Updated 22:54BAD NEWS FOR passengers: the National Transport Authority has announced fare increases for buses, trains and Luas from next week.Fares for monthly and annual tickets on Dublin Bus, Bus Éireann, Iarnród Éireann and Luas will increase from 1 November, while fares for cash tickets, Leap Cards and pre-paid tickets will go up from 1 December.Dublin Bus cash fares will rise by between 15 cent and 25 cent depending on the length of the journey, while Bus Éireann cash tickets will increase by up to 9 per cent.Pre-paid tickets will increase by between 5 and 7 per cent on Bus Éireann and by approximately 10 per cent on all Dublin Bus pre-paid tickets.Luas cash tickets will rise by between 3.4 per cent and 8.3 per cent, with single peak-time tickets on both the Red and Green lin rising from €1.70 to €1.80.The head of the NTA Gerry Murphy said that the fare increases were needed as passenger numbers dropped and fuel costs grew. He said that the hikes would help “protect service delivery at a time of reduced incomes for the operators”.The price hikes had been widely anticipated after the Government reduced its payments to the State-subsidised companies in Budget 2014.Read full details about all of the increases on the NTA website hereDublin Bus cash fares will rise from €1.65 to €1.80 for a journey of 1-3 stages, and from €2.15 to €2.35 for journeys of 4-7 stages – an increase of 9.3 per cent.Fares for journeys of 7-13 stages will rise from €2.40 to €2.60 – an increase of 8.3 per cent – while journeys over 13 stages will rise from €2.80 to €3.05.NTA boss Gerry Murphy encouraged passengers to use Leap Cards where possible as the fares as significantly cheaper than cash fares.He also said that the national public transport companies need to stabilise their financial situation quickly in order to minimise service cuts and return the companies to a stable financial footing.“Cost reduction programmes have been put in place by the operators, but these have taken time to implement, and costs have not fallen to the same extent as the subsidy and revenue base,” said Murphy.“Public transport fare increases have been necessary in recent years as the [NTA] has had to protect the services as much as possible,” he said.The fares will be in place for 12 months.First published at 11:57Read: Bus and train numbers down, but Luas numbers growing > Read: “The outlook for Dublin Bus is stark if this effort does not succeed” – Varadkar and Kelly > Read: Plans to reduce services in Dublin Bus and Bus Éireann contracts > read more
IT SOUNDS SIMPLE, but the event that has the single biggest impact on the health of a person who is homeless is exiting homelessness. That is one of the reasons why Budget 2014 is damaging to the Government’s commitment to end long-term homelessness by 2016.We know that, with appropriate housing and support, people can, and do, leave homelessness behind. However, there are major concerns about housing supply and accessible housing options available for people to leave homelessness.Homelessness is not just about housing; health and social care are significant factors which need to be addressed alongside housing. Cutbacks to funding for health services, education and training, as well as drug and alcohol services, will have repercussions which contribute to the numbers of people becoming homeless but also prevent people from moving on to independent living.How do people become homeless?A study carried out by the Simon Community in 2011, among people using our services, found that 65 per cent of those people were experiencing at least one diagnosed physical health condition and 47 per cent were experiencing at least one diagnosed mental health condition.There are many different reasons why a person becomes homeless, but generally the explanation lies in a combination of structural factors such as poverty or unemployment and personal factors such as family breakdown or health problems.What is clear is that once a person becomes homeless, the deterioration in their physical and mental health can be both rapid and debilitating.The medical card review is particularly worryingBudget 2014 will push more people into homelessness. The Government’s decision to save €113 million from a review of all medical cards is particularly worrying. The proposed review to remove any ‘redundant or ineligible cards’ means there are real fears that cards may be removed from people who need and depend on them. We in the Simon Communities had already asked the Government to reverse the increase in prescription charges for medical card holders, which had increased in Budget 2013.However, they have now been increased again, this time by 66 per cent, for each item on the prescription. This will hit people who can least afford to pay the most. Given the high levels of complex needs amongst people who are homeless, we are asking the Government for a commitment that medical cards for people who are homeless will be protected. Without them, we are condemning people who are homeless to little or no essential medical care.How can you recover and participate in society if Government won’t give you a helping hand when you most need it?Risk to servicesThe Government’s decision to save €666 million (although there is now concern that these cuts may rise to €1 billion) in the HSE budget next year will undoubtedly mean that many people will not get the medical attention that they desperately need.Tackling poor health and well-being are all imperative in helping people move out of homelessness. Therefore, further cuts to funding for services such as those provided by the Simon Communities must be avoided to ensure effective services are available to the people who need them, when they need them.The HSE budget has not yet been confirmed but we are asking that the ‘social inclusion’ budget is protected and in particular, the homeless budget within this. Demand for our services continues to rise and we are only beginning to feel the impact of 2013 cuts. We are well beyond the point of being able to do more with less. The number of people sleeping rough in Dublin alone at the last official Dublin Regional Homelessness Executive count was 94, an increase of 28 per cent on the same period in 2012. With the cold, dark nights of winter closing in, it is a stark reminder that this situation cannot be allowed to escalate further.Mental healthAlmost half of those using our services who participated in our health snapshot study had a mental health issue, with rates of depression being highest at 34 per cent. Mental health has rightly received extensive media coverage in recent times and there is a growing awareness of how important an issue this is to overall general health and well-being.It is therefore baffling to think that the Government would renege on their commitment, in the Programme for Government, to provide €35 million for Community Mental Health Services. Mental Health Services are under massive strain with the promise of 477 posts in Budget 2013 remaining unfulfilled. Integrated approaches are most effective when working with people who are homeless with mental health issues improving diagnosis, interventions and outcomes. This is critical to ensuring that people move out of homelessness and remain safe and well.Short-sighted cuts to drug projectsThe Department of Health and Children has announced that as part of Budget 2014, there will be a 7 per cent cut in the Drug Initiative. This fund goes to drug projects and has been cut by €2 million in the Budget, adding up to a 40 per cent cut since 2008. This approach is short-sighted in the extreme. There has been a rapid growth in opiate use amongst people who are homeless, especially outside of Dublin. In addition, problematic alcohol use continues to be an issue.It is vital that sufficient supports are in place aimed at reducing drug and alcohol related harm and offering pathways to treatment nationwide. Alcohol and drug services need to be expanded, not restricted. Housing led approaches are based on a harm reduction philosophy and ensuing that there is adequate linkages and referral into treatment.Access must be provided to substitution treatment, detoxification, rehabilitation and aftercare all around the country. These should be tailored and targeted to the needs of people who are homeless.Homelessness, health and 2016We believe that every person in the State has the right to the highest possible standard of health. The experience of homelessness can result in a persistent violation of this fundamental human right but this does not need to be the case. The commitment of the Government to ending long-term homelessness by 2016 cannot be fulfilled without access to housing and support in housing and sustained political will.We are calling on the Government to ensure that the supports that are so necessary for ending long-term homelessness are protected and that people who are homeless are supported by any means necessary, to move on from a situation that nobody ever chooses.Niamh Randall is the Head of Policy and Communications with the Simon Community. Follow her on Twitter @NiamhRandallRead: 70 business leaders sleep rough to raise money for homelessnessRead: Two-thirds of Cork’s homeless have mental conditions – reportColumn: Thousands of people are just one pay cheque away from being homeless read more
There is clear evidence that funding reductions coupled with accelerating demand have begun to seriosuly threaten the quality and safety of patient services. The chief executives of Tallaght Hospital , St James’ Hospital, the Mater Hospand Our Lady’s Hospital for Sick Children say that cuts have begun to cause “unacceptably delays in treatment access for certain cancer patients due to overwhelming pressures on services”.The hospital chiefs have complained that budgetary reductions are “short-sighted and random” and are likely to “seriously damage the foundation of the system”.In last month’s budget s the government today outlined further savings of €666 million in the health service in 2014.Read: Reilly: “Everyone will have free GP care by 2016″, IMO: “There’s no hope of that” >Read: Transparency in medical negligence cases could save the health system millions > THE CEOs OF the four major hospitals have written a letter to the director general of the HSE saying that health cuts are beginning to seriously threaten patient safety.A report on RTÉ’s Prime Time this evening claimed that that the letter written to Tony O’Brien says that: read more
NETFLIX HAS GIVEN its TV app a major update as it aims to get more people using its service on their televisions.The update means that the majority of those watching Netflix on a Playstation 3, Playstation 4, Xbox 360, or future smart TV and Blu-Ray players will be greeted with the same look across devices. Before the change, the app looked differently depending on what type of device you were using, but the new update means that it will be the same across most devices. Xbox One and Apple TV users, however, will get their own look app, while Wii and Wii U users have yet to find out whether the update will reach them.Navigating between titles has been made easier and browsing any show or movie will present three large images, providing more context about a show or movie.(Video: Netflix/YouTube)Along with improved search, while personalised recommendations is still based on what your friends are watching, your viewing history and the type of shows you watch.Other updates include voice support for Xbox 360, pointer based navigation for Smart TVs and a redesign of post-play, the feature that automatically starts the next episode or shows recommendations after finishing watching a show or movie.The update is being rolled out today and Netflix expects that it will take two weeks for the update to reach all devices. The service has 40 million users, 150,000 based in Ireland, and over a billion hours of movies and TV shows are watched per month.Read: Netflix to take on Hollywood with original movies >Read: 9 series on Netflix which might have passed you by > read more
AH, THE UNBRIDLED joy of ordering food direct to your home.Feeling lazy? Hungry? Under the weather? Hungover? Decadent? Never fear, a pizza will soon be here.Here are the stages we all go through while contemplating (and succumbing to) the siren call of takeaway gastronomy.1. Vowing you won’tNo. This time you will be strong. You don’t NEED that takeaway. You don’t WANT that takeaway. You’re aware you’re lying to yourself, but you’re almost fooling yourself too. It might be working. This might be the weekend you start the diet and become an ultra-fit clean-eating cyborg. Source: Imgur2. Losing your resolveNope. You’re definitely just going to order the bloody takeaway, so stop pretending. The spirit is willing – but the flesh wants a Menu C shredded chicken combo from the Chinese down the road. Source: FrumGeek3. The big decisionPizza? Indian? Chinese? Chipper? If there are multiple people involved with varying cravings, this decision could involve signing treaties, bribery, physical violence and wracking sobs. Source: Shutterstock4. Sweet anticipationIt’s ordered! And now we wait. Oh God, it’s almost here. How long has it been since we ordered? Must be here soon. Taking a while, isn’t it? Has to be soon now. How soon is now? Source: Giphy5. The glee of arrivalYour phone buzzes and the doorbells goes. THE TAKEAWAY HAS ARRIVED! GREAT REJOICING! Source: Imgur6. “Jesus, there’s so much!”Whoa, our eyes were a lot bigger than our bellies. This is a significant amount of food. Pretty sure the weekly shop doesn’t take up this many bags. Pass the prawn crackers, think they’re in the fifth bag over there, yeah – beside the ten yokes of boiled rice we were sure we’d need. Source: Cheezburger7. “I’ll definitely save some of this for lunch tomorrow.”I’m just going to eat half the korma, some of this naan, then put the rest in the fridge. I’m stuffed. I can still snatch victory from the pizza-chewing jaws of defeat. Source: 9to5mac8. FailingGetting a second wind and going back for another helping, before realising you’re trying to suck the last drop of garlic sauce from a discarded napkin. Source: Kul Photo9. Regret, shame, disappointmentWhy didn’t I just have toast instead? I’m so ashamed. Don’t look at me. I’m disgusting.10. Clean-up self-hatredEject the boxes to the utility room all you like, you’ll still have to clean them up sometime. And when you do, there’ll be a sharp bolt of self-hatred. The expense! The calories! The laziness! Never again.Until next time. Source: ImgurDo you recognise our takeaway rollercoaster of emotions? Give us a slice in the comments. Sorry, sorry, we meant leave a comment. Read: 9 foods you firmly believe will cure a hangover>Read: The Guide To Curing Your Hangover> read more
THE CENTRAL BANK of Ireland today published a consultation paper on additional consumer protection requirements that debt management firms may have to adhere to.The series of proposed protection requirements include the provision more information on debt management firms being given to customers that would come in the form of a standard information template which must be provided upfront to the consumer on ‘Using Debt Management Services – what you should know’.InformationMore information on charges should be given to customers, with charges only to be imposed after the consumer has signed an agreement which clearly specifies the charges payable for the service, when they will be payable and the services that will be provided for those charges.The draft recommendations also suggests that a standardised method of financial assessment must be adopted for the debt management sector.Debt management firms must also consider the full range of debt solutions available to and suitable for the consumer, having regard to their personal circumstances.RisksA statement of suitability is to be provided to consumers and must include a description of the actual or potential risks and consequences of the proposed course of action.The draft paper is also looking for for views on advertising for debt services, conflicts of interest and review of debt management arrangements.Director of Consumer Protection Bernard Sheridan said the Central Bank encourages consumers to make sure that, before signing any agreements with a debt management firm, they fully understand the amount and nature of any fees being charged and are also clear on what services they can expect from the firm in return for such charges.Read: ‘It’s odious debt’: Dáil to debate ‘burning the bondholders’ tonight and tomorrow>Read: 85 per cent in debt deals are families with children> read more
WILDFIRE RUMOURS CONCERNING Sean O’Brien and Jamie Heaslip dominated the early stages of this week, but Leinster coach Matt O’Connor insists that his side have not been distracted ahead of their Heineken Cup clash with Northampton.This story has been running since early in the season and the impression is that the Australian, and the fans, would prefer to learn of a conclusion either way. However, O’Connor says that his players haven’t lost focus on their jobs, despite the constant speculation.“Not really. It’s one of the things that goes with the professional game. There’s contract negotiations going on constantly in the environment. Some not as high profile as these, but it happens all the time. As an organisation and players, it’s something they have to deal with and it won’t be a factor.”The week between Heineken Cup games would have been an odd one in which to announce transfers for the back row duo, but the conclusion of this mini-block of European games may mean Heaslip and O’Brien can resolve their futures.O’Connor claims that he remains in the dark as to the Ireland internationals’ intentions.It’s hard to say. As I’ve said all along, they’ve got a decision to make. We can only present the best case for them to stay at Leinster, being in Ireland and all the things that go with that. At the end of the day, they need to make a decision on where they want to play their rugby.”Leinster prop Mike Ross is a man who greatly benefited from leaving Ireland, but his circumstances were hugely different to those of O’Brien or Heaslip. Struggling at Munster, the tighthead prop moved to Harlequins, where he enjoyed three strong seasons before returning to Ireland to join Leinster.For Ross, moving abroad was a positive experience but he highlights that this is not the same situation.I suppose it depends where you are in your career. When I went away, I didn’t have much experience. I played a lot of games over with Harlequins and it stood to me well going forward. For guys who haven’t picked up a professional contract here, it can be a great springboard.“Look at Robin Copeland who’s just signed for Munster. Cardiff gave him an opportunity and he took it with both hands.”Like rugby? Follow TheScore.ie’s dedicated Twitter account @rugby_ie >Cian Healy to miss eight weeks after ankle surgeryIrish consortium take over Exiles, sign up CJ van der Linde read more
PHOTOS OF WHAT appears to be US Marines burning bodies appeared on the American entertainment website TMZ yesterday.The US military is now investigating the images that are believed to be Marines burning dead Iraqi insurgents.The pictures are said to have been taken in Fallajah in Iraq in 2004. The website said that they obtained 41 pictures adding: US soldiers on trial for killing Afghan civilians for fun>New video shows only American soldier still held by Taliban is alive> We have not included all of the photos. Many are just too gruesome.The website released eight photos. Two show a Marine pouring gasoline or some flammable liquid on the remains of two bodies, while two other photos show the bodies on fire. There are also two images the charred remains after the flames went out.Another photo is of a Marine posing with his rifle pointing at a human skull and the final photo shows a Marine rifling through the clothes on a corpse.In a statement, Pentagon spokesperson Bill Speaks said:The actions depicted in these photos are not what we expect from our service members, nor do they represent the honorable and professional service of the more than 2.5 million Americans who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan.TMZ said that over a dozen bodies were shown in the 41 photos they received and that “some are covered with flies and one is being eaten by a dog.”The entertainment website said they turned over all the photos to the Pentagon last week.Director of Press Operations for the Department of Justice, Steve Warren, told TMZ:There is no statute of limitations on the crime … even if the soldiers are now private citizens … they can still be prosecuted, which could land them behind bars. read more
THE NATIONAL COORDINATION Group on Severe Weather has said emergency services, local authorities and State agencies “remain on high alert” today despite the improvement in weather conditions.There were no reports overnight of major episodes of flooding but Met Éireann has advised that the current threat of stormy weather from Wednesday onwards remains and rainfall will serve to top up rivers that have already reached capacity,Yesterday the group warned that this poses a heightened risk in slow moving rivers like the Shannon, the Barrow, Nore, Suir Slaney, Lee and Blackwater.Today the orange weather alert was lifted but authorities are continuing to monitor the position in relation to river levels.The ESB are also monitoring the levels on the rivers Liffey, Lee and Shannon and discharges are being managed in conjunction with local authorities. (Image: Irish Defence Forces/Facebook)The Defence Forces have also been on stand-by over the weekend, in case their assistance was needed in flood areas.“The public have been reminded to continue to follow the weather warning and to heed the safety messages of the authorities,” the group said today in a statement.Tomorrow the government task force on emergency planning will meet to discuss the situation.Read: Heavy rainfall over weekend ‘poses a major risk’ as rivers continue to rise>View: 18 of the best pictures (and 2 videos) from this week’s storms> read more
You’re saying he wasn’t aware of the player – you have to be aware of other footballers on the pitch. Does he think he’s going to have 20 yards to himself?“Whether it’s brave or not, it was the right decision. And listen, Nani’s a quick boy to go down anyway – he’s not the bravest boy on the planet.“Any time I was sent off in my career I always thought ‘did I give the referee a chance to send me off?’. If the answer is yeah then it’s out of your hands and I think the referee has made the right call.“Everyone’s upset about it and they’re slightly unlucky but it’s dangerous play.”Watch a clip below:YouTube credit: Beanyman62SportsWayne Rooney benched for United-Madrid clash, Coleen not happyWhat do you make of Ireland’s new jersey? FORMER MANCHESTER UNITED captain Roy Keane backed Cuneyt Cakir’s decision to send Manchester United winger Nani off in tonight’s Champions League last 16 second leg.The home side held a narrow 1-0 lead over their opponents when the Turkish referee brandished a straight red to Nani for a high boot on Alvaro Arbeloa in the 56th minute.With the advantage of an extra man and buoyed by the introduction of Luka Modric, Madrid turned the game on its head – recording a 2-1 victory on the night (3-2 on aggregate) to progress to the quarter-finals.Alex Ferguson was livid after the decision and did not appear out to be interviewed post-match after what was deemed by many as an extremely harsh call.However, speaking on the ITV panel this evening, Keane claimed the red was deserved.“It doesn’t matter if he knows there’s somebody there or not, it’s irrelevant,” Keane said. “I don’t think the referee made the decision because he waited a couple of minutes while the player was getting treatment so I think it might have been the assistant who made the decision. I actually think he’s made the right call.“We can be critical of the referee, we’re always say referees are quick to make a decision [but] he waited a couple of minutes, no doubt spoke to assistant and said ‘listen we think it’s dangerous’. It’s a red card. ”Fellow analyst Gareth Southgate argued Nani’s corner, saying he only had eyes for the ball and unintentionally caught the former Liverpool man – but Keane wasn’t having it. read more
TWO GARDAÍ ARE still in hospital after they were assaulted while carrying out a search of a house in Dublin yesterday evening.A garda car was also rammed in the incident that happened in Meile an Rí, Balgaddy Lane, Lucan at around 6.45pm.Gardaí continued with the search and seized heroin worth an estimated €48,000.A 16-year-old boy was arrested at the scene and was questioned for a time at Ronanstown Garda Station.He was later released and a file is being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions.
GOVERNMENT MINISTERS will this morning hold their first discussions on the contents of draft legislation which will legally permit abortion in certain circumstances.The legislation, being brought forward by health minister James Reilly, follows the European Court of Human Rights’ ruling in 2010 in the A, B and C case – where it was ruled that Ireland’s failure to clarify the circumstances in which an abortion could be carried out.A key point of debate for ministers will be discussing exactly how many medical professionals will be involved in deciding when an abortion can be permitted.It was reported on Sunday that one draft of the legislation would require pregnant women to be assessed by six medical professionals, including two obstetricians and four psychiatrists, including one perinatal psychiatrist – plans which prompted ire from some, who said the prospect of a six-member panel.However, Reilly said yesterday that the legislation would not require six professionals to be consulted. The report of the Expert Group formed to respond to the A, B and C case had suggested a panel of three professionals.Though the matter is expected to be up for discussion when ministers hold their weekly Cabinet meeting this morning, it is not clear whether ministers expect to reach a conclusion on the matter.Justice minister Alan Shatter, who will miss today’s meeting to chair a meeting of EU defence ministers in Luxembourg, told RTÉ’s Morning Ireland it was important that the legislation did not raise “unreal barriers” stopping women from accessing life-saving treatment if it was needed.“It is important that we have a legal architecture in place so that women understand what the position is, and what assistance is available to them, and so no confusion arises between members of the medical profession,” he said.Shatter added that the government’s timetable of having the legislation in place by the summer recess – when the Dáil breaks for the summer in mid-July – was still “readily achievable”.Read: Reilly: Suicidal pregnant women won’t have to face six-doctor panel read more
LAR CORBETT MAKES his return for Tipperary as one of three changes ahead of Saturday’s All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Round 1 clash with Galway.The 33-year-old has struggled with a knee injury this season, but Eamon O’Shea can call on the experienced forward for the encounter at Semple Stadium.Corbett comes into the team for Niall O’Meara in attack.Elsewhere, there’s a new midfield pairing for Tipp as Ronan Maher of Thurles Sarsfields and Drom-Inch’s James Woodlock replace Kieran Bergin and Shane McGrath.Maher is set for his championship debut in Thurles. The midfielder won an All-Ireland Minor title with Tipp in 2012.Throw-in at Semple Stadium on Saturday is at 7.00pm.TIPPERARY:1. Darren Gleeson (Portroe)2. Cathal Barrett (Holycross-Ballycahill)3. Padraic Maher (Thurles Sarsfields)4. Michael Cahill (Thurles Sarsfields)5. James Barry (Upperchurch-Drombane)6. Conor O’Mahony (Newport)7. Brendan Maher (Borris-Ileigh)8. Ronan Maher (Thurles Sarsfields)9. James Woodlock (Drom-Inch)10. Gearoid Ryan (Templederry Kenyons)11. Patrick Maher (Lorrha-Dorrha)12. John O’Dwyer (Killenaule)13. Noel McGrath (Loughmore-Castleiney)14. Seamus Callanan (Drom-Inch)15. Lar Corbett (Thurles Sarsfields)Cork forced into late change for Munster MFC final after defender suffers serious injuryEx-Galway, Laois, Antrim and Waterford seniors in our 2014 USA hurling sanctions XV read more
In July of this year, a ruling by the Library of Congress essentially legalized jailbreaking for the iPhone, denying Apple’s request to rule it a violation of the Digital Millenium Copyright Act. Sony this week is using a similar tactic to product its own PlayStation 3 from such hacks, suing more than 100 people over concerns that jailbreaking the console has opened it up to the use of pirate games and other non-Sony sanctioned software.The electronics giant filed a 24 page complaint against more than 100 defendents, including three hackers–George Hotz from the US; Hector Martin Cantero from Spain, and Sven Peter from Hungary. Sony says the hack has caused it “irreparable injury and damage” and, if the court doesn’t act fast, the hacks and resulting pirated software could “resul[t] in the destruction of SCEA’s business.”AdChoices广告 read more
At the end of May last year we posted up a video of a quadrotor helicopter capable of aggressive movement. The movement was so accurate that the quadrotor could fly through a window at speed with less than 3-inches of clearance and at multiple angles. It could also do multiple flips while retaining full movement control, and land on angled surfaces (even upside down) using a Velcro pad as an anchor.The project was headed up by David Mellinger at the University of Pennsylvania’s GRASP Lab. Since then work has continued with the quadrotors to make them more useful. The latest development is teams of quadrotors working together to build structures with a new gripper attached to their underside.AdChoices广告The quadrotors have been programmed to pick up and use parts of a framework to build a tower structure. Each end of the frame sections has a strong magnet allowing it to stay in place if positioned correctly next to other frame sections. The quadrotors just have to accurately place the framework in either a horizontal or vertical position.Once positioned they check a piece is secure with a “yawing moment” which attempts to twist the section. If it remains in place then the quadrotor determines it is positioned correctly and moves on. If it moves out of place it obviously isn’t secure and the quadrotor tries to position it again.The accuracy the quadrotors have in picking up and placing the frame sections is impressive enough, but they can also work as a team. Each quadrotor can keep track of the others that form part of the team working on a given structure and navigate around them. This drastically speeds up the construction of a tower.Read more at BotJunkieMatthew’s OpinionThe important technology on display here is the accuracy of the quadrotors and the ability for them to work together. In their current small form the potential for them carrying objects is limited, but there’s nothing to say the quadrotors couldn’t be scaled up and made to carry much larger cargo.The one limiting factor of the quadrotors is their battery life. But with such accurate movement it shouldn’t be difficult for them to navigate to and land on a charging pad. With teams of quadrotors working together recharges could be handled in such a way that there is always an active group of quadrotors working. read more
Last week, NASA‘s space shuttle Discovery completed its final mission. The occasion was bittersweet in that it marked the retirement of NASA’s longest serving shuttle ahead of the closing of the thirty year space shuttle program, but it wasn’t the last space shuttle launch. There are two more launches scheduled in the coming months: one by the Endeavor, the other by the Atlantis.Sadly, tragedy has already struck the Endeavor’s launch, scheduled for April 19th. A United Space Alliance employee died today around 7:40AM ET at Kennedy Space Center’s 39-A launch pad in Florida. While working on the Endeavor, he slipped and plummeted to the ground, and although NASA emergency personnel struggled to revive him, the fall ended in his death.AdChoices广告NASA has suspended work on the Endeavor launch for the day as an investigation into the worker’s death is conducted. NASA, on their part, are promising that the death and consequent investigation will not delay Endeavor’s April 19th launch, but given the relatively small events that can throw a space shuttle launch off the rails, we’re not as hopeful.Either way, the Endeavor’s last launch has become tinged with sadness. The penultimate space shuttle launch ever, the Endeavor will be commanded by Mark E. Kelly on its last mission. Tragedy seems to be a regular part of Kelly’s life lately: he is the husband of Arizona congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, who was shot through the head a couple months ago by a crazed gunman.If the Endeavor makes it into orbit on schedule, it will carry an Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer and an ExPRESS Logistics Carrier to the International Space Station. Let’s keep our fingers crossed that this tragedy doesn’t derail the launch: something tells me that it’s the last thing the departed would have wanted.Read more at WPBF read more
Less than a week after the resounding launch of Google+ and its new “Hangouts” feature that allows users to video chat with one another through their browser in real-time, Facebook issued a statement that they would launch an “awesome” new product this week. A number of analysts are predicting that Facebook will reveal that feature to be in-browser video chat, much like Google+ Hangouts.A number of Facebook’s recent hires have been in the video space, and the company is also expected to announce a partnership with Skype, who’s help Facebook will enlist in building and rolling out the video chat service. We’ll have to wait until later this week to see what Facebook has in store, but it would make sense for the social network to launch its own video chat product now, especially right after Google+ has appeared.AdChoices广告Presumably, Facebook’s video chat service would hook in to Facebook chat and allow in-browser Skype calls to other Facebook users. The most recent beta of Skype for Windows supports Facebook Chat already, which is another clue that if Skype is involved, it’ll have something to do with in-browser video chat.If there were a partnership at hand, it could open the door for Skype to access some of Facebook’s 750 million users, and definitely make Microsoft, Skype’s new owners, happy about the broadening reach of their newly purchased company.At the same time, the question remains whether or not Facebook users would actually use video chat services, and how they would be integrated into the user experience. With Hangout, users have to start or join video chats in progress that they have access to: you can’t just start a video session with someone because you’re connected to them.It would be unlike Facebook to change Facebook Chat significantly to give users that kind of privacy, so expect video icons on Facebook from users who support the service in the future, and unexpected video calls from friends you haven’t spoken to in years, or from relatives who “just want to catch up.”Read more at TechCrunch read more
IFA 2011 is in full swing in Berlin, and we’re seeing a lot of cool things coming out of the conference like the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7. One of the most interesting new bits of tech comes from Toshiba who announced that it will be launching the world’s first SDHC memory card with embedded wireless LAN functionality. The 8GB “FlashAir” card is unique because it supports both peer-to-peer transfers as well as uploads to and downloads from servers.The closest thing we have to this as of now is the Eye-Fi card. However, Eye-Fis only let us upload photos directly from a camera to a computer, meaning the transfers are only moving in one direction. The Eye-Fi cards can’t receive data; they just send it from the card. The FlashAir, on the other hand, will let you upload and download files wirelessly thanks to its embedded wireless communication function.The FlashAir card can send and receive peer-to-peer photos between FlashAir compliant cameras as well as smartphones and PCs that support wireless LAN. But don’t worry if you don’t have a camera that’s FlashAir compliant, the card will still allow you to share images with smartphones and PCs that support wireless LAN. The FlashAir card is also said to have lower power consumption compared with other similar cards.You won’t be seeing the 8GB FlashAir card in stores until February 2012, which counts it out as a very cool additional present to include with a digital camera this Christmas. We think Toshiba has really missed a trick there. No pricing has been released as of yet, but let’s hope it’s less than the Eye-Fi Pro X2’s $149 price tag. We also have a hunch we’ll be seeing various card capacities as well and possibly other vendors jumping on board before too long.via Toshiba read more
Harry Potter continues to be a massive draw for kids and adults alike even though the series has now been completed and the movies released. It’s the books that garner the most interest though, and J.K. Rowling decided to take a different approach to releasing them in digital form.Rather than just releasing them as ebooks through a range of online stores, it was announced last year that the Harry Potter series would be available exclusively through a new service called Pottermore. It promised to offer more detail about the Harry Potter universe including exclusive new content alongside the books and audio books.Yesterday, Pottermore made the Harry Potter ebooks available for purchase and download. They cost between $7.99 and $9.99 each or you can opt to buy them all as a bundle for $57.54. All the books are compatible with popular e-readers like the Kindle, but you have to go through Pottermore to get access to them. Even Amazon redirects you there instead of its more typical “Add to Cart” button.Such a system of purchasing the digital books does allow Rowling and her publisher to retain more control over the work. However, for consumers it also brings with it a number of undesirable restrictions.The terms and conditions on Pottermore are quite extensive, but there’s a few standout terms that may upset digital book buyers. The first is a limit on how many times you can download each book. Purchasing Harry Potter limits you to just 8 downloads per book before you need to repurchase them. That may seem like a lot, but why is there a limit at all? And if you change ereaders often in the coming years, or want to read across multiple devices, you’ll soon use them up.The other concern regards your Pottermore account being deleted or suspended. If it remains inactive for 6 months the account can be removed, meaning it’s possible you’ll lose access to the books you paid for. I can see this happening if a parent buys the books for their child who then goes off to read them on their tablet or ereader. Not returning for 6 months when you have 7 volumes to read is a real possibility. Hopefully Pottermore is very flexible on this issue and will allow any dormant accounts to be reactivated with an email to support.Unfortunately you have little choice if you want to own the digital versions of the books. Pottermore is the only place to offer them, and therefore you have to accept these restrictive terms. That’s unlikely to impact sales though, with the digital versions of the popular books sure to bring a spike in revenue as kids everywhere demand Potter on their e-readers.Read more at Amazon, via VentureBeat read more
When you read about ARM products, it’s usually the processor in a phone or tablet. Everyone is concerned with how many processing cores a chip has and what the clock speed is, but without an integrated GPU, these chips aren’t worth a thing. ARM has a stake in many aspects of mobile hardware, graphics included. The company has just announced its lineup of next-generation mobile graphics chips, the Mali T624, T628 and T678.All three of these chips are built on ARM’s Midgard graphics architecture, and support scalable applications and GPU computing. The new T600 series supports OpenCL Full Profile, Google RenderScript, and 64-bit double precision, making them uniquely suited to pair with upcoming Cortex-A15 processing cores.The T624 is a dual-core chip, while the T628 and T678 are both quad-core. The T678 also doubles the performance of the T628 despite having the same number of cores. The reason for this is that the T678 is designed for use in tablets, and has more powerful (and power-hungry) shader cores.The Snapdragons, OMAPs, and Tegras you’ve heard of are not single chips, but rather a system-on-a-chip (SoC). These platforms have different components based on manufacturer preferences, but you will always find an ARM-compatible processor, and a GPU. ARM’s older Mali 400 graphics unit was featured most prominently in the Exynos chip running many Samsung devices.Unless you’re a hardware engineer at a large OEM, you won’t be playing with the new Mali GPUs for a while. The older generation of T600 Mali parts are just about to reach consumer devices this fall. These new chips likely won’t be in devices you can buy until mid to late-2013.More at ARM, via PC Pro read more