Big Old Battery (BOB)

Largest enerry storage battery in USA is in Presidio, TX. It provides enough to power the entire town for up to 8-hours. They call it "Big Old Battery" or BOB.

Sundolier Sunlight Transport System

This one looks interesting. Saw this in this Slashdot article, "Pumping Sunlight into Homes". Here is a nice brief posting of this new technology. The Sundolier looks very practical depending on its cost.

Bloom Box Energy Server

Here is something promising for alternative energy, The Bloom Box: An Energy Breakthrough? This technology has been in development for 9 years and just publicly announced last week. Backers include Google, Walmart, Staples, etc... a home size device was mentioned within years. Sooner would be better though. What is an Energy Server? provides good description of this new technology.

Scientists Turn Skin Cells Into Nerve Cells

Scientists Turn Mouse Skin Cells Into Nerve Cells - BusinessWeek http://bit.ly/9ImWTW This is potentially a major breakthrough in stem cell research.

Portable Fuel Cell Technology Available Today

Check out Horizon Portable Fuel Cell products. I first saw this here. This stuff is awesome and worth monitoring. If it delivers what is promised at a reasonable price, then it appears that 2010 will be a great year for practical fuel cells and alternative energy. What impresses me the most is that these HydroPak and MiniPak only require water as input and will extract the hydrogen for you. Read the specs, this stuff looks very compelling. I hope they get it right and price it for consumers in 2010.

VMware ThinApp

For deployment of Windows applications, VMware has a product called ThinApp (Wikipedia) which is an application virtualization and portable application creator suite by VMware that can package conventional applications so that they become portable applications. These thin apps virtualize the entire underlying Windows registry and device driver stack so that you can package and deploy portable applications on any type of storage device (i.e., USB drive, flash drive, etc...) Check it VMware Thinapp. Sounds promising... this is something to research in 2010.

Whole House Lithium-ion Battery

A new Lithium-Ion Battery to Power Up a House in 2011 for up to 1-week was announced by Panasonic. http://bit.ly/8GbLnl So why not sooner in 2011? It seems that all these new alternative energy announcements and products are always 2-years away. They appear to be a carrot on the stick. I recall that 2-years ago that in 2009 we would be able to purchase electric cars and plug-in hybrids. Now, this is still 2-years away. Huh?

MaxFlight FS2000

I went to a X-Mas party at VASC and got to enjoy the MaxFlight FS2000 simulator. All I can say is, "I gotta have on of these!". Incredible! This is what gaming should evolve into in about 10-20 years from now.

Tips on getting Hulu working on PS3

Hulu blocks video streaming the PS3 for whatever reason. Here is a tip that allows you to setup a DNS proxy that re-enables Hulu on PS3. Hulu and PS3. This tip is not really for those who are novices with networking. Otherwise, just try Sling.com.

Netflix on PS3 rocks!

In early November 2009 Netflix released its PS3 disc. The implementation and quality is the bet I have seen for any streaming video on any platform. I just totally rocks and the user interface is very intuitive. I have not seen any buffering or hiccups on the PS3 like I do on Windows or the Mac. I am impressed... oh yeah, and all this is happening over an 802.11g WiFi connection.

NASA Finds Water on the Moon

The LCROSS experiment last month (Oct2009) found lots of water on the Moon. This article from USAToday, NASA: Water found in moon crater, has a good graphic showing the mission.

Vatican Seeks Signs of Alien Life

The Vatican is seeking signs of alien life. See this article. This is a long way from the days of Galileo who was tried as a herectic and Darwin who was ridiculed for theory of evolution.

Mars in 39-days using new VASIMIR engine technology

This just sounds too good or far-fetched to be true. Anyway, saw it on Slashdot and here is the NewScientist article. The new technology, VASIMIR engine (nice diagram), is what makes is possible if it can be built and demonstrated.

Ultracapacitor charges at stop

This is interesting if can be brought to market. "Ultracapacitor Bus Recharges At Each Stop"

Google PowerMeter and TED-5000

I have been waiting for something like this for a long time. Google PowerMeter software and the TED-5000 bring it to you. Check this blog post, "Google PowerMeter's first device partner" dated 10/5/2009.

Portable Car Cam with LCD

This is very cool and practical if you want to record what you see while driving into a digital video. Check out this i4u post.

The Missing Link - Oldest Human Ancestor Discovered

Scientists have announced discovery of early humanoids that pre-dates 'Lucy' by one million years. See this article.

Holy Grail in America

The History Channel has a really good show, Holy Grail in America, that describes the Kensington Rune Stone and the theory that the Knights Templar may have discovered America 100 years before Columbus.

Color-blindness Cured by Gene Injection

This is incredible, "Color-blindness cured by gene injection in monkeys". This was accomplished in an experiment at the University of Washington.

Sony PS3 Slim!!!

The anticipated redsign of the PS3 is out. Smaller, quieter, more power efficient... I am in.

Lost Venetian City Found

Scientists uncover lost Venetian City using aerial photography and infrared. "Scientists uncover lost Venetian city" The lost city is Altinum which residents fled after an attack by Attila the Hun in 425 A.D. to found Venice.

Web-based Screen Casting

Take a look at ScreenJelly.

Firefox 3.5 is fast!

I installed Firefox 3.5 as soon as it was available on my MacBook. It is noticeably faster than 3.0. I like it. I am still waiting for Google Chrome on the Mac. I use Safari 4 and Firefox 3.5 daily and both run really well together.

Novatel MiFi first hand

I went to BestBuy and was able to check out the MiFi first hand. I am impressed with the form factor and weight. Wow! Next problem to address are the service and 2-year contracts.

PSP Go!

Can't wait to try this nextgen PSP this fall!

Novatel MiFi

I just read about this yesterday in my local newspaper. This is the mobile communications device that makes the most sense for me. The MiFi 2200 Intelligent Mobile hotspot. Watch out WiFi, Here comes MiFi says it all. All I can say is wow!

WiFi to Go, no Cafe Needed is a good NYTimes article about it.

Zecharia Sitchin / Niburu

Over at About.com, I found a good index of Zecharia Sitching and Niburu. Here is a briefing of Zecharia Sitchin biography and key ideas.

Odd Things In Wrong Places

This is an interesting set of posts about odd things being out of place in time. "Time Upside Down". Is this science, B.S., archaelogoy, or something else. It is an interesting read and somewhat related to the "The 10 Most Puzzling Ancient Artifacts".

Finally, the PSP Stand I really want

The Cobra PSP stand is flexible and can be reshaped like a goose neck microphone stand. I have been looking for one of these since I got my PSP. For $23, this is no-brainer. Cobra PSP Stand Bundle Kit.

Nanowire battery 10x better than Lithium-ion

Battery technology research keeps getting better. This was announced back in December 2007 in Stanford News Service article.

Telsa Motors unveils 4-door sedan

Earlier this week Tesla Motors unveiled its promised sedan following up on its electric 2-seater, Roadster. "Tesla Shows Off Family Friendly Electric Car". Unless someone else comes up with a viable electric car, the Tesla Model S is my next sedan if is available.

The Missing Secrets of Nikola Tesla

I found this video that is available on Google Video, "The Missing Secrets of Nikola Tesla". It is available as a iPod/PSP also.

Prince 3-D assault

Prince is releasing a new 3 disc sonic assault! One of the discs is 'rock-guitar-fueled'... hmmm... available exclusively at Target on Sunday for $11.98.

Terrafugia Flying Car Maiden Flight!

The first practical flying car. Watch the YouTube video of it.

Ovonic Battery

While watching "Who Killed The Electric Car" a 2006 bdocumentary on SonyClassics DVD, there already is a battery technology called the ovonic battery developed for GM that would solve the EV-1 battery issues. The battery inventor's company, Energy Conversion Devices, that has gotten into solar roof shingles and other alternative energy technologies. This is something to watch.

Ancient Aliens in HD

The History Channel HD just broadcast a new documentary that was quite incredible. I watched "Ancient Aliens" last night which featured the infamous astroarchaeologists including Erich Von Daniken and David Hatcher Childress.

GeoEye Gallery

Here are the GeoEye (Google sponsored) high resolution image gallery.

Atlantis found with Google Ocean?

Google recently added bathymetric information and visualizations to Google Earth. This is called Google Ocean. Is this underwater discovery off thte Canary Islands Atlantis? "Is this Atlantis?" You will need Google Earth 5 to see this. Spotted this Slashdot posting.

Track your Friends' Location using Google Latitude

Google introduced a new capability called Google Latitude that permits you to track your friends via their mobile device using Google Maps. Here's a quick link explaining how it works.

NVIDIA $10k Tesla Personal SuperComputer

Supercomputers are becoming affordable. Check out this GPU based supercomputer from NVIDIA. "NVIDIA's $10k Tesla GPU-based Personal SuperComputer". Estimated to be 250 times faster than a normal average modern personal workstation.

Buckypaper

Here is a very innovative application of nanotechnology, buckypaper. "Future plans, cars may be made of 'buckypaper'".

Device that extracts water from air

This device actually on the market now, Element Four WaterMill. It actually extracts water from air at about 3.6 gallons per day. I am impressed Wonder how much it costs?

GeoEye-1, Google's First Satellite

Wow, Google will be augmenting their imagery with the advanced high-resolution, civil, remote sensing satellite to date. See this article.

Acer Aspire One Netbook

The Asus Eee PC 901 is nice and so are the many other similar netbooks, but this one looks to be a winner, "Acer Aspire One launched: $379". It looks good and is getting really good reviews. The Everex Cloudbook looked promising but was dogged by quality issues. At least that is what I have read earlier this year. InfoWorld has a decent review here and provides links to competing netbook devices. Here is another decent review.

MIT's major breakthrough for Solar Energy

Over at MIT they have a solar power breakthrough solution that they predict will make the existing power grid and companies a thing of the past within 10-years. "Storing Energy When the Sun does not shine". It involves fuel cells, photovoltaic cells, and and a new technique. It is now 2008. We shall see where this goes by 2018. Almost sounds too good to be true.

New Treatment for Melanoma

A new approach has cured one man of skin cancer, also known as melanoma. Here is the article.

Honda Clarity enters production!

The Honda Clarity fuel-cell vehicle is officially entering production. Honda Clarity to Enter limited production and sale. I'd like to get one but will only be available where there is a hydrogen infrastructure. This means primarily in California for foreseeable future.

NASA Phoenix Lander Finds Water on Mars!

I was waiting for this day since I was a kid reading those books about space, science, astronomy. Here are a few articles announcing this breathtaking discovery:
"Mars Phoenix Lander Finds Water on Mars!"
"New Images From Phoenix Lander May Show Martian Ice"

Now, the Phoenix lander just needs to prove it with the planned experiments over the next few weeks.

Poulsen Hybrid

This hybrid technology is and add-on to your existing vehicle. Check it out. If it works as advertised then this is definitely worth the money. Here is the Engadget article. For more information see the Poulsen Hybrid site.

Sony Micro Fuel-Cell

This is something we all need with all our electronic gadgets according to the Gizmodo "Sony Hybrid Fuel-Cell Delivers 14 Hours Power" .

DoD Regenerative Medicine

The DoD has established Armed Forced Institute for Regenerative Medicine or AFIRM which is tasked with using stem cell research to grow body parts. Now this is interesting. Read about it here.

Honda's Walking Assist Device

Now this is really cool. It is a device you wear and assists you in walking. It is based on the Asimo robotic technology. "Honda to show off experimental walking assist device".

USAF Plans Liquid Coal as Fuel

This is interesting, the USAF plans to invest in liquid coal as a fuel source. "Air Force Prod Aids Coal-to-Fuel Plans". This in theory will reduce and possibly eliminate our dependence on foreign imported oil.

Body Heat Powered Chip

This is a significant advancement. A MIT and Texas Instruments researchers ("Team develops energy-efficient microchip") have designed a microchip that is so efficient that it can be powered from body heat. The potential future biomedical applications are endless. "Microchip powered by body heat".

Rail Guns and the U.S. Navy

This was a breakthrough. The U.S. Navy is researching next generation weapons and has successfully tested an electro-magnetic rail gun. The stuff of science fiction that is becoming reality. "Rail gun uses kinetic engery to deliver Mach 5 wallop".

Torch Flashlight

This is interesting. A flashlight that is so powerful that it can incinerate. "The Torch Flashlight: why illuminate when you can incinerate". Are Lightsabers are possibly on the horizon?

D-Link WiFi Digital Photo Frame

This one looks promising. It is a 10" digital photo frame with Wifi support and supports RSS. You can also send pictures to it! "D-Link's DSM-210, a Fancy Internet and Widget Controlled Photo Frame". I like this one if it lives up to the hype.

Sony MyLo 2.0

This one is definitely cool. Sony Mylo 2.0 looks like a decent portable internet device. Check out the specs, "Sony's new mylo (2) now official".

Semantic Search for Corporate E-Mail

IBM Labs is releasing OmniFind Personal EMail Search for free which uses UIMA and provides semantic searching of Outlook/Notes email archives. Announced here in InformationWeek. Since I use IBM OmniFind Yahoo! Edition (free version) which works great, this should be another high-quality search product.

300MPG Hybrid Gas-Electric in 2009 ?!

This has been all over the internet the past few days. I first saw this in this TomsHardware article which normally just covers computer hardware technology. Also, see this Engadget article. Aptera, a small electric vehicle startup from California, will be releasing an electric vehicle (Typ-1) in late 2008. Then in 2009, they plan to produce a gas-electric hybrid that will get a whopping 300MPG! This sounds a bit skeptical until I saw the PopularMechanics test drive article and video.

Auto-Drive is Geting Closer Thanks to Nissan

Nissan is integrating "Intelligent Cruise Control" which uses GPS to control the car's speed when approaching curves. See "Nissan's GPS enabled cruise-control foreshadows robot car". So when do we get auto-drive is my question. It is not a matter of technology but more a matter of when. The technology is already here. Come on Honda or Toyota, you can do it!

Sickle Cell Cured by Stem Cells

Using stem cells derived from skin, scientists have cured sickle cell in mice. This was only announced a month after the ground-breaking technique for generating stem cells from skin cells. "Scientists Cure Mice of Sickle Cell using Stem Cell Technique".

LIBS Identifies Elements From a Distance

This sounds like science fiction but apparently is here today. "LIBS sniffs out explosives" mentions some technology that the U.S. Army Research Labratory is doing. Whoa!

Google Android

Google bought this small company called Android back in 2005 (BusinessWeek article). Very little was known about it at the time. Now we have the mobile platform strategy that Google is pushing called Android. Ah, that's what happened. The world will be changing soon.

Were North America's First Inhabitants Japenese Fisherman?

There is an alternative viewpoint based on anthropological research I found online, here. They mention that these seafarers made the journeys 12-16000 years ago following fish and the kelp highway in the Pacific.

Wind-up (kinetic) PMP

Here is an alternative energy (kinetic) Personal Media Player (PMP). "Ecodigital's windup PMP". This is very cool and can't wait to get into these alternative energy devices. Now Sony or Nintendo need to make their PSP and DS work this way.

Navy Preparing Unmanned Combat Aircraft

This is inevitable. Nice picture.

Scaled Composites Now Owned by Northrop Grumman

I was this over at Space.com. "Northrop Grumman Buys Builder of SpaceShipOne". This is interesting, Scaled Composites, the company that Burt Rutan and Richard Branson formed to create SpaceShipOne and are currently working on SpaceShipTwo is now 100% owned by Northrop Grumman. "SpaceShipTwo Development Benefits By New Equity Deal". Northrop Grumman previously had a 40% equity ownership.

Water Found on Extrasolar Planet

You knew this was inevitable. Astronomers have evidence on an extrasolar planet. Still waiting for the discovery of the first Class M planet.

SpaceShipTwo

I just found these great conceptual pictures of SpaceShipTwo at Gizmodo. Check them out, very detailed and shows relative size to SpaceShipOne. Additionally here is a pretty cool YouTube video animation of SpaceShipTwo (13 mins).

Irish Company Claims Energy Breakthrough

I am not sure how to take this one but here is the article anyway. Yet another free energy claim. If it works, would be awesome. I saw this while perusing my Google News.

D-Link First Draft 2.0 802.11n Certified Products

D-Link has the first with draft 2.0 802.11n certified products. Enough said. We just got the DIR-655 802.11n router a few days ago and it rocks!

Thermoacoustic engines and the future

Some grad students at the University of Utah have built prototypes that turn heat into thermoacoustic engines that generate electricity. See this Engadget article. They call these 'screaming gadgets'. Looks like another promising technology we might see.

Breakthrough Flexible Color Display OLED Technology

Sony just announced a major breakthrough in flexible color OLED displays. See the CNN article. What is more impressive is this short YouTube video. The possibilities are intriguing and I can't wait to see the wearable gadgets they come up with in the near future.

Tiny, Power Efficient, Super Cheap Computers

While online looking at Gizmodo (article), I stumbled upon these Norhtec computers. They have a family of efficient and small computers. One of them is the MicroClientJr that costs about $100. Really cool.

Japan to Create Wireless Island

This is actually ambitious. "Wireless Island". Target island is Hokkaido or Okinawa. The Japanese want to create a wifi zone that covers the entire island and links everything. This is definitely a 21st century vision.

Antibody That Detects Only Known Cause of ALS Developed

Progress in the ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease) research. I saw this article, "First Antibody That Only Known Cause of Lou Gehrig's Disease Developed", at the ScienceDaily site. My aunt has ALS so this is good news.

Radical New Engine Design, No Pistons

This is pretty cool.. would save about 15-20% over current internal combustion engines based on pistons. Check this out! Wonder if we will ever see this on the market?

Stem Cells and ALS Research

Stem cell research is making it some inroads in the fight against ALS (aka Lou Gehrig's disease). Saw this posted in this article at ScienceDaily.

Water Found in Exoplanet's Atmosphere

This was only a matter of time. I saw this at Slashdot. Next is a 'class M' Earth like rocky planet with an atmosphere.

Biobutanol, An Efficient BioFuel

As a biofuel, ethanol has it's negatives. Biobutanol is another alternative biofuel that is closer to gasoline in efficiency. "Better Than Ethanol" is a good introductory read on this biofuel. This stuff is still years off but at least progress is being made.

25.6TB per second Data Transfers

Over at Gizmodo, this article says it all. A new speed record!

Water In Mars' South Pole

Recent discoveries by scientist indicate that there is enough frozen water in the form of ice in the Martian South Pole to cover the entire planet. "Huqe Ice Deposits Cover South Pole of Mars"

PS3 Folding@home Screen Saver

Stanford University reseachers and scientists have created a screen saver for the PS3 that will aid in medical research. It is called Folding@home. "Use Your PS3 To Aid Medical Research With Folding@home". This project is similar to the SETI@home project.

M-Hull Ship

The Navy is testing a new type of hull design, the M-Hull, which is designed by MShipCo. This new design concept allows greater speeds with less wake. The Stiletto ship is silent but deadly. "SEAL Ship: Silent But Deadly".

Scientists Say Our Nerves Use Sound Not Electricity

This is a pretty radical paradigm shift for neurophysics and the medical field. Check out this article based on Copenhagen University researchers' work. It is a common held view that our nerves transmit impulses using electricity.

Multitouch Interaction Interface Research

You just have to see this video which explains it all. This is like the Minority Report user-interface.

67-kilowatt Solid State Laser

Just saw this at Slashdot in this article. Scientists as Lawrence Livermore Lab have developed a solid state laser which can sustain a 67-kilowatt beam. In less than a year the laser is anticipated to be in the 100-kilowatt range which will put it in battlefield range. This research is funded by the DoD. "Record power for military laser". At this rate of progress, by 2008 there will probably be battle ready prototypes.

Five-Gear Rocket Engine

This is a pretty cool innovation. Georgia Tech researchers have produced a rocket engine that implements a transmission system similar to a car that can potentially save 40% of fuel. "A five-gear rocket engine". This is DoD funded research so details are a bit sketchy but it does open up the potential for more innovation.

iRobot Next Generation Explosive Ordinance Robot

iRobot has been hard at work and have adapted their technology to explosive ordinance disposal. Here is the iRobot press release, iRobot Introduces Next-Generation Explosive Ordinance Disposal Robot. I originally saw this at i4U, Packbot 510. Good to see our tax dollars at work and pushing forward with new technology.

Buffalo MicroSD Reader

I really like the MicroSD form factor. These flash memory cards are about 1/4 the size of a stamp. Buffalo has made a USB reader that does not require any adapters and is just tiny. Cool for mobile stuff. "Buffalo's Incredibly Shrinking MicroSD Reader". "Buffalo's Micro MicroSD Reader". Too bad is only available in Japan right now. Can't wait till these are available in US.

X-Hawk Flying Vehicle

Where are the flying cars? Looks like the X-Hawk may be it if all goes well for this Israeli company. "Flying seen as solution to rescue". If all goes well these may be available by 2010 at the earliest. Here is more info about the X-Hawk.

Robot Detects Snipers in Real-Time

RedOwl is the name of a new robot that can detect the location of a sniper in real-time. "Robot gives snipers owl eyes". According to this Engadget posting, this is old news. Anyway, is pretty cool stuff.

China tests anti-satellite missle

China recently demonstrated to that is has the capability to knock out low-orbit satellites. Chinese test missle obliterates satellite. This appears to be the start of a new space arms race. This was inevitable.

Possible Cancer Solution We May Never See

As usual, here's an interesting article about a relatively non-toxic molecule that appears to reverse the effects of cancer. "Cancer Drug May Not Get A Change Due to Lack of Patent". Oh well, did you think big pharma was in business to cure cancer? Anyway, is an interesting read.

Autonet Mobile In-vehicle WiFi

This is really cool, Autonet Mobile will be marketing a device that plugs into your cigarette lighter which creates an in-vehicle wifi hotspot. Avis will start providing this for $11 per day. The cool part is that AutoNet will make this available in Spring 2007 for the public. It uses Verizon and Sprint's wireless 3G data network. "This device brings broadband to the car".

Virginia's Space Port at Wallops Island

At Wallops Island on the Virginia Eastern shore, at 0700 EST this morning, the first successful rocket launch from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Space Port took place.  "Rocket soars into space from Wallops Island before dawn"  This successful launch represents the birth of the space launch industry in Virginia and hopefully another future commercial space port. . What's cool about this is that I live a few hours drive away from Wallops Island so if launches from there become more common place, I will be able watch a few in the future!  Mid-Atlantic commercial spaceport makes 1st launch

Evidence of Water Flowing on Mars

This caught my eye, "Scientists believe they found evidence of recent water on Mars". What they mean by recent is just a few years ago. "Water flowed 'recently' on Mars". "Evidence suggests liquid water on Mars: NASA".

Ultraman

When I was a kid, I was really inspired by this show while living in Japan called Ultraman. Well, I found this decent article, "Ultraman...forever", describing the 40-year old phenonmenom at JapanTimes online. It is good to see that this show is still in production and for two generations has been entertaining young kids and parents alike. Now, I just need to find the DVDs so can watch and relive these shows. I don't think they are broadcast much in the US.

Silent Aircraft Initiative

This is a cool concept, a virtually silent passenger aircraft. I saw in this CNNTech article and the conceptual picture looks like the blended-wing aircraft concepts being explored by Boeing. Imagine a future with much less jet noise from commercial airliners.