Month: July 2015

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#SPECTRE could be @007 James Bond’s last film for Sony Pictures – an annotated infographic

E&T magazine

After the UK premiere and nationwide opening of Spectre on October 26, the James Bond franchise will be open to the highest bidder, as the four-movie distribution deal between Sony Pictures and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer expires. Given that each of the most recent Bond films has made an incredible amount of money – Skyfall being one of a very select number of films to trouser £100 million at the UK box office alone (look at the bar graph below!) – you can expect the competition for the rights to be fierce. Click on the graphic for an expanded view. Continue reading #SPECTRE could be @007 James Bond’s last film for Sony Pictures – an annotated infographic

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#JurassicWorld map of Isla Nublar – an annotated infographic

E&T magazine

Twenty-two years after the events of Jurassic Park, Isla Nublar is now a fully functioning dinosaur theme park – Jurassic World. Facing a fall in visitor numbers, a new more deadly dinosaur has been introduced. Well, that’s the plot of Jurassic World, anyway. We gather it’s still proving to be quite the draw at the planet’s box offices and we happened to find this infographic down the back of the virtual sofa, so thought we’d share it now with every Jurassic-loving filmgoer. Now if you happen to ever find yourself preparing for a vacation at Isla Nublar, you can plan … Continue reading #JurassicWorld map of Isla Nublar – an annotated infographic

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E&T news weekly #59 – we choose our favourite engineering and technology news stories from the week

E&T magazine

Friday July 17 2015  Aasha Bodhani, industry features editor Contracts for UK to Norway subsea power link awarded The world’s longest undersea electricity interconnector has been given the go ahead to be built between the UK and Norway. Firms from both countries and Italy and France will join forces in a bid to deliver low carbon electricity and bring down electricity prices in the UK and Norway. Thousands of Londoners killed by air pollution every year Pollution is a killer, according to researchers from King’s College London. The study reveals toxic nitrogen dioxide emissions and nano-scale particles have affected mortality … Continue reading E&T news weekly #59 – we choose our favourite engineering and technology news stories from the week

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#BBCmicrobit micro computer free to one million schoolchildren – an annotated infographic

E&T magazine

For those of a certain age, the words “BBC Micro” will evoke memories of playing simplistic, heavily pixellated but nonetheless incredibly thrilling computer games in the school IT cupboard, having booked it for that one precious hour a week under the guise of learning computer programming. Quite what we learned from Arcade Action – beyond the necessary action required in the event of alien invasion of Planet Earth – remains a mystery. Good times, nonetheless. Now a new generation of young programmers/alien blasters will be well served by this new Beeb computer, cutely called the BBC micro:bit, deftly positioning the … Continue reading #BBCmicrobit micro computer free to one million schoolchildren – an annotated infographic

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E&T news weekly #58 – we choose our favourite engineering and technology news stories from the week

E&T magazine

Friday July 10 2015  Laura Onita, news reporter Technology disruption causes headaches for US businesses Technology makes life easier and the economy more efficient. Until it fails. It was a rough day for technology in the US on Wednesday: its biggest airline, its oldest stock exchange and its most prominent business newspaper all suffered technology problems that upended service for parts of the day. It seems technology glitches that temporarily knock out vital services and conveniences of modern life are likely to become more common as computers and other electronic devices increasingly connect together over the Internet. Update 999 services … Continue reading E&T news weekly #58 – we choose our favourite engineering and technology news stories from the week

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Brazil unveils #Olympics torch for #Rio2016 – an annotated infographic

E&T magazine

The 2016 Olympic torch has been revealed ahead of next year’s Games in Rio de Janeiro, featuring an innovative recycled aluminium design. It looks pretty nice. We like the floating segments. Not convinced that elements of the design are in any way evocative of Copacabana promenade – not even if you squint your eyes and play Barry Manilow in the background – but we’ll let that one slide. Click on the graphic for an expanded view.   Continue reading Brazil unveils #Olympics torch for #Rio2016 – an annotated infographic

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#NewHorizons probe pings back first pics of Pluto – an annotated infographic

E&T magazine

After nine years and a journey of 5 billion kilometres, NASA’s New Horizons probe is to become the first spacecraft to visit the icy dwarf planet Pluto. The piano-sized craft will also study the Kuiper Belt, the mysterious zone believed to contain materials formed at the birth of the solar system. E&T news has previously reported on New Horizons’ computer glitches and Nasa’s tweaks to guide the craft on its Pluto approach. Click on the graphic for an expanded view.   Continue reading #NewHorizons probe pings back first pics of Pluto – an annotated infographic

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#Apple #iPhone7 rumours, models, screen technology, new features – an annotated infographic

E&T magazine

It’s the traditional annual event: no sooner has the dust settled on one new iPhone release, folk becoming accustomed to the look and feel of the latest shiny Cupertino telephonic device, their thoughts idly turning to perhaps acquiring one at next upgrade, than all rational thoughts are torpedoed by interwebs whispers about the next next shiny Cupertino telephonic device. It’s all about new screen technologies for the iPhone 7, according to the usual swirling rumour mills and tech gossip mongers. Apple has begun manufacturing its next generation iPhone, with Force Touch technology, first seen in the Apple Watch. Recent patent … Continue reading #Apple #iPhone7 rumours, models, screen technology, new features – an annotated infographic

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#JurassicWorld phenomenally successful – the Indominus Rex of the box office – an annotated infographic

E&T magazine

Jurassic World: essentially the same film as its three Jurassic predecessors! People worldwide still crazy for it! Quelle surprise! Humans monkey around with dinosaur DNA for fun and profit. One or more of the genetically created dinosaurs loses it big time. Some B-list characters and extras in the film get eaten. The A-list characters survive and run away. The dinosaurs win. End of story. If there’s ever a Jurassic Park V – and given the paucity of new ideas coming out of Hollywood these days, it seems a box-office-banker surety – the plot will not deviate in essence from this. … Continue reading #JurassicWorld phenomenally successful – the Indominus Rex of the box office – an annotated infographic

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#ISS supply ship options as #Nasa extends use of private contractors – an annotated infographic

E&T magazine

We’ve all been there. The delivery man says he’s going to call on a given day at a given time, so you sit waiting at home. He never shows up and now you’ve got no stuff and you’ve lost a day of your life. Such is life on board the International Space Station (ISS) of late, with our brave space dudes awaiting a delivery of fresh supplies, only to hear that the spacecraft carrying it all exploded shortly after launch. Yodel might be one of the most unreliable courier firms on Earth, but as far as we know its lorries … Continue reading #ISS supply ship options as #Nasa extends use of private contractors – an annotated infographic