A team of scientists at Chungbuk National University in South Korea have created a transistor that's only 2nm in size, which happens to be the smallest in the world. By comparison, the current generation of Intel processors use 32nm transistors. The component is referred to a quantum transistor because the application of quantum effects were crucial to the development process. And since these quantum transistors operate at room temperature, the scientists say they're ideal for use in mobile devices.
The study, conducted by the WHO's International Agency for Research on Cancer, stops far short of saying phones cause cancer. Rather, the agency's grouped regular cellphone usage (defined as 30 minutes of talk-time per day) as a "possible" cause of glioma, a malignant form of brain cancer—up to a 40% increased chance, according to one cited study. As one researcher puts it, "There could be some risk, and therefore we need to keep a close watch for a link between cell phones and cancer risk." This might sound insignificant—the study says chance, as opposed to causation, can't be ruled out—but it's unprecedented.
The asphalt in Phoenix is turning green, and not because of a strange natural phenomenon or some environmentalist campaign. Rather, it's a solar reflective coating that can reduce ground temperatures by 30 degrees Fahrenheit.
According to SmartPlanet, the city of Phoenix contracted the Arizona-based company Emerald Cities Cool Pavement to cover a 90,000 sq. ft. temporary parking lot with the greenish, paint-like substance called nano-concrete. The goal is to avoid the "heat island" effect in the downtown area which happens when asphalt stores heat emanating from the sun and amplifies the temperature in the vicinity.
Google promises that "your phone will be your wallet" and starting Wednesday this wallet will be able to snag daily offers in Portland, Oregon.
Google Offers will go live on a limited basis in the City of Roses and expand this summer to hundreds of merchants in San Francisco and New York City. If Google can do with Offers what it did with search and Android, then Groupon is in for a world of hurt.
Worried about looking silly when smoking a cigar that's roughly the size of your forearm? Nub Cigars ($5-$8) offer all the huge flavor in a more sensible size. Created by the Oliva Family, these Nicaraguan smokes are available in a variety of blends and shapes, giving you the very essence of a great cigar without the cumbersome length.
Microsoft has taken a big step forward and introduced a new version of its street view feature in Bing Maps, called Street Slide, and its awesome. Instead of getting periodic, fisheye-lensed images of the street, you get a continuous view of city blocks for easy landmark-spotting.
