Technology

Green flags for defense tech and Silicon Valley’s longevity obsession

Published

5 hours ago

September 27, 2024

Green flags for defense tech and Silicon Valley's longevity obsession

This episode of Equity had so many themes: VC karaoke, the SpaceX economy, no moats for AI, OpenAI versus open source. You know it’s going to be good when the conversation between host Kirsten Korosec and fellow TCers Devin Coldewey and Margaux MacColl starts with the evergreen question: is it ever OK to use shirtless photo of yourself for your workplace Slack profile? Answer: yeah, nope.

AI was a topic yet again at Equity. But it wasn’t just the same ol’ same ol. Sure, there was a bit of riffing on the absolutely nutty valuations coming out of the AI sector. But we also weighed in on YC Demo Day — including mentions of few non-AI and AI startups that got our attention.

We made some space for space (see what I did there) on Equity as well, specifically to talk about a curious startup called Reflect Orbital, which is developing satellites to deploy large mirrors to precisely reflect sunlight onto specific points on the ground. The startup envisions a future where the sun can be turned on and off like a flashlight. Devin was skeptical and much our of conversation centered on one Shaun Maguire, a well-known VC who backed Reflect and who led Sequoia’s 2019 investment in SpaceX.

Speaking of VCs and trends in Silicon Valley, Margaux weighed in on two hot topics: defense tech and the continued popularity of dual-use startups and the ongoing interest (obsession?) in longevity tech among some investors. On the longevity front, the gang chatted about Synex, a startup building a portable MRI capable of testing glucose and other important molecules without the need to extract blood.”

Meanwhile, over in the defense tech sector, we talked about how startups like Pyka have gained backers and potential government customers by expanding how their tech is applied. Pyka, is an electric aviation startup that started with a focus on crop-dusting and cargo plane lines, but has found interest from the defense sector.

Equity is TechCrunch’s flagship podcast, produced by Theresa Loconsolo, and posts every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.

Subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify, and all the casts. You also can follow Equity on X and Threads, at @EquityPod. For the full episode transcript, for those who prefer reading over listening, check out our full archive of episodes over at Simplecast.

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Technology

Tech Life: Mapping a changing world

Published

16 seconds ago

September 28, 2024

NewsAdmin

How live updating of online maps is helping humanitarian work around the world.

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Technology

Artificial flavours released by cooking aim to improve lab-grown meat

Published

21 mins ago

September 27, 2024

NewsAdmin

Artificial flavours released by cooking aim to improve lab-grown meat

Cultured meat, with added flavour
Yonsei University

Lab-grown meat could get a flavour boost thanks to aromatic chemicals that activate when cooked, releasing a meaty smell – or if you prefer, that of coffee or potatoes.

Meat grown from cultured cells can already be created in various forms that resemble slaughtered meat, including steak and meatballs, but matching the taste has proven more challenging. Traditional meat flavours are extremely complex and volatile and don’t survive the lengthy laboratory process.

One key component of the taste of cooked meat is the Maillard reaction, named after a French chemist who discovered that unique flavours are created in cooked food at between 140 and 165°C (280 to 330 °F). Jinkee Hong at Yonsei University in Seoul, South Korea, and his colleagues say they have worked out a way to simulate the Maillard reaction by adding “switchable flavour compounds” (SFCs) into a 3D gelatine-based hydrogel, called a scaffold, that remain stable while the meat is cultured.

Once heated to 150°C, the chemicals “switch on” and release their flavours, improving the cultured protein’s palatability. “We actually smelled the meaty flavour upon heating the SFCs,” says Hong, though he wouldn’t confirm whether the team had actually eaten the meat.

These SFCs can also be used to create different flavour profiles. For example, the researchers tested three compounds and say they produced flavours simulating roasted meat, coffee, roasted nuts, onions and potatoes. “We can diversify and customise the flavour compounds released from the SFC,” says Hong.

One big issue is that the chemicals involved aren’t currently seen as safe for human consumption. “Because the materials and culture medium are not approved as edible materials, we cannot ensure the safety of it,” Hong says. “However, we think that our strategy can also be applied to conventional edible materials, which would be safer than the materials used in this study.”

Johannes le Coutre at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia, says he is sceptical of the work for numerous reasons, including that the flavour tests predominantly used an electronic nose to assess the chemicals being released, rather than human judgement of whether they smelled appetising.

“You cannot nourish human beings with this type of material,” says le Coutre. “While cell-based meat is a promising technology concept, this particular way of adding flavour will never provide safe and sustainable protein for low and middle-income communities that need food.”

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Servers computers

Cara Merakit Rack Server 42U Perforated Door

Published

29 mins ago

September 27, 2024

NewsAdmin

Cara Merakit Rack Server 42U Perforated Door

https://tokopedia.link/BOdpxiBQyib

WhatsApp wa/me8973379900

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Technology

GTA V for PlayStation 5 is only $20 today — normally $40

Published

43 mins ago

September 27, 2024

NewsAdmin

GTA V for PlayStation 5 is only $20 today — normally $40

Best Buy has cut the price of Grand Theft Auto V by 50% and if you don’t already own it, you really need to buy it right now.

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Servers computers

Slimming down to 2U! SFF Rackmount Gaming PC

Published

1 hour ago

September 27, 2024

NewsAdmin

Slimming down to 2U! SFF Rackmount Gaming PC

HUGE thanks to Micro Center for sponsoring this build! Here are links for their offer:

New Customer Exclusive – $25 Off ALL CPU’s: https://micro.center/yww
Shop Micro Center’s February BYO Deals: https://micro.center/fbi
Check out Micro Center’s Custom PC Builder: https://micro.center/b9o
Submit your build to Micro Center’s Build Showcase: https://micro.center/0jn

Parts used in this build (some links are affiliate links):

– MyElectronics’ 2U Mini ITX case: https://www.myelectronics.nl/us/19-inch-2u-mini-itx-case-short-depth.html
– Intel i5-13400 CPU: https://amzn.to/3K5bgJ1
– ASRock Z790M-ITX WiFi Motherboard: https://amzn.to/3YOnLwF
– CORSAIR Vengeance DDR5-5200 RAM with XMP: https://amzn.to/3lDqzi3
– LIAN LI SP 750 SFX PSU: https://amzn.to/3lGtUg4
– PNY Nvidia RTX A2000 12GB graphics card: https://amzn.to/3YobvmV
– be quiet! Pure Wings 80mm BL044 Case fans: https://amzn.to/3S23mCd
– Noctua NH-L9i-17xx Low-Profile CPU cooler: https://amzn.to/3EaWKMi
– 3.5mm Keystone Audio Jack: https://amzn.to/3YRPIUA
– Nanxudyj 3.5mm 1ft Audio Cable: https://amzn.to/3Ea26HD
– KIOXIA XG8 NVMe SSD: https://americas.kioxia.com/en-us/business/ssd/client-ssd/xg8.html

And here’s a link to the build from Micro Center (excluding the things I bought separate): https://www.microcenter.com/site/content/custom-pc-builder-intel.aspx?load=fe3f5ada-d5a2-4773-a2f3-28a25a21f8c5

Also mentioned in this video:

– LTT Personal Rig Update (Late 2021): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TgRXE9mUHJc
– LTT Heating my pool with computers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ozYlgOuYis
– It BROKE! LTT Screwdriver 6-month review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwoc6c4PMfU

Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/geerlingguy
Sponsor me on GitHub: https://github.com/sponsors/geerlingguy
Merch: https://redshirtjeff.com
2nd Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/GeerlingEngineering

#Sponsored #MicroCenter #Homelab

Contents:

00:00 – Too much power?
00:48 – Short-depth 2U rackmount case
01:19 – Micro Center!
01:58 – SFF ask the expert
04:07 – Case closed… and opened!
05:08 – Assembling the motherboard
08:37 – I actually showed the thing!
09:00 – It’s coming together
10:35 – Front panel USB and a GPU to see
12:43 – It’s a lot heavier for its first boot
13:46 – No case is perfect
14:52 – Quieter AND faster!
15:34 – Gaming at 1080p
16:20 – Other SFF options and another build .

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Technology

The US might blacklist the main iPhone SE 4 display supplier

Published

1 hour ago

September 27, 2024

NewsAdmin

Apple has been trying to reduce the production cost of its iPhones for some time now. To achieve this, they have tried to turn to alternative suppliers for certain key components, such as displays. However, a new move by the US government could put Apple’s plans in jeopardy. A US representative requested that display suppliers from China, such as BOE and Tianma, be blacklisted. BOE would be the main OLED display supplier of the iPhone SE 4.

BOE is a Chinese display supplier that works with multiple big brands in the smartphone industry. Apple has been in talks with the company to use its panels in iPhone devices. According to reports, BOE has failed Apple’s quality tests for high-end iPhone displays, but the Cupertino giant would commission them to produce the majority of the iPhone SE 4’s displays.

US representative suggests blacklisting display suppliers from China

Apple may have to reconsider its plans regarding the displays of the next budget iPhone following a request from John Moolenaar, the Chairman of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party. Moolenaar requests the addition of BOE to the US trade blacklist in a letter to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. The letter also mentions Tianma Microelectronics, another Chinese display supplier.

The representative cites national security concerns as the main reason for the BOE’s potential blacklisting. The letter cites Chinese suppliers’ outsized market share growth in the LCD and OLED segment thanks to Chinese government funding. These suppliers have gone from 1% of the global OLED market share in 2014 to more than 52% today. They have also taken over 72% of the LCD market. Chinese suppliers have reportedly taken advantage of government funding to sell displays at cost, affecting competitors.

Previous reports suggested that BOE would manufacture 70% of the iPhone SE 4’s displays. Samsung was among the companies vying to supply the component. However, the deal fell through because Apple was willing to pay too little per unit. Indeed, reports suggest that Apple requested BOE to reduce the specifications of the “display candidate” to secure a lower price. There are no details on which specs would be reduced to save costs. However, we can imagine things like maximum brightness or resorting to older OLED technologies.

LG would be another candidate for the iPhone SE 4’s OLED screens

According to reports, Apple has also negotiated with LG to supply the displays for the iPhone SE 4. Reports suggest that the company is seeking to pay a maximum price of $40 per unit. The iPhone SE 4 would hit the market in 2025 for a price of $499. The possibility of a BOE blacklisting would force Apple to turn to more expensive suppliers, potentially increasing the estimated price for the next-generation budget iPhone.

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