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Tech Talk
By Mark Lucas
Going green is a big trend nowadays. Here's a few little ditties that will lower the ecological footprint, if in fact, they work.
The Permanent Magnet Generator
This one is a bit of late-breaker, but since we're on a green theme here, it should probably bear mentioning that in 2007, Australian inventors came up with a little invention that could change the world. Know how magnets of the same pole push against one another? Well Lutec Inc. claims to have devised a machine that harnesses that energy and turns it into electrical power that absorbs no fossil fuels. Well there you have it. Problem over. Looks like we're only a decade away from the flying car already. Pretty solid invention, so as long as big oil doesn't have these guys killed ... if it works, big oil has probably arranged to have these guys killed. They'll put him right next to the guy who devised the water-powered car.
Uno
The motorcycle is a relatively green conveyance in the first place. Weighing much less than a car, they can often achieve mileage of more than 60 mpg. Well, that wasn't good enough for Canada. The Uno, invented by Canadian Ben Gulak, is not only electric, but it only has one wheel - kind of. It actually has two thin wheels right next to each other. The whole shebang is operated by the rider's body movements, with the help of gyroscopics. One problem though, is that this bad boy only goes 25 mph. Let me tell you right off the bat...if you're riding this thing, the "if you can read this, the b*tch fell off" t-shirt will definitely come in handy. Fortunately, she won't be badly hurt, as she is only falling off the thing at 25 mph.
OrigAudio
These babies are a pretty cool find. I was sent a pair of these little, foldable cardboard speakers by the company. They're self-powered, in that they don't require batteries or an AC adapter. Simply plug them into your iPod or iPhone and they act as a pair or external speakers. Also, they can be customized, so that the outside bears a graphic of your choice. After having used these speakers for a month in my car (as some crazy son-of-a-bitch stole my radio, dashboard and heat control knobs) I found them to be adequate. This could be because I've driven in silence for so long. The volume could use some work, as they're a bit on the quiet side, but they are made from green materials. Yeah, you can now lower your carbon footprint, while listening to toons. That is, of course, unless you're listening to Blink-182, which is proven to erode the O-zone.
Originally Published: November 11, 2009
