On January 23rd 2017, Sprint, the fourth largest cell phone carrier in the US, announced that it had bought a 33% share of the music streaming service, Tidal. Tidal is the music service that is owned by Rap music mogul Jay Z, along with several other prominent recording artists. Sprint paid Jay Z and his partners $200 million for their stake in the streaming service, and Sprint's CEO, Marcelo Claure will become a member of Tidal's board of directors.
The deal with Tidal will make exclusive content available to Sprint's 45 million retail customers. As part of the deal, Sprint will use $75 million to set up a marketing fund that will assist artists in producing the exclusive content. Tidal artists will be able to share their work with and for their fans. Jay Z bought Tidal in 2015 from Swedish company, Aspiro AB for $56 million. Tidal is estimated to have one million subscriber.
Wednesday, January 25, 2017
Wednesday, January 18, 2017
SpaceX Successfully Returns To Space
On January 14th 2017, SpaceX made a successful return to space flight with the launch of a Falcon 9 rocket carrying 10 next generation telephone satellites for the Iridium wireless communications company. The launch took place at Vandenberg Air Force base in California. It was the first launch since the loss of a Facebook satellite, which was destroyed when a Falcon 9 rocket exploded on the launch pad at Cape Canaveral Florida on September 1st, 2016.
The accident in September 2016, caused SpaceX to temporarily ground all mission launches while NASA and several other federal agencies investigated the incident. On January 2nd 2016, the cause of September's explosion was determined to be due to broken carbon fibers in a composite overwrapped pressure vessel or COPV. The COPV in question, led to the upper oxygen tank, which contained super cooled liquid oxygen propellant.
The COPV carried liquid helium, which is used to pressurize the fuel tank. The investigators determined that the COPV had an aluminum liner that buckled. This allowed liquid oxygen to get between the the carbon fibers and the aluminum where it pooled. They believe that the helium from the COPV was so cold that it caused the liquid oxygen to turn into a solid. Then, friction from the ruptured carbon fibers may have provided the spark that caused the explosion.
When the FAA reviewed SpaceX's finding they issued them a license which allowed them to continue with rocket launches. The successful launch on January 14th was followed by a successful landing of the Falcon 9 on the company's drone ship in the Pacific Ocean, which were also two firsts for SpaceX. With those successes and a backlog of customers, SpaceX is looking forward to a busy year in 2017.
The accident in September 2016, caused SpaceX to temporarily ground all mission launches while NASA and several other federal agencies investigated the incident. On January 2nd 2016, the cause of September's explosion was determined to be due to broken carbon fibers in a composite overwrapped pressure vessel or COPV. The COPV in question, led to the upper oxygen tank, which contained super cooled liquid oxygen propellant.
The COPV carried liquid helium, which is used to pressurize the fuel tank. The investigators determined that the COPV had an aluminum liner that buckled. This allowed liquid oxygen to get between the the carbon fibers and the aluminum where it pooled. They believe that the helium from the COPV was so cold that it caused the liquid oxygen to turn into a solid. Then, friction from the ruptured carbon fibers may have provided the spark that caused the explosion.
When the FAA reviewed SpaceX's finding they issued them a license which allowed them to continue with rocket launches. The successful launch on January 14th was followed by a successful landing of the Falcon 9 on the company's drone ship in the Pacific Ocean, which were also two firsts for SpaceX. With those successes and a backlog of customers, SpaceX is looking forward to a busy year in 2017.
Wednesday, January 11, 2017
A Factoy In India Turns CO2 Into Baking Soda
On January 4th 2017, Carbonclean, a company in India, announced that it had invented a new technology that can successfully turned Co2 into baking soda. The new technology is being used at the Tuticorin thermal power station on the Bay of Bengal. The new process was created by two young chemists at the Indian Institute of Technology in Kharagpur. After finding a lack of financing in India, the two took their idea to the UK.
Aniruddha Sharma, who is the CEO of Carbonclean, now headquartered in London, says that their process is similar to other carbon capture technologies that use a solvent to clean emissions. However, most carbon capture processes use a solvent, usually amine, which is expensive and corrosive. Carbonclean's solvent is made from a new chemical that is cheaper, less corrosive and their machinery is smaller and less expensive to build.
At the Tuticorin facility, the carbon from burning coal is turned into soda ash (Na2Co3) or baking soda. Until now, the debate over carbon capture has essentially centered around capturing emissions and forcing them into underground rocks, which can be costly. Sharma says that with Carbonclean's new technology, Co2 can be captured at less than $30 a ton. That's a price low enough to make converting Co2 into a product, and a wise business decision.
Aniruddha Sharma, who is the CEO of Carbonclean, now headquartered in London, says that their process is similar to other carbon capture technologies that use a solvent to clean emissions. However, most carbon capture processes use a solvent, usually amine, which is expensive and corrosive. Carbonclean's solvent is made from a new chemical that is cheaper, less corrosive and their machinery is smaller and less expensive to build.
At the Tuticorin facility, the carbon from burning coal is turned into soda ash (Na2Co3) or baking soda. Until now, the debate over carbon capture has essentially centered around capturing emissions and forcing them into underground rocks, which can be costly. Sharma says that with Carbonclean's new technology, Co2 can be captured at less than $30 a ton. That's a price low enough to make converting Co2 into a product, and a wise business decision.
Wednesday, January 4, 2017
Scientist Have Discovered A Second State Of Liquid Water
On December 10th 2016, an international team of researchers at the University of Oxford announced that they had discovered what they are calling a second state of liquid water. According to the team's leader, Dr. Laura Maestro, the researchers were able to demonstrate that at a temperature between 40 and 60 degrees Celsius (104 and 140 degree Fahrenheit), liquid water changes to a different state, with a whole new set of properties.
According to Dr. Maestro, when water hits its crossover temperature, it switches between two states of liquid. This second liquid state takes two hydrogen atoms in the shape of an oxygen tip arrow, which is an unusual molecular structure. The new structure contains electrons that are distributed in a asymmetrical way. This keeps the oxygen side of each molecule negatively charged relative to the hydrogen.
Dr. Maestro and her team believes that this new second state of water is reminiscent of liquid crystals. If the researchers findings are confirmed, the molecules can be configured depending on the total energy of the matter. This could be useful in the development of new nano and biological technologies.
According to Dr. Maestro, when water hits its crossover temperature, it switches between two states of liquid. This second liquid state takes two hydrogen atoms in the shape of an oxygen tip arrow, which is an unusual molecular structure. The new structure contains electrons that are distributed in a asymmetrical way. This keeps the oxygen side of each molecule negatively charged relative to the hydrogen.
Dr. Maestro and her team believes that this new second state of water is reminiscent of liquid crystals. If the researchers findings are confirmed, the molecules can be configured depending on the total energy of the matter. This could be useful in the development of new nano and biological technologies.
Wednesday, December 28, 2016
Avid Releases Pro Tools 12.7
On December 22th 2016, Avid announced the released of Pro Tools 12.7. The new update comes hot on the heels of the release of Pro Tools 12.6, which was released in September 2016. It now comes fully cloud enabled to allow creators to collaborate via the internet. There are also added features such as Soundbase, and Avid has included a 2GB sound library from Loop Masters. Pro Tools 12.7 also includes access to new plug-ins like Ibanez Tube Screamer and Leslie cab emulator.
Soundbase is a new feature in Pro Tools 12.7 that allows creators to use a search pane to search browse, and audition loops, samples and sound effects from any sound library. With Soundbase, creators can search the 2GB Loop Masters sound library, which features newly curated content from the industry's leading producers and sound designers. All sounds can be easily referenced and previewed in tempo with their current projects.
There's also Revision History. This feature allows creators to manages multiple versions of projects, backups, media and meta data. As per usual, all of the new features can be obtained with the purchase of a new annual upgrade plan for $99. Pro Tools users can keep their plug-ins current with the purchase of a plug-in and support plan that is also $99. A monthly subscription cost only $24, and if you haven't yet tried Pro Tools, visit Avid for a free 30 day trial.
Soundbase is a new feature in Pro Tools 12.7 that allows creators to use a search pane to search browse, and audition loops, samples and sound effects from any sound library. With Soundbase, creators can search the 2GB Loop Masters sound library, which features newly curated content from the industry's leading producers and sound designers. All sounds can be easily referenced and previewed in tempo with their current projects.
There's also Revision History. This feature allows creators to manages multiple versions of projects, backups, media and meta data. As per usual, all of the new features can be obtained with the purchase of a new annual upgrade plan for $99. Pro Tools users can keep their plug-ins current with the purchase of a plug-in and support plan that is also $99. A monthly subscription cost only $24, and if you haven't yet tried Pro Tools, visit Avid for a free 30 day trial.
Tuesday, December 20, 2016
New Release!
Wednesday, December 14, 2016
Microsoft To Add Cortana To Connected Devices
On December 12th 2016, at its WinHEC conference in ShenZhen, China, Microsoft announced that it intends to use Windows 10 to add Cortana to all devices that connect to the internet. The idea is to allow developers to add Cortana to devices such as refrigerators, toasters, robots, doorbells, and thermostats, etc, as long as these devices have a screen or visual display. The devices will use, "Wake on Voice from Modern Standby," and "Far-Field Voice," support to make this possible.
The, "Wake on Voice from Modern Standby, " command is what allows Cortana to turn on computers from off to a fully powered state. This is made possible through the use of Windows 10's "Modern Standby," Power management Support. The "Far-Field Voice," technology will give Cortana the ability to work in rooms where there is ambient noise, and will work at a distance of up to 13 feet away.
Microsoft expects to release its Windows IoT (Internet of Things) Core, as a part of its Windows 10 Creators Update, in the spring of 2017. Devices equipped with the new technology should arrive by late 2017.
The, "Wake on Voice from Modern Standby, " command is what allows Cortana to turn on computers from off to a fully powered state. This is made possible through the use of Windows 10's "Modern Standby," Power management Support. The "Far-Field Voice," technology will give Cortana the ability to work in rooms where there is ambient noise, and will work at a distance of up to 13 feet away.
Microsoft expects to release its Windows IoT (Internet of Things) Core, as a part of its Windows 10 Creators Update, in the spring of 2017. Devices equipped with the new technology should arrive by late 2017.
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