The Gadget Geek

75-megawatt solar plant to power “first solar city” in Florida

Given that Florida has accurately been coined The Sunshine State, it’s not at all shocking to hear that America’s first “solar city” will be built in the state’s southwest corner. Or, at least that’s the plan. According to a new report, West Palm Beach-based Kitson & Partners is currently developing a new city near Charlotte County, which will get juiced by a massive 75-megawatt solar plant. Said plant will cost around $300 million to build and will be installed by Florida Power & Light; if all goes well, homes will begin construction on a sizable plot of land dubbed Babcock Ranch by 2011. If things don’t go so well, we’re told that the actual power plant will still be erected and fed into the larger grid. In other words, Florida’s gettin’ some solar power, with or without this newfangled concrete jungle.

[Via Fark]

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

75-megawatt solar plant to power “first solar city” in Florida originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 11 Apr 2009 04:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Engadget’s recession antidote: win a Klipsch HD Theater 500 sound system!

This whole global economic crisis, and its resulting massive loss of jobs got us thinking. We here at Engadget didn’t want to stand helplessly by, announcing every new round of misery without giving anything back — so we decided to take the opportunity to spread a little positivity. We’ll be handing out a new gadget every day (except for weekends) to lucky readers until we run out of stuff / companies stop sending things. Today we’ve got a Klipsch HD Theater 500 5.1 sound system, ready to rattle the floor of one lucky domicile. Read the rules below (no skimming — we’re omniscient and can tell when you’ve skimmed) and get commenting! Hooray for free stuff!

Huge thanks to Klipsch for providing the gear!

The rules:

• Leave a comment below. Any comment will do, but if you want to share your proposal for “fixing” the world economy, that’d be sweet too.
• You may only enter this specific giveaway once. If you enter this giveaway more than once you’ll be automatically disqualified, etc. (Yes, we have robots that thoroughly check to ensure fairness.)
• If you enter more than once, only activate one comment. This is pretty self explanatory. Just be careful and you’ll be fine.
  
• Contest is open to anyone in the 50 States, 18 or older! Sorry, we don’t make this rule (we hate excluding anyone), so be mad at our lawyers and contest laws if you have to be mad.
• Winner will be chosen randomly. The winner will receive one (1) Klipsch HD Theater 500 5.1-channel sound system. Approximate retail value is $599.99.
• If you are chosen, you will be notified by email. Winners must respond within three days of the end of the contest. If you do not respond within that period, another winner will be chosen.
• Entries can be submitted until Thursday, April 9th, at 11:59PM ET. Good luck!
• Full rules can be found here.

Filed under: Announcements, Home Entertainment

Engadget’s recession antidote: win a Klipsch HD Theater 500 sound system! originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Apr 2009 12:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Video: Sony Ericsson’s S312 and W205 handsets for cruel, mocking teens

Judging by their reactions, these beautiful urban teens are not too impressed by our awkward, yet heart-felt love song to Nintendo’s GameCube. That’s ok, at least we’re not stuck with these two entry-level, dual-band, non-3G handsets from Sony Ericsson. First up, the S312 (available in Q2) candy bar whose main feature is a 2 megapixel camera that “can be used horizontally” (wow, just wow) and a dedicated camcorder key for quick capture of all the things you love to mock on YouTube. Unfortunately, sharing those precious moments will be less than spontaneous on this HSPA-less handset — dual-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE-only kids. Next is the W205 (available in Q3) GSM/GPRS slider meant for first time Walkman owners. It features a 1.3 megapixel camera, Bluetooth, FM radio and TrackID music recognition with an integrated speaker to prove to others just how awesome your music tastes are. An optional, strap-on MS410 speaker stand that’s powered by the phone will extend the range of your ego all the way to the front of the bus. No prices given, though we expect them to be free with contract when they land in and around Croydon. See what they’re laughing at after the break.

Read — S312
Read — W205

Continue reading Video: Sony Ericsson’s S312 and W205 handsets for cruel, mocking teens

Filed under: Cellphones

Video: Sony Ericsson’s S312 and W205 handsets for cruel, mocking teens originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 07 Apr 2009 03:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

iPod shuffle 3G pumping up the jams a little too hard at the gym?

Seeing as a good number of people pick up iPod shuffles for use while working out, this might be a bit of an issue. An Apple thread discussion has blossomed with reports that the 3rd gen unit’s gone sentient and is maxing out the volume while users are doing cardio. The conjecture is that its volume control-equipped headphones might not be moisture resistant and is having averse reactions to sweat. Of course, we could take the “it’s a feature, not a bug approach” and assume Apple’s simply added a hidden sweat detector to crank it based on the workout intensity. This all may be much ado about nothing, but be sure to do your ears a favor and set the max volume via iTunes before you start your routine, just in case.

[Via iLounge]

Filed under: Portable Audio

iPod shuffle 3G pumping up the jams a little too hard at the gym? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Apr 2009 15:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Insignia NS-LCD37 37-in LCD TV
Insignia NS-LCD37 37-in LCD TV

BakerTweet, the Arduino-based pastry early warning system

Usually when we cover the baked goods beat ’round here it’s in the form of a gadget-themed confection, so anything that actually empowers our sweet tooth is not only brilliant, it’s dangerous! That’s why we were really excited (and a little scared) to come across BakerTweet, a WiFi-enabled, Arduino-based prototype that one mounts on the wall of their bakery. Items are added or removed via web interface, which you can later select by simply spinning the dial. When the sweets come out of the oven, press the button to Tweet your eager customers and await the stampede. The prototype unit is being used at Albion’s Oven in London, but we’re looking forward to seeing it hit the streets Stateside at some point in the near future (even if our waist isn’t). Video after the break.

[Via SlashGear]

Continue reading BakerTweet, the Arduino-based pastry early warning system

Filed under: Household

BakerTweet, the Arduino-based pastry early warning system originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Apr 2009 09:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

HTC Rhodium / T-Mobile Wing II hits the FCC

It looks like the HTC Rhodium (that’s the Touch Pro2’s codename, if you’re keeping track) is inching ever closer to its launch on T-Mobile as the Wing II — the slider QWERTY handset just arrived at the FCC. The listing is awfully meager at the moment, but it looks like the model number will be the RHOD100, for those of you prone to prowling government databases late at night. Of course, there’s no word on release date or anything like that, but we’re willing to wait for this sexy piece loaded up with Windows Mobile 6.5. Engineers and RF fetishists, your SAR reports await at the read link.

Filed under: Cellphones

HTC Rhodium / T-Mobile Wing II hits the FCC originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Apr 2009 12:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments