Google Dumps Microsoft Windows Company-Wide!

"Employees wanting to stay on Windows required clearance from “quite senior levels”, one employee said. “Getting a new Windows machine now requires CIO approval,” said another employee."

DailyTech - Report: Apple Cuts 0.7 Percent of iPad Profit to Give Factory Workers Big Raise

"It took a string of suicides to spur it to action, but Apple is finally taking a big step towards trying to ensure that the workers who build its bestselling iPads, iPods, and iPhones enjoy a decent standard of living.

According to a report by Chinese news organization Sina, Apple has now quietly committed a dramatic gesture, offering to finance the majority of the 20 percent raise in pay to the Shenzhen workers. The raise was long promised to workers, but had remained undelivered for some time now.

The 20 percent raise will cost Apple a little, but not very much. It is estimated to raise the costs of labor for the iPad from 2.3 percent of the cost to 3.0 percent of the cost. Apple still looks to make hundreds in profit off of each unit sold (breakdowns estimated Apple makes at least $200 per iPad sold)."

DailyTech - Report: Apple Cuts 0.7 Percent of iPad Profit to Give Factory Workers Big Raise

Don't count on a Verizon iPhone any time soon

Rumors about the iPhone coming to Verizon are sprouting up. Don't believe it, Verizon fans.

There are some fundamental reasons why a deal isn't imminent.

• Verizon's network runs on a wireless standard called CDMA, which is incompatible with AT&T's GSM network. It's not impossible to offer phones on both networks -- Research in Motion (RIMM) sells BlackBerry phones on every major U.S. network. But it wouldn't necessarily make economic sense for Apple.

• Apple (AAPL, Fortune 500) has proudly advertised that consumers can make calls and surf the Web simultaneously on the iPhone, but Verizon's CDMA network can't support that feature.

• Verizon is set to roll out its 4G network later this year, and AT&T will unveil its 4G network in 2011. Those networks will be on a new universal, global standard called LTE, making a 4G/LTE iPhone much more cost-effective for Apple and easier to sell around the world. That would make next year or even 2012 a more likely timeframe for debuting a Verizon iPhone.

• suppliers haven't given any indication that Apple is building a CDMA phone, according to Jagdish Rebello, principal analyst of communication systems at iSuppli.

• Apple has a five-year exclusivity deal with AT&T (T, Fortune 500), according to court documents, making it unlikely that the iPhone could come to Verizon before 2012.

• AT&T offers unlimited 3G access for the iPad on a contract-free basis for an average of about $22 a month. Because those sales only account for 15% of AT&T's data revenue, according to data tracker Trefis, it may be part of a bigger strategy.

"There is speculation that AT&T is offering attractively priced 3G data plans ... as part of a broader deal with Apple to maintain iPhone exclusivity for longer than the original agreement," Trefis said in a recent analyst note.

Read the full story at CNN Money By David Goldman, staff writer

iPad lands big in Japan, other foreign markets

The appeal of the Apple iPad is being tested overseas as it launches in nine countries Friday. Japan is one market where it is expected to have a special allure.

Two months after the start of U.S sales, Apple kicked off iPad sales in Japan, Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and Canada early Friday morning.

And in Japan, the world's second largest economy, it was launched with the kind of fanfare typically reserved for a new game machine from Nintendo.

Read the full story at Cnet News by Brooke Crothers



In Tokyo thousands of excited and sleep deprived gadget fans mobbed shops in Japan as Apple's iPad launches. Video courtesy of AFP.


Once again Apple fans lined up from the early hours, this time in Sydney to get their hands on the first iPads to be released Down Under. Video courtesy of The Daily Telegraph.


Early adopters like to show off and share their glossy new iPads, but one thing is rubbing people the wrong way: The 9.7" touchscreen is smudge-prone -- and no one likes a greasy gadget. WSJ's Nick Burns reports.

Microsoft officially releases Tag, its mobile barcode technology

Microsoft Tag, a mobile barcoding service that the company first talked about 18 months ago, is getting its official launch today. To date, Microsoft says that more than one billion Tags have been created, establishing a new channel for people to obtain information about products or services in the real world. The tags -- when attached to a sign, billboards or a magazine article -- allow users to view additional information on their mobile phones (like the iPhone).

The basic use of the new Microsoft Tag technology will be available free of charge, allowing marketers or small businesses to direct people in the physical world to more information.
Read the full story at TechFlash by John Cook

Microsoft's and Apple's Product Lines Compared: This Is Why Apple Wins

"Microsoft has, for the first time, been beaten in market cap by Apple. At the close of the market today, Apple sat at $222.12 billion, a gain of 1.8%, while Microsoft went down 1% to $219.18 billion. That makes Apple, according to market cap, the most valuable tech company in the world. Yet compared to Microsoft, Apple has both less cash on hand ($23 billion vs. $35.7 billion) and less revenue ($42.9 billion vs. $58.4 billion). So the fact that the market has valued Apple higher is big news indeed.

Microsoft is massive, and like some kind of funhouse mirror gets more massive the closer you look. But it is still essentially a software company. The two biggest product lines at Microsoft are Windows, the world's most popular computer operating system (found on nine out of 10 computers), and Office, a suite of productivity tools including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. One of them is probably running in the background right now on your machine, PC or Mac.

Apple, by contrast, has three laptops in varying sizes, one all-in-one desktop, one mini desktop, and one tower desktop. All six run the same OS, also made by Apple, and include Apple's iLife software suite. Then there's the three mobile devices that run Apple's second OS, iPhone OS: the iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad. Finally, there's the media hardware: the three "legacy" iPods (Classic, Nano, and Shuffle) and the mostly ignored Apple TV. Apple also sells accessories for these devices, including a wireless router, monitor, and keyboard and mouse. In terms of software, Apple has the two OSes, plus iTunes and its media store, and the App Store for its iPhone OS devices. They sell and service all of that stuff in Apple Stores. Really, that's about it."

Read the full story at the FastCompany by Dan Nosowitz

Sorry, But The Dell Streak Is NO Threat To Apples iPad

New iPhones on the market soon!

Cheaters it's really your problem, not your mates

Oh, what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive." -- Sir Walter Scott

Years ago now an again you would read a story about a business man whom had managed to cheat on his spouse by having another wife out of the area. Sadly now because of cyberspace its much easer for cheaters to prosper.

Divorce lawyers claim the explosion in the popularity of websites such as Facebook and Bebo is tempting to people to cheat on their partners.

"Until recently, adultery has been a sin of the flesh. Temptation arrives, chemistry sizzles and before long the unfaithful spouse is spending stolen nights in cheap hotels. Now there is a new threat: the virtual affair. While some argue online affairs aren't real, research shows some spouses take them as seriously as the offline variety - and they're becoming a gateway to divorce.

Cyber lovers many times started as just friends on but quickly move from chat to photo-swapping, intimate confessions and cybersex. It can become as consuming as a real relationship. Tell-tale signs of a virtual affair, says the Centre for Online and Internet Addiction, are sitting at the computer into the early hours, moving it into an office and locking the door, becoming obsessive about passwords, ignoring chores and spending less time engaged with the household. Check out the CNN video Facebook a tool for infidelity?



There's no clear profile of who cheats online or why. Some studies suggest they tend to be tertiary-educated, professional men who feel unfulfilled and isolated in their relationships or want easy, anonymous sex. Like offline cheaters, they might be narcissistic

The anonymity, ease and affordability of the internet make it a cheater's dream. The pool of temptations, limited in the real world, widens to hundreds of thousands in the cyber world.

Read more about virtual adultery by Jordan Baker

Ways To Unmask A Liar

Many times a spouse will claim its not Infidelity that the problem is all in the mind of the wounded spouse. I suspected she was being untrue a real coquette so I checked the computer and found out I was right. However she has twisted all this in her head to the point where the only violation of trust is by me snooping in her business. She almost had me thinking I was wrong for invading her privacy. Amazing what people will do to protect themselves from reality and responsibility!

Signs they may be cheating on you:

1) When questioned about your worries they demand privacy. How dare you question them!

2) They claim they need to relax on the Internet away from you.

3) When you walk by them when they are on the computer they quickly minimize widows or close their laptop.

4) They say they "need space". This one is the red flag you will find that anytime someone makes this claim they up to no good and something nefarious is going on.

5) They have zero patience for you (and children if you have any). This is because you are taking away time that could be spent with their new "friend".

A few quotes from cheaters:

"you are so suspicious, you need help because its all in your head"

"Its not cheating if we did not have sex!"
"I wouldn't do that to you. I swear"
"Oh, she is just like a sister to me, that's all"
"I don't know why I gave her or him my phone number"
"yes I have a girlfriend, but we don't have sex, I discuss with her the problems we are having in our marriage"
"Nothing is happening, we are just friends, and enjoy each others company. You are really blowing this out of proportion"
"It's only harmless flirting... it's not like I was ever going to meet her or him again"

If you enjoyed this article please checkout:

Narcissism Often Prods A Cheating Heart
Your Wife May Be Cheating On You Right Now

The does the Bible teach about Marriage?

The Bible promotes a lofty view of marriage, and this is not surprising, for the arrangement was authorized and established by Jehovah God himself. (Genesis 2:21-24) From the beginning, Jehovah purposed that through marriage a man and woman would become “one flesh.” (Genesis 2:24) After quoting the passage in the Bible where this is pointed out, Jesus added: “What God has yoked together let no man put apart.”—Matthew 19:6.

Granted, some who marry will later divorce.* When this occurs, however, it is not because of some lack in the marriage arrangement itself; rather, it is because of the failure of one or both mates to live up to their wedding vows.

To illustrate: Suppose a man and woman own a car, but they do not maintain it according to the manufacturer’s instructions. If the car breaks down as a result, who is to blame? The manufacturer or the owners who failed to perform routine maintenance?

The same principle applies to marriage. When a husband and wife maintain their relationship and are determined to work out their problems by applying Bible principles, divorce is far less likely. There is a feeling of security in the marriage because a personal commitment has been made by each spouse. Marriage then becomes the basis for a loving relationship.

How to Build a Successful Marriage

Apple's iPhone replaces BlackBerry for some bankers

(Reuters) - British bank Standard Chartered is replacing the BlackBerry, currently its standard corporate communications device, with the iPhone, a move that could eventually result in thousands of bankers switching to the Apple device for business communication on the go.

Standard Chartered bankers in Asia told Reuters that the London-based lender was giving its corporate BlackBerry users the option of switching to the iPhone, with the company agreeing to continue to pay monthly billing for business-related telephone and data services.

"It's a group-wide initiative involving wholesale and consumer banks globally," said a Singapore-based spokeswoman for Standard Chartered, told Reuters. The spokeswoman declined to be identified due to company policy.

The process of migrating corporate email services from the BlackBerry to the iPhone started about a month ago, said the spokeswoman, although she did not know how many of the Asia-focused bank's 75,000 employees used company-issued BlackBerries or when the switchover could be completed.

Read the full story at Reuters by Kevin Lim and George Chen

Kevin Costner Shows Machine that Extracts 97% of Oil From Water (Video)

Kevin Costner! The actor and environmental activist just demonstrated a machine that extracts 97% of the oil from water. Costner helped fund the development of this machine 15 years ago. The researchers were headed by Costner's brother, a scientist. Currently there are 5 different models of the extractor, from 5 gallons/minute to 200 gallons/minute.

Read the full story by Michael Graham Richard

Schooling fish inspire new approach to wind farming

Schooling fish, it turns out, have a lot to teach us about setting up wind farms. That’s the conclusion reached by John Dabiri, a fluid dynamics expert from the California Institute of Technology (Caltech). One of the biggest current problems with wind farms is the large land area that they require - if you place the turbines too close to one another, they will be adversely effected by each other’s turbulence. By applying principles learned from observing fish, however, Dabiri thinks he might have found a solution.

Dabiri also noticed that the fish and their vortices were arranged in a staircase pattern relative to one another. Again, this runs contrary to most wind farms, where the turbines are placed in neat rows. By conducting a field study incorporating closely-spaced, staggered vertical-axis turbines spinning in alternating directions, he hopes to show just how much more efficient wind power can become. According to Caltech's computer models, he believes his set up could be up to ten times more efficient than traditional models.

Read the full story by Ben Coxworth

How to Quit Facebook Without Actually Quitting Facebook

With all the privacy issues surrounding Facebook, many people are considering quitting the site altogether. If you're not ready to take it that far, here's how to avoid the privacy breaches without completely deleting your account and losing touch with your friends.

Photo by Ludovic Berton.

Should I Quit Facebook Altogether?
We've all had that one friend who deactivated his/her Facebook and was never seen again, because no one could establish contact. As if the telephone, email, and IM were never invented, many people are at a loss as to how to contact you if your Facebook isn't an easy click away. Even if the situation isn't quite that dire, Facebook is still how a lot of people keep connected, and severing that connection completely is a big deal.

But now, privacy-minded folks have many legitimate reasons you should quit Facebook (or reasons you should but can't go through with it), the same thing is on everyone's mind: Is the grief of quitting worth avoiding future privacy breaches?

The Less Extreme Alternative
Luckily, there is another, more middle-of-the-road option. That's not to say this isn't still extreme—this isn't for the faint of heart. It isn't a tutorial about how to change your privacy settings. This is a tutorial on how to create the most minimalist Facebook profile possible, with as little information on yourself as possible, to be used only for communication between you and your friends. You won't be able to do much on the site; you probably won't even visit the site that often. This is not for people who want to continue using Facebook; it is for the people who are ready to up and quit tomorrow, but don't want to miss out on the next party just because they care about their privacy. So if you're really ready to give up wall posts, comments, Farmville, and fan pages, here's how to proceed without falling off the face of the Earth.

Continue reading the full article at LifeHacker by Whitson Gordon

Beautiful Eco Friendly Homes for Sale in the UK

ECO HAB™ - ECO FRIENDLY HOMES

The Mission at EcoHab is to create an exciting and innovative range of high performing, energy efficient, Eco Friendly Homes, which offer the chance to achieve sustainable living at affordable prices.

Every step has been taken during the design and construction of our EcoPods to minimise the demand for and dependency on fossil fuels, and to incorporate energy saving features.eg:

• High level of thermal insulation giving an excellent overall U value
• Sealed Envelope (no air leakage)
• Hot air recovery ventilation
• Wood/ solid fuel burning stove (for use on colder days)
• Under floor heating
• Full recycling facility (5 separate waste chutes

On Grid - It can be connected as normal to mains electricity, water mains and local sewage piped network.

Off Grid - It uses its own renewable energy source technology such as solar hot water heaters, rainwater harvesting, Dry Toilet, Wind power, gas powered generator & battery power store (if needed) and many other green home products. Therefore allowing, the Eco-Hab to be used in remote sites without traditional power sources.

Other extras can include:

• Solar and/or PV panels
• Wind Turbine
• Seasonal Thermal storage tank
• Rainwater harvesting
• Composting toilet

The Eco-Hab, often refered to as Eco-Pod, which has just been showcased at the Grand design show is the brainchild of Aidan Quinn the Managing Director of Eco Hab Ltd. The innovative egg shaped, eco-home is set to revolutionise the concept of carbon zero housing.



The Eco-Hab doesn't have to be used as your main residance there are many other uses for these eco-friendly homes,
• Outdoor office
• Place to stay for guests & visiting family
• Used at campsites as luxcury accomodation
• Within schools as educational centers
• Within corporations as quiet or games rooms

For more details about the models of Eco-Habs available, please click here.

USA National Train Day

Discover the Rail Way. On May 8, 2010, the 3rd Annual National Train Day will be a FREE coast-to-coast celebration. Don't miss out on your chance to tour private and Amtrak train cars, explore interactive and educational exhibits, enjoy live entertainment and much more!

USA National Train Day Events:

Los Angles

800 N. Alameda Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012
11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
FREE!

• The Railroad Braceros Exhibit*†
  
• Train Equipment Displays*‡
• Model Train Displays*
• AmtraKids Depot Go-Green Express: Eco Exhibit*
  
• National Park Service Trails & Rails Exhibit*
• Snapshot Station
  
• Trains Move our Economy Exhibit*
• Amtrak: Dining the Rail Way* exhibit and culinary demonstrations, featuring Chef Marcel Lagnaz
• Amtrak Brand Display - Enjoy the journey®*
• Amtrak California: A Winning Partnership*
• Live performances by the USC Trojan Marching Band and Playhouse Disney's Choo-Choo Soul with Genevieve!
• Appearance by California Gold’s Huell Howser

Washington, D.C.

Philadelphia

Chicago

Other Cities

'Underwater kite' aims to turn energy tide

London, England (CNN) -- A new type of tidal turbine which its creators describe as an "underwater kite" has taken a step closer to becoming commercially available.

"Deep Green," developed by Swedish start-up Minesto, has just secured €2 million ($2.5 million) from investors to fund testing scheduled to start in 2011.
The technology comprises of a turbine attached to a wing and rudder which is tethered to the ocean floor by 100 meters of cable.

Anchoring "Deep Green" and steering the tethered "kite" enables the turbine to capture energy from the tidal currents at ten times the speed of the actual stream velocity, say Minesto.

When operational, the turbine is expected to generate 500 kilowatts of power.



Continue reading the story by Matthew Knight for CNN

Phil Donahue on Robert H. Jackson

Legendary talk show host Phil Donahue interviewed KNOCKING subject Lillian Gobitas last week for a video that will honor Supreme Court Justice Robert H. Jackson's support of First Amendment freedoms. Lillian appeared in KNOCKING to tell her story about being expelled from school for refusing to salute the flag.

Mobs began attacking Jehovah's Witnesses for being unpatriotic when Lillian lost her case at the U.S. Supreme Court in 1940. First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt spoke out against the discrimination. The Supreme Court realized it had made a mistake and reversed its decision in 1943 in one of the most landmark First Amendment cases in U.S. history. That's when Justice Robert H. Jackson wrote his famous phrase: "If there is any fixed star in our constitutional constellation, it is that no official, high or petty, can prescribe what shall be orthodox in politics, nationalism, religion or other matters of opinion."

Phil Donahue interviewed Lillian, who is now in her 80s, at her Kingdom Hall in suburban Atlanta. Below is a previous video of Mr. Donahue speaking about Jehovah's Witnesses and Lillian Gobitas. He is clearly impressed with the stands Witnesses made and how their Supreme Court cases benefitted the First Amendment freedoms of all U.S. citizens.

Beyond Sunny Memories

Finding economic ways to capture and convert energy from our largest renewable energy source, the sun, is becoming more urgent as the world’s supply of fossil fuels vanishes. Now, the development of a new generation of solar cells might lead the way toward a better future.

A $10 app saves hours of commuting

(CNNMoney.com) -- Chip Galloway, the owner C&C Landscaping in Salt Lake City, used to spend hours in the car driving to landscaping projects -- time he knew would be better spent courting new clients. But if he didn't see those projects firsthand, his workers might easily make a costly mistake, like misplacing a tree or putting incorrectly sized rocks in a water fountain.

"It's usually a 10-minute visit that takes 45 minutes each way to get there," says Galloway. "There are only so many hours in the day."

That changed last year, when Galloway got his hands on software called Pixetell -- a sort of 'e-mail meets voicemail meets Web conferencing' tool.

Now, for $720 a year, Galloway and five of his top employees can send detailed multimedia e-mail messages. They can shoot video and photos and describe them in a voiceover, and motion with a mouse to highlight key points in architectural drawings and spreadsheets. Project managers in the field often take snapshots of what they're working on and send them to Galloway along with their comments.

Read the full story at CNN Money by Jennifer Alsever

IPad appears to be clicking with seniors

"Rita Schena, a 78-year-old retired teacher, is not the kind of person who waits in line for the release of a new tech gadget.

But there she was April 3, the day the iPad went on sale, queuing up at a Palo Alto Apple store. She had spent a short time playing with her son's iPad that morning and was instantly smitten.

"I said, 'Oh my God, I have to have one of these,' " said Schena, who lives in Menlo Park.

Virginia Campbell, a 99-year-old Lake Oswego, Ore., resident, earned a modicum of fame when she appeared in a YouTube video with her iPad. Campbell, who has lived with glaucoma for more than 20 years, had never owned a computer. The iPad's touch screen allows her to get up close and make out letters, something she can't do on a printed page or even an Amazon Kindle. And with its ability to input text, the iPad has revived Campbell's dormant interest in poetry. She's written dozens of poems, as well as a note to Steve Jobs thanking him for the iPad.

"With glaucoma, it's like reading in a fog. But with the iPad, I can see because of the strong contrast between the printed words and the lighted background," Campbell said. "I can't emphasize how important this is for people with limited vision."

Read the full story at SFGate by Ryan Kim, Chronicle Staff Writer

How Multitasking Works On Smartphones

Best Folding Bikes Of 2010

"Folding bikes are useful for anyone interested in taking their bike on a bus, train or ferry. They can also be packed in a car, stowed on a plane, or stored indoors securely. Many owners bring their folding bikes into an apartment or store them under an office desk. Most folding bikes have 16″ or 20″ wheels, but you can also find 26″ wheel bikes that fold."

Read the full story by CEPHOE

Adoption dream unlikely at Russian orphanage

Moscow, Russia (CNN) -- "Though Oksana is 4 years old, she is much shorter than other children who are a year younger. She barely talks, and yet doesn't hesitate to climb up in her puffy dress to sit next to a visitor on a couch, after flashing an impish smile.
Administrators at Children's Home Number 59 in Moscow say Oksana was found by police, after apparently being abandoned. She was then delivered to a hospital and eventually ended up at this orphanage."

Russian families if they do adopt only want healthy babies with no problems and children that look very Russian with blond hair and blue eyes.

"I'm so angry [at] this dialogue on TV that we should abandon this," Tatarenko says. "Americans and Europeans take children of all ages, with different diseases...."

Read the full story by Ivan Watson at CNN

Tesla's Elon Musk says new CUV model due in 2013

"The Tesla EYE design concept we saw in at the Geneva Motor Show was just an experiment some students at the Istituto Europeo di Design of Turin did with the Tesla brand. But the idea that we will see more and new vehicle models from Tesla Motors is a fact, as CEO Elon Musk reaffirmed this week during his acceptance speech for the Automotive Executive of the Year Innovator Award. AutoWeek was on hand and reports that Musk said that, after the Model S arrives in 2012, Tesla will introduce a crossover utility vehicle and other models starting in 2013."

Read the full story by Sebastian Blanco at autobloggreen

Lexus shows off new hybrid concept bicycle?

PRESS RELEASE Introducing the Lexus Hybrid Bicycle Concept

Lexus has established itself as an industry leader in bringing advanced technologies to the premium car market. Now it has applied the same thinking on a smaller scale to create the Lexus Hybrid Bicycle, a design concept the captures the fundamental engineering and design values of the brand, but with two wheels rather than four.

In every aspect this is Lexus, from the L-finesse design language of the engaging and elegant frame, to the application of hybrid power, an electric eight-speed transmission and lightweight carbon fibre construction.

Lexus has brought what is one of the only two examples in existence to the UK for the first time, following the bicycle's debut at the 2009 Tokyo motor show. Its arrival coincides with the announcement of Lexus's title sponsorship of the Great British Bike Ride, a four-day charity fun ride that will see hundreds of cyclists following a course from Land's End to the home of English rugby at Twickenham.

Lexus has pioneered high performance, low emissions and optimum fuel efficiency with its full hybrid Lexus Hybrid Drive powertrain technology. The Hybrid Bicycle adopts similar principles, with the pedal power of the rider boosted by assistance to the front wheel from a 240W electric motor, via a 25.9V Lithium-ion battery, with a choice of Eco or Power modes. And, as with Lexus Hybrid Drive, there is an energy regeneration function that helps recharge the battery by capturing kinetic energy generated under braking.

The Lexus Hybrid Bicycle has all-wheel drive, by means of a belt system. It is equipped with an electric eight-speed Shimano internal gear system, which references the sophisticated eight-speed shift-by-wire automatic transmission of Lexus's LS 600h limousine. The carbon fibre construction shares the same light-but-strong composite materials technology that was used on Valentino Rossi's MotoGP-winning motorcycle.

There are no current plans for the Lexus Hybrid Bicycle to become a production model.

Read the full story by Jeremy Korzeniewski at autoblog green

Oklahoma is newest market for natural-gas burning Honda GX

PRESS RELEASE

Oklahoma to Become Fourth Retail Market for Honda's Natural Gas-Powered Civic GX Dealer network expands for retail sales of nation's only natural gas-powered vehicle sold by an OEM

TORRANCE, Calif. -

American Honda Motor Co., Inc., today announced that dealers in Oklahoma will now have the option of selling the compressed natural gas (CNG) powered Honda Civic GX to customers on a retail basis. There are 13 Honda dealers in Oklahoma, three of which are already selling the Civic GX as a fleet vehicle.

"Expanding Honda's Civic GX retail program along with the continued success of fleet sales expresses our commitment to the environment and natural gas vehicle technology," said Elmer Hardy, senior manager of Alternative Fuel Vehicle Sales & Marketing. "Honda seeks market opportunities for the Civic GX where strong natural gas refueling infrastructure exists, and we continue to see its promise as a clean, sustainable, domestically-sourced alternative fuel."

Honda is the only OEM currently selling a CNG-powered vehicle on a retail basis in the United States. Additionally, the Civic GX is the only OEM-built, CNG-powered passenger car assembled in America. The Civic GX is built on the same assembly line as the gasoline-powered Civic 4-door models at Honda's Greensburg, Indiana manufacturing facility.

In 2006, the Civic GX became available for the first time to retail customers in California. Since then, retail sales have expanded to New York, Utah and now, Oklahoma. Currently, 43 dealers in California, 19 in New York and eight in Utah have added Retail Sales Addendums to their Honda Sales Agreements that enable them to sell the Civic GX on a retail basis. When including dealerships that sell fleet vehicles, there are a total of 134 Civic GX dealers in 33 states.

Oklahoma is an ideal market to expand retail sales of the Civic GX with its low refueling costs, a generous state tax incentive toward the purchase of a new Civic GX and solid fleet sales. As the second largest natural gas producing state in the U.S., Oklahoma already has a strong existing CNG station infrastructure with robust plans to expand the network over the next several years.

The 2010 Civic GX achieves an EPA-estimated city/highway fuel economy of 24/36** miles per gasoline-gallon equivalent and is the only vehicle certified by the EPA to meet both Federal Tier 2-Bin 2 and Inherently Low Emission Vehicle (ILEV) zero evaporative emission certification standards. Additionally, the Honda Civic GX is the cleanest internal combustion vehicle ever tested by the EPA, and for the seventh straight year, the Civic GX NGV was named "Greenest Vehicle" by the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE).

For more information or downloadable high-resolution images of Honda vehicles, please visit www.hondanews.com. Consumer information is available at www.honda.com.

* EPA Tier-2, Bin-2 and ILEV certification as of May 2009
**Based on 2010 EPA mileage estimates, reflecting new EPA fuel economy methods beginning with 2008 models. Use for comparison purposes only. Do not compare to models before 2008. Your actual mileage will vary depending on how you drive and maintain your vehicle.

"The only factory-built natural gas-fueled car currently offered in the United States is now a little bit more available. Cheap natural gas costs and state incentives have led Honda to start offering the Civic GX to retail customers in Oklahoma. Previously, the car had only been available in California, New York and Utah"

Read the full story by Sam Abuelsamid at autobloggreen

Report: Ford Fusion Hybrid pays off quickest

"The San Francisco Chronicle has compiled a list of seven popular hybrids along with estimates of how long it would take for each car to pay for its higher cost compared to non-hybrid models in gasoline savings. The winner by a long shot is the Ford Fusion Hybrid at a mere 5.6 years. Which car fared worst? The Nissan Altima Hybrid at a whopping 21 years. We have to wonder, 21 years from now, will they still be making batteries for a 2010 Altima Hybrid? "

Read the full story by Nik Bristow at autobloggreen

Volkswagen bik.e replaces spare tire with electric mobility device

Volkswagen has rolled out its first ever two-wheeler at Auto China 2010.

First pre-production Opel Ampera rolls off GM's assembly line in Michigan

Vauxhall / Opel Ampera

The Chevy Volt had its time to shine awhile back when the first pre-production examples rolled off the lines. Now the attention turns to the Opel Ampera as it hits the same milestone. Late last week, the first pre-production 2012 Opel Ampera sprung to life after making the trip down the line at General Motors' Warren, MI facility.

Read the full story by Eric Loveday at autoblog green

Beijing 2010: Geely shows off fleet of alternative power vehicles

PRESS RELEASE: 'Eclosion' of Geely Alternative Energy Vehicles On Auto China 2010

BEIJING, April 23 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- As a Chinese fairytale of "Eclosion to Butterfly" indicates, Geely alternative fuel vehicles have, through painstaking effort, come all the way to have their premiere on Beijing Auto Show this time. For years, Geely has been committed to R&D of alternative power systems for vehicles, and its 5 alternative fuel vehicles for mass production will be marketed in 2 years.

With eye-catching showcase in 2009 Shanghai Auto Show as a concept car only, Geely Intelligence (IG) this time is identified as a pioneering in-research model of Geely's alternative vehicles. It is face lifted from former single door and 3+1 seat layout to double seagull-wing doors and 2+2 seat layout now, while remains its hybrid power and cost design.

Geely brings two electric vehicles this time -- EK-1 and EK-2.EK-1 is lead-acid battery powered reaching 80km/h top speed and 80km range, and EK-2 is lithium iron phosphate battery powered with max. speed of 150km and range of 180km and can recharge 80% of battery capacity in 18mins.

In development of alternative power system, instead of restricting in one specific R&D direction, Geely diversified its development rating on different subjects during various time spans. According to related officer from Geely, currently, when various many factors are involved, in practical fleet, alternative fuel power is still but an option for the whole global auto industry, at least not such unified as the internal-combustion engine powered by petroleum. Considering this, on alternative fuel power solutions, Geely set its development mode of multiple propulsions ready to answer calls from both market needs and tomorrow challenges. Apart from battery electric vehicles, Geely showcase 1 vehicle model with GSC (Geely Intelligent Stop-Go System) and 2 models of GPEC (Geely Plug-in Electric Hybrid Vehicle) .

For plug-in hybrid electric power, a relatively mature alternative energy power technology, Geely has finished its application design in serial and parallel forms and ready for mass production. Geely's EC7 is applied with GPECs(Geely Serial Plug-in Electric) with iron phosphate battery + 1.0 L engine, 60 km range when solely by battery, launch recently; EC8 is applied GPEC (Geely Plug-in Electric Hybrid Vehicle, parallel), good at fuel economy and dynamic performance, fitted with 2.4L engine to challenge international premium alternative energy vehicle.

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