Hasta La Gadget!

When Ford’s first all-electric car, the Ford Focus Electric, ships in 2011, the recharging system will be remotely managed by Microsoft. What sounds like an odd-couple fit – Microsoft? manage off-hours home electrical usage? – actually makes sense because of Microsoft Hohm, a year-old Internet service helping consumers monitor all kinds of home energy usage. In the case of electric cars, time-shifting the recharge to late at night is important because recharging effectively a home’s daytime energy usage.

Just because you’re driving the highways of this land doesn’t mean you have to miss out on being entertained. What else to think about the just-released Pioneer AVH-P3200BT and AVH-P3200DVD, which offer audio and video capabilities that used to be reserved for the living room? Both let you listen to your iPod’s songs, watch DVD videos, view digital photos, and add GPS navigation. The idea, says Pioneer, is to turn the car into a hub for entertainment, convenience, and communication. And you thought it was just for driving.

Both models also offer a 5.8-inch touch interface, an SD card slot, iTunes tagging via RDS, album art, and passenger control. The AVH-P3200BT throws in Bluetooth connectivity so that you don’t have to remove your eyes from the road while driving, and lists for $499. The Bluetooth-free AVH-P3200DVD lists for $449.

I like the notice on the Pioneer page that says “Do not use your Pioneer system if doing so will divert your attention in any way from the safe operation of your vehicle.” So apparently the driver shouldn’t look at the DVD playing on the dashboard.

 
FLORENCE, Italy — Volkswagen completely redesigned the VW Touareg SUV for 2011, offering a host of technology features and hybrid, gasoline, and diesel engines. Every model should be more efficient with better engines and the loss of 440 pounds of road-hugging weight over the first generation Touareg of 2003. The diesel model gets more than 30 mpg. The 2011 Touareg is also nicer inside and that makes it a solid contender against the ubiquitous Lexus RX350, the dominant midsize SUV. The only concerns about the new model are whether VW will make the smart decision on including as standard important safety (Bluetooth) and convenience (iPod adapter) items in the version coming to the U.S. this fall, and whether VW is the name you think of when you’re shopping for luxury SUVs

The Area View four-camera system on the 2011 Volkswagen Touareg offers views front, side, and back, plus a combined overhead view, all on the big 8-inch navigation screen. At the Touareg press introduction, VW touted the SUV’s ablity to tow 7,000 pound loads and the backup camera view (above) that shows you the trailer hitch. At the press conference overview, the English translation of the overview speech (in German) we heard was that the driver will find the rear camera “helpful for coupling.”