Hasta La Gadget!

If you’re a fan of BMW cars, you might be interested to learn that BMW has recently taken the wraps off the 4 Series Coupe. Before you rush out and start taking out loans from the bank to get your hands on this bad boy, it should be noted that the 4 Series Coupe is merely a concept vehicle at this point in time. However assuming that BMW follows the same path they took with the Gran Coupe concept which resulted in the 6 Series, perhaps sometime down the future we might expect to see the 4 Series Coupe made a reality! As you can see in the image above, the 4 Series Coupe features some pretty smooth curves, a long bonnet and a short rear deck, although unlike the 6 Series, this concept seems to have retained the stylings of a sedan similar to that of the 3 Series with a connected grille and headlights design. According to BMW’s specifications, the 4 Series Coupe measures 4641mm long, 1826mm wide and 1362mm tall, although the engine of the vehicle remains unknown. BMW has yet to announce when they will be showing off a production version of this concept, but some have speculated that this should take place at next year’s Frankfurt Motor Show.

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Back in August, we wrote to you the Federal Aviation Administration’s plan to review its rules regarding the use of electronics devices such as tablets and smartphones during flights. In a move to influence the FAA’s decision for good, FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski is calling on the FAA to “enable greater use of tablets, e-readers, and other portable devices” during flights. According to The Hill, Genachowski sent a letter to FAA acting administrator Michael Huerta earlier today, promising that the FCC is willing to help the FAA and airlines companies in reviewing their policies.

“This review comes at a time of tremendous innovation, as mobile devices are increasingly interwoven in our daily lives,” writes Genachowski. “They empower people to stay informed and connected with friends and family, and they enable both large and small businesses to be more productive and efficient, helping drive economic growth and boost U.S. competitiveness.” The FAA has declined to comment on the report. The FCC’s intervention will either make or break the FAA’s decision to allow the use of electronic devices during flights.

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The notion of tracking cars for insurance purposes tends to polarize us: it’s either a technical marvel that gives an honest appraisal of how we drive, or a dystopian nightmare that makes it impossible to have a little fun without a large bill. MetroMile is banking on more of us taking the optimistic view. It claims to have the first ‘true’ pay-per-mile car insurance, and combines a fixed base fee with mileage derived from a tracking device attached to a given vehicle. Weekend drivers can theoretically save 20 to 50 percent, and any customer can see detailed analytics online. The catch, of course, is having to be comfortable with an insurer as a silent copilot. MetroMile is careful to note that it’s only watching mileage — it doesn’t care if motorists swing by the racetrack or across the border. Provided that they’re happy with relaying a piece of their driving experience to outsiders, Oregonians can sign up for MetroMile’s experiment today; who knows, it might just pay off.

Continue reading MetroMile launches pay-per-mile car insurance, trades a sliver of privacy for savings

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Source: MetroMile

Solar Impulse, the famous solar-powered airplane, is getting ready for its next ambitious mission. After proving to the world, against all odds, that the 100 percent solar-powered aircraft can fly during the day and night without fuel for more than 24 hours, the next challenge is to fly around the world. The Solar Impulse is not the first solar airplane, however, it is the first solar plane to fly at night time , thanks to the thousands of solar cells on its wings that supply power to its batteries.

In an interview with CBS, Bertrand Piccard, the famous Swiss balloonist who co-piloted the plane with André Borschberg, announced the plan for a round-the-world flight by year 2015. Piccard says that the flight is expected to take 20 days and 20 nights and that he is ready for the historic event. “Everything you do, you have to do it because you are well-prepared and absolutely calm inside yourself,” Piccard said.

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Rome, the Eternal City, will play host to a Formula E race a couple of years down the road. Just yesterday, at Campidoglio, the Mayor of Rome, Mr Gianni Alemanno, President of the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), alongside Mr Jean Todt, Formula E Holdings CEO and Mr Alejandro Agag and Chairman of the Italian Automobile Club (ACI) Mr Angelo Sticchi Damiani, made an announcement that Rome will be the first city in Europe to host the FIA Formula E Championship in 2014.

Formula E Holdings have already agreed with the FIA to promote the new Formula E Championship, that boasts of Formula E cars which are powered by electric energy – and electric energy alone. Jean Todt, FIA President, mentioned, “It gives me great pleasure to be in Rome for this exciting announcement that the eternal city has expressed its firm interest to host a race in the Formula E 2014 championship calendar. The contrast between this innovative motorsport series and the rich ancient history of Rome is one I am sure the public and the media will be intrigued and enriched by.”

Will there be drivers from Formula 1 making the switch to Formula E? I am quite sure that the physics of things will be very, very different, and it would be interesting to see those who make the jump adjust themselves accordingly.

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