A preview build of Windows 8 has gone out to select Microsoft partners, with bits of the “Twin UI” and other updates. Those builds are under seemingly heavy lock and key, but at least one thing has fallen onto the net: the default wallpaper. What should Microsoft try to accomplish in the (seemingly very 7-like) Windows 8? [ZDNet, Download Squad] More
Mi-ray is Korean for ‘future.’ Does that mean the Mi-ray concept is going into production? Probably not, but clearly shows Chevy still has it in them to design cutting edge concepts that push forward the perception of people movers. The just-unveiled Mi-ray mid-electric concept was designed the GM Advanced Design Studio in Seoul, which is only fitting as the concept debuted at the 2011 Seoul Motor Show.
Duel front-mounted 15-kW electric motors are powered by a 1.6-kWh lithium-ion battery pack while a 1.5-liter four-cylinder turbocharged engine is called upon during spirited bouts around town. A back projection systems is used for the instrument panel with a large touchscreen flowing down the center of the vehicle for additional controls. Of course there are more LEDs and carbon-fiber than what the real world requires, but this is after all just a concept. But maybe not for long. Uwe Grebe, executive director for GM Powertrain Advanced Engineering, states, “Many of the components in the Mi-ray’s propulsion system are a logical extension of GM’s current technology portfolio.” [GM]
Read the original:
The Chevy Mi-ray Concept Is A Hybrid Roadster Done Right
Chances are the Secret Service won’t be ditching its signature black SUVs for these things anytime soon, but if all goes according to President Obama’s new energy plan, even the Commander in Chief’s armed guards will be rolling more eco-friendly in the next three years. In a speech given at Georgetown University Wednesday, the President said he expects all government agencies “to purchase 100 percent alternative fuel, hybrid, or electric vehicles by 2015.” Now, that doesn’t mean they’ll have to get rid of pre-existing gas guzzlers, but any new purchases made after the cutoff date will be expected to comply — the government’s current fleet consists of 660,000 vehicles, 400,000 of which run on gasoline. Among other things, the President also called for increased infrastructure for the production of biofuels made from things like wood chips and switchgrass. So no, Cadillac One probably won’t be replaced by a rechargeable egg car, but if Uncle Sam’s taking suggestions, we’d be happy to make a recommendation — Wheego Whip LiFe One does have a nice ring to it. Doesn’t it?
Obama says federal fleet to run on alternative fuels starting in 2015 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 31 Mar 2011 11:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Parkopedia is aptly named—its database contains locations, and often pricing and other details, on 15 million parking spaces in 20 countries. So if you need to make a list of three go-to parking spots for a trip, it's a great place to start. More
Shortly after Apple releases new products into the market, they find their way onto eBay — at a premium, of course. According to data released by eBay, the iPad 2 has been one of eBay’s most popular items over the last few weeks; eBay sold 12,000 iPads in the first two weeks (65% to US customers and 35% to international customers).
eBay says the largest population of iPad buyers abroad were in Canada and Russia, while China and Japan followed close behind. The two most popular iPads sold were the base 16GB WiFi-only model (for almost $200 higher than retail) and the fully-loaded 64GB 3G model ($406 higher than retail).
It all makes sense now. No wonder people form lines to get these things. Profits!
[via Yahoo News]
Original post:
eBay Releases Sales Data For The iPad 2
There was a time when all the pain alleviation involved in surgery was a little cotton wool in the surgeon’s ears to keep the screams of the patient from hurting them. Fortunately, things have changed. More
[Thanks, Alex]
Continue reading Vestas unveils massive 7-megawatt offshore wind turbine (video)
Vestas unveils massive 7-megawatt offshore wind turbine (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 31 Mar 2011 12:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
More and more, the fragments of your life exist as particles on a disk mounted inside your computer—disks susceptible to temperature changes, power surges, fire, theft, static, and just plain wear and tear. Hard drives fail. It's a fact of computing life. It's not a matter of whether your computer’s disk will stop working; it’s a matter of when. The question is how much it will disrupt your life—and it won't, if you have a backup copy. More
This is an x-ray of a newly discovered species of stingray, native to the Amazon. You can't tell from this shot of its innards, but the Heliotrygon gomesi actually resembles a “pancake with a nose”—big, round, flat, and beige. Read more about this creature at Our Amazing Planet.
Image: Ken Jones
Submitterated by Ajourneyroundmyskull
See the original article here:
Stingray X-ray
Samsung was hit with a potential nightmare yesterday after a report surfaced — and understandably spread to countless news outlets — that certain Sammy notebooks shipped with a keylogger installed. To make matters worse, a rouge Samsung customer service agent reportedly confirmed that, yes, Samsung includes dial-home programs to “monitor the performance of the machine and to find out how it is being used.” Thankfully Samsung took this claim seriously and just released their findings that seemingly clears the maker of all wrongdoings.
Word comes from Samsung’s official Korean language blog, Samsung Tomorrow, that the company was able to recreate the incident and a keylogger is not on a factory-fresh notebook. The company states that the VIPRE security software used by the original whistleblower mistakenly reports the Microsoft Slovene language folder (c:windowsSL) as the commercially available Starlogger keylogger. See the screenshot above for the proof — or if you have a R525 or R540 notebook, recreate the test yourself. As it sits right now though, it seems Samsung didn’t follow Acer’s lead and ship infected notebooks.
Read More:
Samsung Resolves Keylogger Mystery, Multi-Language Folder To Blame