Hasta La Gadget!

Thought Intel was done busting out new slabs of The Future at IDF? Wrong. Justin Rattner, the firm’s chief technology officer, just took the stage here in San Francisco in order to showcase a trifecta of new concepts, all of which were borne out of research in Intel Labs. The first, and perhaps most notable, is the Near Threshold Voltage Processor (code-named “Claremont”), which relies on novel, ultra-low voltage circuits that dramatically reduce energy consumption — like EnerJ, but not. How so? Well, by “operating close to threshold, or turn-on voltage, of the transistors,” it’s able to scream when needed or scale back dramatically (below ten milliwatts) when the workload is light. If you’re curious as to just how low that is, we’re told that it’s low enough to keep running while powered only by a solar cell the size of a postage stamp. Sadly, the research chip isn’t destined to become a product itself, but Intel’s hoping that the knowledge gained could lead to “integration of scalable near-threshold voltage circuits across a wide range of future products, reducing power consumption by five-fold or more and extending always-on capability to a wider range of computing devices.”

As for demos? A smattering of multicore / multiprocessor sessions aided Intel in upping its bragging rights, and we were informed that coding for multicore setups is “easier than the press makes out to be.” The outfit also took the opportunity to release a Parallel JS engine to the open source crowd, adding data-parallel capabilities to JavaScript to purportedly “speed up browser-based services such as computer vision, cryptography, and 3D games by up to eight-fold.” Furthermore, a newly revealed Hybrid Memory Cube — complete with seven times better energy efficiency than today’s DDR3 memory — was also unwrapped. More details can be found in the links below, and we’ve got your unveiling video embedded just beyond the break.

Continue reading Intel reveals ‘Claremont’ Near Threshold Voltage Processor, other conceptual awesomeness at IDF (video)

Intel reveals ‘Claremont’ Near Threshold Voltage Processor, other conceptual awesomeness at IDF (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 15 Sep 2011 13:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bob Schneevis is at it again. The man who turned George W. Bush into a robotic Roman warrior has now developed something he calls the Solar Electric Robot Chariot. Showcased at this year’s Maker Faire Bay Area, Schneevis’ single-motor, bot-drawn carriage features a set of battery-juicing solar panels and an array of cameras that control its chauffeur’s mechanized movements. The bot, meanwhile, glides around on a pair of rollerblades and is designed to move its legs in the same way humans do — with the only difference being that humans don’t rollerblade anymore. Skate past the break to see the chariot coast around a parking lot with Mitchell Goosen-like grace.

Continue reading Solar-powered rollerblading robot carries you to work on a chariot of humiliation (video)

Solar-powered rollerblading robot carries you to work on a chariot of humiliation (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 04 Sep 2011 07:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lately, Apple’s become synonymous with a flurry of hotly-contested patent disputes, but in a nice change of events, the company’s actually been granted a bunch by the USPTO. The recently awarded patents range from the mundane to the utilitarian, covering designs for a customizable docking peripheral, in addition to a solar-powered solution for charging those iDevices. But the real additions to Cupertino’s legal arsenal are its patents for what appears to be cover flow-like navigation for video, and display rotation for images captured via iOS cameras. Alright so none of these patents are particularly revolutionary, and they certainly aren’t tipping us off to the next iteration of the iPhone, but think of the lawyers, will you? This is the stuff their litigious dreams are made of.

Apple granted patents for solar-powered charging, method of video navigation originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Aug 2011 19:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Yearning for the ideal keyboard to pair with your suddenly revitalized Bondi Blue iMac? Good thing you’ve the patience of Job. Windows users were treated to a K750 solar keyboard of their own last fall, and it’s taken nearly a full year for Logi to crank out a Mac-specific edition. The Wireless Solar Keyboard K750 for Mac features the same amenities as found on the Wintel-favoring variant, but you’ll find this one boasting a standard Mac key layout and a concave key cap design. Naturally, no extra drivers are required to work with your existing Apple rig, and once charged, it’s capable of living it up for at least three solid months in complete darkness. You’ll find onboard solar cells that power the keyboard using ambient light, and prospective buyers will be gifted with four exclusive hues (five in total). It’ll ship in the US and Europe later this month for $59.99, and yes, that 2.4GHz module ensures that no wires will be needed for connectivity.

Continue reading Logitech’s Wireless Solar Keyboard K750 for Mac brings Appletastic keys, pastel hues

Logitech’s Wireless Solar Keyboard K750 for Mac brings Appletastic keys, pastel hues originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 17 Aug 2011 09:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We might not know how much Ford’s expecting for the Focus Electric, but it’s already put a hefty $10,000 price tag on one of its accessories. The company announced today that it has teamed with SunPower to offer purchasers of the upcoming Focus Electric and C-MAX Energi a 2.5-kilowatt rooftop solar system. That setup will apparently provide “enough renewable energy production to offset the energy used for charging” cars that log 1,000 miles per month (about 30 miles per day) or less. If $10,000 is just a little too rich for your blood, there’s always Best Buy’s $1,500 budget-friendly charging station. Full PR after the break.

Continue reading Ford teams with SunPower, offers EV owners $10,000 solar charging system

Ford teams with SunPower, offers EV owners $10,000 solar charging system originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 11 Aug 2011 05:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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