siemens
Latest
Siemens VDO showcases electronic sign recognition
Siemens VDO -- the same in-car gurus that brought us the oh-so-snazzy eCorner contraption -- is back at it again in an attempt to jazz up the plainly styled dashboards that we've (begrudgingly) grown accustomed to. While adaptive cruise control has become somewhat commonplace in higher-end automobiles, that technology simply keeps you from resetting your speed every time the cabbie in front of you eases on and off the accelerator; Siemens' traffic sign recognition system boasts a camera attached to an internal computer which automatically recognizes common road signs and displays an alert in the driver's heads-up display. Not only will the driver see a digital rendition of the sign without taking his / her eyes too far off the road, but he / she will have the option of enabling the vehicle to dynamically adapt to changes in speed limits, theoretically eliminating any previously valid excuse you could give the boys in blue once pulled over. While we're sure those speed freaks will happily turn down this convenience on their next car purchase, those of us who need all the help we can get in taming that lead foot (and skyrocketing insurance premiums) can look for this speed-dictating option in 2008.[Via The Raw Feed]
Siemens WM16S740 washing machine takes on 14 types of stains
We love any gadget that makes our lives simpler, easier, and let's face it, cleaner. Siemens has just come out with what it claims is the first automatic anti-stain washing machine, the WM16S740, which purports to contain 14 special cycles to counter a corresponding 14 devious stains: we're presuming that includes ones like red wine, chocolate, butter, tomato sauce, and (hopefully) blood. As if that weren't enough, if you need your get-lucky shirt right now -- you know, the one you accidentally nervously spilled a glass of pinot noir on a few hours before your hot date -- fear no more. This new washer will finish a complete cycle, including rinsing and spinning, in only 15 minutes. How much for this super-washer? Only €1,000 ($1,266) -- but no word yet on how much more you'll have to drop for a 15-minute companion dryer. [Via Appliancist]
BenQ pulls the plug on its German mobile division
Auf wiedersehen, BenQ-Siemens, we hardly knew ye. Yes, the struggling German mobile division of BenQ has just filed for bankruptcy protection as per orders from BenQ headquarters in Taiwan. The International Herald Tribune reports that BenQ estimated the company has lost $762 million on the mobile division (which employs 3,000 workers) since it took over the Siemens business in October 2005. Further, The Associated Press adds that the German division will be completely excised from BenQ "financially and operationally once the bankruptcy protection is approved." It's too bad that we won't have the maker of "feminine luxury" or of the "Treo 600-killing" P50 to kick around anymore, because really, who doesn't love a good underdog? Read - IHTRead - AP[Thanks, Antti]
BenQ-Siemens' SL80 offers "feminine luxury"
Siemens' SL75 slider is all growed up now, and besides adding 5 to the model number, the SL80 (now by BenQ-Siemens, of course) seems to have developed an affinity for the fairer sex. Unlike its older sibling, the SL80 is only available in the decidedly feminine "Mauve Sensation," and BenQ is pulling no punches in saying the phone is aimed squarely at women. Skimming through the specs, it seems to be a modest upgrade from the SL75, offering an identical shell and button layout, the same tri-band GSM and EDGE support, 1.3-megapixel camera, 52MB of internal memory, Bluetooth, and music player. In fact, the more we look, the more it seems the SL80 is just a pink SL75. The boys among us are feeling far less excluded now than they were a few minutes ago; as for the ladies, you can pick up your own Mauve Sensation starting in October.[Via Slashphone]
BenQ-Siemens' Hello Kitty-themed AL61
We've certainly seen our fair share of Hello Kitty products -- heck, we've even gone through a few Hello Kitty cellphones -- but what BenQ-Siemens' Hello Kitty AL61 lacks in originality, it makes up in brand recognition (bear in mind the last Hello Kitty-themed handset we saw came from Taiwan's OKWAP). The AL61 is a fairly pedestrian slider, offering a marginal 130 x 130 display with not a camera to be found, but of course the draw here is what you get on the side: themed wallpapers, ringtones, games, and so on, not to mention the soft pink / translucent white case that only a die-hard Hello Kitty fan could love. Look for the handset to land in markets worldwide as soon as this month. Or, as in our case, don't look for it.
Siemens VDO shows off eCorner motor-in-hub concept
We've seen various implementations of all these assorted next-gen car technologies that Siemens got ahold of for their new eCorner system, but they've managed to squeeze them all into a single wheel, creating quite an interesting system for use with fuel cell or hybrid cars. First off, there's an electronic motor integrated into the wheel hub, allowing for more efficient power use and independent rotation from the rest of the car. Next up is an active suspension system and Siemens' very own electronic wedge brake (EWB). Finally, the independent steer-by-wire function built into the wheel allows for some very interesting maneuverability. Siemens expect cars that would use such functionality to be common in 15 years or so, but we hope we don't have to wait that long for all the fun and power savings this system promises.[Via Autoblog]
Europeans working on anti-hijacking software
Even though air travel has gotten marginally safer since the tragedies of 9/11 -- thanks in part to fortified cockpits, increased air marshal presence, and a ban on toenail clippers -- it still doesn't seem impossible for a group of determined individuals to hijack a plane and turn it into a deadly missile. And should such a suicide-style attack happen again, the only surefire way of protecting targets on the ground would seem to be shooting the plane out of the air -- a nightmare scenario that no one wants to see. Well, soon airlines may have another, much safer option at their disposal in the form of a software platform being developed by a consortium of 30-odd European businesses and research institutes that would make an aircraft's systems completely unusable in the event of a cockpit breach -- control of the plane would be passed to officials on the ground -- even if one of the hijackers was among the 1337est of hackers. The $45 million program is being spearheaded by Airbus (already big fans of auto-pilot), Siemens, and the Technical University of Munich, with the first results of the collaboration scheduled to be revealed at an October conference in the UK. Here's to hoping that the group comes up with a working solution sooner rather than later, because this is one technology that just can't be deployed quickly enough.
Siemens SL-65 Interceptor spy phone
So the premise of spying on someone, whatever the reasons, is definitely not new to cellphones. The incessant paranoia keeps gadgets like these popping up every so often -- but the Siemens SL-65 takes high-end voyeurism to an even darker corner. As you'd probably imagine, you dial up the device's super-secret number to instantly surreptitious listen in on whatever's happening up to five meters away from the mic. For even more "proof" of an ongoing scandal, the phone will automatically send the caller an SMS whenever a call is made or received, so you can spend ever more time wondering who's calling at 1:00AM. Spyphones even goes so far as claiming no technician can ever identify its secretive nature (unless of course they read Engadget), but at €1,699.00 ($2,169.96 USD), the SL-65 is only slightly less expensive than a private investigator -- and we do stress slightly. [Via MobileWhack]
Orbitel, Siemens roll out WiMax in Colombia
Hot on the heels of last week's WiBro rollout in South Korea, Colombian long-distance operator Orbitel has teamed up with hardware manufacturer Siemens to deploy Latin America's first WiMax network in the city of Cali. The long-range wireless network, which will be duplicated in fourteen other cities in the upcoming months, employs Siemens' WayMax@dvantage (that's not a typo) system of base stations, modems, and monitoring and control gear to ensure interoperability with future devices based on the IEEE's 802.16e-2005 standard. WiMax is a particularly attractive option in countries whose wired infrastructures are still rather limited, allowing service providers to essentially leapfrog right over current broadband solutions and offer high-speed connections with considerably less capital expenditure. Orbitel is currently selling several service packages ranging from $39 to $325 per month, which supposedly buys you download speeds in the range of 2Mbps.[Via GigaOm]
Nokia, Siemens merging phone equipment units
Big news in the wireless industry: the Wall Street Journal is reporting that Nokia, the world's number one handset manufacturer, is planning on merging its phone equipment unit with that of Germany's Siemens AG to create a company worth an estimated $31.5 billion. Even though both parties will have equal ownership on paper, it is clear that Nokia will exert more influence on the new entity, as it will be based in Finland, led by Nokia executive Simon Beresford-Wylie, and have a board controlled by Nokia-picked members. Besides the $1.58 billion in annual savings that both companies will realize in eliminating duplicate R&D operations, the real benefit of the merger will be the stronger market position held by the combined units in the face of growing competition from Asian manufacturers. According to the Journal (subscription required, as usual), the two companies will formally announce their plans tomorrow.[Thanks, John]
The M81: BenQ-Siemens gets in touch with its sporty side
Apparently, the folks at BenQ are looking to make a run on Nokia's "active lifestyle" category of phones, unleashing the shock / splash / dust-resistant M81 today in Munich. Besides the navigation (GPS module sold seperately) and weather clients, built-in flashlight, and relatively tough exterior clad in "high-quality synthetics and rubber," not much differentiates the device from your typical midrange candybar: 900 / 1800 / 1900 GSM with EDGE data, 176 x 132 display, 1.3 megapixel camera, music player, and MicroSD slot in your choice of Graphite Black or Steel Blue. The M81 starts shipping to joggers and snowboarders in August.[Via Slashphone]
BenQ-Siemens christens Q-fi line with EF51
BenQ-Siemens has been looking to jump on the "Is it a phone? Is it a music player?" bandwagon with its Q-fi series of music-oriented devices, and although the EF51 isn't the first device announced in the series, it appears it'll be the first to ship. The EF51 is supposedly so music-oriented, in fact, that BenQ Mobile is calling it "a music device with an integrated mobile phone." It packs A2DP, which is all well and good, but what's the one thing you absolutely cannot live without in a music player, folks? That's right, memory, and BenQ has ominously left that aspect of the phone's specification off the press release. We've seen reports that the phone might be shipping with a scant 20MB, and if that's the case, the EF51 is dead in our eyes as a music device. As a phone, the EF51 holds its own on the low end with tri-band 900/1800/1900 GPRS, 1.3 megapixel camera, and a 128 x 128 display. A MiniSD slot is mercifully included, but in our opinion, a music player that can scarcely fit five MP3s without the aid of a memory card is not a music player at all. The EF51 drops this month in tri-band friendly parts of the globe.[Via Slashphone]
Moto to buy Siemens Communications?
We're not entirely sure how many more businesses Siemens has to churn through (by our count -- quite a few), but according to a report in German paper Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung, Siemens may be looking to unload Siemens Communications, furthering an exit from the telecommunications industry after last year's sale of their handset business to BenQ. According to Frankfurter's sources, talks maybe ongoing with at least one prospective buyer of S-Com, Motorola; another German publication, Manager Magazin, reported in February that Siemens spoke with Nokia on the same topic. It wouldn't be out of the realm of possibility for Siemens to drop their Communications division (which handles their money-making wireless infrastructure, and money-losing landline biz, among other things), but we'll have to keep an eye on this one.[Via GigaOM]
