Category: News

Fans of electric vehicles can breathe a sigh of relief, as General Electric and Nissan have entered into an agreement that promises to make EV charging stations practical and accessible. The all-electric Nissan Leaf, set to debut in Japan, the United States, and Europe, possess a battery that gives it a 100-mile range on a fully-charged battery.

The joint-project will focus on ‘smart’ charging stations, that aim to ease strain on electric-power grids. Manufacturers and utility companies hope to see EV’s with a power storage source. Right now, utility companies around the country are working with homeowners to install 220-volt charging stations that charge cars much more quickly than traditional 110-volt household outlets.

More is needed however; “Together with Nissan, we will take a comprehensive look at what technologies will be needed in the car, on the grid, and at home or work to make smart charging a reality,” said Mark Little, director of GE Global Research.

Click here to read news on the Nissan Leaf.

2011 Nissan Leaf:

– By: Stephen Calogera

Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required)

The Alex E-Reader has just been rooted!  That’s right, all the goodies that go along with rooting your Android device are now available for your Alex E-Reader as well.  If you are interested in doing this all you need to do is download the .ZIP file, copy it to the root folder of your Alex’s SD card and that’s it. Then, power down your device, press and hold both “Back” and “Next” page buttons, and the power button as well until the Alex logo appears.  After that, presto! Welcome to recovery mode!  Hit both “Back” and “Power” buttons to apply the ZIP file. Let us know how you folks make out if you try it.  With more Android readers on the way, we should see  more of this in the coming months. Can’t wait! Happy hacking everyone.

Source: Ubergizmo

Might We Suggest…

• Velocity Micro’s Cruz Tablet: Under $300 with Full Flash Support
  

  With the market for Android-based tablets slowly picking up steam, Velocity Micro, a high-performance custom computer producer out of Richmond, VA, is entering the fray.

  The Cruz tablet is bill…

Yep, it has been scientifically proven: the accuracy of people in describing charts with ‘chart junk’ is no worse than for plain charts, and the recall after a 2-3 week gap was actually significantly better. In addition, people overwhelmingly preferred ‘chart junk’ diagrams for reading and remembering over plain charts. In all, the researchers conclude that if memorability is important, elaborate visual imagery has the potential to help fix a chart in a viewer’s memory.

I am sure Tufte is not going to like this…

The findings have been described in the paper “Useful Junk? The Effects of Visual Embellishment on Comprehension and Memorability of Charts” [hci.usask.ca]. About 60 participants were asked to look to 14 different information graphs created by Nigel Holmes (see also his book Designer’s Guide to Creating Charts and Diagrams) and their equivalent, custom-made ‘plain’ versions. The ‘chart junk’ charts were all designed to attract the eye, engage the reader, and sometimes provide a particular value message over and above the presentation of the data itself. In fact, the researchers deliberately chose the most extreme type of visual embellishment that they could: namely, the full cartoon imagery used by Holmes.

The participants then answered questions about each chart’s topic and details, such as ‘What is the chart is about?‘, ‘What are the displayed categories and values?‘, ‘What is the basic trend of the graph?‘ and ‘Is the author trying to communicate some message through the chart?‘. Half of the participants then answered the same questions again, after about 5 minutes of playing a game, and half after around 12 days. The experimenters then recorded any correctly recalled charts (e.g. ‘I remember one about the price of diamonds‘).

“The illusion of objectivity (as used in minimalist charts) and the use of evocative imagery (as used in Holmes charts) are perhaps just different approaches that work at different ends of the rhetorical spectrum. Designers and readers should remember that a Holmes chart is not necessarily more biased than its plain counterpart – but it may be more effective at conveying the value message that is part of the overall argument.“

Via Eager Eyes.

For anyone who thought that mammoth megacorporations behaved anything like adults, they should just check out the Twitter account for Verizon, who saw fit tonight to have a little fun at the expense of Worst Company In America winner Comcast.

Verizon, who managed to bow out of the tournament gracefully by losing to AT&T in the first round, took to its official Twitter page to write:

“One of the few times you’ll hear us congratulate Comcast. Consumerist readers have spoken…” followed by a link to the announcement of Comcast’s victory.

While we always appreciate a little good-natured ribbing, Verizon should consider themselves warned that, of all the companies in the country, they did make our bottom 32.

Continue to rub consumers the wrong way and it could be Comcast Frank who’s Tweeting about your inglorious victory next year.

Verizon Twitter account

Green jobs for robots are becoming an important factor in pushing sustainable new technologies into commercialization, and a couple of recent developments underscore the key role our mechano-minded friends are playing.  First, emerging solar giant Dow Corning Corp. has just announced an alliance with robot master Reis Robotics to promote a silicone-based encapsulating technology for solar cells that is expected to lower the cost of solar energy through a more efficient production process.

Second, just last month the National Renewable Energy Laboratory featured robots that operate a solar energy test site, where companies can use the latest technology to asses, develop and refine their solar cells.  The public-private aspect of the endeavor mirrors the new federally-funded kinetic hydropower test facility embedded in Tulane University, which aims to create new green jobs by providing a platform for private companies to develop sustainable technologies.

(more…)

Electric transport is on the way, of that there is little doubt. While some of the big players in the automotive pond tentatively test the waters, smaller fish are looking to step in and clean up. One such company in the U.S. has announced plans to kick start the mass adoption of electric vehicles and get its sedan electric car into the eagerly waiting hands of Californian drivers by the end of this year. The CODA car benefits from a purpose-built automotive battery system, a range of between 90 and 120 miles between charges and a top speed of 80mph…
Continue Reading CODA electric sedan heading for California

Tags: Electric vehicle,
Lithium-ion

Related Articles:

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• MILES ZX40ST all-electric work truck
• Chrysler displays EV vision – first electric vehicles due 2010
• US$8000 electric motorcycle hits the streets in California
• Daimler buys 10 percent stake in Tesla

The clash over Gov. M. Jodi Rell’s nomination of nine Superior Court judges was still not resolved Monday night – throwing Tuesday’s meeting of the judiciary committee into jeopardy.

As of 8:30 p.m. Monday, the issue was up in the air, said Rep. Michael P. Lawlor, the committee’s longtime co-chairman.

“If they work it out, we’ll have a meeting” Tuesday, Lawlor told Capitol Watch in a telephone interview. “If they don’t work it out, then we probably won’t have a meeting. … They’re either going to have a deal or not. If there’s no filibustering, we can have an orderly meeting.”

The clash Monday led to the abrupt cancelation of the House session – thus pushing bills back on the calendar as the legislature races toward its state-mandated adjournment of midnight May 5 for the regular session. Both the House and Senate are scheduled to be in session Tuesday.

Besides budget problems, lawmakers raised the issue of a lack of racial diversity among Rell’s nominees – who are all white.

“The Black and Puerto Rican Caucus feels if you’re nominating 10 judges, at least one minority should be in the mix,” Lawlor said.

After two years as a bridesmaid in Consumerist’s Worst Company In America tournament, it was finally the cable company’s time to walk down the aisle when it was handed the WCIA crown this morning. And now that Comcast has tasted victory, it’s not asking for seconds.

In a statement released after hearing this morning’s news, a rep from Comcast says the company is taking it seriously:

We’re working everyday to improve our customers’ experiences with us, including offering a Customer Guarantee that’s backed by significant operational changes. We’ve taken steps over the past two years to improve our product reliability and service, and if a problem does occur, we work to quickly to resolve it, find the root cause and make changes so it won’t happen again.

Do you believe Comcast has the ability to turn things around and escape the WCIA finals next year? Or are the problems too ingrained to be repaired in such a short time?

And what of the NBC Universal acquisition? Comcast has said nothing here to quell reservations and concerns about the consolidation of a major broadcast and cable network with the country’s largest cable provider.

We genuinely hope that Comcast isn’t merely paying lip service to the negative PR of being crowned Worst Company In America. Because, as you may have noticed, our readers don’t care about rep statements or good intentions; they just want you to provide a quality service for a reasonable price.

Comcast ‘wins’ Consumerist worst-company tournament [Washington Post]

Filed under: Hatchback, Ford, UK

Having driven the 2011 Ford Fiesta on more than one occasion, if there’s anything it doesn’t lack, it’s flash. However, Ford’s UK arm saw fit to imbue the standard three-door model (which we won’t get a crack at in the States) with a new body kit, 17-inch matching white wheels and contrasting stripes. Combined with a leather-wrapped steering wheel, new handbrake cover, gear knob and “Motorsport-branded” floor mats, it all adds up to create the Fiesta S1600. What? You were expecting the ST already?

Although the 1.6-liter four-pot remains the same, as we noted in today’s First Drive, the Fiesta could use a bit more oomph in the horsepower department, and to that end, UK consumers can order their S1600 with the Ford-approved Mountune engine upgrade which boosts output another 20 hp, dropping the Fiesta’s 0-60 mph time by two seconds.

Ford’s limiting the S1600 to 650 examples, available now from dealers for £16,645. Or, you can just wait for the ST to really exploit the Fiesta’s exceptionally competent chassis and suspension. Make the jump for the details.

Continue reading Ford UK gets new tarted-up Fiesta S1600

Ford UK gets new tarted-up Fiesta S1600 originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 26 Apr 2010 19:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Posted by Rick Pearson at 7:19 p.m.

The Illinois Republican Party is stepping up its general election fundraising by featuring former Alaska governor Sarah Palin at a Chicago-area fundraiser May 12.

Palin, the 2008 running mate to GOP presidential contender Sen. John McCain of Arizona, remains both controversial and a draw.

She is scheduled to be at the Westin O’Hare in Rosemont for 2 hours that day and state Republicans are trying to make the most of it.



For $25,000 donated or raised, a donor gets to be part of a private round table during the first half hour, including a photo. A $10,000 donation or fundraising bundle nets a photo and participation in the next half hour’s VIP reception.



A general reception will follow at $500 per person or $750 per couple, but no photo.



State Republicans just had a successful fundraiser last week featuring National Republican Chairman Michael Steele.



No word yet on whether the GOP’s U.S. Senate candidate, five-term North Shore Rep. Mark Kirk, will attend the Palin event. During the primary, Kirk sought some encouraging words from Palin during a previous Chicago visit, an attempt to blunt concerns that he was too moderate to woo conservative Republican primary voters. Palin did not respond.

First Drive: 2011 Ford Fiesta aims to be the new subcompact king [w/video]

The Ford Fiesta is finally coming to the States, and we get our first crack at the U.S.-spec model through the streets of San Francisco.

Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid competes first shakedown at the ‘Ring [w/video]

Porsche continues to tow the company line that a hybrid 911 isn’t in the cards, but after seeing the GT3 R Hybrid tackling the track, we suspect that a gas-electric sports car from Porsche is right around the corner.

Alfa Romeo TZ3 Corsa live in the flesh

The Alfa Romeo TZ3 made its debut at the Villa D’Esta Concours this weekend, and the tube-framed TZ3 is another rolling masterwork of Italian design.

Also of interest:

• 900 people reportedly on the books for Porsche 918 Spyder
• Videos: Hyundai shows off direct-injected V6, four-cylinder, eight-speed automatic
• New poll reveals Americans think U.S. builds better cars than Asia
• Spy Shot: Gordon Murray’s T25 city car caught
• Hertz reportedly buying Dollar Thrifty car rental rival for $1.17B

Browse our archive of Daily U-Turn posts or subscribe to the RSS feed

Daily U-Turn: What you missed on 4.26.10 originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 26 Apr 2010 19:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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I think we have a pattern. After T-Mobile and Motorola suffered some bad PR from previous software updates, it looks like the company has adopted a new policy for rolling out OTA updates. Starting today, T-Mobile began testing a new software update for the CLIQ XT with a limited number of users in order to monitor feedback before a broad release.

Several carriers like Sprint often do internal testing for new software updates, but T-Mobile is the first to offer a public beta for their latest firmwares. T-Mobile is allowing 1000 users who frequent their forums the chance to download a new CLIQ XT update so they can carefully watch the feedback that comes in.

The latest CLIQ XT software is up to version 1.31.44 and the firmware remains at Android 1.5. A future upgrade to Android 2.1 is planned for Q2 2010.

Related Posts

• T-Mobile rolls out new software update to Motorola CLIQ users
• Hands on T-Mobile Motorola CLIQ XT (Quench)
• T-Mobile Motorola CLIQ loses keyboard, gains XT, launches 3/10
• CLIQ updated but still outdated
• Verizon Devour OTA update now available

2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee at the Nurburgring

The 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee was recently spotted getting its final tuning at the Nurburgring Nordschleife. The final production model will be revealed later this year.

Click here for more news on the Jeep Grand Cherokee.

Refresher: The 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee will be offered with two new powertrains including Chrysler’s new flexible fuel 280-hp Phoenix 3.6L V6 which increases fuel-economy by up to 11 percent. The range will be topped off with a 5.7L HEMI V8 making 360-hp and a maximum torque of 390 lb-ft.

2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee at the Nurburgring:

2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee:

– By: Omar Rana

Source: PistonSpy (via AutoBlog)

Posted by Monique Garcia at 6:59 p.m.

Gov. Pat Quinn declared again today he will fight for an income tax increase before lawmakers leave Springfield in coming weeks, despite criticism from a budget watchdog group and lack of support from fellow Democrats.

Quinn responded to a report from the Civic Federation that criticized his budget proposal for failing to make tough cuts before seeking a tax hike. He disagreed with their conclusion and said the tax increase is crucial to maintaining state funding for public schools.

"We’ve got to have good schools, good education, and this governor is going to fight until the last dog dies for schools and for education and for children," Quinn said.



But when asked how he will persuade reluctant legislative leaders to call a vote on his tax proposal before adjourning in a matter of weeks, Quinn offered only generalities about his relationship with House Speaker Michael Madigan and Senate President John Cullerton. Like Quinn, they are Chicago Democrats.



"I talk to them all the time, we have a good relationship, we’ll be talking tomorrow," Quinn said. "My expectation is as we go through this remainder (of) April and into May, that we will get proper resources for education (come) hell or high water."

It's a bad week to be an anti-soda activist. In New York, a Big Apple physician penned an editorial against the Governor’s proposed soft drink tax, writing that there’s no authoritative science to back up its promised health benefits (something we’ve been saying for a good long while).  Elsewhere in the Empire State, a soda “buyback” in the Bronx patterned after a similar firearm-reduction initiative netted just one bottle of soda—and it was a zero-calorie drink, which wouldn’t fall under the scope of the tax, anyway. Likely, most people who aren't anti-soda crusaders understand that the implicit comparison of sugary drinks to guns doesn’t hold any water.

Farther south, city councilmen in Philadelphia have soured on the mayor’s proposed 2-cents-per-ounce drink tax. “It's fair to say it's dead,” says Councilman Frank Rizzo, a sentiment that five other sources also confirmed for the Philadelphia Inquirer.

All of this left “Twinkie tax” inventor and soda tax shill Kelly Brownell to beg Philly politicians to impose some kind of tax. “There is room to compromise and still get considerable health benefits,” he pleaded.

It seems to us that these two local governments have caught onto the fact that soft drink taxes aren’t about health—they’re about filling bureaucrats’ coffers while “public health” activists like Brownell use Americans as experimental guinea pigs. Their prospects for succeeding? Pretty flat.

Filed under: China, Buick, Beijing Motor Show

Over the course of the 20th century, the so-called “developed world” changed faster than at any time in recorded history, but not all parts of the world changed at the same pace. Late in the century some regions attempted to catch up, most notably China and India. In the process of doing so, they didn’t follow in the footsteps of their predecessors and cultural differences have meant that some things have been a bit different – including automotive retailing.

During our visit to China for the Beijing Motor Show, Buick offered to take us on a visit to a local dealership to see how things are done a bit differently. At first glance, the Buick dealer we visited on the northwest outer reaches of Beijing didn’t appear radically different from what you might encounter in the United States. A somewhat small showroom (at least compared to some of the larger American stores we’ve seen) contained eight cars, including each of the market’s currently available models. Read on to see how things diverged.

Continue reading Beijing 2010: 90% of Buicks in China bought for cold hard cash

Beijing 2010: 90% of Buicks in China bought for cold hard cash originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 26 Apr 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Looking for hard disk? Oh, buddy boy, have I got a deal for you. You want MBs? I’ve got 10 fat ones right here. Five, if you’re not a heavy user. And you’ll never believe the price… [RustyLime via Reddit] More »

// CAMPBELL ROBERTSON and NEW ORLEANS — Coast Guard officials said Monday afternoon that the oil spill near Louisiana was now covering an area in the Gulf of Mexico of 48 miles by 39 miles at its widest points, and they have been unable to engage a mechanism that could shut off the well thousands of feet below the ocean’s surface.
More at the New York Times…

The Black Rock Rangers are Burning Man’s non-confrontational mediating agency, made up of trained volunteers who help to resolve disputes within our community, and bridge the gap between the ethos and the culture of our citizens and the needs and responsibilities of law enforcement. It didn’t start how you might think …
1990 was the first […]