kernkraft
Jul 30, 11:22 AM
I think the Volt is a success in terms of meeting its intended design parameters. However, I think the whole notion of the all-electric car and plug-in hybrids are flawed due to our current infrastructure.
As long as we burn fossil fuels to get the electricity, the electric car is just sweeping the fossil fuel/pollution problem under the rug by putting the "dirty" side of power consumption out of sight (back at the power plant). Also, there's no way our current power generation infrastructure could support even a fraction of the population switching to electric cars. California already has rolling blackouts - if people stopped burning gas and switched to electrics, the problem would get drastically worse.
I think electric cars are a dead end for the present...At least until our entire power grid makes large-scale switches to alternative energy, and there is no timeline for that currently. Also, there is currently no guarantee that practical fuel-cell systems will ever be truly affordable or mass-producable. The current offerings are all extremely expensive, proof-of-concept vehicles with short useful lives.
We'd be better off with diesels or diesel hybrids. People don't want to admit it, but those are currently our best options IMO.
I really wish I didn't sound so cynical, but that's the picture as I understand it.
Very valid points! My only point to add would be that BMW already makes diesel cars that use the company's EfficientDynamics technology to regenerate wasted energy. In the end, what might solve our energy crisis is the combination of alternative energy, frugality on the user end and trying to capture and re-use as much energy and energy-intensive (to make) products as possible. To me, there is no great difference between a hybrid and a BMW diesel that stops in stationary traffic. Of course, in city centres, using a purely electric drive helps to keep the air clean, which is something that diesel engines are not good at.
Well, they should research capacitors then, never wear out, and charge veeeeewy quick. Like EEstor (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EEStor)
Very good point. And not without a bit of irony as Rudolf Diesel patented his engine in the U.S. (608,845), and we don't use it - though that's because of the Oil companies, not the car companies.
I agree we should use the diesel. After the apocalypse, you could make your own fuel from zombie bodies!
Used vegetable oil or quality diesel would be a start...
True on the economies of scale bit - although the batteries are always going to be pricey.
I keep hammering the same point here, but the Volt would see a quite significant fuel economy boost by switching to a diesel engine to charge the batteries and run the motors. Sort it out, US car companies...it's not like we don't sell diesel here.
I heard it that the reason why BMW stopped selling diesel cars in the US was that the engines failed, due to the very poor quality. In Europe, you can get quality fuel, but in the US, diesel is still the fuel of trucks, primarily.
Just one statistics: in continental Europe (not in the UK), new diesel cars have been outselling petrol ones for almost a decade, despite the premium.
That's the great thing about a platform like the Volt, or anything like it: you can easily change whatever gives the electricity. Gas not working right? The American public finally getting their asses out of their collective heads about diesel? Just get one the right size, and hook it up to the generator. It works for trains. Small fusion reactors finally a possibility? Bingo!
If GM hadn't ****ed up when they tried bringing diesel cars to the market, it wouldn't be anywhere near as bad. We still have some old M-B diesels kicking around, and probably a good bunch of them run on SVO by now.
Subaru still sells FWD cars, just not in the US or Europe.
You may easily change the source of electricity (actually, you cannot, it mainly comes from coal and oil in the US, I think), but so far, there is no decent technology available to solve the problem of storing electricity. Batteries suck and the Volt still uses ancient batteries that you would find in all sorts of consumer products. That is a car, running on laptop batteries (or AA's, if you prefer).
Why did you burst my bubble of Subarus awesomeness? :(
Don't forget the dealership markup. Some of the automotive blogs have people complaining that the dealerships are adding a $10k markup to the already expensive vehicle.
You shouldn't have any impression about Subarus. They really have the traction of a train (AWD ones, of course - why would you buy anything else?!), but everything else is just midrange quality at best.
I've had a 1998 Impreza estate several years ago and it was OK. Recently, I've had a 2007 Legacy Outback from work. Nice glass on the top and good traction, but I have no intention of trading a BMW or Mercedes for it the next time. The interior is low quality and Subaru has no understanding of fuel efficiency, it seems. OK, it's a 2.5L engine, automatic and AWD, but still... 25 imperial mpg?!
As long as we burn fossil fuels to get the electricity, the electric car is just sweeping the fossil fuel/pollution problem under the rug by putting the "dirty" side of power consumption out of sight (back at the power plant). Also, there's no way our current power generation infrastructure could support even a fraction of the population switching to electric cars. California already has rolling blackouts - if people stopped burning gas and switched to electrics, the problem would get drastically worse.
I think electric cars are a dead end for the present...At least until our entire power grid makes large-scale switches to alternative energy, and there is no timeline for that currently. Also, there is currently no guarantee that practical fuel-cell systems will ever be truly affordable or mass-producable. The current offerings are all extremely expensive, proof-of-concept vehicles with short useful lives.
We'd be better off with diesels or diesel hybrids. People don't want to admit it, but those are currently our best options IMO.
I really wish I didn't sound so cynical, but that's the picture as I understand it.
Very valid points! My only point to add would be that BMW already makes diesel cars that use the company's EfficientDynamics technology to regenerate wasted energy. In the end, what might solve our energy crisis is the combination of alternative energy, frugality on the user end and trying to capture and re-use as much energy and energy-intensive (to make) products as possible. To me, there is no great difference between a hybrid and a BMW diesel that stops in stationary traffic. Of course, in city centres, using a purely electric drive helps to keep the air clean, which is something that diesel engines are not good at.
Well, they should research capacitors then, never wear out, and charge veeeeewy quick. Like EEstor (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EEStor)
Very good point. And not without a bit of irony as Rudolf Diesel patented his engine in the U.S. (608,845), and we don't use it - though that's because of the Oil companies, not the car companies.
I agree we should use the diesel. After the apocalypse, you could make your own fuel from zombie bodies!
Used vegetable oil or quality diesel would be a start...
True on the economies of scale bit - although the batteries are always going to be pricey.
I keep hammering the same point here, but the Volt would see a quite significant fuel economy boost by switching to a diesel engine to charge the batteries and run the motors. Sort it out, US car companies...it's not like we don't sell diesel here.
I heard it that the reason why BMW stopped selling diesel cars in the US was that the engines failed, due to the very poor quality. In Europe, you can get quality fuel, but in the US, diesel is still the fuel of trucks, primarily.
Just one statistics: in continental Europe (not in the UK), new diesel cars have been outselling petrol ones for almost a decade, despite the premium.
That's the great thing about a platform like the Volt, or anything like it: you can easily change whatever gives the electricity. Gas not working right? The American public finally getting their asses out of their collective heads about diesel? Just get one the right size, and hook it up to the generator. It works for trains. Small fusion reactors finally a possibility? Bingo!
If GM hadn't ****ed up when they tried bringing diesel cars to the market, it wouldn't be anywhere near as bad. We still have some old M-B diesels kicking around, and probably a good bunch of them run on SVO by now.
Subaru still sells FWD cars, just not in the US or Europe.
You may easily change the source of electricity (actually, you cannot, it mainly comes from coal and oil in the US, I think), but so far, there is no decent technology available to solve the problem of storing electricity. Batteries suck and the Volt still uses ancient batteries that you would find in all sorts of consumer products. That is a car, running on laptop batteries (or AA's, if you prefer).
Why did you burst my bubble of Subarus awesomeness? :(
Don't forget the dealership markup. Some of the automotive blogs have people complaining that the dealerships are adding a $10k markup to the already expensive vehicle.
You shouldn't have any impression about Subarus. They really have the traction of a train (AWD ones, of course - why would you buy anything else?!), but everything else is just midrange quality at best.
I've had a 1998 Impreza estate several years ago and it was OK. Recently, I've had a 2007 Legacy Outback from work. Nice glass on the top and good traction, but I have no intention of trading a BMW or Mercedes for it the next time. The interior is low quality and Subaru has no understanding of fuel efficiency, it seems. OK, it's a 2.5L engine, automatic and AWD, but still... 25 imperial mpg?!
peharri
Oct 5, 09:23 AM
Isn't the version of Darwin underpinning OS X/Intel no longer Open Source ?
Define "Open Source". If by Open Source, you mean provided under a liberal license that provides for the ability of users to excercise Free Software rights, then it's open source. If you mean characterized by an open development model in which any party can contribute with contributions being judged by merit, then, no, not really.
Darwin remains licensed under APSL2, and the source code for a usable subset (missing some device drivers, notably nVidia and ATI drivers) is downloadable and sharable.
Define "Open Source". If by Open Source, you mean provided under a liberal license that provides for the ability of users to excercise Free Software rights, then it's open source. If you mean characterized by an open development model in which any party can contribute with contributions being judged by merit, then, no, not really.
Darwin remains licensed under APSL2, and the source code for a usable subset (missing some device drivers, notably nVidia and ATI drivers) is downloadable and sharable.
dethmaShine
Apr 12, 09:12 AM
For my work I need word and office, so replacements are not feasible. We use custom plug-ins that obviously will only work in an office app and nothing else.
I'm a little behind the curve as I'm running MS office 2007 on my windows partition and I've had little need to upgrade to 2010. That's why I'm a little out of the loop regarding ads in office.
Fair enough.
No body is going to scold you for misinformation. :cool:
We all make mistakes, you see? :D
I'm a little behind the curve as I'm running MS office 2007 on my windows partition and I've had little need to upgrade to 2010. That's why I'm a little out of the loop regarding ads in office.
Fair enough.
No body is going to scold you for misinformation. :cool:
We all make mistakes, you see? :D
JAT
May 2, 11:20 PM
Wow, I finally got a reply! Didn't expect that, I appreciate it. ;)
Sure. That was one of few worthwhile posts in this thread. I just hope this update actually helps. I've been trying to analyze it myself. It seems like 4.2.7 is worse than 4.2.6 for battery life, but not positive.
Sure. That was one of few worthwhile posts in this thread. I just hope this update actually helps. I've been trying to analyze it myself. It seems like 4.2.7 is worse than 4.2.6 for battery life, but not positive.
Ryeno
May 3, 05:15 PM
You are paying to use data on your mobile device. If you want to use it to link up other devices, there is a separate service for that.
This is not exactly brain surgery here.
thank god you are not a brain surgeon. This is no different then paying for internet @ home and getting a modem (cell phone) that only allows connection to one PC (cell phone). Then being forced to pay an extra fee just to split the signal to another PC (use a router in this example).
This is not exactly brain surgery here.
thank god you are not a brain surgeon. This is no different then paying for internet @ home and getting a modem (cell phone) that only allows connection to one PC (cell phone). Then being forced to pay an extra fee just to split the signal to another PC (use a router in this example).
LeeRain
Aug 3, 04:25 PM
Nokia???? What's a 'Nokia'?
quagmire
Jul 27, 05:06 PM
The Volt should sell for no more than $20,000. What a ripoff!!!!
Name one vehicle that has the electric motors and lithium ion battery the volt and leaf has that goes for less then $20,000.
Name one vehicle that has the electric motors and lithium ion battery the volt and leaf has that goes for less then $20,000.
.jpg "(cute I love you sayings")
Mechinyun
Mar 17, 01:08 AM
haters gonna...
rtheb
Apr 29, 06:54 PM
I'm underwhelmed! :eek:
Evmanw
Apr 21, 12:11 PM
It is against forum rules to simply reply "+1": what on earth is the difference between that and clicking a button to say "+1"?
I never knew that... Oops I have done that once or twice (but only once or twice) just to say that I agree.
Could have been worse guys, they could have put in a Facebook "Like" button. :D
Yes, Facebook really needs a dislike button!!!!
P.S. (I finally figured out how to do multiple quotes in a post!) :rolleyes:
I never knew that... Oops I have done that once or twice (but only once or twice) just to say that I agree.
Could have been worse guys, they could have put in a Facebook "Like" button. :D
Yes, Facebook really needs a dislike button!!!!
P.S. (I finally figured out how to do multiple quotes in a post!) :rolleyes:
longofest
Nov 16, 01:05 PM
please no page 1 vs page 2 comments... :)
Friendship Quotes, Sayings
i love you
i love you friendship. love
I Love You Friendship. i love
i love you friend quotes.
quotes about i love you.
quotes images. i love you
i love you friend sayings.
dethmaShine
Apr 16, 09:32 AM
No, when Apple revealed the iPhone most people were thinking something along the line of "Apple seriously need to reconsider leaving out 3G and the ability to install software if they want to make it in the smart phone business", a phone that doesn't let you install new software is by definiton not a smart phone. The iPhone 3G was the real deal, ofcourse the first gen was successful, simply because it was Apple, but the 3G was when it turned into a good product and soared in popularity.
And iPhone is far from the first icon based phone and I personally believe the Sony Ericsson P800 and P900 was a big inspiration for iPhone.
Where can I find the definition of a smart phone?
And iPhone is far from the first icon based phone and I personally believe the Sony Ericsson P800 and P900 was a big inspiration for iPhone.
Where can I find the definition of a smart phone?
dieselpower44
Jul 21, 09:49 AM
"Apple - our products suck just as much as everyone else's" :rolleyes:
LOL, couldn't agree more! This change in attitude is going to be the demise of Apple inc.
LOL, couldn't agree more! This change in attitude is going to be the demise of Apple inc.
robogobo
May 3, 05:49 AM
And your option is...?
Personally, I'd like to know if the deletion that results from turning off Location Services results in slower response time when you turn it back on. Does turning it back on give you a sufficient download from the mothership to get you up and running again quickly?
I turn off Location Services frequently for a variety of reasons... battery life, roaming internationally, etc. I'd hate to have this non-issue result in slower GPS every time I toggle Location.
Bingo, where are the options? This is the thing with the cache. Five bucks says people will be complaining about poor Location Services performance after the update.
Personally, I'd like to know if the deletion that results from turning off Location Services results in slower response time when you turn it back on. Does turning it back on give you a sufficient download from the mothership to get you up and running again quickly?
I turn off Location Services frequently for a variety of reasons... battery life, roaming internationally, etc. I'd hate to have this non-issue result in slower GPS every time I toggle Location.
Bingo, where are the options? This is the thing with the cache. Five bucks says people will be complaining about poor Location Services performance after the update.
ipacmm
Aug 7, 06:31 PM
Be careful when buying at an Apple Store that they don't pawn off on you the previous generation model. I was told by an employee that they were the same except for the price. If your not careful they may try to sell their existing stock at the reduced price. Buy online for now. I can't see a way to tell which model is current and which is prior, except for the obvious brightness.
The cinema display's didn't change, all that changed was the price. So there isn't any "previous generation model" from what I understand.
The cinema display's didn't change, all that changed was the price. So there isn't any "previous generation model" from what I understand.
Anuba
Jan 12, 07:44 PM
Welcome to America. We're just now getting 3G (in regards to GSM networks, anyhow).
So I'm told, but A) 3G phones are backwards compatible with old GSM networks. Mine switches between 3G/regular GSM constantly when I'm at home, as I live very close to a base station but far from the nearest 3G mast. Hence they should just stick a 3G 'sleeper cell' in there for (near) future use... and B) I respect that Apple is an American company, but they peddle their stuff all across the globe. Every little itty bitty iPod has 21 languages built in. When Apple Store closes down for maintenance it happens simultaneously all across the globe, and when it pops back online again the new products are available in all countries. Never in Apple's history have I seen them do something as US-centric as this - heck, we're not getting it until 2008! Strange, pretty damn alienating, and it had better not become a habit.
So I'm told, but A) 3G phones are backwards compatible with old GSM networks. Mine switches between 3G/regular GSM constantly when I'm at home, as I live very close to a base station but far from the nearest 3G mast. Hence they should just stick a 3G 'sleeper cell' in there for (near) future use... and B) I respect that Apple is an American company, but they peddle their stuff all across the globe. Every little itty bitty iPod has 21 languages built in. When Apple Store closes down for maintenance it happens simultaneously all across the globe, and when it pops back online again the new products are available in all countries. Never in Apple's history have I seen them do something as US-centric as this - heck, we're not getting it until 2008! Strange, pretty damn alienating, and it had better not become a habit.
balamw
Apr 12, 07:56 AM
Maybe some computers come with Office as a promotional deal, and if they do, that's up to the OEM, not Microsoft. Nonetheless, I've not seen any PC come with more than a 30 day trial of Office.
See my edit above. With 2010 Office Starter 2010 is an option for the OEM. It replaces Works and the Word viewer and gives a better upgrade path to "real" Office.
http://www.microsoft.com/oem/en/products/office/pages/office_2010_starter.aspx
Office Starter 2010 is not a trial–it has a perpetual license that does not expire. Office Starter 2010 is an advertising-supported base productivity suite that is available only on new PCs. It must be preloaded on new PCs at the point of manufacture. Office Starter 2010 is not available for existing PCs at any time after manufacture; for example, Office Starter 2010 cannot be installed on new PCs being sold by resellers, even brand-new PCs. It will not be sold through distribution or available to end users as a standalone product.
B
See my edit above. With 2010 Office Starter 2010 is an option for the OEM. It replaces Works and the Word viewer and gives a better upgrade path to "real" Office.
http://www.microsoft.com/oem/en/products/office/pages/office_2010_starter.aspx
Office Starter 2010 is not a trial–it has a perpetual license that does not expire. Office Starter 2010 is an advertising-supported base productivity suite that is available only on new PCs. It must be preloaded on new PCs at the point of manufacture. Office Starter 2010 is not available for existing PCs at any time after manufacture; for example, Office Starter 2010 cannot be installed on new PCs being sold by resellers, even brand-new PCs. It will not be sold through distribution or available to end users as a standalone product.
B
twoodcc
Apr 11, 12:44 AM
I know!! Last year they had the Mac Pro out before the cpu's were even announced by Intel!
yeah i know! i don't know what's going on these days. apple is only concerned with iphone and ipad, but developers gotta have systems to build the apps with!
and not just that, apple has a market for mac pros. but it will only continue to get smaller if they ignore it
yeah i know! i don't know what's going on these days. apple is only concerned with iphone and ipad, but developers gotta have systems to build the apps with!
and not just that, apple has a market for mac pros. but it will only continue to get smaller if they ignore it
mdntcallr
Oct 2, 05:42 PM
well. i wish apple would allow record companies to sell cd's that are copy protected, with copies of songs in AAC fairplay protected. so that people can also use them digitally.
klaus
Aug 13, 04:30 AM
Sure, I know Chipmunk and have used it in the past too.
But since you cannot know when exactly the new panels were used, this data is useless.
The product code is the same, and every lcd has a serial, but it's not like Apple tells us which serial nr was the last one of the old batch is it.
But since you cannot know when exactly the new panels were used, this data is useless.
The product code is the same, and every lcd has a serial, but it's not like Apple tells us which serial nr was the last one of the old batch is it.
rdowns
Apr 21, 12:05 PM
Could have been worse guys, they could have put in a Facebook "Like" button. :D
MacToddB
Oct 6, 06:43 PM
Getting back to the actual advertisement. What self-respecting advertising professional would use someone else's tagline like that.
I had a few friends watching the football game (where we saw the ad) and half of them thought it was an iphone commercial because they were only half paying attention and heard "there's a map for that".
Pretty shoddy work in my opinion.
Seems like it worked. Got a lot of people talking about it, razzing on AT&T and saying good for them (Verizon). On an Apple forum no less. Mission accomplished.
I had a few friends watching the football game (where we saw the ad) and half of them thought it was an iphone commercial because they were only half paying attention and heard "there's a map for that".
Pretty shoddy work in my opinion.
Seems like it worked. Got a lot of people talking about it, razzing on AT&T and saying good for them (Verizon). On an Apple forum no less. Mission accomplished.
takao
Sep 8, 01:27 PM
I've passed by Lawyers, Doctors, even a Judge (I know because as a youth I got schooled by her) listening to Kanye West, LL Cool J, Queen Latifah. Why? Because it gives them a motivative sense of power, a sense of "I'm above the rest" that most other genre's of music doesnt provide. Rock N Roll comes really close, but from what I've heard, I cannot pick 10 artists/groups in all their albums that brings it like Rap/Hip-Hop.
luckily not all rap/hip hop (especially the non US ones) gives this sense of "i'm above the rest" .. since they are nowhere as good as the funny,more language acrobatic ones IMHO
but i'm 22 and not 15 and didn't grew up in the gettho or something
(thankfully my younger brother(13) jumped straight to rammstein ;) )
luckily not all rap/hip hop (especially the non US ones) gives this sense of "i'm above the rest" .. since they are nowhere as good as the funny,more language acrobatic ones IMHO
but i'm 22 and not 15 and didn't grew up in the gettho or something
(thankfully my younger brother(13) jumped straight to rammstein ;) )
apfhex
Jan 9, 03:36 PM
9.41 on the ****.
Nice theory there, but out here in California, Pacific Standard Time, that wouldn't make a bit of sense as the time for the posting of the keynote.
In fact 9:41am PST is nearly the exactly time during the keynote that Steve announced the ****.
Nice theory there, but out here in California, Pacific Standard Time, that wouldn't make a bit of sense as the time for the posting of the keynote.
In fact 9:41am PST is nearly the exactly time during the keynote that Steve announced the ****.
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