Hasta La Gadget!

Slowly but surely, the future is creeping up on us. In-flight WiFi is getting there, and in-car WiFi is following suit. Autonet Mobile already sunk its teeth in at General Motors, and now it’s doing likewise over at Subaru. The automaker that insists it’s all about love is about to give prospective buyers of the 2011 Outback an option to install a router within their ride for a one time fee of $534 (including activation). Of course, it’s on you to pay that $29 / month premium that keeps the signals flowing, and yes, you’re still better off buying a MiFi and just bringing it along. But hey, there’s nothing like factory integration, right? Well, aside from seagulls checking their Twitter accounts while you explore Acadia National Park… freeloaders.

2011 Subaru Outback gains in-car WiFi option, strange Maine birds not included originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 16 Jul 2010 21:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Word on the street had it that Tesla’s $50 million deal with Toyota wasn’t formal back in late May, but evidently things have made positive progress since. According to a new (though admittedly brief) report over at CNN, Toyota is currently working with the electric automaker on a pair of prototype vehicles. As the story goes, Tesla will be delivering two prototypes to Toyota “by the end of the month,” with the vehicles using “Tesla’s electric motors and battery packs and the bodies of Toyota vehicles.” Tesla Chief Technology Officer JB Straubel has been quoted as saying that the two outfits have “made a lot of progress in a short amount of time,” and we couldn’t be more excited to see what kind of results will come from this tie-up. We can’t help but hope that those regenerative brakes do a bit more than regenerate, though. Sorry, we had to. Really.

Tesla planting electric engines into two Toyota prototype bodies originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 10 Jul 2010 22:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We can already imagine just what you’re thinking — the blind have no place behind the wheel, right? As it turns out, though, cars can steer themselves these days, so there technically no reason why (save a few laws) a computer-assisted blind person couldn’t drive. Virginia Tech’s RoMeLa successfully tested a laser-guided dirt buggy last year (see above), and teaming with the National Federation of the Blind this week, it intends to demonstrate a pair of full-sized augmented SUVs next year. In January 2011, the Daytona racetrack will play host to two heavily customized Ford Escape, filled with “nonvisual interfaces” like a vibrating vest and gloves, a steering wheel that provides audio cues on when to turn, and a tablet device covered with tiny holes (called AirPix) that represents the road and obstacles around the vehicle with jets of compressed air. Even with all those gizmos, we understand if you still might not want your neighbors barreling down the street, but let’s face it — plenty of us sighted folks are just as visually impaired. Video and full press release after the break.

Update: Dr. Dennis Hong of RoMeLa just informed us that though the auditory steering wheel was part of the laser-guided buggy, it won’t appear on the Ford Escape. He also relates that letting the blind drive is merely a short-term goal — the big picture here is to develop new interfaces for the blind, and safer transportation technology.

Continue reading Prototype car with tactile feedback challenges the blind to drive (update)

Prototype car with tactile feedback challenges the blind to drive (update) originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 04 Jul 2010 09:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We thought of theiPad as soon as we first heard the 2011 Hyundai Equus would come with its user manual preloaded on a “multimedia tablet” instead of being printed out, and it looks like our hunch was correct: our friends at Autoblog have confirmed that Hyundai will be shipping a 16GB WiFi iPad with every Equus. The iPad will be packaged in a bespoke leather case with an embossed logo, suede interior, and even kickstand — which’ll come in quite handy as the user manual comes complete with video tutorials for many of the car’s functions. Updates to the software will happen through iTunes, and the iPad sounds pretty stock otherwise, so that’s a nice little perk. Just don’t use it while you’re driving, okay?

2011 Hyundai Equus user manual to be pre-loaded on a custom iPad originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 17 Jun 2010 13:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The past week Inhabitat saw solar-powered transportation soar into space as Japan successfully unfurled the world’s first solar sail aboard its Ikaros spacecraft. We continued our transportation coverage by taking a took a look at a futuristic plant-powered photosynthetic concept car that seats riders within an enclosed jungle canopy. However if the Inhabitat editors commuted to work, it would probably be via these amazing solar-powered shrub cars!

In other news, the world of architecture is heating up with the onset of summer as countries around the globe gear up to unveil high-tech sun-powered homes at the European Solar Decathlon. This week we took a look at two of our favorites – the solar shelled Armadillo Box House and Finland’s hyper-insulated Luuku House, which is expected to generate more energy than it consumes. We also celebrated the launch of the 2010 World Cup by taking a look at the technologies behind five stunning green stadiums that will be hosting this year’s games in South Africa.

Speaking of the World Cup, this week were also excited to see the unveiling of a brand new version of the sOccket, an energy-generating soccer ball that scores a goal for green power in developing countries. We also took a look at a cheap solar-powered refrigerator for the developing world that can be assembled using local materials and could save millions of lives by storing and distributing vaccines.

Renewable energy was also a hot topic this week — the UAE is blazing a trail with plans to construct a record-toppling solar plant that eclipses the size of every photovoltaic farm to date. We also saw home-grown algae power make its domestic debut in this gorgeous green Latro Lamp, which is fueled by a pond-scum powered bio-battery. And renewable energy took to the streets this week as telecom provider Orange unveiled a set of spiffy set of thermoelectric galoshes that charge your cellphone using heat from your feet.

Finally, this week we unveiled some incredible new uses for everyday materials as we announced the grand-prize winners of our 2010 Spring Greening DIY Design Competition. Speaking of innovative examples of repurposed design, we were also blown away by this open-source printer made from LEGO bricks and a felt-tip pen. And if you insist on continuing to use a standard printer, you can rest assured that there’s an inspired re-use for those expired ink cartridges – Australia recently unveiled a bike path made from them!

Inhabitat’s Week in Green: solar buildings, solar stadiums, and an algae-powered lamp originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 13 Jun 2010 21:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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