Alienware 14 Gaming Laptop Announced at E3

This week at E3 Alienware announced the first new industrial design for their laptops in four years. "There's a thousand thin notebooks out there,” says Alienware's Frank Azor. While most companies are focusing efforts on thin models like the Razer Blade, Alienware's latest products are actually built like tanks. The new Alienware 14, is 1.6 inches thick, and weighs a full six pounds. "We want our users to be physically fit,” said Azor.

Alienware's design has always been a world apart from other models on the market, with their computers that look like alien creatures with UFO-like lighting seeping out of their frame. The machine is not a seamless unibody of machined metal, it is crafted in a way that makes sense for us as gamers. The laptop surface has a smooth soft-touch rubber, meanwhile there is enough metal to catch the eye. When you open the lid you’ll be drawn to the sight of the glowing keyboard with customizable RGB backlighting. While the under carriage glows lighting up in anticipation of your commands, it feels like an alien artifact. But what's inside that 14-inch package is a gamer’s dream.

The base model Alienware 14 is priced at $1,199 and includes  a quad-core 2.4GHz Core i7-4700MQ processor fresh from Intel's latest Haswell batch, Nvidia GeForce GT 750M graphics, 8GB of memory, 750GB HD, and a standard 1366 x 768 resolution screen. Or choose the GeForce GTX 765M GPU (an additional $150) and 16GB of RAM to help drive games on that lovely 1080p display. It also has three USB 3.0 ports, three 3.5mm audio jacks, HDMI out, an SD card slot, a Gigabit Ethernet socket, a lock slot, and a slot-loading DVD (or optional Blu-ray drive) for movies and disc-based installation.

The company's choice of operating system is Windows 7, rather than Windows 8, however you have the option to choose Windows 8 from the company website when configuring your machine. Your machine will also include Steam and its own Alien apps for customization, and includes AlienFX that dynamically changes the laptop's lighting.

You’re also stuck (for the moment) with two different graphics modes, switchable and discreet. The "switchable" mode is where both Intel and Nvidia graphics are active, and the "discrete" mode only has Nvidia. You must restart the machine and hit Fn + F5 to swap between them. Alienware says the reason for this is that Microsoft requires this for Windows 8 (Nvidia is working on a patch for this issue). The Alienware 14 is a solid gaming laptop that will provide you with a finely crafted gaming experience.

Source : E3 / Dell.com

 With the technology of today it is possible to use environmentally friendly formic acid in fuel cells, and soon you may be able to use this technology to power your mobile phone or laptop. Physicist Florian Nitze of Umeå University in Sweden has written his thesis about catalysts to improve the capacity of these fuel cells so they can have greater application in consumer electronics and other areas.

Fuel cells are different from batteries in that they require a constant source of fuel and oxygen to run. The technology is already commercially available but formic acid fuel cells still suffer from low power and lifetime which makes it a challenge today for high energy consumption electronics. The effect of a catalyst is to reduce the energy loss and to increase the rate of the chemical reactions, which leads to a higher efficiency in the fuel cell. In his thesis, Nitze has developed new catalysts based on a combination of material science and nanotechnology - engineering close to the atom level.

 Several of the new catalysts that Nitze has developed are based on palladium. It is a noble metal such as gold or platinum, but it is half as expensive. Formic acid can be produced from renewable sources such as wood, and is therefore an environmentally friendly alternative. "One of the major advantages over Li-ion batteries, which are dominating the battery market, is that the charging only takes seconds by simple refueling with formic acid," says Nitze. The working principle of a fuel cell: If hydrogen and oxygen (but equally valid for formic acid and oxygen) get in contact, they can burn and release a lot of energy. In this process hydrogen gives electrons to oxygen, it is oxidized, and oxygen takes electrons from hydrogen.

Source: sciencedaily.com

With the rapid innovation of messaging apps, a common question called to mind is, "Which one am I supposed to use?" It's hard enough having to choose between which carrier or manufacturer we want to side with, let alone having to choose how you want to communicate. Long gone are the days of sending a simple text: nowadays, you might get your response back from a handful of different methods. Creators of apps and websites like SnapChat, Twitter, Facebook, WhatsApp, Viber and Kik are keeping their markets of consumers happy, but is there a way to bring them together to collectively keep our conversations in one medium?

From the sounds of it, the likelihood that these apps will align under one banner to create a convenient messaging stream for the rest of us, is slim. They are simply too different with their varying features, and people all over the world have their preferences - most seem to be specific to their region or country. What is popular in the United States may not be the preferred method in Australia or Japan. You could, of course, download a universal messaging app that combines them all - but it's still another 3rd party controlling it all.

However, that seems to to be just fine for many of these publishers, who have taken the laborious efforts of text/email and barely tweaked it just for their gain. Each group has their modicum of consumers, and we continue to use every means available, from video chat to picture texts, all for the sake of never losing touch.

But what we might not realize is that despite apps coming and going, our say in adapting and rejecting various forms of media will forge the necessary steps of innovation for creators in the future. Maybe we shouldn't be asking, "Which should I use?" but instead ask, "What do I want to help make popular, since it may have future potential?" We're already using multiple forms of communication - we might as well help push forward the good ideas and reject the bad or repetitive ones while we keep in touch.

Source: TheVerge

We've seen some nifty cases here and there, but there's one in particular that's caught our eye as of late - the Magnetyze case, by BuQuTech. These cases are unique in that they offer an alternate way to charge your phone. Most cases are either just for protection or use the same charging method - the Magnetyze cases, however, magnetically connects to a small wire or a docking station rather than plugging a cable directly to your phone.

One thing largely advertised by the Magnetyze cases is their convenience: plugging in and out seems to be a hassle for most people. With this case-and-charger series, you simply need to put your phone near the vicinity of the small magnetic wire or docking station, and watch as it clings onto the charger itself.

On top of that, the Magnetyze charger units themselves will work with the rest of their products - meaning, if you get a new phone, you only need to replace the case, and the charger will still work. That's a fairly useful feature considering more specialty-products these days are requiring you to buy an entire new unit.

The Magnetyze cases are up for a CTIA's Emerging Technology award. If you're already a Magnetyze user or if you think the product seems pretty unique, then follow the link below to vote!

Sources: BuQuTech, CTIA

In case you haven't already, mark your calendars every year on April 22, for that is the day that we celebrate Earth Day! Today, citizens of Earth spread the news of supporting the environment through various means, from waste reduction to recycling tips.

If you're still using disposable batteries, try investing in a set of rechargeable batteries and a charger! We even have our own section specifically for rechargeable household batteries. Reducing the number of disposable batteries around the world will cut back on various types of waste that are harmful to our environment.

Check out the link here in case you're in need of rechargeable AA or AAA batteries - and spread the word, not just of us, but also of Earth Day! Make saving the world a regular part of your schedule and society, and not just a helpful holiday.