Tech Talk NEW: Starship SN10 Flight Recap in 4K, Dolby Atmos car, Auto HDR on pc's

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  • Fire_and_Ice_ReturnsFire_and_Ice_Returns I am trying to get away from this mountan!
    edited February 2021 Posts: 23,102
    My girlfriend recently got a used AppleWatch from her father, when he upgraded to a newer model and there are quite a few interesting if ultimately inconsequential things one can do with those.
    The fitness and sleep trackingI guess is more or less the same as other types of tracking devices. Getting notifications on your wrist and being able to start and stop music playing without taking the phone out of your pocket is nice, too. Some of the custom watch faces are helpful, like having graph of sun's path and when dusk will hit. That came in handy on a recent hike. The most used feature at the moment might be to make the phone emmit a sound, to help finding it. As I said, interesting, but hardly consequential.

    I guess we've never seen Bond with a smart watch (well, with a modern smart watch anyway) because Omega doesn't produce one. Could be an interesting side-battlefield, if Apple does end up purchasing MGM and then try to crowbar their products into the films without upsetting Omega, who are I assume the most important product partner EON has next to Aston Martin.

    I looked at the premium watches £250 and upward. The one I got had a double discount so was only £17 and appears to have much of the same functions.

    I also noticed a handy phone camera control on mine, I can position the mobile phone where I want it and take photos from a distance using the FitnessTracker Band as a remote.

    I think a lot of the functions are gimmicky though I think it depends on what a person uses it for. It will be great for me whilst cycling.

    Regarding Bond it would be like an upgrade of PB's Bond phone in TND. There is definately potential there having a smart watch as a Q gadget.

    Right, the camera stuff is pretty neat, too.

    It is wild how a lot of stuff we saw in Bond films over the decades as completely fancyful is now just packed into a generally affordable consumer product. Which might be one of the reason's the Bond people have shied away from smartphones and smartwatches (apart from a generel lowering of the emphasis on gadgets from CR onwards and the fact that the latest Bond film was released only a handful of months after the first AppleWatch!). They are just a little bit too mass market. The difference between an AppleWatch and an Omega is a bit like the difference between a Tesla S and an Aston Martin DB11. Both are expensive products, but one is generally attainable while the other is real luxury.

    Agree Bond are wise to stay away from every day gadgets unless they are utilized in a very innovative way.
    ---
    Well this was bound to happen.. AirPop Mask
    AIRPOP_ACTIVEHALO_WEBSITE_HEADERS_7-01.jpg
    Tracks breathing rate and identifies pollutants assess quality of the air amongst other things.
    £150 no thanks.
  • 007InAction007InAction Australia
    edited February 2021 Posts: 2,341
    SpaceX Starship SN9 EXPLODES
    The second flight of a prototype of Elon Musk's next-generation Starship rocket, meant for eventual trips to Mars, was picture-perfect right up until the landing, which like the test of an earlier prototype ended in a fiery explosion.
  • 007InAction007InAction Australia
    edited February 2021 Posts: 2,341
    The best antivirus software for 2021
    https://www.cnet.com/how-to/best-antivirus/

    I just use Microsoft Defender which seems to be doing a good enough job.
    Anyone get any virus on your pc lately ?

    Best remote car starters for 2021
    Want to make sure your car is warm (or cool) enough before you get in? These remote car starters can help you out.
    https://www.cnet.com/roadshow/news/best-remote-car-starter/
  • Fire_and_Ice_ReturnsFire_and_Ice_Returns I am trying to get away from this mountan!
    edited February 2021 Posts: 23,102
    The best antivirus software for 2021
    https://www.cnet.com/how-to/best-antivirus/

    I just use Microsoft Defender which seems to be doing a good enough job.
    Anyone get any virus on your pc lately ?

    Best remote car starters for 2021
    Want to make sure your car is warm (or cool) enough before you get in? These remote car starters can help you out.
    https://www.cnet.com/roadshow/news/best-remote-car-starter/

    I use Norton 360 security Suite on my PC, Tablets and Phone which includes a VPN, been using it several years. Its not exactly cheap so was considering switching to something else... assuming I remember before it get renews. I also use Malwarebytes on my PC.

    I rely on Defender on my small Laptop as the Laptop is ring fenced so no real security issues etc.

    I use AVG Anti Virus on my Amazon HD Fire Tablet, the free version.
  • 007InAction007InAction Australia
    Posts: 2,341
    The best antivirus software for 2021
    https://www.cnet.com/how-to/best-antivirus/

    I just use Microsoft Defender which seems to be doing a good enough job.
    Anyone get any virus on your pc lately ?

    Best remote car starters for 2021
    Want to make sure your car is warm (or cool) enough before you get in? These remote car starters can help you out.
    https://www.cnet.com/roadshow/news/best-remote-car-starter/

    I use Norton 360 security Suite on my PC, Tablets and Phone which includes a VPN, been using it several years. Its not exactly cheap so was considering switching to something else... assuming I remember before it get renews. I also use Malwarebytes on my PC.

    I rely on Defender on my small Laptop as the Laptop is ring fenced so no real security issues etc.

    I use AVG Anti Virus on my Amazon HD Fire Tablet, the free version.

    What do you use the Tablet for ?
    I am after some new tech but there's not much out there that interests me atm.
  • Fire_and_Ice_ReturnsFire_and_Ice_Returns I am trying to get away from this mountan!
    edited February 2021 Posts: 23,102
    The best antivirus software for 2021
    https://www.cnet.com/how-to/best-antivirus/

    I just use Microsoft Defender which seems to be doing a good enough job.
    Anyone get any virus on your pc lately ?

    Best remote car starters for 2021
    Want to make sure your car is warm (or cool) enough before you get in? These remote car starters can help you out.
    https://www.cnet.com/roadshow/news/best-remote-car-starter/

    I use Norton 360 security Suite on my PC, Tablets and Phone which includes a VPN, been using it several years. Its not exactly cheap so was considering switching to something else... assuming I remember before it get renews. I also use Malwarebytes on my PC.

    I rely on Defender on my small Laptop as the Laptop is ring fenced so no real security issues etc.

    I use AVG Anti Virus on my Amazon HD Fire Tablet, the free version.

    What do you use the Tablet for ?
    I am after some new tech but there's not much out there that interests me atm.

    I have one of my Tablets (Sony) on a extended arm in my kitchen I use that one for watching Sky or YouTube etc when in my kitchen.

    HD Fire Tablet is on a similar stand next to my PC, I use that as an extra screen sometimes or take it of the stand to read books.

    When I have upgraded I re purpose older Tablets, I used one as a Digital photo screen.

    I have 12 screens in total in my place; 4 monitors (2 are Laptop screens), 2 TV's, 2 Echo Show's and 4 Tablets. Its sounds overkill though I actually use 10 of them on a regular basis. They come in handy especially when there are multiple football games playing at the same time.
  • 007InAction007InAction Australia
    Posts: 2,341
    On Feb. 18, NASA's latest Mars rover will try for a dramatic touchdown on the red planet.
    https://www.cnet.com/news/nasa-perseverance-rover-about-to-land-on-mars-soon-what-to-expect/
    Anyone going to watch this ?

  • DwayneDwayne New York City
    Posts: 2,598
    @007InAction ....Yes I will be watching...with fingers and toes crossed!!!! If you are interested, NASA TV will be broadcasting the pre-landing briefings on Tuesday and Wednesday (1:00 EST).

    GO Perseverance !!!!
  • NickTwentyTwoNickTwentyTwo Vancouver, BC, Canada
    Posts: 7,518
    Awesome! I didn’t even know this was happening.
  • 007InAction007InAction Australia
    Posts: 2,341
    Dwayne wrote: »
    @007InAction ....Yes I will be watching...with fingers and toes crossed!!!! If you are interested, NASA TV will be broadcasting the pre-landing briefings on Tuesday and Wednesday (1:00 EST).

    GO Perseverance !!!!

    I don't know what time that is in Melbourne time. I'll have to work it out.
  • DwayneDwayne New York City
    Posts: 2,598

    I don't know what time that is in Melbourne time. I'll have to work it out.

    If you miss them, several space websites record and post them. So you should be able to view them later. I'll try to link them here. The details on the 2/16 media briefings:

    Tuesday, Feb. 16

    1 p.m. – News conference: Mission Engineering and Technology Overview, featuring:Thomas Zurbuchen, NASA associate administrator for science, NASA Headquarters

    Jennifer Trosper, Perseverance deputy project manager, JPL
    Adam Steltzner, Perseverance chief engineer, JPL
    Erisa Stilley, Perseverance entry, descent, and landing systems engineer, JPL
    Trudy Kortes, director of technology demonstrations, NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD), NASA Headquarters
    Jeff Sheehy, chief engineer, STMD, NASA Headquarters
    MiMi Aung, Ingenuity project manager, JPL

    3:30 p.m. – News conference: Mission Science Overview, featuring:

    Lori Glaze, director, NASA’s Planetary Science Division, NASA Headquarters
    Ken Williford, Perseverance deputy project scientist, JPL
    Katie Stack Morgan, Perseverance deputy project scientist, JPL
    Luther Beegle, principal investigator, Scanning Habitable Environments with Raman & Luminescence for Organics & Chemicals (SHERLOC) instrument, JPL
    Jim Bell, principal investigator, Mastcam-Z instrument, Arizona State University, Tempe
    Sylvestre Maurice, deputy principal investigator, SuperCam instrument, Institut de Recherche Astrophysique et Planétologie, Toulouse, France

    Also note, that there are media briefings on Wednesday (2/17) as well.
  • DwayneDwayne New York City
    Posts: 2,598
    As promised @007Inaction. These are the mission briefings from earlier today (2/16/2021). A final set of pre-landing media updates will be given on Wednesday, starting at (1:00 PM EST).

    Engineering & Tech Overview – NASA Perseverance Mars Rover


    Science Overview – NASA Perseverance Mars Rover

    You can go here to download the various NASA press kits on the mission.
    https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/press_kits/mars_2020/

    Glad to know that I’m not the only one here that will be biting my nails off on Thursday afternoon. The actual landing is scheduled for 3:55 PM EST – although there may be a delay in receiving confirmation.

    PS: Do you want to move this discussion over to the "Space Exploration" thread?
    Thanks
  • 007InAction007InAction Australia
    edited February 2021 Posts: 2,341
    Dwayne wrote: »
    As promised @007Inaction. These are the mission briefings from earlier today (2/16/2021). A final set of pre-landing media updates will be given on Wednesday, starting at (1:00 PM EST).

    Engineering & Tech Overview – NASA Perseverance Mars Rover


    Science Overview – NASA Perseverance Mars Rover

    You can go here to download the various NASA press kits on the mission.
    https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/press_kits/mars_2020/

    Glad to know that I’m not the only one here that will be biting my nails off on Thursday afternoon. The actual landing is scheduled for 3:55 PM EST – although there may be a delay in receiving confirmation.

    PS: Do you want to move this discussion over to the "Space Exploration" thread?
    Thanks

    Thanks for that. 👍
    You're really into aren't you ? Did you watch all the mission briefings ?
    The landing will be the best part. If i don't watch it live i'll watch the replay.
    You can leave the discussion here if you like.

    Perseverance rover will arrive at Mars with a bang: How NASA will listen
    When NASA's Mars 2020 Perseverance rover lands on the surface of the red planet Thursday, it will be carrying a microphone that will, hopefully, manage to capture the sounds of its descent and touchdown. But that won't be the only device listening for Perseverance's arrival.

    https://www.cnet.com/news/perseverance-rover-will-arrive-at-mars-with-a-bang-how-nasa-will-listen/

    Here's the times across different timezones:

    Thurs, Feb 18

    USA: 11:15 a.m. PT / 2:15 p.m. ET
    Brazil: 4:15 p.m. (Rio)
    UK: 7:15 p.m.
    South Africa: 9:15 pm
    Russia: 10:15 pm (Moscow)
    United Arab Emirates: 11:15 pm

    Fri, Feb 19

    India: 12:45am
    China: 3:15am
    Japan: 4:15am
    Australia: 6:15am AEDT
  • DwayneDwayne New York City
    edited February 2021 Posts: 2,598
    Based on today’s mission briefings, things are still “go” for tomorrow’s landing at 3:55 PM EST.

    Ironically, the last “public event” that I attended before COVID-19 turned the world upside down, was a Mars Rover 2020 presentation (it hadn’t been given a name yet) at the Hayden Planetarium on March 2nd, 2020. And given what the world’s been through since that date, I really hope things go well.

    If anyone can pull it off, however, it’s the folks that you see during these briefings. For example, Jennifer Trosper (Perseverance deputy project manager) and Adam Steltzner, (Perseverance chief engineer) have worked on all of NASA’s Mars rover missions since the mid 1990’s. And in following their work on prior missions, I know that they have done everything humanly possible to ensure success. That said, I will be holding my breath tomorrow afternoon – as well as eating my “lucky peanuts.”

    Having grown up as part of the “Apollo Generation”, my interest in all things space goes back to childhood. Instead of drawing cars in the back of my notebook at school, I would draw rockets and spaceships! And when I got a little older, I learned just enough about the underlying math (and the political and historical context of these things), to really appreciate the amount of work involved.
  • 007InAction007InAction Australia
    Posts: 2,341
    The eagle has landed.
  • DwayneDwayne New York City
    edited February 2021 Posts: 2,598
    The eagle has landed.

    Yes!!!!

    Watched it in real time and let out a loud cheer

    Watching the post-landing news conference now. The first images from the Lo-Res HAS-CAM has already been released.

    I'll post more later tonight.
  • 007InAction007InAction Australia
    Posts: 2,341
    Dwayne wrote: »
    The eagle has landed.

    Yes!!!!

    Watched it in real time and let out a loud cheer

    Watching the post-landing news conference now. The first images from the Lo-Res HAS-CAM has already been released.

    I'll post more later tonight.

    I've only seen 1 b&w photo so far.
  • NickTwentyTwoNickTwentyTwo Vancouver, BC, Canada
    Posts: 7,518
    I have an incredibly stupid question... didn’t we have a robot rolling around on Mars before? That sent photos back? What makes this one more special?
  • 007InAction007InAction Australia
    Posts: 2,341
    I have an incredibly stupid question... didn’t we have a robot rolling around on Mars before? That sent photos back? What makes this one more special?

    Yes that true. With this one Nasa lands its most ambitious, advanced robotic rover on the red planet ready to search for life etc.
  • DwayneDwayne New York City
    Posts: 2,598
    I have an incredibly stupid question... didn’t we have a robot rolling around on Mars before? That sent photos back? What makes this one more special?

    Stupid? Not at all.

    No single mission is capable of landing all of the scientific gear that we would like to Mars at a single go.

    This particular mission - while it looks like the 2011 rover - has a science package that is designed look for evidence of last life - and it will do so in a location that prior missions could not get too. It will also gather soil and rock samples (that will eventually be returned to Earth as part of another mission). Prior missions have aimed at proving that water flowed on Mars (Sprit and Opportunity in 2004) and providing that Mars could have supported life at one time ( Curiosity in 2012).

    The current mission builds off of these lessons learned - and scientists now think that we are in position to:
    1. Ask the correct questions - and interpret the answers correctly.
    2. Land in places on the planet that offer us a better chance to find the answers.

    The Viking missions of the 1970's were designed to search for life, but the results were mixed with the general feeling at the time was that the soil of Mars was giving us a false reading. After that mission, it was decided (partially due to budgetary priorities - "no life, no money"), was that we needed to re-think how we approached the search for life on Mars.

    My own view, is that finding evidence of past (or present) life on Mars is going to take several more decades - and the evidence (when it comes) will not be without debate.

    This issue has a long history, but I hope this helps.
  • DwayneDwayne New York City
    Posts: 2,598
    The initial photos were taken by the rover’s Hazard Avoidance Camera (it has two sets of them: forward and back facing). And for these initial – “let me confirm that I’m really here” photos, the protective lens cap was still on. That will come off in the next day or so. And once Perseverance’s high gain communications antenna and Mastcam are deployed we will ready start to see great images.

    2013238.jpg
    2013240.jpg

    Note: China’s Tianwen-1 probe is already in orbit around Mars and will attempt to land sometime in late May or early June (all of the US missions post Viking (1976) have used a direct entry approach which eliminates the need to go into orbit first.).

    And with so many missions either in orbit around or on the surface of Mars, the Martians may want to visit us. :))
    28ba3907ecae0ee0116169b530b46248.gif

  • 007InAction007InAction Australia
    edited February 2021 Posts: 2,341
    Mars Cam live

  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    Mars Cam live


    It is a ghost world.
  • Fire_and_Ice_ReturnsFire_and_Ice_Returns I am trying to get away from this mountan!
    edited February 2021 Posts: 23,102
    Watching the Live Mars Cam on my big TV, eerie.

    I thought I was watching Total Recall for a minute when adverts for Mars souvenir tops popped up on the screen.
  • Posts: 12,506
    The images are mind blowing when you think about it! @-)
  • DwayneDwayne New York City
    Posts: 2,598
    More updates:

    This zoomed image (on the right) was taken from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) which had a line of sight with Perseverance during its’ decent and also provided the rovers primary communication link. You can see the parachute has been deployed.
    perseverance_descent.jpg

    This is an image (taken by the sky crane) showing Perseverance being lowered by tether onto the Martian surface - it is about 6-7 feet off of the surface at this point. Note the various streak marks caused by the sky crane’s thruster rockets.
    rover_drop.jpg

    My understanding is that Perseverance was programed to capture this entire process in video form (as opposed to a periodic sequence of images). This may be downlinked over the weekend. IMAX anyone???!!!!

    In other news, the rover's main camera was due to be deployed over the weekend (remember it was foldup during the trip from Earth to save space). The next press briefing will be on Monday (2/22) at 2:00 PM EST. Expecting a major data dump!
  • DwayneDwayne New York City
    Posts: 2,598
    Just released (as of Monday, February 22, 2021 2:15 PM EST)

    Not a simulation, but actual video of the final couple of minutes of Perseverance’s landing last Thursday. The mission control auto (given the 11-minute time difference) has been synced up to match the video.



    More to follow.
  • 007InAction007InAction Australia
    Posts: 2,341
    I expected to see that footage when i watched it live yet they release it 4-5 days later for some reason ?
  • DwayneDwayne New York City
    Posts: 2,598
    I expected to see that footage when i watched it live yet they release it 4-5 days later for some reason ?

    Remember that while lander has multiple communication antennas, only the smaller low-gain antenna is active during the landing (think old-style dial-up internet connections!!) The data to be sent back over that link is then prioritized – with mission critical telemetry (i.e., did the parachute deploy, did the retro-rockets fire) taking priority over pictures or video. During the descent, pictures and videos are recorded by the rover, however, but they are designed to be played back once the high-gain antenna (think broadband internet) has deployed and established a link with one of the Mars orbiters or directly with Earth.

  • 007InAction007InAction Australia
    Posts: 2,341
    Dwayne wrote: »
    I expected to see that footage when i watched it live yet they release it 4-5 days later for some reason ?

    Remember that while lander has multiple communication antennas, only the smaller low-gain antenna is active during the landing (think old-style dial-up internet connections!!) The data to be sent back over that link is then prioritized – with mission critical telemetry (i.e., did the parachute deploy, did the retro-rockets fire) taking priority over pictures or video. During the descent, pictures and videos are recorded by the rover, however, but they are designed to be played back once the high-gain antenna (think broadband internet) has deployed and established a link with one of the Mars orbiters or directly with Earth.

    Maybe soon (years) we will see that footage live on another mission ?
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