morse code
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Samsung's 'history of electronics' animated videos seem like great sleep aids
The first episode is about Morse code and it's -... --- .-. .. -. --.
Genius sues Google for $50 million over 'stolen' song lyrics
Earlier this year Genius announced it suspected Google of copying its lyrics data -- now it's thrown its weight behind a lawsuit accusing the company of exactly that. According to Genius, lyric licensing company LyricFind pulled lyrics directly from Genius' pages, which Google subsequently used in its search results.
Gene editing can end disease and fight global famine
We're looking at the single greatest advancement in genetics since Mendelev started growing peas. CRISPR-Cas9 gene-modification technology is powerful enough to cure humanity's worst diseases, yet simple enough to be used by amateur biologists. You thought 3-D printers and the maker movement were going to change the world? Get ready for a new kind of tinkerer -- one that wields gene-snipping scissors.
Visualized: Cubesat micro-orbiters slip into space to flash Earth in Morse code
Japan's four-inch FITSAT-1 orbiters were released from Japan's Kibo laboratory on the ISS last week to (literally) start their world tour, and astronauts aboard the station captured the wee satellites being dwarfed by giant solar arrays and our own blue rock on their way to orbit. Soon they'll be writing "Hi this is Niwaka Japan" in Morse code using intense flashes of LED light, first to Japan and then across the globe, starting next month. To catch them floating away from the International Space Station's cozy confines, hit the source.
Japan's LED-stacked cubesat will burn Morse code into the heavens
If you thought cloud writing was cool, then how about a message from space burnt into the night sky? A group of unassuming cubesats recently left the comfort of the ISS and joined Earth's orbit -- among them was FITSAT-1 (aka Niwaka), a four-inch-cubed Japanese satellite covered in high-powered LEDs. Its mission is to broadcast the message "Hi this is Niwaka Japan" in Morse code, using bursts of intense light to draw dots and dashes across the heavens. FITSAT-1 was originally planned to appear only over Japan, but a flurry of interest means it'll be touring the globe, starting next month. It'll also find time for its studies, beaming VGA images snapped with an onboard camera back to Earth, to test a high-speed data transmitter. While its creator, Professor Takushi Tanaka, has said the Morse broadcast has "no practical aim," we think it would make a good emergency beacon for natural disasters (or, more worryingly, alien invasions). FITSAT-1 will try and fulfill all requests for appearances, but it can't control the weather, so you'd better hope for a clear night if it visits your part of the world. If you're as excited as we are to see it in action, bookmark the source links below, which should be updated with its orbit schedule in the near future. And, even if you don't speak Japanese, the video after the break will give you an idea of what to expect.
Bluetooth keyboard mod resurrects Morse code, offers a helping click to disabled (video)
Morse code may have been pushed aside in the pursuit of higher-tech cryptography, but the old dits and dahs of yore are now finding a repurposed life helping the disabled. Modding outfit Zunkworks has cobbled together an Arduino hack that pairs a Bluetooth-based, dots and dashes approach with wallet-friendly parts. Using the keyboard's two inbuilt push-buttons, users' clicks are decoded by the integrated Arduino and then transmitted via Bluetooth to a nearby computer. And thanks to the mod's HID profile support, you can also enjoy this access solution on smartphones and tablets -- useful for those who can "send code at 25-50 words per minute." Yeah, that's definitely not us. Still, we applaud the group's efforts to make 21st century tech accessible to the handicapped and geek alike. Jump past the break for a video demo of this on / off hackjob.
Portal receives radio patch, tunes in hints of a sequel
Valve has released a new patch for Portal on Steam, and the patch notes say only that it has "changed radio transmission frequency to comply with federal and state spectrum management regulations." A curious note, especially since Portal, as a computer game, doesn't actually transmit anything over the radio. That got the forum train a'moving on the Steam boards, and they eventually discovered that radios have been added to each level of the game which, when carried to the correct spots in each level, will tune in a series of coded messages. Connecting to all (or any, according to some reports) of the 26 messages in the game will supposedly unlock a new hidden achievement called "Transmission Received." At least, we think so -- as of this writing, no one seems to have unlocked it yet. Some of the messages are morse codes that range from the technical ("External data line active") to the silly ("Beep beep beep beep"), and some are encoded images of numbers and equations ("B.dA=3"), but the whole thing appears to be hinting that AI antagonist GLaDOS may have transmitted information or part of herself out of the Aperture Science facility before the first game ended. Which would probably mean that a sequel reveal is imminent. We'll stay tuned for more information -- we didn't really expect to hear from Valve at GDC next week, but a Portal 2 reveal would make our San Francisco visit that much nicer. [Thanks, Rob!]
5 Mac applications for ham radio fans
Although my work keeps me from spending a lot of time conversing with the world via ham radio (I'm KCØEZH, by the way), it's a fascinating techie hobby. Sure, you can use a wireless phone to call anyone on earth, send 'em SMS/MMS/email messages, tweet, blog, etc..., but there's something rather fun about trying to pluck a faint signal from someone on the other side of planet and coax it into recognizable speech or code.Many hams are hard-core electronics buffs who like to "roll their own," so it's not surprising that a lot of ham radio operators build their own PCs from parts and run Linux or Windows. However, thanks in part to virtual machines and the general growing popularity of Macs (and iPhones) in general, there is getting to be a sizable population of Mac-driving amateur radio fans.Follow along as I show a random sampling of ham radio apps for the Mac.
FCC drops Morse code requirement for amateur radio license: - - - .... / -. - - - !
Despite the fact that it's been proven more than once that there are lots of folks who are well-versed in Morse code, it appears that the SMS of the 19th century has become a thing of the past. The FCC has finally dropped the requirement to learn the obscure language to become a ham radio operator; up until now there had been a five word per minute minimum Morse code speed requirement in order to get the amateur radio license. This brings American amateur radio operators in line with similar requirements in Europe and Canada, who since eliminating the rule in 2003, have found this requirement a bit, shall we say, old world? [Warning: PDF link][Via Slashdot and ARRLWeb]
Steampunk laptop comes complete with Morse key
We're not exactly sure how this actually works, but a creative Japanese fellow seems to have created a laptop that looks like something out of the movie "Pi." It's apparently a functioning laptop, with mechanical keys, a wooden space bar, and a stylish Morse key over the trackball. It's even got USB, Ethernet, and all the modern trimmings. Click, or tap, rather, on over to the next page to check out a closeup of that Morse key...[Via Boing Boing]
Widget Watch: Morse Code Translator
.-- .... .- - / .... .- - .... / --. --- -.. / .-- .-. --- ..- --. .... - ..--.. / - .... . / -- --- .-. ... . / -.-. --- -.. . / - .-. .- -. ... .-.. .- - --- .-. --..-- / .-- .... .. -.-. .... / -.. --- . ... / . -..- .- -.-. - .-.. -.-- / .-- .... .- - / -.-- --- ..- / . -..- .--. . -.-. - / .. - / - --- / -.. --- .-.-.- / .. - / -.-. --- -. ...- . .-. - ... / .--. .-.. .- .. -. / - . -..- - / - --- / -- --- .-. ... . / -.-. --- -.. . / .- -. -.. / ...- .. -.-. . / ...- . .-. ... .- .-.-.- / -- .. --. .... - / -.-. --- -- . / .. -. / .... .- -. -.. -.-- / .. ..-. / -.-- --- ..- .----. .-. . / . ...- . .-. / ... - .-. .- -. -.. . -.. / --- -. / .- / -- .- -.-. / -- .- -. .. .- / --. . . -.- / -.-. .-. ..- .. ... . / .-- .. - .... / -. --- / .-- .. ..-. .. .-.-.- Translation:What hath God wrought? The Morse Code Translator, which does exactly what you expect it to do. It converts plain text to Morse code and vice versa. Might come in handy if you're ever stranded on a Mac Mania Geek Cruise with no WiFi!
