With the Power Trip you’ve got a set of color options – six of them, to be exact, each of them ready to be your pocketable solution for on-the-go charging of your mobile device. The unit you’re seeing above and below is the Power Trip 4700, so named for its 4,700mAh power capacity. That amount, for your reference, is more than twice the amount of power of a standard Samsung Galaxy S III and more than three times the capacity of the iPhone 5.

This battery pack lineup works with a single full-sized USB port that’ll allow you to connect to your standard charging cord. In the box you get a miniature cord that can charge with microUSB and includes a converter tip so you can charge miniUSB devices as well. Unfortunately the package does not include a Lightning connector, so you’ll need to use the cord you got with your iPhone 5, iPad 4, or iPad mini, but rest assured: it does work.

Once you’ve used up all the power the iGO Power Trip is packing, you’ll have to recharge using the same microUSB cord you got in the box – only backwards. In this case you’ll need to plug the larger end in to your notebook or some other full-sized USB port you’d use at home to charge your devices.

This charger line comes in three different sizes, ranging from 3,000 to a massive 6,100mAh and works to charge your device with a single button click. Lights surrounding the single button on this charger show in simple terms how much of a charge you’ve got left, and the pack itself is perfectly pocketable. The largest size Power Trip will cost you $79.99, the 4700 will cost you $59.99, and the 3000 runs $49.99 – and they’re all available right this minute. Let us know how you roll!

The version of this device that we got here is the Purple while the folks at MiPow also have Orange, Charcoal Gray, and Silver available now. You’ll be able to charge this device up with your own microUSB cord from a wall socket the same as you would your own smartphone and you’ll be able to charge your Android, iPhone, Windows Phone, or BlackBerry device up at will. In fact, if you’ve got any sort of device that charges with either a micro USB (included in the device’s build), or full-size plug USB charging cable (like an iPhone 5 Lightning cable, for instance), you’ll be able to charge here.

Five of the sides (all but the bottom) are anodized aluminum while the bottom is “painted by a fine rubber” as they say, anti-slip and all. We’ve had a look at a few other MiPow devices this week as well including the SP 5500 mobile battery, also known as the Power Tube 5500. This machine works with 5500mAh battery capacity and is available in a massive amount of different colors – and it’s got a flashlight on it as well!

Have a peek at our whole CES 2013 offering in hands-on and up to the minute updates in our giant CES portal all week long. Also be sure to be on the lookout in the future for more MiPow action from all angles – they’ve also got Bluetooth headsets and speakers. Fun stuff for everyone!

Wired commandeered a 1949 Piper PA-11 (Cub Special) spy plane in order to snap the photos of the work in progress at Apple’s data center. Work is currently underway not too far from the main server farm, indicating the site where the company will lay its 4.8 megawatt biogas plant, converting the gas produced there into electricity. Meanwhile, the 100 acre 20 megawatt solar farm is still under construction, with a second installation located only a few miles away.

Curiously, there’s a smaller “tactical” data center located next to the main 500,000 square foot installation that Apple is staying quiet about. It’s significantly smaller at 21,000 square feet, but John Engates, Chief Technology Officer at Rackspace, believes the space could be used by Apple’s partners for testing iCloud and other online services without giving up access to the main data center.

Apple’s goal is for 60% of its power requirements to be met by the renewable energy projects found on site. The other 40% will be purchased from local and regional companies, which will also come from renewable sources such as wind, solar, and biogas.

The two devices being announced here will go into direct competition with the myCharge lineup we saw at CTIA 2012, here with Mophie bringing on the power in a slimmed-down black-only set of charging solutions. The Mophie Juice Pack Powerstation Mini is made to bring on approximately 150 percent of your smartphone’s battery life and has a lovely 1.0 amp high-output battery for “ultra-fast” charging – we’ll see about that soon!

The Powerstation Duo is the larger of the two devices and has dual-USB outputs, this allowing you simultaneous charging of two devices at once. Ross Howe, vice president of marketing at Mophie, spoke up this week about this chargers:

“Our original powerstation has been incredibly successful due to its ability to charge virtually any portable device with a USB output, and we’ve been working aggressively to offer a wider range of solutions for those carrying USB-enabled devices. The duo and mini deliver a huge amount of power and round out our juice pack universal line of external portable power solutions to keep consumers charged up when they need it most.”- Howe

See other accessories such as the iPhone case/power converter you see above at Mophie.com

The Powerstation Duo will cost you $99.99 and is capable of switching between 500mAh, 1A and 2.1A charge – its dual-USB ports will also allow you to charge both a smartphone and a tablet at the same time. The Powerstation Mini will cost you $59.95 and is also the slimmer of the two, both of these devices available immediately if not soon. Check them both out at Mophie’s online archive and expect them at your favorite retailer relatively imminently!

The original concept envisaged a fixed cord, perhaps for a laptop charger. Since then, mu – in partnership with Made In Mind – has tweaked it to offer a USB port instead, replacing existing USB chargers in the process. The swiveling prongs are still there though, now patented as “PVT” and promising 70-percent reduction in bulk in comparison to a regular UK plug.

The block itself measures 60 x 55 x 14 mm, with the earthing pin protruding around 5mm from the two protective flaps. They hinge open, the neutral and live pins swivel 90-degrees clockwise – locking the flaps in place – and the whole thing is ready to use.

mu Folding USB Adapter hands-on:

Although we love the design, it’s not quite the perfect package. At £25 ($40) it’s expensive for a power adapter, and we’d have liked to have seen two USB ports rather than just one. It’s compatible with 100-240V and outputs 5V 1A, akin to a regular cellphone charger but less than what a tablet charger will deliver; it managed to rejuice our iPad, but it’ll take a lot longer than the usual PSU. A tablet-optimized version – along with a replacement power cord for laptops – are both expected later this year.

Still, for regular travelers it’s a neat little addition to a rucksack or briefcase, and we always love to see cool concepts actually reaching consumers. You can order a mu in the UK now, and Made In Mind says it’s looking at select international launch plans this year and next.

System builders may (or may not) respect the name, but what they live and breathe is specifications. First of all, it uses the modular cabling system that neat freaks (like yours truly) can’t live without, allowing users to add and subtract power rails as necessary. Connections include a single +12v rail, one 20+4 pin for the ATX standard, two  4+$ rails, six 6+2 rails, 8 4-pin rails and 12 5-pin SATA rails. Even with the largest and most capable of rigs, it’s hard to imagine someone exhausting that many options.

Other features include 100% Japanese capacitors, a 140mm cooling fan, and a 5-year warranty. OCZ claims that it can maintain consistent 1000-watt output at a temperature of 50 degrees Celsius. While some gamers find the Fatal1ty branding to be somewhat overblown, it’s hard to argue with the numbers that OCZ is pushing out. Prospective PC builders, don’t reach for the highest option right away – unless you’re doing som major overclocking on three or more GPUs, plus a handful of hard drives and PCIe accessories, odds are you can do just fine with something a little less powerful.  There are a couple numbers that are missing at the moment: a price and a date.

The PlugBug takes advantage of Apple’s standardized power adapter design, replacing the existing interchangeable plug-prongs with its own. Pass-through power is sent to the MacBook adapter, with a little kept for PlugBug’s own USB charging abilities.

If you just want the USB adapter, then you can use PlugBug on its own; Twelve South is also billing it as a double-benefit way to convert your AC adapter for North American use if you’re traveling from abroad. It’s compatible with all iPhone and iPad models, along with all current and previous MacBook power adapters, and is on sale now priced at $34.99.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]

Intended to co-exist with the current v1.2 specification, rather than replace it, the new standard boosts voltage and current values to cater to higher-draw devices. However, it also allows gadgets to negotiate both factors, so that low-power peripherals don’t get overwhelmed by higher-rated ports.

In fact, the USB 3.0 Promoter group reckon the next step for the connection standard is powering your notebook with it, rather than using your notebook to recharge other devices. “Charging the battery of a notebook PC, or simply powering that notebook PC while actively using the USB data connection, would be possible” group chairman Brad Saunders suggestions. “Conceivably, a notebook PC could rely solely on a USB connection for its source of power.”

The final details are expected to be ironed out in time for Q4 2011, though it’s not clear when we might see high-power ports show up on notebooks and other devices.

Each outlet on the Pivot Power can bend or flex to help find a more convenient angle to plug something in. There is a hinge between every outlet on the strip. This allows more flexibility when choosing how to plug something in, literally. They only swivel in the side to side direction; it would have been nice to see one or two of the outlets bend in the vertical direction also. But as it is, the Pivot Power could probably help simplify the process many of us have to deal with when trying to find a free outlet.

It comes in white with six feet of cord and six flexible outlets. Six outlets is not enough for most of us, so we will have to buy a few. Just don’t give in to the temptation to daisy-chain the power strips together in a long line with one plugged in to another. It offers 672 Joules of surge protection, and is available for $29.99. Not the only power strip solution of its kind, but we like the overall design. It looks like it will match Ikea style décor. (That may or may not be a positive for you.)

A company called Evantran has a slick new system called Plugless Power that removes this hurdle from the equation. The system is a two part kit. The charger sits on the floor and does its thing getting power from the wall ready for your ride.

On the car is a proximity plate that is able to start sending that power the EVs batteries simply by being close to the charging plate. What the system means is that for an EV owner to charge their car all they need to do is pull up to the charging station and walk away. The system costs about $3000 and the wireless upgrade is another $800 with install costs estimated at about $500. The big downside is that the charger is only 80% effective meaning charging take longer.

Dell determined that the issue was related to the limitation of the 90W power adapter that was shipped with the notebook. Dell has now announced that it has a new BIOS for the notebooks that is available for download.

Along the new BIOS Dell is replacing the 90W power supplies with larger and more powerful 130W adapters. Between the BIOS update and the new power adapter, the throttling issues are resolved according to Dell. The adapter will be sent to owners of the notebooks free of charge.

There’s also the Conserve Smart AV, an “intelligent” multi-outlet power bar that recognizes when your TV is turned off and automatically does the same to whatever A/V equipment is plugged into its other five A/C ports (there are two more “dumb” ports for, say, DVRs you want to keep powered up).  Finally, the Conserve Socket is a simple plug that allows whatever’s plugged into it to be turned on for half an hour, three hours or six hours.

More details on each product below.  All are available now, priced at $29.99 for the Conserve Insight and Smart AV, $39.99 for the Conserve Valet, and $9.99 for the Conserve Socket.

Conserve Insight (F7C005) – $29.99

• Make better energy decisions: See how much different devices cost to use on a yearly or monthly basis
• Know your environmental impact: Shows power-plant CO2 emissions produced to use your device on a yearly or monthly basis
• Easy to read: 6 ft. cord allows you to read display at eye level or place on a table
• Customizable: Use the preloaded U.S. average electricity rate or enter your own rate off your electric bill;you can also set the CO2 emissions rate for your specific region
• Tracking feature: Tracks your actual device usage over time and projects the cost of operation

Conserve Smart AV (F7C007) – $29.99

• Simple setup: Plug your TV into the green socket and your AV peripherals into one of the five controlled outlets
• Saves energy automatically: The green socket detects the power state of your TV and automatically turns on/off DVD players, VCRs, game consoles, receivers, subwoofers, etc.
• Works with cable/satellite boxes: 2 Always-On Outlets for devices that need constant power
• Works with cable/satellite boxes: 2 Always-On Outlets for devices that need constant power
• Protects sensitive electronics: 1080 joules of surge protection ensure electronics are safe from power spikes or surges
• Saves space: Narrow footprint and wall-mounting holes make it easy to place behind furniture

Conserve Valet (F7C008) – $39.99

• Charge up to 4 mobile devices at the same time
• Frees up wall outlets: Replace up to 4 charging “bricks” with 1 clean power cord
• Saves energy by automatically turning off after devices are fully charged
• The product itself draws zero power when not in use-so you can keep your devices ready to go without wasting energy
• Designated charging spot: Always know where your mobile devices are and that they are fully charged
• Eliminates standby power: Doesn’t power until you hit the start button
• automatically turns off when you unplug all your devices
• Reduces clutter: Innovative storage area to hide messy cords
• Includes 2 cables: A USB to mini-USB cable and a USB to micro-USB cable are included

Conserve Socket (F7C009) – $9.99

• Easy to set: Choose 30 minutes, 3 hours, or 6 hours with a simple switch
• Safer home: Automatically shuts off space heaters, curling irons, etc.
• Saves energy: Completely cuts power after timer expires
• Multiple uses: Can be used with appliances and devices throughout the house

Press Release:

Save Energy with Four New Belkin Conserve Products

Energy readouts and controls help you make smarter usage decisions in the home
Detect your device’s energy waste in costs and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions with the Conserve Insight™ Energy Use Monitor

(Playa Vista, CA) – June 15, 2010 – To help people reduce their carbon footprint and lower their electricity bills, Belkin today announced four additions to its Conserve line of energy-saving accessories. Elegantly designed and easy to use, the Conserve Insight, Conserve Socket™, Conserve Valet™, and Conserve Smart AV™ make it easy to save energy and minimize your environmental impact.

With the size of the green marketplace estimated to reach $845 billion by 2015, energy management is emerging as an important new product category (Natural Marketing Institute). In a December 2009 survey conducted by Horizon Research and commissioned by Belkin, 81 percent of respondents indicated they would “make sure to reduce their household use of electricity that month if they noticed that their electricity bill was too high the previous month.” These are two of many findings that highlight people’s growing awareness of and desire to reduce energy consumption. Other important statistics include:

The average cost of energy wasted from home electronic entertainment devices left on but not in use is $76 per year.*
1.2 billion metric tons of CO2 is produced to generate electricity for one year of residential use in the U.S.†
100 billion kilowatt hours of electricity are consumed in the U.S. for standby power.‡
Recognizing this demand, Belkin’s new Conserve products aim to empower people to make better decisions around their energy usage. With its easy-to-read display, the Conserve Insight energy-use monitor helps you monitor your energy use by showing how much devices really cost-in watts, dollars, and carbon dioxide. Plug a device, such as a TV or microwave, into Conserve Insight to see the true impact to your wallet and the environment.

The Conserve Smart AV auto-off surge protector detects when your TV is turned on or off, and shuts down power to connected components-like video game consoles, DVD players, and home theater equipment-so that no energy is wasted when the TV is not turned on.

The Conserve Valet smart charging station is a convenient place to charge all of your mobile devices, and it also helps save energy by shutting off automatically when the devices are fully charged. (A charger left plugged into the wall can still draw power-even when no device is attached.) The Conserve Valet charges up to four devices such as cell phones, music players, and handheld video games, and it also reduces cable clutter.

The Conserve Socket power timer automatically shuts off power after a time interval you select. This helps save energy and makes a home safer by timing the power to devices such as curling irons, fans, and space heaters.

These four products join the Conserve Switch™ and the Conserve Surge, which enable energy conservation by reducing standby power in homes and offices.

It’s also had a redesign since the prototype first shown, moving the two USB ports to one side of the outlet rather than, as before, flanking either side of them.  That may spoil the symmetry but it also means you’ll still be able to plug in a USB even with two reasonably bulky wall-warts taking up the AC slots.

Maximum output via the USB ports is 5V each and 1,500mAh, which should be perfect for most smartphones and iPods.  It’s worth noting that it’s lower than you’d get from the iPad AC adapter, however, which means your trusty Apple tablet will charge more slowly.  Shipping is expected in Q2 2010.

[via GottaBeMobile]

The new addition is the PC Power & Cooling Silencer Mk II PSU. The PSU has been redesigned for a smaller form factor and now has the 80-Plus certification for efficiency. The product uses a server-class topology and uses a single +12V rail for power efficiency and distribution.

The PSU uses a double ball bearing 135mm fan to flow air at levels that are nearly silent. The PSU is offered in several models including 650W, 750W, and 950W unit. A 500W unit with 80+ Bronze certification is also offered.

Even better, Michael reckons it’s going to cost a mere $9.95 when it’s eventually on sale.  We can’t quite figure out how he manages that, but we won’t argue with it too much; this is a geek’s dream, frankly.

[via CrunchGear]

Ultra also throw in a fair few thumbscrews, zip ties and velcro strips to make tidying up those cables you actually do choose easier; meanwhile system safety is courtesy of short circuit protection, in-rush current protection and thermal overload cutoff protection.

Seven versions of the Ultra X4 are on offer, ranging from 500W through to 1600W.  The 850W, 1080W and 1200W are all available now, priced at $249.99, $279.99 and $299.99 respectively, while the 500W, 600W and 700W versions will follow later in October at $99.99, $119.99 and $149.99 respectively.  Finally, the top-end 1600W Ultra X4 will arrive late in Q4 2009, priced at a hefty $399.99.

Unlike previous attempts at wireless power, Sony’s is apparently 80-percent efficient; that means only 20-percent of the power is “lost” in the transmission process.  The company uses a magnetic-resonance system, and when a “repeater” is placed in-between the power transmitter and the receiving device, the range can be extended to around 80cm.

The company is now looking to commercialize the technology, though there’s no timetable for when we might see it arrive in production products.  Until then, our advice to would-be wire-hiders is to paint your walls black; that way, not only will the power cable blend in perfectly, but you get to sing Rolling Stones songs while you watch TV.

[via CrunchGear]

That’s a bold claim, and to back it up Corsair have stuffed the HX650W with industrial-standard hardware delivering 96-percent of the PSU’s total power output on a single 52A +12V rail.  In the box, Corsair include a selection of flat, modular cables from which system builders can pick and choose; that way, you don’t have to find a hiding place for all the unwanted connectors, spare molex plugs and other cords you’d generally have hanging from a PSU.

Those connectors include four PCI Express plugs, making the HX650W capable of dealing with even a quad-graphics workstation.  The Corsair HX650W is available now, with a street price of around $130.

Press Release:

Corsair® Launches 650 Watt Professional Series Modular Power Supply

- Successor to the critically-acclaimed HX620W delivers even higher performance -

FREMONT, Calif., Sept. 15, 2009 — Corsair®, a worldwide leader in high-performance computer memory, power supplies and flash memory products, including solid-state drives, today announced the launch of the Corsair Professional Series HX650W modular power supply.

The HX650W joins the multi award-winning HX750W, HX850W and HX1000W as part of Corsair’s Professional Series of PSUs, all of which feature a comprehensive low-profile modular cable set, minimal noise levels, ultra-high efficiency, and the highest component quality and performance on the market.

“The Corsair HX650W is ideal for enthusiasts and gamers who are looking for a highly efficient, quiet, modular power supply, but don’t need the higher wattages offered by the other PSUs in the Professional Series” said Jim Carlton, VP of Marketing at Corsair. “The HX650W offers the same unmatched quality standards and 7 Year warranty, but at a power level more suitable for mid/high-spec PC builds, such as those based on Intel’s Core i5 and Core i7 ‘Lynnfield’ processors.”

The Corsair Professional Series HX650W uses industrial-grade components, ensuring stable, clean and reliable voltages, and delivers the vast majority of its total power output (96%) on its single 52A +12V rail. This is essential for reliably powering today’s PCs with multi-core CPUs and graphics cards. The Professional Series HX650W is also tested and guaranteed to operate at 100% load at an ambient temperature of 50°C, guaranteeing stability and reliability no matter the conditions.

The Corsair Professional Series HX650W features a sophisticated, energy-efficient circuitry design that ensures maximum energy savings and minimal heat generation. This highly efficient design meets 80 PLUS BRONZE certification standards, ensuring a minimum efficiency of 82%, and typical efficiency of 85%.

The Corsair Professional Series HX650W also boasts an innovative cabling configuration that uses flat modular cables — including 4 x PCI Express connectors for SLI and CrossFire configurations — that help maximize airflow through the chassis. The modular design also simplifies installation as it allows you to utilize only those cables that are needed.

An image of the Corsair Professional Series HX650W is available here.

For more information about the Corsair Professional Series HX650W modular power supply, please visit corsair.com/products/hx650/.

In fact, there’s even some talk of putting the charging pad – which connects to a suitably WildCharge-equipped gadget via charging nubs on its case or adapter – into the lid of a laptop, which would mean you could feasibly recharge your phone, Bluetooth headset, Kindle or other gadget just by sitting it on top.  That would mean you could recharge your phone in the car, at your desk or at home just by setting it in a suitable universal cubby.

According to WiProwess principle Craig Kinley, the company has already seen interest from the medical, hospitality, automotive and office furniture industries.  Products to wirelessly charge cellphones such as the iPhone together with various other devices are already on sale.

Press Release:

WiProwess, LLC Becomes First WildCharge “Certified Design Center”

Agreement expands ability to integrate wire-free power technology into any business or consumer application

ANDERSON, S.C., (September 8, 2009) — WildCharge, Inc., the leader in wire-free power technology, has signed two significant agreements with WiProwess, LLC a wire-free power design and integration firm. The first agreement designates WiProwess as the premier Certified Design Center for WildCharge, giving WiProwess the authority to provide design, development and integration services to companies that seek to integrate WildCharge’s wire-free power technology into their products. The Technology Licensing Agreement allows WiProwess to design, develop and market products embedded with WildCharge technology.

Wire-free power is a more efficient way of charging electronic devices such as mobile phones, laptops and hand-held gaming devices. The patented technology designed by WildCharge allows multiple devices to charge at once while using just a single electrical outlet. The technology not only saves energy and space, it also makes re-charging more convenient which diminishes the occurrence of battery down-time.

WildCharge is the first company in the wire-free power industry to have products commercially available, as well as the first to have wire-free products developed and commercially launched by licensees of its technology. As a Certified Design Center, WiProwess will accelerate the introduction of products featuring convenient WildCharge wire-free technology into the market and hands of anxiously waiting consumers.

“We’re very excited to get in on the ground floor of the explosion in wire-free power, and to do so with the category leader,” said Craig Kinley, principal of WiProwess. “WildCharge is clearly the front runner in the race to provide viable wire-free power solutions around the world. It is the only company to have the technology commercially available now, and they’ve made it extremely cost-effective and easy for our customers to begin integrating the technology into their own products.”

Kinley cited the medical, hospitality, automotive and office furniture industries as having taken an early interest in implementing wire-free power into their product/service offering.

Dennis Grant, chairman and CEO of WildCharge, said, “WiProwess is a great partner to WildCharge and they saw immediately that the applications for our technology are endless. From gaming consoles to furniture to appliances, our technology can easily be embedded into countless solutions. We are excited about expanding the adoption and use of our technology through our relationship with WiProwess. Our goal is to develop integrated product solutions that will simplify the consumer experience when it comes to charging.”

About WiProwess
WiProwess was formed in 2008 to bring forth exceptional wireless consulting services and create sound business relationships that lead to rewarding synergies between various technologies and business partners. WiProwess integrates wireless technologies with products and services to not only have the ability to review, analyze and optimize the current infrastructure and system, but also deliver the concentration of what is on the forefront of the technological curve. www.wiprowess.com

About WildCharge
WildCharge is a Boulder, CO based company that is revolutionizing power delivery to portable electronic devices by commercializing – through licensing partnerships – its proven, wire-free power technology. WildCharge is the first company to offer commercially available wire-free charging technology that works with multiple devices across multiple brands. WildCharge’s Technology Licensing Program provides the design and manufacturing guidance allowing original equipment/design manufacturers to quickly and cost effectively integrate highly efficient, wire-free, technology into their products. For more information on WildCharge products and licensing capabilities, go to www.wildcharge.com.

The new model is up to 80-percent efficient with a +5VSB efficiency. It also got an 80 PLUS Bronze rating. This is pretty impressive and places the EX-1000 above many other power supplies in terms of efficiency.

You can get the EX-1000 from BFG starting today in-store at Best Buy or from their website for $199.99

They also rejuice faster, with a 30 minute charge good for 99-percent of total capacity.  Sony plan to use the new batteries in power tools initially, before rolling them out to consumer electronics.  No word on how they compare in terms of price to existing Lithium Ion cells.

[via Sony Insider]

The new limit applies to any laptop or laptop-style device with an integrated power supply of 1,000W or above.  While manufacturers are still free to produce devices with above 1W/2W standby consumption, the Korean government believes that consumer demand for earth-friendly (and cheaper to run) hardware will drive low-power adoption.

Intel have already stepped up to highlight that its Atom range of processors – commonly found in netbooks and budget ultraportables and nettops – already comes in under the 1W standby point, while many of its recent desktop motherboards also consume less than 1W in standby.  Desktop PCs and their monitors are believed to account for 1-percent of the world’s energy use.

That means you could feasibly recharge your phone and iPod simultaneously, or your wireless mouse and your Bluetooth headset.  Each of the USB ports has an LED to show charge status of the attached gadget, with 5V/500mA provided to both sockets.

Since an international adapter is no use if it blows up with a slightly higher voltage supply, the MiLi is content with 12-24V DC power or 100-240V AC power.  There’s also over-current and short-circuit protection, not to mention nine different colors to choose from.  The BeamBox MiLi Universal Charger is available to pre-order now, priced at $37/£20.

Their system uses an electromagnetic induction method, similar to those already in common circulation, but not the same resonance approach.  According to Showa Aircraft Industry, transmission efficiency between 60cm coils is 90-percent or more, with no heating issues experienced by anything put in-between those coils.

To demonstrate this, Showa suspended an array of ten 100W bulbs 60cm above their coil, and put a metal frying pan in-between; the latter did not heat up.  They expect the technology to be used for recharging the electrical systems of vehicles, for instance trucks using an external supply to power their freezer compartments when stationary.  However the technology could also be used to recharge electric cars, perhaps even when paused at traffic lights or parked in car-parks, without the healthy & safety or security hazard of a physical connection.

[via Tech-On!]

Video overview after the cut

Basically the router – which normally just handles WiFi – is reflashed with OpenWRT, and an XBee wireless module is soldered onto the serial port header on the router’s board.  Then, rather than needing a full PC on to do the Twittering, the router itself can do it while also sharing out your home broadband connection.

Full instructions to reflash the router are available here, as part of MightyOhm’s WiFi radio tutorial.  The Tweet-a-Watt kit is available now, for $90, but you’ll need to supply your own router and Kill-a-Watt power meter.

[via MAKE]

A USB port allows you to recharge your phone, PMP or other device from the fuel-cell, with it automatically switching between using just the methanol or both that and the Li-Ion pack depending on the power requirements.  Excess power from the fuel-cell component is stored in the Li-Ion battery.

Meanwhile the larger, home charging unit (which looks a little like a set of kitchen scales) has two USB ports but works on pretty much the same principle.  Sony also demonstrated some cordless home stereo speakers, the hybrid fuel-cell component of which could apparently keep them powered for a year from a single refuel.

[via Gizmodo]

As you might expect, the IDAPT i2 has room for two devices, while the IDAPT i3 can accommodate three at a time.  According to the manufacturer, there are tips for all manner of electronics: mobile phones, MP3 players, digital cameras, game consoles, PDAs, GPS and Bluetooth headsets.  Each can rotate, and there’s a nice big power switch on the back to save wasting power.

 The IDAPT i2 is priced at €34.95 ($45) while the IDAPT i3 comes in at €49.95 ($64); both include four tips of your choice.  Individual tips are priced at €7.99 ($10) each, and IDAPT is claiming that they’ll keep up to date with new adapters.

[via iTechNewsNet]

After detaching the car’s own battery, the Cooler Master team attach their power supply instead.  Jump-starting the car requires 29 Amperes, which the 500W Cooler Master Silent Pro PSU seems to have no trouble delivering.  Not only that, but there’s some spare juice left over to sound the horn, too.

I don’t think they’re suggesting that you should carry a 500W computer PSU in your glovebox “just in case”; after all, you’d need a long AC extension lead.  More details on the Silent Pro PSU here.

Besides conditioning the power system for much cleaner AC power to sensitive electrical equipment, Owner of PowerPlay products can communicate and its connected device via web browser, iPhone or any other web enabled devices, to control power usage or any sorts of power adjustments. The major advantage according to the manufacturer is its Powerplay operates without the need of a static IP address like other networked power conditioners. It’s a simple plug-n-play device without the hassle of specific port setting or maintenance.

It’s a particular useful feature to has, says if you have to hard reboot your Tivo from a remote location or if you are a custom installer providing a full Home Theater Management service for a client, common task can be done as simple as with a click of a mouse. Available now via authorized dealers, PowerPlays are retailed for $600 to $1,995.

[PS audio via electronicshouse]

Despite all that, the TX850W apparently manages in excess of 80-percent energy efficiency, with Corsair going so far as to call it whisper-quiet thanks to a temperature-controlled 140mm fan.  Four extra-long 6+2-pin PCI-E cables are provided, and the PSU is compatible with both NVIDIA’s SLI and ATI’s Crossfire.

Slotting in at the top of Corsair’s TX range, which also includes 650W and 750W models, the TX850W is available now.  It comes with a five year warranty and is priced at around $135.

Press Release:

Corsair launches 850 watt power supply for gamers and PC enthusiasts

Corsair TX850W offers dedicated 70A +12V rail and SLI/CrossFire support, setting a new standard for high-quality, affordable power supplies

Fremont, CA, December 18th, 2008 – Corsair®, a worldwide leader in high-performance computer and flash memory products, today announced the launch of the Corsair TX850W power supply unit (PSU), the latest addition to the award-winning TX-series of high-quality PSUs.

The TX850W has been designed by Corsair and engineered to meet the demanding requirements of PC enthusiasts, creative professionals and gamers. The TX850W is built using Industrial Grade components to ensure clean and stable voltages, and has been qualified to operate at 100% load at an ambient temperature of 50ºC for unmatched reliability.
The Corsair TX850W boasts a dedicated +12V rail capable of delivering 70A (840W), which equates to 98.8% of the PSU’s total power output. This makes it ideal for high-end graphics cards and multi-core CPUs, such as the latest Intel Core i7-series, all of which require high amounts of stable power at 12V.

“Corsair’s TX650W and TX750W PSUs have led the market in terms of offering superior quality at affordable prices,” said Jim Carlton, VP of Marketing at Corsair. “The TX850W raises the bar even further by offering even more power while retaining the unmatched standards of quality that has led to Corsair recently being voted ‘Best PSU Manufacturer’ for the second consecutive year.”

In addition to high power output, the TX850W offers greater than 80% energy efficiency, resulting in less heat, less noise and lower electricity bills. The high-quality, temperature-controlled 140mm fan provides effective cooling at whisper-quiet noise levels under typical conditions.

Four 6+2-pin PCI-E cables are provided and the TX850W has been thoroughly tested for compatibility with NVIDIA® SLI® and ATI® Crossfire® solutions. The TX850W also boasts extra-long cables to support full tower chassis.

The Corsair TX850W is available immediately from all good stockists, and is backed by a 5-year warranty and comprehensive customer support via telephone, email, forum and the Tech Support Express helpdesk.

About Corsair
Founded in 1994, Corsair Memory Inc. is a worldwide leader in high-performance components for personal computers. Specializing in very high performance memory and ultra-efficient power supplies, our flagship products, including DominatorTM memory modules, are the choice of overclockers, enthusiasts and gamers everywhere. Our expertise in design and manufacturing is also evident in our complete line of ruggedized Flash VoyagerTM and Flash SurvivorTM USB storage devices. Corsair Memory offers 24/7 customer support via forums and Tech Support Express helpdesk . For more information, please visit www.corsair.com

If you’re like me, you’re always running out of battery life on your various gadgets during the day. Whether it’s your cell phone, MP3 player or laptop, we all could use more battery life at some point. That’s why the Powergorilla Battery Charger is nifty to have around.

This unit is portable and resembles a brick of sorts. It can be used to charge up your portable media devices or your laptop, if you wish. Specs for this battery charger include the ability to amp up your laptop for an extra 2-5 hours and other portable devices up to 20 hours.

There are adjustable voltage options as well, letting you specify just how much power you want. And LCD screen always keeps you in the know when it comes to how much power is left and its status. The Powergorilla Battery Charger works with devices charged by means of USB. You can expect to pay $299 for this gizmo. The added battery life is certainly worth it, almost $300 is a lot of money for some people.

The plug actually connects to one of the NSLU2′s USB ports, and can be used with any Linux box.  It’s not just for printers, either; you could use it to turn on or off lights, speakers or anything requiring power.  The plug also automatically switches off after twenty minutes.

If you’re interested in building your own, Phil has released all the schematics and code necessary.  It’s based around a USB-to-Parallel chip with eight outputs, and so feasibly I imagine you could have a whole row of power sockets that get remotely activated.

[via Hackszine]

For instance, the “conductors are 68-strand α (Alpha) OCC twisted around μ–conductor strands with a special-grade PE insulation or dielectric.” Um, okay! They go on to explain that the conductors are OCC wire that have been treated with the the company’s Alpha Cryogenic and Demagnetizing process.

There’s RoHS-compliant PVC, carbon powder, braid shields and more. There’s even an outer sheath of PVC that has a Nylon braid jacket. And the connectors are a part of the Piezo Ceramic series that feature carbon fiber and acetal copolymer with nonmagnetic stainless steel bands surrounding it. And I don’t think I can go on. It’s too much. Brain may explode.

[via OhGizmo!]

Both companies will apparently combine their analytic and technical skills to push for changes in US energy policy, that will “bring electricity from renewable sources to consumers and … build a smart electricity grid that will empower utilities and consumers to manage energy more efficiently and save money.”  Initially the partnership will be between just GE and Google, but they will eventually open it up to other like-minded organizations.

For the consumer, a smart grid will supposedly mean access to real-time energy use statistics, more flexibility in where power is sourced (for instance the choice between fossil fuels and green energy production) and the control to take advantage of cheaper energy at different times, i.e. at night.  More details here [pdf link].

Newly announced is the Panamax M5400 power management and MFP-400 filtration systems designed to improve audio and video quality of home theater components. It features Level 4+ power cleaning and Linear Filtration Technology (LiFT) and offers 10 switches in five isolated outlets. If you have power hungry devices like subwoofer or amplifier, there are also two high current 15A delayed switches controlled by front power switch. Other features include 12 volt trigger, LAN port, USB charger and AVM (automatic voltage monitoring)

[via cepro]

Each PSU has Power Failure Detection with OVP/OCP/OLP/SCP/UVP/OTP, plus support for multi-core CPU and Multi GPU/graphics cards, and comply with the newest Intel standard ATX 12V V2.3 & EPS 12V rail systems.  The PCI-E connector has bead-core protection to reduce EMI interference, and uses Japanese capacitor components which are apparently more durable and of better quality.

In terms of build, the PSU casings have honeycomb venting, the cables are all specially sleeved and a ball-bearing cooling fan works in combination with rippled-surface heatsinks.  Pricing is expected to be around $104, $144 and $177 for the 470W, 650W and 750W versions respectively.

Press Release:

Lian Li launches the all new MAXIMA Force PSU’s
Enthusiast performance durable PSU series

21 August 2008, Keelung, Taiwan – Lian Li Industrial Co. Ltd has launched the MAXIMA Force series of Power supply units (PSU). The MAXIMA Force offers exceptional power regulation and safety features with 80 Plus certification showing Lian Li’s commitment to quality, while exemplifying Lian Li’s attention to detail through craftsmanship. MAXIMA Force complies with the newest Intel standard ATX 12V V2.3 & EPS 12V rail systems, while the environmentally friendly design for energy saving with Active PFC (>0.9) / High efficiency (>80%) complies with the best standards and allows additional full rated power draw during overclocking sessions. Hosting a complete range from 470Watts, 650Watts and 750Watts, the MAXIMA Force PSU’s are designed with the enthusiast gamer in mind.

The features include Power Failure Detection with OVP/OCP/OLP/SCP/UVP/OTP, plus support for multi-core CPU and Multi GPU/graphics cards systems, additional support for over-clocked CPU, GPU, and RAM System hardware with a maximum 100W overpower capability for one hour. The superior Japanese capacitor components bring long lasting durability and quality for the ultimate in stable power output.

The PCI-E connector has bead-core protection to minimized electromagnetic interference (EMI) for a cleaner output. Unlike some PSU’s out in the market, the MAXIMA Force can support its FULL rated power output. The cables have special sleeves to improve airflow through your case. The universal input accepts between 100V-240V and has a power switch at the back for added safety. The ball bearing fan gives consistent and quality airflow across specially designed heatsinks that have a special rippled surface to improve the surface area for superior thermal cooling performance. The uniquely coated outer casing has honeycombe d venting for excellent air-flow and ventilation.

With clean and stable power driving your PC via the MAXIMA Force PSU and the multi 12V rails output and bead core protection for the PCI-e connectors, failsafe safety protections, and 80 Plus output all combine to give the MAXIMA Force PSU superior durability than anything else you are likely to get. MAXIMA Force PSU’s have today what PC gamer’s need tomorrow!

For more details on features for the MAXIMA Force PSU’s please go here:

http://lian-li.com/v2/en/product/product04.php?cl_index=10&sc_index=36&ss_index=88

The PP800 is, as you might have guessed, an 800-watt power supply, which should be enough to power many of the high end machines out there. The unit runs at 78% load efficiency, features four +12V rails and is perfect for SLI or CrossFire setups. It’s actually been certified by Nvidia for SLI. You’ll also find that the power supply will fit in both ATX and BTX cases.

This supply is actually one of the larger, and heavier ones I’ve used, which is usually a good indication of quality. There are certain electrical components that you can almost make a quick judement based solely on their weight. While I wouldn’t say that a heavy one is definitely going to be great, I can’t think of a particularly light one that was ever that great.

Unfortunately it is not a modular supply, which is by far my favorite kind due to the ability to remove clutter by reducing the number of cables in your PC. It does have a plethora of SATA (6) and standard 4-pin molex connectors (8) for those of you with a lot of drives in your PC. You also have both 6 and 8-pin PCI-e connectors for the latest graphics cards.

The cables themselves are extremely long, which is always good. Sure, you might have some excess cable, but that’s nothing a few ties can’t fix. Luckily the case I installed it in (the NZXT Tempest) has great cable management built-in, so I was able to hide most of my excess cabling.

You’ll find an 80mm and 120mm fan inside the unit, both of which are surprisingly quiet. I honestly can’t hear any increase in sound being emitted from the case.

I put the PP800 into our main gaming rig last week, and have been monitoring the voltages during my gaming sessions and even while running benchmarks and never noticed any drops. My system can be fairly power-hungry at times, so it was good to know that the supply kept up even after several hours of gaming. The specs on the machine used are as follows:

CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 3.0GHz
GPU: VisionTek Radeon HD 3870X2 Overclocked
OS: Windows Vista Ultimate
Mobo: Gigabyte GA-P35-DS3L
RAM: Corsair Dominator 2GB TWIN2X2408-8500C5DF
HDD: Western Digital Caviar SE 160GB SATA
Case: NZXT Tempest

The supply provides plenty of power without faltering, plenty of connectors, extremely long cables and quiet fans, which leaves little room for complaint. Modular supplies are showing up more and more, which would have certainly been nice, as it makes things easier during installation. Looking around I saw prices right around $140-$150, which makes it competitively priced. Overall, I give the NZXT PP800 four out of five gears.

[rating: 4]

The claim is that a single windmill can generate 20-60% of the energy needed to power a home, and since Starck left the mechanics of the thing to generator company Pramac that’s slightly more believable.  It’s made of transparent polycarbonate because, well, that looks pretty cool when it’s spinning and the light catches on it, but there’s also apparently a more subdued version for those afraid of modern design.

Unlike some eco concepts we’ve seen, though, this one will actually be available later on in the year.  To give Starck his due, the Democratic Ecology is set to go on sale in September 2008, priced at just €400 ($633).  That may sound a lot, but compared to existing domestic turbines – which can cost several thousand dollars – it’s actually reasonably affordable.

[via Core77]

Check out the demo video of exactly how the system works, after the cut

This isn’t something you’d screw in as a replacement to an existing socket. Bocci’s product consists of a flush-fitting mounting box which is slotted into the drywall and then plastered over as usual. All that’s left are two (or one, three or four) holes, into which round socket units are fitted. A specially-designed removal tool makes pulling them out straightforward, and Bocci also have cable, phone, ethernet and other ports available.

It’s not all happening at shin-level, either. Light switches and dimmers are available too, meaning you can rid your entire room of ugly protruding outlets. All safety certified with CSA and UL approval, they’re apparently available now but the Bocci website is coy with pricing (which tends to mean expensive).

[via core77]

Check out the video of the turbine after the cut

Some clever shortcuts have been made to avoid requiring components unavailable in some of the areas the turbine could be deployed. Steel bearings, for instance, which reduce friction, have been replaced with teflon tape, typically used for sealing pipes. The turbine measures around two feet wide by three feet tall, and is designed to be bolted to roofs, towers or trees.

Currently the team is working on bringing down the cost. Sub-$100 is their eventual goal, using materials commonly accessible.

[via Core77]