General Motors is upgrading vehicle software remotely via its OnStar telematics system, meaning owners no longer have to visit the dealer if there’s a fix or improvement to the car that doesn’t involve a mechanical fix. It’s sent via OnStar.
What could be wrong with that? How about dealer reaction? Some auto dealers don’t like the idea of being left out of the loop, even if that’s easier for the customer.
Cellular companies love selling accessories. The margins are nearly as good as money-laundering with lower chances of jail time. Gearlog cited a raft of Motorola Droid X accessories when the Verizon smartphone shipped in June. If you spend a lot of time in your car, the Motorola branded Droid X car cradle is a must-have accessory. It’s $40 list and a better deal as part of a $50 online accessory pack (free overnight shipping) that bundles a car charger ($30 list) and three screen protectors ($10).
Electric vehicles that crash may be safer for emergency first responders than traditional cars with leaking gas tanks. But EVs are new and they’re unknown, so Chevrolet is taking its new Chevy Volt on tour to show emergency crews how to take one apart in the event of an accident. The Volt is a mostly electric vehicle that runs for about 30 miles on its battery pack, then a small gasoline engine is good for several hundred more miles if you’re road-tripping. The tour kicked off recently in Chicago.
Lexus execs freak out when they hear the Lexus HS 250h hybrid sedan described as a Lexus Prius. Yet that’s what it is. Not a carbon copy but still a four-to-five passenger hybrid sedan, with more room and amenities, mileage in the mid-thirties, lots of technology offerings including the Remote Touch controller, and prices of $35,000 $45,000. It’s the perfect car for all the entry hybrid buyers who tell market researchers they’d move upmarket if such a car existed. Now it does.
Ford is now using Wi-Fi to transmit software features to its Edge and Linclon MKX crossover models while on the assembly line. By inputting software using the cars’ WiFi technology, the Michigan auto giant could customize a car’s components and behaviors for individual drivers rather than issue models with several different part variations.
Via the Wall Street Journal
If you think the housing market is bad, or the rental market in a city like New York is ruthless, maybe all you really need is The Bufalino, a three-wheeled concept vehicle designed for transportation and shelter. When you need to get to the office, simply fold up the driver’s seat and hit the gas. When you’ve left work for the day and you find a nice place to park your ride for the night, you can fold the seat back down into a bed and settle in for a good night’s sleep.
The Bufalino, a mini-RV concept car from designer Corneliu Comanns, features a stove, a basin that works like a sink, and a connected water tank so you have running water, a small fridge, and both walls have slots for storing your clothes and personal possessions. There’s even space for a desk and a workbench so you can get some work done if you feel like “working from home.” Admittedly the Bufalino will likely never make it into mass production, which is just as well since there doesn’t seem to be a toilet or a shower anywhere in the vehicle.
[via Dvice]
When the “Check Engine” light comes on in your car, it lets you know it’s time to take it to someone who knows what that light means, if you don’t already know. What you may not know is that most mechanics and dealerships see that light and immediately connect diagnostic device to the data port under your steering console to get the error code that your car’s internal computer is sending: the one that results in that light on your dashboard. With the Kiwi from PLX Devices, you can use your iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, or Android device to get that code yourself. Once you have it, one quick Web search will tell you what’s wrong with your car before you even take it to the shop to have it fixed.
The Kiwi comes in two flavors: the Wi-Fi model that plugs into your car and uses your home wireless network to communicate with your iOS device, and a Bluetooth model that pairs with Android phones. Both models are designed to communicate with your device and then send data to any one of a wide variety of supported car diagnostic utilities in the iTunes App Store and Android App Market that you can download to your phone. Depending on the app you choose, you can query the Kiwi for more than just error codes: you can run diagnostics, do horsepower and torque calculations, monitor your fuel efficiency between trips, and more. The Kiwi Wi-Fi is available now for $149.99 list, and the Bluetooth model is available for $99.99 list.
Talk about split personalities: The Acura MDX SUV is one of the most versatile and satisfying vehicles you can possibly drive. Technology makes all Acuras stand out. But so does the incessant beeping from the MDX dashboard when you interact with its technology. Just remember: You’re getting a BMW X5 for at least $10,000 less.
I have several laptops around the house, and I hate playing the guessing game for which adapter goes with which notebook. I keep thinking of getting a universal power adapter — one power brick and several adapters — and the line of adapters from Innergie looks mighty appealing. Innergie offers four different universal power adapters for laptops, varying in size and configuration.
First, whether at home, on the plane, or in the car, the mCube90 (pictured) is the most all-in-one adapter. The Auto/Air adapter, which is just two-thirds the size of a business card, detaches from the rest of the power brick, and allows you to charge your devices everywhere you go.
Some of you may prefer to hold out for the Magic Cable, a multi-headed cable with tips for mini- and micro- USB devices, as well as Apple’s proprietary charging port.
Innergie also has a USB power charger in case you only need an adapter for USB devices.
The universal power adapters range from $69.99 to $119.99, and are available online at Innergie and Amazon.
Features are important, but accessories are uber-important when smartphone shopping. Samsung Galaxy X owners: the accessories are here.
The desktop and vehicle dock (shown above) mounts the phone for easy viewing and access. With the phone in the desktop dock, you can watch videos, listen to music, and use it as a speakerphone for conference calls. The vehicle dock mounts to either the windshield or the dashboard to display GPS instructions, latest traffic alerts, and location-based information. Internet search is available using Google Search by voice. The dock also contains a microUSB connection to keep the Galaxy X charged.
There is also a DNLA compliant TV adapter that will allow the smartphone to stream directly to your HDTV. Supporting a wide range of video, music and image formats, the adapter supports resolutions up to 1280×720 and a frame rate of 30fps. It also has a microSDHC slot and WiFi (b/g/n) with WEP encryption,
All this is nice, but what smartphone owners love are their bumpers and protective products. Samsung will offer protective cases in a variety of colors, patterns, and fabrics. Screen protectors include anti-scratch, mirror, and privacy screens.
An extended battery, a carrying case, and extra charger (for your office or keep in your bag) are also available.
The desk dock is priced at $39.99 and the battery charger is $49.99.The screens and gel cases are $29.99. Everything is available through Samsung online.
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