iPhone camera being used for traffic light testing
A group of researchers at MIT and Princeton University are testing to figure out how to best save fuel when stopping and re-starting cars at traffic lights, and they're using the iPhone to do so. The smartphone is mounted on the car's dashboard, and uses the camera and GPS information in a system called SignalGuru that tells the driver when it's best to slow the car down in order to save fuel (so you're not always revving up the engine and then having to put on the brakes when the next light pops up). The system works, apparently, and in Cambridge, MA testing, fuel consumption was cut down by 20 percent.The system was also tested in Singapore, where most traffic lights change the length they're displayed based on the traffic around them. In that area, as opposed to the US (where lights are generally on fixed schedules), the prediction mechanism didn't work quite as well. It was off by up to two seconds, say the researchers.It sounds like any indication can be helpful. It's hard to see if this is something that could eventually make its way to the consumer market -- more likely it would be used in commercial vehicles as a solution. But you never know -- if the system works on an iPhone and there's an in-car mount that's standardized enough to work at the right angles, your phone could be telling you when to slow down on the road, and saving you money at the same time._______________________
Sprint Apple iPhone 5 Rumor: Five Question
A group of researchers at MIT and Princeton University are testing to figure out how to best save fuel when stopping and re-starting cars at traffic lights, and they're using the iPhone to do so. The smartphone is mounted on the car's dashboard, and uses the camera and GPS information in a system called SignalGuru that tells the driver when it's best to slow the car down in order to save fuel (so you're not always revving up the engine and then having to put on the brakes when the next light pops up). The system works, apparently, and in Cambridge, MA testing, fuel consumption was cut down by 20 percent.
The latest iPhone rumor is a big one: Sprint will reportedly be getting Apple's iPhone 5 along with AT&T and Verizon wireless when the phone launches in mid-October, according to the Wall Street Journal's unnamed sources.If true, it'd be a big boost for Sprint, which has struggled to compete with its larger rivals. But the rumor of a Sprint iPhone 5 leaves several questions unanswered. Here's what I'm still wondering:Will There Be 4G?
We've heard rumors that Apple is testing 4G LTE in its stores and iniPhones, but it's unlikely that Apple thinks the technology is ready for this generation of hardware. Sprint's WiMax 4G, however, has been available in smartphones since 2010, so there's been a lot of time to work out the kinks. The Wall Street Journal's report says nothing about the Sprint iPhone 5's data speeds, and I doubt that other carriers would be pleased if Sprint had a speed advantage, but you never know.Read More
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Cash: iPhone 5 release date links Tim Cook to $80B Apple cell network
Memo to no-longer-interim Apple CEO Tim Cook: immediately unveil an iPhone 5 release date so you can put the news of you predecessor’s resignation behind you, and then get to the task of building that in-house cellular network which you and the Apple braintrust have long had in mind for that eighty billion dollars you’ve got lying around in cash – but don’t settle for buying Verizon or AT&T. The resignation of Steve Jobs from Apple’s CEO position is significant external news but doesn’t change the way in which Apple has been operating. Cook has been acting CEO for some time now, with Jobs officially on “medical leave” but always at company headquarters, heading up whichever products he sees fit. Jobs is also staying on board as chairman, which means he still controls the company. And Tim Cook is his hand-picked successor, which means the corporate vision doesn’t change. But job one for Cook is to bury the story of his ascent, as it’s not one which helps Apple. The sooner it’s buried, the better. And the iPhone 5, which Apple has been typically silent about even as the iPhone 4 era has inexplicably dragged on yell beyond its expected year, is the only story big enough to push “Steve Jobs quits” from the headlines.__________________________________________________________________________________
Mac OS X Lion Available Today From the Mac App Store
July 20, 2011
Apple announced that Mac OS X Lion — the eighth major release of the world’s most advanced operating system — is avail
able today as a download from the Mac App Store for $29.99. Lion offers more than 250 new features, including Multi-Touch gestures; systemwide support for full screen apps; Mission Control, a bird’s eye view of everything running on your Mac; Launchpad, a new home for all your apps; and a completely redesigned Mail app.Read more: apple.com/macosx
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New, Faster MacBook Air
July 20, 2011
Apple today updated the MacBook Air with next-generation Intel Core processors, high-speed Thunderbolt I/O t
echnology, a backlit keyboard, and Mac OS X Lion, the world’s most advanced operating system. With up to 2.5x the performance of the previous generation, flash storage for instant-on responsiveness, and a compact design so portable you can take it everywhere, MacBook Air is the ultimate everyday notebook. MacBook Air starts at $999 (US) and is available for order today and in stores tomorrow. Read more: apple.com/macbookair
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Apple Introduces World’s First Thunderbolt Display
July 20, 2011
Apple today unveiled the new Apple Thunderbolt Display, the world’s first display with Thunderbolt I/O technolo
gy and the ultimate docking station for your Mac notebook. With just a single cable, you can connect a Thunderbolt-enabled Mac to the 27-inch Apple Thunderbolt Display and access its FaceTime camera, high-quality audio, and Gigabit Ethernet, FireWire 800, USB 2.0, and Thunderbolt ports. The new display features a thin aluminum and glass enclosure and includes a MagSafe connector that charges your MacBook Pro or MacBook Air. Read more: apple.com/displays
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Apple Updates Mac mini
July 20, 2011
Apple today updated the Mac mini with next-generation Intel Core processors, new discrete graphics, high-speed Thunderbolt I/O technology, and Lion, the world’s most advanced operating system. The new Mac mini delivers up to twice the processor and graphics performance of the previous generation in the same amazingly compact and efficient aluminum design. Starting at just $599 (US), the new Mac mini is available for order today and in stores tomorrow. Read more: apple.com/macmini
