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Dell issues BIOS update A03 for XPS 13 Ultrabook, gets a handle on fiesty fans
Can't say we noticed an extraordinary amount of blowing from our XPS 13 Ultrabook review unit, but for those with an optioned Core i7 model, you may want to give the source link a look. Down there, you'll find a download link to the A03 BIOS update, which delivers "an updated thermal table which dictates fan speeds and trigger temperatures." Evidently, these machines have a tendency to kick the fans into high gear prematurely (it's okay Dell, we all get excited sometimes), but thankfully, a 4MB package is all that's required to remedy it. 'Preciate it, technology.
Team at Purdue University working on high-temp generators to suck power from car exhaust
You know all that gas spitting out the exhaust of your car? Not only is it full of carbon monoxide and other things you shouldn't breathe, it's also full of heat. Heat is wasted energy, and students at Purdue University, led by mechanical engineering professor Xianfan Xu, are working to capture it. With some funding from General Motors the team is working to create better thermoelectric generators, or TEGs, that work at much higher temperatures than those we've seen before. A current Purdue prototype works at 700C, or 1,300F, which could be found behind a car's catalytic converter and generate enough electricity to reduce fuel consumption by around five percent. Future versions would work at higher temperatures and offer better results. Last year BMW indicated it is working on similar tech with deployments coming as early as 2014, and so now the race begins, though the culmination of their efforts will surely look something like this.
The Hello Kitty exhaust pipe attachment
So if you've already got a cellphone, Xbox, MP3 player, and SD card that's been adorned with that precious Hello Kitty smile, there's still a few more aspects of your life that could use a little kawaii. Some, um, creative (read: obsessed) minds have apparently crafted a steel exhaust tip that will show those pesky tailgaters just what you adore. If you need just one more bolt-on to complete the pimping of your ride, and blowing flames seemed a bit too extreme for your 4-banger, this should fit the bill nicely. While it's unlikely these will show up anytime soon in your local automotive store, we're sure someone in Japan can give you the scoop on this fantasmical add-on, and something tells us he's acquainted with Bubb Rubb.[Via BoingBoing]
Support doc: MacBook may run warm because rear vent is blocked
First Engadget reported it, and now there's an official Apple Support document explaining the issue: some MacBooks (and Pros) are apparently making it out of the factory with a thin piece of clear plastic blocking covering the rear vent. The article states the obvious: that this plastic is used to protect the notebook from dust while in the factory.So if it looks like you're starting to get a tan from using your MacBook on your lap too often (which Apple doesn't recommend anyway), you might want to check that rear exhaust vent for any clear, plastic blockage.
