Hasta La Gadget!

We first laid eyes on Parrot’s first Android-based Asteroid car infotainment system a couple years ago at CES. Then, at this past year’s show, we got a sneak peek at a trio of successor Asteroid devices. Now, a mere 10 months later, the Asteroid Smart, Tablet and Mini have finally arrived in consumer-ready garb. First, there’s a flagship in-dash system, the double-DIN Asteroid Smart. It features a 6.2-inch 800 x 480 capacitive display, a Texas Instruments 800MHz processor and runs a heavily skinned version of Android 2.3. The Smart also has four USB 2.0 ports (one which pushes 5V to charge an iPod) for connecting external devices like the included GPS antenna or a dongle for cellular data. Plus, there are 3.5mm line-in and microphone jacks to go with a host of RCA connections and a micro-USB port round the back. Bluetooth 3.0 is baked in, and an SD card slot sits behind the detachable security strip to the left of the screen.

The Smart’s siblings, the Asteroid Mini and Asteroid Tablet are also coming to North America this month. The Tablet packs similar specs as the Smart, only it’s got a 5-inch capacitive screen and is portable, as opposed to an in-dash solution. It runs the same skinned version of Gingerbread, has GPS and Bluetooth radios, and packs 512MB of RAM and 1GB of on-board storage, plus an SD slot. It also comes with a wireless touchpad remote so you can control the system straight from your steering wheel. Meanwhile, the Mini, with its 3.2-inch, non-touch screen has a similar form factor to the Tablet and comes with a wireless remote as well. However, its OS is built on Android 1.5 and it relies upon an external GPS antenna like its bigger, double-DIN cousin. The Asteroid Tablet will retail for $399, and the Mini will cost a hundred bucks less when they go on sale in a few weeks.

We got to swipe our way around the Parrot Smart, so join us after the break to see it in action.

Continue reading Parrot unveils Asteroid Smart, Tablet and Mini car infotainment systems, we go hands-on

Filed under: GPS, Transportation

Parrot unveils Asteroid Smart, Tablet and Mini car infotainment systems, we go hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Oct 2012 20:06:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Shai Agassi has guided Better Place’s vision of swap-and-go battery stations for electric cars since it was founded five years ago, but now he’s stepped down as the firm’s CEO. Evan Thornley, who helmed the organization’s Australian efforts, has taken up the mantle of global chief executive officer, while Agassi will continue his role as a board member. As the Wall Street Journal notes, the changing of the guard comes at a time when the company has been spending cash faster than it’s generating revenue thanks to the construction of battery swap stations. Idan Ofer, Chairman of the Better Place Board of Directors sees this as “a natural point in the company’s evolution to realign for its second chapter and for the challenges and opportunities ahead.” Something tells us they wouldn’t mind if future chapters are filled with more swappable batteries than Superchargers.

Continue reading Better Place founder Shai Agassi steps down from CEO post

Filed under: Transportation

Better Place founder Shai Agassi steps down from CEO post originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Oct 2012 23:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Residing in hall space a fair distance away from the likes of the Toyota and Sony, the automotive division of Alps Electric was demonstrating a forward-looking vehicle interface at CEATEC 2012. Connecting together the company’s existing capacitive touch technology with motion sensors and eye movement cameras, the system centers on the multimodal commander — that mysterious-looking orb located below the gear stick. Navigation through it can be done through waving your hand over the device, swiping or rotating the orb like a dial. This can then move through weather, music and map programs, which are all integrated into the car’s touchscreen, while an overhanging motion sensor will also detect where your hand is headed. An Alps spokesman said that this means the system can try to predict your intentions, adjusting the UI before you reach for the controls. We’ve got a hands-on video from pretty busy showroom — and more impressions — after the break.

Continue reading Alps Electric integrates motion sensors and eye detection into vehicle cockpit of the future (video)

Filed under: GPS, Transportation

Alps Electric integrates motion sensors and eye detection into vehicle cockpit of the future (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Oct 2012 08:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toyota is showing off its new Smart Insect prototype at the company’s CEATEC booth. The fully electric car charges via a standard 100-volt AC outlet, and it’s decked out with gull-wing doors and motion detection courtesy of Microsoft’s Kinect. The on-board motion sensors allow the car to recognize its owner based on face and body shape, and it predicts the owner’s behavior by analyzing movement and determining when to open the door, for example. (It also allows for the front and rear displays to show a welcome message when the owner approaches the car.) There’s also voice recognition for opening the car door and other functions, with a speaker on the hood of the car and dashboard-mounted “dialogue monitors” on the front and back.

The tech carries through to the Insect’s interior, which sports a wireless charging pad, a dash-mounted monitor that connects to the driver’s handset and a button for dialing up Toyota’s virtual agent. As a connected car, the Insect naturally ties in with entertainment and navigation services (in this case, via Toyota’s Smart Center). There’s also integration with a home energy management system, which allows the owner to adjust air conditioning and lock the front door via a smartphone app. As this is a proof of concept — and one we couldn’t test out, at that — it’s unclear how well these features work, and it’s unlikely that we’ll ever see the prototype make it to market. Still, it’s fun to dream, and you can do that by tuning into our hands-on video just past the break.

Continue reading Toyota’s Smart Insect concept EV packs Kinect motion sensor, voice recognition (video)

Filed under: Transportation

Toyota’s Smart Insect concept EV packs Kinect motion sensor, voice recognition (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Oct 2012 05:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Trucks are some of the best-selling vehicles on the road thanks in large part to the utility and their ability to tow lots of weight. For most people who have a boat or a travel trailer, a truck is the preferred vehicle. It used to be if you wanted to be able to tow a significant amount of weight, you needed a V8 engine under the hood.

That’s not the case anymore and the 2013 Ford F-150 V6 is proof of that. Ford has claimed the towing capacity crown for entry-level V6 pickup trucks with the new 2013 F-150 powered by a 3.7-liter V6 engine producing 302 HP. The truck has a rated towing capacity of 6700 pounds.

The 13 model is rated for 600 pounds more than the 2012 model. Ford up the towing capacity by 600 pounds after analyzing data collected in real-world use of the truck. The new 6700-pound towing capacity is 200 pounds higher than the V6 powered Ram 1500.

The 2013 F-150 can tow 1800 pounds more than the V6-powered Toyota Tundra. The towing capacity of the new Ford truck is also significantly higher than the entry-level Chevrolet Silverado truck. The V6 Ford tows 1300 pounds more than the V6 Chevrolet. The F-150 is also rated for fuel economy of 23 mpg on the highway.

[via Fox News]

2013 Ford F-150 V6 can tow 6,700 lbs is written by Shane McGlaun & originally posted on SlashGear.
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