We're still more than excited about USB 3.0, but those of us expecting it to reach promised transfer speeds of 5000Mb/s this year are overly optimistic. According to a TD Daily interview with a representative of the USB Implementers Forum, when USB 3.0 devices hit shelves in late 2009, we can anticipate transfer speeds of only 1200Mb/s. That's roughly a quarter of USB 3.0's potential, though still more than double USB 2.0 max speeds. So USB 3.0 will still be faster (and more power efficient) than current USB tech at launch, but it won't be fully hulked out just yet....
Hammacher Schlongmeister, purveyor of the utterly ridiculous, is selling a gas-powered snowboard this year. Because, you know -- shit, beats me. This is the gas-powered vehicle that combines the thrill of riding a snowmobile and the freedom of a snowboard, enabling you to surf effortlessly over the deepest fresh powder or on packed, granular snow. Powered by a 6 1/2-hp four-cycle gasoline engine that starts with a pull, it can accommodate riders up to 250 lbs. and has a maximum speed of 18 mph, operating up to two hours on only 3/4-gallon of gasoline. All that and it'll only...
photo: Cleantech It looks surprisingly like a Smart Car and frankly has one of the dumbest names I’ve ever come across, but the $19,000 all-electric RTEV (Ruff & Tuff Electric Vehicles) Wheego Whip will be available in the United States in May 2009. The Wheego Whip can reach a maximum speed of about 70 mph, but until it passes crash tests by the US DoT, expected sometime in 2010, it will be released initially as a Low Speed Vehicle (25 mph maximum speed) or a Medium Speed Vehicle (35 mph max). RTEV says that the Whip can travel 50...
You may have a disc, be it music or data, that is scratched and will not read in your optical disc drive no matter what you do to it. Can it be saved? Possibly. There are a few things you can try to save that disc. Hardware method: It could be just the drive you’re using If the disc won’t read in your optical drive, try another one that’s close by. If you don’t have one to spare, try a friend’s computer. Interesting side note: Older optical drives with slower read speeds have a much higher chance of reading...
Eco Factor: Electric Bicycle conversion kit. While bicycling is good for you and the environment, there are still some lazy people who don’t want to pedal all the way to the nearest store. This Neodymics Cyclemotor kit is just for those who need some mechanical aid for everything they have. The Neodymics Cyclemotor is a one-piece electric motor kit that can be installed on any bike in a mere 40 seconds. It replaces the front tire of your bike with a smaller tire for more control. The throttle and other controls are placed on top of the kit to...
From the Autopia Unintended Consequences Department comes this dispatch from Tippecanoe County, Indiana: Drivers don't pay attention to speed limits that they think are set too low. Fred Mannering, a Professor of Civil Engineering and Economics at Purdue University, attributes this disregard for speed limits to the much-maligned 1974 Emergency Highway Energy Conservation Act that set speed limits to 55 mph on all interstate highways. "It decoupled the speed-safety association," Mannering told Wired.com. "Now, there are some roads where the speed limit should be posted as 45 but they end up getting posted at 35 because they expect people...
Today, it is quite a pleasant surprise to see that a personal flight is getting closer to reality. It is no more a dream because Eclipse 400 Personal Jet has taken a right step in this direction. This is a single engine and four-seater Jet that has the capacity to travel up to 1,400 miles on a single tank at a maximum speed of around 380 mph. This private flight will cost you $1.35 million. Eclipse 400 has completely unique and classy design with combination of style and comfort. If you think you can afford this Private Jet then go...
Chrysler has committed to producing one of three full-size EVs by 2010. The other chess piece in their green makeover board is the Peapod, an ultra-compact EV aimed at urban drivers, also to hit the streets in 2010. The Peapod will be available as a one-seater, two-seater or utility van and has a 30-mile range per charge. The car was developed by Chrysler-owned Green Eco Mobility (GEM) and prices are said to start at around $20,000. The company plans to build the cars in existing factories near key markets to save money and reduce life-cycle CO2 emissions. The downside...
Just last month, Chrysler committed to producing one of three full-size EVs by 2010. The other piece in their green makeover is the Peapod, an ultra-compact EV aimed at urban drivers, also to hit the streets in 2010. The Peapod will be available as a one-seater, two-seater or utility van and has a 30-mile range per charge. The car was developed by Chrysler-owned Green Eco Mobility (GEM) and prices are said to start at around $20,000. The company plans to build the cars in existing factories near key markets to save money and reduce life-cycle CO2 emissions. The downside is...
Eco Factor: Moving house powered with solar and wind energy. Walking House is a unique dwelling system that enables the resident to remain on the move all day and night. Since the house is designed to keep moving, it cannot be connected to any grid for power needs. But that does not mean that you cannot charge your phone or your iPod in there, because this amazingly weird house makes use of solar and wind energy for all power needs. The designers also claim that a small greenhouse can also be added to the living module, to provide food...
Relay is an urban delivery vehicle designed by Tristan Hipps for maximum transport efficiency. It is a zero emission vehicle which is driven by an electric engine. The vehicle is fully covered from all sides and is provided by one main 48 volt battery and one spare 24 volt battery in case the main battery runs out of power. Relay offers a maximum speed of 40mph with clean and bright environment. Though, Relay has all the qualities of a vehicle that promises green future but with the speed of 40pmh, it will surely be considered as a dead vehicle in...
A great way to get all the testosterone soaked hard core engineers who hate whining environmentalists wound up is to say something nice about Jimmy Carter, but here is another eminently sensible thing he did: He capped the maximum speed on speedometers in cars at 85 MPH. Tom Vanderbilt thinks it affects the way we drive. "even knowing that these numbers bear little relationship to reality, we’re affected by the visual display. No matter how fast we drive, the needle is always less than halfway up the dial, indicating there’s still plenty of room for acceleration. That remaining space...
Peugeot’s HYmotion 3 is a concept vehicle which facilitates urban mobility by bridging the gap between an electric scooter and a car. This vehicle comes with three wheels – two in front equipped with electric motor and one in the back powered by a diesel engine. HYmotion 3 is a hybrid vehicle that can be driven in the city in an electric mode. It is a slightly leaned and small frame vehicle with a maximum speed of 70mph covered with a glass on the top. This is something very desirable in today’s world of hectic roads. (more…)...
Eco Factor: A zero emission vehicle driven by an electric engine. Nobody exactly knows what the future might offer to us, but if, in future we don’t want to go to the office with an oxygen mask then we will have to resort to technologies that offer a clean and bright environment, without impeding on our fast paced lives. Keeping up to the promise of a green future, Tristan Hipps has come up with a concept urban delivery vehicle that is designed for maximum transport efficiency. The zero emission vehicle is powered by four direct drive electric motors. The...
Peugeot is just one of the companies currently showcasing their latest and greatest at the 2008 Paris Motor Show. One of our favorites offerings from this year’s offerings is the Hymotion 3 concept vehicle, which facilitates urban mobility by bridging the gap between an electric scooter and a car. The lean small-framed vehicle has a maximum speed of 70mph and gets an incredible 118mpg. (more…)...
Toshiba's Satellite E105 is almost run-of-the-mill as far as new notebooks go—Centrino 2, latest Intel Core 2 Duo processors, 4GB of RAM, integrated graphics (boo), HDMI out—but a couple of things make it stand out. What instantly struck me is that the silhouette—which you can see more of below—is obviously inspired by the MacBook Pro. And if the resemblance doesn't smack you in these pictures, it definitely does in person. Toshiba's even reps confessed to it (to the extent that PR people admit anything). So yeah, it's a sharply designed, if vaguely familiar-looking, notebook, with the lid and black stripe...
When Yves Rossy crossed the English Channel last week with his flying wing, he made it look easy. But it isn't. Just ask Stephane Rousson. Rousson, a 39-year-old Frenchman whose unyielding obsession with flight has depleted his bank account and ruined his romantic life, attempted yesterday to cross The English Channel in a pedal-powered airship. He was forced to deflate his blimp and continue to France in a boat after a shift in winds made it impossible for him to progress, no matter how hard he pedaled. "We were about three-quarters of the way across but the wind was...
