Today's silicon solar panels absorb about two-thirds of the light that reaches them, but a new nanocoating developed by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute gives most run-of-the-mill solar panels the ability to capture almost every drop of sunlight. Not only does it grab 96.2% of the sun's rays, but it can do it from any angle, so there's no need for panels to waste energy by mechanically tracking the sun in the sky. This is happy leap forward for solar technology, whose quest for cheapness has been long and hard.

I said it's one coating, but it's actually seven, each between 50 and 100 nanometers thick, made of silicon dioxide and titanium dioxide nanorods that can be vaporized and deposited on "nearly any photovoltaic materials." PhysOrg compares the tightly hugging nanorods to "a dense forest where sunlight is 'captured' between the trees." There's no word yet on the deployment of this process—it's barely a year since its chalkboard conception—but this efficiency means lower cost to acquire energy, which means solar power is more viable than ever as an alternative to fossil fuels.

I hate pigeonholing myself as one of those wide-eyed Trek fans who thinks that alt energy will radically change the way we live our lives and help us get on with impulse drives, synthehol and breathable spandex formalwear, but seriously, this is my kind of breakthrough. [PhysOrg via Kurzweil AI]

The concept of "checkpoint friendly" laptop bags have been around for a couple months—with Solo and Mobile Edge leading the charge—but Belkin's now getting in the action with their own FluThru Laptop Case. Their version will run you $59, complete with "minimal metal zippers", 15.4-inch laptop capacity and notebook isolation for easier screening. Not having to take out your machine so screeners can drop them onto the concrete is definitely worth $59, unless you want an excuse to buy a new laptop. [Belkin]

The concept of "checkpoint friendly" laptop bags have been around for a couple months—with Solo and Mobile Edge leading the charge—but Belkin's now getting in the action with their own FluThru Laptop Case. Their version will run you $59, complete with "minimal metal zippers", 15.4-inch laptop capacity and notebook isolation for easier screening. Not having to take out your machine so screeners can drop them onto the concrete is definitely worth $59, unless you want an excuse to buy a new laptop. [Belkin]

You may not like it now, but you would be thankful for that big butt of yours if you ever got a chance to ride a bike fitted with designer Deco Goodman's "Commuter Cyclist's Sustainable Energy Source." The device attaches underneath the seat and collects power generated by the compression of the seat springs, braking, pedaling etc. As a result, the electricity could be used to power headlights/taillights and any portable gadgets you bring with you on the road. As you might have guessed, it is only a concept at the moment, but at least it doesn't sound completely far-fetched.

[Deco Goodman via Ecofriend via DVICE]

When I went to vote this afternoon, I was kind of disappointed to find that my location was using paper ballots. Not that I have anything against that really—other than the waste of paper it is actually pretty hard to screw up as a voter (although, once my ballot was scanned I suppose anything can happen). I guess the gadget dork in me was just hoping for a touchscreen model—despite the potential reliability issues. So, I have a two part question for you: Which voting method would you prefer? Which did you actually use?

Results from "How Many Times Has Your Xbox 360 Gone Down With a RROD?"

0: 32%
1: 28%
2: 17%
3: 9%
4: 4%
More than 4: 11%

Astronauts Michael Fincke and Gregory Chamitoff did what only four other Astronauts have done in NASA's 50 years when they voted today—from space. Thanks to a Texas bill passed in 1997, NASA space cases are able to legally vote while they're out of the planet on business. But how did they cast their ballot from space, you ask? Here's the answer that Space.com got.

Technically Astronaut voters cast an electronic Absentee ballot that is prepared by the County Clerk's office in Harris and Brazoria counties. The secure document is then transferred to Mission Control at the Johnson Space Center, while an email with login instructions is sent to the astronaut. The astronaut logs in, votes and beams the ballot back down to mission control. The completed ballot is then sent back to the Clerk's office to be tallied. The first astronaut to do this was in 1997 when Michael Wolf voted from the Russian Space Station Mir and—OH MY GOD DID THOSE COMMIE RUSKIES GET TO WOLF AND HIS BALLOT AND CORRUPT OUR SACRED DEMOCRATIC PROCESS?! [Space.com via MSNBC]

A technique known as nanolithography was used to build these Obama faces, combining 150 million carbon nanotubes to construct each individual half-millimeter visage. Depending on your political leanings, the result is either the cutest wittle powitician ever or proof that science, in the wrong hands, will engineer miniature robotic Democrats who distract with a message of hope while eating our flesh. As for the undecideds...I'll be honest here. I'm so sick of hearing what those dudes "think." [Flickr via Wired]

We didn't quite get the DSi's bundled Camera editing software—exactly what's the point of stretching a body part with lame animations—and then we watched this semi NSFW clip. I'm not saying that we "get it" now, but we're certainly a few steps closer to penetrating the unique design minds of Nintendo engineers.

For those who didn't catch it, the joke is that they bounce. [via Kotaku]

FCC officials approved a plan for white space wireless broadband in a vote today. For those unfamiliar, white space broadband would take the unused parts of the television broadcast spectrum and make it available for internet data transfer. What we know so far is that the FCC will allow broadband usage of the white space following the February analog to digital TV changeover and the plans appear to be significant. Kevin Adelstein, a member of the voting committee said "White spaces are the blank pages on which we which we will write our broadband future." However, there are still obstacles to overcome.

The FCC must avoid a lawsuit from the National Association of Broadcasters, who could file a lawsuit to freeze plans. They worry that the use of white space could cause interference issues. But if they can sidestep that issue, this will be a boost for companies like Microsoft and Google, who want to provide internet for use in free programs and those in rural, hard-to-reach areas. [Yahoo]

This bizarro-land Walmart, home to great deals on legit, geekworthy gadgets, continues undercutting more upstanding merchants. The BlackBerry Bold—$199-$299 everywhere else—is free at Walmart with the correct voodoo combination of plans and rebates. They're billing it as the "BlackBerry Bold unlimited" so you have to pick up at least a 1350 minute talk plan (single or family) and unlimited text messaging, on top the required BlackBerry data plan. The rebate you get makes the Bold $0. It's a solid deal if you talk or text that much anyway. [Walmart via Gear Diary]