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3
Jan/11

The Brand New BMW

by RedLineNavigation under New releases

The BMW world of forums and discussion boards are mulling today over a rumor sent out in the wild by the usual suspect, known as Scott27, one of the longest BMW insiders we have seen on the interwebs.
The rumor goes something like this: BMW will introduce the Vision Concept to the world as the BMW i8.
During this time, BMW will bring forth its philosophy with such groundbreaking concepts such as the BMW MegaCity Vehicle and BMW i8. Which is the term for the production car of the Vision Efficient Dynamics concept car.

A fair assumption, isn’t it? Especially since BMW has recently filled for the “BMW i” trademarks and logos, a new sub-brand that will host the vehicles coming out of the Project i umbrella.
But why i8 and not i1 or any other naming convention starting with “i”? Well, one old dog in the BMW world would say the Munich automaker is looking to somewhat revive the memory of their never launched supercar, M8, especially since BMW sees the Vision Concept as being the next breakthrough in the supercar segment.

So i8 makes perfect sense then…

But here is where our balanced judgment and non-fanboyism kicks in. First, BMW sees the VED car as more of an efficient, yet fun to drive sportscar, a new piece of technology that breaks the stereotype of a high-end sportscar – big engines, high revs and lots of ponies coming from under the hood. So would the i8 compare to the M8 concept? Or even the high-end 8 Series? We don’t think so. Two different cars, for two different decades.

Second, in a recent conversation with BMW engineers responsible for the development of VED, we learned a production model won’t come on the market until 2014, which tells us a world debut will occur in late 2013. This is exactly three years from now and we are certainly inclined to believe that BMW has yet to decide on the exact naming convention. Based on our experience and inside information, we know BMW usually goes through a process where customer focus groups are formed and the results from these surveys weigh heavily in the naming convention for some of their models. Therefore, in our opinion and ours solely, we believe the VED badge has not been yet decided on. Sure, i8 or i100 (Read our editorial: “Why the i100?”) or other names we have heard are still on the table, and yes, most likely an “i” will be involved in the label, but for now, we label the BMW i8 as simply a rumor that none of our other sources were rushing to confirm.

Thanks to Source

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28
Dec/10

The New Lotus Elite

by RedLineNavigation under New releases

LOTUS is back with the Lotus Elite. This stunning supercar is the first of an all-new Lotus sports car range, which will seek to put the famous Norfolk-based firm on top of the world again.

Called the Elite, it will make its debut at the Paris Motor Show next week, joined by a host of other new models, including what is thought to be a fresh Esprit.

Resurrecting a famous Lotus badge from the Seventies, the new Elite is, like its predecessor, a four-seater, front-engine, rear-wheel-drive coupé. But that’s where the similarities end.

The new model has a folding hard-top roof and sources power from a 5.0-litre V8 from engine partner Toyota which will be either supercharged or turbocharged. Priced at £115,000, it will target the Ferrari California when it goes on sale in 2014.

The Elite gives us our first glimpse of the maker’s new ‘face’ – a look that will be shared with the rest of the line-up. As you can see, the front end features an oversized central grille, flanked by slim LED headlights and twin lower air intakes.

Incredibly, inspiration has come from the original Seven. “The existing two-dimensional grille [on the Evora and Elise] is not expressive enough. We need more sculpture and dignity, so we looked at the Seven – the way the grille worked with the headlights on the wings,” said chief designer Donato Coco.

The shark-like mouth, dramatic body slashes and aggressive, angular lines combine to produce a striking-looking machine. The Elite is packed with the latest technology, too. It will get a twin-clutch semi-automatic ’box and hybrid drive, featuring electric motors and a front-mounted F1-style Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS), which gives an extra 50bhp when the driver activates a ‘boost’ button on the steering wheel. Although it will weigh 1,650kg, Lotus claims the Elite will be the lightest in its class. Aluminium and carbon fibre, along with the firm’s variable vehicle architecture chassis – complete with double-wishbone suspension – will feature. Together with hybrid technology, the company claims emissions of 215g/km. By comparison, the Ferrari California emits 305g/km.

Under the bonnet, Lotus will completely re-engineer the Toyota unit, adding a supercharger or turbocharger to give it extra thrust. Two tune options will be available – the ‘standard’ car, which produces 542bhp, and a 612bhp ‘R’ version. Lotus claims that the Elite will be able to sprint from 0-60mph in around 3.5 seconds. Expect a top speed of 195mph.

Inside, the newcomer will boast steering wheel gearshifters and a large central ‘human machine interface’ screen through which the car’s functions are controlled.

“There will always be those who say that Lotus should stick to small sports cars,” said Lotus boss Dany Bahar. “But we didn’t take the decision to design the Elite lightly. In the past, the 2+2 market has been very successful for us, and now the Elite raises the benchmark higher still.

Source

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28
Dec/10

Want To Get as Close to the Real Thing as Possible? You can!

by RedLineNavigation under Uncategorized

For Polyphony, it’s all about the detail. Take one of Gran Turismo 5′s premium cars to a night-time Kyoto in the Photo Travel Mode and you’ll see where those six years since the last installment proper have gone; they’re in the light refracting across the headlights, in the reflections that glisten across the perfectly sculpted bodywork and in the rivets and nuts that are each perfectly placed and painstakingly rendered. Forget photo-realism; catch it from the right angle and Gran Turismo 5 looks better than the real thing.

For the full review of GT5; Source

For the video review;

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7
Dec/10

Navigation with a “Human Touch”

by RedLineNavigation under Navigation systems, New releases

NAVTEQ, the leading global provider of maps, traffic and location data enabling navigation, location-based services and mobile advertising around the world today launched a new product that promises to materially change the way navigation systems and applications interact with end users. NAVTEQ Natural Guidance™ breaks new ground by enabling guidance the way humans provide directions to each other—through the use of descriptive reference cues.

Launched at the IFA consumer electronics show in Berlin, NAVTEQ Natural Guidance leapfrogs today’s linear navigation instructions—e.g. ‘turn right in 50 meters on Kurfuerstendamm—by guiding the way humans instruct each other, through descriptions of orientation points such as distinctive points of interest and landmarks—e.g. ‘turn right after the yellow shop” or ‘turn right at the traffic signal.’ Research shows consumers desire more intuitive and practical directions because it is easier to follow and allows the user to keep their eyes on the road. NAVTEQ Natural Guidance enables applications to use recognizable and easily understandable points of reference close to the decision point to highlight the next maneuver.

“Natural Guidance provides the kind of directions we crave as humans,” said Tiffany Treacy, NAVTEQ senior vice president of product management. “It challenges the man-machine status quo of how navigation systems have worked for years by finally enabling the kind of guidance that sounds like it’s coming from a friend who is riding along with you. This is a revolutionary first step toward more natural and ultimately more personalized experiences.”

Over the past 25 years, NAVTEQ has continually strived to create content specific to navigation that elevates the user experience. Only as an expert and innovative leader in the navigation industry, was NAVTEQ able to create a product that translates user experiences into data and data models that allow applications to generate humanized guidance. NAVTEQ Natural Guidance also employs a variety of importance criteria to help optimize when and how the guidance is presented to consumers. Reference cues can look very different—or be partially or fully obscured—depending on such factors as: which direction the user is approaching, the size of the reference object (a cathedral vs. a corner pub), or whether it is winter or summer (when trees might block the visibility).

NAVTEQ Natural Guidance is currently available for Berlin, Chicago, National Capital Region of Delhi, London, Los Angeles, New York, Munich and Paris with aggressive expansion plans to add more cities throughout Europe, North America and Asia Pacific by the end of 2011.

Source

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7
Dec/10

Google Maps for Mobile 5

by RedLineNavigation under Navigation systems, New releases

Why look at static images when you can get a more 3D view of the urban scene? Google’s Maps for Mobile 5 just got previewed on stage by Andy Rubin at D: Dive Into Mobile — with a prototype Motorola Honeycomb tablet, no less! The biggest visual change is dynamic map drawing: vectors instead of flat images that scale without render hiccups and will show the buildings fleshed out for over 100 cities — we gotta say, it looks great. Even more fun is that you can now use two fingers to tilt and rotate around the map (in addition to moving and pinch-to-zoom, of course). We’ve been told it’s a much snappier experience, and the storage for these vectors is much smaller than the current images, which brings us to… offline caching. Maps will keep on file the locations that you go to (and search) most often, and it’ll be able to reroute while offline in Navigation. You’ll still need a connection for altering the route altogether — sorry, subway-hoppers — but once you go, even if you stray, you’ll still be rerouted back on track.

Most modern Android phones from the original Droid onward should be able to enjoy most if not all the new features, depending on hardware capabilities (3D rendering) and “distinct multitouch” hardware support — the Nexus One, interestingly enough, supports vector maps but not the rotate functionality because it lacks the latter multitouch requirements. Google sent us a list of devices that support 100 percent of 5.0′s features, which you can find after the break. The update is due out in the “coming days,” according to Rubin. Great way to kick off Nexus S’ launch, then.

Thanks to; Source

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26
Oct/10

Apple developing Navigation Systems

by RedLineNavigation under Navigation systems, New releases

Apple is developing a navigation system forMercedes-Benz, according to German magazine Focus. The technology will debut for the 2009 model year, exclusive to Mercedes automobiles.

Six months later, other automakers will be allowed to license the technology, the report claims.

The first 2009 models are likely to show up in mid to late 2008 — roughly 12 to 16 months from now. With 2008 models already finalized and either at dealers or arriving this fall, Mercedes is likely already testing the technology in 2009 prototypes, if the rumor is to be believed.

iPhone similarities more than likely

Apple’s iPhone is probably a good indicator of what an Apple-designed navigation system would be like. iPhone features an innovative touchscreen-based interface that eliminates the need for any mechanical buttons.

The iPhone goes on sale this month, so firsthand experience with the handset is limited, but Apple promises it’s unlike any normal touchscreen device. The $500 phone uses advanced software to make sense of complex movement and input from multiple fingers, resulting in a very intuitive and natural interface.

While “iDrive” from Mercedes-Benz archival BMW has been harshly criticized for unnecessary complexity and cumbersome controls, an Apple-designed navigation/control-center might be better received by the press and general public.

iPhone’s Maps application is powered by Google Maps, and chances are the Apple-Mercedes navigation system would use the same technology. Other automakers have made use of Google’s software, but none have wrapped it in an interface as slick as that of the iPhone.

Since most modern “navigation” systems offer much more than the name implies, the Apple nav would probably include other features from the iPhone as well. E-mail, calendar, iTunes, and perhaps even internet access are all possible. Integration/syncing with iPhone or other wireless handsets should also be expected.

Apple exclusives highly coveted

In 2004, Apple and BMW teamed up to offer the first seamless integration between iPod and a car audio system. Eventually, other automakers — including Mercedes — launched similar technologies, but BMW had the jump on the competition.

If true, the navigation deal with Mercedes would be a blow to BMW, especially considering its iDrive problems.

Source

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10
Oct/10

Ad Hoc or Mobile navigation systems?

by RedLineNavigation under Navigation systems

Ad Hoc is a Latin term which means a purposeful task. In general, Ad Hoc is a solution for a particular task or a problem which cannot be utilized for any other purpose. Thus Ad Hoc GPS navigator refers to a device which is ultimately used for satellite navigation purpose. Nowadays, these navigators are amended with the latest mobile phones as applications. We will discuss the aspects related to both Ad Hoc satellite navigators and mobile phone navigators.

Satellite navigator is a device which makes use of satellite and displays the maps and paths as requested by the user. The map is updated automatically as the user moves. It is usually called as GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System). With a global coverage of areas, spatial global positioning is achieved with this GNSS. Thus usually it is referred as GPS (Global Positioning System). The maps are delivered with the help of radio waves from 24 to 32 satellites revolving around the earth which are received by the GPS receivers present at the user side. These GPS receivers purvey three dimensional locations for the users along with the current time. Such navigators can be used in many applications like military, marine, aviation etc.

The Ad Hoc GPS navigator is used only for this navigation purpose. No additional applications are amended with this device. Hence instead of using the device alone, it is better to have this application with some other electronic gadget. Yes, it is possible nowadays with the latest mobile phones. Most of the advanced mobile phones in the market are incorporated with this GPS navigator. Another reason is that people used to give higher priorities to the mobile phones with GPS facility.

In mobile phones, the GPS receiver may be internal or external. Internal in the sense, it is inbuilt with the device and external receiver is achieved with the help of Bluetooth connectivity. A number of commercial navigation software is available for the mobile phone GPS facility. The degree of coverage varies with the displacement of the user and the user accessibility. The GPS navigator in a mobile phone is termed as A-GPS (Assisted GPS). Sometimes this A-GPS may not function properly when they are out of range from the signal availability. In such cases, a process called tethering is used to enhance the function of the navigator.

Though Ad Hoc GPS navigator is handy and compact, it is even better to have this compactness within your mobile phone which is comparatively mandatory for you whenever you go out. Sometimes, mp3 players may be found available with the Ad Hoc navigators especially for attaching the device in a car. Anyways, your car may already be having a high quality digital surround sound system in it. So, definitely this mp3 player with the navigator will not be of any use to you. Another thing is that mp3 player is already inbuilt in your latest mobile. Not only in the latest one, are almost all the mobile phones coming with mp3 player these days. So, purposefully, you need not prefer an Ad Hoc GPS receiver since it has mp3 player in it.

All the advanced features of the Ad Hoc navigators are now found in the mobile phone navigators itself. In fact, there is no much difference in the efficiency and the performance of both the navigators. Hence, ultimately it is better for the users to prefer the mobile phone navigators rather than the Ad Hoc GPS navigators.

Source

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30
Sep/10

How Car navigation changed our lives

by RedLineNavigation under Navigation systems

Navigation systems for vehicles have been around for decades. Car GPS Navigation Systems were first used by the military and then little by little the technology found its way into the private sector. Finding GPS systems in phones, watches, radios, cars, trucks, suvs and more is common.Over the years the technology has become more and more sophisticated. GPS nav systems are a large part of our lives.

Below are a few areas where GPS systems have really altered the way we go about our day.

1) A GPS car navigation system has provided traffic relief for many drivers. It is not uncommon for even the simplest system to come with the capability to remap our daily routes around serious traffic jams. There are those that talk to you and provide turn by turn directions so you can place your focus on road where it belongs. There are even those that mimic a famous signer or actor’s voice. These are not only comical, but can provide a bit of comedy for your passengers.

2) These GPS systems will help you find the nearest ATM or gas station. If you live in a larger city like I do, there are times when you may find yourself in an area of the city where you are not familiar with. Hit a button and your GPS system helps you find your way to a bank or gas station. Often times a GPS system will not stop there. They are even capable of finding places like restaurants, parks, airports, amusement parks and other places of interest. If you have an actual address, the GPS system will take you there with pinpoint accuracy. It is truly a joy to have one in your vehicle.

3) A built in GPS car tracking system has also started to provide a lot of value. If you have ever been in a situation where you are in trouble or completely lost in the desert or mountains, a tracking system can save your life. It can tell others where you are at, getting aid to you quickly.

Once upon a time I owned an Acura TL with a navigation system in it and it was my favorite feature of the car. Although it has been many years since I had that vehicle, I still miss the comfort of having it around to show me where to go. I travel often and hate to have to use a map to find my way.

Not only are maps outdated, they are hard to read in the dark and are never detailed enough to take right to where you want to go. Google Maps and Map Quest are great alternatives, but once again they are not integrated into the car.

The most recent models of navigation systems will accept voice commands. One of the biggest drawbacks to voice recognition is it does not respond to all voices. You find yourself repeating the words so the system can recognize what you are saying. It is easier just to stop the vehicle for a minute and enter the data into the system than to speak the words. Often times the voice recognition is too hard to use.

If you find that your vehicle is lacking the great functionality of a GPS system, then do not fret. There are a number of very good quality portable units that will not only do all the featured mentioned in this article, but also provide the feature of portability. The money spent will be well worth it. You will find yourself a lot happy on the road, less distracted and a safer driver. A lot of vehicles are now coming equipped with them as part of vehicles original price. Yet there are still those economical vehicles that do not have this option, but they can easily be outfitted with a portable unit.

Source

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28
Sep/10

GM: Windshields into Augmented-Reality Navigation Displays

by RedLineNavigation under Navigation systems

Distracted drivers may soon get some warnings from their windshield displays about road hazards such as children playing in the street or vehicles in the driver’s blind spot. General Motors has teamed up with university researchers to bring the concept to market around 2016, the New York Times reports.

The enhanced vision system would monitor a driver’s eye and head movements via sensors located both inside and outside the vehicle. The display would then overlay enhanced views of the road on top of the actual scene visible through the windshield. GM hopes that the augmented reality (AR) windshield display can allow drivers to view GPS directions without looking away from the road, and cope with difficult driving conditions in fog or at night.

Preliminary tests with an overlay screen showed that driver safety performance improved, as opposed to a head-down navigation system. Future versions of car windshields might have transparent phosphor coatings. Check out this Mashable video of the tech:

Source

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25
Sep/10

New future navigation displays? What’s next!?

by RedLineNavigation under Technology

At a recent meeting in Barcelona, Hewlett Packard’s CTO Phil McKinney demonstrated their latest absurdly thin flexible display. Developed using Self-aligned Imprint Lithography (SAIL) these video screens can be made in large quantities on mylar backing allowing them to flex and deform while they work. During manufacturing they are rolled out like a newspaper. According to Hardware.info, the first products using these displays will arrive in two years, with mass production following a year after. McKinney was quick to point out that the current SAIL printed screens are not made to roll and unroll (after production) and that they would fail after half a dozen or so such curls. The SAIL displays are still very flexible, however, and are likely to be seen in ultra thin tablet PCs and other more novel applications.

We’ve seen flexible displays before; in fact, we’ve seen SAIL displays before. The HP screens were developed with Arizona State University who has been demoing the amazing technology for the past two years. It’s good to see, however, Phil McKinney with whole sheets of the SAIL made display, and talking about a plan for putting the screens into mass production (relatively) quickly. That’s a good sign that we’ll soon wade through the easy-to-predict applications and get to more innovative devices soon. Tablet PCs and mobile displays are great, and watching them get thinner is sure to be interesting. What I’m really excited about, however, is the upcoming possibilities of actually putting flexible displays on flexible devices. Video screens that you wear like clothing, wallpaper that can become a TV, embedded displays on every surface – these are the devices that will really wow us. If HP really gets their SAIL manufactured screens on the mass market in three years, we could see some of these ideas follow shortly there after.


So what’s the big deal about these screens being so flexible? Wouldn’t watching something on a curved surface be jarring? Yes, but only until we find ways of taking advantage of that curve to produce some amazing 3D effects. More importantly, the flexibility of these screens is paired with some great durability. Not only may these screens bend to go anywhere, they’ll survive once they get there.

What Phil McKinney didn’t announce, and what I was hoping to hear more about, was the power draw, brightness and speed of the screen. Are these things going to be as fast and clear as non-flex screens? We also can’t forget that as these displays get thinner and lighter, the associated batteries, processors, and other electronics have to shrink along with them. Part of what makes the iPad so promising is that Apple developed all of these systems simultaneously. Hopefully HP (and ASU) will soon give us a better idea if these SAIL screens aren’t just durable, flexible, and thin, but also high definition, ultra low power, and easily integrated.

The movement away from photolithography and its limitations is a good thing, and will help keep us on a trend of exponential growth for improvements in video screens. I’m not sure SAIL is the ultimate solution to making cheaper, thinner, more flexible screens, but it’s certainly a good step. Eventually these displays will be able to be rolled and unrolled at will, even crumpled or otherwise severely deformed, without missing a beat. That’s going to let designers rethink computers and our modern world. A desktop work station makes sense in some cases, but there are so many more other options. Wouldn’t you like your windows to double as video displays – you could turn every apartment into an ocean-view luxury pad. Every surface around us could become a vibrant output device. Sure, it will make commercials even more annoying, but it’s a step towards a merger between the physical and digital worlds. Exciting stuff, and it looks like it’s arriving sooner rather than later.

Source

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