This is default featured slide 1 title

Go to Blogger edit html and find these sentences.Now replace these sentences with your own descriptions.This theme is Bloggerized by Lasantha Bandara - Premiumbloggertemplates.com.

This is default featured slide 2 title

Go to Blogger edit html and find these sentences.Now replace these sentences with your own descriptions.This theme is Bloggerized by Lasantha Bandara - Premiumbloggertemplates.com.

This is default featured slide 3 title

Go to Blogger edit html and find these sentences.Now replace these sentences with your own descriptions.This theme is Bloggerized by Lasantha Bandara - Premiumbloggertemplates.com.

This is default featured slide 4 title

Go to Blogger edit html and find these sentences.Now replace these sentences with your own descriptions.This theme is Bloggerized by Lasantha Bandara - Premiumbloggertemplates.com.

This is default featured slide 5 title

Go to Blogger edit html and find these sentences.Now replace these sentences with your own descriptions.This theme is Bloggerized by Lasantha Bandara - Premiumbloggertemplates.com.

quinta-feira, 31 de julho de 2014

For $99, You Can Now Get a Quad-Core 3G Windows 8.1 Tablet





A Few Weeks Ago, the 1st Ultra-Low-Cost Windows 8.1 Tablet Stepped into the Limelight at Computex. Created in Collaboration with Microsoft and Intel, the Emdoor EM-i8080 Wasn't Exactly a Mobile Powerhouse but, it did Have One Major Selling Point: its $100 Price Tag. Since Microsoft Announced its Decision to Waive its OS Licensing Fees on Phones and Small Tablets, Many More Companies Have XoZeN to Dip their Toes into the Windows Waters and the Latest to do so is China's Kingsing.


The Company already Sells a Range of Affordable Android Handsets but, it has Now Shown Off its 1st Windows Tablet, the W8, which will Go on Sale for just $99, as GizmoChina Reports. Like the Emdoor Device, the W8 has Specs Appropriate to its Low Cost. That Means you'll Get a Quad-Core 1.8GHz Intel Bay Trail-T Processor and 1GB of RAM, along with 16GB of Onboard Storage and an SD Card Slot. You'll also Find an 8-Inch IPS LCD Screen with 1280 x 800px Resolution and there are Front and Rear 2MP Cameras too, as well as, Stereo Speakers.


The Device Isn't Too Chunky at 10mm-Thick and Even Features 3G Connectivity (with Support for GSM, CDMA and TD-SCDMA), along with 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, microUSB and microHDMI Ports and a 4500mAh Battery. It Even includes Windows 8.1 with Bing, Rather than the More Functionally Limited Windows RT. Not Bad at All for $99. It's Not Clear Yet Whether or Not the Device will Go on Sale Outside of China but, One Thing's for Sure - we're Going to be Seeing Plenty More Low-Cost Windows Tablets in the Weeks and Months Ahead.




Info Source:

http://www.gizmochina.com/2014/07/27/kingsing-w8-the-worlds-cheapest-windows-tablet

http://www.winbeta.org/news/kingsing-w8-8-inch-quad-core-first-sub-100-windows-8-tablet



"F1 2014" & "F1 2015" Revealed + "F1 2014" Announcement Trailer / New Shots













CodeMasters Announces the Roadmap for their Formula One Series of Racing Games, Saying "F1 2014" will Come to Windows, XBox 360 and PlayStation 3 on October 17 and also Revealing Plans for a 2015 Installment in the Series to Follow for Windows, XBox One and PlayStation 4. They Offer this Announcement Trailer below and Some Screenshots above, Showing Off "F1 2014" and Say the Game that Follows will Hopefully Not be so Late in the Year, in Spite of How it Moves the Series Forward. “Our title for the new generation formats will mark a huge step forward for the F1 series", Explained Creative Director Stephen Hood. "We want to be out there earlier in the season and deliver new season content updates digitally as the 2015 season progresses; it’s very exciting for the series and our players."




Here's Word on Both Games:


"F1 2014 is the culmination of five years of experience developing officially licensed, award-winning FORMULA 1 video games and delivers fans the most accessible experience yet. F1 2014 will incorporate this season’s seismic rule changes – the most significant in the sport’s 60 year history – including new aerodynamic regulations and turbocharged power units. All but two teams have changed their driver line-ups and new circuits have been added to the roster. Players will experience how 2014’s radically different new cars feel to drive as the season’s cars, circuits and teams are authentically represented. F1 2014 also delivers a range of enhancements to create the most accessible FORMULA 1 video game from Codemasters to date.

A new driver evaluation system quickly identifies player ability and tunes game settings to an appropriate level, whilst re-graded difficulty settings enable players to compete at incrementally higher levels as they become more experienced. Experienced gamers, who enjoy a more serious simulation of the demands placed upon FORMULA ONE™ drivers, can customise their settings to provide a true challenge. In 2015, Codemasters will introduce a new FORMULA 1 title for PlayStation 4, XBox One and PC. The title will launch earlier in the FORMULA ONE season and players will receive digital updates for the game as the 2015 FIA FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP™ unfolds, enabling players to compete against the drivers and teams they watch week in and week out. “This is the year it all changes – for the sport and for the game,” explained Stephen Hood, Creative Director for the F1 series at Codemasters. “There’s been a dramatic shift in the sport; the largest shake up in the rules and regulations for a very long time and the new power units provide a very different kind of challenge, for both driver and team. By delivering all of these changes, F1 2014 will make for an exciting and refreshingly different experience. Additionally, with the new driver evaluation system analysing each player’s skill level and suggesting appropriate game settings, plus re-graded difficulty levels including a brand new Very Easy setting, we aim to deliver a thoroughly rewarding F1 experience for players of all abilities, from the novice to the seasoned pro.”"




Here's the Announcement Gameplay Trailer for "F1 2014" :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w491OWFwBWw


Trailer #2 for Christopher Nolan's, "Interstellar"




The Latest Look at Christopher Nolan's Sci-Fi Epic "Interstellar", Goes Farther into Space, Tracing the Outline of the Project More than its Initial Teaser. The Videoclip Begins with Matthew McConaughey Soul-Searching about Humanity's Place in the Universe before relatively Quick Shots Show the Space-Based Scenes. The Rest of the Videoclip Mostly Revolves around the Blastoff of the Shuttle, though there's Some Intriguing 2001: A Space Odyssey Imagery that Gets a Quick First Look. Paramount has been Slowly Teasing "Interstellar" since the 1st Trailer Broke Last Year but, Things have been Picking Up Steam in the Past Few Days. Nolan Surprised Fans in San Diego Last Week with an Appearance at Comic-Con and the Movie just Debuted a Complex Interactive Site. That Said, this is still Christopher Nolan and the Filmmaker is Undoubtedly Keeping Plenty of Secrets Under Wraps before the Film Hits Cinemas on November 7th.




Here's the 2nd Trailer for "Interstellar" :






Info Source:

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/new-trailer-debuts-christopher-nolans-722320

Runtastic's "Orbit" Band, is a Fitness Tracker that Doubles as a Running Watch

If you've Heard of Runtastic, it Probably Means you're Something of a Jock: The Company Got its Start Building Running Apps for Tracking your Distance, Pace, etc. For the Past 2 Years, though, it's been Making All Sorts of Gear to Go with it, including a GPS Watch, Armband, Heart-Rate Monitor, Speed Sensor, Bike Mount and Even a Wi-Fi Scale. Now, the Company's Rounding Out its Collection with Something Super Obvious: a Fitness Tracker. The "Orbit", as it's Called, does All the Things you'd Expect a Fitness Band to do: Track your Steps, Calorie Burn, Sleep Patterns. It's Waterproof Up to 300 Feet, Meaning you Can Use this for Swimming, in Addition to Jogging. It Vibrates to Wake you Up in the Morning and When you've been Inactive for Too Long. And, like Competing Devices, it Uses Bluetooth Smart to Wirelessly Sync your Data with either an Android or iOS App.


Thanks to that Low-Power Radio Inside, Battery Life is Rated for 7 Days. So Far, so Familiar. What Makes the "Orbit" Slightly Different, though, is that, in Addition to being a Fairly Generic Fitness Tracker, it Doubles as a Basic Running Watch. Once you Sync the Device to the Runtastic App, you Can Use the Small Screen on the Band to View Key Stats like your Distance, Current Pace and so on. And though the Display is so Small that it Only Shows One Line of Text at a Time, you Can Press a Button on the Device to Cycle through Different Metrics. It's a Neat Feature for Folks Who would Normally Run with their Smartphone and Who already Use an App to Track their Distance. (In this Case, of Course, you'd Have to Use Runtastic, specifically.) Of Course, if you already Own a Dedicated Sports Watch, this Feature will be of Little Use. Other than that, the Most Distinguishing Thing about the "Orbit" Might actually be the Application itself. Which Makes Sense: This is the Company's Specialty. In Addition to Compiling All your Data into Pretty Graphs, the Standalone Runtastic Me App Can Make Recommendations Based on your Goals and Based on What's Worked for Other People. So, if your Goal were to Have 25% Body Fat, Runtastic could Tap into the Habits of Other People Who are already that Lean.



In Addition, the "Orbit" has an Ambient Light Sensor, which Means if the Company Wanted to, it Could Later Add Things like Sunscreen Reminders, depending on How Much Time you've Sent in the Sun. Finally, the App lets you Log your Mood but, More than Anything, this just Seems like a Gimmick. The "Orbit" is Available Today for $119, with the Free Runtastic Me App Available on iTunes and Google Play. As it Happens, that's Slightly Expensive for a Fitness Tracker (the Fitbit Flex, for instance, Costs $100) but, there's also More in the Box: 2 One-Size-Fits All Band in 2 Different Colors, plus a Detachable Clip you Can Use to Fasten the Device to your Clothes. There are also 6 Additional Colors you Can Buy Separately, in Case the Standard Black and Blue Bands Aren't Doing it for you. Hopefully we'll Test One Ourselves at Some Point but, in the Meantime, we've Added Device Photos and Screenshots so that, you Have a Better Idea of What you're Getting here.



Sony Makes Money on Movies and Games but Not on Smartphones

It Wasn't Long Ago that Sony, Almost Inexplicably for a Company of its Size and Heritage, was Losing Money Everywhere it Went. After a Few Years of Pain, however, Things Have Begun to Look Up, with the Company Posting a 1st Quarter Net Profit of Around $265 Million. The Bulk of the Good News Comes from the PlayStation 4 and Sony Pictures, the Company's Film and TV Arm that Benefited from the Successes of The Amazing Spider-Man 2 and 22 Jump Street. The Only Sore Point on the Company's Financials is that, its Mobile Division Continued to See Sales of Xperia Handsets Drop -- a Loss that Even Managed to Offset a Favorable Bump in the Exchange Rate. The Corporation is still Predicting that, it'll Eat Around $487 Million in Losses across the Year so, Don't be Surprised if Someone Greenlights 23 Jump Street in the Next Couple of Weeks.




Info Source:

http://www.sony.net/SonyInfo/IR/financial/fr/14q1_sony.pdf



"The Sims 4", Emotions Trailer




A New Trailer from "The Sims 4", Shows How you Can Influence the Emotions of your Sims, just as if it was Real Life (and if you were a Horrible Manipulative Person). The Videoclip is Suitably Sims Odd, with One Example Showing a Sim Staying "Focused" by Cheating at Chess. This is Not the Only Example of a Vulcan's Understanding of this Topic, as Besides Actual Emotions, they include States like Playfulness, Boredom, Energized, Dazed, Flirty, Uncomfortable and More. No Sims Remained Unharmed in the Making of this Video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnuLPbtNqyI


Where "Crytek" Stands

"Crytek Share New Details on their Plans for the Future" is an Announcement from the German Publisher / Developer on Where Things Stand Following Today's News that Deep Silver has Bought the Homefront IP. The Update Talks of Transferring Development of HUNT: Horrors of the Gilded Age from their Austin Studio to Frankfurt, Saying the Staff Remaining in Austin will be Maintaining the CRYENGINE Support Team to Assist North American Licensees. An Unconfirmed Report on Kotaku Says that, Crytek USA's Senior Management actually Departed Last Week because they Weren't Being Paid.




Here's Where Things currently Stand according to Crytek:


"The internal restructuring will also see the development of Crytek IP, "HUNT: Horrors of the Gilded Age", transferred from their studio in Austin, USA to Frankfurt. Crytek will retain a presence in Austin, with several staff members maintaining the CRYENGINE support team to assist North American licensees. Employees who are not set to be part of that support team will be invited to apply for new positions at Crytek in Germany. Crytek founder and CEO, Cevat Yerli, said: "As we look to cement Crytek's future, this strategic deal with Koch Media would allow us to continue with our ambitious goals to become an online publisher. With Warface, Arena of Fate and HUNT, we believe we have the perfect portfolio and teams to make that happen. We would like to thank all our staff – past and present – in both Nottingham and Austin for their contributions to the company, and we wish all the very best to anyone who may no longer be under the Crytek banner moving forward".   Crytek's studios in Budapest, Istanbul, Kiev and Sofia will continue to operate as usual. A closer collaboration between Crytek’s studios in Shanghai and Seoul is under review."




Info Sources:

http://www.crytek.com/news/crytek-share-new-details-on-their-plans-for-the-future

http://kotaku.com/sources-crytek-usas-leadership-quit-last-week-1613456108



The "PLAYSTATION NOW" Open Beta, Begins Today in North America

The "PLAYSTATION Now" Open Beta Begins Today for All North American PS4 Owners and the Service's Senior Director, Jack Buser, Divulged Some Details to »XoZeN« during a Recent Interview. As Has been Mentioned Previously, Sony is Looking into Offering a Flat Subscription Fee Model for its upcoming "PLAYSTATION Now" Game Streaming Service in Addition to the a la Carte Pricing currently Seen in the Private Beta. "We're working diligently to bring a subscription option to gamers to compliment our rental offering for PlayStation Now", Said Buser. "We believe that offering both of these options would provide gamers the freedom to discover and play games in ways that weren't before possible."


Buser Couldn't Offer Concrete Details about When such an Option Might Become Available and was Careful to Note that Nothing was Set in Stone. Pricing for "PLAYSTATION Now" Rentals as they Exist Now are still in Flux, with Buser Stating that, they'll be Looking at Feedback from Users throughout the Beta Process. Some Games will be Offered at a Rental Price as Low as $1.99 - One Dollar Lower than the Current Lowest Price in the Private Beta. Buser also Mentioned that, a "Rent-to-Buy" Solution is also Being Considered but, that with the Service still Being in its Early Days, it's Simply Too Soon to Tell.


"PLAYSTATION Now" is already Receiving a Healthy Level of Publisher Support, with 50 Companies Committing to Make their Games Available for the Service. Buser also Let us Know that 100 Games would be Available at the Start of Open Beta and that, New Games would be Added over Time. Be Sure to Stay Tuned to »XoZeN« for New Game Announcements as we Learn about Them.



quarta-feira, 30 de julho de 2014

"HealthTap Prime" Lets You Video Call a Doctor, Whatever the Hour




Unless you're Rich, Run a Hospital or Have Medical Professionals in the Family, it's Not Likely that you Have Instant Access to a Doctor Whenever you Need. That's Why HealthTap is Joining the Growing Field of Telemedicine Apps that, for a Monthly Fee, will Let you Video Chat with Specialists as and When you Require. "HealthTap Prime" will Cost you $100 per Month for the First Person, with Each Additional Person in the Family Requiring a $10 Monthly Surcharge. There Doesn't Appear to be Any Limits on How Many Times you Can Contact a Doctor with the Service but, if you Didn't Stop Calling to Ask if Something Looked Infected, then Expect to Land on Some Sort of Blacklist. ;-)




Info Sources:

https://www.healthtap.com

http://vimeo.com/101961672


Square's New Chip Card Reader, Will Make Your Payments More Secure

There's a Good Reason you Don't Usually See Square Readers Outside of the US: they're Built to Read Payment Cards with Magnetic Stripes, Not the More Secure Chip-and-PIN Cards that are Common Everywhere Else. All that's Set to Change, however. Square has Revealed Plans for a Reader that Accepts the Chip-Based EMV Format alongside Stripes, Letting Shops Handle Credit and Debit Cards from Around the World (and the US, Once it Catches Up). The Company will Only Start Taking Pre-Orders for the Payment Device Later in 2014 but, it Could be Worthwhile for Stores and Customers alike. Besides the Greater Availability, it's Much Harder to Clone a Chip Card -- you Shouldn't Have to Worry about an Unscrupulous Clerk (or a Clever Hacker) Stealing your Credit Card and Going on a Shopping Spree.




Info Sources:

https://squareup.com/news/releases/2014/emv

https://squareup.com/emv



VIDEO: Modbook Will Let You Convert Your Retina MacBook Pro to a Tablet for $1,999






Modbook, the Company behind those Aftermarket Apple Tablets, just Launched a Kickstarter Campaign for its Latest Product, the "Modbook Pro X". After Paying a Pre-Order Price of $1,999 Today, Backers will be Able to Convert their Own Retina MacBook Pros into a Tablet Beginning Early Next Year. The Conversion Incorporates the Laptop's Original Hardware, with Components Shifted from the Lower Half of the Computer to just Behind the 15.4-Inch 2,880 x 1,800-Pixel LCD. The "Modbook Pro X" Supports Pen Input with 2,048 Pressure Levels, along with Tilt and Rotate Functionality.


You Can also Interact with the Device Using the Rear-Mounted Shortcut Keys or the Detachable Keyboard Stand, Both of which will be Available for an Additional Cost. And, since your Apple Warranty Won't be Valid, you Can Purchase a 3-Year Warranty through Modbook, which Provides Complete Coverage for the 1st Year Free of Charge. If you'd Prefer to Avoid Supplying your Own MacBook, you'll also be Able to Pre-Order a Complete Device from $3,999 and Up, Depending on the Model.




Info Sources:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/modbook/modbook-pro-x-154-retina-quad-core-mac-os-x-tablet

http://kck.st/1obCzw4


Google's 64-Bit Chrome Browser for Windows, is Now Available in Beta

If you've Wanted to Try the 64-Bit Version of Chrome for Windows 7 and 8 but, Have been Skittish about the Flakiness of Very Early Builds, your Moment has Come -- Google has Released a Beta of its Beefed-Up Browser. As with the Canary and Developer Editions, this More Reliable Software Makes Full Use of Modern Computing Power to Both Speed Up Web Page Rendering and Tighten Security. The Code still Isn't Complete so, Don't be Surprised if there are a Few Hiccups. However, a Beta Means that, a Truly Stable 64-Bit Browser is Likely just Weeks Away. Even if you're Not Willing to Throw Caution to the Wind, it Won't be Long before you Can Give Chrome's Big Upgrade a Spin.




Info Source:

http://googlechromereleases.blogspot.com/2014/07/announcing-chrome-64-bit-beta-channel.html



Get a Behind the Scenes Look at Google's Self-Driving Car this Friday

If you've Been Itchin' for More Information on Mountain View's Compact Self-Driving Car, you're in Luck. At 11 A.M. PT / 2 P.M. ET this Friday (August 1st), Google is Hosting a Live Hangout as the Folks from Make, Take a Behind the Scenes Look at the Project for its Summer Camp Series. The So-Called 'Field Trip' is Said to Have a Gander at How the Vehicles Work and Provide an Update on Recent Developments. Those Who Plan on Tuning in, Can Submit Specific Queries in Advance for the Q&A Session but Even, if you Don't Plan on Posing a Question, Taking an Early (or Late) Lunch, Seems like a Solid Choice.




Info Source:

https://plus.google.com/u/0/+googleplus/posts/JGh29X2g7w1



Is "Snapchat" Really Worth $10 Billion ?

While Competitors are Busy Cloning "Snapchat" in an Attempt to Replicate its Success, Evan Spiegel and Co. Have Continued to Forge their Own Path. The Company is already Experimenting with New Features in an Attempt to Generate Revenue but, it's also Apparently Talking to Some Big Hitters to Ensure it Can Keep Growing until those Profits Come. According to Bloomberg, "Snapchat" is Currently in Talks over a New Round of Funding with Investors, which include Yahoo-Backed, Alibaba, that if Confirmed, Could Value the Company at an Incredible $10 Billion.


It's a Significant Figure, Not Only because it Puts it on Par with Both Dropbox and Airbnb but, it's Around 3 Times the Amount Mark Zuckerberg's Facebook is Rumored to Have Offered to Acquire the Company Last Year. Not Bad for a Service that's Known Mostly for Evaporating Text and Photo Messages. "Snapchat" is Understandably Keeping Quiet about its Latest Round of Talks and the Figures Could Well Change before the Funding Closes. Regardless of What Happens, it Appears "Snapchat's" Decision to Hold Out and Grow the Service was the Right One.




Info Source:

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-07-30/snapchat-said-in-funding-talks-with-alibaba-at-10-billion-value.html



"1Password" Log-Ins are Coming to 3rd-Party iOS Apps




The Popular Log-In Repository "1Password", is about to Get a Lot More Useful on iOS Devices. AgileBits has Revealed an Extension for Using the Add-On in 3rd-Party iOS Apps -- if the Developer Chooses to Build in Support. Thanks to the Enhanced Security Measures Taken by Apple's Pending Mobile OS Update, the Option Can be Included and Doesn't Require you to Go Elsewhere in Order to Sort your Passwords in Standalone Apps. Of Course, this is in Addition to "1Password's" Own Built-In Browser that Currently included and Touch ID is Leveraged to Access the Secured Vault of Username Credentials. "1Password" for iOS is a $18 Purchase and we're Not Holding our Breath for Similar Functionality to Arrive on the Android Version Anytime Soon (although on Android 'LastPass' has a Similar Feature for Logging into Apps).




While you Wait for your Favourite Software to Opt in, there's a Handy Demo in GIF, below:



What Happens if You Get Hit by the Main Beam of a Particle Accelerator Like the LHC ?

I Don’t Know about you but, Ever since I Started Covering the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) and Other Large-Scale Particle Accelerators for »XoZeN«, I’ve Always Morbidly Wondered: What Would Happen if a Scientist was Accidentally Hit by the Main Particle Beam ? Would the Scientist Explode in the Style of Beam Weapons in Star Trek ? Would the Beam Bore a Hole Clean through the Scientist’s Chest ? Or Maybe the Beam would do Nothing at All and Pass through the Scientist Harmlessly ? Well, Fortunately (Unfortunately ?) we Don’t Have to Guess, as this Exact Scenario actually Happened to Anatoli Bugorski, a Russian Scientist, Way Back in 1978. Back in the 1970s, Anatoli Bugorski was a Researcher at the Soviet Union’s Institute for High Energy Physics. The Institute Housed the U-70, a Synchrotron that When it was Built was the Most Powerful Particle Accelerator in the World (it’s still the Most Powerful Accelerator in Russia Today). The U-70 Smashes 2 Beams of Protons Together at a Combined Energy of Around 76 GeV, at a Speed that Gets Very Close to the Speed of Light. On July 13, 1978, Bugorski was Checking a Malfunction on the U-70… and then Somehow his Head Ended Up in the Path of the Main Proton Beam.


The Beam Entered his Skull on the Back Left and Came Out Near the Left Side of his Nose. Sources Seem to Disagree on How Much Ionizing Radiation Bugorski actually Took to the Head but, Some Say it was as High as 2,000-3,000 Grays (200,000-300,000 Rads). In any Case, the Beam Would’ve been More than Strong Enough to Burn a Hole through the Bone, Skin and Brain Tissue. At the Time, Bugorski Reported Seeing a Flash that was “Brighter than a Thousand Suns” but, Otherwise Didn’t Feel any Pain. Over the Next Few Days, the Left Side of his Head Swelled Up “Beyond Recognition” and then his Skin Started Peeling Off. Bugorski was Moved to Moscow, Where Doctors Avidly Observed his Expected Demise — but, Curiously Enough, he Survived. The Left Side of his Face is Paralyzed (Due to Nerve Damage), his Left Ear is Shot (All he Can Hear is an “Unpleasant Internal Noise”) and he Occasionally Suffers from Seizures but, Otherwise Bugorski was Relatively Unscathed by the Accident. He Went on to Complete his PhD — and he’s still Alive Today. Slightly Anticlimactic, eh ? Well, if it’s any Consolation, Bugorski probably Got Incredibly Lucky that the Proton Beam (apparently) Missed any Vital Parts of his Brain.


If it had Hit the Hippocampus, Motor Cortex, or the Frontal Lobe, this Story Wouldn’t Have had a Very Happy Ending. Likewise, it’s probably Lucky that, the Beam Hit his Brain — which has the Remarkable Ability to Rewire itself When such Disasters Occur — Rather than Some Other Vital Organ. If the Beam Had Sliced through his Heart, or an Artery in his Neck, he probably Would’ve Died Instantly. It’s also Important to Note that, the Beam from a Particle Accelerator is Very Narrow (the More Focused the Beam is, the Higher the Chance of Collisions with Protons in the Other Beam). Only a Small Patch of Hair is Missing from Bugorski’s Scalp, suggesting the Beam only Fried Quite a Narrow Channel of Brain Tissue. In Much the Same Way that you Could Pass a Very Thin Hypodermic Needle through Someone without Causing Too Much Damage, a Particle Beam probably Isn’t Going to Carve a Comically Large Cylinder through the Victim’s Chest. A Dosage of between 2,000 and 3,000 Grays, if it was Effectively Absorbed by the Human Body (i.e. Sieverts), Would usually be More than Enough to Cause Acute Radiation Sickness and Death.


In this Case, though, the Beam was so Focused that, it just Passed Straight through his Body; if it Had been More Scattered and Fried a Wider Smattering of Cells, Bugorski would Certainly Have Died. Finally, though, it’s Worth Noting that, the Russian U-70 is a Very Weak Particle Accelerator by Today’s Standards. When the Large Hadron Collider Comes Back Online in 2015, it’ll Have a Proton-Proton Collision Energy of around 14 TeV — or about 200 Times More Power than the U-70′s 67 GeV. Despite its High Energy, though, we’re still Only Talking about a Beam of Protons that’s a Few Millimeters Wide — and of Course there are All Sorts of Security Measures that Would Prevent a CERN Scientist from Ever Being Hit by the LHC’s Main Beam. If those Safety Mechanisms Failed and the Superconducting Magnets that Keep the Beam Focused and on Target were on the Fritz, then Maybe you’d End Up with a Proton Beam that Moved Around Enough to Slice a Scientist into Pieces. It’s a Long Shot, though.



Former NSA Director Will File “at Least” 9 Patents to Detect Malicious Hackers

In an Interview Monday with Former National Security Agency (NSA) Director General, Keith B. Alexander, Foreign Policy's Shane Harris Learned that, Alexander Plans to File “at Least” 9 Patent Applications — "and Possibly More" — Pertaining to Technology for Detecting Network Intruders. Alexander Left his Government Post in Early 2014 and Went on to Co-Found a Private Company, IronNet Cybersecurity Inc., with Unnamed Business Partners. Alexander Said that, these Business Partners Helped him Create the “Unique” Method for Detecting Hackers that, he Plans to Patent. Of Course, Alexander Himself had Unparalleled Access to Classified Security Operations from 2005, When he Took Charge of the NSA, to 2014, When he Retired.


Since Starting IronNet, Alexander has been Peddling his Consulting Services to Major Corporations, Especially those in the Financial Industry and has Quoted Fees of Up to $1 Million per Month. That Astronomical Number Drew at Least One Federal Representative to Suggest that, Alexander Might be Disclosing or Misusing Classified Information. Presumably, Alexander's Expensive Consulting will include Access to IronNet's Future Patented Technology, which will Cover “a system to detect so-called advanced persistent threats, or hackers who clandestinely burrow into a computer network in order to steal secrets or damage the network itself”, Foreign Policy Reported. Alexander Specified to the Magazine that, IronNet's Technology is Unique because, it Uses “Behavioral Models” to Anticipate a Hacker's Next Moves.


Still, “one former national security official with decades of experience in security technology and who asked to remain anonymous, said the behavioral-model approach is highly speculative and has never been used successfully”, Foreign Policy Wrote. Nevertheless, Alexander Said that, he Hopes to Finish Testing his System in September and has already Signed Contracts with 3 Customers. Alexander Reportedly Filed 7 Patents while at the NSA, of which 4 are still Pending. We were Unable to Turn Up Any of the 3 Approved Patents, Possibly because, Patents Can be Kept Secret from the Public if Disclosure is Considered to be “detrimental to the national security”.


The Former NSA Director Said that, he Consulted with Lawyers at the NSA, as well as, his Own Private Lawyers, to be Sure that None of his Forthcoming Patents Relied on Work Done by the NSA. A Source Familiar with Alexander Told Foreign Policy that, “the former director developed this new technology on his private time and that he addressed any potential infractions before deciding to seek his patents”. But, Alexander's Unique Position and Status during his Time at the NSA Suggests that, Clients Might be More Susceptible to an Up-Sell that Could Pad Alexander's Pocketbooks Quite a Bit.




Info Sources:

http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2014/07/29/the_crypto_king_of_the_NSA_goes_corporate_keith_alexander_patents

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-06-20/ex-nsa-chief-pitches-advice-on-cyber-threats-to-the-banks.html

http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/35/181



"Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare" Collector's Editions Revealed + "Campaign Story" Trailer




A New Campaign Story Trailer from "Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare" Introduces the Role of the Military Industrial Complex in the upcoming Installment in the Military Shooter Series. Word is: "With nations brought to their knees by a global terrorist attack, the world turns to Atlas, the largest private military company on the planet. Power, though, changes everything". Also, Activision Announces Details on 3 Different Collector's Editions of "Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare", an Atlas Pro Edition, an Atlas Limited Edition and an Atlas Digital Pro Edition, the 1st 2 of which are Now Available for Preorder (Link at the Info Source below).




This Involves a Dizzying Combination of Options so, Feel Free to Study the Details in Chunks:

"- Inspired by the Atlas Corporation, the Leading Private Military Corporation (PMC) in 2054 and lead by the influential Jonathan Irons, the Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare Atlas Limited Edition features an extensive array of both digital and physical content, including a bonus multiplayer map Atlas Gorge, a collectible SteelBook™, the Welcome to Atlas: Advanced Soldier Manual, and the Atlas Digital Content Pack, a collection of digital content that includes an Atlas-themed exoskeleton, Atlas-themed weaponry, and more. (SRP $79.99)

- Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare Atlas Pro Edition is the ultimate package, including everything available in the Atlas Limited Edition version (bonus multiplayer map Atlas Gorge, the collectible SteelBook™, the Welcome to Atlas: Advanced Soldier Manual, and the Atlas Digital Content Pack), as well as the Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare Season Pass featuring four action-packed DLC Map Packs*, each delivering a collection of Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare multiplayer content and more (SRP $119.99)

- Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare Atlas Digital Pro Edition is perfect for fans that prefer to access all of their content digitally. The Atlas Digital Pro Edition includes all of the same bold digital content as the Atlas Pro Edition, including the Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare Season Pass, bonus multiplayer map Atlas Gorge, and the Atlas Digital Content Pack. Also included with this version is the Atlas Digital Edition Personalization Pack, with more details to be revealed soon. (SRP $99.99)


All three versions include the following:

- Atlas Gorge Bonus Multiplayer Map - Atlas Gorge re-envisions the fan-favorite Call of Duty® 4: Modern Warfare® map, Pipeline, re-imagined for the new Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare exoskeleton abilities. The Atlas Corporation has commandeered the world's largest power source, the Three Gorges Dam in central China, creating a gripping setting for a multiplayer battle. Combatants will navigate the shadows and control a map-based turret scorestreak that overlooks the dam and helps to keep enemies at bay, all while leveraging new abilities and tactics enabled by exoskeleton technology, such as vertical combat, new sightlines and strategic vantage points.

- Atlas Digital Content Pack - Atlas Corporation-themed, in-game content including:

------ Two (2) Weapons - The Bal-27 AE Assault Rifle and the Atlas 45 AE Pistol: Trick out your loadout with these two sleek weapons fitted with an Atlas Corporation theme to match your other custom content. 

------ Atlas Exoskeleton: Strike fear into competition with your PMC-issued, white, red & black custom Atlas exoskeleton and ensure opponents remember who took them out.

------ Atlas Helmet: A state-of-the-art custom Atlas helmet.

------ Atlas Player Card: Leave your mark on any killcam with an Atlas player card, featuring both a custom Atlas calling card and custom Atlas emblem.

------ Five (5) Bonus Supply Drops: Supply Drops are part of the revolutionary changes in Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare that Sledgehammer Games is bringing to Call of Duty multiplayer. You'll be well-prepared for battle as soon as you boot up with five bonus supply drops, which unlock a variety of game-changing, in-game content from player customization gear to weapons. More information on Supply Drops and the full suite of multiplayer options will be revealed on Aug. 11.

------ Single Player Exoskeleton Upgrade Token: Over the course of Campaign mode, players unlock exoskeleton perks and abilities that help tackle various obstacles and challenges. This token provides an extra upgrade for your exoskeleton, so you're already at an advantage when jumping into the Campaign.


Additionally, the Atlas Pro Edition and Atlas Limited Edition both include the following:

- Welcome to Atlas: Advanced Soldier Manual: The Atlas Corporation's Advanced Soldier Manual ensures that all recruits are equipped with the necessary intel to become a tier-one Advanced Soldier with Atlas. The manual features original concept artwork from Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare developer, Sledgehammer Games, as well as historical and tactical information that will bolster every soldier's potential for success in the field and prepare them to carry out Atlas' global mission.

- Collectible SteelBook™: Limited edition steel case featuring premium in-game artwork.

- Official Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare Soundtrack: Digital copy of the in-game score, featuring main title & themes by legendary composer, Harry Gregson-Williams as well as original music by Audiomachine."




Info Source:

http://www.callofduty.com/advancedwarfare/buy


New Campaign Story Trailer for "Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare" :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUysNWHffWg


Arno Master Assassin CG Trailer from "Assassin's Creed Unity"




The UbiBlog Now Offers a New Trailer from "Assassin's Creed Unity" Introducing 'Elise', Another of the Characters in the upcoming Installment in the Stealth / Action Series. As they Explain, 'Elise' will also be Featured in an upcoming Novel Tie in.




Here's the Story:


"This new trailer for Assassin’s Creed Unity shows Arno racing against time through a dense and chaotic central Paris in order to prevent the beheading of Elise, a character central to Assassin’s Creed Unity’s story. As an independent young noblewoman, Elise is determined to secure her place in the Templar dynasty amidst the chaos of the French Revolution. Her quest leads her to cross paths with Arno and establish an unlikely bond with him. Elise will also be featured in a new paperback, also titled “Assassin’s Creed Unity”, by Oliver Bowden from Penguin Random House.

The story examines an era when the divide between the rich and poor is at its most extreme, and a nation is tearing itself apart. Told from Elise’s perspective, “Assassin’s Creed Unity” follows her and Arno as they are drawn into the centuries-old battle between the Assassins and Templars. In a world with dangers more deadly than they could ever have imagined, they must fight to avenge all they have lost. “Assassin’s Creed Unity” builds on Bowden’s past Assassin’s Creed novels with millions sold to-date."




Trailer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0q-zIsiQSvA


Info Source:

http://blog.ubi.com/assassins-creed-unity-elise-reveal-trailer


"Dragon Age: Inquisition" Gameplay Features Trailer




A New Trailer from "Dragon Age: Inquisition" Takes a Look at Combat from EA's upcoming Action / RPG Sequel. Here is their Outline of the Videoclip: "Join us for an in-depth look at the multi-faceted combat system of Dragon Age: Inquisition. Learn how to command the battle with a demonstration of both real-time action and the strategic tactical camera".




Here's the Gameplay Features for "Dragon Age: Inquisition" :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYZw98f58Xo


VIDEO: "Elite Dangerous" Beta Begins




"Elite Dangerous" is Now in Beta Testing as Promised, with the Premium Beta Having Come to a Close. This Doesn't Make the "Regular" Beta Cheap, however, as Buying Access will Cost $75.00 USD. Frontier Developments Calls the Beta a "Significant Milestone" in Development of the Space Combat Sequel and Offer a New Beta Trailer to Show it Off.




Here's an Outline of What's Changed:


"Beta 1 increases the number of playable star systems in the game by a factor of 10 compared to Premium Beta, and covers a greatly expanded 38,000 cubic light-year volume of Elite: Dangerous’ accurately modelled Milky Way galaxy centred around the Boötes constellation familiar to Premium Beta players.

The greater volume of Beta 1 space has an increased variety of celestial bodies, trading economies and star ports, and plays host to a large number of additional features and enhancements which together provide a richer gameplay experience over the whole expanded volume of space.


Significant Beta 1 additional features include:

- 55 star systems covering 38,000 cubic light-years
- Initial online mission system functionality (to be further developed through Beta)
- Player-to-player communication by text and voice
- Friends management and matchmaking
- Private Group play option
- On-line single player option
- Overview trade route mapping
- The concept of fuel consumption
- Docking computers to automate safe star port landings
- Additional Viper heavy fighter and Lakon Type 6 medium trader ships


Beta 1 will be available in English only. Future builds will be localised in the following languages: German, French, Russian, Polish, Dutch, Italian, Spanish, Mexican Spanish, Portuguese, Brazilian Portuguese, Swedish, Finnish, Norwegian and Simplified Chinese."




Here's the New Beta Trailer Showing the Game:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mx9io7bFR64


Info Source:

https://store.zaonce.net/elite-dangerous-cat/elite-dangerous-standard-beta.html?_ga=1.189462958.441953075.1406034687


UK to Let Driverless Cars Loose on Roads by January

Anxious to Start...Not Driving in the UK ? Though Late to the Party, the Government has Announced that, Driverless Cars will Hit the Streets in 3 UK Cities Starting in January 2015. The Department of Transport also Launched a £10 Million ($17 Million) Fund to Spur Research and Reach the Deadline. Once the 3 Cities are Selected for Trials, 2 Different Types of Self-Driving Vehicles will be Tested: Fully Autonomous Cars with No Driver and Self-Driving Models that Can Relinquish Control to a Human Pilot. All of that, will be Laid Out in New Road Laws Now Being Formulated to Accommodate such Vehicles. US States Followed a Similar Trajectory Back in 2011 by 1st Passing New Road Laws, then Approving Self-Driving Vehicles for Road Use, as Long as they were Accompanied by a Human Driver. There are Now Quite a Few Companies in the Self-Driving Game, which Only Kicked Off in Earnest once Google Jumped in. New Projects Have Launched from Volvo, Audi and Google (Again). A UK Company Called, MIRA, Specializing in such Vehicles Told Sky News that though it also had Driverless Tech, "we lag behind actually getting (it) into some real field trials". Now, the Science Minister Said, "Britain is brilliantly placed to lead the world in driverless technology".




Info Sources:

http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-28551069

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/news/10999149/Driverless-cars-heading-onto-British-roads-in-2015.html

http://news.sky.com/story/1309854/driverless-cars-on-uk-roads-by-january



Twitter's Active User Growth Continued to Improve this Quarter

One of Twitter's Primary Concerns is that, the Number of Active Users -- those Who Use the Network at Least Once a Month -- Continues to Grow at a Healthy Pace and its Latest Quarterly Earnings Confirm that, the Social Network has been Eating its Vegetables. After Reporting a Solid Growth of 14 Million Active Users Last Quarter, the Service Brought in 16 Million this Time Around, Reaching a Grand Total of 271 Million. This is an Increase of 6.3%, which is an Improvement Over Last Quarter's 5.8% (though Not Quite as Good as the 10 % Growth the Company Saw a Year Ago). Not Bad, Given that, it had to Admit a Slowing Number of New Users Earlier this Year in its 1st Earnings Report as an IPO. Of this Number, Twitter Acknowledged that, 78% of them are Actively Using the Service on Mobile Devices (this is Reflected in the Fact that 81% of Advertising Revenue Comes from Smartphones and Tablets). Twitter also Impressed by Reporting Revenues of $312 Million (Up from $250 Million Last Quarter and $139 Million this Quarter Last Year) and a Non-GAAP Net Income Totaling $15 Million. While the Company Hasn't Discussed Exactly What's Led to this Spike in Revenue and User Base, it Specifically Brought Up New Product Experiences Based around the World Cup, Much of which Took Place during this Last Quarter; it also Continued its International Expansion Efforts for Advertising.




Info Source:

https://investor.twitterinc.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=862505



Making an Indie Game for XBox One Costs Just Over $5,000

So, Let's Say that, you Want to Quit your Day Job and Start Making Indie Games. It's a Noble Pursuit to to be Sure and with Microsoft's Independent Developers @ XBox Program for XBox One, it's supposedly Pretty Easy. What Redmond Doesn't Tell you, however, is just How Much it'll Cost you. That's Where Jamie Fristrom, the Developer behind 'Sixty Second Shooter Prime' Comes in. On his Blog, Fristrom Breaks How Much Everything from URL Registration and Maintenance ($19) to Paying to Have the Game Rated in Foreign Markets ($2,042) Costs, with the Total Coming in at $5,143 -- a Stark Contrast to Something like Destiny's $140 Million Price-Tag. He Notes that Even with Redmond Giving Away Free Development Kits, XBox Isn't the Cheapest Indie Platform Around but, that the Costs to Publish there were "Absolutely Worth it". What's More, he Says that if you Choose to Skip Stuff like Releasing in Other Territories, Making a Game for under $3,000 Could be Totally Feasible. Good to Know. And Even though he's Yet to See Prime's 1st Sales Report, Fristrom Estimates that Given the Game's Leaderboard Population he's More than Covered the Cost of Development and Even Made a Living Wage. How's that 2-Week Notice Looking Now ?




Info Source:

http://www.gamedevblog.com/2014/07/making-a-shoestring-budget-game-for-the-xbox-one.html



"Mario Kart 8" Couldn't Save Nintendo from a $97 Million Loss

Mario Kart on the Wii U is Really Good. Unfortunately it's just One Game -- and it Looks like it Won't be Enough to Rescue the Wii U's Sales. Nintendo apparently Agrees, Stating that, its 9.9 Billion Yen Loss was Due to a Lack of Hit Titles Outside of the Flagship Racer. Matter-of-Factly, Nintendo Said: "The operating loss was 9.4 billion yen because total selling, general and administrative expenses including fixed expenses exceeded gross profit". Which is, Well, Exactly How you Work Out an Operating Loss. The Company is Now Betting on the Power of Super Smash Bros. as well as, the Best-Selling Pokemon Series to Improve Results Later this Year.


Wii U Console Sales Have Improved in the Americas and Europe: 510,000 Units were Sold Worldwide in the Last 3 Months, Compared to 160,000 in the Same Period Last Year. In Japan, however, Wii U Sales Have Decreased Year-on-Year. Revenue was 8.8% Higher than the Same Period Last Year and Nintendo is Hoping its Plans for a Series of Console-Connected Toy Figurines along the Lines of the Hit Skylanders Series will Help to Improve that Bottom Line. 'Mario Kart 8' Managed to Sell 2.82 Million Copies so Far, Meaning that relative to Wii U Console Sales, Most Players already Had the Games Console to Play it on -- and that, it Wasn't Quite Enough to Convince Other Consumers to Buy What Could Possibly be a 2nd Console.



Stanford Creates "Holy Grail" Lithium Battery that Could Triple Smartphone and EV Battery Life

They’ve Done it Again: The Battery Barons of Stanford, Led by Yi Cui, Have Created What those in the Industry Call the “Holy Grail” of Lithium-Ion Battery Design. In Specific, they’ve Finally Worked Out How to Create a Rugged Lithium Electrode that Can Increase the Capacity of a Lithium-Ion Battery by 3 to 4 Times — as in, this Lithium Electrode, on its Own, could Increase the Battery Life of your Smartphone by 3 Times, or Significantly Reduce the Size and Cost of an Electric Car’s Battery Pack. A Lithium-Ion Battery’s Capacity (i.e. the Amount of Work it Can do before it Runs Out of Juice) is Mostly Dictated by How Many Lithium Ions Can be Sucked Up into the Anode during Charging. In Almost All Modern LIBs, the Anode is Made of Graphite.




Graphite is Cheap and Long-Lasting (it Keeps its Capacity over Hundreds of Charge / Discharge Cycles) but, its Useful Capacity is actually Quite Low (about 350 mAh/g). Lithium is by Far the Best Anode Material with a Specific Capacity that’s More than 10 Times that of Graphite (3,860 mAh/g) but, it Degrades Very Quickly — and perhaps More Importantly, it has a Tendency to Violently Explode When Brought into Contact with the Electrolyte. If these Niggling Issues Could be Rectified, a LIB with Much Higher Capacity Could be Built (Not Quite 10 Times Higher though; there are Lots of Other Factors at Play that Prevent Theoretical Limits from Being Hit). Now, a Team at Stanford University, Led by Yi Cui — the Mastermind Behind a Huge Number of Battery Breakthroughs that we’ve Written about on »XoZeN« — Have Found a Way of Creating Lithium Anodes that Keep their Capacity over 150 Charge / Discharge Cycles…and Don’t Explode. [doi:10.1038/nnano.2014.152 - "Interconnected hollow carbon nanospheres for stable lithium metal anodes"] Similar to Other Recent Battery Breakthroughs, Nanotech is the Key to Stanford’s New Lithium Electrode.


One of the Main Problems with Lithium is that, it Expands Dramatically When it Absorbs Ions during Charging, Creating Cracks in the Metal. Lithium Ions then Ooze Out of these Cracks, Forming “Mossy” Metal Deposits Known as Dendrites. These Dendrites Very Quickly Lower the Battery’s Efficiency so that, it’s Fairly Useless after just a Handful of Cycles. To Prevent these Cracks and Dendrites from Forming, Stanford Deposits a Layer of Carbon Nanospheres on the Surface of the Lithium Anode. As you Can See in the Photos, these Nanospheres Create an Interconnected Series of Domes that are Strong Enough to Maintain the Lithium’s Structural Integrity, while still Allowing the Electricity-Carrying Ions to Pass Back and Forth. This Protective Layer, which is about 20nm Thick, also Prevents the Lithium from Reacting Explosively with the Electrolyte.




All Told, in Technical Terms, this New Lithium Anode has a Coulombic (Faraday) Efficiency of 99% after 150 Cycles. Cui Says, this is Short of the 99.9% Required for a Commercially Viable Design but, “while we’re not quite to that 99.9 percent threshold, where we need to be, we’re close and this is a significant improvement over any previous design. With some additional engineering and new electrolytes, we believe we can realize a practical and stable lithium metal anode that could power the next generation of rechargeable batteries”. In Real-World Terms, this New Lithium Anode Could Triple or Quadruple the Battery Life of your Smartphone or Electric Vehicle — or, Alternatively, Make it so you Can Get Away with a Much Smaller Battery. For EVs, Where the Cost of the Batteries is a Major Barrier to Mass-Market Pricing and Adoption, this Could be a Very Serious Breakthrough.

terça-feira, 29 de julho de 2014

Mysterious Fast Radio Bursts from Outer Space: Astronomers Baffled, Admit They Could be Alien in Origin




Since 2001, the Parkes Radio Telescope in Australia has been Picking Up Mysterious, Unidentified Bursts of Energy that Astronomers Have since Dubbed “Fast Radio Bursts”. At First, because No Other Telescope in the World had Ever Seen these Bursts, it was Assumed that, these FRBs were Probably just Glitches in the Telescope’s Electronics — but Now, 13 Years Later, a Telescope on the Other Side of the Planet in Puerto Rico has Detected an FRB. This 2nd FRB Detection Means that, it Isn’t just a Fluke — and More Importantly, that Astronomers Have Absolutely No Idea What’s Causing them. Some Theories Have Suggested that FRBs Originate from an Evaporating Black Hole, or perhaps Solar Flares from Nearby Stars, or — and this is Coming from One of the Astronomers Who 1st Recorded the FRBs — they Could Even be “signatures from extraterrestrial civilizations”.


The 1st FRB was Discovered by Chance in 2007, When a Team of Astrophysicists Led by Duncan Lorimer was Poring through Old Archival Data from the Parkes Observatory in New South Wales, Australia. On the Night of August 24, 2001, a 5-Millisecond Burst of Radio Waves Erupted from an Otherwise Calm Patch of Night Sky Near the Small Magellanic Cloud and Hit the Telescope. Lorimer and Co Analyzed the Single Burst for Years but, without any Additional Data from Further Bursts it was Impossible to Say if it was actually a New Astrophysical Phenomenon — or just a Man-Made or Local Source of Interference, such as an Electronics Glitch or Lightning Storm. Finally, in 2013, Another Team Finally Got the Go-Ahead to Analyze a Full Year’s Worth of Data from the Parkes Telescope — and Sure Enough, they Found 4 More Similar Bursts. Up until this Point, though, All of these Readings were from the Same Telescope — and, as Any Scientist will Tell you, it’s Unwise to Draw any Conclusions from just a Single Patient or Case Study.




Now, however, the Arecibo Radio Telescope in Puerto Rico (Pic above) — almost 10,000 Miles Away from Parkes — has Detected a Fast Radio Burst, as well. Now, Some 13 Years after it was 1st Detected and 7 Years of Random-Anomaly Purgatory, Astronomers are Taking the FRB Very Seriously Indeed. As for What Causes FRBs, No One Knows — and that’s Why the Astronomical Community is so Darn Excited. The 2013 Parkes Study, which Found 4 Bursts while Looking at a Tiny Patch of Sky for a Year, suggests that, FRBs are actually Quite Common, perhaps Occurring as Regularly as Once Every 10 Seconds. FRBs are also Intensely Bright. Such Regularity and Intensity probably Rules Out a Few Likely Origins, such as the Evaporation of Black Holes or the Merger of Neutron Star Pairs. Gamma Ray Bursts Have the Right Kind of Intensity but, they Only Happen Once a Day or so.


One Possible Explanation is that FRBs are Created by Magnetars — Not Fantastical Monsters that you Might Face in a Game of Dungeons & Dragons but, Rather Special Neutron Stars that Can Flare Up and Release as Much Energy in a Millisecond as our Sun Releases in 300,000 Years. Or, of Course, the Other Possibility is that FRBs are Produced by Some Kind of Intergalactic Extraterrestrial Civilization. Speaking to NPR, Duncan Lorimer Says, with a Little Bit of Chagrin that “there’s even been discussions [about FRBs] in [research papers] about signatures from extraterrestrial civilizations”. Lorimer is Referring to a Single Research Paper that Explores the Possibility of the Bursts being Intentionally Created by an Alien Civilization to Broadcast their Existence to the Rest of the Universe.


This is just a Theory, of Course, but really, we Know so Little about FRBs that just about Any Theory is Worth Investigating at this Point. [Read: We’ll Find Alien Life in the Next 20 Years with our New, Awesome Telescopes Says, NASA.] The Next Step is to Perform Real-Time Triangulation of FRBs to Get a Better Idea of which Galaxy they’re Originating from. Data from Radio Telescopes Across the World will be Analyzed to Look for More FRBs and in the Future Some Telescopes will be Specifically Tasked with Discovering and Classifying FRBs. Lorimer, Speaking to Scientific American, Says, “It’s not very often in astronomy that you get completely new classes of objects coming along, especially ones as strange as these. We are witnessing the birth of an entirely new area of research”.



New GeForce v340.52 WHQL Drivers

The GeForce Website Now Offers New GeForce v340.52 WHQL Windows Drivers for NVIDIA Graphics Cards. Along with the Usual Assortment of Improvements and Fixes, the New Drivers also Support the GameStream Streaming Features of the New NVIDIA SHIELD Tablets that are Available as of Today in the U.S. These are also the Optimal Drivers for Metro: Redux and the Chinese Release of Final Fantasy XIV (and here's a Shout Out to All our Chinese Readers !). The Drivers Should be Delivered Automatically to those Using the GeForce Experience.




Info Sources:

http://www.geforce.com/whats-new/articles/nvidia-geforce-340-52-whql-driver

http://www.geforce.com/whats-new/articles/shield-tablet-the-ultimate-tablet-for-gamers

http://www.geforce.com/geforce-experience



VIDEO: "The Last of Us" Brought to Life in a Live Stage Show




Today, "The Last of Us" is Getting Ready to Take over PlayStation 4 Consoles Everywhere and Soon it May also be Conquering...Broadway. Well, Maybe Not so Much. But, Naughty Dog's Popular Title did Make its Debut on the Live Stage, with a Show Called, "The Last of Us: One Night Live" which Took Place in Santa Monica, California. Sony Explains that, the Play was in Celebration of the Game's Arrival on the PlayStation 4 so, Giving Fans a Way to Experience the Story through a Theater Performance was an Obvious Choice Ahead of the Launch. "The Last of Us: One Night Live", Directed by Neil Druckmann, Featured Music from the Score, Read of "Key Scenes" and a Q&A from the Cast and Crew Involved in the Show. Sure, it Probably Would Have been Better to actually be There but, Sony was Kind Enough to Let you Re-Live the Performance in the Video, After the Jump:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aAhT9gbmOtw




Info Source:

http://www.theverge.com/2014/7/29/5947689/the-last-of-us-one-night-live


Daniel Radcliffe Turns Devilish in New Trailer for Paranormal Murder Mystery, "Horns"




Harry Potter Might be a Movie Murderer. Daniel Radcliffe, Who Played the Teen Wizard in the 8-Film Series, has Moved on to Very Different Roles since his Time at Hogwarts Ended. His Upcoming Film, "Horns", Sees him Adopting an American Accent and Being Accused of Killing his Girlfriend. The Movie's Latest Trailer Aired First at Comic-Con and Opens with Radcliffe in Happier Times, before Shifting to Show him Trying to Cope as Bony Appendages Grow Out of his Head and his Life Falls Apart. "Horns" is Based on a Book by Author Joe Hill and Opens in the US on Halloween after Premiering Last Year at the Toronto Film Festival.


The Movie Adaptation was Directed by Alexandre Aja, Who also Directed 2003's Blood-Soaked Switchblade Romance and Wrote the Unsettling Maniac, a Horror Movie Shot from the First-Person Perspective of a Killer Elijah Wood. From its Trailers, "Horns" Appears Slightly Less Brutal in Tone than those Movies but, it Keeps Some of their Violence — at the End of the New Trailer, a Horned Radcliffe Incites Reporters to Beat Each Other Up in a Bid to Win an Exclusive Interview with him.




Info Sources:

http://variety.com/2014/film/news/daniel-radcliffe-horns-movie-1201270192

http://youtu.be/B3AZx-cNM78


Fitbit Comes to Windows Phone 8.1

A Few Weeks Ago, Fitbit Confirmed that, it was Working on an App for Windows Phone 8.1. If you're Not Familiar with Fitbit, the Company Makes Wearable Devices Designed for Fitness Tracking, Health Management and Sleep Monitoring and its Wristbands are Among the Most Popular in the Business. Today, the App has Launched, Finally Bringing Fitbit Support to Microsoft's Mobile OS. That Support is Pretty Decent too - Unlike Some Brands, which Seem to Think that a Feeble Web-Wrapper is in Some Way Equivalent to a Fully-Featured Native App, Fitbit has Done Things Properly, with Full Support for Wireless Data Sync over Bluetooth, along with Cloud Back-Up of Data and the Ability to View your Historical Fitness Info, including Graphs to Help you Digest the Detail a Little More Easily. Speaking of which, you Can also Log your Food Intake throughout the Day - to Help you to Balance the Amount that you Eat Versus the Number of Calories that you Burn Off - as well as, the Amount of Water that you Drink.


You Can Even Keep Track of How Much you Sleep and in Combination with All of the Other Features, the App Promotes Better Health Management in a Way that a Simple 'Step Counter' does not. The App also includes Social Elements so, you Can Share your Progress with Friends, or Get them to Encourage and Motivate you - or Discourage and Humiliate you, if Preferred. As you Would Expect of a Windows Phone App, Fitbit also includes Live Tile Support. As WPCentral Notes, the App Isn't Quite Fully-Featured Yet, however. This 1st Release of the App Won't Sync Data in the Background, for Example - so, you'll Have to Keep the App Open in Order for All your Data to be Synchronized with your Account - but, this Feature is Coming to the App Soon.


An Update is Expected Later this Week, although it is Not Yet Certain if Background Sync will be a Part of that Release. Even so, with Improved Bluetooth 4.0 LE (Low Energy) Baked into Windows Phone 8.1, including Integration in the SDK, it's Now Much Easier than Before for Companies like Fitbit to Develop Apps for the Platform - and, just as Importantly, to be Able to Support them and Add to them with New Features over Time. It's been a Pretty Good Couple of Months for Windows Phone, with Other Big Names Making their Way to the Platform too, including Pinterest and More Recently, Uber.




Info Source for the Download of the App for Windows Phone 8.1:

https://www.windowsphone.com/s?appid=378ebdb6-f31f-4505-a00d-c460ef22e7ff



City of London Police Fight Piracy by Ad Switching

The City of London Police has a Novel Tactic in Dealing with Websites that Promote Piracy or Illegal Content. They’re Trying to Deprive such Websites of their Advertising Income and Possibly Scare a Few Users Away in the Meantime. The BBC is Reporting that, the City of London Police has Employed a Program Where Websites Dealing with Illegal Content will Have their Banner Ads Replaced by Stern Police Warnings. As such Users will be Warned to Stay Away while the Website will Lose Advertising Revenue. The System will Use Something Called, 'Project Sunblock', a Program that’s Used by Some Major Retailers to Make Sure their Ads Don’t Show Up Next to Unsavoury Content that would Damage their Brand. You Can Think of it as AdBlock for the Advertisers. Of Course, Much like Filtering, this Method of Depriving Websites of their Primary Source of Revenue has a Number of People Worried. Who’s to Say that, the Automated System Won’t Wrongly Flag a Legitimate Website When they’re Simply Covering News Pertaining to an Illegal Activity ? Such Cases Have Popped Up Time and Time Again and they Can Pose a Serious Threat to a Website’s Wellbeing.




Info Sources:

http://www.cityoflondon.police.uk/advice-and-support/fraud-and-economic-crime/pipcu/pipcu-news/Pages/Advert-replacement.aspx

http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-28523738