Bleeding Edge TV 314: GM OnStar Remote Ignition Block

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Gizmatic, Short Bytes, Features, GPS, Podcasts, Transportation, Videocasts, Videos

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GM‘s OnStar service has a few convenient features, along with some nice safety features in place to aid in the recovery of your vehicle if it happens to be stolen. In this episode, we take a look at Remote Ignition Block, a new OnStar feature that stops your car from turning on in the event that it is reported stolen. In conjunction with GPS satellites, this helps law enforcement find your car much faster than they’d likely be able to otherwise.

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Bleeding Edge TV 248: Zoombak GPS family, vehicle, and pet locator

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Gizmatic, Short Bytes, Features, GPS, Household, Podcasts, Transportation, Videocasts

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It’s 10:00.  Do you know where your dog is?  Or your car, or the loved one who is responsible for the car?  Zoombak is aiming to make sure you never have to look far to get the answer to that question.  Their advanced GPS locators come in two sizes, one perfect for placing in an auto and one made to clip on to the collar of a dog weighing 12 pounds or more.

Both versions of Zoombak offer the ability to set up “safety zones,”  via the Zoombak website.  When the auto or dog that is wearing the Zoombak GPS unit leaves the safety zone, Zoombak will send a text message or an email with the location of the unit, and the location can be tracked live on Zoombak’s website.

Dog and Auto units retail for $200 and $250 respectively, and Zoombak’s monthly service starts at $9.99 a month.

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CES 2008 Video: Microsoft SYNC Car Recognition

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Full Episodes, Gizmatic, Cell Phones, CES, CES 2008, Features, Microsoft, Podcasts, Transportation, Videocasts

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We learned all about Microsoft Sync at CES, and have lots to share. Sync is integrated software that’s factory-installed in certain Ford, Lincoln and Mercury cars. It allows you to control your cell phone and music player via voice recognition. Once your cell phone is “synced” with the software and your contacts are transferred, just press the button on the steering wheel and speak your command, such as “Call Mom.” Mom is immediately dialed, and you can talk to her without ever touching your phone. What’s also cool is that you can control your entire music library via voice as well, just by saying the name of the artist, song, album or even playlist. Just sync up your iPod (except the Shuffle), iPhone, MP3 player or even a thumb drive, and you’re good to go.

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Bleeding Edge TV 189: Driving Tips from GM’s Milford Proving Grounds

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Gizmatic, Short Bytes, Design, Features, Podcasts, Transportation, Videocasts

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When General Motors contacted us about bringing us up to their Proving Grounds in Milford, MI, we jumped at the chance at getting to visit what we figured would be an awesome place. We were right - General Motors’ Milford Proving Grounds was the industry’s first dedicated automobile testing facility when it opened in 1924. It covers 4,000 acres, and over 4,800 staff work in its 107 buildings today. The proving ground includes the equivalent of 132 mi of highway-quality roads for vehicle testing. Some roads are open only to drivers who have passed special performance driving training.

We got a first-hand look at the new StabiliTrak technology that GM will be making a standard feature on all their vehicles in a couple of years, which aims to give drivers a lot more stability during sudden turns and avoidance maneuvers. In addition, GM gives us some tips on how to maintain control of your vehicle, even in extreme (and often unsafe) conditions. Check out the video for all the goods, and leave us any driving tips you may have in the comments.

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Bleeding Edge TV 174: DARPA Grand Challenge Qualifier: Carnegie Mellon and GM’s BOSS Vehicle

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Full Episodes, Gizmatic, Hack Attack, Design, Features, Transportation

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We visited one of the fifty or so groups participating in the DARPA Urban Challenge during one of their qualifying rounds. In case you are unaware, the DARPA Urban Challenge is a charge given publicly to groups who are capable of designing and proving the technology for autonomously driven vehicles. Carnegie Mellon University teamed up with GM to create an autonomous SUV they call “Boss.” In order to participate in November’s 60-mile urban driverless race, they need to pass this benchmark. Check out the video to see Boss pull perfect three point turns and beautifully follow traffic rules - even at four way stops with other cars. We’re crazy excited to see this technology come alive in our society. The team from DARPA is darting back and forth across our country qualifying and disqualifying entries. Some of the remaining companies and teams will bring us autonomously driven cars during our lifetime, its amazing how close we already are.

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Bleeding Edge TV 149: Technocom Talks About The Future of Automobile Safety

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Gizmatic, Short Bytes, CES, CES 2007, Features, GPS, Transportation, Videocasts

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We caught up with Technocom to talk about their Vehicle and Infrastructure Integration, which allows vehicles to integrate with both the road infrastructure as well as other cars. The hope is that the technology will both reduce traffic congestion and reduce auto accidents. Vehicles would be fitted with a custom Technocom console, or it would be built-in to a standard GPS device, and all of a sudden your driving world would be willed with different safety alerts so that you are kept on your toes about driving conditions and hazards.

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Bleeding Edge TV 140: Planet82 SMPD Low Light Camera Technology

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Gizmatic, Short Bytes, Cameras, CES, CES 2007, Features, Transportation, Videocasts

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Planet82, the same people that brought us the Accufat Scanner, gives us a glimpse at something a bit more meaning ful in this clip - their SMPD Low Light Camera technology. Focusing on safety and security, these chips are able to record things that are happening, even in the most extreme of low light situations. The advantage of this over standard night vision is the fact that it’s so sensitive that it doesn’t need to send out any extra IR rays to generate a signal. Look for this to be included in security cameras and automobiles by the end of 2007, followed by consumer products like cell phones and digital cameras next year.

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Bleeding Edge TV 138: Econolite Explains Traffic Signals

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Gizmatic, Short Bytes, CES, CES 2007, Features, Transportation, Videocasts

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Econolite is one of the leading manufacturers of traffic light technology. Frank Provenzono of Econolite chats with us about the technologies that drivers normally take for granted, and tells us all about how traffic lights work and some of the more advanced things that traffic lights can do based on different traffic patterns. It all comes down to some pretty interesting stuff, as Frank helps detail exactly what technologies are in play at a busy intersection, for example.

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Bleeding Edge TV 132: DATZOO FixDat Car Diagnostics Tool

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Gizmatic, Short Bytes, Accessories, CES, CES 2007, Features, Peripherals, Transportation, Videocasts

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For anyone not wanting to get screwed by their local auto mechanics shop, DATZOO offers their FixDat personal diagnostics tool. You just hook the device up to your vehicle when you suspect something has gone awry, and it will run a complete diagnostic test on your car to tell you exactly what the deal is. You can then bring your car in for fixing with full knowledge of exactly what’s wrong to make sure it gets fixed, and not broken further. We even get a bonus proof of concept at the end, although it was told by a DATZOO representative, so, you know, grain of salt?

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CES 2007 Video: Parrot MK6000 Wireless Car Kit

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Gizmatic, Short Bytes, Accessories, Cell Phones, CES, CES 2007, Features, Transportation, Videocasts, Wireless / WiFi

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For the complete hands-free set, Parrot aims to please with their MK6000 Bluetooth Car Kit. Once installed in your vehicle, you can answer cellphone calls at the touch of a button without requiring a physical headset. Even better, you can stream CD-quality music from the phone to the car stereo.

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