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KiFit tells you how many calories you're not burning, other sad details of your unhealthy existence
Do we really need another gadget to tell us we're fat and we sleep badly? Yes, we do. The KiFit armband's packing some medically developed tech which measures your body temperature, how much you're sweating, and how much you're moving. From that info, it calculates your calorie burn rate and how peacefully you're sleeping. If you're like us, you're undoubtedly already aware that your slumber is like a nightly replay of the "Enter Sandman" video, but still, it's great to see gadgets that encourage a healthier lifestyle, right? The KiFit is available for $300 plus a $20 monthly subscription price -- and while it's a pretty neat little gizmo -- we'd suggest you might be better off paying for a gym membership you're never going to use.
Send to SYNC enables BT phones to beam Google Maps to Ford navigation systems
Be still our hearts. Google Maps integration, in a factory-installed navigation system? Break out the fans and funny hats, 'cause this is for real. As Ford's SYNC system continues along the path of perpetual improvement, the latest breakout addition may make those who swear by third-party routing systems think twice. At long last, one automaker has figured out how to merge Google Maps with its own in-car solution, with 'Send To SYNC' allowing Bluetooth handset owners to dial up a route on their mobile and then beam that to their SYNC system once they've arrived in the vehicle. Once sent, the information is processed into audible turn-by-turn directions, and the driver can opt to have the route adjusted based on their SYNC driving preferences. Best of all, the feature's being added completely free of charge on existing 2010 and 2011 models equipped with SYNC TDI ("later this month," we're told), and there's no additional hardware or software to fret over. Ford's obviously the first to make such a bold move, but those other guys would be silly to simply sit around on the sidelines without playing copycat.
Coulomb partners with Ford, Chevy, Smart to deliver 4,600 free EV charging stations in US
Looks like Australia and Poland were just the beginning: Coulomb Technologies is looking to roll out nearly 5,000 electric vehicle charging stations in the US, effective immediately. If one of those cherry-red push pins is pointed at your neighborhood, you'll likely see the stations popping up at local businesses soon, and if you're looking to purchase a Chevy Volt, Tesla-powered Smart or one of Ford's two new EVs, you can even qualify to have a free station installed in your home. Partially paid for by a $15 million grant from the Department of Energy, the ChargePoint America program won't necessarily give you free electricity to go with it -- that "charge" in ChargePoint has a double meaning, after all -- but we're happy to see the zero-emissions future is finally on a roll. PR after the break.
Ford assembly line uses mo-cap tech to build cars years ahead of time (video)
Years ago, Ford would have to physically build all the parts for a new vehicle, and only discover afterwards whether it was feasible to have humans assemble the contraption. Now, it relies on the same motion-capture systems used to shoot your favorite 3D movies and games to test the vehicle's construction in virtual reality, years before a single scrap of metal needs to be cut. IDG got to see the system in action at Ford's Assembly Ergonomics Lab in Michigan; you can find their report at the source link and a video after the break.
Ford SYNC owners to get stock quotes, horoscopes and movie listings shouted at them
Hooray for voice command systems... that no one uses. Okay, so maybe someone uses 'em, but until voice recognition software improves drastically and / or our own memory banks swell dramatically, we still see most motorists reaching for buttons, toggles and wheels when it comes time to interact with their vehicle. That said, existing Ford owners with SYNC'd rides can soon do a lot more talking with their system thanks to a few complimentary updates hitting the Traffic, Directions & Information (TDI) sector. The cloud-based service will allow drivers to demand that a given stock quote, horoscope, movie time or travel inquiry be sorted and shouted, and just in case you glossed that last sentence over, we're going to reiterate once more that your SYNC system will now read back your horoscope. And guess what? These updates should be taking effect immediately, so feel free to make a mad dash for your garage and try 'er out.
SantosHuman's Virtual Soldier recruited by Ford for assembly line detail
Future Combat Systems has given us plenty of fun over the years, from Land Warrior high-tech uniforms to field ready Xbox 360 controllers, and while the program was scuttled early last year, the technology keeps popping up all over the place. For instance, Ford's just announced that it'll be using SantosHuman's virtual soldier, a biofidelic (true to the human body) computer simulation, to predict long-term ergonomics and safety concerns on assembly lines. Developed at the University of Iowa for the DoD, this guy has a complete biomechanical muscular system and physics engine capable of registering body strength, fatigue, motion, and strain. From easing the physical strain of soldiers to helping our beleaguered auto workers -- that's what we call progress. Now how about a little help for all of us long-suffering tech bloggers? PR after the break.
Ford, U-M students send socially-connected Fiestas on cross-country roadtrip, aim to become Mayor of the USA
Ford is certainly no stranger to internet-connected cars, but it looks like it's now truly stepped up its game with a little help from some University of Michigan students, who have teamed up to send two Fiestas on a socially-networked, cross-country road trip. The two cars (part of the American Journey 2.0 project) apparently each pack a similar trunk-full of gear -- including both WiMAX and EV-DO modems, and a 2.6 GHz PC with an 80GB SSD hard drive -- and they'll each be testing out a number of different applications developed by Ford and the students. Those include the UMich-developed Caravan app, which allows the two cars to communicate with each other during the trip, and three different Ford-developed social networking apps, which will let the cars blog and tweet their progress and, yes, even check in on Foursquare each time they make a stop. Head on past the break for the complete press release, and be sure to hit up the Autoblog link below for a closer look at the cars themselves.
Ford's Sync AppLink bringing in-car voice control to Android, BlackBerry apps
Look, there's a better-than-average chance you're buying a 2011 Ford Fiesta simply because it's the rebirth of the Fiesta, but if you need a little encouragement, look no further. The aforesaid automaker has just confirmed that Sync AppLink will be coming first to next year's Fiesta, enabling drivers to access and control select Android and BlackBerry apps via in-car voice commands and control buttons. At least initially, Pandora, Stitcher and OpenBeak will be AppLink-capable, but we're pretty sure other app makers will be adding updates as the bandwagon swells. In fact, Ford's going to be encouraging such behavior with the creation of the Mobile Application Developer Network, and if all goes well, AppLink will be installed in every single 2011 Ford model with Sync built-in. Of course, only time will tell if our demands for an INXS Pandora playlist leads to one capped off by Baja Men, but hey, at least the concept is sound.
Ford Eco-Route plots most fuel efficient path, tells you how much longer it'll take
Ford's been slowly but surely tweaking its MyFord Touch interface for months now, and the latest stroke of genius to come across will surely light up the faces of treehuggers. In an effort to provide more routing options to drivers, the automaker is showcasing its new Eco-Route function in the 2011 Edge, which may or may not cause velitation with the good folks over at Garmin's similarly titled ecoRoute project. At any rate, the new addition allows motorists to choose between the fastest route, shortest (distance) route or most fuel efficient route, and it places the estimated time of travel for each within eyesight. We're guessing that most of you would simply select the method that requires the smallest investment of time, but those with nothing but may enjoy the new option. And somehow, somewhere, Mother Earth is blowing you a carbon-free kiss. Check out a brief demonstration video after the break.
Ford bringing Microsoft Hohm energy management to Focus Electric next year
It won't be among the first devices to use Microsoft's cleverly-named Hohm energy management system, but Ford has just announced that it will be incorporating the technology into its upcoming Focus Electric car. That makes it the first automaker to hop on board, and Ford even goes so far as to call the move a "needed step in the development of the infrastructure that will make electric vehicles viable." As with other devices, the internet-based Hohm service promises to help car owners determine when and how to most efficiently recharge their vehicles, and help utility companies manage demand as a result -- if enough folks use it, that is. Ford hasn't yet announced any other vehicles that will use Hohm, but the Focus Electric is apparently just the first of more to come, and will be available sometime next year. Head on past the break to see Microsoft explain the partnership.
Ford adding HOV logic, ability to download outside Mapquest destinations to 2011 NAV systems
Ford's been keeping itself busy on the navigation front, and while you may have noticed that 2010 just began a few weeks ago (on the Gregorian calendar, anyway), 2011 model year vehicles are already on the minds of those in Dearborn. 2011 models with voice-activated navigation systems will be getting an update that brings along HOV logic, helping users who travel with a buddy to get from point A to point B more hastily if carpool lanes are nearby. Of course, only 2,500 miles of those blanket America, so a few other updates might be intriguing to those of you who are sane enough to live outside of the rat race. Branded POI icons, higher density street labeling and HD Radio will come standard on voice-controlled NAV systems, and potentially most interesting is the notion that "integration with SYNC Traffic, Directions and Information (TDI) app -- enabling new features like the ability to download destinations sent from a home or work computer from Mapquest" -- will hit later on in the year. Full release is after the break.
Next-gen dashboards get Tegra 2, Moblin, Atom, we go hands-on
Intel Atom processors, capacitive touchscreens, NVIDIA Tegra 2 graphics, Moblin installs... sounds like a suite of hot next-gen ultra-portables, right? Think again. Those are just some of the technologies used in the dashboards of cars that will be appearing on showrooms in the coming months and years, dashes that were largely on display at CES -- minus the cars themselves, usually. There we were treated to mobile glimpses of Google Earth, Pandora, and Slacker Radio on the go, plus the ability to lock and unlock your car via Ye Olde Internets. It's the future, and it's coming soon, so click on through already and get a sneak peek.
MyFord Touch coming to 2011 Ford Focus
The 2010 Detroit Auto Show has just kicked off and Ford's plans for the 2011 Focus have been made official. While others might care more about the 155bhp or new six-speed dual-clutch transmission, we're best pleased by the inclusion of the MyFord touch control system. This setup was designed to drag the car dash into the modern touchscreen era, and our comprehensive hands-on revealed it to be a most impressive bit of tech. Two displays flank the analog speed gauge, but the pièce de résistance is an 8-inch, 800 x 480 optional screen landing in the center of the dash. Endued with a web browser, it'll connect via 3G or 4G modems and concurrently act as a WiFi hotspot. Add in a bunch of forthcoming apps and compatibility with any Bluetooth device, and you've got a tech lover's dream system. The next generation Focus should enter production near the end of 2010, giving us a full year to write a "vroom, vroom" app for our smartphones.
Live from Ford CEO Alan Mulally's CES keynote
We're getting our engines warmed up for Alan Mulally's CES keynote address. We're crammed in our seats and eager to see if there's anything new to learn about Sync or MyFord after our extensive hands-on time yesterday. The crowd is filtering in and we're about to get rolling, so buckle in and join us, won't you?
MyFord dash and Sync App Ecosystem hands-on
You've read the PR, seen the press shots, and probably snickered a little at the quote from Ford's Derrick Kuzak indicating that his company's latest tech "will cause people to fall in love with their vehicles again." After getting a chance to play with a few entrants into the company's so-called Sync App Ecosystem, and getting behind the wheel of a MyFord-equipped mockup vehicle, we're not laughing -- but we are smiling. It's impressive tech, so read on through to see some videos and check our impressions. %Gallery-81852%
MyFord Touch yields three screens and a Ford from Microsoft Auto 4.0
User experience -- the focus of any savvy consumer electronics company (though not all) looking to differentiate itself in a marketplace saturated by imitators. Now an auto company is hoping to capitalize on this fundamental tenant of modern consumerism: Ford. With the introduction of MyFord, the Detroit institution will attempt to refashion the driver's interface so as to more closely align with the rich graphic displays found on today's consumer electronics. Derrick Kuzak, Ford group vice president, Global Product Development, says "it's not just a technology; it's an experience... that will cause people to fall in love with their vehicles again." Powered by the second generation of Ford Sync that is itself built upon Microsoft Auto 4.0, MyFord Touch offers improved voice recognition, touch-sensitive buttons, touch screens, and thumb-wheel controls that replace most traditional knobs and switches scattered about the driver's cockpit. MyFord also boosts connectivity with the help of an SD card slot and WiFi. Information is displayed on a pair of 4.2-inch full-color LCDs flanking an analog speedometer with five-way navigation buttons on each side of the steering wheel crossbar that give the driver control over data on the corresponding left- or right-side display; vehicle data on the left (fuel economy, mechanical status, safety features) and infotainment on the right (audio setting, climate controls, phone communications and navigation menus). An 8-inch touchscreen LCD at the top of the center console stack is the centerpiece of phone, navigation, climate and audio/entertainment functions and features fingertip slider controls for adjusting the audio volume and fan speed -- voice commands can also be used in most cases. In yet another blow to makers of personal GPS navigators, Ford is also making its existing Traffic, Directions & Information application standard on all MyFord and Sync-equipped cars. Enhanced 3D map-based navigation is enabled by upgradeable SD cards (supplied by TeleNav) containing the map database and voice data, 3D map graphics, and enhanced point-of-interest data from Wcities. Naturally, the navigation system takes full advantage of those 3x MyFord LCDs to displays visual cues like street names, directional arrows, and distance makers in addition to spoken turn-by-turn directions. Expect to see MyFord branded as MyLincoln Touch and MyMercury Touch on respective Lincoln and Mercury branded rigs kicking off with the 2011 Lincoln MKX set for reveal at the North American International Auto Show next week.%Gallery-81642%
Ford to offer iTunes tagging in their cars
Just as 2009 was ending, Ford announced that they'll be offering a new option in their cars for 2010: the ability to "tag" any songs you happen to hear on the radio for later purchase in iTunes. It'll be an option, so it won't come standard in the new Taurus you buy, but if you opt for the HD Radio, the stereo will have a "tag" button that will capture the information of whatever you're hearing, sync it to your connected iPod and then bring it up for purchase in iTunes the next time you're at your computer. It sounds like a win-win for everybody: Ford gets to sell HD Radios, radio stations get more listener involvement, and Apple and the music companies get your sales (presuming you complete the purchase). It'd be nice to have the song automatically sent to iTunes (or even transmitted via Bluetooth to your iPhone -- maybe even via an official app -- next time it happens to be near the car), but one step at a time, I guess. Don't forget that you don't even need this option to mark any music you happen to hear: if you have an iPhone, you can use Shazam's iPhone app to listen in, tell you whatever the song is, and save it for purchase later if you want. It's a free download in iTunes, lots cheaper than a brand new car.
Ford becomes first automaker to offer HD Radio with iTunes tagging
If you thought the automakers would be leaving CES to the TV and PMP makers, Ford would like to have a word with you. A few words, actually. Aside from announcing that in-car WiFi will be available next year, the iconic blue oval is today calling itself the first car manufacturer to offer factory-installed HD Radio with iTunes tagging capabilities. Slated to become available on select 2011 Ford models sometime next year, the implementation will enable listeners of HD Radio to "tag" songs they like via a single button press; from there, the song information will be logged within the radio's memory, and up to 100 tags on Sync can be stored until an iPod is connected to suck them down. Once that data hits the iPod, users can then preview or purchase them conveniently through iTunes. There's no word yet on pricing (we're being forced to wait until CES), but we're guessing it'll demand quite the premium.
Next-gen Ford Sync adding WiFi hotspot capabilities, you provide the 3G modem
Sure, you could go the easy route and pick up a MiFi, but if you're serious about your on-the-road wireless broadband, you should probably buy an entire car. Ford's next generation of Sync systems will have built-in WiFi and the capability of sharing a 3G connection with the car's driver-defined white list of approved devices. It's a bring-your-own-3G-card affair (you jack into the Sync's USB plug), and sounds like a nice way for Ford to get you to pay for a 3G connection that could theoretically fuel some of those upcoming Sync apps. The second generation of Sync is due to launch next year, and we should be seeing plenty of it at CES in January: Ford's CEO has the opening keynote.
Ford to give Sync some App Store flavor, opening API to devs in 2010
Ford has already shown it can tie the controls of Sync-enabled vehicles to the music and contacts databases of drivers phones and PMPs and though it may take time before our emotions can be detected, the next step is extending that connectivity to downloadable apps on those devices. Since Sync first debuted, the explosion of the App Store concept has meant nearly every smartphone owner is packing plenty of ways to access and use information from the internet, but without an easy way to interact with it while driving. Extending access to vehicle controls could lead to programs like Pandora or Google's turn by turn navigation letting users change stations with their existing stereo knobs, or listen to directions via the in-car system by simply updating their existing software. The first ones to get a crack at it? A few university students, check after the break to see what they came up with given just a few weeks to test system out. %Gallery-80570%
