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GE's new phase-change based thermal conductor could mean cooler laptops -- literally
It's no secret: if your laptop sits atop your lap for an extended period of time, you're going to get burned -- okay, so maybe not burned, but you're definitely going to feel the heat. Luckily GE has been working (under contract for DARPA) on a new phase-change based thermal conductor that promises to cool electronics twice as well as copper, at one-fourth the weight. The breakthrough means big things for those of us who'd like to make babies one day, but we doubt that's why DARPA's shelling out the big bucks -- the new material functions at 10 times normal gravity, making it a shoo-in for on-board computing systems in jetliners. Using "unique surface engineered coatings" that simultaneously attract and repel water, the new nanotechnology could mean not only lighter, cooler electronics, but also an increase in computing speeds. Goodbye scrotal hyperthermia, hello cool computing! Full PR after the break.
GE kicks off EV Experience Tour, promises WattStations for all
Last week, GE kicked off its EV Experience Tour in San Francisco, to "bring GE experts together with local businesses, industry leaders, and public sector stakeholders for educational workshops, test drives, and dialogue on the business case for EV ecosystems." The Yves Behar-designed GE WattStation EV charger was on display at the event in both mock-up and ice sculpture form. We spent some time chatting with Luis Ramirez, CEO of GE Energy Industrial Solutions, and Clarence Nunn, President and CEO of GE Capital Fleet Services about the future of EV charging. We discussed efforts like PlugShare and the recent addition to EV charging stations to Google Maps, concepts like smart parking spots with embedded inductive charging, as well as ways to accommodate folks without garages who park their vehicles on city streets. They both assured us that GE is committed to providing an EV charging infrastructure for all, starting with the installation of a bunch of WattStations in San Francisco soon -- though they didn't say exactly how "soon". In the meantime, remember that EV charging is always just an outlet away. Take a look at our gallery below and jump past the break for the press release.
GE buying 25,000 electric vehicles by 2015, nearly half to be Chevy Volts
The General needs a new ride, and he doesn't roll light. GE has announced a plan to purchase 25,000 electric vehicles worldwide by 2015, starting with a grab of 12,000 Chevy Volts, the car we recently got very comfortable with. As we've learned that model is hardly an EV in a pure sense of the term, but it certainly offers the flexibility that a fleet like this will need while the infrastructure required to support your Leafs and the like is built up -- an infrastructure which, by the way, GE is pledging to help develop as well.
GE introduces 'hybrid' bulb with both halogen and CFL elements, instant-on meets efficiency
We're pretty okay with waiting the second or so it takes a typical CFL to light up, but sometimes, when we're checking for monsters in closets and other inconspicuous places, it'd be nice if things were a little more expedient. For those times (and for generally impatient people) GE is introducing its Hybrid Halogen-CFL bulb. It's basically a typical CFL unit, but look closely inside those coils and you'll spot a wee halogen bulb peeking out. It's like two bulbs in one, the halogen unit powering on almost instantaneously then fading off once the CFL element gets itself all riled up. We're wondering how well the output from the two elements match, whether you'd be able to notice the transition, but we're even more curious about the cost. GE says we'll have to wait a few months to learn that bit of info, and the same holds true if you're looking for a release date more specific than "2011." Hopefully it isn't too late in the year, as LED bulbs are getting cheaper by the minute.
GE's 'Create by Jason Wu' digital cameras get 2GB model, no more enthralling
Look out, Wu fans -- Mr. Jason is at it again. But if you were expecting an entirely refreshed lineup of branded cameras from General Imaging, you'll be sorely disappointed here. In fact, the only thing Wu's bringing to the masses here in September is a more affordable lineup, with the 'Create by Jason Wu' collection now being available in a 2GB model (as opposed to 4GB). Thankfully, the inbuilt USB plug remains, and the barrier to entry has been ratcheted down to $129.99 (a $50 savings over the big brother, if you must know). After all -- when you've got style, who needs capacity?
Visualized: GE's exoskeleton from a heavy metal past-future
Sure, plastic is light, durable, and easy to mold, but there's something so raw and medieval about a metal exoskeleton -- built long before anyone could call it steampunk -- that it makes us want to strap on our hard hat, hop in the Engadg-O-Matic Time Machine, and travel back to a bulkier past where we could give this big guy a painful hug. Check the source link for all sorts of adorable / frightening prototype illustrations of General Electric's army-commissioned "Hardiman force amplifying exoskeleton" from 1967, and feel free to drift off to happier times in the process. Just come back at some point, cool?
Intel and GE form healthcare joint venture, sluggish Atom-powered home servants on the way
Okay, so maybe we're only half-kidding about the prospective of having home health robots that can barely multitask, but we're hoping that Intel and GE at least have the heart to equip any domicile servants with a Core i3 or stronger. If you haven't heard, the two aforesaid companies have joined hands this week to create a 50/50 joint venture, one that'll result in the creation of a new healthcare company "focused on telehealth and independent living." Financial terms aren't being disclosed, but the goal is pretty simple: "to use technology to bring more effective healthcare into millions of homes and to improve the lives of seniors and people with chronic conditions." It's a bit unclear at this point what all the duo will be creating, but we wouldn't be shocked to see medical tablets, Core i7 980X-based "medical monitoring PCs" and Moorestown-powered "I've fallen and I can't get up!" neck pieces surface in the near future.
Yves Behar-designed GE WattStation electric vehicle charger spruces streets, juices cars
We've dug deep within the mind of Yves Béhar, and when that man designs something, we take notice. Particularly when the object of reference is an all-new electric vehicle charger that looks good enough for the sparkling streets of Minneapolis. Introduced today, the GE WattStation is a beautifully engineered EV charger designed to "accelerate the adoption of plug-in electric vehicles," and furthermore, allow "utility companies to manage the impact of electric vehicles on the local and regional grids." We're also told that it's capable of handling Level 2 (240V) charging, and if all goes to plan, it'll be available globally next year. Oh, and if you're considering a move to the inner city just to be near one, hold your horses -- a specialized home version will be available later in 2010. Hop on past the break for a little showboating from Yves himself. %Gallery-97435%
GE's early 20th century pallophotophone recorder decoded, Thomas Edison speech uncovered
In 1922, General Electric developed a machine for recording audio called the pallophotophone, which recorded sound on 35mm film. It is thought to be the world's first multitrack recording system (and it predated magnetic tape multitrack recording by about 20 years). The device never really made it to the big time, however, and until very recently, almost no one bothered to think about it anymore. Then Chris Hunter, curator of the Schenectady Museum in Schenectady, New York discovered 12 canisters of the film in his archives. Though none of GE's original pallophotophone machines seem to have survived, current GE engineer Russ DeMuth became involved in the project, and spent two years building a modern pallophotophone based on GE's original sketches, out of modern materials, dubbing the new one the Gizmotron. The modern device plays the original films just fine, and included in their canisters were a couple of real gems -- what's thought to be the earliest recording of the NBC chimes, and a speech given by Thomas Edison commemorating the 50th anniversary of the invention of the incandescent lightbulb. A photo of the modern Gizmotron and its inventors is below -- hit up the source for the full story and hear the Edison audio.
Wind farm announced for Lake Erie, could produce 1,000 megawatts by 2020
Wind farms have started popping up around the states -- including one off Rehoboth Beach -- and if the Lake Erie Energy Development Corp has its way, twenty megawatts of power will be generated off the coast of Ohio beginning in late 2012. The direct drive wind turbines, each generating four megawatts of power, will be supplied and maintained by General Electric, who designed them especially for off-shore use. Subsequent projects are also in the works by the dynamic duo, with the eventual goal of 1,000 megawatts by 2020 -- by which time the Insane Clown Posse will be eligible for the Rock'N'Roll Hall of Fame and the United States will have its first Juggalo President. PR after the break.
GE's LED light bulbs look cool, last forever, cost a lot
Citizens of the Earth, you're looking at the lightbulb of the future. In the coming years and decades our lives won't be illuminated by simple spheres or coils of white. Oh no; future bulbs will have cool fins and flares that make them look almost worth the $40 to $50 we'll pay for the things. That's what GE plans to ask for its Energy Smart LED bulb when it ships sometime in the next 12 months, and while that is a lot compared to the exiting options, look at the benefits: GE's bulbs will last a whopping 17 years when used four hours a day, and they give off light in all directions -- not focused in one spot like previous designs. But, most importantly, they're very efficient, using nine watts to give off the equivalent amount of light of a 40 watt incandescent bulb. That's 10 percent less than a 40 watt equivalent CFL, and there's no mercury or other toxic goop involved here either. It's the future, folks. Start saving. %Gallery-90389%
NBC-Comcast deal comes under Justice Department, FCC scrutiny
We can't say we didn't warn you. Looks like the kids at Comcast have to answer some questions over at the Justice Department -- and the FCC -- before they get their hands on NBC. Both agencies have pledged to "examine the transaction closely," says AP, being ever-vigilant as they are to protect consumers and competition in this free market society of ours. The review could last upwards of a year, but if that means that 2011 could see the debut of NBC-Universal's "Comcastic!" theme parks, it will all have been worth it.
GE's 'Create by Jason Wu' camera collection unveiled, we go hands on
Keep it simple, stupid. There's no better way to describe the "Create by Jason Wu" collection unveiled at PMA by General Imaging (a.k.a. GE). The fashion designer's point and shoot could not be easier: you can shoot, choose flash, and view galleries. That's it -- and in fact, if you need a cue, the shooter reminds you to "hold still" while taking a shot. You're definitely picking this up for style over substance, but still it's pleasantly light and captures surprisingly decent images. As for the nitty-gritty specs, we're looking at 12 megapixels, 3x optical zoom, and a 2.7-inch LCD. The battery charges via wall adapter or the retractible USB plug, which is also how you movie images to your computer of choice. Color options? White, black, gold, red, yellow, blue, green for a metal finish; and white, black and grey for leather. A 4GB version is $180, and 8GB is $230 -- no memory cards accepted here, folks. Look for the camera to debut, of all places, via Home Shopping Network on March 16th. Press release after the break, shots below -- and while you're looking, we've also got an eyeful of the rest of GE's point-and-shoot PMA collection. %Gallery-86219% %Gallery-86220%
Poll: How do you feel about Comcast buying NBC?
Comcast has agreed to take a controlling interest of NBC from GE and whether the company has a can of Raid waiting for Hulu or not, there's a lot of potential reactions to this new deal. Some have the opinion that another team to take on the Disney-ABC-ESPN combination could help keep prices down for everyone, while others can't see how the government should allow so many media and communication outlets to be controlled by one company. So let's have it, what were you thinking when you heard about the buyout? %Poll-37978%
Comcast takes control of NBC, promises not to crush Hulu
As expected, Comcast announced its buyout of NBC this morning, and we have a few details of interest to Engadget readers and fans of rom-coms alike. Essentially, Comcast now owns 51 percent of NBC-Universal to GE's 49 percent and will manage the entity -- leveraging the newly acquired content with their infrastructure. On an investor call (reported by All Things Digital) a short time ago, Comcast CEO Brian Roberts emphasized that the company bought "a bunch of profitable cable channels" and "some theme parks, too" (we think that last part was a joke). Not so funny, of course, is the film studio that's seen better years and the broadcast network that's been described elsewhere as "faltering." When asked about TV Everywhere and Hulu, Comcast COO Steve Burke notes that "NBC has been careful not to put too much cable content on the Internet. We think that's a smart strategy... We think that going forward, you're going to continue to have free broadcast stuff on Hulu, and cable stuff on TV Everywhere." As for rumors of Hulu Premium? "That's certainly not in the cards." Web-based TV fanatics will be pleased to note that Roberts appears to be in your court: "We love Hulu and have no intent to crush it like a bug." That's all well and good, but as we know nothing's final until the government has its say: the FCC, the Federal Trade Commission, and the Justice Department are all sure to have strongly held opinions on the matter. PR after the break. Update: The "crush it like a bug" comment was actually just some editorializing from Peter Kafka at All Things Digital -- but we're certain Steve Burke has only love in his heart for Hulu.
Comcast deal to buy NBC is done, will be announced Thursday
We told you we had a feeling this thing was happening -- less than a day after GE consolidated ownership of NBC Universal in preparation to spin it off and sell a controlling stake to Comcast, CNBC is reporting that the deal is actually done and will be announced Thursday morning. As rumored from the start, Comcast will now own 51 percent of NBC to GE's 49 percent, and the new company will fold in Comcast's various content assets, which means the new NBC will rival Disney in size. That's a big enchilada, and it should make the future of Comcast initiatives like TV Everywhere extremely interesting. Of course, all this still has to go through the FCC and FTC, and we wouldn't expect anything to be approved and finalized for a year, but none of that takes away from the magnitude of this deal. We'll obviously know more in a couple days, stay tuned.
Comcast inches closer to buying NBC
It's been over a month since we last heard anything about the rumored Comcast takeover of NBC, but things are slowly starting to move forward: Bloomberg says that NBC parent company GE has bought out Vivendi's 20 percent stake in the broadcaster for $5.8b, with up to a $2b refund due back if the Comcast deal isn't done by the end of 2010. That's no small gamble -- Comcast will have to clear a "gauntlet" of federal regulators from the FCC and FTC, who will scrutinize everything from the transfer of TV broadcast licenses in New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles to the effects on competitors like Dish Network and Verizon, who will still want access to NBC's huge stable of content and programming. Big challenges, to be sure, but we get the feeling this deal is going down one way or another -- get ready for a rocky 2010.
GE VScan portable ultrasound earns the Leonard McCoy seal of approval
Well, would you look at this little beaut from from the Web 2.0 summit. General Electric CEO Jeff Immelt swung by the event last night pocketing the not-quite-flip phone tricorder Vscan, which all kidding aside is one of the smallest functional ultrasound machines we've seen. The goal is for doctors to have better access to specialist tools, reducing the number of referrals and improving diagnoses, etc. -- and we're sure selling an absolute ton of these is probably on the to-do list as well. See a glimpse of it in action after the break. [Via Pocket-Lint]
GE's Wireless Patient Monitoring System beams your vitals at 2360MHz
Patients admitted to hospitals often find themselves with dozens of wires and cables strung from their every extremity -- trying to roll over at night resulting in a very large, expensive cat's cradle with the strings ending at sticky pads affixed to sensitive areas. GE is working on a solution, the Wireless Patient Monitoring System, which would accept signals from dozens of non-tethered sensors, beaming that data straight to the people who need to view it whether they be down the hall at the nurse's station or down the road at the driving range. The company is working with the FCC to develop a vendor-neutral frequency band exclusively for such devices to communicate over, the results of which will surely become the latest impediment for whitespace wireless approval.
GE's Smart Grid aims to cut home energy consumption to zero, promote world peace
Judging by the company's recent infatuation with energy-efficient LED lighting solutions, we're not at all surprised to see General Electric launching a daunting initiative that aims to cut homeowner energy consumption to zero by 2015. The so-called 'Smart Grid' is part of the Net Zero Home Project, which combines solar and wind energy (for on-site power generation) along with specialized appliances that can "communicate with utilities to participate in utility-run demand-response programs." In other words, these intelligent devices can turn themselves down or off when no one's around in order to shave peak-time consumption, and the in-your-face nature of always knowing exactly how much juice you're wasting should also encourage conservation. Of course, we have all ideas that a Smart Grid-certified home will run you quite a bit more than you're willing to pay, but hey, Ma Earth deserves it -- doesn't she?[Via CNET]
