Gizmodo Australia » rice

Accidentally Take Your Gadget Swimming? Rice Is Your Friend

Dan Nosowitz — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 02:00:00 +0000

Who hasn’t accidentally left a phone, camera or MP3 player in a swimsuit pocket and gone swimming? It’s a harrowing experience, but there’s hope: Dunking the gadget in rice is a somewhat surprising yet very effective drying method.

We’ve all soaked a not-so-waterproof gadget or two, and we know that lots of them can come back to life after a few days of drying, albeit sometimes with some unfortunate damage. But dunking a wet gadget in a container of rice (provided the surrounding environment is humidity-free) can absorb excess moisture and reduce the possibility of damage, which can come in handy in these glorious summer months that are so fraught with danger for our beloved gadgetry. Not that we’re suggesting you take your iPhone along with you for a surf, but if you do, this might save your gadget’s life. [Lifehacker]

Rice-Sized Solar Panels Produced Noodle-Sized Power

Mark Wilson — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 19:20:00 +0000

Researchers from the University of South Florida have developed a minuscule solar panel that’s just 1/4 the size of a grain of rice. Yet when you combine 20 or so of the cells, they can create 7.8 volts of electricity. Sounds good so far, right? It gets better.

The solar cells could easily be incorporated into coatings for buildings and clothing, they’re build primarily from abundant and green components carbon and hydrogen, and it’s believed that their efficiency could double in the next year.

I love wind power and find hydroelectric moderately interesting. But it’s stories like this that get me ridiculously excited about the potential of solar. Oh, and I swear I thought solar was cool before Obama won the election or whatever.

OK, fine fine. I totally lied. I didn’t hear about solar power until earlier this week. Are you happy now?? [Reuters]

Bento Box Nintendo DS Is Delicious, Sold Out Like the Real Thing

Matt Buchanan — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 22:30:16 +0000

The thing I actually miss most about living in Japan is the food (except their horribly disgusting take on Italian, the only really bad eats there). I think it’s one of the few places that they they even try to make the lunches super-cute (check out mini-Bashcraft’s Pokemon bento @ Kotaku). But just like the actual non-tasty plastic version you play games on, the sign on this bento box Nintendo DS made out of rice says it’s sold out. Sad. [Alafista via DVICE]