Elon Musk hires Apple’s alloy expert to lead materials engineering at both Tesla and SpaceX

by | Feb 24, 2016 |

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Original Story from our sister-site Electrek

Elon Musk, CEO of both electric automaker Tesla and rocket manufacturer SpaceX, splits his time between his two companies, which he also co-founded and financed with most of his early fortune from Paypal. Now Electrek has learned through sources that Musk will not be the only executive dividing his time between Tesla and SpaceX since the CEO hired Apple’s alloy expert Charles Kuehmann to lead materials engineering at both companies.

Kuehmann is now Vice-President of Materials Engineering at Tesla and SpaceX, where he is responsible for delivering materials innovations, something he is very familiar with after over two decades spent in materials science.

Musk often talked about the difficulties involved in running two companies, but he also acknowledged some advantages of being active in two different industries. SpaceX aims to dramatically reduce the cost of rockets and if there’s an industry who mastered the art of making complex vehicles cheap, it’s certainly the automotive industry.

On the other hand, Tesla has benefited from SpaceX’s expertise of high-tech manufacturing techniques such as stir welding, a technique SpaceX uses to join large sheets of metal like the ones used for the aluminium tank of their rockets.

It was revealed last year that SpaceX transferred friction stir welding equipment to Tesla.

Tesla and SpaceX share a few board members and there’s been movements of engineers between the two companiesX before, we have recently reported on some in our piece on Tesla’s Autopilot team: A look at the team of “hardcore” engineers building Tesla’s Autopilot and the exodus that followed its release, but nothing as conspicuous as holding VP roles at each company, like Kuehmann.

Kuehmann apparently started his new roles in December after leaving both his positions at Apple and QuesTek Innovations, but we could only confirmed it today.

aluminium tesla fremontAluminium coils at Tesla’s Fremont factory from bonus footage of Racing Extinction

Kuehmann earned a PhD in Materials Science & Engineering from Northwestern University in 1994 and co-founded QuesTek two years later with four other colleagues affiliated with Northwestern University to commercialize the work of his mentor and pioneer in the field of computational materials design; Prof. Gregory B. Olson, who has been called the “father of materials design” by the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

QuesTek Innovations went on to successfully develop and commercialize not only several new materials engineering tools and processes, but also numerous new alloys based on a number of different elements including Al, Co, Cu, Fe, Mo, Ni, Nb, Ti, and W.

From the company’s website:

“We computationally design materials to directly meet user-defined material needs with our proprietary Materials by Design expertise and technology. We rapidly invent, design and develop and qualify new materials into demanding applications to reduce capital, processing, operating or maintenance costs, or to improve environmental protection, competitive supply or competitive advantage.”

In 2012, QuesTek’s technology was sold to an undisclosed buyer in Silicon Valley while retaining rights to its intellectual property and client list:

The 66-year-old entrepreneur and Northwestern University professor of materials science and engineering was celebrating the sale late last year of the technology developed by QuesTek Innovations LLC, a new-materials design company he co-founded in 1996. Mr. Olson and the dozen QuesTekers who didn’t decamp for Silicon Valley, where the unnamed buyer is based, are in rebuilding mode.

Coincidentally (or likely not), in 2012, Kuehmann joined Apple as ‘Director of Product Design’ while staying on QuesTek’s board of directors. Many others also made the jump from Questek to Apple that same month indicating that Apple was likely the buyer of QuesTek’s IP.

Looking at his background, Kuehmann seems to have an expertise in aluminum alloys, which Apple uses extensively in its products from the iPhones and iPad to the MacBooks to the Apple Watch Sport.

Kuehmann is named as an inventor on dozens of patents, mainly for QuesTek and Northwestern, but also on a 2014 patent application from Apple for “Aluminum alloys with high strength and cosmetic appeal”.

Apple claims that the aluminum alloy developed for the Apple Watch is 60 percent stronger than standard alloys but just as light:

 

You can read the rest of this article on Electrek

Seth Weintraub contributed to this report.

If you want more Tesla Motors and electric vehicle news, make sure to follow us on Twitter, Facebook or Google+ to get our latest articles.

Side note: SpaceX has a rocket launch today scheduled for 23:46:14 UTC (6:46:14 PM EST). you can watch live via SpaceX’s webcast, or via SpaceX Stats Live to get live updates with the stream. At the time of writing this, the weather is a 60% go.

Our recent coverage of Tesla Motors:

Filed under: AAPL Company Tagged: Apple, Apple alloy, Charles Kuehmann, Kuehmann, SpaceX, Tesla

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Tim Cook taking Apple’s FBI fight to ABC News with David Muir interview tonight

by | Feb 24, 2016 |

Cook ABC

ABC News has announced that Tim Cook will be speaking with World News Tonight host David Muir to discuss the ongoing battle between Apple and the FBI. The interview will no doubt be Apple’s latest move to push its message on privacy forward as it has been at odds with the Department of Justice over strong encryption.

Last week a judge ruled that Apple must unlock an iPhone 5c used by the San Bernardino shooter that the FBI couldn’t access in part because of the lock screen passcode.

Tim Cook promptly responded to the development by publishing an 1,100 word letter to customers on Apple.com, explaining Apple’s belief that complying would set a dangerous precedent and put all customers at risk with weakened security.

Cook and Apple have used ABC News and David Muir interviews as a platform for communication various messages over the years.

World News Tonight with David Muir airs on ABC at 6:30 PM ET, when the interview will be broadcasted. Stay tuned as we’ll update with coverage at that time.

Filed under: iOS Devices Tagged: ABC News, FBI, Tim Cook

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Netflix for iOS updated w/ iPad Pro optimization, peek & pop support, more

by | Feb 24, 2016 |

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Netflix today has updated its iOS app with a handful of new features and enhancements. The update bumps the app to version 8.0 and includes auto-play support for iPhone users, 3D Touch support, and iPad Pro display optimization.

First off, the update brings what Netflix calls the “post-play experience” to iPhone users. This is the screen you see when you finish watching a TV or movie with recommendations for what to watch next and, if it’s a series, the support for auto-playing the next episode.

Furthermore, the app now supports 3D Touch in the form of peek and pop. When you’re browsing the Netflix catalog, you can now use 3D Touch to get a quick glimpse at the description of a TV series or movie, as well as to play the content, view more details, add/remove it from your list, or share it. Unfortunately, the app icon doesn’t gain any 3D Touch quick actions with today’s update. It’d be nice if there were 3D Touch quick actions on the app icon to allow you to instantly jump to the TV show you watched most recently, for instance.

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Finally, today’s Netflix for iOS update optimizes the app’s interface for the 12.9-inch display of the iPad Pro. While there aren’t any specific design changes for the iPad Pro, the content is now the correct resolution and is no longer enlarged.

The latest version of Netflix is available on the App Store now and the full change log is below:

What’s New in Version 8.0.0

  • Post-Play experience (episode auto-play/recommendations) now on iPhone
  • iPad Pro optimized layout
  • 3D Touch support

Filed under: iOS Tagged: 3D Touch, iOS, iPad Pro, Netflix

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9to5Toys Lunch Break: 128GB iPhone 6 Plus (unlocked) $650, 55″ 1080p HDTV $370, 11″ MacBook Air $720, more

by | Feb 24, 2016 |

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Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.

TODAY’S CAN’T MISS DEALS:

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Buy an unlocked 128GB iPhone 6 Plus for $99 less than a 64GB model: $650 shipped (Orig. $949)

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Daily Deals: Hisense 55-inch 1080p 120Hz LED Smart HDTV $370, Harman Kardon Onyx Bluetooth Speaker (Refurb) $75, more

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Apple 11-inch MacBook Air 1.6GHz/4GB/128GB: $720 shipped (Reg. $899)

Apple 13-inch MacBook Air 1.6GHz/4GB/128GB: $800 shipped (Reg. $999)

Apple Mac Pro 12-core Xeon/64GB/1TB: $8,799 shipped (Reg. $9,599), more

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Show off and charge your Apple Watch + iPhone w/ this aluminum dock for just $23 Prime shipped (Reg. $39), more

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Get 55% off ‘Civilization: Beyond Earth Collection’ for Mac (Steam code): $27 ($80+ value)

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Review: Audioengine turns it up to 11 with its newest Bluetooth HD6 powered speakers

MORE NEW GEAR FROM TODAY:

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Apple iPad mini 2 16GB WiFi + Cellular in Silver or Space Gray (refurb): $170 shipped (Orig. $399)

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Media – 12 classic Pixar films in HD for $15 ea, Mad Max: Fury Road & The Martian $10 ea, more

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The Cicret Bracelet puts a smartphone display on your arm with full touchscreen functionality

Filed under: Tips and Tricks

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Apple plans Siri for Mac as tentpole feature for this fall’s OS X 10.12 launch

by | Feb 24, 2016 |

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Apple currently plans to use its next major release of the Mac operating system, known as OS X 10.12, this fall to continue to expand Siri across its product lines. Last year, Apple implemented Siri as cornerstone features of both the Apple Watch and new Apple TV, and for 2016, Siri is planned to finally make its way to the Mac.

Apple had been testing versions of OS X internally with Siri integration since at least 2012, but sources now say that Apple has a clear vision for Siri on the Mac along with a polished user-interface and is nearly ready to launch the feature publicly. Apple is expected to introduce OS X 10.12 in June at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference.

Instead of integrating Siri as a swipe menu akin to the Mac’s Notification Center or as a full screen view like on the iPhone and even the iPad Pro, Siri for the Mac will live in the Mac’s Menu Bar. Similar to the Spotlight magnifying glass icon for search and notifications icon for Notification Center, a Siri icon in the top right corner of the menu bar will activate the voice control feature.

When a user clicks the Siri button, a dark, transparent Siri interface will appear in the top right corner of the screen, as shown in our mockup by Michael Steeber. This interface will feature colorful sound waves to indicate speech input. The interface design in testing is not finalized and may still change before the summer introduction, according to sources.

Siri on the Mac will have its own pane in System Preferences and users are said to also have the option to choose a keyboard shortcut for activating the service. Like with recent versions of iOS, users will be able to enable Siri at the first startup of OS X 10.12, according to sources. If the Mac running the new OS X version is plugged into power, a “Hey Siri” command will work much like with recent iPhone and iPad models.

Codenamed “Fuji,” OS X 10.12 is also planned to include minor user-interface tweaks across core system application windows, but the changes will not be as notable as those in 2014’s OS X Yosemite update. Apple is also continuing its performance-focused engineering efforts emphasized in OS X El Capitan last year. The company is also developing iOS 10 for the fall, and we’ll be posting details on that in the near future.

Filed under: Mac Tagged: 10.12, 2016, fall, Fuji, Mac, OS X, Siri, Voice Control

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Apple releases Smart Keyboard software update to fix connectivity issues

by | Feb 24, 2016 |

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Multiple users of the iPad Pro Smart Keyboard have noted that a software update has begun rolling out to fix connectivity issues. As noted by iMore, Apple has posted a support document on its website detailing the update’s intended purpose:

If your iPad Pro wakes up from time to time when it’s connected to a Smart Keyboard, here’s what to do. To solve this issue, disconnect the Smart Keyboard from your iPad Pro, and then connect it again. When iOS asks if you want to update the Smart Keyboard, tap Update.

The now solved issue revolves around the iPad Pro waking from sleep randomly when connected to a Smart Keyboard, but Apple does not say that it has addressed other Smart Keyboard issues such as an issue where the Command-Tab shortcut does not always navigate to the app-switcher.

iOS 9.3, expected to be released in March, includes a few other enhancements to the iPad Pro’s Smart Keyboard. Apple has altered a couple of the shortcuts, allowing for a Command + H combination to go to the Home screen and has added the ability for third-party Smart Connector accessories to be updated over-the-air.

Image via @GregGallai.

Filed under: iOS Devices

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Todoist gets 3D Touch, native Apple Watch app, Safari plug-in + updates for Mac & more

by | Feb 24, 2016 |

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Popular productivity app Todoist is giving its six million users a huge update today with a completely rewritten app for iOS alongside a new Safari plug-in and notable updates for Apple Watch and Mac. 

The new, and almost completely rewritten, Todoist for iOS (version 11) will offer a host of updates that bring the best out of iOS 9’s most popular and productivity-friendly features.

The highlight feature for the new iOS app is 3D Touch for supported devices, which the company notes will allow users quick access to adding new tasks and viewing upcoming tasks. You’ll also be able to “visually pop out URLs from specific tasks or in task comments.”

There’s also a lot more packed into the updated iOS app, including: UI optimizations and keyboard shortcuts specifically for iPad Pro, the ability to reply to task comments from Notification Center, deep linking, and Spotlight search.

As for Apple Watch, today the app gets a major performance boost and new features (like a home screen complication) as it goes fully native:

The new version of Todoist for Apple Watch is completely native and will run exclusively on Watch OS 2. As such, the foundation of the app has been entirely rewritten so that users can power through their to-do lists without an iPhone nearby– by simply reconnecting to the internet, all tasks and projects will automatically sync. This will also remove the loading indicator between screens and will make the app much faster.

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And lastly, Todoist is getting an updated Mac app— the standout feature being support for Todoist’s Intelligent Input natural language parsing— and a new Safari plug-in. The company notes that Safari plug-in works like Todoist’s Quick Add Shortcut for Mac, “allowing users to easily capture and input any information or URL while browsing the web.”

You can check out the updated apps today on the App Store– iOS and Mac— and the new Safari plug-in here. 

Filed under: Apple Watch, Apps Tagged: 3D Touch, App Store, iOS 9, iPad Pro, iPhone, Mac, native, Safari, Todoist, update

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#standwithapple rallies take place at Apple Stores across the country, though in small numbers

by | Feb 24, 2016 |

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Digital rights non-profit Fight for the Future held rallies at Apple Stores in all 50 states yesterday to demonstrate support for Apple’s stand against the FBI, though USA Today reports that only single digit numbers of protesters were seen at most locations. The largest number was in San Francisco, where around 50 protesters gathered, with almost half as many journalists interviewing them.

A group of about 50 protesters lined the edges of Apple’s downtown store, being busily interviewed by more than 20 journalists. They were serenaded by Bonnie Lockhart, 68 and Nancy Schimmel, 80, who sang hastily re-written songs such as “Don’t break our phones, we shall not be moved,” and “The Eyes of the FBI are On You,” to the tune of “I’ve been working on the railroad.”

Apple’s flagship store on New York’s 5th Avenue saw only around eight protesters, and at some Apple Stores protesters with glitter signs were apparently alone, having to resort to selfies to capture the event.

Sign selfies be hard, yo. #StandWithApple

A photo posted by Rene Ritchie (@reneritchie) on

The limited numbers shouldn’t, though, be taken as lack of support for Apple’s position. In our own poll, 86% of you thought Apple was right, though this was down from the 93% support we saw for Apple’s strong line on encryption in a poll taken prior to the shootings. A public poll was less definitive, with 51% coming down on the side of the FBI, 38% backing Apple and 11% undecided.

Photo: Robert Deutsch, USA Today

Filed under: AAPL Company Tagged: Apple Inc, Apple Store, FBI, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Stand With Apple

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iOS 9 adoption stalled at 77% but still ahead of the iOS 8 curve

by | Feb 24, 2016 |

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The latest iOS 9 figures posted to Apple’s developer site show that adoption is currently stalled at 77%, the same number reported at the last update earlier this month, but still ahead of the iOS 8 curve. iOS 8 took until 18th March to hit that same 77%.

Most of the hold-outs are running iOS 8, at 17% of the total while only 6% are running an earlier version. This contrasts strongly with Android, where a miniscule 1.2% of devices are running the latest 6.0 Marshmallow flavor and the greatest number are still on 4.4 KitKat.

Apple yesterday released iOS 9.3 public beta 4 with Night Shift, Touch ID Notes, & Verizon Wi-Fi Calling.

Filed under: iOS Tagged: iOS, iOS 9, iOS 9 adoption, iPhone

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Bloomberg: Apple will argue that the digital signature it uses to validate code is protected as free speech

by | Feb 24, 2016 |

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Apple said yesterday that its legal battle with the FBI has such far-reaching consequences that it should be settled by Congress rather than by the courts – but if that tack is unsuccessful, Bloomberg reports that the company will be putting forward a rather unusual argument in court. Apple will argue that the digital signature it uses to validate code is protected by the First Amendment as free speech, which cannot be compelled in law.

Before you download a new game or messaging app on your iPhone, the device checks for a digital signature tucked within the lines of code on the app. All applications sold through the App Store are approved by Apple and have this cryptographic autograph from the company telling your iPhone it’s safe. In the FBI case, some privacy advocates believe the company has a strong First Amendment case because it’s being asked to add that signature, against its will, to software that would aid the government.

In other words, even if the government could force Apple to write code that would remove the passcode protections, it shouldn’t be allowed to force Apple to sign the code – and if Apple doesn’t sign it, the iPhone won’t accept it …

“That’s a fundamental First Amendment problem because it can’t compel speech,” said David Rivkin, a constitutional litigator at BakerHostetler.

The free speech argument won’t form the main thrust of Apple’s defence, according to an anonymous Apple executive cited by Bloomberg: that will be that the government is pushing the centuries-old All Writs Act into territory far beyond its original scope, and therefore doesn’t have the legal authority to compel Apple to write the compromised code. But the First Amendment argument will form a secondary element of Apple’s case.

Washington University law professor Neil Richards said that courts are likely to be very wary of accepting the free speech argument because of the precedent it would set. He believes Apple already has a compelling defence without resorting to this.

“The argument is if all software is speech and all data flows are protected, then everything we do with communication is protected, and any regulation of the digital society becomes impossible,” said Richards, who sides with Apple in this case. “If we’re not careful we could end up a society that strikes a terrible balance.”

The idea that code is protected free speech is not entirely without existing precedent, however.

In the 1990s, a graduate student at the University of California at Berkeley wrote an encryption program for his own research that he wanted to make public. Under federal regulations, a coder must get a license to publish cryptography tools, and the government denied the student’s license. In 1999, the U.S. Court of Appeals in San Francisco ruled for the first time that source code was protected as speech, and the student, Dan Bernstein, who is now an instructor at the University of Illinois at Chicago, was allowed to share the code freely.

But other judges have ruled that code is not protected by the First Amendment, so we could be in for an extremely interesting court battle!

You can read all our coverage of the case in the links below.

Filed under: AAPL Company Tagged: Apple Inc, Encryption, FBI, iPhone, San Bernardino

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