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最后发表： xblues
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from Neowin Back Page News

LONDON, England (CNN) -- Would you still watch your favorite television program if you had to cycle for an hour before you could view it?

Couch potatoes will be horrified, but fresh advances in human-powered technology -- where users power appliances through their own motion -- could one day see a 'workout-to-watch' scenario become reality.

Human power is rapidly gaining in popularity worldwide as businesses seek 'greener' methods of operating.

The profile of the technology is set to receive a further boost this month when a human-powered gym opens in Portland, Oregon, and again in September when the human-powered 'sustainable dance club', Club Watt, opens its doors in Rotterdam, Netherlands.

Human power is already being used to run the 'California Fitness' gym in Hong Kong, and to power the recently opened 'Club Surya' in London.

Beyond all of this, further concepts have been developed for human-powered 'river gyms' for the waterways of New York.

But, how does your sweat and strain turn into power for lights, music and machines?

The general concept is known as energy harvesting, which simply refers to the gathering of energy from one source and applying it to power an object.

Italian inventor Lucien Gambarota, who designed California Fitness's method of storing energy and using it to power lights and music in the gym, told CNN the concept is straightforward.

"One of the oldest types of energy used by people is muscular energy -- so this is nothing new."

Gambarota said machines such as exercycles created a load, used as a counter-force by means of a resistor.

"I disconnected the resistor and started storing the energy into a battery... that is then used as power. It was a way to show there can be very simple solutions. It doesn't always have to be high-tech," he said.

Portland's 'green' gym will have spinning bikes connected to wind-generator motors. The users should generate enough electricity to power the gym's music system or run personal DVD players on the machines, the gym's manager Adam Boesel predicts.

While harnessing the energy from people working out at a gym seems logical, utilising the movement of clubbers at dance clubs is a little more complex.

Two methods have developed -- the first of which is piezoelectricity, used by Club Surya, where crystals in blocks under the dance-floor rub together with the assistance of dancers on the floor. This generates an electrical charge which is then fed into batteries.

A second method using wheels to generate energy under a slightly moving floor will be used at the soon-to-be-opened Club Watt. This model involves coils and magnets which move under the dance-floor to create a charge.

Vera Verkooijen, spokeswoman for Sustainable Dance Club, the company which is behind the floor for Club Watt and produces smaller, portable floors, said the human power would be enough to power about 30 percent of the club's requirements.

Verkooijen admitted the first floors were not very efficient, and said the designers were already working on new models to improve the amount of energy captured.

"This is just the first version. We are willing to take it further," she said.

At Club Surya the power shortfall is made up by solar panels and a wind turbine.

Putting the current buzz aside, how far could this human-powered technology develop? And how widely can it be applied?

Verkooijen told CNN she already had some indications of where the technology was heading.

"We receive a lot of requests from other companies for people who want to use the floors. We get many of these for bus and train stations -- places where there are lots of people."

Lights and display boards at those spaces could be powered applying the same concept as that being used in Club Watt, she said.

Evert Raaijen, technical director of energy conversion company Exendis, felt the technology could have a number of different applications. From pedal-powered computers on bicycles, to self-powered soldiers in militaries, Raaijen predicted human power would be developed widely in coming years.

"I think it's a science field which will be one of the future," he said.

Gambarota believed there were ways human power could be brought into practical use in the home.

He had generated an idea of using human-powered batteries for television or portable video game consoles.

"With so many kids not exercising enough, a battery could be created for these devices so they had to create the energy to use them. The same could be done for television sets.

"We could get the situation where people have to cycle so they can use it," Gambarota said.

Despite these potential developments, human-power is attracting its share of criticism.

Although he shows enthusiasm for the battery project, Gambarota, who now spends much of his time developing micro wind turbines, is sceptical about the future of human-power on a mass-scale.

He raises doubts about the efficiency of human power and questioned its economic viability.

The average amount of power one person could produce going about normal activities on any given day was about one kilowatt-hour (kWh), which only amounted to about

最后发表： xblues
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也许你是对的，我只是看过了好多电影是关于天主教反对同性恋和堕胎的，估计是因为天主教比较流行的缘故。

最后发表： woody81
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by Thomas Ricker, posted Jun 26th 2008 at 4:12AM
Sony just released a rambling update to it corporate strategy through fiscal year 2010. An interesting read for fans and competitors alike as Sony lays bare initiatives intent on moving Sony from recovery to the "leading global provider of networked consumer electronics and entertainment." Most notable in the near-term however, is word from Kazuo Hirai, chieftain of Sony Computer Entertainment, that Sony will make a movie download service available to US PlayStation 3 owners this summer, Japan and Europe at later dates -- details coming "next month," presumably at E3. Moreover, Sony expects its gaming business to achieve profitability by March 2009, the end of the current fiscal year. Of course, we already knew that Sony was prepped to deliver full-length TV shows and movies sometime in 2008 via its North American PLAYSTATION Network. But summer, eh? Judging by the increased molecular agitation of sidewalk effluence, we'd say that Sony's season of movie downloads is already upon us.

最后发表： woody81
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With Roku's Netflix Player all out in the open and an LG box just around the bend, Chuck's question is particularly timely. There are already quite a few choices out there for folks looking to snag a dedicated movie set-top-box, but has the best one even arrived?

"I pretty much stick with OTA reception when I watch TV, and while Netflix / Blockbuster is fine, I've recently been considering a standalone movie set-top-box for instant gratification purposes. With the Apple TV, VUDU and Roku Netflix Player already out, which one would be best to pick up? I realize more units are expected, but I'm particularly fond of models that support HD films. Really, I'm just looking for user opinions on each, especially if they already own one or have used one."

We'd also like to point out that Netflix's "Watch Now" feature can be piped to your TV fairly easily if you have a nearby HTPC or Xbox 360, but alas, you won't be seeing any material in high-def from there. Here's your shot at defending (or lambasting) your own movie STB -- and... go!

最后发表： woody81
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Though we'd have to say this introduction was made just a hair too late, iPort has just introduced a revamped version of its in-wall iPod system that will accommodate the original iPhone. More specifically, each of the firm's five models features a re-designed faceplate that plays nice with Apple's older cellphone and all existing touch-wheel iPods. Aside from that, you're still looking at the same whole home approach to distributing iPhone / iPod content, and while we can't say for sure that the iPhone 3G will work outright, there's nothing that a little Dremel can't fix.

最后发表： woody81
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http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/0 ... -theater-projector/
Earlier this year, we allowed you all to exchange blows about whether an HD projector or HDTV was more suitable for high-definition aficionados. Now, however, we've received a question that caters to those leaning towards the former:

"I'm looking for a projector for my wife's photography business. I would also like it to double as an HD home theater projector when not entertaining clients. I'm going to be projecting on an 88-inch screen with ample room to vary the throw distance. What are some specs I should be looking for to get great hi-res pictures to show nicely as well as watch some action flicks from my Blu-ray player? Should I go with DLP or LCD?"

As you'll see, cost as a factor wasn't mentioned, but we'll go on and assume that SIM2's C3X is just slightly out of the picture. So, help this guy out, will ya? Are you madly in love with your current beamer? Would you recommend your neighbor's unit instead? Talk it up in comments below.

Got a burning question that you'd love to toss out for Engadget HD (or its readers) to take a look at? Tired of Google's blank stares when you ask for real-world experiences? Hit us up at ask at engadgethd dawt com and keep an eye on this space -- your inquiry could be next.