kenmay

A Gadget That Stops Seats From Reclining Caused a Plane-Diverting Fight

Planes are giving passengers less and less leg room so it’s no surprise that quarrels break out between passengers over space. Yesterday, one such altercation got so heated that a plane was diverted to Chicago. And at the heart of the conflict? A nifty little device called the Knee Defender , which prevents seats from reclining. Read more…

View original post here:
A Gadget That Stops Seats From Reclining Caused a Plane-Diverting Fight

More Windows 9 rumors: one-click upgrades, interactive tiles, notification center

Rumors about the next major version of Windows continue to trickle out in the run up to an anticipated public preview in September. Neowin reports that internal builds of the operating system currently sport a one-click upgrade feature to update from one build to the next. While there’s no guarantee that such a feature will necessarily ship, it would be consistent with Microsoft’s move to more rapid releases and continuous improvement rather than infrequent major updates. Currently, upgrading Windows is a major undertaking. During betas and previews, there’s often no good ability to move from one build to the next without performing a full reinstall. Even when moving between stable versions, upgrading can be failure-prone and time-consuming. While it’s possible that the upgrade capability will be limited to previews, it looks like a strong indication that Microsoft wants to make this process easier. Read 4 remaining paragraphs | Comments

Amazon reportedly ready to snatch Twitch away from Google (update: confirmed)

Remember that rumored $1 billion deal Google worked out to purchase the internet’s most popular game-streaming service? Amazon may be taking it over. According to The Information , folks close to the deal say that Twitch and Amazon are in late stage talks for a $1 billion acquisition. Why the change in buyer? It’s not clear (or confirmed), though it might be a response to concerns that joining Google could stifle innovation or competition. Either way, neither company is talking about the rumor right now, though one person involved suggested that the deal could be formally announced soon. Update: Amazon and Twitch made the news official after this was published. Filed under: Gaming , Google , Amazon Comments Source: The Information

See original article:
Amazon reportedly ready to snatch Twitch away from Google (update: confirmed)

Nail Polish That Detects Date Rape Drugs Is a Damn Good Idea

A team of recent graduates from North Carolina State are developing a new kind of nail polish that changes color when it’s exposed to date rape drugs. Just stirring a sketchy drink with a finger could let a woman know she’s being targeted for assault. Although a little odd, it does sound like a pretty good idea. Read more…

More:
Nail Polish That Detects Date Rape Drugs Is a Damn Good Idea

Leaked slides show details for next-gen Intel mini-PCs, new CPUs

According to the slides, there will be three new NUC boards spread across give different boxes, all launching in the first half of 2015. FanlessTech We’re generally fans of Intel’s NUC (“Next Unit of Computing”) mini-PCs, which use Ultrabook parts to create reasonably capable desktop PCs that can fit just about anywhere. When last we heard about new Broadwell-based versions of the boxes, they were due to launch in late 2014, but delays of higher-performance Broadwell parts has apparently pushed them back. New Intel slides from FanlessTech now show seven new NUC boxes launching in the first half of 2015. The slides also tell us what kind of boxes we can expect, though there are no big surprises here; the Broadwell NUC lineup is broadly similar to that of Haswell. There appear to be three boards: one high-end Core i5 model, one middle-end Core i3 model, and one Core i5 model with Intel’s vPro technology integrated to make it more appealing to enterprises. All appear to come in two types of enclosures, one with extra room for a 2.5-inch SATA III hard drive and one without. This makes for a total of six Broadwell NUC boxes. The revised NUC roadmap. FanlessTech All six boxes will share most of the same ports and features: two display outputs, Ethernet, four USB 3.0 ports, NFC, M.2 slots for SSDs, support for up to 16GB of RAM, and changeable lids (these may just be for customization purposes, though past rumors have suggested that some could be used as wireless charging pads). The vPro models will use two mini DisplayPorts while the standard i5 and i3 boxes will use one mini DisplayPort and one micro HDMI port, and all models appear to come with Intel’s 7265 802.11ac and Bluetooth 4.0 adapter soldered on—with current models, you must supply your own mini-PCI Express Wi-Fi card. Read 6 remaining paragraphs | Comments

View article:
Leaked slides show details for next-gen Intel mini-PCs, new CPUs

China says new submarine design could reach San Francisco in 100 minutes

China claims it has found a way to create a supersonic vessel that could travel from China to San Francisco in less than two hours using new developments in supercavitation. This could be extremely useful for travel—but also for the development of underwater weapons. In fact, this is a military project. Read more…

View article:
China says new submarine design could reach San Francisco in 100 minutes

Boy gets the first 3D-printed vertebra implant

3D-printed implants just got one of their biggest real-world tests to date. Peking University Third Hospital has successfully implanted the first 3D-printed vertebra in a 12-year-old boy with cancer in his spinal cord. The bone substitute is made from titanium powder like many orthopedic implants, but promises to be both safer and longer-lasting than conventional replacements. Since it’s designed to mimic the shape of the child’s original vertebra, it doesn’t need cement or screws to stay in place; healing should go faster, too. The construct is full of small holes that let natural bone grow inside, so it should eventually become a permanent, stable part of the spine that won’t need adjustments at some point down the road. CCTV notes that the full results of this surgery won’t be available for some time. He’ll have to wear gear that keeps his head and neck still for the next three months, and it will likely take much longer than that before we know how well the implant holds up in real-world conditions. If everything goes smoothly, though, the surgery will be proof that 3D-printed bones are useful virtually anywhere in the body — and, in some circumstances, might save your life. [Image credit: Peking University Third Hospital] Filed under: Science Comments Source: Forbes

Original post:
Boy gets the first 3D-printed vertebra implant

Ken May

Author: kenmay