The simple Sony Ericsson Spiro is aimed at someone who wants a simple phone with above average features. It’s a slider cell phone with a 2.2 inch screen (240×320, 262k colors), 2 megapixel camera with 2x digital zoom and video recording.
Fancy colors such as Contrast Black, Sunset Pink, Spring Green and Stealth Black will be available. Other notable additions include FM radio, Stereo Bluetooth, TrackID, PlayNow, Facebook, and Twitter integration. MP3/AAC/AAC+/eAAc+ audio formats are supported. I can’t imagine this phone being very excuse at launch and will most likely land on AT&T eventually later this year.
The Spiro uses a MicroUSB connector and it can double as a mass storage device. You’ll also enjoy the 3.5mm headphone jack which enables you to use just about any headphone or earphone. The Spiro is compatible with MicroSD.
Follow Finder es un nuevo servicio de google que mediante el ingreso de nuestra cuenta busca un par personas o empresas a la cual te recomienda seguir segun los seguidores que ya tienes, lo que publicas, etc.
La interfaz es muy simple nada mas agregar tu cuenta, buscar y seguir, así que no van a tener problemas. En mi caso me aparecen cuentas que ya sigo, por mas que actualice me las sigue recomendando..
Cram was the first amongst many to submit the story that online publications won Pulitzer Prizes for the first time ever. Sherri Fink of ProPublica, a non-profit online journalism service, won the investigative reporting prize for her piece about overworked doctors in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, which was co-published in the New York Times Magazine. Mark Fiore won for his editorial cartoons on SFGate.com, which marks the first time that an online-only entity has won a Pulitzer. To us, this is only an affirmation of a trend that we’ve been watching here for years. Nothing about a physical newspaper inherently makes it better suited for doing great reporting. Print and online are just a mediums, and as consumption patterns shift towards online, we should see more of this in the future. As we’ve seen recently with the breaking of the huge Collateral Murder story by Wikileaks, there’s an opportunity to do great hard-hitting investigative reporting not only outside of the print medium, but also outside of the traditional journalistic institutions themselves. The question is, will Pulitzer recognize such efforts? From the Pulitzer eligibility rules:
Entries for journalism awards must be based on material coming from a text-based United States newspaper or news site that publishes at least weekly during the calendar year and that adheres to the highest journalistic principles.
So, it’s unclear whether or not blogs would be eligible for a Pulitzer. Plenty of blogs would meet the weekly publishing requirement, but from the rest of the definition it would appear that any site not affiliated with an “official” news site would not be eligible. As for the “highest journalistic principles,” The National Enquirer was accepted as a nominee this year, so surely there’s a blog or two out there that can bring their quality of reporting up to that level.
That said, the Pulitzer does not have to change their rules to include blogs, after all, by definition, it is a prize for the newspaper industry. Magazines and broadcast news are also not eligible. But, these prohibitions seem artificial since many of the prizes focus on reporting, and plenty of quality reporting happens outside of the newspapers. Times change, and if the Pulitzer wants to continue to be relevant in the public eye, it needs to evolve or it risks becoming a big award in a small pond.
Honda yesterday took the wraps off its new EV-neo electric scooter prototype and said that it plans to start leasing it in Japan in December 2010.
The Honda EV-neo electric-scooter is equipped with a lithium-ion battery (by Toshiba) and a brushless motor that allows it to travel over 18 miles on a single charge. That means you can travel 9 miles away from your house because you’re going to need the other 9 miles to get back. Charging from a standard 100V power source will take about 4 hours.
While Honda didn’t announced any performance figures, it said that the “EV-neo provides performance equivalent to that of mass-market under-50cc gasoline engine motorcycles.”
Honda hopes to target the EV-neo towards individual business owners who provide mainly delivery services.
Make the jump for the press release.
Press Release:
Honda Plans to Begin Sales of Commercial Use Electric Scooter, EV-neo, in December 2010
TOKYO, Japan, April 13, 2010 – Honda Motor Co., Ltd. revealed the latest prototype of the EV-neo electric scooter and announced plans to begin lease sales in Japan in December 2010 to businesses and individual business owners who provide mainly delivery services.
Honda developed the EV-neo, an electric scooter designed to provide the durability necessary for business use, envisioning a wide range of uses by businesses such as delivery services. Equipped with a lithium-ion battery and a brushless motor, EV-neo realizes excellent environmental performance with zero CO2 emissions in use. The battery is rechargeable using a household power source with attention given to the range per charge. Moreover, EV-neo provides performance equivalent to that of mass-market under-50cc gasoline engine motorcycles realizing a powerful ride even with cargo by leveraging the characteristics of a high-torque motor even at a low speed ride.
Under the key words of “quiet and clean” Honda held the world premier exhibition of the EV-neo concept model (under the name EVE-neo) at the 41st Tokyo Motor Show in 2009 as one of Honda’s new-generation personal mobility products which will contribute to the realization of a low-carbon society while transporting people and cargo. The mass-market model of EV-neo is currently under development.
Honda will continue providing products with excellent environmental performance to more customers in order to contribute to global CO2 emission reduction efforts.
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[ Key specifications of EV-neo Prototype ]
Dimensions (L×W×H)
1,820×693×1,066 (mm)
Range
Over 30km (at 30km/h on a flat road) per charge
Battery type/make
Lithium-ion battery manufactured by Toshiba
Charge performance
charged in approximately 4 hours (100V power source)
Hot on the heels of a report from one British car mag declaring the new MG6 – the company’s first clean-sheet new product since its acquisition by Chinese automaker Nanjing – possibly the best-handling vehicle in its class come new reports that another all-new product is in the works for the iconic British marque.
According to Auto Express – which has, mind you, been known to jump the gun on the old rumor mill – engineers at MG are working on a new roadster. Unlike the aging Rover Metro-based TF (pictured above) and the plans to update the same, the new MG will go with a front-engine setup with a variety of powertrains on offer. Among them, a GM-sourced turbodiesel, a hybrid system similar to that found on the Honda CR-Z, and a gasoline V6. Sources expect to see the new MG roadster on the road by 2013… in the UK, at least. But if it proves as promising as the aforementioned MG6, we could have another hot Euro roadster to pine for Stateside.
What about the X120 project, supposedly aborted due to lack of funds? That could be back on the table as well, stretching the TF’s mid-engine platform into more versatile dimensions. One roadster at a time, blokes.
It seems like people are starting to keep their satellite radio subscriptions. Sirius XM announced today that it added more than 171,000 subscribers in the first quarter of 2010, benefiting from better car sales and users continuing the service after free trails. Sirius also said that its stock rose more than 9 percent.
Sirius said that total subscriber additions increased by 29 percent, while deactivations dropped by 11 percent from a year earlier. It said that it ended the quarter with 18.9 million subscribers, up 344,765 from a year earlier.
Sirius said that most of the gains came from new car purchases. It said about 45.2 percent of those who had a free trial when they bought a car kept the service, up from 44.6 percent in the first quarter of 2009.
Two pictures of the 2011 Chevrolet Camaro Convertible have ended up on Facebook – we’re not sure how and we really don’t care – all we know is we can’t wait for the drop-top Camaro to make its debut later this year.
The 2011 Chevrolet Camaro Convertible will hit dealerships in the first quarter of 2011 and GM expects to sell about 20,000 units in the first-year – somehow we think it’ll sell better than that.
2011 Chevrolet Camaro Convertible (Facebook Leak):
A few days ago, we published the scariest magazine cover we’ve seen in a while–Newsweek’s “America’s Back!”
This set off too many echoes of the famous “Death of Equities” at the start of the Great Bull Market from 1982 to 2000.
But the writer of that Newsweek story, Dan Gross, is a smart cookie. And he stopped by TechTicker today to defend it…
Peter Gorenstein: Cover-story author Daniel Gross says the economy is making a strong comeback, defying the odds and surprising the naysayers. “The turnaround we’ve had since [Lehman Brothers’ bankruptcy], while not completely satisfying, has been pretty remarkable,” he tells Henry Blodget in the accompanying clip.
A combination of unprecedented government intervention matched by rapid restructuring and increased productivity in the private sector has resulted in an economy stronger than anyone would have imagined just 18 months ago, Gross argues. Although the National Bureau of Economic Research – the official tracker of recessions – continues to wait to officially declare its end, Gross dismisses their hesitation, saying economic forecasters “have consistently underestimated the rate of economic growth.”
Gross points to several factors to back his case:
– The economy is growing. The U.S. economy has gone from shrinking at a 6.4 percent annual rate in the first quarter of 2009 to growing at a rate of 5.9 percent at the end of the year.
– Bull market. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is now hovering around 11,000, having rebounded 70% off the bottom.
– Job creation. The unemployment rate remains stubbornly high; however, 162,000 jobs were created in March. That’s a long way from losing 800,000 per month at the height of the panic. Job growth “is going to be slower than many people would like it to be but I think it’s going to be faster than many of the professional forecasters are expecting it to be,” he says.
– Productivity. From the fourth quarter of 2008 to the fourth quarter of 2009, productivity rose 5.8 percent.
True, too many people are out of work and the housing market remains stuck in the mud but “we’re having this recovery in spite of housing,” Gross notes.
Magazines don’t have a great track record with their predictions. Business Week’s “The Death of Equities” cover story in August of 1979 ushered in the greatest stock market bull run in history. Gross isn’t worried about the “jinx”, noting he and his colleagues at Newsweek have been prescient during the crisis. In January 2008 they were correct in reporting the country was headed for recession and were on the money again when they called an end to the recession in July of last year.
Give banks unlimited access to financing at close to 0% and a steep yield curve, exempt them from marking their worst assets to market, and they will earn money, even when their combined commercial loan book is shrinking at an annual rate of 20% –
Obviously the awesome performance of Wall Street isn’t due to any kind of lending pickup.
Una excelente noticia llega desde el blog Google Webmaster Central y que hoy de casualidad lo vi en mi cuenta es una nueva actualización en las visualizaciones de las consultas de búsqueda más habituales.
A partir de ahora se podrán visualizar la cantidad de impresiones generales que tubo una consulta en la que aparecimos en el buscador, la cantidad de clics y el porcentaje. Pero también nos da la posibilidad de por cada consulta ver mas detalladamente en cuales posiciones aparecimos y por cada posición la cantidad de impresiones con su porcentaje de clics. Aparte de esto también las paginas que aparecieron en esa consulta con sus respectivas impresiones, clics y porcentaje.
Y no solo eso sino que podemos ver el total de las consultas o palabras claves ya sean 5000, 10000 o mas. Y si estamos rastreando o queriendo ver que tal nos va con un termino en particular o consulta arriba tenemos un buscador.
A demás podremos seguir eligiendo ver de donde se realizaron esas búsquedas, web, imagenes, o movil y desde que países..
Last week marked the 75th anniversary of the Works Progress Administration, the New Deal program which puts millions of people to work during the Great Depression, creating such landmarks as the Blue Ridge Parkway. Below, Duke economist Prof. William “Sandy” Darity, Jr. argues that a similar public jobs program could be just as successful today.
It is stunning how cautious the response has been to the nation’s greatest economic crisis since the Great Depression of the 1930s.
Apart from the implementation of a $787 billion stimulus package that meets the conventional norms of counter-recessionary practices, the most dramatic action taken by the federal government has been the rapid transfer of more than $1 trillion in public monies to the same investment banking community whose actions brought us the crisis in the first place.
There has been a failure to undertake or even to consider more daring and imaginative policies to produce a healthy and equitable economy. The powerful transformative policy proposed here is a federal job guarantee that would insure that all persons willing to work would be able to obtain work.
The national government should establish the equivalent of a Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) similar to the type that employed 3.5 million citizens in 1936, one of the worst years of the Great Depression. But, unlike the CCC, the new public employment service (it could be named the National Investment Employment Corps) would assure every American seeking work that a job is available in either good times or bad.
The guarantee would be of special significance in bad times — like those we are now encountering — when the national unemployment rate is over 10 percent and the unemployment rate for black Americans is nearly twice as high.
Under a federal job guarantee, the national government would function as an employer of the last resort, providing basic job security for all Americans. What type of socially useful work could the members of a new CCC perform?
Parallel to the Works Progress Administration during the Great Depression, the National Investment Employment Corps could set as a priority repair, maintenance, and construction of the nation’s deteriorating infrastructure. In 2009 the American Society of Civil Engineers gave the country an overall grade of D on infrastructure, reporting that one in four rural bridges are structurally deficient and that the state of Texas alone has only seven engineers and a budget of $435,000 to oversee more than 7,400 dams.
There is plenty of valuable work to be done in addressing the nation’s physical infrastructure needs alone. Indeed, if we also consider the nation’s human infrastructure in a wider sense, the array of jobs that could be performed under the auspices of a public employment service could include work to improve rapid transit service, parks and recreational areas and also, as suggested by M.B. Morrissey in a February 2010 open letter to President Barack Obama:
[C]onstruction of high quality pre-schools, [h]igh quality childcare for working mothers…preceded by in depth training in child care and child development for all child care workers, …[c]omputer repair , upgrades, and maintenance workers, …[s]anitation [w]orkers and [f]ood [s]ervice workers in hospitals and schools, [and] [f]ederal [b]ank workers who would administer small business loans, students loans, and other bank services….
Each state could be canvassed to develop a comprehensive list of jobs that that could be met by the National Infrastructure Service Corps.
Apart from the social benefits associated with meeting the vast infrastructural needs, a number of advantages would accompany the introduction of federal job guarantee:
1. It would eliminate the economic insecurity faced by working Americans whose livelihoods now are contingent upon the whims of Wall Street. A federal job guarantee would insulate American workers from dependence upon the performance of the stock market and the financial sector. We would establish a firewall between the casino like behavior of high finance and national economic well being.
2. It would place a floor on the conditions of employment offered by the private sector. If the minimum salary for employees in the National Investment Employment Corps is $20,000 coupled with approximately $10,000 in benefits, the private sector would need to match that minimum to attract employees. Correspondingly, it would be possible to eliminate minimum wage laws.
3. The program would be no more expensive than the $1.3 trillion handout initially given to the investment banking community. There are approximately 15 million persons currently in the ranks of the officially unemployed. If all were hired at a mean salary of $40,000 plus $10,000 in benefits, the compensation bill would be $750 billion.
4. Continued access to employment would yield far greater benefits to the economy as a whole than the massive handout to the investment bankers. It would produce renewed aggregate consumption demand, reduce the momentum toward homeownership foreclosures, and enable workers to maintain their connection to the labor market and avoid deterioration in their skills and motivation.
5. The benefits package would include the federal health insurance plan that is available to Congressmen and civil servants. Therefore, there no longer would be a need to undertake comprehensive health insurance reform.
6. We could eliminate working poverty. Households that are out of work are three times as likely to be poor as working households. But in the United States, 10 percent of working people have poverty level incomes. The federal job guarantee with the levels of salary and benefits described above would address both the needs of the working and jobless poor.
7. We could provide an assurance of quality employment for acutely stigmatized populations. For example, the ex-convict population — persons who had completed their sentences — could look forward to a guarantee of a job when they exit from imprisonment.
8. We could overcome the adverse health outcomes, both mental and physical, associated with exposure to prolonged unemployment.
9. Finally we could fulfill the promise and the intent of the Humphrey Hawkins Act. A federal job guarantee is a direct avenue to the establishment of permanent full employment for the US economy.
The time has come take action that will constitute a structural transformation of the US economy. A federal job guarantee is a courageous measure that can usher in a new era of national prosperity.
William Darity Jr is Arts and Sciences Professor of Public Policy, African and African American Studies, and Economics at Duke University and Director of the Research Network on Racial and Ethnic Economic Inequality.
Sony Ericsson has refreshed its compact Walkman phone line with two new models, and within this post I will be covering the Zylo. This is a basic slider cell phone but has some interesting tricks up its sleeve that make it quite dapper. It’s quite amusing, actually. Sony Ericsson has once again chosen psychadelic color names for this piece of kit, including Jazz Black, Chacha Silver and Swing Pink colors. The Zylo truly is odd. It does have an average 2.6 inch screen (240×320, 262k colors, scratch resistant). However, as I continue on with stating that it has a 3.2 megapixel camera, 2x digital zoom, geo tagging, video recording for the camera, you probably start to wander off. However, simply remember that this is pretty excellent stuff for what will probably be a low price.
Thankfully the Zylo has support for MicroSD, and here is where things actually go from eh, not bad to awesome. The Zylo can play MP3/AAC/AAC+/eAAc+/WMA/FLAC files. Yeah, read that again. FLAC. WHAT! Does this mean that Sony may integrate such compatibility with future Walkman devices? There is also word that you can play your favorite tune in the background while chatting away on the handset. And for the little heavens out there, the Zylo also comes preloaded with sounds so you can pretend you are still at work, walking on the street or in a restaurant.
Let’s look at the other specifications; it is fully loaded with things to give it a Walkman experience, such as Album Art, Playlists, Clear Bass/Stereo, PlayNow, SensMe, Shake Control, and Walkman Player (with cool styles, as shown in the pictures). A NetFront browser is integrated within, and it has Facebook, and Twitter. There is also a built-in accelerometer, gesture control, and animated wallpapers. 3D games are supported, as well as an integrated FM Radio, YouTube, and several other interesting features.
The 2011 Ford Explorer, which will make its world debut later this year, will come with a new control system that lets drivers select how much traction they want based on the road conditions they are traveling on. The picture above shows a dial at the center of the console, which drives can use to select between four modes including: normal roads, muddy or rutted roads, snowy roads or sand.
When the driver selects a desired mode, the Explorer will adjust the engine, transmission, brakes, wheel rotation speed and other systems.
The new tractions control system will come standard on all all-wheel-drive versions of the 2011 Explorer.
Ford confirmed that its new 2.0L 4-cylinder EcoBoost will debut in the next-generation Ford Explorer and Ford Edge. Production of the next-generation Explorer will start at FoMoCo’s Chicago Assembly Plant beginning in the fourth quarter of this year, bringing approximately 1,200 new jobs to the Chicago region.
The latest blow to the formerly sterling reputation of Toyota came this week when Consumer Reports gave the new LexusGX460 a “Do Not Buy” rating. It’s not often that CR gives its worst rating to a vehicle and it’s never happened to a Toyota or Lexus product before. In light of recent recall woes, Toyota is taking this news very seriously and has stopped selling the Lexus GX while it investigates the issue.
The reason for the dire rating is what CR considers a major safety risk with the new GX. During the publication’s handling tests, the CR drivers experienced significant oversteer (the back end of the vehicle sliding sideways) before the electronic stability control intervened and brought the SUV back under control.
Cornering oversteer is something automakers try to avoid, except on high-performance sports cars. On SUVs with a high center of gravity, this is an especially serious problem because if the vehicle hits a curb, shoulder or other impediment while sliding it’s more prone to roll over. During a previous test with the Toyota 4Runner, which shares its basic platform with the Lexus GX, CR didn’t experience the same problem. Follow the jump as we examine some possible explanations for the disparity between these two SUVs.
This new development was intended to take the place of the successful and internationally established first dTRANS …01 series. With extended functions in the same compact housing, the JUMO dTRANS pH/CR/AS/Ci 02 instrument series now covers all the measurement variables. The mounting dimensions for the panel-mounting instruments are 96 mm x 48 mm x 90 mm (W x H x D) and these instruments are also available in a surface-mounted housing, with IP 67 protection. The new instrument series is available in 4 variants:
JUMO dTRANS pH 02 – pH-measurement with glass and ISFET sensors, redox measurement, NH3 measurement
JUMO dTRANS CR 02 – conductivity measurement with conductive two-pole and four-pole sensors, resistance measurement in ultra-pure water
JUMO dTRANS AS 02 – 0/4 – 20 mA signal input for sensors with a standard signal output, such as chlorine, chlorine dioxide, ozone and hydrogen peroxide sensors, level probes, pressure measuring instruments
JUMO dTRANS Ci 02 – conductivity measurement with inductive sensors
The high-contrast, backlit, graphical LC display makes the measurement values easy to read. They can be displayed as a digital, numerical value, as a bar graph and as a graphical trend curve. Thanks to the plain text navigational structure, operating the instrument is simple and safe. The instrument can be set to many European languages (including Russian). There is a user-friendly PC setup program for easy configuration and data exchange. In addition to the measurement input for an analysis variable, the instruments have a temperature input for Pt100, Pt1000 or NTC as standard. Besides, there are always two freely-programmable changeover relays available. On top of the standard inputs and outputs up to three more input or output modules can be connected. The programmable higher order control functions are P, PI, PD and PID action (pulse length and pulse frequency output). Other possibilities include limit monitoring and modulating controls for opening and closing valves. Thanks to this modularity, multi-channel measurements are possible, such as the simultaneous measurement of the pH value, temperature and chlorine concentration, or two pH or two conductivity measurements. An integrated math module allows the input signals to be linked. Digital interfaces such as PROFIBUS-DP and Modbus (RS 422/485) are available for connection to a higher-level control system…….
The MR7000 is a complete solution for micro percussion marking, Data Matrix™ codes as well as reading Data Matrix™ codes. It provides high-precision marking complying with standards in affect in the aerospace, defence, automotive and other industries.
The MR7000 is the ideal marking solution for aircraft parts, safety-critical parts and high added-value parts. The precision of the guidance and the use of an electromagnetic stylus provide perfect control of positioning and impact force. The solution also includes a hand-held Data Matrix™ code reader, connected either to a PC or to the marking machine itself, so that the conformity of the marking on the part can be checked. Lastly, micro percussion marking cannot be forged, in contrast to ink-jet marking, for example.
The MR7000 is particularly ergonomic and simple to use. The marking area is 100 x 120 mm, with a 280 mm motorized Z-axis. No manual adjustment is necessary: the electromagnetic stylus is fitted with a touch sensor which automatically locates the marking surface and positions itself correctly. The marking log is saved in the machine and can easily be exported. The marking program can be defined and loaded into the machine in advance by the supervisor (force, texts, etc.). All the operator then has to do is execute the markings, without having to adjust the programming.
A wide range of accessories are available. The circular part marking system converts the MR7000 into a 4-axis machine (X, Y, Z, and rotation), (take away ‘and’) this procedure does not require a PC. An automatic plate feeder with a 160-item capacity means that certain tasks can be automated.
TECHNIFOR technical assistance and customer support is available in more than 30 countries. For further information, visit us at www.gravotech.com.
Turck provides a new portfolio of inclination sensors with analog or digital output and CANopen interface
Turck presents a new inclination-sensor series at the Hannover fair, made for various applications such as robots, vehicles, planes, harvesters, agricultural machines, construction machines or solar collectors. The robust housings are IP68 rated and enable a long-term stable and reliable measurement of inclination. The micro-mechanical capacitive measuring element of the sensor guarantees high accuracy and sensitivity with a repeatability of 0.1 percent.
The standard program includes biaxial inclination sensors in cuboid-shaped housings Q20L60, covering angular ranges from +-10°, +-45° and +-60°. The sensors are available with voltage, current and radiometric output. Beyound that turck offers another modell in a Q42 housing with CANopen interface. For special fields of application, the sensor family also offers uniaxial models operating in the full angular range of 360°. The user can adjust the desired range within a few seconds. The 360-degree versions are available with analog voltage and current output, as well as with two programmable switchpoints.
Flexible: Turck’s inclination sensors are available with analog voltage, current and radiometric output, as well as with a CANopen interface
SCAIME announces the introduction of the ZA30X S-type load cell series. With its full stainless steel construction and complete hermetic sealing, the new ZA30X models are rated to IP68 and provide high resistance to ingress.
Certified to OIML (International Organization of Legal Metrology) R60 for devices up to 3000 divisions, the ZA30X series is ideally suited to process or retail applications requiring weighing capabilities from 500 kg up to 7500 kg.
Enabling continuous operation in harsh environments, the ZA30X series is suitable for frequent wash-down and ATEX certified for hazardous environment. It’s always the right weighing sensor in the food, beverage, pharmaceutical, chemical sectors and cement or asphalt plants
The ZA30X can be designed into platform scales, hopper weighing and force measurement equipments. Its tension measurement capabilities mean the ZA30X series will also serve applications such as hanging scales or tank suspended weighing.
Spectrum introduces the M3i.21xx series, the fastest digitiser from Spectrum, based on the recently introduced M3i platform. Four different versions are available for all supported bus types ranging from 250 MS/s to 1 GS/s with one or two synchronous channels. All cards are available as PCI/PCI-X and PCI Express version for the same price. The M3i.21xx series is suitable for a large range of application areas especially high energy physics, research and development, radar, spectroscopy and laser applications.
The highly configurable A/D amplifier stage consists of a 50 ohm terminated path with a bandwidth of up to 500 MHz and a second, high impedance path with a bandwidth > 200 MHz. 8 input ranges between ±50 mV and ±10V can be software selected. In addition each channel has a programmable AC/DC coupling and a selectable low pass filter to optimise noise figures. The input stage can be on-board calibrated by just issuing a calibration command in software. Calibration values are stored in an on-board EEProm.
The card comes as a standard with 256 MByte of memory and can be equipped with up to 4 GByte of on-board memory to cope with the large amounts of data. Using the full memory option it is possible to acquire more than 4 seconds of data with 1 GS/s.
The M3i.21xx is delivered with Windows drivers supporting Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7, each 32 bit and 64 bit version as well as Linux 32/64 bit drivers, a set of programming examples and a basic version of the new SBench 6 software which has been optimized for handling GBytes of acquired data and which is available for Windows and Linux.
The driver supports all M3i cards as well as all M2i cards allowing to easy upgrade hardware for existing applications. A set of standard programming examples is provided to illustrate the boards main signal capture functions. Extensive support includes Visual C++, Borland C++, Gnu C++, Visual Basic, VB.NET, C#, J# and Delphi code.
The 2011 five-door Alfa Romeo Giulietta will go on sale in Europe starting next month and will be available in five different models including:
Two Quadrifoglio Verde versions fitted with the 235-hp 1750 TBi.
Two versions with 170-hp 2.0 JTDM.
and a version fitted with the 170-hp 1.4 MultiAir Turbo gasoline.
All engines are combined with a manual 6-speed gearbox belonging to the three axle transmission family, which can withstand and transmit high maximum torque values. The Multiair and 170-hp 2.0 JTDM units will also be available with a dual-clutch automatic transmission.
Oh and if you’re wondering if the Giulietta will come to the United States when Alfa Romeo makes its return to the stateside – don’t keep your hopes up.
“There are no plans at present to export the Alfa Romeo Giulietta to the North American market,” Richard Gadeselli, vice president of communications for Fiat Group Automobiles SpA, told AutoWeek.
Hit the jump for the press release for more details along with the updated high-res image gallery.
2011 Alfa Romeo Giulietta:
Press Release:
Alfa Romeo Giulietta
Model in brief
Having made its world preview at the recent Geneva International Motor Show, the new Alfa Romeo Giulietta makes its debut today and, from May this year, will be marketed progressively on all the major markets, thus relaunching the brand in one of the most important segments in Europe.
In Alfa Romeo’s Centenary year, the name Giulietta is a tribute to an automobile and an Alfa Romeo legend. In the Fifties, the Giulietta caught the imagination of car enthusiasts throughout the world, making the dream of owning an Alfa Romeo and enjoying its high level of comfort and technical excellence accessible for the first time.
Now the Alfa Romeo Style Centre has produced a new Giulietta, a five-door hatchback with an evident Alfa
Romeo appearance and capable of expressing both great agility on the most demanding routes and providing comfort on everyday journeys. This is due to the new Compact platform which, thanks to the sophisticated technical solutions employed for the suspension, the dual pinion active steering, the sophisticated materials used and the manufacturing technologies implemented, allows the Giulietta to achieve exceptionally high standards both in terms of on-board comfort as well as its dynamic and safety features (active and passive).
A new platform to enhance road holding and agility in total comfort and safety
The Giulietta introduces an entirely new platform – called Compact – designed to satisfy the most demanding customers in terms of road-holding, agility and safety. It ensures both exceptional dynamic performance and high comfort levels, thanks to the refined technical solutions employed for the suspension, a new-generation steering system, a light and rigid structure created from materials such as aluminium and high-strength steels, and avant-garde manufacturing techniques.
This new platform will allow the Giulietta to accommodate the needs of all customers in this category, combining on-board comfort, functional interiors and generous boot space, with the dynamic qualities that belong to every Alfa Romeo. Furthermore, driving satisfaction and comfort can be adapted to meet every customer’s specific needs thanks to the Alfa DNA selector, a device that customises the vehicle’s behaviour to suit different road conditions and driving styles. The new platform of the Alfa Romeo Giulietta was designed to integrate the vehicle’s different systems and exploit them to the full, thus emphasising the three set-up functions (Dynamic, Normal and All Weather) available through the Alfa DNA selector. This device, fitted as standard on the entire range of the new model, is designed to modify the operating parameters of the engine, gearbox, steering system and Q2 electronic differential, in addition to the behaviour logic of the Vehicle Dynamic Control system (VDC).
Sporty and comfortable, Italian style
The perfect blend of sportiness and style, the Alfa Romeo Giulietta redefines the Brand’s technological standards and emotional values.
The front displays a brand new interpretation of the classic shield, embedded in the front bumper and suspended between the air vents. This is the starting point for the design of the entire car, which combines an energetic personality with a distinctly elegant form. The front headlights have DRL with LED technology and a day light function for maximum active safety.
Even the profile of the Alfa Romeo Giulietta is brimming with personality, giving the impression of an agile and sturdy car. This is above all due to the side windows which recall the appearance of a coupé, emphasising the dynamism and fluidity of form, thanks also to the concealed rear door handles. The ribs on the sides of the vehicle seem to elongate the car while the clean lines which end at the rear accentuate the angular shape of the car’s body.
The rear, like the front and side, features distinct styling which emphasises the feeling of a muscular car, firmly gripped onto the road surface. In addition, like the headlights, the innovative rear lights also use LED technology, not only for the sake of style but also preventive safety.
Lastly, the measurements of the new car amount to a compact and dynamic shape, while at the same time guaranteeing excellent comfort and a spacious boot (350 litres): it is 4.35 metres long, 1.46 metres high and 1.80 metres wide, with a wheelbase of 2.63 metres.
Advanced features for maximum wellbeing on board
Attention to detail and high quality materials used for interiors are, today as always, the most developed expression of Italian style. More specifically, the dominant concept in the interiors of the new model is lightness. The lines are clean and the dashboard develops horizontally. The seats are comfortable and their shape is designed to ensure maximum comfort during long journeys.
Thanks to the advanced ergonomics in the interior design, every switch is ideally located: the main ones are grouped together at the centre of the dashboard and feature the same design as those on the 8C Competizione.
The navigation system with pop-up display allows drivers to safely display the route or the mechanical operating parameters set by the Alfa DNA device without having to take their eyes off the road.
There are practical open storage compartments situated in various areas of the passenger compartment: in front of the gearbox, on the centre console and on the interior trim of the doors. There are closed storage compartments – depending on the version – on the top of the dashboard, under the dashboard opposite the front passenger (cooled with dual zone climate control) and in the front and rear armrests.
Innovative engines for a thrilling, environmentally-friendly drive
The Alfa Romeo Giulietta guarantees the highest levels of performance and technology through a range of engines that are state-of-the-art in terms of technology, performance levels and environmental-friendliness. At the time of its commercial launch, 4 Turbo engines will be available, all Euro 5 compliant and with a Start&Stop system to reduce consumption levels and emissions fitted as standard: two petrol versions (120 HP 1.4TB and 170 HP 1.4TB Multiair) and two diesels (105 HP 1.6 JTDM and 170 HP 2.0 JTDM, both second-generation MultiJet engines). The range is completed by the high performance 235 HP 1750 TBi with direct injection and scavenging control in combination with exclusive Quadrifoglio Verde interiors.
This latter version equipped with a 235 HP 1750 TBi engine perfectly represents the way in which Alfa Romeo offers the most in this segment. Not just a means of transport, but a vehicle that can really connect with the customer. There is strong acceleration thanks to high torque levels even at low revs, a smooth response that minimises gearbox use thanks to the flexibility typical of modern petrol engines, and an engine note that is engaging without ever becoming intrusive. In detail, the 1750 Turbo petrol engine boasts advanced technical solutions including direct fuel injection, dual continuously variable valve timing, a turbocharger and a revolutionary scavenging control system that gets rid of any turbo lag. The resulting performance is comparable to – or better than – that of many 3-litre engines while still delivering fuel consumption typical of a compact four cylinder unit. It should be noted that the specific power of 134 HP/litre is the highest in the world for a 4-cylinder unit installed in this category of vehicles, as well as being the highest ever achieved by an Alfa Romeo production engine. The specific torque too, totalling 194 Nm/litre, is the highest of all petrol engines in this category, while the maximum torque of 340 Nm, reached at just 1,900 revs, is excellent.
The range of engines available can accommodate the needs of all customers. First of all the 120 HP 1.4TB is the ideal engine for those in search of a car that can handle city traffic effortlessly while keeping running costs to a minimum. The turbo engine guarantees prompt response even at low revs (maximum torque is achieved at just 1,750 revs) while Start&Stop, in the city, makes it possible to cut consumption and harmful emission levels drastically, without compromising comfort and on-board safety.
The 170 HP 1.4 TB Multiair engine is an amalgam of technology, which blends high performance levels with the lowest emissions and fuel consumption levels in its class for petrol engines of this power rating. It is a brilliant and flexible engine, with a maximum torque of a generous 250 Nm (when set to Dynamic), fitted with a Start&Stop system and with fuel consumption and emission levels resembling a diesel engine more than a petrol one with this power rating (4.6 l/100 km in the extra-urban cycle and 134 g/km of CO2 emissions). The combination of this engine with the new platform places the Giulietta at the top of its segment both for its dynamic qualities as well as comfort and practicality during everyday use.
The 105 HP 1.6 JTDM is a flexible and economical diesel engine that will surprise customers due to its prompt response (in Dynamic mode, max. torque is a generous 320 Nm at just 1,750 revs) combined with extremely low fuel consumption (in the extra-urban cycle, it is just 3.7 l/100 km). This is possible thanks to the combination of second-generation MultiJet technology and the Start&Stop system. Consequently, it is an engine dedicated to all those in search of a car with character and a distinctive style, affording the typical agility and handling of an Alfa Romeo yet able to combine the latter with limited running costs.
For customers who use the car mostly on the motorway or who demand the maximum performance levels from a diesel engine, Alfa Romeo suggests the 170 HP 2.0 JTDM. Again, it is an amalgam of technology which combines second-generation MultiJet technology with the Start&Stop system. The result is a vehicle with the highest performance levels of its segment, extremely flexible driving (with the dna selector set to Dynamic mode, the available torque at 1,750 revs is a generous 350 Nm), among the lowest fuel consumption and emission levels in its category for cars with this power rating (124 g/km of CO2 and 4.1 l/100 km in the extra-urban cycle). Thanks to the exceptional qualities of the new compact platform, this version is able to blend fantastic dynamic and motoring performance levels with the highest comfort and practicality in its segment.
All the engines are combined with a state-of-the-art manual 6-speed gearbox belonging to the three axle transmission family, which can withstand and transmit high maximum torque values. Subsequently, the Multiair and 170 HP 2.0 JTDM engines will also be combined with an innovative dual-clutch automatic transmission.
Segment-leading safety, comfort and dynamic behaviour
The Alfa Romeo Giulietta was designed to achieve the highest Euro NCAP safety rating to offer total protection for both driver and passengers. In addition, the new platform was devised to guarantee the utmost interaction of the systems in charge of controlling the vehicle dynamics.
All this is controlled by the real ‘brain’ of the vehicle, namely the Alfa dna device, which manages all the sophisticated electronic devices for dynamic vehicle control: VDC (Vehicle Dynamic Control), Dual Pinion Active Steering, the Q2 electronic differential, the response and torque curve of the engine, the braking system with pre-fill function. All these systems guarantee genuine Alfa Romeo driving safety, vehicle traction and performance.
The new compact platform, thanks to the sophisticated technical solutions employed for the suspension and the materials used, such as high-strength steels, aluminium, magnesium and xenoy, can accommodate the needs of the most demanding customers in terms of on-board comfort and quiet running, placing the Giulietta at the top of its category also in terms of the everyday practicality of the vehicle.
Extensive range
Devised to cater for the different needs of segment C car drivers in pursuit of driving satisfaction and comfort, the Alfa Romeo Giulietta is available in two versions (Progression and Distinctive), along with two customisations (Sport Pack and Premium Pack).
All the devices linked to active and passive safety are fitted as standard on the entire range. The Progression version comes with the Alfa dna system (with Q2 electronic differential and DST), VDC (including ASR and hill holder), 6 airbags, front seat belts with dual pretensioners and front seats with anti-whiplash system as standard. The standard equipment also includes manual climate control, 16’’ wheels, front and rear electric windows, trip computer, stereo system with dual tuner radio, 6 speakers and MP3 CD player. The latter version (Distinctive) offers the following in addition to the standard equipment of the former: 16″ alloy wheels, dual zone automatic climate control, leather steering wheel with radio controls, front armrest with storage compartment, cruise control, fog lights, reconfigurable control panel, seats upholstered in Competizione fabric, front armrest, and a stylish chromed insert (chrome line) framing the side windows. The dashboard on the Distinctive version is also distinguished by a stylish insert painted in magnesium grey or, alternatively, in Ghiaccio white, Alfa Red as well as in brushed burnished aluminium.
Customers can further customise their Giulietta with two specific Packs (Sport and Premium). The first pack is designed to highlight the sporty character of the vehicle with specific features which improve the already excellent handling of the car and includes 17’’or 18’’ alloy wheels, side skirts, sports pedals, sports seats with leather and microfibre fabric upholstery, brushed burnished aluminium dashboard insert, burnished headlight frames and dark interiors (black ceiling and pillar lining).
For customers in search of even more technological and complete on-board equipment, the Premium Pack includes bi-xenon lights with AFS function, the Blue&Me system with Bluetooth function, USB port and MP3 player, radio/mobile phone controls on steering wheel, rear parking sensors, rain-dusk-humidity sensors, electrically folding door mirrors and an electrochromic rear-view mirror.
To customise their Giulietta, customers can also choose from the list of options available, including a large panoramic sunroof, navigation system with maps and pop-up display and a Bose® Hi-fi. In addition, the Blue&Me–TomTom system is also available, which adds navigation functions to the functions of the Blue&Me® thanks to the TomTom portable navigation system which is perfectly integrated with the vehicle’s existing systems thanks to a Bluetooth® interface. The TomTom portable navigation system is positioned on the dashboard using a support designed to guarantee maximum safety in the event of impact and complete integration with the vehicle’s other systems and improved ergonomics in everyday use.
There is also a special trim specification dedicated to the version fitted with the 235 HP 1750 TBi engine. It’s called the Quadrifoglio Verde (four-leafed clover), a legendary brand which has competed on tracks all over the world. Only available on this engine type, this special version is distinguished by its sporty lowered ride height (15 mm at the front and 10 mm at the rear), 17’’ wheels (18’’ as an optional), an enhanced braking system with calipers painted Alfa red, as well as sporty interiors which include sporty leather and microfibre seats. All designed to guarantee the best in driving pleasure and segment-leading active and passive safety. It offers reduced fuel consumption for this power rating; the “Quadrifoglio Verde” is thus reinterpreted for today, combining the utmost driving pleasure with greater environmental awareness for eco-conscious and environmentally-friendly sportiness.
When the driver selects a desired mode, the Explorer will adjust the engine, transmission, brakes, wheel rotation speed and other systems.
