Graphene film makes dirty water drinkable in a single step

Every year, millions of people around the world die from drinking unclean water. Now, researchers have developed a process that can purify water, no matter how dirty it is, in a single step. Scientists from Australian research organization CSIRO have created a filtration technique using a graphene film with microscopic nano-channels that lets water pass through, but stops pollutants. The process, called “Graphair”, is so effective that water samples from Sydney Harbor were safe to drink after being treated.

And while the film hails from graphene, Graphair is comparatively cheaper, faster and more environmentally-friendly to make, as its primary component is renewable soybean oil, which also helps maximise the efficiency of the purifying technique’s filter counterpart. Over time, oil-based pollutants can impede water filters, so contaminants have to be removed before filtering can even begin, but using Graphair removes these pollutants faster than any other method.

Water purification usually involves a complex process of several steps, so this breakthrough could have a significant impact on the some 2.1 billion people who don’t have clean, safe drinking water. “All that’s needed is heat, our graphene, a membrane filter and a small water pump. We’re hoping to commence field trials in a developing world community next year,” said lead author Dr Dong Han Seo, who added that the team is looking for industry partners to help scale up the technology, and is also working on other applications for Graphair, such as seawater and industrial effluents.

Source: CSIRO

London may force Uber to introduce women-only UberPools

Out of the blue, Transport for London (TfL) has issued a “policy statement” on ride-sharing services in the capital. Most of it isn’t new — the bulk of the six-page document recaps older policy announcements, such as the controversial English language test for Uber drivers — but there was one idea that hasn’t been communicated before. “Operators should provide mechanisms to allow passengers to choose who they share vehicles with (e.g. women-only vehicles) and establishing how passengers might be able to decide on this before accepting a ride.” That would affect UberPool and similar services that offer discounts if you share a ride with a stranger.

The concept is listed under a section called “aspirations for PHV (private hire vehicle) services.” It is, therefore, a polite request, rather than a proper rule right now. Still, TfL says cryptically: “This section also highlights where we will seek further regulatory change in the future.” So there’s a chance this policy will be written into law some day. For now, the specifics are unclear — such a move would be controversial, for instance, if passengers could filter based on race and sexuality too. TfL has made clear, however, that its intention is to “improve safety and customer service.”

Uber, if you need a reminder, lost its licence in London last September. The company has appealed the decision — the resolution could take “years,” apparently — and is free to operate in the meantime. Much of TfL’s gripes concern how the company reports serious crime and conducts driver background checks. These are reiterated in its policy statement today. It calls on ride-hailing companies to provide “clear policies and action for the prevention and reporting of offences,” and processes so that “any allegation of crime is reported to the police and TfL in a timely fashion.” To make this a reality, it says “further change” may be required to licensing legislation.

“We will consult on proposals to make changes to private hire legislation as appropriate,” the regulator hints. “Views will be sought from stakeholders, other taxi and private hire regulators, and the public in 2018.”

Source: TfL (Policy Statement)

Microsoft Releases ‘Photos Companion’ iOS App for Quickly Transferring Photos to PC

Microsoft today released Photos Companion, an iOS app specially made for Windows 10 users to let them transfer photos from their Apple devices to PCs more easily. First circulated among beta testers in November, Photos Companion links with Windows 10’s built-in photos app by way of a QR code, after which multiple photos can be sent over the same Wi-Fi network.

Microsoft hopes the app – the result of a Microsoft Garage project – will appeal primarily to students who don’t back up their photos to a cloud service such as the company’s own OneDrive, but need a convenient way to get content from their smartphones to Windows machines in an education setting.

We began developing a simple, experimental app for iOS and Android to see if we could unblock educators and help them begin using the Photos app in their classrooms. We knew that students often captured on multiple phones or tablets, but leveraged a single “project” PC to assemble their media and create their final project. We also knew that Wi-Fi access in the classroom was great between devices, but that any solution that required the cloud for transfer could be blocked by overloaded networks.

Our solution was to build an app that would support direct wireless transfer between any phone or mobile device and the Photos app on any Windows 10 PC. This would enable students to transfer media to their own computers … or to a shared, project PC … without worrying about network speeds or mobile data charges.

The app is part of Microsoft’s wider mobile strategy to improve its iOS offerings, now that Windows 10 Mobile hardware is no longer a focus for the company. Microsoft officially ended support for Windows Phone back in July, and is no longer developing new features or hardware for Windows 10 Mobile.

Photos Companion is a free download from the App Store. [Direct Link]

Tags: Microsoft, Windows 10
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Moto Z2 Force with ShatterShield tech, 6GB RAM, and Oreo lands in India for ₹34,999

The Moto Z2 Force has a lot going for it, but a 16:9 display in 2018 is a non-starter.

The Moto Z2 Force made its debut over six months ago, and the phone is now finally launching in India for ₹34,999 ($546). The first-gen Moto Z Force never made it to India, making this the first time Motorola’s ShatterShield tech is available to customers in the country.

As a refresher, ShatterShield is a thin film that is applied to the Moto Z2 Force’s display, making it immune to drops and tumbles. Motorola even offers a comprehensive four-year warranty against screen breakage resulting from falls. The screen itself is a 5.5-inch QHD P-OLED panel, and while there’s nothing wrong with the display itself, the fact that it is a 16:9 panel makes it a non-starter in the country.

With even budget phones switching to the 18:9 form factor, the Z2 Force will have trouble attracting buyers. That said, there are a few areas where the device excels: powered by a Snapdragon 835 and offering 6GB of RAM under the hood, the Z2 Force is one of the fastest phones I’ve used.

With a thickness of just 6.1mm, it is also one of the thinnest. Because of the svelte profile, Motorola had to get rid of the 3.5mm jack, so you’ll have to use Bluetooth audio or choose the dongle life if you’re interested in connecting your wired audio gear.

Motorola offers the Z2 Force with 4GB of RAM in North American markets, but in India the standard variant comes with 6GB of RAM. The powerful hardware combined with the bloat-free user interface puts the Z2 Force on par with the Pixels when it comes to sheer performance, and Motorola’s thoughtful additions with Moto Display and Moto Voice augment the user experience.

Other specs include 64GB of internal storage, microSD slot, dual 12MP rear cameras with a primary RGB sensor augmented by a monochrome sensor, 5MP front camera, water-resistance nano coating, Wi-Fi ac, Bluetooth 5.0, NFC, and 2730mAh battery with Turbo Charging. On the software front, it comes with Android 8.0 Oreo out of the box.

I initially dismissed the paltry 2730mAh battery as being too low for the QHD panel, but I’m having no trouble getting a day’s worth of usage from the phone, with screen-on-time averaging four hours. And if you’re running out of battery, all Z2 Force purchases in India are bundled with a Moto TurboPower pack, which has a 3490mAh battery.

All you need to do is attach the battery pack mod to the back of your phone, and it’ll start charging the device. The best part about this particular Moto Mod is that it delivers the same amount of charge as a TurboPower wall charger, allowing you to get a few hours’ worth of usage after charging for a few minutes — up to 50% in just 20 minutes. The downside is that the phone gets uncomfortably hot, and gets fairly bulky with the mod attached.

The aggressive pricing certainly makes the Moto Z2 Force an enticing option — particularly when you consider that the 4GB model launched in the U.S. for $720 — but the 16:9 panel and the underwhelming cameras are the major drawbacks. In India, Motorola is setting up the Z2 Force as a competitor to the OnePlus 5T, which costs ₹32,999 ($516).

I’ll share more about the Z2 Force in my full review next week, and see how it fares next to the OnePlus 5T, which has also picked up the Oreo update. If you’re interested, the phone will be going up for sale from later tonight at Flipkart for ₹34,999. What are your thoughts on the Moto Z2 Force in India?

See at Flipkart

Niantic to host 48 real-life Ingress events around the world

Niantic hasn’t forgotten its old, less-popular game Ingress even though its name has mostly been associated with Pokémon Go these past couple of years. After giving us a sneak peek of its revamp called Ingress Prime late last year, the AR game-maker has revealed that it’s hosting 48 free real-world events for the hidden-reality sci-fi game in 2018 and 2019. They’ll take place around the globe, adding layers of mystery in augmented reality to cities, turning them into interactive locations where players can find “portals,” mostly on public art and landmarks.

Ingress players are divided into two factions: one attacks those portals to destroy them, while the other faction restores them. Its backstory on the App Store and Google Play reads:

“A mysterious energy has been unearthed by a team of scientists in Europe. The origin and purpose of this force is unknown, but some researchers believe it is influencing the way we think. We must control it or it will control us.

‘The Enlightened’ seek to embrace the power that this energy may bestow upon us. ‘The Resistance’ struggle to defend, and protect what’s left of our humanity.”

Niantic has hosted over 2,000 real-world Ingress events since it came out in 2012. This round, which welcomes players of any level, will start in Fukuoka, Japan on April 7th, 2018 and will end in Chicago on May 18th, 2019. In between, the company will go to various countries, including Latvia, Maldives, Austria, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, South Korea, the Czech Republic, Mexico, Spain, Thailand, Germany, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Paraguay, Romania, Portugal, Greece, India, Italy, Vietnam and the UK. Some locations will feature unique onsite activities, such as stage shows, live actors, social meet-ups and reveals, while others will be a bit less exciting.

You can check out Ingress’ list on its events page if you’re getting bored with Pokémon Go and need an AR game to play until Niantic drops its Harry Potter experience. Just take note that the list doesn’t include the first event in Fukuoka and the next two in Camp Navarro, California and Schloss Kaltenberg, Germany, which are both scheduled to take place from May 25th to 28th, 2018.

Source: Niantic

‘Stargate: Origins’ debut brings the 1994 flick along for free

As promised, MGM’s Stargate Command service has launched the first three episodes of Stargate: Origins exclusively for its streaming customers. The service is making a pitch similar to, but not exactly like the one attempted by CBS’ controversial All Access setup with Star Trek: Discovery, charging a one-time $20 fee for access to “the ultimate Stargate library including SG-1, Atlantis, Universe, and all 3 movies.” Sure, they used to be available on Netflix in the US, but now their owner is trying to squeeze a bit more value out of the franchise.

Appropriately, Command offers apps for iOS and Android, along with “Gate Cast” so users can toss video to compatible devices like LG, Sony and Vizio TVs, as well as Google Cast-ready devices (more are coming soon). Even if you’re not quite ready to pay up, MGM has posted the original movie on YouTube, hoping that a quick trip back to 1994 will remind you where it all started.

All-Access subscribers – Stargate Origins’ is here! Episodes 1-3 are streaming right now over on Stargate Command, exclusively for you!https://t.co/1pZ9L9mO2K pic.twitter.com/xPYKCPcAOY

— Stargate Command (@stargatecommand) February 15, 2018

On February 15th, witness the premiere of a Stargate story that takes you back to where it all began.
In 1939, Professor Paul Langford and his daughter Catherine are still grappling with the mysteries of the ancient relic they discovered in the Egyptian desert more than ten years ago. With war looming in Europe and funding running out, these brilliant minds are approaching their lowest ebb. Little do they know, answers are about to present themselves in a dangerous form, when the Nazi Occultist Dr. Wilhelm Brücke approaches their facility with a sinister motive.
Enlisting the help of two young soldiers, Catherine must use all of her wit and nous as she and her new allies embark on an adventure into the unknown to rescue her father, and save the Earth from an unimaginable darkness.

Source: Stargate Command

Android One-based Nokia 7+ with 18:9 display and dual-lens ZEISS camera surfaces

Leaked press renders show off Nokia’s upcoming Android One device.

HMD Global Chief Product Officer Juho Sarvikas revealed earlier this year that the manufacturer had something “awesome” to showcase at Mobile World Congress. One of the devices slated for an unveil include the Nokia 7+, and now we have a first look at the phone courtesy of Evan Blass. The leak shows off a phone with an 18:9 display, white color scheme interlaced with orange accents around the camera module, power and volume buttons, and the fingerprint sensor.

The phone has Android One branding at the back, similar to what we’ve seen from the likes of the Mi A1 and the Moto X4. The latest rumors out of China’s Tieba messaging platform suggest the Nokia 7 will be a China-exclusive model, with the Nokia 7+ destined for global markets with Android One in tow.

The leak also reveals possible specs, which include a 6-inch display with an FHD+ resolution of 2160×1080, Snapdragon 660, 4GB of RAM, and 64GB of storage. Round the back, the Nokia 7+ is rumored to feature two ZEISS-tuned 12MP + 13MP camera sensors, with the secondary sensor enabling 2x optical zoom. Other specs include a 16MP front shooter (also tuned by ZEISS), USB-C with Quick Charge, and a microSD slot.

There’s a grey version as well, which also has orange accents:

Bonus pic.twitter.com/xHYkOdbuwR

— Evan Blass (@evleaks) February 15, 2018

In addition to the Nokia 7+, HMD Global is said to be launching the Nokia 1, which will run Android Go, the lightweight OS designed for devices with 512MB to 1GB of RAM.

Nokia 1 pic.twitter.com/LF9f25HByo

— Evan Blass (@evleaks) February 14, 2018

With MWC just a few weeks away, we don’t have to wait long to find out what HMD Global has in store. What do you guys think of the design of the Nokia 7+ from the renders above?

Fujfilm targets video shooters with the new flagship X-H1

Fujifilm has dropped a hefty gauntlet on rivals with the X-H1, its new flagship APS-C mirrorless that excels at both photography and video. It sports a 24.3-megapixel X-Trans CMOS III sensor housed in a body with features from both the ergonomically excellent X-T2 and medium-format GFX 50S. Fujifilm calls it “the highest performance camera in the X series lineup,” thanks to features like true DCI 4K video (4,096 x 2,160), 14 fps max burst shooting and, for the first time in a Fujifilm camera, 5-axis in-body stabilization.

The X-H1 has a dust- and water-resistant body that is meatier than others in the X-series with a big grip requested by professional shooters. From some angles, it looks much like the X-T2, with two dual-dials that let you control not just shutter speed and ISO, but also shooting and focus modes. That’s a big plus, as it helps you avoid diving into menus. But instead of the X-T2’s exposure compensation dial (which you can access elsewhere) it sports a top LCD that shows information like shutter speed, f-stop, ISO and shooting modes at a glance — just like the GFX 50S.

Another key feature is in-body, 5-axis stabilization, the first in an X Series model. The X-1H has three axial gyros and a dual-processor that can do 10,000 calculations per second, giving you up to to 5.5 stops of shake reduction, depending on the lens. To further reduce vibration, it has a new leaf-spring shutter-release switch and electronic shutter that Fujifilm calls “near-silent.”

The X-H1 packs an all-new OLED EVF with 0.75x magnification and 3.69 million dot resolution, “leading the class for APS-C mirrorless cameras,” Fujifilm said. It has display lag of 0.005 seconds and refreshes at 100 fps — specs that jibe closely with the EVF on Sony’s A7R III, you might notice. The 3-inch display has a 1.04 million dot touch panel that can be tilted in three directions, but Fujifilm didn’t say if it can be flipped around for vloggers or selfies. The sub-LCD on top is 1.28 inches wide.

With the X-H1, Fujifilm is finally making a serious bid to attract videographers. You can shoot 4,096 x 2,160 DCI, 24fps video, 3,840 x 2,160 at 30p and 1080p at 120fps, with a maximum bit rate of 200 Mbps. That’s quite good, but Panasonic’s GH5 and GH5s can handle 4K at up to 60 fps, with a 400 Mbps maximum bit rate. Fujifilm didn’t say whether the X-H1 can output 10-bit video, which reduces banding and makes color grading easier.

Fujifilm also added a 1080p, 120fps mode, F-log SD card recording to smooth workflow, a 12-stop dynamic range setting and a new “high-sound quality internal microphone” — a plus, since the internal mic on the X-T2 is … not good. Lastly, it’s offering “Eterna,” a film simulation mode “that is ideal for shooting movies.”

If you’re wondering if the X-H1 has both microphone and headphone inputs, the answer seems to be “sort of.” Like the X-T2, there is a microphone input, but if you want a headphone jack, you’ll have to pay an extra $300 to get the “Vertical Power Booster Grip Kit.” As a plus, you do get 30 minutes of extra 4K shooting time and faster burst speeds with that accessory.

Other key features include a new “flicker reduction mode,” that eliminates strobing and banding under fluorescent and mercury lighting, 802.11b/g/n WiFi and Bluetooth 4.0 (no sign of NFC, though). Fujifilm also unveiled a pair of cinema zoom lenses that match up with the X-H1’s new video talents, the Fujinon MKX18-55mm T2.9 and MKX50-135mm T2.9 (T2.9 means F/2.9). Those will run (wait for it) $4,000 and $4,300, respectively. Yes, cinema lenses are always expensive.

Luckily, the X-H1 camera itself is a lot more reasonable, less than notable video-specialist mirrorless cameras like the Panasonic GH5, GH5s and Sony A7S II. It will arrive in the US on March 1st for $1,900, or $2,200 with the Vertical Power Booster Grip Kit.

Magic Leap wants to take AR mobile via partnership with ‘major telco’

AR/VR headset creator Magic Leap is planning on partnering up with a major telecommunication company in order to enter the mobile market, if an interview with CEO Rony Abovitz is to be believed.

The company’s first product — the Magic Leap One (ML1) — has been on the horizon for some time, and claims to be a huge leap forward in VR/AR headset quality. As you might expect, the inner workings of the headset are highly complex, as it uses light to digitally paint objects directly onto your sight. While that might sound uncomfortable, Magic Leap has claimed that the process does not exhaust users, and is far more convincing than competing products.

The issues? While the ML1 can go portable thanks to the small Lightpack base station, it’s primarily designed for indoors, and is not the most attractive-looking product. It’s also rather large and bulky — despite being a lot slimmer than the competition. So while the ML1 may be the first product to bring us truly convincing virtual alternate realities, it’s unlikely to be the product that takes the experience outdoors.

But Magic Leap appears to be planning ahead. According to the interview (via Cnet), the company has plans beyond its first headset, and is already looking at a range of devices, including one aimed at the mass market that will be priced around the current cost of a flagship phone (probably somewhere between $600-$900). This mass-market device is probably the device that Magic Leap is looking to partner with a “major telco” to create, and while details are scarce, it’s not hard to imagine a headset that connects via Bluetooth delivering a truly immersive AR experience for everyone. A partnership with a major player in telecommunications could also help with marketing of the device, getting the technology into the hands of as many people as possible.

Details from Magic Leap are fairly hard to come by; the company is notoriously secretive, and we don’t expect to hear the identity of its benefactor until the firm is good and ready to tell us. And with major donations to Magic Leap having come from everyone from Google to Qualcomm, it’s going to be hard to figure out who’s behind Magic Leap’s confidence.

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Nvidia may reveal dedicated ‘Turing’ cryptocurrency mining cards in March

Nvidia introduced its next-generation “Volta” graphics chip architecture in May, which first appeared in the GV100 chip firmly inserted into Nvidia’s Tesla V100 graphics card targeting data centers. While that specific GPU won’t appear in gaming products, Nvidia is expected to introduce new graphics cards for the gaming market, possibly codenamed “Turing,” during its GPU Technology Conference (GTC) starting March 26. 

The Turing news may be confusing given rumors about “Ampere” surfacing last week. Ampere is supposedly locked and loaded to replace Nvidia’s current Pascal-based GeForce GTX 10 Series graphics cards starting with the GV104 chip serving as the new high-end solution. Cards based on this specific chip are expected to go retail on April 12, falling in line with reports that Nvidia will introduce a new family of gaming products at GTC 2018. 

That said, the GV104 will supposedly power the GeForce GTX 2080 and 2070. Meanwhile, the GV102 could address the high-end enthusiast market such as the next Titan-branded card and GTX 2080 Ti. The GV106 could target mid-range solutions while the GV107 and GV108 serve budget-oriented customers. But that leaves two questions: What about Volta and what’s up with Turing? 

The Turing code name stems from a Reuters article covering Nvidia’s quarterly results conference call with analysts and the press last week. The article focuses on Nvidia’s struggle to keep graphics cards in stock for gamers, as cryptocurrency miners are driving up prices by depleting supplies. Chief Financial Officer Colette Kress said gaming GPUs are at a historical low. 

That leads us to the three code names: Volta, Ampere, and Turing. What we do know is that Nvidia’s new Volta architecture resides in the Tesla V100 graphics card. We also know that Nvidia typically doesn’t create different architectures for different markets. If anything, Nvidia creates one generational architecture and produces a handful of different, tweaked chips based on that design for multiple markets. 

Everything going forward most likely is still Volta. But the Ampere and Turing code names may be used to describe cards for two different markets given the new landscape: Gaming and cryptocurrency mining. Previous rumors pointed to Ampere code-named gaming cards while Turing likely references to cryptocurrency mining cards. Those names may be reversed too, but highly unlikely. 

Why? The Turing code name stems from Alan Turing, an English computer scientist, theoretical biologist, mathematician, and cryptanalyst. The use of his name for a class of add-in GPU cards dedicated to cryptocurrency mining makes sense given his work on cryptography. He helped crack coded messages sent by the Nazis, contributing to the Allies winning World War II. 

Given gaming-focused add-in cards are at an all-time low, this Volta-based three-tier scenario is likely what Nvidia plans to discuss in March. There is also speculation that Nvidia scrapped the Ampere code name altogether because it’s used by an ARM-based server maker of the same name. This wouldn’t matter given Volta is still the underlying GPU architecture while the Ampere and Turing names merely distinguish two mainstream-focused audiences. 

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