Project “Outernet” looking to bring free Internet to entire world
A small team of workers at a New York based non-profit organization called Media Development Investment Fund (MDIF) has announced its intention to build an “Outernet”—a global network of cube satellites broadcasting Internet data to virtually any person on the planet—for free. The idea, the MDIF website says, is to offer free Internet access to all people, regardless of location, bypassing filtering or other means of censorship.
MDIF claims that 40 percent of the people in the world today are still not able to connect to the Internet—and it’s not just because of restrictive governments such as North Korea—it’s also due to the high cost of bringing service to remote areas. An Outernet would allow people from Siberia to parts of the western United States to remote islands or villages in Africa to receive the same news as those in New York, Tokyo, Moscow or Islamabad. That they say, would guarantee all people the same Internet rights as everyone else.
http://phys.org/news/2014-02-outernet-free-internet-entire-world.html#jCp
Glimmer of light in the search for dark matter
The Leiden astrophysicist Alexey Boyarsky and his fellow researchers may have identified a trace of dark matter that could signify a new particle: the sterile neutrino. A research group in Harvard reported a very similar signal just a few days earlier.
http://phys.org/news/2014-02-glimmer-dark.html#jCp
MtGox bitcoin exchange files for bankruptcy
The MtGox bitcoin exchange has filed for bankruptcy protection, reports say.
The application was made in Japan by lawyers acting on behalf of the exchange and comes only days after MtGox went offline.
On Tuesday, the exchange’s boss said he was working hard to find a “solution to our recent issues”.
Before going offline, technical troubles meant it prevented customers transferring digital cash to other exchanges on 7 February.
Details of the bankruptcy are scant but the application for protection has been accepted by a district court in Tokyo, reported AFP. At the court hearing, the company said it had outstanding debts of about 6.5bn yen (£38m).
http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-25233230
The next wave of cars may use Ethernet
The most ubiquitous local area networking technology used by big business may be packing its bags for a road trip.
As in-vehicle electronics become more sophisticated to support autonomous driving, cameras, and infotainment systems, Ethernet has become a top contender for connecting them.
For example, the BMW X5 automobile, released last year, used single-pair twisted wire, 100Mbps Ethernet to connect its driver-assistance cameras.
Paris-based Parrot, which supplies mobile accessories to automakers BMW, Hyundai and others, has developed in-car Ethernet. Its first Ethernet-connected systems could hit the market as soon as 2015, says Eric Riyahi, executive vice president of global operations.
http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9246695/The_next_wave_of_cars_may_use_Ethernet
Microsoft experimenting with free version of Windows 8.1
Microsoft is currently experimenting with a free version of Windows 8.1 that could boost the number of people using the operating system. Sources familiar with Microsoft’s plans tell The Verge that the company is building “Windows 8.1 with Bing,” a version that will bundle key Microsoft apps and services. While early versions of the software have leaked online, we understand that Windows 8.1 with Bing is an experimental project that aims to bring a low-cost version of Windows to consumers. ZDNet first reported some Windows 8.1 with Bing details earlier this week.
http://www.theverge.com/2014/2/28/5456374/windows-8-1-with-bing-experiment
Spritz
Spritz is a Boston based startup focused on text streaming technology and its integration into modern communication. The founders are serial entrepreneurs with extensive experience in developing and commercializing innovative technologies. We have assembled an international team of experts in reading methodologies and software engineering. Spritz offers a variety of licensing options for the integration with operating systems, applications, wearables, and websites.
The time consuming part of reading lies mainly in the actual eye movements from word to word and sentence to sentence. In addition, traditional reading simply takes up a lot of physical space. Spritz solves both of these problems. First, your eyes do not have to move from word to word or around the page that you’re reading. In fact, there’s no longer a page – with Spritz you only need 13 total characters to show all of your content. Fast streaming of text is easier and more comfortable for the reader, especially when reading areas become smaller. Spritz’s patent-pending technology can also be integrated into photos, maps, videos, and websites for more effective communication.
http://www.spritzinc.com/about/
Planet Bonanza: The Number of Known Earth-Sized Worlds Just Topped 100
Astronomers working with the Kepler space telescope just made a series of announcements that are fairly staggering:
- They have confirmed an additional 700+ exoplanets orbiting 300 other stars.
- Ninety-five percent of these planets are smaller than Neptune.
- One hundred or so are roughly the size of Earth(!!!).
- Four of these new planets are in their stars’ habitable zone.
- Like our solar system, these planets orbit in roughly the same plane.
