SOLAR-POWERED TREES

eTree is a social enterprise which aims to promote environmental awareness and sustainability, to create a link between the community environment.


All trees convert sunlight into chemical energy, but now there are trees that convert sunlight into power to charge devices, cool water, offer free Wi-Fi and more for the benefit of their surrounding communities. Thanks to an imaginative idea from an Israeli company called Sologic, solar-powered trees are taking root to raise environmental awareness while providing green energy.

The eTree comprises a metal trunk that branches out to support solar panels instead of leaves. The structure, which looks like a pixelated tree in an 8-bit video game, uses the energy captured by the solar panels to provide USB charging outlets for smartphones and tablets, free Wi-Fi, a water trough for pets, a drinking-water fountain for humans, nighttime lighting and informational LCD screens.

One Acacia model eTree (the kind planted in Israel) costs about $100,000. A seven-panel version can generate up to 1.4 kilowatts, which is enough to run 35 laptops.

The big price tag means the eTree probably won’t replace traditional rooftop solar panels, but it has a chance at becoming a popular eye-pleasing fixture in parks across the globe, according to Eli Barnea, an investor in Israel’s largest private power company.

Sologic foresees future eTrees utilizing cameras along with touchscreen displays to enable someone standing beneath one solar-powered tree to say hello to someone else standing beneath another eTree planted anywhere in the world.

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LENOVO Yoga Tablet

Lenovo Group Ltd. (stylized as lenovo) is a Chinese multinational computer technology company with headquarters in Beijing, China, and Morrisville, North Carolina, United States.It designs, develops, manufactures and sells personal computers, tablet computers,smartphones, workstations, servers, electronic storage devices, IT management software and smart televisions. In 2013 Lenovo was theworld's largest personal computer vendor by unit sales. It markets theThinkPad line of notebook computers and the ThinkCentre line of desktops.

Lenovo has operations in more than 60 countries and sells its products in around 160 countries. Lenovo's principal facilities are in Beijing, Morrisville and Singapore, with research centers in those locations, as well as Shanghai, Shenzhen, Xiamen, and Chengdu in China, and Yamato in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. It operates a joint venture withEMC, LenovoEMC, which sells network-attached storage solutions. It also has a joint venture with NEC, Lenovo NEC Holdings, which produces personal computers for the Japanese market.

Lenovo IdeaTab Yoga 8

The Lenovo Yoga Series stands for innovative Convertibles that can be used in different modes.Flexible pivoting hinges allow the display and thus the greatest possible flexibility for the user. The IdeaTab Yoga 8 yoga family grows by an ultra-thin tablet, which also has a "multi-mode" technology.

Twisted Total

Whether on the train, in a café or at home: The multi-talented Lenovo IdeaTab Yoga 8 adapts to your environment and your needs. For the 8 inch large yoga can shift its position due to the cylindrical shape of the battery in combination with a revolutionary hinge system dynamically. In this way achieves a viewing and use of HD displays in three different modes without additional stand and thanks to IPS panel in a very wide viewing angle.

In Hold mode, a IdeaTab Yoga 8 can comfortably hold as a vice proposed Issue magazine and for example use to read e-books. With unfolded hinge of the stand-by mode for viewing photos, videos and movies as well as video chats serves. Writing texts, web browsing and gaming can most conveniently in the tilt mode.

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The World's first flying hotel - The Hotelicopter

March 30, 2009 The double deck Airbus A380 has set new high standards for luxury accommodation in the air but, unless you can afford to deck out your own A380 as a private jet, the Hotelicopter concept aims to top this airborne opulence by equipping a four story converted heavy lift aircraft with 18 luxuriously-appointed room hotels.

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Modeled on the Soviet Mil V-12, the largest helicopter ever built, of which only two prototypes were built in the 1960s, the Hotelicopter company would like us to believe they purchased one of these prototypes in 2004 with the Hotelicopter now ready for its maiden flight in June 26th. We're not sure that we do, but we like the concept.

While the computer generated images of the Hotelicopter show a lot of imagination, the specified Maximum Takeoff Weight of 105850 kg (232,870 lb) is actually exactly same as that of the original Mil V-12 which is highly unlikely given the Hotelicopter has at entire 3 story luxury hotel added onto it. No need to remind readers that it is April 1st this week.

The design outlined at the Hotelicopter site includes soundproofed rooms, each boasting a queen-sized bed, fine linens, a mini-bar, coffee machine, wireless internet access, and all the luxurious appointments you’d expect from a flying five star hotel - there's even the promise of room service.

The original Mil V-12 was an amazingly large helicopter which absolutely dwarfs any heavy lift Helicopter in use today. Each rotor had a diameter of nearly 115 ft (35m), mounted at the end of a large wing, making the distance from the tips of each rotor blade wider than the wingspan of a Boeing 747. The two Soviet built V-12s did fly and still hold the helicopter heavy lift world record of 44,205 kg (88,636 lb) at a height of 2,255m (7,398 feet) set on August 6th 1969 but were simply too big and difficult to maneuver to be practical so never reached production.

Hotelicopter has announced a travel schedule for the flying hotel starting with the inaugural flight from John F. Kennedy International Airport June 26th 2009. Tickets will be on same at an undisclosed price once their reservation system is open. We'd like to believe it will happen, but...

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Sony's latest head-mounted video viewer to hit Europe in November

In what's now becoming something of a tradition, Sony has announced the next generation of its head-mounted personal 3D video viewer ahead of IFA 2013. Though the HMZ-T3 retains the same display resolution as both of its predecessors, image quality has been improved. The slightly lighter headset also benefits from better audio and a more comfortable fit. The biggest news this time around, though, is the addition of a wireless version ... sort of.

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The W at the end of the HMZ-T3W's product name refers to the promise of near-latency-free uncompressed high definition viewing without getting tangled up in cables. Unfortunately there's still one pesky wire to worry about, as users will still need to cable the 189 x 148 x 270 mm (7.4 x 5.8 x 10.6 in), 320 g (11 oz) headset to a lithium battery pack for power and visuals. It's this battery box that's able to wirelessly connect to the system's processor unit over the 59.4 - 63.72 GHz band, with a range of about 7 m (23 ft).

Source media devices are connected to the processor unit via its three HDMI inputs and one HDMI output, though the battery box does cater for direct connection to devices like smartphones and tablets courtesy of its own MHL and HDMI ports. Battery life is reported to be three hours of wireless playback or seven hours cabled.

Like the T2 before it, the HMZ-T3W features two 1280 x 720 resolution OLED panels reported to offer a viewing experience equivalent to watching a 19 m (62.5 ft) screen from 20 m (66 ft) away. Also the same are the response times of the monitors, the field of view and the cinema-like 24p playback.

Users can now reduce the image size down by four steps to a low of 70 percent (similar to a 13.3 m screen from 20 m away), a 2D image can be displayed with a slight virtual curve for a movie theater feel, and gamers are offered four image adjustment modes to increase visibility in darker areas of the screen during a game.

There's an adjustable cushioned head pad to help give some relief from pressure against your noggin, six stage independent lens adjustment, and the device will warn users of prolonged use after three hours.

Though ambient light shields are available to help isolate users from the outside world, there's a handy gap at the bottom of the headset to allow gamers to hit the right key or click the mouse button at that critical win or lose moment, or for the rest of us to reach for a cup of coffee without risking a spill.

Sony says that its Virtual Surround Technology offers accurate sound placement in an immersive 360° soundstage. A 32-bit DAC delivers 7.1 channel audio through supplied earphones that boast 16-mm drivers, with a frequency response of 4 Hz to 27 kHz and 106 dB per mW sensitivity.

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Floating cinema sets sail in London for the summer season

Duggan Morris Architects has joined forces with British arts organization, UP Projects to launch this year’s "Floating Cinema," which will be gracing the waterways of East London until the end of September. For the project, Duggan Morris created an award winning design that converted a barge into a floating cinema.

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This year’s Floating Cinema is an upgrade from UP Projects’ original floating movie house that was launched back in 2011 but took a break in 2012 for the Olympics. Powered by a hybrid engine that runs on biofuel, the new floating cinema is currently touring the London urban waterways while hosting a range of summer events, including outdoor screenings, canal tours, talks and workshops.

The above-deck projection suite sits within a semi opaque cubic structure and is illuminated during evening film sessions. In addition to a small onboard movie theater, films are also projected from within the cubic cabin onto an exterior fixed surface, allowing more Londoners to enjoy an open air motion picture experience while taking advantage of the warm summer evenings.

The onboard auditorium is equipped with the projection equipment, audio-visual systems and a small movie theater for intimate floating screenings or events. And if you can’t make it to a specific event, worry not, live broadcasting of certain events and screenings will be streamed live on the Floating Cinema website.

UP Projects’ Floating Cinema is not the only floating movie theater in action at the moment. London based Floating Films is a film club that is located aboard the SB Repertor, a classic 1920’s Thames sailing ship. Currently docked at the St Katherine’s Docks in London, the ship screens a range of films in its intimate 40-seat indoor theater.

Meanwhile, the Archipelago Cinema, located off the coast of Yao Noi, Thailand is a more exotic version of the floating outdoor cinema. The project was launched last year during the Film on the Rocks Yao Noi Festival, combining a large floating projection screen and a floating raft. Lucky patrons are escorted by boat to the romantic floating cinema that could lay claim to being the most picturesque movie theater in the world.

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SMART Board 885ix2 interactive whiteboard system

Enhance the power of collaborative learning with the widescreen SMART Board® 885ix2 interactive whiteboard system. Up to four students can collaborate and interact with lesson content anywhere on the interactive surface. The integrated system combines an interactive whiteboard with an ultra-short-throw projector that virtually eliminates shadows and glare, a multiuser Pen Tray and a control panel that enables teachers to manage all classroom technology products from the front of the classroom. All projectors are backed by our SMART Projector Care Plus program.

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Full-scale X-Wing replica touches down as world's largest Lego model

A certain Jedi Master, species unknown, once said, “size matters not.” But he obviously wasn’t referring to the latest Lego creation from the Lego group. Taking the title of the world’s largest Lego model is a 1:1 scale replica of an X-Wing, complete with R2 unit, made up of 5,335,200 Lego bricks and taking 32 Lego master builders 17,336 hours (around four months) to complete.

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As any Rebel engineer worth their salt will know, the full-size replica stands 3.35 m (11 ft) tall and 13.1 m (43 ft) long, with a wingspan of 13.44 m (44 ft). Its weight of almost 20,865 kg (45,997 lb) means the model will be less than easy to transport, even if you have unlearned what you have learned.

Constructed in Kladno, Czech Republic, to celebrate the upcoming premiere of the Lego Star Wars-based three-part animated series, The Yoda Chronicles, on Cartoon Network, the Lego X-Wing is currently on display in New York’s Times Square. It will be moved to Legoland California Resort in the coming months, where it will remain grounded for the remainder of the year.

Unlike the 1:12.5 scale "Universal-Motor-Geräts (tool)" model that took the title of the world’s largest Technic model in 2011, the 1:1 scale Lego X-Wing won’t be available for consumers.

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Aeros completes construction of Aeroscraft demonstrator

California-based Aeros Corporation has completed construction of itsAeroscraft airship proof-of-design sub-scale prototype. The 79-meter (260-ft) long aircraft will demonstrate the vertical take-off and landing and point to point delivery capabilities of the platform, paving the way for a planned full-scale craft that will be almost twice as long and carry payloads of up to 66 tons.

“The vehicle construction is complete and this is truly the beginning of a vertical global transportation solution for perhaps the next 100 years,” said Aeros CEO Igor Pasternak after the final configuration and vehicle systems integration functionality testing was completed.

Calling it “the world’s first rigid variable buoyancy air vehicle,” Aeros hopes the Aeroscraft will revolutionize global cargo transport for commercial and military sectors with its ability to load and unload cargo without re-ballasting or ground infrastructure and deliver cargo point to point more economically and with less emissions than existing methods.

Video of the completed Aeroscraft’s first (ground) movement can be viewed below, but we’re looking forward to video of its first flight in the not too distant future.

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XD Design's Solar Sunflower charger

In February of this year, we covered the release of the nifty solar Window Charger from XD Modo (now XD Design) that maximizes available sunlight by sticking to a window with a removable silicone patch. Now, Gizmag has spent a little time with the company's latest sun-soaking gadget charger ... the cute-as-a-button Solar Sunflower.

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The 23 x 10 x 10 cm (9 x 3.9 x 3.9 inch), 252 g (8.8 ounce) Solar Sunflower was the brainchild of Ryan McSorley, and forms part of the design collective's ECO collection. The white pot-shaped plastic base is home to a 2500 mAh lithium battery (almost twice the capacity of the 1300 mAh Window Charger), from which sprouts an 8-cm (3.14-inch) stem flanked by two green plastic leaves for decoration. The stem is topped by a white plastic flower head with an 8.5-cm (3.34-inch) diameter 5V/100 mA PV panel set at an angle of 35 degrees.

A rubberized base helps protect your precious antique table top from scratch damage, or keeps the unit in position on the windowsill. To the bottom and right of the front of the pot are two LED lights. The green LED comes to life when the PV panel is soaking up sufficient light to charge the battery. This light stays on even when the battery is full, although XD Design does point out that the battery is protected against overcharging.

When the white LED next door lights up, the battery is being charged via the mini-USB input to the rear (cable included). This indicator goes off when the battery is full, and the unit is said to include short circuit protection. When both lights are on, the Sunflower's battery is enjoying a good juicing up from both sources. There's also a full-size 5V/1000 mA USB power output around the back.

After fully charging the Sunflower's battery via USB for the first use as per the instructions, I subsequently drained it again courtesy of a couple of very hungry smartphones. I managed to fully charge one, but only got to 80 percent on the other before the Sunflower rolled over and played dead. As it's necessary to charge the battery via USB after a full drain, the charger spent the next five to six hours plugged into a USB wall socket charger (not supplied).

Unlike the new Eton battery packs I handled at IFA 2012, the Sunflower doesn't have any built-in charge level indicators, so there's no way of gauging remaining charge. This means that you're left to guess how much charge the unit has to offer, which is not ideal.

As I didn't want to completely empty the battery's reserve, I topped up my mobile music player only (assuming there would be charge to spare). Then it was time for the Solar Sunflower to join our living plants at the window.

While I'm lucky enough to live in a region that gets plenty of year-round sun, getting the required amount of bright sunlight in winter did prove a bit of a trial. As it happens, I was graced with a few days of bright sunshine during the review period. After spending some 30 daylight hours at the window (spread over four consecutive days), however, the Sunflower's PV panel failed to collect enough energy to give its battery sufficient juice to more than half-charge my smartphone's almost lifeless 1350 mAh Li-ion battery.

Subsequent attempts also failed to fully charge the Sunflower's battery on solar alone. While this may be due to a weaker and lower winter sun smiling down on the panel, I have to admit to being a little disappointed. XD Design says that it will take around 25 hours of bright (sun)light to fully charge the Sunflower's battery, but this depends on the quality of light hitting the PV panel. I'll therefore need to undertake further testing in the stronger summer sun before being able to confirm the manufacturer's claims.

Given its dimensions, this device is unlikely to provide users with a means of rescuing depleted batteries while on the move. It will likely find a permanent spot in front of the home/office window and is certain to prove a talking point. Everyone who has seen it in my home has fallen in love with it.

If you have the patience to play the waiting game while the PV panel fully charges the Sunflower's battery pack, then you'll benefit from being able to power your vast collection of gadgets without paying a penny to the utility company. More likely, you will use a combination of solar and USB power.

Either way, the battery has proven capacious enough to almost charge two smartphones before needing to return to the window and/or USB power source itself. Additionally, its neutral coloring and clean fresh design means that it will doubtless make an attractive addition to any room, and brighten up an otherwise drab and dreary window ... as it did mine.

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