Nissan Leaf replacement battery with heat-resistant chemistry: $5,500 US

Credit: Nissan/MIT Technology Review

Unlike some others, Nissan Leaf electric vehicles have air cooled batteries. This has been blamed for the the relatively high loss of range in Leafs operating in the hottest parts of the USA.

Nissan has responded by:
● developing a battery with heat resistant chemistry
● offering it as a replacement to existing owners at the surprisingly low price indicated in the headline

This will have the effect of:
● supporting the value of used Leafs
● silencing the nay-sayers who claimed that: "After a few years, an electric car will need a new battery costing tens of thousands of dollars."

Notice too, that Nissan wants the old battery. Persumably this is for reuse as grid storage or other second-life purposes.

http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1092983_nissan-leaf-battery-cost-5500-for-replacement-with-heat-resistant-chemistry

http://cleantechnica.com/2013/09/01/nissan-testing-heat-resistant-battery-adding-two-more-ev-models/ / Nissan Leaf went on saleannounced cost of a replacement lithium-ion battery pack electric car EV low $5,499 $1,000 credit turning in the old pack which is required plus installation fees tax 3 hours of labor lithium-ion lithium ion LiIon battery pack cells assembled into modules replacement pack $225 installation kit new battery backward compatible earliest Leaf models 24 kilowatt hour packs more heat-tolerant battery chemistry reduces capacity loss very high temperatures potential plans higher-capacity replacement batteries announcement buyer of a used Nissan Leaf certainty certain cost replace battery energy capacity fall to 70 percent of the original figure potential potentially electric cars longer life than previously thought Nissan's aggressive pricing losing money initially on low initial demand for replacement packs future economies of scale battery making sales of its battery-electric vehicles continue to rise pack-replacement cost post on the MyNissanLeaf forum Brian Brockman senior manager of corporate communications at Nissan 24 hours post generated more than 125 comments earlier lease plan for replacement batteries capacity loss extremely hot cities Phoenix Arizona financing plan for the replacement battery replacement process recycled secondary usage energy storage /

Qwerkywriter - the keyboard inspired by vintage mechanical typewriters (video)

To quote the developer, "Both fun to type on, & beautiful to look at."

Can't actually confirm the, "fun to type on", but, "beautiful to look at" — just look at the pictures.



Qwerkywriter is a Kickstarter project.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/954250822/the-qwerkywriter-typewriter-inspired-mechanical-ke?ref=nav_search

http://www.geeky-gadgets.com/qwerkywriter-typewriter-inspired-mechanical-keyboard-05-06-2014/ / 84 key USB vintage typewriter inspired mechanical keyboard fun to type on beautiful to look at Qwerkywriter 84 key USB typewriter inspired mechanical keyboard simulates tactile clicky feel vintage typewriter classic custom typewriter inspired keycaps integrated tablet stand detachable USB cable mini-usb port Mini USB early hand built proof of concept prototype final shipping version CAD engineered machine tooled factory built mechanical keyboard modern switch emulates typewriter clicky feel features beautiful chrome accented round keycaps vintage typewriter inspired frame tablet stand accommodate a wide range of tablets up to 5/8 inches thick integrate Bluetooth wireless support stretch goal chrome return bar platen knobs function programmable macro function key blank keycaps upon request font fonts user replaceable Windows WIN MAC OSX Macintosh layout supported $289 price point machine tools cost of the mechanical key switches highest quality mech keyboards custom moulded 3 piece keycap narrow tolerance specs specifications beautiful hybrid metal plastic frame tier supporting ISO layout popular demand $295 pledge supporting international languages compact form factor emulate vintage typewriter footprint dedicated arrow function keys ANSI US layout exceed our funding beautiful occupy my workspace ugly tactile feed back Cherry MX Bluesclicky mechanical switch vintage keycaps metal chrome accented clear top common relegendable keycaps tablet stand wireless WiFi Bluetooth transceiver return bar platen roller programmable macro key knobs platen roller /

Japan's android newscaster is more lifelike than many of her human colleagues — UPDATED

http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/world-android-newscasters-deliver-news-japan-article-1.1844180

Updated 29 June: video link replaced — original video withdrawn. / demonstration demonstrate Kodomoroid Otonaroid human reporters two lifelike robots with visitors Tokyo's National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation Japan Japanese scientists world's first news reading read reader android eerily lifelike possessing a sense of humor match her perfect language skills adolescent looking Kodomoroid amalgamation Japanese word kodomo child android delivered news of an earthquake FBI raid amazed reporters in Tokyo shepoked fun at her creato telling leading robotics professor Hiroshi Ishigur look like a rob pitch-perfect Kodomoroid grown-up fellow robo stage frightfluffed her lines introduce hersel Otonaroid otona meaning adult excused herself after a quick reboot I'm a little bit nervous /

Tesla Model S electric taxis in Oslo

Credit: Andrew Henderson/Green Car Reports

Why Norway?

Well, Norway has:
● over 98% renewable electricity — mainly hydro
● high per capita income
● many government incentives to electric vehicle ownership
● as a result, highest pre capita Tesla Model S ownership in the world

http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1092926_tesla-model-s-electric-car-simply-the-worlds-coolest-taxi

http://oppositelock.jalopnik.com/tesla-now-as-a-taxi-in-oslo-1268162530 / LiIon lithium ion battery charge recharge range driver passenger ride in Norway country incentive incentives purchase purchasing operating operate battery-electric electric electric vehicle BEV EV cars luxury sedan low running costs run operate operating Norwegian /

Just how do OSX & Windows computers differ? (video)

/ burning rivalry between Mac and PC rivalry history of technology creative commercials Windows PC OSX Macintosh grasp of the finer details Professor Tom Rodden computer systems physical hardware OS operating system applications windowing system user directly interacts user interface Macintosh computer historically Microsoft software company Surface tablets first hardware built by Microsoft Apple controls both the hardware and the software optimize and protect assumptions about the hardware dozens of manufacturers create hardware for Windows device drivers accessories programs incompatible inflated prices /

Google wants its watches everywhere before Apple is anywhere (video)

http://www.wired.com/2014/06/google-smartwatch-os/ / PC Apple Microsoft OS operating system smartphone smart phone Apple’s iPhone defined the category Google’s Android Google launched a new Android platform for watches every exquisite detail entry smartwatch market Android Wear commodifying concept before rival wrist computer iOS Google allowed handset makers to use it Windows became ubiquitous Mac OS OSX corner the market wrist-managed travel use cases absence of competition Google’s advantage tenets of capitalism competition pushes competitors to innovate Google I/O keynote dramatic innovations spur otherwise indifferent consumers embrace smartwatche smart watch 125 glance phones need for devices with better glancability checking text messages playing music or ordering a pizza wrist interface phone glance-able enough LG Samsung Android Wear watches went on sale yesterday look like phones strapped to your wrist Apple’s meticulous approach expensive Google’s iterative kludge cheap makes cheap an option /

Time for Android Wear — Google shows off Samsung, LG & Motorola smartwatches (video)

http://www.cnet.com/au/news/time-for-android-wear-google-shows-off-lg-samsung-motorola-watches/

http://www.androidauthority.com/lg-g-watch-samsung-gear-live-launch-play-store-today-moto-360-later-summer-397250/ / Google's Android Wear software OS operating system Samsung Gear Live LG G Watch Motorola Moto 360 Android Wear Google Google's software powering smartwatch smart watch new Internet connected devices smartphone tablet Google showed LG G Watch Samsung Gear Live Moto 360 smartwatches running its software $229 watch LG $199 Samsung device available for preorder Google Play Store Motorola's watch will launch later summer LG Samsung watches in consumers' hands July 7 demonstration demo voice commands notifications other actions devices LG Motorola keynote Google I/O developer conference San Francisco David Singleton director of engineering Android Wear devices available rectangular circular screens wide variety of fashionable designs LG Samsung round new phase miniaturization technology small computer that can fit comfortably on your body all day long Google companies wearables new market opportunity smartphone tablet growth slows /