Hasta La Gadget!

You’ve probably seen another solar-powered charger that looks a lot like the Kiwi U-Powered, but this one has a difference: Besides charging from solar panels, it also charges from any USB source, such as a car charger or wall charger. That makes it a little less green, but a lot more useful. If you’ve ever tried to use a solar-powered charger, you’ve probably discovered that they require a lot of strong sunlight for a full charge. The U-Powered works with the sun when you have it, but can also charge from a USB connection to save time.

This is the first in a line of four environmentally-friendly products coming from Kiwi Choice this summer and fall. Once you’ve powered up your U-Powered, use it to charge your iPhone, BlackBerry, digital camera, or other portable device. The charger comes with 11 connectors for a range of devices, as well as a USB and wall charger. Get it for $49.99 from KiwiChoice.com.

It seems like we’ve been looking for better battery technology for
decades, but it turns out some MIT researchers may have finally solved
the problem.

A team of scientists have discovered a microscopic energy source that
can generate electricity using nanotechnology, with the hope that it
could be used some day for creating more environmentally friendly
batteries, CNN reports.

The experiment coats organic carbon nanotubes with a thin layer of
fuel and employs something called a thermopower wave (which sounds
powerful). The result could power future computers and cell phones
using batteries that are 10 times smaller than before, while retaining
the same power output.

And they could be incinerated or just degrade over time without
leaving heavy metal residue in the environment, the report said.
There’s no word yet on whether this will even scale properly to a
consumer-level product, but here’s hoping.

Image credit: MIT/Christine Daniloff

If, like us, you’ve spent a fair amount of time in a kitchen cooking up a storm, then you’re probably aware of one of the major drawbacks of major home-cooking… it generates a ton of waste. That’s right — up to 85 or 90 percent of a family’s trash can be generated within the vicinity of the kitchen. Faltazi’s concept kitchen should be interesting for just that reason — Ekokook is designed to generate essentially zero waste. The solid waste — things like glass — are ground down using a hand-activated steel ball, and there’s also a manual paper shredder which compacts the leftovers into small bricks. Water is stored, filtered, and reused, with waste water being used to water plants. Oh, and there’s also an eco-friendly earthworm compactor in a drawer! Does it get any better? Well, there’s a video after the break to check out.

Continue reading Ekokook concept kitchen’s mantra: waste not, want not

Ekokook concept kitchen’s mantra: waste not, want not originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Feb 2010 18:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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With a down economy and high/rising energy costs, Sanyo figures it’s the perfect time to introduce electric bicycles to the U.S. market. The world’s largest manufacturer of rechargeable batteries has been selling them in Japan for 15 years, and now the company has brought the Eneloop (“Energy-Looping”) electric bicycle to the U.S. It was officially introduced here late last year, but many journalists got their first-up-close glimpse of the ride-assist bike at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, where it was named CES’s number-one green product for eco-design and sustainability.

The bike looks a lot like a rugged, slightly old-fashioned bicycle. Under the wide, comfortable seat is a rechargeable battery–you remove it to recharge. Sanyo execs said the Eneloop is actually a sophisticated melding of the company’s three core competencies: motors, rechargeable batteries, and electronics. Together, they give the bike torque sensitivity, the ability to charge while you’re coasting and braking and to give you a significant boost as you’re pedaling.

The Eneloop can travel up to 46 miles on one charge at speeds of up to 15 miles an hour. The bike does not drive on its own, but as soon as you start pedaling, it assists: Soon you’re traveling at 15 miles per hour, which feels faster than you might think. Stop pedaling, and the bike slows down, like an ordinary bike.

Don’t worry, you don’t need a license. Thanks to a U.S. law passed in 2008, any vehicle that has pedals, uses less than 1,000 watts, and travels at less than 20 MPH is still considered a bike.

The Eneloop is available through Best Buy and costs… wait for it… $2,299.95. Being green ain’t cheap, but think of all the money you’ll save on gas in the long run. Watch the video for my full hands-on report.