Astronomers spot the smallest star so far

Researchers at the University of Cambridge have found the smallest star ever discovered. It’s just slightly bigger than Saturn and while its mass is similar to that of TRAPPIST-1 — which NASA recently found seven Earth-sized planets rotating around — its radius is 30 percent smaller.

The star, known as EBLM J0555-57Ab, is around 600 light years from Earth and it orbits another larger star every 7.8 days. Researchers with the Wide Angle Search for Planets experiment detected the tiny star as it passed in front of its more sizable neighbor and used Euler and TRAPPIST telescopes for further examination. “Thankfully, we can find these small stars with planet-hunting equipment, when they orbit a larger host star in a binary system,” Alexander Boetticher, a researcher on the project and a Master’s student at Cambridge’s Cavendish Laboratory and Institute of Astronomy, said in a statement, “It might sound incredible, but finding a star can at times be harder than finding a planet.”

It has enough mass to sustain hydrogen fusion, but just barely, preventing it from being classified as a sub-stellar object. “Our discovery reveals how small stars can be,” said Boetticher, “Had this star formed with only a slightly lower mass, the fusion reaction of hydrogen in its core could not be sustained, and the star would instead have transformed into a brown dwarf.”

Stars this small are hard to detect and since we’ve found so few, we don’t understand them very well yet. But they’re also likely to host Earth-like planets, so spotting them and learning about them is an important task. “The smallest stars provide optimal conditions for the discovery of Earth-like planets, and for the remote exploration of their atmospheres,” said Amaury Triaud, another researcher on the project, “However, before we can study planets, we absolutely need to understand their star; this is fundamental.”

The findings were recently published in Astronomy & Astrophysics.

Via: Gizmodo

Source: Astronomy & Astrophysics

Part shortages thwart the PC’s sales recovery

So much for the PC industry bouncing back after years of decline. Analysts at Gartner and IDC estimate that computer shipments fell between 3.3 and 4.3 percent in the second quarter, resuming an otherwise unbroken slump. However, the drop wasn’t due to the usual issues, like the rise of smartphones — it was the knock-on effect of part shortages that killed dreams of a recovery. Component companies raised prices on parts like solid-state drives and LCDs to keep the supply-and-demand balance in check, and the resulting price hikes at some PC vendors led to people staying away.

There was an upside — at least, if you’re Google. Researchers note that Chromebook shipments fared much better than the rest of the PC industry, with Gartner reporting that they grew 38 percent worldwide compared to a 6 percent drop for the overall PC field. Chromebooks are particularly strong in the US thanks to schools, which often buy in spring to get ready for the fall.

This state of affairs should improve now that shortages are less of a problem, but it puts a damper on near-term hopes of the PC business returning to its halcyon days of steady growth. Although that’s still possible, it’s clear that the current market is still sensitive to every little gust of wind. Any resurgence is likely to be slow and bumpy, if it happens at all.

Source: Gartner, IDC

HBO is giving you one day to stream ‘Insecure’ for free

For one day toward the end of July, everyone will get to experience the joy of HBO’s Insecure absolutely free. Starting at 6AM ET on July 23rd, viewers can pop over to the network’s website or YouTube channel to binge all eight half-hour episodes of the show’s first season at no cost, but only for 24 hours.

Watch #InsecureHBO S1 for free (for 24 hours) beginning 7/23 at 6AM at https://t.co/muGmlPanIl and https://t.co/X2oCRLncxn. Hella exciting! pic.twitter.com/GW57D8sLvQ

— Issa Rae (@IssaRae) July 12, 2017

The show, created by actress and writer Issa Rae, is partially inspired by her web series Awkward Black Girl and bestselling follow-up memoir, The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl. Remember that internet-joke-turned-serious-pitch of a Rihanna/Lupita Nyong’o heist film? Rae was reportedly in talks to write it. So, seriously: Carve out four hours the Sunday after next and binge the first season for free.

Apple’s Mac Sales Stagnant in Q2 2017 Amid Continuing Worldwide PC Market Decline

Apple’s Mac sales remained stagnant in the second quarter of 2017 compared to the year-ago quarter, according to new PC shipping estimates shared today by Gartner.

During the quarter, Apple shipped an estimated 4.24 million Macs worldwide, down from 4.26 million in the second quarter of 2016, for an estimated decline in growth of -0.4 percent. While sales were down slightly, market share was up. Apple held 6.9 percent of the market during the quarter, up from 6.7 percent a year ago. Apple is estimated to be the number four PC vendor in the world, edging out Asus, the company that held that position this time last year.

HP and Dell, the number one and number three worldwide PC vendors, respectively, saw shipment growth during the quarter. HP shipped an estimated 12.7 million PCs for 10.8 percent of the market (3.3 percent growth) while Dell shipped an estimated 9.6 million PCs for 15.6 percent of the market (1.4 percent growth). Lenovo, once the number one worldwide PC vendor, is now in second place after sales dropped from 13.3 million in Q2 2016 to 12.2 million in Q2 2017. Lenovo now holds 19.9 percent of the market and saw a -8.4 percent dip in growth.

Asus and Acer, the number five and six worldwide PC vendors, also saw PC sales fall significantly. Asus shipped 4 million PCs during the quarter, down from 4.5 million for -10.3 percent growth, while Acer shipped 3.9 million, down from 4.4 million for -12.5 percent growth.

According to Gartner, overall worldwide PC shipments totaled 61.1 million units in Q2 2017, a 4.3 percent decline compared to Q2 2016.

“Higher PC prices due to the impact of component shortages for DRAM, solid state drives (SSDs) and LCD panels had a pronounced negative impact on PC demand in the second quarter of 2017,” said Mikako Kitagawa, principal analyst at Gartner “The approach to higher component costs varied by vendor. Some decided to absorb the component price hike without raising the final price of their devices, while other vendors transferred the costs to the end-user price.”

In the United States, PC shipments totaled 14 million units during the second quarter of 2017, a 5.7 percent decline compared to the second quarter of 2016. Apple is the number four PC vendor in the United States, shipping an estimated 1.7 million Macs (for 11.8 percent market share), a significant decline from the 1.83 million Macs shipped in the second quarter of 2016.

Apple’s U.S. sales dropped 9.6 percent from Q2 2016 to Q2 2017, with Lenovo and Asus also seeing sharp dips. Lenovo’s sales were down 16.3 percent (1.9 million PCs shipped vs. 2.2 million in Q2 2016), while Asus’s sales were down 40.7 percent (447K PCs shipped vs. 754K in Q2 2016).

IDC also released its PC market shipment estimates today, and its numbers are a bit rosier. IDC estimates Apple shipped 4.3 million Macs during the quarter, up from 4.26 million for a small 1.7 percent growth. According to IDC, worldwide PC shipments totaled 60.5 million units, a decline of 3.3 percent. Like Gartner, IDC estimates Apple is the number four worldwide PC vendor, behind HP, Lenovo, and Dell, but above Asus and Acer.

It’s important to note that data from Gartner and IDC is preliminary and that the numbers can shift, sometimes dramatically and sometimes less so. Last year, for example, Gartner estimated Mac shipments of 4.56 million in the second quarter of 2016, but the actual number was 4.26 million.

Apple recently refreshed much of its Mac notebook lineup and its iMacs, so it could see some growth in the coming quarter as customers purchase the new machines.

Tags: IDC, Gartner
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Verizon Partner Exposes Data of Millions of VZW Customers Who Called Customer Service

Up to 14 million Verizon subscribers may have had their sensitive data exposed by Nice Systems, a partner of Verizon, reports ZDNet. Subscriber records from users who called customer service over the past six months were located on an unprotected Amazon S3 storage server controlled by Verizon partner Nice Systems.

The data, which included customer names, phone numbers, home addresses, email addresses, and account PIN numbers, was accessible to anyone who found what ZDNet says was an easy-to-guess web address. That PIN numbers were made available is concerning as a PIN number is what’s used to verify a customer’s identify and make changes to an account.

The customer records were contained in log files that were generated when Verizon customers in the last six months called customer service. These interactions are recorded, obtained, and analyzed by Nice, which says it can “realize intent, and extract and leverage insights to deliver impact in real time.” Verizon uses that data to verify account holders and to improve customer service.

There were six folders for the months between January 2017 and June 2017, which included customer calls from several different US regions. Records included “hundreds of fields of additional data” beyond name, phone number, and PIN, like current account balance, a list of Verizon services, and more. No audio files were found, though the log files were based on calls. Some of the data was masked, but it’s not clear what was hidden and what was exposed.

Verizon was informed of the leak in late June and it took more than a week for the information to be secured. Verizon told ZDNet it is investigating how information was improperly stored on the Amazon Web Services server. The company also said the “overwhelming majority” of the data has “no external value” and there’s “no indication that the information has been compromised.”

“Verizon provided the vendor with certain data to perform this work and authorized the vendor to set up AWS storage as part of this project,” said a spokesperson. “Unfortunately, the vendor’s employee incorrectly set their AWS storage to allow external access.”

Verizon customers who have called in to customer support over the course of the last six months should update their PINs as a precaution.

Tag: Verizon
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iPhone 8 May Feature Rear-Facing 3D Laser for Improved Autofocus and AR

Apple is working on a rear-facing 3D laser system that will enable better depth detection for augmented reality apps and more accurate autofocus in the iPhone 8, reports Fast Company, citing a source with knowledge of the company’s plans.

The iPhone 8 is said to use a VCSEL (vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser) system for the rear camera, which analysts have previously speculated could be added to the device. There’s also been some evidence that Apple has been sourcing VCSEL components from companies like Lumentum and Finisar, and Fast Company says Apple has tapped both companies along with II-VI for sensors.

iPhone 8 rendering via OnLeaks and TigerMobiles
VCSEL would offer faster and more accurate depth measurements for augmented reality purposes, along with speedier autofocusing when taking a photograph.

VCSEL laser systems calculate the distance the light travels from the laser to the target and back to the sensor, and generate a Time of Flight (TOF) measurement. The system consists of a source (the VCSEL laser), a lens, detector (sensor), and a processor. The whole thing costs about $2 per phone, our source says.

That Apple is working on improved augmented reality hardware for the iPhone 8 is no surprise given the focus on augmented reality and ARKit in iOS 11. New 3D camera technology was rumored for the rear-facing camera as early as November of 2016, and multiple design leaks point towards a revamped vertical dual-lens camera, suggesting a major camera revamp. The front-facing camera is also expected to include a new 3D sensor that would enable facial recognition.

According to Fast Company’s source, the VCSEL system for the rear-facing camera is “probably intended” for the upcoming iPhone 8, but its inclusion “depends on the progress” Apple engineers make integrating it into the iPhone.

As we learned in a report yesterday, the source that Fast Company has spoken to believes iPhone features “can remain fluid until deep in the summer” ahead of an iPhone launch, though it seems more logical that work on the iPhone 8 is complete as we are just two months away from its prospective September introduction. Given the many rumors of a major camera redesign and previous rumors pointing towards 3D capabilities, a VCSEL laser system is a reasonable feature to expect to see in the device.

Fast Company’s previous report suggested there is a “sense of panic” in the air at Apple as engineers and designers struggle to work out software problems with wireless charging and the 3D sensors meant for the device. The site also said Touch ID was “likely” to be included in the iPhone 8, despite multiple rumors suggesting it’s been removed in favor of facial recognition.

Related Roundup: iPhone 8
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Amazon’s next Echo will be more like Apple’s HomePod

It’s been over two years since Amazon debuted the Echo, which kickstarted the current wave of voice-controlled, virtual assistant-powered speakers. And while the company has added more devices to the Echo family, with the tiny Dot, portable Tap and screen-toting Show, it hasn’t touched the original model (aside from a white coat of paint for the UK). That’s going to change later this year. Amazon is working on a new Echo that will improve on the first speaker in practically every way, a source tells Engadget. And, not surprisingly, it’s aiming to take some of the hype away from Apple’s HomePod.

The new Echo will be both shorter and slimmer than the original, almost as if it were three or four Echo Dots stacked on top of each other, our source claims. Amazon is also softening its design with rounded edges and a cloth-like covering, rather than the current Echo’s plastic shell and flat ends. And yes, it should sound better, too. The company is packing in several tweeters this time around, instead of just relying on one large tweeter and a woofer (for low end). The HomePod, in comparison, features seven tweeters, which is big reason why it sounded better than the Sonos Play:3 and the Echo in our brief demo.

Amazon is also improving the new Echo’s microphone technology, though it’s unclear how it’s doing so. The current model features an array of seven far-field mics, while the HomePod has six and Google Home has two. Amazon might be able to make improvements to the software and acoustic modeling — that’s how Google’s speaker manages to pick up your commands with far fewer mics. But given that Amazon helped to pioneer the use of far-field microphones in a home speaker, I wouldn’t be surprised if it managed to cram in some new hardware innovations. A smart speaker is only useful if it can accurately hear you, after all.

As influential as the original Echo has been, it’s not aging gracefully against smaller, sleeker and cheaper competition like Google Home. Even as an Echo devotee myself, I’m not a fan of its large, cylindrical footprint. Apple’s HomePod is also significantly smaller, and it packs in plenty of new technology that the Echo doesn’t. At this point, it’s clear that you can design a solid speaker that doesn’t take up a significant amount of room.

We still don’t know what the new Echo will cost yet, but it would be nice to see Amazon drop the price closer towards the $130 Google Home (which is now on sale for $99). The company could conceivably stick with the Echo’s current $180 pricing, which hasn’t budged since it launched. Even then, it’ll still have a huge advantage over the $349 HomePod, which Apple is also positioning as a competitor to expensive Sonos speakers.

We’ve reached out to Amazon for comment, but haven’t received a response yet. Our source also notes that some design elements might change by the time the new Echo is actually announced. But given that they saw a working unit that looked pretty polished, and Amazon is planning for a fall release, we wouldn’t expect any significant changes.

Any Alexa device can control your Fire TV

You’d think that Amazon would have made it possible to control a Fire TV from external Alexa devices as soon as it was an option, but no — you’ve had to use the Fire TV itself if you wanted to play a video using your voice. At last, though, sense has prevailed. Amazon has updated all versions of the Fire TV and Fire TV Stick to add support for voice control from another Alexa-enabled device. If you want to skip to the next episode of a show, you can talk to your Echo or smartphone instead of scrounging for the Fire TV’s remote.

Does the feature sound familiar? You’re not alone. One of the centerpieces of Google Home is its ability to queue up video on a Cast-enabled TV, and Amazon is effectively matching that feature note for note. Not that we’re complaining. This is arguably one of biggest omissions in the Fire TV’s feature set, and it only makes sense if you live in a household with more than one Amazon device at your beck and call.

Via: Android Police

Source: Amazon

Scientists figured out how to grow capillaries — 3D-printed tissues are next

Why it matters to you

The ability to grow functioning capillaries takes us one step closer to the dream of working 3D-printed organs and tissues.

For physicians, the dream of 3D printing is to one day be able to print functional tissues and organs for patients, made from their own cells. Doing this will allow a level of bespoke geometric customization and biochemical matching that will dramatically improve the quality of life of tens of thousands of people in need.

We have yet to reach that lofty goal but a new project carried out by researchers at Rice University and Baylor College of Medicine takes the dream one step closer to reality.

In a paper published in the journal Biomaterials Science, the researchers demonstrate a method of generating implantable tissues with functioning capillaries, the tiny blood vessels responsible for supplying the body with oxygen and other nutrients.

The demonstration involved using a combination of human endothelial cells and mesenchymal stem cells to initiate a process called tubulogenesis, that is a key element of the formation of said blood-transporting vessels.

“Here we are investigating tiny volumes of multicellular tissue, smaller than a raindrop,” Rice bioengineer Jordan Miller told Digital Trends. “But big things happen there. Endothelial cells are the cells lining all our blood vessels and they create our tiniest vessels: Capillaries. We studied these endothelial cells in natural and semi-synthetic materials that are compatible with 3D printing. We are optimizing the materials and cell formulations to get robust formation of tubules made entirely from the cells themselves.”

Miller says that 3D bioprinting has advanced dramatically over the past decade. However, there is still a big tradeoff that is difficult to avoid: An increase in 3D-printing resolution necessarily means a decrease in the total build volume. (Think of it like drawing a picture, where you can choose between spending your time adding detail to a small area, or sketching out a much larger image.)

“A 3D printer with a 1-micrometer resolution only has a cubic millimeter build volume, [which is] not big enough for much functional utility,” he continued. “So instead, we aim for 3D printers with about 50- to 200-micrometer resolution, and we want to work with these endothelial cells to make tiny capillaries that could eventually connect to larger vessels that we can readily 3D print. In that way, we would retain the build volume but still be able to develop nutrients to the smallest cell volumes. These findings will help cell biologist and bioengineers continue to make progress toward customized replacement organs.”

At present, Miller said the researchers are working to integrate their findings with this work into their existing work with 3D bioprinting. “Identifying materials formulations that work for 3D printing and that can simultaneously support robust capillary formation is the key to generating living tissues with multiscale vasculature spanning millimeters to microns,” he said.

PayPal support makes North American debut in Apple’s iTunes, App stores

Why it matters to you

More payment options in the iTunes store means more convenience, and an easier way to buy the content you want.

There’s a new way to pay for apps, music, books, subscriptions, and the like through Apple’s iTunes and App stores. Starting Wednesday in Canada and Mexico, PayPal is available as a payment option on all iOS devices, the online payment company has announced. The feature will soon roll out in another 10 markets, including the United States, at a later date to be determined.

Previously, American customers could use PayPal for transactions through the iTunes desktop app. Other territories were left out, and the service wasn’t supported anywhere in the world on iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch. All of that will change in the coming weeks.

First off, iTunes on MacOS and Windows will support PayPal outside the U.S. The list will grow to include Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, Austria, Australia, Israel, Germany, Netherlands, France, Italy, and Spain. Additionally, those same 12 countries will be able to use PayPal on mobile, too. Besides media and app purchases, the payment method can also be used for iCloud subscriptions as well.

PayPal

If PayPal support is live in your region, you can add your account by entering the settings menu on your iOS device, scrolling down to “iTunes and App Stores,” tapping on your Apple ID, and then finally the section marked “Payment Information.” The service should eventually be available as an option underneath your existing credit or debit card, and from there you simply sign in.

This is certainly a long time coming for PayPal and Apple, and follows the web payment giant’s integration with Android Pay back in May. You can add PayPal as a “card” to an Android Pay account, allowing you to pull from your account balance for transactions at brick-and-mortar retailers. Currently, no similar feature exists on Apple Pay, though you can use Siri to send funds to friends through the PayPal app.

Meanwhile, Apple intends to go toe-to-toe with PayPal in the direct money transfer space with an upcoming iMessage app due to release as part of iOS 11 in the fall. The company will also launch an “Apple Pay Cash” digital card that will let you use the funds accrued through transfers for tap-and-pay NFC transactions.