Aston Martin’s CC100 Speedster concept car [Photo Source: Autoblog]

The Power and Speed

The new car sports a 6.0-liter V12-powered engine with six-speed sequential manual paddleshift gearbox. Despite the powerful engines, it is limited to go for only 180mph. However, it is capable of building up enough momentum to reach the 60mph mark in only four seconds.

The Look

The new car’s armor is made from carbon fiber materials which provides it a glossy but strong look. There is also a touch of past race cars in its design as it is somehow reminiscent of the Batmobile from the old Adam West Batman TV series and the Japanese anime Speedracer. But a notable car that is very much similar to the CC100’s design is the McLaren SLR Stirling Moss.

The McLaren SLR Stirling Moss [Photo Source: Autoblog]

According to the source, it only took the production team of Aston Martin six months to complete the CC100 concept car. That period already includes the bodywork of the two-seater and all of its other features.

Future Production

Autoblog pointed out that there are no indications of the CC100’s mass production in the future. However, it speculates that the company may consider it in the future considering their reputation of turning their concepts into production cars. So, if the demand of this car picks up, we might be seeing some of these in the streets later on.

Reception

Tens of thousands of spectators warmly welcomed the new car said the press release of Aston Martin which was featured by Autoblog. In the words of the company’s CEO, Dr. Ulrich Bez, the car symbolizes the grandeur of the brand. In addition, it is a representation of the rich heritage and capabilities of the brand, he said.

Source: Autoblog

The alleged Vodafone product list mentioning the iPhone 6. [Photo Source: Stuff]

Recently, Stuff published a spy shot of an alleged U.K. mobile operator’s till system that contains a product list with the “4G iPhone 6” in it. The website stated that the photo came from a U.K. operator store. Then, it quickly speculated that the iPhone 6 may be the coming soon instead of the much-anticipated iPhone 5S.

Although there was no mention in the original report from Stuff about the name of the carrier that owns the inventory list, Trusted Reviews and Know Your Mobile said that the network is none other than Vodafone UK.

Analysis

Know Your Mobile is pretty much skeptical about the presumption that there won’t be any iPhone 5S. It explained that it is not unusual for carriers to pre-emptively list expected devices under placeholder names, so the listed iPhone 6 could still become the iPhone 5S.

The site also questioned the excerpt revealed by Stuff because it did not display the whole document. It only posted a part of a document that mentioned the product, as seen in the picture above. So, there is a possibility that it is nothing more than a hearsay.

But what’s important from the leak is that it’s a clear indication that the network knows it is about to get a new iPhone model. This could suggest that the next iPhone is coming earlier than previously reported. This is because rumors circulated by known tech sites have said that the next Apple flagship smartphone will only be available sometime in August or September.

Sources: Stuff, Know Your Mobile and Trusted Reviews

[Photo Source: Autoblog]

The Specs

The concept car is capable of giving out as much as 503 horsepower and 413 pound-feet of torque. With that kind of power, the car can go from zero to 62 miles per hour in just a span of 3.9 seconds. The maximum speed of the car can also go up to 186 miles per hour.

The performance of the Design Vision GTI is further enhanced by its 20-inch wheels with carbon ceramic brakes that measure 15 inches at the front and 14 inches at the back. Then, its chassis has undergone some improvements as well. Hardware upgrades were given by engineers to the car in order to make the car very compact in dimension but will have a wider body and a lower stock.

The Design

The new Volkswagen car will sport an entirely new design. Among the things that it retained is its traditional brand logo at the front end as a shout out to its fans. Moreover, the traditional GTI colors of black, red and white are kept. As compared to the previous GTI, it is 0.6 inches shorter, 2.2 inches lower but 2.8 inches wider. There is an increase in the track size too, measuring around 62.2 inches at the rear and 62.8 at the front.

In the exterior, the dashboard of the car has been freed from unnecessary elements like switches and knobs. On the other hand, the console in the dashboard is strictly positioned on the driver’s side, maybe to prevent the person seated on the passenger side from tinkering with it.

In addition, X-shaped crossbars have been inserted at the rear seats and the door handles were replaced by red straps like the Porsche. A camera has been installed in its A-pillar to capture images from the front track or the driver’s area.

Source: Autoblog

[Photo Source: CNET]

Wong admitted that their plan for a Windows RT-powered tablet is ongoing. But they decided to hold it off for the moment until the new updates arrive.

Looking at the poor performance of RT-based tablets, we can’t really blame Acer for deciding to put into a halt their project for now. In Wong’s own words, he said that there is actually “no value doing the current version of the RT”. Acer is focusing instead on their Windows 8 and Android tablets plus their hybrid computers.

The interview with Wong took place in Acer’s event in New York last Friday. During that event, Acer unveiled its new Android tablet worth $169 called the Iconia A1. Together with the tablet were two hybrid computers from Aspire with the Windows 8 OS.

The Original Plan

According to TechRadar, before the new Windows 8 came out, the company was already planning on releasing a series of devices to run on the Windows RT. According to The Verge, this is because of the commitment of the company to support the RT OS of Microsoft. However, they immediately reconsidered their plans after the bad performance of the Microsoft tablet in the market.

Another Reason for the Hold

TechRadar stated that the delay should be until the second quarter of this year. But word got out that the updated Windows RT will be capable of supporting smaller tablets that are around 7 to 8 inches. Therefore, the source speculates that Acer might be thinking about utilizing that new feature as well.

Sources: The Verge and TechRadar

It seems like Apple is not only looking to incorporate their new iOS 7 to their smartphones and their computers but to car consoles as well. According to a report by 9To5Mac, Apple is now talking with major car makers about the integration of their new operating system with new autos. Now, that would no longer require porting your iPhone to your car as you drive.

Apple Maps

Based on the report, cars could benefit from the new iOS particularly in navigation. The Apple Maps will effectively replace the usual GPS systems found in many cars today. This would provide a turn-by-turn navigation that is more advanced than the GPS.

Siri

Another advantage comes in the form of Siri. In 2012, the company announced that Siri can just be run in the car’s system just by plugging the iPhone in its port. Then, the app will run with the device’s screen turned off with its Eyes Free function.

The major integration of Siri to cars already started this early 2013 as the Chevy Sonic and Spark cars were equipped with the feature. As seen in one of the brand’s advertisements, the virtual assistance app can just be activated with a touch of a button from the controls on the steering wheel. With the iOS 7 integration to cars, this would further be enhanced like having your seat adjusted with only your voice.

The Talks with Car Makers

An earlier report of the source said that the automakers that could benefit from the new iOS 7 would be Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Audi, Land Rover, Toyota, Chrysler, Honda and Jaguar.

Apple’s Confirmation

So far, Apple remains tight-lipped on the wide implementation of the iOS 7 integration to cars. The source speculates there are some issues and actual car tests that the company has to address first. However, it also mentioned that Apple might reveal details about it in the next WWDC event later this year.

The SSC Tuatara is groomed to take over the position of Bugatti Veyron Super Sport as the world’s fastest production car. However, the lack of updates about the status of the car has led some people to speculate that the development of the vehicle may have encountered a roadblock.

According to Motor Authority, this is not the case. In their interview with SSC, the company stated that the development of their upcoming masterpiece is still ongoing. The company added that they are achieving progress with the Tuatara according to plan. In fact, they even said that they have reached a milestone recently.

The Milestone

The said milestone is the completion of the car’s final testing and the checking of the the auto’s dual-turbocharged 7-liter V8 engine. When they attached the new engine on a dynometer, it easily gave out a reading of 1,350 hp with 1,280 lb-ft of torque. The gasoline that was used on the engine was a 91 octane, the report added.

The Bugatti Veyron Super Sport, only has 1,183 hp. So, that means the Tuatara will easily beat it later in terms of engine power.

On top of that, the stated 1,350 hp is not yet the maximum output of the Tuatara. SSC pointed out that it is only the standard output. The engine is easily capable of going up to 1,700 hp if pumped with a race fuel. Then, it can go up to 275 mph, which is enough to overtake the 267 mph top speed of the Veyron.

Aftermath of the Dyno Test

When the dynometer testing was done, the engine was disassembled for inspection and the engineers did not notice any stress in its components. The source said that the components of the engine still looked new after the event. The engine was further tested also using the Ultimate Aero Supercar of SSC to see its actual road performance, which gave out impressive results.

Source: Motor Authority

The Bitcoin mining rig is becoming a popular alternative to people who want an easy way to earn the digital currency. The technology is very much different from the usual way of trading which is buying the products low and selling them at a high value. All you have to do is plug the hardware that specializes in Bitcoin mining and run its customized software. After that, you can sit back and relax as it mines the digital currency for you.

The Miners Enter

Last year, three companies led the Bitcoin mining race using computers with customized chips called ASICS (application specific integrated circuits). The companies that lead the competition were Butterfly Labs, Avalon Asics and Asicminer.

The product of Butterfly Labs promised to get more than 60 billion hashes per second. But the company ran into trouble in its chip which melted easily because it was producing too much heat. So, Butterfly Labs was eventually overtaken by Avalon Asics who had a more practical design with 67 Gigahash capabilities.

Avalon CEO Yifu Guo attributes the success of his Bitcoin miner to his network of friends and acquaintances in his homeland, which is China. His social network enabled him to initially come up with 300 systems in just a span of 4 months.

Jeff Garzik was the first customer of Avalon. He invested heavily on it through pre-order. When he got the system in January this year, his investment immediately paid off. In just 20 hours of its initial operation, he got approximately 15 Bitcoins. But the following were only 4 Bitcoins per day. Currently, that amount of transaction is still equal to $500 based on the current market of the digital currency.

How Bitcoin Mining Works

Bitcoin transactions are only monitored through peer-to-peer networks because the digital currency is not registered in any Central Banks or financial institutions. Then, as individual computers record the transactions from their origin to their destination, it gets the chance to enter into a cryptographers’ lottery every 10 minutes with 25 Bitcoins at stake. That is actually the process wherein miners get their share.

That means if one miner or group can log the Bitcoin transactions faster than others, they get more chances to enter the lottery, which comes in a form of a hash. So, the more hashes they get means more chances of winning the payout.

Basically, that is what the race is all about. Creating a system that could beat others by generating more hashes in the fastest possible way.

Source: Wired

This morning, the new 2014 Panamera S E-Hybrid was featured in the Shanghai Motor Show. The car debuted together with two Panamera longwheel versions.

According to the press release of the company, the Panamera S E-Hybrid is an evolved version of the last Panamera S Hybrid. Aside from the slight modifications in terms of design, the new hybrid car will have a better electric-fed motor, more efficient battery and more compatible with charging stations at home and in public.

The car is capable of giving off 95 hp, a 48 hp higher than its predecessor. The lithium-ion battery of the car will be its main energy source. The output of the battery has also been enhanced at 9.4 kWh, which is a huge leap from the previous version’s 1.7 kWh. Then, the charging for its battery on a 240V power outlet lasts two and a half hours with its incorporated on-board charging component and Universal Charger.

From a complete halt, the car is capable of building up a speed of 60 seconds in just a span of 5.2 seconds only. Its maximum speed it pegged at 167 mhp. No detail was released regarding its energy consumption though, but Autoblog speculates that the car may be capable of going 20 miles when the speed is maintained at a maximum of 84 mph. There are no information revealed on its powertrain too but Porsche said that it is more improved than the last Panamera hybrid model.

For a luxury car this good from a world-renowned brand, expect to dish out a price of $99,000. However, the price of the car in local dealerships may be subject to change due to additional charges like tax, delivery and other costs. The release of the new car will be in the latter part of the year based on the publication by the luxury car brand.

Source: Porsche

The Shanghai Motor Show does not start until April 21. But, just recently, Mercedes-Benz already announced the features of their Concept GLA which is yet to be unveiled in China.

The Mercedes-Benz Concept GLA is a premium compact Sport Utility Vehicle or SUV that will come with the usual 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and 4MATIC all-wheel drive similar to the new models of the brand said AutoBlog. Then, its engine will have an output of 208hp with a displacement of 2.0 liters.

The exterior of the SUV is a sight to behold due to its curvaceous style from the hood to the rear. It also has grille designs that house the three-point logo of Mercedes-Benz in front. The 20-inch wheels come in 5-spoke design with 255/45 R20 tires. The rest of its features are based on an evolved Coupe concept of the brand that combines the themes of power and leisure to complement the new model’s “Escape the Everyday” slogan.

The impressive look of the exterior is further enhanced by its luxurious interior. The inside of the car offers contrasting leather coverings with aluminum highlights to put emphasis on its major parts. Notably, the interior designers employed saddle craftsmanship technique for the leather covers. Hand-stitched seams that can stretch up to a combined length of 65 feet were used to hold the material together making it not only stylistic but also very durable.

You might find the features to be somewhat standard knowing that most of the concepts for the design were obviously borrowed from other vehicles of Mercedes-Benz. But a distinct flavor has been added to the new SUV to make it stand out from its predecessors and contemporaries.

The most heavily hyped feature of the auto is its all-new headlamps that were engineered to utilize laser technology. With new technology, the car will offer better illumination of the road. However, it does not end there. The headlamps can serve as video projectors too. The GLA has detachable HD cameras on the roof that will go together with the projector. In addition, the fans in the cooling system of the headlights provide a “sparkle effect” as well to give out improved visuals.

Check out the photos below of the Concept GLA:

Watch out for the upcoming Shanghai Motor Show also, which will be held on April 21 up to April 29, to get the juiciest updates related to this upcoming SUV of Mercedes-Benz.

Sources: Autoblog and BenzInsider

Ever since the news about the iPhone 5S leaked, several rumors have started circulating over the Internet. Among them were the speculations about the start of the product’s mass production overseas which could very well serve as good news to smartphone enthusiasts who are eagerly awaiting the next iPhone’s release in the market. Just recently, major rumors said that the iPhone 5S will have extra megapixels in its camera.

The specs of its enhanced cam will be around 12 megapixels according to a rumor featured in CNET. The news source said that the rumor originated in the Vietnamese website called Tinhe. If this is true, then that would mean an extra 4 megapixels as compared its predecessor which is the iPhone 5.

Well, this may no longer come as a surprise because with the rapid advancement of technology and tight competition in the smartphone market presented by Samsung and other producers, Apple manufacturers are actually forced to continuously improve the way that their products work. Of course, that includes the camera which is one of the most demanded features of gadgets today.

Camera-mounted devices such as smartphones are quickly becoming a necessity in the world we live in, next to the basic requirements of people. This is because individuals now use them to freely express themselves or communicate to others through chatting online, plus taking pictures and videos which will then be immediately uploaded and shared with other people on social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and others. Pictures and videos have been very crucial also in capturing a person’s most cherished moments as well as important events in the world we live in. So, it is important for a device such as the iPhone 5S to have a high resolution camera that could catch life’s most important moment with utmost clarity.

Moreover, it is just fitting for the iPhone 5S to offer camera features that can compete head-to-head with the new products in the market today. HTC One definitely impressed fans with its 4-megapixel camera due to its great image quality and capability to operate effectively in low light situations. Thus, Apple has to prove that more megapixels are by far better.

Now you might be asking why we are relying on a website like Tinhe, considering that there are many other alternatives out there? CNET explained that Tinhe was the one that correctly predicted the coming of the iPhone 4 before it even leaked in the media and prior to its official announcement from Apple. In addition, it was the website that accurately detailed the memory of the iPhone 4S before it even made news. The people in Tinhe were the ones who leaked the news about the EarPods from Apple too weeks ahead of its official release. Next to those, the Vietnam-based site precisely forecasted the retail version of the third generation iPad before it hit the shelves of stores.

In a related news from iLounge, the publication said that the maker of iPhone 5S is considering about borrowing Sony’s 13-megapixel technology.

Source: CNET