Solar Nanotubes Make Light Work?
I have been reporting on developments in photovoltaic cells for as long as I can remember and there’s always some new technology or fabrication method that’s going to improve upon the woeful efficiency of today’s silicon based solar cells. I’m still waiting and outside the labs most commercial cells still only manage a fairly miserable 20 – 30 percent efficiency, which basically means that during their lifetime very few solar cells ever recover the enormous amount of energy put into their manufacture, let alone live long enough to generate ‘free’ electricity. I have no doubt that one day the problem will be licked and this might just be the development to do it. It’s a rolled up graphene layer nanotube and it’s the brainchild of a team of researchers at Cornell University. The first problem, though, is that it’s tiny, no larger than a DNA molecule, which means you’ll need an awful lot of them to do anything useful. The good news is that it’s very efficient and when exposed to light the tubular structure creates more electrons, and the cylindrical structure makes it easier for them to flow. I know, we’ve been here before so don’t hold your breath, but one day, it will happen, and maybe, just maybe this is where it started…
How to get the holy grail of Windows Vista and Windows 7
1. ACCURATE SCORE
Make sure you have an accurate WEI score. Follow our advice to optimise your PC, then close down all open applications and run the test again.
2. PERFORMANCE TWEAKS
If your CPU score is over 5 then overclocking, while risky, might help you reach the maximum. Check your BIOS setup program and documentation for advice.
3. FIND A REPLACEMENT
Upgrading your CPU may deliver the best results. Check your motherboard manufacturer’s web site to see which CPUs it supports, then comparison-shop at uk.shopping.com.
4. CHECK SPEEDS
Can this processor really deliver a 5.9? Visit shareyourscore.com/ ComponentScores.aspx to see how it performs on other people’s systems.
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Windows 7 Goes Gold
We’re fast approaching one of the final milestones in the run up to the consumer launch of Windows 7 this autumn. But in advance of that, on July 10th, the so-called ‘Gold’ RTM or Release To Manufacture version of the operating system will be confirmed, swiftly followed by distribution to manufacturers and developers on July 13th. This head start should help avoid some of the problems following the launch of Vista when far too many hardware devices didn’t have the necessary drivers in place. Barring any unforeseen last minute glitches or bugs this is the version of the software that will go on sale on October 22nd. Good news too on pricing, it looks like it will be a fair bit cheaper than Vista.
