Apple unveiled its revamped glass cube at the Fifth Avenue flagship store this morning after five months of renovations. The project began in mid-June and cost Apple a reported $6.7 million. The largest, though not greatly noticeable change, is the replacement of the cube's iconic glass panels from 90 panes with 15 larger, seamless glass panels. Additionally, Apple removed protective bollards, installed new pavers around the site, and reinstalled surrounding water drains. FINALLY—those old drains were always making the store crash.
The flagship is normally open 24/7 but closed yesterday evening at 10 p.m. to complete renovations; as a result, employees were met with a hungry crowd of consumers when it reopened at 10 a.m. this morning. One Apple fanatic, a Brazilian man named Glauver Moreira, told us he was hoping to purchase the iHealth blood pressure cuff designed for the iPad for a friend back home. Gazing at the store from the street, he told us, "It's beautiful. I heard that Steve Jobs spent a lot of money just for the glass [referring to the redesign]. And it's underground. In Brazil we don't have stuff like that."
A longtime user of Apple's mobile products, Moreira declared he had three iPhones before purchasing the iPhone 4 this summer, without a contract. While he finds it frustrating that the latest iPhone must be jail-broken before using without a contract, Moreira says he will continue to support Apple. "It's the magic of marketing", he said. Asked about his reaction to the news of Steve Jobs's death, Moreira replied, "I was in my English classes in Brazil and I came back to my room. I was watching the global news and it was the first story. I was upset. The hair on my arms stood up." After shaking hands, he beelined for the door, passing would-be customers waiting on a reservation line for the iPhone 4S.
Inside, not much has changed. Flocks of people crowded around Apple equipment, many to check their email and Facebook accounts, while others received one-on-one tutorials in a variety of languages. Those in the checkout line shuffled forward as the line snaked through the store. Cameras flashed every so often.
As one of the most photographed locations in New York City, the Apple cube continues to draw attention from visiting enthusiasts. Some might consider it Jobs's final hurrah as his legacy of small—though costly and controversial—tweaks in the name of simplicity live on.
2011年11月27日星期日
2011年8月3日星期三
Magic Cube Virtual Laser Computer Keyboard von TheSnugg: Möge das Tippen immer mit dir sein!
How did the universe come to be? We don’t know yet, of course, but we know enough about cosmology, gravitation, and quantum mechanics to put together models that standing a fighting chance of capturing some of the truth.
Stephen Hawking‘s favorite idea is that the universe came out of “nothing” — it arose (although that’s not really the right word) as a quantum fluctuation with literally no pre-existing state. No space, no time, no anything. But there’s another idea that’s at least as plausible: that the universe arose out of something, but that “something” was simply “chaos,” whatever that means in the context of quantum gravity. Space, time, and energy, yes; but no order, no particular arrangement.
It’s an old idea, going back at least to Lucretius, and contemplated by David Hume as well as by Ludwig Boltzmann. None of those guys, of course, knew very much of our modern understanding of cosmology, gravitation, and quantum mechanics. So what would the modern version look like?
That’s the question that Anthony Aguirre, Matt Johnson and I tackled in a paper that just appeared on arxiv. (Both of my collaborators have also been guest-bloggers here at CV.)
Out of equilibrium: understanding cosmological evolution to lower-entropy states
Anthony Aguirre, Sean M. Carroll, Matthew C. Johnson
Despite the importance of the Second Law of Thermodynamics, it is not absolute. Statistical mechanics implies that, given sufficient time, systems near equilibrium will spontaneously fluctuate into lower-entropy states, locally reversing the thermodynamic arrow of time. We study the time development of such fluctuations, especially the very large fluctuations relevant to cosmology. Under fairly general assumptions, the most likely history of a fluctuation out of equilibrium is simply the CPT conjugate of the most likely way a system relaxes back to equilibrium. We use this idea to elucidate the spacetime structure of various fluctuations in (stable and metastable) de Sitter space and thermal anti-de Sitter space.
It was Boltzmann who long ago realized that the Second Law, which says that the entropy of a closed system never decreases, isn’t quite an absolute “law.” It’s just a statement of overwhelming probability: there are so many more ways to be high-entropy (chaotic, disorderly) than to be low-entropy (arranged, orderly) that almost anything a system might do will move it toward higher entropy. But not absolutely anything; we can imagine very, very unlikely events in which entropy actually goes down.
In fact we can do better than just imagine: this has been observed in the lab. The likelihood that entropy will increase rather than decrease goes up as you consider larger and larger systems. So if you want to do an experiment that is likely to observe such a thing, you want to work with just a handful of particles, which is what experimenters succeeded in doing in 2002. But Boltzmann teaches us than any system, no matter how large, will eventually fluctuate into a lower-entropy state if we wait long enough. So what if we wait forever?
It’s possible that we can’t wait forever, of course; maybe the universe spends only a finite time in a lively condition like we see around us, before settling down to a truly stable equilibrium that never fluctuates. But as far as we currently know, it’s equally reasonable to imagine that it does last forever, and that it is always fluctuating. This is a long story, but a universe dominated by a positive cosmological constant (dark energy that never fades away) behaves a lot like a box of gas at a fixed temperature. Our universe seems to be headed in that direction; if it stays there, we will have fluctuations for all eternity.
Which means that empty space will eventually fluctuate into — well, anything at all, really. Including an entire universe.
This basic story has been known for some time. What Anthony and Matt and I have tried to add is a relatively detailed story of how such a fluctuation actually proceeds — what happens along the way from complete chaos (empty space with vacuum energy) to something organized like a universe. Our answer is simple: the most likely way to go from high-entropy chaos to low-entropy order is exactly like the usual way that systems evolve from low entropy to high-, just played backward in time.
Stephen Hawking‘s favorite idea is that the universe came out of “nothing” — it arose (although that’s not really the right word) as a quantum fluctuation with literally no pre-existing state. No space, no time, no anything. But there’s another idea that’s at least as plausible: that the universe arose out of something, but that “something” was simply “chaos,” whatever that means in the context of quantum gravity. Space, time, and energy, yes; but no order, no particular arrangement.
It’s an old idea, going back at least to Lucretius, and contemplated by David Hume as well as by Ludwig Boltzmann. None of those guys, of course, knew very much of our modern understanding of cosmology, gravitation, and quantum mechanics. So what would the modern version look like?
That’s the question that Anthony Aguirre, Matt Johnson and I tackled in a paper that just appeared on arxiv. (Both of my collaborators have also been guest-bloggers here at CV.)
Out of equilibrium: understanding cosmological evolution to lower-entropy states
Anthony Aguirre, Sean M. Carroll, Matthew C. Johnson
Despite the importance of the Second Law of Thermodynamics, it is not absolute. Statistical mechanics implies that, given sufficient time, systems near equilibrium will spontaneously fluctuate into lower-entropy states, locally reversing the thermodynamic arrow of time. We study the time development of such fluctuations, especially the very large fluctuations relevant to cosmology. Under fairly general assumptions, the most likely history of a fluctuation out of equilibrium is simply the CPT conjugate of the most likely way a system relaxes back to equilibrium. We use this idea to elucidate the spacetime structure of various fluctuations in (stable and metastable) de Sitter space and thermal anti-de Sitter space.
It was Boltzmann who long ago realized that the Second Law, which says that the entropy of a closed system never decreases, isn’t quite an absolute “law.” It’s just a statement of overwhelming probability: there are so many more ways to be high-entropy (chaotic, disorderly) than to be low-entropy (arranged, orderly) that almost anything a system might do will move it toward higher entropy. But not absolutely anything; we can imagine very, very unlikely events in which entropy actually goes down.
In fact we can do better than just imagine: this has been observed in the lab. The likelihood that entropy will increase rather than decrease goes up as you consider larger and larger systems. So if you want to do an experiment that is likely to observe such a thing, you want to work with just a handful of particles, which is what experimenters succeeded in doing in 2002. But Boltzmann teaches us than any system, no matter how large, will eventually fluctuate into a lower-entropy state if we wait long enough. So what if we wait forever?
It’s possible that we can’t wait forever, of course; maybe the universe spends only a finite time in a lively condition like we see around us, before settling down to a truly stable equilibrium that never fluctuates. But as far as we currently know, it’s equally reasonable to imagine that it does last forever, and that it is always fluctuating. This is a long story, but a universe dominated by a positive cosmological constant (dark energy that never fades away) behaves a lot like a box of gas at a fixed temperature. Our universe seems to be headed in that direction; if it stays there, we will have fluctuations for all eternity.
Which means that empty space will eventually fluctuate into — well, anything at all, really. Including an entire universe.
This basic story has been known for some time. What Anthony and Matt and I have tried to add is a relatively detailed story of how such a fluctuation actually proceeds — what happens along the way from complete chaos (empty space with vacuum energy) to something organized like a universe. Our answer is simple: the most likely way to go from high-entropy chaos to low-entropy order is exactly like the usual way that systems evolve from low entropy to high-, just played backward in time.
2011年4月14日星期四
The Robfather and Chief Featherbrain
In his "Previously on Survivor" opening spiel, Jeff Probst said of Matt, aka, Dr. Jesus: "Matt's time on Redemption Island finally came to an end," when he should have said: "Dr. Jesus's time on Zombie Island finally came to a momentary pause."
Dr. Jesus waxed philosophical about his second blindside. He shouldn't. He's not good at it. "First and Foremost, I'd like to congratulate myself on being the most naive person ever to play the game of Survivor." As always, he gives himself too much credit. Erik letting the girls talk him into giving away his Hidden Immunity Idol, and then instantly voting him out on Survivor: Micronesia, the time James got voted out while he had two Immunity Idol in his pocket (but he was also glad to see me), and of course, JT giving his idol to Russell a year ago, were all more naive than Dr. Jesus's boneheaded play last week. He gets, at best, 4th place. Or rather 5th, also behind Tyson, the idiot who managed to vote himself out in Survivor: Heroes vs Villains.
Dr. Jesus also said: "I am reaping the benefits of my shame." Actually Doc, you're reaping the shame of your stupidity.
Dr. Jesus had a chat with his imaginary god as he put on his socks. (It was a formal chat.) He blathered on about how it was God's Will that he return to Zombie Island, though he remains puzzled by his god's will. I remain puzzled as to how someone allegedly in pre-med could believe in an all-powerful being running the entire universe that nonetheless has time to plot out and micro-manage every tiny detail of Dr. Jesus's life for him. Man, he's stupid. The concept that who wins a TV game show is utterly unimportant in any "Great Scheme of Things" doesn't cross his tiny mind.
He summed it up with a lyrical bit of idiot reasoning: "I trust You. This is Your will, You using my stupidity for Your glory." I'll give his imaginary god props for using the only resource available to Her, Dr. Jesus's stupidity, though I can't help wondering about a few things:
1. Wouldn't it have reflected greater glory on Dr. Jesus's god if She had created The Doc as intelligent instead of hopelessly dumb?
2. Hasn't Dr. Jesus's imaginary god got any more worthwhile goals than just receiving greater and greater glory all the time? Why is the highest thing a human can do heaping further glory on this Divine Egomaniac? His god sounds like a Roman Emperor.
3. Is a god that is so utterly consumed by Her ego that She must seek "glory" all the time, and constantly be praised by her human minions, really worth worshiping? Wouldn't ending world hunger, or ending disease, or ending warfare be a more worthwhile goal than seeking glory through Dr. Jesus's admittedly abundant stupidity playing out on a TV game show?
4. I guess poor God is stuck having to employ the stupidity of Her followers, because smart people know better than to fall for The Christian Con.
Back at Camp Winnie-the-Pooh (Rob named it "Murlonio" after one of his wife's stuffed animals.), David and Mike had to congratulate Rob on the brilliance of his "mob hit" on Dr. Jesus. Rob smiled, thanked them, and kept them on his hit list.
Julie felt the voting out of Dr. Jesus was cold-blooded. "Do you not have any feeling at all for a human being?" Julie, what game are you playing? Nice Guy Island? Rob is playing Survivor. And if you don't start playing it too, you will be joining the jury.
Knowing they are in big trouble numbers-wise, the former Viva Zapatans were scrambling. Mansweater tried to pump Ashley-or-Andrea and Natalie, but hit a stone wall of "We don't know." I'll bet every teacher they ever had was used to hearing that sentence from them.
Mansweater tried offering a deal to them for final three votes, but they couldn't discuss betraying Rob without written permission from Rob and Major League Baseball.
Rob is playing a master's game. He's re-solidified his team, got them refusing to talk with the other tribe, encouraging them to be arrogant and rude to the other tribe, while he himself remains the soul of diplomacy and reasonableness. Brilliant. And he knows that Phillip, aka Agent Dumb Ass, needs little encouragement to be arrogant, superior, and insane.
Natalie reported Mansweater's approach back to Rob, and Ashley-or-Andrea didn't. Oops. Now Rob knows that Ashley-or-Andrea was given an offer that she didn't report back to The Robfather. Fredo, you broke my heart. All deal offers from Viva Zapatans must be reported to Rob in triplicate.a
Dr. Jesus waxed philosophical about his second blindside. He shouldn't. He's not good at it. "First and Foremost, I'd like to congratulate myself on being the most naive person ever to play the game of Survivor." As always, he gives himself too much credit. Erik letting the girls talk him into giving away his Hidden Immunity Idol, and then instantly voting him out on Survivor: Micronesia, the time James got voted out while he had two Immunity Idol in his pocket (but he was also glad to see me), and of course, JT giving his idol to Russell a year ago, were all more naive than Dr. Jesus's boneheaded play last week. He gets, at best, 4th place. Or rather 5th, also behind Tyson, the idiot who managed to vote himself out in Survivor: Heroes vs Villains.
Dr. Jesus also said: "I am reaping the benefits of my shame." Actually Doc, you're reaping the shame of your stupidity.
Dr. Jesus had a chat with his imaginary god as he put on his socks. (It was a formal chat.) He blathered on about how it was God's Will that he return to Zombie Island, though he remains puzzled by his god's will. I remain puzzled as to how someone allegedly in pre-med could believe in an all-powerful being running the entire universe that nonetheless has time to plot out and micro-manage every tiny detail of Dr. Jesus's life for him. Man, he's stupid. The concept that who wins a TV game show is utterly unimportant in any "Great Scheme of Things" doesn't cross his tiny mind.
He summed it up with a lyrical bit of idiot reasoning: "I trust You. This is Your will, You using my stupidity for Your glory." I'll give his imaginary god props for using the only resource available to Her, Dr. Jesus's stupidity, though I can't help wondering about a few things:
1. Wouldn't it have reflected greater glory on Dr. Jesus's god if She had created The Doc as intelligent instead of hopelessly dumb?
2. Hasn't Dr. Jesus's imaginary god got any more worthwhile goals than just receiving greater and greater glory all the time? Why is the highest thing a human can do heaping further glory on this Divine Egomaniac? His god sounds like a Roman Emperor.
3. Is a god that is so utterly consumed by Her ego that She must seek "glory" all the time, and constantly be praised by her human minions, really worth worshiping? Wouldn't ending world hunger, or ending disease, or ending warfare be a more worthwhile goal than seeking glory through Dr. Jesus's admittedly abundant stupidity playing out on a TV game show?
4. I guess poor God is stuck having to employ the stupidity of Her followers, because smart people know better than to fall for The Christian Con.
Back at Camp Winnie-the-Pooh (Rob named it "Murlonio" after one of his wife's stuffed animals.), David and Mike had to congratulate Rob on the brilliance of his "mob hit" on Dr. Jesus. Rob smiled, thanked them, and kept them on his hit list.
Julie felt the voting out of Dr. Jesus was cold-blooded. "Do you not have any feeling at all for a human being?" Julie, what game are you playing? Nice Guy Island? Rob is playing Survivor. And if you don't start playing it too, you will be joining the jury.
Knowing they are in big trouble numbers-wise, the former Viva Zapatans were scrambling. Mansweater tried to pump Ashley-or-Andrea and Natalie, but hit a stone wall of "We don't know." I'll bet every teacher they ever had was used to hearing that sentence from them.
Mansweater tried offering a deal to them for final three votes, but they couldn't discuss betraying Rob without written permission from Rob and Major League Baseball.
Rob is playing a master's game. He's re-solidified his team, got them refusing to talk with the other tribe, encouraging them to be arrogant and rude to the other tribe, while he himself remains the soul of diplomacy and reasonableness. Brilliant. And he knows that Phillip, aka Agent Dumb Ass, needs little encouragement to be arrogant, superior, and insane.
Natalie reported Mansweater's approach back to Rob, and Ashley-or-Andrea didn't. Oops. Now Rob knows that Ashley-or-Andrea was given an offer that she didn't report back to The Robfather. Fredo, you broke my heart. All deal offers from Viva Zapatans must be reported to Rob in triplicate.a
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