Geeks Blog » Home & Garden

Nest: The Coolest and Hottest Gadget in One

Hannah — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 12:31:24 +0000

Just over a week ago I wouldn’t have believed you if you told me that I would be raving over a thermostat, but that’s exactly what I’ve been doing since I heard about Nest.

Nest, dubbed “the learning thermostat”, is probably one of the coolest gadgets (or hottest?) gadgets I’ve heard in quite a while. Sure, there are plenty of mobile devices that excite me, but the fact is that the demand for these mobile devices is such that you will see cool features left and right. Thermostats though are devices that seem to be stuck in time. This is perhaps one of the reasons why a new thermostat that smacks of innovation excites the geek in me; but enough about why I like the idea of an learning thermostat, and on to what it is exactly that makes this thermostat super cool.

Nest is called the learning thermostat not just for marketing purposes, but because it learns about your habits and preferences and is able to put the data it gathers into good use allowing you to save much on electricity. “Teaching” Nest to learn your habits is, however, no big deal since all you need to do is install it, answer a few basic questions (i.e. Should Nest start heating or cooling your home?), and then leave it alone to do the “learning” all by itself. Within a week, Nest should have come up with a schedule that is personalized to your needs. Even better, it adjusts the schedule to make it even more personalized as it gets more information about your daily, weekly, even monthly habits as time passes. In short, this thermostat programs itself.

You can also access Nest from anywhere using your mobile phone via the Nest mobile app, or on a PC connected to the Internet and adjust the thermostat anytime you want to. You can use the app to manage all thermostats at home if you opt to get one for each room, or even for thermostats located in different houses. And as for updates, there’s no need to do anything since Nest also automatically downloads and installs updates as long as it is connected to your Wi-Fi.

The Nest is already available for pre-order in the US for $249 with pre-orders limited to 5 units per person.

Photos courtesy of Nest

Plastics – the tough kind

Nick — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 09:42:01 +0000

Plastics have revolutionized the way we live on this earth ever since they were synthesized from petroleum. The good thing about them is that they are tough and can be customized chemically to contain just about anything. From acids, bases to other very hazardous chemicals, plastics have been used to hold them. There is only one very big problem though; they’re also very much indestructible. Yes, there are biodegradable plastics today yet they still lack some of the qualities of their polluting kin. Bury plastic bottles used for soft drinks in a landfill and they’ll be around for a long long time. You can’t burn them for being derived from oil, they release toxic fumes. Recycling which is the best option is still much to be seen as the way to go. There are over a hundred thousand types of different plastics on this earth and even out (on satellites and space craft) and designing recycling methods for all of them might be too costly. All the different types have to be handled differently, treat them the same and you end up with plastic that is only suitable for use in trash bags and other menial applications.
The seas of the earth is now being strangled by tons upon tons of plastics which range from discarded fishing nets, lines and other types. They pose a very real hazard for wildlife and other marine organisms and also become dangers to us when they get tangled around fishing vessels or sucked into the engines of recreational craft. Plastics that are irresponsibly disposed of in the seas, stay there, even traveling around the world as the ocean currents shift. Plastics thrown in Asia have been found in the beaches of Europe and North America which is testament to their indestructible nature. The ocean has no disposal methods for such waste and they just float around, that without action eventually end up clogging our beloved seas, rivers and streams.
Be responsible and re-use plastic bags from the supermarket. Recycle bottles and other stuff than can be for they mean less need for raw materials thus less pollution. Be Green ,Be Clean.

Analog Format Loss Syndrome

Nick — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 03:35:10 +0000

Nope, it’s not a disease, but rather the stark realization that your old vinyl records, VHS Tapes and black and white photos are fast becoming obsolete and forever destined for the garbage can. There is help though for the many baby boomers out there who do need help with such conversions in order for most analog gadgets and gizmos to have their contents converted into the proper digital format that would allow them to be used with your iPod or saved onto high quality DVD’s for eternity (well, not an eternity but as long as the DVD retains it’s ability to hold the information safe anyway for even they have life spans or expected time frames before they fail). Many technologies such as voice recordings on cassette tapes, old video on reel tapes, Black and white photos of the days of old and many other older analog technologies that have long been overstepped by the digital revolution.
For photos there are scanners that allow you to digitize them and convert them to your preferred format for storage and viewing. Old photos are sensitive and some even crumble due to time and climate conditions. Digitizing them makes them available for manipulation and restorations as well as playback as a slideshow on your PC or TV. Old VHS tapes can be digitized through several appliances you connect to the video in port or through the USB port that with accompanying software allows them to be converted into digital video formats and even DVD’s (this you’d best leave to the experts for it takes almost a day to convert a few hours of video but DIY is still possible and widely available). Old 8″ vinyl can be transferred onto your multimedia players through similar appliances that converts them to popular audio formats.
Lastly, this world is ruled by the law of supply and demand and as long as people need help with such analog to digital conversions, there will always be entrepreneurs who would provide the services necessary. Whether you aim to do it on your own or to hire a professional conversion firm, it’s up to you, but do it quick for technology changes as a very fast rate that it may again render today’s technology useless by tomorrow.

Stressed Out – Why not take a break?

Atasha — Sun, 08 May 2011 22:09:42 +0000

Many of us are so stressed out we forget what matters most in life, family and the time we spend with them. It’s not technical, it’s uncomplicated and it’s plain and simple enjoyment with the family. We don’t always have the luxury of focusing on family but what better time to be passionate about yours, than a time like now when the economy is on the rocks and stresses abound. Sound crazy, don’t count us out yet for stress is the number one cause of disease on this planet and is one thing all of us geeks could use a lot less of.
Whether you go on vacation to some far away land or go out of town to a local place you all enjoy, the outcome should always be the same, family time. Being passionate of your family is one of the most neglected ideals of this time and age for we are all so obsessed with making money and buying stuff. Have you ever noticed that the cheapest and most simple ideas make the best impressions on your kids. Those times when everybody seems to get caught up in the moment for no reason at all and everybody remembers as it were yesterday sending everybody to stop what they’re doing and simply talk and reminisce. Now that’s some thing to live for and remember, like the trip to New Jersey you took where everybody just had fun in sun and surf.
Come on people, learn to live again and spend some time with the people you love about the most and stop caring about everything else for a moment and begin living again, begin being human again.

Velcro – The Unsung Hero of Sneakers

Nick — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 03:58:21 +0000

The invention is now celebrating its 50 year anniversary and many have used it yet not even known the name of the humble hook and loop thingy that makes the distinct rip sound without actually ripping, VELCRO. As it turns out, the product was initially patented by a Swiss engineer, George de Menstral in 1941 while on a hunting trip in Switzerland. He was intrigued at how cocklebur seeds clung to his socks and dog by the way and wondered what significance a product that could mimic the said seed and the wonders it would do for daily life, he let it off as another idea into the magic bag of tricks. After a decade, he came about the idea again and became serious about the incident and started work on a man-made equivalent to the errant seed that stuck to almost anything.
Under the microscope, the cocklebur seeds had many tiny hooks that clung or hooked onto the woolen pants that he was wearing that one day he was hunting in the Swiss mountains. Wool as we all know is made from fibers out of the coats of sheep and they had a natural loop that allowed the bush’s seeds to hook onto. He first tried to make the device out of cotton which failed, settling on nylon as a better solution to the problem. The nylon was spun and then cut to form the hooks that were needed to closing to the loops which was made of fibers loosely wound onto a mesh packing. The invention failed to catch on for a while for fashion designers saw it as ugly and very unappealing for their clothing lines. The only people who loved the stuff were those guys in space who hated the hassle of having to do zippers in space as they put on and off their space suits.
Little did people know that the stuff is to become mainstay of sneakers and much other stuff we take for granted today. Nearly all models of shoes have a piece of Velcro on them and modern life would be impossible without it. It has you sealing up the duffel bag you carry your stuff in, it holds your tents and other stuff together, car seats are held up by them and of course the sneakers which have benefited the shoelace challenged folks of this earth for so long. Out with the lace and in with the rip, the ripping Velcro that is. Many fail to see that Velcro is a brand name and refer to all those fasteners on the market as such. Little do they know that the brand has existed for quite some time and that may be the reason why infomercials refer to them as simply fasteners or hook and loop fasteners.

The Cardboard Bicycle (From the Archives)

Nick — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 10:03:03 +0000

What better way to become green that to get the most popular and least polluting mode of personal transport and having it made out of what else, cardboard. Yep, cardboard, that stuff that is used for all types of packaging for mostly all the stuff we buy. From cellphones, TV’s and other consumer electronics, they all come in cardboard boxes. It is not only cheap and extremely recyclable, it is also light and quite strong (well if you don’t drive it in the rain that is, kidding it is waterproof and will not break-up in the rain). It also addresses the most plaguing problem with respect to bikes which is theft. In the UK alone, thousands of bikes are stolen each and every year and the statistics keep rising.
Some bicycles are indeed expensive with all the aftermarket upgrades and rare alloys that they now come in. From carbon fiber to tungsten and titanium parts, they are all vandalized or stolen even when chained to a lamppost. The cardboard bike is also cheap at $30.00 and when they reach the end of their life (which is still miserably short at 3 months) they can be disposed of easily without worry of pollution or contamination of the environment. The cardboard parts are simply re-made into other cardboard products then re-injected into the cycle once again. The cardboard used by the inventor was used to make pallets or crates and was rated to carry 2,500lbs(but he does agree that a stronger version for heavier people might be needed). The cardboard bike is still in the prototype stage and any commercial product would still have to undergo further testing and testing for it to go into full-scale production.

Duct Tape – For repairs on Earth and Beyond….

Nick — Sun, 26 Dec 2010 21:25:08 +0000

Duct tape has been the all-around versatile tool that has been in toolboxes for many years, since they were invented in the 1920′s by who else but the adhesive pioneers at 3M a division of Johnson and Johnson. Duct tape if you don’t already know is again a product that was designed for military uses and was intended to keep moisture out of ammunition cases which if allowed to get wet can mean the difference between life and death(originally called duck tape due to the material it was made of, cotton duck). The original material was colored green (the favorite of the military) where the mother of all invention, improvisation had soldiers finding all kind of uses for the humble “duck tape” from repairing their jeeps, boats and all other stuff they had to get working or face the enemy. The current version we all know as duct tape was a re-name done when the advent of air-conditioning systems had them used for sealing joints and fixing insulation in duct work, hence the name “Duct Tape”.
From MacGyver to the space shuttle (yep, they used it to repair a leak and way back in the Apollo 13 failed moon landing) all creative thinkers always found a use for good old duct tape. Imagine being in space with no atmosphere and breathing only oxygen you bring with you and then your ship springs a leak, duct tape is the answer(well along with some pieces of cloth and rags actually). From ammunition savers to life savers, they have been used in all kind of applications that the world is truly a better place. That’s to old American engineering and thinking we all used to love.

Grass for the Planet’s Ethanol Needs

Nick — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 13:50:57 +0000

Ever since the promise of grain ethanol has been smashed and stepped on by making the problems with the environment worse, people have been on the lookout for more and better ways of producing ethanol (alcohol) to fuel our vehicles and for many other machines that needs oil products as fuel. Bio diesel, solar, wave, wind and other alternative technologies that would allow us to generate energy for our electricity needs are all in the spotlight and is finally getting the funding it needs for proper development.
Most alternative technologies are still in need of much improvement to maximize their potential while some like grain ethanol needs more research and from that line comes new studies that algae and grass are showing to be better sources of ethanol for our fuel needs. Switch Grass, which is a native American plant has more energy stored within it pound per pound compared to grains (mainly corn and soy). The only problem is that there is not much in terms of infrastructure or bio-reactors that can turn cellulose fibers into ethanol unlike grain ethanol which has gotten an early head-start. The costs are also higher that with conventional ethanol bio reactors but the US Department of Energy is willing to invest $50 million for six experimental plants that would hopefully establish a base for cellulosic bio reactor technologies making it more feasible and cheaper for future generations as oil supplies dwindle and prices go higher.
These cellulosic bioreactors can also use other plant waste materials such as corn husks, grain shells, sugarcane waste and other plant based materials to produce ethanol that is better and friendlier to the environment than current technologies.

Source : Scientific American

Harnessing the Sun’s Rays without Silicon Solar Panels

Nick — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 04:04:05 +0000

Scientists and almost anybody out there are on a mad rush to find the next form of alternative energy source that would provide us with the energy (electricity) we need to power our lives. With the price of oil still on the rise with no signs of stopping even with the world asking (well, more of demanding the Oil giants) to produce more oil to satisfy the world’s fuel needs (production has since increased but the price continues to rise). Oil has become an economic bargaining chip and the search for better sources that does not harm the environment is on the priority of most scientific communities.
The field of solar power generation is a well established one but the high costs of silicon for solar panels and other hardware needed to produce electricity directly from the sun keeps it away from the realm of practicality. The alternative was to come up with super efficient mirrors that bounces the sun’s rays onto a concentrated point which has a structure containing some liquid (can be water, oil or some other easily vaporized liquid) that in turn is used to turn turbines to produce electricity. This may be the cheapest alternative for other technologies are still so expensive that not many can afford the infrastructure and equipment needed to benefit from their use. Wind farms cost millions of dollars, Hybrid batteries are still quite in their infancy and so are solar panels so scientists are still on the lookout for other more realistic technologies that may solve the energy crisis we are experiencing today and possibly for sometime in the future to come.

Home-Based Hydrogen Fuel Production

Nick — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 14:49:25 +0000

Is it Viable? Yes and it has minimal if not zero emission of greenhouse gasses. This might become more of a necessity and scientists in Australia have come up with a prototype that can become a mainstay of homes in the near future. Hydrogen Fuel is one of the alternative fuels that is being looked at as a replacement technology to fuel vehicles of the future. Efforts to produce and use hydrogen have been plagued by problems such as the production of more than acceptable levels of greenhouse gasses for the production of the gas for fuel with today’s technology. Hopefully, advances in technology and fuel research will produce a more portable and easy to use version of today’s hydrogen production plants.

This solution would allow a localized production facility that makes enough hydrogen to fuel the family car for errands or short trips around town. The said home-scale production plant would be powered by solar panels further reducing their carbon footprint by removing the otherwise dirty need for power from the grid. It also allows small fuel plants to be installed at bus stops and other public transport system hubs that can make enough fuel to propel the vehicles to their next destination or stop. These forms of green technology are growing into our best solution to the already bad environment we live in as we work more to veer away from fossil fuels due to their unwanted byproducts that have accumulated to enough levels that a hole in the earth’s ozone layer has formed with no signs of its growth slowing. This has been result from years of uncontrolled venting of polluting gasses that end up as acids in the atmosphere as they react with the sun’s ultraviolet rays. This acid rain can even filter down to the water table rendering them useless worsening the already troubled water supply.

Hydrogen fuel is clean and it produces no gasses that harm the environment but many technologies still have to be developed to make it safer and easier enough to convince the average homeowner to shift to hydrogen fueled vehicles from their oil based predecessors. Safety is one of the key issues for hydrogen gas is highly explosive and combustible that any problem with containment has to be addressed well ahead of its implementation. The efficiency of engines is still quite low but they do have zero-emissions which is the main lure of the technology. The infrastructure for supporting such hydrogen based vehicles is quite expensive but that has been proven to be un-needed with the above mentioned home-based/local production facilities, the prototype being as big as a filing cabinet. Further research and development might allow it shrink considerably allowing home use.