connected

For people who manage remote servers, the use of the secure shell (ssh) Terminal command is quite common, and is very often the only command people use when opening a Terminal window. While you can enter each of your ssh connections (usernames, server, and arguments) for every new Terminal session, this can be a burden if you need to connect to many servers. While Apple's Terminal application has a connection manager option where you can store the addresses of the servers you access, even this can be a bit cumbersome to continually access. One option instead is to implement … Read more

Hulu acknowledged this afternoon that an attempt to integrate itself with Facebook didn't go exactly as planned.

Far from aiding the "entire social experience," which the video streaming service had promised in its announcement earlier in the day, the attempted integration allowed some Hulu users to access other users' accounts.

In a followup blog post this afternoon, Hulu Vice President Richard Tom said the security breach was the result of a programming error, not malicious activity, and did not expose passwords or credit card numbers.

"When we launched our Facebook Connect feature early this morning, we … Read more

A planned community best known for golf-cart commuting could become the testing ground for connected cars. Panasonic Automotive and AT&T have teamed up to turn Peachtree City, Georgia, into a "model connected community" that they and other companies will use to develop and test new car communication products.

The announcement made earlier this month is an effort to formalize the relationship between the two companies. To develop the connected model community, Atlanta-based AT&T will provide the 4G mobile broadband infrastructure, and Panasonic Automotive, which is headquartered in the suburb, will supply the hardware and … Read more

It seems the iPad's limited internal storage and lack of peripheral ports provide ample opportunities for storage vendors.

About a month ago, Seagate Technology introduced the GoFlex Satellite as the first mobile hard drive that can stream content to the iPad. Today, G-Technology, a subsidiary of Hitachi Storage that focuses on external storage solutions, announced a similar product of its own: the G-Connect wireless storage product.

The G-Connect is similar to the GoFlex Satellite in multiple ways. It's another compact 500GB portable hard drive that has a built-in Wireless-N access point that can stream stored digital content to up to five wireless devices (the Satellite can only stream to three devices).

The G-Connect has one major advantage over the Satellite: it also comes with an Ethernet port for connecting to an existing network, and hence is capable of also offering an Internet connection to the connected clients. Clients can surf the Web and check e-mails while streaming content, such as music, at the same time. This makes the device almost an alternative for the iCloud service recently announced by Apple.… Read more

You have one more great reason to chuck your laptop in favor of an iPad when embarking on your next road trip. With only a few extra clicks you can edit Word and Excel files in the Safari browser on your iPad. The trick is to convert the files to the native Google Docs formats to make them available for editing on the iPad.

The easiest way to ensure the current version of your Word and Excel files are editable on your iPad is to use the free Google Cloud Connect toolbar for Microsoft Office, which I described in a … Read more

RealVNC announced at the BlackBerry World Conference this week that it will be supplying Jaguar and Land Rover with a smartphone-integrated infotainment system.

RealVNC demonstrated the Connect and View system using a BlackBerry smartphone connected to a RealVNC Connect and View infotainment system connected to a BlackBerry smartphone in a Jaguar XJ head unit. When linked with a BlackBerry device, Connect and View uses Terminal Mode to replicate music and navigation applications on the car's in-dash screen.

A few automotive manufacturers such as GM, Toyota, and BMW are using similar technology in their vehicles. So far, some manufacturers have … Read more

Owners of 2011 Panasonic Viera-Connect HDTVs that feature Skype take note: if you're looking to make video calls via your TV, you can now do it with a high-grade HD Webcam courtesy of Logitech.

While the new model appears cosmetically similar to the company's C910, this one's called TV Cam for Skype ($149.99) and does 720p video. By comparison, the C910 can be had for less than $100 and does 1080p video, so hopefully we'll see the TV Cam for Skype street for a little less.

"Once the Logitech TV Cam for Skype is … Read more

If you've ever wanted your own driving soundtrack, Mini has the app for you. The carmaker released a new version of Mini Connected to include a Dynamic Music function that matches music to driving style.

In a way, Dynamic Music makes the driver the star of his own movie car chase scene. Drivers can select from up to 10 music genres, such as "Clubbing in Moscow" and "Nu Metal Slam" to match their mood and preference. As they accelerate and change lanes, the mix's rhythm and volume keep pace.

But before you drive fast and furious, keep in mind that Mini also added Mission Control, a feature that analyzes the car, its environment, and driving conditions to offer tips and advice during your commute. It's like a built-in back-seat driver that also makes small talk.

Other updates to the Mini Connected app include the capability to compose personalized status updates in the app that you can post while you're in the car. The first version of the app had a preset list of messages that you could post to Facebook and Twitter. The Google Local Search and Google Send to Car services will help you look up destinations and send driving directions to the Mini's navigation system. … Read more

Add Pandora to the list of apps that BMW has integrated with its 2011 and 2012 models. The latest version BMW's Connected iPhone app makes it possible for drivers to view and control the streaming music service in the car using the iDrive system.

Using their iPhone to integrate Pandora and supply the Internet data connection, BMW owners will be able to view and interact with the music app on the in-dash display using the iDrive controller or steering wheel buttons. Almost all of Pandora's features are available and functionality includes accessing existing stations, creating new stations, thumbing-up or thumbing-down tracks, and bookmarking songs. Pretty much the only thing you won't be able to do is buy music.

The new feature is available on all 2011 BMW models built after March and equipped with the $250 BMW apps option. To use Pandora in the car, BMW owners need to download the latest version of the BMW Connected and Pandora apps from the iTunes store. Unlike Toyota's Entune platform, the pairing doesn't work using a Bluetooth connection--users must link the phone using the USB cable or the optional snap-in adapter in the center armrest. Pandora joins Twitter and Facebook as the third app that BMW Connected supports. … Read more