January 2014


Debut of the All-New 2015 Chrysler 200 Midsize Sedan in Detroit

The Chrysler Group, consisting of Chrysler, Dodge, Fiat, Jeep and Ram, debuted the all-new 2015 Chrysler 200 Sedan at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. It will be the first midsize sedan with a standard nine-speed automatic gearbox via new electronic rotary shift dial and offer an all-wheel-drive system with an automatic fully disconnecting rear axle.


Toyota Unveils Its Ultimate Future in FT-1 Concept at NAIAS

Toyota started things off with a bang at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit by debuting its FT-1 sport car concept. Celebrating the 40th anniversary of its Calty design studio, FT-1 (which stands for the ultimate Future of Toyota apparently) continues a lineage that includes the 1978 Celica, Lexus SC400, Supra, FT-HS and LF-LC.



2015 Ford F-150 Debuts in Detroit #FordNAIAS

The best-selling truck in the world has just gotten better. Today Ford is taking the wraps off its next-generation F-150 light duty pickup boasting it will be tougher, smarter and more capable than any before it. The 2015 F-150 is being unveiled at the North American International Auto Show with aspirations of setting the standard for the future of trucks.


Bing’s “Women of 2013” Commercial Impresses and Educates

We were watching the glitz and glamor of the Golden Globes tonight (don’t judge us) when a commercial aired that stood in stark contrast to the superficiality of red carpets. It was Bing’s “Women of 2013” commercial, and it was a beautiful love letter to the strong women of 2013. Want to learn more about the women featured in the video? Microsoft has more details and resources on all of them on a special Bing site.


Open Automotive Alliance Putting Android Behind the Wheel

The Open Automotive Alliance was announced this week as a partnership initially between Audi, GM, Google, Honda, Hyundai and NVIDIA to work together to advance integration of the Android platform into the automotive environment. The announcement boasts the OAA being dedicated to a common platform to drive innovation and make technology in the car safer and more intuitive.


What Really Caused the Drop in NOOK Sales?

Barnes and Noble tried to bury some very bad news by releasing it during CES-NOOK sales for the holiday season were dreadful. Plenty were quick to blame Amazon’s lower prices, but while that’s no doubt a factor there are some bigger issues here than prices on a few bestsellers…like marketing, and whether B&N plans to maintain the NOOK another year!


Sharp Debuts the First Ever WiSA-Compliant Universal Player at CES 2014

At CES, Sharp unveiled their Universal Player, the first ever WiSA-Compliant universal player.  The Sharp Universal Player is the first component to push uncompressed sound at 24-bit/96kHz and video at 1080p, all wirelessly.  Sharp’s Universal Player can wirelessly transmit sound to up to 8 wireless speakers.  The $4,000 component ships Spring, 2014; you can read more here.



Reinvented GBag Golf Bag Uses New Technology – Will Change How You Golf!

The golf bag is a standard part of any golfer’s arsenal, but while there are loads of models they all serve the same basic purposes the same basic way. Now Gbag has launched on IndieGoGo and looks to change the way we think of the golf bag for good, using magnets and ultralight materials and a modular design! The golf bag is a standard part of any golfer’s arsenal, but while there are loads of models they all serve the same basic purposes the same basic way. Now Gbag has launched on IndieGoGo and looks to change the way we…



Parrot Introduces the Parrot Jumping Sumo – An Insectoid Jumping Robot

Sumo wrestlers aren’t known for their nimbleness, but you might rethink that when you take a look at Parrot’s new Jumping Sumo spy gadget/robot/toy.  The Parrot Jumping Sumo is a WiFi enabled robot with a built-in camera, gyroscope, and accelerometer, which make it easy to pilot from your smartphone or tablet.  Learn more about Parrot’s Jumping Sumo at Parrot’s website.


Epson Moverio BT-200 Smart Glasses powered by Wikitude SDK at CES 2014

There has been some truly incredible technology at this year’s CES so far, and another example is the launch of the Epson Moverio BT-200 Smart Glasses powered by Wikitude SDK. The BT-200 is a set of binocular wearable display technology projecting transparent items over real-life objects. The augmented reality technology is also capable of advanced image recognition and geo-aware services. Here is what they are saying: “The Epson Moverio BT-200 smart glasses offer consumers crystal clear video as well as access to incredible new augmented reality experiences and relevant information according to their personal interests and needs. Leveraging Epson’s leadership…


Nightmares of the Deep: The Siren’s Call for iOS and Android Review

When I reviewed the original Nightmares from the Deep back in 2012 I remarked that the “pacing is perfect, the story works well, and the overall experience is entirely positive and something you will remember for quite a while”. The sequel is here – and it is better in every way, bringing adventure and action to a normally staid genre! Type of app: Hidden Object Puzzle Adventure Platform/where to buy: iPad (iPhone version here); available in the App Store. Android version at Google Play Developer: Artifex Mundi / G5 Entertainment Description: Here are some of the features: Thrilling storyline and…


Pioneer Shows Off Its NEX Line Of Products At CES

Car audio has come a long way since the days of my cassette tape portable CD player converter. Touch screens and phone interface are almost standard. Pioneer unveiled their NEX, (Networked Entertainment eXperience) which will combine on-board features with connected services from your devices. Four navigation and one audio receiver is in the lineup. Read the release after the break. PIONEER SHOWCASES NEXT GENERATION OF NETWORK CONNECTED RECEIVERS – ENHANCING EMBEDDED FEATURES WITH CLOUD-BASED CONTENT Networked Entertainment eXperience (NEX) Interface Implemented in Five Pioneer Receivers                                                                                                            LAS VEGAS – CES BOOTH #1201 (January 6, 2014) – Pioneer Electronics (USA) Inc. today unveiled…


Email Is Forever, a PSA from the Governor of New Jersey

The Governor of New Jersey is in a bit of hot water and currently trying to do damage control. I won’t comment on him or his staff’s behavior but one thing became clear as he spoke. We warn young people that anything they post on social media “is forever” and, as the Governor and his staff have just learned, email is too. Yes, their callous emails about traffic jam payback were there for the taking and, once found by reporters, made public. It was, as the governor put it, “abject stupidity”. Even more stupid was outing their “abject stupidity” into…


ClockOne E-Ink Wall Clock Puts Time on a Diet

With apologies to Jim Croce, “If I could put time on a diet…” I would end up with ClockOne… an E-Ink wall clock that weighs less than 3.5 pounds and is just 4mm thick. Seriously thin, ClockOne is big on time and makes quite the statement. Its expected MSRP of $499 does too. Here are the facts: What are the dimensions of ClockONE? 1000mm wide x 350mm tall x 4mm thin What is the weight of ClockONE? 1.5 Kilograms (3.3 pounds) What type of battery does ClockONE use? One CR2450 button battery What is the battery life of ClockONE? One…


GoG.com Celebrates 5 Successful Years with Retrospective Video

Has it REALLY been FIVE years since GoG.com opened up to the public? Actually it’s been longer – it was mid-November 2008 when I bought Fallout 1 & 2 and fully embraced the site and its model and began amassing what has become a 200+ game collection on the site. Because they have great games, fair prices, and no DRM. Here is what I said back then: (they) wanted to make a site that would charge a reasonable amount and give gamers older games that were out of circulation in a convenient, DRM-free package that you can download forever. I…


Toyota Shows New Fuel Cell Vehicles at CES, Coming in 2015

Detroit is not the only venue that sees significant automotive announcements in January. Increasingly, automakers are using the global audiences at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas to debut not only the latest in technology but the future of transportation as well. Case in point is Toyota’s FCV (Fuel Cell Vehicle) concept and prototype hydrogen test vehicle.


Nuance Announces Dragon Assistant

Nuance may not yet be a household name, but their software is rapidly becoming ubiquitous. Between their work with voice recognition on mobile devices and the proliferation of Dragon Naturally Speaking on the desktop, they’ve clearly become the gold standard in speech to text. Their next step? Becoming your personal assistant!