Author: Serkadis

Sports leagues around the world have been trying to put more and more restrictive rules on various journalists and news organizations when it comes to reporting on their events. In the US, both the NFL and the MLB have put ridiculous restrictions on what reporters can write about or post on their websites. While, technically, these leagues cannot stop news organizations from covering their events, they can restrict what kind of access they have. Of course, for basic coverage, when the events are televised, reporters could just as easily cover the event while watching it on TV. Still, it’s been disappointing that the major news organizations have refused to stand up to the football and baseball leagues over this attempt to restrict their reporting.

Apparently, they only do that on sports that don’t get as much attention (in the US, at least).

Last year, we wrote how the press was planning to boycott various cricket matches over similar attempts to limit reporting. And, once again, major news organizations like Reuters are proudly announcing that they will not be covering certain cricket matches due to the press policies. The Associated Press has announced similar plans, and says that the AFP is also refusing to cover the matches. At what point do these sports leagues realize that they’re better off with press coverage than without?

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Filed under: Aftermarket, Coupe, Performance, Europe, Porsche

We’re not overly familiar with XTR Carchip, but the Berlin-based tuning company caught our eye with its “X-Wide” Porsche Cayman project. Designed as a daily-driver-turned-track-tool, the 987 S underwent a major exterior overhaul, with a detachable CFRP front splitter, fenders, side skirts, carbon fiber exterior mirrors and an adjustable rear spoiler, along with a set of three-piece, central locking 18-inch BBS RS wheels wrapped in Pirelli rubber.

Inside, the stock stereo and air conditioning remain, but a set of Recaro GT3 seats with six-point Schroth harnesses and a roll cage make it ready for a late night assault on Hockenheim.

Somewhat disappointingly, the only modifications to the engine are a Super Sprint Magnum cat-back exhaust and an ECU tune which boosts output to 310 horsepower and brings a top speed of 177 mph. However, XTR isn’t stopping there — they’re working on a twin-turbocharged version that will reportedly put out around 850 hp when it arrives next spring.

[Source: XTR Carchip via Porsche Point]

XTR Carchip Porsche Cayman X-Wide is the RS we’ve always wanted originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 24 Nov 2009 19:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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These are two photos of my white wall (admittedly under slightly yellow light from an incandescent bulb, but still pretty white). The redness is very very obvious in the second of the two photos, but with the flash it seems to pretty much disappear.

I don’t know whether this is simply the flash being bluey, or the sensor/drivers doing a better job, but I’m guessing more publicity on this issue can only get HTC working harder to fix it!

I’d guess that the software patch may well just compensate for the redness, though in one of the comments here, it’s clearly at least partly software.

Interestingly my HD didnt have any pinkness when i first got bit but its now running a Leo based ROM and it now has some pinkness, although not as much as seen here.

According to a recent article in InformationWeek, the United States Air Force is moving forward in obtaining 2,200 PS3 systems to enhance its already 336 unit strong supercomputer. The PlayStation 3s will be used at the Air Force Research Laboratory’s information directorate in Rome, N.Y. The Air Force also has no plans to drop this method, as moving to an alternative technology hardware would also cause duplication of costs associated with redeveloping the software, military systems, and applications already based on the existing Sony PS3 cluster. This will become increasingly relevant as the magnitude of applications and supporting hardware infrastructure likely will increase over time.

With respect to cell processors, a single 1U server configured with two 3.2GHz cell processors can cost up to $8K while two Sony PS3s cost approximately $600. Though a single 3.2 GHz cell processor can deliver over 200 GFLOPS, whereas the Sony PS3 configuration delivers approximately 150 GFLOPS, the approximately tenfold cost difference per GFLOP makes the Sony PS3 the only viable technology for HPC applications. Sony is the only firm capable of manufacturing the brand of required hardware without the Government experiencing substantial duplication of cost that would not be recoverable through competition among providers of alternative technology. Using cell processor technology besides the Sony PS3 would cost the Government the equivalent of several years of professional research and engineering effort.

Filed under: Etc., Celebrities

Another day, another country that hates Jeremy Clarkson’s guts. Or at least, another country that is seeking an apology from the Top Gear host for his no doubt rude, but no doubter funny comments about said country. In this case, it’s the former Iron Curtain nation of Romania. Seems that during the series’ season 14 opener, Jezza had some less than flattering observations about the country that shot former “Conductor” Nicolae Ceauşescu and his wife before they could even be tied up and blindfolded.

Clarkson’s offending remarks? He referred to Romania as “Borat country.” He also donned the silly-looking pork pie hat above and stated, “I’m wearing this hat so the gypsies think I am one. I’m told they can be violent if they don’t like the look of you.” He also called Romanian water “Communist water” and mentioned that Romanians like to express their sense of humor with guns. Pretty innocuous stuff if you ask us. Especially compared to cracks Clarkson’s made about other non-British places. Like Germany, America and Malaysia. Regardless, the Romanian government is apparently expecting an apology. We think they’d have a better chance at satisfaction by issuing a Whamber Alert. In any case, you can see the offending footage in its entirety by clicking through to the jump.

[Sources: Telegraph; YouTube]

Continue reading Next in line to get irked by Jeremy Clarkson? The Romanian government [w/VIDEO]

Next in line to get irked by Jeremy Clarkson? The Romanian government [w/VIDEO] originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 24 Nov 2009 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Review: 2009 Infiniti G37X Sport makes no excuses

The Infiniti G series relied on its lower cost of entry to make up for its shortcomings. With the G37X Sport, that’s no longer the case.

Quick Spin: Nissan Leaf the tip of mass market EV spear

We take the Nissan Leaf all-electric vehicle for a spin in So. Cal. to see if one mainstream automaker is finally ready to bring EVs to the masses.

Koenigsegg backs out of Saab purchase, brand future up in the air

The Swedish supercar manufacturer that swooped in to save Saab has pulled out of its deal with General Motors. So what does that mean for the future of the brand?

Also of interest:

• 2011 Kia Cadenza bows in Korea, replacing Amanti in the U.S.
• Bentley working on new sub-Continental shooting brake and crossover?
• Subaru WRX STI Special Edition headed for U.S. showrooms
• Electric Infiniti will stay true to brand’s performance roots?
• Car and Driver announces 2010 10Best Cars
• The Baja 1000 – and Hummer vs. Toyota – has been decided

Browse our archive of Daily U-Turn posts or subscribe to the RSS feed

Daily U-Turn: What you missed on 11.24.09 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 24 Nov 2009 19:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: LA Auto Show, Podcasts, Etc., Acura, BMW, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Hyundai, Infiniti, Lexus, Nissan

Click above for the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes, RSS or listen now!

Episode #154 of the Autoblog Podcast is here for your tryptophan-addled pleasure. Chris, Sam, and Dan kick it, starting with the BMW 5 Series, then move on to such appetite supressants as the Lexus GX, Acura ZDX and its pricing, and Infiniti’s re-style of the massive QX56 rig. Before we become an emetic, we move on to the pretty new Infiniti M, the ongoing anticipation for a US-bound Chevrolet Spark, and Hyundai’s new 2.4 liter direct-injection 4 cylinder for the next Sonata. We hit some questions, and wrap it up in time for pie.

If you’re looking to bulk up on podcast excellence over the Thanksgiving holiday, check out our colleagues at Joystiq and Engadget. Let us know what you think by dropping us an email at Podcast at Autoblog dot com, reviewing the show in iTunes, filling out our survey, or even leaving us a voicemail on our Google Voice line 734-288-8POD (734-288-8763). Thanks for listening, we’ll see you next week!

Continue reading Autoblog Podcast #154

Autoblog Podcast #154 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 24 Nov 2009 19:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ever heard of a hackintosh? If not, it’s essentially someone loading OS X on non-Mac hardware. According to some pictures that have surfaced on Facebook, a Chinese hacker was able to put OS X on the Sony VAIO X. This is rather amusing because the notebook already has been compared to the Macbook Air due to their similarities. I’m not sure how well the VAIO X handles OS X, but with up to 2GB of RAM and a speedy SSD I can imagine that the experience is probably pleasing. It’s a shame that Apple doesn’t let other hardware manufacturers build systems with its operating system, as I’m sure there are consumers out there who would probably enjoy the option of buying something like this as standard.

Thanks, GadgetMix.

Filed under: Performance, Wagon, Etc., Europe, Audi, Luxury

If you read publications about cars long enough, you’ll no doubt catch on to our pro-wagon bias. In fact, if us auto-journo types ran things, SUVs, CUVs and sedans would be banned, and all passenger cars would either be mid-engined, 500 horsepower coupes or 600 hp wagons. With manuals and roll up windows. No, really. This is the type of thinking required to join our vaunted profession. However, one of the many reasons we want mega-burly wagons isn’t to haul one ton of dope around.

Seems that a twin-turbo, Lambo-V10 engined Audi RS6 Avant (good for at least 580 hp) was busted outside of Seville, Spain for not only going 133 mph, but for carrying 2,000 pounds of pot. Twenty-seven bundles of hashish to be specific. Value? €120,000, or about $180,000 USD. That’s a lot of grass, man. And probably about one thousand pounds more than a RS6 sedan could have carried. Er… umm… we mean…. “Bad RS6 Avant, bad!”

[Source: Motor Pasion]

Audi RS6 Avant driver reportedly caught going 133 MPH with nearly 2,000 pounds of pot originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 24 Nov 2009 18:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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In what we are guessing is an attempt to make the Kindle a bit more attractive when compared to the B&N nook, Amazon announced today that the Kindle 2 now ships with PDF support and a battery that lasts almost twice as long as previous Kindle 2s. The battery bump, in particular, gives you 7 days of use with wireless on as opposed to 4.

Even cooler, though, is the fact that if you already own a Kindle 2, there will be a firmware update released over-the-air that will give you the same functionality, including the 85% increase in battery life! No date has been announced for the release of that update, but we’d be surprised if it didn’t arrive any day now. Gotta love competition. You can pick up the Kindle 2 on Amazon.

Tags:
amazon,
amazon kindle,
battery life,
ebook readers,
ereaders,
kindle,
kindle 2,
kindle 2 pdf support,
kindle pdf support,
ota,
pdf,

Filed under: Minivan/Van, Government/Legal, Recalls, Safety, Ford

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is investigating hundreds of reports that 2004-2005 Ford Freestar and Mercury Monterey minivans are fitted with defective transmissions that could dangerously fail without warning. Most alarming is that many of the transmissions reportedly fail at highway speeds. In a common complaint, the engine will suddenly surge and then all power is immediately lost. The vehicle is forced to coast powerlessly to a safe spot out of the flow of traffic. Angry owners have flooded message boards to report incidents of transmission failures which leave them stranded and stuck with $3,500 repair bills.

To date, there have been 654 customer complaints and 2,791 warranty claims. However, according to NHTSA, as many as 205,000 vehicles may be affected. The investigation, expected to take a year, will focus on the torque converter output shaft which drives the wheels. Ford Motor Co. has not yet released an official statement regarding the investigation.

[Source: Automotive News, subs. req’d]

NHTSA opening probe into Ford Freestar/Mercury Monterey transmission defect originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 24 Nov 2009 18:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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One cannot go online today without eventually being asked to accept a set of so-called Terms of Service (or TOS). Such TOS agreements have become ubiquitous to websites and other online services in the same way End User License Agreements (EULAs) have become the mainstay of the software industry. Yet while we are often aware that such Terms of Service exist, very few of us know and understand what they actually say.

The time has come to shed light on what these Terms of Service agreements contain, and what it means for users. In conjunction with our TOSBack project, EFF is proud to announce Terms of (Ab)Use: a source for news and updates on TOS issues around the Web. We also will be periodically publishing a series of white papers that will provide the average Internet user a general background on many of the legal issues that surround Terms of Service agreements.

BullJustin points us to a short NPR piece about four massive failures by the recording industry. If we skip over number 3 (Kevin Federline), the other three are pretty relevant to what we talk about here on a regular basis: the Sony BMG rootkit fiasco that opened up security holes on computers without letting anyone know, the RIAA’s lawsuit strategy of suing fans and the record labels’ ongoing efforts at payola to get songs played on the radio.

However, BullJustin makes an amusing point in the submission concerning that last one:

It cost the industry untold millions in actual payola, independent promoter fees, and then more than $25 million in settlements, not to mention lawyer fees. If they would have just let people share the music online, the marketing they were looking for could have been free.”

It really does make you wonder what goes through the minds of record label strategists. They tossed away millions paying people to get music heard, when they could have just embraced file sharing and made it cheaper and easier to get music heard without running into the legal problems of payola as well. Of course, the problem with that plan is that the labels also lose “control.” They’ve paid to get songs on the radio because they wanted to just focus on a small group of artists who they could squeeze for as much profit as possible, dumping all the rest. File sharing makes it harder and raises the possibility that other artists might also get heard.

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Filed under: Hatchback, Mitsubishi, Electric

Mitsubishi already plans on selling its little MiEV electric car in the U.S. within the next 18 months, and it appears that we may get a gasoline powered version of the roomy micro car as well. Automotive News is reporting that Mitsubishi is mulling the idea of putting petrol power in charge of propulsion of some i models, giving dealers a higher volume line that can compete with the Smart Fortwo. The automaker already sells a gasoline powered i in Europe, but Mitsubishi Motors North America VP John Koenig reportedly told AN that the Euro model’s turbocharged 660cc motor would likely be swapped out for the same Mitsubishi-sourced 1.0-liter three-cylinder model that powers the Smart.

If Koenig wants to bring the gas-powered i to the States, he estimates that he’ll have to prove that dealers can sell 1,000 models per month in order to get the parent company to pull the trigger. That sounds doable to us considering Smart sold 20,000 Fortwo’s in the first 10 months of production – in spite of the fact that the unique-looking micro mini is premium-priced and only has two seats. The i can comfortably seat four and it can probably be sold for close to the Fortwo’s $11,990 starting price. The typical i sells in more small car tolerant Europe for $16,000.

[Source: Automotive News – subs. req.]

REPORT: Mitsubishi considering gasoline-engine MiEV originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 24 Nov 2009 17:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Calve Muscle Anatomy There are two primary muscle groups on the back of the lower legs – the gastrocnemius and the soleus muscles. The soleus is a wide, flat muscle that lies beneath the heart shaped gastrocnemius. Both muscles contract to extend the feet and toes, but the soleus can only fully contract when your leg is bent to at least a 30-degree angle. There are several other smaller muscles in your lower legs, all of which will be developed by focusing on working the calves. The only exception is the tibialis anterior muscle, which runs up the front of your shin and contracts to pull your foot and toes upward. If you have trouble developing your calves you can work these muscles more frequently then other muscle groups. They are tough, dense muscles and they can handle a bigger workload. Calve Exercises It is essential that when you do any exercise that you perform the movements correctly, if you don’t you will receive less then optimum benefit from the exercise. It is very difficult to unlearn bad exercise habits, so it is best to learn the right exercise technique from the very start. For each calve workout do 4 sets for each exercise listed below. One workout do high reps (i.e. 15+ per set) the next workout do low reps (i.e. 5-10 per set). This is one of the best ways to get stubborn calve muscles to grow. Standing Calve Raise This is a basic calve movement that works the gastrocnemius muscles. Step up on the foot block of the machine and place your head between the shoulder pads. Position yourself so that your shoulders are comfortably under the pads. Place the balls of your feet on the foot block, with your feet about shoulder width apart, toes pointing forward. Straighten your legs and support the weight on your shoulders. Keep your knees straight during the entire movement. Slowly lower your heels until your calve muscles stretch down as far as possible. Hold the stretched position for a second and then rise up as high as you can on your tippy toes. Hold this position for a second to enhance the peak contraction in the calves. Repeat. Tip – for a variation you can do this exercise with one leg at a time. If you do not have access to a standing calve raise you can perform the exercise with a barbell across your shoulders instead. Seated Calve Raise This exercise targets the soleus muscles because it is performed with your legs bent at a 90-degree angle. This exercise also works the gastrocnemius muscles are as secondary muscles. Adjust the knee pads of the machine so that you can sit with your knees snug to the pads. Place the balls of your feet on the foot block, with your feet about shoulder width apart, toes pointing forward. Rise up as high as you can on your tippy toes. Hold this position for a second to enhance the peak contraction in the calves. Slowly lower your heels until your calve muscles stretch down as far as possible. Hold the stretched position for a second. Repeat. Tip – if you do not have access to a seated calve raise machine you can do this exercise seated on the end of a bench with a barbell wrapped in a thick towel placed on top you’re your knees. Donkey Calve Raises This different looking exercise is excellent for working the gastrocnemius muscles. Secondary stress is applied to the soleus muscles. Stand with the balls of your feet on a block, with your feet about shoulder width apart, toes pointing forward. Bend over and rest your hands on an exercise bench so that your upper body is parallel to the floor while keeping your legs straight. Have a training partner sit up on your hips and balance in place as if they were riding a horse. Slowly lower your heels until your calve muscles stretch down as far as possible. Hold the stretched position for a second. Rise up as high as you can on your tippy toes. Hold this position for a second to enhance the peak contraction in the calves. Repeat. 1 Leg Calve Raise This exercise works the gastrocnemius muscles. Note: This pic shows a 2 leg calve raise, you can also do them one leg at a time. Stand on one leg with the ball of your foot on a calve block and your heels hanging off the edge of the block. You should hold onto something, such as a squat rack, to help you keep your balance. Keep your knee straight during the entire movement. Slowly lower your heel until your calve muscle stretches down as far as possible. Hold the stretched position for a second and then rise up as high as you can on your tippy toes. Hold this position for a second to enhance the peak contraction in the calve muscle. Repeat for the desired number of reps. Repeat with the other leg. Tip – you can hold a dumbbell or do this exercise in a standing calve raise machine to add more resistance. This is a good exercise to do as a warm up or as a finishing exercise for your calve workout.

Filed under: Truck, Recalls, Safety, Toyota

If you’ve been following the Toyota Tundra rust saga, you’re aware that NHSTA recently requested data from Toyota about the purported frame corrosion affecting 2000 and 2001 models. Today, Toyota has extended that recall to include the 2002-03 model years, saying that a small number of trucks could suffer from frame corrosion that could cause the spare tire to detach from its underbody housing. That brings the total up to 110,000 Tundras located in 20 cold-weather states and the District of Columbia.

Toyota will begin an inspection program next month which will run through January of 2010, and if you’re driving one of the affected pickups, you can get all the details in the press release below the fold. Hat tip to Mike from Pickuptrucks.com.

Continue reading Toyota extends Tundra rust recall to include 2000-03 models, totalling 110,000 trucks

Toyota extends Tundra rust recall to include 2000-03 models, totalling 110,000 trucks originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 24 Nov 2009 17:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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