How To Discuss Getting Off Oil Without Politics: Renewable Energies For Your Home (Book Review)
October 4, 2010 No Comment
Much of Russel Gehrke’s Renewable Energies for your Home is a useful compendium of information for people who want to build a solar dryer or make biodiesel without killing yourself. There is a neat design for a quick and easy solar heater made out of hollow core doors. A third of the book is a good list of suppliers and sources. It provides, as the subtitle says, “real world solutions for green conversions,” much of which can be sourced for free on the internet. But the real eye-opener, the part worth reading, is in the i… Read the full story on TreeHugger
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The Parrot AR.Drone may be the hot quadrocopter of the moment, but not everyone has $299 to add one to their scale-sized hangar. We’re not sure if it was financial reasons or a simple desire to get creative that drove Greg “Grease” Lehman of St. Paul, Minnesota to built his own, but build it he did, and out of wood. Using plans for a kit called the Roswell Quadrocopter, Greg hewed this from ash, oak, walnut, and paduak via CNC and a Sherline Mini mill. Thanks to its MikroKopter electronics the thing can hover and automatically fly to coordinates via GPS, or you can switch to a first-person view and do it your way. Most importantly you can build it your way using the instructions at the source link, and then enter it into your own local state fair. Greg entered his into the Minnesota State Fair’s “airplane flying model, scratch built” class and came in second. Yes, second. Sadly the Fair’s results sheet doesn’t describe what came in first, but it damn well better have had lasers and some degree of sentience to have beaten this. Wooden DIY quadrocopter gets no respect from Minnesota State Fair originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 04 Oct 2010 10:25:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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You might not have heard of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), but there are likely a bunch in your new smartphone — they make possible the tiny accelerometers and gyroscopes needed to detect motion as your device swings around. However, last week students at the University of Twente demonstrated a brand new micrometer-scale system: a tiny musical instrument that plucks strings (those “folded flexures” above) one-tenth of a human hair wide. Six microscopic resonators fit on a microchip, one resonator per musical tone, and series of the chips can be combined into a MIDI interface to play entire songs. Though the micronium needs to be amplified 10,000 times before they’re audible through standard speakers, the instrument’s the real deal — watch it play a wide selection of tunes (including some Mario Bros ) in a video after the break. One burning question remains, however: is this nano-violin open source ? Continue reading World’s smallest violin uses MEMS, plays only for you (video) World’s smallest violin uses MEMS, plays only for you (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 04 Oct 2010 10:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Image credit: SITA There’s a lot to be said for horses as a greener form of transportation. In many ways, they are the ultimate use of biofuels—they run on grass, and their output is a biodegradable fertilizer. In fact, TreeHugger has been asked before whether we should start using horses instead of tractors again , and we have indeed seen some farmers taking up horse-drawn ploug… Read the full story on TreeHugger
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There. That feels better, doesn’t it? Windows Mobile loyalists (yeah, all eight of you) who have been holding off on switching for inexplicable reasons now have a reason to celebrate: Spotify’s live on Windows Mobile 6.x. That sweet, sweet music streaming action that other mobile platforms have been enjoying for months is finally on Microsoft’s now-ancient smartphone OS, but the real news is that the team already has a build ready to go for the forthcoming Windows Phone 7 . As you’d expect, these versions will allow users to search, browse and play back millions of tracks, stream over WiFi / 3G / 2.5G, play music sans an internet connection (offline playlists) and wirelessly sync between a local computer and a mobile. Windows Phone users should point their browser to m.spotify.com to get their download on (or hold off for it to hit the Windows Marketplace), and those who are still feeling timid can catch a beautifully narrated promotional video just past the break. Continue reading Spotify launches on Windows Mobile, coming soon for Windows Phone 7 Spotify launches on Windows Mobile, coming soon for Windows Phone 7 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 04 Oct 2010 09:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Steve Ballmer and AT&T’s Ralph de la Vega to headline Windows Phone 7 launch event in NYC on October 11 — we’ll be there live!
October 4, 2010 No Comment
Horror, shock, surprise! Microsoft CEO and prime fanboy of all things Windows and developer-related, Steve Ballmer, will be the keynote speaker at Microsoft’s New York launch event for Windows Phone 7 . He’ll be joined on stage by AT&T’s Ralph de la Vega and when the pep rally is over, we’re promised opportunities to finally handle the official incarnations of retail Windows Phones for ourselves. We know all this because Microsoft has just dropped a kind little invite into our inbox urging us to attend its October 11 get-together. We will, of course, be there live, but don’t forget Microsoft’s also holding a London event on that day, ostensibly for the same reason, so make sure to be up nice and early next Monday if you don’t wanna miss a thing. Steve Ballmer and AT&T’s Ralph de la Vega to headline Windows Phone 7 launch event in NYC on October 11 — we’ll be there live! originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 04 Oct 2010 09:07:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Photo via Fox News Animals have a knack for saving other animals , but they’ve also been known to put themselves in the line of danger for humans — and we’re not just talking about pet dogs that protect their homes from burglars. From dolphins that rescued a surfer from sharks and a whale that helped a drowning athlete to an elephant that protected a young girl from a tsunami, these amazing, selfless animal heroes remind us once again o… Read the full story on TreeHugger
Continue reading …Logitech’s Google TV offering to also handle HD video conferencing, challenge Cisco’s upcoming solution?
October 4, 2010 No Comment
We’re just days away from Logitech unveiling its Google TV hardware lineup , but now VP Eric Kintz is saying that’s not all the company will have to show. You may remember that Logitech acquired LifeSize Communications late last year, a company specializing in corporate HD video conferencing, and now that technology will be coming to the living room. Logi isn’t unveiling details yet, but whatever solution it offers will be compatible with Google TV and, given that Logitech’s C910 webcam was recently granted SkypeHD compatibility, we wouldn’t be surprised if there’s some sort of tie-in there. Hardware cost is unknown but no monthly fee will be charged, contrasting with Cisco’s rumored solution — coincidentally also said to be unveiled on Weds. According to The Wall Street Journal Cisco’s HD conferencing option will cost a whopping $600 and, on top of that, will require a $30 monthly fee. That seems somewhat outrageously priced for a one trick pony, so here’s to hoping there’s more to it than that. Logitech’s Google TV offering to also handle HD video conferencing, challenge Cisco’s upcoming solution? originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 04 Oct 2010 08:53:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Finally a bit of competition to pep up the transparent OLED market. Samsung and LG seem to have had this party all to themselves until now, but TDK is stepping in with a 2-inch passive matrix screen and a humble QVGA (320 x 240) resolution. Sure, those aren’t groundbreaking specs, but a claimed 50 percent transmittance — meaning that half of what’s behind the screen can be seen through it — beats its Korean competitors rather handily. Another prototype being shown off by the company is a 3.5-inch flexible OLED panel that redefines thinness with a slinky 0.3mm profile. It’s made using a resin substrate and covers an unimpressive 256 x 54 pixels at the moment, but again, that’s just how good things get started: with small steps of awesome. We’ll keep an eye out for both of these as we prowl the halls of CEATEC 2010 . Continue reading TDK flexes its transparent OLED muscles with CEATEC demonstrations TDK flexes its transparent OLED muscles with CEATEC demonstrations originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 04 Oct 2010 08:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Image Source: Christian Yves Ocampo Dear Pablo: I have noticed that a lot of yoga mats are made from PVC. Isn’t that bad? What should I look for in a healthy, planet-friendly yoga mat? Each year thousands of PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride) yoga mats are sold in the US, a number that is growing with the increased interest in yoga and healthy lifestyles. This choice in material, however, is contradictory to … Read the full story on TreeHugger
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