Look what the FCC dragged in: it's a brand new, unannounced all-on-one speaker for inclusion in your Sonos wireless audio system. A mini S5, if you will, that goes by the name "Play:3" according to the black and white FCC labels -- a hint at black and white offerings just like the S5. Curiously, the FCC docs also refer to the Play:3 as the "S3" in keeping with Sonos' S5 nomenclature. Our friend Dave Zatz speculates that the diminutive size and name is a good indicator that the S3 / Play:3 will feature a trio of drivers and dedicated digital amplifiers, akin to the S5's five (two tweeters, two mids, and a subwoofer). And you know what? We'd have to agree. Now, given the S3's size and Sonos' proven ability to use software to perfectly synchronize audio across dozens of Sonos boxes, you'll have to forgive us for wondering if Sonos has a wireless 5.1 home theater solution up its sleeve. Well Sonos, do ya? Evidence of the Play:3 vs S3 naming conventions can be found after the break.
As you may know, crafting a katana is a delicate process that involves carefully constructing a razor-sharp high-carbon edge around a soft shock-absorbent core. One day though, smiths and forging fires could be replaced by electrode-wielding mad-scientists, with the technology to selectively harden and soften metal at will. At least that's what we envisioned when we read about Jörg Weißmüller's breakthrough research in the field of nanomaterials. The German scientist discovered that by placing precious metals in acid he could create tiny ducts through corrosion. Once those channels are flooded with a conductive liquid, electrical currents can be used to harden the material and, if you change your mind about the brittle results, the effect can easily be reversed to make it soft again. The tech could eventually lead to self-healing vehicle armor or scratch-resistant cellphones -- but, really, we just want to zap our way to a high-quality samurai sword. Physorg
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