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Audi New MMI Touch Input System Makes Perfect Sense
Car Cam Dually Records The Wreck Outside and Your Screaming Face Inside
Car Gifts Too Dangerous To Actually Use While Driving
No, This Is Not Another Slow Shutter Photography Trick
This Car Will Run at 1,000mph
Electric Rolls Royce Phantom Coming in 2010, Priced Just Around Half A Million Dollars
Student Plans to Mod Old OutRun Cabinet Into a Car
Specialized DVR For Cars Could Make Teens Better Drivers
The G-Bound RC Car Drives On Water
The World's Most Efficient Electric Car Is Destined to Fail

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not_a_virus.exe.vbs
12/01/09

In reply to Audi New MMI Touch Input System Makes Perfect Sense
I wish the companies would keep redundant controls on the dashboard. Yeah., it is nice to control everything with one knob but if they left the redundant controls on the dashboard people would be more apt to learn the controller. And I should NEVER have to scroll through menus to operate the radio.
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Voyou_Charmant
12/01/09

In reply to Audi New MMI Touch Input System Makes Perfect Sense
Voice recognition would seem like an easier, safer option than drawing letters on a touch pad. Sure, you have to stop talking to the people in the car for a moment, or, you might have to turn down the music for a moment, but really... Wouldn't the passenger (unless it's a woman! Am-I-right, guys?) be the person to take care of inputting whatever it is you need to find/lookup/etc.. anyway?

This seems just as silly as the others to me.
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Edited by Voyou_Charmant at 12/01/09 2:20 PM Voyou_Charmant was starred Voyou_Charmant was unstarred

Noobs-R-Us
12/01/09

In reply to Audi New MMI Touch Input System Makes Perfect Sense
Why don't they just use a touchscreen? this is just bloody stupid. Have they not gotten the memo from Steve Jobs?
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blash promoted this comment Noobs-R-Us was starred Noobs-R-Us was unstarred

blash
12/01/09

@Noobs-R-Us: Because it defeats the entire purpose of including touch in the first place. If you include a screen, people will look at it. The point of this system is to keep peoples' eyes on the road. Hence, putting a screen in tempts people to look at it while driving and promotes unsafe behavior and why you have touch in the first place.
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Noobs-R-Us
12/01/09

@blash: Hum, that's the entire purpose of a GPS. You have to look at it. I would love to never have to look at a GPS to know where I'm going.
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Edited by Noobs-R-Us at 12/01/09 3:21 PM Noobs-R-Us was starred Noobs-R-Us was unstarred

blash
12/01/09

@Noobs-R-Us: No - the GPS will audibly say "Turn left here" or "continue for 2 miles." You're never supposed to look at the screen unless you're pulled over and the disclaimer when you boot the unit up says so for a reason.
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Noobs-R-Us
12/01/09

@blash: Wow , you guys must be so special. I have never NOT needed to look at my GPS when traveling. You guys are my heroes for only relying on voice directions. Please tell me how you do it? How do you tell which lane of the highway you have to be before your next exit? How do you tell how much further you have until your next turn? Wow! Amazing! I must learn this new trick. Please enlighten me.
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Wrathernaut
12/01/09

@Noobs-R-Us: Trollbait, some of us are capable of reading road signs, which still do a fair job of telling you what lanes go where.
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Noobs-R-Us
12/02/09

@Wrathernaut: Yea, I can read a map too, so what's your point? The fact of the matter is that you HAVE TO look at your GPS when you don't know where you're going. Voice directions will only get you so far.
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Wrathernaut
12/02/09

@Noobs-R-Us: The point is, that if you're going to Citytownsville, there are usually signs that tell you which lane you should be to get there, coupled with prompts of "Take next exit - [Right/Left]" makes getting near the destination quite easy. Once you're in Citytownsville, looking for the box social, or whatever teens are driving to these days, the "Turn left in 100 feet" instructions do not require you to look at the screen. If you're in a city that has machine-pronounceable street names, you're in even better shape.
When I have a competent human navigator, I do not ask them to show me the map at every turn, why would I need a competent digital navigator to do the same?
Combining fairly accurate directions and paying attention to the rest of the driving conditions and drivers is still much better than staring at a screen.
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Noobs-R-Us
12/02/09

@Wrathernaut: Well that’s where theory vs. the real world diverges. In theory what you said makes sense but in real life that’s NOT how it works. In the real world, you have to go through many different towns and streets to get to where you’re going. The GPS will NOT tell you that you first need to get to somewhere first before getting to your final destination. It will only tell you to turn at the last minute. Nor are there signs many times on the road directing you. A human navigator would tell you the relevant information so you don’t miss your turns or give you context so you don’t feel like you’re lost. Not with a GPS. If you study the route before hand you have some idea of where you are and where you’re navigating to but if you were to just turn it on and ask it to get you somewhere you’d get lost very quickly following just the voice directions.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to override a GPS on directions because it was giving me bad information. You would only know this if you bothered to look at the map on the screen. From what you and some of the others here speak it sounds like you’ve had no real world experience with GPSs.
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Wrathernaut
12/02/09

@Noobs-R-Us: Sounds like you need a better GPS, or updated maps.
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Noobs-R-Us
12/02/09

@Wrathernaut: Once again, you don't know what you're talking about. Please go get some real world experience.
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Noobs-R-Us
11/30/09

In reply to Car Cam Dually Records The Wreck Outside and Your Screaming Face Inside
The real question is where was Tiger's wife? When the cops came he was lying on the ground in and out of consciousness. No mention of where the wife was. So did she just leave him there to die?
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Martin Grondin
11/30/09

In reply to Car Cam Dually Records The Wreck Outside and Your Screaming Face Inside
How long before YouTube becomes a lot more interesting? Seriously, I could see people putting up videos of their crashes.

On another note, I imagine this would help with court cases and whatnot if things aren't clear.
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BergenCountyJC can't beat MW2 promoted this comment Martin Grondin was starred Martin Grondin was unstarred

Gann
11/30/09

In reply to Car Cam Dually Records The Wreck Outside and Your Screaming Face Inside
A couple of months ago, a drunk driver threw a bottle at my truck and cracked my windshield. I gave the police the license plate #, but nothing happened since it was basically my word against his. Since then, I've been really considering something like this.
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MrEvil
11/25/09

In reply to Car Gifts Too Dangerous To Actually Use While Driving
I wouldn't say a radar detector is a good gift either. Ask any cop who does speed enforcement and he'll tell you he catches more people with radar detectors than without. Not only that cops NEVER cut you slack if you have a radar detector. The two times I've been pulled over for speeding I got off with a warning and I've never in my life owned a Radar detector.

It's much cheaper to just not speed. Besides speeding nets you no substantial gains in time saved on shorter jaunts.
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UnderLoK
11/25/09

@MrEvil: "Ask any cop who does speed enforcement and he'll tell you he catches more people with radar detectors than without."

That is a load of bs... Most people don't have detectors so how is that even possible?

I haven't been caught speeding in 11 years and my radar detector has saved me more times than I can even begin to remember. If a cop is sitting on the freeway with his gun on (which is normally how they do it) you will get plenty of warning. Don't kid yourself, if you have a decent one, they do the job, but if you ignore it going off then you will get popped.

The main exception is a laser detector. If it goes off you just got hit with it so it's of little use, but radar detectors are worth every penny.
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drstein
11/25/09

@UnderLoK: They forgot to mention that the devices are actually illegal in some areas.
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UnderLoK approved this comment drstein was starred drstein was unstarred

UnderLoK
11/25/09

@drstein: That is true, I live in MI and they are legal here, but I did get a ticket in Windsor years ago for having one.
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dragon:ONE
11/24/09

In reply to Car Gifts Too Dangerous To Actually Use While Driving
Isn't #7 just a Nalgene bottle in itself that some individual/group just went to one of those promotional items companies and had them slap "my pee pee bottle" on the side of it?
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Edited by dragon:ONE at 11/24/09 10:59 PM dragon:ONE was starred dragon:ONE was unstarred

JTX
11/24/09

@dragon:ONE: It had to have been a joke.

Marketing Guy 1: "We can't sell these things for the life of us..."
Marketing Guy 2: "Haha, yeah, they're useless. We have too many of them. Everybody who wants one, owns one. All we can do with them now is piss in them."

They both laugh, their boss laughs. He approves it for shits n giggles.

At least, that's how we hope it went.
The alternative is unthinkable...
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Lizard_King promoted this comment Edited by JTX at 11/24/09 11:57 PM JTX was starred JTX was unstarred

Lizard_King
11/25/09

@JTX: What did you think happened to all those bottles recalled during the BPA scare?
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Segador
11/24/09

In reply to Car Gifts Too Dangerous To Actually Use While Driving

No description needed, really.
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jdale
11/24/09

@Segador: Description not needed, but the reviews are well worth a read. Also be sure to check out the product photos....
[www.amazon.com]
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Segador promoted this comment jdale was starred jdale was unstarred

Segador
11/24/09

@jdale: Yup. My review from a while back had close to a thousand views last time I checked. =D
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twoeightnine
11/24/09

In reply to Car Gifts Too Dangerous To Actually Use While Driving
Does anyone have problems with the Motion X apps finding a signal? I downloaded the free version to see if I wanted to replace RunKeeper with it, I do a lot of off road hiking and riding, and I'm constantly having signal problems.
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lpranal
11/24/09

@twoeightnine: just curious why you wanted to replace runkeeper. I've been using it for over a year now and it works almost flawlessly
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twoeightnine promoted this comment lpranal was starred lpranal was unstarred

twoeightnine
11/24/09

@lpranal: Don't get me wrong, I love RunKeeper but I'm digging the mapping and waypoints of Motion X. I lead cross country adventure travel trips most of the year and it's a great way to map hikes, viewpoints and places to visit. The same thing with my photography.
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Lizard_King
11/24/09

In reply to Car Gifts Too Dangerous To Actually Use While Driving
Standalone GPSes have an edge over phones in that you have much more control if you want to map out specific routes on the computer. Using Garmin's Mapsource for specific road routes for uses like road rallies is a benefit to some. Having a bank of 500 waypoints that I can create a route from is still an advantage to me.
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fuchikoma
11/24/09

@Lizard_King: They also enjoy the advantage of not running down the batteries on your phone, and not pulling your phone out of a windshield mount to use it - assuming you don't have Bluetooth. It's also nice not subscribing monthly to being able to see my map, but I'd assume that's changing since the iPhone? (but can the iPhone store the whole country's map on it so it doesn't use data while roaming? My Nuvi came with all of North America circa 2009...)
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meow-mixer
11/24/09

@fuchikoma: I know the TomTom app has North America downloaded. It's over 1gb in size, though.
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Joe Valasek
11/25/09

@Lizard_King:
I can use google maps and send it to my phone.

Oh the joy of android!
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Lizard_King promoted this comment Joe Valasek was starred Joe Valasek was unstarred

Lizard_King
11/25/09

@Joe Valasek: Yeah, I've played around with one. Still not as flexible as using Mapsource (550 waypoints following one course across the U.S. in a race...but people that need that are few and far between) .

As google and garmin release more stuff for phones, that advantage will certainly shrink. And damn, motorcycle GPSes are WAY to pricey - three times as much for a Zumo that does not much more than a Nuvi, but with a water resistant case and big buttons.
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GitEmSteveDave_HatesFriday
11/24/09

In reply to Car Gifts Too Dangerous To Actually Use While Driving
I actually HAVE #1. I've since upgraded to the newer model, but I used the old one in my car to make it a rolling singles ad for myself. And no, it didn't work.
[s165.photobucket.com]

I'm currently hoping RoofCoffeeCup, [RoofCoffeeCup.com] , will help me hook a girl. Already gotten me 2 interviews!
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JTX
11/25/09

@GitEmSteveDave_ForgotNametag: Why aren't you marketing/selling this?
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GitEmSteveDave_ForgotNametag promoted this comment JTX was starred JTX was unstarred

GitEmSteveDave_HatesFriday
11/25/09

@JTX: What, RoofCoffeeCup? I made an Instructable, [instructables.com] , if you want to make your own.
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JTX
11/25/09

@GitEmSteveDave_ForgotNametag: I saw it, it was great. My question still stands, why are you not raking in the dough for this idea? It's genius, haha.
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kickace
11/24/09

In reply to Car Gifts Too Dangerous To Actually Use While Driving
escort 8500 x50 is the still raining champ for radar detectors, even years old....have used both. both are fantastic though - never buy a radar detector unless you get a good one. one of those 2 specifically.
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dingus promoted this comment kickace was starred kickace was unstarred

UnderLoK
11/25/09

@kickace: I've always had great luck with Bell. I know they aren't at the top of the heap, but for the last 12 years the Bell's I've had have been great.
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Edited by UnderLoK at 11/25/09 8:33 AM UnderLoK was starred UnderLoK was unstarred

Gary_7vn
11/24/09

In reply to Car Gifts Too Dangerous To Actually Use While Driving
Number 7 (or is it "number 1"?) could cause some problems if stored in proximity to the bottles of apple juice.
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D0rk
11/24/09

In reply to Car Gifts Too Dangerous To Actually Use While Driving
I highly recommend the V1 for a radar detector. Three years running and it has saved me multiple times. You can't rely on it (or any radar detector) completely for driving like a maniac, but it has more than paid for itself with those 15 mph over situations.
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Lizard_King promoted this comment D0rk was starred D0rk was unstarred

Lizard_King
11/24/09

@D0rk: +1. Won't drive my bike without it. It's not about speeding, it's about being safe, sometimes safe means outside of the speed limit (flow of traffic) or laws (lane splitting).

The only ticket it didn't save me from was a +4mph... heard the tone, thought i was good, I was wrong.
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cruzer555
11/24/09

@D0rk: Yeah, but thats a windshield type, not as good as a build in radar/lidar detector/shifter like the Passport 9500ci
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Lizard_King promoted this comment cruzer555 was starred cruzer555 was unstarred

Lizard_King
11/24/09

@cruzer555: It has a remote display, and many aftermarket ways to bury it in the car or bike (mine's in my tailsection, rear of it still gets laser hits through taillight lens).

It also outperforms the 9500 in my experience.
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Shamoononon: I shave my legs.
11/24/09

@D0rk: I own a black truck, nobody ever sees me anyhow.
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takeshi
11/25/09

@Lizard_King: There's no way the V1 outperforms the 9500ci. Perhaps you're thinking of the 9500i or 9500ix.
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Lizard_King promoted this comment takeshi was starred takeshi was unstarred

Lizard_King
11/25/09

@takeshi: You're right, was thinking the 9500i. Ran it side by side on a trip up to Vermont.
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cruzer555
11/25/09

@Lizard_King: What kind of bike do you have?
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Lizard_King
11/25/09

@cruzer555: Suzuki Bandit 1200, with a bit extra work to it.

Definitely not gonna get a $1500 Radar detector for it, or the car. For the $500 range, I'd say the Valentine has the edge.
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cruzer555
11/26/09

@Lizard_King: Looks like a nice bike... I want to get a motorcycle some day...
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