Author: Serkadis

Get ready for Calvin Klein’s latest soon-to-be banned campaign: Eva Mendes is baring all for Calvin Klein Jeans — again. The highly-steamy ads for the brand’s Spring/Summer 2010 collection feature a topless Eva frolicking in the sand with cK newcomer Jamie Dornan!

Audi acaba de confirmar que hará estándar la tecnología de radio de digital en tres de sus modelos para el próximo año 2011. Los modelos elegidos que contarán con radios HD de serie son el Audi A6, A8 y Q7.

El Gerente General de Planificación de Producto de Audi en América, Filip Brabec, ha declarado que han tomado esta medida para suplir la demanda de sus clientes y del mercado actual:

“Audi está dedicada a ofrecer a sus clientes las mejores opciones de entretenimiento y confort para hacer más amena la conducción. Los modelos de 2011 estarán equipados con la mejor ingeniería de transmisión por lo que es necesario ofrecer una tecnología digital en las radios de nuestros clientes”.

Recordemos que en comparación con las radios normales de AM y FM, la Radio HD dispone de alta calidad de sonido en canales FM y AM. Actualmente hay más de 2.000 emisores de Radio HD. En Estados Unidos, el 85% de los conductores hacen uso de esta tecnología.

Related posts:

1. Audi A8, nuevos datos
2. Audi S8, S7 y S1 confirmados
3. Audi confirma la fecha de presentación del A8

• Key Competitors: Volkswagen Golf, Mazda3, upcoming Toyota compact hybrid.
• Power: 1.5L i-VTEC mated to Honda’s Integrated Motor Assist hybrid system – 122-hp /128 lb-ft (123 lb-ft for CVT models).
• Transmission: 6-speed manual standard; optional CVT.
• Fuel-economy: 31/37 mpg (city/highway) for manual; 36/38 mpg for CVT.
• Availability: Second half of 2010.
• Pricing: TBA.

After two concept versions and all the leaked images, the 2011 Honda CR-Z made its production debut today at the 2010 Detroit Auto Show. The three-door hatchback will be available in North America during the second half of 2010 with a standard 6-speed manual transmission, which helps it average 31/37 mpg (city/highway). Buyers may also opt for a CVT transmission, which increases estimated fuel-economy to 36/38 mpg.

The two-passenger CR-Z, unlike other hybrids, introduces a new three-mode drive system that allows the driver to select between Sport, Econ and Normal driving modes.

When the 2011 Honda CR-Z goes on sale, it will be available in a base model and a CR-Z EX. The CR-Z will come standard with Vehicle Stability Assist, an AM/FM/CD/USB audio system with six speakers, automatic climate control, power windows and door locks, remote entry, cruise control, and more. The CR-Z EX adds, HID headlamps with Auto-On/Off, fog lights, a 360-Watt AM/FM/CD audio system with seven speakers including subwoofer, Bluetooth, perforated leather-wrapped steering wheel, and much more. The 2011 CR-Z EX will also be available with the Honda Satellite-Linked Navigation System with voice recognition.

Make the jump for the press release and the high-res photos from the show floor.

2010 Detroit: 2011 Honda CR-Z:

All Photos Copyright © 2009 Stephen Calogera – egmCarTech.

2011 Honda CR-Z:

Press Release:

Production Version of 2011 Honda CR-Z Sport Hybrid Coupe Makes Official Debut

01/11/2010 – DETROIT –

The all-new 2011 Honda CR-Z sport hybrid coupe, making its U.S. production debut at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, introduces sleek styling and sporty handling to the hybrid segment, American Honda Motor Co., Inc., announced today.

“The CR-Z is a personal sport hybrid coupe for people with a spirit of adventure and an elevated sense of responsibility toward the environment,” said John Mendel, executive vice president of sales for American Honda. “It’s the first hybrid designed to maximize style and fun, in addition to efficiency and economy.”

Set to go on sale late summer in the U.S., the CR-Z is powered by a 1.5-liter i-VTEC engine with Honda’s compact and lightweight Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) hybrid-electric system. The two-passenger CR-Z introduces a new three-mode drive system that allows the driver to select between Sport, Econ (Economy) and Normal driving modes.

The exterior’s distinctive “one-motion” wedge form originates from its low-slung hood to form a broad forward stance. A side profile with a deeply inset beltline conveys a dynamic tension, while the short wheelbase and large, wide front grille accents the vehicle’s athletic presence.

The futuristically styled interior offers a high-tech appearance and ergonomically intuitive controls. Instrument panel meters illuminate with a three-dimensional, vibrant blue color theme resulting in a multi-layered appearance. Set against a motif of textured black materials and aluminum-style trim accents, the upper portion of the dashboard extends toward the driver to provide a wrap-around cockpit environment. The passenger zone offers an open, comfortable space. Premium sport-oriented cloth seats are designed to provide excellent lateral support along with everyday driving comfort. A mid-ship console behind the front seats optimizes cargo space. A hard-shell separator can be closed to create additional hidden storage.

The two trim levels include the well-equipped CR-Z and the feature-rich CR-Z EX. A six-speed manual transmission is standard equipment and a Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) is available. Standard features on the CR-Z include Vehicle Stability Assist, an AM/FM/CD/USB audio system with six speakers, automatic climate control, power windows and door locks, remote entry, cruise control, and more. The CR-Z EX adds, High-Intensity Discharge (HID) Headlights with Auto-On/Off, fog lights, a 360-Watt AM/FM/CD premium audio system with seven speakers including subwoofer, Bluetooth® HandsFreeLink®, perforated leather-wrapped steering wheel, and more. The CR-Z EX is available with the Honda Satellite-Linked Navigation System1 with voice recognition.

The CR-Z represents the sixth unique version of Honda’s original IMA technology since the launch of the 2000 Insight, the first hybrid vehicle available in North America in December 1999. The foundation of the CR-Z’s hybrid powertrain is a 4-cylinder, 16-valve, single overhead cam engine with “intelligent” Variable Valve Timing and Lift Electronic Control (i-VTEC) that receives additional power from the IMA system’s DC brushless electric motor. The i-VTEC system controls the opening and closing of one intake valve per cylinder to enhance combustion at low RPMs. The 10-kilowatt electric motor assists in acceleration and also acts as a generator during braking or coasting to capture kinetic energy that recharges the 100-volt IMA nickel-metal hydride battery pack. The gasoline engine can automatically turn off during vehicle stops to improve efficiency.

The system delivers a combined peak output of 122 horsepower2 at 6,000 rpm and 128 lb-ft. of torque2 at 1,000 to 1,500 rpm (123 lb-ft on CVT-equipped models). Preliminary fuel economy estimates are anticipated to result in a rating of 36 city/38 highway miles per gallon3 on CVT-equipped models. Manual transmission models are anticipated to achieve an EPA-estimated fuel economy rating of 31 city/37 highway miles per gallon3. The CR-Z is rated as an Advanced Technology Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle (AT-PZEV) in states that adhere to California Air Resource Board (CARB) ZEV standards (EPA Tier 2, Bin 2 in all states).

The standard six-speed manual transmission is engineered for optimal acceleration performance in gears one through five and for optimal fuel economy in sixth gear. When starting on steep inclines from a stop, hill start assist temporarily prevents the vehicle from rolling backwards during the moment between releasing the brake, depressing the throttle and releasing the clutch (for a duration of approximately 1.5 seconds). The available CVT provides the convenience of an automatic transmission with a seamless transition between minimum and maximum ratios, while also keeping the engine within an optimal RPM range for overall efficiency. To increase the performance potential of the CVT, paddle shifters located on the steering wheel allow the driver to manually simulate the stepped holding pattern. In Sport mode, the paddle shifters will hold and maintain a selected ratio.
The CR-Z’s three-mode drive system allows the driver to select between individual modes of performance for Sport, Normal and Economy driving styles. The system is activated via three backlit buttons to the left of the steering wheel.

The Sport mode enhances multiple vehicle systems for performance including the engine throttle responsiveness, electric power steering effort and the electric motor power assist. The inner ring of the tachometer illuminates red when the vehicle is in Sport mode.

During Econ mode operation, the engine’s responsiveness is tuned for optimal economy, the electric motor assist gives priority to fuel efficiency and the air conditioning system can reduce its overall load on the engine. The inner ring of the tachometer transitions between blue and green when the vehicle is in Econ mode, with the green representing more ecological driving.

Normal mode provides standard settings for steering, engine response, motor assist and air conditioning. Similar to Econ mode, the tachometer ring transitions between blue and green when the vehicle is in normal mode, with the green representing more ecological driving. Like the Honda Insight, the CR-Z offers an Eco Guide and Eco scoring feature to help drivers track progress of efficient driving styles.

The front MacPherson strut suspension and rear H-shaped torsion beam suspension settings are tuned to provide a sporty, solid and dynamic driving experience. All models are equipped with 16×6-inch aluminum wheels with 195/55 R16 86V tires. Accessory 17×7 alloy wheels with 205/45R17 84V tires with are available. The standard anti-lock braking system (ABS) with electronic brake distribution (EBD) uses ventilated front discs and solid rear discs. The low vehicle height and placement of the battery and other hybrid components beneath the rear cargo area further contribute to a low center of gravity, which is key to the new CR-Z’s responsive, sporty handling. Electric power-assisted rack-and-pinion steering enhances steering performance and improves efficiency.

In addition to being environmentally responsible, the CR-Z demonstrates a commitment to safety in its design and construction. The Advanced Compatibility Engineering™ (ACE™) body structure helps protect vehicle occupants in a frontal collision. Additional safety technologies include standard dual-stage, multiple-threshold front airbags; standard front-side airbags with passenger-side Occupant Position Detection System (OPDS); side-curtain airbags, active head restraints; an anti-lock braking system; a tire pressure monitoring system; and a pedestrian injury mitigation design in the front of the vehicle.

– By: Stephen Calogera

A great interactive chart from The Economist shows all the huge housing bubbles of the past decade.

Many were seriously deflated by the recession (like the U.S. index in gray, hovering right about the red baseline). Others are brushing off the recession like it never happened.

One place that stands out is South Africa (the high blue line), where home prices have risen 418% over the decade.

In light of this bubble trend, it’s hard to believe that South Africa’s Mail & Guardian is celebrating the Q409 return of a rising property market. Based on figures released today, the property market will approach its decade-average growth of 9% per year in 2010.

As an editorial in The Daily Maverick warns, South Africa seems to be begging for another bubble and collapse:

The Daily Maverick: There are reasons why an average 9% growth in property price might not be out of the way, including the fact that you have to factor in inflation. House prices in SA are still pretty low by international standards if you compare the cost of the average car with the cost of the average house.

Yet economically, SA’s house price increase, combined with a quick rebound, could be a double-edged sword – seemingly good for home owners, but dangerous for the economy. Internationally, many countries are thankfully pulling out of the recession. The hard question is whether SA is pulling out too soon; before the property bubble has entirely deflated.

Join the conversation about this story »

See Also:

• The Next BRICs: Six Surging Countries You Must Pay Attention To This Decade
• Commodities Spell Major Potential For The MAVINS
• Terra Firma’s Utterly Ludicrous Lawsuit Against Citigroup

Hace tiempo que no se oye hablar demasiado de WiMAX y el lanzamiento de Instanet en Málaga es un ejemplo del por qué : una oferta basada en Mobile WiMAX que desaprovecha las posibilidades de la tecnología con una propuesta comercial desfasada. Instanet comercializa por separado la conexión de casa y la móvil, cobrando por separado, perdiendo una de las escasas ventajas competitivas que podría ofrecer: cubrir un área geográfica amplía y dar conectividad en toda ella a sus clientes.

Si a todo ello sumas que no permiten P2P ni Voz IP en Instanet y que no hay teléfonos en el mercado para utilizar WiMAX, el resultado es que lo poco que podía tener de ventajoso (mejor velocidad que las ofertas basadas en 3G, interesante si viajas poco y no vas a otras ciudades en las que sólo te serviría ser cliente de un operador tradicional), se evapora. Una lástima, alrededor de WiMAX se podrían articular ofertas de conexión que anticipasen lo que inevitablemente veremos los próximos años: contratación de una sola conexión de datos que cubra casa y movilidad. Si vemos opciones como la tarifa plana de internet móvil de Vodafone, tenemos algo con lo que Instanet tiene poco que hacer.

Más información en ClearWire. Merece la pena echar un vistazo al post y los comentarios en Xataka Móvil.

Here are just some of the photos that I collected from the biggest mobile stories at CES in 2010 this past week.

The festivities kicked off a little early with Google (NSDQ: GOOG) hosting a press conference at its Mountain View, Calif. offices. There, it unveiled the Nexus One Android phone, built by HTC. The week continued with AT&T (NYSE: T) announcing that it will release five Android devices and two Palms and a phone from Dell in the first half of this year. Motorola (NYSE: MOT) followed up by announcing the BackFlip, an Android device destined for AT&T, which has a touch pad on the back of the screen that can be navigated with the finger. Click on the photo twice to see the entire slideshow. Plus, check out our full CES coverage.

Julius Genachowski lives in the now and looks to the if/when. During a pointed Q&A with CEA head Gary Shapiro at CES, the still-new chairman of the Federal Communications Commission refused to give any ground to the idea that regulation is less needed or even irrelevant in a broadband world. “Today there are still millions of Americans who get their video over the air, that’s an important reality that has to be taken into account,” Genachowski said. Universal ubiquitous high speed access will change the dynamics—but not the goals. “We are looking at what we can do in that world to make sure we have vibrant competition.”

Another question, a perennial about the failure of the cable industry to sell cable cards at retail—14 years of frustration, as CEA head Gary Shapiro calls it—brought a different answer than usual from Genachowski. No promises that it will be fixed any time soon but the chairman said the FCC now realizes the issue of connected TV is part of the challenge facing the broadband task force.

Update: Genachowski fleshed out his answer about connected TVs during a later press conference, particularly the idea that digital TVs can be used to bridge the broadband gap in homes that don’t have computers. Nearly all homes have TVs, while two-thirds have computers. Then there’s a separate goal of “spurring innovation.”

He flatly admits that the cable-card effort to meet the statute that was supposed to spur competition by opening access to provisioning cable access hasn’t worked. The goal of the statue and the goal of the FCC rules is to allow multiple parties to be able to design devices and applications that rely on the subscription screen that comes from cable companies. Especially now we see the potential for innovation in the area and the realty that innovation the televisions lag behind innovation around the computer and innovation around the mobile phone. … What can the FCC do to make sure that innovation is encouraged, that 3rd-party developers have the ability to build, design to the platform, that’s what we’re looking for.”

Genachowski avoided specifics when I asked how content would be handled. “This is a new area that, as in other areas, we have an obligation to understand. …. It’s a new market. We’re seeing the beginning of newly interesting innovation. We certainly have people coming to us at the FCC and saying there is some innovation that we’d really like to do here but we the goals of the Navigation Devices Act to be filled. That’s what we’re looking at.”

Comcast-NBCU: On another topic that could wind up being related, Genachowski said he couldn’t say what kind of conditions the FCC might impose on the Comcast-NBCU deal yet because the parties haven’t filed.