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May 28, 2007

Honda readies fuel-cell carUSA

USA Today:Honda's FCX fuel-cell car ready for its close-up


The biggest customer issue is expected to be the lack of noise.
It will be interesting to see how the automaker deals with the noise issue. Honda knows people want to hear something when they step on the throttle. Otherwise there's little to reinforce the feeling of acceleration. A noiseless car can seem sluggish even if it's not. But what kind of sound, and how do you get it from an electric powerplant?

No point putting it on the list anytime soon. In 2008, it's expected to be available only in places where hydrogen refueling stations are available, such as California, Detroit, Washington.

Posted by eubie at 8:51 PM permalink

Journalism jobs facing offshoring

Lost Remote: Offshoring journalism: A job list

Here are the jobs most likely to be offshore, according to Liz Foreman


See also: International HeraldTribune: Outsourcing hits a new class of workers: Journalists

Posted by eubie at 8:50 PM permalink

Auto gas mileage ratings adjusted by EPA

New rules on testing mileage will lower the published rates for Hybrids, according to Wired's Hybrid Cars' Fantasy Mileage Ratings Drive Into the Sunset

Hybrid car economics will face a new road test this month with the arrival of fresh models sporting revised mileage ratings from the Environmental Protection Agency.

This year, new test standards have forced manufacturers to lower advertised efficiency claims on most models compared to previous years, and car lots are bracing for a tougher environment for hybrid sales.

Revised EPA Miles Per Gallon Estimates

Posted by eubie at 7:36 PM permalink

Microlending primer

Microlending through web sites such as Prosper is growing, though not without some risks. Wired has Top 10 Lessons From a Microlending Pioneer which was a sidebard to an article Got Cash? You Can Money Like a Big-Time Banker

Borrowers have been attracted to Prosper because its auction model offers the possibility of getting lower fixed rates, particularly as part of a group of borrowers, and loans can be funded quickly -- sometimes just days after you've applied. Also, Prosper makes it easier to get loans for certain kinds of businesses, like eBay storefronts, that are difficult to fund through traditional bank loans.

But ...

(T)he number of loans that have gone bad is higher than what was initially predicted. Because of this, Bequette, Boon and Hoenig are holding off investing fresh money.

Bequette, who expected an 18-percent return, is now concerned he won't beat the 11 percent he had with his mutual funds. His guess is that as a new market, Prosper has attracted people who couldn't find loans anywhere else, thus driving up the default rate and hurting overall returns.

Hoenig says Prosper's interest-rate caps of 30 percent aren't high enough to compensate for the dangers of lending to high-risk borrowers.

Posted by eubie at 7:20 PM permalink