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Scientists can turn crystals into reusable electrical conductors
For some time, scientists have been experimenting with crystals to see if they can become a new kind of memory storage. Now, scientists at Washington State University have figured how to make a transparent crystal conduct electricity. What's more, it can be reconfigured and reused multiple times.
ICYMI: All aboard the world's largest boat elevator
try{document.getElementById("aol-cms-player-1").style.display="none";}catch(e){}Today on In Case You Missed It: The Three Gorges Dam in China is home to the largest ship elevator, hauling up to 3000 tons of cargo from one lower level of water to the higher stream at the top. Meanwhile, Georgia Tech engineers believe their new fabric, which can harvest energy from both movement and the sun, will revolutionize how we keep devices charged. The three baby parent video is here, and the crystallizing salts are here. As always, please share any interesting tech or science videos you find by using the #ICYMI hashtag on Twitter for @mskerryd.
Sharp's all-screen AQUOS Crystal arrives at Sprint
We knew the Sharp AQUOS Crystal was coming, but we weren't exactly sure when. That's all changed thanks to news from Sprint. The handset, packing a nigh edge-to-edge display, has just reached Sprint Prepaid and Boost Mobile (either at Best Buy or a Boost Mobile retail store) for $150. If you'd rather run Sharp's latest attempt at breaking into the US smartphone market on traditional service using a $10 per month payment plan, you'll have to wait an additional week until October 17th. There's yet another option, although it sadly won't put the phone in your hands any sooner. Quite the opposite, actually. Should you rather buy on the Sprint Prepaid from Radio Shack -- it'd surely love the business -- you'll have to wait all the way until October 21st to drop your cash. Need help deciding if it's for you? Check out our hands-on video after the break.
Crystal DualShock 3 hits Japan in December
A "Crystal," wireless DualShock 3 is coming to Japan on December 19, PlayStation Japan announced (translation from Polygon). The controller is translucent white and notably not made out of actual crystals. The Crystal DualShock 3 costs 5,500 yen ($56) and will be compatible with PlayStation Vita TV, which launches on November 14. There's no word if the Crystal controller will ever head westward. You'll recall this isn't the first time Sony has experimented with natural elements in its hardware.
NYU synthesizes crystals with lifelike behavior under light
Scientists have long surmised that inorganic life is possible. New York University hasn't created any at this stage, but it just produced an uncannily close imitation through a recent experiment. When exposing hematite particles (iron and oxygen in a polymer) to specific wavelengths of blue light, researchers got the particles to form crystals that metabolize and move together like a flock. If it weren't for the lack of reproduction, the crystals would technically qualify as life -- and one upcoming test will trade mobility for that self-replication. Accordingly, NYU sees the crystals not just as having possible uses for electronics, but also as illustrating that a finer line might exist between living creatures and synthetic objects. Whether or not the university ever meets all three conditions for life at once, we may have to reset our expectations for what chemicals can do when they get together.
University of Michigan makes silicon from liquid metal, aims for low-cost chips
Forming silicon normally requires extreme temperatures of more than 2,000F, with the expensive energy to match. The University of Michigan has developed a technique involving liquid metal that could shed most of the heat -- and cost. By coating a liquid gallium electrode with silicon tetrachloride, researchers can generate pure silicon crystals through the gallium's electrons at a comparatively cool 180F. While the crystals are currently small, bigger examples are at least theoretically possible with new metals or other refinements. Any eventual commercial success could lead to much easier, and likely cheaper, manufacturing for processors and solar cells; given that silicon still forms the backbone of most technology, real-world use can't come quickly enough.
Negative radiation pressure in light could make some tractor beams real, we're already sucked in
Developing a real, working tractor beam has regularly been an exercise in frustration: it often relies on brute force attempts to induce a magnetic link or an air pressure gap, either of which falls a bit short of science fiction-level elegance. The Technion-Israel Institute of Technology's Mordechai Segev has a theory that would use the subtler (though not entirely movie-like) concept of negative radiation pressure in light to move objects. By using materials that have a negative refraction index, where the light photons and their overall wave shape move in opposite directions, Segev wants to create a sweet spot where negative radiation pressure exists and an object caught in the middle can be pushed around. His early approach would use extremely thin crystals stacked in layers to manipulate the refraction. As it's theorized, the technology won't be pulling in the Millennium Falcon anytime soon -- the millimeters-wide layer intervals dictate the size of what can be pulled. Nonetheless, even the surgery-level tractor beams that Segev hopes will ultimately stem from upcoming tests would bring us much closer to the future that we've always wanted.
Explay Crystal revives transparent display phones with dash of color, low price
If you've been lamenting the passing of transparent display phones like the Sony Ericsson Xperia Pureness as those vile, opaque smartphones took over, you'll be happy to know that Russia's Explay has taken up the mantle with the Crystal. The basic song remains the same, a numberpad-driven dumbphone with a display that will help you avoid the lamp post up ahead, but it's remixed through colors that render the experience a lot less monotone. We saw this in the Lenovo S800, but the dual SIM card slots and Bluetooth 3.0 at least see the Crystal keep pace with more recent phones in its category. By far the biggest advantage Explay has over its ancestors is pure cost: at 7,000 rubles ($218), it's less than half the $500 that Lenovo wanted and that much more palatable for a handset that isn't running a sophisticated OS like Android or Windows Phone. Russians have to wait until July 1st to pick up the Crystal, but wouldn't count on the see-through phone seeing its way to the US through official channels.
Samsung's crystal-studded Series 9 laptop to make its QVC debut tomorrow
Been waiting patiently to get your hands on Samsung's limited edition Series 9 laptop since its first showing at IFA in the fall? Then you really should have been looking into some other more sensible options in the interim. But if those non-crystal-studded alternatives didn't strike your fancy, you'll be glad to know that the laptop will finally be available in the US, exclusively on QVC, beginning tomorrow at 10PM. Unfortunately, the sure-to-be-premium price will only buy you a last-gen Series 9, with a Core i5-2467M processor and Windows 7 Home Premium for an OS.
Jarre AeroSystem One gets a Lalique crystal facelift, we go hands-on
We saw the original AeroSystem One saunter into our lives a couple of month's back, and now Jarre Technologies has collaborated with crystal house Lalique to give it a makeover. The partnership sees the original iPod dock covered in smooth glass and cut metal, which certainly sets it apart from pretty much any other dock we've ever seen. The dock connector sits at the top, and being inset, isn't suitable for iPads, but if you're getting one of these, we imagine you don't want to ruin the aesthetic by perching a slate on top anyway. There is, however, a USB connection meaning this isn't an iDevice only affair. If you've got the estimated £10,000 (or about $15,840) lying around, it'll have to keep burning that hole in your pocket until some time in March. We managed to get a quick hands -- and ears -- on with the only two units in the UK, but couldn't explore much beyond how it looked in-store, bar an awkward moment when we placed an iPhone on it, only to discover it set to full volume. Check the gallery below for a closer look, or hit the PR after the break for more info.Mat Smith contributed to this post
Samsung to sell limited edition, crystal-studded Series 9 laptops
Well, a very merry early Christmas to you too, Samsung. At the tail end of of the company's PC-focused press conference here at IFA -- an event primarily devoted to the Series 7 Chronos laptop and Windows 7 slate -- its executives announced a rather unforeseen update to the Series 9. No, we're not talking beefier SSDs or a skinnier silhouette. Get ready, friends, because this holiday season our favorite pinch-thin PC is getting decked out in crystals. Hand-applied crystals, guys. The company's going to sell a limited number of these things in "Moonlight Blue," a wintry navy, and "Luxury Rose Gold," a champagne color, with carefully sprinkled bling on the cover. That color extends across the chassis, onto the palm rest and between the keys but blessedly, the fairy dust doesn't make a cameo in the interior. No word on pricing, though we don't expect Paris Hilton Samsung's target customer will care. %Gallery-132308%
Bomb-sniffing crystals may save us from nuclear Armageddon, tea leaves agree
Worried that a nuclear attack might wipe out all of American civilization? You needn't be, because the scientific community's crystal ball says crystal balls may save humanity. Last week, the Department of Energy awarded a $900,000 grant to Fisk University and Wake Forest, where researchers have been busy exploring the counter-terrorist capabilities of strontium iodide crystals. Once laced with europium, these crystals can do a remarkably good job of picking up on and analyzing radiation, as the team from Fisk and other national laboratories recently discovered. Cost remains the most imposing barrier to deploying the materials at airports or national borders, though soothsaying scientists claim it's only a matter of time before they develop a way to produce greater crystalline quantities at an affordable price. The only thing Miss Cleo sees is a glistening press release, in your very near, post-break future.
Gresso flaunts $30,000 white iPhone 4, holds more ice than a skating rink
Sure, you probably waited longer than you should have to get the elusive white iPhone 4. But, you know what's better than a boring regular model? One with diamonds, crystals and pearls... of course! Known for its ridiculous custom mobile devices, Gresso may force you to refinance your house and hock a kidney to afford its latest creation, the Lady Blanche. A solid diamond-coated mineral glass backing, three independent Swiss clocks and pearl dials replace the usual body on this iced-out iPhone. If the $30k diamond model is a bit out of your price range, the much more affordable Swarovski crystal version will only set you back 7,000 bones. Release details are unclear at this point, but when they drop you better act fast -- only 150 of these gems will be available. Heck, if you have that kind of cash lying around, just get the salesman to throw in one of these for your iPad, too.
Gold Capped: Patch 4.1 and Maelstrom Crystals
Every week, WoW Insider brings you Gold Capped, in which Basil "Euripides" Berntsen aims to show you how to make money on the auction house. Email Basil with your questions, comments, or hate mail! Is the sky falling? Will patch 4.1 herald the end of the high price for Maelstrom Crystals? The informal communication channels between auctioneers (sharing market analyses with each other in IRC and custom channels or tells in game and on gold blogs) have been abuzz with the frantic analysis that patch 4.1 will drive the price of Maelstroms down to ridiculously low amounts. Personally, I'm not sure I'd blindly buy that.
Phosphor Reveal wristwatch hands-on (and giveaway!)
It usually takes a very particular type of personality to buy a crystal-encrusted object of any sort, much less something that you'd drape across an exposed body part like your wrist. That said, the pure novelty of the movement in Phosphor's Reveal line of watches might be enough to change your mind: it uses some sort of patented black magic to flip between two different colors of crystals to form digits that indicate the time. We've had a couple of the watches in our possession this week, so we're able to personally confirm the cool factor. What surprised us a bit is the amount of time it takes for digits to change: depending on how many crystals need to flip, we'd estimate it can take as long as a quarter second or so, because the crystals flip in sequence rather than all at once (perhaps to limit current draw). Like E Ink -- another one of Phosphor's specialties -- this "display" is bistable, meaning it'll stay put without any power consumption once a time is set. Of course, we don't know exactly how much power it takes to be flipping all these crystals every minute, so it's an open question how often you'll need to be replacing the coin cell. The most understated men's style is -- in our humble opinion -- simple enough to wear even if you can't stand the thought of donning dozens of Swarovski crystals, thanks in part to the fact that the bezel is a clean dark metal; of course, if you don't mind the crystals, Phosphor is happy to help you bling it up. Follow the break for some video of the watches in action! Oh, we almost forgot: we're giving two of these away. Right now. Here's what you need to know! The rules: Leave a comment below. Any comment will do. You may only enter this specific giveaway once. If you enter this giveaway more than once you'll be automatically disqualified, etc. (Yes, we have robots that thoroughly check to ensure fairness.) If you enter more than once, only activate one comment. This is pretty self explanatory. Just be careful and you'll be fine. Contest is open to all residents of the 50 States, the District of Columbia, and Canada (excluding Quebec), 18 or older! Sorry, we don't make this rule (we hate excluding anyone), so be mad at our lawyers and contest laws if you have to be mad. Winners will be chosen randomly. Two winner will each receive one Phosphor Reveal wristwatch. We choose which style you get. We can't honor requests -- sorry! If you are chosen, you will be notified by email. Winners must respond within three days of the end of the contest. If you do not respond within that period, another winner will be chosen. Entries can be submitted until Friday, March 11, 2011, at 11:59PM ET. Good luck! Full rules can be found here.
Phosphor's Reveal wristwatch uses Swarovski crystals to tell time, bedazzle you
The Phosphor brand has usually been associated with E Ink watches in the past, but they're taking the off-the-beaten-path timekeeping technology in a very different direction this time around with the introduction of the new Reveal line. Of course, glittery little stones are no strangers to the surfaces of watches around the world, but with the Reveal, they play an active role: Phosphor is using what it describes as "proprietary Micro-Magnetic Mechanical Digital technology" to rotate Swarovski crystals into place to form digital time readouts on the thoroughly encrusted face. Think of it like an extremely low-res E Ink, we suppose... but with shiny rocks in place of electrically-charged granules of white and black pigment. The models are available in six styles -- four for women, two for men -- starting today from $199 and up. Follow the break for the full press release.
EA gets Chillingo, but not Angry Birds
Electronic Arts' purchase of publisher Chillingo doesn't include the IP rights to Angry Birds. Speaking with TechCrunch, developer Rovio Mobile's Peter Vesterbacka said that its relationship with Chillingo never went past the iOS versions of the game. Vesterbacka explained, "We will not use Chillingo again." It would seem the company's need for a publisher has diminished since striking gold with Angry Birds, which has sold 6.5 million copies on the App Store. Rovio has self-published Android and Nokia versions of Angry Birds, as well as its latest iOS title: Angry Birds Halloween. Chillingo's rights to each of its published games would be on a per contract basis, but what EA definitely got for its ducats was the company's Crystal gaming network platform and all its data gathering potential.
TUAW's Daily App: PipeRush
PipeRush is a fun little title that we haven't yet seen the likes of (as far as I know) on the iPhone. I remember this kind of game as Pipe Dream, though you may know it by a number of different names. The idea is that you're given a queue of pieces, and then your job is to assemble them in such a way that they all match up and allow water to flow within a certain time period. PipeRush doesn't add too much to this formula (though there are some power-ups to play with as you go through the levels), but what it does bring is a nice bit of polish. There's a cute lead character in Pippa, the pipe-laying plumber, and the graphics are simple and sparkly as you go along. Achievements and scoreboards are handled by Crystal, but with star ratings to chase across the game's 15 or so levels, I found plenty to do. PipeRush is only US 99 cents on the App Store right now, and if this kind of gameplay appeals to you at all, I highly recommend you pick it up.
Wrap your iPhone 4 in Swarovski crystals
Now that Apple has all but confirmed that the iPhone 4 needs a case to work correctly, you might as well go as over-the-top as possible, right? Enter this Swarovski crystal case from Caze -- over 1500 Swarovski glass crystals covering every part of the iPhone's sides and back, encircling your handset in garish, diamond-like ... erm ... luxury? Just in case the classic silver version above isn't flashy enough for you, the case is also available in Gold, Blue, or Pink. And if you so choose, you can even get a free crystal Apple logo along with your purchase. Sheesh. I can't say I'd want my iPhone looking like that, but each to his or her own, I guess. And wait for the price: the case will set you back a full $199 plus shipping and tax. In other words, probably the same thing you paid for the 16gb iPhone underneath it. If you've got an extra $200 sitting around and want to make your iPhone extra shiny, I'm sure Caze will happily help you out.
Gresso gussies up iPhone 4 with rare wooden veneer
From the front it looks like any other iPhone 4, but flip it around and a glint might catch your eye -- that's the doing of Russian technology tailor Gresso, who's embedded Swarovski crystals and an 18-karat golden Apple logo in a sheet of African Blackwood attached to the device. As usual, one wonders why anyone would bother, but honestly we can't complain -- the design is worlds more tasteful than the solid gold and diamond-encrusted contraptions we're used to seeing. Expect the dainty dillantante to arrive in December at a surprisingly reasonable $3,500, or $3,000 for the male-targeted version at right. Of course, if you've got that kind of money to spend, you want one now, right? Good news: the iPhone 3GS gets the same luxurious treatment -- and price -- in July. [Thanks, Bob]
