(PhysOrg.com) — Today’s technology rumor has to do with Intel. A Chinese site, it.com.cn, has supposedly gotten its hand’s on a slide from Intel, a slide that outlines their next platform chipset. The slide even has a handy little road map on it. If the data on the slide, which has yet to be verified, turns out to be true, the X79, will be the successor to the popular X58 platform, which was launched about three years ago. The X79 is expected to seat four-core and six-core Sandy Bridge-E processors , and have significant upgrades to system memory. There will also be some changes in connectivity, but the details on this point are a bit sketchy.The X79 is also expected to feature an LGA 2011 socket. The PCI-E hub has been moved from the northbridge to the processor die, which would be similar to another Intel technology, the P67. The chipset has a DMI connection to the processor that is augmented with a PCI-Express 2.0 x4 link to the processor’s PCI-E hub. This would give the chipset a total bandwidth of 8GB/s. This bandwidth exists to support an integrated 10-port SATA 6Gbps controller with an additional four 3Gbps ports. More information: it.com.cn/diy/board/intel/news … 11033012/976889.html Doubling Down On Intel-Based Servers Some other features of note include an integrated Lewisville gigabit Ethernet PHY chip and an audio codec with support for dual stream HDMI and DP audio. The chip is also designed to be overclocked, which means that this is meant to be a machine for serious enthusiasts.If the slide turns out to be genuine, the X79 will be arriving on the shelves of stores in the final quarter of 2011. Though again, one must remember that this is all conjecture based on a single slide. Do not plan your next upgrade based on this information. At least not until it is confirmed by the company. So, fact or fiction, you decide. Citation: Intel’s new X79 chipset details leaked (2011, March 31) retrieved 18 August 2019 from https://phys.org/news/2011-03-intel-x79-chipset-leaked.html
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Month: August 2019
Physicist explains why quantum mechanics says a black hole should be able
© 2012 Phys.org Explore further It was Einstein’s theory of relativity that got everyone believing that because the gravity of a black hole is so great, it’s not possible for anything to escape once it passes the event horizon, or point of no return. Witten says that while the theory is right, of course, it’s only right in a certain respect, because it violates the laws of thermodynamics, which say that if a reaction is possible then there is always supposed to be an opposite reaction. Applied to black holes, it suggests that if something can be consumed, then it ought to be able to be un-consumed as well. This whole idea is backed up by something Stephen Hawking came up with back in 1974, where he suggested that certain quantum particles should be able to escape a black hole, but that they would be too small for anyone to detect. He called the process Hawking radiation, and sure enough, no one has ever been able to detect them.Witten says that despite the seeming contradiction in the two views, there is a way to explain the differences; it’s about perception and point of view or looking at things in a macroscopic versus microscopic way and using the idea of entropy. Seen up close and personal, a black hole surely is capable of the occasional lapse, allowing a particle or even a whole atom to escape. But looking at the hugeness of a black hole across the vast distance of space, it definitely appears all consuming; always taking and never giving, to us appearing as if nothing, not even a photon could ever escape it’s clutches. That’s how you reconcile the two viewpoints. Color composite image of Centaurus A, revealing the lobes and jets emanating from the active galaxy’s central black hole. Composite images: ESO/WFI (Optical); MPIfR/ESO/APEX/A.Weiss et al. (Submillimetre); NASA/CXC/CfA/R.Kraft et al. (X-ray) Citation: Physicist explains why quantum mechanics says a black hole should be able to let some things out (2012, August 3) retrieved 18 August 2019 from https://phys.org/news/2012-08-physicist-quantum-mechanics-black-hole.html Journal information: Science
Escaping gravity’s clutches: The black hole breakout This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only. More information: Quantum Mechanics of Black Holes, Science, 3 August 2012: Vol. 337 no. 6094 pp. 538-540. DOI: 10.1126/science.1221693ABSTRACTThe popular conception of black holes reflects the behavior of the massive black holes found by astronomers and described by classical general relativity. These objects swallow up whatever comes near and emit nothing. Physicists who have tried to understand the behavior of black holes from a quantum mechanical point of view, however, have arrived at quite a different picture. The difference is analogous to the difference between thermodynamics and statistical mechanics. The thermodynamic description is a good approximation for a macroscopic system, but statistical mechanics describes what one will see if one looks more closely. (Phys.org) — The journal Science is running a series of Reviews and Perspectives on the current state of knowledge and theories regarding black holes, written by leaders in the field. Some discuss what is believed to happen if two black holes collide, others describe what happens as binary stars are sucked up by black holes and whether intermediate size black holes really exist as new evidence is indicating. Yet another by doctoral fellow Rubens Reis, discusses a lucky break that allowed scientists to listen to the “cry” of the last bits of some matter just before being consumed by another black hole. But generating the most interest perhaps, is an article by Edward Witten of the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey, a theoretical physicist, who argues that one of the most basic beliefs about black holes, namely, that nothing can ever escape it’s gravitational pull, is wrong, but only sort of.
New idea on how the zebra got its stripes
Citation: New idea on how the zebra got its stripes (2015, January 14) retrieved 18 August 2019 from https://phys.org/news/2015-01-idea-zebra-stripes.html A photo showing two Zebras in Mikumi National Park. Credit: Sajjad Sherally Fazel / Wikipedia. (Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported) More information: How the zebra got its stripes: a problem with too many solutions, Royal Society Open Science, Published 14 January 2015. DOI: 10.1098/rsos.140452AbstractThe adaptive significance of zebra stripes has thus far eluded understanding. Many explanations have been suggested, including social cohesion, thermoregulation, predation evasion and avoidance of biting flies. Identifying the associations between phenotypic and environmental factors is essential for testing these hypotheses and substantiating existing experimental evidence. Plains zebra striping pattern varies regionally, from heavy black and white striping over the entire body in some areas to reduced stripe coverage with thinner and lighter stripes in others. We examined how well 29 environmental variables predict the variation in stripe characteristics of plains zebra across their range in Africa. In contrast to recent findings, we found no evidence that striping may have evolved to escape predators or avoid biting flies. Instead, we found that temperature successfully predicts a substantial amount of the stripe pattern variation observed in plains zebra. As this association between striping and temperature may be indicative of multiple biological processes, we suggest that the selective agents driving zebra striping are probably multifarious and complex. People throughout history have wondered about the black and white stripes displayed by zebras, many asking themselves what caused the evolutionary changes that led to the unique design. Many ideas have been put forth, from suggestions that the stripes ward off flies, to ideas that they somehow confuse lions when they are in a herd. In this new effort, the researchers looked at many of the most prominent ideas and tested them for soundness. They also noted that there is considerable stripe variation among the zebras depending on where they live.In studying prior theories, the researchers found no evidence that any of them were sound—lions appeared to be unfazed by the stripes, for example, and only some types of biting flies appeared to be put off by the stripes. That led them to wonder if some other factor might be at play that might be revealed by stripe pattern variations between groups. To find out, they noted stripe characteristics on zebras at 16 different locations and compared them with 29 environmental factors such as heat, biting flies, predation, etc. In analyzing the data, the only correlation they could make was stripe pattern and heat—lower temperatures meant fewer or fainter stripes—higher temperatures meant more or darker stripes.The researchers do not know why temperature might have caused stripes to come about, but suggest it might have something to do with body heat regulation (the difference between the heat absorbing black and reflective white might create air movement) or that stripes evolved in zebras for a variety of reasons related to both heat and as a means of warding parasites or some other unknown problem. They believe more research needs to be done before the riddle can be truly solved. Scientists solve the riddle of zebras’ stripes © 2015 Phys.org
Journal information: Royal Society Open Science Explore further This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only. (Phys.org) —A small team of researchers affiliated with the University of California has found little evidence to support prior theoretical explanations of why zebras have evolved to have stripes and instead suggest that temperature appears to be a factor. In their paper published in Royal Society Open Science, the team describes how they tested other theories and found them wanting and instead found temperature variation to be a predictive factor in striping.
Keep spinning the fortune roulette
This exhibition is dedicated to Delhi Shilpi Chakra, a group which was founded in 1949 with the motto, Art Illuminates Life but has no trace now.The society, commonly known as Shilpi Chakra, played a pivotal role in emerging Indian art scenario. They had regular exhibitions, discussions, talks and active interactions between members of creative fields of visual arts, literature and music to promote budding artists during the ’60s and ’70s.The show is being curated by Keshav Malik, who was also one of the active members of Delhi Shilpi Chakra since its inception. Artists whose work will be on display are Anupam Sud, B C Sanyal, Bimal Dasgupta, Biren Dey, Devayani Krishna, Dhanraj Bhagat, J Swaminathan, Jagadish Dey, K C Aryan, K S Kulkarni, Krishan Ahuja, Paramjeet Singh, Rajesh Mehra, Ram Kumar, Rameshwar Broota, Sailoz Mukherjea, Santosh Jain, Satish Gujral, Shobha Broota, Surendra Chopra, Umesh Chandra Varma.The highlights of this show will be a few artworks that were showcased in the very first exhibition held by the Shilpi Chakra also the copy of the only publication that was ever taken out from the time group existed.The show will be inaugurated on Sunday by the veteran members of Shilpi Chakra.
No respite Heat wave continues to make Kolkatans sweat
Kolkata: City dwellers on Thursday witnessed hot and uncomfortable weather, with many preferring to stay indoors during the afternoon hours. The sultry condition has been prevailing in the city and South Bengal districts for the past few days, as there was no rain. There was a drizzle in some parts of the city in the late afternoon hours on Thursday, but it failed to bring any respite to the people as it did not last too long.The regional meteorological centre in Alipore predicted that the hot and humid condition may continue to prevail in the next few days as well. However, there is a possibility of thundershower in some of the South Bengal districts, towards the evening hours in the next few days. Also Read – Heavy rain hits traffic, flightsIn view of the growing level of discomfort and high humidity level, the city doctors have issued some instructions on how people can avoid the sweltering heat during daytime. This time of the year generally does not see such a rise in the temperature but this year, there is an exception due to the heat wave coming from neighbouring states.A senior official of the weather office said that the weather condition may remain hot and humid during daytime, as a result of which people would perspire more, particularly in the afternoon. Many of those who came out on roads in the scorching summer heat on Thursday, wrapped their faces with handkerchiefs. The doctors have suggested that people, particularly those who are going out, must drink adequate amounts of water and other liquids. Also Read – Speeding Jaguar crashes into Merc, 2 B’deshi bystanders killedPeople have also been advised to carry umbrellas, to avoid the sunrays falling directly on their heads. People can also use sunglasses to get relief from the sun’s glare. The doctors also suggested that the city dwellers must wear cotton dresses, to get some relief from the heat. They have also advised against drinking soft drinks from shops and roadside stalls, while travelling in the sun. A large number of people were seen drinking lemon water or soda at the roadside stalls, while some others were found drinking soft drinks to comfort themselves in the sweltering heat. Many were also found standing in queues to have lassi from stalls in Dharmatala area, during daytime.Doctors also advised that if anyone is suffering from irritation or redness in the eyes, they should get medical help immediately, without wasting time. They also advised that anyone suffering from fever should be taken to nearby health care establishments without delay.
Fisheries dept to serve traditional fish items during Durga Puja at its
Kolkata: Want to savour the traditional fish items associated with the Durga Pujas of Sarbamangala Temple in Burdwan or Kanakdurga shrine at Chilkigarh in Jhargram in Kolkata? Here is your opportunity to relish Magur Macher Tok of Sarbamangala Temple or Shol Pora of Kanakdurga Shrine, thanks to State Fisheries Development Corporation (SFDC), which is leaving no stone unturned to serve such unique fish items in five of its restaurants.”Every year, we come up with something special for the fish loving Bengalis during Durga Puja. This year, we will be offering fish items of the old and traditional pujas of zamindars. We are already in talks with Sovabazar Rajbari, Sabarna Roy Choudhury Rajbari and some others for finalising such menus,” SFDC managing director Soumyajit Das said. Also Read – Rain batters Kolkata, cripples normal lifeThe bhogs cooked at the venues of some traditional pujas in the city will also be an integral part of the menu list.The SFDC has its restaurants at Nalban Food Park, Nabanna, Eco Park, Bidhan Sishu Udyan in Ultadanga and infront of Nicco Park. There will be a discount of 7 percent in the thali items and on the online delivery app during the Puja. Food items will be served in kansa (brass) or terracotta plates. It will be for the first time when people from this part of the state will be able to satiate their taste buds with Boroli fish during Durga Puja. Boroli variety is one of the most delicious fishes available in clear streams in the foothills of North Bengal. Also Read – Speeding Jaguar crashes into Mercedes car in Kolkata, 2 pedestrians killedIt was in April this year when as many as 23,000 Boroli fish seeds from Jalpaiguri in North Bengal was brought and are now being cultivated in three large waterbodies – Nalban Jheel adjacent to the Nalban Food Park, Goltala jheel near Chingrighata and Chotkhand jheel at Memari in East Burdwan. The SFDC will also experiment with two new varieties of fishes — Groupers and Indian Pompano — that they have cultivated in the last few months. The Indian Pompano, which belongs to the fast-growing Carangid family, has a great demand in Andhra Pradesh especially due to its good meat quality and nutritious value. It tastes more or less same as the Pomfret variety but will be available at a cheaper rate.The SFDC will set up stalls at the premises of 23 Durga Pujas in the city and offer a plethora of fish items. The Singhi Park, Hazra Park, Kalighat Milan Sangha, Hindustan Park in south Kolkata while Jagat Mukherjee Park, Sovabazar, Tala Sarbojonin, Nalin Sarkar Street will be some of the spots for SFDC’s puja stalls.
Colours of Bangladesh
The loving bond that India and Bangladesh share is no secret to the world. Even though they are separated by a geographical border, India, especially West Bengal, shares a deep bond with Bangladesh.The Art Acre foundation organised for an art workshop recently, where 10 eminent artists from Bangladesh arrived at Arts Acre and created artworks along with 6 eminent artists who had sent their works as they could not be present in person. The contribution of Bangladeshi artists in the development of Bengal Modern Art as a whole is very significant. Along with Rabindranath Tagore, Abanindranath Tagore, Nandalal Bose and others, artists like Zainul Abedin and Quamrul Hassan can be considered pioneers of the Bengal Contemporary Art Movement. Also Read – ‘Playing Jojo was emotionally exhausting’The Arts Acre Museum of Bengal Modern Art is the largest museum dedicated to modern Bangla art. The museum hopes to devote a permanent gallery to the works of eminent artists from Bangladesh. Arts Acre believes that it would be a great opportunity and platform for artists from Bangladesh to showcase and express their work in the City of Joy as well as the country. While, it will add an extra dimension to an already well stocked museum, it also hopes to add a new perspective and enable access to a previously untapped source of art. The works were displayed in a special ‘Bangladesh Gallery’ in the museum. Also Read – Leslie doing new comedy special with NetflixThe artists who participated were- Farida Zaman, Monirul Islam, Rafiqun Nabi, Samarjit Roy Choudhury, Ranjit Das, Syed Abul Barq Alvi, Shahid Kabir, Sheikh Afzal and Syed Jahangir and others are Mansur-Ul- Karim, Mohammad Eunus, Mahmud-Ul- Haque. In addition to the workshop, every evening during the festival, cultural programs were organised, where well known performers, both from Bangladesh and Kolkata enthralled everyone with their performances. The vocal artists from Bangladesh who performed at the event were Subir Nandi, Rumana Islam Khan, Suchitra Rani Sutradhar, Shemonti Monjari, Rocsana Akter Rupsa and Nishita Barua. Choreographer Sudarshan from Kolkata presented his Modern Dance piece ‘Imagining Images’, while singer Iman Chakraborty mesmerised the audience with her electric performance. On the evening of June 3, the special ‘Bangladesh Gallery’ was inaugurated by Asaduzzaman Noor, Minister of Cultural Affairs, Govt. of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, in the presence of Ganesh Haloi, Bibhash Chakraborty, Gautam Deb, Minister of Tourism, Govt. of West Bengal, Bratya Basu, Minister of Information and Technology, Govt. of West Bengal and many other eminent personalities from across the city.The new ‘Bangladesh Gallery’ was lauded for its beautiful artwork the impressive infrastructure of the Arts Acre Foundation.
Why obese women have uncontrollable urge to eat
The findings showed that obese study participants maintained activation in the midbrain, one of the body’s most potent reward centres. However, this brain activity dropped among lean participants while continuing in their obese counterparts.“Before or after the meal, they’re just as excited about eating. It seems they have an instinctive drive to keep eating,” said Nancy Puzziferri, Assistant Professor at the University of Texas. Further, while the appeal of pictured food dropped by 15 per cent for lean women after they ate, the severely obese women showed only a 4 per cent decline. Also Read – ‘Playing Jojo was emotionally exhausting’“Lean women when full will either stop eating or just sample a food they crave. It’s just not a level playing field – it’s harder for some people to maintain a healthy weight than others,” Puzziferri explained. For the study, published recently in the journal ‘Obesity,’ the team compared attitudes and the brain activity of 15 severely obese women (those with a body mass index greater than 35) and 15 lean women (those with a BMI under 25). Their brain activity was measured using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). After fasting for nine hours, they were asked to rate their level of hunger or fullness, and then given a brain scan as they viewed pictures of food. Again, after eating, the participants went through another battery of hunger/fullness ratings and fMRI scans while being exposed to pictures of food. The obese women showed a sustained “hungry” brain activation, even though they reported the same increase in satiation as their lean counterparts, the researchers has concluded.
Thumbs down to Internet use in class
Surfing the internet in classrooms may lead to poorer test scores, even among the most intelligent and motivated students, a new study has warned.Researchers at Michigan State University (MSU) in the US studied laptop use in an introductory psychology course and found the average time spent browsing the web for non-class-related purposes was 37 minutes.Students spent the most time on social media, reading emails, shopping for items such as clothes and watching videos. Also Read – Add new books to your shelfResearchers found that their academic performance suffered. Internet use was a significant predictor of students’ final exam score even when their intelligence and motivation were taken into account, said Susan Ravizza, associate professor of psychology at MSU and lead author of the study. “The detrimental relationship associated with non-academic internet use raises questions about the policy of encouraging students to bring their laptops to class when they are unnecessary for class use,” Ravizza said. Also Read – Over 2 hours screen time daily will make your kids impulsiveThe research was conducted in a one-hour, 50-minute lecture course with 507 students taught by Kimberly Fenn, MSU associate professor of psychology and study co-author.In all, 127 students agreed to participate in the study, which involved logging onto a proxy server when the students went online. Of those participants, 83 checked into the proxy server in more than half of the 15 course sessions during the semester and were included in the final analysis. Intelligence was measured by ACT scores. Motivation to succeed in class was measured by an online survey sent to each participant when the semester was over. Interestingly, using the internet for class purposes did not help students’ test scores.“There were no internet-based assignments in this course, which means that most of the ‘academic use’ was downloading lecture slides in order to follow along or take notes,” Ravizza said.Previous research has shown that taking notes on a laptop is not as beneficial for learning as writing notes by hand.”Once students crack their laptop open, it is probably tempting to do other sorts of internet-based tasks that are not class-relevant,” she added.
A convention to understand Indian heritage
India bleeds creativity. Be it in any field- art, culture, music, dance or theatre. We are also home to numerous varied techniques of creativity that has been passed down from generation to generation but in these modern times and in the hustle bustle of life we don’t pay attention to the symphony of life. SPIC MACAY (Society for the Promotion of Indian Classical Music And Culture Amongst Youth), an organisation made for this purpose recently held a conference to address the crowd about their work, their future plans to uphold the art forms of the past and details for the Memorial Concert for Vidhushi Kishori Amonkar by Padma Vibhushan awardee Vidhushi Girija Devi. Also Read – Add new books to your shelfSPIC MACAY founder Kiran Seth, wants to spread the word about their international convention, for their 40th year at IIT Delhi from June 5 to11. Every year SPIC MACAY organizes International Convention to give exposure to the youth from all over the world about the cultural and traditional values that India has preserved in various forms since times immemorial. Conventions follow a rigorous schedule starting with Yoga early in the morning, interactions and workshops during the day and ending with concerts in the evening. The goal of these conventions is to bring the youth from the entire country and from all walks of life to a common platform, where they can exchange ideas, share experiences and get inspired to propagate the movement in the years ahead. Also Read – Over 2 hours screen time daily will make your kids impulsiveParticipants get to experience the performances by great maestros and get an insight into culture and music of India, its values and ethos. “This particular convention, will be a grand event with students getting up at 3:30 am during the very special time called the “Brahma Mahurat”, they will learn various art forms like, music, dance, traditional art and craft from celebrated masters who excel in their field, they will attend lectures, movie screenings and concerts and receive holistic food that is necessary for the development of mind and body. On the penultimate day, the students will put up an exhibition to demonstrate what they have learnt over the days, followed by an overnight concert which will serve as the culmination of an intense experience created through five continuous performances of classical dance and music by India’s top performing artists. On the last day, heritage walks will be organized to some of the heritage sites,” said the founder. The idea of organizing the convention is to contrive the unique ashram-like atmosphere to leave an impact on the new generation. Over 4600 registrations have been received from those who are interested and only 1500 participants will be selected On the penultimate day, the students will put up an exhibition to demonstrate what they have learnt over the days, followed by an overnight concert which will serve as the culmination of an intense experience created through five continuous performances of classical dance and music by India’s top performing artists. On the last day, heritage walks will be organized to some of the heritage sites,” said the founder. The idea of organizing the convention is to contrive the unique ashram-like atmosphere to leave an impact on the new generation. Over 4600 registrations have been received from those who are interested and only 1500 participants will be selectedOver 4600 registrations have been received from those who are interested and only 1500 participants will be selected with all their board and lodging covered at IIT Delhi. Registrations are still open for those who want to be a part of this experience.
Where did the Black Friday Shopping Bonanza come From
Black Friday is a modern Thanksgiving Weekend tradition that marks the beginning of festive holiday shopping sprees. It is the second busiest shopping day of the year, hot on the heels of “Super Saturday” — the last Saturday before Christmas.There are several different stories about the origins of Black Friday and the name it carries. Some of them are myths, but one we are pretty sure is true.Black Friday crowds hit the shopping mall.It is hard to pinpoint when the tradition of massive shopping right after Thanksgiving started, but it may date right back to the 19th century.Today an integral part of Thanksgiving day, the very first Thanksgiving parade, which took place in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1920 — four years before the iconic Macy’s parade debuted in New York City.The following day marks the beginning of the Christmas season. This is when the holiday shopping season officially begins.Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade – First Parade, 1926. Photo by NY Daily News Archive via Getty ImagesRetailers have for decades started their holiday sales and campaigns on the Friday after Thanksgiving Day, opening their doors to huge numbers of eager consumers, fired up with holiday spirit by the excitement of the parade.The term “Black Friday” was used for the first time to describe something quite different to it’s current meaning. Namely, the term first appeared in relation to the epic crash of the U.S. gold market on September 24, 1869.Photograph of the black board in the New York Gold Room, September 24, 1869, showing the collapse of the price of gold. Handwritten caption by James A. Garfield indicates it was used as evidence before the Committee of Banking & Currency during hearings in 1870.Two Wall Street businessman, Jay Gould and Jim Fisk, used the opportunity to buy gold in huge amounts, consequently deflate its value, only to later speculate the price of it for huge profit.This move came to light on this particular Friday in September and drove the whole country into bankruptcy.The most commonly repeated story about the origin of Black Friday as we know most likely does not stem from this event in 1869, but it does relate to merchants and sellers.Jay Gould (1836 — 1892)After not making enough profit throughout the year, they would turn around what they have invested only on one day — the Friday after Thanksgiving.The term Black Friday, according to this story, relates to stores whose accounts were only “in the black” on this day.This information is accurate, but it’s not the story behind the name Black Friday.A crowded shopping center on Black FridayLikewise, there is another grim myth connected to the emergence of this shopping holiday. The story goes that in the 19th century, slave owners could purchase new slaves for discounted prices on the Friday following the Thanksgiving.This version of the story has led many people to understandably boycott the day, but it does not have a basis in reality.Christmas shoppersThe true story dates back to the middle of the 20th century and it took place in Philadelphia. At the time, the Saturday after Thanksgiving was when the big Army-Navy football match took place.The match was extremely popular, so the city would be filled with football enthusiasts, both natives and tourists.Harmony Community, Putnam County, Georgia.This meant that the police department did not have a free post-Holiday day. Police officers had to work long shifts to deal with the crowds arriving in the city the day ahead of the match and ensuing traffic jams.Shoplifters saw a great opportunity to plunder the stores which meant even more work for the policemen. The chaos taking place on this day led to the negative connotation in the name “Black Friday. ”DC USA, Target, Black Friday.In 1961 the term was widespread in Philadelphia, so sellers wanted to rebrand it as “Big Friday.” The goal was for it not to be thought of in negative terms and to stimulate positive attitudes towards shopping during this day. The term was not used nationwide until the 1980s.Nevertheless, by then marketing gurus found a way to reinvent it to reflect positively on customers.Read another story from us: Attack of the Giant Balloons – The 1932 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade DisasterBy now the negative connotations are forgotten, even in Philadelphia, and the one-day shopping spree has evolved into four-day-long actions that incentivize shopping, including Small Business Saturday and Sunday, and Cyber Monday.
BrutalistEra Hotel which Inspired the Star Wars Sandcrawler Faces Demolition
It’s an unordinary, ten-story, inverted building — Hotel du Lac was constructed in Tunisia, next to the Lake of Tunis, back in the 1960s. This distinctive architectural feat belongs to the era of Brutalism, the 20th century post-war movement that heavily relied on strict, square lines, raw materials such as concrete and where it was commonplace to keep facades stripped of any decor. Hotel du Lac is particularly eye-catching in that each of its floors protrudes on the sides. Which makes the top floor of the edifice much wider than the ground floor. It’s the work of Italian architect Raffaele Contigiani.Sadly, the venture is in a ruinous condition today, after its doors shut in 2000. Experts say it would be easier to replace the structure rather than have it restored, the BBC reports.Hotel du Lac in Tunis. Photo by Houssem Abida CC BY SA 4.0“The hotel is a unique witness to a certain age,” said Mohamed Zitouni in a statement for the BBC. An architect based in Tunisia, Zitouni, is part of a campaign that aims at preserving Hotel du Lac. “It’s one of the rare buildings after Tunisian independence that shows vision and maturity,” he said.Beyond the hotel’s significance to Brutalist architecture and being a harbinger to modernity in Tunisia — a country which gained independence only in 1956 — Hotel du Lac has been gloriously associated with Star Wars. Claims have been made that the structure inspired the look of the sandcrawler vehicles of the famous sci-fi franchise.Hôtel du Lac, Tunis. Photo by Stefan Krasowski CC BY 2.0The brainchild of George Lucas, the original Star Wars movie which appeared in 1977 used Tunisia as one of its filming locations. The country’s natural desert-scapes were convenient enough to serve as а backdrop to the movie’s Tatooine desert world. A planet inhabited by the not-so-tall Jawas, hidden creatures behind their robes. There, the moveable giant sandcrawlers are used by the Jawas as a means of travel and accommodation.Lego Sandcrawler. Photo by Brickset CC by 2.0More than four decades later after the original Star Wars, the question is, whether the link with Star Wars might save this abandoned hotel from complete obliteration.Sandcrawler. Photo by Jeremy Keith CC BY 2.0It was announced earlier in 2019 that Hotel du Lac was facing “imminent demolition.” Following that, Edifices et Memoires (Buildings and Memories) showed up as a conservation group that aimed at protecting the architectural gem. Their cry for help had a global outreach. Swiftly, a petition was arranged to spare the site from demolition. While authorities claimed no permission had been given demolish the hotel building, workers have consistently been seen on the site.To guarantee the future of Hotel du Lac, Edifices et Memoires now plans to request UNESCO protection — and possibly also that George Lucas himself lends a helping hand.George Lucas, the creator of Star Wars. Photo by nicolas genin – Flickr CC BY-SA 2.0Reportedly, Lucas did see the otherworldly hotel during his stay in Tunisia in 1976, and as legend has it, he was compelled to model the sandcrawler image based on it. Lucas first visited there to check options for work and filming.Related Video: The Mysterious 10,000 Room Hotel that Never Had a Guest – Guess who Built It…While there is an undeniable resemblance between Hotel du Lac and the Star Wars object of worship, according to British director and set designer Roger Christian, the link between the two is unlikely. Christian’s work on Star Wars earned him an Academy Award for Best Art Direction.Photo by Ranko CC BY-SA 3.0In a statement for the BBC, Christian said the sandcrawler was an original work of Ralph McQuarrie, the iconic U.S. conceptual designer and artist whose work included the original Star Wars trilogy, and also Cocoon, Battlestar Galactica, and E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. McQuarrie joined the Star Wars fleet of creatives early on, as Lucas was still developing the script.“Ralph did some beautiful drawings, and the sandcrawler was drawn up pretty much as it is,” Christian told the BBC. As BBC further writes: “The parts of the vehicle were constructed at Elstree Studios, near London, and shipped, piece by piece, to Tunisia. Onset, Christian sprayed the model down with mud to make it look authentic.”Tunis. Grand Hotel du Lac. Photo by Jerzystrzelecki CC BY 3.0More than that, the sandcrawler first drafts were completed before the North African country was chosen as one of the Star Wars filming locations, likely in 1975.One influence to McQuarrie’s work on the sandcrawler may have been the NASA Crawler Transporter, a tracked vehicle for spacecraft transportation which supported the Apollo program. Another big influence certainly was the Golden Age of Science Fiction itself or the “pulp era” which began during the 1930s and lingered on in the next decades.Architectural movements such as Brutalism drew inspiration from sci-fi as well. The great architects representing this movement belonged to a post-war generation and one of their philosophies was that they are here to restore and rebuild a world broken by a horrendous conflict. Both Brutalism and science fiction of the day were further influenced by space exploration which gained momentum with the Space Race.Read another story from us: Star Wars, James Bond and Thunderbirds Star Shane Rimmer Passes Away at 89Debates are ongoing on the ultimate outcome for Hotel du Lac, the Tunisian Brutalist remnant of yesteryear. One of the options still on the table is restoring the property, though the preference is for it to be removed and another building erected on the site. Other Tunisian locations used for Star Wars are maintained today as points of interests for tourists.
App Development Methods Decoded
The project involves uncharted territory for the developers, yet the deadline calls for a quick development cycle Cons Free Workshop | August 28: Get Better Engagement and Build Trust With Customers Now Software delivered at the end of the cycle, with few changes allowed Methodical, linear Highly structured, reliable The project builds upon existing platforms (e.g., a website or database) Agile The shape of the end product–or end user–is unclear and likely to change. Design, development and implementation occur multiple times. Flexible, simple; working prototype available early in the cycle Delegates tasks to self-directed teams Unpredictability of end product and uncertain delivery time Collaborative; good for products with tight deadlines Success depends on the quality of team members and their ability to collaborate
Scrum Pros This hands-on workshop will give you the tools to authentically connect with an increasingly skeptical online audience. Best used if 2 min read Waterfall Process March 8, 2012 Q: I’ve heard software development shops talk about various methods–“waterfall,” “agile” and “scrum”–for building apps. What’s the difference?Choose wisely: Kim Heldman, senior IT director for the state of Colorado, says app-building methods can make or break your project–so do your research.Photo© Jacob PritchardA: Be assured, the developers who use scrum aren’t billing you for a daily rugby match to help brainstorm your product. In this case, the term describes one of more than a half-dozen software development processes used to organize a project’s work flow. And whether you need an e-commerce site for your T-shirt startup or a smartphone app for your pizza delivery business, you should decide on the approach to development that addresses the requirements, design, production, testing and deployment phases of the software in a manner that works best for your management style and, ultimately, your business.According to Kim Heldman, senior IT director for the state of Colorado, choosing the right methodology for a development project can spell the difference between rapid success and drawn-out failure. Heldman suggests focusing on the three most popular development processes: waterfall, agile and scrum. Continuous, repetitive This story appears in the March 2012 issue of . Subscribe » Enroll Now for Free
10 Ways to Put Your Retired iPhone to Work
October 1, 2014 This story originally appeared on Reuters Register Now » With about 10 million new iPhone 6s ordered in the initial days on the market, a whole lot of old iPhones are destined for the scrap heap. Sure, you could sell, donate or recycle your old iPhone, but you probably will not. And there are better things to do with it.One creative example: At the Missouri University of Science and Technology, a biology class is making old iPhones into microscopes. Using less than $10 worth of supplies, the old phones are mounted onto a lens and can magnify an object to 175 times its size.Even an old phone with a cracked screen can be repurposed, says Josh Smith, editor of GottaBeMobile.com. “You’re only really limited by your imagination,” Smith says.Here are 10 smart – and cheap – uses for old iPhones.1. ClockSet your old phone on a dock or a stand and use a clock app. With Standard Time ($3.99), you will have a timepiece unlike any other.With this app, your clock is a non-stop time lapse video of construction workers switching out pieces of lumber to shape the actual time. “It’s mesmerizing,” says Shawn Roberts, 47, an Oakland, California, marketing executive.You can also set up flexible alarms and get the phone to play soothing white noise as you go to sleep. Set it close enough to the bed, and it can be a sleep tracker, too, with an app like SleepBot (free).2. Music for your carTake your music library on the road. Some cars come equipped with docking ports for iPhones and have dashboard screens so you can navigate your musical options hands-free. Or you can just use the cigarette lighter for power.3. Remote control Televisions, speakers and other devices now have apps that allow users to make their iPhones into sleek remotes.Carm Lyman, 42, of Napa, California, converted his iPhone 4 into a remote for his household sound system after his iPhone 5 arrived. Lyman can control the audio levels and activate speakers in various parts of his home as well as access different music services.4. Surveillance systemApps can convert an old iPhone that has access to WiFi into a surveillance camera and motion detector. Presence, which is a free app, provides a live stream from the area you want to monitor. You can set it up to record video clips when it detects motion, too.If you buy a robotic viewing stand for about $100, you can move the camera 360 degrees rather than stick with a stationary view.5. CookbookNo need to go through recipe books or hunt around for other devices when you have a kitchen iPhone. Download a cookbook app, such as My Recipe Book (99 cents) or Big Oven (free), and just leave the device on the kitchen counter. It takes up almost no space and will hold far more recipes than any book.6. Extra storageNeed a place to store old photos and music or other files? Turn your old phone into a storage drive using a free app like USB & Wi-Fi Flash Drive.7. Voice recorderWhy buy a digital voice recorder when you have a retired iPhone? Using any of several free apps, including Voice Recorder and Voice Record Pro, you will have a designated memo recorder or a device to record interviews and speeches.8. Document scannerGenius Scan and Doc Scan are two apps that will turn an iPhone into a handy portable scanner that you can use for work, school reports, genealogical research, or recording receipts. And they will not cost you a penny.For $20 and up, you can buy a stand that makes your iPhone into a stationary scanner.9. Baby monitorSure, you can spend $100 or more on a baby monitor, or you can just set your old iPhone up to watch streaming video of your baby as well as hear and even talk to him or her.Cloud Baby Monitor ($3.99) also allows parents to receive the signal on a wireless network or on WiFi so they do not have to be within a certain number of feet of the monitor.10. Vehicle trackerWhether you need to find your car if it is stolen, record where you have traveled, or spy on your teenage driver, the built-in GPS in your phone can be used as a tracking device. An app like InstaMapper ($2.99) lets you watch the vehicle in real-time and have a record of it.Of course, you may end up taking the simple path of letting a child use your old iPhone as an iPod Touch. Keep in mind that the phone can still dial 911, even if it does not have cellular service, Smith said.You can also use your old phone as a back-up in case your new model suffers irreparable harm. That said, the battery of a phone that sits in a drawer unused could drain to the point where it is no longer viable.(Editing by Lauren Young, Beth Pinsker and Lisa Von Ahn) 5 min read Attend this free webinar and learn how you can maximize efficiency while getting the most critical things done right. Free Webinar | Sept 5: Tips and Tools for Making Progress Toward Important Goals
Senators to Airlines Whats Up With the Computer Outages
August 18, 2016 This hands-on workshop will give you the tools to authentically connect with an increasingly skeptical online audience. Frequent fliers aren’t the only ones fed up with airline computer outages. In the wake of delays due to recent glitches with the systems of Southwest and Delta Air Lines, two US senators are asking for answers.”We are concerned with recent reports indicating that airlines’ IT systems may be susceptible to faltering because of the way they are designed and have been maintained,” Democratic Sens. Edward J. Markey of Massachusetts and Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut wrote in a letter to more than a dozen airlines. Delta flights were grounded earlier this month after “a critical power control module at our Technology Command Center malfunctioned, causing a surge to the transformer and a loss of power,” according to COO Gil West. Southwest, meanwhile, had to cancel hundreds of flights last month after its website went down.In their letters, Markey and Blumenthal “inquire about safeguards and backups in place within airline IT systems to protect against power outages, cyberattacks and other hazards,” they said in a statement. They also “ask the airlines about policies that would allow passengers to be rebooked on another airline or on a different mode of transportation in the event of irregular operations caused by the airlines, as well as about their reimbursement and compensation policies.”Airline mergers are not helping the situation, they continued. “Now that four air carriers control approximately 85 percent of domestic capacity, all it takes is one airline to experience an outage and thousands of passengers could be stranded, resulting in missed business meetings, graduations, weddings, funerals and other prepaid events.”The senators’ letter includes several queries, including how many times technology has caused an outage to air traffic, what safeguards are in place when systems fail, and the current state of the airline’s IT system. They have asked the airline CEOs to respond to their queries by Sept.16.Airlines that received the letter include American Airlines, Delta Airlines, Southwest Airlines, United Airlines, JetBlue Airways, Alaska Airlines, Spirit Airlines, Frontier Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, Allegiant Air, Virgin America, Sun Country Airlines and Island Air Hawaii. Free Workshop | August 28: Get Better Engagement and Build Trust With Customers Now Enroll Now for Free This story originally appeared on PCMag 2 min read
Taking Focus on Users Advice Can Kill Your SEO Traffic
May 24, 2017 4 min read Attend this free webinar and learn how you can maximize efficiency while getting the most critical things done right. Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. Register Now » If you ask Google the best way to do SEO, it will tell you to focus on the user and everything else will follow. Today, SEO is all about creating great, unique content that delights customers.Marketers are excited by this news, because from now on they can say goodbye to all the complicated technical SEO stuff. A piece on Entrepreneur.com, “Why Modern SEO Requires Almost No Technical Experience,” was widely shared. We now can trust our common sense mentality to “focus on users” in order to drive organic traffic through the roof.And while this is half the battle, unfortunately, the road to SEO nirvana is still a long one. Solely following the advice to “focus on users” may very well lead to SEO disasters, because some user experience (UX) changes can create serious technical SEO errors that destroy organic traffic.A camera online retailer, doing tens of millions of dollars in revenue a year (40 percent of which was from organic search), decided to switch to a new ecommerce platform. To deliver a better user experience, it decided to combine six to 10 different product information pages (description, reviews, specification, FAQ and more) into one long page, to allow users to find content more quickly.That decision was a disaster. It reduced the total number of pages from 7,000 to about 700 pages. After the re-launch, the site’s organic traffic dropped in half, costing millions of dollars in lost sales.It’s no doubt that UX today is a ranking factor. Google rewards websites that are fast, mobile-friendly and engage with users effectively. But, when you make UX improvements, you must always keep technical SEO in check.Here are a few common UX change problems that can hurt your SEO:Avoid combining pages or reducing the total number of pages.There’s a big temptation to combine relevant existing pages into long, all-purpose pages to make browsing convenient for users. However, each existing page may already have its own keyword rankings. When you combine pages without proper SEO redirects, you may lose a lot of rankings and organic traffic.Recently, a global media corporation rolled out a massive platform restructuring upgrade to its online marketplace. The new structure, which was supposed to be clean and easy to use, cut down the amount of content from over 2 million pages to 50,000 pages. As you can easily guess, the traffic dropped over 70 percent, and it was hard to recover from such a loss.Prepare a thorough SEO redirect plan when you change page URL formats.In major website updates, developers may want to change the URL structure to be more simple, well-organized or user-friendly. However, when you change the URL of a page, Google treats it as a brand new page, and it will lose all of its existing rankings and search history.You need to apply SEO redirects from the old URL to the new URL to maintain the page’s SEO value. But, when you deal with big and complex websites with tens of thousands of pages, the redirects for all the pages can become extremely complicated and need to be carefully planned.Be careful using Ajax to load content.Ajax is a coding technique that uses scripts to load content asynchronously without refreshing the entire page, which allows the page to load much faster. This delivers a great user experience and many developers prefer using Ajax to load content.However, search engine bots cannot read Ajax content, so an Ajax page is often considered “thin content” and can’t compete for search rankings. There are workaround techniques that solve this problem. You must make sure you know them and apply them. Pay attention to on-page SEO factors when you update page content and layout.There are various on-page factors that can affect a page’s SEO rankings, such as headings, keyword density, internal links, rich snippets and more. When you make UX changes to a page, make sure the new page layout and content maintain and strengthen on-page SEO factors. This will help stabilize the search rankings when you roll out the changes. Free Webinar | Sept 5: Tips and Tools for Making Progress Toward Important Goals
Life Coaching Guru Tony Robbins Tells Us Why Hes Investing in an
February 20, 2018 Free Webinar | Sept 5: Tips and Tools for Making Progress Toward Important Goals Register Now » Serial entrepreneur and author Tony Robbins has seen the future of business, and it’s one where artificial intelligence powers decisions.“In today’s changing world of consumer preference, AI is the fundamental building block for how future businesses will run, interact with customers and implement new systems and innovations,” Robbins said in a statement provided to Entrepreneur. “AI is the key to making every business decision both more informed and intelligent. It would be foolish to not capitalize on an opportunity to help create the future and drive even better business decisions through this technology.”Related: 9 Powerful Tony Robbins Quotes That Will Redefine Your Quest for SuccessPutting his immense wealth where his mouth is, today, a new artificial intelligence startup called HyperGiant is emerging from stealth, and Robbins is among the company’s first investors, through his partnership with Beringer Capital. The exact amount of his investment was not disclosed.Robbins is betting on HyperGiant’s customized AI solutions for brands, which Ben Lamm, one of the company’s co-founders and its executive chairman, says will solve the “the over-promise and under-deliver problem in AI.”HyperGiant co-founders Ben Lamm (left), Will Womble and John Frémont.Image Credit: John Davidson / HyperGiant“There is a lot of hype right now about the promise of AI and the impact it will have on business,” Robbins said. “I’ve seen a lot of those promises go unfulfilled, and business has suffered from betting on AI strategies that were either too slow to get off the ground or were a one-size-fits-all solution that didn’t actually fit.” The guru has expanded his life coaching and business strategy in recent years, lately focusing on doling out financial and investment tips as he continues to expand his own portfolio. Robbins’s last two books, Unshakeable: Your Financial Freedom Playbook and Money: Master the Game, summarize tips from Peter Mallouk, Warren Buffett, Ray Dalio, Carl Icahn and other prominent investors and financial advisors on everything from retirement savings to the importance of diversifying. His own business ventures are diverse, ranging from virtual reality to sports to hospitality.This is not Robbins’s first time publicly expressing interest in the potential benefits of AI. He’s previously tweeted about the promise of AI for investors.AI and machine learning on social media data is giving hedge funds a competitive edge https://t.co/IJFTytR8ek— Tony Robbins (@TonyRobbins) July 22, 2016The co-founders of the Austin, Texas-based HyperGiant — Lamm, John Frémont and Will Womble — have split their company into three operating divisions. The first is Hypergiant Space Age Solutions, which is focused on providing Fortune 500 companies with AI that will “upgrade systems and workforces.” The second is Hypergiant Applied Sciences, focused on AI product research and development, and the third is a venture arm.Related video: Tony Robbins: Want Success? Rewire Your Mind. 
Attend this free webinar and learn how you can maximize efficiency while getting the most critical things done right. 3 min read
Mount disc images with ImgDrive
Mount disc images with ImgDrive by Martin Brinkmann on September 28, 2016 in Software – 5 commentsImgDrive is a free program for devices running Microsoft’s Windows operating system that allows you to mount up to seven disc images on the PC.Mounting disc images can be quite useful. First, it may be the only option you have if your computer does not have an optical drive.Second, doing so speeds up operations such as reads, and it will also protect the actual discs from use.And last but not least, you may mount multiple disc images at the same time, something that you — usually — cannot do as most PCs are equipped with one optical drive.ImgDriveImgDrive works for the most part like any of the other programs that you may use for the purpose. You can check out our overview of virtual disk mounting programs for Windows here.The program sits idly in the system tray area on launch after installation. You may interact with it there, or directly from Windows Explorer.A click on the icon displays the menu that you see on the screenshot above. It lists the available virtual drives at the top and options below that.If you move the selection over a mounted drive, options are displayed to mount another image or to unmount the current one, to browse the data on the disc, or to run the eject tray command. Also, a list of previous disc images is listed there for quick access.Options include changing the number of available drives — the default is one virtual drive — and to unmount all drives that are mounted currently.You may want to check the settings at least once. The program is set to run on start of the Windows operating system and to check for updates frequently. Both options can be disabled on the general page of the settings window.The integration tab lists whether Windows Explorer shell integration is enabled, and if it is, the file types that are supported by it.The application can mount iso, ccd, cue, isz, mds and nrg images. This is not as extensive as some of the other available programs out there. DVDFab Virtual Drive for instance supports several other formats, img, bin or dvd to name some, which ImgDrive does not support right now.This does not necessarily have to be an issue depending on your requirements. If you work solely with iso images, then it does not really matter which formats the application supports besides that format.The shell integration in Windows Explorer allows you to right-click on supported disc files to get an option to mount them to one of the available virtual drives. This may be faster depending on how you use the computer.Closing WordsImgDrive is an unobtrusive program to mount virtual discs on machines running Windows. It is compatible with all versions of Windows from Windows 2000 onward.Summary12345 Author Rating4 based on 1 votes Software Name ImgDriveOperating System WindowsSoftware Category ProductivityLanding Page http://www.dvdforge.com/imgdrive/index.htm Advertisement
Vulkan Run Time Libraries information
Vulkan Run Time Libraries information by Martin Brinkmann on April 24, 2017 in Tutorials – Last Update: May 22, 2018 – 4 commentsVulkan Run Time Libraries, sometimes also known as Vulkan Runtime Libraries or VulkanRT, is a 3D graphics and compute API by Khronos Group.The cross platform Vulkan API is available for Windows, Linux, and Android, and was dubbed the “next generation OpenGL” initially.Khronos launched the Vulkan 1.0 specification on February 16th, 2016 and Khronos members released Vulkan drivers and SDKs on the same day.Vulkan may get installed alongside video card drivers on Windows. Nvidia installs those for instance on Windows machines automatically, and does not offer options to deselect the Vulkan Run Time Libraries installation even if you select custom installation during setup of the driver.This is also the main reason why Windows users are surprised when they see Vulkan listed under installed programs in the Start Menu, or when they open the list of installed apps or programs on Windows to uninstall some of them.So, what is Vulkan Run Time Libraries then?Vulkan Run Time LibrariesSome may fear that the Vulkan Run Time Libraries installation is malicious in nature, since they did not install the library on their own, and did not notice any of the programs that they installed doing it either.First thing you may want to do is check whether Vulkan is installed on your computer.If you use Windows 8 or older, tap on the Windows-key, type uninstall a program, and select the option from the search results. The list of installed programs is sorted alphabetically. Just scroll down to the very end of the list and check whether Vulkan run Time Libraries is installed. Version 1.0.42.1 was installed on the system the screenshot was captured from.If you use Windows 10, use Windows-I to open the Settings application. Select Apps > Apps & Features, and type Vulkan in the search box on the page.If you find it listed there, Vulkan is installed, and you may wonder whether you should uninstall Vulkan.Should you remove Vulkan Run Time Libraries?Not all games use Vulkan, and if you are certain that none do, you may uninstall the application without any ill-effect on the system.Games that support Vulkan include Dota 2, the latest Doom game, Star Citizen, and the Talos Principle. Also, Vulkan is support by game emulators such as the Dolphin Emulator, and by game engines such as Valve Corporation’s Source 2 engine, CryEngine, Unreal Engine, Unity, and ID Tech.Please note that you cannot install a copy of Vulkan Run Time Libraries manually after you remove the software from your operating system.Games may refuse to run in worst case, and the only option that you have to reinstall Vulkan is to install the graphics driver again.The main Vulkan project page links to graphics drivers for AMD, Intel, Nvidia, Qualcomm and other hardware products.This is the only option to install Vulkan, or update it on a Windows machine. To keep it up to date, you need to install the most recent version of the graphics adapter driver that ships with Vulkan.There you find demo and open source sample downloads as well. These may be useful to test whether Vulkan runs properly on a device.AMD Vulkan HubIntel Developer information on VulkanNvidia Vulkan pageVulkan featuresVulkan ships with improvements over graphics APIs such as OpenGL. Some of the most noteworthy ones are:Cross-platform availability. Vulkan supports Windows and Linux, Android, and through third-parties also iOS and Mac OS.Open, industry-controlled, modern, efficient design.Better multi-core support compared to Direct3D or OpenGL.Reduced load on processors.Better control over the graphics processing unit.Vulkan Resource pagesOfficial Vulkan API Reference PagesVulkan SDK download for Windows, Android and LinuxVulkan SpecificationNow You: Was a copy of Vulkan Run Time Libraries installed on your PC?SummaryArticle NameVulkan Run Time Libraries informationDescriptionVulkan Run Time Libraries, sometimes also known as Vulkan Runtime Libraries or VulkanRT, is a 3D graphics and compute API by Khronos Group.Author Martin BrinkmannPublisher Ghacks Technology NewsLogo Advertisement
Three Science Experiments You Can Do With Your Phone
Everyone already knows that you are carrying around a computer in your pocket. But your smartphone is more than just a computer—it’s also a data collector. I’m going to guess that yours can measure acceleration, magnetic field, sound, location, and maybe more. Many phones also can measure pressure. Oh, and some phones can even make phone calls.With all of those sensors available, I’m going to go over three fun experiments you can do with your phone. These will probably work on just about any smartphone—and you can probably use a variety of apps to collect the data. For these examples, I’m going to stick with phyphox (http://phyphoxorg). There have been lots of data collecting apps—but this one is the best I’ve seen lately. Also, it’s free and runs on both iOS and Android. Check it out.Bouncing BallGet a small ball—actually, the size doesn’t really matter. There are only two things that the ball needs to do for this experiment: It needs to bounce and it needs to make a noise when it hits the table (or whatever surface it hits). That’s it. Now start up your phyphox (pronounced fi-fox) app and open up the experiment file “(In)elastic collision.” Place your phone near the location that the ball will hit the surface so that the microphone can pick up the sound. Start recording and drop the ball.The app then records all of the times the ball hits the ground. It’s pretty cool. The app also uses the time between bounces to calculate the bounce height (I suppose the calculation assumes you are on the surface of the Earth with a vertical acceleration of 9.8 m/s2).Just for fun, here is a plot of bounce height vs. bounce number for a small metal ball bouncing on my lab table. [embedded content]But now that data is super simple to collect—you can explore the relationship between initial drop distance and bounce height for a wide variety of balls. What changes for each successive bounce? Does it lose the same height or the same energy? In case you are curious, this is something I looked at some time ago (more details).Measuring the Speed of SoundAlthough it’s fun to come up with your own experimental method to determine the speed of sound—here is a method that works fairly well using two smartphones. You need to run something that will act as an acoustic stop watch (phyphox has one). The acoustic stop watch is just like a normal timer. The only difference is that it starts and stops the timing based on a loud sound—like a clap.So here is how this experiment works. Take two phones and put them a known distance apart—I used my 12 foot tape measurer to set the distance (further is better, but both phones need to be able to hear the same sounds). Let’s call these two phones phone-A and phone-B. Next, someone needs to clap next to phone-A to start both timers. Of course since phone-B is a little farther away, it will start slightly later. After some short time interval (doesn’t really matter), someone claps next to phone-B stopping both phones but stopping phone-B first.Here’s how it works. Phone-B starts a little bit later—as I said. Now when the clap is near phone-B it essentially stops right on time. However, phone-A starts late because of the distance sound has to travel. The two phones record two different time intervals. The difference between these time intervals is the time for sound to travel from A to B and back from B to A.Now for the calculation. The speed of sound will just be twice the measured distance between the two phones (for there and back sound) divided by the difference in time intervals. [embedded content]Just knowing the height of the building is pretty cool—but how about a homework problem for you? Use the position-time data to calculate the elevator velocity and compare that to the velocity from the acceleration data. They probably won’t give the same results since the barometer doesn’t give pressure readings super fast—but it will still be fun.Are there more experiments? Of course! But that’s enough to get you started for now.More Great WIRED StoriesBehind The Meg, the movie the internet wouldn’t let dieSimple steps to protect yourself on public Wi-FiHow to make millions charging prisoners to send an emailWho’s to blame for your bad tech habits? It’s complicatedThe genetics (and ethics) of making humans fit for MarsLooking for more? Sign up for our daily newsletter and never miss our latest and greatest stories
Now for my data. With a distance of 12 feet (3.66 meters) and the two time intervals of 2.047 seconds and 2.029 seconds, I get a sound speed of about 407 m/s. This is wrong—but only slightly wrong. The accepted value for the speed of sound should be around 343 m/s (depends on temperature of the air and stuff). But I’m OK with my value—it was just a quick setup. I think you could play around with this and see if you could get an even better answer. What if you did it outside with a greater distance (and louder noise)? That would be fun to try.Determining the Height of a BuildingYes, I know the previous two phone experiments used the microphone—and even a traditional analog phone has a microphone. But what about a barometer that measures the atmospheric pressure? Yes, many smartphones now have this sensor—the reason is probably to help the GPS to get a better location. The GPS doesn’t do as well with altitude, so the barometer gives a little better reading based on the change in air pressure.But this change in air pressure can also be used while you take ride up (or down) in an elevator. I’ve done this before in a nice elevator, but I decided to do it in a crappy two-story elevator too. Using the phyphox app, it records the change in pressure and with that calculates the height as a function of time. It also records data from the accelerometer to calculate the velocity as a function of time (assume the elevator starts from rest).Here is the data from the crappy elevator run.