Your tech feed [Gizmag]

The most successful automotive collector auction in history

RM Auctions’ inaugural Sporting Classics of Monaco event held on Saturday leaves little doubt that fine automobiles can be a rapidly appreciating investment. The average price achieved by the 88 cars which crossed the block was in excess of US$500,000 while the highest price fetched was EUR2,800,000 (US$3,799,600) for a 1962 Ferrari 400 Superamerica Cabriolet Pininfarina SWB (pictured top right). Some remarkable cars were sold on the day, including (pictured clockwise from bottom right) one of the world’s most significant pre-war sports racing cars, the 1937 BMW 328 MM ‘Buegelfalte’ (undisclosed but believed to be in excess of US$6 million), a handmade Rolls Royce which was the most expensive car made in the world in 1933 (US$1,975,792) and a Maserati Tipo 61 ‘Birdcage’ (US$3,343,648). Full details, images and story inside. Read More

Inexpensive metal catalyst discovered for electrolytic production of hydrogen from water

The hydrogen economy that may one day replace the hydrocarbon economy came a step closer this week with the announcement that researchers have discovered an inexpensive new proton reduction catalyst - seventy times cheaper than the platinum commonly used now - that can significantly reduce the costs of producing hydrogen using electrolysis to split water into molecules of hydrogen and oxygen. Read More

Adobe speeds up lens correction with Lens Profile Creator for the Photoshop family

All lenses have their little quirks, but anyone importing and processing huge stacks of shots at any one time will know what a pain it is to manually correct these nagging traits. Available now as a pre-release Adobe's Lens Profile Creator gives photographers the power to bulk correct lens distortions in images captured by a particular lens. Read More

Mapping the urban forest one tree at a time

How do we get a good picture of what trees are where, how they are affecting or contributing to the environment, and what problems they might be susceptible to in today's changing world? The main problem with recording this vital information is (to borrow a line) “tree people like planting trees, they don't like entering data.” So why not throw the task open to the local community? The Urban Forest Map is a one-stop repository using information contributed from any willing group or individual and aims to engage community participation to build a complete, dynamic picture of the urban forest. Read More

Nokia's new flagship N8 smartphone

Its prototype might not have been found in a bar, but the leaks and rumors surrounding the Nokia N8 can now be put to bed following official outing of the new smartphone. The N8 is the first device to be powered by Nokia's new Symbian^3 platform, and the company believes that it will put some dedicated point-and-shoot cameras to shame with its 12MP camera featuring Carl Zeiss optics and Xenon flash. Read More

Biomethane project to bring green gas to UK homes

It's good to see a national gas company taking the lead in renewable energy. British Gas in the UK has announced a new pilot scheme with Thames Water and Scotia Gas Networks to build a plant that will clean biomethane gas harvested from human waste and inject it back into the grid for use in kitchens and heating. Read More

Google integrates multi-language virtual keyboards into search

If you are trying to search the web using a language other than English and you don't have the correct keyboard handy, well, there's bound to be a problem. Google has come up with a solution by integrating virtual keyboards into its search engine. Now up and running in 35 languages, the on-screen keyboards allow input in a local language script without any additional software and no matter what computer you are using. Read More

Spirit jailbreak for iPad, iPhone and iPod touch released

With the iPad 3G in the wild, the long awaited iPad jailbreak has been released. Spirit is a "userland" jailbreak, meaning it exploits a security hole that affects all devices, not just jailbroken ones. This means Apple is likely to release firmware that patches the exploit very shortly - read on for why this is important. Read More

BioLite low-emission camping stove creates its own electricity

Consider the humble camping stove. It requires fuel - perhaps some unwieldy bottle that air carriers object strongly to. Maybe it needs batteries to run a fan, or billows out smoke so you smell like smoked sweatshirt for the rest of the trip. The solution might be the BioLite stove - it's a collapsible wood-burning cook stove that uses almost any forest-found fuel and converts its own heat energy into electricity to achieve efficient combustion with ultra-low emissions. Read More

The nPower PEG - US$150 kinetic energy harvester charges smartphones off-the-grid

The nPower PEG we first tried in prototype form at CES 2009 finally goes on sale tomorrow (May 3, 2010). The PEG is a light-weight, titanium encased portable generator that can recharge a handheld device (phone, media player, camera, GPS etc.) when you are away from the grid, though it is unlike any other mobile power solutions in that you DON'T need any fuel, don't need to turn hand cranks and you don't need the sun. The US$150 PEG is 9 inches long, weighs 9 ounces and harvests kinetic energy as you move about in your daily life. Just put it in your backpack, bumbag, handbag, brief case or glovebox and it will collect and store energy from your movements. The first 1000 units will appropriately be engraved as “First Mover” Editions. Read More

Pioneer's new iPhone docks look to hit the right note

Audio and video electronics giant Pioneer has announced four new media player docking stations. Highlights of the "Works with iPhone" certified systems include a 2.1 speaker and subwoofer setup, DNLA networking compliance, Bluetooth connectivity and CD to MP3 ripping. Read More

The Zo from digiZoid offers cure for tinny audio

If, like me, you've spent significant time and precious funds seeking out decent earphones for your portable media player only to end up having to try again, digiZoid reckons that its Zo personal subwoofer could save you from further earache and disappointment. About the size of an iPod nano and weighing less than an ounce, the Zo is said to work by dynamically adjusting audio signal input to present the listener with clearer bass, crisp highs and smooth mids without having to increase overall player volume. Read More

Zagato Alfa Romeo Centenary TZ3 Corsa

Zagato is celebrating its long term links with Alfa Romeo during the marque’s centenary year by crafting a modern interpretation of the classic Alfa TZ and TZ2 racing cars of the 1960s. Like the originals, the cutting edge TZ3 is designed to minimize weight yet use the most powerful drive-train possible, so the 1960s aluminum tubular frame has been replaced by a carbon fiber monocoque with hand-crafted aluminum panels and in place of the original four cylinder engine is an 8C Competizone 4.2 liter V8. The final equation is 420 bhp pushing a curb weight of 850 kg for a 0-100 kmh in 3.5 seconds and a top speed of 300 kmh… and good looks and wicked roadholding. Read More

Medical waste no longer being wasted

Back in the 70’s, Mad Magazine ran a satirical article proposing crazy new methods of dealing with garbage. One of them involved taking the trash, compressing it into cubes, then building things out of those. Flash forward to 2010, and a Houston company is doing almost that very thing, and with medical waste, no less. Sharps Compliance takes items like needles, syringes and lancets, and presses them into a pelletized building material called PELLA-DRX. Read More

Redrock MicroRemote focus system offers big budget features at indie-film prices

Redrock Microsystems, a manufacturer of cinema-quality camera accessories for digital filmmakers, has unveiled its new MicroRemote focus control system for use on DV and HD DSLR cameras. The wireless system includes an iPhone-compatible remote control unit, base station, motorized focus ring, and a sonar rangefinder. Read More

Developing countries' e-waste predicted to double that of developed nations

As developing nations such as India and China continue down the road to prosperity, it’s not surprising that their citizens have been eager to spend their newfound wealth on material possessions. Makers of consumer goods are increasingly turning their attention to the developing world as a potentially huge market. All that consumption will ultimately lead to something else, however - a glut of worn-out, obsolete electronic products, chock-full of toxic substances. In fact, according to a new report from the American Chemical Society, by 2030 the e-waste generated by developing nations will be double that of the developed world. Read More