keep-it-running – Tech Today w/ Ken May

Did you regret skipping Google Glass the first time around? You now have a second chance… if you have a specific need for it, that is. Glass for Work partner Streye is now selling the follow-up Glass Enterprise Edition starting at €1, 550 (about $1, 829). This is clearly intended for business (you get access to Streye’s enterprise streaming services with your purchase), so you really, really won’t want to buy it if you’re just trying to impress your friends. However, this is still the most accessible Glass has been in years — if you do need a wearable eyepiece, it’s theoretically within easy reach. To recap, this isn’t a night-and-day rethink of the Glass concept. Rather, it’s a logical evolution intended for workers who need hands-free computing. The biggest difference is the much larger 780mAh battery, which should keep it running for more of the workday. You’re otherwise getting twice the storage (32GB), an Intel Atom processor, faster WiFi, an expanded range of sensors (mainly assisted GPS) and a louder speaker. It’s otherwise a collection of minor tweaks. In short, you’d have to be a collector to appreciate this if you don’t intend to use it for professional tasks. Via: 9to5Google Source: Streye

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The new Google Glass is on sale today (but don’t get it)

Now that Tesla has officially acquired SolarCity , it’s not wasting any time showing what the combined entity can do. Tesla has revealed that it’s running the island of Ta’u (in American Samoa) on a solar energy microgrid that, at 1.4 megawatts, can cover “nearly 100 percent” of electrical needs. It’s not just the 5, 328 solar panels that are key — it’s the 60 Tesla Powerpacks that offer 6 megawatt-hours of energy storage. While Ta’u is normally very sunny, the packs can keep it running for three days without sunlight. They don’t have to worry about a cloudy day leading to blackouts. The solar switch, which took a year to complete, has both its long-term environmental and immediate practical benefits. Like many remote communities , Ta’u previously had to run on diesel generators. That burns 300 gallons of fuel per day, which is neither eco-friendly nor cheap. Solar eliminates the pollution, of course, but it also saves the cost of having to continuously buy and ship barrels of diesel. And crucially, it provides a more reliable source of electricity. Locals previously had to ration power (say, if a diesel shipment wasn’t on time) or accept periodic outages. Now, they can assume they’ll have power at all times. Ta’u is clearly an ideal test case. On top of its paradise-like weather, there are less than 600 residents with relatively modest power needs. It’d require much, much more power to accommodate a full-blown city, especially in climates where cloudy days are more commonplace. However, it could still serve as a good example. Tesla’s mission is to wean the world off of fossil fuels, and this shows that it’s a realistic goal in at least some corners of the globe. Via: The Verge Source: SolarCity Blog

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Tesla runs an entire island on solar power