How do they do it? With a triple junction compound solar cell that uses three photo absorption layers made from elements like indium and gallium. I’ll leave it to the physical chemistry geniuses among you to explain exactly what that means in the comments.

You might have heard of efficiency ratings that climb into the 40 per cent range. Sharp even lists one in their press release. To clarify, those are different tests. Apparently there’s a distinction made in efficiency ratings between concentrated and unfocused light. The more you know, right?

Don’t expect to be covering your house in these soon, they’re meant for use in satellites. [Akihabara via Engadget]

John Hargrave tracked down Verizon CEO’s private address and mobile phone number. Then he went to his home—megaphone in hand—to ask him to stop Verizon’s lousy privacy policies. The video is quite funny and his message is clear:

When we don’t have privacy, then freaks with bullhorns start showing up. Keep our phone numbers unlisted. Keep our mobile phone records private. Keep us safe in your loving arms, Ivan.

So damn right. To give you an idea about how easy it was to get this information, the only thing that John did was sign up for one of those “free cell phone records” listings and scan it for the cells and home addresses of the CEOs from the big three: Randall Stephenson of AT&T, Dan Hesse of Sprint Nextel, and Ivan Seidenberg of Verizon. There were a lot of Stephensons and Hesses, but only one Ivan Seidenberg. He confirmed the information and off he went in his car, ready to deliver his message about how important privacy is by showing it exactly how these awful information keeping could affect us.

Mr. John Hargrave, we love you. [Zug.com]

The Verdicts: First, the Panasonic SL-850 turntable: This turntable uses the first version of quadraphonic sound, CD-4, which means the turntable outputs four distinct, individual channels directly to 4 separate speakers. Though it’s a form of surround sound, in my test track, “Musicione” by The Guess Who, the differences between stereo and quadraphonic weren’t quite as obvious as, say, between stereo and a 5.1 surround sound mix. There’s very little of that gimmicky “moving sound” that flits between each channel that’s sometimes emphasised in 5.1, but there’s definitely a noticeable difference between quad and stereo.

In the chorus of the quad version of “Musicione,” each background vocal track gets its own channel, which is reduced to a mere two-way split in the sad stereo mix. Also in quad, there’s a treble/bass split between the front and rear, even going so far as to split the drum set components (high hat and snare in the front, floor tom and bass drum in the rear), while the left/right split is saved for the band’s two main instruments (piano left, guitar right). It’s pretty subtle, and no doubt some of the subtlety was exacerbated by the questionable quality of my speakers, but a stereo version of the same song definitely felt flat in comparison.

The turntable also features an automatic start and stop, a welcome addition, as well as the standard 33/45/78 RPM modes. It’s the only automatic turntable I’ve ever used—instead of lifting the needle and placing it on the record (crazy! I’ll go to the gym if I’m gonna work out, you know what I mean?), you just flip a switch and the Panasonic does it for you. My particular model is missing the centre pin that holds the record in place—in the past, I’ve filed down a wood pencil as a replacement, though the drill bit I found amongst my dad’s tools (pictured) works nicely as well.

The downsides to quadraphonic? The needle, technically called the “Shibata stylus,” is a specialised type. When the time comes for replacement, you can bet it’ll cost more and be harder to find than a standard needle. Plus, there are comparatively few quadraphonic records out there—my dad’s copy of The Who’s Quadrophenia was actually only in two channel. While the SL-850 plays stereo like a champ, you’re not buying it for mere two-channel audio.

The GE 4-Channel Receiver is an even more interesting beast. Its most striking feature is the built-in 8-track cassette player, though to my deep, deep disappointment, it refused to play the only two 8-tracks in my possession, a Motown compilation and the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack. No amount of NES-style blowing into the cassettes or the player would yield any sound, so I suppose it must be busted.

But the receiver itself is a powerhouse—it’s got both four-channel and simple stereo modes, a stylish AM/FM tuner, and a sweet balance joystick that lets you control which of the four channels (L/R front and back) gets the most emphasis. It was able to push my four speakers (a pair of giant Pioneer cabinets and a pair of slightly smaller Sonys, one of which was mysteriously and unsettlingly sticky) with a ton of power and pretty decent bass/treble control, thanks to a pair of sliders. Unfortunately, it’s packing only a single audio input, so it might require an external A/V switcher if I wanted to line in more than just the turntable.

The GE unit is also a handsome-looking deck, with wood paneling all around accompanied by a chrome and black plastic front. The AM/FM tuner lights up in fluorescent green and has this great squiggly grid design, and it’s very clear what every toggle and switch does. If it weren’t for the busted 8-track deck, it’d be a winner.

Turntable:
Quadraphonic audio recordings sound great

Plays stereo and quad perfectly

Automatic start/stop is a welcome feature

Rare needle could be expensive and/or difficult to replace

Not the best-looking turntable we’ve ever seen

Receiver:
Powerful, customizable sound (joystick especially is great)

Stylish design

Single input necessitates external A/V switcher

8-track player doesn’t work

Heavy as hell

Special thanks to my dad for hoarding all this ancient gear in our basement.

Gizmodo ‘79 is a week-long celebration of gadgets and geekdom 30 years ago, as the analogue age gave way to the digital, and most of our favourite toys were just being born.

Like some kind of cross between NASCAR and Evel Knievel, Eric Scott of Jet Pack International recently set a new speed record for jetpacks: A surprisingly-fast 98kph.

The jetpack in question only has enough fuel (mostly hydrogen peroxide converted to water) for about 30-40 seconds of flight, so even though he claims the jetpack achieves about 800 horsepower, he only gets up to 98kph. Still, that’s far faster than we would have thought, given Mark’s experience, but evidently this is an entirely different kind of jetpack. [MAKE]

Turntables, keyboards, cassettes and boomboxes? Yes please. This designer wallpaper by Aimée Wilder costs $US140 for a diminutive 27″ x 15′ 70cm x 4.5m) roll. Then again, that’s enough probably paper to make your point. [aimeewilder via Unplggd]

If you saw our feature earlier in the week, you know Michael Fremer is crazy about vinyl. He’s been defending its merits ever since digital formats started to surface, and has published several DVDs detailing how best to set up a number of nice audiophile turntables.

But of course, you don’t have to have to have an audiophile turntable to enjoy vinyl—great used tables like the Technics SL-D202 I got in high school (pictured) can be picked up all over the internet, at garage sales or from your Dad’s basement for very little dough, and will serve you well as long as they’re in decent shape.

Plus, with tons of record labels including a free digital download with the purchase of an album on vinyl these days, it’s a great way to give back to your favourite artists—you’ll get a cool tangible object that has the potential to sound far better than your MP3s, but with a digital copy for you iPod nonetheless.

So if you have a turntable that’s never received a proper tune-up, here’s how to set it up to get the best possible sound from it. With Fremer’s help, my table is now in tip-top shape, and yours can be too.

What you’ll need:
• The manual for your turntable and cartridge (the part with the needle attached)
• A 2mm Allen/Hex wrench for the cartridge screws (most are 2mm, anyway)
• A ruler
• Magnifying glass and flashlight (not essential, but makes things easier)
• Needle-nose pliers or tweezers
• A printout of a standard cartridge alignment ruler (available at vinylengine.com for free)

First thing’s first, though—if you’re unsure of the progeny of your table, or if it hasn’t been serviced in a long time or ever, the easiest upgrade you can make to ensure it’s at its best is a new cartridge. This part is almost solely responsible for the sound generated by your table, and you can get a very good new cartridge for less than $US100 (try Shure’s M97XE for a good one in the $US90 ballpark, but there are cheaper options as well).

After that, there are three variables you want to make sure are set, and those are the three variables we’ll be covering: cartridge alignment, tracking pressure and anti-skating. While there are tons of other adjustments that can be made, with some tables having more calibration options than others, these three are fairly universal and will get you in the ballpark of calibration, which is much better than fresh-from-the-dusty-garage.

Let’s get started!

Tracking Pressure
This is what the weight on the back of your tonearm is for—it controls how much pressure is put on the stylus as it tracks the record’s grooves. This should be set according to what’s suggested in your cartridge’s manual. Google around for your cartridge make and model and you should be able to find the manual, or your turntable manual may suggest a baseline range. Again, Vinyl Engine is a great resource for manuals.

1. If you’re installing a new cartridge, connect the red, blue, green and white wires to the corresponding marked terminals on the back of the cartridge. If they’re too loose and fall off the pins, put a toothpick inside wire clips and tighten it with the pliers. Once it’s hooked up, loosely screw the cartridge into the headshell (we’ll be adjusting its alignment later) with your hex screwdriver.

2. Set the turntable’s anti-skating dial to zero, then turn the weight on the back of the arm just up until the point the tonearm floats on its own. Then, by turning the part of the weight with the gauge but not the entire weight, set the gauge back to zero to “re-zero” the weight.

3. Now, turn the entire weight to the number (in grams) specified by your cartridge’s manual. If it specifies a range, stick it in the middle.

4. If you’re feeling like getting serious, you can buy a specialised tracking pressure gauge that will tell you the exact pressure. But for most folks, the guidelines on the tonearm’s weight are fine—mine was almost exactly correct when measured with Fremer’s digital gauge (as you can see in the picture).

Cartridge Alignment
Ideally, a tonearm would track across the record from the beginning to the end in a straight line across the surface, so that the stylus was perpendicular to the groove at all times, thus keeping distortion to an absolute minimum. But since the turntable arm is fixed, it traces a parabola across the surface of the record as you play it. Mathematically, the parabola arc has two points where the stylus should be sitting perfectly perpendicular to the groove. These are the points we’ll use to set the alignment.

But you don’t have to be Pythagoras Jr. to plot them—thankfully, there are protractor PDFs you can print out which will mark the approximate position of these points on most turntables. There are also PDFs for specific tone arms and turntables floating around—Google your model to see, but you should be served just fine by the standard approximation provide by the basic print outs at Vinyl Engine. (We’re using a glass version here in the photo, but the paper ones are fine).

1. Many turntable manuals specify an ideal distance from the back of the headshell to the tip of the stylus, so consult your table’s manual and screw in the cartridge into the headshell’s adjustable slots so this measurement is correct.

2. Now, place your alignment protractor on the platter, and carefully drop the stylus tip onto the first alignment point. The goal is for the cantilever (the metal part that extends down from the cartridge with the stylus tip on the end) to be parallel with the guidelines on the printout. If it’s not, loosen one of the screws in the headshell and move it back or forward slightly. This is where a magnifying glass and flashlight can be handy, as the clearance between the bottom of the cartridge and the platter may be slim.

3. Once it’s aligned in the first point, test it on the second point. Both are mathematically determined, so it should be aligned on the second point too. If not, try to find a happy medium.

Anti-Skating
Most turntables have an anti-skating dial somewhere. This setting counteracts the vector force that naturally pulls the stylus tip toward the inner lip of the groove as the record spins, because as mentioned before, you want it to track dead-centre whenever possible.

1. All you have to do is turn the anti-skating knob so that the number matches the tracking pressure you set earlier. Fremer likes to set it a quarter of a gram or so less, which he feels is more accurate than the scales provided on most turntables. So do that.

More Tips
• Keep your turntable on as sturdy a surface as possible—this will prevent it from warbling or skipping if you walk/dance around near it.

• Keep your stylus and records clean. You can get very inexpensive tools for cleaning both of these parts, and it will keep everying sounding great and will prevent your records from wearing out too quickly.

And that’s it. For more info, check out Fremer’s calibration DVDs, which many vinyl junkies swear by.

Hope you guys enjoyed our Listening Test audio week as much as we did. If you have any other advice or tips to share, please do so in the comments, and if you’re interested, check out last week’s audio-related How To on maintaining a lossless music library. Have a great weekend listening everybody!

Listening Test: It’s music tech week at Gizmodo.

For full resolution, click here.

It wasn’t until the beginning of the 20th century that mass-produced recordings were available to the average person—the concept of buying music is amazingly new. (Or to some, ooooooold.) Just a century ago, the first records began to do for music what the Gutenberg press did for words. Before them, music was handed crudely from person to person; after, it could reach millions, untouched and unspoiled.

If we couldn’t record music, the Beatles would have never left Liverpool. By the same token the Jonas Brothers would have never left Georgia or Disney World or the Old Testament or wherever the hell they came from. Talk about progress! There may be no accounting for taste, but you can thank these reproducible formats for the very existence of the notion of pop music.

Listening Test: It’s music tech week at Gizmodo.

The current distance record, a 600km run completed by a Solectria Sunrise, is technically longer than the Tesla’s 390km achievement. But the Tesla’s battery showed about 60km worth of juice left in the battery, which, would take the total distance up to 450km. The Tesla roadster bested a modified Porsche 911 and several of Mitsubishi’s new crop of electric vehicles.

We should note that the Tesla was driven by a company staffer, who surely knows every trick to getting the best mileage out of the Roadster. The course consists of windy mountain roads in addition to standard highway driving, so the average speed was only about 45kph, with a high of about 90kph. Still, a nearly 400km range is a serious achievement for an electric car in production. [Reg Hardware]

In a New York Times op-ed piece, Dr. Anne Armstrong-Coben expresses concern that the modernisation of medical records may not be as obviously beneficial as it seems. For one thing, there’s no unified system yet, and the likeliest candidate (Google Health) isn’t subject to the now-outdated Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, the national privacy statute. Creating an easy-to-learn and effective system is a huge undertaking, from construction to installation to training, and not everybody is confident it can be done properly.

A buggy or confusing system could result in more mistakes, not less, as Dr. Armstrong-Coben points out. “I have seen how choosing the wrong box can lead to the wrong drug being prescribed,” she writes. Older generations of doctors may have trouble adjusting to a totally digital system, and there are bound to be mistakes made by even the computer-savvy before digitisation becomes ubiquitous.

On the other hand, Dr. Armstrong-Coben complains that full digitisation may make the doctor-patient relationship less personal, a point not likely to hold much water with digitisation proponents. The potential money and lives saved far outweigh the loss. She reminisces, “I loved how patients could participate in their own charts – illustrating their cognitive development as they went from showing me how they could draw a line at age 2 and a circle at 3 to proudly writing their names at 5.” Unclear, however, is why she can’t just keep a notebook in which her young pediatric patients can draw.

Obama’s plan will cost about $US100 billion, a huge chunk of the stimulus package, but some experts claim it will save two to three times that yearly. Those savings could go toward universal health care or simply flow back into the hospitals for better equipment.

Doctors like Armstrong-Coben bring up an interesting point: this is a new frontier and a massive project, and it won’t be as simple as handing doctors a new iMac and watching the savings roll in. But it’s a necessary step; just because it’s going to be hard doesn’t mean it’s not worth the effort. [NY Times and CNN]

That’s right, Joachim watched 3 seasons of the TV series 24, to reach the 72 hour mark—beating his previous record of 69 hours and 48 minutes. Although, after watching movies for 123 hours and 10 minutes straight, this feat seems like a walk in the park. Truly, if endurance “athletes” were treated like other high-profile sports figures, we would see Joachim on the Wheaties box…eyes half open, pouring coffee over the flakes. [Yahoo]