‘Oleo Sponge’ may be the key to cleaning up after oil spills
Cleaning up after an oil spill isn’t an easy job. Just ask Exxon Mobil, or, for a more recent example, BP. Current clean-up methods include skimming it of a body off water’s surface or burning it. Neither are ideal for a few reasons, but beyond impacting the environment even further, they don’t account for the sludge that’s trapped below the waves. That’s where the Department of Energy’s Oleo Sponge comes in.
Unlike other clean-up methods, the Argonne National Laboratory says that the sponge can scrub the entire water column. What’s more, the sponge and the oil can be reused. Oleo Sponge builds on previous research from Argonne regarding how a complex structure can retain oil. In this case, it’s a cellulose sponge treated with “hard metal oxide atoms.”
“After some trial and error, [researchers] found a way to adapt the technique to grow an extremely thin layer of metal oxide ‘primer’ near the foam’s interior surfaces,” the statement reads. “This serves as the perfect glue for attaching oil-loving molecules, which are deposited in a second step; they hold onto the metal oxide layer with one end and reach out to grab oil molecules with the other.”
As you can see in the video below, the sponge looks incredibly effective. Even better? It can apparently be treated with different substances to attract pretty much anything you can think of.
Source: Journal of Materials Chemistry A, U Chicago News
‘iPhone 8’ Could Reportedly Be Called ‘iPhone Edition,’ Launch Well After 4.7-Inch and 5.5-Inch Versions
Apple may call the 2017 iPhone 8, rumored to be announced alongside the iPhone 7s and 7s Plus at a September event, the “iPhone Edition,” according to a new report from Japanese website Mac Otakara. The name would reportedly signal that the phone is a higher end model, similar to how Apple names the Apple Watch Edition. The “Edition” moniker lines up with reports that the model could cost upwards of $1,000.
The report goes on to note that Apple is currently testing multiple prototypes alongside the iPhone 8. The prototypes experiment with screen technology and materials, with some prototypes using an LCD display while others use AMOLED. The prototypes are also in testing with and without home buttons. Further, Apple is using them to test glass, aluminum and white ceramic chassis.
Apple is trying to gauge which materials and technologies they can procure at mass scale for production, according to Mac Otakara. KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Nikkei and the Wall Street Journal have reported the iPhone 8 will feature an OLED screen, while the 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch lower-end models will sport LCD displays.
Mac Okatara says the only features Apple is reportedly certain of are a 5-inch display, wireless charging and dual cameras. The 5-inch display Mac Otakara is referring to is the usable space on the display. The iPhone 8 is expected to utilize an edge-to-edge display that puts a 5.8-inch display in a handset roughly the size of a 4.7-inch iPhone. 5.15 inches of the 5.8-inch display will be usable. The difference will be used for a wide row of virtual buttons.
The Cupertino company is also expected to announce a more standard 4.7-inch iPhone 7s and 5.5-inch iPhone 7s Plus alongside the “iPhone Edition.” According to Mac Otakara, while those two models are expected to launch in September, the “iPhone Edition” may not launch until well after that.
Related Roundup: iPhone 8 (2017)
Tag: macotakara.jp
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HP rolls out a beefed-up Elite line of commercial desktops
Why it matters to you
You now have a a slew of new high-performance commercial PC options for your business, courtesy of HP.
HP has a line of commercial desktops that it calls the “world’s most secure and manageable PC lineup.” Specifically, HP is referring to its Elite desktop and all-in-one line, which includes the EliteOne, EliteDesk Tower, and EliteDesk Mini machines. Now, HP has released a refresh, ushering in a host of new self-appointed firsts.
The new and refreshed machines include the EliteOne 800 G3 All-in-One (AIO), the EliteDesk 800 G3 Tower, and two versions of the EliteDesk 800 G3 Desktop mini. HP announced the new machines in a press release full of accolades.
More: Tired of waiting for a new Surface Pro? Check out HP’s tough new 2-in-1
First up is the “newly redesigned” EliteOne 800 G3 AIO, which HP says is the first commercial AIO with dual-facing cameras and the first with a non-glare touchscreen. Features include a 23.8-inch full HD display with micro-edge bezels, optional AMD Radeon discrete graphics, and a variety of mounting options. The EliteOne G3 AIO is coming soon, with pricing yet to be announced.
Next is the EliteDesk 800 Desktop Tower, which HP dubs the “world’s most powerful commercial desktop,” as well as the “most configurable” and the first VR-certified commercial PC. Options include 91W processors and high-end discrete graphics, including the GeForce GTX 1080, along with five bays, four full-height slots, and two additional M.2 connectors for exceptional expandability. The EliteDesk 800 Desktop Tower starts at $626 at HP.com.
Insta-download: 5 ways to save photos from Instagram
Instagram is one of many sites where you upload photos to share with others. In fact, millions of users have uploaded tens of millions of photos, making it the most popular photo-sharing website. And while you can “like” or bookmark a photo so you can revisit them later, there’s no way to download them to your computer or device.
You may have your reasons for wanting to download a photo. Perhaps you accidentally deleted the original photo of the Eiffel Tower from your Parisian vacation, and the only copy you have left is the one you posted to Instagram. Maybe there’s a photo that you absolutely love and would like to have it as a desktop wallpaper.
However, just because there’s no download button, doesn’t mean you can’t do it. We found the five best ways to download photos from Instagram. Some methods are as easy as clicking a few buttons, while some take a bit more digging, but they’re all relatively painless.
Note: Respect other users’ photos. Downloading a photo for personal enjoyment is one thing, but if you intend to repost or use it in another manner, get the owners’ permission. Instagram has an in-depth section regarding copyrights.
More: 5 easy ways to archive all of your favorite Instagram videos
Downloading images in Windows and MacOS
DownloadGram
Step 1: Navigate to Instagram’s website.
Step 2: Find the Instagram picture you want to save and click on the time-elapsed counter in the upper-right corner.
Step 3: Copy the photo’s URL from your browser.
Step 4: Go to DownloadGram’s website.
Step 5: Input the photo’s URL into box with the auto-generated Instagram link.
Step 6: Click the Download button. Then, click the resulting Download Picture button to save your image.
4K Stogram
Step 1: Download 4K Stogram onto your computer.
Step 2: After installation, open the program and insert an Instagram username, hashtag, or even location into the search bar.
Step 3: Click Subscribe.
Step 4: All photos and videos will automatically begin to download to a folder on your computer. Once done, you can locate and configure them from within the application’s preferences pane.
Step 5: For the ability to do this for an unlimited number of profiles, purchase a license key here for $10.
Step 1: Navigate to Instagram’s website.
Step 2: Find the Instagram photo you want to save and click the time-elapsed counter in the upper-right corner.
Step 3: Copy the photo’s URL from your browser.
Step 4: Right-click or control (ctrl)-click the photo, and then click View Page Source.
Step 5: Click ctrl+F or command+F to open the search bar. Then, input the Instagram photo’s URL.
Step 6: Locate the section that has “meta property” information. Here, you’ll see a line of code that starts with <meta property=”og:image“.
Step 7: Copy the link that follows until you see a common photo extension, specifically JPG or PNG.
Step 8: Paste the link into your browser and hit Enter.
Step 8: You will be taken to a page with just the photo. Now, right-click or ctrl-click the image, and select Save Image As to save the photo.
Nvidia’s Jetson TX2 platform can double the power or the efficiency of hardware
Why it matters to you
Nvidia’s Jetson TX2 platform should usher in a new range of products with much more powerful or efficient processing capabilities.
Nvidia’s newly announced Jetson TX2 developer kit will offer twice the performance of its predecessor if that’s what hardware partners require. But if they are more interested in energy efficiency, they can have that instead, by using the system in a lower power mode to improve its efficiency by up to two times.
The purpose of Nvidia’s Jetson platform is to offer powerful parallel computing at the local level, to offer “inference at the edge,” as Nvidia puts it. In more layman terms, it means AI processing for things like image classification, navigation, and speech recognition on local hardware, rather than relying on the cloud. That has a myriad of benefits, but most importantly it reduces bandwidth usage, cuts latency, and improves the privacy of data being processed.
More: DIY backyard security system turns on the sprinklers when it sees a trespassing cat
Jetson TX2 is looking to do everything its predecessor did and more. It adds a second processor based on Nvidia’s Dual Denver 2 design, alongside the original Quad ARM A57 chip found in the TX1. They are paired with 8GB of LPDDR4, running on a 128-bit interface and offering up to 58.3 GBps of bandwidth — double that of the TX1.
More importantly, the new Jetson system packs in a Nvidia Pascal graphics chip featuring 256 CUDA cores.
The TX2 can encode and decode 4K video at 60Hz and transmit it over an HDMI 2.0 connection. It also comes with 32GB of eMMC onboard storage, plus support for expanded storage from SD and SATA connections.
All of this works out to double the performance potential of the original TX1, but in the same credit card-sized form factor, so hardware partners can simply swap out the TX1 for the TX2 if desired. This lets them offer double the amount of processing that their products can achieve, or lets them operate at a much lower power point. Nvidia claims the TX2 is capable of the same performance of its predecessor while requiring less than 7.5w of power.
All of the hardware improvements of the new Jetson system are backed up by Nvidia’s JetPack 3.0 SDK for AI computing, which lets it support all manner of intelligent systems, with a specific focus on neural networks for image processing and deep-learning capabilities.
Nvidia hopes that this new hardware and software package will help develop new and exciting products for intelligent video analytics like smart cameras, improved functionality in automated vehicles and new, and smarter robots for consumer and business use alike.
The Nvidia Jetson TX2 developer kit can be pre-ordered right now in the U.S. and Europe for $600. Shipping will begin on March 14, while availability in other regions will begin in the coming weeks. The Jetson TX2 module without carrier board will be available in the second quarter of this year with a price tag of $400, though a minimum order of $1,000 is required.
In light of the new generation of hardware, Nvidia has reduced the price of original TX1 developer kit to $500.
Nvidia will show off the TX2 in action at the Embedded World Conference 2017 in Nuremberg, Germany, between March 14 and 16, alongside partners like Cisco, which will showcase a smart whiteboard design making use of the TX2.
The Moto G5 Plus is exclusive to Flipkart in India, launching on Mar. 15
Moto G5 Plus is launching on Mar. 15, and will be exclusive to Flipkart.
The Moto G5 Plus is all set to make its debut in India on March 15, and Motorola has now announced that the phone will be sold exclusively on Flipkart in the country. The Moto G series by itself accounts for a majority of sales in the budget segment, and as such the exclusivity arrangement is a big deal for Flipkart as it tries to counter the threat of Amazon.
.@Moto_IND A big warm welcome to #MotoG5PlusonFlipkart! The most awaited G is all set to be available exclusively on Flipkart on the 15th. pic.twitter.com/T4abYoD7Oq
— Flipkart (@Flipkart) March 7, 2017
Ever since reentering the Indian market with the first-gen Moto G, Motorola stuck with Flipkart to exclusively offer the budget phones, but last year it decided to switch to Amazon for sales of the Moto G4 and G4 Plus. With Motorola selling close to 20,000 units a day during its initial launch phase, the loss of the Moto G brand was a significant blow to Flipkart. However, it looks like the retailer was able to offer a better deal to Motorola this year, and the reintroduction of the Moto G brand on its site should result in a much-needed sales boost.
As is always the case in this category, pricing will prove to be the pivotal factor, but the phone itself has a lot to offer, including a metal back, Snapdragon 625, and an impressive 12MP camera. We’ll know more about the Moto G5 Plus’ pricing and availability on March 15, so stay tuned. In the meantime, what do you think is a good price for the device in India?
Lawyer in copyright-trolling porn shakedown pleads guilty
Copyright issues typically follow big companies legally challenging folks who upload protected content without their say-so. But the two lawyers behind Prenda Law took file-sharing infringement to a bizarre level when they uploaded porn videos and laid in wait to sue anyone who downloaded them, raking in an incredible $6 million in extracted settlement fees. Both John Steele and Paul Hasmeier were indicted in mid-December for perjury, fraud and money laundering, and yesterday Steele pled guilty to the latter two. A porn troll has fallen.
Apparently, co-defendants Steele and Hansmeier had set up sham companies to get copyrights to pornographic movies — some they filmed themselves. Then they uploaded the videos to file-sharing websites and waited to pounce on users who downloaded them. Once they zeroed in on someone, the lawyers subpoenaed ISPs to get their victim’s information, taking a page from the patent troll playbook to threaten them with shame and legal penalties if they didn’t cough up thousands of dollars in settlement cash. Both men obscured their role in making the films and hid that they would profit from the lawsuits.
The beginning of the end came in spring 2013 when a US district judge sanctioned both lawyers for defrauding the court and passed their case to the FBI. After years of odd twists and turns, Steele has finally thrown in the towel and will be sentenced soon. His partner Paul Hansmeier’s case hasn’t been resolved, though he did lose his law license last year after legal regulators accused him of the same fraudulent activity marking the FBI and IRS case.
Via: Ars Technica
Source: US Department of Justice
Apple Captured 79% of Global Smartphone Profits in 2016
The iPhone captured 79 percent of global smartphone profits in 2016, according to new research from Strategy Analytics obtained by The Korea Herald. Global smartphone profit stood at $53.7 billion, with Apple’s iPhone profit accounting for $44.9 billion.
Apple held 14.5 percent global smartphone marketshare in 2016, second behind Samsung’s 20.8 percent global marketshare. For comparison, Samsung, which posted an $8.3 billion profit, accounted for 14.6 percent of global profits in 2016.
The Cupertino company typically dominates global profit share despite not holding a large amount of marketshare in the smartphone segment. In the first quarter of 2015 alone, Apple accounted for 92 percent of global smartphone profit on 20 percent of actual smartphone sales. Similarly, in the fourth quarter of 2014 Apple captured nearly 90 percent of smartphone profit.
Much of Apple’s success in late 2014 and early 2015 can be attributed to the popularity of the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, sending Android global profit share down to 11.3 percent during the fourth quarter of 2014, down from 29.5 percent in the fourth quarter of 2013.
The popularity of the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus helped bolster a .5 increase in smartphone shipments year-over-year in the fourth quarter of 2016, edging Samsung to make Apple the world’s top smartphone maker in the quarter.
Related Roundup: iPhone 7
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Apple Says Many of the Vulnerabilities Detailed in ‘Vault 7’ Leaks Already Patched
Earlier today a new series of Wikileaks leaks that revealed the United States Central Intelligence Agency’s efforts to hack iPhones. The leaks detail a number of iOS exploits that can be used to bypass security on devices. Tonight, Apple said in a statement provided to TechCrunch that most of the vulnerabilities detailed in the leaks have been patched.
“Apple is deeply committed to safeguarding our customers’ privacy and security. The technology built into today’s iPhone represents the best data security available to consumers, and we’re constantly working to keep it that way. Our products and software are designed to quickly get security updates into the hands of our customers, with nearly 80 percent of users running the latest version of our operating system. While our initial analysis indicates that many of the issues leaked today were already patched in the latest iOS, we will continue work to rapidly address any identified vulnerabilities. We always urge customers to download the latest iOS to make sure they have the most recent security updates.”
Apple says its initial analyses indicates that many of the exploits detailed were patched in the latest version of iOS, and that it will continue to patch identified vulnerabilities. The Cupertino company closes by saying that it always urges users to download and install the latest version of iOS to ensure that they have the most recent security updates.
The Vault 7 revelations aren’t the first time the CIA has targeted Apple’s mobile devices. In 2015 it was reported that the CIA worked on ways to compromise both iPhones and iPads.
The full list of so-called “Year Zero” documents can be found on found on Wikileaks’ website.
Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.
Tags: CIA, privacy, Wikileaks, Vault 7
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Amazon Prime is now available in Mexico
It’s been about two years since Amazon launched in Mexico via Amazon.com.mx, but starting Tuesday online shoppers in the country can finally sign up for unlimited free shipping and streaming video through Amazon Prime. Prime subscriptions have been steadily on the rise in recent years, especially outside of the US, and as TechCrunch notes today the Prime launch in Mexico is Amazon’s first in Latin America.
Prime subscribers in Mexico will also have access to free same-day delivery in and around Mexico City as well as free one-day shipping in Guadalajara, Puebla and Querétaro. Subscribers can also order items from the United States through Amazon EE.UU with free standard (6-9 day) shipping. Meanwhile, Prime Video will be going up against Netflix’s 1.2 million subscribers in Mexico, but will include all of Amazon’s original programming plus “hundreds of popular movies and TV shows,” according to the company.
Pricing is also slightly more affordable than Prime membership in the states: the first year of service will cost just 449 pesos — or about $23 — before doubling in the second year to the regular price of 899 pesos ($46).
Via: TechCrunch
Source: Amazon.com.mx
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