Rare earth metals are in everything--from rechargeable batteries to the steel in buildings to jet engines. But right now, they come only from China. So major corporations and the government are re-engineering more common minerals to ...READ»
Say so long to the planned obsolescence of your tech toys. A new breakthrough could keep circuits running longer by filling in breaks with liquid metal. Does this mean no more trips to the Genius Bar?READ»
We've opined before about the pain of cord overload that makes our messenger bags look more like a vat of electronics spaghetti. But we still haven't found a winning solution for making our headphones behave while keeping them close ...READ»
While Nokia's dominance wanes in developed countries, it could be products like the Play 360 speaker that might keep them muddling through what is clearly a major company-wide reinvention. It's not perfect, but this small, portable ...READ»
If the notion of next-generation electronic components made from actual human blood cells chills you, you may not want to read on. Oh, who are we kidding? This will amaze you. READ»
EcoATM has snagged $14.4 million from Coinstar and other investors to bring dead-phone and device recycling to a gas station or grocery store near you.
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Microchips are made from silicon and plastic for a good reason: it's very easy to control and make sure each component is exactly like every other. But Dr. Jean-Baptiste Labrune of Alcatel-Lucent Bell Labs thinks that electronics made ...READ»
Have a dead cell phone kicking around in your electronics drawer? Auction giant eBay just made it easy to ditch it sustainably with Instant Sale, a tool that allows users to swap old gadgets for money.READ»
Time for your Friday check of Apple rumors. Patents are re-injecting some intrigue into the thoughts about touchscreen iMacs, and potential MagSafe connectors for the iPad could hint that Apple plans wireless syncing at last.READ»
The 2010 Nobel Prize for Chemistry has been awarded to three scientists for a powerful process to produce carbon bonds important for medicine production, materials science and electronics--including the tech behind OLED screens.READ»
Two bits of news chart the evolution and demise of that dumb piece of plastic in your wallet. First, it will get very intelligent. Second, it will be replaced by your phone. READ»
Graphene may be the material that transforms the electronics game into something amazingly new for the 21st century--the Nobel Prize committee seems to agree, and has awarded the 2010 Physics prize to two graphene scientists. READ»
The computer manufacturer has eliminated 8.7 million pounds of packaging in a single year: good for the planet, great for Dell's bottom line. How did they do it?READ»
Amazon's Kindle is sold out "temporarily," according to the e-reader's web page, causing a bit of a fuss on the Intertubes. Is it a sign a new version is en route, or merely reflecting a manufacturing or supply chain glitch? We've had ...READ»
The worker's environment in Chinese electronics manufacturer Foxconn has been a sticky issue for Apple's PR department, but it's also highlighted one big fact: If Western firms stick with Chinese sources, gadgets will get more ...READ»
A new philanthropic ad campaign hit this weekend, accompanied by a New York Times op-ed. It pleads with American electronics companies to stop using materials that fuel one side of a horrific war in the Congo.READ»
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