Chet Davis - Your Technology Tutor

Driverless Car... See One of Google's Cars in Action

Amazing but true... I believe there are so many amazing revolutionary developments in technology happening all around us.  Sometimes it's difficult to 'stay on top' of all the happenings.  Some are small steps that lead to a very useful future product or service - others are grandiose by themselves. 

This is one I believe quite amazing -- Google released a video this week.  That by itself is nothing at all new. This video highlighted a test run with the Self Driving Car being developed by Google.  The person behind the wheel in the video is a sightless person - he's what many of us would call blind!

Check out the video while Steve Mahan takes a trip to Taco Bell

Here's a great article by Peter Valdes-Dapena at CNN who provides a summary of the development, acceptance and future of the Driverless Car.

Best Tech-Friendly Airports: How the 40 Busiest U.S. Airports Stack Up

For those traveling next week for Christmas and Hanukkah, a report from PC World magazine may be of interest - especially if you're traveling with your computer and smart phone, and particularly if you have a lay-over in an airport!

Here's the summary from PC World: "Many airports have been pushing to increase the numbers of electrical outlets, USB ports, and desks in their gate areas, and to increase the speed of their facility's Wi-Fi. This chart ranks the 40 busiest U.S. airports on the number and quality of the tech amenities they offer. We found that, in general, the number of electrical outlets per gate remains low in U.S. airports, especially considering how many air travelers now carry mobile, connected devices that require regular charging.

The report does a nice job providing relevant, useful information in a graph with the top 50 airports - here's a sample of the top three domestic airports.

To view the whole report and see how your favorite airport fared with tech - check out their article here: Best Tech-Friendly Airports: How the 40 Busiest U.S. Airports Stack Up

Be Careful with Groupon Getaways

Interesting article out this morning about Groupon Getaways - the deeply discounted travel packages from the folks at Groupon.  You likely have heard of Groupon, the company that offers deals near or below 50% on dining, recreation, and more.  I have even purchased a couple of their discounted virtual coupons myself for restaurants and even a car wash. 

Updating Facebook through OnStar in your Vehicle?

General Motors has announced plans to have their OnStar telecommunications service plans expand from a safety and security feature into a system that also includes  entertainment features as well as  new ways to connect the drivers to their vehicles. I first saw this article online at USA Today.com: GM's OnStar service to become Facebook friendly.

Though the specifics are apparently still being worked-out,two of the most intriguing plans include the ability to update your Facebook status and to listen to text messages read aloud while driving (by your OnStar system).

"The updated OnStar will let drivers connect with their vehicles through a smart-phone application. That would allow drivers to start the car remotely, unlock or lock it from afar, and check for mechanical or electronic problems."

General Motors has opened OnStar programming to independent software developers, encouraging them to create applications that could be uploaded into vehicles. The catch is that the apps must work with voice controls.

Distracted driving is a safety hot-button. OnStar and the Ford Motors version 'Sync' both use voice-control but the systems also are criticized by critics as simply more distractions, taking the driver away from their primary task -- to drive safely.

Ever Wonder Which Electronics You Need to Take Out During Airport Screening?

As a person who does a fair amount of air travel, I sometimes wonder what the standard is for removing items from my carry-on bags at the airport screening  checkpoints.  I often travel with several electronic gadgets and found it useful to have come across the official blog of the TSA (Transportation Security Administration):

"E-readers, Net Books and other small gadgets are becoming more and more popular for travelers to bring along in their carry-ons. (iPads, Kindles™, Neos, Nooks™, Sony® Readers™ etc.)

Electronic items smaller than the standard sized laptop should not need to be removed from your bag or their cases. It’s that simple.It’s important to remember, however, that our officers are trained to look for anomalies to help keep air travel safe, and if something needs a closer look, it will receive secondary screening.

Only electronics the size of a standard laptop or larger (for example Playstation®, Xbox™, or Nintendo®), full-size DVD players, and video cameras that use video cassettes must be removed from their carrying cases and submitted separately for x-ray screening."

You can read the full blog article here: Traveling with E-readers, Netbooks, and Other Small Gadgets (Including the iPad)

Two Cool New Technologies in Chicago O'Hare Airport

Last week I made my (6th Annual) pilgrimage to the Quad Cities (border of Iowa & Illinois, along the Mississippi River) to present sessions at the Casablanca Video Editing Conference 'March Get Together'.  I thoroughly enjoyed me time there and loved teaching the two 2-day workshops and the six sessions during the conference.  On the way home, while waiting for my connecting flight in Chicago's O'Hare International Airport I noticed two interesting technology applications/innovations:

Circular TV

If you frequent airports, you've seen many a 'Hudson News'. These small shops sell magazines, newspapers, candy, souvenirs, etc.  Outside the one in O'Hare (between H and K terminals) is this cool circular TV.  I suppose I should have heard about this in some article or on TV but to just stumble upon it was surprising and cool.  The image was very clear and captivating to see a whole screen more or less wrapped around a pole.  The only downside I could imagine if you were following a subject (like a football player running down-field - you'd have to walk all the way around the column to see the image).  And reading text, like the captions on the bottom is problematic.  Hmm, maybe it these circular TVs become more prevalent TV news providers would have to stop flooding our screens with all this text!

The 2nd innovation I saw firsthand was a smart invention that truly serves a useful purpose.  This device places a plastic wrapper on the toilet seat and when you wave your hand above the black sensor at the back of the toilet seat, it moves the wrapper around the toilet seat (in a counter-clockwise direction) to provide you with a clean plastic wrap.  

It works quite well (I just want to be sure the wrap is not recycled and is truly on a reel that must be changed).  I debated taking a picture of the actual toilet but decided against that, so the shot of the instructions on the wall (posted at right) will have to do.

U.S. Consumers and Navigation Devices

More people use portable navigation devices (PNDs) than in-dash navigation systems, but users of in-dash systems use their system more often, according to a U.S. consumer survey released by Navteq:  Navigation Study: What's Driving U.S. Consumers

Since getting my iPhone I have used the Map function/s several times to help me find a specific location, find a store and even find my way when I needed to see where the closest freeway on-ramp is while coming back from the airport.  Check this previous post for some thoughts I shared about using the included Maps app on my iPhone.

You may also find some value in this post on the 'iPhonNess' website: http://www.iphoneness.com/iphone-apps/10-cool-navigation-apps-for-iphone/

Free WiFi in 47 More US Airports This Holiday Season

We're coming up to the busiest times of the year for airports - at least in the USA and so I wanted to ensure my friends and colleagues were aware of the additional free internet access that will be available at a number of major airports across the US during this holiday travel season.*

Google has worked out arrangements with is working with airports across the country with partners (Boingo Wireless, Advanced Wireless Group, Airport Marketing Income and others) to provide free Wi-Fi as a holiday gift now through January 15, 2010

For those of us who arrive early (to ensure we make it through security) you find yourself with extra time on your hands, and I for one enjoy the opportunity to connect and perform some tasks as well as even pass the time with some entertainment.

This free Wi-Fi access also comes in very handy if you have a canceled or delayed flight.  I have found in the past that I can access air travel updates and even reschedule a flight quicker online in the airport than I can after standing in a long line at one of the air carriers in-airport service counters.

A full list of the participating airports can be found at www.freeholidaywifi.com

Another part of this promotion, Google, Inc. in matching donations by travelers who partake of this free WiFi Service (note this is an option, but each log-in will be presented with this option)

“As another way to pass on the spirit of the season, once they log on to networks in any of the participating airports, travelers will have the option make a donation to Engineers Without Borders, the One Economy Corporation or the Climate Savers Computing Initiative.

Google will match the donations made across all the networks up to $250,000, and the airport network that generates the highest amount per passenger by January 1, 2010 will receive $15,000 to donate to the local nonprofit of their choice."

*NOTE: A number of airports around the country have been offering free WiFi for travelers (prior to this worthy initiative from Google & friends). You can find directories online that indicate which airports have free WiFi.  Here is one such guide http://www.wififreespot.com/airport.html