Automotive Gadgets

Harnessing the power of the wind to travel is nothing new. America was discovered thanks to it, goods travelled all over the world for eons as a result of it, there’s even a super bowl of sailing in the world’s oldest athletic competition (the America’s Cup) which couldn’t happen as a result of the wind. And cargo ships are even considering using giant kites to travel on the wind as a green way to cut costs and save the environment while sailing the seas. So it’s nothing new. But toss in the ability to travel from the road straight into the ocean on the wind, and suddenly the “coolness factor” asserts itself. Especially when you can see an opening scene of a new Bond movie in it’s future.

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The Porta Pizza Oven. Great for RVs, bad for rush hour

If I had an RV or camper and was looking to bake a pizza or cake while camping, the Portable Pizza Oven might possibly be a good option to add to my camping gear. But if I was stuck in rush hour and was a tad hungry, using this while driving would be a recipe … for disaster.

The Porta Pizza Oven plugs into the 12 volt cigarette lighter receptacle. It has heating elements above and below for all around cooking and can handle a small cake pan or pizza. It folds out like a typical toaster oven and has two settings - high and low - for cooking and warming up.

As I said, if you’re looking for something to free up some plug space on your portable generator, and have spare counter space on your RV counter or camper, this could be a good option - just make sure you start up the engine from time to time to keep from killing the battery.

But if you’re looking for a hot food option while your commuting to work on the freeway, you may find that this oven turns your vehicle into a car-be-que by sitting on the passenger seat while operating.

Cost is $36.00 from Stupidoholic. http://www.stupidiotic.com/product_info.php?cPath=9_15&products_id=193

Hat Tip - D’Vice http://dvice.com/archives/2009/06/theres-no-way-t.php

On the Volvo S80 is a new safety feature that I have never seen before, but I’m guessing it is probably needed. Attention Assist has an interesting feature that can detect whether the driver is nodding off, which is a cause of many an accident.

The Mercedes-Benz S500 as well as the new E-class of the model have this Attention Assist safety feature, which uses seventy parameters that signal to the car that the driver is drifting into slumberland. Granted, I have no idea why seventy is needed, because I believe that the only possible indicator would be on the steering wheel.

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Super Universal Car Mount! Super Universal Car Mount! Super Universal Car Mount! Okay, I don’t think I could hype this product any more.

Considering that most countries have that whole “no handhelds law while driving”, you need something to hold the mobile devices. Of course, I assume laws like that were made so drivers would not be distracted, but I can’t think of anything more distracting than this device that looks like a baby’s mobile.

However, this really is a handy device for holding a cellular phone, a satellite navigation system, and an MP3 player. Yes, this one thing can pretty much do it all and attach to the windshield with a strong suction cup. From there, all three goosenecks can adjust for all sorts of mobile views.

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There have been a few different power inverters that you can toss into your car.  Which makes it much easier to make sure your gadgets are always charged up and ready to go.  However, if you’re actually needing to get quite a bit of work done while you’re on a trip, this case might be a better option.  The power inverter stays in the case and has enough of a cord to plug into your car, even if it’s sitting behind the passenger seat.  Then it also has storage for any items you might need to take with you from the office, to make sure that you can get your work done while you’re on the go.

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The Scamander RRV can go just about anywhere

Before he died, Peter Wheeler wanted the ultimate car - one that would not only go fast, but go anywhere. And by anywhere, he meant ANYWHERE. Over land, over water, over just about anything. The end of the day, he had the Scamander.

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The effort to keep business expenses low while trying to transition to a more green lifestyle has prompted a British super market to look to their parking lot to power their lights and run their cash register. And the idea may catch on for other power needs as well.

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This isn’t the first time that we have reported on concept automobiles of the future. Most of them aren’t really what comes to mind when we think of a car, as they tend to be small one-manned drones.

The Cube is nothing different, but I admire Carlos Mendez’s vision for cars. Mendez noticed that most cars are way too large and heavy compared to their driver, so he set out to create a “vehicle designed more to a human scale”.

What makes the Cube unique is that the user determines what it will look like and alters it according to his or her needs. Think of the base as something like a Lego car, and it is up to the user to add the roll bars, windshield, roof, or a bed for hauling stuff.

Mendez’s Cube is also environmentally sound as it is completely electrical powered. I’m guessing that mass-production of the Cube would probably solve traffic problems as it looks like it takes up half as much width as an ordinary vehicle.

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