prototype
Latest
Mitsubishi shows off an oddball hybrid buggy prototype
At this year's Tokyo Motor Show, Mitsubishi is showing off its oddball hybrid buggy prototype, the MI-TECH Concept. It's meant to look like a rugged off roader with no doors or roof, and it's built with a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) drivetrain. According to the company, it's "designed to be a dynamic buggy-type vehicle that embodies the very essence of Mitsubishi-ness."
Watch Ford’s Mustang-inspired EV crossover race around in the snow
Ford's Mustang-inspired EV crossover is expected to launch in 2020. The company hasn't released too many details, other than that it will have a 370-mile range and fast-charging. But this week, Ford shared two videos of the vehicle in action. The first shows a prototype of the Mustang-inspired ride zipping around Grattan Raceway and brags about the EV's acceleration.
Nissan's zero-emission ice cream truck uses recycled EV batteries
For some, chasing the neighborhood ice cream truck is a favorite summer tradition. But many ice cream trucks have diesel engines, and older models keep those engines running to power the freezers. That means you get a hefty side of CO2 emissions with your cone. Nissan thinks it can change that. To celebrate the UK's Clean Air Day, Nissan unveiled a zero-emission ice cream van concept, called "Sky to Scoop."
Google's Area 120 made a free, drag-and-drop 3D game builder
Google's in-house incubator, Area 120, has produced things like an app that teaches coding and tools to boost literacy. Now it wants to help gamers create their own 3D games, no experience necessary. Today, it launched Game Builder, a free platform that aims to "make building a game feel like playing a game."
Spotify might let users build and listen to playlists together
Spotify appears to be working on a "Social Listening" feature that will let multiple users control a playlist from separate devices. They'll also be able to listen to the same songs in real-time. The company hasn't announced the added capability yet, but researcher Jane Manchun Wong spotted a prototype and shared images on Twitter -- where she's previously leaked other updates. The group DJ feature could work like Dubtrack.fm and the former Turntable.fm. It will likely allow users to listen to the same songs while they're apart or collaborate on a playlist when they're together.
Fungus headphones offer a glimpse at the renewable future of electronics
It turns out headphones are the perfect product to showcase the potential for growing electronics. The typical set has a mix of plastic, leather and mesh -- not the most environmentally friendly ingredients. To prove that we could swap those out for yeast, mushrooms and other microbe-grown materials, Finish design studio Aivan created headphones made from bioplastics and microbe derivatives.
Louis Vuitton’s flexible-screen handbags are the definition of extra
With flexible screens being all the rage nowadays, more and more companies are building products touting the technology. But there's an unexpected one joining the craze: Louis Vuitton. The luxury brand has introduced a set of handbags that feature built-in flexible displays, which Louis Vuitton tells Engadget are AMOLED and have a 1,920 x 1,440 resolution. There were two prototype handbags shown off during LV's Cruise 2020 runway show in New York City this week: One with a single screen and another with two, and both displayed videos of random city views and what appeared to be a demo of an internet browser.
A week with Twitter's attempt at a more civil internet
Over the past few months, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey has been adamant that one of his goals is to "increase the health of public conversation" on the site. Because it's no secret that, as great as Twitter is at connecting you with people across the world, it's also great at connecting you with bots, trolls and spam. Unsurprisingly, Twitter wants to change that. And it's hoping to find a solution by publicly testing new conversation features, through an experimental program that users can apply to participate in. This launched last week as an app called Twttr, which I've been using as my main tool for reading and writing tweets for the past week.
Oppo's prototype foldable phone looks a lot like the Huawei Mate X
Nope, we're not quite done with foldable phones from MWC just yet. Following its 10x camera zoom technology unveil over the weekend, today Oppo surprised us with its very own foldable phone, but in a not-so-official way. The company's vice president, Brian Shen, took to Weibo to show off said device which, much like the ones from Royole and Huawei, folds outwards. What's awkward is that Oppo's prototype bears a striking resemblance to Huawei's Mate X, especially with this hinge design and also that camera strip on the back when folded.
Aston Martin's first electric sedan quietly rolls into view
Earlier this week, Aston Martin CEO Andy Palmer tweeted out a very important moment for his company: the first time its Rapide E prototype drove off under its own power. It's the company's first electric car, designed under a mandate to "retain and enhance the feel, character and delivery of the V12-engined Rapide S." It will do that with a groundbreaking 800V battery system compatible with DC fast chargers, as well as twin electric motors driving all four wheels with the equivalent of 602HP to a projected top speed of 155 MPH. You can watch it slowly roll across the parking lot in a video below, giving a look at the car beyond design drawings, concept models and sneak peeks. You might miss the roar of a petrol-powered V12, but even then, at least there's a parking lot full of Aston Martins in view as well. Palmer also referred to "another piece of Aston Martin history" that was made on the 21st, but so far has not revealed what that is. The Rapide E is supposed to go on sale in the fourth quarter of this year, so we should see more of it in motion soon.
Novus' $35,000 electric motorcycle oozes sinister style
If you've ever seen a spy movie, you'll know that there's normally a rogue assassin character riding around on a motorbike in head-to-toe leather. We're never quite sure of their allegiance until they swoop in and save the day in the final moments of the film. Give it a couple of years, and the sort of bike they're riding around on will probably look a lot like Novus' new prototype.
Elon Musk teases final look of SpaceX's Starship test vehicle
It's no secret that SpaceX has been constructing its Starship test vehicle -- it's easy for curious onlookers to snap photos. But what will it look like when it's finished? You don't have to wonder. Elon Musk has posted concept artwork showing what the completed vehicle will look like. It's surprisingly pretty for a prototype, if borrowing more than a few cues from 1950s sci-fi with its gleaming stainless steel body.
Musk: Model Y prototype approved to go into production
On Tesla's earnings call after announcing its first quarterly profit, CEO Elon Musk chatted about the company's upcoming products. While claiming it has "the most exciting product roadmap of any company on Earth," Musk mentioned the Model Y crossover EV we've only seen hints of so far, and said "I recently approved the prototype to go into production."
I wish I could buy Intel's cute little E Ink dual-screen PC
Computex 2018 has been full of surprises. In addition to the usual array of processor news, updated laptops and fresh gaming hardware, we saw companies like ASUS and Lenovo show off intriguing dual-screen devices as well. Both those companies worked with Intel on their products -- Project Precog and the next-generation Yoga Book respectively, but the chip maker had its own concept to show off too. At its open house here in Taipei, Intel shared demos of a 7.9-inch dual-screen PC codenamed Tiger Rapids, and I'm having trouble hiding my enthusiasm.
Hobbyist builds the first Sony E-Mount film camera
Sony is the one major imaging company that has never built a film camera, having leaped straight into DSLRs in 2006 after buying Minolta. A hobbyist named Alexander Gee has just pulled off a neat trick then, by creating what might be the world's first Sony E-Mount 35 mm film camera. Called the LEX, it's the result of a year's worth of work, and when it's finished, you might be able to buy one and even build it yourself.
Acura puts its 'True Touchpad' Android UI in the 2019 RDX
In 2016 Acura showed off its "Precision Cockpit" concept that included a touchpad with 1:1 mapping to a central display. It's supposed to improve on both touchscreens, which can require an awkward reach from the driver to somewhere out of their line of sight, and existing remotes that try to copy a mouse-controlled UI. Now the company has announced that technology is coming to the 2019 RDX branded as a "True Touchpad." This Android-based car OS is the first use of a touchpad with absolute positioning in a car, making sure that wherever the driver taps on the pad corresponds to what is shown on the central 10.2-inch screen, which is mounted high up, in the driver's line of sight. Combined with a new natural language interface and an interactive heads-up display for the driver, it's supposed to be easier to use than any car software we've seen before.
Boeing shows its vision for a hypersonic spy aircraft
Lockheed isn't the only one hoping to make a hypersonic spy aircraft. Boeing has provided early details on its own design for a hypersonic tech demonstrator that would lead to a spiritual successor to the SR-71 Blackbird. In some ways, it's a logical extension of the company's X-51A Waverider: the wedge-shaped, twin-tail body is designed to minimize drag while gulping in as much air as possible. It would be about as long as the Blackbird, but its Mach 5-plus top speed would leave the older Mach 3.2 jet far behind.
Airbus, Rolls-Royce and Siemens team on a hybrid electric aircraft
Purely electric aircraft are still in their relative infancy. Hybrid aircraft, however? They're closer than you think. Airbus, Rolls-Royce and Siemens are partnering on a hybrid electric aircraft prototype, the E-Fan X, that will prove the mixture of conventional and electric engines will work. The demonstrator will modify a BAe 146 by replacing one of its gas turbine engines with a 2MW electric motor, followed by a second if everything goes smoothly. It's currently slated to fly sometime in 2020.
Microsoft canceled an 'all-screen' Windows phone in 2014
All-screen phones may be all the rage in 2017, but Microsoft apparently had chance to beat everyone to the punch 3 years ago... and whiffed it. Windows Central has obtained the prototype of an unnamed Windows phone (believed to be the precursor to the Lumia 435) that had extremely thin display bezels save for the bottom, where a chin held the front-facing camera. The performance would have been modest by 2014 standards with a 5-inch 720p screen, a Snapdragon 200 chip, 4GB of expandable storage and a 5-megapixel rear camera, but you'd have had an eye-catching design for under $200. To put it another way, you wouldn't have had to buy a Sharp Aquos Crystal to impress your smartphone-toting friends while sticking to a budget.
Toyota's latest self-driving car is more aware of its surroundings
Toyota barely unveiled its second-generation self-driving testbed half a year ago, but it's already back with an update. The automaker is showing off a Platform 2.1 research vehicle that has made some big technology strides... including some unusual design decisions. The biggest upgrade is an awareness of its surroundings: the modified Lexus is using new lidar from Luminar that not only sees further and maps more data but has a "dynamically configurable" field of view that focuses its attention on the areas they're needed most. There are also new deep learning AI models that are better at spotting objects around the car as well as predicting a safe path.
