For everything from family to computers…
If you tend to avoid cheese at all costs to keep your weight in check, you might want to think about including a little in your meals—because a new study suggests that a those who eat cheese are at reduced risk of developing diabetes. More »
from Gizmodo
If you’re watching your fat intake, or just prefer lighter baked fare, here’s one way to have your cake and eat it too: use avocado instead of butter when you fire up the mixer. You can cut the amount of saturated fat in your muffins, cakes, or cupcakes by close to half, and while the food will definitely be lighter, it’ll still be delicious and rich. More »
from Lifehacker
The last time we ran into Ben Heck, the tinkerer extraordinaire was waxing poetic at Maker Faire about the Raspberry Pi and cheese curds. One more thing he also talked about, however, was his latest 3D printer project, which he now explains in greater detail in the latest episode of the Ben Heck Show. Improvements made to the device include use of a Birdstruder for easier access to the filament and the ability print off an SD card if you don’t have a computer handy. The 3D printer also sports an expanded 200-square-millimeter print area with a solid copper cover for added sturdiness and accuracy. As usual, size matters for Mr. Heckendorn so the device got a boost in portability, now neatly folding James Bond-like into a briefcase that measures 18 x 14 x 4.2 inches. Interested in a briefcase printer of your own? Well, Heckendorn mentioned during the Maker Faire interview that he’s already working on an improved version and thinking about putting it up on Kickstarter so hope springs eternal. In the meantime, you can glean more details about the device by checking out the video after the break.
from Engadget
A curious trend has developed in recent quarters: When iPhone sales fall, business improves for AT&T and Verizon.
NTP Inc., a patent-holding company that won a $612.5 million settlement from RIM in 2006, has struck again with a settlement involving 13 of the biggest companies in the tech industry.
NTP, noting that it holds eight US patents “relating to the delivery of electronic mail over wireless systems,” today said it reached a settlement with 13 companies representing just about everyone involved in building and selling smartphones or delivering e-mail to them. The 13 companies are AT&T, Verizon Wireless, Sprint Nextel, T-Mobile, Apple, HTC, Motorola Mobility, Palm, LG, Samsung, Google, Microsoft, and Yahoo.
“The signed agreement provides broad coverage under NTP’s patent portfolio to all of the companies,” NTP said. Consequently, “all pending litigation between NTP and these companies will be dismissed.”
from Ars Technica
The NCAA today handed down a series of penalties against Penn State University that include a ban from post-season football bowl games for four years, a $60 million fine, the loss of Joe Paterno’s victories from 1998-2011, and the loss of football scholarships, over its handling of a sex abuse scandal involving Jerry Sandusky, former assistant football coach. For more on this development, Steve Inskeep talks to NPR’s Joel Rose.
from Morning Edition
In the 1930s engineer Adolf Busemann conceived of a supersonic biplane that produced no sonic boom-the shock waves would bounce off the plane’s two wings at opposing angles, nullifying each other. But the design created so much drag that the plane wouldn’t have been able to fly. Now two groups are trying to improve the concept with computer simulations. Engineers at Japan’s Tohoku University devised wings with shifting flaps that adjust for drag at different speeds. And researchers from MIT and Stanford University widened the air channel between the wings and tilted their leading and trailing edges. If either design gets built, it could be the first supersonic biplane to take off.
See the supersonic Concorde jet breaking the sound barrier below.
from Popular Science – New Technology, Science News, The Future Now