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2013 Mercedes SL550 [w/video]

2012-04-12T05:47:00.000-07:00

Generally speaking, I'm a pretty measured sort of guy. But when it comes to convertibles, I'm a bit of a lunatic. I've been known to motor with the top down in all conditions – including light rain and snow – much to the bewilderment of other drivers (and quite often the chagrin of my passengers). For the most part, it doesn't matter if I'm driving in a bare-bones roadster or a lux-lined GT. Thankfully for my hapless guests, however, advances in technology have done much to assuage discomfort in poor weather. These days, there are far fewer tradeoffs associated with top-down motoring: improved aerodynamics, wind blockers, enhanced ventilation, sun-reflecting leather and, of course, seat heating and cooling – all features that have done much to make me better company. What's more, modern underlying structures are stiffer and there's little in the way of the noise, vibration and harshness penalties that there used to be.

In terms of innovation, nobody has done more to advance the everyday livability of the convertible than Mercedes-Benz. They kept the faith back in the late 70s/early 80s when nearly everyone had gotten out of the convertible business. They brought back the folding hardtop. They came up with the pop-up roll hoop to augment rollover safety. They created Airscarf. Aircap, too. Hell, with this 2013 SL550, they've even invented a new windshield wiper fluid delivery system to prevent errant spritzing when driving with the top down (more on that in a minute).

On its face, a typically sober German engineering approach would seem to be at odds with the very idea of a top-down bauble, but Mercedes has taken a very logical approach to building something so frivolous. Amazingly, this philosophy works in the SL's favor... most of the time.

Before we delve into what makes this $106,375 convertible tick, we can't avoid the elephant in the garage: styling. The SL's nose is fussy, with a pair of eagle-eye bi-xenon cornering headlamps and a massive upright grille giving way to the obligatory long hood. We can't quite put our finger on it, but there's something aesthetically uncomfortable about the front end's proportions and multiplicity of lines. The schnoz looks particularly awkward when viewed in profile, as the grille and front fascia stand uncomfortably proud of the swept-back headlamps. We're inclined to blame toughening pedestrian crash test standards for all of this, but somehow, other automakers have done a better job. The rest of the bodyside is less controversial, with the SL's patented long of hood, long of door aesthetic dominated by a U-shaped character line that originates in the front fender's heat extractors. The taillamps look a bit oversized for our tastes as well, but it's really the front end that jars us.

This R231 generation SL is a big car – with a length of 181.8 inches, it's over three inches longer thanHonda's latest CR-V. Compared to the fifth generation model, this new SL is two inches longer and spans just over two inches wider. Critically, while the 2013 SL is larger, it's also much lighter. That's because for the first time in its history, the SL rides atop an aluminum unibody. With the exception of high-strength steel A-pillars, nearly everything that isn't aluminum is comprised of even lighter magnesium, including the roof panels. By going with aluminum, Mercedes reckons that the SL's shell is nearly 250 pounds lighter than it would have been had it been rendered in steel, and the whole works is upwards of 20-percent stiffer torsionally. All told, the 2013 model weighs about 275 pounds less than the exit car. All of which means Mercedes can argue there's a bit more truth in labeling this roadster SL ("Sport Leicht") – if only a bit. After all, the SL550 still tips the scales at 3,947 pounds – 400 pounds more than the portliest all-wheel-drive CR-V that Honda can muster.

Thankfully, there's a lot more power here than in Honda's cute ute. 429 horsepower at 5,250 rpm and a whopping 516 pound-feet of torque from 1,800 rpm (some 32-percent more than last year's 391 torques). That mechanical motivation comes courtesy of Mercedes' 4.7-liter bi-turbo V8, an engine you'll also find in the even larger CL550 coupe. The turbos strapped to the direct-injected eight-cylinder can generate up to 13 pounds of boost, and as we found during our drive around Málaga, Spain, the engine is the centerpiece of this roadster's appeal. Muted at idle and at partial revs, to carpet the pedal is to awaken a great bellow, followed quickly by a great wave of power funneled through the seven-speed gearbox and out the rear wheels.

Mercedes has fitted a defeatable stop-start system to maximize fuel economy, but it's something of a lampshade in a whorehouse: EPA fuel economy estimates aren't in yet, but we're guessing something along the lines of 16 miles per gallon city and 25 highway.

Another part of the greening of the SL is its new electromechanical power steering system, dubbed "Direct-Steer." By switching to electric steering, Mercedes has reduced the accessory load on the engine, thus improving fuel economy and emissions. Unfortunately, this system is the weakest link in the SL550's dynamic resume – the speed-sensing, variable ratio setup is about as talkative as a Marcel Marceau convention. We'll have to hope for more feedback from the AMGified SL63, but for now, the 550 feels more like a boulevardier than a proper GT.

Of course, you don't buy a motorcar of the SL's ilk to be parsimonious – you buy it for presence, performance and poshness, all of which it has in spades. Mercedes says the SL550 can rocket to 60 miles per hour in just 4.5 seconds – quicker than Porsche's new 911 Carrera – and we believe it. Power is ridiculously easy to come by at all rpms and the seven-speed automatic with paddleshifts is well suited to the sort of relaxed, high-speed motoring that this car engenders. Top speed runs, however, are neutered at just 130 mph. Should you run out of road, 14.2-inch ventilated and perforated discs up front and 12.6-inch ventilated rears haul the SL down from speed with solid pedal feel and little drama.

Bumps are smoothed and corners are negotiated thanks to a multi-link/torsion bar setup front and rear. Mercedes' Active Body Control system is optional and provides both Sport and Comfort modes, but we'd probably stick with the less complex, less weighty standard steel spring system. It's plenty refined for cruising and relaxed winding road driving, but neither setup is much good for spirited work – you just don't get enough steering feedback and there's too much size and weight to confidently toss the pride of Stuttgart in the truly twisty stuff. Still, body roll is quite well controlled, the chassis offers girder-like rigidity and there's plenty of power. In fact, the grip is there, too, it's just that the vital information about how much purchase the 19-inch front tires actually have is a message too often left undelivered.

On the plus side of the ledger, the SL's cabin puts the "Grand" in "Grand Tourer," with a pair of supremely comfortable and supportive seats that offer more adjustments than a Beverly Hills chiropractor. Materials and fit-and-finish are tops, and our Edition 1 tester's interior bound in look-at-me crimson Designo Nappa leather with contrast stitching impressed one and all. We love the round air vents that are spreading throughout Benz's lineup, but oddly, the COMAND interface's seven-inch TFT screen almost felt small. (Consider that observation to be more an indictment of the screen size arms race than it is of Mercedes' product planners.). Our tester was also fitted with optional Magic Sky Control, the variable transparency roof panel that first debuted on the SLK, and the electrohydraulic folding top was as quiet in operation as any we've ever heard.

Mercedes is making a big to-do about its new FrontBass audio system, which turns spaces in the aluminum structures ahead of the footwells into resonance chambers. That's right, the chassis does double-duty as a speaker box. We'd like to tell you how vibrant and wonderful the stereo is, but the only volume dial we were interested in adjusting was the throttle pedal.

One trick new feature that this new SL has is Magic Vision Control, a rather fantastical name for what amounts to intelligent windshield wipers. And by "intelligent," we mean genius. We've seen wipers integrate washer nozzles before, but never with this degree of sophistication. These wipers have dozens of tiny holes along the entire length of the blade that pushes out fluid on the leading edge of the stroke (in both directions). Not only does MVC all but eliminate overspray into the cabin when the top is down, the system actually disburses different amounts of fluid depending on the weather, and in winter, the blades and fluid are heated. The only downside? You'll have to get replacement blades with the special channels at your dealer, and we're willing to bet they'll be expensive.

At the end of a couple of hundred miles of high-speed top-down meandering on narrow Spanish mountain passes, we were left a bit conflicted. Like the BMW 6 Series Convertible against which it will inevitably compete, the SL long ago graduated from a true enthusiast's car into a plush GT, and the new model fills the latter role capably. But with the promise of weight loss and additional power on hand, we had hoped Mercedes' ever-innovative engineers might have found a way to integrate a bigger dollop of driving enjoyment along with the SL's creature comforts. Guess we'll have to wait for Magic Drive Control.

Range Rover and Aznom craft a special Evoque for Bollinger champagne

2012-04-12T05:40:00.004-07:00

Still think drinking and driving don't mix? Well you're right. They don't. But every once in a while something comes along to make us rethink that rift. Like that set of radiator decanters, those Alfa Romeo and Lancia wines, Krug's 1979 Rolls-Royce panel wagon or really any racing car bearing the Martini livery. Or this special one-off Range Rover Evoque.

Crafted by the British luxury SUV brand in collaboration with Italian customizers Aznom, this unique Evoque features a wine-red paintjob with bronze trim and a mate black roof, with an interior bathed in cream leather. It was made for the champagne house Bollinger for the 2012 Vinitaly wine festival, and will accompany a Luxury Lounge motorhome across Europe to promote Bollinger and its fine bubblies. Of course, if your home town is not on its route, you can always check it out in the high-res image gallery for a closer look.

News Source: OmniAuto.it

2012-04-12T05:31:00.002-07:00

The GMC brand celebrates its 100th birthday this year, and the 1912 New York Auto Show is where it all started. To commemorate the occasion, General Motors' utility brand has created special Heritage Edition packages for both the Sierra pickup and Yukon sport-ute, and both make their public debut here at the 2012 New York expo.

An option group priced from $1,820 to $2,645, the Heritage Edition package adds cosmetic upgrades like new paint colors (including the Heritage Blue you see here), embroidered headrests and floor mats, large chrome wheels, chrome door handles, a power liftgate and an original GMC logo.

Scroll down to read the full details in GM's press blast and see the Heritage Edition package from all angles in our attached high-res image gallery. Oh, and happy hundredth, GMC!

012 GMC Yukon and Sierra Heritage Editions Debut

Special models commemorate 100 years of the GMC name

2012-03-30, NEW YORK – It is no coincidence that the 2012 GMC Yukon, Yukon XL and Sierra Heritage Editions will debut at the New York Auto Show. A century ago, the GMC name first appeared on the front of a truck at this very same event.

Commemorative exterior badges on the doors of these special models feature the original GMC logo design that debuted on the 1912 range of models, which included gas- and electric-powered trucks designed for the most demanding among early drivers. The script is surrounded by the words "Heritage Edition."

2012 Heritage Editions will be offered on Sierra 1500 Crew Cab, Yukon and Yukon XL models in SLT trim. Three colors will be available – a new, exclusive Heritage Blue ($195), White Diamond ($995) or Onyx Black (no additional cost). Interior colors for the Yukon are Ebony and Light Tan.

Each Heritage Edition model offers its own differentiating content. The Sierra Heritage Edition full-size pickup includes:
- Unique "Heritage Edition" exterior badges
- Embroidered front floor mats
- Embroidered front headrests
- Chrome door handles, mirror caps and door moldings
- 20-inch chrome-clad aluminum wheels
- Convenience package with rear park assist, adjustable pedals, Universal Home Remote, EZ-Lift locking tailgate and rear wheelhouse liners
- Rear-vision camera

The Yukon and Yukon XL full-size SUVs are equipped with:
- Unique "Heritage Edition" exterior badges
- Embroidered front floor mats
- Embroidered front headrests
- SLT-2 Equipment Package with 10-way leather memory seats, headed second-row seats with power release, power-operated liftgate and heated side mirrors
- Additional content – including 20-inch wheels – is optional

For Sierra, the Heritage Edition package adds $2,645. The Yukon and Yukon XL package adds $1,970 to the suggested retail price, or $1,820 for the Yukon XL ¾-ton model. The charges for premium paint colors listed above are in addition to the package prices.

"The GMC brand always looks forward, but this day provides an opportunity to celebrate 100 years of the proud GMC name," said Tony DiSalle, U.S. vice president of GMC Marketing. "Sierra and Yukon are two of our longest-running and most-respected nameplates, so it makes sense to use them to represent our heritage."

GMC was formed in 1912 when the Rapid Motor Vehicle Company merged with two others – Reliance and Randolph – to become the brand known today for trucks, crossovers and SUVs. GMC is the second largest of the four General Motors brands. If it were a stand-alone manufacturer, it would be the 10th-largest automaker in the United States in terms of total vehicle sales in 2011.

GMC has manufactured trucks since 1902, and is one of the industry's healthiest brands. Innovation and engineering excellence is built into all GMC vehicles and the brand is evolving to offer more fuel-efficient trucks and crossovers, including the Terrain small SUV and Acadia crossover. GMC is the only manufacturer to offer three full-size hybrid trucks with the Yukon, Yukon Denali SUVs and the Sierra pickup. The new Sierra Heavy Duty pickups are the most capable and powerful trucks in the market. Details on all GMC models are available at www.gmc.com, on Twitter at @thisisgmc or at http://www.facebook.com/gmc.

Show full PR tex

012 GMC Yukon and Sierra Heritage Editions Debut

Special models commemorate 100 years of the GMC name

Toyota pushes back TS030 race debut after test-session crash

2012-04-11T22:06:00.002-07:00

"Mentsch tracht, Gott lacht," goes the old Yiddish proverb. Man plans, God laughs. And that certainly applies to motor racing, where engineers, mechanics, strategists... entire teams spend day and night over the course of months preparing to campaign their new race car, only for it all to go horrible wrong at the last minute. And that's what the folks at Toyota Motorsport GmbH in Cologne, Germany, are apparently facing now.

After having their Formula one program shut down a couple of years ago by corporate headquarters, Toyota Motorsport has been hunting for a new project ever since. That new project turned out to be the TS030 Hybrid , an advanced Le Mans prototype which they've been gearing up to campaign in the new FIA World Endurance Championship and its headline event, the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Only those plans were set back some – if not ground to a halt – last Wednesday when the only working example of the TS030 crashed while undergoing testing at the Paul Ricard circuit in the South of France.

In the statement after the jump, Toyota doesn't specify exactly what happened or who was driving at the time, but you can be sure he's feeling pretty morose right now, because the chassis was damaged so extensively that the team won't be able to repair it in time for the Six Hours of Spa where the car was supposed to make its race debut on May 5. Toyota does, however, expect to be up and running again in time for Le Mans in June, although whether that will leave the team with enough time to build the two cars it was expecting to field there or have to revert to a single entrant remains to be seen.

2013 Mustang

2012-04-11T10:59:00.000-07:00

If you fancy a new Ford Mustang but are looking for some added muscle, few places will give you what you want and what you need like Roush. The veteran tuning house has just released its latest range of customized pony cars, and at the top of the line sits its most powerful model yet.

In full-fat spec, the Stage 3 Roush Mustang supercharges the 5.0-liter V8 up to a whopping 565 horsepower and 505 pound-feet of torque. But the Roush kit isn't all about power: it also features an upgraded suspension riding on 18-inch cast aluminum wheels with Cooper rubber that help it pull a full g on the skid pad, an enhanced aero kit and a choice of four different brake packages.

There's also plenty of optional equipment to make the Roush Mustang your own – all covered under Roush's bumper-to-bumper warranty – but if the Stage 3 model proves too much car, buyers can also opt for the Stage 1 body kit or the Stage 2 suspension upgrade without the supercharged engine. Scroll Down to read the press release.

Press Release: The New 2013 ROUSH Mustangs
Out With The Old And In With The New

PLYMOUTH, Mich. (April 4, 2012) – Just as the weather changes for the better moving into spring, so does the ROUSH Stage Mustangs as they move into the 2013 model year. The newly designed 2013 ROUSH Mustangs add more grunt and aggressive looks to an already impressive redesigned Ford Mustang.

The Stage 3 Mustang is the pinnacle of the ROUSH "Stage" Mustangs. Improving upon the styling of the Stage 1 and the handling of the Stage 2, our Stage 3 Mustang adds its own piece of the pie by supercharging the 5.0L-4v Coyote powertrain. It is the perfect infusion of styling, handling and power. The Stage 3 embodies everything a muscle car can and should be.

At the heart of the Stage 3 is a newly updated ROUSH supercharged 5.0L-4v powertrain, pumping out a massive 565 horsepower and 505 lb-ft of torque – more than enough power to make you one with your seat as you stab the throttle. With power numbers like these, the 2013 Stage 3 marks ROUSH Performance's highest horsepower street legal Mustang to date. Force feeding air to the 5.0L engine is ROUSH's R2300 supercharger featuring Eaton's® TVS (Twin Vortices Series) patented technology. The TVS design delivers greatly enhanced thermal efficiency, produces higher volumetric capacity, and enables higher supercharger RPM's; all of which equate to more power and better fuel efficiency in a smaller, lighter package. ROUSH powertrain engineers calibrated the new Stage 3 to the perfect combination of power, drivability and durability.

But what is power if you can't put it down on the street/track? The Stage 2 and Stage 3 packages provide greatly improved handling over stock mustangs, allowing our cars to pull over 1g of lateral acceleration on the skid pad. Part of this handling package is the 18-inch by 10-inch cast aluminum, five spoke, chrome ROUSH wheels – wrapped in the ROUSH/Cooper (co-developed) RS3 ultra high-performance tire. The suspension system consists of a larger, stiffer front stabilizer bar to reduce body roll and provide balanced, neutral handling. It also includes a unique ROUSH designed anti-wheel hop kit, twin-tube shocks with unique valving, increased rate springs as well as upgraded bushings and jounce bumpers. ROUSH chassis engineers spent thousands of hours in development and testing to create the perfect set up to aid in acceleration, cornering, stopping and ride quality

To give the 2013 ROUSH Mustangs a more aggressive look, all of the new Stages 1 through 3 platforms receive the newly designed 6th generation ROUSH Aerobody package. Dubbed the "R6″, the new aero-body package incorporates a remodeled ROUSH upper grille, high-flow lower grille, corner fascia aero-pockets with driving lamps and front chin splitter. It also includes a new ROUSH hood scoop, rocker panel and rear fascia side splitters, a three-piece rear decklid spoiler, new ROUSH rear aero-valance featuring race-inspired diffusers, and is finished off with newly designed, integrated dual chambered, chrome exhaust tips.

"The 2013 ROUSH Stage 3 Mustang is by far one of the best performing Mustangs to come out of our shop" states Gary Jurick, General Manager for ROUSH Performance. "The idea is not to have the highest horse power out there, but to embody all around performance and combine that with an exclusive vehicle at a great value."

The Stage 3 also gets an RS3 graphics package available in multiple color combinations to allow owners to personalize to their taste. Inside the Stage 3 you get a custom gauge cluster, ROUSH embroidered floor mats, a ROUSH center console button and a Stage 3 dash medallion. All Stage Mustangs receive ROUSH badging throughout and a serialized engine bay plaque.

To further customize your ROUSH Stage Mustang there are several exterior, interior and chassis options available including rear quarter window louvers and the all new Stage 3 Interior Package consisting of Stage 3 embroidered leather seating with suede inserts, suede door panels and a suede shift boot all with highlight stitching. There is also a vent gauge pod with LED boost gauge, a suede wrapped steering wheel, and a convertible light bar just to name a few. Some chassis options include three 20-inch wheels choices, four different brake packages, ROUSH laser cut hood struts and red or black ROUSH engine coil covers. Additionally, the ROUSH dual chamber off-road exhaust system to put a grin on your face and let everyone else know you're not to be messed with.

All 2013 ROUSH "Stage" Mustangs are available in both coupe and convertible chassis and both manual and automatic transmissions. They are also all 50-state legal and covered by ROUSH's 3-year/36,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty. The 2013 ROUSH Mustangs are expected to start showing up on dealer lots by late April 2012.

Lamborghini Aventador J

2012-04-11T10:50:00.001-07:00

This year's Genava Motor Show served up a scintillating buffet of vehicles, but the Lamborghini Aventador may very well have been our favorite. With no roof, no windshield and all of the insane running gear of the standard Aventador, the roadster is the embodiment of exotic. But according to Top Gear, the car went from design sketch to reality in record time. Designer Filippo Perini told TG he first sketched up the Aventador J in mid-January after CEO Stephan Winkelmann asked his crew to to come up with something special for Geneva.

Despite the apparent similarities between the Aventador and the new Aventador J, the two models share only a handful of body components, including the front hood, fenders, headlights and rear fenders. Everything else is bespoke just for the concept.

If you like what you see as much as we do and want to take one home, too bad. The world's only Aventador J is already sold to an unnamed collector for the lofty sum of $2.74 million at current conversion rates.

News Source: TOP GEAR

Lamborghini Aventador J:
Worldwide premiere at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show
Radically open, extremely powerful

At the 2012 Geneva Motor Show, Automobili Lamborghini is presenting the most uncompromising open super sports car of its entire history. The Lamborghini Aventador J is a force of nature on wheels – supremely powerful and supremely open. The Aventador J offers its pilot and co-pilot an utterly indescribable experience of power and dynamics. At the same
time, the 515 kW / 700 hp two-seater is a first class technology showcase, combining innovative solutions and brand new materials. Demonstrating Automobili Lamborghini's enormous expertise in carbon fiber technology.

The Lamborghini Aventador J is a radically open automobile – exterior and interior meld into each other. The designers and engineers in Sant'Agata Bolognese have not only dispensed entirely with the roof, but also with the front windshield. This requires that drivers of the Aventador J must have the right equipment for driving at top speeds higher than 300 Km/h.

This kind of driving at the limit is a highly exclusive experience – the Lamborghini Aventador J is fully functional for road use. It is an absolute one-off: as a one-of-a-kind piece of art.

"With the Lamborghini Aventador J, we have molded our brand DNA into its most definitive form to-date. This automobile is as extreme and as uncompromising as only a Lamborghini can be," says Stephan Winkelmann, President and CEO of Automobili Lamborghini. "The new
Lamborghini Aventador J is the most radical open supersports car of Lamborghini's history. Its name comes from our tradition and combines an unconventional design with technology innovation. Nowadays we are confronted with several regulations that we face in the spirit of challenge. The Aventador J is the proof that, despite the rules, Lamborghini will
always make people dream, even in the future."

Continuation of a glorious tradition

With the Aventador J, technically based on the Aventador, Automobili Lamborghini is carrying on its glorious brand tradition. The 1970 Jota, for instance, was the stuff of legends – a Lamborghini Miura with improved performance and virtually redesigned every detail. It remained a one-off; although some owners subsequently had their Miuras modified to look like
the Jota.

The letter J is derived from the sporting rules of the FIA world motorsport organization. Its "Appendix J" defines the technical specification of race cars in the various classes.

The Aventador: Extremely open, overwhelming power

The Lamborghini Aventador J is a super sports car of positively dramatic single-mindedness and openness. It combines the overwhelming performance of the Lamborghini Aventador with the most intense experience of power and dynamics imaginable in an automobile.

The technical basis for the Aventador J is the Aventador LP 700-4, Lamborghini's new twelve-cylinder model. Presented in 2011, the Aventador has been acclaimed by customers and journalists alike. The Lamborghini Aventador LP 700-4's technology package is unique – its structure is based on an innovative monocoque made from carbon fiber reinforced polymers
that combines systematic lightweight design with optimum stiffness and safety. The new twelve-cylinder with a displacement of 6.5 liters and 515 kW / 700 hp combines the best in high-revving thrills with mighty pulling power. Its super-fast ISR transmission, permanent all-wheel drive and pushrod suspension combine this potent power with the utmost handling
precision.

Systematic lightweight design – considerable weight reduction

Naturally, the Aventador J benefits enormously from this unique technology package. Yet the Aventador J has a significantly different interpretation to the Aventador coupé. In this open version, the monocoque has a largely new design, including the two safety bars behind the seats. The absence of a roof, of the large windshield, of the air conditioning system and of the navigation system obviously takes it to an even lower weight. With a dry weight of 1575 kilograms, the series production Aventador LP 700-4 is already extremely light for its performance class thanks to its carbon fiber construction.

Carbonskin, a brand new carbon fiber material

The unique expertise of Automobili Lamborghini in the field of carbon fiber reinforced polymers is evident not only in the hi-tech monocoque, but also in the research into further innovative solutions. Unlike traditional seats, in the Aventador J seats are made of Forged COMPOSITE®, with inserts of flexible carbon fiber fabrics: a result of an innovative Lamborghini patent.

The specialists at Lamborghini have developed an even more amazing version of carbon fiber material for the Aventador J. In its first automotive application, this carbon fiber fabric called "Carbonskin" is made of woven carbon fibers soaked with a very special epoxy resin that stabilizes the fiber structure and keeps the material soft. Like a hi-tech fabric, the carbon fiber
mats fit perfectly to every shape. In the Aventador J, the complete cockpit and parts of the seats are clad in this material and shimmer in matt carbon fiber black. It's conceivable that in future there will be many potential applications for this freshly patented and extremely fine-looking material, even very high-end clothing.

The Design: uncompromisingly Lamborghini

An extreme Aventador obviously needs an equally single-minded design, which goes without saying at the Centro Stile Lamborghini. Every single model from Sant'Agata Bolognese bears the unique design of the brand. Clear, precise surfaces, as well as sharp, often broken lines are among the unmistakable styling tools. They consistently emphasize the power and enormous presence of these Italian super sports cars. Not one line is ever accidental – the defining principle is always 'form follows function'.

This function is very clearly defined for the Aventador J – explosive dynamics, extreme driving fun, a unique experience. Every kilometer with the Aventador J is extreme fun: something plainly evident from the very first glance.

Rear view mirror like a periscope

Virtually every part of the outer chassis was redesigned for the Aventador J, yet it shows the spirit of Lamborghini in its most concentrated form. The car's dimensions are extreme: the overall length is 4890 mm, the overall width (excluding mirrors) is 2030 mm while the height is 1110 mm.

The highest points are marked by the rear view mirror, which is perched on an arm like a periscope, and by the two safety bars behind the seats. In place of the classic front windshield there are two small wind deflectors. The occupants of the Aventador J are confronted by the element of the wind in much the same way as a superbike rider – therefore the right
clothing is prerequisite for every trip.

Front scoop with winglets

The front of the Aventador J is somewhat narrower than that of the Aventador. The front end is dominated by a highly distinctive carbon fiber air scoop, with central fixing braces and upward tilting winglets on the outer edges. Viewed from the side, the front end of the Aventador J looks
like a Formula 1 racing car.

Red with chrome effect, wheels with CFRP fan

The black of the carbon fiber parts is visibly evident throughout the car – the significantly wider sill elements and the mighty rear diffuser form a perfect contrast to the rich red body paintwork. The special red color was developed specifically for this Aventador - a highly intensive red with a slight chrome effect.

The wheels, of course, were also developed specifically for this car, with 20-inch rims at the front and 21-inch at the rear. The five-spoke aluminum wheels have a central lock system and an additional carbon fiber insert that functions like a small fan for optimum brake ventilation.

Naturally, the doors on the Aventador J also open upward. They are considerably thinner than on the Aventador and are fitted with a tiny, fixed side window. The muscular flanks around the rear wheels are hallmark Lamborghini and make it immediately apparent where this particular bull keeps his power.

Rear end purely for aerodynamics and ventilation

Because of its ample dimensions, the eye is drawn inexorably to the rear end. It consists in principle of just three elements – the carbon-fiber rear diffuser, the four huge tail pipes and the rear lights with their typical 5 Lamborghini light signature in the form of a Y. The remaining surface area is for heat dissipation and is enclosed only by a black metal mesh. The rear
end is crowned by an enormous fixed spoiler mounted on the bodyshell by two arms. 'Form follows function' to the nth degree. The spoiler is supported by two pillars connected by the diffuser: clearly inspired by racing.

Special bumpers

In comparison with the Aventador LP 700-4, the exclusive Aventador J has special front and rear bumpers. Both bumpers have been supplemented with carbon fiber fins that act as flow deviators. Their purpose is to achieve a significant increase in the vehicle's downforce at both the front and the rear.

The outside comes inside

The Aventador J's exterior and interior forms flow seamlessly into each other. This super sports car turns its inside outward and is as open as it can possibly be. Conversely, the exterior 'flows' through the interior – a red stripe runs from the front hood, between the two wind deflectors, over the dashboard, down the console to the center tunnel and back up between the seat backs, before leaving the interior and heading for the engine cover panel.

Interior is minimalist and single-minded

This band of color connects the front and the rear of the car, creates a visual separation between the driver and passenger space and is interrupted only by a small control panel housing the starter button and the switches for lights and transmission. The Aventador J is equipped neither with a navigation nor car audio system, nor does it have the associated
screen or air conditioning controls – these would simply detract from its one and only raison d'être as an extreme driving experience. What remains, of course, are two programmable TFT displays behind the steering wheel.

The engine cover also brings the inside to the outside. To be more precise,
it is not so much a cover but more a framework. This part has a new geometry (X shape) and is made of carbon fiber. Two large openings lay bare both cylinder banks of the mighty V12 power unit with its 6.5 liters of displacement – a truly stunning sight for every
automobile aficionado.

A unique work of art licensed for the road

However, at the end of the Geneva Motor Show, this sight will be the preserve of just one – the future owner of the Lamborghini Aventador J. There is only one of them, no prototypes and no others for the Lamborghini Museum. The buyer can look forward to a truly unique, street-legal work of art. He will possess the most extreme expression of Lamborghini DNA in existence and a real masterpiece of high technology. But the many other fans of the super sports cars from Sant'Agata Bolognese can rest assured - the Aventador success story has only just begun

2012-04-09T09:33:00.000-07:00

The roar of the crowd, the scream of the engines, and the wails of the mechanics struggling to get their burned-out and broken-down vehicles across the finish line -- this is endurance motorsport.
Endurance auto racing has existed almost as long as there have been cars to race. In 1900, drivers jaunted their jalopies along an Italian endurance circuit called the Coppa Florio, which ran roughly 115 miles (185 kilometers) from Brescia to Cremona to Mantova (Mantua) and back. Racers would sometimes take down multiple laps of this route in Panhards, Mercedes, Darracqs and Fiats, cars that by today's standards were little better than souped-up rattletraps, on treacherous and poorly kept roads.
Then as now, the race was as much a test of a vehicle's metal as of its driver's mettle, and manufacturers and car jockeys shared the credit -- and honors -- for victory.

The Coppa Florio and its ilk, in which drivers vie to complete a certain distance the fastest, belong to one of the two main categories of endurance auto racing. The other involves seeing who can travel the farthest in a set time. These timed races can run for anywhere from a few hours to half a day, or even an entire 24-hour period.
The first 24-hour race took place in 1907 at Brooklands, a 2.8-mile (4.4-kilometer) motor racing circuit and aerodrome in Surrey, England. Brooklands was the first speedway ever built specifically for auto racing. Today, one of the most famous races in the world, Le Mans, remains a 24-hour race.
Endurance motorsport has expanded dramatically through the years. It's no wonder -- endurance races pack all of the excitement of shorter races, but add the drama of catastrophic mechanical breakdowns and the steady, heart-rending attrition of viable vehicles as the laws of physics take their toll. Of course, expansion has also meant that the sport has branched out and grown more complex. Races now break down into numerous categories and subcategories based on car type, manufacturer or private maker, course and event length, number of drivers and so on.
Some commonalities stand out, however. In this article, we'll put you in the drivers seat for a speedy tour of what makes endurance racing so challenging and exciting. So, buckle up and watch those RPMs.

Closed Wheels and Open Throttles

Endurance racing stands out from other kinds of motorsport in that it tests not only the stamina and skill of the driver, but the sustained durability and reliability of the vehicle. Whether it's for 24 hours at Le Mans, 12 hours at Sebring, 10 hours at Petit Le Mans or 1,000 kilometers (621 miles) in the European races, these events prove not only which driving team reins supreme, but also which car can go the distance.
It's no wonder that auto manufactures take such pride in boasting about their wins at the great endurance races. However, auto manufacturers do not hold a monopoly on endurance racing vehicles -- far from it. Independent groups, known in the racing world as "privateers," also field fleet fleets on the circuit.
Endurance races usually take place on closed tracks with closed wheel cars (unlike formula cars, which have open wheels -- that is, wheels outside of the car body). The typical event involves teams of two to four drivers attempting to cover a set distance the fastest or to go the farthest in a specified time. Over the course of the race, the drivers must make pit stops to fuel and service the car, as well as to switch drivers, who each drive a "stint" lasting around an hour to 90 minutes. Because of the tactical importance of these switches, stints can be highly variable in length. Some races limit the stint length for safety reasons.
Several classes of car compete for endurance prizes. Some classes are populated by prototypes built to specifications set out for that race. The Le Mans Series (LMS) and American Le Mans series (ALMS) alone use two classes of prototype closed-wheel car. The first class, called Le Mans Prototype 1 (LMP1), is famously manufactured by Audi, Peugeot and Aston Martin. LMP2 cars are smaller, lighter and less powerful, but have potentially better power-to-weight ratios. Porsche, Acura and Mazda are known for their LMP2 prototypes.
In addition, three classes of sports cars, including Corvettes, Vipers, Saleens, Aston Martins, Porsches, Ferraris and BMW GTs, also compete at LMS and ALMS events. Races can also be limited to "spec cars" (in which all racers drive the same make of car, with the same chassis and engine) or touring cars (vehicles based not high-performance sports cars, but rather road cars).
Even in races that run such great distances and last so long, drivers and vehicles often achieve victory by a narrow margin. Many a 24-hour race has come down in the end to which team made the fewest mistakes.
Now that we have the basics down, let's take a trip around the circuit.

The Triple Crown and Racing Series

Le Mans Grand Prix d'Endurance, also known as the Le Mans 24-Hour Race, remains the most prestigious of all endurance races. It has been held almost every year since 1923 at the 8.5-mile (13.7-kilometer) Sarthe road-racing circuit near Le Mans, France. Multiple classes of vehicle compete side-by-side, with prizes going to both the overall winner and the winner of each class.
Le Mans is the first jewel in endurance racing's Triple Crown, as the three most historically challenging endurance races are known. The 24 Hours of Daytona, held at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla., and the 12 Hours of Sebring, held at Sebring International Raceway, a former Army Air Force base in Sebring, Fla., round out the Triple Crown.
The 24 Hours of Daytona has changed its name as it has gone through various sponsors (it's currently called the Rolex 24 at Daytona), but the race has remained much the same. Drivers pit touring cars and Daytona prototypes against one another on a 3.5-mile (5.6-kilometer) combined road course. Part of the race takes place on the NASCAR track, and part occurs on a winding infield road course. Daytona's tri-oval track has a shape between an oval and a triangle, and has consequently sharper turns than a squared oval or true oval track.
Run on one of the oldest continuously operating racetracks in the United States, the 12 Hours of Sebring race consist of a 3.7-mile (6-kilometer), 17-turn road course featuring long straight-aways, blistering high-speed turns and challenging slow corners. Race fans know the Sebring track for its rough and bumpy surface, parts of which run along old sections of World War II-era landing fields. These difficult conditions, combined with the heat of south central Florida, make Sebring a truly demanding course for both car and driver.
The popularity of endurance motorsport has given rise to several racing series, usually inspired or anchored by a major championship race. Prominent examples include the Rolex Sports Car Series of 12 races, which begins with the 24 Hours of Daytona, the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) and the Le Mans Series (LMS).
You might imagine that all of the engineering that goes into making reliable, fuel-efficient endurance racers could be put to good use in consumer cars. As we'll see in the next section, you're right on the money.

Stronger Backs: Technical Issues and Outgrowths

Drivers in endurance races must vary the way they drive to balance fuel consumption and performance, and must even adjust for weight distribution and balance shifts throughout the race. Because of the heavy demands on track, car, driver and crew, endurance racing has given rise to some of the most significant technical advancements in motorsport.
Endurance motorsport evolved as a different kind of challenge than Grand Prix. Instead of building cars that could blow the doors off the competition for a drag, sprint or short race, engineers faced the test of building vehicles that were both sporty and reliable -- not to mention as fuel-efficient as possible, to cut down on the number of pit stops.
Thus, endurance racing helped drive research into fuel efficiency, reliability and aerodynamics. All race cars require reliability and stability, of course, but these factors became especially important in off-track endurance racing, where roads were not maintained for racing conditions and a car could really take a beating over the course of a day.
Tires, too, have always been a major concern in endurance racing. The effects on acceleration, braking and handling of tires heating up and wearing down can be substantial, and the frequency with which tires need to be changed, along with the speed with which the pit crew can change them, can make a huge difference in the outcome of a race. One driver said that switching the tires on his car to a different brand saved his team 4 seconds per lap in a factory Corvette at Sebring.
Tires that can last more than one stint with a single driver provide a major advantage to the team that equips them. However, this requires tires that can still provide grip to the road even when worn down and somewhat cool, when their coefficient of friction is at its minimum.
Solving problems like these at endurance races provides tire manufacturers a useful focus for research, even while the races provide a proving ground for testing their tires for performance, longevity and consistency. Consider, too, the positive publicity that might come from having their company's product on the car that wins Le Mans, Daytona or Sebring. Michelin must agree -- in 2009, it supplied tires for 41 of the 55 cars entered in Le Mans.
So, next time you look at a mileage sticker or buy a set of 70,000-mile (112,654-kilometer) tires, spare a thought for endurance racing. Whether you think of it as a great big proving ground, or revel in the excitement of pushing the limits of machine and driver, it's something to get revved up about.
For more information about endurance racing and other related topics, follow the links on the next page.

POWERD BY WWW.HOWSTAFFWORKS.COM

2012-04-09T09:23:00.006-07:00

In February 2011, Nokia made one of the most surprising and dramatic decisions of the smartphone era: They announced plans to move away from Symbian phone development and formed a partnership with Microsoft. The young Windows Phone 7 brand suddenly had a major hardware supporter in Nokia -- HTC, LG and Samsung dedicated most of their mobile development to Android phones -- and Nokia saw an influx in funding thanks to platform support payments from Microsoft. In the fourth quarter of 2011, Microsoft forked over $250 million for Nokia's support [source: SlashGear]. A year after the partnership began, Nokia had something to show Windows Phone fans: the Lumia 800, a sleek Windows Phone modeled after an existing Nokia phone called the N9.
The Lumia 800 was just a warm up for what followed in early 2012: the Lumia 900, Nokia's first flagship Windows Phone 7 smartphone. The Lumia 900 lives inside the same polycarbonate unibody as the N9 and 800, but Nokia
stretched out the display from 3.7 inches (9.4 centimeters) to 4.3 inches (10.9 centimeters). Inside, it's running some of the best hardware any Windows Phone has seen.
Nokia's partnership with Microsoft ensures the phone retains Windows Phone 7's core features like Xbox Live integration, but it also brings some unique software of its own like Nokia Maps. With the backing of a solid operating system, the Lumia 900's guaranteed to perform better than some of Nokia's past flops like the N-Gage. But Microsoft and Nokia need a big hit to give Windows Phone 7 a boost in the battle against Android and iOS.
Here's what Nokia cooked up with the Lumia 900.

Portable Phones, Walk and Talk!!! (HISTORY)

2012-04-09T07:31:00.002-07:00

Ever since Bell patented the telephone in 1876, we've been living in the age of instant communication. But there has always been a restriction-you need to find a phone .And that isn't always easy. OK, we.ve had a car phones since the 1950s. But the first car phones were enourmas. The machinery filled the boot of the car! More than a portable phone, it was a mobilein Sweden. Unfortunetaly, the phone needed so much power that he could only make two calls before the battery went dead. THe first to his patient, and the second to the garage to get someone to come and fix his flat battery. By the mid-1960s phones were small enough to fit into the front of a car, but unfortunately, they were still to heavy to people who carry around. Yhey were also extremely very expensive. So, it was no surprise that it didn't become popular.

1983

Motorola DynaTAC 8000X

Analog Motorola DynaTAC 8000X Advanced Mobile Phone System mobile phone as of 1983.

1989

Motorola MicroTAC 9800X

The first truly portable phone. Up until its release, most cellular phones were installed as car phones due to the inability to fit them into a jacket pocket.

1992

Motorola International 3200

The first digital hand-size mobile telephone.

Nokia 1011

This was the first mass-produced GSM phone. It was produced until 1994.

1993

BellSouth/IBM Simon Personal Communicator

The IBM Simon was the first PDA/Phone combo.

1996

Motorola StarTAC

The first clamshell cellular phone. Also one of the first display screens featured on a cell.

Nokia 8110

Alternately called the “banana phone”, this phone was popularized in the first Matrix movie.

Nokia 9000 Communicator

The first smartphone series, driven by an Intel 386 CPU.

1998

Nokia 9110i

This iteration of Nokia’s Communicator series significantly reduced the weight of this precursor to the smartphone.

Nokia 5110

This cell phone was the most popular consumer model at the time of its release and for some time afterwards.

1999

Nokia 8210

This phone was loved for its customizable design, but hated for its screen fade.

Nokia 7110

The first mobile phone with a WAP browser.

Nokia 5210

This phone was known for its durability and splash-proof interchangeable casing.

Benefon Esc!

This was the first instance of a GPS being integrated into a mobile phone, and was sold mostly in Europe.

Samsung SPH-M100 Uproar

The Uproar was the first cell phone to have MP3 music capabilities.

Nokia 3210

The internal antenna and predictive T9 text messaging sold approximately 160 million of these phones.

2000

Ericsson R380

The R380 featured a black and white touchscreen, partially covered by a flip.

Nokia 3310

This popular phone sold 126 million models, and was particularly popular in Europe.

Ericsson R320

One of the first phones with a WAP browser. A version of this phone was released in China that allowed Chinese character SMS.

2001

Nokia 5510

This phone featured a full QWERTY keyboard. It could also store up to 64mb of music.

Nokia 8310

This phone contained premium features not normally found on handsets of the time, such as Infrared, a fully functional calendar and a FM Radio.

Ericsson T39

This tiny handset was the first Bluetooth-capable phone.

Ericsson T66

This diminutive entry from Ericsson was the height of a cigarette.

Ericsson T68

This was Ericsson’s first handset with a colour screen.

Siemens S45

Siemens’s first ever GPRS mobile phone with 360kb of internal memory – high at the time.

2002

Nokia 3510(i)

The first Nokia phone to bring GPRS internet services to the mass market. The 3510i, pictured here, was a more advanced version with a colour screen.

Nokia 7650

This was the first Nokia set to feature a built-in camera and was featured in the movie Minority Report.

Sony Ericsson P800

This smartphone featured a touchscreen and up to 128mb of memory.

Nokia 6100

This model sold from 2002-2005. It featured an LCD screen and internet connectivity through GPRS.

Nokia 6310i

The 6310i quickly gained popularity in the corporate world for its simplicity and long battery life.

Sanyo SCP-5300

The first camera phone. Despite the low quality images it produced, it was the first.

2003

Nokia 1100

This extremely popular design has sold over 200 million since its introduction in 2003. This phone is rumoured to have sold for up to $32,000 in online criminal communities due to its ability to intercept one-time banking passwords.

Nokia N-Gage

Nokia’s answer to the Game Boy advance, this phone/games system had a couple of award winning titles before it succumbed to its clunky interface design.

PalmOne Treo 600

One of the “it” gadgets from 2003-2004 until BlackBerries overtook them in popularity. Three or four days between charges and a successful merger of phone, PDA, and camera made this the business tool of choice.

Nokia 2100

This design was available in a wide range of colours and featured a monochromatic screen.

Nokia 6600

Considered very advanced at the time of its introduction due to its Symbian OS-based Nokia Series 60 platform. Released in the US market as the Nokia 6620.

BlackBerry Quark 6210

Research In Motion’s first integrated phone/PDA.

BlackBerry 7210

BlackBerry’s first colour screen.

Nokia 7600

One of the first 3G smartphones by Nokia, still one of the lightest and smallest.

2004

Motorola Razor V3

When this was introduced it set the standard for sleek design in the industry.

Sony Ericsson P910

An attractive flip smartphone with full internet connectivity.

Nokia 7610

Nokia’s first smartphone with a 1 megapixel camera.

Nokia 3220

The first entry-level Nokia phone that offered full internet access.

Nokia 6630

The first cell phone to allow for global roaming.

Nokia 7280

Listed by Fortune Magazine as one of the best products of 2004. Also referred to as the “lipstick” phone.

2005

Nokia 1110

Released as a low-end GSM phone, and widely used in developing countries.

Nokia 6680

One of the first 3G phones, the Nokia 6680 was considered to be high end at the time of its release.

HTC Universal

This was the first 3G Pocket PC phone at HTC and the first to come with Windows Mobile.

Motorola RAZR V3 Magenta

This hot pink phone gave the fashion set something to talk about – and on.

2006

HTC TyTN 100

This model was sold as the Orange SPV M3100 in the UK, keeping with HTC’s tradition of private labelling for individual carriers.

Nokia N73

This immensely popular smartphone has sold millions of models worldwide, and is still in wide use as of 2009.

Motorola Q

The “BlackBerry Killer” from Motorola.

BlackBerry Pearl

The first design-conscious entry from RIM, the Pearl is still being offered on the market today.

KDDI Penck

A fabulous design available only in Japan.

O2 XDA Flame

The XDA Flame is the first dual processor PDA-phone in the 02 line.

LG Chocolate KG800

One of the first well-designed phones made for mass market use.

Samsung i607 BlackJack

Research in Motion sued Samsung over the name of this phone. The lawsuit was settled out of court.

Nokia E62

Originally released to target business users in the European market.

2007

iPhone

The original iPhone was released in June 2007 with an auto-rotate sensor, a multi-touch sensor that allowed multiple inputs while ignoring minor touches, a touch interface that replaced the traditional QWERTY keyboards, and many other features that helped to give Apple an almost instant healthy market share on its release.

LG Prada KE850

Touchscreen phone that took home a Red Dot Design Award for “Best of the Best” in 2007.

LG Voyager

This design was touted as LG’s take on the iPhone.

HTC Touch

HTC’s answer to the iPhone with its own multi-touch interface and a high screen resolution.

Motorola RAZR2 V9

The solid steel hinge and the metal case make this sleek design feel luxurious and durable.

Motorola Q9H

This fine-tuning of the Motorola Q was released in Italy and the US in 2007.

Nokia E90 Communicator

This update of the first smartphone launched the fifth generation of the series.

Nokia N95

Nokia’s popular smartphone features a slider to access multimedia buttons and a numeric keypad.

Helio Ocean

Work on this “ultimate messaging and talking machine” began before Helio was a company.

LG Shine

This phone won another Red Dot for LG in 2007. Also released in Gold and Titanium Black.

Motorola RAZR²

This phone features the Opera internet browser and CrystalTalk technology.

Palm Treo 755p

The Treo 755p is a smartphone developed by Palm, Inc. It was released on May 14, 2007 as the first CDMA Treo without an aerial antenna.

LG Viewty

A phone firmly focused on visuals. DivX Certified playback and 5 megapixel digital camera with Schneider Kreuznach optics are just a couple of the features of this simply designed phone.

2008

iPhone 3G

The iPhone 3G was made even more desirable by all the apps that could be purchased for it in the AppStore when it was released in July of 2008.

LG Vu

The LG Vu was one in a series of phones that included the LG Prada phone.

T-Mobile G1 Phone

The G1 phone was the first phone to be released with the Android operating system designed by Google. Also known as the HTC Dream. One million devices have sold as of April 2009.

Nokia N96

This GPS-enabled entry in Nokia’s smartphone line features a sleek, compact design.

Nokia 5800 XpressMusic

This phone was featured in The Dark Knight.

LG Secret

The outside of the LG Secret, a 3G slider phone, is constructed from carbon fiber. Also features the world’s slimmest 5.0 megapixel camera on a smartphone.

Samsung Instinct

The Instinct was introduced as the “iPhone killer” from Samsung at a low price of $129.00.

BlackBerry Storm

Designed to be a direct competitor to the iPhone 3G and other 3G smartphones; RIM’s first device to do away with the QWERTY keyboard and incorporate a touchscreen.

BlackBerry Bold

Blackberry’s “middle ground” solution for those who wanted a 3G phone and a QWERTY keyboard.

Samsung Behold

Cell Fanatic found this entry by Samsung offered superior image quality over the Apple iPhone 3G and the BlackBerry Storm.

Samsung Gravity

The Samsung Gravity is their first to feature a slide-out keyboard that has proved popular in other brands.

Motorola Krave

The Krave design features a transparent flip that acts as a secondary touch surface to access additional features.

Samsung Omnia

The Samsung Omnia features a simple touchscreen interface and a speaker on the back.

Nokia E63

Billed as the budget business smartphone.

LG Dare

The handwriting recognition and simple touchscreen styling of the Dare is enhanced by the easy-grip back.

Sony Ericsson W760i

Includes the “Sensme” music feature, as well as all of the other features from the Walkman phone brand.

Nokia N79

The Nokia N79 has a Naviwheel, GPS, a 5 megapixel camera with a Carl Zeiss Optics Tessar lens and more.

HTC Touch Diamond

This attractive smartphone featured a resistive touch screen which is better for Asian character recognition.

LG KC910 Renoir

The LG Renoir has an 8-megapixel camera with xenon flash and Schneider-Kreuznach optics.

Nokia E71

The steel frame of this sleek smartphone from Nokia fits into your palm.

2009

Prada II or LG KF900

The second iteration of the Prada phone designed by LG. The sliding QWERTY keyboard is new, as is its 3G capability.

LG Arena

The first phone with LG’s 3D S-Class user interface. This UI reorients with the rotation of the phone and allows you to scroll film-reel style through available apps.

BlackBerry Curve 8900

Released in February 2009, the Curve features an improved trackball and a higher resolution screen. Still a 2G.

LG Versa

Comes with an attachable QWERTY keyboard and a virtual keyboard on the touch screen.

Sidekick LX 2009

This 3G incarnation of the Sidekick includes improved support for social networking applications.

Samsung Magnet

The Samsung Magnet is a cheap alternative for pricier smartphones with much of the same functionality and a cool design.

LG Xenon

Another slide-out QWERTY keyboard and compact design. Comes with AT&T’s Navigator, AT&T’s turn-by-turn GPS service.

HTC Magic

The next HTC entry to sport Google’s Android operating system. No US carriers have yet been confirmed for this model, but T-Mobile has been rumoured to be the carrier of record. Vodafone has exclusive rights to the phone in all markets that they service.

HTC Touch Diamond2

HTC made the LCD display screen as large as they could at 3.2″ for their next incarnation of the Diamond.

Samsung Propel Pro

The sliding QWERTY keyboard and slick design make this an attractive entry by Samsung.

LG Rumor2

Built for e-mail, the Rumor2 supports Lotus Notes where its predecessor didn’t.

Motorola Renew

This eco-friendly phone is the world’s first carbon-neutral cell phone. Made with recycled water bottles, cheap, and an abundance of features for the low price.

Coming Soon

Palm Pre

This phone launches June 6 in the US through Sprint. It will feature the ability to keep multiple apps open at once.

Nokia N97

This phone will be available in June of 2009.

Omnia HD/Samsung i8910

This phone promises the first high-definition video recording when it is released July 1st of 2009.

Only Available in Japan

Here’s hoping that some of these sleek designs make it across the pond eventually to North America. For more Japanese tech goodness, check KDDI’s English page.

Hitachi WOOO Ketai H001 Phone

This phone promises a 3D display. Ubergizmo predicts that it will be a Japan-only handset.

Panasonic P001

3.1″ increased resolution screen, impressive design, global roaming capabilities and one-push open make this an object of desire.

Walkman Phone Premier³

This phone opens up to reveal a 3″ screen and a stylish keypad.

Casio 001

This sports model features a touch panel for interactive gaming and music.

S001 Sony Ericsson Cyber-Shot

This phone screams elegance. Oh, and it has the world’s first 3.3″ full OLED WVGA display and an 8.1 megapixel camera. Not that we’d want all that fancy stuff in North America.

Toshiba T001

Princesses and fashionistas everywhere will go gaga over this design. Advanced video functions and a 5.1 megapixel camera put a little spike in this phone’s heel.

Kyocera K001 Junior Phone

Those of you with children will know how hard it is to put parental restrictions on anything electronic. This phone gives you the ability to track your child with a GPS locator, lock out questionable website addresses, and more.

INTEL core i7 with Turbo Boosting tecnology

2012-04-09T07:15:00.002-07:00

Nehalem architecture in Core i7 includes Turbo Boosting Technology which improves the performance as well as reduces excess heating of processor. It automatically allows the each core to work more efficiently than the base operating frequency. When the processor is working below specified limits of power & temperature then the turbo boost technology comes into action of Intel i7. The Turbo Boosting Technology depends upon the number processor core active or disabled. Hyper Threading Technology is quite depends on turbo boosting technology, Together they increases the performance of multi-threaded and single threaded workload of Intel i7. When the Operating System requests the processor for highest performance state in Intel i7, Turbo boost technology is activated.

As the workload on processor & operating system, and performance needs changes, Accordingly Turbo Boosting Technology executes. The maximum frequency of Turbo Boost Technology truly depends upon the active cores. (This maximum frequency in Intel i7 is calculated by specific software)

The availability of the Turbo Boosting Technology on each core depends on following factors-

- The estimated Power Consumption of the processor
- The Temperature of the processor
- The number of Active Cores.

As this processor operating is below these specified limits results in increased work load, the processor dynamically increases the frequency by 133 MHz by short and regular intervals. This is done so as to match the user workload or possible met with the upside active cores. As conversely, if the frequency of processor exceeds (or reaches the limits) then it automatically decreases the frequency by 133 MHz which is the basic used in Turbo Boosting of i7.

Features like Overclocking & Hyper Threading of Nehalem Architecture in Intel i7 are quite depend upon this Turbo Boosting Technology. Together all these technologies results in enhanced performance as well as reduced power consumption eliminating the effects of overheating of processor.

POWERD BY www.theinteli7.com

How Robots Work...

2012-04-09T02:21:00.002-07:00

On the most basic level, human beings are made up of five major components:

A body structure
A muscle system to move the body structure
A sensory system that receives information about the body and the surrounding environment
A power source to activate the muscles and sensors
A brain system that processes sensory information and tells the muscles what to do

Of course, we also have some intangible attributes, such as intelligence and morality, but on the sheer physical level, the list above about covers it.

A robot is made up of the very same components. A typical robot has a movable physical structure, a motor of some sort, a sensor system, a power supply and a computer "brain" that controls all of these elements. Essentially, robots are man-made versions of animal life -- they are machines that replicate human and animal behavior.

In this article, we'll explore the basic concept of robotics and find out how robots do what they do.

Joseph Engelberger, a pioneer in industrial robotics, once remarked "I can't define a robot, but I know one when I see one." If you consider all the different machines people call robots, you can see that it's nearly impossible to come up with a comprehensive definition. Everybody has a different idea of what constitutes a robot.

You've probably heard of several of these famous robots:

R2D2 and C-3PO: The intelligent, speaking robots with loads of personality in the "Star Wars" movies
Sony's AIBO: A robotic dog that learns through human interaction
Honda's ASIMO: A robot that can walk on two legs like a person
Industrial robots: Automated machines that work on assembly lines
Data: The almost human android from "Star Trek"
BattleBots: The remote control fighters on Comedy Central
Bomb-defusing robots
NASA's Mars rovers
HAL: The ship's computer in Stanley Kubrick's "2001: A Space Odyssey"
Robomower: The lawn-mowing robot from Friendly Robotics
The Robot in the television series "Lost in Space"
MindStorms: LEGO's popular robotics kit

All of these things are considered robots, at least by some people. The broadest definition around defines a robot as anything that a lot of people recognize as a robot. Most roboticists (people who build robots) use a more precise definition. They specify that robots have a reprogrammable brain (a computer) that moves a body.

By this definition, robots are distinct from other movable machines, such as cars, because of their computer element. Many new cars do have an onboard computer, but it's only there to make small adjustments. You control most elements in the car directly by way of various mechanical devices. Robots are distinct from ordinary computers in their physical nature -- normal computers don't have a physical body attached to them.

Future iPhone Concept Projects Virtual Image Onto Your iPalm

2012-04-08T21:59:00.002-07:00

Pocket-lint has found a really cool futuristic concept iPhone Next G, by designer Samuel Lee Kwon, as featured on the Yanko Design website. At present alive in concept only, Kwon envisages that the iPhone of the future will actually be a “NOT A Phone” – instead of carrying an actual phone in your hand, you'll have a device strapped to your wrist that projects the iPhone display onto the palm of your hand via a mini-LED projector. You can then interact with the display image, rather than a physical touch screen. Yanko Design poses the question: “are we in for projection screens for iPhones?” Well, who knows what the future might bring? However, the concept wouldn't be without its teething troubles, as many of the comments underneath the story point out, a projection device would be very difficult to see in bright sunlight, so unless that could be solved, would the phone only be effective in a darkened room?

What I really love about this, about from it just being a very cool concept, is the fact that the iPhone of the future still comes with an AT&T contract!

Xenium X800

2012-04-08T21:58:00.002-07:00

The official announcement ofPhilips Xenium X800 was held recently. This mobile phone will be able to work out on a singlebattery charge up to 850 hours in standby mode and up to 8 hours of talk time. It is equipped with 2.9 - inch display with WQVGA a resolution, 2 Mp camera with auto-focus and slots for memory cards microSD.

Tech specifications of PhilipsXenium X800:
* Network: GSM / GPRS (900 / 1800 / 1900 MHz)
* Display: 2.9 inch, 400 x 240 pixels, 262 thousand colors, TFT
* Camera: 2 megapixels, autofocus
* Slot expansion: microSD

* Bluetooth 2.0

* Battery: Li-Ion
* Talk time: up to 8 hours
* Standby mode time: up to 850 hours

Phone Philips Xenium X-Connect wasn’t officially presenyted. It’s a Communicator, running Windows Mobile 6 Professional. Has screen with 3 inches diagonal, provides microSD slot, Bluetooth and GPS-module. Working time for Philips Xenium X-Connect is not known yet.

Tech specifications of Philips Xenium X-Connect:
* Network: GSM / GPRS / EDGE, WCDMA / HSDPA
* Operating system: Windows Mobile 6 Professional
* Display: 3 inches
* Processor: 624 MHz
* Slot expansion: microSD
* Bluetooth 2.0
* GPS

aCER Triple Watch

2012-04-08T21:57:00.003-07:00

Though the idea of a cellphone watch is not so new, the TripleWatch designed by Manon Maneenawa has an interesting triple flip technique that allows the user to transform the watch into a normal cellphone. When used as a wrist watch, the phone has a speaker button that allows the user to answer the phone and hang up while driving.

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Apple record iPhone and iPad sales, largest revenues

2012-04-08T21:56:00.003-07:00

Apple has reported a record number of iPhones and iPad sales in the second quarter of 2011, powering revenues of $28.6 billion, also a record.
Brian White, an analyst with Ticonderoga Securities, simply used the word "wow" in the title of a note to his clients.
"Apple deliver[ed] nothing short of a blowout performance," White said in that note on Tuesday.

Apple's revenues were the fourth consecutive quarter over the $20 billion mark, and represented an 82% increase over the same period last year.
The $28.6 billion in revenue was significantly higher than Wall Street's average projection of $25 billion, and beat the company's conservative estimate three months ago of just $23 billion by 24%.
Profits were $7.31 billion, yet another record for a quarter, up 125% from the same quarter of 2010.

"They knocked it out of the park," Brian Marshall, an analyst with Gleacher & Co., toldComputerworld after Apple's earnings call on Tuesday. "They just crushed it."
Marshall, other analysts and Apple executives all pointed to iPhone and iPad sales as the driving forces for the record quarter.
"The quarter was driven by dramatic growth in iPhone and iPad sales," Peter Oppenheimer, Apple's chief financial officer, said during the conference call.
Apple sold 20.3 million iPhones, up 142% over the same period last year and a 9% increase over the first quarter of 2011, which was the previous record. On a revenue basis, the iPhone's contribution was 46.6% of total revenues, more than two-and-a-half times that of the Mac or over twice that of the iPad.
What impressed Ezra Gottheil, an analyst with Technology Business Research, wasn't simply the strong iPhone sales, but that Apple was able to maintain its high margin on thesmartphone and sell more than 20 million during the quarter even though it didn't release a new model last month, as it has done in three out of the last four years.
"The ASP [average sales price] of the iPhone hasn't moved noticeably at all, which surprised me," Gottheil said. "They keep building and building them, but the ASP doesn't move."
Apple's decision to push back the launch of the next iPhone to this fall -- most experts have pegged September as the most likely month -- didn't hurt sales of the current model, Gottheil also noted.
Meanwhile, Apple sold 9.2 million iPads, nearly triple the number it sold in the same quarter last year and almost double the 4.7 million it sold in the first three months of 2011.
Apple launched the iPad 2 in mid-March, just weeks before the start of the second quarter, and only recently has been able to meet demand, and then only in some markets.

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nOKIA c8

2012-04-08T21:56:00.000-07:00

As the MWC 2011 event is reaching closer, the excitement is increasing amongst all mobile enthusiatics and fanatics alike. MWC is suppose dto be one of the biggest event formobile phone industry and we expect to see a lot of powerful and sleek looking smartphones. Some of which are Nokia N9 and Motorola Atrix, both are extremely sleek looking and powerful phones. However, the phone we are covering here is Nokia C8, it is not even inrumors as of yet, but someone from Mobile-Reviews.com coe up with a concept design of Nokia C8.

This phone seems like a mix of couple of mobiles, such as if you closely look at Nokia’s most recent release Nokia C7, you will find a lot of similarity, which means, with this design, the over all theme of phone can be matched to C7 and make it look like a step up from a sequel, rest of the appeal and features look pretty much like Nokia 8800 Luna. RIght now, it might be in appropriate to even comment on the specifications of this mobile, as it is some concept phone by some random person, but it is safe to assume that, this smartphone might run on Meego or Symbian 3 and have a strong sleek camerawith atleast 12 mega pixel, it could also have a very powerful processor, such as dual core or something! Well, time shall tell.

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A Social Network Built for Two

2012-04-08T10:11:00.000-07:00

COMPUTING

A Social Network Built for Two

A new app gives couples a private network to share texts, videos, and virtual kisses—and shows there's space for social innovation.

You probably have a lot of friends on Facebook, but chances are there are only a few people—and one in particular—that you interact with most in real life.

A new, free app called Pair wants to make it easier to connect with your special someone, whether it's a significant other, family member, or friend. And while the app—which allows you to share messages, videos, and "kisses" with one other person—may sound a bit silly, it shows there's still plenty of room for innovating in the increasingly crowded field for social mobile apps.

Stats indicate Pair may be on to something, too: In the first four days since it was released last Friday, it snagged more than 50,000 registered users, who sent over a million messages to each other. And while Pair was eligible for $150,000 in guaranteed funding since it participated in startup incubator Y Combinator's just-completed winter session, it has also received funding from Dave Morin, CEO of another social mobile app, Path.

Pair began as something else entirely. Aswin Rajendiran, 27, says he and his four cofounders were initially working on software called Maide that could control 3-D CAD tools via the iPad. The founders, all of whom have graduated from or still attend Canada's University of Waterloo, moved to Mountain View, California, several months ago to develop Maide at Y Combinator. But while they received good feedback for their project, "it wasn't an everyday-use kind of thing," Rajendiran says.

While brainstorming new ideas, they started thinking about the difficulty of keeping up communication in long-distance relationships—a problem three of them encountered as they worked to sustain relationships in the wake of the recent move to the United States.

Recognizing that we tend to communicate mostly with just one or two people, and that many of us use a number of methods to communicate with these folks, Rajendiran and his collaborators came up with Pair to simplify and amplify one-on-one connections.

Once you download Pair onto your iPhone (Rajendiran says an Android app will be available in about a week), you invite one other person to use the app with you. After they accept, Pair allows you to send each other messages, videos, photos, simple sketches, and more. There are several interactive features, too, including one called Thumbkiss, which shows a fingerprint when you press on the screen and makes both phones vibrate when you and your partner touch the same part of the display. To keep Pair communication private, the app can be locked with a four-digit code.

Nokia demonstrates flexible user interface prototype at Nokia World

2012-04-08T10:08:00.001-07:00

At Nokia World 2011, Nokia showed that it can think out of the box with a very interesting prototype demonstration. Called the “Nokia kinetic device”, it features a flexible display that gives users a brand new way to interact with a mobile device. Instead of the usual touchscreen tapping, swiping, and pinching, the Nokia kinetic device works by being twisted, bent, bowed and tapped. A very interesting concept if you ask me, though it’s definitely not something that could replace traditional touchscreens, though it would do a good job in complementing them.

The technology for the flexible displays can also be applied to future phones/tablets for more durable devices that can be placed in the back pocket and sat on without any fear of breaking them. Plus, this flexible UI can work even when a person is wearing gloves, which makes it more usable than capacitive touchscreens when outdoors during the winter. Check out a video demonstration for yourself:

Wooden iPhone 4 Options Design For Nature Lovers

2012-04-08T10:07:00.002-07:00

iPhone 4 indeed been bewitched lovers smartphone, because ofvarious high performance which is also owned the iPhone four slips of different design which can obey the demands of consumers. Like the picture above is one of the design which we obtain from Shansai featured on the conceptof eco-friendly. Although theiPhone has a bandage timber section 4 are only superficially,
but it already shows that you are an environmentalist.

GrooveMade has designed this wooden shell for the latest iPhone 4. Unfortunately, it increases the thickness of the iPhone by 24%. Shell bamboo aircraft will be available for EUR 49, while you must pay extra 20 dollars to get one with beautiful carvings on it. The one featured here has a good drip pattern made from behind a tree with Grove and the opening logo for the camera.

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Nokia E7 Release Date and Price

2012-04-08T00:20:00.003-07:00

This Symbian^3 powered, metallic body smartphone was announced earlier and was set to release in first quarter of year 2011, however for some reasons, Nokia has still not come up with an affirmitive release date of this handset. The Finish company has announced this beautiful gadget in September last year and speculations were it will be released later the same year, but Nokia had decided to release it bit late, as they probably still wanted to tweak it to its otimum level. Nokia E7 Price is supposed to be around $650 USD, which is around 55,000 PKRin Pakistan. The final release date is still not announced, but we are affirmitive E7 will be released pretty soon in the month of January.

Nokia E7 Specifications:
All upcoming Nokia mobiles are mainly Symbian^3 powered and fully loaded with high end specifications and internal features with robust hardwares.

Special Features

Scratch Resistant
QWERTY Keyboard
Touch sensitive
Multi touch Input
Proximity Sensor (Auto-Turnoff)
Accelerometer Sensor(Auto rotate)
Audio, Video Recorder & Playback
MP3, MP4 player
Photo, Video Viewer & Editor
Document Viewer
Voice memo
TV-Out, DDP
Stereo FM Radio, RDS
Speaker phone, Games
3.5 mm Audio jack
MP3, WAV Ringtones

Message Support

SMS, MMS, Email, Push Email
Instant Messaging

Connectivity

Connectivity Options – Bluetooth v3.0, Micro USB v2.0, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n
Data Modes – 3G, GPRS 32, EDGE 32, Internet Browsing

Camera & Display

Camera – 8 Mega Pixel, Resolution 3266×2450 pixels, Video, Auto focus, Dual LED Flash
Face & Smile Detection, Geo Tagging, Flash
Screen Display – 4 inches 360×640 pixels
Color – AMOLED capacitive Touch Screen with 16M colors

Memory

Internal Memory – No
Expandable Memory- 32 GB Micro SD/card slot
Phone Book – Unlimited Contacts, Photo Call.
Call Records – Unlimited

Mobile Size and Appeal

Size – 123.7 x 62.4 x 13.6 mm
Weight – 176 Grams
Body Colors – Green, Blue, Orange, Grey and White

Battery Power

1200 mAh (BL-4D) Li-Ion Standard Battery
Battery Life – 2G: 432 hours, 3G: 480 hours
Battery Talk Time – 2G: 9 hours, 3G: 5 hours

Nokia n9

2012-04-08T00:15:00.003-07:00

Nokia n9 is simpley sobar,atractive cell phone for offical workors and students.It is a touchand type slider cell phone.Its 3.5 incheslarge screen is fully touchable and slider with Qwerty keypad.Use internet with Nokia N9 Wireless Wi-Fi so Brows,Download,Chat any time you want.Sharing your moments with bluetooth is very
easy and do not forget to connect your Nokia N9 miniUSB with your Computer system.It has 12 megapixel Camera with flash,Streo FM radio,Music plyer and many more.Have your mini world in just pkrs.28,717.Nokia connecting people

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Nokia 808 Pureview

2012-04-08T00:14:00.004-07:00

We can say Symbian was almost dead, but a single announcement from Nokia during MWC 2012 makes it alive again. Yes Nokia has announced one of its flagship Symbian devices, the Nokia 808 Pureview at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. This handset has a giant 41-megapixel camera that able grab all attention to words the device over there. So, why it can’t be a top of the line smartphones?
Furthermore the smartphone also have a 4-inch AMOLED capacitive touchscreen Nokia ClearBlack display with Corning Gorilla Glass protection. It’s powered by a 1.3 GHz ARM 11 processor, paired with 16 GB storage, 1 GB ROM, and 512 MB RAM. The smartphone will retail for 450 euros and expected to be hitting the market sometime this May.

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Huawei Ascend D quad XL

2012-04-08T00:13:00.006-07:00

What you think, it won’t be another choice? Why? It won the title of “world’s fastest” smartphone. It’s powered by Huawei’s K3V2 quad-core 1.5GHz processor and runs on Android v4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) OS. It’s claimed as the most compact design among 4.5-inch smartphones, which is using a quad-core 1.5GHz processor. Huawei designed proprietary power management system delivers up to 30% in energy savings. Furthermore the smartphone brings a 4.5-inch IPS+ LCD capacitive 720P HD touchscreen display that claimed to have the industry’s most powerful 32-bit true color graphic processor, which is capable to offer crystal clear display clarity even under direct sunlight. This world’s fastest smartphone would be available in China, Australia, Europe, Asia-Pacific, North and South America, and the Middle East sometime in Q2 of 2012.

Panasonic Eluga Power

2012-04-08T00:13:00.002-07:00

No doubt, it’ll be another option, isn’t it? It has a stunning design along with rugged capability and powerful configurations. It’s an enhanced model of the original Eluga which meets international IP57 standard to offer features like dust and waterproof (up to 1 meter and 30 minutes). In addition, the smartphone also delivers superfast charging that can be charged 50 percent with just 30 minutes and 80 percent with just 57 minutes, if it starts charging from a 10% charged status. It has a large 5-inch LCD HD capacitive touchscreen Multitouch display, powered by a dual-core 1.5 GHz Krait Qualcomm processor, and runs on Android v4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) OS. It’s now available for pre-order at Clove UK for just £399 (£478.80 inc. VAT) and expected to ship late April.

LG Optimus 4X HD

2012-04-08T00:12:00.002-07:00

It’s yet another Quad core smartphone with incredibleperformance. It’s also claimed as the world’s only smartphone-sized 4-plus-1 core-toting. It’s featuring a 4.7-inch HD-IPS LCD capacitive touchscreen display and runs on Android v4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) OS. It will have the Nvidia Tegra 3 Quad-core 1.5 GHz Cortex-A9 processor with 4-PLUS-1 architecture that’s featuring four performance cores handling graphic intensive tasks, and paired with 16 GB onboard storage along with 1GB RAM. This Quad core smartphone from LG is now available for pre-order at Clove UK for £380 (£456 inc. VAT), which is expected to ship sometime in June.