Graphene-reinforced concrete offers a stronger, more durable option

Concrete isn’t the sexiest building material, made up of little more than cement, water, and rocks. It’s neither as strong as steel nor as flexible as wood, but without it our world would look a lot different. From sidewalks to skyscrapers, concrete plays a major role in construction, both inside and out.

Now, researchers from the University of Exeter have created a new concrete production technique that reinforces the material with graphene. In a study published this week in the journal Advanced Function Materials, the researchers describe how the composite material — which they’ve taken to calling GraphCrete — is at least two times as strong and four times more water-resistant than conventional concrete, and could make future construction more sustainable and environmentally friendly.

“Nearly 10 percent of global carbon emissions are due to cement and concrete use,” Monica Craciun, professor of nanoscience at University of Exeter and co-author of the study, told Digital Trends. “We demonstrate a new perspective for reinforcing traditional concrete on the nanoscale level, which has great impact on its mechanical properties.”

To do so, Craciun and her colleagues used graphene, the semi-metal that is often called a wonder material for its seemingly endless applications. In the recent research, a graphene concentrate was used to fortify concrete in its early formation, doubling its compressive strength and making it almost four times more water-resistant.

“What does this mean?” Craciun said. “You can use twice as less concrete per cubic-meter and still achieve the same strength. Or, alternatively, in areas of the world subject to flooding you can increase the life and durability of any building. In short, our graphene reinforced concrete can contribute to significant decrease in carbon emissions due to improved strength and durability.”

The increased strength and durability would also make GraphCrete desirable for developers who want to build bigger buildings.

Graphene is notorious for rarely making it out of the lab. However, Craciun is confident she and her team will find real-world applications for the research soon.

“We are currently exploring the business case for Graphene Nano Additives that can enhance the physical properties of composite materials,” she said, adding that they are looking for stakeholders interested in exploring business cases for their technologies.

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Amazon launches the Echo Spot in India, discounts all Echo devices in the process

The Echo Spot has an introductory price of ₹10,499 ($155), after which it will retail for ₹12,999 ($195).

Amazon introduced the Echo family in India at the end of last year, and the company is now launching the Echo Spot in the country. The Echo Spot has an introductory price of ₹10,499 ($155), after which it will retail for ₹12,999 ($195). The device offers the same great functionality as other Echo devices, but you also get a 2.5-inch screen that facilitates video calling.

The device itself is considerably smaller than the Echo, and there’s a front camera along with volume controls and a four-mic array. It comes with a 1.4-inch single speaker, and Amazon says that the screen makes it an ideal device for the nightstand — allowing you to easily view your calendar, get weather updates, and more.

The Echo Spot will be able to play videos from local news outlets like NDTV, Aaj Tak, Times Now and India Today, and you’ll even be able to view movie trailers from Prime Video. The device is also the ideal conduit for Alexa-to-Alexa calls, so if your friend or family member also has an Echo device, you’ll be able to conveniently call them using Alexa.

Amazon Echo Spot review

Like the rest of the Echo family, the Echo Spot is customized for the Indian market, and you’ll be able to watch cricket highlights on ESPNCricinfo, book a cab on Ola and view real-time updates directly on the screen, discover nearby restaurants with Zomato, and much more. Amazon has invested a lot of resources into localizing Alexa, and the virtual assistant has a lot of tricks up its sleeve.

These are the 10 best Alexa skills for India

If you’re interested, you can now pick up the Echo Spot for ₹10,499 in the country. If you’re making the purchase with an ICICI debit or credit card, you can get an additional cashback of ₹1,499, bringing the effective price down to just ₹9,000 ($135). That’s just $5 more than what the Echo Spot goes for on Amazon U.S., making it a stellar deal.

If you’re picking up two units, you’ll receive an additional ₹1,000 off, bringing the cost down to ₹19,998 (or ₹18,498 with your ICICI card). Amazon mentions that the discount is an introductory offer, and the cashback via ICICI bank is valid through May 31, so

See at Amazon

Amazon is also knocking down the price of other Echo devices, with the Echo Dot now available for ₹3,999 ($60). The Echo is on sale for ₹7,999 ($120), and while the Echo Plus still costs ₹14,999 ($225), you get a free Hue bulb.

See at Amazon

Hulu cancels Aaron Paul-starrer ‘The Path’

We’re afraid some of the Meyerism Movement’s unanswered secrets will forever remain a mystery, now that Hulu has chosen not to renew The Path. The streaming platform has canceled one of its most high-profile originals after three seasons — the third season started airing in January and concluded in late March — ending the Lane family’s journey as part of a controversial cult with a bloody past and a dangerous present. The series starred Aaron Paul (Jesse from Breaking Bad) as the Lane family patriarch who’s going through a crisis of faith, Michelle Monaghan as his wife born into the movement and Hugh Dancy as the charismatic cult leader.

Paul confirmed the news on Twitter, where he said:

Sad to say that The Path has ended. Can’t thank @hulu enough for making this happen for all of us. What a gift these past three years have been. To everyone who tuned in for these three beautiful season…thank you. We appreciate your love and support. Love and light. 👁

— Aaron Paul (@aaronpaul_8) April 24, 2018

The series’ creator, Jessica Goldberg, also said in a statement:

“While it’s sad that The Path is ending, I’m brimming with gratitude and pride. It was a gift to be able to tell challenging and emotional stories for three seasons in this very strange and unique world. The caliber of talent and passion everyone who worked on this show brought — from my partners Jason Katims and Michelle Lee, the execs at Hulu, the writers, actors, directors, designers, and crew — was something to behold, and for which I’m very thankful. Thanks Hulu and Universal Television for taking a shot on this show, it was a life changing experience.”

While Hulu didn’t reveal the reason for the cancellation, a study last year found that Hulu (and Amazon) originals just aren’t as in demand as Netflix’s shows. Hey, at least The Handmaid’s Tale is coming back for another season today, and with a number of Emmys and Golden Globes under its belt, it’s likely not going away anytime soon.

Source: Variety

Xbox One update can automatically put your TV in game mode

Starting today, Microsoft is rolling out its”Spring Update” for the Xbox One, but it isn’t done adding new features for the season. The update that all users will get over the next few days adds “auto low latency mode” which works with compatible TVs to make sure they’re in “game mode” when the console is connected to reduce any lag. If it’s hooked up to a PC display compatible with AMD’s FreeSync tech, then it will match the refresh rate and frame output to end stuttering and tearing. The One S and One X now support FreeSync 2 with HDR, as well as 1440p for monitors that deliver a resolution between 1080p and 4K Ultra HD.

This is also the patch that adds controller sharing via Mixer. Now streamers can let viewers take over their game remotely, using either a virtual control in the web browser or by plugging a controller into their PC and hopping on the sticks. Another much-needed fix is that pictures and videos shared to Twitter will play directly there, instead of posting a link to Xbox.com.

When it comes to audio, gamers can adjust the mix between streaming audio from SoundCloud or Spotify with in-game audio, right in the guide that pops out from the side when they hit the Xbox button on a controller. System sounds finally support spatial audio for people with surround sound, and the Narrator volume can be adjusted independently of the system volume.

Those aren’t the only fixes arriving right now, but Microsoft is already testing a new batch for next month. The May update that recently went out to Insiders adds an option for high refresh rate 120Hz output at 1080p or 1440p. Also, it upgrades the “Pinning” option that has been with Xbox One from the start by allowing gamers to create custom groups of games or apps, similar to the way the PlayStation 4 UI works. The accessories app and parental controls are getting a facelift, and now that gamers can share clips directly to Twitter, they’ll also be able to Trim them directly in the guide before uploading.

Source: Xbox Wire (1), (2)

Google Play Music might be killed off this year in favor of YouTube Remix

Users are said to be forced off Play Music by the end of the year.

Right now, the state of Google’s music streaming services is a bit of a mess. Google Play Music is the company’s most notable player, but you can also listen to tunes and watch music videos via YouTube Red. If you’re on mobile, you can separately download the YouTube Music app that also comes with a Play Music/YouTube Red subscription. This jumble of services isn’t the easiest to understand, and to fix this, Google might replace them with YouTube Remix.

This is a rumor that first popped up back in December, but according to a new report from Droid Life, it’s said that Google will shut down Play Music following the launch of YouTube Remix. It’s unknown how quickly the domino effect will happen, but users will reportedly be forced off of Play Music by the end of the year.

It’s unclear at this time if playlists, liked songs, and saved local files will transfer over to YouTube Remix, but I’ve got to imagine Google’s got some sort of system in place for making the transition as seamless as possible.

If YouTube Remix replaces Play Music, what’ll happen to YouTube Red?

YouTube began signing deals with record labels for Remix towards the end of 2017, and just before this year’s SXSW, a representative from the company confirmed the service was in the works but wouldn’t launch in March (which it clearly didn’t).

If YouTube Remix will replace Play Music, does that mean YouTube Red will stick around? What about YouTube Music? I personally think Google’s best bet would be to kill off the YouTube Music app entirely and just house Play Music and YouTube Red’s offerings under the new YouTube Remix branding, but they could also choose to go an entirely different route. This is Google we’re talking about after all.

Google I/O is set to begin on Tuesday, May 8, and in my eyes, that’s as good a place as any for Google to officially unveil what it’s been working on.

Download: Google Play Music (while you still can)

The LG G7 will have an extra-tall 6.1-inch display that gets really, really bright

More than meets the eye.

In its way, LG is the most leak-friendly company in the world, mainly because as its phones meander towards a public announcement, it peppers the media with teases and press releases meant to keep the hoards satisfied.

To that end, the company has announced that the LG G7 ThinQ will have a 6.1-inch IPS LCD display that goes up to 1000 nits, which makes it the brightest panel using that technology we’ve seen to date. Samsung’s Galaxy Note 8 and S9 series can go beyond 1,000 nits, but only when in bright sunlight and can’t be specified by the user.

These screenshots prove that you’ll be able to disable the LG G7’s notch through software.

The G7’s display will also be taller than its predecessor’s, the LG G6, with a 19.5:9 aspect ratio — identical to the iPhone X — which accommodates the notch portion of the screen without sacrificing additional real estate. According to a pair of screenshots provided to Android Central, it appears you’ll be able to turn off the notch portion of the display and harmonize the top portion of the user interface.

LG says that in addition to the screen going really, really bright, it’s also 30% more power-efficient than the QHD+ panel of the LG G6, and will have a smaller bezel portion below the screen. Finally, the screen is able to reproduce 100% of the DCI-P3 color space, a stat prized for its accuracy and versatility when conveying photos and video. There will also be six explicit screen settings — Auto, Eco, Cinema, Sports, Game and Expert — to choose from.

Previous leaks have revealed that the LG G7 will have a Snapdragon 845, a dual camera setup, a notch, and a dedicated Google Assistant button.

It’s not clear when the LG G7 ThinQ will be announced, nor when it will become available around the world, but it shouldn’t be long now.

Press release:

New Super Bright Display Allows Stunning Display Quality While Lowering Power Consumption

LG’s upcoming premium smartphone, the LG G7 ThinQ, will be equipped with a brand new 6.1-inch display QHD+ (3120 x 1440 resolution) FullVision display that is rated at a maximum of 1,000 nit, making it the brightest and most vibrant display on the smartphone market today.

Powered by LG’s latest LCD technology Super Bright Display, the LG G7 ThinQ allows users the convenience of operating the phone in almost any lighting condition, notably under bright sunlight while reducing power consumption by as much as 30 percent than the LG G6.

Building on the well-received LG G6’s display-to-body ratio, the LG G7 ThinQ will be easy and comfortable to operate and hold in one hand, especially with the ergonomic and beautiful curved tempered glass. The previous 18:9 FullVision display of the LG G6 has also been enhanced on the LG G7 ThinQ with a new 19.5:9 FullVision screen ratio complemented by almost 50 percent slimmer bottom bezel than its predecessor.

Color tones on the LG G7 ThinQ will look rich and natural even under bright light courtesy of the newly developed Super Bright Display by LG that covers 100 percent of DCI-P3 color space. Additionally, the LG G7 ThinQ can automatically adapt to six screen color settings for different content such as Auto, Eco, Cinema, Sports, Game and Expert. Auto mode enables LG G7 ThinQ to automatically analyze current content, such as video, game, photo or web, and optimize display setting while reducing power consumption.

For power users that are looking for total control over their smartphone’s display, the LG G7 ThinQ allows users to fine-tune the screen by conveniently scrolling each RGB color level option while supporting modes are activated. LG has offered a similar feature with its camera in the past for shutterbugs, and it is doing the same for users desiring a higher-level degree of control with their displays.

Researchers digitize writing with cheap, touch-sensitive paper

Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University have developed a paper that can track touch, which, among other applications, could lead to an inexpensive way to digitize writing. They’re presenting their work this week at the ACM CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems.

The paper itself is your typical, run-of-the-mill paper, but conductive material is applied to the back. While looking for the best conductive material to attach to the paper, the researchers wanted to make sure it was as inexpensive as possible and could be applied in a high-volume production scenario. Many materials were eliminated due to high costs, non-scalability and poor interaction with paper, but the researchers found two that were suitable — a carbon-loaded plastic sheet that can be adhered to the paper and carbon-loaded paint that can be silk-screened, brushed or sprayed on.

Once a sensor board is connected to the sheet of paper with one of the conductive backings applied, it allows touch — whether it be from a finger, a pen or a stylus — to be digitized and applied in a variety of ways. As you can see in the video below, the researchers used their paper to digitize notes, enhance a board game, grade a test in real time and even share articles in a printed newspaper online.

The design resulted in a cost of around $0.30 per sheet, but the researchers say that price can likely be reduced through large-scale production. The researchers acknowledge more works needs to be done, but added, “We believe this illuminates one possible approach for achieving low-cost, interactive, paper-based experiences in the future.”

Source: Yang Zhang

BMW’s Concept iX3 dials back the futuristic styling

As we enter the BMW Group Research and Innovation Centre (also known as FIZ) in Munich Germany, I’m asked to give up my ID. Guests are rarely admitted and journalists are almost never allowed inside. The automaker is about to show me its latest concept vehicle in a building that’s the birthplace of the future of the brand.

I’m led to a room where a small SUV is covered by a sheet. There’s none of the pomp and circumstance that comes with an auto show reveal (that’ll happen in Beijing a few weeks later). Instead, the cloth is removed to show off the pure electric Concept iX3, The vehicle will go into production in 2020. Other than a few design tweaks and an off-white matte paint job the crossover looks like an X3. That’s the point.

The i brand was launched with two very different and very polarizing vehicles. The urban i3 and the hybrid supercar, the i8. If the character Tron were to escape the grid and need two cars to get around, these would be his first choice. Which is great for fans of science fiction, but can be off-putting to some potential customers. “It’s difficult with such niche products to reach the main customers in the wide range.” Domagoj Dukec head of the design team for BMW i and M vehicles said during the unveiling.

That’s not to say that when the iX3 goes into production it will blend in completely with the rest of the SUVs on the road. The body has been smoothed out to reduce wind resistance and the iconic BMW kidney grill found at the front of all the automaker’s cars no longer has slates to feed air to the radiator. The car doesn’t need that air and it lowers the vehicle’s aerodynamics.

One thing that will differentiate it, is the color blue. All the i cars will have blue badges and accents to show the world that you’re piloting a greener vehicle. Even the space where you would typically see the exhaust has been replaced with blue rectangles. The familiar design language of a BMW is there even if the legacy internal combustion engine elements are gone.

“We don’t invent a completely new car with the design. We give it this cleanness. This boldness and a more modern design,” Dukec said. The result is an SUV (or as BMW calls it, an SAV – Sports Activity Vehicle) that appeals to anyone that’s already a fan of the petrol version of the crossover. If you like the X3, you’ll like the iX3. But it takes more than looks to sway folks from the tried and true world of gas-powered engines.

Under the hood, it delivers the goods with a 249-mile range (which may vary depending on regional regulatory standards and testing) and 270 horsepower (the regular X3 has 248). According to BMW, the 70kWh battery charges up to 80 percent (via a 150 kW DC fast charger) in about 30 minutes.

But the news isn’t about the range or horsepower, it’s how BMW is building the electric motor found in the iX3. In fact, the current generation of the “eDrive” system is a combination of the electric motor, transmission and electronics. It’s all bundled into one unit that just so happens to be modular. So, the automaker doesn’t have to design an entirely new drivetrain to add more power to a vehicle. It can just swap out the electric motor and/or transmission.

In the future that modularity will expand beyond eDrive to how the car’s themselves are built. The automaker will have a single platform for each car that accepts gas, hybrid and pure EV drivetrains. The result should give the automaker the agility to adjust production of vehicles, regardless of how they are powered, based on demand.

In other words, there will be more i vehicles, like the Concept iX3 that only look slightly different from their gas counterparts. Frankly, it’s those cars that’ll grow the EV market. For fans of the i3 and i8 (like myself), BMW will continue to introduce — and put into production — cars that look like they’re from the future. They probably won’t sell as well and — like the i8 — will end up on more posters on people’s walls than in people’s garages.

As the presentation ended another journalist asked why the windows of the Concept iX3 were blacked out. Should we expect a surprise at the Beijing Auto Show? When the car goes into production would it have a next-generation infotainment system or stylish new interior? BMW informed us that owners of the iX3 will have the same in-car experience as the owners of the X3.

Dukec notes that there will always be drivers that want to express their allegiance to EVs in an extreme way. For them, there’s the niche dedicated i vehicles. But to continue down the electrified road, the automaker needs to actually sell cars to everyone.

I had hoped to see something outlandish in the design studio of FIZ. Something that glowed blue that would make people stop in their tracks and stare as it rolled down the road. Instead, I saw the future of BMW’s electrification. While it won’t turn as many heads as it rolls down the street, as long as it sells to the masses, BMW is totally fine with that.

Samsung’s 970 series SSDs provide the write speeds you crave

Few would call Samsung’s 960-series SSDs slow (or indeed, most any NVMe SSD), but that isn’t stopping the company from refining the formula. The newly launched 970 Evo and 970 Pro drives take advantage of Samsung’s developments in its 64-layer 3D flash memory and Phoenix controller (both of which have surfaced in earlier drives) to deliver performance that makes the 960s seem relatively pokey. Both the Evo and Pro can hit the peak 3,500MB/s sequential read speeds of the 960 line, but the real star is the write speed. The 970 Evo by itself is faster than the 960 Pro with up to a 2,500MB/s sequential write rate, while the 970 Pro is quicker still at 2,700MB/s.

The two drives also promise better endurance, with even the 970 Evo officially supporting up to 1,200TB of written data. You’ll still want a Pro drive if longevity matters most, though, since their 2-bit MLC flash memory enables roughly double the number of bytes written at the same capacity.

Both SSD models will be available worldwide on May 7th. As always, how much you pay depends on the model and capacity. The home-oriented Evo line starts at $120 for a 250GB drive with capacities of 500GB ($230), 1TB ($450) and 2TB ($850). The Pro series, meanwhile, starts at $330 for a 512GB variant and jumps to $630 for 1TB. These SSDs are still built for gaming PCs, pro workstations and other high-end machines where massive throughput is vital — it’s just that you’re getting more power for your money.

Source: Samsung

LG G7 ThinQ will come with a super bright display

LG, as per its tradition of teasing its upcoming flagship smartphones, has yet again dished out some tidbits about the G7 ThinQ ahead of launch next month. Specifically, the latest tease is all about the device’s display, which will come in at 6.1 inches large with a QHD+ (3,120 x 1,440; 19.5:9) resolution — part of which will indeed be occupied by a notch, as shown again by a recent @evleaks tweet and now confirmed by a couple of official screenshots. What’s more interesting is that you’ll be able to crank this LCD up to 1,000 nits — beating the 400- to 700-nit brightness peaked by most other smartphones — thus making it easier to read under bright sunlight.

Additionally, LG claims that this mobile display uses “as much as 30 percent” less power than the one on the G6, though it fails to specify under what condition. The company also mentioned the panel’s support for 100-percent DCI-P3 color gamut, while the G7 ThinQ also offers six screen color modes — Auto, Eco, Cinema, Sports, Game and Expert — that are common on TVs, and these can be toggled automatically depending on the video content.

We have a feeling that LG has more to say about this upcoming smartphone’s screen, let alone the dedicated Google Assistant button that it’ll apparently come with, but chances are we’ll have to wait until early May for the full reveal.