Surge on POPSUGAR Sex & Culture

Charge Your iPod Touch With the Sun Using This Case

I love my gadgets, but what happens when your cell phone or iPod needs to be juiced up and you're nowhere near a power supply and you managed to forget your iPod cord at home?

by POPSUGAR Tech

I love my gadgets, but what happens when your cell phone or iPod needs to be juiced up and you're nowhere near a power supply and you managed to forget your iPod cord at home? Thanks to solar powered gizmos, you've always got a back up — well that is, if you have some sunlight to work with!

Novothink has created this hybrid solar iPod Touch charger case called the Surge (patent still pending), but unlike concept designs, this handy accessory will be available later this month for $70. The way it works is the case features 3.7 V lithium-ion battery that can either be charged via the sun (with the built-in solar panel) or by USB.

No word on whether they will come out with iPhone 3G and 3GS friendly versions.

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Can Iraq Success Be Measured? Violence Down, But Questions

The Pentagon announced yesterday that all big signs of violence in Iraq have declined between 40 and 80 percent since February 2007, when the "surge" committed an additional 30,000 troops to service.

by CitizenSugar

The Pentagon announced yesterday that all big signs of violence in Iraq have declined between 40 and 80 percent since February 2007, when the "surge" committed an additional 30,000 troops to service. In a report to Congress they were careful to note that despite the appearance of military, political and economic gains, conditions are "fragile, reversible, and uneven," with the possibility of high-profile attacks still problematic.

One of the most optimistic numbers shows civilian deaths have dropped from a high of almost 4,000 a month in December 2006 to about 500 a month as of May, with US troop deaths declining to an all-time low of 19 in May 2008. This positive report comes amid stories today of a blast in Baghdad that left 11 dead, including four Americans and six Iraqis.

This juxtaposition of news is reflected in a new report out today that criticizes the Bush administration's measures of progress in Iraq. To see why, read more