IEEE Spectrum April, 2008 - Cover2

volume 45 number 4 north american

04.08
update
11 New water tech
Electric-field desalination could save
inland areas from droughts.
By Sarah Adee
33

12 the daNger iN deterreNce
13 magNetic seNsors make
safer ruNways
14 carboN-NaNotube wiriNg
15 gPs sigNals sPot storms
16 miNd-machiNe traNslatioN
software
18 the big Picture
She's come undone.

opinion
9 sPectral liNes
General motors, once accused of
killing the all-electric car, is now
fighting to take the lead in its rebirth.
42

the Jaguar Xf
[top] senses the
driver's every
movement; the
ghosts of devices
past linger in
an aftermarket
warehouse
[left]; venkatesh
narayanamurti
has big plans for
engineering at
harvard [right].

46

covEr Story

26 top 10 tech cars:

it's the environment, stupid
To the fashionistas of the automotive world, green is the new black.
Though sheer performance retains its charms, it has ceded primacy
to energy-sipping engines, elegantly light bodies, and daintily small
carbon footprints. By John Voelcker

ClOCkwisE fROM TOP:
JaguaR; BRad deCECCO;
BOB O'COnnOR

20 techNically sPeakiNg
Every day is modder's Day.
By Paul McFedries

departments
4 back story
6 coNtributors

36 solar-cell squabble
Organic photovoltaics could be dirt cheap, but some say recent recordbreaking performance claims smack of hype. By Peter Fairley

COVER:
MERCEdEsBEnz

10 forum
What's on the menu? GpS à la carte.
plus: peer review goes online.

42 trapped on technology's
trailing edge
The speedy rate at which electronics become obsolete takes a grim toll
on aircraft, telecommunications systems, and more. By Peter Sandborn

46 engineering the harvard
engineer
Can Harvard's new engineering school launch itself into the top
research and technology rankings? By Erico Guizzo
www.spectrum.ieee.org

22 careers
put your engineering expertise to
a new use-in court. By Susan Karlin
23 Profile
the funniest circuit designer in
the world. By Corinna Wu
24 tools & toys
pleo, the robotic pet. By Tekla S. Perry
25 do it yourself
Hacking Nokia's N800. By Paul Wallich
72 the data
cpu cycle rates have stalled. Should
we care? By Philip E. Ross
april 2008 * iEEE SpEctrum * Na





Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of IEEE Spectrum April, 2008

IEEE Spectrum April, 2008 - Cover1
IEEE Spectrum April, 2008 - Cover2
IEEE Spectrum April, 2008 - 1
IEEE Spectrum April, 2008 - 2
IEEE Spectrum April, 2008 - 3
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IEEE Spectrum April, 2008 - 47
IEEE Spectrum April, 2008 - Cover3
IEEE Spectrum April, 2008 - Cover4
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