Use Wolfram Alpha to Convert Obscure Technical Measurements Into Layman's Terms

Source: http://lifehacker.com/5992239/use-wolfram-alpha-to-convert-obscure-technical-measurements-into-laymans-terms

If you've ever found yourself reading a science article and had no idea what the heck a measurement means than you know it takes away from your understanding of an article. Write Ben Young Landis suggests one way to deal with this is to use Wolfram Alpha to convert that measurement into something you can understand.

If you type a measurement into Wolfram Alpha, say, 50 microns, you'll get the usual unit conversions that you'd expect. However, you also get results like, ".04 x length of a dust mite," or ".46 x thickness of a US dollar bill." It's a lot more useful to most people to think of "about half the thickness of a dollar bill" than it is "50 microns." If you ever find yourself stuck on the measurements when reading an article, this quick search might be a helpful way to understand it a little more.

How to Describe Obscure Technical Measurements | Ben Young Landis

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Google starts a TV white space trial in South Africa to wirelessly link schools

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/25/google-starts-a-tv-white-space-trial-in-south-africa/

Google has been a strong advocate of white space wireless as democratizing broadband access: its long-range nature can bring people online when the local internet framework isn't always reliable, if it exists at all. The company is about to illustrate that potential through a new trial in South Africa. A trio of base stations at Stellenbosch University in Cape Town will supply ten nearby primary and secondary schools with internet access to prove that white space access can work without affecting TV signals. To make sure it won't, Google is picking the safest frequencies from a database and is measuring the results for the sake of both nervous broadcasters and the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa. If all goes well, it should make a case for full approval of white space use across the country and deliver internet access to remote areas that risk being left by the technological wayside.

Filed under: Wireless, Networking, Internet, Google

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Source: Google Africa Blog

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Growler/Keg Combo Keeps Beer Cold and Carbonated, Thinks Of Everything

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5992185/growlerkeg-combo-keeps-beer-cold-and-carbonated-maximizes-awesome

Look, the majesty of nature is great and all, but camping would be a lot better if you had cold, carbonated beer at the end of a trek. And DrinkTanks has a growler on the way to help.

The double-walled stainless steel growler keeps 64 ounces of beer cold all day. It has two cap options, a normal wire bale cap and a keg tap cap that has a tap hose and lets you inject CO2 and release excess pressure. There's also a handle for easy carrying.

The DrinkTanks Growler has already collected more than three times its Kickstarter goal, with three weeks left, but we'll have to wait for hands on. The growler is $65 and up depending on things like color, and the keg tap cap is an extra $30, but with this setup you'll never be able to say keg tap cap correctly again, so it's probably worth it. [Kickstarter via Cool Material]

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Myriad Social TV brings social networking to your cable box (hands-on video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/23/myriad-social-tv-hands-on/

The marriage of social networking and television is nothing new, but Myriad recently launched Social TV, a white label solution which allows TV service providers to roll out their own custom social networking platform on your cable box. It complements services like Twitter, Facebook and Google+ by offering a more contextual way for viewers to interact with their friends while watching TV. Social TV provides an integrated HTML5 experience that's consistent across both television and companion devices (phones and tablets). Viewers can chose between receiving alerts on their TVs, mobile devices or both and can create show- or series-specific virtual communities that automatically expire when the program ends. The system is even mindful of time zones and time-shifts messages to prevent spoilers. More after the break.

Gallery: Myriad Social TV hands-on

Filed under: Home Entertainment, Tablets, HD

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NVIDIA details how its Jetson development kit creates smart, seeing cars

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/23/nvidia-details-how-its-new-jetson-development-kit-creates-smart-cars/

Developing a high-end in-car infotainment system can present challenges that don't exist in other platforms -- you're juggling core car systems, a myriad of sensors and media playback in a testbed on wheels. NVIDIA has just explained how it's uniting those elements with its new, lengthily-titled Jetson Automotive Development Platform. While it looks like a single-DIN car stereo laid bare, the configurable kit incorporates a Tegra processor (for usual infotainment functions), multiple car-friendly interfaces and a Kepler-based graphics chipset that can power car detection, lane departure and other computer vision systems by using CUDA or OpenCV code. The net effect should be a much simpler development process: automakers can consolidate some of their test hardware in one Jetson unit that they can upgrade or swap out if newer technology comes along. NVIDIA isn't naming the handful of designers and suppliers that are already building car electronics using Jetson, although history offers a few possible candidates.

Filed under: GPS, Home Entertainment, Transportation, NVIDIA

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Source: NVIDIA (1), (2)

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