Dash marries your car and iPhone

Dash features a video pass through so users can play video on outside monitors, and the technique keeps your phone charged while in use. The unit pumps out 4x50w of power and includes preamps for front and rear subwoofers.

Aftermarket smartphone integration leaves plenty to be desired. Most systems limit the usability of your gizmo and need a tangle of cords or battery-sucking Bluetooth. Then there is the headache of trying to figure out how to access your files and applications by the stereo's cryptic controls. A brand spanking new Kickstarter project aims to fix all that. Dash is a standard double-din head unit that makes use of a distinctive magnetic CNC-aluminum faceplate to dock your phone straight in to your vehicle's dashboard. From there, accessing GPS, sending texts (by voice, of coursework) and playing music is as simple as swiping your screen. slick.

The technique features some fascinating innovations, . In addition to carrying the traditional FM tuner and an AUX in, Dash will finally permit users to connect to their vehicle's computer. That, they can get behind.

They usually get antsy any time they see expertise that encourages distraction. To that finish, Dash also includes an app to make all of your auto-themed applications basically obtainable from home screen. While that ought to cut down on the amount of time spent flipping through the main menu, it still appears that drivers will must squint at their rings from behind the wheel.

The technique is expected to start shipping in June 2012. At first, Dash will only support the iPhone four and 4S, but Devium, the company behind Dash, hopes to support other smartphones in the future. Check out the Kickstarter page for more knowledge, and click past the jump for a speedy video of the technique in action.
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U.S. Army's CERV

At the 2012 Chicago Auto Show, the Army's Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Middle (TARDEC) displayed the CERV, which makes use of a diesel-hybrid "Q-Force" powertrain from Quantum that Quantum says, "saves taxpayer dollars and  most importantly  saves Soldiers' lives."

It was one time that they could not even discover a picture of the U.S. Army's Clandestine Extended Range Vehicle (CERV), but times have changed.

With a top speed of 80 miles per hour as well as a "run-silent" range of eight miles (they assume this means all-electric range), the CERV prototype can produce over five,000 pound-feet of torque and go up hills with up to 60-percent grades. It does all this while using 25 percent less fuel, which is critical when you require to pay up to $400 a gallon to make use of the stuff in theater.

The Army says that today's soldier makes use of an average of 22 gallons of gasoline a day. In World War II, it was gallon a day.
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NHTSA issues proposal for in-vehicle electronics

The ideas range from ensuring that hand is always left free for steering and restricting the entry of text, such as an address, unless the your automobile is in park, to limiting in-dash text prompts to "no over 30 characters of text unrelated to the driving task" so that your eyes cannot wander off of the road for long. Passengers, of coursework, would be free to do whatever they wish. Vehicles under ten,000 pounds are said to be the primary focus, with the NHTSA noting that electronic warning systems won't be on the radar as they intend to help drivers, well, drive. Before the proposal spins in to action, beginning in March it will be up for public comment for 60 days L.A., Washington D.C. and Chicago. Depending on how the phase guidelines pan out, phase will focus on devices brought in to vehicles, like cellphones, while phase would set its sights on voice controls. If you are curious about all of the specifics, you'll find more information in the press release after the break and the full proposal draft at the source link below.

With companies like Tesla and Ford replacing tactile, in-dash systems with touchscreens and gizmos, the National Highway and Transportation Safety Administration desires to set "distraction guidelines" for how automakers implement factory-installed in-car electronics.  a year after discussing the chance of bringing restrictions to in-car knowledge, US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood unveiled phase of a (potential) three-part, "first-ever federal proposal" loaded with suggestions for keeping driver's eyes and attention on the road. Notably, these voluntary guidelines take objective at "communications, entertainment, knowledge gathering and navigation devices or functions that are not necessary to safely operate the vehicle." According to Reuters, though, the Alliance of Auto Manufacturers claims that "elements" of the guidelines have been in practice for 0 years.

Press release

U.S. Department of Transportation Proposes 'Distraction' Guidelines for Automakers

Proposed recommendations would encourage manufacturers to develop "less distracting" in-vehicle electronic devices

WASHINGTON – U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today announced the first-ever federally proposed guidelines to encourage automobile manufacturers to limit the distraction risk for in-vehicle electronic devices. The proposed voluntary guidelines would apply to communications, entertainment, information gathering and navigation devices or functions that are not required to safely operate the vehicle.

Issued by the Department's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the guidelines would establish specific recommended criteria for electronic devices installed in vehicles at the time they are manufactured that require visual or manual operation by drivers. The announcement of the guidelines comes just days after President Obama's FY 2013 budget request, which includes $330 million over six years for distracted driving programs that increase awareness of the issue and encourage stakeholders to take action.

"Distracted driving is a dangerous and deadly habit on America's roadways – that's why I've made it a priority to encourage people to stay focused behind the wheel," said Secretary LaHood. "These guidelines are a major step forward in identifying real solutions to tackle the issue of distracted driving for drivers of all ages."

Geared toward light vehicles (cars, SUVs, pickup trucks, minivans, and other vehicles rated at not more than 10,000 pounds gross vehicle weight), the guidelines proposed today are the first in a series of guidance documents NHTSA plans to issue to address sources of distraction that require use of the hands and/or diversion of the eyes from the primary task of driving.

In particular, the Phase I proposed guidelines released today recommend criteria that manufacturers can use to ensure the systems or devices they provide in their vehicles are less likely to distract the driver with tasks not directly relevant to safely operating the vehicle, or cause undue distraction by engaging the driver's eyes or hands for more than a very limited duration while driving. Electronic warning system functions such as forward-collision or lane departure alerts would not be subject to the proposed guidelines, since they are intended to warn a driver of a potential crash and are not considered distracting devices.

"We recognize that vehicle manufacturers want to build vehicles that include the tools and conveniences expected by today's American drivers," said NHTSA Administrator David Strickland. "The guidelines we're proposing would offer real-world guidance to automakers to help them develop electronic devices that provide features consumers want-without disrupting a driver's attention or sacrificing safety."

The proposed Phase I distraction guidelines include recommendations to:

Reduce complexity and task length required by the device;
Limit device operation to one hand only (leaving the other hand to remain on the steering wheel to control the vehicle);
Limit individual off-road glances required for device operation to no more than two seconds in duration;
Limit unnecessary visual information in the driver's field of view;
Limit the amount of manual inputs required for device operation.


The proposed guidelines would also recommend the disabling of the following operations by in-vehicle electronic devices while driving, unless the devices are intended for use by passengers and cannot reasonably be accessed or seen by the driver, or unless the vehicle is stopped and the transmission shift lever is in park.

Visual-manual text messaging;
Visual-manual internet browsing;
Visual-manual social media browsing;
Visual-manual navigation system destination entry by address;
Visual-manual 10-digit phone dialing;
Displaying to the driver more than 30 characters of text unrelated to the driving task.

NHTSA is also considering future, Phase II proposed guidelines that might address devices or systems that are not built into the vehicle but are brought into the vehicle and used while driving, including aftermarket and portable personal electronic devices such as navigation systems, smart phones, electronic tablets and pads, and other mobile communications devices. A third set of proposed guidelines (Phase III) may address voice-activated controls to further minimize distraction in factory-installed, aftermarket, and portable devices.

The Phase I guidelines were published in today's Federal Register and members of the public will have the opportunity to comment on the proposal for 60 days. Final guidelines will be issued after the agency reviews and analyzes and responds to public input.

NHTSA will also hold public hearings on the proposed guidelines to solicit public comment. The hearings will take place in March and will be held in Los Angeles, Chicago, and Washington D.C

Samsung's new SD cards look too good

We've seldom been fussed with how our storage looks -- it is rare that our SD cards linger long outside the camera anyway. However, for you genius-level aesthetes who demand your internals are as pretty as your externals, Samsung's got your back. It is releasing a line of SD & micro SD cards with a stylish brushed metal body in silver or black that, frankly, looks shinier than whatever they are going to be nestled inside. like Ryan Gosling, the cards are both & hard -- able to resist 24 hours in water, three,200 pounds of pressure or being left in an MRI machine with a power of ten,000 gauss , which we are always doing. After the interval, they have got pricing & stats for each unit (speed improves greatly in case you plump for a 4GB card or higher) and a small PR paperwork. [Engadget]

silverback

The new Sliverback Starke rangeis changing that . A dynamo creates the power as you pedal & as well as powering the light it also let you juice up your smartphome or pmp via usb while tootling to the office the sub zero is the star but starkes three other bikes all coms with usb. [ silverbacklab ]

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