Technology

Thu
20
Jun
Dennis Faas's picture

'DriveSync' Device Tracks Vehicle Location, Speed

Waterloo, Ontario-based Intelligent Mechatronic Systems (IMS) and BlackBerry recently took the stage at the Telematics Detroit conference. Their focus: showing people how they plan to bring a new generation of high-tech tools to the 'connected' car. ... IMS' major unveiling involved its 'DriveSync' device, which effectively turns any car into a connected car. 'Black Box' Tracks Driver Behavior How so? IMS' DriveSync involves a driver connecting a small black box to a vehicle's on-board diagnostics systems. From there, the device gathers critical information, including vehicle location, speed, ... (view more)

Wed
19
Jun
Dennis Faas's picture

Immortality Becoming a Reality, Google Exec Says

Google's engineering director thinks new developments in technology are bringing us closer to a world where human immortality will become a reality. Ray Kurzweil made that bold statement at the recent Global Future 2045 Congress in New York City. ... The Global Future 2045 Congress each year brings together the world's top scientists. The topics of discussion: important advancements in biotechnology research and human life expectancy. Russian Multimillionaire Seeks Immortality The event is held at New York's Alice Tully Hall and is funded primarily by Dmitry Itskov, a 32-year-old Russian Internet ... (view more)

Tue
28
May
Dennis Faas's picture

'Kevo' Lock Replaces Door Keys with Smartphone

Lockset manufacturer Kwikset has introduced a keyless front door entry system. Called Kevo, the two-part system connects a mechanical door lock with a smartphone app for easy access. Once an individual has changed over their current deadbolt to the ... one provided by Kevo (a process that takes about 5 minutes to complete), they program their smartphone app to create an administrator account. From there, the owner can sync the phones of other family members to the Kevo deadbolt, granting them access to the front door. Users Tap Smartphone for Access Anyone who has an administrator account can ... (view more)

Fri
24
May
Dennis Faas's picture

QNX Displaces Windows 8 Inside the 'Connected' Car

A recent study by Gartner found that Microsoft's Windows Phone mobile platform has now surpassed BlackBerry in smartphone market share. But there's hope yet for the Waterloo, Ontario-based firm: the company is rapidly preparing itself to take ... advantage of the 'connected' car revolution. It's expected that BlackBerry's mobile operating system, QNX, will be the key to connecting drivers' smartphones to their in-car infotainment systems. Inside the Car: QNX Eclipsing Windows QNX is slowly but steadily taking over as the dominant platform for connecting mobile devices to a vehicle. The reason: ... (view more)

Wed
22
May
Dennis Faas's picture

Apple's Smartphone Market Share Slipping Fast

Google's Android platform continues to establish its dominance over the growing smartphone market. And as sales of Android-based devices rise, Apple's market share is starting to decline. According to analyst firm Gartner, in the first quarter of ... 2013 Android smartphones accounted for 74.4 per cent of global sales. That means more than 150 million devices are now running the mobile operating system (OS). It also means that Android's share of the smartphone market has skyrocketed approximately 20 per cent since last year. (Source: zdnet.com ) Android Up, Apple Down Facing a reverse trend is ... (view more)

Wed
15
May
Dennis Faas's picture

Samsung Developing Ultra-Fast 5G Wireless Standard

Samsung says it has made a key breakthrough in the journey to making ultra-fast 5G wireless technology available to consumers. But critics say such a wireless standard is a long way off and have questioned the firm's use of the term "5G". The new ... development from Samsung is called an adaptive array transceiver. It's designed to use very high frequencies, currently reserved for sending signals to and from satellites, for cellphone data. So far, it's proven difficult to use those frequencies for cellphone towers because poor weather conditions can compromise the signal. According to Samsung, ... (view more)

Tue
07
May
Dennis Faas's picture

Flexible Phone Alters Shape for Different Callers

A team of researchers has developed a smartphone capable of folding and contorting when receiving a phone call, text message, email, or social media post. The device, which is being developed by researchers at Canada's Queen's University, is called ... 'MorePhone' and features a flexible plastic exterior. Internally, shape-memory alloy wires contract and bend based on electronic signals and are able to reform to the original shape of the device on command. Message and Caller-Specific Curls The technology also can be programmed to alter the phone in a way that suits the owner. In other words, ... (view more)

Wed
01
May
Dennis Faas's picture

Nokia Launches Durable, Long-Lasting $20 Cellphone

Nokia has launched a $20 cellphone that comes with no service commitments. The handset lacks many modern mobile tech features but lasts up to 35 days before requiring a recharge. Originally the Nokia 105 handset was designed for the developing ... world. However, the company is now expanding the device's release area to include Europe. The phone boasts 12.5 hours of talk time or 35 days on standby. It's also designed to prevent dust or liquids getting into the phone through the keypad, something that may be particularly useful in some remote areas. The rest of the phone is relatively basic, with ... (view more)

Mon
29
Apr
Dennis Faas's picture

T-Mobile's 'No Contract' Deal Deceptive: Critics

T-Mobile's "No Contract" deal is supposed to let a customer sever their relationship with the wireless carrier at any moment. However, Washington state officials have ordered the firm to offer refunds to people who didn't realize that quitting the ... contract would come with a fee. With most smartphone deals, the user only pays a portion of the cost of the handset, while the service provider picks up the rest of the tab. In return, the user is tied to a minimum service term (usually lasting two to three years), during which they must pay a steep early termination fee if they choose to cancel the ... (view more)

Thu
25
Apr
Dennis Faas's picture

Auto Firms Asked to Help Limit Driver Distractions

The Department of Transportation (DoT) is calling on automakers to disable technologies that allow someone to send text messages while driving. However, the DoT is only making recommendations and cannot yet force automotive firms to follow its ... advice. The new guidelines are based around electronic devices that are built directly into vehicles, such as GPS navigation devices and communications tools. The DoT has two main recommendations. The first is that such equipment should never force a driver to stop looking at the road for more than two seconds at a time to carry out an action. Officials ... (view more)

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