You’ve got to be driven by an insistent force to follow your heart even at the age of 74. And Bruce Maynard is doing just that! Neither for a cause nor for money but just to demonstrate that he (enjoys and) can walk in spite of not-so-strong knees across the United States. To support his decision is his companion, a solar powered stroller. Christened Sam, it is a solar- and battery-powered contraption that will be his mobile office and campsite on the road. The batteries will feed on sun’s energy to power Sam to hike up the mountains and hills with ease. All this while the dude is intending to work as well. The stroller will cart along his computer and phone which will help him to keep in touch with his company's customers. A monthly break to fly back home to check on paper work is on cards too.

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Old wine in new bottle holds true for the new look of Luxurylaunches. All set to elevate the LUXURY quotient and mesmerize every luxury-seeker in this all-new avatar, Luxurylaunches promises to bring the best of every bit of opulent news to our reader's attention.

Though it resembles a golf buggy, this $45,000 battery-operated Anti-Terrorist Assault Cart (ATAC) is a mean beast in disguise. Designed to overcome the limitations of armed forces to tackle terrorism and war-like situations in urban setup, this mini armored car can be navigated in cramped spaces like airports, hotels or stadiums. Manufactured Metaltech Motor Bodies Pvt Ltd., it comes with four firing ports and is compact enough to fit inside elevators too. Fitted with bullet-proof windows, this armored vehicle can withstand grenade blasts too. However let’s talk about its green feature too. The ATAC can last for six hours on a single charge with a top speed of 25 km an hour.

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Sanyo Denki Sanups PV Monitor eliminates the need of having monitoring personnel at photovoltaic power system installation sites such as mega solar power generation stations. It can display the quantity of power generated and a power trend graph in real-time. When trouble occurs with the PV inverter an e-mail is automatically sent. Conversely, when a request mail is sent by the monitoring personnel, the sending personnel receives a response regarding power conditions and conditioner information.

Via - [Fareastgizmos]

Sharp will commercialize a mobile phone equipped with a solar cell module for the Chinese market from this February. Sharp SH6230C will be the first solar-powered mobile phone by Sharp for the overseas markets. The SH6230C is equipped with advanced technology originally developed in Japan, including Sharp’s proprietary solar cell module, a large 2.9-inch LCD screen, and a 5-megapixel autofocus camera. Given the increasing demand for the solar charging function, Sharp will bring the solar-powered mobile phones to the global markets.

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We've seen various solar powered water vessels like the Auriga Leader ship, the Loon boat and PlanetSolar, the world’s largest solar catamaran. But today, its a battery powered plug-in ship that is making waves in the green world of water transport. IHI Marine United, a subsidiary of heavy machinery maker IHI Corp, Japan is developing a plug-in ship powered by lithium-ion batteries. Its Zero Emission Electric Propulsion Ship will use batteries that can be recharged at charging stations in ports it visits. The plug-in ship powered by lithium-ion batteries would run without a diesel engine, thus cutting its carbon dioxide or nitrogen oxide emissions to zero. The design prototype of the Plug-in 30-meter passenger ferry will be able to carry 800 people.

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We have talked about the solar powered air-conditioned trucks by Mitsubishi Chemical earlier. Today, the company is again basking in green limelight by developing the container vegetable plant. This 40-feet heat insulated container has temperature controlled interior with water treatment facilities for water circulation, filtration and recycling. It is also fitted with fluorescent and LED lights to facilitate photosynthesis. All these features will help to grow plants in unfavorable circumstances too. Ideal for barren lands and deserts, such a green container can be powered with solar energy and lithium-ion battery too. Priced at about $60,000- $770,000, Mitsubishi Chemical’s container vegetable plant may not be an affordable option for third world countries. However the company is all set to deliver the first plant to Qatar in April.

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[Techon]

Green is hitting every aspect of living. Even the most intimate cravings can now be satisfied in an eco-friendly style. I am sure none of the vibrator-addicted girls have ever realized that by using those battery operated tools, they are adding up to the e-waste menace. Here’s their chance to indulge in a guilt-free bliss with the Earth Angel. Touted to be the world’s first green technology sex toy, this eight inch wind-up vibrator comes with a handle built into the bottom. Made of 100% recycled material, it can give 30 minutes of non-stop (OMG) service on a four minute windup. The makers hope that it will encourage sex toy fans around the globe to do their bit for the environment.

Via - [Newlaunches And Yahoo]

Big Apple gets a dose of greenness too! We have seen solar powered EV charging stations come up in Chicago, Germany and Japan too. Today it’s time to talk of New York’s first solar-powered electric vehicle (EV) charging station. Beautiful Earth Group just unveiled this solar-powered EV charging station in Red Hook, Brooklyn. Powered by state-of-the-art Sharp 235 watt photovoltaic panels, the off-grid station boasts of being constructed with recycled, decommissioned steel shipping containers. This green station is currently used to charge BE's 100% electric MINI E, making it one of the few cars in the world to run exclusively on solar power. The station also generates enough energy to power a small home with its six kilowatts capacity. Its battery bank stores electricity 24/7 for on-demand usage. NYC will be able to reduce its carbon footprint with such green moves.

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The world’s cheapest car is planning to drive down the green route with a hybrid version soon. Ratan Tata, the chairman of Tata Motors, has hinted about an electric Nano. Though no official details or plans were divulged, the chairman has certainly mentioned about his interest to make his dream project join the earth-friendly movement. However it is certain that this car is getting a facelift for now.

[Business]

Feeling lucky today? Then here’s your chance to arouse the envy of all by winning the HP Envy 13. Laptops are no more a subject of envy, I agree. But finding the perfect notebook with looks to match is not that effortless. And HP is out to woo us by giving away its hottest 13 inch notebook preloaded with Windows 7 to a lucky reader. We want our readers to participate with vigor to win a HP Envy 13. Only a fool will let go of a chance to own this slim and attractive notebook worth $1,700 and more for free. Grab the opportunity by simply telling us about “The first thing that makes you envious about a lappie”. All you got to do is pen down just ONE thing that tops the list of features that you look for in a perfect notebook. Read more about the Envy 13 and the guidelines to the contest on Luxurylaunches

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Solar energy is not only used to light up houses or power vehicles across the globe. It is also used to power up art miniatures. Szymon Klimek brings his work to life by powering them with sun’s energy. Cased in glass goblets, his art work comprises of floral motifs, cars, stationary steam engines and locomotives. However the solar-powered miniatures like the steam engine caught my attention. Though I am clueless about the category that it fits in, I am in awe of the precision involved in adding motion to the miniature. The all brass engine is fully functional and powered by the small solar panel at the left. Since it sits atop an ornate frame, this piece will puzzle many with a question - Is this art or is it engineering model ? My answer is that it is a outstanding combination of both without missing out the eco-friendly element too!

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Solis Energy has rolled out the new solar power product to provide power at remote places. Christened, Power HotSpot, it is ideal for grid-free locations as it can run small 12 volt electronics with the help of a a car power adaptor and some sunshine. This green product can also supply power in offices and homes. Save your bills and use the Power HotSpot to recharge tools, notebooks, music players, cell phones, gazebo lights, an aerator or even a fountain. It can also provide power to inverters for AC power. And while camping it can be used to power boat aerators and recharge batteries on a dock. Prized at $375, it is designed to handle rough weather too.

[Yahoo]

It’s time to gear up for Santa’s visit this year too. And the preparations for this festival are incomplete without a Christmas Tree of course. Here on Greenlaunches, we have featured a geeky Christmas tree recycled out of hard drives and another one shaped out of recycled cardboard. Now it’s time to announce the world’s largest solar-powered Christmas tree. Scheduled to show up in King George Square, Brisbane, the 21-meter tree's giant star will light up with solar panels. The star shaped solar panel will generate 50 amps per hour to power up 16,000 bulbs and 250 red opaque baubles. On November 27 after a concert by Katie Noonan, Brisbane-based actor Bille Brown, the Flipside Circus troupe and a massed choir, the tree will be officially illuminated. We promise to be back with original images of the World’s largest solar-powered Christmas tree soon!

[Brisbanetimes]

Power by the people is power for the people! Generating power out of every step of pedestrians is not too common. We have seen dance clubs generating energy from dancer’s thumping on the dance floor. Now Laurence Kemball-Cook intends to trap energy out of more than 50,000 pedestrians everyday on a busy street by paving a stone. The rubber Pavegen stone will produce kinetic energy when it is stepped on. When it flexes 5 mm, the dynamo technology will capture this energy. Such pedestrian power can help to energize lights, computers, automatic doors and ticket machines. Also streets and shops frontages can be illuminated with this power. Whenever stepped on, the slab glows to indicate that the energy is captured. It is estimated that five paving slabs distributed over a section of a pavement will provide sufficient power to illuminate a bus information panel overnight. Early next year, trials will take place in several locations throughout the UK. To know more details, please read here.

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