Couldn't. Agree. More. There's a reason I've ditched my iphone and will be soon to ditch my ipad.... not that they're not totally cool devices, just that Apple are acting like such douches. I remember how much I used to hate on Microsoft for not being open, not allowing everyone to play and now here we are, Apple are doing the EXACT same thing. Thank fuck Android is open source, this bullshit ends here.

Past about 6in and the resolution/consistency of image is shocking.... Notice how he has to keep dragging the image down to be close to the air outlet? Doesn't really look ready for prime time. (and come to think about it I can't imagine how they will solve keeping the air flows regular over large distances....)

Using generic webcam type parts and open source software? Perhaps we should build an open system that anyone can log plate captures to....to be honest some of the douche bags that drive up my street way too fast could do with being shopped, replete with photo and license plate details....

Hydrogen peroxide powered rocket packs fly for around 30 seconds, because they have a specific impulse of around 125, meaning that one pound of propellant can make 125 pound-seconds of thrust, meaning that it takes about two pounds of propellant for every second you are in the air. Mass ratios are low for anything strapped to a human, so the exponential nature of the rocket equation can be safely ignored.

A pretty hot (both literally and figuratively) bipropellant rocket could manage about twice the specific impulse, and you could carry somewhat heavier tanks, but two minutes of flight on a rocket pack is probably about the upper limit with conventional propellants.

However, an actual jet pack that used atmospheric oxygen could have an Isp ten times higher, allowing theoretical flights of fifteen minutes or so. Here, it really is a matter of technical development, since jet engines have thrust to weight ratios too low to make it practical. There is movement on this technical front, but it will still take a while.

John Carmack

When you say energy losses due to transportation, are you just talking about transmission over wires?

How about conversion to something like hydrogen?

There are lots of desert areas that I'm sure could be used for energy generation, at least it would be better than polluting our way to global death....