Day: August 8, 2010

Not Sexy But Useful Some of the most important scientific and technological breakthroughs are the invention of tools that allow you to make better tools, or to do research faster. The general public never sees these things, but it still reaps the benefits. A new technique to test electric car and hybrid carRead More

After a series of eliminations at Michigan International Speedway over the past several weeks, the original 136 vehicles that qualified to enter the Automotive X Prize were narrowed down to nine final survivors. In this ‘revolution through competition,’ the vehicles aimed for the best super-fuel efficiency — 100 mpg or its equivalent – in hopesRead More

Ever thought of using your finger as a mouse for your PC? We are not talking about any touch enabled functions, but a 3D optical tool. This gadget, which can we worn around your index finger, enables your finger to be used as a mouse. Just put this on and align your fingertipRead More

An optical mouse uses a diode to emit light and capture movements on the surface below the mouse. This has many advantages over a mechanical, or ball, mouse. The Logitech optical mouse can work on almost any surface. Since the mouse does not have many moveable parts, it will not gum up withRead More

Check out this solar-powered laptop concept that relies 100% on the sun’s rays to keep it going. I don’t know about this idea – laptops are notorious for their high power consumption, and they won’t be able to last too long without being hooked up to a power outlet. After all, you wouldn’tRead More

Plextor has released the PX-B120U external USB Blu-ray drive, which plays BD discs at speeds up to 4x. The travel-friendly PX-B120U is powered via the USB cable so it doesn’t require a separate power source. Plextor’s drive also supports “multiple media formats including DVD+ /- R, DVD +/-RW, DVD +/- R DL, DVD-RAM andRead More

We’ve been eyeballing this handy solar bag for some time. It comes with battery packs to store energy, holding enough for a full laptop battery charge. It is also large enough to hold a 17” laptop inside. Power: This is on the more powerful end, generating up to 15 watts. It takes about aRead More

This charger has proven itself a favorite among the outdoor types for backpacking and camping excursions. Power: The SolarRoll comes in three sizes, depending on the output need. The roll that is powerful enough to charge a laptop has an output of 14 watts. It provides a trickle charge, or can provide aRead More