The nuclear meltdown at Fukushima in March 2011 released huge amounts of radiation into the surrounding environment. Here’s the first evidence that people exposed to the radiation could suffer serious health problems like the survivors of other intense nuclear catastrophes. More »
What happens when you change one port? Quite a lot, actually. Apple introduced the 30-pin iPod port on April 28, 2003. That makes the technology – a fairly streamlined solution for 2003 – nine years old and, thanks to the iPhone’s popularity, essentially ubiquitous. Now, however, as news leaks about either a 19- or 9-pin overhaul of the technology, there’s something important to consider: the install base of 30-pin devices is wild and deep and a simple change could create an e-waste problem if not properly handled.
To be clear: this new pin layout is coming and it’s coming soon. Whether it arrives in this generation or the next still remains to be seen, the sources I reached out to agreed that the switch was imminent.
Apple has sold over approximately 610 million devices with a 30-pin dock connector. There are no hard numbers on iPod dock sales available, but analysts estimate $2 to $3 billion in sales on iPod accessories per year. These are back of the envelope calculations, but assume a fourth of those are $100 docks – some are less, some are much more. That gives us about 5 million docks a year over nine years. That’s 45 million devices in essentially perfect working order that will be partially obsoleted by this move.
“Just imagine how many hotel rooms are fitted with alarm clocks that have a 30-pin dock connector,” said Arman Sadeghi, CEO of AllGreenRecycling, an e-waste handler. “Doing away with the 30-pin dock connector without developing any kind of backwards compatibility option would cause millions of pieces of accessories to become obsolete prematurely. Currently, there are tens of thousands of different devices such as chargers, alarm clocks, docking stations and other devices that work with the 30-pin connector. If this connector was replaced, it would cause a slow but very steady flow of those items coming out of use and into the ewaste stream.”
In short, Apple would relegate a great number of iPod docks to the scrap heap. Arguably, the vast majority of users, especially users using more expensive docks that connect to home entertainment systems and speakers, would invest in a small adapter that will convert a 30-pin jack to the smaller model, but a fraction of those will relegate those old docks to the junk pile. Once the 30-pin is phased out, however, there’s the secondary problem of obsolete iPods.
“The obvious problem will be with people throwing out old accessories but there is another issue as well,” said Sadeghi. “The value of Apple devices with the old connector will drop as well which will cause a large wave of those items entering the eWaste steam as well. iPods and other small devices that people have had for many years will start becoming less desirable in favor of newer versions that will have the same connector as their new iPhone. This effect may, in fact, prove to be a bigger generator of eWaste than the obsolete accessories.”
This sort of move isn’t new, but I suspect that this might be the first major mass exodus from one port architecture to another since serial connections gave way to USB and even that move took years to complete. Apple is notorious for railroading users into technologies although they usually pick the tech that eventually proves to be the winner (there’s a reason there weren’t Compact Flash card readers on earlier MacBooks before the addition of the SD card slot.) Where Apple is at fault is in the speed with which they’re going to push this through. They will sell millions of iPhones and millions of adapters, and the new port will also revitalize the stagnant accessories market. But it will also encourage long-time users to “upgrade” their docks to support the new standard (or at least spend $10 on a compatible adapter).
It’s also not Apple’s fault that accessory makers hitched their wagon to the Apple star. There was and is a lot of money to be made. But this change will change things considerably and the trash and recycling it will generate is has the potential to be more than impressive.
The real impact can be seen as negligible. Docks are made of plastic and a few magnets. In a perfect world those docks would end up at an ewaste location where they will be recycled into new products or they will end up in the garage sale and secondary market, used by millions who just don’t want to or can’t upgrade.
But in a world of increasingly scarce resources, it’s an interesting thought exercise to see what a minor change in on port on a popular phone can do to an entire ecosystem of accessories. Apple is lucky that an industry made hardware solely for their devices. Now we’re about to see what happens when that industry – and the consumers who bought into that constellation of accessories – suddenly has to shift direction.
For years the projector and camera have served us well, performing their respective tasks. Now, researchers at Japan’s Advanced Industrial Science and Technology institute are using them together to measure 3D objects. By projecting a special pattern onto the subject and then using the camera to “read” the amount of distortion in the image, a three-dimensional model can be constructed. This thing is accurate, too, with precision down to 1 – 2mm which means it can measure wrinkles in clothes, or even details in hands. The technology can even be scaled to work with microscopes. The creators say that it could be used in video games (much like Kinect), and even for tracking athletes’ movements thanks to its ability to capture fast-moving images — something existing systems can struggle with. Jump past the break to see the tech in action.
Filed under: Science
Researchers measure 3D objects using just a camera and projector, can tell if you’ve ironed your shirt (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 14 Aug 2012 10:09:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Water lovers everywhere, look no further for the ultimate place to entertain! Sure, boats are handy for wakeboarding or water skiing. But they are not real practical when it comes to entertaining. And if you have a lakeside place you dine outside to enjoy the views and weather. Hammacher Schlemmer says combine the two and create a memorable dining experience for your next lake guests.
The Barbeque Dining Boat does exactly that. This 24” floating food station can seat up to 10 adults around the built-in charcoal grill. 
The table contains convenient recessed drink, plate and silverware space. Six compartments below the seats have ample space for your pantry items. Equipped with a 30-watt electrical trolling motor you’ll move up to 2.5mph. No, you don’t want to encounter waves, so keep it closer to shore. But it provides a nice pace for a leisurely cruise. The engine contains rechargeable batteries that will allow an 8 hour dinner party after 10 hours of charging. And the nylon umbrella is retractable when you want to grill.
Boating can tend to be expensive however. So prepare yourself for the $50,000 price tag on this floating party cruiser. But if you have the cash, be the first on your lake to truly entertain on the water.
[ Dine On the Water – Literally copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]
Why do people drink? Usually it’s because they’re thirsty. But sometimes, it’s just to taste whatever it is they’re drinking – and appreciating that taste. And what better way to do that than by taking whiffs of it so you’ll keep wanting more? Le Whaf has come up with a totally unusual yet awesome way to enjoy your drinks: by turning them into vapors that you’re supposed to sip through straws.
Here’s a video showing the Le Whaf and some of their awesome smokey beverages:
The people look a bit strange, drinking “smoke” and all that, but it seems like a pretty neat idea, plus it cuts down on the calories big time. Extremely novel too, although it’s a bit pricey at €129 (~$160 USD).
[via Gadget Review]
PlayStation 3 owners have been able to access YouTube on their consoles for some time, but the experience was a little messy, to say the least. Google has rolled out a new app for the PlayStation 3 today, bringing with it a much needed graphical makeover along with improved search capabilities. Users will be able to download the native app for free from the PlayStation Store right this minute.
Just like the YouTube experience on desktop and laptops, users will see instant results as they start typing search queries, cutting down on unnecessary typing and getting users to their videos faster than before. HD video playback is also supported, although it’s not clear right now what resolutions the app supports. The PlayStation 3 is more than capable of displaying 1080p, but the worst case scenario will still see you watching 720p videos.
Video subscriptions can be accessed through the app as well, provided you’ve signed in using your Google or YouTube ID. The most important feature of all, however, is that you can control the app directly from your iOS or Android device. That should help users avoid using the awkward method of moving the onscreen cursor with the DualShock controller.
Google says the app should be rolling out to the North American store starting from today, and other countries will also soon see the app. Head over to the “My Channels” section in the PlayStation Store to see if you have access, otherwise sit tight for now.
[via Engadget]
Google releases native YouTube app for PlayStation 3 is written by Ben Kersey & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
I know that the Airbus A380 is a titan, a winged colossus, the biggest passenger airliner in the world and all that. But this pictured taken at LAX—showing an Air France A380 taxiing by a Boeing 737-900—really shows its flabbergasting dimensions. More »
For those of us who enjoy the occasional puff of sumptuous greenery, whether that’s flavored tobacco, leaves of mint, or good ol’ wacky tobacky, the Ploom Pax may be just what you’re looking for.
It’s a botanical vaporizer, meaning that it doesn’t combust the materials you intend to smoke, but rather vaporizes them offering a much cleaner, less smelly smoking experience. Since the Ploom Pax is a botanical vaporizer, you can’t put any smoking oils in its vaporizing chamber, but it’s a small price to pay for a state-of-the-art piece of stoner gear.
It’s an entirely closed vessel, meaning that you can’t bust in and fix a chamber or mouth piece, but that’s likely what makes it so glamorous. It’s made of aluminum, with a little LED light to display when the materials have been vaporized and how you’re doing on battery life.
It retails for $249, which is a reasonable price for this type of equipment, so both John and I felt that the Pax will do nothing but fly.
Fly high, for sure.
We’ve all seen those “OMG! Don’t make us pay for Facebook” fake petitions, but App.net and The Social Network raise questions about how our social services raise their moolah. Tencent’s Sophia Ong has revealed that it’s in the unique position of having users happy to pay for services that we take for granted. While signups for QZone (Facebook equivalent) is free, users have to use QBs, the site’s virtual currency, to buy and clothe their avatars. While 1 QB = 1 yuan ($0.16), there are 30 million paying customers on the site — meaning that the company can count on around $50 million in monthly payments. It’s not stopping there either, sensing a slowdown in the local economy, the company has an eye on opening up its eCommerce platform to ensure it can continue to rake in the cash.
Filed under: Internet
Tencent reveals how it gets users to pay for its service originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 14 Aug 2012 09:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
While YouTube has always enjoyed support on Sony’s PlayStation 3 thanks to the console’s Flash-enabled browser and even offered a YouTube XL layout for connected devices, now it’s rolling out a new app to make the video experience even better (and, no doubt, compete with the experience unveiled late last year on the Xbox 360). The app has an improved search with suggestions and instant results while users type, the ability to pull in a user’s subscribed channels and it allows for remote control from the YouTube app on your smartphone after a simple pairing process (shown in a screenshot after the break.) According to the official blog it should be arriving in North America now, check under the My Channels section in the PS3 store to download the free app and give it a shot.
Update: The new app should be available in the PlayStation store now (if you’re in the US.) There’s no word on when it will arrive in other regions, however Canadians can enjoy the Crackle app that popped up today and everyone can give Madden 2013 a shot.
Filed under: Gaming, Home Entertainment, Internet
YouTube’s new app for the PlayStation 3 rolling out, allows remote control from smartphones originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 14 Aug 2012 09:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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