Steve Jobs, AMG, gadgets, Mercedes, Mercedes SL, Offbeat News

Steve Jobs, the charismatic founder of Apple and Pixar, was a man who changed not only the way computers are made and marketed, but also popularized a number of novel products, such as the iPhone and the iPad, which made buyers form long lines outside Apple stores and the competition always play catch-up.

Sadly, Jobs passed away on October 5 at the age of 56. After his death, one of the rumors circulating the web was that of his car’s number plate – or rather its absence.

Some said that he didn’t care about paying the fines, as he surely could afford to, while others claimed that he had somehow obtained a special permit to drive without one.

Jon Callas, who had worked in various security positions at Apple, dismissed all those rumors and revealed the truth to iTWire.

Despite his ingenious inventions, in his personal life, Jobs liked to stick with certain things, like his famous black turtleneck, jeans and sneakers. The same thing applied to his ride: he was always seen driving a silver Mercedes-Benz SL 55 AMG with no number plates.

Callas said that either Jobs himself or someone close to him discovered a loophole in the California law that gave anyone with a brand-new car a period of six months to put the number plate on the vehicle.

Apparently, Jobs had made an arrangement with the leasing company in which he would change cars every six months, giving back the silver SL 55 AMG and receiving an identical new one.

In classic Jobs style, no one knew the truth or noticed the difference. Presumably, it was a sweet deal for the leasing company as well: every six months, it could put up for sale a barely used silver SL 55 AMG that had been owned by none other than Steve Jobs himself.

So hats off to Steve Jobs who discovered another clever solution even though, he didn’t give it any publicity. May he rest in peace.

Forza Motorsport 4 BMW Competition: Play Online, Win M5 for Real!

Some may say that video game competitions are for geeks. However, something tells us that this particular competition from the makers of the Forza Motorsport racing game will attract a huge crowd, given that the winner gets to own a…brand-new BMW M5!

It sounds too good to be true: a competition giving away a 560HP twin-turbocharged saloon that can complete the 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) in 4.4 seconds?

Yet that is exactly what is being provided as a prize on the Limited Edition Forza Motorsport 4 racing simulation game for the Microsoft Xbox 360 console that features the M5 on its cover.

Starting from Friday, October 14, members of the Xbox Live community, as well as visitors to selected BMW branches, the BMW showroom in Berlin and the BMW Welt in Munich, can register to enter the BMW M5 Forza Cup competition.

The 16 fastest virtual racers will compete in the M5 Forza Cup final that will take place on November 26 at the BMW Welt. And, like we said before, the winner will take home a ring of power a real M5. Not bad at all.

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ACEA Wants Carmakers to Adopt Standardized Charging Plugs for EVs

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The European Union has already agreed with cell phone manufacturers to adopt a common charger format for their new phones. Therefore, consumers we will be able to buy a new phone without a charger, which up until now, was different to the one used by their old cellphone.

Now ACEA, the European car manufacturers association, is following the example and wants carmakers to adopt a common standard concerning chargers for their plug-in electric vehicles. To that end, it has already compiled a set of recommendations that stipulates the use of a uniform type of plug regardless of the country or power provider.

“This is a major step towards the broader introduction of electrically-charged vehicles in Europe and paves the way for a harmonized solution around the world”, said ACEA Secretary General Ivan Hodac. “We call on the European commission to adopt these recommendations and to clear remaining issues as soon as possible.”

Up until now, each manufacturer has introduced its own type of charger. A common type of chargers and charging stations will create a uniform infrastructure throughout the continent and is believed to help increase sales of electric vehicle across Europe.

According to Hodac, adopting a common standard will benefit not just the consumer, but also the carmakers and the charging stations providers: “Standardization provides predictability to investors, economies of scale and reduces costs. We have also ensured that our solution meets the highest safety standard and is easy to use.”

ACEA urges the EU to examine and approve of the new standard “as soon as possible”. Car manufacturers, on the other hand, want it implemented from 2017.

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Special Edition James Bond Book By publisher Hodder & Stoughton has joined forces with Bentley Motors

Bentley Joins Celebrations for New James Bond Book with Collector’s Edition

In celebration of the upcoming release of Carte Blanche, the new James Bond book by Jeffery Deaver, publisher Hodder & Stoughton has joined forces with Bentley Motors to create an exclusive special edition that will be available in a strictly limited number of 500 copies. These are available for order from today, Tuesday 26 April 2011, exactly a month before the book reaches retailers' shelves.

The Bentley special edition of Carte Blanche encompasses the book in a polished aluminum case that evokes the Continental GT’s shape, with the metal skin designed to look like the car has risen from the desert sand. The book itself is wrapped in the same, high-quality white Nappa leather with red seams found inside the GT, while the pages are edged in red. In addition, the title of the book, the author’s name and the wings of the Bentley logo are embossed into the front and foil-blocked onto the spine, while the pages are said to have been “expertly cut and trimmed”.

The final topping of the special edition is a die-cut bullet hole that pierces pages of the book. Within the pages is a single polished 9mm bullet, individually marked with a number distinct to each of the 500 copies.

“The reader has the excitement of finding the bullet housed in the centre of the pages with the text positioned so that the reading experience is undisturbed,” said Bentley Senior Designer Brett Boydell. “I hope they find the book as exciting to hold and look at as the unfolding drama itself.”

The collector’s version of Carte Blanche is priced at £1,000 (about US$,1650 or €1,131 at today’s exchange rates) and is available for order through www.007carteblanchebentley.com.

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Renault "Likes" Facebook at Amsterdam’s AutoRAI Trade Show

Anyone who hasn’t been living under a rock for the past seven years knows what Facebook is. It’s the world’s most popular social networking site, with over 600 million users and there’s even a movie (I haven’t seen) with Michael Cera Jesse Eisenberg. So it’s no wonder the world’s automakers are jumping on this bandwagon faster than the Spanish Flu decimated early 20th century Europe.

At the recent 2011 AutoRAI Trade Show in Amsterdam, visitors to Renault’s stand could use Smart Cards encoded with their username and password to “Like” particular cars, read what other people were saying about them on Facebook and take and upload photos. It’s a neat little setup, and practically the definition of, “free publicity”.

Check out the video below and leave your comments below.

VIDEO

Torque-tastic: R/C Toy Truck Towing Nissan SUV [Video]

Remote control cars have come a long way. From the little electric fun-buggies that never held a charge long enough, R/C vehicles have evolved into tools and toys - some that even run on fuel and go fast enough to take your legs out from under you (long story) - serving a variety of purposes. After all, aren't those little bomb cars in Black Ops controlled by remote?

Now, it appears, we've found a new use / time waster: towing stuff. In the video below you can see a larger-than-normal R/C hauler actually hauling a Nissan SUV along someone's driveway.

Looks like I've just added another item to the Christmas list. Now, with toys on the brain, if anyone's got some interesting videos of their R/C cars go ahead and send them in. I'll be kicking back with my Labatt Blue remote control cooler doing all the heavy lifting. Isn't technology great?

By Phil Alex

VIDEO

Fiat Crafts Furniture Pieces Inspired by the Original 500

At this week’s 50th Furniture Fair in Milan, Italy, Fiat previewed the “Fiat 500 Design Collection”, an initiative by the firm’s marketing boss Lapo Elkann and furniture maker Meritalia. The collection is a tribute to the original Fiat 500 and includes a sofa, a table and a console, all inspired by the 1970's Fiat 500. Each of the three pieces sports a plate that says: “Lapo and Meritalia pay tribute to the Fiat 500”.

The “PIC NIC” table uses two front ends of the Fiat 500 glued back to back and is mounted on two wheels. Over the car parts sits a transparent glass fixed to the ground with crystal legs. The wheels are not shod with tyres but with flexible black polyurethane.

The “CIN CIN” console is similar to the “PIC NIC” except it has no wheels. The top part is made from crystal and the piece is available with three height options. Finally, the “PANORAMA” sofa uses the same Fiat 500 “face” upon which a padded seat and backrest are mounted. The covers are made either from fabric or from leather and the producers say it's a particularly comfortable couch.

Fiat says the names of the pieces have been inspired by an “open air” vision of the Fiat 500, as all three of them have been designed for outdoor use.

By Dan Mihalascu

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Torque-tastic: R/C Toy Truck Towing Nissan SUV [Video]

Remote control cars have come a long way. From the little electric fun-buggies that never held a charge long enough, R/C vehicles have evolved into tools and toys - some that even run on fuel and go fast enough to take your legs out from under you (long story) - serving a variety of purposes. After all, aren't those little bomb cars in Black Ops controlled by remote?

Now, it appears, we've found a new use / time waster: towing stuff. In the video below you can see a larger-than-normal R/C hauler actually hauling a Nissan SUV along someone's driveway.

Looks like I've just added another item to the Christmas list. Now, with toys on the brain, if anyone's got some interesting videos of their R/C cars go ahead and send them in. I'll be kicking back with my Labatt Blue remote control cooler doing all the heavy lifting. Isn't technology great?

By Phil Alex

Google's test cars have so far covered over 140,000 miles (225,300 km) in all types of driving conditions without a single fault

Google Scientist Says its Driverless Cars Could Save a Million Lives each Year

Sebastian Thrun, leader of Google's driverless car project, talked about the technology of self-driven cars at TED Talks, claiming it could save one million lives each year if it would replace human driving.

Google's test cars have so far covered over 140,000 miles (225,300 km) in all types of driving conditions without a single fault. “People didn't even notice” Google's cars were not driven by humans, said Thrun, who lost his best friend to a car accident when he was 18. The Stanford professor of computer science said that moment made him decide dedicating his life to saving one million people every year.

Apart from saving human lives, Thrun claims the technology could also lead to a more efficient and more rapid transport, with narrower lanes and syncronised traffic bringing an end to jams and fuel wasting. He hopes future generations “will look back at us and say how ridiculous it was that humans were driving cars.”

Scroll down to watch Google's driver-less cars (Toyota Prius) in action and let us know if you look forward to a future when you will be driven by your cars, not the other way round.

By Dan Mihalascu

Source: Youtube / Tedtalks via Worldcarfans

VIDEO

Chevy Launches MyLink Infotainment System in Response to Ford's SYNC

The 2012 Chevrolet Volt and Equinox models will be the first to offer Chevy MyLink, an in-car infotainment equipment that integrates internet radio, hands-free, voice and touch-screen controls, all of which can be accessed via Bluetooth connectivity.

Three years ago, Ford introduced a similar system, called SYNC, whose aim was to reunite in a friendly and efficient way the various in-car controls that a driver can access while driving. Now Chevy is ready with its own technology, developed together with GM's subsidiary OnStar.

MyLink provides drivers with stereo audio streaming, wireless control of smartphones, voice-activated commands and a full-color 7-inch touch screen display that centralizes media sources. For example, the driver can initiate phone calls, select radio stations or stored media only by using his voice.

Other features are Pandora internet radio, which allows users to personalize their radio experience, or Gracenote, which identifies the user's music collection and presents information such as artist name, genres and album cover art on the MyLink screen.

Basically, MyLink does everything that SYNC does, plus the future integration of the Powermat wireless cell-phone charging system that eliminates cords. The MyLink infotainment system will expand to other Chevrolet models in the next 18 months.

By Dan Mihalascu

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BMW X3 Buyers will be able to see their Vehicles Being Built through an Online Video Portal

BMW wants to turn an ordinary sale into an emotional experience that drives brand loyalty and retention by offerings U.S. buyers of the 2011MY X3 a unique access to the creation of their crossover through an online video portal that will show them footage of their customized X3 being produced at the company’s plant in Spartanburg, South Carolina.

“Customization is essential to the new BMW X3. With more than 10 million distinct configurations available, we wanted to get customers excited about the birth of their unique vehicle,” said Trudy Hardy, Manager, BMW Marketing Communications and Consumer Events, BMW of North America. “This production footage of the BMW X3 vehicles from our Spartanburg plant enhances the overall customer experience that is part of the BMW brand.”

BMW makes use of a total of seven cameras which track the X3 through the various stages of final assembly. The company added that the videos do not have an expiration date and can also be downloaded and shared.

To watch or download the footage, customers will have to create a My BMW account on bmwusa.com website and entering their X3 order number or VIN. The BMW X3 Customer Video Portal program kicks off today, January 20th.

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