Covering World

Hardcore hybrids: the green bikes to envy

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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib2DoovAVNHkUtEDfwW0andjS3LukUq5P7_WfCwHWIi9J3QBSJnbcRgTJ8UDRgPzsqy6RrxrZrjWteP1S8mHaD-eVFamOeNwU8hD-_nIiSylCcjKAyJMsXqCePYLtww3IGu0QkrvEW2sw/s1600/00_11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib2DoovAVNHkUtEDfwW0andjS3LukUq5P7_WfCwHWIi9J3QBSJnbcRgTJ8UDRgPzsqy6RrxrZrjWteP1S8mHaD-eVFamOeNwU8hD-_nIiSylCcjKAyJMsXqCePYLtww3IGu0QkrvEW2sw/s1600/00_11.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
Two-wheeled classic: the Caterham Carbon E-Bike -- due for
launch later this year, the first bikes from sports-car specialist
Caterham include an SUV-style petrol beast and two electric models.
The Carbon E-Bike is part speedway dragster, part bionic arm, and
packs a Panasonic 36V 12AH lithium battery, 250W brushless motor
and an eight-speed Shimano Nexus gear hub.<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu0nH6ZxFvw_3r32YRJcua47uhvhGxfxTtYMOkgJpNu6CyaN5vbrRibiD9l8_aK1HzyZ5Jb3udhA-PcJN0w-h8FSzW2f437SYSpZ0klzSVesevOL3r7dPeBBil8beINx4rHa27BWSG8Ek/s1600/01_3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu0nH6ZxFvw_3r32YRJcua47uhvhGxfxTtYMOkgJpNu6CyaN5vbrRibiD9l8_aK1HzyZ5Jb3udhA-PcJN0w-h8FSzW2f437SYSpZ0klzSVesevOL3r7dPeBBil8beINx4rHa27BWSG8Ek/s1600/01_3.jpg" /></a></div>

Hardcore hybrids: the green bikes to envy

Two-wheeled classic: the Caterham Carbon E-Bike -- due for launch later this year, the first bikes from sports-car specialist Caterham include an SUV-style petrol beast and two electric models. The Carbon E-Bike is part speedway dragster, part bionic arm, and packs a Panasonic 36V 12AH lithium batt…

10Mar2014

Reevu MSX1 Rear View Mirror Helmet

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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBlQrTbNeHsgfizitgRX0_xqffLYeRsLTeaNDNrttYoIhU6UKX-WagoLrSsZ-ufBHpVWYBnVbORLX5M2K3zgM0cIM5oVBESv2UQNIroEQgUgNoh8W186repuLQg6EX2o8dQZnCd709bCo/s1600/Reevu-MSX1-Rear-View-Mirror-Helmet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="584" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBlQrTbNeHsgfizitgRX0_xqffLYeRsLTeaNDNrttYoIhU6UKX-WagoLrSsZ-ufBHpVWYBnVbORLX5M2K3zgM0cIM5oVBESv2UQNIroEQgUgNoh8W186repuLQg6EX2o8dQZnCd709bCo/s1600/Reevu-MSX1-Rear-View-Mirror-Helmet.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>

<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="ndata">The Reevu's MSX1 Helmet (£249 about $380)
has a rear view mirror which uses a entirely mechanical
mechanism rather than rear-view cameras. It looks similar
to the car's rear view mirror, with the small mirror in front resting just
outside the rider's line of sight. The Reevu MSX1 is the world’s first
patented rear-view helmet range that gives the wearer that all round vision.
Reevu say the added functionality no way affects the safety performance of the
helmet.</span></div>
<br />

Reevu MSX1 Rear View Mirror Helmet

Normal 0 false false false EN-GB X-NONE X-NONE The Reevu's MSX1 Helmet (£249 about $380) has a rear view mirror which uses a entirely mechanical mechanism rather than…

29Jan2014

Honda 3R-C Concept

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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEnKB95wK1XcaS4wRKuELwm77g1wThPNQCECI1FIgyzy33TypuwIo8VHfMZi3cQgaRplPkMky8SqquHUYpYB_fnlr_qg5InSHgwmJTAPxHIgVeXW-kKfjmAfZWyVWqYLB53EFbnZPXP2Q/s1600/Honda-3RC-Concept.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="548" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEnKB95wK1XcaS4wRKuELwm77g1wThPNQCECI1FIgyzy33TypuwIo8VHfMZi3cQgaRplPkMky8SqquHUYpYB_fnlr_qg5InSHgwmJTAPxHIgVeXW-kKfjmAfZWyVWqYLB53EFbnZPXP2Q/s1600/Honda-3RC-Concept.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtMJvVHFcHCe0o0iQIYrmISpP2aPY6SWJpUXlEguP8vOk2Eh9gPb5YE1FfbDm_APP00myDNWQjVWUSHJkicNA4VrtYmrXLIPuFmeQETwmxU56Mu8aivSB8FmTZvoXBwFR74HvKy94HGFs/s1600/Honda-3RC-Concept_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtMJvVHFcHCe0o0iQIYrmISpP2aPY6SWJpUXlEguP8vOk2Eh9gPb5YE1FfbDm_APP00myDNWQjVWUSHJkicNA4VrtYmrXLIPuFmeQETwmxU56Mu8aivSB8FmTZvoXBwFR74HvKy94HGFs/s1600/Honda-3RC-Concept_1.jpg" width="400" /></a><span class="ndata"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Honda
3R-C is a fully single-seat three-wheeler  powered by a lithium
ion battery, created by Honda's Milan studio. It will debut at Geneva
International Motor Show 2010. </span></span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br />
<em><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The 3R-C has a clear canopy that covers the
driver's seat while it is parked and not in use. When 3R-C vehicle is in
motion, the canopy becomes an enveloping wind-shield that provides the pilot,
who sits low in the vehicle, with significant protection from the bodywork and
doors. </span></em><i><br />
<em><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The high sides of the safety shell seat give
greater safety to the occupant, reducing the threat from side impacts and
improving weather protection. In front of the driver is a lockable boot area,
which gives significant secure storage for luggage or other items. The 3R-C's
designers created a flexible cover that surrounds the upper torso to reduce
exposure to bad weather and improving comfort.</span></em></i></span>

Honda 3R-C Concept

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29Jan2014

Wired test drives -- or rather doesn't -- Audi's latest driverless concept car

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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0Qw3M9vqo-jZVZmsFKqYYaZK9Y6Gmo0ZgCk8QiTdNkDnr7lUDpq0EsJgxchu_qGD0jejCNNcJAsClfpUqA3ink07gZiwePAlbFCRVKsv7DS4tdVSpHGnATrzNRf-bzqBIWCNc6l8iHgs/s1600/audi+full.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0Qw3M9vqo-jZVZmsFKqYYaZK9Y6Gmo0ZgCk8QiTdNkDnr7lUDpq0EsJgxchu_qGD0jejCNNcJAsClfpUqA3ink07gZiwePAlbFCRVKsv7DS4tdVSpHGnATrzNRf-bzqBIWCNc6l8iHgs/s1600/audi+full.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="adAvoidedButFlowable" style="clear: right;">
 Audi unveiled its latest driverless -- or as the German
manufacturer prefers to call it, "piloted" -- concept car at CES
last week, and Wired.co.uk was lucky enough to join the
police-escorted demonstration of this possible vision of the
automotive future.</div>
Cue a surreal experience of sitting in the back seat of a
tricked out autonomous A7 while Las Vegas's finest top and tail the
Audi Autopilot Car for a jaunt on the freeway to demonstrate the
car's unnerving ability to stay in lane at speed and take over
control of the vehicle.<br />
Now, as Audi's chief technical officer Prof. Dr Ulrich
Hackenberg pointed out from behind the untouched steering wheel,
this new iteration of piloted driving will sadly not result in your
very own <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KITT">Knight
Industries Two Thousand</a>. However, it will take a lot of the
donkeywork out of your motorway drudgery. It is also a serious
update on the previous model as the electronics have been actually
fitted into the body of the car rather than taking up the entire
boot, making the previous attempt look like something <a href="http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2013-07/29/heath-robinson-deserves-a-museum">W Heath Robinson</a> might have crafted.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirXpPGCtXSAVYiMapczdbIcJBldIgfSBRXEVh6P5qx0tqiSN3SI0B8O998GvQxqvl2dY5tMLKoL3E8Yk7jmVTvEa_1B5Byju0D8njYOZoPcma0rM_M6m1iMg3DNh0U4ZHqQfCUaI3VzA8/s1600/new+set+up.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirXpPGCtXSAVYiMapczdbIcJBldIgfSBRXEVh6P5qx0tqiSN3SI0B8O998GvQxqvl2dY5tMLKoL3E8Yk7jmVTvEa_1B5Byju0D8njYOZoPcma0rM_M6m1iMg3DNh0U4ZHqQfCUaI3VzA8/s1600/new+set+up.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
Bristling with 12 ultrasound sensors, two radar sensors, one
camera and one laser scanner, the concept car, which is expected to
come to market in some form in three to five years, can "see" up to
500m in front of it in perfect weather -- and up to half that in
normal to poor conditions. The radar has a narrow beam that reaches
this long distance, while the laser scanner offers a broader field
of view and stretches at least as far as 80m ahead in very poor
conditions, such as fog and rain.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ_QZKefm6uv9TWo1EXbJQB1rRN2RdTaDOJ87mJOr75ovmApRCRiCmoNfG16zLayw8P2rMrg_J7kYlHrgbgOzdb0dnMwPxr0r4deIaF0Usaca17CbCGYSrOGAL9cp2uGRf9hTAKNCf91A/s1600/no+hands+driving.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ_QZKefm6uv9TWo1EXbJQB1rRN2RdTaDOJ87mJOr75ovmApRCRiCmoNfG16zLayw8P2rMrg_J7kYlHrgbgOzdb0dnMwPxr0r4deIaF0Usaca17CbCGYSrOGAL9cp2uGRf9hTAKNCf91A/s1600/no+hands+driving.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
These sixteen sensors can read the road around the car to such a
degree that the car is capable of navigating turns, keeping in lane
and maintaining a safe distance from the car in front -- all with
the driver free to take their hands off the wheel and feet of the
pedals. They could, in effect, be reading Wired while on the
motorway.<br />
One unnerving incident in the demonstration was when Hackenberg
showed off the system's ability to assess whether the driver has
fallen asleep at the wheel. An infrared camera pointing at the
driver's face can tell if their eyes remain closed too long (even
if wearing sunglasses) and take action. After a series of audible
warnings to retake control, if no response is forthcoming the car
performs and emergency stop.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjONMOTEtVd3C4jCRkAjz_dV_29CsejmifZjs69pxC3gnvxyXZ4VMvOjqrzDxT6E1pkPoePJntANneDUVNGlvFLauvBeiSAciWJqLVgXUlhr2L6Q8_IpSwvuk-ND3qAKMobdnKClO5p8U4/s1600/old+set+up.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjONMOTEtVd3C4jCRkAjz_dV_29CsejmifZjs69pxC3gnvxyXZ4VMvOjqrzDxT6E1pkPoePJntANneDUVNGlvFLauvBeiSAciWJqLVgXUlhr2L6Q8_IpSwvuk-ND3qAKMobdnKClO5p8U4/s1600/old+set+up.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
This ability was then put into action surrounded by all-too-real
and completely unsuspecting daytime traffic on the Las Vegas
freeway -- and this is where the police escort came in very handy
to clear lane room -- and sure enough after a very short period of
attempting to "wake" our driver, the car slammed on the anchors for
a controlled halt as cars blurred by in the adjacent lanes at
60mph.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqO4agHq3TwxBTRLqf5lUUrw-XMsXDKd3bfnfZWWwROYnSmPdQtP4srA7bCQHjKzMkYO450aP6KFrzln7-g5mM8M3h6soxMRodlxLM7mpLVpXZYtQxnKaTTFV6KGwjQa2RtyV5WJsVZa0/s1600/police+escort.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqO4agHq3TwxBTRLqf5lUUrw-XMsXDKd3bfnfZWWwROYnSmPdQtP4srA7bCQHjKzMkYO450aP6KFrzln7-g5mM8M3h6soxMRodlxLM7mpLVpXZYtQxnKaTTFV6KGwjQa2RtyV5WJsVZa0/s1600/police+escort.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
Even though this is a few years from being commercially
available, the next generations of this technology will see Audi
plan to integrate lane-changing ability, then on and off ramps.
Looking further still Audi wants to see this working in urban
driving -- though, as Hackenberg insists, the days where you will
be able to call your car to come pick you up from the office are a
long, long way off.

Wired test drives -- or rather doesn't -- Audi's latest driverless concept car

Audi unveiled its latest driverless -- or as the German manufacturer prefers to call it, "piloted" -- concept car at CES last week, and Wired.co.uk was lucky enough to join the police-escorted demonstration of this possible vision of the automotive future. Cue a surreal experience of sitting in th…

23Jan2014

Candy Crush dev prepares to fight The Banner Saga over trademark

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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ5dbNlSL7S9wxqDGKtmS5UJgpyKS3Y1VULcmkE8GMb5Bs4dG4Cub-mSkDpRNDZPzFDe9S-1fyjqgy8mRExGrZ8qZ9CqjqD50kgmDV751I3ssJvDQRga9W6efwW1-27So5jxhfofP_chM/s1600/candy-crush.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ5dbNlSL7S9wxqDGKtmS5UJgpyKS3Y1VULcmkE8GMb5Bs4dG4Cub-mSkDpRNDZPzFDe9S-1fyjqgy8mRExGrZ8qZ9CqjqD50kgmDV751I3ssJvDQRga9W6efwW1-27So5jxhfofP_chM/s1600/candy-crush.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="adAvoidedButFlowable" style="clear: right;">
King, developers of the phenomenally successful game <em>Candy
Crush Saga</em>, is attempting to <a href="http://ttabvue.uspto.gov/ttabvue/ttabvue-91214235-OPP-1.pdf">oppose <em>
The Banner Saga</em>'s use of the word "saga'</a> claiming it is
"confusingly and deceptively similar" to game titles previously
used by King.</div>
<div class="adAvoidedButFlowable" style="clear: right;">
Looking at King's gaming portfolio you will find (deep breath
and prepare for sagas):</div>
<em>Candy Crush Saga</em>, <em>Pepper Panic Saga</em>, <em>Pet
Rescue Saga</em>, <em>Papa Pear Saga</em>, <em>Pyramid Solitaire
Saga</em>, <em>Bubble Witch Saga</em>, <em>Farm Heroes Saga</em>,
<em>Bubble Saga</em>, <em>Hoop de Loop Saga</em>, <em>Mahjong
Saga</em>, and <em>Puzzle Saga</em>.<br />
<em>Candy Crush Saga</em> is the big hitter here and a recent
report suggested it was bringing in <a href="http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2014-01/20/free-to-play-profits">£2.1 million per day for King</a>.<br />
Where <em>Candy Crush</em> is a match three
microtransaction-a-thon, <em>The Banner Saga</em> is a tactical RPG
set in a Viking-esque fantasy world -- so far, so different. But
this is a dispute over trademark rather than type of content.<br />
<em>The Banner Saga</em> seeks to register its name and thus
guarantee a certain level of legal protection for its business
against anyone seeking to capitalise on its success by using
similarly named games to piggyback off developer Stoic's
success.<br />
For King, the fact that its repeated use of the word "saga" in
game titles predates the first use of <em>The Banner Saga</em> as
detailed in the registration request, along with the fact that both
King and Stoic's products are within the gaming industry, is enough
to warrant opposing <em>The Banner Saga</em>'s mark.<br />
Business-wise, it makes sense. There is, however, the issue of
goodwill. King recently had its filing to trademark the word
"Candy" <a href="http://tsdr.uspto.gov/#caseNumber=85842584&caseType=SERIAL_NO&searchType=statusSearch">approved by the US Patent and Trademark Office</a> in relation to
things like gaming and clothing and began issuing developers with
challenges where the company felt an app or game name infringed on
its property. <em>All Candy Casino Slots -- Jewel Craze Connect:
Big Blast Mania Land</em> was one such title.<br />
Enforcement of King's rights as they relate to the word Candy
will depend on the individual cases, but since Candy is a generic
term the reaction to King claiming ownership of it (regardless of
the limitations) has been hugely critical.<br />
Looking at the Saga scenario, King's biggest game is a casual
gaming microtransaction-focused behemoth. <em>The Banner Saga</em>
is a beautiful fantasy world steeped in choice and buoyed up by
goodwill evidenced through <a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/stoic/the-banner-saga">crowdfunding</a>.
Win or lose, it will be hard for King to escape this trademark
challenge looking like the good guys.

Candy Crush dev prepares to fight The Banner Saga over trademark

King, developers of the phenomenally successful game Candy Crush Saga, is attempting to oppose The Banner Saga's use of the word "saga' claiming it is "confusingly and deceptively similar" to game titles previously used by King. Looking at King's gaming portfolio you will find (deep breath and pre…

23Jan2014

Kobo Arc 10HD review

<div class="adAvoidedButFlowable" style="clear: right;">
E-reader maker Kobo's biggest, baddest model delivers a
stonkingly sharp screen and powerful quad-core processor. Who needs
a camera?</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb4vrKkP4eWfvd0Wmiqh7QYUyMi7wqoDpvhGlBGEEn_Fg7mesnw5hr7rYM_ci2ukaDQxqPDNTi2Ecr85CN4gQS6-uBQa6iSYJjRRQnitDNwQrq93Qj1iY3hYsx_ciA8_YrMZTj99b-WjM/s1600/kobo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb4vrKkP4eWfvd0Wmiqh7QYUyMi7wqoDpvhGlBGEEn_Fg7mesnw5hr7rYM_ci2ukaDQxqPDNTi2Ecr85CN4gQS6-uBQa6iSYJjRRQnitDNwQrq93Qj1iY3hYsx_ciA8_YrMZTj99b-WjM/s1600/kobo.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="adAvoidedButFlowable" style="clear: right;">
<strong>Design</strong><br />
The Kobo has quite a distinctive style with its matte black
rubberised rear characterised by sharply tapering edges. It's a bit
on the heavy side at 627g, certainly weighty enough to make it feel
very different to Kobo's ebook reader line-up. Another distinctive
feature is the red power slider on top and it's nice to see a micro
HDMI output on the side so you can hook it up to your TV for those
times when you just need a bigger screen.</div>
<div class="adAvoidedButFlowable" style="clear: right;">
Not that there's anything wrong with the Arc's 10.1 inch display
which delivers a terrifically sharp resolution of 2,560x1,600
pixels, which boils down to 300ppi -- just a little less than the
latest <a href="http://www.wired.co.uk/reviews/tablets/2012-11/ipad-mini-review">iPad mini's</a> Retina display. Movies look great as do busy web
pages and they sound good too thanks to a decent pair of stereo
speakers on the back -- they're a little bass-lite compared to the
drivers on the <a href="http://www.wired.co.uk/reviews/tablets/2013-12/amazon-kindle-fire-hdx-8">Kindle Fire HDX 8.9</a> (which is also considerably lighter) but
pretty good nonetheless.</div>
<strong>Processor, Android and features</strong><br />
The quad-core processor is clocked at 1.8GHz and backed by a full
2GB Ram, which gives it plenty of poke. In our AnTuTu benchmark
test it delivered a score of 29,300 making it one of the highest
ranking tablets we've seen, losing out to Samsung's <a href="http://www.wired.co.uk/reviews/tablets/2013-12/samsung-galaxy-note-10-1">Galaxy Note 10.1</a> but ahead of the <a href="http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2012-10/31/nexus-10-hands-on">Google Nexus 10</a>.<br />
It's running a heavily customised version of Android 4.2.2 Jelly
Bean, only a little behind the very latest 4.4 KitKat. The
customisation mostly affects display of Kobo's own content, of
which there is much to choose from, including books (3.5 million
apparently -- count 'em!), games, music, movies and magazines.
There are a few samples already on board but you'll need to open an
account and pay for most of what's available. Where the Arc scores
over the Kindle HDX however is that you can access full Google Play
and download whichever apps you fancy.<br />
There's no main camera but there is a 1.3-megapixel shooter on
the front. The colour balance seemed alarmingly off on our test
model however, which could lead to some unusual video calls.<br />
Unfortunately, there's only 16GB storage on board, which you'll
soon dig into if you're downloading a lot of the HD content the
display craves. It really is a shame that there's no option to
expand the memory via microSD card.<br />
Battery life proved to be capable rather than exceptional and we
easily got a full day's use out of it, but not much more.<br />
<div class="cnAd mpuOrSky adLabel_300x250-3x3-420x160_2 cnAdId-3 cnAdIsNotEmpty">
</div>
<div class="adAvoidedButFlowable" style="clear: right;">
<strong>Conclusion</strong><br />
The Kobo Arc 10HD offers a wonderful screen and a searingly fast
processor as well as easy access to a huge range of Barnes &
Noble books, mags, music, films and games. But it's nearly twice as
heavy as the slightly more expensive Kindle Fire HDX 8.9 which also
has an 8 megapixel camera, though at least the Arc offers full
Google Play. Otherwise this is a mid-price tablet (cheaper than the
Nexus 10 and iPad Air) that ticks all the boxes.</div>

Kobo Arc 10HD review

E-reader maker Kobo's biggest, baddest model delivers a stonkingly sharp screen and powerful quad-core processor. Who needs a camera? Design The Kobo has quite a distinctive style with its matte black rubberised rear characterised by sharply tapering edges. It's a bit on the heavy side at 627g, cer…

23Jan2014

Turkey skin-inspired sensor can detect TNT

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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguD-djh7lt9G786G6jHk__gnRecOSW8woO9_fgvszFu7HCxZCZs8wnjvQtRvJR9bwdIadYQwzVQRZwjQe8pr7kABc-lXjLPN0INk3IU705zTNwe-8vBmKOBam9RB_Hh-bMIwYJ74RvhMc/s1600/shutterstock_60774682.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguD-djh7lt9G786G6jHk__gnRecOSW8woO9_fgvszFu7HCxZCZs8wnjvQtRvJR9bwdIadYQwzVQRZwjQe8pr7kABc-lXjLPN0INk3IU705zTNwe-8vBmKOBam9RB_Hh-bMIwYJ74RvhMc/s1600/shutterstock_60774682.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">A team of
bioengineers <a href="http://www.nature.com/ncomms/2014/140121/ncomms4043/full/ncomms4043.html"><span style="color: blue;">has developed a sensor</span></a> for detecting nearby
undetonated explosives based on the same biological principles that cause
turkey skin to change colour. An accompanying app in development lets users
know whether they've just encountered explosive trinitrotoluene (TNT), or just
a spot of methanol. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Seung-Wuk
Lee of UC Berkeley led a team in the development of the system, which relies on
engineering the virus <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M13_bacteriophage"><span style="color: blue;">M13 filamentous bacteriophage</span></a> to resemble
and behave like the collagen fibres found under turkey skin. You might not
think a turkey would inspire anything more than an annual attempt at making its
whole-roasted-self tasty, but its wattle was the source of inspiration since it
changes colour when the bird gets hot and bothered. This is down to a series of
blood vessels altering the dispersion of the collagen fibres as they inflate or
contract, depending on the turkey's temperament or activity. This, in turn,
causes lightwaves to scatter differently and the result is a colour-changing
jowl.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Rather
than visualising when rage or impatience is present, Lee and his team wanted
the biomimicry sensor to seek out substances including hexane, isopropyl
alcohol, methanol and TNT vapours. By engineering the M13 virus to develop
nanofibres interspersed in a similar fashion to those in turkey collagen, the
team was able to generate a substance sensitive to environmental changes. This
included humidity -- the sensor became bluer the drier the air was, and more
red if the air was moist as the nanostructures expanded and contracted like
blood vessels -- but the main objective was to test the aforementioned series
of chemicals. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">"Both
natural materials and their synthetic analogues lack selectivity towards
specific chemicals, and introducing such selectivity remains a challenge,"
write the authors in the journal <i><a href="http://www.nature.com/ncomms/2014/140121/ncomms4043/full/ncomms4043.html"><span style="color: blue;">Nature Communications</span></a></i>, where the experiment
results have been published. "Here we report the self-assembly of
genetically engineered viruses (M13 phage) into target-specific, colourimetric
biosensors."</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">They
found the biosensor became swollen or shrunk down depending on which chemical
was present, generating different colours that could be attached to a
particular chemical. It could then be photographed using the accompanying
iColour Analyser smartphone app, which automatically identifies the substance.
It's like a turkey-themed pH test for dangerous substances. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">The
system was also tweaked to become a sensor solely for detecting TNT, by
engineering the virus to bind with particular sites within the molecule. When
the sensor was exposed to two molecules the team says are similar to TNT -- DNT
and MNT -- it was able to clearly spot the difference between them and the real
McCoy. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">In a statement,
Lee said: "Our system is convenient, and it is cheap to make. We also
showed that this technology can be adapted so that smartphones can help analyse
the colour fingerprint of the target chemical. In the future, we could
potentially use this same technology to create a breath test to detect cancer
and other diseases." </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">"Our
tuneable, colourimetric sensors can be useful for the detection of a variety of
harmful toxicants and pathogens to protect human health and national
security," conclude the authors. Right now though, one stumbling block
will surely be the fact that by their own admission, the authors do not
comprehend the mechanisms behind the sensitivity of the blood vessel stand-ins.
They suggest it might down to water content within the virus. The success will
also depend on the system's sensitivity.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Current
proposals for new TNT detectors superior to a sniffer dog often have to <a href="https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/pressroom/presspacs/2012/acs-press-pac-august-8-2012/advanced-explosives-detector-to-sniff-out-previously-undetectable-amounts-of-tnt.html"><span style="color: blue;">increase levels of the substance</span></a> present in the
air significantly in order to confirm detection. A team from India might
provide some competition as well, where a gel has been engineered that <a href="http://www.rsc.org/chemistryworld/News/2012/February/tnt-explosives-detection.asp"><span style="color: blue;">turns fluorescent</span></a> when exposed to TNT.</span></div>

Turkey skin-inspired sensor can detect TNT

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23Jan2014

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Turkey skin-inspired sensor can detect TNT

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