Dec 06
Fact: Snails fed colored paper will poop colored squiggles
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Oct 07
The natural world might be awe-inspiring, but that’s not to say that it doesn’t share similarities with the technological world that we inhabit. In fact, as biologists have come to look at creatures in closer detail, they’ve discovered that some of them have been using basics of engineering—that we now take for granted—all along. Here are five of our favorite creatures that have evolved into biological machines.
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Aug 15
Amazon has given its Silk browser for Kindle Fire a massive UI overhaul: it’s now neater and easier
Posted in: Today's ChiliAmazon has given its Silk browser for Kindle Fire a massive UI overhaul: it’s now neater and easier to navigate.
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Aug 14
Amazon made a big deal out of the Silk browser when it launched, but we’ve heard little about this particular brainchild after that. Now, nearly a year after the Trending Now section was introduced, the company has unleashed its first major update. We’re talking about a complete redesign that begins with a mini-tutorial the moment you launch the updated browser. Opening a tab brings its new start page populated with your most visited websites and address bar. The bookmarks and browsing history that used to live here? They’ve shifted to a menu section in the hidden left panel. Speaking of bookmarks, you can now view them in either list or grid forms; if you decide to fire up a few URLs, the updated tabs’ more rounded design could make switching between them easier. A smattering of other interface and under-the-hood changes also come with the new Silk — the question is: will they be enough to push it past the remaining mobile browser contenders?
Filed under: Tablets, Internet, Amazon
Via: TechCrunch
Source: Amazon Silk
Apr 26
Most of your exposure to silk probably comes in the form of uncomfortably sensual linens or cobwebs in a dusty old closet. In reality, though, silk is an incredible and overlooked material. While it may have roots in the ancient past, it could also form the building blocks of the future. More »
Feb 06
Oct 18
Scientists at the Tufts School of Engineering and at the University of Illinois have created simple electronic devices that harmlessly dissolve after a set period of time. The scientists call their invention transient electronics, devices which could have a huge impact on medical devices and on the environment in general. Future computers could melt in your mouth and in your hand. Or anywhere else for that matter.
The devices were made using silicon components that are only “tens of nanometers thick.” These components are then encased in sheets of silk protein. This silk casing can be tweaked to determine the lifespan of the device, and the scientists say the range could be anywhere from minutes to years. Here’s a short video showing how these circuits could dissolve in water.
This breakthrough could lead to medical devices that can be safely left in a patient’s body (and eventually decompose) as well as consumer devices that eventually dissolve instead of piling up in landfills.
Sep 12
Skype promising CD quality sound from new ‘Opus’ audio codec, fewer choppy calls
Posted in: Today's Chili 
Skype‘s got a new audio codec that it thinks you should be pumped about, and it’s called “Opus.” It’s been kicked around at Skype since March 2009, though work didn’t begin in earnest until June of the same year, and it was just certified by the IETF as a standard of online audio. Senior Skype architect Koen Vos lead a team of audio engineers to create the hybrid audio codec, combining Skype’s own “SILK” codec with Xiph.Org’s “CELT” codec, intending to create a low-bandwidth codec “designed for the internet.” But what does that mean for us? It means “CD quality” audio (fullband stereo sound) over Skype, regardless of internet connection. And what about those pesky packet loss issues that cause Skype calls to often sound choppy? “It has multiple mechanics to deal with and recover from packet loss plaguing the network,” promises audio/video product engineering director Karlheinz Wurm. So … uh, less of a chance of sounding like an Autobot then? Great!
Wurm says the new codec “will make a quiet but crystal clear entry into the world” without naming exactly when. And yes, Opus is expected to become standard across all Skype platforms. What’s that, you want to watch a 45 minute speech about Opus? We’ve got you covered, just below the break.
Continue reading Skype promising CD quality sound from new ‘Opus’ audio codec, fewer choppy calls
Filed under: Networking, Software, Mobile
Skype promising CD quality sound from new ‘Opus’ audio codec, fewer choppy calls originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 12 Sep 2012 11:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Sep 07
Amazon Silk browser on Kindle Fire tracks page visits to generate trends, isn’t as spooky as it sounds (update: opt-out exists)
Posted in: Today's Chili 
When you pick up that new Kindle Fire HD this fall, one of the first things you’ll notice is an updated version of Amazon’s Silk web browser with a Trending Now section. It’s a clever trick that takes advantage of Silk’s server-based caching to find out what sites are popular among owners. That sounds good on the surface, but it doesn’t take much effort to realize that there are privacy concerns already in the air — Amazon is sharing personal web habits with a wider audience, after all. While the section is unlikely to include any identifying information, there’s no immediate sign that tablet owners can keep their behavior private, and that could create some indignation among those who’d prefer to surf in isolation. We’ve asked Amazon if there will be an opt-out escape hatch and will let you know if there’s a definitive answer. In the meantime, we wouldn’t necessarily worry. Silk shouldn’t be caching your e-mail, and it’s only likely to ever show pages that have far more traffic than anything you’d be embarrassed to show to others. As far as we can tell, your secret knitting obsession should be safe.
Update: A spokesperson has confirmed that the option to disable Silk’s caching is still available, and that switching it off will cut you out of Trending Now; that’s a very all-or-nothing approach, but it’ll likely suit those put off by the browser’s predictive approach in the first place. Secure pages are still out of the picture as well, which should keep those private Twitter messages out of the equation.
Filed under: Tablets, Internet
Amazon Silk browser on Kindle Fire tracks page visits to generate trends, isn’t as spooky as it sounds (update: opt-out exists) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 07 Sep 2012 14:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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