MIT is redesigning power converters to make the grid more efficient

Electrical efficiency affects a massive number of devices, from the relatively tiny phones in our pockets all the way up to electric cars and the power grids keeping our houses running. Power converters are a particularly important part of the equation, as they’re the devices that bring the high voltages coming through power lines down to more manageable levels for household outlets. MIT, along with semiconductor company IQE, Columbia University, IBM and the Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology have announced some breakthroughs on making that part of the equation more efficient.

Specifically, the report outlines how power converters made of gallium nitride semiconductors are both more efficient and smaller — but thus far they’ve only been able handle power in the range of 600 volts. That’s enough for household products, but not for larger or more complex devices. But MIT’s research has led to a breakthrough in which gallium nitride converters have been able to handle twice the voltage — up to 1,200 volts. That’s enough to use in an electric car, but this is only a beginning point for the technology.

Ultimately, MIT and its partners believe that improvements will let these converters handle 3,300 and 5,000 volts, enough to build them into the power grid itself. The challenge has been building “vertical” converters out of gallium nitride, a design that’s more efficient than the “lateral” alternative, but also harder to produce. But a new design has helped make these voltage increases more plausible: “Instead of doing the complicated zigzag path for the current in conventional vertical transistors, let’s change the geometry of the transistor completely,” said MIT professor Tomás Palacios. There’s no word on when these types of designs might make it into electric cars or power grids, but the potential of reducing energy waste makes this project one worth keeping an eye on.

Source: MIT

Google and ProPublica help journalists cover local elections

ProPublica and Google’s News Lab are teaming up to help journalists, especially at the local level, report on all things related to elections. The Election Databot, which launched during the 2016 general election, will now offer up data on every race from the Alabama senate race through to the 2018 midterms. The portal for each event will broadcast a firehose of relevant news stories, search trends for the candidates and even broadcast FEC spending data.

The idea is that by providing local journalists with key, verified data at their fingertips, they will be able to better cover each election. For instance, the portal will have access to deleted tweets — archived by Politwoops — and material from each candidate’s social media profile more widely. In an era where trust in the media is falling, and the media is becoming more partisan with each passing day, such solid data may be a small, but useful, step in restoring everyone’s faith in the system.

Source: Election Databot, ProPublica, Google

SiriusXM now streams radio stations to your Apple TV

SiriusXM is now available on 4th generation Apple TVs and Apple TV 4K. Subscribers with streaming access can use the SiriusXM app to access its over 200 channels, which can be customized with MySXM. Users will also be able to access archived programming on demand and the app’s user interface has been optimized for Apple TV.

The SiriusXM app has already been available on LG, Roku, Samsung and Sony smart TVs as well as Amazon Fire TV and Playstation. Apple TV owners also recently just got access to the Amazon Prime Video app.

To start listening to SiriusXM on your Apple TV, just go to App Store and search for SiriusXM. Then click “Get” to install, sign in with your SiriusXM username and password and you’re good to go.

Source: SiriusXM

Skype, Tidal, VLC, Feedly and Other Apps Optimized for iPhone X

A handful of popular apps have been optimized for the iPhone X over the past few days. We’ve rounded up some of the notable ones below.

Each of these apps now support the iPhone X’s new screen size, rather than having a letterboxed design with black bars at the top and bottom.

• Skype
• VLC
• Tidal
• Feedly
• LINE
• Viber
• PlayStation Vue
• Bank of America

If you have an iPhone X and use any of these apps, check the App Store’s Updates tab to ensure you have the latest version installed.

Related Roundup: iPhone XTags: Skype, Bank of America, VLC, Tidal, Viber, FeedlyBuyer’s Guide: iPhone X (Buy Now)
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Australia will soon have a blockchain-based stock exchange

The Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) will soon be the first mainstream financial market to adopt blockchain technology.

Blockchain is the underlying system that allows Bitcoin, Ethereum and other cryptocurrencies to be traded in a decentralized manner. It revolves around a ledger, or database, that is continuously updated and accessible to the public. Many users, or nodes, have a copy of the ledger and verify the transactions by completing difficult mathematical problems. In the Bitcoin world, these validators are called “miners.” They authenticate and group transactions into cryptographically protected “blocks” which are then added to the public “chain” for all to see. Miners are slowly rewarded with Bitcoin for carrying out this work, which requires a substantial PC rig.

ASX will be using a similar distributed ledger to replace its decades-old settlement and clearing system, called the Clearing House Electronic Subregister System (CHESS). In 2016, ASX announced it would be working with Digital Asset Holdings, a US-based blockchain startup, on the system. Two years and plenty of testing later, the pair believe their platform is ready for the fast-paced world of stocks and shares.

The removal of a “middle man” should make transactions quicker, cheaper and easier. ASX will manage the system on a “secure private network” where all users are known and verified. Traders will, however, still have access to “non-affiliated market operators and clearing and settlement facilities.” It’s not yet clear how that functionality will work though, or whether these services will need to inter-operate with the blockchain.

ASX will continue to consult with stakeholders ahead of a planned launch in March 2018. Blythe Masters, CEO of Digital Asset, said it would be “the first meaningful proof that the technology can live up to its potential.” By that, he means beyond Bitcoin and Ethereum, presumably. Bitcoin surged past $16,000 yesterday, fueling debate about its stability and the likelihood of a crash. Sir Howard Davies, the chairman of the Royal Bank of Scotland, compared it to Dante’s Inferno on Bloomberg TV. “‘Abandon hope all ye who enter here.’ I think that’s probably what’s needed,” he said.

The financial community is split on Bitcoin, but mostly supportive of its underlying blockchain technology. It’s now being used to track shipments, keep unsafe food off store shelves, and power secure browsers. The attraction is a simple one: the decentralized system makes it almost impossible for anyone to tamper with the ledger. That, in turn, leads to public trust — something banks are sorely lacking at the moment.

Source: ASX

NVIDIA’s ‘most powerful GPU’ ever is built for AI

NVIDIA’s newest Titan GPU is now available for purchase, and the company says it’s the “world’s most powerful GPU for the PC” yet. The GPU-maker has launched the Volta-powered Titan V at the annual Neural Information Processing Systems conference. Volta is NVIDIA’s latest microarchitecture designed to double the energy efficiency of its predecessor, and Titan V can apparently deliver 110 teraflops of raw horsepower or around 9 times what the previous Titan is capable of. This powerful new GPU’s target? Scientists and researchers working on AI, deep learning and high performance computing.

Since Volta was designed to work on a mixture of computation and calculations and has features created specifically for deep learning, scientists can use the GPU to build their own desktop PCs if they don’t need special servers. NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang said during the event:

“Our vision for Volta was to push the outer limits of high performance computing and AI. We broke new ground with its new processor architecture, instructions, numerical formats, memory architecture and processor links. With TITAN V, we are putting Volta into the hands of researchers and scientists all over the world. I can’t wait to see their breakthrough discoveries.”

Those scientists and researchers probably need the backing of their educational institutions and donors to build computers with Titan V, though. The GPU, which is now available from NVIDIA’s website and retailers, will set them back $2,999.

Source: NVIDIA

Researchers find another smart toy that’s easy to hack

A team of security researchers that has warned of the dangers of smart toys has found another that can be used to spy on your children. Pen Test Partners examined the Teksta Toucan, finding that it’s easy to hack the device’s microphone and speaker. According to The Register, the device is built by Genesis Industries, makers of the iQue and My Friend Cayla, two devices that are already feeling the heat from regulators. Both are currently being looked at in the US and Europe, while the latter has been withdrawn from sale in Germany.

The Toucan had two ways of being accessed, the first of which was simply by connecting to the device’s built-in Bluetooth speaker. Crucially, however, the microphone was also accessible, so sufficiently local and motivated attackers could snoop on what you, or your kids, were saying. The second method required breaching the device’s OS and replacing its library of MP3 files for something less suitable. To demonstrate the hack, Pen Test filmed the Toucan turning the air blue, which you can see in this NSFW clip below.

Parents are advised to steer clear of all three devices, and return them if they’ve snagged them as a gift for the holidays. Pen Test is also sharing its findings with regulators in the hope of ensuring that the device is banned.

Via: The Register

Source: Pen Test Partners

BBC iPlayer Update Hints at Imminent Release of Apple’s TV App in the UK

BBC’s iPlayer app received an update this morning that is fueling speculation online that Apple’s TV app will hit U.K. shores imminently.

iPlayer’s changelog for version 4.35.0 of the app simply lists “support for the new Apple TV app, available to users with devices running iOS 11.2 and above”.

Apple’s TV app – billed as an easy way to watch your favorite movies and TV shows in a single place – has been available in the United States since December of 2016, but remains absent from Apple TVs and iOS devices in the United Kingdom and across the rest of Europe.

In September, Apple released the Apple TV app in Canada and Australia, and announced that it would be bringing the app to France, Germany, Sweden, Norway, and the U.K. by the end of the year.

The BBC’s mention is just the latest indication that the TV app should make an appearance very soon, in the U.K. at least.

Channel 5 was another British broadcaster Apple said it would be adding to its TV app, and last week the My5 app began appearing on Apple TVs. On Tuesday, ITV announced its ITV Hub was available on Apple TV, while Wednesday saw the global rollout of Amazon Prime Video on Apple TV, which also supports the native TV app.

Related Roundup: Apple TVTag: tvBuyer’s Guide: Apple TV (Buy Now)
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Apple’s ‘TV’ App Starts Showing Up for Users in the UK, France, and Germany

Apple’s official TV app today started showing up for some fourth- and fifth-generation Apple TV owners in the United Kingdom, France, and Germany, almost a year after Apple originally announced the service in the U.S.

The TV app is billed as an easy way to watch your favorite movies and TV shows in a single place. It offers a unified experience for accessing TV shows and movies across multiple video apps, and aims to help users discover new TV and movie content by offering recommendations based on what they’ve previously watched. The service syncs content in the cloud so users can pick up where they left off on other devices via the accompanying iOS TV app, which has also been appearing on devices across the pond.

More than 60 services are supported by the U.S. version of the TV app, but with the expansion to new countries, Apple is adding support for additional local content, such as ITV, Channel 5, and BBC iPlayer in the U.K.

#AppleTV app goes live in UK @cultofmac @MacRumors pic.twitter.com/6mLRexE3CH

— 🎄 Brian Saxmas 🎄 (@BrianKSaxon) December 8, 2017

it is available on my iphone in germany now! not showing up in ipad though.. pic.twitter.com/ER9nEfpdxM

— David Cox (@daviddarrencox) December 8, 2017

Apple’s TV app has been available in the United States since December of 2016. In September, Apple released the Apple TV app in Canada and Australia, and announced that it would be bringing the app to France, Germany, Sweden, Norway, and the U.K. by the end of the year.

Related Roundup: Apple TVBuyer’s Guide: Apple TV (Buy Now)
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The Morning After: Friday, December 8th 2017

Hey, good morning! You look fabulous.

There’s plenty of news from last night’s Game Awards, plus a ride in the surprisingly tech-heavy 2018 Ford Mustang.

Everybody’s pregnant.The Game Awards 2017

Last night’s event was about more than just trophies (congratulations to GotY The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild) — we also got some big premieres and announcements. Think Bayonetta 3 as a Switch exclusive, and a new DLC for Zelda that’s ready for you to play right now and an… interesting eight-minute trailer for Kojima’s Death Stranding.

The future of technologies like AI, 5G, AR and VR.Why Qualcomm’s Tech Summit mattered

During a three-day tech summit, Qualcomm showed off a new high-end mobile CPU, a USB-C audio DAC and laptops that blur the line between PCs and phones. Catch up on all you may have missed with this short video.

More brains to go with its brawn.2018 Ford Mustang GT review

While the Mustang’s exterior, tire-spinning power and roar make it seem like a big dumb (but fun) animal, this pony has gotten an impressive tech upgrade.

Curious.Uber paid off a 20-year-old Florida man to destroy hacked data

The individual, whose identity Uber refuses to disclose, received $100,000 hidden as a “bug bounty” for destroying the info, which exposed the personal data of roughly 57 million customers and drivers. The ride-hailing firm then kept quiet about the breach for more than a year.

With double the maps.‘PUBG’ will hit v1.0 on December 20th

PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds is already a phenomenon in Steam Early Access, but in a couple of weeks, it’ll be ready for an official release. Don’t expect much to change, including the price, but there’s a second map that brings its battle royale gameplay to a new desert setting.

Hot wallet.Cryptocurrency mining marketplace loses $64 million to hackers

Someone nabbed 4,700 bitcoin from the NiceHash marketplace. They were worth $64 million at the time, but with the cryptocurrency’s skyrocketing exchange rate, the heist’s value is now $76 million.

’tis the season.The best gifts for the PC gamer in your life

If you need headphones, a mouse, keyboard, mic, webcam or actual games, then we’ve got you covered.

But wait, there’s more…

• This wireless VR tech could make it easier to play with others
• This is why you don’t look directly at a solar eclipse
• Ubisoft delays ‘Far Cry 5’ and ‘The Crew 2’
• Sharp wants a Japan alliance to boost OLED TV competition
• Sony has sold 2 million PSVR units, and 70 million PS4s

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