Jeff Hilford's Recommendations

  • AMD's New 3D Immersive Social Media and Digital Browser

    April 10 2009 / by Jeff Hilford / In association with Future Blogger.net
    Category: Gadgets   Year: 2009   Rating: 2
    Recommended: over 3 years ago

    This baby allows you to navigate all of your content, both locally stored and cloud based, with a 3D immersive application.  It also includes a recommendation app that suggests related content (natch).


    Visual search and browsing applications are starting to come fast and furious as the days of static, 2D text-based as sole option fade in the rearview mirror.  The interface revolution is afoot.  Should be a fun ride.

    Via TechCrunch

  • Toshiba opens lithium ion battery plant, Asia holding advantage in energy storage systems

    December 26 2008 / by Garry Golden / In association with Future Blogger.net
    Category: Energy   Year: 2010   Rating: 2
    Recommended: over 3 years ago

    Toshiba li ion

    While US and European leaders debate investments in clean tech energy platforms, Asia continues to advance its first mover advantage in energy storage. 

    Toshiba Corporation has announced plans to construct a new production facility for its safe, long-life rapid charge SCiB battery to meet expected demand for industrial and automotive applications from 2010 on. The company also announced plans to expand production of high efficiency motors at a Vietnam based factory.

    Energy storage is going to be a major growth area within the 'new energy economy'.  Batteries are expected to be the dominate platform in the years ahead, but fuel cells and capacitors could soon emerge from the bottom of the 'Hype Cycle' with actual commercial products.

    Toshiba estimates that the market for lithium-ion batteries for industrial and automotive applications to reach sales of 1.7 trillion yen (approximately US$19 billion) worldwide in fiscal year 2015.

    Continue Reading

  • LEDs Help LCD Monitor Cut Power Consumption by 72%

    October 29 2008 / by John Heylin / In association with Future Blogger.net
    Category: Gadgets   Year: 2008   Rating: 2
    Recommended: over 3 years ago

    Using 160 white LEDs to backlight the LCD screen, Eizo Nanao Corp managed to cut power consumption by 72%.

    When you consider that a simple 19-inch LCD screen uses about 34W in it’s average daily use, dropping it down to about 9.5 is an incredible step down. It’s like if next years model of your gas-guzzling SUV came out with a minor addition which made its MPG jump from 18 to 31. It also comes with another great energy-saver. “The monitor also features an “Auto EcoView” function that automatically adjusts the backlight’s luminance in accordance with the external brightness detected by the luminance sensor equipped on the bottom of the monitor.” This way the screen will always be bright enough to see, but not so bright that it will melt your eyeballs along with the polar ice caps.

    Although it may be more difficult to position LEDs into big-screen LCD TVs (due to the increased area), I wouldn’t be surprised to see some hitting the market in the next year or so. Especially when you consider “a newer 20-cu.-ft refrigerator cost approximately $50 annually to run, and a 50-inch 1080p plasma set costs approximately $110 annually.” Our appliances need to reduce power consumption down just as much as our cars do.