Inhabitat’s Week In Green: solar-powered stadium, bipod flying cars and biofueled flights
July 24, 2011 No Comment
Groundbreaking green architecture projects popped up around the world this week as Herzog & de Meuron unveiled plans for a solar-powered stadium in Bordeaux and a Korean department store prepared to install a massive iPod-inspired green roof . We also showcased several feats of futuristic architecture — a skyscraper zoo with a built-in ferris wheel and a shape-shifting solar bridge that purifies the air. As summer hit its peak and the weather heated up we also brought took a look at six awesome parks made from rehabilitated urban structures. In other news, pedal-powered transportation geared up for the future as we showcased a chain-less hybrid bike with an out-of-this-world design and a molded bamboo bike that is grown from the ground up. We also saw greener transportation take to the skies as Finnair launched the world’s longest biofueled commercial flight , Scaled Composites launched its bipod flying car , and the US Air Force announced plans to replace 50 percent of its domestic fuels with biofuels by 2016. Eco transportation charted the ocean blue as well as researchers at Boston University unveiled plans for a fleet of ships that generate energy from the motion of the ocean. As temperatures soared across the US this week we brought you five eco gadgets to beat the summer heat , and we also learned that solar panels have a cooling effect on buildings . We also got set to hit the beach by checking out the world’s first compostable swimsuit , and we spotted a futuristic pair of smart sunglasses that use LCD technology to block out glare. Finally, we covered a set of incredible LEGO creations — from a life-size Wall-E robot made from Lego Mindstorms to a computer built from plastic bricks and a series of amazing Lego animals that invaded the Bronx Zoo. Inhabitat’s Week In Green: solar-powered stadium, bipod flying cars and biofueled flights originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 24 Jul 2011 20:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On , a column about consumer technology. Kerberos, the hound from Hades that lent its name to an MIT-developed network authentication protocol, is often visualized as having three heads. But if dogs can have multiple heads, why can’t other technology species? Many of the features in Lion have impact for different kinds of users, and the value users see in them may well depend on which face they tend to view. The new user . Lion represents the biggest user interface change to the company’s desktop experience since the debut of Mac OS X. With the Mac hard drive hidden by default, full-screen apps that hide the menu bar, and omnipresent scroll arrows put out to pasture, it even dispenses with some user interface conventions that have been around since the original Mac. The focus on multitouch gestures — while enabling more fluidity in the user interface — are not as self-evident. Overall, though, the gradual shift away from contrivances such as windows, menus, and cluttered icons should make things less intimidating for new users. The iPad user . One can only wonder what features the successor to Snow Leopard might have sported had Apple not launched the iPad. The most prominent design theme in Lion has been bringing user experience elements of Apple’s tablet to the Mac. This is highlighted best by Launchpad, the iPad-like collection of sliding home screens, and full-screen apps, but also includes support for full-screen apps and bundling of the Mac app store introduced with Snow Leopard. Continue reading Switched On: A Three-Headed Lion Switched On: A Three-Headed Lion originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 24 Jul 2011 18:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Sanya Skypump charges your EV, illuminates parking lots using wind and rays (video)
July 24, 2011 No Comment
So you’re the first person in town to adopt an electric vehicle (EV), even clearing room for that 240v charging station in the garage. But what do you when you venture far from home, edging past the 200 mile mark on your Tesla Roadster ? Well, if the Sanya Skypump ever sees the light of day (from its 150-watt solar panel), the hybrid solar / wind turbine-powered charging station will be making its way to parking lots around the world, pairing with a GE WattStation to juice up your EV as you shop at the mall, or browse a certain tech site from the office. The WattStation can theoretically recharge your EV in four to eight hours, though we’re not sure how those figures translate with this particular setup. The Skypump system is based on Sanya’s Streetlamp, which you can see in all its twirling glory in the B.o.B. music video remix just past the break. Continue reading Sanya Skypump charges your EV, illuminates parking lots using wind and rays (video) Sanya Skypump charges your EV, illuminates parking lots using wind and rays (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 24 Jul 2011 19:24:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Samsung’s Series 3 laptops deliver more performance-per-dollar than the ultra-thin Series 9 , at the expense of — well, ultra-thinness. That said, the 12.1-inch model hardly struck as megalithic when we went hands-on last month, and we’re keen to see it emerge from pre-order status . For those who can’t wait, or who prefer a bigger screen and keyboard, then a couple of larger siblings have just become available via third-party retailers at Amazon. There’s a 5.5-pound, 15.6-inch variant with an i3 processor, 4GB of DDR3 and a 500GB HDD going for $590. Alternatively, you can pick up a 14-incher for $60 more, with mainly the same specs but a slightly bigger 640GB HDD. As for us, we’re holding out for that elusive baby brother, for the sake of its superior i5 processor and our aging knees. Samsung Series 3 laptops crop up on Amazon, 12.1-inch model still AWOL originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 24 Jul 2011 16:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …SoftEther’s sensor-laden QUMA robot demonstrates poses, intimidates your acting coach (video)
July 24, 2011 No Comment
A solution in search of a problem , or a solution to a problem that you were too proud to cop to? SoftEther has just revealed what might be the final blow to Barbie’s distinguished career : the sensor-splashed QUMA. So far as we can tell, the human-shaped puppet contains a myriad sensors to pick up precise bends and flexes, and then pipes that information to a screen. Aside from showing your team of ballerinas exactly how their routine should look, we’re guessing that the real future here is in far more sophisticated tasks — things like artificial intelligence, major motion pictures and scientific research. As the saying goes, a video’s worth a zillion words, so have a peek for yourself just after the break. Continue reading SoftEther’s sensor-laden QUMA robot demonstrates poses, intimidates your acting coach (video) SoftEther’s sensor-laden QUMA robot demonstrates poses, intimidates your acting coach (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 24 Jul 2011 15:08:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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If you shelled out 600 clams for an unlocked Nexus S , buyer’s remorse starts now: the subsidized AT&T version is out today. Available exclusively from Best Buy (and exclusively in black), the AT&T Nexus S will set you back only a paltry $99 with a two-year contract. Is the loss of color choice (and that whole “SIM-locked to AT&T” thing) worth the savings? We’ll leave that up to you and your (Google) wallet . AT&T Google Nexus S on sale today, exclusive to Best Buy originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 24 Jul 2011 13:56:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Apple initiates replacement program for ‘small number’ of iMacs with 1TB Seagate HDDs
July 24, 2011 No Comment
Did you pick up a new iMac between May and July 2011 sporting a 1TB Seagate HDD? You should probably know that the platter might be of the prone to failing variety. No worries though, Apple’s announced it’ll replace potentially faulty drives at no cost to keep ya smiling, and your fixed disk a-spinnin’. Owners of registered rigs at risk are being notified via email, but if you skipped that form you can check the serial number on Camp Cupertino’s website (linked below). After confirming that the machine’s eligible, you’ll be able to drop it off at an Apple Store or authorized service center for the swap. It’s also suggested that you back up the drive prior to bringing it down; at the very least, it’s an excuse to make use of that Thunderbolt port, right? Apple initiates replacement program for ‘small number’ of iMacs with 1TB Seagate HDDs originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 24 Jul 2011 12:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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It’s a shame this steel-encased touchscreen PC from Habey USA arrived too late for our violent outburst on the Engadget Show, but at least it has some broadly agreeable specs. The PPC-6512 can reel off 1080p vids on its 12-inch screen while consuming just 30W thanks to its 1.8GHz Atom D525 and NVIDIA Ion GT218 combo. An empty 2.5-inch removable HDD tray and eSATA port give it potential as a networked storage hub, and an old-school serial port lets it handle home automation controls too. It could also be used as a comms or security terminal, as there’s a 1.3MP webcam on board, vesa mounting holes and four USB 2.0 ports. Heck, we’d buy three and rig our whole house up — were it not for the $800 price tag, the apparently limited availability on Habey USA’s underloved Amazon page, and the fact that we like our terminals to show a bit of emotion . Full specs in the PR after the break. Continue reading Habey USA’s 12-inch panel PC brings that rugged look to your home Habey USA’s 12-inch panel PC brings that rugged look to your home originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 24 Jul 2011 11:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …142 electric vehicle charging stations head to Massachusetts, Nantucket and MV not included
July 24, 2011 No Comment
Things are lookin’ up in New England — particularly for those who crisscross Yawkey Way with an electric vehicle. A grand total of 142 EV charging stations are slated to hit The Bay State in the coming months, with 25 communities across the commonwealth to get gifted. Boston reports that the majority of ‘em will be in “common commuter or traveler spots,” places like downtown parking garages, MBTA lots, shopping malls, etc. The bulk of the boxes will be part of the ChargePoint network, and we’re told that the rates for recharging will be set by “municipalities on public land and by property owners on private land,” depending on where each box is planted. So, is the charging station rollout between NY and MA the new Yankees vs. Red Sox? Nah, but a techie can dream. 142 electric vehicle charging stations head to Massachusetts, Nantucket and MV not included originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 24 Jul 2011 10:28:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Looking to enhance that in-person baseball experience with one more technological distraction? Well, the wait is over, thanks to T-Mobile and its new tablet rental program at Angel Stadium in Anaheim. The company will not only offer the slates to patrons, but it’ll also push out customized content to enhance the superfan’s game-day stat overload — something we’ve seen before over at Safeco Field . Fans get to choose between a T-Mobile G-Slate or a Samsung Galaxy Tab , and the rental will only set you back a cool Hamilton, which is likely easier on the wallet than a decked-out hotdog. In addition to the tablet, you’ll also get your game-day program, a library of magazines for browsing between innings, T-Mobile TV and network access. So if you’re the casual baseball fan who scored free tickets, you can work on your Cut the Rope skills for a few hours… looking up to catch the home run jacks, of course. Continue reading T-Mobile looks to go back-to-back, offers Angels fans tablet rentals T-Mobile looks to go back-to-back, offers Angels fans tablet rentals originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 24 Jul 2011 08:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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