09Dec

Don’t Forget To Write: Voyager One Becomes First Man-Made Object To Leave The Solar System

FILED IN Entertainment No Comments

voyager-1.jpg

Voyager 1, best known for being named after the iffiest series in the Star Trek franchise (I assume), has left our solar system after traveling nearly 11-billion miles, becoming the first man-made object to do so. *standing around* Well?! One of you better be baking a f***ing cake.

For the very first time, Voyager’s instruments have also begun to detect gusts of charged particles blowing in the opposite direction, back towards our sun. Where are these particles coming from? Whatever’s out there in the space between the stars. Interstellar space, they call it, and it’s what makes up most of our galaxy…

Voyager 1 should have enough fuel and propellant to continue traveling outwards (and sending back data) until at least 2020, by which time it’ll be about 12.5 billion miles from us.

Are you thinking what I’m thinking? “About those idiots that drank the Kool-Aid hoping to zoom off in the spaceship behind Hale-Bopp?” Haha, yeah. It would’ve been cooler if they’d shot themselves out of a cannon.

Voyager 1 becomes first man-made object to taste galactic space [dvice]

Thanks to Jester, who also doubles as the king’s food taster. OMG, you’ve got to try these mashed potatoes — they’re to die for. MWAHA MWAHAHAHAHAHA!! View full post on Geekologie – Gadgets, Gizmos, and Awesome

, , , , , , , , , ,

10Oct

Do Not Water: Solar Bonsai Gadget Charger

FILED IN Entertainment No Comments

tree-charger-1.jpg

This is the Solar Bonsai Electree, a 27-solar paneled gadget charger in the shape of a tree. Too crazy for you? You better stop reading. The tree reaches a full charge in less than three hours and can store enough juice to charge 9 iPhones. Why anybody would have more than six iPhones is beyond me, but I have five and play Voltron with them sometimes. The tree is currently on presale for €299 (~$405), but at least 400 people have to order before they’re actually manufactured. Want to go green but not pony up the $400? Run an extension cord into your apartment from the plug in the hallway. “How is that green?” Haha, it doesn’t show up on my bill! Between siphoning volts from my neighbors and the hallway I’m only paying $8 a month in electricity — and that’s to run the the exhaust fan in the bathroom! Which is mandatory if you know what I mean. I mean I make gin in the bathtub and it gets fumey in there.

Hit the jump for one more shot and a link to the product page.

View full post on Geekologie – Gadgets, Gizmos, and Awesome

, , , ,

06Oct

The Future Is Now: New Transparent Film Turns Windows Into Inefficient Solar Panels

FILED IN Entertainment No Comments

solar-windows.jpg

Picture related: windows.

3M, a company best known for manufacturing Post-It notes and NOT being named 3M because they started business as the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company, has developed a new transparent film that can be applied to windows, transforming them into solar cells. Plus not blocking the view! Technology, man, it’s f***in’ crayzums (crayzums is the new cray-cray FYI).

This solar film was on display at the CEATEC electronics conference in Japan and is expected to go on sale in 2012. According to reports, one square meter of the film is apparently able to generate enough energy to sufficiently charge an iPhone under peak sunlight. It is also apparently easy to install and will cost half as much as traditional solar panels.

The drawbacks is that it supposedly only manages to generate about 20% of the electricity that traditional solar panels can generate. However, we believe that every little bit helps, right? On top of that, the film is also able to absorb/block 80% of visible light, which means that it will be able to double up as a sunshade as well on those scorching hot summer days.

Inefficient or not, the idea and technology are pretty genius – not unlike myself. “…You just said you were retarded in the last post.” HA! Well you might as well throw ‘indecisive’ on the list as well.

3M’s solar films can be pasted onto windows [ubergizmo]

Thanks to Jodie, who convinced me bald spots are actually solar panels for a person’s sexual energy. Aaaaaaaaaaand that’s why I shaved the back of my head. View full post on Geekologie – Gadgets, Gizmos, and Awesome

, , , , , , , ,

06Oct

Quirky’s Ray Solar Charger Looks Like Great Idea

FILED IN gadgets No Comments

By David Ponce

The thing about windows is that they’re meant to let light through. It’s kind of their point. Solar chargers, then, would seem like a natural mate for them and Brandon Craven’s design brings the two together elegantly. Window and charger, living in harmony. Or maybe the window would consider the charger a parasite… who knows? In any case, all he’s done is add a suction cup to a regular solar charger… but sometimes that’s really all you need. A suction cup. Add it to everyday objects and see what happens.

In all fairness, Brandon’s product looks interesting. It charges via USB, has integrated batteries that will store energy even when not actively connected to a device, and a kickstand allows it to point at the sun even when no windows are around. The only issue is that the product is not yet real. It’s in its fundraising phase on social funding site Quirky. It costs $39 and there needs to be 2,000 sold before production kicks in. As of this writing, there are 708 commitments.

[ Product Page ] VIA [ Gizmag ]



View full post on OhGizmo!

, , , , , ,

29Aug

Panasonic to support Tokai University solar car team

FILED IN gadgets No Comments

Panasonic Corp has made public today that will sponsor the Tokai University’s solar car team. The Tokai University team is the defending champion for the 2011 World Solar Challenge (WSC).
Under this sponsor program, Panasonic is set to deliver its HIT solar cells system that have the world best energy conversion rate to date and the high-capacity lithium-ion batteries
Due to the 2011 regulation changes, Panasonic batteries have been chosen by 5 other teams to provide their solar cars on …
View full post on Akihabara News

, , , , ,

TOP