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CNET)
As 2009 rolls to a close, we look back at the cars we've reviewed over the last year to see which one should earn our Tech Car of the Year award. From our survey of the 100 or so cars we've reviewed, we're pleased to see that the adoption of cabin tech by automakers is becoming more prevalent and ever more sophisticated, with features such as hard-drive-based navigation with traffic reporting becoming common.
Among the cars we've seen, we picked out five that show the most innovative technology. These cars use technology to enhance the cabin and driving experience, and push the automotive technology envelope. Please vote for the car you think should be the 2009 Tech Car of the Year, and discuss it in the comments. The Car Tech staff jury members will place their own votes, and we will announce the winner on January 11, just before the Detroit auto show. Voting closes on January 4, 2010.
Nominees
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CNET)
Audi's Quattro all-wheel-drive system, along with an active suspension system, makes the Q5 handle like a car, maintaining grip and composure during high-speed cornering. A new navigation system, powered by a Nvidia graphics chip, extensively renders urban areas in 3D.
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CNET)
BMW spared no technology in its effort to make the X5 SUV worthy of an M badge. The result? The heaviest vehicle we've ever rotated through a turn. Throw in a navigation system with satellite imagery in the maps, and we've got a tech leader.
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CNET)
Toyota may have turned the Prius into the iconic hybrid, but Ford's Fusion Hybrid is just a better all-around car. The hybrid system gives this midsize sedan excellent mileage, while letting it run under electric power at speeds up to 47 mph. Ford's cabin tech is anchored by Sync and Sirius Travel Link, and gets pushed up a step further with the driver-configurable ecology-oriented instrument cluster.
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CNET)
The new Prius might have made this list of nominees, if it weren't for the all-new Lexus HS250h. This car uses Toyota's hybrid system to get excellent mileage while showing that a luxury car doesn't have to be a full-size sedan. It makes use of a number of driver aid technologies, and incorporates Lexus' newest cabin tech suite.
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CNET)
Lincoln's new flagship sedan was a contender last year, and makes the list this year because of significant improvements. Along with its excellent Sync, Sirius Travel Link, and THX audio features, Lincoln gave it a high-tech engine in the form of the twin turbo direct injection V-6. Add to this adaptive cruise control and an automatic parking system that actually works, and the MKS shows up as a tech heavyweight.
On Thursday, Popular Mechanics magazine will unveil its 2009 Breakthrough awards. Included on the list is a series of innovators, as well as a number of products, including this lawn mower, the Hustler Zeon, which is the world's first all-electric, zero-turning-radius mower. It can cover an acre of grass on a single charge.
(Credit: Popular Mechanics)Popular Mechanics magazine on Thursday will unveil its fifth-annual Breakthrough Award winners, an august collection of designers and products that could do much more than their share to change the world for the better.
From famous inventors like Dean Kamen to a flying car for the Third World to bacteria-powered batteries--and much in-between--the awards are meant to highlight technologies that will shape the way people around the world live and how they interact with everyday products.
Each year, the magazine's editors scour the country for a worthy group of winners, and this year, in the end, Popular Mechanics settled on one leadership award winner, one next-generation honoree, eight Breakthrough innovators and 10 Breakthrough products.
"In all cases, there's a really practical application that we see coming about," said Jerry Beilinson, the magazine's deputy editor, "so these aren't theoretical scientific applications. (They're going to) change the world and have a really positive aspect on people's lives."
Beilinson said that after five years of identifying technological breakthrough products and innovators, certain themes have emerged in the editors' preferences. Among the most important, he said, is alternative energy and products and designers that push that category forward.
"If I look back (at the last few years of doing the awards), we looked at aviation and we looked at medicine," he said. "But over the last few years, I think the things that have been clear themes that we've been looking at that have emerged (are) alternative energy and appropriate technologies for the developing world."
And while the themes can be forward-looking, the individual awards celebrate a "moment in time," he said.
"We're sort of picking the moment at which it's become real, and passed the threshold and seems like its worthy of an award," Beilinson said. "But most of these kinds of things do take some time to develop."
For this year's Breakthrough Leadership award, Popular Mechanics honored Dean Kamen, an inventor with more than 440 patents who may be best known for creating the incredible but commercially disappointing Segway personal transporter.
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The gas mask bra is one of the winners at the 19th First Annual Ig Nobel Prize Ceremony.
(Credit: Elena Bodnar)This week the Annals of Improbable Research hosted its 19th First Annual Ig Nobel Prize Ceremony. As CNET News' Elinor Mills wrote, this year was no less ignoble than the previous 18, with such delightful discoveries as applications for panda poo and observations from a lifetime of knuckle cracking.
Except for one award: the gas mask bra, which, while ridiculous and hilarious at face value, has far more going on below the, er, neckline.
Elena Bodnar, who lives in Chicago, got her start as a scientist in Ukraine, when she witnessed the devastating effects of the Chernobyl nuclear plant disaster in 1986. She noticed, among other things, that women were wearing bras that may have been lacy but were certainly not life-saving.
At the ceremony, Bodnar demonstrated her invention, which she said could have prevented people from breathing in Iodine-131 in the wake of Chernobyl. She graciously gave pink bras (each of which can turn into two gas masks) to actual Nobel laureates (yes, even the men, who now have the option to enjoy the bras without shame--not to mention any likely real effect--in the privacy of their own homes).
The bra's patent abstract, which also includes an attempt to make "positionable" a word, somehow manages to be as boring as other patent abstracts:
A bra garment comprising: a plurality of detachable cup sections, each of the cup sections having: (a) a filter device; (b) a first portion positionable adjacent to a first central area of a user's chest; (c) a second portion positionable adjacent to a second outer area of the user's chest adjacent to an underarm; and (d) a valve device.
And for all the women out there who are worried about whether their cup size is too big or small to turn into effective gas masks: size, according to Bodnar, doesn't matter.
Fresh from San Francisco where she was covering last week's Apple announcements, Natali Del Conte joins us on the today's pop-culture-y episode.
Of course, the big Twitter and Facebook news of the day is Kanye West's unwelcome outburst at last night's MTV Video Music Awards (VMA) show. The producer slash performer just can't seem to keep his head above water. In case you haven't heard, Kanye rudely interrupted Taylor Swift's award acceptance speech to announce that Beyonce should have won for her "Single Ladies" video. Whether that's true or not (some of us think it is), the millions of Tweets and status updates indicate that the public isn't on his side, despite his half-hearted apology that someone should probably post on this Web site.
Speaking of celebrity freak-outs, Serena Williams has her own apologizing to do, but this time it's to a line woman who became the object of her public outburst after a call was made in Serena's error. The charitable Williams, albeit unsatisfied with the result of the match, managed to keep her composure and must have thought the woman looked a little hungry, because she offered to feed her a tennis ball down the esophagus. She politely declined the meal. Watch the disaster unfold.
Finally, we do actually have some good news to report today: Captain EO is making its triumphant return to Disneyland! Even though the classic 80s movie has already made its way to YouTube, watching it on a computer doesn't even compare to wearing those cheesy pink 3D glasses and watching it in a giant theater with all the physical effects. We're not sure what changes are in store for the film, but rest assured that you'll be the first to know once we get more info.
Unfortunately, no Calls from the Public segment today because, well, we didn't get any! None that were good, anyway. So give us a call and tell us how much you like/love/hate/despise the show. You know how it works- call 1-866-404-CNET and you might get played on the air. We also accept e-mail submissions (preferably of you holding a 404 sign or something) like the one we received from our buddies Ammi and Samri in Sweden over the weekend. Send 'em our way at the404(at)CNET[dot]com.
EPISODE 424
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Yanko Design)
This handy portable map projector equipped with GPS makes getting lost a thing of the past. All you need is a surface to shine your map on. A friend's forehead would do.
Designed by Jinsun Park and Seonkeun Park of South Korea's Samsung Art & Design Institute, the Maptor is somewhat similar to this map/flashlight we profiled awhile back, but far more convenient. Not only do you not have to bother with tiresome unfolding of paper, you don't have to search for your location, thanks to the GPS function that points it out.
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IDSA)
A button lets you zoom in or out of the projected image, and the unit is small enough to hang from your neck on a lanyard, though who would really want to do that? Far better in a utility belt!
Made of biodegradable plastic, Maptor--which has not yet on the market--has a simple on/off toggle and a switch to control zoom and map size. It can download maps via Bluetooth connection and is battery-powered like a regular flashlight.
One question is how readable the map would be in daylight. Would users have to scurry into the closest tunnel to get a fix on their position?
Still, this would likely make a handy gizmo for directionally challenged people everywhere.
The Maptor picked up a silver award at the 2009 International Design Excellence Awards organized by the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA). Samsung beat Apple in the showing, earning eight awards to Apple's seven.
(Via Yanko Design)
It's just the three of us today, but that's when we have the best shows. Before we get into stories, please be sure to check out the preshow some time at the404.cnet.com or watchbol.com. During the weekdays, around 11 a.m. EST, Jeff, Justin, and Wilson spend about 20 minutes goofing off, and it becomes a riot.
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T-Mobile)
Today's show is jam packed with stories. First, Pizza Hut is trying to hire an intern, who's only job is to Twitter for the company. We think they should have advertised this yesterday on 4/20. So-called "beer googles" don't really exist, according to scientists. We never believed they did either. We just think that it makes most guys say, "Why not?" Last story for the first half is the release of the new T-Mobile Sidekick LX. It's no longer a brick. Justin is still intent, though, on keeping his iPhone since Hulu announced it would release an app.
Second half of the show, we've got Tuna Tuesday again! This time from Amsterdam! Also, the press seems to hate "Sit Down, Shut Up." Jeff and Wilson aren't big fans of the pilot, either, from "Arrested Development" creator Mitchell Hurwitz. Further along, we find out there's a Lego Rock Band game and a DJ Hero game! Finally, vote for CNET TV for the People's Choice Award at the 2009 Webby Awards. Our jobs depend on it... not really, but it would be nice to play dress up.
Follow us on the Twitter at @the404, and send us your comments. We listen. We promise.
EPISODE 325
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Corinne Schulze/CBS Interactive)
In December we invited you to vote for the 2008 Tech Car of the Year from our five nominees. Well, no upset this year, as our staff judges agreed with the voting public: the 2009 Nissan GT-R is our Tech Car of the Year. Nissan has been putting top-notch cabin tech into its Infiniti models, and applied the same gear to the GT-R. But that's only the beginning, as you can almost feel the circuitry running through the GT-R's advanced suspensions and road-holding systems. Likewise, the engine is a pretty impressive piece of engineering, bringing in supercar acceleration from a V-6, not to mention the new double-clutch gearbox.
The GT-R has some faults, such as the overly stiff ride, which isn't really mitigated by the Comfort setting for the suspension. And we had some staff disagreement about that double-clutch gearbox: Brian Cooley found problems with using it in traffic, while Wayne Cunningham felt it worked very smoothly. But we couldn't deny the tech tour de force that the Nissan GT-R represents.
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CBS Interactive)
As the year winds down, we look back at the cars we've reviewed in 2008, and try to figure out which one qualifies as the Tech Car of the Year. To that end, our staff has boiled the choices down to five nominees, and, as in past years, you can vote for your favorite. These nominees represent the best cabin and performance tech available in a production car today. To make the list, they also have to exhibit at least one over-the-top tech feature. Check out the nominees, vote in our poll, and discuss your choice. The final winner will be decided by your vote and our panel of staff judges. We will post the winner, along with The Car Tech 10 awards, in the second week of January.
Nominees
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Corinne Schulze/CBS Interactive)
The new M3 is the current apex of BMW technology for performance and cabin tech. The DCT, BMW's new dual-clutch transmission, is a tech stand-out.
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Corinne Schulze/CBS Interactive)
We surprised ourselves by picking the Dodge Ram, but this truck packs all the latest cabin tech, including a rear-seat entertainment system with satellite TV and hard drive-based navigation that shows traffic.
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Corinne Schulze/CBS Interactive)
Infiniti has been pushing the cabin tech envelope, and the EX35 represents the height of achievement, with driver aids that keep you from drifting out of your lane and a set of cameras that help you park in tight spaces.
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Corinne Schulze/CBS Interactive)
Lincoln's MKS uses tech to give driver and passengers an exceptional in-car experience, with a THX audio system, Sync MP3 player and phone integration, and Sirius Travel Link, which lets you see traffic, weather, and gas prices on the navigation screen.
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Corinne Schulze/CBS Interactive)
Godzilla hit U.S. shores this year, sporting an incredible package of performance tech that wrings amazing horsepower out of a six-cylinder engine. Cabin tech isn't left behind, either, complementing the usual infotainment package with a very cool performance computer.
Build apps for the Sony Ericsson Xperia X1.
(Credit: Sony Ericsson)Sony Ericsson announced its third annual Content Awards on Thursday. Developers are invited to submit content and applications for use on Sony Ericsson devices. The company released a free SDK two weeks ago.
Sony Ericsson is asking developers to create content and applications that address three questions: How can mobile phones help us monitor our carbon footprint? How can the next generation of mobile phones make our lives less frantic? In what ways can we make our phones personal?
Entries will be judged on ease of use, entertainment factor, innovation, look and feel, and audio performance. The seven categories include Being Productive, Going Green, In-Car applications, Mobile Entertainment, Lifestyle Experiences, Themes & Graphics, and Xperia X1 Panels. Hint, hint on that last one, by the way. The Xperia X1 is set for release outside North America before the end of the month.
The winners in each category will get a trip to Sweden to share their content with developers and company execs, attend workshops, and indulge in a tasty smorgasbord lunch. All right, we made the last one up, but what would a trip to Sweden be without it?
For details, check out Sony Ericsson's Web site. The deadline for entries is November 30.
What do a MacBook Air and a submersible rolling pin have in common--besides both being made on planet Earth? Both are winners in this year's International Design Excellence Awards. The competition, run by the Industrial Designers Society of America and sponsored by BusinessWeek magazine, invites businesses and students the world over to submit their best inventions or design concepts.
Samsung's Design Touch concept would make touchable pictures for the visually impaired.
(Credit: IDSA)Out of 205 IDEA awards this year, some, like the iPhone, are no-brainers, while many conceptual designs do much to stretch the imagination. Though the list is brimming with interesting gadgets, a few caught our eye.
Samsung's Design Touch concept, which won a gold medal, is a digital camera for the visually impaired. The operator takes a picture, and sound is recorded for three seconds after the shutter clicks.
Knoend's Lite2Go got a bronze medal for eco-friendly packaging.
(Credit: ISDA)But audio isn't what makes this a concept camera. The Design Touch user would then be able to touch a lightweight, flexible Braille display sheet that displays the picture in 3D on an embossed surface. The 3D pictures with sound can be uploaded, reviewed, and shared.
Other products for visually impaired consumers include student concepts like a voice stick that scans text and turns it into audio, and a Braille cover for touch-screen debit card machines.
New green designs are taking hold, and winners focused on solar panels and eco-friendly boxes. Taking the problem of excess packaging one step further, U.S. company Knoend, produced a lamp that's made out of its own packaging.
The Lite2go Lamp can either be suspended or set on a table, and folds from its packaging into an energy-saving light bulb and cord. When the light burns out, the lamp can be disassembled and all parts are biodegradable or recyclable. The bronze-medal-winning lamp costs $65 in Knoend's online store.
The MaxDoor replaces regular doors with sensors, remote locks, rubber, and aluminum.
(Credit: IDSA)The MaxDoor by Brazil-based Nodesign is like no other front door. The doorknob is a sensor that can be touched to open. A remote control device locks and unlocks the door, which is aluminum, but covered by a rubbery finish and rubber seals that block out noise.
Red sensors spell out the house or apartment numbers, and a secret slot opens for mail delivery. The door may only have its place in luxury apartments, but it's already moved beyond the concept stage, so it could already be in some homes.
To see all winning designs and finalists, visit IDSA's Web site.
