Sprint unveils Velocity Service Bus, puts your car’s settings in the cloud

Posted on 10/07/2013 by Jon Fingas

Many connected cars only take limited control through the internet -- they can receive directions and unlock doors, but rarely much more. Sprint is widening that scope by launching Velocity Service Bus, an upgrade to its Velocity infotainment, diagnostics and maintenance platform. The IBM-powered expansion adds that map delivery feature, but it will also sync cabin settings through the cloud: preferences like radio stations, seat positions and temperatures can transfer between vehicles. Naturally, this also makes it easy to customize the car's interior through a smartphone or another remote device. While drivers will have to wait for automakers to implement Sprint Velocity Service Bus, it may cure quite a few headaches for multi-car homes once it arrives.

Filed under: Cellphones, GPS, Transportation, Sprint

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Source: Sprint

Visteon’s HABIT is a concept infotainment system that puts road trip copilots out of a job (video)

Posted on 19/05/2013 by James Trew

A good acronym also hints at what it does, and Visteon's new intelligent in-car concept, HABIT, is a good example of that. The Human Bayesian Intelligence Technology system -- to give it its full name -- learns the behaviour of drivers so it can automatically change the temperature, heat the seats and drop that Biohazard album just when you need it most. Factors such as weather, time of day and real-time road conditions all play a part, plus, of course a log of all your typical in-car interactions. It promises to go above just warming your behind on a cold morning though, offering intelligence that would be able to divine local radio stations that play your kind of jam when you're out of town. It could also seamlessly mix these with your local / tablet / smartphone library and internet sources. Sound a little too creepy? Wait until you see the computer-generated demo video presenter past the break.

Filed under: Peripherals, Transportation

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Via: Autoblog

AutoTether for Android produces an instant in-car hotspot

Posted on 14/02/2013 by Jon Fingas

If you're anything like us, you get slightly twitchy when you can't use any of your WiFi-only devices when parked (or a passenger) in a car. You now won't even have to think about whether or not you're online, if you're an Android user. Inrete's new AutoTether app automatically invokes an Android phone's WiFi hotspot as soon as the handset pairs up with a given Bluetooth device: step into a ride with a Bluetooth-equipped stereo and you'll have an internet connection for every device inside, as long as you're present. Inrete sees its app as a syncing tool for its Automatica car audio companion, but it clearly has uses for the kids' Nexus 7 in the back seat or a significant other's MacBook Air in the front. Check the Google Play link for what could be the next-best thing to a hotspot built into the car itself.

Filed under: Cellphones, Transportation, Mobile

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Source: Google Play

Toyota signs deal to get Nokia’s Here Local Search on its in-car navigation units from 2014

Posted on 31/01/2013 by Daniel Cooper

Nokia's position in the smartphone market may be precarious (if improving), but its Location and Commerce (read: mapping) division has developed quite the reputation. Toyota is the latest big car manufacturer to pay cash to get Nokia's Here Local Search installed on Mr. Toyoda's in-car infotainment units. The Japanese giant is planning to have the software baked into its vehicles in Europe, Russia and the Middle East by early 2014. At the same time, the duo have agreed to work together on how best they can develop Here's navigation potential even further.

Filed under: Transportation, Software, Nokia

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Pioneer shows off 2013 headunit line, rocks our minds with bass (video)

Posted on 10/01/2013 by Sean Cooper

Pioneer launched a stack of new sets this year for CES as well as an iPhone 5 connectivity solution for those left hanging since upgrading to Apple's latest phone. We've seen the headunit specs so we thought we'd give you a pic tour of the newest devices as well as a short clip of us sitting in the custom Lexus CT 200h playing with its ridiculous system. The centerpiece of the system is the AVH-X8500BHS receiver (above) and a custom Steampunk-inspired sub enclosure loaded with six PRS D800 amps. End result? hair-moving, skin-creeping bass and volume. We're digging seeing all the AppRadio expansion to Pioneers's line and can only hope we see prices drop -- and even become pack-ins -- for the now rather expensive connectivity cables.

Continue reading Pioneer shows off 2013 headunit line, rocks our minds with bass (video)

Filed under: Home Entertainment, Transportation

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BMW’s Car Hotspot LTE means Bavarian Motor WiFi

Posted on 23/12/2012 by James Trew

The dedicated car phone may be a thing of the past, but the in-car hotspot is becoming increasingly common. BMW isn't shy when it comes to in-vehicle tech, so the fact that it's launching its own solution should come as no surprise. We initially heard about the ConnectedDrive LTE integration back in summer, but now it looks like it's almost here. The BMW Car Hotspot LTE is essentially a purpose-built WiFi router that houses an LTE SIM (it also supports 3G and EDGE). It's compatible with any BMW with a telephone docking station and allows connections from up to eight client devices. Authentication can be done via code entry or NFC (or there's WPS too). Rather than just rebranding an LTE dongle, the system is designed to integrate with the vehicle's aerial for better signal, while the dock keeps it charged. As you might surmise, this does indeed mean there is an internal battery, making it useful beyond the confines of the automobile too (for about an hour according to the car maker). No official word on price or release, but it's suggested it'll be landing in Europe as soon as this week.

Filed under: Cellphones, Peripherals, Transportation, Mobile

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Via: Telematics news

Source: BMW

Sirius XM Onyx EZ satellite radio pops up at the FCC

Posted on 22/12/2012 by Jon Fingas

Sirius XM's first Onyx radio showed its face three years ago. For the technology world, that might as well have been eons; that makes it something of a relief to see an update, the Onyx EZ, going through the FCC for approval. The differences that justify the 1950's-era model suffix are tougher to identify, however. Both the current and future Onyx models revolve around superficially identical feature sets that include a PowerConnect FM transmitter to streamline in-car setup, station preset controls and quick access to both traffic and weather. If there's more lurking underneath the EZ, we'll have to wait for an official launch, whether it's at a Las Vegas trade show or later into the year.

Filed under: Portable Audio/Video

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Source: FCC

Ca-Fi Dashlinq upsizes in-car Android infotainment, arrives in January

Posted on 16/12/2012 by Jon Fingas

There may be a size war brewing among Android-based infotainment system builders. Ca-Fi thought it was sitting pretty with its 6.2-inch unit earlier this year, but we're starting to think it was rankled by similarly-sized devices like Parrot's Asteroid Smart -- that would help explain its upcoming, 7-inch Dashlinq. Along with one-upping a nemesis, the double-DIN system brings multitouch zoom to a heavily customized (if slightly creaky) Android 2.3 interface. Otherwise, we're looking at a familiar, if fairly sophisticated approach: there's a dedicated media DSP, GPS navigation, an SD card slot for local content and internet access through 3G or WiFi. Ca-Fi expects the Dashlinq to arrive in January for €499 ($657), at which point we hope there's at least a momentary truce in the battle for the car's center stack.

Filed under: GPS, Home Entertainment, Transportation

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Via: Android Central

Source: Ca-Fi

Ca-Fi Dashlinq upsizes in-car Android infotainment, arrives in January

Posted on 16/12/2012 by Jon Fingas

Filed under: GPS, Home Entertainment, Transportation

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Via: Android Central

Source: Ca-Fi

BMW’s Performance sport steering wheel brings vehicle data right to your finger tips (video)

Posted on 11/11/2012 by James Trew

Extra information when driving can be useful, but also distracting. Enter BMW's new M Performance sport steering wheel -- which offers a whole bunch of data and information while letting you keep your eyes (mostly) on the road. Essentially it's a high-grip Alcantara wheel, with a small OLED display at 12 o'clock, and two LED meters on either side. There are three readout modes: EfficientDynamics, Sport and Race. The former will tell you average fuel consumption, speed as well as oil and water temperature. Sport mode will tell you lateral g-force data (that cleverly remains on the display until you bring the wheel back to its neutral position) while the LED strips provide cues for gear shifts. Like to take things out on the track? Lap times, with section splits, and even a drag-style Christmas tree mode will help you get those times down. How much for this king of steering wheels? A racy $1,700. Speed past the break for a video of the goods in action.

Continue reading BMW's Performance sport steering wheel brings vehicle data right to your finger tips (video)

Filed under: Transportation

BMW's Performance sport steering wheel brings vehicle data right to your finger tips (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 11 Nov 2012 02:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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