Technobriefs

by Craig Reynolds

This week:

Pluto not planet: aha! it turns out that the pro-Pluto-planethood lobby was vocal but in the end it was not persuasive. The IAU made the right choice and decreed that Pluto may be popular but it is not a planet: Pluto loses status as a planet (see this slide show: It's official--Pluto's out). If Pluto was in, surely dozens more "Pluto-oid" snowball objects would have eventually be discovered and given the exalted status of planet. Clyde Tombaugh had no comment: Pluto discoverer would understand demotion: widow.

Apple dumplings: first Apple to pay $100 mln to Creative in settlement then Apple recalls 1.8 million batteries. The real loser in the Dell and Apple battery recalls is the manufacturer: Sony.

$100 laptop: edges closer to reality: Negroponte: $100 laptop trials to kick off and Knocking Down the Barriers to the $100 Laptop.

Two new display technologies: Artificial muscles light up TVs and Cornell researchers test carbon fiber to make tiny, cheap video displays.

Technobits: Firm makes "ethical" embryo stem cells --- Perpetual Motion Claim Probed --- A Move to Secure Data by Scattering the Pieces --- Speedy silicon sets world record --- Dark Matter Proof Found, Scientists Say --- belatedly: SIGGRAPH panel on DRM Digital Rights, Digital Restrictions --- Need for speed sees computers writing the news --- this isn't why I bought mine, but its good to know: Hybrid cars will pay for themselves over time-study --- Wireless Binds Tibetan Exiles --- micro chain mail ("selective laser sintering") --- iPods at war --- Folding@Home on the PS3: the Cure@PS3 project --- The Robots Are Coming --- Steven Levy on Jaron Lanier: Poking a Stick Into The 'Hive Mind'.

Last week:

Redefining planets: once there where 8 "classical" planets.  Then came Pluto. And Charon. And Ceres. And the euphonious "2003 UB313." And maybe hundreds more out in the Kuiper belt. So how many planets in the solar system, 8? 9? 12? 53? 100s? This contentious issue is being thrashed out in Prague at the IAU meeting: Nine Planets Become 12 with Controversial New Definition. Part of the problem is that most obvious definitions would throw Pluto out of the planetary club. Crafting a definition that includes Pluto, but not hundreds of other outer snowball objects, has proved to be tricky. More: Q&A New planets proposal.

Dell/Sony battery recall: Dell to recall 4.1 million laptop batteries, Fire Hazard Prompts Gigantic Dell Laptop Battery Recall. Ah, but here the rub: Dell, Sony discussed battery problem 10 months ago.

Technobits: reverse engineering airline pricing: Casting Net For Better Airfares 95 Theses of Geek Activism --- the mathematician vanishes --- Time's 50 Coolest Websites --- steam powered RC controlled robots --- this sounds so "cyberpunk" to me, Gibson meets McGeiver: Homemade microscope using web cam and a CD-ROM lens --- NYC professor promotes urban fish farm --- last week I cited an item that an old pigment called cobalt green shows promise for room temperature spintronic devices, now an even older blue pigment is being considered as a breast cancer medicine: War paint plant 'tackles cancer' (From woad warriors to cancer-buster) --- when I saw High speed photography - water figures I was reminded of a Liquid Sculpture item from a year ago.