The past weekend marked history in 3D broadcasting. The movie theaters have been very busy with new 3D movies such as Avatar but 3D technology at home is still trying to plant its roots into the North American consumer market. Comcast announced couple weeks back that it will be the first network to provide LIVE 3D Broadcasting of a sporting event. The PGA Tour set the record to be the first sporting event to be broadcast live in 3 dimensions( Tiger Woods also came back from his fallout last year). The 3D broadcast was available for existing customers at no extra fee, the only thing required was to have 3D capable TV and those fancy 3D glasses. Sporting events have a huge future in 3D as the TV broadcasting market has been effected heavily by the recent influx of alternative media such as the internet. The 3D broadcast was also available online for those with 3D enabled computer screens.
This video was not able to be embedded. HERE
So the day has come, after long anticipation Steve Jobs finally headlined the January 27th event in San Francisco.
There has been mixed reviews. Personally I expected more and I think this is the case for many fans and technology enthusiasts. I believe that this device will BE “more” after we give it sometime. What Apple failed to do at the launch of this device was there was not much content ready for the device to showcase what it is fully capable of. I’ve attached a rendition of what the future Sports Illustrated magazine could be on an iPad like device. Although I was disappointed with the level of content shown at the premier, I am excited to finally see a device/company which will continually work with the publishers to bring new content and bring innovative and CPU draining content. The days of static multimedia is over, it is all about interactivity, and not just at the local science center, but in your hands, on your laps, or where ever you may take your iPad. When text book content becomes available on the iPad with interactivity and embedded “active” diagrams it would be a revolution in the way we study. I would not expect this content for at least another year until the 2nd generation iPad comes around. Enjoy the vids.
I heard about Mercedes Mbrace system from someone I know then came across it on Wired. In the Wired article I read a very important point made by the director of advanced product planning at Mercedes. She quotes; “The problem that has beleaguered this technology in the past is the life cycle of the car far outlives the life cycle of consumer electronics, to overcome that, we realized we needed to change the paradigm. We want to put technology in our cars that can be updated all the time. It allows us to add new applications, new uses and new value to our customers’ cars on a regular basis.”
We’ve all seen the early Motorola StarTac phones in old luxury cars…They became obsolete pretty quick…
This change in paradigm will hopefully bring lasting and more innovative technology to the automotive telematics market.
Here is a few screen shots of the Mbrace app for iPhone.
Features
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Securely lock* and unlock your Mercedes-Benz vehicle doors
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Find your vehicle on a map**
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Contact Mercedes-Benz Roadside Assistance for help
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Search for nearby Mercedes-Benz dealerships
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View your key mbrace account and vehicle information
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Contact your Mercedes-Benz dealer to conveniently schedule a service appointment or speak to a sales representative
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Call Mercedes-Benz mbrace Response Center for questions regarding your mbrace account
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Call Mercedes-Benz Financial Client Care Center for account assistance
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Secure system validates user’s credentials prior to allowing access to the application
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Simple and intuitive user interfaces allow for quick and easy navigation
For the time saving/to the point people (not in particular order):
Ipod
GPS Devices
The Blackberry
Digital Cameras
TiVo Digital Video Recorder
Nintendo Wii
The USB Flash Driver
The iPhone
E-Book Readers
Netbooks
With the launch of Android 2.0 on the “attempt to kill iPhone” phone the Motorola Droid. The new Google maps for Android features turn by turn directions equivalent of those offered in PNDs (personal navigation devices). The great things about this is you get live and up-to-date data. The set back of having such a system is that when you are out of cell coverage you are s.o.l.. Regardless it is very cool technology which appeals to the consumer market. A Google executive confirmed that a similar native maps application is on it’s way to the iPhone. Enjoy the vid!
In these times of a global recession and the collapse of the American auto industry perhaps we can look back and be reminiscent of the beginning. Although the automobile was invented by Karl Benz of Germany, it was Ford who began the modern practice of mass producing automobiles.
The likes of Ford, Dodge, and Chrysler of Detroit are now setting their roots in California. There is no other place in the world where this new green movement and the new revolution of the auto industry is more appropriately placed then California. It is the lone state in the US which has its own standards when it comes to emissions( the California Air Resources Board). CARB sets their own standards more stringent than the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) which governs the rest of the US.
A hybrid or an electric vehicles are appealing to the environmentally conscious person not to a true performance enthusiast. The major manufacturers have been developing new and more environmentally friendly substitutions but they mostly simply do not appeal to me personally. I really like what Lexus has been doing lately with their hybrid models. They’ve marketed the hybrid model to be the top of the line and the best performing for example in the Lexus GS model line up the hybrid model (GS 450h) actually has more power than the available 8 cylinder (GS 460) version. This to me is a really step forward decision on Toyota’s part to market hybrid vehicles to be of something desirable to the performance oriented person.
Anyways, enough side tracking, what I intend to say by the title of this post is that California is the home to two major new car manufacturers, Tesla and Fisker.
Tesla has been a around for a couple years now they have the first ever fully electronic roadster, appropriately named the Tesla Roadster. They took the frame of a Lotus Elise equipped it with electric motors and battery packs and have created a sports car that does 0 – 60 under 4 seconds and a range of 244 miles (392 km). Supercar performance in an electric vehicle. They are coming out with a 4 door sedan/hatchback called Model S to be delivering in 2011. They are claiming 300 mile range and 0 – 60 in 5.6 seconds AND will seat up to 7…
Fisker’s Karma is a fresh and beautifully sculpted design. I think this car is a game changer in its design and luxury appeal. The specifications as of now say 0 – 60 time of under 6 seconds and range of 300 miles (482 km).
Enough talk, here are some vids…
TESLA
Jay Leno is bringing some spotlight to Electric Vehicles! Good on him! It is great that these media figures take the initiative to demolish myth about new technology and make it main stream. I know some girls that would certainly want a hybrid or an EV after seeing their favourite celebrity driving and enjoying one…
Enjoy the vid…
I read about CRISTAL a while back but a friend sent me a video of Microsoft’s stuff today and had to make a post…
CRISTAL = Control of Remotely Interfaced Systems using Touch-based Actions in Living spaces
Is an experiment based out University of Waterloo…Estimated to cost between $10,000 to $15,000…
I will let the video speak for it self…
Microsoft’s surface computing was first showed off last year but still cool and holds huge potentials…
Just saw this on wired.com where I often check for the latest technology related news…
Boeing’s best selling aircraft currently is the Scan Eagle. It is an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle often referred to as UAVs.
I knew that UAVs were used in combat situations and a local company here in Calgary called CDL made some of the GUI control panels for them but it is first time seeing UAV for a different purpose…
The Scan Eagle can be used to fly through dense haze where it would be too dangerous for a manned aircraft.
It seeks out hot spots and fire lines using infrared cameras. Check out the video below to see the UAV launch, what the people see from the ground and see it be recaptured!
Also check out some vids on UAVs…these are a few years old but I’ve saved the links to them… enjoy!
