2nd Life for electric vehicle batteries?

Second life for electric car batteries? No, it’s not a world of electric virtual avatars - it’s a plan under development by Duke Energy and Tokyo-based cleantech ITOCHU to develop applications for spent car batteries.
Apparently, these two companies believe that after the batteries set to power the next generation of green cars end their useful life as far as autos go, they can go on to have other lives in other applications, such as supplemental home energy supply, renewable power storage and fast-charging power for electric vehicles (EVs).
According to some auto industry estimates, electric vehicle (EV) batteries that can no longer charge to approximately 80 percent of their original capacity may be candidates for replacement.
Both Duke Energy and ITOCHU were involved in a large-scale public/private EV pilot program based in Indianapolis known as Project Plug-IN, which apparently inspired the companies to study the second-life market for EV batteries.
ITOCHU and Duke Energy plan to work together to assess how such EV batteries perform in stationary applications in homes, neighborhoods and commercial buildings, validating potential business models for future commercialization.
If successful, the companies believe that this "after market" for batteries could help reduce initial battery cost (which, in turn, would lower the cost of EVs).
It should be noted as well this isn’t the only attempt to make second life use out of electric vehicle batteries. Similar projects are happening with the likes of Nissan, for example, as well

Physicists create new type of light

Physicists from the University of Bonn have developed a completely new source of light, previously thought to be impossible - a so-called Bose-Einstein condensate consisting of photons.
The discovery could lead to the development of new light sources resembling lasers that work in the x-ray range, and more powerful computer chips.
By cooling Rubidium atoms deeply and concentrating a sufficient number of them in a compact space, they suddenly become indistinguishable, behaving like a single huge 'super particle' - a Bose-Einstein condensate.
This should also work for photons. Unfortunately, though, there's a fundamental problem: when photons are 'cooled down', they disappear. This is the first time scientists have been able to cool light while concentrating it at the same time.
The Bonn researchers succeeded by using two highly reflective mirrors, bouncing a light beam back and forth between them. Pigment molecules were dissolved between the reflective surfaces; the photons collided with them periodically. In these collisions, the molecules 'swallowed' the photons and then 'spit' them out again.
"During this process, the photons assumed the temperature of the fluid," explains Professor Msrtin Weitz. "They cooled each other off to room temperature this way, and they did it without getting lost in the process."
The physicists then increased the quantity of photons between the mirrors by exciting the pigment solution using a laser. This allowed them to concentrate the cooled-off light particles so strongly that they condensed into a 'super-photon'.
This photonic Bose-Einstein condensate is a completely new source of light that has characteristics resembling lasers. But compared to lasers, they have a decisive advantage.
 

Oracle vs. SAP update: Catz does partial recovery but can't make up for Ellison

Safra Catz took the stand after Larry Ellison this evening and appears to have done a vastly better job of being a convincing witness. 
However, here too the issue will likely be the jury that likely has a relatively low average income and the huge numbers being tossed about without context.   
So, let’s do a quick summary and update. This analysis follows an earlier initial piece on TG Daily about Larry Ellison’s testimony.
Catz on the Stand


Catz played the role of expert witness in that she lectured the jury on critical areas of the trial they probably didn’t understand with regard to investment banking and software licensing.


The licensing is important because it grounded the $2.3B Oracle wants (Larry is using a larger $4B number in his testimony) as a settlement because it is the Oracle estimate of what Oracle would have charged had SAP asked for a license. 


Those attending thought she did a masterful job.
However, her main point appeared to be that accepting $40M from SAP in damages would reward them for bad behavior and the Jury with a likely low average income may not agree at all that $40M is an inadequate number given Oracle has so far failed to prove any actual damages. 


In context, $1M is a lot of money to folks like this and large awards are reserved for behavior where one side is vastly wealthier and more powerful than the other and behaves very badly. 

In this instance, Oracle is the bigger player and appears to have already benefited the most from what SAP did. So, a high judgment needs a lot of justification and Oracle hasn’t reached that bar yet. 

SAP’s Likely Response

It should be fairly easy for SAP to create a metaphor the jury would understand. What I’d do, were it me, would be tell the following story.  Let’s say you have two sons and one takes the other kid's used VW without permission, drives and fixes it up with new wheels, tires and attractive paint and then is forced to return it. 


The son that owns the car asked for $2,000 in compensation because that is what he would have charged had the other son asked him to rent him the car and won’t accept anything less. 


As a parent, you’d certainly say "be happy you got a better car back" and let it go - knowing the first would have never rented the car in the first place and the other son never would have paid $2,000, but lost everything he put into the car himself and learned a lesson.    

If they keep the metaphor simple and grounded it in the facts of the case the jury should see that the Oracle claim is excessive and the risk is they might not even grant the $40M because they might feel that the Oracle folks, who have been lecturing them, thought they were stupid.
Wrapping Up:


Testimony is often like a relay race and it is really hard to win one if the runner before you doesn’t do a good job. Larry dug a pretty deep hole and while Safra presented herself better and did likely improve the perception of Oracle for the Jury she didn’t make up for the fact there isn’t any real evidence to support their $2.3B claim.
The inconsistencies in the claim aren’t helping Oracle’s case either and make the numbers seem even more artificial. Oracle needs to connect with the Jury and show pain in line with the judgment they are seeking and create a credible justification for that judgment. 


They don’t appear to have done this yet. This suggests the outcome is still trending towards SAP for the judgment.

Hanvon to debut first color E Ink e-reader

The first color E Ink-powered e-reader is expected to make its debut at a Tokyo electronics show on Tuesday.
According to the NY Times, E Ink black-and-white displays can be found in approximately 90 percent of the world's e-readers, including the Kindle and Nook.
Other devices, such as Apple's iPad and the color Nook use LCD - the same technology deployed in current-gen televisions and monitors.
"Color is [certainly] the next logical step for E Ink," iSuppli analyst Vinita Jakhanwal told the Times.
"[Because] every display you see, whether it's a TV or a cellphone, is in color."
So, what are some of the advantages of an E Ink color screen?
Well, they sip significantly less battery power and are readable even in the glare of direct sunlight.
Nevertheless, it should be noted that E Ink color screens are not as sharp and colorful as their LCD counterparts, nor are they capable of rendering full-motion video.
Still, Hanvon's first product boasting a 9.68-inch color E Ink touch screen will be available this March in China for approximately $440.
If successful, the device - which supports Wi-Fi and 3G wireless connectivity - could eventually be sold in retail stores throughout the US.

Google sponsors free in-flight WiFi for holiday travelers

Google’s Chrome browser team is teaming up with AirTran, Delta and Virgin America to provide free in-flight WiFi for holiday passengers.
Travelers flying on any of the above-mentioned airlines between November 20, 2010 and January 2, 2011 will be able to use the free Gogo connection to check e-mail, surf the web or watch videos - all while cruising 30,000 feet above the ground.
"We are constantly working to help provide a better web experience to users around the world,” explained Google VP Sundar Pichai.


"Whether it be building a better browser with Chrome or bringing free Wi-Fi to air travelers this holiday season, we are constantly innovating to ensure that user access to the web is fast, simple and seamless.”


This season marks the second straight year that the Mountain View-based company has offered free Wi-Fi to travelers over the holidays.
Last year, Google worked with Virgin America as well as more than 50 airports to provide free Internet both on the ground and in the air. 


And this year, the Chrome team is continuing its newly-inaugurated Google tradition by joining with three airlines to connect travelers while they’re in the sky.