But the D8.1 version (which could be built conventionally, from aluminium) would use 49% less fuel.

ECONOMIST: The aircraft of the future

The D8.5 (similar, but constructed from composite materials expected to be available by 2035) would burn 71% less.

ECONOMIST: The aircraft of the future

Speaking at the Dow Jones D8 conference, Ballmer talked about putting Windows PC in all sorts of form factors.

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AOL, which currently outsources search to Google, began negotiating a new search deal last week, CEO Tim Armstrong said yesterday at the D8 Conference out in California.

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Though he spent a great deal of his interview at the Dow Jones D8 conference defending himself about insensitivity to privacy worries, he also said those concerns are going away.

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As a consequence, the D8.1 would cruise at Mach 0.72 (seven-tenths of the speed of sound) and the D8.5 at Mach 0.74, compared with about Mach 0.79 for a B737-800.

ECONOMIST: The aircraft of the future

It was just earlier this year that Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg looked like he was about to have a meltdown on stage while being interviewed at the Dow Jones D8 Conference in June.

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That is odd: Within a few hours of the first day, the wireless network at D8 overloaded, and was blocked in the main hall with no notification, presumably so people would take their noses out of their screens.

FORBES: D8's AT&T Hating