| From: Don Green | 10/9/2024 11:28:15 AM | | | | | | MIT’s new battery-free solar desalination system dances with Sun’s rhythm
• 1d • 3 min read
Researchers have created a novel desalination system that runs with the rhythms of the sun.
The MIT team’s solar-powered device adjusts desalination speed to match sunlight variations, increasing output as sunshine intensifies and reducing it during cloudy moments.
According to the team, the design efficiently maximizes solar energy use to produce large amounts of clean water throughout the day. Moreover, unlike other solar-powered desalination systems, the MIT design operates without additional batteries or external power sources, like grid electricity.
The system is expected to provide significant cost savings compared to conventional desalination technologies. The main savings stem from reduced energy costs, which are a major operational expense in traditional methods, particularly reverse osmosis (RO), which relies on grid power.
“Compared to RO, electrodialysis membranes usually last about three times as long,” Amos Winter, the Germeshausen Professor of Mechanical Engineering and director of the K. Lisa Yang Global Engineering and Research Center at MIT, told Interesting Engineering (IE), in an email interview.
Adapting to sunlightWinter and his team, including former MIT postdoc Wei He, built on a previous design to improve desalination through “flexible batch electrodialysis.” Unlike reverse osmosis, which uses pressure to filter salts, electrodialysis employs an electric field to remove salt ions via ion-exchange membranes.
Powering desalination with renewable energy is particularly difficult for reverse osmosis, requiring a consistent energy supply. The MIT team focused on electrodialysis, creating a system that adapts to solar energy variations.
Their model-based control system optimizes water flow and voltage for maximum salt removal. Field tests showed a 77 percent solar energy usage, significantly improving previous designs.
“We could only calculate every three minutes, and in that time, a cloud could literally come by and block the sun. The system could be saying, ‘I need to run at this high power.’ But some of that power has suddenly dropped because there’s now less sunlight. So, we had to make up that power with extra batteries,” said Winter, in a statement.
Battery-free desalinationIn their latest work, researchers eliminated the need for batteries by reducing the system’s response time to just a fraction of a second, adjusting the desalination rate three to five times per second.
This rapid adaptation allows the system to respond to sunlight changes without relying on extra power. The key innovation is a “flow-commanded current control” strategy, which adjusts water flow and electrical current based on the available solar power, maximizing desalination efficiency.
Winter explains the system continuously adjusts flow rate and current to match increasing solar power, reducing the need for battery buffering by responding quickly to changes.
The engineers integrated the new control strategy into a fully automated system designed to desalinate brackish groundwater for a small community of 3,000 people.
Tested for six months at the Brackish Groundwater National Research Facility in Alamogordo, New Mexico, the prototype operated under varying solar conditions. On average, it utilized over 94 percent of the solar panel’s electrical energy to power desalination, demonstrating high efficiency throughout the trial.
“Compared to how you would traditionally design a solar desal system, we cut our required battery capacity by almost 100 percent,” said Winter.
Aiding energy efficiencyResearchers say that while the technology could potentially be adapted for seawater desalination, it would not provide the same energy benefits as with brackish water.
“Below about 5000 ppm, total dissolved salt electrodialysis requires less energy; for typical brackish water, around 2500 ppm, electrodialysis requires about half the specific energy as RO,” Winter told IE.
Regions with prevalent brackish groundwater are ideal candidates for this technology. More than half of the global population lives over 100 km from the coast, making seawater desalination impractical. Areas with high water stress, such as India, North Africa, and the Middle East, present promising markets.
The team’s latest controller improves response time to further the system’s response time or energy efficiency, minimizing the need for energy buffering during fluctuations.
“Our controllers make adjustments to the system many times per second, so they are quite reactive to the weather, as indicated by our ability to capture 94 percent of the electrical energy produced by the solar panels,” said Winter.
The details of the team’s research were published in the journal Nature Water.
MIT’s new battery-free solar desalination system dances with Sun’s rhythm
MIT’s new battery-free solar desalination system dances with Sun’s rhythm
The team members in front of the electrodialysis desalination system during an installation in July. |
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| From: Don Green | 10/9/2024 12:53:06 PM | | | | | | How to get MS-DOS up and running on Windows or macOS
Story by David Nield
• 1mo •
Before Windows, there was MS-DOS—that’s the Microsoft Disk Operating System, if you’re unfamiliar—a text-based, command-line interface operating system that was the way into managing files and launching applications on non-Apple computers. It was a lot more sparse and a lot less user-friendly than the operating systems we use today, but if you’re old enough to […]
Before Windows, there was MS-DOS—that’s the Microsoft Disk Operating System, if you’re unfamiliar—a text-based, command-line interface operating system that was the way into managing files and launching applications on non-Apple computers.
It was a lot more sparse and a lot less user-friendly than the operating systems we use today, but if you’re old enough to remember it, you’ll know it was cutting edge for the time—and still has some charm left today.
While modern computers are vastly more powerful than the ones from the heyday of MS-DOS, you can still run the old operating system—all you need is the right program, and there are a few different options to pick from.
Maybe you want to run some classic applications or games of the past, or maybe you’re interested in this part of computer history, or maybe you’re just a little nostalgic—but whatever your reasons, here’s how to run MS-DOS today on Windows or macOS.
How to set up DOSBox-X
As we’ve said, there are various different ways to get MS-DOS running on modern systems, to suit different setups and requirements, and we can’t cover them all here. For this guide, we’ll concentrate on the DOSBox-X emulator: It’s free to use, it’s simple to set up, and it’s a good starting point for most people.
From the DOSBox-X homepage, download the version of the emulator to match your system—Windows, macOS, or Linux. Run the downloaded file, and when the setup process has completed, you’ll be left with a standalone program you can run to launch a window running an MS-DOS environment.
Don’t panic if you’ve never used DOS before and find the interface a little daunting: You can type “HELP” then hit Enter to see a list of available commands, or “INTRO” and then Enter to get a brief guided tour of DOSBox-X, and an introduction to its features. There’s also a comprehensive wiki file online, which you can find here.
To begin with, you’re not going to be able to see any files on your computer. To fix this, type “MOUNT C” then a space, then a folder on your computer, then hit Enter. So, typing “MOUNT C D:\GAMES” followed by Enter would create a C drive in DOSBox-X that points towards the D:\Games folder on your actual system.
You would then type “C:” and Enter to switch to the drive, and “DIR” and Enter to see its contents. You can move any files you want DOSBox-X to see into this folder in Windows or macOS—so any games or applications you want to be able to access in the MS-DOS environment, for example.
How to use DOSBox-X
If you’ve used MS-DOS before then you’ll be right at home right away—if you haven’t, you’ll need to brush up on the commands (we’ve already mentioned a couple of them). You can find plenty of help with this online, including in the official DOSBox-X wiki.
To really make the most of MS-DOS, you need to install some software. Getting this up and running is as simple as moving the necessary executables into the folder you mounted earlier, and then typing out the name of the app or game. Alternatively, open the Main menu and click Quick launch program to find an executable that way.
As with many emulators, DOSBox-X itself is legal, but technically speaking you should have licenses for the software you run, if it’s not freeware. We’ll leave that to your own conscience—but considering all these programs have long since ceased to be developed, it’s unlikely that you’re going to find a legal team getting in touch with you.
You’ll find vast libraries of MS-DOS games online, including the one at the Internet Archive. There are titles here including Doom, Microsoft Flight Simulator, The Secret of Monkey Island, Prince of Persia, SimCity, and many others you might remember from the 1980s and 1990s when systems were running MS-DOS. There’s lots of productivity software available on the web too, including the classic word processor WordStar.
Dig deeper into the DOSBox-X menus and the configuration files that come along with the program, and you’ll find plenty more options to play around with—such as settings for how sound and video are handled inside the emulator. Again, there’s plenty of assistance available in the official wiki if you get stuck.
Explore some important computer history on your modern-day laptop. © Image: DepositPhotos
How to get MS-DOS up and running on Windows or macOS
How to get MS-DOS up and running on Windows or macOS
You have now arrived in DOSBox-X. Screenshot: DOSBox-X
You can play thousands of classic games through DOSBox-X. Screenshot: DOSBox-X |
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| From: Don Green | 10/10/2024 11:04:24 AM | | | | | | Your Mobile Data Is Being Gobbled Up By These Apps
Darcy Jimenez
Some of the apps on your phone are a lot more data-hungry than others.
If you're not using WiFi, everything you do online on your phone has data costs — but some apps eat up far more of your precious megabytes than others.
Holafly used the My Data Manager app to test data usage across the most popular apps — on an iPhone 15 Pro Max and an Android Xiaomi Redmi 9 — and ranked the apps from most to least data-hungry.
YouTube consumes more mobile data than any other app tested, gobbling up 193 MB for every five minutes of typical use. The video sharing platform uses almost 29 percent more data than the second-ranking app overall, Disney+ (150 MB).
When it comes to social media apps, Snapchat (101 MB) is the worst offender, while Safari (56 MB) tops the list among mobile browsers.
Click images to enlarge
Via Holafly. |
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| From: Don Green | 10/10/2024 11:54:15 AM | | | | | | You’re the best password: How to start using passkeys on Windows PCs
Image: tete_escape / Shutterstock.com
Security is easiest when you are the password: You don’t have to memorize complicated keywords, but simply hold your face up to the camera or your finger on a sensor — and you can access your computer and online services.
This biometric login is already standard on smartphones — either via a camera or a finger sensor built into the screen. This allows you not only to log in to your device, but also to make purchases in online shops or carry out banking transactions.
However, many notebooks and PCs do not have a finger sensor or a camera with facial recognition. If your computer lacks the hardware for biometric login, you should definitely retrofit it for better security.
Passkey, for example, is particularly easy to use — and because more and more services support this passwordless login, you should also make your PC fit for it.
We provide tips on how to determine whether your computer is equipped with biometric hardware and how to set it up. If you don’t have the peripherals to log in with your face or finger, we can help you find the right camera or finger sensor to easily upgrade your PC and notebook.
Further reading: Best Windows Hello webcams
Why biometrics is particularly importantIt has long been known that logging on to a computer or web service using biometric features such as a face or fingerprint is more secure than using a PIN or password. An individual’s physical characteristics cannot be copied, guessed, or phished, you always have them with you, cannot forget them, and do not have to write them down anywhere.
 More and more online services support Passkey. Passwordless login is particularly convenient if you use facial or finger recognition — for example via Windows Hello.
More and more online services support Passkey. Passwordless login is particularly convenient if you use facial or finger recognition — for example via Windows Hello.
IDG
More and more online services support Passkey. Passwordless login is particularly convenient if you use facial or finger recognition — for example via Windows Hello.
IDG
IDG
Recognition technology has evolved: The sensors analyze so many features that they can no longer be tricked by photos or rubber fingers. When logging in, the camera or finger sensors compare the currently captured features with the stored features that they saved when setting up face or finger recognition.
These files are usually secured with 256-bit encryption so that no one who steals a notebook or external biometric hardware such as a USB camera or USB finger sensor can read them and use them for authentication.
Logging in with your face or finger instead of a password now makes particular sense: More and more manufacturers and online services are supporting passwordless authentication via Passkey, such as Amazon, Apple, Ebay, Google, Microsoft, and Paypal. You can find a list at go.skimresources.com.
With Passkey, you no longer have to enter a password in an app or website to log in. Instead, an individual key is created for each service, which is securely stored locally on your computer or smartphone — in the TPM (Trusted Platform Module) on a Windows computer, for example.
For example, if you have protected your Amazon account on your laptop with a passkey and then access this website on your laptop, it will request this key. You must then authorize the TPM to release it: You can do this easily using biometric authentication with your face or finger.
Is the PC ready for biometric logon?You don’t need to buy additional biometric hardware if your computer already has it on board. There’s a good chance that your laptop has either a suitable camera or a finger sensor, as around half of all reasonably modern laptops are equipped with one.
 You can check the Device Manager to see whether biometric hardware is installed in the computer: A camera for facial recognition appears here as a biometric device and as an IR camera.
You can check the Device Manager to see whether biometric hardware is installed in the computer: A camera for facial recognition appears here as a biometric device and as an IR camera.
Foundry
You can check the Device Manager to see whether biometric hardware is installed in the computer: A camera for facial recognition appears here as a biometric device and as an IR camera.
Foundry
Foundry
To check whether this is the case with your computer, first take a look at the technical data or the manual. It should be listed there if there is a camera for facial recognition — in most cases, the manufacturers describe it as an “IR camera.” They capture the face with invisible infrared rays and recognize the shape of the face through the reflected rays.
They also have a depth sensor. This ensures that face recognition works well in different lighting conditions and cannot be cancelled out by a photo due to the depth information.
You can usually recognize the IR camera by the fact that there are additional lenses next to the front camera, usually in the display lid above the screen on a notebook.
The position of the finger sensor should also be described in the manual if the computer has one. On older laptops, the sensor is often located as a small rectangular field to the right of the touchpad; current laptops often integrate it into the power button or elsewhere on the keyboard.
 To be able to use Windows Hello, you must be logged in with a Microsoft account and have set up a PIN for Windows login.
To be able to use Windows Hello, you must be logged in with a Microsoft account and have set up a PIN for Windows login.
Foundry
To be able to use Windows Hello, you must be logged in with a Microsoft account and have set up a PIN for Windows login.
Foundry
Foundry
Windows has been using the “Windows Hello” function for biometric logon since Win 10. You can therefore simply check whether biometric hardware is available on a Windows computer in the system settings: Open Accounts > Sign-in options. Then tap on “Face recognition” and “Fingerprint recognition”: If the computer has the hardware for this, the “Set up” button will appear, otherwise Windows will inform you that it has not found a suitable device.
You can also check in the Device Manager whether biometric hardware is already present on your PC: You will find the entry for an IR camera in the “Cameras” section, a finger sensor usually appears under “Biometric devices.”
If your computer has the appropriate hardware, you should definitely carry out Windows updates to update the corresponding drivers before using biometric logon on the computer.
 If you use a camera not only for Windows Hello but also for frequent video meetings, a high resolution, such as that provided by the Logitech Brio Stream with 4K, can be advantageous.
If you use a camera not only for Windows Hello but also for frequent video meetings, a high resolution, such as that provided by the Logitech Brio Stream with 4K, can be advantageous.
IDG
If you use a camera not only for Windows Hello but also for frequent video meetings, a high resolution, such as that provided by the Logitech Brio Stream with 4K, can be advantageous.
IDG
IDG
Windows shows in the settings whether it has detected hardware for face or finger recognition. It can then be set up for Windows Hello.
Security gaps with biometricsComplete security cannot be achieved even with biometric hardware. Although recognition now works very reliably, the camera or sensor must communicate with the operating system so that Windows can authorize services protected by biometrics, for example.
This is where many hackers come in and try to manipulate this connection by forcing their way between the biometric hardware and Windows, similar to a man-in-the-middle attack in a network, in order to trick the operating system into recognizing them even though the camera or finger sensor has not done so.
In this way, even current and otherwise secure sensors can be tricked with match-on-chip technology: They store the biometric data themselves so that it is more difficult to intercept. However, the biometric hardware should also support SDCP — a security protocol that Microsoft has developed specifically for data exchange between biometric hardware and Windows. This was not the case with the attacked sensors.
For many users, these attacks pose no risk, as the attacker must have access to the computer with the biometric hardware. However, these security gaps are an additional reason to regularly check for driver and firmware updates.
Set up biometrics hardware correctlyWhen setting up a new computer with biometric hardware, Windows prompts you to activate it. If you skip this step initially, you can activate face or finger recognition at any time afterwards.
To do this, go back to Accounts > Sign-in options in the Windows settings. Click on the “Face recognition” or “Fingerprint recognition” option — depending on which method your computer supports. If you have not yet activated any other logins on your computer, you must now set a password and PIN. Only then can you start the biometric login via “Set up,” which you must then confirm with a PIN.
You can then use the PIN and password as a workaround if biometric recognition does not work — for example, if you injure your login finger.
For facial recognition, you need to look into your computer’s camera for around 10 seconds and hold your face within the rectangle displayed. The infrared sensors will usually flash. Once the camera has saved enough features to recognize you, the setup is complete.
You can use the “Improve recognition” option to carry out the process again — for example, with or without glasses. This will ensure that the system recognizes you in any case. You can also do this later at any time using the corresponding option under “Face recognition.”
Proceed in a similar way with a finger sensor: When you place your finger on it, the areas that have been recognized turn blue. Windows gives you additional tips during setup to ensure that the finger is recognized optimally — for example, by repeatedly placing it on the sensor or positioning it at different angles.
With “Set up additional finger,” you can store additional fingerprints for login.
If you no longer want to use biometric logon later, click on “Remove” in the corresponding logon method — Windows will then delete the identification data stored in the device.
Simply retrofitIf your computer does not have a camera or finger sensor, you can simply retrofit the biometric function with an external device. You connect the camera or finger sensor to the computer via USB and then work with it just as if the hardware was built into the computer.
You should therefore select a peripheral device for which your computer has a suitable connection: Most current cameras and finger sensors have a USB Type-C connection, older ones Type-A. If the appropriate ports on your PC or notebook are not available or are already occupied, the devices will also work with an adapter — some type C devices, for example, come with an adapter for type A.
 An external USB finger sensor with a cable connection such as the Kensington Verimark Desktop is recommended for desktop computers: You can position it flexibly to reach the sensor surface quickly.
An external USB finger sensor with a cable connection such as the Kensington Verimark Desktop is recommended for desktop computers: You can position it flexibly to reach the sensor surface quickly.
IDG
An external USB finger sensor with a cable connection such as the Kensington Verimark Desktop is recommended for desktop computers: You can position it flexibly to reach the sensor surface quickly.
IDG
IDG
The biometric hardware must also support Windows Hello so that you can use it on the Windows computer for Passkey, for example. You should be able to find a corresponding note in the technical data.
Please note: Even if a camera supports facial recognition — for example via its own software — this does not necessarily mean that it also works with Windows Hello.
Recommended cameras cost between $50 and $180, depending on resolution, features and workmanship. In the lower price range up to around 120 euros, you will find models with full HD resolution, while prices for cameras with 4K resolution start above this.
The resolution is irrelevant for biometric recognition. However, as you will probably also be using this camera for video conferences and video telephony, a higher resolution will make you look better on these occasions.
 A monitor with a built-in biometric camera is recommended for the office: with a 24-inch diagonal, these models, such as the AOC 24P3QW, cost around $200.
A monitor with a built-in biometric camera is recommended for the office: with a 24-inch diagonal, these models, such as the AOC 24P3QW, cost around $200.
IDG
A monitor with a built-in biometric camera is recommended for the office: with a 24-inch diagonal, these models, such as the AOC 24P3QW, cost around $200.
IDG
IDG
More expensive cameras offer more display options: They support autofocus, for example, so that you don’t have to worry about moving in the frame. Extensive zoom support or a wide field of view beyond 90 degrees are also plus points.
Other cameras, on the other hand, allow you to restrict the field of view so that the person you are talking to can only see you and not your surroundings.
best budget windows hello camera
NexiGo HelloCam Pro
Price When Reviewed: $79.99
Best Prices Today: $79.99 at NexiGo | $89.99 at Amazon
Another distinguishing feature is the microphone: Not all biometric cameras have one built in — these models are recommended for users who already have a high-quality microphone in or on their computer. Cameras with a visor or cover provide a better sense of security because you can close the lens when you are not using it.
However, if you are mainly using the camera for biometric recognition and, at most, for private video meetings, the cheapest models will suffice.
If you prefer a stationary camera that you want to use with different computers, a monitor with a built-in Windows Hello camera is recommended: 24-inch displays with this equipment cost between $200 and $300.
External finger sensors cost between $40 and $70. There are models for desktop PCs and laptops: You connect the desktop models to the computer with a longer cable. You can then position the sensor in the optimum place on the desk.
The notebook variants look like short USB sticks with an external surface for your finger to rest on. They can remain permanently attached to the laptop and are therefore particularly suitable for mobile use. Depending on the equipment, there are additional features in the sensor classes, for example a status LED that indicates directly on the sensor whether the biometric enrolment has worked.
Manufacturers provide detailed data on recognition performance, especially for biometric hardware for business use: In the technical information you will then find values for FAR, FRR, and TAR. FAR stands for the false acceptance rate if the sensor enrolls a person even though their biometric data does not match the stored data.
FRR is the false rejection rate for the reverse case, when the correct person is not registered. TAR represents the value for correct logins.
Microsoft specifies certain values for hardware so that it can be used for Windows Hello — for example, FAR below 0.001 percent and TAR above 95 percent. If you want to be particularly sure, you can choose a model whose manufacturer specifies better values for its product.
How to solve problems easilyIf the biometric login is causing difficulties, you should first check for software updates, as with all security-relevant hardware: Therefore, install all available Windows updates as well as the latest drivers and firmware for the biometric hardware.
Windows Hello also only works if you are logged in with a Microsoft account: Recognition via this system function does not work with a local user account.
Another cause of problems when logging into Windows fails, even though the camera or sensor appears to recognize you, may be the TPM: This security chip in the computer stores the biometric data and keys for Passkey, so logging in will fail if it does not work.
Therefore, go to “Update & Security” (Windows 10) or “Privacy and Security” (Windows 11) in the Windows settings and then to Windows Security > Device Security. There, click on “Security chip details.” If the status in this menu is “Ready,” everything is fine.
Otherwise, click on “Troubleshoot security chip” to delete its contents. You will then need to set up the biometric login again.
 A finger sensor that can remain in the USB port is recommended for notebooks: This means it is always with you when you are on the move and can be used for mobile biometric logon.
A finger sensor that can remain in the USB port is recommended for notebooks: This means it is always with you when you are on the move and can be used for mobile biometric logon.
IDG
A finger sensor that can remain in the USB port is recommended for notebooks: This means it is always with you when you are on the move and can be used for mobile biometric logon.
IDG
IDG
There are often hardware problems with facial recognition if you use several cameras on a computer — for example, an external biometric USB camera together with the one built into the notebook lid.
Windows then often gets tangled up and activates the integrated camera, even though you need the external one to log in to Windows Hello, for example — this happens especially after the computer has woken up from sleep or hibernation mode.
The easiest way to solve this problem is to switch off the built-in camera. This can be done in the Windows settings under Bluetooth and devices > Cameras > Integrated Camera > Deactivate.
Alternatively, you can also use the Windows Device Manager: Right-click on the entry for the camera there and select “Disable device” from the context menu that appears.
Incidentally, it is not a mistake if a biometric camera appears twice in the Device Manager: You will then see one entry as a camera and another as an IR camera. This is because one piece of hardware is responsible for capturing images and the other for biometric recognition. |
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| From: S. maltophilia | 10/10/2024 5:07:58 PM | | | | | | .....The sudden explosion in popularity of AI Hawk means that we now live in a world where people are using AI-generated resumes and cover letters to automatically apply for jobs, many of which will be reviewed by automated AI software (and where people are sometimes interviewed by AI), creating a bizarre loop where humans have essentially been removed from the job application and hiring process. Essentially, robots are writing cover letters for other robots to read, with uncertain effects for human beings who ....
404media.co |
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| From: Don Green | 10/11/2024 10:58:41 AM | | | | | | Fracking and Politics in Pennsylvania: Assessing the Economic Impact of the Shale Revolution in Pennsylvania
A couple of things. First, Pennsylvania is a large and economically diverse state. Philadelphia is the sixth-largest city in the nation by population, and other cities such as Pittsburgh, Allentown, and Harrisburg thrive on information technology, healthcare, financial services, and other economic sectors. By contrast, most natural gas production in Pennsylvania occurs in rural communities such as Bradford, Greene, Susquehanna, and Washington Counties. In those places, the industry plays a larger role in the local economy, but statewide, other sectors dwarf the oil and gas industry.
Second, most of the largest operators in Pennsylvania are headquartered in other states. Of the five largest natural gas producers in Pennsylvania (EQT, Chesapeake Energy, Coterra Energy, Range Resources, and Southwestern Energy), just one (EQT) is based in the state. As a result, the lion’s share of profits and many of the best-paying corporate positions wind up in Houston, Fort Worth, or Oklahoma City.
Third, natural gas prices in Pennsylvania have been depressed by at least two factors. First, a lack of pipeline infrastructure has made it difficult for operators to access markets in the Northeast and elsewhere, putting downward pressure on the prices received by Marcellus producers. Second, booming oil production in the Permian Basin has brought with it a wave of associated natural gas, pushing prices down for natural gas across the United States. This price change has outsized effects in the Marcellus, where “dry” gas (i.e., methane) dominates, and relatively few wells produce substantial quantities of higher-value liquids.
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| From: Don Green | 10/11/2024 5:09:38 PM | | | | | | Why Is My 5G Connection So Slow?
Key Takeaways
- Slow 5G speeds aren't necessarily a hardware issue, so don't rush off to replace your hardware.
- The most likely causes are too many people trying to use the same connection tower, being too far from a tower, and nearby physical disruptions (trees, buildings, etc.).
- Some carrier data plans also include data caps, which could result in slower speeds once you exceed your monthly limit.
Despite being hyped up as a faster cellular data network, there are times you may experience slower 5G speeds. Don't worry, it's not just you. This can happen for a number of reasons, most of which are out of your control.
It's Not Your FaultThe good news is, if you’re experiencing slower than usual 5G speeds, it’s very unlikely that the problem is on your end of the connection. While hardware issues can technically crop up with 5G smartphones and 5G routers, the network itself (or the network’s signal) is the more likely culprit. So don’t resort to buying a replacement right away.
Circumstances Matter
5G networks are still in the process of growing, so access can still be somewhat spotty, depending on location. Being too far away from a 5G tower or trying to use a 5G connection in an area surrounded by tall buildings or trees can reduce effectiveness and affect speeds. And since 5G towers aren’t quite as prevalent as, say, LTE towers, traffic can cause a metaphorical bottleneck that gums up the works and slows speeds down for everyone.
Signal Fluctuation Is NormalAdditionally, 5G signals come in three primary varieties that are usually cycled through, based on signal strength: mmWave, mid-band, and low-band. Low-band is the slowest but most reliable (i.e. has the best range and is far less prone to distortion), mid-band sits in the middle, and mmWave is the fastest but also the most susceptible to signal interruptions. You can definitely experience a slowdown as your 5G connection switches to a slower (but stronger) signal.
Sometimes It’s the Carrier
Your carrier could also have a hand in slowing down your 5G data speeds. Many plans—even “unlimited” ones—set specific data thresholds. In some cases, exceeding these thresholds would result in additional fees tacked onto your monthly bill, but it’s become increasingly common for providers to “throttle” connection speeds instead. So, thumb through your cellular data plan for data caps, check your data usage, and compare the two. If you’ve gone over the limit, the slower speeds are likely intentional.
As 5G steadily becomes more prevalent, more towers are set up in a wider variety of locations, and more carriers slowly nudge it into place over LTE, speeds are far more likely to remain fast and steady. For now, though, we’ll have to endure the occasional (or common, depending on your situation) disappointing 5G connection. Or switch over to Wi-Fi when the option is available. |
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| From: Don Green | 10/12/2024 8:34:20 AM | | | | | | Windows 11 version 24H2 is basically Windows 12, and here's why
João CarrasqueiraPublished Oct 11,2024
Windows 11 version 24H2 is a very interesting update. Of course, it's the big annual update for Windows 11 this year, but it's also more than that. Prior to it being officially announced, we thought for a while this would be Windows 12, but Microsoft seemingly changed its internal plans at some point and decided to label it as an update to Windows 11.
But in the end, I'd argue this is still very much Windows 12 — it's just disguised as an update. Here's why.
Related
The Windows 11 2024 Update is now available — here's what's new and why it's not Windows 12 The Windows 11 2024 Update will bring a ton of changes to the operating system, including better support for Arm devices.
The three-year cycle It lines up
From the early days of Windows 12 speculation, the belief was always that Windows was sort of returning to the old system of releasing major updates every three years. I mean, this was the case for a good while, too. Windows Vista released in 2006, followed by Windows 7 in 2009, then Windows 8 in 2012, and finally Windows 10 in 2015. This pattern was only broken when Windows transitioned to the "Windows as a Service" model, where updates were released continuously for the same OS without requiring a paid upgrade.
Windows 10 used this new distribution method during its lifetime until Windows 11 was introduced in 2021, which brought back the blockbuster release with a new coat of paint and massive changes all around. It was a bit different, since it was still a free update, but the new system requirements meant that many users probably had to pay for a new PC to get Windows 11 anyway.
With the rumored return of the three-year cycle, we were expecting Windows 12 to land in 2024, so the timing lines up perfectly.
It's a full OS swap A much bigger update than before When you hear talk about Windows updates, you may sometimes hear the term "full OS swap" thrown around, but it doesn't happen all the time. Even feature updates for Windows are very often built on the same foundation, what is sometimes called the Windows platform, with new features being stacked on top. Prior to version 24H2, the last time a new Windows platform was introduced was with Windows 11 itself back in 2021. Updates like version 22H2 and version 23H2, while big in terms of features, were all built on that same platform.
That's not the case with version 24H2. This new update is built on a totally new platform, codenamed Germanium, which means there are massive under-the-hood changes to the operating system. They may not be reflected in things you can see, necessarily, but they're fundamental. For example, one of the big improvements with this release is much better optimization for Arm devices, which is why this update launched preinstalled on Snapdragon X series PCs, even though the feature set wasn't completely finished. And you can see that reports from users also indicate the operating system is snappier now, even on older machines.
Updating the Windows platform isn't something that's done on a whim, so it's a good indication that this is still a whole new Windows version at its heart.
It's a free update, but is it? What are existing PCs really getting? Here's the thing, though. While this is a major update under the hood, and it is available for free, you have to take a look at what you're actuallygetting here. This is an operating system that looks the same as before, and in terms of new features for existing PCs, there's nothing here that really says this is a brand-new operating system.
The ability to compress files in different formats and compression levels? A great addition, but it's really just building on the support for new archive types added in version 23H2. Sudo support in Windows Terminal? Definitely a cool addition, too, but hardly a game-changing thing.
Truthfully, while Windows 11 version 24H2 is a free update for everyone running Windows 11, it's not really changing the experience much for existing PCs, which is the way it would have been when a new Windows version released before Windows 10.
You need to buy a new PC Just as it used to be
When we had a new version of Windows release every three years, it was technically possible to upgrade from one to the next if you were willing to buy a new Windows license. But of course, most people didn't really do that. What happened most often is that you'd get a new version of Windows when you bought a new computer, which included the license you needed. That's how Windows upgrades worked for most people.
And with Windows 11 version 24H2, it's basically the same thing. The update is available for existing PCs, but there's very little that's groundbreaking there. All the big news are part of Copilot+, and all those features require a new PC with a processor that includes an NPU with over 40TOPS of performance. You have to buy a computer launched after June 18, 2024 (or even later, if you want to get an AMD or Intel PC) to get all the new features, and that's very reminiscent of what it felt like buying a new laptop with a new version of Windows. Copilot+ is essentially Windows 12 with all the features it introduces.
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To be fair, right now, what Copilot+ adds is sort of questionable, but you get live captions with real-time translation, and the ability to generate images using words without needing an internet connection. On a fundamental level, that's a big breakthrough. And with features like Recall, Click To Do, and generative fill coming in the future, those features are starting to add up, and they're all going to be exclusive to those new PCs.
Will we ever get a proper Windows 12? To be clear, none of this is criticism towards Microsoft (though I already did that with a separate article a few months ago). This approach is basically the solution Microsoft found to still incentivize people to buy new computers while not leaving old hardware completely in the dust, which is something it was heavily criticized for when Windows 11 came out, and I think it makes total sense. You don't abandon your existing userbase, but you still create an incentive for people to buy new PCs, which makes hardware partners happy.
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Microsoft is missing an opportunity by not releasing Windows 12 this year The next big Windows update isn't called Windows 12, but Microsoft would benefit if it was. Here's why.
But this does make me wonder if Microsoft ever plans to make a proper new operating system called Windows 12. I believe it will probably happen eventually. After all, we thought Windows 10 was going to be the last version, too. But if these fundamental underlying changes weren't enough in Microsoft's eyes to justify that transition, what changes would do it? Maybe a new UI paradigm is the biggest deciding factor. Or maybe the rumored Windows Core OS and its modular approach is what will do it. Only time will tell |
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| From: Don Green | 10/12/2024 9:23:05 AM | | | | | | Power-Hungry PC? Here's How Much Electricity Your Computer ConsumesHow much does it cost to run your PC? It's not a one-size-fits-all answer, but here's how to measure how much electricity your home computer eats up.Whether you're worried about your carbon footprint or are just looking to take control of your electric bill, we all know we should put our computers to sleep when we're not using them. Still, it's easy to get lazy and leave them on all day long. No big deal, right? Not necessarily.
How much money are you actually wasting in electricity by doing that? It all comes down to where you live, your PC's internal components, and how you use the machine. After a few calculations, you should be able to figure it out.
Calculation FactorsThe cost of running your computer will vary widely from person to person, since there are a few contributing factors to keep in mind:
Location: In the US, the average cost of electricity is about 17 cents per kilowatt hour (KWh), a measurement of electricity usage over time. But electricity is more costly in certain areas than others. For example, Seattle averages 13 cents/KWh, while New York City sees about 27 cents/KWh, and San Diego costs 41 cents/KWh. So it helps to know what electricity costs in your city.
Time of Day: Electric companies bill their customers based on demand, so when there is an increased need, rates go up. This is where on-peak and off-peak hours come into play. For instance, electricity may be more expensive in the late afternoon (when people come home from work and school) than it is in the middle of the night. Exact hours and rates can differ based on location and company, so make sure to get specific information directly from your provider.
Time of Year: In the same way companies bill based on time of day, they also bill based on time of year. Prices can often rise in the summer and winter months due to our reliance on air conditioning and heating. You may then notice that prices can drop in the spring and fall.
PC Components: Obviously, a powerful gaming PC with top-of-the-line components will use more electricity under load than a Chromebook with a low-power CPU. If you have an expensive gaming rig with a discrete graphics card from Nvidia or AMD, you'll need more electricity to power it, and will pay more in turn.
Usage: Just because your PC is a beast with a 750-watt power supply doesn't mean it's going to use 750 watts all the time. Most PCs come with power-saving features that lower energy usage when the computer is idle, or doing basic tasks like browsing the web. So someone mining Bitcoin or folding@home is going to use more power than someone typing up Word documents on the exact same PC for the same number of hours each day.
Measure Your Electricity Usage (Credit: P3 International)
Since usage can vary so much from PC to PC (and person to person), the best way to find out your electricity cost is to measure it yourself. You can buy a simple Kill-A-Watt meter, and use it to measure just about anything in your house.
To measure your PC's usage, turn everything off, plug your PC into the Kill-A-Watt, then plug that into the wall. You may want to plug your entire surge protector into the Kill-A-Watt to measure the PC's energy usage, when including the monitor, speakers, and other peripherals.
Press the purple KWh button on the Kill-A-Watt meter, then turn the PC back on and use it as you normally would. Check the Kill-A-Watt once a day or so to make sure it hasn't lost power and reset to zero. Before recording any results, I recommend waiting a week so it has a good period of usage with which to work.
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Calculate Your Electricity Cost
From here, it's just a bit of simple math: Multiply the number you get from the Kill-A-Watt by the cost of electricity in your area (if your city uses tiered pricing based on time of day, just use the average rate for your city to get a ballpark figure). The result is how much your computer costs to run for one week.
For my tests, I left my computer on for about 12 hours each weekday—about eight of which it was in active use, since I work from home, and the other four it was left idle. Weekends saw only a few hours of use, with me letting the computer sleep most of the day.
A typical weekday's workload for me includes lots of web browsing and document writing, along with occasional gaming and other heavy workloads. At the end of the week, my Kill-A-Watt meter read 11.02 KWh of usage. Since the average cost of electricity is around 41 cents/KWh here in San Diego, my weekly cost is roughly: 11.02 KWh x $0.41/KWh = $4.51 per week, and so $4.51 x 52 weeks/year gives us a yearly estimate of $234.94 per year.
What to Make of the Results (Credit: Talaj / Getty Images)
Given that I let my computer idle for a few hours a day during this test, It's easy to see how putting my computer to sleep when I'm not using it could probably save me $30-$50 per year. That's nothing to sneeze at, but it's not exactly rent money, either. Still, your computer is just a small part of your total home power usage, so there are reasons—both environmental and financial—to conserve electricity.
Furthermore, most people will probably have a much lower yearly cost than me—possibly in the tens of dollars—if they only use their computers for a few hours a day or live in a cheaper city. The bottom line here is that you don't need to stress yourself out because you accidentally left the computer on last night. It probably won't make a huge dent in your bill. |
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