Carbon nanotube transistors promise faster, leaner processors

The computing industry sees carbon nanotube transistors as something of a Holy Grail. They promise not just faster performance and lower power consumption than silicon, but a way to prevent the stagnation of processor technology and the death of Moore’s Law. However, their real-world speed has always lagged behind conventional technology… until now, that is. University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers have created what they say are the first carbon nanotube transistors to outpace modern silicon.

The trick was to find a way to find almost entirely pure carbon nanotubes, eliminating more of the imperfections that would limit their semiconducting traits. Scientists had to assemble the nanotubes on a wafer using an exact order and spacing through polymers, and cook the resulting arrays in a vacuum over to remove an insulating layer between the nanotubes and the electrodes needed for the transistor. The end product manages a current 1.9 times higher than in silicon.

There’s plenty of refinement left before you see carbon nanotubes in practical chips. The team still has to adapt its current product to the geometry of a conventional silicon transistor, and it has to scale the technology in a way that would work for mass production. If the university manages to pull this off, though, the breakthrough could have a very tangible impact on just about every device you use. You could expect more raw number-crunching power, of course, but you’d also get longer battery life and faster wireless data. In short: it might be a brief glimpse of the future of computing.

Source: University of Wisconsin-Madison

What’s on your HDTV: ‘The Iron Giant,’ ‘Atlanta,’ ‘XCOM 2,’ ‘Startup’

This week there will be a number of 9/11 retrospectives, as we remember the day of the attack on its 15th anniversary. CNN and the History Channel will air specials Sunday night, while the NFL Network will focus on the day during the season premiere of The Timeline. All of that will occur as the NFL season begins this week, with a matchup between the Broncos and Panthers Thursday night.

This week The Iron Giant Ultimate Collection arrives on Blu-ray, while gamers can dig into XCOM 2 on PS4 and Xbox One. On TV, we’re looking at FX where it will premiere two highly-anticipated series from Donald Glover and Pamela Adlon. Glover’s Atlanta debuts Tuesday while Adlon’s Better Things arrives Thursday night. Meanwhile, on Crackle you can check out the full first season of its new series Startup. Finally, for devoted Karate Kid fans, Sony is releasing the second third movies individually as part of its manufacturing-on-demand Blu-ray series. Look after the break to check out each day’s highlights, including trailers and let us know what you think (or what we missed).

Blu-ray & Games & Streaming

• The Iron Giant (Signature Edition / Ultimate Collection)
• Star Trek 50th Anniversary TV and Movie Collection
• American Crime Story: The People v. OJ Simpson
• Now You See Me 2 (4K)
• Money Monster
• Supernatural (S11)
• Road House (Collector’s Edition)
• The Flash (S2)
• Equals
• The Next Karate Kid
• The Karate Kid III
• XCom 2 (PS4, XboxOne)
• Just Sing (PS4, Xbox One)
• Sky Force Anniversary (PS3/PS4)
• Beyond Flesh and Blood (PS4, Xbox One)
• The Tomorrow Children (PS4 – Early access)
• Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 Salvation DLC (PS4)
• Dogos (PS4, PC, Xbox One)
• Awesomenauts Assemble! (Xbox One)
• The Elder Scroll Online: Gold Edition (PC, PS4, Xbox One)

Monday

• So You Think You Can Dance, Fox, 8PM
• WWE Raw, USA, 8PM
• X Factor UK, Axs, 8PM
• American Ninja Warrior, NBC, 8PM
• Rizzoli & Isles (series finale), TNT, 9PM
• Harley and the Davidsons (premiere), Discovery, 9PM
• The Comedy Central Roast of Rob Lowe, Comedy Central, 10PM
• Mary + Jane (series premiere), MTV, 10PM
• Catfish, MTV, 10PM
• Cheer Squad, Freeform, 10PM
• Adventure Capitalists, CNBC, 10PM
• Major Crimes, TNT, 10PM
• Mistresses, ABC, 10PM
• Loosely Exactly Nicole (series premiere), MTV, 10:30PM

Tuesday

• Difficult People (season finale), Hulu, 3AM
• Startup (S1), Crackle, 3AM
• America’s Got Talent, NBC, 8PM
• 60 Minutes Sports, Showtime, 8PM
• WWE Smackdown, USA, 8PM
• From Dusk till Dawn (season premiere), El Rey, 9PM
• Forged in Fire, History, 9PM
• MadTV, CW, 9PM
• Zoo (season finale), CBS, 9PM
• Black Market, Viceland, 10PM
• Atlanta (series premiere), FX, 10PM
• Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the LA Rams (season finale), HBO, 10PM
• Better Late than Never, NBC, 10PM
• Adam Ruins Everything, TruTV, 10PM
• One Shot, BET, 10PM

Wednesday

• Penn & Teller: Fool Us, CW, 8PM
• Big Brother, CBS, 8PM
• Unsung: Martha Wash, TV One, 8PM
• American Gothic (season finale), CBS, 9PM
• Suits, USA, 9PM
• America’s Got Talent, NBC, 9PM
• Dating Naked, VH1, 9PM
• Dual Survival, Discovery, 9PM
• Whose Line is it Anyway?, CW, 9PM
• America’s Got Talent, NBC, 9PM
• You’re the Worst, FXX, 10PM
• Catfish, MTV, 10PM
• Mr. Robot, USA, 10PM
• Tyrant (season finale), FX, 10PM
• Running Wild with Bear Grylls, NBC, 10PM
• Weediquette, Viceland, 10PM
• Any Given Wednesday with Bill Simmons, HBO, 10PM
• American Gothic, CBS, 10PM
• Gaycation (season premiere), Viceland, 10:30P<
• Unlocking the Truth, MTV, 11PM

Thursday

• Panthers/Broncos, NBC, 8:30PM
• Beauty and the Beast, CW, 9PM
• Big Brother, CBS, 9PM
• Better Things (series premiere), FX, 10PM
• Queen of the South, USA, 10PM

Friday

• One Mississippi (series premiere), Amazon Prime, 3AM
• Stand Up to Cancer ABC/CBS/Fox/NBC, 8PM
• The Timeline (season premiere), NFL Network, 8PM
• Masters of Illusion, CW, 8PM
• 10th Annual ACM Honors, CBS, 9PM
• Penn & Teller: Fool Us, CW, 9PM
• Martin Lawrence Doin’ Time: Uncut, Showtime, 9PM
• Dark Matter, Syfy, 10 & 11PM
• Quarry (series premiere), Cinemax, 10PM
• The Eric Andre Show, Cartoon Network, 12AM
• The Half Hour: Aparna Nancherla/Nate Fernald, Comedy Central, 12AM

Saturday

• Virginia Tech/Tennessee college football, ABC, 8PM
• Girl in the Box, Lifetime, 8PM
• Aquarius (season finale), NBC, 9PM
• Jeff Ross Roasts Cops, Comedy Central, 11PM

Sunday

• Patriots/Cardinals Sunday Night Football, NBC, 8:20PM
• Celebrity Family Feud (season finale), ABC, 8PM
• The Circus: Inside the Greatest Political Show on Earth, Showtime, 8PM
• 9/11: 15 Years Later, CNN, 8PM
• 102 Minutes That Changed America: 15th Anniversary Edition, History, 8PM
• Lip Sync Battle, Spike TV, 8PM
• Son of Zorn, Fox, 8PM
• Big Brother, CBS, 8PM
• Churchill’s Secret, PBS, 8PM
• Braindead (season finale),CBS, 9PM
• The 2017 Miss America Competition, ABC, 9PM
• Fear the Walking Dead, AMC, 9PM
• Ray Donovan, Showtime, 9PM
• The Last Ship (season finale), TNT, 9PM
• Masters of Sex (season premiere), Showtime, 10PM
• Ballers, HBO, 10PM
• The Strain, FX, 10PM
• Vice Principals, HBO, 10:30PM
• Motive, USA, 11PM
• Geeking Out, AMC, 11:59PM

(All times listed are ET)

Best camera drones

What are the best camera drones I can buy right now?

Whether you’re an independent filmmaker looking to step up your game with drone videography, or simply a hobbyist looking to record stunning video to share with friends and family, you’ll want to invest in a top-of-the-line camera drone.

This probably isn’t a list for someone buying their first drone, however we will note which options are most beginner friendly. Considering how expensive high-end drones are, you’ll want to be sure of your competency as a pilot before you get behind the controller. Our list of best drones under $300 might be a better starting point if you’ve never flown a drone before in your life.

• DJI Inspire 1
• Parrot Bebop
• DJI Phantom 4
• 3DR Solo Smart Drone
• Blade Chroma 4

The Best

DJI Phantom Inspire 1

If you’re looking for the best camera drone, then look no further than the DJI Phantom Inspire 1.

Featuring 4K video capabilities up to 30FPS, 1080p video up to 60FPS, and 12 megapixel photos from the gimbal-mounted camera, the Inspire 1 is fully capable of shooting the professional aerial footage you’ve dreamt about.

The drone itself is also a marvel of technology, featuring aerodynamic transforming design that allows the carbon-fiber arms to move out of the way of the camera at the flip of a switch while in flight. It’s one of the smartest drones you can buy, as DJI has included revolutionary technology, including intelligent battery power management that always lets you know how much battery power remains, and will ensure your drone never dies on you before returning home. Max flight time is around 18 minutes, and if the battery starts running low or your handset loses connection with the drone, sophisticated onboard GPS-positioning algorithms will flip into auto-pilot mode and have the drone fly back to its launch point.

That’s not all, as the Inspire 1 also features a Vision Positioning system, that uses both the camera and sonar sensors to detect where it is when hovering, and will automatically raise or lower the legs if it’s taking off or landing.

The DJI Inspire 1 is an real investment at over $4000, but you’ll be getting everything you’ll need, including a second battery, two controllers, replacement props, a 64GB microSD card and a Pelican case for easy transport.

See at Amazon

Also Great

Parrot Bebop

Parrot is a reliable name in the drone game, and the Parrot Bebop is a great entry-level camera drone for anyone just getting into the hobby.

The body of the drone is built around the 14-megapixel fisheye camera — capturing 180-degree range of 1080p video at 30FPS, but without the horizon-distortion you’ll find with other wide-angle action cameras. There’s also smart built-in safety features to protect your drone, including emergency mode that will land the drone safely and props that will stop spinning instantly when a collision is detected to avoid damage.

You control the Parrot Bebop with the Freeflight 3 app, available for Android and iOS devices, which includes one-touch return home function: this flies the drone back to its take-off point, where it hovers six feet off the ground until recovered. If you’re a serious fan of Parrot drones, you might be interested in buying the Parrot Skycontroller, which increases the range of your Bebop drone and allows you to pull off advanced tricks and, most importantly, offers significantly improved controls over the touchscreen controls.

Set up an account on the Parrot Cloud to have your photos and videos backed up and shared with Parrot’s growing community of over 100,000 pilots. Ready to fly out of the box with beginner-friendly features, the Parrot Bebop should better fit your budget (at $399) while still providing stable, quality video, with a battery that allows for 22 minutes of flight time.

See at Best Buy

DJI Phantom 4

It should come as no surprise to see another DJI drone on this list. The DJI Phantom line has been a favorite amongst drone enthusiasts, and the Phantom 4 is as sleek and well-designed as consumer drones get.

Featuring much of the same technology found in the Inspire 1, the Phantom 4 comes with a gimbal-mounted 4K camera which shoots at 30FPS.

Enjoy stable, precision hovering thanks to the Vision Positioning System, so even when you let go of the joystick controls, the Phantom 4 will brake and hover in place — even if the wind picks up. Use the ActiveTrack mode to easily set your drone to follow and record a moving subject, while it avoids running into trees or other objects with it’s built-in Obstacle Sensing System.

And then there’s the overall look and design of this thing. It’s by far one of the sleekest all-in-one drones on the market and is sure to turn heads whenever you take it out flying. Available for $1400 with a package that includes a backpack carrying case, blade guards and a 64GB half the cost of the Inspire 1, it’s a little easier on the wallet.

See at Amazon

3DR Solo Smart Drone

If you’ve already invested in a GoPro camera that you’d prefer to use with your drone, the 3DR Solo Smart drone would make a fantastic vessel for shooting your aerial GoPro footage.

This all-in-one drone comes with a capable controller that features a mount for your smartphone, convenient camera controls on the shoulders, and both on-screen flight time display, as well as a vibrate function to let you know when the battery is low. On-board stabilization lets you focus on setting up your epic shots without having to worry about keeping the drone in the air.

If you buy the optional gimbal for your GoPro, you’ll be able to execute Smart Shots — pre-programmed movements such as Orbit, Follow and Cable cam which allow you to capture professional, cinematic shots.

The 3DR Solo also has important safety features, including a maximum altitude of 400 feet to keep it FAA compliant, as well as a “pause” button that instantly sets the drone to hover in one place if you feel like you’re losing control.

See at Amazon

Blade Chroma 4K/GoPro

The Blade Chroma 4K is another solid choice that comes in four options, but all of which are essentially ready to fly out of the box.

There’s two pricier versions that include a 4K camera, as well as a controller with a built-in screen for recording video and keeping track of important flight information such as altitude, speed, and remaining flight time. Upgrade to get an extra battery as well as a handy carrying case for your drone.

Then there’s the cheaper versions, which allow you to mount your own GoPro (Hero 4 is recommended), with an option for a 3-axis gimbal. These versions feature the same drone as the 4K camera version, except with a standard wireless transmitter, which means you’ll have to stream video from your GoPro to your smartphone.

No matter which drone you decide to go with, they all come with both Smart Mode for beginners still learning the basics and AP Mode for more advanced pilots who want maximum control over their drone. There are also amazing features like Follow Me Mode and Tracking Mode which allow you to set altitude and distance settings in advance and then focus on getting those epic shots.

It’s an amazing package for a reasonable price — just over $1400 — considering all the professional features that’s included.

Shop at Amazon

Yuneec Q500 4K Typhoon

The Yuneec Q500 4K Typhoon is a sharp-looking quadcopter that will take stunning video at a reasonable price (under $800 on Amazon).

It comes fully assembled out of the box — just attach the props and you’re good to go. The controller features an integrated touchscreen that lets you control video settings such as video resolution, white balance and light exposure on the fly (pun intended). The camera is mounted on a 3-axis precision gimbal and can record 4K video at 30fps, or 1080p slow-mo video at up to 120fps.

Design-wise, the Q500 Typhoon stands out with it’s industrial-style supports along the arms that stand out from the streamlined look of DJI drones. Yuneec also includes an aluminum carrying case for safe transport so you can take your Typhoon wherever you go. This kit also includes a really cool accessory, the Handheld SteadyGrip. Essentially a compact Steadicam rig you can hold and operate with one hand, simply attach the Q500 camera and you’re set to record smooth footage from the ground straight to your smartphone.

Shop at Amazon

Which drone do you love?

Do you have any experience with the drones we’ve mentioned here? Got a recommendation for one that we’ve missed? Let us know in the comments below!

Dual lens smartphone cameras: A history and what to expect from iPhone 7 Plus

With Apple lining up to launch the iPhone 7 Plus, rumoured to be carrying a dual camera system, it’s important to understand where this is coming from and what it’s all about. 

Dual lens cameras on smartphones aren’t new, with a number of models offering a range of unique features using this camera setup.

Apple might be bringing it to the masses in 2016, but follow us as we walk you through smartphones dual lens camera systems of the past and present.

LG Optimus 3D and HTC Evo 3D: Another dimension

In 2011, 3D was a thing. The world’s TV manufacturers were lining up 3D TV sets, there were 3D films being produced and we were being told that 3D was the next big thing, again.

Pocket-lint

For smartphones, it was the opportunity for innovation. The LG Optimus 3D was announced in February 2011 and the HTC Evo 3D launched on Sprint in March 2011. 

Both these smartphones (and there were some others) used dual lenses to allow them to take 3D video and 3D photos. They use the same technique used by regular 3D cameras, using those dual lenses to create a sense of depth in images. This was boosted with a 3D display to view those images, without the glasses. 

But 3D was just a passing phase, and although we could capture 3D, ultimately, that was only the start of the story for dual lens cameras.

• LG Optimus 3D vs HTC Evo 3D: Which has the better 3D camera?
• LG Optimus 3D review: Seeing double
• HTC Evo 3D review: Three’s a crowd

HTC One M8: Making sense

It was the HTC One M8 that really introduced dual lens cameras to the world and saw HTC trying to do something different. The HTC One M8 was launched in April 2014.

Pocket-lint

With a 4-megapixel UltraPixel main image sensor and a secondary 2-megapixel sensor capturing extra data, the dual lens camera was used, like 3D, to create a sense of depth in photos. The idea was that the second lens could capture this depth information and feed it into the final image.

That meant you could create bokeh/background blur effects, you could refocus the image with a tap and you could easily manipulate photos, keeping the subject sharp and changing the backgrounds.

The One M8 was clever, but the camera wasn’t that impressive. The effects were rather gimmicky and the benefits of having a dual camera didn’t really make an impact – even if the full metal body did.

• HTC Duo Camera explained: What is it and what will it do?
• HTC One M8 review: Full metal masterclass

LG G5: Going wide

Suddenly we arrive in 2016 and LG announces the LG G5 in February. There are two things that are interesting about it. Firstly, it attempts to integrate modular accessories. Secondly, LG has equipped it with dual cameras.

Pocket-lint

In the case of this LG smartphone, there’s a main 16-megapixel sensor and a second 8-megapixel sensor. 

Rather than combining information to create effects, LG’s dual camera approach is straight shooting. The 16-megapixel camera offers regular photos, but the second lens is wide-angle. 

With 135-degree lens on the rear for that 8MP camera, the LG G5 can shoot wide-angle photos to great effect. You simply switch from one camera to the other by tapping the button in the app and you can get more in. Perfect for tight spots or landscapes, with that slight fish-eye effect that’s on trend.

It’s a lovely addition that actually adds something to the feature set. While panorama is common, there’s no shortage of after-market wide-angle lenses you can clip on, but the G5’s pairing is more useful as it’s so simple to use.

• LG G5 review: Modular misfire?

Huawei P9: Leica’s monochrome mark

With LG making its mark, Huawei launched the P9, in partnership with Leica, in April 2016. With two cameras sitting on the back, Huawei’s big selling point wasn’t about depth sensing or wide-angle, it was about monochrome.

Pocket-lint

Leveraging Leica’s classic monochrome cameras, the Huawei P9 presented two cameras on the rear, claiming one lens captured RGB colour and the second lens captured monochrome detail. Both cameras are 12-megapixels. 

This results in some great black and white photos, but working together, the P9 attempts to combine information from both sensors to make all your photos better. The results are very good, it’s a very capable partnership. 

There’s also a P9 Plus with the same offering, but slightly larger.

• Huawei P9 Leica camera explored: Double the camera, double the fun?
• Huawei P9 review: The flagship and the folly

Honor 8: Slightly less Leica, but very much the same

With the Huawei P9 launched, it was only a matter of time before sub-brand Honor produced an equivalent model. Called the Honor 8, again, there was a dual camera on the back. 

Pocket-lint

With the Leica tie-in being for the Huawei phone, the Honor 8 doesn’t make much of the monochrome side of things, but again offers twin 12-megapixel cameras, one with an RGB sensor, the other with a monochrome sensor. 

The message is the same: data is combined to result in sharper images, with better grip on colour and monochrome detail. Again, the result is a camera that’s very capable, especially on a phone that’s purportedly mid-range.

• Honor 8 review: A different take on the premium mid-range market

Apple iPhone 7: The future?

Finally, Apple is expected to announce the iPhone 7 on 7 September, with the iPhone 7 Plus offering a dual lens camera on the rear.

Feld & Volk

The rumours suggest that twin 12-megapixel cameras will capture colour images, but slightly differently. That captured information is then combined, leading to better results. Rather like the Huawei approach, this suggests that the aim will be to use both sensors to better the final result – but without the gimmicks of the HTC One M8. 

Having two cameras presents a lot of advantages, especially when you have difficult conditions. Where we’ve used HDR in the past to produce balanced images, a dual lens camera could easily capture at different settings and combine the image. Traditionally, this is called bracketing, where you might under expose the highlights and over expose the shadows, for a combined higher dynamic range.

Ultimately, simplicity is the key to a dual lens camera. HTC’s approach in the M8 was too complex and subsequent implementations have given good results. The important thing is producing a result that’s worth the additional hardware. If it means brilliant photos every time you press the button, then that can be considered a win.

• Apple iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus: Release date, rumours and everything you need to know

Rosetta probe belatedly finds the Philae comet lander

You have to sympathize with the European Space Agency. It’s less than a month away from crashing its Rosetta probe into its host comet, and it just found the Philae comet lander — you know, the machine the mission team stopped trying to contact back in July. Photos show that the lander get stuck in a dark crack on the comet in a position that prevents it from getting sunlight, revealing exactly why it went to sleep after a mere three days of activity. The ESA has had a general idea of where Philae was, but the low-resolution photos available before now made it hard to pinpoint the machine’s location.

It’s a bittersweet discovery when the agency can’t change history. Philae won’t come back to life, and even photos won’t be available for much longer. The ESA is still happy, though. This gives it the “proper context” it was missing for Philae’s fate, and lets the team shift its attention to photographing Rosetta’s eventual crash site. Think of this as a form of closure. Researchers may never get Philae back, but they won’t be left wondering what happened to their pride and joy.

Source: ESA