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Elite: Dangerous is well and truly Kickstarted
Elite: Dangerous fans can breathe easy -- the game has hit its £1,250,000 goal with more than two days to spare. While that's excellent news for the folks at Frontier Developments, they're not resting on their laurels. There are two stretch goals, at £1.4 and £1.5 million, that could feasibly be hit in the last 51-ish hours of the project's Kickstarter window. Those stretch goals will add in a Mac version of the game (within three months of the Windows launch) and an extra ten playable ships, respectively. In case some people are still on the fence about throwing money at the project, the team has added in a new £25 reward tier that'll give backers a digital copy of the game and 500 credits. Everyone already pledged at a higher tier will also receive those 500 credits.
Cellphones are dangerous / not dangerous: little tykes under the spotlight
In the rough and tumble debate surrounding the mobile phone's ability to cause cancer, both sides agree that our young ones -- indeed, some of the heaviest users -- could be at an increased risk for cellular-induced tumors. According to a study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, the radio emissions from mobile devices penetrate much deeper into the brains of children, and in the case of little tykes ages five to eight, their noggins will absorb twice the energy of the average adult. This, combined with their developing nervous systems, has brought concern for the welfare of our youngest mobile-savvy citizens, and led to a European study of nearly 1,000 (informed?) participants. Data was gathered over a four-year period, which relied upon self-reporting methods, where youngsters were found to not talk very often, and typically sent text messages instead -- big surprise, right? While long-term risks remain unknown, the researchers conclude that "a large and immediate risk of cellphones causing brain tumors in children can be excluded." In other words: little Suzy won't begin sprouting cancer cells overnight. While you doting parents may find comfort in the latest research, you might consider stopping short of giving the mischievous rascal an unlimited voice plan. After all, gossip still spreads best at the school yard. [Image courtesy Derek Olson (flickr)]
Cellphones are dangerous / not dangerous: Danish chatterbox edition
Concerned that a decade and a half of regular cellphone will have a long-term effect on your health? Hopefully the latest study conducted by members of the World Health Organization (WHO) will put your mind at ease. The examination followed nearly 3 million Danish adults, studying links between phone use and the formation of acoustic neuromas -- non-cancerous, slow-growing brain tumors that form on the main nerve that connects the inner ear to the brain. The study concluded that people who've used a handset for 11-15 years weren't any more likely to develop a tumor than those who don't use cellphones at all, though scientists are unsure that this is a long enough period of time to determine a significant correlation (or lack thereof). Still, this comes as refreshing news two months after the WHO released a study revealing that RF waves coming from phones are "potentially carcinogenic," due to a limited link to glioma and acoustic neuroma. Of course, none of these reports can actually conclude that cellphones cause cancer -- only that the two may be correlated. So, what does this latest study really do? It legitimizes the need to conduct more studies.
Cellphones are dangerous / not dangerous: cancer experts say 'What, me worry?'
If you haven't already gotten whiplash from the ongoing cellphone-cancer debate, a freshly released scientific review might just do the trick. In the paper, published Friday, a panel of experts from Britain, Sweden and the US conducted a thorough survey of previous studies, before concluding that existing literature is "increasingly against" the theory that cellphone use causes brain tumors in adults. The researchers also questioned the biological mechanisms underpinning this hypothesis, while acknowledging some lingering uncertainties, since data on childhood tumors and longer-term research are still lacking. The results come just a few weeks after the World Health Organization released its own literature review, in which it claimed that cell phones should be considered "potentially carcinogenic." But Anthony Swerdlow, a professor at Britain's Institute of Cancer Research and leader of the most recent investigation, said his group's work doesn't necessarily contradict the WHO, since the latter was simply seeking to evaluate cancer risks according to its own "pre-set classification system" -- under which things like pickled vegetables and coffee are also considered "potentially carcinogenic." Unfortunately, this doesn't mean that the debate will die down anytime soon, though Swerdlow expects more definitive conclusions within the next few years -- assuming, of course, that all of our brains haven't turned to oatmeal by then.
Cellphones are dangerous / not dangerous: the WHO changes its mind
To say that experts generally don't agree about whether cellphone radiation can fry your brain is an understatement of massive proportions, but amazingly enough, the World Health Organization has come to a pseudo-conclusion. A group of 31 scientists from 14 countries working in the org's International Agency for Research on Cancer says that -- based on a survey of the literature -- those electromagnetic fields are as likely to be potentially carcinogenic as 266 other worrisome substances, including DDT pesticide and the exhaust from your automobile. Mind you, the WHO isn't saying that cellphones cause cancer, as today's decision is merely the latest call for more research, but the fact that respected scientists even claim that a correlation should be considered will probably be enough to stir the pot.
Use a Smart Cover to stick your iPad to the fridge
OK, so this one definitely comes under the heading "Don't try this at home," with the sub-heading "Unless you're completely crazy ... and even then maybe not." That's right, that's what the picture shows: someone's worked out that the bevy of magnets in an iPad 2 Smart Cover are strong enough to hold the iPad to a refrigerator door. This raises at least two questions: first, what kind of mind do you need to wonder if your five hundred dollar (or more) chunk of magic can be held to a refrigerator door by the magnets in its cover -- and then actually try it? Also, will AppleCare cover this when it all turns to tears? [Via Gizmodo]
Cellphones are dangerous / not dangerous: handsets alter brain activity -- scientists don't know what that means
Cellphones are bad, mmkay? Or at least that is what many want us to believe, what with all these warning labels and studies telling us that mobile users will end up with brain cancer and kidney damage. Not to mention the dangers of phone addiction -- horror of horrors -- for our youth. Now, the National Institutes of Health have shown that radiation from your phone's antenna turns you into a supergenius increases brain activity. Using positron emission tomography (PET) scans on 47 individuals with a muted phone on each ear (to prevent aural brain stimulation), the study found a seven percent increase in brain activity in the area closest to the phones' antennas when receiving a call. The catch -- scientists don't know "whether this is detrimental or if it could even be beneficial," so don't go trading your Cell-Mate in for a Bluetooth headset just yet.
PSP-playing boy falls onto train tracks, saved by a real life hero (video)
Not the best news for Sony execs to be waking up to this morning, as the company's PSP has played a starring role in an unfortunate, though thankfully innocuous, incident. A 10-year old Milanese boy was recently so absorbed by his portable's make.believe world that he forgot the real one around him had boundaries with bright lines painted around them. A moment later the young gamer found himself next to the train tracks a few feet below the platform designed for human occupation, though he wasn't there long as an off-duty policeman by the name of Alessandro Micalizzi quickly leapt down and lifted him to safety. See it on video below and feel free to draw your own conclusions about your gaming habits.
3D is dangerous / not dangerous: Nintendo 3DS warning label edition
Oh boy -- get ready for years of competing studies and hysterical news reports claiming that 3D is either life-threateningly dangerous or perfectly safe. (Cellphone radiation, take a backseat.) Today's delightful round of panic comes courtesy of Nintendo's Japanese warning guidelines for the 3DS: players are advised that 3D gameplay causes eye fatigue more quickly than 2D gaming and are told to take a break after 30 minutes of play -- and you should quit immediately if you get ill, which makes sense. Nintendo also says that children under six shouldn't use the 3D mode at all, since their eyes are still developing, and that parents can use controls built into the 3DS to lock it into 2D mode for children.
Casemate's iPhone 4 Bounce case protects your noodle from inevitable radiation baking
As the everlasting debate rages on, and brains continue to / not to melt with every passing phone call, Casemate's taking no chances whatsoever. By collaborating with Pong -- a company that makes its ends by "protecting users of cellular telephones from the potentially harmful effects of radiation exposure" -- the Bounce was born. For all intents and purposes, it's a simplistic form-fitting iPhone 4 case (BlackBerry models are en route), available in a foursome of hues and tested to reduce normal cellphone radiation (SAR) by at least 60 percent. Purportedly, the case can redirect your phone's electromagnetic energy away from your head... right into the brain of some lucky chap sitting next to you on the subway. But hey, at least it serves another purpose: solving that blasted iPhone 4 reception issue. Two birds, one $49.99 dent in your credit card. Propaganda vid is just past the break.
Israel to activate SMS-CB missile alert system next year
This one's been talked about since the middle of last year (at least), but it looks as if the time for contemplating is over and done with. It's bruited that the Israel Defense Forces will be moving forward on a plan to light up a new cellular system that will blast out SMS-CB alerts to citizens if and when a missile is fired in the direction of Israel. Just over $7 million will be invested, with the application itself being jointly designed by eVigilo and Ericsson. If all goes well, it'll be operational in June of 2011, and it's just one aspect of the country's effort to consolidate all emergency alerts into one centralized system. We're told that the blasts would be sent in a variety of languages, and there's even potential to send 'em to TVs, radios, websites and "billboards." And unlike various other SMS emergency alert systems that have been implemented, these would actually differ based on how the threat was forecasted to affect different geographic regions. Something tells us eVigilo's going to become a multinational company in no time. Update: eVigilo pinged us with a few extra details surrounding the service. For starters, it'll be using SMS-CB (read: not standard SMS) in order to circumvent core networks that tend to collapse during emergencies. This will enable the messages to bypass any congestion and hit all users at around the same time. The alerts would be delivered geographically, not to a specific number of users, with tests proving that "millions" could be reached within 20 seconds over 3G. Besides broadcast over mobile networks, the company will also connect to the national TV network using DVB and offer also DAB reaching digital radio subscribers. Additional capabilities will be given through multicast over IP (Billboards, Variable Message Signs and social networks).
Tesla recalls 439 Roadster 2.0 and 2.5 electric cars due to fire hazard
Tesla Motors is pretty proud of the fact that it decided to recall 439 Roadster 2.0 and 2.5 vehicles after a single one saw "a short, smoke and possible fire behind the right front headlamp," but a fire hazard in every one of 439 shipping products isn't exactly a ratio to be boasting about. At any rate, nearly a third of its 1,300 vehicles sold are affected by the recall, which "involves the 12v low voltage auxiliary cable from a redundant back up system that provides power to various systems, including the headlamps, taillights, turn signals and hazard lights, and airbags in the unlikely event the primary 12V power fails or drops below a minimum threshold value." The repair involves checking the routing of the 12V low voltage auxiliary cable and installing a protective sleeve over it, and it should take around an hour to complete. Unless, of course, you're the Tesla owner residing on the north shore of Kauai. Yeah, we're talking to you... Mr. Guy with "TESLA" on his Hawaii plate. [Thanks, Jim]
'Toasted skin syndrome' caused by extreme laptop heat say researchers
In a new study from the medical journal Pediatrics, researchers confirm what you've known all along: laptop heat is the greatest threat to mankind's continued survival on this planet. In the report, researchers collected and analyzed various tales of woe from youngsters who'd been treated for exposure to extreme laptop heat, and discovered that prolonged periods of use can lead to a condition horrifically dubbed "toasted skin syndrome." The effects of gaming (or, uh, studying) too hard can leave skin in a mottled, sponge-like state, can cause permanent skin darkening, and generally makes you less attractive to the opposite sex -- from a lap perspective. When viewed under a microscope, the damage is similar to that of long-term sun exposure, and though unlikely in the case of laptop heat, prolonged skin irritation is linked to increased rates of some forms of skin cancer. Researchers suggest placing a carrying case or "heat shield" between you and your computer if you've got to keep it in your lap. At Engadget, the entire team has been issued Kevlar short-shorts -- we suggest you take similar precautions.
Power line inspecting robot isn't afraid of getting juiced
Inspecting power lines isn't the safest job we can imagine having, so we're pretty happy to see that robots -- which don't have the same... feelings we do about getting injured -- can be hacked to do the job. Hydro-Quebec's LineScout can get past most power line obstacles by partially detaching itself from the line and then grabbing a hold of it again once said obstacle has been cleared. It can also easily get from one section of the line to the next relatively quickly, and of course, the best part of this bot's ability is that it can pull all this off while the lines are powered. Check out the video below to see the bot in action.
CTIA sues San Francisco over cellphone radiation law
San Francisco may have signed cellphone radiation labels into law, but the stickers won't stick without a fight -- the Cellular Telephone Industries Association (CTIA) just filed a complain in federal district court, claiming the new law supersedes the FCC's authority to regulate radio emissions and misleads consumers into believing some phones are safer than others. As we've discussed previously, the CTIA does have something of a point. Every phone that makes it to market is rigorously tested for cell phone radiation levels, and those that pass fall below a specific 1.6 watt per kilogram threshold already. But hey, we're all for bombarding our brains with that much less radiation, as long as our calls stay connected and our text messages arrive on time. If only there were a label for that... Read the CTIA's full complaint at our more coverage link.
Cellphone radiation law to help, confuse San Francisco consumers
Oh San Francisco, you and your progressive ways. The city just passed a law -- a first in the US -- requiring retailers to post the Specific Absorption Rates (aka SAR, the rate at which at which energy is absorbed by the body) in no less than 11-point font right next to any cellphone being sold. Sounds good as far as consumer education goes, right? And a functioning democracy demands an educated and informed electorate. But here's the thing: the jury's still out (just pick your favorite dangerous / not dangerous study to fit your belief) on the effect of radiation at levels less than the 1.6 watts per kilogram threshold set by the FCC. As such, CTIA spokesman John Walls has a point when he says that highlighting the SAR levels might confuse consumers into thinking that some cellphones are safer than others. In other words, consumer education needs to go much further than any retail-shelf placard could possibly communicate. Well, at least the law will keep us safe long enough to walk out the door and trip over a hippie. P.S. The image above is from the "Get a Safer Phone" (note the wording) rankings provided by the Environmental Working Group.
San Francisco considers displaying phone radiation levels next to price tag
If the San Francisco Department of the Environment gets its way, starting as soon as next month Bay Area residents might start noticing the radiation levels of cellphones displayed prominently next to their respective price at retail outlets. This is, of course, despite no definitive research that the handsets cause harm and the FCC's insistence that the devices sold to consumers are safe. The proposal is being endorsed by Mayor Gavin Newsom, who as it's noted is not about to stop using his iPhone anytime soon. Not to worry, Maine, you'll still keep the top spot for most ridiculous cellphone warning label.
Dell Mini 9 suffers meltdown, scorches owner's floor
While this isn't quite bad enough to merit a "dude, your Dell is on fire" part deux, it's a pretty frightful example of the hazard modern batteries (of any kind) represent. A Consumerist reader reports that her year-old Dell Mini 9 recently popped, "hissed and sizzled" as it filled her room with smoke and tarnished her fine wooden flooring. Judging from the fallout pictures (available after the break), we'd say the culprit for this Mini fire (oh!) was the battery pack, which again reminds us how badly we need to improve our energy storage technologies. Dell has been quick to remedy the situation with an upgraded laptop being sent over to the young lady and the melted machine packed off to the labs for inspection, though there's no mention of compensation for the owner's scarred floor and mind.
MacBook Pro battery flies off the handle, busts wide open
Here's the thing: that horrifically swollen, completely destroyed battery you're peering at above isn't as rare a sight as it should be. If you'll recall, we've personally covered at least four MacBook Pro battery explosions, and we've also seen a similar amount of volatility over on the PC side. The story behind this one is as follows: a 17-inch (non-unibody) MBP owner was using his machine on a desk (thankfully), when suddenly an odd noise began to increase in volume; following that, the entire machine "jumped up" slightly and turned off, and this battery is to blame. Oh, and if this all-too-commonplace occurrence happens to you next, let's hope you aren't actually using your laptop on your, um, lap.
Email driving: Risky thrill sport, or just plain stupidity?
We all know that texting and driving is dangerous, but what about going beyond just sending short text messages, and actually composing and sending emails while driving? I'm voting for "stupid" as the proper adjective to use. iPhone Savior had a report this morning about Lane Roster, a Huntington Beach, California repo man who has taken driving and emailing to an extreme. Mr. Roster decided that he absolutely had to send emails while driving, so he mounted his iPhone on the dash of his car and loaded the Email 'n Walk app [app store], a program that uses a camera view of what's directly ahead of you as the backdrop to a standard email screen. Email 'n Walk, as the name implies, is designed to be used while walking. Roster, in a phone interview with iPhone Savior, stated that "If I can't email and drive or send an occasional text I would get absolutely nothing done." He also admitted to getting into two minor accidents while emailing and driving:"I had only two minor love taps where I rear ended some folks," Roster said, "There was no major damage to speak of. I just settled it right there with good ol' American greenbacks and we were on our way. I won't lie, I do swerve a tad some days when I'm tired, but email driving is a real rush man!"I'm going to end this post with two quick reminders: don't text (or email) and drive, and try to stay out of Huntington Beach, California if you value your life and your car.
