USA Air Force buys fewer drones – but ups drone flights

http://m.wired.com/dangerroom/2012/02/air-force-drones/

By 2031, we'll all be flying personal blimpjets

http://dvice.com/archives/2012/02/by-2031-well-al.php

/ lighter than air  airfoil /

ZunZun computer laptop sun visor review

http://the-gadgeteer.com/2012/02/04/zunzun-computer-laptop-sun-visor-review/#more-87103

/ outdoors hood awkward /

Holden Commodore EV

In its January 2012 edition, the Australian motoring magazine, Wheels, has a progress report on the EV Engineering consortium project to develop an EV Holden* Commodore.  The consortium consists of Bosch, Continental, Air International & GE.  Holden is providing engineering support & use of its Lang Lang testing facility.  Funding has been provided, in part, by the Australian Federal Government in the sum of $A3.55 million.

• Similar performance to a 6 cylinder Commodore.
• Range 160 km.  Real world 80-140 km.
• Battery in the space previously occupied by the engine, transmission & driveshaft.  In the current fitting, it is bolted from below, although a Better Place compatible quick swap system is in development.
• Electronics replace the fuel tank.
• Motor is attached to a modified rear subframe.  Standard mounting points are retained
• 150 kg added mass, though little change in weight distribution.
• Heating is provided by the standard Commodore heater with the assistance of a small, electric water heater.
• Quite a bit of room remains under the bonnet, although the fuel tank has been removed, so a range extender will be problematic.

Holden is "interested", although a commercial product marketed by them is highly unlikely with the Volt extended range EV planned for release late in 2012.

* Holden is General Motors in Australia.

IBM lithium-air battery project looks promising

http://www.hybridcars.com/news/ibm-lithium-air-battery-project-looks-promising-35422.html

/ rechargeable density electrolyte positive unstable oxygen /

Burt Rutan on designing the world’s largest aircraft

http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/space/news/burt-rutan-on-designing-the-worlds-largest-airplane

/ first privately built craft vehicle to send people into space aircraft spacecraft built Scaled Composites Orbital Sciences aerospace 747 /

Sugru – hack things better (video)

http://the-gadgeteer.com/2012/01/18/sugru-hack-things-better/#more-85766

/ air-curing, rubber, formed, shaped, cures, flexible, silicon, overnight, strong, flexible, waterproof, air /

Hybrid vs. "clean diesel"

http://www.hybridcenter.org/hybrid-watchdog-hybrid-vs-diesel.html

/ 13, 13%, density,  particulate, Environmental, Protection, Agency /

The next hummingbird you see could be a spy

http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2012/01/the-next-hummingbird-you-see-could-be-a-spy/#more-506877

Aqua Star's underwater electric scooter charts the ocean depths

http://inhabitat.com/aqua-star-underwater-electric-scooter-makes-passengers-look-like-yellow-darth-vaders/

Ultrabooks buying guide: purchase an ultrathin laptop now or later?

http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9223037/Ultrabooks_Buying_Guide_Purchase_an_Ultrathin_Laptop_Now_or_Later_

http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9223039/Ultrabooks_Windows_laptops_as_Light_as_Apple_s_Air

World's data centers refuse to exit ice age

http://www.wired.com/wiredenterprise/2011/12/data-center-ice-age/

Cocaine levels found in the air connected to crime & health issues

http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2011/12/cocaine-levels-found-in-the-air-connected-to-crime-and-health-issues/

Negroponte on One Laptop Per Child future: air drops & hands-off education

http://techcrunch.com/2011/11/02/olpc-airdrop/

Light-coloured cars are up to 2 percent more fuel efficient than dark-coloured ones

No surprise* that a light coloured car will be cooler than a dark coloured one.  Interesting, though, to see it quantified in terms of air conditioning & fuel consumption.

* No surprise to anyone other than Chevrolet – the roof of every Volt is black!!??  In Europe the principle seems to have been understood – the roof of the Ampera (European version of the Volt) is the same colour as the rest of the body.

http://green.autoblog.com/2011/11/01/cooler-colored-cars-are-up-to-2-percent-more-fuel-efficient-than/

Air Force insists: drone cockpit virus "just a nuisance"

http://m.wired.com/dangerroom/2011/10/drone-virus-nuisance/

Bats make the same sound SAMs do when they have radar-lock

http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2011/10/bats-make-the-same-sound-sams-do-when-they-have-radar-lock/#more-481842

In 2013, will MacBook Air grab power from the Sun?

http://blogs.computerworld.com/18953/in_2013_will_macbook_air_grab_power_from_the_sun

US Air Force jumpstarts electric vehicle program

http://www.enn.com/energy/article/43233

Is Nike planning to release "Back To The Future’s" auto-lacing Air Mags?

http://techcrunch.com/2011/09/07/is-nike-planning-to-release-back-to-the-futures-air-mags/