Apple tells UPS to stop overachieving, puts brakes on early iPhone 3G S deliveries
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
ups posts
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
UPS turns to software to cut down on left-hand turns
While it won't have quite the same effect that, say, converting its entire fleet to hybrids or all-electrics would have, UPS is apparently taking some steps to improve the efficiency of the 95,000 trucks it has on the road, including using software to cut down on the number of left-turns its drivers make. As The New York Times reports, in addition to improving the packing and sorting of its cargo, UPS's so-called "package flow" software program also maps out the best possible route for each of its drivers, which UPS says cuts down significantly on the time they would otherwise spend idling while waiting to make a left-hand turn. According to UPS, those improved maps helped it shave some 28.5 million miles off its delivery routes last year, which translates to a 31,000 metric ton cut in CO2 emissions, not to mention a savings of about three million gallons of gas.[Via Slashdot]
APC intros increased-efficiency Back-UPS ES 750
It looks like APC is trying to make its uninterruptible power supplies a little less power-hungry, with its new Back-UPS ES 750 model promising both a boost in efficiency and a savings, however small, on your power bill. Among other things, the ES 750 (which apparently replaces the previous model of the same name) can automatically cut off power to unused peripherals when your computer's in sleep mode, which APC says should save you on average $40 a year on your power bill compared to competing models. Otherwise, you'll get all the features you'd expect in a model of its class, including ten power outlets (five of which have battery backup), and 450 watts of power which, depending on what you have plugged in, can give you up to 70 minutes of run time. Look for this one to set you back an even $100 when its released sometime in January.
How to build your own UPS
Whether your end improvement is a functioning office, or a longer game of Unreal, uninterruptible power supplies are an essential part of keeping your kit up and running. In case you were wondering what goes on inside the little -- or, as the case may be, big -- boxes that sit next to power outlets, icrontic has a how-to for constructing your own UPS. If you're not up to the task of constructing your own, then there's also advice about which type of off-the-shelf UPS is for you. Now all you've got to worry about are other, human based, interruptions.Ultra Products' low-end Ultra UPS lineup
PS3 bandits busted for $19,000 in "diverted" UPS shipments
While the verdict might be out on an eventual sales winner between the three new-gen consoles, it's hard to argue with one stat: the PS3 is a shoo-in for the coveted "Console Launch Related Crime" award. The latest in crime spree exploits is a trio of UPS employees who were working the night shift around PS3 launch time, and managed to swap shipping labels on $19,000 worth of PS3s -- around 20 systems and 24 SIXAXIS controllers. These three grinches, 25-year-old Sean Weber, 37-year-old Norbert Joseph and 29-year-old Jasel Bolden, working from a New Orleans shipping center, forwarded the PS3s to their day job at Andrews Sport Company Inc., but couldn't escape the long arm of the law. Chalk one more up for justice. Oh, and by the way guys, if you get out of the clink before New Years, would you mind "diverting" a few PS3s our way? We accept Wiis too. You know, in the spirit of giving.[Via Joystiq]
How-To: Network your UPS
by Will O'Brien, posted Jul 25th 2006 at 7:33PM
Got a couple of machines sharing a UPS? In today's How-To, we'll show you how to use your network to shut down all of the computers plugged into it and keep your precious data safe.
