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Jan 11

Denso dash with iPhone steering wheel knows when you are sleeping, knows when you’re awake (video)

Posted in: Apple, feature, Features, hands-on, iPhone, Today's Chili, video

Smartphone integration is the next big thing that’s happening right now, but it isn’t quite happening the way Denso is doing it. This is the company’s dashboard of a future, with its most predominant feature being an iPhone embedded right in the steering wheel. That drives an infotainment system and a small, circular LCD above with a bunch of widgets you can bounce with a touch from the phone to the display. Most interesting is one that communicates with traffic lights to let you know how fast to go if you want to miss ’em all. The idea is to save fuel by not stopping and starting, but we’re thinking this could also do a lot to ease hypertension rates nationwide.

Another thing the dash can do is tell when you’re about to drowse off. One of those widgets is a cup of coffee that empties as you’re getting sleepy. An all-seeing webcam perched atop the dash tracks your face and eyes to know just how alert you are. Drop below a threshold and the dash starts blinking red. It’s time for a nap — or maybe more coffee, for goodness’ sake.

Gallery: Denso next-generation dashboard with iPhone integration

Continue reading Denso dash with iPhone steering wheel knows when you are sleeping, knows when you’re awake (video)

Denso dash with iPhone steering wheel knows when you are sleeping, knows when you’re awake (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 11 Jan 2011 13:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jan 11

Helpful Tip: How to Keep your Desktop Clean

Posted in: Today's Chili, Windows Vista, Windows XP

This article was written on September 11, 2007 by CyberNet.

If you’re one of those that installs a lot of applications or saves documents to your desktop, it doesn’t take long before you’re staring at a sea full of icons and you can’t find the one you’re looking for. Often times, most of those icons can go unused for months at a time which means they’re just taking up space and making the important icons harder to find. Here are a few tips on how to keep your desktop clean:

Create folders for the icons you don’t use regularly – You could create one folder for applications, one for documents, and another for pictures that you don’t access regularly. It’ll be much nicer to look at a few folders filled with icons versus a desktop full of icons. To create a new folder, just right click on your desktop and then click new>folder.
Use the Desktop Cleanup Wizard in Windows XP – If you’re using Windows XP, there’s a tool called Desktop Cleanup Wizard that will remove unwanted shortcuts from your desktop. To access the Desktop Cleanup Wizard, just right-click on your desktop, then click "arrange icons by" and then click "Run Desktop Cleanup Wizard." You’ll be taken through the process of selecting which shortcuts will be left on your desktop. The ones you decide not to keep will be placed in an "Unused Desktop Shortcuts" folder. This is only a feature found in XP.
Auto Arrange Icons – Maybe it’s not that you have a lot of icons, but they’re just thrown all over the screen. Using the "auto arrange icons" feature will arrange the icons so that they look nicer on your desktop. They’ll be evenly spaced out and placed in columns. To auto arrange your icons in Windows Vista and XP, right-click on your desktop then click "Arrange Icons By">Auto Arrange.
Hide Desktop Icons – In some instances, you may want to hide all of your desktop icons. I know when I’m taking screenshots, I’d rather that my icons stay out of the shot. You can hide all of your icons very simply by right-clicking on your desktop > Arrange Icons by> Show Desktop Icons. Once you do this, your icons will be hidden.
Save the position of your icons – This won’t necessarily help you keep your desktop clean, but it will help keep your desktop organized. To learn how to save the position of your icons to restore at any time, checkout this article.

Of course, if you have your own suggestiosn for keeping your desktop clean, feel free to share…

Related Posts:

New Poll: How Clean is Your Desktop?

Helpful Tip: Clean Your Keyboard & Mouse

New Poll: How Big is Your USB Drive?

Will You Have To Do A “Clean Install” For Vista?

Helpful Tip: How to Quickly Save an Image

Jan 11

Recycle Gadgets With Best Buy “Buy Back” Program

Posted in: Today's Chili

Best Buy Buy Back.jpg

The problem with gadgets and other electronics is that it doesn’t take long before they’re out of date. In some cases, just a few months. So what do you do with all of your old gizmos? Well, if you purchase them at Best Buy, now you can sell them right back.

The new Buy Back program is just what it sounds like, as Best Buy will give you money for old gadgets. The longer you’ve had it, the less money you’ll get back. If it’s been six months, you can get 50 percent of what you paid back. If it’s been two years, you’ll only get 20 percent. It’s a great way to ensure old electronics don’t get thrown away but, of course, there is a catch. You’ll have to pay an initial fee, rumored to be aorund $70, in order to get the benefits of the program.

Via Gizmodo

Jan 11

California Police Fight Crime With Electric Bikes

Posted in: electric vehicle, Today's Chili

Zero DS.jpg

One of the side effects of not having a combustible engine is that electric vehicles are quiet. Very quiet. So quiet, in fact, that police in California will soon be using electric motorcycles to improve their stealth.

The bikes, produced by Zero Motorcycle, are currently being employed by the Scotts Valley Police Department, reportedly the first California police force to utilize electric bikes.

“We hope this opportunity serves as the touchstone for other law enforcement agencies to see the benefits electric motorcycles have when it comes to community patrols and traffic enforcement,” Zero VP of Sustainability, Jay Friedland, said. “The silent operation of the Zero DS allows each officer to hear what’s going on around them, which enhances awareness and safety. Zero DS motorcycles also are a great cost-effective solution for small departments and we are proud to be able to support those who keep our communities safe.”

The police are using the Zero DS model, which has a top speed of 67 miles per hour and a range of up to 50 miles.

Via USA Today

Jan 11

Ford Focus Electric motor extracted, split asunder, coppery guts exposed

Posted in: electric, electric vehicle, ElectricVehicle, ev, feature, Features, Ford, Today's Chili

Yesterday we saw the junk in the trunk, now here’s what’s powering it. It’s the motor that makes the Ford Focus Electric go, and while we still don’t know many details (we couldn’t get anyone to quote us a weight) it is a reasonably compact little thing. We did, however, get confirmation that it will not be run through either a standard transmission, like the dry-clutch automatic that the regular Focus comes with, nor something like the two-speed transmission that Tesla uses in its Roadster. It’ll be “like a CVT” we’re told, keeping the motor at its most efficient RPM, and while we’re not sure what that looks like on the inside we’re sure that there’ll be no shifting involved, neither manual nor automatic.

Gallery: Ford Focus Electric motor

Ford Focus Electric motor extracted, split asunder, coppery guts exposed originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 11 Jan 2011 13:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jan 11

White iPhone Coming to Verizon?

Posted in: Apple, iPhone, Today's Chili, verizon

Okay, this one could just be in the realm of wishful thinking, but could the long awaited white iPhone 4 finally be hitting the market, courtesy of Verizon? Apple first announced the model last year, when it first unveiled the iPhone 4. Since then, however, the white version has been plagued by numerous delays. According to Apple, it’s now due for release this spring.

We’ve heard any number of reasons for the delay–the most feasible is that the lightly colored case lets in too much light, potentially ruining photos. Apple supposedly caught the flaw just before shipping, avoiding a potential repeat of “antennaegate.”

With today’s announcement of the iPhone for Verizon, comes new hope that the white version of the phone will hit market a bit earlier. The above image taken from Verizon’s site seems to lend some validity to this speculation.

It looks, however, like Verizon may have just pulled that info directly from Apple. And even if it does indeed mean that a white iPhone is coming to the service, that doesn’t necessarily mean that it will hit before the AT&T version–after all, in the concern does indeed have to do with photo quality, odds are that it will take Apple just as long to resolve the problem for a Verizon phone.

Jan 11

Will the iPhone Crush Verizon’s Network? [IPhone]

Posted in: 4G, Apple, att, cdma, cellphones, hspa, iPhone, network, Smartphones, Today's Chili, top, verizon

Click here to read Will the iPhone Crush Verizon's Network?

It’s conventional wisdom now that iPhone exclusivity is the best and worst thing that ever happened to AT&T. A rocket that sent them into space—and directly into the sun. Will the same thing happen to Verizon? More »

Jan 11

Off-Contract iPhone to Work on Verizon

Posted in: iPhone, Today's Chili, verizon

Something Verizon opted not to touch upon during its much publicized press conference today in New York–off-contract iPhones. Apple’s long-awaited smartphone will run you $199.99 for the 16GB model and $299.99 for the 32GB.

As for the unlocked version–the carrier addresses the issue on its iPhone FAQ page, writing,

When purchasing iPhone at the 2 year promotional price a new agreement is required. However, you will also have the option to purchase iPhone at full retail price, which will not require you to sign a long-term agreement.

How much will the handset run? A lot–we know that much. Unlocked GSM iPhone 4s are currently going for around $800 for the 16GB model.

Jan 11

iPhone 4 with CDMA for Verizon gets FCC approval, right on time

Posted in: Apple, cdma, Today's Chili, verizon, Verizon Wireless, VerizonWireless, vzw

There’s no company in the industry that’s better at consistently having confidentiality come off its products in the FCC’s database right on time better than Apple — and indeed, the CDMA version of the iPhone just hit the filing system. Model A1349 (as opposed to the GSM version’s A1332) has the expected test results for CDMA / EV-DO Rev. A on the 850 and 1900MHz bands along with Bluetooth and WiFi without a whiff of GSM support for global roaming — not to say Verizon gave any hint that you might be able to roam outside of CDMA countries anyway.

iPhone 4 with CDMA for Verizon gets FCC approval, right on time originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 11 Jan 2011 12:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jan 11

Verizon iPhone first hands-on! (update: video)

Posted in: Apple, breaking news, BreakingNews, cellphone, cellphones, hands-on, HandsOn, iPhone, Smartphones, Today's Chili, verizon, Verizon Wireless, VerizonWireless, video, Wireless

We just got a look at the Verizon version of the iPhone 4. Guess what? It’s just like an iPhone 4! There’s no custom pre-loaded Verizon software (like VCAST or some such bloatware), just that mobile hotspot tweak in the settings menu. There’s also no Verizon branding on the phone, though that’s hardly a surprise given Apple’s hatred of all logos that aren’t its own. The only real physical difference we can find are those tweaked CDMA-compatible antennas running around the edge — four in all, placed symmetrically and bumping down the volume / mute buttons. Interestingly, the phone is running iOS version 4.2.5, so perhaps that mobile hotspot functionality will make its way over to other iPhones when they sync up on iOS updates. We did try a speed test, clearing the cache and loading various sites simultaneously on the Verizon phone and our AT&T device, and while there were variations in the load times, there were too many external factors to really make a judgment call just yet.

Gallery: Verizon iPhone 4 detailed comparison shots