Gaming giant Razer had been rumoured to be working on a smartphone for some time.

Read more: Razer launches Android smartphone geared towards gamers

Phones are still turning heads at Mobile World Congress.

Read more: Hands-on with the top smartphones of Mobile World Congress 2018

Irish tech player iKydz has revealed its own child-safe smartphone at Mobile World Congress 2018.

Read more: An Irish tech firm has developed a child-safe smartphone

The announcement from Perplexity comes ahead of this year’s highly contentious US presidential election.

Read more: AI start-up launches election hub for US voters

The piece draws 'heavily' from Pablo Picasso, George Orwell and Aldous Huxley, according to art broker Sotheby's.

Read more: AI artwork made by robot Ai-Da sells for more than $1m

Apple released the first beta of visionOS 2.2, introducing new "Wide" and "Ultrawide" modes for the Mac Virtual Display feature on the Vision Pro headset. MacRumors reports: Apple has previously said the ultra-wide version of Mac Virtual Display is equivalent to having two physical 4K displays sitting side by side on a desk. Mac Virtual Display is now available in three sizes: Normal, Wide, and Ultrawide. visionOS 2.2 will likely be released to the public in December alongside iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, macOS Sequoia 15.2, watchOS 11.2, tvOS 18.2, and other updates. Further reading: Apple Delays Cut-price Vision Headset Until 2027, Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo Says

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Wednesday Cuba was hit by a major hurricane which took down its entire power grid again, this time for about 24 hours, according to CNN: Videos of the aftermath showed power infrastructure turned into a mangled mess and power poles down on streets. Hundreds of technicians were mobilized Thursday to reestablish power connections, according to state media... Operations at two electrical plants were partially restored and parts of eastern and central Cuba had electricity back up by Thursday afternoon, state media reported... The country's power grid has collapsed multiple times, including when Hurricane Oscar hit in October and killed at least 7 people. In the capital of Havana, where 2 million people live, power had been restored to less than 20% of the city by late Friday afternoon, . "Authorities had not yet given an estimate for when power would be fully restored..." Then tonight, CNN reported: A 6.8 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of eastern Cuba on Sunday, causing material damage in several regions as the island continues to recover from widespread blackouts and the impact of two hurricanes over the past few weeks. The earthquake was reported about 39 km (24 miles) south of Bartolomé Masó before noon local time, about an hour after a 5.9 magnitude quake rocked the area, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) said. "There have been landslides, damage to homes and power lines," Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel said, adding that authorities are evaluating the situation to start recovery efforts.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Renew Home says they're building a "virtual power plant" in Texas by "enabling homes to easily reduce and shift the timing of energy use." Thursday they announced a 10-year project distributing hundreds of thousands of smart thermostats to customers of Texas-based power utility NRG Energy, starting next spring. (Bloomberg calls them "AI-enabled thermostats that use Alphabet Inc.'s Google Cloud technology.") The ultimate goal? "Create a nearly 1-gigawatt, AI-powered virtual power plant" — equivalent to 1.9 million solar panels, enough to power about 200,000 homes during peak demand. One NRG executive touted the move as "cutting-edge, AI-driven solutions that will bolster grid resilience and contribute to a more sustainable future." [Residential virtual power plants] work by aggregating numerous, small-scale distributed energy resources like HVAC systems controlled by smart thermostats and home batteries and coordinating them to balance supply and demand... NRG, in partnership with Renew Home, plans to offer Vivint and Nest smart thermostats, including professional installation, at no cost to eligible customers across NRG's retail electricity providers and plans. These advanced thermostats make subtle automatic HVAC adjustments to help customers shift their energy use to times when electricity is less constrained, less expensive, and cleaner... Over time, the parties expect to add devices like batteries and electric vehicles to the virtual power plant, expanding energy savings opportunities for customers... Through the use of Google Cloud's data, analytics, and AI technology, NRG will be able to do things like better predict weather conditions, forecast wind and solar generation output, and create predictive pricing models, allowing for more efficient production and ultimately ensuring the home energy experience is seamless for customers. Google Cloud will also offer "its AI and machine learning to determine the best time to cool or heat homes," reports Bloomberg, "based on a household's energy usage patterns and ambient temperatures." It was less than a year ago that Renew Home was formed when Google spun off the load-shifting service for its "Google Nest" thermostats, which merged with load-shift management startup OhmConnect. Bloomberg describes this week's announcement as "Three of the biggest names in US home energy automation... coming together to offer some relief to the beleaguered Texas electrical grid." But they point out that 1 gigawatt is roughly 1% of the record summer demand seen in Texas this year. Still, "The entire industry has been built to serve the peak load on the hottest day of the year," said Rasesh Patel, president of NRG's consumer unit. "This allows us to be a lot more smarter about demand in shaving the peak."

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

It is estimated that 10 to 28pc of reproductive-aged women complain of persistent pain during intercourse.

Read more: Digital health platform to give support for genito-pelvic pain issues

Smart energy communities could be a ‘game-changer’ in the transition to renewables, says SETU’s Sean Lyons.

Read more: Why small energy parks are a smart piece of the clean-energy puzzle

UCD's Prof Kate Robson Brown leads the development of analytical models that predict the lifetime of composites in low-Earth orbit.

Read more: UCD professor part of team developing new space materials

The online system will free up immigration staff to focus on processing applications, the Department of Justice said.

Read more: New digital hub for Irish immigration permits partners with ID-Pal

The new office, located at Bonham Quay, will open sometime in spring in 2025.

Read more: Liberty IT announces new office space in Galway

The European Space Agency has given the go-ahead for initial work on a mission to visit an asteroid called (99942) Apophis. If approved at a key meeting next year, the robotic spacecraft, known as the Rapid Apophis Mission for Space Safety (Ramses), will rendezvous with the asteroid in February 2029. Apophis is 340 metres wide, about the same as the height of the Empire State Building. If it were to hit Earth, it would cause wholesale destruction hundreds of miles from its impact site. The energy released would equal that of tens or hundreds of nuclear weapons, depending on the…

This story continues at The Next Web

About one in every 10 European startups that have raised VC investment are also backed by an EU grant of equity financing, according to a research project conducted by Dealroom and Dealflow.eu. While the full report is expected to be published later this year, the authors presented a few preliminary numbers in Warsaw last week. In financial terms, the 10% share translates into EU-backed startups having raised €70bn in VC funding since 2010, or some 11% of total funding in Europe (which in this case includes the EU, Switzerland, Norway, UK, and Israel). With some €400bn in total enterprise value…

This story continues at The Next Web

In 1991, Sony brought the first rechargeable lithium-ion battery to market. The unique chemistry proved a game-changer in energy storage. Today everything from EVs to smartphones depends on it, with demand skyrocketing.  But lithium is rare, most of it comes from unstable markets outside Europe, and its extraction can cause extensive pollution. We need more lithium to enable the green transition and yet, currently, its use is unsustainable — both environmentally and economically. We’re stuck in a paradox. Munich-based startup Tozero believes that battery recycling offers a way out. Recycling batteries is far from a new concept, but the German venture…

This story continues at The Next Web

Find out more about Apple's first smart home hardware.

ERICO® and TRUFAST® have teamed together to market the CADDY® PYRAMID family of rooftop pipe and equipment supports to the roofing market in North America.

Scheduled to be completed by 2016, the full vision of Briggs and his friend, Allan Lutes, to build a stronger veteran’s community at Camp Liberty is within reach.

Atlas partnered with the KU School of Architecture & Design and the nonprofit Studio 804 to help graduate students design and build a sustainable home for a final project.

Petrini Custom Builders focused on creating a high-performance residential home, which included elevating design and performance using Atlas Roofing EnergyShield.

Those who register for the International Roofing Expo's Virtual Event will gain access to a wealth of knowledge from its on-demand sessions and seminars.

View the schedule of events taking place during Day Two of the International Roofing Expo's Virtual Edition.

The final day of the International Roofing Expo's Virtual Edition is packed with plenty of information and entertainment for attendees. View the schedule here!

Learn the basics and advanced techniques of metal roofing with S-5! Founder and CEO Rob Haddock during the 2021 International Roofing Expo.

In this session, learn about an exciting new nationwide apprenticeship program that addresses the workforce shortage plaguing the roofing industry.

S-5! Founder and CEO Rob Haddock will break down everything contractors need to know about metal roofing in a common-sense fashion.

Expert panel to discuss unlocking the value and power of women in the roofing industry, and why both genders should lean in.

The nation will join former President Jimmy Carter in celebrating his 100th birthday with Habitat for Humanity's 38th Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project.

Here are some the smart things contractors do to make their businesses succeed, and tips on how to do those things if you aren’t already.

From opinions on wages to growing your operations, these commonly-held beliefs could be hampering your contracting business.

Greg Bloom, president of the Roofing Alliance for 2023-24, discusses what it means to be invested in the greater good.

New efficiencies and less space taken on rooftops mean roofing contractors looking to sell solar may see more success in the years ahead.

The City of Austin, Texas, said it will share data with Google on the solar reflectivity of roofs to identify which neighborhoods would benefit most from 'cool roofs,' aiming to reduce heat in homes and inform future climate policies. 

The history of coatings in roofing has been marked by innovation overcoming challenges, not unlike Inland Coatings; despite market shifts, the company's resilience and adaptability led to its revitalization through acquisitions and strategic leadership courtesy of private equity.

The experts at Mule-Hide Products are bridging the information gap about PVC roofing for roofing contractors in this two-part series.

There are many project scheduling methods and programs available out in the construction world.

By practicing situational awareness every day, contractors can keep themselves and others safe while on the job.

OSHA and Noble Texas Builders have entered into a one-year partnership to enhance worker safety during construction at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley – McAllen Independent School District Collegiate Academy in McAllen, Texas.

The founder and owner of Red Dog’s Roofing wants to encourage the next generation to explore the rewarding careers roofing has to offer.

RC’s latest crop of young roofing professionals inject enthusiasm and optimism about the industry’s future. 

RC Young Gun Jody Roberts started his career in roofing distribution but found his niche in the industry as a roofing contractor with a company that’s on the move -- well past western Montana.

IPS Roofing Products' SmartVent features a shingle over design that makes roofing jobs quicker, easier and much more profitable.

Owens Corning spotlights its shingle performance, technologies and contractor education in its virtual booth during the International Roofing Expo's Virtual Edition.

Solar is one of the hottest growing sectors in roofing. Are you geared to take advantage of this emerging opportunity?

2019 Residential Roofing Contractor of the Year Ken Kelly talks openly about his roofing career's roots and the key steps he took to become a top-performing contractor.

The 2019 Residential Contractor of the Year shares how his company converted from a retail roofing outfit in a storm market, to a full-service storm response company in the wake of Hurricane Irma.