engadget


Toy Ferrari turned into exotic computing device

For Autoblog readers, cars and computers converge on a daily basis, but never like this. At Computex, creative PC packaging company Kimpro displayed an Intel Atom-based netbook (for the tech-challenged, that's an inexpensive laptop) that hides within the plastic of a Ferrari F430 GT. We don't know much about the company that produced this object of processing perfection, but we're pretty sure we could live with one of these babies for blog duty. The tech geeks at Engadget tell us that Atom-based computers are anything but sprightly, ... Read more →

Porsche wireless racing wheel from Fanatec Chris Shunk

If you love racing games, have a PS3 or PC, and have no problem parting with a hefty $349, Fanatec's wireless steering wheel is right up your alley. Sure you can get a gaming steering wheel for a lot ...

2008 Cadillac CTS to be first with Gracenote MusicID database Frank Filipponio

It looks like Cadillac will be the first company to offer the new Gracenote music library database in a car. Buyers of the new 2008 CTS will be able to get the system when the car goes on sale in ...

StreetWriter van gets the last word Frank Filipponio

OK, this is kind of cool, but kind of scary at the same time. Built by the Institute for Applied Autonomy, this spray-painting van is an ink-jet printer for the road. Pretty cool idea, but what would ...

T3 motion cop trike ensures unsuccessful getaway for crooks on foot Frank Filipponio

Visitors to the 2007 International Security Convention West show (ISC West) in Las Vegas had a chance to get up close and personal with the future of police patrol vehicles. On display was the new ...

Engadget gets hands on with GlobalTop HD100 GPS HUD 2 years ago on Autoblog

We said we'd keep you posted, and we meant it. Sister site Engadget just had a brief fling with the GlobalTop HUD GPS device at CeBIT. Unfortunately for them, the demo didn't happen in a car, but rather on the show floor. They said the heads-up display was quite visible on the tinted portion of the ...

Bose Media System debuts in Ferrari 612 Scaglietti 2 years ago on Autoblog

If you're going to introduce one of the world's most advanced automotive media systems, you might as well showcase it in one of the world's best vehicles. Bose has chosen the Ferrari 612 Scaglietti as its debut model. The new Bose Media System features customized 5.1-channel surround sound, an ...

BMW and Google Maps marry dash and desktop 2 years ago on Autoblog

var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/business_finance/BMW_and_Google_Maps_marry_dash_and_desktop'; GPS navigation systems continue to be a popular option for car buyers. Some of the most frequent complaints with electronic navigation, however, are that the maps themselves aren't updated frequently ...

A HUD for all occassions: GlobalTop GPS & Bluetooth HUD Speedmeter 2 years ago on Autoblog

How would you like to have a gadget that sits on your dash and projects your speed and other vital info onto your windshield so you can focus your eyes on the road instead of the gauge cluster? Heads-Up Displays (HUD) have been around for eons, most effectively employed in aircraft, but with some ...

Europeans getting revolutionary TiVo-like satellite radio 2 years ago on Autoblog

This particular nugget came from our sibling site Engadget, which reported on the "multimedia car radio of the future." In conjunction with a few select partners, the European Space Agency (ESA) is developing an entertainment system that will feature "built-in satellite radio and generous ...

BMW 3-series to come equipped with HD radio? 2 years ago on Autoblog

OK, we admit that this might be more appropriate on Engadget than Autoblog, but it is about BMW audio, so here goes. HD Radio technology is said to be one of the most significant advances in radio broadcasting history. Their words, not ours, but it's probably true. Just like HDTV, which gives ...

Ford and Microsoft teaming up to offer Blue&Me in-car computing in 2007 2 years ago on Autoblog

Thanks to sister site Engadget, we've learned about a new collaboration between Ford and Microsoft that will put a personal computer in your car. Expected to debut as early as next year on some Ford vehicles and be shown both at CES and NAIAS in January, the system is known as Blue&Me, although ...

Malaysia implements e-Plate with RFID to quell auto theft 2 years ago on Autoblog

Yesterday it was chipped tires, today it's chipped license plates. Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is becoming more popular in everything from credit cards and passports to toll transponders and now license plates. RFID tags can simplify life by providing an automatic ID when scanned. RFID ...

Jada Toys' I-Playaz VW Beetle iPod speaker 3 years ago on Autoblog

Brother blog Engadget just tipped us off to something they thought we might like just as much as they did. It's a new iPod speaker system from Jada Toys. Not that the world needed another iPod speaker system, but this one is a whole lot of fun. This one, in fact, comes in the funky shape of a ...

Audi Music Interface takes iPod integration to a new level 3 years ago on Autoblog

The Audi super-forum, Fourtitude, recently had a chance to sample the automaker's newest attempt at iPod integration in an S8, while joined by Audi of America's Product Planning Manager Filip Brabec. The new system, dubbed the Audi Music Interface (AMI), builds on the MMI system in the A3, A4, S4 ...

Man arrested for DWP: Driving With Porn 3 years ago on Autoblog

It was only a matter of time. With the prevalence of in-car monitors for playing DVDs, you had to know some bozo would pop in some porn to keep him entertained during his commute. A Tampa Bay TV station has reported that one Tracy Pope was pulled over in Aiken, South Carolina for just such an ...

VIDEO: Bullrun special blank license plate 3 years ago on Autoblog

It's often been said that racing improves the breed. Here we have video of a solution to a problem only scofflaws like the Bullrun participants would encounter. What to do when the popo spots you flying by at three times the posted limit? Give them a nice blank license to photograph or write ...

Steve Jobs hearts Autoblog 3 years ago on Autoblog

click image to enlarge a bit We try not to be a toot-our-own-horn kind of blog, but a few of us are just way too into Macs to let this one slide by. While watching the keynote given by Steve Jobs on the progress of OSX 10.5 Leopard in August (you can watch the video here), reader Dewey K. noticed ...

Nissan developing drink-and-drive proof vehicles 3 years ago on Autoblog

According to recent reports, Nissan is developing an ignition interlock that would deter intoxicated individuals from starting their cars and possibly causing great bodily harm to themselves or innocent bystanders should they drive drunk. Several recent high-profile, alcohol-related accidents and ...

Newest Ferrari laptop from Acer 3 years ago on Autoblog

Acer has announced its newest Ferrari-themed notebooks, the 5000 and ultra-portable 1000 series. Powered by the latest AMD Turion™ 64 X2 Mobile chip running at 2.0GHz, and encased in carbon-fiber, the 64-Bit Ferrari 5000 promises a performance edge over the other supercar-logo'd laptops. ...

Auto thieves get stuck on new deterrent 3 years ago on Autoblog

Some of you may remember the sci-fi action flick, Demolition Man, starring Wesley Snipes and Sylvester Stallone. Aside from the laughable script, the movie featured some good action, funny scenes with Dennis Leary, and some cool cars. One of the film's futuristic vehicles even demonstrated an ...

Becker Traffic Assist Pro custom Ferrari edition 3 years ago on Autoblog

Continuing on our recent theme of supercar logoed electronics, Becker has recently released a Ferrari F430 skinned GPS system at the IFA 2006 in Germany that should even work in a Fiat. The featured Becker Traffic Assist Pro 7929 is customized with Ferrari red coloring and the Ferrari logo printed ...

Wanna win a Mini for $50.43? Try Limbo 3 years ago on Autoblog

Making eBay seem lame and so three-days-ago in the auto auction game, upstart Limbo is offering bidders a new twist on bidding for a new car. Actually, there are several items up for bid at any given time at Limbo, including electronics, trips, gas, and of course cars. The way it works is that you ...

You know you've made it when... Koenigsegg gets a laptop 3 years ago on Autoblog

Apparently if you are going to play in the supercar ranks, you need to offer consumers a laptop to be taken seriously. Joining fellow automakers Ferrari and Lamborghini, Swedish supercar maker Koenigsegg now has its own notebook computer as well. Unlike Ferrari and Lamborghini, however, who rely on ...

Car carrying motor coach debuts in Germany 3 years ago on Autoblog

Have you ever noticed how many Saturns are towed behind motorhomes on our nation's highways? The reason is because most Saturns are part of a small group of vehicles that don't require the installation of a lube pump to circulate the transmission fluid in order to be towed with all four wheels on ...

GPS: When common sense flees 3 years ago on Autoblog

Sibling site Engadget reports what may be a trend among GPS-using drivers at least in the U.K. According to The Times, drivers going through the village of Luckington have driven right into the river by following their navigation systems. This is despite all the warning signs that the bridge has ...

Instant de-icing film 3 years ago on Autoblog

While not directly addressing vehicles, sibling-site's Engadget's post on pulse electrothermal de-icing (PETD) technology definitely has applications in the automotive industry. Developed by Dartmouth college professor Victor Petrenko through his company, Ice Engineering, PETD uses a thin ...

Goodyear adds some (carbon) fiber to its diet 3 years ago on Autoblog

Is there any application that wouldn’t benefit from the addition of carbon fiber? You can strike tire technology from the list, as Goodyear has announced a new line of Eagle tires that features ResponsEdge Technology. The outboard sidewall of these new shoes are reinforced with a carbon fiber ...

Ford designers dumping clay for computers 3 years ago on Autoblog

Computers have aided in the design of cars for decades now and each passing year sees the big beige boxes becoming a more important design tool than the pencil itself. Ford is on the cutting edge of computer aided design with a new software system called Bunkspeed that allows a design to go straight ...

VW gives its EcoRacer the finger 3 years ago on Autoblog

One of the things we missed about VW’s EcoRacer when it debuted at the 39th Annual Tokyo Motor Show was a little piece of technology living on top of its gearshift. Beneath a flip-up panel on the head of the stick lies a biometric scanner that can identify the fingerprint of whoever is ...

Ford to brighten corners with new lighting system 3 years ago on Autoblog

Headlamps that pivot to see around corners are nothing new—they’ve been lurking on the fringes of mainstream autodome, with cars like the Tucker Torpedo and Citroen DS. After a long dormant period in the industry, adaptive illumination seem to be gaining currency again—Lexus and ...

Volkswagen gets all touchy-feely with screens 3 years ago on Autoblog

VW has made a move to acquire licensing for a new technology called TouchSense from a U.S. company called Immersion. Foursprung reports that this technology makes it possible to make virtual buttons on touch screens sensible, thus providing tactile feedback from a 2-D display. TouchSense could ...






Autoblog Podcast #151: With Car and Driver's Eddie Alterman

Eddie Alterman wades in with Sam, Chris, Dan, and Jonny to talk about SEMA and other recent events.

 
 

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