Heating -- Engadget

heating posts

Heat from data center used to warm Swiss swimming pool

by Darren Murph posted Apr 3rd 2008 at 4:04PM

Here's a novel idea: rather than stressing over the choice between solar or hydroelectric power sources to keep that green data center running, just build the thing near a community pool. Apparently that's exactly what's happening in Uitikon, Switzerland, as an IBM-built center erected for GIB-Services AG is using its excess heat to warm a local swimming pool. Put simply, the warmth emitted by the computers will be piped through a heat exchanger to boost the temperature of water used in the neighboring pool, and while the town had to cover some of the equipment costs to make it come together, it'll reap the oh-so-steamy benefits for free.

[Via FashionFunky, thanks Yash]

Household heater meshes with LCD, acts like a fireplace

by Darren Murph posted Feb 1st 2008 at 3:16PM

Not really keen on coughing up the dough required to retrofit a chimney in your domicile? Fret not, dear fireplace lovers, as a somewhat chintzy new device from Japan promises to provide the heat your body needs along with the (artificial) glow of slowly burning logs to boot. From what we can glean from the wonders of machine translation, this creature boasts an LCD which shows a heartwarming image of burning logs while the vents beneath actually warm your heart. Not bad for ¥25,800 ($241), not bad at all.

[Via Dvice]

ChiliPad keeps your mattress hot, cold

by Darren Murph posted Dec 21st 2007 at 7:50AM

Sure, we've seen air conditioned beds before, and you may think one of those fancy electric blankets circa 1990 could handle the warming duties, but why not plunk down for one device that handles both extremes? Enter ChiliPad, which, contrary to its name, actually does provide cooling or warming benefits while you snooze. Reportedly, the mattress topper uses water rather than air to generate temperature adjustments, and the company even compares it to a water-cooled computer -- talk about understanding your market, eh? If Chili is to be believed, this thing can be set to cool things down to 65°F or warm 'em up to 100°F, and yes, it does come in single- and dual-zone versions. So, for those who just can't seem to get the thermostat set correctly, you can pick one of these up now for around $479 to $999, depending on size.

[Via Gearlog]

EcoWatts "free energy" device rebuffed, BBC falls for it

by Conrad Quilty-Harper posted Nov 10th 2007 at 8:46PM

EcoWatts and its fake free energy gadget is back in the limelight again, with the BBC Breakfast Show falling hook, line, and sinker in an interview with the company's "CEO" Paul Calver. Calver stated that "we're still getting to the question of why it works," explaining to a BBC presenter his bewilderment at his very own creation. The response from the interviewer? "The point is it does." Unfortunately, the point is that it almost certainly doesn't. Ben Goldacre used his excellent Bad Science Guardian column this week to dig up some dirt on the dodgy company, and managed to find a scientist who gave his stamp of approval to a similar free energy gadget four years back: "Using the apparatus provided, it's true, this scientist could get incredible results: the meters would read zero, and yet water would boil in around five minutes. Because the meters provided weren't working." The company that provided this former gadget along with the "broken" meters? EcoWatts.

Continue reading EcoWatts "free energy" device rebuffed, BBC falls for it

Hello Kitty hand warmer keeps your paws toasty

by Darren Murph posted Aug 12th 2007 at 1:50AM

Although you aren't likely to need a hand warmer when the temperatures in some areas of the country are creeping into triple-digits, it's never too early to start dreaming of winter. Moreover, it's always a good time to compliment your Hello Kitty foot warmers and heating blanket with a couple of matching hand warmers, and this here gizmo provides the last missing piece in the aforementioned triangle. Just plug it in, wait for it to charge, and pop in your pocket for "one to two hours" of the cutest heat known to mankind. No word just yet on price, but it looks like orders are being taken now for wholesalers who stay a few steps ahead of the, um, seasons.

[Via TRFJ]

Heated keyboard keeps fingers toasty whilst typing

by Darren Murph posted May 23rd 2007 at 2:32AM

Let's face it, peripheral manufacturers have been beating around this bush for far too long, and it's about time a company finally delivered a device that would actually motivate you to finish up that thesis over the cold winter break. Sure, the G-Gloves and heated mouse did their fair share of warming the hands, but the V8 Tools' WK001 keyboard manages to radiate heat where it matters most. The AC-powered gizmo sports a three-way toggle that keeps the heat off, on low, or on high if you're just begging for palm sweat. Of course, the company doesn't promise that it won't melt after extended usage on the highest setting, but it is purportedly "constructed with upgraded materials and components inside and out" to handle the temps. So while it's going to be a few months 'til Old Man Winter makes his return, $43.59 isn't much to guarantee your readiness for that impending cold snap.

[Via Pocket-Lint]

Panasonic's furry carpet warms you up, provides companionship

by Darren Murph posted May 2nd 2007 at 2:26PM

It pains us to see the furry fad still lingering around, but joining the totally hairy Philips display comes the patent-pending "no constraints carpet," which presumably aims to provide warmth and companionship to the lonely house dweller. Reportedly showcased at the Tokyo Fiber convention, Panasonic has developed a electrified faux fur that comes in white, brown, or black / white color schemes to "deliver warmth only to the areas you touch when you cuddle it." Oddly, there was no word on where the internal heating elements get their juice, but considering that the technology isn't quite ready for commercial release, we assume the firm is keeping wraps on the nitty gritty. The fun-lovin' fur should be available in short (five feet) and long (23 feet) iterations, and while we aren't entirely sure if your local home furnishings store will actually have rolls of this stuff to cover your flooring anytime soon, those still living in yesterday can certainly hope for the best.

[Via PinkTentacle]

Novel Concepts' IsoSkin dissipates heat without the fan noise

by Darren Murph posted Feb 22nd 2007 at 7:30PM

Novel Concepts is probably just hopping on the "stop the overheating" bandwagon, but nevertheless, the firm's latest, um, novel idea is to eliminate those bulky, air-sucking PC fans by creating an ultrathin heat spreading material to coat toasty parts. Dubbed IsoSkin, the material comes in at just 500-microns thick, and the company insinuates that it could eventually be used to replace the "outer skin of portable electronics," further doing away with the need for internal heatsinks and fans. Notably, the sheets are purportedly able to "dissipate heat 20 times more effectively than copper," or transferring about 250-watts, while weighing in 60-percent lighter than the material it hopes to leapfrog. Utilizing planar capillary technology, the IsoSkins could reportedly be "manufactured for pennies per square centimeter," and considering that several microprocessor and electronics companies are already testing this stuff out, maybe the next wave of lappies won't require firefighter-grade pants to use safely.

[Via ExtremeTech]

Hello Kitty embraces warming blankets, gets fired up via USB

by Darren Murph posted Feb 20th 2007 at 2:08PM

If you think we were baffled after seeing Hello Kitty USB foot warmers, you probably can't imagine the speechlessness we all feel when seeing the USB-powered lap warmer. Considering that anyone who would actually toss out their hard-earned dollars on feline feet heaters would likely not have the will power to resist this mat, it's fairly to say to say that this is a must-have for hardcore fans braving the tail end of winter. No word on just how large this thing is, nor if poses any eruption capabilities like one of its siblings (clones?), but judging by the mat-to-USB-connector ratio, this kitty ought to warmly cover a litter or two at least.

AIST turns transparent glass into mirrors to conserve energy

by Darren Murph posted Feb 1st 2007 at 4:39AM

We've seen two-way displays and undercover mirrors before, but the latest two-faced invention to come from the depths of the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) can pull double duty in regard to purpose and save a little energy in the process. The "switchable glass" has certain reflexive properties created by the twin coatings of "40-nanometer-thick magnesium-titanium alloy, plus a 4-nanometer-thick layer of palladium," which allows for the mirror to become transparent when a small amount of hydrogen is introduced between the two panes. Alternatively, tossing in a bit of oxygen forms a reflecting mirror, allowing users to "switch" the glass by injecting gases. Contrary to other commercialized approaches, this rendition can purportedly result in up to a "30-percent savings in energy costs" by having to run your air conditioner less, but there's still work to be done. Scientists at the AIST are still toiling away as they try to fight the relatively rapid deterioration that occurs from "frequent switching," but if they can add a dash of durability and get the price down to a respectable level, we could all be living in a house of mirrors before too long.

[Via PlasticBamboo]

Reusch's Solaris ski gloves pack internal warmers

by Darren Murph posted Jan 29th 2007 at 8:22PM

While you've got your H-Bomb to keep you nice and toasty while surfing through chilly waters, and the Airvantage vest to keep your chest warm while braving the bitter cold, even the most hardcore skiers will probably admit that their fingertips go numb just a few hours after they hit the slopes. Reusch's latest pair of high-end ski gloves looks to solve the chilly finger dilemma (sans USB power), as the new Solaris gloves pack iThermX heating technology, which was developed by Interactive Wear AG. Beneath the supple exterior is an electronics unit with a 16-bit microcontroller that "manages the intelligent power and temperature control and executes application-specific programmable heating algorithms," effectively turning up the heat whenever a user-selected temperature is reached. The heat is powered by two flat, lightweight Li-ion batteries, which can purportedly provide a hand-based oven for "around five hours" before needing to hit up the lodge for a quick recharge. There's even an onboard selector / LED indicator to switch from constant heat to "temperature-defined heating," and while we've no idea just how pricey these gloves will end up being, we're fairly sure any skier who has dealt with freezing fingers will do nearly anything to own them.

USB-powered drink chiller / warmer keeps beverages happy

by Darren Murph posted Jan 4th 2007 at 12:11PM

If you're the type who spends more time in your computer chair than basically anywhere else, Brando's got a must-have coming your way. While the zany (and numerous) array of USB-powered gizmos we've seen is nothing short of overwhelming, the USB Chiller And Warmer actually ranks fairly high in the utility department. Sporting that oh-so-hip glossy white finish, the device is entirely USB-powered, rocks a built-in fan, and can keep your beverage cool or warm with the flip of a switch. Moreover, it claims to boost the temperature of your drink 29-degrees in 10 minutes, and chills 13-degrees in the same period of time. So if you're already surrounded by a mini fridge and espresso machine, be sure to throw down the $24 required to keep your rear planted (and drink temperature satisfactory) around the clock.

ATI R600 graphics card benchmarked, cruises by NVIDIA's GeForce 8800 GTX

by Darren Murph posted Jan 1st 2007 at 4:24AM

If one of your New Year's resolutions involved spending a massive chunk of change to kick out as many frames per second as technologically possible, you may want to put the brakes on that impending NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GTX purchase. Lvl505 got their palms on a pre-release ATI R600 graphics card and put it up against the best NVIDIA currently has to offer, and the results thus far show ATI's device as "the clear winner." Of course, these benchmarks have to be taken with a certain grain of salt, as the drivers used were "a modified version of a 32-bit Vista pre-build version," which should have yielded less-than-optimal results; interestingly, the R600 still ran all over the optimized NVIDIA setup. Testing the cards on an Intel Core 2 Extreme QX6700-powered machine with 2GB of RAM, the single R600 card bested the solo 8800 GTX in basically every benchmark they tried, with common applications seeing minimal gains, but games saw between ten-percent (Half-Life 2: Lost Coast) and 42-percent (1701 A.D.) hikes. Apparently, the R600 was exceedingly impressive, as reviewers actually suggested that you "return your NVIDIA" card as soon as humanly possible while patiently waiting for January 22nd, when you can gleefully drop your $630 or so to pick up your very own R600. Oh, and you might end up paying somewhat of a monthly surcharge to use this bad boy too, as the 230-watts (which beats the estimations, actually) it'll require to operate could kick your power bill up a notch or two. Nevertheless, it's not exactly shocking to see a newer graphics card outgun one that's been on the shelf a moment or so, but we're still holding out for a finalized unit before making any final judgments on the combatants.

[Via Inquirer]

Thanko releases "USB heat slippers dual"

by Omar McFarlane posted Dec 30th 2006 at 5:02AM

Trying to avoid the chill that sweeps through the office during the winter months, we have been forced to either remain stationary, or do a bunny hop to get around in our USB heating slippers. Now, Thanko -- the company keeping us comfortable by our computers -- is allowing us to do the two-step with their new product. The aptly named "USB heating slippers dual" has two heating settings -- reaching a maximum temperature of 50 degrees F -- and individually powered slippers, assuring that each foot is cozy. Coupled with all their other products, we have never been happier bloggers.

[Via Brando]

USB-powered "G-Gloves" for the ladies

by Darren Murph posted Sep 26th 2006 at 8:15PM

Alright fellas, if you're sitting around enjoying the cool breeze emanating from your seat cushion, then you're fully aware of how invigorating a USB-powered gizmo can be during the summer months, and equally aware in the depths of winter. For that lucky lady in your life (or cyberlife), these comfy G-Gloves (G for girl, we presume) can keep her hands warm during those chilly December fragfests, and thanks to their ability to quickly convert into mittens, even her fingertips are covered. Sporting a detachable cable, on / off switch, alphabet stitching, dual warming pads, two-levels of heat intensity, and the ability to get toasty through any powered USB port (yes, even the Wii), these should be a sure fire (ahem) hit in the stocking this holiday season. The G-Glove hand-warmers are available now to heat things up in pink or blue for $22.

[Via MobileMag]