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Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-21144827#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa
Parents are despicable (in general, exceptions exist)
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| Piled Higher & Deeper by Jorge Cham | www.phdcomics.com | |
 | ||
| title: "How your Conference Presentation Goes" - originally published 1/21/2013 For the latest news in PHD Comics, CLICK HERE! | ||
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-21067532#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa
Cool :-D
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As much as it's important to have every component of a PC stuck together in a laptop, that same monolithic strategy is a major liability for server clusters: if one part breaks or grows obsolete, it can drag down everything else. Facebook and its Open Compute Project partners have just unveiled plans to loosen things up at the datacenter. A prototype, Atom-based rackmount server from Quanta Computer uses 100Gbps silicon photonics from Intel to connect parts at full speed, anywhere on the rack. Facebook has also garnered support for a new system-on-chip connection standard, rather affectionately named Group Hug, that would let owners swap in new mini systems from any vendor through PCI Express cards. The combined effect doesn't just simplify repairs and upgrades -- it lets companies build the exact servers they need without having to scrap other crucial elements in the process. There's no definite timeframe for when we'll see modular servers put to work, but the hope is that a cluster's foundations will stay relevant for years instead of months.
Source: Open Compute Project
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-21034942#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa
One could argue that horse meat is more expensive than beef :p
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DARPA launches projects that sound incredibly unrealistic from time to time. However, DARPA has also created actual working items that started out as incredibly unrealistic sounding plans. That means you can never discount DARPA when it puts out brief on a plan that sounds far-fetched at first glance.
DARPA's most recent plan is one such far-fetched sounding project that may be just crazy enough to work. The latest plan is called the Upward Falling Payloads project and is aimed at developing storage capsules for military assets that would allow devices, such as drones, to be stored at the bottom of the ocean for years at a time until needed. The idea is that capsules can be dropped at strategic locations holding drones or other items and the capsules could release their payload when needed.
The plan calls for unmanned, distributed systems to provide the military with operational support including situational awareness, disruption, deception, and rescue. One of the potential payloads for these capsules are small aerial drones that can launch to the surface in capsules, take off, and provide observation or act as decoys. DARPA is calling for input on finding ways of extending survival of capsules under extreme ocean pressure.
DARPA also wants to find methods of waking up these underwater nodes after years of inactivity. The plan also calls for input on ways to efficiently launch payloads to the surface. That last part doesn't seem too complex since submarines have been launching payloads to the surface of the ocean for a long time. DARPA is pointing out that this is not a weapons project and that the risk of losing any single node in the system is minimal.
[via Wired]
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It's truly impressive how dedicated the developers in our community are in working to keep old devices relevant with the latest OS updates, even after their manufacturers have ditched them entirely in favor of newer devices. In one such development, XDA Recognized Developer sakindia123 has ported the Linux 3.0.16 kernel to the HTC Explorer. This is great news for ROM developers since this will bring better support for ICS and Jelly Bean ROMs, in addition to better speed and security.
At the moment, the kernel supports most device features including touch screen, hardware acceleration, brightness, screen controls, accelerometer, vibrator, ambient light sensor, RIL, camera, clock, battery, phone calls, messaging, mobile data, capacitive buttons, GPS, storage, deep sleep, USB, WiFi, and Bluetooth. Sound also works, though the volume is rather low. The volume-up and power buttons aren't functional at the moment though, and the lack of power button functionality would likely be the primary reason for the kernel to be not yet ready for use as a daily driver. However, the developer is working on the kernel, and we might likely see a fix for this in a future update.
Developers can find more details and the source code link in the development forum thread. There is a users thread as well, to keep discussion not related to development separate.
http://feeds.slashgear.com/~r/slashgear/~3/nsil99bL2EU/
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Lego's third-generation Mindstorms kit has been redesigned to appeal to both kids desperate to craft and modders looking for even more customizability. With assembly instructions now provided by a 3D animated diagram on an iPad app, this isn't the Lego you'll have remember from childhood. If you'd like to see what it's like in action, head on past the break to watch the video.
Continue reading Hands-on with Lego's Mindstorms EV3 kit (video)
Filed under: Robots
| Piled Higher & Deeper by Jorge Cham | www.phdcomics.com | |
 | ||
| title: "Kickjumper" - originally published 1/7/2012 For the latest news in PHD Comics, CLICK HERE! | ||
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-20896489#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa
Next station: north Korea :p
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