Author: David Lux

Boeing delivered its first batch of all-new 787 Dreamliners this month, ushering in a new generation of commercial aircraft. The Dreamliner is more efficient and offers more passenger comfort than its predecessors, and it’s being dubbed as the “first new airplane of the 21st century” by Boeing execs. Boeing’s Dreamliner is unique because it’s lighter and faster than older planes, while offering greater fuel-efficiency. Its structure also sets it apart, as it’s composed largely of composite materials rather than sheets of aluminum. Travelers will benefit from the Dreamliner’s…

Based on one research firm’s estimates, online retailer Amazon may have sold 95,000 units of its all-new Kindle Fire tablet in the first day the device was available for pre-order. “eDataSource’s panel of 800,000 [email] inboxes allows us to gain insight into eCommerce sales” said Carter Nicholas, CEO of eDataSource, a leading provider of online competitive intelligence. “Within hours we can get a read on hot product launches based on sales from leading eCommerce websites.” By analyzing purchase receipts received by email, eDataSource is able to estimate the daily orders placed at major…

Amazon unveiled its all-new tablet computer today, adding the more robust Kindle Fire to its well-established line of Kindle e-readers. The Kindle Fire isn’t merely a copy of Apple’s dominant iPad. Instead, it’s far smaller and cheaper than its main rival. Powered by Google’s Android operating system, the Kindle Fire provides a platform for games, movies, music and other applications. Unlike the current iPad, the Fire doesn’t need to be backed up on a PC. Instead, it backs up its content wirelessly on Amazon’s servers. “That model that you have to back up your own content is a broken…

The recent Frankfurt Motor Show played host to some innovative new concept cars featuring eco-friendly powertrains and advanced in-vehicle communications. And among the advanced concepts on display was Ford’s first foray into the world of bicycling. The E-Bike Concept demonstrates how Ford’s automotive design language can translate to a bicycle. The bike’s frame is made from aluminum and carbon fiber and weighs just 5.5 pounds. It also features a carbon fiber Giant SLR stem, Selle Italia SLR XC saddle, Mavic Elipse wheels, Shimano Alfine 11-speed internal gear hub and Shimano Rapidfire…

The founders of YouTube have begun to breathe new life into social-bookmarking site Delicious. Delicious was just relaunched, combining new features and a new look with classic functionality. YouTube founders Chad Hurley and Steven Chen purchased Delicious from Yahoo in April with the goal of bringing the site to a broader audience. Although the relaunched service is very similar to the previous site, a few new features have been added to help users bookmark, find, and share content from around the Web. The new service is just as easy to use as before, and largely functions in the exact same way….

Microblogging platform Tumblr has seen exponential growth in the last few years, and there’s no sign of slowing in sight. Tumblr now generates 6.5 billion pageviews each month from its 30 million blogs, making the site one of the most formidable players in social media. Tumblr’s steady growth has also attracted new venture capitalists. Yesterday, the company announced that it had raised $85 million from a financial round led by Greylock Partners, Insight Venture Partners, and the Chernin Group. Richard Branson, Spark Capital, Union Square Ventures and Sequoia Capital also contributed….

Lockheed has released conceptual images of a new aircraft inspired the Bar-tailed Godwit, a bird that makes the longest known non-stop flight without stopping to feed (7,258 miles to be exact). The Stratoliner concept is said to boast an equally impressive range thanks to its hydrogen-powered engines. The concept employs massive wings to generate gobs of lift, while its zero-emission engine system, comprised of four Cryogenic Hydrogen Turbofan engines, helps to maximize the Stratoliner’s range. Although Lockheed hasn’t given a specific distance, the company has said will be capable…

Hammacher Schlemmer, America’s longest running catalog, has just introduced a camera that’s fit for Derek Zoolander. Being no bigger than a fingertip, it probably won’t be winning any awards for its functionality, but it’s said to be the world’s smallest camera. The aptly named “World’s Smallest Camera” measures just over one inch in all dimensions and weighs only half an ounce. It’s just big enough for a human finer to snap a picture with a touch of the miniscule shutter button. “Although The World’s Smallest Camera is only slightly larger than a marble, it takes still images and…

Twitter is already a popular destination for political discourse, but the social network wants to beef up its involvement in politics as the 2012 election nears. This week, Twitter will begin selling political advertising in an effort to keep revenues up. “We’ve had five years to watch and observe how people are using the platform organically and we know politicians are active on the platform, and we know that consumers enjoy the messages from those politicians,” Twitter’s president of global revenue, Adam Bain, said in an interview. “We’re excited about the election cycle, and we think…

Flywheel technology is creeping into motorsports as way to store energy that’s otherwise wasted. The technology ultimately makes racing cars more efficient and more powerful at the same time. However, flywheels may soon be incorporated into subway systems to bring affordable power to sprawling cities. Each time a subway train hits its brakes, a massive amount of energy is dissipated. Modern trains run their electric motors in reverse to slow down then release the energy as heat or into a grid ill equipped to absorb the surge. A flywheel, however, is able to capture that energy and effectively…