Communications

'Smokey and the Bandit' meets Bluetooth

You've got to wonder what Burt Reynolds would think about a Bluetooth CB radio if he were still around. Oh, that's right--he is still around. Well, we're sure that old Smokey would have welcomed the new-fangled technology because he could have used it to rally other cars for the chase scenes.

Cobra Electronics has brought the iconic CB into the 21st century with a radio that can receive mobile phone calls and includes a noise-canceling microphone to boot. It's even safer to operate, at least theoretically, because it has controls that can indicate the dial's … Read more

Safely avoid calls from the office while driving

Sony Ericsson can be pretty schizophrenic when it comes to mobile phone speakers. While it has some pretty weird ideas at one end of the spectrum, it can be utterly practical at the other. Take, for example, its new car speakerphone.

The Bluetooth HCB-150 clips onto the visor as do many others, with 25 hours of talk time and 700 on standby. But it has a particularly convenient technology that stands apart from the competition: A "text to speech" feature literally tells you who's calling, according to SlashPhone. That way, you can ignore those after-hours office calls … Read more

Photos: Nokia's Mobile Century traffic project

It's not often that you get people volunteering to get stuck in traffic. However, that's exactly what happened today in Northern California. About 150 students from the University of California at Berkeley participated a project devised to test the potential of using GPS-enabled, internet-connected cell phones as aids for reporting real-time information on traffic congestion. The test by the university was done in collaboration with Nokia, and the California Transportation Department. Real-time traffic services are nothing new. Services from Satellite companies, such as XM and Sirius, as well as maps from Google and Yahoo provide color-coded estimates of … Read more

Cars you can talk to

In-car voice recognition still has some way to go before it replaces buttons, dials, and good old fashioned manual programming. However, a few automakers are taking the lead in creating in-car interfaces that are easy to use. Among our favorites are Acura and Honda, Infiniti, Mercedes, and now--thanks to the launch of the Microsoft Sync system--Ford. Check out our roundup of cars you can talk to with a good chance of being understood.

$14.5 million to company that nitpicks your driving habits

GreenRoad Technologies exists because, as a driver, you probably suck.

The company has developed a software program that analyzes a person's driving habits and then reports back to their boss, insurance company, or, conceivably, the rental car agency. The idea is to identify problem drivers and/or bad driving habits (rapid starts and slamming breaks). Conversely, good habits can be rewarded. The software largely gets sold to owners of large fleets of cars, like delivery companies. But it's not all criticism. The program also provides drivers tips on how to improve on safety and fuel economy.

By installing … Read more

Chrysler's connected car plan

At the recent Detroit auto show, Chrysler announced a road map for connecting cars to the Internet. In the near term, the company is looking at using cellular and Wi-Fi for data connections into cars. Chrysler is also looking into WiMax as a future solution. In its press release, Chrysler mentioned it would use an Internet connection into the car for the following services:

Turn-by-turn navigation combined with satellite imagery to provide more realistic maps Automatic wireless map updates, to ensure that drivers will always have the most up-to-date map information. Real-time weather and hazard information will also be available. … Read more

Cadillac CTS wins CNET Tech Car of the Year

The 2008 Cadillac CTS has beaten out stiff competition to become this year's CNET Tech Car of the Year. With its sculpted new profile and its arsenal of cabin technology, Caddy's revised entry-level sedan impressed both the judges and CNET's readers, who ranked it above the likes of the 2008 BMW 5 series, the 2008 Audi A6, and even the Mercedes-Benz CL550.

The CTS differentiated itself from the competition with a range of innovative entertainment and information features including its ability to pause and play live radio, as well as its live weather information feed. Other tech … Read more

Car Tech CES 2008 wrap-up

"If the automobile were invented today, I'm pretty sure it would debut here at CES." So said Rick Wagoner, the boss of General Motors, in his keynote address at CES 2008 before unveiling GM's hydrogen fuel-cell-powered Cadillac Provoq. Wagoner's sentiments were echoed by the show's organizers who, for the first time, dedicated an entire hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center to in-vehicle technologies.

Among the booming bass bins and the pimped-out rides a number of innovative products took our fancy. Pioneer's AVIC-F500BT LINC combines portable and in-dash navigation in one device, complete … Read more

2008 CES roundup

We've been overwhelmed by all the automotive tech announcements and new products at CES. During our first day, we've seen new car stereos and GPS devices, new services from both XM and Sirius satellite radio, and Ford's play to be the carmaker most talked about at the show. Here are a sampling of blogs we've posted from 2008 CES:

New Garmin Nuvi 800 series features voice commands A new trend in GPS devices lets you enter destinations with spoken commands. The Garmin Nuvi 800 is one of the first to offer this capability.

Eclipse updates its all-in-one navigation system with the AVN6620 … Read more