Thomas Paine Rants http://thomaspainerants.com I like to rant. This is my forum. You can follow me on twitter @thomaspaine Sat, 18 May 2013 00:19:33 +0000 en-US hourly 1 <![CDATA[» Small in size, big on power: New microbatteries the most powerful yet]]> http://thomaspainerants.com/small-in-size-big-on-power-new-microbatteries-the-most-powerful-yet/1728/#comments Sat, 18 May 2013 00:19:33 +0000 Thomas Paine http://thomaspainerants.com/?p=1728

]]> Using a vaguely described 3-D structure researches have developed a micro battery that they claim out powers even the best super-capacitors.

With so much power, the batteries could enable sensors or radio signals that broadcast 30 times farther, or devices 30 times smaller. The batteries are rechargeable and can charge 1,000 times faster than competing technologies — imagine juicing up a credit-card-thin phone in less than a second.

No mention of the cost to produce these batteries or whether it’s even feasible to manufacture them in bulk but that’s really besides the point. The battery revolution is coming and it’s going to change everything.

Image courtesy of the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology

Ions flow between 3-D micro-electrodes in a lithium ion battery.

]]> http://thomaspainerants.com/small-in-size-big-on-power-new-microbatteries-the-most-powerful-yet/1728/feed/ 0 <![CDATA[» Hubble-Sized Satellite Could Be on Its Way to Mars]]> http://thomaspainerants.com/hubble-sized-satellite-could-be-on-its-way-to-mars/1713/#comments Thu, 16 May 2013 16:38:46 +0000 Thomas Paine http://thomaspainerants.com/?p=1713

]]> Hubble Space Telescope

Creative Commons License NASA Goddard Space Flight Center via Compfight

In a strange twist astronomers are reaping the benefits of the US Government Spy Satellite program. The spy agency announced last year that it was giving NASA two satellites with the same 7.9 foot-wide mirror that The Hubble Space Telescope has. Designed for looking down rather than up it’s estimated that it could pick out objects a mere 5 inches across. Throw in some computer processing and it might get down to 2.5 inches.

Of course NASA has not shortage of ideas about what to do with their new toys but one of the more recent ideas is to ship this satellite to Mars for some unprecedented research of our red neighbor.

]]> http://thomaspainerants.com/hubble-sized-satellite-could-be-on-its-way-to-mars/1713/feed/ 0 <![CDATA[» Facebook Home and the trap of perfect data]]> http://thomaspainerants.com/facebook-home-and-the-trap-of-perfect-data/1694/#comments Tue, 14 May 2013 17:43:00 +0000 Thomas Paine http://thomaspainerants.com/?p=1694

]]> Marco Arment on the disconnect between the photos in the Facebook Home demos and reality1.

Facebook Home was flat-out badly designed: it’s designed for optimal input and failed to consider real-world usage.

Chat Heads

The two fundamentally flawed assumptions that Facebook made in designing their app was that a) people have recognizable profile pictures and b) people post great pictures that I want to see on my lock screen. If I was using Facebook Home to chat with friends half of their icons be of babies and the other half would be pink equal signs2. Great for representing solidarity with gay marriage, terrible for representing whom I’m chatting with. Also, their pictures suck.

Which brings us to this fantastic advice from Lukas Mathis.

Don’t use placeholder data when designing. Get as much real-life data generated by real human beings as possible and design for that. If you don’t, you’re in for a surprise.

  1. Mediocre pictures on the lock screen, chat heads that rarely work and esoteric settings.
  2. Caution: hyperbole
]]> http://thomaspainerants.com/facebook-home-and-the-trap-of-perfect-data/1694/feed/ 0 <![CDATA[» Designing a type face]]> http://thomaspainerants.com/designing-a-type-face/1685/#comments Wed, 08 May 2013 20:04:31 +0000 Thomas Paine http://thomaspainerants.com/?p=1685

]]> Having almost no ability to even choose a type face I found this profile of two famous type face designers fascinating.

]]> http://thomaspainerants.com/designing-a-type-face/1685/feed/ 0 <![CDATA[» Video May Show 747 Jet’s Last Seconds Before Bagram Crash]]> http://thomaspainerants.com/video-may-show-747-jets-last-seconds-before-bagram-crash/1681/#comments Thu, 02 May 2013 00:23:00 +0000 Thomas Paine http://thomaspainerants.com/?p=1681

]]> NPR has what appears to be footage of the recent plane crash at Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan. It is certainly the most gut wrenching plane crash video I have ever seen. Curious about the steep climb that lead to the power-on stall I checked out the comments to see if there were any decent theories. Some wondered about specific take off requirements for that runway but the consensus seem to be that the cargo broke loose.

Commenter Rick S:

I think the cargo probably shifted. Something must have broke loose as the jet was climbing, shifting the center of gravity at a critical stage of flight. Once that happened, those people didn’t stand a chance.

]]> http://thomaspainerants.com/video-may-show-747-jets-last-seconds-before-bagram-crash/1681/feed/ 0 <![CDATA[» Hey baby, how is your car run?]]> http://thomaspainerants.com/hey-baby-how-is-your-car-run/1677/#comments Wed, 01 May 2013 23:22:39 +0000 Thomas Paine http://thomaspainerants.com/?p=1677

]]> This one goes out to all my Persian friends.

]]> http://thomaspainerants.com/hey-baby-how-is-your-car-run/1677/feed/ 0 <![CDATA[» 66 Behind the Scenes Pics from The Empire Strikes Back]]> http://thomaspainerants.com/66-behind-the-scenes-pics-from-the-empire-strikes-back/1662/#comments Wed, 01 May 2013 18:58:45 +0000 Thomas Paine http://thomaspainerants.com/?p=1662

]]> I just satisfied a year’s worth of Star Wars geekery.

]]> http://thomaspainerants.com/66-behind-the-scenes-pics-from-the-empire-strikes-back/1662/feed/ 0 <![CDATA[» McDonald’s Theory]]> http://thomaspainerants.com/mcdonalds-theory/1661/#comments Wed, 01 May 2013 17:41:20 +0000 Thomas Paine http://thomaspainerants.com/?p=1661

]]> Jon Bell’s trick for expediting the intractable lunch destination debate.

I use a trick with co-workers when we’re trying to decide where to eat for lunch and no one has any ideas. I recommend McDonald’s.

From Nike to Apple this goes far beyond just lunch.

]]> http://thomaspainerants.com/mcdonalds-theory/1661/feed/ 0 <![CDATA[» The Paris Time Capsule Apartment]]> http://thomaspainerants.com/the-paris-time-capsule-apartment/1653/#comments Fri, 26 Apr 2013 18:50:13 +0000 Thomas Paine http://thomaspainerants.com/?p=1653

]]> Checkout these pictures of an amazing Parisian time capsule from Messy Nessy:

The owner of this apartment, Mrs. De Florian left Paris just before the rumblings of World War II broke out in Europe. She closed up her shutters and left for the South of France, never to return to the city again. Seven decades later she passed away at the age of 91. It was only when her heirs enlisted professionals to make an inventory of the Parisian apartment she left behind, that this time capsule was finally unlocked.

]]> http://thomaspainerants.com/the-paris-time-capsule-apartment/1653/feed/ 0 <![CDATA[» Using Lasers to Manipulate Blood Flow in Live Mice]]> http://thomaspainerants.com/using-lasers-to-manipulate-blood-flow-in-live-mice/1652/#comments Tue, 23 Apr 2013 20:38:47 +0000 Thomas Paine http://thomaspainerants.com/?p=1652

]]> This procedure is years away from being practiced on humans but being able to “operate” without breaking the skin is huge.

Researchers in China have figured out how to use a laser to clog and then clear a blocked blood vessel in a live mouse, without surgery.

]]> http://thomaspainerants.com/using-lasers-to-manipulate-blood-flow-in-live-mice/1652/feed/ 0