Holiday Gift Ideas - PowerPulse.Net

Conferences and Forums

Special Coverage

Holiday Gift Ideas

Starting Monday, December 3rd and running daily through Friday, December 21st, PowerPulse.net will be featuring a special section on “Holiday Gift Ideas”. This special editorial coverage will be dedicated to consumer electronics devices that embody advanced power conversion technologies, offer exceptional energy efficiency, and so on.

December 21, 2012

Live Easy Technologies' MeterPlug Saves You Money and Lowers Your Electric Bills

Last week, Live Easy Technologies announced the launch of its second Indiegogo.com project: MeterPlug. MeterPlug connects between an electrical outlet & any appliance or device & measures electricity usage of each appliance. The MeterPlug App will not only tell you how much actual money an appliance is costing you when running it, but also how much it’s costing when on stand-by. The MeterPlug App downloads the actual cost of electricity based on survey & average databases of electricity costs throughout USA, Europe & globally.

December 21, 2012

Voltaic Converter Solar Backpack

The Voltaic Converter Solar Backpack from Voltaic Systems, Inc. is a streamlined bag for commuting and short trips. With 4 watts of power, it will quickly charge all your handheld electronics. A padded laptop sleeve and sizable front pocket keeps everything secure and in easy reach. Two 2.0 Watt Solar Panels generate power in sunlight. They are waterproof, lightweight and built to withstand abuse.

December 20, 2012

Ultra-Miniature Audio Amplifier Can Make a Great Stocking Stuffer

The Fireye Mini ultra-miniature headphone amplifier from Firestone Audio is designed for use with portable equipment and for a cost of under $40.00, it can make a great stocking stuffer. Boost up volume and dynamics by put a Fireye Mini in between the headphone and media player. The Fireye Mini is small and is an ideal travel partner. The built-in lithium battery provides up to 24 hour playback time and it recharges via a computer USB port. The Fireye Mini will give the extra power to hear music with the dynamics that are missing now, also with a larger and harder-to-drive headphone.

December 20, 2012

New Generation of Electric Vehicles an Open Access Book

A new open access book has just been released which covers today’s new generation of electric vehicles (EVs). Titled, New Generation of Electric Vehicles, this book presents the modern technical achievements and technologies which can be applied in the implementation of electric vehicles. Special attention is paid to the energy efficiency of EV’s as well as today’s trends, mathematical models and computer design elements of future cars. The eleven chapters in this book include:

December 19, 2012

Customizable Wireless Charging Cases from Duracell Powermat and Coveroo - Just in Time for the Holidays

For the first time ever, consumers can now combine wireless charging with personalized designs, messages and even sports team allegiances on their smartphone cases thanks to a new partnership formed between Duracell Powermat and Coveroo. The partnership will support personalized wireless charging cases for the iPhone 4/4S and the Samsung Galaxy S III -- to be made available on a Duracell Powermat landing page on the Coveroo site www.coveroo.com/powermat. Consumers can take advantage of thousands of unique patterns, team logos and designs to personalize their wireless charging cases.

December 18, 2012

New Book Demystifies Black Art of Analog Design

Analog Circuit Design, Volume 2, Immersion in the Black Art of Analog Design by Bob Dobkin and Jim Williams, is a gift you can give to yourself or to a colleague. Published by Newnes Press, an imprint of Elsevier, it is a companion volume to "Analog Circuit Design: A Tutorial Guide to Applications and Solutions." This edition includes new application notes on power management, data conversion and signal conditioning circuit solutions, and an extensive circuit collection of reference designs. The content is based on the research and writing of analog design experts Bob Dobkin and the late Jim Williams, as well as industry experts Carl Nelson and Bob Widlar.

December 17, 2012

Hummingbird Robotics Kit Introduces Kids to Engineering

The Hummingbird robotics kit from BirdBrain Technologies LLC is a spin-off product of Carnegie Mellon’s CREATE lab. Hummingbird is designed to enable engineering and robotics activities for ages 10 and up that involve the making of robots, kinetic sculptures, and animatronics built out of a combination of kit parts and crafting materials. Combined with a cross-platform, very easy-to-use visual programming environment, Hummingbird provides a great way to introduce kids to robotics and engineering with construction materials that they are already familiar with.

December 14, 2012

LED Light Bulbs Make a Great Holiday Gift

by Dan Slupik, Texas Instruments

If you’re looking for a holiday gift idea to show someone you care about both them and the planet, consider an LED replacement bulb. With more products entering the market every week, there are options for every style, performance level, and price point. Certainly some earlier LED lamp offerings weren’t a beauty to behold. One’s response might be similar to receiving an ugly Christmas sweater! However, several new options have been released recently that really push the bounds of design to result in beautiful products that perform really well without breaking the bank. While many people have been hesitant to shell out good money and fearing a repeat performance of early CFL lamps, this gift idea might be a good way to introduce friends and family to the latest energy-efficient lighting technology without the risk of disappointment.

December 13, 2012

Give an Electric Vehicle for the Holidays and Give Up To 121 MPGe

The Energy Department and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have released the 2013 Fuel Economy Guide, giving consumers information to help them choose the most fuel-efficient and lowest greenhouse gas-emitting vehicles. The overall highest-ranking vehicle was the Scion iQ EV, a minicompact with a 121 miles per gallon equivalent (MPGe) rating. Some of the other cars topping their classes are: the 2013 Ford C-Max Energi Plug-in Hybrid and 2013 Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid, which tied for best in the midsized class with 58 MPGe for use of both electricity and gasoline; the 2013 Tesla Model S (60 kilowatt-hour battery pack), ranked best in the large car class with a 95 MPGe rating; and the 2013 Toyota Prius v, which topped the midsized wagon class with a 42 miles per gallon rating.

December 12, 2012

Battery-Free Wireless Mouse

The DX-ECO from Genius, KYE Systems Corp. of Taiwan is an ECO-friendly wireless BlueEye mouse that gives a whole new meaning to the term "batteries not included", as the state of the art battery-free design renders batteries obsolete! Simply plug the Micro USB rechargeable cable into your computer’s USB port and into the DX-ECO’s USB port and the wireless BlueEye mouse is fully-charged within 3 minutes. What’s more, the built-in ultracapacitor allows the DX-ECO wireless mouse to be recharged approximately 100,000 times.

December 11, 2012

Energizer Private-Labels PowerBright Inverters in Time for the Holidays

Power Bright Technologies announced a new licensing agreement to design and manufacture an exclusive line of Energizer-branded Power Inverters. The new patent pending products are designed specifically to complement Energizer’s existing line of portable power solutions and several models are available now for giving as holiday gifts.

December 10, 2012

'The PowerPot' Portable Phone Charger is a Holiday Gift for Emergency Preparedness

In the wake of Hurricane Sandy, where power outages affected millions, a new device lets people charge their phones on a stove or fire. It’s called The PowerPot from Power Practical. The ingenious product converts heat directly into electricity and works with any fuel source, including propane and wood. While operating the PowerPot requires more attention than solar panels, it has clear advantages: it works at night, in bad weather and indoors. This versatility makes it a surefire backup for charging critical devices like phones, GPS units and two-way radios. Plus it gives you an excuse to make a cup of tea!

December 7, 2012

New Electronics Energy Calculator Helps Consumers Live Green, Buy Green this Winter

The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) launched a new, interactive Consumer Electronics Energy Calculator today on its consumer site for living green, buying green and recycling responsibly. The calculator estimates the amount of energy used by all of the consumer electronics devices in a single household and provides tips on how consumers can save even more energy.

December 6, 2012

Audiophile's Dream: First Power Supply Ever To Use Today's Best Capacitors Receives U.S. Patent

GreenForce™, the first music signal power supply in the world that can be built using only Teflon film capacitors, has been patented by Bob Backert of RHB Sound Dezign, an electronics modification firm serving audiophiles around the world. Mr. Backert’s power supply is used primarily in RHB’s preamplifier modifications, also referred to as preamp mods. It is the first major advance in linear power supply design since the 1930s.

December 5, 2012

BuQu Tech's Magnetyze Charging System is CES Innovations 2013 Design and Engineering Award Honoree

BuQu Tech announced that it has been named an International CES Innovations 2013 Design and Engineering Awards Honoree for its Magnetyze™ Magnetic Charging System. Products entered in this prestigious program are judged by a preeminent panel of independent industrial designers, engineers and members of the media to honor outstanding design and engineering in cutting edge consumer electronics products across 29 product categories.

December 4, 2012

SEAD Global Efficiency Medals Awarded to World's Most Energy Efficient TVs

The Super-efficient Equipment and Appliance Deployment (SEAD) Global Efficiency Medal Competition places top-performing super-efficient products in the hands of early adopting consumers. Spurring innovation among manufacturers, the first competition identifies the most efficient flat-panel TVs in the world - in three different sizes - and recognizes one TV with the most efficient emerging technology globally.

December 3, 2012

nPower PEG Uses eGaN Technology from EPC to Charge Mobile Devices from People-Power

The nPower® PEG is the world’s first human-powered charger for hand-held electronics. The product from Tremont Electric uses eGaN® FETs from Efficient Power Conversion Corp. in their nPower PEG (Personal Energy Generator). It is a clever device that uses the human kinetic energy generated while walking, running or biking to store the energy for use when you need it -- while you are off the grid. The nPower PEG is the first passive kinetic energy charger for hand-held electronics. This would make a great holiday gift using state-of-the-art eGaN technology for the hiker who may need help (or want to order a pizza) during that long holiday hike!

For information about contributing to this special section, contact Jeff Shepard at jshepard@darnell.com.

White Papers

March 11, 2013

Power Modules for Charger Applications

The Adaptive Cell Converter Topology Enables Constant Efficiency Over Universal Input AC Line in Front-End, High-Density Power Factor Correction Applications

From 48 V direct to Intel VR12.0: Saving "Big Data" $500,000 per datacenter, per year

More White Papers

Design Features

October 22, 2012

Energy Efficiency with Class D Amplifier Modules

Class-D switching amplifiers are helping audio designers create personal multimedia devices and home audio/visual systems that demonstrate how compact and stylish equipment can also deliver high sound quality and high audio output power. The key to this breakthrough, providing freedom from the large and bulky boxes housing traditional audio products, lies in the class-D amplifier’s high energy efficiency, which is typically around 90%. This allows designers to reduce or eliminate heatsinks as well as using smaller-sized PCBs and smaller components such as transformers, connectors and power supplies.

Read this paper

Design Features

October 8, 2012

The Role of Hall Effect Sensors in Power Distribution Infrastructure

Power distribution units (PDUs) form an essential part of modern computing and data communications hardware. They provide multiple outputs for transferring electrical power with maximum efficiency, controlling the power capacity and safeguarding against the possible causes of supply interruption. With an ever increasing need from tech savvy consumers for higher data throughput and greater quantities of data storage capacity, as well as tough international legislation now governing CO&sub2; emissions, the demands being placed on these units are proving challenging for engineering teams to satisfy.

Read this paper

Product Focus

August 13, 2012

The Year in AC-DC Power Supply Technology

The past year witnessed significant new product releases, technological developments, and industry news related to the field of AC-DC Power Supply technology.

Read this paper