Bloomberg
reports that beleaguered auto manufacturer Chrysler LLC will begin offering wifi aboard their
vehicles later this year. As the first major auto producer to
provide internet access, this will give the company a big brand and
gadgetry edge, though its vehicles will no doubt continue to lag
in mileage and quality construction.
The feature will be added to existing vehicles by dealers
beginning this year and later be installed on the assembly line,
Frank Klegon, Executive Vice President—Product Development, said.
The Wi-Fi port, initially to be sold as a separate device, will
eventually be built into the vehicle’s radio system and coordinated
with other audio and video technologies to allow such things as
transferring music files from the user’s home computer.
Users will need a subscription to a wireless carrier in order to
connect to the internet, which will likely limit access to areas
within range of cell towers. Nevertheless, it marks a fresh start
for a desperate company sorely in need of compelling consumer
offerings, allowing a variety of applications, such as basic
navigation systems and music downloads, and eventually a much
broader suite of networked add-ons.
Somewhat surprisingly, it appears that the future of auto-web
connectivity will first be championed by an American
manufacturer.
Yet another from the artistic mind of rzakis. What year
might this one portray? And what planet? Are those translucent
skyscrapers? Super-reactive OLED
surfaces? Why are there no cars or people in view? Have they all
left for a better place?
Big MemeBox props and a special certificate of recognition go to
the caption that captures the essence of this futuristic
cityskape.
In a recent piece on the
genetic modification of fruit, Future Blogger
Venessa Posavec reported that “scientists have identified a
gene in tomatoes, dubbed SUN, which is
responsible for determining their shape,” and that “this is only a
small step, but might one day make the farmer’s market a lot more
interesting.”
Inspired by Venessa’s post, MemeBox designer extraordinaire,
Karl Alverson, whipped up this elegant vision of some designer
fruit products that may become available at your local grocery
store circa 2015:
Now that scientists
have isolated the appropriate genes they will work hard to
manipulate them and bring concepts like these to life, literally.
Such fruit forms (certainly cruder versions) may well hit store
bins by the estimated 2015 target.
New
Scientist has posted a great vid detailing a major breakthrough
in wireless information transfer that could dramatically increase
download times and the overall speed of internet communication.
Using off the shelf components German researchers made the
first wireless video transmission in the terahertz range –
potentially 1000 times faster than existing wireless
technologies.
Such a breakthrough seems totally necessary if exponential
growth in technology and information is to continue, as those are
both dependent on faster human-to-human, human-to-machine and
machine-to-machine communication.
Mark your calendars – you won’t want to miss this one. The 3rd Annual Singularity Summit will be taking place this October 25th at the Montgomery Theater in San Jose, CA. Hosted by the Singularity Institute for Artificial Intelligence, the symposium brings together some of the world’s greatest visionaries to explore the future of human and machine cognition.
Yesterday at the VoiceCon conference currently being
held in Orlando, IBM released
predictions for five future trends that will increase demand for
the fast-growing unified communications market and reshape the way
businesses and workers communicate and collaborate worldwide.
The predictions, made in a keynote address by Mike Rhodin,
General Manager of IBM Lotus software,
included:
1) The Virtual Workplace will become the rule. No need to leave
the office. Just bring it along. Desk phones and desktop computers
will gradually disappear, replaced by mobile devices, including
laptops, that take on traditional office capabilities. Social
networking tools and virtual world meeting experiences will
simulate the feeling on being there in-person. Work models will be
changed by expanded globalization and green business initiatives
that reduce travel and encourage work at home.
2) Instant Messaging and other real-time collaboration tools
will become the norm, bypassing e-mail. Just as e-mail became a
business necessity, a new generation of workers has a new
expectation for instant messaging (IM) as the preferred method of
business interaction. This will fuel more rapid adoption of unified
communications as traditional IM becomes the core extension point
for multi-modal communications.
3) Beyond Phone Calls to Collaborative Business Processes.
Companies will go beyond the initial capabilities of IM, like
click-to-call and online presence, to deep integration with
business processes and line-of-business applications, where they
can realize the greatest benefit.
Artist rzakis has offered-up an interesting piece this
Saturday. It’s sleek, colorful, sort of human-ish and desperately
needs a name.
Perhaps it has something to do with biotech and represents the
future of human DNA.
Or maybe it’s a futuristic exoskeleton, radiation shield or
holographic avatar projection.
Big MemeBox props and a special certificate of recognition go to
the wittiest caption that most cunningly classifies this sinewy
strider. Captions and comments welcome below.
Awards will be handed at at the end of the month when our
recognition system goes live.
edge, though its vehicles will no doubt continue to lag
in mileage and quality construction.
Yet another from the artistic mind of rzakis. What year
might this one portray? And what planet? Are those translucent
skyscrapers? Super-reactive 
Artist rzakis has offered-up an interesting piece this
Saturday. It’s sleek, colorful, sort of human-ish and desperately
needs a name.
