Podcast: Play in new window | Embed
Tech News & Commentary
Frank in Nashville, Tennessee listens on WTN 99.7 asked us: “I had a co-worker just buy a new car and I was fascinated by all the electronics in the car. Are all electronics the same in all the vehicles on the road now or are they different? Also – he used a cell phone. All he did was speak a number and it called it. I was wondering how close they are to having like a Google search in the car where you can speak your search and it would pop up the results on a screen.”
Frank, It all depends on the make and model of the vehicle you get. Each car has different options available when purchasing cars. The more tech in the car the more expensive the vehicle will be.
Almost every new car has bluetooth capabilities and satellite radio, however you pay for the satellite radio monthly through XM Radio. There a lot of new features that you have to add into the cars, which as mentioned before increase the vehicles value. Navigation systems are very helpful because they keep you off your phone, and you’re eyes on the road more. When traveling if you select certain options it will tell you the closest gas station, restaurants, service stations, and even where there is current road construction.
As far as the Google searching in a car, we’re sure the Google self-driving cars will come with that feature later on, but your personal car will get it if it has Android Auto.
Apple has been trying to standardize in car “infotainment” systems with their CarPlay systems, but they haven’t made much progress with it so far. Google has now introduced Android Auto to compete with CarPlay, and our guess is that it will be the one more widely adopted over time. While we don’t know exactly what Apple and Google charge, we would be surprised if Apple’s CarPlay was free, just as we would be surprised if Google’s Android Auto WASN’T free.
Until one of these two standard interfaces becomes widely available, you’re stuck with the in car infotainment systems from the vehicle manufacturer, although you could purchase an aftermarket system if you found one you really liked better. What these systems can do vary widely from car maker to car maker, from model to model, and can even vary in the same model line with varying trim levels.
So you really need to check out the system in the specific vehicle you are considering buying. And yes, many infotainment systems will already give you Google Maps and its associated local search capability.
For more information tune in to Hour 2 of our podcast.
“This Week in Tech History” Weekly Feature with Chris Graveline
Facebook Participation: Studies show that many people are taking their work home with them and sometimes, even on vacation to stay caught-up. Are you one of those? What are your thoughts?
Shawn in Irving, Texas shares: I’m not going to take any work with me this vacation time. Normally I have to be prepared at any given moment so my work does follow me often. I am not a fan of working at home unless it is critical.
Intern Michael said: that personally if I’m vacation, I would not take work with me on my vacation. I may be more apt to take it home though depending on how high of an importance the project is that I’m working on.
Jane from Holcombe, Wisconsin stated: I take work home with me all the time, at least two or three times a week, I have no choice, it’s either stay at school a couple extra hours or do it while sitting in my chair at home. I have only taken work with me on vacation once but again it was because I had to get it done, no choice.
Stuart says: I’m as guilty as the next. I do it, but not 100% of the time. Doing it even 10 or 20%, we are only cheating ourselves of our personal time. It’s the American way. We’re trained to believe how important our work is from an early time in our business life. European countries have the right idea on work ethics. We as humans, need our personal time, if only to keep ourselves in check. We give way more to our employers than we should. We shouldn’t be guilted into it
Alonzo shared: Definitely one of those.
Dr. Fitzgerald asked us: “I’m trying to figure out how to acquire a Windows 8 computer to function as a fax machine with a fax modem. this option came standard on many XP computers. I am a medical professional and I am working toward building a “paperless office.” I do not like to use email to send and receive sensitive documents and I don’t want to use a third party and pay for such a basic service. Any ideas.”
To set up your Windows 8 as a fax machine, first make sure your fax modem is properly installed and is plugged into a standard phone line. To begin the process search for “Windows FAX and Scan” from your start screen. At the bottom left, click “Fax”, and then click “New Fax” and it should launch the Fax Setup Wizard. Lastly, click “Connect To a Fax Modem”.
Keep in mind that you’re going to need to connect your computer to a phone line, and new computers don’t always come with built-in fax modems that you can connect to a phone jack. You can resolve that by buying an external one that you can plug in to a USB port, or you can use an online service, since you want to avoid third parties, that leaves you with the external modem option, so you may need to make that small investment.
Do keep in mind that fax modems are not standard equipment on computers these days, as they once were in times past. So you will need to buy a fax modem. Most fax modems sold today are USB devices that look like a short, fat cable. (We’d call them a “dongle,” but that’s the kind of word that just sounds naughty.) The good news is that a USB fax modem costs anywhere between $20 and $50, so they’re not expensive.
For more information tune in to Hour 2 of our podcast.
Guest Segment:
John Cariola, Doctor of Audiology – Beltone
CEA Update with Allison Fried
The Consumer Electronics Association has been expanding its international footprint for three years now, hosting its marquee CES Unveiled events in target countries around the world. And this week in Shanghai, CEA made a major announcement about plans for growth. Allison Fried explains in this week’s CEA Update.
Product Spotlight: FAKE TV
It’s a cool little device that acts like a TV. This nifty little thing is called Fake TV, which is a burglar deterrent, it flashes, flickers, and fades.
So when you’re outside looking in it appears that someone is home. There 3 devices the FTV-7 which is the basic version that costs about $25 dollars, the FTV -10 model which about 5 buck more adding a timer setting feature putting it at $30 dollars, and lastly the FTV-11 which has a light sensor for the timer setting and it’s brighter than the two lower end models.
Being that it’s better you would expect it to cost a lot more,but really it doesn’t. It’s only will cost 10 dollars more. That’s under 50 bucks for these neat little devices that could potentially deter those thieves from even stepping foot into your home.
Mark in Erie, Pennsylvania asked us: “Do they have a 3D projector, something like the little robot had on Star Wars?”
Mark, The “little robot” on Star Wars? We presume you mean R2D2. If that’s the case, that was a pretty simple holographic projector. Sure, holographic projectors exist! And they’re 3D also. But they don’t project realistic “solid” images that appear real, no matter what you see on Star Trek or Star Wars or Star Anything. Holographic projectors are clearly projected images. The 3D is useful for getting a depth perspective on the projected image, but it’s not capable of fooling anyone into thinking the projection is anything but what it is.
Holographic projectors come in various sizes and sophistication levels, depending on what you want to do. Any of them capable of projecting large images, multicolored images, or images of multiple objects at once will be quite expensive. The ones you see advertised cheaply on the Internet are fairly simple devices.
Although oddly enough, almost all of them can project the same image of Princess Leia that the little robot did.
If you want to see modern 3D holograms in action here’s a video of a hologram performing at a music show. It’s not by any means projected by a cheap consumer device, this is expensive pro stuff, and it still looks like you’re watching a ghost about to chase Scooby and Shaggy off the stage, rather than a performer.
For more information tune in to Hour 2 of our podcast.
This Week’s Prizes for Our Listeners
Other World Computing (OWC): NUGUARD KX – Kinectic Energy X-Orbing Case for Samsung Galaxy S4
Joos: Portable Solar Chargers – gives you power anywhere there is sun.
Tylt: ENERGI Travel Chargers with USB ports and built-in cables for iPhones and Micro USB devices
“Into Tomorrow”: Microfiber Screen Cleaning Cloths with Dave’s cartoon on them, for all your smartphones, tablets, TVs, camera lenses and computer screens!