Technology

Neil Young, Harman join hands to bring Prono’s HD-quality audio to your car stereo

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Pono is reportedly collaborating with Harman to bring its high-quality audio catalogue to automobiles, a report said.

While refusing to outline specific plans for a car stereo, Harman announced that the company had discussed “solutions to offer the PonoMusic catalog and supreme, lossless HD quality playback in vehicles” with Pono, reported The Verge.

Founder Neil Young had earlier announced Pono’s plan to certify third-party devices with a ” Pono stamp of approval” if they meet the company’s stringent standards for audio quality.

I&B plans social media outreach through ‘Whatsapp’, Talkathons

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In line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s focus on disseminating information through new media, Information and Broadcasting Ministry is planning to use ‘WhatsApp’ and also integrate other social media platforms to hold ‘talkathons’.

While the ministry has been widely using Twitter, Facebook and Youtube to publicise important events, it has yet not utilised the potential of WhatsApp, a senior official said.

Now, battery pack that will ‘wirelessly charge’ several gadgets at once

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Using an existing technology with a different approach, Energous has reportedly developed a device that can wirelessly charge several other devices within a 15-foot radius of its transmitter.

The device, called WattUp, makes use of Bluetooth LE to locate the device that needs to be charged which allows it to target the position where power is to be transmitted. The closer the phone is to the transmitter, the faster it will charge and the farther away, the slower, reported The Verge.

Charging speed is also affected by the number of devices being charged off of a single transmitter.

Twitter planning to roll out ads on other companies’ apps and websites

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Twitter is reportedly planning to roll out its ads within streams of tweets on publishers’ apps and websites in order to increase profits.

These apps and websites would include Flipboard and ESPN’s Sportscenter apps, reported the Verge.

The revenue will be shared with those companies that could help both parties to make more profits.

The selected sites would mainly include those places where people spend more time as compared to Twitter.

It’s unclear exactly when the new ads in streams plan will appear or what they will look like. Twitter has not yet commented on the issue. (ANI)

Spotify keen on shifting focus to mobile as 52 percent of its users stream music on phones, tablets

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With 52 percent of its users streaming music on mobile phones and tablets, Spotify is keen on building a loyal user base on mobile devices as Apple readies itself to present them with a streaming alternative, a report said.

The company told its brand advertisers at CES this week that mobile now accounts for the majority of listening, with 42 percent people streaming music on phones and 10 percent on tablets. Its desktop software handles and its web player, on the other hand, runs three percent, reported Tech Crunch.

NASA to launch drought-tracking satellite this month

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) A new satellite expected to be launched this month will improve drought monitoring around the world, the US space agency said in a statement.

The Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) satellite will provide the best maps yet of soil moisture levels from pole-to-pole.

The satellite, which will be carried aloft by a Delta II rocket, is likely to be launched Jan 29 from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.

Shark female found to hold sperms for almost 4 years

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Biologists from the California Academy of Sciences have found a shark egg case dropped by an adult bamboo shark that has signs of healthy development.

The scientists had good reason for surprise as the Steinhart Aquarium’s female shark adults had spent nearly four years – 45 months – in complete isolation from males!

The young shark most likely inherited this “mystery” genetic material from its father – an unknown male from the aquarium.

NASA’s new satellite set to track hidden water, moisture in Earth’s soil

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NASA’s new SMAP (Soil Moisture Active Passive) satellite is set to map hidden water and moisture under in the Earth’s soil, it has been reported.

Data from SMAP will be used to enhance understanding of processes that link the water, energy and carbon cycles, and to extend the capabilities of weather and climate prediction models including improved flood prediction and drought monitoring capabilities.

New technique may help develop universal snake bite anti-venom

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A team of researchers is working towards creating universal snake bite anti-venom with the help of a new technique called ‘antivenomics.’ Researchers from the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM) are using this method to increase the potency of venom extraction, which has traditionally had a low success rate due to the weakness of the venom taken.

Soon, foot-powered cell phone charger for world’s needy

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A team of researchers is field-testing their foot-powered cell phone charger in rural villages of the Kingdom of Lesotho, a small country surrounded entirely by South Africa.

Samuel Crisanti from Case Western Reserve University said that a lot of people have cell phones but no way to charge them and in the country, 40 to 50 percent or even 60 percent have cell phones but only a quarter have access to electricity. It takes some a day-long ride by cart to a city where they have to pay to charge their phone.

ISRO scientist chosen for Vikram Sarabhai Award

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Distinguished scientist M.Y.S.Prasad, who is director of the India space agency’s Satish Dhawan Space Centre, has been awarded the Vikram Sarabhai Memorial Award for 2014-15, the Indian Science Congress Association (ISCA) announced Saturday.

In a statement, the ISCA said Prasad of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) was chosen for the award, which comprises a gold medal and certificate, in recognition of his outstanding contribution.

Satellite imagery may help find 800-yr-old `secret tomb` of Genghis Khan

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Satellite imagery and more than 10,000 people may help discover the tomb of blood-thirsty warlord, Genghis Khan, which has remained secret for 800 years even after his death. The founder and Great Khan (emperor) of the Mongol Empire didn’t want to be found after he died, so soldiers in his burial party butchered anyone they saw on their way to his burial tomb, then they killed the people who built the monument somewhere in the vast terrain of modern Mongolia and then, finally, they killed themselves, the Independent reported.

Mars Opportunity Rover climbs highest peak despite suffering ‘amnesia’

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NASA’s Mars Opportunity Rover has conquered its highest peak in its long mission despite suffering ‘amnesia’, it has been reported.

To commemorate the event, the wheeled robot snapped a stunning panorama of the view from atop ” Cape Tribulation ” and photographed the American flag printed on its robotic arm, Discovery News reported.

Facebook acquires QuickFire Networks in bid to cut down buffer time for videos

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Facebook has reportedly acquired QuickFire Networks, a TC Disrupt 2014 Battlefield contestant that developed a custom hardware and software platform for decreasing video file sizes.

QuickFire’s platform speeds up encoding videos with different profiles for frame rate, resolution, colour and audio settings for different platforms. Facebook’s decision to integrate the technology on its platform will reduce the time required to buffer videos without compromising on the quality, reported Tech Crunch.

Satellite imagery may help find 800-yr-old ‘secret tomb’ of Genghis Khan

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Satellite imagery and more than 10,000 people may help discover the tomb of blood-thirsty warlord, Genghis Khan, which has remained secret for 800 years even after his death.

The founder and Great Khan (emperor) of the Mongol Empire didn’t want to be found after he died, so soldiers in his burial party butchered anyone they saw on their way to his burial tomb, then they killed the people who built the monument somewhere in the vast terrain of modern Mongolia and then, finally, they killed themselves, the Independent reported.

Use glass-free strings to fly kites this Sankranti, urges PETA

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Looking at the rising number of bird injuries due to the use of glass-coated strings ‘manja’ by the kite flyers in India on Makar Sankranti festival, PETA urges people to go for standard cotton strings instead.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) will hold a demonstration outside Albert Hall Museum here on January 12 with activists dressed as “injured” people, wrapped in bandages and hobbling on crutches to create awareness among locals about “kind kites” and urging them to switch from using glass or metal-coated manja to cotton strings for flying kites.

Lifespan of children born in yrs with more sun is 5.2 yrs shorter than other kids

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A new study has revealed that kids born in years with a lot of sunshine have a higher probability of dying compared to children who were born in the years with less solar activity, and that means fewer grandchildren.

The study at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) found that on average, the lifespan of children born in years that had a great deal of solar activity was 5.2 years shorter than other children and the largest difference was in the probability of dying during the first two years of life.

Indian, Bangladeshi Bengali Wiki community to meet in Kolkata

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Contributors to the Bengali Wikipedia from India and Bangladesh will gather at a two-day conference here beginning Friday to exchange ideas and celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Bengali Wikimedia community.

The objective of the meet would be to spread the word so that more volunteers can be inducted to take the Bengali domain on a par with the English Wikipedia in terms of popularity and growth.

‘Monster black’ holes discovered at hearts of two colliding galaxies

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NASA’s Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array, or NuSTAR, has recently imaged two colliding galaxies, collectively called Arp 299, located 134 million light-years away, and found monster black holes in the hearts of each galaxy.

NuSTAR has revealed that the black hole located at the right of the pair was actively gorging on gas, while its partner was either dormant or hidden under gas and dust.

The findings are helping researchers understand how the merging of galaxies can trigger black holes to start feeding, an important step in the evolution of galaxies.

Industry debt levels to go up after telecom airwaves auction: ICRA

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The upcoming spectrum auction in February will set the course for the future of the industry but the sizeable expected spectrum payouts would elevate the debt levels for the industry, rating agency ICRA said here Friday.

“Total spectrum payout is expected to be Rs.90,000 crore-Rs.96,000 crore and the upfront cash inflow for government of India this fiscal is expected to be at Rs.24,000 crore to Rs.26,000 crore,” said Sabyasachi Majumdar, senior vice-president, ICRA Limited.

Scientists identify novel breast cancer gene

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) British researchers have identified a novel gene that is especially active in a difficult-to-treat form of breast cancer and could thereby help in the search for new treatments.

“Our understanding of genes that drive stem cell development led us to search for consequences when these genes go wrong. BCL11A activity stood out because it is so active in triple-negative cancers. It had all the hallmarks of a novel breast cancer gene,” said Pentao Liu, senior study author from the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute.

Facebook acquires QuickFire Networks in bid to cut down buffer time for videos

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Facebook has reportedly acquired QuickFire Networks, a TC Disrupt 2014 Battlefield contestant that developed a custom hardware and software platform for decreasing video file sizes.

QuickFire’s platform speeds up encoding videos with different profiles for frame rate, resolution, colour and audio settings for different platforms. Facebook’s decision to integrate the technology on its platform will reduce the time required to buffer videos without compromising on the quality, reported Tech Crunch.

Now, $80 ‘Sharkbanz’ wristband to fend off ocean’s most feared predator sharks

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A new wristband has recently been developed that claims to fend off ocean’s most feared predator sharks and is available for 80 dollars.

Sharkbanz, a rubber band that resembles a FitBit bracelet, uses a magnetic field to repel sharks by disrupting their electro-receptors , which they use to figure out when something was in the water, News.com.au reported.

‘Monster black’ holes discovered at hearts of two colliding galaxies

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NASA’s Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array, or NuSTAR, has recently imaged two colliding galaxies, collectively called Arp 299, located 134 million light-years away, and found monster black holes in the hearts of each galaxy.

NuSTAR has revealed that the black hole located at the right of the pair was actively gorging on gas, while its partner was either dormant or hidden under gas and dust.

The findings are helping researchers understand how the merging of galaxies can trigger black holes to start feeding, an important step in the evolution of galaxies.