Jim Beam claims to be selling a voice-operated ‘smart decanter’. It’s almost certainly a spoof on smart home tech, despite the company claiming it really is for sale. The ‘JIM’ appears to be a very basic version of a Google Home or Amazon Echo. It’s got an interactive ‘smart assistant’ – voiced by the company’s […]
Researchers say feeding graphene to spiders produces stronger webs. The researchers think it could mean new ways to make parachutes rather than it being the start of a cheap disaster movie. As we’ve covered many times, graphene is made of carbon atoms arranged in a chain of hexagons, somewhat like chicken wire. The material is […]
A new Plex feature will literally remove commercials from TV recordings. However, it’s only part of the paid service and could eat up processing power. The feature is part of Plex DVR, which is a combination of a DVR box and a media streamer. It runs on a computer connected to a TV antenna, records […]
A designer has created a bogus smartphone to help addicted users wean themselves off handling devices. But it appears to be more of a conversation-starter than a serious commercial prospect. The range of five designs take a similar approach to smoking cessation projects of yesteryear which worked on the basis that the physical sensations of […]
A female engineer will be the latest star of the Mr Men Books. Little Miss Inventor will debut on 8 March next year, coinciding with both British Science Week and International Women’s Day. The publishers told the BBC that the character is “intelligent, ingenious and inventive.” The story features her coming up with relevant inventions […]
Tesla is about to switch on the world’s largest lithium-ion battery. The 100-megawatt battery will be a back up for the power grid serving Southern Australia. The battery was commissioned after a storm led to a blackout in September 2016. Around 1.7 million people lost power after officials shut down supplies across the state; had […]
Microsoft has confirmed the Surface Book 2 can drain the battery even while charging. It says the battery should never die completely, though this may come at the expense of performance, particularly when gaming. The problem with the device – which is effectively Microsoft’s take on a MacBook Pro – is that its capabilities require […]
The Federal Communications Commission plans to completely repeal the rules governing net neutrality. It’s a more extensive step than earlier suggestions that it would simply tone down the rules. The plan announced today will have to be formally voted on by the commissioners at a meeting next month, though the political make-up means it’s almost […]
The famous red buses of London could soon use coffee grounds as a fuel source. Sadly – or thankfully depending on your viewpoint – the buses won’t emit a coffee smell. The test is part of a wider project to reduce pollution from the thousands of buses in the British capital, with increased use of […]
An architect will use the world’s darkest material to make a building that looks like somebody has ripped a hole in the horizon. The structure clad in Vantablack will be part of the Olympic Park in South Korea for next year’s Winter Games. Vantablack is made of carbon nanotubes, which are one-atom thick sheets of […]