Must-have apps for your Android phone

Buy a brand new smartphone these days and the first thing you’ll want to do is figure out which cool apps to install on it. Of course, there are thousands of apps to choose from, but there are a few that every smartphone user must install, and we’ve put together this list for you Android users.

Any.do - To-do list (Google Play link)

Any.do - helps you keep track of your tasks, in style

An Android phone can do much more than just play Angry Birds; it can even help simplify your life. There are several tasks in a day and it’s hard to keep track of them. Not if you install this slick little app called Any.do. It’s got one of the most intuitive interfaces on any Android app and it’s also got some great features. It lets you quickly add tasks you want to do and sort them by a rough timeline. It even allows you to sync them with the online service for free and includes Google Tasks support. There’s a widget and there’s even support for voice entry.

Aldiko - eBook reader (Google Play link)

Aldiko - an easy-to-use eBook reader

As larger and higher resolution screen smartphones became common, they have also become more and more like e-book readers. They offer users the ability to fit large amounts of text in a single screen, without having to scroll too often. If you use a phone that has a decent-sized screen, then apps such as Aldiko are a must. Aldiko supports a variety of formats that include the popular EPUB and PDF formats. Users can easily bookmark pages and change the brightness of the screen on demand. Customisation for the amount of text in each screen is also possible by changing font size, page margins as well as text spacing. It’s a must-have app if you’re on the move constantly but want to catch up on your reading wherever you are.

AndChat - IRC client (Google Play link)
If you’re a gamer or a developer or just an old-time IRC user, you’ll want to stay connected with your friends on your favourite IRC channels. There is no shortage of IRC clients, but you’ll find AndChat to be just right for your needs. The app weighs a little more than 400KB and is totally free. Users can add multiple servers and quickly switch between channels on a single server by swiping their fingers across the screen.

Google Chrome - Web browser (Google Play link)

Chrome - Google's own desktop browser, now on Android

If you’re buying a new phone these days, chances are you’ll get an ICS-based phone. The default browser on ICS is decent, but you’ll probably find yourself at home if you download Google’s own Chrome browser for the Android platform. Benefits of using Chrome, of course, include the ability to sync with your Google account and carry your bookmarks and settings with you wherever you go. If you don’t like Chrome and don’t want to use the default Android browser, you should probably give Firefox for Android a shot. Things have gotten way better than they were when it was first launched as an early development build.

Google Drive - Productivity and cloud storage (Google Play link)

Google Drive - your personal drive in the cloud

Google Drive, or Google Docs as it was previously known as, is more than just a productivity app. Once known as the best web-based office suite, the service has transformed into an online storage solution, just like Dropbox. Apart from 5GB storage, you can also collaborate when you work so you can have several users working on a single document or spreadsheet. All of the services work closely together so if you want to make a list of things to buy or just write an article, this is the app to do it in.

Imo.im - All-in-one messenger (Google Play link)

Imo.im - chat with all your favourite instant messaging services at the same time

Android devices come with Google Talk preinstalled on them. But many of us use other services as well and you’ll most likely find those messenger clients on your device too. It’s a pain, however, to switch between each one of these messenger clients. An app called imo messenger lets you add several instant messenger clients and chat with all of them using a single app. There’s support for MSN, Skype, Yahoo, Google Talk, Steam, ICQ and Facebook, besides some others.

Flipboard - News reading app (Google Play link)

Flipboard - your own personal magazine

Flipboard is like your personalised newspaper on your Android phone. Forget reading your daily newspaper before leaving for work or college. You can read all of it and much fresher news in a very well-formatted manner using Flipboard. Flipboard lets you choose your interests and sites that you frequently visit. It then downloads all the text from it and formats it like a newspaper so you get all the juicy information minus ads, comments and all the unnecessary bits. It even syncs your Twitter and Facebook accounts in the same manner, so the interaction is very fluid and as user-friendly as possible. Another slightly less popular option is Zite, which does roughly the same thing.

K9-Mail - E-mail client (Google Play link)
The default GMail app on Android is more than sufficient for basic purposes. The moment you want to start doing more advanced things and handling bulk e-mails, a slightly more specialised e-mail app such as K9-Mail comes into the picture. The app lets you handle multiple accounts and offers a wide variety of customisations. The simplest of these includes the presentation of e-mail and how often e-mails are downloaded. You can even make sure you aren’t disturbed beyond work hours by setting silent hours where you won’t be notified of new mails. If you’re an e-mail warrior, then this should be your weapon of choice.

MX Player - Video player (Google Play link)
Media players change all the time and there’s always a new favourite media player app for Android. Right now, the most popular one has to be the MX Player. It’s free and only has a small ad that shows up occasionally if you use the free version. One of the great features of the app is that it hides the touch buttons found on most Android 4.0 and above devices when the movie starts playing, so you get a lot of screen space. Once you have your movie playing, you can quickly change brightness and volume levels by swiping your finger vertically on either side of the screen. Skipping to different points in the video can be done by moving your finger from one side to another. Oh, and MX Player handles pretty much every format you throw at it.

Twicca - Twitter client (Google Play link)

Twicca - a highly customisable Twitter client

Twitter is a big thing and almost everyone who’s always connected to the Internet on their phone will try and experiment with Twitter at some point in time. Twitter’s official client is simple but not necessarily fast. Twicca, a free Twitter client, offers a whole lot more, looks better and offers a long list of customisations. You can set colours for your favourite accounts you follow. You can even get in-client image previews without having to open a separate browser window.  If you’re on Twitter, do follow us. Our handle is @tech2eets.

Google Reader - RSS feed reader (Google Play link)
If you visit more than 10 sites each day and don’t want to check on each one to find the latest stories, it’s a good idea to use Google Reader. It’s a free RSS feed reader by Google that checks all those sites for you and shows you only the list of new stories. You can read a brief of the news story in the client and access the complete version by opening the link in a browser.

Skype - Audio-video calling (Google Play link)

Skype - voice and video chatting for free

If you have an affordable 3G connection or Wi-Fi connectivity, it’s a cheap way to make phone calls. Using this app, you can make calls to another phone, tablet or PC connected to the web for free. Keep in mind though, the app is a little heavy, so older phones may not be able to handle it too well. You’ll also need a front-facing camera if you want to make video calls.

WhatsApp - Texting app (Google Play link)

WhatsApp - message all your friends for free

SMSes are expensive and cumbersome. This SMS replacement app needs no introduction. It allows users to send text messages to one another over the Internet for free. The app picks up all the contacts from your phone and checks to see if they’re registered on the WhatsApp service. You can even send attachments – images, videos and audio files – for free. There’s even a group chat option that allows up to 30 people to chat at the same time.

And that’s our list of recommended apps that every Android user must install on his or her new phone. If you think we missed out on apps or if you have any tips for us, post them in the comments section here.

India to have 11-digit mobile numbers next year

India will face a 'number crunch' by the middle of next year. With a swelling subscriber base in the country, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) are fast looking at other options, including the use of 11-digit mobile numbers. The Times of India now reports that the number series starting with 98 or 99 is nearing the end of its capacity and hence the need to quickly work out a way is both, crucial and time-bound. Rajan Mathews, director general of the COAI was quoted as saying, "There might be a serious problem if a new series of numbers are not brought in by the middle of next year. We are theoretically reaching the limit of existing number sets with a subscriber base of one billion."

It is sure going to be difficult to remember

Elaborating further on the process, Mathews shared that the numbers are assigned to operators in batches, depending the size of subscriber base and how well the existing number sets are put to use. He explains that a batch system is the one used, since it helps keep away chaos arising because of the different kinds phone numbers flooding the market.

It is common knowledge that a specified range of numbers are assigned to one operator and the first two digits of the number like the first two digits are associated with that operator.

Sandip Biswas, director at consultancy firm Deloitte was quoted as saying, "None of these number ranges can be used to their full extent due to the way in which they are allotted. Only a certain portion of these numbers are used as phone numbers. This is called percentage of numbering system utilization and it hovers around 50 percent, meaning only around half or more of the potential numbers are used as phone numbers”.

Biswas even went on to add that considering the numbers, there may even be 12-digit mobile numbers introduced in the future. "The numbers will have to be increased by at least one digit to accommodate new devices. However, to ensure there's absolutely no scope for any problem, we may even see the introduction of 12 digit numbers," he added.

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) had reportedly sent a similar proposal to the DoT, which the latter did not act upon. Mathews added, "DoT said that it may need remapping of networks and there might be issues conforming to international numbering standards too. DoT hasn't rejected the idea completely but is looking into alternatives."

Among the immediate measures, the TRAI has reportedly made recommendations to discontinue inactive numbers in a bid to free up some space. It even plans on getting over a million landline numbers to be used in the mobile domain.

Biswas went on to add further, “The numbering system in general is dependent on the number of subscribers. However, it is a different situation after mobility came into picture. Today, devices ranging from cars to tablets to washing machines are connected to networks.”

Facebook referral program offers free talk time in India

Facebook is offering Rs 50 worth of mobile talk time to its selective users in India joining the social network through referrals. The system is very new, and the program in India is one of the tests being carried out. As confirmed by Kevin D'Souza, Country Growth Manager, Facebook, the amount of recharge will vary from user to user and place to place. 

D’Souza went ahead and also confirmed that the offer was for users coming through referrals. He was quoted as saying at a press conference, "We keep on trying new things. Because we do not know what will work. This is one of the tests. Just to get a feel of it, this particular test is being done in India.” 

Available for users in India joining via referrals

At the moment, the plan is developing with multiple pricing strategies, and D’Souza shared that different telecom carriers have different Facebook plans. After registration, those interested will have to provide their mobile number to get Rs 50 worth of free talk time, and also the mobile number of the individual who may have referred him/her.

"Once you sign up and confirm your account, you will receive the talktime within three days," Facebook said. "Facebook reserves the right to discontinue this service at any time without notice. Talktime rewards earned before this service is discontinued will be credited as appropriate," the company added.

Only this week, Facebook’s "The Anti-Virus Marketplace" or The AV Marketplace got updated to accommodate seven new partners to its existing network of security companies. What this means is that now Facebook users will be able to download software from avast!, AVG, Avira, Kaspersky, Panda, Total Defense, and Webroot. Users will also have access to new anti-virus software for their mobile devices from many of Facebook's existing partners such as Microsoft, McAfee, Norton, TrendMicro, and Sophos. A user can download free anti-virus software for his or her PCs, Macs, and mobiles from the AV Marketplace.

If you have been spotting a slightly different looking top navigation bar in your Facebook account, then you are among the chosen few on whose profiles Facebook is testing it. Inside Facebook now reports that some users have been spotting a rather different-looking top navigation bar, in which the Search bar has been pushed closer to the company logo. The icons to view friend requests, messages, and other activity notifications have been moved further right on the bar. In fact, closer inspection reveals that Facebook has completely done away with the 'Home' button. Users viewing the test design have to click on the Facebook logo to go to their news feed.

Facebook is known for introducing cosmetic changes to the profile appearance and to the way images are displayed. The tweaks to the top navigation bar are under test, and there is no saying if the changes will actually find their way to user profiles. The most prominent of the changes that Facebook introduced to user profiles in the recent past remains the Timeline.

Google announces Chromebook with 3G

At last year’s Google I/O Google announced the Chromebook that was described by Hugo Barra, Director of Android Product Management at Google as a tablet with a keyboard. He added that the attributes that make phones and tablets great are being brought to the notebooks. Since its launch, it did not gather as much steam as expected. However, it now appears that Google has come back with a new model, this time around teaming up with Samsung to launch the 11.6-inch Chromebook that will be available for $249.99, while the 3G equipped model is priced at $329.99.

As per a post on Google’s official blog, Sundar Pichai, SVP, Chrome & Apps stated that many people use the Chromebook today as the additional computer for their home. For families, it becomes easy to use and share, with the ability of having kids doing their homework on the couch, parents catching up on emails in the kitchen counter and grandparents staying connected by using the video chat. He states that there is no need to worry about security updates and maintenance is easy. All one needs to do is charge the battery to get it up and running.

Easy enough for everyone to use

The feature that sets this Chromebook apart from others available in the market is that it comes with an ARM-based processor. The Samsung Chromebook is powered by a Samsung dual-core Exynos 5 Dual 5250 processor.

Here is a look at the highlighted features of the Samsung Chromebook:

• 11.6-inch display with a resolution of 1366 x 768
• 0.8 inches thin - 2.5lbs/ 1.1kg
• Over 6.5 hours of battery
• Samsung Exynos 5 Dual Processor
• 100GB Google Drive Cloud Storage with Solid State Drive
• Built-in dual band Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n
• VGA Camera
• 1x USB 3.0, 1x USB 2.0
• HDMI Port
• Bluetooth 3.0 Compatible

Commenting on the weight of the device, Pichai stated, “It’s one of the lightest laptops on the market. You can easily carry it around all day — it’s 2.5 pounds, a mere 0.8 inches thick, with more than 6 hours of battery life for the typical user.”

Pichai has also spoken about the other features of the Chromebook and he said that even though it features a compact design, it still features good performances and has the ability to boot up within 10 seconds and resumes instantly as well. Pichai stated, “And as you‘d expect from a Chromebook, it’s easy to share with others. Everyone—mom, dad, grandparents, tech lovers, tech haters—can have separate accounts where all of their stuff is kept safe. Finally, if you’re an active Google user of products like Gmail, Drive, Search, Maps, YouTube, Play or Google+ Hangouts, everything just works seamlessly.”

 

The Samsung Chromebook is available online for preorder from online retailers such as Amazon, PC World and other retailers. From next month the Chromebook will be available on the same online retailers as well as the Google Play Store. As of now, there is no word on when this laptop will launch in India.

Windows RT Surface vs. Nexus 7

Is the smaller Nexus 7 a match for the full-sized Surface?

The tablet wars have begun. Though the iPad remains in the driver's seat, the last year has shown strong competition from several other companies. Two tablets that will be duking it out for your dollars this holiday season are the Microsoft Surface RT and Google/Asus Nexus 7. Let's see how these two (radically different) tablets compare.

Dimensions

They're almost as different as two tablets can be

Nobody is going to get these two confused. Surface is a full-sized tablet, while Nexus 7 is a mini-tablet. Microsoft's slate is intended for landscape mode, while Asus' is primarily a portrait device.
Despite its much larger build (or maybe because of it?), Surface is a bit thinner than the Nexus 7.

Weight

Surface is twice as heavy as the Nexus 7

Surface is exactly twice as heavy as the Nexus 7. This lends itself to Microsoft's more productivity-focused brand, while the Nexus 7 is more in line with the Kindle Fire. They're both great for casual one-handed reading, browsing, and gaming.

Display

Until we see it, we're skeptical of Microsoft's raves about Surface's display

Microsoft insists that its ClearType display boosts the "perceived resolution" in Surface, but until we get our hands on one, we're skeptical. For a 2012 tablet, Surface's resolution is sub-par. It barely has more pixels than the Nexus 7, despite toting an extra 3.6 (diagonal) inches.

Processor

The tablets' Tegra 3 chips are fraternal twins

The tablets' chips are almost identical. Both rock NVIDIA Tegra 3 SoCs; the only difference is that Surface sports the (slightly higher clocked) T30 model, while the Nexus has the T30L.

RAM

Double the RAM for Surface

This could potentially give Surface the edge in performance, as its 2GB of RAM double the 1GB in Nexus 7.

Storage

Surface offers much more storage, but that may be changing soon

These numbers could be changing soon. Leaks have shown a 32GB Nexus 7 model coming for the holidays at the same price point as the present 16GB model. As it stands now, though, Surface offers more storage.

Wireless

Nothing but Wi-Fi

Neither device (at present) offers mobile data. You'll need a Wi-Fi network to connect to both tablets.

Cameras

Microsoft's cameras are a mystery, while the Nexus 7 only sports a front-facing shooter

Microsoft hasn't revealed the full specifications for Surface's cameras, but it does have two "720p HD" shooters. The Nexus 7 only sports a front-facing camera.

Battery

This looks like a huge advantage for Microsoft, but the Nexus 7 gets terrific battery life

Surface's battery hardware is superior, but it's also powering a larger display. The Nexus 7 gets terrific battery life, though, and Microsoft would be fortunate to see similar uptimes.

Intangibles

Windows RT and Touch Cover, or the more established Google Play?

As physically different as the two devices are, they may differ even more in software. Surface runs the new Windows RT branch of Windows 8, while the Nexus 7 runs Android 4.1, Jellybean. Since Windows RT doesn't run traditional Windows desktop software, the Nexus 7 has a big advantage in terms of apps. Microsoft has worked with developers to make sure Windows Store doesn't launch as a ghost town, but it has some catching up to do.

The Touch Cover keyboard is Surface's killer feature. As an optional add-on (an extra US$100 bundled, or $120 separately), it can quickly transform the tablet into something resembling a laptop. The accessory features unique pressure-sensitive keys, and it can fold over to protect the display (similar to Apple's Smart Covers). The tablet's built-in kickstand and bundled Microsoft Office only accentuate its work-oriented brand.

... then there's the matter of price. The 32GB Surface (without keyboard) costs US$500, while the 8GB Nexus 7 is a mere $200. For the price of one Surface, you could buy two Nexus tablets and still pocket $100. Apple sells $500 iPads in bunches, but it's the established market-leader; Microsoft is walking on shaky ground with its unproven Surface.

Summing up

Surface and Nexus 7 are two different devices, with different strengths and weaknesses. Microsoft is angling for a new kind of device with Surface: a tablet that takes a bit more from laptops, and a bit less from smartphones. Whether that works for you is your call, but remember that few outside of Microsoft have even touched one. Until the device gets in customers' hands, much is still a mystery.

The Nexus 7 is already established as one of the best 7-inch tablets on the market. The iPad Mini, however, is looming on the horizon. Unless you're fervently pro-Android or anti-Apple, it couldn't hurt to wait for the event before plunking down for a new Nexus 7.

What do you think: was Microsoft smart to go straight for the high end of the tablet market, or would it have been wise to start with something more affordable? Let us know in the comments.

Earth-sized planet with a molten surface discovered orbiting Alpha Centauri B

Artist's impression from a point in the Alpha Centauri triple star system, showing the newly discovered planet orbiting around Alpha Centauri B, with Alpha Centauri A in the distance

European astronomers working from the European Southern Observatory (ESO) in Chile have discovered a planet slightly more massive than Earth, orbiting a star in the Alpha Centauri triple star system – the nearest stellar system to our planet. Alpha Centauri Bb (as the new exoplanet is called, the star being Alpha Centauri B) is the first Earth-sized body found orbiting a Sun-like star and was discovered by measuring the tiny wobbles of Alpha Centauri B as it moves in response to the gravitational pull of the orbiting planet. It is orbiting Alpha Centauri B every three days and six hours at an orbital radius of six million kilometers (3.7 million miles). The proximity to the star leads to a surface temperature of some 1,500º K (2,250º F/1,232º C) – hot enough to melt granite.

The Alpha Centauri system is one of the brightest stars in our night sky, exceeded in brightness only by Sirius and Canopus. At a distance of 1.34 parsecs (4.37 light years) it is the nearest stellar system to our Solar System. It is actually a triple star – a system consisting of two stars similar to the Sun orbiting close to each other, designated Alpha Centauri A and B, and a more distant and faint red dwarf known as Proxima Centauri or Alpha Centauri C (C is called Proxima at times because it is the closest of the three stars in the Alpha Centauri system, at 1.29 parsecs (4.24 light years) distance).

Alpha Centauri A is the largest of the trio, having the same spectral classification as the Sun, a mass of 1.1 solar masses, and a luminosity about 1.5 times that of the Sun. Alpha Centauri B is the star around which the new planet has been found orbiting. It is an orange dwarf with a mass of 0.9 solar masses. The orange color is the result of being about 900º K cooler than A, and this also results in B having a luminosity 0.5 times that of the Sun.

Alpha Centauri C (Proxima Centauri) is a dim red dwarf with a mass of 0.123 solar masses and a luminosity less than 0.2 percent that of the Sun. It is located about a quarter of a light year from the A-B pair, which orbit each other with a period of 80 years at an average distance of 23 astronomical units (AU – the distance between Earth and the Sun) – a bit more than the distance between the Sun and Uranus. It is not entirely clear that C is gravitationally bound to A and B, that is, if C actually orbits the A-B pair, or if it is in a hyperbolic path around them and will escape their grip in the next few million years. The escape velocity at Proxima's distance from A and B is about 0.5 km/second (0.3 miles/second), which is smaller than the present uncertainty in Proxima's speed relative to A and B. The general consensus at this time is that Proxima is probably the third member of the triple star system Alpha Centauri.

Orange dwarf stars have many features that make them excellent candidates for hosting life-bearing planets. They evolve slowly as hydrogen burning stars along the main sequence for 15 to 30 billion years compared to the Sun's 10 billion years, giving more time for life to appear and evolve. They support a habitable zone from roughly 0.5 to one AU orbital radius from the star, which is enough distance that a planet in that zone will not be tidally locked to the star. Orange dwarfs have low stellar flare activity and emit small quantities of ionizing radiation, as well as exhibiting generally more placid stellar dynamics (e.g., pulsations, chromospheric activity, sunspots (starspots?), etc.) than either hotter or cooler stars. The result is that orange dwarfs are often considered "Goldilocks stars" – prime candidates for the formation and steady evolution of life.

The HARPS spectrograph and the 3.6-meter (11.8-ft) telescope at La Silla

Alpha Centauri Bb was detected using the High Accuracy Radial velocity Planet Searcher (HARPS) instrument on the 3.6-meter (11.8-foot) telescope at ESO’s La Silla Observatory in Chile. HARPS measures the radial velocities of stars with the highest accuracy available. To achieve very high long term radial velocity accuracy, HARPS is designed as an echelle spectrograph optimized for mechanical stability. It is optically fed by a pair of fibers from the Cassegrain focus of the 3.6 m (11.8 ft) telescope, one fiber picking up the light of the star being measured, and the other being fed a reference spectrum. HARPS is mounted in a vacuum chamber to avoid spectral drift due to temperature and air pressure variations.

HARPS detects exoplanets using a method known as the Doppler wobble. As a planet orbits a star, in reality each of them orbits their mutual center of mass. The center of mass for a pair of bodies is the point on a massless connecting rod where a teeter-totter would be evenly balanced. For example, Jupiter has about 0.001 of the mass of the Sun, and orbits at a distance of about 740 million kilometers (460 million miles). The center of mass is a point 0.001 x 740 million kilometers = 740,000 kilometers from the center of the Sun. This is a point just above the surface of the Sun.

This seems a lot of movement, but it takes place over Jupiter's 12-year orbital period. Once you work out the geometry, the maximum speed of the radial wobble is about 12 m/s. This produces a small Doppler effect whereby the spectrum of the Sun will show a periodic redshift with a magnitude or 12 m/s / 300,000,000 m/s, or 40 parts in a billion. To measure such tiny velocities through their redshifts requires not only the highest resolution spectrographs, but also state-of-the-art data collection and analysis techniques. In discovering Alpha Centauri Bb, HARPS detected radial velocity changes of 0.5 m/s – a very slow walk and the very limit of this technique with present technology. In this case, the center of mass lies only 22 kilometers (13.7 miles) from the center of Alpha Centauri B.

To detect an Earth-mass planet orbiting in the habitable zone of Alpha Centauri B would require detecting radial velocity changes of about 0.1 m/s – a sensitivity within reach of near-future instruments. Such an instrument is the Echelle Spectrograph for Rocky Exoplanet and Stable Spectroscopic Observations (ESPRESSO), which will offer a tenfold improvement in the detection threshold for Doppler wobble, thereby making possible the discovery of Earth-size planets in the habitable zone of Sun-sized stars.

ESPRESSO is to be installed in 2016 at the ESO's Very Large Telescope (VLT), also located in Chile. The VLT includes four 8.2-meter (26.9-foot) individual telescopes, which can be used individually or coupled together to attain the equivalent resolution of a 130-meter (424-foot) telescope – about 0.001 arc second. The VLT in its combined mode would allow two people standing at arms length on the surface of the Moon to be seen as separate objects.

As Earth-sized planets in Alpha Centauri B's habitable zone have not yet been discovered or ruled out, it is worth revisiting an old controversy that is still not resolved. Namely, can planets form in a binary or multiple star system at all? Well, we know they can – Alpha Centauri certainly has a planet, as do 15 other binary or multiple stars as of this writing. In fact, the binary systems NN Serpentis and HW Virginis each have two confirmed exoplanets.

The orbit of Alpha Centauri A and B, plotted about the location of A

However, the basic issues of planetary orbital stability and the planet formation dynamics in the ever-changing gravitational fields of a binary system are still not well understood. It is like cuckoo clocks on a wall – eventually even a small interaction will cause the clocks to tick in unison. A planet is too small to do anything but what the nearby stars allow. As a result, either the planet will follow an orbit that is consistent with the variable gravitational forces which act on it, or it will be thrown off into a very different orbit – possibly even escaping the system.

Let's illustrate this situation by looking at a hypothetical Earth-sized planet Hypo orbiting Alpha Centauri B at a radius of 0.7 astronomical units – within the habitable zone. Alpha Centauri A orbits every 80 years at distances between 11.2 and 35.6 AU. The gravitational pull of B on Hypo is about 0.01 m/s². The gravitational pull of A on Hypo varies between 0.0002 and 0.00002 m/s² – it is between two and 0.2 percent of B's pull on Hypo, and changes direction and size in a (relatively) fixed pattern with a period of 80 years.

When external influences on a planet's orbit are slow and small, the angular momentum of the planet is approximately conserved. This is not to say that the orbit will not be affected – you can imagine that Hypo's orbit will have a "tidal bulge" of various sizes that points toward A – but the orbit will not change dramatically. Given what we know about tides, it seems reasonable that Hypo may be able to remain in its orbit.

What about Hypo's brother, Hype? Hype orbits B at a distance of 5 AU. The gravitational pull of A on Hype varies from 7.5 to 325 percent of the pull of B on Hype. In this case, it is clear that Hype will not be able to maintain a well-behaved orbit around B. It is pulled more strongly toward A than toward B for a significant part of the 80 year orbit of A and B.

Somewhere between 5 AU and 0.7 AU will be an orbital distance after which a planet's orbit will be unstable in the long run. Similar problems will appear as the early planetesimals coalesce into clouds and then into planets – strong and variable gravitational fields will disperse the material. It is a difficult problem to determine what is the maximum "safe" orbital distance. However, what has been observed is that low-mass planets tend to be found in multiple-planet systems, so we may yet find a friendly neighbor in the Alpha Centauri system.

The video below shows an artist's conception of what a person on a trip through the Alpha Centauri system, including passes by the new exoplanet, might experience.

Source: ESO

Fraunhofer develops new technology to make titanium

Schematic of titanium pipes being formed

Titanium is a tremendously useful metal and very abundant, yet only 186,000 tonnes (205,030 tons) of it are produced a year and it’s not used very much outside of the aerospace field because it’s so expensive and difficult to forge. To correct this, a team led by André Albert at the Fraunhofer Institute for Surface Engineering in partnership with Thin Films (IST) in Braunschweig, Germany have developed a new process for hydroforming titanium at high temperatures in a single step that promises to make titanium more of an everyday material.

Titanium is wonderful stuff. It’s strong, lightweight, non-magnetic, remarkably corrosion resistant and it’s the ninth most common element on Earth. It’s perfect for aircraft, medical implants, surgical instruments, marine components and ridiculously light and strong spectacle frames. By rights, it should be as commonly employed as iron and aluminum, but it’s still so rare in everyday life that it’s used in jewelry in a way that aluminum isn't.

Titanium block

The problem is that titanium, for all its virtues, is very tricky to fabricate. For example, it melts at an impressive 1,668º C (3,034º F), which is great for supersonic aircraft. However, titanium catches fire at 1,200º C (2,190º F) and it will not only burn in air, it will even burn in nitrogen.

Worse, it’s a bit “sticky” when hot. According to André Albert, group leader for media based forming technologies at the Fraunhofer Institute for Machine Tools and Forming Technology (IWU) in Chemnitz, Germany, “titanium tends to adhere to the forming tools. This leads to major damage which can cause components to fail in the worst case scenario. This effect is amplified by the extremely high temperatures of up to 800º C (1,472º F), at which titanium has to be formed.”

The Guggenheim Museum Bilbao sheathed in titanium

What this means is that titanium is mostly worked by cold forming at low temperatures and then reheated to remove the resulting defects. Referring to the manufacture of car exhausts, Albert said, “forming titanium at room temperatures leads to severe cold work hardening of the processed pipe. In order to prevent cracking, the metal requires frequent treatment by means of recrystallization processes. This leads to extremely complex multi-stage forming processes which are not economically viable in large-volume production of exhaust systems. This microstructural change can be avoided at extremely high temperatures.”

Albert’s solution to these problems is a new hydroforming process using a 1.40 x 1.20 meter (55.11 x 47.24 in) forming tool made of nickel-based alloys that remain stable at over 800º C (1,472º F) without oxidizing. It’s coated with a special film a few micrometers thick that keeps the hot titanium from sticking to the tool.

A titanium spork

Because titanium is so flammable, the process needs to be conducted in a special neutral gas atmosphere, but it means that titanium products like exhaust pipes can be forged by hydraulic pressure in a single step and in one place without cracking. Needless to say, this results in great savings.

Fraunhofer will be presenting the initial results of the project at the EuroBlech trade fair, October 23 to 27 in Hannover, Germany. If the promise of the new process works out, we may see titanium used for more things than fighter jets and sporks in the near future.

Source: Fraunhofer

B'kid - a wooden bike that grows with your child

B'kid is designed in such a way that it is adaptable to the needs of a growing child, with an adjustable frame, and removable components

The rate at which children grow, especially from being new-born to the age of around six-years-old, is scary. One day they're a helpless ball of flesh and bones, the next they're walking, talking, and starting school. This means that new parents have to continually buy new things for their child that may only last them a matter of months. While a bicycle may not be top of the agenda at such a young age, for a child to learn to ride means buying several different models over the course of just a few years as they first learn, and then master, the art. Which is what led Noelia Vallano Alvaro to design B'kid: one bike designed to last a child from the age of two right through to the age of six.

Currently just a concept, B'kid is essentially three bikes in one – a trike, a balance bike, and a pedal bike. Much like the Grow line of bikes previously featured on Gizmag, B'kid is designed to adapt to the needs of a child as he or she grows.

The simple addition of a strap allows parents to either carry or pull B'kid along

It starts out as a trike, with two wheels at the back and the handlebars and seat set low down to accommodate a toddler. Once the child is ready to lose the training wheel, it is removed, and the seat and handlebars are adjusted to better suit the child's growing frame. Once the child is ready to revert from scooting along with his or her feet, pedals are added, and the seat and handlebars are once again adjusted upwards.

The conversion process explained: from trike, to balance bike, to pedal bike in three easy steps

Over the course of four years (or more, or less, depending on the child) B'kid will have gone through three different form factors. To help personalize the bike and to keep the child interested, B'kid comes in a range of different colors. And to aid the parents it also comes with a strap designed to be used for carrying or pulling the bike along.

Alvaro states that B'kid offers, "a fun and healthy, systematic and safe approach to teaching young children to ride, giving them the confidence and balance necessary for a smooth transition to pedals without stabilizers." B'kid is built from mostly natural materials, with the frame and wheels made from birch wood, and the seat and handlebars crafted from cork.

With a frame forged from wood, and a seat and handlebars crafted from cork, B'kid is constructed from mostly natural materials

B'kid isn't currently commercially available, but the designer is currently seeking a company to bring it to market.

B'kid comes in a range of different colors

Source: NVA Design

Samsung announces Galaxy S III Mini smartphone

The Samsung Galaxy S III Mini

Samsung has announced its latest handset at a press event in Frankfurt, Germany. The four-inch Galaxy S III Mini is an Android-powered smartphone designed to provide a premium alternative to the company's larger Galaxy S III device.

The handset is aesthetically identical to the original Galaxy S III, albeit with a significantly reduced footprint (four inches compared to the original device's 4.8-inch effort). The internals, on the other hand, aren't quite on par with the flagship handset, featuring a dual-core CPU, 1GB RAM, up to 16 GB storage and a WVGA AMOLED (800 x 480) display. The Mini is also slightly thicker than its namesake, coming in at 9.85 mm.

 The handset is 9.85 mm thick

Despite the slightly disappointing specs, the Mini does boast some compelling features. The device will ship with Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, complete with the company's TouchWiz UI overlay which provides access to premium features such as the Siri-like S Voice. The handset also features NFC connectivity and a 5MP rear camera capable of recording 720p video. The Galaxy S III Mini will not have 4G LTE connectivity.

Aesthetically, the device is a miniaturized version of the popular Galaxy S III handset

Although the reduced screen size of the device may be appealing to many users, the performance premium here may make it difficult for it to compete with the iPhone 5, which features a similar (though much higher resolution) four-inch display. We're also not convinced that the device is deserving of the premium Galaxy S name, and there is potential that it may lead to a dilution of the premium perception of the brand.

There is currently no word on a release date or pricing for the device, but it's likely that it will hit a significantly lower price point than both the original Galaxy S III and the iPhone 5.

Source: Samsung

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 compact camera

ony has recently launched its flagship compact camera, the Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 camera in India. This model comes equipped with imaging features from Sony’s Alpha range of A-mount and E-mount cameras.

“This camera is ideal for travel, portraits or street photography, delivering impressive results in a variety of lighting conditions with an intuitive, customizable control interface,” said Yosuke Tomoda, director of the Cyber-shot business at Sony Electronics.  “It’s a perfect step-up model for point and shoot users not interested in larger DSLR or compact system cameras, and also an outstanding choice for enthusiasts who may already own a large DSLR and are looking for a high-quality, pocket-sized ‘all-in-one’ second camera.”

The Sony Cyber-shot RX100 features a 1.0-inch type Exmor CMOS sensor with a resolution of 20.2 megapixels. The sensor has an area that is approximately four times larger than the 1/2.3-type sensors in traditional point-and-shoot cameras. The sensor’s larger area helps in taking in a greater amount of light while capturing content. This can help in taking better images as well as videos that feature less image noise.

 No grip! Not even a textured surface.

The larger sensor is partnered with a Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T fixed lens with 3.6x optical zoom range. The camera features a wide F1.8 maximum aperture to let in additional light and complement the larger sensor.

The lens features a seven-bladed circular aperture. This makes it easy to produce images with subjects in focus against a smoothly-blurred, defocused background. The lens also features an Advanced Aspherical (AA) lens element that contributes to the camera’s compact dimensions without compromising an optical zoom performance or resolution.

The camera’s powerful BIONZ image processor maximises shooting response times while helping attain clean, natural images. It also extends sensitivity right up to ISO 25600 (using Multi Frame Noise Reduction), which allows for clear handheld images in low light conditions. To capture fast-moving subjects, the RX100 camera can also shoot at up to 10 frames per second (in full resolution) and has high-speed autofocus that locks onto a subject in as quickly as 0.13 seconds but this feature depends on scene and lighting conditions.

The new RX100 camera features a high-resolution 3-inch 1,229k dot Xtra Fine LCD display and also adds a new feature called WhiteMagic technology. This uses additional white pixels to boost screen brightness, allowing users to see subtle details and tones on the screen in all types of shooting environments, including outdoors in bright sunlight.

 

Sony DSC RX100 seethrough

For making manual adjustments while shooting both still images and movies, the camera has a control ring around the lens body, which can be used to alter exposure, zoom, creative picture effects and a variety of other customizable functions. Additionally, frequently used functions can be assigned to the Fn button for instant access, and the Memory Recall feature can store up to three groups of customized shooting settings based on a user’s preference.

There is a choice of auto and manual focus modes on the Cyber-shot RX100 camera for enhanced image control. For those that prefer focusing manually, MF Assist magnifies images to simplify fine adjustments.

The RX100 camera offers a range of choice of artistic options to expand creative shooting possibilities. It includes the option for six different creative styles and a variety of popular picture effects including Toy Camera, Partial Color, HDR Painting and several others.

The new Cyber-shot features Auto Portrait Framing – a feature found on Sony’s latest α range of A-mount and E-mount cameras, this makes it easier to create sharp, perfectly framed portraits. This feature automatically detects faces in a scene, crops the picture accordingly, and creates a composition at full resolution. Both the original and cropped photos are saved for review.

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 is available in the market for Rs 34,990.

Firefox 16 released

Mozilla, the developers behind one of the world’s most popular internet browsers, has released a new version of Firefox. Firefox 16 for Windows, Mac and Linux packs initial web app support, a new developer toolbar, support for more HTML5 code, and accessibility improvements for Mac. You can download the latest version here.

Firefox 16’s initial support for web apps indicates that Mozilla is gearing up for the release of its Marketplace, which could take place in Q4 of 2012. Users will be able to run web-based applications on any of their devices as web apps are self-contained, don’t always require the chrome of a browser window (the borders of a Web browser window, which include the window frames, menus, toolbars and scroll bars), and can be built to be run offline.

 Developer toolbar, more HTML5, web app support included in latest update

More importantly, the release notes for Firefox 16 state that HTML5 code such as CSS3 Transitions, animations, transforms and gradients are now unprefixed. This means that Mozilla considers them to be stable enough to run in Firefox without causing major issues. Stable features include CSS3 Animations, Transitions, Transforms, Image Values, IndexedDB and Values and Units. Firefox also unprefixes Battery API and Vibration API, two Web APIs that Mozilla helped create.

The new developer toolbar has buttons for quick access to tools, an error count for the web console and a new command line that lets you control the tools with your keyboard. According to the Mozilla blog, the toolbar is “intuitive” and completes commands and parameters for you.

The Mac version of Firefox 16 has preliminary VoiceOver support turned on by default. This is an accessibility feature built into Apple’s OSX that helps users with disabilities easily control the computer. Mozilla has mentioned the support for this is ‘preliminary’ and this indicates that VoiceOver shouldn't be expected to work perfectly with Firefox 16.

The Firefox browser for Android has also been updated and the new version brings a new feature to simplify reading on websites and blogs - Reader Mode. The new mode makes it easier for you to view, read and share articles and stories from your mobile phone or tablet. Tapping the “Reader” icon in the location bar on supported websites or blogs will change the layout of the page to reformat the text, increase the font size, change the size of images and remove advertisements. You can also use the "Share" menu item to send tabs to desktop/mobile devices through the 'Firefox Sync' option. Search suggestions pop up when you’re typing into the location bar, giving you quicker access to your websites. The live thumbnail images let you switch between tabs to show you updated snaps from your site.

Firefox 16 hasn’t brought about as many changes as the previous version, which fixed many memory leaks, both for the browser and its add-ons. Firefox has been receiving criticism from the time its first versions were introduced over its hoggish memory requirements. But in recent times, Mozilla has made great improvements to the browser’s memory management, which is a good thing.

Aakash 2 to be available from November 11

Telecommunications minister, Kapil Sibal, recently stated that the Aakash 2 tablet may be expected to reach students on November 11 this year, i.e., roughly in a month’s time from now. The timeline for its launch was earlier set for October.

Sibal was at the Economic Editors' Conference, when he revealed the expected date for the availability of the Aakash 2 tablet. “Hopefully on November 11, you will see the President talking to 20,000 students across the nation [who] will have their hands on Aakash," he was quoted as saying.

Expected to be available on November 11

While referring to the low-cost tablet as an instrument of empowerment, Sibal added that in the future, the price of the tablet can expected to go as low as $35 (Rs 1,500), once manufacturing activities are set in India. Sibal was further quoted as saying, “At the moment, we are actually formulating a Cabinet note for the manufacturing of five million Aakash tablets without any financial burden on the Ministry of Finance.”

In the later half of September this year, Datawind started supplying units of Aakash 2 to IIT Bombay. In a statement, the company revealed that an October launch of the tablet was likely. Datawind CEO Suneet Singh Tuli told PTI, “Supplies are on to IIT Bombay. In the next few weeks, it should be launched. I do not have the exact date, but HRD Minister (Kapil Sibal) has said he wants to launch on the anniversary date which is October 5”. However, Tuli added that the launch would depend on Sibal’s schedule.

Recently, two units of the upgraded version of the Aakash tablet were presented to the Gujarat CM Narendra Modi by Kapil Sibal. The ministry is reportedly toying with the idea of sending units of the Aakash 2 to all state chief ministers for feedback, a move particularly strange considering the tablet is yet to make its way to several of its pre-designated locations. India’s attempt at low-cost computing has primarily been one to ensure quality education is made available to those who earlier found it beyond their means. Despite criticism, there still is a lot of optimism surrounding the low-cost tablet.

Sibal, in his letter to Modi, expressed his disappointment over the latter’s views on the Aakash tablet, "Education is a collaborative venture beyond the pale of politics and we need to work together in the best interests of the children of the country".

Earlier last month, reports had emerged about Modi taking a dig at India’s low-cost dream tablet – the brainchild of Sibal. It all happened when, as part of its campaigning ahead of the Assembly elections, Congress announced that it would distribute free laptops to students if they were voted to power. Critical of this, Modi took a dig at Congress and said, "Kash [If only] this Aakash tablet could land on earth, then the lie [promise of free laptops] they [Congress] are spreading now would hold some weight". Modi went on to accuse the Centre of 'dragging its feet' in distributing Aakash tablets. Modi asserted that the Centre failed to deliver on its much-hyped commitment.

The Aakash 2 is said to run on the Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS) Android OS, priced aggressively at Rs 2,263. It comes packed with more features and enhanced speed than its predecessor, Aakash. Talk about Android v4.0 (ICS) being included in Aakash 2 began in April, when Suneet Singh Tuli stated in an email that the Aakash 2 tablet will have 2GB flash storage, an 800MHz processor, and 256MB RAM, which should be enough to handle ICS. Aakash 2 is a significant upgrade over the original Aakash tablet. The initial version of the tablet had a 7-inch resistive touchscreen, which was not very touch-sensitive. It ran Android v2.2 (Froyo) on a 366MHz processor, based on an older ARM architecture. The Aakash 2 tablet is likely to be replaced by a successor, which will have a dual-core Cortex - A9 processor, by the end of this year.

World’s most efficient thermoelectric material developed

Thermoelectrics can be used to convert energy currently lost as heat wasted from industry and vehicle tailpipes into electricity

Approximately 90 percent of the world’s electricity is generated by heat energy. Unfortunately, electricity generation systems operate at around 30 to 40 percent efficiency, meaning around two thirds of the energy input is lost as waste heat. Despite this, the inefficiency of current thermoelectric materials that can convert waste heat to electricity has meant their commercial use has been limited. Now researchers have developed a thermoelectric material they claim is the best in the world at converting waste heat into electricity, potentially providing a practical way to capture some of the energy that is currently lost.

The new material, which is based on the common semiconductor telluride, is environmentally stable and is expected to convert from 15 to 20 percent of waste heat to electricity. The research team, made up of chemists, material scientists and mechanical engineers from Northwestern University and Michigan State University, say the material exhibits a thermoelectric figure of merit (or “ZT”) of 2.2, which they claim is the highest reported to date.

The higher a material’s ZT, the more efficient it is at converting heat to electricity. While there’s no theoretical upper limit to ZT, no known materials exhibit a ZT higher than 3. The researchers believe with a ZT of 2.2, the new material is efficient enough to be used in practical applications and could usher in more widespread adoption of thermoelectrics by industry.

"Our system is the top-performing thermoelectric system at any temperature," said Mercouri G. Kanatzidis, who led the research. "The material can convert heat to electricity at the highest possible efficiency. At this level, there are realistic prospects for recovering high-temperature waste heat and turning it into useful energy."

With the huge potential for thermoelectrics to recover some of the heat energy that is currently lost, they have been the focus of much research that has seen them improve significantly in recent years. So much so that the Mars rover Curiosity features lead telluride thermoelectrics, although its system only has a ZT of 1. BMW is also testing systems to harvest the heat from the exhaust systems and combustion engines of its cars.

Aside from capturing some of the wasted heat energy emitted through a vehicle’s tailpipe, the new material could be used in heavy manufacturing industries, including glass and brick making, refineries, and coal- and gas-fired power plants, and on large ships and tankers, where large combustion engines operate continuously. Such applications are seen as ideal as the waste heat temperatures in these areas can range from 400 to 600 degrees Celsius (750 to 1,100 degrees Fahrenheit),which is the sweet spot for thermoelectrics use.

The team’s paper describing the development of the new material is published in the journal Nature.

Source: Northwestern University

World's smallest supercharged four-stroke V8 engine now in production

The Conley Stinger 609 supercharged four-cycle V8 gasoline engine - 6.09 cubic inches and 9.5 horsepower at 10,000 rpm

Giant-scale model cars (and airplanes) powered by small gasoline engines have been popular with adult racers for quite a few years now. The largest scale models available through conventional RC hobby outlets are one-fifth or one-sixth scale, but the serious racers go quarter-scale. Now the smallest (quarter-scale) blown V8 gasoline engine in commercial production is being turned out by Conley Precision Engines to power. 

A quarter-scale gasoline-powered car is about 1.2 m (4 feet) in length, weighs around 50 kg (110 lbs), and can top out at over 160 kph (100 mph). The engines for such large models are usually two-cycle engines not dissimilar from the engines that power weedwackers and leaf blowers, typically beginning at about 33 cc (2.0 cu. in.) displacement, providing 3 to 4 hp at 6-8000 rpm.

Quarter-front view of a normally aspirated Stinger 609 engine

Even the larger engines for quarter scale models are simple and relatively inexpensive. For example, a 160 cc (10 cu. in.) displacement gasoline motor that provides 17 hp at 9000 rpm while weighing only 4 kg (8.8 lbs) is available for about US$1000. (I did say relatively inexpensive). This is plenty of power for any quarter-scale wheeled vehicle one might want to race.

Bottom view of the Stinger 609 showing the crankshaft in place

Why then is the racing community reacting with crackling excitement over the Conley Stinger 609, a new quarter-scale V8 with supercharging, 100 cc (6.09 cu. in.) displacement, and a power output of 9.5 horsepower at 10,000 rpm – especially with a list price over US$7000? Simply enough, other engines don't look or sound right.

Quarter-rear view of the Conley Stinger 609 V8 engine

If you are going to spend a significant portion of a year's salary on a scale model car, expecting to own a true scale model isn't unreasonable. For example, the 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona, one of the quintessential Detroit muscle cars, was 5.75 m (18.9 ft.) long, weighed about 1690 kg (3730 lbs), and had a 7.0 l (426 cu in) hemi V8 that put out 425 hp. Scaling to one-quarter the size would give a model 1.44 m (4.7 ft) in length and weighing about 26 kg (57 lb). The scaled engine would have a displacement of 109 cc (6.6 cu in) with an output of 6.6 horsepower.

Engine block of the Stinger 609 with heads attached

To some extent, the changes required to make a scale model look and perform in a properly scaled manner can be accomplished by changing the materials of which the model is constructed. For example, using strict scaling the loading on the tires on the pavement is considerably smaller for the scale model than for the original car. This makes for poorer handling and performance, as the power of the engine will cause the tires to break free, wasting power and losing traction in curves. It may be possible to save the performance and the appearance of the model, for example, by substituting a rubber for the tires that either has proportionally larger contact areas (a more compliant material) or a stickier rubber, or both. Such substitutions may allow a scale model to perform properly while keeping its scale appearance.

Quarter-scale model of a 1923 roadster equipped with the Conley Stinger 609 V8

But a powered scale model of a car isn't just one with the right appearance, or even if properly scale performance is produced. A great deal of the enjoyment of racing is the sound of the car, and especially of the engine. Nothing else in the world quite sounds like a big block V8 turning over, then running up through the power curve. The rumble at low speeds is hypnotic, while the special screaming wail at high rpms adds greatly to the excitement of the race. In short, serious quarter-scale racers want their models to sound right, and this largely drives the demand for the Conley 609. It sounds like the real thing – only two octaves higher in pitch.

Internal parts of the Conley Stinger 609 V8 engine

Of course, a scale-model engine also encounters difficulties associated with simple scaling. A particular problem comes from lubrication – it is very hard to adequately lubricate the cylinder and piston walls to survive running at 10,000 rpm. This problem was eventually solved with the help of manufacturing engineers from Sunnen Products Co., a leader in precision honing who worked with Conley to make the engine's cylinder liners. It proved necessary to deeply hone a cross-hatched pattern in the cylinder liners, and then to plateau hone the liners to remove any lips and edges protruding from the first set of patterns. The cylinder liners then had sufficient excess oil capacity to adjust to the movements of the piston, and were smooth enough to significantly reduce the effects of those movements by maintaining closer tolerances between the pistons and the cylinder liners. The production models can be run for long periods at high rpm without excessive heating or wear.

The Conley Stinger 609 V-8 has an electric starter and a centrifugal clutch as standard equipment, and is available with or without the supercharger. The list price of the Stinger 609 in its naturally aspirated form is US$5695, although lower prices are available from some suppliers. The supercharger allows the engine to produce about 60 percent more power for an additional cost of US$1700.

Rear end of quarter-scale drag racecar equipped with the Conley Stinger 609 V8

Giant-scale model car racing is a high-tech sport which can be approached without having to put a new mortgage on the house. It also doesn't require "hold harmless" clauses in life insurance policies against accidents during races. The practitioners are an enthusiastic, outgoing lot who truly enjoy their hobby. More power to them.

Source: Conley Precision Engines via Gizmag