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Displays

Submission + - Chameleon Liquid Could Replace LCDs (newscientisttech.com)

Submitted by
InvisblePinkUnicorn
InvisblePinkUnicorn writes: "NewScientist reports on a color-changing liquid that could cheaply replace the color components of standard LCDs. According to researchers at UC Riverside, the liquid 'contains tiny iron oxide particles coated with plastic. It is cheap and easy to make, and could also be used in flexible, rewritable, electronic paper.' From the article: 'The opposing forces of electrostatic repulsion [in the plastic] and magnetic attraction [in the iron oxide] result in the particles arranging themselves into an ordered structure, known as a colloidal "photonic crystal". The colloidal crystal reflects light because the spacing between neighboring particles in the structure is equivalent to the wavelength of light. Also, tuning the spacing slightly alters the exact wavelength, or colour, of light that is reflected. This can easily be done by varying the strength of the magnetic field applied to the crystal.'"
Power

Submission + - Six-Stroke Gasoline/Steam Hybrid Engine (autoweek.com)

Submitted by Anonymous Coward
An anonymous reader writes: Bruce Crower has made a fascinating modification to traditional internal combustion engines: a fifth and sixth stroke. His six-stroke engine injects water into the hot cylinder to achieve a second power stroke with the expanding steam. The engine "burns" equal amounts of gasoline and water, thereby reducing fuel consumption by a whopping 40%. Could this technology the future of petroleum powered vehicles? More information is available on Wikipedia.
Microsoft

Submission + - AA dumps Open Office in favour of MS Office

Submitted by (Score.5, Interestin
(Score.5, Interestin writes: The NZ Automobile Association has just announced that it's dropping Open Office and switching back to MS Office. According to their CIO, "Microsoft Office is not any cheaper, but it was almost impossible to work out what open-source was actually costing because of issues such as incompatibility and training". In addition "you have no idea where open-source products are going, whereas vendors like Microsoft provide a roadmap for the future".
United States

Submission + - U.S. has lost ability to build its own roads

Submitted by
michaelmalak
michaelmalak writes: "The land famous for its love of the automobile and construction of Interstates and other highways, with high-elevation tunnels, viaducts snaking through canyons, and water crossings of up to 20 miles is now outsourcing design and construction of its roads to Asia — not because it's cheaper, but because the U.S. has lost the expertise. According to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer regarding the newly opened span across the Tacoma Narrows, "the American steel industry had imploded, while steel-making — and the expertise needed to build suspension bridges — had moved to Asia" and "the detailed engineering and fieldwork and all the spinning and cable-wrapping equipment ... were provided by ... Japanese construction giants""
Technology (Apple)

Submission + - How Apple Can Win The PC Battle (readwriteweb.com)

Submitted by
ReadWriteWeb
ReadWriteWeb writes: "Despite dropping the word computer from its name, Apple still desperately wants to win the PC market. And recent statistics show they are making progress. Just a year ago Apple's share was close to 2%. Now Apple's Desktops have crossed 10% and the MacBooks now closing on 15% of the laptop market. This puts MacBooks in 4th place behind HP, Toshiba and Gateway. The figures are likely to increase in the 3rd quarter, which is traditionally strong for Apple, because of the back-to-school sales.

Despite the fact that Macs are on the rise and iPods rule already, one can't help but wonder: why are people still using PCs if Macs are so great? One reason is of course cost — Apple computers are usually more expensive than PCs. But another reason is Inertia. When it comes to switch, the cost is not just measured in dollars — it is measured in time and brain power. In addition to cost and learning barriers, there are big corporate barriers as well."
Movies

Submission + - MPAA are pirates too

Submitted by pdtp
pdtp writes: Just ran across this on Break.com where Director Kirby Dick has submitted his film to be rated by CARA only to find out that there have been illegal copies of the film made by the MPAA, and distributed.
Windows

Submission + - Mac Attack! Enterprise PC shop switches to Apple (computerworld.com)

Submitted by
jcatcw
jcatcw writes: "The largest full-service auto processing company in North America, Auto Warehousing Co, is switching from Microsoft to Apple. Over the next 60 days, AWC will begin systematically pulling the plug on all Windows-based PCs. They'll power up Macs for virtually all revenue-generating operations. The move comes on the heels of a quiet replacement of Windows-based servers for data storage and Web operations, which are now running on Apple Inc.'s Xserve RAID machines. The CIO, Dale Frantz, says "This stuff just works." Some might claim that this move is vengence for a spat with MS over licensing some years ago, but Computerworld's Don Tennant calls Frantz a hero and defends the decision as purely business based. Frantz is in good company. Michael Gartenberg has been there and has the Lessons Learned."
Power

Submission + - Eco-friendly NJ Town Bans Windmill Using NIMBY

Submitted by harm5way
harm5way writes: The New York Times has a cover story where Michael Mercurio, a 61 year-old energy conscious self starter, is currently banned from operating a 35 ft windmill in his own backyard which he already received permission to build by his hometown of Beach Haven Terrace, NJ. Mercurio relies mostly on 25% wind power and 75% solar energy generated by his windmill and solar panels on his house. On principle, he is spending his retirement not only to pay for his legal costs to defend his property rights, but also to change public attitudes of "Not In My Back Yard."
Software

Submission + - UK citizens: Sign this free software petition (pm.gov.uk)

Submitted by
jackflap
jackflap writes: "An important part of the BadVista.org campaign is making sure our respective governments know that we think it's their obligation to use free software. UK citizens can sign this petition in support of requiring that all publicly funded software projects publish source code under a free license. There are currently 801 signatures. Let's see how many more we can get beforethe July 22 deadline.

Is there one out there for your country? Can you start one? (Source: badvista)"
Robotics

Submission + - Chemists Demonstrate Stable Molecular Switch (eurekalert.org)

Submitted by
brian0918
brian0918 writes: "Researchers are one step closer to developing mass-producible molecular switches for nanotechnology thanks to the work of Japanese and UIC chemists. From the AAAS: 'The international team successfully formed a single chemical bond on a single molecule, then broke that bond to restore the original molecule — without disturbing any bonds to adjacent atoms within the molecule. In essence, they created a molecular-sized electronic switch.' While others have done work at the single-molecule level, nobody has demonstrated this level of control and stability. The abstract from Science is also available."
Education

Submission + - 12 IT skills that employers can't say no to (computerworld.com)

Submitted by
Lucas123
Lucas123 writes: "There are more IT positions open right now than recruiters can fill, according to a Computerworld story that lists the most desirable IT skills. 'The market for IT talent is hot, but only if you have the right skills. Take a look at what eight experts — including recruiters, curriculum developers, computer science professors and other industry observers — say are the hottest skills of the near future.'"
Power

Submission + - New ultracapacitors may mean the death of batterys (technologyreview.com) 1

Submitted by
certain death
certain death writes: "According to Technology Review a Texas based company has developed a new Ultra Capacitor that could possibly make Lead Acid and Lithium Ion batteries a thing of the past.

A secretive Texas startup developing what some are calling a "game changing" energy-storage technology broke its silence this week. It announced that it has reached two production milestones and is on track to ship systems this year for use in electric vehicles. The full story can be read on the technology review website located here. http://www.technologyreview.com/Biztech/18086/

This would be extremely great if it turns out to be true, what is your take on it?"

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