Audi E-Tron update

An update on the recently covered Audi E-Tron R8:

The Audi E-Tron scores first place at the new, alpine electric car rally, Silvretta E-Auto in Austria. Check out the video below to see it in action:

Audi call this a 'technology platform', with a standard skin, the R8 shell. So what will the real thing look like? It has been revealed that the skin will be much more like a Spyder:

All the pic's can be found at world of cars.

Audi R8 E-Tron Electric Car

Check out the very real Audi R8 E-Tron, the sports version electric car. Each wheel has its own electric motor, to give 313 hp and 4,500 Nm (3,319 lb-ft) of torque, enough power to go from 0 to 100km/h in 4.8 seconds and a top speed of 200km/h.

The battery stores 53KWh of energy, taking up to 8 hours for a full charge on 220V/15amps, with higher voltage this decreases to as little as 3 hours. Distance on a single charge is around 240 kilometres.

Expected to cost around $200k USD when its released in 2012. Check out the video from Cruchgear below, I agree with the reviewer; the sound of all 4 motor's at speed is incredible!

Uncharted Territory

One of the speakers at this year's Web 2.0 conference was internet entrepreneur Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook. In the talk below he discusses his vision for the company; developing a true social graph, which is an open* graph. He see's Facebook as a faciliator making rich data sets interoperable as one of the defining things that will allow for innovation over the next few years. (fast forward to 30:46s)

Some comments he makes:

"Over the next five years every vertical is going to be rethought as social. rethink verticals.

mindsets: enterprise software development versus personal software development "we need a feature checklist' vs 'what is really good to use?"

In essence he see's a space where they are building an internet enabled social engine. Everything is about to change all over again.
building a better energy future

Bill Gates on Innovation in Energy

Check out the talk by Bill Gates from TED earlier this year, he discusses a fantastic way forward for safe use and disposal of spent nuclear fuel as an energy source. The site is loaded with brilliant speakers talking about subjects they are passionate about, a great way to spend some downtime in front of the tube. www.ted.com/talks
building a better energy future

(if you see blankness apologies, video format is Flash and not available on Apple yet.)