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Garmin's smartphone-compatible HUD makes an appearance at IFA 2013, we go eyes-on
The connected car concept has gained plenty of traction, but not everyone can afford an Audi or BMW to get that functionality built in. Deutsche Telekom's hoping to bring a taste of that luxury to the masses by pairing its Navigon Telekom Edition app with Garmin's heads-up display. This version of the app, available exclusively for German customers, brings heads-up directions, speed limit and other important stats to the HUD, provided it's connected to your smartphone via Bluetooth. Garmin's dash-mounted hardware is already available stateside for $150, but it's up for grabs here at IFA for €149. We go eyes-on in the gallery below. Zach Honig contributed to this report. Follow all of our IFA 2013 coverage by heading to our event hub!
Testing the Garmin Heads Up Display (HUD) for navigation
Garmin is just beginning to ship the company's first HUD (heads-up display) unit for in-car use with Garmin and Navigon apps. The U.S. $129.99 device (sale pricing for the summer) sits on your dash, and can project navigation information on your windshield using a supplied transparent film or a built-in reflector. DESIGN The unit plugs into a 12-volt supply in your car with an included cable and then connects to your iPhone via Bluetooth. The HUD notifies the driver of upcoming turns with an arrow in the appropriate direction and the distance until the turn. It also gives you your estimated time of arrival at your destination, along with your current speed. It also notes the speed limit for the road you are on if that data is in the Garmin or Navigon databases. (Most public roads are.) Turn by turn spoken directions come through your phone speaker. The hardware does nothing on its own, so if you don't already have the Garmin Street Pilot or Navigon apps, you'll need to include those in the projected cost. %Gallery-195858% FUNCTIONALITY I gave the Garmin HUD a lengthy test today. Pairing the unit with my iPhone was quick and easy. After the link was successful, I received a message that there was a firmware update needed. I downloaded that through the Navigon app I was using. On a 4G connection, it took less than a minute. Then I was off. I selected a destination, and the navigation information was instantly posted to the HUD. I was afraid the display would be dim in the bright Arizona sunlight, but the display was easily visible. In the gallery below, you'll see 2 sample photos of the display that I took when the sky was bright. The HUD also has automatic brightness control so it won't blind you at night. It was a pleasure driving with the Garmin HUD. Even with my car navigation system, I am always taking my eyes off the road. With the HUD, I can keep my attention on the road, even though my eyes need to refocus on the HUD screen. I only saw one glitch with the unit; when I was driving on a road where Navigon did not know the local speed limit, the estimated speed I was driving was about double the real thing. I did not see this error when the HUD was displaying the speed limit and my current speed. This should be an easy fix, but you have to wonder how the error slipped through quality control. I wasn't wild about the power cable hanging from my dash, but I understand the HUD has power requirements that would make battery operation impractical. I didn't try the stick-on film (knowing I would have to pull it off to return the sample unit), but the add-on reflector lens worked great. It also means the HUD is great for travel, because it can be placed on the dashboard of any rental car. The HUD unit has a sticky bottom, and even during some aggressive turning on winding roads I never saw the HUD move. I didn't expect to like the Garmin HUD, but I really did. After I got used to it, driving without the HUD felt a bit naked and unsafe. PROS Easy to install and pair Easy to upgrade firmware Integrates perfectly with Garmin and Navigon apps Bright display even in lots of sunlight Should provide additional safety factor to keep your eyes on the road Can easily be moved from car to car using reflector lens CONS Power cord hangs from dash Speed not always reported correctly -- firmware bug Pricey (It's on sale this summer for $129.99 but will then go up to $149.99)
Garmin announces a portable heads-up display for StreetPilot and Navigon apps
Garmin is bringing something new to smartphone navigation in cars. Today, the company announced the late summer availability of a portable heads-up display (HUD) for iPhones running the Garmin StreetPilot app or a Navigon app. The unit will retail for US$129.99. "HUD redefines the navigation experience by allowing drivers to find their way without taking their eyes off the road," said Dan Bartel, Garmin vice president of worldwide sales. "Head-up displays currently have their place in select high-end cars, but HUD makes this technology available as an aftermarket accessory for any vehicle, at an affordable price." The unit, designed to sit on your dashboard, will provide turn-by-turn navigation, plus distance to the next turn, current speed, speed limit and estimated time of arrival. It even lets drivers know what lane to be in for the next maneuver and alerts them when they exceed the speed limit. HUD also warns users of potential traffic delays and upcoming safety camera locations if that is a feature of the navigation software you are using. The display automatically adjusts the brightness level so the image is visible in direct sunlight or at night. Hooking up the unit requires power from your car, and the HUD has a USB port so your iPhone can be plugged in and charged from the device itself. Garmin will ship the unit with a transparent film for the windshield or a reflector lens. The film pasted on your windshield could give a purchaser pause, plus setting it all up will make for a tangle of cables at the top of the dashboard. Given the always-on nature of the display, battery operation is probably not an option. The Garmin HUD is an interesting idea as an after-market device. Heads-up displays are increasingly popular as built-in features of some of the latest cars. We'll have a review unit shortly and will let you know how it works.
Garmin's $130 smartphone HUD limits distractions with line-of-sight directions
We've become so dependent on GPS that a three-minute drive often means frequent glances at an in-car navigation companion. But taking your eyes off the road can be very dangerous, even if it's only for a moment. If you're fortunate enough to have one, a head-up display will let you get to your destination efficiently and safely, and Garmin's got a new aftermarket solution to keep you cruising on the cheap. The company's new HUD projects bright directions onto a transparent film mounted on your windshield, serving up guidance within your regular line of sight. The simple interface displays your current speed and the speed limit, turn arrows, the distance until your next turn and an ETA. The Garmin HUD is compatible with Bluetooth-equipped smartphones running Garmin StreetPilot and Navigon apps. It's expected in stores this summer with a MSRP of $129.99.
Recon Jet HUD now available for pre-order in $499 Pilot Edition
Want to embrace Recon Instruments' sunglasses-based vision of the future before it officially reaches store shelves? You can: the company has just started pre-orders for its Jet heads-up display in a $499 Pilot Edition. The inaugural eyewear will come with apps for both cyclists and triathletes, and it should beat the production model to market by several months. There's even a financial incentive for that impatience, as the pricing goes up to $599 on July 21st. If you don't mind a potentially rough experience while tracking your mid-race performance, the Pilot Edition is waiting at the source link.
Harman preps in-car infotainment with Android, shows concept with gestures and HUD
Harman often works behind the scenes to supply the infotainment systems for the cars we know. This year, it's hoping to catch more of the limelight by putting mobile front and center. Its high-end car system for 2013 runs a unique virtualized platform that keeps vital car functions running on QNX, with an Android-based interface on top: drivers will have access to Android's usual app suite as well as an automaker-run app store. While exacting details aren't available, Harman does promise integration with mobile devices (including Apple's Siri and Google Voice Search) as well as an interface that expands the touch target when fingers get close. If that's not sufficiently future-forward, the company also has a potentially distraction-free infotainment concept waiting in the wings. While the prototype isn't quite groundbreaking in carrying a heads-up display with augmented reality information, it builds in a pair of gesture control sensors as well; drivers won't have to take their eyes off the road, or their hands off the wheel, just to decline a call. Harman is likewise promising LTE data and a possible smart grid tie-in that shows messages only when the car is stopped at a red light. Any adoption of the infotainment updates will depend on car manufacturers lining up at an unspecified point in the future, but those who can't wait can learn more (including word of a third, basic system) after the break.
Texas Instruments reveals plans for DLP and OMAP-powered automotive infotainment and HUD systems
Texas Instruments has already shown off some new DLP technology here at CES, shrinking it down and shoving it into phones packed with pico projectors. It's not done, however, as TI has plans to put DLP into next-gen car infotainment and HUD systems. Why the shift into automotive? Well, TI already makes infrared cameras, sensors and other components for cars, and because infotainment systems are becoming de rigeur, DLP based systems are the next logical move for the company. TI thinks DLP is a perfect fit for cars because it delivers higher brightness, wider field of view and better color reproduction than competing display technologies, and it can be used in curved displays. Plus, DLP-based HUD displays can be optimally positioned and changed in size on the fly based on drivers seating positions. To power those systems, TI has also announced a new OMAP 5 chip codenamed Jacinto 6 tailor made for automotive applications. It's got two Cortex A15 cores, two Cortex M4 cores and PowerVR SGX-544 graphics to provide ample computing power and electrical efficiency. We won't be seeing DLP in-dash systems in showrooms anytime soon -- Jacinto 6 won't go into production until 2014 -- but TI has brought a few concept systems to CES, and you can see one of them in a demo video after the break. Oh, and we'll be bringing you an in-person look at TI's wares from the show floor later this week, so stay tuned. Follow all the latest CES 2013 news at our event hub.
Recon updates its HUD tech, adds new view modes to MOD Live
Heads-up MOD Live lovers: Recon's ready to update that ski slope tech with a fresher look. Available now on the company's dedicated Engage site, is a software package that enhances the goggle's current feature set with the addition of three view modes. Leveraging the unit's inbuilt GPS, the new Radar setting allows users to gain more accurate positioning info, keep close tabs on fellow skiers, as well as access interactive resort maps. Users keen on a more up-close look at the surrounding slopes can shift into Perspective mode, which handily tracks head orientation. And lastly, for a pared-down experience, there's a compass overlay that provides users with a more "traditional" means of navigation. If you haven't already jump started your HUD-infused mask with this latest OS, you can head to the source below to get started.
WSJ gets early, slightly uncomfortable look at Google's Project Glass
It's about time someone got the chance to test-drive Google's $1,500 smart-glasses independently, without any rose-colored lenses getting in the way. The Wall Street Journal's Spencer E. Ante just became that lucky person -- he played with prototype specs for 10 minutes and described them as a "wearable smartphone" that weighs just "a few ounces" and is smoothly controlled by voice commands. Saying "OK, Glass" brought up a menu in front of his right eye that made it "easy" to record stills or video, although unfortunately the device wasn't quite ready to show off any phone, messaging or navigation functions. Overall, Ante acknowledged the "long-term potential" of Project Glass, but in its current form he found the HUD to be "disorienting" and "uncomfortable" -- partly because he instinctively kept closing his left eye to make it all work. Clearly Google still has some work to do if the device is to make a better first impression, but no doubt there's also room for acclimatization on the wearer's part. If the military can get along with this type of eyewear, then hopefully so can everyone else.
Editorial: Engadget on EyeTap, Project Glass and the future of wearable cameras
Summer in Paris -- you can't walk a block on Champs-Élysées without locking eyes with at least one camera-equipped tourist. But Steve Mann's shooter wasn't dangling from his shoulder and neck; it was mounted on his head, with a design strikingly similar to Google's Project Glass. Unlike that mainstream Mountain View product, however, Mann's version has reportedly been around in one form or another for 34 years, and was designed with the objective of aiding vision, rather than capturing stills and video or providing a bounty of database-aided readouts. It's also street-ready today. While on vacation with his family, the Ontario-based "father of wearable computing" was sporting his EyeTap as he walked down the aforementioned French avenue, eventually entering a McDonald's to refuel after a busy day of sightseeing. He left without his ranch wrap, but with seriously damaged hardware. What allegedly occurred inside the restaurant is no doubt a result of the increasing presence and subsequent awareness of connected cameras, ranging from consumer gear to professional surveillance equipment. As Mann sat to eat, he writes that a stranger approached him then attempted to pull off his glasses, which, oddly, are permanently affixed to his skull. The man, at that point joined by one other patron and someone that appeared to be a McDonald's employee, then pushed Mann out of the store and onto the street. As a result of the attack, the eyewear malfunctioned, resulting in the three men being photographed. It wouldn't be terribly difficult for police to identify those involved, but this encounter may have greater implications. McDonalds has since launched an investigation into the matter and seems to be denying most of the claims, but it'll be some time yet before the full truth is uncovered. Still, the whole ordeal got us at Engadget thinking -- is the planet ready for humans to wear video recorders, and will it ever shake a general unease related to the threat of a world filled with omnipresent cameras? Join us past the break for our take.
Recon goggles gain Facebook integration and augmented reality at Google I/O (hands-on video)
Remember that Android SDK Recon Instruments finally unveiled for its heads-up display goggles? Well the company was showing off the fruits of its labor here at Google I/O 2012 with two demos -- specifically two-way Facebook integration and augmented reality using a Contour camera. In the first demo, the goggles are paired over Bluetooth with an app running on an Android phone. Each time you jump while snowboarding or skying, the accelerometer data from the goggles is sent to the handset which posts a graphic to Facebook showing the distance, height and duration of your flight. Any comments made to the post are then immediately relayed back to the heads-up display. The second demo uses a Contour camera attached to the goggles and paired via Bluetooth. As you look around, the output from the camera appears on the heads-up display augmented with labels showing the location and distance of the nearby train stations based on the compass and GPS data from the goggles. Pretty cool, eh? Check out the gallery below and hit the break for our two hands-on videos.%Gallery-159495%
Mischo Erban breaks skateboard speed record, captures the run with camera-equipped Recon
We know Quebec well for its maple syrup, poutine and fresh mountain air, but the French Canadian province also has a more sprightly side, renewing our neighbor to the north's status in the athletic arena from time to time as well. This month, it's BC native Mischo Erban, who broke a Guinness World Record for the "fastest skateboard speed from a standing position" with a 129.94 km/h (80.74 mph) downhill run. Better yet, Erban caught the record-breaking journey with his custom-built Recon heads-up display / camera combo mounted inside a rather beastly jet-black helmet. The Android-powered HUD theoretically enabled Erban to know he broke the record before he even came to a stop, while also motivating him to keep pushing as he approached that 130 kilometers-per-hour top speed. There's no way to replicate the feeling of flying down a hill aboard a skateboard at 80 miles-per-hour without hopping on some wheels of your own, but you can get a taste of the action in the new record holder's POV video after the break.
Google patent application could give Project Glass one true ring controller to rule them all
Let's face it: right now, the head nods and other rudimentary controls of Google's Project Glass are mostly useful for looking good, sharing photos and not much else. A US patent application submitted last September and just now published, however, raises the possibility of more sophisticated control coming from your hands. A ring, a bracelet or a even a fake fingernail with an infrared-reflective layer would serve as a gesture control marker for a receiver on heads-up display glasses. Having this extra control would give the glasses-mounted computing room to grow by learning gestures, and it could even depend on multiple ornaments for more sophisticated commands -- at least, if you don't mind looking like a very nerdy Liberace. We can imagine the headaches a hand-based method might cause for very enthusiastic talkers, among other possible hiccups, so don't be surprised if Project Glass goes without any kind of ring input. That said, we suspect that Sauron would approve.
Ubuntu 12.04 Precise Pangolin review
With roughly 98 percent of the desktop and laptop market spoken for, you'd be forgiven for thinking your only choices for powering your computer were Windows or Mac OS X. There is another way, though. Linux may only run on a tiny sliver of consumer PCs, but the number is growing and one of the biggest players propelling its popularity is Ubuntu. Since bursting on the scene eight years ago, the distro has grown to dominate the desktop Linux market and made plenty of fans (and a few detractors) along the way. Truth is, Ubuntu is completely unique and, at least compared to other distros out there, very user-friendly. It also happens to have a very active community of developers and users willing to lend help to those in need, which makes it appealing to Linux vets, enterprise users and *nix n00bs alike. Ubuntu 12.04 Precise Pangolin is part of the company's LTS or Long Term Support series, and is guaranteed for five years of support through Canonical. That means the company is focusing less on cramming new features into this release and more on making it as stable as possible. So, if you're familiar with Ubuntu, you won't find much here that will blow your mind. Of course, the real question is whether or not the aubergine-loving open-source OS is for you, not whether there's enough new tweaks to fill a book. So, without further ado, we present Ubuntu 12.04: the review. Join us after the break, won't you?
Project Glass makes a TV appearance on Charlie Rose, flashes its rear for the cameras
Google fellow, founder of Project X and self-driving car pioneer Sebastian Thrun became the latest to publicly rock a Project Glass prototype (after company co-founder Sergey Brin) on a recent episode of Charlie Rose, and managed to show off a whole new side of the project in the process. While the 19-minute interview was mostly unremarkable product-wise with a focus on higher education and his Udacity project, we did get to see him take a picture of the host (about a minute in) by tapping it, then posting it on Google+ by nodding twice. Also, as Electronista points out, in a brief reverse shot (17:20) of Thrun we see for the first time what appears to be a small battery pack / transmitter portion lodged behind his ear. Of course, we're still not any closer to rocking the latest in bionic man-chic ourselves, but at least we can start getting fitted for one now.
Ubuntu 12.04 LTS Precise Pangolin hits the web, with HUD in tow
It's here! Precise Pangolin or, as it's officially known, Ubuntu 12.04 LTS. Canonical's latest is now available in its final(ish) form and ready for you to download, burn and install. While LTS (Long Term Support) releases are generally more conservative in their application of new features, Pangolin does include some rather notable tweaks. The most immediately noticeable will be the new log in screen which, while largely the same, does have the slick new trick of changing wall papers to match the selected user. A more subtle change is revealed once you've logged on and press alt -- HUD. The new search-based menu system is quite a departure from traditional interaction models, and one that will come as a relief to those who constantly forget where a particular option is buried. Perhaps the most welcome change, though, is the vastly improved performance and power management. Ubuntu, for all of its finer points, has never been particularly battery friendly. But Canonical is promising that is going to change. We'll have to wait to find out once we get this bad boy installed on some machines of our own. You know the drill, hit up the source link to download it for yourself, for free. Update: Well, looks like all you Ubuntu fanatics have taken out the site temporarily. We're sure it'll be back soon but, in the meantime, you can still download the latest version of the OS here (magnet link). Update 2: And they're back! Also, we've now got PR after the break.
Project Glass team member shows off mockup for glasses-wearers, says it's for 'everyone'
While Google isn't ready to answer all of the questions we have about its Project Glass concept yet, a member of the team has chimed in on one of the most common questions -- could it work even the user wears prescription glasses? Industrial designer Isabelle Olsson says the team ideally wants it to work for everyone, and posted a photo of the Glass-on-glasses mockup shown above to her Google+ page. Unless you're a Google exec this doesn't bring you any closer to going retinas-on with the heads-up display / augmented reality project yourself, but hopefully it keeps the dream alive even for the near / far sighted among us.
Google co-founder Sergey Brin spotted wearing Project Glass prototype IRL
Wondering what it might be like to sport Google's Project Glass augmented reality HUD in your daily life? It would appear company co-founder Sergey Brin already knows, as he was spotted by tech pundits Robert Scoble and Thomas Hawk rocking a prototype at a Dining in the Dark charity event for the Foundation Fighting Blindness. Scoble has already posted a couple of pictures with Brin on Google+, mentioning more photos would be forthcoming from Hawk after the event concluded and that he'd heard other people, including Google exec Vic Gundotra, have the devices already. For now he mentions the glasses appeared to be "self contained" and that he could see a blueish light flashing on Brin's eyes. Hit the source link for more pics and details, we'll let you know if we find out more later -- details on where to snag a set may remain confidential until we've had a chance to try them on first, of course.
Daily iPhone App: GPS everyWhere has great promise but isn't quite finished
It's hard to do something truly new or unique when it comes to GPS software. You've got maps, a destination database, throw in some traffic and weather. I've spent a couple of days with an app called GPS everyWhere + HUD Mode. That's a mouthful, but there a quite a lot of features to talk about and some big missings. First, turn the app on in the car and you'll get your speed, a compass, your average speed, your latitude and longitude, altitude, a Google Map, temperature, weather, humidity, wind information, predicted maximum and minimum temperatures, and a choice of screen themes. Here's the gee whiz feature. There is a HUD (heads up display) mode, that reverses the screen. You put your iPhone on top of your dash, the data on screen reflects off your windshield, and you have a display superimposed on your view of the road. It works in portrait or landscape mode. The app has promise, but here are the inevitable caveats. First, this isn't a true navigation app. There's no way to set a destination and get turn-by-turn directions. Bummer. All you see is your position on a map. I'd rather get some directions than my latitude and longitude. Second, I have to question the wisdom of putting your cellphone on top of a dashboard, where your car is the hottest and the iPhone is likely to shut down with a heat alert. Finally, it's tough to see the HUD during the day, but it is excellent at night. You'll need to set the brightness of your iPhone to full, but even then driving around in a bright sunny day I couldn't see a thing. I really like the idea of this app, but it needs to be able to let you see a route to a destination. All the fresh thinking in the world won't make an app truly useful until it solves some problems for a user. If you're happy to just get weather, altitude, and see a map, this app is a great idea, especially with the HUD view at night. I'd like to see the developer move ahead with this app, because it's creative and could be useful unless you live in a warm climate. The app is a 19 MB download, requires iOS 4 or later, and runs on anything from an iPhone 3GS or later. The app is on sale for an unspecified time for $0.99 in the App Store. There's a demo video here, and note we're only seeing the HUD mode at night. %Gallery-150687%
MechWarrior Online kicks off Mech Warfare Month
Driving a multi-ton battle 'Mech isn't like picking your friend up at the 7-11 in your dad's Prius; it's a massive, complicated war machine that has to be understood before it can be wielded against foes. So if you think that piloting one in MechWarrior Online will be as simple as hitting the WASD keys and the occasional 1 or 2, think again. This is why Piranha Games has launched Mech Warfare Month on the official MWO site, giving us a full run-down of how movement and combat is handled in the game. Concepts such as 'Mech "torso twists," jump jets, environmental obstacles, and heat management have to be taken into account from the onset. To bring down the hammer on enemy 'Mechs, players will use a balance of energy, projectile, and ballistic weapons -- and they have to keep track of ammo while doing so. Piranha wraps up the post with a lengthy list of keyboard and mouse commands that will be necessary to learn for safe 'Mech operation. While the full list of controls and HUD details may send some running for their nearest touch-screen device, this level of detail is exactly what attracts such a devoted fanbase to the franchise. We're speaking with Piranha Games at GDC this week, so stay tuned for an in-depth interview as to how this game is shaping up! [Thanks to Nimsy for the tip!]