Archive for the 'Technology' Category
Tesla Solar Roof Up for Preorder
May 10th, 2017Disclosure: I sell solar power systems in New Zealand. — Lifetime physical warranty, 30 year solar output warranty. Via: Electrek: The value of Tesla’s solar roof is closely linked to its durability and its ability to generate electricity over decades. Musk previously discussed the possibility of making the warranty last for the lifetime of the […]
Tesla Battery Researcher Claims They Doubled Lifetime of Batteries in Tesla’s Products 4 Years Ahead of Time
May 9th, 2017Update: Professor Jeff Dahn’s Talk If you have any interest in lithium ion batteries, this is very definitely worth your time. — Woh. I wonder how long it will be before Tesla slaps a 20 year warranty on their energy storage products… Via: Electrek: “In the description of the [Tesla] project that we sent to […]
Europe: How Billions Vanish Into the Security Industry Black Hole
May 9th, 2017Via: The Correspondent: The European Union spends billions on research into advanced technologies meant to make society safer. But our investigation – with 22 journalists in 11 countries – shows that the generous subsidies are mostly good for one thing: filling the coffers of the security industry.
More Robots, Fewer Jobs
May 8th, 2017Via: Bloomberg: Are you about to be replaced by a robot? The question has broad implications for the U.S. economy, especially the manufacturing sector. Industries that robotize tend to increase output. But robots can have dire consequences for workers. Two economists recently concluded that both jobs and wages fall in parts of the U.S. where […]
Unmanned U.S. Air Force Space Plane Lands After Secret, Two-Year Mission
May 7th, 2017Via: Reuters: The U.S. military’s experimental X-37B space plane landed on Sunday at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, completing a classified mission that lasted nearly two years, the Air Force said. The unmanned X-37B, which resembles a miniature space shuttle, touched down at 7:47 a.m. EDT (1147 GMT) on a runway formerly used for […]
The Military is Using Human Brain Waves to Teach Robots How to Shoot
May 6th, 2017Via: Government Executive: Modern sensors can see farther than humans. Electronic circuits can shoot faster than nerves and muscles can pull a trigger. Humans still outperform armed robots in knowing what to shoot at — but new research funded in part by the Army may soon narrow that gap. Researchers from DCS Corp and the […]
Potential for Ultrasonic Beacons to Trigger Smartphone Apps
May 4th, 2017Apparently, you have to open some app for the this to happen: The situation isn’t that worrisome, as users have to open an app with the Shopkick SDK for the beacon to be picked up. Even so, here’s another one for your already herniating Mobile Phones Are Creepy as Hell file folder. Via: Bleeping Computer: […]
Tesla Loses $13,000 Per Car Made Ahead Of Model 3 Launch
May 4th, 2017*meh* Amazon lost money for years. Now look at it. With Tesla, the Model 3 might be a make or break moment, but fear of repeating the Model X debacle was ingrained from the start. They might not blow it again. That said, having to get that new assembly line up and running from nothing […]
Even Oil Companies Say Electric Car Boom Is Coming; Oil Demand Peaks in 2020s or 2030s
May 3rd, 2017Via: Bloomberg: Electric cars are coming fast — and that’s not just the opinion of carmakers anymore. Total SA, one of the world’s biggest oil producers, is now saying EVs may constitute almost a third of new-car sales by the end of the next decade. The surge in battery powered vehicles will cause demand for […]
UN Using Ethereum Blockchain and Iris Scanning Technologies to Distribute Funds to Refugees
May 1st, 2017Via: CoinDesk: Starting today, the United Nations (UN) will begin distributing funds to thousands of people in Jordan as part of a trial using the ethereum blockchain. For the next month, cryptographically unique coupons representing an undisclosed number of Jordanian dinars will be sent to dozens of shops in five refugee camps across the nation. […]
