Sony has a new flat-panel TV that consumes less energy with out compromising image quality. The Bravia KDL-32JE1 will go on sale on July 30th in Japan, overseas markets are undecided. The TV goes for Y150,000 ($1,400). The TV uses just 82 watts of energy compared to a comparable model that is $90 less which uses 125 watts.

Sony said energy savings were achieved by using a brighter back light and better filtering. The box uses an LCD display and HD broadcast features. Old boob tube types use 70% more energy. Each new Sony TV will reduce CO2 emissions by 79kg (175lbs)/year…or about what six cedar trees consume. (The things people can figure out.)

The green TV will save about Y4,300/year, meaning buyers can get their money back for buying a higher priced box in about 2.4 years. Sony says, “We think ecology is going to become an important standard that consumers use in choosing products.” We think so, too.

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Who’s a thunk? A waterless washing machine. Well, almost waterless. The machine uses just one cup of water per cycle. A Leeds University research team headed by Prof Burkinshaw has developed the Xeros washing machine that uses thousands of reusable plastic chips to remove and absorb dirt.

The little plastics buggers clean clothes by pounding the dirt out of them.

Some 20kg (45lbs) of chips are added to the machine along with one cup of water and detergent. The chips can be used for up to 100 cycles, or about 6 months of washing.

How much water will that save? I dunno, but what I want to know is where does the dirt go? And, can it get the lipstick off my collar without my wife knowing about it?

And, what do you do with those 20kg of plastic chips after six months? Will they disappear in 3 months just like the plastic bags?

Lots of questions, I know. Call me a skeptic, but also an optimist. I hope it works cuz dang it, I have some clothes that need cleaning.

My wife needs one of these things from Strapya and Tokyo Coil Engineering. The companies have come up with a plan to prevent missing phone calls. A solar-charged cell phone strap.

The strap weighs just 40g (1 oz) and is just 12.5cm (5 in) long. Yet it can store up to 40 minutes of call time once fully charged.

Just one problem … it takes 6-10 hours to charge in perfect weather conditions.

The solution…let the strap hang out of your pocket or bag and walk around outside all day. Or, you can just plug the dang thing in every night to keep it charged.

Price - Y1,995 ($20)

source

My neighbor, Steve Jobs (how’s that for name dropping), will likely unveil the 3G iPhone today. He called and asked me what I thought about the idea. The message is on my phone. (right!)

FWIW, I do live about 3 miles from Apple HQ. Jobs lives in the mountains and I live in the low-rent district of Silicon Valley.

This new 3G iPhone:

1. higher speed

2. links to corporate e-mail systems

3. threatens the Blackberry

4. miles (kilometers) behind anything the Japanese already offer

5. hopes to be bought up by some 10 million users this year.

What I want to know is what’s going to become of the pile of 2G iPhones that users can be expected to discard?

Can’t use them for land fill. Can’t build a house over them. Can’t even boil them till they are soft enough to eat.

So, what does become of all those cell phones that are no longer needed? Huh?

source

After reading about the most bike-friendly cities in the world, I came upon a bicycle by Optibike. First impressions was that it looks nice and sportier but then I found out that this is the OB1, the hybrid electric bicycle and my mind change.

Going to work on a bike has never been easier, but I have to agree it’s just as expensive as a medium car: $13,000. If the cash are not the problem and you would rather pedal than driving here is what you get with the 2008 Optibike OB1:

• carbon fiber handlebars
• lightweight aluminum monocoque frame - guaranteed for life
• brakes, chainring and cable ferrules
• GPS satellite navigation
• Wireless PDA interface that provides info: motor temperature, battery charge or the remaining range
• 9 speed grip shift and two power modes - Fast and Economy
• 20ah Li-Ion - three years or 30,000 miles warranty
• UltraBright Twin 10w Halogen lights
• quick charger and TAG Wheels made from a DuPont resin
• a customized paint job.

Though these are great features the big deal about this hybrid electric bicycle is “the patented Motorized Bottom Bracket (MBB) which drives through the derauiller gear system to optimize acceleration and range at all pedaling speeds - is now oil cooled and delivers 850 continuous watts of power”. This is how the Optibike OB1 runs speeds of 30+ mph for decent ranges.

Only 24 units will be built in 2008 so if you want yours and you care about the environment, check Optibike.

via Gizmag

There is a plastic bags invasion that I am sure you’re aware of. It happens where you live, where I live so it’s a widely spread disease that we doesn’t seem to be able to fight with. Other than the radical solutions I’ve heard so far that forbids supermarkets from offering their customers plastic bags, nothing was as funny as creating a chair out of them.

Designed by Kitsch-U-Like the recycled carrier bag chair needs about 2,000 plastic bags stuffed inside that you will have to manually fill. It sells for £75.00 (about $151) and if you will build your own the self reward of putting so many plastic bags off the streets would be priceless.

You will see that this rubbish piece of furniture is actually a very comfortable chair that all your friends will want to stay on. Let us know if you happen to own one.

via Gizmodo

The days when you had to go out and cut the lawn yourself are history, because these days we have automowers to do it for us. Husqvarna decided to please us and announced that they will be launching the world’s first electricity solar powered hybrid automower, which is extremely quiet and outputs zero emissions.

Using all sorts of sensors it’s smart to avoid garden furniture and will cut in a certain area if you setup the perimeter with a metal wire. The specs say that it can cut up to 2,300 square meters and can be programmed when to start (even the day of the week). With full batteries it will munch grass for about 40 minutes but with the help of the solar panels, on a sunny day this could increase by up to 50%, to a full hour.

Though it’s great for the eco-freaks we are the price is in the rich range, £2,000 (about $3,970). - via - Pocket-Lint

Press release