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Behind the scenes at GE Global Research

NISKAYUNA, N.Y.--When you're listening to someone explain a new scientific method and just about the only thing that goes through your head is "This is going to win a Nobel Prize," you know you're in good company.

That was my experience recently while I was listening to Fiona Ginty, a project leader in computational biology in General Electric Global Research's biosciences group, explain her work. Ginty's project is all about finding new and better ways to spot cancer in a patient's body, ideally as early as possible. And as a member … Read more

Upgrade your video card for $49.99

Most off-the-shelf desktop systems come with pretty weak video cards. That's fine if all you're doing is checking e-mail and browsing the Web, but if you plan to get into gaming, photo editing, video production, and other graphics-intensive areas, you'll need a lot more video horsepower.

Thankfully, upgrades are fast, easy, effective, and affordable. For example, Newegg has the EVGA GeForce 9800 GT 512MB video card for $49.99 shipped. That's after a $35 mail-in rebate (PDF).

This isn't the fastest card on the planet by any stretch, but trust me--it's plenty fast. I … Read more

GE, Intel partner on telehealth venture

Intel and GE will form a joint venture focused on monitoring chronic and age-related diseases and delivering health-related services remotely, the companies announced Monday.

The agreement calls for the formation of a 50-50 joint venture that will create a new telehealth company combining the assets of GE Healthcare's Home Health division and Intel's Digital Health Group. It will be owned equally by GE and Intel.

"We must rethink models of care that go beyond hospital and clinic visits, to home and community-based care models that allow for prevention, early detection, behavior change, and social support," said … Read more

Aigo's GeYao F210 sports unique cracks on body

China-based company Aigo is probably known more for its inexpensive media players than anything else, but its new digital camera is making quite a splash because of "cracks" on the shooter's body.

According to the company's Web site, GeYao is one of the five famous kilns in the ancient Song Dynasty. The kiln produced many ceramic wares with fine cracks all over them, giving each piece a unique touch. This feature is implemented on the chassis of the GeYao F210. The firm boldly claims on its site that the patterns on each digicam are special and … Read more

GE invests in SynapSense to cut data center energy

General Electric on Monday said it will invest in and partner with SynapSense, a start-up that makes a system for reducing data center energy with the help of wireless sensors.

GE Energy Financial Services is joining existing investors to put $5 million into Folsom, Calif.-based SynapSense, which was founded four years ago. The start-up had previously raised $20 million from Emerald Technology Ventures, Sequoia Capital, Robert Bosch Venture Capital, American River Ventures, Nth Power, and DFJ Frontier.

SynapSense is one of a handful of companies designing data center energy management systems, which use sensors to collect environmental data from … Read more

GE brings smart grid home with energy monitor, EV charger

Can the consumer-friendly brand of GE put a face on the smart grid?

The industrial giant on Tuesday introduced two products--a home energy management system and electric vehicle charger--which are some of the most tangible aspects of what GE CEO Jeff Immelt on Tuesday called digital energy. The products were announced in tandem with a $200 million award competition to spur smart-grid technology ideas.

Both the Nucleus energy monitor, which will cost between $149 and $199, and WattStation electric vehicle charging pedestal are expected to be available next year.

The Nucleus home energy monitor and energy management system is a … Read more

GE, VCs offer $200 million in smart-grid challenge

General Electric and four venture-capital companies are putting up $200 million to award entrepreneurs for coming up with innovative ways to modernize the electricity grid.

At an event at San Francisco, the companies launched the "GE Ecomagination Challenge: Powering the Grid," a competition designed to cultivate smart-grid technologies. The money is being made available by GE, Emerald Technology Partners, Foundation Capital, Rockport Capital, and Kleiner, Perkinsk, Caufield & Byers, each of which are investing in green-technology start-ups.

"This challenge is about collaboration and we are inviting others to help accelerate progress in creating a cleaner, more efficient … Read more

Norway, Sweden to get giant GE wind turbines

General Electric has plans to install four 4-megawatt wind turbines off the coast of Norway, and one in Sweden.

In March GE said it would invest $450 million over the next 10 years to expand its European wind turbine business. At that time the company said its investment would include plans to install its largest megawatt offshore wind turbines to date, but few details were released.

On Tuesday, GE announced that four 4-megawatt wind turbines will be installed in Rogaland County, on the southwest coast of Norway, in conjunction with the Norwegian energy companies Statoil and Lyse. Assuming that environmental … Read more

GE to invest $10 billion in Ecomagination initiative

General Electric announced Thursday plans to invest $10 billion over the next five years in Ecomagination, the green-focused research and development program it began in 2005.

Since Ecomagination began, GE has invested a total of $5 billion in its research and development as of the end of 2009. The technology and products to come out of that program have generated $70 billion in revenue over the past five years, according to GE statistics released Thursday.

In view of that revenue success, GE has decided to double investment for the program between now and 2015. The announcement is not entirely surprising, … Read more