terminator

The 404 808: Where we now have your credit card number (podcast)

Today we're joined by Robin Yang, a gamer that made her first CNET appearance on PreGame last year and will soon move to Seattle to work for PopCap Games, the creator of online casual games like Plants vs. Zombies, Bewjeweled, and Peggle. But before she heads out west, she's guest hosting today's show about the PlayStation hack fallout, a man arrested for singing Kung Fu fighting, the next "Terminator" film, and a Google survey about smartphones in the bathroom.

The 404 Digest for Episode 808

In the world of online gaming, the man without a credit card is king. Man arrested for singing "Kung Fu Fighting." Terminator is back, Justin Lin to direct. Google says 39% of smartphone owners use them in the bathroom. Follow Robin Yang on Twitter and Friendfeed.

Episode 808

Subscribe in iTunes (audio) | Subscribe in iTunes (video) | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video… Read more

New group pushes car integration of phone apps

Auto manufacturers, systems suppliers, and consumer electronics makers have formed a consortium to maintain and develop a standard that helps turn mobile devices into automotive infotainment portals. Formerly overseen by Nokia, the newly formed Car Connectivity Consortium counts Daimler, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai Motor Company, Toyota, and Volkswagen among its founding members. In addition to car companies, systems suppliers Alpine and Panasonic and consumer electronics makers LG Electronics, Samsung, and, of course, Nokia are founding members of the new group responsible for maintaining the Terminal Mode standard.

"The Car Connectivity Consortium now has the power to turn Terminal Mode … Read more

BMW adds iPhone app support for Twitter, Facebook

BMW has announced the release of the BMW Connected app, which lets drivers use their iPhones to bring Internet applications such as Twitter, Facebook, and Internet radio stations into their vehicles. The new app works for all BMW vehicles produced after March, according to a BMW spokesperson. BMW previously launched app support in its Mini brand, with the MINI Connected app, which displays popular social media apps on the car's head unit and gives driving efficiency reports.

The BMW Connected app acts as a gateway that enables the car to replicate a specified set of iPhone app features on … Read more

RealVNC offers OEMs anti-distracted-driving device

Cellcontrol has entered into an agreement with RealVNC that makes it easier for automotive manufacturers to adopt its technology. For carmakers planning to use Nokia Terminal Mode for next-generation infotainment solutions, the partnership offers an out-of-the-box middleware solution that blocks distracting applications while a vehicle is in motion.

Terminal Mode is a standard being developed by Consumer Electronics for Automotive (CE4A), of which Audi, BMW, Daimler, Porsche, and Volkswagen are members, which replicates mobile devices on a vehicle's in-dash screen. The phone is tethered to the entertainment system, and occupants interact with the phone using the head unit interface. … Read more

How to read OS X system messages without the Console utility

The OS X Console utility provides a very useful window into the ongoing messages and log entries that applications and system processes output as they perform various tasks. This information can be invaluable when troubleshooting problems with numerous aspects of the system, but if the Console utility is not available or is broken and not loading then you may have a difficult time reading the logs and console entries.

The Console utility is essentially a viewer for a collection of log files, which are just basic text files that can be opened in any text editor. These are located in … Read more

How to open current Terminal directory in the Finder

If you are a Terminal user and like to explore and manage aspects of OS X using the command line, one convenient function is to be able to quickly access the current folder either in the Finder or in the Terminal. Sometimes navigating through folders can be easier in the Terminal, and at other times it can be easier in the Finder, but the problem comes when you try to combine the use of the two environments in the same task.

Finder to Terminal

Unfortunately the Finder does not have any built-in means to open the current location in the … Read more

Updated 2012 Mercedes C-Class could get Nokia Terminal Mode

Mercedes released photos of its updated 2012 C-Class, which adds to the entry vehicle lineup a generous handful of technology upgrades and improved fuel economy.

The C-Class vehicles are set to receive Attention Assist, Adaptive Highbeam Assist, Parking Assist, Lane Keeping Assist, and Blind Spot Assist for added safety. The next-generation infotainment and navigation system will get new features, including the ability to display text messages. And it may also add Nokia Terminal mode, according to an article in Telematics News.

Citing Automobilwoche.de, Telematics News reports that the 2012 C-Class will feature COMAND Online, which brings in Internet access … Read more

QNX upgrades infotainment using iPod Out, Terminal Mode

QNX unveiled its CAR Application Platform that uses mobile phones to integrate the latest technology and applications with a vehicle's infotainment system. The Canadian company's platform goes beyond Bluetooth audio streaming and uses Nokia Terminal Mode and Apple iPod Out to connect smartphones with the vehicle's multimedia head unit, opening the door to adding e-mail, social networking, music, navigation, and other applications, such as parking spot finders, to in-dash screens.

The integration strategy will enable users to eliminate the learning curve for mastering a new audio system. QNX will also be able to add new functionality quickly without hardware or software upgrades. The downside is that the available features depend on the phone and apps you use.

Based on QNX's promotional videos, it appears non-iPhone users will get the most robust functionality. QNX uses the VPN protocol to connect Terminal Mode-equipped smartphones with the vehicles' multimedia head unit, replicating the device's interface on the navigation screen. The car occupants can use the audio and steering-wheel controls or touch-screen to interact with the phone, and QNX will disable certain features it deems unsafe while driving. Unfortunately, iPod Out doesn't offer the type of data integration available on Terminal Mode-equipped phones.

Terminal Mode was developed by Nokia and Consumer Electronics for Automotive (CE4A), an association of which BMW, Audi, Daimler, and Volkswagen are members. QNX, formerly a subsidiary of Harman International, was purchased by Research In Motion last April. BMW offers Harman Kardon branded audio systems in its product line, and has already expressed intent to use QNX's platform to incorporate iPod Out and read BlackBerry e-mails to passengers.

QNX unveiled the new platform at the Society of Automotive Engineers Convergence 2010 conference last week in a modified Chevrolet Corvette, which also demoed QNX's dynamically reconfigurable digital instrument cluster. The feature offers two different displays: driving mode, which shows the tachometer and speedometer, or information mode, which shows weather, navigation, or entertainment information. … Read more

Ask Maggie: On buggy Android upgrades

As smartphones get more sophisticated, so does the software that runs them. And that means a major pain in the neck for consumers: buggy software upgrades.

Just like with your computer, smartphone software is constantly evolving and upgrades are rolled out all the time. While new versions of software often add more functionality, sometimes they're buggy and they break things that worked perfectly well with the previous version of software.

This is a major headache for many smartphone subscribers, especially those who use Android phones. In this week's Ask Maggie column, I answer one reader who wants to … Read more