One. Bad. Truck. Border Patrol Raptor FTW!

I'm in lust with this, even though I have like no use for it whatsoever in my current suburban lifestyle.  Like the fanboys on the forums say, "FTMFW!!!"

Spotted: 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee

Out and about today, I spotted a 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee pre-production car (manufacturer plate) parked out in public. I didn't have a camera with me so I can't post pics, but I can share some overall impressions.

The design is handsome up close, with generally taut body work. This is a much better styled vehicle than most of what Chrysler has released lately--it looks like the excesses of the Sebring/Caliber/Compass are behind us. The interior looked nice also, with tasteful use of chrome highlights, faux wood, and grained surfaces.

This example did have some problems, though. The hood alignment was off, creating sloppy looking panel gaps and poor seam alignment. The a-pillar seams were not well aligned, bad enough to be noticeable. In other words, it was put together more like the "old" Chrysler. I wouldn't take this too seriously yet, since this was a pre-production vehicle, but Chrysler needs to have world class fit and finish if they hope to compete.

Black Box Video Recorders? No.

Intel is showing off a concept for an Event Data Recorder (EDR) which records in-cabin video as well as vehicle network data and GPS coordinates. (Story here)

This is not going to happen any time soon, unless of course Congress passes a law to require it, which they won't.  

The privacy advocates won't agree to video recording, and the expense of adding the hardware to the EDR module will be a strong deterrent to automakers, who will also lobby hard against it.  The trial lawyers will also try to kill it, because a video recorder would be typically be a witness against their plaintiff customers.

To encode video into a reasonably compact form, a standalone video processor chip would be required, such as are packaged into DVRs.  A ballpark price for one of these is probably in the $20 range.  In addition, enough flash memory would have to be added to store the video streams in addition to the vehicle data.  90s of video at reasonable resolution and quality would require several megabytes of flash, easily several more dollars per vehicle.

I also question the utility of recording GPS data.  A vehicle typically has a fairly accurate on board velocity estimate, which comes from the ABS wheel speed sensors.  Unless a driver is involved in a hit-and-run, it will be pretty obvious to accident investigators what the path of the vehicle was, based on external evidence and the on-board inertial signals which would normally be recorded in an EDR.

Review: Sony KDL-32EX308 LCD TV

I have been using a CRT TV with a DTV decoder box since the digital transition, but finally, I decided to join the world of true HDTV, and decided to shop for a modestly price LCD HDTV. My main requirement: it had to work well with OTA viewing, since I refuse to pay money for TV service.After some digging around, a clear winner came out: the Sony KDL-32EX308. This is a 32" 720p unit which has a price around $430 from SonyStyle.com. I am convinced this is the best modestly price TV for OTA use out there.

Pros:

• Ethernet port and free wi-fi adapter. Automatically updates firmware.
• 2 HDMI ports, plus USB for music and photo playback.
  
• Internet video functions like Qriocity, Amazon, Netflix, and Youtube built in
• Internet radio from Pandora, Slacker, NPR, others
• TV Guide populated from internet download
• DLNA client built in -- you can stream video from your PC, even Windows Media Center
• Decent OTA reception (about as good as my Zenith DTV box)
• Nice integrated Favorites menu lets you assign inputs, internet functions, and channels to the favorites bar
• Nice XBM menu system
• Massive deal at only $430
• Good remote with redundant power button underneath (where your fingers go)
  
• Nice basic understated design
• HDMI link lets you control Sony branded stuff from the TV menu, without changing remotes.
  

Cons:

• Advanced features take longer to "boot up" than basic TV function on a cold start (can be remedied by setting up quick start mode, but this uses more power)
• DLNA client needs MPEG2 video to play, so you need a DLNA server which can transcode to MPEG2 on the fly. Windows Media 7 seems to work fine for most formats this way, with some loss in quality.
  
• TV Guide startup delay of about 5s after you press the guide button.
• Sluggish response to some menu navigation commands, slow response to direct channel input.
  
• Can't add channels manually, must scan then delete
• Lots of "fluff" (craplets) in internet sources like Ford Models channel, which apparently can't be manually removed.
• Narrow viewing angle--colors begin to noticeably wash out if you move just 45 degrees off center.
• No support yet for Hulu, ABC video on demand, and some other sites.
  

Even if it didn't have a built in DLNA client, and didn't do Youtube, the TV Guide function alone would be worth considering.

Screen Shots:

Excellent picture when viewed close to head on.


The favorites menu overlays on top of your current activity, this is the best way to get to things you frequently use.


XBM Menu is quick and attractive.


My main reason to buy: the TV Guide which is fed from internet data or OTA data. Cons: delay before it comes up, slow response to inputs, advertising.

Useful channel strength and information display.


Pandora Radio interface.


YouTube frontend.


YouTube fullscreen with navigation controls. They go away after a second if you don't need them.


Remote details. Nice quick access buttons for major functions, redundant power button on the back of the remote.


Close-up of display for display geeks.

Ford Teases 2011 Explorer

Ford is dribbling out little bits about the new Exporer, which will be a major redesign (new platform, unibody, FWD/AWD) for the product. This is a neat video which shows some aerodynamic testing in a wind tunnel using a clay styling model. Even though Ford hasn't officially shown the Explorer, the clay model gives a lot away, assuming it is accurate.

Fix: Missing DVD Drive Letter On Windows 7 64Bit

I am running Windows 7 64bit on a Dell desktop machine. Mysteriously, my DVD drive disappeared from Windows 7, and going through the hardware manager to re-install it did not work.

It turns out that iTunes (effing Apple! "it just works", hah!) puts in an ASPI driver from Gear Software.

To get my DVD drive back, I followed the instructions in this Microsoft KB article. It involves going into the registry using Regedit (don't forget to do it "run as Administrator") and deleting the UpperFilters key, which to the GearASPI file.

Problem is, if you update iTunes, you will have to do this again (I did).

Happy Birthday USA!

There are few countries in the world I can think of that I would rather be a citizen of than the US of A. There are other countries which are great, and powerful, and free. But none of them are such good combination of the three.

I get a rush every time I read our founding words. Pure poetry:

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed,...