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World's biggest floating wind farm is coming to Scotland
Just days after Danish energy provider Dong announced it had signed off plans to build the world's largest offshore wind farm comes news of another milestone in the UK's push for renewable energy. The Scottish Government has confirmed it has given consent to another Scandinavian company, Norway's Statoil, to build Britain's first floating wind farm. A park consisting of five 6MW turbines will be installed off the coast of Peterhead, eclipsing Japan's single 7MW turbine to become the world's largest offshore wind development.
Uber heads to Scotland, starting in Glasgow
After months of quiet hiring in Edinburgh and Glasgow, Uber is finally ready to take on Scotland. The company is launching first in Glasgow, although we suspect it won't be long before it enters the Scottish capital too. That means if you're based in Glasgow's bustling port city, you'll be able to download the app and request uberX rides from 4pm today. Uber has already launched in most of England's major hubs, including Newcastle, Birmingham and Leeds, so Scotland is an obvious target for further UK expansion. The company is still, however, in the middle of a legal dispute with the UK's Licensed Taxi Drivers Association, so we're curious to see how Glasgow's cabbies react to their new competition.
BBC iPlayer apps now offer live channels based on where you live
If you're on the move or struggling to gain control of the TV remote in your living room, the BBC's iPlayer apps are an easy way to watch its live programming. The problem, until now, has been that the mobile apps would only let you stream the England-specific versions of BBC One and BBC Two. So if you lived in Edinburgh and wanted to watch Reporting Scotland, you were out of luck until it was made available to stream on-demand. It wasn't the most accommodating setup, so the BBC is updating both its iOS and Android apps to support the regional versions of BBC One and BBC Two broadcast in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Just choose your preferred location in the app's settings and you'll receive exactly the same programming as you would normally on the telly.
Renewables are now Scotland's biggest energy source
If we're to protect our planet for future generations, it's paramount that governments invest in renewable sources of energy. Scotland appears to have turned that corner, after government figures revealed it's now generating more power from "clean" technologies than nuclear, coal and gas. The combination of wind, solar and hydroelectric, along with less-publicised sources such as landfill gas and biomass, produced 10.3 terawatt hours (TWh) in the first half of 2014. Over the same period, Scotland generated 7.8TWh from nuclear, 5.6TWh from coal and 1.4TWh from gas, according to figures supplied by National Grid. Renewable sources tend to fluctuate throughout the year, especially in Scotland where the weather is notoriously volatile, but in six-month chunks the country has consistently increased its renewable output. It's not the only one pushing a green agenda either; Germany's reliance on renewables is increasing and the output from the rest of the UK, especially England, is on the rise. We're a long way from dropping fossil fuels completely, but these are important steps on the road to tackling climate change.
Edinburgh Apple Store finally opening after being announced in 2010
Good things come to those who wait. Fours years after being announced, Edinburgh, Scotland is getting an Apple store. The long delayed location will open on October 18, according to a banner posted outside of the store. MACNN is reporting the store's building was originally built in 1769 as the Crown Hotel, and has been home to a number of businesses in its existence including Burger King and Woolworths. Reportedly the delays were caused by finalizing a location, and then figuring out a design layout for the older building. This will be the third Apple Store to open in Scotland.
Scotland finds independence on the web with new .scot domain
After heated debates and divided opinions, a slim majority of Scots voted to stay part of the UK in the recent Scottish independence referendum. Nevertheless, Scotland has achieved a slightly different type of liberty today, carving out a corner of the internet it alone can call home. The new .scot top-level domain is now officially open, meaning any and all can register websites with the Scottish-centric suffix. This "general release" follows the domain's announcement in July, when certain organisations like Scouts Scotland got early access, and businesses were allowed to stake their claims to relevant addresses. The .scot domain is the latest UK-focused slice of the web to go live after .london sites went up for grabs earlier this month. It also beats a pair of Welsh domains that are expected to become available to the masses in spring next year -- around the same time Scotland will no doubt be looking to break its six-year losing streak against Wales in the Six Nations.
A "Find my iPhone" story out of Scotland ends in an iPhone thief's death
The typical "Find my iPhone" story tends to have a heartwarming aspect to it; someone has their iPhone stolen, whereupon they use "Find my iPhone" to track down the thief and reclaim ownership of what is rightfully theirs. And just this week, we happened to cover a story detailing how the feature enabled law enforcement officials to track down and subsequently rescue an injured hiker. This is not one of those stories. Originally reported on the UK-based Daily Record, a Scottish man in Glasgow named Derek Grant used the "Find my iPhone" app to track down the person who robbed his son of his iPhone at knifepoint. Upon tracking down the thief down, Grant stabbed him repeatedly. The iPhone thief, one Patrick Bradley, died of cardiac arrest soon thereafter. Hardly a black and white issue, Grant argues that he acted in self defense. They spotted Bradley, who had a significant record for violence, and Grant told him to hand back the phone. Bradley, 29, instead lashed out and knifed Grant in the left eye. He retaliated and repeatedly stabbed Bradley with a knife he had taken from home because he feared for his safety. Father-of-four Grant was arrested and later said: "I wish to declare for the record that at the time of this incident, I was acting in self-defence." He had faced a murder charge but prosecutors accepted his guilty plea to the reduced charge of culpable homicide. The report relays that a sentence will handed down on September 1.
UK plans to build first spaceport outside the US by 2018
The UK may not have the best history when it comes to space exploration, but that doesn't mean it's not interested in boldly going where only a few people have gone before. According to Sky News, Britain could play host to one of the first spaceports built outside of the US, with a shortlist of eight possible sites expected to be confirmed later this week. As it stands, six of the possible locations are in Scotland, suggesting places like Prestwick, Stornoway and Kinloss, with one in Wales (Llanbedr) and the other in England (Newquay). According to the report, construction could begin as early as 2018, although we're not sure what effect the Scottish Independence referendum would have on the plans. Still, we're loving the fact that any visiting aliens who've hitched a ride on a Virgin Galactic flight will be able to load up on Irn Bru or Teisen radell before heading back to space.
Grand Theft Auto lead buys a big, beautiful church
Rockstar North President Leslie Benzies purchased St. Stephen's Church in Edinburgh, Scotland, with the intent to prolong its role as a community venue for arts, theater and music gatherings. St. Stephen's Church is just half a mile from Benzies' home, and the purchase was "entirely philanthropic," spokesperson Philip Johnston told Edinburgh News. The deal was thought to exceed £500,000. Benzies is the lead developer on the Grand Theft Auto series, from Grand Theft Auto 3 onwards. "The preservation of St. Stephen's church as a community center meets a pressing need as well as protecting an important historical building," Johnston said. "We are delighted that we can help bring the church back to its former glory, securing its future whilst providing a renovated local and performing arts centre that will benefit the wider community." The church features the longest clock pendulum in Europe and a 160-foot tower, with performance space that can hold 800 people. Edinburgh News reported that St. Stephen's Church had been a community center for the past 20 years, but recently, it'd been used less. Benzies out-bid more than 50 other potential buyers, some of whom wished to turn the church into bars, restaurants or private residences. "We will engage with the community as the plans progress and look forward to welcoming local residents and groups back to the centre in the very near future," Johnston said. [Image: Malcolm McCurrach]
Kickstarter now an option for UK game developers
Indie developers looking for free money from Americans no longer have to rob tourists at knife point in the busy London Underground (not that any lovely Brits would do such a thing), as Kickstarter has now established itself in the United Kingdom.Rather than being separated into their own website, UK-based Kickstarter projects will be interspersed alongside American fundraisers in the site's main ecosphere. Pledge levels will be listed in pounds sterling and monetary transactions will take place through a different third-party intermediary via Kickstarter itself, rather than Amazon Payments, but otherwise the donation process is identical to Yankee 'starters.Previously, Kickstarter had been limited to projects originating from the colonies due to the limitations of the Amazon Payments system. Now though, British creatives of all type can reap the benefits inherent to the Kickstarter system, as can Americans looking to exploit the current state of our exchange rate.
Scottish games industry doesn't really exist, says government report
A new report on the Scottish economy claims its video game industry has only 200 workers, no students studying game-related subjects, and that its value is £0 to the country. This would all be laughable – except it could inform policy, since it was created by DC Research and commissioned by governmental organizations Creative Scotland and Scottish Enterprises."The problem is that this is an official report created by two Scottish government organizations which oversee the cultural and enterprise elements of the Scottish economy," Scottishgames.net wrote. "Moving forward policy decisions, funding allocations etc. will all be made based on the information in this document."What likely occurred in the study is that video game companies were misidentified, either by themselves in government filings or in the course of the research. The data is based off information from 2010, when video games didn't have their own Standard Industrial Classification.The Scottish games industry includes Rockstar North and Ruffian Games, along with developing, recognized talent from University of Abertay Dundee.[Thanks, Brian.] [Ruskpp via Shutterstock]
Dundee student designs Passive Play toy cube to stimulate parent interaction with autistic children
A University of Dundee scholar has been working on a wonderful tool that aims to evoke the emotional connection between children with autism and their parents. While we've seen novelties like the My Keepon in the past, any addition to the cause is always a pleasant one, and the Passive Play's no exception. The concept comes in the form of an interactive toy cube for the kid (pictured above), which pairs up with an iOS app and allows the parent to see any interaction the little one is having with the device. Passive Play's creator, Tom Kirkman, says his inspiration comes from "wanting to learn more about autism," and in case you happen to be in the UK, he'll be showing off the project at Dundee University later this month. For all those details, be sure to check out the PR after the break.
Nanotech-enhanced 'smart paint' promises to detect structural damage
We've seen scientists explore a number of ways to make paint "smarter" over the years, and now a team of researchers at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow have devised a method that they say could do nothing short of "revolutionize structural safety." The key to that is some novel nanotechnology that effectively turns the paint into a sensor network that's able to detect minor structural faults before they become a severe problem. More specifically, the paint consists of a mix of highly aligned carbon nanotubes and a recycled waste material known as fly ash -- when the nanotubes bend, the conductivity changes, indicating that there could be a structural problem developing. What's more, the fly ash is also said to give the paint a cement-like structure, which the researchers say could let it be used in harsh conditions where traditional structural monitoring can prove difficult (and expensive).
Lichborne: 3 predictions for death knights in Mists of Pandaria
Every week, WoW Insider brings you Lichborne for blood, frost, and unholy death knights. In the post-Cataclysm era, death knights are no longer the new kids on the block. Let's show the other classes how a hero class gets things done. Let's face it. The Mists of Pandaria information drought is ongoing and likely to keep up for quite some time. As a result, we're stuck in a holding pattern. We know the class needs some changes. We know we have been promised (or threatened with, depending on your viewpoint) changes for blood death knights, if only via a general change to the tanking paradigm. None of that information is forthcoming, however, and the blues lately have indicated it won't be coming for a while. With that in mind, what we're left with is speculation. Today, I'd like to discuss three major changes I think we'll probably see with the new patch 5.0, one for each death knight tree. We already know change is a pretty huge constant for our class. It comes with the territory. We'll roll with the punches, as always, but it's nice to know what's coming. It helps you brace for it.
Daily Update for October 27, 2011
It's the TUAW Daily Update, your source for Apple news in a convenient audio format. You'll get all the top Apple stories of the day in three to five minutes for a quick review of what's happening in the Apple world. You can listen to today's Apple stories by clicking the inline player (requires Flash) or the non-Flash link below. To subscribe to the podcast for daily listening through iTunes, click here. No Flash? Click here to listen.
Hallooo computarrrr! Siri not yet compatible with Scottish accents
Let's open with a reality check: Siri is still in beta. Apple's new voice recognition service is just getting started, and many of us have found out the hard way that Apple's definition of "beta" is closer to what many other developers would call "alpha." That having been said, The Daily Mail's reports of Scottish accents flummoxing Siri still had us trading Sean Connery jokes back and forth in the TUAW newsroom. According to The Daily Mail, numerous videos have surfaced of Scottish users trying (and failing) to interact with Siri. One tells Siri, "Gonnae no dae that," which Siri interprets as "Going Akila." Siri interprets a Scot's charming "Can you dance with me?" as "Can you dutch women?" Siri's confusion doesn't stop at Scottish accents, of course. My father's wife is from the Philippines, and Siri has difficulty understanding her. I'm quite curious to see how Siri responds to me; my accent has become a somewhat corrupted melange of Pacific Northwest English and New Zealand English. Apple's more primitive predecessor to Siri, Voice Control, correctly interprets my commands only about 75 percent of the time. Somewhat predictably, the paper tries to spin this as a disaster for Apple -- "Disgruntled messages have littered gadget websites and forums" according to the Mail. That response comes across as reactionary and a bit unfair, especially since one of the YouTube videos embedded on the Mail's own page (and embedded below) shows Siri reacting to a Scottish accent with rather impressive accuracy. Of course, another video shows a Scot trying to get Siri to "create a reminder" for close to two minutes without success, so the service definitely has some room for improvement. Despite decades of work, voice recognition software is still basically in its infancy. I think my dog probably understands some spoken commands better than Siri does despite all the work that's gone into the software. Then again, my dog is a genius, and Siri has been in public beta for less than two weeks. Give it some time to scale, and eventually I'm sure Siri will far exceed my greyhound's ability to interpret verbal interactions. It may even exceed my abilities someday -- I have a Scottish friend in Christchurch (hallooo Stuarrrrt), and I can understand maybe one out of every five words he says.
Shapeways serves up prêt-à-imprimer 3D bones, Lagerfeld stands by for full skeletal replacement
3D printed chocolates? Sure, sounds innocuous enough. But made-to-order 3D printed bones? Now, that's just morbid. For the surgical team at Glasgow's Royal Hospital for Sick Children, however, the tech's come in handy as a budget-priced, pre-operative planning tool. Mark Frame, an orthopedic surgical trainee at RHSC, first came up with the idea to create the osteo-facsimiles after a costly university-made replica, commissioned for a procedure, failed to meet necessary proportion and size requirements. After undertaking a bit of self-assigned internet research, Frame sorted out a method to create renders of a patient's fractured forearm using CT scans processed via the open source OsiriX software. These were then passed through a separate MeshLab application to tidy up any artifacting, and finally exported in 3D-compatible .stl format. The resulting files were sent to Shapeways for printing, with the white plastic bone copies delivered just seven days later for £77. The hospital's been so pleased with the inexpensive outcome, that it's already begun prep work on a hip replacement surgery using a replicated pelvis -- and, no, they didn't specify if the patient was a fashion victim.
Caption Contest: A heaping helping of wearable music
Is this the new musical Power Glove? Imogen Heap thinks so. The Grammy winner rocked the stylish hand warmers at a TEDGlobal 2011 event in Edinburgh, Scotland, creating gesture-based music during a four-minute demonstration, with the gloves wirelessly connected to a nearby laptop. Could this be the death of the theremin as we know it, or just another good excuse to do a caption contest? Brian: "Imogen there's no heaven." Terrence: "Ms. Heap hard at work on a sequel to the NES "classic" Bad Street Brawler, tentatively titled Street Corner Complainer." Darren: "Seriously? Wires?" Brad: "Now if only I could find some oven mitts that would magically bake cookies for me, I'd be set!" Jon: "Force enhancing gloves allow Imogen to one up Luke, raise X-Wing." Tim: "Do I look intense enough now? Too pensive? What if I tilt my head up a bit further?" Amar: "And then they handed me the Grammy and I grabbed it like this and then -- oh, have I already told you this story?" Dante: "What do you mean they aren't cashmere?!?!" Joseph: "So I was holding Bjork's leg up like this, but she still couldn't get over Madonna's gate." Sean: "To sleep, perchance to dream – ay, there's the rub..." Christopher: "Please sir, I beg you -- don't take my Flowbee away." Richard Lai: "Ceiling cat, come to momma." [Image credit: University of the West of England]
Minecraft for Kinect is an XBLA title, ported by 4J Studios
More details have begun to trickle out on Swedish developer Mojang Studios' first Xbox 360 title, a Kinect-enabled port of indie hit Minecraft. Beyond the fact that it'll be some form of indirect port and that an unnamed developer other than Mojang was at the helm, few other details were known, but as Minecraft creative lead Markus "Notch" Persson revealed on his Twitter feed last night, Scottish devs 4J Studios are apparently in charge of this holiday's world-builder. If you, like us, are unfamiliar with 4J, a cursory Wikipedia'ing reveals work on a wealth of ports, not to mention a handful of not-so-well-known original games. Hopefully any worry you have in the studio's confidence is abated by the fact that Notch will remain a game designer on the project, presumably retaining creative oversight.
Don-8r the panhandling robot set to make the homeless obsolete (video)
Until now, one field has been safe from robotic interference: collecting money on the street. Not for long. A space already overcrowded with guitar playing hippies, dogs in bandanas, and children carrying bright orange UNICEF boxes has a new force to reckon with. It's Don-8r (pronounced "donator," for those who don't speak robot), programmed expressly to collect change and be adorable. University of Dundee student Tim Pryde created the coin-fueled robot to help raise money for charity. It's taken a few spins around the school's campus and has already mastered the three Ps of money collection: politeness, persistence, and performance -- the latter accomplished via color changing lights in its orb-like head. Video of Don-8r doing its thing after the break.
