Lithium-ion creator helped develop a better battery technology

At 94 years old, John B. Goodenough isn’t done changing the landscape of battery technology. The University of Texas at Austin professor who’s widely credited for the invention of lithium-ion batteries has developed a better alternative. Goodenough, Cockrell School senior research fellow Maria Helena Braga and their team have created a low-cost solid state battery that’s safer than lithium-ion. It stores thrice as much energy, which means more miles for electric vehicles in between charges. When you do need to charge, it can be done minutes instead of hours. Plus, it can withstand a greater number of charge and discharge cycles.

The team’s technology uses glass electrolytes instead of liquid like lithium-ion does. By using solid glass, the new battery won’t form dendrites — whisker-like pieces of lithium that usually form in liquid electrolytes. They’re the reason lithium-ion batteries have the tendency to short circuit and explode or start a fire.

The glass electrolytes also make it possible for the battery to operate in subzero degree (up to around -20 degrees Celsius or -4 degrees Fahrenheit) weather. And since their use means the creators replaced lithium with low-cost sodium, the batteries can be manufactured with earth-friendly materials. Someday, the new technology could make EVs more common and change the way we use our gadgets. For now, Goodenough and his team are looking to pair up with battery makers who can test their creation in electric vehicles and energy storage devices.

Source: University of Texas at Austin

New York will offer $2,000 if you buy an electric car

Believe it or not, New York hasn’t offered a financial incentive to buy eco-friendly cars. While over three quarters of the US has some kind of state-level discount, New York has made you ‘settle’ for the federal tax credit. Officials are about to sweeten the pot, though: months after approval, New York is launching a rebate program on April 1st that gives you up to $2,000 if you buy an electric car or plug-in hybrid. If you can buy a car that also qualifies for the federal credit, you’re looking at nearly ten grand off the sticker price.

The initiative wasn’t exactly on the fast track. April 1st was the deadline for launching the program — the state clearly put this off until the last minute, and staff at New York’s Energy Research and Development Authority are still hashing out the details of the rebate. Still, it could be vital if it goes according to plan. New York represents one of the larger potential markets for electric cars outside of California, and the added incentive could be important for the Chevy Bolt, Tesla Model 3 and future EVs just affordable enough that even $2,000 could make a big difference. It’s particularly important for the Model 3, whose pre-orders are strong enough that you may not get a federal credit at all if you ordered relatively late.

Via: Electrek

Source: AP (US News)

Nikkei Now Agrees ‘iPhone 8’ Will Have Larger 5.8-Inch OLED Display

Apple will launch three new iPhone models in the fall, including one with a 5.8-inch OLED display and two with LCD displays, according to Nikkei Asian Review.

While this is a rumor we have heard several times already, the Japanese website previously said Apple would launch a 5-inch iPhone—not 5.8 inches—in 2017.

The relevant bit from today’s report:

The upcoming iPhone, to be launched this fall, will come in three configurations — two with liquid crystal displays and one with a 5.8-inch organic light-emitting diode display.

Here’s what it reported last October:

“Apple has tentatively decided that all the 5.5-inch, 5-inch and 4.7-inch models will have glass backs, departing from metal casings adopted by current iPhones, and Biel and Lens are likely to be providing all the glass backs for the new iPhones next year,” the source said.

5.8 inches is now the widely agreed upon screen size for Apple’s first iPhone with an OLED display, but there is likely a reasonable explanation as to why Nikkei and two other reports suggested the model would have a 5-inch display.

Namely, KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said while the so-called “iPhone 8” will indeed have a 5.8-inch display, the primary area will actually be 5.15 inches, while the rest of the space will be reserved for a wide row of virtual buttons. Kuo also said the device’s physical dimensions will likely be similar to a 4.7-inch iPhone.

Given the size variation between the OLED panel, display area, and physical dimensions rumored, it remains unclear if Apple will officially categorize the “iPhone 8” as 5.1 inches, 5.2 inches, 5.8 inches, or a different size.

Apple is expected to remove the Home button to make room for the larger display without significantly increasing the device’s overall footprint. The bezels surrounding the display are also expected to be removed, although a very slim top bezel could remain to house the front-facing camera and earpiece cutout.

While some reports have suggested Touch ID may be entirely replaced with biometric technologies such as iris or facial recognition or even ultrasound, Apple has filed a patent for a fingerprint sensor embedded underneath a touchscreen. Apple also has a patent for integrating the ambient light sensor into the display.

The much-rumored 5.8-inch iPhone, which has also been coined the “iPhone Pro” or “iPhone X” in honor of the smartphone’s tenth anniversary this year, could cost upwards of $1,000 in the United States. It is expected to be announced in September alongside updated 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch models.

Related Roundup: iPhone 8 (2017)
Tags: OLED, nikkei.com
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Facebook tries adding reactions to Messenger chats

Facebook’s reactions are thriving in your News Feed, and it now looks like the company wants to spread them to Messenger, too. The social network has confirmed to TechCrunch that it’s testing the ability to add reactions to individual messages, much as you would with stickers in Apple’s iMessage system or Slack’s team chats. The experiment has all the icons you’d expect from conventional Facebook posts (five emotions plus a thumbs-up), but also a thumbs-down — this is the closest you may get to that mythical Facebook “dislike” button. This would help tally up votes for a place to eat, for example, or share your response if you’re a little late to reply with text.

There’s no guarantee that you’ll see reactions any time soon. Facebook describes this as a “small test” and isn’t committing to a launch any time soon, assuming it goes forward. However, it’d make sense to beef up both Messenger and Workplace, Facebook’s Slack-alike.

Source: TechCrunch

Google reveals HP’s Chromebook for schools coming out in April

There’s another Chromebook option for schools looking to equip their students with Google’s laptops. Mountain View has revealed that HP will release a new rugged Chromebook for education in mid-April. It’s a 360-degree convertible that features USB-C charging and a rear/world-facing camera, just like the Chromebooks Asus and Acer debuted in January. The computer also works with an optional stylus. However, it’s unclear if it’s the same low-cost stylus based on the the #2 pencil that comes with the Asus and the Acer machines — Google didn’t exactly go into details about the product’s specs.

The company has announced model x360 11 G1 in a post that celebrate’s Chromebooks’ status as a top-selling device across laptops and tablets in Swedish schools last year. Google has also revealed in the post that Chromebook creative apps are out in Europe and that administrators can now approve Android app libraries and install them on select managed devices.

Via: The Verge

Source: The Keyword

Ransomware hits Pennsylvania’s Democratic state senators

Democrats in Pennsylvania’s state Senate were locked out of their computer network early Friday morning due to a ransomware attack, NBC News reports. According to an unidentified state official who spoke with NBC, the Democratic senators in Harrisburg use their own computer network and “there is no indication that other state agencies of the Republicans have been affected.” As of about 5 p.m. Friday, both law enforcement agencies and Microsoft were working with the state Democrats to free their network. In a statement sent to reporters via text message and obtained by The Hill, state party officials said, “there is currently no indication that the caucus system was targeted or that any data has been compromised.”

Recently, ransomware attacks have struck everywhere from hospitals and universities to San Francisco’s transit system. Last summer, the congressional IT desk warned representatives in Washington DC to be careful of potential ransomware and phishing threats, but the hacks on the DNC were unrelated.

In many cases, the payment demanded is only in the tens of thousands of dollars, and occasionally ransomware can be spammed without a specific target, but the affected computer systems are encrypted and inaccessible until the hackers release a key. If a network’s data is backed up offsite, the target can occasionally circumvent the ransom altogether — albeit with some increased security. A spokesperson for the Pennsylvania Democrats declined to say to NBC News whether that was possible in this case, or whether the attackers had revealed any motives.

Via: NBC News

US hopes cyberattacks will stall North Korea’s missile program

The US might not have had much success with cyberattacks against North Korea’s nuclear program, but that apparently hasn’t stopped officials from further efforts… not that they’re having much success. The New York Times has learned that then-President Obama ordered escalated cyberwarfare against North Korea in 2014 a bid to thwart its plans for intercontinental ballistic missiles. However, it’s not clear that this strategy has worked — and there may be problems if it does.

The newspaper understands that Obama pushed both intelligence agencies and the military to “pull out all the stops” on cyberwarfare efforts to wreck missiles either before they launch or in the first seconds afterward. While evidence shows that North Korean missiles started floundering at a very high rate (the mid-range Musudan missile has an 88 percent failure rate) soon after, it’s not certain how much of that was due to American efforts versus the inherent riskiness of the missile designs. The US effort “accented the failures,” according to the Times, but the launch rate has improved lately — and proper intercontinental missile tests might not be far off, if you believe North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

A large part of this comes from the natures of both the country and its missile efforts. North Korea is notoriously isolated from the internet (not to mention computing technology as a whole), and its missile systems are both mobile and shuffled around to confuse enemies. It’s not so simple as slipping malware into the computers at a fixed location, like with the Stuxnet attack against Iran — you need to find out where and when a launch will take place.

President Trump hasn’t signaled if or how his administration might change this approach. Everything is still on the table, according to the Times. However, it might not want to press much harder. If a digital campaign is successful, it might give China, Russia and other nuclear-armed nations tacit permission to attack American nuclear launch systems. A belligerent country might be more tempted to launch a nuke if it knows that the US can’t respond in kind.

Source: New York Times

Apple to Open New Schildergasse Retail Store in Cologne, Germany, on March 25

Apple today announced that its second retail store in the German city of Cologne will open later this month. The address of the brick-and-mortar store is Schildergasse 1-9, which sits on one of the busiest shopping streets in Europe. Doors open on March 25.

The announcement confirms long-held rumors that Apple has been planning a second store in the city. Evidence surfaced in January that it was putting the finishing touches to a store at the sought-after retail location, which was previously occupied by European clothing brand Pohland. Local blog Apfelpage reports that Apple is already in the process of transferring some of its Rhein Center store staff to the new location.

The street of Schildergasse has a Roman history and derives its name from schild, (meaning shield), because artists who lived there in the Middle Ages were known for their paintings of coats of arms. Every hour, some 13,000 people pass through the street, which spans 500 meters from Hohe Straße on the Eastern End to Neumarkt on the Western End.

Tag: Apple retail
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Everything you need to know about the FAA consumer drone regulations

Since August 2016, consumer drone use has been under a detailed set of FAA laws. This is a minor problem for drone fans: They want to play around with the latest drone tech, but they really don’t want to read a long list of regulation sections to find out what’s allowed.

If that sounds like you, stop worrying: We’ll break down the latest drone regulations to make things a whole lot easier. We still suggest you read the UAS (unmanned aircraft system) regulations to get the full picture, but here’s what you need to know if you have big drone plans and want to know what’s legal.

More: The best drones for beginners will have you flying in no time

Note: These regulations apply to all unmanned aircraft under 55 pounds. Since drones are lightweight, this effectively applies to pretty much every drone available to consumers. However, it’s worth noting if you are planning on packing a large drone with camera equipment or packages, etc.

Drones at home and for fun

Bill Roberson/Digital Trends

Know how serious you are: If you have experience flying model planes, you can follow the same regulations used for them to stay legal — an alternative the FAA actually suggests. If you want to dive deeper into drones as a hobby, then plan on getting a remote pilot certificate under the small-UAS rules instead. No, past UAS training will not count.

Register your craft: It doesn’t matter what you do with it, you should probably register your drone. The FAA has a website to make this easier.

If you’re outside, the rules apply: You can do whatever you want with those tiny drones that fly around inside your house. But if you take a drone outside, all the rules apply, even if it’s just on your own property.

Pilots must be at least 16 years old: No exceptions. We know this seems like the “just say I was the one flying it” rule, but the FAA/law enforcement is serious about drones. Don’t test them on this.

Always keep the drone within eyesight: Always. It’ll last longer this way, too.

Don’t go higher than 400 feet: This is just common sense for the average recreational drone, which won’t be able to handle higher elevations well anyway.

Call an airport if flying within five miles of one: You need to ask airports for permission to fly a drone within a five-mile radius. And yes, sometimes they will say no. It’s often easier to just find a spot that’s not near one.

Stay away from people and emergencies: If you’re wondering where to fly your drone, remember this general guideline: stay away from people and problems. Parks, parking lots, forests, meadows — you can fly in lots of places, but you have to follow the following two rules. Don’t fly over or near people, especially gatherings of people (sport events, family picnics, and so on). Stay at least 25 feet away, as a general rule. And don’t fly near emergencies. For example, it may sound cool to get a look at that wildfire, but you’re probably getting in the way of relief efforts, and those updrafts can blast your drone apart in a heartbeat.

There are “No Drone Zones”: Drones aren’t allowed in some areas at all. As you may expect, they are typically military sites, as well as all of Washington D.C. If you’re near a government location or in a busy area, check for No Drone Zones.

You can use the official app: All right, we know this whole location thing is getting complicated, but fortunately there’s an app, B4UFLY, that adds it all up and shows you where it’s totally okay to fly. We highly suggest you download and use it. It also adds in a bunch of other, smaller restricted areas, like power stations, prisons, highways, and more.

Stay alert: Obviously, this means no drugs or alcohol while operating the drone. But we mean it in another sense, too. Some of the greatest areas for flying a drone are in the countryside and in open areas. But these places can be surprisingly active: Surveyors, crop-dusters, helicopter tours, practice runs by local law enforcement, park rangers, and many others may be flying low-level manned or unmanned aircraft. Watch out, and don’t get stupid.

Local laws may apply: A lot of drone regulation is currently left up to states and cities. Look into local laws as well.

Ryzen proves the PC industry can no longer ignore AMD’s comeback

While there are numerous valid arguments on both sides of the processor wars, even AMD fans have started to agree that Intel has taken a strong lead in the last few generations of consumer PCs. Intel chips have begun to dominate every price point, and AMD needs to fight back if it wants to reclaim a spot in users’ desktops.

That’s just one of a few reasons why AMD’s new Ryzen chips have been riding a massive amount of hype on the path to release. Enthusiasts across the computing spectrum are hoping for red team’s triumphant return, not just because it helps AMD, but because it helps make computers more exciting and relevant.

Shaking up the status quo

AMD has decided to strike where Intel is weakest.

Over the last few years, mainstream processor performance has increased incrementally. It’s enough to warrant buying the newest chip when you build, but it’s hard to justify the cost to upgrade existing systems. At least, that’s been the case with Intel chips. Users who have a second or third-generation Core i7 still see little reason to upgrade.

More: Our full review of the Ryzen 7 1800X

Instead of chasing the same price points already dominated by Intel, AMD focused on the sub-$200 market. That’s a boon for gamers looking to keep total system cost low, and for those who want to open some room in their budget for a more expensive GPU. Even so, we’ve continued to see Intel spreading out into the same category, and leading it with efficient products like the Pentium G4560 and Intel Core i3-3750K. That’s cut the range of competitive AMD processors to the bone.

Once again, AMD has decided to strike where Intel is weakest. To secure more than four cores and eight threads from Intel, you’ll have to shell out for an X99 motherboard and a high-end chip that’s going to cost you $500 or more. Instead, Ryzen provides performance competitive to workstation chips twice the price, allowing mid-range users to harness the extra processing power, if that’s what they’re looking for.

Radeon RX was a blueprint for the future

It’s a similar effort to what we saw with the Radeon RX release strategy. Nvidia’s GTX 1070 and 1080 packed in serious, high-end gaming performance, but at a steep cost. AMD, meanwhile, snuck in well under that initial price point, offering three cards at $200 or less before Nvidia could push out an offering below $350.

AMD RX-480

In this context, the budget-friendly RX GPUs start to look like a price break for users hoping to make the jump over to AMD’s side of the fence. The RX 480 still provides solid 1440p performance, and with a huge chunk of Steam users still playing at 1080p, that’s more than enough for the two-to-three years it will take before they need to upgrade again.

That said, there’s always been, and always will be, a market for enthusiasts willing to drop big bucks on high-end parts. There’s a reason consumer systems pack $1,500+ processors like the Intel Core i7-6950X, even though it really isn’t necessary except in incredibly demanding workloads. It’s also the reason Nvidia continues to get away with pricing people out of their highest-end GPUs.

More: AMD vs. Intel – Which is really the best value?

With AMD’s promise to use the AM4 socket until at least 2020, it has won the upgrade path war.

Still, AMD hasn’t competed in the high-end CPU market in quite some time, but it’s important for building hype and drawing eyes to your products. Not a lot of people buy the $600 GPU or the $500 CPU, but you’re likely to make sales because people want the upgrade path, or because they know you make cool products as well as more reasonable offerings. With AMD’s promise to use the AM4 socket until at least 2020, the red team has won the upgrade path war, and made investing in a high-end motherboard a much safer bet, with longer legs than something you could pick up from Intel.

It just might be a winning strategy

Whether this strategy will work or not is hard to say, but it’s a plan that already has competitors shaking. In the wake of Ryzen pre-orders, Intel cut prices aggressively, bringing the Intel Core i7-7700K down to an even $300 at some retailers. Nvidia has also announced the GTX 1080 Ti after the 1000 Series has been on the market just six months, three months less than it took for the GTX 980 Ti to hit the scene.

Granted, these are both companies that aren’t used to having a whole lot of competition to deal with. If you want a consumer CPU, you have two choices. If you want a consumer GPU, you have two choices. AMD’s is the only alternative to Intel or Nvidia in each field, so everyone benefits if it’s doing well. Competition drives markets and benefits consumers, forcing companies to release efficient products at prices that will help them sell.

As we’ve already seen, competitive pricing isn’t quite enough to bring users over to AMD’s side, but maybe more serious performance and optimization improvements can help return the red team to its former glory, and will be enough to give the other chip makers a much-needed kick in the pants.