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Submission + - Solar Roadways Project Blows Past $1M Crowdfunding Goal (computerworld.com)

Submitted by Lucas123
Lucas123 writes: It appears an Idaho-based company that created prototype panels for constructing roads that (among other features) gather solar power, will be going into production after it exceeded it's crowdfunding goal of $1M. With two days left to go, Solar Roadways' Indiegogo project has already exceeded $1.6 million. The hexagonal-shaped solar panels consist of four layers, including photovoltaic cells, LED lights, an electronic support structure (circuit board) and a base layer made of recyclable materials. The panels plug together to form circuits that can then use LED lights to create any number of traffic patterns, as well as issue lighted warnings for drivers. The panels also have the ability to melt snow and ice. Along with the crowdfunding money, Solar Roadways received federal grant money for development.

Submission + - Surface Pro 3 Performance And Thermal Tests Show Tablet Competes With Ultrabooks (hothardware.com)

Submitted by MojoKid
MojoKid writes: Last week, Microsoft unveiled the third iteration of its Surface Pro tablet, the aptly named Surface Pro 3. Unlike previous revisions to the product, the new Surface Pro 3 can be considered a major overhaul. Not only does the new device feature more powerful internal components and offer a handful of new features, but its form factor is a complete departure from the previous version, thanks to its screen's 3:2 aspect ratio. The particular model tested here is built around an Intel Core i5-4300U processor with integrated Intel HD 4400 series graphics, 8GB of DDR3-1600 RAM, and a 256GB SSD. For users that care about performance, the Surface Pro 3's unique cooling solution with its cylindrical-shaped fansink could be what sets this device apart, offering up to a an Intel Core i7 processor in a tablet form factor but with near silent acoustics and comfortable exterior temperatures. Performance-wise, even the Core i5-based Surface Pro 3 competes or sometimes exceeds the performance of some full-sized Ultrabooks on the market.

Submission + - Curved TVs Nothing But A Gimmick (computerworld.com)

Submitted by Lucas123
Lucas123 writes: Currently, the hottest trend from TV manufacturers is to offer curved panels, but analysts say it's nothing more than a ploy to pander to consumers who want the latest, coolest-looking tech in their home. In the end, the TVs don't offer better picture quality. In fact, they offer a degraded view to anyone sitting off center. Samsung and LG claim that the curve provides a cinema-like experience by offering a more balanced and uniform view so that the edges of the set don't appear further away than the middle. Paul Gray, director of European TV Research for DisplaySearch, said those claims are nothing by pseudo-science. "Curved screens are a gimmick, much along the same lines as 3D TVs are," said Paul O'Donovan, Gartner's principal analyst for consumer electronics research.

Submission + - Why I'm Sending Back Google Glass (computerworld.com)

Submitted by Lucas123
Lucas123 writes: After using Google Glass for several weeks, Computerworld columnist Matt Lake had plenty of reasons to explain why he returned them, not the least of which was that they made him cross-eyed and avoid eye contact. Google Glass batteries also drain like a bath tub when using either audio or video apps and they run warm. And, as cool as being able to take videos and photos with the glasses may be, those shots are always at an angle. Of course, being able to do turn-by-turn directions is cool, but not something you can do without your smart phone's cellular data or a mobile hotspot. The list of reasons goes on... Bottom line, if Google Glass is in the vanguard of a future class of wearable computers, the future isn't the present.

Comment Wouldn't that be a shame (Score 1) 626

by Lucas123 (#47048847) Attached to: Driverless Cars Could Cripple Law Enforcement Budgets
So no more end-of-the-month speed traps by police departments to balance their budgets? Whatever will our police departments do for money? Reminds me of the outcry when The National Maximum Speed Law was eventually disregarded by almost every state and they raised their respective speed limits back up to 65mph on most highways -- because lowering it to 55mph did nothing to reduce accidents. Oh, the funds staties lost.

Submission + - Gun Rights Groups Say They Don't Oppose Smart Guns, Just Mandates (computerworld.com) 1

Submitted by Lucas123
Lucas123 writes: When two gun stores attempted to sell the nation's first integrated smart gun, the iP1, gun advocacy groups were charged in media reports with organizing protests that lead to the stores pulling the guns from their shelves or reneging on their promise to sell them in the first place. But, the National Rifle Association and the National Shooting Sports Foundation say they do not oppose smart gun technology, which they call "authorized user recognition" firearms. "We do oppose any government mandate of this technology, however. The marketplace should decide," Mike Bazinet, a spokesman for the NSSA, wrote in an email reply to Computerworld. However, the argument for others goes that if stores begin selling smart guns, then legislators will draft laws requiring the technology.

Submission + - Syrian Electronic Army Wastes an Attack to Cyberbully a Tech Writer (computerworld.com)

Submitted by Lucas123
Lucas123 writes: The Syrian Electronic Army, a hacker group dedicated to supporting Syria's dictator, wasted an attack vector on trying to embarrass a tech writer at the recent RSA conference. The attack was in response to a talk the writer gave about SEA's tactics and ways to prevent attacks. The most surprising thing is that SEA would hack a notable website and compromise some widely followed Twitter accounts. These people purport to be servants of the genocidal dictator of Syria, but they used their resources on what amounted to cyberbullying one person. Nonetheless, it's interesting how the SEA had been able to exploit the Lucky Orange website associated with the RSA Conference. SEA had redirected the domain through Lucky Orange's DNS provider, probably after compromising the log-on credentials of a company executive. So the question becomes, will the Syrian Electronic Army's handlers in the Syrian intelligence services approve of such immaturity?

Submission + - Can Thunderbolt Survive USB SuperSpeed+? (computerworld.com) 2

Submitted by Lucas123
Lucas123 writes: The USB SuperSpeed+ spec (A.K.A v3.1) offers up to 10Gbps throughput. Combine that with USB's new C-Type Connector, the specification for which is expected out in July, and users will have a symmetrical cable and plug just like Thunderbolt but that will enable up to 100 watts of power depending on the cable version. So where does that leave Thunderbolt, Intel's other hardware interconnect? According to some industry pundits, Thunderbolt withers or remains a niche technology supported almost exclusively by Apple. Even as Thunderbolt 2 offers twice the throughput (on paper) as USB 3.1, or up to 20Gbps), USB SuperSpeed+ is expected to scale past 40Gbps in coming years. "USB's installed base is in the billions. Thunderbolt's biggest problem is a relatively small installed base, in the tens of millions. Adding a higher data throughput, and a more expensive option, is unlikely to change that," said Brian O'Rourke, a principal analyst covering wired interfaces at IHS.

Comment I'll find it, but it ain't goin' to be cheap (Score 2) 93

by Lucas123 (#46979411) Attached to: Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Loses Deep Sea Vehicle
Bad fish. Not like going down the pond chasin' bluegills and tommycods. This shark, swallow you whole. Little shakin', little tenderizin', an' down you go... If you want to get your deep sea vehicle back, then ante up. I don't want no volunteers, I don't want no mates, there's just too many captains on this island. $10,000 for me by myself. For that you get the head, the tail, the whole damn thing.

Submission + - Court Orders Marvell to Pay Carnegie Mellon $1.5B for Patent Infringement (computerworld.com)

Submitted by Lucas123
Lucas123 writes: A U.S. District Court has ruled that Marvell Technology must pay Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) $1.54B for infringing on two hard drive chip patents. Marvell was also ordered to pay interest at 0.14% annually, and 50 cents for each chip sold that uses the intellectual property. While Marvell did not comment on the case, CMU said it "understands" that Marvell will again appeal the ruling and the school "will look forward to the federal circuit court" upholding the lower court's ruling. The latest decision by a U.S. District Court in Western Pennsylvania ends for now a five-year legal battle between the two. In 2012, a jury found Marvell had violated CMU's patents, and the chip maker then appealed that ruling.

Submission + - Sony Warns Demand for Blu-ray Diminishing Faster Than Expected (computerworld.com)

Submitted by Lucas123
Lucas123 writes: Sony has warned investors that it expects to take a hit on expected earnings, due in part to the fact that demand for Blu-ray Disc media is contracting faster than anticipated. In two weeks, Sony will announce its financial results. The company expects to post a net loss. Sony's warning is in line with other industry indicators, such as a report released earlier this year by Generator Research showed revenue from DVD and Blu-ray sales will likely decrease by 38% over the next four years. By comparison, online movie revenue is expected to grow 260% from $3.5 billion this year to $12.7 billion in 2018, the report states. Paul Gray, director of TV Electronics & Europe TV Research at market research firm DisplaySearch, said consumers are now accustomed to the instant availability of online media, and "the idea of buying a physical copy seems quaint if you're under 25."

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