Technology Round-up: Autonet Mobile WiFi

This week I discovered an article about a company called Autonet who for over the past three years has spent their time implementing solutions to their new product allowing wireless internet to be available in most automobile's. I feel this is an interesting topic to read about considering the recent exponential growth of how much families use the internet on a daily basis. Well autonet seems to be another innovative way to allow internet users to not be without internet in yet another place like our vehicles.

The article is called GM to offer $500 Autonet Mobile WiFi Option in Select Vehicles > Engadget
By: Darren Murph

As expected higher end car makers such as Cadilac have already made the option of WiFi available to their newest customers. However, Autonet's CEO Sterling Pratz out of San Fransisco, has recent partnerships with many GM brands and other car manufacturers soon to follow. They say to expect to see dealer installed possible options for Autonet WiFi in many of this coming year new vehicle especially SUV's, crossover's, trucks and mini-vans. The reason for this is because the technology is so new and semi pricey it seems logical for them to target the more family driven vehicles allowing people in the back seats to enjoy watching movies online, facebook and surfing the web. While people in the front seats will be able to stream internet radio through their automobiles now as well. Autonet is expected to be approximatley $499 for installation and at least $29 per month to activate. Once activated it will produce an internet connection for users so long as they are within 150 feet from the car. Which should not be a problem for most people.

I think that the Autonet product is a great piece of new technology to add to our lives, which is why I chose to share this article with you. It will enable many small businesses to stay connected as well as teams to communicate more frequently. Also families are able to use the internet when traveling which aids long car rides for children. It can only make us wonder where we will be able to access the internet next! Check out the movie clip below found on Jay Leno's Garage site, with Jay Leno and Sterling Pratz, Autonet's CEO!

Clip from Jay Leno's Garage

Technology Round-up: Sony's 360-degree 3D Display (blows minds)

This week I found an article which involves a prototype developed by Sony which was very intriguing because of its most recent use of ever evolving technology. The article which was featured by Engadget is titled: Sony’s 360-degree 3D display (blows minds) By: Thomas Ricker

Sony has recently discovered a brand new exciting way to display images and graphics via a 360-degree 3D display no larger than a blender or a small coffee maker. Just a short time ago Sony presented their new invention/creations prototype a Digital Convention Expo in Tokyo and people have been ranting and raving about their new prototype technology which they are being very careful to not let out any specifics or secrets. The only note they would make about how they were able to develop this new display was the fact that they utilize LED lighting display technology similar to what has been used in many devices people have been using for years.

For such a small device the object is only 13 centimeters in diameter and 27 centimeters tall with a screen resolution of 96 X 128 pixels which is not very close to what we are used to viewing, considering High Definition 1080 pixel screens. However, the new Sony display has shocked many due to images being displayed surprisingly clear and sharp. Although, their concept with this prototype was to develop a 360-degree and 3-Dimensional display platform, many people could speculate it would not take long for them to develop technology to enhance the pixels and quality of the screen resolution. Moreover, the next step for Sony is going to be to take their prototype and make another with a much bigger screen, but this should take about one year to develop, where as the original prototype took three years to complete. After the completion of their larger one in 2010 they will be addressing the issue of applications of their product as well as release it into the market place.


Check out this video about the Sony 360-degree 3D display:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lAS55_RngoQ

Technology Round-up: TV Stations Start Broadcasting to Mobile Gadgets

TV Stations Start Broadcasting to Mobile Gadgets

Found Article in:

New York Times > Technology > BITS > By Saul Hansell

This article was interesting because many people have been able to watch certain movies on their mobile devices via the web for the past few years. However, over the past few year in Asia watching movies via web and broadcasting TV channels via mobile devices has been extremely popular and American companies have not yet got involved in broadcasting TV channels to mobile devices until now. Having many more options when choosing something to watch when your on a long bus ride is never a bad thing.

Currently there is a group of people at Qualcomm who are introducing Flo TV, which will broadcast 20 channels to your mobile device for about $15 a month. They are also saying that there are over 70 channels affiliated with with this new broadcasting standard and that number has potential to grow larger. We should start seeing Samsung, LG and Dell amung the first companies to produce device with this new capability already installed. It seems the drawbacks for companies getting involved in this type of product in the past had to do with the fact that in Asia the same service had been offered installed on mobile devices for free, allowing multiple free TV channels on many mobile phones and devices all over Asia. I believe that this is a great new feature to the ever so rapidly improving and changing world of technology. A feature such as live TV channels on your mobile device seems appropriate since many people watch downloaded tv shows on to ipods and many other mobile devices to watch later. This allows those people and many more who will no longer only have the option to download movies or watch movies via web sites like youtube or hulu but, everyone will now also be able to watch over 70 channels broadcast to your mobile device. I belive this is going to be a great and popular feature for anyone when waiting in an airport or on a bus etc..

Technology Round-up: Low Expectations and Windows 7

This article was discovered in the New York Times and is about the brand new and awaited Microsoft Windows 7. The reason I chose to review this article was the fact that I have always been a PC/Windows user and although not satisfied with Windows Vista I have remained loyal to the Windows operating system primarily because I have never used a MAC or Apple and am not as familiar with how everything would work or be different. Moreover, there was a lot discussed as far as Microsoft’s new highlights in business and there past decade or so of ill-fated progress.

New York Times, Technology > Business > Low Expectations and Windows 7
By: Robert Cyran and Una Galani


This article starts off discussing how the majority of the past decade was not extrodinarily impresive for Microsoft. After their biggest recent hit operating system Windows XP, which was introduced over either years ago. Microsoft has since launched Windows Vista preceding what is to be available soon Windows 7. Expected to satisfy most of the user complaints about Windows Vista, Windows 7 was developed. Although their new operating system seems much much better than Vista only time will tell after their launch. Improved from Vista, Windows 7 is expected to be a faster system and have fewer delays for the user. Interesting fact, out of 1.2 billion PC’s worldwide, one-fifth use Vista and four-fifths use XP. Furthermore, many useres who kept older computers over the past several years to avoid upgrading to Vista like most businesses are approaching an average of six years, being the time it has been since most PC users have upgraded their PC.

More recently as well as developing Windows 7 and dealing with Vista issues, Microsoft has seen it’s newest search engine Bing begin to take off and formed a partnership with Yahoo. Although, these recent highlights with Yahoo and Bing, Windows 7 is expected to be a success. However, Microsofts market share and stocks depend on Windows 7 to have a good launch and be a successful to where the majority of windows users will invest in the upgrade. If it does not go well we could see them plateau a little bit, it surely will not help their business to produce another unwanted operating system but it seems they may be able to take the hit. Then struggling for market share and the next big thing would most likely be their ticket to the top again or possibly their demise.

Technology Round-up: Autoation Software

For this week I chose the an article published September 28th, 2009 in the New York Times, telling humans to beware of a new Automation Software technology which has been in the developing stages for the past several years will begin being administered sometime in the next five years.

New York Times > Technology > Bits > Beware, Humans. The Era of Automation Software Has Begun, By: Ashley Vance

In this article, Hewlett Packard explains their plans for launching their newly developed Automation Software, which has intentions of replacing duties which were done prior by humans. Although many companies are constantly striving to save money on labor costs and this could be a solution to many of them. It could also present the threat of more lay-offs in the future. However it should still be a huge technological advancement for Hewlett Packard, businesses, and humans.

It’s to be expected that other companies have already or will be developing similar products, but the fact remains unclear to me whether or not this would mean even higher unemployment rates in some areas. Labor arbitrage issues seem to be prevalent when discussing this new software technology. Furthermore, this software could save currently suffering companies and be proven to be attractive to large and small companies and corporations pending pricing.

In my opinion, I believe this new technology like most new technology can be a great benefit to those who understand who to use it properly and with certain regard for its consequences. This article caught my attention because it is amazing how fast new technology is launched and could change the way we live and do business.