Hasta La Gadget!

Teething problems with Apple Maps failed to blunt mass market enthusiasm for the iPhone 5, new research suggests, with demand significantly higher than ahead of the iPhone 4S. 451 Research and ChangeWave Research surveyed 4,270 consumers in September, and found that those saying they were “very likely” to buy an iPhone 5 were almost double the number of those saying the same thing ahead of its predecessor’s release last year. Meanwhile, Windows Phone 8 could “make serious inroads in the smartphone industry” the researchers claim, surprisingly highlighting Samsung as likely to be the manufacturer that benefits the most.

While some suggested that the poor performance of Apple Maps might sour the iPhone 5′s appeal, consumers don’t appear to have reached the same conclusion. Only 3-percent of those iOS 6 users questioned said Maps presented a “very big problem” to them, while 90-percent said it was “no problem at all”; in fact, the change to the new Lightning port was more of an issue, with 6-percent saying the different connector was a “very big problem.” Only 26-percent said it was “no problem at all.”

“Despite the media attention surrounding both the Apple Maps issue and the Apple Lightning port issue, neither has had an impact on the massive numbers of buyers queuing up to buy the iPhone 5,” said Dr. Paul Carton, ChangeWave’s VP of Research. “Rather, the survey results show both issues hardly rank as bumps in the road.”

In fact, those who decided not to buy the iPhone 5 mainly did so because they were content with their existing device, according to the ChangeWave research. 61-percent said “their current cellphone is sufficient” while no respondents said it they were dissuaded because of “reported problems with Apple Maps.”

“Has Apple Maps been a problem for you?”:

As for Windows Phone 8, 2-percent of respondents said they were “very likely” to buy a phone running the OS in the future, while 7-percent said they were “somewhat likely”; integration with existing Windows apps and devices was the most cited reason for that decision, at 36-percent of the responses.

Most interestingly, though, despite Nokia and HTC being the two brands who have put the most effort into Windows Phone 8 device launches, it’s Samsung which gets most cited as the go-to manufacturer. Of the 55-percent who knew which Windows Phone 8 OEM they were likely to buy from, just over half said Samsung would be their brand of choice, with Nokia following in second place.

iPhone 5 appeal unblunted by Apple Maps says research is written by Chris Davies & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

A bit over a year ago, we talked a bit about a planet scientists had discovered that they believed was festooned with diamonds. Scientists conducting planetary research led by a team from Yale University have discovered a planet roughly twice the size of the Earth orbiting a nearby star they believed has a thick layer of diamond material. The planet is called 55 Cancri e.

The scientists say that this is the first glimpse we have had of a rocky world with a fundamentally different chemistry from the Earth. The planet is said to be extremely hot with the surface mostly composed of graphite surrounding a thick layer of diamond. The scientists believe that underneath that thick layer of diamond is a layer of silicon-based minerals and a molten iron core at the center.

The Earth’s surface is mostly covered in granite and water, this newly discovered planet is believed to be mostly covered in graphite and diamond. 55 Cancri e has a radius of twice the Earth’s and is eight times more massive putting it into the category of super-Earth. The planet is one of five that orbits a sun-like star called 55 Cancri.

The star is 40 light years from Earth and visible to the naked eye in the constellation of Cancer. The planet orbits its star a very fast speed with a year lasting only 18 hours. The surface temperature of the planet is believed to be about 3900°F. The scientists estimate that as much as a third of the planet’s mass could be diamond.

[via Yale]

Scientists believe planet twice Earth’s size orbiting nearby star is made of diamonds is written by Shane McGlaun & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

We see a lot of sleek-looking technology pass through our doors, but it’s rare that the inventions could be called beautiful by those who aren’t immersed in the gadget world. We’d venture that North Carolina State University might have crossed the divide by creating an energy storage technology that’s both practical and genuinely pretty. Its technology vaporizes germanium sulfide and cools it into 20-30 nanometer layers that, as they’re combined, turn into nanoflowers: elegant structures that might look like the carnation on a prom dress or tuxedo, but are really energy storage cells with much more capacity than traditional cells occupying the same area. The floral patterns could lead to longer-lived supercapacitors and lithium-ion batteries, and the germanium sulfide is both cheap and clean enough that it could lead to very efficient solar cells that are more environmentally responsible. As always, there’s no definite timetable for when (and if) NC State’s technology might be commercialized — so call someone’s bluff if they promise you a nanoflower bouquet.

Filed under: Science

NC State nanoflowers can boost battery and solar cell capacity, make great prom accessories originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 11 Oct 2012 20:37:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Astronomers have discovered an interesting spiral structure around the red giant star dubbed R Sculptoris. The spiral structure surrounding the pulsating red giant star was discovered using the Atacama Large Millimeter/Submillimeter Array in northern Chile. This sort of spiral structure has never been observed around a star previously.

The particular red giant in question is about 1000 light-years from Earth, and the spiral structure was spotted in an envelope of gas and dust surrounding the star. The astronomers believe that the spiral object was created from the gases that are expelled by the dying red giant star. Details about the velocity of winds blowing off R Sculptoris show that the star has expelled about three times as much of its mass as previously estimated.

Astronomers estimate from studying the spiraling expulsions from R Sculptoris that the star was shedding more mass during its thermal pulses than previously believed. The spiral formation was caused by a companion star to the red giant pushing through the layers expelled from its surface. The researchers say that elements of the spiral that were blown from the stars surface at higher velocities are more widely separated spirals.

On the other hand, the parts of the spiral there were blown off at slower speeds are more tightly packed. The intensity of the spiral shows how much mass was blown from the star in each pulse. Astronomers say that R Sculptoris is typical red giant star, and its evolution could provide a hint at what will happen to our sun in about 5 billion years.

[via Fox News]

Spiral star structure gives clues about the end of our sun’s life is written by Shane McGlaun & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Typically, when we talk about pollution, including carbon emissions, the numbers are talking about entire areas rather than specific locations. Researchers in the US have developed a new software system that is able to accurately map carbon emissions at the street level. The new system allows you to see each individual building, and the carbon emissions that it produces.

The software system is able to generate the street-level carbon mapping by combining information available from public databases with traffic simulations and energy consumption models. The researchers hope that the new software tool will help identify the most effective places to focus on for reducing carbon emissions. Scientists from Arizona State University called the system Hestia.

Other data used by the researchers to get the street-level details includes air pollution reports, traffic counts, and tax offices. One of the project leaders, Doctor Kevin Gurney, said that he and his team know the system is working because the results it produces are consistent with existing information on emissions. So far the researchers have used the software in Indianapolis and are working on mapping for Los Angeles and Phoenix.

The scientists say that not only can the new software system help cities target specific buildings or streets to reduce emissions, the software can also be used to track the benefit of changes made at specific sites. The researchers also hope that Hestia can be used to give greater credibility to carbon trading.

“Nobody buys a stock that’s ten dollars plus or minus five dollars,” said Kevin Gurney. “We have to have confidence in the numerical value of something. We have to have the same level of confidence about a unit of emissions.”

[via BBC]

Carbon emissions mapped at street level by researchers is written by Shane McGlaun & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.