Elon Musk has checked another item off his “Why haven’t we done this yet?” list. During Solar City’s latest earning call, Musk revealed that he’s been working on a new concept, a “solar roof.”
Millions of homes around the world protect us from the hot and brutal sun, so it only makes sense that having a solar roof would be the logical next step in harnessing that power. Sure, many can afford to install solar panels on their roofs, but Musk’s plan is different. He wants to make a roof entirely out of solar cells.
“It’s a solar roof, as opposed to modules on a roof” Musk said during the earnings call. “I think this is really a fundamental part of achieving differentiated product strategy, where you have a beautiful roof. It’s not a thing on the roof. It is the roof.”
There are other types of solar solutions aside from traditional panels, such as solar shingles. While visually appealing, they do tend to be more expensive and less efficient. Looks like Musk and company are looking to make solar power more mainstream, as they’ve done with Tesla.
Earlier this year, Tesla bought Solar City for $2.6 billion. Rumors had been afloat as Musk had been buying up Solar City stock in 2015. It really looks like Musk enjoys the idea of vertical integration.
We are definitely patenting this idea pic.twitter.com/N46cvN9uX9
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 30, 2016
The hope, ultimately, would be for Tesla to figure out a way to take people completely off the grid. Having solar roofs in tandem with Tesla’s Powerwall, which is a giant battery that stores energy for your home, could make self-sufficient energy production a reality. Unfortunately, the Powerwall still doesn’t work too well with solar panels, and solar panels themselves still need an increase in efficiency.
But if anyone can pull this off, Musk can.
Outdoor security cameras are not always practical if you live in an apartment or rental. Drilling into an exterior wall may be off-limits, while pointing a regular indoor camera through a window can create another problem once reflections start showing up after dark.
Baseus is trying to solve both issues with the new PrimeSentinel W1, a $69.99 security camera designed specifically to monitor the outdoors through glass. It mounts directly to a window without drilling and uses a 4K Starlight sensor with an F1.0 aperture for full-color monitoring during the day and at night.
This post is brought to you in paid partnership with Best Buy.
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With AI progressing so fast, it's only a matter of time before we start getting AI companions like the ones we used to see in movies like R2-D2, Wall-E, or Baymax. Now, Singapore-based OKA Technology has unveiled Mori, a cute little AI companion that looks less like a conventional home robot and more like someone turned the Pokémon Foongus into a table lamp.
Mori isn't meant to clean your house or control your smart home, but to serve as what OKA calls a "Nature Companion." It uses subtle movements, warm lighting, nature-inspired sounds, and small reactions to make its presence around the house feel calming rather than distracting. Mori can sit quietly while you read, sway along to music, welcome you when you enter a room, or encourage you to slow down for a moment without requiring a screen or a conversation.