IoT needs ladders
This is ingenious! Revolutionary! Disruptive! Whatever...
The most amazing thing about this idea is probably how detached people can get from reality. This is right up with Sony's music download card, where one had to go to a store to purchase a physical card, take it home and then use data on that card to download music. Incredibly simple and straightforward.
But that was yesterday, today we have the cloud and IoT. Btw, a device is "smart" if you can control it with your phone, touching a virtual switch on your phone instead of a physical one. Don't let anyone tell you anything else. IoT is smartphone. And cloud. And brain damage. Which leads to the disastrous problem of not remembering which app can switch on which light. Luckily for all of us, there is an academic solution:
You just take your phone to the device you want to control, let both touch and voilà: Your phone will show you the controls for the device! Simpletons like me may think "I'm touching the thing, why don't I touch its switch right away?" But that is so 20th century...
I wonder, would I need to climb a ladder to touch each light separately or may I just touch the switch? For diehard IoT fans that switch would probably just be a power on/off switch, controlling those wonderful WiFi bulbs requires a phone, of course.
So, ladder?
https://techcrunch.com/2017/05/09/how-a-tap-could-tame-the-smart-home/
2017-05-15
2017-05-14
Elementary physics, dear Watson, elementary physics...
Elementary physics, dear Watson, elementary physics...
It's funny when people ignore very basic physics, like with this battery. When I say this is impossible, I'm sure there will be plenty of people pointing out that this battery uses new materials of which I have no knowledge, that they may use a new structure of which I equally have no knowledge etc. However, they miss the point.
The point is to get about 85kWh ("300 miles") through a cable within five minutes. Tesla is using batteries with 375V. Let us assume we charge directly with 400V (Hello Europe!), not 270V or even less. Let us also assume 100% efficiency, since we are dreaming anyway.
At 400V the 85kWh pack needs 212.5A for one hour to be charged. They want to do it in five minutes, so we need 12x the current, which is 2,550A. I searched for a gauge calculator that would accept this current, but I couldn't find any. Even assuming three "phases" (Let's stick to DC for simplicity.) we still have 850A, which for a cable with 1m length (rather short for charging) require 300mm^2. That is a block of 20x15mm copper. Plus insulation. And you need three pairs of those.
So, this marketing dream fails at something as simple as a cable. It isn't the first to do so. And neither will it be the last. Because, who needs physics?
http://gas2.org/2017/05/13/elecrtric-car-battery-300-mile-range-5-minute-charging-time-israeli-company/
It's funny when people ignore very basic physics, like with this battery. When I say this is impossible, I'm sure there will be plenty of people pointing out that this battery uses new materials of which I have no knowledge, that they may use a new structure of which I equally have no knowledge etc. However, they miss the point.
The point is to get about 85kWh ("300 miles") through a cable within five minutes. Tesla is using batteries with 375V. Let us assume we charge directly with 400V (Hello Europe!), not 270V or even less. Let us also assume 100% efficiency, since we are dreaming anyway.
At 400V the 85kWh pack needs 212.5A for one hour to be charged. They want to do it in five minutes, so we need 12x the current, which is 2,550A. I searched for a gauge calculator that would accept this current, but I couldn't find any. Even assuming three "phases" (Let's stick to DC for simplicity.) we still have 850A, which for a cable with 1m length (rather short for charging) require 300mm^2. That is a block of 20x15mm copper. Plus insulation. And you need three pairs of those.
So, this marketing dream fails at something as simple as a cable. It isn't the first to do so. And neither will it be the last. Because, who needs physics?
http://gas2.org/2017/05/13/elecrtric-car-battery-300-mile-range-5-minute-charging-time-israeli-company/
2017-05-11
Oha...
Oha...
Available in most countries, sturdier than regular roof tiles, allegedly cheaper than regular roofs, plus that warranty - anyone wants to bet on how many roofs will be electrified in the next five years?
https://futurism.com/elon-musk-just-announced-that-teslas-solar-roofs-will-have-an-infinity-warranty/
Available in most countries, sturdier than regular roof tiles, allegedly cheaper than regular roofs, plus that warranty - anyone wants to bet on how many roofs will be electrified in the next five years?
https://futurism.com/elon-musk-just-announced-that-teslas-solar-roofs-will-have-an-infinity-warranty/
2017-05-09
Should I laugh or cry?
Should I laugh or cry?
The investigation against Stephen Fry was dropped only because too few people complained. Scary...
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/stephen-fry-blasphemy-ireland-probe-investigation-dropped-police-gardai-not-enough-outrage-a7725116.html
The investigation against Stephen Fry was dropped only because too few people complained. Scary...
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/stephen-fry-blasphemy-ireland-probe-investigation-dropped-police-gardai-not-enough-outrage-a7725116.html
2017-05-07
If you like to make the acquaintance of this lady you need to go to the Botanical Garden in Taizhong.
If you like to make the acquaintance of this lady you need to go to the Botanical Garden in Taizhong.
Mamma Mia!
Mamma Mia!
I had to do rather extensive exam practice with my pupils the last two weeks, something they didn't really like. One form of protest was to exclaim "Mamma Mia" when I handed out another set of test forms. Someone probably saw it in a film and liked it.
What they didn't expect was a song with the same title. So when I scheduled a short break after another test run I plugged my tablet into the amplifier wreck in that room and regretted not having taken photos of their faces then. Thanks, ABBA...
https://youtu.be/unfzfe8f9NI
(Sorry, it's Vevo...)
Come again?
Come again?
The law prohibits people from publishing or uttering "matter that is grossly abusive or insulting in relation to matters held sacred by any religion, thereby causing outrage among a substantial number of the adherents of that religion".
Burn those school books! Burn 'em! They insult my superstitious believes!
Seriously, sometimes I need to check to make sure it is indeed 2017, doesn't always feel that way.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-39830447
The law prohibits people from publishing or uttering "matter that is grossly abusive or insulting in relation to matters held sacred by any religion, thereby causing outrage among a substantial number of the adherents of that religion".
Burn those school books! Burn 'em! They insult my superstitious believes!
Seriously, sometimes I need to check to make sure it is indeed 2017, doesn't always feel that way.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-39830447
2017-05-03
What would you say if I boarded your ship?
What would you say if I boarded your ship?
Star Wars Beatle-ized, absolute gold!
#beatles
Originally shared by Gordon McIntosh
Brilliant
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYD3QtyEGGM&feature=share&list=PL8s6sSjUyaxUk3mCUqiNuJiMNxs9QdthO
Star Wars Beatle-ized, absolute gold!
#beatles
Originally shared by Gordon McIntosh
Brilliant
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYD3QtyEGGM&feature=share&list=PL8s6sSjUyaxUk3mCUqiNuJiMNxs9QdthO
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