Author Topic: The uBeam FAQ  (Read 641743 times)

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Offline Delta

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Re: The uBeam FAQ
« Reply #175 on: December 10, 2015, 11:15:20 am »

If VC's want to spend money on further development, let them. They're not crowdfunding backers who need defending.

I don't take the line that all VCs are evil and nasty-wasty amd horrid, so I don't like to see them waste money any more than crowdfunders.  For one, That could be your pension they are investing, and for two, every penny wasted on bullshit like this is a penny that can't be invested in the next decent project to come along.

Although one would hope that VCs would do a bit more investigation of claims than some idiot hipster sat in front of IGG...
 

Offline EEVblog

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Re: The uBeam FAQ
« Reply #176 on: December 10, 2015, 11:22:21 am »
I don't take the line that all VCs are evil and nasty-wasty amd horrid, so I don't like to see them waste money any more than crowdfunders.  For one, That could be your pension they are investing, and for two, every penny wasted on bullshit like this is a penny that can't be invested in the next decent project to come along.

+1

I'll fight for a VC firms right to invest in any batshit crazy idea they like, provided it's their money.
But it may very well be innocent people's money who rely on them to do proper due diligence though, and cut losses when they know they have a turkey on their hands.
 

Offline georgesmithTopic starter

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Re: The uBeam FAQ
« Reply #177 on: December 10, 2015, 11:25:29 am »




(that's not a Photoshop; Perry actually made that card)
 

Offline coppice

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Re: The uBeam FAQ
« Reply #178 on: December 10, 2015, 11:25:58 am »
What relevance does that have to what I said? This idea has deep seated problems that won't go away. Most engineers can see that. However, when you use words like "impractical", and talk about "chasing unicorns" most people don't hear "ridiculous". They hear "needs further development".
I think you need to look up "impractical" in the dictionary.
Maybe you should look it up. Its far too broad a word to be using the way Dave does. He has specific intent, and he needs to express that. Some of us try to.
 

Offline EEVblog

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Re: The uBeam FAQ
« Reply #179 on: December 10, 2015, 11:30:19 am »
What relevance does that have to what I said? This idea has deep seated problems that won't go away. Most engineers can see that. However, when you use words like "impractical", and talk about "chasing unicorns" most people don't hear "ridiculous". They hear "needs further development".
I think you need to look up "impractical" in the dictionary.
Maybe you should look it up. Its far too broad a word to be using the way Dave does. He has specific intent, and he needs to express that. Some of us try to.

Excuse me for not being a linguistical poet ninja and master of the Queens English.
How about you amaze us with the word you'd use?
 

Offline EEVblog

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Re: The uBeam FAQ
« Reply #180 on: December 10, 2015, 11:35:22 am »
I don't understand uBeam well enough to comment too deeply but I could see that perhaps they could develop new more efficient transducers or antennas or amplifiers. Who really knows? They basic idea may be impractical but if they have a core of smart people and money something may come of it.

That is the only exit for them. To spin off the tech into some niche app before the whole mobile phone charging idea goes belly-up.
I suspect they won't be able to do that with Perry in charge though, she's the true believer.
Either way someone will likely gobble up the tech, maybe for pennies on the dollar.
They have a class 100 clean room apparently, and no doubt some leading edge ultrasonic beamforming tech.
 

Offline EEVblog

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Re: The uBeam FAQ
« Reply #181 on: December 10, 2015, 11:36:52 am »




(that's not a Photoshop; Perry actually made that card)

She did indeed offer me a tour.
 

Online mikeselectricstuff

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Re: The uBeam FAQ
« Reply #182 on: December 10, 2015, 11:39:03 am »
Kickstarter to send Dave to LA?  :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn:
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Offline EEVblog

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Re: The uBeam FAQ
« Reply #183 on: December 10, 2015, 11:43:25 am »
Kickstarter to send Dave to LA?  :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn:

I'd probably immediately get that same nauseous feeling I get when I enter a church.
 

Online mikeselectricstuff

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Re: The uBeam FAQ
« Reply #184 on: December 10, 2015, 11:44:55 am »
So looks like I'm not getting an invite antime soon....
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Online mikeselectricstuff

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Re: The uBeam FAQ
« Reply #185 on: December 10, 2015, 11:45:39 am »
Kickstarter to send Dave to LA?  :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn:

I'd probably immediately get that same nauseous feeling I get when I enter a church.
And doubtles a ridiculous NDA...
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Offline Delta

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Re: The uBeam FAQ
« Reply #186 on: December 10, 2015, 11:45:53 am »
Take something to settle your stomach and accept her offer.  Come on Dave, call her bluff.  It's a win all round.
 

Offline EEVblog

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Re: The uBeam FAQ
« Reply #187 on: December 10, 2015, 11:48:33 am »
I do find it very convenient timing that mere minutes after I tweet that I'm thinking about doing a debunking video on uBeam, that she contacts me being all nice with an offer of a tour.
If I was cynical I'd say she's a tad nervous about a debunking video going out to 300,000 subscribers  ;D
Don't blame her though, uBeam copped a public flogging in Lee Gomes's excellent IEEE article.
If I was her I'd be in firefighting mode.
 

Offline EEVblog

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Re: The uBeam FAQ
« Reply #188 on: December 10, 2015, 12:43:40 pm »
Dave, is just just having a lie down and deciding to not bother an option?

Yeah, it's a real option. The video would actually require a lot of work researching various stuff and would be a big editing effort. Not something I could complete in day, which is my usual enthusiasm bar for videos. A lot more than just a blab with me shouting it's a load of bunk.
 

Online mikeselectricstuff

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Re: The uBeam FAQ
« Reply #189 on: December 10, 2015, 12:47:35 pm »
I think the only remaining angle is "Ubeam could work but is still stupid"
Start with "ultrasonic charging is completely possible" and show a simple demo with 2 U/S transducers, charging a small capacitance to flash a LED.
Then go through all the reasons why it doesn't scale, including that even if all the tech could be made to work, other issues like needing a dongle because phone makers will never build it in make it pointless.
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Offline EEVblog

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Re: The uBeam FAQ
« Reply #190 on: December 10, 2015, 12:54:05 pm »
Then go through all the reasons why it doesn't scale, including that even if all the tech could be made to work, other issues like needing a dongle because phone makers will never build it in make it pointless.

And then the dongle doesn't work phone face up on the table, or held in your hand, and at best under ideal totally clear line of sight conditions based on the best marketing numbers they can muster, can only deliver 1.5W at 4m at a ridiculously low efficiency that would destroy the planet if it was used on a global scale.
 

Offline Howardlong

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Re: The uBeam FAQ
« Reply #191 on: December 10, 2015, 12:59:15 pm »
What relevance does that have to what I said? This idea has deep seated problems that won't go away. Most engineers can see that. However, when you use words like "impractical", and talk about "chasing unicorns" most people don't hear "ridiculous". They hear "needs further development".
I think you need to look up "impractical" in the dictionary.
Maybe you should look it up. Its far too broad a word to be using the way Dave does. He has specific intent, and he needs to express that.
I did. There's no doubt in what's being said in context, but evidentially for some reason best known to yourself I can only conclude that you're being deliberately vexatious and deliberately misconstruing what's being said.
Quote
Some of us try to.

Well, you're not doing a very good job of it, the only obvious thing I can see you expressing is deliberate misunderstanding.
 

Online Fungus

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Re: The uBeam FAQ
« Reply #192 on: December 10, 2015, 01:06:07 pm »
Dave, is just just having a lie down and deciding to not bother an option?

Yeah, it's a real option. The video would actually require a lot of work researching various stuff and would be a big editing effort. Not something I could complete in day, which is my usual enthusiasm bar for videos. A lot more than just a blab with me shouting it's a load of bunk.

OTOH it might be good if tech journals had a regular go-to place for debunking.
 

Offline GNU_Ninja

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« Last Edit: December 10, 2015, 02:06:56 pm by GNU_Ninja »
 

Offline AF6LJ

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Re: The uBeam FAQ
« Reply #194 on: December 10, 2015, 02:01:39 pm »
I do find it very convenient timing that mere minutes after I tweet that I'm thinking about doing a debunking video on uBeam, that she contacts me being all nice with an offer of a tour.
If I was cynical I'd say she's a tad nervous about a debunking video going out to 300,000 subscribers  ;D
Don't blame her though, uBeam copped a public flogging in Lee Gomes's excellent IEEE article.
If I was her I'd be in firefighting mode.
Firefighting mode only works when you can put the fire out.

She has a fire in a coal mine and the smart thing to do is to admit it is not practical and walk away. (maybe pick up a year's worth of physics classes at the local JC.)

The idea of wireless charging and power distribution is sexy but isn't going to happen with our current knowledge of physics, maybe not at all but who knows..
Sue AF6LJ
 

Offline Delta

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Re: The uBeam FAQ
« Reply #195 on: December 10, 2015, 02:03:38 pm »
Is there any way to make some money from the inevitable failure of this ludicrous project?
Like those crazy stock market dudes do when they short-sell shares?
 

Online Fungus

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Re: The uBeam FAQ
« Reply #196 on: December 10, 2015, 02:13:32 pm »
Is there any way to make some money from the inevitable failure of this ludicrous project?
Like those crazy stock market dudes do when they short-sell shares?

It's a private company, so.... no.

Not unless you can find somebody willing to make a private bet against you.
 

Offline Delta

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Re: The uBeam FAQ
« Reply #197 on: December 10, 2015, 02:17:01 pm »
Is there any way to make some money from the inevitable failure of this ludicrous project?
Like those crazy stock market dudes do when they short-sell shares?

It's a private company, so.... no.

Not unless you can find somebody willing to make a private bet against you.

Can I interest anyone in a private bet?  :-DD
 

Offline timb

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Re: The uBeam FAQ
« Reply #198 on: December 10, 2015, 03:31:05 pm »

So looks like I'm not getting an invite antime soon....

That's a great picture of her. She has that desperate look of quite contemplation and fear that only someone about to have a barbed pine cone removed from their ass could muster.
Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic; e.g., Cheez Whiz, Hot Dogs and RF.
 

Offline GNU_Ninja

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Re: The uBeam FAQ
« Reply #199 on: December 10, 2015, 03:55:16 pm »
Looks like they're hiring. http://ubeam.com/career/ Anybody feel up to the 'challenge'  >:D
 


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