Autoblog

In light of the "backwards-travelling wave" that researchers recently discovered as a cause of congestion, another study has pinpointed a possible major contributor. The University of Utah's Traffic Lab uncovered that drivers paying more attention to yapping on their phone – hands free or not – add to the suffering of us all. Talking while driving leads to drivers who take considerably longer to change lanes when following slow-moving vehicles, drive slower overall, and take longer to arrive at their destination.

Any benefits from slower speeds and more deliberate movements are mitigated by the distraction of a conversation. Thinking along the lines of chaos theory, even the small slowdowns created by poky drivers can grow into exponentially larger traffic problems quickly. Then, when we're all stuck in the stop and go, we call someone else and bitch about how bad the traffic is. Sounds like what they've really discovered in Utah is the fuel for a perpetual motion machine. Car stops, jaw continually flaps.

[Source: Reuters, Photo: hotrodscustomstuff.com]

From its headquarters in Maranello, Ferrari has traditionally operated two divisions: one that makes exquisite road cars, and another that competes in motorsports. More recently, however, a third division has emerged, with the responsibility of conducting the company's ever-increasing marketing enterprise. The Global Branding Division itself seems to be following two tracks: licensing products as exclusive as the road cars and targeted towards their owners, and marketing merchandise to the Scuderia's enormous fan base.

Take for example the ever-popular Ferrari wrist watches: the company teamed up with Swiss watchmakers Panerai to offer a line of exquisite timepieces at big prices, all the while offering the common racing fan a less complicated, lower-cost wristwatch. Ferrari appears to be offering branded mobile phones along the same strategy: the company teams up with Vertu to offer exclusive four-figure devices to Ferrari owners, and with Motorola for more cost-effective (but assuredly still plenty pricey) cell phones.

The latest to fit into the strategy is this Ferrari-edition Motorola Z8, complete with red accents and Ferrari logos, and loaded with special content, including videos, ring-tones and wallpapers. For some reason it even comes loaded with "The Bourne Identity" in mobile format.

Prices haven't yet been released, but while the Vertu sells for thousands, the previous Motorola RAZR Maxx V6 Ferrari Challenge retailed for a more manageable $524. The Motorola Z8 Ferrari will be available from Ferrari Stores and select Motorola retailers. Unfortunately for anyone reading this and thinking it would make a great Christmas gift for a certain special someone, it won't be available until after the new year, so consider putting a personal voucher in with the card instead.

[Source: Kataweb via Unwired View, Motorpasion and CarScoop]

It's a luxury-branded world we live in, and for some people, life, love, and mobile reception are just a little bit better when your cell phone comes from a high-end car maker. Ferrari's got Motorola, Lamborghini's got Nokia, Mercedes has Asus, and now Porsche Design, a subsidiary of the actual auto company, reveals its latest effort in conjunction with Sagem Communication, a French cell phone company: the P'9521.

All the usual suspects are there: quad-band GSM, 3.2 megapixel camera and flash, mp3 recording and playback, video capture, Bluetooth, and all kinds of messaging. It has a dual hinge so the screen swivels in two directions, like the Nokia N90, and you can take pictures around corners. It also has a fingerprint reader, although with so much mineral glass for its surface, we imagine the phone will be 'capturing' its fair share of fingerprints one way or another. Frankly, we think the form factor looks a bit clunky, but the aluminum and mineral glass is certainly digable. It will be available later this year, and it's going to cost a lot, but you won't be able to buy it in the US. For now, you'll just have to settle for a pocket knife instead.

[Source: Carscoop]

Even Porsche lovers will readily acknowledge that the Cayenne is far from being the most beautiful creations ever penned by Stuttgart, so why on earth would anyone want to mimic the shape in any form? Someone in Hong Kong evidently thought otherwise and produced this (hopefully) limited-edition Porsche Cayenne mobile phone.

In addition to its unfortunate and ridiculous appearance, this handset packs in dual-band GSM, a micro-SD card slot, and support for video and music playback. It'll cost you less than $200, plus any shred of good taste you might have retained if showing this unfortunate device off to your friends strikes you as a good idea.

This is why automakers license products and have input into their designs. Porsche is reportedly taking legal action against the manufacturer for copyright infringement, and we hope the automaker wins.

[Source: Engadget]

Vertu has long been cultivating an image of association with the pinnacle of automotive excellence through their branding, use of materials and special editions. The latest effort is a collaboration with Ferrari, that Italian stallion that seemingly manages to get its name on everything these days.

Following on the heels of the exclusive Racetrack Legends series, the Ferrari Challenge edition is likewise based on the sporty Ascent handset that features proprietary "liquid alloy" construction, jewel bearings, a sapphire crystal screen and distinctive leather trim. The Ferrari version is differentiated by a Prancing Horse emblem near the mouthpiece, black and red leather with embossed Ferrari insignia, and a drilled accelerator pedal on the back.

[Source: Sybarites]