technology

Can You 3-D Print An Airplane?

"It’s a new phase in the 3-D printing revolution. 'We’re transitioning now to a stage where not only can the machine make something, but the machine can actually make its own parts,' said Gershefeld. Rather than laying down materials flatly, layer after layer, it will be possible to print stronger, interlocking parts that build into huge structures. Just as pixels of different colors come together to form a picture, 3-D pixels will come in different 'colors' or shapes. It’s incredible. If a simple 'Can you 3-D print an airplane?' leads down the road to such innovation, imagine what other inventions are stemming from other questions." Continue reading →

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3-D Print Your Own Invisibility Cloak, And More!

"The invisibility cloak that makes you undetectable to radar was the height of metamaterial capability back in 2006. Now, according to the same researchers, you can print that cloak using an off-the-shelf 3-D printer in your living room… That gives you a good idea of how long an optical invisibility cloak could follow suit. And you will be able to make it from home. Not a bad Christmas present for the kids, eh? What once was the sole domain of science labs and military bases will have the letters DIY slapped on it. This is but one example of how the Click, Print, Anything Revolution will change the world." Continue reading →

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Facebook launches global Internet access initiative

"Facebook and other technology giants launched an initiative Wednesday designed to give the whole world access to the Internet. The project is entitled Internet.org and its goal is to cut the cost of smart phone-based Internet services in developing countries. Today some 2.7 billion people, just over a third of the world’s population, have access to the Internet and the number of new users is growing only slowly each year, a statement said. The other partners in the project are Nokia, Ericsson, Samsung, Qualcomm, MediaTek and Opera, while Twitter and LinkedIn also also due to sign up." Continue reading →

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Would you like unlimited days off?

"The practice is gaining ground in places like Silicon Valley, where start-ups spring up like weeds and venture capitalists who have never seen a timecard make little if any distinction between 'work' and 'nonwork' time for themselves or their employees. For employers, the benefits of unlimited vacations include not having to use staff time to track and record vacation hours. There’s no need to pay employees for their 'accrued' vacation time if they leave; they don’t accrue any. Among the companies that have already put an unlimited vacation policy in place are Netflix; Best Buy; Zynga, the online game maker; and Rodale, the magazine publisher." Continue reading →

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New crowdfunding site JumpStart Fund hopes to launch new startups

"The new platform called JumpStart Fund, marrying crowd-sourcing with crowdfunding, comes from the California-based online community called Jumpstarter, which has been involved in matching investors with technology opportunities. JumpStart Fund was designed to be an online community where people can share ideas and build businesses based on patented technology, with individuals getting stakes in startups based on what they bring to the mix. JumpStart is working with federal research labs holding thousands of patents deemed public property because they were paid for with tax dollars and is reaching out to US universities and private facilities." Continue reading →

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Will the new gold iPhone lead to an unexpected windfall for Apple in China and India?

"Amid all the head-scratching about the apparently confirmed (but not by Apple) rumor of a forthcoming gold iPhone, one observation has come up again and again: It’s likely to be quite popular in China and India. In China, '[N]othing trumps gold as a symbol of wealth and privilege,' Simon Cousins, CEO of China-focused PR company Illuminant told Gizmodo. All Things D, among others, has reported that the gold coating would be an option on the iPhone 5S. Gold is also extremely popular in India." Continue reading →

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Lavabit: The Latest Dead Canary in the Privacy Coal Mine

"Private data stored with a company which is US-based and/or has servers based in the US does not have strong legal or privacy protection. The US government can force that company to turn over its customer data while also preventing it from talking about it. Are you still entrusting your private data to a US-based company or a company with servers based in the US? If you are but you value your privacy, you need to move your data elsewhere. Otherwise, that company might be compelled to violate your privacy and give up your data to the US government. And they may never be able to tell you about it." Continue reading →

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The Problem With Altcoins

"Because it was started earlier and has had a greater opportunity to grow and attract users, Bitcoin has a market larger by a wide margin than all the markets of all the altcoins put together, and this makes it vastly more useful as a currency. To defeat Bitcoin, an altcoin would require not just superior technology, but such vastly superior technology as to be an advance over Bitcoin comparable to the advance Bitcoin represents over fiat currency." Continue reading →

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Bitcoin’s Washington problem

"On paper, the popular virtual currency Bitcoin is the type of entity that traditionally would hire a powerful K Street lobbying firm to protect its interests in Washington, especially in the cutthroat world of financial regulations. But Bitcoin doesn’t exist on paper. With no public founder or organization behind it, Bitcoin isn’t in a strong position to defend itself from government scrutiny or lobby Congress on critical issues including privacy. As a fully decentralized network, the closest thing Bitcoin has to formal representatives are exchanges that facilitate the buying and selling of Bitcoins against other currency, and trade associations that represent them." Continue reading →

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The Best Free Ways to Send Encrypted Email and Secure Messages

"Do you need to send someone sensitive information through email? Regular email is sent 'in the clear' and therefore is subject to interception by hackers. However, there are many options for sending private, sensitive information securely through email. We have collected some links to sites providing solutions for sending secure email, secure one-time messages, and secure instant messaging, and encrypting files to send through email." Continue reading →

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