Jul 12
Jul 12
Apple is investigating claims that tin used in its products comes from mines on Bangka Island in Indonesia. This comes after environmental watchdog Friends of the Earth (FoE) pressured the tech giant to identify the source of the metal used for soldering components in iDevices. While the island region is one of the largest suppliers of tin in the world, mining conditions are far from ideal. Landslides consistently claim the lives of workers, and mining itself has had an adverse effect on the local environment. The group successfully pressured Samsung to admit its involvement with the area’s tin supplies in April.
For its part, Apple commissioned a fact-finding visit to learn more and is helping to fund a new study on mining in the region so they “can better understand the situation.” Or maybe they could save some time and money by reading the one conducted by The Guardian and FoE from last November. You know, the one that found that unregulated tin mining leans heavily on child labor, destroys the environment and causes on average 100 – 150 miner fatalities every year. Cupertino has already vowed to not use conflict minerals and appointed a former EPA administrator to focus on its environmental efforts, so it at least looks responsible. Now to see if it can back up its actions.
Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Apple
Via: The Verge
Jul 12
(Credit: Swann)
Congrats to Kenneth W. of Gardner, Kan., for winning a Netatmo Urban Weather Station in last week’s giveaway.
It’s the height of summer, which means there’s a good chance you’re doing some hiking, rafting, kayaking, or other fun-in-sun activities (when you’re not busy reading Crave, of course). This week’s prize lets you capture all the action on film.
We’re giving away a Swann Bolt HD waterproof, wearable mini action cam. The camera records high-definition 1080p video (1,920×1,080-pixel resolution) at 30 frames per second, and stores approximately 10 hours of footage (up to 32GB) on a removable microSD card. The camera also captures 12-megapixel stills. Included wearable mounts let you catch your hijinks at the best possible angle.
The Bolt HD’s waterproof casing protects the 1.28-inch-by-3.17-inch camera down to 32 feet below the surface. Oh, and the camera includes a laser point to check that the camera is on target. A laser, people!
Rain, snow, or shine: CNET’s Molly Wood tests the Swann Bolt HD for an "Always On" segment on action cams.
(Credit: CNET)
Normally, the Swann Bolt HD would run you $199.99,… [Read more]
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Jul 12
Terra Motors, a manufacturer of electric scooters, has announced its A4000i, an electric scooter that can be connected to an iPhone, which will then serve navigation and scooter-status purposes. The scooter is currently being showcased in Tokyo, and is being aimed at emerging markets in Asia, allowing users to combine their transportation with their smartphone.
Such an offering will be the first time a motor bike has been developed with the ability to interface with an iPhone (or any smartphone), something that will extend beyond mere navigational purposes. Owners will be able to monitor their scooter’s remaining battery charge, for example, as well as their mileage information and average driving speed.
Beyond that, apps will also be provided for A4000i owners that are free of charge, which will be initially offered as beta software. With these apps, says Terra Motors, the owners will be able to find recommended stores in their local area, as well as downloading navigational assistance applications. You can see one example of an iPhone being used in conjunction with the scooter in the image below.
The company plans to sell 2000 units of the scooters, with global sales anticipated to hit 100,000 by the end of 2015. The A4000i has a reported range of 65 kilometers. The power is provided via a lithium-ion battery, which is removable and has a reported life span of up to 50,000 kilometers. Total charge time is said to take about 4.5 hours.
The A4000i scooters will undergo mass production starting this upcoming December at a factory in Vietnam, with global sales of the motor bike beginning in the same month. The unit will be priced at ¥450,000, which is about $73,000 USD. The company also has plans to offer a non-iPhone version for less, but pricing and dates weren’t revealed.
Terra Motors unveils A4000i electric scooter with iPhone connectivity is written by Brittany Hillen & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2013, SlashGear. All right reserved.
Jul 12
BlackBerry A10 Aristo Image Leaked
Posted in: Today's Chili
Jul 12
BlackBerry has had trouble retaining executives as of late, and its situation may not be getting much better when the Wall Street Journal claims that two software overseers recently left the company. T.A. McCann (pictured at left), a VP who oversaw BBM and social networking apps, reportedly said goodbye two weeks ago. Marc Gingras (right), who masterminded the BlackBerry 10 Hub and came with the Tungle.me acquisition, supposedly quit in “recent weeks.” BlackBerry hasn’t commented on the rumored exits, although the Journal believes that both McCann and Gingras left voluntarily. If real, the departures aren’t coming at a good time — BlackBerry is in rough financial straits, and it needs executives willing to turn the ship around.
[Gingras image credit: Kris Krüg, Flickr]
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Blackberry
Source: Wall Street Journal
Jul 12
A lot of digital archival is done on DVDs manufactured specifically for archival purposes, something that could be changing in the near future. Researchers at the University of Southampton’s Optoelectronics Research Center, as well as the Eindhoven’s University of Technology, joined forces to create a glass disc that can hold 360TB of data for over 1 million years.
Not only that, but the glass disc is also able to handle temperatures up to 1,832 Fahrenheit, helping safeguard against data loss in the case of a fire, for example. Such a technology breakthrough was achieved using a specific glass-like material created from nanostructures and fused quartz. The data, then, is written to this medium using a femtosecond laser.
The laser works by “shooting” rapid pulses of light onto the glass disc, being able to apply the data in the form of “nanostructured dots” in three layer forms that are spaced a mere 5-micrometers apart from each other. Because nanostructures are involved, the laser likewise works in five dimensions when writing the data, something comprised of 3D positioning, orientation, and size.
In its test run, the researchers who developed the new technology were able to write – and subsequently read – 300KB worth of data on the disc. Its storage capacity is much higher, however, with a recorded 360TB worth of space for archiving information. Once written, the discs can then be stored for a million years or longer, withstanding temperature variations and outliving quite a few generations (or the entirely of civilization).
Said Professor Peter Kazandky of the ORC, “It is thrilling to think that we have created the first document [to] likely survive the human race. This technology can secure the last evidence of civilization: all we’ve learnt will not be forgotten.” The next step? The team is working at commercializing the technology.
SOURCE: CNET
Reseachers develop disc with 360TB capacity, 1 million year storage life is written by Brittany Hillen & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2013, SlashGear. All right reserved.
Jul 12
We’re sure AeroVelo team members think every sleepless night and pedal push are worth it now that they can add the prestigious $250,000 Sikorsky Prize to their pile of bragging rights. They’ve completely demolished all the requirements needed to win the human-powered helicopter competition during one of their recent attempts. Atlas, their flying contraption, stayed in the air for 64.11 seconds, flew at a max altitude of 3.3 meters (10.8 feet) and never meandered beyond the designated 10 x 10 meter (33 x 33 feet) area. The University of Toronto’s creation was locked in head-to-head battle with the University of Maryland’s Gamera chopper for quite some time, but it’s finally bagged the prize that had remained unclaimed for 33 long years. That’s a tremendous accomplishment for anyone, especially for a project with humble beginnings, and if Leonardo Da Vinci were still alive, he’d extend a big congratulazione.
Filed under: Misc
Via: Popular Mechanics
Source: AeroVelo
Jul 12
Jul 11
Force Media – Is it a BMW MINI’s side mirror? – Bluetooth/NFC compliant speaker “MIRROR BOOMBOX”
Posted in: Today's Chili
Force Media is going to release the Bluetooth/NFC compliant speaker “MIRROR BOOMBOX” that exactly looks like a BMW MINI’s side mirror in mid July.
The shape of a BMW MINI’s side mirror and the union jack design on it are gorgeous, which makes not just BMW MINI fans but everyone want to purchse it.
It’s compatible with AAC/aptX codec, and has a passive woofer and 2 of 35mm anti-magnetic full rage speakers built-in to create rich bass sound. You can continuously play music for 8 hours because of the 2,200mAh lithium-ion battery.
Price: About ¥16,800
Size: W145xD100xH97mm
Weight: 340g
Maximum output: 4W+4W
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