Hasta La Gadget!

Filed under: Cellphones

Samsung S7550 Blue Earth reviewed, Monkey Wrench Gang unavailable for comment originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 17 Sep 2009 11:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nissan’s gotten into a bit of a bragging contest on Twitter — possibly fueled by Chevrolet’s recent, shaky claim that the Volt will get 230 miles per gallon. The company is now saying that its new electric car, the Leaf, will get an astonishing 367 miles per gallon… even though it’s a 100 percent electric car, and runs on absolutely no fuel. So, isn’t that zero miles per gallon? Well, yes and no: all these massive numbers are based on both the Department of Energy and the EPA’s calculations for estimating equivalencies in electric cars. Why? Well, it seems that car companies are still giving us — the prospective buying public — MPG figures because they think that’s what we understand best. Tony Posawatz, vehicle line director for Chevy’s Volt recently admitted to the New York Times that the miles per gallon matrix is “probably not the best measure of goodness” for a car that uses no gallons at all, but that it’s “what people are accustomed to.” We agree — he’s got a point — but people were also accustomed to the hi-fi, the corded landline, and the steam engine. We assure you: people understand that a car that runs on zero gas (and therefore gets an astonishingly low amount of miles per gallon) is really, really awesome. So the MPG matrix is useless when talking about electric cars — we’ll adjust!

Read – Nissan claims 367 miles per gallon for electric Leaf
Read – The Chevy Volt: mileage numerology

Filed under: Transportation

Nissan says its new electric car, the Leaf, gets 367 miles per gallon originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 15 Aug 2009 08:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filt “waste oil” candles combine useful recycling with nice packaging to make a product that looks good, smells good, burns well, and is made almost entirely with recycled waste literally within reach of the creators.

Filt’s unique concept is that the materials and design, minus the wicks, come from within walking distance of their studio. Filt’s creators are also involved with Gaimgraphics, which accounts for the nice graphic design, with their office sitting atop Chubby, their stylish and spacious cafe in Setagaya Ward in Tokyo. Chubby’s size makes it ideal for events and rotating art showcases, but it’s also the source of Filt’s main ingredient: Used cooking oil, which they filter, color, and scent with vanilla.

The surrounding neighborhood provides the glass containers that make each Filt candle unique. Every week on glass recycling day, Filt’s creators hit the streets to see what original and usable glass containers the multiple bins have to offer, and then turn them into new products for shops around Tokyo.

Filt “Waste Oil” Candles are only available in Tokyo, though they look forward to bringing their products to the world. Prices start at $20 depending on the size. Check out their homepage for more.

It may not be the snazziest thing to ever leave the labs at Oregon Scientific, but it’s still a new take on the average desktop weather station that Ma Earth would certainly appreciate. The sun-powered +ECO Clima Control weather station is equipped with a built-in solar panel and enables users to monitor the current temperature and humidity in up to four locations within the home and outdoors. The device relies on remote wireless sensors, and considering that it can operate for up to three months with just an eight hour charge, even folks under the clouds in Seattle can take advantage. Those interested in bringing one home can do so for $119.99, and if you’re still not convinced of the value proposition here, you can look forward to two more +ECO wares this September. Tap that read link for more information on the both of those.

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Oregon Scientific introduces solar-powered +ECO Clima Control weather station originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 07 Jul 2009 17:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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There’s a lot that can be done with PET bottle shapes, from sexier versions to the manipulated artistic pieces below. The bottles can communicate ingredients, emotion, or positive effects on the body purely by the bottle design and shape.

New from Coca-Cola Japan, l LOHAS is jumping in on the Eco bandwagon with a bottled water that makes an environmental stand (at least marketing-wise) with its bottle design that twists up neatly into a 12 gram piece of plastic that is said to be 40% less than other PET bottles.

The marketing push makes the consumption process into three easy steps: Buy the water, Drink up, Twist up and dispose. Not too different from most other drinks, except for the twisting part which makes the waste noticeably smaller than your average PET bottle. While it may not make a tremendous difference in terms of waste (though it’s certainly space-saving), it does lend itself to a certain spirit of ecology that is making its way into Japanese society.