On 03/10/05, Adam Vazquez Kb2jpd Internet Mobile w/ Treo <adamvaz@earthlink.net> wrote:

More on the low bandwidth side of BBC:

news.bbc.co.uk/1/low/technology/4292854.stm

Adam -----Original Message-----

I think some people may be missing the point with the wind up laptops. You will not need to continuously crank/wind as they are clockwork and as such store the energy from your winding. This is then released slowly via the clockwork mechanism through a dynamo. Forget your average pedal cycle dynamo these will be higher efficiency models. Motorcycles once used a dynamo which was pretty much the same size as the average pedal cycle model. It was a lot more powerful though. Anybody who has ever worked on a CZ/BSA/Villiers etc motorcycle will know straight away what I mean :-) To add to the solar power idea... This too is getting better and more efficient every year. Not too long ago all the average member of the public could get hold off was a small solar plate that wouldn't even power a hobby motor (1.5v) Now look at where we are. In a decade or so it will be viable to have solar panels installed on a roof of a house to give most of the power needs for the residents. They are available at the moment but pretty expensive still right now :-( they will come down in price. -- ============================================== I am only human, please forgive me if I make a mistake it is not deliberate. ============================================== Take care. Kevan Farmer 34 Hill Street Cheslyn Hay Staffordshire WS6 7HR