Hasta La Gadget!

According to Automobile, Nissan is winning the race to put the most electric cars in American driveways, selling 3,875 Leafs in the first six months of 2011, while Chevy only managed to put 2,754 Volt keys in the hands of consumers. This is despite Nissan suffering a month long manufacturing setback following the tsunami that struck in March. Chevy has had its own delays, having closed the Volt plant five weeks ago for upgrades that will allow it to pump out more vehicles. Lets not forget though, the Leaf starts at about $8,000 less than its American made competitor and, when it comes to weaning us off gas and putting us behind the wheel of tech-packed cars — there’s no shame in being number two. Perhaps GM will have better luck with that cheaper, shorter range version it’s been contemplating.

Leaf sales outpacing the Volt, winning the fight for American garage space originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 Jul 2011 09:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mice have been a computing mainstay since pretty close to the dawn of the PC, but they don’t offer much in terms of information about the on-screen data you’re interacting with. What if they featured physical feedback to tip you off to things like the size of the files you’re moving around? Two German students have answered that question likely before you even had a chance to ask. The result is an admittedly cool concept that slows the roll of your mouse, giving files the feeling weight based on the size of their contents. A “breathing” feature can also clue you in to how much a given file has been used. Also worthy of mention is their DataBot Harddrive concept, which expands and contracts based on the amount of space being used up. Video of weirdly lifelike peripherals after the break.

Continue reading DataBot mouse and HDD concepts give weight to files, encourage data purges (video)

DataBot mouse and HDD concepts give weight to files, encourage data purges (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 15 Jun 2011 16:06:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Back in February, General Motors debuted its MyLink smartphone integration for the Chevy Volt and Equinox on the Engadget Show, letting drivers control their iOS, Android, and BlackBerry smartphone apps via voice or touchscreen. The company announced today that it will be offering the same technology — albeit rebranded as the tongue-twisting IntelliLink — on several 2012 Buick and GMC models, including the Buick LaCrosse, Regal, Verano, and the GMC Terrain. IntelliLink offers up a fairly similar feature set as its Chevy counterpart — connecting to iPhones and Android handsets via Bluetooth or USB, and leveraging Nuance voice recognition and Gracenote databases to control the likes of Pandora and Stitcher Radio. Autoblog reports that IntelliLink will hit the Buick Verano first, followed by the LaCrosse and Regal, though you might be more interested in the Terrain — owners will also be able to control their vehicle’s rear-view camera with IntelliLink, and who doesn’t like manipulating megapixels in the name of pedestrian safety?

Continue reading Buick, GMC getting IntelliLink smartphone connectivity

Buick, GMC getting IntelliLink smartphone connectivity originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Apr 2011 01:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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When General Motors used CES to launch a mirror with a blue button that would work in any car it was called, quite simply, “retail product.” Perhaps realizing that such a sweepingly vague name for the company’s assault on every car every manufactured might lead to a bit of confusion, GM has now decided to call the mirror OnStar FMV. FMV, which stands for “For My Vehicle” and not “Full Motion Video,” will act like a hands-free device and allows you to get other blue button functionality, including turn-by-turn directions and emergency assistance. Since CES the mirror has been augmented with an external microphone, but the price stays the same: $299 when it launches this summer — plus $100 for installation and $18.95 per month or $199 yearly to make use of OnStar services. Blue buttons don’t come cheap, son.

Continue reading OnStar’s aftermarket mirror to be called OnStar FMV, gets a new microphone

OnStar’s aftermarket mirror to be called OnStar FMV, gets a new microphone originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 18 Mar 2011 19:37:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Once solely slated for the Chevy Volt, the OnStar MyLink smartphone app has gained considerable ground — last July, GM expanded the iPhone and Android remote domination over your horn, door locks, and real-time data to every 2011 automobile, and now it’s reaching back through time to activate fourteen vehicles from 2010. As you’d expect, that’s mostly a smattering of SUVs and crossovers like the Cadillac Escalade, Buick Enclave, GMC Yukon and Chevy Avalanche, though the Impala will also get the goods, and if you live in the lap of low-end luxury, you may be able to listen to Facebook updates on your 2010 Cadillac DTS or Buick Lucerne. Find the full list of compatible vehicles at our source link.

GM extends OnStar smartphone control to 14 more vehicles originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 17 Mar 2011 18:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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