Showing posts with label technology. Show all posts
Showing posts with label technology. Show all posts

Tuesday, April 1, 2008

How to Pick out GPS for your wheels

SOURCE: http://consumerreportsblog.blogspot.com/

If you often travel to new places, have trouble reading maps, or simply hate to ask for directions, you might want to consider a portable GPS navigation system. Once you give it a destination, the system can plot out a route, deliver spoken directions, and display each turn as you drive, or in some cases, walk. Most units let you choose guidance options that include plotting the shortest, fastest, and even a toll-free route. An internal database also includes common points of interest such as gas stations and ATMs, and the nav system can route you to the nearest one. You can even choose a nearby restaurant by the type of food.

Although not always as easy to use as the in-dash systems available on many new vehicles, portable systems are catching up. Features like internal, rechargeable batteries and pre-loaded North America map databases are now commonly included on budget systems. More premium features such as real-time traffic reporting are becoming available on more affordable units, although those often require additional hardware.

Portables have the distinct advantage of being easy to move from car to car, enabling a family to share a unit or lend it to others. Their low weight and small size are well suited to long-distance business travel and vacations by plane (for use in a rental car when you arrive), or for walking and biking tours (for use as a handheld device).

And with prices from about $200 to $650, portable units are much less expensive than the typical price tag of up to $2,000 for an integrated, in-dash factory system.

WHAT'S AVAILABLE
As sales of portable GPS navigation devices continue to skyrocket, more manufacturers are entering the market, giving shoppers many products from which to choose. With our latest ratings update, we have added new units from Garmin, Hewlett-Packard, LG, Magellan, Mio, Navigon, Pioneer, and TomTom. For our next update, we plan to post ratings on devices from Garmin, Harman-Kardon, Panasonic, Sony, and Uniden.

Units have decreased in size since the first portables came on the market, but that is not always good. If a device is too small, it can be hard to read or operate. We find that the common 3.5-inch screen, measured diagonally, is a good compromise between portability and usability. If you plan to use the device frequently, consider a compact unit with a wide screen, giving a larger map view, easier-to-read information, and bigger touch-screen buttons.

Special features like photo viewing, a video player, hands-free calling, and traffic information are available in an increasing number of units.

HOW TO CHOOSE
None of the navigation systems we've tested is perfect. They don't substitute for local knowledge, and all databases had minor errors. But a portable system will usually get you there, guiding you on the way and providing you with peace of mind when you are traveling to unfamiliar areas. The highest-rated models make it especially easy to enter destinations and they give the most helpful directions.

Navigation is the priority. We recommend focusing first on how well the system works for navigation, using the ratings to prioritize nav features and map database coverage, over entertaining, nonessential extras.

Built-in battery convenience. Look for a unit with good battery life, especially if you want to use it for walking. While all systems include a plug for your car's 12-volt outlet, a built-in battery leaves you the option to use the power port for another device, such as a cell phone, and it eliminates cord clutter. A battery also enables you to preload a route before you enter the vehicle. Some models are also packaged with a traditional AC plug for in-home use and recharging.

Text-to-speech capability. A system that speaks street names rather than says simply "turn left" can help you negotiate an unfamiliar area and is especially useful in urban driving, where streets can be close together. It is a handy feature that reduces the need to take your eyes off the road to scan the on-screen map.

Avoiding traffic. A system with traffic-information capability can be helpful if you travel a lot in cities that have good traffic-monitoring coverage. Between the map and detour functions, the system can help you route around traffic congestion and alert you to accidents and road construction. But as with traditional radio traffic reports, there are some weaknesses in the nav-system-based services, specifically related to available data and the timeliness of the report. Unless specifically stated that a unit has an internal receiver, many devices need an external receiver or a cell phone to obtain traffic data and most will require a subscription fee for the information. (Typically, only the premium-priced units have a built-in receiver and that is noted on the product pages, accessed through the Ratings chart.)

Modern features. A full-featured model can effectively upgrade an older car with features like Bluetooth hands-free telephone capability, MP3 player, an iPod connection, and an FM transmitter.

Travel gear. If you travel outside the United States, look for a unit that offers maps for navigating overseas. Most will function in the U.S. and Canada, but some models, such as the Garmin 770 and TomTom GO 920t, will also work in Europe and other countries.

Size matters. The more portable the unit, the better-especially if you frequently pack it in a suitcase. Some are no bigger than a wallet and weigh less than 7 ounces, while others are as large as a paperback book and weigh considerably more-two pounds or more.

Mounting. Most models mount to your windshield using a suction cup attached to either a ball-in-socket, rigid, or gooseneck-type arm. We find the rigid arms are better at holding the units in place, especially over bumps. (Note: Windshield mounting is prohibited in California and Minnesota.)

Saturday, March 8, 2008

Vehicle GPS now available in Jamaica

It is all the rage now. Cars that can find your favourite restaurant, know which street you work on, and can take you home with a voice command.

It is the leveraging of global positioning systems for everyday use and car manufacturers, working with the doyens of technology like Microsoft, are including them in vehicles now to keep their edge on the market.

In Jamaica, the Mona Geo-Informatics Institute (MGI) has created its own mapping or navigational system, and will in a matter of months, offer the service to companies and individuals.

Here is how it works: You buy the hardware, and MGI will program the Jamaican coordinates for a cost.

Now the fancy device on the dashboard of your BMW, Volvo, Benz or any other showpiece vehicle can actually have functionality.

Of course, a car finding its way through New York is not the same as, say, an SUV taking on the challenge of the twists and turns of Stony Hill, nor locating a house in a small township in diverse St Elizabeth.

For one, street names and numbers are not a given here, so it makes MGI's work all the more challenging.

Still, it is not altogether clear what MGI's product will look like, nor how detailed it will be.

The institute merely mentioned its project at the 'Management Control Systems (MC Systems) 35th Anniversary Exposition and Technological Conference' held Wednesday at the Jamaica Pegasus.

According to director of MGI, Dr Parris Lyew-Ayee, the idea is to give Jamaicans the ability to track their location anywhere within the country, while also levelling the playing field by providing software to make GPS as useful here as it is in countries of North America and Europe.

While the date that the product will become available is not known, Lyew-Ayee told Sunday Business that it would be later this spring.

For now, MGI and Jamaica National are in negotiations to bring the navigational technology to market.

"MGI is responsible for the research and technical development of the product, but commercialisation will be done through the JN group and MCS and JAA," Lyew-Ayee told Sunday Business.

MC Systems and the Jamaica Automobile Association are both JN subsidiaries.

On Friday, MC Systems confirmed the talks but said they remained in the embryonic stages.

"Our partnership with Mona Geo-Informatics will see us offering Jamaican consumers a range of superior products starting with vehicle tracking and navigation solutions," said general manager Shereen Todd.

"We are very excited about this new technology and have great plans in store for our corporate customers as well as individual consumers."

Lyew-Ayee said it did not matter the type of navigational tools owned by potential clients, and MGI would configure any the device to the Jamaican landscape.

"We are not interested where you buy the device - whether it is Best Buy, it doesn't matter to us. What we are concerned with is the data that will make it work in Jamaica. That is the business," Lyew-Ayee said.

Bring navigational devices

MGI representative Mario Mighty said when the product makes it to market, prospective clients - companies and individuals - would have to bring their GPS navigational devices to MGI for configuration to Jamaica's topology.

MGI is the focal point for geo-informatics study at the University of the West Indies.

But the institute is also commercially savvy, developing products and services that it sells to different markets.

MGI, for example, provides services for private companies wishing to create virtual replicas of buildings and structures. It also maps and identifies areas suited to particular purposes for, say, a company seeking to expand to new locations.

Lyew-Ayee disclosed to Sunday Business, for example, that MGI has been asked by Digicel Jamaica to map all its billboards across the Jamaica, and to appraise the condition and content, and review new locations.

The new GPS technology is being launched after 18 months of research, field work and programming by MGI.

Lyew-Ayee refused comment on the actual investment in getting the product from design to market, but said it was funded by endowments as well as revenue from other projects.

Currently, only private security firms such as King Alarm and Marksman have the ability to track vehicles from a remote location, with the help of telecommunication companies.

This would be the first time that Jamaicans would have access to GPS technology that can be functional within Jamaica.

Misc Auto News

Starting this weekend, Honda DN-01 automatic motorcycle is officially on sale in Japan. When we first heard about the concept, we wondered how it would perform with its 680 cc V-Twin and new hydraulic transmission design. Since then, we've heard that the engine will make 61 horsepower, so think of this machine as a bridge between large maxi-scooters and entry-level sportbikes like the Ninja 500 or GS500. We expect that the DN-01 will have no problem handling daily commuting chores and the often necessary highway-drones, but don't expect to challenge any sportbikes on long straights. Handling will likely be a strong point, with 17" rims sporting 130/70 front and 190/50 rear tyres combined with ABS for panic-free stops.

Honda ending US motorcycle production

Honda has announced that next year it will cease motorcycle production at its Marysville, OH manufacturing plant. That facility's output, along with that of the Hamamatsu, Japan factory, will be shifted to the company's brand-new bike plant in Kumamoto next year. In 2007, Marysville built 44,000 Gold Wing and VTX models, though Honda notes that there will be no layoffs because of this shift in production. Instead, the Marysville workers will be reassigned to other Honda businesses in the fair state of Ohio.

Ban on used cars

Mexico has ban all imported used cars from US except 1998 models. The only used cars the Mexican government will allow across its borders for resale are those exactly 10 years old. There are two main reasons for Mexico's seemingly arbitrary automotive adjudication. First, its new-car dealers are tired of trying to compete with all manner of relatively inexpensive, recent-model used cars from the US. Second, the government says cars older than 10 years are wreaking havoc on the country's air quality. Until now, it was legal to import cars into Mexico that were between 10 and 15 years old. The Mexican Association of Automobile Distributors fought for the newer, more restrictive law.

BMW diesel hybrid

BMW's X5 Vision EfficientDynamics hybrid has a 2.0-litre twin-turbo 4-cylinder diesel engine mated to a li-ion battery pack. Third-generation common-rail injection and an all-aluminum crankcase to deliver 204hp 400Nm of torque between 2,000-2,250rpm. The relatively small capacity engine delivers nearly the same levels of horsepower as the conventional X5, but offers improvements in its already class-leading consumption and emissions figures. Special aero rims, a solar roof panel to heat up engine fluids before you start the vehicle; it has an 8-speed transmission. The mild hybrid solution in the BMW Vision Efficient Dynamics uses a compact generator that, for the first time, is flange mounted directly on to the gearbox. This motor produces up to 20hp of on-demand power. Innovatively, the alternator is also integrated into the crankcase rather than conventionally driven from the front of the engine.

Lancer Sportback coming to America

Mitsubishi has put out its global business plan for the next few years. The official title of the blueprint for Mitsubishi's future is 'Step Up 2010' and the automaker's overall prognostication look good globally, but more 'bear' than 'bull' for the US market. Mitsubishi figures that worldwide sales will increase from the 1.34 million units sold currently to 1.42 million by March 31, 2011. Most of the boom is expected to come from emerging markets in Brazil, China, India, the Middle East and Russia, with the latter expected to climb by close to 70 per cent and eclipsing the American market by around 63,000 in vehicle sales. On the product front, Mitsubishi is touting the introduction of the Evolution X that's currently on sale, plus a redesigned Eclipse that will be coming to market in the next few years.

No diesel hybrids for Toyota

One company that won't be joining that diesel hybrid party is Toyota. Toyota President Katsuaki Watanabe said the hybrid pioneer had no plans to introduce any diesel hybrids.

Watanabe announced that Toyota would offer a diesel engine in the Sequoia and Tundra in 2010. Toyota already offers a variety of diesels in the European market. However, according to Watanabe, the combination of diesel and hybrid doesn't yield enough of an incremental improvement in efficiency to justify the combined cost premium of both. At this point, the Toyota Hybrid Synergy Drive system is not suitable for use in the big trucks, which is why Toyota is following just the diesel path for now.

BMW to offer unlimited in-car Internet access


BMW is planning to offer a production version of its Connected Drive system by the end of the year, which will allow for unlimited web browsing while on the go. BMW says that the functioning display model it has in the X6 is a prototype, but that the final consumer version of the system won't look a lot different. Connected Drive will be interfaced with BMW's much-discussed iDrive, with the web pages appearing on a high resolution, dash-mounted display. The engineers have wisely limited front-seat access to the system to when the engine is turned off, but passengers with an optional rear display (and a special iDrive interface) will be able to browse while the car is running.

No Honda Accord Type-R

The all-new European Honda Accord buyers will be disappointed to hear there are apparently no plans to launch a high-performance Type-R version of the car. Honda does not feel the all-new model fits the Type-R brand, adding that the new European Accord is designed to propel the company into competing with the likes of BMW and Audi. Honda does have plans to release Accords with modified suspension and body kits, but with standard engines, much like Audi does with its S-line models.

Friday, March 7, 2008

Toyota Decides not to follow Lithium Ion Battery Trend


Sure, lithium-ion batteries are all the rage with consumer electronics and are slowly making inroads with carmakers. Toyota, however, has bucked the trend and decided to say "Screw it!" and skip the lithium-ion battery bandwagon altogether. Rather, Toyota is looking towards some really futuristic concepts for auto batteries. Like air-zinc. And what the hell is that, exactly?

A battery that can be charged off a standard AC outlet, and that has a 50-mile range. Toyota set a goal of 2020 to commercialize the new battery. You know, I don't really have a problem with Toyota deciding to skip out on lithium-ion batteries. Those things are freaking dangerous. You ever see an exploded laptop battery? Yeah, it's bad news bears. Imagine a battery bigger than that exploding at 75 mph. Hello, zinc-air!

Thursday, March 6, 2008

Nano Technolgy involved in Scratch resistant self cleaning Automobile coating

Imagine for a moment, a world where pilots can safely bypass the deicing pad prior to a winter flight, an automobile that is car key resistant and requires 60% less cleaning, an ocean liner hull that repels marine growth, or a car wheel that prevents the unsightly appearance of brake dust or a speed boat that resists fading. These and other amazing coating benefits are now possible due to recent developments in nanotechnology.

According to Nanovere Technologies Chairman and Principal Scientist Thomas F. Choate, "What's most unique about Zyvere coatings based on nanotechnology; is their ability to resist scratching and ease of cleaning. Zyvere Nanocoatings are permanent, Self-Cleaning and Car Key Resistant! Even after 5 years, our Zyvere Nanocoatings provide 100% gloss retention, a feat just not possible with any ordinary clear coat finishes." Zyvere Nanocoatings outperform all automotive OEM coatings, automotive aftermarket coatings and aerospace coating competitors;

-- 53% higher scratch resistance: 6H pencil hardness
-- 60% improved clean ability over any competitor
-- 476% higher chemical resistance over the nearest competitor
-- 100% gloss retention even after 5+ yearsWhy is tiny such a big thing?

Nanotechnology can be described as the science of molecular engineering. The word Nano is derived from the Greek word "small". A nanometer is one- billionth of a meter. For comparison purposes, a human hair is roughly 80,000 nanometers. The smaller the particle, the closer they reside together, which alters the surface area and material characteristics dramatically. Zyvere nanocoatings provide permanent surface protection, and utilize nanostructured materials which form three dimensional molecular networks. These molecular networks form a very high crosslink density coating with remarkable physical properties including extreme scratch resistance, ultra high gloss, very high chemical resistance, extreme UV resistance, remarkable flexibility and self- cleaning properties including dirt, oil and ice release properties.

Zyvere nanocoatings were specifically designed to be applied over Automotive OEM Coatings, Aftermarket Paint finishes, Aerospace Paint, Industrial Coatings and Marine Coating surfaces. To learn more about Nanovere, please visit http://www.nanocoatings.com or call (877) 998-3737 or e-mail at question@nanovere.com.

About Nanovere

Nanovere Technologies, Inc. specializes in the research, development & manufacturing of permanent coatings based on nanotechnology materials and concepts.

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