Pure Digital announces million camcorder giveaway for non-profits

from Engadget by Donald Melanson

At under $200, Pure Digital's recently announced Flip Video camcorders are already pretty inexpensive, but the company now looks to be trying to make them even cheaper for non-profit organizations -- as in free. That's the goal of the company's just announced Flip Video Spotlight program, which aims to give up to one million of the camcorders to non-profits and other non-governmental organizations over the next five years. Apparently, the initiative (which is set to get underway this December) will operate as a donor matching program, with donors (or the organizations themselves) able to purchase so-called Flip Video Spotlight Kits, which Flip Video will match one-to-one. Much like the OLPC program, Flip Video sees virtually no end to the benefits of its camcorders, with Pure Digital CEO Jonathan Kaplan saying the company believes "video can help change the world."

 

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Researchers tout advances in development of pure white LEDs

from Engadget by Donald Melanson

Researchers at the Indian Institute of Science are making some fairly bold claims about their latest advance in the realm of white LEDs, boasting that they are now getting closer to the "Holy Grail of the illumination industry." That, they say, is a white LED that produces a pure white light suitable for everyday use (as opposed to the "warm white" LEDs used in pricey bulbs like the one seen here). The big advance here, it seems, is the development of the first LED based on a "new phosphor from semiconductor nanocrystals of cadmium sulfide mixed with manganese." While we're admittedly not entirely sure what all that is, the researchers claim that the result is an LED that produces a stable and constant shade of white light, which is "superior in overall performance" to previous white LEDs. They're apparently not fully satisfied with the results just yet though, and are reportedly working to boost the efficiency of the LEDs to make them more suitable for everyday applications.

 

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D-Link gives DSM-520 access to hundreds of online TV channels

from Engadget by Darren Murph

Evidently, loosing the DSM-750 Extender for Windows Media Center just wasn't enough for D-Link, as the firm seemingly felt the need to give loyal (and to-be) owners of the DSM-520 Wireless HD Media Player a nice bonus. Starting today, buyers of the aforementioned digital media adapter will have access to "more than 200 online channels," as the unit can now take advantage of active-TV technology. The service reportedly "allows easy access to internet video and entertainment sites with a remote control," and it also uses a "content aggregator developed by MediaMall Technologies." Some notable channels include Comedy Central, CinemaNow, Google Video, Movielink, ROOtv Music Videos, Akimbo, MTV, Musicmatch, Napster, VH1, ESPN and FOX Sports, and there's also international content out there for those willing to branch out. The expanded DSM-520 should be shipping momentarily for $249.99, and existing owners can snag the update gratis on October 4th.

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A Chat with Konarka Co-Founder Howard Berke

from Earth2Tech by Katie Fehrenbacher

Howard Berke, the co-founder and executive chairman of the board for solar polymer company Konarka, stepped down from his role as CEO in June, but we still found him out manning the company booth at the Solar Power 2007 convention this week. We chatted with him about the Lowell, Mass.-based company's plans for commercialization — Berke says the first products won't likely hit the market until the second half of 2008.

A lot companies developing thin film and other new solar technologies are struggling to move into the production phase, and companies like Miasolé and Nanosolar continue to raise funding to take that next step. Konarka was founded in 2001, and built with $60 million from venture capital firms 3i, Draper Fisher Jurvetson, Good Energies, NEA, Partech and Vanguard Ventures. Konarka is also reportedly seeking to raise another $40 million in a late stage of venture funding and while the company won't comment on that report, they won't officially deny it either.

Konarka's technology is different from some of the other thin film startups and it is based on organic semi-conducting polymers. Berke says the technology can be manufactured at a lower cost — their target cost is $1 per watt — it is more environmentally friendly, and can be printed on a variety of lighter-weight materials. Thin film technologies like cadmium telluride (CdTe) and copper, indium, gallium and selenium (CIGS) can have potential safety hazards and some higher costs. At the same time, Konarka's efficiency rate runs between three and five percent, which is less than many standard solar efficiencies.

All these qualities make the technology suitable for applications such as packaging with a little solar power added in. Berke uses soft drinks as an example: Say there's two soft-drink brands in a store, one with packaging that has lights blinking and the other without — which one are you more drawn to? Another example would be a cereal box solar-powered electronic game — since the materials aren't hazardous, he says, they can more easily be disposed of.

OK, a little wasteful, but we get it. The company is also looking at applications in clothing, handbags, toys, cell phones, laptops, windows, traffic signals, and smart lighting, among others.

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Scientists Create the First Super-duper "Pure White LED"

from Gizmodo by Ben Longo

The American Chemical Society is claiming that the "holy grail" of the LED world has been reached. A pair of Indian Scientists have created a pure white LED. No longer will we have to suffer with odd blue- or yellow-like white LED's. The method used to achieve the white color was so blatantly obvious, they used "phosphors made from semiconductor nanocrystals of cadmium sulfide mixed with manganese." The scientific duo is currently attempting to raise its production consistency so that it can be brought to the masses. [Physorg via ACS]

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