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Are you of the same opinion that the best thing happening for mobiles is nothing but Android...? The cheeky and smart OS smartly acquired and marketed by marketing geniuses at the house of Google...

GM: Chevy Volt Battery Warranty is eight years/100k miles

The Chevy Volt is finally coming together. GM just went public with the details surrounding its battery warranty and it’s on the same level as the Prius’s. The auto maker will cover the Volt’s LG Chem lithium-manganese pack for eight years or 100,000 miles. This comes after extensive testing over a three-year period in which testers logged over 1 million miles of driving and 4 million hours on the battery packs. Needless to say that GM tested the entire system thoroughly.

GM-Volt posted some of the Volt’s key features that actually validate a lot of the questions I had during my Volt mule test drive last year.

Thermal Management: the intrinsic thermal management system allows teh pack and car to operate flawlessly from -13 degrees Fahrenheit (-25 C) and as high as 122 degrees Fahrenheit (+50 C). In cold weather the cells are warmed by the generator and in cold weather they are chilled.
Diagnostics: there are more than 500 diagnostic tests on the pack that run 10 times per second. 85 percent ensure the pack is operating safely, 15 percent ensure durability.
Cell design: the LG chemistry ensures high power and long life.
Energy Management: by not fully charging or discharging the battery ensures the longest possible life.

It’s good to see GM backing the Volt’s battery system with a long warranty. Batteries degrade over time and since the Volt’s powertrain is directly powered from the battery unlike in a traditional hybrid where they simply assist, owners should not have to worry about their life for a while.

Techtyphooon

Apollo 16 site photographed from orbit

I love seeing the shots that NASA has been releasing from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter! The latest is from the Apollo 16 site, and they really timed this one right. The LRO was passing over the site exactly at noon (local time of course) so there’s a minimum amount of shadowing, and a maximum amount of contrast.

The resolution on the picture is truly amazing, you can see where the lunar module landed, where they parked the LRV, and even trails where the astronauts walked across the surface. There’s even a mark leading to where the astronauts conducted moonquake experiments by setting off explosives! This picture is much cleaner then the previous shot, which showed the Apollo 14 site, but was taken at a different time of day and had significantly more shadowing.

Techtyphooon

Video: The first Chevy Volt commercial advertises silence

Video: The first Chevy Volt commercial advertises silence

Chevrolet apparently has started advertising the Chevy Volt but you won’t see anything about batteries, expected range, the price or any of the Volt’s novel traits — only silence. Click through for the ad spot.

Techtyphooon

New Mirror app coming to an iPhone 4 near you.

New Mirror app coming to an iPhone 4 near you.

Now it will be easier than ever to keep a kempt appearance while on the go. Ladies, leave that compact at home and guys, stop sqinting at your sleeping iPhone screen as you peer for post-lunch crumbs in your beard.

DLP Mobile, is preparing to release an app for iPhone 4 that capitalizes on the new device’s front facing camera, adding mirror functionality.

2011 Ford Mustang : Blue Blood Racing

2011 Ford Mustang

Let’s not call this article a review. I’m not going to drone on about interior creature comforts or available options. I’ll just state up front that they are on par for a $22k+ car and besides, other outlets have covered those items extensively.

No, what follows is a description of what the 2011 V6 Mustang feels like to drive. This car is something special. It’s a rare amalgam of real power, affordable price and driving excitement that hits you hard and makes you beg for more.

Before I lay out my heart for this car, let’s set the scene. The Mustang I drove for a few days is the Mustang Club of America edition – a mostly appearance package for the V6 model that adds a billet grill, fogs, side stripe, rear decklid spoiler and 18-inch stainless painted aluminum wheels wrapped in Pirelli P Zero rubber. The engine is the base-level all-new aluminum block 3.7L V6 that outs 305HP and 280 lb.-ft. of torque and 31MPG capable while cruising on the highway. My tester was fitted with the smile-inducing six-speed manual transmission. Simply put, this car wants you to have fun.

The interior (I know, I said I wasn’t going to do this. Hang in there.) is as retrotastic as the exterior sheet metal. A warm leather-wrapped three-spoke wheel draws you in and keeps you firmly grounded while the stick begs you to take advantage of it. The dual-gauge cluster with tall and monolithic numbering helps complete the time warp.
Truth be told, the interior and exterior are simply an evolution of the previous design. Nothing is radically different — that’s a good thing — but softer lines replace the almost-trying-too-hard design found in the 2005-2009 models. It’s almost as if Ford simply stopped using mid-’60s Mustangs as design inspiration, and moved on to the 1967-1970 models.

That’s just fine. This series, thanks to the awesome new engine and transmission options, finally completes what Ford has been attempting since the 2005 throwback design was announced: a true-to-the original everyman’s sports car.

There was a time when American muscle rumbled through the streets of suburbia every Friday and Saturday night. A time when factory workers could afford the sports cars they were building. A time when an enterprising high schooler could work hard for a couple of summers and actually afford a car nearly as good as his dad’s. That’s what this new Mustang offers.
The 305HP V6 mated to its optional six-speed transmission is more than capable of breaking the tires loose when thrown even into third. It has plenty of power to slam its occupants into the leather seats. The standard dual exhaust produces such a throaty rumble that unknowing gas station onlookers will look on with envy even though there’s only a V6 underneath the (somewhat deceptively large) hood.

Forget about buying the 412HP V8. You’ll rack up plenty of excessive noise and speeding tickets with the smaller block — and it’s 7k less.

That’s sort of my point. This car is a bargain. The fun starts out at $22,995, which includes all the important hardware of the V6, six-speed manual transmission, four-wheel disc brakes, and stainless-steel dual exhaust. That’s a cheap mid-life crisis remedy right there. A few more thousand and you can fit the car with several different appearance packages, including the Mustang Club of America edition that I drove.

But that’s not what the Mustang is really all about. The Mustang was the original pony car that championed the process of a low-cost “family” sports car. The first generation utilized many items from Ford’s parts bin to keep suggested retail price down to $2,368 — a price tag easily reachable by many households. The Mustang might not be that affordable now, but it is, and has been, one of lowest costing sports cars available. The 2011 model, though, offers so much more power, ability and fun than any previous generation that you really should give the new crop of Mustangs a second look.
The Mustang has long been a comfortable daily driver. The advent of proper traction control a few years back even allows the Mustang to be cold weather capable. The new models don’t break that mold. The 2011 Mustang makes a fine cruiser, one that’s actually gentle on the gas with an EPA highway rating of 31MPG. (see my averages below) It’s just fine in the city, as well. The new six-speed transmission makes for a bit more wrist work, but it’s smooth enough.

Yeah, the 2011 Mustang is a fine city car and probably wouldn’t mind living out its days in a quiet suburb, porting someone back and forth to work for years. However, living this way for the Mustang is like how an English Setter can survive chasing birds in a large fenced in back yard. It’s just not proper. Both need a wide-open space to live in the way their creators intended.
The Mustang was born to run free. It lives to tear up a gravel road and exploit its live rear axle. It wants nothing more than to power slide through corners, throwing dirt and rocks off its rear tires. It knows that this same live rear axle and rear-wheel drive configuration will keep it from winning any sort of off-roading rally race, but is fine with that fact. The older Mustangs proved over and over again having fun is just as important – and like I said previously, this car is simply fun.

I might go as far to say that this newer and more powerful Mustang is such retro fun that it would make even the most straight-laced banker grow out his hair, don a Twisted Sister cut-off t-shirt, and jam to some Grand Funk Railroad. But I won’t. We’re talking about the Mustang, not the Camaro, after all, and its drivers tend to derive from a Lynyrd Skynyrd sub-culture. Still, there’s no doubt that either of these next-gen pony cars will stir something up that you thought you left in high school.

Joking aside, the 2011 Mustang has a lot in common with the 2011 Camaro. They both offer six speed trannys mated with a 305HP engine (31mpg) in the Mustang’s case and a 304HP (29mpg) engine in the Camaro. They both start at $22k and both sport retro designs. They are, however, different beasts geared to slightly different demographics. But both are great vehicles worthy of at least a test drive. That is, of course, unless you were born with Ford-blue blood or received a Heartbeat of America tattoo before kindergarten.

It’s erroneous to say that the sports car has returned because, well, we’ve always had sports cars. American car makers have pumped out Mustangs, Camaros, and countless other muscle cars since the ’60s. What has returned is the low-cost and high-performance mixture that was missing for so long. The 2011 Mustang is full of annoying quirks that bug the hell out of me — 80 mph is at the top of the speedo instead of 70, the cup holders are in-line with the stick, the USB port doesn’t charge, the backseat is nothing more than an open storage compartment — but none of that really matters. This is a pure pony car and the only thing that matters is the large engine under the hood and the amount of fun it produces.

Drive stats:
Miles driven: 660
Average highway fuel economy: 27.1
Average city fuel economy: 21.5
Number of impromptu gas station conversations: 3

Techtyphooon

Apple unveils iPhone 4 with clearer screen

Apple unveils iPhone 4 with clearer screen

Techtyphooon

Zen launches loaded handset for Rs 1, 649

A domestic low-cost mobile phone brand Zen Mobile has launched a features-rich model X390 at a price of Rs 1, 649.

Embedded with a string of features, the X390 handset comes with a camera, wireless FM, FM recorder, MP3/MP4 player with stereo sound, TFT screen and supports watching movies and videos on the go.

The mobile facilitate the use of dual SIM cards, besides offering internal storage capacity for saving over 500 contacts. Other features include a 3.5mm jack, a powerful torch, talk time for a minimum period of four hours, and usage of both English and Hindi language.

Techtyphooon

Nokia launches Linux-based N900 in India

Nokia launches Linux-based N900 in India

The much-awaited Nokia's first phone running on Linux Maemo operating system, N900 has finally made its debut in the Indian market.

Sporting a wide 3.5-inch touchscreen display, Nokia N900 packs a QWERTY keyboard, 5 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss lens, LED flash with 3X digital zoom and GPS.

Also called internet tablet, Nokia N900 also offers full Adobe Flash 9.4 support. The phone packs a Maemo 5 operating system and is powered by ARM Cortex A8 600 MHz processor. As for memory, the phone comes with 32GB internal storage which can be expanded upto 45GB.

Other key features include Wi-Fi, 3G, FM transmitter and Bluetooth. Nokia N900 promises upto 6 hrs 30 min of 2G talktime and upto 4 hrs 30 min of 3G talktime.

The phone will be available in the later part of June and will come for Rs 30,639.

Video: What just smashed into Jupiter?

Video: What just smashed into Jupiter?

http://vimeo.com/12292912

Awesome video is awesome? Yes, yes it is. Something smashed into Jupiter a few hours ago, and an amateur astronomer caught the event on video. A similar event happened almost a year ago to the day.

Now, does this mean that THE MAYANS WERE RIGHT or some other nonsense? No, of course not. What it does mean is that, now more than ever, amateur astronomers armed with impressively powerful telescopes, and they train these telescopes on individual celestial bodies (like planets, like Jupiter) 24 hours per day. Those giant NASA/ESA telescopes aren’t spending every waking hour trained on one planet or whatever, so they may “miss” when something like an impact occurs.

We’re just more vigilant now.

If you can, try to track down “Wonders of the Solar System.” It’s a pretty great documentary.

Techtyphooon