Case-Mate’s Hug wireless iPhone charging solution shipping now for $100
Remember that wireless induction charger that we saw poking around at the CES iLounge Pavilion earlier this year? Seems that Case-Mate has finally given that little doohickey a name, a price and a ship date. The aptly-titled Hug (which consists of the Hug Case and Hug Pad) slips onto one’s iPhone 3G or iPhone 3GS and allows Apple’s darling to get recharged by simply laying on the aforementioned platter. Of course, the case itself is distractingly bulky, and this whole thing relies on the same eCoupled technology that we’ve been seeing for years now — though, the fact that this pad will charge any other case that utilizes the same standard is worth noting. Is the ability to never need your dock connecting cable for rejuvenation purposes really worth the $99.99 asking price? We’re guessing not, but those that disagree can get their own shipped out this very moment.
Continue reading Case-Mate’s Hug wireless iPhone charging solution shipping now for $100
Case-Mate’s Hug wireless iPhone charging solution shipping now for $100 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 07:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
PowerHouse eMonitor lets you manage power use down to the circuit
Continue reading PowerHouse eMonitor lets you manage power use down to the circuit
PowerHouse eMonitor lets you manage power use down to the circuit originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Mar 2010 15:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
ComEd launches pilot solar energy program for 100 customers in Chicago
Chicago utility company ComEd announced earlier this week it will launch a pilot program for 100 of its customers to test out the power of the sun. The program will include the installation of solar panels into 100 homes, and further devices — such as smarter thermostats which do things like lower during the day when no one’s at home, and give out hourly pricing information — in fifty of those homes. The meters will also have the ability to reward customers who generate excess solar power that can be pumped back into the grid — because everybody loves being rewarded, right? ComEd will choose the pilot families by mail-in survey, and by factors such as their roofs, and the amount of shading trees there are in their yards.
ComEd launches pilot solar energy program for 100 customers in Chicago originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Mar 2010 17:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Solaroad’s CubeTube adds solar panels to your cube, lowers the cost of you working there
It’s 2010, which means there’s a significant chance that your cubicle work could be done from absolutely anywhere. For those still stuck under the burden of old-school management, here’s an idea that might just nab you that raise you’ve been longing for: the CubeTube. Engineered by Solaroad Technologies, this indoor photovoltaic electrical generator straps onto the edges and tops of conventional cubicles and collects light from every angle. Internal batteries are charged up, and power is instantly available for the decade-old Latitude and CRT monitor that’s still residing on your desk. It sounds like you’ll need to ping the company directly for pricing quotes and the like, but if you managers are seriously considering this for your office, maybe they should first calculate the cost and carbon savings from letting their subordinates telecommute. Just sayin’.
Solaroad’s CubeTube adds solar panels to your cube, lowers the cost of you working there originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 24 Feb 2010 21:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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MIT jumps straight to wirelessly powering multiple devices
Ah, wireless power. One of those mythical mysteries that are far more likely to remain “something to strive for” rather than “the next big thing.” Oh sure, we’ve got Palm’s Touchstone and the Powermat, but until we can hang a 50-inch plasma from our bedroom ceiling and power it up without a single wire, we’ll remain firmly unsatisfied. Thankfully for those of us in that camp, MIT exists, and a few of the school’s best and brightest are toiling around the clock in order to develop a technology that would power not one, but multiple devices sans cabling. Thanks to the wonders of coupling resonance, we’re told that the “overall power transfer efficiency of the wireless system could be increased by powering multiple devices simultaneously, rather than each device individually.” In theory, the system could be implemented by “embedding a large copper coil in the wall or ceiling of a room,” but there’s obviously no set time frame for release. We’ll be looking for you geeks at CES next year, okay?
MIT jumps straight to wirelessly powering multiple devices originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 24 Feb 2010 00:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Energy-recycling foot makes it easier for amputees to walk
What’s better than an artificial nose? Why, an artificial foot, of course! University of Michigan researchers have developed a new prosthetic foot that could one day make it much easier for amputees to walk. Put simply, this new prototype drastically cuts the energy spent per step, as it harnesses the energy exerted when taking a step and enhances the power of ankle push-off. The device is able to capture dissipated energy, and an inbuilt microcontroller tells the foot to return the energy to the system at precisely the right time. Tests have shown that those using this here foot spent just 14 percent more energy to walk than one would spend when walking naturally, which is a rather significant decrease from the 23 percent uptick experienced with conventional prostheses. If you’re still baffled, there’s a pretty wicked video demonstration waiting for you after the break.
Continue reading Energy-recycling foot makes it easier for amputees to walk
Energy-recycling foot makes it easier for amputees to walk originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 22 Feb 2010 09:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Leech Plug disconnects when your gadget is charged, does Ma Earth a favor
The TrickleStar line of products does a good job of killing vampire power drain already, but all of those still require you to lift a finger and flip a toggle switch to “off” in order to stop the flow of energy when nothing is there to be charged. Conor Klein’s Leech Plug, however, does the dirty work for you. Thanks to an integrated timer circuit and a mysterious array of “electromechanics” within, his AC outlet physically ejects the charging cord when the device on the other end is done charging; granted, that leaves you with quite a mess in your dining room floor, but hey, at least you’re doing your small part to keep this fragile planet from imploding on itself, right? Peek the video after the break.
[Thanks, Kevin]
Continue reading Leech Plug disconnects when your gadget is charged, does Ma Earth a favor
Leech Plug disconnects when your gadget is charged, does Ma Earth a favor originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 22 Feb 2010 08:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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