85611641
submission
lars_stefan_axelsson writes:
MIT News reports that SolidEnergy, an MIT spinoff is preparing to release a new Li-Ion battery that provides double the energy density per weight and volume, compared to current batteries.
The battery uses a thin layer of lithium metal as the anode compared to the graphite which is used today. There is also a change to the electrolyte. The new battery can be manufactured using current process lines, and commercial release of batteries for smart phones is planned for early next year, with electric cars following in 2018.
So if this holds true, it's a pretty big step forward, in an industry that otherwise usually sees a couple of percent improvement per step otherwise.
73175539
submission
lars_stefan_axelsson writes:
If you like music and Game of Thrones, what could be better than putting the two together?
That's what Coldplay thought when they put together Games of Thrones, the musical, presented in this hilarious 12 minute YouTube mini documentary.
Now, as it was made for Red Nose Day it's probably not coming to a theatre near you any time soon, which is a pity as there's clear, at least comedic, potential. They do hint at other projects near the end though, including "Taken on ice"! I'd pay to see Liam Neeson on skates, wouldn't you?
66918189
submission
lars_stefan_axelsson writes:
When I was an undergrad in the eighties, "building" a computer meant that you got a bunch of chips and a soldering iron and went to work. The art is still alive today, but instead of a running BASIC interpreter as the ultimate proof of success, today the crowning achievement is getting Linux to run:
"What does it take to build a little 68000-based protoboard computer, and get it running Linux? In my case, about three weeks of spare time, plenty of coffee, and a strong dose of stubborness. After banging my head against the wall with problems ranging from the inductance of pushbutton switches to memory leaks in the C standard library, it finally works! "
1212011
submission
lars_stefan_axelsson writes:
ASSA Abloy, the world's leading maker of locks and accessories have had several problems with their newest line of locks, the EVO 2000 series. Last in the line of woes is the demonstration that one can unlock them from the outside using only a cheap set of feeler blades. This news is of course extra embarrassing as the EVO line is supposed to be the most secure ever (e.g. by featuring a hook bolt that anchors the door to the frame instead of the usual sliding bolt) While a protective flap over the crack between door and frame would make this attack a lot less likely to succeed, it's still embarrassing that a major lock manufacturer would overlook such a simple flaw in this day and age.
