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Paul's Time Sink

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Lexus self parking video

Paul Westbrook | 08 December, 2006 22:31

This is a pretty funny video of some people at Automobile Magazine trying to use the new Lexus self parking feature

[via Autoblog]

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Alpine iDA-X001

Paul Westbrook | 02 December, 2006 21:34

Aline Ida-X001The Alpine iDA-X001 is one of the best looking single-DIN headunits that integrates iPod controls.  Not only does the text of the currently playing track appear on the unit, but also the album art is displayed.  It looks like the iPod menus could also be displayed on the small LCD, so selecting tracks would be pretty easy.

If this head unit has video and audio out, I would want to get one of them for our van.  This would allow the head unit to control the iPod to select a video, and have the video and audio routed to an external monitor in the back.

[via Engadget]

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polycarbonate wheels

Paul Westbrook | 03 November, 2006 23:06

Polycarbonate WheelI have seen a bunch of posts that mention the D'Vinci Forgiato Radurra wheels.  These are clear polycarbonate wheels that cost about $2000 each.  One problem, besides the gaudiness, is how these wheels will affect the cooling of brakes.  Maybe using these wheels require ceramic brakes.

[via Engadget, AutoBlog]

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"Real" iPod auto integration

Paul Westbrook | 11 October, 2006 22:39

A while ago I mentioned some features that every iPod dock should have.  The iPod integration that the 2007 Audi S8 will have is pretty amazing.  The iPod gets placed into a tray, and the tray get inserted into the dash.  And the iPod menus appear on the navigation screen.

[via Gizmodo, Autoblog]

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Limiting hybrids in carpool lane

Paul Westbrook | 08 September, 2006 14:30

It looks like Caltrans may be limiting the number of hybrids that get access to the hybrid lanes in California.  I personally think that this is a good thing for several reasons:

  1. One of the ways that carpool lanes are supposed to reduce congestion is to encouage people of share a car.  But now you see a solo driver driving a hybrid in the car pool lane.
  2. Carpool lanes are supposed to help reduce environmental polutants.  I would claim that 1 gasolene automobile with 2 or 3 people (depending on the carpool rules for the area) emmit less pollutants than 2 or 3 hybrids with single occupants.

The current system is geared for the wealthy.  Those who can afford a hybrid, regardless of how efficient it is, can drive in the carpool lane.  I would rather the state be upfront about this, and enact a rule where if you spend $1000 - $2000, you get a sticker to enable you to drive in the carpool lane with a solo driver.

[via A Sad Salvation]

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Prober E319

Paul Westbrook | 30 June, 2006 23:31

E319-Car-Pc-946The Prober E319 is a cool Car PC.  It has built-in 6.5" monitor, GPS receiver, 20GB drive, 128MB RAM and A 400Mhz CPU.  It also does the normal radio stuff with an AM/FM radio, and DVD drive.

I would love them to add:

  1. Make this "XM Ready", and support "Connect and Play" XM Tuners with the USB ports
  2. Change the screen to not require the stylus, but be a touch screen
  3. Be able to support an iPod control protocol with a usb port
  4. Built-in bluetooth to be a hands-free headset for a cell phone
  5. Integrated wifi to allow syncing with music content when parked in garage.
  6. USB 2.0 for faster transfers
  7. Larger hard drive

[via Gizmodo]

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Aftermarket XM with traffic data

Paul Westbrook | 12 May, 2006 00:34

AlpinenavOver a year ago, XM announced their NavTraffic system, and it was included in the Acura RL.  Alpine just released an aftermarket headunit that integrates XMs feed into their navigation system.  The HCE-100XM connects to one of their navigation units, and provides traffic data.  With this data travel can be routed around traffic congestion automatically.

I personally would not buy one of these for my self, as I don't like how the after market headunits have screens that pop out of the dash.  What I would by is a replacement Navigation control unit that would replace the one that came with our Odyssey.  With this I would still want to be able to use the builtin touchscreen display.

[via Autoblog]

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Another bluetooth headunit

Paul Westbrook | 09 May, 2006 20:19

1Here is another headunit that has integrated bluetooth.  The Pioneer DEH-P810 appears to support the hands-free bluetooth profile.  In addition, if you have an audio source that has bluetooth, the audio can be streamed to the headunit.

I don't know if this will be have iPod controls, or be able to control satellite radio.  If it did these things, and it is made available in the US, I would run out and buy one.

[via Engadget]

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TuneBase FM for iPod

Paul Westbrook | 09 April, 2006 22:09

Ful1 F8Z049-BlkI wanted to get a temporary solution to listen to my iPod in our Odyssey.  This was only a temporary solution, because what I really want is an integrated dock.  Then I would be able to listen to the music on the stereo, and play the videos on the LCD screen. 

That in itself would not be a hard thing to do.  You could take the iPod universal dock, and wire the audio to the line-in on the stereo.  And then run the s-video to the LCD screen.  But this is is not the ideal situation.  I would want to get a headunit that would be able to switch between audio and video sources, and be able to direct the audio from the different sources to the speakers or the headphones in back.
 (More)

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ModooFree BT

Paul Westbrook | 25 March, 2006 23:06

Modoofree-BtI saw this rear-view mirror, and I though that it would be a great way to get  an integrated hands-free cell adapter into a car, especially since there are any head-units that have integrated Bluetooth, and integrated iPod and satellite radio controls.

The ModooFree BT does give you a integrated hands-free cell phone adapter, that could look pretty good installed.  One thing that I don't like about this is that it uses the cigarette lighter.  I would be more interested in this if I could hard wire it behind my dash.

I may get this, and modify the wire myself, since this can be found for about $149.  Here is the Froogle search for it.

[via Gizmodo]

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VW Gypsy

Paul Westbrook | 25 March, 2006 01:04

VW's research group is working on a new in-car computer, that will integrate a lot of technology.  Some of the stuff that they are working on, like the integration with the wireless mesh network for home devices, will take a long time to come to market, but I think that some of the other ones could come to market sooner.

For example they are showing a iPod slot for integration, instead of a cable.  Also, this video didn't mention it, but one of the menu items was named "iTunes Library", so it looks like it reads exports data from iTunes, or it reads it directly.

[via TUAW]

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SmartDeck

Paul Westbrook | 20 March, 2006 23:55

Prod Smartdeckdock Main-1The XM SkyFi in our Sentra is starting to die.  When it is turned on, it just shuts down randomly.  I am not sure if it is a problem in the FM modulator or the SkyFi itself.  Since I don't know what type of head unit I want to get, I just wanted to get something that would allow me to use my iPod in my car.

Since the factory head unit that I have has a cassette player, I wanted to try the SmartDeck, that I mentioned before.  This iPod adapter allows you to use the cassette controls to control the iPod.  By pressing fast forward on the head unit, it will either fast forward or skip tracks on the iPod.

It took me a while to get this to work.  It might be because I haven't played a tape in years, but the tape kept ejecting.  Once it started playing, I noticed that it sounded pretty muffled.  Once I reversed the direction it sounded a lot better.  (I am surprised that it only has the signal going to one side of the head.)

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Viral VW GTI Ads

Paul Westbrook | 24 February, 2006 20:44

Very similar to BMW's film series and Alpine's Mute movie, VW has released some GTI ads on YouTube. 

I find this type of marketing pretty interesting.

[via atmaspheric | endeavors]

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250 hp V6 in Nissan Sentra

Paul Westbrook | 23 February, 2006 20:05

VqspecvNow this is cool.  Someone fit the V6 engine from the Maxima, 350Z, and G35 into a B15 Sentra.  They are making a bolt in kit available for $4,500.  In addition, they are going to make it available for the B13 and B14 Sentra as well.

Maybe if I really want to increase the performance of our car, this is a very interesting option.

[via Autoblog]

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Video of Streetdeck

Paul Westbrook | 18 February, 2006 01:45

CNet has posted a video of the Streetdeck software running.  This software looks pretty cool.  I really like the gestural interface.

[via Autoblog]

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