First Orion spacecraft begins testing

First Orion spacecraft begins testing: "The first Orion crew module has begun testing at Lockheed Martin's Space Operations Simulation Center (SOSC) in Denver, Colorado. This 41,000 square foot research facility will test the ability of NASA's next-gen multipurpose exploration spacecraft to safely fly astronauts through the severe environments of deep space. Orion will be phased in as the sun sets on the Space Shuttle Program with the first orbital flight test planned for 2013 and first crewed mission by 2016."

BMW teams with Sixt for world’s first “premium” car sharing service

BMW teams with Sixt for world’s first “premium” car sharing service: "With much of the traffic clogging city roads made up of vehicles that carry a single occupant to work, sit idle for the day (usually attracting inflated parking fees) and then return home, driving in urban areas is a headache that just keeps getting worse."

earTones earphones feature Microban antimicrobial protection

earTones earphones feature Microban antimicrobial protection: "While the sound quality of over-the-ear headphones is generally much better than a set of earbuds, the convenience of using earbuds while on the go can't be denied. Many earbuds are fairly similar feature-wise, so the deciding factors for most people will usually be sound quality and price."

Home-built solar electric scooter fits in a suitcase

Home-built solar electric scooter fits in a suitcase: "Three years ago, Terry Hope was working as an engineer on a Canadian schooner. He wanted to take along an electric scooter, but was told by the captain that he couldn't bring aboard anything that couldn't fit in a suitcase. His response, naturally, was to set about designing an electric scooter that could fit inside a suitcase."

Scientists use bacteria to create fuel from sunlight and CO2

Scientists use bacteria to create fuel from sunlight and CO2: "Researchers from the University of Minnesota have announced a breakthrough in the quest to create a viable fuel alternative using greenhouse gases. The process uses two types of bacteria to create hydrocarbons from sunlight and carbon dioxide. Those hydrocarbons can in turn be made into fuel, which the scientists are calling 'renewable petroleum.'"

StemCAPtain - not a bike lock, but a bike CLOCK

StemCAPtain - not a bike lock, but a bike CLOCK: "Consider your bicycle's handlebar stem cap for a moment. It's right there in front of you as you ride, yet it tells you nothing. Colorado mountain bikers Graeson Lewis and Mike Hogan obviously thought that just wasn't good enough, and decided to put the humble stem cap to work."

Sifteo Cubes take interactive gameplay to a new level

Sifteo Cubes take interactive gameplay to a new level: "Earlier this month we featured some novel building blocks that help teach robotics to kids, and grew from a project at Carnegie Mellon University. Now it's MIT's turn, with the Sifteo Cubes – 1.5-inch gaming blocks sporting full color screens that respond to motion, and interact with the player and each other as they are moved around. Games and apps can be bought online and wirelessly transferred onto the cubes via an internet-connected computer or laptop."

Galaxy Tab takes thinnest tablet crown - twice

Galaxy Tab takes thinnest tablet crown - twice: "Samsung has unveiled not one, but two new tablet additions to its Android mobile product line at Florida's CTIA Wireless 2011."

F-22 Raptor hits Mach 1.5 on camelina-based biofuel

F-22 Raptor hits Mach 1.5 on camelina-based biofuel: "The U.S. Air Force's goal of acquiring 50 percent of its domestic aviation fuel via alternative fuel blends derived from domestic sources by 2016 got a boost on Friday March 18, when an F-22 Raptor was successfully flown at speeds of up to Mach 1.5 on a 50/50 fuel blend of conventional petroleum-based JP-8 (Jet Propellant 8) and biofuel derived from an inedible plant called camelina."

BlackBerry PlayBook tablet gets price and release date

BlackBerry PlayBook tablet gets price and release date: "RIM has announced that consumers can place orders through Best Buy for its PlayBook 7-inch tablet from today. Weighing less than a pound (425g) and measuring up at just 0.4-inch (10mm) thick, the Wi-Fi enabled device will come in three storage flavors, and is expected to be in stores in the U.S. on April 19."

Gateway outs new AMD Fusion powered notebooks

Gateway outs new AMD Fusion powered notebooks: "Gateway has announced three new additions to its NV notebook family, each taking advantage of the latest AMD platform. The new models all feature a stylish satin black case, a 15.6-inch, 1366 x 768 resolution LED-backlit display, Radeon graphics and run on Windows 7 Home Premium."

BlackBerry PlayBook tablet gets price and release date

BlackBerry PlayBook tablet gets price and release date: "RIM says that the BlackBerry PlayBook is the world's first professional-grade tablet, delivering 'industry-leading' performance which includes multitasking capabilities, support for Adobe Flash 10.1, high definition multimedia, and out-of-the-box enterprise support."

Gemlike 3D microscope lens developed

Gemlike 3D microscope lens developed: "Engineers from Ohio State University have developed what they say is the world's first microscope lens capable of obtaining three-dimensional images. While 3D microscopy has already been achieved, it has previously required the use of multiple lenses, or of a single camera that moves around the object being imaged."

Artega SE joins growing list of all-electric sportscars

Artega SE joins growing list of all-electric sportscars: "It's nice to see that mass-market daily drivers aren't the only vehicles going electric. Improvements in battery and materials technologies have opened the door for high performance electric vehicles like the Tesla Roadster, Li-ion Motor's Inizio, Mercedes Benz's all electric SLS AMG E-Cell Gullwing and Audi's e-tron series, just to name a few."

Sprint announces HTC EVO 3D smartphone and EVO View 4G tablet

Sprint announces HTC EVO 3D smartphone and EVO View 4G tablet: "The recent 3D home entertainment revolution – and I use the term loosely – may be centered on big screen TVs but 3D is also increasingly finding its way into mobile devices. Nintendo will be first out of the gates this week when its much-anticipated 3DS is released, while the world's first 3D smartphone, the LG Optimus 3D, is rumored to be getting a June release."

Tremvelope evolves and changes as you play

Tremvelope evolves and changes as you play: "My first encounter with the tremolo guitar effect was on the breathtaking sixties rock anthem I Had Too Much To Dream by the Electric Prunes. Most people will be familiar with the effect from Gimme Shelter by The Rolling Stones, or Green Day's Boulevard of Broken Dreams for the more youthful among us. This rapid wobble to the groove has now been given a futuristic update with the release of the Tremvelope from Pigtronix"

Simple One bicycle folds to become a shopping cart

Simple One bicycle folds to become a shopping cart: "Of the various cycling goodies that were on display last week at the 2011 International Taipei Bicycle Show, one that stood out for its ingenuity was the Amxma Simple One folding bike. Made by Taiwan's Long Antelope Enterprise Company, the Simple One is for the most part just like any other folding bicycle – what makes it special is the fact that when it's folded up, it can be wheeled into your local grocery store and used as a shopping cart."

Clapton auction raises $2.15 million at Bonhams

Clapton auction raises $2.15 million at Bonhams: "Everything that went under the hammer at the recent sale of guitars and amps at Bonhams in aid of Eric Clapton's Crossroads Centre was sold, bringing in three times the amount expected. For the first time, the legendary musician offered amps and cabinets from his own collection, including a 1966 Fender Super Reverb."

New battery technology may allow for complete recharging within minutes

New battery technology may allow for complete recharging within minutes: "Of all the criticisms of electric vehicles, probably the most commonly-heard is that their batteries take too long to recharge – after all, limited range wouldn't be such a big deal if the cars could be juiced up while out and about, in just a few minutes."

Prioritizing system measures stress in emergency services callers' voices

Prioritizing system measures stress in emergency services callers' voices: "Chances are that if you're calling 9-1-1 (or 9-9-9, or whatever it is where you are), you're not likely to tell the operator that your case isn't all that urgent, and that it can wait."

Porsche taking orders for the plug-in-hybrid 918 Spyder

Porsche taking orders for the plug-in-hybrid 918 Spyder: "First shown as a concept at the Geneva Motor Show 2010, Porsche's highly innovative and deliciously proportioned Hybrid 918 Spyder is now available for order. Powered by a 500 hp V8 assisted by two electric motors, no more than 918 units of the new two-seater supercar will be made with production slated to begin in September 2013. The asking price: US$845,000."

All new Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental completes maiden flight

All new Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental completes maiden flight: "The aircraft with one of the world's most recognizable silhouettes turned 40 a couple of years ago. That's getting long in the tooth even in an industry whose products use the grandpa's axe principle like no other – as in, it's had six new heads and four new handles, but grandpa still loves that axe."

iTwin promises easy remote file access

iTwin promises easy remote file access: "A lot of us have one 'mothership' desktop computer, along with a laptop or notebook that we take on the road. Many of us also use one computer at work, and another at home. Inevitably, there are occasions where we're using one computer, but wishing we could access a file on the other."

Tascam's new handheld audio recorder features adjustable microphones

Tascam's new handheld audio recorder features adjustable microphones: "Handheld portable recorders with XY microphone configurations are great for tight stereo imaging but if you want to capture a wider ambient sound then an AB configuration would probably be better."

Burglar Blaster alarm greets intruders with pepper spray

Burglar Blaster alarm greets intruders with pepper spray: "This is one home security alarm you won't want to trigger by mistake! Burglar Blaster mounts on a wall inside the home, and once armed, uses an infrared beam to detect when an intruder has entered the house. It then emits a cloud of pepper spray, that will severely inconvenience anyone within 2,000 square feet (186 square meters)."

NAVI project turns Kinect into a set of eyes for the visually impaired

NAVI project turns Kinect into a set of eyes for the visually impaired: "While we've looked at a couple of efforts to upgrade the humble white cane's capabilities, such as the ultrasonic Ultracane and the laser scanning cane, the decidedly low tech white cane is still one of the most commonly used tools to help the visually impaired get around without bumping into things."

Ark Angel LSV: Sauter's latest green megayacht gets speed injection

Ark Angel LSV: Sauter's latest green megayacht gets speed injection: "Like its Super Nova and Ocean Empire LSV stablemates, the 78 meter (256 ft) Ark Angel LSV (Life Support Vessel) from Sauter Carbon Offset Design harnesses energy from a variety of renewable sources to achieve up to 100 percent reduction in fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. When using its four 400 kW Daimler Bluetec Turbo Compound DD16 diesel engines, Sauter says that the green megayacht is capable of sailing at 28 knots while still reducing fuel consumption and emissions by 50 percent."

Amplify your iPod earbuds with Tembo Trunks

Amplify your iPod earbuds with Tembo Trunks: "An essential part of my travel kit is my digital music player. I also carry a small set of speakers in case I want to share some tunes with those I meet along the way, but I'm forever having to worry about batteries and, despite their size, it's all extra weight to have to lug around."

Quillit 3 in 1 Stylus Pen – the 'write' option for touchscreens and paper

Quillit 3 in 1 Stylus Pen – the 'write' option for touchscreens and paper: "While fingers are by far and away the most popular form of input device for touchscreens these days, using a stylus offers an accuracy that stubby fingers like mine just can't match."

Library of Congress launches Music Consortium Treasures website

Library of Congress launches Music Consortium Treasures website: "Students of music history, historians and music lovers alike can't help but be moved by the sight of an original manuscript by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Now, thanks to a Library of Congress partnership with five other institutions, folks can get up close and personal with some of the world's most valued music manuscripts from the comfort of their own living rooms."

Western Digital announces 6TB My Book Studio Edition II

Western Digital announces 6TB My Book Studio Edition II: "Western Digital has announced the immediate availability of a new 6TB Mac-formatted storage solution. Created with digital artists, graphic designers, photographers, legal and medical workers in mind, the dual-drive My Book Studio Edition II system is fully compatible with Apple Time Machine, supports RAID configurations, and benefits from four connectivity options."

Electric sleds compete in the 12th annual Clean Snowmobile Challenge

Electric sleds compete in the 12th annual Clean Snowmobile Challenge: "Clarkson University (New York) was the overall winner in the 2011 Clean Snowmobile Challenge, a collegiate design competition put on by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) and hosted by Michigan Technological University. This year's competition was billed as 'the greenest yet,' with a record number of electric snowmobiles participating."

'Pruned' microchips are leaner and meaner

'Pruned' microchips are leaner and meaner: "If you had to use a commuting bicycle in a race, you would probably set about removing the kickstand, fenders, racks and lights to make the thing as fast and efficient as possible."

Tiny iron oxide particles promise big benefits for display technology

Tiny iron oxide particles promise big benefits for display technology: "Chemists at the University of California, Riverside, are developing a future display technology using nanoscale-sized iron oxide rods that shine when exposed to an external magnetic field."

New Russell Hobbs washing machine cleans up in world record time

New Russell Hobbs washing machine cleans up in world record time: "Doing the laundry probably isn't high on anyone's list of fun things to do, so anything that speeds up the chore, while also cutting down on the amount of water and energy used, is going to be welcome. A new washing machine from Russell Hobbs looks to accomplish all these goals with its 'super rapid wash' cycle rinsing and spinning a load of lightly soiled clothes in a world record time of just 12 minutes as opposed to an average 90-minute wash cycle."