Physically Blocking WiFi →
Sean Gallagher, Ars Technica:
But unlike other signal-blocking technologies based on the Faraday cage (which block all electromagnetic radiation), the wallpaper only blocks a select set of frequencies used by wireless LANs, and allows cellular phones and other radio waves through.
Science!
Dante D’Orazio, The Verge:
This satellite produces 121-megapixel images that capture the Earth in one shot instead of a collection of pictures from multiple flybys stitched together. The result is an image that’s the highest-resolution image of Earth yet.
Amazing photos and video, extremely beautiful and awe-inspiring. Also, the earth is upside down! Oh wait…
C'mon, New Macs →
Alex Brooks, World of Apple:
As the fifth month of the year continues to progress the time is nearing for Apple to release a flurry of new Macs. Unlike the days of IBM’s PowerPC CPU architecture it’s now relatively easy to pinpoint when and what Macs are going to get refreshed at what point during the year and that is all down to Apple’s use of Intel’s architecture.
These can’t come soon enough. We are about to order hundreds of Macs and I would love for them to be the newest models. Unfortunately, July is too late.
"TV, Sound, and Furniture. All in One." →
Matt Burns, TechCrunch:
Buyers are no longer shopping on specs as there is little visible difference between the high and low-end flatscreens.
Ikea:
IKEA introduces UPPLEVA, a completely new range that integrates smart TV and sound system with furniture. UPPLEVA brings beauty and functionality to the living room, solving the problem of cable clutter and miss-match between TV and furniture. Your living room just got it’s freedom.
This is going to sell like crazy. It is everything that 95% of people want in a TV, and it looks good, which most people had given up on. I can’t wait to see how it’s priced. I am thrilled that better design is becoming more mainstream — good form is no longer an add-on.
(via @lindsaykap)
iPad: How it's Made →
Philip Elmore-Dewitt, Fortune Tech News:
But Rob Schmitz’ simple, hand-held video tour of Foxconn’s Shenzhen iPad factory — posted Wednesday on American Public Media’s Marketplace website — gives you a better feel for what goes on there.
Pretty sober look at this subject. I wish I could see more, but this is a great start.
"The U.S.’ Complaint Against Apple and eBook Publishers" →
Marco Arment:
The Complaint section starting on the fifth page of the PDF (“Plaintiff alleges:”) is in clear, simple language, not legalese, and is only a few pages long. It’s worth reading to have an idea of what this case is about.
He’s right — it’s a good read to better understand what Apple and the Publishers are be accused of. I’m at a loss to understand how this deceased competition.
iPads and Stylii →
Every time someone asks about getting a stylus for their iPad I quickly try to dissuade them. It’s kind of like always printing things just because you have always done it that way…give the new paradigm a try.
The Verge:
If you’re purchasing a stylus so you can write notes on your iPad, you’re going to be disappointed. None of the stylii I tested had narrow enough tips to provide the agility to scrawl anything but quick notes, doodles, and scribbles. But, if you’re interested in drawing with apps like Paper, you can’t go wrong with a few of these options.
That being said, there are some applications, notably drawing and sketching, where a stylus is useful for an adult. For children, writing on the iPad can be greatly enhanced with a stylus, particularly in developing fine motor skills and enabling repetition and scalability. I have tried a number of these but I love my Cosmonaut by Studio Neat. We just got a half-group set for school (they provide edu discounts) and have a third-grade class trying out a writing project in Penultimate. Looking forward to seeing how the students like them.
This is a good run down of different stylii and their best use scenarios. I have tried the disk-style stylii before and they are a little finicky, not for everyone. The Cosmonaut is a great all-around sketching and rough-writing utensil.
