5:20 PM
DARPA and NASA are collaborating on "The 100-Year Starship" project, which looks to examine the business model needed to develop and mature technology needed to enable long-distance manned space flight when the next 100 years:
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/11/03/100_year_starship/
It appears that Star Wars-style 3D video holograms are very, very close to reality. Scientists have already demonstrated that the concept works:
http://www.rdmag.com/News/2010/11/Information-Tech-See-me-Obi-Wan-Kenobi-Scientists-seek-3-D-video/
Researchers made a breakthrough that makes invisible clothing closer to reality. They describe how they overcame the challenges of making meta-atoms small enough to interact with visible light and how to make metamaterials that can be used in more flexible materials:
http://www.rdmag.com/News/2010/11/Materials-Photonics-Meta-flex-Your-new-brand-for-invisibility-clothing/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-11686303
It looks like they have found a civilian use for UAVs...they will soon be used for tracking celebrities, tracking unfaithful spouses, and wildlife:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703631704575551954273159086.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
Only 20% of air cargo shipped to the US is checked for bombs:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2010-11-02-1Acargobombs02_ST_N.htm
Interesting outcome to the Littoral Combat Ship competition between Lockheed and Austal...instead of choosing which company was the winner, the Navy said that BOTH teams won and they will buy ships from both companies simultaneously. Instead of having all of the LCS stationed in San Diego, they are looking to put the LCS from one company in San Diego and have the other company's ships in Florida:
http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2010/11/everyone-wins-in-navy-warship-bait-and-switch/
Clearwire is having *major* problems raising the funding it needs to continue its build-out, so it announced it will cut 15% of their staff, significantly reduce their marketing, delay future smartphones, and discontinue development plans for future markets. They repeatedly mentioned needing more funding. With Verizon launching LTE in numerous markets Clearwire is currently operating in, Clearwire cutting back is not a good sign for their ability to use their early-to-market advantage to fend off Verizon:
http://www.techflash.com/seattle/2010/11/clearwire-cuts-staff-15-percent.html
AT&T Wireless is using Twitter to improve its service--by pinpointing where and when people have problems with their wireless connection via Twitter complaints, they look to address those problem areas. This could be a good way for companies to use Twitter to improve their customer service in the future:
http://technologyreview.com/printer_friendly_article.aspx?id=26668
CSIRO is unveiling a breakthrough in wireless technology that uses old analog TV antennas to enable multiple users to upload content simultaneously, with each user getting 12 Mbps! Rural home or business users that can currently receive TV signals could get high-speed internet access by using a new set-top box. They designed their technology for rural areas, but it could compete with LTE in cities. Remember, Australia's CSIRO was the first to develop WiFi technology and holds the patent for the technology that they have sued many companies to obtain royalties:
http://www.zdnet.com.au/csiro-introduces-wi-fi-to-your-tv-antenna-339307025.htm?tag=mncol;txt
Qualcomm apparently purchased LTE chip maker Sandbridge Technologies but did not announce the ~$55 million deal because it did not represent a material change to Qualcomm's finances...$55 million cash is just pocket change I guess. It is nice that Qualcomm reported high-than-expected quarterly earnings and set revenue targets far above Wall Street expectations--great for San Diego's economy and for the wireless industry's health:
http://www.fiercewireless.com/story/qualcomm-ships-record-number-chips-q4/2010-11-04
Sprint is expected to ship almost 3 million WiMAX smartphones in 2010, far above previous estimates:
http://www.abiresearch.com/press/3544-Sprint+Expected+to+Ship+Almost+Three+Million+4G+Phones+in+2010
Sharp is releasing an Android smartphone that has a 3.8 inch screen that can show 3D images without needing 3D glasses. The phone so far has seven 3D games announced and it can also show glasses-free 3D movies:
http://kotaku.com/5681348/3d-gaming-phone-ready-to-battle-nintendo-3ds
Alcatel Lucent had its first profitable quarter this year, making a profit of $35.3 million as compared to their $257 million loss in the year-ago quarter. They also just announced they received a 4-year, $4 billion infrastructure contract from Verizon Wireless and they are expected to finalize $1.6 billion in contracts with Chinese telecom providers tomorrow:
http://www.fiercewireless.com/story/alcatel-lucent-snags-4b-verizon-contract-posts-q3-profit/2010-11-04
T-Mobile complained to the FCC that AT&T wasn't signing a 3G data roaming agreement, but AT&T refuted that by stating how AT&T *is* open to a 3G roaming agreement with T-Mobile but T-Mobile never requested one! AT&T doesn't want to roam on T-Mobile's network because T-Mobile is using different frequency bands, but they are willing to let T-Mobile roam on their network:
http://www.fiercewireless.com/story/att-t-mobile-bicker-over-possible-3g-data-roaming-agreement/2010-11-04
Trial in Stockholm is looking to replace hotel room keys with NFC-enabled handsets. The trial is studying how well guests and hotel employees like using NFC for a variety of hotel services. I think that it is neat how the hotel room key is sent to the smartphone over-the-air, so the guest doesn't have to check-in at the front desk:
http://www.fiercewireless.com/europe/story/nfc-technology-handsets-replace-room-keys-nfc-iphone-could-be-digital-credentials/2010-11-03
10-year-old girl gave birth in Spain and Spanish authorities are evaluating whether to let her and her family retain custody of the baby:
http://www.boston.com/news/world/europe/articles/2010/11/02/10_year_old_gives_birth_in_southern_spain/
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/11/03/100_year_starship/
It appears that Star Wars-style 3D video holograms are very, very close to reality. Scientists have already demonstrated that the concept works:
http://www.rdmag.com/News/2010/11/Information-Tech-See-me-Obi-Wan-Kenobi-Scientists-seek-3-D-video/
Researchers made a breakthrough that makes invisible clothing closer to reality. They describe how they overcame the challenges of making meta-atoms small enough to interact with visible light and how to make metamaterials that can be used in more flexible materials:
http://www.rdmag.com/News/2010/11/Materials-Photonics-Meta-flex-Your-new-brand-for-invisibility-clothing/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-11686303
It looks like they have found a civilian use for UAVs...they will soon be used for tracking celebrities, tracking unfaithful spouses, and wildlife:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703631704575551954273159086.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
Only 20% of air cargo shipped to the US is checked for bombs:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2010-11-02-1Acargobombs02_ST_N.htm
Interesting outcome to the Littoral Combat Ship competition between Lockheed and Austal...instead of choosing which company was the winner, the Navy said that BOTH teams won and they will buy ships from both companies simultaneously. Instead of having all of the LCS stationed in San Diego, they are looking to put the LCS from one company in San Diego and have the other company's ships in Florida:
http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2010/11/everyone-wins-in-navy-warship-bait-and-switch/
Clearwire is having *major* problems raising the funding it needs to continue its build-out, so it announced it will cut 15% of their staff, significantly reduce their marketing, delay future smartphones, and discontinue development plans for future markets. They repeatedly mentioned needing more funding. With Verizon launching LTE in numerous markets Clearwire is currently operating in, Clearwire cutting back is not a good sign for their ability to use their early-to-market advantage to fend off Verizon:
http://www.techflash.com/seattle/2010/11/clearwire-cuts-staff-15-percent.html
AT&T Wireless is using Twitter to improve its service--by pinpointing where and when people have problems with their wireless connection via Twitter complaints, they look to address those problem areas. This could be a good way for companies to use Twitter to improve their customer service in the future:
http://technologyreview.com/printer_friendly_article.aspx?id=26668
CSIRO is unveiling a breakthrough in wireless technology that uses old analog TV antennas to enable multiple users to upload content simultaneously, with each user getting 12 Mbps! Rural home or business users that can currently receive TV signals could get high-speed internet access by using a new set-top box. They designed their technology for rural areas, but it could compete with LTE in cities. Remember, Australia's CSIRO was the first to develop WiFi technology and holds the patent for the technology that they have sued many companies to obtain royalties:
http://www.zdnet.com.au/csiro-introduces-wi-fi-to-your-tv-antenna-339307025.htm?tag=mncol;txt
Qualcomm apparently purchased LTE chip maker Sandbridge Technologies but did not announce the ~$55 million deal because it did not represent a material change to Qualcomm's finances...$55 million cash is just pocket change I guess. It is nice that Qualcomm reported high-than-expected quarterly earnings and set revenue targets far above Wall Street expectations--great for San Diego's economy and for the wireless industry's health:
http://www.fiercewireless.com/story/qualcomm-ships-record-number-chips-q4/2010-11-04
Sprint is expected to ship almost 3 million WiMAX smartphones in 2010, far above previous estimates:
http://www.abiresearch.com/press/3544-Sprint+Expected+to+Ship+Almost+Three+Million+4G+Phones+in+2010
Sharp is releasing an Android smartphone that has a 3.8 inch screen that can show 3D images without needing 3D glasses. The phone so far has seven 3D games announced and it can also show glasses-free 3D movies:
http://kotaku.com/5681348/3d-gaming-phone-ready-to-battle-nintendo-3ds
Alcatel Lucent had its first profitable quarter this year, making a profit of $35.3 million as compared to their $257 million loss in the year-ago quarter. They also just announced they received a 4-year, $4 billion infrastructure contract from Verizon Wireless and they are expected to finalize $1.6 billion in contracts with Chinese telecom providers tomorrow:
http://www.fiercewireless.com/story/alcatel-lucent-snags-4b-verizon-contract-posts-q3-profit/2010-11-04
T-Mobile complained to the FCC that AT&T wasn't signing a 3G data roaming agreement, but AT&T refuted that by stating how AT&T *is* open to a 3G roaming agreement with T-Mobile but T-Mobile never requested one! AT&T doesn't want to roam on T-Mobile's network because T-Mobile is using different frequency bands, but they are willing to let T-Mobile roam on their network:
http://www.fiercewireless.com/story/att-t-mobile-bicker-over-possible-3g-data-roaming-agreement/2010-11-04
Trial in Stockholm is looking to replace hotel room keys with NFC-enabled handsets. The trial is studying how well guests and hotel employees like using NFC for a variety of hotel services. I think that it is neat how the hotel room key is sent to the smartphone over-the-air, so the guest doesn't have to check-in at the front desk:
http://www.fiercewireless.com/europe/story/nfc-technology-handsets-replace-room-keys-nfc-iphone-could-be-digital-credentials/2010-11-03
10-year-old girl gave birth in Spain and Spanish authorities are evaluating whether to let her and her family retain custody of the baby:
http://www.boston.com/news/world/europe/articles/2010/11/02/10_year_old_gives_birth_in_southern_spain/