Darren Quick
Seats which include massaging and ventilation functions are among the new luxury trimmings Volvo has added to their S80 and XC90 Executive models. The new massage function consists of five inflatable pockets which have been built into the front seats and are pumped up and drained sequentially to create a wave-like motion that is adjustable at two levels. As well as massaging the lower back they also double up as a new lumbar support, while built-in ventilation is designed to keep the occupant’s body and clothing fresh. Read More
Using off the shelf technology researchers have developed a highly energy efficient computer that consumes 70 percent less energy than ENERGY STAR labeled computers. Researchers Peter May-Ostendorp and Nathan Beck of Ecos collaborated with chip makers Intel, AMD and Via Technologies to see how much they could reduce the energy demand of computers operating in today’s business environment by using the hardware makers’ most-efficient computer platforms and adding best-in-class components such as hybrid hard drives and right-sized 80 PLUS power supplies. Read More
The iPhone’s quest for world domination continues with the announcement that SpeakerCraft’s new interface for its award-winning MODE multi-room A/V control system allows the Apple iPhone or iPod Touch to be used as a wireless remote with control of all sources and routing accessed on the touch screen through a GUI. The system operates through the home’s wireless data network via a wired port on the user’s wireless router. An unlimited number of iPhones can be used to operate the system and two iPhones can operate the system simultaneously in multiple zones. Read More
The world’s largest lighting and building display exhibition, Light+Building 2008 in Frankfurt, continues to produce more bright ideas with Delta Electronics, Inc. announcing it has developed an advanced, energy-saving High Brightness 5W/9W/12W LED Lamp, which is 100% compatible with current sockets (E27) and is similar in appearance to compact fluorescent lamps (CFL) of the same wattage. The lamp is easily installed and readily replaces CFL and incandescent lamps. Advantages of the Delta High Brightness LED Lamp include: power-saving, excellent thermal dissipation & color rendering index (CRI), high efficiency, and long life. Of special note is the lamp's outstanding energy-efficiency, especially at lower environment temperatures. Read More
Streetlight systems are expensive for cities to operate and maintain. They also use a lot of energy — representing almost 40 percent of a typical city’s electricity spending. Echelon Corporation announced at the 2008 Light+Building event in Frankfurt that Philips Lighting, one of the world’s leading providers of lighting systems, has built its new Starsense street light telemanagement system using Echelon’s LonWorks platform, which uses Echelon’s power line transceivers to communicate between lighting fixtures and Echelon’s i.LON SmartServer to provide Internet access and local monitoring and control. It is believed Starsense can deliver energy savings of over 40 percent, reducing cities’ energy bills and carbon footprint. Read More
Powerstrips have a design that seems to have been set in stone since the outset, but this offering from Tributaries not only looks like a powerstrip with attitude, it also comes with a host of features. Designed to easily accommodate wall-wart type power supplies, the T12 features 12 AC outlets, 8 of which can be rotated 90°. The remaining four fixed outlets have safety shutters and, for ease of use, the T12 has a resettable circuit breaker built in to the Power push-button. A red “PROTECTED” LED illuminates when the internal surge protection is functioning correctly while a 2nd blue “GROUNDED” LED illuminates when the outlet, into which the T12 is connected, is properly grounded. Read More
LaCie’s partnership with designer Neil Poulton continues with the release of new triple interface hard disks which feature a sleek, compact design fashioned in a black-mirrored finish and including a blue LED strip to give an ambient underside glow. The disks, available in capacities of 500GB, 750GB and 1TB, include USB 2.0, eSATA and two Firewire 400 interface ports for connection to PC or Macs with simple plug and play setup supported for Windows 2000, XP, Vista and Mac OS X 10.3. Read More
Security solutions provider GO-Trust Inc. has launched new technology that enables manufacturers and developers of smart cards and smart card based security solutions to offer their applications on any mobile device that accepts a SD standard, mini or micro memory card, without any modification of the mobile device. The company has developed IC’s, firmware and drivers that enable smart card manufacturers to embed their technology in SD memory chips and operate seamlessly on a wide range of mobile devices. This opens up users of mobile phones, PDAs, laptops, tablet PCs, mobile TVs, portable ultrasound units, digital cameras, digital camcorders, MP3/MP4 Players, digital picture frames, GPS, graphing calculators and the Wii Game System as potential users for chip based security solutions. Read More
Samsung has announced the availability of the Samsung MyShot (SCH-r430) and Samsung Spex (SCH-r210) through MetroPCS - a wireless broadband personal communication service provider of no long-term contract, flat rate, unlimited usage basis phone plans in selected major metropolitan areas in the US. The MyShot and Spex are MetroPCS’s first phones to operate on the 1.7/2.1GHz CDMA Advanced Wireless Services (AWS) spectrum, which promises current and future service providers the opportunity to provide wireless broadband services to millions of Americans, resulting in increased productivity, efficiency, mobility and security through larger bandwidth allocation. Read More
