FUEL CELLS

 

ELECTRICITY THROUGH “COLD” COMBUSTION

Airbus and its partners are exploring the use of fuel cells to power aircraft systems.

A fuel cell is a device that transforms chemical energy from a fuel – such as hydrogen – into electricity through a chemical reaction with oxygen or another oxidizing agent.  By applying such a “cold” combustion process, the only waste is water, heat and oxygen-depleted air – which would contribute to reductions in emissions and noise when applied aboard an airliner.

Water produced from this process also can be used by the aircraft’s water and waste systems, reducing the amount of water an aircraft would need on board. This would contribute to reduced weight, which could further decrease fuel consumption and emissions.

Airbus has partnered with the DLR German Aerospace Centre and Parker Aerospace to study usage of a “Multifunctional Fuel Cell” (MFFC) system on aircraft to replace today’s gas turbine-based auxiliary power units. The system could provide an estimated 100 kW of electricity, acting as an independent source capable of providing power throughout an aircraft.

PUTTING FUEL CELLS TO THE TEST

Positioning of the Multifunctional Fuel Cell is envisioned in the airliner’s cargo hold, while the system’s liquid hydrogen tank, heat exchangers and fans are to be located in the tail cone section.  Testing of the technology could occur in the middle of the decade on an A320.

In 2008, Airbus, DLR and Michelin performed flight evaluations of a fuel cell emergency power system on a testbed A320.  The earlier fuel cell was installed on a cargo pallet and produced some 25 kW of electrical power – operating the electric motor pump for the aircraft’s back-up hydraulic circuit, and controlling the spoilers, ailerons and elevator actuator.

SOLAR POWER

INVESTIGATING FUTURE SOLUTIONS

Solar power could have certain near-term uses onboard aircraft and in airport operations.

If solar power is a highly-promising renewable energy source for Earth-based applications, its use on aircraft has been limited because of the way such power is created and stored.  While solar energy may be able to help a small aircraft fly, it is unlikely to be a practical solution for enabling larger, commercial airliners into the sky.

The technology might take a giant leap forward with future advances; but today, even if an entire aircraft was covered with the most efficient solar panels available, this still would not be enough to propel it.  

For the more immediate future, solar power could provide electricity aboard airliners once they reach cruise altitude, or possibly help with ground operations at airports.

ENERGY HARVESTING

 

HEAT COLLECTION

Aircraft seats that collect passenger body heat for use as energy is an idea for future air travel.

Some of the energy sources being investigated by 2050 might seem far-fetched by today's standards. 

Harvesting body heat is just one example: instead of producing energy, it would simply collect energy from a passenger's seat, and redirect it to power certain aircraft functions – such as the cabin lights. 

While such concepts may sound futuristic, a proposal several decades ago for Airbus’ double-decker A380 – which has the capacity to carry more than 800 people and the efficiency of a family car – could have sounded equally fanciful.

future energy sources

REDUCING FOSSIL FUEL DEPENDENCE

Like most types of transport, the aviation industry depends on fossil fuels. However, fuel supplies are becoming uncertain, more expensive and can cause environmental harm. 

In the last 40 years, aircraft fuel consumption and emissions have been reduced by 75 per cent as the result of technological advances and positive steps across the aviation sector. The industry contributes 2 per cent to man-made CO2 emissions, with 80 per cent of these from flights of over 1,500 km. / 900 mi. for which there are not practical alternative transportation options.

As air transport demand grows, performance must also continue improving, which is why the aviation industry is determined to achieve carbon neutral growth by 2020 and to cut CO2 emissions in half by 2050 when compared to 2005 levels.

EFFICIENT FUEL USE

In order to meet the industry’s eco-efficiency goals, aircraft manufacturers must ensure every drop of fuel is used efficiently and develop new ecologically-sound alternatives. 

Some 90 per cent of the €2 billion Airbus spends on research and development is directed at improving the environmental performance of both existing and future aircraft.

Airlines already are seeing the benefits with jetliners like the double-decker A380, which only produces about 75 grams of CO2 per passenger kilometre – well below the current and anticipated future international limits. However, there is always room for improvement, and Airbus is actively engaged in a full range of initiatives and actions to further improve the air transport sector’s eco-efficiency.

In the future, finding even more ways to power aircraft must be found. As one of the first aviation companies to understand this, Airbus has a long track record of working with experts from across the industry to explore solutions.

 

SUSTAINABLE AVIATION FUEL

 IDENTIFYING NEW SOURCES

Airbus encourages the development of second-generation biofuels which do not compete with food production or water use.

Traditionally, carbon based/kerosene-like fuels have proven to be the best energy source for aircraft because of intangibles such as the ability to maintain stable temperatures. Sustainable aviation fuels offer many of the same benefits, and can also be used without having to change a jetliner’s propulsion system. 

Sustainable aviation fuel are made from living things or the waste these organisms produce. Some of these fuels come from crops or land resources that compete with food production or water use. However, Airbus encourages the development of second-generation sustainable aviation fuels – known as biomass – which eliminates such competition. Source options being investigated include algae, woodchip waste, camelina, halophytes such as salicornia (plants growing in salt water), waste produce and yeast. 

For example, certain types of algae sea water combined with sun and carbon can become a “biomass” plant. These offer promising options for large scale production of a fuel that is very similar to kerosene.

DEVELOPING CURRENT SOURCES

Airbus uses local knowledge to identify the best fuel source for each country by helping to connect farmers, refiners, governments and airlines. Farmers are encouraged to use non-arable land with the confidence that the crop will be bought by refiners. Additionally, producing sustainable aviation fuel close to where airlines need it minimises emissions created through transporting the liquid to the point of use. Programmes have already been established in Brazil, Qatar, Romania, Spain and Australia. Airbus also has partnered with China’s Tsinghua University and the China Petroleum and Chemical Corporation (Sinopec) to explore fuel sources, develop a value chain and produce a certified aviation fuel for this country – which is among the world’s fastest-growing aviation markets.

Currently, researchers in Brazil are working on a bio-jet fuel created from the jatropha plant, with 4,000 hectares being grown for production. Airbus also teamed with Virgin Australia Airlines to support the cultivating of eucalyptus in Australia, while in Spain, the company is supporting the development of 2,000 hectares of camelina for aviation fuel. Additionally, Airbus is endorsing an initiative in Qatar to transform micro-algae into a sustainable source. 

Numerous successful test flights already have been carried out using these fuels, and Airbus believes sustainable aviation fuels could provide up to one-third of all commercial aviation jet fuel by 2030 if sources can be produced in sufficient quantities.

FUTURE BY AIRBUS

LOOKING AHEAD

Through innovation, and out-of-the-box thinking, Airbus will continue to meet its eco-efficiency goals, and ensure that air travel continues to be one of the safest, and most eco-efficient, means of transportation.

As the air transport sector continues to grow, Airbus believes that the industry as a whole must concentrate on technological advances, while also advancing solutions that will meet passenger and market demands, the growing population and its demographic profile, and respect all aspects of the environment.

After celebrating its own four decades of innovation, Airbus now is looking to the next 40-plus years – actively working with other industry stakeholders and experts to anticipate the global needs of a better-connected and more sustainable world.

However, it all begins with one question: “what will air transport look like in the year 2050?” In its report “The Future by Airbus,” Airbus hypothesises how the industry, aircraft and passengers might change by that time – while highlighting potential steps to meet the needs of tomorrow. 

SMARTER SKIES

Airbus unveils its 2050 vision for ‘Smarter Skies’

More flights, fewer emissions and quicker passenger journey times. Welcome to Smarter Skies, the latest instalment in The Future by Airbus. For the first time, our vision of sustainable aviation in 2050 looks beyond aircraft design to how the aircraft is operated both on the ground and in the air in order to meet the expected growth in air travel in a sustainable way.

Already today, if the Air Traffic Management (ATM) system and technology on board aircraft were optimised (assuming around 30 million flights per year), Airbus research suggests that every flight in the world could on average be around 13 minutes shorter. This would save around 9 million tonnes of excess fuel annually, which equates to over 28 million tonnes of avoidable CO2 emissions and a saving for passengers of over 500 million hours of excess flight time on board an aircraft. Add to this new aircraft design, alternative energy sources and new ways of flying and you could see even more significant improvements.

The Future by Airbus concentrates on just that and the Smarter Skies vision consists of five concepts which could be implemented across all the stages of an aircraft’s operation to reduce waste in the system (waste in time, waste in fuel, reduction of CO2.

ANTICIPATING NEEDS

Click to enlarge and view the infographics

Since launching this report in 2010, Airbus has embarked on a two-year global consultation with more than 1.75 million people through airshows, events and online, as part of the Future by Airbus programme – our vision of sustainable aviation in 2050. 

In 2010 we asked 10,000 people around the globe, who will be passengers in 2050, what they will want from air travel. Their answer was clear: cheaper, greener and more fun! 

 In 2012, another 10,000 have told us what they want from the future of flight: more sustainable; less stressful; and more of it, despite social media revolutionising how we keep in touch.  

• 63% of people worldwide say they will fly more by 2050 

• 60% do not think social media will replace the need to see people face-to-face 

• 96% believe aircraft will need to be more sustainable or ‘eco-efficient’ 

• Almost 40% feel air travel (door-to-door) is increasingly stressful 

• 86% of people think less fuel burn is key and 85% a reduction in carbon emissions 

• 66% want quieter aircraft and 65% planes which are fully recyclable

FUTURE SOLUTIONS

Even a few decades from now, the world will be very different from today. Our lives and travel needs will have changed and, because the global population will increase to over 9 billion, looking after the planet will be even more important than ever.

So what will this world look like? How will we get around? And how will we take care of the environment?

Take a peek at The Future by Airbus…

Aviation Technology Bachelor's Degree Program

Aviation Technology Bachelor's Degree Program 

Undergraduate students interested in pursuing an aviation technology bachelor's degree will find programs allowing them to complete lab training and coursework in areas ranging from aircraft maintenance to flight training.

Essential Information

A Bachelor of Science in Aviation Technology will educate students in subjects related to aircraft design, construction, maintenance and operation.The program may also include pilot training, aircraft maintenance and aerospace management coursework. Students often have the option to minor in an aviation specialty such as aerospace operations, air traffic control or professional flight officer training. Many courses involve laboratory or other hands-on components. Students looking to enter an aviation technology program should be well versed in math and science.

• Prerequisites: High school diploma or GED
• Program Requirements: Curricula include lab requirements in addition to classroom lectures
• Certification: Professional certification available through the Federal Aviation Administratio

Bachelor of Science in Aviation Technology

A Bachelor of Science in Aviation Technology program includes intensive training in mathematics and science, including physics, physiology, calculus and statistics, to provide a foundation for the major. Design and maintenance courses include hands-on lab components. Programs focusing on flight technology use simulators and aircraft in lab and training courses, and lead to an unrestricted commercial pilot certificate in addition to a bachelor's degree. Typical aviation courses are listed below. Prospective students with previous military service might be able to leverage their professional experience into credit for some of these courses:

• Flight training
• Aircraft maintenance
• Aerodynamics
• Aircraft systems
• Navigation systems

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Popular Careers

Graduates with a Bachelor of Science in Aviation Technology may become professional airline pilots, aircraft maintenance specialists or air traffic controllers. Many graduates go on to careers in the military or certification programs for career advancement. Graduates are commonly employed by the Federal Aviation Administration and commercial airlines. Popular career options include:

• Pilot
• Machinist
• Flight instructor
• Aeronautical engineer
• Aviation electrician

Career and Salary Information

Those who study aviation technology may also work as aircraft mechanics and avionics technicians. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) estimated a job growth of 1% for these workers in the decade 2014-2024. In 2015, the BLS reported that avionics technicians made an annual median salary of $58,540, while aircraft mechanics and service technicians earned median salaries of $58,370.

Continuing Education

Many schools offer post-bachelor's certificate programs for graduates who hold a B.S. in Aviation Technology. Graduates may also pursue professional certification through the Federal Aviation Administration, which certifies flight and ground instructors, pilots and aircraft maintenance technicians.

Technology - Advantages and Disadvantages

Technology - Advantages and Disadvantages

In society today, people cannot imagine their lives without the use of technology. Various technologies are helping people to live their lives luxuriously. But with more luxuries comes the negative effects technology has on people and society as a whole. Although technology has put a man on the moon, the misuse of all of these new devices could potentially cause a wedge to come between humans and the outside world. While technology is providing many advantages, there are also some disadvantages to being up to date with the latest technology.
For starters, technology has made life easier. In the medical field, doctors and nurses need to get information about patients quick and easy. Technology has been able to provide faster and more accurate results. Being able to access patients files by a click of a button is to me, the most important advancement in technology. Another advantage in the medical field is for people with diabetes. With the advancement in technology, people are now able to get accurate blood glucose level readings from home. 

This reduces the risk of complications with diabetes, such as blindness and peripheral nerve damage. One last example of an advantage of technology in the medical field is the minimal invasive surgery. Aneurysms are now treated by minimally invasive surgery, which means faster and easier recovery time for the patient. All of these technological advancements have improved not only the way doctors and nurses receive accurate test results, but the treatment and recovery time for patients. It is crucial in today’s society that things are done faster and more efficiently. 
Technological advancements in the medical field are life changing, but there are also many more advantages outside of the hospital. For example, Skype, FaceTime, e-mailing, and text messaging are all ways of communicating with people in society. Without those technologies, one would not be able to talk to family across the world .

flywheel

flywheel

Flywheel A flywheel is an inertial energy-storage device. It absorbs mechanical energy and serves as a reservoir, storing energy during the period when the supply of energy is more than the requirement and releases it during the period when the requirement of energy is more than the supply. Flywheels-Function need and Operation The main function of a fly wheel is to smoothen out variations in the speed of a shaft caused by torque fluctuations. If the source of the driving torque or load torque is fluctuating in nature, then a flywheel is usually called for. Many machines have load patterns that cause the torque time function to vary over the cycle. Internal combustion engines with one or two cylinders are a typical example. Piston compressors, punch presses, rock crushers etc. are the other systems that have fly wheel. Flywheel absorbs mechanical energy by increasing its angular velocity and delivers the stored energy by decreasing its velocity
Design Approach There are two stages to the design of a flywheel. First, the amount of energy required for the desired degree of smoothening must be found and the (mass) moment of inertia needed to absorb that energy determined. Then flywheel geometry must be defined that caters the required moment of inertia in a reasonably sized package and is safe against failure at the designed speeds of operation. Design Parameters Flywheel inertia (size) needed directly depends upon the acceptable changes in the speed. Speed fluctuation The change in the shaft speed during a cycle is called the speed fluctuation and is equal to ωmax- ωmin Fl max min = ω − ω We can normalize this to a dimensionless ratio by dividing it by the average or nominal shaft speed (ωave) . max min Cf ω − ω = ω Where ωavg is nominal angular velocity Co-efficient of speed fluctuation The above ratio is termed as coefficient of speed fluctuation Cf and it is defined as max min Cf ω − ω = ω Machine Design II Prof. K.Gopinath & Prof. M.M.Mayuram Indian Institute of Technology Madras Where ω is nominal angular velocity, and ωave the average or mean shaft speed desired. This coefficient is a design parameter to be chosen by the designer. The smaller this chosen value, the larger the flywheel have to be and more the cost and weight to be added to the system. However the smaller this value more smoother the operation of the device It is typically set to a value between 0.01 to 0.05 for precision machinery and as high as 0.20 for applications like crusher hammering machinery. Design Equation The kinetic energy Ek in a rotating system = ( ) 1 2 I 2 ω Hence the change in kinetic energy of a system can be given as, 1 2 2 E I K m max min 2 ⎛ ⎞ = ω⎜ ⎟ −ω ⎝ ⎠ E E K 2 = − E1 ( max m ) in avg 2 ω + ω ω = ( )( ) 1 E I 2 C K s avg f avg 2 2 E E C I 2 1 f Ek I s 2 Cf avg = ω ω − = ω = ω Thus the mass moment of inertia Im needed in the entire rotating system in order to obtain selected coefficient of speed fluctuation is determined using the relation 

Automatic Transmission Cars in India Under ₹ 15 Lakh

Automatic Transmission Cars in India Under ₹ 15 Lakh

With the growing trend for automatic transmission cars in India, a lot of carmakers are investing in launching cars with an auto-box. Right from sub-compact sedans to full-fledged SUVs, today's car buyers have a wide assortment of vehicles with automatic transmission to choose from. Sadly many of these carmakers are trying to be first rather than best, but that doesn't mean there aren't good ones either. There are different kind off automatic transmission carmaker's use and here we collated a list of top currently selling and upcoming vehicles with automatic transmission you can buy under ₹ 15 lakh.

Current Selling Cars

1. Maruti Suzuki Ciaz AT

Price: ₹ 8.76 lakh to ₹ 10.13 lakh (ex-showroom, Mumbai)

(Maruti Suzuki Ciaz AT Variant Only Comes With the Petrol Variant)

Maruti Suzuki was finally able to find a strong place in the mid-segment Sedan space with the launch of the Ciaz. While we won't say that the car is the best in its segment, but Maruti Suzuki Ciaz is in fact a complete package and a very practical purchase. The car also gets a very efficient 4-speed automatic transmission in the mid and top-of-the-line variants, which further equips it to go head-on against the competition. Maruti offers the automatic transmission only in the petrol variants that feature the company's trusted 1.4-litre K 14B VVT engine that churns out 91bhp and develops 130Nm of peak torque.

2. Ford Figo Aspire DCT

Price: ₹ 5.48 lakh to ₹ 8.91 lakh (ex-showroom, Mumbai)

(Ford Figo Aspire is The First Car in Its Segment to Feature a DCT Unit)

Ford Figo Aspire was a real game changer when it was launched in India earlier in 2015. The car was the first model to roll out of Ford's new plant in Sanand, Gujarat and it came with a few first-in-class features that included 6 airbags and a 6-speed Dual Clutch Transmission auto-box. This transmission unit only came mated to the Figo Aspires powerful 1.5-litre petrol engine that churns out 110bhp of power and develops 136Nm of peak torque.

3. Skoda Rapid DSG

Price: ₹ 7.79 lakh to ₹ 11.96 lakh (ex-showroom, Mumbai)

(Skoda Rapid Gets Volkswagen's tried and tested 7-speed DSG)

Skoda Rapid is clearly one of the oldest offerings in this list but that said the car does comes with a very efficient automatic transmission unit - Volkswagen's tried and tested 7-speed Direct Shift Gearbox (DSG). Moreover Skoda will soon launch the facelift version of the Rapid that comes with a number of cosmetic changes and design upgrades. Both in the current model as well as in the upcoming model, the 7-speed DSG will come mated to the car's popular 1.5-litre TDI engine that churns out a maximum of 104bhp and peak torque of 250Nm. The DSG units aids a smooth drive and offers precise shifting making it one of the best automatic sedans under ₹ 15 lakh.

4. Mahindra XUV500 AT

Price: ₹ 11.96 lakh to ₹ 17.80 lakh (ex-showroom, Mumbai)

(Mahindra XUV500 Automatic Transmission)

When it comes SUVs automatic transmission is not always the first choice for enthusiast, but Mahindra managed to change that with the new XUV500 AT, at least to an extent. The latest Mahindra XUV500 gets a new 6-speed automatic transmission that is available both with the standard front-wheel drive and the all-wheel drive set up. The gearbox is very responsive and even when you make sudden changes in throttle action to, let us day overtake, the auto-box surprises you by shifting smoothly and without any drama whatsoever. Mahindra recently added the automatic transmission unit to its mid-variant - XUV500 W6, which makes it more accessible to a wider set of audience. The auto-box comes mated to the powerful 2.2-litre mHawk engine that makes 140bhp and develops a peak torque of 330Nm.

5. Volkswagen Ameo

(VW Ameo Will Be the First Sub-Compact Sedan to Offer a DSG Unit)

Volkswagen Ameo is one of the most awaited cars to be launched in India this year. A car that will mark Volkswagen's entry into the highly successful sub-compact sedan space, the Ameo will be launched in India next month. Volkswagen has claimed that the car will offer many first-in-class features that will include reverse parking camera, rain sensing vipers, cruise control and a DSG auto-box as well. The Volkswagen Ameo is based on the carmaker's popular hatchback Polo and shares some of its key design and style cues. Both the Polo and the Vento come with DSGs so it wasn't a big surprise that the Ameo will get one too. The diesel variant of the Ameo will come with a 7-speed automatic gearbox that will come mated to the 1.5-litre TDI diesel engine.

Launch Date: Mid- 2016

Expected Price: ₹ 5 lakh onwards

HOVERBOARD

HOVERBOARD

Developed by multiple brands
Prices vary

Part Segway, part skateboard, the self-balancing scooter—generally known as a hoverboard, even though it doesn’t actually hover—is easily the year’s most viral product, drawing fans like Justin Bieber, Jimmy Fallon and Kendall Jenner. Once someone hops on, the device uses a pair of electric gyroscopes (one under each pad) to balance automatically, allowing users to speed forward, backward and around by slightly shifting their body weight. That enables all kinds of fun stunts, ranging from hallway races to motorized dance routines.

 Maxx Yellin, co-founder ofPhunkeeDuck, one of more than 20 companies making versions of the device, sees larger implications. “It could evolve as a new form of transportation for cities and colleges,” Yellin says (though British authorities recently caused a stir by outlawing their use on public sidewalks and streets). But convenience comes at a cost: prices range from $350 to $1,700, depending on the brand and its features. —Lisa Eadicicco

Wearable Camera 

Ever wish you could go back and record that custom sports car that just raced by, or that awesome jump shot your kid just made? A new wearable camera lets you do just that: go back in time, so to speak, to retroactively capture those fleeting moments you thought you missed.

Called the Perfect Memory camera, developed by New York-based General Streaming Systems, the 12-megapixel device is pocket-size and lightweight. With a tap of its touch screen, it can record video and audio, and is capable of full-high-definition (HD) 1080p video.

Here's how it works: With its AutoEdit mode, the camera is continuously recording, and when you tap its touch screen, it saves footage from the previous 5 minutes, or any other duration you want to set. This allows people to retroactively save a video of an event after the fact. [Photo Future: 7 High-Tech Ways to Share Images]

You don't know when a surprising, magical moment will happen ... capturing a baby's first words, for instance," said Jules Winnfield, chief operating officer of General Streaming Systems.

Perfect Memory can be worn as a hands-free bodycam. Depending on the camera's accessories, it can also attach to the dash of a car, be paired with sports action mounts, stick to virtually any surface and even hang around a pet's neck.

Perfect Memory can also snap photos, act as a regular video camera and shoot time-lapse photography, according to General Streaming Systems. The device can accept microSD cards with up to 128GB of storage space.

A free iOS or Android app can control the camera. The camera can use Wi-Fi to wirelessly connect with a smartphone via the app, and stream video and photos live, according to the company.

When the camera is recording video continuously at the highest level of resolution, its battery can last up to 4 hours, Winnfield said. When the camera is recording continuously and using Wi-Fi to stream video live, the battery will last up to 2 hours. If the camera is not recording continuously, its battery may last up to several days. The battery takes up to 1.5 hours to recharge, according to the company.

General Streaming Systems started developing the Perfect Memory camera in 2015. An Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign for the device raised more than $171,000 in two months. When the campaign ended on Aug. 20, it had raised almost six times more than its $30,000 goal. Mass production of the cameras (which can be purchased for an early-bird price of $119) will begin this month, and the devices are expected to ship to the campaign's backers beginning in October.

STIILL LOVE MY WORKING MY WORKING ORIGINAL IPHONE!!!!!

 STIILL LOVE MY WORKING MY WORKING ORIGINAL IPHONE!!!!!

The new iPhone 7 is packed with great tech and a fancy new shell. It's the best iPhone ever, Apple CEO Tim Cook said on stage earlier this month. And not for the first time. Apple says that about every new iPhone. Given the inexorable march of technology, it's probably true. But my favorite iPhone is not the best iPhone ever. It is nine years old. A fully functional original—no bloody 3G, 3GS, 4, 4S 5, 5S, 6, 6S, or 7.

I'll admit I was among the skeptics back in 2007 when Apple first announced it would be selling a phone. But somehow, swept up like so many others, I found myself a proud owner of that very first iPhone, which lives alongside my working models of nearly every mobile device Apple has ever made, an ever-growing collection.

That first one, though. I can't imagine my life without it.

Remember the chatter back then? "Why would you want to make a phone call on your iPod?" "How will you protect the screen if you can't flip it shut?" "You want me to type on that tiny touchscreen keyboard?" After all, in the good old days cell phones were still simply that. You could call or you could text, but unless you were rocking a Blackberry (hello there, high-powered business person!) there wasn't much else you could do with the thing. The first iPhone would begin the shift from mobile telephone to pocket supercomputer.

Not that I was thinking about any of that at the time. I wasn't one of those guys who waited in line outside the Cingular store to get my grubby fanboy hands on this hot gadget. I left that up to my buddy at work, the kind of nerd happy to pitch a tent on the sidewalk to snag a brand spanking new iPhone.

I was a cord-cutter back before there was a name for us. I put XBMC on an actual Xbox, I ripped all my DVD's and torrented like it was going out of style. Why spend money when you could, you know, not? I loved my monthly T-mobile plan, and as much as I would have loved to try the new touchscreen Apple phone, the first iPhone required a minimum $499 cash plus a two-year contract with a hefty cancellation fee, a sign of things to come. I was not going to sign a contract that would lock me into two years of cell phone purgatory.

From 2007 until 2011, Steve Jobs continued his exclusive service agreement with AT&T (or Cingular, as it was at the time). This meant, to use an iPhone outside the AT&T network, you had to get your device "unlocked." Back then, there was no officially-supported method for pulling that off. Even if you paid out your contract and owned the device outright, AT&T and Apple made no provisions to open the phone to work on other networks.

So I kept my ear to the ground and followed the jailbreak community, the hardworking hackers devoted to ripping open the iPhone's software just because it was closed. It didn't take long for them to tear themselves an opening and do some sort of black magic to make the iPhone do their bidding, to free and then recapture its soul.

Once my buddy heard the announcement for the new iPhone 3G— "the best iPhone yet" coincidentally enough—he happily offloaded his first-generation classic for a small fee. So I began my collection of iPhones. I quickly learned the process for jailbreaking and unlocking that very first iPhone, which was not for the faint of heart. Back then, many an ambitious jailbreaker would wind up with a phone as useful as a brick, and worse, a voided the warranty. I was just lucky enough to make it through unscathed.

By the time I was through with it, my new iPhone was a lot different than its locked-up brethren. Remember, the first iPhone shipped without a little thing called the App Store. "Apps" as we know them today were still a twinkle in Steve Jobs' eye, and applications still lived on installation CDs—don't lose that jewel case with the serial number stamped inside!

Technically iOS didn't even exist on the first iteration of iPhone. The operating system was instead billed as a version of OSX, the OS that runs on Macs. Nearly a year later it was redubbed iPhone OS, when Apple released the software development kit (SDK) to the public. It wouldn't be until 2010, with the release of the iPad, that Apple would adopt the now familiar term "iOS."

What do you do without an app store? Use Safari. A lot. To be fair, a full-fledged mobile browser was quite the revolution in 2007. But beyond that, there was very little else. According to Jobs, Safari was the future of apps. In this alternate future, third-party developers would go on to use the Safari engine to create Web 2.0 applications that could be accessed from the Internet. And they did at first, but mobile data bandwidth and data rate pricing in 2008 made web-based apps a nightmare, and so native apps were born. With an SDK in place, a legion of anxious software developers, guidelines in place, and an iPhone starving for software, it's no wonder the apps came. And kept coming, in a wave that hasn't let up since.