Apple Launches the New 11 and 13 Inch Macbook Air in India

Apple's officially launched the new Macbook Air in its 11 and 13 inch versions. The personal computer was unveiled at final month's Back again For the Mac event. The 11-inch and 13-inch MacBook Air will likely be accessible by means of the Apple Authorized Resellers in India. The 1.4-GHz 11-inch MacBook Air with 2GB of memory and 64GB of flash storage begins at a value of Rs. 60,900 which has a 128GB product for Rs. 72,900. The 1.86 GHz 13-inch MacBook Air with 2GB of memory and 128GB of flash storage begins at a value of Rs. 79,900 which has a 256GB product will promote for Rs. 98,900. Configure-to-order alternatives and accessories contain more rapidly processors, 4GB of memory, MacBook Air SuperDrive plus a USB Ethernet Adapter.
This can be the Macbook Air that is touted to be an pricey netbook. It is also the laptop you don't need to take out of your bag when becoming security screened in the airport. Whilst it is totally logical why Apple would launch the Macbook Air in India way sooner than other cool objects, say the iPad or iPhone 4, it is undoubtedly not cool.

New High-Powered Organic Batteries

Chemists from the University of Texas developed new organic batteries that offer lightweight energy storage. Unlike similar developments, their new battery does not rely on toxic heavy metals, making it a potential ecologic replacement for current batteries. The new study, conducted by Christopher Bielawski and Jonathan Sessler, tries to improve the way electrons move back and forth between two molecules, since this event creates electricity. Moreover, it may be a necessary step toward making artificial photosynthesis, where fuel might be generated directly from the sun, a lot as plants do.
According to previous studies, the exchange of electrons between molecules frequently form new compounds. In some cases, the electron transfer procedure creates one molecule with a positive charge and one molecule with a negative charge. Molecules with opposite charges are attracted to each other and can combine to form something new.
In this latest study, published in Science, the chemists produced two molecules that could meet and exchange electrons ¡§C but not unite to form a new compound. "These molecules were effectively spring-loaded to push apart following interacting with each other," explained Bielawski. "After electron transfer occurs, two positively charged molecules are formed which are repelled by each other, a lot like magnets held in a certain way will repel each other. We also installed a chemical switch that allowed the electron transfer procedure to proceed in the opposite direction."
The new system gives the capability to produce efficient organic battery. By understanding the electron transfer processes in these molecules, the group could design organic materials for storing electrical energy that could then be retrieved for later use. While similar plans were made in the past, other researchers lacked the capability to manipulate electron flow. "This is the first time that the forward and backward switching of electron flow has been accomplished via a switching procedure at the molecular scale," said Sessler.
The paper defines organic batteries by likening it to regular batteries; nevertheless, rather than heavy metals, organic materials are used. They are lightweight, can be molded into any shape, have the potential to store much more energy than conventional batteries, and are safer and cheaper to produce. Thanks to the development with the molecular switch, the group can ensure the electron movement will produce electricity. "I am excited about the prospect of coupling this kind of electron transfer 'molecular switch' with light harvesting to go following what may be an improved artificial photosynthetic device," says Sessler. "Realizing this dream would represent a big step forward for science."
Aside from improving battery technologies, the research may help develop technologies that mimics plants' capability to harvest light and convert it to energy. With such a technologies, fuel might be produced directly from the sun, rather than through a plant mediator, such as corn.
The most exciting application with the new development, nevertheless, is making smaller, lighter, and much more efficient batteries. "I would love it if my iPhone was thinner and lighter, and the battery lasted a month or even a week rather than a day," says Bielawski. "With an organic battery, it might be possible. We are now starting to get a handle on the fundamental chemistry needed to make this dream a commercial reality."
The group collaborated with a number of scientists from multiple institutions, but they wish to specially credit graduate student Jung Su Park, for his detailed work growing crystals with the two molecules. Their next step is to demonstrate these processes can occur in a condensed phase, like in a film, rather than in solution.

Li-ion batteries in electric cars greener than believed

For the initial time, researchers at Empa have made a detailed life cycle assessment (LCA) or ecobalance of lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries, in specific the chemically improved (i.e. much more environmentally friendly) version on the ones most frequently used in electrical vehicles.
The investigation shows that if the energy utilized to charge the battery isn't derived from purely hydroelectric sources, then it is primarily the operation in the electric vehicle, which has an environmental impact, exactly as is the case with conventionally fuelled automobiles.
The size with the environmental footprint depends on which sources of power are employed to "fuel" the e-mobile.
About the other hand, the Li-ion battery itself has a limited impact on the LCA in the electric powered vehicle.
This is contrary to initial expectations that the manufacture of the batteries could negate the advantages in the electric powered drive.
Battery powered electric powered cars are usually promoted as the ideal solution on the challenges of future mobility, since they produce no exhaust gases in operation.
Li-ion batteries have established themselves over competing lead-acid and nickel metal-hydride (NiMH) types due to the fact they are lighter and can store additional energy.
Li-ion batteries are also basically maintenance-free, display no memory effect (loss of capacity when repeatedly charged after partial discharge), have a low self-discharge rate and are regarded as safe and long-lived.
Researchers at Empa's "Technology and Society Laboratory" decided to come across out if they are also environmentally friendly for sure.
They calculated the ecological footprints of electric powered cars fitted with Li-ion batteries, taking into account all achievable relevant factors, from those associated with the production of individual parts all the way via towards scrapping on the vehicle as well as the disposal of the remains, including the operation with the vehicle throughout its lifetime.
The analyze shows that the electric powered car's Li-ion battery drive is actually only a moderate environmental burden.
At most only 15 per cent with the total burden could be ascribed on the battery (such as its manufacture, maintenance and disposal). Half of this figure, that's about 7.5 per cent with the total environmental burden, occurs during the refining and manufacture in the battery's raw materials, copper and aluminium.
The production in the lithium, from the other hand, is responsible for only 2.3 per cent in the total.
"Lithium-ion rechargeable batteries aren't as poor as previously assumed," said Dominic Notter, coauthor with the analyze.
The Empa team concluded that a petrol-engined auto need to consume between three and four litres per 100 kilometers (or about 70 mpg) in order to be as environmentally friendly as the e-car studied, powered with Li-ion batteries and charged with a typical European electricity mix.
The study has just been published within the scientific journal "Environmental Science and Technology".