Recent Comments:
Poll: Have Netbooks already jumped the shark? {Engadget}
Jun 3rd 2008 11:10AM @Pochi
The "point" of any computer is what you need it to do. These netbooks would be ideal for my type of programming (scientific research), where all of your jobs are submitted to a remote cluster. Since thats the case, all you need is a keyboard, internet connection, and CPU capable of running a shell and text editor. That sounds exactly like a netbook to me.
3G iPhone to be discounted to $199 by AT&T? {Engadget}
Apr 29th 2008 6:39PM Ah the elusive new 1GB and 2GB iPhones are finally here!
Ubuntu Hardy Heron 8.04 available for download {Engadget}
Apr 24th 2008 10:29PM But it obviously doesn't catch typos :(
Ubuntu Hardy Heron 8.04 available for download {Engadget}
Apr 24th 2008 9:07PM Just updated from 7.10 on my T60. They are taking HUGE strides with each release. I've only been using Ubuntu (and Linux) for a year or so, starting with 6.04. Back then, it was a major pain to get it running, let alone drivers and wireless, etc. 7.10 saw great integration of drivers, but took a performance hit. First impression of 8.04, perfect install (albeit a tad slow), no problems booting, everything detected, restricted drivers installed without effort, and MUCH snapper in general. Color me impressed.
I still don't know how "main stream" it is. To everything perfect may still need some command-line tweaking, especially for laptops. BUT, for any power users out there, linux is the way to get. A whole new world opened up with the BASH shell. I've probably saved 12 hours of tedious typing for work.
OS X made to run on a Samsung Q1 Ultra Premium {Engadget}
Apr 16th 2008 5:25PM Could you explain the '200mb overhead' comment.
Vista and Ubuntu are very different with RAM management.
Vista 1GB regularly uses 60%, but upgrade to 2GB and its still around 50%. What its using all that RAM, I don't know (sure does seem to speed up my relatively modern laptop).
Ubuntu on the other, is currently using 600MB/2GB, and 200MB of that is Firefox alone.
Dainese's D-Tec wearable airbag on sale in 2010 {Engadget}
Mar 25th 2008 2:50PM You'd loose money on that bet, engadget.
Most Harley guys are upset they have to put a helmet on; forget the air-bag suit.
InnovaTek's hand-sized microreactor converts liquid fuel into hydrogen {Engadget}
Mar 20th 2008 10:50PM Carbon dioxide. Lots of reactions end with carbon dioxide, not just combustion!
InnovaTek's hand-sized microreactor converts liquid fuel into hydrogen {Engadget}
Mar 20th 2008 10:43PM @Jesse S
You have several flawed notions in your post-
First and foremost, gaseous is Very dangerous to travel with. As you mentioned, it is very very light, and will easily leak. The problem is, unlike most gases, expanding H2 has a positive Joules-Thompson coefficient, which means it will heat up as it expands. It can and will heat pass its ignition point. Once an H2 fire starts, there is no way to put it out, except for removing fuel. It burns clear and intense (I have a friend who works at a Sunoco plant, and the old operators check for H2 fires by sticking a broom where they think fire is. If it spontaneously combusts, they know there's a fire.) Anyway, you get the idea, H2 as a gas is not ideal.
As for the first part of your post, you must remember energy cannot be created, only stored and converted. Solar panels are quite inefficient, and cracking H2 from water is a hugely energy-intensive reaction. The water->fuel->water cycle is a nice idea, but I really only see it as feasible if we have huge amounts of energy from some source, maybe fusion.
And as was pointed out, burning H2 in an engine is hugely inefficient compared to fuel cells.
Remember people, thermodynamics must be obeyed!
InnovaTek's hand-sized microreactor converts liquid fuel into hydrogen {Engadget}
Mar 20th 2008 10:21PM @CraigJ
This is exactly what it is. It will still produces CO2 (lots of chemical reactions besides combustion do).
The army has been looking at similar technology as a generator for years. Think about it, you could burn diesel to run a generator and loose ~80% to heat, or strip the diesel of its H's and use them in a fuel cell. Early efficiencies where 50%, and I am sure they have improved.
Discovery Channel offers rock bottom prices on HD DVDs {Engadget HD}
Mar 12th 2008 1:37PM Mostly cause us Americans don't understand the words 'Celsius' or 'kilometer'.
