Feb 29 2008
Posted by: Sierra Monica B. in Gadgets

Want a cool desktop computer case to add some UV lights effect to your room and impress your visitors?
Try the Sunbeam LED Clear Acrylic Case, a transparent case made of high quality clear acrylic material through which you can see all your components inside.

It is also durable featuring metal fasteners, and the whole package consists of precut acrylic panels, wiring, LEDs, cotton gloves and the rest of the needed equipment to set the transparent case.
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The case comes with a metal expansion slot, motherboard I/O port back pane, four external drive bays of 5.25 inches, two external drive bays of 3.5 inches, five internal drive bays of 3.5 inches, ATM/Flex ATX form factor support, seven expansion slots, back USB 2.0 multi port support, and optional 80 mm front/rear/top fan mounts or two of 80 mm side fan mounts.

The Sunbeam UV LED UV BLUE Reactive Clear Case is available at a price of $73.99.

Feb 29 2008
Posted by: Sierra Monica B. in Gadgets, News

Back in 2007, at Cityscape Dubai, the world’s largest business-to-http://www.techpin.com/wp-admin/link-manager.phpbusiness real estate investment and development event, Masdar Institute of Science and Technology presented an amazing project consisting of building a 0-carbon and 0-waste city with the finalizing date estimated for the year 2009.

This area was projected to cover the Masdar Institute surroundings, research facilities, high-end laboratories, commercial spaces, light manufacturing facilities, residential space for employees, a science museum, and a special zone for international investors and developers of the next-generation energy solutions and technologies.
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“There is nothing like this in the world. We are creating a synergetic environment; it is a true alternative energy cluster,†sayd back in 2007, Sultan Al Jaber, Masdar CEO. “Here you will find researchers, students, scientists, business investment professionals, and policy makers all within the same community. It will be a living example of sustainable development that will position Abu Dhabi and Masdar at the forefront of intelligent resource utilization. It will combine the talent, expertise and resources to enable the technological breakthroughs necessary for truly sustainable development.â€

A 0-carbon city means no cars, compact network of streets, renewable energy power, digital services and real-time data access.
The environment will include wind, research plantations and photovoltaic farms, while the city would offer to the companies government services, hundred per cent foreign ownership, transparent laws, tax-free environment and intellectual property protection, among others.
What started as an ambitious project continues today with a new plan in collaboration with WWF for the so-called Masdar City, located near the Abu Dhabi International Airport and covering six-square kilometers.
The new Sustainability Action Plan is based on the following ten principles of One Planet Living global initiative and will become fully functional in 2015:

-zero carbon;
-zero waste;
-sustainable transport;
-local and sustainable materials;
-local and sustainable food;
-sustainable water;
-natural habitats and wildlife;
-culture and heritage;
-equity and fair trade;
-health and happiness.
While the electricity will come from photovoltaic panels, the cooling process will be ensured by concentrated solar power, the water will come from a solar-powered desalinization plant, and the fields will be irrigated by the grey water and treated waste coming from the water treatment plant.
Masdar City construction will start in a couple of months and will become the home of international businesses and top leaders in the alternative energy sector.

“Today Abu Dhabi is embarking on a journey to become the global capital of the renewable energy revolution. Abu Dhabi is the first hydrocarbon-producing nation to have taken such a significant step towards sustainable living,†said Jean-Paul Jeanrenaud, Director of WWF International’s One Planet Living initiative. “Masdar is an example of the paradigm shift that is needed. The strategic vision of the Abu Dhabi government is a case study in global leadership. We hope that Masdar City will prove that sustainable living can be affordable and attractive in all aspects of human living – from businesses and manufacturing facilities to universities and private homes.â€

“Masdar City will question conventional patterns of urban development, and set new benchmarks for sustainability and environmentally friendly design – the students, faculty and businesses located in Masdar City will not only be able to witness innovation first-hand, but they will also participate in its development,†declared Dr. Sultan Al Jaber.
Feb 28 2008
Posted by: Sierra Monica B. in Gadgets

The DORmino mouse is a cool concept for a green gadget designed to make the notebook’s heat energy be reused in a cycle, and this idea is based on the use of nanowires, induction charging technologies and thermo electricity.

Both the notebook and the mouse are common peripherals which many are working with and it is sad to lose the energy powering the two devices.
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DORmino prototype powers from the long mouse pad under the two devices where the power is channeled into the mouse.
The project was accepted at Greener Gadgets Competition this year.
Feb 28 2008
Posted by: Sierra Monica B. in Gadgets

Researchers have tested plugging power sources, solar power, wind power and water and they came out with many interesting and useful solution, but none seems to be more innovative than the gravity-powered LED Lamp, project that has won the Greener Gadgets Competition this year.

Clay Moulton, the designer, named the it Gravia, a floor lamp capable of spreading light for up to 200 years, using the human power and the gravity properties.
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So how does it work?
Gravia lamp’s weight rises every three hours approximately and as it starts to descend, the download motion converts into torque through a ball screw and this torque is overdriven by a harmonic drive gear hand, while the output spins a set of 12 neodymium magnets.
The spinning powers ten LEDs and the light is of 600-800 lumens, or equal to a 40 Watts incandescent bulb.

"In time, the lamp won’t fade but The LEDs produce a slightly unnatural blue-ish light. As the acrylic ages, it becomes slightly yellowed and crazed through exposure to ultraviolet light,†explains the designer. “The yellowing and crazing will tend to mitigate the unnatural blue hue of the LED light. Thus, Gravia will produce a more natural color of light with age.â€
The less nice part of this is the fact that the user has to raise the weight from the bottom to the top of the lamp, every three or four hours.
Click and Zoom:

And this is the designer's description:

You may check also the DORmio Mouse powered by laptop heat, another project that caught the attention of people from Greener Gadets.
Feb 27 2008
Posted by: Sierra Monica B. in Gadgets

Sony Cyber-shot H50 is a new digital camera that integrates many features in a small form factor.

It has 9.1MP, Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar lens with 15x optical zoom to let you capture clear close-ups, enhanced face detection, Smile Shutter, D-Range Optimizer with DRO Plus mode that makes your pictures look natural in a high contrast, Double Anti-blur with Super SteadyShot and High Sensitivity ISO 3200 to capture great pictures even in low-light conditions, Advanced Sports Shooting mode for subjects in fast motion, and a large 3-inch display with Clear Photo Tilting LCD Plus technology to be moved up and down changing the angle.
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The compact digital camera is covered in a scratch-resistant housing with a stylish finish, and is capable of focusing on 8 faces in the same scene thanks to Enhanced Face Detection and BIONZ processor that takes care also of the noise reduction in 3 steps depending on the user’s needs.
Sony Cyber-shot H50 provides also the Bracket Shooting mode that allows the capturing of 3 images with different exposure, white balance and colors.

In the box, the camera comes together with a remote control for shutter release and zoom, Home, Menu and Control buttons, but of course you can get other optional tools too.
Expect to see the model in stores starting April.