Could hackers wirelessly steal your car?
Engineers manage to break into a 2009 sedan without so much as a coathanger. Could the high-tech gadgetry in our cars leave them vulnerable to thieves?
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Jake talks about the Garmin fitness watch. Mark from Whirlpool talks about computers that plug-in and play from your refrigerator.
PC World Editor Bud McLeod takes a tour of CES- A GPS sportswatch from Garmin, a digital fridge from Whirlpool, and a personal digital two-deck DJ device from Tonium.
I outfitted my droid with some new stuff and wanted to show everyone
WWJ Newsradio 950 Technology Editor Matt Roush gets a look at the hottest new gadgets with “Gadget Guy” Jim Barry, from the Consumer Electronics Association.
It used to be Agent 007 enjoying the sweetest ride on the road. But that was before. Nowadays, each driver is given the opportunity to ride high-tech autos. That fact makes James Bond jealous for sure.
Spectacular auto features are now made available by automakers but they also come with awesome price tags. Nonetheless, these gadgets are worth it. From push-button parking to night vision systems, today’s auto and car features are simply fascinating.
A few years ago, a vehicle could show the driver the location via digital map. The car could take control when it begins to skid. It could also automatically maintain a set of distance from the car in front. However, these auto features are becoming increasingly common. Hence, there has to be something more interesting and useful.
What’s next? How about a car that parks itself? Drivers who are oftentimes faced with parking problems will find the Lexus Intelligent Park Assist system pretty much beneficial. The said feature is available on the Toyota Prius and offered as an option on the redesigned LS models. Essentially, the system enables the driver to pull up to an available parking space by just pressing a button. According to Lexus, the driver only has to apply a little braking pressure.
If you find the Intelligent Park Assist system not that beneficial, you may find a system that keeps an eye on blind spots interesting. According to statistics, many road accidents occur when the driver tries to change lanes without being aware of a vehicle in his “blind spot.” This is the reason why Audi and Volvo formulated their versions of systems that answers this quandary.
Audi’s Side Assist system, launched in the new 2007 Q7 SUV, uses radar to detect other vehicles. Volvo’s Blind Spot Information System, available on the new S80 sedan, uses cameras. The systems are not complicated. It does not need the assistance of Audi rotors or of a Volvo head gasket to function well. It could function just with the rearview mirror. Both systems utilize LED displays near each outside rearview mirror to warn a driver that he should not try to change lanes because a car is in or is rapidly approaching a vehicle’s blind spot.
Another high-tech auto feature is called the sophisticated night vision. BMW, Lexus, and Mercedes-Benz introduced updated versions of the Night Vision system, which was initially offered by Cadillac. The systems allow a driver to detect objects and passersby beyond the reach of a vehicle’s headlights. The system uses infrared technology to sense heat from people, animals, stopped vehicles, and other objects up to several hundred feet in front of the car.
The precollision system is also awesome. The system is engineered to detect an impending collision and automatically adopt measures to avoid it. Some automakers use radar to detect and alarm and warning lights to alerts drivers of a possible crash. If the driver did not respond immediately, the system take the necessary steps like applying brakes, shutting windows, adjusting seat positions for maximum air-bag effectiveness, and activating safety-belt pretensioners. Lexus has formulated the Advanced Pre-Collision System (APCS) to avoid “preventable” collisions.
On-the-road entertainment is also booming. Portable audio systems like iPods and MP3 players are now auto compatible. Mercedes-Benz, for one, offers a glove-box-mounted iPod-docking station. It gives power for the iPod and enables the driver to use the car’s steering-wheel to operate it. High Definition (HD) Radio systems and Bluetooth technology are also offered as part of the auto package.
Glady Reign is a 32 year old is a consultant for an automotive firm based in Detroit, Mi. she is a native of the motor city and grew up around cars hence her expertise in the automotive field.
Gadgets Mantra- All new gadgets, cool internet stuff and computer solutions -Computer
A Linux distribution is also known as the GNU/Linux distribution by some. It is basically a family member of the Unix-like software distributions and these distributions are called “distros”. Linux kernel lies as the basis of these distributions. They contain a number of software applications comprising database applications, media players, spreadsheets and word processors. The Linux operating system consists of the Linux kernel along with a set of utilities and libraries from the GNU and the X Window System for graphic support.
Some Linux distributions may be optimized for size and may not come with X. These use compact alternatives to the GNU utilities, which may include dietlibc, uclibc or busybox. At present, there are more than 300 Linux distributions and many of them are in the active mode. This means that these distributions are being constantly studied, and revised to be improved. The Linux distributions are available in different forms because most of the kernels and supporting packages used are combination of open source and free software. They may take the form of a fully featured desktop or server operating system or can also be used in minimal environments. This is the reason why they are widely used in embedded systems and for things like booting from a floppy disk.
Actually, leaving aside the custom software aspect, the word distribution here simply means a specific assortment of some applications that are installed on top of a set of libraries, along with a version of the kernel. This is created in such a manner that the “out-of-the-box” capabilities are met with most of the requirements of its specific end-user base.
euronews hi-tech – A flying car and a home-knitted scarf
An Israeli company is working on a design for a flying car. They hope it will have the maneuverability of a helicopter but without the large propellers and tail rotor. It would be used in urban areas, to move between skyscrapers for example. The aim …
euronews hi-tech – Swedes say intelligent trucks on our roads soon
www.euronews.net Critics say that the transport of goods by road damages the environment, because of the high levels of pollution and high fuel consumption. Researchers in Sweden are testing a technology to reduce these effects. If the tests are favo…
Little did Mr. Ford know that the little black buggy he was making back in the early 90′s would a 100 years later be as sophisticated as the cars of today. Modern day cars are extremely complicated and high tech with some having the computing power greater than the first space shuttle which carried Neil Armstrong to the Moon! Cars today incorporate the latest in silicon technology and it’s the advent of Information Technology which has really given the automobile industry a giant technological leap. As computer chips become cheaper car manufacturers find news ways of integrating them into various functions of the car. Some of the primary technological advancements which have been made in car technology over the past few years are: on board chips in MPFI cars for controlling fuel supply and combustion, safety technologies like airbags, anti lock brakes and seat belt pre tensioners, high tech CVT transmissions, navigation through GPS systems, radar gun scanners, key less entry & theft protection systems & many more.
Some of the most recent technologies which have been introduced include Mercedes active safety technologies which sense when the car is about to have a crash and automatically rolls up the windows tightens the seat belts and inflates the seat cushions to protect the occupants. Then there are automatic headlights which turn on themselves when it gets dark and wipers which turn on automatically when it starts to rain. The list just goes on with seat back massagers, tv and dvd entertainment systems, in car refrigerators, telephone, laptop, sunroofs, heated seats & much much more. There are more gadgets in a car today than there were in an house in the 70′s. Even drivability and handling of a car is controlled by computers, many cars have active air suspensions, traction control systems and active four wheel drive systems.
So when we buy a car today is it just a mode of transport which we are buying? Not really, it’s a mobile relaxation spa for some, a mobile office for other or simply a lifestyle accessory for the rich. One thing is clear, technology is never constant and will continue to amaze us with faster, more sexy and more advanced cars in the future lets keep our eyes on the road.
Anil Tandon is a reputed automotive journalist based in India. Anil has written columns for numerous Indian dailies and auto magazines. He is currently working as a consultant to the Indian automotive industry. Anil is also involved with India’s Leading Auto Classifieds Site Indimoto.com http://www.indimoto.com which is also India’s First Carpool Site.
Digital Picture Frames, Hottest New Gadgets
Digital frames are one of the hottest new gadgets on the market. The most common use for digital photo frames is replacing your traditional static picture frames. In essence, consider your new digital frame a high tech, dynamic version of your older photo frames, specifically designed for the new generation of digital pictures. Many people consider digital frames more like digital photo albums than a digital version of a single picture frame.
Digital photo displays also have another use in that they can display different types of media. If part of your collection of pictures includes slideshows with music, or videos, these can be loaded on digital frames as well. Now productions that in the past were mostly limited to display on your television, now have another medium in your home for playback. Digital frames in essence are smaller, more portable versions of large LCD displays used in TVs.
Since many digital photo frames now use wireless technology, using your new frame around the house is easier than ever. Sign up for a new service with Flickr and FrameChannel, and stream pictures from your Flickr albums directly to your frame, or even news, weather, and other information from RSS feeds via FrameChannel.
Another popular use for a new digital photo frame is in your office. Many people have limited desk and office space, and generally have many loved ones that deserve photo frame real estate on their desk. Digital frames immediate solve this problem by combining the single photos of many frames onto one. Again, since your office desk is generally where your computer is, strongly consider a wireless digital frame for your office so you can easily change pictures often via Bluetooth.
There no shame in gifting or ‘re-gifting’ a digital frame, mainly because they are so easy to customize, so if you have a space digital picture frame, load it with pictures your friend or loved one will identify with and send it to them as a gift. They will be able to open your gift, turn it on, and immediately start enjoying photos you both can relate to. This and many other reasons are why digital photo frames are very popular gifts.
Finally, you should consider the uses of digital frames outside of the home and office. Businesses are putting digital photo frames to use in many highly productive ways. Some use digital frames in lobbys or reception areas for advertising, welcome, or information displays.
Digital frames can also be used as displays for calendars or schedules for teams or conference rooms, or as bullentin boards, mainly by displaying any information that can saved from PowerPoint into a JPEG file.
Editor: Afina
Article source:
http://www.articlesbase.com/home-improvement-articles/best-uses-for-your-digital-picture-frames-1037261.html