Better World has been striving for, erm, a nicer planet with its battery-swapping approach to electric vehicles since as far back as 2008. There’s been a modicum of success, with outlets and swapping stations peppered as far and wide as Denmark, California, Australia and Japan. Now, the Associated Press reports that world’s first nationwide electric car network — this time in Israel — has been given its first test. This only equates to four battery stations at the moment, with a further 40 to follow in the second half of the year. However, the firm maintains, that even with the current infrastructure, users could comfortably drive the entire length of the nation. Renault will sell a version of its Fluence EV customized to work with the battery stations for $ 32,000, with different mileage options on offer. Is this the future of electric motoring? We’re don’t know, but anything that’s this much quicker than overnight charging is fine by us.

Better Place takes its electric vehicle network in Israel for a silent spin originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 21 May 2012 03:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Washington Post  |  Associated Press  | Email this | Comments
Engadget

Steven Heller and Veronique Vienne have written a book about the 100 ideas that changed graphic design, which can be taken as a sort of chronological history for graphic design as a whole. The book makes consideration for everything, from body types and teen magazines to sexual taboo busting and designer websites, it’s a great look at the roots of design. More »

Gizmodo

Sulley as the Hulk and the Incredibles as Captain America and Black Widow? Wonderful. But seriously, mashing up Pixar characters with The Avengers is beautiful. J. M. Walter created this Pixar/Avengers combo and I’ve decided that it’d be the funnest superhero movie ever. Or best cartoon I’ve ever seen. [Cartoon Brew via Buzzfeed] More »

Gizmodo

Mark “IPO” Zuckerberg just dropped a Facebook status update bigger than the NASDAQ bomb: he and longtime girlfriend Priscilla Chan are married, only a day after he became one of the richest men on the planet. He wore a suit! More »

Gizmodo

Well, this is just fantastic. We’re all for the advancement of robot technology so that one day they can cater to our every beck and call. But researchers at ETH Zurich have foolishly designed a robot that can create its own custom tools to complete tasks. More »

Gizmodo

Dish has been tranquil about facing a longer FCC review period for its planned LTE-based 4G network, and now we might have an idea as to why. The satellite TV giant is telling the FCC that it only expects coverage to reach up to 60 million potential customers “within four years,” or about 2016 — six years after MetroPCS and Verizon first flicked their respective 4G switches. This is also assuming that the 3GPP cellular standards group clears the AWS-4 frequency band for LTE use. There’s speculation that Dish is giving the extra time so that it can sell the spectrum later, but we’d take the safe road and assume Dish is serious. After all, AT&T wouldn’t be trying to set tough conditions for Dish’s LTE if it didn’t think there was possibly significant competition on the way.

Dish warns the FCC its 4G LTE might come in earnest as late as 2016 originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 19 May 2012 10:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink GigaOM  |  FCC (PDF)  | Email this | Comments
Engadget

If you found yourself longing for the minor tweaks Samsung made to the Galaxy Tab 10.1 in Germany earlier this year, you may be in luck: Apple’s filed for a preliminary injunction against the slate stateside. It isn’t the first one, either, Cupertino filed something similar back in February, though it didn’t quite pass legal muster. After gaining some headway earlier this week, Cook’s crew is in for round two, according to FOSS Patents, asking for Judge Koh to rule in their favor without a new hearing. Concerned consumers, however, can sidestep the whole mess by simply opting for an injunction-exempt Galaxy Tab 2. Details and speculation can be found at the source link below, just in case you aren’t already sick to death of the whole Samsung / Apple spat.

Apple files (again) for a preliminary ban against the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 19 May 2012 02:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  FOSS Patents  | Email this | Comments
Engadget

Cybersecurity and the government have been a volitile combination lately, with proposed bills like SOPA, PIPA, and the still-up-in-the-air CISPA at the center of on-and-off internet outrage. So it’s kind of a big deal when the White House replaces its chief of cybersecurity affairs. More »

Gizmodo