How much fun is a Tesla electric car?

This much:

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Pebble smartwatch teardown – iFixit

Credit: iFixit

The bad news: Not possible to repair (or even replace the battery) because large amounts of adhesive mean that the watch can't be disassembled without destroying the display.

The good news: Good battery life & resulting long intervals between battery charges will yield a battery life around 10 years.

More good news: Bluetooth Low Energy is supported by the hardware & will be enabled by an upcoming firmware update.

http://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/Pebble+Teardown/13319/1 / LiIon battery lithium ion charge recharge component cycle durability replace change well made waterproof atmospheres glue disassemble Kickstarter project E-Paper /

GM: Next generation Volt will be $10,000 cheaper to build

And GM will begin making a profit on them.

200 mile pure EV from GM, "in a few years", too.

http://www.plugincars.com/next-generation-volt-will-be-10k-cheaper-127121.html  / EV electric vehicle LiIon lithium ion battery charge recharge range level 1 2 3 charger /

Solar breakthrough could see panel prices fall, efficiency rise

Credit: WikiPedia

To date, a problem with producing electricity with photovoltaic solar cells has been efficiency, typically peaking at 19%.  Conventionally, such efficiency is only achieved using the highest quality (& most expensive) silicon.  Now, engineers at the University of New South Wales have found a method to increase efficiency to between 21 & 23% using lower quality silicon, promising higher efficiency at lower cost.

http://www.businessspectator.com.au/news/2013/5/7/solar-energy/australian-solar-breakthrough-could-see-panel-prices-fall-efficiency-rise?utm_source=exact&utm_medium=email&utm_content=283596&utm_campaign=cs_daily&modapt / PV photo voltaic photovoltaic solar cell silicon hydrogen quality efficiency price cost of production /

Geothermal power plant goes live in Australia

Credit: USA Geothermal Technologies Office

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/05/02/geodynamics_habanero_goes_live/ / thermal energy electric electricity renewable sustainable green geology heat exchanger injection working fluid best turbine load AC DC high voltage transmission steam power plant dry flash production well ground water geology rock layers heat exchanger binary cycle power plant generator alternator /

Nissan slashes Leaf price to sell electric car in Australia

http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1083932_nissan-slashes-leaf-price-to-sell-electric-car-in-australia / EV electric vehicle car LiIon lithium ion battery iron range regen regenerative braking /

World's first 3D-printed gun makes its debut

Pistol assembled from separately printed components.  Only the "firing pin" (actually the nail near the handgrip), & the ammunition, is made of metal.
Credit: BBC

http://news.cnet.com/8301-11386_3-57582725-76/worlds-first-3d-printed-gun-makes-its-debut/ / Defense Distributed Texas-based nonprofit status Forbes images 3D printed 3D-printed handgun fire firing standard handgun rounds plastic nail firing pin six ounce six-ounce piece of steel allow  detected metal detectors Cody Wilson Defense Distributed plan plans Liberator Forbes gun barrel barrels calibre calibers ammunition publish CAD files mechanics Web share public gun violence 3D printing Stratasy 3D printers printer device gun development U.S. Undetectable Firearms Act detected law enforcement tools handgun /