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge. Still, it’s a phone that stands shoulder to shoulder with the LG G5 and other Android flagships. But, it would seem, a solid all-rounder just isn’t enough. Especially when OnePlus has a similar offering for almost a third cheaper.
Look hard enough and you might find a HTC 10 gathering dust in a T-Mobile store. These “limited quantities” are just that, however, and won’t be replenished in the weeks or months ahead. It’s a blow for the Taiwanese manufacturer — to survive, it’ll need to bank on sales coming from other carriers and countries. Otherwise, there’s always the next phone (maybe a new One A9?) provided HTC has the financial reserves to make it.
Via: Reddit, Android Police
SpaceX to start testing the engine that will take it to Mars
SpaceX has recently inched closer to realizing its head honcho’s — that’s Elon Musk, but you already know that — ambitious Mars plans. It has sent its next-generation rocket engine, the one it’s developing for the rocket that will ferry a spacecraft to the red planet, to its McGregor, Texas facility for testing. Company president Gwynne Shotwell made that revelation during the Small Satellite Conference in Utah. A spokesperson also confirmed to Ars Technica that the engine is being prepped for testing in the Lone Star State.
SpaceX hasn’t revealed much about the engine yet. We know, however, that it’s called “Raptor,” and that it will power Falcon Heavy’s successor, the reusable rocket SpaceX is building for its Mars Colonial Transporter project. Musk once said at a Reddit AMA that it’s capable of producing 500,000 pounds of thrust at liftoff. That makes it thrice as powerful as the engines its Falcon 9 and Heavy rockets use and puts it on par with the Space Shuttle engine.
The CEO expects his Raptor-powered rocket to be able to lift off with a spacecraft that’s 100 times the size of an SUV and carry up to 100 tons of cargo. It’s important for manned missions bound for Mars to be able to carry huge amounts of supplies, since spacefarers on board face a long journey ahead of them.
SpaceX’s goal is to launch its first manned flight to Mars as soon as 2024, and this latest development means that timeframe could be viable. According to Ars, rocket engine development can take up to seven years, and full-scale testing typically happens towards the end of its development. It’s still unclear what kind of tests the company will do in Texas, though — we’ll just have to wait for the update Shotwell promised to reveal in the next few months.
RT @jeff_foust: Shotwell: shipped Raptor engine last night to test site; hope to have updates in next few months. #smallsat
— Ron Atkins (@Stratocumulus) August 9, 2016
Via: PopSci
Source: Ars Technica
Foxconn’s Profits Slide 31% as iPhone Sales Continue to Drop
Following in line with a slump in iPhone sales, Apple manufacturer Foxconn recently reported a 31 percent decline in profits in the second quarter of 2016. For the full quarter, ending in June, Foxconn was said to have amassed a net profit of 17.7 billion New Taiwan dollars, down from NT$25.7 billion a year earlier. Analysts watching the company had expected a revenue of around NT$23.9 billion for the quarter (via The Wall Street Journal).
A doom and gloom sentiment began surrounding Apple, and its overseas manufacturers, soon after the Cupertino-based company reported its first quarterly sales decline since 2003 in April. Despite a strong presence of the iPhone SE in the market, iPhone sales continued to contribute to an overall revenue decline for the company as the year continued.
The slump in the iPhone market now appears to be fully affecting Apple’s manufacturing partners with the news out of Foxconn today, but both companies are looking forward to an uptick in sales in the future. Notably, Foxconn’s acquisition of Japanese electronics maker Sharp has been officially approved by Chinese antitrust authorities, “clearing the final hurdle” in the lengthy buyout process. With the acquisition over, it should be easier for Foxconn to move forward with not only manufacturing of parts for the iPhone 7, but potentially even ramping up development of AMOLED displays and glass casings for the 2017 iPhone.
Overall, weak demand for the iPhone 7 — due to a “lack of innovation” — was predicted by a group of Apple suppliers in May. Multiple companies, like Japan Display and Taiwanese Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, reported fears of both huge net profit declines and a worrisome decrease in chip orders thanks to an overall declining iPhone market. Still, Apple CEO Tim Cook is optimistic about iPhone sales moving forward, saying that he sees “so many signs that are positive” as the company moves towards the iPhone 7 and iOS 10 in the fall.
Related Roundup: iPhone 7
Tag: Foxconn
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Apple Gets Approval for Irish Data Center Construction After Months of Objections
Following months of being repeatedly blocked by independent planning body An Bord Pleanála, Apple has finally been granted the go-ahead to build its massive data center in Galway County, Ireland (via Business Insider). The Irish planning board reversed course on its earlier oppositions to the data center, “despite opposition from a number of individuals and local businesses,” giving Apple permission to build just one data hall. Each time an extension of the property is to be made, Apple will have to reapply for permission with the local planning body.
The original objections to the facility — which will specifically be located in Derrydonnell Forest — cited a worry over the local wildlife and the potential for negative impact that Apple’s data center could have on it, as well as flooding concerns in a neighboring golf course. In June, these issues continued anew with fresh worry that the data center’s proximity to a nuclear power plant could be harmful, despite the plant having been shut down for years.
The planning body said the data centre will provide the area with a significant economic boost, adding that they took into account how hard it is to find sites that are able to accommodate huge data centres that need to be connected to the national grid.
With the new majority vote from An Bord Pleanála overpowering the last few protestors, Apple now can continue with its 10-15 year construction plan of a massive data center site for services like the App Store, Apple Music, Apple Pay and iCloud. After winning permission for this first building, Apple’s ultimate goal by the end of its decade-long plan is a total of eight buildings housing servers for the company’s online services.
Apple’s plan was to originally have the Irish data center up and running by early 2017, but since its first proposal in September 2015 and the ensuing blockades, it’s expected that goal has been pushed further back. The company is also planning the construction of a data center of similar scale (about 166,000 square meters) in Denmark.
Tag: data center
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Essential accessories for the OnePlus One
What are the best accessories for the OnePlus One? Let’s take a look at some of the must-have add-ons for your phone!
Whether you recently picked up a OnePlus One or have had one for a while, there are a number of great accessories that you should have in your collection. From cases to screen protectors, extra ways to charge your phone and more, odds are that your accessory collection could use some expanding. Luckily, you don’t have to spend a ton of money to get some cool accessories for your OnePlus One, so let’s take a look at some of the ones you should consider picking up.
PThink Tempered Glass
When you think of protecting your phone, odds are that you think of grabbing a case, but what about the screen? Well, PThink’s tempered glass protector will add another layer to your screen to prevent scratches and dings from hitting the screen so it can look good for the long haul. It also could potentially help during the event of a fall or drop, as it is likely the glass screen protector will shatter before the screen itself — at least, that’s the idea!
The screen protector has an anti-scratch coating and is fingerprint resistant to keep it looking good while you are using it. For less than $10, you can’t go wrong with this extra protection on your phone.
See at Amazon
TUDIA Ultra Slim TPU
Cases aren’t for everyone, but the protection they provide sure is nice. TUDIA’s Ultra Slim TPU case offers a clear thin layer to the phone so it doesn’t add much bulk or detract from the look of the phone itself. The case itself is very durable and has a soft touch feel to make it comfortable to use. It is form-fitting and provides access to all your ports. You can pick one up in clear, black or blue for just around $10 at Amazon.
See at Amazon
Aukey 5000mAh battery pack
Sometimes the battery inside the phone isn’t enough to make it through the day, or you may not find yourself around a charger at night. If that is the case for you, you’ll want to have a spare battery pack around to give you some extra power, and Aukey’s 5000mAh is a great choice. It has a small cylindrical design that makes it easy to keep in your pocket, bag or anywhere else. It has a single USB port on it which allows you to use a cable of choice to charge the phone, and the battery pack itself charges through a microUSB port. For just $10, this is a perfect addition to your collection.
See at Amazon
iOrange-E microUSB cable
Having an extra USB cable around is never a bad thing, especially a durable one. iOrange-E has a nylon braiding on its cable that makes it able to withstand more use and abuse than other cables. It is just over six feet long, so you won’t have to sit right on top of your charger or tied to the wall. The cable supports high-speed charging and allows for 2.4A to pass through it. The cable is available in a variety of colors and some longer lengths should you need the additional cable for your charging setup.
See at Amazon
OnePlus USB Power Adapter
Even though the OnePlus One comes with a wall charger in the box, you may want to have an extra around for your bag, office or other room in the house. OnePlus offers its USB Power Adapter, which has a small overall profile, as an extra accessory. Some people only prefer to charge their phone with a branded charger from the same company, so this will allow you to do that without having to transport just one charger everywhere with you. For just about $10, it would be silly not to have an extra laying around.
See at OnePlus
Your turn
What are your essential accessories for the OnePlus One? Such a great phone — even more than two years later — deserves the best. Let us know in the comments!
Spotify Gaming gives you playlists to power your play
Spotify has introduced a new section of its music streaming service dedicated to games.
Now available as part of Spotify’s “moods and genres”, Gaming rounds up official games soundtracks and related playlists, including many that have been curated around specific game types to give you an external (or internal on the PS4) vibe to accompany your play sessions.
There are also plenty of tracks available that are retro-inspired, which echo soundtracks and theme tunes as far back as the 8-bit days of yore.
For example, a Retrowave/Outrun playlist is full of remixed dance music using sounds from early games consoles and titles.
- Which is the best music streaming service in the UK? Apple Music vs Spotify vs Tidal and more
Other playlists include Power Gaming, with rap and and hip-hop tracks to inspire you, and Epic Gaming, with tunes and tracks with big, bombastic scores.
Soundtracks listed include Uncharted 4, Dark Souls III and Street Fighter V.
You can access the Spotify Gaming section through the app for multiple platforms or online at spotify-gaming.com. You can even head over there and start building your own games-inspired playlist now, for everyone else to enjoy.
We bet it’ll be flooded in tracks to listen to while playing Pokemon Go in no time.
Asus Zenwatch 3 revealed in leaked hands-on pics ahead of IFA 2016
After originally being spotted on a posting by the Federal Communications Commission, the new, round Asus Zenwatch 3 has broken further cover in a collection of hands-on pictures leaked online.
The FCC filing suggested that the forthcoming smartwatch, expected to launch at IFA 2016 in Berlin at the end of August, will be round. The leaked images suggest the same.
As well as its shape, other things that can be gleaned from the pictures include confirmation that the Zenwatch 3 will not have contactless charging. There are two golden contacts on the rear that suggest it will need to be connected to a charging ring.
- Asus ZenWatch 3 is round, likely to launch at IFA 2016
It will support fast charging though, with 5V/2A charging revealed in the earlier leak. That also stated it will have Bluetooth 4.2 and Wi-Fi built into the device.
Apart from those nuggets, the rest is purely visual.
This particular variant has a gold circular band and the presence of three buttons suggests that it will not swivel to access functions, unlike the Samsung Gear S2.
It is also rather beefy, much like former Huawei or Motorola devices. We’re not yet sure what it looks like when switched on, and whether it will have a complete round display or if it will adopt the flat tire-style of the Moto 360.
We should find out more in the coming weeks as IFA looms.
Spotify Gaming puts your favorite soundtracks in one place
Video game soundtracks hold a pretty special place in the Engadget Gaming crew’s heart. Whether it’s a collection of painstakingly curated licensed tracks a la Hotline Miami or wholly original compositions from Austin Wintory or Jesper Kyd, the right music can make a good game great and an excellent one even better. Spotify recognizes this too and is launching a new subsection dedicated to gaming music. The new collection brings everything under one category now (finding gaming stuff was a bit messy before), works across pretty much every platform and even includes chiptune stuff from the ’80s.
In addition to original music, Spotify is also featuring curated guest playlists including one put together by Engadget senior reporter Jessica Conditt and yours truly. Jess’ tracks are upbeat indie tunes and K-pop from the likes of Regina Spektor, Janelle Monáe, Lily Allen, Girls’ Generation and Amanda Palmer. Her games of choice for those? League of Legends and Pokemon Go. Walking around the park with “Mr.Mr.” in your ear is going to make chasing the ever-elusive pikachu an awful lot more fun.
My tracks will hopefully get you pumped while playing Overwatch, Rocket League or anything competitive. How’s that? Well, because they’re all metal, all the time, with Slayer, Urfaust, Abbath, High on Fire and Bolt Thrower making appearances. Our picks have been blended together into one 43-song playlist that should get you through at least one session without hearing the same track twice. For even more, head over to Spotify.com/gaming and let us know what you find in the comments below.
Source: Spotify
Squid protein makes textiles self-healing
You might be able to repair your ripped jeans one day just be adding water, thanks to a breakthrough from Penn State researchers. Based on its earlier research on self-healing plastics, the team turned squid teeth proteins (yep) into a liquid form using yeast and bacteria, then used it to coat cotton, wool and other fabrics. If the material is torn, you just need to put the edges together, apply warm water and it magically “heals,” as flexible and strong as before — even after being laundered.
“Fashion designers use natural fibers made of proteins like wool or silk that are expensive and they are not self-healing,” said Penn State Professor Melik C. Demirel. “We were looking for a way to make fabrics self-healing using conventional textiles. So we came up with this coating technology.”
The proteins can be used to fix regular, non-coated fabrics by adding water, or applied to threads before the material is even made. The technique isn’t perfect — there are visible seams — but it’s still better, stronger and easier than any sew job I’d attempt. As the garments can be self-healed by water, throwing them in the wash would also fix small tears or other defects.
It sounds great for klutzy clothes owners, but the research, supported by the US Army and Navy research arms, isn’t just aimed at consumers. Dermirel thinks the substance could be adapted to create clothing that protects soldiers, farmers or industrial workers by neutralizing toxic chemicals. “If you need to use enzymes for biological or chemical effects, you can have an encapsulated enzyme with self-healing properties degrade the toxin before it reaches the skin,” he said. By adding anti-bacterial properties, it could also be used in medical dressings or mesh clothing to reduce infection risks.
The team now needs to figure out how to create the proteins without using actual squid or their teeth, and plans to further torture-test the repaired materials. “The next step would be to see if clothes can self-repair when we pour the liquid into a washing machine, like you would a detergent, and apply water and heat,” Demirel tells CNN.
Via: Gizmodo
Source: Penn State
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