Here's something pretty cool and that makes a little more sense. BMW Mini offers an option for a PDA kit (looks like an iPaq cradle) that will then turn your PDA into a telematics device. The functions available combine the functionality of On*Star, a cell phone, navigation, emergency assistance...
Gibson Research Corporation has been following the "Click of Death" for a while and has been a player on the good-guy's side. He also has an application that will test if your ZIP drive suffers from the ailment.
I remember reading a few years back that McLaren tested a remote control F1 car on a race track. There was very little press about it other than some brief mentions in racing-related magazines.
I don't think this robot racer will be too much of a stretch. F1 have lots of on-board systems that can easily be plugged into a central computer. The cars are all fly-by-wire for example.
They used to have Active Suspension, as opposed to Reactive Suspension that exists in a lot of the newer luxury cars. They would actually scan the road ahead and prepare themselves for the various bumps.
The semi-automatic transmissions are another element. The transmissions can actually be programmed to be fully-automatic. Most drivers avoid using this because they feel it takes away from their driving skill. The track parameters are loaded into the transmission system from previous test sessions and the computer takes care of the shifts. Apparently Michael Andretti used this very often when he drove for McLaren. If I'm not mistaken the race he had his best finish was actually a track that the engineers had the most data to load into the various automatic systems.
Another area that has greatly improved thanks to computers is in engine-mapping and traction control. Thanks to the fly-by-wire and advanced engine management systems the drivers used to (not anymore it's illegal now) keep their foot practically planted and the car would modulate the throttle for them. There is word that special programs used to exist just for the standing starts. There was a big rumour going around when Schumacher drove for Benetton that the engineers would always go through a very special routine on a laptop connected to car just before the start. The engineer would double click different areas on the screen and press weird combinations of keys and next thing you know Schumacher had another perfect start.
Formula 1 is a strange series. I don't know if Bernie Ecclestone and the boys have figured out if the Driver's Championship or the Constructer's Championship is more important. I think they realize that the driver's championship offers the short-term attraction to the fans but want to keep F1 at the technological pinnacle. As such they encourage (then ban) highly innovative engineering.
Given all this and the elapsed time that has passed since that era (approximately 5 years ago) I think the AI car will do okay but it will not be post a faster lap than Michael Schumacher. That's besides the fact that the car will most likely have systems that are considered illegal in a Formula 1 car today.
When I first got my Handspring Visor I loaded everything that seemed remotely interesting. It now makes 3 months that I have my Visor and I find that there are only 3 applications I use extensively (beyond the standard phonebook and address book):
1 - iSilo
This app is great at converting HTML pages to load in a nice compact format. The registered copy has hyperlink support. This will also read standard Palm document. I use this for keeping my favorite http://www.linuxdoc.org HOWTOs handy.
2 - HandyShopper (found at PilotGear)
This is a very well designed shopping list manager. It allows you to maintain items across several stores (e.g. soap can be bought at the grocery store and the drugstore), and it allows you to sort the list by aisle. Best of all it's Freeware.
3 - AvantGo
You'll always have some bathroom reading handy with this one.
Slashdot Mirror
--
Santiago Oleas
Strada Consulting Group Inc.
http://www.stradasystems.com
Why don't you move? It sounds like your internet access woes are more of a hassle than moving would be.
Here's something pretty cool and that makes a little more sense. BMW Mini offers an option for a PDA kit (looks like an iPaq cradle) that will then turn your PDA into a telematics device. The functions available combine the functionality of On*Star, a cell phone, navigation, emergency assistance...
Check it out here.
That has to be the funniest comment I've read in a really long while.
Thanks for the good laugh.
Santiago
can be found at http://www.theapplecollection.com/design/macproto/ iWalk.html.
The Handspring Treo is both a phone and a PDA. You were looking for a unit with a keyboard? How's this one?
Gibson Research Corporation has been following the "Click of Death" for a while and has been a player on the good-guy's side. He also has an application that will test if your ZIP drive suffers from the ailment.
I remember reading a few years back that McLaren tested a remote control F1 car on a race track. There was very little press about it other than some brief mentions in racing-related magazines.
I don't think this robot racer will be too much of a stretch. F1 have lots of on-board systems that can easily be plugged into a central computer. The cars are all fly-by-wire for example.
They used to have Active Suspension, as opposed to Reactive Suspension that exists in a lot of the newer luxury cars. They would actually scan the road ahead and prepare themselves for the various bumps.
The semi-automatic transmissions are another element. The transmissions can actually be programmed to be fully-automatic. Most drivers avoid using this because they feel it takes away from their driving skill. The track parameters are loaded into the transmission system from previous test sessions and the computer takes care of the shifts. Apparently Michael Andretti used this very often when he drove for McLaren. If I'm not mistaken the race he had his best finish was actually a track that the engineers had the most data to load into the various automatic systems.
Another area that has greatly improved thanks to computers is in engine-mapping and traction control. Thanks to the fly-by-wire and advanced engine management systems the drivers used to (not anymore it's illegal now) keep their foot practically planted and the car would modulate the throttle for them. There is word that special programs used to exist just for the standing starts. There was a big rumour going around when Schumacher drove for Benetton that the engineers would always go through a very special routine on a laptop connected to car just before the start. The engineer would double click different areas on the screen and press weird combinations of keys and next thing you know Schumacher had another perfect start.
Formula 1 is a strange series. I don't know if Bernie Ecclestone and the boys have figured out if the Driver's Championship or the Constructer's Championship is more important. I think they realize that the driver's championship offers the short-term attraction to the fans but want to keep F1 at the technological pinnacle. As such they encourage (then ban) highly innovative engineering.
Given all this and the elapsed time that has passed since that era (approximately 5 years ago) I think the AI car will do okay but it will not be post a faster lap than Michael Schumacher. That's besides the fact that the car will most likely have systems that are considered illegal in a Formula 1 car today.
1 - iSilo
This app is great at converting HTML pages to load in a nice compact format. The registered copy has hyperlink support. This will also read standard Palm document. I use this for keeping my favorite http://www.linuxdoc.org HOWTOs handy.
2 - HandyShopper (found at PilotGear)
This is a very well designed shopping list manager. It allows you to maintain items across several stores (e.g. soap can be bought at the grocery store and the drugstore), and it allows you to sort the list by aisle. Best of all it's Freeware.
3 - AvantGo
You'll always have some bathroom reading handy with this one.