Rides : Visteon working on creepy artificial intelligence for your car's infotainment

Those that hanker for the days when automobiles were generally simple machines – responsive only to the will of their human masters – probably don't work in R&D at Visteon. The Michigan-based automotive supplier, with a track record in climate control and electronics manufacture, has released some new information about a new system it is calling Human Bayesian Intelligence Technology or HABIT.

The goal of HABIT, in a nutshell, is to learn and predict what in-car setting a driver would like, in advance of him even having to ask for them. Using data about radio, climate control and driving behavior, HABIT stores and analyses (some might say "learns") about a driver's preferences, and then makes cues them up for the driver at the right time of day, or in the right situation.

If all of that sounds a little "big brother" to you, well, just wait until you have a look at the demo video Visteon has put together. We'd certainly like to get a closer look at the HABIT system when it's ready for primetime (or even in advance of that), but we're not entirely sold on the sort of creepy, blonde robot guide that we've seen here.

 

 

Visteon's Human Bayesian Intelligence Technology (HABIT) system employs Bayesian algorithms that are cognizant of the specific driver and surrounding environment,
enabling a truly personalized experience that is always evolving inside and outside the car. As the system learns more about the user, it adapts the human-machine interaction (HMI) to be more in tune with the user's needs and desires. Complemented by high-end graphics content and natural voice technology, this concept creates an organic
experience that is less about interacting with cold technology and more about the warm familiarity of an organic, humanistic experience.

 

Press Release

Visteon Cockpit Concept Learns the Driver's HABIT

System understands driver's personal preferences to deliver a more meaningful experience behind the wheel

VAN BUREN TOWNSHIP, Mich., May 17, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Would you like your vehicle to suggest a different route to or from work when there are unexpected delays on your regular course? What if your vehicle's cabin temperature adjusted automatically based on your preferences and the outside temperature?

Visteon Corporation (NYSE: VC) has developed a unique cockpit concept that offers these solutions and others by incorporating Artificial Intelligence (AI) to deliver an enhanced driving experience. Visteon's Human Bayesian Intelligence Technology (HABIT) system employs machine learning algorithms that are cognizant of the specific driver and the surrounding environment.

The HABIT system continually learns as it processes a driver's selections of climate temperatures, radio stations, phone call tendencies and other unique behaviors depending on the outside temperature and time of day. It factors in the individual's historical inputs to present a human-machine interaction (HMI) that is customized for the driver. The system also learns the driver's tastes -- even when he or she is not in the vehicle. For example, HABIT registers activity like music that the driver has listened to using his or her on-line music library or Internet radio.

"The goal of HABIT is to become an experience that improves each time the driver uses the ever-aware system," said Shadi Mere, innovation manager at Visteon. "With vehicle manufacturers striving to deliver a more personalized driving experience, the HABIT cockpit concept demonstrates how your car can learn and grow with you over its lifetime."

During a recent research clinic, more than 70 percent of survey respondents had a positive initial reaction to the HABIT concept. Respondents liked the anticipatory learning of the system and the natural voice interaction, combined with voice shortcuts, which aligned with their expectations of voice commands similar to the ones on their smartphones and other devices. Visteon's cockpit concept incorporates high-end graphics and animation designed to improve interaction with mobile devices.

A video of the HABIT cockpit concept is available on www.youtube.com/visteon

A high-resolution image and video are available at www.visteon.com/media/multimedia.

Read a blog from Innovation Manager Shadi Mere about the HABIT system at http://blog.visteon.com/

About Visteon

Visteon is a leading global automotive supplier delivering value for vehicle manufacturers and shareholders through a family of businesses including:

Halla Visteon Climate Control, majority-owned by Visteon and the world's second largest global supplier of automotive climate components and systems.
Visteon Electronics, a leading supplier of audio and infotainment, driver information, center stack electronics and feature control modules.
Visteon Interiors, a global provider of vehicle cockpit modules, instrument panels, consoles and door trim modules.
Yanfeng Visteon Automotive Trim Systems Co., Ltd., a successful China-based partnership between Visteon and Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation's automotive components group, Huayu Automotive Systems.
Through this family of enterprises, Visteon designs, engineers and manufactures innovative components and systems for virtually every vehicle manufacturer worldwide, and these businesses generated $13.8 billion in sales in 2012, including unconsolidated operations. With corporate offices in Van Buren Township, Mich. (U.S.); Shanghai, China; and Chelmsford, UK; Visteon has facilities in 29 countries and employs through its various businesses, including non-consolidated operations, approximately 55,000 people. Learn more at www.visteon.com.

 

Credit : Autoblog

BlackBerry Z10 Hardware Pictured In Verizon Promo Leak As Carriers Gear Up For Launch

BlackBerry 10 is nearing launch, and you have to wonder at this point whether there will be any secrets left by the time it makes its official debut on January 30. Today, noted mobile device leak master @evleaks shared what looks like a Verizon promotional image of a BlackBerry Z10, widely rumored to be the first shipping BB10 handset, with a white backplate and the front design we’ve seen in many previous leaks with two bars top and bottom framing a glass display.
White and black versions of the Z10 have been spotted in leaked shots before, and we’ve heard direct from Verizon’s CMO that it would be offering a BlackBerry 10 device at launch. This looks like it could be a Verizon-specific variant with a muted silver tone, depending on how you squint at the admittedly low-res image evleaks shared, though to my eye it could just as easily be white, too. Either way, it looks like Verizon is preparing for a big launch push of the new hardware and mobile OS.

Credit : Tech Crunch
 

Walmart’s Vudu Now Lets You Convert Your DVDs And Blu-Rays To Digital Copies From Your Home

Last year, Walmart announced an ambitious program aimed at getting people to convert the movies they’ve already bought in DVD or Blu-ray format to digital copies that they could stream or download from their UltraViolet digital rights locker. The disc-to-digital program was a way for the movie studios — and Walmart — to help convert users who watched physical discs to start taking advantage of streaming options and digital storefronts instead.
But there was one big problem: It involved going through the hassle of taking your discs to Walmart, getting them scanned and entered into a database. For those who didn’t want to drive to the nearest big-box store, or who didn’t want to sit around and wait for their movies to be added to their locker, the disc-to-digital program was a bust.
So the company is making it easier for users to convert their existing movies to digital, with the launch of a desktop app that will let them scan their discs at home. The VUDU To Go app, which will be available from the company’s website soon, will work on Macs and PCs, and will require users to enter a physical disc into their drive to show that they own it.
While the ability to covert physical to digital from the comfort of one’s home may seem like an awesome idea, there are some limitations. For instance, the conversion will only work for movies from certain studios. While it’s got most of the big ones on board, including DreamWorks Animation, Lionsgate, MGM, Paramount, Sony Pictures, Twentieth Century Fox, Universal Studios, and Warner Bros., Disney is noticeably absent.
Also, there’s a fee involved. It costs $2 to convert DVDs to digital and $5 to convert Blu-rays and make them available through various UltraViolet services.
But once all that’s done, there’s the promise of being able to own your movie forevermore without ever having to buy it again. In the same way that owning digital music means we no longer need to purchase a new format of the White Album every time some newfangled device comes along, movie owners and collectors should (theoretically) be able to store their digital copies and access them through UltraViolet whenever.
That’s a future that would be awesome if it worked for everyone. We’re getting there, but you know, the future can’t come soon enough.

• VUDU

Company: Vudu

Website: Vudu.com

Launch Date: January 1, 2004

Funding: $36M

VUDU, Inc. provides digital technologies and services that deliver Internet entertainment to consumers’ HDTVs and home theaters. It offers VUDU Box and VUDU XL, which provides access to movies and TV shows; and VUDU Wireless Kit, which connects VUDU box to the Internet. The company also provides accessories, such as replacement remotes, power adapters, and power supplies and AC cords. It offers its services through movie studios, independent studios, and distributors. The company offers its products through its authorized...

Credit : Tech Crunch

Cisco And NXP Throw Their Weight Behind Cohda Wireless To Bring The Internet Of Things To Your Car

Looking backwards, the automobile of today looks almost superintelligent. While some of us may have expected (read: hoped for) the flying car by 2013 and, sure, the internal combustion engine still reigns, the majority of vehicles today are basically computers on wheels. The average car today has around 50 microprocessors, give or take. But, given how quickly automotive technology is advancing, it’s clear that we’re just beginning to scratch the surface. Hell, California recently legalized road-testing of autonomous cars, and Sergey Brin thinks self-driving cars will be on public roads in the next five years.
Today, Cisco and NXP Semiconductors announced their intention to join the smart car bandwagon and help push automotive technology forward. The companies this morning announced a dual investment in Cohda Wireless, an Australian developer of hardware and software solutions for connected vehicles that allow cars to wirelessly communicate with one another (and with infrastructure) to prevent collisions — among other things.
The investment and strategic partnership essentially aims to bring the “Internet of Everything” to the automotive industry in the hopes of building a safer driving experience, reducing traffic congestion, collisions, runaway Priuses, curbing bad drivers and so on. By making car communication systems faster and more responsive — in a word, smarter — Cohda believes it can potentially prevent over 80 percent of crash scenarios, reducing injuries and fatalities on the road along the way.
In turn, Cohda is also enabling so-called “car-to-infrastructure” communication, which, in conjunction with in-car apps, attempt lower greenhouse gas emissions by changing traffic patterns, alerting drivers of hazards, like oncoming collisions, nearby out-of-control vehicles and by re-routing them to avoid traffic congestion. Via radio technology and smart sensors, car-to-infrastructure comms can enable cars to communicate with smart devices, allowing traffic signals to alert cars that the upcoming light is about to change, for example. Saving you from embarrassment and from causing a 10-car pileup because you were scanning your playlist and didn’t notice the change.
Of course, to work at scale these types of connected-car communications require sophisticated and secure data exchange between moving vehicles, whether in the city or in Podunk — in other words, in a variety of conditions. Yet, while the technology has an array of potential applications and implications, these inter-communications systems are naturally more effective the more vehicles (and anything else for that matter) integrate the technology.
So, to help get the tech on the roads, Cohda has enlisted a dozen European carmakers which have agreed to install its solutions into various lines beginning in 2015 and is currently testing integration in Detroit with eight U.S. carmakers.
While the companies remained silent on the size of their investment in Cohda, it likely isn’t chump change and was enough to bring three mature companies (and two giants) together in a strategic partnership with plans to collaborate in an effort to bring the solutions to market.
While NXP brings its semiconductor and chip tech that’s used in smart automotive, industrial, mobile and wireless applications (it’s also the co-inventor of NFC, along with Sony) and Cohda brings the software and hardware that make advanced radio communication possible, Cisco is leveraging its networking prowess to help supply the Internet. Over the last few years, Cisco has become increasingly interested in enabling the wired car, even creating a separate division dedicated to investing in and developing connected vehicle technologies.
In conversation with the WSJ, NXP’s general manager of car entertainment Torsten Lehmann said that NXP and Cisco put in a lot of due diligence and both concluded that “Cohda’s technology is by far the best.” Throwing their weight behind Cohda, the networking and semiconductor giants are on a mission to help the startup bring its technology to market. And for drivers, that should be great news — even if they have to wait.

Credit : Tech Crunch

Apple gives Google Maps the boot, adds free turn-by-turn navigation to iPhone

The big news in the tech world right now is the World Wide Developer's Conference which Apple just concluded. That's where the House that Jobs Built unveiled its latest operating systems for both computers and mobile devices, its latest laptop computer design and more. But what does this all have to do with cars, you ask? Plenty.

First off, Apple used the high-profile press conference extravaganza to announce the integration of its Siri voice service into cars, starting with nine automakers (among them the massive General Motors group) that will be putting a dedicated button on their steering wheels to allow drivers to activate the service on their iPhones and iPads without taking their hands off the wheel or their eyes off the road. But that's not all that's of relevance to motorists from WWDC 2012.

Apple has also announced the launch of its own Maps application, replacing the Google Maps utility it had begrudgingly integrated into its devices until now. Resulting from Apple's acquisition of several erstwhile independent digital cartography operations, Maps aims to improve on the popular Google service with such features as spoken turn-by-turn directions with real-time ETA, smooth-scrolling 3D imaging, aerial flyover views of city centers and important landmarks, Siri integration and real-time traffic information.

The latter is reportedly crowdsourced anonymously from other users, leaving us with some questions regarding privacy issues. But we'll leave that to the guys with the tin-foil hats while we blissfully revel in Big Brother's latest offering to the masses. Follow the links below to see what Apple has in store in greater detail. 

 

Credit : Apple, Engadget, Autoblog

Check Out Apple launches iBooks 2 e-Textbook platform

We're here at Apple's education-flavored event at the Guggenheim museum in New York City.
Phil Schiller has taken to the stage and announced that Apple's "reinventing the textbook" by launching iBooks 2. There are 1.5 million iPads currently in use in educational programs and 20,000 educational apps available for the platform, which prompted development of the new app. The new app resembles a book-stand where you can enter textbooks and paw through content, stopping to take a look at detailed 3D animated models of specific elements within. The company's Roger Rosner said that "Clearly, no printed book can compete with this:" considering there are live-updated definitions for words as you select them. You can also read in portrait, where text occupies more of the space or landscape, which is more image-heavy -- there's also the option to have pop-quizzes appear around relevant sections. Adding notes and annotations is also baked into the system, you'll also be able to pull all of your amendments out and turn them into virtual 3 x 5-inch note-cards. The platform will also let you purchase, download and re-download any materials you've snagged in the same way that the company's other stores will. It'll be available today from the app store and it's free.

Tech : Check Out The iLuv iSM524 ArtStation Pro, 'world's first' Galaxy Tab compatible audio dock

If you've been in the market for a Galaxy Tab friendly audio dock, your wait could be over. iLuv has debuted it's iSM524 for your Samsung Android slate, calling it "the world's first and only audio docking station" for the Galaxy tablet fam. Equipped with the company's jAura Sound technology, the dock's arm rotates for portrait or landscape viewing modes and tilts so you can get the best possible angle for catching up on that Boardwalk Empire season finale. You'll also find an IR remote and a 3.5mm auxiliary input to boot. iLuv promises that this ArtStation will play nicely with the entire Galaxy Tab family, but you can find out for yourself later this month if you're willing to drop $149.

Press Release

Transform Your Samsung GALAXY Tablet into a Home Entertainment Center with the iLuv ArtStation™ Pro Audio Dock

Port Washington, NY (PRWEB) December 12, 2011

iLuv Creative Technology, the premier provider of the most comprehensive line of accessories for the mobile lifestyle, introduces the world's first and only audio docking station for Samsung GALAXY Tablets, the iSM524, ArtStation™ Pro. The iSM524 combines superior aesthetic design with cinematic sound quality to heighten your Samsung GALAXY Tab experience.

iLuv is the only mobile accessories innovator to deliver an audio docking system that unleashes the full potential of the Samsung GALAXY Tab and transforms the tablet into a home entertainment center that enables users to easily and comfortably enjoy music, movies, TV shows and more. The ArtStation™ Pro is the result of the Designed for Samsung Mobile strategic partnership between iLuv and Samsung, which brings to the market highly differentiated accessories solutions with unquestionable value for Samsung GALAXY mobile devices.

"At iLuv, we continually strive to anticipate and deliver the most comprehensive range of feature-rich solutions for every facet of the mobile lifestyle," said Pia Chon, marketing director at iLuv. "We are proud of our partnership with Samsung, and of the fact that we are the first and only company to offer an audio dock for the GALAXY Tab series.The ArtStation Pro for GALAXY Tab is truly a testament to iLuv's design and engineering prowess and enhances the Samsung GALAXY Tab beautifully."

The ArtStation Pro (iSM524)complements the Samsung GALAXY Tablet line with a sleek design that can fit in with any décor-from a minimalist modern loft to a jewel-toned media room. Just place your tablet in the ArtStation™ Pro and luxuriate in the rich, bold jAura® acoustics that every demanding consumer craves.

The articulating arm rotates for portrait or landscape viewing options and allows tilt adjustment for maximum viewing comfort for GALAXY Tab 10.1/8.9. Additionally, the remote control allows users to skip through audio and video tracks and adjust the volume with ease. For added convenience, the compact remote stores magnetically against the back of the system.

Pricing and Availability
The ArtStation Pro (iSM524) will be available at select iLuv retailers in December and will have a street price (SRP) of $149.99.

Compatibility
iSM524 is compatible with Samsung GALAXY Tab 7" (version 2), 7.7", 8.9" and 10.1". For more information go to: www.i-luv.com.

Tech : Apple applies for 'digital handshake' patent powered by invisible ink

Time for the usual disclaimer, since we're taking a journey into the murky world of Cupertino's patent applications -- it's just as likely we'll never see or hear of this tech again as it is to wind up in the next iPhone. While everyone else is betting on NFC, Apple wants to use next-generation cameras and invisible ink to negotiate digital handshakes. Snap a picture of a cash register with a barcode and your iDevice will generate a unique ID to pair up -- but in order to keep the technology secure, the codes would have to be painted on with "invisible" fluorescent coatings. When you're pairing two iPhones (for example) to share contacts, the key could be generated on one of the screens while the other took a picture of it.

RIM takes $485 million hit on the PlayBook in Q3

 

Just how much is the PlayBook costing RIM? The BlackBerry-maker revealed that it will be taking a $485 million hit in the third fiscal quarter, thanks to the QNX-packing tablet. The charge reflects flagging sales on the PlayBook, which moved some 500,000 units in its first quarter, followed by 250,000 and 150,000 in the following two. In spite of such numbers, the Canadian smartphone manufacturer remains committed to the tablet, which has seen some healthy price drops in recent weeks, in hopes of staying competitive amongst new crop of budget tablets.

Too lazy to grab your TV remote? Use Siri instead

Siri hasn't been caught cooking dinner yet, but hackers worldwide have boldly taken Apple's personal assistant to a whole new level by incorporating its functionality with a plethora of different devices. We've seen Siri use custom commands, change the temperature in your house, and even allow select car owners to utilize their automobile's Bluetooth integration. Nifty, no doubt, but this assistant's evolution towards greater heights isn't over yet. Vimeo user toddtreece has whipped up a slick demo of the iPhone 4S' right hand gal (or guy) taking command of his television set. From changing channels to turning off devices, with the help of a proxy and a few parts, you can get your own home setup running on voice activation. Feeling a bit guilty for your sudden interest in slothfulness? Fret not -- Siri's apparently quite good at calling you out.

 

Siri Universal Remote from toddtreece on Vimeo.

Apps : Siri hacks control your car and media center

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The Siri proxy hack allows developers to catch custom phrases and act on them, expanding the functionality of Apple's voice-controlled personal assistant. This work is being employed by other developers, and a few exciting uses for the hack have already started to appear.
First up, Brandon Fiquett has written code that allows him to start, stop, open the trunk, and activate the alarm in his Acura using the kind of voice controls we've come to expect from Siri. The hack works alongside his Viper car automation and security system, with Siri communicating with his proxy server, which forwards commands on to the cellular-connected car.
Second, an Icelandic developer named Hjalti Jakobsson has created a plugin for Plex, allowing you to ask for "Seinfeld season five, episode one" — and returning either the episode title or an apology if it can't find the show you're after. The system is impressively fast, with no lag between sending the command and playback beginning.
While the source code for the car control is available for download now, the Plex controller still requires some work before it's ready for primetime. You'll still need to set up your own proxy server though, and we know that for some of you the thought of adding a modified root certificate to your iPhone is out of the question.

Tech : Smart Cover can unlock password-protected iPads running iOS 5

 

Psst. Hey, do you carry a spare Smart Cover around with you? Well, if you're an unscrupulous sort, you can actually use it to bypass the lock screen of any iPad running iOS 5. This multi-step security hole will let you browse whatever's running behind the passcode screen, whether that's email, apps or the homescreen. To take advantage of the flaw, hold down the power button on the locked device until the power off slider appears, then whip the Smart Cover on, open and tap cancel. Fortunately for iPad owners, the rest of the tablet remains locked-down, but the main problem here is any sensitive information left on-screen. If you unlock the tablet to the main screen, you won't be able to open new apps, although anyone feeling particularly nefarious can apparently delete apps from that meticulously arranged home screen. 

 

Tech : LG seeks ban on South Korean BMW and Audi sales

Wouldn't it be nice if we lived in a world where we all just got along, people worked for the thrill of it, and knowledge was free? Yeah, fat chance dreamers. 'Sue', our new millennium's most oft-used verb, is getting some heavy play at the hands of the tech industry. The latest court room combatants? Why, that'd be LG Group and Osram. You see, once upon a time LG was late to the LED patent game, and was content to fork over the cash to Osram for use of its tech. Skip to now, and the electronics giant's claiming it can get its lighting goods elsewhere, picking from a plethora of relevant IP-holding companies and combining that with its own patents. Despite having already countersued Osram in July to prevent the import of that company's allegedly infringing products into South Korea, LG's gathered its legal arsenal once again to block the sale of Audis and BMWs throughout the entire country -- cars that include Osram's LED tech. It's hard to imagine the courts would grant such a wide-sweeping ban on major auto players' bread-and-butter. And all grandstanding aside, it's more likely the two fisticuffing parties will come to some sort of revised financial agreement.

Tech : Spotify tops two million premium subscribers

The competition may be nabbing most of the headlines these days, but Spotify's got some good news of its own to report. We just got word that the streaming music service has passed two million premium subscribers internationally. We attempted to get some clarification on just how many of those are based in the US, but the company doesn't break down such numbers by country. Still, it's a positive note for companies trying to monetize such services in the face of increasing free offerings.

Aviation Tech : Gogo to bring enhanced WiFi to Virgin America, expands video streaming on American Airlines

 

Virgin America's in-flight perks are getting even perkier. This week, the domestic carrier announced that it's bringing Gogo's ATG-4 service aboard its fleet of aircraft, in a move that promises to enhance in-flight WiFi capacity by a factor of four. The upgrade is slated to roll out during the first half of 2012, when the company will begin outfitting its planes with Gogo's directional antenna, dual-modem and EV-DO Rev. B technologies. But VA isn't the only airline getting in on the Gogo game, as the in-flight entertainment company announced this week that it's expanding its new video streaming service to American Airlines, as well. American, as you may recall, became the first airline to test the Gogo Vision service back in August, aboard its fleet of 15 Boeing 767-200 planes. Now, the streaming product is slated to expand to a full 400 of AA's aircraft, bringing about 200 movies and TV shows to entertainment-starved passengers. Movies will be available for 24 hour rentals, with TV purchases good for a full 72 hours. Unexpired rentals, meanwhile, will still be available once you land and can be accessed with the same browser and device you used aboard the flight. No word on final pricing, though Gogo is extending its introductory offer ($1 per TV show and $4 per movie) through October 15th. 

 

Press Release

Virgin America Becomes First Airline to Launch Gogo's ATG-4 Technology
New Even Higher Speed WiFi Connection to Launch on First Virgin America Aircraft in Early 2012

Itasca, IL. and San Francisco, CA – Sept. 14, 2011 – Gogo, the world's leading provider of in-flight connectivity and an innovator in in-flight entertainment, and Virgin America, the airline that is reinventing domestic travel, today announced at the 2011 Airline Passenger Experience Association (APEX) Expo in Seattle that Virgin America will be the first airline to offer Gogo's next generation ATG-4 service. Gogo's ATG-4 service will significantly enhance the ATG network and improve aircraft WiFi capacity to the plane by approximately four times the current performance through the addition of directional antenna, dual-modem and EV-DO Rev. B technologies. Virgin America was the first carrier to offer fleetwide WiFi as of May 2009 via Aircell's Gogo service. Known for its innovative amenities including power outlets at every seat, the airline regularly sees up to one-third of guests on its flights logged on to the popular Gogo service.

"As the only airline based in Silicon Valley our tech-forward guests have come to expect a fully connected in-flight experience on Virgin America," said President and CEO of Virgin America David Cush. "With Gogo's new ATG-4 technology, we're excited to see our long-time partner come to the table with a new offering that will further improve the speed and performance of in-flight WiFi for our guests."

Gogo's ATG-4 service on Virgin America is scheduled for delivery on aircraft beginning in the first half of 2012. The new platform is backwards compatible and allows for upgrades to existing ATG systems through low cost retrofits.

"Gogo is committed to meeting the ever evolving connectivity needs of our airline partners," said Michael Small, Gogo's President and CEO. "ATG-4's increased capacity is a perfect solution to meet Virgin America's connectivity needs. We will continue to develop and offer a suite of technology solutions for our airline partners, recognizing that this isn't a one-size fits all market. Our experience has taught us the important lesson that multiple technologies will need to be deployed over time, and our solutions are built to accommodate changes in technology to meet the needs of every aircraft and mission – whether that's through ATG, ATG-4 or satellite technologies."

With topnotch service, beautiful design and a host of high-tech amenities, Virgin America has swept the industry best-in-class awards for the quality of its service since its 2007 launch, including "Best Domestic Airline" in Travel + Leisure's World's Best Awards in 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011 and "Best Domestic Airline" in Condé Nast Traveler's 2008, 2009 and 2010 Readers' Choice Awards.

In this year's APEX awards, Virgin America captured top honors for "Best Ground Experience," "Best In-flight Entertainment in the Americas," "Best In-Flight Video" and "Best Overall Passenger Experience." At APEX earlier this week, Virgin America also announced the new technology partner for the next iteration of the airline's Red™ in-flight entertainment system – slated for launch in late 2012.

 

Press Release

Gogo Vision to Go Live on Approximately 400 American Airlines Aircraft in 2012

ITASCA, Ill., Sept. 14, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Gogo, the world's leading provider of in-flight connectivity and an innovator in in-flight entertainment, today announced that American Airlines, will expand Gogo's new streaming video product – Gogo Vision™ – onboard approximately 400 American Airlines aircraft.

The expansion of Gogo's new streaming video product on all of American's Gogo-equipped aircraft will be completed by the end of 2012. American, which became the first to launch Gogo's video product in August, currently has the service up and running on their fleet of 15 Boeing 767-200 aircraft.

In addition to the video expansion, Gogo has extended an introductory pricing offer of $.99 per TV show and $3.99 per movie through Oct. 15, 2011. With the purchase of a video, travelers will also receive a free Gogo Wi-Fi session for use on a later flight. Customers do not have to purchase in-flight Wi-Fi to purchase a movie or TV show.

"We definitely feel that our video product is a game-changer for the industry and American continues to be at the cutting edge with this technology," said Ash ElDifrawi, Gogo's chief marketing officer. "Gogo Vision offers airlines a low-cost, light-weight, easy-to-install solution that's very different from traditional IFE."

Gogo Vision features a growing list of nearly 200 movies and TV shows from major Hollywood studios to offer customers a range of entertainment choices. Customers can sort titles by movie or TV, genre, length of feature, and other categories. Trailers are available for complimentary viewing prior to renting content. Movies and TV shows will remain accessible for viewing after the customer has landed – movies for 24 hours and TV shows for 72 hours. Unexpired rentals will be available for playback on the ground by using the same device and browser used onboard.

"Initial customer feedback shows our Entertainment On Demand product is a hit with our customers and we feel that it's a great example of how we continue to deliver products that our customers truly value," said Rob Friedman, American's Vice President – Marketing. "In addition to our expansion news today, we are thanking our customers for their loyalty by extending the free internet and introductory pricing offers until October 15."

 

 

Tech : Check out the Ecko Zip Earbuds

We already knew that New Jersey was a hotbed for personal audio innovation, so it certainly came as no surprise when the Garden State's ECKOUNLTD (Ecko Unlimited, with a hint of Jersey Shore) hit us up with a slew of new stylz. We're most curious about the new Zip 'buds, which replace the traditional cord with a functioning zipper, presumably to keep that ever-so-prevalent tangling issue from crampin' your style. These in-ear beauts will set you back just 30 beans -- or about a half-dozen servings of Ron Ron Juice. Other offerings include the $13 Zone earbuds, $15 Chaos II (that Chaos I was off the hook), the $20 Stomp, $25 Lace (which include a shoelace-inspired cord), and the $40 Chain, which, as you probably guessed, features a beaded dog-tag chain cord. At those prices we wouldn't expect stellar acoustics, but if you're rockin' out to any of these budz, you're probably most concerned with lookin' good. And nothing says six-pack like zippers and chains.

Press Release

MARC ECKO FUSES TOGETHER FASHION AND FUNCTION IN BREAKTHROUGH NEW LINE OF EARBUD HEADPHONES

Stage-Two product line introduction in September will precede a major CES 2012 surprise product introduction.

AVENEL, NEW JERSEY, September 9, 2011 – Moving decisively to place his unique sense of design and style on one of the consumer electronics industry's traditionally most boring product categories, fashion designer, multimedia artist, and technology entrepreneur Marc Ecko today announced the immediate market introduction of a groundbreaking new line of *ECKOUNLTD. earbud headphones that fuse together fashion and function in unprecedented new ways.

According to Ecko, the six new earbud headphone styles - "Zone," "Chaos II," "Stomp," "Lace," "Zip," and "Chain" - will be delivered to dealers starting next month under an exclusive licensing agreement with Mizco International's DIGIPOWER Division. Each new style lives up to its respective name, featuring a fusion of fashion and function unique to each series. All will be marketed under the *ECKOUNLTD. brand name and carry suggested retail prices of between $12.99 to $39.99.

"I can't imagine life without all my gadgets. From my phone to my laptop; I am as dependent on my gear as I am the quality of my environment. For me it is not just a bunch of cables and ports. I expect my gear to be seamless with what it is I am doing, reliable and easy to manage. If I am on a plane, managing my photos, catching up on the news, vibing on music or even playing videogames, it has to work as hard as I do," Marc Ecko said today.

He continues, "Having grown up in a digital generation, and having it shape so much of my point of view as a designer – I could not wait to tackle the challenge of building a proper collection of technology accessories. I aimed to build something that really captures our generation's unlimited sense of style. Fearless. Action minded. Designed with a unique voice. Always live life Unlimited!"

According to Mizco's Vice President of Sales for the *ecko Division, Steve Kops, "For the first time in the headphone category's history, Fashion & Function are major influences on product development. As a result, retailers have a brand new opportunity to merchandise headphones not just on their sonic quality, but now on the fashion likes of their consumers. Traditional, all black headphones are being replaced with vibrant colors, unique silhouettes, and superior technology to their predecessors."

The "Zone" earbuds feature the iconic *ecko Rhino on the outer surface of the earpieces. Available for $12.99, in red, green, pink, yellow, blue and white, the earbuds include a one-meter cable compatible with iPods, iPhones and Android smartphones and three sizes of ear-piece gels.

"Chaos II", available for $14.99, in purple, pink, blue, red, and black, features the *ecko Rhino on the outer surface of the earpieces, a 1 meter cable, inline microphone, controls for the iPod, iPad and iPhone, and three sizes of ear-piece gels.

Available for $19.99, the "Stomp" earbuds feature the iconic Ecko Rhino on the outer surface of the earpieces. Available in red, blue, white, pink, purple and black, the earbuds feature a flat 1.2-meter cable with an inline microphone and controls compatible with iPods, iPads, iPhones and Android smartphones. The earbuds include a convenient travel bag, and three sizes of ear-piece gels.

The "Lace" earbuds, available for $24.99, feature a nylon, shoelace style cord, available in white, red, blue, black, pink and purple. The earbuds feature an inline microphone, controls for iPods, iPads and iPhones, three sizes of ear gels and a convenient travel bag.

The new "Chain" and "Zip" earbuds merge Ecko's reputation for street-conscious fashion with utilitarian function. Featuring a beaded, dog-tag chain cord design, the "Chain" earbuds are available for $39.99 in blue, pink, red and black. The "Zip" earbuds feature a functioning zipper cord, and are available in red, gold, blue, white, pink and purple, for $29.99. Both styles of earbuds feature an inline microphone and volume control compatible with iPods, iPhones, and Android smartphones, as well as a convenient travel bag and three sizes of ear-piece gels.

According to Ecko, today's introduction of the six new ear bud headphone lines is a prelude to a major CES 2012 product line introduction that promise to take his vision to an even higher plateau of design and function.

About Marc Ecko Enterprises

Marc Ecko Enterprises is a full-scale global fashion and lifestyle company with reported sales of over $1.5 billion in 2009 and approximately 1,000 employees worldwide. Over the past 17 years, the group of companies that comprise Marc Ecko Enterprises (MEE) has grown to include: Ecko Unltd., the largest young men's brand in better department stores today; Eckored, a young women's brand both identified by the 'World Famous Rhino' logo; Marc Ecko Cut & Sew, a contemporary menswear line; Zoo York, the first and largest east coast action sport brand; Marc Ecko Entertainment, an interactive entertainment and videogame unit; and Complex Media LLC, a publishing and new media division.

About Mizco International

Headquartered in Avenel, New Jersey, Mizco International (www.mizco.com) is one of the world's fastest growing suppliers of mobile phone headsets and accessories, as well as imaging and iPhone power solutions. Founded in 1990, Mizco markets products under the Cellular Innovations, DIGIPOWER, iEssentials and Travelocity brands. The company currently offers more than 1,000 products through a global dealer network. For more information on Mizco and its product offerings call 1.800.266.4026 or visit www.mizco.com.

New York Times' magic mirror helps you get dressed

Forget crosswords and Krugman, because the New York Times has created a new bathroom companion that looks infinitely more entertaining than either of them. Like some of its Snow White-style predecessors, the Times' "magic mirror" prototype uses Microsoft Kinect to detect and follow your movements, while deploying voice recognition technology to execute your commands. With this omniscient slab affixed to your wall, you can surf the web, flip through your wardrobe and send reassuring e-mails to your teenage daughter, whom you should have driven to school a good 30 minutes ago. An RFID reader, meanwhile, can recognize tagged pharmaceuticals or other products, allowing you to instantly access information on your prescription meds by placing them in front of the reflective LCD. You could also use the mirror to browse through the Times' full slate of articles and video content, meaning you can read about extravagant weekend getaways and urban gentrification from the standing comfort of your sink. Unfortunately for all mankind, the magic mirror is still in the prototype phase and the NYT's Research & Development Group has yet to offer a timetable for its release.

Tech : Kanex ships dual-link DVI-to-Mini Displayport Adapter

Already living the high life with a swank Mini Displayport monitor as your daily? That's all fine and dandy, but what happens when your desolate friends come over with machines that only tote DVI? That's where an adapter like Kanex's C247DL comes in. But unlike other adapters we've spied before, the company's latest is dual-link, allowing you get your groove on with displays that boast resolutions greater than 1920 x 1200. It also sports a USB port, giving you full control of say, we dunno, the speakers and iSight camera of Apple's 27-inch Cinema Display? At $149 it isn't cheap, but can you really put a price on friendship? 

 

Press Release

Kanex C247DL – Full Resolution Dual-link DVI to HD 27 inch Apple LED Cinema Display

Brea, CA – August 16, 2011 – Kanex, maker of audio-visual solutions for Apple computers, is excited to announce the C24DL, a full resolution dual-link digital video inverter (DVI) to 27 inch Apple LED Cinema Display (ACD). The C24DL is a simple dual-link DVI with USB to Mini DisplayPort converter designed for users with legacy Macs (2006-early 2008 MacBook Pro, 2005-mid 2007 Mac Mini) or PCs with high-end graphics cards to connect specifically to a 27 inch ACD.

The Kanex C247DL supports the native HD resolution (2560x1440) of the ACD not available with other standard DVI adapters. The innovative converter actively converts the video signal from the dual-link DVI delivering pixel perfect resolution. The included USB cable powers the C247DL, allows for audio transfer to the ACD speakers, and supports all USB 2.0 functions including use of the iSight camera.

The C247DL allows PC users to enjoy the best gaming experience possible. Users with PC's equipped with high-end graphic cards such as AMD Radeon™ and NVIDIA™ can now enjoy playing on the exceptionally rich and life-like ACD.

The C247DL is available now for $149 at KanexLive.com/C247DL.

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About Kanex
Kanex offers an extensive selection of product solutions that specifically designed to provide new and exciting ways to connect devices and displays in a rapidly changing technological world. For more information about Kanex and its products, go to www.KanexLive.com.

Tech : FCC details plans to bring texting, photos and video to 911 service

The FCC started talking about its intention to allow for 911 texting (and even photos and videos) last year, and now Chairman Julius Genachowski is out with a detailed plan for a "next generation" 911 service. The standout feature of it is just that -- the ability to send a text, photo or video in the event of an emergency -- but that also brings with it a complete overhaul of the backend of the service, and a switch to an IP-based architecture from the current circuit-switched system. That, the FCC says, should provide more flexibility and resiliency, and the agency has a number of other improvements in mind as well, including increased accessibility for people with disabilities, and new measures to improve the accuracy of location gathering (including new rules for wireless carriers). Of course, it all still is just a plan at the moment, but the FCC says it will consider a move to accelerate adoption of the plan next month.

Tech - Crimes : Smugglers use zip line and slingshot to sneak iPads into Hong Kong

Chinese smugglers turned to a rather low-tech method for getting a pile of decidedly high-tech iPads and iPhones across the border to Hong Kong, in a scheme to make money off of regional tax differences. The unsanctioned exporters fired a slingshot from a high-rise in Shenzhen, dragging a zip line down to a small house just across the Sha Tau Kok river. They then sent canvas bags loaded with the gadgets flying through the night sky along the projectile-placed cable -- at least until authorities spotted the gear hurtling through the air, that is. Police recovered about $46,000 worth of Apple products (and four culprits) when they discovered the end of the 300-meter line. Check out the video below for a little Chinese-language news coverage of the story and a glimpse an the simple, but ingenious, smuggling rig.