Author: Serkadis

Activision has finally dated the latest Transformers game from High Moon Studios, Transformers: War For Cybertron. Along with the announcement, the company has also released a brand new trailer, showcasing the online multiplayer aspect of the game.

Verizon Wireless just yesterday began its 3 day sale, and it will be ending hastily tomorrow. The sale has the Touch Pro2 going at an undeniable cost of $29.99 with a two year contract for current costumers and 79.99 with a 2 year agreement for new costumers. The sale is something totally random, and the true savings is a mail in rebate, which if you are like me, you do not do.

This is either just a random sale, or Verizon is cleaning up for their upcoming Android devices. I think it’s the second one, and I am a little excited to see the new device, and maybe do a couple of HD2 vs. Nexus One or HD2 vs. Incredible.

What do you think of this new sale? Will you be shopping for a new device due to it? Are you waiting for an Android device? Comment below.

Via: Pocketnow

Jeff Nolan points us to an amusing article trying to dig into some questions over whether or not Domino’s “patent pending” pizza tracker is real. Launched a little over two years ago, apparently, if you order a pizza from Domino’s online, it takes you to a website where it alerts you in real-time to the status of your pizza: is it in the oven, has it been put in a box, is it on its way, etc. Domino’s was quite proud of the fact it had filed a patent for the technology, but there have been some concerns about whether the technology is real, or if it’s just a pretty flash animation connected to nothing in reality.

The “evidence” against it being real is that one anonymous commenter on a blog post about the tracker said that it told him his pizza was in the oven and then boxed before he discovered a series of voicemails from the store claiming they could not fulfill his online order because they were “out of deep dish.” The second example comes from a guy who just ordered some bottles of soda (no pizza) and was somewhat amused/horrified to watch as his order was “placed in the oven” and then boxed — only to be delivered two hours later (a bit late) after someone called him asking him if he had ordered something from Domino’s, and if so, what it was. That guy notes, of the patent application:

Is that really patent pending technology? I didn’t know you could patent bull*&%t

Well, there have been patents on anti-gravity devices, even though they’re not supposed to grant patents that, you know, violate the laws of physics — so perhaps that answers the question there. There’s also the patent on sending signals faster than the speed of light.

As for Domino’s?

Tim McIntyre, the vice president of communications at Domino’s, insisted that his company had not patented bullshit.

“The Pizza Tracker is real, and it is accurate to within 30 seconds,” McIntyre told The Daily Caller just seconds after we indicated to customer service that we were investigating the veracity of the Pizza Tracker’s sometimes extraordinary claims. Every update customers see on the Tracker except for the final ‘delivered’ update, McIntyre said knowingly, is triggered by a button press in the store itself.

He later explains that the only part that is “faked” is the delivery time. They just assume the pizza was delivered 10 minutes after it leaves the store (which I would imagine might lead to angry customers who live further away, or if there’s a bad traffic jam or something). As for the complaints, apparently there’s a bit of a “glitch” with this amazing patent pending technology, such that if someone at the store “clears” an order, the system interprets that as “baked and ready,” since, despite all the brilliance going into this patent-pending technology, no one thought to add a feature that tells the customer something’s wrong with the order.

But, of course, you shouldn’t build that yourself. You might infringe on Domino’s possible patent.

As for the patent application itself, I’ve been looking around for it and haven’t turned up anything. Anyone know which patent application it is?

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Filed under: Concept Cars, Coupe, Performance, Aston Martin, Design/Style, Luxury

Some of you might remember Ugur Sahin. He’s a designer that we’ve featured before, specializing in grand touring cars that make our mouths water. Starting with already beautiful designs, he somehow manages to make shapely Chevrolet Corvettes and Ferraris look even better. From the Corvette Z03 to the Ferrari Dino and Ferrari-599-based USD GT-S Passionata, he’s created some of the most exotic and graceful shapes we’ve ever had the pleasure to lay eyes on.

The latest automaker to earn Sahin’s attention is Aston Martin. His latest design, the Gauntlet, blends some of our favorite design cues into a wholly unique package that’s simultaneously sensual and brutal. Study the images and you might see a bit of One-77 in the mix, along with a dash of DB AR1, or perhaps you are carried back to the old DB3S, a car that Ugur mentions specifically as inspiration for the Gauntlet.

There’s also some Maserati GranTurismo mixed with a little Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione as well, but we’re definitely not complaining. It’s a terrific design that has us wishing that Aston is looking at Sahin’s designs for the next DBS and V12 Vantage. For those who still lament the loss of the Vanquish, with its broad shoulders and studly swagger, this might be the car for you. It’s definitely earned a spot in our dream car garage.

You can read more of his thoughts on the project after the jump, and be sure not to miss the huge high-res gallery of pics below.

[Source: Ugur Sahin Design]

Continue reading Ugur Sahin dreams up Aston Martin Gauntlet concept

Ugur Sahin dreams up Aston Martin Gauntlet concept originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 07 Apr 2010 20:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Here’s the latest version of the ScummVM team’s classic cross-platform point-and-click adventure games emulator, ScummVM. Notable features of the latest update of the homebrew includes support for more games, Amiga style menus, more fixes and various other

If you just have time to read one more thing tonight, may we nominate today’s speech from KC Fed President and Fed Board dissenter Thomas Hoenig, who delivered a powerful speech today in Santa Fe blasting the Fed’s ongoing zero interest rate policy, lovingly known as ZIRP.

Hoenix acknowledges reasons why the Fed is in no rush to tighten: The job market isn’t so hot, the construction business is still horrible, and real estate has yet to come back to life.

But what Hoenig gets is that the current regime is a free lunch to Wall Street, and the Board of Governor’s decision to keep the “Extended Period” language intact is a clear signal that there’s nothing to worry about for at least the next six months.

Basically, Bernanke & Co. are living in the same never-neverland as Greenspan found himself in coming out of the 2002 recession, in thinking that it’s better to be late than sorry, which is reasonable if your only fear is a little bit of inflation, but if the real damage is in creating bubbles, then it’s not so reasonable.

Indeed, perhaps having seen the fallen Maestro, Greenspan, Hoenig understands how mere humans can acknowledge their failure to see bubbles, and yet still prevent them.

Here’s his conclusion:

Low rates, over time, systematically contribute to the buildup of financial imbalances by
leading banks and investors to search for yield.  The Wall Street Journal article tells a story about the
market coming back that also makes my point.  The search for yield involves investing in less-liquid
assets and using short-term sources of funds to invest in long-term assets, which are necessarily
riskier.  Together, these forces lead banks and investors to take on additional risk, increase leverage,
and in time bring in growing imbalances, perhaps a bubble and a financial collapse.

I make no pretense that I, or anyone, can reliably identify and “prick” an economic bubble in a
timely fashion.  However, I am confident that holding rates down at artificially low levels over
extended periods encourages bubbles, because it encourages debt over equity and consumption over
savings.  While we may not know where the bubble will emerge, these conditions left unchanged will
invite a credit boom and, inevitably, a bust.  

Read the whole speech. It’s quick. And if you like it, for more Hoenig, also check out his recent interview with The Huffington Post, in which he calls for the breakup of megabanks and the end of too big to fail. Good stuff.

hoenig.santafe.04.07.10

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Review: 2010 Honda Accord Crosstour hatches a new niche

It may have entered the world through a botched social media campaign, but the Accord Crosstour is selling and we find out why.

GSR Autosport BMW 350R: Part II – We decimate a 335i and a Formula Drift racecar materializes

Stuffing an M5’s V10 into an E92 3 Series is no easy feat, but we tackle the task with GSR Autosport before the team campaigns its Frankenbimmer in this year’s Formula Drift season.

Spy Shots: Best look yet BMW’s forthcoming hi-po 1 Series [w/poll]

We still don’t have a name, but we do know that the M-fettled BMW 1 Series is on the way, and it’s shedding a bit more camo each day.

Also of interest:

• More powerful Honda hybrid coupe in the works?
• President Obama denied hybrid limo by Secret Service
• Sibling Rivalry: What’s the better value play, Ford Fiesta or Mazda2?
• Inside Line runs the numbers on 2011 Ford Mustang and Chevy Camaro V6 models
• Honda settles class-action lawsuit over premature brake wear

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

Daily U-Turn: What you missed on 4.7.10 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 07 Apr 2010 19:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NEWS RELEASE
April 7, 2010                                                               Contact: Frank Murray, 542-4835

The next art exhibit at Columbia Basin College features sculptures by artist Gerrit Van Ness that may seem a bit dark but are presented with a satirical sense of humor.

Van Ness’ Evening News is presented April 12 – May 3. His sculptures focus on politics, war, and pop culture. His work is primarily wood and fiberglass, and is coated in automotive paint and spray enamels.

A special artist’s talk will be 3 p.m. Monday, April 12 in the CBC Theatre followed at 4 p.m. by a reception in Esvelt Gallery. Everyone is welcome and there is no charge. Esvelt Gallery hours are Monday-Thursday, 8 a.m. – 8:30 p.m., and Friday, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

A four-seater Smart model is likely to come to the United States as a part of the new Renault-Nissan and Daimler AG alliance, according to Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche. Zetsche said that having a partner to develop the four-seater Smart “was a prerequisite” for expanding the brand’s lineup.

“We could not have found a feasible basis alone for the next-generation Smart family,” he said. “Of course, we could do a next-generation Smart alone, but we would lose a lot of money.”

The next-generation Smart ForTwo two-seater, and four seater and the next-generation Renault Twingo will be jointly developed by Renault-Nissan and Daimler. The plans also call for an electric-version of both the Smart and Twingo models along with sharing and co-development of diesel and gasoline engines.

– By: Omar Rana

Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required)

Activist Carl Icahn has shown a continued interest in the biotech industry, building on his view that Big Pharma wants to spend its cash piles on acquiring the smaller companies.

But his latest effort, to gain board seats at beleaguered Genzyme, may face a substantial snag from antitrust laws, at least to Genzyme’s way of thinking. Two of Icahn’s four nominees to Genzyme’s board already serve as directors at Biogen Idec. Antitrust rules usually prohibit directors from serving at competing companies.

The biotech companies, both of which are based in Cambridge, Mass., already have some product overlap and are heading for more, based on their development programs. Icahn owns a 6% stake in Biogen and a 1.8% stake in Genzyme. For more on the Icahn stake and Genezyme’s bout with production woes, see here and here.

The potential for overlapping directors at competing companies could hurt Icahn’s proxy efforts, especially since that’s one factor proxy advisory firms review in recommending how large shareholders should vote the shares they hold. One of the major advisory firms, Glass Lewis, concedes that potential conflicts from nominees pose a “pretty substantial hurdle” for it to support a dissident slate in a proxy fight.

The overlapping problem came up last year with Google and Apple, when each company had directors resign after the FTC began looking at two members sitting on both boards.

Now, Genzyme officials have begun to raise the issue with shareholders as the May 20 vote on directors approaches. Genzyme contends that the two companies’ blood-cancer products already meet the FTC’s theshold that would prohibit overlapping directors. Also, Genzyme and Biogen are heading toward increased competition in coming years based on Genzyme’s efforts in multiple sclerosis, which are in Biogen’s wheelhouse, and a continued focus on various types of blood cancers.

A Biogen spokeswoman declined to comment other than to say that the company’s board “has a process to address conflicts that arise.” Officials from Icahn’s office also declined to comment. You can read more on the situation here.

Photo: Associated Pres

Filed under: Convertible, Coupe, Performance, Audi

Audi’s half moon-shaped fashionista, the TT is getting a bit of a nip/tuck for 2011. Both the hardtop and roadster receive modestly refreshed exteriors and interiors, along with a new 2.0-liter TFSI four-cylinder model whose 211 horses gallop with an eye toward superior fuel economy (Audi claims fuel economy of nearly 36 miles-per-gallon on the combined European cycle). This is the same revamped four-banger that has been appearing in engine bays throughout the German automaker’s lineup, and while its horsepower increase is modest over the 2010 model (+11), the use of Audi’s Valvelift system helps the engine generate a big slug of torque – 258 pound-feet of the stuff – a healthy 51 lb-ft. more than its predecessor. Audi says that all-wheel drive equipped TT will hit 62 mph in 5.6 seconds, so performance hasn’t suffered, either. For the U.S. market, there’s still no sign of a manual gearbox, but we’ve professed our love for the company’s six-speed S Tronic dual-clutch in the past and expect it to once again be an astute partner here.

We didn’t expect Audi to go crazy with the TT’s mid-cycle refresh and true to form, they’ve exercised due restraint. The 2011 receives bigger air inlets up front, a shinier gloss black grille finish, and, of course, Audi’s fast-becoming-compulsory LED daytime running lamps (as seen on the higher-performance TTS model). Inspect the car’s rounded rump and you’ll find a new flat black rear diffuser, (very) modestly retouched taillamps, and new exhaust outlets. New paint colors include Scuba Blue, Oolong Gray, Volcano Red and Dakota Gray.

The interior has received the hand of refinement as well, with a trio of new cabin colors, leather that’s been specially treated to resist solar heat, and are a few new aluminum bits of trim.

Audi has yet to release U.S. pricing information, but we’ll be sure to update you when it comes through. In the meantime, check out our high-res gallery below and the official press release after the jump.

[Source: Audi]

Continue reading Audi shows off revised 2011 TT with updated four-cylinder power, tweaked appearance

Audi shows off revised 2011 TT with updated four-cylinder power, tweaked appearance originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 07 Apr 2010 18:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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FoMoCo has launched its new campaign called “Swap Your Ride,” which will run through May 31. The campaign consists of more than dozen TV spots featuring Mike Rowe as he visits individuals whose vehicles were swapped with Ford model for a week.

The campaign is a part of an incentive that is offer 0% apr financing plus $1,000 cash back.

Hit the jump to see some of the videos from the Swap Your Ride campaign.

Swap Your Ride: Ford Edge:

Swap Your Ride: Ford F-150:

Swap Your Ride: Ford Taurus:

Swap Your Ride: Ford Focus:

– By: Kap Shah

Source: Ford

Filed under: SUV, Europe, Audi, Diesel, Luxury

Along with blessing us with a revised TT for 2011, the Audi Q7 gets a few choice upgrades in its home market of Germany, including a few new engines and an all-new eight-speed automatic transmission.

The upgraded Q7 doesn’t benefit from any new sheetmetal, though Audi has seen fit to put the S4’s supercharged 3.0-liter TFSI V6 to good use under the hood of its behemoth SUV. Available in two states of tune, the blown V6 puts out 272 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque in the base version, and the upgraded mill produces the same 333 hp and 325 lb-ft of torque as its sports sedan sibling.

A new 3.0-liter TDI is also available for the 2011 model year, delivering 240 hp and a more-than-adequate 406 lb-ft of twist from 1,750 to 2,500 rpm. Not only does the new diesel deliver respectable performance times (0-60 in 7.9 seconds) and above average fuel economy, but the weight of the oilburner has been reduced by 44 pounds.

All revised, German-bound Q7s receive a new eight-speed automatic gearbox based on the outgoing six-speed cog-swapper, with higher ratios and Tiptronic actuation, along with standard Drive and Sport modes. There’s no word on whether this transmission is bound for the U.S. market in the near future, but we’d suspect Stateside Q7s will benefit from the new ‘box by the end of the year. Full details in the press release after the jump.

Update: An Audi USA spokesman tells Autoblog that the 2011 Q7 V6 TDI will retain its 225 hp / 406 lb-ft rating and launch with the new eight-speed in September. The gasoline V6 TFSI will also be available here in both 272 and 333 hp flavors beginning in November 2010.

[Source: Audi]

Continue reading 2011 Audi Q7 gets three new V6s, eight-speed transmission in Germany

2011 Audi Q7 gets three new V6s, eight-speed transmission in Germany originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 07 Apr 2010 18:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Today’s consumer credit numbers were a big bummer. Far from borrowing up the wazoo again, consumers went back to cutting up the plastic (which is actually highly needed, but it’s not good for your v-shaped dreams).

Lending institutions of all shapes and sizes reported lower consumer loan assets in March.

But there was one (and only one) lender that actually expanded its lending to the consumer. But it wasn’t any banks.

Duh! It was Uncle Sam. (via Waverly)

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As mentioned yesterday, the UK House of Commons came up with a bizarre plan to have a brief debate on the Digital Economy Bill in a “wash up” process, and then basically approve it and promise to come back and fix it later. It’s a bizarre way of doing things. Charles Arthur did a nice job blogging the debate, which mostly consisted of a bunch of MPs pointing out how ridiculous it was that this bill was being rushed through without any real debate, followed by Digital Britain Minister Stephen Timms (who has been known to not even remotely understand this issue) got up and basically said “well, too bad.” As you read through what happened, it’s almost all people protesting what’s in the bill as well as the lack of discussion on the bill, followed by Timms saying:

“My sense is that there is a pretty broad acceptance across the house… that legislation is appropriate for dealing with it. There is definitely significant harm to the creative industries… estimated at £400m for the music, film and TV industries in the impact assessment of the bill… this is a very serious problem.”

That £400 number is totally made up (apparently, at yesterday’s event various other numbers were thrown around as well). But the bigger point is that Timms is basically lying. There was not “pretty broad acceptance” in the house that the legislation was appropriate, or even that there is significant harm to the creative industries. The debate was almost entirely against the bill. Still, as with yesterday, the chambers were not particularly full for the debate, but a bunch of MPs who don’t really understand or care about this issue showed up at the end and voted, so the final tally came to: 189 votes to shove it through, and only 47 against. The only real “concession” was the dropping of the hugely controversial clause 18, giving the gov’t excessive powers to adjust copyright law in the future. Of course, when that first came out, I wondered if the whole point of clause 18 was to draw the fire of consumer groups, let it be dropped, while everything else got shoved through. It looks like that may be what happened. Update: Or not. Further analysis from folks suggests that while Clause 18 may not have made it into the bill, what was in the clause did, in fact, still make it into the bill. So it’s even worse than before. Lovely.



Those who wanted a full debate on the bill basically had no chance. Despite criticizing the bill heavily, the gov’t basically said the debate was over, and apparently those who had been debated started shouting “Nooo!!!” As Arthur writes in his live blog:

That big shout of “Nooo!!!” could have been a thousand souls crying out as one at the sight of the government shoving through 41 clauses of a bill

And there you go. The entertainment industry gets its ridiculous anti-consumer copyright law with no real attempt at debate or amendment in the House of Commons. Concerns raised about how this bill could force the blocking of Wikileaks or the shutdown of internet access at small business? Ignored.

Of course, as with every other country that passes such backwards legislation, don’t expect it to do anything to actually help the entertainment industry as it continues to seek backwards looking legislative solutions, rather than forward looking business model solutions. The legacy entertainment industry will surely celebrate this “victory,” but let’s check back in a bit and see what it did to their bottom lines.

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As a part of Renault-Nissan and Daimler AG’s new alliance, Infiniti’s G lineup will receive Mercedes-Benz engines. Renault SA and Nissan Motor Co. CEO Carlos Ghosn said that the G lineup will get Mercedes-Benz’s inline 4-cylinder engines to improve fuel-economy figures and curb emissions.

Ghosn did not say when the new engines will make their way into Infiniti production lines or to which extent they will replace the brand’s 4-cylinder and V6 engines in the G sedan and coupe.

Mercedes-Benz currently uses 1.8L 4-cylinder engines in some of its C-Class models in Europe. The C-Class is not offered with anything smaller than a V6 in North America.

Mercedes-Benz will begin production of the C-Class in Alabama in 2014.

– By: Kap Shah

Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required)

Rugged PS300 pressure sensors provide high precision and applicability based on open standards

Turck has introduced a new line of pressure sensors with integrated evaluation units. The rugged, IP69K rated PS300 sensors provide a wide measuring range from -1 to 600 bar, and are perfectly suited for hydraulic applications – even in harsh environments. Measuring signals are directly processed on the PS300’s newly developed high-build pressure measuring cell and digitally transferred to the fully encapsulated evaluation unit. This design offers a high level of EMC resistance and an excellent switch point accuracy of 0.5 percent of the full scale.
The PS300 sensors are available in G1/4“ female thread versions, or in male/female 1/4“-NPT or R1/4“ versions with digital or analog (voltage or current) outputs for all measuring ranges. Bonded seals ensure a reliable process connection. The new pressure sensors support the I/O-Link communications standard, and the VDMA menu structure is available upon request.