Month: July 2015

Nanosponge

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Researchers at Rice University have come up with a new technology for oil-absorbing sponges. The sponges are made of carbon nanotubes with a splash of boron . They are elastic, compressible, flexible, lightweight, and they hate water and love oil. When a sponge is placed on the surface of water, it floats across the surface until coming across oil, which it then readily absorbs.

After being absorbed, the oil can either be stored in the sponge for later retrieval or burned off, allowing the sponge to be reused.

One of the most amazing parts of this technology is that the sponges can be directed by magnets, providing an easy way to collect the sponges after they’ve absorbed oil. Here is a great short video explaining how they work:

Source (Mike Williams, “Nanosponges soak up oil again and again”, Rice University, 13.04.2012)

Out of the box tutorial

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Video description:

Most phones come with flimsy manuals with complicated language and jargon. These books, which can live on a bookshelf actually contain the phone.

Each page reveals the elements of the phone in the right order, helping the user to set up the sim card, the battery and even slide the case onto the phone.

The second book is the main manual – the phone actually slots into this and becomes the center of attention.
Arrows point to the exact locations the user should press, avoiding confusion and eliminating the feeling of being lost in a menu.

HTC Dot View Interactive Phone Case

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htc
Credit: HTC

The HTC Dot View phone case lets you interact with your phone when it is closed by just swiping on the case. The dot matrix cover will let you take calls, get weather updates, receive notifications, make voice commands, and more without even opening up your phone. No longer will you have to wipe away the dirt every time you need to check the time or weather, just swipe down on the case and do what you need to through the 8-bit pixel Mario looking interface. Currently only compatible with the HTC One (m8), the Dot view case comes in black, blue, orange, light green, and maroon, and measures 180mm x 73 mm x 12.6mm.

htc2]
Credit: HTC

Source (Edgar Cervantes, “Best HTC One M8 cases”, Mobile Geeks, 18.11.2014)