Elon Musk's SpaceX isn't the only startup building rockets on the cheap in Southern California. Huntington Beach-based Rocket Lab has been refining its Electron rocket over the past few years. Now the company is ready to get down to business with its own unique approach to the 21st century space race.First off, it's important to realize Rocket Lab isn't trying to compete directly with the likes of the really big rocket makers like SpaceX and the United Launch Alliance. In fact, Lockheed Martin -- half of the joint venture that makes up ULA (Boeing is the other partner) -- has also invested in Rocket Lab, which was founded in 2006. Instead of aiming to launch big heavy satellites or cargo missions destined for the International Space Station like the SpaceX Falcon 9, Rocket Lab's Electron is meant to lift smaller satellites to orbit. While SpaceX and Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin have garnered much of the attention in the new commercial space race, there's been another race in the … [Read more...] about Rocket Lab could be the next SpaceX and it’s ready for its first big launch
Valve’s new ‘Knuckles’ VR controller knows where your fingers are
VR still has some major problems to solve -- like the pesky cord that often tethers you to a PC. But Valve, the company that's working on three full-length VR games (you may also know them from a little thing called Steam), might soon solve the problem of being able to naturally pick up, hold, and squeeze objects in virtual reality with your hands.Today, the company revealed its near-final Knuckles EV2 VR controllers, and Valve tells CNET the company will announce a ship date soon.What makes Knuckles any better than the wands that come with, say, an HTC Vive VR headset? I'm glad I used a rhetorical crutch to make you ask -- they're covered with force sensors (pressure) and capacitive sensors (touch) that tell games when and how you're gripping, squeezing and pinching virtual objects.The above video? You've never done anything quite like that in a game before, I bet.And importantly, the Knuckles have an integrated strap so you can let go of virtual objects without the … [Read more...] about Valve’s new ‘Knuckles’ VR controller knows where your fingers are
MoviePass will charge an extra $2 for popular movies starting in July
MoviePass customers who want to see latest popular films will soon be stuck with an additional fee. Starting next month, MoviePass will charge subscribers $2 -- and possibly more -- to see movies it deems popular. The move was reported earlier by Business Insider.The additional fee, reminiscent of surge pricing on Uber, will roll out in "coming weeks" as part of a test program, MoviePass said in an emailed statement. The company didn't explain how it would determine which movies were considered popular."We intend to keep the $9.95 model live and running," the company said. "At the same time, we are launching new optional add-ons that will allow members to invite a friend to the theaters, upgrade to premium 3D and IMAX showings, or order tickets specifically for certain high-demand showings for a small additional fee." The MoviePass announcement comes after the AMC theater chain launched a new program on Wednesday that lets you watch three movies a week for $20 a month. AMC also … [Read more...] about MoviePass will charge an extra $2 for popular movies starting in July
Algeria shuts down internet during exams to curb cheating
If those seem like harsh measures, they're in place because of disruptions to exams over the last couple of years. In 2016, test questions leaked online both before and during exams. Authorities tried to stop the scourge last year by asking ISPs to block social media access, but that wasn't effective enough.During the exam period, students and school staff are banned from bringing any devices with internet access into exam rooms. Metal detectors are in place to catch out anyone stuffing a phone or smartwatch into their socks.The cheating crackdown has extended to the exam paper printing presses, with cameras and cell phone jammers installed to prevent leaks. You'd imagine that exam papers will firmly be under lock and key until tests start, too. Algeria has some way to go, though, in terms of novel ways of sniffing out exam cheats -- in 2015, China started using drones to catch them. … [Read more...] about Algeria shuts down internet during exams to curb cheating
Air Force certifies Falcon Heavy, orders satellite launch for 2020
When SpaceX debuted the Falcon Heavy rocket in February, one of the biggest questions concerned who, exactly, would use the large booster and its 27 engines. Now we have an answer: the US Air Force, which on Thursday announced that it had selected the Falcon Heavy to launch its Air Force Space Command-52 satellite. The military launch is presently scheduled to occur in September 2020 from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The Air Force will pay $130 million for the mission, which is higher than the standard rate for a Falcon Heavy launch due to the military's mission assurance requirements. SpaceX has several other missions set for the Falcon Heavy before then, but this represents a big step for the company, as it means the Air Force has certified the rocket after just a single test flight. The Air Force Space Command-52 satellite flight is believed to be the first time that the Falcon Heavy rocket has competed head-to-head with a United Launch Alliance rocket for a … [Read more...] about Air Force certifies Falcon Heavy, orders satellite launch for 2020