Technology Round-up
Some interesting stories from the world of technology today. I’ll read the geek journals so you don’t have to…
Let’s start with a $1.3 million dollar car. The Bugatti Veyron 16.4 (picture here) is the world’s fastest car. Displacing the McLaren F1 atop the food chain the 16.4 will do 0-60 in 2.3 and top out at 253 MPH.
It has a German motor, a French gearbox, Italian leather interior and all carbon fiber and aluminum frame from France. It’s all wheel drive can power-shift in icy conditions, stopping sideways if need be. A spoiler even flips up like the back of an airplane wing for added braking power from high speeds. The gas pedal has electronic sensors so that it can detect the style of the driver, saving power if the car is being driven to the grocery store vs. racing on the Autobahn.
Want an Xbox 360? Get in line behind Steve Ballmer’s kids.
Getting ahold of an Xbox 360 has been tough for nearly everybody. Even Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer told his kids they’d have to go to a store to buy one, just like everybody else.
Microsoft isn’t scared of Google, even though everyone else is.
“I hear they’re coming out with a robot that will cook hamburgers, too. Let’s spread that rumor ‚Äî there’s nothing they can’t do,” Gates said in jest.
On a more serious note, Gates added: “Whatever they announce, they announce. They’re in their honeymoon period, and anything they announce gets hype…. They will obviously branch out beyond internet search, but I think the expectations won’t live up to reality.”
Want to build a scale model of your imaginary girlfriend using Legos? The Lego Factory is for you. It’s like a CAD program for toy geeks.
Finally, in preparation for Google’s CES keynote, the speculation over their announcement continues. TechDirt rounds up some of the rumors. Honestly this has been fairly unexciting as technology rumors go. When they came up with the Segway, you would have thought they were announcing a cure for cancer. That product was billed as world changing, but all we got was a goofy skateboard with handlebars that costs five grand.
On an unrelated note, if you buy a Segway now, you can get a free GPS locator. Since the thing has a maximum range of 8-20 miles, I can see that coming in handy. Heaven forbid you wouldn’t be able to find your way back to the house from the 7-11 on the corner. Your ice cream might melt if you took a wrong turn.
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