Daily Crunch: Android phones become earthquake detectors | TechCrunch

August 12, 2020August 11, 2020 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Google said that smartphone accelerometers are sensitive enough to detect P-waves, which are the first waves to arrive during an earthquake. So if your Android phone thinks it has detected an earthquake, it will communicate with a central server to confirm.

In California, Google is also partnering with the United States Geological Survey and California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services to provide earthquake alerts. For everyone else, you’ll only see this earthquake data if you search for “earthquake” or a similar term.

15 Best Bluetooth Speakers (2020): Ultimate Ears, JBL, Sonos | WIRED

August 11, 2020August 10, 2020 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Even with the smart-speaker revolution underway, Bluetooth speakers still have a place near and dear to our hearts.

It’s fun and easy to ask an Amazon Echo or Google Home to play your favorite track or tell you the weather, but smart speakers have a few crutches, first and foremost being stable Wi-Fi. They also often aren’t portable or waterproofed for the great outdoors. In (mostly) forgoing smarts, Bluetooth speakers are nearly always more versatile, more rugged, and more portable—and they’ll work with anybody’s smartphone. They also sound as good or better than many of their smart-speaker equivalents.

In the past few years, we’ve tested more than 50 different Bluetooth speakers and researched dozens more online, and we can happily say they are still some of the best small devices you can listen to. Here are our favorites right now.

How to Stay Cool Without Air Conditioning & Prevent Heat Exhaustion | WIRED

August 11, 2020August 10, 2020 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

IT’S hot this summer, and Earth seems to just keep getting hotter. Until Elon Musk takes us to Mars, it’s the only planet we’ve got. Depending on where you live, you may or may not have (or feel you need) air conditioning, and sometimes it fails. Or maybe you’re planning to go on a hike or be outside for an extended period of time.

This guide has some tips on what to do when it’s incredibly hot and that blessed AC is not there to chill you out

6 Signs Your Fear of Failure Is Holding You Back (Without You Even Knowing It) | Entrepreneur

August 10, 2020August 9, 2020 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

What’s holding you back from starting a business?

Wait… don’t tell me. I already know.

If you’re anything like most would-be entrepreneurs I’ve talked to, you’re afraid.

Yes, you, with the big dreams, the killer ideas, and the jaw-droppingly impressive skill set. You’re a scaredy-cat.

Hey, that’s nothing to be ashamed of. Most of the time, I’m totally scared, too. Fear of failure is extremely common, especially among us entrepreneurs.

The Ultimate 3-Step Formula for Business Success | Entrepreneur

August 10, 2020August 9, 2020 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Thinking of starting a business? Theoretically, it isn’t all that difficult. The real trick is in making your business a successful one.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, nearly 50 percent of businesses don’t make it to the five-year mark. Additionally, an estimated 90 percent of new startups fail. But why is that? The internet is chock full of checklists that promise to pave the way to success, but are they any good? Sure they are, but only to an extent.

While these checklists do an excellent job detailing what novice entrepreneurs need to know, they don’t necessarily provide any real guidance on what actually makes businesses successful. They don’t dive into the psychological hacks and meaningful acts that win hearts and make a lasting impact. They are simply task lists, which we all know are ultimately dry.

Growing Sales On Youtube | Getentrepreneurial.com

August 7, 2020August 6, 2020 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

One-third of internet users say they purchased a product because of YouTube.

You’d think brands would be YouTube experts. They’re not. Kids are doing a better job.

Literally.

There are 8-year-olds generating billions (with a B) of views with no paid advertising. There isn’t a single brand among the top 100 YouTube channels.

What is that brands are doing wrong? How can brands be successful on YouTube? There are three things to obsess over in order to grow a YouTube channel:

Water Filled Windows Cools & Heats House | CoolBusinessIdeas.com

August 6, 2020August 5, 2020 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

When it comes to keeping buildings energy efficient, windows certainly pose a challenge. It was with this quandary in mind that a British scientist has created a new type of window – one that’s filled with water.

There are two main problems with conventional windows. For one thing, most of them allow heat to escape during cold weather, causing the building’s furnace to run more frequently. For another, they allow sunlight to stream in during hot weather, creating heat that causes the air conditioning to kick in.

Dr. Matyas Gutai, a lecturer in architecture at Loughborough University, believes that his “water-filled glass” (WFG) windows may address these limitations.

Electrical Scaffolding Heal Broken Bones | CoolBusinessIdeas.com

August 6, 2020August 5, 2020 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

We’ve already heard about implantable materials with a scaffolding-like microstructure, that help heal broken bones by giving bone cells a place to migrate into. A new one could work even better, though, by also providing electrical stimulation.

Scientists have previously had success using implants to mimic the body’s own electrical field, stimulating bone cells into reproducing. Unfortunately, though, these devices have tended to be bulky, requiring an integrated (potentially toxic) battery or a hard-wired external power source. Additionally, once the broken bone has healed, the implants have to be surgically removed.

Fireworks leave toxic metals lingering in the air, study finds | New Atlas

August 5, 2020 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Fireworks are a surefire way to create a spectacle of color and light, but research has revealed these dazzling displays could pose a health risk. A study that is said to be the first to look at the impacts of firework exposure on human cells and animals, has found a range of harmful toxins can linger in the air once the lights go out.

The research was carried out by scientists NYU Langone Health, who looked at air quality samples collected from dozens of sites across the US, spanning a timeframe of 14 years. Through this analysis, the team found particularly high concentrations of toxic metals around Independence Day and New Year’s Eve.

Volta Zero electric truck to feature panels made of woven flax | New Atlas

August 5, 2020 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

The continuing rise of global carbon emissions has brought with it a rise in sustainable transport solutions, but the Volta Zero truck is one that takes this ethos further than most. In addition to an all-electric drivetrain, the truck will feature panels made from sustainable natural composites and is pitched as a holistically green way for logistics companies to deliver goods around cities.

With the Volta Zero, Volta Trucks hopes to offer a cleaner means of completing freight deliveries in urban settings. The 16-tonne truck features an all-electric drivetrain that draws power from a 160-200-kWh battery pack, which makes for a range of up to 200 km (125 mi) and a top speed of 90 km/h (56 mph).