Hasta La Gadget!

First, an apology to my fellow Britons. Move along — this post is not for you. In my expatriate home of Sunny Spain, however, the IUnika  is just the thing, a solar powered netbook which costs next to nothing.

The solar powered “GYY” is just one of the range of  ”ordenadores 100% libre” or 100% free computers (100% free apart from the actual price, we guess). The little machines are made of biodegradable plastic (fashioned from maize or other renewables) and run only open-source software under the GNU license. The actual OS is not detailed yet, but it’s unlikely to be anything you’re used to, as the IUnika is underpowered even by netbook standards: The CPU is a 400MHz Mips processor, memory is a paltry 128MB, and there’s just 1GB of flash storage (thankfully supplemented by and SD card slot).

The other hardware, though, is pretty impressive. Three USB ports, 10/100 Ethernet, an 8-inch, 800 x 480 display and wireless connectivity, listed thus: “ADSL, Wi-Fi, CDMA, GPRS (optional)”. The basic plug-in models start at €130 ($180) and the solar panel-equipped model will go for a still very low €160 ($220).

The catch (isn’t there always a catch?) is that they are not yet real, at least not in a yes-you-can-buy-one kind of way. We’ll be keeping a close eye on them, though, as the company is just, almost, down the road from me.

Product page [IUnika]

Okay, so that solar-powered electroluminescent wallpaper never caught on, and neither did the EL sports jerseys that stood poised to make the most boring of events at least look exciting. But, this latest application of the tech seems bound to succeed — if only because it caters to drinking establishments and their affinity for blinking lights. Anokimobi has released a sign that charges during the day, giving it power for up to 14 hours of light pollution at night. It’s totally waterproof and can even be powered by an auxiliary power source should a cloudy spell interrupt a week of drunken debauchery. No prices are advertised, but we’re sure the company would be happy to send you a quote.

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Anokimobi’s solar-powered electroluminescent signs light up your eco-friendly bar crawls originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 15 May 2009 10:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Clayton Homes, a US-based company which makes and sells manufactured (prefab) homes, is getting in on the i-naming game with their latest bit of construction. The iHouse is a prefabricated, customizable house that is so energy efficient that Clayton estimates it costs about $1 per day to cover all of its electricity and heating needs. The house makes use of solar panels, energy-efficient appliances, thick walls, heavy insulation, a rainwater-catching system, a tankless water heater, and dual flush toilets to meet its eco-friendly goals. The company, which sold about 30,000 manufactured homes last year, thinks that the iHouse could quickly come to represent about 10 percent of its business. Prototypes of the house — which at around 1,000 square feet costs $140,000 completely furnished — are popping up all over the US, and as of last Saturday, are officially on sale nationwide. One more photo after the break.

[Via Yahoo News]

Continue reading Eco-friendly Clayton iHouse on sale, coming to a highbrow trailer park near you

Filed under: Household

Eco-friendly Clayton iHouse on sale, coming to a highbrow trailer park near you originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 May 2009 11:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It’s pretty rare that a portable solar-based device offers much more utility than impressing your friends, but PiSAT Solar’s K-Light won’t only make you the coolest kid on your block: it might actually prove useful the next time you take a hike or find yourself hanging out in a developing country. In 10 hours of daylight charging the unit gathers up to 20 hours worth of battery power for use in the low-power 8 LED mode, or 10 hours of life if used in 16 LED mode. It’s also switchable between flashlight and lantern modes. That should be great for campers, but where the K-Light really “shines” (so to speak) is in places like Africa, where villagers without electricity often use makeshift kerosene lanterns for light at night. K-Light is designed for up to 10 years of full daily use in such a scenario, and PiSAT is working on an adapter to let the lantern’s battery also charge a cellphone. At $50 a pop, the barrier to entry isn’t incredibly high, and PiSAT is working with the Koinonia Foundation to provide start-up grants of K-Lights to groups of African women to create local businesses selling the lights. One-off purchases are also available now online for us non-entrepreneurial types.

Filed under: Household

PiSAT Solar’s K-Light boasts a one-to-one charging ratio originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Apr 2009 22:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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When Home Theater Specialists of America (HTSA) executive director Richard Glikes wanted a home theater system, he didn’t just max it out with the best high definition equipment. He also thought to run it entirely from solar energy from four roof-mounted panels that produce an aggregate of 700 watts per hour in sunlight. It’ll reportedly run things for 19 hours straight without having to dip into your traditional power grid. Hardware-wise, we’re talking about a 100-inch screen, Sharp projector, six SpeakerCraft in-wall speakers, Integra AV receiver, Lutron lighting, and a universal remote. See how it was made, with the help of time-lapse photography and 1980s infomercial-genre background music, in the video after the break.

Continue reading Solar-powered ‘guiltless green’ home theater system makes your Wall-E Blu-ray very happy

Filed under: Home Entertainment, Household

Solar-powered ‘guiltless green’ home theater system makes your Wall-E Blu-ray very happy originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 18 Apr 2009 11:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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