The ASUS ‘Bezel-free kit’ is a messy multi-monitor solution

A quick trip to Asus’ off-site location at CES 2018 revealed routers, gaming PCs, the NVIDIA Big Format Gaming Display and its new bezel-hiding kit . That last one helps gamers (or productivity hounds seeking an edge) to link monitors together, while also using optics to hide the seam where each bezel meets. There are no filters, software or effects at play here — it’s simply an optical device that refracts light around the monitors’ plastic edges. So how well does it work in practice? That depends on your expectations. It’s in no way a competitor for the seamless bliss of extreme widescreen curved monitors that can truly envelop gamers in another world. But, it does hide the seam and, with time, could eventually fade into the background of many games. The blurry lines where the monitors meet aren’t that much worse than a car’s A-pillar, however, at first, they stick out considerably. We’d need an extended play session to figure out if they remain noticeable (and perhaps some tweaking to make sure each monitor is calibrated evenly.) There’s no word on how much the Bezel-free kit will cost, but it’s expected to go on sale later this year. ASUS: Bezel-free Kit is an accessory that enables gamers with multiple-monitor setups to visually eliminate the gaps where their displays connect, creating the appearance of one extra-large, wraparound monitor for a totally immersive gaming experience. Bezel-free Kit consists of vertical lenses and easy-to-attach mounts that connect the edge of each monitor at a 130-degree angle — the angle determined through extensive testing to provide the best viewing experience. An optical device that requires no software or power to operate, Bezel-free Kit uses light refraction to make the monitor edges disappear to the viewer. It provides an innovative, simple and effective method of increasing field of view and dramatically enhancing gameplay. Click here to catch up on the latest news from CES 2018.

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The ASUS ‘Bezel-free kit’ is a messy multi-monitor solution

macOS High Sierra’s App Store System Preferences Can Be Unlocked With Any Password

A bug report submitted on Open Radar this week reveals a security vulnerability in the current version of macOS High Sierra that allows the App Store menu in System Preferences to be unlocked with any password. From a report: MacRumors is able to reproduce the issue on macOS High Sierra version 10.13.2, the latest public release of the operating system, on an administrator-level account by following these steps: 1. Click on System Preferences. 2. Click on App Store. 3. Click on the padlock icon to lock it if necessary. 4. Click on the padlock icon again. 5. Enter your username and any password. 6. Click Unlock. As mentioned in the radar, System Preferences does not accept an incorrect password with a non-administrator account. We also weren’t able to unlock any other System Preferences menus with an incorrect password. We’re unable to reproduce the issue on the third or fourth betas of macOS High Sierra 10.13.3, suggesting Apple has fixed the security vulnerability in the upcoming release. However, the update currently remains in testing. Read more of this story at Slashdot.

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macOS High Sierra’s App Store System Preferences Can Be Unlocked With Any Password

Sony’s $30,000 4K short-throw projector hides powerful sound

We’ve been eying Sony’s short-throw projectors for the past few years, but they’ve always been too obscenely expensive to really take seriously. Well, that’s not changing this year. In fact, the new LSPX-A1 is actually more expensive than last year’s $25, 000 model at $30, 000. But, with that extra cost comes a major new feature: six speakers that simulate 360-degree atmospheric sound. The LSPX-A1 also looks like more of a high-end piece of furniture, with its sleek marble top and wooden shelf. Those two glass feet also act as tweeters, thanks to built-in actuators. And, of course, there’s a subwoofer hiding underneath. In a brief demo, the projector did a decent job of spitting out a 120-inch 4K image from just 9.6-inches feet away from a wall. It wasn’t astoundingly bright, but that could have been due to the less-than-ideal viewing conditions. One major downside: While it supports HDR10, there’s no Dolby Vision. In terms of sound, the six speakers easily managed to fill a small conference room which was about the size of a typical living room. But while it’s nice to have an all-in-one speaker solution, it didn’t actually sound like something that cost $30, 000. I’ve heard $500 speakers with a better sense of detail and presence. Honestly, though, this projector isn’t meant for a discerning audience — it’s for folks with money to burn. Click here to catch up on the latest news from CES 2018.

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Sony’s $30,000 4K short-throw projector hides powerful sound

Waze’s crowd-sourced traffic info comes to Ford Sync 3 cars

In 2016, Ford wisely decided to offer Apple’s CarPlay and Android Auto on all its Sync 3 infotainment system-equipped 2017 vehicles, and owners are seeing more benefits from that at CES 2018. Ford announced that it now supports Waze ‘s traffic and navigation app directly from your iPhone. After you plug it into any of the vehicle’s USB ports, the app will appear on the Sync 3 touchscreen, letting you control it from there or use voice commands. Waze, owned by Google, gathers traffic information from you and shares it, telling others if there’s a traffic jam along your route, for instance. You can be even more helpful by directly relaying unknown accidents, construction and other issues. Waze’s navigation system can then help you pick the quickest route, tell you about HOV lanes, relay your arrival time to friends and family and even find the cheapest gasoline nearby. As long as you keep your Waze iOS app updated, you’ll have the latest version on a Sync 3 car, which is one of the benefits of Ford’s wide-open system. It also unveiled Alexa support at CES 2018, giving you voice-controlled music, news and 25, 000 other skills. It’s odd that the automaker didn’t mention Waze Android support, since Google owns both Android and Waze, but we’ve reached out for more info. Click here to catch up on the latest news from CES 2018.

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Waze’s crowd-sourced traffic info comes to Ford Sync 3 cars

Iran’s mass protests were triggered by publication of a budget that revealed the costs of Shia evangelism

For more than a month, Iran has been rocked by mass demonstrations in its major and outlying cities, but the origin of these protests has been obscure. (more…)

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Iran’s mass protests were triggered by publication of a budget that revealed the costs of Shia evangelism

AAA is testing self-driving cars to see how safe they are

Fully autonomous cars won’t be allowed on the streets until they’re safe , but how will we know when that happens? The American Automobile Association (AAA) is trying to figure that out by testing self-driving cars powered by Torc Robotics “Asimov” system. The aim is to gather information and develop safety criteria that could be used by any company developing self-driving tech. “By creating a blueprint for automakers to follow, we hope to build public trust in technology, ” said AAA Northern California, Nevada & Utah CEO Tim Condon. A recent AAA survey found that 75 percent of Americans are skeptical of self-driving cars, and as a driver-focused, independent organization, the AAA feels its well-placed to help build up that trust. Torc Robotics, meanwhile, is one of the early pioneers of self-driving, having placed third in DARPA’s 2007 Urban Challenge — back when self-driving cars were a bit more bulky . The Asimov system has been cross-country tested in more than 20 states, it notes. The non-profit AAA has historically weighed in on motorist rights and safety issues, supporting increased infrastructure spending, lower speed limits and gas tax increases. It’s aware that its business model is changing rapidly, however, with the arrival of EVs, self-driving cars and other tech. Autonomous cars, it believes, “have the potential to dramatically reduce traffic fatalities on our roadways.” The AAA even launched its own one-way car-sharing service in the Bay Area recently. “We’re acknowledging that transportation habits are changing, ” Condon said. “AAA is over a hundred years old, and we remain committed to continuously innovating in the area of traffic safety.”

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AAA is testing self-driving cars to see how safe they are

Ingestible gut sensors reveal potential new immune system

Ingestible technology — the stalwart theme of medical sci-fi — has been in the works for decades, but now researchers are closer than ever before to taking it mainstream thanks to successful trials of gas-sensing capsules. The swallowable sensors, designed by RMIT University in Australia, could revolutionize the way gut disorders and diseases are diagnosed and treated, offering a potential game-changer for the one-in-five people worldwide who will suffer from gastrointestinal problems in their lifetimes. The capsule is the size of a vitamin pill and works by detecting and measuring gut gas in real time, then sending data to a mobile phone. Trials have uncovered bodily mechanisms never seen before, including what could be an entirely new immune system . “We found that the stomach releases oxidising chemicals to break down and beat foreign compounds that are staying in the stomach for longer than usual, ” said study lead and capsule co-inventor Professor Kourosh Kalantar-zadeh. “This could represent a gastric protection system against foreign bodies. Such an immune mechanism has never been reported before.” The researchers also found evidence that the colon contains oxygen, contradicting previously-held beliefs that it’s an oxygen-free area of the body. The technology also provides a more effective way of measuring and analyzing activities in the gut. Scientists would previously have to rely on faecal samples or invasive surgery, which Kalantar-zadeh noted is “not a true reflection of the gut microbiota at that time”. The capsule has now passed human trials, and the team is exploring ways of commercialising the technology, partnering with development company Planet Innovation to bring the product to market. Via: Science Daily Source: Nature.com

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Ingestible gut sensors reveal potential new immune system

Tesla has finally begun manufacturing solar roof tiles

Tesla has apparently begun manufacturing its solar roof tiles at its Buffalo, New York, factory, according to Reuters . The company is also starting the process of surveying the homes of people who placed a deposit on the tiles last year for installation purposes. We’ve reached out to Tesla for confirmation. Pre-orders for the solar roof tiles began back in May ; customers paid $1, 000 as a deposit on the product, and US installation was supposed to start in the summer of 2017. However, unsurprisingly, the process was delayed. But now, it looks as though most of the kinks have been worked out, and Reuters reports that the roofs will be installed in coming months. Tesla claims that the solar roof tiles will cost less than a typical roof, around $21.85 per square foot instead of $24.50. The tiles are a solid option if you’re planning on replacing your roof in the next few years, or if you’re considering solar panels. The tiles look like regular shingles; in fact, not every shingle installed is solar, though you can’t distinguish between the two. You can customize what percentage of your roof tiles are solar in their online tool ; the max is 70 percent. Obviously, the more solar panels you install, the more expensive your roof is. The company is still taking preorders with $1, 000 deposits. You can sign up at their website if you’re so inclined. Source: Reuters

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Tesla has finally begun manufacturing solar roof tiles

This is what a 50-qubit quantum computer looks like

From afar, it looks like a steampunk chandelier. Or an intricate collection of tubes and wires that culminate in a small steel cylinder at the bottom. It is, in fact, one of the most sophisticated quantum computers ever built. The processor inside has 50 quantum bits, or qubits, that process tasks in a (potentially) revolutionary way. Normally, information is created and stored as a series of ones and zeroes. Qubits can represent both values at the same time (known as superposition), which means a quantum computer can theoretically test the two simultaneously. Add more qubits and this hard-to-believe computational power increases. Last November, IBM unveiled the world’s first 50-qubit quantum computer. It lives in a laboratory, inside a giant white case, with pumps to keep it cool and some traditional computers to manage the tasks or algorithms being initiated. At CES this year, the company brought the innards — the wires and tubes required to send signals to the chip and keep the system cool — so reporters and attendees could better understand how it works. The biggest challenge, IBM Research Vice President Jeffrey Welser told me, is isolating the chip from unwanted “noise.” This includes electrical, magnetic and thermal noise — just the temperature of the room renders the whole machine useless. That’s where the pumps would normally come in. From top to bottom, the system gradually cools from four Kelvin — liquid-helium temperatures — to 800 milliKelvin, 100 milliKelvin and, finally, 10 milliKelvin. Inside the canister, that’s 10 millionths of a degree absolute zero. The wires, meanwhile, carry RF-frequency signals down to the chip. These are then mapped onto the qubits, executing whatever program the research team wishes to run. The wiring is also designed in a way to ensure that no extraneous noise — including heat — is transported to the quantum computer chip at the bottom. Many in the industry have suggested that a 50-qubit system could achieve “quantum supremacy.” The term refers to the moment when a quantum computer is able to outperform a traditional system or accomplish a task otherwise thought impossible. The problem, though, is that quantum computers are only compatible with certain algorithms. They’re well-suited to quantum chemistry, for instance, and material simulations. But it’s unlikely you’ll ever use a quantum computer to complete a PowerPoint presentation. “The world is not classical, it’s quantum, so if you want to simulate it you need a quantum computer, ” Welser said. Researchers have already conducted experiments with quantum computers. Scientists at IBM were able to simulate beryllium hydride (BeH2) on a seven-qubit quantum processor last September, for example. But critics want to see a quantum computer accomplish something more tangible, which is more meaningful for the everyday consumer. That day, unfortunately, could still be a long way off. “Somewhere between 50 and 100 qubits, we’ll reach the point where we can at least say very clearly, ‘I’ve just simulated a molecule here in a few minutes time that would have taken this giant system five days to do.’ That level we’ll be at fairly rapidly. When it gets to something that the public will understand in terms of an application they would use themselves, I can’t really speculate at this point, ” Welser said. Click here to catch up on the latest news from CES 2018.

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This is what a 50-qubit quantum computer looks like

With ingestible pill, you can track fart development in real time on your phone

Enlarge / The ingestible electronic pill. (credit: RMIT University ) Scientists often hope to break ground with their research. But a group of Australian researchers would likely be happy with breaking wind. The team developed an ingestible electronic capsule to monitor gas levels in the human gut. When it’s paired with a pocket-sized receiver and a mobile phone app, the pill reports tail-wind conditions in real time as it passes from the stomach to the colon. The researchers, led by Kourosh Kalantar-Zadeh of RMIT University and Peter Gibson of Monash University, reported their invention Monday in Nature Electronics . The authors are optimistic that the capsule’s gas readings can help clear the air over the inner workings of our intricate innards and the multitudes of microbes they contain. Such fume data could clarify the conditions of each section of the gut, what microbes are up to, and which foods may cause problems in the system. Until now, collecting such data has been a challenge. Methods to bottle it involved cumbersome and invasive tubing and inconvenient whole-body calorimetry. Popping the electronic pill is a breeze in comparison. And early human trials have already hinted that the pill can provide new information about intestinal wind patterns and gaseous turbulence from different foods. Read 14 remaining paragraphs | Comments

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With ingestible pill, you can track fart development in real time on your phone