Hasta La Gadget!

Facebook’s first European data center in Luleå, Sweden (near the Arctic Circle) is now online, and thus far it’s the only facility that’s exclusively using servers the company itself designed. Similar to the social network’s North Carolina complex that served as testing ground for its outdoor air-cooling configuration, the Swedish facility takes advantage of the region’s frigid winds. Excess heat produced by the machines is then routed to offices to keep employees warm in the chilly region. The firm claims the 900,000-square-foot center is powered entirely by hydroelectric energy — a source so reliable that Facebook saw it fit to scale down the number of backup generators by more than 70 percent. With an average power usage efficiency (PUE) of 1.07, the servers should consume 1.07 watts of energy for each watt they need to function pointing to minimal energy loss. Now that the Luleå installation is complete and operational, the company can focus on building its $1.5 billion megastructure (its biggest data center yet) in Altoona, Iowa.

[Image credit: Facebook]

Filed under: Misc, Internet

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Via: Ars Technica, The Register

Source: Facebook

The official Cloud Print app has finally been released on Google Play, possibly rendering the third-party apps you’ve relied on over the years superfluous. Using the standalone software will likely be a familiar affair if you’ve ever printed via mobile devices in the past. Just choose a file saved on your phone, tablet or the cloud, and it’ll make its merry way to your Cloud Print-ready device. Note that your photo or document still has to be funneled through your computer if you use a classic, wired printer. Head over to Google Play via the source link below to give Cloud Print a spin.

Filed under: Cellphones, Misc, Handhelds, Tablets, Mobile, Google

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Via: Droid Life

Source: Google Play

Monday’s much-anticipated WWDC keynote was Apple’s most crucial presentation in years. AAPL stock has fallen 37 percent over nine months. Android has grown into a monstrous competing platform, differentiating along the lines of lower cost, variety of devices and appealing operating-system features. In this sharp-elbowed environment, Apple has been widely accused of losing its innovation mojo, and of over-reaching with premium product concepts and prices, in what is increasingly viewed as a commodity tech category.

Facing an audience of developers whose businesses depend on Apple’s continued success, especially in the mobile realm, the company’s keynote mission was not only to excite buzz around new products, but to establish clarity around the company’s mission, values and key competitive advantages. Did it succeed?

Filed under: Cellphones, Desktops, Misc, Handhelds, Tablets, Apple

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Corning’s Gorilla Glass might soon step out of its phone- and tablet-filled lifestyle to explore a bigger part of the jungle. The material — used thus far to make a plethora of scratch-resistant mobile device screens — could replace some of the standard glass on car windows, according to company Senior VP Jeffrey Evenson. Speaking at MIT Technology Review’s Mobile Summit, Evenson says Gorilla Glass will reduce a vehicle’s weight and lower its center of mass. Theoretically, that means you could get better gas mileage than you would with a ride outfitted with run-of-the-mill glass. In addition, the material also acts as a noise filter, making car cabins quieter. Considering that auto manufacturers are striving to push the fuel-efficiency envelope, these claims sound like they could pan out. If you’re a see-it-to-believe-it type though, you can always wait for the first cars with Gorilla Glass windows. Evenson didn’t name a particular client, but he expects at least one high-end auto maker to start selling them within the next year.

Filed under: Cellphones, Misc, Tablets

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Source: MIT Technology Review

What DARPA does with animal test subjects behind closed doors is one thing, but here we have something else entirely: mad-scientist kits that allow anyone at home to control the movement of a real-life cockroach. Backyard Brains, the crew behind Twitter Roach, have been selling RoboRoach sets for creating cyborg insects for some time. But today, after getting as far as they can on their own, they’re seeking Kickstarter funding to improve their design and develop “educational materials” to go with it. The project will go live in the next 30 minutes or so, and pledges of $100 or more will get you a surgery kit consisting of a PCB “backpack,” battery and three sets of electrodes. The PCB pairs with mobile devices via the Bluetooth LE profile and a companion app delivers commands to the ‘roach, allowing you to steer the creature by swiping across your screen. Cough up $150 or more and they’ll send you a dozen ‘roaches to get you started.

The electrodes we mention need to be implanted into the cockroach’s antennae so directional triggers can be sent to the nerves within — effectively fooling the creature into thinking it’s hit an obstacle and needs to change course. This is where it starts to get uncomfortable. Backyard Brains are touting the RoboRoach as an educational tool, specifically stating that “this product is not a toy.” Something that’s glossed over on the Kickstarter page, however, is the allegedly painless surgery step: how you attach the electrodes to the insect. People can make their own minds up regarding the ethics of the campaign, and can start by heading to the Kickstarter source link once it goes live at 9am ET. We’ve also embedded an old tutorial video below we found on the company’s site, which demonstrates the surgery process. Be warned: there’s antenna-clipping and other mutilations involved, which make our skin crawl even more than the thought of handling the cockroaches in the first place.

Filed under: Cellphones, Misc, Robots, Wireless, Science, Alt

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Source: Kickstarter, Backyard Brains (1), (2)