electronics
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Hitting the Books: What the wearables of tomorrow might look like
Smaller, more powerful electronics are leading the current wearable revolution. In The Skeptic's Guide the the Future, Dr. Steven Novella looks at what comes next.
What you’ll need to survive the California wildfires this summer
Gear and strategies to help you ride out this summer’s fire season. Good luck.
Samsung's 'history of electronics' animated videos seem like great sleep aids
The first episode is about Morse code and it's -... --- .-. .. -. --.
Amazon reportedly explored opening discount stores to offload unsold electronics
Amazon has been examining the idea of opening discount stores or outlets selling unsold electronics and home goods at steep discounts.
Samsung's influential chairman Lee Kun-hee dies at 78
Samsung chairman Lee Kun-hee, who made the company the giant it is today, has died at 78.
Sphero acquires LittleBits and its set of scientific toys
The popular STEAM education company Sphero announced today that it has acquired LittleBits. You may remember LittleBits as the company behind toys that teach kids about electronics, and Sphero has made a name for itself creating educational coding robots. Together, the companies plan to bring STEAM and coding products to more classrooms, homes and educational programs.
Researchers create '2D' gold a million times thinner than a fingernail
Scientists have created the world's thinnest gold. At just two atoms thick, the material is one million times thinner than a human fingernail, which is big news for the tech industry. Gold is already used in a range of applications such as engineering, aerospace, as well as in medicine -- gold nanaoparticles play a significant role in cancer treatment, for example -- but in a "2D" form it has the potential to be used even more efficiently.
Foxconn boss Terry Gou is running for president of Taiwan
Terry Gou, the billionaire founder of electronics giant Foxconn, is stepping down from his role as chairman to run for president of Taiwan. He will stand in the primaries of the Kuomintang opposition party, promoting a more China-friendly policy during what is currently a period of heightened tension with Beijing.
Chinese tech at CES: Politics is temporary, business is permanent
At the start of 2018, the US imposed a series of tariffs on Chinese products ranging from solar cells through to home appliances. It was the escalation of rhetoric between the two countries over fears that the US-China trade deficit had become too high. According to US Census Bureau statistics for 2018, the US bought $447 billion worth of Chinese goods, but only $102.4 billion went the opposite way. An additional $200 billion tariff package targeting the technology industry was due to be levied on January 1st, 2019.
Littlebits' latest kits are inspired by modern inventors
LittleBits is introducing three new kits that teach children about electronics and how to think with a creative, inventive and activist mindset. The Base Inventor Kit, which will retail for $99.99, comes with 10 color-coded pieces that snap onto a wearable "arm." A companion mobile app guides you through a series of activities inspired by real-life inventors; a sound-activated gripper arm, for instance, is based on modern prosthetics, while a "stuff protector" mimicks an alarm made to protect lions and cattle in Kenya. The app then challenges you to create new inventions that protect the environment or help your local community.
Turkey’s president calls for a boycott of US electronics
As tensions mount between the US and Turkey, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is now calling for the country to boycott US electronics. He even called out the iPhone specifically -- a product he's often seen using. "Every product that we buy in foreign currency from outside, we will produce them here and sell abroad," Erdogan said during a speech given in Ankara, "We will boycott the electronics products of the US." He added, "If they have iPhone, there is Samsung on the other side. And we have our own telephone brands."
LittleBits’ Marvel kit lets you code your own superpowers
LittleBits is back with another kit designed to teach kids about electronics and coding. Following Infinity War and Ant-Man and the Wasp, the startup has partnered with Marvel on an Avengers-themed gauntlet set. It ships with nine colorful 'bits,' which are fully compatible with every other Lego-like module LittleBit has released to date. As with previous kits, they're color-coded by function -- the light sensor, for instance, is pink (input) while the circular LED matrix is green (output). They all snap together magnetically and can be placed inside a superhero-inspired sleeve.
Gibson files for bankruptcy to ditch electronics, focus on guitars
Yesterday Gibson Brands filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Known for its famous guitars, the company is in a similar situation to Toys 'R' Us, owing as much as $500 million to creditors including private equity firms like Kohlberg Kravis Roberts, Silver Point Capital and Melody Capital Partners. It took on significant debt -- which is about to mature -- to finance a series of acquisitions to build up a Gibson Innovations electronics business that it's now in the process of separating from. Other than buying a stake in TEAC, Bloomberg reports it bought Philips line of headphones and speakers, and until recently had close business ties with Onkyo. According to the press release "The Company's Gibson Innovations business, which is largely outside of the U.S. and independent of the Musical Instruments business, will be wound down." While the headphones are likely done, other elements like its Gibson and Epiphone guitars, as well as KRK and Cerwin Vega studio monitors and loudspeakers will continue on. Hopefully, that includes its digital recorder-embued guitar cable.
One of the UK's largest electronics retailers is broke
Many years ago, Maplin was the place to go if you needed a VGA to Scart cable, a weird battery or a new charger for your Samsung flip phone before there were industry standards for that kind of thing. It's the UK equivalent of RadioShack, and the only well-known highstreet chain still selling obscure electronics. Next to aisles of every cable and converter you could imagine, you'll often find random delights such as a smoke machines and soldering stations. In more recent years, Maplin started stocking products with a broader appeal, like Nest thermostats, Amazon Fire TV sticks and Google Home speakers. It even launched a smart home consultation service late last year, but the change in tack hasn't rescued the retailer from going broke.
littleBits and Pearson bring electronics kits to US schools
The littleBits team has long been eager to teach kids about the joys of building electronics, and it's taking that commitment to its logical conclusion. It's partnering with Pearson on the STEM Invention Toolbox, a kit that teaches students at varying grade levels how to design electronics and understand scientific concepts. They can craft circuits that save energy, for example, or a communication device for astronauts. The aim is to learn by doing, and encourage kids to "think beyond the text" -- they're not just memorizing facts or performing canned experiments.
Washington state bill would make hard-to-repair electronics illegal
A number of states are considering right to repair bills, legislation which if passed would make it easier for individuals and repair shops to replace or repair electronics parts. Repair.org reports that 17 states have already introduced bills this year and while most aim to make repair parts and manuals accessible, Washington's proposed legislation would straight up ban electronics that prevent easy repair. "Original manufacturers of digital electronic products sold on or after January 1, 2019, in Washington state are prohibited from designing or manufacturing digital electronic products in such a way as to prevent reasonable diagnostic or repair functions by an independent repair provider," says the bill. "Preventing reasonable diagnostic or repair functions includes permanently affixing a battery in a manner that makes it difficult or impossible to remove."
Kano combines its coding kits for a DIY 'laptop'
Kano, the company behind a variety of build-it-yourself computer and coding kits, has unveiled a "laptop" today. A portable computer is probably more accurate. Whereas most laptops have a clamshell design, the new "Computer Kit Complete" keeps the screen and keyboard separate. All of the components are kept inside the display unit, and like a box of LEGO, there's an instruction booklet that teaches you how to put everything together. One of the parts is a Raspberry Pi 3 board, which runs custom software called Kano OS. It's packed with child-friendly programming activities and some basic apps including YouTube and WhatsApp.
Emirates will hand out Surface tablets on flights from Dubai
In mid-March, the US hastily instituted an indefinite ban on electronic devices larger than a cellphone from being carried on to the flights of nine Middle Eastern airlines. Reportedly, it was to prevent terrorists from sneaking an explosive-laden fake iPad into the cabin, though few details on the specific threat have emerged in recent weeks. To compensate travellers for the hassle of spending hours on a flight without their trusty laptops, Emirates has begun offering complimentary Microsoft Surfaces for the durations of affected flights.
Amazon considers opening augmented reality furniture stores
Amazon's retail plans could extend well beyond books and groceries. New York Times sources hear that the internet giant is "exploring" the possibility of appliance and furniture stores with a technological angle. You'd use augmented or virtual reality to see how items would look in your own home, making it easier to pull the trigger on that new couch or stove. And there's a chance that Amazon might challenge some of its tech rivals more directly in retail, too.
Electron microscope draws nano-sized patterns in metal ink
One of the greatest challenges in designing electronics is drawing very fine details. You normally need lithography, which complicates the process by requiring masks. However, Oak Ridge National Laboratory has now found a way to write at an extremely fine level -- and even get a little bit creative. Its researchers have developed a technique that relies on an electron microscope to draw nanoscale patterns using metal ink. The team first creates a grayscale template to guide its work, and uses the microscope to shoot electrons into palladium chloride cells along that template. The cells neatly deposit raw palladium wherever the microscope goes.
