Source: mudwerks
Researchers are always looking for ways to carry more information, and one idea—that one, at the back of the class, ignored by all the other ideas—is to use special states of light to encode information. These orbital angular momentum (OAM) states have the potential to vastly increase bandwidth, but they are difficult to handle. Some recent research, however, suggests that we might well be using OAM states before too long...
(via MAKE | Felted TV Diner)
Fiber artist LeBrie Rich of Penfelt created this amazing felted TV diner(complete with TV) using a combination of commercial wool felt with needle and wet felting...
Source: blog.makezine.com
With the threat of Google's fiber expansion making real competition a reality in some markets (rather than the perceived competition where multiple cablecos and ISPs offer middling service while offering small discounts or limited time price breaks), AT&T is now being forced to upgrade its existing service in the affected area, or at least, to pay it some lip service. Its press releasefollowing the news read more like a Bart Simpson quote: "We can't promise to try. But we'll try to try." It appears AT&T is actually doing at least a little something for its existing fiber customers in Austin. Austin members of the DSLReports boards are reporting that AT&T has removed the governor (or loosened it, anyway) on its fiber connections, bumping the speed up to nearly 2.5% of Google's offering.
I called to cancel U-Verse because Time Warner offers Docsis 3.0 speeds for far cheaper in the Austin area. Uverse told me that select FTTH customers can now get 24/3 instead of the previous cap of 18/1.5. They just have to send a "special" technican to upgrade my equipment. I am letting them come and try because I don't believe it.
Why aren't these fiber customers already enjoying vastly improved speeds over other U-Verse subscribers? Why has it taken the threat of a real competitor to remove the artificial cap AT&T installed? Apparently, it's because AT&T wants to treat all of its customers fairly and ensure they receive the same lousy connection speed.
While AT&T took the cheaper route when upgrading portions of their network to fiber to the node, the company has historically offered fiber to the home to a few locations (less than a few hundred thousand), primarily in upscale housing developments. While those lines are capable of significantly higher speeds, AT&T has traditionally capped those users at the same speed as other U-Verse users. The company told me in 2007 this was to create a "more consistent experience."
Consistent under-performance is consistent.
That means you have users on cutting-edge fiber infrastructure, in some places seeing downstream speeds of just 6 Mbps -- and upstream speeds of just 1.5 Mbps.
So, while this speed bump may be appreciated, it is long overdue. The fact is fiber customers should have surpassed 24/3 a long time ago, rather than making do with a small, tossed off bit of faux largesse from AT&T. An incremental boost like this, especially on a fiber connection, isn't going to be enough to keep AT&T customers from lining up for Google Fiber. Even if AT&T begins making more aggressive moves, it's highly doubtful its customers believe it will ever match Google's connection speed. As Karl Bode says:
Given these past speed issues, this is why most AT&T customers will believe 1 Gbps only when it's up and running.
Exactly. Time Warner Cable, facing direct competition from Google Fiber, flat out stated there was no demand for this connection speed and that it would certainly be happy to provide 1Gbps connection should anyone prove they actually needed it. Translation: probably never. AT&T's slippery press release "nailed down" pretty much the same approximate timeframe. It's clear competition will have some positive effect for those in the covered areas. I'm sure TWC and AT&T are both happy a nationwide Google expansion would be prohibitively expensive, allowing them to continue providing subpar connection speeds and terrible customer service.
[stupid company is stupid...]
mudwerks reblogged
Brudedrakter fra Hardanger Found on The National Library of Norway
Photo taken by Normanns Kunstforlag ,1971 in Hordaland,Hardanger Norway
mudwerks reblogged
Suzani silk on cotton - circa 1880.
mudwerks reblogged
Gunta Stölzl Five Choirs, 1928 Jacquard weave in cotton, wool, rayon and silk 229 x 143 cm
mudwerks reblogged
Source: black-white-madness
mudwerks reblogged
Pendleton NIne Element Blanket.
American Circa 1920’s. Flat weave, rich, bright colors. Interesting use of color and pattern on both sides.
Source: miss-mary-quite-contrary
mudwerks | StareTown
buy it! at the store
