Category Archives: Gadgets and Tech
As dozens of new handsets are launched every day, people are tempted to swap them for their not-so-outdated models. Though discarded handsets lead to a threatening rise to e-waste heaps, their complementing chargers add on to the same. As every phone comes with a charger that can only connect to itself. However cell phone giants are planning to come together to put an end to this menace by offering a universal charger that fits any kind of handset. Apple, Nokia and Sony Ericsson along with Motorola, LG, NEC, Samsung, Texas Instruments, Qualcomm and the BlackBerry maker have given their nod to this agenda. Studies state that there are more than 30 different chargers in circulation in member states of the European Union, which estimates that 51,000 are lying unused. Such a move will not only help our environment but also reduce the clutter in our drawers.
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This is a time of severe water shortages around the world. The summers are also getting hotter as every year passes by. Hence conservation for water in gardens is becoming very important day by day. This is where AIR-igator comes into the picture. This device collects condensates from air conditioners, storing it and the automatically drip waters the plants. So the hotter it becomes the more water you get for your garden. A fairly efficient three ton central air conditioner unit will produce up to 15 gallons of water every day. Moreover the condensate from air is free from chemical and is pure, it is ideal for micro-irrigation. The system is also very simple. It has a diameter of 245 inches and a 65 gallon capacity polythene tank which is buried in the ground and the condensate drain pipe is plumbed straight in. it also has a 120V 1200 GPH pump and a float control. When the tank fills, this float will start the pump and run till the tank is empty. The float can also act a signal timer for watering the garden at specified times. Water loss is kept at a minimum and also inhibits the growth of weeds. A complete set of AIR-igator costs $495 and is presently available through the Florida based manufacturer.
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Most of us don’t bother to keep a tab on the amount of water consumed during our daily activities. And who thought a seemingly normal hose could do that for you! Tobin Spann came up with this very intelligent design of a water sprayer that shows how much water you consumed while washing your car or watering your lawn. Considering we normally use 80-100 gallons of water per day, this seems like a very intelligent way to make us aware of the amount of water used and consciously avoid any kind of water wastage. A smart product indeed I must say!
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When one is obsessed with saving energy he becomes really obsessed. Hence is the case with this particular high-tech house in California. It helps to shed energy by automatically cutting power to its array of high-end electronics. What happens is that when all the electronics are turned off, the phantom load of electricity that home electronics normally use are not drawn at all. In this house the phantom electricity load has been cut by a third by using energy-efficient electronics and automating them to power down completely.
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Solar power from space is not out of reach anymore! Japan’s government is serious about grabbing solar energy from space and directing it down to our planet pretty soon. The government intends to start work on related project before this year ends. Few firms comprising of pioneers in electronics and heavy electric machinery will be selected as early as next month to materialize this green project. The idea is to convert solar electricity into microwaves, which would then be converted back into electricity at the surface. Estimated to illuminate the world with the orbital solar power by 2030, the team will first attempt to transmit microwaves for a distance of around 10m only. However it will be extended to 100m within three to five years.
[Nikkei]
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It’s the correct marketing of a product that does wonders for sales. And LG is attempting to woo consumers with its latest energy efficient refrigerator with an out-of-this-world launch. Staying off the terra-firma, the company has designed a 70-meter long container ship disguised as their new refrigerator. Floating on blue waters, this football field sized ship-cum-refrigerator sailed up the Seine from Le Havre to Paris between June 22 and June 25. Though the company boasts that the refrigerator consumes low power, I am not too sure if the worldwide launch of this new LG side-by-side refrigerator was anywhere close to being environment-friendly. Wonder how much fuel was exhausted to sail such a massive ship just for advertising purpose. The well-designed, space-saving 617-liters refrigerator does make less noise due to a LG’s “Linear Compressor” technology. It is stated that this appliance requires 20 percent less energy than conventional refrigerators hence earning A+ class rating in the European Union.
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Air conditioners are very important especially when you are in the very hot places and would love to cool off. But air conditioners have a problem; they consume a lot of energy and in turn lead to global warming. But Hamburg based companies named as Thermodyna is out to solve the problem. They are trying to harness the sun’s energy to cool offices and homes. This technology is still in its infancy stage and it is extremely expensive too. The core system is called Schukey motor which transforms the sun’s rays into cool air for comfortable buildings. It produces one kilowatt hour of coolness for five cents. This is way better than conventional air conditioners which burn through 12-14 cents per kilowatt hour. There are no electronics or components. It just requires two motors to produce cool air. The booster converts steam which is produced by solar energy into mechanical energy. This then powers the actual machine which sucks up the damp warm air in the room, compresses it and then it expands and cools to 20 degrees.
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Toto has rolled out water saving toilets that claim to use least amount of water for flushing. The 4.8 liter Neorest hybrid (AH3 and RH3) series are designed to wash with optimum results without wasting excess water. The shape of the bowl and the flow of the water are considered to keep the toilets clean with little water. It also comes fitted with eco-cleaning mode that will further reduce the volume of water used. Priced at about $4,000, these water-conserving toilets from Toto will not only help to save water but also reduce the water bills significantly.
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We have always been such a fan of Microsoft. The software, the inventor – everything. Now they are doing a bit for saving the earth by launching this new application. Microsoft’s latest eco-application, Hohm, is a green answer to Google’s PowerMeter. ‘It is a free online beta application that helps you save energy and money’. This application will provide close to accurate and relevant suggestions for energy conservation as its users contribute home energy input and feedback. You will also be able to later on upload energy usage data into the system automatically, provided you’re getting voltage from one of the partner companies.
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In the age of global warming and the green house effect, Klaus Lackner, a professor of geophysics at the Columbia University, has been working on developing a structure that can capture carbon 1,000 times faster than a real tree. Lackner has been working on this synthetic tree concept since 1998 and is very optimistic about the application of this innovative product in the near future. This structure looks like a cylinder rather than a fully grown tree and traps carbon emitted in the environment by cars and other industrial activities. Lackner claims the structure is flexible and can be placed anywhere. It works by collecting carbon dioxide on a sorbent, cleaning and pressurizing the gas, and releasing it.
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