Tested any new technology lately?

[steve_biegler]

Originally Posted by SHACOS

On that note, Chipotle already offers an iPhone app that allows you to place your order and pay. All you have to do is pick up the food. I've tried it and loved it, especially when I didn't have to go pick up the food.

Did I read that right...you didn't have to pick up the food? Did they eat it for you too?

[steve_biegler]

Originally Posted by XDCX

This reminds me of my rant about the speed limiters SeaDoo is putting in some of their new skis. The skis sold in the U.S. have an ECU that limits speed to 70 MPH based on GPS readings. You could be going down a river with a 20 MPH current and the system will keep pulling back the throttle until you're within their speed parameters. (Their new skis are throttle by wire so there's no easy way to overcome this system.)

People laughed when they first heard of this system but it's proven to be both difficult and costly to defeat the limiter. Skis sold outside the U.S. are not limited.

People outside the US can think for themselves, seems like that is less common here anymore. Look at all the people that sue when they do something stupid...NOT MY FAULT the jet ski hit the dock at 75!!!!! Oh by the way Kawasaki just came out with a 300HP ski today. I dont think it has a limiter on it.

[CarguyCO]

I'll be testing my new Breitling SuperOcean watch as soon as it arrives today

[XDCX]

Originally Posted by steve_biegler

People outside the US can think for themselves, seems like that is less common here anymore.

I've always read the reason the OEMs limit the top speed for their skis in the U.S. is due to a "gentlemen's agreement" they have with the Coast Guard. If a ski is sold brand new with the capability of going over 68 MPH with two riders the Coast Guard will increase their regulations. I don't know if it's true, but it wouldn't surprise me and goes in the ever-growing "government intervention" catagory.

Originally Posted by steve_biegler

Oh by the way Kawasaki just came out with a 300HP ski today. I dont think it has a limiter on it.

I just read about that ski on Greenhulk - the Kawasaki guys are definitely excited. From what I read the ski has a limiter in the ECU and it's propped to favor acceleration over top speed. The members at Greenhulk are already trying to figure out how to overcome the limiter in the ECU which might be easier since Kawasaki's not using a GPS reading like SeaDoo does.

[steve_biegler]

I was driving back form Minneapolis about a year ago listening to a show called Garage Logic on KSTP 1500. They were talking about ON STAR. A guy called and said he had a buddy that was going through some marital problems caused by his love of strip clubs. He had agreed to not return to one. One day his wife called him at work to find out he had left early, she called On Star gave them her code and got the location of the vehicle, quick mapquest revealed a (you guessed it) strip club. By the time he came home all his stuff was on the front lawn. Funny story but goes to show technology can cut both ways!

[SHACOS]

Originally Posted by steve_biegler

Did I read that right...you didn't have to pick up the food? Did they eat it for you too?

That is correct sir. I did get to eat the food, but I had someone serve it to me. Kidding.

[XDCX]

Has anyone tried to deposit a check to their checking account by using an App for iPhone or Android? (I'm assuming there are Android Apps for this feature.)

Here's a picture of what the iPhone App looks like for Chase:

I think it's a pretty cool use of technology but I don't know anyone who's actually used it - maybe it's not as cool as it looks?

[FixedOpsGuy]

Ok...I'm concerned. Is that the balance of Marchionne's account, Dealership forum's account, your account, or your play money for the bar tab???

If I was to guess, I'd say it's the amount that your significant other doesn't know about.

[XDCX]

Originally Posted by FixedOpsGuy

Ok...I'm concerned. Is that the balance of Marchionne's account, Dealership forum's account, your account, or your play money for the bar tab???

If I was to guess, I'd say it's the amount that your significant other doesn't know about.

No worries, the image of the Chase Account Balances came from a Google Image Search.

I've never used the App that allows someone to deposit a check via their smartphone but I've noticed that both Chase and USAA offer this feature. I think it's a cool feature but I wonder how many people really use it.

On a different note, how much longer do we have until checks disappear? I don't think I've written a check in the past year.

[XDCX]

One of our members sent me an e-mail on the new App Automotive News has for smartphones - anyone here using it yet?

I understand the concept but I cannot figure out why anyone who already subscribes to AN would want to pay 75 cents per week for a mobile version? Maybe I'm cheap, but I'd either read the regular version of AN using the smartphone's browser or I'd wait until I was back on my laptop.

As I mentioned in the first post, I surfed the forum using a Droid X and thought it was pretty cool. I'm not sure I'd need a Mobile App to read AN.

[XDCX]

Has anyone bought the new Kinect upgrade for the Xbox 360 yet?

I don't have kids and I don't have an Xbox 360 but I have to admit I thought the new Kinect upgrade they had on display at Best Buy was pretty cool.

If you haven't seen one yet, the Kinect upgrade allows the Xbox 360 to sense the movements of the players standing 6 to 8 feet in-front of the TV. The demo I saw at Best Buy was a river rafting cruise that required the players to lean to the left and right and jump over ramps. The kids I watched seemed to be having a blast and the system seemed to do a great job of mimicking their actions.

I guess the Kinect is supposed to be one of the season's hottest selling toys.

[FixedOpsGuy]

Originally Posted by XDCX

Has anyone bought the new Kinect upgrade for the Xbox 360 yet?

I don't have kids and I don't have an Xbox 360 but I have to admit I thought the new Kinect upgrade they had on display at Best Buy was pretty cool.

If you haven't seen one yet, the Kinect upgrade allows the Xbox 360 to sense the movements of the players standing 6 to 8 feet in-front of the TV. The demo I saw at Best Buy was a river rafting cruise that required the players to lean to the left and right and jump over ramps. The kids I watched seemed to be having a blast and the system seemed to do a great job of mimicking their actions.

I guess the Kinect is supposed to be one of the season's hottest selling toys.

Yes, I've seen it and I ended up buying the Kinect "add-on" for my son (16 years old). He already has the XBOX 360. The add-on was about $149 if I remember right.

It appears fun now, because no one else out there has it. No doubt, a fad. In 6 months, it'll be in the closet along with guitar hero, the PSP (Playstation portable), and the Wii.

The display that I saw in the mall was very nice. A nice kiosk with 4 large flat screen monitors, 4 individual rooms, and 4 consoles all playing the same "river rapid" game.

Personally, I was not impressed with the delay time (signal processing time) that it takes to recognize body movement and relay that info to the screen for animation. As the people testing the units out were reacting to the game by jumping up and down to make the raft move, the delay reaction on the screen was significant. I'm sure once you use the game for a while, you would get used to it.

The last time I've seen a nice display like this in the mall was probably 15 years ago when another game console company was promoting close-proximity 3-D vision goggles. It was a small LCD screen that sat on your head about 6 inches from your eyes. I remember reading that the game had serious side effects on the user...eye damage, seizures. So, the unit was never released to the public.

Go ahead and buy it.... enjoy it now before the fad wears out and prepare to use it as a dust collector a few months from now.

[XDCX]

Originally Posted by FixedOpsGuy

Personally, I was not impressed with the delay time (signal processing time) that it takes to recognize body movement and relay that info to the screen for animation. As the people testing the units out were reacting to the game by jumping up and down to make the raft move, the delay reaction on the screen was significant. I'm sure once you use the game for a while, you would get used to it.

I was wondering about that too. I imagine the technology will improve with time.

Originally Posted by FixedOpsGuy

The last time I've seen a nice display like this in the mall was probably 15 years ago when another game console company was promoting close-proximity 3-D vision goggles. It was a small LCD screen that sat on your head about 6 inches from your eyes. I remember reading that the game had serious side effects on the user...eye damage, seizures. So, the unit was never released to the public.

It's funny you mention 3D TV - I just saw my first 3D TV when I was in Costco last weekend. Costco had a TV set up with a pair of goggles that you had to look through.

I thought it was OK, but I can't imagine too many TV shows or movies I'd ever want to see in 3D. I also think the fact you have to wear goggles is a big deal breaker.

[birch3x]

Originally Posted by XDCX

I'm right there with you....

There's a toll bridge in Tacoma that offers a Fast-Track service where you can put a transponder in your car and it automatically charges your account when you drive by the toll booth. No need to stop or even slow down.

The concern is the state's already acknowledged the information about when you traveled across the bridge may be divulged by court order. If someone suspects their spouse is having an affair they can now use government records to help build their case.

I know some people who didn't want Fast-Track just based on principle alone - they'd rather pay cash at the tool booth. But that option may be going away too - there's a proposal that it would be cheaper to eliminate the toll booths and photograph all the license plates as they drive by and then send a bill in the mail.

One of our techs went out of state to training, and went through a high speed transponder pass without one. 2 weeks later we get a $2.00 bill and a photo of our dealer plate.

[DealerEx]

All the toll roads in Texas are switching over to "photo pay" for drivers that don't have a tolltag transponder...will eliminate all the manual pay booths.