The car industry has had many new innovations over the years no so spectacular than the self-driving car. No all of the prototypes have actually been from tech companies and not actual car companies. Google came in as the first to really put a dent into the self-driving car. Now Mercedes has released not only a self-driving car but fueled by hydrogen. At CES 2015 Mercedes introduced the F 015 Luxury in Motion vehicle.
The car comes in with specifications at 17 feet and 5 feet high, with 26-inch wheels that are actually pushed to the far corners of the car to maximize the space. The seats are pedestal that rotate 30 degrees when doors are opened to you can just step out of your car instead having move to your side to do it. It can also rotate the other way so you can speak to the person directly without having to turn your head.
Now the car can actually be manually driven if you so desire.?? But auto-pilot mode does have a very interesting feature that will let pedestrians know it?s safe to cross the street ? the LED lights placed in the car?s grill light up, projecting an actual cross walk on the street. We have a video that shows off all of the feature of the car.
All I can say is that this car is a wild dream and the fact that it could even be on the market in the near future is really crazy and out this world sci-fi. Movies like I-Robot and Time Cop have shown self-driven cars but I never thought it would come to reality. Not only does it drive itself but it also uses a source of energy that is no harmful to the earth which is another plus. The one question I have is what happens if these parts malfunction and would we have major chaos on our hand if it did? Courtesy of Computer Geeks, Enjoy the video below to see all of the features of this amazing car in action on the show floor of CES 2015.
?Tis the seasons to be traveling ? We all know that traveling, whether or not it is for business or pleasure, can be stressful. The packing, the preparations at home to be sure all the loose ends are sorted out before going away, and keeping organized, are challenging when we are on the go. NOT ANYMORE!
Your smart phone or tablet has found a way for us to have the stress free travel with Apps that will make our lives a little easier on the home and on the business front while traveling. The old saying, ?There?s an App for that,? certainly rings true in today's day and age. There are Apps for our phones and tablets that help us secure a car at our hotel, house, or apartment right from the convenience of our devices, Apps that will virtually eliminate roaming charges when we are overseas, and there are Apps that sync all of our calendars, to-do lists, and reminders. Did I mention that they are FREE? Below are some very cool Apps for the tech savvy traveler on-the-go.
Best Stress Free Travel Apps
UBER is an up and coming, and very popular App for today's traveler. Download the free App, and you can hail a cab from the convenience of your Hotel, office, apartment, or home. Your location is saved, and UBER will quickly send the nearest car. No cash? No problem. Tip and fare are automatically charged to your debit or credit card.
Wi-Fi Finder is one useful little gem while on the road. With all of the data restrictions on most cell phone providers, one often resorts to feverishly searching for a hot spot. Not a problem if you download Wi-Fi Finder. This App finds a local hot spit worldwide.
Voxox is a must have for the business traveler. Thus App eliminates, or drastically reduces, the roaming charges one incurs while on the road overseas. All you need is a hot spot ? don?t forget Wi-Fi Finder above to help you in that department. With this, you get a free Voxox number to use worldwide, the ability to e-fax all of those important work documents, language translation and the ever so convenient voicemail transcription. How can you beat that, and it?s all FREE!
Happy stress free travel all you techies. Your phone or tablet has you covered while you are away.
Here comes Google junior, well, not exactly. But starting in early 2015, Google expects to create and release products geared at children under twelve.
This is the brainchild of Panvi Diwanji, Google’s VP of engineering, and mother of two. While it’s unclear what these products are, it’s widely believe these products will be those already popular with children, like Chrome and You Tube. Ms. Diwanji is committed to creating a fun, safe and educational environment for children. This effort comes in the wake of initiatives like? Doodle 4 Google and Maker Camp. While Ms. Diwanji’s intentions may be good, controversy is almost bound to follow. Tech companies always thrive to reach out to new demographics. But it’s been the unwritten rule that the under 12 crowd was to be left alone as far as advertising campaigns were concerned. Then there’s the FTC’s Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act. They’re enforcing this act with a firm hand. In September 2014, they hit up Yelp for $450,000 simply for not implementing a proper age screen in it’s ratings app.
So yes, Panvi Diwanji and her colleagues need to be careful in how they launch these Google for children products. But I’m glad she’s doing it. Kids under 12 are more tech savvy than you think. Often times, they’re more tech savvy than many adults are. And look at the crisis of education, especially in the United States. I believe building child friendly products and services is what this generation needs to educate and inspire this generation to do better in school and life. Besides, the Internet runs just about everything we do these days. Isn’t it better to have safe systems in place that will equip them for tomorrow? And don’t even get me started on safety. We all know how much inappropriate things are on the Internet these days. I understand why some parents won’t let kids go on Facebook until they’re 18. Even looking up something innocent
According to IBM, online sales increase 8.5% over 2013 sales. Mobile sales made up for nearly a quarter of all Cyber Monday sales, yet another record breaking increase. And no surprise, Apple led the way. Sales through Apple technology beat those of Android technology by $18. There’s something to note about online traffic on that day. Smartphones drove 29 percent of it, while tablets, only 13 percent. Major US cities lead the way in Cyber Monday sales and traffic. New York City led the nation in sales, followed by Washington, DC, Los Angeles, Chicago and Atlanta. Facebook and emails were leading factions in promotions. And with mixed emotions, I report that Wal Mart reported Cyber Monday 2014 was it’s biggest ever for online sales. I’m unhappy to report that because Wal Mart is still leading the pack (if you’re wondering why I have a disdain for Wal Mart, read this link). But there is some good in this because at least people aren’t trampling and fighting and knocking each other down…as much.
What’s to make of these Cyber Monday stats? It shows that the desktop isn’t dying! In fact, the majority of all Cyber Monday sales and traffic came from desktops. When I hear the desktop is going to be obsolete by 2020, I laugh. There’s nothing like sitting in the comfort of your own home and shopping privately. It’s no coincidence that Cyber Monday sales are up and Black Friday sales are down. Who wants to stand in line and sleep in tents all night,? face rude and bullying crowds over a low priced item that will probably be kaput or obsolete by summer 2016? However, I would like to see smaller businesses cash in on Cyber Monday, and who knows, maybe put some fear to the big boys. What do you think of these Cyber Monday stats?
I expected Black Friday to be complicated this year. From chain stores opening on Thanksgiving Day to Ferguson boycotts, I thought sales would take a downward spiral. Black Friday results show I was wrong…somewhat.
Tech giant IBM calculated the mixed statistics. According to IBM, sales were up 13% overall from 2013 but the average receipt is down by about seven dollars. The big winners were chain stores’ online sales. They grew nearly 30% over last year, but the number of dollars spent per order decreased a bit. Apple turned out to be a winner…again. Their receipt order on Black Friday was 23% more than Android’s. They brought in more sight traffic as well. While mobile computers and smartphones continued to increase, desktops aren’t dying. They made up for nearly half of all Black Friday computer sales.
I’m not surprised Apple is ruling the mobile technology roosts. I say that not because of superior quality, but because of superior marketing. I must admit, I was quietly hoping Black Friday results would be lower than last year’s. But the fact that online sales triggered the increase gives me hope. Is it just me, or are crowds getting worse and worse every year? I just saw a video of how shoppers acted on Black Friday during the 1980s and how they act now. With the lone exception of the Cabbage Patch craze, I didn’t see ’80s shoppers camping out in tents in the freezing cold, trample each other to death in stampedes, or police being called to break up near riots. No computer, smartphone, smartwatch, toy, TV, video game, radio, or accessory is worth my health or life.? Back then, Black Friday was more sociable. Today, it’s so competitive to the point the shoppers are turning into animals.? Is that why online sales did so well yesterday? Is this a continuing trend?
Technology, particular social media and smartphone cameras, have played a huge part of the story. Many, from my personal Facebook friends to NBA star Lebron James, have let their frustrations be known on social media outlets. They’ve also been used to organize boycotts all over the USA. In greater Boston, they have staged a march blocking Interstate exits in protest to this verdict. On Facebook, there have been calls to boycott Black Friday. There has been calls to boycott the entire greater St. Louis area altogether. And cell phone cameras have caught some of the rioting and it has led to some arrests. We couldn’t exactly communicate on social ills like this prior to the late 2000s. This goes to show you how much technology has changed the whole game.
Like many, I’m saddened and heartbroken at this terrible injustice. But violence, looting and chaos are not the answer! All that does is add fuel to the fire and reinforces ugly stereotypes. But something must be done. I wouldn’t mind partaking in an economic boycott on Black Friday as well as boycott the entire St Louis area until the Michael Brown family gets the justice they deserve. For example, if I were hosting or leading a tech conference in St Louis in the near future, I would move it to another city. If you’re in that position, don’t have your conference in St Louis anytime soon! During the Civil Rights Era of the late 1950s and? ’60s, they boycotted downtown facilities and businesses nearly shut down. Business owners got the message and integrated their facilities. Remember, we have a lot of economic power, especially this time of year, where everyone is competing for our spending dollars. Shouldn’t we put our economic power to good use?
