Archive for August 30, 2014

Volvo Announces New XC90…. And It Will Be Sold Online

Posted in Commentary with tags on August 30, 2014 by itnerd

Two big pieces of news from Volvo this week. The first is the announcement of the new XC90:

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The new XC90 offers a range of two-litre, four-cylinder Drive-E powertrains, all of which provide an outstanding combination of performance and fuel-efficiency.

The top of the range XC90 Twin Engine, which combines a two-litre, four-cylinder supercharged and turbocharged petrol engine with an electric motor, offers an unrivalled combination of power and clean operation: around 400 horsepower with carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions of around 60g/km (NEDC driving cycle).

The all-new XC90 offers the most comprehensive and technologically sophisticated standard safety package available in the automotive industry. It includes two world first safety technologies: a run-off road protection package and auto brake at intersection capability.

In a run-off road scenario, the all-new Volvo XC90 detects what is happening and the front safety belts are tightened to keep the occupants in position. To help prevent spine injuries, energy-absorbing functionality between the seat and seat frame cushions the vertical forces that can arise when the car encounters a hard landing in the terrain.

The XC90 is the first car in the world with technology that features automatic braking if the driver turns in front of an oncoming car. This is a common scenario at busy city crossings as well as on highways, where the speed limits are higher.

City Safety becomes the umbrella name for all of Volvo Cars’ auto brake functions, which are standard equipment in the all-new XC90. It now covers vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians in front of the car, day and night.

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The XC90’s interior is the most luxurious to have been designed for a Volvo. The most striking feature is a tablet-like touch screen control console, which forms the heart of an all-new in-car control system. This system is virtually button free and represents an entirely new way for drivers to control their car and access a range of Internet-based products and services. It also helps create an interior that is modern, spacious and uncluttered.

The new XC90 interior combines materials such as soft leather and wood with handcrafted details, including a gear lever made of crystal glass from Orrefors, the famous Swedish glassmaker, and diamond-cut controls for the start/stop button and volume control. Craftsmanship has been in sharp focus during the whole development work.

The genuine seven seater features new, innovatively designed seats that also free up interior space for passengers both in the second and third seat rows. The third row offers class-leading comfort for two passengers up to 170 cm tall.

The XC90 features one of the top audio systems available in the automotive world after Volvo Cars audio experts joined forces with their counterparts at the renowned British audio equipment company Bowers & Wilkins.

The top-of-the-line system in the XC90 features a 1,400 Watt Class D amplifier and 19 Bowers & Wilkins speakers. It also includes one of the first air-ventilated subwoofers in a car. Integrated into the car body, it turns the whole interior space into a giant subwoofer.

The latest sound processing software has been used to manage the timing of the sound and co-ordination of the speakers. This brings the emotional experience of a world-class live performance into the car.

The new XC90 is groundbreaking. But what else is groundbreaking is the fact that Volvo is releasing a limited First Edition of its all-new Volvo XC90, which was launched today in Stockholm. The 1,927 individually numbered cars celebrate the year Volvo was founded and, for the first time in history, they will only be available for sale via digital commerce at www.volvocars.com.

The online store opens for business on September 3rd at 10:00am EST (16:00 hrs CET).

The online only First Edition is just one example of Volvo Cars’ revitalized approach to marketing activities and outstanding personal service. You can bet that other car companies are watching this to see how well this works out.

CYSPO OmniStation: Charges All Of Your Devices Via Wireless And Wired Charging

Posted in Commentary with tags on August 30, 2014 by itnerd

Today everyone has at least 2 or 3 devices that need to be charged daily which means you need a lot of cables that end up tangled and messy. The CYSPO OmniStation (currently 116% funded with 31 days to go) can charge all of your devices without tangled wires, without creating messy outlets, and without having to unplug one charger to use another. Here’s what it brings to the table:

  • Universal Charging Station: Charge cell phones, cameras, bluetooth speakers, eBook readers, tablets and more.
  • Hassle free wireless charging experience: The CYSPO OmniStation utilizes the latest Qi Standard multi-coil free positioning wireless charging transmitter technology to create a simple and easy charging experience.
  • The CYSPO OmniStation provides 6 customizable USB ports with interchangeable adapters, you can switch to your own cables with varying lengths for more charging flexibility.
  • There are two additional USB ports on the side; one port offers a faster 2.1A output for charging tablets and larger devices, like the iPad.

CYSPO OmniStation is available for pre-order on Kickstarter where its currently 116% funded with 31 days to go. Early backers will be able pre-order it for $80.

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Billings Pro 1.8 Released

Posted in Commentary with tags on August 30, 2014 by itnerd

Marketcircle unveiled the latest version of its award-winning Billings Pro app; the easiest time tracking and invoicing app for Mac, iPhone, and iPad.

Billings Pro 1.8 is designed to maximize the capabilities of the iPhone and iPad to create a one-stop app for freelancers and working professionals to track their time, expenses, and mileage and to send invoices and track payments.

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Billings Pro 1.8 incorporates a cleaner look and has new features that make managing invoices easier than ever. Users get all the information they need at a glance, on the go.

New for the iPhone and iPad:

  • Sleek redesign for iOS 7.
  • Cleaner interface makes it easier for users to see all their information.
  • Ability to adjust the text size so that it’s easier to read without having to zoom.

New on the iPhone:

  • Amount billed and total time spent are displayed on the same graph on the home screen, making it easy to compare daily billing and work time.

New on the iPad:

  • Home screen now displays all status counts for all invoices, all projects, and all clients. One glance gives users all the key information they need, including the number of active projects, overdue invoices, and overdue clients.
  • Home screen now displays the number of any unfiled slips, so if a user creates a slip and forgets to file it they’ll know as soon as they open the app. Organizing time and expense slips is quick and easy!
  • Users can now search for a client by name from the ‘All Projects’ and ‘All Clients’ view on the iPad. Users can just type in a client name and pull up their account balance right away.

To download Billings Pro or to learn more, visit www.marketcircle.com/billingspro. Pricing is available at www.marketcircle.com/billingspro/pricing.

Kickstarter Campaign For The ORA-1 Smart Glasses Is Now Live!

Posted in Commentary with tags on August 30, 2014 by itnerd

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The ORA-1 is the most complete and powerful smart glasses developer platform available today that allows hands-free mobile AR experiences. It runs many Android apps natively and certain pledges include the Wikitude AR Browser and the Wikitude SDK optimized for the ORA-1.

Some highlights:

  • The disruptive see-through retinal projection technology at the heart of the ORA is protected by nine international patents. The optical technology is based on molded plastic components and is the most robust and scalable technologyavailable.
  • It has superior performance in terms of power efficiency, display size, and resolution. The see-through virtual display has three times the surface area and is twice as bright as the competition for an awesome user experience.
  • It includes the “Flip-Vu” feature to position the display in two modes (AR and Glance). It makes both “Augmented Reality” and “info snacking” possible with one product.
  • The ORA is the most complete and powerful smart glasses platform available today. It can run apps independently as a standalone Android device and includes a camera, 9 axis sensor, full suite of connectivity (BT, Wi-Fi, GPS), trackpad, and a powerful dual core microprocessor with enough memory to support complex applications.
  • It runs many Android apps natively!  We are using a standard version of Android with very little customization. The current version of Android is 4.2.2 and we are upgrading to KitKat.
  • It also includes the Wikitude AR browser for an AR experience out of the box. Some versions also include the Wikitude AR SDK to build powerful augmented reality applications.
  • The ORA is like an Android tablet in the form of eyeglasses. It enables a multitude of mobile computing and augmented reality applications like never before!

The company is asking for your support on Kickstarter. Plus if you’re interested in finding out more, you can check out this link.