IEatApples
Jan 8, 10:17 PM
Updated iMac (without screen issues)… make an option for a quad! :)
I know the chance for the iMac to be updated is small, but this is what the Buyer's Guide says: Days Since Update - 154 (Avg = 185)
I'm just saying, but is it really that far-fetched that we'll see Penryn iMacs on the 15th? :confused:
… Oh, and I want the iPhone to come to Norway!!! :D
I know the chance for the iMac to be updated is small, but this is what the Buyer's Guide says: Days Since Update - 154 (Avg = 185)
I'm just saying, but is it really that far-fetched that we'll see Penryn iMacs on the 15th? :confused:
… Oh, and I want the iPhone to come to Norway!!! :D
tkermit
Apr 5, 05:59 PM
If you ever want to be really successful and maybe even wealthy, then this app is vital.
Wow. Just...wow.
Wow. Just...wow.
ctdonath
Oct 1, 02:06 PM
I live in one of fairly many Grade II Listed (http://www.heritage.co.uk/apavilions/glstb.html) buildings in the United Kingdom, much older but not quite as large as old Steve's, and there is no surprise when purchasing such a building that you are significantly restricted in what you can do to it.
England has a very long history of common people being subject to the will & whim of the rich & powerful & connected.
The USA exists precisely because some of those common people got tired of such treatment and made it clear they would do with their land what they saw fit.
What is it about the past that you don't like, Jobs?
How it gets in the way of the present & future.
When people stop shelling out good money, time & resources of their own (not confiscated-at-gunpoint taxpayer funds) for old things, maybe it's time to stop preserving what people don't actually want and start replacing it. Remember, Apple does not maintain a "museum of past Apple products" because those products no longer sold are, by current standards, failures - they may have been great then, but nobody wants to put up their own money for them today.
Yes, there is a valid argument and sociopolitical expenditure to preserve things which may not be of sustained current value. Question is where to draw the line. AFAIK, nobody actually wanted that house, and few are truly enamored by Spanish Revival architecture to a degree worth the substantial cost of preservation of such an example, and fewer still are truly enamored by the decedent who built it. The argument, IMHO, centers more around those wanting to either criticize Jobs at any opportunity, or whose relevance hinges on ability to find old homes they can spin as "historic".
Suitable acreage is costly in that region. The cost of preserving the "interesting creation" far exceeds the cost of replacing it with another interesting creation; as none are interested in putting up the money to preserve the former, those interested in putting up the money to create the latter win.
And yes, the old gives way to the new. Physical things are not important of themselves. It's not about wanton destruction for sake of destruction, it's about moving forward and removing obstacles thereto.
England has a very long history of common people being subject to the will & whim of the rich & powerful & connected.
The USA exists precisely because some of those common people got tired of such treatment and made it clear they would do with their land what they saw fit.
What is it about the past that you don't like, Jobs?
How it gets in the way of the present & future.
When people stop shelling out good money, time & resources of their own (not confiscated-at-gunpoint taxpayer funds) for old things, maybe it's time to stop preserving what people don't actually want and start replacing it. Remember, Apple does not maintain a "museum of past Apple products" because those products no longer sold are, by current standards, failures - they may have been great then, but nobody wants to put up their own money for them today.
Yes, there is a valid argument and sociopolitical expenditure to preserve things which may not be of sustained current value. Question is where to draw the line. AFAIK, nobody actually wanted that house, and few are truly enamored by Spanish Revival architecture to a degree worth the substantial cost of preservation of such an example, and fewer still are truly enamored by the decedent who built it. The argument, IMHO, centers more around those wanting to either criticize Jobs at any opportunity, or whose relevance hinges on ability to find old homes they can spin as "historic".
Suitable acreage is costly in that region. The cost of preserving the "interesting creation" far exceeds the cost of replacing it with another interesting creation; as none are interested in putting up the money to preserve the former, those interested in putting up the money to create the latter win.
And yes, the old gives way to the new. Physical things are not important of themselves. It's not about wanton destruction for sake of destruction, it's about moving forward and removing obstacles thereto.
Xavier
Dec 13, 11:32 AM
My contract is officially up in march. Still hopefully waiting.
tarkeybear
Apr 5, 04:04 PM
I typically buy paid apps, so I don't actually see too many iAds and was curious what ads are out there.
Although I am not in marketing, some of the best creative wit is applied to advertising and I enjoy experiencing a well executed ad. This is a great way for me to check out ad campaigns, even when the campaign has been retired (example, the McRib).
This looks like a great library of iAds that can stimulate the creative juices of folks who need to get their heads around this medium as an ad delivery platform. My limited experience with iAds, is that I only saw two ads (some sports related personal hygiene product and the Nissan Leaf). I never saw all these other Ad campaigns and thought the iAd system had no traction with companies.
With a library of Ads to review, a creative type can decide for themselves what Ad approaches get their attention and what don't work.
Although I am not in marketing, some of the best creative wit is applied to advertising and I enjoy experiencing a well executed ad. This is a great way for me to check out ad campaigns, even when the campaign has been retired (example, the McRib).
This looks like a great library of iAds that can stimulate the creative juices of folks who need to get their heads around this medium as an ad delivery platform. My limited experience with iAds, is that I only saw two ads (some sports related personal hygiene product and the Nissan Leaf). I never saw all these other Ad campaigns and thought the iAd system had no traction with companies.
With a library of Ads to review, a creative type can decide for themselves what Ad approaches get their attention and what don't work.
BrettJDeriso
Apr 5, 04:44 PM
I have to say, this is the dumbest idea I've ever seen come out of Cupertino. Even worse than the Newton.
I feel sorry for the tools who download this.
I feel sorry for the tools who download this.
MartiNZ
Mar 24, 07:40 PM
Recently switched to OS X in 2008. the real pulling for me was probably the easiness and the speed of the system as a whole
oh yeah, vista sucked. :apple:
The only problem with these comments is that vista did not suck. Running it on boot camp was a great experience and almost had me switching to it full-time. Running windows 7 on boot camp HAS done that for me at least at work, although I still prefer some of what vista had to offer.
The dock could never dream of being what the superbar is though, and that's almost enough.
oh yeah, vista sucked. :apple:
The only problem with these comments is that vista did not suck. Running it on boot camp was a great experience and almost had me switching to it full-time. Running windows 7 on boot camp HAS done that for me at least at work, although I still prefer some of what vista had to offer.
The dock could never dream of being what the superbar is though, and that's almost enough.
BC2009
Dec 13, 10:25 AM
How could Apple keep production of an LTE iPhone so completely quiet when a release is pending in two weeks? We would have heard something in the supply chain before this.
This supposed source also says that Apple may be financing some of the carrier's LTE buildouts -- if Apple were doing that they would be asking for exclusive use of those LTE networks for a period. It would also set a terrible precedent.
Also, I don't imagine that AT&T & Apple signed a contract that had exclusivity expiring on December 26, 2010. It would make far more sense for a contract to be written that extends through the end of though some have even speculated it extends through 2012 (heaven help us and Apple if that's the case).
Nothing in this article from MacDailyNews seems close to the truth.
EDIT: In other news, rumor has it that Apple and NASA are launching a series of iPhone satellites on December 26th that will support the iPhone-SAT which will have 100MBps speeds with worldwide coverage using a series of Apple-owned satellites and taking the carrier completely out of the equation. There will be no more carrier exclusivity, because there will be no carrier. Apple will sell the phone for $700 unlocked with no monthly service charge, but will require you purchase an annual subscription to MobileMe for $99 for service.
This supposed source also says that Apple may be financing some of the carrier's LTE buildouts -- if Apple were doing that they would be asking for exclusive use of those LTE networks for a period. It would also set a terrible precedent.
Also, I don't imagine that AT&T & Apple signed a contract that had exclusivity expiring on December 26, 2010. It would make far more sense for a contract to be written that extends through the end of though some have even speculated it extends through 2012 (heaven help us and Apple if that's the case).
Nothing in this article from MacDailyNews seems close to the truth.
EDIT: In other news, rumor has it that Apple and NASA are launching a series of iPhone satellites on December 26th that will support the iPhone-SAT which will have 100MBps speeds with worldwide coverage using a series of Apple-owned satellites and taking the carrier completely out of the equation. There will be no more carrier exclusivity, because there will be no carrier. Apple will sell the phone for $700 unlocked with no monthly service charge, but will require you purchase an annual subscription to MobileMe for $99 for service.
jakaj
Oct 28, 03:19 PM
I don't blame Apple. The OSS community abused what they had and turned to piracy by stealing the GUI. Kudos Apple.
Now that's a stupid thing to say. The OSS community doesnt steal the GUI, the warez community does. And those two really don't overlap much.
It is true, though, that everyone might use the work of the OSS community, even for illegal purposes.
Now that's a stupid thing to say. The OSS community doesnt steal the GUI, the warez community does. And those two really don't overlap much.
It is true, though, that everyone might use the work of the OSS community, even for illegal purposes.
gugy
Oct 17, 05:27 PM
this whole war just upsets me.
I would love to have a disc that I could back up 100gig of data at a reasonable price ($10/$15 disc) and not to worry about which to choose. Blu-ray or HD-DVD.
Meanwhile I'll keep buying my 300gb drives at Fry's for less than $80 and use it for back-up and storage.
I hope the hybrid players and hopefully recorders will stop this crap.
I would love to have a disc that I could back up 100gig of data at a reasonable price ($10/$15 disc) and not to worry about which to choose. Blu-ray or HD-DVD.
Meanwhile I'll keep buying my 300gb drives at Fry's for less than $80 and use it for back-up and storage.
I hope the hybrid players and hopefully recorders will stop this crap.
dunk321
Mar 17, 01:38 AM
I just told a story and everybody is entitled to their personal opinion, what's done is done, I wasn't look for any congrats for this posting, but I Thank you all for the laughs
Preclaro_tipo
Mar 28, 02:23 PM
What a lame rule...clearly they don't care about the best or most innovative products for people, they care about themselves and this time they aren't even TRYING to make it look like it is people/software/design first...it is purely Apple first.
I know Apple (and Microsoft, and google and Oracle, etc) gets accused of being evil, slimy, greedy, monopolistic, or some combination or derivation of these from time to time, or even regularly, but for me this is the one of the most flagrant 'slimy' (et al) practices I've seen of Apple.
I know Apple (and Microsoft, and google and Oracle, etc) gets accused of being evil, slimy, greedy, monopolistic, or some combination or derivation of these from time to time, or even regularly, but for me this is the one of the most flagrant 'slimy' (et al) practices I've seen of Apple.
benjayman2
Apr 7, 12:17 AM
About damn time too...
Looking forward to shooting with this new gear...
I am literally glowing green. Hopefully one day I'll I'll be as pro as this pic is. Gah I can't hold it in OMGFJFC that is BAMF canon haul if I ever saw one.
Looking forward to shooting with this new gear...
I am literally glowing green. Hopefully one day I'll I'll be as pro as this pic is. Gah I can't hold it in OMGFJFC that is BAMF canon haul if I ever saw one.
arn
Nov 23, 04:19 PM
$11, oh wow! :eek:
Every penny counts though, right? ;)
As stated above, the sale is more for street traffic. The savings aren't that substantial. buying from amazon or another place that doesn't charge sales tax probably offsets any additional savings. But there is the added benefit that you get the product right away.
arn
Every penny counts though, right? ;)
As stated above, the sale is more for street traffic. The savings aren't that substantial. buying from amazon or another place that doesn't charge sales tax probably offsets any additional savings. But there is the added benefit that you get the product right away.
arn
jlanuez
Jan 11, 05:11 PM
Without question, banned from CES.
It costs companies a small fortune to attend and display at a show like this, would not be surprised if someone brought a suit against them.
Totally unprofessional and unacceptable!
It costs companies a small fortune to attend and display at a show like this, would not be surprised if someone brought a suit against them.
Totally unprofessional and unacceptable!
cdallen
Mar 19, 06:36 AM
Today I've had some pretty interesting exchanges with other smart phone owners. I personally have an iPhone 4, I've had it for ages and love it. Pretty much everyone else I know has an Android phone of some kind. Now, people are always so damn keen to try and compete with my iPhone! I mean seriously, these people just come out of nowhere! I don't even show it off either, people just see me use it and start coming out with stuff.
For instance, one guy comes out with - "Oh so you have an iPhone 4, my HTC Desire is way better". When we ran some comparisons he was obliterated but refused to accept it lol. All I got was, "well you paid �500 for an overpaid Apple product that you need a case to use". Personally I've never had any antenna problems so anyway, moving on.
Another guy comes out with "You don't have a removable battery so if your phone crashes then you're screwed". Anyone here had their iPhone crash? If yes were you unable to get it sorted at an Apple store? This explanation didn't bode well with said Apple hater. :p
Some one else came out with "iPhone 4 is a brick". At first I thought he was joking but he soon turned serious, saying that the phone literally is shaped like a brick and has sharp edges which hurt your hand.
Another guy claimed that iPhones are awful because they don't have flash. To be honest, I don't really care for flash. The only thing I need flash for is Youtube which has its own app, and most shopping sites have their own dedicated apps anyway. Flash is a resource hog that would kill the battery. This of course was nonsense to the nexus owner.
I could go on but the shots people took just kept getting cheaper and cheaper, most reverting to "well you paid �500 for a phone, you must be crazy". I don't understand this. It seems that most people feel some kind of envy to me because I own an iPhone 4. Its pretty sad, at the end of the day its just a phone. But people actually seem to hate Apple because they can't afford their products. Most of them admitted that had the iPhone been cheaper they'd buy one, hence they can't afford it so they are bitter.
Anyone else experienced this? I get similar problems when people see my Macbook Pro lol.
I've never, ever had a conversation about my phone with a random person in the street - let alone conduct comparison tests.
I'm guessing from your thread that you porbably love the iphone a bit too much... Get out and enjoy the world. Perhaps leave the phone at home!
For instance, one guy comes out with - "Oh so you have an iPhone 4, my HTC Desire is way better". When we ran some comparisons he was obliterated but refused to accept it lol. All I got was, "well you paid �500 for an overpaid Apple product that you need a case to use". Personally I've never had any antenna problems so anyway, moving on.
Another guy comes out with "You don't have a removable battery so if your phone crashes then you're screwed". Anyone here had their iPhone crash? If yes were you unable to get it sorted at an Apple store? This explanation didn't bode well with said Apple hater. :p
Some one else came out with "iPhone 4 is a brick". At first I thought he was joking but he soon turned serious, saying that the phone literally is shaped like a brick and has sharp edges which hurt your hand.
Another guy claimed that iPhones are awful because they don't have flash. To be honest, I don't really care for flash. The only thing I need flash for is Youtube which has its own app, and most shopping sites have their own dedicated apps anyway. Flash is a resource hog that would kill the battery. This of course was nonsense to the nexus owner.
I could go on but the shots people took just kept getting cheaper and cheaper, most reverting to "well you paid �500 for a phone, you must be crazy". I don't understand this. It seems that most people feel some kind of envy to me because I own an iPhone 4. Its pretty sad, at the end of the day its just a phone. But people actually seem to hate Apple because they can't afford their products. Most of them admitted that had the iPhone been cheaper they'd buy one, hence they can't afford it so they are bitter.
Anyone else experienced this? I get similar problems when people see my Macbook Pro lol.
I've never, ever had a conversation about my phone with a random person in the street - let alone conduct comparison tests.
I'm guessing from your thread that you porbably love the iphone a bit too much... Get out and enjoy the world. Perhaps leave the phone at home!
MagicBoy
Mar 24, 08:18 PM
It's drifting off topic. I'm not going to turn a "Happy Birthday OS X" thread into a the time honoured "Windows sucks" debate. If anyone wants to discuss it then I suggest they create a new thread called "Windows vs Mac part 677249 (cont)"
John Purple
Jan 15, 04:24 PM
One thing I think people need to keep in mind about the MB Air... it's NOT a replacement laptop or a replacement workstation!
Stop looking for the big power and flexibility! It's a product designed for the road warrior. Someone that is always on the road and needs a light but functional laptop will find the Air useful and not a bad value compared to others on the market in the category.
People should look at the MB Air as a technology demonstration of whats possible and what will come in the future to more laptops... I'm guessing the next MB's and MB Pros are going to be thinner and have solid state drives as an option.
All I'm saying is keep it in perspective... the MB Air is NOT FOR EVERYONE!
MBA is ok for whoever wants one. It's nice, light etc. etc.
Nevertheless it does not help those of us who were hoping for all that other stuff that is overdue.
Stop looking for the big power and flexibility! It's a product designed for the road warrior. Someone that is always on the road and needs a light but functional laptop will find the Air useful and not a bad value compared to others on the market in the category.
People should look at the MB Air as a technology demonstration of whats possible and what will come in the future to more laptops... I'm guessing the next MB's and MB Pros are going to be thinner and have solid state drives as an option.
All I'm saying is keep it in perspective... the MB Air is NOT FOR EVERYONE!
MBA is ok for whoever wants one. It's nice, light etc. etc.
Nevertheless it does not help those of us who were hoping for all that other stuff that is overdue.
aliensporebomb
Jul 21, 02:27 PM
I swear guys: I'm pretty sure most of the people dropping calls are only dropping calls because of the proximity sensor issues.
Next time you drop a call, check to see if it says "Call Failure" on the screen. If it doesn't, it's probably the sensor. (I'm talking to a wall, I'm sure�but if one person discovers the real problem, I'll be happy�
If it does say call failure, take it to Apple and they'll give you a new one. Simple. (:
More accurately, at least in one case of my own Iphone 4 I ran into a case where my ear or face bumped the mute button (because the sensor thought my face wasn't hear it or the sensor was blocked) which caused the person on the other end to go "hello? hello?" which caused me to go "huh?" and then the person on the other end hung up before I could unmute.
That happened once.
I also saw, exactly once what appeared to be the sensor thinking my face was up to the phone when it was not - specifically: dialed a call, phone held at arms' length: screen goes blank instead of staying on, I get voicemail and want to hang up but I have to fiddle with it for the screen to come back on.
Part of these issues are happening because I'm using a case from my old iPhone that doesn't really fit the phone and I believe it's obscuring the sensor.
Next time you drop a call, check to see if it says "Call Failure" on the screen. If it doesn't, it's probably the sensor. (I'm talking to a wall, I'm sure�but if one person discovers the real problem, I'll be happy�
If it does say call failure, take it to Apple and they'll give you a new one. Simple. (:
More accurately, at least in one case of my own Iphone 4 I ran into a case where my ear or face bumped the mute button (because the sensor thought my face wasn't hear it or the sensor was blocked) which caused the person on the other end to go "hello? hello?" which caused me to go "huh?" and then the person on the other end hung up before I could unmute.
That happened once.
I also saw, exactly once what appeared to be the sensor thinking my face was up to the phone when it was not - specifically: dialed a call, phone held at arms' length: screen goes blank instead of staying on, I get voicemail and want to hang up but I have to fiddle with it for the screen to come back on.
Part of these issues are happening because I'm using a case from my old iPhone that doesn't really fit the phone and I believe it's obscuring the sensor.
ArtOfWarfare
Jul 21, 10:23 AM
As for people being surprised at Apple's childishness, have you forgotten about the douchetastic "I'm a Mac campaign".
That campaign was saying "Look what we can do that you can't."
That is proper advertising and the way it should be done.
This campaign says "Look, you're just as bad as we are."
I'm a Mac raised the bar, this thing just pulls the bar down.
That campaign was saying "Look what we can do that you can't."
That is proper advertising and the way it should be done.
This campaign says "Look, you're just as bad as we are."
I'm a Mac raised the bar, this thing just pulls the bar down.
rtdgoldfish
Apr 2, 08:57 PM
Nothing new going on for the past few days. Someone is connecting to XBox Live with my account but it is no longer on my wireless network. I'm getting the feeling that my 360 is no longer in my neighborhood. :(
They still haven't actually played a game on the system though... :confused:
On a side note, EBGames called and said they are doing a midnight release for Guitar Hero 2 on the 360. I'm very upset that I won't be able to play it for a while except for at a friend's house.
They still haven't actually played a game on the system though... :confused:
On a side note, EBGames called and said they are doing a midnight release for Guitar Hero 2 on the 360. I'm very upset that I won't be able to play it for a while except for at a friend's house.
mkrishnan
Sep 8, 06:29 PM
It was the french.
hate the french.
Sweeeeeeet! Thanks for clarifying! :eek: ;) :D
hate the french.
Sweeeeeeet! Thanks for clarifying! :eek: ;) :D
Lord Blackadder
Aug 3, 11:20 AM
While that part is true that we would burn more fuel at power planets one advantage you are forgetting about is the power planets are by far much more efficient at producing power than the internal combustion engine on your car. On top of that it is much easier to capture and clean the pollution the power planet produces over what the cars produce. On top of that we can easily most our power over to other renewable choices.
I agree with you that series hybrids gain efficiency by running the internal combustion engine at a narrow RPM range representing the engine's most efficient speed. It's been done for over a hundred years that way in generators and a series hybrid drivetrain is set up exactly the same way as a generator.
Power plants are usually more efficent per unit of energy than autos, but right now they do not have the capacity to support a big switch to electrics. Also, the notion that power plants are cleaner than cars is debatable - many are, but many are not all that clean.
The critical point is, our power grid needs to become FAR more robust (more, bigger power plants) before we can make a large-scale switch to electrics - and it will only be worthwhile if the power grid becomes significantly more efficient. It can be done, but it will take a long, long time - and probably have to involve a significant new construction program of nuclear power plants.
I heard it that the reason why BMW stopped selling diesel cars in the US was that the engines failed, due to the very poor quality. In Europe, you can get quality fuel, but in the US, diesel is still the fuel of trucks, primarily.
Just one statistics: in continental Europe (not in the UK), new diesel cars have been outselling petrol ones for almost a decade, despite the premium.
The US began transitioning to ultra-low sulphur diesel in and by now the transition is nearly complete. The new fuel standard brings us in line with European diesel. Before the credit crunch recession hit, many car manufacturers were planning to bring Eurpoean-market diesel cars over here in slightly modified form, but those plans were scuppered in the recession. Subaru, for example, has delayed the introduction of their diesel by a year or two.
But I think diesels will start arriving here in the next couple years, and people will buy them in increasing numbers. The USA is 40 years behind in the adoption of diesel passenger cars.
You shouldn't have any impression about Subarus. They really have the traction of a train (AWD ones, of course - why would you buy anything else?!), but everything else is just midrange quality at best.
I've had a 1998 Impreza estate several years ago and it was OK. Recently, I've had a 2007 Legacy Outback from work. Nice glass on the top and good traction, but I have no intention of trading a BMW or Mercedes for it the next time. The interior is low quality and Subaru has no understanding of fuel efficiency, it seems. OK, it's a 2.5L engine, automatic and AWD, but still... 25 imperial mpg?!
It's not really fair to compare a Subaru to a BMW or Merc though, is it? Those German luxury cars are much more expensive and the AWD variants are even more expensive still. A 5-series with AWD will cost 70%-80% more than a roughly equivalent Legacy. They are very different carsm with totally different customers in mind.
I have a 2000 Forester currently. Mechanically they are well-made cars, they have a strong AWD system and I like the ride quality over rough roads, which they handle much better than the Audis I've driven.
Their biggest weaknesses are only average fuel economy (by US standards; I get about 28 mpg combined), and average interior quality, especially in the Impreza and Foresters, though I have seen the latest models and they are much better. The 2.5L four is really a great engine in a lot of ways, but it's just not quite fuel efficient enough, and in my car that problem is exacerbated by the short-ratio gearbox, which is crying for a 6th gear.
Hybrids actually have an equal to worse carbon footprint than regular gasoline engine cars due to the production and disposal process of the batteries. As such, they are not green at all. They are just another one of these ****** feel good deals for hippies with no brains an engineering knowledge.
I disagree. Real hippies don't work and thus can't afford fancy hybrids.
Of the commercially available cars, a well designed diesel, able to operate on biodiesel from waste oil for example has by far the best carbon footprint or an ethanol burner that can work on ethanol fermented from plant waste via cellulose digesting bacteria.
I would prefer if we could get to the point where we either have cars running on ethanol generated from cellulose or keratin digestion or natural gas buring engines.
Unfortunately fuel cells are not that great either because of the palladium used in the batteries that is pretty toxic in production as well.
Cheers,
Ahmed
The problem with biodiesel is that it's far too scarce to adopt widely. Sure, it's great that Joe Hippie can run his 1979 Mercedes 300D wagon on fast food grease, but once everyone starts looking into biodiesel Joe Hippie won't be getting free oil handouts anymore.
Also, biodiesel demand has already started competing with food production and I can tell you right away I'd rather eat than drive.
You're right about fuel cell carbon footprints - but that's the least of their worries now because they still cost a fortune to make and have short useful lives, making them totally unpractical to sell.
So far the biggest problem is not getting internal combustion engines to burn alternative fuels (we've found many alternative fuels) but to produce enough alternative fuel and distribute it widely enough to replace petroleum - without interrupting things like food production or power generation.
I agree with you that series hybrids gain efficiency by running the internal combustion engine at a narrow RPM range representing the engine's most efficient speed. It's been done for over a hundred years that way in generators and a series hybrid drivetrain is set up exactly the same way as a generator.
Power plants are usually more efficent per unit of energy than autos, but right now they do not have the capacity to support a big switch to electrics. Also, the notion that power plants are cleaner than cars is debatable - many are, but many are not all that clean.
The critical point is, our power grid needs to become FAR more robust (more, bigger power plants) before we can make a large-scale switch to electrics - and it will only be worthwhile if the power grid becomes significantly more efficient. It can be done, but it will take a long, long time - and probably have to involve a significant new construction program of nuclear power plants.
I heard it that the reason why BMW stopped selling diesel cars in the US was that the engines failed, due to the very poor quality. In Europe, you can get quality fuel, but in the US, diesel is still the fuel of trucks, primarily.
Just one statistics: in continental Europe (not in the UK), new diesel cars have been outselling petrol ones for almost a decade, despite the premium.
The US began transitioning to ultra-low sulphur diesel in and by now the transition is nearly complete. The new fuel standard brings us in line with European diesel. Before the credit crunch recession hit, many car manufacturers were planning to bring Eurpoean-market diesel cars over here in slightly modified form, but those plans were scuppered in the recession. Subaru, for example, has delayed the introduction of their diesel by a year or two.
But I think diesels will start arriving here in the next couple years, and people will buy them in increasing numbers. The USA is 40 years behind in the adoption of diesel passenger cars.
You shouldn't have any impression about Subarus. They really have the traction of a train (AWD ones, of course - why would you buy anything else?!), but everything else is just midrange quality at best.
I've had a 1998 Impreza estate several years ago and it was OK. Recently, I've had a 2007 Legacy Outback from work. Nice glass on the top and good traction, but I have no intention of trading a BMW or Mercedes for it the next time. The interior is low quality and Subaru has no understanding of fuel efficiency, it seems. OK, it's a 2.5L engine, automatic and AWD, but still... 25 imperial mpg?!
It's not really fair to compare a Subaru to a BMW or Merc though, is it? Those German luxury cars are much more expensive and the AWD variants are even more expensive still. A 5-series with AWD will cost 70%-80% more than a roughly equivalent Legacy. They are very different carsm with totally different customers in mind.
I have a 2000 Forester currently. Mechanically they are well-made cars, they have a strong AWD system and I like the ride quality over rough roads, which they handle much better than the Audis I've driven.
Their biggest weaknesses are only average fuel economy (by US standards; I get about 28 mpg combined), and average interior quality, especially in the Impreza and Foresters, though I have seen the latest models and they are much better. The 2.5L four is really a great engine in a lot of ways, but it's just not quite fuel efficient enough, and in my car that problem is exacerbated by the short-ratio gearbox, which is crying for a 6th gear.
Hybrids actually have an equal to worse carbon footprint than regular gasoline engine cars due to the production and disposal process of the batteries. As such, they are not green at all. They are just another one of these ****** feel good deals for hippies with no brains an engineering knowledge.
I disagree. Real hippies don't work and thus can't afford fancy hybrids.
Of the commercially available cars, a well designed diesel, able to operate on biodiesel from waste oil for example has by far the best carbon footprint or an ethanol burner that can work on ethanol fermented from plant waste via cellulose digesting bacteria.
I would prefer if we could get to the point where we either have cars running on ethanol generated from cellulose or keratin digestion or natural gas buring engines.
Unfortunately fuel cells are not that great either because of the palladium used in the batteries that is pretty toxic in production as well.
Cheers,
Ahmed
The problem with biodiesel is that it's far too scarce to adopt widely. Sure, it's great that Joe Hippie can run his 1979 Mercedes 300D wagon on fast food grease, but once everyone starts looking into biodiesel Joe Hippie won't be getting free oil handouts anymore.
Also, biodiesel demand has already started competing with food production and I can tell you right away I'd rather eat than drive.
You're right about fuel cell carbon footprints - but that's the least of their worries now because they still cost a fortune to make and have short useful lives, making them totally unpractical to sell.
So far the biggest problem is not getting internal combustion engines to burn alternative fuels (we've found many alternative fuels) but to produce enough alternative fuel and distribute it widely enough to replace petroleum - without interrupting things like food production or power generation.
jessica.
Apr 12, 01:02 PM
a gift from my fiance. Not quite a personal purchase. I have a little obsession with cupcakes.
http://img26.imageshack.us/img26/2345/photokhu.jpg (http://img26.imageshack.us/i/photokhu.jpg/)
I'm quite curious how well this works and if it is worth the hassle. It's not that hard to stick the batter in a pan and toss it in the oven. ;)
I have a small cupcake obsession. I'd rather bake them then eat them it seems because they often go to waste.
http://img26.imageshack.us/img26/2345/photokhu.jpg (http://img26.imageshack.us/i/photokhu.jpg/)
I'm quite curious how well this works and if it is worth the hassle. It's not that hard to stick the batter in a pan and toss it in the oven. ;)
I have a small cupcake obsession. I'd rather bake them then eat them it seems because they often go to waste.
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