Archive for the 'Technology' Category
Google Wants to Slither Into Public Transportation
June 27th, 2016Via: Guardian: Sidewalk Labs, a secretive subsidiary of Alphabet, wants to radically overhaul public parking and transportation in American cities, emails and documents obtained by the Guardian reveal. Its high-tech services, which it calls “new superpowers to extend access and mobility”, could make it easier to drive and park in cities and create hybrid public/private […]
The Fourth Amendment Does Not Apply to Your Home Computer
June 24th, 2016Via: EFF: In a dangerously flawed decision unsealed today, a federal district court in Virginia ruled that a criminal defendant has no “reasonable expectation of privacy” in his personal computer, located inside his home. According to the court, the federal government does not need a warrant to hack into an individual’s computer. … The implications […]
Inside Silicon Valley’s Robot Pizzeria
June 24th, 2016Via: Bloomberg: In the back kitchen of Mountain View’s newest pizzeria, Marta works tirelessly, spreading marinara sauce on uncooked pies. She doesn’t complain, takes no breaks, and has never needed a sick day. She works for free. Marta is one of two robots working at Zume Pizza, a secretive food delivery startup trying to make […]
Introducing SpotMini
June 23rd, 2016Via: Boston Dynamics/Google:
Doctors Issue Warning About LED Streetlights
June 22nd, 2016Why not just use warmer LEDs? I don’t know about higher output units, but I’ve replaced all of my bulbs with 10 watt LEDs that are 2700k and they’re great. They cost only NZ$9.99 each. Are high output/warm LED units more expensive than cool ones? I’ve seen some of these cool spectrum LED street lamps […]
Advanced GPS Tracking Possible for Auckland Tolling
June 22nd, 2016The system would track positions of all cars, and could enforce traffic laws. Have a nice day. Via: New Zealand Herald: The Government says GPS tracking may be used to charge drivers for using Auckland’s roads – a move which experts say is the most advanced in the world but also raises concerns about “Big […]
Tesla Offers $2.8 Billion for SolarCity
June 22nd, 2016Disclosure: I sell solar power systems in NZ. — Via: Reuters: Elon Musk on Tuesday sought to build a clean energy powerhouse as his electric car maker, Tesla Motors Inc, made an offer to buy his solar installation firm SolarCity Corp in a stock deal worth as much as $2.8 billion. Tesla shares plunged more […]
How the Internet Works
June 19th, 2016Via: Ars Technica: Have you ever thought about how that cat picture actually gets from a server in Oregon to your PC in London? We’re not simply talking about the wonders of TCP/IP or pervasive Wi-Fi hotspots, though those are vitally important as well. No, we’re talking about the big infrastructure: the huge submarine cables, […]
U.S. Orders Drones with Radiation Detectors Designed for Nuclear Emergencies
June 19th, 2016Via: Las Vegas Review Journal: Nuclear emergency responders are being trained to fly the drones and assess radioactive plumes under such scenarios as what occurred in the earthquake-triggered reactor meltdowns during the 2011 disaster at Fukushima, Japan.
NASA Unveils Plans for Electric-Powered Plane
June 17th, 2016Via: New York Times: A new experimental airplane being built by NASA could help push electric-powered aviation from a technical curiosity and pipe dream into something that might become commercially viable for small aircraft. At a conference on Friday of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics in Washington, Charles F. Bolden Jr., the NASA […]
