Techie Toys You’re Going to Want

or, Let Me Help You Find Things To Spend Money On

I don’t get the chance to indulge the imaginary spender in me often – so when I do, I like to imagine big.  Not just big, but like completely unrealistic, insanely expensive big.  This is a journey worth taking with me, however – one of wonder, beauty, imagination – and no price tags!

Black Silicon Solar Cells

This may or may not be a priority for you depending on your location.  The tilt of the earth’s axis and your distance from the equator affects not just how much sun you might see a year but also what quality, strength, and intensity reaches you.  Because of this, solar power hasn’t always been a smart or accessible choice for locations close to the poles or that get less than six hours of solid sun a day.  However, better efficiency – and darker silicon cells – means any exposure can generate more power and will make more efficient in areas with better exposure.  This means the need for less panels to generate more power, and higher return on investments for homeowners, businesses, and solar farms.  Sign me up for … a whole bunch!

Tesla’s Powerwall

Obviously, I need somewhere to put the power my solar cells generate.

Now – this might seem like a ridiculous investment to the casual consumer; granted, we can both see where affordable energy storage on a micro scale is going to change the face of 3rd world nations with inconsistent infrastructure, unreliable power, and little to no access to technology or even light because of it.  Yes, I am a bit of a fan-girl of Tesla industries (and don’t get me started on Nikola Tesla!) – but I can also see the global impact their technologies are going to have.

Electronic Vehicles (Mostly)

And of course, now that I have all this abundant energy – and am saving tons of moolah – I am going to spend it on something utterly awesome, amazing, and ridiculous.  Go, me!

Obviously I’d drive a Tesla X.  But it doesn’t have to stop there!  What other kinds of fun and ridiculous electric vehicles or modes of transportation could I indulge myself in, you ask?  How about an incredibly sleek, sexy, and coming soon to a bar near you electric motorcycle – like the Lightning bike, which set a new world record on the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb in 2013.

Even better than a hyper-futuristic electric sports bike?  How about an electric moped that feels like it rolled right off the assembly line of a World War II factory?

The Meijs Motorman is changing how Europeans use – and view – mopeds.  Hopefully, we’ll get our chance to do the same stateside soon.

Net Zero Housing

Hey, as long as I’m dreaming – I’m going to dream huge.  Net-zero housing is like the unicorn of the America dream of being a homeowner – high efficiency, low resource use, and most of all being ‘net-zero’ means ‘zero energy bills, zero carbon emissions, and affordable‘.  In an ideal world, I’d have a custom built mountain mansion – one that is all electric, utilizes both solar power and solar thermal, and is 5,232 square feet small.

The only way a house like THAT gets any better is if it is part of a net-zero subdivision – full of pocket neighborhoods, mixed-use places, and community space.

Solar Trees

My backyard better be full of these!  Power generating, shade creating, light making gifts to outdoor space – whether you go with the German deciduous tree model or the Dubai solar powered Palm model, you will be the talk of the town with these bright, beautiful, and aesthetically pleasing ‘trees’.

These awesome palm trees provide shade, generate electricity, charge your devices, light the night up, and can even offer wifi!

And last but not least…

Micro-Camper

You might be saying, ‘But this is the opposite of technology!’ which is kind of the ultimate tribute to all the cool gadgets, gizmos, and electronic toys you could think of.  Not only that, but eventually your eyeballs are going to burn out if you keep playing with your junk – the electronic kind, that is.  So, take a well-deserved break in this micro-camper, made to sleep ‘2.5’ people according to the manufacturer.  This miniature camper weighs 1000 lbs – or less – and is towable by a bicycle to the smallest, narrowest, most unique campgrounds in the world.  Not only that, but since the camper requires no hook ups or outside connections, you must pack in and pack out all your own power and heat.  Store your camping gear inside, bike off to the best vistas no one knows about, and sleep under the stars!  Talk about getting back to the basics!

What do you foresee in your dream future?  If the future could offer you anything at all, what would it be?  Just let us know in the comments!

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This is an original article written by Mai Bjorklund for Swartz Electric. This article may not be copied whole or in part without the express permission of Swartz Electric, LLC.

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