wind

Small wind turbines attached to individual homes work fine unless you have lousy wind.

That's the upshot of a multi-site study called the Warwick Microwind Trial project, a year-long survey on the performance of roof-mounted turbines done in the U.K. done by Encraft, a low-carbon technology consulting firm.

The researchers picked 26 sites in the U.K where microturbines tied to the power grid were attached to people's homes to offset their electricity use. Many of the consumers clearly purchased the turbines to lower their fossil fuel energy use as some already had solar panels and ground-source heat pumps. … Read more

This updated weather application offers a smorgasbord of weather-related data. Once you've provided a zip code or city, Weather Watcher Live's easy-to-use interface displays detailed weather information, including forecasts, temperature, and expected highs and lows. You can add as many locations as you'd like and switch among them using the system-tray icon.

Automatic updates keep you abreast of the current wind speed, dew point, humidity, barometric pressure, and moon phases. You can display your location's current weather conditions by mousing over the temperature readout in your system tray. Weather Watcher Live provides extensive customizations, measurement conversions, … Read more

MEDFORD, Mass.--Wind turbines themselves aren't exactly exotic--thousands of them are already installed around the world. But it is unusual to see a 150-foot-high turbine spinning next to a middle school football field.

The Boston suburb of Medford cut the ribbon on a 100-kilowatt wind turbine on Thursday in a ceremony that included speeches from the mayor and a long line of children. It is said to be the first commercial-size wind turbine installed at a public Massachusetts school.

The turbine at the John J. McGlynn Middle School will offset about 10 percent of the school's electricity, saving … Read more

To celebrate that upcoming day of Hallmark love, MSI will give away 15 limited-edition Wind U100 models featuring a rosy, heartsy design. Depending on your significant other's tolerance for pink, he or she will either want to smother you in kisses or possibly break up with you should you manage to snag one.

The Netbooks feature an Intel Atom N270 1.6G processor, Windows Home XP Home Edition, a 6-cell battery, and the same lightweight ultramobile design as the other U100 models. If you don't win, but still want one of these lovey dovey models, you can purchase … Read more

WhoopieCushion is a free and extremely simple app that attempts to replicate the classic, red-rubber toy of the same name. Like the original toy itself, there are countless competing imitations--offering everything from timers to motion sensors--so shop around to find the right flatulence simulator for you. WhoopieCushion stands out because of its price (it is free) and its clean interface: you just tap the photo of the "Whoopee Cushion" on your iPhone or iPod Touch screen, and the app will randomly produce one of a handful of "Bronx cheer" noises. No similar app--this one included--can quite … Read more

In 2009, MSI is coming out with a PC for all markets, from Netbooks, to all-in-ones, and even something for the gamers, starting with two new models in the U-Series line: the U115 and the U120.

According to MSI, the U115 is the world's first Netbook capable of simultaneously running SSD and HDD. By implementing the latest in hybrid storage technology, the U115 provides people with a reliable, shock-absorbent, speedy operating environment and boasts a 6-cell, 12-hour battery when operating in Eco mode.

The U120 is designed for portability and weighs just under 3 pounds, with added features like … Read more

Some new sculptures at Quinnipiac University will soon provide students with more than just eye candy.

The university has hired Mariah Power to install 42 of its silent Windspire wind turbines for the gardens of its York Hill campus in Hamden, Conn., which are currently under construction.

Mariah Power produces small wind turbines in the $4,000-$5,000 range for use in residential and commercial properties.

All together the 42 wind turbines for Quinnipiac should provide about 84,000 kilowatt-hours of power per year to the campus, according to a university statement.

"The Windspire provided both a distinctive … Read more

If you're thinking about going green in 2009, the Baylis Revolution wind-up MP3 player may let you inch down your carbon footprint ever so slightly.

I know it's unforgiveably anachronistic to have a hand-crank slapped on the side of an MP3 player, but before you dismiss this as pure novelty, let me say that I was surprised to find that the Revolution isn't a half bad MP3 player. Sure, it's thicker than a bar of soap, but if you're ever trapped on a desert island the Revolution puts the iPod to shame.

The Baylis Revolution … Read more

Rana and CMC join the show for a "what's up" with iPhone apps and a warm farewell to the last dick. Is Steve Jobs alive? Will New Yorkers pay tax on their iPods? Will Guitar Hero ever add death metal tracks? All these answers and more on The 404. Did we mention that we've got two flesh and blood females on the show? Make sure to stick around until the end of the episode when we find out that Rana has a secret celebrity crush...