Archos updates Windows 7 tablet – The Archos 9

Archos updates Windows 7 tablet – The Archos 9: "Archos media players have long been a favorite of mine, offering ease of use and excellent video/audio quality. In 2009, the French consumer electronics company was first to market with a Windows 7 tablet computer and has now announced a new improved version of the Archos 9 PC Tablet. Unfortunately the upgraded version still has a resistive touchscreen and only gets Windows 7 Starter Edition, but there is better storage in the shape of a Solid State Drive (SSD) and a more powerful Atom processor."

Panasonic LUMIX DMC-G3 packs bigger features into a smaller chassis

Panasonic LUMIX DMC-G3 packs bigger features into a smaller chassis: "Panasonic has announced the latest addition to its LUMIX G series of not-quite-compact cameras – the LUMIX DMC-G3. Smaller than a DSLR and larger than a pocket point-and-shoot, the G3 offers an interchangeable Micro Four Thirds lens mount, a 16 megapixel sensor, full HD video, and a rotating LCD touch screen."

B-Squares: Lego for electronics

B-Squares: Lego for electronics: "Connecting blocks are one of the all-time greatest types of toys. Unfortunately, when we grow up, many of us seem to think that it's silly to make stuff just for the sake of making it – we still enjoy putting things together, but they have to be functional. That's where B-Squares come in. The flat electronic modules serve a variety of functions, and can form a variety of devices when connected in different combinations."

The mysterious debut of Luna the personal robot

The mysterious debut of Luna the personal robot: "Ah, the personal robot. While flying cars and jetpacks are now here – for some people – we still don't have robots that help us out around the house. However, maybe we soon could. This week, California's RoboDynamics introduced its Luna personal robot to the world. While the company currently isn't providing too much other information, her(?) makers are calling Luna 'a breakthrough in robot design.'"

A driving holiday in the fast lane

A driving holiday in the fast lane: "Taking in the sights of a foreign land by car isn't a new approach to tourism, but this variation on the theme provides an extra injection of speed – supercar speed. The 'Elite Car and Castle Tour' merges old world British castles with high adrenaline track days and luxury driving in 15 of the hottest cars in the world including the Aston Martin DB9 Volante and V12 Vantage, Audi R8, Bentley GT Convertible, Ferrari 430 F1 Spider and California, Jaguar XF, Porsche 997 Turbo PDK, Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 Spyder and Maserati Quattroporte."

IMPLUX: Omni-directional, vertical axis wind turbine for urban environments

IMPLUX: Omni-directional, vertical axis wind turbine for urban environments: "When most people think of wind power they think of large-scale wind farms with fields of huge three-bladed horizontal axis turbines. With such farms requiring lots of room they are generally unsuitable for placement in or even near large cities."

Renault opens online reservations for Twizy all-electric two-seater

Renault opens online reservations for Twizy all-electric two-seater: "Renault is now taking online reservations for its Twizy two-seater all-electric micro car ahead of its launch in Europe later this year. The announcement made at the Barcelona Motor Show relates to two models – the Twizy 45, which is equipped with a five-horsepower (4 kW) electric motor, and the Twizy, which is equipped with a 17 hp (13 kW) motor and comes in Urban or Technic trims. However, the purchase prices for all variants, which start at EUR6,990 for the Twizy 45, don't include the battery, which will be leased from the company for a monthly fee"

Jetman flies across Grand Canyon

Jetman flies across Grand Canyon: "Yves Rossy, the former Swiss jet fighter pilot better known as Jetman, flew over the Grand Canyon last Saturday (May 7th) using his wearable jet-propelled wing. It was the first time he has flown with the device in North America, having previously used it to cross the English Channel, perform an aerial loop, fly in formation with stunt planes, and to unsuccessfully attempt traversing a stretch of the Atlantic Ocean between Morocco and Spain."

The Radiopool Thereglyph: a poor man's Theremin made from a talking dinosaur game

The Radiopool Thereglyph: a poor man's Theremin made from a talking dinosaur game: "Ever since a chance encounter with the new soundscape produced by a short-circuited toy amplifier in the 1960s, Reed Ghazala has been randomly exploring audio generation in compromised electronic devices such as talking games and toys. He has written a book on the subject, teaches others to bend circuits, and has created experimental instruments for many well-known artists including Tom Waits and Peter Gabriel. His latest work started life as an educational dinosaur game – which was broken apart, rewired and rebuilt, and then introduced to a plasma globe to become the Radiopool Thereglyph."

Bee venom used to create ultra-sensitive explosives sensor

Bee venom used to create ultra-sensitive explosives sensor: "Not only do bees play a vital role in agriculture by pollinating plants, but it now turns out that they may help keep us from getting blown up. Researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have shown that bombolitins, which are protein fragments found in bee venom, can be used to detect single molecules of nitro-aromatic explosives such as TNT."

Boeing Phantom Ray unmanned aircraft begins flight testing

Boeing Phantom Ray unmanned aircraft begins flight testing: "Boeing has successfully kicked-off its test flight program for the Phantom Ray unmanned airborne system (UAS). The fighter-sized technology demonstrator reached an altitude of 7,500 feet and a speed of 178 knots in its first flight on April 27 in the skies above NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards Air Force Base, California. A second successful test flight followed on May 5."

Mobile phones in developing nations could charge up using dirt

Mobile phones in developing nations could charge up using dirt: "There's no doubt that residents of developing nations can benefit hugely from having mobile phones. This particularly applies to the field of medicine, as the phones allow people living in remote areas to contact health care practitioners, or to use health care apps. Given how unreliable the electrical grid can be in such countries, however, keeping those phones charged can be a challenge."