Hasta La Gadget!

I think like most people who grew up watching James Bond hoon that white Lotus Esprit around Greece and then drive it directly into and out of the ocean where it became a submarine, I’ve always wanted an amphibious vehicle. You still can’t buy a Lotus that transforms into a submarine, but pretty soon you’ll be able to purchase the Quadski.

The Quadski is an amphibious vehicle designed to carry one person that can transform from a four-wheeler to a jet ski-like vehicle in 5 seconds at the press of a button. The vehicle is capable of traveling at 45 mph both on land and in the water. When on land the four wheels allow the driver to cruise on just about any terrain out there.

The vehicle can be driven directly into the water from the land. With the press of a button, its wheels move up and out of the way, completing the transformation into a water vehicle.  Power for the vehicle comes from a BMW four-cylinder engine.

The two biggest problems I see with the Quadski are the fact that it only holds one person and the MSRP is expected to be about $40,000 (USD)… and it still doesn’t turn into a submarine.

[via Herald Sun]

Ever wonder how Google can make such grandiose claims for the sheer amount of Street View imagery it collects? Here’s how. Google’s Masrur Odinaev has posted a snapshot of a central mapping car parking lot that shows dozens of the camera-equipped Subaru Imprezas amassed ahead of future runs. While it already represents more Street View cars in one place than anyone outside of Google would normally ever see, what’s most impressive is remembering that this addresses just a portion of the entire vehicle mix — aside from the local cars you don’t see in the photo, there are extra units worldwide providing street-level coverage alongside tricycles and underwater expeditions. Odinaev’s look reminds us just how much effort is needed to make Street View a common feature — and that there are are legions of Google staffers whose low-profile work goes a long way towards making our navigation easier.

Filed under: GPS, Transportation, Internet, Google

Visualized: Google Street View car fleet gets ready to conquer (and map) the world originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 15 Oct 2012 02:03:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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James Bond has had some pretty amazing vehicles over the years. At least one cool ride per movie, if you ask me. If you are a fan of 007 and a fan of miniature vehicles, you are going to want this awesome set. This set of eight die-cast miniature vehicles from Corgi (not the dog) features a selection of 007′s most memorable vehicles.


You get the Aston Martin DB5 from Goldfinger, the BMW Z3 from GoldenEye, the Aston Martin DBS from Casino Royale, the Little Nellie from You Only Live Twice, the Jaguar XKR from Die Another Day, the Lotus Esprit Underwater from The Spy Who Loved Me, the Rolls Royce III from Goldfinger, and even the Space Shuttle from Moonraker.

The complete set goes for $60(USD) from the MOMA store. It’s the perfect holiday gift for that James Bond fan on your list.

[via Likecool]

We wondered why Zipcar CEO Scott Griffith was slated as a keynote presenter at CTIA’s MobileCon — after all, what does renting cars have to do with mobile? Apparently, quite a lot. Griffith stated in his keynote that Zipcar’s app and mobile services have taken a much more central role in the organization. The company is developing its own in-car device holder so that customers can hook up their phones for hands-free functions, and more importantly, the Zipcar smartphone app is due for a major update. The current version can be used to schedule rentals and remote unlock vehicles, but future iterations will transform it into more of an “in-car assistant.” It’ll let you know more information about the car, help you around town with a personal recommendation service, stream your iTunes playlist, and detailed trip feedback like fuel-levels and car conditions will be far easier to report. Zipcar hopes to add new members through the app as well — just take a photo of your driver’s license and get an approval “in minutes.” According to Griffith, the connected car will change our urban landscape, especially with the combination of services like Lyft, Uber, bike sharing, and public transit. It’s not quite the flying car, but the nerd in us is sufficiently pleased.

Filed under: Cellphones, Transportation, Mobile

Zipcar CEO talks mobile app improvements, predicts connected vehicle future originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 10 Oct 2012 03:09:00 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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