In the Purdue device, an array of carbon nanotubes–long, thin strands of specialized carbon molecules–would be placed near a chip. A negative charge would be applied to some of the nanotubes, which would cause electrons to be emitted. When the electrons mix with the surrounding air, the air becomes ionized. The microscopic cloud of ionized air then leads to an imbalance of charge in the micro-atmosphere, and lightning results. It’s microscopic lightning, but the principle is the same as in an electrical storm.

Meanwhile, the cloud of electrons would be alternatively attracted to and repelled by adjacent electrodes. Alternating the voltages on the electrodes creates a cooling breeze because the moving cloud stirs the air.

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The design concept uses five different pens to make a computer. One pen is a CPU, another a camera, one creates a virtual keyboard, another projects the visual output and thus the display and another a communicator (a phone). All five pens can rest in a holding block which recharges the batteries and holds the mass storage. Each pen communicates wireless…

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‘Progressively, PCs have been getting louder and louder over the years,’ said Paul Holstein, a business owner.

‘I just snapped. If you can hear the PC through your walls from the bedroom, you’ve got a problem,’ Holstein said.

Holstein contacted Endpcnoise.com, a Vancouver, Washington-based custom outlet that specializes in creating nearly silent PCs. After buying one for himself, Holstein is now outfitting his entire business, Cableorganizer.com, with silent PCs.

‘We’re building computers you just can’t hear,’ said Jon Schoenborn, general manager of NW Custom Computers Inc., which owns and operates Endpcnoise.com.

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The idea for the tablet PC — a portable device to allow users to enter data with a penlike stylus — had been percolating quietly ever since chipmaker National Semiconductor announced a design in the dot-com boom years for a simple Web-browsing pad that manufacturers could use to make the devices.

Unlike price-pressured desktops, tablet PCs are able to command premium pricing — ranging from about $1,000 to about $2,300. They are now sold by major PC manufacturers such as Hewlett-Packard, Acer, Toshiba, NEC, Fujitsu and Gateway.

Still lacking in apps (even if the underlying operating system is Windows).

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