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It likely won't be ready for your next vehicle purchase, but some researchers from Imperial College London say that this rather modest-looking piece of material could eventually do nothing short of change of the way that cars are powered. The material itself is still a bit of a mystery, as you might expect, but it's apparently able to store and discharge electrical energy, and (here's the real kicker) is strong and light enough to be used for a car's bodywork -- essentially making the car itself one giant battery. That would obviously open up a whole host of possibilities, including being used to complement traditional batteries for even longer runtimes, or being used on its own to make smaller and lighter vehicles. The applications also wouldn't necessarily be limited to cars, and the researchers specifically mention cellphones as another area that could see smaller and lighter (or longer-lasting) devices if the material is used. Let's get on that, shall we? Video demonstration after the break. [Thanks, Clinton C] Continue reading Researchers say new material could let cars be powered by their bodywork

3D's happening whether you like it or not -- but the good news is that there won't be any format war to go with the adoption of the new tech. At least that's the sense we've been getting, as most manufacturers are adopting active shutter glasses, delivery will happen on cable, satellite, and Blu-ray, and now the HDMI Licensing group has opened up the 3D portion of the HDMI 1.4 spec so non-licensees can make their gear compatible. There'll be some changes coming down the pike in HDMI 1.4a, but that's also due for public release, so really we'll all be one big dorky family in 3D glasses when this is all over. HDMI 1.4's 3D spec publicly released originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 05 Feb 2010 10:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

If you're stealing a car these days, there's a good chance you're not bothering to actually pick the locks, but if you are, your job is about to get a little easier. A device called the Electronic Key Impressioner is inserted into a car door and scans the position of the tumblers inside. It feeds information back to a PC over USB which then, when told the car's model, can provide the necessary information to cut the perfect key on the first attempt. Right now it only works on Fords with simple metal keys (like, say, a 1967 Shelby GT500), but the hope is to expand the device to support other manufacturers and, possibly, electronic keys in the future. It will be available to locksmiths and authorized security professionals in 2010. Sorry, Nick, you'll have to find another way to get into Eleanor. Continue reading USB Electronic Key Impressioner could help you be gone in 60 milliseconds

Say you're planning that next camping trip and you need to know whether you're going to be able to incessantly check your work email every 10 minutes -- do you trust a carrier's coverage map of unknown age, origin, and honesty, or real-world experience? If French firm Sensorly has its way, you'll soon be able to answer the latter thanks to the deployment of an app for your phone that continuously measures cellular and WiFi signal strength at your location and silently reports it back to the company's servers where it's compiled into color-coded maps predicting your ability to connect. The concept's very similar to that being undertaken by another up-and-comer that's been getting a good deal of coverage lately, Root Wireless, but the key difference is that Root's system is still in private beta -- Sensorly's mobile app is available right now to anyone who'd like to download it and participate (albeit only for Android; iPhone and WinMo are in the pipe). It seems unlikely that they've got critical mass to provide meaningful feedback in most areas at this point, but if marginal boost in battery drain is tolerable for you, it might be worth giving it a whirl.

What's cooler than the latest in technology? How about the latest in self-powering technology? University of Pennsylvania researchers have put together what seems like the world's first photovoltaic circuit, which is to say that the electronic parts of your devices will no longer have to just consume energy, they'll be able to harvest it directly from the sun. The most obvious application for this would be in smartphone touchscreens, which could recharge themselves while you sip your latte at the local sun-drenched coffee shop. Of course, such practical uses are still a fair distance away, as the team can generate only minuscule amounts of power at present, but the theory is in place and so is our attention. Don't let us down, Penn!

As you can probably tell, I'm not as savvy when it comes to software -- sure, I know my way around a computer, but it's nothing like the prowess that Lee and Jay display here on Download Squad. You see... I'm a geek. Not a Mac nerd like Jay, or a security-Linux-OMG-netbook dweeb like Lee -- I'm a geek. I get excited about the things people do with computers. A virus-free computer is cool but calculating and navigating a path to the moon is frickin' awesome. What I've tried to compile here are the 10 greatest applications of software and computers in the year of 2009. Even the most die-hard, odorous and bearded nerd should find something to squeal about in this list. In no particular order (I'm not that brave)... Continue reading Seb's 10 greatest, geekiest and most awesome things of 2009

Remember that Thermaltake enclosure that blew your mind back in March? Of course -- you're still recovering, after all. Fast forward to today, and that very case -- which had a hint of BMW influence, by the way -- has morphed into reality, and it's far and away one of the most fabulous cases we've ever seen. Amazingly, the finished product looks awfully similar to the concept, with each compartment boasting its own ventilation. There's room for pretty much anything you'd ever want (yes, even room for three Blu-ray writers), and of course, enough LEDs are included to light up the average night club. You should also know that the shipping container weighed 66 pounds and the chassis itself is probably larger than your eight year old, so unless you've got more square footage than you know what to do with, you're probably better off viewing the unboxing shots (there in the via link) from afar. [Via Maximum PC]  Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

If there ever was something you would miss but know well you couldn’t take with you to a deserted island I am sure a cheeseburger would be one of them. Well maybe not.. but I for one would really miss a cheeseburger after chasing strange animals around the island in my loin cloth screaming obsenities and throwing slightly sharp sticks at them. Well now this is possible! A company from Switzerland has managed to pack one of these ready cooked bueaties into a can that can apparently stay fresh for up to a year! I somehow doubt that it would look this good when you opened the lid or even smell that appetizing but at least the option is there eh?