iPhone 5 sport a new “micro” connector

Apple may be getting ready to ditch the current dock connector used in iPods, iPhones, and iPads in favor of a smaller version — meaning you’ll possibly have to keep up with yet another adapter to use all the latest accessories for iOS devices.

Annoyances aside, Apple could have a very practical reason for making the change, according to a iMore report that cites an anonymous source. A smaller “micro” docking port would give the company more room for other important components within the iPhone 5, which could be the first device to receive the new dock treatment. And since the iPhone 4S has a much shorter power lifespan than all the models preceding it, the most likely use for that additional space would be to include a bigger battery.

The new docking port is said to be a new design rather than the outdated microUSB standard used by the rest of the mobile phone industry.

It’s also worth noting that Apple is moving away from its reliance of transferring information to its mobile devices through a power cord. As part of Apple’s iCloud push, the company is now enabling more OS software, app, and digital media updates over the air. That said, the dock connector will be little more than a way to charge the device as well as connect to third-party accessories.

The latest rumors speculate that the iPhone 5 will hit sometime before the end of 2012, and will feature a larger screen as well as a more curvy design.

Source : venturebeat 

Green Energy Facts that You May Not Know About

Knowledge about green energy has made us more aware of the potential uses of our surroundings. The idea of renewable energy had taught us that an energy source is always just around the corner waiting to be discovered and harnessed. We learned that the sunlight’s heat and radiant energy could be collected, kinetic energy from water can be transformed, and organic matter can be processed to be used as fuel.

And so, to commemorate our enlightenment to the vision of a no-fossil-fuel energy future, let’s look at some of the nifty green energy facts that you may, or may not know about.

1.  Though a power plant harnessing renewable energy can be considered as eco-friendly, its very existence alone sometimes ironically disrupts the ecosystem of its surroundings. This is especially true for hydroelectric power plants, although of course the existence of a coal-fired power plant is still much worse.
2. France is the world’s leader in “glowing” green energy, nuclear power. An overwhelming 80% of the entire country’s power generation comes from fission nuclear reactors. Unsurprisingly, they are also the world’s largest exporter of electric power.
3. If we purify one ton of sand and converted it to silicon, and used the silicon to make solar panels, you can potentially produce more electric energy than burning 500,000 tons of coal.
4. The most efficient number of blades a wind turbine can have is three. Go with two blades, and you risk stressing the blades too much, go with more blades than three, and the air vortex might interfere with the turbine’s movement.
5. Netherlands has the largest power plant that runs purely on chicken manure. This biomass plant produces around 270 million kilowatt-hours a year, and supplies energy to more than 90,000 homes.
6. The most important landmark that inspired the development of hydroelectric power plants today was the Niagara Falls. The very first hydroelectric power plant was built there, as well as the very first power plant that distributes AC power.
7. Iceland produces energy for the entire country almost solely on geothermal and hydroelectric power. In fact, their electric energy production comes from 100% renewable energy. The country is expected to be the first nation to be completely devoid of fossil fuels in just a few decades.
8. Producing hydrogen for fuel cell cars always create a considerable loss of net energy. On the other hand, biofuels produce 93% more energy than what was spent in its production.
9. There are more sources of renewable green energy at sea than on land. This could indirectly mean that each and every island nation can potentially be free from fossil fuels RIGHT AT THIS MOMENT.
10. According to famous astronomer Carl Sagan, solar energy is the future of mankind, as he once said “any intelligent civilization on any planet will eventually have to use the energy of its parent star”.

Some of you may ask, “what’s to learn about these stuff anyway?” These facts may practically be useless for our daily lives, but these tidbits of information can be helpful in deepening our understanding of renewable energy technologies. It may sound corny, but knowledge of these facts can indirectly help us improve green energy development’s good sides, as well as minimizing and even diminishing its bad sides.

Source : theenvironmentalblog

Romeo Robot Awakes

At 143cm (4ft 8in) tall, Romeo from Aldebaran Robotics is the first "full-scale" humanoid robot to come out of France —think of it as the big brother to the company's Nao series, or an ASIMO competitor with a 13cm height advantage. It's been in development for quite a while, but we haven't seen it on video until now. Although the robot is designed to be a real assistant to elderly people or those with disabilities, the video doesn't do much to demonstrate its mobility or voice control functions. Furthermore, the prototype's construction appears to be unfinished, with Plastic Pals speculating that the body parts have been 3D-printed. Still, it's good to see the project making progress, and you can check out from this video.

Source : theverge

Robot artist sketches portraits

Even the most dedicated techie can have an artistic streak - and that includes robots. And at CeBIT in Hanover next month, delegates are being offered the chance to have their portrait drawn by an industrial robot.

The Fraunhofer robot first takes a good look at its model via its camera, then uses a pencil to knock out a sketch in about ten minutes. Edge-processing software seeks out the contrasts in the image and translates these into movements of the robot’s arm.

The main difficulty, says the team, was to adjust the algorithm for image processing so that the robot would overlook tiny wrinkles but still render the eyes - and deliver something that looked like a human-drawn portrait.

"We attach great importance to the artistic look of the drawings that results, but on the other hand, we have also equipped the robot with an automatic system that enables it to carry out all of the steps itself," says Martina Richter, a scientist at the Fraunhofer Institute for Optronics, System Technologies and Image Exploitation IOSB.

"With this installation, we have created an interface between art, science and technology."

For the robot, though, art is more of a hobby. It's normally used by IOSB researchers to analyze the optical reflection properties of various materials.

The robot’s arm circles a sample such as a a reflector of the kind mounted on children’s school bags, measuring how the object reflects light.

This helps design reflectors so that they return light in the most bundled way possible to the direction from which it comes – to a car driver, for instance. Then the reflector emits a bright flash that draws the driver’s attention to the child.

Source : tgdaily

Energy Efficient LED Lighting

Electric lighting burns up to 25% of the average home energy budget

The electricity used over the lifetime of a single incandescent bulb costs 5 to 10 times the original purchase price of the bulb itself.

Compact Fluorescent Lights (CFL) and Light Emitting Diode (LED) bulbs have revolutionized energy-efficient lighting.

CFLs are simply miniature versions of full-sized fluorescents. They screw into standard lamp sockets, and give off light that looks similar to the common incandescent bulbs - not like the fluorescent lighting we associate with factories and schools.

LEDs are small, very efficient solid bulbs. New LED bulbs are grouped in clusters with diffuser lenses which have broadened the applications for LED use in the home. LED technology is advancing rapidly, with many new bulb styles available. Initially more expensive than CFLs, LEDs bring more value since they last longer. Also, the price of LED bulbs is going down each year as the manufacturing technology continues to improve.

LED Lighting

LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) are solid light bulbs which are extremely energy-efficient. When first developed, LEDs were limited to single-bulb use in applications such as instrument panels, electronics, pen lights and, more recently, strings of indoor and outdoor Christmas lights.

 Manufacturers have expanded the application of LEDs by "clustering" the small bulbs. The first clustered bulbs were used for battery powered items such as flashlights and headlamps. Today, LED bulbs are made using as many as 180 bulbs per cluster, and encased in diffuser lenses which spread the light in wider beams. Now available with standard bases which fit common household light fixtures, LEDs are the next generation in home lighting.

The high cost of producing LEDs has been a roadblock to widespread use. However, researchers at Purdue University have developed a process for using inexpensive silicon wafers to replace the expensive sapphire-based technology. This promises to bring LEDs into competitive pricing with CFLs and incandescents. LEDs may soon become the standard for most lighting needs. We are following these developments with interest and will report the latest updates in this research.

Benefits of LED light bulbs

Long-lasting - LED bulbs last up to 10 times as long as compact fluorescents, and far longer than typical incandescents.

Durable - since LEDs do not have a filament, they are not damaged under circumstances when a regular incandescent bulb would be broken. Because they are solid, LED bulbs hold up well to jarring and bumping.

Cool - these bulbs do not cause heat build-up; LEDs produce 3.4 btu's/hour, compared to 85 for incandescent bulbs. Common incandescent bulbs get hot and contribute to heat build-up in a room. LEDs prevent this heat build-up, thereby helping to reduce air conditioning costs in the home.

Mercury-free - no mercury is used in the manufacturing of LEDs.

More efficient - LED light bulbs use only 2-17 watts of electricity (1/3rd to 1/30th of Incandescent or CFL). LED bulbs used in fixtures inside the home save electricity, remain cool and save money on replacement costs since LED bulbs last so long. Small LED flashlight bulbs will extend battery life 10 to 15 times longer than with incandescent bulbs.

Cost-effective - although LEDs are initially expensive, the cost is recouped over time and in battery savings. LED bulb use was first adopted commercially, where maintenance and replacement costs are expensive. But the cost of new LED bulbs has gone down considerably in the last few years. and are continuing to go down. Today, there are many new LED light bulbs for use in the home, and the cost is becoming less of an issue. To see a cost comparison between the different types of energy-saving light bulbs, see our Light Bulb Comparison Charts.

Light for remote areas and portable generators - because of the low power requirement for LEDs, using solar panels becomes more practical and less expensive than running an electric line or using a generator for lighting in remote or off-grid areas. LED light bulbs are also ideal for use with small portable generators which homeowners use for backup power in emergencies.

Choosing an LED light bulb

Many different models and styles of LED bulbs are emerging in today's marketplace. When choosing a bulb, keep in mind the following:

• Estimate desired brightness -  read the package to choose desired brightness level. You can use wattage to compare bulb illumination, for example, a 9W LED is equivalent in output to a 45 W incandescent. However, the new method for comparing bulbs is lumens. Lumens is the measuse of perceived brightness, and the higher the lumens, the brighter the bulb. The FTC has mandated that by 2012 all light bulb packages display lumens as the primary measure for comparing bulbs. For more information about lumens, see LED Terminology further down this page.

• Choose between warm and cool light - new LED bulbs are available in 'cool' white light,   which is ideal for task lighting, and 'warm' light commonly used for accent or small area lighting.

• Standard base or pin base - LEDs are available in several types of 'pin' sockets or the standard "screw' (Edison) bases for recessed or track lighting.

• Choose between standard and dimmable bulbs - some LED bulbs, such as the FEIT Electric bulbs, are now available as dimmable bulbs.

• Choose high quality bulbs or they will die prematurely - do not buy cheap bulbs from eBay or discounters. They are inexpensive because the bulbs use a low-quality chip which fails easily.

• Look for certifications - including FCC, Energy Star and UL.

The common styles of LED bulbs include the following:

Diffused bulbs
In this style LED bulb, clusters of LEDs are covered by a dimpled lens which spreads the light out over a wider area. Available in standard Edison bases, these bulbs have many uses, such as area lighting for rooms, porches, reading lamps, accent lamps, hallways and low-light applications where lights remain on for extended periods.

Dimmable Globe LED bulbs
Designed for bathroom vanities or anywhere a globe bulb is required, these bulbs produce light equivalent to a 40-watt incandescent bulb, yet only consume 10 watts of power. Dimmable from 100% to 10%, these bulbs have a 200 degree beam angle to cast light in a wide area.

Track Lighting, pin base
Available in MR-16 (pin base), LEDs are ideal for track lighting. LEDs do not contribute to heat buildup in a room because no matter how long they remain on, they do not get hot to the touch. Also, because they are 90% more efficient than incandescents, and last 10 times longer than CFLs, the frequency of changing bulbs is greatly reduced.

Flood Reflector LEDs for Recessed Cans and Track lights, screw-in base
LEDs are now available for standard recessed lighting pots and housings. They range from 7.5 to 17watts, with beam widths from PAR20 to PAR38. Several models are dimmable. Also, because they are 90% more efficient than incandescents. and last 10 times longer than CFLs, the frequency of changing bulbs is greatly reduced.

Flame Tip, Candelabra Base LEDs
Designed to replace incandescent candelabra bulbs, these flame tip LEDs deliver the equivalent light of 25 - 35 watt incandescents while only drawing 3.5 watts of electricity. Because of the heat sink in the base, light doesn't disperse downwards as much as a typical incandescent candelabra bulb.

LED Tube Lights
Designed to replace fluorescent tube bulbs, these LED tubes are available in 8 and 16 watts, which replace traditional 25-watt and 40-watt T8/T10/T12 fluorescent tubes. Because fluorescent lights are often installed in high ceilings in commercial sites, there are additional savings because the frequency of changing bulbs is greatly reduced.

LED Terminology

Coloring Rendering Index (CRI) - CRI represents the quality of light and its faithfulness to render colors correctly. The CREE CR6 bulb, for example, features a CRI of 90 Warm White making it one of the highest in the industry.

Correlated Color Temperature (CCT) - is the measure used to describe the relative color appearance of a white light source. CCT indicates whether a light source appears more yellow/gold/orange or more blue, in terms of the range of available shades of "white." CCT is given in kelvins (unit of absolute temperature). 2700K is "Warm" and 5000K is "Cool".

Lumen - a unit of standard measurement that is used to describe the amount of light contained in an area as perceived by the human eye. The more lumens, the brighter the light. You can use lumens to compare the brightness of any bulb, regardless of the technology behind it, and regardless of whether it's incandescent, CFL or LED.

Luminous Flux - the flow of light measured in lumens. With light bulbs, it provides an estimate of the apparent amount of light the bulb will produce. Depending on the application, much of an incandescent's light is wasted because it's emitted in every direction. LED bulbs, on the other hand, put out directional light, sending all of the light exactly where it's needed.

In practical application, when buying a light bulb, we should look for bhlbs which produce more light but consumes less energy. Understanding lumens as a measure of brightness makes it easier to select the most efficient bulb for your application. This is also important

LED Bulb Colors 

Most LED bulbs in use today are clear or white bulbs, commonly available in 'cool' or 'warm' white light. But LEDs are also available in colors and used as individual bulbs, or in clusters, for special applications.

Red - Red is the traditional color for maintaining night vision. Some LED headlamps and flashlights have the option of switching to red light for use at night.

Green - Green is now the preferred color for pilots and the military. The green color is also great for retaining night vision, and it doesn'’t erase, or render invisible, the red markings on maps and charts.

Blue - Many people like the blue because it is very easy on the eyes. Blue appears to be a good reading light for elderly eyes. Elderly folks report that they can read under the blue light for hours without eyestrain, compared to severe eyestrain in less than 30 minutes with incandescent lighting.

White - The most popular of the LED colors. It produces a soft white light, without harsh reflection, glare or shadows.

Amber - LED amber bulbs do not attract flying insects, as do ordinary white bulbs. Amber LEDs are used outdoors in areas such as patios and decks where insects flying around lights are a nuisance.

Lumen Output: Comparing LED vs CFL vs Incandescent Wattage

Did you know watts don't tell you how bright a light will be?

To compare different light bulbs, you need to know about lumens. Lumens, not watts, tell you how bright a light bulb is, no matter the type of bulb. The more lumens, the brighter the light. Beginning in 2012, labels on the front of light bulb packages will emphasize a bulb's brightness in lumens, instead of the bulb's energy usage in watts.

The chart below shows the amount of brigthness you can expect from different wattage light bulbs. The LED bulbs require much less wattage than the CFL or Incandescent light bulbs, which is why LED bulbs are more energy-efficient and long lasting than the other types of bulb.

 Incandescent Watts       CFL Watts               LED Watts               Lumen s (Brightness)

                40                             8 - 12                        6 - 9                                400 - 500

                60                           13 - 18                        8 - 12.5                          700 - 900

            75 - 100                     18 - 22                      13 +                               1100 - 1750

             100                            23 - 30                      16 - 20                           1800 + 

             150                            30 - 55                      25 - 28                            2780

Source : eartheasy

ROS Upgrade Offer for Corobot Classic and Explorer Owners

The offer will give customers access to a wide range of the open source Robotic Operating System applications.

CoroWare, Inc. announced a new upgrade offer for existing CoroBot Classic and CoroBot Explorer unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) customers. These upgrades will help bring earlier CoroBot UGV models up to date, and will enable a new class of CoroBot applications based on the Robotic Operating System (ROS) from Willow Garage.

The ROS software platform is rapidly becoming the standard for open robotics development and has a large and active developer community. CoroWare’s ROS Upgrade Program will help its customers migrate their existing CoroBot UGV platforms, which is based on Linux and Player software distributions, to Robotic Operating System (ROS), which has been deployed on unmanned ground vehicles, air vehicles, and surface vehicles around the world.

"When we started building ROS four years ago, we hoped to one day see companies shipping products with ROS inside.  It's great to see that ROS is helping CoroWare to provide affordable and open mobile robot platforms that robot scientists need for prototyping robotics applications," a Willow Garage spokesperson noted.

CoroWare’s ROS Upgrade Program includes an initial assessment of the CoroBot that the customer purchased.  For some customers, software upgrades will only be required and will be free of charge.  For other customers who purchased older CoroBot models, hardware upgrades may be required and will be priced accordingly.

"CoroWare’s ROS Upgrade Program will give our customers a greater choice of ROS-based applications and software modules to run on their existing CoroBot platforms", said Andrew Zager, product marketing engineer at CoroWare. "Because ROS is not limited to any robotics platform, we look forward to migrating any third party mobile robots and applications to ROS in the future.”

Source : CoroWare

Toshiba's new tablet is as sleek as an Apple

For Apple-watchers, it’s that time of year again. Rumours about the shape and size of iPad 3 are pouring out of Apple’s Chinese factories almost as fast as the revelations that few of the workers there (the source of said rumours) have ever seen the finished product.

My own network of spies informs me that cases for the new tablet look eerily similar to cases for the last one, ie, I can reveal that it’s still a screen, and still very slim.

I remain firm in the belief that tablets will eventually become so thin that they’ll vanish altogether and people will just be followed around by a glowing Apple logo.

Unusually, Toshiba is leading the charge on this. Its AT200 is just 7.7mm thick – basically, a piece of glass with electronics spread on the back like butter on toast.

To hold, though, it’s less alarming than iPad 2, which is so thin it feels like you’re passing some kind of sword around the living room – a very fragile, expensive sword. Toshiba’s slab isn’t tapered at the edge, so it feels less likely to slice the space-time continuum.

The machine, on sale this week, beats iPad 2 with a 1280x800 pixel resolution, and refreshes all the other parts Apple doesn’t reach – ie, it does play Flash videos, has a micro USB slot, and it can plug direct into an HDTV.

But with Android fans embroiled in a geek love affair with Samsung, will they defect from the Galaxy 10.1 for a near-identical Android slab that says ‘Toshiba’ on it? And will anyone buy any tablets until iPad 3 is announced?

I await with interest the latest news, fresh from people who glue chips onto motherboards in Asian factories.

Source : dailymail

Intel to Power Smart Phones, Hybrid Devices

CES 2012: Intel to Power Smart Phones, Create Ultrabook-Tablet Hybrid Devices

LAS VEGAS—Intel played a pivotal role in making PCs ubiquitous by developing a standard architecture on which Microsoft Windows, Web browsers and other popular software could operate. Company CEO Paul Otellini announced Tuesday during his keynote at the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) here Intel’s intention to work similar magic in smart phones, many of which employ processors made by ARM Holdings. (Apple’s earliest iPhones used ARM processors but, starting with the iPhone 4, now use chips made by Samsung.)

By midyear Intel’s Atom processor will make its first foray into smart phones as the engine for the new Lenovo K800. Lenovo is best known for buying IBM’s PC division in December 2004. The K800 will initially be sold in China, which already has about 100 million smart-phone users, making it the world’s largest smart-phone market, Otellini said. The Intel CEO also announced onstage that his company and Motorola Mobility, recently bought by Google, have entered into a multiyear agreement to make smart phones, the first of which will appear during the second half of this year.

 

Intel’s formula for success will by necessity need to vary from its triumph in the PC market of the 1980s and 1990s. For starters, dozen of successful smart phones—including the Samsung Galaxy, LG Optimus and HTC Evo—already ship with ARM microprocessors. In addition, Intel built a lot of its success by teaming with Microsoft to develop the so-called “Wintel” platform that dominated the PC market. Microsoft Windows will be only one of several operating systems that Intel’s chips will support. (Lenovo’s K800 runs Google’s Android operating system, for example.)

A key aspect of Intel’s plan to power smart phones is to offer a standard package of chips and software that phone makers can use when building their devices. In addition to the Atom processor, this package includes security scanning, data backup, data restoration and other software applications Intel now offers thanks to its acquisition of security software maker McAfee in February 2011. Intel claims that this standard “smart-phone reference architecture” will help phone makers build handsets that have longer battery life and greater performance.

Source/more : scientificamerican

Scientists Test MRI Controllable Pill

The same technology could one day be used to deliver drugs or perform laser surgery at a tumor’s precise location. 

Researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) in Boston have successfully tested a controllable endoscopic capsule, inspired by science fiction, that has the ability to "swim" through the body and could provide clinicians with unprecedented control when photographing the inside of the human body. 

The capsule is designed to be swallowed like a pill and can be equipped with a camera. Once inside the patient's digestive track, a doctor can "steer" the capsule through the body using an MRI machine, photograph specific areas of interest, and view those pictures wirelessly.

With current endoscopic capsule technology, the capsule tumbles randomly through the digestive track and clinicians have no control over what areas of the body are being photographed. The ability to steer a capsule, aim a camera, and take pictures of specific areas of concern is a major leap forward with the potential for broad medical implications.

"Our goal is to develop this capsule so that it could be used to deliver images in real time, and allow clinicians to make a diagnosis during a single procedure with little discomfort or risk to the patient," said Noby Hata, a researcher in the Department of Radiology at BWH and leader of the development team for the endoscopic capsule. "Ideally, in the future we would be able to utilize this technology deliver drugs or other treatments, such as laser surgery, directly to tumors or injuries within the digestive track."

BWH researchers Hata and his colleague, Peter Jakab, have successfully tested a prototype of their capsule in an MRI machine and proved that the capsule can be manipulated to "swim" through a tank of water. The next step in their research is to successfully test the capsule inside a human body. There is no reason to believe the capsule would move differently in a human than it does in a tank of water.

Source : Brigham and Women’s Hospital

Electric Motorcycles

Electric Motorcycles Now Taking it Head to Head with Gas Motorcycles

  

Electric bikes and scooters aren’t really that new. Though riding regular bikes are already sufficient green acts, there are always particular advantages of being able to push the speed limit a little faster in these personal vehicles. They are essentially considered as greener mopeds.

But even though they can be faster and easier to use than ordinary bicycles, electric bikes and scooters are just not powerful enough, would still be totally inferior when compared head-to-head to a standard motorcycle.

That is why automotive developers around the world are now designing and producing more powerful electric motorcycles for consumer use. These green two-wheelers still have the zero-emission qualities of electric bikes, but can now zip its way through ordinary roads as if it were a 250cc gas guzzler.

Source/More : theenvironmentalblog

Verizion Apple iPad

The iPad tablets are considered one of the best Apple products because they are a perfect combination of a notebook’s and a smart phone’s features. If we take in consideration the notebook’s features, we have to know about these gadgets that they gives you the possibility to read electronic books on your tablet and to enjoy the best software applications which makes your work easier.

Thanks to the smart phone’s features you can write messages on these tablets. They contain a multi touch screen as the iPhones and you have to touch the screen in order to open a folder or to send a command. In case that you want to surf on the network you have to activate it firstly. In this article you will find the tips that you have to take in consideration in order to configure your Apple iPad with a Verizon router.

You have to know that once you have configured your tablet with the router you can use the Wi-Fi whenever you want for web browsing, checking your e-mails, online apps or for surfing one the network. You can also connect your tablet to different mobile broadband network but if you choose to connect your iPad to a local router you have to know that the connection will be better. In order to configure your Apple iPad with a Verizon router, in the beginning you have to power on your tablet by pressing the “Turn On” button. After the system is booting up you have to make sure that your tablet it is in range of your Verizon router’s network. Then you have to touch the “Settings” button which you will find easily at your gadget’s home screen. In order to activate the Wi-Fi signals you have to open the “Settings” menu and you have to move the “Wi-Fi” slider to “On” position. This process will enable the wireless antenna. Then appears a new window where you have to type manually your Verizon. 

After this you have to touch the “Join” button and you have to open your Internet browsing program in order to make sure that it is functioning properly. If you want to find out the other iPad user’s methods of connecting and using the network, all you have to do is to sign in with your account to the Apple Discussions Forum and post to the website’s wall your questions. Starting with the moment that you are connected to the network you have the possibility to download different programs, games, electronic books, songs or any other applications that you prefer to your tablet. If you want to find out more information related to these tablet’s features and their technical specifications, my advice for you is to type in your web browser the Apple’s website because there you will find all the information that you need about these iPad tablets.

Source : bindapple

Say “I love you” With a Robot

Asus Agait Valentine Special! Say “I love you” With a Robot

We have some gift ideas for your special Valentine this year. With great prices on the Asus E-Clean Enhanced and the Asus E-Clean Mini, you are certain to capture your loved ones’ heart. The special prices start today and end Feb. 15th. Hurry if you would like to get one before Valentine’s Day!

The EC-Mini is the smallest robot vacuum in the industry and with it’s cute design, it is the perfect (geeky) Valentine’s Day gift. At only $130USD this great gift won’t bust your budget.

 

The EC-Enhanced comes standard with a special fragrance compartment to deodorize and freshen any room it cleans. A red rose scent would suit it well on this special day. This robot can be scheduled for cleaning on all floor types and will clean 400 square feet on a single charge. It is sure to please at only $259USD.

Source : robotshop

Can Lithium-ion Take Over Lead-Acid Batteries for a Solar Energy System?

Lead-acid batteries are used heavily in solar energy systems due to two simple reasons, cost and simplicity. True, this two-century old battery type only offers a very crude maximum energy density of 75 watt-hours per liter, but it is quite easy and cheap to produce. One wouldn’t really mind the huge and bulky sizes of deep cycle lead-acid batteries if it’s designed for an entire home anyway.

But despite this apparent practicality, there is really no technical limit to the type of battery that can be used for a solar energy system. Even lithium-ion batteries, which at the moment, can be economically used only in consumer electronics and EV’s are now being considered to be used for a solar energy system.

The Lithium-ion Adoption Announcement

Sanyo made an announcement a few years ago about a new subsidiary named Sanyo Homes, which would be used to market home renewable energy systems using a combination of solar panels and lithium-ion batteries. The standard setup is a 3.78kw solar energy system, to be primarily used as back-up power for homes. Fast forward years later, at the end of January of this year, Kyocera also made a similar announcement, presenting their plans to use lithium-ion batteries for their 7.1kw solar energy systems.

Now, this might not really sound like a solid go signal for an official development race, but it is a sufficient trigger for us to seriously think of its possibilities. After all, there have been smaller applications of the same technology, so why not use it in larger scales?

More of a Doom than a Boom, For Now

We know for certain that lithium-ion batteries scores the highest in terms of being “green”, at least in the sense that it is the least environmentally harmful compared with other batteries. We also understand that lithium-ion batteries pack a whole lot more energy per unit weight. But in terms of overall practicality, these comparative disadvantages would have to be solved first.

• Deep cycle lead-acid batteries are designed to last for at least 4-6 years. Lithium-ion batteries only have life spans of about 2-3 years, before significantly losing their overall efficiency.
• Lithium ion batteries also progressively lose a bit of its efficiency every second it exists. In fact, the countdown already started as it was spewed out by the factory that made it.
• For each U.S. dollar, a lithium-ion battery could only provide 2.5 watt-hours of economic energy units. For the exact same price, a fluid based lead-acid battery can provide 18 watt-hours of economic energy units.

Summarizing all three points, lithium-ion batteries in their form today would not be able to compete economically with lead-acid batteries. The cost per unit energy is higher, you’ll have to replace it more often and the degradation had already started even before buying the battery.

Of course, Sanyo and Kyocera couldn’t have made such bold announcements if they know that their solar energy systems would just lose out economically using lithium-ion batteries. We as normal citizens (not as consumers) could probably interpret their move as a simple but important starting point to make our technologies less harmful to the environment.

Because in finding a way to make the more environmentally harmful lead-acid battery less useful, we are indirectly thinning out the overall usage and spread of toxic elements in our planet.

Source : theenvironmentalblog

Cleaning up with Windows

Cleaning up with Windows: Leaked video claims Microsoft's new phones could run the same apps as PC

• Phones will share code with Windows 8 computers
• Will be easier to create apps that work on both
• Microsoft hopes for 100,000 apps at launch
• Windows Phone predicted to overtake iPhone by 2015
• Nokia has sold 1 million Windows handsets

Leaks from within Microsoft have revealed a suite of hi-tech new features for Microsoft's Windows Phone - including new software that will let the phones share apps with Windows PCs.

A video, of Windows Phone chief Joe Belfiore, and supposedly for consumption by Microsoft's partner Nokia, lists a variety of hi-tech features due in a forthcoming update to Windows Phone software.

The key feature is that apps can be shared more easily with Windows PCs, in the same way as software is shared across Apple's iPhone and iPad.

 

Windows Phone will use much of the same software as Microsoft's upcoming tablet-friendly Windows 8, making it easier for developers to create applications that work on both.

Microsoft hopes to have 100,000 apps available at launch.

The video was seen by website PocketNow, but other tech insiders who have seen Windows Phone 8 have confirmed several details.

Analysts iSuppli have predicted that Microsoft's Windows Phone will overtake Apple's iPhone by 2015.

Nokia, which has partnered with Microsoft to produce smartphones running Windows Phone, has sold a million handsets since launch, beating analyst expectations.

The new software, codenamed Apollo, should appear in new Nokia handsets, although there is no confirmed release date.

The devices will also offer SkyDrive - a remote-storage function which allows users to store files such as digital music online, then access them from any device.

It could mean that Windows users will be able to access their entire music collection instantly without having to sync their devices with a PC.

 

The update will also add support for new screen resolutions and will add an NFC (near field communication) chip for contactless payments in shops.

Microsoft are describing this as 'the wallet experience'.

So far, Windows Phone has remained niche, despite fan and reviewer enthusiasm for the operating system.

Last year, Windows Phone accounted for just two per cent of the smartphone market.

But by 2015, that figure will be 16.7 per cent, says iSuppli - putting the handsets into second place in the worldwide smartphone race, behind Google's Android, but ahead of Apple's iOS.

 

Source : dailymail

MacBook Battery Upgrade

The MacBook family it is composed of two members including the MacBook Air and the MacBook Pro models. It is important to know that all these laptops contain a lithium ion polymer battery which is famous for its long lasting battery life. In case that you use your notebook for 8 hours and it is discharged you have to insert the power cable into the electrical outlet in order to charge it. Despite they contains a strong battery after 300 of full charges the battery can lose its performance.

 

In case that you plan to store your MacBook for more than a half a year, you have to know that Apple recommends charging the battery for 50%. In case that appears problems with the MacBook’s battery and you want to replace it you have to take in consideration some basic steps. In the beginning, you have to shut down your notebook. For this process you have to click with the mouse cursor on the “Apple” logo which you will find in the “Menu” folder which is situated on your computer’s top side. After you have opened the window you have to select from the appeared list the “Shut Down” button. This is an important process because you will work with internal components and you might be shocked. The second step that you have to follow in order to upgrade your MacBook battery is to take out all the cables that are attached to your Apple portable computer. In most of the cases the batteries are situated at the notebook’s bottom side.

In case that you want to replace the battery you have to turn your laptop over and you have to press the latch in order to open the battery door. After your have removed it you have to grasp the battery. It is important to take it out slowly and gently in order to not damage it. In case that you have a newer MacBook model, you have to know that if you want to change its battery you will need an Apple authorized person’s help because these models doesn’t contain a battery door that you can disconnect in order to take out the battery. Sign in with your account to the Apple Discussions Forum and talk with other individuals who use these notebooks. In case that you are new in the MacBook’s world thanks to this website you can learn how to handle it correctly. In case that you want to know more information about these laptops in general you have to open in your web browser the Apple’s website.

Source : bindappl

The wireless home hi-fi

There’s been one major problem with most of the wireless audio systems I’ve tried. The wires.

Somehow, in the world of hi-fi, ‘wireless’ just means that something will talk to your iPhone wirelessly – and the small print says, ‘Warning: may include tangle of power cables that will trail around your living room angering your spouse.’

So AQ Audio’s Smart Speaker is a rather unique creature.

It’s genuinely wireless, armed with both Apple AirPlay and a built-in rechargeable battery.

It comes in the form of two separate 24W speakers that communicate with each other and your iPhone, with not a shred of copper in sight.

It can also split, bacteria-style, into two separate stereo iPod docks, connecting to two di fferent iPhones.

A little button on the back tells each speaker to be either a left or right speaker or an individual stereo unit. This alone will melt the hearts of hi-fi nerds.

Hardcore hi-fi fans – the gentlemen with the beards and collections of lossless digital files – will be ahead of me here.

You can position these speakers for a perfect stereo ‘sweet spot’, aiming both like a sniper at your seat until audio perfection is achieved and the inevitable beard-stroking begins.

Most mid-priced iPod docks have nailed-down pairs of speakers about six inches apart, which means that unless you put your head in an awkward position somewhere past the co ffee table in the direction of the TV, you’re hearing mono. A revolution in listening?

Well, sort of. As soon as you walk outside a Wi-Fi zone, these die with the same inevitability as an astronaut walking out of an airlock – so perfect stereo sound is not about to visit your picnic blanket.

The sound’s a bassy treat, and edging speakers around until you hit that ‘Eureka!’ moment of stereo delight is great fun.

But somehow, I suspect, in most families, the pursuit of stereo perfection may take second place to more important activities such as, ‘Help me with this dusting, darling, for God’s sake.’

Source/More : dailymail

Google joins Twitter in censorship storm

Google joins Twitter in censorship storm: Site may now block blog posts in line with requests from oppressive regimes

• Blog posts will be blocked at national government request
• Campaigners fear 'the end of the global internet community'
• But Google claims move will allow MORE free speech

 

Google's informal motto is 'don't be evil', but a huge change to its Blogger service could see the search giant help oppressive governments stamp out voices of protest.

Bloggers who have relied on the popular service to organise dissent as seen during the Arab Spring could find their posts being blocked by Google itself.

The company will now block posts or blogs from being seen in a country if they their local laws, handing a victory to regimes that crack down on free speech to keep a lid on dissent.

The move has caused widespread concern - and echoes Twitter's recent decision to block Tweets on a similar 'per country' basis to comply with local laws.

Internet freedom group Open Net Initiative said of Twitter's recent policy change, 'The change marks a new trend in American Internet companies bowing to the demands of authoritarian regimes.'

Amnesty International said, 'As with other sectors, business decisions in the digital world have human rights implications. Human rights monitors and advocates have a lot more work to do since the digital revolution.'

'Our collective vigilance is needed more than ever.'

Thailand heartily backed Twitter's recent decision to block Tweets at the request of governments, as did China's state-run newspaper.

But Google claims that the move will actually allow more freedom of speech.

The blogs will be visible from everywhere else in the world, but invisible in one country.

'This will allow us to continue promoting free expression while providing greater flexibility in complying with valid removal requests in local law,' said the company.

Blogger, a blogging service which launched in 1999, and was bought by Google in 2003, has previously been banned outright in repressive regimes such as Syria, Iran and China.

Source/Read more:dailymail

Green Hybrid

Other Green Hybrid EV Configurations Using Existing and Developing Technologies

 

A hybrid electric vehicle, using its technical definition, is a vehicle that uses a traditional internal combustion engine in tandem with an electric propulsion system. The configuration of such EV’s are widely considered a “technological bridge” that attempts to shorten the economic gap between the two technologies.

But a hybrid vehicle, by its broader definition, is simply a vehicle that uses two or more sources of power. Rather than relying on one mainstream and one alternative source, wouldn’t such vehicles be greener if we use two alternative sources instead? Let’s take a peek at some of the possible hybrid electric vehicle configurations using this principle.

Biofuel / Hydrogen Fuel Cell Hybrid
Combustive chemical reactions dominate the entire work cycle of almost all kinds of car engines. For a majority of biofuels, the chemical reactions often involve the breakdown and reformation of carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen molecules. What if we could efficiently extract hydrogen from the by-products of these reactions? We could then theoretically use it to charge up a fuel cell for additional power.

While this may not be what InnovaTek had in mind, the minute possibility for such greener hybrid electric vehicle is presented in their micro-channel reactor. It was originally designed to extract hydrogen from the biofuels themselves, but it might just be possible to tweak the technology a bit to make it more efficient. The two carbon dioxide and three water molecule by-product of ethanol combustion for example, could probably be used to extract the needed hydrogen for the fuel cell.

Hydrogen Fuel cell / Rechargeable Battery Hybrid
Hydrogen fuel cells and batteries share one common characteristic: both energy sources produce electric energy. A battery uses stored chemical energy, while a fuel cell uses the energy producing properties of an oxidizing agent.

Either way, due to their similar “electrochemical” nature, utilizing both of these technologies in a single vehicle would be relatively and conceptually easy. The principle is rather simple, as the energy sources would simply complement each other using both of their specialties. A good example of an existing fuel cell / battery hybrid electric vehicle is the experimental prototype Honda FCX (see featured image).

Supercapacitor / Lithium-ion Battery Hybrid

Lithium-ion batteries have high energy densities, but have limited charge cycles and suffer from efficiency degradation over time. Current supercapacitors can charge very, very quickly and can last for millions of charge cycles, but can only last for a shorter amount of time per charge. If we combine these two technologies, would we be able to somehow negate their respective weaknesses?

It is possible at a certain degree, at least in concept. We could combine the near-infinite usage potential of supercapacitors to the longevity-per-charge efficiency of lithium-ion batteries. And since both technologies can be used to power vehicles, the eventual development of a lithium ion/supercapacitor hybrid electric vehicle should also be conceivable. Instead of providing an added push for existing battery technologies though, this configuration would probably be considered a stepping stone for the development of future ultracapacitor vehicles.

Cost is another very important issue to be discussed in any developing technology. A developing technology would always have to battle against the default economic advantage of other existing technologies. So aside from efficiency rates, these hybrid electric vehicle configurations should also have the economic feasibility before they could be developed further.

Source : theenvironmentalblog

Touch-screen steering wheel keeps eyes on road

Distance driving can be mind-numbingly boring, but looking away from the road to text or change songs is a life-or-death gamble. Plus, buttons embedded in the wheel only control a fraction of a car's functionality. Now German researchers have a wheel prototype that puts everything within reach — no glancing needed.

"If you have gestures on the steering wheel, you spend more time looking at the street," said Albrecht Schmidt, a computer science professor specializing in human-computer interaction at the University of Stuttgart in Germany who worked on the prototype.

The team, which includes University of Duisburg-Essen researchers Tanja Döring, Dagmar Kern, Max Pfeiffer, and Volker Gruhn, as well as Johannes Schöning of the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence, came up with the idea for a multi-touch steering wheel interface while thinking about driving and mobile technology. 

 

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Their prototype is made from 11-millimeter-thick clear acrylic ringed in infrared LEDs. An infrared camera attached to the bottom picks up the reflections made when the surface is touched. A driver can control a radio or navigate a map with simple movements along the surface. Those gestures can be made with the thumbs while still gripping the wheel and looking at the road.

"We use a standard tracking framework, very much like Microsoft Surface and those interactive tables," Schmidt said.

To identify intuitive gestures, the researchers conducted a study asking participants what movements they'd make for each of 20 commands. Döring said that gestures originated from different mobile devices. Participants pinched two fingers together to zoom in on a map and made a triangle for "play." When they couldn't come up with an abstract gesture, they traced the first letter of the word.

Source : msnbc

Longreads releases its first app for iPad

Over an ice coffee on an unseasonably warm January day, Longreads co-founder Aaron Lammer took VentureBeat for a test drive through the startups new iPad app, which debuts today at noon. The company, which curates the best long form journalism from around the web, is taking a gamble on an expensive $4.99 app, hoping its passionate audience will pony up for a premium experience.

“Right now our users are spread across Twitter, our website, Instapaper, Readability, and Kindle. The idea behind the app is to help people avoid finding our link on Twitter, following it to the website and then saving the story to Readability. They can do all that just by opening the app,” said Lammer.

The company is still mostly the two co-founders, Lammer and Max Linsky. They built the app with the help of a developer in D.C. and have expanded their editorial staff to a core group of about a half dozen. “We’re profitable now, thanks to ads and sponsorship on the website,” said Lammer. “The last few months have seen around 66% growth in our traffic.”

So far the startup has maintained good relationships with the publishers it relies on for reading material. The iPad app automatically takes users to the publishers web page first, meaning they get all the benefits of a page view for their advertisers. A simple toggle strips those out using the Readability API.

For now the company isn’t interested in trying to accelerate its organic growth. “We talked to a bunch of venture capitalists and they had some ideas for how we could proceed that they might fund. But what we’re doing right now, that’s kind of exactly the thing we want to do,” said Lammer.

 

Source : venturebeat