Sony is working on a new technology that authenticates devices via the power outlet, allowing for a few interesting applications. The system, based on the Japanese Felica standard, would allow authenticated power usage, power management for cafes and offices, as well as payments for power use. The system could authenticate with the power outlet via a chip inside the laptop or device or through a… → Read More
Alternative energy is a growing market, and though many states offer tax credits, rebates, and other incentives to promote clean energy, it can still prove to be an expensive proposition.
It generally also requires plugging your energy source into the grid so you’re not left in the dark when the wind calms or the sun lingers behind clouds.
Here is a roundup of solutions that can help power a… → Read More
Always on the cutting edge of “stuff that goes onto your power meter in the basement and you forget about” technology, Microsoft and Blue Line Innovations have teamed up to release the Hohm PowerCost Monitor and WiFi Gateway. The device sticks to your power meter and reads the actual usag (N.B. it may not work on some older meters) and then transmits it to your Windows PC. The kit… → Read More
Terra-Gen Power announced closing $1.2 billion in construction financing and wind turbine orders. The company will build four wind power projects for the Alta Wind Energy Center in Kern County, California, for which Vestas-American Wind Technology will provide 190 turbines with a capacity of 570 megawatts. This is the largest number of wind turbines ever ordered for a single site in the U.S.
The… → Read More
Did you know you can recharge your mobile devices without an actual power outlet? It’s true! You can use solar power, magic, or little alternators like this YoGen charger. → Read More
Hot off yesterday’s news of the DIY USB wall outlet (replace your standard outlet plugs with two USB plugs) comes a product that addresses the shortcomings inherent with getting rid of the standard plugs altogether: a wall plate with both standard and USB plugs. Problem solved – and it only costs $10. → Read More
I’ll go on record and say that $25 seems like a lot of money for something like this. It’s an intriguing idea, though, and might make a good stocking stuffer or Secret Santa gift for the Apple fan in your life. → Read More
I think we can all agree that protecting our own personal privacy is a generally good idea. There are an enormous number of ways that our privacy can be encroached in a given day. Some of them are “for our own good”, or “just the cost of doing business” in the modern age. Some of the ways our privacy may be violated are extremely esoteric and not very likely (hard drive activity LEDs, for example! → Read More
In the cutthroat (?) world of wall outlet covers that feature built-in gadget holders, this $6 option might just be a contender. → Read More
The war against the tangled mess that’s created by most notebook power adapters has been moving forward lately, with Emerge Technologies’ ReTrak universal notebook adapter. → Read More
It’s about time the big companies are killing the power cord. After Dell unveiled a notebook that can be charged wirelessly, it now seems to be Sony’s turn to do away with those cables. The company has announced this past weekend [JP] a power transfer system that can bring electricity to electronics wirelessly. → Read More
You know what would be a fun experiment? To go outside and find your electricity meter. All those laptops and netbooks and iPhones and PS3s and speaker docks you’ve got plugged in are, in fact, drawing power. As such, we’re all essentially killing the planet. I don’t know about you, but I’m patting myself on the back right now for being so awesome. → Read More
Aaaand here we have the only charging cable you’ll ever need. Is it a tangled mess waiting to happen? Perhaps. But you could safely misplace most, if not all, of your other USB charging cables. Plus, it looks like a sea monster! → Read More
In the neverending quest to shrink down the size of notebook power adapters, Cooler Master tosses its hat into the ring with the pretty-small SNA 95. It’s a 95-watt adapter with some thoughtful extras like a USB charging port, cable management base, and nine different power tips for widespread compatibility with most notebook manufacturers. → Read More
Through some bizarre law of the universe if you put two cables on opposite ends of an empty room and return an hour later, both cables will be tangled together in a knot. You can help to stem that tide somewhat by forcing yourself to adopt simple cable management techniques. There’s nothing fun or sexy about cable management but it can be simplified by using things like these Power Shelves. → Read More
Here we have a combination USB hub, rechargeable battery extender, and solar doodad in one. The 2.5- by 2.5-inch square features an internal lithium ion battery that can be charged via sunlight or AC power and then hooked up to your dying cell phone to provide some extra juice on the go. → Read More
File this under “stuff that makes sense” and drop a carbon copy in the “why didn’t I think of that” folder. This is an in-vehicle power inverter with two AC outlets and a USB charging port in the shape of a coffee cup so it’ll fit perfectly in your car’s cupholder. → Read More
Short Version: A thoughtful universal power adapter that can charge your laptop and a USB-powered device simultaneously, the Innergie mCube90 features a tiny secondary DC adapter that detaches from the main adapter for use in cars and airplanes. → Read More
Wanna know something about laptops? No matter how small and portable you make ‘em, the AC adapter’s always going to be the size of a ham sandwich. Well that gravy train is about to crash into a brick wall of ingenuity thanks to Texas Instruments. The company has apparently developed a 90-watt AC adapter that measures 85x60x11 millimeters or, as the above photo shows, about the size of a wallet. → Read More
Short Version: Simple to operate and offering the ability to pop out the rechargeable AAA batteries for use in other devices, the Pocket Booster pulls double duty as life support for your phone and battery charger for items like remote controls and Bluetooth mice. → Read More
Get right outta town, I would actually use this. It’s a somewhat unassuming wristband (looks like it’s made of rubber) that serves double duty as an emergency charger for your small devices. → Read More
After being sued by Facebook in December for violating its terms of use, social-networking aggregator Power.com is now close to settling the dispute, we have been able to confirm. The final settlement terms are still being ironed out, but are being reviewed by both sides.
Power.com lets you sign into multiple social networks and manage them from one place, but it did not use Facebook’s API or… → Read More
Newly launched Power.com, a service that lets users aggregate their social networking experience across multiple sites (Facebook, Orkut, Hi5, MySpace, etc.), was sued by Facebook on December 30. The complaint, filed in Federal court in California, is embedded below.
The Power.com service lets users view activities on all of their social networks at once. It also marks up pages to include… → Read More
iGo, a leading developer of multi-device chargers for laptop computers and mobile electronic devices, plans to roll out some new items at their first-ever visit to CES, just a few weeks away.
The iGo Laptop Charger, with iGo Green™ Technology, lets you “[c]harge your laptop and other devices from any standard wall outlet, including automatic shut-off and recovery to reduce vampire power.” → Read More
Chances are you use at least two major social networks – 49 million people, for example, visited both MySpace and Facebook in October 2008 (Comscore, worldwide). Nearly 7 million people in the UK use both Bebo and Facebook. A lot of people maintain very different friend lists on LinkedIn than MySpace or Facebook. Etc. And when you add in niche social sites like YouTube, Flickr, etc., there’s even… → Read More
Wow. That’s pretty much the only word that can describe Tom Armitage’s “If Games Ran The World.” Its thesis is that, in the next few years, people who grew up playing video games will become world leaders. People who have played all the big games from every generation—Pac-Man, the first EA Sports games, Resident Evil, MMOs, fighting games, etc. Real gamers. Then point, then… → Read More
Here’s a nice idea: a charger for your G1 Android-powered phone that simultaneously charges the phone and a second battery. Peter complained about the battery life of the G1, so maybe picking up a spare battery isn’t a bad idea if you live and die by your smartphone. For $17 at netimes.com, this is a pretty easy way to ensure your Android always has the juice it needs! → Read More
Short Version: The Kensington 4-Port USB Charger is an ideal solution for people toting multiple USB-powered gadgets who want to charge more than one of those gadgets at a time without looking for open USB ports and wall sockets. → Read More
Quick Version: This handy, compact, five-in-one power doodad from Kensington turns one outlet into three plug-ins and two USB charging ports for $24.99. → Read More
I’m not an experienced electrical engineer so I’m never sure about the feasibility of this sort of thing, but I’ve seen wireless power demonstrated before, and if you’re willing to work within certain restrictions, it seems to be a perfectly good option. I don’t really like the idea of, say, microwave based power being shot all over my room, so this magnetic induction… → Read More
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