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Disney's Cars DVD dated, no Blu-ray release in sight?
It only took one line from VideoBusiness' note about the DVD details of Pixar's latest hit film Cars to dampen our spirits. The Blu-ray supporting Buena Vista Worldwide Home Entertainment (Disney) didn't mention any plans for a high-def release of the movie yet. The DVD isn't hitting until November 7, well after Disney's first Blu-ray releases featuring Paul Walker in Eight Below on September 19, but we are looking forward to other summer movies getting day-and-date releases, why not one from the friendly budget HDTV calibrators at Pixar?The end of the year and the launch of the Playstation 3 is far enough away however that we still hold out hope for plenty of Blu-ray content to become available, and maybe with codec and dual-layer issues straightened out as well. We're looking forward to some great 1080p CG this winter, and we don't mean from Killzone.[Corrected Cars release date]
PSP Top 10 for June 2006
What is wrong with you people? I hope that you all acknowledge the error of your ways and buy some good games... fast. Last Month Current Rank Title Publisher Release Date Average Price ** 1 Cars THQ Jun-06 $39 3 2 Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories Take-Two Oct-05 $40 6 3 Monster Hunter: Freedom Capcom May-06 $40 1 4 MLB '06: the Show Sony Mar-06 $40 4 5 Field Commander Sony Online Ent. May-06 $40 2 6 Daxter Sony Mar-06 $40 ** 7 FIFA World Cup 2006 Electronic Arts May-06 $40 ** 8 Need for Speed: Most Wanted Electronic Arts Nov-05 $40 ** 9 NBA Live 06 Electronic Arts Oct-05 $30 9 10 SOCOM: Fireteam Bravo Sony Nov-05 $40 With Tekken and Valkyrie Profile out this month, I expect some big changes to this list. If Cars is number one again, then you go to bed without cookies![Via Gamespot]
THQ on the Wiimote
It's expected that we'll be waving the Wiimote around on Nintendo's own games, but some have expressed concerns that third party developers may not be making full use of the unique new controller, especially when it comes to cross-platform titles. Fear not, fanboys and fangirls -- Siliconera took some time to investigate THQ and their upcoming games with regard to how they'll work with the Wii controls. The pieces focuses on three games: Cars, SpongeBob SquarePants: Creature from the Krusty Krab, and Avatar: The Last Airbender. Though these titles are each coming out on other systems as well as Wii, THQ has worked to ensure that the control scheme takes advantage of the Wiimote. How? Slashing melee attacks in Avatar, using the Wiimote as a steering wheel in Cars, and for SpongeBob, the controller serves as an aircraft control stick in one of the mini-games. Siliconera has the full story. Things are looking up when it comes to Wii ports. [Thanks to the folks at Siliconera!]
Future BMWs will self-park in your garage
Anyone whose garage is so packed full of junk that getting in and out of the car is nearly impossible will appreciate a new feature set to debut on future BMW models that allows you to stand outside while your Bimmer parks itself (as well as unparks itself, we assume, or this tech wouldn't be very useful). The German manufacturer recently released a video of this self-parking wizardry -- you can catch it by following the Read link -- which shows a happy homeowner simply pushing a button on his keyfob to fire up the motor, retract the side-view mirrors, and send the car on a controlled journey to its home just inches from another luxury ride. The system leverages distance-sensing technology that we've seen before from Mercedes, Toyota, and the like, but requires a reflective lens on the garage wall to operate, which unfortunately precludes its use in public parking lots. Still a pretty useful feature, but if it takes three years to find its way into commercial vehicles as BMW anticipates, we'll probably already have the parking covered with those self-driving models we've been promised.
All-electric Microcar Zenn poised for US release
If you're the type that enjoys taking short road trips at low speeds, then a new "car" hitting the States this month may be just what you've been looking for: by the end of July, Toronto's Feel Good Cars Inc. is set to ship one of the country's first fully-enclosed, all-electric vehicles to 20 dealers nationwide, with 25 more expected to sign up by the end of the year. The Microcar Zenn (which stands for zero emissions, no noise) is an electric version of the diesel-powered MC-2 sold in Europe; Feel Good imports the cars without a drivetrain, slaps in a five-horsepower engine at its Canadian factory, and plans to unleash a small fleet of 2,000 vehicles in the next year at $10,000-a-pop. Equally at home in the inner city or a gated community, the Zenn features many of the same amenities you'd find on a regular car -- seat belts, headlights, defroster, and a gauge cluster (no nav system, though) -- in a 1,200-pound package that's just 120-inches long. While vehicles such as the Chrysler GEM have shown us that there is indeed a market for these glorified golf carts, folks who enjoy hitting the highway and feeling the wind in their hair will surely steer clear of the Zenn, as its top speed of 25MPH and maximum range of 35 miles mean that you couldn't possibly merge into 60+MPH traffic -- that is, if the battery even lasted long enough for you to make it to the on-ramp in the first place.[Via Autoblog Green]
New Sebring sports heating/cooling cupholder
When it comes to implementing high-tech innovations inside the passenger cabin, it's usually names like BMW, Mercedes, and Lexus leading the pack, so we were a little surprised to see Chrysler seemingly beat all those luxury manufacturers to the punch with a hot (and cool) new cupholder for the 2007 Sebring. Not only does this dugout look like it does a great job protecting your beverage from tipping, it's actually got both a heating and cooling mechanism that will keep your coffee at a piping hot 140 degrees Fahrenheit or your soda at a chilly 35 degrees. You'll be able to pick up the new cupholder sometime in Q4 of this year for around $20,000 (note: price includes car).[Via AutoSpies]
Apple easter egg in Pixar's "Cars"
Brian at FreeMacBlog writes in to point out an Apple easter egg he spotted in Pixar's Cars. During the opening race, one of the cars that is briefly on screen has an Apple logo on the hood, and is fittingly numbered "84." Pretty cool, Brian! Did anyone else spot this car?
Fiat introduces line of branded cellphones
In yet another example of an automobile manufacturer leveraging the brand to release a distinctly non-car product (see: BMW, Ferrari, Lamborghini), Fiat has announced that it will begin selling a line of cellphones conspicuously emblazoned with the company's logo. Suggesting that this lineup values fashion over function, no specs are immediately available for any of the individual models, although we do know that all will feature cameras, MP3 playback, Bluetooth, and the usual suite of Internet functions. Crafted out of "cold" aluminum, the handsets were designed to be displayed in engine piston-like cases that are meant to invoke the good times you can only find by tooling around the European countryside in your Fiat Panda Monster. The new models -- which were built to easily pair with the Microsoft-powered Blue&Me in-car Bluetooth system -- will be available in chichi Italian boutiques later this month, with a general European rollout to follow this summer.[Via textually and Autoblog]
Best PSP driving game ever
So this is why that Gizmondo dude mutilated his $1 million Ferrari (other than street racing while drunk). Lumines on the sun visors.
First impression: Cars from THQ
Here's quick multiplatform glance at THQ's movie adaptation of Pixar's Cars. It's a cartoony racer that isn't a bad entry level game for people who aren't as hardcore into other facets (ie: Gran Turismo).
Cars video podcast
Who doesn't like Pixar movies? The latest effort from our favorite part of Disney is 'Cars.' I know, I know this isn't exactly breaking news but the fine folks at Pixar have created a video podcast chronicling different parts of the movie, and it is available via iTunes.[via Luxo]
More cities using personal parking meters
Parking meters have made huge strides in recent years, with some of them -- such as pay-by-cell systems -- providing increased convenience to change-starved consumers, while others -- like auto-resetting meters -- have made it harder to get away with modest infractions like picking up a previous parker's minutes. Now, what may be the ultimate in parking convenience, the "personal meter" is starting to catch on in more major cities. The small card readers have been around for several years, but have recently become more popular; last month, Buffalo expanded its pilot system from a service for handicapped drivers to a citywide program. Buffalo's system, like many others, relies on the Smart Park reader, from Israel's Ganis Systems. The card reader can hang from a car's rearview mirror, and can be programmed with a city's parking rules. When a driver parks, he inserts the card into the meter, sets it for his location, and the meter starts ticking away. Enforcement officers with handheld receivers spot-check cars, and issue tickets based on data they download via an IR link. The system definitely sounds convenient, and could eliminate all of those tickets for underestimating how long you're going to be parked. However, we can't help but think it could be improved by adding wireless communication with servers that can automatically track violations and issue tickets. This could be more efficient than the spot-check system, even if it would put Lovely Rita out of a job.
UK drivers trust GPS more than their own eyes
We've heard reports before about the dangers of driving while under the influence of GPS, but it looks like drivers in the UK have taken trust of their navigation units to the extreme. Twice in the space of the last two weeks, we've seen reports of British drivers taking serious risks because they trust the info displayed on the small screen more than what they see through their windshield. In the most recent case, drivers passing through the village of Luckington have found themselves landing in the River Avon, by following a GPS-recommended route that pointed to a bridge that has been closed for a week. Despite warning signs on both sides of the road, and nothing but water straight ahead, local villagers have found themselves pulling an average of two cars a day out of the river for the past week. "When you ask what happened, they say, ‘My sat-nav told me it was this way,'" one resident told The Times. Meanwhile, the village of Crackpot (yes, that's really its name) has had to deal with drivers whose navigation systems have directed them to the edge of a cliff with a hundred-foot drop. So far, there have been no serious injuries, but drivers have found themselves stranded on a rocky path. "It's only a matter of time before something happens," said one resident. Listen, we like GPS as much as the next sense-of-direction-impaired driver. But we also do our best to use our eyes, as well. And if you don't, well, there's a village in England named for you, and it ain't Luckington.Read - LuckingtonRead - Crackpot
Despite warnings, more UK drivers caught using cellphones
While a number of studies have concluded that driving while using a cellphone can be dangerous, and many governments impose fines for driving-while-talking, the number of DWT cases prosecuted in the UK has actually risen by 75% in the past year. However, indications are that the rise may have less to do with chattier motorists than with stepped-up enforcement by police, including the use of tag-reading cameras. UK DWT fines are due to double, from £30 to £60 this year, so prosecutions may actually start to decline -- unless the chattering class of drivers is also price-insensitive.
Lazy Apple Pundit's Disease
Oh, Crazy Apple Rumors how you amuse me! Since I am a self proclaimed Apple pundit, I think it necessary to link to CARS reaction to the latest drama about Steve's presentation yesterday. Dubbed 'Dvorak’s Razor,' 'Apple Cubism,' or 'Lazy Apple Pundit’s Disease' it is the propensity for people to declare that a new Apple product is over priced and doomed to fail (as many people said about the original iPod).Luckily, we here at TUAW are invariably correct and even handed in our assertions which can be backed up by the number of glowing comments we receive on our posts.
