Employees at a couple of parts suppliers have blabbed that they’re making parts for Apple’s unicorn-like tablet computer, which rumormongers agree will be launched at a January 26th media event scheduled by Apple. Taiwanese trade mag Digitimes reports that Foxconn subsidiary Innolux is manufacturing the so-called iTablet’s touchscreen displays, and Taiwanese publication Economic Daily says that “Cheng Uei Precision Industry Co., Ltd. has won orders to mass produce screen connectors for the soon-to-be release Apple iSlate.” More details as we get them.
This British biomass power station concept is one of the many projects being proposed around the globe as the search for renewable energy sources continues. The visually stunning Teesside plant will be covered with greenery, provide fuel for over 50,000 homes and be powered by palm kernel shells…
I’ve always had annoyingly high cholesterol levels, but I recently hit both age 50 and a new high cholesterol (though also a new high HDL). I figured it was time to bite the Statins.
First, though, I made the rounds of the risk calculators. I stuck with those on US and Canadian government and educational sites. The results varied depending on where the modeling data was taken from, but I generally fell between a 5% and 7% 10 year risk of a cardiac event (Said even is not necessarily fatal, but certainly unpleasant).
Even more significantly the only thing that really shifted my risk was to change gender. Even a fantastic statin effect, such as taking my cholesterol below 190, didn’t change my risk much (from 6% to 4%, for a 33% relative risk reduction but a mediocre absolute risk reduction).
Considering that the statins are unlikely to be risk free [1] I decided to wait until my personal risk tops an arbitrary 10% threshold. In the meantime I’ll continue to focus on diet and (especially) exercise.
The key lesson here is the value of these dynamic, personalized, risk calculators. They drive home the lessons we were taught in the 90s about the difference between statistical and clinical significance and they are an early and practical application of the principals of “personalized medicine”.
The constrained venture capital markets and difficult environment for IPOs, will make 2010 a big year for M&A transactions. The leaders in hot new software sectors will be swallowed up at a premium, along with entrepreneurs tired of running on the treadmill as they get closer to retirement, will drive more M&A transactions than ever. I see these theses trends emerging:
1. Emergence of “Social Commerce”—The continued propagation and expansion of social networks open a significant opportunity for new forms of online commerce. Expect to see integrated commerce applications embedded into the social networks that offer simplicity, security and a unique and integrated understanding of the social network participants. This will drive new forms of commerce with remarkable results in 2010 and beyond.
2. Greater Performance for Online Advertising—The downturn in gross online ad spending has “weeded out” many undifferentiated online advertising businesses, but has also stimulated ad technology companies that make a measurable difference in converting ads to sales. Expect to see breakthrough technologies in the areas of ad placement and dynamic creative that will improve relevancy and yield from the historical conversion rates.
3. Better Online Privacy Controls and a Move to Mobile Devices—Today’s myriad of online entertainment and productivity applications, combined with the move to greater “computing on the go” capabilities, have created a privacy conflict between web application providers and users. The application providers want to understand and expose data to improve online presence which, in many cases, is in conflict with individual privacy concerns. The situation is even more concerning for children and with mobile devices. Today’s litany of online games and social communities accessible through phones can result in personal information getting into the wrong hands. While some applications prevent this on PC’s, mobile devices are open terrain. Parents, parents, corporations and users will embrace new forms of privacy controls on mobile devices in 2010.
4. Broad Adoption of Energy Management Applications—The concentration on clean technology and green energy has resulted in a new class of applications driving energy efficiency. Buildings account for about one-third of all energy use. It is estimated that 30 percent of this is wasted. In order to control energy use, you must measure energy consumption. Many sensor-based monitoring applications will be developed for this purpose. In 2010 you should expect to see a new breed of energy-oriented analytic applications that will help improve efficiency in the home, office, and in energy-intensive locations like data centers.
5. Software to Manage Food Safety–There is a growing desire to get better information about what we are eating. Not just nutritional labels in the grocery store, but a complete history of food products covering the product from the farm to the kitchen. Consumers want to know more about the food we ingest, including where it comes from, potential exposure to pesticides, oversight of properly controlled transportation and more. To date we have relied on regulatory agencies for such oversight, but the system is far from perfect, as we witnessed with many food scares in 2009. Expect consumer-oriented applications on the web to play a bigger role in 2010 and beyond.
6. Technology to Manage Water Use—With only 1 percent of the world’s fresh water available as drinking water, water capture, management and retention will become a big focus in 2010. Again, this requires measurement and testing that involves sensor-based applications, collaborative systems among agencies and better storage facilities. Expect to see highly integrated and analytical web applications that will be facilitated by wireless and mobile computing.
[Editor’s Note: As the decade comes to an end, we’ve asked Xconomists and other technology leaders around the country to identify the top innovations they’ve seen in their fields the past 10 years, or predict the top disruptive technologies that will impact the next decade.]
The concept is simple: Duel enables you to host a duel on your iPhones. (Don’t fret, parental-types; though this iPhone duel will pay homage to the duels of the Wild Wild West, it will differ in one major way: nobody’s gonna get shot.) Instead, should you lose, you will simply find your fellow dueler’s ugly mug laughing hysterically in your face. Here’s how you duel: All you need is two people with two iPhones. Both need to have the app (so you could argue this app really costs $2, which is still cheap). You connect your iPhones via Bluetooth, and then you raise your phones vertically. The timer on the phones counts down from 3. Once it hits zero, you turn your phones horizontally to shoot. First one to shoot wins.
This is a freakin’ simple concept, but it is also brilliantly fun. I challenged my buddy to a game and felt like a real bad-ass when I beat him 4-2 in a best of 7 (yes, I am using MobileCrunch as a way to brag about my conquests). I think we would’ve kept playing if it weren’t for the fact that it was Christmas Eve and we were supposed to be hanging out with our families. Oops.
Outside of this foray into iPhone app creation, Alexander Albrecht is an American television personality, actor and podcaster. He’s best known for co-hosting the former TechTV television program The Screen Savers, an hour-long computer and technology variety show, as well as the weekly Diggnation, and The Totally Rad Show. [Yes, this was lifted entirely from his Crunchbase entry. Sue me; it’s the holidays.]
So at this point we’ve seen LEDs show up just about everywhere. Belts, T-shirts, hats, glasses, tiles, and now you can have a spiffy LED faucet too. The Single Handle LED Glass Sink Faucet will impress your guests with a waterfall light show as they wash their hands. But why? Just because you can. The Single Handle LED Glass Sink Faucet retails for $65.00 and comes with a ceramic valve. I will say though that if anything, it will encourage folks to wash their hands more just to glimpse the lightshow – now that’s a good thing.
2011 Ford Mustang GT – Click above for high-res image gallery
Meet the world’s worst kept secret, the 2011 Mustang GT. The comical embargo breaking is now at its end and we’re ready to present you with everything you’ve been aching to know about the new five-point-oh. Actually, it’s probably more than you want to know. But we’re sure you’ll deal. So here we go…
As you’ve undoubtedly noticed, those are honest to goodness “5.0″ badges affixed to the 2011 Mustang’s fenders. Not only are residents of A1A Beach Front Avenue stoked, but Mustang fans everywhere are finally getting their 302 back. That’s right, the new 5.0 is just like the old 5.0 — 302 cubic inches or 4.9-liters or 4,951cc. But we think the gumption this baddie stonks up will allow even the most pedantic amongst you to forgive the missing 49 cubic centimeters.
Ford Racing Boss 302R – click above for hi-res image gallery
In addition to the new 5.0 2011 Mustang GT, Ford’s also selling a new Boss 302R race car. If you haven’t been paying attention, Ford’s previous generation FR500C racer has been racking up victory after victory. Besides winning a race two days after the first FR500C was sold (you buy ‘em at a Ford parts counter), the FR500C then went on to win three Triple Crown championships in Koni competition as well as back-to-back driver’s championships in FIA GT4 (featuring Corvettes, Caymans, Aston Martin V8s, etc). And the Boss 302R is better. Or potentially better…
Featuring a racing version of the new 5.0 32-valve Ti-VCT V8, a six-speed manual transmission, roll cage, race seats, five-point belts, data-acquisition equipment, racing shocks and springs as well as Brembo brakes and special tires. How much? $79,000. There’s also a $129,000 Boss M-FR302R1 that’s eligible to race in the Grand-Am Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge series (formerly known as the Koni Challenge). It comes complete with a sealed, high-output motor, better cooling, close-ratio transmission, a seam-welded body, Koni dampers, upgraded ABS system, tuned exhaust and a special one-piece drive shaft.
Ford’s only building fifty Boss 302Rs next year and they should be available in the third quarter. Anyone else feel like hitting the track? Full press release, after the jump.
A few years into what would become the nearly quarter century-long life-cycle of the “Fox” body Mustang, a fresh engine option revived the moribund pony-car class. It was known as the 302 when it was last seen in the late Seventies, but Ford was giving metric displacements to its motors by 1982 and the Mustang GT was fitted with new 5.0 badges on its front fenders and rear deck.
With an actual displacement of 4,942 cc, Ford was a bit optimistic in its rounding, but no matter. Over the next 14 years, the 5.0-liter V8 grew from a two- to a four-barrel carburetor and later added fuel injection to produce progressively more power and torque. The evolution of the 5.0 made it a legend in the realm of affordable performance and after a 15-year hiatus, during which Ford’s 4.6-liter modular V8 served as the heart of the Mustang, the 5.0 is back and looks better than ever. Make the jump for deep dive into at the 2011 Ford Mustang GT’s all new powerplant.
Merritt, who chairs the Senate Utilities and Technology Committee, said net metering should be his panel’s main issue during the legislative session that starts Jan. 5.
If you live in the New York City metropolitan area, as I do, and try to buy an iPhone from AT&T’s website, you will probably get the same message I did after I entered my zipcode: “Sorry this package is not available in your area.” Apparently, this is a big story. (Hey, it’s the tail end of a long holiday weekend, and there is nothing else going on). For instance, the Consumerist called some hapless AT&T customer service rep who confirmed that “the phone is not offered to you because New York is not ready for the iPhone.”
Given AT&T’s history of bandwidth problems, especially with the iPhone, the idea that AT&T’s network can’t handle the iPhone is not entirely outlandish. Remember Operation Chokehold, and the resulting tiff between Fake Steve Jobs and AT&T? It was a failed attempt to bring AT&T’s network to its knees by everyone using their iPhones at once as a way to protest how much AT&T’s data network sucks. When AT&T called him irresponsible, Fake Steve responded:
I mean, consider this fact:
AT&T, a huge wireless provider in the United States, cannot reliably connect calls in New York City.
How can this be? —Fake Steve Jobs
And now, here it is, on a silver platter: AT&T is no longer selling iPhones to people in New York City! Well, at least not online. Is this AT&T’s sneaky way of limiting bandwidth consumption in its largest market? If only, then we’d have a story.
After I went to AT&T’s website and generated the message above, I logged in, since I am a customer. When I tried to upgrade my phone to a newer iPhone, I encountered no problems. Then I called customer service, and was told they could ship me a new iPhone, no problem. I called once more, but this time didn’t say that I am an existing customer. The only phone available was an 8GB refurbished iPhone. AT&T’s online store was out of stock of everything else. Then I tried one last time and gave a different Brooklyn zipcode. The sales rep again told me the online store was “currently out of stock” and that “you have to go into the store.” It appears that AT&T’s phone and online orders come from a different warehouse (duh) than the ones which service its stores.
So if you really want to buy an iPhone in New York City, go to an AT&T store, or an Apple Store. Or try Apple’s website. That seems to be taking orders for New York City residents just fine ( I got up to the checkout).
And, yes, I’ve contacted several PR people at AT&T. But like I said, it’s the holidays.
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Here’s a Sunday night conundrum for you: it’s no longer possible to purchase an iPhone from AT&T’s online store if you live in New York City, and as of right now, the carrier isn’t saying why. Making matters worse, some online customer service reps have apparently gone rogue in providing explanations to curious would-be customers and the occasional inquisitive blogger — the Consumerist was told that NYC wasn’t “ready for the iPhone,” and a few others (including us) were fed a line about credit card fraud causing a ban on online sales. The fraud explanation would actually make sense, considering NYC-area Apple and AT&T stores all have the phone in stock and are happily selling them, but Ma Bell still hasn’t put this story to bed with an official explanation — all we’ve heard so far is the charmingly generic “We periodically modify our promotions and distribution channels.” Way to quell a fire with the gasoline of ambiguity, friends. Anyway, if you want an iPhone in New York City right this instant, you should start walking to the 24-hour Fifth Avenue Apple Store, taking the opportunity to assess your priorities and fundamental sense of purpose along the way. The rest of us will continue spending a reasonable percentage of our income on housing.
We haven’t heard much about the Gateway EC18T since we saw all those leaked pics back in October, but it looks like things are starting to move: the convertible tablet just hit the FCC database, complete with some more external pictures. From all appearances, it looks like this one’s going to be a family affair, as the machine itself will be sold by Gateway parent company Acer as the Aspire Timeline 1420P, and the FCC docs indicate sister company Packard Bell will have a version as well. Badging aside, inside we’re looking at a 1.2GHz SU2300 Core 2 Duo with GMA 4500MHD graphics, up to 8GB of RAM, a 500GB max drive, an 11.6-inch screen, and an eight-hour battery life — so depending on price, this one could be pretty attractive. We’ll wait to see how long it takes before one version or another escapes the government and hits store shelves.
Live in New York City? Want to buy an iPhone? Don’t try ordering one from AT&T’s Web site: The wireless carrier, at least for now, won’t sell New Yorkers a new phone online, citing “increased fraudulent activity”.
But residents of Manhattan and the city’s other four boroughs can buy an iPhone directly from AT&T stores. And the city’s five Apple (AAPL) stores will sell you one, too.
So what gives?
An initial report from Consumerist.com, quoting an AT&T online service rep, suggested that the carrier had shut down online sales because “New York was not ready for the iPhone,” and that the city didn’t “have enough towers to handle the phone.”
That answer might strike a cord with New York iPhone owners who gripe about the carrier’s capacity. But it strains credulity: Would AT&T (T) really try to resolve its iPhone problem by hampering iPhone sales — and not tell anyone in advance? And if so, why not choke off online sales in San Francisco and the Bay Area, where heavy iPhone usage also strains the carrier?
New story: Since the Consumerist story appeared Sunday afternoon, AT&T service reps have been telling New Yorkers like myself that it won’t sell us the phone online because of fraud problems.
What does that mean? Sean, the pleasant rep I talked to tonight, told me he could sell me a refurbished, 8-gig 3G iPhone online or over the phone. But if I wanted a new iPhone, he said, I’d have to go to a retail store.
Why? “There’s actually been a problem in that area with fraud for the iPhone. It’s kind of high-risk area.” Sean then reassured me that he was “not saying there’s bad neighborhoods anywhere. That’s not what that means.” But he couldn’t offer any more details.
Digital Daily’s John Paczkowski, in an online chat with a service rep, got a similar answer. As John points out, this answer also doesn’t make a lot of sense. If New York really is beset by a plague of scammers, why is AT&T selling other expensive smartphones, like Research In Motion’s (RIMM) BlackBerry line, over the Web? (Click text to enlarge).
There are other things that don’t line up here: The AT&T pr rep I talked to tonight knew nothing about this. And shutting off online sales of the company’s most high-profile phone to the biggest city in America seems like the kind of thing a corporate spokesman would have an inkling about.
Likewise, AT&T’s Google (GOOG) ad campaign sends New Yorkers searching for iPhones directly to this page, which doesn’t mention that you can’t actually buy an iPhone online. If you click on the “Buy Now” and give the site a New York zip code, you get the following nonsensical message: “We’re sorry, there are no Packages & Deals available at this time. Please check back later.”
My hunch: This is a decision that didn’t get run all the way up the chain of command. And it’s one that’s going to get reversed sooner than later. I’ll update when I hear back from AT&T.
UPDATE: This won’t clear anything up: “We periodically modify our promotions and distribution channels,” says AT&T pr guy Fletcher Cook, via email.
2011 Ford Mustang GT – Click above for high-res image gallery
Meet the world’s worst kept secret, the 2011 Mustang GT. The comical embargo breaking is now at its end and we’re ready to present you with everything you’ve been aching to know about the new five-point-oh. Actually, it’s probably more than you want to know. But we’re sure you’ll deal. So here we go…
As you’ve undoubtedly noticed, those are honest to goodness “5.0” badges affixed to the 2011 Mustang’s fenders. Not only are residents of A1A Beach Front Avenue stoked, but Mustang fans everywhere are finally getting their 302 back. That’s right, the new 5.0 is just like the old 5.0 — 302 cubic inches or 4.9-liters or 4,951cc. But we think the gumption this baddie stonks up will allow even the most pedantic amongst you to forgive the missing 49 cubic centimeters.
Everything you’ve read (well, at least everything within the last week) about the 2011 Ford Mustang GT up until today is true. It is now 12:01 a.m. and we can officially post all the details on the 2011 Mustang GT before it is unveiled at the 2010 Detroit Auto Show next month.
Let’s get right to it. Power comes from a 5.0L 4-valve Twin Independent Variable Camshaft Timing (Ti-VCT) V8 engine making 412-hp with a maximum torque of 390 lb-ft. Ford has yet to confirm performance figures, but they should stand up fairly strong to its rivals including the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS and the Dodge Challenger, which produce 426-hp and 425-hp respectively.
Transmission choices include a 6-speed automatic, which helps deliver an estimated fuel-economy of 17/25 mpg (city/highway), or a 6-speed manual, which helps return 16/24 mpg.
For 2011, the Mustang GT gets a specially tuned Electric Power Assist Steering, 11.5-inch front and 11.8-inch rear vented disc brakes, an upgraded suspension featuring an improved rear lower control arm and stiffened rear stabilizer bushings. Enthusiasts can also add a Brembo brake package, with larger rotors and calipers from the Shelby GT500, 19-inch wheels and summer performance tires.
The 2011 Ford Mustang will go on sale in mid-2010 along with the new 305-hp 2011 Mustang V6. Pricing details will be announced closer to launch date.
Hit the jump for the press release and the high-res image gallery.
2011 Ford Mustang GT:
Press Release:
THE 5.0-LITER IS BACK: 2011 FORD MUSTANG GT LEADS CLASS WITH 412 HP, FUEL EFFICIENCY, CHASSIS DYNAMICS
• The new Mustang GT continues Ford’s powertrain offensive with an all-new 5.0-liter V-8, which uses advanced technology to deliver 412 horsepower and projected unsurpassed highway mileage of 25 mpg
• For 2011, Mustang GT adds specially tuned Electric Power Assist Steering (EPAS), 11.5-inch front and 11.8-inch rear vented disc brakes, and an enhanced suspension featuring an improved rear lower control arm and stiffened rear stabilizer bushings
• For enthusiasts, a Brembo brake package, with larger rotors and calipers from the Ford Shelby GT500® Mustang, unique 19-inch wheels and summer performance tires, is offered; new fender badges herald return of the 5.0-liter engine
DEARBORN, Mich., Dec. 28, 2009 – The 5.0 is back! The 2011 Ford Mustang GT arrives with an all-new advanced 5.0-liter V-8 engine, developed by a passionate cadre of enthusiastic engineers who rallied around the common goal of delivering more than 400 horsepower.
The modern 5.0-liter four-valve Twin Independent Variable Camshaft Timing (Ti-VCT) V-8 engine in the new Mustang GT will deliver 412 horsepower and 390 ft.-lb. of torque. At the same time, fuel economy is projected to be better than the previous model and unsurpassed in the segment.
“This all-new 5.0-liter engine is the next chapter in the development of the world-class Mustang powertrain portfolio,” said Derrick Kuzak, group vice president, Global Product Development. “It’s a thoroughly modern engine for the times, delivering the performance and fun-to-drive factor that enthusiasts want, while improving fuel economy.”
Coyote in the lobby Many of the engineers on the development team have worked in the Engine and Electrical Engineering Building on the Dearborn, Mich., product development center campus. For years they walked past the original 5.0-liter V-8 Coyote Indy racing engine on display in the lobby, continually inspired by its mix of heritage, high technology and horsepower.
The powertrain development community had long wanted to develop a new 5.0-liter powertrain, with strategic discussions beginning in 2000. By 2007, the Mustang competitive landscape was beginning to change, a sign that the time was right for advancing the Mustang GT powertrain to world-class levels.
The team began 5.0-liter engine development with the objective of delivering 400-plus horsepower, on a timetable accelerated by 12 months without compromises in reliability, durability, fuel economy, or noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) control.
“Nearly all of the team members have worked on other high-profile powertrain programs,” said V-8 Engine Programs Manager Mike Harrison. “They all had a clear vision of the work required on their particular component or subsystem. Their passion for engines, racing and delivering every last ounce of performance throughout the engine speed range really demonstrated that they put their heads and their hearts into this powertrain.”
Development test engines and benchmarks included 5.0-liter blocks, employing different bore and stroke measurements, GT500 four-valve-per-cylinder heads and cams, various intake manifold runner configurations, differing compression ratios and a deep-sump oil pan. The team also evaluated Ford Racing’s 5.0-liter “Cammer” V-8 crate engine for transferable best practices.
Extensive computer-aided engineering (CAE) modeling, development engine experimentation and evaluation in combination with intricate machine work brought this promising, all-new configuration to jaw-dropping life in an accelerated time frame.
The result of this development is an “and” solution, not an “or.” 2011 Mustang buyers will enjoy the benefits of a powerful engine as well as responsible fuel economy.
Ti-VCT A critical element in the 5.0-liter V-8’s ability to deliver 412 horsepower, with improved drivability, tractability and fuel economy over the 2010 Mustang GT powertrain, is enhanced Ti-VCT.
For a high-performance application, the team specified cam-torque-actuated variable camshaft timing. Using existing cam torque energy, with assistance from pressurized oil, meant that minimal upgrades to the oil pump were required, resulting in less parasitic drag. Increased volumetric and thermal efficiency gives faster Ti-VCT response at all engine speeds.
During the development phase, camshaft lift profile and port optimization started with higher-lift Ford Racing aftermarket units, modified for compatibility with various four-valve-per-cylinder heads. Extensive CAE and dynamometer testing was performed to fine-tune camshaft events and port flow for performance and fuel efficiency in conjunction with the variable camshaft timing.
The resulting all-new aluminum four-valve-per-cylinder heads feature a compact roller finger follower valvetrain layout leaving more room for high-flow ports for free-breathing performance. Head structure was designed to support higher cylinder head pressures and cross-flow cooling for sustained high-rpm use. Head bolt size was increased from 11 to 12 millimeters to contain the higher combustion pressures.
The aluminum block was developed for optimized windage and oil drainback under lateral conditions and high rpm, such as a track-day outing for an enthusiastic owner and driver. Increased main bearing bulkhead widths and nodular iron cross-bolted main bearing caps with upsized bolts were also employed to accommodate the significant performance increase.
An additional element is the increased capacity and baffling of the deep-sump stamped steel oil pan to enable sustained high-rpm use and offer the convenience of 10,000-mile oil change intervals. Piston-cooling jets also were incorporated for performance-minded customers and for faster oil warm-up on cold start.
Specially designed tubular exhaust headers were developed to maximize exhaust pulse separation and improve flow. A team analyst actually fabricated the tubular headers in his home workshop, bringing the CAE design to life.
Performance and fuel economy The 412 horsepower and 390 ft.-lb. of torque delivered by the 2011 Mustang GT 5.0-liter V-8 represent significant increases versus the 2010 model year output levels.
The six-speed automatic transmission on the 2011 Mustang GT will deliver up to an estimated 25 mpg highway and 17 in the city. This is up from 23 mpg highway and 17 city for the 2010 model. Six-speed manual transmission Mustang GT models for 2011 are projected to deliver 24 mpg highway and 16 city, matching the 2010 model but delivering significantly more horsepower and performance feel.
2011 Mustang GT fuel economy is enabled by the Ti-VCT, the six-speed transmissions in automatic or manual variations, EPAS and an additional rear decklid seal to enhance aerodynamics.
Fuel economy also is aided by engineering a lightweight powertrain. The engine, as shipped, weighs just 430 pounds. This represents a weight savings of more than 20 percent versus the previous 5.0-liter offering. Lower mass can be attributed to the aluminum block and heads, the lightweight composite intake manifold, composite cam covers and hollow camshafts.
Improved driving dynamics EPAS has made a dramatic contribution to Mustang GT driving dynamics, delivering quicker on-center steering response, increased effort at highway speeds and reduced effort required in low-speed parking maneuvers. EPAS allows specific tuning for the Mustang GT application.
The 2011 Mustang GT features an enhanced rear lower control arm to add stiffness, improve powertrain NVH control and sharpen handling. A stiffened rear stabilizer bar for better on-center steering is also included. Stabilizer bar diameters, spring rates and dampers all have been tuned for improved dynamics.
A Brembo brake package upgrade will be available for serious enthusiasts. This package includes 14-inch vented front discs from the GT500 Mustang, unique 19-inch alloy wheels and summer performance tires.
Added convenience content For 2011, Mustang GT offers drivers several new convenience technologies, including:
• Standard message center
• Integrated blind spot mirrors
• MyKey™ programmable vehicle key
• Illuminated visors
• Universal garage door opener
• Sun visor storage
New look From the 5.0 fender badges to the new engine cover, Mustang GT honors and continues the proud heritage of its predecessors. The speedometer increases to 160 mph and the tachometer redline advances from 6,500 to 7,000 rpm.
Three vibrant new colors will be added for 2011 including Yellow Blaze Tri-Coat, Race Red and Ingot Silver.
Improved NVH control and convertible rigidity For 2011, Mustang GT benefits from across-the-board NVH improvements. These include additional sound-deadening material on either side of the instrument panel, an additional seal between door and rocker panel to reduce wind noise and a real wheel arch liner to reduce noise on gravel or wet surfaces.
Mustang GT convertible models feature enhanced structural rigidity, with lateral stiffness improved by 12 percent versus the 2010 model. A tower-to-tower front strut brace is now standard, and the V-brace has been stiffened by adding gussets. The secondary crossmember also has been stiffened while a front Z-brace has been added, connecting primary and secondary crossmembers. A-pillar stiffening foam also has been added to increase rigidity.
“This powertrain honors Mustang’s heritage by raising the bar on performance while increasing fuel economy,” said Barb Samardzich, vice president, Powertrain Development. “For enthusiasts, such as the passionate members of the 5.0-liter V-8 team, it’s like having your cake and eating it, too.”
After 40 years of its name becoming a legend in road racing, the BOSS is back for 2010 with a new 5.0L V8 engine. Meet the new 2011 Mustang BOSS 320R by Bud Moore Engineering, a tribute to the 40th anniversary of Parnelli Jones’ 1970 Trans-Am championship.
The Boss 320R is a factory build race car ready for track use and road racing in a number of NASA, SCCA and Grand-Am classes. Each model comes with Ford’s 5.0L 4-valve V8 engine mated to a 6-speed manual transmission.
The model also features a roll cage, race seats, safety harness, data acquisition and race dampers/springs, and a Brembo brake and tire package, starting at a price of $79,000. For the special Grand-Am Homologation Package (M-FR500-BOSS R1), the BOSS 320R will come ready to compete in the Grand-Am Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge series. Ford says that as of right now, five BOSS 302R race cars will be delivered to customers ready to race in Daytona. MSRP of the BOSS 302R1 will start at $129,000. A total of 50 BOSS 302R Mustangs will be built by Ford Racing.
Click through for the press release.
2011 Ford Racing Mustang BOSS 320R:
Press Release:
FORD RACING UNVEILS THE NEXT GENERATION OF RACING MUSTANG IN THE NEW BOSS 302R
DEARBORN, Mich., Dec. 28, 2009 – Forty years after its namesake became a road racing legend, the BOSS is back on track for 2010 with a new 5.0-liter V-8 engine.
In honor of the 40th anniversary of Parnelli Jones’ 1970 Trans-Am championship in a Mustang BOSS 302 prepared by Bud Moore Engineering, Ford Racing is introducing the BOSS 302R, a factory-built race car ready for track days and road racing in a number of Grand-Am, SCCA and NASA classes.
“To keep pace with consumer demand, the Ford team has built modern versions of the most iconic performance Mustangs over the years,” said Jamie Allison, director, Ford North America Motorsports. “From Shelbys to Bullitt, Mach and Cobra Jet, it is now time for BOSS to join the list of America’s most coveted Mustangs. The original BOSS 302 was a championship-winning legend and the new Mustang BOSS 302R will carry on the tradition. The Mustang was born to race from the start, and this new Mustang is bred to win.”
The Mustang BOSS 302R is a serialized off-road-only vehicle ready to race. Each base model will come with a 5.0-liter four-valve engine and a six-speed manual transmission with a roll cage, race seats, safety harness, data acquisition and race dampers/springs, and a Brembo brake and tire package, starting at an MSRP of $79,000.
And, with a special Grand-Am Homologation Package (M-FR500-BOSS R1), it will also be ready to compete in the Grand-Am Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge series (formerly known as KONI Challenge), starting with the season-opening race in Daytona on Jan. 29, 2010. As of today, five BOSS 302R race cars will be delivered to customers ready to race in Daytona. MSRP of the BOSS 302R1 is $129,000.
The Grand-Am Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge-ready Mustang BOSS 302R will feature a sealed high-output race engine with an upgraded cooling system, a close-ratio six-speed transmission with integral shifter, a seam-welded body, race suspension/KONI dampers and ABS brake tuning, race performance exhaust and a high-speed balance one-piece driveshaft.
The BOSS 302R follows in the very successful footsteps of its most recent road racing predecessor – the Mustang FR500C from Ford Racing. In 2005, when the Mustang FR500C debuted at Daytona, the first car was delivered on Wednesday of that week and won the KONI Challenge race on Friday.
In five years of competition since then, the Mustang FR500C has won three Triple Crown championships of driver, team and manufacturer’s titles in KONI competition including back-to-back (2008 and 2009). The FR500C has also seen success in FIA GT4 competition winning the 2007 and 2008 driver’s championships.
“We expect the BOSS 302R to continue the successful tradition of winning with factory-built production-based race cars from Ford Racing,” said Allison. “The FR500C and FR500S road racing Mustangs, and the Mustang FR500CJ (Cobra Jet) for drag racing have proven to be great cars for our customers, helping teams win races and championships. We believe that the BOSS 302R will provide that same sort of competitive product for our customers with the tradition you can only get from Ford Racing.”
Each Ford Racing factory-built production-based turnkey race car has won its competition debut.
“Racing has long served as a technical proving grounds for production engines,” said Allison. “What’s good enough for the streets is now good enough for the racetrack. The 5.0-liter block and architecture in the Mustang BOSS 302R is the same as the 2011 Mustang GT.”
“We have a great team on the BOSS 302R project,” said Andy Slankard, Ford Racing engineering supervisor and the lead engineer on the BOSS 302R project. “Between our partners at AutoAlliance International, where the Mustang is built, Team Mustang, Multimatic and the entire Ford Racing team, we have once again proven to be a leader in turnkey production-based race cars.”
Available through Ford dealers, a total of 50 BOSS 302R Mustangs will be built by Ford Racing. Delivery is anticipated in the third quarter of 2010.
For more information on Ford Racing Performance Parts, please visit www.fordracingparts.com.
A few years into what would become the nearly quarter century-long life-cycle of the “Fox” body Mustang, a fresh engine option revived the moribund pony-car class. It was known as the 302 when it was last seen in the late Seventies, but Ford was giving metric displacements to its motors by 1982 and the Mustang GT was fitted with new 5.0 badges on its front fenders and rear deck.
With an actual displacement of 4,942 cc, Ford was a bit optimistic in its rounding, but no matter. Over the next 14 years, the 5.0-liter V8 grew from a two- to a four-barrel carburetor and later added fuel injection to produce progressively more power and torque. The evolution of the 5.0 made it a legend in the realm of affordable performance and after a 15-year hiatus, during which Ford’s 4.6-liter modular V8 served as the heart of the Mustang, the 5.0 is back and looks better than ever. Make the jump for deep dive into at the 2011 Ford Mustang GT’s all new powerplant.
Free workshops aimed at identifying your career interests – and showing you how to get there – will be offered in January through Harper College’s Career Center.
The workshops, which target people dissatisfied with their current job or looking to re-enter the work force, are 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 7 and Monday, Jan. 11 in Room A 242 in Building A.
Attendees will complete an assessment matching their interests to career areas and educational opportunities; information on specific industries, employment trends and other resources also will be provided.
“With the down economy, it’s easy to get discouraged,” says Kathleen Canfield, director of Harper’s Career Center. “We’re here to help identify what might really work, and to help point you to new career possibilities you never before considered.”
The Cancer Survivor’s Guide: Foods that Help You Fight Back! is available on our Web site. Learn more >
Nutrition and Cooking Classes The Cancer Project’s free Food for Life Nutrition and Cooking Classes for Cancer Prevention and Survival are presented nationwide. For more information and upcoming classes in your area click here.
Please feel free to tailor Cancer Project recipes to suit your individual dietary needs. For answers to questions about specific ingredients and the nutritional implications for cancer prevention and survivalclick here.
Broccoli contains sulforaphane, a powerful antioxidant that has been shown to be particularly beneficial against breast and prostate cancer. New research suggests that the cancer-protective effects of sulforaphane may last for days. This creamy soup is a delicious way to serve broccoli, a nutritional powerhouse, to children, and the addition of garbanzo beans makes it a one-dish meal.
Directions
Makes about 6 cups (6 servings)
4 cups water or vegetable broth 1 large potato (preferably russet), unpeeled and scrubbed, cut into chunks 1 onion, diced 3 whole garlic cloves, peeled 1 teaspoon whole celery seeds 1 teaspoon dried thyme 1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram 1/4 teaspoon turmeric 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 1 1/2 cups cooked or canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained 1/4 cup bean cooking liquid, vegetable broth, or water 4 cups broccoli florets 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, as needed
Combine the water, potato, onion, garlic, celery seeds, thyme, marjoram, turmeric, and pepper in a large pot. Place over medium heat, cover, and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.
Stir in the chickpeas and the bean cooking liquid or broth. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly. Transfer to a blender and process in several batches, filling the blender container no more than half full for each batch. Hold the lid on tightly and start the blender on the lowest speed. Process for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the mixture is completely smooth.
Return the blended soup to the pot and stir in the broccoli and 1 teaspoon of the salt. Cover and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the broccoli is fork-tender. Taste and add the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt, if desired.
Stored in a covered container in the refrigerator, leftover Cream of Broccoli Soup will keep for up to 3 days.
Nutrition Information
Per serving:
151 Calories 1.5 g Fat 0.2 g Saturated Fat 9.1% Calories from Fat 0 mg Cholesterol
7.4 g Protein 29.1 g Carbohydrate 2.4 g Sugar 6.5 g Fiber
475 mg Sodium 75 mg Calcium 3.2 mg Iron 32 mg Vitamin C 396 mcg Beta-Carotene 1 mg Vitamin E
This recipe is from the NEW BOOK
The Cancer Survivor’s Guide: Foods that Help You Fight Back!
Employees at a couple of parts suppliers have blabbed that they’re making parts for Apple’s unicorn-like tablet computer, which rumormongers agree will be launched at a January 26th media event scheduled by Apple. Taiwanese trade mag Digitimes reports that Foxconn subsidiary Innolux is manufacturing the so-called iTablet’s touchscreen displays, and Taiwanese publication Economic Daily says that “Cheng Uei Precision Industry Co., Ltd. has won orders to mass produce screen connectors for the soon-to-be release Apple iSlate.” More details as we get them.
Outside of this foray into iPhone app creation, Alexander Albrecht is an American television personality, actor and podcaster. He’s best known for co-hosting the former TechTV television program The Screen Savers, an hour-long computer and technology variety show, as well as the weekly Diggnation, and The Totally Rad Show. [Yes, this was lifted entirely from his 
