Lithium-ion pioneer Sony is selling its battery arm
Sony is planning to sell its battery division to Murata, a Japanese firm that makes a diverse variety of products like wireless components and robots. Sony started the battery business in 1975 and was the first company to commercialize lithium-ion batteries back in 1991. The electronics giant has been selling off core businesses and assets in an effort to return to profitability — it recently unloaded its VAIO PC division, New York and Tokyo Headquarters, and Sony Online Entertainment game division. It also split off its sensor and TV businesses into separate companies.
Murata will likely acquire the Sony Energy Devices Corporation subsidiary and manufacturing plants in China and Singapore, excluding alkaline batteries and USB chargers. It then intends to “position the global battery business as a core operation within its energy business.” The battery arm is part of Sony’s profitable sensor division, but was a drag on earnings in 2015 to the tune of $270 million.
Sony started the battery business in 1975 and was the first company to commercialize lithium-ion batteries back in 1991.
Sony says that while it focused on improving the profitability of lithium-ion smartphone batteries, it adds that the “competitive environment is significantly changing.” In fact, Samsung claims it is the current leader in small lithium-ion batteries, and has been since 2010. Other players like LG Chem and Panasonic also outsell Sony.
The agreement is non-binding pending “due diligence and negotiation of detailed terms and conditions of the transfer,” Sony says. Executives from both companies are aiming for an agreement by mid-October 2016, with the transfer complete by March 2017.
Source: Sony
NASA details preparations for SLS’ and Orion’s first flight
NASA began preparing for Orion’s 2018 maiden flight atop the Space Launch System quite some time ago. Since both Orion and SLS are new technologies, the space agency has been subjecting both to a series of rigorous tests, which it has listed and explained in detail in a Tumblr post. NASA says it’s been examining every component of the capsule and had blasted it with deafening sounds, earthquake-like vibrations and strong, hurricane-like winds in the past to test its durability. The spacecraft also underwent water impact testing with human dummies inside, wherein it was dropped into a pool from 16 feet above the surface. It’s slated to go through more water impact tests simulating different wind and wave conditions in the future.
NASA hasn’t been neglecting the SLS either and has regularly been firing up its engines. That said, both rocket and capsule are far from done. The agency is still in the midst of putting the SLS’ core stage (where the cryogenic liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen are stored) together. Once it’s finished, it will become the most powerful rocket ever built.
As for the capsule, well, the agency is still waiting on a key component that could push back the first Orion/SLS flight. The European Space Agency won’t be able to deliver the capsule’s primary propulsion component in January as planned and had to delay its shipment until April 2017 or later. NASA says it won’t affect the project’s timeline, though, and that the duo’s flight is still a go for fall 2018.
Source: NASA (Tumblr)
Anyone can now print out all TSA master keys
Shortly after The Washington Post inadvertently published a photo of seven TSA master keys, a group of security experts were able to copy their designs and release their 3D models online. Now, these same experts have deciphered the secrets of the eighth and last master key the agency uses even without a photo to guide them. The first seven keys are manufactured by a company called Travel Sentry, while this one is by a separate manufacturer named Safe Skies. Since the hackers didn’t have a photo of the last key, they bought as many Safe Skies locks as possible, took them apart and examined their innards. Anyone with access to a 3D printer can now reproduce all eight keys.
The hackers, who go by the pseudonyms Johnny Xmas, DarkSim905 and Nite 0wl presented their work at the 11th Hackers On Planet Earth (HOPE) Conference in New York. According to 3D Printing Industry, the trio explained that it’s not their intention to scare people — they merely want to highlight the dangers of giving a third party access to master keys, whether digital or physical.
“This was done by legally procuring actual locks, comparing the inner workings and finding the common denominator,” Xmas said at the conference. “It’s a great metaphor for how weak encryption mechanisms are broken — gather enough data, find the pattern, then just ‘math’ out a universal key (or set of keys). What we’re doing here is literally cracking physical encryption, and I fear that metaphor isn’t going to be properly delivered to the public.”
Via: TechCrunch
Source: GitHub, 3D Printing Industry
BlackBerry DTEK50 preview: Hands-on with the Alcatel Idol 4 lookalike
BlackBerry has a long tradition of building its own hardware and software, but having fallen on harder times of late, the company was forced to outsource hardware building and designing to another company. With the DTEKT50, its first mid-range Android phone, it partnered with TCL Communication and added its own subtle tweaks to a pre-existing reference design.
The result is an all-touch device running a clean-looking version of Android, but with BlackBerry’s own useful software on top. Specifications are decent, and for a phone that costs less than £300, you get good value for money.
In a market this saturated though, BlackBerry’s going to have a tough task convincing consumers that the added element of security is a big enough distinction.
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BlackBerry DTEK50: Design
To describe it in the shortest, crudest way possible, the BlackBerry DTEK50 is essentially an Alcatel Idol 4 with a plastic back. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
The lightweight, slim aluminium frame construction – combined with the textured plastic on the back – makes a device that’s both grippy and light. From an aesthetic perspective, it doesn’t look quite as premium as devices covered in glass on both sides. But unlike those, it won’t slide off furniture or slip out of your hand.
A dark grey anodised finish on the frame contrasts really nicely with the polished, chamfered edges to give a result that is both elegant and subtle. Sadly, it is slightly hampered by the black plastic antenna gaps on the top and bottom which don’t sit exactly flush with the edges.
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The slim volume rocker switch on the right edge is coloured to match the frame, and is joined by a round “Convenience” key. This can be programmed to launch an app, or used as a shortcut to a specific function. As an example, you could press it to compose an email or a message, add an event to a calendar, set an alarm or use one of many other shortcuts available.
Above and below the screen on the front are two rows of machined holes which act as the grilles for the 3.6W stereo speakers. These are mirrored on the rear as well, so whether the phone is face up or facedown, you can hear your music and notifications clearly.
The micro USB port lives on the bottom edge, the 3.5mm jack is on the top edge, while the power button is – confusingly – on the left edge, opposite the volume rocker.
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BlackBerry DTEK50: Display
Underneath a flat sheet of scratch-resistant glass on the front, there’s a 5.2-inch full HD display.
It’s fully laminated, which means there’s no gap between the glass and the actual display panel. This has a few benefits, most importantly, it means colours and brightness are better than if there was an air gap. Also, it enables manufacturers to build the slim phones we’ve become accustomed to.
On first impressions, the screen seems really clear and text is nice and sharp. Colours are accurate, but there’s not the vividness or high contrast levels you might get from an AMOLED-based screen. Still, the IPS panel offers great viewing angles and is generally pleasing to the eye.
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BlackBerry DTEK50: Camera
The main camera on the back features a 13-megapixel sensor and f/2.0 lens and supports full HD video capture. As a bonus, the built-in BlackBerry camera app has a full manual control mode so that you can fine-tune your shots.
The manual control mode lets you adjust the shutter speed, white balance, focus and brightness. Those of you who like to play with long exposures for effects like light-painting and light trails will be disappointed to know that the longest shutter speed available is 1/2 second. Still, the addition of manual changes to other important settings should help you get the results you want.
The front camera has an 8-megapixel sensor and also supports 1080p video recording, it also has a front LED light which – as well as being used as a notification alert – can function as a flash for well-lit selfies.
BlackBerry DTEK50: Hardware
Inside, powering the DTEK50, is a mid-range Snapdragon 617 with eight cores. It’s paired with 3GB RAM to make sure that you get as smooth a performance as possible from a mid-tier phone, but sadly comes with just 16GB internal storage.
The upside is there’s a microSD card slot which supports cards up to a massive 2TB, ensuring that it’s future proof. What’s more, BlackBerry’s latest device supports Android Marshmallow’s adoptable storage feature, so you can adopt a microSD card and use it as if it was internal storage for saving apps and app data as well as media.
There’s a 2,610mAh battery which BlackBerry says will get you through a day, and even if it doesn’t, it supports Quick Charge 2.0 technology for fast charging. It can half-fill the battery in just 50mins.
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BlackBerry DTEK50: Software
With the Android marketplace being so saturated nowadays it can be hard for companies to put their own unique spin on devices. With BlackBerry, the most obvious way to do it was with software. It was something that worked well on the PRIV, and has yet again been implemented in to the DTEK50.
Starting with the most obvious – and where the phone gets its name from – the DTEK app is a very simple tool for checking up on your phone’s security. It’ll tell you your device’s current security status and, more importantly, gives you access to more granular controls for choosing which permissions are allowed for individual apps.
If an app that shouldn’t get access to your location or microphone has been getting permission to access those things, you can switch the permissions off. You can also see how many times a specific feature or function has been accessed by any app.
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Like the PRIV, it has the Productivity Tab, which slides in from the right and gives you quick access to your upcoming events and tasks, as well as favourite contacts and messages. BlackBerry has also implemented its great predictive software keyboard for easy typing and the Hub which collects notifications, messages and events from across the device and collates them in to one, easy-to-use inbox.
As well as that, there’s the useful pop-up widgets from the home screen. Any app that has white dots under its icon has widgets available, and you can access them by just swiping up from the icon. This saves lots of space on your home screen, and ensures you don’t have any potentially confidential information always on display.
All these software tweaks are joined by a handful of BlackBerry apps like the calendar app, BBM, Device Search, Password Keeper, Notes and Tasks. While many might class these as bloatware, the company has been careful about including only the software which improves the experience and makes it more BlackBerry-like.
On top of all this, BlackBerry is committed to delivering prompt security updates. So when Google releases its monthly security patches on Android, BlackBerry is usually one of the first to follow in updating its own devices.
First Impressions
As first impressions go, it’s impossible to ignore the phone’s similarity to the Idol 4, but that’s because it uses the same TCL Communication reference design.
Once you move past that observation you’re left realising that this is a pretty solid mid-ranger. And for those who love the BlackBerry Hub for managing notifications and want the extra piece of mind that their information is secure, this is an ideal device, especially if their budget is under £300.
Wireless charging tech harvests your phone’s wasted radio waves
When you think of wireless charging, you probably think of special charging pads for your phone. But what if your phone could partly charge itself? Radient Micro-Tech claims to have managed just that. It just received two patents for technology that reportedly captures energy from a device’s wasted radio waves (those that would merely dissipate in the air) for the sake of charging. While it’s not specific about how the technology works, it would harvest those RF waves through antennas built into your phone’s screen. Radient is claiming that you’d get up to 30 percent longer battery life, which could be enough to get you through a particularly active day.
It sounds too good to be true, and there are certainly reasons to be skeptical. There’s a working prototype (needed by the US patent office), but we’ve yet to see a practical demonstration — we’ve asked for one and will let you know if we get it. Also, Radient is planning to license the concept to device makers, rather than designing physical components it can sell. It’s easy to promise a revolutionary product if you’re not the one who has to mass-manufacture millions of units. If the reality comes anywhere close to the hype, though, the invention will either extend the battery life of phones or allow for smaller batteries without taking a hit to longevity.
Source: Radient Micro-Tech
Hyperloop One opens its first manufacturing plant
Hyperloop One has announced that it’s opening its first manufacturing plant to build the future of high-speed transportation. Metalworks is a 105,000 square foot facility in the city of North Las Vegas where components for DevLoop, the first testbed for the platform, will be constructed. As well as housing the company’s new propulsion lab, the location will also be used to solve some of the more practical engineering challenges the technology faces. Employees will work to design and build supporting columns, cradles and the joints that keep everything held tightly together.
The announcement will also help to bolster the credentials of North Las Vegas, which is becoming a big tech hub for promising new transportation firms. As well as Hyperloop One, officials have snagged investment from Faraday Future to build its new electric supercar factory in the region. In fact, Nevada is becoming a key battleground for transport businesses, since Tesla’s Gigafactory is being established seven hours up the road outside Reno.
Of course, Hyperloop One is putting a brave face on while it suffers from a little bit of internal strife. Co-founder Kevin “Brogan BamBrogan” Brogan has sued the firm, citing harassment and a potential death threat from the brother of co-founder Shervin Pishevar. The company has filed a counter-suit, saying that Brogan was responsible for causing internal strife and launching a “coup,” to grab control of the company. Although, as co-founder, you’d think he already had control of the company, wouldn’t you?
Source: Hyperloop One
Twitter’s Snapchat-like stickers are now available to all
After announcing its intentions late last month, Twitter has finally jumped on the sticker bandwagon. The company announced it has completed the rollout of its “visual spin on hashtags,” allowing you to furnish your photos with strategically-placed emoji and other custom-made cartoons. They’re searchable too, just in case you want to see other people’s crazy creations.
In the past year, apps like Snapchat and Facebook Messenger have helped popularize stickers, at least in the west. Asian messaging services like Line have been on board for some time and sell branded packs from popular franchises like Hello Kitty. It’s logical to assume that, like custom emoji, Twitter will seek to monetize its graphics and allow brands to pay cold hard cash to add their own.
If you’ve been looking to up your sticker game, or just think your dog could use a nice pair of cartoon sunglasses, Twitter will now place a small smiley icon on the bottom-right part of a photo you wish to attach. Once you hit the button, you’ll be presented with a menu of available stickers that are loosely grouped by category, allowing you to select, quickly place and post to your followers.
Source: Twitter
Facebook will refund app and game purchases made by minors
Parents, take note: if your child bought in-app or in-game purchases on Facebook without your knowledge or consent, you can get your money back. A California court has ruled in favor of the plaintiffs in a class action lawsuit originally filed by two kids and their parents back in 2012. The judge ordered the social network to provide refunds at parents’ request. Those kids bought Facebook Credits (now known as Facebook Payments) using their parents’ cards without their consent and racked up a few hundred to a thousand dollars in debt.
The website’s lawyers argued that the kids got what they paid for, but the plaintiff’s legal counsel reminded the court that the kids were minors and didn’t exactly understand that they were using their parents’ money. According to The Guardian, the whole case was centered around a California legislation called the Family Code, which applies not just to the state, but the whole country. That code voids contracts made with kids below 18 years old. It’s thanks to this case that Facebook had to launch a way for parents to get their money back. So, if you have a kid fond of playing with your tablet or phone, you may want to bookmark the Payments support page, just in case.
Source: The Guardian
Twitter Debuts ‘Stickers’ as it Faces Slowest Revenue Growth in Three Years
Twitter today will begin rolling out its new “Stickers” feature for iOS and Android devices, which it first announced in June, letting users choose from a set of custom-made stickers in order to customize photos before posting them to the micro-blogging social network. The update brings Twitter a step closer to the comical editing capabilities of Snapchat, where users can place, enlarge, and filter emojis layered on top of their pictures.
But, ahead of the official launch of Stickers, Twitter reported “its slowest revenue growth since going public in 2013.” As reported by Reuters earlier this week, Twitter’s most recent earnings forecast referenced a “disappointing” near future for the company as it struggles to keep pace with services that are catching fire, like Snapchat and Instagram.
Now, everyone can use #Stickers on photos! Celebrate with us tomorrow as we #StickTogether . pic.twitter.com/LOh2jygRno
— Twitter (@twitter) July 27, 2016
Overall, this year the company’s user base expanded 1 percent from Q1 (310 million monthly active users) to Q2 (313 million MAU). Revenue during the second quarter also hit below expectations, as the company’s current quarter forecast of between $590 million and $610 million fell below analyst estimates of about $678.18 million.
The question now for investors, and executives at Twitter, is whether the service should pivot into a “niche product,” now that its days of booming growth are behind it, and most people sticking around are longtime, loyal users. Either way, the company is said to have a plan in mind to turn things around, focusing on five key areas: its core service, live-streaming video, the site’s “creators and influencers,” safety, and developers.
“Clearly, the turnaround is still a work in progress and the question of whether being a platform for a mass audience versus a niche audience needs to be answered,” said James Cakmak, analyst at Monness, Crespi, Hardt & Co.
“We are a year into Dorsey coming back and there is really no end in sight of when it is going to start picking up to where investors are going to be happy,” said Patrick Moorhead, analyst at Moor Insights & Strategy.
During the earnings call (which the company has streamed on its own live-streaming app Periscope in the past), CEO Jack Dorsey pointed out small, incremental changes brought to Twitter that he believes will help make bigger differences in public opinion in the long run. These amount to gaining the most out of its 140 character limit, including not counting links and mentions — and soon media links — in a tweet’s character count. Presumably, beginning today, he and Twitter also hope Stickers will help bridge the divide between potential new users and their reluctance to commit to the service.
Those interested can learn more about Stickers here, and anyone who has yet to do so can get the Twitter app for free from the App Store. [Direct Link]
Tag: Twitter
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Phil Schiller Named to DNA Sequencing Company Illumina’s Board of Directors
DNA sequencing and array-based technologies company Illumina today announced that Apple marketing chief Phil Schiller has joined its board of directors.
“Phil’s track record and global experience in bringing world-class products to market will help guide us as we continue to develop innovative new solutions for our customers,” said Francis deSouza, Illumina President and Chief Executive Officer. “His vision, integrity and passion are fully aligned with Illumina’s core values.”
Schiller has been part of Apple’s senior executive team since the late Steve Jobs returned to the company in 1997. He has helped market several products, including the Mac, iPod, iTunes, iPhone, Apple TV and the Apple Watch, and he has managed the App Store across all Apple platforms since last December.
Illumina, founded in 1998, is a San Diego-based biotech company focused on genetic research solutions to fuel advancements in life science research, translational and consumer genomics, and molecular diagnostics. It ranked third on MIT Technology Review’s list of the top 50 smartest companies in the world in 2016.
Schiller holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology from Boston College, where he graduated from in 1982.
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