Also, the devastating Windows CrowdStrike raised many questions, but it looks like Microsoft is working to make Windows more robust in the face of software bugs that could bring it down.
Plus, flying cars were one of the features of the Jetsons cartoon vision of the future, and now it seems like regulators are preparing for this new world happening soon. Nightlife Tech Guru Peter Marks joined Philip Clark to discuss the latest news in technology. Listen here.
My prescription is relatively complex with astigmatism and I've paid $800 for progressive lenses and $300 for computer distance reading glasses.
Despite efforts by eye testers I've been able to get a copy of my prescription and recently ordered some new reading glasses from Zenottic in China for $55 (plus $10 shipping). They are perfect and the frames seem as good as any in the local shops.
I think it's a scandal that we pay 5 times the price, or more, to buy locally. It does take some care to get the prescription down correctly as well as inter-ocular distance but once I got it right I'm able to cheaply get additional pairs.
Note that EssilorLuxottica owns Sunglass Hut, OPSM, Oakley, Ray-Ban, LensCrafters and many more.
The heater works by heating a cement plate at the top of the firebox and a fan runs air over the top of it which warms the room. If the fan isn't on the heat goes up the flu. If the fan is on when the fire isn't going well it cools the firebox and may extinguish the fire.
I enquired at the company about getting this fixed or getting a replacement board and they referred me to our local agent who basically said they knew nothing.
The circuit certainly looks quite simple although the markings on the IC have been cleaned off.
My solution was to purchase a temperature controller XH-W3001 that can be used either in heating mode or cooling mode. I've set it to come on when the sensor is over 30C indicating that the fire is hot inside.
The sensor range is only up to 120C so I've put the sensor at the back above the heater. The XH-W3001 was AU$5.98 which seems very reasonable. The mains wires are rather flimsy but should be OK for switching a fan.
The way it works is a little counter-intuitive. It has a "heating mode" and a "cooling mode". I'm using it in cooling mode where the output comes on when the temperature exceeds the left hand value and goes off when the temperature drops below the right hand value.
I've set left to 34C and right to 30C. The sensor is at the back just poked in to the top cavity. It seems to be working well and the cat is very impressed.
My new eBike came with a charger. Even though it's about 10m away from my ham shack the radiated noise level is impressive.
Here's the "transmitter":
Even with external clip-on ferrites on the mains and output cable there is little difference. How can it be legal to sell noise makers like this? Are all the certifications fake or just incredibly poor standards?
As Ralph, VK3ZZC, suggested I have added 0.1uF silver mica capacitors across the large electrolytic smoothing capacitors on the output and this has made a noticable improvement on the radio.
In the story I talked about trying out the new Microsoft Surface laptop powered by ARM. It's a nice looking and feeling laptop, quite similar to the M2 MacBook Air which I imagine it is competing with. Fit and finish is excellent. More ports than Apple and slightly better value in terms of price per GB of storage and RAM.
There's a new Microsoft only key on the right hand side for summoning Copilot AI features.
I pushed the key and not a lot seemed to happen but I guess, like Apple these new features are being rolled out over time.