Solar power for Tesla Supercharger stations

Tesla has always planned to power its Supercharger stations with solar, but to date they have been powered from the grid. This doesn’t mean they are powered solely from unsustainable sources. Modern grids are powered from a mix of sources, including solar & other renewables. In Norway, this means that the 6 Supercharger stations (as of August 2013)* are 98% renewable**.

Elsewhere, the situation is not so bright, but improving everywhere.***

And Tesla is taking steps to deliver on its solar promise: its first solar powered Supercharger station is almost ready:

http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1096926_teslas-first-solar-powered-supercharger-store-service-center-is-almost-ready
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* Mark Kane: “First Six Tesla Supercharger Stations Up & Running in Norway; ~ 120 kW of Power” http://insideevs.com/first-six-tesla-supercharger-stations-up-and-runing-in-norway-120-kw-of-power/

** “Tesla Model S electric taxis in Oslo”
http://hhg2tech.blogspot.com.au/2014/06/tesla-model-s-electric-taxis-in-oslo.html

*** Wikipedia:” Solar power by country” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_power_by_country / electric car vehicle EV maker Tesla Motors rapidly opening Supercharger DC fast-charging fast charging stations USA U.S. North America country providing solar-generated solar generated electricity sites Superchargers electricity conventional power grid change Tesla batteries consumers home energy electricity storage Rocklin California Sacramento location single location Tesla showroom new cars displayed Service Center row Supercharger fast-charging stalls a massive array photovoltaic solar cells power entire site another Supercharger site Roseville Galleria Mall freeway access immediate direct added eight additional Supercharger stalls Interstate 80 exchange Sierra College exit solar Power Boom grid parity work local company Phil Haupt Electric of Roseville previous experience electric vehicle supply equipment EVSE installation and maintenance installation all local employees sourced purchased all of our materials locally solar power plant roof solar photovoltaic panels PV shade /

New Pebble watch, Tuesday 24 February

Original Pebble
Credit: Pebble/Forbes

With over a million watches shipped, Pebble is about to announce something new on Tuesday 24 February:

"We’ve found a new framework to use as an interaction model on the watch … It doesn't look like what we have today, & it doesn't look like what's on your smartphone.” — Eric Migicovsky, Pebble founder & CEO

Sign up to “be the first to know”, or just check out the count down timer:

https://getpebble.com/

Other coverage:

http://www.techtimes.com/articles/34422/20150221/countdown-on-pebble-site-suggests-new-smartwatch-debut-heres-what-we-expect.htm

http://www.tomsguide.com/us/new-pebble-release-date-2015,news-20479.html

http://www.theverge.com/2015/2/2/7947799/pebble-1-million-smartwatches-sold-new-hardware-coming

http://www.cnet.com/au/news/pebble-more-than-1-million-smartwatches-shipped/ / smart watch smartwatch smartwatches indie Kickstarter project Pebble improving product selling watches CEO Eric Migicovsky one millionth Pebble price cuts new feature boosted sales figures Google Android Samsung Galaxy Gear new products new software platform Google Apple smartwatches app smartphone smart phone Pebble's new software new framework interaction model apps main focus platform Pebble Steel investment year webOS TV tasked new software platform launch Apple Watch Google Android Wear platform second third generation Android Wear smartwatches third-party developers web-based emulator developers build test apps install software 6,000 apps watchfaces watch face current platform hardware software wrist /

Sony just unveiled the stupidest product in the history of the Universe

Credit: Sony/BGR

"Stupidest product in the history of the Universe"? Big claim, but a microSD card that promises, “Premium Sound”, has to be a contender.

http://bgr.com/2015/02/19/sony-premium-sound-memory-card/

http://www.theverge.com/2015/2/19/8068465/sony-memory-card-premium-sound-sr-64hxa

http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2015/02/19/sony-to-offer-premium-sound-memory-card/?mod=WSJBlog / seriously wrong Sony single stupidest tech product in history $155 memory card promises deliver premium sound memory card delivering premium sound claim claiming new SR-64HXA memory card produces less electrical noise when reading data card delivers premium sound less noisy other memory cards worth $155 SR-64HXA Class 10 microSDXC card more reasonable $90 Samsung price falls $50 USA US amount speed storage $30 golden-lettered for Premium Sound micro SD SDXC /

"A watch that guaranteed I would never get laid"* (video)

Credit: Cathode Corner

Woz demonstrates his own Nixie Watch (with a bit of commentary on how this thing might be viewed by airlines):



And only $495. Shipping is $15 within USA, $85 to ship anywhere else in the world.

Thinkgeek have a clock kit for $399:


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* “If I wanted to buy a watch that guaranteed I would never get laid, I certainly wouldn't have to spend that much on it.” — comment on Slashdot — http://tech.slashdot.org/story/05/12/15/019206/science-meets-style-in-this-cathode-tube-watch / Steve Wozniak Woz wear Apple Watch smart watch smartwatch Nixie Watch clock clocks Nixie tubes hours minutes seconds sequentially set up the watch teach adjust angle hold your arm view the time tubes will light up automatically display the time lift your arm to that angle case black anodized 6061-T6 aluminum mineral crystal face sealed O-ring keep out water dust dirt 2.2″ in diameter 0.79″ thick 20mm band powered by CR2 disposable battery source code firmware page reprogram the watch yourself Cathode Corner Nixie Watch spare Nixie tubes available $15 each video displays the time nixie tubes cold-cathode tube neon mercury argon atmospheric pressure vacuum tube-based Sumlock-Comptometer Anita Mk VII 1961 two-digit wristwatch /

Patent troll claims to own Bluetooth, scores $15.7M verdict against Samsung

Does your phone use Bluetooth? Your tablet? Computer? Car? Who made it? How long before this troll goes after them too?

How long before patent reform stops this?

http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2015/02/patent-troll-claims-to-own-bluetooth-scores-15-7m-verdict-against-samsung/ / patent enforcers win in court reform Gordon Bremer invent Bluetooth 2.0 admitted stand East Texas Federal Court specification on the market hefty royalty Samsung jury ruled Korean electronics company infringed Bremer's patents 2.5 percent $15.7 million verdict won employer Rembrandt IP oldest most successful patent trolls jury found in Rembrandt's favor Friday trial finding Samsung's Bluetooth-enabled products mobile cell phones tablets televisions Tvs infringe Bremer's patents compatibility between different types of modems connect string of applications 199 first version of Bluetooth invented by Swedish cell phone company Ericsson 1994 award jury verdict giving money to a patent troll make money filing patent lawsuits trial against Samsung same complaint names Blackberry infringer settle settled upcoming trial date Rembrandt's lawyers patents apply to all products using Bluetooth 2.0 products justice was done here Rembrandt lawyer settlement settle inventions patent verdicts trial standards body SIG Bluetooth Special Interest Group /

How to set a world class time at the drag strip

Internal combustion engine vehicle

Consider fitting “drag radials”. These are actually street legal, & although they will compromise other aspects of tyre performance, times at the drag strip will be improved.

If you’re not experienced with drag racing, or the particular vehicle you will be racing, you will need to get some practice, but not too much, as fast launches are very hard on the machinery.

At the strip, immediately before the start, do a few burnouts to get the tires to the correct temperature. See videos below.

At the start, manage throttle, clutch, & gearbox (or torque converter & automatic transmission) as explained here:
http://www.modernracer.com/tips/dragracinglaunchtechniques.html

Electric vehicle

At the strip, immediately before the start, ensure traction control is engaged, & set performance to highest level. For the Tesla P85D shown in the video below, this will be “Insane”.

At the start, floor the accelerator.



Tesla P85D
11.683 sec @ 114.681 mph

Dodge Hellcat
17.467 sec @ 82.74 mph (this is slower than a Volt)

“During the run the Tesla Model S P85D set a new world record (verified by NEDRA) for being the quickest and fastest production electric car in the world running 11.6 @ 114.6 MPH down the 1/4 mile with a very impressive 1.65 60′ time. 0-60 MPH came in last just 3.1 seconds during the run as per the VBOX.”¹

And the Hellcat? The driver seems to jump the start, apply the brakes &
then give a dramatic demonstration of uncontrolled wheelspin.

Same Hellcat, same driver after a bit of practice & with drag radials fitted:


10.8 sec @ 127 mph

In the events shown, the Hellcat is faster by over 0.8 sec. This shouldn’t be considered conclusive. An accurate comparison can only be done on the same track on the same day.

And the Tesla would benefit from some special-purpose tires too.
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¹ Street Car Drags: "Tesla Model S P85D Sets 1/4 Mile World Record While Challenger Hellcat Goes up in Smoke Drag Racing", http://www.streetcardrags.com/tesla-model-s-p85d-sets-14-mile-world-record-while-challenger-hellcat-goes-up-in-smoke-drag-racing/ / P85D performance dual motors 4WD four all 4 wheel drive Tesla owners fans Tesla's fastest highest performance electric vehicle car battery charge recharge Hellcat high powered power Hemi V-8 performance two owners fastest baddest beast on the road two cars face off drag strip Palm Beach International Raceway Tesla Model S P85D 2015 Dodge Challenger Hellcat competed traditional quarter mile drag race it's no contest quieter car wins decisively loud noisy noisey Tesla P85D set a new world record fastest-accelerating electric car quarter mile time et elapsed time 11.6 seconds speed through the finish terminal velocity 114.6 mph comparable five seat luxury sedan four doors hatchback Challenger traditional muscle car coupe only two doors separate trunk sedan combined output 691 horse power hp front rear electric motors electric luxury car thrashed old style gasoline petrol muscle car decisively all four wheels are powered traction control stabiity power delivered each wheel maximizing total torque delivered to each wheel loss of traction rear-wheel burnout tire smoke practice burnout appeal of raw electric power amply demonstrated wimpy electric golf cart /

Will Apple build an electric vehicle? — update

Some facts, some rumours:

● forty-six current Apple employees were formerly at Tesla
● Apple is offering substantial bonuses & salary increases to current Tesla employees

● Apple is rumoured to be aggressively recruiting engineers who specialize in battery technology

● Steve Jobs had plans to design an iCar
● “Titan” is the name frequently connected with the rumoured project
● many have failed, but
● Tesla has shown that it can be done

● Apple has a history of entering a field in which it has no experience, disrupting & subsequently dominating it — iPod, iTunes, iPhone — often completely blindsiding competitors¹

● modern cars contain many computers — computers & user interfaces are at the very core of what Apple does

● “an incumbent automaker would spend $2-4 billion over seven to 10 years on a cleansheet design”²

● Apple has $178 billion in cash reserves³

Commentators have said that the cost of designing a car from scratch for an organisation with no experience in the industry would be prohibitive. Apple isn’t an automaker, but it has many employees with auto industry experience & seems bent on acquiring more. If it is assumed that Apple’s inexperience in the industry adds 50% to the cost of development,² $8 billion is not an insuperable barrier to an organisation with $178 billion in cash reserves.

Update 19 February: Apple accused of poaching electric-battery maker's engineers: http://www.cnet.com/news/apple-accused-of-poaching-electric-battery-makers-engineers/

http://www.wsj.com/articles/apples-titan-car-project-to-challenge-tesla-1423868072

http://www.techradar.com/news/car-tech/apple-car-said-to-be-in-development-1284774

http://appleinsider.com/articles/15/02/13/apple-has-several-hundred-workers-designing-new-electric-car-codenamed-titan---report

http://www.wired.com/2015/02/apple-making-car-isnt-ridiculous-think/

http://time.com/3710375/apple-car-titan-marc-newson/

http://www.businessinsider.com.au/munster-heres-why-i-think-news-of-an-apple-car-is-suddenly-pouring-out-2015-2

Alternative views:

Update 19 February: "Apple would be crazy to make cars," says former GM chief: http://www.cnet.com/news/former-gm-ceo-says-apple-would-be-crazy-to-make-cars/

Apple’s car will drive itself
http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2015/02/apples-car-will-drive-itself-says-reuters/

The Apple Car is going to be great for Tesla!
http://www.businessinsider.com.au/the-apple-car-is-going-to-be-great-for-tesla-2015-2
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¹ “There’s no chance that the iPhone is going to get any significant market share. No chance. It’s a $500 subsidized item. They may make a lot of money. But if you actually take a look at the 1.3 billion phones that get sold, I’d prefer to have our software in 60% or 70% or 80% of them, than I would to have 2% or 3%, which is what Apple might get. … But my 85-year-old uncle probably will never own an iPod, & I hope we’ll get him to own a Zune.” — Steve Ballmer, Microsoft CEO 2007
http://www.businessinsider.com.au/heres-what-steve-ballmer-thought-about-the-iphone-five-years-ago-2012-6

² Davey Alba: “Apple Making a Car Isn’t as Ridiculous as You Think” http://www.wired.com/2015/02/apple-making-car-isnt-ridiculous-think/

³ Zack Whittaker: “Apple has $178 billion in cash …” http://www.zdnet.com/pictures/hey-big-spender-apple-has-178-billion-in-cash/

/ Apple to get into cars automobiles vehicles van electric vehicle EV devices Sam Jaffe analyst Navigant Research bigger picture major resources electric car device company The Wall Street Journal today Apple hundreds of employees on the project codenamed Titan led Steve Zadesky former Ford engineer helped develop iPod iPhone Apple’s long term intentions entering car manufacturing business big leap moved computers music phones Tesla first new American automaker profit since Chrysler industry history littered failures bones tried self driving self-driving autonomous cars Google uses modified rejiggered Toyota vehicles Prius hybrid small cars built by Roush industry supplier recent changes auto industry give Apple an edge companies rise of information technology telematics active safety driver and passenger interface Tesla’s success industry logical precedent Apple’s entry automakers becoming tech companies dozens of computers inside it core competencies automotive company Karl Brauer senior analyst at Kelley Blue Book Cupertino company traditional connections to the car industry swimming upstream building up resources endeavor forty-six current Apple employees formerly at Tesla raise past experience in the automotive industry rumored rumor rumour aggressively recruiting engineers battery technology develop development develops consumer devices automotive market clues Parsons The New School for Design Apple board member Mickey Drexler Steve Jobs design an iCar Marc Newson design designer concept car Ford Jonny Ive design of American cars money incumbent automaker proper infrastructure industry connections creating create brand new car division spend spending more money market cap of more than $700 billion rounding error massive cash hoard $5 billion major car manufacturers assemblers of other people’s parts new entrance advantage for Apple /