Archive for February, 2008

efficomm

February 4, 2008

Twitter,SMS cap at 140, 160 chars respec.How might it change comm. overall if we limit talk to 160char?Let’s bring back”cablese.” Post length 152 char.

Johnson Controls fills hybrid-drive industry void

February 4, 2008

Nersac, France (it’s located here in relation to Paris) soon becomes a major hybrid car testing ground. Johnson Controls opened a production facility hybrid engine lithiom-ion batteries. It’s annual capacity for these high-output batteries is not clear, but the plant is designed for scalability. So if this whole eco-conscious fuss blows over, the plant can quickly shut down.

The European plant is a curious place to start manufacturing hybrid-drive batteries since the majority of hybrid cars are sold to the US market. Hybrid cars require a continuously variable transmission to maximize efficiency, so for hybrid cars to sweep through Europe, people will have to let go of the shifter.