For Groups Management:

• BP Group Hierarchy: ” group creators to place a new group under an existing group. There is currently no limit to the depth of the group hierarchy.”
• BuddyPress Group Email Subscription:” allows people to receive email notifications of group activity, especially forum posts. Weekly or daily digests available. Each user can choose how they want to subscribe to their groups. “
• BP Group Management:  ”..site admins can manage BP group membership by banning, unbanning, promoting and demoting current members of any group, adding members to any group, and deleting groups.”
• BuddyPress External Group Blogs:  ”Give group creators and administrators on your BuddyPress install the ability to attach external blog RSS feeds to groups. Blog posts will appear within the activity stream for the group. New posts will automatically be pulled every hour, or every 30 minutes if someone specifically visits a group page.”

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An exciting triumph in nanotechnology has brought us one step closer to a quantum computing reality: scientists at the University of New South Wales in Sydney have successfully constructed a working transistor out of a single atom of Phosphorous deposited on a silicon substrate.

While single atom transistors aren’t an outright new creation, previous iterations have been stumbled upon by accident and the responsible scientists have been unable to replicate their results with any amount of certainty. The team, led by Professor Michelle Simmons, touts their single atom transistor as being the first that can be reliably created with atomic precision, which has profound implications for possible commercial production.

How Did They DO That??

The device was constructed using a combination of scanning tunneling microscopy and Hydrogen lithography. First, a very smooth silicon substrate can be mapped by measuring small variations in current as a fine metal tip is moved across the top layer of silicon atoms on the substrate surface. A single layer of Hydrogen atoms is deposited across the top of the silicon, and then single Hydrogen atoms can be removed by manipulating with precise pulse voltages. Phosphine gas is introduced to the reactive dangling Hydrogen bonds, and the result is a placement of a single Phosphorous atom to an unprecedented amount of accuracy. Once the Hydrogen is removed and the Phosphorous is encapsulated by more silicon and electrodes are attached to the ends of the atom, it becomes a working quantum transistor.

Keeping Up With The Mooreses

Atomic transistors are the holy grail for computing enthusiasts eager to keep up with Moore’s Law, which states that computing power doubles every 18 months (and has held true for about 50 years). Gordon Moore, for whom the law is named, believed that the limit of his theory existed in the quantum world, at which point it becomes physically impossible to fit more transistors into a defined space. This achievement sets us on a path to come in early against the predicted emergence of single-atom-based computers in 2020.

The Big Cost of Small Size

But don’t start high-fiving your physicist friends just yet: technology like this, especially in its early phases, comes at a high price tag. The equipment necessary to create the kind of environment that made production of this single-atom device possible is expensive to buy and to operate, and this doesn’t yet include the steps taken to design the lab itself. Professor Simmons mentions in her description of scanning tunneling microscopy technology that many of the failures seen by previous explorers in the field have been due to vibrations from the vacuum chamber pumps interfering with the nearby imaging equipment. As a result, the high vacuum equipment in her lab is placed on a concrete slab that floats independently of the building that houses the imaging technology next-door, and she estimates the cost of her project to be upwards of $3 million.

A paradigm shift from the classical regime to quantum programming would also mean a complete change in the way we think about software, as all current processors are based on transistors being able to occupy one of two states: 1 or 0, on or off. Quantum bits, or qubits (qbits), can occupy a range of states, as the state is based on electron spin. If quantum computing becomes a reality, it could in theory exponentially increase the speed at which we’re able to process data.

Professor Michelle Simmons describes the technology behind the single-atom transistor in the video below.

I’ve always struggled getting a good night’s sleep.  Be it insomnia, waking the wife when snoring, early alarms, struggling to wake up, not getting enough sleep, etc.  you name it… I’ve been through it and I’m sure many share similar experiences.  I was more than happy to try the Lark Sleep System. Anything to get a good night’s sleep would be worth a try.
 
 
 
 

What is the Lark?

The Lark Sleep System is a silent alarm clock and personal sleep coach. It consists of a Lark wristband, charging dock, and Lark Up app compatible with iPhone 4S, iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS,iPod touch, and iPad.   An Android version will also be out in the future.  The  wristband is worn at night and contains a micromotion sleep pattern sensor measuring thousands of data points per minute during sleep. Using special algorithms, the Lark determines sleep quality as you’re falling asleep, during sleep, and when you’re tossing and turning.  Initial set-up was fairly easy by downloading the app.  The app is free, however it requires you to open an account and asks personal questions to start a baseline profile.  The wristband needs to be charged and paired with the app.  The charging dock is also designed to hold your mobile device.

My Lark Expectations

My main goals were to improve sleep habits, get up without disturbing my wife, and minimize hitting the snooze button so many times.  My first night was the usual tossing and turning.  I woke up with the vibration signal on my wrist and it wasn’t too loud.  My wife was aware of the signal and was able to sleep right through it, as it was much quieter than the normal alarm on my iPhone.  The first major issue, the device doesn’t have a snooze button.   If you want a few extra minutes to sleep, you need to manually slide the snooze option on your mobile device.  When I finally woke up, I was surprised to see the results of my first night.  I supposedly slept for 5 hours, 44 minutes, woke up 14 times, took 57 minutes to fall asleep, and I slept fair.  For the most part the results seemed to be in check.  I’m not sure how the algorithm works, but I can’t remember waking up 14 times.  I continued with the trial for the next 7 days.  As the week went on, I became more conscious of my normal sleep routine.  I kept reminding myself I needed to get to bed early and I actually looked forward to hitting the sack. In a matter of a week my sleep habits started to improve.  I also managed to get up without disturbing my wife however still had trouble with the snooze. After a week, two out of three goals were met.

Before                                      After

After the free 7-day trial the app provides a summary of your sleep habits. There is also a coach’s assessment that determines your sleeper type and gives you advice to help improve your sleep habits.  My wife also had the opportunity to try for a week and she was quite pleased with the results. We both wish we could each have our own personal Lark.   The app also gives you an opportunity to upgrade to a paid pro version that gives unlimited assessments, goals/targets, daily observations, and tailored tips.  The system isn’t perfect and it’s a bit expensive, however if your having trouble getting a good nights sleep this could be worth the investment.

Pros

Cons

The Lark can be purchased for  around $100.00 from various sellers on Amazon or directly from Lark.

With many high speed chases that have caused numerous tragic ends, it was great to see this chase result in no injuries or deaths:

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Finding Free WiFi Hotspots

If you’re out with your laptop or mobile device, looking for a free place to connect, Wi-Fi-FreeSpot can help you find where to log on.

Connecting in the Air

In-flight wireless isn’t exactly cheap, but sometimes the ability to get online and do some work (or just distract yourself from the flight) is worth it.

GoGo for Less

If the prices for GoGo in-flight service strike you as a little steep, we have a couple tips that can make it more affordable.

Sadly, I’m not much of a gamer. I’d like to be, new releases like Mass Effect 3 look awesome, I just don’t seem to have the time to sit down for a really immersive game experience that will eat my weekend. Wish I did. But that’s where Angry Birds comes in for me. I play the game heavily in increments of just a few minutes or as many as 20 or 30. My biggest complaint with the game is not that it’s everywhere you look (a valid comment), but that there’s just not enough of it. Yes, I live in a world with tons of Angry Birds games and I just want more.

On March 22, Rovio will make me and other small scale gamers happy with the release of a new title, Angry Birds Space. The title is about all we know about it so far, but we can imagine some very different physics in a game governed by them. Angry Birds Rio showed that the developers could work a good mix of old and new to get a redesigned game that still appealed to the core fans, and used the skills they had developed. I think I speak for a few people around the office when I say, I’m looking forward to the final frontier. Will you be joining us on this space odyssey?

(via Rovio Blog)

Should You Buy a Volt?

Are you interested in a Chevrolet Volt? First things first, there are considerations that might rule this car out or make it perfect for you.

Tech in the Volt

The Volt is a car filled with technology and that is very apparent as you drive. But there are so many buttons, it’s easy to hit the wrong one.

Lots of Storage Compartments

If you have lots of things like pens, sunglasses, and Chinese take out containers in your car, you’ll be glad to know the Volt has a bunch a great little storage compartments throughout the cabin.

Driver Information

The Volt’s touchscreen display will keep you well informed of your energy level, so you’ll know when you’re about to go off of electricity and onto the gas engine.

USB Connectivity

The USB jack between the front seats allows you to plug your iPod directly into the car’s sound system.

How to Maximize Range

John gives some tips on how to maximize the Volt’s range. Just like with gas, the way you drive an electric car can affect how far you can go.

Different Kinds of “Electric Cars”

What makes the Volt different than the Nissan Leaf or the Toyota Prius? We walk you through the different kinds of cars that use electricity to power them and how to decide which (if any) is right for you.

Comparing Cost of the Car to Gas Money Saved

Your gas usage will vary depending on your driving style and distances between recharge stops. I averaged over 250 MPG while John averaged almost 90 MPG. We talk about the different driving styles that affect mileage and how to determine whether the savings will make this car right for you.

LEGO and Minecraft. Two great geek loves that go great together, at least in concept, right? Well, you can forget the mere conceptual nature of the pairing. Thanks to LEGO Cuusoo, the LEGO project that accepts project requests and makes the most popular ideas a reality, LEGO Minecraft is a reality (or micro-world) that will be available shortly.

Mojang, the company behind Minecraft, has marked the announcement with an odd but compelling video. Check it out below.

It’s been a good week for LEGO stories! Will you be getting LEGO Minecraft, or heard of more LEGO news we’ve missed? Let us know in the comments. As for me, there’s lots more I could say about this, but I really need to drop another mine shaft to find some iron and maybe diamonds…

(via Joystiq)

What you see above is the first version of a new keyboard design from a geekhack.org (a keyboard enthusiast forum) user called [dmw]. He has posted a pseudo build-log on the forums of his work and I must say that I am impressed. The Humble Hacker Keyboard is minimalist in aesthetics, feature-rich and just plain cool to look at.

Sporting features like hand separation, multi-layering (it has 4 function layer switches) and full-programmability this keyboard is sure to please most nerds out there. Even better, the whole thing is based on the Teensy++ Arduino development board! To add to all of this the keys are based around the satisfyingly clicky ALPS-style switch. If you’ve ever used one of the now legendary IBM Model M keyboards then I am sure you can appreciate the way that typing on a well-crafted keyboard feels. If you have not then I am afraid that we can no longer be friends… I’m sorry, that’s just the way it is.

You can check out [dmw's] build-log here or visit the still under construction website he has made for the keyboard here. No word on availability yet or even if these will be produced and sold but one can hope!

Like the keyboard? Have a favorite that you’d like to share? Tell us about it in the comments section below!

Geek Beat’s Blooper Reel

We’re seasoned professionals here at the studio, but sometimes things go wrong, the plans falls apart, or Cali momentarily loses her command of spoken language. We hope you enjoy our collection of some of those moments from the last few months.