All posts tagged: usage

Electricity Maps calculates the carbon intensity of electricity consumption to optimize usage at scale

Electricity Maps calculates the carbon intensity of electricity consumption to optimize usage at scale

Published by skeptic

If you’re an electricity nerd, chances are you’ve already spent quite a few hours looking at Electricity Maps and its mesmerizing export flow animations. This open-source data visualization project has been around since 2016. But companies like Google and Samsung are increasingly relying on this rich data set to hit their sustainability goals and empower their own users. There are currently 20 people working for Electricity Maps and the company has been profitable for a few years. But TechCrunch has exclusively learned it recently raised a $5.4 million (€5M) funding round from Transition and Revent, to take things up a notch by investing in the product and the business. Electricity Maps is now both a data visualization tool and an enterprise API for data-driven decarbonization — and one wouldn’t work without the other. Founded by Olivier Corradi, a French and Danish entrepreneur and data scientist who previously worked for voice assistant startup Snips, Electricity Maps started from an itch to know more about electricity production and consumption. “There were articles in the press saying that …

How to Check RAM, GPU, and CPU Usage in Windows 11

How to Check RAM, GPU, and CPU Usage in Windows 11

Published by skeptic

Key Takeaways Use Task Manager to monitor RAM, CPU, and GPU usage. End unnecessary processes to improve system performance quickly. Resource Monitor offers more detailed metrics than Task Manager. Windows 11 users can benefit from its real-time monitoring features. For advanced users, Performance Monitor is the most comprehensive tool to analyze system performance and resource usage on Windows 11. Keeping an eye on system resources can be vital, especially when experiencing glitches or slowdowns. If you’re on Windows, there are tools baked into the operating system that let you quickly look up just how much of your RAM, CPU, and GPU are being used by a specific process. How to Check Windows 11’s System Resource Usage With Task Manager The Task Manager is one of Windows 11’s primary system resource monitoring utilities. The tool is the easiest way to see which programs and processes are running and how many resources each takes up. Related: How to Access the Task Manager on Windows 11 Here’s how you can check your PC’s system resource usage with Task …

Snapchat and Instagram usage linked to increased desire for cosmetic surgery

Snapchat and Instagram usage linked to increased desire for cosmetic surgery

Published by José

A new study published in the Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology suggests a strong link between social media usage, photo-editing applications, and the increasing desire for cosmetic procedures. The researchers discovered that individuals who spend considerable time on social media platforms like Snapchat and Instagram, and those who engage with photo-editing apps, are more likely to consider undergoing cosmetic surgery. In an era dominated by digital interaction, the researchers aimed to explore the nuanced ways in which the virtual representations of ourselves impact our real-life decisions, particularly concerning our physical appearances. The term “Snapchat dysmorphia” has already entered the medical lexicon, describing a trend where individuals seek cosmetic enhancements to mimic the filtered versions of themselves they present online. This study investigates the broader implications of social media and photo-editing on cosmetic surgery intentions, especially in light of the increased focus on appearance during the COVID-19 pandemic. “While there was an increase in cosmetic focus during the COVID pandemic, until now there has not been data highlighting a clear link or factors that made …

Tesla works to slash Sentry Mode power usage by ~40%, and why that’s bigger than you think

Tesla works to slash Sentry Mode power usage by ~40%, and why that’s bigger than you think

Published by skeptic

Tesla is working on a software update to slash Sentry Mode power usage by ~40% – reducing “vampire drain” on parked vehicles. It might sound like a small update that’s bigger than you think. Electric vehicles lose some power when parked. It’s often been referred to as “vampire drain”. There are several factors that can contribute to vampire drain, like battery temperature control, pining connectivity features, etc. With Tesla vehicles, there’s an optional feature that can contribute significantly: Sentry Mode. Sentry Mode uses the cameras all around Tesla vehicles, which are primarily there for Tesla’s driver-assist features and promised self-driving, to monitor suspicious activities, record, and remote view what’s happening around your vehicle. The feature has been used to counter the epidemic of people keying Tesla cars a few years ago. Sentry Mode does consume a good amount of power – contributing to the vampire drain. With Sentry Mode on, some Tesla owners reported a vampire drain of 7.2 kWh in a day. That’s roughly 10% of the battery capacity of long range Model 3 …

Canada: Surge in people requiring ER and developing mental health issues due to Marijuana usage

Canada: Surge in people requiring ER and developing mental health issues due to Marijuana usage

Published by Sam

The government of Prime Minister Trudeau legalized the recreational use of Marijuana in Canada in 2018, based on the premise it’s a safe drug. However, researchers from Canada’s University of Ottawa are reporting that there has been an alarming increase in the number of people developing mental health issues after using cannabis, the Daily Mail reports. The report found that not only is there an increasing number of people showing up at hospital emergency rooms because of Marijuana-related health issues, but it also found that a third of those who did develop “mental health issues within three years.” This compared to only 5.6% for the remainder of patients using hospital ERs for non-marijuana-related issues. The Daily Mail adds: Researchers warned that men and younger people, aged 10-24 years, were at a greater risk of developing mental health problems, which can range from anxiety to full-on panic attacks.  Dr Daniel Myran, a University of Ottawa researcher, said pot use has rapidly increased in Canada these past 15 years.  His report is a wake-up call for those who believe …

Breaking Bad: Time to Get Smart About Smartphone Usage

Breaking Bad: Time to Get Smart About Smartphone Usage

Published by skeptic

According to Pew Research, as of January 2024, 97 percent of Americans own a cellphone, and 9 out of 10 of these devices are smartphones. The time we spend on mobile devices, mostly smartphones, according to Statista, climbed to over 4.5 hours per day in 2022, with this upward trend expected to continue in 2024. This figure, by the way, does not include talking on the phone. We scroll social media, create video content, share photos, and access the internet all with one easily transportable device. We also watch movies, TV shows, news, and videos, carry a vast curated music library in our pockets, gamble, play games, pay bills, and connect through social media with like-minded individuals. We can listen to podcasts, shop for groceries, send out party invitations, attend classes, engage in therapy, and even wind down with the help of a meditation app, all with a single device smaller than a paperback book. Is it any wonder that our habitual usage of smartphones is on the rise? Habit formation, according to Psychology Today, …

Atlanta Water Company Charges Contractor ,000 For Water Usage On A Lot With No Water Line

Atlanta Water Company Charges Contractor $30,000 For Water Usage On A Lot With No Water Line

Published by skeptic

Today in ‘automation is better’ news, a contractor in Atlanta is facing a $30,000 water bill for a lot that doesn’t even have a connection to a water line. Jeff Raw, president and CEO of Revive Construction Group said he hadn’t even started construction yet on a site in Atlanta’s East Lake neighborhood when he received huge bills from Atlanta Watershed Management.  He tried to get his bill adjusted and even went to the utility company’s appeals board, but was denied the chance to change the bill, a report from Yahoo Finance, citing a FOX 5 Atlanta investigation, said.  “I feel like it’s extortion,” he said. “This is criminal.” Atlanta Watershed Management set up a standalone water meter on an undeveloped plot in October 2022. Within a month, Revive Construction received a bill for $8,899, allegedly for using 305,184 gallons of water, far exceeding the EPA’s average household usage of 9,000 gallons per month. Over five months, bills totaled $29,669.43 for over a million gallons of water, which the construction company appealed. The Atlanta Watershed Management appeals board …

Meet Rabbit R1: A Petite Orange Box Redefining App Usage With AI Assistance

Meet Rabbit R1: A Petite Orange Box Redefining App Usage With AI Assistance

Published by skeptic

The Rabbit R1 can fit in the palm of your hand and will be able to answer questions, launch a Spotify playlist or call a taxi with the push of a button. Sounds familiar, right? The Rabbit R1 isn’t a smartphone in the traditional sense. Instead, it promises to be a dedicated personal assistant powered by AI, and it ships in late March for $199. Our phones are great at many things, like snapping vacation photos, entertaining us with an endless stream of bite-sized videos and acting as our personal planners. That’s exactly the problem, according to Jesse Lyu, founder and CEO of AI tech startup Rabbit. He thinks the myriad apps and functions available on our phones have stripped away their simplicity, and he’s trying to change that with the R1, which debuted at CES 2024.  Watch this: First Look at Rabbit R1 Mobile AI Device 01:35 You don’t interact with the R1 by opening apps; instead, you press a physical push-to-talk button to ask a question or play a song on Spotify as …

TikTok usage is starting to slow — is TikTok Shop to blame?

TikTok usage is starting to slow — is TikTok Shop to blame?

Published by skeptic

TikTok may have been the world’s top app by downloads and consumer spending in 2023, but it was not the top by actual usage. Last year, Facebook again maintained its No. 1 position by monthly active users, followed by other Meta-owned apps WhatsApp, Instagram, and Messenger — all of which were ahead of TikTok at No. 5. Now new data indicates that TikTok’s growth has started to slow, begging the question of whether the app’s move into e-commerce via TikTok Shop is to blame. According to new data from market intelligence firm Sensor Tower, while TikTok’s growth remains positive, that growth is decelerating. In 2022, TikTok’s monthly active users grew an average of 12% year-over-year per quarter, but this figure fell to 3% year-over-year per quarter in 2023. The change comes on the heels of TikTok’s launch of TikTok Shop in the U.S. The video app began testing Shop in the U.S. in November 2022 and those tests expanded at the beginning of last year as more brands came on board, including PacSun, Revolve, Willow …

UK fossil fuel usage reaches 66-year low as renewables rise

UK fossil fuel usage reaches 66-year low as renewables rise

Published by skeptic

A profound shift away from UK fossil fuel usage marked a watershed moment in the nation’s energy history. The reduction in reliance on traditional energy sources was not merely a blip but signified a profound and sustained change, shaping the future of energy production and environmental impact. Throughout the year, the UK saw a staggering 22% year-on-year decline in electricity generation from fossil fuels, reaching the lowest level recorded since 1957. The 104 terawatt hours (TWh) generated from fossil fuels in 2023 represented a 66-year low, reflecting a seismic two-thirds drop from its peak in 2008. This substantial decline in fossil fuel usage was propelled by a twofold force: a monumental surge in renewable energy, which expanded sixfold since 2008, generating around 113TWh, and a significant decrease in electricity demand by 21% since 2008, accounting for approximately 83TWh. UK fossil fuel usage reaches all-time low Consequently, the proportion of electricity sourced from fossil fuels hit an all-time low in 2023, constituting just 33% of the UK’s electricity supplies. Gas comprised 31%, coal slightly over 1%, …