We first
heard of
Boeing's plan to mount a laser on a Humvee in July, but we weren't expecting results so soon -- yet here we are just a few months later and the company is already blowing stuff up with a truck-based "directed energy weapon." The one-kilowatt laser is retrofitted on Boeing's existing Humvee-mounted Avenger missile system, and tests have already demonstrated its effectiveness at taking out IEDs from a safe distance. More excitingly for the boom-boom crowd, the Laser Avenger has also managed to eliminate grounded UAVs, and Boeing says it's working on being able to target low-flying drones as well. That's all well and good, but we just want to know: how is it at making popcorn?
posted Oct 18th 2007 3:06PM
Does the laser come with "Do not Shine into eyes" warning label?
Omg omg omg is "how is it at making popcorn?" then next "Can it play doom?"
Do tanks come with "Do not aim at face" warnings on the turret?
Dang you!!!!!!!...you beat me too it!!!!
Lasers are very bad at making popcorn because they burn the shell off the side where you are lasing which makes it impossible to pop.
Trust me, I have tried... very hard. It doesn't work.
Star Wars is gonna become reality! I want a laser blaster now!
I would prefer one Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster.
I think a bomb proof armored humvee will be more practical for the US army, I really don't know where they can deploy a laser, ballistic weapon seems sufficient for anything they encounter, unless they will be fighting Japan's giant Gundam in the 2050...
I'll wait for the BFG!
Master Blaster!?
Sorry, wrong topic :-)
Oh my God, set phasers to FUN!
two months?
sounds like they may have been using for years. i agree totally
Mitch: Hi Kent. Have you been touching yourself?
Kent: Yes. I mean, NO!
Mitch: And from now on, stop playing with yourself.
Kent: It is God...
Eliminate UAV's? Isn't that Dalnek talk? That cave in Montana is looking pretty fine these days...
i'm from montana. i'm heading to canada. it's even safer there
What's a Dalnek?
Sorry about that I meant to say Daleks. What's that you ask? It is a Dr. Who enemy. It was always funny to hear them talk. Google "Dalek soundboard" and enjoy the goodness!
I can't wait until they come out with a Delorean that has a 1.21 gigawatt laser.
Ah, Real Genius. One of the better 80's movies I've seen.
That's cause I showed it to you. "Would you be prepared if gravity reversed itself?"
that movie is the main reason i became an EE... just to work with friggen lasers...
for the record, i don't... only did in college, but took work elsewhere with radars
Any day with a Real Genius reference is a good day. "I was hot AND I was hungry!"
Nice "Real Genius" reference and photo, love it
Everybody wants to rule the world.
that movie ruled man
and that said yes Im old too
Cue the Tears For Fears music.
Busting out the Jiffy Pop and Real Genius movie now...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Real_Genius
It's the giant Jiffy Pop house.
Next-gen Lazer Tag here I come.
Now with "Real Death" ©
This is the sparten Laser!!!!!! HALO 3
Ya beat me to it Jose!
What? A whole page of stories and only one iPhone story? You guys don't cover the iPhone's progression enough. Honestly, though, isn't there something better than the iCondom? Wow, Engadget, you're really slacking**.
**Disclaimer: This is meant to be a joke which pokes fun at those who whine that Engadget does too many iPhone stories***. I will wager that if another story about the iPhone (whether it is about the phone in Europe or America) a huge outcry will commence from all the hypocrites that Engadget is over-covering the gadget. I file a request for the whiners to stfu and skip over the stories if they don't want to read them. I, however, will continue to enjoy every piece of Engadget's stories, be them iPhone-oriented or otherwise.
***Disclaimer to the disclaimer: due to the lack of intelligence by some (read: most) people on the internet a disclaimer is, sadly, needed to point out sarcasm.
It still wasn't very funny...
Nope. Not funny. How dare you belittle those of us who know how to use sarcasm and not disclose it as such!
Meh.
PS. Does the laser burn CDs faster?
If your sarcasm was of solid quality, you wouldn't need two disclaimers. Yes, despite those "lacking intelligence".*
*: Disclaimer - I am being totally serious.
Well said. Very true.
Can't you attach these to the heads of sharks?
Nope, but we have sea bass.
Can you attach this to the head of a shark?
Damn you Engadget! Now you make me nostalgic and I *must* watch Real Genius tonight :)
What movie is that picture from? It's killin' me.
Real Genius
does it work with an iPhone?
+1 for Real Genius pic.
Mitch: This is coherent light
Mitch's Dad: Oh, so it talks.
How is this more effective then currently existing weapons. Last time I checked, incendiary rounds are pretty good at taking out IEDs too. And any mobile device just needs a constant rotation to make them extremely laser resistant (or you can get really stylish and choose a mirrored finish, like a chromed anti-ship missile).
...Though this would be a wonderful assassination device. Long range, no effect from gravity or wind. Maybe the Real Genius reference is more appropriate then we realized.
Who cares how effective it is? This is waaay cooler than ballistics.
Well, this thing probably blows holes in the ozone layer AND creates global warming WHILE blowing up IED!
You can see how advanced multifunctional that is :)
dude, effectivenes isnt all about payload, its delivery, cost, number of payloads, weight as well, and a lazer comes up trumps on all of them.
delivery especially, how much easier is it to aim a true line of sight weapon?? plus the weight factor is huge, 20 AIM's vs a lazer gun, i know which I'd prefer to have on my fighter jet... the list of benefits is only limited by the power source.