How does manual transmission in cars work?

A manual transmission transfers power from the engine to the differential using a clutch and pairs of gears that are manually selected using the gear selector and locked to the output shaft. Most cars today with manual transmissions have four, five or six different forward gear ratios.

 The five-speed manual transmission is fairly standard on cars today. Internally, it looks something like this:

 

There are three forks controlled by three rods that are engaged by the shift lever. Looking at the shift rods from the top, they look like this in reverse, first and second gear:

 

The clutch is positioned between the engine’s flywheel and the transmission. Normally when the clutch is engaged, it locks the transmissions input shaft to the flywheel. When the clutch pedal is depressed, the clutch is disengaged by a thrust bearing, and no power is transferred. With the clutch disengaged it is possible to select gears. To start the vehicle moving, the clutch is slowly released, and slipped slightly. It is important not to ride the clutch once you are moving  because this can lead to clutch slippage or premature thrust bearing problems. Gears are normally selected using a shift lever, often mounted on the floor, but sometimes mounted on the dash or steering column. The gears are usually laid out in an H pattern with neutral being a space between gears.

 

Early manual transmissions (and those found in some trucks, heavy machinery, and racecars) use an unsynchronized design. In an unsynchronized transmission the gears are selected by sliding them on shafts until they have engaged the dog clutch. In order for the gears to engage properly they need to be spinning at the same speed as the output shaft, otherwise the gears (actually the dog clutches) will grind. To do this you can either double clutch by essentially using the clutch to shift into neutral, and then again to shift into the desired gear, or you can rev match by matching the engine’s RPM with the RPM the engine will be at for the road speed in the desired gear. Unsynchronized transmissions are generally tougher than synchronized ones, as the synchros are usually made out of soft brass that wear much more quickly than the steel gears. Because of this added strength, unsynchronized transmissions can usually be shifted quickly without using the clutch, especially when designed with fewer teeth on the dog clutches, as in some race cars.

 Most transmissions found in modern cars are synchronized. The synchronizer is attached to the dog clutch, and consists of a cone clutch and a baulk ring. When you try to shift gears and the parts aren’t at the same speed, the cone clutch contacts first, bringing the gears and output shaft to the same speed using friction. The baulk rings prevents the dog clutch from engaging until everything is synchronized. The synchros are usually made out of a soft metal such as brass, which makes it important to use the clutch when shifting, because imperfect rev matching will be masked by the synchros. Continuous abuse will lead to synchronizer failure, and grinding. Rev matching while using the clutch can reduce wear on the synchros as they will need to work less hard to match the speeds of the gears and output shaft.

 

 

In a sequential gear box (usually found in race cars) there is no neutral between gears, and the gears are selected in sequential order instead of in an H pattern, often without using the clutch. In a semi-automatic manual gearbox the actual rev matching, gear shifting and clutch control is handled by a computer. In these transmissions the clutch is usually only used to get the vehicle moving. When the driver presses a button or pulls a lever the computer takes the car out of the current gear, blips the throttle or waits for the engine RPM to drop to the appropriate level, and then changes into the requested gear.

 

Manual transmissions are generally more fuel efficient than automatic transmissions because there is no fluid coupling or fluid pump like in a traditional automatic transmission, and no belt to slip like in a continuously variable transmission. A standard transmission also allows the driver more control over which gear they are in, potentially allowing for a lower engine RPM.

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5 simple steps to turn any smartphone into a 3D hologram projector

I have been waiting for a smartphone that can project hologram images, but apparently every current smartphone already has this ability.

It might not be exactly what you’re thinking, but with a few basic tools and a CD case, your phone will be projecting images in no time. These instructions come courtesy of Mrwhosetheboss via YouTube, and it’s amazingly cool.

 What you will need

◾CD case                                             

◾Graph paper

◾Tape or super glue

◾Pen

◾Scissors

◾Utility knife or glass cutter

Step 1

Using a pen and a piece of graph paper, make the following rhombus shape and cut it out with scissors. The dimensions should be 1 x 3.5 x 6 cm. You can actually double or triple the sizes for a better effect, but this is a good start for now.

Step 2

 Remove the edges from any CD case. Just make sure the case isn’t too scratched up, which would affect the quality of the image.

Step 3

Trace the rhombus shape on any area of the CD case. Using a utility knife or glass cutter, carefully cut out the rhombus shape. Now use this first piece as a template to easily cut out three additional pieces.

Step 4

 Connect the four pieces together with either tape or glue. Although glue will give you a cleaner look, tape is recommended since it will be a tedious process to get the glue to hold the thin edges of the plastic. Just make sure to use clear tape so it doesn’t distort the effect. Note: One of the pieces in the image below is slightly broken, but it’s not an issue.

Step 5

Turn off the lights and place the projector screen on your smartphone and load up a hologram-specific video. You can use this five-minute demo video here or search for “hologram video” via Google or YouTube for other examples.

Now enjoy your new hologram projector and amaze your friends.

If you want to check out the video by Mrwhosetheboss on the same check out the link

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Share your wi-fi password without spelling it, here's how you can share it.

If your friend wants to get on your Wi-Fi, you don't have to share your (possibly long and confusing) password. Here's how to generate a QR code containing your network password and have them log on in one snap.

I recently shared an app that signs you into other people's Wi-Fi, and a number of you noted an even easier method: just stick a QR code on your router that automatically logs them in! We've actually talked about this before, so to give homage to those of you that tipped us off, we've reprinted this old article as today's tip of the week. Enjoy!

There are a lot of sites out there that let you create QR codes for Wi-Fi passwords, but we like QRStuff's code generator and ZXing Project's QR Code Generator (ZXing are the developers of Barcode Scanner). Just head to one of those, pick "Wifi network" from the dropdown menu, then enter in your SSID (network name) and password. Make sure you choose the right encryption type, too.

Once you click the Generate button, you'll get a QR code you can save and print out if you like.

Your friend will need to have a barcode scanner on their phone, preferably the free Barcode Scanner app on Android (which many of you probably already have). To connect to your network, all he/she has to do is scan the QR code. It'll instantly connect them.

iPhone users and other barcode scanners will be able to see the username and password, which they can then copy and paste. It won't connect them directly like Barcode Scanner for Android will, but it's still quick and easy.

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Iphone 8, should you upgrade from iphone 7???

It's not easy buying an iPhone these days they seem to be getting expensive with every passing year with hardly anything innovative worth paying the additional cost. If you already have an iPhone 7, you absolutely should not buy an iPhone 8.

The issue comes down to exactly what you get when you buy an iPhone 8. The phone is practically identical to the iPhone 7 from last year, with some minor upgrades. They will certainly give you marginal increase in performance, but is it worth the price that you have to shell out?

Let's start with the processor: The iPhone 8 comes with the new A11 bionic processor, the fastest Apple has ever created. It's a six-core CPU that, according to Apple, includes two performance cores and four high-efficiency cores.
 

 

Apple claims the performance cores operate about 25 percent faster than the previous iteration and the high-efficiency cores operate about 70 percent faster than the previous generation.

But here's the thing: When is the last time your iPhone 7 actually lagged or couldn't complete a task because the processor was too slow? It's probably never happened to you because the iPhone 7 is a perfectly capable phone that can run Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Asphalt 8 and other apps with ease. Do remember the iphone 7 is a beast when you play games as no other phones not even the insane amount of RAM(8GB) in Oneplus 5 can outperform in game loading or video rendering in the iphone 7. Although transitions is much quicker in oneplus 5 thanks to its oxygen OS.

You could also make a point about the brand-new cameras. IPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus are equipped with new image sensors which in theory, should give you much better photos at the end of the day.

When's the last time you looked at a photo taken on an iPhone 7 and thought to yourself that it wasn't quite good enough? Are you hanging your photos in a museum, and if so, shouldn't you be snapping photos with something other than a phone anyway?

Ultimately, it boils down to two very insignificant upgrades. Sure, you get an improved new processor and better camera, but these things are simply not worth the $700 starting price of the iPhone 8. They're iterative upgrades which are certainly welcome additions for most users — but not worth buying if you're upgrading from last year's model.

 

If you have the iPhone 7, your best bet is to step up to the outrageously priced iPhone X, or simply wait until next year. I'll be holding off on any new phone purchases for now because I just can’t justify the insane price of the iPhone X.

Check out the link in the speed test between iphone 7 plus & iphone8 plus.

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Google launches "Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL" here's everything you need to know.

Google unveiled second generation of its Pixel smartphone - Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL – priced at 649$ & 849$ respectively.

 

First the vital stats. The Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL both run Qualcomm's Snapdragon 835 processors, 4 GB of RAM and either 64 or 128 GB of storage, and unlike last year's phone, are water and dust resistant. The Pixel 2's 5-inch screen measures 1920x1080 pixels, and the 6-incher on the XL gives you a whopping 2880x1440. Both are OLED screens, which offer deeper blacks and a more dynamic picture. They charge via USB-C, but don't have wireless charging—Google felt the tech doesn't charge fast enough yet. In general, they're top-notch, high-end, bleeding-edge, super-good smartphones. They'd better be, for the price: the Pixel 2 starts at $649 and you'll spend at least $849 for the XL.

The Pixels each come in a couple of colors: Clearly White, Just Black, and Kinda Blue for the smaller model, and Just Black and Black & White for the larger. The Black & White might be the best-looking model of all, with a black glass stripe at the top, an all-white aluminum body, and a loud orange power button. Both are cleaner and slimmer than last year's devices, with a small camera hump on the back and a slightly concave fingerprint reader.

Both phones are identical in theory, but the XL looks much more impressive. The smaller Pixel 2 has big black spaces above and below the screen, to accommodate Google's design ethos and the two stereo speakers on the front. Next to the Note 8, iPhone X, or Galaxy S8, the huge bezels just look old. The XL's bezels are smaller, rounded, and better integrated with the rest of the device. It's a much better look. The larger phone feels better, too, with a slimmer edge and a rounded P-OLED screen that bends toward the side of the phone.

 

 The devices, which will compete in the premium segment with devices like Apple's iPhone 8 and X as well as Samsung's Note 8, will be available in five other markets including the US, the UK and Australia. Google said that with Pixel, it has "created the world's best smartphone camera".

 "Pixel 2 is loaded with a better camera that not only lets you take great pictures but helps you understand the world around you; a battery that lasts all day; and an Assistant that helps you get more done," it said in a statement.

During the launch event, Google also demonstrated Google Lens a new set of visual features that builds on Google's advancements in computer vision and machine learning.

 Google has applied its search know-how in intriguing ways. Snap a picture of an album cover, and it will offer various useful links, including to YouTube in case you want to hear a track. Taking a picture of a book cover can link you to reviews. That's arguably more useful than the shopping links or place identifications at which Bixby Vision excels.

 

Google has also made “Motion Photos,” which seem like an answer to Apple's moving “Live Photos.” In fact, they seem almost identical, but it's a nice feature to have for Android.

Google has added “Active Edge” to the Pixel 2, which lets you squeeze your phone to activate Google's voice assistant. It's not a horrible idea, it works, at least in demos but I am curious as to how often Assistant triggers while sliding into tight pockets on skinny jeans or other tight spots. There is a setting on the phone that lets you set how firm a grip you want to use to trigger Assistant, so that may help prevent AI mishaps. Squeezing is also supposed to work through cases, which is another point that will require further testing.

Also, just a year after making fun of Apple for ditching the headphone jack, Google has ditched the headphone jack for the Pixel 2. I overheard a Google demonstrator actually apologize to a member of the media for that the explanation for getting rid of it is that it gives you more space in the phone for other components.

Both phones have all-metal bodies with the exception of a glass “visor” at the back. The back of the phone also houses the fingerprint reader.

To sum it up, both are an impressive set of phones, even in the absence of anything completely spectacular. The features Google has added aren't groundbreaking, but they are thoughtful and at least in the demos work as intended. It may not rock your world, but it seems it will make it easier to get through the day.

Pixel 2 has set a new standard for Android phones. You can preorder it in the link.

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Huawei's Honor Band 3 its best fitness tracker so far!

The Honor Band 3 is a functional activity tracker. It’s functional and colorful and does the things we expect from a fitness tracker. It is priced pretty good compared to the rest of the market, given what Honor has paced  into the band – essentially, it’s a Fitbit rival that doesn’t cost as much as fit bit.

 

Honor Band 3 price

If you’re looking to keep an eye on your steps, runs, swims and sleeps, then this band will only set you back $39 /Rs 2799. It’s priced in affordable territory for many, and given the abilities it packs punch above the price which suits well for it.

Design

There’s a rubberised strap that attaches with proprietary connectors to the main tracking unit. It’s thankfully soft rubber, sitting nice and snugly on the wrist, without any Microsoft Band-esque hard curves to worry about.

The unit itself holds a monochrome screen – it is OLED. This is a black and white display designed to consumer very little power, and you can clearly see every individual pixel.

That’s no bad thing – the display is clear and bright enough, and the whole unit only weighs 18 grams, so it would actually be fairly easy to forget you’re wearing it day to day.

However, tapping the button below the display instantly flicks it between the screens  - assuming they’re options to see how many steps you’ve taken each day or calories burned, the method of scrolling through the interface feels crisp and clean.

In terms of what this can do, the Honor Band 3 can track your sleep, monitor a run or swim, work out your calorie burn,  have a look at how many steps you’re taking or register your heart rate.

On the latter one, Honor reckons that it’s as good as a chest strap in terms of accuracy for counting your heart beats every minute, although that’s only at rest – it’ll be interesting to see how that works out when you’re jogging along with this strapped to your wrist.

Sadly – although not really surprisingly for the price – the Honor Band 3 does not feature GPS inside, so any runs will be worked out using the three axis accelerometer, which is a bit low-spec for today’s motion-monitoring wearables.

It’ll do the job, but we doubt that the Band 3 will be able to work out how far you’ve run or swum accurately – it’ll just be a vague metric that will help you as you graduate to a more dedicated fitness brand. The same can be said about sleeping – sure, it can tell how well you’ve slept.

Then again, it goes back to the price – are you really that bothered about how much it can do when it costs so little?

Verdict

The Honor Band 3 is a good activity tracker – nothing more, nothing less. If you want to see how far you’ve walked or get an idea of your daily fitness without having to spend a lot of money, you’ll enjoy this device.

The colors are interesting, the weight low and the cost is negligible in comparison to a lot of other devices out there which do the same thing (the Fitbit Charge 2, for instance).

If you want to buy one check out the link.
 

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