We wanted to do something fun with car technology for the 2010 New York Auto Show… a little change of pace for BGR. This year, we’re doing some segments on all the different technology that goes into the latest and greatest vehicles currently available, and those that are about to hit the market. Buick has graciously sponsored our New York Auto Show coverage this year — they’ve even dropped off a Buick LaCrosse so we could see what kind of tech it’s pushin’. Look for our Auto Show coverage segments coming real soon, but for now, here’s a quick look at the 2010 Buick LaCrosse from a technology perspective.
This post is part of our “Live Like A Genius†content series sponsored by Buick and the all-new 2010 LaCrosse.
We won’t actually comment on how the car drives since that’s not what we’re really interested in, but as far as the interior goes, it ranges from pretty boring and bland, to pretty amazing. We’ll keep this really short, but here’s some of the stuff we’ve loved after playing with the car for over a week:
Some of the stuff we weren’t too happy about?
Click on over to our Buick LaCrosse technology gallery!
Spotify’s Senior VP, Paul Brown, confirmed in an interview that his company is already in talks with U.S. partners to try and bring the subscription service to the U.S. by Q3 2010. For those not familiar with Spotify, the online music service to which over 7 million Europeans subscribe, you get up to speed here. “We’re buying server space in random parts of the states and there are licensing discussions too,†said Brown “but they are going fine because we’re in a long-term partnership with the labels and publishers.†The tiered service currently has over 325,000 paid subscribers in Europe. The announcement draws the praise or ire of two factions: those who see the value in music subscription services due to the variety and selection of their catalog, and those who shudder at the thought of not owning, possessing, and otherwise dominating their entire music collection. We’re interested to hear from both camps. Does a service like Spotify, with the ability to listen offline on your mobile, interest you? Or is the thought of not holding the deed to your music make you sick to your stomach?
According to a rumor from the Wall Street Journal, Sony may be taking aim at the Apple iPhone, the Apple iPad and Microsoft’s Zune Phone Windows Phone 7 Series with two upcoming multifunction, multimedia-centric devices. Sony is reportedly developing a portable multimedia device bundled with online services that will rival the iPad. This rumored portable device will be part netbook, part e-reader, part gaming machine and will connect to the new Sony Online Service which will offer, music, movies, television episodes, and games. The bulk of the games available through the Online Service will be recycled PlayStation games and will be made available to wide range of portable and mobile devices. Sony promises to have this iPad killer in the hands of the masses sometime in 2010. The second and the smaller of the two multifunction devices is a smartphone, developed in conjunction with Ericsson, that will download and play PlayStation games. Sound familiar? It should as this idea of a PlayStation phone has been bouncing for almost three years now without any concrete evidence that the project has been moving forward. Will 2010 be the year Sony delivers the PlayStation phone and finally puts an end to this seemingly endless rumor? We hope so at this repetitive reporting is getting a bit long in the tooth.
HP upped the ante in the ultra-portable notebook category with the addition of the Core i5 and Core i7 processor to its 12 inch EliteBook models. The standard 2540p and the convertible 2740p are part of HP’s ultra-tough business lineup and meet MIL-STD 810G military-standards for vibration, dust, humidity, altitude, and high and low temperatures. The EliteBook 2540p includes a 12.1-inch diagonal LED display, integrated Intel HD graphics, optional 2-megapixel webcam, SATA II hard drive up to 250GB or SSD drive up to 160GB, Integrated Intel Gigabit Ethernet (10/100/1000 NIC), 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi, optional HP Mobile Broadband (powered by Gobi) with GPS, optional optical DVD drive, a generous amount of ports and slots and Windows 7 with a Windows XP downgrade option. The Elitebook 2740P is similarly configured with the addition of a touchscreen display with outdoor-view option for tablet functionality. Both EliteBook models are expected to arrive stateside next month with the EliteBook 2540p starting at $1,099Â and the EliteBook 2740p starting at $1,599.
We jumped the gun on this one the other day, but it’s finally official, so break out the noise makers, throw up the confetti, and let the parties begin. Apple iTunes has reached its ten billion song download milestone today. For those that are counting, that is an astounding ten billion songs downloaded in a mere seven years of operation; nine billion of which have been downloaded since February 23, 2006, the date iTunes reached its one billionth song milestone and almost four years ago to the date. With Apple rumored to be moving iTunes to the cloud using the talent and technology it acquired in its recent Lala purchase, we can most likely assume this number to continue to climb at its astounding rate and in less than five years from now, we may be celebrating the 20th billion download.
It’s pretty incomprehensible that until about two weeks ago, I had never used a piece of Sonos equipment. Heard about it, and read about it? Sure, but never used it. What MP3s did for personal audio enjoyment 5 years ago, Sonos does for your home, office, or wherever you want today, ingeniously creating a seamless and practically unlimited expandable system. Sonos is literally one of the coolest things I’ve seen in years; not because they reinvented the wheel (even though they kind of did in some places), but because it works.
Our digital lives are consumed by software updates, OTAs, custom ROMs, and promised OS upgrades, and because of their absence in Sonos’ system the entire experience is completely refreshing. You literally, in the words of Ron Popeill, “set it and forget it.†Once you unbox the sucker you have access to potentially limitless amounts of music spanning dozens of genres and styles.
We were sent two Sonos S5s, which are incredibly powerful units, and include speakers, subwoofers, and the ability to transmit/receive data and signal in addition to a ZoneBridge and Sonos Controller 200. If you want your S5 in the room where your internet router is, great, you just plug it in, and off you go. If you don’t have Ethernet in the room you’d like to host the system in, you can simply buy a ZoneBridge ($99), which will bridge your wireless network to your Sonos base for you. From there on out it is as simple as pairing the additional components.
I started off setting up the ZoneBridge to my network, I then added a Sonos S5 in the kitchen two rooms away. Set up was a breeze. I ran the Sonos software, touched a button or two on the S5, and it paired immediately and connected to my network. Once networked, I had instant access to my Pandora account, Last.fm account, Rhapsody account, Napster account, and Sirius radio account, in addition to whatever music was on my network. Instantly. Before I got too excited and immersed in some music from Billboard charts from 1995, I decided to add the other S5 to the network; this time unit was headed for the living room. The second S5 also seamlessly connected in about one minute. I now had independent control over the music/volume in the kitchen as well as the music/volume in the living room from my computer. So wild. If you’re having a small get together, or raging party, and want the music to play all over your apartment or house, you can simply link the zones together — all your zones will play the exact same thing perfectly in sync. You can also control the volume of linked zones together or independently.
We’re not done…there’s more. Sonos’ new controller is so thoughtfully designed that I’m really not sure what to compare it to. It seems like it should cost $1,000 instead of $349; it even includes a capacitive screen. You have the ability to control the entire system — including changing your playlists, music queue, stations, volume, zones, and everything else — right from the controller. Computer not required. But, Sonos went even further. They basically replicated the entire experience they offered on the remote into an iPhone application. This transforms your iPod Touch or iPhone into another controller, complete control over everything, computer not required (you need to be in range of your WiFi network though, duh).
In terms of the actual music, the Sonos S5 unit itself sounds absolutely amazing and really packs a punch. For something that can be literally picked up and plugged in anywhere it’s pretty remarkable. During the tests I didn’t ever miss having my actual home speaker systems hooked up, the S5s sounded that good.
While it’s great that the hardware and wireless network side of things work so incredibly well, what good would all that be without quality music sources, right? Here’s how Sonos’ music breaks down:
All in all I loved listening to a seemingly endless catalog of music that I could tailor to my daily routines, activities, and moods. Times when you’d normally just forget about turning on tunes dissolve away when there’s a Sonos remote nearby — hopefully the neighbors aren’t too mad at me. Check out some more photos in our gallery, and definitely hit up Sonos directly to learn more!
Click on over to our Sonos Music System gallery!
Technology companies are scrambling to jump on the application store bandwagon which has blossomed in the mobile arena and is now moving into the netbook and desktop computing realm. The latest app store venture may be originating from Google, which is rumored to be developing its own suite of business applications designed to compliment its Google Apps service. Google already offers a solutions marketplace with tools and add-ons for Google Apps, but this new business pursuit would expand upon this solutions marketplace and offer applications from Google’s software partners in an attempt to deliver its partner’s products and additional services more easily to paying Google App customers. Business productivity would be the focus of this venture and its crosshair would be aimed squarely at Microsoft.
Guest post by a “connect” in the wireless industry.
Absolutely dread going to your location wireless provider’s store and having to be social? If it’s one of your worst nightmares, hopefully this will help you change that. Here are a few tips that might help you get a better deal on a phone and keep the hurt off your wallet. After all, if you’re like us… you’ll be buying a new phone every 6 months anyways.
Do:
Buy at the end of the month or during bad weather. It’s funny, but the best time to buy a phone  is at the end of the month. Every store has a quota to hit and the sales reps are a lot more tempted to make a good deal if it’s the end of the month. They’ll most likely be offering better discounts to try and get those final sales for their quota. Also, on days when the weather is really bad, the store has probably been slow most of the day and the reps are bored. We’re not kidding. They’ll want to talk to you and want to sell you something. The sales reps have probably made nothing in terms of money for that day and they’ll be eager to try and make a deal for you.
Take the features:
Use them as a bargaining tool. This is a great way to get extra discounts or deals on a phone. Tell the rep you’ll sign up for the data plan (if not already required based on the phone like a smartphone) plus insurance and other extra features if they’ll cut you a small deal on the equipment. ARPU (Average Revenue Per Unit) is always a huge goal for managers and employees, and it adds a large amount to our commission check. You can always take these features off (if they’re not contracted like the smartphone data plans) if you don’t use them. Just know that most wireless carriers require features to be active for a certain amount of time or else the representative won’t get the commission from it.
Also, try to find a rep that is passionate. It might seem like common sense, but we can’t tell you how many people just enter the store and mosey on over to any boring dope and expect greatness. Look for a rep that looks happy to be there. That rep will most likely be an upfront person and be detailed on equipment and plan pricing. If the rep is trained well enough, he or she will know about other carrier’s pricing and plans as well, making this much easier on you.
Ask the representative to be blunt and honest — telling your rep from the get-go to be straightforward and to-the-point will save both of you a lot of trouble. They’ll get the job done faster and you’ll get the info you’re asking for without all the corporate mumbo-jumbo that they’re supposed to shove in your head.
Plus, if you don’t already have a phone in mind, ask the representative what phone they use. If they’re carrying it, it’s most likely a decent phone. Most likely.
Sales reps can usually budge on the equipment pricing, accessories, or waiving activation fees depending on whether you’re at a corporate store or an indirect dealer. But something they can’t do is budge on the plan pricing; that’s something no one can adjust — only the retention department over the phone can.
If you see a better price at another store or online, ask for a price match. This requires a print out of the ad that you saw, but you’d be surprised how many people don’t care, or don’t come prepared. Corporate stores can only price match in this fashion, too. Buying at a corporate store versus a 3rd party store (Costco, Sam’s Club, Radio Shack) has its benefits such as better trained employees and usually original/more encompassing warranties.
Don’t:
Don’t threaten to leave your carrier if the representatives you’re talking to don’t give you a good deal. Sales reps know your contract length and they know you aren’t going to pay that $200 ETF to get little Timmy off your plan and into an iPhone because they won’t give you $50 off that dumbphone he wants. Things like telling them that you’ve been with them for 10+ years and you deserve 5 BlackBerry Bolds for free will only frustrate the poor guy. When it comes to equipment cost, the amount of years you’ve been with a carrier as a customer doesn’t mean too much. Also don’t say that you’ll get a better deal by switching from x-carrier to y-carrier if you don’t know for sure if it’s exactly true. A good rep knows when a customer is lying and they’ll pretty much be done trying to work with you at that point.
Remember to play it smart. Don’t try and ask for a smartphone without a data plan. That’s like buying a brand new BMW and not wanting to put premium gas in it. The reps most likely can’t make that happen due to restrictions with the way those plans work. Also never ask to speak to the manager while negotiating for a better deal. You’re undermining the representative and are only going to annoy the manager.
Upgrades (phone discounts you get when extending your current contract with your existing carrier) mean pretty little to the sales reps in terms of commission. The rep doesn’t make much on these kinds of contracts and if you’re going to give them a really hard time about pricing, they’ll either pass you to another rep or put 0% effort into trying to help you out.
Tips from reps we know:
All in all, pretty standard stuff though like we said, you’d be surprised how many people don’t really get the big picture. Hopefully this makes shopping for a new phone, wireless plan, and even carrier a little easier on you the next time around!
While this post tried to encompass all wireless carriers in the U.S., some have different policies and practices and it’s best to visit their respective website to learn about plan/feature requirements, and any sales/rebates they have available before you go to the store.
After we whispered that AT&T might be requiring messaging plans when you purchase select feature phones, we were hit up by a flood of connects. Long story short, it’s true, and here’s the break down:
Not exactly the best news for those looking to keep their wireless bill pretty low (and straight forward). Catherine Zeta Jones, where you at?
Thanks, to all our connects that broke this down for us!
With manufacturing costs, Apple could build the thing for less than $350, says an analyst.
Here’s a neat trick. In a report to clients Wednesday, Susquehanna Financial’s Jeffrey Fidacaro published an estimate of how much Apple (AAPL) is spending to build a device that hasn’t been announced, never mind shipped.
Vaporware issues aside, it’s not that big a stretch, thanks to the teardown experts at iSuppli who pegged the bill of materials for a 16GB iPhone 3GS at $180.
Using that a starting point, Fidacaro threw in the extra cost of a larger screen, bigger battery etc. and came out with a total of $347, as detailed in the schedule below the fold.
These costs could vary greatly, Fidacaro notes, depending on
Storage configuration (1.8†HDD, 2.5†HDD, or perhaps a far more expensive 128 GB SSD that could add several hundred dollars to the cost of the device).
Which processor Apple uses (e.g., Intel-based Atom or Core 2 Duo, or an ARM-based processor), which could add as much as a $100 swing in costs. Using an ARM-based processor, for example, could lower the tablet’s BOM by $50.
According to a report in the Wall Street Journal Monday, analysts expect Apple to sell the device for around $1,000, at least initially.
Factoring in future Tablet sales, further penetration of overseas smartphone markets and the possibility that Verizon will get the iPhone sometime this year, Fidacaro raised his Apple price target to $250 from $221.
The stock closed Wednesday at $210.97, down 3.41 points (1.59%) for the day.
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