I’m sure this summer has been eventful for everyone from the avid beach-dwellers to those who have been introduced to the beach by Pokemon Go. This summer has been a real interesting one for the technology industry. Without further ado, let’s dive right in.
Tesla’s gigafactory. What in the world is that all about? Let me read more about it, hold please. Ok, got it. It’s crazy! Tesla Motors’s founder and modern day innovator, Elon Musk, has planned a new facility to create a plant that is 5.8 million square feet in size that will manufacture the batteries that power their cars. Where in the world will they find the land to create something of that size? According to Wired Magazine, a few miles outside of Sparks, Nevada. A power-factory in the middle of a desert, typical. Will we see a Musk villain’s lair in the near future? Musk describes this new factory as a machine that builds machines. Not surprising coming from a man that may one day create robots that create other robots. The factory will feature a production floor occupied almost entirely by robots with offices and desks occupied by engineers. For now, they are human. This bold project is inspired by Musk’s desire to increase car sales, stop importing batteries from China, and of course, revolutionize transportation as a whole.
In other news, LinkedIn is now no longer another item in Microsoft’s online shopping cart. It has been purchased and acquired by Microsoft in this past June for $26.2 billion dollars in an all cash agreement. As Stevens students, we all know LinkedIn and its value very well. For those that do not know, LinkedIn is a professional social networking sites that links employers to potential employees, colleagues to colleagues, students to professors, etc. LinkedIn has made it easier for all parties in the professional world to find work, hire workers, and even keep up with breakthroughs and innovations in a particular field. Microsoft’s initial intentions for their purchase is to accelerate the growth of Dynamics and Microsoft 365 along with LinkedIn, therefore providing a mutual benefit. Both companies strive to increase productivity and efficiency so, the way I see it, it definitely shows signs of a future full of progress. However, boo, go Apple.
Oh and we can’t forget what a solar power company Solar Impulse achieved, in late July, what was previously thought of as impossible, flying an aircraft around the world for a total of approximately 25,000 miles powered solely by solar power. Naturally, as humans, we do not accept the term impossible. The Swiss-engineered craft was piloted by Bertrand Piccard. Might I just add that the name on this fellow fits perfectly for the mission of exploration and a downright Jean-Luc(ky) endeavor. Please excuse my pun, I’ll continue. The extremely light aircraft is a single-seater with the wingspan of a Boeing 747 that started its journey in Cairo and ended in Abu Dhabi on July 26, 2016. This wasn’t the first record-breaking feat by Solar Impulse. The same plane previously held a place in history by crossing the Atlantic without a drop of fuel. Hopefully we will see more breathtaking voyages in the near future.
These three were among the many in the news of technology this summer. As we carry on during our semester, I look forward to seeing (and writing about) future technological brilliances. Welcome class of 2020 to Stevens! I hope you enjoy your entrance into college and the rest of your lives!
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