Dr. Augustine Fou's Online Scrapbook

Saturday, December 01, 2012

Custom 3D-Printed Beams Can Be 10,000 Times Stronger Than Steel

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5964609/custom-3d+printed-beams-can-be-10000-times-stronger-than-steel

Custom 3D-Printed Beams Can Be 10,000 Times Stronger Than Steel Steel beams are pretty uniformly strong, but they're all run of the mill, literally. If you start 3D-printing custom beams for the exact purpose they're intended to serve though, you've got a regular space-age material on your hands. It's lighter than steel and orders of magnitude stronger.

The process, developed byYong Mao of the University of Nottingham, UK and colleagues, isn't just the product of one innovation, but rather a whole bunch of them wrapped up into one bundle. First, you start out withF a hollow beam and you test it with the load it needs to bear. When it inevitably fails, you use some sophisticated software to analyze that sucker and 3D print an internal fractal structure to provide support, kind of like what's inside your bones. Then lather, rinse, and repeat. With each iteration of ever-smaller fractal innards, the beam can gain strength by the order of magnitude, with practically negligible weight gain. Third generation beams, about as far as we can hope to go with current tech, are 10,000 times stronger than steel.

There is one big limitation to how strong you can get with this stuff however, and it all depends on printer fidelity. Since these sorts of beams are specifically designed, there's not much extra support to carry your load, so if the mesh isn't perfect, you could be in trouble. As 3D printers get better however, imperfections won't be a problem on the larger scales, and more and more iterations will be possible, making for structures that are both incredibly strong and incredibly light. Now if only they could figure out how to 3D print some new bones for us. [Physics World]

Panasonic ST50 Plasma Television Review: Good Picture, Great Value

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5964094/panasonic-st50-plasma-television-review-good-picture-great-value

Dropping two grandon a high-end television simply isn't possible for most households. Does that mean you should suffer with some $100 off-brand Fony set. No way. As Panasonic's second-best option in plasma reminds us that even if you can't get the VT50 you want, you can still go for the ST50 you need.

What Is It?

Panasonic's latest mid-level 55-inch 3D plasma display.

Who's it For?

Television aficionados who'd rather save $1,000 than be able to brag that their set is the absolute top-of-the-line.

Design

The ST50 shares much of the same styling as the rest of Panasonic's plasma line. The 60-pound display sits atop a broad, silver base and its 55-inch diagonal screen is surrounded by an 1.5 inch clear acrylic-over-black bezel.

Using It

The ST50 is big and bulky—71 pounds with the stand attached—so get some help with the physical setup. Logging in to wireless, setting up streaming apps, and calibrating the set took no longer than usual. The ST50 doesn't have as many advanced picture adjustment options as other sets in its class, but it does host a surprisingly exhaustive array of integrated apps—weather reports, breaking news, streaming music and movies—if you're looking for a TV that doubles as a home media server.

The Best Part

The picture quality is fantastic, especially coming from a set that only set you back $1200. The blacks aren't quite as inky and colors don't pop quite as vibrantly as on the flagship VT50, but the image quality and black levels of the ST50 are still among the best in the price range—and totally superior to that of entry-level models.

Tragic Flaw

The set gets hot—like, even for a plasma. During Kill Bill marathons, you'll need be sure that you have adequate ventilation.

This Is Weird...

For some reason, it only includes three HDMI ports—one fewer than most other sets we've tested—and lacks a PC port.

Test Notes

No 3D glasses are included. A good universal pair can set you back nearly $100.
The motion-smoothing features can cause a disconcerting, overly-smoothed "soap opera" effect when activated but can easily be turned off in the Display menu.
It withstands bright rooms better than most other plasma sets, but it struggles in direct sunlight.

Should You Buy It?

If you want this size and you're sold on plasma, then yeah. The ST50 is a solid television, and it's a good value for the money. The picture quality is noticeably better than similarly priced sets, both plasma and LED. It's not a stretch to say it approaches the level of the vaunted VT50—for $900 less.

Panasonic Viera TC-P55ST50 Specs

• Screen Size: 55"
• Display Type: Plasma
• Connectivity: Wi-Fi, 3 HDMI, 2 USB, DNLA
• Weight: 71 pounds with stand
• Price: $1,200
• Gizrank: 3.5 Stars

HTC One VX to be available on AT&T by December 7th

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/11/30/htc-one-vx-att-december-7th/

The HTC One VX was slated to arrive on November 16th alongside its bigger brother, the HTC One X+, but when the time came, only the latter showed up -- the mid-range HTC handset just seemed to have mysteriously disappeared. After a couple of weeks, it seems the phone will finally be in store shelves starting December 7th: "Yes, we expect to be fully stocked in all channels by 12/7," said an AT&T spokesperson to us. So if you want to snag the VX with its 4.5-inch qHD display, 1.2GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor, 5-megapixel camera and 4G LTE speeds for just $50 under contract, feel free to mark the date on your calendar. Just make sure you use a pencil.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, HTC

Comments

Source: Android Central

ASUS Qube with Google TV pops up at the FCC

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/11/30/asus-qube-dongle-for-google-tv-pops-up-at-the-fcc/

Despite its crucial role in the Android ecosystem, ASUS hasn't taken the plunge on Google TV so far. An FCC approval for a new adapter, the Qube, suggests that reticence is coming to a quick halt -- and in an uncommon way. Rather than build a full media hub, ASUS appears to be crafting a possibly Roku-like dongle that would graft Google TV on to a host device through USB. The Qube's components aren't outlined in earnest, but it would pair up with an RF-based keyboard and touchpad for its main input.

Some details may have been given away through Google Play listings for O!Mobile Control Center and Remote apps linked to the Qube -- they hint that ASUS could use the same Marvell Armada processors that power modern Google TV boxes, as well as extend smartphone control beyond what Google's official remote app can offer (we tried it with an existing Google TV unit and it wouldn't connect.) At this moment, we're less curious about when and where the Qube releases than how it will sell; its dependence could see it destined for an equipment bundle instead of sitting on shelves by its lonesome. We're asking around for possible details and will let you know if we hear more.

Continue reading ASUS Qube with Google TV pops up at the FCC

Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD, ASUS, Google

Comments

Source: FCC, Google Play (1), (2)

Lenovo A586 touts voice unlock through Baidu, A*STAR verification tech

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/12/01/lenovo-a586-touts-voice-unlock-through-baidu-astar/

Attempts to get away from unlocking our smartphones through codes and finger swipes have mostly centered on camera tricks like Android's Face Unlock. If you happen to pick up a Lenovo IdeaPhone A586 when it reaches China on December 12th, you'll have the option to use some dulcet tones instead. The Android smartphone builds in a new speaker verification system from Baidu and A*STAR's Institute for Infocomm Research that looks for a specific voice signature: speak a distinct passphrase and the phone unlocks without gestures or a longing stare. Few will be especially smitten with the 4.5-inch, 854 x 480 display, 1.2GHz dual-core processor, 5-megapixel camera or 4GB of storage, but they'll be glad to get access to their A586 in a more hands-off (and hopefully spoof-resistant) way. We'd only be worried about choosing a passphrase that won't trigger odd looks from passers-by.

Continue reading Lenovo A586 touts voice unlock through Baidu, A*STAR verification tech

Dr. Augustine Fou's Online Scrapbook

Saturday, December 01, 2012

Custom 3D-Printed Beams Can Be 10,000 Times Stronger Than Steel