Geekly Update - 11 November 2020

The AskBobRankin Geekly Update

NASA believes it has pinpointed the source of mysterious radio burst signals emanating from space. It turns out the source is not aliens transmitting cryptic messages, but a magnetar -– a supermagnetized stellar remnant that can blast out a mix of X-ray and radio signals. The editors at SciTechDaily want you to know that the magnetic field of a magnetar can be 10 trillion times stronger than a refrigerator magnet.

In one of my favorite Bugs Bunny cartoon clips, Elmer Fudd is transported "far into the future," to the year 2000, and he learns from a newspaper headline that Smell-e-Vision has replaced television. That hasn’t happened yet, but this article from EE Times wonders if machines using AI and electronic noses might allow smell to be transmitted via the internet.

Over 300,000 second-generation Ring video doorbells have been recalled over concerns about fires and burns. The US Consumer Product Safety Commission says there have been two dozen reports of doorbells catching fires, and eight reports of minor burns. Ring says the problem is incorrect installation, and affected units need not be returned if they are properly installed.

Parler, a social media alternative to Twitter and Facebook, has become the most-downloaded app in the United States, with millions of new users since the election. Parler promises a free speech platform without the fear of "de-platforming" and respect for privacy and personal data.

It's an Elephant! Google wants you to help train its image recognition engine by labeling images in Google Photos. A new “Help improve Google Photos” button lets users describe the contents of their pictures.

At Apple’s ‘One More Thing’ hardware event, the company announced new versions of the MacBook Air, the 13-inch MacBook Pro, and the Mac mini, each sporting proprietary M1 silicon chips; a break from the previous generation of Intel-based machines.

VanMoof is sending an over-the-air update to its e-bikes that will remove the “US mode” that allows riders in Europe to enjoy speeds of up to 32 km/h (20 mph). The EU speed limit for e-bikes is 25 km/h (15.5 mph).

PC Magazine has some tips and tools for how to spot a fake review on Amazon and other e-commerce websites.

The experimental Grumman TLRV hovertrain built in 1972 could reach speeds of up to 300 miles per hour while traveling on a cushion of air. So why didn’t they catch on? Popular Mechanics takes a look back at hovertrain technology and explains why we’re still lumbering along on iron rails.

Scientists have developed a dual-layer cooling technology inspired by the way camels stay cool in the hot desert sun. A bottom hydrogel layer mimics a camel’s sweat glands, lowering the temperature through evaporation, and a top aerogel layer functions like fur, insulating against outside heat. The design keeps products cool five times longer than conventional single-layer approaches.

A headline on TheVerge says “Spotify’s About To Know Way More About What Podcasts You Enjoy (Even If You Don’t Use Spotify)” That’s because Spotify just announced its $235 million acquisition of Megaphone, a company that sells ads for podcasts. This could enable Spotify to know more about listener behavior both inside and outside its platform.

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