Volvo and Siemens team up to build better electric engines

Finally electronics cars are making their way to consumers home. Recently the Fisker Karma has had a tremendous hit when they released their units to US consumers. Some asian cars has also manufactured a really nice units to be released in the US. It has been a tremendous year for electric cars, and I believe that it will be even better for the years to come.

Xcom Global opens LAX service center, the jetset get data without borders

We've sung Xcom Global's praises to the heavens before, and that's because it's made our always-on internet addiction an easy fix abroad. Well, prepare to add the international wireless convenience to your list of last minute carry-ons. Announced today, the company has opened its first satellite service center at Los Angeles' LAX airport, bringing unlimited roaming data to US-based travelers starting at $12.95/day.

HTC Sensation first video hands-on!

You saw the specs confirmed a little earlier today and you even got to glimpse HTC's new Sensation in the flesh. Now it's time to watch this 4.3-inch Android device strut its stuff on video. We've gotten our mitts on the Euro model and you can check out all the delicious visuals after the break.

Zoom H4n audio recorder goes mainstream, now available at Best Buy

Until now, Samson's Zoom H4n digital recorder has been a staple in niche music equipment stores like Sam Ash, Musician's Friend, and Sweetwater, but a no-show in more mainstream retailers. Now the two year-old handheld is on sale at Best Buy, making it much easier to walk into a brick-and-mortar store and handle the thing a bit before deciding to shell out $299.

The Collector concept turns unused microSD cards into a refillable thumb drive

Digging through our drawers here at Engadget there is one thing we're clearly not in desperate need of: USB flash drives. We also happen to have a plethora of microSD cards in 1GB an 2GB sizes, left over from the days when picking a smartphone meant Windows Mobile or BlackBerry.

Leaked BlackBerry PlayBook training manual appears online, Bill Belichick yells 'innocent!'

Twiddling your thumbs in anticipation now that you've placed your PlayBook preorder? Why not put yourself to good use by teaching that dusty cranium how to use it? At first glance, this guide for retail salespeople looks like it could have been thrown together by us, complete with a tour of the ports and a helpful reminder that you can use the touchscreen in both landscape and portrait mode.

Fujitsu to build 1Gbps fiber optic broadband network in the UK, but needs BT to play fair first

Good news for anyone feeling left behind by the broadband revolution just because of their post code: Fujitsu has just announced a joint venture to deliver fiber optic connectivity to neglected rural homes in the UK.

AT&T vs. Verizon: There's a lawyer for that

 
It was bound to happen. AT&T is suing Verizon Wireless over its "There's a Map for That" advertising campaign.
When I first saw the advertisements on TV, I thought for sure that AT&T or Apple would file a lawsuit claiming the advertisement was too similar to the iPhone's "There's an App for That" slogan.
I was right about one thing. AT&T is suing Verizon. But I was wrong about the reason behind the suit.

The PC World 100: Best Products of 2009

PC World looked at many outstanding hardware, software, sites, and services this year, evaluating each one on its design, functionality, performance, and impact. Here is the cream of the crop, the 100 best of 2009. (Note that we chose not to rate products specifically on their price or value, focusing instead on their overall quality.)

Electric Fish Equipped With 'dimmer' Switch

Fish that generates electric fields to navigate, fight and attract mates are equipped with a dimmer switch of sorts that can turn their signals to save energy, a new study finds.


Electric fish, such as some sharks and eels, emit weak electrical signals from a battery like organ in their tails. The fish studies, called Sternopygus macrurus, are active at night and must avoid predators, such as catfish, that can sense their electric feild.

Generating such impulses can be ergetically costly.

Now, researchers have located a dimmer switch in the membranes of cells called electrolytes within this electric organ. The switch takes a form of sodium channels that the fish can insert and remove from the electrolytes membranes. More sodium channels mean a stronger electric impulse.

The fish can turn their electric bursts up or down at a moment's notice. That's likely because a reservoir of sodium channels is stored in the electric cells. When serotonin is released in the fish brain, it initiates the release of adrenocorticotropic hormone from the pituitary gland, This triggers the mechanism that puts more sodium channels in the membrane.
"This is happening within a matter of two or three minutes," said study researcher Michael Markham of the University of Texas at Austin. " The mahinery is there to make this dramatic remodeling of the cell, and it does so within minutes from the time that some sort of stimulus is introduced in the environment."

When the fish are inactive, they remove the sodium channels from the cell membranes to reduce the intensity of the electric impulse.

"By adding new ion channels to the electrolyte membrane only during periods of activity or social encounters and removing these channels during inactive periods, these animals can save energy and reduce predation risks associated with communication," the researchers write in Sept. 29 issue of the journal PloS Biology.

Source: Sun Star Post Friday, October 2, 2009